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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2013)
SILETZ NeWS Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid - Permit No. 178 Salem, OR Delores Pigsley, Tribal Chairman Brenda Bremner, General Manager and Editor-in-Chief Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Vol. 41, No. 7 Siletz News Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 July 2013 Siletz Tribal Energy Program staff members Marleen Wynn, weatherization coordinator, and Claire Wood, project coordinator, stand at the raffle booth during the Solar Celebration on June 20 at the Siletz Rec Center and Tillicum Fitness Center in Siletz (not pictured: Fawn Metcalf, energy auditor/program technician). The EPA Climate Showcase Communities grant helped with the purchase, installation and connection of the solar panels. Claire Wood explains to guests how the solar panels create energy. She points to the inverts, where you can read how much energy is being produced. The solar panels (in the upper right of the photo) make energy for the recreation center for lights and heating. They were purchased from Solar World, an Oregon company, and installed by Benton Electric from Albany, Ore. Photos by Tiffany Stuart Siletz Tribe, Chinook Winds first in Oregon to use ATNI program’s Tribally caught salmon in dining venues Chinook Winds Casino Resort is proud to announce its partnership with the ATNI (Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians) Salmon Marketing Program. “We started this process in September of 2012, first meeting with Tina Retasket from our Tribal Council and ATNI at the Rez Kitchen Tour in Pendleton, Oregon. It has been a journey of learning, com- munication and cooperation to make this a reality. Working with Tribal communi- ties and highlighting traditional Native foods resourced by Tribal fishermen is a passion of mine. And it’s only the begin- ning,” said Jack Strong, executive chef at Chinook Winds. “This program is our opportunity to invest in Indian Country while serving a high quality, healthy product throughout our resort. We are committed to setting ourselves apart as putting quality first and supporting inter-Tribal cooperation through the ATNI initiative,” said Mike Fisher, gen- eral manager of Chinook Winds. Created in July 2010, the Salmon Marketing Program was initially funded through EDA (Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Com- merce) and USDA grants of $310,000. The program’s purpose is to add value to Tribal fishers’ and harvesters’ catches and keep more of the value-added chain in Indian Country. Since its inception in 2010, program staff and stakeholders have assisted more than 125 Tribal fishers, harvesters, indi- viduals and businesses in generating an economic impact of more than $1 million through new sales, increased revenue and higher premiums. “As long as I have been involved, people have been talking ‘Buy Indian.’ It seems like it’s time to walk the walk. Chinook Winds and the Siletz Tribes are doing it by being the first Oregon Tribe to purchase through our program,” said Mike Burton, director of ATNI’s Economic Development Corporation (ATNI/EDC). Chinook Winds purchases seasonal salmon through the ATNI Salmon Mar- keting Program in which various Tribes participate. Currently, the Nisqually Tribe delivers seasonal salmon caught and pro- cessed by the Tribe. The first delivery was for 85 pounds of steelhead from Quinault Tribal member- owned Sea-Atco Seafood on March 4. In total, Chinook Winds has received 2,225 pounds of Quinault River steelhead. A single Tribe, however, can’t pro- vide enough fish to fulfill the casino’s need for an entire year. Chinook Winds uses more than 20,000 pounds of salmon/ steelhead product every year in all outlets, so it’s important to work through ATNI’s program to ensure the need is met. The ATNI Salmon Marketing Program works to promote inter-Tribal cooperation for the greater good of Northwest Tribes. In recent history, an Indian Country fisherman wasn’t guaranteed a fair price for his catch. With this program in place, ATNI works to keep all of the value in Indian Country, up to the final sale to the consumer. “Our Tribe is continuing the efforts of the ATNI/EDC efforts with the Con- federated Tribes of Siletz and Chinook Winds sharing Quinault and Nisqually salmon with their patrons. Tomorrow See Salmon, con’t on page 4. The sun brings energy to the people. Those who attended the event included representatives from the Lincoln County Solid Waste District, OSU Extension Service, Newport City Council, City of Newport and local media, plus Tribal Council, Tribal employees and Tribal members. Tribal bills pass unanimously out of Natural Resources Committee Schrader legislation in US House benefits Siletz, Grande Ronde WASHINGTON – Two pieces of legislation introduced by Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR) to streamline the process for the Grand Ronde and Siletz Tribes to take land into trust passed unanimously June 12 in the House Natural Resources Committee. H.R. 841 and H.R. 931 would stream- line the process to take land into trust for the Grand Ronde and Siletz Tribes respectively. Currently, the Tribes are hampered in their efforts to restore land within their original reservations by a lengthy Bureau of Indian Affairs process. Both bills introduced by Schrader are designed to remove cumbersome bureaucratic red tape and make it easier for each Tribe to take land into trust within their original reservation boundaries that existed prior to termination by the federal government. “Passage of these bills today in the House Natural Resources Committee is very encouraging for the Grand Ronde and Siletz Tribes as we pursue a long- term, positive legislative solution to the longstanding obstacles they face in restor- ing their historic lands,” said Schrader. “As we seek to have these important bills enacted into law, I remain committed to working with our Tribes and other stake- holders to build consensus. To that end, I would thank Representative DeFazio for his work in the committee to help advance this process on behalf of our Tribes.” “The Siletz Tribe and its nearly 5,000 members are truly grateful for Congress- man Schrader’s hard work on behalf of his constituents. His legislation is cru- cial to helping the Siletz Tribe provide much-needed services, such as housing, to its membership,” said Delores Pigsley, chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. “I want to extend my sincere apprecia- tion and thanks to Congressman Schrader for not only introducing H.R. 841, the Grand Ronde Reservation Act Amend- ment, but for his personal involvement and follow-up with the committee and his col- leagues to ensure the legislation advances through the legislative process. Congress- man Schrader understands the importance of Native people being able to say that ‘this land is our reservation now and forever,’” said Reyn Leno, Tribal Council chair of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
