KWSO News for 11/12/19

Currently there are no sidewalks or bicycle lanes provided within the Highway 26 Corridor in Warm Springs. The Oregon Department of Transportation traffic volumes indicate an annual average daily traffic volume of 6700 vehicles per day. The Highway 26 Warm Springs Safety Corridor Plan Project will improve the safety of US 26 and help safety planning efforts of the Warm Springs Commercial Corridor Safety Plan. There are going to be Public Meetings today at the Agency Longhouse and tomorrow at the Greeley Heights Community Building. Both meetings will start at 12pm.  This is an opportunity to visit with the representatives from the Oregon Department of Transportation for all your questions and a review of the safety corridor plans.

With November being Native American Heritage Month, Central Oregon Community College (COCC) is hosting a few events this month. First up they are having a screening of: Navajo Code Talkers of World War 2 at the Madras COCC campus from 5:30pm-7pm tomorrow and then again at the Bend Campus on Thursday from 4pm-5:30pm. This Documentary film features five warriors from the Navajo Nation who served as Code Talkers. On November 18^th and 19^th they will feature Native American Flute Music with Warm Springs Tribal Member Clem Picard. Performance on the 18^th will be at the Madras COCC Campus and 19^th at the Bend Campus, both performances start at 6pm. Then Warm Springs Hip Hop Artist Blue Flamez will perform on Friday November 22^nd at the Bend Campus starting at 6pm. All of these events are free and open to the Public. For more information you can call 541-318-3782.

Conditions are dry in southern Oregon. The Grants Pass Daily Courier reports that with streams running at a trickle, fish biologists are worried about access for spawning salmon. Fire officials have asked the public to avoid outdoor burning until it rains. Ryan Battleson, biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Central Point, said small streams need more water to provide habitat for juvenile coho and steelhead. No rain is forecast for at least a week. October’s 0.61 inches of rain in Grants Pass, Oregon, was about 25% of average. The dry conditions have also slowed prescribed burning and slash pile burning at lower elevations. The fire season ended Oct. 1 but Shelly Hoffer of the Oregon Department of Forestry said the department is still putting out wildfires.

In Local Sports: Madras White Buffalo Football traveled to Rainier on Friday in 1^st round playoff action. The Buffs tried to keep in the game with a 19-0 halftime deficit, but fell to the Columbians 40-7. According to the Bulletin Madras Senior Linebacker Kody Zemke has been named Class 3A Special District 1-East Defensive player of the Year for the 2019 football season. Zemke is joined on the All league 1^st team by fellow teammates Defensive Back Erik Boynton, Running Back Treyvon Easterling, Wide Receiver Robert Pacheco and Offensive Lineman Andrew Ganuza. At the State Cross Country meet last Saturday Madras High School runner Hannah MacDuffee finished 58^th out of 91 runners with a time of 21 minutes 58 and a half seconds.