1
S moke S ignals
july 1, 2014
Smoke Signals receives
10 NAJA awards
Submitted photo
Land and Culture Department Manager Jan Looking Wolf Reibach, right, and
Administrative Assistant Reina Nelson, second from left, helped staff the
department’s table regarding the Chachalu Tribal Museum & Cultural Center
during the Community input meeting held Wednesday, June 11, in the Tribal
gym. Filling out surveys were Tribal Elders, from left, Laura Gleason, Violet
Folden and Kathryn Harrison.
5 attend Tribal Community
input meeting in Grand Ronde
Sixty-five people, including 20
assigned staff and Tribal Council
members, attended the Tribe’s
2014 Community Input meeting
held Wednesday, June 11, in the
Tribal gym.
Tribal Council members Reyn
Leno, Jon A. George and Toby Mc-
Clary attended.
George gave the blessing and
Indian tacos were served for din-
ner, which was followed by a Pow-
erPoint overview of Tribal projects
and new programs from this past
year, including Phase 1 of the
Chachalu Museum & Cultural
Center, the women’s transition
house, Tribal Employment Rights
Offi ce and emergency management,
among others.
Planning & Grants Manager Kim
Rogers requested comments and
suggestions on the Tribe’s Housing
& Urban Development Indian Com-
munity Development block grant
program and projects, as well as
on the Tribe’s Administration for
Native Americans grants, which
include the language immersion
program.
The PowerPoint led into an open
house session at 14 tables, includ-
ing Emergency Management, the
Police Department, Housing Au-
thority apartments construction,
food bank construction, Natural
Resources – Parks & Recreation,
Education Department, Youth
Council, public transit, Chachalu,
Medicare, Skookum Health Plan,
domestic and sexual violence pre-
vention, TERO – Tribal Career
Development, Tribal Vocational Re-
habilitation and 477, and Children
& Family Services – Foster Care.
Each table featured a color banner
with photos or plan drawings and
text. Visitors completed brief ques-
tionnaires that were converted to ad-
ditional tickets for the door prizes.
The meeting ended early since
many people arrived early and had
already visited most of the tables
before the meal. At the end of the
meeting, drawings were held for
four $25 Shell gift certifi cates and
for a Pendleton blanket, which was
won by Joanne Brisbois.
Rogers said that police, TERO,
domestic violence and Housing
Authority staff mentioned that they
had received good participation,
comments and suggestions from
Tribal members who attended.
Rogers said the written comments
from the several dozen completed
survey forms will be summarized
and provided to Tribal administra-
tion and Tribal Council, as well as
to the programs involved. n
West Valley district
seeking Fire Explorers
The West Valley Fire District, which covers Grand Ronde, Willamina
and Sheridan, is seeking youths for its Fire Explorer Program.
Young men and women age 14 to 20 will become familiar with career
opportunities in the fi re service through classroom instruction, hands-on
training and volunteer work.
The program encourages and promotes accountability, safety, com-
munication, teamwork, fi tness and leadership.
Participants must attend weekly drills from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays,
adhere to dress and conduct codes, perform weekly physical fi tness and
training specifi c to fi refi ghting skills, and demonstrate a willingness to
make improvements and show self-motivation.
For more information, contact Fire Explorer Post 908 adviser Seth
Bellarts at 503-437-2046. n
Smoke Signals received 10 awards, including four fi rst-place
honors, in the 2013 Native Media Awards competition conducted
by the Native American Journalists Association.
Publications Coordinator Dean Rhodes and staff writer Ron
Karten swept two writing categories in the Associate Member
division.
Karten received a fi rst-place award in the Feature Story category
for his story about Tribal employees helping to ground survey the
cemetery at Chemawa Indian School. Rhodes took second place in
the same category for a story about archaeological work conducted
at Fort Yamhill State Park that discovered a signifi cant female
presence and Karten took third place for his story about a lost
ring that was found when modular buildings were dismantled on
the Tribal campus.
In the News Story category, Karten took fi rst place for his story
about active shooter training that was held at the former Wil-
lamina Middle School building – now Chachalu – in early 2013.
Rhodes took second and third place, respectively, for stories about
a Tribal member who barely avoided being involved in the Boston
Marathon bombing and for his story about the farewell ceremony
for beloved Tribal Elder Mike Larsen.
Tribal photographer Michelle Alaimo won fi rst place in the News
Photo category for a series of three photos.
Karten also took first place in the Best Coverage of Native
Americans category for his story about the Grand Ronde Tribe
protesting a re-organization at the University of Oregon that af-
fected Native students and faculty. He bested two reporters from
the much larger Navajo Times in the category.
Karten also received a third-place award for Best Environmental
Story for a piece on the electric car charging stations that opened
at Grand Ronde Station in early 2013.
Tribal page designer Justin Phillips also received a third-place
award for Best Design.
“Sweeping so many award categories is a testament to the hard
work, dedication and professionalism of the Public Affairs/Publi-
cations team,” said Public Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor. “Our
focus is telling the story of the Tribe and promoting our culture,
history, leadership and human interest through thorough and
respectful writing, photography and design. I am not only proud
of our winners, but also proud of the entire team that supports
their work effort.”
The awards will be handed out at the National Native Media
Awards banquet being held July 12 in Santa Clara, Calif.
The contest was judged by members of the University of Omaha-
Nebraska, Society of Professional Journalists, Society of Environ-
mental Journalists, Asian American Journalists Association and
Center for Investigative Reporting. n
CTGR Higher Education
Program deadlines set
There are now only two Higher Education programs depending on whether
you are full-time or part-time. The deadline for the Full-Time College pro-
gram is at least 30 days before the start of classes. The deadline for the
Part-Time College program is at least 10 days before the start of class.
Visit the Tribal website for more program information and an application.
www.grandronde.org/departments/education/higher-education/ n
WHEN: Thursday, July 17
LEAVING Youth Education by 9:45AM
RETURNING to Youth Education by 3:00PM
Visit Salem Phagan Beauty school, audit a
class, visit a real life salon
CONTACT Kendra Steele for permission
slips and sign ups
kendra.steele@grandronde.org;
503-879-1921