KWSO News for Tue., Dec. 14, 2021

The Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center continues to have telephone issues.  Temporary cell phone numbers have been assigned for: Medical Appointments or COVID-19 vaccine at 541-675-5285; Pharmacy Refills at 541-675-5400;  Dental & Optometry Appointments at 541-777-7482.  Those numbers will be answered by staff during business hours.  Messages will not be checked and so please don’t leave a voice mail – just call back if there is no answer.

Health officials say Oregon is the latest state to confirm cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19. The Oregon Health Authority on Monday said three cases of the variant were detected in the state — in Multnomah and Washington counties. Oregon Health & Science University Laboratory conducted the sequencing that detected the variant. The cases involve a Washington County resident in their 30s, a Washington County resident in their 20s and a Multnomah County resident in their 20s. Officials say all were fully vaccinated. Gov. Kate Brown says getting vaccinated, getting a booster shot and wearing a mask are the most effective ways to keep people safe from omicron, delta, and other COVID-19 variants.

The Jefferson County 509J school district is in the process of establishing a new Title V1 Parent Committee.  Nominations for the committee are open until midnight tonight. Any parent/guardian with a student in the district can be nominated or self-nominate to be one of the 3 parent members on the 6 person committee.  Families should have gotten an email on December 8^th about the committee and the nomination process.  Tomorrow, another email will be sent out about how parents/guardians can vote for representation.  Voting will run tomorrow thru next Monday (12/20/21).  You can hear more about the committee, nominations & voting HERE

Columbia River fish could have another mounting challenge to their ecosystem. Growing numbers of American shad could challenge salmon and steelhead. [Correspondent Courtney Flatt explains that in recent years, non-native shad migrating past Bonneville Dam on the Lower Columbia greatly outnumbered the total salmon and steelhead counted at the dam.  According to a recent report, at times, shad comprised more than 90 percent of fish counted at the Lower Columbia River dams. John Epifanio is the lead author of the report. He says less is known about how the shad boom might affect native salmon and steelhead runs.  Epifanio: “At a gut level, with millions of adult fish running up the river, how can they not have an impact on the ecosystem?”  Epifanio says questions remain about whether shad are competing for the same food as salmon or whether they might eat young salmon. He says researchers wanted policymakers to become aware of the shad horde before they become the predominant migrating fish in the Columbia River.

KWSO weather for Central Oregon:  Sunny but cold today with a high of just 41 degrees.  Increasing cloudiness tonight with an overnight low of 22.  Snow likely early tomorrow changing to rain with some gusty winds.  Rain and snow likely tomorrow night.