Confederated Umatilla Journal - October 2020

Alaina Mildenberger talks with people waiting in a smoky food distribution line on Sept. 14.

NCS hoops have started social distancing workouts.

More on 1B.

More on 2A.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

2 Sections, 36 pages Publish date Oct. 1, 2020

The monthly newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation ~ Pendleton, Oregon October 2020

Section

A

Volume 28, Issue 10

COVID-19 hits Tribal firefighters Mutual-aid agreement will provide fire suppression coverage on Reservation during quarantine

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

MISSION – A COVID-19 outbreak among four firefighter/EMTs at the Umatilla Tribal Fire Department has triggered mutual-aid assistance from the Pendleton Fire Department and East Umatilla County Fire & Rescue to handle calls on the Umatilla Indian Reservation at least through Oct. 5.

That’s according to Rob Burnside, Public Safety Director for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, who up until nine months ago was Tribal Fire Chief.

Burnside acknowledged that as of Wednesday, Sept. 30, four firefighters and one Tribal Police Officer had tested positive for COVID-19 and were in quarantine.

Two of the firefighters who live on the Reservation are enrolled CTUIR members and their care, including contact tracing, is under the jurisdiction of Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. Two of the firefighters who live off the Reservation are not

Racing fun at Wildhorse Family FunPlex Patrick Carilla, 8, and his father, Ramiro Saucedo, both of Pendleton, race against one another on one of the games in the new arcade in the Family FunPlex at Wildhorse Resort & Casino on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. “I haven’t been here since COVID,” said Patrick, telling his Dad they’ll be coming at least three times a week. “This is nice. I give it a 10 out of 10.” The new arcade is almost 2,500 square feet of playing space and gamers can choose from more than 30 games and experiences. Winners can redeem tickets for prizes. The new $35 million expansion also includes Quaking Aspens Lanes, a food court featuring restaurants owned and operated by members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, an expanded Cineplex, and a Children’s Entertainment Center. It’s been busy since two grand openings the week of Sept. 22. For more, turn to Page 4A.

CUJ photo/Phinney

COVID-19 hits Public Safety on page 3A

Yellowhawk secures national accreditation

By the CUJ

MISSION – Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center has been awarded national accreditation, making it one of only four tribal health departments in the United States to earn that status from the Public Health Accreditation Board.

The program works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of the nation’s state, local, tribal, and territorial public health departments.

“We have been working towards acYellowhawk on page 15A

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Pendleton, OR Permit #100

At far left, Natasha Hererra lets others know they need food for one family during the “breakfast” food distribution Sept. 14 on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Loading food into the back of a pickup are, from left, KC Picard in red kerchief from Housing, Charles Jones in yellow shirt from Public Works, Angelica Lopez in blue shirt from Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Nina Watchman in black shirt from Yellowhawk Community Wellness Department, Cyndi Bean in gray shirt from Public Work, and Sam Spino opening tailgate from DCFS. In the background are, from left, James Bill from Public Works, Kathleen Elliott and Natasha Herrera, both from DCFS.

300 families served ‘breakfast’ at food distribution More than 30 volunteers, including the man who orchestrated logistics and rescue teams in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico that aided more than 2 million people, loaded into cars and trucks 300 loaves of bread, 400 pounds of strawberries, and more than 1,000 pounds of frozen cod, among other food and dry goods, during the Sept. 14 “breakfast” food distribution on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Disaster relief expert Bobby Rodrigo and Keri Johns from WAVE drove a truck through the forest-fire smoke that Monday morning from Portland to the Longhouse delivering frozen code, 600 boxes of jerky, 300 sack lunches, fresh strawberries, 400 boxes of food kits for scamp, and face masks.

But it was the local community that pulled off another food distribution coordinated by the Confederated Tribes’ Department of Children and Family Services.

This time enough food was purchased or donated for 300 families with each receiving two bags – one filled with dry goods and the other with meat, potatoes and eggs. Volunteers filled 600 bags in two shifts – the dry food on Friday afternoon and refrigerated foods on Monday morning. The food distribution was

initially scheduled for Saturday, Sept.

12, but was rescheduled because of the “hazardous” smoke.

Here’s the list of food and where it came from:

Sysco foods via Wildhorse Resort & Casino (Mike Enger, Emile Bill, Rock and the warehouse crew) – 300 loaves of white bread, 300 quarts of liquid eggs, 600 60-ounce jugs of orange juice, 300 half-gallon cartons of milk, 300 20-count packs of hash browns.

Cash & Carry – 300 5-pound bags of Krusteaz Pancake mix, 300 42-ounce canisters of quick oatmeal, variety of syrups and jams, plus bananas, apples, oranges, pineapples and melons (The store allowed DECD to purchase all the fruit they had in the store on Friday.)

Hill Meat Company – 300 3-pound chubs of bulk sausage, 300 3-pound packs of bacon.

St. Andrew Church – 15 cases of popcorn.

Safeway – grocery bags CTUIR Public Works – face masks.

Here’s the list of helpers: DCFS – Julie Taylor, Jaimie Crane, Kathleen Elliott, Natasha Herrera, Taylor Jerome, Angelica Lopez and Sam Spino.

Board of Trustees – Sandra Sampson, Corinne Sams.

Tribal Court – Judge Bill Johnson, Shane Rivera.

Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Program – Mark French.

Housing – Tanner Micheal, Marcus Conner, Lance Dick, Chris Marsh Sr., KC Picard,

Confederated Umatilla Journal

46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801 Phone 541-429-7005

2A

Fax 541-429-7005 Email cuj@ctuir.org www.ctuir.org

J’Shon Thompson from Behavioral Health at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, places a bag of groceries into one of the cars lined up behind the Longhouse Sept. 14. The event was originally scheduled for Sept.

12 because of forestfire-caused smoke, but volunteers still had to put up with “hazardous” air two days later to distribute food to some 300 families.

CUJ photos/Phinney

Anthony Lavadour.

Planning – Andrea Hall.

Public Works – Cyndi Bean, James Bill, Burke Farrow, Charles Jones, Alaina Mildenberger, Brian Thompson.

Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center – Dusty Dressler, Tim Elliott, Drew Rivera, J’Shon Thompson, Nina Watchman.

When devastating hurricanes hit the Caribbean, Rodrigo was the logistical lead for all phases of moving 122 40-foot containers of commodities and 58 plane loads, shipped and flown to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Marten,

Dominica, Bahamas and Haiti impacting more than 1 million residents. He installed micro-farms at evacuee centers in Houston and Puerto Rico to assist in food supplies and create and execute hot meal plans in Houston and Puerto Rico service more than 50,000 meals.

The WAVE Foundation, which is managed by Johns, in collaboration with Columbia Gorge Food Bank - distributed lingcod and sablefish filets and served hot meals at in-lieu fishing sites near Cascade Locks.

... The monthly newspaper for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Publish date

Ad deadline

News deadline

November 5

October 20

October 27

December 3

November 17

November 24

January 7

December 15

December 22

February 3

January 19

January 26

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

COVID-19 hits CTUIR Public Safety Department Continued from page 1A

Tribal members and their COVID-19 guidance, including quarantine procedures, is being handled through the Umatilla County Health Department.

Burnside did not say whether or not the Tribal Police officer is an enrolled CTUIR member.

Burnside said Pendleton Fire Department and East Umatilla County Fire & Rescue will take Tribal calls through Oct. 5 because he expects some of the Tribal firefighters to be returning from quarantine.

“It all depends on when they were exposed,” Burnside said. “One was out on the 5th, one on the 6th, one on the 8th. It all depends on the contact tracers.”

Burnside said the Fire Department needs at least two firefighters per 48-hour shift and it would be stretching staff to make that happen.

However, he said, “Right now we have four that are able. We have four that could answer a call if push comes to shove.”

Burnside said he is comfortable with the mutual aid agreements because they work.

“Absolutely,” he said. “We have good agreements with both respective chiefs. Both have been real good about working with us and one day we may have to reciprocate.”

In fact, all the departments already do help each other.

When the Tribal Fire Department rolls into Pendleton for a big blaze that’s a mutual aid call. When the Pendleton Fire Department shows up on the Reservation to help with a big grass fire, that’s a mutual aid assist.

“The only thing different now is that we won’t be answering until we’re off quarantine and ready to go,” Burnside said.

Pendleton Fire Chief Jim Critchley said his crews had already been called out Tuesday, Sept. 29 to the RV Park

October 2020

Trustees Chair Kat Brigham said, “We are taking every precaution to make sure the community is safe. Fire protection will continue thanks to our partners. Contact tracing is nearly complete.

This outbreak shows how COVID can shutter critical public services.”

Burnside said he never dreamed something like this would ever happen.

“It’s crazy weird, I’ve never seen anything like this be- Rob Burnside, fore,” he said. “Something CTUIR Public Safety Director like this just shuts down everything. Never in my wildest dreams. You think of the worst case scenario and this would behind Wildhorse Casino. be it. You shut down a store or “We were paged from the Fire Station in Pendleton something like that and it’s a big deal, but it’s not like and ended up responding to that. We transported one shutting down a fire department or a police department to the hospital because there was nobody at the Tribal or a big clinic.” station,” Critchley said.

Staff in the Public Safety Department, according to the The Pendleton chief said he didn’t know how long news release, were being tested by Yellowhawk Tribal the assist might last, but he said his department is ready Health Center. Yellowhawk advised individuals who to help. have had contact with those who tested positive to get “We have committed to support,” he said. “Every- tested via their primary care provider. This included body is aware we need to support the Tribal Fire De- co-workers, family members and community mempartment until we hear further. If the fire department is bers. Additionally, the Public Safety Department out two weeks, we’ll work through it to make sure you has initiated several safety measures and cleaning guys are covered. That’s what inter-agency is all about, protocols in their facilities and vehicles. to make sure citizens of both areas are covered. We’re Burnside said the Tribal Fire Department and veall in this together.” hicles were receiving a deep cleaning using Clorox 360 In a CTUIR news release issued Sept. 29, Board of machines.

‘It’s crazy weird, I’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said. “Something like this just shuts down everything. Never in my wildest dreams. You think of the worst case scenario and this would be it.’

Confederated Umatilla Journal

3A

Tyler Craig, 20, had fun rolling the ball with two hands while bowling with his mother, Tara Craig-McKay, and his 12-year-old brother, Eric McKay, at Quaking Aspens Lanes Sept. 26 - two days after the public grand opening. Tara said the boys were calling each other Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. She said her husband was golfing so she and her sons decided to bowl.

CUJ photo/Phinney

Fun at the FunPlex and Quaking Aspens Lanes Sound, lights, food, action welcome visitors to new entertainment center at Wildhorse

Lucille James, an enrolled Yakama Indian from Wapato, had never been to Wildhorse before coming to “check it out” Saturday, Sept. 26, with Buddy Ray Herrera from White Swan.

They booked a room and reserved a lane for the next day.

James, who had never bowled before, is related to the Moses and Jones families on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

CUJ photo/Phinney

Wildhorse celebrated the grand opening – TWICE! – of its new Family FunPlex and Quaking Aspens Lanes in September, ushering in a $35 million expansion that furthers its claim as a regional destination resort.

Congratulatory ceremonies on Tuesday, Sept. 22, and again on Thursday, Sept. 24, provided bells and whistles for not only invited dignitaries and officials, but for Tribal members and their families as well.

By the weekend, the place was packed, with social distancing of course. Visitors from other reservations were driving in to check out the Umatilla’s new digs.

Lucille James from Toppenish and Buddy Ray Her-

Garian MorningOwl and Daniel Dick were the first children to play in the new FunPlex arcade at Wildhorse.

CUJ photo/Dallas Dick

4A

rera from White Swan drove over on a free day. They reserved a room at the Wildhorse Hotel and then they reserved a bowling lane for the next day.

Kia Owlchild, a Wanapum from Yakama with Umatilla blood, came over just to see the expansion. He was bowling next to the Craig-McKay family on the boutique lanes.

“I’ll definitely make this trip over again,” Owlchild said.

Tara Craig McKay was having fun watching her boys, Tyler, 20, and Eric, 12, bowl. She said they’d bowled one time when Pendleton had lanes and another time

Two of the new restaurants in the Food Court at the Wildhorse FunPlex are owned and operated by members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Brigham Fish ‘n Chips is owned by Kim Brigham Campbell, whose family has been fishing this region for generations. The other is Moe Pho, a satellite location to the popular Main Street spot in downtown Pendleton owned by Whitney Minthorn and his partner Moe Soeum. Their eatery specializes in the unique flavors of Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese dishes. Two years ago Minthorn recognized the opportunity to serve his Moe Pho food at Wildhorse and sent a commercial lease proposal to the resort. “I knew that there was an exceptional market opportunity for an eatery offering authentic Asian cuisine,” Minthorn said. “With Moe’s well-developed recipes, cultural background, and adaptability, we will indeed be competing with what larger casinos and resorts have to offere to their guests. We aim to contribute healthier food for Wildhorse staff, customers, VIP guests and the CTUIR tribal community.” In addition to the two tribally owned businesses, the food court includes a Burgers & More restaurant, and an Ice Cream and Pastries shop.

CUJ photo/Phinney

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

in Hermiston.

Now with Quaking Aspens, “We’ll have to come at least once a week.”

Boots Pond, a member of the CTUIR Board of Trustees, was bowling Saturday, Sept. 26, thinks of Wildhorse now as a place for the community to come together.

“It’s another area for people to be and I’m hoping it will be a time for us to get better. It’s not to say this is a distraction, but we can have fun and maybe get lost in the moment, experience something different in this time,” He was going to say more but he was up and headed for his ball aying,”Right now I’ve got to get another strike,” It was like that in the arcade, too, where gamers can choose from more than 30 games or experiences.

Patrick Carilla, 8, and his father, Ramiro Saucedo, from Pendleton, were having a blast racing each other on motorcycles.

“There’s not much to do like this in Pendleton,” Saucedo said. “We actually came before, but there are a lot more games now.”

Patrick said he hadn’t been out of the house since COVID and couldn’t wait for the FunPlex to open.

“I’d give this a 10 out of 10,” he said, telling his father he wants to come at least three times a week.

Malaya Stanger practices her hoop skills on a bucket that doesn’t conform to high school standards, but may be just as fun, at the Wildhorse FunPlex Sept. 26. Stanger called the FunPlex a “really good addition” that will become a “hotspot for kids to hang out.” Stanger. a sophomore at Nixyaawii Community School, is the daughter of Clifford and Cece Stanger.

CUJ photo/Phinney

There were two grand opening ribbon cuttings for the Wildhorse FunPlex - an official ceremony for dignitaries with an “official first roll” by members of the CTUIR Board of Trustees on Tuesday, Sept. 22, and a second more casual affair two days later for the public. At left, Gary George, CEO for Wildhorse Resort & Casino, helps as BOT Chair Kat Brigham and BOT Secretary Sally Kosey use a giant pair of scissors to cut the ribbon in the hallway between the Food Court and the bowling alley. To the right of Kosey is BOT member Jill-Marie Gavin and Wildhorse marketing manager Mary Liberty Traughber.The ribbon cutting celebrated the opening of a $35 million expansion that includs the Family FunPlex and Quaking Aspens Lanes.

CUJ photo/Megan Van Pelt

Jill-Marie Gavin, a member of the CTUIR Board of Trustees, reacts to her bowling ball missing pins while BOT Treasurer Sandra Sampson, right, watches as her ball rolls toward its target.

CUJ photo/Dallas Dick

October 2020

Lorene Broncheau helps daughter Skylei play on one of more than 30 arcade games and experiences children (and adults) can choose from in the arcade at the Family FunPlex at Wildhorse.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

CUJ photo/Phinney

5A

Quaking Aspens in Nixyaawii country An impressive mural of Nixyaawii Country greets visitors entering Wildhorse Casino, who then have the option of walking to the left toward the casino floor or to the right toward the Family FunPlex, with its new food court, arcade and Quaking Aspens Lanes. At the first of two grand openings in September, Wildhorse CEO Gary George, waits for Kat Brigham, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, to take the microphone and make brief remarks celebrating the opening of the $35 million expansion. Guests, including Tribal leaders, project engineers and contractors, vendors and staff social distanced for the event. Three BOT members sitting in the front row are, from left, Sally Kosey, Jill-Marie Gavin and Corinne Sams. The mural was produced by photographers Ric and Pat Walters.

CUJ photo/Phinney

CUJ Op-Ed/Columns Take care of yourselves ... and vote

By Kat Brigham

The year, 2020, is one we will not forget because of all the catastrophic events that have taken place. I am very proud of our Community working together; that is what carries us all through the hard times.

We must remember we are not clear of the pandemic yet, but hopefully in 2021 we will have a vaccine available. In the meantime we still need to practice social distancing, washing our hands, wear face masks where appropriate and stay home if not feeling well.

We have our students and their families learning how to do distance learning in order to get their

education. To help our students we have created a hot-spot map so students and their families can access the internet. We continue to work on getting greater internet access for all of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and we await the FCC decision on gaining our own bandwidth.

National elections begin this month. The last day to register in Oregon is Oct. 13 and soon after that registered voters will begin to receive their ballots in the mail.

We have heard a lot about President Trump and former Vice-President Biden. They are on opposite ends of many issues, but we as tribal people need to decide for ourselves who we want to lead the United States.

The actual General Election Day is Nov. 3, but it

is important that you mail-in your ballot at least one week before Election Day to ensure it arrives in time to be counted. Or, if need be, you have up until 8 p.m.

Nov. 3, to drop your ballot in the ballot box in front of the Nixyaawii Governance Center here in Mission or at one of the ballot boxes in Pendleton.

If you live outside the Umatilla Indian Reservation, send your ballot in early or do you best to find a nearby ballot box.

Please take care of yourselves so you can also take care of your family. Thanks!

Kat Brigham is Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Remove Snake River dams to save salmon

By Don Sampson

O

ur 1855 Treaty fishing rights and tribal harvest over the past 20 years in Snake River tributaries are near extinction. At the current pace they will be extinct in 20 more years!

Based on the recent Umatilla Tribal Fisheries program report, for the past 20 years we have had extremely limited or no salmon harvest as described below: Upper Grande Ronde – 11 salmon Lookingglass Creek – 54 salmon Catherine Creek – 1 salmon Minam – 0 salmon Wallowa/Lostine – 10 salmon Wenaha – 0 salmon Imnaha – 35 salmon Tucannon – 0 salmon Total of 111 salmon over the past 20 years!!

That equals an average of 5 salmon per year for our 3,000 tribal members. Is this what our tribal leaders fought and died for when we negotiated our 1855 Treaty with the U.S.? Are 3,000 people expected to survive on 5 salmon? Historically we harvested thousands of salmon annually from these rivers to feed our people and exercise our 1855 Treaty fishing rights. In

CUJ Confederated Umatilla Journal

6A

the past 4 years we had NO fishing except in Lookingglass Creek (9 salmon for 3,000 people).

Our Tribes know, as do nearly all the scientific experts, environmental organizations and state fish managers, that these dams are the biggest killers of Snake River salmon, yet we have spent billions of dollars studying, researching, and watching these salmon populations plunge to extinction.

Twenty years ago the Tribes, environmental organizations, and fishing industry examined in detail the science, transportation, and power replacement options to remove these four lower Snake River dams. By now we could have removed these dams for half the cost we’ve spent and could have preserved agriculture, transitioned to rail transportation, and had cheap renewable energy to replace these dams. But nothing has changed except these salmon get closer to extinction.

Twelve years ago, the Board agreed to the BPA “Fish” Accords, in which the Tribe got millions of dollars for projects, research, and staff as long as the Tribe did not take legal actions. While some of the funding helped with tributary habitat, a hatchery, and a lot of research, it did not improve the mainstem Snake River passage, which is the major killer of these salmon.

On March 9 the Board of Trustees, using tribal staff recommendations, made a motion to “support a

46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801 541-429-7005 FAX 541-429-7005 e-mail: cuj@ctuir.org www.ctuir.org

Interim Publisher:

Jane Hill

CUJ staff: Wil Phinney, editor Megan Van Pelt, part-time reporter Dallas Dick, freelance photographer

Confederated Umatilla Journal

comprehensive study of dam breaching, including the benefits and costs, and best methods and schedule to implement dam breaching - or other hydro management means.”

We don’t need another study, we need action and an aggressive strategy. The Board will soon make a decision whether to accept another BPA “Fish” Accord, which will be millions more dollars. BUT what about the salmon? What about the DAMS that will continue to kill salmon to extinction?

I urge the Board to take aggressive actions to develop a regional strategy that removes these salmonkilling dams over a certain time and restores a free flowing natural river, transitions from barge transportation to rail, secures water sources for farmers who draw from the Snake River, and transitions to clean renewable energy that doesn’t kill salmon.

Now is the time for action before our children have to live in a time where these sacred salmon populations are gone, forever.

Don Sampson Peo Peo Mox Mox, Chief of the Walla Wallas Don Sampson, a former elected leader of the CTUIR, is a fish biologist and former Director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.

Display advertising rate $5.50 per column inch.

Full page: $297 Three Quarter Page: $223 Half page: $149 Quarter page: $72 Business Card: $33

Full color and spot color available

Mail Subscriptions:

$15 per year or $28 for two years.

16 awards in 2018, including first places for best feature story, feature photo, environmental coverage.

Next CUJ: Sept. 3 Ad deadline: Aug. 18 News deadline: Aug. 25

October 2020

CUJ Op-Ed/Columns Circumstances elicit novel ways to share GC info

By Shawna M. Shillal-Gavin, General Council Secretary

S

ummer is usually a busy place around the CTUIR. By now we’d have held at least eight General Council meetings, taking our turn at the microphone, sharing our thoughts and concerns; listening to the latest updates from a department/committee/ commission and giving our input to those reporting. We’d have had some heated debate over a part or component of the update and ended with laughter while a few items are raffled out for fun.

This year, the General Council wasn’t able to hold these meetings. We officers continue to encourage and value your input and continue to seek ways in which we could hear you. Not being able Shawna Gavin to gather in groups has been challenging so it’s even better when we do have a chance meeting with some of you, briefly as we gas up our cars, a quick hello at the grocery store or even cross-

ing paths up in the mountains gathering. It’s been good to see your faces.

We’re welcoming new ways of sharing information with you hoping to send out a newsletter in the near future. For those of you with internet, please check our Facebook updates. It’s exciting to see our dreams of sharing information through other outlets coming to fruition such as our upcoming Zoom meeting.

If you’d like to participate in an upcoming General Council meeting via Zoom, please email me at shawnagavin@ctuir.org and I’ll send you the link.

It has been a passion and vision of many General Council officer sets to be able to get our meetings “mobile” where a tribal member from Florida or Oklahoma or even here in Mission could log in and hear the same information, to download the same presentations. We did have tribal members log in from Oklahoma earlier this month.

At our upcoming meeting on Sept. 24, we will continue to get updates from the CTUIR Incident Command Team, which was requested by motion at the

General Council Corner

Sept. 3 Zoom meeting. Cayuse Holdings will provide a report; second quarter financial report from BOT Treasurer and the Housing Commission will report.

Although summer 2020 hasn’t been the buzz of activity it usually is, we continue to strive toward providing the most updated information to General Council. We understand that COVID-19 has brought sadness on millions of people, we pray often for those we know of. It has also caused us all to reach deeper, dig harder, fight longer to ensure that the life we’re all living is the fullest.

I would be remiss as the grandma/mom/sister/ auntie/cousin that I am if I didn’t remind us all please wear your mask, wash your hands, be mindful of each other, keep a safe social distance during this global pandemic. It’s up to us to keep each other safe.

Our hope as General Council officers is to be able to articulate this year in a way that emancipates and empowers all of us, sharing and preserving how this year progressed for future generations.

Shawna M. Shillal-Gavin is the General Council Secretary for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Take a stand against Domestic Violence

O

ctober is Domestic Violence Awareness month and CTUIR Family Violence Services acknowledges the fact that there has been an increase in domestic violence locally, throughout the state and worldwide.

Recent events have impacted all communities.

Community based domestic violence services in Umatilla County and on the Umatilla Indian Reservation are fortunate that we have not seen an increase in domestic violence during COVID 19. What we’ve seen has been limited to or closure of services such as Social Security, available housing and domestic violence shelter space.

However, social isolation, families cooped up at home, the loss of jobs and income, plus an uncertain future has increased stress and strain at home.

This stress and strain can manifest itself in strong reactions to seemingly “minor” irritants, as well as negativity, difficulty sleeping, sleeping for long periods of time, or turning to alcohol or substance use.

O

bserving domestic violence is easier to identify if you see a pattern of behaviors that make other family members feel less safe, less connected with others, and fearful or traumatized. Other ways include monitoring the phone calls and controlling the movements of their partner, control over money or undermining parenting.

Behaviors plus the presence or threat of physical violence can have devastating impacts on day-today quality of life for all within the home. Those witnessing the demoralizing acts such as accusing their partner of infidelity, violence when drinking or using other drugs, demonstrations of violence against inanimate objects like punching walls, hurting pets or threats of self-harm can be traumatized.

Domestic violence or behaviors with the presence or threat of physical violence is not “normal” couple or family interaction. As indigenous families with roots in honor, respect, and existing harmoniously within our community, this behavior is not considered something we aspire to.

D

omestic violence is not an “anger” problem nor an “alcohol” problem. The person choosing to be violent at home is not using violence against

October 2020

his boss or against other people at the Longhouse or in public, which means this person is still capable of choosing not to be violent when they wish.

The ripple impact of domestic violence permeates many aspects of our community – especially the next generations.

Right now, neighbors, extended family members and family friends play a more critical role than ever in helping children at risk of child abuse and parents in need of support. Without teachers, school counselors, clergy, face-to-face visits with doctors and therapists, it is important to reach out to children and families in your neighborhood and community.

By supporting children and families, you can reduce stress and isolation, which can increase the risk of domestic abuse, neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse. Adults should be on the lookout for any of these red flags that may indicate domestic violence or child abuse: 4 You notice parents acting aggressively or hear repeated shouting 4 You hear things being broken or a child being hit 4 You hear children crying for long periods of time 4 A child’s guardian appears intoxicated or unable to care for children 4 Children appear withdrawn or depressed Many children exposed to domestic violence in the home are also victims of abuse. Children who witness domestic violence or are victims of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse are at higher risk for health problems as adults. These can include mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. They may also include diabetes, obesity, heart disease, poor selfesteem, and other problems. Children who witness violence between parents may also be at greater risk of being violent in their future relationships or entering into abusive relationships themselves.

T

here are ways you can help. Let others know you are available – however that may look. If you fear for the safety of your loved one, speak to them privately. You can offer to make dinner, lend a hand watching children or just be available for a sympathetic ear. If you aren’t nearby, set up a weekly

Confederated Umatilla Journal

Domestic violence is not an “anger” problem nor an “alcohol” problem.

The person choosing to be violent at home is not using violence against his boss or against other people at the Longhouse or in public, which means this person is still capable of choosing not to be violent when they wish. call or video visit to check in and say hi.

Ask family members how they are doing. This is not just a simple, “How are you?” Let them share their experiences and frustrations. Empathize and share stories of your own struggles. Show up for them and let them know you are always available and a safe place.

For a thriving, healthy existence of the next seven generations, Family Violence Services invites those of you working and living within our communities – mail carriers, contractors, garbage collectors, medical transporters, family members, brothers and sisters, uncles, aunties, besties and grandparents to Take a Stand Against Domestic Violence.

If you have concerns about domestic violence or child abuse contact local law enforcement. If you are interested in learning how to talk to a family member or if you would like to weigh options for safety contact Family Violence Services at 541-429-7045; services are confidential.

- Submitted by Enola Dick, Dana Campbell and Desiree Coyote - Family Violence Services advocates for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

7A

CUJ Almanac Obituaries Maureen Minthorn-Bates Sept. 30, 1962 – Sept. 14, 2020

Maureen Minthorn was born Sept. 30, 1962, in Portland.

She died surrounded by family in Portland Sept. 14, 2020, after a courageous eight-year battle with cancer.

Maureen was the third daughter and youngest child of four born to Leslie Everett Minthorn and Patricia Genevieve (Magee) Minthorn.

She spent her earliest years in Portland attending Lynch School until the family returned to the homestead on the Umatilla Indian Reservation at McKay Creek in 1971. She graduated from Pilot Rock High School in 1980. Involved in a variety of activities and sports, she is most remembered as a varsity cheerleader. After high school she became a legal secretary and paralegal, briefly attending Santa Rosa College.

Of Cayuse-Yakama Maureen Minthorn descent she was an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Her Indian name was Comsalee or Hummingbird. She was raised in the traditional culture and society of the Umatilla tribe.

Maureen sewed, harvested and dried traditional foods, held memorable gatherings and family celebrations, actively participated in Longhouse events, honed her culinary skills via television, traveled extensively, hosted celebrities, treasured her Grandmother Lucy Minthorn, held canopy dinners, made friends anywhere she went, annually filled and distributed Christmas baskets of handmade and home cooked goodies, held picnics on the living room floor, hosted elaborate parties, grew flowers and plants in her yard, stayed in way cool hotels, had DJ’s and put dance floors on her lawn, made a series of personal annual treks over the years, picked huckleberries, canned fish, bought flowers and often made her own arrangements, made and did sweat with other women. She loved to sing and adored the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar!

And she loved Star Trek.

While living in California Maureen met and was married to musician William Butler. They divorced not long after returning to Oregon and remained friends. The true love of her life and

the man with whom she chose to spend the remainder of it with was Victor Allen Bates. They married on May 6, 2018, and were blessed with son Tahner Allen Bates on June 19, 1999. She referred to Victor and Tahner as “her men.”

Maureen worked in tribal justice programs in the 1980s, will be most remembered here for her leadership in developing policy and providing oversight to protect casino assets as Chief Gaming Inspector for the Umatilla Tribal Gaming Commission.

Then one day about eight years ago Maureen had gallstones removed in a fairly common and routine procedure. The pathology report revealed that she had gallbladder cancer.

Maureen experienced a comeback from the edge of death’s door four times, but in early September she again became ill. She was airlifted to Portland and on Sept. 14 it was decided to stop life support. Victor, our parents and others gathered at her bedside while many others participated by live video feed as Dad sang her favorite Washat song, also a favorite of Grama Lucy. Sadly, we did not get a fifth miracle. Victor took her hand and gently moved it back and forth in order to “grab the light” as he again sang that same Indian song to her.

Maureen is survived by her husband Victor and son Tahner at the home; parents Les and Pat Minthorn of McKay Creek; brothers Micheal L. Minthorn and Wayne Brown of McKay Creek; sisters Malissa Minthorn-Winks (Michael) and MelSue Barkley (John), also of McKay Creek; and sister Patricia Brown Rose of Olathe, Kansas. Best friend from her days living in California Laura Weddle Peterson of Scottsdale, Arizona.

And treasured family friend and fellow cancer fighter William Hurt.

Maureen leaves behind a large number of nieces, nephews, cousins, uncles, aunts, friends and acquaintances from around the globe.

She is predeceased by all of her grandparents including Wilford and Lucy Minthorn, and brother in law Lee Grannell (Minthorn).

Services have already been held, but a memorial will be announced by family in 2021 or when the pandemic is resolved. She was buried at Tutuilla Presbyterian Church Historical Cemetery.

Phillip Corey Bill Jan. 19, 1970 – Sept. 13, 2020

Phillip Corey Bill (Watsipu) was born in Pendleton on Jan. 19, 1970, and died Sept. 13, 2020.

He graduated from Pendleton High School in 1988. He wrestled and was on the track team.

He studied auto mechanics at Clackamas Community College.

Phillip worked many jobs, but his favorite one was working at Wildhorse Golf Course for over

20 years. He was an avid golfer during that time, and loved spending time with family and friends on the course.

His laugh was contagious and a joy to all.

Phillip, an enrolled member of the CTUIR, was the son of Rapheal Bill and the late Sheila Pond. He leaves behind many family members, including his father Rapheal Bill, brothers Cedric Wildbill, Emile Bill and Robby Bill, sister Ariane WildBill, and sevPhillip Bill eral nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, his paternal grandparents Eliza and Phillip Bill, and maternal grandparents Walter and Inez Pond.

He is missed by many and was known for nicknames like “Fairway Phil,” “Man’s Beer,” and mainly “Sweet Pea.” He had a special sense of humor and found healing through his music.

Recitation of the Rosary and funeral mass was Sept. 17, 2020 with burial at Agency Cemetery.

Burns Mortuary of Pendleton was in charge of arrangements. Sign the online guestbook at www. burnsmortuary.com

Dirk Scot Spencer Sr. Jan. 17, 1965 – Sept. 16, 2020

Dirk Scot Spencer Sr. – Likeesta – was called home by our creator on Sept. 16, 2020, in the presence of loved ones at Sunnyside Astria Hospital.

Dirk was born on Jan. 17, 1965, in Pendleton, Oregon to Roland and Lorene Spencer. Dirk grew up and spent his life in the Satus area. He attended Granger School District, participating in football, basketball, and his favorite sport, wrestling. During his senior year he transferred to Wapato PACE High School, graduating in 1985.

Growing up during his childhood he was taught how to fish on the Columbia River by his dad. He loved being on the Columbia River and the scaffolds of the Klickitat River dip-net fishing.

When he had his own son he taught him to fish on the Columbia River as well as teaching many nephews and friends. Dirk had many friends and acquaintances he met throughout the Yakima Valley. He enjoyed watching WWE and his favorite football college team, the Michigan Wolverines.

Dirk is survived by his father, Roland L. Spencer (Status, Washington); his son, DJ Spencer (Wapato, Washington); his brothers Jake Spencer (White Swan, Washington), Nick Spencer (Toppenish, Washington); sisters, Michelle Spencer (Pendleton, Oregon), Jacqueline

Smartlowit (Medicine Valley, Washington), Lee Van Pelt (Pendleton, Oregon), Debbie Hoptowit (White Swan, Washington) and Julia WithersLyons (Pendleton, Oregon). Along with many nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and numerous cousins. Dirk is preceded in death by his “mum,” Lorene V. Spencer; brother John W. Withers; paternal grandparents, Arthur and Annie Spencer; maternal grandparents, Wilbur and Lucy Minthorn.

Funeral arrangements were held at Burns Mortuary on Sept.19, 2020, in Pendleton, Oregon with burial at Tutuilla Historical Cemetery. Sign the online guestbook at www.burnsmortuary.com

Violet May Sapp July 8, 1931 – Sept. 13, 2020

On Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, Violet May Sapp, at the age of 89 years young, passed away after a hard-fought battle with COVID-19.

She is survived by her husband, Charlie James, of Lapwai, and by many loving in-laws, nieces/ nephews, cousins and best friends, all whom she loved very much.

Violet May Harsche Violet Sapp was born July 8, 1931, in Kamiah to Nancy Eneas (Cornoyer) and Ned Harsche. As a young child, she grew up on the Nez Perce Reservation and her family later relocated to Pendleton, Ore. Here Violet attended school and began her love of horses. Violet and her cousins, Ramon Kash Kash, Naomi Kash Kash and Jimmy Bettles, enjoyed riding horses and could often be found riding over Cabbage Hill and Deadmans Pass. Violet participated in the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon activities along with her mother, Nancy Cornoyer. Violet was a beautiful sight as she rode by horseback in full traditional beaded regalia in the Pendleton Round-Up Parade.

Violet later married Robert Sapp and together they bred racehorses. She loved fishing the rivers and especially enjoyed fishing for sturgeon. She was later widowed, and her life journeys brought her back to Idaho. Here Violet started a lifelong relationship with Charlie James in Lapwai. Violet continued the traditional beadwork passed on from her mother; she was known for often gifting the beaded necklaces created to family and friends.

For entertainment, Violet enjoyed nights at the Clearwater River Casino with her cousins, Elaine Ellenwood and Vonda Bybee, and best friends Rich and Chloe. She also enjoyed playing video games with the neighborhood children,

Pendleton Pioneer Chapel received three prestigious awards in 2009

w The Oregon Funeral Directors Association Award of Funeral Service Excellence w The Best Of Eastern Oregon Award as voted by the readers of the East Oregonian w Pendleton Chamber of Commerce 2009 Business of the Year

Our experienced family provides caring, compassionate care including:

Burial Services ~ Military Services Cremation ~ Monuments

Drug Problem? We can help.

Narcotics Anonymous of Northeast Oregon Call us at 541-805-2229 Visit our website at neo-na.org

8A

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

Theodore “Ted” Bill Nov. 13, 1962 – Sept. 5, 2020

Obituaries with Zelda being her favorite. Violet became well known as an avid gardener. She loved all plants and enjoyed sharing her love of plants with all.

The loving efforts of Violet and other tribal elder gardeners can still be seen and enjoyed today at the Chief Joseph Senior Center. Violet wanted everyone to know how much she loved and enjoyed all the good times with her family and friends. Violet was deeply cherished and loved.

She will be truly missed by many.

Violet was laid rest alongside her mother, Nancy Eneas Cornoyer, at Tutuilla Cemetery in Pendleton.

Theodore “Ted” Bill 57, of Pendleton died Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 at his home. He was born Nov. 13, 1962 in Pendleton to Kenneth and Augustine (Thompson) Bill.

Ted grew up in Pendleton attending John Murray and Pendleton High School. He enjoyed watching wrestling, basketball and football. He also enjoyed gambling, fishing, throwing knives and hunting and skateboarding.

Ted worked for Wildhorse Resort as a poker dealer. He is survived by his brothers Gary Sampson, James and Alan Bill and sister Angene Bill.

He is preceded in death by his parents Kenneth and Augustine Bill, brothers Leo Sampson, Mike and Christopher Bill and his sister Karen Jim. Mass took place Sept. 9 at St. Andrew’s Mission with burial at Agency Cemetery.

Public notice PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Land Protection Planning Commission of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) will hold the following public hearing: Variance File #V-20-001 – Applicant, CTUIR Department of Economic and Community Development, seeks a variance from the required setback distance of 20 feet within the Lucky 7 manufactured home park as part of its redevelopment (recently approved under CU-20-003).

The subject property is owned by CTUIR in fee, and is identified as Tax Lot 1802 on Umatilla County Tax Map 2N3310BC within the external boundaries of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

The subject property is located on the northeast corner intersection of Mission Road with State Highway 331and zoned R-1, Rural Residential.

Variances to the provisions of the CTUIR Land Development Code (LDC) are subject to the approval criteria contained in Chapter 8 (§8.015) and public hearing processes of Chapter 13.

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, Octo-

ber 13, 2020 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Due to the current health emergency (COVID-19) this hearing will be held via Zoom. If you would like to participate in the hearing or provide testimony, please join us online https://us02web.zoom. us/j/81267040619 or by phone at 1-253-2158782 starting at 9:00 a.m. The Meeting ID is 812 6704 0619.

Written comments must be received in the Tribal Planning Office by 4:00 pm September 18, 2020 via hard copy or by email to pattyperry@ ctuir.org.

The public is entitled and encouraged to participate in the hearing and to submit testimony regarding the request. To obtain further information or if you have questions regarding the hearing process or the proposed conditional use, please contact the Tribal Planning Office at 46411 Timíne Way, Pendleton, OR 97801 or call 541-429-7518.

Lindsey Watchman, Secretary Land Protection Planning Commission

CTUIR Board of Trustees

General Council

Chair Kathryn Brigham

Chair Lindsey X. Watchman

Vice Chair Jeremy Wolf

Vice Chair Michael Ray Johnson

Treasurer Sandra Sampson Secretary Sally Kosey

Secretary Shawna Gavin Interpreter Thomas Morning Owl

At-large BOT Members: Jill-Marie Gavin General Council contact Info Office: 541-429-7378 Armand Minthorn Email: GeneralCouncil@ctuir.org Boots Pond Meeting updates and information on: www.ctuir.org/government/general-council Corinne Sams Executive Director : Ted Wright Deputy Executive Director: Charles F. Sams III

General Council Meeting

Weather Weather information summarize data taken at the Pendleton Weather Station from Sept.

1-30eptember 30. Temperature is reported in degrees Fahrenheit and time in Pacific Standard Time.

The average daily temperature was 81.2 degrees with a high of 98 degrees on Sept. 4 and a low of 39 degrees on Sept. 8.

Total precipitation to date in September was

0.14” with greatest 24-hr average 0.07” Sept. 24.

The average wind speed was 7.7 mph with a sustained max speed of 35 mph from the South West on Sept. 22. A peak speed of 43 mph occurred from the West on Sept. 22. The dominant wind direction was from the Southwest.

There was one thunder storms, three rain days out of 30, 21 haze events/days in the month of September.

NCS starts limited in-person instruction MISSION – Nixyaawii Community has developed. It would allow two or School began “Limited In Person Instruc- three cohorts at one time for more than tion” Sept. 14, according to NCS Principal two hours consecutively. (A cohort is a Ryan Heinrich. group of people banded together or treat “This means we have as a group.) been able to have 10 kids “We have a lot of stu‘We have a on campus two days a dents struggling with comweek for two hours a lot of students puter distance learning and time,” he said. “The other struggling we need to get them in for two days we have stu- with computer face-to-face instruction,” dents coming in four oneHeinrich said. “Our fear is on-one help and some distance learning that seniors may not get to kids are taking advantage and we need the finish line on time and of this.” our freshmen may start to get them in Nixyaawii, like other for face-to-face high school in a hole.” schools in Umatilla County, Heinrich reported to the started the school year with instruction.’

NCS Board of Directors at on-line classes, but has been their Sept. 28 meeting that allowed to start bringing enrollment was 89 with 17 small numbers of students back to the freshmen, 28 sophomores, 16 juniors and classroom.

28 seniors. Attendance to date was 84 Heinrich said Nixyaawii would like percent, which was about 10-12 percent to add students using a ‘day camp’ lower than in a regular in-the-classroom model that Pendleton School District year.

October 2020

SPECIAL GENERAL COUNCIL OCTOBER 8 ZOOM CONFERENCE AT 2 p.m.

Single agenda item to address petition submitted by General Council members regarding concerns of residents over planned redevelopment at Lucky 7 Trailer Court.

CTUIR Express Phone Directory

Tribal Court 541-276-2046

Human Resources 541-429-7180

Department of Children and Family Services 541-429-7300

Science & Engineering/Air Quality Burnline 541-429-7080

Enrollment Office 541-429-7035

Senior Center 541-240-8700

Finance Office 541-429-7150

TERF 541-276-4040

Finance – Credit Program 541-429-7155

Confederated Umatilla Journal 541-429-7399

Confederated Umatilla Journal

9A

46314 Timine Way

Pendleton, Oregon 97801

541-966-9830

www.yellowhawk.org

One of four tribal health departments in United States

Yellowhawk earns top public health standard Mission, OR – Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center announced today that it has been awarded national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Yellowhawk is one of only four tribal health departments and only 300 local, state, and tribal health departments nationwide to earn accredited status.

The national accreditation program works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of the nation’s state, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments.

10A

“I am extremely proud of our staff.

The quality of work they carry out every day has earned Yellowhawk this significant designation,” said Yellowhawk Chief Executive Officer Lisa Guzman.

“We hope this announcement, coming in the midst of our public health response to the COVID19 pandemic, will reassure our community, our partner organizations, our funders and our elected officials that the services we provide meet

or exceed national standards.”

To receive national accreditation, Yellowhawk had to undergo a robust, multi-faceted, peerreviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of public health quality standards and measures. To receive its accreditation, Yellowhawk submitted over 600 documents and participated in a two-day site visit. During this visit, a team of site visitors came to Yellowhawk to meet with staff and community partners to ob-

Confederated Umatilla Journal

serve first-hand Yellowhawk’s delivery of quality public health services.

“We have been working towards accreditation for the past five years because we wanted to ensure our programs and services were responsive to the needs of our community,” said Carrie SampsonSamuels, Yellowhawk’s Community Wellness Director. “Achieving accreditation is a tremendous accomplishment, but as we work to become reaccredited every five years, it is a commitment to our tribal community to continuously improve our public health services and programs.”

October 2020

October 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

11A

CUJ Briefs Antone Minthorn to be honored as Confluence Legacy Maker Nov. 12 VANCOUVER, Wash. – Antone Minthorn, founding board member of Confluence, will be honored Nov. 12 for his lifetime of work to elevate indigenous voices in public policy, education and the landscape itself.

The Confluence Legacy Maker Virtual Gathering will be online on Facebook and YouTube Live at 6 p.m.

In a statement to Confluence friend, Executive Director Colin Fogerty writes, “Eighteen years after our founding, the former Chair of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation continues to Antone Minthorn demonstrate leadership and vision for Confluence and the work of so many others. Antone has worked for decades for environmental restoration, land conservation, economic development and language preservation.”

For more information visit confluenceproject.org.

Yellowhawk Clinic announces prescription pick-up changes MISSION – Patients can once again pick up their medication orders at the pharmacy window at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center.

Patients are reminded they need to go through the front door triage before entering the building.

Yellowhawk Pharmacy staff will continue to make deliveries to the parking lot. Home delivery can be coordinated through the Community Wellness Department.

12A

Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).

At a Board of Trustees meeting Sept. 21, Secretary Sally Kosey named three people who will represent the CTUIR – Marjorie Waheneka, Curtis Bearchum and Donald Sampson (Chief Peo Peo Mox Mox). All three are perennial campers at the Indian Village during Round-Up. The groups met more than three months ago to discuss how communications could be improved after the Tribes felt coordination was inadequate prior to the decision to cancel the 2020 Round-Up and Happy Canyon pageant due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Buck Jones nominated as Inspiring Rural Northwest Leader

Let’er Buck Cares

Happy Canyon Princesses Mary Rivera, left, and Princess Clarise Huesties, right, flank Oregon State Sen. Bill Hansell, on Sept. 18, when the Pendleton Round-Up doled out contributions from its Let’Er Buck Cares Fund to support education, local not-for-profits, service organizations, and provide direct benefit to the regional economy. Sept. 18 would have been Friday of the Round-Up had it not been cancelled due to COVID-19.

Tribes to meet again with Round-Up, Happy Canyon reps Oct. 14 PENDLETON – Following up on a June 24 Zoom meeting, representatives from the Round-Up and Happy Canyon Boards of Directors are scheduled to meet Oct. 14 with representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the

Confederated Umatilla Journal

THE DALLES – Jesse “Buck” Jones has been nominated as an inspiring rural Northwest leader by the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), Gorge Grown Food Network, and The Next Door, Inc. Jones, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, is a salmon marketing specialist in the CRITFC Finance and Operations Department. He has worked at CRITFC since 2004.

The nomination comes with support from MRG Foundation Since Time Immemorial Fund Grant Committee, Northwest Tribal Food Sovereignty Coalition, and the Columbia Gorge Tourism Alliance.

Jones will be featured in a video for the “Leaders in Transitioning Rural Economies” session of the Northwest Learning Journey. He will share stories about the communities he works with and the economic transitions taking place at this time. The virtual learning session will take place on Oct. 9 from 10-11:45 a.m. and you can register to watch on Zoom by going here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcscO6qpjwrHdfUr71toO3jJvT89T97Raso

October 2020

CUJ garners 15 national newspaper awards By the CUJ

NORMAN, Okla. – The Confederated Umatilla Journal received 15 newspaper awards for reporting and photography produced in 2019 from judges reviewing more than 500 entries in the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) media contest.

NAJA will recognize outstanding indigenous journalism during a virtual ceremony Oct. 15, presenting more than 250 awards for the best newspaper, television, radio and on-line coverage in Indian Country during the 2020 National Native Media Awards ceremony.

Jill-Marie Gavin, former CUJ reporter/photographer who left the paper when she was elected to the Board of Trustees for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, won first place in two categories – for best feature photo of Kamarin Gleason at the 2019 Pendleton Round-Up. Gleason was wearing a red handprint on her face, which is the symbol of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and Girls movement. (See photo.) Gavin also won first place for a story she wrote about religious services for Native inmates at regional prisons.

“I’m really proud of Jill-Marie,” said Wil Phinney, CUJ Editor. “She left the CUJ after getting herself elected to the Board of Trustees, but when she’s done being a politician she knows her heart is in journalism and I think she’ll be back at the newspaper. This is where she belongs.”

Five other CUJ staffers - Chuck Sams, former publisher who is now CTUIR Deputy Executive Director; Casey Brown, who has moved on; plus Megan Van Pelt, a student intern and Dallas Dick, a long-time freelance photographer, also earned awards, as did Phinney.

The CUJ submitted 31 entries in Division II for circulation of 5,000 to 10,000, even though the monthly newspaper has a subscription list of less than 3,000. The CUJ

October 2020

Former CUJ reporter/photographer Jill-Marie Gavin won first place in the best feature photo category for this photo of Kamarin Gleason at the 2019 Pendleton Round-Up. Gleason was wearing a red handprint on her face, which is the symbol of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and Girls movement. An MMIW awareness effort was organized by Enough Iz Enough, a grassroots organization established on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

prints between 6,000 and 8,000 papers and distributes them free throughout the month in the Pendleton area.

“We decided several years ago to move up a division to compete against bigger papers,” said Phinney. “It

Confederated Umatilla Journal

pushes us. I challenge CUJ reporters and photographers to bring me award-winning stories and photos every time they leave the office.”

CUJ wins NAJA awards on page 14A

13A

CUJ earns NAJA awards Continued from page 13A

NAJA annually presents a Richard LaCourse Award, named for the first editor of the CUJ. The award for investigative journalism recognizes groundbreaking work by journalists that creatively use digital tools in the role of community watchdog. The late LaCourse, an enrolled Yakama Indian, started the CUJ in 1976. This year’s winner of the Richard LaCourse Award is APTN Investigates.

The 2020 NAJA-Medill Milestone Achievement Award went to Lori Edmo (Shoshone-Bannock). The award honors an individual who has made a lasting impact on media to the benefit of Indigenous communities.

The CUJ, as a staff, received honorable mention for best layout.

Here’s the list of CUJ staff who earned awards: Chuck Sams, former publisher who is now Deputy Executive Director, second place for best editorial – Federal Shutdown.

Jill-Marie Gavin, former reporter/ photographer now a member of the BOT, first place best feature photo – Red handprint, and first place best feature story – Native inmates get their piece of home.

Casey Brown, former reporter/photographer, second place best health coverage – Veterans forum focuses on behavioral health solutions, and third place best feature photo – Return to the River.

Dallas Dick, freelance photographer, second place best feature photo – snowy flight of eagle in trees, and third place

14A

Confederated Umatilla Journal

best sports photo – Omak Express collision.

Megan Van Pelt, student intern, second place feature photo – monothon, and third place feature photo – In the Round-Up Arena.

Wil Phinney, CUJ Editor, competing in the Associate Division for non-Native journalists, second place third place, honorable mention for best sports photo – The Race is On, Magi Gets Fouled, Trevon Takes It To the Hoop, respectively; third place feature story – Maori people prompt museum to return Columbia River island remains; honorable mention best feature photo, You Better Watch Out. Jiselle Halfmoon, Manager at KCUW, the radio station on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, did not submit entries this year.

Judges for the NAJA competition included Alice Silbanuz, Ka Wai Ola News / Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Beth Parke, Society of Environmental Journalists; Brian Bull, KLCC Radio; Dalton Walker, Au-Authm Action News; Debra Krol, Freelance; Dr. Victoria LaPoe, Ohio University; Dr. Rebecca Blatt, Arizona State University; Dr. Rebecca Tallent, The University of Idaho;eff Gammage, The Philadelphia Inquirer; Jennifer Bell, Hownikan; Jon Glass, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University; Judith Siers-Poisson, Wisconsin Public Radio; Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, NAJA and the SPJ Oklahoma Professional Chapter; Monica Braine, Native America Calling; Rosemary Stephens, Cheyenne Arapaho Tribal Tribune; Savannah Maher, Wyoming Public Radio; Sterling Cosper, NAJA / OKSPJ; Sonny Albarado, Society of Professional Journalists; Tara Gatewood, Native America Calling; Terri Hansen, Yes! Magazine; Tripp Crouse, KNBA 90.3 FM.

October 2020

Lucky 7 topic of Special General Council Oct. 8 MISSION – A Special General Council meeting is set for 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, to address a petition outlining “concerns of families that reside in the Lucky 7 Trailer Court.”

Construction is set to begin in October removing old trailers and replacing them with 18 new modular units. A dozen of the residents have indicated they plan to return to the new units, even though rent will increase by at least $100 per month. Electrical bills are supposed to decrease dramatically in the energyefficient homes.

The petition was received by General Council Chair Lindsey X. Watchman on Aug. 11 – two months ago – and some of the concerns may have been resolved.

However, Watchman said, the General Council is following through with due diligence based on the Constitution of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, which states that meetings of the GC “may be called” by “petition signed by at least 20 members of the General Council.”

According to Watchman, who also chairs the CTUIR Housing Program, only one resident at Lucky 7 appears to be dissatisfied with the assistance offered to residents. Earlier this summer Housing staff contacted residents at Lucky 7 and provided packets that outlined monetary assistance for moving to those living in CTUIR-owned units, and offered to purchase homes owned by individuals.

The petition includes 23 names identified by enrollment number. The chief petitioner was Jaynetta Johnson.

According to the petition: “We were never given any assistance on relocation of our families. We were never given any prior notice that we have to move.

We need to meet with the General Council Officers and members to ask that we get to stay at our homes that we have been secured in for years. We have paid our trailer houses off and are asking to keep our trailer spots and not move forward with the new development of Lucky 7 Trailer Park that is currently trying to be done by Planning and DECD. Our families matter.”

Yellowhawk

best practices, learning from other Tribes creditation for the past five years because or other health departments, or in some we wanted to ensure our programs and instances, developing a whole new apservices were responsive to the needs proach,” Stover said. “Throughout the of our community,” Carrie Sampson- entire process, we’ve strived to center the Samuels, Yellowhawk’s Community community in our efforts.”

Sampson-Samuels said Yellowhawk Wellness Director, said in a Yellowhawk has demonstrated that after decades of news release. addressing its unique health disparities To receive national accreditation, Yelwith minimal funding and resources, the lowhawk had to undergo a robust, multiClinic has strengthened its ability to profaceted, peer-reviewed assessment protect and support the community’s health. cess to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of H o w e v e r , she nationally recognized, added, “Achieving practice-focused and “Within that ‘how’ is where accreditation is a treevidence-based stan- we’ve been able to adapt mendous accomplishdards and measures. ment, but as we work the process to meet the As part of its accredto become reaccreditation review, Yellow- needs of the CTUIR ited every five years, hawk submitted more community, whether that’s it is a commitment than 600 documents to our tribal commubeen through looking at and participated in nity to continuously a two-day site visit. best practices, learning improve our public During the visit, a from other Tribes or other health services and team of site visitors health departments, programs.” came to Yellowhawk Yellowhawk Chief or in some instances, to meet with staff and Executive Officer Lisa community partners developing a whole new Guzman said she was to observe first-hand approach.” proud of the staff.

Yellowhawk’s delivery “The qualit y of of quality public health Courtney Stover, Yellowhawk Public work they carry out Health Accreditation Coordinator services. every day has earned Courtney Stover, Yellowhawk this sigPublic Health Accreditation Coordinator, nificant designation,” she said in the who was instrumental in providing the news release. “We hope this announceinformation for the PHAB review, said ment, coming in the midst of our public that through the standards and measures, health response to the COVID-19 panpublic health accreditation lays out what demic, will reassure our community, a public health department should do. our partner organizations, our funders For example, she said, completing a com- and our elected officials that the services munity health assessment, developing we provide meet or exceed national stanand implementing a strategic plan, or dards.” educating the community about differYellowhawk Tribal Health Center ent health issues are necessary, but how is owned and operated by the Confedthose efforts are accomplished or deliv- erated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian ered are not necessarily defined.

Reservation. It provides comprehensive “Within that ‘how’ is where we’ve health care services to eligible American been able to adapt the process to meet Indians/Alaska Natives in its service the needs of the CTUIR community, area, which includes Umatilla and Union whether that’s been through looking a counties in Northeastern Oregon.

Continued from page 1A

October 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

15A

16A

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

News & Sports

Section

The monthly newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation ~ Pendleton, Oregon

B

October 2020

George, Barkley come from behind in Cay-Uma-Wa Locals rally on Sunday to win flights in signature tourney at Wildhorse Resort By the CUJ

MISSION – Larson Starlight shot one better than Jay Julius on Sunday to win the Championship Flight in the 31 st Annual Cay-Uma-Wa Golf Tournament played in cold and windy conditions on Saturday.

Sunday weather started out brisk but gradually warmed up for a beautiful day.

A total of 149 Native American players from around the Northwest, plus golfers Quincy George sunk a 15-foot putt in the from as far away dark on the last hole to as Minnesota and win the First Flight at three Canadian the Cay-Uma-Wa Golf provinces comTournament. peted in the 36Contributed photo hole stroke-play tournament. In fact, Starlight crossed the northern border from Alberta, Canada, to play at Wildhorse.

The tournament had its fair share of local sticks as well, including all three of

NCS selects Maddern to coach Eagles’ volleyball Janet Maddern has been hired as the new head volleyball coach at Nixyaawii Community School, the charter high school on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

T h e Janet Maddern girls have b e e n working out in “open gym,” but will become more focused in November with

Dillon George chips from behind a green during second morning action on Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Cayumwa Golf Tournamant played at Wildhorse Resort Golf Course. Dillon George fell back on Sunday and had to settle for third low gross in the championship flight, five strokes out of first place.

CUJ photo/Dallas Dick

the George youngsters - Dillon, Quincy and Megan. Their father, Gary, one of the tournament founders, played but was conspicuously absent from the leader board.

The tournament had its fair share of local winners as well, including Quincy George, who had one of Sunday’s most

dramatic finishes on the final hole in the First Flight.

George trailed James Bobb, from LaConnor, Wash., after the first day, but James had a rough day falling 8 strokes back. That left George in a head-to-head with Ken Wilson from Everett, Wash.

As the evening skies turning dark in the

west, George poured in a 15-foot putt on the last green to beat by Wilson by one.

Another Pendleton golfer, Josh Barkley, who had been tied with George at 82 after Saturday’s round, finished third behind George and Wilson.

Cay-Uma-Wa on page 2B

Working out

A half dozen members of the Nixyaawii Community School boys’ basketball are working out three days a week as a less-than-10-player cohort in the NCS Eagles’ Nest court. Under the tutelage of Head Coach Ryan Sams and assistant coach Ken Mayfield, the six players working through ball handling skills included Moses Moses, Saint Schimmel, Dillon Abrahamson, Ruger Deming, plus Dakota and Greyson Sams.

Others who have spent time on the court this summer include Magi Moses and his brother Bear, Aaron Barkley, and Tyasin Burns, who is working at Wildhorse Golf Course. Coach Sams said the boys are practicing three days a week on non-contact hoop drills and on Monday and Wednesday with Coach Mayfield and his Cross Country team on hip workouts with running.

Soon they will be adding weights. At this point, due to rules set down by the Oregon School Athletic Association, schools cannot play games.

Later this fall, more inclusive practices should be allowed but games are scheduled until March of 2021.In the photo at right, Dillon Abrahmson dribbles against the pressure of Greyson Sams in the forefront while, across the floor, Dakota Sams dribbles against Ruger Deming.

CUJ photo/Phinney

NCS schedule on page 7B

October 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

1B

Sutterfield wins 34th Fish Derby

Brandy Sutterfield reeled in a 21-inch trout to take top prize in the 34th annual Indian Lake Fish Derby.

Sutterfield’s daughter, Kayla, had the second longest fish at 15 inches. And her son, Kyler, was the youngest fisherman in the contest. The family is from Hermiston.

Here are the Fish Derby results:

11 years old and younger – 1, Piper Curtiss, Athena, 14.75 inches. 2, Zepplin Easley, Pendleton, 13.5 inches. 3 (tie), Peyton Henshaw, West Richland, and Ritter Jerome, Pendleton.

12-17 years old – 1, Kayla Sutterfield, 17, Hermiston, 15 inches. 2, Mary Garcia, 12, Hermiston, 13.5 inches. 3, Josh Zamarripa, 16, Pendleton, 12.5 inches.

Adults – 1, Brandy Satterfield, Hermiston, 21 inches. 2, Kelly Simrell, Pendleton, 14.25 inches.

3, Joshua Azure, Pendleton, 13.25 inches.

Youngest fisher – Kyler Sutterfield, Hermiston.

Oldest dad- Jim Donnelly, Pendleton.

Cay-Uma-Wa Golf Continued from page 1B

Dillon George finished third low gross in the championship flight four strokes out of second and his sister, Megan, was second low gross in the ladies division.

Two other Wildhorse players topped the Senior flight golfers, who played from shorter tees.

John Barkley came from five behind on Sunday to win first low gross in the first flight with a 152 total, topping Rob Sijohn of Plummer, J o h n B a r k l e y had four birdies Idaho, by three. to equalize four In the Senior sec- bogeys, with 10 pars, ond flight, Pendle- to shoot a second ton’s Tom Rodriguez day even-par 72. He tied for low gross made a five-stroke honors with Dave comeback to win the first flight Senior Gordon of Browning, Division gross title Montana, with a two- by three shots. day total of 168.

Here are the twoday results:

Championship Flight Gross-1, Larson Starlight, Alberta, Canada, 142. 2, Jay Julius, Lummi, Wash., 143. 3, Dillon George, Tempe, Ariz., 147. 4, Nathan

REGISTER TO VOTE IN OREGON

BY OCT. 13 2B

Happy 12th Birthday Cole!

We love you!

Dick, Mission, 148.

Net-1, Jon Beaver, Willmar, Minn., 135.

2, Kennedy Joseph, Portland, 141. 3, Lyle Lozier, Tacoma, 143. Isaac Cano-Henry, Tacoma, 144.

First Flight Gross-1, Quincy George, Pendleton, 164.

2, Ken Wilson, Everett, Wash., 165. 3, Josh Barkley, Pendleton, 167. 4, Dennis Willard, LaConner, Wash., 170.

Gross-1, Net-1, Floyd Taraya, Puyallup, Wash., 140.

2, Greg Tatsey, Browning, Mont., 141. 3, Magic Smith, Fort Hall, Idaho, 142. James Bobb, LaConner, Wash., 145.

Second Flight Gross-1, Kole Fitzpatrick, Browning, Mont., 173 2, Aaron Blackburn, Taholah, Wash., 177.

3, Levi Heemsah Jr., Yakima, 184. 4, Robert Watson, Arlington, Wash., 187.

Net-1, Johnny Green, Quilcene, Wash., 118. 2, Bruce James, Lummi, Wash., 135. 3, Aaron McLean, Browning, Mont., 137. 4 (tie), Brandon Revey, Lummi, Wash., and Alonzo Coby, Fort Hall, Idaho, 140.

Ladies Gross-1, Emma Worgum, Bellingham, Wash., 153. 2, Megan George, Mission, 159.

Net-1, Courtney Sijohn, Plummer, Idaho, 145. 2, Jamie Olsen, Clarkston, Wash., 154.

Seniors First Flight Gross-1, John Barkley, Mission, 152. 2, Rob Sijohn, Plummer, Idaho, 155. 3, Zeke Domebo, Clarkston, Wash., 156. 4, Jonas Keys, Klickitat, Wash., 158.

Net-1, Max Yellowdirt, Alberta, B.C., 141.

2, Mike Wilbur Sr., LaConner, Wash., 143. 3, Rich Ramsey, Lapwai, 148. 4, Rudy Edwards, LaConner, Wash., 150.

Seniors Second Flight Gross-1 (tie), Tom Rodriguez, Pendleton, and Dave Gordon, Browning, Mont., 168. 3 (tie), Victor Hall, Browning, Mont., and Merle Smith, Fort Hall, Idaho, 177.

Net-1, David Syth, Tacoma, 141. 2 (tie), Sean White, Boise, and Frank Harrison Sr., Browning, Mont., 144. 4, Daryl Talksabout, Browning, Mont., 150.

Seniors Third Flight Gross-1, Phillip Blackburn, Tahola, Wash., 172. 2, Mitch Gonzales, Boise, 173. 3, John Green Sr., Lummi, Wash., 187. 4 (tie), Rich Wells, Olympia, Wash., and Cliff Walker, Missoula, 190.

Net-1, Gene Sorrell, Missoula, 136. 2 (tie), Marcus Martinez and George Green Sr., both from Lummi, Wash., both 142. 4, Bill Powell, Browning, Mont., 144.

Play Golf For The Rest of Your Life

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

Wallowa Lake Dam stakeholders sign agreement From the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

ENTERPRISE, Ore.—The Wallowa Lake Irrigation District, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Nez Perce Tribe and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife signed an agreement in August regarding the release and protection of instream water from Wallowa Lake.

The agreement was a necessary step for the partners to obtain state funding to complete improvements on the Wallowa Dam. “This is a great step forward in the rehabilitation of the Wallowa Lake Dam and the return of sockeye salmon to Wallowa Lake,” said Governor Kate Brown.

“Wallowa Lake is a special place for my family and all Oregonians. I was pleased This photo shows the Wallowa Dam under construction about 1919. Photo courtesy of Wallowa to support this project and look forward Lake Irrigation District. to seeing it complete.”

HB 5030 passed by the 2019 Oregon State Legislature originally allocated ecological health for fish and wildlife of other benefits.

“This project will ecologically recon$14 million in lottery funds to improve throughout the valley. This is a vital piece the Wallowa Lake Dam. Due to the of infrastructure to our county, and has nect Wallowa Lake to its river and probeen an ongoing project for generations tect flows in a basin critical to the many projected decrease in the valley,” said resources the Nez Perce people have in revenues as a Dan Butterfield, used and relied upon in this area since result of the corona- “It has long been a policy President, Wal- time immemorial. The Nez Perce Tribe virus (COVID-19), goal of the Umatilla Tribes lowa Lake Irriga- is pleased to see how the collaboration Lottery Revenue to see sockeye restored to tion District Board of different parties is moving a longBonds will not be standing project closer to completion,” of Directors. issued in the spring Wallowa Lake, as well as The rehabilita- said Shannon Wheeler, Chairman of the of 2021, as was origpassage for other native tion project will Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee. inally planned. DeIn addition to the project addressing spite funding set- fish. Many of our members modify the dam backs, stakeholders rely on sockeye salmon for by improving the public safety concerns associated with spillway, restor- the structure and reclaiming stored water remain committed cultural and subsistence ing the structural rights, the instream water agreement proto improving Walintegrity, replac- vides unique instream flow and irrigation lowa Lake Dam purposes.’ ing the five conduit benefits through the Wallowa Valley. and hope funding - Kat Brigham, Board Chair for the gates with new According to the instream water agreefor the project will be revisited this Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian gates and upgrad- ment, up to 5000 acre-feet (AF) of water Reservation ing the electrical will be released from Wallowa Lake Dam year or in a future and instrumenta- annually. Of that, 4500 AF is dedicated legislative session.

The group has been working since tion. The rehabilitated dam will provide to increasing in-stream flows in the WalNovember 2019 to finalize the instream flood protection to local communities, lowa and Grande Ronde Rivers to the water agreement; however, parties have more water to irrigators, the possibility Oregon-Washington Stateline. Partners been working for decades before that on of hydropower development, potable also allocated up to 500 AF for unique the water supply and fisheries challenges water for local communities and a host water trades, where irrigators trade existin the basin.

“This process was truly a unique opportunity to work collaboratively with the basin to provide meaningful instream water benefits,” said Anna Pakenham Stevenson, ODFW Water Program Manager.

Wallowa Lake Dam was originally constructed in 1919 and does not meet current dam safety standards, putting at risk the downstream communities of Joseph, Enterprise and Wallowa. Due to this risk, it has operated at a reduced water storage capacity since the 1990s.

When it was built, the dam did not provide fish passage, which was one factor in the extinction of sockeye runs at Wallowa Lake, Oregon’s only sockeye run in the Snake River basin.

“The Parties worked together with a shared purpose to generate creative outcomes that benefitted local communities, farmers and restoration of native fisheries. Despite the current hold on funding, we will continue to build on this momentum towards making a rehabilitated dam and fish passage facilities a reality,” said Jeff Yanke, ODFW Grande Ronde District Manager.

“The agreement will help secure infrastructure for farmers and ranchers in Paid for by Friends for Dan Dorran / 242 E. Main St., Box 2020 the county, as well as contribute to the

ing surface water rights from tributaries of the Wallowa River for more reliable water rights from Wallowa Lake. The result of the water trades will leave more surface water in flow-limited tributaries.

Rehabilitating the dam will trigger the state of Oregon’s fish passage rules, and require that the dam owners provide a means of fish passage. Bull trout, mountain whitefish, wild rainbow trout, and possibly steelhead could start returning to Wallowa Lake when fish passage is restored. But one of the most exciting aspects of the project for fisheries comanagers is the possibility of restoring sockeye salmon back to Wallowa Lake.

“It has long been a policy goal of the Umatilla Tribes to see sockeye restored to Wallowa Lake, as well as passage for other native fish,” said Kat Brigham, Chair of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. “Many of our members rely on sockeye salmon for cultural and subsistence purposes. We appreciate that this agreement is a step in the right direction in these difficult times and will work for more progress when our economy improves.”

Before the dam was built, tens of thousands of sockeye returned to Wallowa Lake each year to spawn in the gravels at the river inlet on the south side of lake, and were important for Native American tribes. While kokanee (land-locked salmon) remain today, even these are mostly descendants of stocked fish. Increased flows in the Wallowa River and potentially in important spawning tributaries as a result of restoring the dam and the flows provided under this agreement will also improve wildlife habitat and benefit other local fish and wildlife.

While the exact type of fish passage and other issues are still to be decided, stakeholders remain committed to the Wallowa Lake Rehabilitation Project, and hope legislators can renew the state’s financial commitment when the budget stabilizes.

www.ddorran.com / dandorran@ddorran.com

October 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

/

Hermiston, OR 97838

3B

Eastern Oregon’s premier custom framing studio and fine art gallery.

For all our safety, we are observing safe health protocol of requiring masks and shortened hours:

Mon-Fri 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

36 SW Court Ave Downtown Pendleton 541-276-3617 pendletonartandframe.com

artofframing@eotnet.net

see us on Facebook and Instagram

We’re pleased to present the ...

Achievers of the Month Breakfast is served...

Students from across the region returned to class in August and September, but they didn’t go back to school. Instead, they are at home taking courses on-line. It’s a challenge for both students and teachers but we know they are up for the task. Hopefully if won’t be long before everything is back to normal.

4B

Madison Hammond is the first Native American to sign a professional contract with the National Women’s Soccer League.

Navajo becomes first Native woman to sign pro soccer deal

By Samantha Brodsky, Popsugar.Fitness

In June, Madison Hammond became the first Native American to sign a professional contract with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) when she signed a two-year deal with a club option for a third year.

And on Saturday, Sept. 26, she went on to become the first player of Native American descent to take the field in the league. The defender with OL Reign subbed for Kristen McNabb during the last 14 minutes of play in a match against Utah Royals FC. Hammond wrote on Instagram after the fact: “A whoooooole lotta firsts. First professional game. First Native American to play in the league. First time @ billiejeanking tweeted about me. I am so grateful for this beginning, but looking forward to all that I have left to do!”

Yes, American tennis legend Billie Jean King did in fact tweet about Hammond,

Confederated Umatilla Journal

saying “cheers” on her history-making OL Reign debut. “You have to see it to be it!” King wrote.

Hammond, who is Navajo and San Felipe Pueblo, was born in Phoenix, AZ, but grew up in Albuquerque, NM, where she learned to play soccer, according to the Navajo Times. She relocated to Virginia when she was 9 years old. In a Men in Blazers segment, Hammond said that moving across the country made her lose immediate ties to her culture “because being Native is very involved.”

She continued: “Our tribe, we don’t have a written language. It’s more of a lived experience, and so it’s hard when you’re not there.”

“I’m really excited to be the first Native American to play in the NWSL, but I’m more excited to not be the last.”

Later, Hammond played Division I soccer for Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, and was a four-year starter. (Fun fact: Hammond actually has played violin for most of her life and was also a member of the Wake Forest orchestra.) She said that she used her time in college to lean back into Native culture and acted on those beliefs in her day-to-day.

“I had never experienced going to a predominately white school where people don’t understand what it meant to be black or Native,” Hammond told the Navajo Times. “It was really important to me because I learned to be able to talk about it more.” She added: “Not a lot of Native kids get to pursue my dream. . . .

I hope to have a voice that’s big enough to encourage, to influence some kind of real change.”

Hammond also said on Men in Blazers: “I’m really excited to be the first Native American to play in the NWSL, but I’m more excited to not be the last. The only way that happens is if you see people that look like you doing what you want to do.” For her, it’s a big opportunity that she wants to run with — and she won’t stop running “until things actually change and there’s more representation.”

October 2020

‘ Judy Burke

“I just want to let my people know that we’re with you and we’re always going to be praying for each other. And sometimes singing in the mornings and the evenings.”

How Indians dealt with pandemics, now and then

Videll Bronson “The sun was natural. They grow things with that sun. That sun can make things grow and heal things. Dries our food. When we dried our food, the sun dried our food for us. Everything was dried; our roots and our fish and our ?. And we had salted fish...”

And it’s always been kayanikeen the water that we have, and it’s natural - the water. We use it daily, every day, for everything. And we know that if we didn’t have that, sun and water, we’d be out of luck. We’d be sick and crawling around... But that’s the natural stuff that we have.”

October 2020

’

Antone Minthorn “From day one, families have to learn how to take care of themselves. Particularly their health, their bodies. To ensure that they have proper nutrition, proper foods, and are healthy.

That they have good physical health, work out.

From day one, and it’s never over. Your health is that important, you’ve got to take care of it from day one until the day you go.”

Gary Burke Here is a prayer he learned from elders in the CTUIR Language department: “I pray, you pray, we all pray. Always for strength, always for forgiveness, always talking to the creator for guidance. That’s what that prayer says.”

T

his package of photos and sample quotes, taken verbatem from the interviews, is presented through a National Endowment for Humanities CARES Grant: “Living in Today’s Pandemic and Historical Pandemic and Catastrophes.”

The Education Department of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation has received the CARES grant to document, through video interviews, Umatilla elders and residents providing their thoughts about the current effects of the coronavirus as well as historical pandemics and natural catastrophes that have occurred throughout the Tribes’ ceded areas.

Elders were selected by the Education Department, the CARES grant team, and elders.

These are four elders who have been interviewed.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

5B

When measuring pin decks, millimeters matter Lane installers must come back to remedy slight levelness issue By the CUJ

MISSION – To most observers, especially recreational bowlers, the shiny, new lanes at Quaking Aspens look perfect, so when members of the Umatilla County U.S. Bowling Congress Association Board crawled under the pin setter to measure pin decks they were surprised to find they were off level by more than a few millimeters.

And for bowlers, particularly in serious bowling like leagues and tournaments, millimeters matter.

Within minutes, Bruce Mecham from Wildhorse Resort was on the phone with Brunswick, the premier bowling alley company who installed the lanes, with

6B

the intention of getting crews back to work at night if need be to get this problem remedied.

Aaron Hines, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and one of the driving forces behind getting the bowling alley at Wildhorse, is a member of the local USBC association board and was with several others performing certification duties in September. The others included Dave Baird, Val Corley, Marilynn Blagg, Ninette Jackson and Paha Soeum. The association manager, Barb Hoffman, also assisted, as did the Quaking Aspens Lanes mechanic, Joseph Spinden.

Quaking Aspens Lanes on page 9B

Aaron Hines uses a level to measure the flatness of the pin deck at the end of one of the lanes at Quaking Aspens Lanes, the new bowling alley at Wildhorse Resort & Casino.

CUJ photo/Phinney

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

NCS schedule Continued from page 1B

volleyball practices indoors using social distancing and face masks.

NCS is in Season 1 of the Oregon School Athletic Association guidelines, which allows conditioning, but not competitive games for schools in counties that have not yet met state COVID-19 guidelines. Some Class 1A schools that compete with Nixyaawii to the East are playing a regular volleyball schedule and 5-on-5 football games because they are teaching classes in school, according to NCS Principal Ryan Heinrich, who also acts as the school’s athletic director.

OSAA has set three other seasons that begin in 2021.

Season 2 begins Dec. 28 for basketball, wrestling and swimming.

Season 3 begins Feb. 22 for volleyball, cross country and football.

Season 4 begins April 19 for baseball, softball, track and golf.

October Birthdays & Anniversaries Birthdays: 1st: Hunter Thompson-Red Elk 3rd: Dalton Hi’miin Lee: Happy 1st!!

5th: Jenz Kash Kash and Anthony Crawford 9th: Sophie Van Pelt and Brooklyn Quaempts 10th: Michael Van Pelt 15th: Mike Hussey 29th: Bryson Bronson 31st: Francis Marsh

Anniversaries: 1st: Brittney & Michael Eickstaedt 24th: Aaron & Brooklyn Quaempts

Be a good citizen.

Register to vote by Oct. 13.

Watch for your ballot in the mail.

Vote! Read and mark your ballot.

Place it in the envelope and sign it with the name sent to you.

Mail it back. Don’t wait.

Your vote matters.

October 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

7B

Tribes, partners reintroduce Swift Fox at Fort Belknap Swift foxes (Vulpes velox) were reduced to about 5% of their historic numbers across their range and completely extirpated from the northern Great Plains in the 1800s and 1900s primarily due to poisoning and trapping campaigns aimed at coyotes and wolves. The Fort Belknap swift fox reintroduction marks the eighth effort of its kind. Swift foxes were previously reintroduced between 1983 and 2020 in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada; Blackfeet Nation, Montana; Bad River Ranches, South Dakota; Badlands National Park, South Dakota; Fort Peck Reservation, Montana; and Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota.

From the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute

After an absence of more than 50 years, the swift fox has returned to the grasslands of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. From Sept. 12 to 20, the Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) Tribes of Fort Belknap released 27 swift foxes in collaboration with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Defenders of Wildlife and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), kickstarting a five-year swift fox reintroduction program.

The swift fox is the latest extirpated species to return to Fort Belknap, joining other iconic prairie species successfully reintroduced to tribal lands under the leadership of the Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department. Historically, swift foxes lived across much of North America’s Great Plains.

“Along with buffalo and endangered black-footed ferrets, swift foxes are now back where they belong,” said Harold “Jiggs” Main, director of the Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department.

The goal of the program is to establish a self-sustaining population of swift foxes on the Reservation. For the September release, 27 swift foxes were translocated to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation from an existing, robust and healthy population in Wyoming following trap-

8B

ping coordinated by Fort Belknap, the Smithsonian and Little Dog Wildlife with assistance from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Fort Belknap and the Smithsonian will continue trapping, with Defenders of Wildlife support, until they reach a minimum of 40 swift foxes, the ideal amount needed to establish a viable population according to models. An additional 40–50 foxes will be trapped in Colorado and Kansas during the second and third years and translocated to Fort Belknap for reintroduction. If needed, the population will be augmented with additional animals in years four and five from Colorado and Wyoming.

The Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute will oversee

the monitoring of reintroduced foxes over several years to ensure the species’ successful reestablishment. Community outreach and engagement, supported by the American Prairie Reserve, is also part the swift fox reintroduction program.

“We’ve been preparing for this reintroduction for the last two years and it’s finally here,” said Hila Shamon, research ecologist at SCBI. “The data we collect will add so much to our understanding of swift fox ecology and be a lesson for reintroductions of other small carnivores globally. This release is a major milestone in true conservation partnership.”

To track movement post release, each swift fox will be fitted with a GPS collar that will collect and transmit locations three times daily. The 57-gram collars, 3% of total swift fox body weight,

Confederated Umatilla Journal

feature a degradable screw and will drop off after approximately one year. Smithsonian scientists will also use cameras equipped with infrared triggers, or camera traps, and DNA analysis to monitor the spread of the swift fox population and population growth over time. Blood and fecal samples collected ahead of release will help scientists identify individual foxes and confirm offspring—the hallmark of a self-sustaining population.

Camera trap data and ongoing fecal collection at strategically placed scent posts will also confirm swift fox presence.

Students from Aaniiih Nakoda College and Clemson University will assist the Smithsonian with ongoing data collection in the field.

“The tribes of Fort Belknap are leaders in wildlife restoration to the Great Plains,” said Chamois Andersen, Rockies and Plains senior representative at Defenders of Wildlife. “The swift fox will join many iconic prairie species, including buffalo, sage-grouse, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets, contributing to the incredible biodiversity found on this landscape. It is an honor to work with the Nakoda and Aaniiih tribes and our other partners to accomplish this important work.”

Swift fox numbers declined precipitously in the late 1800s, mainly due to poisoning intended for coyotes and wolves and the loss of grassland habitat. During this same time they were also eliminated from the northern portion of their range.

Swift foxes made a comeback after successful reintroduction efforts began in 1983 in Canada and on the Blackfeet and Fort Peck Indian Reservations in Montana. However, these reintroduced populations have yet to reconnect with populations in the southern portion of their historic range. Establishing a population of swift foxes on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation will expand the species’ occupied range in the north and help bridge the distribution gap between existing populations to the north and south.

“When we work together with partners in government, science and academia, we can accomplish so much more for the species we care about,” said Kristy Bly, black-footed ferret restoration manager at WWF. “Restoring this culturally and biologically important species to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation will help recover swift foxes in the northern portion of their range.”

Made possible by the Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) Tribes of Fort Belknap, the swift fox reintroduction program is led by the Fort Belknap Fish and Game Department and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute with core support from the American Prairie Reserve, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Defenders of Wildlife and WWF.

October 2020

Aaron Hines stretches across a lane helping Dave Baird and Ninette Jackson, members of the local U.S. Bowling Congress Association Board, take various measurements to ensure that lanes meet national specifications.

CUJ photo/Phinney

Quaking Aspens Lanes Continued from page 6B

The USBC is the national governing body for bowling, establishing specifications and standards to be used by manufacturers, rules officials, bowlers and other interested parties, Hines said.

USBC sets equipment specifications to protect the traditions of the sport, to prevent an over-reliance on technological advances rather than on practice and skill, and to preserve skill differentials throughout the game. Many centers look to be become USBC certified so that they can hold sanctioned events, i.e., leagues and tournaments.

The local USBC board has delegated the responsibility to certify centers and in this case, the Umatilla County USBC Association perfumed the duties for certifying the new lanes at Wildhorse.

The certification process includes taking various measurements to ensure that the lanes meet specifications outlined by the USBC. These process includes measuring the distance of the lane from the foulline to the head pin; ensuring the kickbacks in the pin deck area are a certain height above the pin deck; the gutters are a certain depth beneath the lane surface; measure across each lane panel for crests and depressions; measure the pin deck front to back and side to side as well as various other measurements.

These measurements all need to meet their respective USBC measurement requirements or be within the allowed variance.

“There were some lanes where the pin decks were not level from front to back, within the allowed variance of USBC standards,” Hines said. “While the lanes, generally look level to the naked eye and maybe even by using a level, they would appear level. But we’re looking at millimeters of accuracy to ensure fairness and consistency.”

The USBC sets these standards to ensure that there’s a level playing field, literally, across the entire center to ensure as best as possible that there’s a consistent shot no matter what lane you’re playing on, Hines said.

“Of course, there are other factors that affect the game, like weather, the oil on the lane and whether you’re playing on a lane at the end of the house or in the middle. By not being level, within the specifications, it can affect the game - the way the ball carries through the pin deck and/or the way the ball reacts on the lane. For sport bowling, whether in leagues or tournaments, bowlers want to know they’re bowling on lanes that are level and meet specifications.”

Looking for a new you?

INDEPENDENT LIVING A Global Disability Resource and Advocacy Center EOCIL is a proud supporter of the CTUIR community and other communities and programs that promote and value inclusion, equality and opportunities for people with disabilities. EOCIL is a global disability resource and advocacy center that provides an array of services for people with disabilities.

EOCIL is operated by people with disabilities.

Services Available:

- Informational and Referral - Independent Living Skills Training (budgeting and financial management, cooking, application assistance, etc.)

- Peer Counseling - Individual Advocacy - Life Transitions (school to employment, home to home, corrections to community, etc.)

- LGBTQ and two spirit resources

EOCIL has three locations:

Kimberly Weathers

Head 2 Toes Full Service Salon & Spa

October 4th

221 South Main St. Suite 2 Pendleton, OR

Atawiishamash

541-379-0010

October 2020

FOR

- Support Groups - Youth Mentoring Project - Representative Payee Project - Emergency Financial Assistance - Accessibility Assistance - HIV/AIDS Independent Living Project - And many other services

Locations:

Call me

Happy Sweet 16 Malaya!

EASTERN OREGON CENTER

322 SW 3rd St., Pendleton, Ore. webpage: www.eocil.org Email: eocil@eocil.org 541-276-1037 711 Relay Toll free: 1-877-711-1037 1021 SW 5th Avenue, Ontario, Ore. 541-889-3119 Voice 711 Relay Toll free 1-844-489-3119

The Dalles Office 400 East Scenic Drive Building 2, Third Floor, Suite 2 The Dalles, Oregon 541-370-2810 Toll free: 1-844-370-2810 Providing services in Harney, Malheur, Baker, Union, Grant, Wallowa, Umatilla, Morrow, Wheeler and Gilliam, Wasco, Sherman and Hood River counties.

EOCIL is a supporter of:

aocil.org • endhivoregon.org • adrcoforegon.org

Confederated Umatilla Journal

9B

First Native American racer blazes trail at Tour de France

By John Leicester, AP Sports Writer

Neilson Powless, an Oneida Indian, competed this year in the Tour de France road race. The rookie rider is the first Native American to have raced in the 2,000-mile event in its 117-year history.

Photo/Green Bay Press-Gazette

LE PECQ, France - A late draft to the Tour de France, Neilson Powless didn’t have time to scramble together a turtle necklace, the spirit animal of his Native American tribe, or paint one of their wampum bead belts on the frame of the bike that he’s ridden for three punishing weeks, over 3,300 kilometers (2,000 miles) of roads.

But although unable to carry the Oneida Tribe’s symbols with him, the Tour rookie has become a powerful symbol himself as the first tribally recognized Native North American to have raced in the 117-year-old event.

Not only has Powless survived cycling’s greatest and most grueling race, he distinguished himself

in a crop of exciting young talents who helped set this Tour alight. Crossing the finish in Paris Sept.

18 will, he hopes, resonate on reservations back in the United States. ``My main hope is that I can be a positive role model for young indigenous kids who have a lot going against them,’’ Powless, who turned 24 during the race, told The Associated Press. ``I think finishing the Tour de France is a testament to years of hard work and dedication to a lifelong dream. Hopefully I can help drive kids to setting their mind to a goal and going after it.’’ ``It must make it a lot easier when you can see somebody else who is doing it, or has done it, `` he adds.

Word of Powless’ feats in France has already filtered back to the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin. The tribal chairman, Tehassi Hill, says the cyclist is blazing ``a trail of journey, hope and inspiration.’’ ``Whenever one of our own, from the Oneida community, are in the spotlight, it definitely does not go unnoticed. Neilson’s journey and accomplishments I’m sure are spoken of at many gatherings here in Oneida, `` Hill told the AP. ``Even during a pandemic, he did not falter or give up on his dreams,’’ the Oneida leader added. ``This is an important message not only to our youth here in Oneida, but to everyone in our community.’’

Powless traces his Oneida heritage back to his grandfather, Matthew Powless. The ex-U.S. Army paratrooper lived on the Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation in Wisconsin. He coached boxing and occasionally showed off his tribal smokedancing skills to his grandson. He died at age 80 in 2015. ``I saw him dance once or twice when I was younger, but I wish I could have watched him more, `` says Powless, who grew up in Roseville, California. ``He tried to get me into boxing for a few years and I would train at the gym he coached at sometimes when we would visit.’’

The good news for American cycling is that Powless saw his future on a bike, instead. His main job at this Tour has been to ride in support of his team leader, veteran Colombian rider Rigoberto Uran. But Powless has also shown off his own strengths, particularly on arduous climbs. On Stage 6, his birthday, he was part of a small group that powered to the front of the race in a fight on the slopes of the Mont Aigoual, with stunning views across southern France. He placed fourth at the top. ``An amazing experience,’’ he says. ``The win would have been nice.’’

He distinguished himself again two days later, placing fifth on the brutal Stage 8 of climbing in the Pyrenees. ``This Tour will be a massive point of growth for him,’’ Jonathan Vaughters, his boss at the EF Pro Cycling team, told the AP. ``Where that heads him is still unknown. But he certainly is coming out of the Tour a much better rider than he went in.’’

The Tour confirms he is its first Native North American competitor. The cyclist hasn’t made a fuss of his heritage.

Vaughters says he only found out that Tour de France on page 13B

10B

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

New push to rename Washington teams Oregon mandated mascot name changes in 2015

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The first Native American woman elected to the Washington state House of Representatives says she is drafting legislation to remove Native-themed mascots and team names at public schools. This has been a goal of Native American leaders, but has new-found momentum after the Washington, D.C., NFL football team’s name change.

Around two dozen high schools in Washington state currently use Native American-related mascots or nicknames - most commonly Indians, Warriors and Braves, the Northwest News Network

reported.

Democratic state Rep. Debra Lekanoff said derogatory nicknames and stereotypical caricatures of Native Americans cause lasting hurt. ``We’re being portrayed as no different than a token and no different than a tiger or a duck,’’ Lekanoff said. ``In 15 to 20, 50 or 100 years, when they look back at our bills and how we treated one another, they’ll look at this bill and say, `It was just a little bill, but it brought some hope and respect for all.’ It’s good to heal.’’

The move to phase out Native-themed mascots is ``long overdue,’’ according to a panel of Native education leaders who spoke to the Washington State Board of Education in mid-September.

HAPPY 10th Birthday!

The Washington State Board of Education twice has passed non-binding resolutions urging schools to discontinue the use of Native American mascots. Some schools have since made changes.

By contrast, the Oregon Board of Education since 2015 has had the authority to mandate that public schools drop Native American mascots unless they got their local tribes’ approval and incorporated more tribal history in their curriculums.

Some of the 16 affected Oregon districts changed their nicknames and others reached agreements with nearby tribal governments.

At the college level, the NCAA made member schools drop such mascots more than a decade ago.

LOVE YOU Rhi-lee!

Tutuilla Presbyterian Church can open Oct. 4 if we can all practice...

- Safe distancing - Wear masks - Kids sit with their parents (No Sunday school) - Using Facebook Live because many others are now watching - Pass out and use hand sanitizer - Do not pass the Peace of Christ - Do not shake hands - Invite everyone and call other people, even members.

Words and definitions provided by the Language instructors at the Education Department for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

There are many ways to say things and pronounce words.

For more information, please contact the Education Department by calling 541-429-1944.

October 2020

Sunday Services 11 a.m. - Noon

Confederated Umatilla Journal

11B

Thank you letter T H E B AT E S - M I N T H O R N FA M I L I E S wish to thank everyone involved in caring for our Maureen. The nurses and staff at St. Anthony Cancer Unit as well as those nurses and hospitalists in the Medical-Surgical Unit, ICU and ER that took care of her multiple times.

Special thanks to the expert and efficient ICU crew that cared for her the day she was flown to Portland. Nurse Colleen of Option Care is singled out as having become family during the time she worked with Maureen. Thank you and welcome, Colleen. The entire team and staff of the OH&SU Cancer Treatment Center

and ICU Unit. We are forever Dr. Quackenbush fans. Maureen was thankful to everyone and for everything done for her.

Finally, the highest accolades go to Maureen’s bestest friend Laura Petersen. Occasional nurse consultant, frequent visitor, frequent flyer, phone caller, passionate listener, crying and laughing partner, partner in crime, and closest friend for all time. But for your love and willingness to help our sister Maureen in her battle she would have left us much sooner. You were always good medicine. We all love you and you, too, are a member of the Minthorn Family.

Two charged with theft from Warm Springs Confederated Tribes PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Two men have been charged with fraud against the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

A federal grand jury in Portland has returned a six-count indictment charging Roderick Ariwite and Thomas Adams with conspiracy and theft/misapplication of funds from a Tribal organization, U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said in a news release Sept. 25.

The indictment charges Ariwite, of the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho, and Adams, of the Warm Springs Reservation, with conspiring to misappropriate $93,700 of tribal funds and with five counts of substantive misappropriation of tribal funds. It wasn’t immediately known if the two men have lawyers to comment on their cases.

Ariwite is also charged in a separate indictment in which it says he took a $23,000 check obtained by fraud from a board member of a tribal business entity from Oregon to Idaho.

According to the indictments, Ariwite was CEO of the Warm Springs Economic Development Corporation and Adams was a manager under Ariwite’s supervision in 2017 when he and Adams created a construction company and worked on projects while on tribal time.

The indictment also alleges that in one instance Ariwite and Adams used $48,900 in tribal funds to hire a subcontractor for a construction project happening under their own company. Ariwite and Adams also hired a consulting company Ariwite operated for two projects that gave no benefit to the Tribe, the indictment claims.

FREE for **Qualified CTUIR MEMBERS WILL-WRITING and ESTATE-PLANNING VIRTUAL SERVICES

Now making confidential virtual appointments Please contact: Martha Klein Izenson, Attorney Native American Program, Legal Aid Services of Oregon (NAPOLS)

Direct Line: 541-429-7401 Email: martha.kleinizenson@lasoregon.org

Did you know?

The BIA Umatilla Agency is no longer storing wills for CTUIR Members. The CTUIR Enrollment Office will provide confidential, secure storage for your will within your enrollment file. **Client eligibility shall be limited to individuals who are enrolled members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and whose income does not exceed 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

12B

Documents that can be prepared: Wills (distribute your property) Powers of Attorney (allows others to make decisions) Living Wills (detailed end-of-life decisions)

Learn About: Your lands and your options Why writing a will is important and what you can do with your will once it’s written

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

Tour de France Continued from page 10B

Powless is one-quarter Oneida from the rider’s dad just days before he took the Tour start on Aug. 29.

Still, when pressed, Powless proudly points out that he has a tribal ID recognizing him as one of the 16,500 Oneida members. ``The tribe has helped me financially with schooling. I have family on the reservation,’’ he says. ``It’s not that I just had a blood test one day and decided `Oh, I guess I’m Native American.’ It is something I have, like, sort of grown up with and it has been part of my whole life and the tribe recognizes that as well.’’

Told just days before the Tour that he was on the team, Powless says he didn’t have time to discreetly decorate his bike or source a replacement for the turtle necklace he broke last year.

Still, based on his performances, he’ll surely be back and able to fix that at future Tours. ``Normally I would have a painting of the Oneida bead belt, the wampum belt, somewhere on my bike, my garment, my shoe, `` he said. ``Just something really small, most people wouldn’t even really see it. It’s just something that I have always tried to keep close to me.’’

Happy Birthday Luka Bean!

9 yrs old already?

Your kind heart and laughter bring us so much joy!

Love,

Your family near and far

Handmade by us, Home baked by you It’s Pizza Perfection - Love at 425 degrees

OCTOBER SPECIALS! NEW! Large

HOG HEAVEN PIZZA $13 For Halloween

Large Jacko Pizza for $9 541-276-7272 613 Sw Emigrant

Open Daily 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.

We gladly accept EBT. October 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

13B

Board of Trustees minutes Date: September 28, 2020

If you want to make your vote count then first you need to register.

The deadline is Oct. 13 Go to:

Oregonvotes.gov

BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Armand Minthorn, Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Full quorum present Old Business: Polled NOAA CARES Affidavit.

MOTION: Jeremy Wolf moves to ratify poll for BOT Chair to assign NOAA Affidavit. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Polled cover sheet for confidential personnel letter. MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to ratify poll cover sheet approving confidential personnel letter. Sally Kosey seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

New Business: Resolution 20-090: Topic: Amendment to Water Code. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the amendments to the Water Code attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 1, which shall be effective immediately. MOTION: Sandra Sampson moves to adopt Resolution 20-090. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-091: Topic: Sea Lion Removal.

RESOLVED, that the Confederated Tribes authorizes CRITFC to assist the Columbia River Treaty Tribes to carry out Public Law No 115-329, including pursuant to the August 16, 2020 permit authority, scientific study, hazing, trap operations, lethal take, management of animal remains or any

DID YOU KNOW? Many things we do every day are based on tradition, but in many ways, modern life on the reservation is much like modern life any where in the United States. People live in houses, drive cars, work at jobs and children go to public schools. The people speak English, have T.V.’s and computers, eat many of the same foods that other Americans eat. But there are things that make the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Indian people different from other people.

The Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Indian people have a culture or way of life that has been handed down to them by their parents, grandparents and great grandparents. The Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Wallas’ each have their own language and traditions.

Grandparents, mothers and fathers teach their children and grandchildren how to hunt, fish, dig roots, make teepees and put them up, how to dance and sing Indian songs. All these are traditions of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla peoples. A hundred and fifty years ago, the Indians had to learn many of these things to stay alive. Today they do many of these because it is important to them not to forget the ways of their parents and grandparents.

When traditions are strong, they change very slowly. Many of the traditional ways of life are taught and practiced the same way today as they were before the non-Indians brought their way of life to this part of the country. A celebration honoring the traditional foods, called Root Feast, is one tradition that continues each spring.

From ctuir.org/about-us

other action needed to implement Public Law 115329; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Confederated Tribes delegates to CRITFC such portion of the Confederated Tribes authority as necessary to allow CRITFC to lethally remove sea lions consistent with Public Law NO. 115329 and the August 16, 2020 permit authority, provided that such delegation does not inhibit the Confederated Tribes from also directly pursuing permits for the lethal removal of sea lions in the Columbia River and its tributaries; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Confederated Tribes does not waive, alter, or otherwise diminish its Sovereign Immunity, whether express or implied, by virtue of this Resolution for any and all administrative or legal action which may arise directly or indirectly from the same, nor does the Confederated Tribes waive. Alter, or otherwise diminish our rights, privileges, remedies or services guaranteed by the Treaty of 1855, 12 Stat. 945; MOTION: Jeremy Wolf moves to adopt Resolution 20-091. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Other Board Action: Commission/Committee Update: Economic Community Development Committee. Advertising one position and received two applications from Antone Minthorn and Robin Turk. ACTION: by secret ballot Antone Minthorn was selected to ECDC for two year term.

Health Commission, advertising for one position for 3 year staggered term and received three applications from Patricia Hall, Denise Wickert and Robin Turk. ACTION: by secret ballot Robin Turk was selected to Health Commission for 3 year staggered term.

Law & Order Committee, advertising for one position and received two applications from Mary Halfmoon and Jackie Minthorn. ACTION: by secret ballot Mary Halfmoon was selected to Law &Order Committee for 2 year term.

Election Commission: Lee Van Pelt submitted resignation and the Commission accepted it. Vacancy will be advertised in the October Public Notice.

MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin accept Lee Van Pelt resignation from Election Commission and advertise. Sandra Sampson seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to ratify the Commission/Committee polled votes. Lindsey Watchman seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

BOT Travel Report: Jeremy Wolf, 9/14 listening session re: Yellowstone Buffalo Treaty.

Jill-Marie Gavin, 8/31 attended Listening Session by DOJ Operation Lady Justice.

Kat Brigham, 9/25-26 to Cascade Locks for filming TV program on First Foods presentation.

MOTION: Sandra Sampson moves to approve travel reports. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

BOT Leave and Travel Request: Corinne Sams, travel 9/25 video conference from 9-11:30 AM for Buffalo Treaty Meeting.

Jeremy Wolf, 3/3-3/5/21 Portland or Virtual (Covid restrictions permitting) travel to attend The Mighty Columbia Seminar as speaker.

Jill-Marie Gavin, personal leave request for Sept. dept. noon 9/24 and all day 9/25.

Sally Kosey, personal leave request 10/13.

MOTION: Sandra Sampson moves to approve leave requests. Jill-Marie Gavin seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Don’t be hasty.

It’s not over by a long shot.

Wear your mask.

Wash your hands.

Socially distance.

Use common sense to keep yourself and others safe.

It’s going to take all of us.

14B

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020

46314 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801 541-966-9830 www.yellowhawk.org

October 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

15B

Board of Trustees minutes Date: September 14, 2020 BOT PRESENT: BOT Present: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Armand Minthorn, Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member ; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman on personal leave. Quorum present Old Business: Two polled letters to Governor Kat Brown and Jay Inslee regarding CARES Act funding for fisheries including CARES Act funding letter attached to Inslee’s letter. MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to defer the two polled letters. Sally Kosey seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0.

New Business: Resolution 20-085: Topic: Land Development Code Amendment – Small Scale Solar RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby enacts Land Development Code amendment ZC-20-003 to permit Small Scale Solar projects in Industrial zones and update related definitions and standards, attached hereto as Exhibit 1; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that Land Development Code amendment ZC-20-003 shall be in effect immediately upon signature of this Resolution; MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-085.

Boots Pond seconds. Discussion. Question.

Motion carries 7-0-0.

Resolution 20-086: Topic: Master Zoning Map Amendment ZC-20-002. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby enacts Zone Change ZC-20-002, as set forth in attached Exhibit 1, to amend the Master Zoning Map for Tax Lot 2N3310BC-01100 from Rural Residential (R-1) to Community Residential (CR-1); AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that Master Zoning Map amendment ZC-20-002 shall be in effect immediately upon signature of this Resolution; MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-086. Jill-Marie Gavin seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 7-0-0.

Resolution 20-087: Topic: NCFS Line of Credit. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes an extension of the Confederated Tribes’ margin line of credit with

16B

Confederated Umatilla Journal

Charles Schwab Institutional Brokerage of up to $2,000,000.00 for the purpose of relending to Nixyáawii Community Financial Services (NCFS) as a revolving line of credit, subject to the following conditions: 1) The existing Credit Line established for the Credit Program shall be closed; 2) NCFS shall submit requests for disbursements of the revolving margin line of credit to the Confederated Tribes’ Finance Office; and 3) the revolving margin line of credit is authorized through December 31, 2030, unless it is extended further by official action of the Board of Trustees; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, RESOLVED, beginning on October 30, 2020, the NCFS shall pay to the Confederated Tribes by the 30th of each month an amount equal to the interest charged on the margin line of credit balance in the previous month; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NCFS Chief Financial Officer and the Board of Trustees appointee to the NCFS Board of Directors shall provide regular financial reports to the Confederated Tribes Finance Office in sufficient detail to allow monitoring of the NCFS operations, expenses, and revenues; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NCFS Chief Financial Officer and the Board of Trustees appointee to the NCFS Board of Directors shall provide regular financial reports to the Confederated Tribes Finance Office in sufficient detail to allow monitoring of the NCFS operations, expenses, and revenues; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NCFS shall provide general operating reports to the Board of Trustees quarterly MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to adopt Resolution 20-087. Jill-Marie Gavin seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 7-0-0 Action: Subject/action/motion- None BOT Travel report: Deferred BOT Leave and Travel Request: Corinne Sams, travel to give testimony at G2G VAW Tribal Consultation from 10/27-30.

Jeremy Wolf, two travel requests: CRTIFC video conferencing, 9/17-18 UIR Forest tour 9/29.

Kat Brigham, polled and approved on 9/2-24 attended Willamette Falls Commission meeting

October 2020

Board of Trustees minutes Date: September 14, 2020 BOT PRESENT: BOT Present: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Armand Minthorn, Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Full quorum present.

Old Business: Ratify Polled Motion approving letter to Governor’s Brown and Inslee. Letter to Washington Governor Inslee regarding CARES Act Section 12005 Fishery Relief- NOAAWashington state. Letter to Oregon Governor Kate Brown regarding Section 12005 CARES Act Spending Plan Failure to include Treaty Tribes. Action item was not on last agenda and deferred to today. MOTION: Sandra Sampson moves to ratify the polled letters to Governor’s Brown and Inslee regarding CARES Act. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Ratify Polled NOAA Affidavit. Kat Brigham, BOT Chair noted all she has in her folder is the affidavit not the actual polled sheet is not attached MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to defer polled Affidavit to NOAA fisheries funds. Sandra Sampson seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

New Business: Resolution 20-088: Topic: Amendment to Wells Fargo Loan Agreement.

RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby approves the Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (Amendment) attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 1C; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees authorizes its Chair to execute the attached Amendment, or a document containing substantially similar terms, and to take such further action and to execute documents that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Resolution; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby confirms its approval of the limited waiver of Tribal sovereign immunity, the choice of law and the dispute resolution provisions contained in the Third Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, and further confirms that the UCC Code and Arbitration Code approved by Resolution 10-069 shall govern the Amendment and Loan Agreement; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, any draw on the Loan under the Third Amended and Restated Loan Agreement after the closeout of the Wildhorse Family Entertainment Center shall require prior Board of Trustees’ approval; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees directs its Legal Counsel to prepare the legal opinion necessary for the execution of the loan documents MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-088 to correct BOT Chair name.

Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question.

Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-089: Topic: Renew ATNI Membership Dues. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees, which is the official governing body of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, hereby authorizes. N. Kathryn Brigham , who is the principal delegate of the Tribe, to join ATNI; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that pursuant to Article VII, Section 1 of the ATNI Constitution, the Tribe designates the following persons as Delegates and Alternate Delegates, and instructs them to become individual Members in Good Standing in ATNI in order to fulfill their responsibilities as Official Delegates to the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Winter Conference, Mid-Year Conference and Annual Conventions: N. Kathryn Brigham, Chair as its official delegate and the following Board of Trustees members as alternate delegates: 1) Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chairman 2) Sandra Sampson, Treasurer 3) Sally Kosey, Secretary 4) Armand Minthorn, Member 5) Boots Pond, Member 6) Corinne Sams, Member 7) Jill-Marie Gavin, Member and 8) Lindsey X. Watchman General Council Chairman Ex-Officio. MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-089 with amendment. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Other Board Action: Subject/action/motionNone BOT Travel Report: Kat Brigham five reports: 9/30 - Willamette Falls Lock Commission zoom meeting 9/9 - CRITFC 4 Chairs To Go zoom meeting from 9 AM to noon.

9/15 - ATNI 2020 Census zoom meeting.

9/14 - BPA called about the Columbia River accords.

9/14 – Discussion with Guy Norman re: 4 states working together to rebuild the Columbia River salmon Jeremy Wolf, two reports 9/19-20 CRITFC/ SPOD meeting, via zoom.

Sandra Sampson, two meetings; 9/9 attended Dept. of Ecology Advisory Group meeting at Yakama. Sandra commented BOT need to review which BOT are attending various meetings.

9/7 Walla Walla Watershed Partnership monthly meeting. via zoom MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to approve travel reports. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 7-0-0.

BOT Leave and Travel Request: Sandra Sampson, 9/25-26 to Government Island. MOTION: Sally Kosey moves to approve travel request. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 6 for (Sally Kosey, Boots Pond, Jill-Marie Gavin, Lindsey Watchman, Armand Minthorn and Corinne Sams)- 0 against -1 abstaining (Sandra Sampson)

Don’t call an expensive plumber or pay national franchise fees when all you need is a professional Sewer and Drain Cleaner!

Locally-owned with fair pricing and integrity.

• Sewer and Drain Cleaning • Septic Tank Pumping • Drain Field Restoration • High Pressure Sewer Line Jetting

541-276-6595 Pendleton

• Sewer Line Video Inspection Service • Portable Toilets •Backhoe and Dump Truck Service

541-567-1015 Hermiston

53091

Fast Service Day or Night! Never an overtime charge.

October 2020

CCB: 197219 • DEQ: 38882 • Licensed-Bonded-Insured

Confederated Umatilla Journal

17B

Chehalis Tribes opening brew pub and distillery

By Tom Banse (Northwest News Network)

A new distillery will soon begin making whiskey, vodka and gin on Chehalis tribal land in Western Washington. It’s the first legal, Native American-owned distillery to open on tribal land in the nation. The Chehalis Tribe’s effort to diversify its economy by joining the craft spirits boom had to first overcome a nearly two century old prohibition on liquor production in Indian Country.

The new Talking Cedar brew pub and distillery rises just a block away from an Interstate 5 off-ramp between Olympia and Chehalis. Chehalis Tribal Enterprises CEO David Burnett showed off rows of two-story tall, stainless steel tanks and gleaming copper stills.

“This is a very large facility,” Burnett noted during a recent tour, adding, “I don’t think this is going to end up being the second wave of casinos.”

Liquor production in the airy, spacious facility is set to begin around year’s end after a final shipment of imported specialty parts arrives from Italy.

Tribal Chairman Harry Pickernell said the tribe’s leadership hatched the idea for a craft distillery in 2015. They were brainstorming ways to enhance a hotel and planned restaurant to become a regional destination.

“We thought, why not a distillery,” Pickernell said in an interview.

The tribe struck a partnership to produce spirits under the brand and guidance of Gig Harbor, Washington-based Heritage Distilling Company. Heritage makes the popular Brown Sugar Bourbon, BSB, among other drinks.

18B

Confederated Umatilla Journal

But then in 2017, the partners discovered their planned distillery would be illegal under federal law if built on tribal lands.

“We thought, where did this law come from?” Pickernell recalled. “When is it from? They said, ‘1834’. We said, ‘Oh, my goodness sakes.’”

During President Andrew Jackson’s administration, members of Congress banned liquor production in Indian Country. Congress acted, in their words, to “preserve peace on the frontier.”

Pickernell and others lobbied to repeal the law. At the behest of the Chehalis Tribe, the 21st century Congress voted to remove the prohibition on alcohol distilleries on tribal land. Republican U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Battle Ground sponsored the House bill, which President Donald Trump signed in December 2018.

Pickernell said tribal elders as well as youth voiced concerns about entering the alcohol business when the project launched. It can be a sensitive topic given that health researchers, including at the CDC, have long documented disproportionately high rates of alcohol-related deaths among Native Americans.

Pickernell said the issue was hashed out at a General Council meeting where all interested members of the tribe periodically gather to hear updates and discuss important matters.

“My assurance to them was that this is not to bring alcohol on the reservation, but just a means to diversify our economic ventures -- throughout not just the reservation, but nationwide and internationally, hopefully,” Pickernell said.

October 2020

October 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

19B

WALK IN CLINIC 541-066-0535 20B

3001 ST ANTHONY WAY PENDLETON, OR 97801

Confederated Umatilla Journal

October 2020