i
The Grand Ronde Review
4 News and Opinion
THE GRAND RONDE
REVIEW
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, Or 97347
EDITOR:
TRACY DUGAN 879-2254
REPORTER:
OSCAR JOHNSON 879-2321
GRAPHICS & COORDINATOR: ;
KIM MUELLER 879-2264
1-800-422-0232 ,
. NEWS FAX: (503) 879-2263
E-MAIL ADDRESSES:
tracynewsmacnet.com .
kimnewsmacnet.com
oscarJohnsonjournalist.com
UPCOMING DEADLINE:
Monday, Oct. 5, 1998
Dear Editor,
I am a Grand Ronde tribal member
doing 10 years in a Federal Peniten
tiary in Atlanta, Georgia. I appreci
ate and even look forward to receiv
' ing the newspaper from home.
I just read the first of the five part
series (Molalla) that the paper is do
ing on each of the Grand Ronde
Tribes. This was an excellent article
and I feel our paper needs more of
this kind of journalism.
I just wanted to express my opin
ion. Thank you for your time."
Respectfully,
M. Herrin
Roll 2439
P.S. The new name is kind of stuffy.
Would rather have had a native
name, but then "what's in a name?"
Dear fellow tribal members:
It is my opinion, shared by many
with whom I have voiced my con
cern, that Tribal Council should ex
plore the feasibility of providing
health care coverage for non-tribal
spouses of our tribes members. One
must consider this to be a vital part
of the health care security desired by
the majority of the membership dur-
ing the recent community meetings.
Due to the success of the various busi
ness ventures developed by the Tribe,
it appears that there, are funds avail
' able for such a program.
Many of the members', spouses are
employed in positions where health
care insurance is not available or oth
erwise cannot afford the escalating
cost of health care. It is very distress
ing to have to watch a loved one do
without needed health care in such a
situation. What's more, one must
consider the financial implications a
medical emergency can place on a
family. In many cases it may jeopar
dize a family's ability to maintain their
residence. This is a worrisome bur
den that no tribal member should have
to bear when there are funds avail
able to address this problem.
I am very grateful for all the pro
grams available to our members, but
this shortfall should be addressed as
'-' soon as possible. 'I urge all members
who support such a program to com
municate their support to Tribal
Council.
Thank you very much,
Marlena Lancour
Roll 733
Editor,
I'm writing in response to a letter
in the Sept. 1, 1998 Smoke Signals.
The money tribal Elders receive each
month and the investment money re
ceived by each tribal member is a real
blessing and proof of our Tribal
Council's money management skills.
Sure, it would be nice to be able to
have an allotment to go to all tribal
members. We need to be thankful
that our tribe has not "blown" all the
tribal money we have made, like so
many other tribes have done. We
should be thankful for the money in
vested in education. This will make
more of our people independent and
self-sufficient without having to de
pend on Tribal support. Caring for
our members with drug and alcohol
problems and getting them clean, is
a money saver in the longrun. This
keeps our kids and adults out of pris
ons and homes where we have to sup
port them with higher state and fed
eral taxes. Before restoration, many
of the Elders of our Tribe didn't have
the opportunity to even be tribal mem
bers much less the financial support
we get now. Medical, dental, and
burial benefits are privileges that
many other tribes don't enjoy. We
should be thankful for what we have
and count our blessings. If all the
tribal members stand together, the
benefits can only grow.
Barbara Pichette Cantwell
Roll 632
Jimmie Pichette
Roll 636
Fun for Ms aft "FamiDy Night Oioft"
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"Family Night Out" was a
great success this year. Over
100 people came to the
Community Center on Septem
ber 121 for dinner and an
evening of activities. That was
quite an improvement from last
year, when only about fifteen
folks came. Activities for
students included drumming
and dancing, a penny toss,
coloring contest, board games,
and a dance. Special thanks to
program staff for facilitating
these events, and to Jeff
Nercier and Travis Stewart for
being the DJs at the dance.
PHOTO: Kids loved the "Penny
Toss" where they had a chance
to toss coins in a cup to win
prizes. Marion Mercier,
Education staff, handed out
the prizes which consisted of
a variety of school supplies.
Dear tribal members,
I am enormously grateful and hon
ored by everyone who supported me
in the last election. Your faith and
confidence in me is greatly appreci
ated and I'll continue to trust in God
for His guidance.
To my family love and hugs for'
always standing by me.
To all who voted you've done
yourself proud by making this the
largest turnout ever for an election
to date.
Kathryn Harrison
To the general membership,
I would like to take this opportu
nity to thank all of you who supported
me in this last election, and those of
you who did not as well, as it is ev
ery bit as important that you vote, as
it is whom you vote for. Your direc
tion forges our leadership and allows
those leaders to take us forward into
the next three years, with the renewed
hopes of a stronger tribe, not only
financially, but spiritually. And those
of you who did not take the opportu
nity to vote for one reason or another
please remember without your vote
the direction of your tribe is admin
istered by only a select few. So please
register and vote. As per my cam
paign promises, I only hope that each
'and every One of my " fellow candi
dates that did not get elected take this
next year to work with the Tribe, the
committees, and Council to resolve
the issues they campaigned so
strongly for, as I plan to do. And not
just return next year for nomination
and complain about unresolved is
sues. Thanks again for your support.
J. Ken Gregg, Roll 208
Dear Editor,
A long overdue thank you for send
ing me the paper each month. I re
ally appreciate it.
I am glad that the Tribe is so suc
cessful in all its endeavors. John
would have been pleased, I am sorry
that he passed away before all this
happened.
I visited the Spirit Mountain Casino
the end of July, and although I wasn't
successful, I had a good time trying.
Thanks again and you can be very
proud of what you have accom
plished. Sincerely,
Jayne Pichette
Dear Editor,
I've always been an advocate of
progress but when I saw the latest
edition of the newsletter, progress got
a thumbs down. Smoke Signals was
an eye-catching title depicting a Na
tive American form of communica
tion for eons.
Now we are just another newslet
ter. I feel as if I've lost an old friend!
Arlene Beck, Roll 179