Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon November 23, 2016 Ventures working on mining project Warm Springs Ventures is working on a mining project on the reservation. The tribes received a grant in the amount of $125,000 to develop a feasi- bility study for the project. This will involve locating sites that might be appropri- ate for a mining and crush- ing operation. The Branch of Natural Resources, and the tribes’ development director are part of the planning pro- cess. The tribes in December will host a three-day meeting with BIA officials from Colo- rado, and a company that may be interested in partnering with the tribes on a mining project. At Ventures, Ben Bisland has been in contact with the Oregon Department of Transportation to determine their potential gravel needs in the future. Contest to name the Travel Plaza The tribes’ Travel Plaza will be conveniently located on Highway 26 and Cherry Lane in Madras. The new 13,000-square- foot facility will be a one-stop shop. It is proposed to in- clude a convenient store, deli food, fuel, showers, rest- rooms, laundry services, ap- proximately 30-40 Class II gaming machines, coffee bar and casual dining. The Travel Plaza is now in need of a name. The naming contest is open to Warm Springs tribal com- munity members. Criteria: · The name should re- flect positively and descrip- tive on the Travel Plaza. · The name should not be offensive, insulting or de- rogatory in nature. · In instances where the same name is submitted, the selection committee will se- lect the entry with the earli- est entry by time and date. · The name must be original, not likely to cause confusion with any other similar business or enter- prise, and not be the trade- mark, trade name or prop- erty of any other person or entity · The selection commit- tee has the authority to re- ject an entry it deems inap- propriate. The author of the winning suggestion, chosen by a se- lection committee, will re- ceive a $250 check. Mem- bers of the selection com- mittee will be blinded to the names associated with the entries. Additional rules: · Only two entries per submission. · The winner is solely re- sponsible for all federal, state and local taxes on the prize. All entries are due by De- cember 6. Entries can be mailed to Indian Head Ca- sino, attention: Nicole Garcia-Smith, PO Box 890, Warm Springs, OR 97761. Or email her at: NGarcia- Smith@indianheadgaming.com. Large turnout for WSFPI auction There was a large turnout of bidders at the recent liq- uidation auction at the former Warm Springs For- est Products Industries mill. There were 318 registered bidders, said Ray Gombiski, marketing manager at James G. Murphy Co., the auction- eer that conducted the sale. The company is based in Seattle and conducts about 100 auctions a year around the country. This includes six or seven mill auctions a year. For comparison with the WSFPI auction turnout: There were 243 bidders at the Rough and Ready mill auction in Grants Pass ear- lier this fall, Gombiski said. The quality of the tools and other equipment at the WSFPI sale was good, he said, which helped draw bid- ders from around the region. Another drawing point was that many of the items— hand tools, for instance—can Equipment up for auction at WSFPI Photos courtesy of KWSO be used in other businesses. With the auction con- cluded, the WSFPI receiver- ship process now enters the next phase. This will include the filing of any and all claims before the deadline to file is reached, said Ed Hostmann, serving as the WSFPI receiver. Next year will involve the removal of the buildings from the mill site. This could take into the spring of next year. The WSFPI mill closed a little less than a year ago, af- ter some years of not mak- ing a profit. The enterprise has many creditors, including the Con- federated Tribes and former partner VanPort Interna- tional. Proceeds from the auc- tion will go toward satisfying some of the outstanding claims, only a few of which are secured. COCC offering Getting Started presentation in Madras Central Oregon Com- munity College is offering Getting Started presenta- tions in early December at all four COCC cam- puses. In Redmond, the next session is at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5 in Room 218 of the Technology Edu- cation Center at the COCC Redmond Campus. In Madras, the next ses- sion is at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6 in Room 105 on the COCC Madras Campus. In Prineville, the next ses- sion is at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7 in Room 112 at the COCC Crook County Open Campus. In Bend, the next ses- sion is at 11 a.m. on Fri- day, Dec. 9 in Room 156 in the Boyle Education Center on the COCC Bend Campus. For information call 541-383-7500. Page 3 Thanksgiving Powwow this week at center The Thanksgiving Mini Powwow is coming up this Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 23-24, at the Warm Springs Com- munity Center. The Wednesday Night Powwow will include Team Dance and Hand Drum competition. The Thursday night dance contest is for youth 17 and under, and adults; plus Clown Dancing. Come and share a good time during this holiday season. All drummers and dancers are welcome. For more infor mation contact Carlos Calica, 541-460- 0772. JOM has sports allowance The JOM Committee has approved winter sports al- lowances for 509-J and Wasco County School Dis- trict students. The deadline to submit requests to the Higher Education office is Monday, November 28 th at 5pm. To get for ms and more information call 541- 553-3311or stop buy Higher Ed. Member Art Show on display The Museum at Warm Springs is now hosting the always Tribal Member Art Show. The show features beadwork and basketr y, paintings, jewelry, sculpture and more, showcasing the unique artistic talents that help to beautify the reser- vation. This is the Twenty-Third Annual Member Art Show, and the display will be open until early January. COCC Cascade Chorale presents holiday magic The Central Oregon Com- munity College Cascade Cho- rale will present the Twelfth Annual Holiday Magic con- certs on Saturday and Sun- day, December 3 and 4. The concerts will be at the Tower Theatre in Bend. At 3 p.m. on both days, the Chorale group will be joined by the Bend Children’s Choir. For the 7 p.m. event on Saturday, Dec. 3, Bend Camerata will also perform. James Knox, associate pro- fessor of music at COCC, will conduct the groups. The concerts will includes traditional and modern holi- day music, both religious and secular pieces, in English, Latin and Yoruba. The Chorale’s presenta- tion will include perfor- mances of Do You Hear What I Hear? A Celtic Si- lent Night, Ogo Ni Fun Oluwa, O Holy Night and others, and will conclude with the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. One guest will be allowed to conduct the Hallelujah Chorus at each performance. T he Bend Children’s Choir will add numbers such as Mer r y Christmas, Merry Christmas from Home Alone; Holiday Road from National Lampoon’s Summer Vacation, and classics like The Sound of Music’s My Fa- vorite Things and, of course, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. The Bend Camerata will add Hark How the Bells, O Come O Come, Emmanuel, Dona Nobis Pacem, Deck the Hall and others. Tickets for the 3 p.m. shows are $15 and $18 while prices for Saturday night’s concert are $16 and $20. They can be purchased through the Tower Theatre website. Meanwhile the Cen- tral Oregon Community Col- lege campuses will be closed on Thursday and Friday of this wee, Nov. 24-25, for the holiday break.