S moke S ignals
DECEMBER 1, 2014
Tribal Council issues statement
regarding passage of Measure 91
5
Preschool celebration
Marijuana use, possession still illegal on Reservation
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Although Oregon voters passed
Measure 91, which will make posses-
sion of marijuana legal in July, the
Grand Ronde Tribal Council issued a
statement on Nov. 17 reminding em-
ployees and Tribal members that the
measure does not apply to the Tribe.
“On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Oregon
voters approved Measure 91,” the
statement says. “It allows adults
21 and older in Oregon to possess
and grow marijuana under state
regulation. The measure will take
effect July 2015. Measure 91 does
not apply to the Tribe. The Tribe
is a sovereign nation. The Tribe is
a ‘drug-free workplace.’ Marijuana
use and possession is still illegal
under federal law, and many of the
Tribe’s federal grants require us to
be a drug-free workplace.
“This said, the Tribe has been ex-
amining its position on marijuana
use. The Tribal Council has met
with senior Tribal staff, the United
States Attorney and members of
the Oregon congressional delega-
tion to discuss the impacts of Mea-
sure 91. The Tribe will continue
examining the issue of marijuana
use in the coming months. For now,
and until the Tribal Council decides
otherwise, the use and possession
of marijuana on the Grand Ronde
Reservation is illegal.”
Oregon voters approved the mea-
sure 55.6 percent to 44.4 percent,
joining the states of Alaska, Wash-
ington and Colorado is allowing
recreational use of the plant.
When Measure 91 goes into ef-
fect, Oregonians will be allowed
to possess up to 8 ounces of dried
marijuana and up to four plants. n
Tutors available
Youth Education K-12 staff will be available on Monday, Dec. 15,
to support parents, teachers and youth during the Willamina School
District’s Parent-Teacher conferences. Contact your child’s Tribal
tutor at Youth Education by calling 503-879-2101 if you would like
them to be a part of your scheduled meeting. n
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Preschool boys practice drumming during Early Childhood Education’s
Preschool Restoration Celebration held in the Tribal gym on Thursday,
Nov. 20. The children were given elk stew to try, sang in English and
Chinuk Wawa, danced and were read “Good Night Grand Ronde” in
English and Chinuk Wawa.
Board accepting applications
The Tribe’s Cultural Trust Board is beginning its 2014-15 grant-making
round for grants ranging from $250 to a maximum of $1,000 available for
Grand Ronde Tribal members to use for cultural projects or activities that
support the understanding, practice and preservation of traditional Tribal
heritage and culture. The grant-making round opened Friday, Oct. 31, and
closes Monday, Dec. 15. Interested Tribal members can pick up an application
at the front desk in the Governance Center or mail the Cultural Trust Board
at Grand Ronde Cultural Trust Board, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde,
OR 97347, to have an application mailed to you. Completed applications must
be received by noon Monday, Dec. 15. The project is supported by the Confed-
erated Tribes of Grand Ronde and funded by Oregon Cultural Trust, which
invests in Oregon’s arts, humanities and heritage. n
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