Part of a herd of 15 mule deer pause near a sand trap between the 14th green and a lake at Birch Creek Golf Course Feb. 28. The course was purchased last June by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The golf course and clubhouse, including a restaurant, are being managed by Wildhorse Resort.
Part of a herd of 15 mule deer pause near a sand trap between the 14th green and a lake at Birch Creek Golf Course Feb. 28. The course was purchased last June by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The golf course and clubhouse, including a restaurant, are being managed by Wildhorse Resort. CUJ Photo/Phinney

Birch Creek ‘best I’ve ever seen it’: Emphasis will be on family, junior-oriented activities

By Wil Phinney of the CUJ PENDLETON – Crews began mowing greens Feb. 28 at “The Golf Course at Birch Creek” where new memberships have already eclipsed the number of members who were left when Pendleton Country Club was purchased last June by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). One of those players, Ron Schultz of Pendleton,…

Tyasin Burns, who was named Player of the Year in the Old Oregon League, posterizes Elgin’s Tristan Simpson in the first half of Nixyaawii’s 69-38 would-be victory Feb. 14. However, the Golden Eagles had to forfeit the game. Read about it below. At left, Magi Moses posts up Joseph’s H. Miller at the Old Oregon League finals in Baker City.
Tyasin Burns, who was named Player of the Year in the Old Oregon League, posterizes Elgin’s Tristan Simpson in the first half of Nixyaawii’s 69-38 would-be victory Feb. 14. However, the Golden Eagles had to forfeit the game. Read about it below. At left, Magi Moses posts up Joseph’s H. Miller at the Old Oregon League finals in Baker City. Photo by Robert McLean.

Nixyaawii boys wins Old Oregon League title

By the CUJ MISSION – The Nixyaawii Community School boys strung together what looked like seven conference wins in February, including the Old Oregon League championship in Baker City March 21 and 22. That would have given the Golden Eagles their second straight undefeated season in the Old Oregon League. But alas, their conference mark was marred on Valentine’s Day,…

The bench was going crazy as the Nixyaawii girls mounted a comeback against Elgin in their next-to-last conference game. From left, the coaches and players included Coach Kaitlynn Melton, Coach Taryn Doiminguez, Ally Maddern (hidden), Ivory Herrera, Christina Kaltsukis, Adilia Hart, Mackenzie Kiona, Susie Patrick, Chelsea Farrow (back to camera), and Celia Farrow.
The bench was going crazy as the Nixyaawii girls mounted a comeback against Elgin in their next-to-last conference game. From left, the coaches and players included Coach Kaitlynn Melton, Coach Taryn Doiminguez, Ally Maddern (hidden), Ivory Herrera, Christina Kaltsukis, Adilia Hart, Mackenzie Kiona, Susie Patrick, Chelsea Farrow (back to camera), and Celia Farrow. CUJ Photo/Megan Van Pelt

NCS girls finish in wild one against Elgin

By the CUJ MISSION – A two-point loss to Elgin that had the Eagles Nest rocking Feb. 14 knocked the Nixyaawii Community School girls’ basketball team out of contention for the Old Oregon League district tournament. The girls were coming off a three-game winning streak and needed a win in their last two games against one of the two teams…

Screenshot from Seventh Generation commercial
Daijha Roper, enrolled CTUIR tribal member, appears in a national TV commercial for the brand Seventh Generation. The photo was taken in December when she and her mother attended a Youth Climate Strike in Portland. It first aired Feb. 4, immediately after the State of the Union address. Photo Credit: CUJ Photo/Casey Brown

Young tribal member appears on national TV

By Casey Brown of the CUJ After the State of the Union address on Feb. 4, one of the first faces television audiences saw was Daijha Louise Roper, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The annual address from the President of the United States had 37.2 million viewers on 12 television networks, and anyone…

New programs hit KCUW airwaves

By Casey Brown of the CUJ MISSION – The reservation radio station, 104.3-LP Pendleton, has increased their programming. Three new programs hit the airwaves in February, which is on top of Live streaming Nixyaawii Golden Eagle basketball games on Facebook. Every Thursday, “Radio Hawaii with Uncle Phil” airs at 11 a.m. Uncle Phil plays “the native and modern sounds of…

Inside a building under construction. A man, Dave Tovey, is on the far right of the frame wearing a hard hat and neon vest.
Al Tovey, General Manager of Wildhorse Casino, checks out the construction inside Whispering Aspen Lanes, the newest addition at Wildhorse Resort. The facility will feature 16 lanes for general bowling plus another eight “boutique” lanes that can be rented for parties and other occasions. A full bar, a 120-seat open-air food court, and a 35-game state-of-the-art arcade will also be under the roof of the new building. Not-so-distant plans include the addition of a second hotel tower. Wildhorse is celebrating its 25th anniversary in March with its big fireworks show scheduled for Saturday, March 14. Photo Credit: CUJ Photo/Phinney

Bowling alley to open before Round-Up

By the CUJ MISSION – Inside it’s still a huge expanse of hanging cable, steel beams and concrete, but it’s not hard to imagine the shiny hardwood lanes, the clatter of pins scattering at the impact of a bowling ball, or the rat-a-tat-tat of the firing-range arcade games. Or maybe you can smell Brigham’s Fish and Chips or Moe Pho’s…

Tribal youth volunteers at flood shelter

By Megan Van Pelt of the CUJ PENDLETON – Caring hearts are out to help, and high school students wanted to help just as much as anyone else. One such student, Kaydon Higheagle, volunteered with fellow Pendleton High School students at the Pendleton Convention Center Feb. 9.  Higheagle, a Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) tribal member, wanted…

Two members of the Native American Club hold up club flyers.
Molle Minthorn, left, and No’alani Malumaleumu, right, are two of the eight members of the Native American Club. Photo Credit: CUJ Photo/Megan Van Pelt

Native American Club is back at BMCC

It’s official and on campus. Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) Native American Club is back in action as of March 3. Eight members join the ranks, although they have yet to elect officers. This marks the return of a club that was previously on campus but since lost the minimum number of students – five – to have an official…

CTUIR Incident Command Status Update for March 13, 2020

Press Release from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation For immediate release: March 13, 2020 Contacts: Carrie Sampson-Samuels, Public Information Officer – Public Health, (541) 240-8728 Jiselle Halfmoon, Public Information Officer – Tribal Governance, (541) 969-4801 CTUIR Incident Command Status Update MISSION, Ore. – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Incident Command Team (ICT) is…

Where are our local legislators?

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) work extremely hard to address issues of mutual concerns with the State of Oregon. This government-to-government relationship ensures open and clear communication to ensure the needs of all of our citizens are being addressed through executive, legislative and judicial bodies. To this end, the CTUIR regularly meets with elected members of…