Local News
KWSO News 9/12/19
Sep
There has been helicopter activity along the Deschutes River adjacent to the Warm Springs reservation this week. Warm Springs Power and Water Enterprises and Portland General Electric are adding spawning gravels and placing some boulders and trees in the river to improve spawning habitat and creating safe harboring areas for fry after they emerge. It is a license requirement for these co-licensees of the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric project. After years of studying the area the licensees along with the fish committee members agreed to improving areas mostly around the existing islands between the reregulating damn and the bottom of the grade. Studies have shown and red counts have confirmed fall chinook spawning along with resident rainbow trout spawning in these areas. The plan is to have this all completed no later than Friday of this week (9/13/19)
Folks in Warm Springs know that residential sanitation service has struggled to remain on schedule with failing equipment and limited staffing this year. In addition to picking up trash totes at all Warm Springs Residences – they also serve enterprises, private business, tribal departments and the 509J school district. There are currently 3 drivers and 3 trucks currently running with a new truck on order. Trash in Warm Springs goes to the Dry Creek Landfill. According to this week’s Spilyay Tymoo the future of solid waste disposal for Warm Springs means either building a new landfill or sending solid waste to an off reservation facility. You can read more about this story on the Spilyay’s front page. https://wsnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Spilyay-Tymoo-091119.pdf
Volunteers are now being recruited for the Warm Springs Tribes 2020 Point in Time Survey. The survey is an annual effort to identify the number of people in our community that do not have a stable, safe and secure place to live – including those temporarily living with family or friends. Doing the annual count helps with planning and brining resources to address housing needs. There will be a Volunteer Information Session on October 1st at 5:30pm the Tribal Social Services Building in the Industrial Park. Contact Buffy Hurtado to learn more at 541-615-0141.
After almost a year off the air, the Yakama Nation’s AM radio station K-Y-N-R is back. Last October, burglars stole vital broadcast equipment like the control board and several microphones. The Yakama Nation has spent $40 thousand dollars to replace the stolen equipment. Though it was an expensive tragedy, being off the air allowed K-Y-N-R to remodel its main studio, think about upgrading from analog to digital, and reconnect with listeners.
In Madras High School Sports – the football team will host their first home game of the season when the Lapine Hawks roll in tomorrow night. The Buffs won on the road at Mac Hi last week. Coach Kurt Taylor expect LaPine will likely be a hard hitting physical contest … Kick off for tomorrow’s Madras High School football game is at 7. If you can’t make it to stampede stadium – you can listen to the game live here on KWSO with Kelly Simmelink calling the action and Neal Morningowl doing color commentary.
