Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 2005)
E Coosh EEWA: The W3y it is p4 wmi ah as. 2005 Hard time at home sometimes By Selena T. Boise MantigfmtHt Successor I lave you ever had to deal with person in your own home that doesn't like you? Well, it's not a fun thing to deal with. Are you a step-parent with children in your home that just moved there? It's not a bad thing to hap pen if the children Letters to the Editor 1 I r are nice and spiiyay friendly, and if they Speaks don't know you they arc curious and ask ques tions and try to get to know you. Hut if they've heard things about you and they think they know you, then they may have made up their minds about you. You should forget about a friendly relationship if that hap pens. There arc many stories that I've heard about these things, and I have some of my own, but there comes a time when a step-parent or foster parent wants to just give up. I know this family with a young lady who moved into their home, and she had every thing her way, from where she wanted to sit, what she wanted to watch, to what rules she wanted to follow and which ones she didn't. She was still unhappy in that home. It was asked of her what more could be done to make her happy, and she said she wanted nothing. There was relief, of course, because when you think about it, what more can you do? She already had her space and her freedom from both rules and chores, j Last year during the summer months, this blended family was having a good summer and things went well. Everyone thought, what a great break through. There was talking and laughing among the family and it was peaceful without the glar ing and pouting. It was a great summer. Then one-day things changed and everything went back to the glaring, pouting and talking back. Did someone fall off the bed and wake up? No! But if it was a dream, it was a good dream because things should be like that all the time. Now what could turn this not-so-friendly relationship into a good one, and then take it away one day? It is a puzzling ques tion, and who would actually know the answer? I could go on and on about stories I have heard but they don't get better. The step-parents keep their heads up and continue their daily lives hoping for some kind of breakthrough in the home. Uncles, aunties, and grandparents keep hoping for a breakthrough in their lives and those of the children they take into their homes. What makes things worst for some is that extended family becomes involved. I mean there's this child, the same one I mentioned before, who doesn't have to do what is expected as her part, and everyone does things her way in an attempt to make things go smoothly. But this child turns around and says that she's unhappy, and the evil wicked stepmother is mean. What more could this family do to make things better for her? I am sure that the step-parents loves their spouse enough to accept their children, or ex tended family, loves their nieces, nephews, or grandchildren enough to take them into their homes, but do the stepchildren or foster child, hate these adults enough to make their lives mis erable? Does it get better for any of these blended families? Salmon return I am a traditional salmon fish erman and served the Warm Springs Fish and Wildlife Com mittee, and six years with Co lumbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. I don't know why the biologists forgot the drought year of 2001. This was the year of many thousands of salmon, but very low water - low snow packs. Bonneville Power Adminis tration refused to release water needed to help flush the smolts out of the Columbia River sys tem, thus the fish run was on its own. If you think this year is bad, wait 'til the next four-year cycles of salmon runs occur. The bulk of any salmon run is made up of basically four-year old adults. (The year) 2001 plus four equals 2005. These are facts. I was there at many meetings with BPA, Corp of Engineers, NOAA, ODFW and WDFW. The tribes wanted some water for the smolts but lost out to the capi tal of this issue. People of the Northwest, especially the fishing economy sectors, need to be fully aware of the decisions made that will drastically effect your livelihoods and welfare for years to come. "Awees" - Terry Courtney J'- Half mast April 19, 2005 Elliot Palmer Post No. 4217, Warm Springs Veterans of Foreign Wars, was attacked, a day that will be re membered in infamy. This degrading, disrespectful, shameful desecration act affects all the people who are bonded because a loved one served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. The men and women of Warm Springs who chose the warrior's path are revered, hon ored and respected. They suf fered as veterans, but when their people's children vandalize VFW property, the words are hard to voice, for we the veter ans are for the people, and we could only try harder to pick ourselves up from the ground and go forth in life to serve our people and families upon re quest in honoring and recogniz ing Warm Springs' veterans. It hurts and is a sad time when the children of Warm Springs put the hurt to veterans. Just a few, mind you, but those very few are what's undermin ing our tribal people's efforts of a positive image as Native Americans. Respectfully, the Veterans of Warm Springs. P.S. With the VFW Trailer vandalized, it might affect fur ther services on behalf of VFW bling profits to a fund controlled by an independent board. What is the percent of gross gambling profits that will be given to that fund? Who chooses the board members for that fund? Will all members on the independent board be from the Warm Springs tribe only? If not, who else will be allowed to be on the board and why? Out of that entity, the tribes are allowed to keep two percent of the fund for economic, so cial and culmral programs. What arc those programs? Will the two percent the tribes give to fund be taxed by Oregon? Would Oregon be able then to tax those programs as well? Agree to hire unionized labor only to build the casino and thus pave the way for al casino work ers to be unionized. What is the tribes' position on unionization of workers? Will tribal members working at the Gorge casino be unionized? Cascade Locks is part of the Warm Springs homeland of the Wasco Kigalrwalla Band. Will unionization of tribal members at Cascade Locks open the door for the union on the reserva tion? A percentage of annual gam bling profits should be set aside from the start to give to tribal members. This should be con sidered before paying back loans, making renovations, etc. Many of our elders who were promised revenues from the Kah-Nce-Ta Resort and Casino have already died, never having received cent one from its prof its. That is wrong. The people need the help now, not 20 years from now. 'Suaikt, aka Willard Tewee. Bagley, Mackic Bcgay, Buck wheat Scott, Jeff Brisbois, Sam Kcntura, Debbie Big Back, Strut Yo Stuff, Val Squiemphen, Sammic O Rcilly, Eugene Greene, Jr., Sena, and all the participants and their parents and last but not least all the spec tators who came to cheer on the kids. Congratulations to all of the teams: 17 and under: Blackhawks (champions), Queets, Wash, (second place), NW Warriors (third), Mission, Rcz Express, Klamath Lil Clan (fourth), Ti gers, Lower Elwha. 12 and under: And 1, Tigers (champions), Red Mt. Warriors (fourth), WS Tribes, Simnasho Vols (third place), Native Pride, Hoop Aholics (second place), White Swan Bailers (second). 9 and under: Blazin' Blazers (second), Tigers (Champions), Orange Express, Warm Springs Ballerz, Muckleshoot. We did have a raffle, unfor tunately, the results are nowhere to be found. Congratualtions to all the winners and thank you to those people that supported us by buying the tickets. Thank you all for your dedi cation to this endeavor. All pro ceeds from this tournament will go towards tuition for Teri Jo and Amanda Jo's Sports Ambas sador Volleyball program trip to Holland in July 2006. With all of our heartfelt thanks, Edison, Percy, Teri Jo and Amanda Jo Yazzie Gorge casino How will the Gorge casino compact annually benefit indi vidual tribal members, like other tribal casinos have been doing? What percentage from Kah-Nee-Ta High Desert Resort and Casino have tribal members in dividually received annually? Where specifically did all the Kah-Nee-Ta profits go in the past? Are the same individuals who handle Kah-Nee-Ta profits go ing to be handling the Gorge casino profits? According to the compact the Gorge casino will: Give 17 percent of gambling profits to state programs; give the state 175 acres of tribal land at Hood River, give six percent of gambling profits for endeav ors in Cascade Locks; build a $20 million freeway interchange; turn over a share of gross gam- Hoops tourney There are a lot of good people out there and we found a bunch one recent weekend. Our family decided that we would put on a youth basketball tournament because of our kids' involvement and all of the trav eling we've been doing to get them to these tournaments. It was a youth co-ed basketball tournament with three age divi sions: 9 and under, 12 and un der and 17 and under. We felt it turned out pretty well. If what we are hearing is true, then a lot of people were pleased that a kids' tournament was held. It was a good learning expe rience for all of us and we real ized that there are a lot of other people from other reservations that want their kids involved in this type of activity. We felt it was a positive experience and would like to continue doing this for our kids, as well as all kids of the reservation. In this type of endeavor, there are usually a lot of people and businesses to thank for their involvement. If not for them, the tournament probably would not have happened. They are follows: Warm Springs Forest Prod ucts, Warm Springs Composite Products, Warm Springs Power Enterprise, Kah-Nee-Ta High Desert Resort and Casino, Tom cat Logging, DMJ Automotive, Community Health Programs (Yvonne Earl), Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Rita and Earl Squiemphen, Tray Leonard, Monica Leonard, Rhonda Atencio, Paul Henderson, Deanna Johnson, Katie Johnson, Leslie Henderson, Mallory Smith, Jacklyn Moody, Cece Brunoe, Manual Greene, Treva Keams, Geri Ben, Robin Smith, Twink Leecy, Otis Iverson, Donnie A thank you The Red Mountain Warriors would like to extend out a great ; big thank you to all of those that made our stay in Warm Springs fun. Thank you to Utilities for use of the HcHe Longhouse, and Herb for opening the doors for us; Louella Squiemphen, Mor ris and Sherry for your show ers; Rita for breakfast, and ev eryone else who had a part in our stay.Uncle Earl for the Spon soring our team. The Red Mountain Warriors, Teola Tom, LeRon Tom, Ashley Tom, Naomi Tom, Justin Fettic, Jaylen Sam, Mariah Cagle, Tianna Smart, Terry and Shawna Tom and Cleve Tom our man ager. Our address for future tour nament information: Red Mountain Warriors, co Shawna Tom, P.O. Box 12, McDermitt, NV 89421. Unfair policy I would like to comment on a policy of the Tribal Court re garding inmates in the tribal jail who apply for a funeral pass. I think the blanket order policy that requires that the pass re quest must have a letter from the immediate family support ing the pass is unfair. I was raised traditionally in Warm Springs to pay my re spects and to support the fam ily of the Ut-Wi loved one. This includes going to the longhouse prayer services, dressing, fu neral and burial. Normally, this is not a prob lem for most tribal community members, but it can be very dif ficult for a tribal member who is serving time in the tribal jail. I have seen at least three differ ent cases where tribal members were denied funeral passes by the Tribal Court The most recent instance was where Davis Stwyer was granted a pass two days after the burial of Bernice Mitchell's daughter. Dans wanted to show his re spect, but he missed out on be ing at the funeral. I have seen the hurt in the eyes of those inmates who were either denied a funeral pass or got one granted "too late." The court's blanket order requires that a funeral pass re quest initiated by the incarcer ated inmate must have a letter from the Ut-Wi's immediate family supporting the funeral pass request. The immediate family are always grieving the loss of the loved one, and they have a lot of decisions to make like the timing and type of ser vice, dressing and family deci sions. The tribal judges should re vise this blanket order rule, and if they do not, then Tribal Council should review the im mediate family letter rule. Sin cerely yours, Vernon Smith Sr. Eagles To any and all the people of whom this may be of concern, especially those with animosities towards me: I am writing this letter in re gards as to why andor whoever had given die orders to have the mirror images of the eagles painted over in the Agency Longhouse. I would like you, as well as the community, to know that I went through a long pro cess in getting to be able to put those up, just to have them be erased due to ignorance. And you know whom I am talking to. Now, how they came about is, one day during taking steps in changing myself and my lifestyle, I felt a need to give back to the community, for many know of many of my wrong choices in which I've par taken in while growing up since my young teen years here in Warm Springs, to which I feel that personally I will never be able to compensate fully for my wrongs but ask for forgiveness as well as trust, for I've over come many obstacles set forth in my life and still have others yet to face. Since the day I put the eagles up, and to this day, I've received several compliments from people all over. To this day, some are still in awe that I did this, and usually ask how much I got paid. I tell them nothing, for it was my way of giving to the tribes for many of the wrongs I have done and that maybe one day when my calling is called upon and I'm departing that people will look to those eagles and recall the good in me, not the bad. So, once again, I ask for for giveness as well as trust, for some of us do make changes towards the better and are tired of living a hurtful life. A-ho! All my relations, David K. Belgard Sr. Letters of apology I would like to apologize for my inappropriate actions on Monday, March 7, 2005. 1 was under the influence of alcohol and I made a wrong decision. 1 would also like to apologize to the ; tribal members, as well as to officer Sherwood. I realize now he was only trying to protect our community. I will try to make better decisions in the future. C.S. Scott. ' ' My apologies to the Warm Springs Reservation and also to my family who still reside by my side regardless of my situation or choices I make. As a man and human being, I was fully aware of the consequences of my actions. So I accept what was given to me as a judgment. My wrongful decisions were only out of survival and I'm very remorseful for it. To the community of Warm Springs I truly am sorry and hope for an understanding. I ask for no forgiveness or mercy, only understanding. So as human beings we all have to do what we do to eat and survive, although it may be an easy way out. My apologies. Nathan Berry. To officer John Dunden, I'm sorry for my actions on April 9, and it will never happen again. I'm trying to be good and trying to be sober. So I'm letting everybody know I'm so sorry. Ulysses Jefferson. I am writing this letter because of a wrong decision I made. I got behind the wheel of an automobile intoxicated. Because of this choice I got a DUII. I apologize to the Warm Springs com munity and the courts for putting their lives in danger. Sincerely, Mervin B. Govenor. To the people of Warm Springs, I would like to take this time to apologize for having a weapon and using it near a residential area. I'm sorry to the people that live near the West Hills towers. Now I hope you'll forgive me. Jerrod Kalama. I'm sorry for what I have done drinking and driving. I could have hurt myself and others. I'm glad I didn't and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get back on my feet and stay out of trouble. I'm sorry that it hurt people to see drinking and driving, so I'm going to save myself. Sorry. Delvis Heath Jr. I would like to apologize to the Confederated Tribes and the Tribal Court for littering on the road of Sunnyside Drive on the night of March 8, 2005. 1 know I was doing wrong and I am very sorry and would like to ask for forgiveness. It will not happen again. Thank you. Floyd Chris Frank Jr. On March 26, 2005 I was drinking and got arrested for liquor violation. 1 pled guilty on April 13. The judge gave me six months probation, counseling and community service. I'm sorry for what happened that night. It won't happen again. Walsey Thomas. I just want to say that I'm very sorry for being under the influ ence of alcohol and drugs and I want to apologize to the Confed erated Tribes of Warm Springs. I will not contribute to minors at all any more and I will not get any more liquor violations, your honor. Can you please accept my apology. Julia Stwyer. To the Warm Springs community, I would like to take this time to apologize to the community for my actions that occurred on Feb. 12, 2005, that resulted in my arrest. I have taken steps to assure this type of incident will not be repeated by me. Thank you this time. Richard Walker. To officer Nuke Perkins of the Warm Springs Police Depart ment, I am apologizing for my actions on March 29, 2005. 1 was very intoxicated and angry and I didn't mean to spit in your eye. Vera Smith. To Jessica and John Finch and Levaughn Kirk of the Confederated Tribes, I would like to sincerely apologize for my actions on March 29, 2005. 1 was very intoxicated and should not have brought my anger home to you. I am very sorry. I hope you can forgive me and also, thank you for supporting me while I am doing my time. Vera Smith. I am writing this letter of apology to the community of Warm Springs. I would like to apologize to the community and also to the police officers for DUII. I know that what I was doing was wrong and that I put everyone in danger. Now I am paying the price for probation violation and DUII. Thank you for your time. Sincerely and with respect, Michael Meanus. P.S. I got two DUII'i in two weeks, so I'm sorry twice and wrong in doing so. More apology letter on page 12 t