KWSO News for Wed., Oct. 12, 2022

A highway expansion near Mt. Hood that destroyed a religious site for Native Americans brought a lawsuit that is currently waiting on a decision from the U.S. Supreme court on whether it will hear the case or not. As reported by OPB, Tribal Elders Wilbur Slockish and Carol Logan say a forested site off U.S. Hwy 26 on Mt. Hood was like a church without walls. In court documents filed this month, the tribal members say they told state and federal transportation officials about the religious value of the site before the agencies started building a left-turn lane off the highway about 13 miles from Government Camp. The highway expansion happened anyway, removing trees and a stone altar and covering the burial grounds with a large embankment. Slockish and Logan took the agencies to court, arguing the destruction of the site violated their rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which prohibits state and federal agencies from burdening a person’s exercise of religion and the Free Exercise Clause of the Constitution, which protects the right to practice religion. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Transportation declined to comment.

Nearly $nine-million dollars from the recently passed federal infrastructure law has been awarded to tribes and Alaska Native communities – for improvements to transit. The announcement was made in Seattle on Tuesday, KNKX environment reporter Bellamy Pailthorp has details. “Among the recipients are the Spokane Reservation in Washington, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla in Oregon and the Coeur D’Alene Tribe of northern Idaho. But by far the biggest grant in the Northwest – nearly $900-thousand dollars – is going to the Nez Perce Tribe in North-Central Idaho, for improvements to its Appaloosa Express service. Its routes cover about 210 miles a day, connecting rural communities to five cities. SAM PENNY, NEZ PERCE CHAIRMAN: “Some people don’t have transportation even to get to the clinic for their health appointments.(0:05) Tribal Chairman Sam Penny says the area served doesn’t have big city options like Uber and Lyft or even taxis or trains. Access to public buses is a lifeline. SAM PENNY, NEZ PERCE CHAIRMAN: ”So the transit not only serves our membership, but serves others in the community as well.” (0:05) He says they’ll use the funding to replace older vehicles and to increase wages for their drivers.”

In Local Sports: Warm Springs K-8 Volleyball hosted Sisters yesterday and all four teams from the K-8 fell to the Outlaws. Eagles Cross Country was at the Culver Invitational yesterday. The Eagle boys were led by Julian Stwyer and Jesiah Johnson. River Edwards, Drake Brisbois, Michael Wallulatum, Dennis White, Harlan Waheneka, Liam Circle, Kenyon Kalama and JoeRay Stwyer also competed. The Lady Eagles were led by Rosetta Berry, AnnaBelle Yahtin and Ciara Wolfe. Ovienda Bisland, Journey Hurtado, Nizhoni Yallup and Sahara Circle also competed. The K-8 Eagles Football team is in action today as they travel over to Culver High School to take on the Culver 8^th Grade team. The Eagles are still undefeated on the season and are looking to continue that streak tonight with kickoff at 5:15pm. Madras High School Buff Boys Soccer hosted Estacada yesterday and came away with a 2-0 victory, which puts them on a 5-game winning streak with their only loss of the season coming against Estacada. Next up for the Buff Boys is a trip to Gladstone on Friday, whom they defeated 1-0 earlier in the season. Lady Buffs Soccer traveled over to Estacada yesterday and came home with a 1-1 tie, giving them their 2^nd tie of the season, both against Estacada. Next up for Lady Buffs Soccer is a visit from Gladstone on Friday. Lady Buffs Volleyball traveled to The Dalles yesterday, varsity fell 3 matches to none. JV1 lost with scores of 18-25 and 14-25. Next up for Lady Buffs Volleyball, they host Molalla on Thursday.

KWSO Weather for Central Oregon:

• Sunny today with a high near 85 degrees
• Tonight, Clear with a low around 44
• Sunny tomorrow with a high near 83 degrees