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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1996)
Page 4 March 15, 1996 - SMOKE SIGNALS Security precautions can prevent thefts Tom O'Brien, one of the Polk County Deputies on patrol in Grand Rondc, reported to the Tribal Council last month that there has been an increase in burglaries and thefts in the Grand Rondc area. Because Grand Ronde is a small commu nity, it mi'y not occur to some residents to secure their homes and vehicles the way people who live in bigger cities would. To avoid thefts and breaks-ins, Deputy O'Brien recommends doing the following: Always lock all doers and windows of your office, home, and vehicle when leav ing. Keep your house locked up even when you're there. Get to know and communicate with your neighbors. You and your neighbors can keep an eye on each other's homes without establishing a formal Neighborhood Watch chapter. Be aware of people you don't know driv ingwalking by your house frequently. Take note of what they look like. If your car breaks down at night or in an isolated area, wait for someone to stop to help. If someone approaches your car, roll the window down an inch or two and ask him or her to call for help. Never accept a ride from someone you don't know, and never allow a stranger to get into your car with you. Talk to your children about keeping the house locked and "stranger danger." Report all known criminal incidents or offenses to Deputy Tom O'Brien or Deputy Jeff vanLaanen at the Sheriffs Substation in Grand Ronde: 879-2420. Other precautions you can take to secure your home are: Installing outside lights around your home such as porch lights and motion de tectors; Installing locks on your fences or drive way gates; Listening to the noises around your home at night, and listening to your pets when they detect noise outside. Deputy O'Brien also said that in the near future, reserve officers will be monitoring the highway during the late nightearly morning hours for traffic violations. Remember: Grand Ronde is a small and friendly community, but the traffic on the highway has been increasingly busy with J4 ' i i f mm ! imm mi III imiiMimii Deputy Tom O'Brien tourists and vacationers who may stop in Grand Ronde for any number of reasons Don't leave your personal items unattended in public places. Using these prevention techniques can deter a thief from trying to steal your property. Governor, Council attend Town Hall meeting Thomas appointed to Gaming Task Force Bruce Thomas, President of Spirit Moun tain Development Corp., has been appointed" to the Governor's Gaming Task Force. Thomas said that this task force is the result of the requests the governor receives to expand gaming within the state, and the perception that Indian gaming is cutting into the state's lottery revenues. "The task force will discuss and evaluate issues related to gaming such as its effect on crime, addictions, and what changes need to be made regarding gaming in Or egon," Thomas said. Recently, Oregon Lottery officials an nounced that the state's revenue will be about $70 million less than they had pro jected for this year, and that this was the result of all the casinos Oregon tribes are building. Thomas believes this statement is misleading. "In a recent survey conducted by profes sional consultants who polled casino pa trons, 86 percent said that their visits to ca sinos had no impact on how much they spent on the state lottery," he said. Thomas said that even though the state of Oregon lottery revenues arc lower than anticipated, the state is still making a huge profit on its lottery tickets and video poker machines, and that revenue for the state has increased by $100 million over the last year. Thomas said he hopes to contribute to the task force and help address some of the so cial implications associated with gaming. There will also be several task force sub committees which will meet weekly. The Chairman of the Grand Ronde Gaming Commission, Bob Watson, will serve on a subcommittee. By Tracy Dugan Oregon Governor John Kitzhabcr at tended a town hall meeting in Wil lamina on Feb. 26. He was invited by Willamina mayor Twila Hill. Also seated at the head table was Rep. Terry Thompson, (DNewport) who an swered some questions about education and other issues. Several members of Tribal Council were at the meeting, which was held in the ban quet room of Coyote Joe's restaurant. Concerns raised by community leaders and residents included funding for schools and educational programs, recreational fa cilities for children, funding for a new bridge andor additional access into town, and the possibility of increased taxes. More than sixty people attended the meet ing, including John Hampton, former C.E.O. of Willamina Lumber, who com mended the Tribe on its management of the reservation timber. Tribal Chairman Mark Mercier said that Council attended the meeting in effort to make the Governor and the community aware of the future plans and growth of the Tribe. "We are letting the Governor and others in the community know that the Tribe in tends to pursue about 7,000 acres of origi nal Reservation Plan lands," he said. Chairman Mercier said that because of a political compromise in 1988, original tribal lands were omitted from the Grand Ronde reservation. The 7,600 acres, compiled of different parcels near the Grand Ronde reservation, is currently BLM (Bureau of Land Manage ment) property. Said Chairman Mercier, "The Tribe will negotiate with local officials and officials in Washington D.C. for this property. It is an opportunity to obtain more lands for the long-term stability of the Tribe." I 1 f J Governor Kitzhaber, center, addresses the concerns of community members at a Willamina town hall meeting.
