News for December, 1997

Our rainy season is well under way here in the coast range. The rainfall and the gray skies are within the normal range; And while I try not to let things drag me down. The word dreary is the definition of the past month.

This month's tribal meeting was the longest yet, lasting a good four hours. I wish I could say that the full time was spent considering the 1998 budget. But it wasn't. The day prior to the council meeting, there was an informal gathering that put together and then presented a list. The list was pretty much a rehash of complaints from years past. The only current issue presented was a permanent location for the tribal sweat lodge. The christian influence is still dominant and the sweat tradition is looked down on; so I doubt that issue will be addressed at all.

As far as this year's tribal budget is concerned, there were no real surprises. One disappointment was the lack of monies being put into the building and housing fund. The overall building program for tribal facilities is ahead of schedule. The Health and Wellness Center and the Natural Resources building are both complete. And the new Admin building is moving right along with the framing on the west wing. The posts for the second level have been poured and the wait is on for the beams that will support that floor. The disappointment comes from the lack of elder housing and housing for low-income families. That, of course, is a perpetual source of election promises, but to date unfulfilled. Judging from this year's budget, they still won't be kept.

The general season for elk is over. The early returns indicate about a twenty percent success rate for bulls. The cow season is not through, so a complete tally is not available. The rivers are still up and running swift. The cooler weather and less precipitation has the water clear and the fishing has improved. The first steelheads are showing up in both the Salmon River and Three Rivers. They are bright silver with the shimmering reds and greens that are characteristic of the fish. If you really want to test your ability. Grab your fly rod or some ultra-light gear. Then just pick a spot and get set for some great action. Non-natives will need a steelhead card along with a state license.

There are signs of our season here. The first is the christmas tree harvest. This a large part of Oregon's silvan/agriculture, providing a sizable percent of trees to the country. The trees are mostly Douglas fir eight to twelve years old. They are cut and the branches are wrapped then placed in hopper trucks and delivered to a distribution lot. The trees are then loaded into semi-trucks to be sent to a christmas tree lot near you.

The Gray Whale migration south to their calving grounds is another sign of our season. This yearly event reaches it's peak in late December and early January. The count can exceed twenty animals an hour, during some of those days. I hate to call this an event, it somehow implies that it's put on or staged. And sometimes, to hear the stories, one would think so. Like the group that saw a cow and her calf close in along the shore near Depoe Bay. People are drawn from all over this country and Europe to watch these animals swim and cavort, most within easy viewing. If you are looking for more about this, visit the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon.

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