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Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
November 4, 2020
New FCC license for digital expansion
The Confederated Tribes
of Warm Springs is among
the first tribes in the nation
to receive a new kind of
spectrum license from the
Federal Communications
Commission.
The tribes received one of
the FCC’s new ‘Rural Tribal
Priority Window’ spectrum
licenses. These are designed
to close the “digital divide”
between rural and urban ar-
eas; and to provide broad-
band and other advanced
wireless services, including
5G to tribes.
Warm Springs was one
of five Oregon tribes to re-
ceive a license. The others
are the Confederated Tribes
of the Grand Ronde Com-
munity, Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla In-
dian Reservation, Coquille
Indian Tribe, Cow Creek
Band of Umpqua Tribe of
Indians.
In all, across Indian
Country the FCC granted
154 license applications, out
of more that 400 applica-
tions.
The FCC Wireless Tele-
communications Bureau
granted the applications for
use of the 2.5 GHz band.
By prioritizing tribal ac-
cess to this mid-band spec-
trum, the FCC is ensuring
that tribes can quickly access
spectrum to connect
schools, homes, hospitals,
and businesses, said FCC
Chairman Ajit Pai. “This is
a major step forward in the
effort to close the digital di-
vide,” Mr. Pai said.
Survey asks about smoking at casino
There are close to 1,000
casinos in the U.S. that are
100-percent smoke-free.
Of the total, 789 have been
smoke-free for some time
now. Another 175 casinos—
including tribal casinos such
as Indian Head—re-opened
this year smoke-free as a
result of Covid-19.
Even with extensive ven-
tilation measures—as has
always been the case at In-
dian Head Casino—indoor
smoking exposes people to
the hazards of second-hand
smoke, and spreads respira-
tory droplets. The respira-
tory droplets are a means of
spreading the virus.
Indian Head Casino re-
opened in August following
many adjustments, and new
procedures to protect guests
and staff. One of the
changes was implementa-
tion of no-smoking on the
casino property.
The casino is now weigh-
ing whether the smoke-free
policy should become per-
manent. To make the de-
termination, Warm Springs
Prevention has worked with
Indian Head to conduct a
customer survey in regard
to the potential new smok-
ing policy.
The first question of the
survey is: Would you like to
see Indian Head Casino re-
main smoke-free indoors?
Of the 139 responses, 85.6
percent answered yes. Ten
percent said No, while 3 per-
cent answered ‘I don’t care.’
One person suggested
designated smoking areas;
while another answered,
‘Yes! There have been preg-
nant tribal employees work-
ing there.’
The second question:
Would you get up and move
to a different machine if
someone was smoking next
to you? Of the 137 re-
sponses, close to 80 per-
cent—109 people—said yes;
and 15 percent said No.
The third question: Would
you let someone know that
you didn’t want them to
smoke next to you while you
were gambling? Most
people—61.6 percent or 85
individuals—said No. Fifty-
three people—38.4 per-
cent—said they would let the
person know.
Another question: Would
you go to Indian Head Ca-
sino more if it continues to
be smoke-free indoors?
A large percentage—83.2
percent—said they would go
more if it were smoke-free
indoors. Seventeen people—
12.4 percent—said they
would not go more often.
Another question: Do
you think you could get can-
cer from secondhand
smoke? Nearly everyone—
92 percent—said Yes; and 8
percent said No.
And this question: Do you
think you could get cancer
by chewing, smoking or
vaping? Again, almost every-
one—96.4 percent—said
Yes.
Regarding the question,
‘Does someone in your
household chew, vape or
smoke? Ninety-six people—
69.6 percent—said No.
Another question: ‘Do
you wish you could stop be-
ing dependent on nicotine?’
Most people—78.3 per-
cent—responded ‘I don’t
use nicotine.’
And finally: Do you know
where you can get help to
quit smoking? Seventy-four
percent said Yes; and 14.5
percent said No.
At the present time there
are no tribal casinos in Or-
egon that are smoke-free,
according to a survey by the
American Non-Smokers
Rights Foundation.
Warm Springs
Community Health
Drive Up Flu Clinic—
this Wednesday and
Thursday, November 4-
5 — 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
— Agency Longhouse
parking lot.