14
S moke S ignals
MAY 15, 2017
Lacrosse Clinic
St. Michael’s offers brunch
St. Michael’s Catholic Church offers an open house brunch every
Sunday following Mass. The brunch is free to the community. Brunch
begins at about 11:30 a.m. following the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Mass atten-
dance is not required for brunch attendance. For more information,
contact Janelle Justen at 503-550-0923.
Proposal states shared
revenues with Oregon Tribes
SILETZ PROPOSAL
continued from front page
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Nokoa Mercier, left, along with other lacrosse players,
works on throwing and catching against the wall
during the Medicine Game Lacrosse Clinic held in the
Tribal gym on Saturday, May 6. Coaches and players from the Oregon
State Beavers men’s lacrosse team taught the clinic.
Kaikanim Mercier gets help fitting his helmet from Nick Widmer, assistant
coach for the Oregon State Beavers men’s lacrosse team, during the
Medicine Game Lacrosse Clinic held in the Tribal gym on Saturday, May 6.
Behind Mercier adjusting his helmet is Hawk Squetimkin (Colville).
Adult Foster Program
Vancouver, Wash.
The Siletz proposal states they
would build a 140,000-square-foot
casino and hotel near Interstate
5 on a 20-acre parcel that is trust
land.
The Siletz proposal, posted at
www.oregontribes.com, proposes
that revenues would be split with
25 percent going to the state, 25
percent to the Siletz Tribe and 50
percent being divvied up between
the other eight federally recognized
Tribes in Oregon – slightly more
than 6 percent per Tribe if split
evenly.
Martin said the Grand Ronde
Tribe supports a site in the Port-
land metropolitan area for an in-
ter-Tribal casino that could combat
competition from the Cowlitz.
“Salem does not work for us,”
Martin told the Yamhill Valley
News-Register. “It would have a
devastating impact on our facility.
“If we are to do something, we
would have to look at a facility
that would not have an impact on
Oregon’s current Tribal facilities,
but benefit all Oregon Tribes and
the state.”
“We had a meeting with Siletz on
Monday. It was a shock to us to see
that go public on Tuesday,” Chair-
man Reyn Leno said during the
Wednesday, May 3, Tribal Council
meeting. “There was no mention
of it going public Monday with our
meeting with Siletz nor was there
any mention of a website. We like
the idea of an inter-Tribal casino.
We like the idea of more in Portland
where it could be a lot bigger and it
could be a lot better for everybody.
“Obviously, if you build one in
Salem it would probably devastate
Spirit Mountain, which would dev-
astate the benefits and services we
provide to our membership. In some
ways, it makes Grand Ronde look
like once again that we’re picking a
fight with a Tribe. We’re not. That
is our treaty ground. … We will ad-
amantly oppose the casino in Salem
because that would devastate us.”
Leno added that the Grand Ronde
Tribe hosted an Oregon Tribes
meeting at Spirit Mountain Casino
on Monday, May 8, and would put
together a Portland proposal for
them to consider.
“You can’t do it and hurt another
Tribe,” Leno said.
“The inter-Tribal concept really
has to be an inclusive discussion
with other Tribes,” Tribal Council
Vice Chair Cheryle A. Kennedy
said. “That is what we are going
to be moving forward with doing.
We have our staff pulling together
financial information, which they
may be interested in. There are a
lot of barriers that have to be over-
come for it really to happen.”
To follow through, the Siletz
Tribe would need approval from
U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zin-
ke, as well as Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown.
“A Place To Call Home”
Free Playgroup in
Grand Ronde!
*
When: First Thursday of each
month 10:00 am-11:30 am
Where: CTGR – Community
Service Center 9615 Grand Ronde
Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347
Who: Parents and caregivers of
children under 5 years.
Why: Come to play, have a snack
and have fun!
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 Adult Foster
Program Director Peggy Shaver at 503-879-1694.