Confederated Umatilla Journal - 07-2020

BIG NEWS for Nixyaawii basketball and football.

Ryan Sams is the new basketball coach.

NCS will play football with the Pendleton Buckaroos.

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PRIDE

COVID-19 UPDATE

Natives participated in Pendleton’s first Pride March.

Activist Willa Wallace organized the event.

Tribal member dies in Toppenish, eleven cases confirmed on Umatilla Indian Reservation.

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

2 Sections, 32 pages Publish date July 2, 2020

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

Section

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Volume 28, Issue 7

$750 cash stimulus approved

NCS grads take a COVID walk

By the CUJ

Members of the Schimmel family gather to photograph Mick Schimmel, one of 19 who graduated June 23 from Nixyaawii Community School. The commencement ceremonies were held at Wildhorse Golf Course with the audience mostly staying in the parking lot except for photos.

More on 3A.

MISSION – All Tribal members should expect to receive a $750 stimulus check in mid-to-late July following action June 29 by the Board of Trustees (BOT) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).

The Pandemic Relief Benefit, which will provide checks to more than 3,100 enrolled CTUIR members, will total more than $2.5 million.

A second payment is also being explored. During a work session June 25, the BOT discussed a potential disbursement later this summer using federal CUJ photo/Phinney

$750 cash stimulus on page 14A

BLM prompts review of Tribal Police policies

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

MISSION – “Black Lives Matter” to members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).

And even though the nine policy makers couldn’t agree in June on an official statement calling for justice after a white police officer killed George Floyd in Minnesota May 25, the BOT did conclude that

it is time to join the rest of America and examine police policies and procedures.

One of the outcomes of the Tribal Police Department review will likely be the addition of body cameras for patrolmen.

Board member Jill-Marie Gavin suggested May 31, six days after a Minnesota cop knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes, that the BOT issue a statement in support of Black Lives Matter (BLM). Black Lives Matter is a global

movement advocating non-violent civil disobedience to protest police brutality against black people.

Most BOT members responded favorably to the idea.

“We wanted to offer our condolences to the family and our continued support for justice reform as we’ve done in the past with VAWA (Violence Against Women Act), MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) and

ICWA (Indian Children Welfare Act),” Gavin said.

However, BOT Chair Kat Brigham and BOT member Armand Minthorn had concerns about how the message was to be presented.

Brigham pushed for an “People of Color lives matter” message to be “proactive than reactive.”

Black Lives Matter on page 12A

Round-Up, Happy Canyon cancelled BOT, Round-Up and Happy Canyon officials meet to discuss relationship after issues with communication.

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

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

Board OKs new Internet tribal portal By the CUJ

MISSION – Tribal leaders have taken the first official steps toward development of a new Internet portal that will allow members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) to interact online with their government.

With transparency as an overriding goal, the Board of Trustees (BOT) on June 22 approved a resolution calling for modernization of the current digital system, which is so outdated it won’t receive security updates as of November of 2020.

The plan includes the development of an eGovernment portal for the public, a Tribal member-only portal, and a platform that stores vital statistics. The portals would serve Tribal members, reservation residents, employees, and others who need to understand and participate in government.

Some COVID-19 funds have been identified, but not enough for all the up-front or estimated ongoing costs of about $462,000 a year. Among other things, the project will require hiring a web content coordinator, a server system administrator, and a web developer.

As envisioned, an eGovernment portal would provide access to BOT documents such as resolutions, codes, policies, calendars, meeting minutes and agendas, etc. Tribal members would also be able to access a secure portal system with a login for personal information such as birth certificates, income verification, eligibility, credit, benefits, utility payments, etc.

A Web Governance Policy and an Information Access Policy need to be developed to identify and govern information that will be shared through CTUIR websites and the Tribal portal.

The resolution authorized funding for implementation and ongoing costs.

A timeline has not been established for the project because of the uncertainty of budget allocations at this time.

COVID-19 case total rises to 11 on Rez MISSION – Four new positive COVID-19 cases July 1 brought the total to 11 on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, according to an update from the Incident Command Team (ICT) for the Confederated Tribes.

“Many of the new infections appear to come from larger gatherings, including funerals, graduation parties, and religious events,” the report states.

A Yellowhawk graphic that lists the number of people who have been tested also on July 1 for the first time listed one person as being hospitalized.

At least one Tribal member has died of COVID-19, but he was living in Toppenish when he passed. That was Rod Cowapoo Jr., who died at the age of 59.

On June 30, the ICT learned of an individual who attended a large event who has since tested positive. Seventeen individuals were identified as a close contact to this case. Close contacts are those who have been within six feet of someone with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more. People who are a close contact will be called by a contrat tracer from Yellowhawk or a public health authority. Residents are asked to answer your phone, even if you do not recognize the caller, and check messages.

In mid-June, the ICT learned of two employees of CTUIR entities who tested positive for COVID-19. The cases were in addition to the first confirmed case on

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the Umatilla Indian Reservation that was announced June 16. Yellowhawk staff worked with that individual to conduct case investigation and follow up with close contacts to provide them with education and guidance. Umatilla County worked with the other two individuals who came forward to inform CTUIR of their positive status.

For part of a day in June the card “pit” area at Wildhorse was shut down for a deep cleaning. Also in June, 62 employees at Wildhorse were tested for COVID-19 and all tests came back negative.

Yellowhawk patients will be tested by appointment if they have COVID-19

symptoms or if they are a known contact of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 with a viral test.

There is only so much capacity at Yellowhawk to test and contact trace individuals who come in contact with a positive COVID-19 case, according to the ICT news release. Due to the increase in positive tests and cases, Yellowhawk may have fewer routine medical appointments and it may limit access to same-day appointments.

Updates can be found on Yellowhawk’s website at Yellowhawk.org or on Yellowhawk’s Facebook page at facebook.com/Yellowhawk4U.

COVID-19 Incident Command changes as CTUIR moves into Recovery stage By the CUJ

MISSION – Moving into Level 4 Recovery, the Board of Trustees (BOT) on June 22 transferred the Incident Command and changed the scope to monitoring the status of COVID-19 cases on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Ted Wright, Executive Director for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), is the new Incident Commander charged with coordinating the Tribes’ response to the coronavirus pandemic through a newly structured Public Health Incident Command Organization.

Wright, working with an Incident Command Team that includes BOT Chair Kat Brigham, will routinely report monitoring by Yellowhawk Tribal

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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

Staff from Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center lined up for a photo in front of the tent where COVID-19 testing is taking place.

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

Health Center and notify the Board of Trustees in the event that conditions warrant a return to Level 3 Response, according to the resolution passed 6-1 (General Council Chair Lindsey Watchman voted no.)

The BOT on March 2 declared a Public Health Emergency and enacted its Incident Command under the leadership of Chuck Sams, who has returned to his job as Communications director but remains a member of the Incident Command team with Rob Burnside, Public Safety director; Naomi Stacy, lead attorney in the Office of Legal Counsel; Paul Rabb, Finance director; Erin Biencourt, attorney in the Office of Child Support Enforcement; Lisa Guzman, Yellowhawk CEO; Gary George, Wildhorse CEO; and Billy Nerenberg, Cayuse Holdings CEO.

From the beginning of March, the original Incident Command closed all essential services at the Nixyaawii Governance Center, Wildhorse Resort & Casino, the Nixyaawii Education Center, cancelled committee and commission meetings, ceased or limited CTUIR Kayak public transit, discouraged unnecessary travel, adopted isolation and quarantine laws, provided emergency social services for food, housing and utilities, provided pandemic relief to Tribal members, authorized commission hearings to be held electronically, and continued to adjust the Tribes’ COVID-19 action plan as circumstances warranted.

On March 23, the BOT approved stay-at-home orders through April 28 for the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Incident Command on page 14A

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July 2020

Smiling for the camera after receiving his diploma, Ryan Yallup was congratulated by Carissa Yallup, left, and his grandmother, Natalie Johnson, right.

CUJ photos/Phinney

Susie Patrick made remarks in the Umatilla language.

She was one of four NCS students who were recognized for earning biliteracy diploma seals with Umatilla as their second language.

The others were Lillian Picard, Joseph Simon and Christina Kaltsukis.

Nixyaawii Community School seniors like Chelsea Farrow, Kaelah Hall and Sid Davis will be blazing new trails now that they’ve graduated from high school.

NCS graduate Lark Moses holds her daughter, Loel, while family takes photographs.

Social distancing brought out the hand drums instead of a big drum at the Nixyaawii Community School’s 2020 Commencement Exercises at Wildhorse Resort Golf Course June 23. Providing the hand drum beats were Kelsey Burns, Ian Sampson, Charles Wood, Fred Hill and just out of the photo is Damien Totus.

Isaiah Pacheco walks away from the cameras with a smile and a diploma.

Pandemic can’t spoil Nixyaawii graduation MISSION – Nixyaawii Community School graduates, their families and friends didn’t let a pandemic stop them from celebrating commencement exercises for the Class of 2020 at Wildhorse Championship Golf Course on the Umatilla Indian Reservation on June 23.

The 19 NCS grads used social distancing during their procession and while sitting in chairs stretched wide across the entrance to the golf course club house, while the people there to help commemorate the event sat inside their cars or in the back of pickups 50 yards away in the parking lot.

Once they received their diplomas, graduates were

July 2020

carried by golf cart through the parking lot where they were greeted with honking horns and cheers.

Speeches were made by Valedictorian Tyanna Van Pelt and Salutatorian Cloe McMichael.

Golden Eagle Scholars with high honors (cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher) were recognized – Chelsea Farrow, Cloe McMichael, Kyle Mountainchief, Mick Schimmel and Tyanna Van Pelt.

Honors diploma recipients were Cloe McMichael and Tyanna Van Pelt.

Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy recipients were Christina Kaltsukis, Lillian Picard, Susie Patrick and Joe Simon.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

National Honor Society Members were recognized as well. They are Chelsea Farrow, Cloe McMichael, Lark Moses, Susie Patrick, Tyanna Van Pelt, Christina Kaltsukis, Trystalynn Melton, Kylie Mountainchief and Mick Schimmel.

Principal Ryan Heinrich and Nixyaawii School Board Chair Randall Melton presented diplomas. Scholarships were presented by Pat Walters for Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, Lynette Minthorn for the Old Oregon League, and Ryan Heinrich for Mid-Columbia Bus, PBC Coffee, and Blue Mountain Volleyball Officials.

Zack Brandsen and Chelsea Hallam recognized Communicare and Honor Society members.

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Leaders of CTUIR, Round-Up begin talks Lack of communication during cancellation process leads to commitment to ‘hear our concerns’

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ MISSION – Triggered by a lack of coordination before the COVID-19-caused cancellation of Pendleton’s annual rodeo and night pageant, members of the Confederated Tribes’ Board of Trustees (BOT) and officials from the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon have agreed to begin formal conversations to improve their Indianand-cowboy relationship.

The BOT met in a 90-minute Zoom conference June 24 with Round-Up President Randy Bracher, Happy Canyon President Tanner Hawkins, and Erica Patton, general manager for both organizations, to discuss how the two groups could improve communications. Walla Walla Chief Don Sampson also participated.

But the BOT also zeroed in on a couple of perennial issues like the lack of covering in the bleacher section where Indians from the teepee encampment sit to watch the rodeo and the decrepit conditions of the concreteblock restroom on the east end of the Indian Village.

In the end, the Tribal and event leaders agreed to begin quarterly meetings, with the first set for the week of Aug. 10.

‘Something They agreed to educate needs to each other. The Tribes said they would provide a change and CTUIR 101 course, includwe’ve got a ing passes to Tamastslikt Cultural Institute, to Board year to get members of the Round-Up and Happy Canyon Assoit done ... ciations. And the RoundWe’re striving Up and Happy Canyon Boards said they would let to move the Tribes in on how those forward. We’re organizations operate.

Even though Bracher different. said there are no current We’re shakers plans for a cover on the Indian seating area, the and movers, meeting summary by BOT Chair Kat Brigham proready to do it.’ posed the formation of an east bleachers committee.

- Sandy Sampson, Additionally, at the reSecretary of CTUIR quest of the Round-Up Board of Trustees and Happy Canyon representatives, CTUIR Executive Director Ted Wright is to provide a comprehensive list of Tribal contacts.

Bracher and Hawkins said they and other Board members would continue to participate in Tribal functions, when invited, noting members’ attendance the last few years at the Christmas Celebration when the Happy Canyon Princesses are introduced.

The June 24 meeting has been a long time coming, BOT members said, but it was hastened by the recent decision by Round-Up and Happy Canyon Boards to cancel Pendleton’s September classic event, which annually triples the town’s population and brings some $50 million into the local economy.

Even though the Confederated Tribes have been part of the Round-Up since its inception in 1910 and Happy Canyon since it began in 1916, Tribal leaders were not included in the decision-making process to cancel. It wasn’t until a few days before an announcement was to be made that Round-Up chiefs were asked to participate in a video statement. Chief Sampson took umbrage at the invitation because there had been no previous consultation and he made his frustration known in a front-page story in the East Oregonian.

However, at the Zoom meeting with the BOT, Sampson was magnanimous.

“I was asked to come down and make a presentation

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Participants in the June 24 Zoom meeting included, top row from left, BOT members Boots Pond, Jill-Marie Gavin, Corinne Sams, and Chair Kat Brigham, middle row, General Council Chair Lindsey Watchman, BOT Treasurer Sandra Sampson, Round-Up and Happy Canyon General Manager Erica Patton, Happy Canyon President Tanner Hawkins and Round-Up President Randy Bracher, Walla Walla Chief Don Sampson; and bottom row, BOT Vice Chair Jeremy Wolf, BOT Secretary Sally Kosey, CTUIR Executive Director Ted Wright’s eagle symbol, and CTUIR Communications Director Chuck Sams.

with no information on the plan,” Sampson reminded don’t want to give negative messages.” the Board, Bracher and Hawkins. “In good faith I Patton said she “would love” to meet with Tribal couldn’t say it protected Tribal participants. Since March representatives to develop an educational piece and you’d been meeting with the state, the county and the expand it throughout the Round-Up and Happy Canyon city, but our community, the Tribal government, was organizations. in the dark on it … We have an opportunity to build BOT Vice Chair Jeremy Wolf, noting that Indians were our relationship back up … My hope, going forward, is conducting horse round-ups long before the Pendleton that we can have serious, true transparent and trusted Round-Up was in existence, said the Tribes and Pendcommunications with Happy Canyon and Round-Up.” leton have a storied history together that will continue.

During the June 24 meeting, Bracher acknowledged And now, since there is a hiatus in the annual event, an overall “lack of knowledge and lack of communi- there is time to work out issues rather than perpetuate cation on our part” and said the frustrations.

Round-Up Board is willing to do “We may be at two ‘Now that we have a General better. different levels, but “The challenge as a Board is we’re all in it for the Manager in place and we have that the turnover is rapid,” Bracher good gathering that is said. “Now that we have a General the Round-Up and celmore business-like policies and Manager in place and we have ebration,” Wolf said. procedures in place there will more business-like policies and “We want to work procedures in place there will be toward those and have be institutional knowledge for institutional knowledge for new it written down so new members. Before ... We members. Before it was plug in people who come in and play, hit the ground running. after you, including made it up as we first came We made it up as we first came on this Board, so we can Board. I hope to see that improve.” evolve together long on board. I hope to see that BOT Secretary Sally Kosey, who into the future.” improve.’ has been involved with Happy Canyon for some 50 years, said it Chair Brigham said - Randy Bracher, is important to meet often. it is important that President of the Pendleton Round-Up In years past, she said, a half “we know your proAssociation Board of Directors dozen or so Indians – a chief or cess and it’s important two, a camp director, etc. – would for you to know us.” meet once a year with the RoundAt the same time, Up Indian director.

Brigham said, the CTUIR is a sovereign nation.

“One time a year doesn’t cut it,” Kosey said, even “We don’t want to fight you, but we’re not afraid of though she praised the work of Rob Collins, Indian a fight either.”

Director for the last several years.

That’s when Board members brought up the east-end “As we move through this process, it’s important bleachers and other “concerns.” that you listen to our concerns and not wait until the What is said every year at Round-Up was repeated month before Round-Up. Rob did an awesome job, but at the meeting: People in the east-end bleachers look one month is not enough. We need better collaboration. directly into the sun to watch the action. Much of the You need to know about us and how we feel. We need bucking-chute action is blocked by the concrete photo have a say-so, or at least better input in the Indian tography/judges box. The entrance to the bleachers is Village and I feel like today is the beginning to move gravel, not concrete, and the oftentimes-dusty, narrow forward to make changes happen.” lane is very difficult to navigate, especially for elders, BOT member Jill-Marie Gavin told Bracher and those with walkers or wheelchairs, and baby carriages.

Hawkins that having Board members educated about And after the recent construction, the east end is the only the Tribes would be great, but for meaningful change section of the Round-Up bleachers that are not covered. the education needs to be organization-wide.

Bracher told Brigham, “There’s been some discussion, “The ingrained culture that spreads information but there’s not a current plan in place” for improvements about our Tribes doesn’t pay correct homage and the to the east end grandstands. fact that we’re in our homelands,” Gavin said, suggestWell one thing is for sure, Brigham said. ing Tribal education could be part of an orientation for “We’re not going to pay for it. Our funding is for all volunteers. tribal people on the reservation. We’ll help lobby, but Hawkins called that a “phenomenal idea” and Patton, it’s not coming from tribal funding. We are not going the general manager, was eager to put it into action. to pay for it.”

“I see a huge value in knowing how your government Kosey suggested a working group sit down and work works. We give tours of the Round-Up grounds and I’d toward a solution to the bleachers and the east-end bathlove to speak more intelligently about the Tribes. We Round-Up on page 12A

Confederated Umatilla Journal

July 2020

CUJ News Round-Up Climate makes BOT priority list cancellation decision supported By the CUJ

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

MISSION – Elected officials from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), along with the outspoken Chief of the Walla Walla Tribe, expressed their support and “relief” when they learned that the 2020 Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon had been cancelled.

The Round-Up and Happy Canyon boards of directors used the phrase “not hosting the event,” rather than “cancelling,” but the result is the same: For only the third time in its iconic history, the Pendleton Round-Up and the Happy Canyon Indian Pageant & Wild West Show and associated events will not be held during the second full week in September in Pendleton. This would have been the 110th Round-Up and the 104th Happy Canyon Pageant.

As it has been for many other events throughout the country and the world, the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame for the cancellation. Rodeos across the west, from the Farm-City-Pro Rodeo in Hermiston to the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada and from Chief Joseph Days to Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming, have also been put on hold.

The decision by the Round-Up and Happy Canyon boards was made after consultation with county and state authorities.

“Even though an unprecedented effort was made to attempt to move forward, it has become apparent after consultation with our local, county and state authorities at the highest level that we will be unable to hold our events in light of the risks and challenges that we all currently face,” Round-Up Indian Director Harper Jones II wrote to CTUIR Board of Trustees members.

Additionally, Jones wrote, “The concerns of the BOT and the individual members of the General Council with whom we have been in contact have greatly weighed in the decision not to proceed with planning.”

Some of the people who apparently were not contacted by Pendleton RoundUp and Happy Canyon officials were Round-Up chiefs Don Sampson (Peo Peo Mox Mox) and Bill Burke of the Walla Wallas, and Jesse Jones of the Cayuse.

Sampson was involved in backand-forth e-mail correspondence with Round-Up Board officials in early June expressing his displeasure with the way the decision-making and announcements were being orchestrated.

After the decision was announced June 19, Sampson issued this statement: Round-Up cancelled on page 13A

July 2020

MISSION – For the first time, climate change and enrollment are listed among the top priorities for the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).

The BOT adopted seven priorities by resolution on June 22, more than six months into their 2020-2021 term, which has been hijacked by a historic flood and a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

The Board’s priorities, listed in no particular order, include climate change and enrollment, plus housing development, workforce development, health and wellness, communications, and tribal treaty rights.

Tribal treaty rights is a perennial priority, and housing, health, and communication were on the 2018-2019 list.

However, education as well as economic and community development, which have been regular priorities since 2004, moved off the list this year.

“The Board acknowledges that there

are numerous issues, needs, programs, and activities within the Tribal government and community that require their attention, but in order to make significant progress in certain areas over their term of office, they developed a short list of focus areas and will work on these first and foremost,” according to the resolution.

Members of the CTUIR management team, which includes all department directors, have been assigned to focus area teams to develop action plans to address each of the priorities identified by the BOT. BOT Chair Kat Brigham said climate change/adaptation, in conjunction with the CTUIR’s First Foods vision, is an issue around the world. The Tribes, she said, have to play a larger role in preparing for the inevitability of climate change.

“It’s our responsibility,” she said, noting the current work of the CTUIR, which includes Colleen Sanders, the climate adaptation planner and the Energy and Environmental Services Program, which is involved with several energy conser-

vation and generation projects.

According to a BOT priorities document, climate change/adaptation goals include promoting more affordable access to renewable energy options for tribal members; making renewable energy options a requirement of every new development; providing incentives for families, businesses and all the CTUIR to address climate change via conservation and renewable energy options; and increasing and broadening natural disaster preparedness.

The BOT wants a review of the Enrollment Department and the Enrollment Commission, according to the priority document. It also plans to review a population study conducted several years ago.

No action was taken on that study by the previous board.

“We need to address concerns and come up with a strategy for keeping our membership,” Brigham said.

Look for a full list of the BOT priorities and goal breakdowns on the CUJ website at cuj.ctuir.org.

Kola Thompson, center, and Willa Wallace, right, facilitated the Indigenous Allies event June 7.

Indigenous Allies Native jingle dancers and others in regalia gathered in front of Pendleton City Hall on June 7 for an Indigenous Allies Healing Dance in support of Black Lives Matter. The “Dance in Solidarity”, which included speakers, praying and singing, was to “show support for our black brothers and sisters,” said Kola Thompson, who facilitated the event with Willa Wallace, members of the Enough Iz Enough activist group on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Speakers included Art McConville and Mildred Quaempts. Dancing was led by Acosia Red Elk with a big drum led by Kelsey Burns.

An intertribal dance allowed everyone who attended the event - Indian and non-Indian alike - to participate in the dancing, which lasted about two hours.

Keyen Singer, a student at Nixyaawii Community School, dances at the Indigenous Allies event .

Tribal elder Mildred Quaempts was a speaker at the Indigenous Allies event.

CUJ photos/Casey Brown

Natives and non-Natives participated in the dancing, which was led by champion jingle dress dancer Acosia Red Elk, in front of the Vert fountain in Pendleton June 7.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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CUJ Op-Eds & Columns Come on America: Listen to COVID-19 experts

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t’s summer so the virus must be over, right?

Not so fast.

Pull that mask back up over your nose.

A coronavirus resurgence is wiping out two months of progress sending infections to scary new levels across the southern and western United States. Hospital administrators and health experts are warning that politicians and a cooped-up public are letting a calamity unfold.

The Confederated Tribes have been on the cutting edge of safety precautions, even ahead of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, who has been a leader across the nation, and remain diligent in their efforts to curb the spread, but the Umatilla Indian Reservation is not immune to COVID-19.

For the longest time, even though leaders knew it was a matter of when not if, the CTUIR had only that first case of COVID-19 way back when the virus was discovered in the state. We went months without another case, likely because of the shut-down of CTUIR entities and strict social gathering restrictions placed on Reservation residents by the Incident Command Team.

It was working. Screenings by Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center of 100 people on three different occasions turned up no positive tests.

But then a case here and a case there showed up.

As of press time Yellowhawk was listing 11 cases and for the first time one case was recorded as a hospitalization.

Of course, there is plenty of talk about others.

Why is it that testing positive, or even the possibility of being exposed, has become secretive and fodder for gossip?

It’s bad enough COVID-19 and being safe about it, like wearing a mask, has been made into a political issue.

If you wear a mask you’re a bleeding-heart liberal and if you don’t you’re a proud Trump supporter?

How does that work?

Shouldn’t we all just listen to the experts and try to

get rid of this stuff?

I hear people say that COVID-19 is going to be over after the November election. Is one of the political parties in the United States – the earth’s coronavirus hotspot – so powerful that it can stop a worldwide pandemic?

Man, America is full of itself.

I stopped in a busy Arrowhead Travel Plaza on Sunday morning to buy some apple juice (as far as my wife knows) and I became incensed because the truckstop staff, an elderly couple and I were the only three wearing masks.

Talk about “sheeple.” What were all those other people thinking?

I wanted to yell at everybody: Why do you think this COVID crap is getting worse? Because y’all are selfish. I wear a mask to protect you. Why can’t y’all have enough respect to protect me and everybody else around you? Get it together!

But I didn’t yell, because they probably couldn’t have understood what I was screaming through my hot-chili pepper mask.

Gov. Brown has mandated the wearing of masks in all buildings as of July 1. (The Tribes did it a day earlier.) I wonder how that’s going to work. It will be interesting to watch the burly guys who get tough in the Facebook comments buy oil filters for their diesels and it will be curious to watch Karen get bent out of shape buying toilet paper at Walmart.

Wearing a mask isn’t really all that uncomfortable if you get one that fits right. It’s inconvenient, but it doesn’t violate your civil rights or your Constitutional freedom. It’s about civil society and accountability and putting the health of your fellow Americans ahead of your own interests. It’s actually patriotic, boys.

Public health should not be about politics.

COVID-19 does not care if you are a Democrat or a Republican or an Independent. For that matter, it does not care if you are a Baptist, a Catholic or a Muslim. It doesn’t care if you are white or black or red or brown.

It doesn’t care if you a fish biologist, unemployed or a U.S. senator. It doesn’t care if you identify as a boy, a girl, or something different. It doesn’t care if you are 12 or 35 or 75 years old. It doesn’t care if you live under a bridge, in the projects or in a castle. If doesn’t care if you live on GA, live paycheck to paycheck, or are comfortable with a healthy stock portfolio.

COVID-19 just doesn’t care, but people can care.

And if we don’t, coronavirus is going to make a lot more people sick and it’s going to make a lot more people die. It soon will make people die that you know. Apparently that’s when it becomes real for those who think they are invincible.

Staying as healthy as possible, and keeping others as healthy as can be, should be the priority.

Listen to the science and respect the experts.

If you support salmon recovery efforts, if you use computers, and if you’ve been vaccinated for polio then you believe in science. You won’t find many doctors, maybe a few crackpots quick to promote hydroxychloroquine, who aren’t on board with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Leaders of the Confederated Tribes, and those in Oregon and Washington – those dang Democratic governors – have told us what we need to do. Unfortunately, we haven’t had that kind of leadership across the country in other states or in the White House and that is leading to this God-awful resurgence of COVID-19.

Summer is here, but COVID-19 is not gone.

Summer is here and we all want to go back to normal, but normal it may never be again.

If we all work toward a goal perhaps we can minimize the problem and hope for a swift vaccine.

If we don’t, no matter what some people believe and want others to believe, it is going to be hell.

Come on America. Get it together.

Wil Phinney is editor of the Confederated Umatilla Journal.

We will hold our own Tribal Police accountable, too

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ll across the United States people are being told that “Black Lives Matter” by people of many colors. This message is a direct result of a video showing a Minneapolis policeman kneeling on the neck of and killing George Floyd.

Law enforcement is an integral part of our society and officers are sworn to protect the citizens of the United States. There are good law enforcement officers, but too many times people of color have been victims of overzealous law enforcement officers who dominate and escalate an already bad situation in many cases.

Tribal people across the United States have been on the receiving Kat Brigham side of violent acts by law enforcement. Many of these bad law enforcement officers have not been held accountable for their actions in the

CUJ Confederated Umatilla Journal

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cities, counties and states.

Therefore, the Board of Trustees agree that it is time for a change and we want to help make that change as a sovereign nation. That is why the CTUIR is looking at ourselves first to see if we need to make changes in our own Tribal Police Procedures and we seek funding for our Tribal police to have body/car cameras that will more fully tell us what happens during a stop or investigation conducted by our law enforcement.

Our past Tribal Leaders said we make our own laws, we need to enforce our own laws. It is our responsibility as a sovereign nation to ensure the safety of our community. CTUIR fought hard to get our own Tribal enforcement to enforce our Tribal Laws on our reservation and in all of our usual and accustomed areas. By having our own law enforcement we protect our Treaty Rights, Tribal Constitution and laws.

The CTUIR has entered into memorandums of agreement with local and state law enforcement that require coordination and communication with CTUIR. This has gone a long way in helping ensure all law

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

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enforcement are held accountable for their actions.

I would like to share a part of a quote that is on the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Facebook.

“My heart is heavy, I see men of my own race treated as outlaws and driven from county to county or shot down like animals. Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other, then we shall have no more wars.” ~ Chief Joseph, 1879.

We are not outlaws, we are humans – like everyone else – wanting to know that we are safe and secure in our community.

The BOT will continue to review how we provide law enforcement so we can improve the safety and security we expect here in our homelands.

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

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Next CUJ: Aug. 6 Ad deadline: July 21 News deadline: July 28

July 2020

2020 College Graduates

Summer Bryan

Oregon Health Sciences University Bachelor of Science, Nursing

Alyssa Farrow

Kelsee Cody

Stanford University BA Psychology Health and Development

Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls Bachelor’s Degree in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Leanne Colette Allen

Chelsey Dick

Charles F. Sams III University of Oklahoma College of Law Masters of Legal Studies – Indigenous Peoples Law

Alyssa Farrow tweet goes viral Trevon Allen

from the CTUIR

CONGRATULATIONS

University of Idaho Bachelors in General Studies (Minor in Communications and Sociology)

July 2020

Eastern Washington University Major in Public History Minor in Anthropology

Donya E. Fegan

Yale University Bachelors in English and Education

Eastern Oregon University Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration

Merrily Grace Jones

Rayne Spencer

Eastern Oregon University Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education

Cecelia Marie Bonifer

The Evergreen State College Bachelor of Arts in Native American Studies

Eastern Oregon University Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Kola Thompson

Abby Nez

Blue Mountain Community College CPCC in Business Administration: Leadership and Service

Blue Mountain Community College Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration: Hospitality and Gaming

Catherine “Cat” Barkley Blue Mountain Community College Double Associate degrees in General Studies and Applied Science in Business Administration

Rightly so, Alyssa Farrow was proud of her accomplishment.

She tweeted: “I graduated college today. First generation, low-income and first from my tribe to graduate from Stanford. Wild.”

When she went to bed that night there had been a couple of hundred retweets and a thousand or so likes, which was cool.

The next morning her message had been retweeted 20,000 times with 13,000 comments.

“It took off. People from all over the world were commenting,” Farrow said.

By the time E! News spotted it, Farrow’s tweet had been retweeted nearly 61,000 times and had 870,000 likes.

The people retweeting included Mark Ruffalo, Rosie O’Donnell, and Keegan-Michael Key. An E! News reporter messaged Farrow and asked if the breaking entertainment/celebrity gossip news magazine could write about her. The reporter asked Farrow for a photo and she sent them the one above. E! News attached her quote to the photo and put it on their EmpowHer webpage, which is designed for a private group that supports women in three major areas of life – mind, spirit and body. Kristen Bell and Ellen Degeneres are listed on the EmpowHer website.

Farrow, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, plans to take a year off before heading to the Oregon Health Sciences University and pursue a master’s degree in public health. She wants to work in Native communities and hopes to one day return to work at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Three earn BMCC degrees Three enrolled members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation participated in the Parade of Graduates at Blue Mountain Community College June 11. BMCC couldn’t bring everyone together for speeches, handshaking and cap- Kola Thompson throwing, but still honored achievements of graduates on campus. The Parade of Graduates allowed graduates to drive with their families in their personal vehicles up the BMCC Pendleton campus hill and around the campus with BMCC faculty and staff lining the roadway to cheer and celebrate them as they passed. At the top of the hill President Dennis Bailey-Fougnier and Board of Education Chair Heidi Van Kirk took photographs with grads who stayed in their vehicles.

Graduates received a Commencement gift bag, which included their tassel and diploma cover, as well as gifts to honor their achievement.

Abby Nez

Confederated Umatilla Journal

Catherine “Cat” Barkley

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CUJ Almanac Obituaries Verna Dee ‘Duck’ Conner March 5, 1959 — June 19, 2020 Born in Salem, Oregon, Verna Dee was named after her doctor, Dr. Vernon D. Casterline.

Verna graduated from Madras High in 1977, excelled at tennis and went to districts in girls’ doubles.

She annually made the Pendleton Round-Up, camping in the Indian Village with her family.

In 1978 she placed first in the American Indian Beauty Contest. A consistent participant in the Happy Canyon Show as the “Indian Bride,” she was married many times and was the last to enter on the canoe.

As a young Indian girl, she also played an extra on an episode of the late 1970s TV series “How the West Was Won” with James Arness.

A student of Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, from 1979-1981, she studied early childhood education, most proud of an A+ she earned on a research paper where her case study was her nephew.

Verna earned the nickname “Momma Duck” from her late brother James, who keenly observed her early on, constantly with little nieces and nephews following around like “little ducklings.” She was a passionate University of Oregon Ducks sports fan where her late father Cecil graduated, and other family members since. Hence, the name “Duck” endured.

Throughout her life she loved golf, playing in many tournaments throughout the region. She was also the pro shop assistant at Kah-nee-ta Resort Golf Course and also the Nine Peaks Golf Course in Madras, Oregon.

She had an infectious smile, unforgettable laugh, and love for life and family. Her kind disposition and support of her nieces and nephews ambitions will cause us all to dearly miss Duck.

Survived by her sisters Cheryl J. Conner, Jody Bear, Elaine Miller, Kit Gonsalez, Carla Greene, Carol Conner and Kris Conner, along with brothers Matthew Conner and Thomas Conner, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews too numerous to list.

Preceding her in death were nieces Elena Gonsalez, nephew Elijah Suppah; brothers John Macy Conner and James C. Conner; parents Gilbert Cecil Conner and Virginia WilkinsonConner; aunts Janie Pond, Rosaline Harris, Antoinette Williams, Leah Conner, Etta Conner, Pauline Stanger and Lenores Meanus; uncles

Duane Conner, Norman Conner, and Earl “Taz” Conner; paternal grandparents Elsie and Gilbert Edward Conner; and maternal grandparents Cyrus Wilkinson and Margaret White.

Viewing/services were at Burns Mortuary in Pendleton, Oregon, on June 22 with burial at Olney Cemetery on June 23, 2020.

Patrick Louis Luke Dec. 7, 1962 – June 22, 2020 WHITE SWAN, Wash. - Patrick Louis Luke, “Yetatamanisht,” passed away at his home in White Swan, Wash., on June 22, 2020. He was born on December 7, 1962 in Pendleton to Faydeena (Thompson) and Marcus Luke. He was raised in Portland, on the Columbia River, and at Thornhollow and Mission on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Patrick was an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation and was part of the Cayuse, Walla Walla and Umatilla Tribes. He graduated from Weston-McEwen High School in Athena and joined the United States Marine Corps. After boot camp at Camp Pendleton (San Diego, CA) he was stationed at Whidbey Island, Wash., until he was honorably discharged.

He graduated from Blue Mountain Community College and was a Ford Family Scholar at Oregon State University. He graduated from OSU with a degree in Fisheries/Wildlife. He was working toward a Master’s Degree from Evergreen State College while living in White Swan.

Patrick was most proud of his heritage and keeping traditions alive. His biggest passion and where he felt most at home was the Columbia River. For generations, fishing season was a family affair on the Big River. Patrick knew the river like the back of his hand from Cascade Locks to McNary. He was a gillnet- and dip-net fisherman and harvested lamprey at Willamette Falls since a young teen.

Patrick was a resource for the tribes and a consultant on many projects, including national and local TV programs. He was instrumental in the Pacific Lamprey recovery project for the Yakama Tribe.

Patrick spent many years fishing in Alaska at Dutch Harbor and surrounding Aleutian Islands and along the Ketchikan coast. He fished for salmon in the style of Deadliest Catch; it was a dangerous and exciting job for a young Patrick.

His time in the Marine Corps reinforced his incredible work ethic that carried through to all aspects of his life. He was known as a hard-ass and could take on anything or anyone. He always

made time to teach and share his knowledge with those who sought him out.

Patrick had many jobs and lived in many places throughout his life: Pendleton, Seattle, Goldendale, and Fort Duchesne, Utah to name a few. He was a gregarious and outgoing person.

He had many friends and enjoyed catching up with all his relatives. He would do anything to help his friends/family in need. He enjoyed traveling to pow wows and dancing in the arena, wearing regalia he created and regalia handed down.

Patrick was a member of several longhouses: Umatilla, Satus, Celilo, and White Swan. He drummed and was always learning new songs and strove to carry on our ways. He encouraged everyone to be better, work hard and learn new things.

He is survived by his mother, Faydeena Thompson Luke, Thornhollow, Ore.; sister, Juliana R. Luke, Thornhollow, Ore.; brother, Marcus L. Luke II (Carrie) Pendleton, Ore.; sons Antoine “Tony” Skahan, Portland, Ore.; Cody “Red” Hare, Pendleton, Ore.; nephews M. Aaron Luke, and Nicholas Perry Luke, Pendleton, Ore.; and many relatives in Mission and the Yakama Nation.

He is preceded in death by father, Marcus L. Luke and brother Perry S. Luke, his maternal grandparents Joe and Rosa (Davis) Thompson, paternal grandparents Nora Luke Charley and Robert Luke.

Patrick was buried at Dallesport, near the heart of the Columbia River, to rest alongside his extended family and other big river fisherman, in the place he loved. He is missed dearly. He is gone too soon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the funeral service was shortened and limited to immediate family. The family plans to host a dinner as soon as gatherings are allowed.

Semper Fi!

Rod Cowapoo Jr. Jan. 25, 1961 – June 2020 Rod “Gibb” Cowapoo Jr. was born on Jan. 25, 1961 to Roderick Cowapoo Sr. and Thelma Johnson. He died June 19, 2020, at the age of 59.

Rod was an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

He attended Wapato School District, but left in ninth grade to attend Pendleton High School where he graduated in 1980. He also graduated from Pablo Kicking Horse College and he worked at Yakama Nation Forestry.

He is survived by sister Roddena Tammy Cowapoo, and sons Andrew Jackson, Rod Cowapoo III, and Christopher Cowapoo, and his significant other, Annete Coyle.

He was preceded in death by Ronna Begay Alveda Cowapoo and Luke Cowapoo.

Cowapoo played Indian basketball tournaments and he played baseball. He loved coaching young kids’ sports.

Services were held June 24 at Valley Hills Funeral Home in Zillah, Wash.

Death Notice J.C. Penney Jan. 29, 1926 – June 29, 2020 James C. Penney 94 of Pendleton died June 29, 2020 at his home.

He was born January 29, 1926 in Thorn Hollow, Oregon.

Weather Weather information summarize data taken at the Pendleton Weather Station from June 1-30.

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

The average daily temperature was 79.4 degrees with a high of 97 degrees on June 23 and 26 and a low of 44 degrees on June 2.

Total precipitation through June 29 was 0.71 with greatest 24-hour average of .10” on June 13. There was a departure of -.25” from average for the month of June.

The average wind speed was 10.8 mph with a sustained max speed of 38 mph from the West on June 27. A peak speed of 47 mph occurred from the West on June 29. The dominant wind direction was from the West.

There were four thunder storms, seven days out of 30 in which some rain fell, one haze events/days, two Fog/Mist. Air Quality Index values remained in the healthy levels during June 2020.

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

July 2020

Jobs Biogeochemical Oceanographer

Department: CMOP – OED Department Classification: Regular, Full-Time, NonExempt Salary Range: $70,490 - $79,892 Location: Astoria Field Station

Job Summary/Primary Responsibility: Responsible for the quality assurance and control (QC/QA) of complex combinations of biogeochemical instrumentation, integrated in a nationally recognized oceanographic observation network for the Columbia River estuary and plume.

Essential Job Functions: • Design and conduct QA/ QC of complex integrations of biogeochemical instruments.

• Identify and correct operational malfunctions across the observation network.

• Support the design and maintenance of oceanographic fixed stations.

• Support the deployment and recovery of oceanographic platforms.

• Support operation of gliders.

• Actively maintain the data and instrumentation network.

• Design and implement the protocols and analyses necessary for the field integration and operation of biogeochemical sensor package.

• Design and implement strategies to detect malfunctions in deployed sensors, from real-time data streams.

• Deploy and recover from ocean structures and vessels, data platforms and associated instrumentation.

• Maintain comprehensive notes and records.

• Communicate progress internally.

• Conduct field campaigns.

• Conduct public outreach regarding the network and its functions.

• Contribute to publications as needed.

Oceanographic Instrumentation Technician Department: CMOP Program Classification: Full-Time, Regular, NonExempt Salary Range: $39,738 - $45,035 Location: Astoria Field Station Job Summary / Primary Responsibility: The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission assists four tribes in the co-management of their treaty rights within the Columbia River Basin. The position offered is associated with the Commission’s Center for Coastal Margin

CTUIR

Observation and Prediction (CMOP) department. This position contributes to all aspects of the design, construction, calibration, repair, installation and deployment of estuary and ocean observation stations, buoys, gliders and cruises.

The Oceanographic Instrumentation Technician will be responsible for the collection of oceanic and marine atmospheric observations. This position will collect reliable, quality data using in-situ ocean observing instrumentation to meet user needs for government, industry, academia, and the public.

Specific duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Assistance in preparation, deployment and recovery of ocean gliders; Assist in glider piloting operations during deployments; Support the deployment and recovery of oceanographic platforms; Actively assist in maintaining the data and instrumentation network.

Job Requirements / Qualifications: We are seeking responsible and dependable individuals in marine science, oceanography or engineering who meet the following required qualifications: A Bachelor’s degree and 5 years relevant work experience in marine science, oceanography, engineering or a related field. A Master of Science/Engineering degree or a related field will substitute for work experience.

Application Procedures: Under the authority of Section 7 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, CRITFC shall give preference in employment matters to qualified enrolled members of the four CRITFC member tribes, then to qualified enrolled members of other federally recognized tribes. If CRITFC is unable to fill openings with such qualified tribal members, other qualified applicants will be considered.

Incomplete applications will NOT be considered. Complete applications include a cover letter, CV/resume, a completed job application with signature (electronic/typed signature acceptable) and contact information for at least three professional references. The job application form is available on our website https://www. critfc.org/critfc-employment-opportunities/ or by calling 503-238-0667.

Submit to: Attn: Human Resources 700 NE Multnomah St., Suite 1200 Portland, OR 97232 Email: hr@critfc.org Fax: 503-238-3571

Board of Trustees

General Council

Chair Kathryn Brigham

Chair Lindsey X. Watchman

Vice Chair Jeremy Wolf

Vice Chair Michael Ray Johnson

Treasurer Sandra Sampson Secretary Sally Kosey

Secretary Shawna Gavin Interpreter Thomas Morning Owl

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

Ted Wright, Ph.D.

General Council Meeting

Nixyaawii Governance Center

To Be Announced CTUIR Express Phone Directory

Public Notice NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Land Protection Planning Commission of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) will hold the following public hearing: Conditional Use File #CU-20-002 – Applicant, CTUIR Department of Natural Resources, Range, Agriculture and Forestry Program seeks approval to conduct a timber harvest on multiple lots owned by the CTUIR in fee and trust. The subject properties are identified as Tax Lots 104, 700, 1100, 2800, 3000, 3100, 3500 and 3600 on Umatilla County Tax Map 1N34 in Sections 1, 2, 3, 9 10, 11 and 12 along with trust lots T773, T561-A, T2124, T2113, 610-B, 561-B, 1159, 1087, 1029, 988, 958, 775, 772, 719, 632, 631, 620, 589, 587, 563, 539, 534, 533, 530, 528, 527 and 525 all within the external boundaries of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The general location of these properties is south of Interstate 84 east of the Deadman’s Pass east bound rest area. All properties are zoned G-1 (Big Game Grazing Forest) comprising 2,634.5 acres.

Timber Harvest is listed as a conditional use (Land Development Code §3.290) within the G-1 Zone subject to approval criteria in CTUIR Land Development Code Sections 6.015 and 4.025.

July 2020

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Due to the current health emergency (COVID-19) this hearing will be held via telephone conference.

If you would like to participate in the hearing or provide testimony, please call 541-429-7050 at 9:00 a.m. The participant code is 206-453-85.

Materials relating to this conditional use request are available for review at the Tribal Planning Office or online at https://ctuir.org/public-hearinglppc-cu-20-002.

Written comments must be received in the Tribal Planning Office by 4:00 pm July 10, 2020 via hard copy or by email to pattyperry@ctuir.org.

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

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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46314 Timine Way

10A

Pendleton, Oregon 97801

541-966-9830

Confederated Umatilla Journal

www.yellowhawk.org

July 2020

YELLOWHAWK IS HIRING For more information visit yellowhawk.org/careers or contact Lorasa Joseph - HR Staff Recruiter 541-240-8713 or lorasajoseph@yellowhawk.org

July 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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Black Lives Matter prompts police review Continued from page 1A

“We wanted to be careful about how we presented our support, our position to the outside world,” Brigham said.

“We’re not afraid of the outside world, but we wanted a strategy on how it would be done.”

BOT Vice-Chair Jeremy Wolf spoke for the majority when he said, “Black Lives Matter is a very specific outcry and we’re in support of that. It is specific to those people who are of that race who are being singled out and have been for a long time. We can issue our support knowing we’ve been through that. Black Lives Matter is a specific outcry.”

However, Gavin said, even though seven of the nine wanted the statement, the full board agreed that anything but a unanimous decision would be disingenuous.

Rather, the Board turned their attention inward.

“We decided to look at ourselves first, at our own police policies and procedures,” said Brigham, who presided over a June 18 work session with Tribal Police Chief Tim Addleman.

At that meeting, Brigham asked about Tribal police methods.

“Do they need to be changed? If we need to, we change it,” she said. “We support Black Lives Matter, but there’s a history of tribal evidence, too. I could tell you horror stories about Pendleton.”

Gavin said she didn’t have an argument about supporting people of color, but she looks at it from a different view.

“From my perspective, I feel that although Indigenous people do suffer more police abuse per capita it is still important to support Black people and the African American community and

acknowledge the large number of Tribal intensive” upload system that would members in Indian Country who are likely require an on-site server. also Black. It doesn’t make you any less Board members were interested in indigenous or any less Black.” how the body cameras could be used to Gavin has four children with Black hold accountable both police officers and fathers but she the people with doesn’t want whom they come ‘It’s not us or them ... people to think into contact. that’s why she’s “There is a They are tribal members so concerned. huge disconnect and they are Natitayt. I “People asbetween the comsume I want to munity and our feel like we should be support this bepolice departtaking care of each other. cause I have Black ment,” said BOT That’s what ‘one heart, children,” Gavin member Corinne said. “RealisticalSams, suggestone mind’ is all about.’ ly it’s everyone’s ing that the body - CTUIR Board member Jill-Marie Gavin responsibility. If cams could benyou have famefit the police by ily you should be protecting them concerned whether they’re Black or not. from false allegations while also improvLaws don’t change just for Black people. ing accountability.

When we help someone else, it helps us Addleman told the Board that studies as well.” show that body cameras are valuable as It is heartening to know that tribes a documentation resources, but aren’t support each other, Gavin said, pointing much of a deterrent in arresting insolent to the way Indian Country has rallied behavior. around the COVID-19-wracked Navajo “Some people really don’t care if Reservation. they’re being recorded,” Addleman said.

“It’s not us or them. When we do that Sams also talked, at that June 18 work it’s an erasure of Indigenous people who session, about police misconduct and are also Black and those people make a asked Addleman to provide a record of huge contribution to Indian Country. citizen complaints over the last several They are tribal members and they are years. Addleman has produced a list Natitayt,” Gavin said. “I feel like we of 66 formal complaints made over the should be taking care of each other. last nine-and-a-half years dating back to That’s what ‘one heart, one mind’ is all 2010. Only two of those were complaints about.” for use of force.

The body cameras, BOT members said Gavin said determining whether or at the work session, are a good place to not there is a problem with Tribal Police start. depends on who you ask.

Chief Addleman outlined two op“It’s an overall culture that lives withtions – one using an “easy” cloud-based in American policing,” she said. “If you system or another using a “manpower- ask one Tribal member they’ll say, ‘No, the Tribal Police are great.’ You ask another and they’ll say, ‘No, they slammed me on the ground for no reason.’ I think it needs a system reset so we can look really hard at our own department.”

Gavin said she thinks it is important that Tribal police are representative of the Tribal population.

“They should know us and understand us. They should be people that are part of the community and not from outside counties who want to come in and crack down unnecessarily. We’ve had complaints about unnecessary use of force and we’ve had police officers fired.

It’s not just our own police force, but America’s police in general,” Gavin said.

Brigham said she anticipates many changes coming to police policies and

TERO Profile Jason Chenowith Union Carpenter

procedures throughout the United States.

On the Umatilla Indian Reservation, she expects Tribal Police will get body cameras to go with the cameras already installed in patrol cars. However, she and other BOT members were surprised when Addleman told them that digital cameras that have been in patrol cars for several years are virtually useless because police don’t have the ability to download information.

In 2016, Addleman said, Tribal Police were assisting on an Oregon State Police pursuit when the suspect started shooting.

“Our cameras would have caught the episode,” including the firearm engagement and when the suspect rammed his vehicle into the OSP car, “but we weren’t able to provide evidence because we couldn’t download it.”

Brigham noted the current state and federal legislation taking place on police reform and noted that the U.S. Attorney in Oregon is part of an outreach program to the state, including Tribes, identifying changes that are being considered.

Brigham also noted that the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Enforcement is considering new training protocols.

“We’re definitely going to see some changes,” Brigham said. “There is going to be more accountability. When somebody uses force other officers aren’t going to sit back and watch anymore.”

Brigham said it is important to understand that law enforcement is necessary to protect society and she doesn’t want anyone to think she is against rules and regulations.

“I stated in my column (see Page 6) that we fought hard to get our own enforcement as part of our sovereignty because if you pass rules and regulations you’ve got to be able to enforce them,” Brigham said.

Now the cities, the counties, the states, the federal government – even the world – know about George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, Brigham said.

That can only help the cause of Native Americans as well.

“This was all prompted by George Floyd. His death got everybody’s attention,” Brigham said. “I know Tribal people have had people die because of abuse by police. Tribal members have died in jail, but we could never get anybody’s attention. George Floyd definitely made headlines and people are saying that’s not right and they’re beginning to make their voices heard, they’re beginning to make it known that we do want change.”

Round-Up talks Continued from page 4A

Congratulations! Jason completed the carpentry preapprenticeship training program at the Pacific Northwest Carpenter Institute in Portland, Oregon last March.

He officially began accruing his apprenticeship hours with Brunswick on the Wildhorse Casino Expansion project for the Whispering Aspens Bowling Alley.

TERO congratulates Jason for his commitment and determination!

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rooms, which she called “gross.”

“For years they’ve been working on it. Last year a plumber was there almost the entire week,” Kosey said. “The elders had to go to the other end of the Village.

I know you applied for some grants, but at some time Round-Up is going to have to pick up your feet and put in a new bathroom down there.”

Sandy Sampson agreed with Kosey about putting together a committee to move forward on projects.

“You built a place where people can pay extra to sit and eat. It’s time to assign a committee to work on moving

Confederated Umatilla Journal

forward to cover that one little section of bleachers,” Sampson said. “Something needs to change and we’ve got a year to get it done.”

Sampson, who acknowledged she doesn’t take part in Round-Up and doesn’t even like Round-Up, said the Tribes are ready to discuss issues with the Round-Up and Happy Canyon Associations and develop policies together.

Other BOT members suggested a written memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement.

“We’re striving to move forward,” Sampson said. “We’re different. We’re shakers and movers, ready to do it.”

July 2020

Round-Up cancelled Continued from page 5A

Jason Chenowith, an apprentice carpenter, is working through the Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, learning the trade at the Whispering Aspen bowling alley being built at Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Chenowith, 48, is using the TERO opportunity to turn a trade into a career and he’s learning a host of skills at this single project.

STRIKE!

Lane panels turn empty space into bowling alley He approached TERO about getting into a trade and Michelle Bratlie suggested he write a letter to PNCI, which MISSION – The men from TERO are accepted him and three others – all hammering nails at Whispering Aspen. young enough to be his sons, ages 19, And inside that big empty concrete 20 and 21. building on the south end of the Cin“It’s geared toward younger people,” eplex it’s looking like a bowling alley. said Chenowith, who “jumped at the A four-man Brunswick crew, with opportunity.” the addition of Anthony Bonifer and By default, the younger guys made Jason Chenowith, two members of the Chenowith their leader, especially when Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla they had issues with their accommodaIndian Reservation (CTUIR) who work tions. He asked for help and the PNCI through the Tribal Employment Rights people were most accommodating, he Office, laid down hardwood panels to said. create bowling lanes in about four days.

At the training, the men were learnThose tan panels – and a little imaginaing the basics of using a hammer and tion – transform what looked like a handsaw, how to carry ladders, etc., vacant concrete warehouse into what is when COVID-19 showed up and shut expected to become by late September a down lessons. However, most trainers Family Funplex full of strikes and spares volunteered their time to make sure the and cheers and laughter.

CTUIR foursome graduated.

In late June, Marty Barth, a Lydig suWhen they returned home, perintendent, made one though, COVID-19 hadn’t of his monthly visits to gone away and jobs were check on the Wildhorse scarce. project.

Chenowith landed a job “This project provides through TERO doing sidea diversity of carpentry walk concrete work until craft work,” Barth said, early June when the bowling “from drywall to metal alley gig came up. studs, concrete, wood“This is where my career slat ceiling, FRP on the is going,” Chenowith said. walks, the bowling alley.

“This is a great crew, under It has it all in one place.”

Lydig with Brunswick. AnBarth works with thony is showing me someJohn Barkley, the CTUthing different every day IR’s TERO Manager. and I’m learning as much as “TERO is very proud I can. It’s completely differof Jason’s achievement and support his career Anthony Bonifer secures the hardwood-paneled lanes as the bowling ent from anything I’ve done before.” aspirations as a union alley at Wildhorse begins to take shape.

By the CUJ

July 2020

carpenter apprentice. He has a great work ethic and will become a journeyman carpenter which will broaden his opportunities in this diverse trade,” said Barkley. “Much thanks goes to Lydig Construction and their superintendent Marty Barth who have collaborated with TERO in this effort. TERO intends to look at other training opportunities for tribal members in various construction trades.”

Chenowith isn’t your typical young man entering the workforce looking to make his mark in the carpenters union.

At 48 years old, he’s eager to make a “career change” or, as he characterized, make a career.

For the last several years, Chenowith has been working through TERO building fence, helping pour concrete or hammering nails, but “with no real direction.”

Confederated Umatilla Journal

“While I am still concerned about the lack of consultation with the tribe, our tribal chiefs, our women leaders, and community members about whether to hold the Round-Up and the plan to protect our tribal participants’ health and safety, I do support the cancellation of this year’s event. I spoke to Chief Jesse Jones and Chief Bill Burke and they both agreed that protecting our communities’ health and the many Tribes who visit was our first priority. I look forward to meeting with the Round-Up and Happy Canyon Boards regularly so we can begin planning for next year and building a strong partnership based on transparency, good communications, and trust.”

Boots Pond, a member of the CTUIR Board of Trustees, said he was relieved by the decision, especially since elders in his family have been decades-long stalwarts in the Indian village.

“My Auntie and Grandpa have that mindset to stay at the village even this year because they clean and bring food in for the people on Wednesday and Thursday,” Pond said.

BOT Secretary Sally Kosey said she thinks the Round-Up and Happy Canyon boards of directors made a “good strong decision to cease” the events this year.

“It’s a good thing to keep everybody safe,” said Kosey, who participates each year in Happy Canyon and sits at a table in the tee-pee village all week accepting applications for the American Indian Beauty Pageant. “I’m not only concerned about tribal members, but about our relatives who come here from Warm Springs, Yakama and Lapwai, and other places.

Keep in mind many of the people from our community pack up and leave home for a week.”

Kosey said canceling the Round-Up is going to “kill the economy.”

“A lot of people will be sad, but I’d rather be safe and alive than have a worse pandemic that we already have,” she said.

BOT Chair Kat Brigham compared the Round-Up’s tough call to the one the Tribes’ had to make in March.

“I’m glad they were thinking of the safety of the community, not just the tribal community, but the contestants, everyone,” she said. “It was a hard decision. That’s why we closed the casino, education, our government, for the safety of our employees. Now it’s for the safety of the contestants, participants and tribal members.”

Pond, who famously wears a green beaded face mask during Happy Canyon and when he walks in the Westward Ho! Parade, said he will miss the action this year.

“I’ve been in Happy Canyon since I was a newborn and I’ve only missed four years when I was in college. This would have been 20 years exactly so this is bittersweet, but it had to be done.

“There are a lot of things that aren’t happening this year, but there’s always next year. 2021 will be a year to rejoice and reflect, to prepare for bigger and better. Hopefully it will all be over and we’ll be able to say we’re still here,” Pond said.

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Hearings in July for people cited in social gathering case Patrick family organizes protest march in Mission

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

MISSION – Toby Patrick says he has “no regrets” about hosting a feast in April that led to citations for perhaps as many as 17 adults who allegedly violated a COVID-19 order restricting social gatherings to no more than 10 people.

Those who were cited by Umatilla Tribal Police will be scheduled for telephonic hearings in Tribal Court later this month.

Citations were issued to all those over the age of 18 who attended the gathering, which included eight or nine children, according to Patrick.

The social gathering order was issued by the Board of Trustees (BOT) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation as one of the ways to protect the health and safety of Tribal members during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Failure to comply with the social gathering order carries a potential sentence of a $5,000 fine or a year in jail.

In a phone interview June 30, Patrick said he plans to “explain myself and put it in the hands” of Tribal Court.

Patrick said he has no issue with COVID-19 safety protocols and, in fact, said he and his family were following those precautions “before we got in trouble.”

“That’s what I was preaching before the feast that we were probably going to get in trouble and that we should all remember to stay clean, stay safe and stay home,” Patrick said.

But in the case of his gathering it was different for a couple of reasons.

First, Patrick said, he was limiting the feast to just family.

“I don’t regret any of it. When I called family about feast I asked them all, ‘Have you been staying home? And they all said our kids are going nuts because all we’ve been doing is staying home. And I thought as long as they’ve been staying home and are safe we can have a feast. Being that we have generations represented, we had to have that so our kids see it and the foods will come back. Through my own history, that’s how I was told, how I was taught,” Patrick said.

Tribal leaders say the COVID-19 social gathering

Protesters marched down Mission Road from the Longhouse to Mission Market and back on June 9. Identifiable marchers include McKenzie Kiona and Christina Kaltsukis carrying the black signs. In the center is General Council Chair Lindsey Watchman and Donald Williams and behind them is former General Council Chair William Sigo IV. Watchman voted with the rest of the Board of Trustees for the COVID-19 social distancing regulation for which the citations were issued. In the photo at right, Ella Mae Looney and Eva Looney hold signs with Janice Jones on the right in the black hoodie.

order had nothing to do with feasts or other cultural activities which also were stopped for a time. The reason behind limiting the number of people who should gather together was to slow the spread of the coronavirus. It was all about public safety.

Patrick understands that, but he still “stands on the foods” and what he was taught.

“People ask me ‘Do you feel like you did wrong?’

Well I don’t understand the resolution. I don’t regret having so many people there. I called eight of us and then it grew because they wanted to bring their kids. I told them if they were staying home to go ahead and bring their kids.

“There was a feeling that we had that day the picture was put on Facebook. It felt good, something we did for the elders, we did for ourselves, we did for the youth, we did for those that ain’t born yet,” Patrick said. He suggested his feast, and perhaps the civil disobedience of it all, will be part of history.

$750 cash stimulus

Incident Command Continued from page 2A

its entities. The BOT also authorized paid leave to facilitate compliance with Yellowhawk public health guidance for isolation and social distancing, and the stay-at-home orders.

On May 11, the Board by resolution approved the Tribes’ re-opening plan, which guided a resumption of governmental, business and community operations that could be safely engaged as prerequisite public health data and conditions were achieved.

In early June, the Incident Command determined it had completed the Level 3 response under the CTUIR Emergency Operations Plan, “assertively protecting the health and welfare of its members and the Reservation, aggressively expanding measures which protected elders and vulnerable populations, and made adjustments for continuity of essential governmental, community and commerce services” as directed by Board resolution.

At the time, two persons residing within the Umatilla Indian Reservation

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He recalled the 1930s and 1940s when Tribal members got so tired of non-native BIA agents “telling Indians what they can and can’t do” that there was an “uprising” that led to the CTUIR Constitution and self-governance.

“When I think about us doing the feast and the reaction this year I think we were right on. A lot of people don’t really understand and they question, question,” Patrick said. “If they listened and followed through and do what the elders told us to do they’d be okay too. They didn’t so they came to question it.”

Patrick said in the end he thinks “good will come out of this one way or another.”

He said he may not have followed the resolution, but he followed Indian law.

“I’m not above the law, but there’s a law that allows me to do that, to keep being Indian, to keep doing what the elders taught me to do without having to deal with this resolution,” he said.

had tested positive for COVID-19. As of press time, Yellowhawk reported 11 people had tested positive.

Incident Command recommended an extension of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency through Dec. 31, 2020, noting Yellowhawk has “reasonably adequate PPE (personal protective equipment) for its health care providers and patients for the foreseeable future and has trained nine staff persons to conduct contact tracing.”

As part of its Level 4 Recovery resolution, the Board directed each Board member, Incident Command team member, and Tribal government department director to receive training on and competency in National Incident Management System (Federal Emergency Management Agency - FEMA) as soon as possible but no later than Sept. 30.

The Board directed Wright to provide a weekly update on COVID-19 virus prevalence on the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the surrounding region as well as CTUIR efforts to restrict the spread of the virus.

funds through the already-developed CARES Act funding. Those federal dol- General Welfare process.

If a second disbursement is approved, lars could only be distributed to Tribal members able to provide “needs-based” new needs-based documentation paperwork will take some time to develop, documentation. but it could be prepared More than 30 people

by August, according to attended the Zoom ‘We can use Tribal Finance Director teleconference work Paul Rabb.

CARES to provide session after General The documentation Council Chair Lindsey pandemic relief, but is necessary in the event Watchman sent out there is a federal audit it has to be based an online invitation of the CARES Act fundon an assessment for the meeting. The ing, according to Tribal BOT reviewed and disof individual need.’ attorney Dan Hester. cussed the 2020 CARES - Dan Hester, “We can use CARES Act Funding Budget, Tribal attorney to provide pandemic which was approved relief, but it has to be in the resolution aubased on an assessment of individual need,” Hester said. thorizing the stimulus Rabb said he envisions documentation check. The budget organized all COVID-19 related funding sources and as a “one pager where you check boxes and sign.” amounts.

Discussion at the work session sugThe BOT extensively discussed the regested a second COVID-19 distribution lief package, tossing around several difcould replace the quarterly gaming ferent amounts and time frames before landing on the idea presented by BOT revenue allocation from Wildhorse in member Jill-Marie Gavin of distributing August, which Rabb said will be “zero.”

Continued from page 1A

Confederated Umatilla Journal

July 2020

Willa Wallace, stands with Emily Wallace, left, and Olivia ‘Sonny’ Wallace. right, before the Pride Parade begins from the Vert Fountain.

LGBTQ community Proud to have Pride PENDLETON – About 75 people, including some Native participants, marched from City Hall to Main Street and back June 24 to celebrate Pride Month in support of the LGBTQ community.

The Pride Parade was the brainchild of Aiden Bork, a 15-year-old Pendleton student who identifies as nonbinary, asexual, and panromantic. The event was co-sponsored by Pendleton’s chapter of PFLAG, a national organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, their parents and families, and allies.

Vickie Read, who helped form the Pendleton chapter 15 years ago, and Native activist Willa Wallace, who has

July 2020

Three of the Pride Parade leaders were Olivia “Sonny” Wallace in the butterfly wings holding a sign toward passing motorists, Lilo Lese in the blue shirt carrying the rainbow flag, and Aiden Bork, the parade organizer, with the STAND TOGETHER sign.

family ties on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, helped organize the Pride march with Bork.

“We provided whatever support Aiden need to pull it off – in a week’s time,” Wallace said.

Bork, carrying a rainbow-colored sign that read STAND TOGETHER, led the contingent that started at City Hall and walked up Southwest Dorian to Main then north to Southwest Court, up to Southwest Fourth before crossing Southwest Dorian to end up back at the Vert Fountain where they began.

The 75-strong included LGBTQ+ community members and allies, all wearing masks and social distancing as

Confederated Umatilla Journal

much as possible in a parade.

Statewide political candidate Jamie McCloud Skinner and her wife, Cass, came from Bend to make remarks before participating in the march.

Several local LGBTQ youth “that felt supported enough to speak” shared their personal stories as well, Wallace said.

The marchers were not confronted by any negative responses along their trek, Wallace said.

“As a matter of fact, we had several people honk, wave and cheer us on,” she said.

15A

16A

Confederated Umatilla Journal

July 2020

Sports & News

Section

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

B

July 2020

Sams & Sons

First Nixyaawii coach returns with two boys

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

R

yan Sams, Nixyaawii Community School’s first basketball coach, is returning to lead the Golden Eagles after 14 years of coaching at Pendleton High School, and he’s bringing his two sons with him.

Sams planted the Nixyaawii hoop seeds starting in 2003. It began to grow with Coach Aaron Noisey’s nurturing from 2007-2013. And the program has flourished over the last seven years, winning a state title under Coach Shane Rivera, who recently resigned.

With a senior-heavy squad that will include his Class 5A all-star son Dakota, Coach Sams is expecting nothing less than another state championship.

“If we don’t win a state title it might be a good season, but it won’t be good enough,” Sams said. “I told the interview panel I had unfinished business. One of the reasons I came back is to make a run at state.”

Dakota Sams, who has been an Intermountain Conference all-star for the last three seasons as a PHS Buckaroo, brings a wealth of big-school basketball confidence and experience to the Eagles’ Nest. Last year Sams, a 6-2 shooting/ point guard, led the Class 5A IMC in scoring with a 23-point average, adding six assists and five rebounds per game.

He averaged 18 points a game throughout the full season and received all-state honorable mention. He broke his father’s PHS record last year when he made nine three-pointers in a game.

Dakota will join seven other returning upper classmen, including Class

1A all-state guard Tyasin Burns, plus Moses Moses, Magi Moses, William Sigo, Reuben Bronson, Luis Ortega, and Jace Ashley who, in the last three years, have been part of NCS teams that won a state title and a third-place trophy.

The Golden Eagles’ squad that was third at Baker City in March lost one senior – all-state forward Mick Schimmel, plus up-and-coming freshman post Shane Rivera, who will play for Toppenish. Coach Shane Rivera resigned so he could watch his son play.

In addition to the seniors, the squad from last year includes Aaron Barkley and Dylan Abrahamson, who both saw lots of varsity minutes, and the other Sams boy – junior Grayson, who led Pendleton’s junior varsity and suited up for varsity as a sophomore.

That roster includes just the boys expected to return. It doesn’t account for any incoming freshmen or anyone who might transfer in from another school.

And it leaves open-ended any questions about one or two players who may or may not return to Nixyaawii in the fall.

C

oach Sams said he will expect much from his players, many of whom he has coached since they were in grade school.

“I’ve coached some of these kids since third grade. They know what to expect from me as a coach and they know I play to win,” Sams said.

And although winning may be highest on his priority list, it isn’t the only thing driving Sams.

After all, he does work for Tribal Sams new NCS coach on page 6B

Coach Ryan Sams, flanked by his son, junior Grayson, left, and senior Dakota, right, are coming to Nixyaawii Community School in the fall. Coach Sams was the first NCS basketball coach 17 years ago, but has been at Pendleton High School coaching girls and boys basketball for the last 14 years. Both Dakota and Grayson played for the Buckaroo varsity last year. Dakota has been an Intermountain Conference Class 5A all-star for the last three years.

CUJ photo/Phinney

NCS playing football with Pendleton Bucks

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

PENDLETON – Pendleton High School Coach Eric Davis is excited about adding three seniors from Nixyaawii Community School (NCS), especially tough running-back Tyasin Burns, to the Buckaroo football roster this fall.

The Nixyaawii School Board in May approved a one-year co-op with Class 5A Pendleton after the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) denied its appeal to stay in a two-way cooperative with Class 1A Pilot Rock.

It will be a huge jump from 1A to 5A, and from 8-man to 11-man football, but Davis said he is hoping for a “seamless

July 2020

'Throw Tyasin (Burns) in and he’s an instant threat for us. We’ll make sure he gets the ball in his hands as much as possible.'

Pendleton Buckaroo Football Coach Eric Davis

transition” as the NCS boys move from competition among the state’s smallest schools up to schools with more than 1,300 students. (Pilot Rock-Nixyaawii’s combined enrollment was about 150 compared to North Salem at 1,349 last year.)

In early June, Davis contacted NCS players he knew from last year and welcomed them to the Buck family.

“We’re welcoming them with com-

pletely open arms to come in and be part of something special. I hope it’s a great move for them because it’s a great move for us,” Davis said.

The Bucks will be “fairly young” this year. However, Pendleton is deep in some skilled positions.

“Throw Tyasin in and he’s an instant threat for us. We’ll make sure he gets the ball in his hands as much as possible,” Davis said.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

Last year Burns, the offensive work horse for Pilot Rock, was among the state’s Class 1A rushing leaders. He also produced hundreds of yards receiving, and as a punt-and-kick returner.

This year, though, Burns won’t have to carry a full load for the Bucks.

At 5-10 and 170 pounds, Burns will be sharing the offensive chores with three PHS returners – Zaanan Bane, a 6-1, 185-pound senior; Kyle Liscom, a 5-10, 180-pound junior; and Payton Lambert, a 5-10, 170-pound sophomore.

The Bucks will be developing a quarterback after losing Tanner Sweek to graduation. Right now senior Brogan Nixyaawii football on page 4B

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

July 2020

Quaempts lands lunker Indian Lake trout on ultralight rod and reel “caught all nice, fair and square,” but it was a matter of landing the big boy.

The fish stripped line and bent the tip INDIAN LAKE – On his way out the door, Logan Quaempts grabbed the of the short rod to the reel. Quaempts 6-foot ultralight rod he uses to sneak up worked the buck for maybe 10 minutes on brook trout hiding in the shadows to the water line and told his 5-year-old under logs and behind boulders in the daughter, Hazel, to go grab it. She saw it and backed away North Fork Umaquickly. tilla and up McKay “I didn’t realize Creek. how fat he was unHis wife, Sierra, til I got up to him was heading up and then I freaked to Indian Lake to out,” Quaempts do some work on said. a video project for He hollered for Yellowhawk Tribal Sierra to come over Health Center and while he began he decided to tag working his way along. back up the bank.

Ten casts into Sierra couldn’t do killing time, much but watch.

Quaempts hooked Since the fish a lunker trout was stripping line, that measured Quaempts kept the 24 3/4 inches and tip up and walked weighed 6 pounds, backwards away 6 ounces. It meafrom the water sured 15 inches line, pulling the around at the girth. fish toward the He’d like to hear if bank. Then he’d anyone knows of a walk toward the bigger fish coming water reeling in the out of the manloose line. He had made lake east of a wide open bank Pilot Rock. so he could back That little pole up 10 to 12 yards Quaempts grabbed at a time without off the porch had a getting tangled up Rooster-tail spinin trees. ner tied to the end Quaempts, the of the 4-pound-test line. He switched Logan Quaempts holds his 6-pound, 6-ounce end of the rod, and trout he pulled from Indian Lake in June. The fish out the 4-pound measured 243/4 inches long and was 15 inches the tired trout finally met at the edge for 10-pound best, around at the girth.

Contributed photo of the water about but he didn’t take 5:45 p.m. a tackle box or any “I’ve been fishing that lake my whole other gear.

“She asked me to go and I just threw life. It’s one of the spots where I learned the fishing pole on. I wasn’t expecting to fish and I’ve never seen a fish like that to catch anything, maybe a catfish or pulled out,” Quaempts said.

Quaempts fishes within the Tribes’ something,” said Quaempts.

But it was only a couple of minutes ceded boundary for salmon on the casting from the bank in the middle of the Columbia and at Looking Glass, and campground area on the north side of the he fishes for pan-sized and sometimes lake when a hog-of-a-trout, what Indian bigger trout on the North Fork Umatilla Lakers would likely call a granddaddy, and McKay Creek.

But this guy was a “once in a lifetime smacked that Rooster-tail.

“He hit it good. It was super unex- trout.”

“I haven’t caught one like that in 30 pected,” Quaempts said.

With two hooks in the bottom jaw years. People tell me that’s an old fish and one hook in the top lip, the fish was right there,” Quaempts said.

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ

Weather Weather information summarize data taken at the Pendleton Weather Station from June 1-30. Temperature is reported in degrees Fahrenheit and time in Pacific Standard Time.

The average daily temperature was 79.4 degrees with a high of 97 degrees on June 23 and 26 and a low of 44 degrees on June 2.

Total precipitation through June 29 was 0.71 with greatest 24-hour average of .10” on June 13. There was a departure of -.25” from average

July 2020

for the month of June.

The average wind speed was 10.8 mph with a sustained max speed of 38 mph from the West on June 27. A peak speed of 47 mph occurred from the West on June 29. The dominant wind direction was from the West.

There were four thunder storms, seven days out of 30 in which some rain fell, one haze events/days, two Fog/Mist. Air Quality Index values remained in the healthy levels during June 2020.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

3B

Nixyaawii football players joining Pendleton Bucks Continued from page 1B

Biggerstaff (6-0, 160) has the inside track but sophomore Jackson Davis, the coach’s son, will be in the mix, too.

Pendleton lost its entire offensive line to graduation, so Davis is encouraged by the potential of NCS bigger boys like Magi Moses, 6-4, 270 pounds, and William Sigo, 5-10, 230 pounds, a pair of seniors.

Davis likes what he’s seen in Moses and thinks he can be better once he learns more technique.

“I’m excited to see him get in some pads. You can’t teach size,” Davis said.

Defensively, the head coach thinks the Bucks will be as good as they’ve been in the last few years. The team will be led by middle linebacker Liscom, who led the state in tackles last year.

Davis sees Moses and Sigo adding depth to the defensive line.

He said Burns will see action as an outside corner because of his closing speed.

Other NCS players who saw action at Pilot Rock last year include Aaron Barkley and Dylan Abrahamson, and to a lesser extent Enoch Crane and Alyric Redcrane.

“We’ll see where they fit into the program but it’s going to be great for both schools,” Davis said. “The ceiling is so high. I’m not sure of the number, but I think there will be five or six that can play at the higher level. The speed is different, but if you’re an athlete and willing to be coached…”

The biggest difference between Class 1A and 5A, Davis said, is depth. A larger

4B

student body means a larger pool of athletes to choose from, which results in a higher number of quality players available to compete.

“It’s a whole different game,” Davis said. “We’ll be playing teams with enrollments upwards of 1,300. Pendleton is a small 5A (enrollment 794).

There’s a big difference in the kids we play against. We’re playing against D1 (Division 1 college) level kids. Hood River already has a kid signed to play at Oregon State.”

But Davis is ready for a new year and he’s not being bashful about his expectations in the Intermountain Conference.

“The conference title is the goal. With the development of a quarterback we could be in the quarters or semi-finals.

The addition of the Nixyaawii kids adds more opportunity for us to be tough at the state level, not to just be okay in league,” Davis said.

Davis was hopeful that workouts could begin this month and players could be in pads before August.

As of press time, Davis was “coaching by phone.” He’d ordered helmets and was eager to meet and talk with his new players “face to face.”

The Nixyaawii School Board explored other options after the OSAA denied their appeal to remain in the cooperative with Pilot Rock. Combining with other small schools in the area would have forced a move into a higher classification. For example, Weston-McEwen would have had to climb from Class 2A tp 3A and school officials did not want to do that.

If there is a high school football season this fall, Tyasin Burns will be playing at Pendleton High School.

The Class 1A NIxyaawii Community School decided to co-op with the Class 5A Buckaroos after the OSAA denied their partnership this year with Pilot Rock.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

July 2020

Round-Up announces CARES program PENDLETON – Even though the 2020 Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon have been cancelled, there is still a way to participate and support the community through a LET’ER BUCK CARES fund.

The Round-Up and Happy Canyon were called off in June because of social distancing restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The LET’ER BUCK CARES fund has been established to benefit the various community organizations that rely on the week of Round-Up to generate their main source of income to support their causes and further their mission to support the community.

Individual supporters are able, and encouraged, to contribute to the fund.

The donations, which are tax deductible through the Oregon Community Foundation, will come back to support the local civic, non-profit, youth organizations, contract personnel and others that are instrumental during the week of the Round-Up and Happy Canyon.

Much of the details about the fund, such as what organizations and perhaps businesses are going to be eligible, are still being worked out.

The LET’ER BUCK CARES fund can be accessed through the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon website pendletonroundup.com.

CTUIR Language Words

Ímatalam Sɨn ́ wit

Weyiiletpuutímt

Summer has returned now Ímatalam - Áw iʔšatmíwiša Weyiiletpuutimt - Wáaqo ̓ hitiyamíiwiša It’s warm outside now Ímatalam - Áw iʔc’múyša ámčnipa Weyiiletpuutimt - Wáaqo ̓ luʔúq̓ic ʔéemtii híiweš June (ripening/maturing month) Ímatalam - Xawít’al iwaníša či Álxayx – Weyiiletpuutimt Tustimasáat̓ al

The Salmon are returning home now Ímatalam - Pa Náwiyatuxša Núsux áw Weyiiletpuutimt - Wa̓ aqoʔ nacóʔx̣ hicklíicix July is a hot month Ímatalam - Xmáašit’al iwá láxwayx Álxayx Weyiiletpuutimt - Q̓ oyx̣c̓áal Stand Afar (Social Distancing) Ímatalam - Wíiyatkwniin Tutík Weyiiletpuutimt - Wáy̓ at wišéekeʔeyx!

Cover your nose and mouth Ímatalam - Čáƛumxink núšnu ku ím Weyiiletpuutimt - ʔimúukteʔx núušnu kaa him̓

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July 2020

The Fawn deer and Calf Elk are spotted now Ímatalam - Múps ku Q’áyq’ay ma pa wá támšalpi áw Weyiiletpuutimt - Múʔpc kaa qeʔéyix qeešqéeš hiwšíix

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

There are many ways to say things and pronounce words.

For more information, please contact the Education Department by calling 541429-1944.

Wash Your Hands Everyday Ímatalam - Wápyat’ak Apáp maycx máycx Weyiiletpuutimt - Pémmey wapaʔáyx ʔípšuš And You, Please Be Safe (good) Ímatalam - Áwtya níixtya nam káawatta Weyiiletpuutimt - Cepéekteʔx!

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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Ryan Sams returns to coach NCS

Senior Dakota Sams is transferring from Pendleton High School to Nixyaawii Community School where he will play for his father, Ryan Sams, who has been named the new head coach of the Golden Eagles. Ryan Sams was Nixyaawii's first boys' basketball coach when the school started in 2004. Dakota has been a standout Class 5A player, receiving honorable mention as an allstate guard last year.

He averaged 22 points a game in the Intermountain League last year and broke his father's threepoint record by hitting nine in one game.

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Court. His official title is head of “Juvenile Services Probation/Truancy,” but he calls himself the juvenile delinquency coordinator.

Being in that authoritative position gives Sams a unique perspective as a coach.

“On my job sometimes they’re not the kids I want to see,” he said. “I see problems and I see issues, but they’re still kids.”

Year after year, Sams said, teams have problems keeping players eligible and it mostly involves school attendance.

“It’s the same problems we had 17 years ago and I may be in a position now to help change that,” Sams said. “I want to make kids accountable, to help them graduate, to do their best in school to be student-athletes.”

Toward improving academic eligibility, Sams is hoping to change practice schedules so boys and girls can switch back and forth – one week going early and the next week going late – so that tutoring from Blue Mountain Community College students is available to all athletes.

“The boys practiced late and didn’t have the opportunity for tutoring last year,” Sams said. “Some kids need tutoring. I will know their grades and they will know when it affects their basketball.”

(The Nixyaawii School Board recently changed the extra-curricular eligibility standard from a grade of D to a C. Now students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to stay eligible for sports activities, something Sams supports.)

Nixyaawii led the state in scoring last year with an average of almost 74 points per game. Coach Sams expects that number to increase in the 2020-2021 season.

The Golden Eagles will certainly have

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the firepower to produce those points, but getting it done in Nixyaawii style will be the test.

It will require two of the most prolific scorers and dynamic passers – Dakota Sams and Tyasin Burns – to share the ball with other NCS players that on any given night can put up 20 as well.

“That’s my job as coach to get all those weapons to play together and share the ball,” Sams said. “But we’re also going to concentrate on defense because defense wins championships. We’re going to figure out how to stop people.”

Coach Sams said he will do most of his talking and yelling in practice, but don’t expect him to be as laid back as Coach Rivera was on the sidelines.

“I want the kids to play hard, to play within themselves and to play to win. I’ll probably yell at my own boys more than at the others but nobody is safeguarded.

I want it done right,” he said.

I

t was a family decision that brought Ryan, Dakota and Grayson Sams

to Nixyaawii. The other members of the family – Sams’ wife Nikki and daughters Ella and Sara – also had a say.

“Dakota had one last year around his friends,” Ryan said, “and the history of being a Buckaroo was the toughest part.

They grew up with me being a coach at Pendleton. They were Buckaroos.”

It was a difficult decision for the senior, who would have finished his fourth year and high school career at PHS. “I’m leaving all my friends, all my connections with teachers and staff,” Dakota said.

Dakota said playing for his dad will be nothing new.

“I’ve been doing that forever,” he said.

“He’s always told me what I do wrong.”

As for playing at NCS, “I grew up with all these guys playing with them or against them. I’m excited about coming here. There’s been a lot of winning going on out here. All these guys like to run so I should fit right in.”

For Grayson, it was all about academics.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

He’s a smart kid taking AP English, chemistry and Algebra II. At Nixyaawii, he’ll take dual credit courses through Blue Mountain Community College.

“Math was what upset me mostly,” Grayson said, “but being able to take the classes through BMCC helped me make the decision.”

Coach Sams said the family wanted to stay together.

“Grayson wanted to finish with his brother. It was all of us here or we were going to stay at Pendleton,” he said.

T

he new head coach said he was enticed to come back to Nixyaawii because of what the program has become.

“The fan support is amazing. We’ve got a new gym with even more fans coming. We’re following a tradition now and no doubt we’ll be ranked in the top five, if not number one,” Sams said. “Everybody in the state knows Nixyaawii.”

July 2020

Van Pelt new ASB President at Blue Mountain College By the CUJ

PENDLETON – Megan Van Pelt is the new Associated Student Body (ASB) President at Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) in Pendleton.

Van Pelt, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) , will be a sophomore at BMCC this fall and, after graduation next spring, plans to transfer to Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.

A graduate of Megan Van Pelt Pilot Rock High School, Van Pelt started her BMCC student body career this year as a “senator,” assisting with “small tasks” like chairing movie night.

But as her freshman year continued, she became more interested in student government and began attending BMCC Board of Education meetings to learn more about the community college.

She helped re-start the Native American Club with members who meet regularly in Morrow Hall. She manages the school’s Native American Club Facebook page.

Van Pelt said her goal as ASB President is to make BMCC “more diverse and welcoming.”

“With the help of the Latin-X and Native Club, I know we can create opportunities and spaces for minorities,” she said. “In other words, I want these communities and more to be acknowledged and there’s a couple of ways to accomplish this.”

Van Pelt initially wanted to simply broaden the Native American Heritage Month event on the BMCC campus, but she realized there are other groups and activities to recognize and celebrate.

“I know there’s more to do,” she said, noting the calendar routinely includes specific holidays and events like National Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month.

“We can create workshops and presentations on campus to spread awareness,” Van Pelt said. “I want all students to acknowledge and think more. And on top of this, I want to continue to be

an advocate for students through my position.”

According to the Associated Student Government Constitution, the ASB President’s main responsibility is to be the liaison between the students, the BMCC administration and the BMCC Board of Education.

But Van Pelt wants to be more than that.

“I want to have a lasting impact,” she said, “like my Aunt Kathryn Brigham, the first chairwoman (of the CTUIR Board of Trustees) in the past 60 years.

I want to help incoming tribal students adjust and prepare for BMCC and I’m looking forward to meeting and aiding tribal students in their academic pursuits.”

Van Pelt is eager to hear from students, parents or anyone else interested in Blue Mountain Community College.

Her title this summer is Native American Liaison, but she said it's really a student mentor and she's ready to help.

E-mail her at mlvanpelt2629@mybluecc.edu.

CONGRATULATIONS

Donya E. Fegan

from your big family in Oregon for graduating from Yale with a Bachelors Degree in English and Education.

Another chapter in your life accomplished and on to the next.

DID YOU KNOW? Trade and barter was a significant aspect of Indian life on the Plateau and essential for the survival of Indian people.

Indians relied on other Indians to provide goods they themselves were not able to obtain, were not available during their seasonal round, or not available in their country. Often groups from a single village community would travel different directions as part of their seasonal round.

Through years of trade relationships, elders new exactly what other Indians needed in exchange for goods they needed.

The abundance of salmon in the Columbia and Snake Rivers and their tributaries gave wealth to the tribes who fished there. They dried and processed the salmon for their own subsistence and for trade to the other tribes of the Plateau and surrounding regions.

The vast grasslands and the mountains populated with game, roots and berries were wealth for those tribes who occupied them. To protect the regions abundant resources and their way of life it became necessary for the tribes to develop and maintain strong warrior traditions to defend the people, resources, and territory from their enemies. A strong warrior tradition helped to provide a foundation for defense and survival.

Gathered from ctuir.org.

Happy Birthday Teegan Brooks!

July 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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Zimmerman retiring after 29 years Brian Zimmerman retired June 30 after 29 years of employment in the Department of Natural Resources' Fisheries Program with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. For the last 18 years Zimmerman has been the Artificial Production and Fish Passage Program Supervisor.

"Brian's expertise and leadership in these areas contributed to significant growth and accomplishment for the Fisheries Program and his regional involvement resulted in high recognition and respect as a leader in artificial production and fish passage operations in the Columbia River Basin," said Gary James, Fisheries Program Manager.

Some of Zimmerman's specific accomplishments include oversight of eight hatchery satellite facilities in the Umatilla, Walla Walla and Grande Ronde basins; oversight of adult and juvenile fish passage facilities at irrigation diversions in the Umatilla and Walla Walla basins; and lead role in development of fish reintroduction and supplementation actions, such as Snake River fall chinook, Grande Ronde coho, Umatilla spring and fall chinook, and John Day mitigation fall chinook.

"Brian's accomplishments have had and will continue to have significant contributions toward increasing salmon and steelhead survival and returns throughout CTUIR ceded lands, which provides for increased treaty fishing opportunities," James said. "Brian will be missed, but will be dismissed to likely do more bass fishing, something else that he is really good at."

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July 2020

U.S. Attorney appoints first MMIW coordinator for District of Oregon

EUGENE - Cedar Wilkie Gillette has been appointed to serve as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Coordinator for the District of Oregon.

Gillette is an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation and a direct descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

As the District of Oregon’s first MMIP coordinator, Gillette will gather reliable data to identify MMIP cases connected to Oregon; conduct outreach with tribal communities to assist in the creation and implementation of community action plans; coordinate with tribal, local, state, and federal law enforcement in the development of protocols and procedures for responding to and addressing MMIP cases; and promote improved data collection and analyses throughout Oregon.

Working in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Eugene, Gillette will serve tribal communities and victims throughout Oregon.

Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Gillette served as a law fellow for Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization. She has a juris doctorate from the Vermont Law School and a bachelor’s degree in applied social justice and human rights activism from the University of Minnesota.

On Nov. 22, 2019, Attorney General William Barr launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. When establishing the MMIP Initiative, the Department

July 2020

of Justice made an initial investment of $1.5 million to hire MMIP coordinators to serve with U.S. Attorney’s Offices in 11 states, including Oregon.

The strategy also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

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Merchant pleads guilty to illegal sale of shark fin PORTLAND, Ore.—Illegal shark fin Marketing shark fin, like many illegal sales in a Portland grocery store marks endeavors, is through word-of-mouth. the first conviction under an Oregon law When an anonymous source approached that prohibits possession, OSP F and W Troopers and sale, trade or distribution said they had heard Wing of shark fins. The June 4 Ming Herbs was selling conviction calls into play shark fin, detectives enlisted a law created in 2011 to the source as an undercover preserve vulnerable shark informant to assist in a sting populations. operation. According to Agnes Yu, 52, of Happy OSP Lieutenant Ryan HowValley, pleaded guilty to ell, on Jan. 23, 2018, the inone count of possessing, formant was able to record selling, or trading shark fin, the purchase of six packages after selling dried shark fin of dried, processed shark fin through Wing Ming Herbs, from Yu. Yu was not cited a specialty food store in SE Photo shows shark fin in for the offense until SeptemPortland that she and her p a c k a g e p u r c h a s e d a t ber of 2019 due to a separate husband own. She was sen- Portland specialty store investigation by the US Fish tenced to 12 months bench and Wildlife Service. probation, $1,000 in fines and $360 in resShark fin is a delicacy in some cultures titutions for the Class A Misdemeanor. and broth made with the fin is traditional The case was prosecuted by the fare for weddings and other occasions.

Multnomah County District Attor- Large single fins are most prized, with ney’s Office, with assistance from the trimmings from those fins creating a Environmental and Cultural Resourc- lesser product. DNA testing of the dried es Enforcement Unit of the Oregon fins from Wing Ming Herbs returned Department of Justice. The plea and trimmings from five shark species: Blue sentencing, presided over by the Hon. shark, black-nose shark, Caribbean Christopher Marshall, concluded and sharp-nosed shark, small tail shark and investigation that lasted over a year small eye hammerhead shark. and involved Oregon State Police Fish Blue sharks are native to Oregon and Wildlife Troopers (OSP F and W), waters.

NOAA’s test results did not and the National Oceanic Atmospheric distinguish whether the blue shark in Administration (NOAA). An underthe packages was from Oregon waters cover informant was instrumental in or elsewhere in the Pacific. discovering and then making the case.

Blue Mountain Community College 2020 Catherine Barkley ~ First Generational Graduate

Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration & Associate of General Studies

June Birthdays & Anniversaries Birthdays:

8th: Jalissa Dave 9th: Tabitha Brigham, Jr. Bronson, Isaac Van Pelt, Zelda Bronson, Ramon Nunez and Hazel Quaempts 11th: Freeman Barrett 12th: Kendal ThompsonRed Elk 13th: Roger Barrett 17th: DJ Gonzalez and Skyler Price 20th: Cassandra Franklin and Jalen Kash Kash 21st: Osias Edmiston 22nd: Sarah Frater 24th: Jayden Minthorn 27th: Dennis Quaempts Sr. 28th: Dakota McLaughlin 29th: Sherry Barrett Anderson

Anniversaries:

7th: Raymond & Bonnie Harrison 20th: Happy First to Terrie & Sheldon Price 26th: Cheryl & Gene Shippentower

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

July 2020

Beating the heat in the Umatilla X'avier Chaves and Sunhawk Lopez, both 6, splash around in the Umatilla River on June 25. Two days earlier the mercury climbed to 97 degrees. The average daily temperature in June was nearly 80 degrees, but rain and wind ushered July onto the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

CUJ photo/Dallas Dick

Yellowstone bison transferred to Mont. quarantine facility BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - A group of Yellowstone National Park bison has been transferred to a Montana quarantine facility, the fourth shipment meant to help boost herd numbers across the nation.

The 11 animals were moved to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation June 24, The Billings Gazette reports.

The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes worked with the state of Montana and partnered with conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife to truck the bison from corrals at Corwin Springs.

The corrals were used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to conduct bison quarantine studies.

Fort Peck in northeast Montana has received 104 bison since April 2019 that were quarantined by Yellowstone bison managers.

Yellowstone bison are known to carry brucellosis, a disease that can cause pregnant cattle to abort and infect humans with undulant fever, which causes fever, weakness and muscle pain.

Fort Peck's herd has reached its capacity of about 350 to 375 animals spread across 23.4 square miles (61 square kilometers). New animals will be transferred to other herds.

July 2020

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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Disease outbreak in Lookout Mountain bighorn sheep herd causes hunt cancellations

By Scott Peckham, Big Game Ecologist, CTUIR Wildlife Program

Just prior to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic impacting the United States and the Tribal community, the Lookout Mountain herd of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep began struggling with its own respiratory disease outbreak.

Unfortunately for the bighorn, this particular respiratory pathogen is far more lethal to them than COVID-19 has been thus far to humans.

Due to the outbreak, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, have cancelled bighorn sheep hunting in the Lookout Mountain herd at this time.

In winter of 2020, bighorn sheep in the Lookout Mountain herd that inhabit the rugged mountains along the Snake River north of Huntington started dying from disease. Samples from the dead sheep collected and analyzed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) led to the detection of the bacteria Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi).

M. ovi is well known to wild sheep managers and has been responsible for numerous die-offs of wild sheep across the west.

M. ovi is commonly carried by domestic sheep and goats, is not lethal to

them, and there is no proven treatment or vaccine. When domestic sheep or goats come into close contact with a bighorn, the bighorn can become infected and take the disease back, infecting the rest of the bighorn herd. While domestic and wild sheep species evolved on different continents, they are still attracted to one another especially during breeding season.

A typical die-off event is a characterized by a relatively short period of time where a majority of the adult animals perish.

Following the initial die-off, the disease often continues to circulate within the herd spread by surviving wild sheep that do not clear the infection, but actively shed bacteria through coughing and nasal discharge infecting those they are in close contact with. This in turn, causes high rates of death in lambs every year and the population declines over time.

Unfortunately, bighorn sheep don’t wear masks or socially distance from each other and domestic animals to help reduce the infection rate. The best strategy to protect bighorns from disease is to prevent them from ever contacting domestic sheep and goats. Ensuring this level of species separation has proven very difficult, as wild bighorn move freely across the landscape, and farmers and ranchers maintain many domestic sheep and goats, from small farm flocks on private lands to thousands that graze on public lands.

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Notice of CTUIR 2020 Bighorn Sheep Limited Entry Hunt The CTUIR Fish and Wildlife Commission, in recognition of the Treaty-reserved right to harvest and of the sensitive nature of the harvest of reintroduced and extremely limited bighorn sheep populations, will use a hunt-tag draw system for tribal harvest of bighorn sheep in Oregon.

The draw system will be conducted to optimize hunt opportunities to benefit the greatest number of tribal hunters possible. Applicants must be at least 18 year of age to apply.

Permit applications and complete application procedures will be available

July 2020

from Fish and Wildlife Program staff or Fish and Wildlife Commission or on the CTUIR Web site.

Hunt drawing will be conducted in public by the Commission at their regularly scheduled Commission meeting on July 21, 2020. This method, and the public setting, will assure that no bias is introduced to the draw program and provide clear accountability to the Tribal public. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for public safety during the COVIC-19 pandemic will be adhered to.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AD DEADLINE IS JULY 21

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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I would like to thank my Love, Pops, Grammie, and monkey kids for supporting my educational journey.

Amazon Web Services shares energy-use refund with CTUIR, Nixyaawii By the CUJ

Leanne Allen, graduate in Public History and Anthropology from Eastern Washington University at Cheney, Washington.

MISSION – Amazon Web Services (AWS), a world-wide cloud-computing platform, has donated $25,000 to the Confederated Tribes to help with COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts.

It was part of the money AWS donated back to communities in Umatilla and Morrow counties after receiving a $345,000 refund from Umatilla Electric Cooperative for saving energy. AWS operates data centers near Hermiston, Boardman and Umatilla, and as an energy customer of UEC, receives refunds on its energy usage through the Cooperative’s Capital Credits program.

AWS accepted the refund and then asked UEC and Hermiston Energy Services (HES) to help disperse the money back into the community to deserving agencies, which included its electric utility customers, food banks, and students impacted by the novel coronavirus. Some customers on the Umatilla Indian Reservation are served by Umatilla Electric Cooperative.

Donna E. Oldham, senior manager of Community Engagement – Americas for Amazon Web Services, made the presentation to the Board of Trustees for the Confederated Tribes during the BOT’s on-line meeting June 22.

Oldham appeared on a video conference from her home in North Carolina to announce the award. Later in the day, she made a presentation of $25,000 to the InterMountain Education Service District, which includes money for Nixyaawii Community School.

With COVID-19 impacting the Amazon team, Oldham said, Amazon Web Services has “re-pivoted” from live community engagement opportunities to virtual volunteer efforts with a temporary focus on things like food banks, not-for-profit organizations, and schools.

Amazon Web Services also is helping “heroes on the front lines” with personal protective gear.

BOT members took turns thanking Oldham and Amazon Web Services for the money and suggested the funds could be used to upgrade the Tribes’ computer system and support distance learning.

As a not-for-profit, member-owned company, UEC operates at cost, with net operating revenues, or margins, returned to its customers in the form of cash refunds via the Capital Credits program, according to a UEC press release. Under this program, which applies to all UEC utility customers, AWS was eligible for the patronage refund. UEC, HES, and AWS worked with community stakeholders to identify and direct the funds to local organizations providing direct support to individuals and families

Birthday ad deadline is July 21.

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Confederated Umatilla Journal

facing hardships during the pandemic, including:

• $250,000 to the UEC UCARE and HES HEAT energy assistance programs to provide immediate assistance to residential customers having trouble paying utility bills. This is enough to cover the average energy bills for over 1,000 households for two months.

• $25,000 each to five local food banks: the Irrigon-Boardman Food Pantry, Stanfield’s Food Basket, Pendleton’s Community Outreach Food Pantry, Hermiston’s Agape House and Boardman’s Food Pantry to support food assistance for thousands of area residents.

• $20,000 to the Community Action Program of East Central Oregon (CAPECO) to provide 750 meals each week to senior citizens in Umatilla and Morrow counties.

• $25,000 each to the Morrow County, Umatilla, and Hermiston school districts and the InterMountain Education Service District (for Echo, Stanfield, Athena-Weston, Pendleton, Nixyaawii Tribal School and Pilot Rock schools) to support virtual learning and connectivity for more than 13,000 students across 36 schools.

• $25,000 to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Additional funds will be earmarked to help respond to pandemic-related community needs as they are identified in the future, according to the UEC news release.

“The effectiveness and reach of the UCARE payment assistance program will be amplified by our collaboration with AWS,” said Lisa McMeen, UEC’s VP of Administration. “With such uncertainty and hardship caused by the pandemic, it is great to work with trusted partners like AWS to keep our community operating at this time.”

Nate Rivera, HES General Manager, said he is thankful for AWS’s collaboration and commitment to the community at this time.

“This additional support to our HEAT financial assistance program will make a real difference for our customers during the pandemic,” Rivera said.

Heidi Sipe, Umatilla School District superintendent, also expressed her appreciation.

“AWS continues to be an outstanding community partner for the Umatilla Schools and this community,” she said.

“Their latest contributions, and those prior to the pandemic, are testament to their commitment to the children and families of Umatilla.”

AWS is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-asyou-go basis. The AWS technology is implemented at server farms throughout the world, and maintained by the Amazon subsidiary. In 2020, AWS comprised more than 212 services including computing, storage, networking, database, analytics, application services, deployment, management, mobile, developer tools, according to techrader.com. According to its website, AWS offers many different tools and solutions for enterprises and software developers that are being used in data centers in nearly 200 countries. Groups such as government agencies, education institutions, nonprofits and private organizations use AWS services.

July 2020

Carina Miller launches District 30 Senate campaign WARM SPRINGS – Carina Miller kicked off her campaign for Oregon’s District 30 Senate seat in mid-June with a video that talked about “who I am and who I come from.”

District 30 includes Baker, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Malheur and Wheeler counties, as well as parts of Deschutes, Lake and Wasco counties.

The District 30 seat is held by Lynn Findley, R-Vale, who was appointed earlier this year when State Sen. Cliff Bentz from Ontario Carina Miller stepped down in February to start his primary race to succeed Greg Walden in Oregon’s only Republican-held seat in Congress.

Miller, an enrolled Warm Springs Indian, held a virtual campaign launch party that included remarks from four speakers – Don Sampson, Chief of the Walla Walla Tribe and a former elected leader on the Umatilla Indian Reservation; Oregon State Rep. Tawna Sanchez, of Shoshone-Bannock, Ute, and Carrizo descent, who is seeking re-election to Oregon House District 43; Esperanza

July 2020

Tervalon-Garrett, founder and Principal of Dancing Hearts Consulting, LLC, a progressive political consulting firm based in Ashland; and Jamie McLeodSkinner, a candidate in 2018 for Congress and a primary candidate this year for Secretary of State.

According to a release from Miller’s campaign, the four talked about “the importance of indigenous leadership, women leadership, grassroots organizing, and bringing all rural values to the Oregon State Capital.

Sampson was quoted in the campaign material with this statement: “Even though I am chief of the tribe, our women leaders are the backbone of our country and of our nation. And today more than any time in the history of people, and the history of this country, we need women leaders, who have the compassion, who have that vision, who care for and nurture their children, because that is the future of this country.”

According to the campaign information, 55 people were present on the virtual campaign call with almost half signing up to volunteer. The launch raised more than $4,000.

If elected, Miller would be the first Oregon tribal member elected to the state legislature, her campaign literature states.

Confederated Umatilla Journal

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CRITFC assumes stewardship of research institution PORTLAND - The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) has assumed stewardship of a nationally renowned ocean and estuary research institution to better link knowledge of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean.

The Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction (CMOP) was transferred via a May 29 Memorandum of Understanding between CRITFC and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). CMOP is dedicated to the study of estuaries and blends science, education, and regional outreach. Integral to its creation was a pioneering infrastructure for the observation and simulation of the flows and ecosystems of the Columbia River estuary, featuring open access to scientific data and tools.

“This is a tremendous capacity-building advance for the Columbia River tribes,” said Jeremy Red Star Wolf, Chairman of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. “Our professional river and salmon management staffs have wanted more ocean and river connectivity in research, applied science and management. CMOP will help deliver that.”

CMOP was instrumental in the development of regional and national partnerships for observing and predicting coastal systems. In particular, it served as one of two early pilots of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observation System (IOOS), which is now an established NOAA-led national program to assist decision makers and scientists across the U.S. coastal margin and Great Lakes.

Through a national network of 11 Regional Associations, IOOS works with stakeholders to identify regional information needs. It meets those needs by using sensors, models, and open data access in ways that help stakeholders manage ecosystems, facilitate sustainable development, and protect lives, livelihoods,

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CRITFC Fisheries Technician Travis Sproed (Umatilla) shows off a spring chinook salmon he’s collecting information on at the Bonneville Dam Adult Fish Facility. (Photo by CRITFC technician Jayson FiveCrows.)

and our changing environment. The information is used by fishers, shipping companies, aquaculture businesses, weather forecasters, public utilities, search-and-rescue teams and countless others to make informed decisions.

The IOOS Regional Association for the Pacific Northwest is the Northwest Association of Networked Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), coordinated by the University of Washington. The infrastructure now transitioning to CRITFC has been integral to NANOOS for decades and will remain so.

CRITFC and OHSU signed a formal transfer agreement on May 29, effective June 1.

“The health and wellbeing of Oregonians starts with a healthy environment,” said Antonio Baptista, Ph.D., the longtime CMOP director and a retiring professor at OHSU. “CMOP developed, for the Columbia River estuary, the tools and culture needed to build scientific

Confederated Umatilla Journal

consensus on sustainable development under a changing climate. As natural stewards of the Columbia River, the tribes are in an outstanding position to expand and bring a centuries-long perspective to what we started decades ago.”

CMOP acquires data through a network of observation stations and buoys set in the Columbia River’s estuary and at points offshore. Data is also collected by underwater ‘gliders’ that roam the coast. Computer models are verified by and expand in time and space the scope of observations. All data are publicly accessible and used by many federal, state, and tribal agencies.

A majority of the staff will transition to CRITFC and the physical operations will continue to be based in Astoria, Oregon.

CRITFC and its member tribes, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and the Nez Perce Tribe, have based their successful Columbia Basin salmon recovery plan on identifying and addressing impacts throughout the entire salmon lifecycle, the majority of which is spent in the estuary and ocean.

“Our co-management ethos dictates that wherever the salmon go, we go with them. We’re delighted to establish ourselves in the great city of Astoria, Oregon and get to work in the area. We intend to maintain the current capacity of the program and use it as a new beginning alongside public and non-profit partners to bring tribal co-management and vision in the estuary and ocean environments,” said Jaime A. Pinkham, CRITFC Executive Director.

The Portland-based Meyer Memorial Trust provided a $350,000 tribal science capacity building grant to CRITFC to help facilitate the transfer.

July 2020