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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2005)
JUNE 15, 2005 MOCC MAIL A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe www.grandronde.org Gosrge Casmo Idea. Falters With the Interior Department disapproving the Warm Springs proposal, Grand Ronde takes a nuanced position. By Rob Greene, Tribal Attorney On Friday, May 20, the U.S. De partment of Interior disapproved a gaming compact between the State of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Had the Compact been approved, it would have been a big step towards allowing Warm Springs to op erate an off-reservation casino in Cas cade Locks. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde have taken a clear stand: Grand Ronde opposes off-reservation casinos, including a Warm Springs Casino in Cascade Locks. The Tribe has opposed off-reservation gaming since as early as 1996. Oregon's Tribal gaming policy has al ways been one on-reservation casino per Tribe. However, if the playing field changes and off-reservations casinos are allowed, the Tribe will likely re evaluate its position to stay competi tive. Cheryle Kennedy, Grand Ronde Tribal Council Chairwoman stated that "If an off-reservation casino in Cascade Locks is approved, Grand Ronde would be forced to consider building an off-reservation casino to counteract the devastating effect a Cascade Locks casino would have on our economy." "It's not an issue between Grand Ronde and Warm Springs," according to Reyn Leno, Grand Ronde Tribal ; 1 x . t Y ; Reyn Leno Vice Chair Jack Giffen, Jr. Tribal Council Angle Blackwell Tribal Council Leaders In recent weeks, Tribal Council Vice Chair, Reyn Leno and Tribal Council member Jack Giffen, Jr. traveled twice to the nation's capitol, and Tribal Council member Angie Blackwell traveled once with them where they made sure that the Grand Ronde position on an off-reservation Tribal casino in the Gorge was heard both in Congress and at the Department of the Interior. The Tribe, however, support e as pirations of the Warm Springs people. Council Vice-Chairman. "We respect what Warm Springs is trying to do," he added, "That's their responsibility to their membership. We respect that. We just don't think it's good for Oregon Tribes." The question comes up, though, said Leno, why Warm Springs would be al lowed to build off-reservation while the Burns-Paiute Tribe, for example, is limited to a casino in rural Burns, Or egon. This same question applies to all of Oregon's eight other federally recog nized Tribes. Why is Warm Springs alone in receiving the privilege of off reservation gaming? Grand Ronde and others worry that allowing off-reservation gaming will result in a backlash against Indian gaming and set the stage for an expan sion of non-Indian gaming. On April 6, Warm Springs and the State signed a compact allowing a ca sino on off-reservation land in Cascade Locks. The compact required approval from the Department of Interior. On May 20, the Interior disapproved the See CASINO on page 3 rT Country Superstar SingerActor DwightYoakam performed at Spirit Mountain Casino on Thursday, May 26.Yoakam got his big break in 1 986 with his debut "Guitars, Cadillacs" which scored double-platinum status. In 2000,Yoakam was honored with"Country Artist of the Year" from online retailerAmazon.com. Yoakam is scheduled to perform 36 shows this year at venues across the United States. lift! Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon 961 5 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347 PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM, OR PERMIT NO. 178 OR NEWSPAPER PROJ. (JO LIBRARY' SYSTEM PRE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON EUGENE OR 97403-1205 Tribal Members Receive Gates Millennium Scholarships Grand Rondes win two of only five scholarships awarded to Northwest Native American high school students. By Angie Sears Most teenagers come out of high school uncer tain of what lies ahead for them. Many enter college as an "unde clared" major. But that's not the case for Tribal members Amanda Thomas, 17, and Ashlee Merrill, 18. These two girls know just what they want to do with their lives and they each have a plan for exactly how they're going to do it. Both girls are recipi ents of the 2005 Gates Millennium Scholarship. They will be attending Oregon State University in the fall, and they will both be pursuing an education and career in Health Care. The Gates Millennium Scholar ship is a diversity scholarship that is meant to promote academic ex cellence among students of Afri can American, American Indian Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Is- h fckiroV Tribal Member Amanda Thomas lander American and Hispanic American descent. The scholar ship will provide these students See SCHOLARSHIPS on page 9
