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Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
Roc Your Mocs tourney
May 5, 2021
Food Bank serving reservation families
Commodities is great for fami-
lies who need a little help. The
Warm Springs Food Bank allows
us to work with individuals who
may not qualify for Commodities,
or for Food Stamps.
I started the Food Bank in De-
cember of 2020, and established a
partnership with NeighborImpact.
We receive donations from the
Waves Foundation, as well as oth-
ers, and we serve hundreds of par-
ticipants a month, sometimes a little
less, sometimes a little more.
The Food Bank hours of op-
eration are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Wednesday through Friday. We are
closed noon to lunch, and on tribal
holidays and during shutdowns.
The Food Bank is in the Com-
modities building at the industrial
D.McMechan/Spilyay
Theodore Perez Zamora (here with some of the available
items) started the Warm Springs Food Bank with help
from NeighborImpact, the Waves program and tribal
Health and Human Services programs.
park, 4217 A Holiday Street, Warm
Springs. If you have questions con-
tact me at 541-553-3579. Or
email:
theodore.perez@wstribes.org
Theodore E. Perez Zamora
From the desk of the W.S. Veterans Representative
F
At the 2021 Roc Your Mocs High School Boys Basketball
Tournament, Jordan Mitchell, All-Star, and David Belgard
celebrated their Championship win, and Jordan Mitchell walks
away an All-Star! Good job boys! Tanya Tewee
IHS reports vaccine numbers
The Indian Health Service
has updated its coronavirus
data, showing Cov-19 vaccina-
tion distribution and adminis-
tration through late April 26.
According to the data, the
IHS has distributed 1,676,635
Covid-19 vaccine doses across
11 areas of Indian Country. Of
that amount, 1,219,857 have
been administered, representing
72.8 percent of the total.
The data shows the Okla-
homa City Area has received
the largest number of vaccines.
The 438,790 doses account for
26.4 percent of the total. Of
that amount, 73.6 percent
have been administered in the
region.
With 247,165 doses distrib-
uted, the Navajo Area comes in
second, accounting for 14.9 per-
cent of the total across the IHS.
Of those, 79.4 percent have
been administered in the region.
The Portland Area of the
IHS has received 85,825 doses,
as of late April.
According to the IHS, vacci-
nation distribution and adminis-
tration will be updated weekly
across the 11 areas that are re-
ceiving doses directly from the
agency.
Tribal health facilities in
Alaska have chosen to receive
their supplies from the state, so
their region is not included in
the data.
rankie Williams, the Confed-
erated Tribes Veterans Representa-
tive, can be reached at 559-798-
7102; or at his email:
frankie.williams@wstribes.org
His office is at the Warm Springs
Forest Industries LLC building by
the former mill. This week Mr.
Williams wishes to share this re-
cent item in the news:
After decades of failing to curb
sexual assault in the armed forces,
federal lawmakers and Pentagon
leaders are poised to make major
changes in military laws that many
experts have long argued stand in
the way of justice.
A bill championed by Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat of
New York, would remove military
commanders from a role in pros-
ecuting ser vice members for
sexual assault and has gained sup-
port from scores of key members
of Congress.
Among them is Senator Joni
Ernst, Republican of Iowa and
a retired National Guard lieuten-
ant colonel, who said her own ex-
perience with assault and her
daughter’s stories from West
Point helped shift her views on
Jefferson County remains at ‘High Risk’
Based on case data from April,
the state of Oregon last week up-
dated its county Covid-19 risk cat-
egories. Jefferson County, includ-
ing the reservation, remained at its
same risk category, that of ‘High
Risk.’
Fifteen counties moved into the
Extreme Risk category, and two—
Hook and Umatilla—moved from
Moderate to High Risk. Jefferson
is one of nine counties in the High
Risk category. Eighteen counties
moved into higher-risk categories,
while only two saw improvement,
moving into the green ‘Lower’ cat-
egory; while four counties were at
‘Moderate.’
To the north, west and south of
Jefferson, all of the counties—
Wasco, Clackamas, Marion, Linn,
Lane, Deschutes and Crook coun-
ties—are at the Extreme covid
threat level. Immediately to the
east of Jefferson, Wheeler County
is one of the fortunate counties in
the green Lower category.
The new designations were
based on Oregon seeing more than
300 people statewide in the hospi-
tal with Covid-19.
As Jefferson County remained
at its same risk level, the school dis-
trict sports activities, and business
restrictions—regarding gymnasi-
ums and restaurants, for instance—
continue as they were in April.
The state will update the county
category designations this Thursday,
May 6. In making the announce-
ment last week, Gov. Kate Brown
said:
“The fastest way to lift health
and safety restrictions is for Or-
egonians to get vaccinated as
quickly as possible and follow the
safety measures we know stop this
virus from spreading. I recognize
the burden these restrictions place
on Oregon businesses and work-
ing families.
“My goal is to lift these restric-
tions as soon as it is safely possible,
and keep Oregon on the path for
lifting most health and safety re-
quirements by the end of June so
we can fully reopen our economy.
But we will only get there if enough
Oregonians get vaccinated. There
are appointments available right
now all across the state.”
Cases by county
The new confirmed and pre-
sumptive Covid-19 cases reported
by the Oregon Heatlh Authority,
last Saturday, May 1, are in the fol-
lowing counties:
Baker (4), Benton (10),
Clackamas (96), Clatsop (7), Colum-
bia (15), Coos (4), Crook (6),
Deschutes (88), Douglas (9), Grant
(2), Harney (2), Hood River (2),
Jackson (33), Jefferson (5),
Josephine (9), Klamath (55), Lake
(2), Lane (66), Lincoln (8), Linn (38),
Malheur (5), Marion (60),
Multnomah (115), Polk (5),
Tillamook (1), Umatilla (9), Union
(3), Wallowa (3), Wasco (4), Wash-
ington (106), Yamhill (22).
2 reasons why we’re seeing more Covid-19 cases
Covid-19 cases have been on the
rise in Oregon recently. This can
seem surprising, because vaccina-
tion rates are high across the state.
There are two reasons why cases
have been increasing, according to
the Oregon Health Authority:
Virus variants are more transmis-
sible, and some people are socializ-
ing more without face coverings.
The Centers for Disease Control
and Oregon Health Authority are
closely monitoring variants of con-
cern, VOCs.
VOCs are variants that have mu-
tations in the virus genome that al-
ter the characteristics and cause the
virus to act differently.
One variant is B.1.1.7 which has
now become the dominant variant
in Oregon statewide. It is 50-per-
cent more transmissible and may
cause more severe disease. At this
point, it appears that Covid-19 vac-
cines are effective against variant
B.1.1.7. While we are seeing this
variant become more prominent in
Oregon, people also seem to be re-
laxing their precautions. Much of
the increase in cases we’re seeing is
in younger people and is due to so-
cial gatherings where people are not
wearing face coverings. The fact
that variant B.1.1.7. has become
Oregon’s dominant strain is intensi-
fying the spread at these events.
the defining mo-
the issue.
ment for passing
“I have been
it,” said Ms.
tor n,” Sen. Er nst
Gillibrand, who
said. “On the one
has pressed her
hand, I was a com-
colleague on the
mander in the Na-
issue for years.
tional Guard and
“She is the only
know how important
female combat
that role is. But also,
vet among the
as a sexual assault
Republicans.”
survivor, I know we
Adding to the
have to do more. I
momentum, a
never really wanted
panel appointed
to take this out of
Frankie Williams, W.S.
by
Defense
chain of command,
Veterans Representative
Secretary Lloyd
but we are not see-
J. Austin III has
ing a difference.”
Ms. Ernst’s nod on a new bi- made a similar recommendation,
partisan measure is likely to attract saying that independent judge ad-
several other key lawmakers, vocates should take over the role
whose combined support could that commanders currently play.
These independent military
usher in the biggest change to mili-
lawyers
would report to a special
tary rules since the repeal of the
ban on ser vice by gays and victims prosecutor, who would
decide whether to court-martial
lesbians in 2010.
Other senators—many of those accused of sexual assault,
whom voted against the measure sexual harassment or domestic
in the past—have said in interviews violence.
The responsibilities could also
that they had waited long enough
for the military to solve the prob- extend to those accused of hate
lem and agreed that Congress crimes.
The change to military law would
should step in.
“Adding Joni Ernst to this bill is require an act of Congress.
About ‘breakthrough’ vaccine cases
A so-called ‘breakthrough case’ is an instance when a person
tests positive for Covid-19 at least 14 days after receiving the final
dose of a covid vaccine series.
While breakthrough cases are rare, they are expected to occur
with any vaccine because no vaccine is 100 percent effective.
The Covid-19 vaccines that have received Emergency Use Au-
thorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have all
proven to be highly effective at preventing Covid-19, and that
remains true despite the small number of vaccine breakthrough
cases that have occurred.
Importantly, breakthrough cases can be prevented through ba-
sic public health interventions, such as masking, physical distanc-
ing and avoiding social gatherings. These protective measures re-
main essential as long as there is significant Covid-19 circulating in
our communities.