KWSO News for Tue., Oct. 29, 2024

WSK8 celebrating Red Ribbon Week

The Warm Springs K-8 Academy will celebrate Red Ribbon Week on Wednesday, October 30.  The school district’s drug and alcohol counselor will have a table of resources during the students’ lunch times.

Red Ribbon Week is an annual campaign in the United States to raise awareness about drug and violence prevention, as well as alcohol and tobacco use. It takes place each October and is the country’s longest running and largest drug prevention and awareness program.

Jefferson County Clerk: 26.55% of ballots returned as of 10/28

The Nov. 5 election is a week away. In addition to the U.S. presidential election, Oregon voters will vote on five ballot measures and decide the winner of three statewide offices: Oregon attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer. Jefferson County voters will also elect a county treasurer and a county commissioner.

As of Monday, the Jefferson County Clerk reported 4,650 ballots (26.55%) had been returned. Ballots must be in an official drop box or received by the Elections office by 8:00 PM on Election Day or Postmarked by the USPS to be counted.

Wapato runner makes it to Warm Springs

A Wapato man who started running this past Friday morning from the Yakama Reservation to the Warm Springs Reservation reached his goal over the weekend. Ryan Vasquez had to adjust along the 120-mile route after injuring his knee on the steep downhill grade from south of Goldendale to the Columbia River, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported.

Vasquez started at the boundary of the Yakama Nation, running along US-97. After the injury, he took a rest break Saturday and walked to the end. He made it to the boundary of the Warm Springs Reservation around 9 p.m. Sunday.

His run was part of an effort to raise awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous people.

IV memorial rodeo entry deadline tomorrow

Entries will close Wednesday, October 30 for the Alvis Wes Smith Memorial Rodeo, which will be held Saturday, November 2nd. Entries for the 14-mile endurance race and wild horse race will be taken up until midnight Wednesday. Contact Juanita at 541-460-1710.

NW Tribes call on lawmakers for better standards in jails

Tribes in the Northwest are calling on Washington lawmakers to help incarcerated Indigenous people who have been dying in local jails. Click to listen to Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Troy Brynelson’s report: