Image provided by: Hannon Library, Southern Oregon University; Ashland, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2008)
99 ,W362 S64x V. 33 no. 2 Jan 17, 2008 SOU L i b r a r y S p i l y a y ty m o o = C o y o te n ew s J a n u a r y 1 7 , 2008 R e c e iv e d o n : 0 1 -2 3 -0 8 _ /< SBS iT Spi lyay Ty m e - P.0. Box 870 Warm Springs, OR 97761 SOUTHERN OREGON UNN. E « R * B K R w æ 5“ ftSHLAND. OR 22222 Coyote News, est. 1976 M B M January 17, 2008 Voi. 33, No. 2 „ P o stage PRSRTSTD Warm Springs, OR 97761 50 cents ■■■■■■■■■■■ Casino process takes a step forward B y D a ve M cM ech a n S p ilya y T ym oo The Confederated Tribes o f Warm Springs received word from the fed eral government last w eek that the BIA can proceed w ith the environm ental review process that could lead to the tribe building a casino resort at Cas cade Locks. The word from the Interior Depart m ent was that the BIA w ould proceed with the Draft Environm ental Impact Statement (DEIS) process, which evalu ates the im p act o f d evelo p in g the project at the Cascade Locks site. The next step in the DEIS process will involve a series o f public hearings on the DEIS. H earings w ill lik ely be in W arm Springs, Cascade Locks, Hood River, east Pordand, and Stevenson, Wash., ac cording to officials. Specific dates and times were not yet known, but the hear ings m ay happen within the next few months. “It’s good news that the Secretary is considering this,” said Tribal Council Chairman Ron Suppah. “I’m happy for the project, and hope it m oves for ward.” Council Vice Chair Aurolyn Stwyer commented, “During this process, the tribe has faithfully and m ethodically done everyth in g as recom m ended. We’ve done a lot of work, and that is paying some benefit.” Some applications rejected W hile allowing Warm Springs and seven other tribal proposals to proceed, the Interior Department last week also denied 11 off-reservation casino pro posals by other tribes, and sent back an o th er 11 ap p licatio n s as in co m plete. A m ong tribes that w ere rejected were the Muckleshoot, Colville Con Miss Warm Springs Pageant set for this Friday See MISS WARM SPRINGS on 5 “All we were asking for is a hearing on the merits o f the case,” said Chuck Daughtry, general manager o f the Port o f Cascade Locks. “It’s a big step.” The port and city o f Cascade Locks, and H ood River County officials are supporters o f the tribes’ proposal. A main benefit would be new jobs in the community, said Daughtry. The tribes’ proposal also has the support o f Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who two years ago signed a gam ing com pact w ith the tribes. See CASINO on 8 After 33 years, youth conference returning to Warm Springs B y L e s lie M itts S p ilya y T ym oo B y L e s lie M itts S p ilya y T ym oo A new Miss W arm Springs will be crowned during the Miss Warm Springs Pageant this Friday evening, Jan. 18. The event w ill be held in the commu nity center social hall, with dinner start ing at 5 p.m. and the pageant beginning at 6:30 p.m. T he crow n ing o f the new M iss W arm Springs means that Sallie Polk- Adams will be ending her reign. The year was filled w ith conferences and meetings, Polk-Adams said, and a few powwows. Her favorite activity from the year was a conference w ith the National Indian Education Association in Spo kane. “I got to meet so m any different people that I hadn’t m et at any o f the conferences I’ve ever been to,” Polk- Adams explained. The conference featured a variety o f different activities, she added, in cluding many that aren’t always fea tured in conferences. “It was fun for pretty much every one,” she said. With activities like hip- hop dancing workshops, flute playing and a comedian, the conference also featured speakers on topics about com munity and Indian life. “A lot of real stuff,” Polk-Adams said. In addition, those attending the con ference were able to spend time relax ing with other Native Americans from the northwest. Part o f the highlight o f the confer ence, Polk-Adams said, was to be able to “just interact with different Native Americans throughout the northwest and see w hat their culture is like.” One o f her biggest challenges, Polk- Adams said, involved scheduling and arranging time for all o f the events she attended as a representative o f the tribes. For that reason, her advice to the future Miss W arm Springs is to get those types of things setded at the be ginning o f her reign. “Get your agenda planned way ahead in advance, that way you know w hat’s going on and where you’re going,” she said, and also be aware o f whether or not you need to prepare a speech or wear your crown. Another challenging aspect o f her reign involved learning to deal with criti cism, she said. W hen faced w ith criti cism at first, Polk-Adams said, “I didn’t know really how to handle m yself.” In the end, she said, “I felt like I did a good job. A few other people have told me I have too.” federated Tribes and the Lower Elwha in W ashington state, and the Burns Paiute Tribe in O regon. T he Burns Paiute proposal called for a 42-acre site in Ontario, Ore. The Interior D epart m ent said applications by the tribes were incomplete. The Confederated Tribes o f Warm S p rin g s’ p ro p o sed site at C ascade Locks, 40 miles east o f Pordand on the Columbia River, is within the Ceded Lands o f the Confederated Tribes of W arm Springs. Officials at Cascade Locks were en couraged by the recent Interior Depart ment news. Dave McMechan/Spilyay In February, Simasho will host Thirty-First Annual Lincoln’s Birthday Powwow. The powwow court candidates, such as Mileena Edwards (above) are preparing for the event through the sales of raffle tickets that support the powwow contests. (See candidate statements on W arm Springs will be hosting the N orthwest Indian Youth Conference this May, and plans are progressing quickly. Tribal Council heard a report last w eek from the conference planning committee. The Northwest Indian Youth Con ference originated in W arm Springs 33 years ago. According to Aurolyn Stwyer, a tribal council representative who is working with the committee developing the con ference, the conference w ill provide a great opportunity for W arm Springs as w ell as provide a boost to the local economy. “We’re looking at working together in a systematic way with the commu nity in making this a successful confer ence,” Stwyer told the other members o f Tribal Council. Teepees will be provided at the pow w ow grounds and rooms are set-aside at Kah-Tee-Ta Resort, and Stwyer said they are also hoping to w ork with mo tels in Madras in order to arrange lodg ing. Registration for those attending will be $65, and that means significant rev enue for the tribes. Typically over 1,000 youth attend the conference each year. In addition to revenue created with registration, food vendors will be avail able at the powwow grounds and that m oney w ill serve as revenue for the tribes as well. “W e’re really excited about the op p o rtu n ity to b rin g th is to W arm Springs,” Stwyer said. In the past, representatives from the Confederated Tribes o f W arm Springs have always traveled to the youth con ference, which is hosted by a different reservation in the northwest each year. H igh school and m iddle school youth, including many students who are involved with the high school Indian Club, are volunteering to help lead the conference. So far, over 30 students have volunteered. Local youth w ill be planning and hosting the entire conference, and some will undergo leadership training with the Ford Foundation. Jaylyn Suppah, from OSU extension, is w orking to plan and prom ote the conference and said they w ill be hold ing planning meetings w ith local stu dents throughout the month and until the conference in May. The theme for the conference in volves the ancestors and the strength they provide for the future. Those organizing the conference are planning to dedicate portions to the m ental, physical, spiritual and em o tional aspects o f life. See YOUTH CONFERENCE on 8 pages 4 and 5). Tribal members encouraged to apply for state health plan As a community, W arm Springs has the fewest number o f partici pants receiving the Oregon Health Plan, but those interested could ben efit from the resource. The Department o f Human Ser vices is preparing to open Oregon Health Plan Standard to a limited number o f people through a new process called the Oregon Health Plan Standard Reservation List. The Oregon Health Plan Stan dard provides health care coverage to low income, non-pregnant adults 19 years and older. M artiRai Ramsey, contact repre sentative for Indian Health Services, said, “W e’re eligible but no one is accessing it.” People interested in applying for the health plan standard benefits must place themselves on the Or egon Health Plan Standard reserva tion list. They can get on the list by con- Its Importantfor people to get signed up because it’s an alternate resources. It brings more revenue into the Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center. ” MartiRay Ramsey Indian Health Services represenatives tacting Ramsey at Indian Health Ser vices to complete and submit an Or egon Health Plan reservation request form, calling a central phone bank, or subm itting their inform ation online. The reservation list will be open from January 28 through February 29. After the list closes, the Department o f Human Services will randomly draw a predeterm ined num ber o f names from the reservation list and send health plan standard applications to those individuals w hose nam es are drawn. The Human Services departm ent will repeat the monthly random draw ing and mailing o f applications until a sustainable number is reached. “It’s im portant for people to get signed up because it’s an alternate re source,” Ramsey said. “It brings more revenue into the Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center.” In addition, Ramsey said, “It gives a bit o f relief to the managed care pro gram. The business at Indian Health Services can bill the Oregon Health Plan for services that people receive at the clinic.” If people are referred elsewhere or need specialty services, Ramsey added, the Oregon Health Plan would cover those services as well. In Ramsey’s opinion, “As a commu nity, it is important to exhaust all re sources.” Only Oregon Health Plan Standard, due to its limited openings, w ill require the reservation list process. Anyone interested in applying for the Oregon Health Plan Plus or other De partm ent o f Fluman Services medical assistance programs can complete an health plan appEcation at any tune to see if they qualify for coverage. Ram sey works with the community to get them signed up for the Oregon Health Plan and Medicare. People can reach Ramsey at 553- 1196, extension 4193, if they have questions. Starting in March, the state o f Or egon will be drawing 2,000 names per month. AppEcations will be sent to those whose names are drawn to see if they quaEfy for the Oregon Health Plan. That part o f the process w ill last from March to November. For more inform ation, or to apply, yisit www.oregon.gov/DHS/open.
