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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1998)
OR. COLL. E 78 .06 S66 February !5, 1938 February 15, 1998 - . Community Resources report, Casino update highlight General meeting By Tracy Dugan John Spence, Community Resources Division Manager, gave the program report for Febru ary. Community Resources (formally TFAP) is a fairly new division of the Tribe, and was pari of the Health and Human Services Division. Spence said that this organizational change has worked out better for the clients and staff. He in troduced the employees in Community Resources and described programs and services the division provides. They are: Indian Child Welfare (ICW): The ICW Investi gator is responsible for investigating reports of child abuse, neglect, abandonment, and domestic vio lence involving tribal member families. The Fam ily and Children Services Caseworkers then work with parents, children, foster parents, Tribal Court, and other community service agencies for the goal of family reunification. Family Unity: The Family Case Manager facili tates meetings with family members, counselors, other tribal program staff, and resource persons from outside agencies to help families with reuni fication and attaining self-sufficiency. Foster Care: The Foster Care Program Coor dinator recruits and orients foster home parents, helps prepare physical and psychological reports for the children, provides Parent Skills Training, and provides child placement counseling services to aid in family reunification. General Assistance: The General Assistance Counselor determines initial and ongoing eligibil ity for a minimal living stipend for single adults while assisting them with a Service Plan geared toward training and employment to become self sufficient. The maximum length of assistance is twelve months. Emergency Assistance: The Resource Special ist conducts intakes to examine eligibility for emer gency financial assistance for families after all other local community resources have been exhausted. Financial assistance may be granted for the follow ing services: rent and deposit (once in two years); utilities (once per year); employment related one time assistance for work clothing, work tools, car repairs and insurance, licenses and fees. Benevolence Fund: This new resource is simi lar to Emergency Assistance and is available to tribal members residing outside the Six County Service Area for urgent situations (except for cloth ing and travel related expenditures). This resource is provided no more than once in a twelve-month period and it is not paid directly to individuals. USDA: Assistance with eligibility is provided at intake for this monthly food commodities program. The Tribe is working on establishing a local food bank distribution site in the Grand Ronde area. You can reach the Community Services division by calling 1-800-242-8196 or (503) 879-2034. Adam Henny and Bruce Thomas gave the Ca sino update. Henny said that the Casino grossed $40 million in 1997, and that the expansion will be complete in June of this year. "The expansion will allow for 150-250 more slot machines, more seating in the buffet, and increased capacity in the bingo hall for seating and concerts," said Henny. The expansion will also provide a larger non smoking section in the Casino, and off-tracking betting, poker, and Keno rooms. "We had 700,000 customers in 1997," said Henny. "And the busiest New Year's Eve ever, with over 3,000 visitors. It was the last day of the year, but it was the third busiest overall." The Casino will hold a Marti Gras celebration February 20-21, and tickets will go on sale for country superstar Tracy Lawrence soon. He will perform at the Casino on April 9. Bruce Thomas said that if all goes well with the bid packages, construction for the hotel will begin March 1. It is scheduled to open by Christmas of this year. The hotel will have 100 rooms and will include special guest luxuries like a Jacuzzi, and queen size beds. The retail center in Salem will be completed by August of this year. The center is located at the intersection of Commercial and Fairview roads in south Salem. Dana Leno, Mychal Leno, and Lydia Logan won $50 door prizes each; Norma Billings won $100. Casino Hotel construction will begin soon scheduled to open by Christmas 11 I f s III III rrn r y nr rrn h is-: mm mmmmm SB SB SB F SB 333.' nn -. crx! tx-j- m m H" : JUL i xE A X ?' Hffl 1 Si Siffl 1 11 .linn 1 1 1. 1 ----- "-7-7 yf m 1 inniii - if 1 i'-r n i f n f -mJILmmmvwwM University of Oregon Library Received on: 82-1B-9B jSmoke signals II rr
