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needed her mom. My youngest was 5 and at school. I can’t even begin to identify what they went through. One minute I’m there, the next I’m not.” Compounding the situation was Measure 57, which Oregon voters approved in 2008. It increased prison time for those convicted of certain drug and property crimes. Plummer says she sold drugs to supplement income at a state job because she wasn’t able to make ends meet as a single mother. Desperate to escape a violent partner, she turned to what she knew …

Tribal Government & News Candidates forum attracts several attendees 08.01.2024 Nicole Montesano Elections By Nicole Montesano Smoke Signals staff writer Approximately 30 people turned out in person on Thursday, July 25, to hear candidates for Tribal Council discuss their vision for the Tribe, with another 50 watching on Zoom. Finance Officer Chris Leno moderated the forum at the request of General Manager Angie Blackwell, who is related to one of the candidates. Leno said recordings …

Tribal Government & News Spirit Mountain Casino prepares for 20th anniversary 09.30.2015 Brent Merrill Tribal Council , Gaming , History , Spirit Mountain Casino , Spirit Mountain Community Fund By Brent Merrill On Oct. 16, Spirit Mountain Casino will mark its 20 th anniversary of opening. Consistently one of Oregon’s top tourist attractions, Spirit Mountain Casino has been the driver that put the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde on the Oregon map economically, culturally and politically …

people back and forth to the dam above the falls. Aquatic Biologist Torey Wakeland and Silviculture and Fire Protection Manager Colby Drake drove another boat to get below the falls, close to the rocks. “My number one goal is that everyone goes out and everyone comes back,” Dirksen said. “And hopefully we will catch some fish.” Although no fish were caught on Monday, Drake netted the first fish on Tuesday, which was ceremonially cooked and eaten by Grand Ronde Tribal members later that day. Drake …

to enjoy it, and work when you need to. That way when you get older you can just be old. Everytime I saw someone doing something, I thought, ‘Hey, I can do that.’ ” Her favorite job was working as a hairdresser, a profession she decided to dive into in her late 40s. “I was working at Safeway and one of my sisters-in-law came in because her beauty shop burnt down, and suggested I go to beauty school. I said, ‘OK, I will.’ I did that until I was 54 and tweaked my back.” Her favorite part of the job …

was planted for an eventual Tribal museum. “It is such a proud moment,” Kennedy said. “No words to express … If you looked at a landmark in time of the Grand Ronde people’s history, it would be right up there among one of the first marks. We live on. That’s how I feel about it.” The Chachalu Phase II re-opening brought out many current and former Tribal Council members, including Kennedy, Vice Chair Chris Mercier, Secretary Jon A. George, Brenda Tuomi, Kathleen George, Michael Langley, Lisa Leno …

the idea for the peer support team began after two officer-involved shootings in the local area last year got everyone’s attention. “We’ve had two officer-involved shootings in the last seven months – one for Dallas and one for my agency,” Garton said. “The police chiefs and myself started talking about how we can help our own folks because we utilized the trauma team from Marion County at the Dallas shooting. We called for their help and they came over and helped our guys. “We thought let’s …

Sheriff’s Office deputies with a DUII investigation on Salmon River Highway. Monday, Feb. 13 Two alarms were reported in the 9600 block of Grand Ronde Road. One was a medical transport and the other was an accidental activation. An assault was reported to Tribal police that occurred in the 9600 block of Grand Ronde Road. Officers investigated. Tribal police were requested to assist Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies with a possible pursuit, but the request was cancelled before police could arrive …

Services’ Veterans Resource Navigator Niki Volz, who was raised in a Marine Corps family and attended officer candidate school for the Marine Corps. McCandless told an emotional story about losing her “battle buddy,” who stepped on a land mine’s pressure plate while on a recognizance mission in Iraq. “I cannot explain the emotions that crossed over me as I was told to load up the vehicle,” she said. “I was told to get into one. Looking my best friend face to face, another soldier actually had …

, other Native Americans, non-Native employees of the Tribe and casino, and surrounding community members. Home visits are one of the many helpful and informative programs the Health & Wellness Center offers for Tribal members regarding dental care aimed at improving overall health. Home visits catch decay early when there is still something that can be done and, in some cases, visits detect decay before it becomes an issue. “I knew about putting fluoride on teeth and I knew that we could reverse …