Spilyay Tymoo Coyote News, est. 1976 From the Lincoln’s Committee Many of us have been looking forward to the return of our pow- wows. Anticipating the time to visit friends, powwow family from afar, and enjoy a good time of singing and dancing at the 2022 Lincoln’s Powwow. Unfortunately, there has been an upsurge of positive covid cases throughout the country. In order to keep our commu- nity, visitors, and powwow family safe from exposure, the Lincoln’s Powwow Committee has made a decision to cancel the 2022 pow- wow in Simnasho. We hope to help slow the up- surge of cases and hope we will be able move forward in 2023. Thank you for your continued support. Watch for us out and about as we continue our fundraising for the powwow. Sincerely, Lincoln’s Powwow Committee. Community update The early and mid January spike in Covid-19 cases has decreased some in recent days, allowing the organization to reopen. There were 108 people with ac- tive covid in the community, as of to the IHS-Community Health up- date of January 25. There were 46 individuals being monitored daily as close covid contact. There were five people in the hospital on January 25 with com- plications from the virus. Early this week there were 33 new positive cases reported, from 123 tests conducted. For a vaccination appointment call 541-553-2131. Vaccination appointments are available Monday through Friday in the Warm Springs Community Health Clinic. For anyone cur- rently in quarantine due to covid, you have to wait until you are out of isolation or quarantine to make your vaccine appointment. Being fully vaccinated is the best ways to protect yourself, your fam- ily and your community from covid illness, along with masking and distancing, and avoiding crowded gatherings. The vaccinations are proven scientifically to provide protection from serious illness to the currently circulating variants, omicron and delta. Further critical covid protocol of the confederated Tribes: Stay home if you are sick, limit shop- ping trips. And get vaccinated and boosted. Since testing became available for Covid-19, Warm Springs IHS has conducted 19,128 tests for the virus among the tribal commu- nity. Of the total, 1,577 have come back positive since testing began. January 26, 2022 - Vol. 47, No. 2 Wiyak’ik’ila – Winter - Anm PO Box 489 Warm Springs, OR 97761 ECR WSS Postal Patron U.S. Postage PRSRT STD Warm Springs, OR 97761 District nominations for Tribal Council The three voting districts of the Confederated Tribes will hold their meetings for Tribal Council nominations on Thurs- day, November 3. The Agency District meet- ing will be at the Agency Longhouse. For this district, nominations can also be made by submitting a nomination form in writing by 5 p.m. on February 3. The Simnasho District meeting will be at the Simnasho Longhouse; and the Seekseequa meeting will be at the gymna- sium of the old elementary school. Facemasks and distancing are mandatory. And there may per- haps be a limited number of people in the nomination rooms at any one time, as the nomina- tions proceed. Individually packaged meals will be served at 6 p.m., and the meet- ings will begin at 7. The Tribal Council elections are scheduled for the start of April. The Agency District nomination form includes the nominator name, the person seconding the nomina- tion, plus the nominee, all with sig- natures. Certification that the nominee is eligible is also required. (A copy of the form is on page 5 of this pub- lication.) The Vital Statistics Department maintains the voter lists for the three districts. The lists show the district in which each voter has voted in the past to the best abil- ity of Vital Stats. The department also main- tains a current voter list that may be made available for inspec- tion, considering the covid pro- tocols now in place within the organization. Any person may change voting districts by filling out the district change form. However, any reg- istration change must be filed more than 60 days prior to any election in order to be effective for that particular election. Tribal Council establishes the date, place and hours during which polls shall be open. Council posts notices of the election not less than ten days prior to election, in at least three public places. The upcoming elections are for the Twenty-Ninth Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. In Appreciation Health and Human Services and the Confederated Tribes this week hosted the Employee Appreciation Days, featuring jackets for all tribal employees. The distribution team was Dot Thurby, Johnson Bill and Perseus Bradly. The team traveled to all the various departments around the community, from the Campus area buildings, courthouse, public safety, Natural Resources, Early Childhood Education Center, the museum, High Lookee, Utilities offices, gaming, administration, Community Wellness, the clinic, warehouse and so forth. It took two days to make all the offices. Distribution was done outside with masks and distancing. Emergency Management assisted in the project with the Health and Human Services team. They distributed the colorful jackets to more than 600 employees of the tribes. Appreciation gifts at the Warm Springs Clinic (above); ECE and at the Media Center. D.McMechan/Spilyay On the Tribal Council agenda in February The following are some of the items coming up on the Tribal Council Februar y agenda (sub- ject to change at Council discre- tion): Thursday, February 3: Simnasho District Tribal Council nominations at the Simnasho Longhouse. Seekseeqia District Council nominations at the old elemen- tary school gymnasium. Agency District Council nominations at the Agency Longhouse. Nomination forms also accepted. At the meetings: Individually packaged meals served at 6 p.m., meeting starts at 7. Masks and social distancing required. Monday, February 7 Invocation 9 a.m.: Bureau of Indian Af- fairs update with Brenda Bremner, Superintendent. 9:30: Office of Special Trustee update call with Kevin Moore. 10: Realty items James Halliday, Land Services. 10:30: Indian Health Services update with update with Hyllis Dauphinais, Warm Spirngs Clinic chief executive officer. 11: Covid update with the Re- sponse Team. 1:30 p.m.: Legislative update conference calls, federal and state. 2:30: Tribal attorneys updates. Tuesday, February 8 9 a.m.: Water treatment plant update with Barry, Chico and Ellen. 11: Discussion: Resolution in- creasing speed limit on Highway 26 Safety Corridor. Wednesday, February 9: Open agenda. Monday, February 14 9 a.m.: Covid-19 update with the Response Team. Tuesday, February 15 9 a.m.: Secretary-Treasurer up- date with Glendon Smith. 9:30: March agenda and review minutes with the S-T. 10: Draft resolutions with the S- T. 1:30 p.m.: Enrollments with Lucille Suppach-Samson of Vital Stats. 2: Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) update with Wendell Jim. 2:30: Gaming Commission/ Surveillance update with Josephine Johnson. Wednesday, February 16 9 a.m.: Human Resources up- date acting Carol Funk. 9:30: Finance update Isaac George. 10: Procurement update with Libby Chase. 10:30: Governmental Affairs update with Louie Pitt. 11: Managed Care program up- date Michael Collins. 1:30 p.m.: Administrative Ser- vices update with Glendon Smith. 2: Tribal Court update with Lisa Lomas. 2:30: Veterans Office update with Frankie Williams. 3: Health and Human Services update with Caroline Cruz. 3:30: Education update with Valerie Switzler. Thursday, February 17 9 a.m.: Public Utilities update with Chico Holliday. 9:30: Public Safety update with Nancy Seyler, acting GM.