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S moke S ignals
JULY 15, 2015
Jeffers 66th Family Reunion
Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015, at Wild Cat covered bridge, Highway 126
and Siuslaw River Road (former home of Ira Jeffers).
From Eugene, take Highway 126 west toward Mapleton.
At approximately mile marker 27.5, turn left on Siuslaw River Road.
From Mapleton to Eugene, turn approximately at mile marker 26.5 to the right
on Siuslaw River Road. Look for signs with balloons for your turnoff.
Bring lawn chairs and favorite food dish to share. Eat at noon.
Call Joyce at 541-647-0460 or Eloise at 541-689-2485.
AMERICAN INDIAN TEACHER PROGRAM
Oregon Tribes can now
buy surplus county land
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, as well as the other eight
federally recognized Tribes in Oregon, can now purchase or receive as a
donation surplus lands from the state’s 36 counties thanks to a bill that was
signed by Gov. Kate Brown on June 10. The bill, submitted at the request
of Tillamook County, authorizes counties to sell or donate property to eli-
gible Tribes in Oregon. It became effective the day Brown signed the bill.
Previously, counties were allowed to grant an option to purchase, contract
to sell and convey or donate lands to the state or federal governments.
The bill now authorizes such transactions with any federally recognized
Tribe in Oregon.
“It streamlines the process of transferring county-tax-foreclosed lands to
the Tribes for burial grounds, sacred sites or for economic development as
the county can presently do with the state and other local governments,”
stated a legislative staff summary of the bill.
All 36 Oregon counties and the nine Oregon Tribes supported the bill.
The bill was approved 30-0 by the Oregon Senate on April 16 and by the
Oregon House 52-2 on May 28.
Tribal lobbyist Justin Martin said during a May 7 public hearing before
the House Rural Communities, Land Use and Water Committee that the
bill continues the strong Oregon tradition of government-to-government
relationships with its federally recognized Tribes.
“Oregon can be proud of the relationship it has with its nine sovereign,
federally recognized Indian Tribes,” Martin said. “We have a deep history
from the creation of the Legislative Commission on Indian Services under
then state Sen. Vic Atiyeh to deletion of offensive language by Oregon’s
Geographic Names Board to creation of an Indian education specialist in
the Oregon Department of Education. … We believe this bill is a contin-
uance of that.”
“It brings Tribal governments up to equal footing with other govern-
mental entities,” said State Sen. Betsy Johnson, who sponsored the bill.
Tribal Council Chair Reyn Leno, Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr., Secretary
Toby McClary and members Ed Pearsall and Tonya Gleason-Shepek at-
tended one or more meetings during the legislative process in the Senate
and House to shepherd the bill through to passage. n
College Placement Testing offered
College Placement Testing is offered on-site at the Adult Education
Building for Chemeketa Community College, Linn-Benton Community
College and Mount Hood Community College. The Placement Test is one
of the first steps to beginning college classes. Call 503-879-2282 to sign
up for your placement test. n
Ad created by George Valdez
Ad created by George Valdez