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.
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. …
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.
In the Lane County Medical Society monthly magazine Medical Matters for January 2026, they turned some attention to the Opioid Treatment Program at the Ko-Kwel Wellness Center in Eugene.
The article, on page 17, is titled “A New Ally in a Familiar Struggle.”
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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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.
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.
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:
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:
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
Jefferson Public Radio – July 31, 2025
Tribal Business News – August 2, 2025
Underscore Native News – August 8, 2025
The World Newspaper – August 9, 2025
Oregon Capital Chronicle – August 11, 2025
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.
The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs signed a formal agreement with the Coquille Indian Tribe last week that will provide a framework for collaboration and increased resources dedicated to supporting the Tribe’s veterans in accessing their earned federal and state veterans’ benefits.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed Tuesday, May 13, by ODVA Director Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels and Tribal Council Vice Chair Jen Procter Andrews, with Tribal government leaders and representatives, Tribal veterans and ODVA staff gathered to commemorate the historic partnership.
The formal signing was hosted on the Tribe’s sovereign land in North Bend in a ceremony that honored both the significance of the partnership and the traditions of the Coquille Indian Tribe.
Coos Bay, OR – The Coquille Tribe and the Coquille Economic Development Corporation are celebrating 30 years of casino operations along the shores of Coos Bay by renaming the Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park. The new name will be Ko-Kwel Casino Resort | Coos Bay.
The Mill Casino originally opened on May 19, 1995, transforming an old sawmill into the top tourist destination in Southern Oregon. Each year, approximately one million visitors come to Coos Bay to enjoy gaming, a variety of dining options, and numerous entertainment events.
“It was time for the Coquille Indian Tribe’s long-standing gaming and hospitality brand to clearly represent tribal ownership and the core values that define our leadership and service standards, to be proudly recognized as “Coquille,” states Margaret Simpson, CEO of the Coquille Economic Development Corporation, which manages the tribe’s gaming and hospitality operations with its diverse economic portfolio. “The tribe has faced significant challenges in its journey towards self-reliance over the past 35 years. As we expand our hospitality brand and outreach, we wanted to unify our projects under a single brand that honors our culture and recognizes the achievements of our tribal citizens.”
“The Ko-Kwel Casino Resort in Coos Bay will continue the legacy of the Mill as the economic engine for the region, allowing the tribe’s commitment to expanding our hospitality offerings throughout the Pacific Northwest,” explains Coquille Tribal Chair Brenda Meade. “Coquille has held deep historical significance in this region from time immemorial; it’s time we introduce that significance to the rest of the world through our branding.”
The new Ko-Kwel Casino Resort is undergoing a massive expansion project, including Oregon’s first tribally owned distillery, golf swing suites, enhanced dining options, and retail areas. “The new name, added amenities, and our renewed commitment to world-class hospitality are essential for our continued success in the competitive and ever-evolving destination travel market,” says Simpson. “Our team here is exceptional. Our new identity reflects years of hard work and dedication to this vision and will serve as a source of pride for all our team members for generations to come.”
Businesswire.com – May 19, 2025
indiangaming.com – May 21, 2025
The Oregonian/OregonLive.com – May 23, 2025
EUGENE, Ore. — The Coquille Tribe held a ribbon cutting Friday for its brand-new opioid treatment center in Eugene, the Ko-kwel Wellness Center, which aims to combat overdoses in Lane County.
The clinic, along River Road, is not just open to tribal families and other indigenous people – it’s also accessible to the general public.
According to Oregon Health Authority, the death rate among Native Americans is more than double the state average.
The Coquille Indian Tribe and Bay Area First Step recently formed a community partnership to take a swing at a challenging issue on the south coast, and they expect to bring the results of that partnership home this May. Literally.
In 2023, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) awarded the Coquille Indian Tribe a $1.2 million grant. $735,000 of that grant award could be passed through to Bay Area First Step under the Tribal Residential and Housing Service Element Program. By the end of 2023, CIT and Bay Area First Step reached a Memorandum of Agreement that has now led, in January of this year, to the closing on some property in North Bend. That property will serve as transitional housing for those in mental health and substance abuse treatment.
The Coquille Indian Tribe Community Fund is helping 28 projects through the distribution of almost $200,000 in grants that were handed-out at a celebration on Feb. 6, 2025.
Grant recipients gathered in person at the awards reception at The Mill Casino-Hotel. The Tribe’s grants will help organizations from five southwestern Oregon counties (Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, and Lane) with projects in seven categories: education, public safety, arts & culture, environment, historic preservation, health, and problem gaming. See the press release for details.
In this exclusive interview, Justin Stiefel, CEO of Heritage Distilling Co, discusses the steps taken to establish Oregon’s first tribally-owned distillery. He highlights the importance of overturning the 1834 law that restricted tribal involvement in distilling and shares how the Tribal Beverage Network (TBN) is creating economic opportunities, empowering Native American communities and setting the stage for greater diversity and inclusion in the spirits industry.
The Curry County Board of Commissioners has approved a $6,000 grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund to bolster the county’s Aquatic Safety Program.
The funding will be used specifically for the purchase of Personal Watercraft (PWC), essential equipment for the program’s operations. The program, which plays a crucial role in water safety initiatives within the county, is already partially supported by grants from other regional partners.
After more than two years of planning, a distillery will open on Tribal land in Oregon, in which both Heritage and Coquille-branded spirits will be produced and bottled. These products will then be sold in the bars, restaurants and retail outlets of The Mill Casino-Hotel in Coos Bay, Oregon.
The project is expected to open to the public by the end of the year.
“After more than two years of planning, negotiating with the state of Oregon, and completing design work, we are thrilled to have broken ground on this historic project,” said Margaret Simpson, CEO of CEDCO, which operates The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park.
South Sound – February 4, 2025
The Coquille Indian Tribe recently received federal permission to build a casino off the interstate in Medford, a cap to a rocky 13-year public process.
The Department of the Interior signed a record of decision in the matter Jan. 10, the Oregon Journalism Project reported.
Oregon Business – January 21, 2025
Rogue Valley Times – January 15, 2025
Today, cultures of reciprocity are central among many Indigenous communities, including among the Coquille Indian Tribe, in Southwest Oregon, whose members say that the custom of potlatch is evident in almost every aspect of life.
In October, the Biden Administration expanded both Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for practices including sweat lodges and drumming in Oregon, California, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Jen Procter Andrews is Vice Chair for the Coquille Tribe based in Coastal Oregon, and a member of the Portland Area Indian Health Board.
She says this is a fantastic development which will address issues specific to Native communities.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OPPORTUNITY
DESCRIPTION
The Coquille Indian Tribe’s Health and Wellness Division was created to offer integrated health
with primary care, behavioral health, dental, pharmacy, public health, opioid and substance use
disorder programs. Our health services promote a holistic approach to healing in a comfortable,
inclusive environment. We serve our Coquille Tribal family, other American Indians and Alaska
Natives, tribal employees, and the public. The main clinic is situated on the beautiful Oregon
coast of the Coquille ancestral homelands. We are expanding our services in Eugene and have a
vision to provide services within the five-county service area. Tribal Council has delegated health
and wellness operational authority to the Tribal Health and Wellness Division. The Division is
governed by a Health and Wellness Executive Board of Directors serving at the pleasure of the
Tribal Council and performing its duties in accordance with the Health and Wellness Division
Ordinance and the related Division policies.
The Health and Wellness Division’s aim is to:
1. Provide comprehensive, high-quality and culturally competent health and wellness services that
are sensitive to Tribal historical trauma, while maximizing revenue, minimizing expenses, reducing
the Tribe’s General Fund subsidy and creating financial reserves.
2. Maintain high quality and stable workforces in safe and clean work environments.
3. Maintain well trained, well educated, competent and ethical Executive Board members, CEO and
staff.
4. Achieve health-related goals identified annually by the Executive Board and the Tribal Council.
5. Complete projects, achieve outcomes and attain goals assigned by the Tribal Council.
The Health and Wellness Executive Board of Directors consists of five members appointed by the
Coquille Indian Tribal Council, usually for staggered terms of three years. One member will be a
voting Tribal Council Representative. The Chair of the Executive Board is selected by the Tribal
Council from among the Board.
Pursuant to the Health and Wellness Division Ordinance and related policies, the Executive
Board duties include but are not limited to:
1. Providing oversight and advice to the Health and Wellness Division CEO to include an annual
recommendation to Tribal Council of measurable goals and objectives for the CEO as well as an
evaluation of the CEO’s performance;
2. Overseeing prudent and accountable use and reporting of the Division’s resources,
recommendation of annual budgets to Tribal Council for approval, establishing the Division’s
operational priorities, recommending eligibility criteria for services and long range financial and
strategic planning goals;
3. Evaluating the Division’s activities including services, quality of care metrics, utilization
patterns, productivity, patient satisfaction, achievement of objectives, and ensuring that the
Division adopts and implements an effective and safe quality improvement program that includes a
patient complaint process;
4. Providing oversight for effective, efficient health and wellness services authorized by the
Tribe, which may include medical, urgent care, lab, mental health and substance abuse, alternative
and complementary services, pharmacy, dental, and other disease prevention and health promotion
services as needed to promote, foster and maintain good health;
5. Providing a high quality, accessible, responsive, and well-coordinated delivery system of
health education and health and wellness services, for the benefit of current and future Tribal
members and other eligible persons;
6. Serving as the governing body of the Health and Wellness Division, which satisfies the
requirements of accreditation or licensing authorities;
7. Maintaining fiscal accountability by closely monitoring revenue and expenditures, implementing
cost control policies and procedures, obtaining and reviewing comprehensive monthly and year-end
fiscal reports and providing Tribal Council with an accurate financial overview at quarterly
combined meetings. The annual budget will be developed in conjunction with the Tribal Council’s
budgeting process;
8. Communicating effectively with the Tribal Council regarding the Executive Board’s work and the
achievement of goals and any other outcomes or requirements identified in the Health and Wellness
Division Policies;
9. Other tasks and duties associated with the governance of the Board such as attending meetings,
recording minutes, working with the CEO to provide reports both orally and in writing to Tribal
Council and other duties necessary to effectively lead the Division.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. Previous leadership experience in a related field or high-level management experience with a
proven record of accomplishments and an ability to work effectively and professionally with others
to reach goals.
2. High level management experience which includes expertise in at least one of the following:
• Providing comprehensive health care services
• Providing comprehensive opioid treatment services
• Tribal or Indian Health Services outpatient health care
• Federally qualified Health Center matters
• Law, finance, social services, business or tribal operations
• Other areas that would enhance the expertise of the Executive Board
3. Demonstrate behavior that preserves and enhances the mission and commitment of the Coquille
Indian Tribe and the Tribal Health and Wellness Division.
4. Promote fairness and integrity in all internal and external business practices and preserve
and enhance the reputation and values of the Coquille Indian Tribe.
6. Possess a high level of integrity and a professional reputation. Must be able to pass a
reference and background check.
7. Abide by a strict policy regarding recusal and transparency for conflicts of interest.
8. Attend meetings as necessary, either in-person or remotely. Regular meeting dates and times
will be established to include an annual meeting with Tribal Council. The attendance requirement
for Health and Wellness Executive Board Members is the ability to attend meetings regularly.
Absence from (i) two consecutive board meetings, or (ii) more than 50% of the board meetings in a
calendar year, without a valid excuse accepted by the Tribal Council Chair or Secretary, may
subject a board member to removal.
9. The Executive Board reports to the Coquille Indian Tribal Council.
COMPENSATION
At rates approved by the Tribal Council, the Executive Board (except the Tribal Council
Representative and CEO) will be paid a stipend of $7,500 per quarter. In addition, Executive Board
members are reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses associated with their service on the
Board.
HOW TO APPLY
If you are interested in serving on the Executive Board of Directors, please send a resume
detailing your experience with a letter expressing your interest. Packets should be submitted no
later than January 13ᵗʰ, 2025 to Mike Frost, HR Director at mikefrost@coquilletribe.org or by mail
to Mike Frost, Coquille Indian Tribe, 3050 Tremont St., North Bend, OR 97459. If you have
any questions, please contact Mike Frost at (541)297-7501.
Tribal, county, state and local partners gathered for an emergency preparedness exercise and demonstration. These partners worked together to set up components of an Evacuation Assembly Point (EAP). An EAP is a short-term, designated location used after emergencies like the Cascadia earthquake and tsunami. It serves as a staging area where people can gather while emergency responders work to access impacted regions and facilitate evacuation.
Oregon Department of Human Services newsroom – November 21, 2024
The World Newspaper – December 8, 2024
The Coquille Indian Tribe has voted to retain its chairman and secretary/treasurer, while welcoming a new representative following a recent election.
Chair Brenda Meade, who has served in that position since 2012, was sworn-in to a new three-year term on Oct. 25. Jackie Chambers, who has served as secretary-treasurer since 2021, and new
Representative Shelley Estes, were also sworn-in by Vice Chair Jen Procter Andrews on the same day.
Meade will continue heading the seven-member Tribal Council, which oversees all of the Tribe’s governmental and business activities. Over the past 12 years, she has remained passionately engaged in state, regional and national organizations that work on Native American issues, including serving as chair of the Oregon Legislative Commission on Indian Services.
Some of her other leadership roles have been with the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, the National Congress of American Indians, the National Indian Gaming Association, the Governor’s Task Force on Oregon Tribal Cultural Items, and the University of Oregon’s Native American Advisory Committee.
“We have much more work to do,” Meade said. “Working to protect our sovereignty and create opportunities for self-sufficiency for our Tribe and Tribal citizens is something that requires constant effort but is worth it. A healthy and vibrant Coquille Tribe can only add to a healthy and vibrant community.”
Estes, who has been serving as chair of the Elders Advisory Council among other roles with the Tribe, takes the seat that had been held by Laurabeth Barton who did not run for reelection.
Monday across the U.S., Native Americans observed Indigenous Peoples Day. This included an event at the University of Oregon.
About a hundred people gathered at the EMU Amphitheater to watch Native American dancing, and hear speakers talk about Indigenous culture, history, and issues including the Land Back movement and Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).
Jason Younker also attended. He’s the Coquille Tribe’s Chief and UO presidential advisor on sovereign government to government relations. He said this is the tenth year that there’s been a ceremony to replace the tribal flags on campus.
The Coquille Indian Tribe will soon be putting nearly $8 million in federal grant funding to work on salmon recovery and watershed projects, the tribe said Monday in a media release.
The tribe received two major NOAA grant awards this year, including a $4.249 million Barrier Removal Grant and a $3.608 million Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund Grant.
This story originally appeared on Underscore Native News.
This spring, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek promised to visit all nine federally recognized Native nations across the state. So far, she has visited eight and attended the annual Tribal-State Government-to-Government Summit in July. That time marked a span of months when Kotek heard from Native leadership across the state.
In an interview on Aug. 14, Underscore Native News + ICT followed up on those conversations, asking Kotek to clarify her commitments to Native nations and Indigenous community members in Oregon.
Opinion. Last week, three tribal leaders penned an open letter to presidential candidates, debate moderators, consultants, political commentators, and the media to push for Native American rights to be part of the upcoming presidential debate on Sept. 10 in Philadelphia and the vice presidential debate on Oct. 1 in New York City.
Tribal leaders Coquille Indian Tribe Chair Brenda Meade; Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana Chairman Marshall Pierite; and Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians Chair Brad Kneaper wrote that millions of Americans are tribal citizens who grapple with centuries of disastrous policies designed to stamp out our people and way of life.
Natalie Wilson of the Coquille Indian Tribe has a boots-on-the-ground approach to logging that connects her to the land of her ancestors on the Southern Oregon Coast.
Wilson, a fish and wildlife biologist and the tribe’s subsistence harvest program manager, inspects every tree to determine which will remain standing and which will be cut down…
Chair Brenda Meade writes in Newsweek: In the history of Native American tribes, there is a far too common theme—a court will issue a ruling or Congress will pass a law that reasonably protects our people or fairly guarantees our rights. And then as soon as those well-reasoned protections or rights become inconvenient, or political pressure dials up, those promises go out the window.
…Recently, a handful of tribes in California and Oregon who oppose the Coquille Indian Tribe’s plan to build a new casino in Medford have claimed we are “reservation shopping” and looking to add land to which we are not justified – an unfair and inaccurate accusation. These tribes apparently fear that our proposed casino would disrupt their entrenched monopoly on gaming in the region.
But with this accusation, they are creating a reckless and baseless precedent for political attacks against hundreds of tribes like ours who have worked to legally rebuild our reservations while carefully following layers of laws and regulations. And it hinders our ability to fund essential services like health care and education through gaming….
After more than three years of work, one of the Pacific Northwest’s busiest airports is set to reopen its main terminal on Wednesday. And it’s not going to look like your typical, industrially sterile US airport.
The emphasis on local resources and culture extends to the first inhabitants of the area. Some of the wood sourcing came direct from tribal lands.
Sunset Magazine – August 15, 2024
Portland Tribune – August 12, 2024
The 3rd annual Smallmouth Bass Derby is underway, and the public has a chance to win up to $5,000 for the bass they catch.
Hosted by Coquille River STEP Association and in partnership with the Coquille Indian Tribe, the derby is helping the recovery of salmon and other important species by ridding the river of invasive smallmouth bass.
The two Oregon tribes hoping to open the urban casinos — one in Salem, the capital, and the other in Medford, 30 miles north of the California border — say the projects should be viewed as opportunities, hard-earned and long overdue, to finance initiatives to house and heal their members, particularly their elders, while creating jobs for all local residents.
“It’s about self-determination,” said Brenda Meade, chair of the Coquille tribe, whose proposal for a casino in Medford, 170 miles from the tribe’s headquarters, has generated heated opposition. “We will decide what’s best for our people.
A review of the new book “Stories Are Weapons” by Annalee Newitz includes a chapter that focuses on a project headed by Chief Jason Younker. That chapter, titled “History is a Gift,” highlights “the importance of archives like the Southwest Oregon Research Project, or SWORP. Beginning in 1995, Jason Younker, Coquille tribal chief and anthropologist, and his colleagues began pulling out of national archives any and all material related to the Coquille nation and constructing an alternative archive, one that takes “the fantasy out of history,” in Newitz’s words…”
The Coquille Indian Tribe and the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) have authorized a landmark agreement for distillery liquor production and sales within its sovereign lands in Coos Bay. The proposed distillery will be the first tribally owned spirit production enterprise in the state of Oregon.
The Mill Casino Hotel and RV Park, owned and operated by Coquille Economic Development Corporation, plans to feature a distillery producing several varieties of distilled spirits. The casino will sell the products in its several bars, restaurants, and retail outlets. The Mill will also undergo the most significant renovation in a generation, adding to its already impressive bayfront footprint. Revenue from the distillery and related retail operations will be distributed to the Tribe, which provides its 1,200 members with health care, education, and services in five Southern Oregon counties.
Yahoo! News/KOIN – May16, 2024
Tribal Business News – May 17, 2024
Craft Brewing News – May 29, 2024
OregonLive.com – June 25, 2024
It’s been nearly four years since the federal government said no to the Coquille Indian Tribe, denying its request to put a casino on land that the tribe owns in South Medford. The denial did not stick, and in spite of some opposition from other regional tribes, the process has resumed.
Earlier this month we spoke with representatives of the City of Medford, which was once opposed to the casino, but now are neutral.
Next up, Judy Farm, CEO of Tribal One, the Coquille tribe’s economic development arm, and Jen Procter Andrews, the vice-chair of the Coquille Tribe join the JX to talk about the project going forward.
The Oregon TRIO Association (OTA) is proud to announce the receipt of a $6,000 grant from the Coquille Tribal Fund. This generous award will support OTA’s mission to provide resources and support for low-income students in the Southwestern Oregon area who are pursuing postsecondary education.
For the Coquille Indian Tribe, the death of a juvenile gray whale following an orca attack has much deeper cultural significance. That is why the tribe offered to handle the taking and processing of the mammal off Tish-A-Tang Beach in Bandon, Oregon.
Yahoo! News/Sacramento Bee – May 9, 2024
Central Oregon Daily News – May 9, 2024
Bear Creek Golf Center has seen a dramatic increase in business this winter after an overhaul to their driving range last fall.
The year 2024 will mark several anniversaries for the Coos Art Museum (CAM). A fixture of downtown Coos Bay, the CAM has served to foster the Southern Coast’s artistic community and provide arts education opportunities to residents of all ages since 1966. This will also mark the 10th year that the Coquille Tribe has provided sponsorship for the Maritime exhibition. One of the museum’s most popular yearly offerings, the Maritime show, ties art together with the intrinsic nautical culture of the South Coast.
Starting Spring 2024, visitors to the Portland International Airport (PDX) will get to experience a sustainable trend in forestry. They will also be able to tell exactly where the wood came from: the ancestral lands of the Coquille Indian Tribe in Southwestern Oregon.
The Tribe held an awards reception at The Mill Casino-Hotel to fund projects throughout their five-county region in health, arts and culture, education, environmental, public safety and historic preservation. This year, 77 projects were awarded.
Oregon’s nine Native American tribes are getting large chunks of money from the state. The money’s coming to them as a result of the opioid crisis according to the Oregonian. Coquille Indian Tribe Chair Brenda Meade said the Tribe is putting its share to good use.
Jared Schmidt of the Coquille Tribe checks in to talk about the inclusivity part of the effort, including a project the tribe got a grant for in Coos Bay. Includes link to streaming audio of interview.
The Jefferson Exchange, Jefferson Public Radio – December 20, 2023
The Coquille Indian Tribe has been selected as a 2023 Forest Stewardship Council U.S. Leadership Award winner.
KQEN Radio – December 15, 2023
The Coquille Indian Tribe proudly joined forces once again with the Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary Club, and others, to spread fun and funds at a crucial time of year. The Tribe-owned Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park again played host to the Rotary Club’s Festival of Trees Holiday Tree Showcase and Benefit Auction.
The Coquille Indian Tribe is receiving over $7.7 million in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is believed to be the largest grant award the Tribe has ever won.
“This news is nothing short of amazing! It is a great day for the Coquille Tribe, its people, our community, and our future,” said Coquille Tribal Chair Brenda Meade. “Our thanks to our hard-working staff and representatives for securing this funding that we believe will bring strong economic benefits to this area for generations to come.”
Yahoo! News and The World Newspaper, Nov. 1, 2023
The Fund’s grant application cycle is now open, with an estimated $500,000 available to eligible grant applicants.
How sourcing Northwest wood for PDX’s new roof helps the environment and rural economies.
Bear Creek Golf Center opens renovated driving range, bringing an upgrade to the Rogue Valley’s only covered driving range.
The derby is helping the recovery of salmon and other important species by ridding the river of invasive small mouth bass.
Coquille Tribal Chair Brenda Meade shared reaction after the news of the passing of legendary singer, author, and businessman Jimmy Buffett, who was the founder and influence behind the Tribe’s Compass by Margaritaville Hotel in Medford, Oregon.
Indian Country Today story, 9/13/23
Sharing knowledge and finding support at intensive camps. Associated Press covered the camp the members of the Coquille Tribe Climate Resilience Taskforce recently attended in Washington.
The Coquille Indian Tribe are among the agencies that will receive more than $19 million to get rid of barriers that have made it difficult for threatened fish to journey from freshwater rivers and streams to the ocean and back.
A University of Oregon research team has landed a $3 million federal grant to work with Indigenous and rural communities in Oregon to find ways of reducing climate-changing carbon in the atmosphere in ways that build trust with historically marginalized groups.
Some states are instituting free or reduced tuition programs for Native American students, but those from tribes not recognized by the federal government don’t qualify.
Thousands of young salmon have been released into the waterways of the Coquille River thanks to the help of a group of students at Coquille Junior/Senior High School.
One man’s 2011 clam digging citation became a watershed event for the Coquille Indian Tribe. It was one of many battles that the Pacific Northwest’s Indigenous peoples have fought to preserve access to traditional foods.
In a seven-part project, Indian Country Today explores the issues surrounding “food sovereignty.”
Tribal members are welcome to submit public comments on the Kilkich Transportation Safety Project and proposed changes to the Tribal-Transportation Improvement Program through the BIA.
Call or e-mail Matt Jensen if you have any questions or want to provide comments on the proposed T-TIP update on the Kilkich Transportation Safety Project.
The Coquille Indian Tribe is seeking bids for Shishda Haws construction through the bidding website.
The Coquille Indian Tribe continues is working to protect and restore Chinook salmon, but it hasn’t taken a stance on the possibility of an endangered listing.
In one rural Oregon community, where doctors are scarce, the Coquille Tribe is providing a vital option.
Curry Coastal Pilot, Jan. 16, 2023
Oregon Public Broadcasting, Jan. 11, 2023
KQEN News Radio, Jan. 10, 2023 (Douglas County)
Medford Mail Tribune, Jan. 9, 2023
KDRV, Jan. 9, 2023 (Jackson County)
KTVL, Jan. 9, 1023 (Jackson County)
KVAL, Jan. 9, 2023 (Jackson County)
Dr. Jason Younker, chief of the Coquille Indian Tribe, and tribal members Matilda ViksneHill (left) and Kiana Younker appear on the travel guide’s cover.
See the story in Portland Monthly
The proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a step toward healing, one Coquille Tribal member says.
Coquille Tribal Chief Jason Younker and tribal Vice Chair Jon Ivy participated in Indigenous Peoples’ Day activities at the University of Oregon.
The Coquille Tribe put on a traditional salmon bake as part of the Oregon Wine Experience fundraiser for the Asanta Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network in Medford.
Coquille Indian Tribe members have their first subsistence hunting opportunities in five southwest Oregon counties under a new state agreement.
More than 1,500 predatory bass were removed from the Coquille River during Labor Day Weekend. But two elusive fish worth $1,000 are still waiting to be caught.
The Coos Bay World, Sept. 12, 2022
The Coquille Indian Tribe donated $1,000 to lure participants for a smallmouth bass derby. It’s part of an effort to reduce invasive predators that gobble baby salmon.
ODFW and the Coquille Indian Tribe will cooperatively implement an emergency fall Chinook hatchery program for the Coquille River to boost natural production of this severely depressed stock of fish while other steps are taken to reverse its decline. (ODFW press release)
Northwest Sportsman, Aug. 7, 2022
Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have secured funding for the 2023 Senate Appropriations bills for essential community projects.
Pending a agreement with the House, the bill would provide $750,000 for Coquille River salmon conservation.
A grant-funded electrofishing boat will help combat invasive bass in the Coquille River.
Tribal chair and ODFW director sign agreement (ODFW video)
Oregon tribe, state leaders enter historic agreement (Indian Country Today/Underscore News)
Historic partnership between Coquille Indian Tribe and ODFW (Roseburg News-Review)
Coquille Tribe co-manages fish and wildlife with state of Oregon (OPB)
Tribe signs landmark agreement with state (The Other Oregon)
April 26, 2022
NORTH BEND — As state and federal officials make plans for offshore wind energy, local leaders in Coos County are inviting stakeholders and local residents to share opinions, concerns and questions.
Former state Sen. Arnie Roblan will lead an informal roundtable discussion from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, in the Salmon Room at The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park. Everyone is welcome.
“We’re hoping to bring people together to exchange information and see how the community feels about this,” said Coos County Commissioner Melissa Cribbins, one of the event organizers. “We want to make sure everyone’s voice is heard.”
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development are leading a data gathering and public engagement process, aiming to complete offshore wind planning for the Oregon Coast. Coos Bay, Bandon and Brookings have been identified as “call areas” for consideration as potential wind energy sites.
The decision-making process includes consideration of diverse factors such as fish and shellfish habitat, whales, migratory birds, sea turtles, marine mammals, vessel traffic, fishing and existing underwater cables.
The community roundtable is not an official part of the BOEM/DLCD process. Its goal is to promote local discussion and understanding of the process and the issues.
The event is sponsored by Coos County; the Coquille Indian Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians; the cities of Coos Bay, North Bend and Bandon; the Port of Bandon and the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay; and state Reps. David Brock Smith and Boomer Wright.
For more information, contact Commissioner Cribbins at 541-396-7535.
April 27, 2022
COOS BAY – The Coquille Indian Tribe’s new Ko-Kwel Wellness Center in Coos Bay has received accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. Accreditation distinguishes the KWC among outpatient facilities for its adherence to rigorous standards of care and safety.
“We are very proud of how far we have come in less than a year,” said Kathryn Halverson, chief executive officer of the Coquille Tribe’s Health and Wellness Division. “2021 brought a lot of changes, including a new building and many new staff. Preparing for accreditation took a lot of collaboration and effort, and I am very grateful for our amazing team that contributed to this success.” The KWC, formerly the Coquille Tribal Community Health Center, initially received accreditation in 2001 and subsequently passed national reviews in 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019.
Construction of the wellness center was completed in the summer of 2021 on the Kilkich Reservation near Charleston. KWC serves Coquille Tribal families, members of other federally recognized tribes, Coquille Tribal employees, and the general public as capacity allows. It offers primary medical care, dental care, behavioral health services and an onsite pharmacy.
Prospective patients can learn more at www.kokwelwellness.org, or by calling (541) 888-9494.
Status as an accredited organization means the KWC has met nationally recognized health-care standards. Organizations that earn AAAHC accreditation embody an ongoing commitment to high-quality care and patient safety.
Ambulatory health-care organizations seeking AAAHC accreditation undergo an extensive self-assessment and onsite survey by AAAHC surveyors – physicians, nurses and administrators who are actively involved in ambulatory care.
Founded in 1979, AAAHC is the leader in ambulatory health-care accreditation, with more than 6,100 organizations accredited. Accredited outpatient settings include ambulatory surgery centers, office-based surgery facilities, endoscopy centers, student health centers, medical and dental group practices, community health centers, employer-based health clinics, retail clinics and tribal health centers, among others.
May 7 event will honor Chief Don Ivy
NORTH BEND – The family of Chief Donald Boyd Ivy invites the community to honor his memory on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at The Mill Casino-Hotel.
Family members, friends and colleagues will celebrate Chief Ivy’s life and share memories, both in person and in a tribute film. The event starts at 1 p.m. and will be followed by a reception. Everyone is welcome.
Chief Ivy was born in North Bend in 1951 and grew up in the Empire area. After pursuing a career in retailing and sales, he returned to the Coos Bay area in 1991 to work for his tribe. He was elected as its chief in 2014 and served until a few days before his death on July 19, 2021, after a seven-month battle with cancer.
He is remembered as a dynamic leader and skilled consensus builder. He worked effectively to establish Oregon’s strong inter-tribal and inter-governmental relationships, and he relentlessly pursued economic and educational opportunities for Indian people. By researching and sharing knowledge about tribal culture and history, he encouraged understanding and respect for the heritage of Native American people in Oregon.
A public memorial for Chief Ivy was delayed during the COVID pandemic. Now, with restrictions lifted on public gatherings, his many friends can join his family for an afternoon of recognition and remembrance.
The family requests no photography or recording of the event.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Chief Ivy’s memory be given to the Donald Ivy Memorial Scholarship Endowment at Southwestern Oregon Community College. Donations also can be given to the Elakha Alliance, an organization he helped found to restore Oregon’s sea otter population, at www.elakhaalliance.org/donivy/.
Dental patients at the Ko-Kwel Wellness Center in Coos Bay are benefiting from a new approach to treatment.
The Coos Bay City Council has proclaimed November as Native American Heritage Month.
Nov. 2, 2011
The Coquille Indian Tribe has a new chief and a new secretary-treasurer after recent elections.
Chief Jason Younker, a University of Oregon faculty member, was sworn in on Oct. 29. Jackie Chambers, who previously managed the tribe’s community grants program, was sworn in as secretary-treasurer.
Younker replaces Chief Don Ivy, who died in July. As chief, Younker will hold one of seven seats on the Coquille Tribal Council, while serving as the tribe’s cultural and spiritual leader and voice.
Younker grew up on the shores of Coos Bay’s South Slough. He holds three graduate degrees, including a doctorate in cultural anthropology. He is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Oregon, where he also is an assistant vice president and assistant to the president for tribal sovereignty and government-to-government relations.
He chairs the board of Oregon’s Chemawa Indian school and is past president of the Association of Indigenous Archaeologists.
Chambers, a lifelong Coos County resident, is devoted to serving and strengthening local communities. Before her election to the Tribal Council, she served the tribe as administrator of the Coquille Tribal Community Fund, which awards hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants each year.
She also is a co-founder and president of Charleston Fishing Families, a nonprofit that helps commercial fishing families in times of need. She graduated from the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Coos program in 2020.
She replaces former Secretary-Treasurer Linda Mecum, who retired after seven years on the Tribal Council.
Along with Chambers and Younker, two Tribal Council incumbents were sworn in for new terms. Chairman Brenda Meade and Rep. Laurabeth Barton both retained their seats in recent elections.
See news coverage:
2022 fall Chinook run looks stronger (KEZI, Oct. 16, 2022)
Hook a bass to reel in cash (Coos Bay World, Aug. 30, 2022)
Senate bill includes $750K for Coquille River
Electrified boat will target salmon predators
ODFW Commission Approves Emergency Coquille Chinook Hatchery (NW Sportsman, Aug. 5, 2022)
$1,000 fish eludes anglers at Port of Coquille derby (KQEN News Radio, July 21, 2022)
Hook cash prizes at small mouth bass derby in Coquille this weekend (KMTR, July 15, 2022)
Tribal chair and ODFW director sign agreement (ODFW video, July 6, 2022)
Oregon tribe, state leaders enter historic agreement
Coquille Indian Tribe releases endangered salmon into Coquille River (KEZI, June 17, 2022)
Bandon Hatchery gets a boost from Coquille Tribe (Coos Bay World, Nov. 23, 2021)
Tribe announces increase in brood stock at Bandon Hatchery (KCBY, Nov. 22, 2021)
Coquille Tribe strives to save its salmon from invasive fish
Aug. 24, 2021
NORTH BEND – After focusing on pandemic-related projects in 2021, the Coquille Tribal Community Fund will return to supporting a broad range of community programs in 2022.
“We felt the need to assist the local COVID-19 response last time,” said tribal Chairman Brenda Meade. “In our new grant cycle, we’ll still consider COVID-related projects, but we also want to serve a variety of community needs.”
The tribe shared $266,107 with more than 60 community organizations and projects in southwestern Oregon in 2021. All the 2021 grants targeted pandemic-related expenses of local and regional organizations.
The grant recipients included food pantries, homeless programs, museums, community centers, veterans groups, services for children and even a couple of music programs.
“It’s a huge privilege to be able to help so many outstanding organizations and projects,” Meade said.
Master Gardener Marrie Caldiero of Coos Bay washes her hands while volunteering at the Coos Bay Farmers Market. The Coquille Tribal Community Fund provided $3,640 for the market to rent six mobile hand-washing stations – a requirement for staying open during the pandemic. ‘Basically we couldn’t have the market without the hand-washing stations,’ said Market Manager Melissa Hasart. The market was one of 60-plus community organizations that shared more than a quarter-million dollars in grants this year.
The biggest share of the money, about $97,000, went to Coos County organizations. Lane County groups received about $52,000, Jackson County $44,000, Douglas County $33,000, and Curry County $33,000.
The five counties make up the Coquille Tribe’s congressionally designated service area, based on significant populations of tribal members living in each county. The grants are funded by a share of annual revenue from The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park in North Bend.
The tribal fund is one of southwestern Oregon’s leading sources of community grants, distributing more than $7 million over the past two decades.
The fund will accept letters of inquiry for its upcoming grant cycle during September and October from organizations in all five counties. As in years past, the 2022 grants will focus on seven categories: education, public safety, arts and culture, environment, historic preservation, health and gaming addiction.
“We give big grants and little ones,” said Jackie Chambers, the fund’s administrator. “We encourage all kinds of projects and programs to apply.”
Letters of inquiry for the 2022 grants are due Oct. 31. Organizations whose letters are accepted will be invited to submit formal applications by Nov. 30. Grants will be announced in late February or early March.
For more information, visit the tribal fund website at www.coquilletribalfund.org, or contact Chambers at jackiechambers@coquilletribe.org or (541) 756-0904, ext. 1201.
Click here to see a list of all 2021 grants.
Chief leaves legacy of wisdom, leadership
The Coquille Indian Tribe joins the family of Chief Don Ivy in mourning his passing on July 19.
The chief died after a courageous seven-month battle with cancer. He was 70 years old and had been chief since 2014.
Tribal Chairman Brenda Meade offered this statement about her friend and colleague:
“Chief Ivy was a consistent source of wisdom and kindness for the Coquille people. His voice was an invaluable asset to those of us who were privileged to serve with him in tribal leadership, and we will miss him terribly. We offer our prayers for his family, along with our enduring gratitude for his many contributions to the tribe’s wellbeing.”
Chief Ivy was well-known in Oregon as a champion of Indian people and a scholar of tribal heritage. He received many awards for his leadership and contributions to the State of Oregon and Indian Country, including the Potlatch Fund, the Antone Minthorn Economic & Community Development Award, and the Oregon Heritage Commission’s Heritage Excellence Award. Most recently, Southwestern Oregon Community College honored him in May as its 2021 Distinguished Alumnus.
As chief of the Coquille Tribe, he served on the seven-member Tribal Council and was the tribe’s cultural and spiritual spokesman. In honoring his wishes, the tribe will hold a special election to choose his successor.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued the following statement in response to the news about Chief Ivy:
“I was incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Chief Don Ivy today. For many years, I counted him as a friend and trusted advisor, turning to him most recently to serve on Oregon’s Racial Justice Council––the mission of which aligned with his life’s work: dismantling the structures of racism that have created disparities in our society.
“A leader and a scholar, he dedicated his life to righting those wrongs, as he worked to preserve tribal traditions and to build a more just future for the Coquille people. His contributions to the work of the Oregon Tribal Cultural Items Task Force helped our state to make groundbreaking progress in the preservation of tribal items in the possession of state agencies and other public institutions.
“I was honored in March to recommend he be inducted as a Southwestern Oregon Community College’s Distinguished Alumnus––a college his father helped to create. My heart is with Chief Ivy’s family and friends today, and with all the people of the Coquille Tribe.”
A memorial service will be held in The Mill Casino-Hotel’s Salmon Room at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25.
June 22, 2021
The Coquille Indian Tribe joins the community in grieving last week’s tragic events in North Bend. The circumstances are especially painful to the tribe because some of the deaths took place on tribal lands.
The tribe plans to hold a ceremonial prayer fire at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 22, at The Mill Casino-Hotel’s fire pit, located at the south end of the property.
This ceremony will be open to all community members who have been affected by this horrific event. We plan to offer prayers in our ancestral tradition, but people of all faiths are welcome to join us in praying or meditating as your own beliefs prescribe.
“Please join us in offering prayers for family members, friends and community, and help us to begin our process of healing,” said tribal Chairman Brenda Meade.
We ask the media and the public to please respect the privacy of the victims’ families as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. Those who attend are asked to refrain from photographing or recording the ceremony.
Parking will not be available in the hotel parking lot. If you plan to attend, please park in the open area just south of The Mill RV Park. A shuttle will take you to the ceremony.
May 14, 2021
A Coquille Tribal couple’s 20-year mission to inspire young golfers has come to an end.
Since 2001, Ed and Jane Metcalf have poured their passion into the Southwestern Oregon Youth Golf Program, with help from the Coquille Indian Tribe, a volunteer committee and generous local golfers. Over the years the Metcalfs have collected and distributed about $200,000 for college scholarships, golf camps and clinics, and high school golf teams.
“Way back when, Ed and I golfed a lot, and we wanted to see the youth of Coos County have access to golf activities,” Jane Metcalf said. “We just had a passion for golf for the youth.”
But even passion can’t hold back time. Jane Metcalf is 73, her husband 75.
“We’re getting to the age where it’s getting really hard,” Ed Metcalf said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed another obstacle. The program’s main fundraising event, a popular annual tournament for adult golfers, has had to be scrubbed the past two years.
So the Metcalfs have closed down the program and closed out the books. At a farewell ceremony on Friday, May 14, they distributed checks for the program’s remaining bank balance – $22,262. The money will go to a scholarship fund, two youth golf programs, and a fitness program for kids on the Coquille Tribe’s Charleston-area reservation.
The Metcalfs’ project has been closely associated with the Coquille Tribe since the beginning. Ed Metcalf is the tribe’s retired chairman, and his wife formerly directed the tribe’s community center. The youth golf program evolved from tournaments previously sponsored by The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park, and the tribe has been a consistent sponsor.
The program’s annual fundraising tournament paid for golf clinics that welcomed as many as 125 kids each year. Multiple $1,000 college scholarships were awarded each year to tribal students and other southwestern Oregon youth. The program also sent promising young players to golf camps at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, the former Coos Country Club (now Coos Golf Club), and throughout Oregon.
Though the program has ended, the Metcalfs and their team leave a community legacy, in the form of a generation of young golfers who benefited from their efforts.
“Our community and tribe has benefitted so much from the dedication, passion and hard work of both Ed and Jane,” said Tribal Chairman Brenda Meade. “The work they have done over these many years has supported so many people throughout our community. It is my hope that they know how important their work has been in the lives of so many of us, and for that I thank them!”
The Metcalfs want to hand out some thanks of their own. They’re grateful to:
See media coverage of this story here:
From Southwestern Oregon Community College, May 7, 2021
COOS BAY, OR — Southwestern Oregon Community College is pleased to announce the selection of Donald Ivy of Coos Bay as the 2021 Distinguished Alumnus.
Ivy is Chief of the Coquille Indian Tribe, a position he has held since 2014. In a nomination supported by educators, tribal leaders, former lawmakers, and Oregon’s governor, advocates for the award describe Ivy as representing “the best of what any educational institution hopes to achieve.” He encourages “individuals to think deeply, make an impact, share their knowledge and go on to encourage others to do the same.”
Ivy has made it his lifetime endeavor to work in growing knowledge, understanding history and engaging youth. The state of Oregon honored him with its Heritage Excellence Award in 2013. The following year, the University of Oregon appointed Ivy as its first-ever Tribal Elder in Residence.
“This honor is a reminder of the great privilege I have to know the people I know. I am thankful for the graces and goodwill of other people more accomplished than me who have allowed me into their space,” Ivy said.
Ivy has published articles on history and archaeology. He is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum. While heading the Coquille Tribe’s cultural program, he oversaw creation of the Kilkich Youth Corps, which provides workplace skills, mentoring and summer employment to tribal teens.
“Don Ivy came to our college in the mid-1990s to learn about the land, history and philosophy. He has used that knowledge to become in many ways a teacher for us all. He is a genuine leader who brings people together with shared vision for self-improvement and making our state better,” said Southwestern President Patty Scott.
Ivy served for several years on the college’s Foundation, advocating for the need to support scholarships and invest in quality facilities and training for residents of the south Oregon coast region. Under his leadership, the Coquille Indian Tribe was the college’s first vocal supporter and partner in building the college’s new Health & Science Technology center. The building will open in fall 2021, providing modern labs for training new generations of scientists, engineers and health care professionals.
“When I talk to somebody who’s a SWOCC student, I talk to them about the technology building. I see the excitement in our nursing students and others, and that building how important it is to them,” Ivy said. “I’m hoping the doors swing open in the fall and we fill it with students, and know we have accomplished a great thing.”
The Southwestern Foundation typically honors Distinguished Alumni in a celebration in coordination with graduation. This year, the college is postponing a Distinguished Alumni celebration until tentatively fall 2021.
“The whole COVID thing has challenged us with asking, ‘What are those things that are the most deeply rooted, the big important things that really, really matter,” Ivy said. “Celebration of community is hugely important. It reminds us to be together.”
This is the 30th year Southwestern has honored alumni who have demonstrated significant contributions to their professions, communities, or academia. To learn more about the college, go to www.socc.edu.
NORTH BEND, Ore. – The Coquille Indian Tribe has appointed Margaret Simpson as the first female tribal member to become chief executive officer of The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park.
Simpson began her career at The Mill in 2000 and has worked through roles in food and beverage, players club, marketing and hotel operations. She has served as the assistant general manager and currently holds the general manager position.
She proudly oversaw creation of a tribal member development program, and she was integral in the property’s response to one of its most challenging years, when it closed for three months and restructured due to the coronavirus pandemic.
She accomplished all of this while graduating from college and earning a master’s degree in hospitality from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, America’s top-ranked hospitality and gaming program.
“It is something to celebrate in Indian Country when you see tribal members work their way up,” said tribal Chairman Brenda Meade.
Simpson’s role as CEO puts her in an elite group of young Native Americans who are challenging the dominance of non-Indians in the gaming industry.
“Strong Native people becoming gaming experts is an essential way to advance tribal gaming within the industry,” Simpson said.
Simpson earned enthusiastic backing from the Coquille Tribal Council as well as the board of The Mill’s parent company, the Coquille Economic Development Corp. Board member Eric Smileuske, a longtime gaming industry executive in New York, Washington, Oregon and Arizona and currently an industry consultant, described Simpson as a rare asset for a tribe.
“The opportunities are few and far between to hire a member of their own tribe to be their CEO,” he said.
Smileuske said the board told Simpson, “We didn’t give you this job – you earned it.” He said Simpson offers all the qualifications the tribe could have found in a nationwide talent search.
“I don’t think we compromised by promoting Margaret,” he said. “She is very qualified, she is unassuming, she is capable of leading, she has great gut instincts.”
Simpson will replace her mentor, Terri Porcaro, as CEO. Porcaro, who plans to retire Dec. 31, said she has never met anyone as focused and dedicated as Simpson.
“She just amazes me every day,” she said. “She cares a lot about her tribe. She wants to see the tribe grow, and she wants to be part of it.”
Simpson said she was “humbled and inspired” by the support she received from the Tribal Council and the CEDCO board. She praised Porcaro, The Mill’s executive team, and CEDCO’s “exceptionally talented” board.
“Operating the business that provides vital economic resources for my tribe is a huge responsibility that I take very seriously,” she said. “My motivation and desire to honor my ancestors and contribute to a brighter future for the next generations will continue to be the cornerstone of my work.”
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
The Coquille Indian Tribe will offer COVID-19 vaccinations for local senior citizens and teens in two special events this week at The Mill Casino-Hotel.
Coos County residents age 65 and older are eligible for vaccinations on Friday, March 19, or Sunday, March 21. Coos County youth age 16-17 are eligible for the Sunday event.
“We’ve been working hard to vaccinate our tribal families, and we’re delighted that we can reach out to the broader community,” said Coquille Tribal Chairman Brenda Meade.
The Sunday event will use the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Unlike the Moderna vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine can be given to anyone age 16 or older. So this event will target two groups: senior citizens age 65 and up, and teens age 16 and 17.
Meade said the Coquille Tribe is grateful for the opportunity to help protect vulnerable senior citizens as well as teens.
“With kids going back to school and sports, getting them vaccinated will help protect their teachers and coaches and the whole community,” she said.
She noted that sharing this resource with the tribe’s neighbors reflects the traditional culture of Pacific Coast tribes.
“Our potlatch tradition is all about assisting those around us whenever we have the chance,” she said. “We’re so happy that we are in a position to do this.”
Teens and senior citizens can sign up by going to the tribe’s website, www.coquilletribe.org. Once there, click on the large white box labeled, “COVID-19 Vaccines.”
Both vaccines require a second dose. The tribe will automatically schedule the Pfizer boosters three weeks after the first appointment and the Moderna boosters four weeks after the first appointment.
The Pfizer vaccine is a one-time supply, made possible by a partnership of the Coquille Tribe, the Oregon Health Authority, the Indian Health Service and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. The OHA and IHS collaborated to provide the vaccine supply, which the two tribes are splitting.
The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians will help staff Sunday’s event.
Please note: The opportunity to sign up for appointments will end at 4 p.m. the day before each event. The supply of vaccine is limited, and shots at both events are available by appointment only.
For more information, please visit the vaccination page on www.coquilletribe.org.
One Oregon media outlet calls the Coquille Tribe a “star player” in COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Eugene Register Guard
An estimated 6,000 Native American and Alaskan Natives in Lane County don’t have a culturally specific medical clinic. The Coquille Indian Tribe is set on changing that.
By Brian Bull
KLCC
A Native American tribe based in Coos Bay says it’s been going strong on vaccinating its members – and others – against COVID-19. (Read more)
By Brian Bull
KLCC
The Coquille Indian Tribe is opening an outpatient medical clinic…in Eugene.
The tribe’s already developing a wellness center in Coos Bay, but citing the “Potlatch Tradition” of sharing resources, Coquille officials say they’re starting a new one in Eugene – more than 100 miles away – where an estimated 6,000 Indigenous people live. (Read more)
November 19, 2020
Following completion in Q1 of 2022, Compass Hotel Medford will
become the first Margaritaville lodging concept in Oregon.
MEDFORD, OREGON – Today, Cedars Development announced their partnership with Margaritaville Enterprises to bring a new 111-room Compass by Margaritaville Hotel to Medford, Oregon, expected to open in early 2022.
Owned by the Coquille Indian Tribe, Cedars Development is managing the Cedars at Bear Creek, the Tribe’s multi-property economic development project along Pacific Highway in South Medford.
Bringing the fun and flavor of their full-scale resorts to a more boutique concept, Compass Hotel will be the first Margaritaville venue in Oregon. Development kicked off this November on the Tribe’s property at 2399 South Pacific Highway and comes at the same time the community has begun rebuilding from the devastation of Oregon’s Almeda Fire.
“This hotel represents a very important step for the Coquille Tribe’s economic development vision for its Medford properties and for the economic recovery of the South Medford and Phoenix area,” said Coquille Tribal Chair Brenda Meade. “We are fortunate to have a partner like Margaritaville join us in this exciting endeavor.”
Compass Hotels launched in 2020, capturing the Margaritaville state of mind, while delivering fresh, up-scale, and vibrant designs. Compass Hotel in Medford will feature plush and comfortable, island-inspired accommodations and amenities signature to the branded concept in an attentive but laid-back ambiance. Relaxed and casual dining and drinking spaces will offer flavors and entertainment that transport guests to paradise.
“Our team is thrilled to work with Cedars Development on expanding our West Coast portfolio,” shared Tamara Baldanza-Dekker, Chief Marketing Officer at Margaritaville. “We knew this partnership was the perfect fit when Cedars shared their commitment to making visitors feel at home, through the spirit of potlatch, the ancient practice of greeting, feeding and bestowing gifts on guests in daily life, a practice we share in our passion for hospitality.”
Financing for the project comes from Columbia Bank and is guaranteed by the Division of Capital Investment of the federal Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development. Architects for the project are ORW Architecture and Jansen Construction Company of Oregon. Jansen also will manage construction of the hotel.
“It took a truly collaborative effort by all partners to bring the project forward during a pandemic,” said Judy Duffy, CEO of Tribal One and manager of Cedars Development LLC. “We are thrilled to be working with a brand that complements our vision for development in our community and we have appreciated working with staff and agencies at the city of Medford for required permitting and entitlement. We also are particularly grateful for Norton Smith, and the Smith Family who are the former owners of the development site. This project would not have been possible without their support.”
To learn more, please visit www.compasshotel.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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About Compass by Margaritaville
Margaritaville, a state of mind since 1977, is a global lifestyle brand inspired by Jimmy Buffett, whose songs evoke a passion for tropical escape and relaxation. Margaritaville features over 20 lodging locations and over 20 additional projects in the pipeline, with nearly half under construction, two gaming properties and over 60 food and beverage venues including signature concepts such as Margaritaville Restaurant, award-winning JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill and LandShark Bar & Grill. More than 20 million travelers every year change their latitude and attitude with a visit to a Margaritaville resort, residential real estate destination, vacation club, vacation home rental or restaurant.
Compass by Margaritaville is the newest addition to global lifestyle brand’s growing collection of concepts, where casual luxury, comfort and convenience all meet. Compass offers a fresh way for guests to relax, rejuvenate and escape the everyday, with an ideal design concept for new builds, adaptive reuse and conversion projects in smaller leisure markets, vibrant downtown hubs and college towns.
Compass by Margaritaville’s first property, Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound, launched in Florida in Q2 of 2020. Future Compass properties are under development in Medford, Oregon, Beaufort, North Carolina and Louisville, Kentucky.
Margaritaville Media Contact:
Caitlin Galeotti, margaritaville@finnpartners.com, 646-202-9782
Tribal One Media Contact:
Ray Doering, raydoering@tribal.one, 541-982-3047
From The World newspaper, Coos Bay, Ore
CHARLESTON — Just up the hill from Cape Arago Highway, atop a former cranberry bog, heirs of an ancient culture are creating a new approach to health care.
The Ko-Kwel Wellness center will offer primary health care, dentistry, a pharmacy, behavioral health and more — all under one roof. Coquille Indian Tribe families, tribal employees and patients from the surrounding community will come together in a diversified “one-stop shop.”
“Our goal is to be able to take care of the whole person, not just the part that needs a prescription,” said Coquille Tribal Chairman Brenda Meade. “If you’re a patient here, we want this to be your home for health care.”
The wellness center will be Oregon’s first tribal health facility to welcome the non-tribal public. Upholding the ancient potlatch tradition of sharing resources, it will serve hundreds of Oregon Health Plan patients in collaboration with Advanced Health, the organization that administers OHP locally.
Ben Messner, Advanced Health’s CEO, described the center as “an innovative, patient-centered, full-service primary care model that is truly of significant benefit for Advanced Health members and our entire community.”
When it’s finished next year, the 22,000-square-foot facility will nearly triple the Coquille Tribe’s existing health-care space. The center’s medical, dental and pharmacy departments will work alongside additional services such as chiropractic, massage and acupuncture.
“We have a lot of opportunities to offer more services,” Meade said. “It’s really going to depend on the needs of our patients.”
Situated amid homes and tribal offices on the Kilkich Reservation, the wellness center will be an up-to-date structure, infused with more than 10,000 years of tribal history.
Reinforced concrete and quake-resistant steel piling will combine with indigenous cedar planks and Coquille River rock. The color scheme will evoke the South Coast environment. Indigenous plants will fill an interior courtyard, flanked by corridors tracing the shape of a fishing spear. Showcases will display the tribe’s virtuoso basketry, beadwork and even a cedar canoe.
The facility’s name is another salute to tribal heritage. “Ko-Kwel” is a phonetic spelling of the tribe’s name, based on an Indian word for the Coquille River’s once-abundant lamprey.
“We want tribal members to feel welcomed in a setting that celebrates their history,” Meade said. “And we want to share that sense of history and that feeling of potlatch with others in our community.”
Meade emphasizes that the center won’t aim to compete with existing clinics. Rather, it offers a new option in a community where health care providers can be hard to find.
Construction began in April, led by Medford-based S+B James Construction and aided by several Coos County subcontractors. The job is on schedule despite the economic hardships of a global pandemic.
An innovative financing plan is the reason. A regional nonprofit, Craft3, created a financing package that employs federal lending plus an investment tool called New Market Tax Credits. The investor, Wells Fargo, fronts construction money to the tribe in return for a future tax break.
“Craft3 invests in projects that meet community needs and bring people together – and the new wellness center checks both of those boxes,” said Adam Zimmerman, Craft3’s president and CEO.
“We look forward to seeing this vital community project benefit the local community for years to come,” said Kelly Reilly, a Wells Fargo vice president for corporate communications.
KVAL television report (May 14, 2020)
The World newspaper report (May 14, 2020)
KGW television report (May 15, 2020)
May 14, 2020
NORTH BEND – Just in time for the 25th anniversary of its original opening, The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park once again will welcome the public to enjoy its hospitality and entertainment.
The Mill Casino’s limited reopening will commence Monday, May 18. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
“Seeing our friends again after a two-month closure will be an exciting moment,” said Brenda Meade, chairman of the Coquille Indian Tribe. “The Mill is a hub of community life on the South Coast, and we’re delighted to resume that role.”
The Mill closed in late March, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the shutdown of public places across the country. With Oregon counties and local businesses making plans to reopen, Meade said the Coquille Tribal Council deliberated carefully about resuming operations. As a sovereign Indian nation, the Coquille Tribe self-governs all operations at its businesses.
“Closing The Mill Casino was heartbreaking for the tribe and our employees, and we’ve been eager to get back to work,” Meade said. “We want everyone to know we remain committed to the health and safety of our guests, our employees and our community.
“Things may look a little bit different for a while, but we are all doing everything we can to make The Mill as friendly, comfortable and fun and as it always has been.”
The Mill Casino originally opened on May 19, 1995, in a converted wood-products plant on the shore of Coos Bay. It has grown into the Coos Bay area’s premier entertainment, lodging and dining venue, as well as Coos County’s second-largest employer.
The Mill Casino = Hotel & RV Park’s contributions to the community’s economy include not only its payroll, but also purchases of goods and services, millions of dollars in grants to community organizations, and taxes and fees paid to local government.
“Like everyone else who closed during the pandemic, we have to rebuild our business,” Meade said. “It won’t happen all at once, but we’re thrilled to be starting.”
See the “Safe Play Plan” summary
A crew drives piles to support the foundation of the future Ko-Kwel Wellness Center. The tribe’s existing health center is visible in the background.
April 30, 2020
The Coquille Indian Tribe has begun construction of Oregon’s first tribal health center offering services to the general public.
“This is an exciting opportunity to apply our potlatch tradition of community sharing,” said tribal Chairman Brenda Meade. “It will be another option for people who have had trouble finding a health-care provider.”
The Ko-Kwel Wellness Center will be a 22,000-square-foot building on the tribe’s Kilkich Reservation near Charleston. When it opens next year, the $12 million center will offer primary care, dental care, behavioral health, a pharmacy and other services.
The tribe has discussed the project for several years, and plans solidified in the fall of 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t affected the construction timeline.
“In the midst of this crisis, we’re really pleased to be able to give the community some good news about health care,” Meade said.
The tribe is working with Craft3, a nonprofit lender that serves Oregon and Washington, to develop a financing package expected to include a direct loan and allocation of federal New Markets Tax Credits.
The New Markets Tax Credit program attracts outside investment to projects that benefit critical community needs. Together with favorable loan terms and several private grants, the financing package will let the tribe pay for the wellness center with only a minimal investment of the tribe’s own money.
“It’s a wonderful example of how a tribe can be an economic engine for the broader community,” Meade said.
The new facility nearly triples the square footage of the tribe’s existing Community Health Center, which it replaces. The wellness center will open its doors to several hundred new patients from the community at large, along with tribal families and tribal employees.
“Our vision is for a wraparound health-care home for patients,” said tribal Chairman Brenda Meade. “We’re aiming to create a holistic wellness experience, in keeping with our people’s traditional values.”
The tribe will welcome patients using Medicare, the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) or private insurance.
Construction began in April, and the facility is scheduled to open in the summer of 2021. The tribe intentionally named it a “wellness center” to reflect a focus on serving each patient’s overall needs.
“We want to care for the whole person,” Meade explained. “People will be able to get primary medical care, dental care and a pharmacy, all under one roof. And we don’t want to stop there. Over time, we want to add alternative therapies, such as massage, acupuncture and chiropractic.”
The wellness center will not be a hospital. Nor is the tribe positioning it as a competitor to existing medical clinics. Instead, the intent is to cooperate with other care providers to meet community needs.
“Finding a primary care provider can be challenging for patients, especially those on Medicare and Medicaid,” Meade said. “We’ll provide another option to help relieve the strain.”
The wellness center is being built atop a former cranberry bog on the tribe’s Kilkich Reservation near Charleston. Its design will reflect the tribe’s indigenous heritage: Its exterior will evoke a tribal plankhouse, with a main entrance simulating a traditional round door. The center’s interior corridors will trace the shape of a forked fishing spear, a common symbol of the Coquille Tribe. The space between the fork’s tines will form an interior courtyard where patients can relax in a secluded green space.
S+B James Construction, Medford, is the design-build contractor for the project. Several subcontractors on the project are local or employ local workers, including Billeter Marine, Coastline West Insulation, Guido Construction, Knife River Materials, Kyle Electric, One Way Builders, Rich Rayburn Roofing and Umpqua Sheet Metal.
The word “Ko-Kwel” in the center’s name highlights the historical pronunciation of the tribe’s own name. Although the city and river bearing the Coquille name are commonly pronounced “ko-keel,” the tribe has revived the older pronunciation in recent decades.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coquille Indian Tribe has carefully taken steps to protect the safety of our employees, customers and tribal member families, while maintaining essential services to our membership.
The tribe has canceled group events, curtailed travel by our employees, and closed most tribal facilities. (Our Community Health Center remains open.) Many of our employees are working from home, while others practice safe social distancing as they perform essential workplace functions.
We will evaluate further actions as the situation develops. In the meantime, we offer our best wishes to the entire community.
NORTH BEND – Almost six dozen worthy community groups collected grants on Friday, March 6, from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund.
Grantees and local dignitaries gathered at The Mill Casino-Hotel to celebrate the work of 71 grantees. Totaling $366,126, the grants will help communities in five local counties.
This year’s largest grant, $20,000, went to the Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association, to reroof the landmark Coos Bay movie house. Southwestern Oregon Community College received the second-biggest award: $11,300 to buy “Chester Chest” simulators. Student nurses will practice accessing the simulators’ plastic veins as they prepare to care for local patients.
Even the smallest grant will deliver a visible community impact. It provides $1,000 to the Coos County Master Gardeners to stage a horticulture seminar. A more picturesque and verdant community is the likely result.
The fund is a leading source of charitable grants for South Coast nonprofits, distributing nearly $6.8 million since 2002. The money, drawn from casino revenue, supports organizations in categories including education, public safety, health, historical preservation and the arts.
Each year an appointed board of tribal members and community leaders meets to review applications and decide on the awards. This year’s board consisted of Coquille Tribal Council Secretary Linda Mecum; Coos County Commissioner Melissa Cribbins; state Rep. Gary Leif; Coos Bay Mayor Joe Benetti, Terri Porcaro, chief executive officer of The Mill; and tribal members Jon Ivy and Scott LaFevre.
The tribal fund’s next application cycle will begin Sept. 1. Learn more at www.coquilletribe.org, or call fund Administrator Jackie Chambers at (541) 756-0904.
Here’s a complete roster of the Coquille Tribal Community Fund’s 2020 grantees:
Total: $366,126.49
A new angle on history
Viewing site will showcase Battle Rock and more
PORT ORFORD – Climb to the top of Fort Point on a clear day, and you’ll be rewarded with a jaw-dropping, 180-degree view of Oregon’s gorgeous southern coastline. The Siskiyou Mountains stand to the south. The Redfish Rock marine reserve lies below. To the north are Humbug Mountain and a working port.
The view is so compelling, the city of Port Orford plans to build a trail and overlook that will make the coastal bluff easier to reach. The path to that project just got a little clearer thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Coquille Indian Tribe’s Community Fund.
The project started in July 2016, when a group of Port Orford citizens became concerned about foot traffic on a nearby sea stack called Battle Rock.
“We needed to redirect people off the rock to reduce the impact of human erosion, and look for another place where people could still have a panoramic view,” said Steve Lawton, the volunteer spearheading the project.
“This grant for the Fort Point Bluff project will make a long lasting impact on a beautiful Oregon landmark,” said Community Fund Administrator Jackie Chambers. “We are excited to see the project come to life and be open for all to come and enjoy.”
Battle Rock was the site of a famous 1851 skirmish between land-hungry European settlers and local Native Americans. Capt. William Tichenor had dropped off nine men to set up a settlement. When the Indians tried to evict them, the white men wielded a cannon to protect their perch atop the rock.
The battle ended when the surviving white men escaped northward by cover of darkness. Tichenor returned later that year with 70 soldiers and established what is now called Port Orford.
Since then, Battle Rock has been a popular destination for visitors– whose relentless footsteps have begun to damage the historic site. At the City Parks Commission’s request, Lawton began seeking an alternative viewing spot.
Fort Point caught his attention in 2017. After much research, Lawton determined that the city owned the land. A viewing site there seemed like an obvious solution.
“I got encouragement from city councilors and the community, and we moved forward in 2018 to propose it,” he said.
State law requires local authorities to consider a project’s effect on cultural resources before approving it. So Lawton contacted the State Historic Preservation Office to make sure the project would honor indigenous interests as well as the community’s needs. Project supporters met with Kassandra Rippee, the Coquille tribe’s historic preservation officer, to discuss a collaboration.
“We met with Kassie and it was a really positive experience,” Lawton said. “We need to embrace the history of this region, and it starts before we arrive. I think that’s really important for people to recognize.”
Tribal people were Oregon’s stewards for thousands of years, and tribes still care about the land that holds the history of their village sites and way of life. Coquille people still live and work in the Port Orford area.
Thanks to the tribe’s grant and a previous $20,000 donation from another source, the Fort Point overlook will be a low-profile viewing site. Building it on pressure-treated poles, atop a concrete pier, will minimize impact to the land.
“This is a lovely site,” Lawton said. “We plan to have an interpretive sign here that’s going to talk about history and the modern economy. We have forestry over here, you have commercial fishing over here, we have a community that’s expanding and people recreating … so it’s a living, working landscape as well.”
“I’m excited about this project,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a lasting resource for the community.”
A resource that will help preserve Battle Rock.
About Coquille Tribal Grants
The Coquille Tribal Community Fund’s grant to Port Orford was part of $366,126 awarded during the tribe’s 2020 Grant Week. Fueled by revenue from The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park, the grants help 71 community agencies in southwestern Oregon.
The Fort Point project was one of two projects to 2020 tribal grants in the Historic Preservation category. The Bandon Historical Society Museum received $2,750.
Since 2002, the tribal fund has distributed nearly $6.8 million to organizations in five counties.
They show up each year, tools in hand, ready to work.
Volunteers mow lawns, trim hedges and clean gutters. Teams of high school kids, families, community groups and business colleagues donate time and skills on behalf of the elderly and disabled in Coos and Curry counties.
“I was totally wowed last year,” said United Way Director Jen Shafer. “A lot of volunteers were repeats.”
The aptly named Day of Caring attracted 130 volunteers to help 40 households in 2019. They’ll be back in 2020. And, thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund, United Way hopes to recruit even more.
“The Day of Caring project is truly a collaborative effort, pulling in volunteers of all ages,” said Jackie Chambers, the tribal fund’s administrator. “This is a chance for many to donate time to their neighbors – an important cultural value of the Coquille Indian Tribe.”
The tribe’s check to United Way was one of 71 grants distributed by the fund in 2020. The tribe’s 2020 Grant Week awarded more than $366,000, bringing the fund’s long-term total to nearly $2.8 million.
United Way of Southwestern Oregon, launched in 1961, is part of an international organization that serves 1,800 communities in 40 countries and territories across the world. The local group’s mission is to “fight for the health, education and financial stability” of South Coast residents, collaborating with other nonprofits to make a “collective impact.”
This year’s Day of Caring will be held Saturday, June 20. United Way is already recruiting teams.
“This is a national day of service for United Ways across the country,” Shafer said. “Last year our volunteers ranged in age from 7 to adult. So it’s a very family-friendly environment.”
Day of Caring is not United Way’s only service to the South Coast. Another is “Coats and Shoes for Kids,” which the tribal grant also will support.
“Every child deserves a good life and that includes the basics of food, shelter and clothing,” Chambers said. “We are happy to be contributors to this valuable community program.”
The program served 308 kids in grades K-12 in 2018. The number grew last year to more than 370, and United Way hopes to serve more this year.
“The kids love it. The parents are appreciative,” Shafer said. “The local kids get to come to Walmart and pick out their shoes, which is very empowering.”
If you’d like to volunteer for Day of Caring, or if you know elderly or disabled people in need, you can contact Jen Shafer at (541) 267-5202 or director@unitedwayswo.org.
United Way was one of 31 groups receiving 2020 grants in the Coquille Tribal Community Fund’s health category. Here’s the complete list for that category:
Total: $144,400
Learn more about the Community Fund
Lush stands of shore pine and beach grass flank the trails where Leo Cox rides his four-wheeler. But Cox, 59, is old enough to remember a much different landscape on Coos Bay’s North Spit.
As a teenager, Cox raced across miles of uninterrupted dunes. Today those sprawling vistas have shrunk to sandy remnants amid a young and spreading forest.
“There’s a unique ecosystem out here that is going to be gone,” Cox said. “If you don’t protect the sand, it’s going to disappear.”
Cox is president of Save the Riders Dunes, a group of about 125 volunteers who love cruising windblown hills on all-terrain vehicles. As part of the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative, the nonprofit group partners with the U.S. Forest Service to maintain and restore the ancient landscape.
STRD is one of 71 community organizations receiving financial support this week from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund. The group was awarded $2,000 to buy two-way radios.
Why radios? Among their other activities, group members volunteer at events such as Winchester Bay’s DuneFest and the UTV Takeover at Boxcar Hill Campground. (UTV stands for “utility task vehicle.”) Cox’s group extends hospitality and safety assistance to the thousands of off-roaders who attend.
“We’re here to help them get onto the sand safely,” Cox explained. “The radios will be a big help.”
Working the sand festivals supports the group’s main goal of preserving dune access. Cox explains that dune preservation has both environmental and economic implications. Numerous species inhabit the shrinking dune ecosystem, and the dunes are a tourism treasure for the area’s economy.
“It’s not a cheap sport,” he said. “People who do it have money, and they spend money.”
Like many environmental problems, the dunes’ troubles began with good intentions. In the early 20th century, well-meaning land managers planted European beach grass, scotch broom, gorse and pine trees to stabilize the shifting dunes. The plants did their job too well, conquering vast swaths of open sand.
Cox’s group works with the Forest Service to remove encroaching vegetation. One recent project restored the area surrounding “Signal Tree,” a distinctive landmark that had been obscured by aggressive foliage. Trail maintenance and noise abatement are other items on the group’s agenda.
Jackie Chambers, administrator of the tribal fund, expressed admiration for the dune defenders’ work.
“We are so happy that we were able to grant this money to them,” she said. “Sometimes some of our smaller grants can have huge impacts in the areas they serve.”
The regal sandscape that Cox remembers from his boyhood isn’t likely to return. But the work of his group and other organizations may ensure that parts of the dunes can survive for future generations.
To learn more about Save the Riders Dunes and the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative, visit saveoregondunes.org or savetheridersdunes.com.
COQUILLE – On a late-winter Thursday, a dozen amateur potters were wrist-deep in bliss.
“It’s therapy,” said Carol Stange of Coquille.
“A moment of Zen,” said someone else. Karen Richmond of Bandon testified, “It’s the only time when nothing else happens in my brain.”
Since the 1950s, the Coquille Valley Art Center has been a sanctuary for artists of all kinds. It began with six women who wanted room to paint. Now its 96 members also work in stained glass, fiber arts, quilting, wood carving, carpentry – and pottery.
The group’s 24 potters are a growing segment, and they’re about to shift into four-wheel drive. Four pottery wheels, that is, thanks to a grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund.
Some background: Novice potters typically start with hand building – simply squishing clay into shape. More advanced artisans “throw” their pots on spinning platforms called wheels.
The Coquille potters currently share just two working wheels. The tribe’s $1,800 grant will double that number, joining a pair that were donated by last year by the Oregon Community Foundation.
Bonnie Stowe, the art center’s pottery boss, is targeting another grant for two more. With six, she’ll be able to teach throwing classes.
Tribal Fund Administrator Jackie Chambers, who grew up in Coquille, is pleased to see the art center thriving.
“I remember taking a pottery class there when I was young,” she said. “We made little bowls with lids, and I believe a turtle as well. We were excited and proud to display our artwork at home.”
Stowe is the spark igniting the pottery group’s recent boom. Soon after taking a grant-writing course from Southwestern Oregon Community College, she snagged a “slab roller” a hand-cranked device that extrudes uniform sheets of wet clay.
Another grant paid for a pug mill, a machine that grinds and recycles scraps. Meanwhile, Stowe and other volunteers tore out a wall to expand the formerly 580-square-foot pottery studio to more than 800 square feet.
Most of the Thursday potters are Baby Boomers craving creative outlets. After a career spent repairing diesel engines, Lee Prescott’s hands needed a retirement activity. He remembered working in clay decades ago.
“I’ve looked into getting a wheel of my own, but that’s expensive,” he said. “And if you have your own kiln ….
“Then I heard about this place and said, ‘Hey, let’s see if I might want to get back into that.’”
The price is certainly right. Each potter pays $20 a month to use the art center’s studio and kiln. With facilities expanding, Stowe plans to attract younger people to evening and weekend sessions.
Beginning potter Ophie Keene of Coquille happily recommends the studio to fellow neophytes:
“There are so many helpful people here,” she said. “Those of us who are new at it get a lot of help.”
Would-be potters, painters and other artists can find out more about the art center by calling (541) 396-3294.
Chester has one arm and no head, but he performs a valuable service for student nurses.
“Without tools like this, it would be really hard for us to learn,” said Shaylynn Jensen of Coos Bay, a second-year student at Southwestern Oregon Community College.
One recent morning, Jensen and seven classmates took turns treating the imaginary ailments of plastic patients. Sharing three simulated human torsos known as Chester Chests, they worked in teams to draw imitation blood and administer mock medication.
Opportunities to practice those skills will expand soon, thanks to a grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund. The fund granted SWOCC $11,300 to buy 10 new Chester Chests.
The grant is part of $366,126 awarded during the tribe’s 2020 Grant Week. Fueled by revenue from The Mill Casino-Hotel & RV Park, the grants help 71 community agencies in southwestern Oregon. Since 2002, the fund has awarded nearly $6.8 million in community grants.
“We’re glad to be able to help SWOCC educate future nurses,” said tribal fund Administrator Jackie Chambers. “More and more of our local residents are senior citizens – including tribal members. We’re going to need a lot more nurses in the years to come.”
Chester is a “vascular access simulator,” designed as a realistic practice tool. SWOCC has some head-to-toe mannequins for full-scale simulations, but Chester is cheaper, simpler and easier to maintain for routine use.
“He can be very helpful,” said lab instructor Leigh Eswonia.
The new Chesters can’t arrive too soon. The old units are wearing out, forcing Eswonia to “MacGyver” them with temporary fixes.
She replaced one unit’s fluid reservoir with a recycled pop bottle, using adhesive tape to attach the simulated blood vessels. It works, for now.
SWOCC’s nursing program is growing to meet the rising need for health-care professionals. Jensen and 30 other second-year students will graduate this spring. Coming behind them is a first-year class of 50. Altogether, 100 future nurses will be enrolled next fall, as the college prepares to open its new health and science technology building.
Jensen, 20, will be this year’s youngest nursing graduate. Her all-business attitude is typical of the 2020 class – a group that Eswonia calls “very motivated.”
“We’re thankful for donations because some of this equipment is so expensive,” Jensen said. “This is what helps us practice safe patient care so we’re prepared for the clinical setting.”
A few months from now, Jensen and her classmates will be registered nurses, treating live patients in real hospitals. Most will choose jobs close to home, but their skills are also in high demand in bigger cities.
“These guys can go anywhere they want,” Eswonia said.
Wherever they go, they’ll owe their skills (at least partly) to a headless plastic torso.
Help for Education
SWOCC nursing is one of 20 education-related programs receiving grants from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund in 2020. Here’s the whole list:
Aug. 28, 2019
The Coos County Sheriff’s Office has a shiny new patrol rig, courtesy of the Coquille Indian Tribe.
Because the county provides patrol help on the Kilkich Reservation, the Tribe is allowed to pass along the benefits of the federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program.
“That gives us an opportunity to give back to the neighboring community,” said Tribal Police Chief Scott LaFevre.
LaFevre explained that the Tribe applies for a COPS grant every two to three years and usually receives about $300,000. Though the Tribe’s own needs take first priority, LaFevre looks for opportunities to share. This year, the sheriff netted a four-wheel-drive Ford F-150.
“I think it helps immensely with our teamwork with the sheriff’s office,” LaFevre said.
Teamwork is important, because the Tribe’s four-person force can’t provide 24-hour, 365-day coverage on the reservation.
“That truck will be responding at Kilkich when we’re not here,” LaFevre said.
Photo by Ed Glazar, The World
Thousands converged in North Bend to enjoy the 16th annual Mill-Luck Salmon Celebration, Coos Bay’s World newspaper reports. Full story
Coos Bay World, July 20, 2019
To Coquille Indians, giving gifts feels as natural as baking salmon or weaving baskets. The potlatch tradition infuses the Coquille Tribe’s sense of itself – and its relationship with its non-tribal neighbors.
Links to news media coverage of the Coquille Tribe’s 2019 Restoration Celebration:
Bandon powwow “stirred my soul” (Medford Mail Tribune)
How to pronounce “Coquille” (KCBY)
Coming home – Coquille Tribe celebrations 30th Restoration anniversary (The Coos Bay World)
NORTH BEND – The largest was $20,000, the smallest just $1,110. Whatever the size, each of the 49 grants awarded by the Coquille Tribal Community Fund this year will improve life in a local community.
Grantees and local dignitaries gathered at The Mill Casino-Hotel on Friday to celebrate the work of the grantees. This year’s tribal fund grants totaled $261,762.50. The fund, consistently the leading source of charitable grants for South Coast nonprofits, has distributed more than $6.4 million since it was launched in 2001.
The fund’s largest 2019 grant was $20,000 to the Umpqua Community Health Center, to help buy a new ultrasound machine for expectant mothers. The machine will replace an obsolete model nearly three decades old.
The smallest 2019 grant was $1,110, awarded to the Lakeside Community Presbyterian Church’s warming center project. Operating on a frugal budget, the church opens its doors to homeless people on nights when the temperature dips below freezing. The $1,110 will cover its costs for a whole year.
Money for the fund comes from a share of the tribe’s casino revenue. Each year an appointed board of tribal members and community leaders meets to review applications and decide on the awards.
The year’s board consisted of Coquille Tribal Council Secretary Linda Mecum; Coos County Commissioner Melissa Cribbins; state Rep. Gary Leif; Chelsea Burns, Coquille Economic Development Corp. Board of Directors; Joe Benetti, mayor of Coos Bay; Jon Ivy, tribal member; and Scott LaFevre, tribal member.
The tribal fund’s next application cycle will begin Sept. 1. Learn more at www.coquilletribe.org, or call fund Administrator Jackie Chambers at (541) 756-0904.
Here’s a list of 2019 grants:
More than four-dozen community organizations received support from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund in 2019, with grants totaling more than a quarter-million dollars.
The grants, funded by revenue from The Mill Casino, support a wide range of community services. They range from $1,110 for a small-town church’s homeless warming shelter to $20,000 for a prenatal ultrasound machine.
Learn more in this news coverage:
The Coquille Tribe has purchased additional land for development in Medford. Read the news reports:
The Coquille Tribe has committed a full-time police officer — one-fourth of its total police force — to help a regional drug taskforce whose survival is in doubt.
Coverage in The World newspaper
The Coquille Indians and other Oregon tribes are gaining recognition for their sustainable forestry practices, a Eugene public radio station reports. Learn more
A Washington Times report draws connections between one tribe’s campaign contributions and the Oregon governor’s attitude on gaming expansion. See the story
Portland’s Willamette Week followed up with its own take on the issue. Read it here
A federal grant will help the Coquille Tribe’s Community Health Center connect patients with specialists hundreds of miles away. See media reports:
Marshfield High School’s football time was eliminated in the state semifinals. But not before the local newspaper celebrated Native American participation on the team — including three Coquille Tribe members.
Hundreds of Coos County teens connected with colleges, vocational schools and employers at the Coquille Tribe’s third annual College and Career Fair. See below for local media coverage.
In a Nature Conservancy video, Coquille Tribal biologist Helena Linnell talks about the Working Landscapes project, which is restoring salmon habitat in the Coquille Valley. View video
You can read the story of a historic moment —the day when the gates opened to restore tidewaters that had been absent for more than a century. Click here to read
Learn more about the tidelands project on the Working Landscapes website. Click here
The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday (Sept.20, 2018) announced the award of more than $4.8 million in grants to six American Indian tribes in Oregon and one tribal commission. The Coquille Indian Tribe is set to receive $268,425 for its four-officer police department.
Coquille Tribal member Jason Younker, a cultural anthropologist at the University of Oregon, is part of a team that’s developing state guidelines for managing Native American artifacts. Read the story
For details about the 2018 Mill-Luck Salmon Celebration scroll down the Entertainment page of The Mill website:
Rick Dancer of “That Oregon Life” interviewed Chief Don Ivy in August 2018. They discuss the name “Coquille,” the potlatch tradition, the Tribe’s role in community life, and much more.
To see the video, click on the image above.
The World newspaper in Coos Bay featured the Coquille Indian Tribe in its 2018 “South Coast Strong” edition. See the three stories here:
A Once and Future Forest (A new law changes how the Coquille Tribal Forest is managed.)
A Story Seldom Told (Public school pupils soon will learn the history of Oregon Tribes.)
Ancestral Garden (Digging camas with members of the Coquille Tribe.)
NORTH BEND – Fifty-seven deserving community organizations have received grants from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund, serving causes as diverse as feeding the hungry, disposing of unused prescription drugs, and performing Shakespeare in a city park.
Supported by revenue from The Mill Casino-Hotel, the fund distributed $291,164 in grants at a luncheon on Friday, March 2. With this year’s total included, the fund has awarded more than $6.1 million since its launch in 2001. During that time it has been Coos County’s largest consistent supporter of community organizations.
Founded in the Pacific Northwest Indian spirit of potlatch, the Coquille Tribal Community Fund seeks to strengthen the community by improving opportunities and lives throughout the region.
Here are links to stories about some great examples of 2018 grantees:
Click here for more about the community fund.
Members of Marshfield High School’s Swing Club practice their moves in preparation for “Music in the Schools.”
(Published March 1, 2018)
Most local kids have heard rock music. Also hip-hop. And country, of course.
Zydeco? Not so likely.
Next week, students from throughout Coos County will sample this Louisiana-born confection of Cajun, French Creole, blues and Afro-Caribbean influences, courtesy of the South Coast Clambake Music Festival. It promises to be tasty.
“I think what the kids will really think is cool is the washboard,” said Janet Saint, a retired teacher and Clambake board member. “They don’t even know what a washboard is.”
For three decades, Clambake has celebrated jazz, swing and other genres of “America’s original music.” A key element is Clambake’s “Music in the Schools” program, which is backed this year by a $3,000 grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund.
“This is an important music program that also brings out a little bit of history to our kids and our community,” said Jackie Chambers, a Coquille Tribal member who coordinates the tribal fund. She recalled attending a Music in the Schools event last year:
“Seeing kids of every age get up out of their seats and dance to music they may have never even heard was a sight to see,” she said. “The program was very interactive, exciting, and fun all around.”
Saint said experiencing a live show not only inspires appreciation for music, it also shows that playing in a band is “cool,” and it teaches the value of mastering a craft.
Visiting bands often invite the kids to sing along or dance. Teachers might even be pulled onto the dance floor.
“Oh my gosh, the kids love it,” Saint said. “Most of the kids will say it’s their favorite assembly of the year.”
This year, the kids will hear Gator Nation, a California band whose music encompasses zydeco, Cajun, and New Orleans rhythm and blues.
“A lot of these kids where we live – they’ve never gotten to see that, and maybe they never will,” Saint said.
Another attraction will be the presence of Marshfield High School’s Swing Club. The teen dancers (coached by Saint) will show the younger kids an extra reason to relish music.
Clambake is one of five artistic and cultural organizations receiving grants from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund this year. The five grants account for $16,200 of the more than $290,000 being awarded for 2018.
2018 Arts and Culture Grants |
|
| South Coast Clambake Jazz Festival | $3,000 |
| Little Theatre on the Bay | $5,000 |
| The Logos Players | $3,200 |
| Coos Art Museum | $3,000 |
| North Bend School District
Indian Education Program |
$2,000 |
Marshfield High School students Gracie Schlager, left, and Archal Devi slide a mesh screen around a newly planted seedling to ward off hungry wildlife.
COOS BAY – On a sunny February afternoon, a group of local high school students is giving nature a helping hand.
Working on swampy ground near the Eastside Boat Ramp, teens are planting trees to promote a native wetland habitat. Others are uprooting invasive Scotch broom.
This is the Coos Watershed Association’s youth stewardship program, an initiative that promotes native plant species while teaching youngsters to advocate for responsible landscape practices. It’s one of 57 organizations and projects receiving grants this week from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund.
“Teaching youth about the environment is something that the Coquille Tribe is very passionate about,” said Tribal member Jackie Chambers, who coordinates the Tribal Fund. “Any time we can get our youth outside is a good day to me!”
The program will receive $3,000 from the Tribal Fund, part of more than $290,000 being distributed during this year’s “Grant Week.” A second environmental grant, for $5,000, will help Friends of Coos County Animals pay for neutering cats whose owners can’t afford the service.
Alexa Carleton, the watershed association’s education program director, said the youth stewardship program is six years old. During the school year, the program draws high schoolers from Coos Bay. In the summer, it offers paid internships to teens from throughout the Bay Area.
The teens perform hands-on labor while learning environmental leadership. One project was a gravel area at the Coos History Museum, which the teens turned into a native dunes habitat. Coming soon will be a planter box in downtown Coos Bay, which they likewise will sow with native grasses. Interpretive signs will explain the unconventional landscaping.
Why native plants?
“Native plants are low-maintenance, because they’re used to our climate,” Carleton said. “These are plants that have co-evolved with other things in the area, such as insects and birds.”
Native plants help filter pollution, prevent erosion and provide wildlife habitat. But not everything that grows wild is a native plant. Many are invaders, such as ivy, purple loosestrife, and that thorny juggernaut, Himalayan blackberry. These thrive and spread because species that control them in their home territory are not present in their new surroundings.
Gracie Schlager, a Marshfield High School junior, explained her reasons for taking part in the program:
“Not only are we helping the environment, but we’re helping people in the community, and that’s something everyone should do in their life.”
Supported by proceeds from The Mill Casino in North Bend, the Coquille Tribal Community Fund distributes grants each year to nonprofit organizations and public agencies. This year’s grants total $291,164. Since 2001, the fund has distributed more than $6.1 million. Learn more at www.coquilletribalfund.org.
Assistant Fire Chief Willy Burris demonstrates a “self-contained breathing apparatus” used by Myrtle Point firefighters. The equipment shows evidence of hard use, and it is increasingly unreliable.
MYRTLE POINT – Fighting fires is dangerous twice.
Obviously, plunging into a burning building is risky. But as it turns out, the danger doesn’t stop when firefighters return to the station.
“Firefighter
s are at super high risk for cancer,” said Willy Burris, Myrtle Point’s assistant fire chief.
Burris, Chief Daniel Gardner and the volunteers on Myrtle Point’s fire crew can breathe a little easier – literally – with help from a $6,000 grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund. The grant will help replace the department’s aging protective gear.
A “self-contained breathing apparatus” – a backpack-mounted air tank and mask – protects a firefighter’s life on the job, while reducing long-term effects of toxic smoke. But Myrtle Point’s battered equipment no longer inspires confidence.
“It’s in the back of your mind: I hope this thing doesn’t fail,” Burris said.
The department’s 15-year-old air tanks are hitting their legal expiration dates, and the accompanying gear is increasingly temperamental. A tiny malfunction can make exhaling difficult, and replacement parts are hard to find. Some volunteers are reluctant to wear the gear, despite its life-saving importance.
“Any time you’re breathing smoke, you need to wear your mask,” Burris said.
In a study completed in 2015, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found increased incidence of cancer diagnoses and cancer deaths among firefighters. Digestive, oral, respiratory and urinary cancers were the most common. Firefighters also were susceptible to malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
Burris notes that today’s buildings are full of synthetic materials that produce toxic substances when burned, including cyanide. Fire departments nationwide have been advised to clean their turnout gear after each fire to remove hazardous residue.
Myrtle Point’s new breathing apparatus will feature straps that can be removed easily for laundering. It also features a more comfortable design than the old gear. Burris said the department studied what’s on the market and chose a relatively basic model rather than a more deluxe setup.
“There’s less stuff to go wrong,” he explained.
Myrtle Point’s $6,000 public safety grant is one of six awarded by the Coquille Tribal Community Fund this year. Public safety accounts for $37,000 of the tribe’s more than $290,000 in 2018 grants.
Tribal member Jackie Chambers, who coordinates the Community Fund, said the Coquille Tribe is pleased to be able to help Myrtle Point’s volunteer heroes.
“Not only will this new gear help them provide services to the local community, but in neighboring communities as well,” she said. “We thank the Myrtle Point Fire Department for over 100 years of service.”
| Coquille Tribal Community Fund
2018 Public Safety Grants |
|
| Coos Bay Fire Department | $5,000 |
| Myrtle Point Fire Department | $6,000 |
| Kids’ HOPE Center | $15,000 |
| Department of Human Services Child Welfare | $1,500 |
| Charleston Fishing Families | $7,500 |
| Charleston Community Enhancement Corp. | $2,000 |
Kara Long, the Egyptian Theatre’s executive director, displays the frayed rope that sent a vintage backdrop plummeting to the stage.
COOS BAY – The terrace fell on a Wednesday in August.
Paul Quarino knows it was a Wednesday, because the Egyptian Theatre had been open for Farmers Market. A visiting couple asked to see the Wurlitzer organ, and Quarino, the theater’s organist, took the pair backstage for a personal tour.
Eager to display the Egyptian’s historic charms, he began lowering part of a hand-painted backdrop – one depicting a Mediterranean terrace and forest scene. That was when a decades-old hemp rope snapped.
Quarino remembers thinking, “That thing is coming down, and I don’t have control of it.”
Quarino insists the next few moments were not dramatic, though they sound dramatic enough. When the rope gave way, so did a wooden support known as a batten. The heavy canvas mural, now hanging by a single rope, “slithered” to the floor.
No one was hurt, but the ancient hemp could be trusted no longer. The Egyptian’s famed backdrops would be out of commission until further notice.
A year and a half later, Quarino and other members of the Egyptian’s board are looking forward to putting those historic scenes in the public eye once again. A $5,000 grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund provides key funding for a project to rejuvenate the theater’s overhead rigging.
“The Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association is keeping a piece of history alive, and we are thrilled to help with that,” said Tribal member Jackie Chambers, who coordinates the Tribal Fund. “I remember going to the theater as a little kid. I was always in awe. When I take my children there, they have that same look on their faces that I did when I was their age.”
Most of the Egyptian’s backdrops date to 1925, when they were painted in Portland and shipped to what was then Marshfield. Along with the terrace scene, they show a Nile River scene, a temple and a forest. A fifth backdrop, depicting Mount Hood, is newer.
Kara Long, the theater’s executive director, calls the canvases iconic.
No one was hurt when a broken rope released this canvas backdrop. Long expects volunteers will need about three months to replace the theater’s elderly rigging.
“Nobody in the world has these backdrops,” she said. “Nobody. They’re in original shape, too. They’re gorgeous.”
Restoring the backdrops to working order means replacing the old hemp ropes with durable nylon. Safety-rated materials will replace some dubious hardware. Steel cables of unknown vintage will make their exit as well.
The labor will be donated. An Egyptian board member, formally trained in technical theater, will lead a gang of volunteers. Long estimates the job will take three months.
The Tribe is awarding a total of 57 grants for 2018 in six categories: arts and culture, education, environment, historic preservation, health, and public safety. This year’s $291,000 in grants raises the fund’s total to more than $6.1 million since 2001, all supported by revenue from The Mill Casino.
Once the backdrops are in place, Long and her board have a busy agenda of additional improvements. They plan to level the sagging stage and rewire the sound system. They also want to relocate the mechanical controls to an overhead platform, freeing the stage’s “wings” for performers to come and go safely.
Fundraising for restoration is ongoing.
Coos Bay’s Egyptian Theater Preservation Association is always looking for grants, private donations and volunteers. Contact Executive Director Kara Long at kara@egyptian-theatre.com.
| Coquille Tribal Community Fund
2018 Historic Preservation Grants |
|
| Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association | $5,000 |
| Bandon Historical Society Museum | $2,250 |
| Curry Historical Society | $3,000 |
| Coquille Tribal Community Fund
2018 Education Grants |
|
| Coos County Historical Society | $5,000 |
| Coos County S.T.E.P. Commission | $10,000 |
| Madison Elementary School | $5,828 |
| SWOCC/TS/UB | $5,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Southwestern Oregon | $2,500 |
| South Coast Family Harbor | $20,000 |
| S.A.F.E. Haven Recovery | $6,000 |
| Coos Bay Area Zonta Service Foundation | $5,000 |
| North Bend School Foundation | $5,000 |
| Oregon Children’s Foundation dba SMART | $5,000 |
| Women’s Safety and Resource Center | $5,000 |
| Powers Friends of the Library Foundation | $3,000 |
| Oregon Museum of Science and Industry | $2,500 |
| Bandon School District | $2,000 |
| Friends Inspiring Reading Success Together | $2,000 |
| Youth Movement | $2,000 |
Volunteer driver Steve Taylor collects donated groceries from the North Bend Safeway. A grant from the Coquille Tribal Community fund will let the Fresh Alliance program expand to include local McKay’s Markets.
When you’re short of cash and the cupboard is bare, a box of canned goods or a sack of pinto beans is a godsend. But food bank fare can be a monotonous diet.
“Even if you’re living in poverty, you don’t want to eat the same thing every day,” said Sara Stephens, development director for Oregon Coast Community Action.
The solution is Fresh Alliance, a creative project backed this year by a Coquille Tribal Community Fund grant.
Operating as part of ORCCA’s Food Share program, Fresh Alliance collects expired baked goods, produce and other foods from markets each day. Those foods – past their sell-by dates but still safe and tasty – go to local food banks, providing nutrition and variety to hungry families.
Thanks to Fresh Alliance, a family’s food box might contain fresh strawberries, salad greens, pastries – even a T-bone steak or a salmon filet.
“The ability to provide that is amazing,” said Laura Hunter, who directs South Coast Food Share.
South Coast grocers donate abundantly to Fresh Alliance – more than 400,000 pounds of food in 2017 alone. The numbers could be even higher, but ORCCA’s capacity to process donations has limited the number of stores taking part.
This year, a $20,000 grant from the Coquille Tribal Community fund will let Fresh Alliance add all seven local McKay’s Markets to its donor list.
McKay’s will join Fresh Alliance’s existing list of donor stores, which already encompasses Fred Meyer, Safeway, Walmart, Ray’s Food Place and Cash & Carry. The seven additional stores will let ORCCA supply many additional tons of fresh groceries to local food banks.
“We are delighted to support the Fresh Alliance expansion,” said Jackie Chambers, who coordinates the Tribal Fund. “Our local supermarkets have been generous partners in meeting loc
Once collected by volunteer driver Steve Taylor, the fresh food will be distributed promptly to local food banks.
al needs. This grant lets Food Share expand that collaboration and reduce food waste in our area.”
Along with nutrition, Fresh Alliance’s diverse offerings deliver a rare sense of luxury to food bank clients.
“I think many times we make assumptions about what
people in poverty should be eating,” Stevens explained. “Who really wants to eat dried beans and stuff in a can all the time?”
She recalled a young mother in Coquille who had no cake for her 4-year-old daughter’s birthday. Her food bank had one on hand – already lavishly decorated in a girlish theme.
“She just had tears in her eyes because they were going to be able to have that cake for her kiddo,” Stevens said.
Fresh Alliance is one of 57 organizations sharing more than $290,000 in Coquille Tribal Community Fund grants this year. Twenty-three of those programs, including Food Share, fall into the fund’s Health category, accounting for more than $130,000 of the total.
The Tribal Fund has distributed more than $6.1 million since 2001. More about the Community Fund
Coquille Tribal Community Fund2018 Health Grantees |
|
| Oregon Coast Community Action (Food Share) | $20,000 |
| Southern Coos Health Foundation | $5,000 |
| The Salvation Army of Coos Bay | $2,000 |
| Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation | $6,000 |
| Coos Bay Area Habitat For Humanity | $5,000 |
| Drug Disposal Coalition | $3,000 |
| Knights of Columbus Council 1261 | $2,000 |
| Coos Elderly Services Inc. | $10,000 |
| Oregon Coast Community Action (CASA) | $10,000 |
| Powers School District | $10,000 |
| Kairos | $7,500 |
| Bay Area Senior Activity Center | $6,000 |
| Brookings Harbor Community Helpers Food Bank | $5,000 |
| Coos Food Cupboard | $5,000 |
| Harmony United Methodist Church | $5,000 |
| North Bend Senior Center | $5,000 |
| South Coast Hospice & Palliative Care Services Inc. | $5,000 |
| United Way of Southwestern Oregon | $5,000 |
| The Gold Beach Senior Center | $4,000 |
| Coos County Friends of Public Health | $3,500 |
| Coos Bay Seventh Day Adventist Food Pantry | $3,000 |
| The Arc Jackson County | $2,000 |
| Marshfield Key Club | $1,386 |
Local bus service in Coos County will be faster and more convenient thanks to a federal grant obtained by the Coquille Indian Tribe and Coos County Area Transit.
By improving bus access to education services, health care, public agencies and job sites, the project is expected to double the ridership on CCAT, from the current 25,000 rides per year to 50,000. Riders will reach their destinations in half the time they spend now.
“We are thrilled to have a part in bringing better public transit to Coos County,” said Tribal Chairperson Brenda Meade. “CCAT is an absolute lifeline for so many people in our community.”
The $200,000 grant comes from the government’s Tribal Transit Program, but Meade emphasized that CCAT’s improved service will benefit the whole community.
“The Coquille Tribe lives by the potlatch tradition of sharing resources with those around us, and this project fits that philosophy perfectly,” she said. “It benefits our Tribal members, and it benefits our neighbors throughout the community.”
The grant lets CCAT reorganize its two Connector Routes by providing more frequent service and more convenient transfers from one bus to another. That’s made possible by the addition of an Intercity Route linking the Connector Routes.
Some details:
The starting date for the expanded service has not yet been determined.
Students from nine area high schools and alternative schooling programs attended the Coquille Indian Tribe’s second annual College and Career Fair on Oct. 19. The event was a visible expression of the Tribe’s potlatch tradition.
Tribal member Tom Younker is featured in this multimedia research project by University of Oregon students.
In the forested hills of their ancestral homelands, young men of the Coquille Indian Tribe fanned out recently to defend a meadow. Crew member William Hargis explained the mission:
“If you let the Douglas fir grow up, they’ll throw off more seeds and more seeds, and pretty soon you won’t have a prairie anymore.”
Dental health aide therapists are trained to cover 50 procedures that a full dentist can do, helping poorly served native communities increase access. But, according to The Lund Report, the dental system in general is plagued by an approach that triages the symptoms of disease rather than preventing and eradicating tooth infections.
For sustenance, industry or sport, salmon have had a profound influence on people and cultures. The impact of this powerful migratory fish can be seen in art works from prehistoric stone carvings through contemporary glass.
In a nationwide competition/exhibition, the Coos Art Museum focuses on the theme of salmon in contemporary art. This exhibition is funded in part by a grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund.
Tribal biologist Helena Linnell explains why the Tribe is supporting an innovative reclamation project in the Coquille Valley. Read the article
The Coquille Indian Tribe has named Mark Johnston as its new executive director. Johnston will head the tribal government administration, a job he has held on an interim basis for the past year.
Read more in the Coos Bay World
The Natural Resources Conservation Service has spotlighted the Coquille Indian Tribe as a conservation success story.
The World newspaper’s 2017 “South Coast Strong” edition highlights The Coquille Tribe’s efforts to develop its business ventures and its people:
Cultivating Success — How the Kilkich Youth Corps prepares Tribal youth for the workplace.
House Passes Legislation Empowering Tribe’s ForestersThe U.S. House once again has passed legislation to put the Coquille Tribal Forest on equal footing with forests owned by other U.S. tribes. It’s part of a bill affecting three Oregon tribes.
See multiple reports:
The Coquille Tribal Police Department’s drug dogs Stormy and Ben contributed to another record-setting drug case on May 25. Aided by the two K-9s, the South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team (SCINT) seized more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine, a SCINT record. Ben also played a pivotal role in a March bust that was part of the same investigation. That one, involving 10.8 pounds of meth, was reportedly the biggest in Coos County history. Details
A new agreement will strengthen the University of Oregon’s relationships with tribes, leading to improved support for Native students, says Jason Younker, a Coquille Tribal member and associate vice president at UO.
Leaders from the tribal nations joined President Michael Schill on May 5 to sign a memorandum of understanding that will enhance collaborative efforts on academic and cultural initiatives.
“This reflects the success of several other joint initiatives between the tribes and the UO that have helped make the UO an institution of choice for Native students,” Younker said. Read more
Appreciation and many thanks to the board of trustees of the Coquille Tribal Community Fund and to Tribal Council for their strong support of their tri-county service area of Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson and Lane counties. The Tribe’s tradition of potlatch brings an investment in our area, giving to many for the benefit of all, which is a wonderful model for us all to follow.
It is with great appreciation that the T.H.E. House would like to acknowledge the Coquille Indian Tribe for its recent Community Foundation Grant of $11,000. We will be using these funds to replace our aging domestic grade refrigeration, freezing and dish washing equipment with commercial grade appliances.
The Coos Bay Seventh-day Adventist Food Pantry is grateful to the Coquille Indian Tribe for the $10,000 grant received Feb. 9.
For the 16th year in a row, the Coquille Tribal Community Fund awarded grants this week to a variety of social service and non-profit organizations that themselves make our community better. Almost $362,000 went to 44 organizations, like the Addictions Recovery Center, Bay Are Senior Activity Center, ORCCA Food Share and the South Coast Clambake Jazz Festival’s Music in the Schools Program.
Women’s Safety and Resource Center would like to thank the Coquille Tribe for the grant awarded to the “Men’s Alternatives to Violence” program.
NORTH BEND, Ore. — Coos County has a new record for the largest single seizure of methamphetamine, according to the South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team.
Two Oregon State Police troopers initially stopped a car for several traffic infractions, but several signs of drug trafficking were found.
A vehicle search by a Coquille Tribal Police drug detection K9 suggested controlled substances were present.
NORTH BEND, Ore. – The newest K9 member of the Coquille Tribal Police Department has joined the staff.
Ben is a 16-month-old springer spaniel.
NORTH BEND — Forty-four community organizations collected nearly $362,000 on Friday from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund, in the Coos Bay area’s biggest annual distribution of community grants.
“To know that we can help so many people is gratifying,” said Denise Hunter, a tribal elder who chairs the Community Fund’s board of trustees. “I feel blessed to be a part of it.”
COOS BAY — Pride of ownership radiates from Vivian Holt’s home. Updated siding and modern windows keep the 1970s doublewide cozy. A picket fence encloses the tidy yard.
But when rainwater began pouring through the mobile home’s worn-out roof, the 89-year-old Coos Bay woman saw her home and her financial security at risk.
NORTH BEND — It’s 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. The last bus has pulled away from Hillcrest Elementary School. Peace reigns in deserted hallways.
Or not.
Down the stairs and around a corner, joyful noises spill from the school’s music room. Tink-tink-tink! Tonk-tonk! Tink-tunk! Marimba Club is vigorously in session.
POWERS — Like a milk carton or a quarterback’s knees, firefighting gear comes with an expiration date. That means keeping current with safety standards can strain a small town’s budget.
That’s certainly true in Powers, a Coos County town with about 700 residents and chronic economic hardships. But thanks to a $22,000 grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund, Powers soon will outfit its volunteer fire department with all-new “turnouts” to replace its increasingly antiquated gear.
EUGENE — The rain that poured down didn’t dampen spirits of local residents who stood with hundreds of others and marched in protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline in Eugene Tuesday.
The protest was just one of many that occurred across the country outside Army Corps of Engineer offices.
COOS COUNTY — Halloween night kept officers busy when a high speed chase led them in and around North Bend and Coos Bay.
The pursuit began near Walmart at 8:15 p.m. when a Coquille Tribal Police officer attempted to stop a 2013 Honda Civic for running a red light, according to a press release.
