Spilyay Tymoo
Coyote News, est. 1976
September 14, 2016
Vol. 41, No. 19
September – Wanaq’i – Summer - Shatm
PO Box 489
Warm Springs, OR 97761
ECR WSS
Postal Patron
U.S. Postage
PRSRT STD
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Geothermal research at Mount Mutton Working
The Mutton Mountains geo-
logic formation is old and in-
teresting; and one with the
promise of providing a geo-
thermal energy source for the
Confederated Tribes.
A team of geologists and a
drilling crew have been study-
ing the Mutton Mountains area
for the past few weeks.
The
geologists—Lisa
Safford, Ismail Kuscu and Roy
Mink from Idaho—say a geo-
thermal energy project appears
to be possible.
Energy could be used by
Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, or sold to
the power grid.
The geologists and the drill-
ing team, Welsco Drilling of
Nevada, are working with
Warm Springs Power and Wa-
ter Enterprises on the feasibil-
ity study, as approved earlier by
Tribal Council.
Funding for the research is
from the Department of Inte-
rior-Mining and Mineral pro-
gram. The team has drilled test
wells at Charley Canyon, by the
bridge on the way to Kah-Nee-
Ta, and by the fish hatchery.
The team studies the tem-
peratures at various depths,
and analyze the composition of
soil and rock samples from the
wells. This will indicate whether
the temperatures are high
enough to support a small geo-
thermal plant.
The test well sites are not nec-
essarily where a potential geo-
thermal plant may one day be
located, said Power and Water
general manager Jim Manion.
Another important point,
Manion said: Any water that
would be used to power a geo-
thermal plant would come from
far below the surface water that
feeds the rivers on the reserva-
tion. So any project would have
no effect on streams and rivers.
The geologists explained the
origin of the geothermal condi-
tions at the Mutton Mountains
area of the reservation:
The mountains, they said, are
actually the remnants of an old
volcano, dating back around 35
million years, much older than
Mt. Jefferson, for instance.
See GEOTHERMAL on 12
Exploratory drilling site near
the Warm Springs National
Fish Hatchery.
Dave McMechan/Spilyay
Some changes as new school year begins
There are now four kindergar-
ten classes at the Warm Springs k-
8 Academy, an increase by one
from last year. The school decided
to add the fourth class based on
projections from graduating stu-
dents from the Early Childhood
Education Center and the tribal
enrollment list, said academy prin-
cipal Ken Parshall. Class size for
the kindergartners is now at about
21 students.
Another change this year in the
509-J district is the Warm Springs
alternative education program. Last
year the program was Roots, and
this year the program is part of
the district Bridges program.
About twenty students showed
up the first day of the Warm Springs
Bridges program, said district super-
intendent Rick Molitor. Mr. Molitor
gave an update of the district over-
all numbers at the school board
meeting Monday. District enroll-
ment is now about 2,993 students.
The number is broken down by
ethnic background, showing that stu-
dents with American Indian-Alaska
Native heritage are the largest in the
district. There are an estimated
1,102 American Indian-Alaska Na-
tive students in the school district,
making up 36.8 percent of the over-
all enrollment. There are an esti-
mated 919 White students (30.7
percent), and 904 Hispanic (30.2
percent).
on 2017
budget
Tribal Council this week is meet-
ing with departments and enter-
prises, working on a proposed op-
erations budget for 2017.
Council is expected to have a
proposal by the end of September,
and will mail this to membership
some days afterward. District and
a General Council meeting will fol-
low. Some important budget aspects
looking toward 2017:
There will be a fairly significant
reduction in enterprise dividends.
This continues a trend in recent
years, including the present year.
Power and Water Enterprises
accounts for a large part of the
overall dividend reduction, as was
true in 2016. On a positive note,
GeoVisions is expecting a $1 mil-
lion dividend, as a result of the car-
bon sequestration project.
This project is managed by Ven-
tures and GeoVisions, with oversight
and approval from Tribal Council.
The 2017 budget proposal from
the secretary-treasurer includes full-
year of funding for the Senior Pen-
sion fund. This is possible as the
Confederated Tribes develop a new
timber enterprise to replace Warm
Springs Forest Products Industries.
The budget proposal as presented
by S-T Glendon Smith is balanced.
The overall operations budget would
be about the same as the present
year, with some reductions. Per
capita would remain the same un-
der the recommendation.
Tribal Council will continue work
on the proposal next week, with call-
backs as needed to departments and
enterprises managers.
KWSO
turns 30
D.McMechan/Spilyay
Kindergartners arrive at the Warm Springs Academy for their
first day of school. Students arrive at the school around
7:40 to 7:50 a.m. for the before class activities.
Hands Across
the Bridge
As September is National Re-
covery Month, Warm Springs
Community Counseling hosted
the Hands Across the Deschutes
Bridge and Motorcade aware-
ness event, Sept. 3.
Later this month, Counseling
will host the Recovery Never Ends
conference, September 30. Ev-
eryone is welcome, and the con-
ference is free.
The gathering will be at the
HeHe Longhouse. The day will
include speakers, talking circles,
healing activities, sweat-house
and meals. For more informa-
tion call 541-553-3205.
Jayson Smith/Spilyay
In the 1980s the Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs laid out a
plan for obtaining a license from the
FCC to start a radio station.
Larry Calica was the tribes’ sec-
retary-treasurer at the time.
Management’s Doug McClellan
and Ray Rangila of the Planning
Department were involved in filing
for the license and working out the
funding details. In the end Warm
Springs started two radio stations.
KWSI was a 100,000 watt com-
mercial FM station and KWSO was
a 3000 watt non-commercial FM.
Bob McClanathan was the initial
engineer contracted for the techni-
cal work involved in obtaining a li-
cense and constructing the radio sta-
tions. Nat Shaw, who had extensive
commercial radio experience, was
brought on as station manager in
June of 1985 to oversee construc-
tion and then all operations.
See KWSO on 8