Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (June 27, 2002)
fE Coosh EEWA: The wy it is Patje 4 Spilyay Tymoo June 27, 2002 Accidents prevalent at Highway 26 intersection By Selena Boise of Spilyay Tymoo In the last two years, there has been a lot of talk about the inter section where Highway 3 and Paiute Street meet Highway 26. The conversation mostly was in regard to the casino and how busy Highway 26 is. It's hardly a topic anymore, be cause the referendum passed and the casino will be built along the beautiful scenic Columbia Gorge, rather than on the reservation. It is still true, though, that high way 26 is very busy, especially during the holi days. Anyone trying to cross that highway, such as from Paiute Street onto Highway 3, parks at the in tersection for nearly ten minutes due to heavy traffic coming from Portland. It's hardly worth it to cross the highway and go home for lunch at Sunnyside because I would have to leave home earlier to cross the high way. Once I get to the intersection I have to wait in a line of cars to cross the highway to get to work. The Spilyay Tymoo office is lo cated at the intersection. In the last week we have seen two accidents take place there. Both accidents re quired ambulance transport and police officers to direct traffic around it. The intersection is marked with school crossing signs and has a flashing yellow light. Yet some driv ers choose to ignore these warnings. It seems that a flashing yellow light just doesn't slow down the traffic. And there are two stop signs on each side of the highway, which sometimes get ignored. It seems when a driver sees a chance to get onto the highway or to cross it, they take that chance even when they should wait. There are other cars waiting to get onto the highway or cross, and they miss their chance because the impatient driver takes the chance without having the right of way. I prefer to use that intersection on my way home because the en trance by the Texaco doesn't have a good view of traffic coming from both directions. That intersection is just as difficult to enter, people see a chance and take it just to get on the highway. Either entrance is difficult. People passing through usually drive at about 55 miles an hour when the speed limit is 45. Some times they are going faster than 55, or the trucks are picking up speed to go up the grade. There are times when I'm com ing along this highway and there is a driver behind me tailgating and thinking they're going to pass me where no passing is allowed. It would make sense to take care of this problem now before more accidents occur, or before some body dies at the intersection. In the last week there have been transports to Mountain View, how long be fore they are taken to Bel-Air? I'm not an expert, so I don't know what it would cost to have a stoplight at this intersection, but I think that it would prevent another accident from occurring. On my way to Portland on Highway 26 I used to think that the stoplight at Welches didn't make sense, but now I see why they have it there. This weekend our community will have travelers going through Warm Springs and coming to Warm Springs for the Pi-Ume-Sha pow wow. So precautions should be taken during this time to prevent serious accidents and injuries. ii-ou? Spilyay Speaks To a great teacher I want to congratulate a wonder ful, special teacher, Karrin Amis, who teaches for MHSBLC. Ms. Amis is quitting to be married this summer. Congratulations Ms. Amis. We hope you'll have a wonder ful life and marriage. You will be missed by all your students and the parents who got to know you. You will missed very much but be happy. Every once in awhile there comes a teacher who truly cares about her students, who truly cares and helps them with their lessons, who gets in volved mind, body and soul with the education of her students and their lives, who cares about their well be ing 24-7. Ms. Amis almost lost two students this year to death due to careless choices or reasons. Ms Amis went out of her way to go visit these students in the hospital and was overwhelmed with happiness when they were go ing to be Okay. She truly cared about her students, like a mother duck for her ducklings. Her students knew this and re sponded to her love and compassion. I don't think there was anything her students wouldn't do for Ms. Amis. She took time out of her busy sched ule to listen to the problems of her students or took extra time with a stu dent who was struggling with a les son. As a parent I appreciated the kind attention Ms. Amis paid to my child. It takes a special teacher to be so de voted. MHS needs more teachers like Karen Amis we are all the more rich and blessed because of her. Ms. Amis was the only teacher I knew who took time to attend Pi-Ume-Sha and tribal functions. She would drive students to or from ap pointments then take them home af terwards. You are a jewel, Ms. Amis thank you very much. We are blessed for having known you. ' Myra Frank and family Fishing incident I, for one, am truly amazed that the officers that made the now famous trespass stop on the river were not given medals. Or commended or even complimented on the fine job they done, and for the performance of their duties. The only medals I have are running medals, so I would like Congratulations to recent graduates m :: 'f W : V Congratulations to Trevern DeShawn Yazzie, of the Madras High School Class of 2002. These Congratulations are from your family. Parents Leah Henry and the late David L. Yazzie, maternal grandparents the late Vernon E. Henry, Helen (Ike) Smartlowit, paternal grandparents the late Chee Yazzie, Jeannette Meanus. (llditor's note: Tht photos on this page wtrt submitted to Spilyay Tymoo.) w ,f LA Letters to to take this opportunity to commend and compliment the officers of the WSPD that protect our borders and serve our tribal membership. Thank you for a job well done. The problem of trespassers and the protection of our borders has been a problem for the last 150 years, so this incident (of May 21) is nothing new. I would guess maybe 99 percent go unreported, or if reported, not fol lowed through with. This is simply a problem of manpower. As an example today, at the most WSPD has maybe a dozen officers that are responsible for protecting our borders. A difficult job, to say the least. I know this to be true because I have on more then occasion reported non-Indian trespassers and learned that response and action is limited to available manpower. Many years ago I suggested a separate department for the specific purpose of protecting our borders, a Border Patrol, and have heard nothing of it since. I hunt a lot and some of it is along our borders along the Metoleus, upon the McQuinn, down along the Deschutes and high along Skyline and I always run into trespassers and I have long stopped reporting them be cause I know very little can be done, if any thing at all. Most times I inform the parties I encounter that they are on Tribal land and trespassing and most times the parties apologize for their mistake and depart. But a few times I have encountered individuals that try to get technical, like the now famous individuals that were cited on the DeChutes. I truly wish this incident would have been allowed to go through our system, which it was not. Because it wasn't goes to show the lacking of at least two departments. Law Enforcement did it's duty and job, Prosecution should have been al lowed to do theirs. And the legal ad vise they were alleged to have received makes my stomach turn, I would have loved to take this case. Leo Hellon, Indian Country legal aideadvocate. In memory Hoa'kicipapi Kolapi, Greetings friends, I pray this leaf finds you all in good health and spir its, I am well. I write to you about a William Sahme has received a Bachelor of Arts degree fropm the University of Washington in Seattle. His degree is in mathematics. Congratulations from your father Sal and everyone. 7 J mmm-mm iw ""' ' wmt y . ' Y -ET f 1 vr v? VV JJ' ' ml i 1 1 X Vn 1 Lm It. J The senior graduates of 2002 who went on the senior and made the trip possible. And a special thank-you class trip to Southern California would like to thank goes out to all of the chaperones who accompanied everyone In the community who helped support them the graduates on the trip. the Editor dear friend and bother of mine, and a member of your tribe, who passed four years ago this coming July 20. Damean "Bear" Alazandro Frank, born January 9, 1977 in Pordand, Ore and passed July 20, 1998 at St. Charles Hospital in Bend. ' I only know Bear here, in the me dium security center at Washington State Penitentiary, but I came to know him well. Bear lived next door to me for a couple of years and we spent a lot of time teaching them to dance and about their outfit's meanings. Bear always had a smile on his face and was quick to laugh. Bear was strong in the sacred sweat lodge and lent his strength to any that needed it. He was the kind of Native man that his ancestors are proud of. I am many years his elder and think of him often. So please, remember him to the people out there who love him too. Bear In the prison yard we have our Lodge, Surrounded by fence and wire. From Mother's Womb we sing our songs, Blessed by Stone and Fire. Upon the Earth we feel the beat, And ancient Heart we know. Within the center we send our prayers, For Creator to make things grow. . Oh Grandfathers please have pity on me, So that my People may live. Upon this earth with strength and loving heart, To all who knew him Bear did give. And for all of time this brothers smiles, Within our hearts will live. Deerswalking Until I see you on the other side brother, I remember the Crow that spoke. Darren DeersWalking One all Thanks for Cadillac To 'the Editor ' 7 First of all, I would like to thank all our rich bigshots for my used Cadillac. Even though they won't answer my, or other tribal members questions. Such as, why did all the ballots have to be taken to Portland? Why was the Council called to a quick meeting in Portland that day? Why did it take all day for them to quiedy announce the results? It seems to me that if the margin of victory was that Congratulations to Joseph Anderson, Madras High School graduate.Class of 2002. These congratulations are from your parents. Senior class trip v. A" CTvr 'vJ am 1" V' a r big, why weren't they slapping the results in our face that morning? What's funny is the count was almost the same as the numbers that turned down Madras. I didn't see any tribal members doing cartwheels and back flips in the streets. All I saw was a bunch of white guys from Madras having a good time in the Council room at Kah-Nee-Ta. I was told it was the new board, that the tribes gave Kah-Nee-Ta a quarter million bucks to hire Indians with. I heard they were dividing up jobs among themselves to see who was going to move to Hood River. Are they going to have gaming build them a house or two over there? With the price of homes now, just one of their houses could have fixed up all these empty shacks that past managers have left the Indians to live in. But what ever, thanks for the Cadillac. The end. Victor Moses, tribal member An apology Rhonda, To the lady that I love with all my heart. I am extremely sorry for causing problems between our relationship. I respect and truly do love you. And I truly hope that you accept my apology. Tim Wainanwit To Corrections To corrections staff and patrol of ficers on duty early morning May 10. I need to apologize for my action on written date for my disturbing behavior being incarcerated, no more altercations of the currupt nature will happen again. Sorry to Officer D. Crane and J. Perron for the assault. Sincerely, Caleb P. Jim Please forgive I am sorry for the actions I pulled on 51002. I was intoxicated, please forgive me. Please write me when you reach this letter. P.O. Box 914 Warm Springs, OR 97761 Levi M. Greene II No excuse I am sorry for my actions of May 11, 2002. 1 did not intend to steal your vehicle or inconvenience you in any way. There is no excuse for my ac tions, and I have learned my lesson about these things. I hope you can forgive me. Michele Gonzalez. - w am V "mm. I II