Spilyay Tymoo
Coyote News, est. 1976
Holiday
events coming
up in December
December in Warm Springs is
always a great time for family holi-
day gatherings and fun; and this
December—the first since 2019
that covid is not an overriding
threat—will see holiday events ev-
ery week during the month.
Firstly, Warm Springs Recreation
presents the Santasquatch Christ-
mas Tree Lighting this Thursday
evening, December 1 at 6 p.m. at
the Community Wellness Center.
Contact Recreation for information
at 541-553-3243.
December to Remember
This Friday and Saturday, De-
cember 2-3, will see the December
to Remember Round Dance event at
the Warm Springs Academy.
There will be invited drums,
Young Spirit and Frog Lake First
Nation; and invited back-up Bear
Sisters and Paul Band First Na-
tion; and special guest Suite 1491.
Some other upcoming featured
progams at December to Remem-
ber:
At the Academy on Friday, De-
cember 2 at 4:30 p.m. will be the
Pipe Ceremony, Feast and Round
Dance, followed with Specials plus:
Women of the West, King of the
Cowboys and Best Beaded Hat
Band.
And Saturday, December 3: Spa-
ghetti feed at 6 p.m., Round Dance
to follow. Specials, Best Ribbon
Skirt, Best Ribbon Shirt, and Best
Lele. This is a drug and alcohol free
event. There will be 50/50 raffles,
a giveaway and concessions. Pictures
with Santa, Saturday 6 to 9 p.m.;
singers and first six back-up will
receive honorarium. No outside
vendors or raffles.
Car Lights Parade
Recreation presents the color-
ful Car Lights Parade on Wednes-
day evening, December 14. Pa-
rade line-up is at 4 p.m. by the
former elementary school build-
ing. Judging is at 5 and the pa-
rade starts at 6.
There will be prizes for commu-
nity entries, and tribal organization
entries—First-, Second- and Third-
Place in both categories.
The theme this year is the
Santasquatch Is Coming to Town. For
information call 541-553-3243.
November 30, 2022 - Vol. 47, No. 24
November – Anaku Ipach’aanxa Yaamash
PO Box 489
Warm Springs, OR 97761
ECR WSS
Postal Patron
U.S. Postage
PRSRT STD
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Tribal members to lead Gorge Commission
Elected Chair
and Vice Chair
in the historic
Commission vote
Carina Miller, of the Con-
federated Tribes of War m
Springs, will lead the Columbia
River Gorge Commission be-
ginning January 1, 2023. The
commission in November
elected Ms. Miller to serve as
chair during the coming term.
This is historic: Ms. Miller
will be the first member of a
federally recognized tribe to lead
the agency. Joining Carina in
executive leadership will be Pah-
tu Pitt, also of the Confeder-
ated Tribes: Ms. Pitt will be
serving for a second year in the
position of Gorge Commission
vice-chair.
“It has been a privilege to
work together on a commission
with members and staff com-
mitted to honoring all people
who have lived in the Gorge,”
Ms. Miller says.
“The Commission has un-
dertaken heavy work to mea-
sure outcomes of the Manage-
ment Plan, and to identify ways
to review and update it more
efficiently.
“As a bi-state commission, we
will face unique and compli-
B.Baez
Incoming Gorge Commission
chairwoman Carina Miller
Incoming Gorge Commission
vice chairwoman Pah-tu-Pitt
cated issues in the upcoming year,”
Carina said.
“The fact that Commissioner
Pitt and I were elected as officers,
representing not only the commis-
sion but also our tribes, is a pow-
erful moment in my life.
Kwalanawashayksh ayayat Nch’I
wana—Thankful for the beautiful
Columbia River.”
Carina has a Bachelor of Sci-
ence in Ethnic Studies from the
University of Oregon. She is a
former Tribal Councilwoman; co-
chair of the energy committee for
the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest
Indians, and chair of the Native
American caucus for the Demo-
cratic Party of Oregon.
Pah-tu Pitt holds Environmen-
tal graduate and undergraduate
degrees. She believes in climate
resiliency efforts, sustainable eco-
nomic development, and cultur-
ally relevant education opportu-
nities.
Ms. Pitt has extensive an back-
ground and experience in Environ-
mental Science, small business,
policy, management and commu-
nity engagement. Her work expe-
riences include nonprofit, govern-
mental, and business sectors.
The National Scenic Area
Carina was originally appointed
to the commission in 2019 by Or-
egon Governor Kate Brown.
Pah-tu joined the Commission
in 2021 as an appointee of Wash-
ington Governor Jay Inslee.
The two governors have ap-
pointed tribal representatives to the
Gorge Commission for many
years. The representation of tribal,
federal, state and county perspec-
tives on the commission provides
the unique regional governance
structure.
The bi-state land-use Gorge
Commission and staff implement
the National Scenic Area Act and
corresponding Management Plan
throughout the Gorge.
Comprised of 13 members,
three are appointed by the Oregon
governor, three by the Washington
governor; and one representative is
appointed by each of the six coun-
ties in the National Scenic Area.
And the U.S. Secretary of Agricul-
ture appoints one non-voting mem-
ber.
Represented in Oregon are
Multnomah, Hood River, and
Wasco counties; and Clark,
Skamania, and Klickitat counties in
Washington.
The Forest Supervisor from the
USDA Forest Service National
Scenic Area Office serves on be-
half of the Secretary of Agricul-
ture.
The National Scenic Act re-
quires the commission to consult
with the four Columbia River
treaty tribes. Through the consul-
tation, the commission works
closely with the tribes, and relies
on the expertise of their staffs.
See GORGE COMMISSION on 2
From Warm Springs to the Hall of Fame ballot
Playing a sport can bring great
and positive changes to a person’s
life. A student can earn a schol-
arship and have a great time. And
the physical exercise is good for
everyone who plays.
Sports can be life-changing in
profound ways. “It helped me
with sobriety. I was 28 and I
started focusing on my health,
playing baseball and basketball,”
said Andy Leonard, now the
tribes’ Adolescent After Care
Specialist with Warm Springs Pre-
vention. At the time, “Sports
took everything off my shoul-
ders, as to alcohol and drugs, and
helped make me a better role
model for kids.”
Now almost 59, Andy has
played baseball in the National
Adult Baseball Association for
Courtesy Andy Leonard
(Photo from the Madras High School White Buffalos baseball
team, coached by Andy Leonard and starring Jacoby Ellsbury.)
many years. This fall his over-58
team—he also plays in the over-48
division—won the NABA World
Services in Las Vegas. The over-48
team made it to the championship
game. Andy won Most Valuable
Player and Most Outstanding
Player awards, adding to his many
awards from over the years. The
team is the Portland Red Sox of
the Adult Baseball Association.
Some years before this, in the
1980s, Andy was coaching youth
baseball players in Warm Springs,
including a Jacoby. Later, in the
1990s and early 2000s, Mr.
Leonard was the baseball coach at
Madras High School. On the team
also was Jacoby Ellsbury, who
would go on to Oregon State on a
baseball scholarship before joining
the Boston Red Sox, helping the
team win two World Series.
Here is another example of how
far playing sports can take a per-
son: The Baseball Writers’ Asso-
ciation of American last week
added Ellsbury’s name to the bal-
lot of the National Baseball Hall
of Fame. Jacoby grew up in Warm
Springs, and is a member of the
Colorado River Indian Tribes. His
future greatness at sports was evi-
dent from the time he was very
young, Andy remembers.
Dave McMechan
NDN Night Out
Recreation will host the Christ-
mas NDN Night Out on Monday
evening, December 19 at the Com-
munity Center.
Bring your favorite dish for ev-
eryone to enjoy for the 5:15 p.m.
potluck. Social Dance and Drum-
mers Jam starts at 6. Bring your
hand drum.
The Night Out is open to all danc-
ers for exhibitions, and all drum
groups. Master of Ceremony is
Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody.
There will be family fun games,
and a raffle for prizes (need to be
present to win). For more informa-
tion contact Recreation at 541-553-
3243.
All Native cast to perform Bear Grease at MHS
A performance of the musi-
cal Bear Grease is coming up on
Tuesday, December 20 at the
Madras Performing Arts Center.
Colleta Macy partnered with the
War m Springs Community
Team to bring the performance
to the high school.
The cast members provide an
indigenous twist on the classic
musical. Hip-hop duo Lightning
Cloud—Crystle Lightning and
MC RedCloud—are the cre-
ators, writers and directors of
this Treaty 6 Indigenous twist on
the classic musical.
Many of the all-Indigenous cast
members of Bear Grease are from
the Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta,
Canada. The show, modeled on the
1978 movie Grease, combines hip-
hop, parody, improv and freestyle
productions.
Coletta and the Community
Action Team did the fundraising
to make the show available lo-
cally.
The Roundhouse Foundation
contributed; and Colleta reached
out to the cast and crew, and re-
served time at the Performing
Arts Center.
“This will be a great evening of
outstanding performances, indig-
enous humor, and memorable mo-
ments,” Colleta has said. “Bear
Grease is a huge event in Indian
Country. Having it come to our
community is an amazing honor.
“It’s a great show for the whole
family, and to see a show like this—
with people who look like you—is
an empowering feeling.”
She and the Community Ac-
tion Team hope to fill all of the
nearly 600 seats at the Madras Per-
forming Arts Center.
Proceeds from the event will be
used to fund projects and events
for the local ar tists in War m
Springs.
The best way to purchase tickets
is via Eventbrite at:
www.eventbrite.com/e/bear-grease-
the-musical-tickets-439899931537
For those without online access,
please contact Leah Guliasi at the
Community Action Team, 543-553-
3148. Or email:
leah@wscat.org