P.O. Box 870
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Spi Iygy Tyro
ECRWSS
’ostai Patron
97205
May 7, 2009
C oyote News, est. 1976
Voi. 34, No. 10
J.S. Postage
PRSRTSTD
igs, OR 97761
50 cents
Tribes, IHS establish health commission
By Dave McMechan
Spilyay Tymoo
T he Confederated Tribes o f Warm
Springs and Indian H ealth Services
have reached a new agreement for p ro
viding health care services to the m em
bership.
T he agreement represents a hope
ful change in the relationship between
the tribes and IHS, which in recent years
had grown troublesome.
The new agreement provides for the
c rea tio n o f a sev en -m em b er J o in t
Health Commission that will oversee
health care services, as provided by the
tribes and IHS.
T he commission will consist o f the
tribal secretary-treasurer and the health
care director, plus at-large positions.
Tribal Council is in the process o f fill
ing the at-large positions.
“I com m end the Council for getting
us h e re ,” se c re ta ry -tre a su re r Jo d y
Calica said at the signing ceremony this
week at the clinic.
T here had been m ajor disagree
m ents betw een the tribes and IH S
about health care on the reservation,
“but we have worked beyond that for
the benefit o f the people,” Calica said.
The tribes and IHS reached the agree-
Dave McMechan/Spilyay
Representing the Confederated Tribes, Council Vice-Chairwoman Aurolyn
Stwyer-Pinkham signs the memorandum of understanding. Doni Wilder
(right) signed on behalf of IHS.
m ent through mediation before a federal
judge. The mediation process began af
ter the tribes filed a lawsuit against IHS.
Through the agreement, or memoran
dum o f understanding (MOU), the tribes
agreed to drop the lawsuit
A t the signing ceremony, Council
V ice-C hairw om an A urolyn Stwyer-
Pinkham said that tribal m em bers con
tinue to rely on traditional medicines,
b u t the m em bership m ust also have
access to the best o f m odern medical
technology.
T he tribal-IHS agreement, and the
creation o f the Jo in t H ealth Com
mission, “will let our people know
that this is a safe place to heal,” she
said o f the clinic.
T he M O U represents a great ac-
compEshm ent for the tribal staff at
IH S and others w ho have worked
on the project, CaEca and Stwyer-
Pinkham said.
T hose at the clinic w ho provided
support during the agreement pro
cess include Cassie Katchia, w ho is
now the Joint H ealth Commission
officer; and staff B ob B offin and
Dayle Tuftie.
T he Health and Welfare Commit
tee— chairwom an Janice Clements,
Urbana Manion, Frank Charley and
E arlynne S quim phen— are to be
com m ended for their w ork, as is
R oberta Q ueahpam a, d irector o f
Com m unity Health.
Mike Clements, director o f H u
m an Resources, w ho was m aster o f
ceremonies at the signing, took a lead
role in the agreement process.
O ther speakers at the signing cer
em ony were W arm Springs C hief
D e lv is H e a th , C o u n c ilw o m a n
Bernice MitcheU, and Cuoncilm en
WendeU Jim and Rafael Queahpama.
See HEALTH CARE on 7
Musically inspired, Doney overcomes obstacles
Hearing
in June on
settlement
A hearing is scheduled in June in re
gard to the tru st lawsuit settlem ent
agreement reached between the C on
federated Tribes o f W arm Springs and
the U.S. government. T he setdem entis
in the am ount o f $68 milEon.
T he hearing on the distribution o f
the funds wEl be held at 7 p.m. on
T h u rsd a y , J u n e 4 a t th e A g e n cy
Longhouse in W arm Springs. A ccord
ing to the notice o f hearing:
“T he C onfederated Tribes o f the
W arm Springs Reservation o f O regon
and the United States have entered into
a settlem ent agreement for $68 milEon
which shaE settle the Tribes’ claim that
the United States government breached
its trust duties in regard to the m an
agem ent o f the Tribes’ non-m ohetary
assets from 1855 to the present... This
award is Phase II o f the case originaEy
filed in 2002....”
O f the total $68 milEon, $32 mE-
Eon “ shall be used by the Tribe as it
decides in its sole discretion for tribal
operations and purposes...”
Also: “$29 milEon shaU be used in
im plem entation o f the Strategic Res
toration Plan for the Natural Resources
on the W arm Spring Reservation.”
(See page 7 for the plan for use
and distribution of the funds, and
the BIA notice of hearing.)
Changes
proposed to
tribal code
In response to Tribal CouncE direc
tion, the Justice Team is proposing
changes to the Tribal Code. Hearings
on the proposed changes are tentatively
scheduled at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May
14 at the Agency Longhouse; and on
Tuesday, May 19 a t th e S im nasho
Longhouse. M em bers may also com
m ent in writing until May 29. C om
ments should be addressed to the Tribal
Court, P O Box C.
Changes to the code include crimi
nal provisions against animal fighting
on the reservation. T here also are p ro
visions against certain gaming activities
are also proposed, am ong other im por
tant changes, said Chief Judge Anita
Jackson.
(See page 9 fo r the complete proposed
code amendments.)
Photo by Bob Disher/Oregon School forth© Blind.
Jeremy Doney performs In the the sensory garden at the Oregon School for the Blind.
By Dave McMechan
Spilyay Tymoo
His music— like the way his tal
ent has grown— is an inspiration.
Jerem y D oney first started play
ing piano at the O regon School for
the Blind in Salem. H e w ould listen
to songs and then play them back
on the piano.
R e c o g n iz in g h is ta le n t, th e
teachers at the school helped him
p u rsu e his gift. H e learned new
songs every day, and his repertoire
becam e vast.
In time, the school hired a p ro
fessional piano teacher to w ork with
Jerem y on the m ore difficult play-
ing techniques.
T he Snowman Foundation, an or
ganization that prom otes music in the
N orthw est, has been a great supporter
o f Jerem y and his music.
T he foundation helped in hiring his
piano teacher. A nd the foundation has
helped Jerem y produce his first com
pact disc, In the Garden.
T he C D is nam ed for the sensory
garden at the School for the Blind,
where Jerem y has played many songs
over the years.
Ready to graduate
Jerem y has been blind since birth.
His parents are O rlando D oney and
Lenora Starr. Jeremy first w ent to the
When he plays piano
the limitations he has
without music fa ll
away. It is a wonder to
see and hear. ”
Jill Kickenlooper, piano teacher
O regon School for the Blind w hen he
was 9.
H e is about to graduate, and he will
be m oving this sum m er to M adras to
live w ith his father. H e has a job lined
up at a thrift store in Madras.
ft
H e said he is looking forward to
moving back to Central Oregon, and
especiaEy is looking forward to play
ing at the Bend Sum m er Festival.
His concert experience includes
the Ten G rands perform ances in
Portland and Seattle.
A t the 2007 T en G rands con
cert in P ortland, Jerem y played a
highEght o f the show w ith com
p o se r and pianist M ichael A llen
H a r r is o n , w h o f o u n d e d th e
Snow m an Foundation.
Jerem y has played concerts at
sc h o o ls, re tire m e n t h o m e s and
fundraising events.
Please see MUSICIAN on 8
Recognizing
Oregon’s
150th
N ext Friday and Saturday, May 15
and 16, the Confederated Tribes wEl
host the events marking the 150th an
niversary o f O regon’s statehood.
T he canoe arrival at the CeElo Park
is scheduled for Friday afternoon, May
15, at 2 p.m. Cerem ony and presenta
tions foUow, with a salmon bake set for
5 p.m. Youth activities— stories, Indian
social dances and crafts—-foEow at 6,
with stick game tournam ents set for 8
p.m. T he tribes wEl host a traditional
parade at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 15
in downtown T he DaEes. T he powwow
will be at T h e D alles Fairgrounds.
G rand E ntry is a 2 p.m.
(See the tribes’ Oregon 150 Itenerary on
page 8, and more information on page 12.)