Yesteryears -- April 1, 2012

2007 - The Tribe passed on purchasing Boise Cascade's 13-acre riverfront complex in Salem, which would have included 310 acres the company owns on Minto-Brown Island. "We saw this as an opportunity to participate in the development of central Salem," said Tribal Council member Val Sheker, "but as we considered the potential cost of the purchase, cleanup, preservation and development, it just didn't pencil out."

2002 - Tribal member Steve Hudson, who was recently released after a 25-month stay in jail, was performing regularly at The Summit View at Spirit Mountain Casino. Hudson used his time while incarcerated to practice playing the guitar, write songs and get in touch with his Creator. He said he was hoping to make Thursday night blues a permanent fixture at the casino.

1997 - Spirit Mountain Casino employee Toby McClary, 18, was featured. He was working at Legends and had been promoted several times. He started out as a dishwasher, moved into kitchen prep work and was promoted to pantry steward by his supervisor, Greg Taylor.

1992 - The increase in AIDS cases among American Indians - 91 percent - was the largest percentage increase of any ethnic group in the United States between 1989 and 1990.

1987 - With the April edition, Smoke Signals debuted in news print. Previously, Smoke Signals had been copied on 8.5-by-11-inch paper (front and back) and stapled together before being sent to the Tribal membership. The first edition was eight pages.

Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year increments through the pages of Smoke Signals.