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
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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