PRESORTED
STANDARD MAIL
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PORTLAND, OR
PERMIT NO. 700
Tribe harvests
15 salmon limit
4 pg. 7
june 1, 2023
Revered Restoration figure Kathryn Harrison walks on
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
G
rand Ronde Tribal matriarch Kathryn Harrison
walked on Sunday, May 21, at the age of 99.
Harrison was a key participant in the Grand
Ronde Tribe9s early 1980s Restoration efforts and was
one of ove Tribal members who testioed before the
U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 18, 1983, in
support of restoring the Tribe to federal recognition.
The Tribe9s federal recognition had been Terminated
29 years earlier in 1954.
After the Tribe was restored on Nov. 22, 1983, she
continued serving her people on Tribal Council from
1984 to 2001. During her time on Tribal Council, she
served as secretary, vice chair and six years as Tribal
chairwoman. She never lost a Tribal Council election
and was the orst woman elected Tribal chair.
During her time on Tribal Council, she helped guide
the Tribe into gaming through the signing of a compact
with Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts in July 1993. She also
suggested the Tribe start endowment funds to beneot
education, health care, economic development, and social
and cultural programs. Those funds continue to be an
important economic resource to this day for the Tribe.
Harrison was born Kathryn May Jones on March 28,
1924, in Corvallis to Harry William Jones and Ella Flem-
ming. Her father was Molalla and her mother Eyak from
Alaska. Her grandparents were George A. Flemming
Sr. and Elena Kal9Tane and Billy Jones and Philomene
Nellie Jones. Her name honored her great-great-aunt,
Molalla Kate.
See HARRISON
continued on pages 8-9
Kathryn Harrison
All three incumbents
seeking re-election
to Tribal Council
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
T
Tribe as an alcohol and addictions counselor.
Martineau9s name was etched on the Air
Force pillar, along with the names of Jack
Bailey and Jefferie J. Tucker.
Approximately 100 people attended the 1
p.m. ceremony, held under sunny skies with
a light breeze. A boxed lunch, served to at-
tendees at the Tribal Community Center by
Veterans Royalty, preceded the event.
Veterans Special Event Board member Mol-
ly Leno served as the master of ceremonies.
<Thank you for joining us today to honor all
ribal Council incumbents Chris Mercier,
Lisa Leno and Michael Langley will be
seeking re-election during the Sept. 9
election.
Mercier, Langley and Leno set new bench-
marks for the most votes received in a Tribal
Council election in 2020 with each one receiving
more than 960 votes each.
Mercier, 47, will be seeking his seventh and
potentially onal term on Trib-
al Council and will tie former
Chairman Reyn Leno for sec-
ond longest-serving Tribal
member at the conclusion of
his term in September 2026 if
he is elected again.
<Yes, probably,= Mercier said
in
an e-mail to Smoke Signals.
Chris Mercier
<I9ve gone back and forth on it
all year. A few months ago, I9d have told you my
chances were 50/50 of running again. There are
a few things, like enrollment and the problems
caused by the 999 amendment, that I9d like to see
through, in addition to a few backburner issues.
<Right now though one more term is all I can
see doing. I love this job, this community and I
feel truly lucky to have served this long. Lucky
is probably an understatement. Regardless, I9ve
a number of unchecked boxes in my life that
are nearly impossible to do while doing this. So
should I be here another three years, expect me
to start making preparations for the next step
in life, and hopefully we will see somebody who
will make me conodent to step away.=
Langley, 56, will be seeking his third consec-
utive three-year term on Tribal Council. He has
been serving as Tribal Council secretary since
September 2021.
See MEMORIAL DAY
continued on page 10
See INCUMBENTS
continued on page 7
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Oregon Department of Veterans9 Affairs Tribal Veteran Coordinator Jon Taylor speaks during the
Tribe9s annual Memorial Day observance held at the West Valley Veterans Memorial on the Tribal
campus on Monday, May 29. Taylor was one of two guest speakers at the event.
Honoring those who served
Eight names added to West Valley Veterans Memorial
By Danielle Harrison
Smoke Signals assistant editor/staff writer
T
he Memorial Day ceremony returned to
Grand Ronde9s West Valley Veterans
Memorial for the 20th time on Monday,
May 29, and included the addition of eight
names to the four black granite pillars that
represent the major branches of the U.S.
military.
The eight who were honored during the cer-
emony included longtime Tribal employee Al-
bert J. <Joe= Martineau, an Air Force veteran
who walked on Feb. 1 at the age of 63. He was
from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa of Minnesota and worked for the