2 JUNE 1,2012
Smoke Signals
NOTICE Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Mattings
DATE TIME
Wednesday, June 13 5 p.m.
Wednesday, June 27 5 p.m.
Pleat note that theme timet and date are tubject to change if needed.
General Council meeting
Sunday, June 24 11 a.m.
Tribal Community Center
Tribal Council nominations
Dear Smoke Signals'.
The family of Vanessa Chavez would like to thank everyone who attended
the service and showed their love and support. Personally, we would like to
thank Bobby Mercier and his crew for singing and drumming at the service;
Claudia Leno and her help for the wonderful meal following the service;
the cemetery staff and the Tribe for everything they helped with.
Please know that your kindness during this difficult time has meant a
lot to our family. We apologize if we have forgotten anyone.
The Chavez Family
Dear Smoke Signals:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Alton Butler for all of his
hard work and dedication over the past two years as our Tribal Recreation
Coordinator.
My department and I would like to wish him the best of luck with his
retirement and other future endeavors. The Tribe has recently hired a new
Recreation Coordinator, and moved that program under the Education
Department, but prior to that Alton worked under me and the Facilities
Department, fulfilling the duties of the Recreation Coordinator.
Although Alton was the only person on the Recreation staff, he and his
predecessors accomplished a lot with very limited resources and budget.
Alton would always schedule, take care of and continually set up for all
the events at the Tribal gym. He worked with the Tribal Elders, Youth
Prevention, Housing, Culture and the Education departments to provide
activities for the Tribe and our community.
As a Tribal Elder, Alton set a great example; working with our differ
ent fitness programs, participating in the "Hood to Coast" run, helping
with community youth sports, basketball refereeing and being a baseball
umpire, and always making himself available for those after-hour events
and activities.
We really do appreciate everything that you've contributed. Thanks
again, Alton.
Curtis Rentsch
Custodial Maintenance Supervisor
Facilities and Public Works Department
Changes to your
SkooCium Health Plan
For Tribal members residing in the counties of Washington, Mult
nomah, Tillamook, Yamhill, Polk and Marion, you will soon be receiving
a new Skookum card with changes to your health plan ID number. This
does NOT affect Tribal employees with the Shasta employee plan. We
are making a few changes to your health plan group identifier, which
means that you will need a new ID card.
The first three letters of your current ID number will be changing from
GRT to GRC.
o Your current ID number looks like: GRT123456.
o Your new ID number will look like: GRC123456.
Your ID number affects how your claims are paid, so to ensure your
claims are paid correctly, please THROW OUT your old card and KEEP
the new card starting with the GRC ID number
o When you-go to a doctor, dentist, pharmacy or eye doctor, make
sure you give the provider your new ID card so the bill will be
processed for payment correctly.
The final change relates to your Explanation of Benefits (EOB). Going
forward you will only receive an EOB if you owe the provider a portion
of the claim costs or if the claim has been denied.
If you have any questions on the above changes, please call Shasta
Administrative Services' Customer Service at 1-800-880-5877 or Con
tract Health Services at 1-800-775-0095.
Again, these changes only affect Tribal members residing in Washing
ton, Multnomah, Tillamook, Yamhill, Polk and Marion counties! This
does not affect Tribal employees, fl !
Correction In the May 15, 2012, issue, we incorrectly reported that
Walter Echo-Hawk had tried 90 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. In
fact, the Native American Rights Fund, for which he worked from 1973
2009, participated in about 90 cases before the Supreme Court. Echo
Hawk appeared twice before the Supreme Court in the 1990 Employment
Division v. Smith case, as part of the oral argument team, and he filed
some miscellaneous pleadings in the Supreme Court in a few other cases.
He had "a fairly limited involvement on that level," he said, "and focused
more in the lower courts."
Smoke Signals regrets the error.
PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
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DEADLINE PATE ISSUE DATE
Tuesday, June 5 June 1 5
Wednesday, June 20 July 1
Friday, July 6 July 1 5
SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Com
munity of Oregon, Is published twice a month. No portion of this publication may be reprinted
without permission.
Our editorial policy Is intended to encourage Input from Tribal members and readers
about stories printed In the Tribal newspaper. However, all letters received must be
signed by the author, an address must be given and a phone number or e-mall address
must be included for verification purposes. Full addresses and phone numbers will not
be published unless requested.
SMOKE SIGNALS reserves the right to edit letters and to refuse letters that are determined
to contain libelous statements or personal attacks on Individuals, staff, Tribal administration
or Tribal Council. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Letters to the
editor are the opinions and views of the writer. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council.
5
Members of: Native American Journalists Association
The Associated Press
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
2012 Tribal Council
1-800-422-0232 councilgrandronde.org
Cheryle A. Kennedy Chris Mercier
Tribal Chairwoman ext. 2305
eXk 2352 chris.merciergrandronde.org
cheryle.kennedygrandronde.org g june jherer
Reyn Leno ext. 1 444
Tribal Vice Chair june.sherergrandronde.org
-ext. 2399 DTobyMcClary
reyn.lenograndronde.org eX( 4555
D Jack Giffen Jr. toby.mccIarygrandronde.org
Tribal Secretary a Kathleen Tom
- ext. 2300 - ext. 1 777
jack.giffengrandronde.org kathleen.tomgrandronde.org
D Steve Bobb Sr. a Valorie Sheker
- ext. 2353 - ext. 2355
steve.bobbgrandronde.org val.shekergrandronde.org