MAY 1, 2005
MCC
A Publication of the Grand Rondo Tribe
www.grandronde.org
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Director's Cut On Saturday, April 23, Spirit Mountain Casino opened a
163 room expansion of the Spirit Mountain Lodge. It now has a total of 254
rooms. Approximately 200 people attended the event that was held in the lobby.
The expansion includes 12 new Jacuzzi suites, a gift shop, a continental breakfast
room and 35 new jobs. Comedian Jay Leno (inset) accompanied members from
Tribal Council (above) and executives from the casino in the ribbon-cutting
ceremony. A personable Leno also performed a stand-up routine later that
evening. Story and more photos on pages 6-7.
St. Michael Church Is
Honored for Its History
The church needs a lot of TLC and a larger membership roll,
but Tribal contributions aim at holding the community together.
By Ron Karten
St. Michael Catholic Church
figures in the stories that Grand
Ronde's Tribal Elders tell. Roller
skating on Saturday nights at
the church hall is high among
those church memories.
With attendance at St.
Michael Masses dwindling and
the parish's very existence in
question, Willamina's Cross Cut
Construction company, thanks
to a $10,000 matching grant
from the Tribe, was neverthe
less rebuilding that skating sur
face on a recent morning.
The larger church faces a
priest shortage and every
Catholic parish or mission adds
to the strain. The Portland
See CHURCH
on page 8
row
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
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Seasonal Spring has given way to early summer in the West Valley with flowers
like these daffodils staying in bloom. Photo by Toby McClary