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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2023)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 Community Fund tops $96 million mark in giving 4 pg. 8 december 15, 2023 Holiday Party Tillamook County ends bus services in Grand Ronde By Sherron Lumley Smoke Signals staff writer T he Coastal Connector bus service, operated by the Tillamook County Transportation District, ended all service to Grand Ronde effective Monday, Dec. 11. The Coastal Connector, bus route 60X, offered a three-zone standard fare for $6, running from Lincoln City to Salem via Grand Ronde. The latest cancellation follows another one this past summer that ended the 70X Grand Ronde Express to Salem. That leaves just one public transit bus route to and from Grand Ronde. Yamhill County9s bus from Grand Ronde to McMinnville runs four times a day, seven days a week. Tribal Public Works Coordinator John Mercier said he is working with the Oregon Department of Transportation and Native American-owned consultants Akana on an immediate ox, with a new transportation plan to be negotiated in January. <We are going to do everything we can to make that happen as soon as possible,= Mercier said. <The Tillamook cancellation is permanent. We Photos by Michelle Alaimo Four-year-old Lucia Carl tells Santa Claus (aka Tribal Elder David Clark) what she wants for Christmas during his visit to the Tribal Council Holiday Party at Spirit Mountain Casino9s Event Center on Saturday, Dec. 9. Approximately 400 people attended the annual event. It included lunch and raffle giveaways for children and adults. See SERVICE continued on page 11 Finnick Marler, 5, reaches for marshmallows to add to his hot chocolate at the hot chocolate station during the Tribal Council Holiday Party. See page 10 for more holiday photos. TO SEE MORE PHOTOS Contributed photo @SmokeSignalsCTGR TO SEE MORE PHOTOS VISIT US ON @CTGRsmokesignals The Coastal Connector, bus route 60X, operated by the Tillamook County Transportation District, ended all service to Grand Ronde effective Monday, Dec. 11. Lack of resources, including enough drivers, led to the route cancellation that ran from Lincoln City to Salem with a stop in Grand Ronde. Cherry represents Grand Ronde Tribe at Tribal Nations Summit By Dean Rhodes Publications coordinator W ASHINGTON 3 Tribal Council Secretary Mi- chael Cherry represented the Grand Ronde Tribe for the orst time at the White House Tribal Nations Summit held Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 6-7, at the De- partment of the Interior. During the summit, the third held since President Biden took office in January 2021, Cherry met Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin), Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids, left, and Tribal Council Secretary Michael Cherry met at the third annual White House Tribal Nations Summit during President Joseph R. Biden9s first term on Wednesday, Dec. 6, in Washington, D.C. <She was so warm and kind. Leading with kindness. I9m so inspired,= Cherry said about meeting the Kansas representative. the second Native American wom- an elected to Congress after New Mexico9s Deb Haaland, and also met Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg after a Department of Transportation panel. <She was so warm and kind,= Cherry said about Davids. <Leading with kindness. I am so inspired.= As for Haaland (Pueblo of Lagu- na), who became the orst Native American appointed to a presiden- See SUMMIT continued on page 11 Contributed photo
