The Mask Maker: Janet Singh created masks throughout the pandemic. It led to the start of a sewing company.
Project Changes Names: The former Bowman South Project has been renamed ‘Nixyáawii.’ Learn more about the change.
Story begins on 1B
See 16A
Confederated Umatilla Journal The monthly newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation ~ Pendleton, Oregon March 2021
Section
Immunity for the community
Multi-day vaccination event at WRC attracts hundreds seeking COVID-19 protection
Volume 29, Issue 3
Van Pelt named to prestigious academic list By Cary Rosenbaum of the CUJ
By Cary Rosenbaum of the CUJ
Raymond Tumblin wore a t-shirt featuring an American flag to the mass vaccination event Feb. 24 at Wildhorse Resort & Casino. CUJ Photo/Cary Rosenbaum
Tribal members were among the vaccinated, the assisting Yellowhawk and Wildhorse staff, and even the National Guard. CTUIR and National Guard member Sean Soaring Eagle, who entered data alongside a nurse in one of the 12 redcurtain stations the vaccines were given in, said it felt good helping people with their vaccines. The coordination was inspiring, said
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801
MISSION - A three day vaccination event Feb. 23, 24 and 26 inoculated 978 community members, locals and immediate relatives of Tribal employees with the COVID-19 vaccine. Oregon The event was Health coordinated by Authority Yellowhawk Tribapologizes al Health Center, for error with assistance from regarding Wildhorse Resort Yellowhawk & Casino and the COVID-19 Oregon National numbers Guard. Page 10A Protection for the greater CTUIR community was the reason for such an event, one that saw 932 go in through the WRC security entrance and eventually out Quaking Aspens Lanes in a two-day span. “By the time we finish the second doses of the COVID-19 vaccination in mid March, we will be near herd immunity for the CTUIR,” COVID-19 Incident Commander Chuck Sams said. “By early April we will be able to return to some level of normalcy. Though we must stay vigilant and guarded against any future variants and strains of this virus.”
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Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center CEO Lisa Guzman. “I just really enjoy the positive energy of everybody involved,” she said. “Everybody was working toward one goal to get people vaccinated. It was a good feeling to see everybody work together.” When the next round of vaccinations takes place from March 16-17, there
ALBUQUERQUE – The American Indian Graduate Center named CTUIR member Tyanna Van Pelt to its All Native American High School Academic Team. The honor caught the 2020 Nixyaawii Community School (NCS) graduate by surprise. “It made me happy,” she said. “Happy to see all the congratulations from my family and friends. Tyanna Van Pelt “I am so happy I can give something to the CTUIR.” Michelle Van Pelt, the Career and Post-Secondary Advisor at NCS, recalled Tyanna’s incredible work ethic over four years. “Since the beginning, you could tell that she was just driven academically,” she said. “She’s one of those really amazing students all-around. ... The last year, she maintained her 4.0 by just making sure she’s studying and receiving mentorship. And I really liked the fact that she also encouraged other students if they needed help with scholarships. “It was almost like giving back at that age.”
Vaccination event on page 3A
NCS School Board Elections: Modesta Minthorn, Briana Spencer, Jaimie Crane and Steven Hart respond to questions posed by the CUJ.
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Van Pelt on page 5A
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CTUIR member Sean Soaring Eagle, 20, was among the National Guard members on hand for the mass-vaccination. He told the CUJ, “It felt good helping people out.”
Preparing for the mass vaccination event, Ethel Hogge, Lisa Guzman and Lt. Matthew Booher took part in a tour of the configuration on Monday, Feb. 22 -- a day before the event.
Confederated Umatilla Journal
46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801 Phone 541-429-7005
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Fax 541-429-7005 Email cuj@ctuir.org www.ctuir.org
CUJ Photos/Cary Rosenbaum
National Guard PFC Joshua White loads a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine dose during the mass vaccination event held at Wildhorse Resort & Casino
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March 2021
Vaccination event Continued from page 1A
may be slight changes, she said. “What we identified is that we could potentially move people through quicker,” Guzman said. “And so we’re looking at our workstations and we’re looking at how many we can give per hour. So we might increase from 60 per hour to 90. But that’s something we’re still going to be talking about with our mass vaccination team.” Yellowhawk is also inquiring with the National Guard to request the same members next time. “We requested their services again,” she said. “We let them know it would be nice to have the same individuals provide us support, because we trained them.” Areas of training included patient registration support, vaccination reporting, work station flow, accident reporting, needle-sticks protocol, after care support and how to provide educational awareness to the patient about the vaccine, Guzman said. At the culmination of February, more than 2,100 vaccinations have been provided by Yellowhawk. “We are moving forward in a good way,” Sams said. “Let us continue to do so.” The event came in the midst of a change in Umatilla County from extreme to high risk, announced by Gov. Kate Brown. “For the second time in a row, we are seeing great progress in stopping the spread of COVID-19 across Oregon and saving lives,” she said. “Oregonians continue to step up and make smart choices. While these county movements are welcome news, we must continue to take seriously health and safety measures, especially as more businesses reopen and we start to get out more. As we see infection rates going down and vaccinations ramping up, now is not the time to let down our guard. Continue to wear your masks, keep physical distance, and avoid indoor gatherings.” On Feb. 25, Brown extended Oregon’s declaration of a state of emergency until May 2. More than 150,000 total cases have been reported in Oregon as of the end of March. But there is encouraging news. The Oregon Health Authority reported a 35 percent decrease in active cases and 42 percent decrease in hospitalizations. Yellowhawk’s mass vaccination may have an even bigger impact for Umatilla County in the long run. “I think it was a really good step,” Guzman said. “We really promoted access to the vaccination, not only to tribal membership and other federally recognized tribes, but for non-tribal members that live within the CTUIR.” Non-tribal residents and CTUIR employees and family members made up 840 of the 978 vaccinated. Sixty CTUIR members were vaccinated, and 78 members of other Tribes received a dose. Sams thanked those who have been taking precautions within the Tribal government’s umbrella via email. “You all have greatly contributed to making this Reservation as safe as possible,” Sams said. “We must continue to ensure our community’s safety and your safety.”
Victoria Bounds-McCurry took advantage of a chance to get the COVID vaccine, which was administered by National Guard member Stephanie Gonzalez on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at Wildhorse Resort & Casino. CUJ Photos/Cary Rosenbaum
Already a breast cancer survivor, Regina Braker proudly sported a custom mask in the waiting area, by Quaking Aspens Lanes, after receiving her vaccine.
ABOVE: Mystie Haynie, a Registered Nurse at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, led a group of organizers and members of the media through Wildhorse Resort & Casino’s set up for the mass vaccination event. Here, she’s seen standing by the post-vaccine waiting area. AT RIGHT: Haynie shows the vaccination rooms, as Rob Burnside takes a closer look.
March 2021
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Intertribal Agriculture Council success stories:
Two friends, some kids, cattle and chickens By the Intertribal Agriculture Council
It’s amazing what the power of friendships can lead to when they share the same vision. That is certainly the case when it comes to Katherine Minthorn – Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Northwest Region Technical Assistance Specialist and her dear friend Shelly Morrison of Pendleton, Ore. “My Grandfather was the last Indian farmer on the reservation in production agriculture. We wanted the kids to understand the ag lifestyle,” Minthorn said passionately and then grinned. “We didn’t give them a choice.” This lesson in agriculture began when members of the Umatilla Indian Tribe received monies from the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux settlement. That is when the Minthorn and Morrison families joined together and decided to try and provide some of the basic food necessities for themselves and their families. “This year has truly been a year to open our eyes to the importance of food sovereignty,” said Minthorn. “Last spring, dairy farmers were spilling out thousands of gallons of milk, pork producers were forced to euthanize market animals and American citizens were buying shelves bare in the grocery stores in a panic that food would become unavailable. For the first time in this generation, people realized that even if they have the money to purchase the food, there may not be food to be purchased.” The two friends decided to start to solve the food availability problem by using the funds they received to buy bred cows, Minthorn explained, “Tribes teach hunting, fishing and berry picking and
Denise Morningowl, 11, Cecilia Morningowl, 8, and Myles Minthorn, 11, were featured as part of this month’s Intertribal Agriculture Council success stories. Katherine Minthorn Photo
that is part of the way to sustain life, but we wanted them to know about raising livestock and about livestock production. We were blessed the first year because we got four bull calves. It has been a learning curve for all of us.” The kids who “weren’t given a choice” in the matter are Minthorn’s grandson Myles (age 11) and Morrison’s children – Cecilia “CeCe” (age 8) and Denise (age 11). Morrison, who loves all kids and who admits she always has a herd in “tow” along with Minthorn said while the project was initiated a bit by “force,” it has turned out to be fun for everyone. Morrison was super excited about shar-
ing the story of agriculture with the next generation and said the kids, “Well, they enjoy it. Right now, they learn to gather them up, walk around the pen and have them turn corners . . . They listen to the children. When Katherine was away because of her job, we took the first two steers in to have them butchered. The kids had to load them. When they were finished, I asked them, ‘What did you guys learn?’” The kids didn’t really know how to answer her, so she proceeded to explain, “You established communication (with the livestock). You were able to move
them and they listened to you and stayed where you put them. Their jaws dropped and they said, ‘We did all that?’ They saw their accomplishment once I pointed it out to them.” Since beef was so fun, of course the friends proceeded with their next livestock adventure – chickens! “Nobody had any experience raising and caring for chickens,” Minthorn explained. “So, in late April, 28 chicks were ordered online. During the waiting time for the chicks to arrive, feeders, waterers, and chick feed was purchased. And just by chance in early May, the local feed store had chicks arrive a day earlier than expected (feed stores were unable to keep chicks in stock this spring). So, in addition to those ordered online, 12 Red Sex Link chicks were purchased to learn how to care for chicks before the big shipment arrived.” The chickens are a big hit with the kids, Morrison said, “My youngest one likes running out there and is always having some kinds of vegetables for them. She takes a tray out there and sits and talks to them and says, ‘It’s so and so’s birthday.’” “From start to finish . . . the kids understand the whole process now,” Minthorn said, explaining the chickens remain at her home and Morrison and team take care of washing the eggs and marketing them in town. “I believe an agricultural lifestyle teaches them life skills and a lot of kids in Indian Country never get this opportunity.” Morrison chimed in, “To me, I want so many more kids to know it’s important – where is your food coming from and what’s being put into it.”
Blue Mountain Community College
Virtual Pow Wow Registration: March 12-20 Submissions accepted: March 20-27 Final deadline to submit video: March 27, 8 PM PST
Awards announced March 29 at 5 PM on Zoom Meeting ID 977 3346 7292
Accepting applications for SPRING TERM
Register at: bluecc.edu/PowWow Video submission options (one submission needed):
INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY bluecc.edu/GetInfo
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Post on BMCC Native American Club Facebook page or Instagram page Email YouTube link to asmith@bluecc.edu Schedule a meeting to record with Pow Wow committee
Tribal Dance contests: (Combined categories) Junior Boys • Junior Girls • 13 and over Men • 13 and over Women All ages/Open Hand drum contest Juniors: 1st $50, 2nd $40, 3rd $30; 13 and Over: 1st $60, 2nd $50 3rd $40 Hand Drum: 1st $50, 2nd $40, 3rd $30 Sponsored by: Oregon Community Foundation and BMCC Arts and Culture Series For more info. contact Annie Smith asmith@bluecc.edu or 541-429-7831 Blue Mountain Community College is an equal opportunity educator and employer. For a full EEO disclosure statement visit www.bluecc.edu/EEO.
Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021
March 6 fireworks show among updates from WRC Dining
By the CUJ
MISSION - Wildhorse Resort & Casino announced Feb. 26 the annual fireworks show will occur on March 6th. The event celebrates the 26th anniversary of the casino and begins at 8 p.m. It was a small part of a number of updates sent out to the public. Anniversary Fireworks March marks the 26th anniversary of Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Each year, Wildhorse hosts an incredible fireworks display to celebrate the occasion and show appreciation to the community. The event kicks off at Wildhorse on March 6 at 8 p.m. Wildhorse encourages everyone to enjoy the fireworks from the comfort of their vehicles or to stay in close proximity to their vehicles. Wildhorse Priority One health and safety protocols are to be observed – wear your mask and maintain safe distances from those not living in your household. If you like watching the fireworks through the collectible Wildhorse prism viewers, go to Mission Market or Arrowhead Travel Plaza and, with a minimum $10 purchase, get a free 4-pack of viewers! One pack per customer while supplies last. Musical accompaniment to the fireworks is provided by KCUW radio. Tune your radio to 104.3 FM to enhance your experience. Arrive early for best viewing. Watch for signs and traffic officers who will help direct you. The show is free and open to the public. Go to wildhorseresort.com for more information. Wildhorse Family FunPlex/Quaking Aspens Lanes Get excited! The Wildhorse Family FunPlex is open! Bring the family out for a round of bowling, some arcade games and prizes, then top the day off with dinner and sweet treats at the food court. Priority One health and safety protocols continue to be diligently adhered to for the safety of customers and staff. Capacity limits are observed and lane reservations are required for bowling Friday through Sunday. Reservations are recommended Monday through Thursday. To reserve your spot or for more information, go to https://www.wildhorseresort. com/resort/bowling or call Quaking Aspens Lanes at 541-966-1690.
Van Pelt Continued from page 1A
The AIGC’s annual list recognizes Native American students who have achieved an outstanding academic, artistic or leadership outcome. “This year’s All Native American High School Academic Team exemplifies a dedication to education, and we are delighted to honor and congratulate them for their achievements both in and outside of the classroom,” said AIGC Executive Director Angelique Albert. “We are committed to empowering our students throughout their entire academic journey. They are the inspiration and motivation for the work that we do and watching them succeed is an indicator of our impact as an organization.” Van Pelt plans to attain a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Oregon State University. The award was an exciting honor, but she knows challenging times are ahead.
March 2021
Traditions Traditions at Wildhorse Resort & Casino is open for indoor dining and if you haven’t tried the Chef Experience Theme Nights, you’re missing out on a fantastic family meal! And we’re excited to announce that in March, Chef Jeff Sommers is adding his Down Home BBQ dinner on Sundays. Theme nights also feature a seafood boil on Thursday, a Friday fish fry, and delicious prime rib on Saturday, prepared fresh for dining in or packaged to go, with sides and dessert. Theme nights are Thursday through Sunday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Go to https://www.wildhorseresort.com/dining/traditions/ for menu details and pricing. Under Priority One health and safety protocols, seating capacity is limited. Open daily for breakfast, 7 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.; dinner is Wednesday through Sunday, 4 p.m. - 9p.m. Plateau Plateau, a fine dining restaurant at Wildhorse Resort & Casino, has announced they will open for indoor dining and take-out on Wednesday, March 3, at 4 p.m. All the customer favorites from the menu will again be available and prepared to perfection. Enjoy your meal in a clean, elegant atmosphere with a breathtaking view of the Blue Mountains. Plateau’s new schedule of a 4 p.m. opening will provide diners with a broader choice of arrival times. Reservations are required for dine-in seating as capacity is limited under Wildhorse’s Priority One sanitation and safety protocols. To make your reservation, call 541-9661610. Go to wildhorseresort.com to view or download Plateau’s menu. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 4 p.m. to close. Hamley Steakhouse and Saloon Hamley Steakhouse and Saloon in downtown Pendleton is open for dining in and take-out! We know you’ve been missing your favorite meals and appetizers from Hamley Steakhouse, especially the tender USDA Prime beef served just how you like it. Call to make reservations to dine in or order online and have your food delivered curbside. Go to Hamley.com and choose the Steakhouse option to order or view the menu. Dining hours are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and seating is limited.
Hamley Café Hamley Café is open for indoor dining and takeout. Pick up your favorite breakfast burrito or pastry, then come back for a satisfying lunch. And remember to get a comforting coffee beverage to keep you going throughout the day. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.. View the menu at hamley.com. Wildhorse Sports Bar In celebration of anniversary month, Wildhorse Sports Bar will be offering drink specials served in commemorative stainless steel cups, mini bottles, and anniversary glasses that you get to keep! Ask your favorite bartender or beverage server for details - but hurry! These offers are only good while supplies last and a limited amount of silver anniversary glasses are still available! Must be 21 and over.
Retail Hamley Western Store In March, Hamley Western Store will receive new seasonal merchandise from the clothing and houseware vendors you love. Look for popular Cinch jeans for men and women, new spring women’s fashion from Crazy Train, as well as updated frames for your favorite rodeo photos and more. You’ll also want to take advantage of discounts on felt hats and outerwear throughout the month. Hamley Western Store is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Wildhorse Gift Shop The Wildhorse Gift Shop will honor anniversary month with a sale all month long! Shoppers will save 30% off all Wildhorse logo clothing when they make a purchase in March. You can find the gift shop at the hotel lobby. Open daily.
Golf Wildhorse Golf Course Improve your golf game with lessons from a PGA golf professional. Wildhorse Golf Course is now booking couples for private lessons. Get instruction on how to better your game, improve your technique and perfect your swing. Individual attention allows for tailored guidance whether you’re beginners or scratch golfers. Call the golf course at 541-276-5588 or go to wildhorseresort.com for more information or to reserve a lesson.
“There are going to be struggles and fights that will keep happening even after receiving awards like this,” she said. “So just keep remembering to fight for more.” Other selections include Madelyn Buckley (Nome Eskimo Community, Whitworth University); Jackson Caves (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University); Ryan Duncan (Chickasaw Nation, University of Oklahoma); Caroline Dunn (Chickasaw Nation, Vanderbilt University); Bianca Hanly (Chickasaw Nation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology); Leighanna Jake (Navajo Nation, Humboldt University); Jasmine Kinney (Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation, University of California Los Angeles); Chelbie Turtle (Cherokee Nation, Northeastern State University); Danyelie Vo (Chemehuevi Indian Tribe of the Chemehuevi Reservation, Northern Arizona University).
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CUJ Op-Ed/Columns Insight: The month where it would all begin At the time it did not seem like the calm before the storm. Near the end of February last year, it seemed like the community was heading toward a year with much to look forward to. It was a recovery phase for those who lived by the river after the devastation the floods brought. Tribal members laid out plans to go gather the first foods, the Nixyaawii boys’ basketball team defeated Siletz Valley to advance to the state tourney, and the ICT Team for the floods were ready to end their work. Then March would roll in and shift everything Boots Pond to an era none one could imagine. BOT member March 2020, the month where it would all begin. It is hard to believe a year ago was the first emergency briefing detailing the first case of CoVid within the reservation. The transition of the mindset on the Board from wanting to ensure the BAAD tournament could still go on, to focusing on potentially fatal disease is insane in hindsight. What is also insane was seeing Wildhorse shutdown, even if only for two days at the start of it all. There was an eerie feeling walking through a nearly empty Wildhorse Casino with the rest of the Board. We approved reopening Wildhorse, but little did everyone know how much this would grow. The week carried on. That week was the first of many sessions where the Board was briefed and educated on the Snake River Dam breaching. I also joined discussions with the Cultural Resources Committee looking at how to deter seagulls from eating huge amounts of steelhead smolt. Looking through my notes, I almost forgot about the racism and discrimination faced by the tribe from some of the local businesses during that first week of March. Those issues seemed so distant, yet are reminders how much change can occur so quickly. As the month went on there was a sense of fear beginning to unravel. Emails came pouring in to myself and other Board members detailing what was going to be done about material and currency needs. Regulations were starting to be put in place on crowd sizes and increasing sanitization measures. Earlier in the month I remember journeying out to Baker to see the Nixyaawii boys get third, attending the 2A finals in Pendleton, and helping out with Celery feast. Not knowing that those would be the final events in crowded spaces for a while. It was true, nothing would ever be the same. Before the initial shutdown of many of the tribal entities at the end of March including the government building and Wildhorse, there was a meeting with all department heads from all the entities under the tribe. They gathered with the Board in the chambers to discuss final actions before attempting to work remotely. It was funny, we were all mask-less. This was before masks became the trend. A lot of us knew this would be the last time we would meet like this for a while. Trying to be upbeat I mentioned to everyone to soak in the fireworks for the 25th anniversary for Wildhorse. The fireworks would be a starting point of a new age. My hopes while watching them were, we would make it through whatever comes our way.
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‘The transition of the mindset on the Board from wanting to ensure the BAAD tournament could still go on, to focusing on potentially fatal disease is insane in hindsight.’ A year later here we are. Since the start there has been many heavy hearts and much optimism for what comes next. I offer some of this insight and wrote these words so we can recollect on this era when it is over.
There is a light shining at the end of this pandemic. Still, we have to remain vigilant and not lose ourselves to negatively. I have full confidence that we will be gathering again and more happy times will be made.
Coyote Stories: New editor remembers Ross Usually an editor’s first column feels like an overview of a resumé: Here’s who I am. Here’s what I’ve done. Here’s what I plan to do. Since landing the job, I can’t stop thinking about Ross. No, not the iconic discount store that provides wardrobe upgrades at a fraction of the cost. I’m talking about Ross Baulne, a friend and fellow tribal member from the Colville Reservation. In the days following my acceptance of the editor’s position, he was found dead. Memories of junior high sports and my early 20s are coming back to me, when we spent the most time together. What I remember most are his Sin-ka-leep (Coyote) Cary Rosenbaum opinions. Back in the day, he’d tell his friends, “What have you read lately?,” with a tone that hinted he’d knowingly out-learned you since the time you last saw him. Most of the time, you had read nothing. It was an instant win for him in a competition you weren’t necessarily participating in. He was avidly reading until his final day, his father told me, and actively sharing what he learned. A few years into my tenure as editor of the Colville Tribal Tribune, in 2016, I received an email from Ross that changed the course of my journalism career. To that point, I had received many compliments from family and friends via email or letters. I opened up Ross’ correspondence with a bit of a smile, wondering what he’d thought of me becoming the editor. It had been a few years since I’d seen or heard from him. I was expecting something like, “Hey, I picked up the tribal newspaper and saw you became the editor. Pretty cool.” Instead, it was an email without an ice breaker. It was almost as if I was a person he’d never met. Skip the handshake -- here’s the sword. Ross said he’d read a lot of my articles. He noted struggles in transitions, narratives, grammar, and spelling. He picked me apart, not long after I had just won a handful of writing awards from the Native American Journalists Association.
46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801 541-429-7005 FAX 541-429-7005 e-mail: cuj@ctuir.org www.ctuir.org
Interim Publisher Jane Hill CUJ staff: Cary Rosenbaum, Editor (541)215-9597 caryrosenbaum@ctuir.org
Confederated Umatilla Journal
It wasn’t far from the dynamic I remembered last: He knew he had an edge on me, and flexed his intellectual muscles. At first I was mad. Then I remembered it was just Ross being Ross. I am convinced he was just trying to make me better. Had the criticism been from anyone else, perhaps I would’ve just brushed it off. The email ignited a fire in me that day that led to much-needed improvements. I became more of a student of the craft, reading more, practicing more and expanding more. As I progressed, I noticed an enhanced awareness of some of the issues I was having while writing. I simply got better. Almost a year after the encounter with Ross, some stories I wrote caught the attention of a former colleague, who at one point was my boss. He reached out to me on Facebook and said something along the lines of: “What did you do to your writing? I mean no offense, but it’s better now. You can tell you did something different.” I felt embarrassed. A person who once oversaw my work knew there were improvements I could have made but didn’t bother to make me aware of them. I felt like I unknowingly had a case of complacency that some professionals saw but declined to treat. It was clear: I reeked. Ross wasn’t a professional. He was more of a medicine man with an alternative form of treatment to offer. He set my mind ablaze that day, then dropped a metaphorical bucket of ice water on it. I was a couple tiers up in the journalism world and had started building a home. He convinced me to torch it and keep climbing. I thanked Ross for the criticisms in the return email and focused more on catching up. We then parted ways indefinitely, as was the norm. Every now and then, I think about that exchange -more now than ever since his passing at age 35. In the days following his death, I sent my condolences to his father. He responded, “Ross would talk you up, you know?” I smiled but felt bad, knowing I had never given Ross the credit he deserved. In a way, we were just a couple warriors with Native pride, refusing to acknowledge an edge if we thought the other had it. Something tells me he knows how I feel.
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March 2021
CUJ Op-Ed/Columns Reflecting on COVID and the Snake River dams
I can remember the call on March 2, 2020 informing me that we had a COVID-19 case on the CTUIR. The first act of the Board of Trustees was to put the community’s health and safety as the priority. We temporarily closed Wildhorse Resort and Casino, the Education and Day Care facilities in order to allow all of them to be thoroughly cleaned to protect our members and community. In the past year Yellowhawk, as of February 26th, conducted 2,691 tests, 226 positive and 2,465 negative cases. By the end of March Yellowhawk will have vaccinated more than 2,000 Tribal members, other Indians, Community Members, staff and their families. We are making progress BUT all of us still need to follow the three standing guidance: wear a mask, keep 6 feet social distance and wash our hands regularly. There is hope, but we must maintain safety. On another issue, the General Council passed a resolution that support’s Lower Snake River dams removal. In February Idaho Representative Mike Simpson rolled out a proposal to remove the Lower Snake River dams while maintaining the energy, commercial, irrigation and navigational needs in the Columbia River Basin, all while working towards the goal of rebuilding the
Snake River salmon stocks. These salmon stocks pass through and along CTUIR’s usual and accustom areas where our members have had little or no fishing over the last 50 plus years. CTUIR have been working for decades to protect, restore and rebuild salmon stocks in all of our usual and accustom areas. One of Kat Brigham BOT Chair our successes is rebuilding salmon stocks in the Umatilla River, where salmon were extent for 75 years. CTUIR success was reached through a collaborative and partnership approach to seek solutions to the problems that plague salmons return to their waters. If CTUIR could rebuild our stocks by ourselves we would have done it a long time ago, but we cannot and we must build relationships with federal, state and local entities who want to work for the good of everyone. Therefore all of us need to be open minded at looking at Representative Simpson’s proposal to see if there may be light at the end of the tunnel for our Snake River salmon.
Editorial: Where’s your opinion? Noticeably absent this issue are letters to the editor. Our question to you is: “Where’s your opinion?” Letters to the editor have been a historic feature of newspapers. In them, you’re allowed to take a stance on an issue, educate readers on happenings, suggest ideas, influence the opinions of the public or even, perhaps, tribal leadership. We’ve seen the power of the pen, first-hand. If you want, you can even praise someone for their efforts or say thank you. This is your Tribal newspaper. Perhaps we’re not doing enough to encourage you to write. Or you’re not informed enough of our guidelines. With that said, we’re going to add the following guidelines to our Op-Ed section each month. • The standard length of a letter to the editor is 300 words. • Letters are reviewed for libel. Authors will have the opportunity to rewrite • The context and grammar of a letter will not be changed by our staff. We will correct spelling errors, however. • Letters that do not meet the requirements will not be published.
Briefs Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office and partners monitoring weather conditions The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office is trying to answer a question likely on the mind of many within the county: When or will the flooding happen again? “We want the community to be aware that Umatilla County, Emergency Management Division of the Sheriff’s Office, and our community partners are actively monitoring the weather and other conditions,” a Feb. 17 media release from Undersheriff Jim Littlefield stated. “The National Weather Service and Umatilla County Emergency Management are conducting regular briefings with other community leaders in Umatilla County and Walla Walla County, in order to help ensure that we have as much information as possible, and are able to provide as much advanced warning as soon as possible -- should conditions warrant. The heavy snow in the region favors a gradual melt of snow from the mountain snowpack, according to the National Weather Service forecast. “The stream/river predictions do not indicate any rapid water level rise at this time,” the release stated. “These models are being evaluated regularly to monitor for any changes or future concerns. We will continue to inform the community about any changes. “What we’ve learned from the floods in the past couple of years has helped us to be better prepared and more vigilant and aware of the possibilities,” stated Umatilla County Emergency Manager Tom Roberts. “Thus, we are able to help
March 2021
our entire community. Each of us should also be prepared individually, which is also very important.” “As always, we encourage everyone to be prepared for the possibility of unpredictable events and to have a plan for your families and property,” Littlefield stated. Flood Safety Tips from Ready.gov: If you are under a Flood Warning: • Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. • Stay off bridges over fast moving water • Evacuate immediately if told to do so Prepare Now: • Make a plan for your household, including your pets, so that you and your family know what to do, where to go, and what you will need to protect yourselves from flooding. • Build a “Go Kit” of the supplies you will need if you have to quickly evacuate your home. • Sign up now for your community’s warning system
CTUIR Language Program launches survey for immersion learning MISSION - On Feb. 25, the CTUIR Language Program sent out a survey to the community to collect information regarding the potential creation of a Language Immersion Class for children ages 4-5. The classes, to be held at Nixyaawii Education Center, would last four hours per day Monday through Friday, with additional time spent on preparing students for kindergarten. The link to the survey: https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/GN8LYVM.
Confederated Umatilla Journal
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CUJ Almanac Obituaries
Obituaries and Paternal Grandmother Lillian Van Pelt, Paternal Grandfather Chet “Chatter” Van Pelt. TJ went to school in Pendleton and Portland, OR area. He enjoyed his time in Salmon Corp program on the Umatilla Reservation. He also did Job Corp on the Yakama Reservation. He worked at Wildhorse and CTUIR during his adult life. TJ enjoyed attending powwows and watching his nieces and nephews dance and play sports. He was an avid Seattle Seahawks fan...to the dislike of the majority of his family. He enjoyed fishing and hunting with his brothers and attending their softball games. A private dressing was held at Burns Mortuary of Pendleton Chapel and Private family burial was held at Agency Cemetery due to COVID and current restrictions.
Sherman Wilson Sherman John Wilson was born July 25, 1943, in San Francisco, CA, and died July 26, 2020, in Chico, CA. He was born to Belva Thompson Wilson Olson and Douglas Wilson. Father Douglas, Konkow Maidu member whose mother was from the CTUIR, died when Sherman was five years old. Sherman grew up in Chico and Orland CA and attended Sherman Indian School. As children, he and brother Douglas Wilson spent memorable times with grandparents Joe and Rosa Thompson at Thornhollow. He also had fond memories of living in grandfather Sherman Wilson’s large house on the former tribal rancheria of Chico. He returned to reside periodically on the Umatilla Indian Reservation throughout his life. He took up a career working on treating stained glass windows across the U.S. until a bike accident that cost him a lung. He lived with and cared for his mother Belva at her home in Orland CA until her passing in 2013. Sherman Wilson is survived by brothers Douglas Wilson (Debbie McNutt) in Ohio, David Singh (Cheryl), sister Joan Lane of North Carolina, aunts Faydeena Luke and Doris Thompson, and the Thompson clan. He was preceded in death by parents, brother Donald Olson, Jr., uncle Leonard Wilson, aunt Eva Wilson. Cremation arrangements were by Bidwell Chapel, Chico, CA.
Peo-Peo-Khi-Khi (White Bird) Thomas James Van Pelt, Jr. (TJ) Thomas Van Pelt, Jr. was born on March 21, 1974, passed on January 26, 2021. Thomas is survived by his sister Rachel EllenwoodGuardipee of Pendleton, OR, his AuntieMother Helen Morrison (Levi Morrison) of Pendleton, OR, and many Nieces, Nephews, Cousins and friends. He was proceeded in death by his mother, Gloria Ellenwood, father Thomas Van Pelt, Sr., brother Derrick Van Pelt,
Obituaries on the Yakamas’ General Council as an alternate counter and then, as an interpreter before retiring in 2017. She is preceded in death by sisters Julia Charley, Sarah Yallup, and Gladys Lewis. Brothers Kenneth and Victor Lewis, husband Reginald W. Tulee and sons Dale and Randy Unyto Tulee. She is survived by sisters Leona Jack, Iola Totus, Lavina Wilkins, and Theresa Ashue. Special nieces Annette Starr and Delphine Dave - Lopez. Daughters Evangeline Kishwalk - Piel, Melissa, Jeanette, and Salaleet Martha Tulee. Sons Leo Hellon, Victor, Reggie jr., Mike Kusheosh, Arthur, Jason Saptakalas, and Paul Tulee. Her beloved ullas and kuthlas, and the most important people - great grand children and great great grandchildren. She was taken to Methodist Cemetery in White Swan after a short viewing. She was lain to rest after the uplifting two songs were sung by Eagle Spirit on February 19th, 2021.
Public Notice PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
Perpit’lee oo Agnes Evelyn Tulee 1930- 2021 Agnes Evelyn Tulee, age 90, was called to the sacred Creator on February 17th, 2021. She passed away peacefully and of natural causes at her home in Toppenish surrounded by her family. She was born to Salaleet Martha Smartlowit and Curtis Klutman at the Kusshei homestead in Toppenish. She was orphaned at age eight and was placed under her kuthla Nettie Kusshei’s care where she attended Wiley City, Simnasho, and White Swan school districts. Her kuthla’s home was rich in the mamachat dialect of the Ichiskin sinwit which young Agnes and her older sister Julia Charley learned to communicate in, having the elders make correction on misspoke sentences. Agnes traveled with her kuthla and because there were no able men in their family to drive,they traveled on horseback, buckboards, horse and buggy, and the hack. They pitched up their encampments at Pendleton Round up, He He Mill longhouse, and other areas where the Indian people gathered for horse racing, ka oisha, and pi umes. She loved stickgaming, bingo, and dice game Kismet where she holds the family’s highest score. Agnes married Reginald W. Tulee and spent ten years with him on the Colville Indian Reservation, and another sixteen years upon the Spokane Indian Reservation where she got acquainted with many people. Agnes worked as a school cook, museum technician, and a Certified Nursing Assistant as well as early jobs in the canneries and hardwork of harvesting produce. She retired as a root and medicinal gatherer, cook, beadworker, cornhusk weaver, beadworker, circle dancer, and homemaker. She also served many years
(SEE BELOW PHOTO) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Land Protection Planning Commission of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) will hold the following public hearings: Subdivision File #SUB-21-001 – Applicant, CTUIR Department of Economic and Community Development seeks approval to subdivide property owned by the CTUIR in trust. The subject property is identified as trust parcels T2106 and T2108 (Umatilla County Tax Lots 2N330900-02000, 2N3309DA01100 and 2N3309DA01200) within the external boundaries of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Subject properties are located on Timine Way, southwest of the intersection of Mission Road and Highway 331 and include the CTUIR Governance Center, Education
Public Notice Center, Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center and other CTUIR buildings plus vacant land. The property is currently zoned P-1 (Public Use). The Application proposes to create the Nixyaawii Subdivision subject to the CTUIR Land Development Code §3.200 and Subdivision Manual. Zoning Change File #ZC-21-001 – Applicant, CTUIR Department of Economic and Community Development seeks a recommendation of approval from the Land Protection Planning Commission to the Board of Trustees for a change to the Master Zoning map from Public Use (P-1) to Neighborhood Residential (NR) for lots 8 through 58 of proposed subdivision SUB-21-001 of Trust Property T2106 and from P-1 to Neighborhood Services (NS) for lots 59 through 73 of the proposed subdivision SUB 21-001. See attached graphic. Zone Change amendments are subject to the CTUIR Land Development Code Chapters 9 and 13. Both hearings will be held on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Due to COVID-19 precautions, these hearings will be held via Microsoft Teams. If you would like to participate in the hearings or provide testimony, please call 321-7549526 at 9:00 a.m. The conference ID is 793 459 43#. Materials relating to the proposed subdivision and zone change, and additional information for joining the meeting are available for review at the Tribal Planning Office or online at https:// ctuir.org/events/lppc-meeting-public-hearing-sub21-001-zc-21-001/. Written comments must be received in the Tribal Planning Office by 4:00 pm March 22, 2021 via hard copy or by email to hollyanderson@ctuir.org. The public is entitled and encouraged to participate in the hearings and to submit testimony regarding the request. To obtain further information or if you have questions regarding the hearing process or the proposed subdivision, please contact the Tribal Planning Office at tpo@ctuir.org or 541-429-7517. Lindsey Watchman, Secretary Land Protection Planning Commission
Pendleton Pioneer Chapel received three prestigious awards in 2009
The Oregon Funeral Directors Association Award of Funeral Service Excellence w The Best Of Eastern Oregon Award as voted by the readers of the East Oregonian w Pendleton Chamber of Commerce 2009 Business of the Year
Our experienced family provides caring, compassionate care including:
Burial Services ~ Military Services Cremation ~ Monuments
Maternal Grandmother Rachel Eva Van Pelt-Shillal
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Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021
CUJ Almanac F&W Regulations
F&W Regulations
2021 COLUMBIA RIVER WINTER COMMERCIAL GILLNET FISHERY
during open commercial gillnet periods for that pool. Sturgeon from 43-54” fork length in the John Day and The Dalles pools and from 38-54” in the Bonneville Pool may be retained for subsistence.
Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Fish and Wildlife Code of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Fish and Wildlife Commission has the authority to establish emergency regulations for Umatilla ceremonial, subsistence, and commercial fisheries. Pursuant to that authority, the Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted the following regulations.
Jobs
ZONE 6 COMMERCIAL GILLNET FISHERY Area: John Day Pool Only Dates: 6 AM Wednesday February 24 to 6 PM Friday February 26, 2021. Restrictions: Closed areas in effect include standard dam and river mouth areas applicable to gillnet gear. Gear: Gill nets with no minimum mesh restriction Allowable Sales: Salmon (any species), steelhead, shad, yellow perch, bass, walleye, catfish, and carp may be sold or retained for subsistence. Sturgeon from 43 to 54 inches in fork length in The Dalles and John Day Pools only when caught during open periods for that pool may be sold. Legal sized sturgeon may be kept for subsistence purposes. Fish landed during the open periods are allowed to be sold after the period concludes. Area: Bonneville Pool Only Dates: 6 AM Monday March 1 to 6 PM Friday March 5, 2021. Restrictions: Closed areas in effect include standard dam and river mouth areas applicable to gillnet gear. Gear: Gill nets with no minimum mesh restriction Allowable Sales: Salmon (any species), steelhead, shad, yellow perch, bass, walleye, catfish, and carp may be sold or retained for subsistence. Sturgeon from 38 to 54 inches in fork length in Bonneville Pool only when caught during open periods for that pool may be sold. Legal sized sturgeon may be kept for subsistence purposes. Fish landed during the open periods are allowed to be sold after the period concludes.
CTUIR Government Board of Trustees Chair Kathryn Brigham
Chair Lindsey X. Watchman
Vice Chair Jeremy Wolf
Vice Chair Michael Ray Johnson
Treasurer Sandra Sampson Secretary Sally Kosey
FREELANCE OPPORTUNITY We’re looking for freelance writers, photographers and designers. Our rates are as follows: $150 per story, $25 per photo and $20 per design. Email CUJ@CTUIR.org to inquire!
General Council
Secretary Shawna Gavin Interpreter Thomas Morning Owl
At-large BOT Members: Jill-Marie Gavin General Council contact Info Office: 541-429-7378 Armand Minthorn Email: GeneralCouncil@ctuir.org Boots Pond Meeting updates and information on: www.ctuir.org/government/general-council Corinne Sams Interim Executive Director: Charles Sams III
Join the Cayuse Holdings team! We have dozens of jobs open each month. Work on the Reservation, remotely from your home, across the US or overseas. See the complete list of job openings at www.cayuseholdings.com. Our current opportunities include: Customer Service Agent (remote, must live in Oregon or Washington state), Desktop Technician, Help Desk Agent (Pendleton), Jr. Application Developer, Senior Computer User Support Specialist, and Project Management Office director.
General Council Meeting Nixyaawii Governance Center
ZONE 6 PLATFORM AND HOOK AND LINE FISHERY Area: All of Zone 6 Dates/Times: 6:00 AM Monday February 1 to 6:00 PM Friday March 19, 2021. Gear: Hoop nets, dip nets, hook and line. Allowable Sales: Salmon (any species), steelhead, shad, carp, catfish, walleye, bass and yellow perch may be sold or retained for subsistence. Sales of fish are allowed after the fishing period as long as they were landed during the open period. Sturgeon of legal size for that pool may be sold only if caught
General Council DRAFT Agenda EOCIL is hiring Housing Navigator $19.50 hr. Harm Reduction Specialist $21.45 hr. RN $43.00 hr.
Almanac Advertisement Fees
$5.50 per column inch; $4.50 for Tribal members
Obituaries: Free of charge Send inquiries to CUJ@CTUIR.org
March 2021
March 18 2021, - 2:00-4:30 PM VIA Zoom
1. Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Ascertainment of Quorum a. General Council Officers b. Board of Trustees c. General Council Members 4. Approval ofAgenda 5. Approval of Executive Summary - February 18, 2021 6. Old Business a. Covid-l9 Update - Chuck Sams, III 7. New Business a. Bureau of Indian Affairs Annual - Michael Jackson, BIA Superintendent b. Enrollment Department Annual Report - Toni Minthorn, Enrollment Department Director c. Enrollment Commission Annual Report - Bonnie Burke, Enrollment Commission Chair d. CTUIR Tribal Flag History Volunteer Subcommittee General Council 8. Open Mic 9. News/Notes/Announcements a. Raffles b. Announcements c. Next Meeting - April 15,2021
Confederated Umatilla Journal
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OHA issues joint statement with CTUIR Error omitted some of Yellowhawk’s data in state COVID count By the Oregon Health Association and CTUIR
The Oregon Health Authority reports that the addition of approximately 1,400 COVID-19 laboratory reports from Umatilla County on Saturday, Feb. 20 will not affect the county’s risk level status. The past cases covering a seven-month period had been investigated and had previously not been electronically recorded by the agency. OHA has been receiving weekly data from Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. In the fall of 2020, after the state agency moved away from manual data entry toward the electronic file submission an error occurred, which did not include tabulating the 1,400 records from Yellowhawk in its state COVID-19 case count. OHA regrets the error and has since been working closely with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to prevent these errors from happening again. “The accurate collection and accounting of all COVID-19 case data informs OHA’s ongoing response to COVID-19, and we are committed to informing the public when we identify any oversight,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, state public health officer and epidemiologist. “When we identified the issue, we worked to correct our methods of capturing case data, and we want to thank the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation for the work they are doing to provide their case and investigation data to us.” As an entity of a sovereign nation, the Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center is not required to report COVID-19 test results to OHA but chose to report their data weekly since the beginning of the pandemic. “We decided to be transparent with our data because we realize this will be an important part to fighting the virus and protect not only residents of the Umatilla Indian Reservation but our community, county and state,” said Lisa Guzman, chief executive officer for the Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. As OHA reported, these test results date from June 2020 through January 2021. The cases were appropriately investigated and interviewed at the time of their positive test. The test results had been shared electronically with OHA during that time by the Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center’s laboratory but were not captured by OHA due to data processing issues. The county’s reopening metrics are not being changed or impacted because of the addition of the new case data. County Risk Levels are updated every two weeks in response to how COVID-19 is spreading in communities, at the county level. Currently, Umatilla County is listed at an extreme risk level based on having 446 cases per 100,000 residents. The county will be in high risk level starting Feb. 26, as countywide case rates dropped to 191 cases per 100,000 from Feb. 7 to Feb. 20. Risk Levels take effect on Friday and remain in effect for the next two weeks while this process repeats.
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‘OHA regrets the error and has since been working closely with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation.’
-Oregon Health Association
OHA acknowledges the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s ongoing efforts to boost community immunity among its members, employees, employee family members and non-Indian residents who live on
the reservation. Today is the second day of a mass vaccination event being held with the help of the Oregon National Guard. The tribe received 975 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from the Indian Health Service for the event.
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are members of the Oregon Emergency Response System, which coordinates state resources in its response to emergencies involving multijurisdictional cooperation.
STUDY WHERE YOU LIVE Stay in your community while earning your degree online from Oregon State University Ecampus. Join our campus beyond boundaries by choosing from 80+ top‑ranked programs including: • Environmental sciences • Fisheries and wildlife sciences • Public policy • 25+ STEM offerings Visit our website to learn more:
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March 2021
Simpson breaks down plan to breach Snake River Dams By Charles Coxe of Columbia River Insight
WASHINGTON — When Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson publicly called for breaching four Lower Snake River dams on Sunday, Feb. 7, as part of his Energy & Salmon Concept, public reaction, it’s fair to say, was shock. And although Simpson certainly heard the swift criticism of his plan, voices as wideranging as tribes, environmental groups, energy interests and farmers were quick to praise his proposal for its collaborative Mike Simpson spirit and attempt to find compromise solutions — something not heard much out of Washington nowadays. As soon as the plan was released, Columbia Insight wanted to hear more from the 12-term Republican representative about why the Snake River dams issue is so important to him, and what his plan’s chances for passage into law really are. Columbia Insight: It’s been about two weeks since you released your Energy & Salmon Plan. How do you feel about the response so far? Mike Simpson: I have to say it’s about what we expected. We knew there would be people who would say, “hell no” to start with, other people who would be excited about the concept and a lot of others who for now are really sitting back and want to look through the proposal and think more about it. CI: What’s surprised you about the reaction? MS: What’s really been interesting is seeing that the people who are opposed to this proposal tend to focus on only one aspect of the plan — dam removal. That’s all they hear, and then they shut down. My staff and I, we’ve been working on this plan over three years and have had more than 300 different meetings about it, so we’ve heard a lot of different points of view. And we’ve had a lot of discussions and collaborative groups on these issues in the region over the past 25 to 30 years. Every collaborative group over that time has come up with nice ideas that everybody can agree on: increasing the numbers of salmon, clean renewable energy, better efficiency, improving habitats, etc. But when it comes down to breaching the dams themselves, the groups break apart and they just can’t go any further. Fundamentally, the people who are opposed to breaching the dams are used to doing things a certain way, and just don’t want to change what they’re doing. “OK then,” I said, “if you don’t like breaching the dams and still want to save the salmon, then tell me what your plan is?” And then there’s nothing — because everything else we’ve tried for the past 25 to 30 years simply doesn’t work. We’ve already spent $17 billion on fish recovery and salmon and steelhead numbers here have only gotten worse, to the point where they’re on a clear path to extinction. Are we going to spend $20 billion more over the next 30 years just to have them go extinct anyway? CI: Some environmental groups have been supportive of your plan — American Rivers in particular released a statement calling it “bold,” “groundbreaking” and
March 2021
“potentially transformational” for the Pacific Northwest. Others have been more cautious, surprised to hear an environmental issue supported by a conservative Republican. Is that unfair? MS: Well, most people live in Idaho because we love our environment — and that’s really true all across the Pacific Northwest. Yes, I’m conservative, and I also value conservation. The salmon are going extinct. There’s just no way around that. We have to do something about it. To me, this proposal isn’t about the impact that it has on us today. It’s what do we want the Pacific Northwest to look like in the next 30, 40, 50 years? The decisions we make today will have an enormous impact on the entire region 50 years from now. I don’t want our grandchildren someday to say, “Why do you call it the Salmon River? There are no salmon here.” CI: Where do you anticipate the greatest opposition coming from? MS: Oh, there’s plenty of opposition to the concept. There are a lot of organizations that will have to change the way they’re doing things. But this is really the first time that a plan acknowledges the important fact that these dams do have considerable value to a wide range of stakeholders — that’s why the plan will cost an estimated $35 to $40 billion. We have to acknowledge the dams’ value, acknowledge everything that they provide for different groups, and consider that for all of the different stakeholders. What’s it going to cost to make those stakeholders whole? The states? The BPA? The tribes? The farmers? What’s it going to cost to help those grain farmers get their grain down to Portland cheaply, as they can do now by barge without being beholden to trucking or rail? What’s it going to cost to get that clean energy supply replaced before the dams are breached? And it has to be firm power, not just vague plans of future wind turbines. Each of those is a challenge we have to consider. CI: Speaking of the Bonneville Power Administration, how have they reacted to your plan? MS: We’ve discussed the concept with them along the way. Really, this proposal started from talking with them. The BPA was having financial difficulties and they still are — the problem is they are not the cheapest power in the Pacific Northwest anymore. Rural electrics will be looking outside of the BPA to buy their power to be able to get it more cheaply. So how can we make them more secure in the future, make them whole—and do something to save salmon at the same time? The BPA gets sued every other day by different interests in the Salmon Wars, as I call them. Now the BPA obviously can’t just come out and support the removal of their dams — but we can help to make them whole, to make dam removal make sense by replacing that power. The plan calls for $10 billion in funding for clean energy projects like battery storage, pump storage, hydrogen storage, small modular reactors, increased transmission capacity, increased energy efficiency, new wind and solar power or other new technologies determined by the BPA and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. We have to look at all of the options and likely use lots of them. The other thing we’ve done with this
proposal that many people have overlooked is that we’ll automatically relicense all FERC-licensed dams in the Columbia River Basin greater than 5 megawatts for 35 to 50 years. This is to prevent the “slippery slope” argument that if we remove these four dams, then they’ll just go after the other ones. We have to keep those other dams and their energy secure — and put a stop to the fish-related, not safety, litigation around them — so they can continue to be reliable sources of energy going forward. CI: Why is this concept so important to act on now? MS: I really don’t think we have long to save the salmon before they go extinct. We’ve been managing a steady decline in salmon runs for decades. I hear some people say, “To heck with the salmon — just let them go extinct.” But I don’t. We have to act now. And the stars are actually aligned for us to do something about this. The Pacific Northwest delegation in Congress is in a stronger position now than they have been in years. And President Biden has discussed prioritizing a big infrastructure and clean energy stimulus push that could be in the $2-to-3-trillion range. We have a real opportunity here, all of the different stakeholders, to roll up our sleeves and come together to find a solution to this problem on our own terms, rather than letting someone else decide our fate. CI: Right now this plan is still a concept, as you call it. What are the next steps to get this hammered into actual legislation that can be put before committees and eventually onto the floor for a vote? MS: Well, now that a lot of different people are looking at the concept and thinking about it, the next step is that we have to listen to their different perspectives. We have to talk with them about what the plan does and doesn’t do, answer their questions and take their concerns into consideration before drafting legislation. But that needs to happen now. We don’t have a lot of time. I’d like to see actual legislation happen later this year. CI: Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden just released his own sweeping River Democracy Act (with fellow Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley). Are you working with him on this? MS: I’ve talked with Sen. Wyden about it, and we have briefed his staff on this proposal a few times — in fact, we’ve briefed the staffs of all the Northwest delegation throughout this process. Wyden is chair of the (U.S. Senate) Finance Committee, so obviously he would be very important to work with on this. We are talking about a lot of money, $35 to $40 billion. But that’s only about 1.75% of the anticipated infrastructure bill to be used for the Pacific Northwest and saving the salmon. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. CI: What about the House Budget Committee? MS: I don’t know that the Budget Committee will have much involvement in this bill because it will likely be an emergency appropriation. CI: Based on the sweeping nature of your proposal, sorry, but we have to ask: are you planning to run again in 2022? MS: Come on, man — we just finished an election. Yes, my current plan is to run for reelection in 2022. Does this proposal affect my chances? Sure it does. I’ve already heard of people planning to run against
Confederated Umatilla Journal
me because of it. That’s fine. That’s how this works.
CTUIR supports Simpson’s initiative MISSION – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) supports Congressman Mike Simpson’s newly-announced Columbia Basin Fund initiative. The plan calls for restoring the lower Snake River while making whole all impacted users of the Columbia River and changing the way fish and wildlife restoration, protection and enhancement is done in the Columbia Basin. “Restoring the lower Snake River will allow salmon, steelhead and lamprey to flourish in the rivers and streams of the Snake Basin,” said Kat Brigham, Chair of the CTUIR Board of Trustees. “This has long been a priority because these are the CTUIR’s ancestral traditional use areas, such as the Grande Ronde, Imnaha, Lostine, Minam, Tucannon and Wallowa Rivers and their tributaries.”
‘Restoring the lower Snake River will allow salmon, steelhead and lamprey to flourish in the rivers and streams of the Snake Basin.’ -Kat Brigham, BOT Chair
In 1995, the CTUIR adopted a Salmon Policy calling for decisive action to save salmon in the Basin from extinction. It called for “the staged, strategic modification or removal of…the lower four Snake River Dams…coincident with development of a New Energy Plan for the region and implementation of aggressive energy conservation programs.” The CTUIR has deployed significant resources in many arenas, through mutual agreements over decades in its fight to restore salmon, steelhead and lamprey and the ecosystems they depend upon. Congressman Simpson’s initiative is both consistent with the CTUIR’s 1995 Salmon Policy, and provides a framework to achieve recovery of these Treaty resources while allowing for regional economic investment, energy independence and a long-term resolution to the salmon wars in the courts. CTUIR is working with the Northwest congressional delegation, Columbia Basin tribes and states as the initiative moves forward. The Tribe encourages stakeholders to consider the transformational approach and be open to it.
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NCS School Board Election Candidates
Briana Spencer The following comments are responses to a list of questions sent by the CUJ to the Nixyaawii School Board candidates. Votes can be cast March 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the NCS parking lot. Two candidates will be elected. Tell us a little about yourself and why you are interested in running. I am CTUIR member and a descendent of the Cayuse, Nez Perce, Oklahoma Seminole, Cascade, and of Chief Spencer of the Klickitat tribe. I am also Afro Puerto Rican, Irish, and French. I’ve served on the CTUIR Education & Training Committee, Washington State Indian Education Association, and the Nixyaawii School Board. Additionally, I’ve been a Campaign Manager and I am currently a grassroots activist for several coalitions that serve eastern Oregon and Washington. I am running to continue the fight of improving and providing a quality and equitable education for all children; to continue this district in an upward path of providing an education which will ensure that our children have a bright
future and fighting chance in society by being educated for the future. What involvement have you had with the school and/or school board? I am a previous Nixyaawii student and school board member. What particular strengths will you bring to the school board? My particular strength is the experience of attending 5 high schools. This allowed me to encounter different school environments, services, and learning techniques. What do you see as the greatest challenges facing Nixyaawii Community School and how would you address those issues? I believe chronic absenteeism is the greatest challenge and one idea I have addressing it is to provide free classes to parents that would teach nutrition, health, impacts of social media and family dynamics on learning, etc. We have generations of families who were never taught the importance of school so they don’t have the tools they need. It is my
Briana Spencer
hope that these classes would help parents learn how to motivate their children to come to school and do their best. How do you view the board’s role vs. the administration’s role in running the school?
Modesta Minthorn The following comments are responses to a list of questions sent by the CUJ to the Nixyaawii School Board candidates. Votes can be cast March 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the NCS parking lot. Two candidates will be elected. Tell us a little about yourself and why you are interested in running.
My name is Modesta Minthorn. I am an enrolled member of the CTUIR and I am 51 years old. I am a graduate of Pendleton High School and have my Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Oregon and my Master’s of Arts in Linguistics from the University of Oregon. I have worked in the CTUIR Education Department for 15 years working in various roles. I am interested in running for the Nixyáawii Community School Board at this time because I feel that I have attained enough experience to provide good support for NCS and the students. I am willing and ready to put in the work and effort to maintain and grow the NCS goals. What involvement have you had with the school and/or school board? I have been a Language Teacher and taught Umatilla at NCS. I have been a substitute Teacher for
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NCS. I substituted for P.E., Health, Language Arts, Math, Art and other Language Classes. I was the Project Director for the US Department of Education grant received by NCS. For this grant I was able to help with blending of Native American values and promotion of higher education. This grant allowed me to work at NCS for 4 years. I have been a mentor for NCS students through the College Readiness program at NCS. What particular strengths will you bring to the school board? I have 5 years of experience working with the Oregon Department of Education as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation tribal representative on a Government to Government level where policies affecting tribal nations are worked out. I have 3 years of experience being on the Oregon State Board of Education that oversaw the policies for all 197 school districts in the state of Oregon. My last position with the Oregon State Board of Education was 2nd Vice Chair. I am familiar with the tribal languages of the CTUIR which tie to our customs and traditions. What do you see as the greatest challenges facing Nixyaawii Community School and how would you address those issues? I believe one of the biggest challenges for NCS is student motivation throughout the 4 years of high school. I firmly believe a solid grounding in our traditional languages, customs, and beliefs will help with motivating students. Our languages, customs, and beliefs all provide a deep
Modesta Minthorn
connection to our sense of place and allows for youth to grasp and hold on to their identity. These are all positive ways to help students stay motivated to complete their schooling. How do you view the board’s role vs. the administration’s role in running the school? I believe the NCS board’s role is to help provide policy support for the school, including support for the administration. I believe the administration’s role is to conduct day to day business for the Nixyáawii Community School. Describe your experience in working with parents, community members, the business community and human services agencies. It has been my privilege to work in
Confederated Umatilla Journal
The board review, evaluates, and adopts policies that help the future vision of the school and the administration manages the day-to-day operations. The school board and administration work together to set priorities for the school with the administration providing sufficient information so the board can informed decisions. Describe your experience in working with parents, community members, the business community and human services agencies. When planning the Black Lives Matter march, I spent hours talking to parents, community members, and the business community about the event to quell any fears they may have had. Although they made the choice to attend the event, I was still responsible for their safety. Which is why I, along with John and Nolan worked with the former Chief Roberts for weeks to ensure we had a safety plan down. What is your vision for an outstanding school? To provide an environment where all students can be welcome, happy, safe, and supported while they achieve success to their fullest potential.
our community for two decades plus. I have worked with at risk youth in the Salmon Corps program through the 1990’s where we provided community service work to elders and the public, I have worked in the Language Program for numerous years as an Apprentice, Linguist, and Language Instructor where I have worked with student and parents on language learning and grades, I have worked with tribal elders in the Language Program as a student and language advocate and with the Family Violence Services Program where I was able to bring awareness to elder abuse and provide training for tribal police and other agencies. As a part of the many events associated with my work I have had numerous contacts with our local businesses requesting donations for events. What is your vision for an outstanding school? My vision for an outstanding school is a place where students of all ages and backgrounds can succeed. I envision a school that supports a student that wants to be a plumber, construction worker, electrician, horticulturist, botanist, nurse, lawyer, doctor, teacher, and all other occupations, so that they meet their full potential and are active members of our community.
CUJ Deadlines Advertisements March 16 Stories / Content March 23 March 2021
NCS School Board Election Candidates
Jaimie Crane
The following are returned responses to a list of questions sent by the CUJ to the Nixyaawii School Board candidates. Votes can be cast March 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the NCS parking lot. Two candidates will be elected. Tell us a little about yourself and why you are interested in running. My name is Jaimie Crane. I am an enrolled member of the CTUIR. I grew up in Pendleton and graduated from PHS. I have spent a majority of my professional life has been based in behavioral research and education. I am interested in running for the NCS School Board because I recognize the value of working collaboratively, and transparently, with a focus on ensuring a successful educational journey for all students by maximizing access to appropriate resources and supports. What involvement have you had with the school and/or school board? I returned home in June of 2020 so I have not had direct involvement with NCS, to date. However, I have spent the last 22 years working with at-risk youth, students/people with various levels of disabilities, high school students preparing for their post-secondary endeavors, and the families, communities, and service providers dedicated to working as a team to meet the diverse goals of each. What particular strengths will you bring to the school board? I have had the good fortune of gaining my experience and skill set while working in various capacities both inside and outside the educational realm. I have been a paraprofessional, Career Center Coordinator, Developmental Specialist, Reading Specialist, Coach, and a Special Education Instructor so I have firsthand knowledge of the unique challenges that students, educators, Administrators, and families face while trying to ensure the receipt/delivery of quality education. My experience as a behavioral Research
Assistance provided perspective on the disparities that impact youth nationwide and the barriers to equity that underrepresented populations face. Each position presented opportunities to observe, analyze and problem-solve as a team to identify effective, functional solutions for all stakeholders. On a less technical note, I miss the students and families and creating fun, engaging, and safe spaces for learning. Supporting students during their challenges and celebrating their victories, regardless of size, is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching. As a Board member I would be willing to share my ideas and experiences around grantwriting, fundraising, assessment and data interpretation, and creative input for events to ensure the community, staff, and students could focus on those moments of success and learning that will forever be a part of their own educational experiences. What do you see as the greatest challenges facing Nixyaawii Community School and how would you address those issues? I think some of the greatest challenges facing Nixyaawii Community School are the very same ones schools across the nation face. Funding, inconsistently interpreted and enforced policies, and creative limitations due to standardized testing protocols are issues commonly found at the top of the complaint list. Balancing the diverse needs of students and providing adequate access to supports often gets lost in translation when teacher salaries or school scores are determined by test scores or other arbitrary standards. Students, staff, and community members should be confident in the policies and practices of the school and the enforcement and accountability protocols for each and know that they are grounded in values of equity and improvement. How do you view the board’s role
Jaimie Crane
vs. the administration’s role in running the school? The Board’s role is to focus on the success of the students and to recognize and value that each journey in unique and has value. The Board develops and implements a vision for the district, sets goals, and monitors progress to report to the community in a spirit of collaboration and transparency. An effective Board will advocate on all levels of government to communicate successes, needs, and will work as a team to oversee finances and the overall financial health of the district. Overall, it is creating and maintaining positive working relationships while using feedback, discourse, and data to reflect the district’s challenges and progress. They are the voice of the community to Administrators and the voice of the students and school to the community. The Administrator’s role is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the school. They ensure curriculum standards are met, address staff issues, provide profes-
Steven Hart
The following are returned responses to a list of questions sent by the CUJ to the Nixyaawii School Board candidates. Votes can be cast March 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the NCS parking lot. Two candidates will be elected.
Tell us a little about yourself and why you are interested in running. I would also like to start out by saying thank you to Randy Milton for reaching out to me about this opportunity to be involved with my kids’ education, Nixyaawii Community Schools Activities, and helping make big decisions or recommendations on any aspects or concerns of our youth. Because they will be doing the same for us. This next generation will be making big decisions and choices for our community. In the near future for The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. I am interested because this is right my ally. For instance I am at every school event,
March 2021
I have one young adult graduating and I have one sophomore, a freshman starting in 2022. My youngest will be entering Nixyaawii 2025. I know every single student and teacher in the building. So NCS is like my third home. My residence, Walmart, and then NCS. I really want to be on the school board to help in any way I can for the Future, Present, and always remember the past, the ones that made it possible for us to have the things we do today. A little bit about myself huh? Where to start with that. I am an enrolled member of CTUIR X-1269. My Mother is Patricia A. Thompson and My Father is John John W. Withers. I am a father of four beautiful daughters. I will start from oldest to youngest. Adilia M. Hart is 18 yrs. old and getting ready to graduate from NCS, Class of 2021. She has been accepted to Portland State University and wants to pursue her degree
Steven Hart
in Children and Family Services. Mersayus L. Hart is 16 yrs. old and sophomore here at NCS and she is the athlete, and the glue of the family. She keeps all of us on our toes. Then there is Kadence Y. Hart my 13 yrs. old daughter. She is my
Confederated Umatilla Journal
sional development and supports, develop schedules and communicate with parents. They create an overall school environment that is safe, functional, and appropriate to meet diverse needs of students and staff while implementing the goals and policies established by the Board. Describe your experience in working with parents, community members, the business community and human services agencies. I have worked with parents, families, and warp-around service providers to ensure that students receive access to any available supports they might benefit from. I have conducted, interpreted and presented data on many levels from parent to scientist and am comfortable conveying different levels of information to different audiences. I appreciate the value of networking and building professional relationships with tribal and community organizations to ensure that needs are acknowledged and addressed effectively and efficiently. Supporting our students and community in accessing resources to relieve stressors will free up time and energy to focus on education that might otherwise be dedicated to safety and/or survival. What is your vision for an outstanding school? My vision for an outstanding school would be one filled with happy students. Happy because they have choices in their educational pursuits. Happy because they feel heard and supported. Happy because their culture and strengths are honored. Happy because they are excited to pursue their postsecondary goals because they were provided with direction and have been prepared to work through obstacles. It would also be outstanding if teachers had creative freedoms to teach what they love in dynamic ways that would engage students and foster a love of learning. Finally it would be outstanding if this could happen with the support of a dedicated school board, Administration, and community that were willing to fight the necessary battles to ensure this for each and every student. girly girl, loves to shop and she is my human calculator. The youngest is the BOSS & her name is LeAndra M. Hart 11 yrs. old. She is the go getter, wild horse racing, all sports, and gamer, curious gorge is her nickname. What involvement have you had with the school or school board? I really have not been involved with the school too much besides school sporting events, and donating gifts and money for the fundraisers for the school travel activities. Also just being a good team player I really try to help when asked. Like rides for the kids that need them after practice. Help clean up the new gymnasium after games. Things of that nature. So not much involvement for the past four year because of my work schedule. Now that I transition to a new position and department. I will be able to do more with my kids and community and hopefully for the Nixyaawii Community School. I want to make up for lost time and show the kids that EDUCATION is very, very important. “Education is your most powerful weapon. With education you are the white mans equal, and without it, you are his victim.”
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at the entrance of the site for ease of access. The longhouse is flanked by two open areas which can be used for gatherings, celebrations, and picnics. A large dance Arbor sits North of the longhouse, accompanied by a multi-use amphitheater and seating built into the landscape.
SITE DESIGN OPTIONS: NEW BUILDING A:
Existing Ball Fields with New Dugouts
A
Aquatic & Fitness Center
Aquatics & Fitness Center
Veteran's Memorial with Improvements
OR
Veteran’s Center Pedestrian Walkway / Plaza
A
Picnic Shelter
Existing Confederated Way Entrance Arbor with Outdoor Amphitheater Landscape Element
Parking
CONFEDERATED WAY: Expanded Rec Center
Possible Earth Oven Space
B Old School Building Converted to Community Multi-purpose Space
Longhouse Delivery Drive Aisle
B
Athletic Field
Covered Outdoor Basketball Courts
Confederated Way Stays Unchanged OR
Confederated Way Converted to a Walking Path
Skate Park Longhouse
Expanded Longhouse Kitchen and Public Restrooms Parking + RV Spots
C
Designated TeePee Camping Spots
OUTDOOR PARK:
Fenced Dog Park
Fenced Dog Park OR
CIC seeking input on projects
C
Playground with Play Structures
NOTE: This master plan is not a final representation of future construction, but rather a long-term conceptual layout used to guide ideas and discussion for future growth and development.
By the Capital Improvements Committee
The CTUIR Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) invites CTUIR community members to provide feedback on future capital projects. To view the full list please find the News item on the main page of the CTUIR.org website titled: Capital Improvement Projects. The news item will provide a link to the Webmap, an interactive application. Capital projects are larger development projects that tribe construct to provide services, protect resources, and other related projects. Input provided by the community will help the CIC prioritize and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees for funding large projects over the next few years. There are a range of projects such as housing, community service, recreation, natural resource, and economic development. The newest the newest project that will be included on this is the recently developed conceptual design for the July Grounds. The conceptual July
Grounds Project was a collaborative effort with community surveys and involvement of other stake holders. The conceptual plan is just a collection of ideas that can be developed into full-fledged projects if they prioritized by the community. Your input is greatly appreciated and desired. If you do not have access to the internet, please contact the Tribal Planning Office at 1-541-276-3099 and we can provide some paper materials for your review. Public input on the Capital Improvement Projects will be gathered throughout the month of March. The webmap was recently designed by the CTUIR GIS Department and is a new tool that is being tested for use in Planning or other projects where public review and input is invited. Feedback about the webmap, Capital Improvements process, or projects desired but not listed in the webmap can be sent to the Tribal Planning Office at TPO@ctuir.org. Thank you for your input!
CUJ Briefs NCS offering students rapid COVID testing MISSION - Nixyaawii Community School is offering rapid COVID-19 testing to symptomatic and exposed students and school staff. Students must have a consent form on hand in order to receive the test. The test will be administered by a Pendleton School District nurse. It is not mandatory and it is free of charge. Consent forms are on the school website and have been emailed to parents.
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A paper form has been given to students to take to their parent.
Toastmasters holding virtual event The Cay-Uma-Wa Toastmasters will host an open house geared toward improving public speaking and leadership skills March 9 from 6:45 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. The event, hosted by Pendleton Club #154, will be on Zoom, with a login 789 651 43889, password LETERBUCK. Door prizes will be given for those who attend.
ABOVE: A conceptual map of future capital projects by the CTUIR Capital Improvements Committee.
Courtesy
EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH!
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Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021
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INDEPENDENT LIVING A Global Disability Resource and Advocacy Center EOCIL is a proud supporter of the CTUIR community and other communities and programs that promote and value inclusion, equality and opportunities for people with disabilities. EOCIL is a global disability resource and advocacy center that provides an array of services for people with disabilities. EOCIL is operated by people with disabilities.
Services Available:
- Informational and Referral - Independent Living Skills Training (budgeting and financial management, cooking, application assistance, etc.) - Peer Counseling - Individual Advocacy - Life Transitions (school to employment, home to home, corrections to community, etc.) - LGBTQ and two spirit resources
- Support Groups - Youth Mentoring Project - Representative Payee Project - Emergency Financial Assistance - Accessibility Assistance - HIV/AIDS Independent Living Project - And many other services
Locations: EOCIL has three locations: 322 SW 3rd St., Pendleton, Ore. webpage: www.eocil.org Email: eocil@eocil.org 541-276-1037 711 Relay Toll free: 1-877-711-1037 1021 SW 5th Avenue, Ontario, Ore. 541-889-3119 Voice 711 Relay Toll free 1-844-489-3119
Providing services in Harney, Malheur, Baker, Union, Grant, Wallowa, Umatilla, Morrow, Wheeler and Gilliam, Wasco, Sherman and Hood River counties.
EOCIL is a supporter of:
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Confederated Umatilla Journal
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Bowman South Project now named ‘Nixyáawii’ By Nixyáawii Marketing Team
CTUIR Tribal members will soon have more opportunities to build market rate homes on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. After a recommendation on names from the General Council, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Board of Trustees passed a motion to formally name the neighborhood as Nixyáawii. The Nixyáawii neighborhood will be on approximately 12 acres of land south of Nixyáawii High School and Education Center and Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. The 50 residential lots will be available to CTUIR tribal members, 18 years and older, through the purchase of a 99-year lease. Single lots ranging from 4,000 to 6,800 square feet. The development is designed for market rates homes owned by CTUIR tribal members. Owners of the purchased lease-lots will have the ability to build, live on and enjoy that property. From the time of purchase, the owners will have three years to build on the lot. “Housing has been a Priority for the Tribal Community and the Board of Trustees for many years, if not generations," said J.D. Tovey III, Planning Director for CTUIR. “The Reservation is the home of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Indians, but for a long time it was difficult for tribal members to actually live on the reservation – because of fractionation, high land prices, or construction barriers such wells and septic tanks. This neighborhood will be a compact residential neighborhood on Tribal Water and Sewer. It is designed to be a walkable neighborhood so residents can easily walk to and from work or events.” Tentatively, the lease-lots will become available for purchase in the summer. Infrastructure such as streets, water, sewer, and power and fiber optic cable construction is expected to be complete by the fall. After that, homes may be constructed on the lots. Nixyáawii will be a neighborhood featuring sidewalks, alleys and a community park. Lease-lot owners will be responsible for all construction and maintenance of their homes.
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The former Bowman South Project is now called Nixyaawii.
Lease-lots at Nixyáawii will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Interested parties should be prepared to go through all the steps of the mortgage loan process starting with reviewing credit history, prequalification to determine affordability and gathering documents for pre-approval of a loan. Tribal members will be able to assess construction loans using HUD Section 184 Native Guaranteed Loans and the Veterans Affairs Native American Direct Loan (NADL). An independent sales broker, similar to a real estate agent, will also be involved to keep the transactions neutral and fair. “The path to homeownership can be complex, but also very rewarding,” said Pamela Ranslam, Homeownership Services Manager for Nixyáawii Community Financial
Confederated Umatilla Journal
Courtesy
Services. “Getting organized is key to making the mortgage process smooth. This is an exciting opportunity that allows Tribal members access to land on the reservation to achieve their goal of becoming homeowners.” The Capital Improvements Committee and the Housing Development Team, who is spearheading the project, reminds residents of the 2010 Comprehensive Plan goals and this project is the beginning of a blend of options for tribal homeownership. Nixyáawii Marketing Team has developed a website and informational materials to help interested parties understand the project and the buying process. For more information, please visit the website: www.Nixyaawii. com.
March 2021
Sheoships selected for Next Generation Radio Project By the CUJ
CTUIR member and KCUW radio station assistant Lily Sheoships was selected to participate in the Next Generation Radio Project on March 2. The offer to join a cohort, trained by the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA), Southern California Public Radio and National Public Radio, came after Sheoships applied Feb. 20. The project, called NextGenRadio: Indigenous, is a five-day digiLily Sheoships tal-first workshop centering on Indigenous stories and storytellers. “The reasons I applied for Next Generation Radio Project is because I believe this workshop will help expand my skills in multimedia journalism,” Sheoships said. “Plus my supervisor, Jiselle Halfmoon has encouraged me to apply as well! I know there is so much more for me to learn and I want to contribute exceptional work not only for my employers, but to the KCUW listeners as well. The audience relies on us for daily information whether its local news or events that are happening in the community. “Hopefully with my new skills, I can bring them news and stories with greater creativity, depth, and truth.” The project goes from March 14 to 19 and is all-remote due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The experience will be an “immersive training opportunity to learn more about podcasting, narrative audio storytelling, radio reporting and visual journalism,” according to NAJA.
‘Hopefully with my new skills, I can bring (listeners) news and stories with greater creativity, depth, truth.’ -Lily Sheoships KCUW Radio Assistant
MORE
BIRDIES MORE OFTEN LEARN FROM A
COUPLES GOLF LESSONS Lessons Include: F Golf Swing
Fundamentals
F Putting F Chipping
KCUW Operations Manager Jiselle Halfmoon was excited for her employee. “I encouraged Lily to apply because these are the type of opportunities I took advantage of as a young media professional and I know Lily would greatly benefit from the network and skill building these cohorts offer,” she said. “I am looking forward to the tribal story projects she will produce from this experience and the talents she will apply to her position in our media operations here at CTUIR.”
3 LESSONS
225
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CTUIR Express Phone Directory
PRO PER COUPLE
Book your lessons today.
Call the Pro Shop 541.276.5588
800.654.9453 | PENDLETON, OR wildhorseresort.com
CTUIR Switchboard 541-276-3165 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 541-276-0296
Finance Office 541-429-7150
TERF 541-276-4040
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Gaga2.21 WH022127AC
March 2021
Confederated Umatilla Journal
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Briefs Gov. Brown issues statement one year into pandemic By the Office of the Governor
SALEM — Governor Kate Brown issued the following statement Feb. 28, one year after the first positive COVID-19 case in Oregon: “For so many Oregonians, after living through the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires, flooding, severe winter weather, and a long-overdue reckoning on racism and racial justice, our lives are far different than they were on February 28, one year ago. “Through it all, I have been inspired by the way Oregonians have pulled together and helped one another. Because of your smart choices to protect friends and family, Oregon has maintained some of the lowest infection, hospitalization, and death rates in the nation throughout the pandemic. “Today, I want to take a moment to say: Thank you, Oregon. “Thank you to all our frontline workers––from our doctors, nurses and health care workers who have worked tirelessly to save lives, to the agricultural, food processing, and grocery workers who have kept food on our tables throughout the pandemic, to first responders, postal workers, transportation workers, restaurant and food service workers, educators and school support staff, and the many
more who have kept us all going. “Thank you to everyone who has helped friends and neighbors in need–– from Oregonians experiencing hunger or homelessness, to those displaced by wildfires, to those who lost jobs and livelihoods during the pandemic. Thank you to parents and caregivers, especially working mothers, who have balanced school, work, and family responsibilities in ways we never before imagined. “We must also acknowledge that this pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on Oregon’s Black, Indigenous, Tribal, Latino, Latina, and Latinx, Pacific Islander, Asian, and communities of color, as well as our immigrant and refugee communities. We must do better––to build a stronger, more just, more equitable Oregon for everyone who lives here. “With our vaccine efforts ramping up, the light at the end of the tunnel grows closer each day. We are reopening school buildings, businesses, and communities. But we must keep up our guard, with new, more contagious COVID-19 variants circulating in the United States, including in Oregon. “Today and every day, we remember the more than 2,200 Oregonians we have lost. Our hearts are with the families who have lost loved ones to this deadly disease. We must continue to keep each other safe by wearing masks, avoiding gatherings with people from outside our households, maintaining distance, washing our hands, and staying home while sick.
Celebrating our Employees
Congratulations to our February Employees of the Month:
Kendra McKeen
Preston Eagleheart
Robert Fowler
Program Manager Commercial & Market Team
Mng. Dir.- State & Tribal Government Team
Facilities Manager Support Team
Join our team! We have dozens of jobs open each month, including: Customer Service Agent (remote, must live in Oregon or Washington state), Desktop Technician, Helpdesk Agent (Pendleton), Jr. Application Developer, and Project Management Office director.
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Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021
Sports & News The monthly newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation ~ Pendleton, Oregon
Section
B
March 2021
Making a difference, one mask at a time Wilsonville business owner has CTUIR roots By Cary Rosenbaum of the CUJ
CTUIR member Janet Singh stumbled into creating an authentic Tribal facemask line. When the COVID-19 virus emerged in the United States early last year -- and masks were suggested and eventually mandated -- Singh rushed to her sewing machine. “At first, I was making masks for my immediate family members,” said Singh. “Soon thereafter, I received many compliments from relatives and random people that they began to place orders.” Her company, a family-operated business, is called Hitsiyu Sewing Services. “We were created from the desire of embracing your own individuality,” she said. “Each design on every product is sure to spark the interest of anyone, whether it is a Native
American design or their favorite sports team.” Many of her masks are worn locally around the CTUIR. “I designed these masks because I felt the need to express my appreciation of my Native American heritage -- as well as where I came from,” she said. Customers, Singh said, typically are looking for a mask to compliment an outfit. She soon found herself needing the business, as she was laid off. “(Mask-making) impacted my life dramatically this past year,” she said. “Having been laid off from my job, I was faced with many challenges and stress. ‘How do I cope with this?’ I asked myself. “I started at my sewing machine and said out loud to myself, ‘Well, I’m going to put you to good use and focus on sewing creative face masks.’” Early on, masks were in limited supply. The ones that were attainable were also limited in style, Singh Singh on page 15B
CTUIR member Janet Singh prepares her sewing machine for mask-making at her home in Wilsonville in February. She has created and sold masks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Courtesy photo
Lady Eagles, down four players, sweep Helix NCS rolls 25-20, 25-17, 25-22 in opening game
Vaccines for teens, school employees to occur March 17
By The CUJ
By the CUJ
MISSION - The Nixyaawii Community School Lady Eagles volleyball team expected to have 14 suit up to play Tuesday night against Helix High School. But not long before play began, four were forced to sit out due to not having 10 practices. “Luckily, we had just enough players last night,” first year Head Coach Janet Maddern said. “Some of our players didn’t know about the double practices required. At the last minute, I had to cross some athletes off.” No worry: NCS still swept Helix in thrilling and -- at times -- dominant fashion: 25-20, 25-17 and 25-22. In Set 1, the Golden Eagles won behind
MISSION - Students and employees from five area school districts will be eligible to be vaccinated March 17 at Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Registration requires a minimum age of 16 and proof of attending or working for Pendleton, Athena, Pilot Rock, Helix and Nixyaawii schools. The event will occur from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., with check-in near the food court. It adds on to an already-scheduled mass vaccination on March 16 and 17, where many will receive a second dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. To register, go online to http://airtable. com/shrBvSnL3ehESq8jZ or call (541)2408733.
Volleyball on page 14B
Alexis Maddern waits for the ball to come off the net to make a play for the Golden Eagles against Helix on March 2. Dallas Dick / CUJ
Redevelopment has begun on Lucky 7 Homes in Mission. The Office of Tribal Planning provided a thorough FAQ. Story begins on 16B
March 2021
Confederated Umatilla Journal
Nickelodeon to debut Native American character in ‘The Casagrandes.’ Story begins on 5B
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Good morning Nixyáawii A herd of elk rested atop a ridge near Sumac Road in February.
A scruffy-looking juvenile bald eagle looks for food near Upper McKay Creek. Tyler Stewart photo
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Robert McLean photo
A snow plow creates parking spaces at Nixyaawii Governance Center in February.
Cynthia Bean photo
A ring-necked pheasant struts through snow, enjoying sunlight on Shaw Road.
Tyler Stewart photo
Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021
Milan in action CTUIR cancels 2021 Basketball Against Alcohol & Drugs (BAAD) By the CTUIR
MISSION – After careful consideration of current pandemic restrictions within the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) has announced the annual Basketball Against Alcohol and Drugs tournament has been cancelled for 2021. “The Tribe has proudly hosted the BAAD tournament for more than 30 years,” said Kat Brigham, Chair of the CTUIR Board of Trustees. “We are hopeful we can jumpstart the annual tradition and
get the tournament back on track in 2022.” The CTUIR Education Department, by order of the CTUIR Executive Director, determined the tournament planning should not proceed. Last year, the 2020 event was cancelled after a 32 year consecutive history. Over the years, the tournament has brought over 600 youth, ages 6 to 18, to the Umatilla Indian Reservation to compete in the week long basketball tournament. Updates will be provided to the public when planning begins for the 2022 tournament.
Birthdays:
1st: Michael Hussey and Talia Tewawina 2nd: Ayden Star 5th: Michael Van Pelt, Jr. and Hanna Cummings 6th: Andrea Rodriguez 10th: Rhonda Scott 11th: Dorothy Jones and Tom Rodriguez 13th: Amber Gillpatrick, Percy Waine Brigham and Alan Simmons, Jr. 15th: Nadia Kash Kash 16th: Megan Van Pelt, Allen Kash Kash and Sheldon Price 18th: Dianne Billy 19th: Elijah Jones ~ Happy 1st!!! 22nd: Calliope Simpson 23rd: Ayanna Star 27th: Chance Wigger and Darryl McKay 28th: Kathryn Harrison
March 2021
CTUIR member and former NCS standout Milan Schimmel takes the ball down court for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats during a Dec. 5 game versus Florida. Schimmel played in four games in February, averaging 30.7 minutes per game. She has shown herself to be quite the playmaker for the 6-15 Bearcats, reaching a season-high 7 assists on Feb. 27 versus Tulsa. She has started 9 of 11 games this season at the NCAA Div. I level. AP Photo
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A NEW
EYE ON MARS AND HOW NAVAJO NATION’S AARON YAZZIE HELPED CREATE IT
A LOOK AT MARS Average distance from sun 142 million miles Size of planet 12,750 kilometers (just over half the size of Earth) Average temperature -82 degrees Fahrenheit Length of day 24 hours and 37 minutes
Yazzie recognized by Navajo Nation for role in designing new Mars rover By NASA and CUJ Staff Reports
The largest, most advanced rover NASA has sent to another world - Perseverance - touched down on Mars in February, after a 203-day journey traversing 293 million miles (472 million kilometers). Confirmation of the successful touchdown was announced in mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “We did it!!!,” JPL Mechanical Engineer and Navajo Nation member Aaron Yazzie said on his Facebook page. “NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover landed on Mars and sent back its first picture! What a beautiful sight!! Perseverance is packed with groundbreaking technology and will take an ambitious first step in the effort to collect Mars samples and return them to Earth. Yazzie played a key roll in designing the rover, which is pushing the edges of science. “This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, and space exploration globally – when we know we are on the cusp of discovery and sharpening our pencils, so to speak, to rewrite the textbooks,” said acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk. “The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission embodies our nation’s spirit of persevering even in the most challenging of situations, inspiring, and advancing science and exploration. The mission itself personifies the human ideal of persevering toward the future and will help us prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.” Perseverance is about the size of a car, weighing in 2,263-pounds. The robot
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Aaron Yazzie helped design the most advanced rover that NASA has ever sent to another planet. The Navajo Nation member helped design the drill bits that are drilling into the surface of Mars to collect rock and sediment samples. Aaron Yazzie photo
will undergo several weeks of testing before it begins its two-year science investigation of Mars’ Jezero Crater. The rover will investigate the rock and sediment of Jezero’s ancient lakebed and river delta to characterize the region’s geology and past climate, a fundamental part of its mission is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. To that end, the Mars Sample Return campaign, being planned by NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), will al-
low scientists on Earth to study samples collected by Perseverance to search for definitive signs of past life using instruments too large and complex to send to the Red Planet. After Perseverance landed successfully, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer congratulated and recognized Yazzie, for his role in designing the rover. “We are very proud of one of our very own, Aaron Yazzie, who is playing a vital
Confederated Umatilla Journal
role in NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance Mission. Thursday’s successful landing gained worldwide attention and it’s wonderful to know that a member of the Navajo Nation is part of this historic mission. Aaron is an inspiration for all of our Navajo people, especially our young people who are pursuing their education working hard to fulfill their lifetime goals. We congratulate him, his family, and all of his colleagues for their great work. As the mission continues, we offer our prayers for continued success,” said President Nez. Yazzie was born in Tuba City, Ariz. and graduated from Holbrook High School before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. He currently works at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, designing mechanical systems for NASA’s robotic space research missions. For the Mars 2020 Perseverance Mission, he helped to design the drill bits that are drilling into the surface of Mars to collect rock and sediment samples. Before the Mars 2020 Perseverance Mission, Yazzie worked on projects that studied Jupiter, Earth, and other missions to Mars including the Mars Science Laboratory Rover Mission, the Mars InSight Lander Mission, and the Mars 2020 Rover Mission. He is also a member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, who devotes time to higher education and STEM outreach activities for students, including Native Americans. “The Mars 2020 Perseverance Mission is an exciting opportunity for everyone and my hope is that having a Navajo person, Aaron Yazzie, involved in the mission will create even more interest and inspire more young Navajo students to pursue higher education and careers in the STEM fields. Words cannot express NASA rover on page 9B
March 2021
‘The Casagrandes’ to Introduce New Lakota Character, Charles Little Bull
Charles Little Bull will become one of the first Lakota figures to appear in a major American animated-TV production By Russell Contreras (Yahoo)
Moonlight silhouette
Moonlight pours through a willow tree's branches near the Umatilla River in February.
Tyler Stewart Photo
Predator 5 will follow a female Native American warrior By Sandy Schaefer (CBR)
A potential synopsis emerged for Predator 5, revealing the movie will revolve around a young Native American woman. According to AvPGalaxy, the film will follow Kee, a member of the Comanche tribe “who goes against gender norms and traditions to become a warrior.” Produced by David Entertainment, Predator 5 is slated to begin shooting in Calgary, Canada this May, with Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) directing from a script by Patrick Aison (Kingdom, Jack Ryan, Treadstone). Trachtenberg has been working on Predator 5 for four years, admitting “This was meant to be a surprise” when news of the project broke in Nov. 2020. The film is not expected to connect to 2018’s The Predator, which was directed by Shane Black and disappointed at the box office, despite becoming the highest-grossing Predator film to date. Predator 5 will also be the first installment produced under Disney, which acquired the rights to the Predator franchise when it bought 20th Century Fox’s movie and TV assets in March 2019. The Predator movies kicked off in 1987 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers
March 2021
The Predator has been on the movie screen for years and will come across a young Native American woman in the latest installment of the movie monster series.
as members of an elite special ops team who encounter a member of the titular alien race in the jungles of Central America. Other entries in the franchise include the sequels Predator 2 (1990), Predators (2010) and The Predator, in addition to a pair of crossover films with the Alien franchise released in 2004 and 2007. The unofficial synopsis reads: The story will follow Kee, a Comanche woman who goes against gender norms and traditions to become a warrior. Many years ago -- in a time before any Europeans had ever encroached on their lands -- the
Comanche people had a well defined society and gender norms. Kee is very close to her younger brother, Taabe, who is being groomed as a leader. As capable as any young man in the tribe, Kee has always been a teacher and source of inspiration for Taabe. In the Comanche way -- she is Patsi -- the elder sister that has helped to shape him. Kee is a truth teller and has insight that others do not. A tomboy, she wants to prove herself in the masculine world of the Comanche. When danger threatens them all -- Kee sets out to prove that she is as capable as any young warrior.
Confederated Umatilla Journal
Meet Charles Little Bull: He’s a role-model grad student in his twenties who wears his long hair in two braids. And today, when Nickelodeon unveils his character on “The Casagrandes,” he’ll become one of the first Lakota figures to appear in a major American animated-TV production. Why it matters: His debut reflects Native American advocates’ heightened campaigning to champion more positive, high-profile representation in media and news coverage. That’s happening as they also push for sports teams to drop offensive mascots with stereotypical images of Indigenous people. Consulting producer Lalo Alcaraz, who also worked on the Disney film “Coco,” has been an outspoken advocate for getting more Native Americans in film and television. The details: Little Bull, voiced by Native American actor Robbie Daymond, tutors one of the show’s teen Latina characters, Carlota Casagrande. His first appearance comes in an episode titled “Undivided Attention.” “Charles is a patient, encouraging, and positive tutor who never gives up on a student no matter how challenging,” a Nickelodeon official tells Axios in a statement. “Charles loves to learn, and when he’s not tutoring at the library, he’s hanging at the library.” Between the lines: “The Casagrandes,” which debuted in 2019, centers around an 11-year-old girl trying to survive in a big midwestern city. It’s one of the first cartoons in the U.S. to feature a multigenerational MexicanAmerican family. The spin-off from the network’s popular animation series, “The Loud House,” came as more networks were taking chances on Latinothemed shows. Some activists are hoping other characters from the franchise, like Little Bull, get their own spin-off. What they’re saying: “We’re finally seeing a shift in Native representation in Hollywood and stories that center and include contemporary Native characters,” Crystal Echo Hawk, founder and executive director of networking and advocacy group IllumiNative, told Axios. She said she’s hopeful Little Bull will be “the first of many Native cartoon characters on Nickelodeon.” The PBS cartoon “Molly of Denali” also Character on page 9B
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Feds drop legal battle against Mashpee lands By The Associated Press
MASHPEE, Mass. — The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe scored a legal victory Friday when the U.S. Interior Department withdrew a Trump administration appeal that aimed to revoke federal reservation designation for the tribe’s land in Massachusetts. A federal judge in 2020 blocked the U.S. Interior Department from revoking the tribe’s reservation designation, saying the agency’s decision to do so was “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and contrary to law.” The Trump administration appealed the decision, but the Interior Department on Friday moved to dismiss the motion. In a filing in a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., the Interior Department said it had “conferred with the parties and none opposes this mo-Jessie Baird, tion.” A judge granted the motion and disMashpee missed the case. Wampanoag The tribe’s vice Vice Chair chair, Jessie Little Doe Baird, called it a triumph for the tribe and for ancestors “who have fought and died to ensure our Land and sovereign rights are respected.” “We look forward to being able to close the book on this painful chapter in our history,” Baird said in a statement. “The decision not to pursue the appeal allows us continue fulfilling our commitment to being good stewards and protecting our Land and the future of our young ones and providing for our citizens.” The Cape Cod-based tribe was granted more than 300 acres of land in trust in 2015 by thenPresident Barack Obama, a move that carved out the federally protected land needed for the tribe to develop its planned $1 billion First Light casino, hotel and entertainment resort. The tribe learned in March 2020 that the federal government was moving to reverse the reservation designation. The Trump administration decided it could not take the land into trust because the tribe was not officially recognized as of June 1, 1934. That was the year the federal Indian Reorganization Act, which laid the foundation for modern federal Indian policy, became law. At the time, the tribe’s chair called it a “sucker punch.” The Cape Cod-based tribe, which traces its ancestry to the Native Americans that shared a fall harvest meal with the Pilgrims in 1621, gained federal recognition in 2007. U.S. Representative Bill Keating, D-Massachusetts, whose district represents Cape Cod, applauded the decision to drop the appeal. “The claim that the Tribe of the First Light, the Tribe of the First Thanksgiving was not an original Native American Tribe has always been disingenuous,” Keating said in a statement. “And the Trump Administration’s sudden attempt to remove their land from trust last March — in the midst of a pandemic — was heartless.”
‘We look forward to being able to close the book on this painful chapter in history.’
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Marie Crawford was enthusiastic while she waited in line at the most recent food distribution held Feb. 28 in Mission.
Julie Taylor photo
Food Distribution counts record high number, announces upcoming change By the CUJ
MISSION - The Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) saw its highest turnout to date Feb. 28, as 375 showed up. DCFS Director Julie Taylor anticipated the amount after the previous distribution came up short. “It’s growing,” she said. “People are having more need for food. They
are going back to work, but they still have the need. ... I think we’ve adjusted. We’re okay now.” CTUIR Fish & Wildlife was also part of the event, handing out salmon and meat to Tribal members in a separate line, where 180 showed up. Taylor noted a change to the dates of the next food distribution, which will be held on Thursday, March 18 at 3 p.m.
“We’re going to have to switch our days again from Sunday because they’re having Church services again. With refrigeration and everything, they need their space too.” Since starting in March, the CTUIR has provided 19 food distributions. They are open to Tribal members and non-tribal members who live within the boundaries of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
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March 2021
Two Rivers inmate was advocate for Native rights Phyll Mendacino passed away at age 65 due to COVID-19 complications By Jill-Marie Gavin for the CUJ
The last time Red Lodge Transition Services (Red Lodge) organized a large event at Two Rivers Correctional Facility (Two Rivers) was in August of 2019. On August 31, 2019, inmates and visitors gathered for the annual “prison pow wow.” Throughout the whole event, laughter rang out across the yard and the big drum thumped in the background. Misting tents cooled off family and guests of inmates while everyone ate, visited and danced with their loved ones. Red Lodge, a non profit organization that helps Indigenous inmates remain in contact with family, get on their feet once released and hopefully keep from reoffending, organized that pow wow for Two Rivers. Red Lodge travels to all the Oregon prisons annually to support Native American Religious Freedoms. They also held a smaller event in November of 2019 but have not been able to see any of the inmates since then. The group returned to Two Rivers for the first time in more than a year on February 13, 2021. February’s trip to the prison was a much colder and more somber event than in years past. In March of 2020, Oregon prisons shut their doors to visitors. This closure, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, also ceased all the Native American Religious Services for inmates. Red Lodge Executive Director Trish Jordan said she felt it was time to resume services for incarcerated Indigenous people. After Jordan received news of one of their most dedicated volunteers passing away, due to complications of COVID, she began to pursue a plan to bring prayer to the prisons. “It was easier than I thought it would be. I approached Chaplain Cardona (Two Rivers) first and said we would like to go to all the prisons and pray for the inmates,” Jordan said. She spoke first to the Chaplain and then was routed through the superintendent’s office. She told the superintendent, “Even though we can’t go in I know we can change the energy, because we know that’s possible through our prayers.” The superintendent, Jordan said, was very supportive of the plan. An area was designated for the group to gather and pray for the inmates from afar. Before the event took place , there was a historic snowstorm that shut down Eastern Oregon. The space planned for the ceremony was no longer an option but volunteers and family members remained dedicated to the service and arrived to pray in the snow.
From left to right: Muriel Slickpoo, General Council Secretary Shawna Gavin and Red Lodge Executive Director Trish Jordan participate in smudging during a memorial event for Phyll Mendacino at Two Rivers Correctional Facility. BELOW: Phyll Mendacino, center, poses for recent picture. Courtesy photos
This particular reopening of ceremony was a priority for Red Lodge because it was planned to say goodbye to one of their longtime inmate volunteers and dear friend. Phyll Mendacino, known as Phillip Red Woman, had been fighting for Native American Religious Freedom rights since he first entered prison in 1998. Mendacino, age 65, passed away January 26 at Trios Health in Kennewick, Wash. due to complications from COVID. He was enrolled Northern Cheyenne. Outside of the prison fences and across the field from the main prison, volunteers gathered and began their service by smudging one another. Mendacino’s daughter, Pamela Steffy, travelled from Kamiah, ID the day before the event to say goodbye to her father. Steffy said she was a young girl when her father began his sentence of 25 years
after he was convicted of murder. She said her father and mother separated when she was very young but she remained in contact with Mendacino throughout the entire 23 years he served. Steffy was shocked when she received news he had passed. She then had to break the news to her children who had also become very close to her father. After weeks of no news from her father she began to think he had gotten himself in trouble but still waited for his call. She continued to ask her children week after week, “Still no grandpa?” The family had grown accustomed to his weekly calls. Conversations had shifted over the years as he inched closer to release. Their previous discussions focused on the past slowly turned towards the future. Steffy said her father always asked about Kamiah and Lame Deer, Montana
and how they compared to how he remembered them. After he started getting closer to his grandchildren his questions started focusing on current events and what to expect on the outside. “It was like they breathed more and more life into him and gave him more of a reason for him to go on,” Steffy recalled. Before the calls ended and as the pandemic worsened his attention and conversations began to revolve around safety. Mendacino started getting himself in trouble, he told Steffy. As Covid cases began to ravage Two Rivers staff and inmate population, Mendacino expressed his fear of getting it and urged his grandchildren to remain cognizant of their hygiene and to wear masks whenever possible. To date, Two Rivers Correctional Facility has had the highest number of Covid cases in the state. Mendacino was one of 13 deaths at the Umatilla prison in January. When her father did pass Steffy didn’t receive word from the prison, but rather through Facebook. Jordan messaged Steffy and let her know that prison was trying to reach her as next of kin. “It blew me away because he was so scared of getting Covid. He would call and tell me people are getting Covid pardons. He was hoping to get out because he has had so many appeals and fought to get out for so many years,” she said. With the help of Jordan, the family set a date to say goodbye to Mendacino. They prepared to travel to Umatilla for closure. Steffy and her family weren’t the only travelers who braved hundreds of miles to attend the service. Red Lodge volunteers drove from as far as Klamath Falls. A table was set up with photos of Mendacino and the group lined up across the snowy field that hosted the sunny pow wow less than two years earlier. The windows were dark and the inmates were not allowed to come out to hear the songs but the group sang on. Michael Ray Johnson, General Council Vice Chair for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, opened the ceremony with the Washat bell. Each member of the family shared their words in bidding their relative farewell before Mendacino’s obituary was read. Volunteers all spoke about Mendacino’s decades of work to liberate Indigenous inmates and to make a way for true religious freedom. Chaplain Cardona also became emotional as he talked about the inmate’s passion for spirituality. Steffy said of her father, “His faith was what held him closest to Native culture. He always wanted to share that. He was always proud of their sweats and their pow wows.” Steffy was happy Mendacino was able to share his deep cultural knowledge with her children before he left this earth. Mendacino on page 9B
‘His faith was what held him closest to Native culture. He always wanted to share that. He was always proud of their sweats and their pow wows.’ Pamela Steffy, daughter of Phyll Mendacino, who was a Two Rivers Correctional Facility inmate and Native American Religious Freedom rights activist
March 2021
Confederated Umatilla Journal
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Portland college offers free tuition to Black and Native American students By Meerah Powell (OPB)
It’s the coldest day students and staff members have experienced yet. They’re in class at Wayfinding Academy — a small, private college in the St. Johns neighborhood of North Portland. About a dozen students sit spread out at desks, wearing masks, in a wide, open room that resembles more of a ballroom than a classroom. Despite the cold, the students stay focused on the task at hand — some with small space heaters atop their desks while others, like 20-year-old Keyanna Kahey, are wrapped in blankets. Wayfinding has to keep the windows cracked open in the old house it runs classes out of, to limit risk from COVID-19. But the school’s trying some new ways to address long-standing challenges facing people of color seeking college degrees. On this particularly chilly day, Kahey and her classmates are using paint, tape and a small piece of canvas to create an art project focused on self-identity in a class called Foundations of Resilience. Kahey is the only Black student in her cohort, and she was the first-ever recipient of the school’s Free Tuition Initiative program — a full-tuition scholarship exclusively for Black and Native American students at Wayfinding. “I have this honor and this pleasure to be here and to have this opportunity that people don’t have,” Kahey said, “especially people of color.” Wayfinding Academy began the free tuition program last August, as an extension of the institution’s mission to focus on equity and centering students. Founder Michelle Jones began planning the creation of Wayfinding Academy in late 2014. She had spent 15 years working in higher education and was disappointed and frustrated with the system, before taking the steps to create Wayfinding. “It didn’t take too long of starting that career to realize that a lot of what higher education does is actually harmful to students, some students more than others,” Jones said. “It got more and more expensive and it started creating these long-term debt situations for all kinds of people, but also significantly contributing to the racial inequalities related to debt over people’s lifetimes.”
Going against the system
Among Oregon public universities, students of color graduate with more debt, on average, than white students, according to data from Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission, or HECC. For example, of students who started at an Oregon public university as freshmen and earned bachelor’s degrees in the 2018-19 academic year — Black students graduated with an average of $29,000 of College on page 12B
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Federal court says Washington can require two-person train crews By Mike Lindblom of the Seattle Times
Dozens of daily trains that haul cargo such as wheat, aircraft parts and crude oil across Washington state can be required to operate with two-person crews, a federal court has ruled. The federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld the state’s 2020 crew-size law by ruling that a Trump administration order to require only one-person crews issued in 2019 was arbitrary and “does not implicitly preempt state safety rules.” That 2019 order, by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), was designed to resist ongoing pressure in Washington and other states to preserve two-person crews, which rail-worker unions argue are needed to protect safety and jobs, even in an age of automation. “The Trump administration unlawfully attempted to impose a national one-person crew standard that jeopardizes our environment and Washingtonians’ safety …” said state Attorney General Bob Ferguson. California and Nevada joined with Washington state to sue over the FRA order. BNSF Railway, the leading freight-train company in Washington, currently operates with two-person crews, based on its union contracts, said railway spokesperson Courtney Wallace. Amtrak Cascades passenger trains, owned by Washington state, will continue to operate with one engineer in the cab, a conductor roving the A train hauling oil passes through the Gorge on its way to Vancouver in 2014. Columbian File Photo train who often helps with navigation and landone-person crew, there would be no accident report.” marks, and sometimes an assistant conductor, said Janet Matkin, state rail spokesperson. Tuesday’s ruling Beyond that, the court declared even the best response doesn’t change that, she said. plan wouldn’t quickly aid a disabled train in the Cascade or However, the Association of American Railroads, a de- Sierra mountains in winter. fendant in the lawsuit, says that single-crew operations are In past Washington hearings, a conductor mentioned savmore economically competitive and have been used for many ing a boy’s life because there were two crew members, while passenger, local and foreign track routes. “Congress must reject legislative efforts to require at least an engineer testified that conductors prevented near-crashes, two people in the crew, and instead encourage innovation,” according to Ferguson’s staff. Ferguson boasted this is his department’s 41st legal victory the association declared in online commentary. The Washington state Legislature passed its law last year against the former Trump administration. in the wake of a 2016 Union Pacific oil-train fire in the Columbia River Gorge, blamed on flawed track maintenance, and the December 2017 fatal derailment of an Amtrak train near DuPont, Pierce County, blamed on many factors including inadequate crew training. The arguments over crew size may resurface in future bargaining or legislation. Interstate railroad companies have gradually introduced automation, which they say reduces crew needs. On Dec. 29, outgoing Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced that satellite-based positive train control, designed to automatically stop trains before a collision, is now installed nationwide. The three-judge court ruling mentioned that 1,545 of 1,600 comments supported multiple-crew rules during a FRA comment period starting in 2016 when FRA was proposing a two-person standard. Crew standards became an issue after a crude-oil train derailment killed 47 people and burned downtown LacMegantic, Quebec, when the sole crew member didn’t fully secure multiple train brakes. (The Canadian investigation didn’t declare whether a second crew member would have prevented the tragedy, but said solo-crew operations deserve tight scrutiny.) After President Donald Trump took office, the FRA switched positions and ordered a one-person crew standard. Safety can be achieved instead by a strong accident-response plan, it said. FRA also argued historical data didn’t prove that one-crew member crashes would have been prevented by a second crew member, except perhaps an “indirect” relationship. The appeals court judges scoffed at that logic in a footnote Tuesday: “It stands to reason that where a two-person crew avoided an accident that might not have been avoided by a
Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021
Mendacino Continued from page 7B
She said no matter what cultural background someone had, he always wanted to share the ways of his People because he truly believed they helped heal. She was thankful for the chance to say goodbye in a way he would have liked. The group stood out in the mid-20-degree weather to sing and pray, not only for the departed, but for all the inmates who, Jordan said, are on the inside hurting. Jordan said this won’t be the only service of its kind. Unfortunately, Mendacino has not been the only Indigenous inmate in Oregon to pass away due to COVID. According to the Center for Disease Control, Native Americans die at a rate twice as high as white Americans. The dangers for Indigenous people in terms of COVID mortality, coupled with over representation in prison populations has made the Indigenous inmate mortality rate a concerning development for Jordan. Native Americans also have an incarceration rate twice that of White Oregonians according to a 2017 study conducted by the Vera Institute of Justice. These concerns were heightened during the two week blackout at Two Rivers in December. All these circumstances created a sense of urgency for Jordan to get the ball rolling on prayer events outside all of the Oregon prisons. Though visitation is still not allowed, she said they must show up for the inmates to send good energy “over the walls.” “Our religion isn’t written down. We can’t just turn the pages in the bible and minister to ourselves. The way that we practice is very different than Christianity and other religions. It’s an earth-based religion and it requires community. We need to sit at the drum and sing in one heartbeat of the People. Almost everything we do is in community. To not be able to smudge, to not be able to sweat is huge, because Christian groups can send in a DVD of services and we can’t do that,” Jordan said. Mendacino, Jordan said, understood the importance
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how proud we are of Mr. Yazzie. He is clearing the path for young Navajo professionals. Congratulations to him and his team at NASA,” stated Vice President Lizer. The Perseverance was launched on July 30, 2020 and traveled 126 million miles before landing on Mars via skycrane. “Perseverance is the first step in bringing back rock and regolith from Mars. We don’t know what these pristine samples from Mars will tell us. But what they could tell us is monumental – including that life might have once existed beyond Earth,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA. Some 28 miles (45 kilometers) wide, Jezero Crater sits on the western edge of Isidis Planitia, a giant impact basin just north of the Martian equator. Scientists
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premiered in 2019 and centered on an Alaska Native family. That children’s production focuses on a 10-year-old Athabascan girl with a video blog about life in rural Alaska. PBS said it was the first nationally distributed children’s series with a Native American lead.
March 2021
‘Phil was an OG. There’s not a lot of people who have ever done that much time and he never gave up. He was always fighting for more cultural programming and religious freedom issues.’ -Trish Jordan Red Lodge Executive Director
Phyll Mendacino had served in the military prior to his incarceration. Courtesy
of their work. “Phil was an OG. There’s not alot of people who have ever done that much time and he never gave up. He was always fighting for more cultural programming and religious freedom issues. He was always on them about that. He left a big footprint and he will be
have determined that 3.5 billion years ago the crater had its own river delta and was filled with water. The power system that provides electricity and heat for Perseverance through its exploration of Jezero Crater is a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, or MMRTG. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provided it to NASA through an ongoing partnership to develop power systems for civil space applications. Equipped with seven primary science instruments, the most cameras ever sent to Mars, and its exquisitely complex sample caching system – the first of its kind sent into space – Perseverance will scour the Jezero region for fossilized remains of ancient microscopic Martian life, taking samples along the way. “Perseverance is the most sophisticated robotic geologist ever made, but verifying that microscopic life once existed carries an enormous burden of proof,” said Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division. “While we’ll learn a lot Don’t forget: From Looney Tunes to Peter Pan, earlier cartoons for years portrayed Native Americans using racist and stereotypical imagery. Often those characters didn’t have names. Their tribal affiliations were rarely mentioned. John Redcorn from the Fox cartoon series, “The King of the Hill,” was a Native American character portrayed as a loner in leather vests and windblown hair. His symbolism on the show was a topic of debate among pop-culture critics.
missed,” Jordan said. The group of volunteers closed out their service by holding a dinner of First Foods and a small give away in the administrative building. Mendacino’s body has not been released to the family, but Steffy said when it is she plans to take him home. “He was very proud of the fact that they started implementing the sweat house and he opened it to anyone, not just Native Americans. He had the desire for belief and was one of the first ones, being there so long, that advocated for their Native culture and Native rights. If he could help other Natives in there, he would. He supported them getting in touch with what he knew and could share. He alway talked about the Peyote services and sacred Medicine Hat beliefs handed down from his grandparents. He shared his family’s ways from Lame Deer with others. It was a good thing and he may have changed some young person’s life. I’d like to take him back home to Lame Deer and bury him alongside all his brothers,” Steffy said.
with the great instruments we have aboard the rover, it may very well require the far more capable laboratories and instruments back here on Earth to tell us whether our samples carry evidence that Mars once harbored life.” Yazzie has worked on the Perseverance rover mission the past five years. When describing what the landing would look like, Yazzie said “It is NUTS! Giant parachute, jet pack, sky crane, what!? It’s always hard to land something on Mars - but if anyone is going to do it successfully, it is this Perseverance team. So proud to be part of this team and this mission.” The rover touched down successfully and has already transmitted back images and sound from the red planet.
Starting in March! The CUJ will begin publishing birth announcements to the CTUIR community for free! Send a photo and information to CUJ@CTUIR.org or 541-429-7368!
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Continuing to advocate University of Washington Cross Country runner Rosalie Fish, a member of the Muckleshoot Tribe, is hosting a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women educational series starting in March. Courtesy of
Collegiate runner Rosalie Fish, activist for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, will host online educational series By The Daily News
Rosalie Fish, the collegiate distance runner, activist for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, will kick off an online educational series at 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 19, speaking of resilience. The Southwest Washington Equity Coalition is hosting 12 virtual “teach-ins,” or educational sessions, to identify goals, promote action and define change for topics like racial justice, health, public safety and housing. For centuries, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe lived in what are now known as Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis and parts of Pierce, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties. It took generations for the tribe to be federally recognized, which allows them to receive some federal benefits while remaining self-governed on their land. The March event will include a land acknowledgement led by Cowlitz Indian Tribe member Tanna Engdahl and comments from Clark College President Karin Edwards. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has also been invited to speak. Fish first made headlines in 2019 as a senior distance runner for Muckleshoot Tribal School with her face covered by a red handprint, and the letters “MMIW,” for Missing and Murdered Indigenous
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Women, running down her right leg. According to the Urban Indian Health Institute, in 2016, there were 5,712 reports of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls, but only 116 cases were logged on the U.S. Department of Justice’s federal missing persons database. Each month, a new topic in the Southwest Washington Equity Coalition series will be discussed on Zoom. The schedule is: • April: Advancing Equity in the Workplace • May: Equitable Decision-Making • June: Community Solutions to Policing • July: Racism as a Public Health Crisis • August: LGBTQIA+ Communities • September: Immigrant Mental Health • October: Food Sovereignty • November: Tribal Communities • December: Housing, Homelessness, and Gentrification • January 2022: Authentic Community Engagement • February 2022: Closing Teach-In
According to its website, Southwest Washington Equity Coalition includes organization and community leaders seeking to advance racial equity through policy advocacy, institutional change and creating an inclusive culture in southwest Washington. To purchase tickets for the series, visit https:// swecwa.org/teach_in. Group rates are available, and early registrations receive a 5% discount when using the code EQUITY by March 12. Scholarships are available for students and those in need.
Confederated Umatilla Journal
Rep. Deb Haaland, nominee to become secretary of the U.S. Dept. of the Interior was shown disrespect by GOP senators at her confirmation hearing. Christopher Thompson photo
Haaland hearing brought pride and disgust By Levi Ricket (Native News Online)
It was difficult to not get emotional as Rep. Deb Haaland testified at her confirmation hearing to become the 54th secretary of Dept. of the Interior before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The hearing that was held over two days and three rounds of questioning produced feelings of pride and disgust. Hearing on page 13B
March 2021
Kyrie Irving says All-honor is for the culture Little Mountain, as he was named by the Standing Rock Sioux, earns fifth NBA All-Star Selection
Kyrie Irving, who wore a National Congress of American Indians hat during an interview on February 25, has been named an NBA All-Star for the fifth time in seven years. He is averaging 27.7 points per game, a 53 percent shooting percentage, a 43 percent 3-pt shooting percentage and an 89.9 percent foul line shooting percentage.
By Kristian Winfield (The Daily News)
Standing Rock Sioux descendant Kyrie Irving, who was named Little Mountain by his people, was named an All-Star starter for the fifth time in seven years, said the All-Star Game’s cultural significance is the biggest honor for the designation. The Nets star shooting guard is averaging 27.7 points on 53% shooting from the field, 43% shooting from 3, and 89.9% shooting from the foul line, earning yet another nod among the cream of the league’s crop. “Like I said in the beginning of the season, I know how much I care about being validated culturally, just my culture in terms of the hooping culture,” he said. “That’s where I came from. The NBA culture in terms of the fanatic and all the awards and accolades. They mean a lot too, but I do it for the love; so anytime I get a chance to do it on a bigger stage in front of millions of people, I’m gonna take full advantage of that. All glory to God for the talent that he’s given me.” Nets star Kevin Durant was named the Eastern Conference All-Star captain, and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Washington’s Bradley Beal and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid were also named All-Stars. Out West, LeBron James hauled in more fan votes than anyone else in the league, while Portland’s Damian Lillard, Golden State’s
NBA photo
NBA All-Star Game March 7 at 5 p.m. pacific on TNT Stephen Curry, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic will also represent in Atlanta on March 7. Irving may not have looked the part of an All-Star starter in Brooklyn’s 10998 win over the Lakers on Feb. 18, but he at least played the part in pregame warmups. After completing his pregame ritual — a brief moment between Irving, the court, and the ancestors he pays homage to — the Nets guard went through
a variety of ball-handling drills before jumping onto the layup line. On his first run, he threw himself an alley-oop off the backboard, caught it with one hand, cocked it back and punched it in. On the next, he elevated for a two-handed tomahawk. Irving only finished with 16 points on 17 shots and he turned the ball over five times to his five assists. By all accounts, it wasn’t an effective-enough performance from the team’s aggressive scorer. But it
was also an outlier, a rare down game for Irving, who is averaging 28 points per game on career-best efficiency. That efficiency coupled with his electricity are why Irving is an All-Star, a starter for the fifth time in seven years, including once with three different teams. “I’m really grateful that I have the support not only from the community that I come from but communities all over to be able to vote,” he said. “We just want to always put on a great performance after we take the hours to go home and work on our craft, and then we get selected [from] the best of the best in the world. So that honor doesn’t just go over my head.”
Haskell Athletics receives technology boost from Seminoles Haskell, located in Lawrence, Kansas, has featured some of the best athletes from the Seminole Tribe By Kevin Johnson (The Seminole Tribune)
It is smoother streaming for broadcasts of Haskell Indian Nations University sports thanks to a few Seminoles. When Jason Billie, who lives on the Hollywood Reservation, heard that the athletics department at Haskell was struggling with the streaming of its games, he didn’t hesitate to help his alma mater halfway across the country. “Haskell is a big part of my life. I’ve met so many friends,” said Billie, who first attended Haskell in the 1990s and then returned to continue his studies in 2016 after his children were grown. Throughout the past several decades, Haskell, located in Lawrence, Kansas, has featured some of the best athletes from the Seminole Tribe, such as Paul Bowers Sr., Moses Jumper Jr., Peter Hahn, Duelle Gore and others. The athletics department was in need of an upgrade to the technology they use to broadcast games over the internet. Equipment errors had interrupted broadcasts in the After struggling with online streaming, Haskell Indian Nations University athletics received help from a few Seminoles to Haskell Athletics improve the service.
March 2021
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loan debt and Native American students graduated with an average of $28,000 of such debt. That’s compared to approximately $26,000 for white students, according to the HECC. “Oregon students of color face enormous barriers and equity gaps accessing postsecondary education, affording postsecondary education and completing postsecondary ed,” HECC’s director Ben Cannon said. “These issues of inclusivity, issues of discrimination and bias, issues of access, are rife within Oregon postsecondary education, and we have a long way to go to make our campuses and cultures more inclusive and equitable.” According to HECC data, at Oregon public universities, most students of color tend to graduate at lower rates than white students, leaving them at risk of leaving college with debt, but without the higher earnings that often come with degree completion. Out of full-time students who began at Oregon public universities in 2013, according to HECC data, only 54% of students who identify as Native American earned a bachelor’s degree within six years. The corresponding six-year graduation rate for Black students was about 50% but was significantly higher — about 67% — for white students. Jones said she started Wayfinding looking to upend the “traditional” higher ed system. She has started small. Wayfinding offers one degree: a two-year associate’s in “self and society” with a focus, Jones said, on helping students figure out what they want to do after college, and how to get there. Classes have continued in person at Wayfinding even through the pandemic because of the institution’s small enrollment. Currently, just 14 students are attending the school.
Meeting the moment
Jones said Wayfinding turned its goals of racial equity and centering students into tangible action last year by starting the Free Tuition Initiative program. The program was a move to “meet the moment,” she said. It began a few months after racial justice protests erupted across the country, after George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by Minneapolis police. “We’ve always wanted to make sure we’re not contributing to the problems that higher education brings with regard to institutions based in white supremacy and that kind of thing,” Jones, who is a white woman, said. “So we’ve always been cognizant of not wanting to add to those problems.” But Jones said , the college was not necessarily proactively helping to make things better. So, Jones began researching topics like reparations and wealth inequality in communities of color. Soon after, she pitched the idea of the program to her team. After discussing the legality of the program with the institution’s board, they agreed it aligned with their antidiscrimination policies already in place, and they greenlit the program. Wayfinding’s director of equitable learning Erica Compere also teaches at the college and was supervising that self-identity art project, as part of a class called Foundations of Resilience. In her position she said she’s given the institution guidance on how to include multicultural issues in its curriculum, not just for “one class.”
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“Everybody’s gonna be on the same page and we’re not just going to talk about it for a semester. We’re gonna talk about it all the time because this stuff happens all the time,” said Compere who also works to find mental or emotional support for students who may need it. She said Wayfinding’s willingness to work quickly towards addressing necessary changes has been refreshing. Like Michelle Jones, Compere also worked in higher education in the past. “I pointed some things out. They changed the agenda. They had it happen immediately, and I think that’s what’s nice about Wayfinding is it’s small,” Compere said. “Most institutions are these giant slugs, and you have to, like, coax it into action, and then when it happens, it takes a thousand years.” Compere started in her position at Wayfinding after the Free Tuition Initiative program had already begun, and she said she has a lot of respect for Wayfinding actually taking concrete action. But, she says, that program is only the beginning of the work. “The free tuition is to get students here, right? We need to make sure that once they get here, we can keep them here, and it’s very hard going into an all-white place,” Compere said. Kahey, the Free Tuition Initiative recipient, grew up in Portland and Gresham, so she knew what she was getting into. But, she said, her experiences at Wayfinding have been a stark contrast to the indifference and even explicit racism she had faced growing up and through high school. She said she felt the difference as soon as she started at Wayfinding. “I didn’t feel like people were looking at me because I was Black. I felt like people were looking at me because, I don’t know, I was a new person and they were excited to meet me,” Kahey said. “They were all very open and just wanted to hear about my experiences, not in a degrading way, but ‘I want to know; what is it like?’ Really actually interested, and that was something that was pretty nice to me because I literally grew up in a place where they did not really care at all.” Kahey took part in the Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, and she said she is proud of her school for taking action to support Black students. “I feel like when schools hand out scholarships, they just hand out scholarships for the paperwork. They hand out scholarships for the grades. This college handed the scholarship to the person that I am — the color of my skin,” Kahey said. “I didn’t have to prove myself because I already did, just by being here and being Black and trying like, I already did. And they saw that, and not a lot of schools see things like that, you know, and I think that’s really, really beautiful.”
Equity in higher ed at a higher level
Over the last several years, leaders of Oregon’s largest universities have taken steps to improve support for students of color, but not with the kind of direct support exclusively for students of color that Wayfinding is doing. In 2015, the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission adopted a new Student Success and Completion Model, which prioritized factors such as how many students are coming from specific marginalized communities. State funding used to be based solely on
how many students they were enrolling. “For the first time, that year, we started weighting funding based on the race and ethnicity of the students who were enrolling and completing by university,” Cannon, the HECC’s Director, said. In practice, that could encourage schools to better recruit and retain students of color due to the weighted funding. “We have made significant adjustments to state financial aid programs, so how we award grants to Oregon students, to try to ensure that we’re driving those dollars toward the students who experience the greatest financial need,” Cannon said. “And that overlaps significantly, although it’s not identical, to our students of color.” The state agency administers all of its financial aid programs without regard to immigration status, Cannon said. In 2019, the HECC hired its first Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Rudyane Rivera-Lindstrom. Rivera-Lindstrom said HECC is aiming to include in its work an understanding of how racial barriers form over time, historically, as well as the unique, recent conditions in Oregon. “Of course as the disparities have already existed, we know in this past year a lot of things were exasperated because of COVID, because of fires, because of so many things that would definitely perpetuate the existing things that were happening for our students of color,” she said. Although HECC officials pointed out broader efforts to push for racial equity in higher education on the state level, public institutions can’t legally do exactly what Wayfinding is doing. “There are limitations on the ability of public colleges and universities and the state government, there are limitations on our ability to use race as the determinant in the awarding of grant aid to students,” Cannon said. “We have explored this issue and continue to explore the question with our legal counsel at the state Department of Justice,” he said. “So, I don’t want to suggest that it would never occur, but it is something that will require some additional work and time before it ever does in the public sphere.” Private institutions are also reluctant to do something like Wayfinding’s free tuition program. Linfield University is a private institution with about 2,000 students spread out between campuses in Portland and McMinnville. The university said it offers very low, and at times free, tuition to many of its students — but, it makes those decisions based on many factors including, but not limited to, race. This current academic year, 96% of firstyear students at Linfield received some form of financial aid, according to the university. Linfield has no plans to do any sort of free tuition program or scholarship based solely on race. Reed College, a private institution in Portland that has about 1,400 students, said it also would likely not pursue a program like Wayfinding’s. Reed’s Director of Communications, Kevin Myers, said officials with the school say there seems to be a legal “gray area” as far as offering free tuition or scholarships based solely on race, gender or other characteristics. Myers said Reed’s priority is meeting the full demonstrated financial need of all admitted students. Reed does have a “fly-in” program, Myers said, in which the college pays for people
Confederated Umatilla Journal
of color to visit the college. “As far as recruiting, there’s been an intention of making Reed’s student body look more like the United States’ population,” Myers said, noting the college has increased campus diversity over the last few years Jones with Wayfinding still hopes to encourage other Oregon higher education institutions to consider doing something similar to Wayfinding’s Free Tuition Initiative. “Our annual operating budget is less than half a million dollars a year, so if a tiny college like us with that limited resource has conducted this, then surely every other college in the state that has a lot more money than us and a lot more resources than us can do it too,” Jones said. Both Compere and Kahey agreed that might be a difficult task to achieve because of Wayfinding’s size, and because of how differently Wayfinding is designed compared to more traditional institutions. “You have to change the whole system,” Compere said. “It’s a machine. You have to literally unplug the damn thing and get a new computer.”
Working toward expansion
Founder and President Jones wants to eventually open the Free Tuition to all people of color, not only Black and Native American students. “Our goal is not to stop with just these two identified groups. This is just our starting point. We needed a place to start, and we wanted something we could do immediately,” Jones said. “From a financial perspective, that made sense and that took into account the uniqueness of Oregon’s history and our existing institutional partnerships.” The institution already had relationships with local organizations in the Black and Native communities, Jones said, so it made sense to start there. Starting small is also giving her time to apply for grants to grow the program, she said. “With our current scholarship funding, we can afford to do this for about up to a third of every incoming cohort, but to go beyond that, we’re going to need some additional fundraising or some grants,” Jones said. Support for the Free Tuition Initiative also comes out of paid tuition, other fundraising and program fees and partnerships — such as renting out its North Portland home. She said Wayfinding has not had to turn down any students who have been eligible for the program. So far the college has offered the free tuition program to five of its students, including Kahey, and it has not faced any legal challenges doing so yet. A few more eligible students are in the application process, Jones said. Kahey said Wayfinding hasn’t changed her perspective on what she wants to do after college — something creative, like creative production or even something in the entertainment industry or modeling — but it has increased her confidence in moving toward those goals. “They make me feel inspired and proud and honored and more than what I am, and it makes me feel like I can do more than what everyone in my high school was trying to say I can. I can be more than just doing hair. I can do more than just playing basketball, volleyball, because I’m tall,” Kahey said. “It’s not even like they opened my eyes. Like, I knew this is what I wanted to do. But they were just like, ‘Yeah, you could do it.’” Kahey is set to graduate later this year.
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I was proud watching and listening to Haaland, a highly qualified woman, who happens to be a 35th generation New Mexican from the Pueblo of Laguna, an attorney and a member of Congress testifying to become the first American Indian in history to serve in a presidential cabinet. Further pride came when I realized she will, if confirmed, lead the Interior Department that houses the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) that had its origins in the War Department in 1824. It certainly does not take a genius to realize the BIA’s genesis within the War Department was not to designed benefit the well-being of our ancestors. It was to further the genocide process already underway back then. More pride came when I remembered something Haaland said in December, on the day she was nominated to be Interior Secretary. “This moment is profound when we consider the fact that one former Secretary of the Interior once proclaimed his goal, to quote ‘to civilize or exterminate us, she said, referring to an 1851 remark by Interior Secretary Alexander H.H. Stuart. ‘I am a living testament of the failure of that horrific ideology.” “I also stand on the shoulders of my ancestors and all the people who sacrificed so that I can be here,” she added. More pride came when Haaland told the story on Wednesday that Navajo Code Talkers first used “Our Mother” or “Mother Earth” as the first code words for the United States. Also, the term ‘Mother Earth.” “It’s difficult to NOT feel obligated to protect this land and I feel that every Indigenous person in this country understands that,” she added. Haaland’s confirmation hearing was truly historic and Indian Country was proud. Unfortunately, not everyone is pleased by Haaland’s historic nomination, especially the Republican members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. They showed up in full force, their paternalistic and condescending behavior in full display. Male GOP senators, particularly those from western states, hunted Haaland. Funded by the oil and gas industry, they did not hold back on their
“I was proud watching and listening to Haaland, a highly qualified woman, who happens to be a 35th general New Mexican from the Pueblo of Laguna, an attorney and a member of Congress testifying to become the first American Indian in history to serve in a presidential cabinet. ”
-Levi Rickert, Native News Online
behalf. Without listening, they told her she was wrong. The Republican senators disregarded the decorum typically afforded to a fellow lawmaker. “I almost feel like your nomination is this proxy fight about the future of fossil fuels,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), after hearing how her Republicans colleagues conducted themselves on Tuesday. After watching the three rounds of questioning presented by the Committee, Nedra Darling, a retired spokesperson for the Dept. of the Interior – Indian Affairs was also disgusted. “I witnessed something that really did not sit well with me. I worked over 30 years for the federal government and have prepared many nominees in their confirmation hearings. I am so disappointed by what I saw and heard, especially from a senator that represents many wonderful Native American constituents,” Darling posted on her Facebook page referring to Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY). Baarasso, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the top Republican on the Committee, attacked Haaland viciously for two days. On Wednesday, Barrasso pressed Haaland about the Endangered Species Act, which she supported. He was upset she wanted grizzly bears left on the endangered list. As Haaland began to respond referencing her track record of working collaboratively with local tribes,
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past, including last winter for basketball games. (Haskell has yet to resume sports due to the pandemic). After contacting Haskell Sports Information Director Aja McCormick, Billie reached out to the Hollywood Council office, and soon after, a donation came from Councilman Chris Osceola and assistance from executive assistant Thoma-
March 2021
communities and scientists when it comes to the Act, Barrasso interrupted her, pointing his finger on the table and shouted, “I’m talking about the law.” Haaland responded: “Sir, I will always follow the law.” After the hearing on Wednesday afternoon, Sen Steve Daines (R-MT), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, vowed to block and encourage the Senate to reject Haaland’s nomination. “The Secretary of the Interior should be a consensus-builder, with a pragmatic and well-balanced track record. I’m concerned Rep. Halaand will be unable to separate from her progressive agenda and support what’s best for Montana and the West. Her hostile record towards energy, natural resources and sportsmen issues are very concerning,” Daines said in a statement. The truth of the matter is the Republicans wanted to paint Haaland as a radical. Even in their disgusting paternalistic behavior over two days, they could not accomplish this. What these Republican senators accomplished is a show of disrespect towards an Indigenous woman and Indian Country. Considering several of them are members of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, they should be removed from their roles. Even with the disgust brought on by mistreatment of Haaland, I am proud that in the face of tough questioning, she treated the senators with more respect than they afforded her.
sine Motlow that allowed Haskell to purchase the equipment it needed in order to successfully stream games and create other media content. Haskell posted an article on its website Jan. 5 to express gratitude for the help it received from the Seminoles. Its statement read: “Haskell Athletics would like to take the time to thank Haskell Alumni and Seminole Tribe of Florida member Jason Billie, Seminole Tribe of Florida Council Representative Christopher Osceola, and Executive Assistant to Councilman Christopher Osceola, Thomasine Motlow for their support of our athletics department.
Confederated Umatilla Journal
Cherokee high court rules ‘by blood’ reference be stricken from law Cherokee Phoenix Staff Reports
The Cherokee Nation Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Feb. 22 that the language “by blood” is void, and should be removed from the tribe’s laws, including provisions within the Constitution. The decision was in response to the 2017 federal Cherokee Nation v. Nash case that determined Freedmen citizens have full rights as Cherokee citizens, including the right to run for elected office, based on the Treaty of 1866. Attorney General Sara Hill recently requested that the Supreme Court issue an order to close the issue by striking the “by blood” references in the Constitution, based on the 2017 federal ruling. “The federal court and Cherokee Nation Supreme Court concluded in 2017 that Cherokee Nation is bound by the Treaty of 1866 to recognize descendants of Cherokee Freedmen as full citizens. Cherokee Nation has abided by those court orders and will continue to do so,” Hill said. “Provisions in Cherokee Nation’s Constitution and laws that deny descendants of Freedmen all the rights and obligations of Cherokee citizenship violate our 155-year-old treaty obligations and are void. Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent are simply this: Cherokee citizens.” Today’s unanimous opinion in SC-2017-07 holds that the words by blood are void, were never valid from inception, and must be removed wherever found throughout our tribal law when said words are used in reference to the Dawes Rolls. In doing so, the Court recognizes the importance of the 1866 Treaty for purposes of our nation’s prospective sovereignty and the underpinnings of citizenship,” the Supreme Court order states. In 2007, Cherokee voters approved a constitutional amendment stating that all citizens had to have Indian blood, and included by-blood Cherokee, Delaware and Shawnee citizens. That amendment was ruled unconstitutional in 2017 by the tribe’s Supreme Court following the federal ruling. However, the “by blood” wording remains in the CN Constitution.
“Through their support and the councilman’s donation our Sports Information Department was given the opportunity to purchase a new laptop to be utilized for web streaming and media purposes. With the new addition of the HP – Spectre x360 2-in-1 15.6” 4K UHD Touch-Screen Laptop, Haskell Athletics will be able to provide an enhanced view of our home competitions without interruptions due to equipment errors like we have seen in the past. We cannot thank Jason Billie, Thomasine Motlow and the councilman, Christopher Osceola, enough for their kind gesture and we hope to continue to develop this relationship.”
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a strong defensive performance and serving by Kyella Picard. The second set saw Alexis Maddern and Sistine Moses’ serving anchored a dominant win. NCS dug itself into a big hole in the final set. Maddern said every player on the roster contributed to the come behind win to seal the sweep. It’s part of a mantra the team has utilized for its six years of existence. “We are one,” Maddern said. “We just remind the players the saying is to basically heal the broken -- play for those that can’t. If you’re giving up on yourself, don’t because there are other people out there cheering you on.” There wasn’t much cheering at the game March 2. Due to COVID-19 concerns, fans were not allowed to attend. Instead, teammates had to lift each other up -- while wearing masks. “I tell them, ‘Use your court voices,’ because we have the masks and they’re very difficult to speak through,” Maddern said. She expected her full team to take the court March 4 at Riverside. “We have big expectations,” Maddern said.
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Nixyaawii Community School’s Sistine Moses bumps the ball in the first game versus Helix on March 2. Dallas Dick / CUJ
LOCATION OPP.
TIME
March 4th
Riverside Riverside
5:00pm
March 5th
Home Pilot Rock
5:00pm
March 9th
Umatilla Umatilla
5:00pm
March 11th
MacHi MacHi
5:00pm
March 12th
Irrigon Irrigon
5:00pm
March 16th
Helix Helix
5:00pm
March 18th Pilot Rock Pilot Rock
5:00pm
March 30th
Home Umatilla
5:00pm
April 1st
Home Riverside
5:00pm
April 3rd
Home Mac-Hi
11:00am
Coach: Janet Maddern (First year) Roster: McKenzie Kiona, Izabelle Sigo, Mersayus Hart, Adilia Hart, Malaya Stanger, Kyella Picard, Alexis Maddern, Allyson Maddern (Captain), Celia Farrow (Captain), Amariana Willingham, Sydell Selam, Ada Samayao, Madison Munoz
TAMÁSTSLIKT CULTURAL INSTITUTE | EAT. SHOP. EXPLORE. | MARCH 2021 The Museum Store at Tamástslikt Cultural Institute
20% Off Exclusive Design Blankets!
All month Tamástslikt exclusive design Pendleton Wool blankets are on sale all of March. This is your chance to save 20% on the CTUIR Flag, Quail Plume (2 sizes), and Cayuse Diamond blankets. Visit us at the store. or order online at www.tamastslikt.org/shop. Remember, shipping is free! The store is open 11am-4pm, Tuesday-Saturday. COVID-19 protocols are in place with masks and social distancing required.
*Offer may not be combined with any other discounts/offers.
Inwai Circle of Friends
Four Free Months! When you sign up to become a member of our Inwaì Circle of Friends, your membership will extend through June 2022! Enjoy benefits like free admission, discounts in the store and café, and free regular admissions to our cultural partners: Oregon Historical Society, North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, and Fort Walla Walla. Just go to www.tamastslikt.org/get-involved/membership/ and select the membership level that suits you best. You may also write Virginia.conner@tamastslikt.org or call 541.429.7706 to sign up or request a brochure.
Kinship Café
March Weekly Specials! March 5, Free First Friday: Indian Tacos, Frybread & Huckleberry Jam March 9-13: Grilled Ham & Cheese with Tomato Soup March 16-20: Mini Huckleberry Lemon Loaf March 23-27: Bacon Garlic Pasta Salad Take-out only. Call in your order to 541.429.7702 and we'll have it ready for pick up! Kinship Café will be closed March 18-22, reopening March 23.
March Hours We're open Tuesday-Saturday weekly. On FREE First Friday, March 5, you can treat yourself to Indian Tacos ($10) or Frybread and Huckleberry jam ($6). Kinship Café is open 11am-2pm for take-out. The Museum Store is open 11am-4pm. Exhibits are closed. Please note, COVID-19 protocols are in place with masks and social distancing required.
Museum Store Open Tues-Sat, 11am-4pm
Kinship Café Open Tues-Sat, 11am-2pm | Exhibits are closed Pendleton, OR | www.tamastslikt.org | 541.429.7700 TCI-386_march_CUJ.indd 1
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9.8” x 7”
Confederated Umatilla Journal
2/24/21 10:34 AM
March 2021
Singh
March 1 - 31
Enter to Win! Amy-Jo Johnson and her mother Janet Singh sport masks by Hitsiyu Sewing Company. Continued from page B1
thought. “As I witnessed so many unhappy people wearing face masks, or those who were reluctant to even wear one, I decided to add a little more color and sparkle to their world,” she said. With Native Americans having the highest mortality rate in the United States, Singh said it’s important to mask up. “As a tribal member, it is important to maintain the health and safety to those around you,” she said. “All and all, this
Courtesy Janet Singh
helps the tribal community by making them more aware of this pandemic.” Singh’s children, Amy-Jo and Deric Johnson, are part of the company. “By running this family-owned business, it teaches my children not to be afraid to leap after their own personal goals and strive for something they’ve always yearned for,” she said. “Just remember: If you have a dream, leap for it and make it happen.” Singh’s masks are available locally and her website will launch soon at http://www.hitsiyusewingservices.com.
$250 Visa Gift Card! $
250
Drawing to be held on Thursday, April 1. Winner to be announced on Arrowhead Facebook Page.
SAVE 5¢ WITH ARROWHEAD’S REWARDS ON THE REZ PROGRAM! Sign up inside Arrowhead Travel Plaza! Check our daily gas prices at arrowheadtravelplaza.com
800.654.9453 • PENDLETON, OR • I - 84, Exit 216
NEXT TO WILDHORSE RESORT & CASINO Must be 18 or older to enter drawing. Management reserves the right to alter, suspend or withdraw offer/promotion at any time. Owned and operated by CTUIR.
Deric Johnson sports a custom mask from Hitsiyu Sewing Company.
March 2021
Gaga.1.21 WH012109AC Courtesy Janet Singh
Confederated Umatilla Journal
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Lucky 7 Redevelopment Project in full swing By The Office of Tribal Planning
The Tribal Housing Development Services Team has been working diligently on a number of housing projects that are coming to fruition in 2021. Lucky 7 is the first that has been in full swing of construction. Lucky 7 is an existing manufactured home park on the Reservation near the “Four Corners” intersection of Mission Highway and State Route 331. The park is currently owned and operated by CTUIR, with a mix of owner-occupied and rental units. Though the property received utility (sanitary sewer and water main line) upgrades in 1996, most of the units were older manufactured models that were reaching end of life and not energy efficient. At its peak, Lucky 7 accommodated 27 units in a tight configuration. CTUIR has removed and decommissioned obsolete rental units on a case-by-case basis over the years. The Lucky 7 project removed and decommissioned the remaining older units, and modified the site layout, utilities, and landscaping for more generous spacing and privacy between units. This includes the purchase and installation of 18 new manufactured homes. These units will accommodate both current Lucky 7 residents and residents relocated from Umatilla County flood areas. Phase 1 foundations and water/sewer connections utilities have been completed. The new Phase 1 homes will be delivered and installed over the next month. Phase 1 move-in is anticipated to be in April with those still residing in Lucky 7 during construction given priority. Phase 2 construction will take place over Summer 2021. Anderson Perry is the civil engineer on the project. The site work and utilities general contractor is Nelson Construction Corp of Walla Walla. The Office of Tribal Planning answered the following questions to give further details of te project. What was the process like of getting these homes? Lucky 7 has been eyed for redevelopment since the property was acquired in 1992. Because Lucky 7 had existing residents, the Housing Department took great effort not to create additional housing stress during the project. To accommodate the existing residents, the project was separated into 2 phases to allow current residents to remain on site during construction. Who was the vendor and why did you select them? The home provider is Homes Direct of Oregon, a Palm Harbor dealer with a factory in Millersburg, Oregon. Homes Direct of Oregon was selected as part of an open bid process. The quality for price was a deciding factor in choosing this vendor. The Palm Harbor construction is of a high quality to improve the rental experience for tenants and to reduce long-term maintenance costs for CTUIR. Units are constructed under cover in the Millersburg factory, avoiding weather-related delays and complications of on-site construction. The units are planned to be the NEEM+ energy efficiency standard, both to reduce utility costs for tenants
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and to meet CTUIR’s energy efficiency priorities. This energy standard includes added insulation and efficient house sealing, high-performance windows, and LED lighting. How excited are you/your department about it? According to Marcus Luke, Housing is super excited to get NEW units installed as the old ones served its purpose and turned into old dilapidated units out of code and we’re hearing the new tenants are excited to see quality and more efficient units for their family. How many will there be? There will be 18 new units. There are ten 3-bedroom units, approximately 1,400 SF each. There are eight 2-bedroom units, approximately 1,100 SF each.
Homes will include efficient heat pumps for heating and air conditioning. Who are they for? The price point for these units is designed to make them affordable for those in approximately 50%-100% of median household income. Financials: $1 million was provided by the State of Oregon Emergency Board for housing needs in response to the 2020 Floods. Anyone on the reservation whose housing status was negatively affected by the 2020 Umatilla River Floods also receive a priority placement in the new homes. $300,000 grant was provided by Meyer Memorial Trust. Remaining project costs were covered through internal funding mecha-
nisms. How soon are they going to be move-in ready? The property is being redeveloped in 2 phases. When Phase 1 is complete then those still residing in Lucky 7 will move into the new homes and then Phase 2 construction will begin. Phase 1 is anticipated to be complete in April for tenant move-in and Phase 2 in summer. How much did it cost? The total cost of the project was $3.2 million – this includes engineering, removal of existing homes, site work, utilities, foundations, and the new housing units. $1 million in funding was provided by the State of Oregon Emergency Board for manufactured housing needs in response to the 2020 Floods.
is
Sexual Assault Awareness Month Family Violence Services, a Public Safety Department program, is looking for artists to paint a message about sexual assault awareness month on the windows at Mission Market. The art will be displayed for the entire month. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place artists will be notified March 26th, 2021. Submit your art with contact information to enoladick@ctuir.org between March 5th - March 24th. If you have questions call 541-240-4171. The approved colors are: White, Teal, Purple, Black, Red, and Green. Paint will be provided by FVS.
Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021
Lucky 7 progress A man in an excavator places dirt in the back of a dump truck Tuesday, March 3 in Mission at the Lucky 7 Redevelopment Project. Lucky 7 is an existing manufactured home park near Mission HWY and SR 331. The CTUIR has been considering redeveloping the property since acquiring it in 1992. Cary Rosenbaum / CUJ
DID YOU KNOW? By the 1870’s, many government and non-government policies had been developed to subdue and eradicate the power of Indian Nations. Treaties were entered into for the purpose of physically controlling the Nations and for extinguishing the claims of Indians on their territory. By the 1880’s the 1855 Treaty and Reservation had been breached by non-Indians many times. The Walla Walla’s were not paid for Peo Peo Mox Mox’s land claim; the Oregon Trail was not moved south of the Reservation; the Reservation Boundary was mis-surveyed; the town of Pendleton was allocated 640 acres of the reservation; and the railroad was making plans to come through the Reservation. By direction of the Secretary of Interior an Indian Agent arbitrarily drew a line and removed the southern reservation.
From ctuir.org/brief-history-of-ctuir
OMG! She is 25 yrs old!! Love your Oregon family! Happy 9th Birthday Cohen! Love, Laykin, Taitym & Cleo
March 2021
Confederated Umatilla Journal
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CTUIR Board of Trustees minutes February 1, 2021 BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Armand Minthorn, Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Full quorum present. Old Business: None New Business: Resolution 21-009: Topic: Community Safe Paths Grant Support, RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees do hereby support the Capital Improvements Committee to apply and seek an ODOT Community Paths Grant to complete the 4-Corners to NGC Trail; AND RESOLVED, that the Planning Program may be reimbursed from the Capital Improvements Fund for the $4,500 fee incurred for an application-required engineer-certified construction cost estimate; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that in the event of receipt of this Construction Grant, that the Board of Trustees will allocate from the Capital Improvement Contingency Fund not more than $63,792 or 25% of the award grant whichever is less to use as local match in support of the grant completion; MOTION: Boots Pond moves to adopt Resolution 21009. Jill-Marie Gavin seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. Resolution 21-010: Topic: CARES Act Contingency Fund Budget. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby extends the deadline for the expenditure of the CARES Act Contingency Fund that has previously been appropriated by the Board of Trustees from December 30, 2020 to December 31, 2021; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the CARES Act Contingency Fund budget modifications attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 1C; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees declares that all assistance provided from the CARES Act Contingency Fund have been granted under the Confederated Tribes General Welfare Code and are exempt from federal income taxation to the maximum extent permitted under that Code and the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act of 2014. MOTION: Jeremy Wolf moves to adopt Resolution 21-010. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. Resolution 21-011: Topic: Enterprise Revenue Allocation Plan. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the Enterprise Revenue Allocation Plan (Plan) attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 1; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby appropriates from the Tribal Contingency Fund the funds necessary to provide the 25% per capita distribution of the Cayuse Holdings net revenue distribution; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the distribution to members of the Confederated Tribes under the Plan shall be made based on each calendar year net revenues of the Nongaming Enterprises, which payment shall be made in February of the succeeding year as provided in the Plan. MOTION: Jeremy Wolf moves to adopt Resolution 21-011 as modified. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. Other Board Actions: None BOT Travel report: Reports (4): Jeremy Wolf two reports: 1. 1/25 Video Conference re: Mill Creek Coalition meeting. 2. 1/28 Video Conference re: CRITFC monthly meeting. Jill-Marie Gavin, 1/25-28 ATNI Zoom re: ATNI Winter Conference. Sandra Sampson, 1/25 Virtual Zoom re: Center for Tribal Nations and Waterfront Education Park – OMSI. Work with staff to set up work session. BOT Leave and Travel Request: Corinne Sams (2) leave requests: 1. 2/4, Personal Leave from 10 AM to noon. 2. 2/2, Virtual Meeting from 10 AM to 11:30 AM re: Yellowstone Buffalo Discussion Group. Jeremy Wolf, 2/2 Video Conference re: Four Tribes Confidential meeting from 11 to 11:30 AM. Jill-Marie Gavin, 2/3, Personal Leave from 9:30 AM to noon. Sally Kosey, 2/6 Personal Leave all day. February 8, 2021 BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Armand Minthorn,Member; Boots Pond, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Sally Kosey, Secretary on personal leave. Quorum present. Old Business: Polled Action 21-004: FWC Letter to Gov. Inslee. The FWC has completed a poll recommending that the BOT send a letter of support to Governor Inslee for Steve Parker to be appointed
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to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. The poll will authorize the BOT Chair to sign the letter. Poll was 8-0-0. MOTION: Sandra Sampson moves to approve to ratify the polled action for BOT Chair to sign the letter of support to Gov. Inslee to appoint Steve Parker to the WA FWC. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. The letter was signed and sent Friday. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0. New Business: Proposed Resolutions: Next resolution number is 21-012: Topic: Custodial and Rabbi Trust Interest Rates. RESOLVED, that the interest rate to be credited to all funds held in the Custodial, Rabbi and the Sisseton-Wahpeton minor trust accounts shall be changed from 3% to 4% per annum effective January 1, 2021. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Finance Director shall review annually the interest rate being credited to the Custodial, Rabbi and the Sisseton-Wahpeton minor trust accounts and shall further review the investment earnings on such funds; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, based upon this review, the Finance Director shall make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees for any adjustment to the interest rate applied to the Custodial, Rabbi and the Sisseton- Wahpeton minor trust accounts, which adjustment shall be consistent with the above referenced requirements of the Gaming Revenue Allocation Plan and are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees; MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to adopt Resolution 21-012. Sandra Sampson seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0. Resolution 21-013: Topic: Land Development Code Amendment – NR and NS Zones RESOLVED, that Land Development Code amendment ZC-20-004 to establish a Neighborhood Residential Zone and a Neighborhood Services Zone with standards and related amendments attached hereto as Exhibit 1; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that Land Development Code amendment ZC-20-004 shall be in effect immediately upon signature of this Resolution; MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to adopt Resolution 21-013. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0. Resolution 21-014: Topic: Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Consultant. RESOLVED, that the Board hereby allocates up to $75,000 from the Contingency Fund to contract with Integrated Solutions Consulting to complete the review and update of the Confederated Tribes’ Hazard Mitigation Plan; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the final recommended update to the Confederated Tribes’ Hazard Mitigation Plan will be brought before the Board of Trustees for final review and approval following appropriate staff and policy review. MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 21-014. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0. Resolution 21-015 Topic: 2021 Annual Budget Adjustment. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation hereby approves the 2021 Budget Adjustment attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 1C and appropriates funds from the Tribal Contingency Fund for such purposes; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees directs the Executive Director to implement the 3% COLA effective as of February 1, 2021 and ensure supervisors complete their evaluations and retroactively apply merit increases back to January 1, 2021 as necessary; AND IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees directs the Executive Director and Finance Director to ensure programs implement appropriate budget modifications for the grant funds to incorporate the salary, fringe, and indirect adjustments outlined; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees authorizes the negotiation, execution, and modification of the 2021 budgets approved herein as provided for in the CTUIR Fiscal Management Policies; MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to adopt Resolution 21-015. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0. Resolution 21-016: Topic: Portland Harbor – Supplemental Restoration Plan. RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the Final Portland Harbor Supplemental Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment, attached hereto as Exhibit 1, and authorizes its Chair to sign the approval letter to the Portland Harbor Natural Resources Trustee Council Chair, attached hereto as Exhibit 2. MOTION: Boots Pond moves to adopt Resolution 21-016. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7-0-0. Resolution 21-017: Topic: Department of Interior Land Buy Back Program. RESOLVED, that the Board
of Trustees hereby approves the return and implementation of the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations (LBBP) on the Umatilla Indian Reservation; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby approves the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) attached to this Resolution as Exhibit 1; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby authorizes its Chair to finalize and execute the attached MOA, or a document containing substantially similar terms, and further authorizes and directs its Chair and Executive Director to execute such further documents and take such further actions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Resolution; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. §2216(e), the Board of Trustees hereby requests a list of names and mailing addresses of the owners, information on the location of tracts, and the percentage of undivided interest(s) held by each owner of allotted trust lands on the Umatilla Indian Reservation; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees hereby designates Bill Tovey, the Director of the Department of Economic and Community Development, and Mae “Koko” Hufford, the Tribal Land Program Manager, as the Confederated Tribes’ points of contact for the LBBP, which delegation includes the authority to represent the Confederated Tribes in connection with the implementation of the LBBP on the Umatilla Indian Reservation; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees acknowledges that the BBP may extend offers for fractional land interests on tracts with improvements at the Umatilla Indian Reservation if a lease is recorded in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) title system, which improvements will beconsidered in determining the fair market value of the underlying tract of land, but will not be acquired; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees acknowledges that all purchases of fractional interests in trust allotments that are transferred into Tribal trust ownership for the Confederated Tribes shall be subject to the terms of existing leases and encumbrances on that trust allotment; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby requests that the LBBP include offers for fractional interests on trust allotments that contain improvements where the BIA has no recorded lease for the improvement, and that the Board of Trustees will provide lease opportunities to individuals living on trust allotments transferred to the Confederated Tribes which contain improvements but without a recorded lease. MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to adopt Resolution 21-017 as amended. Lindsey Watchman seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 6 for - (Armand Minthorn, Lindsey Watchman, Sandra Sampson, Jill-Marie Gavin, Jeremy Wolf and Corinne Sams) – 0 against – 1 abstaining (Boots Pond). Other Board Action: CRITFC Energy Vision Commitments. Letter to Mr. Pinkham, CRITFC Executive Director. The information is in the ED Communication folder. BOT Travel report: Jeremy Wolf, 2/4 Video Conference re: four tribe’s agreement with FishCo meeting. Jeremy Wolf, 2/4 Video Conference re: Willamette Falls Legacy Falls meeting. BOT Leave and Travel Request: Corinne Sams, 2/9 Virtual Call-NCAI Meeting from 10 AM to noon. Jeremy Wolf (4): 1. 2/5 polled for Video Conference for Tribes meeting with Congressman Simpson from 1:30 to 2:30 PM. 2. 2/4 polled for personal leave from 11 AM to noon. 3. 2/4 polled Video Conference re: FishCo meeting from 4 to 5 PM.
4. 2/4 polled Video Conference re: Willamette Falls Legacy Project from 9 to 10 AM. Kat Brigham (3): 1. 2/5 polled Zoom re: meeting with Congressman Simpson from 1:30 to 2:30 PM. 2. 2/17 Zoom re: LCIS meeting from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. 3. 2/10 Zoom re: meeting with WA Senate Majority Leader from 11 to 11:30 AM. Sandra Sampson, 2/26 personal leave all day. Jill-Marie Gavin announced she will submit polled leave for tomorrow. February 22, 2021 BOT PRESENT: Kat Brigham, BOT Chair; Jeremy Wolf, Vice-Chair; Sandra Sampson, Treasurer; Sally Kosey, Secretary; Boots Pond, Armand Minthorn, Member; Jill-Marie Gavin, Member; Corinne Sams, Member and Lindsey Watchman, General Council Chairman. Full quorum, present Old Business: NONE New Business: Resolution 21-018: Topic: Executive Management Policy Amendment. RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees approves amendments to the Executive Management Policy reflected by Exhibit 1, which shows a red line version showing the amendments; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Board wishes to appoint Communications Director/Interim Deputy ED Matthew Johnson to replace Mr. Sams on the current Executive Director Recruitment Team; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the Office of the Executive Director shall ensure issuance of the final policy that incorporates all approved amendments and has been edited for formatting consistency, accuracy in spacing, correct spelling and pagination, and update the table of contents; MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to adopt Resolution 21-018. Sally Kosey seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7 for (Jill-Marie Gavin, Sally Kosey, Sandra Sampson, Boots Pond, Armand Minthorn, Lindsey Watchman, Corinne Sams) - 1 against (Jeremy Wolf) – 0 abstaining. Resolution 21-019: Topic: Richland School District Early Learning Facility EO 05-05 MOA .RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees approves the Memorandum of Agreement between the Richland School District, Washington Department of Commerce, Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic reservation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation regarding the Richland School District Early Learning Center Project (MOA), attached hereto as Exhibit 1; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees authorizes its Chair to sign all necessary documents to enter into and effectuate this MOA. MOTION: Boots Pond moves to adopt Resolution 21019. Corinne Sams seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. Resolution 21-020: Topic: ISDEAA Negotiated Rulemaking. RESOLVED, the Board selects Board Treasurer Sandra Sampson as the intended nominee to the Committee with Communications Director Matthew Johnson to serve as an alternate; AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the Board authorizes its Chair to sign a letter of nomination consistent with this resolution and directs Office of the Executive Director to coordinate submission of the Chair’s letter along with the correlating materials required by Treasurer Sampson and Communications Director Matthew Johnson; MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to adopt Resolution 21-020 with correction. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 7 for – 0 against – 0 abstaining (Sandra Sampson). Other Board Action Items: Cultural Resources Committee, 2 vacancies with
March is National Nutrition Month There is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health. We are all unique with different bodies, goals, backgrounds and tastes! Help is available for Yellowhawk eligible patients through Yellowhawk’s Registered Dietician Nutritionist, Dusty Dressler. We can help set up a healthful eating plan tailored just for you. Every little change you make toward healthy habits will add up to a healthier you!
Dusty Dressler | 541.240.8524 | dustydressler@yellowhawk.org
Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021
CTUIR Board of Trustees minutes one application from Marjorie Waheneka. MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to appoint Marjorie Waheneka by acclimation to the Cultural Resources Committee for two year term ending March 1, 2023. Jill-Marie Gavin seconds. Discussion Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. Farm Committee, 2 vacancies with 1 application from Mark French. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to appoint Mark French by acclimation to the Farm Committee for three year term to end March 1, 2024. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. Land Acquisition Committee, 1 vacancy with 1 application from Tiyapo Farrow. MOTION: Corinne Sams moves to appoint Tiyapo Farrow by acclimation to the Land Acquisition Committee filling a term that ends Sept. 3, 2021. Armand Minthorn seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. Science & Technology Committee, 2 vacancies with 1 application from Robin Bitrick. MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to appoint Robin Bitrick by acclimation to the Science & Technology Committee for two year term ending March 1, 2023. Sally Kosey seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. Terms expiring in April: Isiah Welch-Cultural Resources; Alan CrawfordTERO Commission and John Barkley-Water Commission. Will continue to advertise positions for: 1 for Credit Board, 3 year term, meets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ noon. 3 for CTUIR Culture Coalition, 2 year term, meeting as needed. 2 for Cultural Resources Committee, 2 year term, meets 1st & 3rd Tues. @ 2:30 PM. 1 for Farm Committee, 2 year term, meets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 1:30 PM. 1 for Housing Commission, 4 year term, meets 1st & 3rd Tues. @ 1:30 PM. 1 alternate for Land Protection Planning, 3 year term, meets 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 2 PM. 1 for Science & Technology, 2 year term, meeting 2nd & 4th Tues. @ 2 PM. 1 for TERO, 2 year term, meets 1st & 3rd Tues. @ 1 PM. 1 for Water Commission, 2 year term, meets 1st & 3rd Tues. @ 8:30 AM. All applications due Tues. March 16 by 4 PM with BOT work session on March 19 at 8:30 AM to review applications. Action will take place on applications on March 22nd. Motion to approve Addendum to Wallowa Lake Irrigation District. MOTION: Armand Minthorn moves to approve Addendum to Memorandum of Agreement between Wallowa Lake Irrigation District, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Nez Perce Tribe, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. This Memorandum of Agreement was originally authorized by Resolution No. 20-072, and this Addendum will extend the time frames to accommodate funding for the project.” Jeremy Wolf seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. BOT Travel Report: Kat Brigham, reported she did not attend the ATNI meeting on 2/26 participate in the 1/28 BIA call but attached meeting notes .Both trips requests were approved by BOT earlier. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to approve travel report. Sally Kosey seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0. BOT Leave and Travel Request: Corinne Sams, polled for Zoom 2/19 from 9 AM to noon re: Salmon Peoples Gathering. Jeremy Wolf (3): 1. Polled for Video Conference on 2/22 from 1 to 3 PM re: Columbia River Tribe Panel for Mighty Columbia Seminar Group. 2. Video for Conference on 2/24 from 6 to 8:15 PM re: British Columbia River Treaty Virtual Town Hall. 3. Polled for Video Conference on 2/19, 1:30-3:30 PM re: preliminary planning of Simpson Proposal. Kat Brigham, two polls: 1. Personal leave on 2/17 & 18 all day. 2. Polled for Zoom on 2/19 from 9 AM to noon re: Salmon People Gathering. Sandra Sampson, two leave requests: 1. Polled for Virtual meeting re: Tribal COVID Town Hall, 1.9T Reconciliation Pkg. 2. Virtual meeting, 4/24-26 re: 39th NAFOA Annual Conference. MOTION: Jill-Marie Gavin moves to approve and ratify the eight leave requests. Boots Pod seconds. Discussion. Question. Motion carries 8-0-0.
March 2021
CTUIR LANGUAGE LESSON Edition: Áˀami Úšaytš (Imatalamłaamí Sɨ́nwit), Latíit̓al (Weyiiletpuutímt)
Imatalamłaamí Sɨ́nwit
Weyiiletpuutímt
English
Latít
Láatiš
Flower
Latítlatit / Xɨ́sya
Wewíimn
Indian Celery (L. grayi)
(These words are equivalent)
Taxʷɨ́s
Qéemu
Dogbane (A. cannabinum)
Ilatíša.
Hilatíiša.
It is blooming.
Áw palatíša
Wáaqoˀ hilatíišix
Now the Celery is
latítlatit / xɨ́sya.
wewíimn.
blooming.
Na káˀuyša čɨ́mti
Kéˀuyiše kímti hípt.
We are feasting on the
tkʷátat.
new First Foods.
X̣ʷɨ́n
Large-scale Sucker (C. machrocheilus)
Bridgelip Sucker
Yáykʷ
(C. columbianus)
Múq̓uc
Sucker
Múxmukt
Small Sucker
Walsáycas
Titwáatit
Áˀami Úšaytš
Latíit̓al
(Means “Crow’s Socks”, referring to the big snowflakes that tend to fall in late winter)
(Means “Month of Blooming”)
Confederated Umatilla Journal
Coyote Story March
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541-276-5121
2801 St. Anthony Way Pendleton
Chazz Webb, tribal elder and U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, who received his vaccine on December 19th at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center.
PICTURED:
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Thank you for taking the vaccine to help protect our communities from COVID-19. Confederated Umatilla Journal
March 2021