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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2024)
2 JANUARY 1, 2024 General Council meeting 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 Tribal Council Chambers Tribal members can participate remotely via Zoom and in-person attendance. Call 503-879-2304 for more information. SMOKE SIGNALS sNok signflz PUBLICATIONS OFFICE 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347 1-800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173 NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings DATE TIME Wednesday, Jan. 10.............................................................................4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24.............................................................................4 p.m. Letter s Dear Smoke Signals: At noon Friday, Jan. 12, I will no longer be an employee of the Confed- erated Tribes of Grand Ronde. I will be ending a more than 16-year run as editor of Smoke Signals – the longest tenure of anyone who has ever held the high-profile and high-pressure position. The last 16 years have been a professionally satisfying experience as the newspaper has won 131 combined awards from the Indigenous Jour- nalism Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. I am most proud of the seven times the newspaper was recognized for general excellence from the two journalism organizations. The biggest change that has occurred since August 2007 is Smoke Signals becoming an independent newspaper; not independent from needing Tribal funding to exist, but independent from undue influence by either Tribal administration or the whims of the majority of the sitting Tribal Council. Although I have tried to maintain a certain amount of professional distance from Tribal members and fellow employees so I could remain objective and not be influenced by personal opinions, I have to admit that I have privately shed tears at the passing of several memorable people: former Tribal Council Administrative Assistant Dakota Whitecloud, former Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr. and former Public Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor to name a few. As I move into retirement to write for myself, I want to let the general membership know that working for the Grand Ronde Tribe has been a positive experience in myriad ways. The best example is how the Tribe cared for its employees during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 by continuing to pay people despite the 74-day closure of Spirit Mountain Casino. You should be proud of your Tribe! I have worked with many fine journalists along the way and Tribal member Justin Phillips will go down as the colleague that I have worked with the longest in my more than 40-year career. The Editorial Board made an excellent decision in promoting Danielle Harrison to succeed me as editor. I am confident that she will continue the tradition of journalistic excellence that has made Smoke Signals one of the best newspapers in Indian Country. Haya masi — many thanks in Chinuk Wawa — seems paltry in express- ing my gratitude to have worked for the membership during the last 16 years, but it will have to suffice. Dean Rhodes Port Angeles, Wash Clarification — A story in the Dec. 15, 2023, edition of Smoke Signals contained incomplete information. Yamhill County Transit does not cur- rently offer weekend bus service in Grand Ronde, as it has been suspended. Tribal Office Closures Tribal offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 1, in observance of New Year’s Day. Offices also are closed on Monday, Jan. 15, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Website: www.smokesignals.org Email: news@grandronde.org Email: Editorial.Board@grandronde.org X (formerly Twitter): CTGRsmoksignelz www.facebook.com/SmokeSignalsCTGR/ www.youtube.com/c/SmokeSignalsChannel MICHELLE ALAIMO EDITOR 503-879-4663 PHOTOJOURNALIST/ ASSISTANT EDITOR 503-879-1961 danielle.harrison@grandronde.org SAMUEL F. BRIGGS III STAFF WRITER 503-879-1463 GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST 503-879-1416 sherron.lumley@grandronde.org kamiah.koch@grandronde.org JUSTIN PHILLIPS SHERRON LUMLEY PAGE DESIGNER 503-879-2190 justin.phillips@grandronde.org samuel.briggs@grandronde.org DEADLINE DATE KATHERINE WARREN PUBLICATIONS SECRETARY/ ADVERTISING 503-879-1466 katherine.warren-steffensmier@ grandronde.org ISSUE DATE Monday, jan. 8 ................................jan. 15 tuesday, jan. 23 ................................. feb. 1 Friday, feb. 23 ..............................March 1 friday, march 8 .......................March 15 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: indigenous Journalists Association Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association 2022 IJA General excellence 2024 Tribal Council tribalcouncil@grandronde.org Cheryle A. Kennedy — ext. 2352 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 con- tacted to confirm authorship. All letters are subject to editing for space, grammar and, on occasion, 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. SOCIAL MEDIA/ DIGITAL JOURNALIST 503-879-1461 michelle.alaimo@grandronde.org Tribal Council Chairwoman Letters welcome KAMIAH KOCH DANIELLE HARRISON cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org Chris Mercier Tribal Council Vice Chair — ext. 1444 chris.mercier@grandronde.org Michael Cherry Tribal Council Secretary — ext. 4555 michael.cherry@grandronde.org Kathleen George — ext. 2305 kathleen.george@grandronde.org Brenda tuomi — ext. 2300 brenda.tuomi@grandronde.org Matthew haller — ext. 1777 matthew.haller@grandronde.org Jon A. George — ext. 2355 jon.george@grandronde.org Lisa Leno — ext. 1770 lisaleno@grandronde.org Denise Harvey — ext. 2353 denise.harvey@grandronde.org
