Local News

KWSO News for Tue., Sep. 24, 2024

Posted on by elizabeth.smith
24
Sep

STIF Advisory Board meeting today in Warm Springs

A Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) Advisory Committee meeting is taking place this morning in Warm Springs. The Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) administers the STIF programs on behalf of Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

COIC invite all interested persons to the Warm Springs STIF Advisory Committee meeting. It is meeting in person today from 10:30 am-12:30 pm at the Family Resource Center. Information about meetings can be found at https://www.coic.org/transportation/stif/.

COCC gets Pell Grant certification for prison education program

Central Oregon Community College (COCC) recently received Pell Grant certification from the U.S. Department of Education for its newly designed associate degree prison education program (PEP) at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras — one of just several such programs in the entire country, and the first in Oregon, to earn that distinction. The certification will allow adults in custody pursuing an associate of arts Oregon transfer degree at COCC, which received accreditation last December, to apply for Pell Grant support. Congress last year lifted a 26-year ban on Pell Grants for incarcerated individuals, and in July of 2023 the new grant eligibility took effect, with higher education prison programs nationwide able to apply for certification.

The first cohort of associate degree-focused students at Deer Ridge, 18 in all, began their first term of classes this past April. More than 40 individuals applied to be in the program, one of only four such prison-based, degree-oriented programs in the state. Earlier this year, COCC was invited to be a program member of the national Bard Prison Initiative Consortium for Liberal Arts in Prison — the first community college to be invited to join this community of practice.  The education program at Deer Ridge has its own dedicated classroom with a library space, creating a micro-campus atmosphere.

MHS & WSK8 sports

Madras varsity volleyball fell to The Dalles yesterday at Madras High School 0-3. The JV Football game was cancelled for yesterday as La Pine could not field a team.

On the Madras High School sports schedule

  • Today, Girls’ Soccer has home matches vs. Gladstone – JV plays at 4:00 and Varsity at 6. Boys’ soccer teams travel to Gladstone. 
  • Wednesday, Volleyball teams travel to Molalla.
  • Thursday, JV & Varsity Boys Soccer teams host The Dalles and girls’ soccer plays at The Dalles.
  • Friday, Cross Country teams are competing in The Dalles and it’s the Madras Homecoming Football Game Friday night. The Buffs host Harrisburg at 7.

In Warm Springs K8 Eagles sports –

  • Football travels to Culver today and kickoff is at 5:00.
  • On Wednesday, K8 Cross Country competes at American Legion Park in Redmond at 4pm. The meet is hosted by Obsidian Middle School.
  • Thursday the K8 Volleyball squads host JCMS at 3:30.
elizabeth.smith