KWSO News for 12/9/19

Last week Linda McDonald, the Coca Cola Market Development Manager out of Bend presented Warm Springs Tribal Council with a check for $5000 to go toward water infrastructure needs.  At the same time – Jeff Carstensen, Chief Financial Officer of Indian Head Casino announced a newly signed 5 year partnership with Coca-Cola for both Indian Head Casino and the Plateau Travel Plaza.

Oregon officials say a Trump Administration decision to tighten work requirements for some food stamp recipients could affect 19-thousand Oregonians. Jefferson Public Radio’s Liam Moriarty has more. “Currently, able-bodied adults without children have to work at least 20 hours a week to qualify for SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps. If they don’t, they can only get benefits for 3 months over a three-year period. States are allowed to waive that work requirement, and many do in high unemployment areas. The administration’s new rules will make those waivers harder to get. Currently, the Oregon Department of Human Services has approved waivers in 31 counties. Starting next spring, only 6, including Klamath and Curry Counties, will be eligible to receive those waivers … The Administration says as the economy improves, anyone physically able to work should have to in order to get food stamps. But Oregon officials say veterans, former foster youth, people without a high school diploma or GED and rural residents with limited transportation are among those who often face obstacles to getting a job. Cutting off food aid, they say, will make those people’s lives even harder …The new rules go into effect on April 1st. I’m Liam Moriarty reporting”

Youth activists led a climate strike on Friday in downtown Portland. As Monica Samayoa reports they demanded action from city leaders and recognition of the impacts facing Pacific Islanders and other indigenous communities.“Student activists from schools around Portland rallied together in what is the second youth climate strike this school year. Roosevelt high school senior Kaiya Laguardia-Yonamine is one of the rally’s lead organizers. She says this rally is a continuation of students’ direct action that led to a school strike in September Frontline communities, frontline indigenous communities are the ones at the center of every single thing that we do today. That includes our rally, that includes our march, that includes talking to the commissioners and the mayor and giving our demands to them. The student activists ended the rally at Terry Schrunk [shrunk] Plaza where they handed a list of demands to Mayor Ted Wheeler. Wheeler says he is excited to start working with the students to meet the demands. Reporting from Portland, I’m Monica Samayoa”

College Football action Friday had the Oregon Ducks playing Utah in the PAC 12 Championship.  With Utah hoping to get the win for consideration in the College Football playoffs, it was the Ducks who came in gunning, dominating the entire game, winning 37-15 and gaining a spot in the Rose Bowl against the Wisconsin Badgers.In Local Sports: The MHS Lady Buffs hosted the White Buffalo Classic starting last Friday Night. On Friday the Lady Buffs played Toledo and won 71-27. On Saturday the Lady Buffs faced off against Astoria and lost that one 55-42.