KWSO News for Fri., Jun. 12, 2020

The Warm Springs Covid-19 Response Team reported yesterday that 32 people have now recovered from COVID-19 from the total of 50 individuals who have tested positive at the Health and Wellness Center.  738 tests have been done to date with 679 tests returning negative, 6 tests pending and 3 tests that were invalid and redone.  Currently there are 797 test kits on hand to be used for ongoing testing including random surveillance testing of high risk individuals as well as a random sample of Tribal Employees

The Oregon Health Authority reported 178 new confirmed coronavirus cases, marking the highest daily count in the state since the start of the pandemic. Officials said Thursday part of the reason for the increased case number is due to the expansion of “widespread availability of testing, increased contact tracing, active monitoring of close contacts of cases” and recent workplace outbreaks. Thursday’s cases bring the new total number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Oregon to 5,237 with 171 deaths. Gov. Kate Brown said Thursday evening that in light of the case increase she will for one week pause pending county applications for reopening.

Oregon’s minimum wage is set to increase on July 1. How much it goes up depends on where you work.   People who earn minimum wage in Oregon’s more populated counties will get a 75 cent-per-hour increase. In the Portland metro area, it means the base wage will be $13.25 per hour. In the Willamette Valley, the north Oregon coast, and parts of central and southwest Oregon, the minimum wage will be $12 per hour.  Workers in so-called “non-urban” counties will get a 50 cent per hour raise to $11.50 per hour.  According to the Oregon Employment Department, roughly seven percent of all jobs in Oregon pay the minimum wage, although that statistic is based on data from last year, before the coronavirus pandemic drove unemployment to record levels.  The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs uses the Federal Minimum wage of $7.25.

As the July 15 tax-filing deadline − postponed from April 15 − draws near, the Internal Revenue Service is reminding all taxpayers who have yet to file their 2019 federal tax return to file electronically now, choose direct deposit for their refund, or pay any tax owed electronically.  Taxpayers who owe for tax year 2019 or need to pay 2020 estimated taxes originally due for the first quarter on April 15 or the second quarter on June 15 can schedule an electronic payment up to the July 15 due date.  The IRS continues to process electronic tax returns, issue direct deposit refunds and accept electronic payments. As of May 29, the IRS received over 133.8 million tax returns and issued over $250.9 billion in refunds.

199 students will receive diplomas in a modified graduation ceremony at Madras High School tomorrow morning.  The drive through graduation will include walking across the stage to receive their diploma and a quick snapshot at the white buffalo statue.  Families can ride along with their student but otherwise the event is closed to spectators.  KWSO will broadcast the graduation live starting at 9am tomorrow morning.

Congratulations to these Bridges High School Students:

• Isaiah Alire
• Elisa Arce Colazo
• Isaac Benitez
• Perla Betancourt
• Jenessa Boise
• Zach Bowe
• Keilani Charley
• Justice Clement
• Sophia Courville
• Jeremiah Devore
• Dale Doney
• Marissa Fracasso
• Chloe Frank Estrada
• Oscar Garcia
• Maria GarciaJaimes
• Nathanial Garza
• Koda George
• Stephanie Haynes
• Cheydon Herkshan
• Janeisha Hintsala
• Tylaysha Howtopat
• Brittony Ike
• Natasha James
• Michael Jordan
• Ivory Kalama
• Donaven Kalama
• Sidney Kalama
• Alexis Kern
• Jeremy KillsFirst II
• Issac King
• Eleana Lawson
• Robert Letlow
• Dayanny Lopez
• Iysha Macy
• Aaliyah Martinez
• Raymond Mojica
• Albert Moreno
• Andrew Moreno
• Aiden Moschetti
• Aalyah Padilla
• Catherine Payenna
• Sam Raines
• Francisco Reyes
• Gabe Rubio
• Aramus Rubio
• Tony Salazar
• Ariana Salgado
• Andrew Short
• Skylar Sims
• Laila Smith
• Dae’sha Smith
• Dyanna Smith
• April Reed
• Mahala Spino
• Andrew Stacona Jr.
• Cory Stwyer
• Shareen Thomas
• Corbett Tom Jr.
• Denver Tufti
• Isaiah VanPelt
• Cody Walton
• Cole White
• Calvin Wilson

Congratulations to these Madras High School Graduates:

• Rosalinda Alonso
• Shantel Andrade
• Fawntana Arthur
• Kacee Baggett
• Donnie Bagley Jr.
• Seth Baker
• Kaylahni Bidiman
• Angelique Blevins
• Tylor Bowe
• Erik Boynton
• Ulises Bradley
• Amando Bravo Arias
• Blake Bristow
• McKenzie Brown
• Matthew Bunt
• Briseida Carlon
• Brianna Carvajal
• Martin Castillo
• Robert Charley III
• Cankuna Chavez
• Chasity Colton
• Braeden Cox
• April Cunningham
• Madison Davidson
• Darcy DeChamplain
• Bailey Dennis
• Michael DeQuasie
• Omar Diaz
• Anabel Diaz Alvarado
• Yayson Diaz Avila
• Kenia Diaz Duarte
• Miguel Diaz Juan
• Dinh Do
• Grayson Dominguez
• Natasha Dunn
• Treyvon Easterling
• Elizabeth Egoavil
• Rodrigo Enriquez Uribe
• Angel Estrada
• Baltasar Estrada Alejo
• Tyler Eurto
• Kaleb Faught
• Thomas Rosales Felix Jr.
• Hunter Fitts
• Oriana Foltz
• Anona Francis
• Andrew Ganuza
• Cynthia Garcia Harness
• Keenan Gerba
• Tyson Graeme
• Nakota Gray
• Noah Gregory
• Carlos Guzman
• Trissa Handsaker
• Gimena Herbert
• Karina Hernandez
• Lillybeth Hernandez
• Aspen Holcomb
• Heather Horn
• Kelly Huang
• Juan Huerta Hernandez
• Kain Jackson Palmer
• Atoria James
• Sha’Rita Johns
• Del Johnson
• Korie Johnson
• David Juarez
• James Katchia Jr.
• Dalton Keifer
• Cesar Leon Jr.
• Naydine Lima Mercado
• Jasmine Lopez
• Daniel Macias
• Hope Magare Strawn
• Cristofer Maldanado
• Halei Manu
• Alondra Maya Zamora
• Madison McCool
• Brianna McCoy
• Jorge Medina Rodriguez
• Evelyn Mendoza
• Dapri Miller
• Trent Mitchell
• William Mitchell
• Alex Morales
• Kelsey Olivera
• Marietta Olson
• Topaz OReilly
• Lluvia Ortiz
• Robert Pacheco Alcala
• Noe Palacios
• Franklin Pineda
• Emily Plant
• Noah Pogue
• Stephanie Que
• Keala Rauschenburg
• Emily Reynoso
• Nataly Reynoso
• Yulitza Reynoso Jaimes
• Eduardo Rodriguez
• Tyriek Rodriguez
• Taylor Rowley
• Misael Rubio
• Azucena Ruiz
• Nacho Ruiz
• Maximus Russo
• Maria Sanchez de Lamadrid Gomez
• Ahlivia Sandelin
• Marbella Santellano
• Teague Schierling
• Jonissa Scott
• Jeremiah Sherrell
• Amber Simmons
• Bryce Simmons
• Raelee Simmons
• Jasper Smith
• Leander Smith
• Jiana Smith Francis
• Jenilee Squiemphen
• Brooklyn Stinson
• David Sumner
• Reed Surber
• Layna Tolton
• Orlando Torres
• Miriam Vazquez
• Britney Velasquez
• Dominique Walker
• Taiana Webb
• Katie Weygandt
• Liam White
• Angel Williams
• Skyla Williams
• Katelyn Wrought
• Anthony Young
• Kevin Zamarripa Talavera
• Kody Bryce Zemke