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February 24, 2010 edition
Voting procedure ensures fair and honest election By the Tribal Elections and Counting Boards The Election and Counting Boards report to the polls prior to 8 a.m. to set up tables with all election material—ballots, sign-in binders, ballot boxes, pencils. These are provided by the Vital Statistics Department staff. Tables are set up for the voters with pencils and copies of the Spilyay with photos and statements of all nominees. The counting room is located away from the voting area where tally sheets are ready with the names of nominees listed for each district. Each District has their own tally sheet. There are four counters: Three will be the talliers, or ones who mark the votes on the tally sheets, and one who calls out the names from the ballot. All three districts are counted by all three counters. Callers can be rotated among the group if they so choose. The counters begin counting the absentee ballots that have been received prior to election day. Ballots are separated into the three districts, each a different color, then counted one district at a time. The counters have no knowledge of who voted on these ballots. When the counters are finished with the absentee ballots, a box with the local ballots is delivered for counting. This procedure continues throughout the day until all ballots are counted. The registration table is located near the door to assist voters to sign in and they are given a ballot to the district they are registered in. One or two members are called "runners." They deliver and return sealed ballots to the hospitals in Bend, Redmond and Madras if there are tribal members as patients, to the jails in Madras and Warm Springs, home-bound elders, voters with disabilities, or those who don’t have transportation to the voting polls. Areas covered are from Simnasho to Seekseequa to Miller Flat/Sidwalter. The judge oversees the registration and the counting areas to answer any questions or concerns. Locally, after voters mark their ballots, they are folded and placed in the slot of the ballot box which is located next to or on the registration table. After the polls are closed at 8 p.m. and the counters are finished counting the ballots, results are listed on forms provided for each district, and counters and the judge sign the result forms. All material are locked inside the ballot boxes and delivered to the superintendent. The next morning, the Election Board Judge and a staff from Vital Stats presents the results to Tribal Council for certification. The results are then posted in public areas of the community. It is guaranteed that the election board performs their job in an honest, confidential and fair manner. In Warm Springs, everyone is related in one way or another and the election board members respect everyone’s decisions and privacy. Results are never disclosed by the election board members until they are certified by the Tribal Council the next morning. At every referendum, we receive ballots that have to be eliminated or voided due to it being marred in some way, including: Voting for too many candidates, changing a vote by marking it out, writings or comments on the ballot, illegible markings, to name a few. If you accidentally make a mistake, take the ballot back to the registration desk and trade for another. That way your vote will count. If you want to make a comment, do it on a separate piece of paper and not on the ballot. Another concern is of a fictitious character listed as a write-in candidate. A policy definitely is required for this disrespectful motive. For the Tribal Council referendum, tentatively set for March 31, the polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., including the noon hour. If anyone needs to have a ballot delivered to them or anyone, please call the Vital Statistics Department at 541-553-3252 and they will be placed on the list. If anyone has relatives that live off the reservation, please confirm with them that they have received their ballot. For questions, concerns or more information, call the Vital Stats office.
Native artist, athlete shine at OlympicsBy Duran BobbSpilyay TymooIn 1894, Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee to breathe life back into the games that were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8 Fast Forward. The designer for the 2010 Winter Olympics medal is Corrine Hunt, an artist based in Vancouver, B.C. Hunt is of Komoyue and Tlingit descent. The Komoyues are the tribe that occupies the northeastern end of Vancouver Island. Each athlete who wins a medal will also receive a scarf that will show them how their one-of-a-kind prize fits into the larger artwork depicting an orca whale. Hunt says that she chose the orca for the master design because the creatures live within a community. "I felt the Olympic games are a community too," Hunt said. "The orca is a creature that has wonderful capabilities but can’t really survive without its pod." People who don’t like the design for the medals absolutely hate it. Complaints range from "they’re too heavy" to "they look like potato chips." But the people who like them absolutely love them. "I think they’re actually quite beautiful," one admirer commented online. "From straight on, they’re round and traditional. I don’t have a problem that they’re wavy when viewed from edge. The fact that the artwork and shape has Aboriginal heritage is inspiring." Forty-eight medal designs were submitted by artists for consideration. Six-hundred and fifteen medals were produced. Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, 21, hoped to get her hands on one of those medals, whether people thought they were ugly or not. She’s the first Native Alaskan to make the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Olympic Team. "When you come from where I come from," Chythlook-Sifsof says, "the Olympics are just something you see on TV. It’s never really real. I’m really proud to show people that this isn’t just something that you see on TV. That real people can do this. It’s for everybody." Ice and poor visibility made the track at Cypress Mountain treacherous last week. Chythlook-Sifsof was sent crashing during her first qualifying run, as were many athletes. Although she brought home no medal this year, this athlete has won a much deeper prize. Chythlook-Sifsof has become a heroine to Indians everywhere. "I want to be an inspiration to other kids in my culture," she said. "and I want to show my culture to the world." You go, girl! Chythlook-Sifsof’s webpage is www.callanx.com. th century BC to the 5th century AD. Winter games were added later on for ice and snow sports.Feb. 10, 2010 editionOregon tribes should be united, not divided By Jefferson Greene Native tribes are a living legacy of the most spiritual, cultural, and traditional people to have ever inhabited what is now known as the Pacific Northwest. Hundreds of thousands of Indigenous people built their livelihood on these very Northwest lands, maintaining networks of commerce, wisdom and spirituality since time immemorial. The treaty days of the 1800’s set out to remove the Indigenous people from their usual and accustomed lands for the better migration of Europeans, devastating our nations and networks. The Indigenous people were forced to cede tens of millions of acres to the United States and moved to nine reservations throughout Oregon. In having to move to less familiar lands, the people encountered many frustrations and personal battles throughout the reservations. These battles and frustrations were mostly with the U.S. government, but the nations continued to survive and adapt. Now, over 100 years later, the expansive and diverse backgrounds of Indigenous individuals are spread across the state of Oregon, creating new and modern communities of culture, friendship and kinship. But what we can also observe in Oregon, is tribal governments utilizing their sovereignty in such a way that it separates Indigenous nations over more modern issues such as commerce, development, and financial gains. The development initiatives of some Indigenous nations have separated our once strong networks of friendship and sharing that should instead be united for a better overall presentation and view of Oregon tribes. This new event called the Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations in the Willamette Valley is a presentation of our separation. The event was held last year in an effort to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the state of Oregon, yet now appears to be an annual event for the tribes on the western side. We are not quite certain as to why the separation, but we can be certain that it is unhealthy and unnecessary. It is in my opinion that a Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations should be a presentation of our togetherness, not our separation. It is in my opinion that when an entire state bares witness to the separation in our once-strong Indigenous networks that we further become vulnerable to the future. We are constantly publicizing that our indigenous people have survived and are culturally and traditionally wealthy in modern times. Yet, the modern day competition over financial gain puts an end to it all and we begin to imitate the acts of a race that once dominated and devastated our nations. I hope that in the future, we can come back together as the Oregon tribes we once were, standing culturally, traditionally, spiritually, and humbly together. I hope that in the future, our Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations is truly a Gathering of First Nations and not a gathering of western or eastern tribes. Togetherness is strength and tradition our future generations can follow, while separation shows a weakness and cowardliness our future generations may be left with.
The Adam Walsh Act By John Bruhoe Registration Administrator The Adam Walsh Child Protective and Safety Act became law in 2006. Title 1 of the Adam Walsh Act is the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). SORNA requires tribes to implement the minimum standards of sex offender registration set forth in SORNA, or allow the respective state government to enter tribal lands in order to enforce the act. Tribes were given until July 26, 2007 to pass a resolution to either "opt in" or defer. In an effort to protect tribal sovereignty, and promote public safety on tribal lands, the Warm Springs Tribal Council signed Resolution No. 10,774 on June 18, 2007, electing to exercise jurisdiction under the Adam Walsh Act. The purpose of sex offender registration on the Warm Springs tribal lands is to increase community safety and deter recidivism by the offender. Public awareness of sex offenders living, working, or going to school on the Warm Springs tribal lands is an important tool to protect children and adults living on the tribal lands against further abuse by sex offenders. Pursuant to SORNA, information regarding registered sex offenders residing, working, or going to school on the Warm Springs tribal lands will be available to the public on the Internet via the tribes’ sex offender registry website. Sex offender registrations and periodic appearances will take place in the sex offender registration office, which is located upstairs at the Court House, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Individuals subject to registration under the tribes’ sex offender registration program are not limited to individuals who have been convicted or sentenced by the Warm Springs Tribal Court, nor to tribal members or Indians in general. Rather, any person who resides, is employed, or attends school within the exterior boundaries of the Warm Springs Reservation or on property owned by the tribe in fee or trust regardless of location that has been convicted of a qualifying sex offense must register with the tribe. Individuals who have been convicted and sentenced by the Tribal Court for a qualifying sex offence must also register with the Tribe. When sentencing a defendant for a violation of the Warm Springs Tribal Code, the Tribal Court will make a finding as to whether the defendant must register as a sex offender. Specific information about the tribes’ new sex offender registration program can be found in the tribes’ Sex Offender Registration and Notification ordinance, which will be codified as Chapter 380 of the Warm Springs Tribal Code. The tribes’ sex offender registration office is also available to answer any questions about the tribes’ sex offender registration program. (Editor’s note: Tribal Member John Brunoe has been hired as the Registration Administrator and Tribal Member Roxanne Johnson-Bisland was hired to assist in the efforts of implementing the Adam Walsh Project. The Sex Offender Registration Office can be reached at 541-553-2214 Monday – Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or you can email John at john.brunoe@wstribes.org with any questions, comments or concerns.
Have a happy Valentine's Day By Duran Bobb Spilyay Tymoo One story about Valentine's Day goes something like this: St. Valentine was a Roman who was punished when he would not give up his Christianity. On February 14, 269 A.D., he died and left a note for the daughter of his jailer, whom he had befriended. The note began, "From Your Valentine." In our Indian language, there are no words for "Happy St. Valentine’s Day," said Dallas Winishut, Sahaptin Ichishkiin language teacher. "Instead, we use "Atawishamash Tmnakni." In shiapu, that means "I love you from the heart." On the rez, love is strong and alive––whatever language you use. Carol Sahme helped to coordinate the recent Warm Springs Recreation Sweetheart Sale. The 17 slots for local vendors went quickly, she said. "We wanted to give local artists a chance to provide unique gifts for Valentine’s Day," Sahme said. "These are items that you can’t buy at any store, items unique to our local community. This was a perfect way for people to keep it local, on the reservation." Vendors were well-known artists, such as Brigette Whipple, Eliza Brown-Jim. Lovey Colwash served up food from the kitchen. St. Valentine’s Day is full of history. Aretha Franklin recorded "Respect" on this day of love. Oregon was admitted as the 33 Locally, Lincoln’s Pow-Wow will be taking place. This year, the event is in memory of the reservation’s own atwai sweethearts, story in this issue. rd state on this day. And it was the day of Al Capone’s infamous Valentine’s Massacre in Chicago. January 27, 2010 edition
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Attention Tribal Council candidates The Spilyay Tymoo and KWSO would like your candidacy statements. The deadline for the Spilyay to process the materials for use in the March 24 edition is Wednesday, March 17. KWSO will begin running the statements in early March, first-come, first-served, until the election. Please stop by the media center to drop off your written information for the newspaper and to record a 3-minute statement for the radio. We'll also try to photograph candidates for the Spilyay during this time. We hope to offer Tribal Voters a comprehensive look at all candidates from all districts. Census beginning Monday The 2010 U.S. Census takers will be working throughout the Warm Springs community beginning Monday, March 1 through April 30. The Census takers will be placing the 2010 Census questionnaire at your door. Please complete the questionnaire and mail back in the self-addressed envelope. Having an accurate Census count of the reservation population is important in order for the tribes to receive their fair share of funding. People interested in working for the Census can take the employment test through March. Go to the Family Resource Center at 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. The allocation of funding for many programs depends on the population count for the community. If you need help completing the questionnaire, contact: Urbana Ross, 2010 US Census Tribal Liaison, 541-553-3271. Or call the Census help line at 1-866-872-6868. AARP giving tax help in Warm Springs The American Association of Retired People is offering free tax help to taxpayers with low to moderate income with special attention to those 60 and older. The service is offered from 1 to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays at the Warm Springs Family Resource Center, 1144 Warm Springs St. The service is also offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Madras Senior Center, 860 Madison St. Visit warmspringsprogress.net to make an appointment; or call 541-553-3148, ext. 302 and leave a message with your name, phone number and preferred date and time. Please bring the following when your come: Current year’s tax forms and preparation booklet; copy of last year’s income tax return(s); W-2 forms from each employer; unemployment compensation statements; SSA-1099 form if you were paid Social Security benefits; all 1099 forms (1099 INT, 1099 DIV; 1099-B, etc.), showing interest and/or dividends and documentation showing original purchase price of sold assets. Styrofoam floats to be replaced Tribal representatives secured a pledge from the Oregon State Police that state police would not seek enforcement actions on tribal fishers using unencapsulated styrofoam floats until the fall fishing season was over. That time has come: Oregon State Police are currently removing styrofoam floats from the Columbia and will take enforcement actions against tribal fishers placing new styrofoam floats back into the river. The tribes urge fishers to replace styrofoam block fishing floats before the 2010 fishing season begins. Unencapsulated Styrofoam floats break down and harm fish and the river. Alternatives such as styrofoam that has been sealed inside heavy vinyl, closed-cell foam floats, or other non-styrofoam floats are easier on the environment. Non-styrofoam floats are available at commercial fishing supply dealers at prices starting about $8 per float. Immunization is strongly encouraged Native Americans in Oregon haven’t been hit as hard by the flu as indigenous people in other states, according to the Oregon Department of Human Services. Healthcare workers from Warm Springs have been among those who have helped keep the virus at bay. A study of 12 states, including Oregon, showed Native Americans died from flu at a much higher rate than the general population during the 2009 H1N1 season. Only one Native American has died from pandemic H1N1 flu in Oregon since Sept. 1, 2009: a woman who had multiple underlying health problems. Richard Leman, M.D., epidemiologist for Oregon Public Health, credits tribes and local health departments for their work to make vaccine available to Oregon’s native populations. On the Warm Springs Reservation, for example, tribal health staff went to the homes of people at increased risk of severe complications from flu to encourage them to get vaccinated. Through this "Knock and Talk" program, they helped many people protect themselves from the infection. The immunization is encouraged prior to the third wave of the disease, which will likely occur some time this winter. Flu shots are being given in Pod A at the clinic on Mondays and Fridays from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., and Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. Patients older than 6 months can also be vaccinated in the Medical Clinic, and adults older than 18 can also get flu vaccines from the Pharmacy on a walk-in basis. Protect yourself and your loved ones from this virus that has infected 47 million Americans. Call the clinic for details, 553-1196. Council OKs regulations for non-member fishing on the reservation The Warm Springs Tribal Council has approved proposed regulations for outsider fishing around the reservation. The season begins March 1 but actually starts in most areas in late April. Season fishing permits cost $32 and allow a person, or husband and wife with children younger than age 14, to fish in most locations except for Area 2, where all people fishing need a license. The family also can camp in designated sections of Areas 1 and 2 during their stays. Daily permits cost $10 per person, or husband and wife with children younger than age 14 to use Areas 1, 3 and 4. Again, all those fishing need a permit in Area 2. The family also can camp in designated sections of Areas 1 and 2. Similar rules apply for the two-day and three-day permits that cost $16 and $21, respectively. Campers pay $15 to use the Indian Park Campground at Lake Simtustus. Some general tips: Pay attention to signs. Properly dispose of trash. Don’t damage or obstruct any waterways. Stay away from spawning areas, which are designated and marked. ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles can’t be used in tribal areas. Maps will be made public to help people better recognize the areas so visitors don’t trespass in neighboring private sites. Below are some other basic things that users need to abide by in each area. In Area 1 Outsiders need to stay away from the huckleberries. The fruit is off-limits to people not in the tribes. Woodcutting also isn’t allowed. Keep dogs on leashes and keep horses at home. No motor-propelled watercraft, or riding ATVs, motorbikes and snowmobiles in the areas. Bag limit: 15 trout. In Area 2 Camping, fishing and landing on all reservation islands is prohibited. Launching boats, rafts or other floating devices from reservation land prohibited on Deschutes River. Don’t park vehicles at Dry Creek Campground overnight. No riding ATVs or motorbikes. No campfires at Dry Creek Campground. No woodcutting or gathering. Bag limit: two trout; two steelhead. See regulation for other specific rules. In Area 3 Boats, wave runners, wet jets are among watercraft prohibited from landing on the reservation side of the Lake Simtustus except at Indian Park. No trespassing off campgrounds, stay in designated camp areas. No ATVs and motorbikes. Keep firearms at home. Dogs must be leashed. No wood cutting or gathering. Bag limit: There are limits on size and number of trout, bull trout and bass. Kokanee are considered part of the trout bag limit. Leave crayfish alone because only tribal members are allowed to harvest them. In Area 4 No fires allowed. Houseboats and recreational boats prohibited from anchoring, mooring and landing along the north side of Lake Billy Chinook. And Chinook Island only allows boats to anchor, moor or land from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bag limit: There are limits on size and number of trout, bull trout, and bass. Kokanee are considered part of the trout bag limit. Leave crayfish alone because only tribal members are allowed to harvest them. Go to www.tribalpermit.com to purchase a license for Areas 1-4 or obtain details about what is and isn’t allowed as the season draws closer. The tribes’ Department of Natural Resources and various outside agents also sell licenses. Inquire by dialing 541-553-2001. To see the complete calendar, click on the "Events" selection listed in the menu on the left side of this Web page. |