The Gila River Indian Community Regional Partnership Council (GRIC RPC) for First Things First has been quite busy in the month of August and September. Several of its council members, including the Regional Coordinator, Cathy Thornton, have been conducting presentations to all but two districts within the Community.

In addition, the GRIC RPC conducted a Community Workgroup Session on Wed, Sept. 17, at the Early Education Childcare Center, located in Sacaton. The focus of the session was to better understand the needs of children ages 0-5 years, and families within the boundaries of the Community. The workgroup wanted to identify and determine the needs and assets for children and families within the Community boundaries.

On November 4, 2008, Election Day, a segment of the community not eligible to vote had the opportunity to participate in a mock election.

As part of a national program called Kids Voting, Gila River students in Kindergarten through 12th grade were given ballots and the opportunity to be apart of the democratic process. Kids Voting began as part of an idea of three Arizona business men on a fishing trip to Costa Rica. While in Costa Rica they noticed a 90% voter turn out which was attributed to parents taking their children to polling places.

Sacaton-Ghouls, goblins and even Colonel Sanders were at the Governance Center as Halloween brought out the inner child in old and new spirits alike.

Children from local schools around the Community were escorted throughout the Governance Center to trick or treat at the various departments. The Office of Community Managers had set up a spooky pathway through which the kids passed before being offered the obligatory candy and treats. Some kids were startled to tears while others knew that it was all in Halloweeen fun.

By implementing chip seal projects throughout the Community, the Gila River Indian Community Department of Transportation (GRIC DOT) is taking road maintenance into their hands while providing a cost effective solution to repairing roads.

According to Jimmy Garcia, Maintenance Supervisor for GRIC DOT, the department has chip sealed four roads in the Sacaton area. In early October, the department chip sealed Church Street, Cholla Street, Main Street, and Pima Street.

The New Lone Butte Casino Opens in Chandler

Chandler, AZ - Luck has a new home! The all-new Lone Butte Casino is opening, bigger and better, with more games, great dining, and fabulous entertainment. Lone Butte Casino unveils its newly constructed facility to the public on November 20th with ongoing celebrations and promotions into the month of December.
In its newly constructed 120,000 square feet of space, Lone Butte Casino will offer 850 of the newest and most exciting slots, 24 Las Vegas-style blackjack and Pai Gow tables, a state-of-the-art 750-seat Bingo Hall, and a High Limit Gaming Area offering privacy and comfort.

Wild Horse Pass- On October 28, 2008, the Gila River Indian Community celebrated the "topping off" of its new Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino.

"The "topping off" celebrates a major milestone for this project," said Cecil Lewis, Chairman of the Casino Expansion Owners Team (CEOT). "We have outgrown the current Wild Horse Pass Casino and are looking forward to evolving our product offerings to better serve our guests."

RECEIVING TOP HONORS FROM AAA, ZAGAT AND OPEN TABLE

PHOENIX, AZ (October, 2008) Don't take our word for it; Kai at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa is the "Best Restaurant in the Valley" according to multiple sources including the 2009 Zagat guide to top eateries nationwide, the diners of OpenTable and the meticulous inspectors of AAA.

Nov2008 GRIN

In this issue: Rhodes secures Governor seat,Constitution Reform Project Takes the Show on the Road, GRIC RPC assesses needs of children and
families with the Community, and more.

Click here for more. Our print version is also available at various locations throughout the community.

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The women long ago would go out to the river and to the base of the mountains to look for slabs of rocks to make a ma:chet (grinding stone) to grind wheat, corn and mesquite into flour They also looked for its ma:t (child) When they made a selection, they would carry them back to where they lived. The rock would be placed in a special place where the women would slave over it, grinding and preparing huñ (corn) or pil'coñ (wheat) into chui (flour) for chemiath (tortilla) or hua'mach (popover). The grinding stone was used almost daily and was considered the most important thing a woman would poses. They talked to one another while they worked.

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Shoni John wasn't working when herdaughter Elli was born 17 months ago. Although her husband Elton had a job, they could not afford the health insurance program and they turned to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) for medical coverage. But when Ellie turned one, she was no longer eligible for AHCCCS.

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Over the past several weeks the tribal government of the Gila River Indian Community was forced to learn a lesson in basic economics that most of you in the community use every payday- we cannot spend more money than we earn.

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On October 1, 2008, the Gila River Indian Community and the Bureau of Indian Affairs entered into a PL93-638 contract for the Gila River Indian Community Utility Authority (GRICUA) to begin taking over the maintenance of the on-Reservation electric system run by the San Carlos Irrigation Project (SCIP).

Under the contract, GRICUA will take on maintenance responsibilities over a 2 year period. Beginning October 1, 2008, GRIUCA will be responsible for maintenance of SCIP's dusk to dawn lights on-Reservation. Beginning next year (October 1, 2009), GRICUA will take over all maintenance and emergency response of the power lines.

GRICUA has been installing new electric services to homes and business for over a year. SCIP had been making the final connection of the new services to SCIP system. The 638 Contract allows GRICUA to do all the work associated with new services thus eliminating the need for two crews to be involved with the construction.

GRICUA can provide service to any SCIP Customer on- Reservation. GRICUA's residential electric rates are 6% below SCIP's rate and no initial deposit is required. If you are interested in having GRICUA as your electric supplier, please feel free to stop by the office at 6640 W. Sundust Rd, call us at 520-796-0600, or view our website at http://www.gricua.net

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Sacaton - Recently when Community fire-fighting agencies were called upon to assist with a fire in Willow Creek, Calif., both the Pima Agency and the Gila River Fire Department (GRFD) responded to the call.

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Private First Class Noah L. Sundust graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California on Friday, September 19, 2008. He was selected as the Series Honorman for Series 2153.

In achieving this distinction, he was in direct competition against all of the other recruits in

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We've all seen footage on television where a police officer pulls a car over asks the driver to step out of the vehicle. Then the driver either tries to make a break for it or throws some suspect paraphernalia off into the distant. 

These suspects will usually catch a bad rap in court because the officers have footage of