Search

Tribal Government & News Former Tribal Council member Wesley West walks on 10.12.2017 Dean Rhodes Tribal Council , People Former Tribal Council member Wesley “Buddy” West walked on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the age of 75. He was born on Oct. 1, 1942, and grew up in the eastern Oregon community of Odell. He graduated from Wy’East High School in 1960. West was elected to Tribal Council in 2004 in his fourth attempt along with Angie Blackwell and Chris Mercier on a platform that there needed to be new …

off heavily traveled Interstate 5. However, after three full months of competition, Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno, who also sits on the Spirit Mountain Gaming. Inc. Board of Directors, reported at the Tuesday, Aug. 1, Legislative Action Committee meeting that the casino’s revenues are remaining competitive with those of 2016 – a record revenue year. Tribal representatives have always been unsure what effect the Cowlitz casino would have on Spirit Mountain, which had been the closest casino …

of life for Tribal Elder Gloria Jean (Lynch) Sundahl will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 24, in the Tribal Community Center. Friends and family members are invited to share their memories of her with the family and celebrate her life with us. Refreshments and a light meal will be provided by the family. For more information, contact her daughter, Sandra Combs, at 541-915-8177 or her sister, Charlotte Gray. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to one of her favorite charities in memory …

Culture Yesteryears -- Jan. 1, 2018 12.28.2017 Danielle Frost History 2013 – An electric car charging station opened at Grand Ronde Station. The Tribe was planning a grand opening/ribbon cutting ceremony for late February or early March. Oregon, with 1,300 electric cars, was leading the nation in its buildout of the Electric Highway, which predicted that by 2020 there would be an estimated 2 million electric cars that would be able to travel between Canada and Mexico. 2008 – Tribal member …

Tribal Government & News Letters to the Editor - Aug. 15, 2016 08.12.2016 Dean Rhodes Letters Dear Smoke Signals : It has been the pleasure of the Willamina School District to provide summer meals, at no charge for all children that live within the community, during the summer months for the past 19 years. The Summer Meal Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Willamina School District to ensure that all children ages 1 to 18 have access to nutritious …

school, including Willamina. Fasana, who has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked No. 1 in his junior class of 50 students at Willamina High, wrote about the lack of education regarding local Native American Tribes in Oregon public schools. “I believe that all students who graduate should have some simple education about the history of Oregon Tribes, their cultural beliefs, their cultural events and how their governments work,” he wrote in his essay. “The lack of this type of class has caused …

Tribal Government & News Letters to the Editor -- Jan. 1, 2017 12.29.2016 Dean Rhodes Letters Dear Smoke Signals : The Tribal Court held its annual volunteer appreciation event on Dec. 13. Current volunteers for the court have served a combined 67 years. The Tribal Court would like to publicly acknowledge and extend our appreciation to all volunteers. Darlene Aaron, Angela Schlappie, Sharon Hanson and Patti Tom-Martin have served the Tribal Member Review Board (TMRB) since 2004. The TMRB …

Culture Yesteryears -- Jan. 1, 2017 12.29.2016 Dean Rhodes History 2012 – The Tribe held its first-ever Salmon Celebration, providing an opportunity to say hayu masi to many state and federal partners for their support, show off Tribal natural resources rehabilitation efforts and teach how important salmon are in Tribal life. 2007 – Tribal Council members Chris Mercier, Jack Giffen Jr., Val Sheker and Wesley West attended the annual State-Tribal Government-to-Government Summit hosted …

Tribal Government & News General Council briefed on draft 2016 budget 11.03.2015 Dean Rhodes General Council By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor General Council was briefed on the draft 2016 budget by Finance Officer Chris Leno during the Sunday, Nov. 1, meeting held in the Tribal Community Center. After Leno’s 26-minute presentation, which reviewed material included in the November Tilixam Wawa sent to the Tribal membership, Tribal members asked five questions. Leno said that adult Tribal …

Tribal Government & News Letters to the Editor -- June 1, 2015 05.29.2015 Dean Rhodes Letters Dear Smoke Signals: Since I was a younger spirit, I have known a digging stick is called an Um-Dah and I have never heard it called anything else. I am now 81 years old and feel satisfied that an Um-Dah is a good name for an important tool that our ancestors used in gathering food, basketry material and for other important daily work of survival. I bring this to your attention because I believe …