Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 2016)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 Tribal track tract — pg. 10 JANUARY 15, 2016 The force rearranges New police chief takes over in February; Security Department created By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer N ot many people get to retire twice. When Grand Ronde Tribal Elder and outgo- ing Tribal Police Chief Al LaChance announced late last year that he would be retiring as chief of police in February, the search for a new leader began. Fortunately, the search didn’t take long and didn’t have to look too far. Tribal member and Grand Ronde Police De- partment Sgt. Jake McK- night was tapped to take over as police chief and he has been performing the Photo by Michelle Alaimo role since being hired in Grand Ronde Tribal Police Chief Al LaChance, right, is retiring in February and Jake McKnight, who was sergeant December. The Tribal Po- lice Department has been and is a Tribal member, is taking over as police chief. LaChance, a Tribal Elder, was the fi rst chief of the Grand Ronde operating with two leaders Police Department. since late last year. Oregon Public Safety Academy, had been get- LaChance, 63, previously retired after LaChance. “Over the last three years we all ting the department up and running just before spending 31 years working for the Redmond worked together as a department to make LaChance came over from Redmond. Previously, Police Department before coming to Grand this a successful police department.” McKnight had worked as the Tribe’s forest patrol Ronde as the fi rst Tribal chief of police in As of February, the department will con- offi cer with the Natural Resources Department. 2012. “When we initially started, Jake had laid See POLICE McKnight, who was hired as the Tribe’s down the foundation for the department,” said continued on page 7 fi rst police offi cer after graduating from the Chips retirement Special issues losing face value beginning on May 4 By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer P layers look at casino chips as a way to track their win- nings. Casino properties look at chips as cash. But collectors look at playing chips as pieces of art and history. Spirit Mountain Casino issued a public notice on Monday, Jan. 4, that collectors are going to like. The casino’s special event and collector playing chips will be discontinued and no longer accepted at face value. Collector chips like the Martha Jane Sands and Indian Boy $25 chips from 2008, the seventh an- niversary $5 chips from 2002, the 10th anniversary $5 chips from 2005 and the 20th anniversary $5 chips from 2015 will offi cially become collector items in May. People wanting to receive face value for their specialty chips have until May 4 to redeem them See CHIPS continued on page 5 General Council canceled due to lack of quorum By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor I n an extremely rare occur- rence, the Sunday, Jan. 3, General Council meeting was canceled when less than 30 Trib- al members, which is the Tribal Constitution benchmark for a quorum, were able to attend. Attendance was hampered by rain falling in most of western Oregon over a cold air mass that created icy road conditions from Portland to Salem and points in-between. The scheduled program report by staff members of the Natural Resources Department was post- poned to the next General Council meeting, which will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, in the Pacifi c Ballroom at the Monarch Hotel, 12566 S.E. 93rd Ave., off Interstate 205 near Clackamas Town Center. The dicey and icy road conditions continued into Monday, Jan. 4, when the Tribe initially announced See MEETING continued on page 14
