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Tribal Government & News 26 percent of eligible voters register for split-sibling constitutional amendment election 02.28.2019 Dean Rhodes Elections By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Even with an extended period of time during which they could register for the upcoming Bureau of Indian Affairs-supervised constitutional amendment election, an average number of Grand Ronde Tribal members will decide the issue. During the last three constitutional amendment elections held in 2016, 2015 and 2012 …

Gaming Spirit Mountain Casino sticking with Wells Fargo for banking services 04.03.2019 Danielle Frost Spirit Mountain Casino , Gaming Spirit Mountain Casino By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer Unlike the Grand Ronde Tribal government, Spirit Mountain Casino will continue its multi-million dollar business relationship with Wells Fargo Bank. The decision was announced at the Legislative Action Committee meeting held on Tuesday, March 26. Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr., who serves …

to the Election Ordinance on Wednesday, April 3, that will provide for the use of ballot boxes in Tribal elections. Senior Staff Attorney Deneen Aubertin Keller said during the Tuesday, March 26, Legislative Action Committee meeting that no comments were received regarding the proposed amendments before the deadline. However, one supportive comment was received after the deadline. The amendments establish a process for collection of ballot box ballots and state that ballots cast by voters who walk …

; Appointed Steve Bobb Jr. to the Fish & Wildlife Committee with a term expiring in March 2021; Appointed Mike Colton to serve as an alternate on the Election Board with a term expiring in March 2021; And appointed Brian Krehbiel to the Tribal Employment Rights Commission to serve out the term of Matt Thomas through March 2020 and Simone Auger to a full three-term expiring in March 2022. Also included in the June 26 Tribal Council packet were approved authorizations to proceed that authorized …

counts state. The indictment states that she allegedly spent the money in Yamhill, Polk and Tillamook counties. Little was elected to the Elders Committee during the December 2018 election and resigned when the allegations against her surfaced. She was cited and released by McAllister on Sept. 26. The Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department declined to release Little’s arrest report to Smoke Signals , citing that the Polk County District Attorney’s Office is not finished with the case. She is being …

to help protect the Tribal community, staff and guests as the COVID-19 outbreak escalates throughout the state, region and country,” says a press release jointly issued by Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy and Spirit Mountain Casino General Manager Stan Dillon on Thursday, March 26. “The Tribe’s and casino’s first priority is the health and safety of everyone that comes to Spirit Mountain Casino. The casino management and Grand Ronde Tribal Council will continue to monitor the situation …

is caring for the family. Other passings Sheryl Ann Norred Oct. 29, 1957 – April 4, 2020 Columbia Funeral Home in St. Helens, Ore., is assisting the family. At this time, funeral services are not scheduled. Nelda Lee Logan April 1, 1953 – March 25, 2020 West Valley Funeral Home in Sheridan is assisting the family. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Dorothy Lee Thies Nov. 26, 1931 – April 1, 2020 Wilson’s Chapel of the Roses in Roseburg, Ore., is assisting the family …

. Saturday, May 9 Citizen contact occurred in the 9600 block of Grand Ronde Road. Assist outside agency by helping an Oregon State Police trooper with a DUII investigation at the Grand Ronde Police Department. Assist outside agency regarding shots fired in the area of milepost 15 on Highway 18. Traffic stop occurred in the area of milepost 26 on Highway 18. A vehicle was eluding police during a pursuit. Sunday, May 10 Assist outside agency with a reported explosion in the 39500 block of Fort Hill Road …

casino after objections from other Tribes scuttled the previous project. Grand Ronde Tribal lobbyist Justin Martin said at the time that a casino off Interstate 5 near Salem would be “devastating” to the Grand Ronde Tribe’s Spirit Mountain Casino, which is currently the closest gaming enterprise to the Salem market. The Siletz Tribe’s Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City is 26 miles farther away from Salem than Spirit Mountain. Calls to Siletz Tribal Chairwoman Dee Pigsley were not returned …

as a veterans benefit counselor beginning in 2007. Eventually, he became interim director and then deputy director. Sparks’ goals for his first year at the commission were focused on co-chairing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Task Force and encouraging Native American participation in the 2020 Census. He served on active duty in the Navy for 26 years and had several deployments overseas, including five in the Middle East. The Oregon Legislative Commission on Indian Services was formed 45 years …