PRESORTED
STANDARD MAIL
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PORTLAND, OR
PERMIT NO. 700
Tribe closes on
properties — pg. 8
july 15, 2020
Casino running
smoothly six
weeks after
re-opening
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
S
ix weeks after Spirit Moun-
tain Casino re-opened on
June 1 after an unprec-
edented 74-day closure due to
the COVID-l9 coronavirus pan-
demic, operations are running
relatively smoothly.
“We have had thousands of
people come through the doors
and only one or two has had to
be turned away due to having
a high temperature,” Gener-
al Manager Stan Dillon said
during the Grand Ronde Tribe’s
ninth Facebook Live event held
Wednesday, July 8.
Dillon said that the casino is
operating at about 40 percent
capacity due to the reduction in
available table games and the
number of patrons who can play
while adhering to social distanc-
ing guidelines. The casino re-
cently added 200 slot machines
to give customers more variety,
which brings the number of slot
machines to 1,370 instead of the
usual 1,750.
“We are also having younger
people coming through our doors
now, probably because bars are
now closing at 10 p.m.,” he said.
“So far, we are doing very well.
There was pent-up demand of
people wanting to come out.”
See CASINO
continued on page 7
Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez
Spirit Mountain Casino maintenance personnel adjust a new banner over the casino’s main entrance indicating that
masks are required on Monday, July 5. The casino’s decision, which went into effect on Friday, July 3, coincides with
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s July 1 announcement of mandatory mask requirements for all indoor public spaces in the
state to stem an increasing number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases.
Masks required
Spirit Mountain Casino institutes new rule
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
S
pirit Mountain Casino is now requiring its
customers wear a mask while indoors on
the property to help prevent the spread of
COVID-19.
The Grand Ronde Tribal Council discussed a
mask requirement at the casino in executive session
on Thursday, July 2. The mandate took effect the
following day.
The casino joins the ranks of states such as Or-
See MASKS
continued on page 7
Tribe hires Veterans’ Services Officer
Navy veteran Ramona Quenelle began her new role on July 6
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
N
avy veteran Ramona Quenelle is the
Grand Ronde Tribe’s first Veterans’
Services Officer.
“This is a real opportunity for development
and growth,” Quenelle said. “Ultimately, I
want people to understand I am really pas-
Photo by Dean Rhodes
sionate about serving Tribal veterans and
that will be my number one goal.”
She has worked for the Tribe for two years
as Tribal Court Programs coordinator and
has a background in veterans’ education
See VETERANS
continued on page 9
Ramona Quenelle stands next to the Navy pillar of the West Valley Veterans Memorial on Monday,
July 13. Quenelle, a Navy veteran, has been hired as the Tribe’s first Veterans’ Services Officer and
will help Native veterans access the benefits that they earned through their military service.