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was the first freshman ever to win a state title. The boys began wrestling when they were 4 years old and hoped to someday compete on an Olympic team. 1988 – The Indian Health Service began offering massage therapy services onsite in Grand Ronde, led by Dawn Faith Cloud, who had worked as a body/mind therapist since 1981. “I am very pleased to be able to offer this nurturing, healing experience to my Grand Ronde friends,” she said. “I sense that I was sent to Mother Earth not just to take but to give …

of Justice Office on Violence Against Women Tribal Government Program grant to continue domestic violence prevention services through the Tribe’s Warriors of Hope program; Approved the Tribe’s application to the state Department of Forestry for $9,859.77 as a part of the 2023 Volunteer Fire Assistance Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant funding. And approved the Tribe’s grant application to the National Park Service for the Tribal Historic Preservation Office senior archeologist position …

. Communication with department heads is key.” 1998 – The Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Cultural Resources Protection Department joined forces to preserve a 75-acre wetland area near Corvallis that a band of the Kalapuya people considered part of their home country. The area, adjacent to Marys River, held special meaning for many Tribal people. The land was originally going to be a housing development, but when the historical and cultural importance of the area was revealed, the plan …

goal was to plan and develop the property purchased from the Zimbrick family earlier in the year along Highway 18 near the Spirit Mountain offices. 1988 – Tribal veteran Joseph Mercier was featured in a Smoke Signals article that detailed his service in World War II. Mercier served from 1943 to 1945 in the Pacific Theater, where he fought in six landings in the Philippines at different villages where the Japanese forces were hiding. “Gen. MacArthur drove by us once,” he said. “I think he …

for their service, noting that the process of getting the Tribe’s Reservation approved had stretched over the past five years and was “no cakewalk.” Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year increments through the pages of Smoke Signals. Share On Facebook Share On Twitter Share Article Link Subscribe Subscribe to our Newspaper for latest updates: Subscribe To Our Newspaper For Latest Updates: …

Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Brandy Bishop received the Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s Professional of the Year award on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the department’s conference held in Gleneden Beach at the Salishan Coastal Lodge. “Brandy was selected in recognition of her outstanding, dedicated and professional service while fostering the advancement of the Emergency Management profession in Grand Ronde and across the state,” said Public Affairs Officer Chris Crabb. “She …

for people at the hospital to meditate and pray. Kennedy, a former board member of the West Valley Hospital Foundation, was Tribal Health Director for 15 of her 30-year career. She has also served on the Oregon Health Board and as commissioner of the Rural Health Council of Oregon. She was named Health Administrator of the Year by the Department of Public Health, Indian Health Service, and an Outstanding Leader in Health Care by the Oregon Department of Health. “My interest in medicine began with my …

to provide the most complete service to our community,” which includes adequate law enforcement. The Tribe has greatly expanded the emergency services it provides to the West Valley area since building a fire station in Grand Ronde in 2010. In 2020, the Tribe and the West Valley Fire District worked out a transition plan for the Tribe to assume control and operations in Grand Ronde. In 2022, Tribal Council approved a five-year agreement to operate the Willamina Fire Station from Jan. 1, 2023 …

is to foster positive relationships with Oregon’s Tribal nations through meaningful and transparent consultation.” In a press release, Kotek said she chose Radford for her “extensive experience in Tribal matters, policies and government-to-government relations through a career of promoting Tribal sovereignty, fostering positive relationships and advancing the interests of Oregon’s Tribal nations.” “It is with great honor and humility that I step into public service as Tribal Affairs director …

letter carriers who delivered mail to 360 addresses in Grand Ronde. Burris began his Postal Service career in 1981 and planned to stay in Grand Ronde until retirement. He arrived early every morning to raise the U.S. flag and lowered it every night. He even slept at the post office during an ice storm to open it on time the next day. 1999 – Alaska Native Ted Mala was hired in December as the Tribe’s new executive officer. Mala grew up in a northwest Alaskan village and attended boarding schools …