KWSO News for Thu., Mar. 17, 2022

A resident of the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho and former CEO of the Warm Springs Economic Development Corp. pleaded guilty Monday in federal court for his role in a fraud scheme targeting the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs as reported by KTVZ. Roderick Arawite and accomplice Thomas Adams, the former manager of Warm Springs Construction Enterprise created a construction company called Warbonnet Construction Services LLC and drew Tribal salaries and travel reimbursements while engaging in work projects for Warbonnet. In 2018 they used Tribal funds to hire a subcontractor for a Warbonnet project and submitted vouchers for expenses they incurred on behalf of themselves and Warbonnet, which were reimbursed with tribal funds. In total, Ariwite and Adams’ scheme cost the Warm Springs Tribes more than $50,000. On September 24, 2020 a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Ariwite and Adams with conspiracy and theft of funds from a Tribal organization. In a separate indictment, Ariwite was charged with one count of interstate transportation of a security taken by fraud. Ariwite faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in Prison, a $500,000 fine and three years’ supervised release, he will be sentenced on June 6^th. As part of his plea agreement, Ariwite has agreed to pay $39,613 in restitution to the Warm Springs Tribes and $3,000 to an unnamed adult victim. On August 23, 2021 Adams pleaded guilty to theft of funds from a Tribal Organization, he will be sentenced on March 29^th.

The Warm Springs Tribal Police Department has put out a missing person report as of Yesterday March 16^th for Claudine Lynn Gray-Littleleaf. She stands at 5’1” is 65 years old, has brown hair and brown eyes, is of Native American descent and was last seen wearing a Black/purple jacket, multi colored scarf and black pants. She is considered endangered and may suffer from dementia. There have been several comments on their post on FB of people seeing her in Madras. The post on the Warm Springs Police Department FB page says she was last seen on March 13^th. If you have any information, please contact the Warm Springs Police Department at 541-553-1171 or call 911.

The Elections for the 29^th Tribal council is coming up on Wednesday March 30^th and will take place at the Warm Springs Community Center Social hall from 8am-8pm. Absentee Ballot boxes will be set up at the Simnasho longhouse and the Seekseequa Fire Hall. Off reservation Tribal members can mail in their absentee ballot. In the Agency District there are 18 candidates looking to fill 3 positions, there are 6 candidates in the Simnasho district trying to fill 3 positions and in the Seekseequa district there are 6 candidates for the 2 positions there. You can check out the Warm Springs Program everyday as candidates who have come in for an interview at KWSO are on a continuous rotation until Monday March 28^th.

The race for Jefferson County Sheriff is seeing a 3^rd candidate on the ballot according to the Madras Pioneer. Sheriff Marc Heckathorn is running in his first election and has recently added Rick DuPont who has worked for the Washington and Jefferson County Sheriff’s departments but is retired and lives part of the year in Arizona. Heckathorn filed papers and paid the fee for DuPont to against him in his race for the office. Jefferson County Clerk Kate Zemke thought it unusual enough to reach out to another county clerk for advice but said Technically there’s nothing wrong with what he did. Heckathorn’s opponent Deputy Sheriff Jason Pollock called it shady and said he’s learned that sheriffs in the past have used a third candidate to botch the election. According to election law if there are only two candidates filed for the office, the vote would be held during the general election in the fall. If there are three, then there be a vote in the primary. If one of the candidates received over 50% of the vote in the primary, that candidate would win the position. If none of the three candidates earned more than 50% of the vote, then the top two would square off in the general election.

Madras Kindergarten Teacher and former Madras High School graduate Erika Skaar has been named an Amazing Educator as reported by the Madras Pioneer.  She didn’t go to Linfield University with intentions of becoming a teacher as she started there as a nursing major and after deciding nursing wasn’t for her she returned to her childhood desire to be a teacher. Skaar started teaching in 2009 and teaches Kindergarten at Buff Elementary in Madras. She always knew she wanted to teach elementary school and she loves working with children at such a fundamental stage. One of the parents of a student she teaches shared that Skaar is an amazing teacher and person, she makes going to school fun and interesting for the children. The long-term impact means a lot to Skaar. She teaches kindergarten and sees children progress through the building until fifth grade.

During a visit to Bend on Tuesday, Oregon Governor Kate Brown ceremonially signed a bill that will increase the amount the state pays to subsidize daycare for low-income working parents. The higher rates for the “Employment Related Day Care” program will take effect by June 1, and will cost the state around 26 million dollars over the first year. Joy Alise [uh-LEESE] Davis is the director of Imagine Black, which helps Black families find childcare. She testified to lawmakers last month in support of the bill. “Parents need the peace of mind that their providers have enough funding and resources to be safe, and providers need a clear plan to be compensated appropriately. It shouldn’t fall on parents or providers to foot the bill for an adequate system that supports our entire economy.” A legislative analysis concluded that nearly 15-thousand children in Oregon are currently enrolled in daycare programs that will receive the higher subsidies.