2
S moke S ignals
NOVEMBER 1, 2016
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, Nov. 9..............................................................................4 p.m.
General Council meeting
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed.
11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 6
Letters
Tribal gymnasium
Dear Smoke Signals:
This is one of the most difficult letters I have ever tried to write and I al-
most feel I must apologize for doing so. So forgive me, I am far from perfect
and unwell.
I am writing to ask for only a little help, nothing more than we do in our
daily lives to lend each other a hand; help each other when needed.
Where I am there is none I can call to except Creator, and while I know I
am heard and help will come as I need it, I must nonetheless do my part, do
my work, my part to find the help Creator gives us all – each other.
One or two of you may know that I have been doing battle for quite a long
time now. It has been hard on me. It must be that way or nothing will be
gained, nothing learned.
I have filed two separate lawsuits against the state of California and
the United States concerning discrimination, abuse of our belongings, our
ceremonies and the lack of legal protections. What I am doing will affect all
U.S. indigenous peoples on Turtle Island and to my limited experience has
not been done before.
If these issues were brought up and settled properly before, then we would
have proper protection and have full stewardship of our ways, ceremonies
and what is ours and ours alone.
I am tired of people talking and doing nothing but satisfying themselves,
tired of white men pushing me aside, controlling my ceremonies. You tell
me what I should do, fight them with my savagery or fight them with their
own rule of law. I have done it all and my family suffers for it.
I do what is right for all of us. I think of you our children in all I do. They
need good teachings. I don’t want money or pity, just for the people to care
a little more. Remember the world is bigger than what’s going on in Grand
Ronde; that we all have much more work to do to protect our future.
I do need help finding an attorney. I have very limited resources here.
I can’t just get online and Google “American Indian civil rights attorney.”
Other resources are outdated.
I have copies of each lawsuit for anyone serious about helping.
Walter F. Simmons
Roll #751
North A-L.A.0236-L
P.O. Box 705
Soledad, CA 93960
Smoke Signals
PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347
1-800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173
Website: www.grandronde.org/news
E-mail: news@grandronde.org
Twitter: CTGRgov
Facebook: Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
DEAN RHODES
CHELSEA CLARK
MICHELLE ALAIMO
PUBLICATIONS
COORDINATOR
PUBLIC AFFAIRS/
PUBLICATIONS
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT
PHOTOJOURNALIST
503-879-1463
dean.rhodes@grandronde.org
503-879-1961
michelle.alaimo@grandronde.org
503-879-1418
chelsea.clark@grandronde.org
GEORGE VALDEZ
JUSTIN PHILLIPS
BRENT MERRILL
GRAPHIC DESIGN
SPECIALIST
PAGE DESIGNER
STAFF WRITER
503-879-2190
503-879-4663
503-879-1416
justin.phillips@grandronde.org
brent.merrill@grandronde.org
george.valdez@grandronde.org
SCARLETT HOLTZ
NOVALEE LANCOUR
CENTRAL PHONES
CENTRAL PHONES
503-879-1447
503-879-1446
scarlett.holtz@grandronde.org
novalee.lancour@grandronde.org
DEADLINE DATE
ISSUE DATE
Monday, Nov. 7 ........................ Nov. 15
Friday, Nov. 18 ............................Dec. 1
Monday, Dec. 5 ..........................Dec. 15
See page 14 for more letters.
Editorial Policy
Cedar reindeer class scheduled
SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Com-
munity of Oregon, is published twice a month. No portion of this publication may be reprinted
without permission.
Our editorial policy is intended to encourage input from Tribal members and readers
about stories printed in the Tribal newspaper. However, all letters received must be
signed by the author, an address must be given and a phone number or e-mail address
must be included for verification purposes. Full addresses and phone numbers will not
be published unless requested.
SMOKE SIGNALS reserves the right to edit letters and to refuse letters that are determined
to contain libelous statements or personal attacks on individuals, staff, Tribal administration
or Tribal Council. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Letters to the
editor are the opinions and views of the writer. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council.
A class to make cedar reindeers for Christmas will be held at the Elders
Activity Center, 48940 Blacktail Drive, from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Instructors will be Tribal Elders Julie Duncan and Connie Graves.
Everyone is invited to attend.
If interested, please sign up at the Elders Activity Center by calling
503-879-2233.
MARRIAGES IN TRIBAL COURT
The Tribal Court is now issuing marriage licenses and is able to
perform marriage ceremonies for a filing fee of $40. For questions
regarding scheduling, please contact the Tribal Court at 503-879-
2303.
WIC visits Health & Wellness Center
Pregnant? Breastfeeding? Does your family include a child under the
age of 5?
If so, you may qualify for the Women, Infants and Children program. With
WIC, people can receive answers to nutritional questions and access fruits
and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, milk, cheese, juice, cereal and more.
A WIC representative visits the Health & Wellness Center on the third
Tuesday of the month, which will be Nov. 15.
Walk-ins are welcome between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. When WIC clients arrive
at the Health & Wellness Center, they should enter through the Wellness
Department located at the back of the medical wing.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 503-623-8175,
ext. 2297.
Tribal Office Closures
Tribal offices will be closed on Friday, Nov. 11, in observance
of Veterans Day. Offices also will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 22,
through Friday, Nov. 25, in observance of Restoration and Thanks-
giving.
Members of: Native American Journalists Association
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
2016-17 Tribal Council
1-800-422-0232 — tribalcouncil@grandronde.org
Reyn Leno
Tribal Chairman
— ext. 2399
Denise Harvey
— ext. 2353
reyn.leno@grandronde.org
Chris Mercier
— ext. 1444
Cheryle A. Kennedy
Tribal Vice Chair
— ext. 2352
cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org
Jon A. George
Tribal Secretary
— ext. 2355
jon.george@grandronde.org
denise.harvey@grandronde.org
chris.mercier@grandronde.org
Brenda Tuomi
— ext. 4555
brenda.tuomi@grandronde.org
Tonya Gleason-Shepek
— ext. 1777
tonya.gleason-shepek@grandronde.org
Kathleen George
— ext. 2305
Jack Giffen Jr.
— ext. 2300
kathleen.george@grandronde.org
jack.giffen@grandronde.org