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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2008)
NOTICES Tribal Information Day • State Capitol • May 16,2008 Gathering at the Wetlands June 17, 2008 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. A free, all-ages event for Tribal people at the West Eugene Wetlands led by Dennis Martinez, chair of the In digenous Peoples’ Restoration Network. Learn about traditional plants like camas and acorn. Try harvesting and material preparation. Help plan the wetlands' future as a cultural center. Lunch provided. Registration is required. Contact Eric Jones at 541-683-1846 or etj@ifcae.org. More information is available at www.ifcae.org/acorn/. Clockwise from top left: Siletz Tribal Elder Ed Ben, part of the Color Guard; Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury; Felicia Carmona, Sharon Edenfield and Bud Lane answer people’s questions about the Siletz Tribe; Native Ameri can Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest drum group; Jay Minthorne, Umatilla Tribe; Sue Shaffer, Cow Creek Tribe, (photos by Brent Merrill) Smith, Wu Introduce Legislation to Establish Hatfield Foundation Foundation will Promote Educational Opportunities in Tribal Government WASHINGTON, D.C. - Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith and Rep. David Wu on April 30 introduced bipartisan legislation to boost educational opportunities and promote understanding between Tribal and non-Tribal governments. The Mark O. Hatfield Scholarship and Excellence in Tribal Governance Act would establish a foundation at Portland State University to award scholarships, internships, fellowships and grants to individuals and organizations across the country in the furtherance of Tribal self-governance and self-determination. “The legislation is a fitting tribute to former Senator Mark O. Hatfield's life long support of Indian people and Indian Tribes,” Smith said. “The foundation will continue Senator Hatfield's legacy of Native American advocacy and will foster the study of Tribal government.” “Senator Hatfield's efforts to restore essential rights to Tribal governments have been widely lauded. The legislation that we introduced today builds upon those efforts to further strengthen Tribal self-governance and the unique heri tage of Native Americans and Alaska Natives.” said Wu. “Developing the next generation of Tribal leaders and promoting an understanding of Tribal govern ments’ unique sovereign status and historical relationship is essential to address ing Tribal policy needs and cultural preservation.” Sen. Hatfield. Oregon senator from 1967-1996. led the effort to restore fed eral recognition to several Oregon tribes, including the Grand Ronde, Coquille, and Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians. Tribal organizations across the country have expressed their support for the legislation. The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the Yukon River Wa tershed Council have passed resolutions of support. 18 • Siletz News • June 2008 Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program The Administration for Native Americans is assisting the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to disseminate information regarding a new program: the Digital-to- Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. The coupon program will assist households reliant on free over-the-air tele vision to maintain television services when full-power television stations cease analog broadcasting on Feb. 17, 2009. Each household will be able to request up to two $40 coupons to be used for the purchase of up to two digital-to-analog converter boxes, allowing households with analog televisions to display digital television after the cessation of analog broadcasting. It's estimated that approximately 19 million households are reliant on over- the-air broadcasting to receive television services. The elderly, disabled, eco nomically disadvantaged and rural residents are among the groups most likely to face an impact from the transition of analog-to-digital programming, as they are, on average, more reliant on over-the-air television. The ANA network can effectively reach many of the households that will benefit from the coupon program by informing agencies that provide direct services to communities, families, and individuals of this initiative. Additional information is available on the NTIA website at www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html. The contact at NTIA is Mary Lou Kenny, who can be reached at 202-482-9114 or via e-mail at mkenny@ntia.doc.gov.
