Smoke Signals 5
FEBRUARY 1, 201 1
Tribe, SaDem-CCeDzeir Torainisiift receive award
File photo by Michelle Alalnr
A SaUm-Klzr Transit District Rout 2X, Grand Rond Express, bus stops
t Spirit Mountain Casino. Tha Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and
Salem-Kelzer Transit District will receive the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of
Governments' Regional Cooperative Project Award on Wednesday, Feb. 2, for
working together on starting the bus route between Salem and Grand Ronde.
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signal editor
The Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde and Salem-Keizer Transit
District will receive the Regional
Cooperative Project Award on
Wednesday, Feb. 2, at the Mid-Willamette
Valley Council of Govern
ments annual dinner.
The two governmental entities
will be honored for Route 2X The
Grand Ronde Express, which was
made possible through the coopera
tion of the Tribe and Salem-Keizer
Transit.
The route was created to meet
the need for employee transporta
tion to and from Grand Ronde,"
wrote Steve Dickey, Salem-Keizer
Director of Transportation Develop
ment, on the award's nomination
form. "Spirit Mountain Casino is
the largest single employer in Polk
County. In large part due to trans
portation challenges, employee
retention has been an issue at the
casino."
The partnership created a public
transportation option for Spirit
Mountain employees between Sa
lem and Grand Ronde, as well as a
park-and-ride option in Rickreall.
"Since the service started, over
3 1,000 trips have been taken on this
route that operates five days a week,"
Dickey wrote. The partnership is a
reciprocal relationship of funding
and transportation service resources.
The funding is provided by Federal
Transit Administration Tribal Tran
sit Funds, Oregon Department of
Energy Business Energy Tax Credits
and passenger fares. The transporta
tion service resources (buses, drivers,
maintenance, etc.) are provided by
Salem-Keizer."
The route is available for use by
commuters, business patrons and
anyone looking for an alternative to
driving state Highway 22 between
Grand Ronde and Salem.
The dinner will be held at the Or
egon Gardens in Silverton. Tribal
Council member Chris Mercier,
who sits on the Council of Govern
ments' Board of Directors, will
represent the Tribe at the awards
presentation.
The Mid-Willamette Valley Coun
cil of Governments is a voluntary
association of local governments in
Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties,
including the three counties, cities
within those counties, several spe
cial districts and the Confederated
Tribes of the Grand Ronde. B
URGENT: Skookum Alternate
Resource survey
The Skookum Health Program is funded with Tribal dollars. The
annual cost for medical claims has increased dramatically over the
past 10 years, and in 2010 the Tribe spent more than $20 million to
operate the Skookum program. To help control costs, effective March
1, 2011, all members who have not completed the Skookum Alternate
Resource Survey will not have their claims paid until the survey is
completed. Shasta will be notifying members whose claims have
been pended via mail, with instructions for completing the survey
online or by telephone. Tribal staff will be contacting members who
have not completed the survey by telephone as well.
This information is essential if we are going to get the plan back
to its original intent of being the primary payer ONLY in cases
when other payers (Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance) are
not available.
PLEASE NOTE: TRIBAL COUNCIL WANTS YOU TO KNOW
THAT THIS SURVEY IS CRITICAL AND THAT YOUR BENEFITS
OR OUT-OF-POCKETS EXPENSES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO
CHANGE.
Here is an example of how this will work and why it is so impor
tant: A Tribal member who has Skookum as a primary payer must
have a back surgery and, due to complications, remains in the hos
pital for 45 days. Average cost to the Tribe: $250,000.
This same Tribal member has the same surgery and complica
tions and remains in the hospital for 45 days. However, the member
has access to his spouse's employer's insurance, with a maximum out
of pocket of $5,000. Total cost to the Tribe: no more than $5,000.
YOU MAY COMPLETE THE SURVEY ONLINE (BY FOLLOW
ING THE LINK ON THE CTGR WEB SITE) OR OVER THE TELE
PHONE BY CONTACTING BARBARA STEERE, JIM HOLMES
OR MELODY BAKER AT (800) 775-0095. D
ODOT clearing Highway 18 trees
The state Department of Transportation, working under an agreement
with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, will fall dead and dy
ing trees that pose a threat to traffic along a 12-mile section of Highway
18 in the Van Duzer State Scenic Corridor between Grand Ronde and the
Oregon Coast.
Work was scheduled to begin the week of Jan. 17 and take until Feb. 14
to complete, weather permitting.
The project will occur between mileposts 7 and 19 along Highway 18 from
9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Almost all 160 trees to be felled are already dead, but within reach of the
highway. Most will be left where they fall to decompose naturally. A few of
the targeted trees suffer from root rot.
Flaggers and a pilot car will control travel through the area in alternating
directions. Motorists should expect 10- to 15-minute delays.
Canoe carvers requested
by Cultural Resources
The Cultural Resources Department would like to invite all who are interested
1 to join us in carving the first river canoe to be made in Grand Ronde since the
reservation was established. This canoe will be a great achievement for our Tribe
and cultural identity. Tribes like the Kalapuyas, Umpquas and Rogue Rivers
used this style of canoe. We want as many people who are interested and able
to have a hand in carving this canoe. We are encouraging any help or support
just by stopping by and witnessing the process and asking questions. The canoe
will be moved to the Mission Mill Museum in April to be displayed in the Grand
Ronde canoe exhibit. We will be carving every other Tuesday and Thursday at 9
a.m. until 3 p.m. at the carving shed behind the recovery house. Contact Brian
Krehbiel for more information and scheduling at 503-879-4639.
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Come and join other caregivers of Native elders and
relative caregivers of children from Northwest Indian
communities in this two-day event. You have the
opportunity to attend valuable workshops that will
enhance your caregiving skills and provide you with
a break from your daily responsibilities.
Hosted by:
The Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde
and Other Oregon partnering Tribes, Coqullle
Indian Tribe, Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indian,
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Cow Creek
Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, The
Klamath Tribes, Burns Paiute Tribe, The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and
Siuslaw Indians., the State Unit on Aging and Oregon Area Agencies on Aging.
Coordinated by The Native Wellness Institute
For more information, contact: Bonnie Mercier at Grand Ronde (503) 879-2016 or
Judy Bowen, Oregon State Unit on Aging (503) 373-1 842
Topics Include)
Power of Positive Thinking
Heart Healthy
Nutrition and Fitness
Stress Management
Native Wellness
Financial Fraud & Scams
Feeling better is more than physical
Dementia - Challenges
Living Well - Chronic Disease Self
Management Social Security What Is It for You?
Health issues and concerns of
children raised by grandparents.