By Wil Phinney of the CUJ MISSION – More than two dozen members of Toby Patrick’s family gathered April 18 to honor the foods that his elders promised would protect them. Now he could face up to a year in jail or a maximum fine of $5,000 for violating a COVID-19 social gathering directive issued in March by the Board…
CTUIR Opens Traditional Sweat for Immediate Family and Households
MISSION – The Incident Command Team is granting permission to CTUIR community residents and their immediate family members to practice traditional sweat, reconsidering a March 24 order prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is highly encouraged that sweat only continue with individuals that reside within your immediate household and does not include extended family or community members (to include community…
CTUIR Lifts Travel Restriction and Provides Guidelines for Travel
MISSION – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Incident Command Team (ICT) has worked on several plans to ensure the safety of the entire community. The CTUIR ICT has reconsidered the 75-mile travel restriction and have made the determination to remove the travel restriction and issue guidelines. The ICT would like community members to take the following…
Virus Bill Offers $24B In Tribal Relief, Bars Alaska Native Cos.
By Andrew Westney, Law360 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tribes and tribal groups would receive $24 billion as part of a proposed House package for coronavirus relief, with Alaska Native corporations made ineligible for the main tribal funding pool after the government’s plan to include them in the previous round of funding sparked a suit from federally recognized tribes. The $3 trillion…
CTUIR Call Center seeks to reach out to Tribal members
MISSION – A Virtual Call Center has been established by the Office of the Executive Director so that each member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) will receive a call during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The purpose of the calls, according to CTUIR Executive Director Ted Wright, is to contact all Tribal member households and ensure…
I-84 eastbound rolling slowdowns start May 15, expect delays in the Pendleton – Cabbage Hill area
PENDLETON – To accommodate the installation of new variable message reader boards over Interstate 84 the Oregon Department of Transportation will conduct occasional rolling slowdowns at various locations between Pendleton and La Grande during the next two months. The first slowdowns will take place Friday, May 15, in the eastbound lanes around 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. between milepost 200 west…
COVID-19 Incident Command investigating weekend feast that drew more than 30 people
By the CUJ Update: This story corrects information from an earlier version. Tribal Police are not involved in any current investigation involving a COVID-19 incident. MISSION – The COVID-19 Incident Command Team is investigating a gathering of more than 30 people who attended a feast over the weekend at a home on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, according to Incident Commander…
CTUIR Board of Trustees extends stay-at-home order through June 1
By the CUJ MISSION – The Board of Trustees (BOT) at its meeting Monday, April 27 extended stay-at-home orders through June 1 – unless public health conditions for COVID-19 are achieved sooner – for residents of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. In addition to the public health requirement, the BOT resolution said the stay-at-home orders could only be relaxed earlier than…
FEMA registration now open for victims of February Umatilla River Flooding
Wednesday, April 14, 2020 fema-r10-newsdesk@fema.dhs.gov NEWS RELEASE Registration Open for February Storm Losses Salem, Oregon – Residents of Umatilla County and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation who sustained damage or loss due to the February storms and flooding should register now for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Individuals or families that had property…
Tribal members to receive COVID-19 relief benefit of $300 cash
By the CUJ MISSION – Every member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) should receive a COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Benefit check of $300 that will be sent on or before April 30 following action April 13 by the Board of Trustees (BOT). That means every CTUIR member – more than 3,100 men, women and children –…