Local News
KWSO News 9/15/25
Sep
Simnasho/Schoolie boil water notice lifted
Warm Springs Public Utilities on Friday lifted a boil water notice that had been in place for residents on the Simnasho/Schoolie Flat water system. According to a Notice from PUD General Manager Chico Holliday, water samples were conducted on September 9th and 10th which resulted in negative presence of total coliform and E. coli bacteria within the water system.
Repairs were made to the 3-inch water main and the 1-inch water service line and both are in operating order, the notice states.
KWSO in the news
Over the weekend, a story in the New York Times featured several public media organizations that are being impacted by the recission of CPB Funding by the federal government. KWSO is one of the stations highlighted in the story.
KWSO entered into the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Community Service Grant Program (CPB CSG) in 2004. Funding has supported station operations including some staffing, programming costs, purchase and repair of equipment, engineering and other service contracts, and conversion of KWSO’s analog version of radio to new technology and platforms.
Without funding from CPB (who will wind down operations starting September 30, 2025) KWSO has initially asked for additional funding in 2026, from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, who already fund a significant portion of our operating budget. Historically KWSO spends about $600,000 annually with 40% of that budget coming from the Tribes, about 40% from CPB and 20% from earned revenue like underwriting and sustaining memberships. Both those revenue sources are traditional programs for public radio stations.
Thanks to media coverage about the cuts and their impact on KWSO, donations and new memberships are up and so the work has already begun to raise the money needed to help offset the increase Tribal share of the budget. The goal is to do everything we can to generate our own funding to allow Tribal dollars to go to other community needs.
You can read the NY Times article HERE.
Oregon to resume litigation to help endangered fish
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said last week that the state is resuming litigation against the federal government following its withdrawal from the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement (RCBA). The federal government’s decision abandons a collaborative plan developed with Oregon, Washington, four Lower Columbia Treaty Tribes, and conservation partners to restore salmon runs, honor treaty obligations, and meet clean energy needs.
“The Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement was a historic opportunity to restore salmon populations, uphold commitments to sovereign tribal nations, and meet our region’s clean energy demands,” said Attorney General Rayfield. “By walking away, the federal government has put salmon and steelhead on the brink of extinction and once again broken promises to tribal partners. Extinction is not an option. Oregon will return to court to hold the federal government accountable and ensure these iconic fish runs have a future.”
Oregon will seek an injunction to address the urgent needs of the fish, including changes to operation of the hydropower system, to protect salmon during next spring’s downstream migration, maximizing their chance of survival and return as adults.
MHS & WSK8 sports
Madras White Buffalo Varsity Football traveled to Burns on Friday. Madras lost the game 7-48.
Madras cross-country runners competed at the Oregon City XC Invitational at Clackamas Community College on Saturday. The Madras girls placed 8th at the meet and sophomore Callie Delamarter was the top runner for them with a 33rd place finish. The Madras boys placed 13th and senior RedSky Waheneka finished 49th out of 163 runners.
On the schedule today – JV Football is hosting Burns with kick-off at 5:30.
Warm Springs K8 Eagles volleyball teams have games at Jefferson County Middle School starting at 4:00.
KWSO weather for Central Oregon
Today: Sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming northeast around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening.
