Yesteryears -- Jan. 15, 2014

2009 - Sparks flew as the old Spirit Mountain Casino sign was dismantled in front of the casino and a larger high-tech sign was erected. The new sign became operational on Jan. 5.

2004 - Spirit Mountain Casino and 22 residences west of Valley Junction went from being delivered mail by the Willamina Post Office to being delivered mail by the Grand Ronde Post Office. The new arrangement was worked out by Grand Ronde Postmaster Phil Burris and his counterpart in Willamina, John McCleery. The change allowed the residents to drive to the much closer Grand Ronde Post Office to pick up their packages and letters.

1999 - Tribal language instructor Tony Johnson is meeting once a week with a group of 10 students who are committed to mastering Chinuk Wawa. He also teaches the Tribal language bi-weekly to pre-schoolers and to youth from kindergarten through fifth grade. Johnson's efforts are part of a Tribal goal of reviving the dying language.

1994 - Ken Larsen, who has built log homes for people in Florence, Gaston, Banks and other Oregon towns, was featured as the Entrepreneur of the Month. He began working in construction in the late 1970s.

1989 - Smoke Signals does not have a copy of the January 1989 edition.

1984 - Because of its new federally recognized status, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde was honored guest at the mid-winter conference of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians held at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Portland. Many kind words and accolades were voiced by the various Tribal leaders present, including keynote speaker David Matheson, chairman of the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Council.

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