Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
June 29, 2022
Help getting ready for fire season
The 2022 fire season has
arrived on the reservation,
and Fire Management and
Fire and Safety are encour-
aging everyone to be cau-
tious and mindful of prac-
ticing safety to avoid human-
caused fire.
Recent years have seen
very active summer fire sea-
sons on the reservation.
The worst recent fire year
was 2020, when the
Lionshead Fire burned in
August and September.
Lionshead in time grew to
200,000 acres, on the reser-
vation and off. Last year
was also active, with the S-
503 fire, among others, burn-
ing several thousand acres.
The Warm Springs Fire
Management and Fire and
Safety crews each year
dedicate themselves to
fighting fires, protecting the
communities and the for-
est land.
This year the tribes had
some assistance in prepar-
ing for the season, after
Dan Mar tinez, War m
Springs Emergency Man-
agement director, requested
assistance from Team
Rubicon.
Team Rubicon ser ves
communities by mobilizing
veterans, first-responders
and civilians by leveraging
skills and experience to help
people prepare, respond,
D.McMechan/Spilyay
Team Rubicon joins the Honoring Veterans Parade.
land fire that historically
sweeps through the reserva-
tion every year. We will bring
a workforce, skills, and
equipment to assist their ef-
forts.
“By improving natural fire-
breaks or creating new ones,
reducing fuel loads, and build-
ing defensible spaces around
properties, Team Rubicon
and Warm Springs hope to
minimize the impact of these
fires, save homes, and possi-
bly save lives.”
As a proud partner of the
tribes, Team Rubicon was on
the reservation this past week-
end into Monday of this week.
Longer fire seasons
and recover from disasters
and humanitarian crises. This
would obviously include
catastrophic wildfire.
“We don’t fight fires, but
if we can stop some of the
damage that can happen
from a fire before it actu-
ally happens, that’s why we’re
here and we tend to focus
on areas that need help,” said
Bill Terrill, incident com-
mander for the War m
Springs Team Rubicon op-
eration.
The team focused on ar-
eas around the museum, the
casino and Highway 26.
Dan Martinez said he feels
blessed that parts of Warm
Springs will be better-posi-
tioned to minimize risk, save
homes and possibly save
lives.
Team Rubicon was
founded following the
Haiti earthquake in 2010.
Over the years the organi-
zation has grown to over
160,000 volunteers across
the U.S. The team has
launched over 1,000 opera-
tions both domestically and
internationally. You can see
their website at:
teamrubiconusa.org
Mr. Ter rill for Team
Rubicon commented, “We
are committed to support-
ing the Warm Springs com-
munity in their efforts to
reduce the impact of wild-
As is well documented, the
American West is burning more
quickly than it has in more
than a decade. The Southwest,
for instance, has already been
fighting its two biggest wildfires
on record for more than a
month. About 3 million acres
of U.S. land had already
burned as of earlier in June.
And two weeks into sum-
mer, a widespread heat wave
is already in place; and burning
may quite likely get worse.
The changing climate has
created a troubling reality,
ecologists and foresters are
saying: Wildfire seasons have
turned into wildfire years,
starting earlier in the spring
and lasting into winter.
Portland man arrested on drug charges, warrant
Warm Springs tribal po-
lice officers arrested a Port-
land man last week on
charges of possession of
fentanyl and psilocybin.
James Paul Bauer, 41, was
also wanted on an outstand-
ing warrant.
The incident happened on
Wednesday, June 22, when
tribal police conducted a ve-
hicle stop on Highway 26 on
the reservation, near the
community of War m
Springs.
At the time of the vehicle
stop, police officers were no-
tified the registered owner,
Bauer, had an outstanding
arrest warrant issued from
Hood River for driving un-
der the influence of
intixicants and possession of
a dangerous drug.
Due to the nature of the
underlying charges related to
the warrant, a narcotics de-
tective attended the scene
with a certified drug detec-
tion dog. An initial investiga-
tion led to the discovery of
Piano
concert on
Saturday
Hunter Noack and
his In a Landscape con-
cert will be in Warm
Springs this Saturday,
July 2 for a 6:30
evening show.
Online ticket sales
have ended for the
event but free tickets
are available for Warm
Springs
tribal
members through In a
Landscape’s Good
Neighbor Program.
If you are interested
in tickets, contact
Dustin Seyler at the
Warm Springs Commu-
nity Action Team, 541-
553-3148.
34 suspected fentanyl pills,
and approximately six grams
of was purported to be psilo-
cybin mushrooms.
Police took Bauer into
custody on the Hood River
arrest warrant and trans-
ported him to the Jefferson
County Jail. Bauer was also
civilly citied into the Warm
Springs Tribal Court with
fines amounting to as much
as $10,000, in addition to be-
ing citied by Jefferson County
Court for prosecution under
Oregon State statutes.
However, as the posses-
sion and transportation of
narcotics occurred on the
reservation, and involved
the possible possession of
fentanyl—a drug that has
been responsible for hospi-
talizations and deaths every-
where throughout the
state—this matter is also be-
ing forwarded to the U.S.
Attorney’s Office for pos-
sible felony prosecution un-
der federal law.
Warm Springs police want
to notify the public that even
though there are new laws
affecting the State of Or-
egon regarding the posses-
sion of controlled sub-
stances, on lands that are un-
der the jurisdiction of the
Confederated Tribes of
Warm Springs current tribal
and federal drug statutes are
in effect.
The protection of the
Warm Springs community
against the introduction of
drugs like fentanyl, heroin
and meth are a priority for
the Warm Springs Police De-
partment.
The department officers
will continue to vigorously
enforce all drug laws, which
in turn could subject viola-
tors to federal criminal pros-
ecution, and civil process
within the power of the tribe
that could lead to the loss of
property, such as vehicles,
used in commission of these
offenses and stiff fines.
“We hope that the public
take these facts into consid-
eration if they intend to be
in possession of any amount
of controlled substances
while coming onto, or tran-
siting through the Warm
Springs Indian Reservation,
and understand that the lax
drug possession provisions
contained in SB-110 do not
apply to this jurisdiction,” ac-
cording to a statement from
Warm Springs Police.
Even though the Warm
Springs community and gov-
ernment embraces preven-
tion, intervention, and reha-
bilitation as the ultimate
means of bringing about a
drug safe environment, it
also strongly believes in the
rule of law as part of its gov-
ernmental doctrine.
As such, Warm Springs
Police continues to work
closely with all facets of the
drug abuse and mental health
agencies operated by this
tribe, but will not tolerate
drug usage, possession, or
trafficking within its jurisdic-
tion no, matter the amount.
Page 3
Fair, rodeo in July
The Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo—this year
with the theme Summer Nights and Carnival Lights—
is coming up Wednesday through Saturday, July 20-
23 at the county fair complex.
There will be 4-H and FAA exhibits, food booths,
live music all four nights; and the Friday and Satur-
day rodeo action.
This year visitors will see the new show barn—
just one of the many improvements around the fair
facilities.
The fair kicks off Wednesday morning July 20,
with the Veterans Breakfast under the pavilion at 8
a.m. Opening ceremonies follow later in the morning.
4-H and FAA livestock shows—showing off the
hard work and dedication of young people who have
been raising their animals—also start opening day.
Returning this year will be Antonio Sombrero, a
professional balloon twister. You can have him make
you one of his balloon creations, known to those
who have seen them as “true artistry.” The Paul
Maurer Shows—the carnival and traveling amuse-
ment company—returns with 35 rides, fun games,
and cotton candy food concessions.
Bands are lined up to take the stage every night
of the fair. They include Jessie Leigh, Countryfied,
and Stone in Love—a Journey tribute band, among
others.
There will be the Family Fun Night in the arena;
the tri-tip cook-off on Saturday, and the rodeo on
Friday and Saturday nights.
For information you can call the Jefferson County
Fair Events Coordinator at 541-325-5050.
$600 to some families
The Oregon Department
of Revenue is distributing
$600 checks to qualifying
households. The money is
a one-time assistance pay-
ment aimed to support low-
income Oregonians, and
help those facing a hard-
ship due to Covid-19.
To qualify households
must have received the
Earned Income Tax Credit
on their 2020 tax filing, and
lived in Oregon the last six
months of 2020.
Over 235,000 Orego-
nians will soon receive the
cash infusion. Payments
should arrive through direct
deposit or by check on or
before this Friday, July 1.
House Bill 4157 directs
the Oregon Department of
Revenue to address negative
economic impacts of the pan-
demic with one-time finan-
cial assistance to low-income
households. The payments
across the state are expected
to amount to nearly $142
million and paid from fed-
eral pandemic aid.