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Page 4 Spilyay Tymoo January 20, 2005
Meeting set to
discuss lawsuit
settlement
By Selena Boise
Management Successor
Well, lately there is talk of the
money acquired in the lawsuit
that has been in the U.S. Court
of Appeals for years. A meeting
is scheduled for January 27 at
the Agency
Longhouse to dis
cuss and hear the
plans for this
money.
Now along with this large
sum of money is the question
arising to everybody, what will
it be used for? There are rumors
circulating all over the reserva
tion, but we can never rely on
rumors. These rumors become
wishful thinking for many who
repeat and circulate them far
ther. I believe that the best thing
to do is attend this meeting and
listen and provide your own in
put if you have any. It would
certainly be better than repeat
ing rumors that are circulating,
because what you hear in the ru
mors probably sounds better
than the actual plan may be.
Remember the rumors that
go around in November when
it's almost time for Christmas?
People start guessing the bonus
amounts and the day it will
come out.
I remember when Donna
and Sid would have this little pool
at the office, we would put a
quarter in (it was something for
the fun) and we would guess the
amount and the date of distri
bution. We didn't rake in the money
by winning the pool, but we had
fun. Then we would start a pool
on another item in the works.
Anyway, these rumors can be '
fun and wishful thinking at the
same time, but I think that at
tending the meeting will settle a
lot of this talk about the tribes'
intentions.
So why not attend, listen, and
provide any input you wish to
contribute? It should be inter
esting. One of the good rumors I
heard about it was that it would
help the senior citizens. That
would be a good thing to have
happen because the elders are
important to us.
Then it would be nice to see
education and employment re
ceive some assistance in there
somewhere. Anyway, this would
be the topic of discussion until
the meeting is over, I think.
There is always discussion
about the casino in the Gorge. I
haven't heard anything new
about it lately.
Valentine's Day
So have you thought about
those sweet nothings you may
want to put in the Spilyay for
your sweetheart? We are running
the Valentines in the paper once
again. So think about what you
want to wish that special some
one. Toe Ness
There was this dumb guy
learning how to fly a helicopter.
He was up about 1,000 feet
when suddenly down he came.
The instructor asked him what
happened and he said, "I got
chilly up there so I shut off the
fan." YIKES
There was this other dumb
guy who came from the city and
was visiting on this farm for the
first time in his life. "Oh, what
a pretty cow," he said, "but why
doesn't it have any horns?"
"There could be several rea
sons," replied the farmer. "Some
cows don't have horns until later
in life. Others have them re
moved, while others are born
without them. This one doesn't
have horns because it's a horse."
YIKES
Spilyay
Speaks
Spirit of
There was a semi-truck
load of items donated on Dec.
23, 2004, to the community
of Warm Springs through the
All Nations Praise Chapel by
Mr. Don Klein of the Fron
tier Mission. For more than a
year the All Nations Praise
Chapel has been interested in
this Mission because it serves
Native American communi
ties. We finally made contact
with Don at the beginning of
December and were not go
ing to be added to their list
until after the Christmas holi
day. However, on Dec. 2, we
got a call and were asked if
we would be interested in a
semi-truck load of Christmas
items. On their way to Warm
Springs, the truck pulled off
to the side of the road and
got stuck in the mud, where it
sat for a few hours for Ira's
Towing.
The distribution served up
to 93 families with food, cloth
ing, everyday household items,
Christmas ornaments and
lights, even some nice Christ
mas gifts. We had 18 volun
teers who helped unload the
semi and load families' vehicles.
We do appreciate getting more
donations in 2005 and will try
to get the word out through
the radio, newspaper, flyers
and hope to reach families in
need.
We just want to write and
let all who volunteered know
how much we appreciated
your help. The Frontier Mis
sion distribution was hard
Graduation
We, the parents of the Ma
dras High School Class of 2005,
are in the process of planning
the annual drug and alcohol free
graduation party. This party is
an outgrowth of Oregon's
Project Graduation. Since its
introduction to our community
in 1984, a large percentage of
MHS graduates have benefited.
The purpose of this important
event is to provide our seniors
with a safe, memorable and fun
graduation celebration that does
not include drugs or alcohol.
Over the last 20 years our
community has been very gen
erous in its financial support of
parents' efforts to organize a
party that all seniors will want
to attend.
We are very proud of this
ongoing commitment to the
graduating class of MHS. It
Supreme Court justice fears chaos if tribe wins tax
In trying to determine where
the modern Indian reservation
ends and where old-fashioned
tax laws begin, a Supreme Court
justice worried this month that
a ruling in favor of an upstate
New York tribe would create
governmental chaos.
The court heard arguments
in the fight between the city of
Sherrill, N.Y., over unpaid taxes
on a gas station, convenience
store and defunct T-shirt factory
purchased by the New York
Oneidas. The city foreclosed on
the properties in 2000, and the
tribe sued.
A Supreme Court ruling
could have far-reaching impli
cations for tribes in New York
and other states.
In New York, more than
330,000 acres are now subject
to Indian land claims, and
Oneida tribes in Wisconsin and
Ontario are joined in that dis
pute. The Oneidas claim that be
cause the Sherrill properties
were once part of a vast
the holidays
Photo fiounty ot gaiah Punk
Pastor Billy Joe Berry
(right), Don Klein of Frontier
Mission (center), and the
truck driver (left) who arrived
before Christmas with a
large supply of gifts and
holiday items.
work, but it was a fun event.
Thank you, Kimberly from
OSU Extension, for the ad
vice on the crushed cans. If
any of you got crushed
canned food, throw them
away. We did try and toss any
we saw but probably missed
more than a few. Again, if you
see a crushed canned food,
throw it away. We want to be
helpful to you and keep things
as safe as possible. We also
want to thank Myra Johnson
and the Culture and Heritage
Department for the support,
Sarah Frank, Martha and
Donesha Winishut of the Vic
tims of Crime, Anthony
Culps, Sr. and Jr., Leah
Suppah, Reva Johnson and
family, OSU Extension staff,
Charley Wing, Nathan Berry,
Lydell Adams and any of you
who were there but not men
tioned. We thank you. Hope
you enjoyed yourselves and
Happy New Year. Pastor
Billy Joe Sr. and Wanda
Berry, Simnasho Com
munity Church.
sends a message of support for
a high standard of behavior and
safety for everyone.
Each year, efforts are made
to partially finance the party
through various fundraisers
which include a homecoming
barbecue, bottle drive, Trail
blazer ticket raffle, and commu
nity Bingo night. In order to
fully finance the party we do
need help and are asking you to
be a part of this effort. Dona
tions can be made in the form
of cash, gifts, gift certificates or
food for the party. Any dona
tion will be greatly appreciated.
For more information, call Cory
or Lori Dejarnatt at 475-2102
or 475-2256.
Thank you
To the community of Warm
Springs, we wish to express our
deepest thanks to all those who
300,000-acre swath of their
land, the land is no longer tax
able by state and local officials.
The tribe reacquired the prop
erties in 1997.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court
of Appeals sided with the tribe,
a ruling which the state claims
will lead to "regulatory chaos"
if allowed to stand.
Justice Antonin Scalia voiced
those concerns in questioning
Oneidas lawyer Michael Smith.
Letters of apologies
I'd like to take the time to apologize to the Warm Springs
community and the tribal courts for being under the influ
ence of alcohol. It was a wrong choice I've made and I am
very sorry for doing so. I take full responsibility for my ac
tions, and am trying to get help for my problem. So once
again, I am sorry and it will not happen again. Larissa
Wallulatum.
To whom it may concern in the community of Warm
Springs, I'd like to apologize for my actions in 12-04. 1 made
a bad decision and endangered myself and the people of the
community. I would like to apologize to my wife most of all
for what I did and won't do it again. Edward Lucei.
Letters to the Editor
helped during our loss. Special
thanks go out to Flossie Wolfe,
Bernice Mitchell, Taaw-Lee-Winch,
Wilford Jim, all cooks
and helpers. Again thanks for all
the support. Our apologies go
out to anyone we may have left
out. Sincerely, the Florez
family.
Disappointed
To the community: As a par
ent and past Policy Council
member, I can't tell you how
important it is to get involved
with your teachers and see what
is going on. There are some
changes happening again over
there. Without sounding like I
am the one beating a dead horse
(someone else is), I am so dis
appointed with decisions that
have been made from those in
upper management which do
directly affect the children. It
was brought to my attention that
changes were going to be made
back to the "old ways," which
means you won't be "heard,"
low staff morale, threats and no
stability. Get involved with your
Head StartEarly Head Start
Policy Council and talk with any
one of the members. You have
a right to help make decisions
that directly affect your children.
The teachers that have been
there for years need your sup
port as well as your kids who
will be the ones left in the care
of a place that will be run with
out the caring and sensitivity of
the needs for the kids. Some
people want this program for
control and will do as they
please where the grant money
is concerned. The HSEHS
grant is supposed to be funded
for those purposes only, not for
anything else. Our Head Start
Early Head Start program has
been put in jeopardy of being
lost in the past, we can't afford
for this to happen again. We as
a community need that program
to promote the education for
our children and get them ready
for grade school. If these
changes happen, we are allow
ing that program to be put back
at risk of losing again. The tribe
as a whole can't afford that loss
either. Sincerely, Monica
Leonard.
Casino
I would like to share some
of my personal concerns regard
ing the negotiations process and
our pursuit of an off reserva
tion casino. The Oregonian pub
lished an article a few weeks
back that has confirmed my
"What you're asking the court
to do is sanction a very odd
checkerboard system of juris
diction... It would just create a
chaotic situation in New York
state if we say you have juris
diction over any piece of land
you buy," said Scalia.
Sherrill's lawyer Ira Sacks
said the tribe lost its claims to
tribal land in the town through
an 1838 treaty and 190 years
of inattention.
skepticism of the integrity of
everyone involved in this multi
million dollar endeavor (fiasco!).
In a nutshell, this article stated
that Oregon is considering ex
panding its lottery by offering
the very same slot machines that
have made Native American
casinos a profitable venture.
Oregon's plan to enter into the
gaming industry didn't occur
overnight. It had to be under
considerationdiscussion for
quite some time. The state rep
resentatives involved with nego
tiating a new gaming compact
certainly had firsthand knowl
edge, as such the integrity and
sincerity of a new gaming com
pact with the state must be ques
tioned. Which brings me to my
next concern, the competency of
our so-called team of tribal rep
resentation, legal experts and
consultants. Were they aware of
any of the scenarios mentioned
in The Oregonian? If so, why
didn't they make mention of this
fact during the tribal presenta
tion at the Agency Longhouse?
Each and every scenario iden
tified by The Oregonian has the
potential of becoming a reality,
nullifying building off reserva
tion, making it impractical, un
profitable or too risky. Although
the casino initiative was passed
by referendum vote, that
shouldn't supercede the primary
function of our Tribal Council,
to look out for the interests of
our people. The cloak of confi
dentiality must now be lifted to
ensure that the precedent we'set
for an off-reservation casino will
be something we can be proud
of for all gaming tribes of Or
egon. The only thing that has ma
terialized from our pursuit of
building in Cascade Locks is a
tremendous debt involved when
we bought a worthless rock is
land, real estate in Hood River
and now the language of the
new gaming compact. I can only
hope that our Tribal Council
Chairman will order a complete
halt to the gaming compact ne
gotiations until some clear, un-
Happy birthday and other wishes...
Happy 6th birthday to our son
Johnny Tremayne Holliday Jr.
We love you, from Mom and
Dad.
Happy birthday to my
big brother JR Holliday. I
love you, from Xariya
McKenna Hollilday.
Happy birthday Jr, from
uncles Harlan and Walter.
But Justice Stephen Breyer
said prior Indian case law sug
gested "the whole title doesn't
just disappear simply with the
passage of time."
The National Congress of
American Indians, representing
more than 250 tribes, says the
Spilyay Tymoo
CCoyote News, Est. 1976)
Publisher Emeritus: Sid Miller
Editor: Dave McMechan
Management Successor: Selena T. Boise
Advertising Manager: Sam Howard
Staff Writer: Brian Mortensen
Media Advisor: Bill Rhoades
Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs. Our offices are located in the white
house at 1100 Wasco Street. Any written materials submit
ted to Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed to:
Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. Box 870, Warm Springs, OR 97761.
Phone: (541) 553-1644 or 553-3274.
FAX No. (541)553-3539.
E-Mail: spilyaytymoowstribes.org. Annual Subscription
rates: Within U.S.: $15.00.
censored answers materialize
and a public meeting is held with
the voting membership.
Again, I would like to remind
the tribal membership, are the
consultants involved with our
pursuit of an off-reservation
casino going to be held account
able if this roller-coaster ride
has any unexpected dips or
turns? After all, this is a manda
tory contract language outside
of the Rez. Our Tribal Consti
tution and By-Laws state that we
operate under a co-operate
structure, yet the tribal member
ship has been kept in the blind
purposely, a clear violation of
our tribal member rights, I be
lieve. Thank you. Randy
Smith.
Film series
The Warm Springs OSU Ex
tension Service has some inter
esting activities coming up. Here
are some examples. January 22:
Storytime Cookin'. Curious
George and the Pizza, for youth
K-8th grade. 10 a.m. till noon
at the OSU4-H Kitchen in the
Education Building. Fifteen
spots available. Call 553-3238 or
553-3535.
January 24: Film series: The
American Cowboys, a documen
tary about Jackson Sundown, a
Nez Perce, who was the first
Native American to win the
World Saddle Bronc Champion
ship at the 1916 Pendleton
Round-Up. George Fletcher, an
African American, competed in
the 1911 controversial Saddle
Bronc finals for the World Title
at the Pendleton Round-up. Sun
down and Fletcher were two leg
endary cowboys who broke the
color barriers in the rodeo arena
at the turn of the 20th Century.
(45 minutes) Noon, 3:30 and
5:30 p.m. First floor training
room of the Education Bldg.
Hope to see you there.
Minnie Yahtin.
Thank you for writing to
the Spilyay Tymoo. Please re
member, letters should be
350 words or shorter in
length. Thank you.
Happy 6th birthday to my
grandson Johnny Holliday. I
love you, from Grandma Illona.
Remember to
bring your
Valentines
wishes to the Sbivav.
and we '11 put them in the
paper.
case
law clearly bars state and local
governments from taxing Indi
ans without specific federal leg
islation passed by Congress.
The case is City of Sherrill v.
Oneida Indian Nation of New
York, 03-855. (Story from the
AP.)