Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 1991)
':. e 'Li.. I-. 7'.. , Ii v . U n o . 1 '. :'-ft ('it"'' .:u, 5c P.O. Box 870 Vrm Spring!, OR 97761 Address Correction Requested 0 V V I' VMM piJiy&y lymoo News from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation I'.S. Postage Bulk Half I'rrmil No. 2 Warm Spring, OK 97761 Ju :i v.. j . J t y . t '.a .. ,)v j , i t i i f i M VOL. 16 NO. 19 P.O. BOX 870 WARM SPRINGS, OR 97761 SEPTEMBER 20.1991 Coyote News In Brief Center for local youth desired by community Community members are seeking a safe and sober Youth Center in which -local youth can meet to da their homework and participate In various activities. So far, no facility has been found. Page 2 Scouting program underway In Warm Springs Scouts, from first graders through 18 year-olds, are meeting at the fire hall these days. Anyone Interested in participating are more than welcome to attend. ...... Page 2 New teachers at Warm Springs Elementary Seven new 509-J- district teachers have joined the ranks at Warm Springs Elementary. Page 3 Past celebrations de picted In photographs Part of the MOIHS photo collection is shared with readers. Page 5 Buffs win one, lose one The Madras White Buffa loes won their game against Crook County but lost to Hood River. Watch Friday as they take on the MacHi Pioneers. Page 6 River conference calls for political action to save salmon Two hundred stocks of salmon arc already extinct That trend will continue if policies don't change." Bill Marlcttc, 1991 River Rendezvous coordinator, opened the three-day conference September 6 8, with this message. Mining, trap ping, irrigation, fishing and power interests have created a "political gridlock" which continues to hamper efforts to protect salmon which are part of dwindling fish populations. The outlook Tor salmon looks even more bleak as speakers presented facts which provided evidence that fish populations are decreasing an nually. Author of a research paper on salmon and stcelhcad on the West Coast, Willa Nchlson, emphasized that losing one stock of fish may not be detrimental, but losing many can impact the species. She showed concern that only 25 percent of the 2.5 million returning salmon in the Columbia River system are native.and only 25 percent of those stocks are doing well. Dams, over fishing, interbreeding with hatchery stocks and damaged habitat are the causes. Tribal leaders and resource people also had an opportunity to discuss Indian culture and the importance native Americans place on salmon. Ted Strong, director of Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission, reminded listeners that "we tell each other of the consequences over and over again," but we don't pay atten tion. Instead, freefiowing rivers are blocked and fish are affected. And because of that, CRITFC must work avidly like conservation groups, to restore and protect salmon runs. Other Indian speaker, Louie Dick and Edison Chiloquin, reminded lis teners that all people are part of the earth. When a single part is extin guished, as have many salmon stocks, the whole is affected. Warm Springs fisheries technician Louie Pitt, Jr. stressed the importance of knowing the basics of treaty rights in working toward a solution to the salmon problem. Conservation groups can work ettectiveiy witn tribal groups if they know how the tribal organizations operate. Idaho governor Cecil Andrus, staunch proponent for restoring salmon runs, closed the speaker's forum. The governor explained the Idaho plan which calls for lowering water levels each spring behind Lower Snake River dams to simulate swift stream flow, necessary to flush juvenile salmon to the sea. This, he feels, will contribute greatly to re storing salmon populations little by little. He conveyed that federal agencies including Bonneville Power Administration and the Army Corp of Engineers are stalling any action in that direction. Ed Cheney, director of the North west Resource Center in Boise, Idaho accentuated the public's part in the salmon's demise: "We've squan dered the salmon population "Now it's time to get action from politi cians, untortunatcly, Cheney points out, politicians arc paralyzed by the bureaucratic system. Because of it. says Cheney, "They re going to kill fflA fifk if til A frtt tlinm " r "s 4u : ft ' ,. ,; - v c A-v -h 1 1, i , - ' -- . t .n j Leading prayer at the River Rendezvous are (left to right) Bernice Mitchell. Pierson Mitchell, Rudy Clements and Delbert Frank. Looking on is CRITFC director Ted Strong. Community workshops raise members' concerns, ideas IRMP Public Meetings September 24: Agency Longhouse September 26: Simnasho Longhouse 6:30 to 9 p.m. each night Voice your concerns on the 1992 Forest Mgmt. Plan Weather Sept. High Low 4 89 52 5 90 51 6 92 56 7 80 57 8 71 45 9 71 48 10 79 45 11 83 48 12 86 48 13 76 57 14 75 40 15 78 41 16 87 44 17 85 60 Budget workshops were held in June, July and Augustso that concerned tribal members and other community persons could express their ideas about the future and how tribal funds should be expended in the upcoming years. Approximately 100 people attended the five workshops. Members ex pressed their priorities and concerns associated with current program di rections and added suggestions they felt needed attention. In the area of health and social ser vices, workshop attendees stressed the importance of having a drug-free com munity. A total war on drug and alco holabuse was suggested. Attendees were equally concerned about increas ing the community's knowledge about protecting children from abuse and neglect, and that education regarding child abuse and neglect should be expanded both for the community and for the people di rectly involved. Many maintained that the early in tervention program is an ongoing need. Another growing concern was the need for a program to accommodate indi viduals fresh out of treatment programs, a program that would help individuals integrate back into the community and family life. Some individuals felt that "enabler programs" such as welfare and special concessions for poor fi nancial planning, should be identified and reduced with more emphasis placed on self-improvement programs. In the area of education, training an personnel, many individuals felt that post-high school graduates were dis couraged to find lack of employment opportunities upon their return from higher education courses. More com mitment from individual employees is needed, said some attendees. If the tribe provides training, the employee should commit himself to three to five years continued employment Tribal members should hold more jobs, in cluding consultant positions. A more "proactive" education office is needed that will focus attention on counseling for future job availability within the community. Some felt that job coun seling should began as early as kin dergarten. More native American school are needed in the 509-J school district. Natural resource protection and en hancement remained a top priority among attendees. Some felt that loggers should play a "more responsible' role in protecting resources. Some felt the tribe should involve tribal members, including the young, in the Integrated Resource Management Plan. Tribal management was favored over BIA management of resources. Respondents felt there is a need for assistance in starting private business, such as bookkeeping, marketing and entrepreneurship.Some felt the "cot tage industries", such as woodworking and handcrafts, should be supported. Concerns centering on the account ability of tribal enterprises were voiced as well. Numerous individuals sug gested that geothermal development should be examined. Additional recre ation facilities, such as paries, swimming pools and theaters, should be provided. The public is strongly in favor of stronger enforcement of drug abuse znd child abuse useneglect laws.Some felt that drug traffickers should receive stiffer sentences. Community involve ment was encouraged. Alternatives to incarceration, such as house arrest programs, should be investigated. Improved communication among the community, tribe, tribal council, management and employees was stressed. One particular instance men tioned was additional information should be disseminated concerning referendums. Land development for tribal member housing, future roads and utilities was a priority for some attendees. The current law-making process should hav more tribal member influence rather than closely resemble state laws. As far as the future, people suggested that the tribe devise a practical was to determine "where we are, where we are going and how to get there." The major organization concern was the lack of accountability of the em ployees and programs. Many believed that nothing was getting done. Em ployees are tardy for work, are lacka daisical about their work habits and are indifferent. Some thought the. numhw Deschutes River Management Plan Citizens offer comment of outside consultants should be re duced or replaced with tribal members. Alternative funding should be sought to help offset tribal dollars for operat ing expenses. The Deschutes River rates as one of the best recreational rivers in the nation. It is renouncd for its Whitewater, not loo dramatic for novice river-runners, for its spectacular beauty and for its splendid angling. It is also famous ,now, for the con troversy that surrounds its future. Since the creation of a draft Deschutes River ManagementPlan .citizens throughout the state are making known their feel ings about the river and the proposed WSFPI, Tribe facing tough future S ince the Confederated Tribes ac quired Warm Springs Forest Products Industries in 1967, the enterprise has shown substantial annual profits. The mill, as well as the Tribe, have en joyed impressive revenues until the past 18 months or so. An unstable wood products mar ket, expensive capital improvements and a fickle economy have taken their toll on WSFPI. Profits last year were non-existent with end-of-the-year figures showing a S6.8 million loss. Tribal Council members, tribal management and mill officials are concerned and have initiated steps to help correct the continued WaFPI losses. In July, Tribal Council passed Resolution 8296 which gradually reduces the annual allowable cut from the Warm Springs Reservation. The cut in 1991 is 85 million board feet. The annual cut in 1992 will be 75 million board feet. Each year there after until 1995, the cut will be re duced by five million board feet From 1 996 through 2002, the cut will not be less than 50.3 million board feet. A business plan is to be prepared by WSFPI "to allow continued op eration" of the mill and to "preserve tribal employment, generate profits, maintain tribal stumpage payments and allow service and retirement of WSFPI debt," states the resolution. Continued on page 2 management policies. No interest group wants to be denied access to therivcror faced with increased regulationsdcspite evidence that it is overcrowded, and lacks adequate protection. The 100-mile lower Deschutes River supports boaters total ingapproximatcly 138,400 asreported for 1990. It suffers from overuse and negative im pacts such as litter, noise and many user-conflicts. A study of the river in 1980 deter mined that the Deschutes River needed protection and a management plan. A task force began work four years ago to design the plan which will be used to manage the river in the future. The draft Deschutes River Management Plan has been presented and public comment is being accepted at meetings across the state. Comments will be taken into account before final revisions of the plan are made. The plan calls for limited access on the river by all users. If a volunteer system doesn't work, a mandatory limited entry system and fees for all users will be implemented. Banning of jet boats in particular segments is also being discussed, as is fees for river users who are not boaters. Comments on the draft Deschutes River Management Plan w as presented to an appointed hearings officer at the Continued on page 2