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P.O. Box 870
Warm Springs, OR 97761
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Coyote News, est. 1976
Bulk Rate Permit No. 2
Warm Springs, OR 97761
35 cents
News from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation
Nov. 1,2001 Vol. 26, No. 22
ynoo
ECE Center
testing finds
no hazard
By Dare McMechan
Spilyay Staff
The Early Childhood Education
Center was closed as a precaution on
Monday of this week. The building
was also closed part of the days on
Thursday and Friday last week.
There was concern about the pos
sibility of air contamination after
ECE staff members on Thursday,
Oct. 25, reported smelling a peculiar
odor, and seven staff members re
ported feeling sick.
The ECE building was closed at
about noon on Thursday, and the
staff members who were not feeling
well were referred to the Warm
Springs clinic. Two went to the clinic.
Some children at ECE also appeared
to have symptoms of illness during
this time.
On Friday morning staff members
again reported smelling the peculiar
odor, and the building was closed for
the rest of the day.
The building remained closed on
Monday of this week, pending the
return of environmental testing.
Following an extensive series of air
and soil tests, public safety officials
concluded that the ECE building is
safe.
ECE staff and children in day-care
at the facility returned to the build;
ing on Tuesday.
Immediately following the closure
of the building last week, there was
speculation in the community that
the situation was of dire seriousness,
perhaps involving carbon monoxide
or some other toxic chemical.
These rumors were proven false by
the extensive laboratory testing, re
ported Dan Martinez, chief of Warm
Springs Fire and Safety.
According to a summary report by
Martinez, what actually happened
was as follows:
On Thursday, Oct. 25, there was a
scheduled maintenance job at ECE to
replace a bad fan motor.
The blower assembly of the device
was removed and the fan was cleaned
with a petroleum solvent.
Residue from this activity entered
the heating system, and was blown
through the vents into the pod F area.
Teachers and students inhaling va
pors from the heating system suffered
similar symptoms, including head
aches, dizziness, nausea, and watery,
itchy eyes, according to Martinez' re
port.
Most reported that the symptoms
lasted only a few hours.
During last weekend, teams of per
sonnel trained in hazardous materi
l als conducted an extensive inspection
of the ECE building.
I They took air and soil samples,
' which were later analyzed by labora
' tory scientists.
' 1 Personnel on the scene, besides
local Fire and Safety, included repre
sentatives of the Neilson Research
Corp., based in Medford, which of
fers analytical consulting.
The hazardous material (Hazmat)
team for the Central Oregon region
also arrived, as did environmental
personnel from the Northwest
Firefighters Association.
On Monday of this week, Chief
Martinez, Dr. Thomas Creelman
from the Warm Springs Health and
Wellness Center, and representatives
of Hazmat, the Neilson Research
Corp., and Northwest Firefighters,
interviewed all staff and maintenance
workers of the Early Childhood Edu
cation Center.
Continued on Page 2
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Adoption election
re-set for January
Turnout falls short by 230 votes
Photo by Davt McMechan
Autumn hoe haon irt lull Hicrl'af
C OLflY Of CrlCLVLQP arounc' Warm Springs, but recent
'MI'Ii5t gray days are a strong reminder
gray days are a strong i
that winter is nearly here.
Elder veteran honored
This is the time of year when
people take extra time to honor and
show respect for our veterans. One
of the eldest of veterans in Warm
Springs, Lasco
"Bugs" Gilbert is
also one of the
most highly deco
rated. For his service
in the U.S. Army
during World War
II, Gilbert received
the Purple Heart,
the Silver Star, and
Combat Infantry
Badge. During the
war, he fought in
Germany. One of
his more interesting
stories is about the time he was
made a Prisoner of War for a short
period of time.
It happened one morning as he
was waiting in a bunker for break-
A '
Lasco 'Bugs' Gilbert
prised him and took him prisoner.
Some time later, though, a U.S.
Army sergeant marksman shot one
of the Germans who had taken
Lasco prisoner.
Lasco escaped,
and continued serv
ing in the Army un
til the end of the
war. He was injured
in both legs during
the fighting. After
the war he came
back to Warm
Springs where he
worked at the mill.
These days Lasco,
77, spends his time
in Warm Springs vis
iting the Senior Cen
ter for lunch. He walks there from
his house, which is about a mile or
so away. . ,
He also takes care of the fire
wood at home. Lasco was born in
fast. Some German soldiers sur- the Simnasho area in 1924.
lij Dare McMechan
Spiyay Staff
The Tribal Council has scheduled
the next adoption election for Janu
ary 2002.
The Oct. 16 election fell short of
the necessary 50-pcrccnt voter turn
out. The same list of candidates will
likely appear on the Jan. 14 ballot,
said Madeline Qucahpama-Spino, di
rector of Vital Statistics.
During the Oct. 16 election, 857
tribal members cast their ballots. A
total of 1,087 were necessary for the
election to have been valid. So the
tally fell 230 short of the necessary
number.
While most eligible voting tribal
members did not cast a ballot Oct.
16, the majority of those who did vote
were in support of the candidates.
All 76 adoption candidates re
ceived more yes votes than no.
Election cost is about $5,000
The Confederated Tribes have con
ducted 13 adoption elections over the
past 50 years.
The Oct. 16 election was the third
to fail for lack of voter participation.
The election in August 1975 was
invalid for lack of participation, as
was the election of May 1986. Follow
ing the 1975 invalid election, a valid
adoption election occurred in early
1977.
Following the May 1986 invalid
election, a valid adoption election
occurred in November of the same
year.
Family and other supporters of the
candidates on the Oct. 16 ballot are
hoping the January 2002 vote will
bring enough participation for the
vote to be valid.
'The problem is that if 50 percent
of the people don't vote, it's not good
for the kids, especially the ones who
are old enough to understand what is
going on," said Lawrence Macy,
whose cousinfoster son was on the
recent ballot.
Young people can receive a bad
impression by seeing a majority of
tribal voters failing to participate in a
regular election process, Macy said.
I le said his hope is that the Janu
ary vote is valid so that the people on
the ballot are not held in limbo. Also,
a valid election in January would
mean the tribes would not have to
spend additional money on another,
later vote, Macy said.
It costs the tribes approximately
$5,000 to conduct an adoption elec
tion. Some controversy
There are many reasons why
people wish to be enrolled in the
Confederated Tribes. '
There is the pride a person feels in
being a member of the tribes.
Continued on Page 3
Rainbow deal eyed
Tribal officials are negotiating to
ward the purchase of the property
that includes the Rainbow Market
and adjacent Shell service station, plus
land across the street that is along the
Deschutes River.
The Tribal Council approved an
agreement to purchase the Shell sta
tion property from Roxanne
Mclnturff, who also owns the Rain
bow Market and the riverfront prop
erty across the street.
The agreement regarding the pur
chase of the Shell property also in
cludes an option to acquire the Rain
bow and riverfront properties. Total
area of the parcels is eight acres.
The appraised value of the Shell
station property is $258,000. Ap
praised value of the Rainbow Market
property is $378,000. And the ap
praised value of the acreage along the
river - from the bridge to the boat
landing - is $24,000. The parties will
negotiate based on these figures to
ward the final selling price.
In deciding to sell the land,
Mclnturff, who is a tribal member,
offered to sell the property to the
Confederated Tribes.
The Tribal Council then took up
the issue, and by resolution in late
October went forward with an inten
tion to purchase the parcels.
The Tribal Council is pursuing the
purchase of the land because owner
ship of the parcels would be benefi
cial to the Confederated Tribes, said
Olney Patt Jr., Council chairman.
Continued on Page 3
Young tribal member plays in state Capitol
By Orlando Donej ' .
Spilyay Staff . -, ;,
SALEM - Poised at the upright piano, 13-year-old Jer
emy Doney tickles the ivories, entertaining an audience
preparing for the 2001 Disability Awards Ceremony. Jer
emy was asked to participate by the president of the
Commission on Disabilities earlier this year. He provided
music in the Rotunda of the State Capitol on Oct. 23.
Jeremy played his own compositions entitled "Inter
tribal" and "Pancake." Compositions by Yanni, classical
music, top-40, and Christmas music were melodies ema
nating throughout the Rotunda. The final piece he played
was America the Beautiful.
Jeremy plays music by ear, as he has been blind since
he was a baby. Since he has been playing the piano, he
has had about 15 piano lessons, paid for by the Bend
Kiwanis. He took these lessons while home on summer
vacation. Along with pianos, he likes to play keyboards,
for these have the tones of all of the other instruments,
and can make other sounds as well. Late night experi
ments are done while the family sleeps. During this time,
the house is quiet and he can manipulate the keyboard
and create his own compositions.
Born at only 25 weeks gestation and weighing just 1
pound 5 ounces, he has overcome many obstacles.
Continued on Page 9
Photo by Orlando Ooncy
Jeremy Doney provided music for awards handed out last week in the capitol Rotunda.
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