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Joe McDonald recognized at ATNI Conference
By Rob McDonald
Former SKC President Joe McDonald wears a gift blanket as he stands next to Harvey Moses, Jr. Vice President of the Colville Tribe (Rob McDonald photo)
Former SKC President Joe McDonald wears a gift blanket as he stands next to Harvey Moses, Jr. Vice President of the Colville Tribe (Rob McDonald photo)
SPOKANE, Wash. — Joe McDonald flashed his bright smile Monday afternoon at a luncheon as he was honored before hundreds of representatives attending the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians conference.
When Chairman E.T. "Bud" Moran called CSKT's leading educator to the stage, it took a moment to pull the man from the crowd at the Pend d'Oreille Room at the Northern Quest Casino. Once McDonald came to the stage, the honoring began.
The Tribal Council of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes honored his achievements with speeches, video tributes, a Pendleton blanket and an honor song. The ATNI Board also gave McDonald a blanket and a painting done by renowned artist George Flett.
During the honoring, Chairman Moran shared some of the lessons he'd picked up from the man he called a mentor.
"Be willing to risk," Moran said.
McDonald's risks paid off in creating Salish Kootenai College, which has become arguably the leading Indian College in the country.
Other lessons include: Remember whom you serve. Start with a prayer. Take time for the family. Always try to have a little fun.
"Joe took a lot of ribbing for the golf course he built," Moran said. "But we have a beautiful golf course there at the college."
Moran went though the highlights of Joe McDonald's coaching career, his ability to make his family his top priority, all while building a college that started from virtually nothing but a dream.
It would take all night to list all of his achievements, Moran said.
"He is a role model for the countless lives he touched," said the Chairman.
Councilmen Steve Lozar, Jim Malatare, Terry Pitts, Reuben Mathias, Mike Kenmille and Charlie Morigeau applauded McDonald.
Councilman Mathias added an example of the far reach of the educaator.
Tribal Council Chairman Ernest "Bud" Moran and councilmen Charlie Morigeau, Terry Pitts, Jim Malatare and Reuben Mathias were on hand to see McDonald recognized. (Rob McDonald, photo)
Tribal Council Chairman Ernest "Bud" Moran and councilmen Charlie Morigeau, Terry Pitts, Jim Malatare and Reuben Mathias were on hand to see McDonald recognized. (Rob McDonald, photo)
Years ago, long before he even considered a career or running for Council, Mathias said he was near Pablo and hitchhiking with his sister. That's when they saw Joe McDonald pass by and gesture to them to come over. They looked at each other and wondered what he wanted.
"You guys want to go to college," he said.
"I guess," Mathias remembers saying and recalled how Joe McDonald insisted he was serious. Then Mathias said, "The only way I could go is if I had a job too."
The educator excused himself and said he'd be right back. When he came back, he said he had two jobs on campus, one job in the library.
"I looked at my sister," Mathias said. "I said I'm taking the library job."
Now when Mathias looks back over his career and his time on Council, he knows where it started. "That's all because of you, Joe. I want you all to know that because it's a true story," Mathias said the crowd of hundreds at the ATNI luncheon.
The Chief Cliff singers led by Councilman Kenmille sang an honor song for McDonald and ATNI.
The applause was thick as Joe McDonald moved to the podium.
Joe had just watched a montage of video images flutter by including touching comments from old friend Doug Allard who said, "They say no one is irreplaceable. This is the closest I've ever come to doubting that fact."
The video, put together by SKC's video guru Frank Tyro, even showed Hillary Clinton during her Pablo visit where she saluted Joe McDonald for the college successes, which has been a "gateway to opportunity."
Clips from loved ones, state officials, long-time co-workers, notes from Congressman and state Governors, they all knew Joe McDonald and praised his life of achievements.
Joe McDonald has a few laughs with the Chief Cliff Drummers after the honoring. (Rob McDonald, photo)
Joe McDonald has a few laughs with the Chief Cliff Drummers after the honoring. (Rob McDonald, photo)
Finally, when it was his turn to speak, McDonald leaned toward the microphone and explained that his grandfather was known as old Joe and he was called "Baby Joe," especially when he as a child complained about some perceived unfairness dealt to him by life. The life-long educator spoke about efforts to bring branch campuses to both the Colville and Spokane Indian Reservations. There's still so much to do. And then he said the key to making it all work was having the support of Tribal Council, which includes Councils that go back more than 30 years.
"Thank you all very, very much," he said. "This has been a wonderful time."
And following many handshakes, hugs and exchanged smiles, Joe McDonald stepped down from the stage, took his place next to his wife, and faded back into the crowd, out of sight, but not forgotten.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tribes, feds meet to discuss crime law at ATNI Annual Conference
Tribes, feds meet to discuss crime law
Act intended to reduce violence on reservations
Kevin Graman The Spokesman-Review
It will take more than an act of Congress to end the scourge of reservation crime in Indian country, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians was told Tuesday.
“We cannot prosecute our way out of criminal activity on the reservation,” said James A. McDevitt, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
It will take a coordinated effort of the individual tribes and federal agencies to attack the roots of crime: unemployment, lack of education and substance abuse.
McDevitt and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Rice spoke during a panel discussion on the Tribal Law and Order Act at Northern Quest Casino, where about 500 tribal delegates from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Northern California and southeastern Alaska are holding their annual conference this week.
The act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in July, attempts to hold federal agencies accountable for investigating and prosecuting criminals on reservations, where the rate of violent crime is 2 1/2 times the national average and as high as 20 times the national average on some reservations.
Particularly alarming is the statistic that 1 in 3 American Indian or Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetimes – crimes that often have gone unprosecuted by the U.S. Justice Department.
The Tribal Law and Order Act requires federal prosecutors to collect data on crimes they have declined to prosecute in Indian country and to share evidence with tribal courts.
It authorizes the deputization of special assistant U.S. attorneys to prosecute reservation crime in federal court and tribal and state police to enforce federal laws on tribal lands.
The law also authorizes tribal courts to sentence offenders to three years in prison, up from one year, and increases the maximum fine from $5,000 to $15,000.
But as Rice pointed out, the law also requires a commitment on the part of tribes to adequately train judges and attorneys as well as maintain public records of court proceedings.
Much work remains to be done to fully implement the new law, said Rhonda Harjo, deputy chief counsel for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Tribal and federal officials will have to find a way to incarcerate offenders after the first 100, who will be accepted by the federal Bureau of Prisons under a pilot program.
Crime victims and witnesses must be protected from retaliation by gangs or relatives of offenders, Harjo said.
Other panel members also stressed that Congress must be persuaded to appropriate law enforcement and criminal justice funding for tribes if the spirit of the Tribal Law and Order Act is to be made a reality on the reservation.
Act intended to reduce violence on reservations
Kevin Graman The Spokesman-Review
It will take more than an act of Congress to end the scourge of reservation crime in Indian country, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians was told Tuesday.
“We cannot prosecute our way out of criminal activity on the reservation,” said James A. McDevitt, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
It will take a coordinated effort of the individual tribes and federal agencies to attack the roots of crime: unemployment, lack of education and substance abuse.
McDevitt and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Rice spoke during a panel discussion on the Tribal Law and Order Act at Northern Quest Casino, where about 500 tribal delegates from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Northern California and southeastern Alaska are holding their annual conference this week.
The act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in July, attempts to hold federal agencies accountable for investigating and prosecuting criminals on reservations, where the rate of violent crime is 2 1/2 times the national average and as high as 20 times the national average on some reservations.
Particularly alarming is the statistic that 1 in 3 American Indian or Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetimes – crimes that often have gone unprosecuted by the U.S. Justice Department.
The Tribal Law and Order Act requires federal prosecutors to collect data on crimes they have declined to prosecute in Indian country and to share evidence with tribal courts.
It authorizes the deputization of special assistant U.S. attorneys to prosecute reservation crime in federal court and tribal and state police to enforce federal laws on tribal lands.
The law also authorizes tribal courts to sentence offenders to three years in prison, up from one year, and increases the maximum fine from $5,000 to $15,000.
But as Rice pointed out, the law also requires a commitment on the part of tribes to adequately train judges and attorneys as well as maintain public records of court proceedings.
Much work remains to be done to fully implement the new law, said Rhonda Harjo, deputy chief counsel for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Tribal and federal officials will have to find a way to incarcerate offenders after the first 100, who will be accepted by the federal Bureau of Prisons under a pilot program.
Crime victims and witnesses must be protected from retaliation by gangs or relatives of offenders, Harjo said.
Other panel members also stressed that Congress must be persuaded to appropriate law enforcement and criminal justice funding for tribes if the spirit of the Tribal Law and Order Act is to be made a reality on the reservation.
Monday, September 27, 2010
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