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Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
Paving almost done, sidewalk work continues
Most of the new road paving
is done on the War m Springs
Safety Corridor Highway 26
project.
A final paving phase will resume
on the morning of Monday, Octo-
ber 4, and conclude by the end of
that week.
The contractor is now focused
on finishing the sidewalks and
other features, according to the
most recent report from the Or-
D.McMechan/Spilyay
View toward casino and museum, sidewalk work on the right.
egon Department of Transporta-
tion.
Construction began on the $6.5
million project in early March, and
is scheduled for completion at the
end of November.
Tribal community benefits from library grant
The Jefferson County Library
District received a $145,794 grant
that in part enhance services of
the Warm Springs Library, and
helps create culturally attuned pro-
gramming. The programming will
enhance learning and cultural
awareness throughout the district.
The federal grant, through the
American Rescue Plan Act, speci-
fies the need for programming to
meet the needs of the War m
Springs Reservation.
The ARPA grant will also in-
crease access to technology, pro-
vide internet-connectivity hotspots
available for checkout; and fund a
book mobile providing access to
materials and internet service in the
district.
“The Jefferson County Library
received the grant in a very com-
petitive process,” said Jane Ellen
Innes, Jeffferson County Library
director. “Less than a third of the
total funding requested was ap-
proved.”
In addition to enhancing ser-
vices to the tribal community,
other programs will be targeted
toward the Latino population.
The grant also funds a year-
long event, I Am a Story, that will
celebrate the people of Jefferson
County, and promote cultural edu-
cation and dialogue among ethnic
groups.
The Warm Springs Library, lo-
cated in the Family Resource
Building, has had to remain closed
due to the pandemic. The library
will reopen when the Covid-19 Re-
LIHEAP help for Warm Springs
The Low Income Home En-
erg y Assistance Program—
LIHEAP—for Warm Springs resi-
dents assists low-income
households with their heating and
cooling energy costs, bill payment
assistance, energy crisis assistance,
weatherization and energy-related
home repairs.
To be eligible for this benefit
program, you must need financial
assistance with home energy costs.
That includes heating and cooling
that uses: electricity, heating oil, liq-
uid gas, wood or pellets.
A new LIHEAP program sup-
ports energy-related home repairs.
The funding comes from the
American Rescue Plan Act for
LIHEAP supplemental funding.
If a homeowner needs
repairs to heat pumps, furnaces,
wood stoves, heaters or HVAC sys-
tems, you might qualify for this pro-
gram.
This is a great opportunity to get
ready for winter or get a jump on
next summer.
Income guidelines are for 60
percent of Oregon’s state median
income by household size.
To learn more about eligibility
and to pick up an application you
can stop by the Family Resource
Center or call 541-553-2590 and
ask about LIHEAP.
Job growth continues in region
Job growth in the region was
slightly better than expected in late
summer, continuing a trend that
began this past spring.
The state Employment Depart-
ment reports job growth during
August in all three counties of the
Central Oregon region.
For Jefferson County, includ-
ing the reservation, the seasonally
adjusted unemployment rate was
6.3 percent in August, down from
6.8 percent in July.
Still, the jobless rate remains
higher than before the beginning
of the pandemic: In February of
last year unemployment in the
county was 4.1 percent.
In Jefferson County, total non-
farm employment was unchanged
in August. Usually, there are mod-
est job losses this time of year,
the Employment Department re-
ports.
In the county, construction has
been the fastest growing major in-
dustry sector over the past year,
adding 40 jobs. The retail sector
and manufacturing also posted
strong gains from this time last
year.
Crook County: The season-
ally adjusted unemployment rate
was 6.8 percent in August, down
significantly from 7.1 percent in
July.
The unemployment rate re-
mains higher than before the
first impacts from Covid-19 in
February 2020 when it was 4.4
percent.
Deschutes County: The sea-
sonally adjusted unemployment
rate dropped to 5.4 percent in Au-
gust from 5.6 percent in July.
The Deschutes unemployment
rate remains higher than before the
first impacts from Covid-19 in Feb-
ruary of last year when it was just
3.3 percent.
sponse Team and Tribal Council
determine no health risk would be
posed to the community.
September 22, 2021
Nite Out Social Powwow
The Stomp Your Moccs
NDN Nite Out Social Pow-
wow is coming up on Thurs-
day, September 30.
The Social Powwow, mas-
ter of ceremony Macky
Begay, will start at 5:30 p.m.
at the Community Center
Pavillion.
A meal box will be served,
drumming and dancing start
at 6 p.m. Bring your own
lawn chairs. Social distancing
and masks required. The
Warm Springs Covid-19 Re-
sponse Team approved this
event. All drummers and danc-
ers are welcome. For more in-
formation contact Preston T
at 541-553-3243.
A note from Tribal Management: Please use the north
entrance at the administration building—the doors by Hu-
man Resources—from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. this Thurs-
day, September 23. Contractors will be working on the
touchless door entry on the south side by the Tribal Coun-
cil, Mail and Reception entrance.