MISSION — The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla County (CTUIR) hosted a virtual town hall on June 17 to take questions, comments and concerns regarding the CTUIR’s draft nuclear energy policy. The town hall was led by Elizabeth McManus with the consulting firm Ross Strategic as well as her staff members Martha Madrid and Piper… Read more: CTUIR hosts virtual town hall for nuclear energy draft policy

PENDLETON — Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) members Ellen Taylor and Jacob Wallis led the city’s sixth Pride Parade through downtown Pendleton.  The parade kicked off at 11 a.m. on June 13 near the Main Street Bridge and made its way to the Heritage Station Museum. LGBTQ+ community members and supporters waved… Read more: CTUIR grand marshals lead Pendleton Pride

MISSION — A new market has opened, bringing fresh food, local products and tribal entrepreneurship together on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Wildbill Market officially opened its doors on June 16 with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, marking the debut of a locally owned, Indigenous-founded grocery store serving residents of the reservation and the surrounding community. The market,… Read more: Wildbill Market opens in Mission

MISSION — Nixyáawii Community School (NCS) celebrated the Class of 2026, as 10 students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, marking the school’s 22nd graduating class.  As the young graduates approached the stage at the start of the ceremony on June 5 at Wildhorse Resort & Casino, they presented roses to friends and… Read more: NCS Class of 2026 turns their tassels

PENDLETON — Pendleton’s youth showed at times this season, but the Bucks softball team could always rely on senior Avery Quaempts for a big hit and a sense of calm when things got tough. Quaempts’ leadership and talent did not go unnoticed as she earned first-team Greater Oregon League (GOL) honors as an infielder and… Read more: Pendleton’s Quaempts highlights all-league, all-state honors

MISSION — Tamástslikt Cultural Institute (Tamástslikt) hosted a preview on June 4 of “Tíkaaš – The Precious Art of Cradleboards,” the first exhibit drawn from the Columbia Plateau Tribes portion of the Fred L. Mitchell collection, which was acquired in March. The exhibit, which opened to the public on June 5, features intricately beaded cradleboards… Read more: Tamástslikt Cultural Institute opens cradleboard exhibit from Mitchell collection

MISSION — Participants with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) put the finishing touches on colorful parade entries outside the Umatilla Tribal Fire Department before the annual Treaty Day Parade. Families, tribal programs and community members gathered early to decorate floats, prepare vehicles and make last-minute adjustments before the parade stepped off… Read more: CTUIR celebrates Treaty Day

MISSION — The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) invites CTUIR community members to provide feedback on future capital improvement projects. The committee has posted planned and potential capital improvement projects on an interactive online webmap. Community members can use the webmap to view project information and submit comments… Read more: CTUIR Capital Improvements Committee is seeking input

PENDLETON — Residents and commuters in Pendleton and Mission faced traffic delays and power outages on July 7 after a grass fire prompted a precautionary power shutoff and a separate incident in which a commercial vehicle damaged overhead power lines. Pendleton Fire Chief Tony Pierotti said fire crews responded to a grass fire near Goad… Read more: Grass fire cuts power to nearly 6,000 from Pendleton to Mission

Strong winds fueled the 1,424-acre Old Emigrant Fire near Mission, Oregon, on June 16, prompting evacuations and a coordinated response from nearly 100 firefighters, helicopters and air tankers. (Lee Gavin/The CUJ)

MISSION — After five days of battling a wind-driven wildfire across Old Emigrant Hill Road, fire crews secured containment lines on June 21, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). The blaze ignited on June 16 at about 1:30 p.m. as a vegetation fire on the Umatilla Indian Reservation and rapidly spread to more… Read more: Crews contain Old Emigrant Fire after five-day battle

Opinion | N. KATHRYN BRIGHAM Chair, Board of Trustees In late April, the Northwest Native Economic Summit, co-hosted by the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) and our own Nixyáawii Community Financial Services (NCFS), brought tribal leaders together at Ilani Casino in Ridgefield, Washington. The summit provided an opportunity to learn from other ATNI tribes… Read more: Working to protect treaty rights and sovereignty

MISSION – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) is again teaming with Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) to provide legal aid in civil cases to low-income tribal members. The CTUIR Board of Trustees (BOT) recently approved a contract with the Native American Program of Legal Aid Services of Oregon (NAPOLS), which… Read more: CTUIR again contracts with LASO for legal aid to tribal members

MISSION — Vendors displayed their wares at the first Market at the Park on May 14 at the Txtáyma Food Truck Park. Food, jewelry and self-care products were on display at the event’s first installment, which will continue every second and fourth Thursday through October. Nixyáawii Community Financial Services (NCFS) Business Services Manager Jacob Wallis… Read more: Txtáyma hosts first Market at the Park

PENDLETON — The Happy Canyon Board of Directors recognized Aarone Hines, Wendy Sorey and Whitney Porter on May 26 at the annual Appreciation Awards in the Happy Canyon room at the Pendleton Convention Center. The first two recipients, Sorey and Porter, are sisters who have been participating in the Happy Canyon Indian Pageant and Wild… Read more: Happy Canyon announces 2026 Appreciation Award winners

MISSION — A Umatilla language teacher was among 34 educators honored at the Crystal Apple Award, recognizing excellence in education across Eastern Oregon. The InterMountain Education Service District (IMESD) hosted the 26th annual Crystal Apple  “Excellence in Education” Awards on May 11 at the River Event Center in the Wildhorse Resort and Casino, honoring educators… Read more: Umatilla language teacher receives Crystal Apple Award

MISSION — It was a quiet, ceremonial changing of the flags. Outside the Nixyáawii Governance Center on the morning of May 20, Flag Day, the ceremony took place with no fanfare. There were no songs or speeches. The changing of the flags was brief and swift. Five people gathered for the moment, including Confederated Tribes… Read more: Flag Day ceremony honors Airman Serena Satterwhite

Parsons powers TigerScots to 2A team title EUGENE — Weston-McEwen senior Wyatt Parsons is not a man who likes to lose. That much was evident Friday on the final day of the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 2A championships at Hayward Field. After a long wait to get on the track, Parsons and the rest of… Read more: Highlights from the State Track & Field Championships

MISSION — Members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) gathered to recognize the month of May as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples’ Month (MMIP). On May 14, CTUIR Family Violence Services (FVS) hosted a walk and lunch at the Nixyáawii Governance Center to recognize, support and honor the families of missing… Read more: CTUIR community gathers for MMIP month

MISSION – Giving a voice to Oregon-based tribal fire agencies, Umatilla Tribal Fire Department (UTFD) Chief James Hall was recently appointed to the Governor’s Fire Service Policy Council. “I was honored to receive an official appointment by the Governor’s Office to serve as the Tribal Fire Response Agency representative,” said Hall, who is the council’s… Read more: UTFD fire chief named to Governor’s Fire Service Policy Council