Teens open up about healthy
Carl Merkle celebrates his
relationships during the Native Wellness Youth Conference
own speed race at the Employee Summer Splash See page 34 for more photos
A tanker drops red fire retardant on the Rock Creek fire that scorched 260 acres est of Mission See page 5 for more
finish in his
Seepage 30 for more
on e crate mati a ourna The monthly newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation - Pendleton, Oregon Volume 23, Issue 9
September 2015
Tribes buy Catherine Creek ranch UNION — A 545-acre parcel located about 2.5 miles southeast of the town of Union is being purchased by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) to protect and restore habitat for fish and wildlife. The Southern Cross Ranch is being purchased using Bonneville Power Administration "Accord" dollars — mitigation funds for habitat impacted by the construction and operation of the Federal Columbia River Hydropower System. The property contains about t h reequarters of a mile of mainstem Catherine Creek, as well as 44 acres of riparian and wetland habitat. "Opportunities like this are few and far between, but Southern Cross Ranch sits smack dab in the middle of spawning and rearing habitat for endangered chinook salmon and steelhead," said Carl Scheeler, the CTUIR Wildlife Program manager. While upstream, Catherine Creek is core-rearing habitat, poor conditions have created tough passage for fish, particularly spring and summer chinook. "Poor habitat conditions have created density dependence, meaning that there is not enough habitat to support rearing, and effectively creates a bottleneck to re-
Election
campaign hitting - early stride Nomination petitions must f
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Welcome toHappy Canyon 8 the Pendleton Round-Up Happy CanyonPrincesses,Mary Harris,left,andJosephine Penney, fight,breakout in laughter during a professional photo session. Both 19-year-old girls are members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and have represented their community as well as the Happy Canyon Court during their 2015 reign.As the Pendleton Round-Up draws near, the girls'term culminates but they will "never be forgotton". Turn to page 20 to read their one-on-one interview with the CUJ.
MISSION — Voters on the Umatilla Indian Reservation could have more than two dozen candidates to choose from when they go to the polls, or submit their absentee ballots, for the Nov. 17 election. As of Aug. 31, a total of 23 tribal members had taken out petitions from the Election Committee for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Nomination petitions must be placed by 4 p.m. Sept. 9 in the locked drop box at the Nixyaawii Governance Center
(NGC). Constitutional amendments are due at the same time and day to a member of the Election Commission (listed at the bottom of this story ). Absentee ballot request forms are available on the CTUIR website (www.ctuir.org) or from an Election Commission member who will mail, email or hand to you a request form. If unable to
(Photo by Rachel Owens of Catching Violet Photography)
See Catherine Creek Pa e 40
See Election Cam ai n Pa e 33
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Isolafed showers Rob Brooks, resident hydrometeological tech for the National Weather Service, demonstratesforDeakon Ward, 4, Ryan Warkentin, 11, Kenden Warkentin, 8, and Danielle Ward, 10, at the Community Picnic on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The picnicdrew about 400 people. For morephotos and story,turn to Page 16.