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the Heritage Commission approved state heritage area status in early February on a preliminary basis. The Willamette Falls Heritage Area is the first to ever receive a state heritage area designation. The Willamette Falls Heritage Area encompasses 26 square miles and is home to the second largest waterfall by volume in the United States. The area remains a culturally and historically significant site for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Tribal members continue to harvest lamprey at the site …

a resolution at its Wednesday, Aug. 26, meeting to approve the land acquisition. The Board of Commissioners approved a resolution to transfer the land to the Grand Ronde Tribe on Sept. 2. The Tribe accepted the land donation and then entered into a lease of the property with the Pioneer Museum Foundation, similar to the Tillamook County agreement, and also resolved to maintain public pedestrian access to the shore lands. The Tribe also is looking at the land as a site for possible cultural events …

and Umatilla all protested the Oregon Department of State Lands’ Aug. 31 decision to allow the Grand Ronde Tribe to build a fishing platform at Willamette Falls. The three Tribes claimed the Grand Ronde platform would interfere with their treaty rights to harvest lamprey at the falls. State Lands Director Vicki Walker reaffirmed that decision on Nov. 26. Beckham said the Native Americans of the Willamette Valley continued to fish at Willamette Falls even after removal to the Grand Ronde Reservation …

. Tribal Council member Lisa Leno was absent. Finance Officer Chris Leno said he received 26 written comments regarding the proposed purchases from the membership and they were all positive. During the supplemental budget hearing, former Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno called the purchase “one of the worst decisions the Tribe will ever make.” He also asked why the Tribe is not investing the money in Grand Ronde for Elders, education and veterans. Tribal Elder Les Houck also said he was “totally …

Center and during the Jan. 5 General Council meeting. Elder and past Tribal Council Chair Reyn Leno said that a memorial service for longtime Willamina logger and resident Roy Zimbrick would be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at Willamina High School. He passed on Nov. 26, 2019. The meeting can be viewed in its entirety by visiting www.grandronde.org and clicking on the Government tab and then Video. Share On Facebook Share On Twitter Share Article Link Subscribe Subscribe to our Newspaper …

on Wednesday, Dec. 11, propelled Spirit Mountain Community Fund to almost $83 million in giving since it was started in 1997. The 26 grants also increased the number of grants awarded during the last 22 years to 2,810. The grants have been distributed to 1,165 nonprofit organizations in 11 northwest Oregon counties. The Tribe’s philanthropic entity held its fourth-quarter check presentation in the Governance Center Atrium. The Community Fund receives 6 percent of Spirit Mountain Casino proceeds …

is a precautionary measure to help protect the Tribal community, staff and guests as the COVID-19 outbreak escalates throughout the state, region and country,” said a press release jointly issued by 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 and will revisit …

new COVID-19 case on Wednesday, Aug. 26. The case was the first where the individual has ties to the Grand Ronde community, according to information posted to the Tribe’s Facebook page. “Today we learned that the Tribal Clinic has tested its third positive case of COVID-19 and that the individual does have ties to the Grand Ronde community,” the post stated. “Fortunately, we have prepared for this situation and we are working closely with our colleagues at the county and state to conduct contact …

Administrative Assistant Barbara Branson and GED Coordinator Tracy Biery, who attained 30 years apiece. In the quarter-century or more club were Tribal Attorney Rob Greene at 26 years, Administrative Assistant Tammy Garrison with 27 years and Natural Resources Department Manager Michael Wilson and Finance Officer Chris Leno, who both reached 28 years of service. Higher Education Manager Bryan Langley and Chinuk Immersion Preschool Teacher Jeff Mercier notched 29 years. Achieving 20 or more years …

the departments of the Treasury and Interior in CARES Act funding, including $11 million to the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, almost $26 million to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and about $39 million to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. The $2.2 trillion CARES Act was passed by Congress in March and Oregon Tribes initially received a combined $152.7 million in funding, according to a Harvard study that used Treasury’s publicly …