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),…
Jeff Casey, BIA Fire Management Officer, briefs members of the summer firefighting crew, which includes, from left, John Preston, Chelsea Farrow, Mitchell Kurtz, Syd Thompson, Deontae Johnson, Keith Farrow, and Hunter Baum.
BIA prepares for active fire season
By Casey Brown of the CUJ In the age of coronavirus, summer fire season for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) must go on. Jeff Casey, fire management officer, reminds his crew that all non-COVID-19 threats are still out there. “We are still responsible for all wildland fire management activities on the CTUIR. Our job is still to respond and…
Blackjack dealer Dominique Darwin waits for a player to make his bet on Friday, May 29, the first full day of operations for Wildhorse Resort & Casino since it closed in March for the COVID-19 pandemic.The Wildhorse facilities, including the hotel, restaurants and cineplex, re-opened under strict guidelines that call for, among other things, employees and guests to wear masks.
Wildhorse re-opens: 600 employees return as safety protocols implemented
By Wil Phinney of the CUJ MISSION – Guests were happy, employees were relieved and tribal leaders were satisfied when Wildhorse Resort & Casino re-opened May 28 on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. After being closed for more than two months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wildhorse met the standards set out by the Incident Command Team’s (ICT) Re-opening Plan as…
Board of Trustees approves amendment to compact with State of Oregon
MISSION – The Board of Trustees (BOT) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) approved an amendment to the Tribal-State Compact for the Regulation of Class III Gaming in Resolution 20-048 on May 18, 2020. The amendment, for the year 2020 only, allows the Tribes to waive its obligation to fund the Wildhorse Foundation, according to a…
Food distribution at noon on Saturday, May 23
MISSION – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Incident Command Team (ICT) is working on several plans to ensure the safety of the entire community. The ICT continues to monitor and manage the emerging situation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a very serious situation with Tribal, Local, National and International implications. Current CTUIR guidelines/updates as of…
COVID-19 results negative in first round of Yellowhawk testing
MISSION – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Incident Command Team (ICT) is working on several plans to ensure the safety of the entire community. The ICT continues to monitor and manage the emerging situation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a very serious situation with Tribal, Local, National and International implications. Yellowhawk completed its first round…
Umatilla Indian Reservation residents urged to prepare for flooding
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) urges residents of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to monitor river conditions and be prepared to evacuate if water rises quickly.