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Greyhound Park being demolished — pg. 23
JULY 1, 2016
Nine vying for
Tribal Council
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
N
ine Tribal members were
nominated to run for three
open Tribal Council seats
and all accepted during a General
Council meeting held at the Tribal
Community Center on Sunday,
June 26.
Tribal Council elections will be
determined on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Eligible voters must be registered
to vote and can register up to and
including on Election Day. Each
eligible voter is entitled to vote for
up to three candidates.
Of the nine nominees, the top
See CANDIDATES
continued on page 9
Annual summit,
powwow to honor
Vietnam veterans
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
V
ietnam War-era veterans
will be the focus of this year’s
fourth annual Gathering of
Warriors Native Veterans Summit
on Thursday, July 7, through Sat-
urday, July 9, and the annual Mar-
cellus Norwest Memorial Veterans
Powwow that runs Friday, July 8,
through Sunday, July 10.
Both events will be held at the
Tribe’s Uyxat Powwow Grounds,
9600 Highway 22 (Hebo Road).
See VETERANS
continued on page 15
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
From left, Justin Fasana, Tribal Cultural Youth Activity Specialist/Tribal Artisan Travis Stewart and Tribal Council
member Jon A. George drum and sing to start the 16th private ceremony with Tomanowos held at the American
Museum of Natural History in New York City on Wednesday, June 22.
Tribal members visit Tomanowos
By Michelle Alaimo
Smoke Signals photographer
N
EW YORK CITY — Trib-
al Cultural Youth Ac-
tivity Specialist/Tribal
Artisan Travis Stewart asked
a Tribal group gathered in the
Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman
Hall of the Universe at the
American Museum of Natural
History in New York City how
many were there for the first
time on Wednesday, June 22.
Almost everyone raised their
hand.
Of the 23 Tribal members at
this year’s 16th private cere-
mony with Tomanowos held at
the museum, it was the first
ceremony for 18 of them.
This year’s delegation from
the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde was one of the
largest ever. In addition to
Stewart, attendees included
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno and his wife, Liz; Tribal
Council members Jon A. George
and Chris Mercier; Tribal Chief
of Staff Stacia Martin; Public
Affairs/Publications Adminis-
trative Assistant Chelsea Clark;
Tribal Elders Alan Ham, Dan
See TOMANOWOS
continued on page 18
‘Against all odds’
Tribal Elder Marilyn
Palomar and Brad
Leno hug as they
greet each other
at the Governance
Center recently. In
2001, Palomar’s son
Matthew Castellon
was killed in a car
accident and Leno was
the driving the car.
Tribal members transform tragedy into hope
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
R
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
edemption. In the case of Tribal member
Brad Leno, the pursuit of redemption
has become his life’s work. Work made
easier by the acceptance of Tribal Elder Marilyn
Palomar.
Two families; one mistake. One life lost and
several lives altered forever.
On July 15, 2001, then 17-year-old Leno spent
a Saturday night drinking and partying with
friends, and he made a decision that would
change his life and the lives of many others for-
ever. He decided to drive his sister’s car.
Two friends joined him in the late model Hyun-
See LENO
continued on page 20