2023 September CUJ

CTUIR opposes ODFW agreement with Grande Ronde

By LISA SNELL Editor

PENDLETON, Ore. — As of Aug. 4, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde have a Memorandum of Agreement with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission for off-reservation and non-trust land hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering. The Commission voted 4-to-3 for the agreement, which allows the tribe to issue its own hunting and fishing licenses to members for subsistence and ceremonial purposes.

“The agreement will not impact the treaty rights of other tribes.”

This phrase was repeated several times Aug. 4 in front of a packed room during what stretched into a

full day of testimony both for and against approving the MOA.

However, the treaty rights of other tribes weren’t the only issue prompting long hours of testimony against the proposal.

The Grand Ronde agreement is similar to ones already in place with four other tribes, however, it contains a key contentious difference: the geography. Grand Ronde included Willamette Falls and the lower Columbia River Basin in their proposal - territory already shared and administered by the four Columbia River Treaty Tribes: the Nez Perce Tribe; the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; and the

GRAND RONDE CONTINUED PAGE 12

Army Corps visit raises hopes for Walla Walla River Basin pilot project

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Tribal leaders in late July pitched a pilot project to improve the survival rates of returning salmon to two top U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials during a visit that included a tour of the new South Fork Walla Walla Hatchery.

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation leaders and key staff gave Michael Connor, Assis-

tant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and Jaime Pinkham, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, a tour of the hatchery on July 27 and discussed efforts being taken to revitalize low salmon runs, especially spring Chinook Salmon runs.

The main purpose of the meeting, Board of Trustees Chair Kat Brigham said, was to convince the Army Corps of Engineers to participate in a pilot project aimed at increasing the survival rates of spring Chinook

Residents begin moving into new apartments

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

Brigham said the tribe made it clear that there wasn’t much time to get funding for, and launch a project, because Spring Chinook Salmon raised and released from the South Fork Walla Walla Hatchery in recent years will begin returning in 2025. She said she’s nervous about how many of the hundreds of thousands of juvenile salmon released from the

VISIT CONTINUED PAGE 18

PENDLETON, Ore. – Residents have now moved into the recently completed apartment buildings near the Nixya’awii Community School after tribal leaders approved policies to determine who will be allowed to live in them.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

APARTMENTS CONTINUED PAGE 16

The monthly newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

Salmon in the Walla Walla River basin.

Corinne Sams, CTUIR Board of Trustees Member at Large, expresses concerns during the August 4 meeting of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Q&A with Happy Canyon Princesses, Láátis Nowland and Susie Blackwolf Patrick, PAGES B18-19

CUJ

ABOUT THE CUJ

The Confederated Umatilla Journal (CUJ) was created in 1975 as the official publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), which includes the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla people. The CUJ is produced monthly by the CTUIR’s Communications Department.

Publisher: Kaeleen McGuire kaeleenmcguire@ctuir.org

Editor: Lisa Hicks Snell lisasnell@ctuir.org

Reporter: Chris Aadland christopheraadland@ctuir.org

Advertising: M. Moses-Conner monecemoses@ctuir.org

Contributing Photographers: Dallas Dick dallasdick@ctuir.org

Lee Gavin leegavin@ctuir.org

CONTACT US

Confederated Umatilla Journal

46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801

Email: CUJ@ctuir.org

Phone: 541-429-7005

Fax: 541-429-7005

SUBSCRIBE

The CUJ is free to pick up at tribal entities and some area businesses. However, a mailed subscription can be purchased for the price of shipping and handling by contacting the CTUIR Finance Department. Call 541-429-7150 or by visiting the Finance Department at Nixyaawii Governance Center, 46411 Timine Way, Pendleton.

One year: $15 • Two years: $28

The CUJ prints on the first Thursday of each month.

EMAIL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

TO: CUJeditor@ctuir.org

• Limit to 300 words or less

• Information found to be inaccurate/libelous will not be published.

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• Author’s full name, address and phone number must be listed for verification purposes.

Tribal leaders meet with Supreme Court justice, federal court judges

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

PORTLAND — Two Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation leaders recently joined other Pacific Northwest tribal leaders in a meeting with regional federal court judges – and a U.S. Supreme Court Justice – to discuss ways to improve relationships and understanding of tribal sovereignty.

On Aug. 2, CTUIR Board of Trustees Chair Kat Brigham and Tribal Court Chief Judge William Johnson participated in a meeting with the Chief Judge of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, other judges in the circuit’s lower courts, and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan – who, as one of the nine members of the most powerful court in the country, has decided many high-profile and consequential cases involving Indian Country in recent years.

The meeting occurred during the annual 9th Circuit Judicial Conference, which Kagan attended and participated in a separate panel for.

While it wasn’t part of the official agenda, Brigham said the meeting gave the tribal leaders an opportunity to teach Kagan more about tribal governments during their discussions.

“She went around to each of the tables and we each got to say a few words,” she said.

No specific issue prompted the meeting, but Brigham said the tribal

leaders met the night before and decided to present the federal court judges with four points revolving around improving cooperation with tribal courts and better recognizing tribes as sovereign nations.

A common theme in the remarks was the importance of clear communication between tribal and federal courts around the work of providing justice in Indian Country and an interest in meeting more regularly, said Leonard Forsman, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians President and Chairman of the Suquamish Tribe.

The federal court delegation didn’t commit to implementing the recommendations, but seemed receptive to their suggestions, Brigham said.

Still, Forsman said he was optimistic that the meeting would lead to better cooperation and understanding even though it was unclear whether similar meetings would occur again, how frequently, and who would participate.

“All of us on the ATNI Executive

Board are pleased that to have had the opportunity to meet with the federal judges to begin what we hope will be regular contact between the tribal and federal courts, as we all try to meet the needs in our communities and learn more about each other,” he said in a statement.

The meeting, which was organized by an ad hoc committee made up of federal and tribal court judges, lasted an hour, Forsman said. Chief judges representing tribal courts in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington attended, as well as other tribal leaders.

Another point tribal leaders brought up that wasn’t part of the main talking points, was a desire for federal district court judges to receive tribal sovereignty training, Brigham said.

“Some of the federal court judges were very receptive in learning more about tribal government and tribal courts,” she said. “It was a positive meeting overall.”

Complaint in August shooting dismissed

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

PENDLETON, Ore. – A judge dismissed charges in August in an on-reservation shooting of a tribal member earlier in the month, though reasoning for the dismissal and other details surrounding the shooting are unclear.

On Aug. 1, tribal police responded to the scene of a shooting at a residence on Popcorn Lane and found a victim with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, according to a Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation press release. The victim, a CTUIR tribal member, was taken by helicopter to a Walla Walla hospital and later transferred to a Richland hospital.

The suspect, Gerardo Medel Solorzano, was in Boardman and arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after the shooting, according to the CTUIR press release. The Umatilla Tribal Police Department and FBI investigated the case.

On Aug. 16, a federal judge dismissed the complaint at

the request of federal prosecutors. Solorzano had been released from jail on Aug. 3, with a condition that he must wear a GPS monitor.

It’s unclear why prosecutors moved to drop the complaint and not pursue charges. That’s because a federal judge agreed to seal the complaint and other documents –typically publicly available information – on Aug. 2 at the request of prosecutors, leaving only minimal details, and no information about the shooting, accessible.

In the order sealing the case, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You wrote that disclosing information about the case to the public will “likely result in the destruction of or tampering with evidence or will otherwise seriously jeopardize an ongoing investigation.”

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, which handled the case, said he could not comment.

Solorzano’s attorney, a federal public defender, also declined to comment, saying her office’s policy is to not answer questions from the media.

Tribal leaders presented Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan with a beaded gavel during the Aug. 2 9th Circuit Judicial Conference in Portland. COURTESY PHOTO

Partners in Renewal

In August, the Willamette Falls Trust hosted a meeting between Senator Ron Wyden and delegated board representatives. Sen. Wyden and Tribal Leadership discussed their families’ histories at the Falls, honored past collaboration among sovereign nations and shared excitement over what the future of the Falls and tribal relationships holds for the Willamette Falls Inter-Tribal Access Project.The project intends to return public access to this place of deep spiritual, cultural and historical connection for the region by creating spaces for the public to gather near Willamette Falls, the second-largest

On September 21, 2020, the United States House of Representatives passed S. 832, a bill to nullify the 1865 treaty with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs that repealed tribal off-reservation hunting rights. The treaty was ratified in 1867 but had never been enforced as it was widely recognized as fraudulent. President Trump signed S. 832 on October 20, 2020, repudiating this treaty.

waterfall in North America.

PHOTO BY AUDIE HUBER)

From left to right is Davis “Yellowash” Washines, Yakama Nation tribal delegate; Andrew Mason, Executive Director, Willamette Falls Trust; Toby Patrick, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Board of Trustees; Jim Manion, Warm Springs delegate; Sen. Ron Wyden; and Robert Kentta, Siletz tribal delegate.

BOT member Corinne Sams sworn in as CRITFC Chair

By JILL MARIE GAVIN CRITFC

PORTLAND, Ore. – Umatilla tribal leader Corinne Sams was sworn in as the 2023-2024 Chair of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission at its July 28 meeting held along the Columbia River at Skamania Lodge. Outgoing

CRITFC Chair Ron Suppah, Sr. (Warm Springs) administered the oath of office.

Sams serves as a member-at-large on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s governing body, the Board of Trustees. She was elected to the Board in December 2019 and began serving as ex officio member of the Umatilla Fish and Wildlife Commission and a CRITFC Commissioner representing her tribe. When she was re-elected in 2021 she assumed leadership of the Umatilla Fish and Wildlife Commission and became the CTUIR’s official CRITFC delegate.

Looking toward her coming year as Chair, Sams said she hopes to continue building on the strong partnership and collaboration between the four river tribes.

“I take on this responsibility, and I don’t take it lightly,” remarked Sams after taking the oath of office. “This is very serious; we’re in a time where we’re literally fighting off extinction of our aquatic species. I know that we come here with a unified voice and I want to continue to strengthen that voice.”

Sams joins CRITFC Executive Director Aja DeCoteau in an historic time for tribal women in leadership. With DeCoteau in the top staff position and Sams serving as Chair, this is the first time in CRITFC history that both the Commission Chair and Executive Director roles have been filled by women simultaneously.

“All four of our member tribes bring important contributions to the CRITFC table,” said DeCo-

teau. “I look forward to Chair Sams’s leadership as we navigate a number of major issues facing salmon, tribes, and the Columbia Basin. Chair Sams’ priorities of protecting our First Foods, addressing climate change, restoring salmon habitat, and safeguarding treaty-reserved fishing rights will have far-reaching impacts on both the tribes and the region.”

“I appreciate all the teachings shared over the last four years and all the words that have been spoken at the CRITFC table. I’ve listened and I’ve learned, I’m happy to carry on those words as well as carry on the work that CRITFC and each of our member tribes is doing.”

Outgoing-Chair Suppah said of the change of guard, “Being Chair of the Commission is not an easy task. I have watched and listened to Corinne these last several years, and I see that she is up to the job. I appreciate all the support I received from fellow commissioners and CRITFC staff, especially this past year and look forward to Chair Sams’ leadership.”

The other CRITFC officers elected for the 20232024 term were Jeremy Takala (Yakama), vicechair; Ferris Paisano (Nez Perce), secretary, and Ron Suppah, Sr. (Warm Springs), treasurer.)

The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, formed in 1977, employs biologists, other scientists, public information specialists, policy analysts and administrators who work in fisheries research and analyses, advocacy, planning and coordination, harvest control and law enforcement.

Corinne Sams takes the oath of office July 28 at Skamania Lodge.

PHOTO BY JILL MARIE GAVIN

CTUIR Wildlife officers offer hunting reminders

Some rules to remember:

LISA SNELL Editor

PENDLETON, Ore. – After the opening of big game and upland game bird hunting season Aug. 1, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Wildlife Conservation officers have found they need to publicize some reminders.

“One of the issues we have are tribal members going out and taking a non-tribal buddy and actually letting that person shoot an animal. That’s a hard one to catch, but it goes on and that’s one of our complaints,” Dick Bobbitt, Wildlife Conservation officer, said. “On the reservation, they (non-tribal citizens) can’t do anything. They can sit in the pickup on a road that’s open to them. That’s it.”

According to CTUIR Fish and Wildlife code, no tribal member may take wildlife while exercising off-reservation treaty hunting rights in the company of any person not authorized to exercise those rights. However, tribal members are free to hunt with non-tribal members as long as both comply with state laws as to weapons restrictions and to the number, sex, age, location and open season dates of the animals that may be taken.

Alternatively, it’s also OK if the non-tribal member is unarmed and receives no payment for their participation. Another scenario is hunting with someone who is a member of another tribe, who is also entitled to exercise off-reservation treaty hunting rights. This is permitted as long as both comply with their respective tribal laws.

Admittedly, tribally permitted hunting versus state-permitted hunting areas and rules can get confusing, so Wildlife Conservation officer Tommy Thompson boils it down.

“Tribal members can hunt on any unclaimed land - national forest, BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land, etc. - but they have to be hunting within the tribe’s hunting regulation set seasons,” he said. ”If you’re a tribal member hunting on the reservation – you can’t hunt with a non-tribal person. You can be in the accompany of a non-member person but there’s restrictions,” he said. “If you’re a tribal member

hunting off the reservation, you can hunt with a non-tribal person but the tribal member and non-tribal person (with valid permit) need to comply with state laws in regards to seasons, weapon restrictions, etc., or the non-tribal person (without a valid permit) needs to be unarmed and not receive any kind of payment for his involvement in helping the tribal member.”

Thompson also notes that a “non-tribal person” and “non-member” are different things. “A non-tribal person is someone who isn’t enrolled with any tribe. A non-member is someone who is enrolled but not with CTUIR. The code covers restrictions for tribal members, non-tribal persons and non-member persons,” he said.

Another rule that is often disregarded pertains to what happens after a hunter hits the mark.

“I see a lot of wasted game. People, when they hunt, they dispose of their animal and they leave a lot of meat on the bones, meat that they could have cut off,” Thompson said.

Not harvesting correctly is against the tribe’s traditions and regulations. According to CTUIR code, no person shall needlessly waste, after killing or wounding, any wildlife or so mutilate any wildlife that its species, sex or size cannot be determined. This admonition includes abandoning meat in a locker, and or allowing the deterioration of portions of wildlife normally utilized for human consumption to the point of longer being suitable for use.

Also against the rules is selling even a part of harvest, including jerky. According to the code, it is forbidden to sell, trade or barter wildlife, including parts, raw or processed, for consumption. However, this does not apply to non-edible parts or parts that have been processed into

handcrafted items or items used in handcrafts.

“But if they catch salmon, steelhead or sturgeon during the commercial fishing time, that fish can be sold. So they can smoke that fish and sell it. But only tribal members can do that then, too. So if a tribal member is selling it, he can have a non-tribal helping him, but that non-tribal can’t be taking the money for it,” Bobbitt said.

It’s also important to be aware of boundaries. The tribe will designate certain areas where non-tribal members may hunt with a permit. However, a tribal-only hunting area may abut the permit area. Not being aware of the difference can lead to inadvertently trespassing and possibly committing a federal offense.

“Some hunters think if they buy a bird permit for the reservation, that applies anywhere on the CTUIR, because on OnX (a GPS hunting map app), it’s saying CTUIR property. So, they think that if it says CTUIR property, they can hunt there. And that’s not the case at all. There’s only certain designated areas that they can hunt, and they’re actually in violation of a federal code if they do hunt on that property,” Bobbitt said.

Knowing where one can hunt is only part of it. One must also know how to get there. Not all roads are public roads, and some roads are closed seasonally for elk migration.

“Non-tribal hunters need to be aware of what roads they can drive on what they can’t. They can’t just go and drive off the main roads to get to their unit. If they’re on the reservation it’s trespass,” Bobbitt said.

Going off-road can be a problem, too. Some areas, such as United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Conservation Reserve Program land, are restricted to foot traffic only and it benefits tribal members to observe

•Always carry your tribal ID if hunting or fishing on the reservation or exercising off-reservation treaty rights.

•Permits, licenses or tags issued by the CTUIR Fish and Wildlife Commission are not transferable.

•It is forbidden to sell, trade or barter wildlife, including parts, raw or processed, for consumption. This includes jerky. This does not apply to non-edible parts or parts that have been processed into handcrafted items or items used in handcrafts.

•Do not waste. Process your kill thoroughly and take all usable parts.

•Be aware of boundaries and do not trespass.

•No one may hunt from a motor-propelled vehicle or hunt with an artificial light of any kind.

•The type of game determines the maximum caliber of weapon allowed.

•No crossbows or explosive devices on arrows allowed.

•Harassing game with dogs is forbidden.

•Minors must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.

the rule. The tribe receives funds from the USDA for keeping those lands pristine.

“Part of the agreement with CRP is that you don’t drive on it… CRP means stay off of it. You can walk on it, but you can’t drive on it,” Bobbitt said.

On or off the reservation, it’s imperative to always carry identification.

“What you need to know as a tribal member is to have your tribal ID on you when you’re fishing or hunting. That pretty much is your permit,” Thompson said.

Email dickbobbitt@ctuir.org or tommythompson@ctuir.org for more information.

Trespassing, taking non-tribal people to hunt on the reservation and wasting game are big no-nos

Big game and upland game bird hunting season opened Aug. 1. CUJ ARCHIVE

PHOTO

New sentencing guidelines elevate some poaching crimes from misdemeanor to felony

By OREGON STATE POLICE

Department of Fish and Wildlife

PENDLETON, Ore. – A poacher will pay $75,000 in fines and serve jail time after killing numerous deer and elk near Pendleton in what officials called a wildlife crime spree.

Walker Erickson, 28, of Pendleton, pleaded guilty to 22 charges including illegally killing deer and elk, leaving game animals to waste and trespassing. All charges accumulated in an 18-month timeframe, leading officials to declare the case a crime spree.

In the summer of 2020, OSP received a call to the Turn In Poachers (TIP) Line. OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers began gathering information and evidence, which led to a search warrant at Erickson’s residence in Dec. 2021. Troopers seized six sets of deer antlers, three sets of elk antlers including those of a 7x7 trophy bull elk, a rifle, a bow, and meat. The investigation led Troopers to additional instances of poaching.

Sentencing included $15,000 for the 7X7 bull elk, $15,000 for a 6X5 bull elk and $7,500 for a 4X4 mule deer buck. In addition, Erickson will serve 14 days in jail during elk hunting season for the next three years.

“Elk season is now jail season,” said Jay Hall, Wildlife Anti-Poaching Resources Prosecutor. Hall, who is an Assistant Attorney General with the Oregon Department of Justice, prosecuted the case on behalf of the Umatilla County District Attorney’s office. The Aug. 1 sentencing reflected Hall’s recommended punishment to fit the crime.

This case also reflects the first significant application of new sentencing guidelines established by the Oregon Legislature in 2018. HB 3035 created stiffer penalties and allows prosecutors to elevate poaching crimes from a misdemeanor to a felony.

“All of this conduct, if it had occurred only a year before, before the legislature created these felony level poaching crimes, he would be facing only misdemeanor sentencing,” Hall said.

The $75,000 in fines is a full accounting of all of the game animals Erickson poached, including six deer, one 4x4 mule deer buck, and one 4x5 white-tailed buck. Walker has also

poached eight Rocky Mountain elk including three trophies: one 4x4; one 5x6 and a very large 7x7 bull that would be the top trophy in any hunter’s collection, according to Hall.

In addition to fines and jail time, Erickson forfeited the rifle and bow he used to commit the crimes, and all trophies and game parts. That includes a freezer full of meat that the court ordered forfeited and directed OSP F&W Division to provide to the Blue Mountain Wildlife Center for their raptor rehabilitation program.

Poaching impacts wildlife populations across the state and deprives Oregonians of enjoying the state’s natural resources, according to Bernadette Graham-Hudson, ODFW Wildlife Division Manager.

“Poachers deprive all of us of experiencing Oregon’s natural resources,” Graham-Hudson said, “Poaching impacts wildlife that people seek out, whether for hunting, photography or just to see in the wild.”

Protect Oregon’s Wildlife - Turn In Poachers campaign coordinator Yvonne Shaw agrees.

“Poaching poses a direct threat to Oregon’s precious fish and wildlife populations,” Shaw said, “In 2022 alone, nearly 5,000 animals were poached in Oregon – that we know of. We need all Oregonians to be our eyes and ears in the fields, forests, waterways, and beaches of Oregon.”

For more information on how to recognize and report poaching, visit www.ProtectOregonsWildlife.com.

Evidence related to the case prosecuted by Jay Hall. The evidence represents some of the animals poached by Walker Erickson, 28, of Pendleton. Erickson must pay $75,000 in fines and serve time in jail during elk season for the next three years. OSP PHOTO

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CUJ Political Campaign Advertising Policy 2023

• CUJ news coverage and reporting of campaigns, candidates or ballot issues shall adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists standards of accepted ethics. CUJ news coverage and reporting on campaigns, candidates or ballot issues is at the discretion of the CUJ editor and is not considered advertising. The CUJ does not endorse specific candidates or constitutional amendments that may be on the ballot in CTUIR elections.

• No political advertising for candidates will be accepted until the official filing period is completed and candidates are certified as official by the CTUIR Election Commission.

• All political advertising will comply with Section 5.01 of the CTUIR Election Code and all other applicable laws. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure political advertisements are compliant.

• Payment for political advertising will only be accepted from individual candidates, or their campaign accounts, for the elected position they are seeking. Third parties are not allowed to pay. In the case of a constitutional amendment on the ballot, any person or entity shall be entitled to place an ad regarding the constitutional amendment.

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• CUJ staff will not create, modify, update or change political advertisements.

• Political advertisements must be submitted by deadline and prepaid. No exceptions. Candidates are responsible for ensuring advertisements are submitted and paid for on time. Special circumstances will not be considered and no advertising will be allowed after deadline.

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• Political advertising for non-CTUIR candidates and issues in local, state and federal elections must follow the same rules and requirements as CTUIR campaigns.

Preliminary candidate list released by CTUIR Election Commission

General election scheduled for Nov. 14, 2023

Below is the unofficial list of candidates running in the November 14 Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation General Election. Candidates can withdraw their names until the morning of September 14, when the list becomes finalized. The CTUIR Election Commission released the list after the petition deadline passed on Sept. 5.

BOT Chair

N. Kathryn Brigham – Incumbent

Gary I. Burke

BOT Vice Chair

Aaron Ashley – Incumbent

Kola Thompson

BOT Secretary

Sally Kosey – Incumbent

Roberta J. Wilson

BOT Treasurer

Sandra Sampson – Incumbent

Raymond Huesties

BOT At Large

Lisa Ganuelas – Incumbent

Toby Patrick – Incumbent

Corinne Sams – Incumbent

Victor Bates

Jesse Bevis, Sr.

Matthew Farrow, Jr.

Shawna Gavin

Steven Hart

Cami Lewis

Linda A. Sampson

David Wolf, Jr.

General Council Chair

Alan J. Crawford

General Council Vice Chair

Michael R. Johnson – Incumbent

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 46411 Timine Way | Pendleton, OR 97801 General Council www.ctuir.org email: generalcouncil@ctuir.org Phone & Fax: 541-429-7378

General Council Draft Agenda

Sept. 21, 2023 - 2:00 PM & Hybrid: In-person & Virtual via Zoom

b.

a.

a. Celebration Committee Annual ReportKellen Joseph, Celebration Committee Chair

b. Board of Trustees Member at Large UpdateCorinne Sams, BOT-MAL

c. Wastewater Treatment & Reuse Facility UpdateJustin Northern, Public Works Director

Only enrolled CTUIR Tribal Members permitted to attend. Contact GC Secretary Shawna Gavin at shawnagavin@ctuir.org for zoom meeting ID & passcode

ACF invites CTUIR to share on climate adaptation success

By CTUIR DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

PENDLETON, Ore. – Building on several years of collaborating on virtual opportunities to share community-based climate adaptation success, the federal Administration for Children and Families invited Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation staff to share stories of success at a recent meeting with agencies and communities involved in supporting communities through disaster and transition.

The virtual event, “Strengthening Partnerships for Healthy, Climate Resilient, and Thriving Communities,” was hosted on Aug. 2 and 3 by the ACF, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, all part of the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services. CTUIR staff partic-

ed and participated in the meeting.

Wenix Red Elk, Public Outreach and Education Specialist for the CTUIR Department of Natural Resources, spoke about efforts to reconnect tribal families with First Foods harvest knowledge and opportunities, and how the tribes developed a climate adaptation plan based around First Foods.

“I was excited that we were able to present on the panel and represent CTUIR DNR. We briefly discussed how we have been proactively integrating traditional Knowledge of the First Foods Mission to restore First Foods ecological landscapes and cultural revitalization for the tribal community,” she said. “Climate change impacts our access to First Foods and culturally important resources we need for our traditional lifestyles and diets. It will affect the future of how we interreact with them and gather these critical resources and manage them in the future. First Foods and tribal communities have always been resilient and adapt to those changes as they come forward to the best of our abilities for future generations.”

DCFS Family Engagement Program Manager Dionne Bronson was invited to highlight the success of DCFS’s family-centered programming. She shared how CTUIR, and the First Foods, have always been resilient.

“I guess what we are doing is ‘re-villaging,’ to remember our strengths, focusing on relationships between wellness within Tribal families, individuals, and environment, that remind us how to care for each other and the Earth,” Bronson said.

CTUIR staff were also able to meet with agency officials from the Administration for Native Americans to share CTUIR’s family programming successes and challenges and how First Foods and climate adaptation has been central in program services.

Outreach and Education Specialist, addresses the effects of climate change on access to tribal first foods.

ipated in one of the meeting’s panel discussions, “Change Agents within Communities: Climate Justice Perspectives from Community Integrators,” and focused on how CTUIR staff and leaders were using the First Foods Mission as an integrator for climate adaptation. Children and families were at the center of these discussions.

Several CTUIR DNR and Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) staff members attend-

CTUIR Weather Report August 2023

Weather information summarizes data taken at the Pendleton Weather Station Lat 45 40 N and Lon -118 51 W from August 1 to August 28.

Temperature is reported in degrees Fahrenheit and time in Pacific Standard Time.

The average daily temperature was 74.8 degrees with a high of 104 degrees on Aug 16 and a low of 50 degrees on Aug 23 with a departure from normal of 2.5 degrees

Total precipitation to date in August was Trace 0.35 with the greatest 24-hour average 0.23” Aug 10. 2 days out of the month had precipitation levels greater than .01 inches with 0 days greater than 0.10 inches and with 0 days greater than

“We value the CTUIR experience, knowledge, history, and results in this specific discipline ... You all are demonstrating that it is possible to tackle these challenges at the community level and curate a restorative environment,” said event organizer Natalie Grant, Director of the federal Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response, in an email after the meeting. “Your impact on our work is indelible and ongoing.”

While the problems and devastation due to snow storms, flooding, drought, wildfires and the need for shelter were discussed throughout the meet-

0.50”. There was a departure of 0.09” from the average for the month of July. Snow, Ice Pellets, and Hail total for the month: T” with greatest 24 hours: T”. Greatest Depth: T”.

The average wind speed was 7.6 mph with a sustained max speed of 31.0 mph from the West on August 18. A peak speed of 41 mph occurred from the West on August 18. The dominant wind direction was from the West.

There were 3 Thunderstorms, 2 days out of 31 in which any rain fell, 11 Haze events/days, and 0 Fog/Mist. Air Quality Index values ranged from Healthy to Hazardous. No air quality stagnation or air quality advisories but smoke and haze filled our air shed off and on the entire month, CTUIR gained 0.35 inches of rain in August.

ing, CTUIR staff who attended said it was useful to have so many people from other communities brought together to share ideas and solutions for the future to address climate change issues, which left them feeling hopeful.

The event also included non-governmental partners in academia, philanthropy, tribes and communities throughout the country. It highlighted perspectives from communities, like CTUIR, that are implementing holistic strategies that involve

interdisciplinary partners from all sectors to plan and apply strategies for climate resilience.

CTUIR DNR staff had previously collaborated with ACF on the virtual event, “Engaging Climate Justice in Human Services: Jurisdictional Stories & Strategies,” in 2022, following the success of the Climate Adaptation Plan webinar series and First Foods Excursions hosted by DNR and DCFS.

“It was impactful to hear officials at the federal level speak about ‘catching up’ or needing to pick up climate resilience work that had been put aside due to the pandemic,” said presenter Colleen Sanders, CTUIR Climate Adaptation Planner, speaking about the CTUIR climate planning efforts. “Our approach was the opposite: we were able to make the pandemic an opportunity to share and engage our community in climate planning. We were able to adapt in real-time, and it shows how resilient CTUIR is, in so many different ways.”

Wenix Red Elk, CTUIR Public

Colleen Sanders, CTUIR Climate Adaptation Planner

GRAND RONDE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and according to Corinne Sams, who represented the CTUIR’s Board of Trustees at the hearing, the conflict also stems from a lack of proper government-to-government consultation.

“The main concern is process and the lack of consultation, and the precedent that was set with the previous four agreements that were made with the state of Oregon. All went through extensive consultation, both between the affected tribes that felt like they had an impact to the specific geographical area and the state. We were allowed to have those discussions and have that negotiation, where in this instance, no consultation was provided to the Nez Perce Nation [or to] Yakama,” Sams said.

According to Sams, minimal consultation was done with Warm Springs and the CTUIR didn’t engage in any formal consultation.

“Our main point is the infringement – any encroachment that this agreement would have on our usual and accustomed areas that

are protected under our reserved treaty rights,” she said. “The four Columbia River Treaty Tribes were simply asking ODFW to complete consultation to address our specific concern in the MOA regarding the broad geographical area proposed in the agreement. The encroachment and potential impacts to our treaty reserved usual and accustomed fishing areas at Willamette Falls and the Lower Columbia were not considered by some ODFW Commissioners in the decision.”

Oregon’s recent similar agreements with the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians serve as an example. Sams said those MOAs followed a pattern, one of complete consultation. Through those government-to-government consultations, Cow Creek and Siletz agreed to limit their proposed geographical area to prevent any overlap into the territories of the Treaty Tribes.

“The lack of due process and consideration for our valid and documented concerns were ignored by some commissioners in the passing of the MOA between the state of Oregon and Grand Ronde,” Sams said. “The vote didn’t even have to occur; the commission could have

tabled the decision, allowing for full consultation to occur and time for us to reach an agreement on the geographical scope proposed in the agreement.”

But the vote was taken, despite the concerns of the four tribes already present and managing resources at Willamette Falls and the lower Columbia River.

“I think it will double our workload, as far as how we manage the habitat and the fishery and how we harvest and when we harvest,” Sams said. “Before, it was just the four Treaty Tribes, and now we have another tribe that’s going to be permitted by the state.”

The Treaty Tribes have been working together since forming the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) in 1977. The four tribes employ harvest biologists, have their own technical staff, and meet weekly with the state to monitor and forecast fish runs to determine the numbers allocated for harvest and for whom.

Having another tribe at the table will affect the state allocations, Sams predicts. “It’s going to impact their harvestable numbers that they rely on every year. That means fewer fish for Oregon’s recreational fishers to harvest.”

What she can’t predict is how having Grand Ronde at the table will affect the conservation operations of the Treaty Tribes, and that concerns her.

“There’s no strategic plan included in the MOA of how they (Grand Ronde) are actually going to manage those resources. There’s no specific examples,” Sams, who also serves as CRITFC Chair, said. “We have half a century co-managing with the state of Oregon. A lot of the work that the tribes have initiated and done would never have occurred within the Columbia Basin if it wasn’t for the four Treaty Tribes.”

According to a statement released by the CTUIR, the tribes weren’t in opposition to the entirety of the Grand Ronde MOA. But they, along with representatives of the other Treaty Tribes, had requested revisions through letters and public testimony to exclude Willamette Falls and the lower Columbia River.

“It’s clear this agreement would impact our rights on the Willamette and lower Columbia, and they were not considered by ODFW in their decision,” Jonathan W. Smith, Warm Springs Chairman, said in an interview with the Statesman Journal. “We’re evaluating our legal options.”

WSU, Tri-Cities Fall Education Summit registration now open

RICHLAND, Wash. – Registration for the Washington State University Tri-Cities Fall Education Summit is open. The summit takes place Oct. 14 and will feature keynote speaker Jerad Koepp (Wukchumni), 2022 Washington state teacher of the year.

The event will take place from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on the WSU Tri-Cities campus in Collaboration Hall, 2780 Crimson Way, Richland. Doors will open at 8:45 a.m. Lunch will be provided.

As a Native Student Program Specialist, Koepp (Wukchumni) supports over 230 Native American students from more than 50 tribes, nations, bands and villages, offering cultural and academic support and training to colleagues. His most recent project implemented required training for educators and administrators on equity and government-to-government relations.

“The College of Education on the Tri-Cities campus is excited to host its fifth annual Education Summit made possible by generous support from STCU,” said Judy Morrison,

WSU Tri-Cities academic director of education. “This year we will have sessions on STEM Education, Education Leadership, and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Issues. Our keynote speaker, Jerad Koepp, will present a talk and participate in a panel focused on increasing equity in education.”

The summit is open to administrators and teachers and will cover a variety of issues and perspectives in K-12 education over multiple sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to earn up to six clock hours.

The event costs $15 and covers the sessions, lunch and the six clock hours. Registration is required by Monday, Oct. 9. Spots fill fast and early registration is encouraged. Individuals can register at formtool. wsu.edu/tricities/Signup/index.castle?formid=11.

For questions about the event, visit tricities.wsu.edu/education/education-summit/ or contact Niamh O’Leary by calling (509) 372-7394, or emailing niamh.oleary@wsu.edu.

CTUIR citizen, youth council recognized by Ecotrust

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s Youth Leadership Council and tribal citizen Gabe Sheoships will be recognized at a public ceremony October 18 as recipients of the 2023 Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership Awards. Ecotrust, a Portland-based nonprofit, presents the awards to recognize those whose work has improved their communities.

“Guided by Indigenous values, elders, and cultures, the 2023 Indigenous Leadership Awardees are diligently working to ensure healthy, safe, and vibrant futures for tribal communities and homelands. Their unshakeable commitment and impact on a wide range of issues and needs are deeply meaningful,” said Lisa Watt, Director of the Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership Program in a July 17 press release announcing the full slate of winners. “Ecotrust is honored to recognize them and their humble dedication.”

The organization has recognized 60 Indigenous leaders across the Pacific Northwest – including CTUIR Department of Natural Resources Director Eric Quaempts and Tamastslikt Cultural Institute Director Bobbie Conner – since it started the annual award program in 2001. In addition, CTUIR tribal member Antone Minthorn sits on the organization’s Board of Directors with Conner. The CTUIR Youth Leadership Council, the first group to be nominated for the award, will also be the first group to ever receive it.

The 21-member council was selected as an emerging leader for its salmon restoration and protection advocacy, which included an online petition campaign that has received more than 26,000 signatures asking the federal government to remove the four lower Snake River dams, and its support of the CTUIR community during the COVID-19 pandemic response.

“The letters of support spoke glowingly of the council’s selfless service and care for their community, culture, and salmon,” Watt stated in a May press release. “In the words of one panelist, the Youth Leadership Council breathes the heartbeat of what the Indigenous Leadership Awards stand for.”

Sheoships, the other CTUIR tribal member who will be honored this year, is currently the Executive Director of the Friends of Tryon Creek, the nonprofit partner of the 660-acre Tryon Creek State Natural Area in Portland. The organization Sheoships leads aims to inspire all communities to identify, cultivate or reclaim their relationship with nature, according to Ecotrust.

Sheoships teaches as an adjunct professor at Portland State University and serves on several regional nonprofit boards. He has also worked as a fisheries biologist for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.

“The thoughtful efforts of Gabe and his staff to de-colonize environmental education and re-in-

digenize landscapes have touched thousands of kids and visitors over the years and serves as a model for other organizations,” Watt said. “In addition, his passionate advocacy of Indigenous-led stewardship and traditional ecological knowledge, ecological restoration, and the protection of First Foods have led to this award.”

The other six awardees to be celebrated in October hail from Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Northern California. They will be recognized for work that includes culture, language and traditions revitalization, and leadership in the successful push to remove two dams on the Elwha River in Washington - among other accomplishments.

A panel of previous award winners and Indigenous community leaders reviewed nomination packages to determine awardees.

October’s celebration will be held in the Main Hall of Redd East, Ecotrust’s regional food hub and event space on Salmon Street in Portland. For more information, visit www.ecotrust.org

APARTMENTS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Board of Trustees unanimously voted on Aug. 28 to formally adopt temporary tenant policies, like who will be eligible to live in the new Timíne Way North Apartments, for the 30 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Monthly rents, which fall in the market-rate bracket, have also recently been finalized.

While the three-building apartment complex was nearly move-in ready when the tribe celebrated its completion in June, delays in finalizing rental policies led to the development of temporary rules so the tribe can continue working to relieve the housing shortage on the reservation.

“Yes, we’re moving in,” BOT Chair Kat Brigham said after adopting the policies during the Aug. 28 meeting.

Monthly rent is $676 for studios, $990 for the one-bedrooms and $1,260 for the two-bedroom units, said Marcus Luke, CTUIR Housing Department director. The rent includes all utilities and high-speed internet.

All units have been rented as of Aug. 30, according to the CTUIR Housing Department, which manages the properties.

“I knew we’d be filled by October,” Luke said. “We’re doing what the community wants.”

CTUIR tribal members are the intended residents. However, others, like CTUIR descendants, parents with CTUIR-enrolled children, people enrolled in other tribes and CTUIR and tribal entity employees will be considered, according to the policy. Presently, most of the renters – 25 of 30 head of households – are CTUIR tribal members or descendants, according to the Housing Department.

The wait list for non-low-income housing, like the new apartment development, had 63 applicants, according to the resolution setting the temporary policies approved on Aug. 28.

A scoring system determines which “apparently qualified applicants” will be offered units when becoming available, the occupancy policy states. CTUIR tribal members who are head of household receive the most points, with a non-CTUIR enrolled head of household who have minor children who are CTUIR tribal citizens getting the next most, followed by CTUIR descendants.

Members of other tribes, elders, CTUIR or tribal entity employees and those who have been waiting for tribal housing for at least six months without refusing an offer can be placed on the wait list, but with lower priority, according to the Housing Department.

The monthly income of applicants must also be at least 1.5 times more than their rent to qualify, according to the temporary policies. In addition, applicants with debt to the CTUIR Housing Department or other public housing authorities and programs will be required to resolve that issue before being approved for one of the apartments. The policies approved Aug. 28 are temporary, however. Tribal staff, according to the resolution, were directed to present finalized rules in a work session within 90 days.

Delays, like community member deaths, led

to meetings where those policies were set to be worked being postponed, he added. The policy was developed over several meetings in June and August with input from the BOT and Housing Commission.

The cost of overhead and the project’s development meant that the “need to get them filled was a priority,” which led to the temporary policies, Luke said in an Aug. 29 email.

An unmet need

When the tribe celebrated the completion of the apartment project alongside a nearby neighborhood subdivision development meant for tribal members who wanted to own their home, tribal leaders and officials involved in the projects said they were an achievement that would help erase a major shortage in housing availability on the reservation.

Together, the two projects will provide more than 70 homes or apartments for those who are looking for market-rate housing. The tribe broke ground on the apartment project in July 2022.

In 2017, a housing study determined that the reservation needed nearly 350 more housing units over 20 years to meet anticipated demand. Most of those units were needed immediately, according to the study.

And as the tribe and its entities have continued to grow, more jobs have been available, and what many community members can afford to pay for housing has increased with that growth. At the same time, more tribal members have wanted to move back to the reservation.

But finding housing has been challenge for those groups who are in the market-rate range, Luke said. The new apartments were meant to help address that need.

“We have a lot of tribal members who want to move back home but there’s no housing for them,” he said. “This is a step in the right direction.”

Inside the 30 new units, tenants will live in a modern, energy-efficient complex powered in part with help from a recently completed solar installation adjacent to the project. Each unit has private patios or balconies, in-unit laundry, a dishwasher, full-sized appliances and ample storage space and natural light, among other amenities.

Luke said the tribe and Housing Department are already working on the next project to increase housing availability – rental housing for elders and veterans.

For questions about the apartments, the waitlist, or the application process, contact the CTUIR Housing Department at 541-429-7920.

Apartments boast private outdoor spaces, open concept design, high quality finishes, full size bathrooms, ensuite laundry, ample storage space, kitchen pantry, dishwasher and more.

Want on the waitlist? Scan the QR code with your smart phone camera for a housing application

VISIT

hatchery will manage to return due to obstacles and poor water and habitat quality on the way.

One obstacle visited on the tour was the irrigation diversion dam at Nursery Bridge near the Oregon/ Washington state line.

“That’s really the bottleneck, the Nursery Bridge dam, for the fish getting up to the Walla Walla hatchery,” she said.

Brigham hopes the sense of urgency was impressed upon the officials.

“I know the Corps has this very complicated process that they have to go through,” Brigham said. “But at the very same, we wanted to let them know, ‘hey we got fish coming back; we need to get something done as soon as possible.’”

It would be part of an ambitious and costly 30-year water management, water quality and habitat improvement plan – the Walla Walla Water 2050 Strategic Plan – developed by CTUIR and other stakeholders, like Oregon, Washington and local governments. The plan was designed to increase stream flows in the Walla Walla River basin and

to improve water quality for salmon and other wildlife while maintaining access to water for others, like area farmers who rely on the basin’s water, among other goals.

The tribe and others involved in developing the plan are now looking to begin implementing parts of the plan, which was released in 2021 to heal a watershed where water is overallocated and the habitat is degraded.

Hopefully, the visit at least leads to some funding to help pay for project planning in the next year, Brigham said.

“I think it was a great trip because I think they understand more about

some of the problems we’re having,” she said. “So, we’re asking them to support us in working with the states and federal agencies and [Bonneville Power Administration] to develop a pilot project for the Walla Walla Basin.”

Although the two federal officials didn’t commit to providing funding for, or partnering on, a pilot project during the visit, Brigham said she believes they “got the message” and want to work with the tribe or help speed up the process where they can.

“I know overall it’s going to take a long time to fix the system,” she said. “But at the same time, if we could

just have a plan for 2025, that’s going to be very helpful, because that’s going to be our first returns.”

Ultimately, the goal is to develop a solid ecosystem driven approach to provide cold, clean water throughout the basin – not just for the salmon, but for everything and everyone sharing the habitat.

“If you’re going to have good clean air… clean water… good clean land, you have to take care of it,” Brigham said. We’re asking them (Corps of Engineers) to support us in working with the states and federal agencies and BPA to develop this project for the Walla Walla Basin as a whole.”

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Board of Trustees Member Lisa Ganuelas, Vice Chair Aaron Ashley, Member Toby Patrick and Chair Kat Brigham show Army Civil Works Assistant Secretary Michael Conner, second from right, areas needing habitat improvement during a recent tour of the Walla Walla Basin. PHOTO BY LEE GAVIN

Tribal Fire Station Expansion Construction Project Well Underway Tribal Representatives complete their weekly progress report meeting onsite of the Tribal Fire Station Expansion Project. From left, Anthony Bonifer, Wenaha Group Project Inspector, Randy Robinson, Tribal Employment Rights Office Compliance Officer, and Justin Northern, Tribal Public Works Department Director. The $1.2 million dollar project is expected to be complete December 31, 2023. TERO

PHOTO BY R.J. MINTHORN

Toni Minthorn named to Round-Up Hall of Fame

By LISA SNELL Editor

PENDLETON, Ore. — Straight out of high school, Toni Minthorn traveled east to a riding school she’d read about in Western Horseman magazine.

“I just wanted to ride,” she said of her journey off the reservation. “I think it was a disappointment to some members of my family that I wanted to go to horse riding school. But I just was obsessed with riding and learning about the horses.”

The school offered the opportunity to learn dressage and test her seat on competition-seasoned Saddlebred jumping horses. “Those horses were like riding a stick of dynamite,” she said laughingly. “They are big horses and they can blow up any second!”

Minthorn eventually came back home to Oregon. She put in time at Blue Mountain Community College

and continued her studies at Oregon State University, but the often dreary weather encouraged her to move to southern California, where she spent nearly six years riding cutting horses.

“I got to ride some of the best horses to get put on Earth and work with some legends of the industry,” she said. “I spent night after night in the practice pen, working with trainers most people only ever read about in the books. I wasn’t there to play or have fun. I wanted to learn and I took advantage of being there.”

Then one day, it took her nearly five hours to drive 40 miles.

“Honest to God, at that point in time, it took that long just to get out of Los Angeles,” Minthorn said. “If I had not been engaged at the time, I probably would have just kept driving the car and left everything there.”

MINTHORN CONTINUED PAGE 14

Wildfire smoke doesn’t diminish ‘great event’

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

PENDLETON, Ore. — Despite a wildfire smoke-shortened event, the second Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic professional golf tournament was declared a success.

While hazardous air quality forced organizers to cancel the Sunday final round, Wildhorse CEO Gary George said he considered the tournament –and the week of events leading up to the official competition that brought some of the best up-and-coming golfers in the world to the area – a success.

“We received a lot of goodwill comments from the community really ap-

preciative of the fact that Wildhorse and the tribe brought a professional event to our community,” George said. “So overall it was a great event.”

For the second year, Wildhorse Resort Casino and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation hosted about 140 professional golfers playing on the Epson Tour for the 2023 Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic, where they competed for a share of the $200,000 purse at the Wildhorse Golf Course.

The Epson Tour is the official developmental tour for the top women’s golf league, the LPGA Tour. Top players during the season will earn a place on the LPGA Tour for the following year.

Xiaowen Lin, an 18-year-old from China, won the abbreviated tournament and the $30,000 winner’s check with a final score of 12-under-par.

Players who competed in this year’s Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic tournament included three Oregon natives, four others who played collegiately at Oregon universities and a Kennewick native, Therese Warner. It also included Gabby Lemieux, one of the few Indigenous people who have played professionally and the first woman to have played in the U.S. Women’s Open when she qualified for that tournament in 2022.

The monthly newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

Team Young Gunz wins another rodeo, putting them in the running for Rookie Team of the Year, PAGE 15

Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic winner, Xiaowen Lin - PHOTO BY WIL PHINNEY GOLF CONTINUED PAGE

Toni Minthorn waves to the crowd during Pendleton Round-Up. Minthorn is the director of the CTUIR Enrollment Department. - PHOTO COURTESY TONI MINTHORN

100 HORSES: AN EQUINE HISTORY IN BEADWORK

ON EXHIBIT NOW!

During a lifetime of collecting Native American artifacts and objects, Fred L. Mitchell has amassed the premier collection of Plateau floral and pictorial beadwork. Drawing from his collection of beadwork featuring horses, this expansive exhibit includes bags, vests, gauntlets, and horse regalia. In addition, Tamástslikt has added pertinent pieces from its own collection of equine beadwork. Every piece in this exhibit demonstrates the extraordinary craftsmanship of its maker and has its own story.

Tamástslikt celebrates 25 year anniversary

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

PENDLETON, Ore. — Tamástslikt

Cultural Institute celebrated 25 years of telling the story of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation while also unveiling its latest exhibit early last month.

When the museum opened in 1998, it was the culmination of years of efforts to raise the money and increase public support needed to construct a cultural center meant to accurately tell the tribes’ story from their own perspective, perpetuate and preserve knowledge and support the tribal economy.

Tamástslikt officially celebrated the 25 years of educating the community at its 45,000-square foot facility overlooking plains and the nearby Blue Mountains on August 5 with a day of activities, free admission, food, gift shop discounts and prizes.

Bobbie Conner, executive director of Tamastslikt, said in an interview with the East Oregonian newspaper that marking the anniversary is not

only to celebrate the museum’s role in the community, “but also our community’s role in Tamastslikt’s development and existence.”

According to the museum, Tamástslikt is the only institution located along the historic Oregon Trail that tells the story of western expansion from a tribal point of view.

Conner told the East Oregonian, “Our story has been told in a lot of ways that are inaccurate, and in a lot

of ways that were completely biased from the perspective of the people who came into our country.”

During the Aug. 5 event, children participated in a coyote howling contest, while canine companions were dressed up for a dog parade and costume contest. All participants received tee shirts, and winning children also received a stuffed animal from the gift shop. The dogs took home toys and treats.

Later in the day, hand drummers competed for cash prizes that ranged from $150 to $500. Entries were recorded to be included on an anniversary CD.

At the end of the month, the cultural institute hosted some of its earliest and most generous supporters since its opening in 1998 to preview Tamastslikt’s newest exhibit, “100 Horses: An Equine History in Beadwork.

The exhibit, according to the museum, is a showcase for the “extraordinary craftsmanship” of Columbia Plateau beadwork and the “importance of the horse and the affection Plateau Tribes had for their horses” and the vast herds the Tribes used to have grazing across the area.

The new exhibit runs through December and features part of a collection of beadwork amassed by Walla Walla resident Fred Mitchell, as well as additional pieces from local tribal members and the cultural institute. Items on display include gauntlets, horse trappings, bags and vests, and other culturally significant items.

Hand drum winners were Fred Hill, first; Ernest Morning Owl, second; and Charles Wood III, third place. PHOTOS BY DALLAS DICK

Kayak employees recognized by OTA

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

PENDLETON, Ore. — A statewide public transportation association recently recognized three current or former Kayak Public Transit employees as among the best in the state. The Oregon Transit Association, an

operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Susan and Robert Johnson, who retired from Kayak recently, and Richey, received their awards during an August 15 ceremony at the annual Oregon Public Transportation Conference. The association’s annual honors include five other awards, including a Hero Award and recognition for an innovative public transit system.

Richey, the OTA’s Driver of the Year, logs 1,800 service hours and 80,000 miles a year for Kayak, according to a CTUIR press release announcing Kayak’s awards. Richey, who drives the Arrow route, takes passengers between Pendleton, Mission, Meacham, LaGrande, and over the infamous Dead Man’s Pass on Interstate 84, twice a day, five days a week through all conditions – snow, fog, rain, shine, and the occasional elk herd.

months; it couldn’t happen without ODOT’s plow drivers and the shop techs that keep our equipment in safe working order.”

The OTA also recognized the 31 years of combined service Susan and Robert Johnson gave to Kayak in honoring the two with its Distinguished Service Award.

Tovey, who called Susan and Robert Johnson a “transit power couple” said they left Kayak in a great position to provide fare-free transportation options to the region for generations.

Business funding, training available for Native craft artists

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums (ATALM), in partnership with Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+), today announced the launch of the Native Craft Artist Readiness Program (NCARP), a six-month program that provides training, resources, and financial support to build sustainable craft art business practices.

organization that advocates on behalf of public transportation providers and supporters in the state, named Susan and Robert Johnson as recipients of its 2023 Distinguished Service Award, with current driver Martin Richey named the 2023 Driver of the Year, for their work with the public transportation service owned and

According to J.D. Tovey, Tribal Planning Director, Richey is a known as a safe and reliable driver with an impeccable safety record despite his route taking him on one of the nation’s most hazardous stretches of the interstate highway. Ritchey prides himself on keeping his passengers safe and getting them to their destination – even that means an overnight stay in La Grande during a freeway closure, Tovey added.

“I appreciate the people that thought it worthwhile to put me up for this award,” Richie said in a statement to the CUJ. “But, as always, it’s a team effort to keep the buses running. Especially during the winter

Susan Johnson worked for Kayak in an administrative role from its founding in 2001 when it began offering rides between Pendleton and Mission. Under her leadership as Transit Program Manager, the program grew to become an important regional transit provider connecting travelers to 18 communities across four counties in Oregon and Washington. She retired in 2022.

When Robert Johnson joined Kayak in 2013 as its Fleet and Safety Manager, he came with nearly four decades of experience as a diesel mechanic, including six years as an instructor at Blue Mountain Community College. His accomplishments at Kayak include helping establish Kayak’s Transit Center and developing a fleet maintenance system that gained national recognition as the “gold standard” in rural transit fleet management.

Though he retired in 2023, Robert Johnson has since returned to Kayak part-time to provide inspections and safety training to the staff.

Funding from CERF+, and the Ford and Windgate Foundations will support up to 20 Native Craft Artists. Craft artists are defined as people who produce hand-crafted objects such as pottery, baskets, jewelry, beadwork, quilts, and other items.

Participating artists, selected through a national application process, will receive online training and access to a network of coaches, peers, and resources.

Artists completing the program will receive up to $10,000 to implement the skills and strategies gained through the program.

To support the craft artists, up to five artists with successful careers will serve as coaches or mentors. The coaches will receive national recognition for their leadership and generosity.

Applications are due by September 30, 2023. Selected Artists and Coaches will be notified by October 16, 2023. More information is available at www.atalm.org.

Hundreds attend annual CTUIR community picnic

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

MISSION, Ore. — Burgers, hot dogs, and school supplies were on the menu for those who attended the annual Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s Community Picnic Aug. 10.

Hundreds turned out for the event at the July Grounds, where attendees gobbled up just as many hot dogs and burgers, played in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, jumped, climbed or splashed on one of the many inflatable bounce houses and waterslides rented for children, or claimed a

prize or gift certificate donated for the event during a raffle.

The CTUIR Housing Department has hosted the annual event since 2006 as a way for the department to strengthen relationships and communications with tenants and community members, said Housing Department Director Marcus Luke. But it also allows the department give back to the community and provide an opportunity for CTUIR community members to gather before the start of the school year.

“Let’s send ‘em off right. Let’s all come together and laugh and eat and forget about our worries for a little while,” Luke said of his goal for the

event. “We need more community events like this.”

In addition to the all-you-can-eat food and refreshments, many CTUIR programs and departments provided informational booths or resources, while CTUIR youth were given free backpacks and school supplies for the new school year and could take on a bike safety course hosted by tribal police. Non-CTUIR organizations, like some area colleges and universities, government agencies, and businesses owned by Indigenous people also participated.

While the housing department hosts the annual event, Luke said its success depends on support from the

broader CTUIR community – the Board of Trustees, General Council, other departments and outside organizations that provide staff and informational booths – and the volunteers who help ensure it runs smoothly and feels “almost like a family event.”

As this year’s picnic began to wind down, he said it appeared the event’s organizers would again achieve their goal, basing his assessment on the good turnout, ideal weather, stories shared and constant laughing.

“We’ve got to hear a lot of good laughs, a lot of good stories,” Luke said. “That’s the main thing we want.”

Robert Johnson, left, and Susan Johnson accept Distinguished Service Awards from the Oregon Transit Association at its annual conference on Aug. 15. PHOTO COURTESY OREGON TRANSIT ASSOCIATION

Gabe Sheoships, Indigenous advocate for the environment

By JACKLEEN DE LA HARPE Ecotrust

The slippery wriggling lamprey, seven breathing holes on both sides of its body, is often mistakenly called an eel. It’s not hard to see why. The grey-green cartilaginous fish has no bones and a suction-cup rasping mouth ringed with sharp teeth. Scientists call it an ancient “superclass” of jawless fish that evolved more than 450 million years ago, one of the oldest lineages in the world.

Lamprey, sacred for tribal people as both food and a cultural teacher, are “key to human survival and resilience,” said Gabe Sheoships, Executive Director of Friends of Tryon Creek. Even though lamprey have been absent from the creek for many decades, Sheoships sees a future when lamprey return to spawn and mature. Tryon Creek is a tributary that joins the Willamette River just a mile downstream.

“This is a pretty unique environment, smack dab in the middle of an urban area. Before Portland, Oregon, became Stumptown, it looked something like this,” he said, sitting outside his office in the shade of Douglas fir, cedar, and maples in all directions. The cool breeze smells faintly of cedar. Birds chirp and twitter.

Gabe Sheoships (Cayuse/Walla Walla) is honored for his efforts to build authentic narratives in environmental education, focusing on the give-and-take of relationships of people to the land, plants, and animals. He is recognized for stewarding the land and protecting First Foods and his unwavering commitment to the needs of Indigenous communities to thrive and maintain their sovereignty.

Under his leadership, Friends of Tryon Creek has shifted away from a linear world view toward an Indigenous relational perspective, he said. The environmental education programs at Tryon Creek have been recalibrated to show the connection of humans to the natural world, where plants, animals, people, and natural systems are equally valued.

The ideas of land that is owned and occupied are set aside and replaced by Indigenous values and respect. People and the natural world thrive because of, not despite, the other, he said — a view of the world that is collective, balanced, and holistic. It looks forward and backward for seven generations. Youth are honored for the future they represent, and

elders are valued for their wisdom and advice. Our role, Sheoships said, is to care for each other whether it is burning the land to protect it or providing a way for lamprey to come home.

Sheoships, a fisheries biologist, is both an educator and a scientist. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University and a master’s degree in fisheries biology from Oregon State University, with a focus on understanding critical habitat within the Columbia River Basin in relation to lamprey. He worked as a technician at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission for eight years before being hired at Tryon Creek. Since 2016, he has taught in multiple departments at Portland State University, including Indigenous Nations Studies, Environmental Science and Management, and the Hatfield School of Government. In addition, he serves on multiple nonprofit boards.

Western education, he said, leaves out many of the important teachings that are central to Indigenous communities. His goal is shifting the emphasis of environmental programs to strengthen families by connecting the dots from parents and children to education, better health, and stronger economic outcomes. Investing in youth is a crucial ingredient in all the work he does, whether it is in his role at Tryon Creek or as a volunteer.

“We are here to care for the trees, fish, streams, birds — to show what can be done and to teach what we can learn from an Indigenous perspective,” he said. Tryon Creek is a model of how to understand a natural place — culturally, scientifically, ethically. “We are working to promote holistic access for people to this park, to restore native communities of fish and provide them with return to this place, which is also their home. We’re laying that groundwork where lamprey will come back to this creek.” Since he assumed leadership at Tryon Creek, he has been carefully rebuilding a conservancy that nearly went under during the economic hit of COVID. Most of the staff were laid off or quit. Starting with skeletal programming and staff gave him an opportunity to reshape the internal structure of the organization and remake the experience for visitors who come to the park. Now the park centers on the reciprocal relationships to the land and one another.

Additionally, to make Indigenous

values visible, Sheoships plans to create an outdoor pavilion centered around Indigenous art by Native artists. This one-of-a-kind education center will be grounded in ancestral design that honors the original stewards of the forest and amplifies Indigenous cultural art and values with a theme of trade and confluence.

Recalling his own public school education, he says that Indigenous history tends to be left out or is heavily abridged. Friends of Tryon Creek programs, said Sheoships, will tell an accurate story of Native people. It will also be a place where lamprey will come back to spawn, a small trickle of a creek that grows and shrinks depending on the season with input from five tributaries. The main impediment to a more robust creek is a culvert so big it’s possible to

stand in it.

Somehow, said Sheoships, lamprey have been able to survive for a long time, even though they are more climbers than swimmers, moving slow, swimming slowly.

Many tribes tell stories about lamprey, he said, like the one about boastful, cocky lamprey and how he lost his bones. Lamprey bet suckerfish he would win a race against him and, sure enough, lamprey not only lost the race but lost his bones, a lesson in being humble.

“I love lamprey. If more people care about the natural world, they will have that knowledge to take with them in life,” he said. “Lamprey are a great teacher of that.”

- Republished with kind permission from Ecotrust, www. ecotrust.org

Gabe Sheoships is a 2023 Indigenous Leadership Awardee being celebrated as an emerging leader for his efforts to decolonize environmental education, re-Indigenize landscapes, and advocate for Indigenous-led stewardship and First Foods protection. - PHOTO COURTESY ECOTRUST

Scan QR Code with your phone camera for more information about the Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership Awards

Area youth get golf tips from pros during Epson Tour week

By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter

PENDLETON, Ore. — Next time Dreux Hall Spencer plays golf, he’ll bring an improved game to impress his playing partners thanks to a morning spent up close to some of the best golfers in the world.

Hall Spencer, a Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation tribal member and incoming 7th grader, also plays baseball and, according to him, is called Babe Ruth by his teammates because he’s known to “hit the high balls and get the dingers.”

But after spending a morning at the Wildhorse Golf Course exposed to, and learning from, female professional golfers who would be playing in a tournament at the course days later, Hall Spencer said he’s got an itch to start playing more golf.

“It just actually makes me want to play golf more” he said, adding that he finished second during a putting competition among his age group in addition to picking up some tips to improve his backswing and stance.

“I learned a lot of things and it’s just awesome. I’ll remember that next time I play golf.”

Hall Spencer and dozens of other kids spent the morning at the course improving their skills and watching some of the best up-and-coming golfers in the world hit drives, pitches and putts during the Aug. 15 youth clinic. The instructional clinic was part of a week of events leading up to approximately 140 professional players teeing it up in the 2023 Wildhorse Ladies Classic Epson Tour Tournament.

The marquee instructors at the clinics included several of the professionals – the next generation of stars in women’s golf – who would be teeing it up later in the week during the tournament.

Instead of spending the morning on the course practicing, those pros showed off their skills, dished out advice at different stations, gave out high-fives and signed autographs for participants.

CTUIR tribal members Bradley and Waylon Breazeale were among those who participated in the clinic at Wildhorse. Waylon said his brother Bradley has played golf for about

a year, while he’s played for about three.

Taking part in the clinic – and being able to see how the professionals prepare to play – “gave me an opportunity to learn more,” to use the next time he hits the course with his cousins at Wildhorse, his usual playing companions, Waylon Breazeale said.

For Hall Spencer, watching the pros during a shot demonstration and competition, and noting “how they practice, how they’re looking,

and just how they’re thinking,” was just as valuable and motivating as the one-on-one tips he got from them, he said.

He said he was amazed because one thing he didn’t see throughout the day was any of the professionals hit a shot that was seemingly anything other than flawless.

“That’s a fun experience to watch some pro players just … hit it perfect every time,” Hall Spencer said. “But it would’ve been funny to see one miss.”

CTUIR tribal member Bradley Breazeale putts his ball toward the hole during a competition with his age group during a youth clinic on Aug. 15.

--- MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE CHILD AT A TIME ---

TO APPLY OR HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, CONTACT CTUIR DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Nixyaawii Governance Center # 541-276-3165 • DCFS Main # 541-429-7300 • Cristina Ferea # 458-300-3172 (call or text) or cristinaferea@ctuir.org

Pendleton Linebacker’s Club Hall of Fame inducts CTUIR members

Shane Rivera, center, was joined by his daughter Bradley as he received his Buckaroo Hall of Fame certificate from Ryan Sams.

Rivera is a 1990 graduate from Pendleton High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. In 2012, Rivera became the head boy’s basketball coach at Nixyaawii Community School. In his eight seasons as coach, this teams won five district championships, made five state tournament appearances, and brought home a 1A Oregon State Championship. He was voted district coach of the year for both Big Sky Conference and Old Oregon League. In 2019, he was named the 1A Oregon State Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year. Rivera is the winningest coach in Nixyaawii Community School history. Rivera currently works as the Adult Probation Officer for the Umatilla Tribal Court.

Brooker Jones, left, with his granddaughter Brooklyn Jones, received his Hall of Fame certificate fromhis brother, Buck Jones, a 2022 inductee.

Jones graduated from Pendleton High School in 1982 and is noted as one of the greatest basketball players in Buckaroo history. He averaged 17 points and eight rebounds per game as a senior and the Buckaroos advanced in the playoffs both his junior and senior years. He was selected to play in the State Metro basketball games for outstanding seniors. His state team was the first to win both games in the series. Jones also played baseball as a starting pitcher and football as a tight end and wide receiver.

Jones is a 25 year employee at the Wildhorse Golf Resort on the CTUIR Reservation.

F AMILY E

PHOTOS BY DALLAS DICK

Way to Go!

CTUIR welcomes newest member of Umatilla Tribal Police Department

By CTUIR FISH & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Jared Rogers started on August 16, 2023 as a Fish & Wildlife Conservation Law Enforcement Officer with the Umatilla Tribal Police Department. Rogers is a certified lateral police officer, recently retired from LaGrande Police Department where he had been employed for 25 years. Prior to that, Jared worked as a cadet with the Oregon State Police, including the Fish &Wildlife Division. Rogers attended college at Southern Oregon University and obtained a chemistry degree prior to working on projects at the United States Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory. He enjoys recreating in the outdoors, practicing archery, hiking, and horse riding in the Eagle Cap Wilderness area. Rogers says he is excited to be of service to the CTUIR.

Brave Johnson, CTUIR descendant and grandson of Judge Bill Johnson, was recognized as his team’s Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game during this summer’s Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series. Johnson’s Portland team dominated regional play and advanced to become the Pacific Northwest Region champions. They won the series title Aug. 19 in Jamestown, New York, by besting eight other regional championship teams from across the U.S. and Canada. Way to go Brave! - Photo courtesy Kathy Chan

LARGE RANCHER $ 14

Jared Rogers

September

Happy Birthday

1st: Troy Gillpatrick

2nd: Reese Shippentower

3rd: Preston Bronson

5th: Audrey Shippentower, Willie McKay, Johnny Milligan, Vicki Rodriguez and Ayla Ferea

6th: Misty Brigham

8th: Cleo Dick and Alina George

9th: Manuel Soares

10th: Nathan “Duce” Dick and Angelica Ancheta

11th: KariAnn Edmiston and Nijone Lockhart

12th: Robert Van Pelt and Dean Harrison

14th: Thomas Brigham

16th: Chris Brigham, Dan Morris and Tyler Rodriguez

17th: Charlie Morrison, Ela Morrison, Charlie Quaempts, Remington Anderson and Lanae Tinsley

18th: Ralph Jones

19th: Rodrick Edmiston

20th: Jose Hernandez

22nd: Leo Crawford, III

27th: Neva Kash Kash

28th: Mary T. Renner-Wittkopf and Richard Orna

September

Happy Anniversary

3rd: Michael & Deb Van Pelt

4th: Andrea Rodriguez & Jose Hernandez

7th: Amber & Troy Gillpatrick

11th: Hanna & Rick Copsey

24th: Chris Sr. & Tina Marsh

29th: Angelica & Chris Ancheta

In Memoriam

Shane Alan Shippentower

Shane Alan Shippentower, 34 died on Saturday, August 19, 2023. He was born on July 25, 1989, in Portland, Oregon. The dressing ceremony was held on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at Burns Mortuary Chapel at 2:00 p.m. Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 6:00 p.m., Wáašat Service followed at 7:00 p.m. in Burns Mortuary. Burial was Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at Agency Cemetery at 9:00 a.m. Arrangements managed by Burns Mortuary of Pendleton.

Harry Wayne James

Harry Wayne James, 76 died on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland, Washington. Dressing Ceremony was held on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at Burns Mortuary Chapel at 3:00 p.m. with Wáašat Service at 7:00 p.m. at Agency Longhouse. Final Seven on Friday, August 25, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at Agency Longhouse, the burial followed at Agency Cemetery. Arrangements managed by Burns Mortuary of Pendleton.

GOLF

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

More than 70 youth participated in two free clinics at Wildhorse and the Golf Course at Birch Creek, where they picked up advice from, and interacted with, several of the Epson Tour players despite the clinics occurring on a day where temperatures soared past 100 degrees.

In addition, two pro-am tournaments before the official tournament allowed members of the public, local businesses and organizations to play a round with the professionals.

George said the event wouldn’t have been possible without area business and organization sponsors and the more than 140 volunteers from across the region who hosted a player in their home or helped ensure the tournament went smoothly.

“The enthusiasm they showed was very appreciated by not only Wildhorse but by Epson and their professionals,” he said. “For a lot of the players, the Epson Tour is a developmental tour, but they got a real good feel for how they will be treated on

Something

for everyone

the LPGA. So a lot of them were very appreciative of the extra mile that our volunteers … and some of our sponsors did for them.”

Bringing top professional athletes and a professional event has numerous benefits for Wildhorse, the tribe and the public, George added.

For Wildhorse and the tribe, it is an opportunity to showcase the Wildhorse Golf Course and grow its reputation as a course “where the pros play,” he said, adding that the boost in reputation should help draw more recreational players to a course that has already seen incremental increases throughout the year. It also brings global attention to Wildhorse and the area that comes with having a tournament with players who represent more than 30 countries, he added.

Hosting an event like this also leads to economic benefits – from players, tour staff and caddies spending money at local businesses to regional vendors and businesses being paid to provide services like signage, rentals and communications equipment, according to the Epson Tour and Wildhorse.

For community members, George said it provides exposure to a game with benefits and potential careers in

it, that in recent years is increasing in popularity. Wildhorse and the tour said in media materials that the tournament is an opportunity to provide “meaningful opportunities for Tribal youth and to grow the game of golf in our region.”

George said golf is a lifelong sport – though more difficult than it appears – that all can enjoy and teaches youth to be a responsible person who is accountable for their actions.

“You’ll see grandpas, grandmas, mom and dads, their kids, all out at the golf course having fun together,” he said. “So, it’s a good environment to bring kids, parents and everyone together.”

Although the tournament play was shortened by smoke, George said ticket sales “were way up” compared to the previous year. About 300 tickets were sold during the first year of the event, according to tournament organizers.

Organizers said they considered rescheduling the final round until Monday but decided to cancel the final round when the air quality forecast didn’t improve.

“The safety of our athletes, volunteers, and staff is of the upmost importance,” said Jody Brothers in

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

an Aug. 20 announcement canceling the final round. “I’m disappointed for the athletes, our tremendous sponsor in Wildhorse Resort & Casino, and the fans who were here to see an exciting finish.”

George said it’s too early to say whether Wildhorse and CTUIR will host the tournament again next year, but that those discussions have been taking place.

While George was disappointed the final round was cancelled, he said the feedback from the community and Wildhorse employees – and especially from the Epson Tour and players – has been positive.

“I don’t know how you’d measure goodwill, but a lot of people really liked the event,” he said. “The LPGA and the Epson staff and their professionals were thinking that this was a tournament that’s in its 12th year of operation.”

There are four other Tribally-sponsored tournaments in the Epson Tour: IOA Championship (Morongo), FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship (Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi), Four Winds Invitational (Pokagon Band Potawatomi), and Circling Raven Championship (Coeur d’Alene).

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 hearings:

Conditional Use File #CU-23-001 – Applicant, Urban Patterns, LLC on behalf of their client Cairnspring Mills, LLC seeks approval from the Land Protection Planning Commission to construct a flour mill. The subject property is identified as Lot 1 of the Coyote Business Park South Subdivision within trust parcel T2103-C, which is within the external boundaries of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The subject property is zoned I-D, Industrial Development, where a flour mill is listed as a Conditional Use. Conditional Use approvals are subject to the CTUIR Land Development Code Chapters 6 and 13.

Variance File #V-23-001 – Applicant, Urban Patterns, LLC on behalf of their client Cairnspring Mills, LLC seeks approval from the Land Protection Planning Commission to construct a flour mill tower that is 65 feet in height. The subject property is identified as Lot 1 of the Coyote Business Park South Subdivision within trust parcel T2103-C, which is within the external boundaries of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The subject property is zoned I-D, Industrial Development, where structures other than grain elevators are limited to 45 feet. Variance approvals are subject to the CTUIR Land Development Code Chapters 8 and 13.

888-222-2397 www.pendletonfurniturelady.com

These hearings will be held on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Individuals may attend the meeting in the Walúula and Wanaqit conference rooms at the Nixyáawii Governance Center, virtually, or by phone. Information on joining the meeting online is available at https://ctuir.org/events/ lppc-public-hearing-cu-23-001-v-23-001-tsp-20-year-update-1/. Participation in the hearing will also be available by phone at 321-754-9526 starting at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the hearing. The conference ID will be 322 646 057#.

Staff reports and other materials pertaining to the hearing are available for review at the link above, or can be requested from the Tribal Planning Office by calling 541-276-3099.

JOIN THE CAYUSE HOLDINGS TEAM!

We have dozens of jobs open each month. Work on the Reservation, remotely from your home, across the US or overseas.

Tribal Hiring Preference and Equal Opportunity Employer.

Current Cayuse Holdings job opportunities include Clinical Research Associate (Tacoma WA), Customer Support Agent (remote / Pendleton), Deck Hand and Junior Marine Engineer (both in Guam), Executive Assistant (remote), Help Desk (Pendleton), Program Manager (Albuquerque), Quality Assurance Support (remote), Senior Computer User Support Specialist (Walla Walla), Service Desk Agent (remote) and Desktop IT Technician on or near Indian Reservations across the US.

See the complete list of job openings at www.cayuseholdings.com

WRC JULY

Employees of the Month

Supervisor of the month: Jose Berumen (Slots)

Jose is always available and ready to help the slot floor staff when they need help. As well as other departments. He answers calls right away. He is always ready to answer questions for staff as well as customers. Jose is always walking the floor - he’s right there for the slot floor workers almost always before they even ask for help to answer questions or explain how to do something.

- Nominated by Nicole Minthorn, HR

Support EE of the month: Jacob Quaempts (Facility Maintenance)

Jake has shown great pride in his work and his willingness to get the job done under difficult situations. He has become an apprentice Electrician to improve his abilities even further. He is a joy to work with and I’m proud to have him as a member of our team. Jake is a self-starter who gets things done while treating other shops as customers that deserve his respect as well as listen to their concerns.

- Nominated by Michael Fitzgerald, FM Electrical

Frontline EE of the month: Gerald Patrick Elgin (Slots)

I nominate Patrick for Front Line Employee of the Month. Patrick is very knowledgeable regarding policy and procedure and is always willing to go the extra mile out on the floor. Patrick is kind to all and displays a wonderful sense of humor that has guests and employees alike, smiling ear to ear. Patrick is the epitome of customer service here at Wildhorse.

- Nominated by Tyler Stewart, HR

At the start of school, the Weston-McEwen/Griswold Volleyball and Football teams split up and played each other to help them get ready for the upcoming season. Both teams played upper classmen against lower classmen. PHOTOS BY DALLAS DICK

Rytta Quaempts goes up for a spike over her teammates.

Anthony (A.J.) Nix makes a catch in the end zone in a scrimmage football game.

Way to Go!

Team Young Gunz won another big rodeo and are the 100th Anniversary Ellensburg Rodeo Wild Bronc Champions. Team Young Gunz consists of CTUIR member Logan Quaempts (Mission, Ore.), Jacob Spencer (Toppenish, Wash.), and Ethan Wallahee (Toppenish, Wash.). This win puts them in contention for “Rookie Team of the Year” in the Xtreme Bronc Riding Association and a chance to attend the XBR finals in January. They also won 2nd at the Omak Stampede and 1st at the Wasco County Fair and Rodeo in Tygh Valley. - Submitted by Sierra Quaempts

2023 HAPPY CANYON REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 at 6:00 pm: COMPLETE DRESS REHEARSAL

• Costume check

• Spotlight practice – all livestock parts highly encouraged

• Participant passes will be distributed after you rehearse your part

If you plan to participate in Happy Canyon, please attend practice. Any questions, call Becky Waggoner, Show Director, at 541-379-3106.

Thank you and On with the Show! Each of you is so appreciated!

Sun Schimmel goes in for a layup as Cashis Alferez-Bevis watches during the CTUIR’s Community Picnic 3-on-3 Tournament Aug. 10.

PHOTO BY DALLAS DICK

MINTHORN

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

As the saying goes, there’s no place like home, and Minthorn made her way back to the reservation. “I just wanted to be home. I wanted to do work for myself, you know? Ride horses, train horses, work for myself,” she said.

She started with buying two brood mares. She had a cutting stallion she worked cattle on. She gave riding lessons. Then the Pendleton Round-Up court queen came calling.

“This was 1988 or 89. I’d given her lessons when she was a little girl, and of course, she knew I was back in the area. ‘Can I bring my horse out and have you help me with this horse jumping?’” Minthorn recalled. “Then, back in 2003, 2002, a guy called me and says, ‘Hey, can you give my daughter some lessons? She’s gonna try out for Round-Up court.’”

Minthorn gave the daughter riding lessons and boarded the horse for the summer since the family lived in town.

Then another girl wanted help before trying out for the Round-Up court. And another. And another.

Then a Happy Canyon princess needed a parade horse and Minthorn ended up providing horses for both princesses.

In 2004, the Happy Canyon Indian director asked if she’d be the girls’ chaperone. Then she became the official Round-Up court riding coach in 2006.

Season by season, Minthorn becomes more and more emmeshed into the spectacle and pageantry of the Pendleton Round-Up and feels right at home. She said her great-grandfather “led the Indians to town on day one” and her mother was the inaugural Happy Canyon princess. Both of her grandfathers are in the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame.

“I guess you could say I was born into it, you know?”

She grew up camping with her family in the Indian village during Round-Up. She first participated in Happy Canyon as a baby. She was chosen as a Happy Canyon princess in 1978 and later served as a RoundUp princess in 1982, making her the first to serve on both courts. She’s been an outrider for the American Indian beauty contest, pulled a travois in the Happy Canyon show and the Westward Ho! Parade and

represented the show in parades throughout the West. Over the years, Minthorn has also volunteered where needed for Round-Up: working the parade, security, in the arena, on the grounds or seeing to hay and the barns.

“Toni gives her time selflessly every week and often more than once a week, to provide us opportunities

Minthorn will be honored as a Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame inductee Sunday, Sept. 10 during the annual Hall of Fame banquet.

“While her expertise as a horsewoman is commendable, it is what she has the ability to do outside of the arena that is truly remarkable. To say that Toni cultivates great riders

would be an understatement. While she does train us to be better riders, she also makes us better people. I truly believe that every person that invests in a relationship with her walks away a little better, both in and outside of the arena…It is a gift to be part of the Round-Up court sisterhood and be part of the same RoundUp family. It has truly been an honor to be coached by [Minthorn] and even bigger honor to call [her] a friend,” Schreiber said.

The Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame was founded in 1969. The first honorees were 10 men and five horses. Each year the Hall of Fame Board of Directors and its members select honorees that have a long association with Round-Up and Happy Canyon.

“One of the things about Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon is passing down that legacy year after year - the traditions and the culture and handing down roles. The relationships… go back years and years and years. It’s a pretty cool thing,” Minthorn said.

Pendleton Round-Up begins with a dress-up parade at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9 in downtown Pendleton. Let ‘er buck!

to learn and advance our skills as horsewomen. There are few people who know the grand entry inside and out the way Toni does. She pushes us each practice to hammer in our technical riding skills such as our two-point position for jumps, spacing, and keeping our horses in peak condition,” said Round-Up princess Deidre Schreiber, describing Minthorn during a recent appreciation dinner.

“It’s tradition. It’s culture. It’s just what I do,” Minthorn said, waving away the comment with her hands, a gleam of silver flashing on her index finger. The ring is inscribed, “Let ‘er Buck.”

Round-Up queen Cloe Davis had it made for Minthorn.

“This was a gift given to me last week. I’ve received some pretty phenomenal gifts for helping people over the years,” Minthorn said. A shelf in her office is testament. It is crowded with objects given out of affection and appreciation. A metal wire teepee, a diorama featuring a collectible pony and a custom ledger-art style drawing crowd the ledge.

However, her next gift for helping others won’t fit on a shelf.

Toni Minthorn waves to spectators during a past Pendleton Round-Up parade. PHOTOS COURTESY TONI MINTHORN

Toni Minthorn and Kayla Fosseck, 2019 Happy Canyon princess.

Happy Canyon

The CUJ asked the Happy Canyon Princesses a few questions about themselves, their experiences, and just for fun, who they’d want with them on a deserted island. Here are their answers.

Tell us a little about yourself:

I am 2023 Happy Canyon Princess, Láátis Nowland and I am enrolled in The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. I am also Nez Perce. My parents are Jess Nowland and Trinette Minthorn. My maternal grandparents are Armand Minthorn and Tresea Parker. My paternal grandparents are Dale Nowland and Maria Montoya. My great-great grandmothers are Lorreta “Lonnie” Alexander and Ethel “Tessie” Williams. My great grandmother Ethel was a lifelong member of the Pendleton Round-Up, and she was the second ever Happy Canyon Princess chaperone. She also helped organize the making of the

Q&A rincess P

famous Happy Canyon princess bag. My great grandmother was truly the spirit of Round-Up. She has sadly passed on from this world but will forever be a part of the Round-Up family. I am currently 20 years old. I was born and raised on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, but I spent most of my life in Wallowa, Oregon. My dress is a true piece of history. My great grandmother Lorreta “Lonnie” Alexander within her lifetime had made many beautiful buckskin dresses. The dress I am currently using is over 200 years old and has been passed down many generations. My dress is covered in beaded roses. My name “Laatis“ means flower in the Nez Perce language. My great grand-

mother Lorreta gave me my name when I was born and I chose to wear this dress because I have a strong connection to it.

What has the experience of being a Happy Canyon Princess been like?

This experience is like no other. At a young age, I dreamed about becoming a Happy Canyon Princess and as I grew older, that dream did not change. It has been truly an unforgettable experience and I couldn’t be happier to reign with my cousin Susie Blackwolf Patrick. My family has been my biggest supporters. I couldn’t have gotten far without the way I was brought up with my culture and the way it has such a big impact on me and my family as well!

Tell us about your horse...

My horse’s name is Turbo. He is having a blast as well, he’s my partner in crime!

Turbo is such a good horse. He has such a gentle way of bringing me through my parades. He is almost 30 and he’s still horsing around with me and my family.

What are you looking forward to most the week of Round Up?

I am most looking forward to the Jr Beauty Contest. That’s where I fell in love with the idea of becoming a Happy Canyon Princess. I have been participating in that contest since I was able to walk. I can’t wait to bring that idea to many little future princesses.

What has being a Happy Canyon Princess and ambassador representing your family and people taught you?

Being a Happy Canyon princess and being able to represent my family, my tribe, the Pendleton RoundUp and Happy Canyon has been the

biggest honor I have held. I couldn’t be more proud of the way I carry myself and the way my family lifts me up. But this experience also comes with new things to learn. My biggest lesson here has to be, ‘stay loving and go with the flow.’ I have been tested with the heat and the people around me while I had to continue to keep my cool. With a busy schedule and continuing to go to work after events, it’s been draining but could not have been more rewarding to keep going.

When people come to see the Happy Canyon show, what do you hope they take away from the experience?

I hope people take away the beauty of my culture with respect. The heirlooms and the breathtaking views of the tipi village. I also hope they take away some of the meaning of what it’s like to be Native American in modern times and the past.

What is your favorite part about participating in the Happy Canyon show?

My favorite part has to be the ‘crying scene’. It was always my favorite as a kid. My cousins and I would have contests on who looked more sad. Also, listening to my grandfather and mother narrate. My grandfather, and on many occasions my father, has been narrating the Native American portion of the show for more than 15 years. Knowing it could be my turn next is such a historic, fulfilling feeling.

If you were on a deserted island, who would you pick to be stranded with you and why?

If I were stranded on deserted island, I would definitely choose my brothers. They are entertaining and there’s never a dull moment with them.

Láátis Nowland

Tell us a little about yourself:

My name is Susie Blackwolf Patrick, and my Indian name is Walptikthla kayiya (Singingbird). I am from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. My father is Toby Patrick and my mom is Julia Johnson. My grandparents on paternal side are my grandfather Marvin ‘’Wish’’ Patrick Sr and my grandmother Suevina ‘’Shirley’’ Albert Patrick. My grandparents on my maternal side are grandfather John Bevis and my grandmother Katie Blackwolf-Bevis.

I am a 21-year-old descendent of Cayuse, Yakama, Warm Springs/ Wasco and a proud born and raised, enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. I am a 2020 graduate of Nixyaawii Community School where I attended four years of high school and participated in volleyball, basketball, and golf. I was in the National Honor Society, a video editor, Communicare, and a part of the Umatilla Language class with Damian Totus as my language teacher. The dress that I am wearing through my reign is my Kuthlas (maternal grandmother’s) dress. She was gifted a bag with her Indian name, along with leggings and hair ties, at one of her grandchildren’s Indian name ceremonies. After she was gifted those items, she continued adding to that outfit and beaded the top, which took her about a year to complete. The dress is now four years old.

What has the experience of being a Happy Canyon Princess been like?

Being a Happy Canyon Princess is a dream come true. Before I even thought about becoming a princess, my family and I were gathering, practicing, and tending to our culture, but this opened up a new door for me and my family. It has been a fun, adventurous, and unforgettable experience. I have gotten to spend additional time with my family, and it has brought lovely amazing people into our lives. We have gained a lot of friendships through the year that will last a lifetime. Plus, we gained a sisterhood with five girls who were once strangers but accepted Láátis and me as their sisters, as we accepted them. It was also a bonus getting to experience this year with someone by my side, someone I grew with in the longhouse, my cousin, Princess Láátis Nowland.

Tell us about your horse...

The horse that I am using this year is named ZZ. He belongs to Mania, Jeremy, and Althea Wolf. At the beginning of my princess year, I lost one of my best friends from Lapwai, Idaho, who I met during my college year in 2020. I was able to get the news to her about becoming a Happy Canyon princess, and she was so proud and happy. We were already making plans about what we should do before the year was over. It was emotionally very hard when I heard of her passing. After going to take care of her; sending her on her journey and being there for her family, I was honored, but it was hard coming back home and getting back into reality. Getting back to work and getting back to my princess duties helped.

At the beginning of the year, when we started riding practice, I just jumped on a horse that they had ready for me. After practice I heard the name of the horse and it brought nothing but happy tears to me because I instantly saw a sign that she’s here with me, watching over me. The horse’s name is the same as my friend’s name that I lost in March. I instantly wanted to stick with one horse for the rest of the year. I can’t express enough how thankful I am for the Wolf family for dedicating their time and energy to helping me this year with ZZ.

What are you looking forward to most the week of Round Up?

What I always look forward to about Round-Up week is seeing the hard work combine with the cultural traditions that make Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon what it is. Being in the tipi village while watching the sunset is probably my favorite thing - there is definitely no other view like that. I also look forward to blowing up my camera roll with 300-plus pictures so I can look back and cherish what I gained and got to experience.

What has being a Happy Canyon Princess and ambassador representing your family and people taught you?

Being a Happy Canyon princess has been an honor; being able to represent who I am as a person, my parents, family, tribe, my people, and Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon. It has been one of the

Susie Blackwolf Patrick

biggest blessings and honors in my life. It has helped me a lot in ways I can’t easily describe. I’m really proud of the way my family and I continue to carry ourselves, because - who would’ve thought being a princess wasn’t easy? Well, I thought it was going to be easy, but I thought wrong! All the hard work and time, late nights and early mornings, being in the heat with my heavy outfit top, it was all worth it. I was tested all year but tried my best not to lose focus on what I was doing, the main reason I’m here.

When people come to see the Happy Canyon show, what do you hope they take away from the experience?

What I hope people take away from the show is an appreciation for the Western and Indian way of life. Today’s world has definitely changed and will continue to change. I hope people know that we are still here, and we never left. I hope people can see the beauty and all the hard work we put into making us who we are today.

If you were on a deserted island, who would you pick to be stranded with you and why?

I would have to choose my besties, they know who they are, only because we know how to make each other laugh and we know how to have a good time.

What has been your proudest achievement this year?

My proudest achievement this year is being able to live life the way I’m living. I work at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center in the pharmacy department where I am doing on-the-job training to get my pharmacy technician license. Bouncing between pharmacy homework and Happy Canyon is not easy, but being able to make it work is my biggest achievement. Having a loving and supportive work family has been very special. Princess Láátis and I grew up practicing our treaty rights, being able to show and teach our Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon family has also been one of my biggest achievements this year.

For more information about the Happy Canyon princesses and the night show, visit pendletonroundup.com

Free Park-n-Ride is located beween Wildhorse Resort & Casino and Arrowhead Travel Plaza. It will run every hour at the top of the hour, starting at 10:00 am to 10 pm, with stops at Main Street, The Roy Raley Park (Round-Up Grounds), and Convention Center (Happy Canyon). On Friday, September 16th for the Westward Ho Parade, the Park-n-Ride will start at 8:30 am with additional stops at Til Taylor Park, Main Street/Emigrant, and the Early Learning Center/SW 13th.

Park-n-Ride Locations:

Arriving by I-84

Take Exit 216 and proceed north on HWY 331 about 1 mile, to the Wildhorse Resort & Casino parking lot and watch for signs on the right.

Arriving by Highway 11

At Hwy 331 intersection, proceed south for about 3 miles, to the parking lot and watch for signs at Wildhorse Resort & Casino on the left.