Smoke Signals
Tribal, State Leaders Meet for Government-to-Government Summit
By Chris Mercier
Old man winter was in a spiteful
mood on Tuesday, December 12, but
even his frosty efforts couldn't halt
the 4th Annual Government-to-Government
Summit at Portland State
University.
The snowfall that blanketed parts
of the state went unnoticed as politi
cians and Tribal heads convened
warmly in the Smith Memorial Union
for what in recent years has become
a virtual rite of the season in Indian
Country.
"We need the partnership of Tribal
and state government," said Sena
tor Ted Ferrioli during his speech in
the panel discussion State & Tribal
Cooperative Efforts, Oregon's Future
The Legislative Perspective.
Ferrioli was but one of many speak
ers of note who attended the Sum
mit, which included Oregon Gover
nor John Kitzhaber and reputed In
dian storyteller Ed Edmo. Also at
tending were Senators
Kate Brown and Avel
Gordly, and the Chair
and Vice Chair of the
Legislative Commission
on Indian Services,
LaVonne Lobert Edmo
and Jay Minthorn.
. Representing the
Tribes were: Sue
Shaffer, Chair of the Cow
Creek Band of Umpqua
Indians; Antone Min
thorn, Chair of the Con
federated Tribes of Umatilla; Ed
Metcalf, Chair of the Coquille Indian
Tribe; Delores Pigsley, Chair of the
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians;
Olney Patt, Jr., Chair of the Confed
erated Tribes of Warm Springs; Allen
Foreman, Chair of the Klamath Tribes;
Wanda Williford, Chair of the Confed
erated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua
Siuslaw; Dean Adams, Acting Chair
of the Burns Paiute Tribe.
f It
Tribal Council member
Butch LaBonte
Representing the Con
federated Tribes of
Grand Ronde was Tribal
Council member Butch
LaBonte.
The Summit began at
9 a.m. with an Invoca
tion and orientation.
The Summit split up into
smaller cluster groups
afterwards, to discuss
the various issues of Na
tive Americans Cul
tural Resources, Natu
ral Resources, Education, Health
and Human Services, Economic De
velopment and Community Services,
and Public Safety Regulation.
Following the cluster groups, the
Summit reconvened for lunch dur
ing which Kitzhaber spoke, and was
followed by speeches from the Tribal
Chairs. After a break, the panel dis
cussion started, during which a num
ber of topics were touched upon, from
Salmon restoration to Tribal sover
eignty. "The best wisdom comes from people
of the land," said Ferrioli during his
speech in the panel discussion.
The Summit ended on a note of lev
ity when Ed Edmo brought his off
beat yet traditional approach to Na
tive story telling. A Umatilla Tribal
member, Edmo weaved unforget
table regional tales of origins, among
them "why there is water" and "why
snakes hiss."
The Government-to-Government
Summit began in 1996 in hopes of
establishing a reliable foundation of
communication between the State of
Oregon and the nine federally rec
ognized Tribes. It is popularly
known as Executive Order No. 96
30, and does not create any right to
administrative or judicial review, or
any other right or benefit or respon
sibility for either the Tribes involved
or the State.
Another Day, Another "A
for ONABEN Graduates
By Chris Mercier
Sheila Herber's Mill Creek home
was the setting for another success
ful Oregon Native American Busi
ness and Entrepreneurial Network
(ONABEN) class graduation on Fri
day, December 8, as eight students
accepted their certificates and shared
new-found ambitions.
"You get all these ideas in your
head," said Tribal member Frank
Hostler. "You want to run with them."
Running with ideas appeared to be
a common theme of the dinner party
as graduates swapped business tales
and entrepreneurial prospects.
Hostler and his wife Lori have al
ready made plans for their business, a
drive-through espresso stand in Salem.
Laura Ligouri and RedWolf Pope
have commenced with One Earth
Communications, a telecommunica
tions service for Native Americans
that will donate a portion of its prof
its to charity.
John Baker, who teaches the class
with Tribal member April Campbell,
offered his formula for business suc
cess in a post-dinner speech.
"Be dependable. Always go the
extra mile," he said. "And remember
that tomorrow is always going to be
better than today.
"If your enthusiasm is below 50 per
cent, don't go into business," he added.
Such would not apply to Tribal
member Daniel Pinneo and his wife
Tanya, both of whom have admit
tedly forgone social lives for the sake
of their business, World Cycle Sup
ply. They also have two other busi
nesses in the works.
Mary Mize is jubilant of her brain
child, Making Memories by Mary, a
video production company. And
Diane Coleman hopes to find success
in her company, Diane's Bridal Blos
soms, specializing in event coordina
tion and floral designs.
One could feel the anticipation of
the night, best summed by Hostler.
"It's not a dog-eat-dog world out
there," he said. "It's opportunity."
U ' , .. Y if r-
Ufa t 00
I I i - I 1t
RECENT ONABEN GRADUATES. Left to right: Diane Coleman,
Dan Pinneo, Tanya Pinneo, RedWolf Pope, Laura Ligouri, Frank Hostler, Busi
ness Consultant Sheila Herber, Mary Mize and Business Instructor John Baker.
Need help? Oregon Native American Business and Entrepreneur Network (ONABEN) is here to
help. Sign up for ONABEN's Starting a Successful Business. This class is open to Non-Native
Americans as well as Native Americans. Participants also have the opportunity to talk with attor
neys, licensed bookkeepers and a variety of business owners.
Classes start February 28 and are every Wednesday through May 16 at the Grand Ronde Small
Business Development office. For more information or to register, contact Sheila Herber at 503-879-2492
or Barbara Lake at 503-879-2476, or toll-free at 1-800-422-0232.
Housing Authority seeks members
Two positions open to Tribal or non-Tribal applicants.
The Grand Ronde Tribal Housing
Authority has two Board Commis
sioners whose three-year terms ex
pire in March 2001. Anyone who is
interested is encouraged to attend the
January Board meeting scheduled
for Tuesday, January 16 at 6 p.m.
at the Housing Authority office in
Grand Ronde.
The three-year terms are on a ro
tating basis, and several expire each
March. Both Tribal members and
non-Tribal people are eligible to serve
on the board, and incumbents are eli
gible to reapply.
. Interested persons should have a
demonstrated interest in housing
and experience such as:
affordable housing development
property management
residential building construction
O housing financing
O housing planning
other related areas
The board oversees all housing de
velopment, management, and opera
tions for the Tribe, and is responsible
for policy-making decisions. The
board currently meets at 6 p.m. on
the third Tuesday of each month at
the Housing office in Grand Ronde.
Interested persons should send a
letter outlining their interest and
qualifications to:
Linda Layden, Director
Grand Ronde Tribal
Housing Authority
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
All letters need to be received
by February 15, 2001 to be con
sidered. For more information re
garding qualifications, or to confirm
the Board meeting date, contact the
Authority at 503-879-2401 or toll
free at 1-800-422-0232, ext. 2401.
Fallen, but not Forgotten: The Return of the Arizona
r
t'r i
A
Tribal member J. Ken Gregg recently gave this picture that he took of the
U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Hawaii to the Grand Ronde Tribal Council. Gregg
took the picture in 1965 while stationed on an aircraft carrier that was re
supplying in Hawaii. Gregg stowed the film in his bag and then the luggage
was lost for five years. When the bag was returned to Gregg, he found the film
inside. The film
was developed in 1985.
In 199 1, the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, then-President
George Bush requested a copy of the picture for the White House and the Memo
rial Gregg said he has sold almost 200 of the signed and numbered prints for
$500 a piece. Gregg said he donates the pictures to survivors of Pearl Harbor
and to various Veterans' groups.
Print number one hangs in the White House, print number two hangs in the
Memonal and the Tnbal Council now holds print number three.