Author: Tim Novotny

New CEO at The Mill

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Margaret Simpson, right, will succeed Terri Porcaro as chief executive officer of the Coquille Economic Development Corp., parent company of The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park. (Photo by Alison Felton, Life’s Milestones LLC)

Tribal member Simpson will lead casino

NORTH BEND, Ore. – The Coquille Indian Tribe has appointed Margaret Simpson as the first female tribal member to become chief executive officer of The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park. 

Simpson began her career at The Mill in 2000 and has worked through roles in food and beverage, players club, marketing and hotel operations. She has served as the assistant general manager and currently holds the general manager position.

She proudly oversaw creation of a tribal member development program, and she was integral in the property’s response to one of its most challenging years, when it closed for three months and restructured due to the coronavirus pandemic.

She accomplished all of this while graduating from college and earning a master’s degree in hospitality from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, America’s top-ranked hospitality and gaming program.

“It is something to celebrate in Indian Country when you see tribal members work their way up,” said tribal Chairman Brenda Meade.

Simpson’s role as CEO puts her in an elite group of young Native Americans who are challenging the dominance of non-Indians in the gaming industry.

“Strong Native people becoming gaming experts is an essential way to advance tribal gaming within the industry,” Simpson said.

Simpson earned enthusiastic backing from the Coquille Tribal Council as well as the board of The Mill’s parent company, the Coquille Economic Development Corp. Board member Eric Smileuske, a longtime gaming industry executive in New York, Washington, Oregon and Arizona and currently an industry consultant, described Simpson as a rare asset for a tribe.

“The opportunities are few and far between to hire a member of their own tribe to be their CEO,” he said.

Smileuske said the board told Simpson, “We didn’t give you this job – you earned it.” He said Simpson offers all the qualifications the tribe could have found in a nationwide talent search.

“I don’t think we compromised by promoting Margaret,” he said. “She is very qualified, she is unassuming, she is capable of leading, she has great gut instincts.”

Simpson will replace her mentor, Terri Porcaro, as CEO. Porcaro, who plans to retire Dec. 31, said she has never met anyone as focused and dedicated as Simpson.

 “She just amazes me every day,” she said. “She cares a lot about her tribe. She wants to see the tribe grow, and she wants to be part of it.”

Simpson said she was “humbled and inspired” by the support she received from the Tribal Council and the CEDCO board. She praised Porcaro, The Mill’s executive team, and CEDCO’s “exceptionally talented” board.

 “Operating the business that provides vital economic resources for my tribe is a huge responsibility that I take very seriously,” she said. “My motivation and desire to honor my ancestors and contribute to a brighter future for the next generations will continue to be the cornerstone of my work.”

J&J Vaccine Pause

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Why we’ve suspended use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine

April 13, 2021

This morning, out of an abundance of caution, the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration have recommended a pause to the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine following six cases of rare and severe blood clots reported after receiving the vaccine. This recommendation is to halt distribution while the CDC, FDA, and other agencies work together to fully understand these events and get the appropriate vaccine education out to vaccine providers and recipients. Following this recommendation, the Coquille Indian Tribe has halted its use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, including the scheduled vaccine clinic on Friday, April 16. 

Out of the more than 6.8 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine that have been distributed, there have been six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot. In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). CVST occurs when a blood clot forms in the brain’s venous sinuses. This prevents blood from draining out of the brain. As a result, blood cells may break and leak blood into the brain tissues, forming a hemorrhage. 

All six cases of adverse reactions following receipt of vaccine have occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. As treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered it is important that the health care system is ready to appropriately diagnose and treat these specific reactions. Usually, an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given.

While these adverse events are extremely rare, only affecting 0.0000923% of the population who has received the vaccine, the safety of our community is our top priority, and we take all reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination very seriously. People who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccination should contact their health-care provider immediately. These symptoms are different from the mild flu-like symptoms that have been experienced by many who have received any one of the available COVID-19 vaccines.

Again, while these events are extremely rare, the health and safety of tribal members and our patients is our main concern. We are working to learn more about the vaccine and the overall risks and benefits associated with it. We will share with you what we know as we know it, and do our best to ensure that you have all of the education and tools needed to protect your health.

Sources:

Marks, P. M.D., PhD. (2021). Joint CDC and FDA Statement on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

Joint Media Call: FDA & CDC to Discuss Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine – 4/13/2021

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Community vaccine events

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Tribe Offers Vaccines for Seniors and Teens

 Wednesday, March 17, 2021

 The Coquille Indian Tribe will offer COVID-19 vaccinations for local senior citizens and teens in two special events this week at The Mill Casino-Hotel.

Coos County residents age 65 and older are eligible for vaccinations on Friday, March 19, or Sunday, March 21. Coos County youth age 16-17 are eligible for the Sunday event.

“We’ve been working hard to vaccinate our tribal families, and we’re delighted that we can reach out to the broader community,” said Coquille Tribal Chairman Brenda Meade.

The Sunday event will use the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Unlike the Moderna vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine can be given to anyone age 16 or older. So this event will target two groups: senior citizens age 65 and up, and teens age 16 and 17.

Meade said the Coquille Tribe is grateful for the opportunity to help protect vulnerable senior citizens as well as teens.

 “With kids going back to school and sports, getting them vaccinated will help protect their teachers and coaches and the whole community,” she said.

She noted that sharing this resource with the tribe’s neighbors reflects the traditional culture of Pacific Coast tribes.

“Our potlatch tradition is all about assisting those around us whenever we have the chance,” she said. “We’re so happy that we are in a position to do this.”

Teens and senior citizens can sign up by going to the tribe’s website, www.coquilletribe.org. Once there, click on the large white box labeled, “COVID-19 Vaccines.”

Both vaccines require a second dose. The tribe will automatically schedule the Pfizer boosters three weeks after the first appointment and the Moderna boosters four weeks after the first appointment.

The Pfizer vaccine is a one-time supply, made possible by a partnership of the Coquille Tribe, the Oregon Health Authority, the Indian Health Service and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. The OHA and IHS collaborated to provide the vaccine supply, which the two tribes are splitting.

The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians will help staff Sunday’s event.

Please note: The opportunity to sign up for appointments will end at 4 p.m. the day before each event. The supply of vaccine is limited, and shots at both events are available by appointment only.

For more information, please visit the vaccination page on www.coquilletribe.org.

 

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Eugene-area Indigenous people soon will have a Coquille Indian Tribe medical clinic

The Eugene Register Guard

An estimated 6,000 Native American and Alaskan Natives in Lane County don’t have a culturally specific medical clinic. The Coquille Indian Tribe is set on changing that.

Read more

 

 

OSA member vaccines

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Live outside our service area?

If you are a Coquille Tribal member but unable to travel to a scheduled CIT clinic, there may be options closer to you. The Indian Health Service has a website to help you locate an IHS office or another tribal facility in your area. Tribal health-care facilities will likely offer the vaccine to Native patients sooner than the general public

Our staff may be able to help as well. For questions or assistance with navigating the IHS website, email us at covid19@coquilletribe.org.

 

COVID questions from members

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If you have a specific question about the vaccine and cannot find the answer in the FAQ’s or other information, you can email your question to covid19@coquilletribe.org or contact Health and Human Services Director Kelle Little at (541) 297-0341.

 

When will Elders residing outside the service area (OSA) be offered the vaccine?

The tribe’s COVID-19 Task Force will be presenting a resolution to the Tribal Council which defines the next phase of vaccine eligibility.  Adding Elders/spouses who reside outside of the service area and can travel to one of the vaccine locations in Oregon will be one of the categories included in the proposal.  The resolution will be considered on Jan. 14.

Can tribal members sign up for the Vaccine?

Not at this time as CIT is in Phase 1 of the vaccine delivery which is limited to 100 doses. CIT staff will be phoning Elders to be scheduled first.

When will the next doses of Covid-19 vaccine be available to tribal members?

The tribe is waiting for information on the next shipping date of the vaccine. Once we know the date, amount, and related information, it will be shared on the Covid-19 vaccination page on coquilletribe.org.

Are unmarried domestic partners of tribal members eligible for vaccination?

 Yes.

Guidelines

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Vaccine Distribution Guidelines

The Coquille Indian Tribe’s COVID-19 Vaccination Workgroup, made up of tribal administration and staff members, has identified Phase 1 distribution guidelines based on two criteria:

  1. Coquille Indian Tribe employees engaged in direct, mission-essential services to the Tribal membership and critical to the COVID-19 vaccine distribution. This category includes the following:
  • Medical clinic and pharmacy staff
  • Other essential staff designated by the tribal Health and Human Services Director as critical to vaccine distribution.
  1. Coquille Indian Tribe Elders and spouses 55+ who reside in the five-county service area and have high or moderate risk medical conditions, with a priority on the oldest members and spouses.

High-risk tribal members and spouses within the tribe’s service area will be contacted by CIT staff to coordinate vaccination dates.

Watch this website for updates about the COVID-19 vaccination process.

For specific questions relating to the Coquille Tribe’s COVID-19 Vaccination Phase 1 Distribution, please email covid19@coquilletribe.org.