KWSO News for Tues., Mar. 18, 2025

Register now for free mango salsa workshop

Warm Springs Extension Service this week is hosting another community workshop presented by Gather, Preserve, Store, and Share Class participants. Olivia Davis is a nutrition educator with OSU Extension, and she encourages anyone interested in attending the class to get signed up as soon as possible:

The Mango Salsa workshop is free to participants and is this Thursday from 5-6:30pm. For more information and to reserve a spot contact Olivia Davis at 541-553-3238 or email her at olivia.davis@oregonstate.edu.

 

New opioid treatment center enhances access to services in Central Oregon, supports Oregon’s efforts to reduce opioid deaths 

A new medication assisted treatment center for people recovering from substance use disorder will open this month in Redmond. According to Oregon Health Authority (OHA), in the past people seeking treatment for opioid use disorder in Central Oregon had to drive to Bend for services and noted two of the most common barriers to addiction treatment are cost and geographical location. In addition to increasing accessibility in Central Oregon, the Redmond Treatment Center will address cost by accepting Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance and self-pay options.

The Redmond Treatment Center, located at 865 SW Veterans Way, will open March 24. Anyone seeking treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) can seek help at the clinic. Treatment will include counseling, psychosocial supports, and FDA approved medications for the treatment of OUD. For more information on seeking care at the Redmond Treatment Center call 1-458-206-5982.

 

Tribal Nations lend support to Swinomish Tribes fight with BNSF Railway

Sixteen Tribal Nations across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana and the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI), represented by the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), showed support of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community with an amicus curiae – or friend of the court – brief before the Ninth U.S. Court of Appeals in Swinomish v. BNSF Railway.

Last year, a U.S. District Court judge in Washington ruled that BNSF Railway had repeatedly and knowingly violated an easement with the Swinomish regulating rail traffic across the Swinomish Indian Reservation. The district court ordered BNSF to pay nearly $400 million for that wrongdoing. BNSF is challenging that order on appeal, forcing Swinomish to continue fighting to protect its sovereign interests, NARF says.

The Tribal Nations that filed the amicus brief include: Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Lummi Nation, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe,  Nez Perce Tribe, Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Skokomish Indian Tribe, Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation, and Tulalip Tribes. The 16 Tribal Nations were joined by ATNI, which represents over fifty Northwest Tribal Nations.

 

Oregonians donate $5.2 million to Cultural Trust in 2024 to support arts, heritage and humanities nonprofits statewide, including 2 in Warm Springs

Oregonians investing in the Cultural Tax Credit contributed more than $5.2 million to support arts, heritage and humanities nonprofits in 2024, the Oregon Cultural Trust announced Monday.

The total, which represents a 3.2 percent increase, will fund grant awards to cultural organizations across the state this summer and continue to build the Cultural Trust’s permanent fund.

Cultural Trust grants are distributed to the five Statewide Core Agency Partners – Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage Commission, the Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Humanities and the State Office of Historic Preservation – as well as to 45 County/Tribal Cultural Coalitions, who regrant the funds in their communities, and directly to cultural nonprofits via the Cultural Trust’s Cultural Development grants.

The 98 Cultural Development projects funded for FY2025 include two on the Warm Springs Reservation: The Museum at Warm Springs who received $25,899 to support “Tł’aawxmamiyai – For Everyone – The Knowledge from Long Ago” and Tananawit, which was granted $16,858 to support culturally specific art-focused business classes.

 

MHS baseball and softball teams open the spring sports season play today

Madras High Spring Sports get underway today with baseball and softball non-league matchups with Sweet Home. Madras JV & Varsity baseball teams will host Sweet Home at 4:30. The JV & Varsity White Buff softball teams travel to Sweet Home.