KWSO Tuesday Morning News: Warm Springs Community Updates, BAD PRESS Documentary Screening, and State Briefs

KWSO and the Madras Performing Arts Center will host a free public screening of the Sundance award-winning documentary BAD PRESS on Wednesday, September 30th. The film follows Muscogee journalist Angel Ellis as she fights government censorship and exposes corruption, sparking a historic battle for transparency across Indian Country. The screening is part of a three-stop Oregon tour visiting Warm Springs, the Klamath Tribes, and the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Following the film, a panel of prominent Indigenous and local journalists will discuss press freedom, the state of local newsrooms, and best practices for reporting on tribal communities. Doors open at 3:00 p.m. with refreshments, the screening begins at 4:00 p.m., and the panel discussion follows at 5:30 p.m. at the Madras Performing Arts Center.

Warm Springs programs, departments, and partners gathered for the September Native Aspirations Community Prevention Meeting to share services and strengthen community engagement. Warm Springs Recreation announced several upcoming Halloween activities planned for October, beginning with a pumpkin painting event with the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance on October 1st from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Warm Springs Community Center. Additional October events include an Addams Family–themed Halloween parade, a Halloween dance, and a spooky Indian night out featuring drummers and a jam. On Halloween, October 31st, Trunk or Treat will run from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., followed by the annual carnival from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., complete with games and bingo.

At the September Native Aspirations Community Prevention Meeting, Warm Springs Emergency Management Water Distribution reported serving 670 individuals last month and distributing nearly 4,000 gallons of drinking water in August. The Native Aspirations group brings Central Oregon partners together on the first Monday of each month to share program updates and discuss positive community developments. The water distribution program provides drinking water five days a week, continues to accept community donations, and supplies cleaning materials to residents in need. Distribution team members urge community members needing water or cleaning supplies to reach out promptly, as available inventories move quickly.

Willamette University has announced a new tuition-free program for in-state students from families with an annual adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less. Beginning in the 2027–2028 academic year, the scholarship covers full tuition after federal and state grants are applied. The offer applies to first-year and transfer students enrolling at Willamette’s historic residential college in Salem, as well as the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland. University officials estimate roughly half of all Oregon families qualify, hoping the initiative eliminates tuition sticker shock and makes private higher education accessible. Applications for the upcoming fall enrollment open this fall.

The Oregon Health Authority is preparing to roll out federal changes to the Oregon Health Plan under new mandates in House Resolution 1. Starting next year, Medicaid members between the ages of 19 and 64 may need to provide additional eligibility documentation and renew coverage every six months instead of every two years. Reporting for KLCC, Rebecca Hansen-White noted that OHA Communications Director Max Sprague warned the added red tape could cause qualified members to fall through the cracks and impact rural healthcare providers. “When they lose folks who are able to pay them, or who are part of their patient populations, they may have to pull out,” Sprague stated. Beginning this month, roughly 600,000 members will receive informational notices, and OHA urges recipients to update their contact information promptly.

Ahead of the November 3rd general election, the Madras-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is coordinating candidate forums for local contested offices. Jefferson County Sheriff candidates Jason Pollock and Tyler Anderson participate in a forum tonight, September 22nd, at the Crooked River Ranch Chapel at 6:30 p.m. Additional sheriff candidate forums are scheduled for Thursday, September 24th, at the Camp Sherman Community Hall and Monday, October 12th, at the Jefferson County Health and Wellness Campus Community Room. To participate in the election, Oregon residents must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old, and registered by October 13, 2026, through the Oregon Secretary of State website or county clerk’s office.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek ordered flags at Oregon public institutions to be flown at half-staff today to honor 25-year-old wildland firefighter Jesús Gutiérrez Toral, who died in the line of duty. Gutiérrez Toral was injured on September 9th while fighting the Austin Fire in Clackamas County and later passed away at a nearby hospital. He served as a wildland firefighter across both Oregon and Washington. In a statement Monday, Kotek praised his sacrifice, stating, “His courage and selflessness remind us of the extraordinary risks firefighters face so that others may be safe.” Flags will remain at half-staff from sunrise to sunset.

Expect clearing skies with a high near 80°F today and afternoon northwest wind gusts reaching 28 mph, dropping to 44°F overnight. Wednesday brings returning clouds with a high near 78°F before clearer conditions resume.