Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon August 9, 2001
Region wins $11.7 million for poverty
The Northwest Area Founda
tion of St. Paul, Minn., has com
mitted $11.7 million over the next
decade to combat poverty through
out Central Oregon, including
Warm Springs.
An agreement between the
foundation and the Central Or
egon Partnership, signed Aug. 1,
calls for the funding of network
of Community Action Teams in
Bend, LaPinc, Madras, Prinevillc,
Redmond, Sisters and Warm
Springs. The teams will develop an
initiative to attack the root causes
of poverty.
Central Oregon is the second re
gion in the county to win final ap
proval and funding for such a plan.
"We are beyond happy that the
NWAF selected our region for con
sideration of this incredible part
nership," said Bill Willitts, chair
man of the steering committee that
has worked the past two years to
craft the plan.
"It means that for 10 years we'll
be able to make a concerted and
creative effort to see if we can re
duce the root causes of poverty in
a region about which we all care
so deeply."
Members of the committee in-'
dude Willitts, Eric Alexander
Jolcnc Estimo Atcncio, Marilyn
Deem, Lynne and John Brccsc,
Jerry Colonna, Becky Lu Ham
mer, Clint Jacks, Mary Krcnowicz,
Jim Lussier, Jessie Macias, Jill
Phillips-McLanc, Julie Quaid and
KrisRees.
The organization will form over
the next few months, with exten
sive planning, recruitment and
other activities. Karl Staubcr, foun
dation president, will visit Central
Oregon in early October to meet
with the partnership and others.
Pre-teens sought
for sitter class
Children age 11 to 13 may now
register for the Safe Sitter course
that will be offered on at Moun
tain View Hospital District in
Madras. The 8 - hour Safe Sitter
program will begin Tuesday, Au
gust 14, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm,
and is a being held in the Commu
nity Education Room. To pre-rcg-istcr,
or for more information, call
the Mountain View Hospital Dis
trict Wellness office at 475-3882
extension 2307.
Sponsored by Mountain View
Hospital District, the Safe Sitter
program instructs youngsters on
how to handle emergencies when
caring for younger children.
The goal of Safe Sitter is to re
duce preventable deaths among
children being cared for by
babysitters. Thousands of adoles
cents across the country have been
trained in Safe Sitter.
Students receive hands-on prac
tice in basic life saving techniques
as well as instruction I security
precautions such as what to do if a
stranger comes to the door. The
sitter will also learn information
on child development and age ap
propriate activities.
Financial literacy
The Small Business Develop
ment Center is sponsoring
ONABEN Financial Literacy
classes.
Whether you want to start a
business, buy a home, or pay off
your debt, personal financial lit
eracy is a first step to gaining con
trol over your financial future. The'
scries runs for six weeks. Classes
will be held at the SBDC from 6-9
p.m. Sept. 18; Sept. 25; Oct. 2; Oct.
9; Oct. 17; Oct. 23.
For more information or to reg
ister, contact SBDC at 553-3592.
Summer classes set :
August 13 - 14, 2001: K - 6
Grades - Cost: $2.50 per student
10 am - 12 Noon: Weaving &
Twining
Instructor: Eileen Spino
August 13 - 14, 2001: 7"1 - I2,h
Grades - Cost: $4.00 per student
2 pm - 5 pm: Corn Husk Weav
ing Class
Instructor: Eileen Spino
August 15 - 16, 2001: K - 6"1
Grades - Cost: $2.50 per student
10 am - 12 Noon: Bead Weaving
& Loom work
Instructor: Dorothy "Pebbles"
George
August 15 - 16, 2001: Th - 12,k
Grades - Cost: $4.00 per student
2 pm - 5 pm: Advanced Beading
Projects
, Instructor: Dorothy "Pebbles"
George
August 17, 2001: Higher Ed. Stu
dents - Cost: $5.00 per student
9 am - 12 Noon: Corn Husk
Weaving
. , Instructor: Eileen Spino
August 17, 2001: Higher Ed.
Students - Cost: $5.00 per student
2 pm - 5 pm: Advanced Bead
ing Projects
. Instructor: Dorothy "Pebbles"
George
Keeping his cool
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Photo by Jtrry Bruno
The dunk tank (manned by Percy Winishut, 17) proved to be a
popular attraction this week during the Family Jamboree.
Warm temperatures pretty much guaranteed anything
involving water would draw a crowd.
Foster mother gets
prison term for death
of young boy
Tamcra Coffee recently was sentenced to 6 Vi years in fed
eral prison for causing the death last year of 4-year-old Andres
E. Saragos. Coffee, 34, will begin serving her sentence on
Sept. 13.
Coffee pleaded guilty earlier this year to second-degree
murder in the death of the child, who had been in her foster
i. 'v.caxe. Coffee's wrest happened in early July of 2000, after
'''" AndS'SaragoS, leftin a vehicle on a hot summer day, died
, of heat stroke. , . ,
The 6 Vi-year prison sentence was the recommended term
included in her plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Of
fice. The judge in the case also imposed a five-year period of
post-prison supervision.
At the hearing last week, assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Wil
liams argued to the court that Coffee should be taken into
custody on the date of the sentencing. However, Coffee's at
torney, Andrew Bates of Portland, said there was no reason
for such action.
The judge ruled with the defense, giving Coffee six weeks
before having to surrender to custody.
Coffee had been on pre-trial release from custody since a
short time after her arrest in July 2000, the time of Saragos'
death.
She had presented no problems to the court during that
time, a main factor in why the start of her prison term was
delayed until Sept. 13.
During her sentencing hearing in federal court last week,
Coffee declined the opportunity to make a verbal statement
regarding the crime.
The natural mother of the child, Vernice Switzler, did,
however, make a brief comment. She mentioned how the
death of Andres has been devastating for her other children.
In recounting Switzler's testimony, assistant U.S. Attor
ney Williams said last week, "She and her children want to
know why this happened, and they want to know why she is
still out of custody."
The children are having a hard time understanding why
Coffee, while admitting to second-degree murder of their
brother Andres, is still not in prison, Williams said.
"It's very-difficult for Ms. Switzler and her children to see
Tamera. Coffee in public on the reservation," Williams said.
Committee members sworn Traditional
Tribal committee members
were sworn into office this week.
Many of the members sworn in
this week also have served on the
same committees during the past
term.
The terms of the committee
members are for approximately
three years, or until approximately
60 days following the end of the
Tribal Council terms.
The swearing-in ceremony for
the new committee members hap
pened Monday morning, Aug. 6,
in front of the Tribal Administra
tion Building.
Members of the Culture and
Heritage Committee are Viola
Kalama, Emily Waheneka, Marga
ret Suppah, Brigette Whipple,
Madeline Mclnturff and Gladys
Thompson.
Members of the Education
Committee are Urbana Ross, Col
leen Johnson, Ramona Tanewasha,
Martha Winishut and Alyssa
Macy.
Members of the Fish and Wild
life Off-Reservation Committee
are Harold Blackwolf Sr., Olney
Patt Jr., Claude Smith Sr. and
Terry Courtney Jr.
Members of the Fish' and Wild
life On-Reservation Committee are
Donald Winishut Sr., Tony
Suppah, Elmer Scott Jr. and Leslie
Bill.
The Health and Welfare Com
mittee members are Janice
Clements, Robert Miller, Urbana
Manion and Geneva Charley.
The Land-Use Planning Com
mittee members are Phillip
Florendo, Lepha Smith, Moses
Kalama and Lee Tom.
The Range, Irrigation and Ag
riculture Committee members are
Evans Spino, Jacob Frank Sr., Jay
Suppah and Carmella Scott.
The Timber Committee mem
bers are " Reginald ' Winishut,
Theron Johnson, Max Jackson and
Raymond Moody.
leave ...
Trial date scheduled chief Heath
for murder suspects
An October trial date has been
set for the three Warm Springs
youths accused of murder in the
death of Michael Saludo, whose
body was discovered July 12.
Last week, the three suspects -Ronald
McKinley, 23, Angelo
Fuentes, 22, and Tony Gilbert Jr.,
18 - were arraigned on federal grand
jury indictments charging first-degree
murder and robbery.
Each of the suspects was also
charged with felony murder, mean
ing they are accused of having com
mitted murder during the commis
sion of a felony crime, robbery.
Following the arraignment, the
suspects, each of whom is a tribal
member, entered pleas of not guilty.
Michael Saludo also was a tribal
member.
The suspects, facing a possible life
sentence if convicted of first-degree
or felony murder, remain in federal
custody in Pordand. The judge has
set Oct. 2 as the trial date.
Michael Saludo was 26 at the time
of his death. His body was discov
ered at the Lower Dry Creek Campground.
Antelope tags made available
The Confederated Tribes has se
cured a total of 27 tags to hunt prong
horn antelope on ceded lands dur
ing the 2001 season in Oregon. The
tags are being offered through the
tribal Natural Resources Branch and
the deadline to sign-up is Aug. 10.
Tribal members 12 years of age
and older are eligible for the tags.
Youngsters must complete a
Hunter's Safety Education class.
J , If there .are more interested hunt
ers than available tags, a drawing will
be held to determine the recipients.
The 27 tags being offered through
the Natural Resources Branch in
volve 10 separate Oregon hunts.
'"'' Tag holders must follow all rules
established by the state of Oregon
for hunting pronghorn antelope.
For more information stop by or
' call Natural Resources at 553-2002.
taken to
hospital
Warm Springs Chief Delvis
Heath was hospitalized for four
days last week. After some rest,
Chief Heath, 62, earlier this week
said he was "feeling great."
Chief Heath and other mem
bers of the Tribal Council last
week traveled to Las Vegas for a
seminar. At the seminar on
Wednesday afternoon, Heath men
tioned that he was not feeling well.
Joe Moses, sworn in recently as
Chief of the Seekseequa District,
then drove Heath to the hospital
in Las Vegas.
At the time, there was some
concern about the possibility of a
stroke, but Heath this week said
the problem had to do with going
off his special diet, combined with
a lack of rest.
He was in the hospital in Las
Vegas from Wednesday until Sat
urday afternoon. He flew home
that night, and on Monday said he
was feeling fine. Heath has been
Warm Springs Chief for close to
20 years.
Budget proposals ...
Continued from Page 1
While reducing expenditures in
2002, the Tribal Council must also
ensure that adequate funding is
budgeted for essential government
services such as police and fire
safety, delivery of drinking water,
and treatment of wastewater.
While the recommended annual
reduction of $600,000 will not be
easy, the situation could have been
worse. For instance, last year, in
developing a 10-year budget pro
jection, tribal officials anticipated
a need to reduce the budget by as
much as $1.2 million for 2002. The
reduction number now being con
sidered is half that amount.
Also on a more positive note,
the need to reduce the budget has
generated some new ideas in how
to meet community needs with
limited tribal government revenue,
said Willy Fuentes, chief opera
tions officer.
For instance, the tribes could
see some benefits trough work
with private foundations, Fuentes
said.
"If there is a silver lining to the
dark cloud of the budget cuts, it is
that the tribal leadership is now
looking hard at other opportuni
ties," Fuentes said.
Secretary-treasurer Jackson
added that the tribes' budget situ
ation, while a difficult one, is not
dire.
"Right now, we have room to
maneuver and make adjustments,
and we have the wherewithal to
make investments to increase fu
ture revenue," Jackson said. "But
we are entering a time when we
must carefully marshal our re
sources."
' In the long-term, the tribes are
planning to develop new sources
of revenue - a Columbia Gorge
' casino, for instance - that eventu
ally will replace revenue that has
declined from timber, Jackson said.
" Later this month, Fuentes, Jack
, son and other staff of the finance
department, along with the heads
.pf the enterprise operations, will
present an initial budget proposal,
-including revenue forecasts, to the
Tribal Council.
c c The finance staff will make a
budget recommendation, which
the Tribal Council will review in
early September. A proposal will
be posted by Oct. 1, and follow
ing this posting, the process calls
for district and general council
meetings on the recommended
budget.
After considering input from
tribal members, the Tribal Coun
cil will make a final decision by
Dec. 1, at which time the final
budget must be posted
The new budget year then be
gins Jan. 1.
Continued from Page 1
In his initial research, Heath
then reviewed basic documents of
the tribes, such as the Constitution
and Bylaws, and the Comprehen
sive Plan, the Organizational and
the Management plans, for in
stance. All of these documents include
statements regarding the need to
preserve culture and languages,
Heath said. For this reason, a tra
ditional leave policy would be in
keeping with the purpose of the
tribal government, he said.
With direction from Tribal
Council, Heath then reviewed the
traditional leave policies that other
tribes have adopted. Working with
a group of traditional food gather
ers and preparers, Heath developed
a draft policy for Council review,
which the Council considered in
June.
The Tribal Council is scheduled
to review a revised draft policy on
August 28.
The revised draft states that the
traditional leave policy would ap
ply to any tribal member worker,
in the employment of the tribes,
who is an active practitioner of a
traditional tribal religion of one of
the three Confederated Tribes.
Such an employee could take
"leave from employment with full
pay and benefits to participate in
all traditional religious activities of
the Confederated Tribes," accord
ing to the proposed draft policy.
'The extent of such leave," the
draft states, "is dependent on the
specific role of the employee in an
approved activity and shall include
sufficient time for preparation
prior to the event and rest after the
event before the Traditional Prac
titioner must report back to
work."
The proposed policy includes a
list of specific activities to which
the traditional leave policy would
apply. Also, the proposed policy
would apply to an employee tak
ing a Ichishkin, Kiksht or Numu
language class, with a 2-hour per
week limitation.
The draft policy says that an
employee taking traditional leave
must "ensure that job duties are
maintained and participation in
traditional events and any adverse
impacts to the work site are mini
mized." The employee must give his or
her immediate supervisor prior
notice that the employee will be
taking leave from employment.
The supervisor would then docu
ment the leave, and report it to the
payroll department.