Yesteryears -- Aug. 1, 2019

2014 – The Tribe received a $250,000 grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust for its new Chachalu Museum & Culture Center. Tribal Lands and Culture Department Manager Jan Looking Wolf Reibach said the funds would be applied to the second phase of the museum expansion. “This grant is a great honor,” Reibach said.

2009 – Grand Ronde sewage scored in the upper levels in the first-ever drug test of sewage plants in Oregon. There were 96 municipalities representing 65 percent of Oregon’s population that agreed to submit single-day samples of their sewage for testing. Kevin Dobie, Grand Ronde Sanitary District superintendent, said he was not surprised that Grand Ronde’s sample ranked in the upper levels on all three tests. “I’ve been here 16 years,” he said. “I know what goes on out there.”

2004 – Candidates for Tribal Council included three incumbents, Tribal Elders Val Grout, Bob Haller and Ed Larsen, and 10 others including Tribal member Mark Mercier, who previously served as Tribal Council chair. Tribal Elders Betty Bly, Diana George, Linda Olson and Wesley (Buddy) West, and Tribal members Angie Blackwell, Charlene Hoover, Elaine LaBonte, Chris Mercier and Daniel Provost also were running for three open council positions.

1999 – The Tribe renewed its agreement with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to provide deputies who patrol the Grand Ronde area exclusively. In addition to the two who currently worked from the Grand Ronde substation, two more were set to be on board by the end of the summer. All four Grand Ronde deputies were going to be involved in the Service Integration Team, which mentored local youth. The Grand Ronde substation also received funding for a second patrol vehicle.

1994 – A donation of $45,000 by Tribal Elder Harold Blair was used to purchase a mini-bus for Senior Services’ transports and excursions. The van was hand-painted by Tribal member Steve Bobb Sr. It had three doors, a wheelchair lift and held 23 people. Tribal Council Chairman Mark Mercier thanked Blair for his contribution and presented him with a Pendleton blanket. He also was gifted with a clock from the Elders Committee.

1989 – Tribal youth and Elders worked together at craft and dance classes offered at the Tribal office in Grand Ronde. Classes were held for anyone who wanted to learn how to dance or just wanted to observe. Toby McClary, 11, enjoyed learning to make a drumstick. “Right now I am in the process of finishing a drumstick that I’m making in craft class,” he said. “Jessie Standing Bear is teaching me how to drum at the dance classes and it’s really exciting.”

1984 – Summer youth employees were acknowledged for their work in clearing the cemetery and Depot grounds. The youth were hired through a grant from the Mid-Valley Jobs Council. Youth employees were Debby Childers, Angie Childers, Lydia Hostler, Doug Colton, Gregg Leno, Chris Current, Marty George, Scott Denhem, Jimmy White, Kenny Adams and Teddy White.

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