NOVEMBER 1, 2004
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A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe
www.grandronde.org
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Plane Crash Claims Three Young Lives
Tribal member Travis Hofenbredl, 16, walks on.
By Ron Karten
Our family chain is broken and
nothing seems the same, but as God
calls us one by one, the Chain will
link again.
These were some of the words in
memory of Tribal member Travis
"Fuzz" Darwin Hofenbredl, 16
years old when a red and white
1971 Piper Cherokee went down in
thick woods in the Van Duzer Cor
ridor on October 14.
Memories also came from family
and friends of Ross Havel, 18, pilot
of the plane, and his friend, Kristi
Ward, 16, a passenger. The
friends, each described as special in
a unique way and full of life, were
sailing through the air scouting elk
for the opening of the hunting sea
son at the time of the still unex
plained tragedy.
The plane, 45 minutes to an hour
out of McMinnville, came down
nose first in the thick woods about
five miles east of the entrance to the
Van Duzer Corridor. The plane
that a witness said was flying "real
low and real slow," according to
Lieutenant Ed Stallard, investigat
ing for the Lincoln County Sheriffs
office, crashed at about the
2,750-foot level of Saddle
Bag Mountain, killing the
teens on impact. The plane
ended on its back with the
fuselage in flames. Debris
scattered along a 140-foot
crash path.
The pilot has been praised
as experienced and diligent
at Cirrus Aviation LLC at the
McMinnville Municipal Air
port. Cirrus owned the plane,
and Havel worked for Cirrus.
Havel rented the plane on
the afternoon of the crash,
and the hunt for the teens
began when the Piper did not
return that evening as
scheduled.
"Genius," is the word that
Carrie Zimbrick, Vice Princi
pal and Special Education Director
of Willamina High School used to
describe Havel, who had been a stu
dent there. "He was incredible," she
said. "His depth of knowledge and
See CRASH
on page 3
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We Will Never Forget Family
and friends set up a memorial for
Tribal member Travis Hofenbredl and
two other teens, Ross Havel and Kristi
Ward, who died in a fatal plane crash
on Thursday, October 14, about eight
miles from Grand Ronde.
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Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Communitv of Oreaon
Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
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Annual Tribal Government-To-Government
Summit Held At Umatilla Reservation
D Governor leaves before Tribal Chairs complete their statements.
By Peta Tinda
In 2001, the Oregon State Legis
lature passed SB 770, a statute that
outlines a process to promote posi
tive Tribal and state government-to-government
relations.
One of the requirements is an
annual summit, whih was held this
year at Wildhorse Casino in
Pendleton.
Representatives from all nine fed
erally recognized Oregon Tribes
were at the summit to discuss the
ways to work together with state
and local governments. About 250
Tribal officials and department di
rectors attended the summit.
A delegation of about 20 Grand
Ronde Tribal Council members and
department managers were at the
summit.
Governor Ted Kulongoski spoke
to gathered Tribal leaders.
"The relationship between Or
egon state government and the In
dian sovereign nations will con
tinue to be enhanced as a result of
meeting together, sharing informa
tion and traditions and collaborat
ing on projects," said Kulongoski.
"The annual meeting provides an
excellent opportunity to build on
See MEETING
on page 3
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Recognition Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle Kennedy speaks to Oregon
Governor Ted Kulongoski while Cow Creek Chairwoman Sue Shaffer (right) listens to
Kennedy at the Annual StateTribal Government Summit held in Pendleton and
hosted by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla.
Photo courtesy of Marcus Luke Confederated Umatilla Journal