KWSO News for 1/10/20

A notice has been put out for the Tribal wood cutters regarding the resale permits. As of January 31^st, your 2019 resale permits will not be valid.  It is recommended to get the transport process done before the 31^st in order to have the 2020 permits available. Luther Clements gives us some insight “We will be issuing permits in increments of 20 half cord permits for people that have smaller pickups and we will also be issuing 10 one full cord permits for the people that have the vehicles that could transport the one cord. We’re trying to accommodate our tribal members and wood cutters in the size of vehicles our people have to transport their product back home. Also our schedule for our timber committee meetings is the 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of every month at 9 oclock in the forestry conference building. So if you have any questions or concerns, the tribal members are always welcome into our meetings to either sit in or if you have concerns to come in and meet with the timber committee”

A Winter Weather advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service. It begins this morning at 10am and continues through Monday at 10am. According to The Bulletin the advisory could worry some travelers however it’s a good sign for those people involved in winter recreation as that gives more snow for Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo ski area over the weekend. Meteorologists are measuring the impending snow in terms of inches, whereas ski shops are measuring it in terms of sales. With 2 to 3 feet of snow possible in the mountains, Leif Williams, Vice President of Marketing at Hoodoo encourages skiers and snowboarders to be prepared for the snowy conditions and to bring shovels to dig themselves out of parking spaces.

This flu season could be the worst Oregon has seen in a decade, according to Providence Hospital in Portland. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports. Providence doctor, Jason Wells, says they’re seeing a real spike in people with flu-like symptoms. “Within the last couple of weeks, about 40 patients a week have been hospitalized in the Portland metro area. Again that’s starting to creep up and we’d expect to see that increase over the next few weeks.” Providence is taking steps to try stop the disease from spreading. “Once the flu season is called and that was the beginning of December and that’s when we start asking that very young children not be brought into patient care areas. If you have any signs of illness, or flu like symptoms, that you wear a mask if you are coming in, or that you avoid the hospital entirely.” Australia’s flu season was severe last year. It’s often a predictor for the US season.  Doctors say there’s still time for a flu shot. I’m Kristian Foden-Vencil reporting.

Bend leaders know they need to do something about transportation, its people’s number one issue, according to surveys. WEDNESDAY night the City Council took the next step to put a bond before voters. Emily Cureton reports. “The council signaled its support for a package that would cost the average Bend homeowner about a hundred seventy dollars a year. How exactly that money would be spent– is still being hammered out. In the city’s most recent phone survey, voter support was highest for improving east-west connections, traffic flow and safety. But people leaning against a bond said they were skeptical the projects would fix Bend’s problems. Others believe they can’t afford more taxes, or that tourists should pay for this before locals have to. In a current draft, public transportation funding hovers around five percent of the total bond package. The council is expected to formally vote next month on what will go before voters in May. Emily Cureton, reporting”

In Sports: NFL Playoff Action continues tomorrow with the NFC’s #1 seed 49ers hosting the 6^th seed Minnesota Vikings at 1:35pm. The 49ers are playing in their 1^st playoff game in almost 6 years as the Vikings are hoping to bring down another home team as they beat the Saints last week. Game 2 tomorrow has the AFC’s #1 seed Baltimore Raven’s hosting the 6^th seeded Tennessee Titans at 5:15pm. The Raven’s and MVP front runner Lamar Jackson are looking to get the win over the surging Titans and Running Back Derrick Henry, who took out the defending champ Patriots last week. On Sunday, Kansas City will host the Houston Texans at 12:05pm as Houston looks to get another victory over Kansas City on the road as they beat them during the regular season. The weekend concludes with the Seahawks traveling in to Green Bay with high hopes of taking out the Packers and getting their 1^st victory over the Packers at Lambeau field since 1999. Men’s College Basketball saw Will Richardson score seven of Oregon’s eight points in overtime as the ninth-ranked Ducks held off No. 24 Arizona 74-73. Oregon rallied to tie the game late in regulation and went ahead for good on Richardson’s jumper with 17 seconds left in overtime. Richardson led the Ducks with 21 points while Payton Pritchard, who played all 45 minutes, finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Nico Mannion led Arizona with 20 points and Josh Green scored 18. Zeke Nnaji had 11 points and 14 rebounds. In Local Sports: The Madras High School Buff Boys basketball is on the road today, traveling to Mountain View to take on the Cougars, tip-off is at 6:30pm. The Lady Buffs are hosting Mountain View tonight with game starting at 7pm and will be Live Broadcast here on KWSO.