4
JULY 1, 2016
S moke S ignals
Tribal police help evacuate
Sheridan facility on June 22
2011 – After a two-year hiatus, the Spirit Mountain Stampede
rodeo was back in the saddle again. Held continuously between 1996
and 2008, the rodeo was corralled in 2009 and 2010 as the Tribe
tightened its collective belt because of the nationwide recession.
2006 – Tribal Council Chairwoman
Cheryle A. Kennedy helped with the
groundbreaking of the new long-
house being constructed at Lane
Community College in Eugene. The
Tribe’s Spirit Mountain Community
Fund contributed $100,000 to the
project.
2001 – The top priorities iden-
tified by Tribal members during
three Community Meetings included
satellite offices, buying land near
Grand Ronde, non-member spouse
health coverage, equalization of
benefits regardless of income or res-
idence, youth and family recreation
programs and facilities, tutoring
File photo
and counseling children, review of
enrollment policies, water development, increasing endowment
funds, development of a Tribal bank, home health/assisted living
care and scholarships and vocational training.
1996 – A trip for two to the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, a
new Chevy Blazer, a trip for two to the 1997 Super Bowl and two
Portland Trail Blazers’ season tickets were the grand prizes up
for grabs as part of Spirit Mountain Casino’s four-day celebration
of the grand opening of its new Phase II expansion over the July
Fourth weekend.
1991 – Tribal member Mary Ring, who worked for the Klamath
Tribe as its Community Services/Title VI director, graduated from
the Native American Leadership Institute on Aging in Arlington, Va.
1986 – Tribal Council continued pushing for a Reservation Plan
contract extension. The contract expired on June 30 and Tribal
Council hoped to get the final paperwork processed in the “near
future.”
Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year
increments through the pages of Smoke Signals.
SHERIDAN – Grand Ronde Tribal Police and members of the Tribal
Emergency Management Team helped out in the evacuation of 35 elderly
residents of Sheridan Care Center on Wednesday, June 22.
Sheridan Fire District spokesperson Wesley Rolfson said the residents
were evacuated because of the smell of gas in the building at 411 S.E.
Sheridan Road. Fourteen residents were moved out before 9 p.m. and
another 21 were evacuated shortly thereafter.
Residents were temporarily housed at Sheridan High School and Trinity
Lutheran Church. The American Red Cross also provided assistance and
relief to residents in the form of blankets, coats, snacks and water.
Tribal Emergency Operations Coordinator Steve Warden said the Tribe
was placed on stand-by at 9:30 p.m. and sent 21 cots over to Sheridan High
School for evacuees. In addition, the gym and the Grand Ronde Community
Emergency Response Team were put on stand-by in case they were needed.
“It went pretty flawlessly,” Warden said. “Because of preparedness, plan-
ning and willingness of our Tribal personnel to be good neighbors, these
displaced folks were afforded an opportunity to have immediate relief and
comfort in what must have been, at best, a frightening situation.”
Tribal Police Officer Tyler Brown, Emergency Operations Administra-
tive Assistant Brandy Bishop and Swing Shift Housekeeping Supervisor
Ben Bishop helped transport the cots to Sheridan. Northwest Natural
Gas spokesperson Daphne Mathew said the incident was caused by low
pressure in the lines. Northwest Natural inspected the facility and gave
permission for residents to return in the early morning hours of Thursday,
June 23. Mathew added that a loss of pressure in the lines knocked out
service to about 1,400 customers in the Sheridan and Willamina area. A
cause has not been determined.
“It seems that all of the recent training and drills paid off,” Warden
said.
Includes information from the Yamhill County News Register
WALK-IN DENTAL APPOI NTMENTS FOR KIDS <6
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY FOR DENTAL CHECK-UPS FOR KIDS 5 AND
UNDER WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE SEEN AT THE TRIBAL CLINIC.
JUST COME ON IN!
We will check your child’s teeth during any of our clinic hours without an ap-
pointment. Dental check-ups are recommended beginning with the first
tooth!
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Dental Clinic
Phone 503-879-2020
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 8:00—5:00; Thur 9:30-5:30
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