KWSO News for Mon., May 31, 2022

In Warm Springs, the Highway 3 pedestrian path construction will resume the week of June 6^th. The pedestrian path will go from the Warm Springs Industrial park to the intersection of highway 3 and highway 26 that will provide pedestrians with a sidewalk and street lights. Once the work resumes, drivers can expect delays along highway 3 anywhere between the industrial park and highway 26 both ways.

Election Results from the May 17^th election will be certified on Monday June 13^th – 27 days after election day.  This year – Oregon ballots counted postmarks for eligible ballots – as long as those postmarks were made before 8pm on May 17^th. Most all election results are known at this point but await certification. In Warm Springs – redistricting has changed our Oregon legislative districts.  Jefferson County and Crook County make up most of Oregon State District 59 but that excludes the Warm Springs Reservation which now falls in district 57 with music of Wasco County.  In the November election – Republican Greg Smith is running unopposed for District 57 representation.  District 59 has incumbent Vikki Breese-Iverson facing off against Lawrence Jones. Warm Springs is now part of Oregon State Senate District 29  along with Wasco Counties, Gilliam, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union and Wallowa counties.  The November ballot will have Susan McClain vying for the Senate seat against Gina Munster-Moore.  District 30 includes a large part of Jefferson County plus Crook, Grant, Baker, Lake, Harney & Malheur counties.  Lyn Findley is the Senator for District 30. The November 8th general election will include those Oregon representation but will also include candidates for Oregon Governor: Tina Kotek & Christine Drazan, and Candidates for Oregon’s Federal Senator with incumbent Ron Wyden facging Joe Rae Perkins.  Warm Springs is in District 2 for the US House of Representatives and that will feature incumbent Cliff Bentz against Democrat Joe Yetter. To vote you do need to register.  To register you need to be 18 or older and live in Oregon.

An outbreak of Salmonella linked to a Lexington, Ky., manufacturing facility is resulting in the recall of multiple Jif peanut butter products. As reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting, J.M. Smucker Co., the parent company for the popular peanut butter brand, issued a voluntary recall. They said the peanut butter it is recalling was distributed in retail stores and other outlets throughout the country and includes creamy, crunchy and natural varieties along with many others. The recalled products have lot code numbers between 1274425–2140425 and include the numbers 425 for the 5^th-7^th digits. This information is usually printed on the back label of the jar. Currently 14 people have reported illnesses and two of those cases have resulted in hospitalizations. If you happen to have a jar included in the recall, you should throw it away immediately and wash and sanitize any surfaces or containers that might have come into contact with the peanut butter.

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month. There are many ways to support people who may be struggling with mental health, including peer support and there are many stressors for people right now, from the pandemic to the economy. “There’s a high prevalence of mental illness in Oregon compared with other states. Organizations are figuring out different ways to reach people who may be struggling. At the Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon, people with lived experiences provide peer-support services. Adrienne Scavera with the organization says having peers provide help is a unique way to connect with people. “The fact that folks can openly share about their previous life experience can really be meaningful when it comes to reducing stigma.” Scavera says peer-support services have become more recognized and valued over her time working with the association. An annual study from Mental Health America ranked Oregon in the bottom five this year for factors such as mental-health prevalence and access to care.” Everyone is dealing with mental-health issues to some degree. It is important to not be judgmental and to keep an open mind so they can listen and learn from others about their experiences.

In Local Sports: The Warm Springs Nation Little League has 2 games on the schedule today with the Minor Baseball chiefs on the road to take on Sisters 2 at 6pm, The Major Baseball Lil Bucks are hosting Bend South White Sox at 5:30pm. In the NFL: New head coach Nathaniel Hackett and new quarterback Russell Wilson have brought a new energy to the Denver Broncos. The dual dynamo are leading spirited practices and are the primary reasons there’s renewed hope that the franchise can finally end a six-year playoff drought and a five-year run of losing records. The energized coaching staff and roster add to the attractiveness for prospective buyers of the team that’s expected to sell for a record $5 billion or more this summer.