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Culture Walking On: Dwight Ursell Summerlin, LaDonna Terri Hembree (Norwest) 03.13.2025 Walking On Dwight Ursell Summerlin Oct. 20, 1944 – Jan. 30, 2025 Tribal Elder Dwight Ursell Summerlin passed away on Jan. 30, 2025, at the age of 80 in Tumwater, Washington. Dwight was born Oct. 20, 1944, in McMinnville, Oregon, to Emma (Riggs) Summerlin and Ursell Summerlin. Much of Dwight's childhood was spent between Oregon and California, often being looked after by family. He started working from the …

Tribal Government & News Tribe wants Stella-Jones to commit to environmental responsibility 09.29.2025 Nicole Montesano Environment By Nicole Montesano Smoke Signals staff writer The Tribe’s Ceded Lands Department held a consultation with the federal Environmental Protection Agency, state Department of Environmental Quality and city of Sheridan recently, regarding fines pending against wood treatment facility Stella-Jones Corporation from multiple agencies. Stella-Jones has a facility located …

Tribal Government & News Tribal Council approves grant application to help police better investigate drug-related crimes 04.22.2026 Danielle Harrison Tribal Council , Tribal Police Tribal Council Chambers By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals editor During its Wednesday, April 22, meeting, Tribal Council approved an application to the U.S. Department of Justice for a grant that, if awarded, will help Tribal Police and its Yamhill County partners better investigate drug overdose cases and related …

Tribal Government & News Veterans Powwow begins Friday, July 10 06.29.2026 Powwows , Veterans 2025-26 Veterans Tiny Tot Warrior William Craig shakes hands with a veteran during the 2025 Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow at uyxat Powwow Grounds last July. This year’s powwow is Friday-Sunday, July 10-12. (Smoke Signals file photo) If you go Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow When: Grand entries at 6 p.m. Friday, July 10; 1 and 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11; and 1 p.m. Sunday, July …

Tribal Government & News '21 Money' meeting draws large crowd to discuss trust funds 03.17.2017 Brent Merrill Tribal Council , Education , Events All Tribal Council members attended a meeting held at the Tribal Community Center on Wednesday, March 15, to support an ongoing discussion about how the Tribe can help young members make informed financial decisions with the trust funds they receive upon turning 21. As many as 100 people attended the meeting, which was hosted by Planning Director …

Tribal Government & News Letters to the Editor -- Aug. 1, 2011 07.29.2011 Ron Karten Letters Dear Smoke Signals : On behalf of myself and the Veterans Powwow committee, I would like to thank everyone who participated, helped, worked and contributed to this year's successful powwow. A huge thanks to the Norwest family, Tribal Council, all powwow committee members, Chad Leno and the whole cleanup crew, Rose and Deitz Peters, Nick Sixkiller, Tony Whitehead, all the drums who attended, Violet …

Culture Alvin LaChance Jr. sworn in as Tribal police chief 11.30.2012 Ron Karten People , History , Public safety During what Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr. called "a monumental day for Tribal self-governance," Alvin LaChance Jr. was sworn in as chief of the Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department on Friday, Nov. 16. LaChance, 60, is a longtime veteran of the Redmond Police Department and he joins Jake McKnight, who also was sworn in on Friday as a sergeant, as the first two official …

Culture Ad hoc committee helped erect West Valley Veterans Memorial 04.30.2012 Ron Karten History At the end of May, the Tribe will celebrate Memorial Day at the West Valley Veterans Memorial, which was officially christened nine years ago. However, Tribal efforts to erect a memorial honoring West Valley veterans - Tribal and nonTribal - started well before the memorial was erected in 2003. Although it reportedly had been talked about quite often before, an announcement in the Feb. 15, 1999, …

Health & Education Group submits 10 cleanup scenarios for Portland Harbor 04.16.2012 Dean Rhodes Health & Wellness , Federal government , State government , Natural resources PORTLAND - The Lower Willamette Group, a coalition of companies and government agencies that will in large part be paying to clean up the Portland Harbor Superfund site, submitted a 500-page draft feasibility study with 15,000 pages of supporting material on March 30 to the Environmental Protection Agency that included 10 …

Tribal Government & News General Council briefed on Tribe's Contract Health expansion effort 04.02.2012 Ron Karten General Council , Health & Wellness PORTLAND -- The Tribal membership was briefed on the Tribe's continuing efforts to expand its Contract Health Service Delivery Area, which has the potential of saving a significant amount of Tribal dollars, on Sunday, April 1, at the General Council meeting held at the Monarch Hotel near Clackamas Town Center. Tribal Health Services Executive …