ACTION NEWS SRPMIC Recreational Services Starts Swim Team page 10 THE SALT RIVER PIMA-MARICOPA INDIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER www.oodhamnews.org AUGUST 1, 2019 CHANGE SERVICE REQUEST CHANGE SERVICE AZ 85256 Scottsdale, 10005 E. Osborn Road ACTION NEWS O'ODHAM SRPD Opens its Property and Evidence Bureau in Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Permit No. 319 Scottsdale, AZ Scottsdale, PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage PAID (L-R) Commander Jonathan Gann, SRPD Property and Evidence Bureau Manager Dawn Richards, SRPMIC Vice-President Ricardo Leonard, SRPD Chief of Police Karl Auerbach and David Dallas of MayDall Construction participate in the SRPD Property and Evidence Bureau Ribbon Cutting. BY RICHIE CORRALES Council member Wi-bwa Grey was secured to finally get the police officers.” O’odham Action News [email protected] and a welcome from SRPD new facility built. The facility will be the Com- Chief Karl Auerbach and SRP- “Today would not be possible munity’s safe, state-of-the-art Keeping the The Salt River Police Depart- MIC Vice-President Ricardo without contributions, efforts storage facility and will have Community Safe ment opened its new Prop- Leonard. and teamwork,” said Chief Au- storage capacity for years to page 8 erty and Evidence Bureau in a Leonard recalled what the old erbach. “The SRPD Evidence come to ensure the SRPD meets ribbon-cutting ceremony on the police property and evidence Bureau building will provide industry standards and prac- morning of July 12. building was like and how it better service to the Community tices. The event started off with a wasn’t as secure as they would and better working conditions Shortly after the welcome prayer from Salt River Pima- have liked. With the help of the to the property and evidence addresses, a ribbon-cutting Maricopa Indian Community Community manager, funding bureau professionals and SRPD was held and public tours were Continued on page 3 Narcan Training Comes to UNITY’s Advisor of the Year Salt River Firefi ghters the Community Award Assist in National BY TASHA SILVERHORN Wildfi res BY RICHIE CORRALES The training session was O’odham Action News page 9 O’odham Action News [email protected] [email protected] hosted by SRPMIC Health and Human Services and Sonoran In July, the Salt River Pima- Prevention Works. Another ately in the Salt River Maricopa Indian Community’s session was held the following Pima-Maricopa Indian Young River People’s Youth week at the Salt River Commu- LCommunity, a wide range Council (YRPC) attended the nity Building. of Community members have United National Indian Tribal Naloxone is a medication fallen into opioid addiction, Youth (UNITY) conference in that can block the effects of and this has led to more cases Orlando, Florida. This year the opioid medications and prevent of opioid overdose and more YRPC came back with an- an overdose. It’s available in overdose deaths. This has led the other award to add to their list liquid form and as a nasal spray. Community to host numerous of achievements: YRPC advisor Community members became awareness events, programs and Christine Porter was awarded familiar with the Narcan nasal workshops held by Council, the the 2019 JR Cook Advisor of the spray as well as the liquid, both Young River People’s Council Year Award. of which can be administered Lori Piestewa and SRPMIC Health and Human The youth, with the help to a person who is experiencing National Native Services. of SRPMIC President Martin On July 15, a training session opioid overdose to counteract Young River People’s Youth Council’s American Games Harvier, submitted a nomination Advisor, Christine Porter, receives the the effect of the opioid drug. page 12-14 on the use of Narcan (nalox- letter to the UNITY organization UNITY’s Advisor of the Year Award. The event opened with SRP- Submitted photo. one) to treat opioid overdose prior to the national conference. MIC President Martin Harvier working with them.” took place in the Lehi Commu- “I am honored,” said Porter, sharing a prayer and discussing The YRPC is looking forward nity Building. The presentation who has been with the YRPC for the recent tragedies the Com- to another year of projects and was given by Maria Jagles of almost three years. “I’ve been munity has been facing with services for the Community. Sonoran Prevention Works and able to see [YRPC members] overdoses. He thanked Jagles Their focus this last year was focused on the topic of overdose grow into young leaders and for taking the time to visit Lehi on drug abuse awareness. They prevention, recognition and do amazing things and create and Salt River to share this vital are passing that project on to response. She described how programs for the Community. I information with the Community the Helping O’odham Piipaash to recognize an overdose, what helped them along, but they do members. Excel (H.O.P.E.) program to naloxone is, drug abuse trends, [the work]. To be able to help “So far Narcan has saved 12 continue to send out the message Space Camp at the and facts versus myths regarding them along with those processes different drugs. lives here in the Community,” about the dangers of drugs. The WOLF is just an honor for me; I love page 16 Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4 LESSON: super busy households need super fast internet speeds UP YOUR INTERNET SPEED NOW! ENJOY UP TO 100 MBPS, 250 MBPS OR 500 MBPS DOWNLOAD SPEEDS CALL 480-362-7150 TODAY 10190 E McKellips Road Scottsdale, AZ, 85256 480-362-7150 www.saddlebackcomm.com *Service availability and Internet speeds will depend on location. All prices subject to change. Contact us for details. Cornerstone Group © 2019 2 O'odham Action News August 1, 2019 Continued from page 1 SRPD 0pens its Property and Evidence Bureau in Ribbon Cutting Ceremony offered. More than 125 guests viewed the facility. The facility is responsible for receiving, booking and safely storing criminal evidence, found property and property held for safekeeping. The building measures 13,778 square feet and has two main areas: the warehouse/office and evidence processing areas. The site is on 4.5 acres and has a 2-acre vehicle impound unit near the Way of Life Facility. Community members and guests were able to see where the property and evidence staff Following the ribbon cutting, Community members and guests were given tours of the would be working. new facility. SRPD Chief of Police Karl Auerbach invites Large storage areas of where property and evidence will be held was open to the public. Community members and guests were able to walk around the facility before the SRPD the early enrichment program to tour the offi cially moves in and begins working. facility fi rst by giving them police badge stickers. President Harvier Voices Concern on Funding for Roads, Bridges and Buildings in Indian Country BY RICHIE CORRALES structure. He described the location of to help support the widening of Pima O’odham Action News [email protected] the SRPMIC and the surrounding cities, Road. “This will help with cut-through three major freeways and its tremen- traffic and increase safety and expand Tribal infrastructure is key in Indian dous growth, with 400,000 vehicles that opportunities for economic develop- Country, as more than 2,000 miles of come through the Community daily and ment,” said Harvier. road are in need of funding for construc- 200,000 vehicles that use some of the He added that the Community is tion and maintenance, according to the larger roadways (McKellips, McDow- experiencing a lot of cut-through traffic 2019 Tribal Transportation Facility ell and Country Club roads) inside the due to its location between three cities, Inventory. Community. and some individuals find it easier to Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian “This puts a strain on the public’s use Community surface roads rather Community President Martin Harvier safety and public works agencies who than using the freeways that also are testified in the Subcommittee Hearing are responsible for maintaining and within the Community. on Tribal Infrastructure on July 11 in keeping existing roadways safe for President Harvier said SRPMIC’s Washington, D.C. The hearing also in- travel,” said Harvier. “As the Commu- SRPMIC President Martin Harvier speaking about current concern is maintaining its cluded testimony from Red Lake Nation nity continues to experience growth, it current issues on roadways in SRPMIC. Screenshot existing roads and finding funding for taken from live feed on the Natural Resources Committee of Minnesota Chairman Darrell G. Seki must also find ways [to obtain] addi- hearing. continued maintenance. Sr. and LeRoy Gishi, chief of the Divi- tional resources to plan and build new Red Lake Nation Chairman Seki also cut-through traffic increases wear and sion of Transportation for the Bureau of roadways.” spoke about the crumbling of roadways tear on the roads and brings safety Indian Affairs. The Federal Tribal Transportation in his community and how funding was concerns for the residential areas on the His comments addressed the fact that Program is currently underfunded; on not available and they were forced to Community. Indian Country cannot thrive if infra- an annual basis, the SRPMIC receives borrow millions of dollars to rebuild Tribal law enforcement works with structure needs go unmet and construc- $92,000 from the Bureau of Indian Af- roads. Seki asked for assistance in fund- neighboring jurisdictions on safety tion backlogs linger. Currently, roads in fairs for road maintenance and is forced ing for roadways and infrastructure. issues including cut-through traffic, Indian Country are going undermain- to supplement that funding by $1.3 LeRoy Gishi added that infrastructure pedestrian walkways, and safety and tained.