KWSO News 10/27/25

Upcoming Youth Tribal Council Elections

The upcoming Warm Springs Youth Tribal Council elections are arriving soon, and positions open for the 2026 council include female president, male president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and communications. This is a fantastic chance for any interested youth to step up, lead, and make a difference in the Warm Springs Community.

The deadline to apply for these positions is fast approaching: October 30th! You must be a tribal member and resident of Warm Springs, between the ages of 14 and 24 to be eligible. Applications can be submitted as hard copies to Secretary Mila Adams, or electronically to Youth Council advisors Jill Suppah and Gavin Begay.

Julia Wolfe, the current Vice President of the Warm Springs Youth Tribal Council, shared her thoughts on the importance of the council:

The election date is November 6th at Madras High School, with the swearing-in ceremony on November 7th. They encourage all interested youth to read the bylaws before applying. For more information, including how to apply, please visit the KWSO and Warm Springs Youth Tribal Council Facebook pages.

MHS Winter Wrestling

The highly anticipated Madras High School wrestling season is just around the corner, promising another exciting winter of intense competition and dedicated athletes. Coach Travis Rawls, head boys wrestling coach at Madras High School, shared his excitement about the upcoming season and what makes MHS wrestling a true family.

Coach Rawls emphasizes the strong family atmosphere within the team, where hard work, dedication, and mutual support are at the forefront.

For those interested in joining the MHS wrestling family, Coach Rawls encourages reaching out to the Madras High School athletic department or connecting with current wrestlers for more information. Get ready to cheer on the MHS wrestling team as they kick off their season on November 18th.

Traffic Incident on Hwy 26 

A traffic incident involving a truck on Highway 26 on the Warm Springs Reservation yesterday resulted in a spill of approximately 2,700 gallons of gasoline and an estimated 2,000 gallons of diesel, Dan Martinez, Emergency Manager for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Public Safety Branch stated in a notice to Tribal Leaders this morning.

Martinez stated that main objective of today’s incident response “is to contain any fuels that could potentially enter Mill Creek Canyon and subsequently flow into the river.” According to Martinez, the fuels are currently estimated to be within 50 feet of the edge of Mill Creek Canyon.

An Incident Command Post (ICP) will be established on the south side of Mill Creek Bridge and will remain active until the fuels are fully contained. The ICP will be managed by DEQ staff, with Natural Resources staff providing monitoring. Additional resources will be utilized as needed.

Motorists should expect delays due to heavy equipment in use, and flaggers will regulate traffic with support from ODOT and the State Police. Drones will be deployed to inspect the canyon for any signs of penetrating fuel leakages.

“The estimated recovery time for this operation is one to two weeks, depending on the depth of fuel penetration into the ground,” Martinez said.

KWSO Weather for Central Oregon – 

• Today: Mostly sunny with a high near the 50s.
• Tonight: Partly cloudy with a low around the 30s.
• Tomorrow: Mostly sunny with a high near the 50s.