Spilyqy Tyrooo, Wqfrn Springs, Oregon
October 28, 2004
Page 7
Yakama Nation suspends casino board
TOPPENISH, Wash. (AP) -The
Yakama Nation has sus
pended the board of directors
for the tribal Legends Casino
amid allegations the board spent
money inappropriately and over
stepped its authority.
The suspensions came at the
recommendation of the Na
tional Indian Gaming Commis
sion, which could have tempo
rarily shut down the casino or
levied stiff fines, said Yakama
Tribal Council Secretary Davis
Washines.
The Tribal Council voted 9
4 to suspend the five-member
board, accusing the panel of
buying new office furniture and
hiring three attorneys without
permission.
The council also contended
board members, were encroach
ing on council authority by at
tempting to distribute casino
profits directly to tribal pro
grams and taking over hiring and
firing duties at the casino.
Board members argued the
move has more to do with an
outside audit of the casino.
Under the tribe's gaming or
dinance, much of its casino rev
enues are earmarked for social
programs. Gaming profits go to
the tribal government offices,
where tribal officials allocate
them to programs on the reser
vation. But board members claim the
revenues were not reaching the
programs for which they were
designated. The board's decision
to skip the tribe and deal money
directly to the programs was an
effort to assure the most needy
programs received money, said
casino board member Warren
Spencer Sr.
"They were senior programs.
They were youth programs.
They were the people we were
put in office to help," he said.
Tribal Councilwoman Stella
Washines said the tribe pays
roughly $ 1 million annually for
audits of all its enterprises.
Board members also ques
tioned whether the Tribal Coun
cil can legally suspend them, but
Davis Washines said gaming
regulations spelled out by na
tional and state compacts must
be followed.
"Regardless of personal opin
ion, we have regulations," he
said. "If they choose to ignore
that, that's a cause for great con
cern." Randy Sitton, the Portland,
Ore.-based regional director of
the National Indian Gaming
Commission, said the tribe was
exercising its authority appropri
ately. The Tribal Council's execu
tive board will serve as the
casino's interim directors until
November, when the General
Council convenes.
The General Council, which
includes all voting tribal mem
bers, makes all major policy de
cisions for the Yakama Nation
and elects the 14-member Tribal
Council. The Tribal Council
oversees daily operations for the
tribe.
Harsh criticism for latest dam proposal
The Columbia River treaty
fishing tribes have harshly criti
cized a draft federal plan for
operating Columbia River dams.
The Columbia River Inter
Tribal Fish Commission says the
federal plan abandons salmon
recovery goals, while granting
generous deference to the fed
eral Columbia power system.
Tribal leaders, to help steer
federal decision-makers back
toward a science-based recovery
plan, filed formal comments last
week outlining inefficiencies in
the National Oceanic Atmo
spheric Administration's
(NOAA) proposed 2004 Bio
logical Opinion.
"As co-managers of this sig
nificant resource, we want a plan
that tackles long-understood
problems and serves
longstanding recovery goals,"
said Olney Patt Jr., executive
director of the Columbia River
Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
The commission (CRITFC)
represents the Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs, and
the Yakama, Umatilla and Nez
Perce.
The NOAA Fisheries' draft
plan bears three fundamental
flaws, according to CRITFC:
A "no-jeopardy" conclusion;
an abandonment of recovery as
a goal; and a declaration of the
federal system of Columbia
Basin dams as a natural and
benign presence.
All three developments rep
resent dramatic departures from
the body of science and inter
pretation reflecting 13 years of
Endangered Species Act listings
in the federal Columbia River
power system, said CRITFC.
The changes are political
rather than scientific, according
to tribal leaders and CRITFC.
The draft plan relies heavily
on the historically failed salmon
barging scheme; and on nascent
technology - removable spillway
weirs - to achieve higher juve
nile survival.
Tribal scientists view spillway
weirs as promising but largely
untested, particularly for fall
chinook and sockeye.
"In its continuing jurisdiction
over this issue, and of the col
laborative process over the past
year, the court has ordered the
development of a plan that is
scientifically and legally stronger
than the 2000 version, with spe
cific and aggressive measures,"
said Patt.
"Instead, this draft relies on
the word 'no' - no jeopardy, no
recovery, and no breaching or
back-up plan."
The Commission's com
ments, delivered to the Bush
administration, are available for
viewing and downloading at
www.critfc.org.
Nov.
3rd
C.0.L.A. will donate $2 per head consigned, back to county
Cattleman's Assoc. from which the cattle came from.
Sale Calendar
November 17th
- special feeder sale
NOVEMBER 24TH NO SALE
Butchers start selling at Sam
Feeder Penlots start at J Oam
SO Small Animals sold on Feeder Sale Days!
Bred Cow Bonaza
DECEMBER 1ST
(Zcatiai Oicyut ivcttoc& Auction
541-475-3851
TRENT STEWART VlNCE CECILIANI CLAY TANLER
480-5540 410-6647 419-6060
Warm Springs, phase support
the businesses you see in the Spilyaj
Tymoo. Thank jou
Tips on woodstove, fireplace safety
By Suzi Macy
W.S. Fire Management
Your woodstove or fireplace
provides you with warmth, re
laxation and enjoyment during
the cold months ahead.
Please use the following
guidelines to ensure the safe and
efficient operation of your
stove:
Inspect and clean your
stovefireplace yearly. You can
do it yourself or hire a profes
sional. If your chimney has any
loose mortar or brick have it
repaired. Look for cracks in your
chimney liner.
Use the proper fuel: seasoned
woods with low moisture con
tent burn cleaner than green fuel
or woods with high moisture
content.
Don't overload your stove
fireplace by building a fire that
is too large for the stove to
handle it.
Make certain that your fire
gets enough air.
During the holidays, avoid
burning wrapping paper: it burns
at too hot a temperature to be
disposed of in this manner. Re
cycle your household papers in
stead. Use a fireplace screen.
When you clean your stove
fireplace and remove excess
ashes, put them in a metal con
tainer with a lid and keep them
away from anything that may
burn including your deck or
house.
Please don't store them in
your garage. These ashes can
smolder for hours and possibly
days after they may appear to
be out.
And in addition to the dan
ger of an unintentional fire, they
can emit deadly fumes.
Keep the area around your
stovefireplace and chimney
clean and free of debris, and
trim overhanging branches near
the chimney.
Keep furnishings, clothing,
papers, and anything that can
burn at least four feet away from
the stovefireplace.
Now relax, have a cup of hot
chocolate and enjoy your
woodstove or fireplace. Stay
safe and warm this winter season.
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It's
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PI Q f I Saturday Afternoons at 2:00pm I
AJLA ' 1 Monday N'9hts at 9:00pm
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The next deadline to submit notices, letters
and other items to the Spilyaj Tymoo is
Friday, Nov. 5. Thank you.
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