E Coosh EEWA: The way it is
Page 4
Spilyay Tymoo December 23, 2015
Letters to the editor
Family, friends
To the family and friends
of Oits Lee Johnson, “Oitsy,”
we would like to thank the
following:
For all the support and
guidance, auntie Myra J. Or-
ange, and a big bear hug.
Auntie Shirley and uncle
Jeff for support and hugs—
just being there. It meant a
lot.
The lil’ sisters—Phyliss,
Sandy, Rhonda, Kali and
Jolene George, for helping
with the house.
Greg Arquette for offici-
ating and arranging the drum-
mers. Sam Starr and Larry
for preparing his body.
Carol Lawrence, as she
took care of his plate.
LT Suppah and Lawrence,
who with crew prepared the
meals and took care of the
kitchen area. The dancers,
especially the young ones who
lit the floor to comfort and
guide him on his journey.
The elders who shared
their thoughts and prayers.
The pallbearers who
cleared and danced their
brother. Love you, and take
care of each other!
Austin Smith and the
Warm Springs Boxing Club
for their words, prayers and
“10 count.”
Grandfather Larry Wesley
and Russell Jackson Sr., for
their prayers and support.
Uncles Corbett T. and
Jerry White for support and
prayers.
For the loved ones who
couldn’t be here, may
“Grandfather” watch over
them and comfort them.
All who sent their prayers.
Thank you from all our
hearts! It made our job to
prepare his last journey go
smoothly.
‘Bro’ Jason Rabbi and
uncle Virgil Orange for help-
ing us burn his personal items.
Love you both, and may you
be blessed!
All the lil’ nieces and neph-
ews, be strong and love one
another. May Grandfather
watch over and comfort you.
Thank you one and all.
Lee Connie, Wendi-
Jenna, Leanne, Carriane
and Treyvon Johnson.
VA treatment
To the Warm Springs com-
munity,
I am writing this letter to
apologize to the community
of Warm Springs regarding
my actions that took place on
the evening of September 14,
2015. First, I would like to
apologize to my family,
friends, neighbors and com-
munity members who I may
have scared or caused to be
displaced that evening.
More importantly, I would
like to apologize to the Warm
Springs Police Department,
who had nothing but my best
interests in mind. They re-
sponded to a difficult situa-
tion that could have led to a
tragic outcome, if it were not
for their training and dedica-
tion to serving and protect-
ing our community members.
I am currently being
treated by the Portland VA
Medical Center, and have
been admitted to the Residen-
tial Rehabilitation Treatment
Program
(RRTP)
in
Vancouver, Washington. The
focus of my treatment has
been on my addiction to al-
cohol and my Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD), due
to my combat experience
while serving in Operation
Iraqi Freedom.
The RRTP is an in-patient
program providing behav-
ioral healthcare services to
veterans who want substance
abuse treatment. I’ve partici-
pated in every modality of
treatment offered in this pro-
gram. I have been formally
diagnosed with PTSD and
have started therapy. This is
the beginning of my path to
recovery that allows me to
seek professional help to
overcome my traumatic past,
so that I can once again live
a healthy and balanced life.
PTSD and alcohol use dis-
order are both treatable con-
ditions, unfortunately, it took
me several years to receive
mental health care for my
PTSD and alcohol use. In the
years since my return from
Iraq, I often found myself
having thoughts of suicide to
end the distress and pain that
I felt. I want any veteran who
is struggling with a similar situ-
ation to know that they can
seek help immediately from
the VA.
I have lived with PTSD
for a long time and I am
happy to be receiving the care
I need to address this mental
illness. Help is available—
don’t hesitate and delay, reach
out! Very respectfully,
Johnathan Courntey
Greenhouse
First and foremost I’d like
to extend sincere apologies
where it is due. I feel deep
regret for my errors that I
have owned up to. Since my
arrival here I’ve attained my
education and average score
of 612 on my GED. I am
now almost complete with an
apprenticeship in landscape
management tech, on a very
intense schedule of 2000
hours. I am in a money smart
class, as well as a solar elec-
tricity course on how to de-
sign and install photovoltaic
solar electric systems.
Spilyay Tymoo
(Coyote News, Est. 1976)
Publisher Emeritus in Memorium: Sid Miller
Editor: Dave McMechan
Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Con-
federated Tribes of Warm Springs. Our offices are
located at 4174 Highway 3 in Warm Springs.
Any written materials submitted to Spilyay Tymoo
should be addressed to:
Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. Box 489, Warm Springs, OR
97761.
Phone: 541-553-2210 or 541-771-7521
E-Mail: david.mcmechan@wstribes.org.
Annual Subscription rates: Within U.S.: $20.00
I made a choice to take
advantage of every opportu-
nity that is available to me
here. I think it is past due but
it is never too late to mend.
So I might as well utilize the
resources in my time.
I want to commend who-
ever thought up the proposed
greenhouse petition. We as a
tribe I feel are in dire need to
advance economically in a
world that we are a part of. I
have thought of how much
we could’ve gained when the
millions of dollars worth of
timber were burned in the
past 10 to 15 years in our
mountains.
Since our forest products
are not in demand any more,
let’s take a chance at the
greenhouse. By hook or by
crook we need to step up our
economy for our legacy as a
tribe to survive. Happy holi-
days to you and yours.
Curtis L. Brown, no.
74650-065; federal correc-
tional institute, PO Box 5000,
Sheridan, OR 97378.
Pay system
I am not writing this to
anyone in particular. It is
more like voicing my thoughts
and concerns. This recent
change in our payroll system
has me concerned for my fi-
nancial future. I was issued a
“rapid pay card/Mastercard”
by MetaBank, member
FDIC, to cut back on paper
or something like that in our
payroll system.
I banked with US Bank in
Madras when I first started
work in mid-2014, and was
using their direct deposit ac-
count for checking. That
worked fine until I filed for
taxes in 2015 with H&R
Block—expecting a rapid re-
fund to be directly deposited
to my bank account.
It turned out that H&R
Block and myself were de-
nied any of that year’s tax
return because of money
owed to the state of Oregon,
because of back child sup-
port. The expected return was
close to $4,000, so I owe
H&R Block from last year.
I don’t blame anyone for
my children having to get
state assistance but myself
and my addictions. My con-
cern is this. The US Bank is
the bank that holds the stamp
that our checks or former
checks were issued to us. I
was under the impression that
any money earned on our res-
ervation was protected under
some sort of sovereignty.
Wrong obviously. If the bank
that issues our checks can’t
protect my income, I am
troubled for this new system’s
handing our payroll system.
Will allow the state to gar-
nish my wages? The cost of
living right now doesn’t leave
much room for luxuries as it
is. I try to live life one day at
a time. I try to live life on
life’s terms. I do my best to
be a responsible, productive
member of our community.
But to be honest, I am
troubled by this different way
Love you, son, on your day, December 22, Chet C.
VanPelt Jr.. Love, Mom and family, your three sons
and grandchildren, bro and sisters, nieces and nephews.
Happy Birthday lil’
brother, Lemo, your
Nana’s. Charlotte Shike,
Neda Wesley, Eliza
Brown-Jim, and all your
family. Love, and many
more.
Love, Happy 21st on
December 20. Baby, stay
as sweet as U R. Love, G
ma - (G Pa) and all of
us at 1718 Bray.
Also Happy Birthday,
Our Christmas present,
December 25, Latrell
VanPelt Graybael. Love,
us, G-G Ma and family.
of being paid. Is this an in-
fringement on our sover-
eignty? Call me a worry wart,
but my suspicious nature has
saved me too many times to
doubt it now.
I am just thinking ahead
to when rent is due on our
apartment (in Madras). What
avenues are open once my
earnings are garnished? I’ll just
have to cross that bridge
when I reach it. Good day to
you.
La Wat-La-Wat, Davis
Stwyer Sr.
Indian Business Talk
On doing well in business, as shown by 1-percent Louie
By Bruce Engle
Loan officer
W.S. Credit Enterprise
This is about ‘1-percent
Louie,’ a friend, a mentor,
and a successful minority busi-
nessman.
Louie started working in a
restaurant as a kid. He saved
and later got the chance to
buy a small restaurant that
was having difficulties in
downtown LA.
Louie’s first lesson from
that first restaurant was not
to completely change the
menu. It took him awhile to
get most of the regulars back.
He learned from his mistakes.
Louie grew as a business-
man and made that restau-
rant a success.
Louie went on to buy, fix-
up, turn-around, and sell res-
taurants until he accumulated
the cash to build and keep the
one he wanted—and then
another—and so on. Louie
ended up with three strings of
restaurants.
Louie was a successful res-
taurateur, and proud of it.
He had a basic ownership and
management philosophy that
helped him to be successful.
Also, he was always willing to
share his philosophy and his
success with others.
One of his beliefs was that
there are no menial jobs.
Louie was the best example
of that. He bused tables. He
cooked. He cleaned. He
greeted customers. He helped
out when his employees
needed help.
Louie wasn’t afraid of los-
ing respect if he got his hands
dirty. Everybody knew he was
the boss. Everybody knew he
had done, could do, and would
do their job if need be.
Louie designed how every
item from the menu was to
be prepared and presented on
the plate. A chef that refused
to do things his way was sent
home, and Louie put on an
apron and finished the shift.
Louie created a brand and
the standards of perfor-
mance that made that brand
successful.
I remember Louie telling
me that, if the President were
to come to his restaurant,
Louie would be willing to say,
“Mr. President, I am proud
to serve this plate of food to
you.” He was that confident
as to the quality of the food,
the preparation, and the pre-
sentation of every item on the
menu.
Louie knew that pennies
make dollars. He knew that
if he kept track of the pen-
nies, the dollars would take
care of themselves.
He was a businessman.
Louie looked for where he
could save 1 percent. Some-
times, he got lucky and saved
more. For example, he did
some price comparing and
found that Ortega chilies cost
more than Old El Paso chil-
ies. He switched brands—and
saved.
That constant attention to
detail helped Louie to be suc-
cessful.
Louie also helped a num-
ber of friends to start their
own
restaurants.
He
mentored them. Some of
them were successful.
I know this because I ate
in their restaurants.
So, what’s my point?
Louie didn’t have a college
degree. He learned a profes-
sion. He became good at it.
He worked hard. He
worked smart. He kept on
learning and he kept on work-
ing.
Louie did well and helped
others to do well. Louie
thrived in this land of oppor-
tunity.
He found his opportunity.
He made the best of it.
I don’t know if Louie ever
said, “I can and I will.”
I do know that he was de-
termined to be successful and
he was.
I have talked about Louie
as ‘1-percent Louie’ for years.
I liked and respected him for
being a wonderful example
of a businessman. He was
more than that.
Louie was a family man; a
loving husband; a father of
eight; grandfather of many;
and a very well liked and re-
spected member and sup-
porter of the community.
Louie is high on my list of
examples of a person who
could and did.
What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?
By Leah Guliasi
W.S. Community Action Team
Have you ever thought
about owning your own busi-
ness? Want to open a res-
taurant, or sell your
beadwork?
If yes, then you might be
interested in becoming an
entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs are people
who have started their own
business, and Warm Springs
needs entrepreneurs if it is
going to increase the number
of businesses on the reserva-
tion.
However, there is more to
being an entrepreneur than
simply opening a business and
it can be challenging at times.
Here are 10 reasons to be-
come an entrepreneur:
Turn your dream into re-
ality.
Do something you love.
You are your own boss
and are in full control of your
business.
Get out what you put in.
No income limit.
Create opportunities.
Have more freedom.
Become a driven, persis-
tent, able, and confident per-
son.
Join a Chamber of Com-
merce and meet other people
like you.
Dream big!
For more infor mation
about opportunities that ex-
ist in Warm Springs for people
who want to start a business,
contact the Warm Springs
Community Action Team at
541-553-3148.