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…
Lindsey X. Watchman
Birthday hugs and kisses, long-awaited sweat brings spirit alive once again
By General Council Chair Lindsey Watchman Oykalo iinim himiyuume, iin wees lilooyca – I am thankful/happy. Around mid-May, I turned 48 years old. Like many of you (as well as our children), birthday celebrations have been a bit more challenging these past few months. Held virtually, and even car parades … who would have thunk? Yet, each of us have…
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…
Cloe McMichael has stayed busy during the COVID-19 stay-at-home directives tending to her horses, like Rosie here. Cloe will be attending Oregon State University in the fall where she intends to pursue a degree in Education with hopes of returning to teach at Nixyaawii Community School.
McMichael wins Ford Family scholarship
2020 salutatorian wants to return to teach history at Nixyaawii Community School Cloe McMichael is comfortable being a bit of a contradiction. Or should we say she’s not bothered if people thinks she’s a little different. When this light-skinned Indian heads off to Corvallis and Oregon State University in the fall, she will be one of the few students who won’t…
BOT approves amendment to compact with State of Oregon
MISSION – The Board of Trustees (BOT) on May 18 approved an amendment to its gaming compact with the state that allows the Tribes to waive its obligation to fund the Wildhorse Foundation, according to a CTUIR press release. The move came as a result of Wildhorse Resort & Casino’s closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Revenues are expected to…
Patrick, family cited for violating COVID-19 social gathering order
By Wil Phinney of the CUJ MISSION – Toby Patrick and perhaps as many as 16 others who attended his Easter feast in April have been issued citations for violating a COVID-19 social gathering order issued by the Board of Trustees (BOT) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Conviction for failure to comply carries a potential…
Cayuse introduces apprenticeship program
By the CUJ MISSION – Cayuse is introducing an apprenticeship program designed to attract tribal members to a career in one of Cayuse Holdings’ family of companies, which are owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Coordinating the apprenticeship program is Debra Croswell, recently named director of Cayuse Shared Services, which provides administrative support functions to Cayuse…
Chelsey Dick, an employee in the CTUIR Department of Natural Resources, grimaces as a swab is put in her nose during a COVID-19 test on May. Like more than 100 other employees from Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, Tribal government and several other CTUIR entities, Dick’s test came back negative. The tests were administered by Yellowhawk nurses, lab technicians and a doctor.
Second round of Yellowhawk tests reveals only negative results for COVID-19
By Wil Phinney of the CUJ MISSION – For the second time in May, results were negative for more than 100 people tested for the active COVID-19 virus on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. A third round of testing for the novel coronavirus, a worldwide pandemic that has killed more than 103,000 people in the United States, is planned June 16…
NGC staff could return to work by mid-June
MISSION – Although a specific date has not been determined, employees at Nixyaawii Governance Center (NGC) should expect to be back at work in the building by mid-June, according to Ted Wright, Executive Director for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). An NGC Re-opening Plan was submitted May 28 to the CTUIR COVID-19 Incident Command Team (ICT),…