Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2025)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM, OR PERMIT NO. 178 Veterans Day photos — pg. 11 november 15, 2025 Tribe offers aid to SNAP recipients Fall festival Editor’s note: This story is con- tinually evolving. As of presstime Monday, Nov. 10, information was updated to the best of Smoke Signals knowledge. By Nicole Montesano & Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals staff T ribal Council declared a state of emergency Wednesday, Nov. 5, due to the federal government shutdown and loss of benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program. “The lack of such benefits will sig- nificantly increase hunger, food in- security, health and safety concerns for our families in need, including children, Elders and individuals with disabilities,” Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George read from a prepared statement. “It is im- portant for the Tribe to take extra care in looking out for our Elders and family members during their time of need.” The declaration follows other Or- egon Tribes such as Siltez, Klamath and Umatilla, who all passed simi- lar measures. The Tribe said the state of emer- gency would be terminated when federal benefits are reinstated. On Friday, Nov. 7, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek announced that follow- ing a federal court order for the Trump administration to release the full funding for SNAP pay- ments, employees in the state’s Department of Human Services had worked through the previous Photo by Nicole Montesano Youth from the Tribe’s hayu-munk skukum Youth Enrichment Program trick-or-treat in the Governance Center Atrium Friday, Oct. 31. The Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center, Social Services, the Employment Service Center, Adult Foster Care, Elders Activity Center and the Education complex were some other stops made by trick-or treaters. Kinzlee Linton, 3, receives candy from the Tribal Police during the Trunk-or-Treat event at the Tribal gym parking lot Thursday, Oct. 30. Children in their Halloween costumes visited several departments from the Grand Ronde Tribe that had set up decorated Halloween booths out of the trunk of cars to hand out candy. Inside the gym, the Halloween Jam offered SEE MORE OF THIS STORY games, dinner and prizes. @SmokeSignalsCTGR See SNAP continued on page 10 Photo by Kamiah Koch Tribe touts upcoming dam drawdowns By Nicole Montesano Smoke Signals staff writer ribal Council member Kathleen George and Jennifer Fairbrother, legislative and policy director at the Native Fish Society, held a press conference Thursday, Oct. 23, to discuss the importance of deep drawdowns at T Smoke Signals file photo several Willamette Valley dams, scheduled to begin later this fall and winter. The Army Corps of Engineers is under court order to perform the drawdowns to increase See DAMS continued on page 9 Fall Creek Reservoir in Fall Creek is shown in deep drawdown in January. The Army Corps of Engineers is under court orders to perform dam drawdowns at several Willamette Valley dams to increase spawning grounds and survival rates for spring Chinook and winter steelhead, as the fish are high risk of extinction. Drawdowns are scheduled to begin later this fall and winter.
