2
S moke S ignals
june 15, 2014
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, June 25............................................................................5 p.m.
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed.
Tribal Council Nominations
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Special General Council Meeting
Letters
Tribal Community Center — 11 a.m.
Dear Smoke Signals:
I would like to thank Adult Foster Care’s Cougar Lodge for the wonder-
ful and loving care they gave my late Uncle Eugene “Gene” Hudson, 93
years old and a World War II veteran. He was the last of 13 children of
Abe and Maude “Warren” Hudson.
I was so happy when I learned Uncle Gene was coming out here to live
right next door to me. But I was a little worried because I knew Uncle
Gene was known to have a little temper! And I didn’t want him to get
ornery with the girls.
But wouldn’t you know he was on his best behavior and they spoiled
him. One caregiver, “Ginger,” would even warm his blankets in the dryer
at bedtime so he expected all of them to do it!
Thank you so much to all the caregivers of the Cougar and Elk lodges;
you take such good and loving care of all of your residents and Elders. We
all loved him and will miss him.
Val Grout
Roll #268
Smoke Signals
Dear Smoke Signals:
I was pleased to see Gov. Vic Atiyeh’s photo in the June 1 Smoke Signals.
His receiving a blanket is well-deserved recognition of the years — decades,
actually — of support he has given Oregon Tribal communities. The photo’s
caption says, “Atiyeh supported Grand Ronde during its Restoration effort
and started the commission while in offi ce.” While true, that statement is
incomplete, so here’s a little more historical context.
Gov. Atiyeh was instrumental in starting the Oregon Commission on
Indian Services as a state senator in 1975, when he co-sponsored and got
both legislation and an appropriation approved. At the time, he was Sen-
ate Republican leader, heading what was then called the “Phone Booth
Caucus” because there were so few Republicans in the Senate that they
could have met in one. Ever since, including the eight years he served as
Oregon’s chief executive, he’s been a stalwart supporter of maintaining
government-to-government relationships between Oregon Tribes and
state government. That’s what the ceremony in the photo celebrated last
month.
But the commission is not just another state agency. It’s a legislative
commission, an anomaly in Oregon state government, but one well-suited
to its role. Ironically, the commission’s location in the legislative branch
was probably a quirk of politics. It’s unlikely that the governor in 1975
would have supported a new state agency for Tribal and Indian issues.
So Sen. Atiyeh put it in the legislative branch, outside the executive’s
control. Had it been an executive agency, it might well have dissolved by
now. But with strong legislative involvement like Gov. Atiyeh modeled,
the commission has functioned successfully within the legislative branch
for nearly 40 years.
The reason this history matters to me is that it was my privilege as a
young attorney to be the fi rst full-time staff director of the Commission
on Indian Services, a position I held from 1976 (when Atiyeh was still in
the state Senate) until 1980 (while he was serving his fi rst term as gover-
nor). I learned a lot about Oregon Tribes and state government from Vic
Atiyeh, then-Rep. Sam Johnson and other members of the Commission
on Indian Services.
Next year, it will be the commission’s 40th anniversary, and I trust that
Gov. Atiyeh will be honored then too for his vision and leadership.
Bruce Bishop
Portland
See page 13 for more letters.
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ISSUE DATE
Friday, June 20 ..............................July 1
Monday, June 7 ...........................July 15
Monday, July 21 .......................... Aug. 1
Editorial Policy
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-mail address
must be included for verifi cation 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 refl ect the
opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council.
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2014 Tribal Council
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