KWSO News for Fri., Jun. 18, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A proposal to bring down four hydroelectric dams near the California-Oregon border has cleared a major regulatory hurdle. Federal regulators on Thursday allowed the utility that operates the dams to exit its license, setting the stage for the largest dam demolition project in U.S. history to save imperiled migratory salmon. The utility will surrender its license for the dams on the lower Klamath River to a nonprofit and the states of Oregon and California. The aging dams essentially cut the river in half for migrating salmon important to tribes. If the dams remained, the utility would likely have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to retrofit the structures to comply with today’s environmental laws.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — With the state and federal eviction moratorium set to expire at the end of June, Oregon lawmakers are hastily working on an amendment to keep financially struggling tenants housed and avoid mass evictions next month. The proposed “Safe Harbor” amendment on Senate Bill 278 would “pause” rental evictions for 60 days for tenants if they provide proof that they’ve applied for rental assistance. The state currently has $200 million, in federal aid, in the state’s rental assistance fund to help both tenants and landlords. Another round of funding is expected to be available this fall. So far, officials from the Oregon Housing and Community Services said more than 16,600 households have started or completed the application to get rental assistance.

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program is still taking applications to help folks with rent and utility payments. It is being administered through the Warm Springs Housing Authority and is open to a wide array of people for a number of different household bills:

To apply, contact the Warm Springs Housing Authority.

In girls prep basketball action, the Lady Buffs beat Gladstone for the second time this week, last night at the Buffalo Dome – final score 45-40. Madras boys basketball lost on the road to Gladstone 81-32.

A grant from the Central Oregon Health Council (COHC) to Central Oregon Community College (COCC), totaling $88,501, will facilitate a new high school summer symposium for regional Afrocentric students and partially fund an existing Native American college prep coordinator’s annual salary. The Native American college prep program is currently offered in five Central Oregon high schools and serves approximately 40 to 60 students annually. The program has led to a 98% high school graduation rate for participating students, a rate that surpasses the state’s graduation rate for Native American students, the college stated. Additionally, approximately 76% of the students in the program go on to college. Christy Walker, COCC’s director of diversity and inclusion, said the support is essential and will enable the college to keep its Native American college prep coordinator funded through August 2022, while also initiating the first-ever Afrocentric summer symposium next year.

The Museum at Warm Springs kicks off its annual Membership Drive this week. This year’s Drive honors longtime Board of Directors member and ancestor Kenneth Smith. The Roundhouse Foundation is matching proceeds from new Museum Memberships. There are several levels of annual Membership and there are three ways to join: the website https://museumatwarmsprings.org/, by calling Debbie Stacona at (541) 553-3331 or by emailing her: dstacona@museumatwarmsprings.org. The Museum’s annual Honor Dinner and Celebration is set for August 27-28 and this year’s honorees are U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo (Mvskoke) and author and Warm Springs elder George W. Aguilar, Sr. (Wasco).

Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) announced that it has surpassed the $28 million mark in state-funded grants for summer academic and enrichment programs throughout Oregon. In latest funding rounds, OCF has focused on diverse communities that have been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19. In late April, OCF announced the foundation’s role in administering $40 million in state-funded grants for community organizations to provide summer enrichment activities. OCF has also selected several Tribal community organizations to support including: the Burns Paiute Tribe $125,000 Summer Learning Grant will provide class preparedness, field trips, summer school, tutoring and intergenerational learning. And, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs $50,000 Summer Learning Grant The Language and Culture Department will provide classes and camps, Native language and cultural experiences for youth. The K-12 Summer Learning Grants program supports community-based programs that serve youth and families that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and related crises.