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Easter egg
hunt photos — pg. 11
MAY 1, 2017
Riverbank erosion
at Tribal Cemetery
a grave concern
Drone being used to
survey conditions
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
T
ribal Council unanimously
signed an authorization to
proceed on March 23 allow-
ing Engineering and Public Works
Manager Jesse White to seek a
geotechnical engineer to help him
assess the Yamhill River bank
along the west side of the Tribal
Cemetery in Grand Ronde.
White is working with River
Design Group of Whitefish, Mont.,
to perform the work and an on-
site inspection with the engineer
occurred on Wednesday, April 26.
River Design Group has a second
office in Corvallis.
River Design Group is a private
consulting firm specializing in riv-
er, stream and wetland restoration
projects in the Pacific Northwest
and other western states. It will
provide White and Tribal Council
with a report on the current status
of the riverbank where it meets
the back side of the cemetery for
approximately 850 feet.
White said the report should
identify any risks of further erosion
in that area and if there are prob-
lems identified in the assessment
the report also would include rec-
ommendations on how to correct or
mitigate those issues.
“We’re just being proactive at the
cemetery,” White said. “There are
graves right on top of that bank and
so we’re concerned if the river were
See CEMETERY
continued on page 16
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal GIS Analyst Alex Drake is the Tribe’s first Unmanned Aircraft Systems pilot. Drake obtained license through
the Federal Aviation Administration to pilot the drone that the Tribe’s Cultural Resources Department purchased.
Fly like an eagle?
Drake appointed to be Tribe’s first drone pilot
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
B
lending ancient values with
new technology continues
to permeate throughout
every program the Grand Ronde
Tribe has created for the benefit
of the membership.
The latest blend of old and new
to benefit the Tribe is the pur-
chase of a drone by the Cultural
Resources Department.
On Tuesday, April 11, Tribal
GIS Coordinator Volker Mell and
GIS Analyst Alex Drake present-
ed information to Tribal Council
at its regular Legislative Action
Committee meeting about Drake
becoming licensed through the
Federal Aviation Administration
to become a remote drone pilot.
Mell and Drake work for the
Tribe’s Geographic Information
Systems program, which provides
a critical tool for Tribal planning
and strategic missions.
Tribal Council gave final ap-
proval for Drake to become the
Tribe’s first Unmanned Aircraft
Systems pilot at its Wednesday,
See DRONE
continued on page 15
Gaming differs in Oregon, Washington casinos
Spirit Mountain accentuating its Vegas-style machines
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
W
ith the opening of the new Cowlitz
Tribal casino 15 miles north of the
Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area
on Monday, April 24, the differences between
gaming in Oregon and Washington are receiving
renewed attention.
And, not surprisingly, Spirit Mountain Casino,
which has relinquished its 21-year run as the
closest casino to the Portland gaming market, is
pointing out those significant differences.
Spirit Mountain Casino General Manager
Stan Dillon wants guests to know about the dif-
ferences and has placed large signs throughout
the casino and sent out mailers explaining that
all slot machines “are not created equal.”
“The truth is we actually do have one thing
that they (Washington casinos) don’t have. We
actually truly do have traditional Nevada-style
slots and they have a version of a video lottery
terminal that is being distributed among guests,”
Dillon says. “We want to make sure the guests
know the difference.”
Signs placed around Spirit
Mountain Casino point out
that Oregon Tribes are allowed
Las Vegas-style slot machines
in their casinos because of the
compacts negotiated with the
state.
Tribal casinos in Washington
are not allowed by compact to
Stan Dillon
operate Las Vegas-style slot
machines and instead offer players scratch ticket
See CASINOS
continued on page 14