MARCH 2026
VOLUME 34 | ISSUE 3 The monthly newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Pendleton, Oregon
CUJ
cuj.ctuir.org
CONFEDERATED UMATILLA JOURNAL
Cross-state effort protects bighorn sheep Teams work to test and monitor herds, while honoring cultural traditions YASSER MARTE The CUJ
TROY — In the Blue Mountains, biologists, tribal partners and volunteers work side by side to test and monitor bighorn sheep, aiming to protect the animals and stop a bacterium from spreading through the herd. Between Feb. 24–26, the Oregon and Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife, Idaho Fish and Game, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and the Nez Perce Tribe worked together to protect and sustain bighorn sheep populations. Their work also seeks to honor cultural traditions and restore ecological balance. The teams spend long hours monitoring herds, capturing and testing animals for Movi, a bacterium scientifically known as Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. Movi causes severe pneumonia and mass die-offs in wild sheep, mountain goats and muskoxen. It is often carried by domestic sheep and goats, which appear healthy, and spreads through nose-to-nose contact or respiratory droplets. Carrie Kyle, district wildlife biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), said the project is a collaborative effort between the three states and tribes. “The greater Hells Canyon population of bighorn sheep is largely intermixed,” she said.
A helicopter carries four bighorn sheep from the mountains to a ground team Feb. 25 in Troy, Oregon, where they will be examined and tested for Movi. Yasser Marte/The CUJ
“The animals move back and forth between states, breeding and forming a single, large metapopulation. In Washington, we manage three smaller herds, but we coordinate closely with Idaho and Oregon along the state line to protect the population as a whole.” The morning of Feb. 25, the agencies met at the Wenaha Wildlife Area, where the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) maintains a small field office in Troy, for a briefing led by
Don Whittaker, Ungulate Species coordinator for ODFW, before heading into the field to begin testing, tagging and monitoring the sheep. Whittaker said the project marks a historic collaboration. “For the first time in the 30year history of this initiative, we have representation from all five agencies,” he said. “The state of Oregon, the state of Idaho, the state of Washington, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation and the Nez Perce Tribe are finally working together on the same project.” Members were assigned specific tasks, including data collection, blood draws, temperature checks and pregnancy testing. Afterward, the teams drove through the area, scouting a suitable location before setting up a medical campsite along the Grande Ronde River. See BIGHORN, Page A2-3
Pendleton council chooses SkyWest for EORA flights PENDLETON — Air service at Eastern Oregon Regional Airport (EORA) could change soon, as the Pendleton City Council has recommended SkyWest Charter for the city’s Essential Air Service contract, pending final approval. Following a thorough discussion involving the Essential Air Service (EAS) Selection Committee, city council members and the public, the city council voted 6-1 on Feb. 3 to back SkyWest Charter for the next two-year air service contract. The city followed the recommendation of the EAS Committee, which had decided between four
airlines — Boutique Air, Contour Air, SkyWest Charter and Advanced Air — who all submitted proposals in response to the federal EAS docket. Pendleton Mayor McKennon McDonald said she was excited by the four viable options for the EAS at the airport. “Having been involved in the EAS process before, I was thrilled to see two providers with larger planes, seating 30 passengers, willing to bid,” McDonald said. “It signals that they see the airport as a viable option for their business and the scale of service they provide.” She said the council’s decision was influenced by the opportunity to grow enplanements above 10,000, which would increase Airport
CTUIR 46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801
YASSER MARTE The CUJ
Improvement Program (AIP) funding to maintain the airport. “This growth is tied to economic development in our region, making Pendleton a more attractive location to locate or expand industry,” McDonald said. She added that with the enplanements SkyWest can provide, the airport’s position in the EAS subsidy program could move from the nation’s bottom 25% to the middle range, bringing more stability to the airport and the region. “Our goal throughout this process was simple: ensure that Pendleton receives safe, reliable, and See SKYWEST, Page A8
Third annual Two Cultures One Community Powwow rocks the Pendleton Convention Center B1-3
Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Pendleton, OR Permit #100