KWSO News for Mon., Apr. 26, 2021

The Oregon Health Authority reported early yesterday –  one new COVID-19 related death in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,485.  There were 780 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19.  The 7-day running average for vaccinations in Oregon is now more than 34 thousand doses per day.  Last Friday’s community COVID-19 Update reported 8 active cases of COVID-19 with 19 close contacts receiving daily monitoring.  Individuals and their family members who live or work in Warm Springs OR who is I.H.S. eligible can get a COVID-19 Vaccine.  Call 541-553-2131 for a vaccine appointment.

 Jefferson County Public Health and Latino Community Association Partnership is doing a Community Vaccination Clinic at Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Madras for anyone 18 and older on Friday May 7^th from noon – 7.  This is  for the Moderna Vaccine.  Registration is now open ONLINE.  Call 541-475-4456 for additional information or support in registering.

In May, Deschutes County will begin transitioning from the centralized mass vaccination model to a distributive model where COVID-19 vaccines are provided by community healthcare partners.   First-dose appointments will only be offered at the Mass Vaccination Clinic through May 7. The clinic will continue operations at the Fair & Expo Center to complete second-dose appointments through the end of May. To date, 87,640 vaccines have been administered at the Mass Vaccination Clinic.  You can register online at: https://www.centraloregoncovidvaccine.com/

Two cultural icons converged in Bend this weekend when the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile parked in front of the last Blockbuster video rental store on Earth. The Wienermobile, the rolling orange and yellow symbol of Oscar Mayer hot dogs, pulled into the Blockbuster parking lot to a crowd of about two dozen people taking pictures and singing, “I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner.” The Bulletin reports that some people were busy picking out movies inside the Blockbuster and were startled when the 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels parked outside. Blockbuster was one of several stops in Central Oregon for the traveling hot dog.

In the new sitcom Rutherford Falls on the Peacock network, two lifelong best friends, Nathan Rutherford and Reagan Wells, find themselves at a crossroads – quite literally – when their sleepy town gets an unexpected wake-up call.  The show features Native American writers and actors including Cheyenne River Lakota Sioux , Jana Schmeiding and Michael Greyeyes from the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation as well as Ed Helms of The Office Fame who plays Nathan Rutherford – a descendant of the town’s founder.  The comedy can be streamed with the first 3 episodes free from on Peacock Premium.  You can learn more about the show today on Native America Calling, coming up on KWSO at 10am.