10
JANUARY 15, 2012
Smoke Signals
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Cascade Crossimg
Oral History Project
Grand Ronde's Site Protection Program, in the Cultural Re
sources Department, is seeking Tribal members who have:
1. Hunted
2. Fished
3. Gathered
4. Participated in other traditional practices within the vicinity of:
D Detroit, OR
D Breitenbush Hot Springs
B Olallie Lake
D Molalla Table Rock
n Silver Falls
B Santiam State Forest
We are seeking information on our people's connection to the
land in these areas both past and present. Information collected
will be used by the Tribe in confidential consultation with state
and federal agencies regarding proposed and future development
in these areas.
If you have information or know someone who does about our
people's traditional use of the areas stated above, past or present,
please contact the Tribe's Cultural Protection Specialist David
Harrelson at 503-879-2320 or by e-mail at david.harrelson
grandronde.org. B
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Powwow dance class set
The Tribe's Cultural Resources Department is offering a powwow dance
class from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Adult Education Build
ing. This is a family dance class for all ages that teaches all powwow dance
styles.
For more information, contact Cultural Education Specialist Brian Kre
hbiel at brian.krehbielgrandronde.org or 503-879-4639. B
Adult Foster Prograi
"A Place To Call H
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99
The Tribe's Adult Foster Care lodges are committed to offering quality
care to our Elders and helping them remain as independent as possible,
while providing the personalized assistance they need. At our lodges, a
wide range of services is available in a comfortable setting where privacy
is respected and maximum independence is supported. For information,
contact the Adult Foster Program director at 503-879-1694. B
Free online learning source
The information includes:
Everyday life
Math and money
Computer training
Online classes
Work and career information
Check it out at www.gcflearnfree.org
'lift was abQoj& Mir cedledl IhoinniellairDdls'
SITE continued
from front page
in the decision not to renew it for
a third time.
Daughtry said "confidential"
talks are continuing between the
Port of Cascade Locks and Warm
Springs Tribe and that the port has
received interest from other enti
ties about leasing or buying the 60
acres. He characterized the interest
as "speculative."
Daughtry said that by not hav
ing the option agreement in place,
it gives the port more flexibility
because extending the agreement
would have tied up the 60 acres for
an unknown period of time.
The Warm Springs Tribe pro
posed to build Oregon's first off-reservation
casino in Cascade Locks
about a decade ago. The proposal
sought to build a 603,000-square-foot
riverfront resort and casino
on the 60 acres. The Warm Springs
Tribe asked the Department of In
terior to take 25 acres into trust to
accommodate the development.
At the time, the proposal received
the support of then-Gov. Ted Ku
longoski's administration.
However, during five meetings
held in March 2008, environmental
concerns and historical and policy
reasons expressed by other Oregon
Tribes, including the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde, were voiced
at five hearings held by the Depart
ment of Interior.
In addition, with the November
2010 gubernatorial election of John
Kitzhaber, who has long opposed
locating a casino in the scenic Co
lumbia River Gorge, state support
for the project vanished.
Tribal member Justin Martin,
who works as the Grand Ronde
Tribe's lobbyist, said the lapsing of
the agreement between the Port of
Cascade Locks and Warms Springs
Tribe is "good news."
"It means that off-reservation
gaming in Oregon is off the table,"
Martin said. "We understand the
need for the Port of Cascade Locks
to look at all their economic devel
opment options."
Port Chairman Jess Groves said
in the Hood River News that he
and fellow port commission mem
bers feel the priority needs to shift
toward allowing the port to market
all of its available land toward get
ting jobs into Cascade Locks sooner
than later.
Martin said he was pleased that
the Warm Springs Tribe has moved
on to other options besides an off
reservation casino in Cascade Locks.
The eastern Oregon Tribe moved its
gaming facility to reservation land
adjoining Highway 26, making it
more accessible to travelers.
"It's been extremely frustrating
trying to get a decision out of the
federal government," Daughtry
said. "The state and federal ap
provals needed to line up and with
the current governor not receptive
to the proposal . . . with that reality
the port needs to be looking at other
potential interest."
Tribal Council member Steve Bobb
Sr. announced at the Jan. 8 General
Council meeting in Grand Ronde
that the Port of Cascade Locks let
the agreement lapse. He cited Tribal
Council opposition to the proposal in
2008 as one of the reasons why the
project never occurred.
Grand Ronde Tribal Council
members attended all of the hear
ings, which were held in Portland,
Warm Springs, Cascade Locks,
Hood River and Stevenson, Wash.,
and expressed their concerns about
altering Oregon's one casino per
Tribe on reservation land policy.
Tribal Council members also
expressed concerns about other Or
egon Tribes staking claim to Grand
Ronde's ceded homelands.
"For me, it was about our ceded
homelands," said Tribal Council
member Kathleen Tom at the Jan.
8 General Council meeting. "I am
not in favor of more encroachment
into our ceded lands. We have
treaties that say Cascade Locks is
part of our ceded homelands. It is
a great honor that we were finally
listened to."
"It's been a long road," said Tribal
Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy.
"I am inspired that a decision has
been reached by the Port of Cascade
Locks. My goal from the start was
to preserve Grand Ronde's ceded
lands from diminishment.
"The people of Grand Ronde have
suffered many injustices, more so
than other Tribes that did not expe
rience Termination. As chairwoman
of the Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde, I led the effort to maintain
and preserve the land base negoti
ated through our treaties.
"While some boiled this resis
tance down to being between two
Tribes fighting over a gaming mar
ket, that was not my motivation. I
have grandfathers who signed our
treaties and I resisted our ceded
lands base being built on by an
other Tribe.
"A statement has been made that
the Grand Ronde Tribe is deter
mined to defend what is rightfully
ours. And I want to congratulate
the Warm Springs Tribe on the
opening of their new casino. I wish
them great success."
Kennedy said she also wanted to
thank Tribal staff and fellow Tribal
Council members for their work in
opposing the Cascade Locks casino
proposal. B