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in remission from both cancers for six months. After first being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, doctors gave her a one in 10 chance of survival. “That’s a big burden to carry, but I thought that this was something Creator thought I was strong enough to learn from,” Case says. “Never think of it as, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ Think of it as, ‘What is this trying to teach me?’ My self life motto is to inspire and effect.” As a foster child, Case didn’t know her family health history, which she …

gym. “I think of the Termination period of history – of my history,” said Tribal Elder George McEachran during an interview at the Elders Activity Center. “I think of that - who we were, where we were. The whole story behind Termination and Restoration for me is in between. It’s what I needed to do in between that day and then Restoration.” McEachran, 68, is the son of Bernice Howe, the grandson of Agatha Howe and the great-grandson of Victoria Howard. He said he remembers visiting Grand Ronde …

the first-born son of James D. Haller, Roll #898, grandson of Harvey D. Haller, roll #222, and the great-grandson of Adeline Menard Haller. Currently I am incarcerated in a California state prison. The choices I made that brought me to this place are choices that were driven by my addiction to drugs and alcohol; none of which I am proud of. So this time I have here I am using to the best of my ability utilizing the resources available here at the prison. Currently I attend college by correspondence …

with on council. He cited Jan Reibach Sr., Wink Soderberg, June Sherer and current Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno among them. “I knew very little about veterans and what veterans have experienced until I actually started working here at the Tribe,” said Mercier. “I’ve worked every day with veterans and I will always give credit to Steve Bobb for teaching me more about veterans and what it was like to serve during war time than anyone has taught me. He really opened my eyes.” Tribal Council member Denise …

to memory,” he says. Gerbrandt’s go-to joke? “I always say that I am not actually a stand-up comic, I’m a sit-down comic, and then I get into my routine that way.” Gerbrandt says so far he has not suffered from stage fright or forgotten his lines, and he enjoys connecting with an audience. “When I first make them laugh, it gives me a hit of adrenaline and then I really get going,” he says. “I try to pay attention to my audience and form jokes they will like.” Gerbrandt says he finds his comedic …

, who will turn 29 in May, is Tribally descended from her grandmother, Karleen Parazoo, and father, David McKenzie. “My father’s family kept me immersed in the culture by teaching traditional food recipes and regalia construction, in addition to attending powwows and other Tribal events,” she says. McKenzie first visited Spain after completing her degree in archaeology at Portland State University in 2016. She backpacked through France and Italy and then arrived in Spain. “I fell in love …

to Steve Bobb. When he answers in affirmative, the response is usually, “’Hell of a nice guy.’” “My grandfather kind of paved the way for me,” he said. “It’s been two years since he died and I still haven’t heard anything bad about him.” Bobb was working for the Tribe’s Housing Department when he first began searching for another path. “I was content with what I was doing, but I felt like I could do more,” he said. In 2021, he joined the Marine Corps Reserves. “When I was younger, I wanted …

Council meeting, telling Tribal Council members that, “Med mistakes are made every day. I’ve had five, since I’ve been there, in a year. I’ve had six times they’ve let me run out of meds. And they order them for me. They have control. They have all the prescriptions. I have no control over that. They let me run out six times. Then they come in and say, ‘Sorry, you’re out. We’ll have to order it tomorrow.’” The Tribe issued a statement saying it takes the concerns seriously. “The health and well …

mother walked on two years ago. “She would be very proud of her son, but it makes me feel good being up on the wall.” Kleffner served 10 years in the Navy from 1980 to 1990 as an interior communications technician. For Tribal descendant Steven Rife Jr., who served in the Navy from 2000 to 2006 as a gas turbine systems technician and was stationed at Bremerton, Wash., and Pearl Harbor, seeing his name added to the Navy pillar was “exciting.” “It’s kind of exciting that I will always have a place …

Tribal Government & News Letters to the Editor -- Nov. 1, 2016 10.31.2016 Dean Rhodes Letters Dear Smoke Signals : This is one of the most difficult letters I have ever tried to write and I almost feel I must apologize for doing so. So forgive me, I am far from perfect and unwell. I am writing to ask for only a little help, nothing more than we do in our daily lives to lend each other a hand; help each other when needed. Where I am there is none I can call to except Creator, and while I know I …