By Casey Brown of the CUJ MISSION – Funds from a $30,000 federal grant will be used to repair houses owned by tribal members on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. This is the first time the Housing Department has received a grant from the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC). However, the purpose of the NAIHS grant – safety upgrades and…
Category: News
CTUIR ready to celebrate Voc Rehab’s 100th year
From the CTUIR Vocational Rehabilitation Program On June 2, Vocational Rehabilitation turned 100 years old. President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Smith-Fess Act of 1920, which established the first federally funded program to assist people with disabilities who had not acquired their disabilities as a result of serving in the military. During the last four decades, more than 83…
By Casey Brown of the CUJ MISSION – While the decision about graduation is pending as of press time, Nixyaawii Community School’s New Media class has been working to produce messages of positivity for the Golden Eagles Class of 2020. “We wanted to make sure that the community has a chance to cheer on students,” Michelle Van Pelt said. Two…
Tribes developing ‘Safe Routes to School’ plans for Nixyaawii students
By Dani Schulte, CTUIR Transportation Planner MISSION – How many Nixyáawii Community School (NCS) students are walking or bicycling to school? Have you seen students cutting across the busy highway to get to Mission Market on their lunch break? Is there adequate lighting for students walking to a basketball game? These are some questions the Tribal Planning Office is hoping…
Students earn biliteracy diploma seals in Nez Perce, Umatilla languages
PENDLETON – Five graduating Native students, including Seth Scott who made remarks in Nez Perce at the Pendleton High School commencement ceremonies, have earned the Oregon Seal of Biliteracy for their achievements in studying native languages. Besides Scott, four students from Nixyaawii Community School earned the Oregon Seals, which will appear on their diplomas. Those students are Christina Kaltsukis, Susie…
Carol Farrow stands in front of the home where she lives with her siblings on Thompson Road.
Heavy rains create May 20 flood scare
By the CUJ MISSION – The community mostly dodged another bullet May 20 when the skies darkened before dumping more than an inch of rain in less than 24 hours on the foothills of the Blue Mountains. It didn’t end up anything like the February floods that caused millions of dollars’ worth of damage throughout Eastern Oregon, but for a…
A pair of backhoes work on some of the remaining walls at the former Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center as demolition work continued at the July Grounds in April.
Demo provides opportunity for new vision at July Grounds
From the CTUIR Capital Improvements Committee MISSION – The month of May brought a significant milestone to the July Grounds – the demolition of the former Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, as well as the demolition of the Cay-Uma-Wa Education Center, the former Prevention Building, and a modular that served as an office building for the Yellowhawk Finance Department. “These buildings…
BOT approves recruitment of Deputy Executive Director
By the CUJ MISSION – The Board of Trustees (BOT) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) on May 13 told Executive Director Ted Wright to begin recruitment for an individual to work under his supervision as a Deputy Executive Director (DED). The exact duties of the DED were not fully flushed out during the BOT work…
Mt. Emily Pack likely to blame for livestock deaths
MISSION – Wolves from the Mount Emily Pack are likely to blame for five livestock deaths that occurred on the Umatilla Indian Reservation (UIR) over a two-week span between April 30 and May 13, according to a news release from the Confederated Tribes. At least one of those cases was confirmed as a wolf kill. A livestock producer found a…
Chair of the CTUIR Board of Trustees
Healthy, safety remain top concern as we re-open
By Kat Brigham On behalf of the Board of Trustees (BOT), I say congratulations to the tribal community on successfully staying safe and healthy over the past three months. Yellowhawk conducted their second round of testing for our community and all tests were negative. This BOT is very concerned about your health and safety and we are providing all the…