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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2001)
E Coosh EEWA: The wy it is r Pe 4 Spilyay Tymoo October 18, 2001 Spilyay speaks Casino thoughts focus on revenue Communication is lacking between the Tribal Council and the Tribal membership concerning the gaming situation. There were comments of closing down the Indian Head Casino at Kah-Ncc-Ta and building one along I lighway 26. The reason for those remarks was because it was understood that we would be able to operate a Casino on and off the reservation. The main point was to improve the reservation Casino income rather than wasting money expanding the present one. When we voted on the location of the present one, everyone agreed to build at Kah-Nee-Ta for a try out for a few years and if that didn't work out then we would move it to another location. According to the study made, a Casino in the Gorge would generate $114 million per year and $9.5 million at Kah-Nee-Ta, and along I lighway 26, it was projected to generate $26 million. This was the main point of moving it out of Kah-Nee-Ta to a more suitable location and that location would be along Highway 26. It was also mentioned by the Commit tee, to increase the income at the Indian Head Casino, we should expand that facility which don't make any sense at all. How will that increase attendance by expanding the present one? Everyone knows that it is too far off path of the main stream of traffic through this area. Ixt's look at the dollar side of it, which looks more inviting? The $114 million plus the $26 million or do we want to go with $114 million and $9.5 million. According to the projection by the study, it would be more practical to build along Highway 26 rather than to expand the present one at Kah-Ncc-Ta. And as far as power, there is power all over the reservation where we could use for the Casino. The main point is if we are out to make bucks, let's go all out and do it right. But like I said, if we are able to maintain two Casinos this would be the way to go. As far as a location, that shouldn't be much of a problem. My ideal spot is just north of the turn off to Kah-Nee-Ta at Hcc Hce Mill. There are several options that could be done there, like a truck stop, a restaurant and good clean rest rooms. The Casino is not for us to patronize so the location of that spot would not matter. It's for the general public who like to enjoy doing things like that. As far as that 'goes, people from Portland travel to Reno to gamble. These are just thoughts for a Casino on the reservation which would not compare to one in the Gorge. Thoughts on war There are times when certain groups of people can be very disgusting, especially since those Terrorists made that sneak attack on the United States on September 11, 2001. There have been a lot of demonstrations on the news against Military action to those who have killed more that 5000 people here in the United States. It is evident that they didn't have any relatives, friends or acquaintance in that area during that attack where all those innocent people were killed. If they want peace and not with arms, they should go to Af ghanistan and do they're demonstrating. Bin Laden would laugh them out of the country and probably shoot them for good measure. Our peace did not come from waiving signs and dem onstrating. There have been many men and women who gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy today. All American men and women are ready and willing to fight for our country dur ing times like this. All Veterans will say that it wasn't a pleasant feeling to go fight, but if it meant fighting for our country, they were willing to go. - Sid Miller Chairman explains gaming efforts To the People of Warm Springs: k me take this oportunity to update tribal members concerning continuing effort of Tribal Coun cil to find replacement revenues to maintain tribal serves at current levels and expand education on the reservation. Our reservation is fac ing significant reductions in em ployment and revenues from what have been our main sources: tim ber and power. It is our job, as elected representatives, to place before you the best possible alter natives, and provide you with all the information so that you may make the decision that is essential to the future of the reservation. As you are aware, timber rev enues arc off due to a reduction in the allowable cut on the reserva tion. Last spring, Warm Springs I west Products was forced to lay off 47 employees, over one-half of them tribal members. In addition, our expected revenue from power will likely be reduced in the near future. This is resulting in direct and severe fiscal impacts on our reservation. If wc arc going to con tinue to provide a homeland and employment for our people, our economy must expand from one based on natural resources, espe cially timber, to one which is more diversified including continued electric energy generation, tourism and gaming. Gaming is the one opportunity area where through good planning and operations, we can be assured of a long-term revenue stream to meet tribal needs, especially in the areas of education, health care and future economic development. This shift in our tribal economy will affect you personally. If we are able to manage (his transition ef fectively, wc can continue our ex cellent tribal programs and services and build self-sufficiency. If wc are unable to find new, long-term sources of revenue to meet our needs, wc will all face cuts in ser vices and must then make some very hard choices. Anticipating this, the Tribal Council has unanimously sup ported efforts to expand our gam ing activities into much better markets, specifically the Columbia River Gorge. In 1999, after many months of very hard work by rep resentatives of the tribes, Gov. Kitzhaber denied our request for a gaming compact for Government Rock at Cascade Locks. The Tribal Council supports efforts to build a casino on trust land cast of I lood River, in the larger market of the Columbia River Gorge. As you have recently read in the pages of the Spilyay Tymoo, there is strong opposition from a small minority of anti-gaming activists to the Hood River site. They will try to divide tribal opinion on the issue of tribal gaming expansion to the I lood River site. I urge you to ask the question: Are these people really acting in your and our tribes' best interests? The Tribal Council has care fully studied the impacts of build ing a casino on some other site on the reservation. Like most of you, the tribal council would prefer to have our primary gaming facility located on the reservation. But while Highway 26 is our main highway, the facts are that studies conducted by the primary gaming economic firm in this state show that these developments would be at a great cost, in excess of $25 million, and would not generate significantly greater revenues than the existing casino at Kah-Ncc-Ta. Wc therefore have looked to other trust lands that the tribe has, in cluding those located off the reser vation. The financial bottom line is this: a Cascade Locks Casino would generate about $160 million in gross revenue annually, but the governor will not allow us to de velop this on lands acquired after the passage of the federal gaming law. The F.ast Hood River site would generate $114 million a year in gross revenue. Although more expensive to develop, we have ev ery legal right to develop this land without Kitzhabcr's permission. By contrast, Indian Head Casino site generated gross revenue of ap proximately $9.7 million last year, and after renovations, is expected to generate approximately $12.8 million per year in gross revenue. Needless to say, we are ex tremely disappointed with Gov. Kitzhabcr's refusal to cooperate with tribal gaming expansion plans. At some time in the future, we may choose to develop Govern ment Island as a destination resort, like Kah-Nee-Ta, and a future gov ernor may sec the wisdom of al lowing us approval to operate gam ing in a site supported wholeheart edly by local residents, on a beau tiful island on our river, the tradi tional source of our sustenance and center of tribal life. Hut for now, wc must move ahead with the F.ast I kxxl River Trust land site, or suf fer severe economic hardship. The issue of finding much needed replacement revenue and a long-term source of tribal jobs is the most important issue we as a nation face. I'm personally com mitted to solutions, which provide a strong tribal economy long term. To do so wc must persist in our efforts to make Warm Springs tribal gaming as financially success ful as possible. This means expand ing our gaining to a larger market than Kah-Ncc-Ta, investing in at least one more casino site and seek ing every legal means of getting this new revenue source in place as soon as possible so as to mini mize how this economic transition hurts you, the tribal member. Please support the Tribal Coun cil in this gaming expansion effort. Once we have gathered all of the necessary facts, you, the tribal vot ers, will be asked to make the deci sion. In the meantime we need to present a united tribe to the wwld to make this economic transition happen. Join the Tribal Council in seeking ways to provide a strong economic base for our tribal fu ture. We need your help. Olney Patt Jr. Chairman, Tribal Council. Letters to the editor Bioterror dates back To the editor, This headline was in The Bulle tin, Oct. 14, 2001 (Sunday's edi tion), "Oregon suffered largest bioterriost attack in U.S. history 20 years ago." This front-page story is in error. The first bioterriost attack was against Native A.mericans in the 1700s and 1800s when the then U.S. President and Government policy was extermination of all Indians, men, women and chil dren. How? Made infected blan kets with chicken pox, dysentery. 95 of the Columbia River Indi ans were killed; close to 95,000 people died due to these bioterriost acts by the then U.S. government. "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it". There is one question I do have for your reli gious people and that is where is America, the USA, mentioned in the bible in prophecy? That's how close we are to end of days. Maranatha, Easton Aguilar God Bless America I know that was a very terrible tragedy on Sept. 11th this year. I know that there are a lot of U.S. citizens who are hurting and angry at the terrorists who did what they did to thousands of people in New York. In my opinion, I think and say: "The batde belongs to the Lord." This is His world, no one else's. I know prayers are so powerful. I pray for all the tribal members of Warm Springs who are in the service. I'd love for us all to be a team. We have all the independence to be ourselves. We should all say, "I pledge allegiance to our flag" daily. God Bless America! Thank you, Evette Patt Eugene, Oregon Poem: "The Watcher" The Watcher comes in times of stress To help mankind in their du ress. The natives know him as their friend, Protector during war's portend. Elusive, silent, big and strong: Revealed more oft' when things are wrong. "Not so... A legend!" some pro test. Still others trail him in their guest. To frame him; hang him on a wall: A trophy in their hunting hall. Now think this through, if you are sane. Whatever help could someone gain By shooting down that helping hand, Just to prove he's in this land? The natives know him, feel him there And hear him beat his smelly hair They see his babies dance in fog And watch his mate dig roots in bog. It's when he shows himself, they said, He warns us all: "It's time to pray!" Submitted to Spilyay Tymoo by Dancing Light Tewee Sovereignty response To the editor: I would just like to comment on the "rebirth of Custer'Mptter I think of you take away the sover eignty law you then have: 1) less drug abuse-drug sales 2) less alcohol abuse-death related 3) Less crime on reservation that remains unsolved. Murder suicides. You have children running around vandalizing-abusing one another, disrespecting their own community. You have people who cannot manage their money-cannot main tain a home, cars broke down and left with no responsibility to them fixed or removed. There's no respect, no apprecia tion, and no structure at all. Maybe if the sovereignty law wasn't there, it would quit enabling the people and clean up the land. People have to be responsible for their own actions. Daphne Cascade Madras, Oregon 'They' might be in the mirror 's Note Spilyay Tymoo welcomes letters from its readers. All letters, preferably 350 words or less, must be signed by the author and need to include a phone number for verification or questions. Letters will not be printed unless signed. All letters are the opinion of the author and do not reflect in any way the opinion of Spilyay Tymoo. Spilyay Tymoo reserves the right to edit all copy or decline publication of material that exceeds length guidelines or contains libelous or malicious statements. Spilyay strives not to print any unverified or malicious representation which hurts the reputation of a person; exposes that person to hatred, ridicule or contempt; injures that person in his or her occupation; or financially damages the firm he or she works for. Hello from Pastor Rick. Who are they? I always hear about what "they" did. Or what "they" are doing. When I ask who is "they," the answer is Tribal Council, or Tribal Management or jobs boss somewhere. "They" are the reason for the problems, changes, confusion, and the cause for the loss jobs, and culture. Back in the 60s, the idea of a bad apple in the barrel was researched. Police departments were evaluated in all the big cities of America. What they found was that about 10 percent in the force would be considered a bad apple. Someone whose first purpose in life is to get what they want for themselves is a bad apple. So, next the doctors looked at firemen, and lawyers, then truck drivers, cabbies, etc. Again they discovered about 10 percent was the bad apple level. The result of these studies was the conduct manuals that governments and business have to make sure that the 10 percent can be controlled and discovered. Now if this still holds true, then one council mem ber out of 12 is looking out for number one. Now given the tribal manuals and the by-laws, maybe Vi of a council member is looking out for number one. So, what this says to me is that at times, one member of council is thinking about himself or her self at any given time. This also says that the other 1 1 members are trying to do their best to make it work for the community. Hey, that is pretty good odds in favor of the community that the leadership of the community is trying to do their best for the people. So, maybe it is not "THEY" that is the issue, but "WE" that have become more in volved the planning of the future of Warm Springs. In the Bible, there is a word for community. It is Koinonia. (koy no neh ah). It means a people who gather to gether to take care of each other. To share and support. To listen and give wisdom let us as "WE" turn to our God and remove the bad apple that maybe is within us. Let us be koinonia with each other and our leadership. Hug someone you love. Hug someone you dislike. No alcohol or tobacco for children. One day at a time, Buckle up the kids and yourselves. Don't hit or beat on yourself or someone else. Pay your bills before gambling, then stay home. Read the Bible for its effect on your heart. Pray to God to the point of your hearing Him. Honor someone each day. Love yourself. Like yourself. See you in church. Warm Springs Presbyterian Church - On the campus Worship at 11 a.m. Pastor Rick R. Ribeiro 553-1237