KWSO News 6/12/19

Zone 6 scaffold and hook & line fishing re-opened this morning for subsistence fishing only.  Fish may not be sold.  Legal-size sturgeon may be kept for subsistence use only.  Please stay tuned for additional fishing announcements after the spring season ends on June 15th.

Public Utilities staff was doing work to repair a 6” water main line break near Miller Heights on Tuesday. Water was shut off for repairs – leaving Miller Heights area residents without water and tribal buildings, businesses and residents in the Campus Area with low water pressure. Notice will occur once the water is turned back on.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A man will spend nearly six years in prison for driving drunk, speeding along a dark road at night without headlights and striking and killing two young men in Warm Springs. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports in a plea deal, Harold Blackwolf Jr. will spend the time in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the Sept. 28, 2017, crash and one count of illegally possessing a gun.

With engineering work for the Shitike Creek main line fix complete, work on the contracting and procurement process is underway. It is anticipated that construction work will start at the end of this week. During that work, water will be shut off for 24 to 40 hours in the agency area. Once anticipated shutoff times are known, we will share that information. The boil water notice remains in effect until further notice.

Warm Springs Recreation has list of fun field trips for program participants this summer. They will take kids to Clackamas Aquatic Center, Oaks Park, Multnomah Falls & Bonneville Dam, the High Desert Museum & Lava Caves, and to the movies & Sam Johnson Park. Children need to be signed up for the Summer Recreation Program to attend any trips. While some of the trips may come with a fee, Summer Rec at the Community Center is free. Application forms are available at the office.

Temperatures are expected to be in the 90’s in many parts of the state. Health officials are recommending people prevent heat-related illnesses that can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Extreme heat conditions pose a higher risk for children, people 65 and older, and those with chronic health conditions as well as athletes and outdoor workers. Do what you can to stay cool, limit sun exposure between 10am and 4pm, keep hydrated and never leave children or pets in a parked car. Even during the summer, the power can go out. Have a plan to stay cool when the power goes out. Be sure to check on friends, family and neighbors who may have a higher risk of heat-related illness at least twice a day.

The Oregon Health Authority has issued a precautionary seasonal recreational use health advisory for Lake Billy Chinook due to cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms that routinely develop in the lake. The advisory will remain in effect through Nov. 1. Tests done at Lake Billy Chinook since 2015 show that blooms in the lake consistently produce cyanotoxins over recreational use health guideline values for people and pets. In the past, OHA would issue and lift advisories on the lake as data were made available. Testing is costly, making it difficult for local water body managers to regularly test the lake during times when blooms occur. Because of that, a 2019 seasonal advisory for the lake is what is being done.

The state of Oregon joins three other states in celebrating today as Women’s Veterans’ Day. The declaration honors the fastest growing segment of the veteran population. Oregon joins California, New York, and Texas celebrating the sacrifices and accomplishments of women who have served in the Armed Forces. June 12 was chosen because it comes on the 71st anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which enabled women to serve as regular members of the armed forces. The inaugural observance will be a small one. A luncheon will be held to mark the occasion at the DVA, where 10 percent of the staff are women who are veterans. They are among more than 25,000 female veterans currently living in Oregon.

Oregon State University-Cascades will see 331 students graduate on Sunday, the third-largest graduating class in school history, the Bend Bulletin reports. It will also have more students of color and first-generation college graduates than ever before, according to a university press release. Nearly all of the graduates are Oregonians — 95% — and 67% are from Central Oregon. The graduation ceremony, which will take place at Les Schwab Amphitheater at 4 p.m. Sunday, will feature a commencement address from Alyssa Macy, the chief operating officer for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

The Yakima County coroner has released the names of four of the five people who were found shot to death on the Yakama Indian Reservation in Washington state. The coroner on Tuesday identified the victims as 49-year-old Catherine Eneas; 61-year-old Dennis Overacker; 51-year-old Michelle Starnes; and 36-year-old Thomas Hernandez. The coroner says all four suffered fatal gunshot wounds at a home in the town of White Swan. The identity of a fifth victim has not been released as officials are still trying to notify next of kin. Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive for the killings. Two people have been arrested in connection with the slayings.