CUJ December 2020

Thunder Taylor, son of Frank and Nan Taylor, is wrapped up during his family’s quarantine for COVID-19.

Read other coronavirus stories on Pages 4-5A.

USDA commodity foods will be moving from the CAPECO warehouse in Pendleton to the Umatilla Reservation once a new building is complete. See more on Page 3A.

Land on the Umatilla Chemical Depot, including remnants of the Oregon Trail and habitat for the burrowing owl, were toured

by Tribal, County and Port officials in November.

See story on Page 1B.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

2 Sections, 44 pages Publish date Dec. 3, 2020

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

Section

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Volume 28, Issue 12

Pandemic Preparedness building on fast track Construction must be completed by Dec. 30 By the CUJ

Workers from Wright Hotels, the contractor, prepare footings for a concrete slab at the Pandemic Preparedness Building in Coyote Business Park South. The concrete was scheduled to be poured during the first week of November, according to construction supervisor Jim Billick. The concrete will have to cure for a week before steel girders to hold cross-bar steel columns go up next to hold up a metal-skin roof. Then the walls will go up. About 10 people are on the job, which is expected to be completed by Dec. 30.

MISSION – Walls are expected to go up during the week of Dec. 9 on the 10,560 square foot “Pandemic Preparedness” building under construction in Coyote Business Park South on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Workers are hurrying to get the $2.5-million building up and finished by the end of the year because CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act requires the Pandemic building on page 23A

Reservation COVID-19 cases climb to 169 By the CUJ

MISSION – COVID-19 is not going away.

On Nov. 30, Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center recorded an all-time high with 10 positive cases, bringing the total number

of positive cases to 169 on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

In November, Yellowhawk performed 364 tests with 65 returning positive for the coronavirus. That’s an 18 percent positivity rate for November, which included a 21 percent positivity rate in the last two

weeks of the month.

The report for Tuesday, Dec. 1, listed those 10 positive cases out of 16 tests performed the day before.

All total, Yellowhawk has completed 2,029 tests with 169 positive and 1,860 negative.

The most recent spike does not yet include people who may have been exposed on the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

“We can’t say these cases can be attributed to any Thanksgiving gathering yet,” COVID-19 on page 18A

Walla Walla Hatchery work continues Two men work on the roof of the main building under construction on the Walla Walla Hatchery. See more on page 12 and 13.

CUJ photo/Phinney

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

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CUJ News Tribal-State Summit goes virtual The Annual Oregon State Tribal Government-to-Government Summit, which was held last December at Wildhorse Resort and Casino, was moved to Zoom this year.

The annual event brings together leaders from Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes with the Governor, legislators and directors from every state agency. The event is typically attended by nearly 400 people and provides state agency and tribal participants with an opportunity to meet, socialize and continue to build relationships.

This year, the event was split into two days with sessions on the afternoon of Dec. 1 and on the morning of Dec. 2.

Board of Trustees Chair Kat Brigham represented the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in opening remarks along with the Governor and her fellow chairs. This year, a majority of the faces on the zoom screen were women. Six of the nine tribal chairs are women.

Brigham thanked the Governor for being a

The Tribal-State Summit occured online via Zoom.

brave woman who has been “tough enough to do what is necessary to protect not only the tribes but all Oregonians” despite all the critics.

She went on to say, “You have accepted this responsibility in an honorable way and we praise your strength in this fight and we are with you.”

Along with the Governor, representatives from all nine tribes made opening remarks.

General sessions Tuesday included panels entitled ‘COVID-19 and Emergency Management in 2021” and “Hot Topics in Tribal Gaming” followed by a panel on “Water Vision for the Coming Century,” which was moderated by CTUIR Chair Kat Brigham. Panelists included Eric Quaempts, Director, CTUIR Department of Natural Resources.

Wednesday sessions began with two breakout sessions on “Opportunities to Address Climate Change” and “Wildfires and Recovery” and included a General Session panel on “Opportunities for Economic Development.”

The Summit wrapped up with closing remarks from each chair and the Governor.

Consolidation goal of buying fractionalized land Tribes purchasing tiny fractionalized portions of land By the CUJ

MISSION – The Confederated Tribes plan a new round of purchasing a dozen fractionalized interests on a dozen parcels, some of which have more than a dozen owners.

The process can be long and cumbersome, especially if the parcels are in the probate process for owners who have died.

The 12 parcels are 40-80 acres in size, but there are multiple owners for each piece of land.

“That’s over 100 owners on up to 800 acres,” said Bill Tovey, director of the CTUIR Department of Economic and Community Development.

It’s all part of a CTUIR effort to consolidate land on the reservation, Tovey said.

A study completed in 1990 prior to the negotiations with NW Pipeline showed that more than half of reservation is owned by non-Tribal members.

The Umatilla Indian Reservation contains 1,300 allotments with as many as 300 owners. The Tribes own about 90 percent of the land in about 50 allotments, and own 100 percent of another 400 allotments.

Much of the fractionalized interests are owned by enrolled members of other tribes. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) rules provide CTUIR the opportunity to purchase those interests when there is 50 percent ownership by the Tribes. Through the Umatilla Inheritance Code there is an Option to Purchase when the landowner dies with no Umatilla heirs, but the probate process can take years.

For example, Tovey said, “If a Yakama landowner here dies with no Umatilla heirs the Tribes (CTUIR) have the opportunity to purchase that interest.”

The BOT in two different resolutions passed Nov. 16 approved the staff to pursue the purchases.

One resolution addresses only one parcel - the 40-acre Allotment UM 209, which is located west of the Nixyaawii Charter School and adjacent to the Bowman property where the CTUIR is planning to develop housing.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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

The Umatilla Indian Reservation contains 1,300 allotments with as many as 300 owners. The Tribes own about 90 percent of the land in about 50 allotments, and own 100 percent of another 400 allotments.

Tovey said the Tribes own 90.5 percent of that allotment, but 14 others (Yakama and Nez Perce Indians) own the remaining 9.5 percent (about four acres) with six probates on that parcel. Because ownership is undivided interest, less than 10 percent or four acres is owned by all 15 owners, including the CTUIR, who retain part of the overall property.

One of the remaining owners may possess just a quarter acre, but it’s part of the overall 40 acres that can’t be divided.

Acquiring the full ownership of the allotment would ensure the parcel is available for any needed tribal housing or community development, according to the BOT resolution.

The goal, Tovey said, is to purchase as much fractionalized land as possible,

but not so much that the government owns it all.

“There has to be land for businesses and for tribal members to build houses.

The Tribe should not own all Trust property. The American Dream for tribal members is land and homeownership,” he said.

The probate process is as complicated as it unwieldly and time consuming.

“It’s still in probate and not completely owned by the Tribes, but we work with the BIA,” Tovey said. remaining optimistic that the parcels can become CTUIRowned sooner than later.

The BIA represents deceased Indian owners of land in probate, the process Laqnd purchase on page 18A

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November 2020

CUJ News Food pantry part of ‘Preparedness’ CTUIR will provide USDA commodity foods on Reservation

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

MISSION – The Pandemic Preparedness Building under construction in Coyote Business Park South will include a food pantry to provide commodity foods - everything from fruit to nuts - to members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).

About one-tenth of the 10,500 square foot building, being paid for with CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act will be used by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to stock shelves through the federal Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).

The FDPIR on Indian reservations provides U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) foods to incomeeligible households residing on Indian Reservations and to American Indian households residing in designated areas near the Reservation.

The local program currently is operated by CAPECO – Community Action Program East-Central Oregon – located on Airport Hill in Pendleton.

For about 30 years CAPECO has been distributing USDA commodity foods, but DCFS took over the program in 2015. The Tribal social services program subcontracts with CAPECO because there is no warehouse for storage on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Under the subcontract, CAPECO does the distribution and food ordering. Applications for for the program are approved through DCFS. Currently, the USDA commodity foods are distributed to about 52 individuals on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Through CAPECO, food is distributed to incomeeligible individuals and families who live on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and for income-eligible off-reservation households with at least one member enrolled in a federally recognized tribe.

Foods routinely offered through CAPECO include milk, meat, peanut butter, rice, cereal, canned fruit, canned vegetables, juices, plus fresh fruit and produce.

The $2.5-million building was approved in July by the Board of Trustees for the CTUIR, which has received more than $35 million in federal COVID-19 recovery funds.

DCFS applied for and was awarded $500,000 in additional CARES dollars through USDA. About 50 percent of that half-million dollars, approved in September, will be used to purchase a walk-in cooler and a freezer, as well as shelving for dry foods. The food storage will take up about 600 square feet with the remaining 500 square feet for a lobby, administration and restrooms.

Later in the fall, USDA encouraged the CTUIR to apply for some of the remaining $8 million in CARES money. In November, DCFS was informed it would receive another $98,000 to be used to purchase a forklift and pallet jack, office furniture and a refrigerated van.

The food pantry will be set up like a storefront in which eligible participants can browse to choose the kinds of foods they want and need.

USDA commodity foods on shelves at the CAPECO warehouse on Airport Hill will be stored in the Pandemic Preparedness Building under construction on Coyote Business Park South.

CUJ file photo/Casey Brown

building, according to federal rules, must be used by Dec. 30 of this year.

That’s why the CTUIR Department of Economic and Community Development is pushing contractors to finish the pre-engineered metal building by the end of the year, according to Bill Tovey, director of DECD. Julie Taylor and Kathleen Elliott, who have led the DCFS crusade, also hope the building is completed by the end of the year because one of the USDA grant caveats is that the food-distribution facility must be in an existing building.

Taylor said DCFS, working with Tovey and Frank Anderson, director of the Tribes’ Public Works Department, talked about renovating the old Nixyaawii Community School, a conglomeration of modular units which previously housed the CTUIR administration.

“We were told that structurally it would not handle the weight of the freezer, refrigerator or the forklift,” Taylor said.

In addition to the food distribution facility, the building will include storage for personal protection equipment (PPE) from Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. PPE from the CTUIR and from Wildhorse Resort & Casino could also be stored there, Tovey said.

The primary use of the building is to house a “point of presence” for a new broadband system that eventually will provide wireless internet to residents of the

While the CARES money to fund the building must be spent by the end of the year, the $500,000 from USDA does not have to be used until September of 2022.

The CARES money for the pandemic preparedness

November 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

Reservation. Tovey said the building will provide space for eight to 10 internet server cabinets that will be rented to internet providers – most likely companies providing internet service in the Pendleton area.

While the building money must be spent by the end of the year, the $500,000 from USDA does not have to be spent until September of 2022.

“We want to move into the existing building in the spring,” said Taylor, noting the USDA money cannot be used for construction of a new building.

Taylor said the CTUIR Department of Natural Resources will reapply for a federal Administration for Native Americans (ANA) Social & Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) grant in April to support a tribal First Foods program that could include at the new facility a kitchen to teach meat-processing tasks like cleaning harvested animals and fish, with cooking and canning demonstrations. The ANA-SEDS grant was applied for earlier this year, but a snafu in the application left the CTUIR out of the running. Colleen Sanders, the Tribes’ Climate Adaptation Coordinator, said she is optimistic if not confident the CTUIR will be awarded the ANA grant in 2021.

The food distribution center will need at least two employees, according to Elliott. DCFS wants to use the Tribes’ Workforce Development program to deliver customer-service training as well as instruction for a forklift operator.

Trucks, most likely pulled box-car-type trailers, will probably bring food and PPE once or twice a month, Tovey said. The trucks will pull up to dock where the forklift operator can transport pallets to the food pantry.

Food pantry on page 23A

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COVID HORRID IS

Tribal members share their coronavirus struggles

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ Frank and Nan Taylor in a composite provided by the family.

Frank and Nan Taylor suffer physically, emotionally

F

or Frank Taylor, COVID-19 “got real” when nurses in the intensive care unit at St. Anthony Hospital suggested he might want to get his affairs in order.

Frank is better, but for Nan Taylor, COVID-19 is still a nightmare. First it was a matter of life or death, then it became an emotional roller-coaster brought on by people who didn’t want to hear that they were exposed and wanted to be tested even less.

“This virus is a spirit, it brings out an ugliness I can’t explain,” Nan said.

Frank was exposed on Nov. 7 and learned about it three days later. It was Nov. 16 before Frank was tested at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. During that time, Nan said she and Frank and Thunder were not running around the community carelessly, but she’s heard those accusatory remarks from members of her community.

At the time of his test Frank had no symptoms, but took the test “to ease Nan’s mind.”

Little did he know.

a “massive” headache.

Even so, she tried to focus her attention elsewhere.

“My body was so strung out on making sure Frank and Thunder were okay. I knew I had to check their temperatures. I’d lay down and pop back up every two hours. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t taking over, on Thunder especially.”

The night Frank was diagnosed Nan heard an unfamiliar wind through the windows. She walked over to Frank on the couch and “when I touched him he was burning up.” But he couldn’t stop his teeth from chattering.

“He had a fever of 104.3 and was freezing.”

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N

an tested positive the day after Frank, which sent her into a frenzy because they were staying with her mother and grandmother. Fortunately, they tested negative.

Frank said he was sent home from Yellowhawk with an inhaler, but the next day he couldn’t breathe so he drove himself to the Emergency Room at St. Anthony Hospital.

“They said ‘you got COVID, nothing we can do.”

The next day Nan called the paramedics to a hotel in Pendleton where they had moved to quarantine.

Frank asked for a chest X-ray that revealed he had pneumonia. He was admitted to the hospital, spending five of his six days in Intensive Care Unit.

His temperature bounced around from 102 to 105.

His oxygen levels were into the 80’s.

He was in pain tryThis is the paper Nan Taylor used to ing to breathe.

In the ICU, nurskeep track of temperatures for herself, her husband and son. Thunder, 4, es hooked him to a wasn’t tested but had symptoms. Nan ventilator or respisaid it would have been “hell and high rator. He was given water to get one of those sticks up his Rendesivir by IV. nose.”

(Contributed photos) Things got worse

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This is Nan Taylor’s post on the Social Distance Powwow Facebook page that has received nearly 2,000 likes and more than 200 shares.

when his lungs began to fill with fluid.

He was scared when nurses, moving him to the ICU, told him if he wasn’t breathing better they might have to put him in a coma and ship him to another hospital.

“They asked me if I had plans in case something went south and I couldn’t breathe on my own. They wanted to know if I’d taken measures to have my wife speak for me. I called Nan and told her if anything happens and there’s a chance to save my life I want to do that.

That’s when it got real.”

Nan remembers that conversation.

“We did discuss the ‘what if.’ We talked about what to do if the virus took a turn on both of us … It was scary but we didn’t want to part ways without a plan.

We reached out to family and asked them who would be the best choice to take our son. I was promised by my sister that Thunder would not leave the family if anything happened to us.”

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rank said he never thought he’d contract COVID-19. He thought he had the sniffles from working outside on the mountain. After all, he said, “You see people with it that are able to stay home the whole time and not have symptoms.”

That was Nan. Hardly a symptom as far as she was concerned. Shallow breathing that felt like a band around her chest. Her heart was fluttering and she had

Confederated Umatilla Journal

rank was sick physically. Nan was sick emotionally.

In quarantine at a Pendleton hotel, Nan wore her heart on her sleeve posting often on Facebook.

And, in addition to helping her husband and son, Nan admittedly became overwhelmed by the idea of the illness.

“It’s a very dark sickness,” Nan said. “At nighttime it became scary. I knew I needed to rest my body, but the doctor told Frank I didn’t have time to sleep. It was constant terror. You wake up and realize you have the deadliest disease in the world.”

And as if the sickness wasn’t bad enough, she found out people in her own community were shunning others who had tested positive.

“How are we going to heal as a community when everybody is blaming and pointing fingers? This has affected my life, my grandmother’s life, my mother’s life, my husband and son’s life. What I dealt with was horrific for me.”

A

fter her test, Nan began telling people that she knew she’d been around that that they should get tested.

Nan knew where she contracted the virus and who she’d been around. When Yellowhawk’s contract tracers asked her for names she told them.

“I decided not to let any name slide that I came into contact with. That’s what I did. I tested and when the contract tracer asked I gave them names.”

Nan said “it was like pulling teeth to get people to get tested. If was very hard to make people listen that we were exposed. Denial and this sickness are very real.

Nobody shows symptoms for days and they don’t think they have COVID.” Nan turned over names of several people who did not want to be part of the testing after Frank was diagnosed. She gave Yellowhawk a dozen names; 11 tested positive for COVID. Nan said she has to be careful with her words because Frank and Nan Taylor on page 20B

November 2020

Father, daughter ‘bond’ in hotel quarantine

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avid Garcia wasn’t especially excited about attending a birthday party on the Columbia River near Clackamas back in September.

“I didn’t really want to go,” he said. “I don’t watch the media but I knew a lot of people were freaking out.”

What started as a small gathering turned into what Garcia said was “at least 50, maybe a hundred” people.

“And somebody there didn’t bother to tell a sole he had it,” Garcia said.

Garcia wasn’t feeling sick but he immediately decided to get a test “just out of concern.”

“I want to protect my family at all costs.”

The first test was negative, but not long after he felt the “precautionary” need to get a second. It, too, was negative.

Then he began to get symptoms, especially a bad headache. He went to Oregon Health Sciences and University for a third test that came back positive on Sept. 11.

In the days that followed, his 5-year-old daughter, Jaishoni Minthorn, tested positive.

The quarantined together for 21 days in a hotel open only for people who had contracted COVID-19.

Garcia spent his days keeping Jaishoni occupied, watching movies and playing made-up games. He even let her cut his hair.

At nights, though, he stayed awake and watched his little girl breathe.

Garcia said the time he spent bonding with his daughter in the hotel “changed my life.”

Jaishoni didn’t get sick, but her dad did.

David Garcia and his 5-year-old daughter, Jaishoni Minthorn, spent nearly two weeks together in a hotel room. The played made-up games, watched movies, and Dad even let Jaishoni cut his hair.

(Contributed photo)

“For a week and a half it was terrible. I was wheezing and it felt like my lungs were collapsing,” Garcia said.

Garcia said he “felt like a goner, burning up.”

Harder yet, he said, was being away from the rest of his family.

“Mentally that’s really hard, terribly hard. Nobody

should have to go through that.”

And Garcia, 40, didn’t think he would.

“Before I’d go to the gym and stay safe, wear a mask, wash my hands a lot, but we’re fighting something we can’t see,” he said.

Soon enough, Garcia was learning what people think about the coronavirus.

He tried to contact as many people as he could, but found many of them didn’t seem to want to know.

“People think we don’t have to talk about this, but we have to if we’re going to shut it down.”

Garcia said he knows some people “feel ashamed or scared of what people think,” but that was the last thing on his mind.

“If I survived I wanted to save somebody,” he said.

For some people he knows, denial is a “pride thing.”

“The don’t want their image effected, but you have to talk to your family because it’s something that has to be addressed. I would be hard for me to go that route. I don’t want anybody else to do through this.”

Garcia was thankful for the financial help he received from the CTUIR. The hotel was paid for by NARA, and NAYA workers dropped off cleaning supplies as well as sage and sweet grass. A friend, Jason Umtuch, gave Garcia a $250 grocery card. He told Umtuch that “my son’s mom is freaking and he sent her a food card too.”

While in quarantine, Garcia prayed.

“I did a lot of praying and one night something woke me up twice. Somebody was singing to me. It was a game changer, telling me I was going to be okay. A lot of my fears and worries went away.”

Family of four tests positive, but Dad gets it bad

D

aniel Red Elk “put two and two together” and realized he had COVID-19.

After experiencing a “weird headache,” he went Nov. 18 to Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center for a COVID-19 test. He tested positive and so did his partner, Ginella Thompson.

A few days later Red Elk’s children – Aiyana 12 and Kendal 9 – also tested positive.

“It was more than a severe migraine,” Red Elk said.

“For the first few days it was like somebody constantly squeezing my brain, making my brain ooze out. That’s how bad the headaches were.”

They stayed for a day at his mom’s house before they were sent to a hotel in Pendleton to quarantine.

For a couple of days Red Elk was nauseated. He couldn’t eat or drink. Then he became disoriented.

“I was getting dizzy walking from the bed to the bathroom.”

For the next day and a half, “my lungs felt like they were on fire. I had a hard time breathing. I tried drinking water and tried to be active, but it was a killer pretty

‘...it was like somebody constantly squeezing my brain, making my brain ooze out. That’s how bad the headaches were.’

Daniel Red Elk much. It hurt like a son of a bitch.”

Thompson had it worse. She stayed in bed for six days unable to eat or drink. On day seven of the quarantine, inflammation on her lungs sent her to St. Anthony Hospital. She received IV fluids and nurses “forced her to

eat” before she was released.

Over time, they both got better.

“I was taking Tylenol, musinex and drinking lots of water. It helped, and then the following week, close to the quarantine date, I noticed I was getting my taste back and was able to eat. I could walk without getting dizzy.”

Red Elk thinks everyone should take notice.

“I’m healthy as an ox and was playing it safe. I masked up, washed my hands, stayed my distance. I was scared and frustrated. It was scary because I was in bed for a couple of days and not sure I was going to be able to get out again.”

Some people, Red Elk said, are in denial. They are angry about the virus.

“I’m thinking some folks are maybe too ashamed to talk about it, how you contracted it, where you got it from. Other folks are pretty much rebels who don’t want to wear a mask. They say the virus is nothing but the flu. I’ve had to explain to people that COVID is not a joke. It almost killed me and my partner.”

Red Elk on page 23A

Parents plus five of six children test positive for virus

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ince she left the Reservation for Portland four years ago, Twila Jones has stopped drinking and using. She bought a house with her partner in Estacada. She was reunited with all five of her children, who range in age from 4 to 18.

She was working as a parent-support specialist at NARA’s youth residential treatment center in Gresham and going to school part-time at Portland Community College, studying to be an addiction counselor.

Then COVID-19 showed up at the door.

On Nov. 16, Twila’s throat started itching and her husband, David Ramirez, thought he had a cold from working construction in the rain.

Twila’s intuition took over.

“That night I put David in isolation and the next day I called for COVID tests … there’s an uncertainty of not knowing, but I wasn’t going to risk it,” Twila said.

Twila, David and five of the six children tested positive. Only Lucy, the oldest, didn’t contract the corona-

November 2020

‘I smudged and smudged and was in constant prayer.

And I kept it like a sweathouse in here.’

Twila Jones virus and that’s likely because she’d left with her father before the rest of the family had been tested.

But when the tests came back, NARA’s COVID team acted immediately. Employees and their families were tested. Clackamas and Multnomah counties started tracing people who had been in contact with family members.

Twila was most worried about 7-year-old David who has suffered with pneumonia in the past.

Coughs were suppressed and temperatures controlled with over-the-counter medicines, but Twila turned to traditional medicines, too.

“I smudged and smudged and was in constant

Confederated Umatilla Journal

prayer. I kept it like a sweathouse in here,” Twila said during a phone interview. “We were drinking cuch-cush and cedar tea all day long.”

The children, who were mostly a-symptomatic, couldn’t use a fast-acting spray that cooled and numbed the adults’ throats.

Instead, “I kept sneaking little pieces of bitterroot to them and told them to chew on it.”

She didn’t worry that they wouldn’t like the taste because they’d all lost their sense of smell and taste by then.

“Everybody was down for the first three days. We just Twila Jones on page 21A

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CUJ Op-Ed/Columns Phinney: Retiring after 24 years as CUJ editor

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t’s appropriate that I’m writing this ‘swan song’ column on deadline.

The CUJ is supposed to be out the door on its way to a press in Caldwell, Idaho, in a couple of hours so I’m penning this thing at the last minute.

But I’ve always thrived on deadlines. I like the pressure of deadlines.

And by now, after 46 years working as a newspaperman, I’m used to deadlines.

What am I going to do when I retire?

Working at the Confederated Umatilla Journal and with all the people over the last 24+ years has been so rewarding and gratifying that I can’t imagine anything better.

The people I work with and the people I work for have become friends that I don’t take for granted. I want to remain a friendly face out here when the time is right.

The CUJ is my eighth newspaper. I worked at six weeklies in Oregon, Wyoming and Montana, plus a daily – The East Oregonian, and finally at this fun monthly tabloid.

I’ve worked full time since January of 1975 with just a couple of stints off for a broken neck in Wyoming, and three months off for some weird body movement disorder and then an unpleasant few weeks when I went coldturkey and stopped taking a certain migraine medicine.

Doctors at the University of Washington headache and pain clinic told me if I continued to over-use sumatriptan I’d have a stroke, so I obliged and stopped.

I’m finishing here with 285 CUJ editions under my belt. That record should stand for a while. Because of those three months off for health reasons, I’d have to work through next August to reach 300, but who’s counting.

It’s not a hard bet for me to say that, with the exception of Helen Morrison, I’ve been to more Monday morning Board of Trustees meetings than anyone else alive. I’ve been through a dozen Boards, starting in 1996 with Don Sampson at the helm of the BOT and Antone leading the General Council. Since then BOT Chairs have included Antone, Gary Burke, Elwood Patawa and Les Minthorn.

Now Kat Brigham. Isn’t it cool to have a woman as BOT Chair with four other women on the Board?

Women should rule the world. Just saying.

The CUJ has given me opportunities beyond my wildest dreams. The Native American Journalists Association conferences have taken me across the country, from Buffalo, N.Y., to San Diego. In between were confabs in Minneapolis, New Orleans, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Each city was great. I believe I lost a Nike shoe to some Grande Ronde newspaperboys in San Diego. They made some dumb plaque out of it, but I’ve only seen it in photos.

Washington, D.C., was outstanding. I took the time to visit as many places as I could, from the Vietnam War Memorial Wall to the Smithsonian’s Museum of the Native American, and from the monuments of Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln to Arlington National Cemetery.

I was honored to attend two Democratic National Conventions with Antone Minthorn, who was an Oregon delegate at the time. Antone is a visionary unappreciated at home, otherwise lauded across Indian Country.

At the DNC in Boston, we heard Barack Obama’s first prime-time speech.

We also did some walking. Antone wore cowboy boots as we marched through the old city all the way to Fenway Park. It was closed but I flagged down a worker

CUJ Confederated Umatilla Journal

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This photo should be larger but I rambled on for too long.

and explained to him that Antone was an important chief who would like nothing more than to see the Big Green Monster. The guy let us in. Besides a handful of groundskeepers, Antone and I were the only people in that stadium. We walked from home plate down the first base line all the way around the park and back again.

We were sitting in the stands behind home plate when I got a wild hair and marched down to the field, hopped the railing and stood in the batter’s box.

Then as if those trips weren’t cool enough, I was sent on a mission to New Zealand with Tribal leaders from Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama. We were feted by members of the Maori tribe with exhibition dancing and crazy dinners. You should see the size of the eels in New Zealand. Several in our group paid for and waited for Maori tattoos and I kind of regret not having a little ink on my shoulder to remember the trip. We were all inside the museum in Christchurch, only across a park, when a gunman massacred more than 50 people in a mosque.

The skulls of three Native Americans, which were buried and then dug up off an island in the Columbia River, were repatriated to the three tribes after being stored in a Christchurch museum for more than 100 years.

Just as significant in my mind was the long-timecoming reburial of the Ancient One, aka Kennewick Man. Each of the five claimant tribes had the opportunity to send a reporter, but only the CTUIR did so. It was a privilege to be the only reporter at that historic event. The fact that I’m English and Scotch and Scandanavian (according to MyHeritage.com), which makes me very white, made me feel even more proud. It was Armand Minthorn who gave me the nod to attend the sacred ceremony.

When I first arrived at the CUJ in May of 1996, my life was in a bit of a whirlwind. I was banging up against the advancement ceiling at the EO and didn’t know what to do with my career. (I was going to say I was banging up against the ceiling like a spring chinook hitting a ladderless irrigation dam, but I couldn’t do it.)

During a four week span, from the first week of May to the first week of June, Carrie, my wife, and I did things that sometimes cause arguments and/or divorce. We moved to a new house with two daughters, I started a new job after 11 years at the EO, and in early June our third daughter arrived. If not for those people – Carrie, Sara, Becca and Rachel – I would have gone mad long ago.

This “until we meet again” column was initially going

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

Publisher:

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

Confederated Umatilla Journal

to be a mass of names because it’s the people I’ve been around who have made the last quarter century so great for me. I compiled a list several weeks ago that grew exponentially (like a smolt after two years in the ocean) so it was clear from the start I’d never be able to name all the people who I admire and respect and, I guess, love.

Of course I have to mention the people I’ve worked with at the CUJ, starting with Deb Croswell, who hired me back in the 20th Century. I came to work with an Xacto blade, border tape and a roller to build pages. Now, of course, we cut and paste with technology that mostly baffles me. I’m good at asking for help.

Also on my CUJ list is Marcus Luke, who is still among my choices of pall bearers, should he put down his guitar long enough to lug me forward. And there were, among others, Kaeleen McGuire and Tara Burnside who worked as reporters. The three of us had some fun times during the Pendleton Round-Up over the years and I hope to always know them as friends.

Since those early days I’ve had the opportunity to work with Chuck Sams, the smartest man I know; Jane Hill, the finest of human beings; Jill-Marie Gavin, who will more than likely end up at the CUJ when she gets tired of all the politics; Miranda Rector and Dallas Dick, who just needs to get out and shoot.

And I can’t forget my friend Lisa Ganuelas.

At this point, perhaps I should provide a caveat about this list of people. Those not included were either inadvertently omitted (that’s the one I would select), you just didn’t impress me that much, or I just didn’t like you.

There are four people who need to be mentioned – Ronnie Crane, Leland Wilson, Albertson White, Dina Brown and Irma Totus. Those guys have kept the West Wing spotless for the last several years. I see Albertson and Irma here on nights when I get to stay late.

There are so many people I would like to recognize but I can’t make a complete list. I’d like to list more than Dave Tovey, Bobbie Conner, Carl Scheeler, Gary George, Bill Burke, Mildred Quaempts, Wus Gone, Fred Hill, Lindsey Watchman, Linda Jones, Bill Quaempts, Magi Moses, Elijah Bevis, John Bevis, Teara FarrowFerman, John Barkley, Thomas Morning Owl, Margie Waheneka, Julie Taylor, Dana Quaempts, Toby and Susie Patrick, Paul Rabb, Raven Manta, Wilbur Oatman, Robby Bill, Theresa Crane, Jim Lavadour, Dionne Bronson, Andi Scott, the Minthorn sisters, Cece Sheoships, and Mugga Alexander, but the page is getting full and I want to get that photo of me and a John Day River steelhead on the page.

Maybe I’ll find more time to go fishing. Maybe I’ll try to hit a golf ball again.

My suggestion to come back and write a feature on an elder every month or two has been well received, and I’d like to shoot more basketball. I’ve watched more ball games from under the basket than I can count. For a long time it was difficult to hold my tongue when the ref missed an obvious call in the paint.

So this column, which should have been written a couple of weeks ago, is going to find its way onto Page 6A. The printers are calling and texting asking for the pages.

After this December paper, my name will no longer be listed as editor on the Page 2 masthead.

I’m torn here because I love my job, I’m just tired of working.

- Wil Phinney is on his way out as editor of the Confederated Umatilla Journal. His last official day is Dec. 30.

Display advertising rate

$5.50 per column inch.

Full page: $297 Three Quarter Page: $223 Half page: $149 Quarter page: $72 Business Card: $33 Full color and spot color available Mail Subscriptions: $15 per year or $28 for two years.

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

Next CUJ: Jan. 7 Ad deadline: Dec. 15 News deadline: Dec. 22

November 2020

CUJ Op-Ed Columns Being grateful, even in the midst of chaos

W

e cautiously enter the holiday season, exhausted due to unprecedented challenges that we’ve all had to confront during the chaotic year of 2020, such as floods, fires, COVID, high unemployment, online education, daycare shortages, tele-work, and even toilet paper scarcity!

We also lost some degree of personal liberties, such as to travel afar, to (fully) practice our venerated Tamanwit, and to limit family gatherings to 25, then 10, now six as the second wave of COVID is upon us.

Thus, my aim this month is to remind you of your personal strength and resiliency, and to Lindsey Watchman remind you to look around for the good in our lives, and be grateful.

Allow me to start.

It’s been (only) a year since elected as your General Council Chairman, and I remain grateful every day for being lifted up by the People to this role to serve you. During that time, I’ve learned a great deal about

our organization, as well as myself.

Since not allowed in the building much these days (to minimize virus spread at the NGC), I am challenged, yet grateful to have the option of working from home - a first in 34 years of jobs! So in-between work sessions, I get to interact with my 18 month old for a few minutes. This is bonus time for bonding, otherwise he would not see his toota until 5 p.m.

Further, I am thankful my wife can stay safe at home, can continue breast-feeding our little one …all while growing her successful online craft business.

Further, Creator has allowed me to physically see/hug/kiss each of my children and grandson this year…for which I am eternally grateful, a heightened concern after one of my children tested positive, but recovered. So my empathetic prayers go out to all households as this virus knocks at our doorsteps and to those where this unwanted visitor had already been let in.

I am grateful that Yellowhawk provides same-day testing, and have contact tracers to reduce the spread and impact. Applause goes to our “essential” staff who cannot work from home, with a special shout out to DCFS, Finance and Enrollment for processing

checks and providing food distributions to over 2,000 on and off-rez tribal members.

All in all, iin wees lilooyca (I am happy/thankful) to be alive today, to have family near, and to serve in a role to directly support the needs of our People. I am proud of the strength and resilience each of you have shown. We’ve been strong (qepsqepneewit).

Resilient. Forced to adapt. Yet, we have persevered … chawna muun nampta (we will never fade).

In closing, a final note of appreciation and respect toward our outgoing historian, journalist, editor-inchief, and perennial NAJA award winner Wil Phinney. He and his wife Carrie, a long-time administrator at Nixyáawii School have devoted professional careers and countless personal hours …in support of a community event, a cause, or for a student at NCS. Enjoy retirement, get some rest…and himeekis q’eciyew’ew (big thanks) for sharing the stories of the CTUIR. Yox kalo.

(499) Lindsey X. Watchman is General Council Chair for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Merry Christmas These two photos from the CUJ archives are both identified as Christmas. In the photo at left, believed to have been taken in the old quonset hut, the men in front of the Christmas trees include Chief Clarence Burke, second from left.. The photo at right also is marked as “Christmas” although people sitting in the stands do not appear to be dressed for winter.

2020 almost over, but we must remain diligent

By Kat Brigham

2020 is almost over. It has been a year with mixed emotions. Frustration being one that many of us have felt because we are not able to see this invisible enemy to prevent its spread in the community. Our ancestors had to deal with this and now we are too. But we all know what to do: wear a mask, socially distance, and wash our hands frequently. Fear and anger are taking hold again because this invisible enemy is impacting all our lives. It is so hard to not be with our families near and far, along with other normal activities.

Kat Brigham None of us like this. But all of us need to have faith that we are going to make it and we

November 2020

must do our part. If I was the one person who could do something to make the invisible enemy go away I would have done it in March. But there is no silver bullet. We have to be patient and strong. We all need to follow the Incident Command guidelines to not only protect ourselves but our family, our friends and our community.

The BOT and our Incident Command Team have developed a plan to help deal with this invisible enemy.

Our plan has helped but CTUIR is only one entity in the county and the state of Oregon. All of us want to allow our schools and business to reopen but this can only happen if we are healthy.

We are hearing about a vaccine that is being developed and hopefully will be available in 2021. But, once again, it is not a silver bullet. Things will not go back to normal when the vaccine arrives. But Yellowhawk is working on a plan to make the vaccine available.

There are a lot of issues and concerns that need to be addressed, namely making sure it safe and effective.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

Frankly it is great to hear President-elect Biden say, “We are at war with the virus, not each other” because we all have a role in winning this war. This is a community issue and we need the community to continue to step up that is why on the CTUIR website there is an individual social contract available for everyone to review and sign.

Thanksgiving has come and gone and many of us made some changes. Christmas is coming and we will have to make more changes to our traditions. I know this is hard but please keep up the good fight.. We all need to keep the faith and try to remain positive. If we let the negative things get to us, we hurt ourselves and our family and friends. Reach out to those you love. Please be positive, and have faith and hope for our Tribal community.

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

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CUJ Almanac USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services To Hold Local Work Group Meeting The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will hold the annual Umatilla County Local Work Group Meeting on Tuesday January 26th from 10-12 p.m. at the Pendleton Round Up Grounds Leter Buck Room; 1205 SW Court Ave Pendleton, OR 97801. The meeting provides an opportunity for the public to provide input for conservation priorities and collaborative investment strategies in Umatilla County. A BBQ lunch will be sponsored by the Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District. For more information contact Nate James at 541-278-8049 ext. 105. Oregon Covid-19 social distancing & mask guidelines will be followed.

The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Jobs

Death notice Patrick Harry Wyena Sr. – Kwaywanwunput – died in Priest Rapids, Washington, on Oct. 24.

Wyena was born March 17, 1957, in Toppenish, Washington.

Dressing was Oct. 24 at the Priest Rapids Longhouse. Rex Buck and Mike Squeochs officiated Burial was at the Priest Rapids Cemetery on Oct. 26.

Drug Problem? We can help.

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

Pendleton Pioneer Chapel received three prestigious awards in 2009

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

Columbia River InterTribal Fish Commission is recruiting for the following position: Position: Inter-Tribal Monitoring Data Project Coordinator, Full-Time, Regular. New! Location: Portland, OR Job Summary: The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) is seeking a Project Coordinator to lead the Inter-Tribal Monitoring Data Project (ITMD). The ITMD Project is a Columbia Basin Fish Accords project that supports fisheries and habitat data management at the Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. The ITMD Project is focused on three primary goals: Inter-tribal Coordination: Identify and promote opportunities for inter-tribal collaboration in implementing tribal data management strategies, policies, standards, practices, software and technology and assist tribal partners to build capacity to share metrics (or data) with regional partners. Data Management Services: Support data management services at tribal fishery programs and within CRITFC, which includes: a) partial support for tribal data stewards; b) partial support for developing and supporting central data management systems; and c) partial support for professional development and training.

Regional Coordination: Serve as the CRITFC point of contact and tribal advocate in regional

data management coordination processes, forums, meetings, and summarize that information to tribal partners.

Job Requirements/Qualifications: A BS degree in a natural resource or environmental science related field, or the equivalent level of knowledge demonstrated by successful on-the-job performance; Due to the various locations of the four tribes, experience scheduling, coordinating and leading virtual monthly meetings, annual workshops, creating special workgroups, and identifying and organizing relevant training events for data stewards and tribal fishery staff; Ability to effectively and diplomatically communicate with a diverse set of tribal and non-tribal partners, especially consensus building; High proficiency with Microsoft Office (e.g.

Word, Excel, PowerPoint), remote meeting software (e.g., GoToMeeting, Zoom, Teams); and standard office equipment (e.g., projectors). Demonstrable capacity for project management, ability to develop multi-year plans, create benchmarks, and document workflow; Knowledge of biological science and experience with the methods of data collection, entry and management; Experience working with or managing federal contracts, grant writing and administration, and managing budgets; Strong technical writing skills and verbal communication, including public speaking; Problem solving and critical thinking skills are essential; Ability to telecommute (i.e., work from home).

Starting salary range: $61,999 – $80,600.

Closing date: January 15, 2021. Employment application and full job announcement located https://www.critfc.org

2021 CTUIR Temporary Employment Application Update Our experienced family provides caring, compassionate care including:

Burial Services ~ Military Services Cremation ~ Monuments

2021 CTUIR Temporary

If you are interested in Temporary Employment Opportunities with CTUIR (Tribal Government) please update your application. Please visit the Tribes website at https://ctuir.org/career-opportunities/ or stop

by NGC to pick up the Temporary Employment Application. It’s very helpful to have your supplemental form (background check complete and signed) with a good phone number and email address. If you have questions to email or fax to Office of Human Resources we can be reached at 541-429-7180.

Employment Application Update If you are interested in Temporary Employment Opportunities with CTUIR (Tribal Government) please update your application.

Please visit the Tribes website at https:// ctuir.org/career-opportunities/ or stop by NGC to pick up the Temporary Employment Application. It’s very helpful to have your supplemental form (background check complete and signed) with a good phone number and email address. If you have questions to email or fax to Office of Human Resources we can be reached at 541-429-7180.

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

November 2020

Public Notices

CTUIR Government

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Land Protection Planning Commission of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) will hold the following public hearing.

Board of Trustees

Conditional Use File #CU-20-004 – Sheila Scott, applicant and owner of property at 47986 Kirkpatrick Road, Pendleton, OR 97801 is requesting Conditional Use approval to utilize the barn and surrounding area on this property for weddings and occasional seasonal events. The subject property is also identified as Umatilla County Tax Map 2N33 Tax Lot 400. The proposed use is listed as a Conditional Use in the Ag-2, Farm Pasture zone; commercial activity in conjunction with a permitted use. Conditional Use approvals are subject to CTUIR Land Development Code Chapters 6 and 13.

Chair Kathryn Brigham

Chair Lindsey X. Watchman

Vice Chair Jeremy Wolf

Vice Chair Michael Ray Johnson

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. Due to COVID-19 precautions this hearing will be held via Microsoft Teams. If you would like to participate in the hearing or provide testimony, please call 321-9526 at 9:00 a.m. The conference ID is 390 359 881. Materials relating to this conditional use request and additional information for joining the meeting are available for review at the Tribal Planning Office or online at https://ctuir.org/events/lppc-public-

hearing-cu-20-004/.

Treasurer Sandra Sampson

The public is entitled and encouraged to participate in the hearing and to submit oral or written testimony regarding the request. Written comments must be received by 1:00 pm December 7 at the Tribal Planning Office or via email to hollyanderson@ctuir.org. To obtain further information contact the Tribal Planning Office at, 46411 Tímine, Pendleton, Oregon, 97801 or call (541) 429-7517.

Secretary Sally Kosey

Lindsey X. Watchman, Secretary Land Protection Commission

General Council

Secretary Shawna Gavin Interpreter Thomas Morning Owl

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

General Council Meeting

Merry Christmas

SPECIAL GENERAL COUNCIL November 5 ZOOM CONFERENCE 2-5 p.m.

CTUIR 2021 proposed budget presented by BOT Treasurer Sandra Sampson

GENERAL COUNCIL DRAFT AGENDA November 19 ZOOM CONFERENCE 2-5 P.M. Finance report, BOT member-at-large update, Law and Order Committee report, Housing Development update

From our house to yours

CTUIR Express Phone Directory

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Please stay safe and practice COVID-19 protocols Wear a mask ... wash your hands ... social distance November 2020

Tribal Court 541-276-2046

Human Resources 541-429-7180

Department of Children and Family Services 541-429-7300

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

Enrollment Office 541-429-7035

Senior Center 541-240-8700

Finance Office 541-429-7150

TERF 541-276-4040

Finance – Credit Program 541-429-7155

Confederated Umatilla Journal 541-429-7399

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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Meacham Creek restoration receives another award By the CUJ

MISSION – A “softer” approach to restoring habitat on Meacham Creek has yielded another environmental stewardship award for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

This time the Meacham Creek - Bonifer Reach Restoration Project (Bonifer), which has been underway about five years, has been selected for the Society of Ecological Restoration Northwest Chapter’s “Restoration Project of the Year Award.” The Northwest region includes Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Alaska and Northern California.

Previously Meacham Creek restoration efforts have resulted in a 2012 award from the U.S. Forest Service National office and in 2018 from the Western Division of American Fisheries Society, which includes Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Alaska and British Columbia.

CTUIR Department of Natural Resources Director Eric Quaempts said the improvements to Meacham Creek have been obvious. Since 2009, DNR Fisheries staff have treated and or protected about 350 acres of floodplain and eight stream miles in lower Meacham Creek.

“To date, Fisheries and GIS staff have documented changes in stream temperatures, and spring Chinook spawning and rearing in restoration reaches, in areas that had not experienced spring Chinook spawning for many years,” Quaempts said in an e-mail. The work has also provided spawning and rearing habitat for Pacific lamprey.

According to Quaempts, ongoing monitoring of floodplain restoration have shown to buffer high summer

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Photos contributed by CTUIR Fisheries Program

An overview photo shows a restored Meacham Creek channel meandering through the valley bottom similar to historic conditions.

Contributed photo from CTUIR Fisheries Program

water temperatures, improve ground water storage and hyporheic exchange, improve growing conditions for native riparian vegetation, and enhance aquatic habitat for ESA-listed Mid-Columbia River summer steelhead and bull trout, spring Chinook salmon, Pacific lamprey and other native fish in Meacham Creek.”

Water and fish are important components of the First Foods serving order traditionally used in the Longhouse.

The Bonifer project focuses on nearly four river miles along the lower stretch of Meacham Creek, which is the primary tributary to the Umatilla River in northeast Oregon.

The CTUIR’s Fisheries Umatilla Fisheries Habitat Project, headed by Project

Leader Richard Christian in the Tribes’ Department of Natural Resources, collaborated with Tetra Tech, Inc., to develop a “softer” approach to restoring the Bonifer Reach Project area.

Christian said it is important to understand that each section of stream is different, which dictates different restoration strategies.

“In this particular instance the design team deemed a lighter approach as appropriate … Throughout the development of the design, our approach consistently included ways to reduce the overall impact and project footprint.”

More importantly, Christian added, this approach will require less rehabilitation and lead to a quicker recovery of

Confederated Umatilla Journal

some project elements, such as floodplain vegetation.

Like many of the region’s waterways, Meacham Creek has changed dramatically in the time since European Americans settled the area, according to Chris James, Tetra Tech’s project manager/ hydrologist, who nominated the Tribes’ floodplain restoration for the award.

“Over one hundred years of human activity, including the construction of the Union Pacific railway in the valley bottom, flood protection diking, and the grazing of livestock has altered and degraded the Meacham Creek watershed and its floodplain,” James wrote in his nomination letter. “This has resulted in a greatly simplified channel, immature riparian vegetation, high stream temperatures, low summer flows, lack of aquatic habitat complexity, and limited quantities and recruitment of large woody debris, all contributing to decreased aquatic productivity and altered fluvial processes.”

DNR Director Quaempts reiterated James’ points.

The historical altercations made Meacham Creek stream temperatures less suitable for native fish, and changed the availability of suitable spawning materials, Quaempts said.

Toward rectifying those issues, “Floodplain restoration efforts are aimed at improving water quality and fish habitat for a variety of aquatic First Foods, including spring chinook salmon, threatened summer steelhead, Pacific Lamprey, and restoring suitable spawning and rearing habitat,” Quaempts said.

The Tribes have been actively restoring “ecological processes” in the Meacham Creek watershed since the 1980s, but Meacham Creek award on page 22A

November 2020

FCC approves internet license for Reservation Erik Carranza, working for Windwave Communications out of Boardman, guides conduit toward the end of a drill bit that will pull it back underneath Tutuilla Church Road near Coyote Business Park South.

Tunnels for conduit are being drilled about 8 feet down using 10-foot-long drill bits. This job was about 250 feet long. Bob Plum from Windwave, who was operating the drill, said it took about 27 minutes to drill 250 feet and less than that to pull the conduit back to the drill’s starting point. Other pieces of the conduit are being buried using a pair of D-8 Caterpillars that plow and lays conduit at the same time.

By the CUJ MISSION – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved in late October a FCC 2.5 GHz spectrum channel license that allows the Confederated Tribes to operate a wireless communication system for residents of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

The wireless communications system will be housed in the “Pandemic Preparedness Building” project at Coyote Business Park South. The 10,560 square foot “preparedness” building will be paid for by CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funds of just over $2 million.

It’s part of the $36 million in federal CARES Act aid awarded this year to the CTUIR. Part of the Pandemic Preparedness Building includes a specially constructed file server room and storage area to host the Tribes’ broadband equipment. The long-term

CUJ photo/Phinney

Broadband on page 21A

November 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

11A

Panaramic drone photos show the construction site for the Walla Walla River Hatchery, which is operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The facility is located about 10 miles east of Milton-Freewater. Drone operator and photographer was Travis Olsen, the assistant project lead. He works in the Fisheries program in the CTUIR Department of Natural Resources. The photo shows new office/juvenile rearing building, two existing storage buildings and a new shop. In the center, toward the back, are three new residences. At right are the existing storage building the existing spawning building with adult raceways. The panoramic obviously distorts the actual image, but this gives the reader an idea of the scope of the project.

WW HATCHERY

construction on schedule

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

SOUTH FORK WALLA WALLA RIVER – A new fish hatchery, which is expected to produce some 500,000 spring Chinook salmon smolts, is nearing completion on the South Fork Walla Walla River about 10 miles southeast of Milton-Freewater.

It eventually will provide hatchery-raised fingerlings for the Walla Walla Basin.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) expect to commission the new facility by the end of next May. Plans call for hiring a hatchery manager in early 2021, who will oversee four others that will live in one of three new residences being built as part of the project.

The project expands on a holding facility built in 1996 for spawning adults by adding key hatchery components – egg incubation, early juvenile rearing, grow-out rearing, administrative facilities, a shop and office, a visitors’ center, and the three new residences.

‘Those fish will be imprinting on that water chemistry and we expect to see a better return from that group than just fish dumped into the river hoping they will return without acclimation.’

Jon Lovrak, project manager for Umatilla Hatchery satellite facilities in the Tribes’ Fisheries Program.

The February floods triggered a new design of water intake and outlet facilities, but “it’s all coming right along,” said Jon Lovrak, project manager for Umatilla Hatchery satellite facilities in the Tribes’ Fisheries Program.

“In hindsight the flood was probably a godsend for us,” Lovrak said. “If it had happened after the facility was built we would have been in trouble because the former design would have failed and we would have been in big trouble. Fish would have been jeopardized and it would have taken

millions to repair.”

The changes increased the construction cost, Lovrak said, “but not to the extent in the long term if the flood had occurred after the fact.”

“Once the intake work is done we’ll focus on finishing the hatchery building and the three residences for on-site employees once a staff is hired,” Lovrak said.

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Jon Lovrak, project manager for Umatilla Hatchery satellite facilities in the Tribes’ Fisheries Program, stands on the platform where visitors will be able to look down on the round pens behind him. Growing for several months in the pens, the spring Chinook yearlings will increase in size to about 6-8 inches before they are released into the Walla Walla River.

CUJ photo/Phinney

Initially, the hatchery was to release its first fingerling salmon in 2023 with the first adults expected to return in 2025.

However, Lovrak said the process is moving ahead by a year because a 200,000 “surplus”of spring chinook smolts – Carson River stock, which are the same as the original brood stock for the Umatilla River – are being collected in July to be raised at the Walla Walla hatchery.

The tiny fish will be transported in July from the Bonneville Hatchery to be raised at the Walla Walla Hatchery. The smolts are originally from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery across the Columbia River from Hood River, Oregon, near Cook, Washington.

The smolts that will come to the Walla Walla for this one year are a fraction of the millions reared from eggs as part of a two-state effort to increase the survival of killer whales. The killer whale forage project, implemented in Oregon and Washington, produced more eggs than hatcheries could handle and millions of excess eggs from broodstock were to be discarded.

Until the Walla Walla hatchery came along, there were few facilities in the Columbia Basin available to raise the additional fingerlings.

“As the fish grow, they need more space and water and other facilities in the Basin could not have done that. We raised our hand and said ‘We have a hatchery and we can take over from there. We can take them in July, rear them in the new facility and release smolts in the spring of 2022,” said Lovrak.

The benefit of obtaining the fish is that it jump starts

Confederated Umatilla Journal

the hatchery program a year early and, in addition to providing more food for whales, should produce potential returns a year earlier than expected. That means there may be opportunities to harvest fish a year earlier, Lovrak said.

In theory, the 500,000 smolts raised at Walla Walla could become whale chow in the Columbia River estuary. Millions of fingerlings are raised throughout the Northwest for whale forage.

“Because the whales are starving, whatever fish they eat they eat, but “if 200,000 get by the whales, hopefully they come back to the Walla Walla River to Nursery Bridge dam (in Milton-Freewater) where the CTUIR can collect brood stock,” Lovrak said.

After buy-off from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service, Lovrak worked with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to get an early release of fish from approximately 230,000 eggs collected from Little White National Salmon Hatchery. Those eggs were taken to Oxbow Hatchery where they are being incubated then transported to the Bonneville Hatchery to be raised until some 200,000 little salmon are trucked in July to the Walla Walla Hatchery. There, they will be raised in “grow-out tanks” until they are released from the hatchery into the Walla Walla River as 6-inch yearlings in April of 2022.

“The salmon that are returning to the Umatilla River were derived from Carson stock years ago,” Lovrak said.

Since 2004, Carson stock trucked from the Carson Continued on page 13A

November 2020

Mike McCloud, walking up the hill, while two other employees - Tony Montoya and Ron Fossek - operated pieces of equipment on the muddy deck of a channel at the Confederated Tribes’ South Fork Walla Walla facility.

The inner-workings of the hatchery include these huge pipe works and valves, which provide a new water supply line to the hatchery facilities.

Below, an employee of Weaver Construction out of La Grande, works on the porch of one of the three houses being built for onsite employees.

Continued from page 12A

National Fish Hatchery have been released straight into the Walla Walla River. The number of adults returning from this off-site rearing program has been sporadic with a few hundred returning annually from initial releases of 250,000 smolts.

“Another challenge has been a recent dip in the overall fish survival in the Columbia Basin during the last few years,” said Gary James, CTUIR Fisheries Program Manager.

The Carson River eggs that will be raised at the new CTUIR hatchery will acclimate as fish in Walla Walla River water, which should increase their chances of returning to spawn.

“Those fish will be imprinting on that water chemistry and we expect to see a better return from that group than just fish dumped into the river hoping they will return without acclimation,” Lovrak said.

It’s hoped that at least 175 adult females will return with their eggs to will be collected at the Nursery ‘Our eventual Bridge Dam (in MiltonFreewater) for the new goal of 5,000 hatchery’s brood stock. returning is In 2021, CTUIR fisheries staff plan to release doable in 10 to about 200,000 smolts 20 years. We directly into the Walla Walla with hopes that did it in the adult females will return in sufficient numbers to Umatilla.” start the new hatchery’s Gary James, CTUIR own brood stock.

Fisheries Program manager Lovrak said CTUIR biologists would like to see at least 5,000 adults return from eventual hatchery releases of some 500,000 yearlings. That would be a 1 percent return.

The release of a half-million smolts will benefit the entire Walla Walla Basin with about 400,000 of those fish released at the hatchery into the South Fork Walla Walla River and the remaining 100,000 to be released into the North Fork Touchet River. The Tribes also plan

CUJ photos/Phinney

to continue out-planting spring chinook adults into Mill Creek, which feeds into the Walla Walla.

“Our eventual goal of 5,000 returning is doable in 10 to 20 years,” James said. “We did it in the Umatilla.”

According to projections, if and when the 5,000 eventually return, about 350 fish will be taken for brood stock at Nursery Bridge and 2,000 would be allowed to return up the Walla Walla to spawn naturally. If that’s the case, then about 2,500 fish would be available for harvest, which would be split with about 1,250 for the Tribes and 1,250 to be split between Oregon and Washington fishers.

“It’s not unrealistic that it could happen in 10 years, but there is a lot still to do with the floodplain restoration,” James said, noting that major challenges include lower Mill Creek running through the city of Walla Walla in a concrete channel and an extremely channelized and eroded channel in Milton Freewater downstream from Nursery Bridge that impedes returning fish.

Work over the last few years has improved passage, which This inside of the main hatchery building remains under construction. This space will include was impeded by a “gauntlet of egg incubation and smolt rearing pens. The building will also feature an area where visitors ladders and screens” that blocked can walk along a virtual river, then observe early rearing section and the grow-out rearing section of the facility. area and the 10 round tubs where the little fish will grow to six or eight fish throughout the lower Walla Walla River. inches before being released into the Walla Walla River.

November 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

Some instream flow restoration has occurred but significant increases are still necessary.

“We do not yet have a major pumping facility like we have in the Umatilla River,” said James, “but we’re working on a big water project with a whole lot of stakeholders.”

The stakeholders include farmers that use Walla Walla River water to irrigate crops.

A bi-state flow study coordinated by the Washington Department of Ecology would potentially “exchange current irrigation water with stored or Columbiapumped water, leaving instream flows for fish in a way that doesn’t take the livelihood from other users.”

James is excited to see the final work on the hatchery, an essential component of a comprehensive Walla Walla Basin water and fish restoration program “This project was adopted into the Northwest Power Planning Council’s plans in 1987. That’s over 30 years ago. You think, ‘Well my gosh, why did it take so long?’

We needed to address the low stream flow and passage issues that made the fish extinct 100 years ago. It took a couple of decades to get the necessary planning, cooperation and project funding for improved flow and habitat, and there’s still a lot of be done, but we’re finally beginning to see the results of our efforts.

Imagine in a few years there being an annual salmon fishery in the Walla Walla River and salmon spawning in the near-pristine headwaters as in the past. Heck, the cities of Milton Freewater and Walla Walla will even likely update their water tower murals to include salmon which will indicate to all a broad and flourishing multiple use of water-related resources in the Walla Walla Valley. “

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‘Report card’ released for NCS, Pendleton schools State assesses achievement, counts Native teachers By the CUJ

MISSION – Seven out of 10 students at Nixyaawii Community School graduate on time, according to the statewide 20192020 Report Card issued in November by the Oregon Department of Education.

Pendleton High School graduates about eight of 10 Native students on time.

Among other things, the report card indicates the percentage of Native American/Alaska Native students at each school in Pendleton School District 16R. It also lists the enrollment for schools as of Oct. 1, 2019 and the percentage of Native American/Alaska Native teachers at each school. The report card provides a percentage of four-year on-time graduation, and also shows the percentage of students who earn a high school diploma or a GED within five years.

At Nixyaawii, as expected, eight of 10 (81 per cent) students are Native, where the enrollment was listed at 93.

The 2019-2020 Report Card provides demographic information that shows 10 multi-racial students and five Hispanic/ Latino students at Nixyaawii. It indicates

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that 6 percent - about three students are white. Of those NCS students who graduated in the four-year cohort, 83 percent were boys.

The ODE report shows one Native American/Alaska Native teacher at Nixyaawii, with 22 percent multiracial and about one of three teachers who are white.

There are no Native American teachers at Pendleton High School where 7 percent (about 57) are listed as Native American students. Ninety-six percent of teachers at PHS are white, with Asian and Hispanic teachers splitting the other 4 percent, according to the ODE report card.

At Nixyaawii, the four-year on-time completion was 71 percent, with a fiveyear (diploma or GED) completion of almost 60 percent. At PHS, 80 percent (about 59) Native American/Alaska Native students graduate on time and 88 percent go on to finish in five years.

The school district, including PHS, Nixyaawii, and the Hawthorne Alternative High School, averaged 80 percent for four-year graduation and 84 percent for the five-year completion. The Oregon average is also 80 percent for four-year graduates, and 86 percent for five-year completions.

The report card for Nixyaawii listed the principal, seven teachers, one education assistant, but zero counselors/ psychologists. One fourth of the licensed teachers have more than three years of experience.

At Pendleton High School, the report shows 37 teachers, 10 Educational as-

Districtwide, 12 percent of the 3,117 student enrollment are Native American/Alaska Natives.

(That includes Washington Elementary School with a Native enrollment of 88 students.) About 14 percent of the student enrollment in the District are Hispanic/Latino and about 8 percent listed as multiracial. That leaves 64 percent of the School District student enrollment as white. sistants, and three counselors/psychologists. Nearly 90 percent of PHS licensed teachers have more than three years of experience.

The report indicates 77 percent of Nixyaawii students are on the free/reduced price lunch. At PHS it’s 83 percent.

The Report Card also shows that 99 percent of students at Nixyaawii and 97 percent of students at PHS have their required vaccinations.

Hawthorne Alternative High School, which has an enrollment of 50 students, lists 14 percent (about seven) students who claim to be American Indian/Alaska Native. Enrollment also includes Black/ African American and Hispanic/Latinos with two students identifying at multiracial. The report card lists two teachers and two educations assistants. The staff lists zero counselors/psychologists on the staff. Only 22 percent (11 students) at Hawthorne graduate on time with about 50 percent of students finishing in five years.

District wide, 12 percent of the 3,117 student enrollment are Native American/Alaska Natives. (That includes Washington Elementary School with a Native enrollment of 88 students.) About 14 percent of the student enrollment in the District are Hispanic/Latino and about 8 percent listed as multiracial. That leaves 64 percent of the School District student enrollment as white.

Across the district, 71 percent of graduating seniors were on a free/reduced price lunch and 63 percent of those students with disabilities graduated.

Statewide, of 582,661 students there were 8,305 Native American/Alaska Native students, according to the Report Card. That number has consistently dropped each of the last five years. Five years ago, in the 2015-16 school year, there were 8,305 Native students, which means there are about 1,300 fewer Native students this year than five years ago.

The decline since 2012-16 school year is about 16 percent.

The state report card shows a total of 21,080 students considered homeless.

That number has stayed close to the same for the last five years. (That 21,080 is the number of in-person school days, which was reduced in the 2019-20 school years due to COVID-19. According to the report card, that explains the reduction in the count of students identified as homeless.)

Of those 21,080 homeless students, some 1,584 were in shelters, 15,868 were sharing housing, 2,514 were counted as

Confederated Umatilla Journal

“unsheltered,” and 1,114 were living in motels. More than 2,300 high school seniors in Oregon were listed as homeless. The smallest number was for preschool with an estimated 1,281 homeless children.

Across the state, nearly 90 percent of teachers are white, with 24 percent Hispanic, and about 1 percent being American Indian/Native Alaska.

Umatilla County has 229 homeless students, according to the Report Card, which ranks it 20th among the 36 Oregon counties.

Here’s a breakdown for other schools in Pendleton District 16R: Sunridge Middle School – 748 enrollment Students - 14 percent (about 100 students) Native American/Alaska Native, 13 percent Hispanic/Latino, 6 percent multicultural, with 66 percent white.

Staff - 24 teachers, 17 educational assistants, one counselor/psychologist with 72 percent of the teacher with more than three years of experience.

Washington Elementary – 443 students Students - 20 percent or about 88 students American Indian/Native Alaska, 13 percent Hispanic/Latino, 10 percent multi-racial, with 56 percent of the students being white.

Staff – 22 teachers, 17 educational assistants, 1 counselor/psychologist, with 65 percent having more than three years of experience. There were no American Indian/Native Alaska teachers at Washington.

McKay Elementary – 258 students Students - 5 percent American Indian/Native Alaska, 7 percent Hispanic/Latino, 9 percent multi-racial, and 78 percent white. White men and women accounted for 94 percent of the teachers.

Staff - 14 teachers, 7 educational assistants, 1 counselor/psychologist, with 69 percent of licensed teachers with more than three years of experience.

Sherwood Heights Elementary – 439 students Students - 3 percent American Indian/Native Alaska, 19 percent Hispanic/Latino, 10 percent multi-racial and 65 percent white.

Staff - 24 teachers (100 percent white), 17 educational assistants, one counselor/psychologist, with 72 percent of licensed teachers with more than three years of experience.

Pendleton Early Learning Center – 247 students Students -10 percent (about 25) American Indian/Alaska Native, 18 percent Hispanic/Latino, with six out of 10 teachers who are white.

Staff - 15 teachers, 11 educational assistants, one counselor/psychologists with 94 percent being white and 88 percent of licensed teachers with more than three years of experience.

Pendleton School District 16R – 3,117 students Students - 12 percent (about 374) Native Indian/Alaska Native, 14 percent Hispanic/Latino, 8 percent multi-racial, and 64 percent white, with 94 percent of teachers also described as white.

Staff – 11 administrators, 154 teachers, 76 educational assistants, nine counselors/psychologists and 75 percent if licensed teachers with more than three years of experience.

Oregon State – 582,661 students (8,305 or about 1 percent) American Indian/Alaska natives.

November 2020

November 2020

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Hazard Mitigation plans to address things like the February floods were approved in November by CUJ file photo/Phinney the Board of Trustees for the Confederated Umatilla Indian Reservation.

CTUIR plans to purchase some flood-damaged homes By the CUJ

MISSION - Hazard mitigation has been of the utmost importance in the area since February’s Umatilla River Flood.

“The river’s changing course and moving as it wants to, and (a flood) is going to happen again,” Planning Program Manager Patty Perry told the Board of Trustees (BOT) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) in November.

Perry told the Board that climate change is a factor in the flooding.

Two resolutions were passed by the Board of Trustees Nov. 16 regarding the aftermath of the flood.

The BOT decided that several fee properties, including houses and buildings severely damaged or destroyed in the flood zone, will be purchased by the CTUIR. The Board directed Interim Executive Director Chuck Sams to execute all required forms and documents for the financial assistance for the project.

“The CTUIR’s Natural Resources Department has adopted a River Vision that sets goals and objectives to one day see the Umatilla River closer to its original geomorphology,” said Sams. “To that end, we are looking to purchase homes that were once just in the flood plain, but are now in the flood way. The houses we propose to purchase will be removed and environmental mitigations will take place to return the area to a more natural state.”

The amount of federal aid awarded was $2.4 million, according to Perry. A match of 25 percent, totaling more than $600,000, was allocated from the CTUIR Contingency Fund.

With the purchase, the lands will return to their natural state.

“The sole purpose is to mitigate flood risk to these private property owners,” Perry said. “It benefits everyone concerned, so it’s like a win-win situation … One of the goals and mitigation measures identified in that plan is removing the residences that are repeatedly flooded.”

Perry said the process is complex because the Umatilla Indian Reservation is

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in the National Flood Insurance Program that allows residences in flood plains to obtain flood insurance. And flood insurance is only available through a federal program for communities that are in this national flood insurance program.

To be in the flood insurance program, Perry said, “you have to have land-use jurisdiction and you have to adopt regulations for any development that occurs in that designated flood plain area.”

The BOT adopted a Flood Hazard Overlay Zone in 2010 and a Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2016. The February flood, federal disaster declaration, and the Tribes’ approved Hazard Mitigation Plan makes the CTUIR eligible to apply for funding to mitigate future flood risks, Perry said. “… One of the things that the Board has expressed concern over is all these homes that were flooded,” she said. “I was authorized to move forward with letters of intent (to purchase the homes).”

After the flood, several home owners contacted CTUIR staff about selling their land, Perry said.

“They were saying, ‘We don’t know what to do with our place now. We don’t want to stay here and get flooded again,’” she said. “So they asked if the Tribe was interested in purchasing their property. When I got word of that, I went ahead and put in a letter of intent to OEM (Oregon Emergency Management) for this funding to purchase these properties.”

OEM acts as a middle-man for Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) mitigation funds, Perry said.

“The allocation provides some soft money to move forward with ordering the appraisals and all of the other evaluations necessary for property purchases to occur,” she said. “And, also, part of this mitigation is to remove those structures.”

Perry noted a team of internal Department of Natural Resources staff are working on the grant acquisition projects, including Cultural Resources, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Water Resources, as well as Finance, Office of Legal Counsel, and Planning.

November 2020

Board hears about distancing learning By the CUJ

MISSION – Modesta Minthorn, the CTUIR’s Director of Education, explained the difficulties facing tribal families with distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to the Board of Trustees Nov. 25.

But a bright spot has been the Tribe’s After School Program for students of all grade levels. Three cohorts of 10 students are allowed to participate from the elementary, middle and high school levels.

A bus picks them up, they stay and do distance learning for two hours, and then a bus drops them off.

“The first couple weeks our attendance, our numbers were a little low,” Minthorn said. “But they started to pick up as more students were being referred to our program. It’s worked out pretty well so far.”

BOT Chair Kat Brigham asked about referrals for truancy of tribal students in the Pendleton School District. Attendance, in general, was a topic of interest among the board.

The issue, Minthorn said, is that a threshold on truancies has yet to be set.

BOT member Jill-Marie Gavin asked for data on students who were inactive in class for more than five days.

“That’s not a threshold that’s been set,” Minthorn said.

“How long will school districts take to set thresholds?” Gavin followed “They’re pretty wishy-washy,” Minthorn said. “I’ve not heard a solid percentage or threshold.”

“Our kids are unique in dealing with truancy,” Gavin said. “Our barriers are larger. It is important to set that threshold early. We’re halfway through the school year and don’t know where things are going to go.”

BOT member Corrine Sams brought forth a concern about mental health and financial struggles.

“Are your Title VI workers able to send referrals for any economic or social adversities our students are having?” she said. “Mental health, financial struggles have been a burden to our students and causing issues. Are you working with Yellowhawk (Tribal Health Center) at all for supports on the Reservation?”

“That’s a huge issue,” Minthorn said.

“I know at least five referrals Title VI has done for mental health. There’s a process to get those referrals out. We’re trying to work with Yellowhawk but our interaction is limited because of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).”

“I think it would be awesome if there was more support for students,” she added. “It’s just a very weird time for everyone. The academic support (and mental health support), they’re two very different things.”

Sams, who noted the Education Department was allocated $100,000 early on in the pandemic, said the goal of having extra supports would be to reduce pressure on Tribal families.

“If not, we’re going to have a huge issue when it comes to households that

November 2020

Nixyaawii School Board discusses on-line classes, attendance issues MISSION - The Nixyaawii Community School Board talked about grades and attendence at its meeting Nov. 30.

NCS Principal Ryan Heinrich reported 80 students were now enrolled, which is about 12 percent lower than previous years.

He chalked much of that up to the on-line learning in which some students just aren’t attending.

Heinrich said he’s eager to get students back in the classroom, but current COVID-19 restrictions for Umatilla County are stalling that process.

NCS is offering day camps with bus rides available at 8:30 a.m. from the old school building at the July Grounds.

“They’re not raising grades but they are showing up. They just want to be here, but they aren’t turning in assignments,” Heinrich said.

NCS Board Chair Randall Melton said he was “disappointed with all the opportunities students are givew to raise their grades.

Conferences weren’t well attended either.

“I was hoping we’d get more parent involvement, but we didn’t get that,” Heinrich said.

The Board announced an election next spring to replace three current members.

are going to be non-compliant with the threshold that hasn’t been set yet,” she said. “So I just caution there that I hope that it’s not punitive and I hope we can come up with more solutions.”

BOT Secretary Sally Kosey expressed disappointment in the Pendleton School District. She stated as long as students log in, they are counted as having attended school, regardless of the amount of time they spent in class that day.

“I know it’s a money issue and then they can count them as attending and get money for them,” she said. “(Students) aren’t learning. They’re not getting anything. I’m just appalled that that’s all they’re doing. For me, they’re not doing their part.”

Linda Sampson, of the Afterschool Education Program, spoke to the successes of the program.

“Don’t get discouraged,” she said. “I see a lot of negative responses about the school district. I’m glad to tell you kids that are in our program are actually all passing. It sounds like doomsday, or the end of the world, but if we keep working harder, we keep brainstorming…”

“There’s so many complexities,” Sampson added. “Try not to give up.”

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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COVID-19 at the same time we’re trying to monitor our cancer patients, our chronic disease said Carrie Sampson-Samuels, Commupatients…” nity Wellness Director at Yellowhawk.

Through all this, Yellowhawk’s “People need to stop gathering,” Community Health Nurses are shifting said Carrie Sampson-Samuels at Yelto contact tracing. On any given day lowhawk. “We’re mostly seeing cases Yellowhawk has 10-15 contact tracers rise within immediate households more with at least five than we’re seeing on weekends. isolated cases.”

“We’re contact The bottom line, tracing every day, Sampson-Samuels even holidays, said, “If you want with two commuto keep your family nity health nurses safe then you need working alternatto be safe.” ing weekends,” On a positive Sampson-Samuels note, the COVID-19 said. vaccine is coming.

Staff has “taken Sampson-Sama pause” on some uels said Yellowduties and assignhawk is making ments, shifting to plans for distribucontact tracing. tion. The people Carrie Sampson-Samuels, Community “It’s stretched who will get the Wellness Director at Yellowhawk Tribal us thin,” Sampvaccine first are Health Center son-Samuels said. health care workers What doesn’t and people at longhelp is the fact term care facilities. many people Sampson-Samuels said Yellowhawk aren’t following quarantine orders. also has a list of elders that will be high “We’ve seen people out in the comon the list. munity putting others at risk. Are they “It’s coming and quicker than we not taking this seriously or do they not thought,” she said, noting that new staff understand the importance of quaranwill be hired to manage the vaccination tining?” Sampson-Samuels asked. process.

Even with a mask, it’s possible for Meanwhile, Yellowhawk is swamped.

COVID-positive individuals to infect “The impact on the clinic has been others. that our operations really had to shift “It is getting taxing for staff who work and focus on COVID more than we’d Monday through Sunday, holidays and like to,” Sampson-Samuels said. “We late hours to see people are still not folunderstand there is still chronic disease lowing the guidance. The community in the community and other ailments needs to be diligent,” Sampson-Samuels that need to be addressed. Unfortunatesaid. ly, we are tasked with handling COVID Continued from page 1A

‘People need to stop gathering.

We’re mostly seeing cases rise within immediate households more than we’re seeing isolated cases.’

Land purchases Continued from page 2A

of which can often take from three to 10 years.

“In the non-Indian world if it takes longer than a year, something is the matter,” he said.

For the pieces that aren’t in probate, the CTUIR needs consent from the living allotee before it can negotiate the purchase.

CTUIR resolutions, which outline the Tribes’ intent to purchase from living owners, are sent to the superintendent of the BIA (Michael Jackson). Once an appraisal has been completed, which determines Fair Market Value, the BIOA sends a letter notifying land owners that the CTUIR intends to purchase their land.

“A lot don’t respond. Some may not even know where the land is,” Tovey said. “Once we agree on an appraisal for the sale the owner gets a letter saying the Tribe is purchasing the property, Hopefully then a payment would be made to the landowner.”

Some of the parcels, particularly on a grazing allotment, are so small that checks for 2-cents have been mailed to owners.

“A little piece of grazing land, with a $20 animal unit per acre, will be pennies,” Tovey said.

In most cases, that administrative work costs more than the value of the fractionalized parcel. Tovey said a study by the Indian Land Tenure Foundation found that about $300 is spent on a single allotment each year.

Dang it. Be safe.

Mask up, wash your hands and stay away from people.

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November 2020

Pharmacy drive-thru soft opening Dec. 21 Yellowhawk addition to help with social distancing

By Cary Rosenbaum of the CUJ

MISSION – The new Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center’s pharmacy drive-thru on the Umatilla Indian Reservation is just what the community needs during times like these.

With the COVID-19 pandemic risk increasing, prompting a two-week freeze by Gov. Kate Brown in November, the extra distancing will make acquisition of medicine safer.

There will be a soft opening for the new addition on Dec. 21, and a Grand Opening on Jan. 12, according to health center officials.

“Social distancing, social distancing, social distancing,” said Yellowhawk Risk Manager/Quality Improvement Coordinator Eric Gabriel. “The addition helps to stop the spread of COVID by keeping patients and staff safer from potential exposure. Anytime we can provide the patient a new service that makes their care a bit more convenient is a good feeling.”

Pharmacy Director Angie Dearing echoed Gabriel.

“The pharmacy drive-thru window will provide a safe and convenient option for Tribal patients to minimize COVID-19 virus exposure,” she said. “The pharmacy staff have been offering temporary services of curbside delivery, home delivery and mailing prescription orders when requested.”

A drive-through window had been planned in the past, but it did not seem feasible at the old facility, Gabriel said.

Workers installing Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center’s new pharmacy drive-through in Mission were making progress Nov. 19 in preparation of December’s soft opening. The drive-through window is expected to be fully operational by January and will allow for the sociallydistant acquisition of medicine for the community, officials said.

CUJ photo/Rosenbaum

“Normally a project like this takes much longer to go through the approval process, get permits, break ground and such,” he said, “but all parties worked together as a team and made it possible to procure the appropriate contractors and begin building the extension soon after approval. Even through the unforeseen smoke

from nearby fires and COVID, the contractors stayed on schedule or ahead of schedule.”

The 950-square-foot project as well as paving and landscaping was funded by the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act. The Board of Trustees approved the project in July.

.

Merry Christmas The Board of Trustees sends a Happy Holidays wish to everyone.

We wish we all could be together for the holidays, but social distancing is the right thing to do. Stay healthy. We will get through this together.

From the Board of Trustees for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation November 2020

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Frank and Nan Taylor Continued from page 4A

naming names hasn’t gone over well with everybody on the list.

Some people just “brushed it off,” but others were offended, which put Nan on the defensive.

“No one was taking it seriously. Not even my grandmother. When she saw me wearing a mask she asked ‘Where’s your faith?’ I told her I’d been exposed and then I cried.”

T

he first two days after Frank was tested were dreadful and Nan didn’t know who to turn to.

“I’ve never witnessed so much frustration, even dealing with my husband,” she said, calling it a form of Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder (PTSD).

It was a constant state of worry, Nan said. She busied herself sanitizing “from the toilet to the doorknobs.”

She had questions but couldn’t find anyone to answer them.

“Do I call 911 emergency? I call the ER and they send you to a COVID hotline but nobody’s there. You feel like you’re on your own until you need life-saving measures.”

Nan did call an ambulance on the first night in the hotel.

“I was already in a state of ‘what the hell?”

That uncomfortable feeling was captured in one of the photos Nan has posted on Facebook.

“I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy,” she said.

N

an said she was thankful for all the support she received from family, friends, even strangers who commented on her posts.

One of her friends in California sent Nan 500 disposable masks that she intends to distribute to elders and people at high risk.

Since they’ve come home after isolation they’ve been able to use CARES Act funding through the Con-

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‘No one was taking it seriously.

Not even my grandmother. When she saw me wearing a mask she asked ‘Where’s your faith?’ I told her I’d been exposed and then I cried.’

Nan Taylor

federated Tribes’ Incident Command Team to replace everything.

W

hile stuck in her hotel room, Nan focused on her son and social media.

One of her Facebook posts received nearly 2,000 likes and more than 200 shares.

“I don’t know why I turned to Facebook but I did. I wanted to send a message out to people. We do what we do, we take care of the land. It’s not going to come to a stop, but it’s not going to last forever. For a short while there are sacrifices we have to make.”

Since they’ve come home after isolation they’ve been able to use CARES Act funding to replace everything.

“From our bedding, pillows to tooth brushes. We invested more in cleaning supplies, threw out old furniture and carpeting, and replaced some clothing. We wipe doors down from the entrance to the bathroom.”

N

an said she knows many people don’t want to know they are sick.

She said she understands.

“It’s very unfortunate our cultural ways have had to come to a halt, What happened over at the Patrick home [Toby Patrick gathering at Easter in April, which resulted in 17 citations that still have not gone to Tribal Court] was unfortunate, but they really could have had

Confederated Umatilla Journal

an explosion … At first I was angry with this virus, I was angry at the leadership for not believing our ways, I was angry for the people getting persecuted. It’s taken my own lesson to understand.”

It’s been made abundantly clear that not everyone is sympathetic to Nan’s plight, or at least the way she’s dealt with it.

“A lot of people don’t even want the world to know they are sick,” Nan said. “I mean people are running around without symptoms and they are spreading it because they don’t think they have it.”

B

ut even those who contract COVID-19 can’t be complacent.

No matter what, Frank and Nan agree, don’t get comfortable.

Frank remembers when a nurse wheeled him out the back door of the hospital.

“She (nurse) said, ‘You’re a survivor of COVID, but don’t think you can’t catch it again.”

Nan said this sickness and its aftermath have not been easy to deal with.

“The support has dwindled away,” Nan said. “We’re frowned upon now because people fear this sickness.

We were not reckless, but this is what people think when you get COVID-19.”

Nan said she decided to “bite the bullet” to get the message out.

“I just don’t want to be attacked by people for being transparent and honest. I didn’t ask to get this sickness.”

Nan said COVID-19 has been “a lot overwhelming,” but she’s trying to see a little brighter side.

“We wear our masks to protect the ones we love,” she said. “This pandemic has hit lives around the world; it is our duty to take care of one another. Us as Indian people have fought everything that has been brought to our lands and we’ve made it through together … We are all human. We make mistakes. Some we can’t take back. Prayers up my people.”

November 2020

Twila Jones Continued from page 5A

layed there, but you have to keep turning, like a rotisserie chicken, so it doesn’t sit in your lungs.”

While the family was quarantined, they received food boxes from Clackamas County and the Salvation Army. The NARA food pantry hooked them up with food and juice, as well as cleaning supplies.

Twila is adamant that people who

test positive for COVID-19 share that unwelcome news with people they’ve been around.

“You have to be able to speak up if you have it. If you’ve been around someone for 15 minutes or longer, just make it known. It’s better for you and your family to get tested.”

Twila said her family is sticking withGov. te Brown’s COVID-19 protocols,

including gatherings, even in your own house, of no more than six people.

“Stay home, wear a mask, wash all day long. You could be standing in line at the grocery store and the next thing you know you catch COVID.” Twila blames Coyote, the trickster, for allowing people to believe they can be safe at pool tournaments and birthday parties.

“I tell my kids it’s all Coyote. They say

they want to go to a birthday party and I say I don’t care, there will be a birthday next year. Don’t be fooled by Coyote.”

Twila said she thought she was safe.

“Sanitizers, spray, bacterial wipes.

Washing our hands. We were safe and we still got it,” she said.

On Thanksgiving Day, Twila said, the family sat down for dinner.

“We had a lot to be thankful for.”

of Economic and Community Development, Children and Family Services, Natural Resources, Public Safety and Public Works, as well as the offices of the Executive Director, Finance, Planning, and Information Technology. Additionally, the coordination includes Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center.

In August, Spectrum Pacific West, LLC (Charter Communications), one of the companies that provide Wi-Fi on the Reservation and in Pendleton, filed a protest with Business Oregon challenging the $750,000 CARES Act business Oregon grant to the Tribes. The company contended that the Tribal Broadband Project would over-build the existing Charter communication system on the Reservation.

Charter withdrew their protest Aug. 24 after a conference call with Tribal staff demonstrated that the Tribal Broadband Project would primarily serve households not currently served by the existing Charter system.

According to the federal requirements, the CARES Act funding must be spent by Dec. 30, 2020, which means construction will have to be complete on the “Pandemic

Preparedness Building” and on the initial construction phase 1 of the fiber optic cable system.

However, according to requirements from the FCC’s spectrum channel application, owners have five years to build-out the actual Wi-Fi communication system to maintain the FCC license.

A total of 154 spectrum licenses, from more than 400 applications, were issued to tribal applicants by the FCC. In Oregon, four other tribes also received FCC licenses – the Confederated Tribes of Grand Rohde Community of Oregon, Coquille Indian Tribe, Cow Creek of Umpqua Tribes of Indians, and the Warm Springs Telecommunications Company.

“This is a major step forward in or efforts to close the digital divide on Tribal lands,” FCC Chairman Pai said in a prepared statement about the Tribal 2.5 GHz licenses. “These communities face the digital connectivity challenges faced by rural Tribes. By prioritizing Tribal access to this midband spectrum, we are ensuring that Tribes can quickly access spectrum to connect their schools, homes, hospitals and businesses.”

Broadband internet Continued from page 11A

goal of the Tribes’ broadband project is to provide reliable wireless communication internet service, just like that provided in Pendleton, to reservation residents.

In its application for a 2.5 GHz spectrum channel, the CTUIR justified the need for broadband to support distance learning, tele-medicine, and public safety communications for tribal law enforcement, emergency response and the fire department to address the COVID-19 public health emergency, which was declared March 2 by the Tribes’ Board of Trustees.

(As of Dec. 1, more than 130 reservation residents had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a “disproportionate impact on Indian Country,” highlighting the need for broadband and other wireless services, according to a news release from Sen. Ron Wyden that said he and Sen. Jeff Merkley, along with other legislators, sent a letter to FCC Chair Ajit Pai in May that advocated for equal internet access.

“Because tribes have historically lacked access to spectrum to deploy broadband

November 2020

networks on tribal lands, 1.5 million people living in Indian Country have been left without basic access to online health, public safety, and educational services,” the Wyden news release states.

The broadband project, with a cost of about $1 million, is planned in three phases. The first phase will include a “loop” connecting fiber optic broadband service to all tribal buildings and business enterprises to a new broadband “point of presence” (POP) at the new Pandemic Preparedness building; a second phase will be installation of a “fiber optic backbone” from the reservation to a major internet hub in downtown Pendleton; and a third phase will be system development of “last-mile” delivery to households across the reservation.

The Pandemic Preparedness Building (see other story on Page 1A) will host the broadband POP facility, services and information technology upgrades to Tribal government, plus facilities for the storage and distribution of emergency food supplies (see other story on page X), and personal protection equipment (PPE).

The broadband project is being coordinated with the CTUIR departments

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Meacham Creek award Continued from page 10A

since 2009 have invested in three largescale floodplain restoration efforts. The first two projects addressed 2.5 river miles starting about six miles upstream from the mouth.

According to James, the overall objectives of the projects has been to provide opportunities for recovery of geomorphic, hydrologic, riparian, and in-stream processes based on historical and reference conditions.

“Natural recovery is expected to continue decades into the future and on-going monitor has confirmed the trajectory,” James wrote in his nomination letter.

Collectively, the three large-scale efforts removed three miles of levees and spur dikes, realigned two miles of channel, reconnected three miles of side channels, placed 5,000 pieces of large wood debris, planted 87 acres, and enhanced five acres of wetlands.

Specifically, Phase I entailed removing 3,400 feet of levee and spur dikes, realigning 5,922 feet of Meacham Creek into its historical channel, placing more than 1,400 pieces of large woody debris, and constructing three side channels over 6,000 feet long, and one wall-based channel over 2,000 feet long. The project increased the stream habitat in the project area (mainstem, side channels and tributaries) from approximately 7,540 feet to more than 13,000 feet.

The Phase II activities included removal of more than 5,000 feet of levees and spur dikes, installing some 565 pieces of wood for log jams, and reconnecting a

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‘The CTUIR have made incredible advances in the restoration of the Meacham Creek watershed in these floodplain reaches ...

They truly are worthy of recognition for these efforts to their lands.’

Chris James, Tetra Tech’s project manager/hydrologist, who nominated the Tribes’ floodplain restoration for the award.

1,960-foot-long channel to the mainstem.

The third phase – the Bonifer Reach activities - include removing more than 7,125 linear feet of levees and spur dikes and constructing more than 5,900 feet of new channel, off-channel and side channel habitat with more than 2,500 pieces of wood and 160 different log jams, installation of bioengineering techniques, and revegetation of all disturbed areas, as well as improvements to wetlands.

These floodplain restoration projects, James wrote, have already proven to buffer high summer water temperatures, store flood water in the floodplain in the spring to augment summer low flows, enhance aquatic habitat in Meacham Creek, and increase native riparian vegetation throughout the floodplain.

“The CTUIR have made incredible advances in the restoration of the Meacham Creek watershed in these floodplain reaches and will continue to do more upper portion of the watershed in the future.

They truly are worthy of recognition for these efforts to their lands,” James wrote.

In an award-recognition letter to Rick Christian, Umatilla Basin Project leader, Amy Sacry, a sub-regional representative of the Society for Ecological Restoration Northwest, said the “long-term commitment of the CTUIR to aquatic habitat and floodplain restoration significantly contributes to the advancement of ecological resource science and practice in our region.”

Sacry’s letter also commended the CTUIR for building a “wide range of working partnerships, a key factor in successful comprehensive restoration.”

Supporting agencies for the Meacham Creek Bonifer project include funding partners Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries Service (Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund) through regional support by Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission, and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board.

Primary construction ended in early October, but Umatilla Habitat Project

Confederated Umatilla Journal

staff are expected to finish their annual fall planting on the project by the end of November.

That concluded a five-year effort that started in May 2015 that included more than two years to receive permitted and permissions from the CTUIR and landowners.

“We will likely do an additional contract in the next year or two to add more wood, if needed,” Christian said. “It was a very long time in development, but we got there.”

Key DNR Fisheries staff who worked on the Meacham Creek Bonifer project include Christian, Lambert, Ethan Green, Gary James, Julie Burke, Mikayla Kelly, Randy Bonifer (now retired), Larry Allen, Sean Van Pelt, Jesse Bevis, Austin Samuels and Ian Sampson.

“Our staff and their work are highly regarded in their profession, and the repeated and significant acknowledgements of their work are indicative of their dedication and work quality,” Quaempts said.

The Society for Ecological Restoration makes the annual award “to a public, private, non-profit-owned and/or sponsored/implemented restoration project, or a collaboratively owned and/or implemented restoration project making a significant contribution to restoration in the Cascadia bioregion.”

The award was announced at the Society’s annual meeting Nov. 17. The meeting was a Zoom video conference.

Christian from the CTUIR gave a presentation of the Bonifer Reach work during the annual meeting.

November 2020

Food pantry Continued from page 3A

An employee will be needed to operate the facility’s “point of sales” component, which is where tribal members will be able to “purchase” food.

“When tribal members go to CAPECO (in Pendleton) they have to get a whole month’s worth of food,” Elliott said.

The point-of-sales will work like a grocery store check-out line where the amount of credit spent and the amount of credit left over is recorded. Instead of having to pick up a month’s worth of groceries in a single trip, the food pantry will allow people to use their monthly food allowance on a daily or weekly basis.

Currently an individual can get approximately 15 cans of vegetables and/or fruit, five pounds of ground meat and one chicken. A family of four would multiple those amounts four times, Elliott said.

“Sometimes families only have enough room in their cabinets for a dozen cans of fruits and vegetables,” Elliott said.

The on-reservation facility will also help people save time and fuel, Elliott said.

“If someone lives at Cayuse, for example, to get commodities they have to drive all the way to the airport to get to CAPECO. That’s a thirty to forty mile round trip and in the winter it’s not ideal to drive up that airport hill,” Elliott said.

Red Elk Continued from page 1A

He’s 22 and healthy and still contracted the coronavirus “I’m as healthy as I can be. I eat right.

Bu this virus does not care if you’re healthy or sick or not. It still finds a way to get to you. It’s like ‘Hey I’m here what are you going to do about it?’”

Red Elk’s message is simple.

“Take the virus seriously. It’s real. It’s not a joke. It attacks the elderly, middle age, young adults and children,” he said.

He told the “young rebels and daredevils” who aren’t following the guidelines “please, please, please take this serious. I almost lost my life because of this.”

“Having the facility here will be local, convenient and easier to get to. Transportation has been a barrier for people who want to receive commodities. This way they won’t have to worry about getting a ride” for a trip that likely will take at least an hour to complete.

“Right now,” Elliott continued, “CAPECO offers fresh fruit and produce delivered three times a week. Our participants can’t always run up there to see what’s available.”

Additionally, the new food distribution facility is expected to be open all month Monday through Friday. On the other hand, CAPECO is open the first three weeks of the month, closing during the last week of the month for inventory.

“We won’t need a full week (for required inventory),” Elliot said. “It’s been a barrier for people who need food to get through the month when CAPECO is closed for that last week.”

Above all else, Taylor said, “We appreciate CAPECO and the USDA for the continued collaboration and coordination in the support of the new distribution system, which will continue to provide

Nelson John, a Yakama tribal member, is working on the Pandemic Preparedness Building through the Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

He was working on footings in preparation for pouring a concrete slab in early December.

CUJ photo/Phinney

Pandemic building Continued from page 1A

money be spent by Dec. 30.

Bill Tovey, Director of the Department of Economic and Community Development, is optimistic if not confident that the pre-engineered metal building will be completed on time.

The building will provide homes for three components: A broadband “point of presence” where the new internet Wi-Fi will be centered. Eight to 10 cabinets will be available to rent to internet providers to house their servers. (See other story on Page 11A.) A food pantry that will allow the Confederated Tribes to store groceries currently at the CAPECO building on Airport Hill. The Tribes’ Department of Children and Family Services will provide oversight of at least two employees. DCFS obtained nearly $600,000 in a CARES grants through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which supplies com-

November 2020

modity foods to income-eligible individuals and families. The food distribution facility will include a walk-in freezer and refrigerator, with shelves of canned and dry goods for Tribal members to choose from. (See other story on Page 3A.) A storage area for personal protection equipment (PPE) for Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. That will mostly include COVID-19 required masks and cleaning supplies. At some point, PPE may be stored there for Wildhorse Resort & Casino and the CTUIR. The building will be a shell with the interior layout to be created after the building is finished. But Tovey said the building will not be a “warehouse.”

Rather, the interior of the 60-foot by 176foot building will be finished, probably with sheet rock on the walls. The food pantry will include a “point of sales” (like a grocery store check-out line) plus furniture.

Concrete footings were poured in mid-

November. but construction was stalled for a few days because of snow, rain and mud. It’s “back on track” with hopes that weather won’t be an issue again.

The pre-engineered metal building, brought to the Reservation on three semitrucks, is stored in pieces at the Tribal Environmental Recovery Facility (TERF).

Tovey said the walls and roof should go up within two to three weeks. Landscaping and paving won’t happen until spring and will require more money from the Tribes.

Tovey said the building, which was approved by the CTUIR Board of Trustees in July, will meet all Tribal Land Development codes and design standards.

It is the first construction at the Coyote Business Park South’s industrial site since the Tribal Environmental Recovery Facility was built.

Don’t expect the building to stick with “pandemic preparedness” as its moniker.

“We’ll eventually give it a new name,” said Tovey.

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

November 2020

News & Sports

Section

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

December 2020

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Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Tribal member Ashlyn Wallace signed her letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Idaho HUDL.com next season.

A pair of owls stare back from a tree on the Umatilla Chemical Depot property. The CTUIR hopes to gain more land specifically for wildlife preservation at the site, as it was planned to receive a 600 feet by 500 feet piece. The Tribe would like a half-mile.

UMCD

CTUIR wants more land at UMCD Tribe working with Government officials in attempt to gain larger preservation area

Various forms of wildlife, including this coyote, have been spotted UMCD at the UMCD.

“The CTUIR does not feel 600 feet length by 500 feet width is adequate preservation for an eligible historic property that still holds local and national significance with integrity of location, design, setting, materials, feeling and association,” she added. “The CTUIR feels a more appropriate lineal segment of the Southern Trail needs to be preserved – at least 0.5 miles of continuous trail.”

Since sending a letter to the Pentagon in October, Farrow Ferman said she has not heard back.

Ashlyn Wallace is a basketball lifer, a nonstop hooper who’ll carve out time to play at any opening.

Members of her inner circle could attest.

They find themselves on the receiving end of text messages multiple times a week.

“My friends get annoyed sometimes,” the Clarkston High School senior and Lapwai product said, laughing. “I’m always texting them: ‘I need a rebounder.’ But I’ve got great family and friends. They’re used to me asking too.”

At this stage, the sport has become close to full-time for Wallace, a two-time Adidas AllAmerican and Associated Press All-Region court maestro at point guard.

The Bantam record-breaker will be continuing her vocation, and soon be living out a dream: playing as much basketball as she can get.

Wallace inked a letter of intent with coach Jon Newlee’s consistently successful University of Idaho program Monday.

“It clicked from the very beginning,” said Wallace Signs on page 8B

Chemical Depot on page 6B

Tribal member Milan Schimmel is starting for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. She played 33 minutes in the team’s first game, scoring 8 points and grabbing 3 rebounds. For more turn to Page 2B.

December 2020

Basketball is life for Ashlyn Wallace of Clarkston High School

By Colton Clark of the Daily News

By the CUJ

UMATILLA – The Oregon Trail Advocates want a revised mitigation proposal for the Umatilla Chemical Depot by the Department of Army. The allocation of a 600 by 500 feet plot of land to preserve the Southern route of the Oregon Trail for lands to be transferred to the Columbia Development Authority, which the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) are a member of, was not enough.

The CTUIR agreed.

“We agree because it is a small preservation area for a large linear footprint, which the Oregon Trail crosses about nine miles through the southern portion of the Army Depot lands,” Cultural Resources Protection Program Manager Teara Farrow Ferman said after a November 5 tour with local officials. “Preserving 600 feet of it is not really adequate when there’s definitely aspects of the trail you can still see today.”

Instead of the smaller piece, Farrow Ferman asked for a half-mile for preservation, she said. In a letter to the Pentagon, she wrote, “The CTUIR still does not agree that the mitigation for the Southern Trail is sufficient and we have serious concerns about limiting protections to the time in which CDA owns the property when the CDA has already indicated that they intend to re-convey industrial lands during their last board meeting.”

Tribal member signs to play ball at Idaho

Veterans marched with masks on Veterans Day this year in Mission. For more photos turn to page 3B.

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Schimmel earns start By the CUJ

CINCINNATI – Tribal member Milan Schimmel quickly earned a starting role for the University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team.

The Bearcats (1-0) edged Northern Kentucky 73-67 in overtime to earn their first win of the season.

Schimmel scored 8 points (2 for 5 from 3-point range), grabbed 2 rebounds, and had 4 turnovers. The team relied heavily on Ilmar’l Thomas, who scored 34 points in the win.

Cincinnati was set to play a familiar foe of Schimmel -- Louisville -- on Nov. 28, but the game was canceled. Schimmel’s sisters Shoni and Jude played for the Cardinals before playing professionally.

In late October, the Bearcats released a video interviewing and showing practice highlights of Schimmel.

“I enjoy seeing the court, shooting the ball, hustling and being competitive,” Schimmel said in the episode, titled “Fresh Faces Presented by Kroger.”

Schimmel stated, “I’ve always been around basketball all my life. My older siblings, my parents, we would always be in the gym. I was basically raised around basketball, am familiar with the game and I love it.”

Schimmel transferred to the Bearcats program after averaging 14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game with Eastern Florida State College last season.

“Milan is a versatile guard that has the ability to play multiple positions in

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

‘I enjoy seeing the court, shooting the ball, Milan Schimmel hustling and being competitive.’

- Milan Schimmel University of Cincinnati our system,” Cincinnati coach Michelle Clark-Heard said. “She is able to score in a variety of ways and brings great experience to our teams as we continue to build a championship culture.” teams as we continue to build a championship culture.”

Clark-Heard was an assistant at Louisville from 2007-2012, and played a role in the recruitment of Milan’s sisters, Shoni and Jude Schimmel.

The video can be seen at http://www.

GoBearcats.com.

Next up, the Bearcats face Florida (Dec. 5), Xavier (Dec. 10), Central Michigan (Dec. 12), Houston (Dec. 16), East Carolina (Dec. 19) and USF (Dec. 22).

December 2020

CUJ News

A color guard leads veterans around the interior of the Nix-Ya-Wii Warriors Memorial on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 From left are Alan Crawford, Abel Matamoros, Woodrow Star, Lindsey Watchman, Mark Mesteth, Sam Spino, William Winnett, Jeff Winnett and Camille Spino. Standing on the wall outside the memorial are LeAnn Alexander in the striped robe and Jay Stanley in the red jacket.

Photos by Wil Phinney of the CUJ

Veterans gather Nov. 11 at Nix-Ya-Wii Warriors Memorial Drummers continue for a round dance inside the Nix-Ya-Wii Warriors Memorial on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. It was cold, but the sun peaked out from behind the clouds to brighten up the hour-long event. Remarks during the ceremony were made by Antone Minthorn, Woodrow Star and Lindsey Watchman.

Drummers pound out the beat and sing a Flag Song during the Nov. 11 event on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The drummers include, from left, Randy Minthorn, Logan Quaempts in hat, Wus Gone, Leland Shippentower, Armand Minthorn, and Kelsey Burns. Standing with the flags in the back are, from left, Alan Crawford, Abel Matamoros, Woodrow Star, Lindsey Watchman, Mark Mesteth, and Sam Spino. Standing above on the left are Jeremy Wolf and Aiden Wolf.

December 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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The Portland Trail Blazers announced they will honor the State of Oregon as well as its tribal nations with their latest City Edition uniform. The team said it’s “celebrating the unique beauty of Oregon’s landscape as well as acknowledging the Tribal Nations throughout the region who have called this land their home.”

NBA.com/Blazers

CUJ Advertising Rates:

$5.50 per column inch | Full page: $297 | 3/4 page: $223 1/2 page: $149 | 1/4 page: $72 | Business card: $33

Blazers honor state, tribal nations with new jerseys

By RipCityProject.com

On Thursday, Oct. 29th, the Portland Trail Blazers dropped a new jersey, and it’s far from the norm for the team. Drawing inspiration from their home state, the Blazers’ new jersey shines a light on the beauty of Oregon and those who have lived there for generations.

A daring new color scheme featuring not only the traditional red, white, and black, but also blue, orange, and yellow.

According to the team, the new uniforms were designed to celebrate “the unique beauty of Oregon’s landscape” Additionally, the team said that the uniforms are meant to honor the tribal nations throughout what is now Oregon.

The Blazers have been fairly reserved when it comes to uniform designs over

the years, so these uniforms will take some getting used to, but fans should approach this with an open mind.

It may not be the traditional red, white, and black, but the team has made an effort to honor not only their state but those who have lived in that land for generations.

It’s a great sentiment partnered with a bold design, one that will likely be loved by fans, if not now, very soon.

All it will likely take is an endorsement from Blazers’ star Damian Lillard who will surely be excited about the uniforms.

Lillard has been proud to represent not only “Rip City” but the state of Oregon since being drafted by the Blazers.

The excitement is sure to be palpable the first time the team dons their newest uniform.

NABI tournament to return next year in Phoenix

By Avery Roberts of Cronkite News

PHOENIX — After a one-year absence because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Native American Basketball Invitational will return in July, showcasing indigenous basketball players from across the U.S., Canada and New Zealand at venues around the Valley.

The championship games will take place at the newly renovated downtown arena of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury.

The decision to cancel the 2020 tournament crushed organizers.

“We cried. We had tears when we had to cancel because we know how important the event is to the kids,” ” said GinaMarie Scarpa, founder and president of the NABI Foundation, which formed in 2002 to organize the event. “And then, of course, news stories started coming out

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

about the cancellation and how devastating it was to our tribal youth across the country.”

It is another blow to a community that has been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Native Americans are 5.3 times more likely than the white community to be hospitalized because of COVID-19.

The NABI is considered the premier basketball tournament for indigenous youth, and was the first to become certified by the NCAA (2007), according to the organization’s website.

While basketball brings the athletes — boys and girls ages 14 to 19 — together for the tournament, the NABI Foundation’s ultimate goal is to teach athletes the NABI 2021 on page 13B

December 2020

Qew Ci'Yew'Yew

WILPHINNEY On behalf of the CTUIR Communications department and the Umatilla Indian Reservation community, we would like to say Thank You to Wil Phinney for telling our stories, curating tribal history through print, empowering the voice of our people and all around award winning journalism throughout the last 25 years!

Happy Retirement!

The Man December 2020

The Myth Confederated Umatilla Journal

The Legend 5B

Chemical Depot profits from any future economic developAdditionally, the preservation of 4,000 ment, but the CDA really did not have use acres of wildlife habitat that will be for the wildlife habitat lands because they are not wildlife transferred to the CTUmanagers and IR includes the Tribes has the northern this expertise.” route of the Due to its Oregon Trail past usage as a and Coyote chemical storCoulee, a hisage plant, Fartoric property row Ferman of religious suspects some and cultural minor clean significance up issues may to the CTUIR, she said. stall the trans“It’s defifer a bit longer.

A portion of land designated to the CTUIR. nitely a win,” UMCD Once the lands Farrow Ferman said regarding the Tribe are transferred to the Tribe, though, the gaining land.

Tribe’s Wildlife Program, Department of Farrow Ferman expects continued Economic Development and Cultural Retalks with the CDA, of which the CTUIR sources Protection Program will manage participates in.

“We’re a member, so we will have a say different areas.

Among the wildlife protected will be in the other land that the CDA is going to be the Western Burrowing Owl, which have getting,” she said. “And we’re still partners with them and can still potentially have nested on the property.

Continued from page 1B

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

December 2020

2020 Gorge management plan to include ‘diversity, equity, inclusion’ New policies introduced by Gorge Commissioner from Warm Springs By the CUJ

Policies that reflect “diversity, equity and inclusion” are being added to the new management plan for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

Then Columbia River Gorge Commission approved a revised management plan in October. It is the second time the plan has been updated in 29 years for the 202,000-acre national scenic area, which is shared by Oregon and Washington.

The diversity, equity and inclusion language for the revised Gorge 2020 Management Plan was introduced by Carina Miller, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs who was appointed to the Columbia River Gorge Commission by Gov. Kate Brown. (Miller was a senate candidate for Oregon District 30.)

The “diversity, equity and inclusion” plan has yet to be developed, but will address “systemic inequities identified or discovered in its work and policies.”

The plan will include specific measures and outcomes to: Ensure a diverse staff and commission; Develop and apply an “equity lens” to implementation of the management plan, Gorge Commission operations, and policy decisions, and; Engage under-represented and marginalized communities in the Columbia Gorge region.

In the Chapter 1 overview, the Columbia Gorge Commission stated this: “The Gorge Commission recognizes that the Columbia River Gorge National

Scenic Area represents rich and diverse cultures. The National Scenic Area is located within the ancestral territories of indigenous peoples who have protected these lands since time immemorial. The Gorge Commission acknowledges that European settlers and their governing authorities took indigenous land and resources within this region by unjust and inequitable means. Indigenous leaders negotiated treaties that reserved rights to fish at usual and accustomed sites, hunt, and gather traditional foods and medicines on public lands and waters throughout their ceded lands. Despite these treaties, indigenous people have experienced loss of land and resources essential to their spiritual, cultural, and economic well-being and livelihoods.”

The revised management plan includes a wide range of new policies like doubling the size of protective steam buffers for salmon habitat, requiring an analysis if any of the 13 urban areas within the designated scenic area wants to expand, and placing limits on the amount of land that can be used for urban development. It also adds greater restrictions on new construction in forest zones to reduce fire risks.

For the first time, in addition to the diversity component, the management plan requires a climate action strategy to continue to protect the region and adapt to changing climate.

The U.S. Forest Service created the Columbia River Gorge Commission in 1986 under the National Scenic Area Act. Two years later, the commission developed a Scenic Area Management plan, which was then adopted in 1991. The plan is supposed to be reviewed at least every ten years to determine what needs to be updated to better protect the area.

Some of the information in this story is from an Oct. 19, 2020, story by Monica Samayoa of Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Plains tribal leaders act to take COVID-19 seriously after surge

By Robin Young and Allison Hagan, WBUR

As many Native Americans honor a National Day of Mourning this Thanksgiving, Indigenous communities are among the hardest hit by COVID-19 in the U.S. Native Americans are 3.5 times more likely to get COVID-19 than white people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Navajo Nation is under lockdown as cases shoot up in the Great Plains, including the Dakotas. The Indian Health Service federal agency reported a 25% positivity rate among Native Americans in the region.

Native families in the Great Plains are losing their closest loved ones, especially in the last few weeks during the surge, says Jerilyn LeBeau Church, the CEO of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board.

“Despite the many efforts that our tribes have made to keep our population safe, we’re in states where the state leadership has not taken the virus seriously,”

December 2020

she says.

The governor of North Dakota only recently instituted a mask-wearing order.

The governor of South Dakota has yet to issue a mask order.

On reservations, tribal leaders can take measures like closing the borders and instituting curfews, Church says. But there’s no way to separate Native people working service jobs in more urban areas from the rest of the population.

A motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, in August turned into a super spreader of the disease. Indigenous workers cleaned rooms and served food for people attending the rally to earn their paycheck, Church says.

After the rally, the health board saw a significant spike in infections and deaths, she says. But the organization also observed something encouraging: The numbers weren’t as high as expected despite tribal leaders clashing with the governor.

Plains on page 13B

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Wallace Signs Continued from page 1B

Wallace, one of Washington’s top overall prospects and a two-time Great Northern League MVP, whose other Division I suitors included Washington State, Butler and Eastern Washington. “(Newlee) kept his eye on me throughout the years, and we always had a little connection. He’s super cool. The coaching staff is great. It was a perfect fit.”

It’s also fitting that one of Wallace’s earlier memories in the sport came about half her lifetime ago, when she first met the 13th-year Vandal boss at one of his offseason high school camps in Moscow.

“She’s been going there for so long, it’s basically like family,” Bantams coach Debbie Sobotta said.

The Vandals, having been along

MERRY CHRISTMAS

‘She’s played around the nation with all-stars all around her, and she always fits in nicely. She’ll be able to adapt (at the D-I level) and figure out her niche.’

- Debbie Sobotta, Clarkston Basketball Coach for much of the ride, should know exactly what kind of long-developing gem they’ve landed.

Wallace is a 5-foot-6, left-handed shooter who commands a game’s tempo and doesn’t get rattled or sped up by opponents. She boasts an impressively quick and fluid shot release, and one of the smoothest long-range touches in the Northwest.

She can attack the basket with the best of them, rarely misses a free throw, possesses next-level ball-handling skills and sharp vision, and is one of the region’s peskiest defenders.

“She has so much in her repertoire,” Sobotta said. “She’s spent so, so much

time honing her skills throughout offseasons, and during the season. She always works extra.

“Everyone knows she’s legit from the 3-point line, and I’d say she’s really developed that midrange game.

But probably one of the biggest things is how she reads situations. ... She can take it to a whole different realm, and you stop coaching and just watch and enjoy.”

Wallace averaged approximates of 25 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals per game last season.

She leads Clarkston’s program all-time in 3-pointers (192), assists (250) and is about 200 points shy of the scoring mark at 1,547.

No Bantam has drained more 3s or accumulated more points in a season than Wallace. In total, she’s claimed seven school records.

“I think you can always get better at anything,” Wallace said, “so I really work on everything.”

In club ball with the prestigious Northwest Blazers — playing mostly against other Division I recruits — she has fared similarly well, earning AllAmerican nods in 2018 and 2019.

She began to emerge as a collegiate recruit during her junior high years. In a 2017 Adidas Gauntlet tournament in Atlanta, the then-13-year-old Wallace helped the shorthanded and youthful Blazers to the 15U national title. Last year, her club team finished runner-up.

“She’s played around the nation with all-stars all around her, and she always fits in nicely,” Sobotta said. “She’ll be able to adapt (at the D-I level) and figure out her niche.”

“We’ve played against commits from all over,” Wallace added. “It’s been cool to see how you match up.”

Newlee, who called Wallace “one of the top point guards in the country,” should be able to plug her into his schemes relatively early, considering his team’s affinity for quick shots from distance and a fast-paced approach that jibes nicely with her hustle and playcreation.

“All of her experience playing at the highest level will be invaluable to her when she starts her Vandal career,” Newlee said. “I have wanted Ash to be a Vandal since she started coming to my camp at the age of 9. I knew she was going to be special then.”

Wallace, being a dual-citizen of hoops Wallace on page 9B

from the cuj staff 8B

Confederated Umatilla Journal

December 2020

finds a way to play, even during her off-time.”

Wallace was able to squeeze in a few lower-tier Adidas tournaments with the Blazers this summer — the larger of them in Arizona and Indianapolis.

Amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, she’s clinging to hopes of playing out her final year alongside younger sister Kendall, one of many who constantly accompanies her to

courts.

The Wallace family recently took a vacation to Mexico. Upon returning, instead of unwinding, Ashlyn opted to shoot some hoops “before I did anything else.”

So, in search of a rebounder, she grabbed her phone.

“It’s nonstop. There’s never a day off, that’s for sure,” the new Vandal point guard said.

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Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Tribal member Ashlyn Wallace, of Clarkston High School, signed with the University of Idaho’s women’s basketball program in November.

Pete Caster of the Lewiston Tribune

Continued from page 8B

hotbeds, has basketball in her genes. By elementary school, she began forming the coordination, vision and passion to excel in the game down the road.

Sobotta, a former neighbor of the Wallaces in Lapwai and close friend of the family, picked up on it about 12 years ago.

“She just had that knack for awareness. Whether it was a soccer field or basketball court, it’s that natural instinct of knowing what to do,” Sobotta said.

December 2020

Wallace spent many of her days as a youth at the Pi-Nee-Waus Community Center courts in Lapwai, sometimes honing her skills for five hours per night.

“I was playing one-on-one with those girls in high school when I was a little kid,” she said.

Her parents, Rory and Starr, were past basketball standouts, and her aunt, Natahnee Spencer, played at Lewis-Clark State. Her grandfather, Shawn Spencer, flourished as a longtime Lapwai coach.

“She’s just grown up in a gym with her family,” Sobotta said. “She always

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BMCC: What’s going on?

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Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) has added instruction in the Umatilla language to Winter Courses.

Fred Hill, a language teacher at the Confederated Tribes Language Program, is teaching the first year Umatilla class.

Previously, the only language courses offered were first year Spanish and intermediate Spanish.

If they pass, students can use the Umatilla class for general elective credits.

According to bluecc.edu, this course is an introMegan Van Pelt duction of the Umatilla language, which is a Sahaptin derivative. Sahaptin is spoken by various tribes in Oregon and Washington, including the Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama, and is also spoken in many smaller communities, including by the people who live at the Celilo Village. Students will learn grammatical phrases and more. This winter class will start on Jan. 5.

For more information or to enroll in First Year Umatilla, speak with your

Timber, the Blue Mountain Community College mascot, was around for some holiday cheer!

Van Pelt / CUJ

BMCC advisor or visit bluecc.edu.

Native American Heritage Month Guest Speakers at BMCC In November, BMCC Native American Club hosted events to commemorate Native American Heritage Month.

Several speakers from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) took part in online webinars available for the community college staff and students.

Speakers included Wenix Red Elk, the public outreach and education coordinator in the Department of Natural Resources; Joey Lavadour, master weaver and teacher; General Council Chair Lindsey Watchman, a veteran of the Persian Gulf War; and Kelsey Burns, a drumming instructor at Nixyaawii Community School (NCS) and a Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center (YTHC) employee.

Speakers talked about traditional foods, the economic and cultural development of CTUIR, how culture is prevention, plus stories of basket weaving and more.

For more information or to see the zoom recordings, contact Annie Smith, asmith@bluecc.edu.

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

Student Government Donates to the Community BMCC’s Associated Student Government (ASG) has been finding new and more socially-distanced to donate to communities located in Umatilla County.

ASG usually holds a Christmas Eve Community Dinner every year for community members and children.

The event, which feeds around 800 families, also consists of free toys and a picture with Santa.

Unfortunately, due to new COVID-19 restrictions, the ASG team has cancelled the dinner and has developed a donation plan. This year, the ASG team will identify non-profit organizations, groups and toy drives that are near each BMCC Campus.

This includes Pendleton, Hermiston, Milton-Freewater, and Baker campuses and surrounding areas for each campus, including Boardman and the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Collectively, the ASG team will be donating more than $9,000.

The amount given to each location is based on the population size.

Some of the organizations are the Angel Tree, Warming Stations, and Salvation Army.

December 2020

Toppled Civil War statue to be replaced

By Keith Estiler of Hypebeast.com

DENVER - Over the summer, Black Lives Matter protestors toppled a Civil War memorial in Denver, Colo. State representatives have voted to replace the statue with a sculpture of a Native American woman in mourning. The statue will commemorate the 1864 Sand Creek massacre where U.S. army soldiers destroyed and pillaged a village of Cheyenne and Arapaho people in southeastern Colorado, as per CPR News.

December 2020

The Capitol Building Advisory Committee voted 7-2 to build the replacement monument after hearing from descendants of the hundreds that were killed at Sand Creek. “They were wiped out,” Otto Braided Hair, of the Northern Cheyenne, told the committee. “Their voices are no longer heard. Their wishes and concerns were no longer heard.

Those are the people we speak for.”

The original statue at the Capitol was torn down during the June 25 protest and had been erected in 1909 as an homage to Colorado solders who fought

for the Union during the Civil War. However, the memorial included the name of the colonel who orchestrated the massacre, CBS4 reported. The statue is now being housed at the History Colorado Center.

Artist Harvey Pratt, a Sand Creek descendant, was commissioned to create the statue by the organization One Earth Future. A seven-inch prototype of Pratt’s design has recently been completed and the state legislature will now vote on the scale of the finished work alongside its pedestal.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

A Black Lives Matter protester poses at a defaced monument in Denver earlier this year.

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‘Big Sky’ producers recognize criticism

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Native American tribes and advocates are condemning “Big Sky,” a Montana-set ABC drama, for ignoring the history of violence inflicted on Indigenous women and instead making whites the crime victims.

They also have assailed the network and the show’s producers for failing to respond to their complaints, which they first made known in a Nov. 17 letter. On Tuesday, the makers of “Big Sky” broke their silence.

“After meaningful conversations with representatives of the Indigenous community, our eyes have been opened to the outsized number of Native American and Indigenous women who go missing and are murdered each year, a sad and shocking fact,” the executive producers said in a statement to The Associated Press.

“We are grateful for this education and are working with Indigenous groups to help bring attention to this important issue,” according to the statement. The producers include David E. Kelley (“Big Little Lies,” “The Undoing”) and novelist C.J. Box, whose 2013 book “The Highway” was adapted for the series.

Created by Kelley, “Big Sky” stars Katheryn Winnick and Kylie Bunbury as private detectives searching for two white sisters on a road trip who go missing and turn out to be part of a pattern of abductions.

With a disproportionate number of American Indians among Montana’s missing and murdered girls and women, the fictional approach represents “at best, cultural insensitivity, and at worst, appropriation,” said the signers, including the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council that represents all of Montana’s tribal nations.

“I’m not at all surprised that they’re doing this because Hollywood’s been appropriating our trauma and our lived experience for years and years and years,” said Georgina Lightning, an actor and longtime activist. “And we’ve always cried about it. We’ve always called it out. But nobody ever cared. Nobody ever listened and nobody cared.”

In the November letter, ABC was asked to consider adding an on-screen message steering viewers to information about the entrenched peril facing Indigenous women in North America. They cited “Somebody’s Daughter,” a documentary detailing the murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls crisis, as it’s known to those fighting the scourge.

“This is such an easy fix for ABC to make,” the film’s director, Rain, said in a statement. “Indigenous leaders are reaching out to ally and inform, to open a dialogue. They’re not asking for ‘Big Sky’ to be taken off the air,” she said, but instead be used to inform.

When no response was forthcoming, the coalition took its effort public and enlisted support from other tribal organizations, including Canada’s Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs and the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association.

“Two-thirds of this country doesn’t even know that Native Americans still exist,” said Tom Rodgers, president of the Global Indigenous Council and a co-signer of the letter to ABC. “We thought, what a teachable moment.”

Confederated Umatilla Journal

‘After meaningful conversations with representatives of the Indigenous community, our eyes have opened to the outsized number of Native American and Indigenous women who go missing and murdered each year, a sad and shocking fact.’

- Executive producers, Big Sky While more than 5,000 Indigenous women were reported missing in 2016 in the U.S., reporting by The Associated Press has shown the number is difficult to determine because some cases go unreported, others aren’t well-documented, and a comprehensive government database to track the cases is lacking.

Advocates, including some lawmakers representing Native Americans, also link the long-standing problem to inadequate resources, indifference and a jurisdictional maze. The rise of the #MeToo movement helped give the issue political heft, but Hollywood has lagged in paying heed.

While Lightning said she was “a little bit shocked” when she saw a Native American tragedy mirrored in a story but without Native American characters, her years working in Los Angeles meant she wasn’t surprised. Now living in Alberta, she’s in the Canadian miniseries “Trickster,” about a dysfunctional Native family.

“There’s such resistance” to change in Hollywood, she said. “When you’re used to being one of the good old boys... there’s no way they think they’re going to have to conform to the rest of society. It’s such an arrogance.”

Native Americans are used to being routinely ignored by American popular culture, registering barely a blip on TV as they’re usually seen on only one or two shows, such as Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone.” A University of California, Los Angeles, study released this year found that Indigenous actors were cast in six of 1,816 broadcast and cable series roles for the 2018-19 season.

But being slighted on the crucial issue raised by “Big Sky” is too bitter a pill to accept, said Rodgers, a Blackfeet Nation member whose Global Indigenous Council, an advocacy group for Indigenous peoples worldwide, helped organize the outreach to ABC. “The one thing we won’t be anymore is ignored. We’re not going to be made invisible, we will not be erased,” he said.

December 2020

NABI 2021 Continued from page 4B

importance of education and provide opportunities through scholarships and the educational seminars. The program has provided more than $250,000 in scholarships.

During the invitational, NABI hosts a college and career fair. College scouts are on hand, and a training camp is offered. High school teams that participate can bring one freshman player for a free training camp and an educational youth seminar with guest speakers, who are often tournament alumni.

“We expanded our educational seminar to a full-blown educational youth summit,” Scarpa said. “We had 36 presentations in 2019. We had great speakers. So they really come to learn and we use basketball as a tool.”

While there is hope that the pandemic will be under control by July, the NABI is planning ahead in case it is still a threat.

A Native American youth summit will be held online and organizers will strictly follow protocols recommended by the CDC and the state of Arizona.

“The NABI Foundation will continue

to monitor the situation and amend the program according to imposed safety guidelines closer to the program dates.

A full schedule of events will be released mid-June,” said Lynette Lewis, Director of Basketball Operations & Program Development, in the statement released by the NABI when the return of the event was announced.

One of the organization’s board members will play an important role in preparations.

“We have a wonderful kind of diverse board of directors, and one of our board of directors just happens to be one of the owners of a PPE (personal protective equipment) company,” Scarpa said. “So, he’s committed to providing everything

we need for all the gyms, all the kids. I really think we will bring it back to normal.”

“I think if we do allow a big sporting event, it might be limited seating … masks are going to be mandatory, there will be sanitizing stations. We are going to do everything possible to keep our kids safe.”

While the tournament didn’t happen last summer, organizers were still at work.

One avenue for raising funds at the tournament is the sale of merchandise during the event, and there are now plans to make items available beyond tournament week.

“Usually we’re like, ‘Nope, you have to buy it this week and then it’s done.’” Scarpa said. “And so, we are now in talks with another big sporting company who wants to take the NABI line nationally and online.

“Not only will it be sold at NABI during NABI week, but it will be sold all year around. We’ll have designers (and) have access to the graphic designers in their marketing department – all that fun stuff that goes with it – and also producing our own native theme for the uniforms for the teams.”

The NABI Foundation and tournament were started in 2002 by Mark West, the former Suns center and current team vicepresident for player programs; Scarpa, who is the former executive director of the charitable foundation of another former Suns player, A.C. Green; and the late Scott Podleski, the former ticket director of the Arizona Rattlers who passed away from cancer in 2010.

Plains Continued from page 7B

The infection rate dropped from 25% down to 13% because of the rules the tribal leaders instituted on the reservations such as mask-wearing and warning people not to attend the motorcycle rally, Church says.

“What we saw was our people taking this virus so much more serious than the general population,” she says. “And what we saw was our tribal leadership taking so much more responsibility to keep our people safe than our own governor was.”

Among Church’s family, her nephew recently died from COVID-19 in a Missouri prison. He wrote 17 letters asking to come home because he was on dialysis but wasn’t released, she says. Her father’s cousin, a Vietnam veteran, also died from the disease. And a number of her extended relatives have become sick or died during the pandemic, mostly during the recent surge.

Native people take the virus seriously because of the long history of their people being disproportionately affected by infectious diseases such as smallpox, tuberculosis and H1N1, Church says.

“My own mother was impacted by tuberculosis as a small child. She understood what was at stake and at no time ever for a moment thought that this was a hoax,” she says. “They understood that when we were told that a disease is coming that we need to take measures to stay safe.”

NEXT CUJ AD DEADLINE IS December 15 NEXT CUJ NEWS DEADLINE IS December 22 December 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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Security cameras operational at Tribal Housing, officials say Battle Ground company to install new well

MISSION – High-tech security cameras have been installed at Umatilla Tribal housing.

The cameras are Ultra High Definition, record during all hours and conditions, and can zoom in more than 200 feet, according to Housing Director Marcus Luke.

“The goal is to reduce all illegal activity in which they will,” said Luke, noting the cameras were funded by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The Umatilla Tribal Police Department will monitor the cameras.

A request for comment to UTPD Police Chief Tim Addleman went unreturned.

MISSION – The Board of Trustees approved the selection of Tapani, Inc. to install Well No. 6, which aims to enhance the capability of the tribal water system.

The well will improve the service area, including Coyote Business Park South, Arrowhead Travel Plaza, Wildhorse Resort & Casino expansion, and residential development in the vicinity of Exit 216 interchange on Interstate 84, according to the resolution.

Tapani Inc. is based out of Battle Ground, Washington.

DECEMBER 2020

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

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

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December 2020

Briefs USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services To Hold Local Work Group Meeting

Thanksgiving turkeys were distributed to employees of the CTUIR November 19-20 as appreciation for their service.

DCFS also brought turkeys to local elders who are not employees.

A Festive Donation

Van Pelt photos / CUJ

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will hold the annual Umatilla County Local Work Group Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 26, from 10-12 p.m. at the Pendleton Round-Up Grounds Let ‘er Buck Room, 1205 SW Court Avenue.

The meeting provides an opportunity for the public to provide input for conservation priorities and collaborative investment strategies in Umatilla County.

A barbecue lunch will be sponsored by the Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District.

For more information contact Nate James at 541-278-8049 ext. 105. Oregon Covid-19 social distancing & mask guidelines will be followed.

Justice Department sues over pollution in Puyallup River SEATTLE (AP) - The owners of a hydroelectric project in south-central Washington violated the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Department of Justice says in a lawsuit seeking monetary damages and cleanup work.

The Justice Department filed the lawsuit Wednesday against Electron Hydro, LLC, which owns the Electron Hydroelectric Project on the Puyallup River.

The lawsuit contends the company in July without authorization used old field turf from a dump as a bottom layer when it diverted the river. The Justice Department is seeking $55,800 per day for each violation. Lisa Anderson, environmental attorney for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, said the fine could exceed $10 million.

A momumental first for the Oglala-Sioux

By Mary Pembert of Indian Country Today

Ruben Gonzales, vice president of the Victory Fund, described Alicia Mousseau’s election to the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s office of vice president as a “monumental first.”

Mousseau, elected on Nov. 3, is believed to be the first publicly LGBTQ candidate to win a seat on the tribe’s executive council.

The Victory Fund is an organization that provides funding and support for LGBTQ candidates running for political office.

Rep. Sharice Davids, Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and the first openly LGBTQ congressional member elected from Kansas, is also supported by the Victory Fund.

In her interview with Indian Country Today, however, Mousseau seemed to take the “monumental first” element of her election in stride, preferring instead to discuss her hopes and goals as a leader.

“I didn’t want to make my sexual identity a defining part of my platform necessarily; I just wanted to be transparent with people,” she said.

Mousseau’s campaign slogan was “Together we can.”

“Together we can build a research and training center, create healing informed communities, highlight the helpers, embody hope, identify solutions and be our ancestor’s wildest dreams.”

Mousseau earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Wyoming and has been working on the

December 2020

staff of the National Native Children’s Trauma Center at the University of Montana’s College of Education in Missoula.

The center provides training and technical assistance in trauma-informed Alicia Mousseau practices across all tribal child-serving systems, according to its website.

During her tenure, Mousseau hopes the tribe can create a research and training center focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math that will help generate trauma-informed healing programs and focus on creating solutions to community problems.

A tribally based research center would also provide a community landing place for members who leave the reservation to earn degrees.

According to Mousseau, tribal citizens best understand community needs, history and ways of knowing.

“If we don’t serve our community, who will? We’ve learned we have to do it ourselves. We have to go to college, come back and figure out how to best serve our community,” she said.

Born and raised in the town of Porcupine on the Pine Ridge reservation, Mousseau said she always hoped to return.

“There’s no place like Pine Ridge; my whole family is here. I can go up and

down the creek and see relatives. I can stop into my auntie’s house for dinner, pre-COVID that is,” she said.

“Our communities are so close.”

In 2019 Oglala Sioux tribal leaders passed laws recognizing same sex marriage as well as a hate crime ordinance protecting its LGBTQ members.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe appears to be the first tribe to pass such an ordinance.

Like many communities, Pine Ridge struggled with passing the laws. After a contentious two-day council meeting, the hate crime law passed but was later challenged.

Tribal council members presented a resolution to rescind the law; the resolution

was narrowly defeated as then-President Julian Bear Runner cast the deciding vote.

Bear Runner later announced on his Facebook page that he is gay.

Asked if she’s encountered any negativity related to her sexual orientation, Mousseau said: “People pretty much already knew; I don’t think it was a big thing.”

She was pleasantly surprised, however, about the direct and open questions she’s received from younger citizens.

“The youth ask questions; clearly this issue is important to them,” Mousseau said.

“It was just amazing that they are the ones who are willing to talk openly about sexual identity.”

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7 Native inventions that revolutionized medicine and public health

By Nicole F. Roberts of Forbes

November was National American Indian Heritage Month, a time of recognition for the substantial contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S. But, the month and remembrance, like many Native influences, still frequently go unrecognized in our day-to-day lives. Whether it’s the invention of vital infrastructure such as cable suspension bridges or sport for fun like lacrosse, so much of what exists in modern culture today is a direct result of what was created before newcomers occupied these lands.

And the world’s health ecosystem, ranging from preventative measures to administration of medicine is no different, owing much of its practices and innovations to those ancestral peoples and healers.

Here are seven inventions used every day in medicine and public health that we owe to Native Americans. And in most cases, couldn’t live without today: 1. Syringes In 1853 a Scottish doctor named Alexander Wood was credited for the creation of the first hypodermic syringe, but a much earlier tool existed. Before colonization, Indigenous peoples had created a method using a sharpened hollowed-out bird bone connected to an animal bladder that could hold and inject fluids into the body. These earliest syringes were used to do everything from inject medicine to irrigate wounds. There are also cases in which these tools were even used to clean ears and serve as enemas.

2. Pain Relievers Native American healers led the way in pain relief. For example, willow bark (the bark of a tree) is widely known to have been ingested as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. In fact, it contains a chemical called salicin, which is a confirmed anti-inflammatory that when consumed generates salicylic acid – the active ingredient in modern-day aspirin tablets. In addition to many ingestible pain relievers, topical ointments were also frequently used for wounds, cuts and bruises. Two well-documented pain relievers include capsaicin (a chemical still referenced today that is derived from peppers) and jimson weed as a topical analgesic.

3. Oral Birth Control Oral birth control was introduced to the United States in the 1960’s as a means of preventing pregnancy. But something with a similar purpose existed in indigenous cultures long before. Plantbased practices such as ingesting herbs dogbane and stoneseed were used for at least two centuries earlier than western pharmaceuticals to prevent unwanted pregnancy. And while they are not as effective as current oral contraception, there are studies suggesting stoneseed in particular has contraceptive properties.

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

4. Sun Screen North American Indians have medicinal purposes for more than 2,500 plant species – and that is just what’s currently known between existing practices. But, for hundreds of years many Native cultures had a common skin application that involved mixing ground plants with water to create products that protected skin from the sun. Sunflower oil, wallflower and sap from aloe plants have all been recorded for their use in protecting the skin from the sun. There are also noted instances of using animal fat and oils from fish as sunscreen.

5. Baby Bottles It wouldn’t be considered sanitary – or safe – by today’s standards, but long before settlers made their way to American lands, the Iroquois, Seneca and others created bottles to aid in feeding infants.

The invention consisted of the insides of a bear and a bird’s quill. After cleaning, drying and oiling bear intestines, a hollowed quill would be attached as a teat, allowing concoctions of pounded nuts, meat and water to be suckled by infants for nutrition.

6. Mouth Wash & Oral Hygiene Although tribes across the continent used various plants and methods for cleaning teeth, it is rumored that people on the American continent had more effective dental practices than the Europeans who arrived. In particular areas, mouthwash was known to be made from a plant called goldthread to clean out the mouth. It was also used by many Native cultures as pain relief for teething infants or a tooth infection by rubbing it directly onto the gums.

7. Suppositories Hemorrhoids are nothing new. Nor is the pain and discomfort associated with having hemorrhoids. But before modern-day solutions and dietary changes, Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas created suppositories from dogwood trees. Dogwood is still used today (although not often) externally for wounds. But hundreds of years ago small plugs were fashioned by moistening, compressing and inserting the dogwood to treat hemorrhoids.

It’s easy to go about our day-to-day lives without thinking about the role that public health and medicine play in keeping us safe and healthy. But it’s even easier to take those things for granted without recognizing the brilliant innovations and inventors that got us where we are today. In some instances, we have sanitized, improved upon and perfected our modern-day practices. But in other instances, we are not much further than our ancestors were. Those healers who knew how to use the land and its resources to produce effective methods and substances for ailments.

As technology moves us ever forward, let’s not forget that as we grow into the future, we are still rooted in history.

December 2020

CTUIR Board of Trustees minutes Date: November 2, 2020 BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Armand Minthorn, on Personal Leave.

Quorum present.

Old Business: NONE New Business: Resolution 20-100 Topic: Executive Director Recruitment. RESOLVED, Pursuant to Section V of the Executive Management Policy, the Board appoints an Executive Director Recruiting and Selection Committee (Team) to consist of Human Resources Director Kathryn Burke; Deputy Executive Director, Charles F. Sams III, Lead Attorney Naomi Stacy, finance Director Paul Rabb, Tamastslikt Director Roberta Conner, Wildhorse Executive Director Gary George and Board Member Boots Pond, as the Board representative: AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board approved confidential Exhibit 1C which provides estimated timeless and indirect budget use authority to advertise, recruit, and contract a recruiting service subject to the CTUIR Fiscal Management Policies; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the Board designates Charles F. Sams III to serve as the Interim Executive Director until the Board of Trustees hires an Executive Director. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to adopt Resolution 20-100. Lindsey Watchman seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 3 for (Kat Brigham, BOT Chair broke tie, Sally Kosey and Jill-Marie Gavin) - 2 against (Jeremy Wolf and Lindsey Watchman) - 3 abstaining (Boots Pond, Sandra Sampson and Corinne Sams).

BOT Travel Report: Jeremy Wolf, 10/28 to Boardman to attend Roundtable with Cliff Bentz, Rep. Newhouse, Sen. Hansell and Rep. Smith. Ryan Neal (POM), JR Cook, Clint Carlson (OR Wheat Growers League), Tamra Mabbott (Morrow Co. Planning Director), Bryan Wolfe (UEC),Dave Duquette (Western Justice President), others reps and interested citizens. The two issues discussed were Columbia River Treaty and Snake River dam breaching.

Three verbal reports that were deferred from last BOT meeting: 1. CRTFC SPOD meeting, 2. Buffalo meeting, 3. Four Chairs CRITFC meeting and said he would submit his written reports later.

Kat Brigham, 9/29 attend Legislative Commission on Indian Services meeting.

MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to approve travel reports. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 7-0-0.

BOT Leave and Travel Request: Jill-Marie Gavin, 12/1 and 12/2 attend G2G meeting via Zoom.

Kat Brigham, personal leave all day 11/5 and 11/6 both days. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to approve leave requests. Sally Kosey seconds.

Discussion. Question. Motion carries 5-0-0.

the Confederated Tribes as part of the Amendment and the performance by the Confederated Tribes of their obligations under all terms and conditions of the Amendment; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes each officer, director or other official of the Confederated Tribes (Authorized Official), on behalf of the Confederated Tribes, to execute, deliver and/or file (or cause to be delivered and/or filed) any government forms, affidavits, certificates, letters, documents, agreements and instruments and to take or direct such other actions that such Authorized Official determines to be necessary or desirable to give effect to this Resolution and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein or in Amendment; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes and directs its Chair to execute and deliver such loan, security and other documents required in connection with the Amendment and to take all other actions consistent with the purposes and intents of this Resolution and necessary to consummate this financing and any related transactions; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, t h e Board of Trustees hereby authorizes its Secretary to execute and deliver an affidavit regarding the Board of Trustees meeting to approve this Resolution, the Amendment and such other documents necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Amendment and any related transactions; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, each Authorized Official, and each Senior Officer of Cayuse Holdings are authorized and directed to take such actions as are necessary, upon the advice of the Confederated Tribes’ legal counsel, to carry out the purposes of this Resolution; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby ratifies and confirms any actions of the Confederated Tribes, the Authorized

Officials and each Senior Officer of Cayuse Holdings prior to the date hereof and consistent with the terms of this Resolution; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, this Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption; MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-101. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

BOT Travel Report: Jeremy Wolf, five trip reports.

1. 10/22 attended Four Chairs meeting at WRC. 2. 10/20 Buffalo meeting.

3. Oct. CRITFC meeting.

4. 11/4 Willamette Legacy Project meeting.

5. 11/4 SPOD meeting to prep for CRITFC meeting.

MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to approve five travel reports by Jeremy Wolf. Jill-Marie Gavin seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

BOT Leave and Travel Request: Kat Brigham, two leave requests: 1. 11/10 and 12 personal leave with Nov. 11 being a holiday.

2. 11/13 for Zoom meeting with LCIS from 1 to 3:30 PM. Sally Kosey, 12/1-2 to attend virtual G2G meeting Sandra Sampson, two personal leave requests for Nov. 13, 24 & 25.

Lindsey Watchman, 2.5 hours on 1/12 and all day 11/13.

Jeremy Wolf, four approved polled requests: 1. 11/7 Four Chairs and Vice Chairs meeting from 9 AM to 1 PM. 2. 11/5 video conference from 9 to 10 AM re: Tribes’ SWG meeting.

3. 11/4 video conference from 6 to 8 PM with Oregon City Commission meeting update from Willamette Falls Trust.

4. 11/5, video conference meeting from 1:30 to 3 PM with CRITFC SPOD.MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to approve the leave requests. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Date: November 16th, 2020 BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Armand Minthorn, Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Full quorum present.

Old Business: NONE New Business: Resolution 20-102: Topic: HMGP match, RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees directs the allocation of 25% from the Contingency Fund to cover the required non-federal match for the Confederated Tribes’ Hazard Mitigation Grant Program floodplain acquisition sub-applications to be submitted to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management in relation to Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA 4519 DR-OR; AND, that said Resolution has not been modified amended or repealed and is still in full force and effect. MOTION: Jeremy Wolf moves to adopt, as amended, Resolution 20-102. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-103 Topic: HMGP Designation of Agent RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby designates and authorizes Charles F. Sams III, Executive Director of the Confederated Tribes, to execute all required forms and documents for the purpose of obtaining financial assistance under the

DID YOU KNOW? Stories and legends from the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Indians were usually told in the winter months when cold weather confined families to close quarters. The elder people of the family and band were the story tellers. The elderly were valued and respected for their age and wisdom.

The purpose of the stories was not simply for entertainment. Each legend taught lessons on how one should act or how the Indians and the creatures of the world came to be. Religious beliefs, the meaning of birth, death, and habits of animals were also explained in stories.

From ctuir.org/brief-history-of-ctuir

Date: November 9, 2020 BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Armand Minthorn, Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Full quorum present.

Old Business: NONE New Business: Resolution 20-101: Topic: Amendment to Loan Agreement for Wells Fargo Line of Credit for Cayuse Holdings LLC. RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby approves the amendments to the Loan Agreement between Cayuse Holdings, LLC (Cayuse Holdings) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (Wells Fargo) (the Amendment), attached hereto as Exhibit 1C, including the reaffirmation of the guaranty provided under the Guaranty Agreement, or an Amendment containing substantially similar terms; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes its Chair, on behalf of the Confederated Tribes, to execute the Amendment attached hereto as Exhibit 1C, or an Amendment containing substantially similar terms, on such terms as the Chair may approve, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by such officer’s signature thereon; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby approves and authorizes the undertakings, agreements, consents, representations and warranties that are to be made by

Want to wish someone a HAPPY NEW YEAR or celebrate a birthday ?The Decembery Ad Deadline for the CUJ is Dec. 15 December 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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CTUIR BOT minutes

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Hazard Mitigation Grant Program in relation to presidential disaster declaration FEMA 4519 DR-OR. MOTION: Sally Kosey moves to adopt Resolution 20-103. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-104: Topic: Well 6 Contractor Agent, RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the selection of Tapani, Inc. for installation of Well No. 6 and authorizes the Chair of the Board of Trustees and Executive Director to issue the Notice of Award (Exhibit 1), and to execute any documents necessary to enter into a contract with Tapani, Inc. for installation of Well No. 6; MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-104. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-105: Topic: Land Consolidation on UM 209, RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the purchase of the fractional interests not owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Umatilla Indian Reservation Allotment UM 209 (Fractional Interests) as permitted in Section 205 of the Indian Land Consolidation Act, 25 U.S.C. Section 2204; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the purchase price for the Fractional Interests shall be fair market value established by an appraisal; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby appropriates from the Tribal Land Acquisition Fund the amount needed to pay the purchase price of the Fractional Interests; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees authorizes its Chair, the Executive Director, the Director of Economic and Community Development and the Office of Legal Counsel to take further action and to prepare or execute the documents that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Resolution; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees requests that the BIA Umatilla Agency Superintendent take the actions authorized

by Federal law to facilitate the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation purchase of the Fractional Interests MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-105. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-106: Topic: Land Consolidation on Miscellaneous Allotments, RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the purchase of the fractional interests not owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Umatilla Indian Reservation allotments 2006, UM60C, UM62, 1000, C21-G, C150-A, 1291, 935, 916, WW160 and 1396 (Fractional Interests) as permitted in Section 205 of the Indian Land Consolidation Act, 25 U.S.C. Section 2204; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the purchase price for the Fractional Interests shall be fair market value established by an appraisal; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby appropriates from the Tribal Land Acquisition Fund the amount needed to pay the purchase price of the Fractional Interests; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees authorizes its Chair, the Executive Director, the Director of Economic and Community Development and the Office of Legal Counsel to take further action and to prepare or execute the documents that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Resolution; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees requests that the BIA Umatilla Agency Superintendent take the actions authorized by Federal law to facilitate the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation purchase of the Fractional Interests. MOTION: Sally Kosey moves to adopt Resolution 20-106.

Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. Question.

Motion 7 (Jeremy Wolf, Sandy Sampson, Corinne Sams, Boots Pond, Jill Marie Gavin, Armand Minthorn, Sally Kosey), 1 against (Lindsey Watchman), Motion carries 7-1-0 BOT Travel Report: Jeremy Wolf, 11/7 attended 4 Chairs + 4 Vice Chairs meeting at WRC. Jeremy Wolf, 11/6 conference call with Columbia River Treaty Tribes’ Small Working Group (SWG) to discuss Transition team issues and draft NGO letter to Biden/Harris on CRT. Kat Brigham, 11/7 attended 4 Chairs + 4 Vice Chairs meeting at WRC. Boots Pond, 11/12 Zoom meeting with Round-Up Board and CTUIR Advisory Sub-Committee.

MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to approve travel reports. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

BOT Leave and Travel Request: Boots Pond, 12/1 and 12/2 starting at 2 PM and

Confederated Umatilla Journal

ending 11:30 AM, Virtual Tribal-State G2G Summit.

Corinne Sams, 11/19 and 11/20 starting at 8:30 AM and ending noon, video conference for CRITFC monthly meeting.

Jeremy Wolf, 11/19 and 11/20 starting at 8:30 AM and ending noon, video conference for CRITFC monthly meeting.

Kat Brigham, 11/19 personal leave all day.

Lindsey Watchman, personal leave from 11/2325. Lindsey requested he cancel his trip, due to travel restriction. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to approve leave requests. Armand Minthorn seconds.

Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Date: November 23, 2020 BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Armand Minthorn, Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Full quorum present.

Old Business None New Business: Resolution 20-107 Topic: CARES Act Appropriations to Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the CARES Act Contingency Fund Budget attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 1C and appropriates funds from the CARES Act Contingency Fund for such purposes; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes the payment of administrative leave as defined in this Resolution from July 1, 2020 through December 30, 2020. MOTION: Lindsey Watchman moves to adopt Resolution 20-107. Corinne Sams seconds.

Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0 Resolution 20-108: Topic: PHE Extension into 2021, RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby extends through March 30 2021 the CTUIR COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declared by Resolutions 20-019 and 20-050; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the Board will consider further extensions in 90 day increments thereafter, as recommended by the Incident Command team; MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-108. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion. Question.

Motion carries 5 for (Sally Kosey, Armand Minthorn, Boots Pond, Corinne Sams and Lindsey Watchman) – 3 against (Jeremy Wolf, Sandra Sampson and JillMarie Gavin) – 0 abstaining.

Resolution 20-109: Topic: Fiscal Management Policies – Adopt Amendments of the CTUIR Fiscal Management. RESOLVED, that the amended CTUIR Fiscal Management Policies, attached hereto as Exhibit 1, are hereby approved and adopted, effective as of the date of this resolution; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, That the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Director are authorized to take all actions necessary to implement policy changes adopted by this resolution MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-109.

Boots Pond seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-110: Topic: Renewal of 477 Program Plan, RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby approves the 477 Program Plan attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 1 and authorizes its Executive Director to submit the 477 Program Plan, or one containing substantially similar terms, for Federal approval as may be required by applicable law, and to take such further action and execute documents that may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Resolution. MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to adopt Resolution 20-110. Sally Kosey seconds.

Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-111: Topic: 2021 Annual Budget and Work Plans, RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation appropriates an allotment for 2021 not to exceed $326,865,562 and approves the 2021 operating budgets as identified in Exhibit 1C – 2021 CTUIR Budget provided expenditures do not exceed revenues; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees directs the Board Treasurer and Executive Director to monitor the implementation of the directives, recommendations and instructions contained in Exhibit 2 - 2021 Tribal Appropriations Report and provide periodic reports to the Board of Trustees regarding the accomplishments and obstacles in such implementation; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation approves the Tribal government Annual Work Plans as contained in Exhibit 3 – 2021 CTUIR Annual Work Plans; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees authorizes the Executive Director to negotiate and execute the 2021

December 2020

CTUIR Board of Trustees minutes Indirect Cost Proposal and to modify the identified budget amount as circumstances dictate in relation to the Indirect Cost Proposal; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees authorizes the Board Treasurer, Executive Director and the Tribal Finance Director to withdraw other Tribal funds identified in Exhibit 1C for the uses identified; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees authorizes the withdrawal of revenues held by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the period of January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 upon notification to the Umatilla Agency Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees authorizes the negotiation, execution, and modification of the 2021 budgets approved herein as provided for in the CTUIR Fiscal Management Policies; MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 20-111. Sally Kosey seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Resolution 20-112: Topic: Energy Plan and Support Funding, RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees supports the development of the Energy Plan through the Strategic Energy Plan Request for Proposal, exhibit 1, and authorizes the use of up to $80,000.00 for the potential award to the Contractor with the highest scoring proposal; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees further authorizes the use of $35,000 by the Energy Strategy Team to assist with the management of the contract to develop the Energy Plan; MOTION: JillMarie Gavin moves to adopt Resolution 20-112 as amended. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Other Board Action Items: Commission/Committee Update and Application Review by Sally Kosey, BOT Secretary.

Cultural Resources Committee, 1 vacancy with 1 application from Woodrow Star. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to appoint Woodrow Star by acclimation to Cultural Resources Committee for two year term ending December 1, 2022. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Land Protection Planning Commission, 2 vacancies with 1 application from Raymond Huesties.

MOTION: Boots Pond moves to reappoint Raymond Huesties by acclimation to Land Protection Planning Commission for two year term ending December 1, 2022. Lindsey Watchman seconds.

Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7 for – 0 against – 1 abstaining (Jeremy Wolf).

Nixyáawii Community Fund Board CDFI, 3 vacancies with 2 applications from Aaron Hines and Judy Moore.

MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to reappoint Judy Moore and Aaron Hines to the Nixyáawii Community Fund Board CDFI with terms ending December 31, 2022. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Science & Technology Committee, 2 vacancies with application from Jaime Crane. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to appoint Jaime Crane to Science & Technology Committee for 2 year term ending December 1, 2022. Corinne Sams seconds.

Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

TERO Commission, 1 vacancy with 1 application from Michael Ray Johnson. MOTION: Sandra Sampson moves to reappoint Michael Ray Johnson by acclimation to the TERO Commission for two year term ending December 1, 2022. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-1 (Jill Marie Gavin) abstaining.

Terms expiring: None in January Will continue to advertise for: 5 positions for CTUIR Culture Coalition. 2 year term, meets as needed.

2 position for Cultural Resources– 2 year term, meets 1st & 3rd Tues. @1:30 PM 4 position Election Commission term up Dec 2025, meets 2nd & 4th Tues. 3 PM 2 position for Farm Committee- 2 year term-

Happy 2nd birthday William the Warrior! You are such an amazing, loveable, smart little man! Thank you for choosing us to be your parents.

You will do amazing things in your life! You make us all

meets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 2:30 PM 1 position Health Commission 3 year Termmeets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 3:30 PM. 1 position Housing Commission- 4 year term meets 1st & 3rs Tues. @ 1 PM. 1 position Land Protection Planning Commission –3 year term, meets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 9 AM. 1 Alternate position Land Protection Planning-3 year term, meets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 9 AM. 1 Land Acquisition Committee- position ends 09-3-2021 meets 1st & 3rd Tuesday @ 9 AM. 1 position for Law and Order 2 year term meets 1st & 3rd Tues. at 2 PM. 1 position Nixyaawii Community Fund Board CDFI Board.

1 position Science and Technology- 2 year term- meets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 2 PM 1 position Tiicham Conservation District – 2 year term, meets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 1 PM. All applications will be due Tuesday, Decem-

ber 15th by 4:00 PM. A BOT work session will be scheduled December 18th at 8:30 AM to review applications and will take action on the application Monday, December 21st.

Received a letter of resignation from Andrea Rodriguez resigning from TERO Commission and the Commission motion to accept her resignation effective immediately. MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to accept resignation and advertise one position. Boots Pond seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

BOT Travel Reports: None BOT Leave and Travel Requests.

Jeremy Wolf, video conference on 12/1 starting at 1 PM & 12/2 ending at 5 PM for Interagency Bison Management Plan tribal caucus followed next day with meeting.

Kat Brigham, zoom for 2020 Tribal Summit 12/1 starting at 2 PM and 12/3 ending at11:30 AM. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to approve leave requests. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion.

Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.

Date: November 30th, 2020 BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Armand Minthorn, Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair on Personal Leave. Quorum present.

Old Business: NONE New Business: NONE Other Board Action Items: None.

BOT Travel Report: Jeremy Wolf, 11/18 video conference call for CRITFC meeting. Jeremy Wolf, 11/18 video conference call for CRITFC meeting. MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to approve travel report. Armand Minthorn seconds.

Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0.

BOT Leave and Travel Request: Sandra Sampson, 12/1 to attend Walla Walla Partnership meeting. MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to approve leave requests. Boots Pond seconds.

Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0.

CTUIR LANGUAGE LESSON Nez Perce

Umatilla

December calf elk season haʔóqoy Winter ʔením̓ Snow on the ground póhoy Ice téheš

Púuy snow

It is snowing in the mountains hiweyéhnece méex̣šempe Lets play in the snow kex pe x̣eeléewišix póhoypa Coyote stories

Šawáway

Shelf ice along river

Ánam Winter Kíšmišpamaan

Christmas time

Máli Kíšmiš Merry Christmas Pamašúwatak ánam’ay.

Get ready for winter.

Iwá Ánam. It’s Winter.

ʔiceyéeyenim titwáatit

Happy Indian New Year! ʔéey̓šnin̓ kímti ʔinmíiwit!

Merry Christmas!

Tawáy Ice

Méeli Kíssmes!!!

Ipúuyša It’s snowing Ášapapuuy kút.

Let it snow.

Łq̓íwitana púuypa.

Let’s play in snow.

Šapác̓ muuykɨnk apáp.

C̓ álimataš wáta kíšmiš.

Warm your hands.

Have a holly jolly

Christmas

proud every day!

Love always, Papa, Momma and sisters Tayler and Hattie

December 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

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