Yesteryears - March 15,2016

2011 – Spirit Mountain Casino became an impromptu emergency shelter for more than 300 coastal residents who fled Lincoln City and other low-lying areas after a tsunami warning was issued for most of the western United States’ coastline. “Many people came with their families, seeking shelter, food and comfort,” said casino Director of Security Joann Mercier.

2006 – Tribal member Meghan Zimbrick led the Willamina High School girls’ basketball team to a second-place finish during the state championship game, losing to Myrtle Point 59-55. Willamina finished the 2005-06 season 30-1.

2001 – Former Oregon Gov. and U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield attending the March General Council meeting. “1954 is one of those years in history that we would like to forget about, but we can’t,” he said about the year the Western Oregon Indian Termination Act was passed. “We must remember.”

1996 – A new sweat lodge, located behind the Chemical Dependency office building, opened in Grand Ronde. “The sweat lodge is quite possibly the largest in the Pacific Northwest,” said Michael Reibach, lodge caretaker and sweat leader. “Our people traditionally sweat in cedar, and this sweat lodge will be here for many generations to come.”

1991 – Tribal member Shonn Leno defeated Dayton’s Ryan Henry to win the 106-pound state wrestling championship for Willamina High School. Leno, a sophomore, used a reversal with just three seconds left in the match to defeat Henry.

1986 – Eula Petite was teaching Chinook Jargon classes at Grand Ronde Elementary School from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

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