KWSO News for Tue., Apr. 21, 2021

Former Oregon US Representative Elizabeth Furse has died. Furse was the first African born member of the US Congress.  In her native South Africa, Furse became active in the anti-apartheid movement, and continued her activism until her death at age 84.  In a recent conversation with KLCC, Furse extolled the importance of sticks-to-it-ive-ness in political action.

  Furse lived in the Portland area was active in Native American and Tribal issues and, environmental issues.  Furse had served the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs on the Indian Head Casino Board of Directors.  She also received the TWANAT Award from the Warm Springs Museum in 2010.

The first Earth Day took place in 1970 and this year Earth Date is this Thursday April 22^nd.    There are virtual events that begin today with both a global youth climate summit and a Hip Hop Caucus.   https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/.  Locally there are community Clean up Events – tomorrow from 8 until noon at the Warm Springs Community Center and Saturday from 9 til noon at  the Simnaho Longhouse and also at the Seekseequa Fire Hall.

In Jefferson County the testing positivity rate for the period of April 4^th thru the 17^th was 9.1% – that’s up from 6% from the previous 2 week period.  Today County Risk levels will be updated by the state that are designed to provide health framework to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 across Oregon.

There is voter registration being done by “We X Voter Outreach” tomorrow afternoon (4/21/21) from 3:30-5:30 across from the post office in Warm Springs.  If you are 18 or older and an Oregon Resident – you can register to vote.  The voter registration deadline for the May 18^th election is next Tuesday, April 27^th.  One more voter registration will be done on Monday April 26^th from 11:30 – 1:30 across from the post office in Warm Springs.