KWSO News for Fri., Sep. 17, 2021

The Department of Justice has selected an additional 12 federally recognized tribes to participate in the expansion of the Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (or TAP), a program that provides tribal governments with means to access, enter, and exchange data with national crime information systems, including those maintained by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division and the states.  The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and Cow Creek Band of Umpqua have been selected for participation in the TAP program in Oregon.  The program provides training as well as software and biometric/biographic kiosk workstations to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) systems.  TAP has been an important resource for the department’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative and the Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives known as Operation Lady Justice. The Department of Justice began TAP in 2015 in response to concerns raised by tribal leaders about the need to have direct access to federal systems.  There are now 108 federally recognized Tribes participating in TAP.  You can read the full TAP announcement  HERE

The Warm Springs Reservation has updated fire season restrictions today.  Industrial Fire Precaution levels have changed slightly although fire danger remains high.  They are anticipating rain in the forecast this weekend will bring moisture to dry fuels.  Zone 1 moves to IFP Level 2.  Zones 2 & 3 are at IFP Level 3.  The Burn Ban is rescinded although everyone is urged to continue to take all precautions to prevent wildfire and to hold off on local burning.  Community members do need a burn permit before considering any burning.  You can get that at the Warm Springs Fire Management Dispatch Office.  HERE is more about the IFPLs.

A dangerous poison found in toxic algae — Anatoxin-a – has been detected in water samples from the Columbia River in the Tri-Cities. Now officials have closed major portions of the river shore and they warn against eating fish. Correspondent Anna King reports that  officials said Anatoxin-a was found in river water tests done at a King County lab. They were quick to close the rivershore from central-Richland to the confluence of the Yakima River.   Anatoxin-a can kill people and animals.  In people, the toxin can cause numbness of the lips, tingling of fingers and toes and dizziness. Animals weaken, stagger, have trouble breathing and go into convulsions. The problem first surfaced as a rash of sickness and death among local dogs.   Scientists say warmer water driven by less snowpack, drought and heat waves can trigger algae blooms. The river is lower than it’s been since at least 1991.

Stanley Speaks, age 87, passed away this past Wednesday at his home in Oklahoma.  He worked in the Bureau of Indian Affairs for 45 years including as the director of the BIA Northwest Regional Office in Oregon, which oversees 15 agencies that serve 45 federally recognized tribes.  Mr. Speaks was an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation.

In prep sports the Madras White Buffalos host Sweet Home in a football game at Stampede Stadium.  If you can’t make it over to the game – you can listen to it live here on 91.9 FM or online at KWSO dot org.  Spectators are reminded that facemasks are required at games and social distancing should be observed.