2
S moke S ignals
APRIL 1, 2017
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, April 5.............................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19...........................................................................5 p.m.
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed.
Letters
Dear Smoke Signals:
My children – Marlyn Connelly, Trena Towner, Miranda Cloud and Ukiah
Lamboy – along with my grandchildren – Kitana Connelly, Kai Connelly,
Kazsia Connelly, Shania Towner, Izaya Towner, Tabor Cain, Riaha Cain
and Ava Lamboy – thank you Gregg Leno and the groundskeeping employ-
ees; thank you Tribal Council; thank you Tribal Elders Activity Center for
all your warm, hospitable understandings that you have expressed for us
and my brother Scotty Lane’s celebration of life ceremony.
Hayu masi wauoka kola oyata aho
Sonya Connelly
Roll # 2827
ANNOUNCEMENT
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde recently implemented a
process that will allow all Tribal members who reside in the state of
Oregon the option of requesting Oregon income tax withholdings from
their per capita and Elders benefit payments. Information regarding
this option was mailed to all Oregon resident Tribal members the
week of March 6.
While recognizing we have Tribal members who currently reside
throughout the 50 states, we will not be offering the state income tax
withholding option to Tribal members who reside outside of Oregon at
this time. The administrative time, costs and reporting requirements
to implement the option in all states would be very expensive. This
is the main contributing factor in our decision not to offer the option
outside of Oregon.
There are a couple of options for Tribal members who wish to set
aside money in order to cover any potential year-end state tax liability:
n Tribal members aged 18 and over can defer a portion of their
per capita payments to their adult savings plan. That money
would be available to withdraw from your savings plan as needed.
Please note – this option is not available for Elders’ payments.
Money cannot be deferred to the adult savings plan from Elders
payments.
n Open a regular savings account at a bank or credit union and
set aside money throughout the year for your use as needed.
n Check with your state’s taxing authority to determine if you are
able to pay “estimated” taxes throughout the year, which could
reduce the amount you are required to pay at year-end.
We encourage you to seek advice from your tax accountant or CPA
should you have any questions about your specific state tax liability. n
American Legion Post hosts breakfast
McMINNVILLE — The American Legion Post 21 will be holding a Battle
of the Branches Breakfast for the five major military branches in March
and April.
The breakfasts will be held from 8 a.m. to noon at the Post, 126 N.E.
Atlantic St. The remaining schedule is Marine Corps on Sunday, April 9,
and Air Force on Sunday, April 23.
Breakfast will cost $7 per person.
For more information, contact the Post at 503-435-2218. n
General Council meeting
followed by the Community Input meeting
Valley River Inn, Eugene
11 a.m. Sunday, April 2
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
Friday, April 7 ........................... April 15
Friday, April 21 ............................ May 1
Friday, May 5 ............................. May 15
Editorial Policy
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.
Members of: n Native American Journalists Association
n Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
2017 Tribal Council
Smoke Signals offering
e-mail version to read
Want to be one of the first Tribal members to receive Smoke Signals?
Want to receive the Tribal publication on your computer instead of waiting
for it to arrive in the mail?
Want to get up-to-date and in-the-know about the Grand Ronde Tribe?
Well, here’s your chance.
In an effort to be more efficient and reduce costs, Smoke Signals subscribers
can have a PDF (portable document format) version sent to them instead of a
newsprint version sent via the mail. All you need on your computer is Adobe
Acrobat or some other program that can read a PDF and, viola, you’re set.
Why would you want to do that? The PDF version is available before the
newspaper is even sent to our Salem printing contractor. You can read the
paper on your computer or print out a copy yourself. And you will receive
Tribal news much faster than the current standard mailing employed by
the Tribe. If you would like to receive an e-mailed PDF version of Smoke
Signals and stop receiving a mailed newsprint version, send your e-mail to
esubscription@grandronde.org. n
1-800-422-0232 — tribalcouncil@grandronde.org
n Reyn Leno
Tribal Chairman
— ext. 2399
n Denise Harvey
— ext. 2353
reyn.leno@grandronde.org
n Chris Mercier
— ext. 1444
n Cheryle A. Kennedy
Tribal Vice Chair
— ext. 2352
cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org
n Jon A. George
Tribal Secretary
— ext. 2355
jon.george@grandronde.org
denise.harvey@grandronde.org
chris.mercier@grandronde.org
n Brenda Tuomi
— ext. 4555
brenda.tuomi@grandronde.org
n Tonya Gleason-Shepek
— ext. 1777
tonya.gleason-shepek@grandronde.org
n Kathleen George
— ext. 2305
n Jack Giffen Jr.
— ext. 2300
kathleen.george@grandronde.org
jack.giffen@grandronde.org