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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2012)
Chairman’s Report Fee-to-trust applications The Bureau of Indian Affairs recently has taken several parcels of land into trust at the Tribe’s request. In the past, there has been a huge backlog of requests that finally are moving forward. During the Bush administration, no action was taken because of several con troversies, mostly over land that was to be used for gaming. Our applications were mostly for land to be used for housing. The bigger par cels, however, are the lands surrounding Chinook Winds. Lot 57 directly behind the casino, the hotel, part of the larger parking area and the Siletz Tribal Busi ness Corporation office land is included in our request. We have been told Lot 57 (the 10 vacant acres on the beach) should be taken into trust very soon. The remaining parcels should occur when the loans are secured on other properties. The Tribe has worked long and hard on changes to the fee-to-trust process. Originally, all applications had to be approved in the central BIA office in Washington, D.C. The process later was changed to have all applications processed in the regional office in Portland, Ore. The Siletz Agency processes the applications, working with our Tribal staff. We have been pleased with the addi tion of Art Fisher at the agency, who has taken the lead on this important process. He has worked diligently with our staff to undertake this task. Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations Pow-Wow The Tribes have planned for the annual Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations Pow-Wow at the state fairgrounds pavilion building in Salem on Jan. 28. The intent of the pow-wow was not only to bring the Tribes together, but also to make the Salem community and leaders aware of the Tribes’ identity. Each Tribe maintains a booth with Tribal informa tion and displays as well as many vendor booths rented by Tribal artisans. All nine Tribes have been invited to participate. Enrollment The Tribal Council recently amended the Enrollment Ordinance to mirror the language in the Tribal Constitution. The amended ordinance has been posted on the Tribal website - ctsi.nsn.us - in the Tribal Members section. Recent con troversies and actions hopefully can be resolved favorably by this recent action. The change is how we treat blood quantum as required by the Constitution. In the early days, prior to the Restoration roll of 1978, the Constitution says that all Indian blood would be counted. This did occur for some Tribal members but not for all. Since this was a recent action by the council, a process will be put in place to address how changes can be made. By Elise Jordan, Americorps VISTA with the Lincoln Commission on Children and Families Thanks to a generous donation of $4,000 from the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund, the East County Back pack Program is running successfully for the second year in Toledo and Siletz schools. Program organizers also would like to thank the Rebekah Lodge for its donation of $1,500 in November. The program was created in 2010 in collaboration with the Lincoln Commis sion on Children and Families and the with other attendees (above) of the 2011 White House Tribal Nations Conference at the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 2. Pigsley (right) awaits the start of the 2011 White House Tribal Nations Conference. East County Homeless Education and Literacy Project (HELP). This ongoing weekly program provides 65 students with backpacks filled with kid-friendly foods on week ends. The program helps families in East County stretch their food budgets during the weekend and when school meals are unavailable. Toledo and Siletz schools serve approximately 1,028 students, about 64 percent of whom rely on the USDA’s National School Lunch Program for their meals during the week. The East County Backpack Program currently serves 50 Toledo students and 15 Siletz students. Every week, com munity volunteers, Americorps VISTAs and school liaisons pack backpacks and deliver them to East County schools. Kid-friendly food donations can be delivered to Toledo JC Market, Oregon Coast Bank, Bank of the West, Toledo Feed and Seed, Mike’s Mercantile, Pacific Spruce FCU and the HELP Center at the Arcadia school campus. For more information or to volunteer or donate, please contact me at 541-265-9883. Nuu-wee-ya’ «swords) Introduction to the Athabaskan language Open to Tribal members of all ages Name: Address: Phone: Change of address: Tribal members - contact the Enrollment Depart ment at 541-444-8258; 800-922-1399,ext. 1258; or angelam@ctsi.nsn.us. All others - call the newspaper office. Send information to: Siletz News P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Deadline for the February issue is Jan. 10. Submission of articles and photos is encouraged. Please see the Passages Policy on page 20 when submitting items for Passages. 541-444-8291 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1291 Fax: 541-444-2307 E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us * Tribal Chairman Delores Pigsley chats Tribal charitable fund helps East County Backpack Program serve students in Toledo and Siletz schools Siletz News is free to enrolled Siletz Tribal members. For all others, a $12 annual subscription fee applies. Please make checks payable to CTSI and mail to Siletz News. 2 Courtesy photos by John Harrington Siletz News * Member of the Native American Journalists Association January 2012 Eugene Portland Eugene Area Office Jan. 2 - 6-8 p.m. Feb. 6- 6-8 p.m. Portland Area Office Jan. 9 - 6-8 p.m. Feb. 13 - 6-8 p.m. Siletz Salem Siletz Tribal Community Center Jan. 3 - 6-8 p.m. Feb. 7 - 6-8 p.m. Salem Area Office Jan. 10- 6-8 p.m. Feb. 14 - 6-8 p.m. Classes begin with basic instruction and progress over the year. They also are a refresher course for more-advanced students. Come and join other members of your community and Tribe in learning to speak one of our ancient languages. We also have equipment in the Cultural Department available for use in grinding and drilling shell or pine nuts or other applications. If you need to use the equipment, call the number below to set up an appointment. For more information, contact Bud Lane at the Siletz Cultural Department at 541-444-8320 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1320; or e-mail budl@ctsi.nsn.us.
