Spilyay Tymoo
Coyote News, est. 1976
Big winner at
Indian Head
A guest collected a very nice
jackpot on a slot machine over the
Labor Day weekend earlier this
month at Indian Head Casino. The
exact payout was $161,413. The
guest was not publicly identified,
though the gaming statement does
say the person resides in nearby
Madras.
The win came on a Dollar
Storm slot machine, made by Aris-
tocrat Gaming. A statement from
Indian Head says, “The Dollar Storm
slot machine has once again lived
up to its reputation as a harbinger
of good fortune, transforming a
leisurely weekend at Indian Head
Casino into a life changing experi-
ence for one fortunate player.
“This win underscores Indian
Head Casino’s commitment to pro-
viding an unforgettable gaming ex-
perience and creating moments
of pure exhilaration for its valued
guests. Indian Head Casino takes
pride in contributing to the local
economy and bringing joy to its visi-
tors.”
Shawn McDaniel, general man-
ager of Indian Head Casino, said
in the statement, “We are overjoyed
to celebrate the success of our
guest and the incredible win over
the Labor Day weekend. This jack-
pot win represents the culmination
of the excitement and entertain-
ment we aim to provide at Indian
Head Casino. We look forward to
continuing to create thrilling mo-
ments for our guests in the future.”
The Confederated Tribes own
Indian Head Casino, operated by
the Warm Springs Casino Enter-
prise. The enterprise also includes
the Plateau Travel Plaza, also fea-
turing gaming. So far this year, In-
dian Head and the Plateau have
paid out a total of just over $6 mil-
lion in jackpot winnings, demon-
strating the casino’s dedication to
offering exciting games, generous
payouts, and memorable experi-
ences to its patrons.
September 20, 2023 - Vol. 48, No. 19
September – Wanaq’i – Fall - Tiyam
ECR WSS
Postal Patron
U.S. Postage
PRSRT STD
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Much needed new HVAC for administration
For some years now the
tribal administration building
has had problems with its
heating, ventilation and air
conditioning system, or
HVAC. The system would
break down during cold win-
ter days and hot summer days,
requiring the building to close
and the employees to take ad-
ministrative leave. This sum-
mer, the building has relied on
large fans, one at each end of
the building: These are loud,
and don’t always provide
enough circulation to avoid
the late afternoon shut-downs
due to the heat.
A solution to the problem
will soon be in operation. This
Friday, September 22 the ad-
ministration building will be
closed so that a brand-new sys-
tem can run through some fi-
nal testing before coming online
shortly thereafter.
The new system includes a
new boiler system, and new chiller,
located to the side of the adminis-
tration building. The contractor is
Alliant Systems, a leading design-
build mechanical contractor in
Oregon and Southwest Washing-
ton.
The new system costs $1.3 mil-
lion, said Chico Holliday, general
manager of tribal Utilities. The
funding comes from the CARES
Act, the 2020 Coronavirus Aid,
Relief and Economic Security Act,
Mr. Holliday said. The deadline
to access the CARES money had
expired at the end of last year,
though the tribes were able to get
an extension, allowing them to se-
cure the funding and complete the
project, he said.
The former system dated back
to the original construction of the
administration building in 1980s.
Over the years, there have been
some repairs and temporary fixes,
though the system was past due
for total replacement.
David McMechan/Spilyay
The new HVAC system will be tested this Friday, September 22.
The new system will be a great
improvement in terms of a more
comfortable workspace. The
tribes will also save on the tem-
porary repairs that in time did
not resolve the problems. The
new HVAC has a control system
that will allow Utilities to off-site
trouble-shoot and correct any
potential issues.
Housing Authority
award to help address
veterans homelessness
At the Pendleton Round-Up, the 2023 Happy Canyon
Princesses Susie Blackwolf Patrick and Láátis Nowland
ride in the Traditional Parade, and later served as
ambassadors for the Happy Canyon Night Show.
Photos courtesy of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
Cowdeo
action
Saturday
The Fifty-Fourth Annual
Jefferson County Cowdeo is com-
ing up this Saturday, September 23
at the fairgrounds rodeo arena.
Events start at 9 a.m. at the fair-
ground.
The Cowdeo is open to youth
ages 5 to 14. Experience is not re-
quired. The events include sheep
riding, calf riding, cow riding, goat
tail decorating, barrels and the
Scurry Race. Also featured are
horseless calf roping, breakaway
roping, the keyhole race, critter
scramble and the stick horse race.
The event is presented by Gary
Gruner Chevrolet and Bright Wood
Corp. Entry to the Cowdeo for
spectators will be $5 at the door. Chil-
dren under 5 are free.
PO Box 489
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Evening at the Pendleton Round-Up Indian Village.
The Warm Springs Housing Au-
thority has received an award to
help address the incidence of tribal
veterans who are experiencing
homlessness. The award from the
U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) is in
the amount of $135,240.
This will be used to provide
rental assistance to approximately
ten Native American veterans of
the tribal community, during the re-
newal period ending September 30
of next year. The award helps al-
low Housing to continue its veter-
ans homeless assistance prorgram.
The Warm Springs Housing Au-
thority is one of 29 organizations
this fall to receive a Veterans Af-
fairs Supportive Housing renewal
award, and the only one in the state
of Oregon.
The Northwest Region, includ-
ing Oregon, Washington, Idaho and
Alaska, received a total of $2.45
million for eight tribal entities. The
total amount of the awards across
Indian Country was close to $8.6
million.
Around the region, with the
Warm Springs Housing Authority,
the entities to receive an award in-
clude the Colville Indian Housing
Authority; the Spokane Indian
Housing Authority; and the
Yakama Nation Housing Author-
ity.
Historically, American Indians
and Alaska Natives have served at
higher rates in the military than
other ethnicities. A United Service
Organization says “Native Ameri-
cans serve in the United States
Armed Forces at five times the
national average.”
At the same time, an Urban In-
stitute report found that Native
Americans experience homeless-
ness at a rate five times the rate of
the overall U.S. population. The
National Council of Urban Indian
Health estimates that there are about
eight Native veterans experiencing
homelessness per 1,000 veterans,
compared to 1.5 white veterans per
1,000 veterans. The Housing Author-
ity veterans homeless program helps
to address this clear inequity.
Submit your artwork for 2023 museum member show
The Tribal Member Art Ex-
hibit—among the most popular
shows of the year—is coming
up his fall at the Museum at
Warm Springs. The museum is
inviting community member art-
ists to submit items for the show
by Friday, September 29. The
Thirtieth Annual member show
then opens on November 1.
Applications are available at
the museum. Two applications
are available: One for youth ages
17 and younger; and one for
adults 18 and older. The appli-
cation must be submitted with
your artwork. Contact the mu-
seum Curator-Exhibits Coordina-
tor Angela A. Smith at 541-553-
3331 ext. 412; or email to:
angela@museumatwarmsprings.
org
The 2022 Judges Choice art show winners: Sorayama by
Travis R. Bobb, Contemporary (left); and Good Medicine
and the Rose by Terry Lynn Stradley.