KWSO News for Tue., Sep. 20, 2022

Paving continues today on Route 3 from Sunnyside Drive to Upper Dry Creek.  Motorists need to detour around the road construction using Upper Creek Road and Sunnyside Drive 7am to 5:30pm. Allow yourself extra travel time and remember that these are residential areas and so reduced speeds need to be used.  As always – use extra caution in construction areas to keep everyone safe.

And a reminder again that Warm Springs Sanitation plans on picking up both Monday and Tuesday trash routes today following yesterday’s missed pick up due to truck issues.

Bend Film has announced a presentation of three episodes of Reservation Dogs at the Madras Performing Arts Center on Friday October 7th as part of this year’s BendFilm Festival.  The presentation will include Actors Gary Farmer and Tatanka Means.  Earlier in the day the actors will be doing presentations at the Warm Springs K-8 Academy along with local film makers LaRonn Katchia and Bruitis Baez.  For schedule and ticket information, log on to the Bend Film Festival website https://bendfilmfestival2022.eventive.org/schedule/631a1c63e14ab7004c874a64

The Museum at Warm Springs kicked off its 2022 Membership Drive yesterday. Current Museum members are encouraged to renew their memberships at the same or at a higher level. Past members are invited to rejoin.  There are several levels of annual Museum Membership, which begin at $25 for elders and students. Membership benefits include free admission for one year, 10% discount in the Museum Gift Shop and special invitations to exhibits and programs. You can become a member by visiting https://museumatwarmsprings.com/   The Museum at Warm Springs opened its doors to the public on March 14, 1993. Built to Smithsonian Institution professional standards, The Museum’s mission is to preserve, advance and share the traditions, cultural and artistic heritage of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Regular Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed for lunch from Noon until 1 p.m.

The Warm Springs Culture and Heritage Language Program recently celebrated the publication of a new Warm Springs Ichishkiin Dictionary, a project that has taken many years and involved many fluent speakers.  The comprehensive dictionary includes new linguistic spellings for many Ichishkiin words including the words for Coyote and News. You will notice a chace to the new spelling of the Spilyay Tymoo on the masthead of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Bi-Weekly Newspaper.  From now on the spelling is Spílya Táimu.

Today is voter registration day.   The November 2022 General Election is November 8^th.  The Warm Springs Reservation is voting precinct 14 of Jefferson County. There are 1,473 registered voters in precinct 14.  The deadline to register for this upcoming election is October 18^th.   To vote you must be a registered voter in Oregon.  To register to vote online you will need an Oregon driver’s license, permit or ID card number issued by the Oregon DMV.  If you do not have one of those IDs  you can still use the online voter registration application. The information you enter will display on a voter registration card (PDF document) that you will need to print, sign and deliver to your county elections office to complete your registration.  To vote you must be a registered voter in Oregon.  To register or check to see if you are registered visit the Oregon Secretary of State website (https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/pages/registration.aspx?lang=en) or stop by your local County Clerk’s office.

• On local ballots for Jefferson County Voters are May Huston and Mark Wunsch both vying for a Jefferson County Commissioner position.  Candidates for Jefferson County Sheriff, Treasurer and Clerk are running unopposed.  On the local ballots also will be a question asking whether to permanently ban psilocybin manufacture and treatment centers within Jefferson County.  Outcome of this measure, yes or no, has no effect on the reservation, as the psilocybin is prohibited within the jurisdiction of the Confederated Tribes. This is similar to marijuana, still a controlled substance on the reservation while legalized elsewhere.
• On local ballots – people who live within the Madras Aquatic Center and Recreation District will decide a levy measure that is renewal of a levy that comes from property taxes.  Passage of the MAC levy on November 8 would maintain their efforts “to continue growing programs and services.” The district could maintain at least its current hours of operation, and may expand them.  If the levy fails the MAC would have to reduce staffing by 50 percent, and reduce its operations significantly.  Passage of this property tax levy would not affect reservation land.
• The Warm Springs Reservation is now part of Oregon State Representative District 57, separate from Madras (which will remain in District 59.  This is a result of state redistricting that was approved last year. Running for State Representative 57 is Greg Smith, a Republican, running unopposed.  Also on the ballot are candidates for one of Oregon’s US Senators.  Incumbent Ron Wyden is challenged by Jo Rae Perkins, Dan Pulju, and Chris Henry.  For the US House – Second Congressional District, Incumbent Cliff Bentz is facing Joe Yetter.  There are 5 names of the ballot for Oregon Governor: Tina Kotek; Donice Noelle Smith; R. Leon Noble; Betsy Johnson; and Christine Drazan.
• There are several statewide ballot measures on the November 8^th ballot.  One asks whether to remove language allowing “slavery and involuntary servitude” as punishment for a crime.  Another state measure: “Requires a permit to acquire firearms; and police to maintain a permit/firearm database; and criminally prohibits certain ammunition magazines.”  Another state measure asks whether to amend the state constitution: “Legislators with ten unexcused absences from floor sessions are disqualified from holding the next term of office.”