sNok signflz JANUARY 15, 2024 Tribal Council approves broadband connectivity grant application By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals editor Tribal Council approved an ap- plication for a $2.6 million grant to improve high speed internet services at its Wednesday, Jan. 10, meeting. The federal Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is a grant de- signed to bring better internet ser- vice to rural Tribal communities. If approved, the four-year award would provide up to $2.6 million for 195 houses within Tribal Res- ervation lands to receive updated broadband services. “This grant is primarily a con- struction grant allowing for new towers and fiber to be installed and will allow us to network with the Native-owned and operated compa- ny, Native Network, so that we can ensure its success,” Grants Manage- ment Assistant Dana Morfin said during a Legislative Action Com- mittee meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The Tribe received $500,000 from the same grant in 2023. In other action, Tribal Council: • Approved a $120,000 application for a Bureau of Indian Affairs En- dangered Species Program grant to assess western pond turtle presence on Tribal lands; • Approved paying annual Indian Gaming Association membership dues of $25,000 and appointing Tribal Council member Denise Harvey as the Tribe’s delegate and all other council members as alternates; • And approved enrolling one in- fant into the Tribe and approved a non-infant emergency enroll- ment because they meet the re- quirements outlined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance. To watch the entire meeting, visit the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and click on the Videos tab. 5 Gift making Photo by Michelle Alaimo Youth Empowerment & Prevention Youth Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Shannon Lafferty, left, beads a keychain while Tribal member Veronica Gaston works on making a necklace during the YEP gift making day in the Tribal Community Center on Wednesday, Jan. 10. The gifts will be given to guests during the annual Native Youth Wellness Day scheduled for March 8 and Agency Creek Round Dance scheduled for March 8-9. Drop box installed The Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department, 9655 Grand Ronde Road, has a medication drop box located in the front lobby. Lobby hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The drop box is for any prescribed or over-the-counter medication. If the containers are too large to fit in the drop box, please repackage them in a zip-lock plastic bag. Tribal Police employees cannot handle the medications so the person dropping them off must repackage them. Needles and liquids are not allowed in the drop box. Tribal Police suggest mixing liquid medications with cat litter or cof- fee grounds and then throwing them away with the household trash. For more information, call 503-879-1821. LISTEN TRIBAL EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS OFFICE TO SMOKE SIGNALS 103 PODC ASTS MMIP BILLBOARD MOVEMENT REACHES GRAND RONDE: This year the Tribe saw an increased effort to raise awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous people. A main advocate in the growing awareness efforts is Tribal member CDL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND TRAINING Amanda Freeman. Part one: Podcast 102 - The story behind Grand Ronde’s MMIP billboard. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde TERO Department is looking for Tribal members with CDLs who are interested in current employment opportunities or Tribal members who are interested in obtaining their CDL for future employment. Freeman’s work caught the eye of Great Circle Recovery Operations Director Jennifer Worth and Spirit Mountain Casino CEO Camille Mercier. Together, they created a billboard along Highway 18. Part two: Podcast 103 - On the record: MMIP Awareness Dinner. • Must be 18 years or older. • Must obtain your CDL permit before you register. • Must show proof of completed ODOT physical Once the billboard was up, Freeman and Worth planned a community event, and other requirements. an awareness dinner held Friday, Dec. 1. Smoke Signals is following these • Four weeks to complete. OFFICE P TRIBAL EM TS • Employment opportunities available now. H • TERO will assist with funding CDL course. efforts with an MMIP awareness podcast series, with more to come in 2024. YMENT RIG LO • Schedule courses when you are ready. For more information, contact Kamiah Koch at 503-879-1461 or kamiah.koch@grandronde.org Contact Jacob Boekhoff at 503-879-2146 or e-mail Jacob.Boekhoff@grandronde.org VISIT SMOKESIGNALS.ORG AND CLICK ON PODCAST Ad by Samuel Briggs III Ad by Samuel Briggs III