JANUARY 15, 2005
Smoke Signals 9
Tribal Member And Veteran Steve Manangan Opens Auto Business
By Toby McCIary
See the General.
Tribal member and Veteran Steve Manangan
and his wife Berta own General Automotive, an
automotive business in Newberg, Oregon.
The Manangans specialize in the replacement
and installation of new and used motors but say
that they can fix just about anything. Steve
has a history of over two decades in this line of
work and explains that his work is done with
high quality.
"I am very conscientious about the work I do
and I have a whole wall of certifications and
awards to prove it," said Manangan. "I like to
maintain a personal relationship with the car
I'm working on, as well as the customer."
Manangan has been "wrenching" for a long
time. Auto mechanics was his hobby long be
fore he started doing it as a profession. He has
been doing some kind of mechanics, whether on
bicycles, electronics or cars, since he was about
eight.
"Mechanics is what I know best and what I
have a passion for," he said.
Steve, 43, is the grandson of deceased Tribal
Elder Esther LaBonte and son of Tribal Elder
Rosetta LaBonte. He was born and raised in
Portland, Oregon. Manangan joined the Navy
when he was 17 and spent 10 years in active
duty. He studied engineering in the Navy and
said that he "repaired all kinds of pumps for
them."
When Manangan finally left the Navy he
started working in auto shops around the Port
land area.
"I started working in random auto shops in
the early 1980's," he said. .
Manangan got his big break when he bought
and operated an auto shop in Oregon City, Or
egon. In 1993, he opened Save-on-Auto, an auto
mechanic shop that he ran for a little over a de
cade. Then in 2004, he moved his location to
Newberg, Oregon, where he and his wife now
own and operate General Automotive.
Manangan explained that he wanted to be closer
to the Tribe, his people and his family. He of
fers Tribal members a discount for work done in
his shop. Manangan usually charges $65 an
hour, but he only charges Tribal members $55
an hour.
"The Tribe has helped me in the past and I
would like to give something back," said
Manangan. "I would also like to be more in
volved in the activities put on by the Tribe."
Manangan also has some long term goals. He
wants to eventually find a home in either Yamhill
or Polk County to bring him even closer to Grand
Ronde. He is also looking into operating and
owning more than one garage. Most impor
tantly, Steve wants to train young Tribal mem
bers in an auto mechanics mentorship program.
He said that it is very important in life to learn a
trade and he wants to see Tribal youth succeed.
"I would like to give the youth an idea of what
auto mechanics is all about," he said. "And in
some way, I would like to share my knowledge
with the Tribe."
Steve wants to be involved with the Tribe, and
in turn, wants the Tribe to be involved with him.
"If the Tribe can have people trained in this
area, then we can all work together and be help
ful to one another," said Manangan.
General Automotive can do anything from
engine installation to brake and clutch repair.
They have just recently started doing tune-ups
for $14.95.
GENERAL AUTOMOTIVE
415 W. 1st St.
Newberg, Oregon 97132.
Phone: 503-538-4824
tfp
Tribal member Steve Manangan
it TV x.xl--
Disgraceful Habits Truckloads full of
garbage were pulled from forest land next to
the rez last month. Although the Tribe was not
required to pick up the garbage, "It was so
disgraceful that we just could not leave it
there," saidTribal Public Works Director and
Tribal member John Mercier. The situation was
back to normal as Smoke Signals went to
press, but Mercier cautioned that this isn't the
first time he has encouraged the community to
keep our lands clean. "It doesn't take much for
thoughtless individuals to disgrace the beauti
ful forest lands in our area," he said. With
illegal dumping virtually impossible to police, it
will take a commitment by the local community
to keep things clean. That commitment can
begin with you!
Smoke Signals' Staff Receives Honors From Inter-Tribal Journalists
D Peta Tinda wins Photographer of the Year, Ron Karten Writer of the Year and Tribal member Brent Merrill, Editor of the Year.
By Toby McCIary
Inter-Tribal Journalists Organization (ITJO),
an online organization from Southern Califor
nia, has been recognizing and honoring Native
American publications from California, Arizona
and Nevada for the past five years.
2004 was the first year that they expanded
their services to Oregon and their first year rec
ognizing individual journalists. Three members
from the Smoke Signals staff were nominated
in three separate categories:
Brent Merrill for Editor of the Year
B Ron Karten for Humanistic Journalist of the
Year
B Peta Tinda for Photographer of the Year
We are proud to acknowledge that all three
members received awards.
Peta Tinda
Ron Karten
ITJO is made up of nine board members that
read, evaluate and vote for their favorite articles,
photography and overall layout and design of
Tribal publications. Smoke Signals staffers won
half of the total awards given to Oregon's Tribal
journalists.
Chairman of ITJO Robert J. RedFeather, Jr.
said that his organization is concerned with
Tribal news papers as means of encouraging
them to reach out beyond their own tiny na
tions. "Our staff here at ITJO would like to extend a
heartfelt congratulations to each of the journal
ists who were recognized for their work, and we
encourage readers to submit even more articles
and photos to us for the year 2005," said
RedFeather.
If you would like to submit an article or photo,
you can send it to
intertribalj ournalistsorgyahoo .com .