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in Vietnam. He worked for Triangle Motors, Home Laundry, Rowell Wickersham and the News-Register newspaper. He also owned and operated four businesses: St. Paul Rodeo Inn, Vets Club American Legion Post 21, Northwest Asphalt and Gunny’s Gym with his wife, Shirlie. He was a true patriot. After his retirement, he moonlighted, installing and donating U.S. flagpoles. He also had a passion for community service, sponsoring girls’ softball and Little League teams and Hood-to-Coast relay teams. Gunny …

Tribal Government & News Storms send South Yamhill River to fourth-highest crest ever 12.14.2015 Dean Rhodes Public Safety A series of Pacific storms that battered Oregon and southwestern Washington between Sunday, Dec. 6, and Wednesday, Dec. 9, sent the South Yamhill River at Willamina to its fourth highest crest ever recorded, according to the National Weather Service’s Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service. The South Yamhill River reached 14.72 feet during the early morning of Tuesday, Dec …

service agreement with Polk County, the Tribal Police Department is now the primary law enforcement agency in the area. “Due to the high crime rates in the remote and rural area, which also contains one of the largest tourist destinations in Oregon, it is imperative that, in the absence of Polk County enhanced services, the Tribe operate its police department to ensure the safety of its community and neighbors. In order to do so, it requires BIA funding,” Giffen said. However, he told the House …

interested in taking the vital next step of educating all Oregonians about the challenges and successes in our collective past. Everyone in our region will be enriched by his service." The Heritage Commission, an arm of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, meets quarterly and provides archeological services and, through grants, supports programs honoring Oregon's historic cemeteries, trails and main streets. As chair, Lewis said, "I want to continue to pursue collaborations between various …

By Danielle Frost

Smoke Signals staff writer

After 29 years with the Tribe, Librarian Marion Mercier is trading in her library card for retirement adventures.

“It’s time,” she says. “I’m looking forward to visiting libraries, museums and small towns across the state, and doing some rock hounding.”

A lifelong Oregonian, Mercier, 64, grew up in Grand Ronde and began working for the Tribe’s Social Services Department in 1990 as a caseworker. Her tenure puts her among some of the Tribe’s longest-serving employees.

“I was going to retire at 62, but our library patrons are wonderful and I feel like I have the best job at the Tribe,” she says. “But it’s time for new things.”

After three years with Social Services, Mercier transferred to the Education Department, where she served in several roles before becoming the librarian. She helped plan the library building’s construction while serving as the Tribe’s Education manager.

“It was a big change when the library moved here (in 2002),” she says. “Prior to having a location, the library collection was very limited and mainly used by employees and Education Department students.”

During those past 16 years, the library has been expanded and remodeled, and its collection has grown from 800 to 18,000 items.

After five years as Education manager, Mercier started working as the librarian in 2006 when the Tribe began funding the library.

“I enjoy the people that come into the library the most and I also enjoy the collection we have here,” she says. “This is a great work environment and has been an awesome experience. We get a lot of support from our Tribal Council.”

Although Mercier has enjoyed her time working for the Tribe, especially as a librarian, she wants time to pursue other passions while she is still young and healthy enough to do so.

“I feel like I have been working since I was 9 years old,” she says. “I’m tired of being on a schedule and am ready to do some other things I have put off doing. It will also be nice to visit family more. Even though I live in the local area, we don’t get together the way we used to. Just dropping in on people is a thing of the past. When I was growing up in Grand Ronde, we did that a lot.”

Mercier is the daughter of Rose (Reznicsek) and Marion Mercier. Her grandparents were Agnes (Leno) and Arthur Mercier, and Myrtle (Robson) and Adam Reznicsek.

She has two children, Candi Buswell, who works for the Tribe’s Adult Foster Care lodges, and Anthony Henry. She also has two grandchildren, Ava Buswell and Josh Henry.

Although Mercier acknowledges it will take some getting used to, she is excited about the prospect of sleeping in on the weekdays if she feels like it, and having the time at home to do projects such as organizing and painting.

Her favorite memories of being a librarian are having all of the youth groups come into the library and listening to the volunteer readers tell stories to groups of children.

“They each bring their own personality, and it is fun to listen to different people read about different things,” Mercier said.

She has several favorite books, which range from classics to children’s stories. Some of these are “The Giving Tree” and “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein, “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell, “Treasure Mountain” by Evelyn Sibley Lampman, “The Last Yoncalla” by Dean Baker, “Reservation Blues” by Sherman Alexie, “My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “Words Under the Words” by Naomi Shihab Nye, “Wild About Books” by Judy Sierra, “Duck on a Bike” by David Shannon and “Someday” by Eileen Spinelli.

“If it’s a fun topic and somewhat inspirational, I love that book for kids,” Mercier says. “Young kids need something fun and meaningful. I also like the classics, poetry and good stories in general that keep my attention and have enough details.”

When Mercier retires Jan. 31, Recreation Specialist Harris Reibach will serve an interim librarian. He has been training with Mercier to learn the ins and outs of library work.

“I truly believe this is the best job at the Tribe,” she says. “I believe that because when people come in here, they want to be here. That makes a real difference.”

She advises her successor to remember that people come first in the job.

“When you are working at the library, you are there to provide a service,” Mercier says. “You want people to feel welcome so they can accomplish what they need. We are there to serve and I hope the library always remembers that is a priority.”

Mercier is also grateful for the Tribe’s Restoration in 1983, which has allowed her to work in Grand Ronde.

“It’s been nice to stay in our community and have a job that allowed me to be here and raise my family, and not have to move away,” she says. “Being a part of the Tribe is such a blessing and our library patrons are wonderful.”  

efforts, and also create a liaison between internal and external social service agencies,” Kimsey said. “The goal is to have kids ready for school and able to thrive. There has been a huge need for this because of behavioral health issues in school. We want to give kids and families tools and resources to help.” Internal agencies included in the effort will be the Tribe’s Education, Social Services and Health & Wellness departments. Outside partners include county social service agencies and area …

,” she said. “We are monitoring it closely and unless it goes on for more than a few weeks (longer), we won’t need to worry about anything.” “The Tribe is able to fund many of our services,” said Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy during the Sunday, Jan. 6, General Council meeting. Nationwide, the Bureau of Indian Affairs currently has 2,455 furloughed employees, approximately one-third of its labor force. Additionally, 54 percent of funding for the Indian Health Service, which offers …

Frost Smoke Signals staff writer Seventy-four years ago, veteran Herman “Junior” Hudson concluded his military service after serving in the Navy from 1942 until World War II ended in 1945. On Friday, April 19, the 94-year-old Tribal Elder was honored with a Quilt of Valor in the Governance Center Atrium in front of a large crowd of family, friends, fellow veterans and Tribal employees. He is one of a few Native American World War II veterans still living and most likely is the Grand Ronde Tribe’s …

Health is an opportunity to help the membership in another capacity. “This service will combine prevention, harm reduction and multiple levels of treatment focusing on quality-of-life issues for gamblers, their families and the community,” she said. “Sergio is versatile in his knowledge and is ready to help in any way. Gutierrez’s said his goal these first few months is to learn more about the culture in Grand Ronde and become a part of the community. “I don’t plan to quit,” Gutierrez said …

money. The day of my last hearing, I paid the balance of what I owed. I have never been in trouble in my 64 years of life. Believe me when I say I was scared to death. I was facing 10 years in prison. I received two years of probation, a fine and 120 hours of community service. When I am well, I plan on doing this community service at the Tribe. The judge did not feel I was capable of doing it in the condition I was in, but I told her when I was well enough that I would try. So now I’m just …