CTUIR observes Flag Day May 20
CTUIR opens distribution center
Fred Hill, left, sings on the Big Drum during Grand Entry of the 2022 CTUIR Flag Day celebration.
Board members, staff and youth cut the ribbon on the food distribution center at Coyote Business Park South.
See page 16A
See page 19A
CUJ
Confederated Umatilla Journal The The monthly monthly newspaper newspaper of of the the Confederated Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Indian Reservation Pendleton, Oregon
Pendleton, Oregon
Section Section
A A
APRIL 2021 JUNE, 2022 Volume 29, Issue 4
Volume 30, Issue 6
UTPD, FBI investigating UIR homicide By Jill-Marie Gavin of the CUJ
CTUIR springs into action
Flooding on the Umatilla Indian Reservation prompted the assembly of an Incident Command Team May 29. See Flood Watch Page 4A
Organizational excellence picking up speed By Jill-Marie Gavin of the CUJ
MISSION – The Board of Trustees (Board) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) has begun adjusting organizational structure and plans to make additional changes to the way the Tribes address Human Resource operations, Workforce Development and Governance.
The changes in operation for CTUIR are largely due to an organizational assessment started in 2019. The first set of recommendations were returned to the Board in 2020 from Moss Adams, the firm hired by the Board to conduct the assessment. Moss Adams conducted a series of interviews across the organization to get an idea of what Tribal members and employees were in
need of from their government and in the work place. The areas identified by the firm include Organizational, Structure, Human Resources Transformation, Communications, Governance and Organizational Stability and Information Tech Overhaul. Many of the recommendations coming
MISSION –Kawlija Scott, a member of the Confederated Tribes, appeared in Tribal Court May 27, a day after he was arrested for allegedly stabbing Gabriel Freeman to death. Freeman, 27, was stabbed May 25 at his residence on Parr Lane on the Umatilla Indian Reservation (UIR), according to a Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) press release. He was transported by Umatilla Tribal Fire Department to St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton where he was pronounced dead. The homicide case is under investigation by the FBI and Umatilla Tribal Police because both have jurisdiction on this Indian reservation. Scott faces federal charges and if the case goes to trial, it will likely be held in federal court in Portland. Scott was assigned counsel during his first court appearance May 27 in Tribal Court at the Nixyaawii Governance Center. He is being held without bail in the Umatilla County Jail on preliminary charges of criminal homicide. Lead Criminal Investigator for the UTPD, Tony Barnett, said one officer initially responded to the Parr Lane residence at 11:40 a.m. on May 25, two minutes after an emergency call was
See MOSS ADAMS on page 17A
See FREEMAN on page 13A
INSIDE THE CUJ
Children’s Mini Pow Wow Emma Lutz, at left, dances with family during an inter-tribal at the Mission Longhouse. The pow wow, planned by Yellowhawk, hosted local drum groups and had prizes for first, second and third placeTiny Tots, Junior Boys and Girls and Teen Boys and Girls categories.
See page 10A
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801
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