2
NOVEMBER 1, 2022
General Council meeting
Smoke Signals
sNok signflz
11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 6
Tribal members can participate remotely
through the Zoom application and
in-person attendance.
Call 503-879-2304 for more information.
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, Nov. 9...............................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 16.............................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 30.............................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 14.............................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 28.............................................................................4 p.m.
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if
needed. In-person attendance in Tribal Council Chambers
and via the Zoom teleconference application. 503-879-2304.
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/c/SmokeSignalsChannel
DEAN RHODES
EDITOR/
PUBLICATIONS
COORDINATOR
503-879-1463
dean.rhodes@grandronde.org
Tribe endorses Kotek
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde an-
nounced on Friday, Oct. 28, that it is endorsing
Democrat Tina Kotek in the three-way race for
Oregon governor.
“Tina Kotek has a strong understanding of
working with Tribes in Oregon,” said Tribal
Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy. “In
her time with the Legislature, she has been in-
strumental in advancing efforts to enhance pub-
lic safety, health care, education and gambling
Tina Kotek
policy on behalf of Tribes.”
The Tribe also referenced Smoke Signals’ Oct. 15 news story about Or-
egon gubernatorial candidates and their stands on whether they would
uphold the longstanding policy of one casino per Tribe on Reservation
land in Oregon.
Kotek said that she supported the status quo while Republican Christine
Drazan and unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson did not respond to the
Tribal publication regarding their stances.
In 2011, Kotek, who is former speaker of the Oregon House, also aided
in passage of Senate Bill 412, the Tribal police bill that helped Tribal
governments and put more “boots and badges” on the ground by having
Tribal police officers train and certify through the Oregon Department of
Public Safety Standards and Training.
“Tina Kotek understands why Oregon’s recognized Tribes are so import-
ant to the fabric of our state,” Kennedy said. “We look forward to working
with her as Oregon’s next governor.”
The Grand Ronde Tribe became the first of the state’s nine federally
recognized Tribes to endorse a candidate for governor.
Election Day in Oregon is Tuesday, Nov. 8. 
Tribal Office Closures
Tribal offices will be closed on Friday, Nov. 11, in observance of
Veterans Day. Offices also will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 22, in
observance of Tribal Restoration Day. Offices will be closed Wednes-
day, Nov. 23, and Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24-25, in observance
of Thanksgiving.
DANIELLE
HARRISON
TIMOTHY J.
GONZALEZ
ASSISTANT EDITOR/
STAFF WRITER
503-879-4663
PHOTOJOURNALIST
503-879-1961
SAMUEL F.
BRIGGS III
KAMIAH
KOCH
JUSTIN
PHILLIPS
GRAPHIC DESIGN
SPECIALIST
503-879-1416
SOCIAL MEDIA/
DIGITAL JOURNALIST
503-879-1461
PAGE
DESIGNER
503-879-2190
samuel.briggs@grandronde.org
Letters should be exclusive to smok signflz.
Letters should be 400 words or less and must include the writer’s
name, address, phone number and Tribal roll number. You will be
contacted to confirm authorship.
All letters are subject to editing for space, grammar and, on occa-
sion, factual accuracy. Only two letters per writer are allowed during a
three-month period.
Letters written in response to other letter writers should address the
issue at hand and, rather than mentioning the other writer by name,
should refer to the date of the letter published. Discourse should be
civil and people should be referred to in a respectful manner. Letters
deemed in poor taste will not be printed. Send letters via e-mail to
news@grandronde.org, or submit in person at the Tribal Governance
Center in Grand Ronde, Ore., or mail to smok signflz, 9615 Grand
Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR, 97347.
justin.phillips@grandronde.org
kamiah.koch@grandronde.org
KATHERINE WARREN-
STEFFENSMIER
DEADLINE DATE
ISSUE DATE
monday, nov. 7 ............................. nov. 15
PUBLICATIONS SECRETARY
friday, nov. 18 ..................................dec. 1
503-879-1466
kathrine.warren-steffensmier@
grandronde.org
Thursday, dec. 8 ...........................dec. 15
Tuesday, dec. 27 .................... jan. 1, 2023
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
 2021 best digital newspaper (NAJA)
2022-23
Tribal Council
tribalcouncil@grandronde.org
 Cheryle A. Kennedy
Letters welcome
timothy.gonzalez@grandronde.org
danielle.frost@grandronde.org
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
 Brenda tuomi
— ext. 2300
brenda.tuomi@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