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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2010)
Spirit Mountain sponsors event " at Portland Meadows pg. 4 Smoke - ' A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe IIiIiiIiiiIiIiiIIIiiiiiIIiiiiIIiiIiIIIiiiiIiIiIiIiiIiIiiiii III P-2 P43 OR NEWSPAPER PROL UO LIBRARY SYSTEM PRE 1299 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON EUGENE OR 97403-1205 JANUARY 1,2010 PRESORTED STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 178 SALEM, OR www.grandronde.org TJ3VCPQTJA. MOLALLA ROGUE RIVER KALAPUYA CELAST-A. Market prompts renewed Tribal timber sales BIA restrictions ended in 2008 on Tribe marketing its own timber By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde has started doing something that was suspended most of the last two years selling timber from the Reservation. Tribal member and Natural Resources Director Michael Wilson said the timber market is slowly showing improvement, which makes it worthwhile for the Tribe to once again sell timber. The recent Big Toe sale received seven bidders and sold for $267 per 1,000 board feet, a substantial improvement over 2008 when rates dropped to less "The timber market appears to be slowly improving. As it does so, we will sell more timber. " Tribal member and Natural Resources Director Michael Wilson than $100 per 1,000 board feet. "The timber market appears to be slowly im proving," Wilson said. "As it does so, we will sell more timber. Natural Resources will be working with the Timber Committee to evaluate when to market our own timber and when to sell it through a public auction." The timber market got so bad in 2006 and 2007 that a large drop in 2008 prompted the Tribe's seven-member Timber Committee to recommend that the Tribe halt sales until the market rebounded. "The thought process was that we were 'giving away our timber' under the low prices and if we could hold back some timber until log markets and prices improved, the Tribe would be much better off in the long run," Wilson said. "The market got to the point in the fall and winter of 2008 where most mills were not buying any logs, so we effec- See TIMBER continued on page 6 Kjra mesa's Oogaq PUUlllHPi)9Hr 'PPflWBP'PIP ' "" ,--,11.1-1. m. m-i i , .,..,..,.,..-,.. ....,.,....-. . . ' " " ' ' jN, Sok ft , ' TRIBAL WELLNESS Photo by Michelle Alaimo Vernon Kennedy, the Tribe's prevention education counselor and the fourth-longest serving employee, is retiring on Jan. 4. He plans to spend more time with his grandson. Fourth longest-serving Tribal employee prepares for life after work By Ron Karten Smoke Signals staff writer Vernon Kennedy (North ern Paiute in Burns), the Tribe's fourth-longest serving employee, retires on Jan. 4. Many colleagues say they have not met a kinder or more decent gentleman, and you see it clearly in both his work ing life and in his retirement plans. "Vernon's main consideration in retiring was because of our youngest grandson (Tribal member Kaleb Allen), who needs some constant care," says his wife of 42 years, Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Ken nedy. "He just made up his mind that he's going to do that. 'I'll do what I can on the side,' he said, See VERNON continued on pages 8-9 Tribe focusing on gang culture in Grand Ronde Tribal administration encourages implementation of two policies at community events By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Dec. 1 death of a 21-year-old Grand Ronde resident in Keizer in what prosecu tors called "a drug deal gone bad" is prompting Grand Ronde Tribal Council members and Tribal admin istration to continue their focus on gang culture in the area. Tribal member and Executive Of ficer Chris Leno encouraged Tribal managers on Dec. 16 to follow the February 2008 Personal Appearance and Behavioral Policy. In addition, a Gang Awareness presentation is scheduled for the Jan. 10 General Council meeting in the Grand Ronde Community Center. The Personal Appearance and Be havioral Policy calls for a statement to be included for all advertising of Tribal community events: "Thank you respecting Grand Ronde's Tribal community and our culture by not displaying gang affiliation or by bringing drugs, alcohol or weapons to this event." The policy also encourages those putting on community events to look for multiple indicators - throwing hand signs, shouting a gang name, wearing a gang rag, etc. that in dividual attendees are possible gang members. "Look for multiple indicators of gang representing before approach See GANGS continued on page 7
