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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2020)
2 JANUARY 1, 2020 General Council meeting Smoke Signals sNok signflz 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 5 Tribal Community Center NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings DATE TIME Wednesday, Jan. 8...............................................................................4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22.............................................................................4 p.m. Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed. Letter s Dear Smoke Signals: Dear Tribal members and family, with my deepest apology, I am so sorry. I made a mistake. In regards to the article in the Dec. 1 Smoke Signals, I did not comment at the time as I had not made a plea as the article claimed. On Dec. 19, I made a plea of guilty. This last summer, I was under a great deal of stress. I made some poor decisions and my husband didn’t even know. I was an emotional roller- coaster from the first of May through now. I resigned from the Elders Committee the first part of August and I opened up to my husband. When I resigned, I admitted my guilt and told the committee I would start paying the money I had used back immediate- ly. Two days later, my husband took my first payment of $1,100 to them. We had to move the first of September because our two grandchildren had been placed with us June 1 and my house was way too small. On Sept. 28, I was cited for Theft I, which is a felony. I fell into a deep hole and wanted to die. I contemplated suicide. Three days later, I ended up in the hospital. If it wasn’t for my family forcing me to go to the hospital, I might have died. I just couldn’t figure out why two of my family members at the Elders Center didn’t even try to reach out to me as they knew I was struggling emotionally and why when I agreed to pay them back the money and had already started paying it back they still pressed charges against me. The first of October, I paid back the balance of what I thought I owed. Then when I went to my first hearing they nailed me with a second felony. Believe me when I say this and other things devastated my life. I lost good friends and family. I have had a mental breakdown. So yes, this article made me look very bad by the comments that were made. Two weeks before my last hearing, my attorney received the restitution letter form from the Polk County District Attorney that stated I still owed money. The day of my last hearing, I paid the balance of what I owed. I have never been in trouble in my 64 years of life. Believe me when I say I was scared to death. I was facing 10 years in prison. I received two years of probation, a fine and 120 hours of community service. When I am well, I plan on doing this community service at the Tribe. The judge did not feel I was capable of doing it in the condition I was in, but I told her when I was well enough that I would try. So now I’m just trying to put back together what life I have. My mental health has caused me to have to give up my granddaughters that I love with all my heart and they need us right now very badly. They were going through enough without grandma and grandpa falling apart. I am trying to heal mentally and physically. I want to thank General Manager David Fullerton for clearing up the fact that someone told the DA they wanted me banned from the Elders Activity Center and all Tribal events. I hope I can build trust back up with all my Tribal family! Once again, I am truly sorry! Julie Little Roll #1899 (Editor’s note: This letter exceeds the newspaper’s 400-word limit, but we felt it was important to let Mrs. Little have her say unim- peded by the word count.) Health & Wellness Center Entrance Reminder: The drive-through entrance at the Health & Wellness Center is for loading and unloading only. The entrance was built with our Elders and those with mobility issues and their ease of access in mind. If you are coming to the center to pick up prescriptions, please park in one of our regular parking spaces. Thank you, Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center Administration Tribal Office Closures Tribal offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. PUBLICATIONS OFFICE 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347 1-800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173 Website: www.smokesignals.org E-mail: news@grandronde.org Editorial.Board@grandronde.org Twitter: CTGRSmokeSignal www.facebook.com/SmokeSignalsCTGR/ www.youtube.com/channel/UCMDXdTzfGjzJ_j3NPpCrtcw DEAN RHODES PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR 503-879-1463 DANIELLE FROST TIMOTHY J. GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER 503-879-4663 PHOTOJOURNALIST 503-879-1961 dean.rhodes@grandronde.org danielle.frost@grandronde.org timothy.gonzalez@grandronde.org SAMUEL F. BRIGGS III JUSTIN PHILLIPS KAMIAH KOCH GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST 503-879-1416 PAGE DESIGNER 503-879-2190 SOCIAL MEDIA/ DIGITAL JOURNALIST 503-879-1461 samuel.briggs@grandronde.org justin.phillips@grandronde.org kamiah.koch@grandronde.org DEADLINE DATE ISSUE DATE Monday, Jan. 6 ................Jan. 15, 2020 Tuesday, Jan. 21 ................. Feb. 1, 2020 Wednesday, Feb. 5 ........... Feb. 15, 2020 Wednesday, Feb. 19 ... March 1, 2020 Friday, March 6 ......March 15, 2020 Editorial Policy smok signflz , a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Communi- ty 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. smok signflz 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 smok signflz . Members of: Native American Journalists Association Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association 2020 Tribal Council tribalcouncil@grandronde.org Cheryle A. Kennedy Tribal Council Chairwoman — ext. 2352 cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org Chris Mercier Tribal Council Vice Chair — ext. 1444 chris.mercier@grandronde.org Jon A. George Tribal Council Secretary — ext. 2355 Jack Giffen Jr. — ext. 2300 jack.giffen@grandronde.org Denise Harvey — ext. 2353 denise.harvey@grandronde.org Michael Langley — ext. 1777 michael.langley@grandronde.org Lisa Leno — ext. 1770 jon.george@grandronde.org lisaleno@grandronde.org Kathleen George Steve Bobb Sr. — ext. 2305 — ext. 4555 kathleen.george@grandronde.org steve.bobb@grandronde.org
