News Stories Jun. 13, 2018

Democrats from Oregon’s congressional delegation are turning up the heat on federal officials responsible for Chemawa Indian School, OPB reports. Lawmakers sent letters to three federal agencies last week demanding answers about management of the Native American boarding school in Salem. The first letter sought answers to unresolved questions over school management from the Bureau of Indian Education. Two others posed questions about school funding and student healthcare from the Department of Education and Indian Health Services. U.S. Reps. Kurt Schrader, Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio signed the letters along with U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden. Lawmakers asked Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos why her agency continues to withhold funds from the Bureau of Indian Education. The withheld Title I funds are designed to help schools with low-income students.

Pacific lamprey are returning to Oregon’s Umatilla River in record numbers. From the late 1960s through the early 2000’s lamprey were functionally extinct in the Umatilla Basin, and less than five years ago, only a few-hundred Pacific lamprey returned to the Umatilla River each year.   However, through efforts such as adult translocation, scientists with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation have counted more the 2600 of the ancient fish migrating up the eastern Oregon river to spawn this spring. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla have worked for nearly 25 years to increase lamprey numbers. The Bonneville Power Administration has funded most of the tribe’s lamprey projects since the early 1990’s, with much of the money going toward lamprey research and improving instream passage.

Here are some recent resolutions Tribal Council has passed. In its May 7th meeting, members present included: Chiefs Heath, Moses, and Smith., Chairman Austin Greene., Vice Chairman Charles Jody Calica, Raymond Tsumpti, Carina Miller, Lee Tom and Brigette McConville. A motion appointing the Chairman to the ad hoc to engage with Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife was carried. The Council passed several voting delegate appointment resolutions: appointing Chairman Greene as voting delegate and Brigette McConville as alternate to the National Congress of American Indians. Chairman Greene was appointed as voting delegate and Chief Moses as alternate to the National Indian Gaming Association. Vice Chairman Jody Calica was appointed as voting delegate, Chief Delvis as first alternate and Orvie Danzuka second alternate for the Intertribal Timber Council. Lee Tom was appointed as voting delegate, Brigette McConville as alternate, to the Intertribal Agriculture Council. Chairman Greene will be the voting delegate, Chief Moses alternate, to the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians.

This weekend is the Chiefs for Recovery Youth Clinic and Rodeo at the Warm Springs Rodeo Grounds. They rodeo clinic is on Saturday at 9am. The Jackpot Rodeo is Sunday. Each kids event has an added $75 to the purse. And, they will have a special event added by Dry Creek Boys – a 2+1 wild horse race, winners take all. Talk to Aldo Garcia for more information.

The Warm Springs Housing Authority is providing an opportunity to qualified households to pay the enrollment fees for youth to attend the summer program at the Warm Springs Boys and Girls Club. Interested families need to complete an application at the Housing office – it is open Monday thru Friday from 8 to 5:00. You must qualify as low income to be eligible.