KWSO News for Fri., Jun. 24, 2022

The Warm Springs Nation Little League is prepping for the Oregon District 5 Little League All-Star Tournament kicking off this weekend. Today they will start with opening ceremonies at the Madras High School football field and games will start tomorrow. The Major Girls Softball will have their first game at 9am tomorrow morning against Crook County. The Minor Baseball Chief will have their first game tomorrow at 11:30am against Crook County and the Major Baseball Lil Bucks will be taking on Redmond tomorrow at 2pm. If you’re not busy, come on out and support Warm Springs Youth. Also taking place tomorrow is the Veteran’s Parade in Warm Springs, honoring all Veteran’s, it begins at 11am near the old Elementary school.

In a Press Release from the WSTPD, on Wednesday June 22^nd, Tribal Police officers conducted a vehicle stop on Highway 26 near the town of Warm Springs. At the time of the stop, Tribal Officers were notified the registered owner of the vehicle, James Paul Bauer, of Portland had an outstanding arrest warrant issued from Hood River for DUII and possession of a dangerous drug. Due to the nature of the underlying charges related to the warrant a WSTPD narcotics detective was at the scene with a certified drug detection dog. An initial investigation led to the discovery of 34 suspected fentanyl pills and approximately 6 grams of what is purported to be psilocybin mushrooms. Mr. Bauer was taken into custody on the Hood River warrant and transported to the Jefferson County Correctional facility. Due to the possession and transportation of narcotics occurring on the Warm Springs Reservation and involved the possible possession of fentanyl, a drug that has been responsible for hospitalizations and deaths everywhere throughout the state, this matter is also being forwarded to the United States Attorney’s Office for possible felony possession under federal law. The full press release is available HERE WSTPD drug enforcment action on 6-22-2022

The Oregon Department of Revenue will soon begin distributing $600 check to qualifying households. KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert explains. “The money is a One-Time Assistance Payment aimed to support low-income Oregonians and help those facing a hardship due to COVID-19.​ To qualify households must have received the Earned Income Tax Credit on their 2020 tax filing and lived in Oregon the last six months of 2020.  Over 235,000 Oregonians will soon receive the cash infusion. Payments should arrive through direct deposit or by check, on or before July 1. House Bill 4157  directs the Oregon Department of Revenue to address negative economic impacts of the pandemic with one-time financial assistance to low-income households. The payments across the state are expected to amount to nearly $142 million and paid from federal pandemic aid. Tiffany Eckert reporting.”

The Washington state Supreme Court agreed today [Thursday] to take up a case involving the Nooksack Tribe. For about a decade, the tribe has tried to evict people it doesn’t consider members. KNKX Social Justice reporter Lillyana Fowler has more. “A group of would be homeowners who have lived on tribal land for years sued the Nooksack Tribe arguing they are members and entitled to the homes. Earlier this month, the state’s highest court temporarily halted the evictions. Now, the court says although it has no say in who is and isn’t a member of the tribe, it will review the case. That’s in part because the people threatened with eviction have been making payments on their homes under a federal low-income Housing Tax Credit Program — raising questions about whether tribal sovereignty applies. The court’s decision comes as the Nooksack Tribe continues its process of trying to evict people. Despite the temporary ban, four people had eviction hearings in Nooksack tribal court this week. None so far have been evicted. Lillyana Fowler KNKX News”