KWSO Tuesday Morning News: Warm Springs Geothermal Funding, Youth Sports Pass Opens, Bend School Recovery, and Regional Updates
A decades-long push to develop geothermal energy beneath the Warm Springs Reservation is moving forward following a major federal funding announcement. According to reporting by Tribal Business News, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs were selected for approximately 2.5 million dollars from the U.S. Department of Energy to assess subsurface resources for continuous baseload power generation. Cathy Ehli, executive director of Warm Springs Power and Water Enterprises, noted the tribe has evaluated geothermal potential since the 1990s and said the grant will define the project's scale while matching long-term energy priorities. The award, which remains subject to final contract negotiations, is part of a 125-million-dollar federal investment backing 63 tribal energy projects nationwide through the Office of Indian Energy.
The 2026 Winter Every Kid Sports Pass application window opened this morning. Qualifying families can receive up to 150 dollars per child aged four to 18 enrolled in SNAP, WIC, or Medicaid to cover fees for school, recreational, and community leagues running at least four weeks. Organizers caution parents not to pay out of pocket, as approved funds are disbursed directly onto digital payment cards.
In Central Oregon, state lawmakers are preparing legislation following this month’s shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend. Governor Tina Kotek declared an official state of emergency for Bend-La Pine Schools and the High Desert Education Service District, waiving instructional time rules and accelerating substitute teacher licensing and leave access. Pledging emergency recovery funding alongside local officials, Bend Democratic Senator Anthony Broadman emphasized community-led recovery, stating, “We will listen to and follow the lead of the Silver Rail community. We will heal together and we will act together”.
Meanwhile, federal emergency officials approved over 21 million dollars in disaster aid across the Pacific Northwest, providing Springfield 1.1 million dollars for 2024 winter storm cleanup, Gilliam County 130,000 dollars for backup generators, and the Deschutes River Basin 290,000 dollars for outreach.
The Portland Trail Blazers will host their annual Native American Heritage Celebration on Saturday, November 7, at the Moda Center. The evening will feature a pregame dance showcase led by Keeli Littleleaf of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, arena concourse displays showcasing traditional art by Shirod Younker, and sales of a commemorative patch benefiting the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore was ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a concussion last month. Head coach Dan Lanning confirmed Moore will make a full recovery, calling the decision a player health matter that was out of their hands.
The undefeated Portland Trail Blazers head to Los Angeles tonight to face the Lakers. Under head coach Micah Nori, Portland brings a 2-0 record and balanced scoring into a matchup against Luka Dončić, who is averaging over 34 points through three games following a 52-point outing Sunday in Utah.
The Golden State Valkyries moved within one victory of a historic title after defeating the Atlanta Dream 64-55 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday at Chase Center. Holding a 3-2 series advantage in just their second franchise season, the Valkyries travel to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday morning.
Warm Springs will see light rain today with a high of 56°F and a low of 42°F. Wednesday and Thursday bring highs of 54°F with partly sunny to cloudy skies and overnight lows dropping to 33°F and 32°F.
