KWSO News 10/01/26

Warm Springs Tribal Council Seeks Tribal Input for Proposed 2027 Tribal Budget & District Meetings

Warm Springs Tribal Council will seek tribal member input before finalizing the proposed 2027 tribal budget, with district meetings scheduled throughout October. Leadership says no action will be taken to approve the final budget until tribal members have a chance to review the plans and offer feedback ahead of the end-of-November approval deadline.

Two more enterprise meetings are coming up – on October 6th at the Simnasho Longhouse and October 12th at the Agency Longhouse. Both meetings are from 6-8pm.

The district Budget Meetings will be October 13th at the Agency Longhouse, October 14th at the Simnasho Longhouse and October 15th at the Seekseequa Fire The series wraps up with a General Council meeting on October 26th at the Agency Longhouse. Dinner will be provided at each of those meetings starting at 6pm, followed by the presentations at 7.

Federal Funding going towards Central Oregon for Wildfire Recovery Efforts

Central Oregon is set to receive federal funding to aid families recovering from the devastating July 2026 Wildfires, including those impacted on the Warm Springs Reservation.

Oregon’s congressional delegation announced a $100,000 federal award through the NeighborWorks Disaster Grants Program. The funding goes directly to regional non-profit NeighborImpact to support relief efforts for those who have lost homes or were forced to evacuate.

Senator Ron Wyden highlighted the urgent need to support rural and tribal communities on the front lines. NeighborImpact Executive Director Scott Cooper stressed that Warm Springs deserves equal inclusion in regional disaster responses, pledging ongoing resources and empathy for tribal neighbors rebuilding their lives.

Flu & Covid Vaccine Season 

Oregon health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated now as the state officially kicks off the 2026-2027 respiratory virus season. At a state media briefing yesterday, Oregon Health Authority officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger warned that flu activity is already edging up, while COVID-19 spread remains elevated.

He emphasized that getting vaccinated early ahead of Halloween and the fall holidays provides essential protection before indoor gatherings begin. Officials also raised alarms over Oregon’s ongoing measles outbreak.

With 58 cases recorded—96 percent of them in unvaccinated individuals—the state is facing its highest measles count since 1991. Pediatric specialists stressed that updating flu, COVID-19, RSV, and MMR vaccines keep families healthy and children out of the hospital.

Health officials advise staying home when sick, practicing good hygiene, and consulting your healthcare provider to schedule vaccinations.

KWSO’s Screening of Bad Press at Madras Performing Arts Center

KWSO hosted a screening last night of the documentary Bad Press, a film exploring media freedom within the Muscogee Nation in Oklahoma. The screening was followed by a panel discussion on independent tribal journalism, press freedom, and accountability. Panelists emphasized that Native journalists bring vital community knowledge, history, and perspective to their reporting, while providing essential coverage on tribal government, local schools, and cultural issues that mainstream outlets often overlook.  Rebecca Landsberry-Baker is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Journalists Association or IJA and a Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen.

“I think being on the stage here with journalists that are covering their communities at the local level, that’s so essential, like Liz was saying, to our democracy at the tribal level, the community level, the state level, and internationally as well. And I think about the work that IJA is doing in hopefully championing press freedom I always like to say that having independent tribal media is an exercise of our tribal sovereignty because it provides that accountability mechanism that you need between the voters in tribal nations. And as you see in the film, one of the takeaways I always like to share is that if nothing else, if you watch bad press, and you’re inspired to do anything, it’s to participate in your tribal elections and be an informed voter. And how can you best achieve that?” Rebecca said at the panel among other local and indigenous tribal journalists.

Landsberry-Baker is also a co-director of BAD PRESS documentary. The discussion also addressed the unique challenges of small-town reporting—where journalists frequently cover people they know personally—and examined ongoing efforts to establish legal protections and sustainable funding for independent tribal media. Panelists concluded that strong, independent journalism is crucial for holding leaders accountable and keeping communities informed, while also encouraging greater collaboration between tribal and mainstream newsrooms to ensure accurate Indigenous representation.

KWSO Weather Forecast for Central Oregon 

Tonight: Partly cloudy with a low around the 50s.

Tomorrow: Mostly sunny skies with a high near the mid 80s.