KWSO News for Wed., May 12, 2021

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has announced statewide and county COVID-19 vaccination targets, with the hope of reopening the state’s economy. The governor said Tuesday most statewide coronavirus related restrictions will be lifted when 70% of Oregon’s residents who are 16 years and older receive the first COVID-19 vaccine dose. In addition, counties will be eligible to move into the “lower risk” category when 65% of the area’s eligible population is vaccinated. Currently more than 35% of Oregon’s total population is fully vaccinated. While Brown says safety measures, including county risk levels, will be removed if Oregon meets its vaccination target, the state “may continue” to require the use of masks and physical distancing.

Jefferson, Deschutes & Crook counties all remain in “High Risk” levels for COVID-19.  Wasco County moves to Moderate Risk this Friday.  “High Risk” means that there remain restrictions on occupancy for restaurants and retail stores and that indoor school sports are limited to 25% maximum occupancy or 50 people whichever is smaller,  Schools have submitted plans to address COVID-19 precautions that allows teams to play.

With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extending emergency use authorization to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 12-15 the Health and Wellness Center asks families interested in vaccination for their children those ages to call the vaccine appointment line at 541-553-2131 to get on the waiting list.  This will also help the clinic know how much vaccine to get.

The Jefferson County Clerk reports that their vote tally machine was certified yesterday.    They also remind voters that ballots were mailed April 28th.  If you have not received your ballot, call 541-475-4451 or go to the Clerk’s office for a replacement ballot.  As of yesterday, 13.66% of ballots have been returned.  The Warm Springs voting precinct has 1465 registered voters.  There are 5 candidates from Warm Springs on the May 18^th ballot.  With that election less than one week away – voters should either drop off their ballot at the County Clerk’s office or place it in an official ballot drop box before 8pm next Tuesday.

The Biden administration says it is considering a ban on new mining on large expanses of public lands in Western states to protect a struggling bird species, the greater sage grouse. The Interior Department review announced Tuesday will cover millions of acres of land and comes in response to a February court order. A temporary ban on mining was imposed under former President Barack Obama but dropped by the Trump administration.  Affected lands are in Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. The wide-ranging, chicken-sized sage grouse has lost territory to human development and wildfires, and its population plummeted in recent decades.

The game-maker Gameloft has remade the popular educational video game Oregon Trail. But as Correspondent Anna King reports, this time around the game tries to represent Native Americans more accurately.