2
SMOKE SIGNALS
JANUARY 1, 2025
General Council meeting
11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 5
Tribal Council Chambers
Tribal members can participate remotely via Zoom and in-person
attendance. Call 800-422-0232 for more information.
sNok signflz
PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, Jan. 15.............................................................................4 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 29.............................................................................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 Zoom.
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1-800-422-0232 • FAX: 503-879-2173
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
DANIELLE HARRISON
MICHELLE ALAIMO
PUBLICATIONS MANAGER / EDITOR
503-879-4663
danielle.harrison@grandronde.org
PHOTOJOURNALIST / ASSISTANT EDITOR
503-879-1961
michelle.alaimo@grandronde.org
JUSTIN PHILLIPS
SAMUEL F. BRIGGS III
PRODUCTION SPECIALIST
503-879-2190
justin.phillips@grandronde.org
GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST
503-879-1416
samuel.briggs@grandronde.org
KAMIAH KOCH
NICOLE MONTESANO
SOCIAL MEDIA / DIGITAL JOURNALIST
503-879-1461
kamiah.koch@grandronde.org
STAFF WRITER
503-879-1463
nicole.montesano@grandronde.org
KATHERINE WARREN
SECRETARY / ADVERTISING
503-879-1466 • katherine.warren-steffensmier@grandronde.org
DEADLINE DATE
ISSUE DATE
MEMBERS OF:
Monday, Jan. 6 ............................... Jan. 15
Indigenous Journalists Association
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Thursday, Jan. 23 .............................. Feb. 1
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Assoc.
Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier, left, and Tribal Council member
Lisa Leno, right, present Tribal Emergency Assistance Programs
Coordinator Tammy Garrison with a Tribal Pendleton blanket during her
retirement party in the Community Center on Friday, Dec. 20. Garrison
has offi cially worked for the Tribe for 31 years, although she worked at
the Tribal Cemetery as a teenager in the 1970s.
Thursday, Feb. 6 .............................. Feb. 15
2022 IJA General Excellence
Thursday, Feb. 20 .............................. Mar. 1
2023 IJA General Excellence
EDITORIAL POLICY
Smoke Signals, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community 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 email 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.
Inclement weather alert!
Please be sure to call the Health & Wellness Center before traveling
in to appointments at the clinic during inclement weather.
Health & Wellness Center staff will make every attempt to call pa-
tients during closures. Also, sign up for emergency notifi cations about
Tribal campus closures on the Tribal website at www.grandronde.org
or follow the Tribe’s primary page on Facebook. n
Tribal Office Closures
Tribal offi ces will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 1, in observance of New
Year’s Day. Offi ces will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, in observance
of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Smoke Signals 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 Smoke Signals.
2 02 5 Trib a l Co uncil
tribalcouncil@grandronde.org
Cheryle A. Kennedy
Tribal Council Chairwoman
Kathleen George
— ext. 2305
— ext. 2352
kathleen.george@grandronde.org
cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org
The Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde
OFFSITE GENERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS
Chris Mercier
Tribal Council Vice Chair
— ext. 1444
Sunday, February, 2, 2025
Monarch Hotel
12566 S.E. 93rd Ave.
Clackamas, OR 97015
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Lane Community College Longhouse
4000 E. 30th Ave.
Eugene, OR 97405
Followed by Community Input Meeting.
www.grandronde.org
chris.mercier@grandronde.org
Jon A. George
Tribal Council Secretary
— ext. 2355
jon.george@grandronde.org
Brenda tuomi
— ext. 2300
brenda.tuomi@grandronde.org
Matthew haller
— ext. 1777
matthew.haller@grandronde.org
Lisa Leno
— ext. 1770
lisaleno@grandronde.org
Tonya Gleason-Shepek
— ext. 4555
Denise Harvey
— ext. 2353
tonya.gleason-shepek@grandronde.org
denise.harvey@grandronde.org