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of the things I heard from the board fairly quickly is that the vast majority of Oregonians don’t know that Spirit Mountain Community Fund, on behalf of the Tribe, does this very substantial amount of charitable giving,” said Community Fund Director Kathleen George. “The Tribe doesn’t often talk a lot about the incredible charitable giving that it does. So there was a desire on behalf of the board to get the message out.” Spirit Mountain Community Fund officially surpassed $70 million …

of the Spirit Mountain Casino float. “When you combine it with the nature that is all around it – you guys did a great job, you really did. I would think there would be a lot of pride. To have that float coming through to show those people who we are as American Indian people and who we are across the country kind of unifies us.” Grand Ronde Tribal Elders and Spirit Mountain Casino employees spent the days leading up to the parade in a Portland warehouse creating the float. “I’m very, very excited,” said …

-hearted woman in the history of television, Gemma Teller-Morrow (Katey Sagal), kept viewers watching with record ratings. “The FX series was a record breaker for the network,” said Ridgebear, who is fan of the Golden Globe-winning show. “It had such a huge, very loyal following behind the series. We had a party just to watch the series finale.” Ridgebear said she thinks now is the perfect time for Aristocrat to release its “Sons of Anarchy” slot machines. “It (the release) caused such a buzz …

Denise Harvey, Cheryle A. Kennedy and Jon A. George at the City Council meeting. “It’s a real honor to be here today,” Leno said. “I think this proclamation is really a first step forward. We took great honor in the using of our language for the naming of Tilikum Crossing. That day of escorting the train across the bridge the first time was historic for us.” Leno said the Grand Ronde Tribe signed the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 that ceded all of the land that is now Portland to the federal …

writer When Mercedes Jones was a child, she often felt out of place as an Indigenous person in the classroom. Very little of what she learned involved Tribal practices, histories or stories, despite the fact that Oregon has an extensive Tribal history. Now, she’s helping to ensure that the next generation will have a different experience. Jones, the Tribe’s curriculum specialist, recently published a series of children’s books that focus specifically on Grand Ronde stories that have been passed …

Tribal Government & News Letters to the Editor -- Jan. 1, 2020 12.30.2019 Dean Rhodes Letters Dear Smoke Signals : Dear Tribal members and family, with my deepest apology, I am so sorry. I made a mistake. In regards to the article in the Dec. 1 Smoke Signals , I did not comment at the time as I had not made a plea as the article claimed. On Dec. 19, I made a plea of guilty. This last summer, I was under a great deal of stress. I made some poor decisions and my husband didn’t even know. I …

being shuttered for almost six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wildwood Hotel and adjoining restaurant are open for business, albeit with limited services for the time being. The hotel and restaurant were purchased by Grand Ronde Tribal member Matt Haller, 37, and his wife, April, who are also lifelong West Valley residents. “The previous owners (Meredith and Katie Kendall) made it possible for us to purchase this,” Haller says. “People have asked me why I would buy a restaurant during …

a lot of federal policies to see how to safely re-open.” Fasana said that the technology assistance grant, which provided $500 for a laptop, tablet or desktop, was a huge help to both students and Elders. The grant, which was funded from federal CARES Act dollars, originally expired Dec. 31. In total, 563 students and 341 Elders were able to access the grant. Fasana said that this year was also a time to work on creating consistency and cohesiveness within the Education Department. “We’re trying …

member friend they were not taking a vaccine from someone local who really needed it. It only takes two hours for the vaccine to thaw when removed from a freezer and then the doses are only viable for six hours. “We were all very clear that we didn’t want to take away from anyone else,” Lauren said. “We were told the Tribe didn’t want any of the doses to go to waste. We are so grateful for the generosity from the Tribe.” The three chose to make the 520-mile trip to Grand Ronde from Reno due …

gatherings, have closed the Tribal governmental campus for three weeks through at least Friday, May 7. “There’s been an uptick in positive cases recently,” Health Services Executive Director Kelly Rowe said during a Wednesday, April 21, Facebook Live event. “We were at zero for a period of time. These cases have come after spring break and Easter. It becomes a game of telephone where it gets wider and wider. We are here to help treat you, but we absolutely support vaccination.” The Facebook Live event …