KWSO News for Wed., Jun. 24, 2020

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Covid-19 update yesterday afternoon evening reported one additional positive case of COVID-19 for a total of 56 on the reservation, since testing began.  42 of the 56 people have recovered.  921 tests have been done in all at the Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center.  17 tests were still pending at the end of yesterday.

Oregon’s death toll from Covid-19 remained at 192 according to the  Oregon Health Authority early yesterday.  There were 191 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 7,274.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden will have a live on-line town hall next week hosted by Town Hall Project for residents of Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. Anybody wanting to watch that virtual regional town hall beginning at 11 am PT on Monday, June 29 can go to www.townhallproject.com or use the link on the Town Hall Project Facebook page. Residents of Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties who would like to participate by asking Wyden a question can fill out a form for consideration by Town Hall Project. Wyden has postponed in-person town halls until there are clear-cut public health guidelines that a large open-to-all public meeting poses no unusual health risk for Oregonians.

Yesterday afternoon about 10 miles east of Madras, a wildfire scorched around 500 acres according to KTVZ TV.  The Oregon Department of Forestry said the fire was reported around noon yesterday and burned mostly in grass and brush.  ODF sent 5 engines and a 5 person crew to tackle the fire.

Oregon lawmakers will be voting on bills, including ones banning police from using chokeholds and mandating rent protections during the coronavirus emergency, in a special session of the Legislature. The session begins Wednesday, less than four months after the regular 2020 session ended acrimoniously. Republican lawmakers, who are the minority in both the House and Senate, staged a boycott to block a bill aimed at reducing Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions, preventing a quorum and leaving many other bills to wither and die. This time, lawmakers are meeting mainly to consider issues — the pandemic and police brutality and racism — that have moved to the forefront.