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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2016)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 Plankhouse, powwow grounds receiving updates — pg. 11 MARCH 15, 2016 Tribe completes $4 million donation to bypass project By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor N EWBERG — The pledge was made in November 2011. The oversized ceremo- nial check was signed and presented on Monday, March 7. The money will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Transportation this month. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde’s $4 million donation to help fund the first phase of the Newberg-Dundee Bypass construction project is complete. “That is the biggest check I’ve ever signed,” said Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr., who led a Tribal Council contingent to a cere- monial check presentation held in Newberg near where the bypass will meet up with state High- way 219 at Hess Creek. He was accompanied by Tribal Council members Jon A. George, Tonya Gleason-Shepek, Denise Harvey, Brenda Tuomi and Chris Mercier. “All the partners we have, the county partners and the state partners, have all come together to work hard to make our roads safer,” Giffen said. “This is a huge project that will make the passage from Portland to the coast even safer. I want to thank you on behalf of the 5,400 Confed- erated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal members. As leaders, we administer their dollars and these are their dollars. They are grateful to have the partnerships that we do. I look forward to the day this is open.” “I’m grateful for this opportunity and proud to be a partner in this process,” Gleason-Shepek said. Harvey, who is currently serving as a Tribal representative on the Yamhill County Parkway Committee, said she personally can’t wait for the bypass construction work to be completed because she commutes to Grand Ronde from her home in Tualatin. See PROJECT continued on page 10 Smoke Signals file photo Children collect Easter eggs during the Tribe’s annual Easter egg hunt held at the covered area in Tribal Housing last April. This year’s event is being held on Saturday, March 26. Easter, and its egg hunt, arrives early in 2016 By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer E aster comes early this year with the holiday being in March rather than April. And this year’s annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday, March 26, at the covered area in Tribal family housing. Housing Services Coordinator Deborah Kroeker said this is one Tribal event not to be late for. “It’s an incredible event,” said Kroeker. “It’s the one event everybody shows up early for because if you show up three minutes late the hunt is over. If it lasts a full minute it’s a long time. Those kids are quick. They are out there, they’re getting those eggs and they are ready to go.” The hunt starts promptly at 10:05 a.m. and there are four hunt categories for children ages 1 to 2, ages 3 to 4, ages 5 to 8 and ages 9 to 12. Egg hunters are advised to bring their own Easter basket to put their eggs in. Parents are reminded to bring their own camera and Tribal Elder Steve Bobb Sr. is slated to be this year’s Easter Bunny again as he has in past years. Bobb will be posing for pictures with children before and after the hunt “He loves doing the Easter bunny thing,” said Kroeker. Kroeker said members of the Tribe’s Housing Department as well as a handful of other volunteers stuff about 2,000 plastic eggs with candy for the event. Tribal Council sponsors the event and pays for the candy. “This will be an event for the kids to have fun,” said Kroeker. “The kids all seem to have a good time. This is old-fashioned fun. We get out there and have a good time. I think it’s fantastic.” n Trail of Tears accounting Grand Ronde Tribal Historic Preservation Office Manager David Harrelson, left, looks over a map of southern Oregon with Lewis and Clark College Professor Dr. Stephen Dow Beckham at Beckham’s home in Lake Oswego. The map traces the “Trail of Tears” of the Umpqua Tribal people that occurred in January 1856. Historian finds diary that tallies Umpqua belongings left behind By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer W Photo by Brent Merrill hen most Grand Ronde Tribal members think of the Trail of Tears they think of the removal of the Rogue Valley Indians to Grand Ronde that began 160 years ago on Feb. 23 and concluded on March 25, 1856. Now that recognized Tribal his- torian Dr. Stephen Dow Beckham has completed his latest work, new light is being shown on a period in Tribal history that is completely reliant on two detailed accounts of Indian removals authored by non-Indians. See TRAIL continued on page 8
