2
MARCH 1, 2022
Smoke Signals
General Council meeting
11 a.m. Sunday, March 6
sNok signflz
Tribal members can participate remotely
through the Zoom application.
PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347
1-800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, March 9...........................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 23.........................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 6.............................................................................4 p.m.
Website: www.smokesignals.org
E-mail: news@grandronde.org
Editorial.Board@grandronde.org
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed.
Tribal members can participate remotely through the Zoom application.
Twitter: CTGRSmokeSignal
www.facebook.com/SmokeSignalsCTGR/
Round Dance canceled
for third year in a row
Tribal Social Services Director Dana Ainam announced on Wednesday,
Feb. 16, that the annual Agency Creek Round Dance, tentatively set for
March 18-19, will not be held for the third year in a row.
The 2020 and 2021 Round Dances were canceled because of the COVID-19
pandemic and although case numbers are falling in Oregon and in Grand
Ronde, this year’s will meet the same fate for the same reason.
“We are working on sharing some songs and culture virtually in March,”
Ainam said. “We will be advertising that.”
www.youtube.com/c/SmokeSignalsChannel
DEAN RHODES
PUBLICATIONS
COORDINATOR
503-879-1463
DANIELLE
HARRISON
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
KATHERINE WARREN-
STEFFENSMIER
ISSUE DATE
Monday, march 7 ...................March 15
PUBLICATIONS SECRETARY
Friday, march 25 ...........................april 1
503-879-1466
kathrine.warren-steffensmier@
grandronde.org
Friday, April 8 ..............................april 15
monday, April 25 ..............................may 1
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 .
Smoke Signals screenshot
Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments Chairman Sal Peralta
gives the Chair’s Choice Award to Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A.
Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 11, in the Governance Center Atrium. The award
recognized the work of the Tribal Health Clinic in vaccinating more
than 22,000 people since 2021 and the Tribe stepping up to take over
emergency medical responsibilities in the West Valley area.
Tribe receives Council
of Governments award
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde received the Mid-Willa-
mette Valley Council of Governments Chair’s Choice Award.
Chairman Sal Peralta said the award was for the work of the Tribe’s
Health Clinic and to honor its 25th anniversary.
“The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde administered more than
22,000 vaccinations through its clinic in the last year and stepped
in to provide emergency medical services to the entire West Valley,
improving response times from 20 minutes to five in the last year,”
Peralta said. “At a time when so many are self-serving, credit seeking
and polarizing, the Tribes offers us an alternative vision for leadership
and community based on mutual respect and the long-term public
good. They are the first to step forward when aid is needed and the
last to take credit when it is deserved.”
Peralta, who also serves on the McMinnville City Council, said he
appreciated the Tribe’s testimony in creating the Elliott State Re-
search Forest and “the values reflected in that testimony, which calls
for the preservation of mature growth, logging of disturbed growth,
and more clean water for lamprey and salmon habitat.”
Peralta presented the award to Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle
A. Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 11, in the Governance Center Atrium and
the award was acknowledged during the council’s annual meeting
that was held virtually on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
Members of:
Native American Journalists Association
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
2022
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
Michael Langley
Tribal Council Secretary
— ext. 1777
michael.langley@grandronde.org
Kathleen George
— ext. 2305
kathleen.george@grandronde.org
Jack Giffen Jr.
— ext. 2300
jack.giffen@grandronde.org
Denise Harvey
— ext. 2353
denise.harvey@grandronde.org
Jon A. George
— ext. 2355
jon.george@grandronde.org
Lisa Leno
— ext. 1770
lisaleno@grandronde.org
Michael Cherry
— ext. 4555
michael.cherry@grandronde.org