2
S moke S ignals
FEBRUARY 15, 2018
General Council meeting
11 a.m. Sunday, March 4
Tribal Community Center
Smoke Signals
PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, Feb. 21.............................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 7...........................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 21.........................................................................4 p.m.
1-800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed.
Website: www.grandronde.org/news
E-mails: news@grandronde.org
Editorial.Board@grandronde.org
Letters
Twitter: CTGRgov
Facebook: Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
Dear Smoke Signals:
We would like to thank Smoke Signals for recently increasing awareness
about missing and murdered Native women with the October 2017 article
about Heather Cameron (Haller).
People and communities are looking for meaningful change and justice for
victims and families. There is a national movement and this movement has
gained momentum with the introduction of legislation intended to combat
the epidemic. Native women are murdered at 10 times the national average
and 84 percent of Native women experience violence in their lifetime. The
bill, Savanna’s Act, is named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Grewind,
who was tragically killed in August 2017.
A family member reached out to Councilwoman Brenda Tuomi, who was
recently recommended to the Domestic Violence board. She replied that
if we had a proposal we should present it. We met with Tribal Council on
Feb. 1 and we appreciate the time they took to listen to our perspective.
At this meeting, we did present council with a “sample” resolution as a
proposed starting point.
Heather is not the first Grand Ronde Tribal member lost to murder and
sadly she will not likely be the last.
We continue to pray that Tribal Council is forward thinking and strong
leaders in this movement. We know this will take huge political will. We
hope for strong action to ensure the lives lost and destroyed are not a
mere statistic and the families that are left behind by this tragedy are not
forgotten. We are asking Tribal Council to work diligently at the Tribal,
state and federal levels, including proactive participation and response
when we have or suspect to have a Tribal member who is missing and
presumed murdered.
It has been a long and heartbreaking five years for Heather’s family
and friends. Anyone who read Heather’s 911 calls knew she had been
murdered. Heather’s young children have certainly endured the greatest
struggles with the loss of their mother. With Heather officially listed as
only “missing,” her children were not eligible for state services. Our family
has tried to help where we could.
We sincerely want to thank those who have reached out to the family
with encouraging words of support and offers of help. A special thanks to
the beautiful Tribal ladies for taking Heather’s photo and story with you
to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women March in Seattle.
Hayu masi,
Tonya Gleason-Shepek & Heather’s family
Roll #1282
ATTENTION CTGR TELEPHONE SERVICE
If you have an emergency and need to dial “911” you must first dial a
“9” (9911). The only calls that do not require that you dial a 9+ are those
made from the CTGR extensions within the CTGR campus and/or those
who use CTGR Tel for their home phone service.
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
DANIELLE FROST
GRAPHIC DESIGN
SPECIALIST
PAGE DESIGNER
STAFF WRITER
503-879-2190
503-879-4663
503-879-1416
justin.phillips@grandronde.org
danielle.frost@grandronde.org
george.valdez@grandronde.org
SCARLETT HOLTZ
SHANNON HAM-TEXEIRA
CENTRAL PHONES
CENTRAL PHONES
503-879-1447
503-879-1446
scarlett.holtz@grandronde.org
shannont.ham-texeira@grandronde.org
DEADLINE DATE
ISSUE DATE
Tuesday, Feb. 20 ....................... March 1
Monday, March 5 ..................... March 15
Monday, March 19 ....................... April 1
Editorial Policy
SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Commu-
nity 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. Letters must be 400 words or less.
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: Native American Journalists Association
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
2018
Tribal Council
1-800-422-0232 — tribalcouncil@grandronde.org
Lighthouse Church offers
to help area homeless
Lighthouse Church, located in the Tribal building at 24697 Grand
Ronde Road, will be opening its doors from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Tues-
day and Thursday to provide temporary shelter for homeless Tribal
members and Tribal families in the Grand Ronde area.
If a family with children need shelter, they will be allowed to stay
overnight if they arrive before 7 p.m.
The church will be provide refreshments and information on where
to receive additional help.
For more information, contact Pastor Ken Haller at 971-237-4949.
Cheryle A. Kennedy
Tribal Council Chairwoman
— ext. 2352
Jack Giffen Jr.
— ext. 2300
jack.giffen@grandronde.org
cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org
Chris Mercier
Tribal Council Vice Chair
— ext. 1444
Denise Harvey
— ext. 2353
denise.harvey@grandronde.org
chris.mercier@grandronde.org
Michael Langley
— ext. 1777
Jon A. George
Tribal Council Secretary
— ext. 2355
michael.langley@grandronde.org
jon.george@grandronde.org
Lisa Leno
— ext. 1770
lisaleno@grandronde.org
Tribal Office Closures
Tribal offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19, in observance of
Tribal Chiefs' Day.
Kathleen George
— ext. 2305
kathleen.george@grandronde.org
Brenda Tuomi
— ext. 4555
brenda.tuomi@grandronde.org