Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2008)
T40 P5 Of? NEWSPAPER PROJ. UO LIBRrtRV SYSTEM PRE 1299 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON EUGENE OR 97403-1205 tlllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllltllllllllllltltllUlllll PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM, OR PERMIT NO. 178 I lill'lnl. - III! I1IVKH WIIIHN X IV f bees 6 J2J 111 l CZ) AUGUST 1,2008 Xfc&M&vtfS jMi K&nWHM A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe www.grandronde.org MOLALLA ROGUE RIVER KAIiAPITYA CHASTA Director cites streamlined processes, new providers for bringing back Tribal members By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tribal Health Executive Direc tor Mark Johnston, a little more than a year on the job, has a message to Tribal members who were frustrated by scheduling issues, significant wait times and a revolving door of health care pro viders at the Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center. Give it another chance. "Those are issues that have been aggressively pursued," Johnston says in his second-floor office. And, based on patient numbers, the Health & Wellness Center is re ceiving better word of mouth among the Tribal community. Client count has increased from about 1,500 pa tients in 2003 to about 1,700 now. Among issues Johnston was asked by Tribal Council to address upon his hiring in the summer of 2007 were access to care and timeli ness of that access. When he started, clinic providers were seeing about 12 to 14 patients daily, appointments stretching out to 40 minutes to an hour in length. Frustrating wait times were as See CLINIC continued on page 5 Photo by Michelle Alalmo Susan Wright has been a family nurse practitioner at tha Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center since October 2007. The clinic has seen an increase in patients partly due to the recruitment of health care providers, like Wright, who are committed to staying in Grand Ronde. ' I X Tir;-,-A KYJW --t"r x Photo by Michelle AlaimoGtaphk created by George Valdel Members of the Grand Ronde and Chinook Canoe Families paddle down the Swinomish Channel as they arrive at the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in La Conner, Wash for a stop on the 2008 Canoe Journey on Monday, July, 21. More photot on pagt 9. Turn lb dl una ties $4,5Q)(D tin cattdh eUi hMevs -1 Photo courtesy of Oregon State Police This elk is one of seven trophy bull elk killed in southwestern Oregon. The Tribe donated $4,500 to catch the person or persons responsible. By Dean Rhodes Smohe Sinmiln editor The Confederated TribcH of Grand Ronde donated $1,500 on July 23 to n reward fund that has been established to help catch whoever has shot seven trophy bull elk and left them to rot in southwestern Oregon. The Tribal donation increases the reward fund to $17,500. "The reward fund will pny for information lead- inR to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals who illegally shot and killed seven trophy bull elk," said Tribal Public Affairs Direc tor Siobhan Taylor. "The Grand Ronde Tribe recently (on April 18) had its ceremonial hunting and fishing rights restored. Our rights were restored, in See ELK continued on page 6
