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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2012)
V W U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM. OR V T4e p3 PERMIT NO. 178 M Q fmfr or ovegon . - fZXJCZENE OR 97-403-120S r I i(iifnifi..w.'iii''i'i'''i'''i'fii'i'"' 8j -v 0 JUNE1'2012 , moice y fe) ignals A Publication of the Grand Ron.de Tribe JO kjd WWW.grandfOnde.org UMPQUA ca JVEOLAXiXi-A. a ROGUE RIVER ca KALAPUYA a CHASTA Grand Ronde Memorial Day ceremony focuses on Vietnam-era veterans By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor On a day when President Barack Obama lamented the denigration of Vietnam War-era military per sonnel when they returned home from a divisive conflict, that era's veterans were front and center in being honored during the annual Grand Ronde Memorial Day ceremony at the West Valley Veterans Memorial. Tribal Council Vice Chair Reyn Leno and Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr., both Marine Corps veterans who served tours of duty in Vietnam, were the principal Tribal speakers during the See MEMORIAL DAY continued on page 7 Jim Willis, right, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs, reads a national proclamation that honored the 50th anniversary of the start of the Vietnam War and the veterans who served and died in the conflict during the Tribe's Memorial Day observance at the West Valley Veterans Memorial in Grand Ronde on Monday, May 28. Looking on in the background are, from left. Tribal Vice Chair Reyn Leno, Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr., Tribal Secretary Jack Giffen Jr. and Tribal Council member Toby McClary. Hi J -.-- i Photo by Michelle Alalmo Jl S( r 3) ' I 1 0. ITOli ' rA .tab. tftn 'Running Bear' lives again on this year's casino float By Ron Karten Smoke Signals staff writer Spirit Mountain Casino is ready to rock. The casino is title sponsor of the Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade for the second year running. The sponsorship puts the ca sino and the Grand Ronde Tribe front and center on the parade's main float. This year the float will have a waterfall rushing to the tune of the tragic pop song "Running Bear," which was a No. 1 hit for Johnny Preston in 1960. It tells the story of Running Bear, an Indian brave, and Lit tle White Dove, an Indian maid, who are in love but separated by See FLOAT continued on page 9 1,095 register for primary election vote By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Less than 30 percent of eligible Tribal members have regis tered to vote in the upcoming constitutional election that would, if approved, institute a primary process in Tribal elections begin ning in 2013. Tribal Election Board Chair Penny DeLoe said 1,095 Tribal members out of 3,879 eligible reg istered to vote with the Bureau of Indian Affairs for a registration turnout of 28.2 percent. Tribal Council voted in January to send the primary election idea to voters. If approved, it would start a primary process if more than 10 Tribal members are nomi nated to run for Tribal Council in June. The primary would pare the nominee list down to six can didates for the September general election. To amend the Tribal Constitu tion, at least 30 percent of those registered to vote must cast ballots 329 in this case and two-thirds of those voting must approve of the amendment. See VOTE continued on page 8