KWSO News for Wed., May 5, 2021

The Warm Springs community COVID-19 Update yesterday reported 1 new case of COVID-19 from 48 tests conducted on Monday (05/03/21) at the Health & Wellness Center.   There were 20 active cases of COVID-19 and 27 close contacts receiving daily monitoring.     Community Health’s Katie Russell says there is new information available from the Oregon Health Authority about local COVID-19 Variants

Russell says pregnant moms who have hesitated to get vaccinated can find new information is available.

There are additional benefits to being vaccinated besides just protection.

Anyone who lives or works in Warm Springs or is IHS eligible and their family members can be vaccinated at the Health and Wellness Center.  Call 541-553-2131 to schedule an appointment.

 

Counties in the COVID-19 Extreme risk category will move back down to high risk this Friday – just a week after the tighter rules took effect in an effort to beat back a fourth surge of COVID-19.  That includes Deschutes, Crook and Wasco counties.  Jefferson County remains in the high risk category (A full list of updated county risk levels, just released by the state, is available here.)  That means restaurants in Portland, Gresham, Salem, Eugene, Bend and Medford can restart in person dining service at 25% capacity or a maximum of 50 people, whichever is lower.  According to OPB the decision hinged on improvement in a single metric: slowing growth in the weekly cumulative total of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.  The metrics will be continue to be reviewed weekly.

 

The Culture and Heritage Committee is seeking input on Traditional Foods that is part of the Integrated Resource Management Plan update.  Their meetings today are postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.  You can find more information about the IRMP ONLINE.

 

Warm Springs Tribal Council was in session yesterday.   They heard an update from Warm Springs BIA Superintendent Brenda Bremner and also from Keven Moore for the Bureau of Trust Funds Management.    Realty’s Land Services did a presentation and there were Legislative Update calls.  Indian Health Service provided an update as did the local COVID-19 response team.  There were Tribal Attorney updates, a review of the Composite Products and Indian Head Casino Leases.  Other business included additions to Tribal Council agendas for May and June.  TC SUMMARY 050321

 

If you have a phone, chances are you have received one or two or a hundred of those annoying automated robocalls. Sometimes they come in daily. The digital voice on the other end wants to talk to you about your expiring car warranty or a bill you allegedly haven’t paid. In many cases, the fraudster will “spoof” the incoming call number so it appears as though it is someone local calling you.  The FBI shares some tips with you from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on how to protect yourself.

• Don’t answer calls from unknown number. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
• If you answer the phone and the caller – or a recording – asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
• Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes.” The scammer is likely recording you and can use that verbal “yes” later to pretend you agreed to something you did not.
• Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden name, passwords, or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.
• If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.
• (If you have a voice mail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your own phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voice mail if you do not set a password.
• Talk to your phone company about call blocking tools they may have and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device to block unwanted calls.
• To block telemarketing calls, register your number on the Do Not Call List(https://www.donotcall.gov) Legitimate telemarketers consult the list to avoid calling both landline and wireless phone numbers on the list.)

If you believe are a victim of an online scam, you should report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.