Local News
KWSO News for Fri., Dec. 31, 2021
Dec
The Warm Springs community COVID-19 Update for Thursday (12/30/21) reports 4 new cases of COVID-19 from 43 tests conducted on Wednesday (12/29/21) at the Health and Wellness Center. No positive results came in from outside facilities. There are 31 people with active COVID-19 in Warm Springs and 26 close contacts receiving daily monitoring. With people celebrating the holidays in the upcoming days – please consider keeping family and friends safe by continuing to take COVID-19 precautions by wearing a face mask and maintaining distance from others. Limit gatherings to your immediate household. If you have not gotten a COVID-19 vaccine – you should reconsider doing that. Vaccinations are critical in reducing the spread of COVID-19. If you have been vaccinated – make sure you schedule your booster shot and if you have a child 5 or older – they can now be vaccinated too.
Four Jefferson County organizations received a combined $60,000 in funding from the Oregon Community Foundation according to the Madras Pioneer. The Warm Springs Community Action team has received two $25,000 grants from the Oregon Community Foundation, which will be used to fund their ongoing youth mural project. Another arm of the WSCAT, Tananawit also received funding in the amount of $5000 which will be designated to supporting artists that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Another program funded by OCF is the Columbia River Institute for Indigenous Development who has been working on a program to document, preserve and teach their native language Ichishkin, where only 10 Ichishkin speakers remain in Warm Springs. Because of COVID-19 in person classes have been unavailable and this funding will go to help elders teach online. The Jefferson county Cultural commission also received funding, which in the past they have used to support many Jefferson County cultural activities.
The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, otherwise known as CRITFC has a new Executive Director. Aja DeCoteau grew up with the urge to become a doctor, but a life in the outdoors gave her a passion that put her in Natural Resources. After 12 years of working with CRITFC she is the first woman to ever hold the position of Executive Director. She has served in the role as interim since April and was moved up to the permanent position in November. While she’s excited for the opportunity and honored to lead CRITFC as the first woman leader in its nearly 50-year history, she takes over at a pivotal time for the organization amid a series of challenges, including climate change, dwindling salmon populations and questions over the future of dams and hydropower.
In Sports: The Madras High School Lady Buffs were in action yesterday in the Sister’s Holiday Shootout facing off against La Grande and fell 47-39. Next up for the Lady Buffs is a trip to Rainier on January 3rd. The Buff Boys Basketball was in action yesterday at the Sister’s Holiday Shootout and in a rematch of an earlier game which they won, fell to Trinity Lutheran 64-49. The boys next travel to Rainier on Jan. 3rd. In College Football, the Semi-final for the National Championship kick off today beginning with #1 Alabama taking on 4th ranked and undefeated Cincinnati at 12:30pm in the Good year Cottonbowl classic. Then at 4:30pm, #2 Michigan takes on #3 Georgia in the Capital One Orange Bowl. The winners of these bowl games will play in the College Football National Championship presented by AT&T on Monday January 10th.
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