VICE CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Oregon Gaming Alliance
Oregon gaming tribes continue to
be bothered by the mischief created by
PACT, People Against a Casino Town.
Although its specific target was the
Coos Tribe’s efforts to establish a casino
in Florence, its more basic aim is to kill
Indian gaming.
The Coos Tribe was the last of the
nine Oregon tribes to successfully
negotiate a gaming compact with the
governor. PACT has challenged in court
the governor’s authority to negotiate
and execute Indian gaming compacts,
claiming it’s the Legislature, not the
governor, that has that authority.
As its name clearly indicates, PACT
is flat-out against casinos, it’s target
being Indian casinos, not just the Coos
casino. The Oregon Gaming Alliance
has been keeping an eye on PACT
activities and so should non-Indian
communities. After all, the purpose of
Indian gaming, like the Oregon state
To the editor:
Over the Memorial Day weekend,
the Siletz Tribe sent six WWII veterans
and their spouses or a helper to
Washington, D.C., for the national
WWII Memorial dedication. I had the
honor of going with my cousin, Eddie
Collins, as his helper. It was easily my
highest honor.
Spending all day Friday on the
National Mall, then again Saturday at
the dedication was very meaningful and
quite moving. It was a time that I will
always remember.
I speak for myself and Eddie
Collins when I say thank you to the
lottery, is for governmental and com
munity benefit, unlike the casinos in Las
Vegas and Atlantic City, whose purposes
are for personal profit and benefit.
Non-Indians, including advocates
of PACT, should bear in mind that
Indian gaming is not only benefiting the
tribes and tribal programs (i.e.,
education, health, housing, etc.), but as
independent studies have shown, also is
having a significantly positive economic
impact on surrounding non-Indian
communities. Unfortunately PACT, for
some reason, is trying to destroy all that.
Economic Development
Vice Chairman Jessie Davis
Although the primary focus during
the past month has been on finalizing
the purchase of the Shilo Inn hotel and
luxury suites, the Siletz Tribal Business
Corporation (STBC) has continued to
move forward with other economic
development projects.
Logan Road RV Park - Bulldozers
have begun clearing the site for the 54-
space RV site in Lincoln City. The park
sits at the intersection of Logan Road
and 44th Street, just up the hill from
Chinook Winds near the current
employee parking lot. The park, which
Siletz Tribe for rolling out the red carpet
for this national event. A special thank
you to Margo Hudson, the staff rep. to
the veterans, for taking care of all the
accommodations. The itinerary, bro
chures, and flyers on the many attrac
tions of Washington, D.C., were very
helpful and highly appreciated. All we had
to do was show up and show some I.D.
My personal and biggest thank you
goes to our men and women of “The
Greatest Generation.’’ You did it. Thank
you very much.
Sincerely,
Woody Muschamp
To the editor:
I would like to say thanks to Donna
(Strong) Kessinger and family, and
Norma Jimenez for the return of the
German helmet. This helmet will stay
with the Strong boys - Royce, William,
and Joel. Now if any of these boys has
any children, it will go to that child.
To the editor:
I would like to thank Dee Pigsley
and the rest of the council for sending
us to the World War II Memorial. I com
mend Margo Hudson for all the heavy
work that put us in Washington, D.C.
A special thanks to Bud Lane for
the CD on the memorial. It was a won
derful trip, just wish we could have had
more time to see things. On behalf of
myself and my daughter, CSM Denise
Kraxberger, thanks for the memories.
Sincerely,
Buck Downey
Siletz Tribal World War 11 veterans Ed
Ben, Buck. Downey, Eddie Collins,
Alfred Lane Jr., and Ken Hatch
will regularly be served by the casino
shuttle to and from Chinook Winds, will
have electrical, water, and sewer
hookups. Completion date is targeted
for September.
Keizer Station Project - Monthly
meetings are being held between the
LLC, Siletz and Grand Ronde Tribal
Councils. Realizing that ongoing joint
meetings are critical to developing a
viable infrastructure, the staffs of both
councils have worked together and done
an excellent job. A master plan has been
submitted to the Keizer City Council.
A great deal of time and effort has
gone into this project thus far and there
still is a lot of work ahead. Each tribe takes
turns hosting the meetings. Despite the
fact that the Grand Ronde and Siletz
Tribes are independent and in some areas
competitive, the Keizer Station Project is
a clear demonstration of what the tribes
can achieve cooperatively.
During World War II, my father, the
late Stanley Strong, shot this German
sniperand killed him and took his helmet.
On another matter, this gets me
really mad, when someone is teaching
a child or teen-ager to feel hate and say
a Strong or Washington is not an Indian.
This person should never get any
complimentary tickets for things at
Chinook Winds or anywhere else. I am
putting part of a document in the page.
This should speak about my family and
who we are and come from.
Royce Strong
Tolowa, Sixes, Joshua, Chetco
Tyee Jo Washington - Hoxie
Simmons said Tyee Jo received the
name Percy Wash from a miner in
Southern Oregon by that name. It
turned into Pushwas, Paswas, etc. here
on the reservation. Tyee Jo died of
jaundice 13 Dec 1886 and is buried
across the river from Klamath Grad
(near Siletz, Ore.). For many years, an
old rifle stood upright on his grave.
Geo. Kentta- informant
An affidavit signed by Lindsay
John states: Klamath John, Klamath
Annie, Bessie, and Tyee Jo were
brothers and sisters or half-brothers and
-sisters, Klamath John and Tyee Jo both
being chiefs in the Rogue River War.
July 2004 □
Siletz News
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