Category: Recent News

Coquille Indian Tribe to break ground on new Travel Center

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The Coquille Indian Tribe announced plans to break ground this spring on a new Travel Center that will expand services for guests, create jobs, and strengthen the Tribe’s long-term economic future.

Planned along Highway 101 directly across from Ko-Kwel Casino Resort | Coos Bay, the new Travel Center will provide easy access for travelers moving through the region while complementing the Tribe’s existing hospitality and entertainment destinations.

Coquille Indian Tribe Press Release – February 24, 2026

KMTR – February 25, 2026

KVAL – February 25, 2026

KOBI – February 28, 2026

Pechanga.net – February 28, 2026

Indian Gaming Magazine – March 3, 2026

The World Newspaper – March 5, 2026

25th year Coquille Tribe distributes Community Fund grants

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Since 2001, the Coquille Tribal Community Fund has now distributed just under $9 million to over 1,075 grant projects. On Feb. 5, another $95,000 in funds were distributed through to a total of 28 recipients for grant projects spread throughout five southwestern Oregon counties.

These grant funds from the Coquille (Ko-Kwel) Indian Tribe will help organizations fund projects in five categories: health, arts and culture, education, environmental, public safety, and historic preservation.

Full Press Release

The World Newspaper – February 10, 2026

Siuslaw News – February 19, 2026

Blending Science and Indigenous Knowledge to Tell an Estuary’s Story

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A new study of nutrient levels in soil cores supports oral Indigenous history, informing future estuary restoration efforts.

When the first salmon return to Oregon’s Coquille River in the spring, thousands of fish congregate, and an important ceremony for the Coquille Indian Tribe (CIT) unfolds.

“You come out and you welcome them,” said Jason Younker, former Coquille Indian Tribe chief and assistant vice president of sovereign government-to-government relations at the University of Oregon. Neighbors share the first salmon of the season, and fish bones are returned to the river. “We’re giving thanks. And if you give thanks regularly and with intent, then you’re less likely to abuse the resources that are there in front of you,” said Younker. …

Eos.org – December 23, 2025

James Beard Public Market’s place in downtown Portland will have a touch of Coquille Tribe

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Organizers of the project to build a public market in downtown Portland released new renderings of the space on Tuesday, ones they say represent an evolving vision informed by the location’s history.

The James Beard Public Market will fill a 40,000 square-foot space, occupying the ground floor of the historic Selling Building at the corner of Southwest 6th and Alder, as well as three floors of the connected Market Building. Organizers say it will include lumber sourced from the sustainably managed timberlands of the Coquille Tribe.

Yahoo! News – January 27, 2026

2025 Tribal-State Government-to-Government Summit builds bridges

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Annual summit provides opportunities to discuss solutions to critical issues facing Oregonians in rural communities
 

Salem, OR — Oct. 7-8, Governor Tina Kotek and First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson attended the 2025 Tribal-State Government-to-Government Summit, co-hosted by the Coquille Indian Tribe at the Ko-Kwel Casino Resort in Coos Bay.

“This week, the nine sovereign Tribal nations of Oregon and state agency leaders came together to demonstrate that meaningful government-to-government relations require honest dialogue, mutual respect, and concrete action,” Governor Kotek said. “While others are busy building walls, we gathered to build bridges and grow our relationships.”

The annual summit brings together the Governor, Tribal government and senior staff from the nine federally recognized sovereign Tribes in Oregon, and Oregon state officials to address critical shared issues through government-to-government communication, coordination, collaboration, and consultation. The summit represents Oregon’s ongoing commitment to recognizing that Tribal governments represent the oldest sovereigns in Oregon by thousands of years. Ongoing relationships with the Tribes bring invaluable expertise, knowledge, and resources to address shared challenges and promote prosperity for all Oregonians.

“It was an honor to host Governor Kotek, Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribal leaders and state agency directors here at our Ko-Kwel Casino Resort – Coos Bay. It was an incredible opportunity to bring attention to the needs of our Tribes, the communities we live in, and our entire state,” said Coquille Indian Tribe Chairman Brenda Meade.

“Through this Summit, we hope to have found new ways to strengthen our government-to-government relations while creating new opportunities for some much-needed fine-tuning in our communication and partnerships. And we were happy that, while there were serious topics to be tackled, in our Potlatch tradition we celebrated together, enjoying the beauty of our Coquille homelands.”

The summit featured keynote addresses from Coquille Indian Tribe Chairman Meade and Governor Kotek, bill signing ceremonies for tribal-related legislation, and a historic Sovereign Leaders’ Assembly where each Tribal Head of Government presented priorities directly to the Governor as equal partners.

Programming included cultural demonstrations at the Coquille Community Plank House, an inter-tribal celebration with traditional games and music, and an innovative neuroscience-informed workshop on strengthening government relationships. Pre-summit and post-summit cluster meetings addressed health and human services, economic development, natural and cultural resources, and public safety priorities, ensuring sustained collaboration between the federally recognized sovereign Tribal nations of Oregon and the State of Oregon.

For photos from the annual Summit, click here.

For a streaming of the Summit, click here.

Note to Editors: ​Oregon has been a national leader in tribal-state relations for nearly five decades. In 1975, the State of Oregon recognized the need for permanent dialogue with tribal governments and created the Legislative Commission on Indian Services (LCIS), an advisory body of 13 tribal leaders and legislators that serves as an ongoing forum for tribal-state issues.
 
Building on this foundation and Executive Order 96-30, Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass comprehensive tribal-state government-to-government relations law in 2001 with SB 770 (codified as ORS 182.162-.168). This groundbreaking legislation emphasizes the critical importance of establishing and maintaining ongoing communication between state agencies and Oregon’s nine federally recognized sovereign tribal nations to inform decision-makers and provide opportunities for collaboration on shared interests.
 
About the Coquille Indian Tribe: The Coquille Indian Tribe flourished in Oregon’s southwestern corner for thousands of years, cherishing the bountiful forests, rivers and beaches of a homeland encompassing over one million acres. In 1954, Congress declared the Coquille Tribe “terminated.” 35 years later the Tribe was formally restored to federal recognition in 1989. Today the Tribe numbers more than 1,200 members and it has regained more than 10,000 acres of ancestral homeland, proudly managing the bulk of it as sustainable forest. The Tribe provides education assistance, health care, elder services and (where needed) housing assistance to its people, while contributing substantially to the surrounding community’s economy. Its various enterprises employ approximately 1000 people, and its community fund is the region’s leading local source of charitable grants. For more about the Coquille Indian Tribe, visit coquilletribe.org.


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Ko-Kwel Wellness Centers eye federal financial picture while providing essential healthcare

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The Ko-Kwel Wellness Centers in Coos Bay and Eugene provide essential healthcare for Native and non-Native populations alike, often from rural areas. Now they’re bracing for service interruptions amid looming slashes to Medicaid, a crucial funding source that helps cover existing federal funding shortfalls.

Brenda Meade, Coquille Indian Tribe Chairwoman, said the clinic offers services that are vital for her people and the local communities.

“We as tribal nations are serving some of the most vulnerable populations in our nation. We’re doing very good work,” she said.  “We’re very efficient with our dollars, and we’re getting out to rural Oregon, where a lot of services are needed not just for Indian people, but community members.

The Ko-Kwel Wellness Centers serve as one-stop shops for community members to address multiple needs at once. Between the two centers, in Coos Bay and Eugene, there are laboratories, primary care physicians, pharmacies, dental services, mental health services, behavioral health services, community resources, an opioid treatment program and a rehabilitation and fitness center. 

Underscore Native News – August 27, 2025

KWC Eugene featured on Eugene Chamber of Commerce website

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The Ko-Kwel Wellness Center in Eugene was recently featured in a series called “Queries and Quotes,” on the Eugene Chamber of Commerce website. 

Rooted in a legacy of service and tribal sovereignty, Ko-Kwel Wellness Center (part of the Coquille Indian Tribe) brings a culturally grounded, whole-person approach to health care in Eugene. From primary care to Oregon’s first tribally operated opioid treatment program, they’re building a healthier, more connected community, one partnership at a time. CEO Caryn Mickelson responded to the Chamber.

Open For Business Eugene – August, 2025

First Chinook fishery since 2021 proposed for Coquille River thanks to success of Coquille Tribe-ODFW partnership, volunteer efforts

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NEWS RELEASE 

Oregon Fish and Wildlife 

Coquille Indian Tribe 

 

Contact 

Tim Novotny, Coquille Indian Tribe, (541) 751-7491, timnovotny@coquilletribe.org 

Michelle Dennehy, ODFW, (503) 931-2748, Michelle.N.Dennehy@odfw.oregon.gov 

 

 

 

Photo: Caption: ODFW Director Debbie Colbert (at podium) and Coquille Tribe Chairwoman Brenda Meade (to the right in black sweatshirt) on July 31, 2025 in Bandon, Ore. to announce a major step forward in their combined management effort on salmon recovery in the Coquille River. The first fall Chinook fishery since 2021 will be proposed for the Coquille River following the efforts of the Coquille Tribe, ODFW staff and STEP (Salmon Trout Enhancement Program) volunteers to improve the performance of the hatchery program. (photo credit: Coquille Tribe)

 

July 31, 2025 

  

BANDON, Ore.— Leadership of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Coquille Indian Tribe came together near the mouth of the Coquille River today to announce a major step forward in the combined management effort on salmon recovery.

 

ODFW is proposing to restart Chinook salmon fishing in the Coquille River this fall following the efforts of the Coquille Tribe, ODFW staff and extensive community volunteer work to improve the performance of the hatchery program. 

 

Under a Chinook proposal to be considered by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission on Sept. 12 in Ontario and a wild coho proposal to be considered Aug. 15 in Salem, the following regulations would be in effect on the Coquille River this fall:

  • Open for salmon fishing Sept. 13-Oct. 15 from the Hwy 101 bridge upstream to the Hwy 42S Sturdivant Park Bridge near the town of Coquille  
  • Daily bag limit of two adult salmon (hatchery Chinook and wild coho only, but only one may be a wild coho) and a season limit of 3 wild coho

 

If approved, the season would mark the first fall Chinook opportunity on the Coquille River since 2021 and add to wild coho fishing opportunities that returned in 2024. Members of the public can comment on the proposals via the ODFW rulemaking page. 

 

Fall Chinook fisheries on the Coquille River have primarily been supported by abundant wild populations. But wild Chinook returns to the Coquille River fell dramatically in 2018 due to the illegal introduction and spread of smallmouth bass, a voracious predator of juvenile salmon. Warming river temperatures, low flows and poor ocean conditions also played a role. 

 

The long-running hatchery program, which relied heavily on wild broodstock, also experienced several setbacks. ODFW was unable to collect sufficient broodstock/eggs, so fewer smolts were released.  

 

ODFW and the Coquille Tribe signed a historic Memorandum of Agreement in June 2022 to collaborate, share resources and work as partners to enhance fish and wildlife

populations. They quickly leaned into their relationship and started working together more closely, alongside volunteers from local STEP (Salmon Trout Enhancement Program) groups. 

 

This broader effort increased brood collection efforts so more hatchery fish could be spawned and more smolts released. Improvements in design and operations at the Ferry Creek broodstock collection trap helped meet broodstock collection targets. A new smolt acclimation and adult collection site was also developed on the Tribe’s Lampa Creek property.   

  

The effort is just one of several actions ODFW, the Coquille Tribe, and volunteers are taking to restore fisheries in the Coquille River. Other efforts include: 

  • Habitat restoration and protection: Collaborative projects between the Tribe, ODFW, SWCD in Coos County and other partners using federal and other grant funds to improve fish passage and restore habitat. 
  • Electrofishing to remove smallmouth bass: Nearly 40,000 smallmouth bass have been removed from the Coquille River. 
  • Conservation hatchery program: An additional hatchery program to supplement the wild population is underway, rearing some fish at Elk River Hatchery and releasing them in the upper basin at a size and time when they are less vulnerable to smallmouth bass. 
  • Experimental hatchboxes: Unfed fry are being released from hatchboxes (aka streamside incubators) at several locations with genetic sampling of adult returns planned to help determine the experimental program’s effectiveness.  

 

During a press conference announcing the proposals today in Bandon, Ore., ODFW Director Debbie Colbert and Coquille Indian Tribe Chairwoman Brenda Meade expressed their commitment to continuing to work together to enhance salmon and steelhead populations and fishing opportunities. They say given the unique past, current, and anticipated future conditions of the Coquille system, a unified, holistic management approach is essential to achieve this mission. 

 

“Coquille people have a sacred duty to care for fish and wildlife that aligns with the mission of the ODFW well,” said Chair Brenda Meade.  “Our shared vision is that the Coquille and Coos systems will be widely recognized as a premier salmon and steelhead fishery and a cornerstone of the cultural, social and economic well-being of the region. We are calling this the “Hot Zone” – a Harvest Opportunity Zone. Our MOA and work we do under it is not only about government-to-government work and respect, but also about truly listening to this community and involving the community in our work as valued partners with knowledge, ideas, and contributions to give too.”

 

“We needed to act after the Coquille River reached a tipping point a few years ago with the drastic decline of wild Chinook from an average of about 10,000 returning adults to just 300 in 2019 due to low flows, warming river temperatures and invasive predators,” said ODFW Director Debbie Colbert. “The situation called for an all-out effort to pull Coquille River’s salmon and fishing opportunities back from the brink.” 

 

I’m thrilled we can celebrate this positive step in the right direction,” Colbert continued. “I hope the collective efforts of the Tribe, ODFW and volunteers bring more results for salmon in the future, including for wild runs which remain very low.” 

 

ODFW and the Tribe remain committed to management actions and projects that grow salmon and steelhead abundance and enhance harvest opportunities, with both natural and hatchery produced salmon playing an important role.  

 

Northwest Sportsman Magazine – July 31, 2025

KMTR-TV – July 31, 2025

KEZI.com – July 31, 2025

KPIC-TV – July 31, 2025

Jefferson Public Radio – July 31, 2025

Tribal Business News – August 2, 2025

OPB – August 2, 2025

MSN – August 2, 2025

Underscore Native News – August 8, 2025

The World Newspaper – August 9, 2025

Oregon Capital Chronicle – August 11, 2025

 

 

 

Coquille Resilience Management Plan

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The Coquille Tribe worked with the Climate Resilience Task Force from 2023 to 2025 to establish the Coquille Resilience Management Plan. The Coquille Resilience Management Plan is a comprehensive strategy that ensures the Coquille people remain sovereign stewards of an ever-changing world. The completed plan was adopted by the Tribal Council in May of 2025.

 

Download Plan Document