Tribal Government Modifying Public Use Restrictions on the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Reopening Off-Reservation Properties with Limitations

MISSION, OR – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) is reducing Public Use Restrictions on the Umatilla Indian Reservation for this fire season due to the cooler weather and slight but significant decrease in the threat of fire on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. In addition, the CTUIR is reopening Rainwater Wildlife Area and other off-reservation properties with…

Gordon appointed interim Umatilla Tribal Court Director

Chief Judge William D. Johnson has appointed Martina Gordon, Criminal Justice Records Specialist, as Interim Umatilla Tribal Court Director effective immediately. Gordon has been employed with Umatilla Tribal Court since 2017 and is an enrolled member of CTUIR. She previously served as the Food Programs Coordinator and Manager for CAPECO for 6 years. She currently serves as Vice-Chair for the…

Land Ownership Consolidation Program Returns to CTUIR

Mission, OR – The Land Buy Back Program has returned to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), and is now offering eligible landowners a third opportunity to participate in the land ownership consolidation program. The Program will be based upon the availability of funds remaining and offers were mailed to landowners in late July 2021. Because of…

Board of Trustees Mandating Mask Use in All Public Indoor Settings throughout the Umatilla Indian Reservation

MISSION – The Board of Trustees is following the recommendation of Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center as the public health authority for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and has approved a resolution to mandate mask use in all public indoor settings throughout the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The indoor mask order will go into effect at 12:01am on…

Book sale Aug. 27

PENDLETON – The Pendleton Friends and Family Book Sale will be held Aug. 27-28 at the Pendleton Convention Center starting at 10 a.m. The sale raises money for the Pendleton Public Library to purchase new materials for patrons of all ages. There will be $1 a bag sale runs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. both days, meaning that participants…

Relay for Life Aug. 14

PENDLETON – Relay for Life for Umatilla and Morrow counties will be held Aug. 14 at Roy Raley Park, located at 1205 SW Court Ave., from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The relay is held every year in Pendleton by volunteers of the American Cancer Society and 2021 marks its 16 year in Pendleton. In 2005, the first relay was…

BOT authorizes closure of off-Reservation Tribal properties due to extreme risk of wildfire

MISSION – The Board of Trustees of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) has approved the closure of a number of off-reservation properties owned by the CTUIR in order to protect people, structures, and land by reducing the risk of catastrophic fire events that could occur from human causes. The closure applies to the Rainwater, Wanaket, McCoy…

Temporary land use restrictions being implemented on Umatilla Indian Reservation due to fire fisk

MISSION – Given the current fire danger on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, restrictions have been put in place on the lands protected by the Umatilla Tribal Fire Department (UTFD). Continued hot weather coupled with drought-like conditions have increased concerns of potential large growth fires. UTFD and local fire suppression officials have indicated that, given the level of risk of wildland…

GIS website shows wildfires burning ancestral lands

By The CUJ MISSION – A map of showing wildfires affecting ancestral lands of the CTUIR was released to members and employees in a mass email July 19. “I think (the map) could be helpful to the community,” Stacy Schumacher told the CUJ. “I have been hearing from the Natural Resource Department that there is an increased concern for extreme…

Avery Quaempts

SPOTLIGHT: Avery Quaempts, hard-hitting eighth-grader

By The CUJ PENDLETON – Avery Quaempts comes from a competitive family. Her father Justin was an MLB draft pick who played ball for Oklahoma State University. Her grandfather Billy Quaempts was also a notable athlete within the CTUIR. So it’s no surprise the 8th grade softball star who led Oregon East to a runner-up finish in the ASA 14U…