KWSO News for Fri., Feb. 25, 2022

Warm Springs Land Services has been charged with getting community input on a proposed new detention facility that will be constructed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  They are preparing public displays of 14 possible locations.  The project needs 5 acres of space for a 60-bed adult facility.   No architectural plans have been developed.  Proposed sites include:  Dry Creek, Along Hwy 3 next to KWSO, the Industrial Park, County Line Road, Sunnyside, North Camelback across from the Industrial Park, Old Mill, Greeley Heights, Campus, Original Jail Location, Next to Old Elementary, Brunoe Pit, Near the VFW Hall, and by Shitike Creek.  There is additional information in this week’s edition of the Spilyay Tymoo and be watching for displays at the Tribal Administration Building, the Health & Wellness Center, and 3 Warriors Market in Simnasho.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown will rescind her statewide COVID-19 emergency declaration on April 1. In addition, officials said Thursday Oregon’s mask requirement for indoor public places and schools will be lifted on March 19. Both announcements come as COVID-19 hospitalizations and case numbers continue to decrease in the state. The emergency declaration, which was first announced in March 2020, has been the legal underpinning for the executive orders the governor has issued throughout the pandemic — including orders surrounding reopening the state, vaccine mandates, childcare, liability protections for schools and higher education operations. In Warm Springs, the 509-J school district has acknowledged the mandate being lifted and also stated that in partnership with Warm Springs, they will defer to Tribal Council and their COVID-19 Task force for protocols to protect individuals against COVID-19 throughout the pandemic on tribal lands. They will continue to partner with our leaders going forward as decisions are made regarding the Warm Springs K-8 Academy. The mandate does not apply when on a school bus as that mandate is a federal mandate on any public transportation and cannot be waived by state or local authorities. The COVID-19 update for Friday 2/25/22 reports 0 positive tests from 11 tests conducted on Thursday 2/24/22. No positive tests were reported by outside facilities and there were 5 presumptive positives. There are currently 24 people with active COVID-19 and 10 close contacts receiving daily monitoring. Today there will be testing done from 9am-11am at the Health and Wellness center. Outside of those hours you can get a home test kit from Emergency response during normal business hours and fire and Safety outside of normal business hours.

Democratic Senators in Oregon forced a Republican lawmaker to leave the state Capitol yesterday. As Dirk Vanderhart reports, the step came after state Senator Dallas Heard refused to wear a face mask. “The incident marked the third time in three months that Heard, chair of the Oregon Republican Party, has shown up to the Capitol maskless. In previous instances, Heard left voluntarily after being found in violation of Senate rules. He declined on Thursday, saying he was protesting mask mandates on schoolchildren. HEARD: Wrap yourself up like a mummy if you want, but dont force my children or someone else’s against their will. That set up a rare vote. Democrats moved to exclude Heard from the Capitol unless he wore a mask. Senate President Peter Courtney pleaded with Heard to reconsider. COURNTEY : I’m asking you – for me, for the Senate, for district 1 and for Oregon’s people –not to leave the family. When Heard declined, the Senate voted along party lines to force him out . State masking rules will be lifted on March 19^th. I’m DV reporting.”

The city of Madras public works department wants to build a new city park in Southeast Madras according to the Madras Pioneer. The current $1.25 Million plan for the park consists of two three-acre parcels of land, divided by 10^th street at J Street. The park plan features a soccer field, basketball court, tot-play area, playground, pump track and three picnic shelters as well as parking, restrooms and open field space. The project is planned to be completed in two phases. Phase-one of Hoffman Park will be fully funded through a grant, the city’s matching funds and the land donation if the grant is approved. Phase one of the six-acre plot on 10^th and J Street is projected to cost $1.25 Million when completed while Phase two includes grading and paving the site, as well as landscaping, lighting and park amenities such as the picnic shelters, playgrounds and soccer field. Other park amenities will be phased in later. The grant requires a 40% match from the city for the grant to which the city can apply the land value to the match, making the city’s contribution $320,000. The city council met on Tuesday February 22^nd to vote on approving the grant application and the matching funds.

In Local Sports: The Madras High School Wrestling team has nine wrestlers heading to the OSAA 4A Wrestling State Championships taking place tomorrow. As reported by the Madras Pioneer, Headlining the wrestlers heading to state are brothers Reece and Cael White, who are the only seeded Madras wrestlers after they both earned district championships on February 12^th. The Buffs will have representation in half of the brackets at state this weekend and six of the nine entries in the field are underclassmen. In the 106 pound class, Freshman Michael Young will face off against #8 seed Jak Hopkes of Tillamook. In the 113 pound weight class, Freshman Jake Lawrence will square off with #6 seed Jace Miller of Sweet Home. In the 120 pound class, Sophomore Jayvon Tovar will take on #2 seed Kyle Watkins from Sweet Home.  The 138 pound class will have Senior Malacai Alire who will face off against Senior Jaxon Mengis of Henley who is the 6 seed. In the 160 pound class is 3 seed Junior Cael White who is looking to add a state wrestling medal to the all-state nod he got in football. His first opponent is Freshman Chaddrick Kappes of North Valley. The 170 pound class has two Madras Wrestlers representing Buff wrestling. Junior Isaiah Martinez of Warm Springs will start with Henley Senior #8 Tulson Higgins. Senior Alex Arreola is making his first trip to state and will take on 3 seed Senior Hayden Hamerl out of Tillamook. The 182 Pound class has Senior and #2 seed Reece White who is looking to add gold to his silver and bronze medals he won in years past. His first opponent is going to be unseeded Freshman Ty Bradbury of Hidden Valley. Sophomore Demarcus Scott is also in the 182 pound class and is unseeded. His first opponent will be #3 seed Daevon Vereen of Banks. Good Luck Madras Wrestlers.