KWSO News for 2/25/20

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs have been chosen to host and conduct the first 2020 census count for the entire state of Oregon.  As with other rural areas, and reservations in particular, Warm Springs contends with being under-represented during census counts. In a letter to Tribal Council –  Julie Lam, census regional director, based in Los Angeles, wrote to the tribes: “We value our partnership with the tribe, and are committed to a complete and accurate count of our nation’s first peoples,”   Planning is underway for an  event on Thursday, March 12th.  For more details – check out this week’s Spilyay Tymoo newspaper that will be out tomorrow.

This week the federal government is expected to make recommendations on what’s to become of the Snake River Dams in southeastern Washington. Ahead of that, a group of utilities, transportation and conservation groups sent a letter to Northwest governors asking them to tackle energy and salmon issues on the Snake. It was sent YESTERDAY by a coalition of 17 groups across the Northwest — from Tacoma Power to Inland Power & Light to the Port of Lewiston. They say the region needs to figure out how to recover salmon and steelhead numbers. The group also hopes to preserve tribal treaty rights and electric system affordability. Absent from the letter’s signees are utility districts in the Tri-Cities area, which have called the Snake River Dams an important source of energy. According to the federal Bonneville Power Administration, the dams annually generate about 5 percent of the region’s power needs.

Republicans in the Oregon Senate are staging their third boycott in less than a year. Eleven GOP senators began a walkout today/Monday, denying a quorum needed to conduct business. Dirk VanderHart reports. “Republicans have long warned they would walk if Senate Bill 1530 neared a vote on the Senate floor. They argue the proposal to cap Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions and regulate polluters would be disastrous for the economy. When the bill passed out of the budget committee Monday morning, Republicans wasted little time. Less than an hour after the vote, all but one GOP senator had left the building. Sen Tim Knopp of Bend stayed behind. Supporters were in the galleries when Senate Preisdent Peter Courtney announced Republicans couldn’t be found COURTNEY; Therefore we do not have a quorum and we cannot proceed with today’s session. I will adjourn us; [CLAPS] I will clear the galleries. The five week Legislative session is scheduled to adjourn by March 8. Lawmakers still have a wide array of bills to consider. In Salem, I’m Dirk VanderHart reporting.”

University of Oregon women’s basketball star Sabrina Ionescu was among the people who spoke at Kobe Bryant’s memorial in Los Angeles yesterday. She said her close relationship with the NBA legend had a big impact on her game and her life. But some of Ionescu’s most heartfelt comments focused on his daughter, Gianna Bryant. She also died in last month’s helicopter crash. Ionescu said she learned to be a mentor from Kobe and applied that to her relationship with Gianna, another talented basketball player. “Ionescu: “I loved watching how hard she worked and how much her teammates loved her. But also her own desire to be great. She always wanted to learn – to go to every game she could. College. NBA. WNBA. Kobe was helping her with that, because he saw it in her. Just like he saw it in me.” Ionescu called on Kobe Bryant’s friends and fans to honor the late Laker star by supporting women’s basketball. Hours after her speech at Bryant’s memorial, Ionescu became the first player, man or woman, in NCAA history to reach 2000 points, 1000 assists and 1000 rebounds. The Ducks came away with the victory 74-66 as Ionescu finished the game with 21 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds. In Local Sports: The Madras High School Lady Buffs hosted the Estacada Rangers yesterday and came out with the victory 56-30, led by Jiana Smith-Francis with 19 points and Dominique Walker with 9. The Buff Boys were on the road to Estacada yesterday and found victory in their final regular season game 61-50. Their leading scorers were Dapri Miller with 23 points, Donnie Bagley with 19 points and Jordan Mitchell with 12.

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