KWSO News for Thu., Mar. 13, 2025

Schoolie Flats water conservation order lifted

Public Utilities lifted a water conservation order for Schoolie Flats yesterday. According to Branch General Manager Chico Holliday, Public Utilities temporarily brought on-line the new water booster station when the emergency repairs of the old pump failed due to electrical stator failure. Public Utilities is operating the new booster pump system in manual mode at this time. Holliday says he is confident that the required equipment and telemetry system that are to be implemented will occur soon.

Holliday adds that “as we transition from winter to the hot summer months be mindful of water consumption and conservation falls upon us all to do our part to help sustain appropriate water levels in our areas.”

If you see water leakage from a water service line, water box or bubbling water surfacing, please call the water/wastewater On-Call number at 541-777-1335.

Warm Springs woman reported missing in Seattle

Washington State Patrol has issued a Missing Indigenous Person Alert on behalf of the King County Sheriff’s office for Pah-tu Pitt, who is from Warm Springs and lives in the Seattle area. She was last seen at approximately 4pma March 10th at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, red sweatpants, light pink Jordan’s and a gray camo hat. She may be wearing glasses. Anyone with information about Pah-tu Pitt’s whereabouts is asked to contact King County police. If you see her, call 911.

Higher Education office currently not staffed

The Warm Springs Higher Education Office does not currently have any staff. At this time, all correspondence will be forwarded to Education General Manager Valerie Switzler. Anyone with questions, inquiries or concerns can send an email to valerie.switzler@wstribes.org. Email is preferred; however, people can call either (541) 553-1543 or (541) 553-3311 and leave a message.

OSU-Cascades opening new childcare and education facility

An on-campus childcare center at the Oregon State University – Cascades campus in Bend will serve children ages infant through preschool and is anticipated to open in August. The Little Kits Early Care and Education Center will be administered by the OSU Family Resource Center, which operates early care and education centers on OSU’s Corvallis campus and at the Little Beavs

Early Learning Center on the Bend campus. The Family Resource Center will collaborate with Little Kits staff to help build a pipeline of early childhood education professionals, with programs including practicum and internship experiences for OSU-Cascades and Central Oregon Community College students interested in early childhood education careers.

While initial capacity is expected to be limited due to the regional and national shortage of qualified early care and educational professionals, as well as budget constraints, the center is anticipated to eventually serve up to 72 children.

Construction funding for the project was provided through the American Rescue Plan Act by Deschutes County and the state. Additional funding was sponsored by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley through a community development grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.