Spilyay Tymoo
Coyote News, est. 1976
December 7, 2016 - Vol. 41, No. 25
December – Nch’i-An - Winter - Yiyam
2 renewable energy projects show promise
Warm Springs Power and Wa-
ter Enterprises is looking at two re-
newable energy projects for 2017:
One is geothermal, the other is
solar.
The geothermal project—al-
ready showing great promise—is
based in the Mutton Mountain
area.
The solar project—in a more
preliminary phase—could be based
around Warm Springs.
Regarding geothermal testing at
Mutton Mountain, Power and Wa-
ter general manager Jim Manion
said: “We have a high potential for
a viable commercial generating re-
source.”
Initial testing happened this year
at various sites around Mutton
Mountain. “And we are now sub-
mitting requests for stage two test
funding,” Manion said. “So far the
conclusions are positive.”
The stage two research could
cost up to a million dollars. Power
and Water is looking at various
sources—the Department of the
Interior, and the Energy Trust of
Oregon, for instance—for the
needed funding.
Meanwhile, Power and Water is
working with a partner on a solar
energy study. Areas of interest are
the flat above the mill site, and the
plateau above Greeley Heights, as
examples.
A project could involve several
hundred acres: Any potential site
would necessarily go through rig-
orous environmental, cultural re-
source and community review,
Manion said.
The incentive for the solar de-
velopment partner is an energy tax
credit. As the tribes pay no such
tax, there is no economic incen-
tive for the tribe to pursue a
project alone.
With a private industry partner,
however, such a project begins to
make financial sense. And the tribes
would benefit by serving essentially
as landlord.
This project is in an early phase.
But the development partner this
year visited the potential sites, and
discussion will continue in 2017,
Manion said.
Geothermal research
This year a team of geolo-
gists, with a drilling crew, made
test wells near the fish hatchery,
at Charley Canyon, and near the
bridge on the way to Kah-Nee-
Ta.
They studied water tempera-
tures and soils at various depths
underground, with a preliminary
conclusion of a viable commer-
cial geothermal resource.
A point of emphasis: Any
water used to power a geother-
mal 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,
fisheries, etc.
Student
Spotlights
T he Student Spotlight awards at
the Warm Springs Academy go
to students who have made in-
spiring accomplishments at
school.
The students show excellence
in math and language arts. They
have great attendance and help-
ful attitudes.
Principal Ken Parshall, and
assistant principals Chris Wyland
and Diane Dominiak made the
Spotlight Award presentations at
the school district board meeting
last week.
Some of the students showed
great acceleration in reading skills,
making a year’s progress in a
matter of months. Some made
impressive advancement in writ-
ing, and in math. Some had per-
fect attendance.
The Student Spotlight achiev-
ers this semester are Myla Spino,
Lucius Stevens, Richard Crooked
Courtesy W.S. Academy
Arm, Serenity Bisland, Chad Tias,
Julian Rosales, Josephine Badoni,
Glenn Brunoe, Jason Tohet, Jocixx
Hintsatake, Elizabeth Antunez,
Esminda Campuzano, Deshaun
Chavez and Margaret Van Pelt
Guardipee.
Serenity Bisland, fourth grade; Margaret Van Pelt, eighth grade;
Lucius Stevens, second grade; Deshaun Chavez, eighth grade;
Julian Rosales, eighth grade; and Jocixx Hintsatake, eighth
grade (back row from left; and Myla Spino, first grade;
Josephine Badoni, eighth grade; Esminda Campuzano, eighth
grade; Glenn Brunoe, eighth grade; and Jason Tohet, eighth
grade (not pictured, Chad Tias, fourth grade).
School matters at Impact Aid hearing
Two of the suggestions from
the school district Impact Aid hear-
ing last week:
The district leaders should meet
more often with the tribal commu-
nity. And tribal culture and his-
tory need a more prominent place
in the curriculum from k-12.
These are points that have of-
ten been mentioned over the years.
So there was a sense of tension
and frustration among some who
attended the Impact Aid hearing.
The school board meets one
time a year in Warm Springs, as
required by the Impact Aid guide-
lines. More than a third of the
students in the district are Native
American; so meeting one time a
year in Warm Springs is not
enough, some of parents and
grandparents said.
“This is not meaningful consul-
tation, as far as I can see,” said
Shana Radford, parent and health
liaison with the tribes.
Good quality education is a spe-
cific treaty right, like fishing and
health care, and should be taken
as seriously by the tribes, said
Deanie Smith, Language coordina-
tor.
The Rise and Shine program at
the Warm Springs Academy re-
ceived high praise from many who
attended at the meeting. This is a
morning traditional culture and lan-
guage program in partnership with
Culture and Heritage.
Rise and Shine teachers Viola
Govenor and Orthelia Patt shared
how the program is an inspiration
for the students, as well as for the
teachers. “It’s important for chil-
dren to understand where they
come from,” Orthelia said.
Rise and Shine starts early, be-
fore the beginning of class. The
only complaint was that Rise and
Shine could be incorporated into
the regular class curriculum.
Opening the Impact Aid meet-
ing, district superintendent said a
priority now is to increase the
graduation rate.
On this point, a response from
the community was that more em-
phasis on tribal culture and tradi-
tion would lead to a better gradu-
ation rate among the Native stu-
dents. Feeling at home, and hav-
ing a sense of belonging would lead
to more students wanting to stay
in school, parents said.
Warm Springs Academy prin-
cipal Ken Parshall said the school,
like the district, is dedicated to im-
proving graduation. “The Acad-
emy has a tremendous role to play
in improving the graduation rate,”
he said. “This starts at the earlier
grades.”
The Bridges program will con-
tinue, he said, with help from a
grant. Bridges is a three-week sum-
mer session where students who
have graduated from the Acad-
emy can spend time at the high
school, getting ready for the
transition.
This year there has been
overall student performance
improvement at the Academy.
This happened even while the
school implemented a new cur-
riculum last year, Principal
Parshall said.
The finances
Regarding Impact Aid, Su-
perintendent Molitor said the
district has received an average
of about $2.1 million in Impact
Aid in recent years.
The district relies in part on
local property taxes, which are
not assessed on the reservation.
(See SCHOOLS on 3)
PO Box 489
Warm Springs, OR 97761
ECR WSS
Postal Patron
U.S. Postage
PRSRT STD
Warm Springs, OR 97761
KNT
plan at
Council
The Kah-Nee-Ta Resort and
Spa board of directors and man-
agement met this week with Tribal
Council, about a plan for the re-
sort to stay open through Decem-
ber.
Kah-Nee-Ta is now on winter
hours of operation, open Friday
through Sunday.
The resort can stay open on
winter hours for the rest of this
month, but will need some finan-
cial help to do so. Tribal Council
directed Secretar y-Treasurer
Michele Stacona to identify pos-
sible sources to help the resort
through December.
The resort board and manage-
ment are then scheduled to return
to Council with a proposal next
week.
The long-term goal is to make
Kah-Nee-Ta a profitable enter-
prise, said board member Jim
Manion. This may involve work-
ing with an outside partner with
experience and resources to make
improvements to the resort, he
said.
Meanwhile, there have been sig-
nificant cost-cutting measures at
the resort, involving, for instance,
reducing the hours of operation,
and implementing seasonal layoffs.
Other measures: The Kah-Nee-Ta
office in Portland is closed, the golf
course is closed, and the board of
directors is serving with no com-
pensation.
“The golf course has struggled
for many years to cover its ex-
penses with revenue,” Manion said.
The former Kah-Nee-Ta golf pro,
Joe Rauschenburg, had already
retired earlier in the year.
The board and management
are continuing to explore ways of
reducing costs, he said.
The Kah-Nee-Ta board is new.
Tribal Council in September of
this year voted to separate the In-
dian Head Casino enterprise and
Kah-Nee-Ta.
(See KNT on 10)
Winter break
coming up
Winter break at the War m
Springs Academy is coming up on
December 19. Students will return
to school on January 3. There is no
school on January 16, as this is
Martin Luther King Jr. Day. And
then January 27 is a teacher work
day.
Meanwhile, this week is Bullying
Prevention Week at the academy.
Each day the staff is focusing on
different skills to help prevent and
defend against bullying behavior.
Thursday is ‘Step into Their
Shoes—Empathy Day,’ and Friday
is ‘Cool to be Kind Day.”