Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part one, with part two scheduled to appear in Sunday’s Tribune.
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KAMIAH — The Nez Perce Tribe will hold elections today for the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Council.
Each year, the general council elects three of the nine NPTEC members who serve staggered three-year terms. The general council consists of all enrolled Nez Perce citizens older than the age of 18. The election is held in conjunction with the spring general council at the Wa-A-Yas Community Center in Kamiah, which started Thursday and concludes today.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the three Nez Perce Tribal community centers — Wa-A-Yas in Kamiah, Teweepuu in Orofino and Pineewaus in Lapwai. Election judges Melissa Guzman, Loretta Spaulding and Carla Timentwa will oversee the election process.
The April 1 primary election narrowed the field from nine to six candidates. Two people will contest each of the three seats. Rachel Edwards, Quintin Ellenwood and Tonia Garcia are the incumbents for seats one, two and three, respectively. They are challenged by Gabriel Bohnee for seat one, Ferris Paisano III for seat two, and Ashton Picard for seat three.
The successful candidates will join Samuel N. Penney, Shannon F. Wheeler, Shirley Allman, Elizabeth Arthur-Attao, Mary Jane Miles and Ryan Oatman serving as the NPTEC.
After the polls close, the ballots will be delivered to Kamiah for counting tonight. The election judges will oversee the election process. People can watch the vote counting via the Nez Perce Tribe Facebook page. Results will be posted on Facebook following the count.
— Norma Staaf, The Clearwater Progress (Kamiah), Thursday
Riggins Rodeo set; Donnie Clay is grand marshal
RIGGINS — Get your boots and grab your pals, it’s time for the 75th annual Riggins Rodeo, sponsored by the Salmon River Cowboys Association.
This year’s event is set for today and Sunday. The rodeo starts at 1:30 p.m. each day, MDT, with mutton busting prior to the rodeo at 12:30 p.m. The rodeo includes ranch bronc, saddle bronc, calf roping, team roping, bull riding, bareback riding, wild cow milking, open barrel racing, open junior boys steer riding and local girls’ barrel racing. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for those 7-12, with 6 and younger free.
The Cowboy Breakfast is set for Sunday from 6-10 a.m., sponsored by the Salmon River Chamber of Commerce. The parade will be held Sunday, 11 a.m., with the theme of “Diamond in the Canyon.”
The parade entry form and other details can be found at rigginsrodeo.com.
Longtime Riggins resident and rodeo supporter Donnie Clay will serve as the grand marshal.
Donnie was born to Frank and Joan Clay and lived in New Meadows, Pittsburg on the Snake River, and in Riggins until he was 5, depending on where his dad was stationed on the Circle C Ranch.
“We stayed in Riggins when my sister and I started school,” he said. “In the summer months, when I was 12, I would go with Dad and help with the haying for the ranch.” He later started breaking, shoeing horses and cowboying for the ranch.
Donnie married his wife, Marty, in 1976, and they had two children, Joni and Chad.
“We rodeoed many years together and enjoyed the rodeo family,” he recalled. “We took our kids to rodeos and 4-H events throughout their childhood years.”
In his younger years, Donnie rode bulls briefly and made it to National High School Rodeo Finals and the National Little Britches Finals in saddle bronc. He also team roped for years.
“Now, I ride 4-wheelers and enjoy life with my family,” he said. “I have also been raising my own beef for the family and have finally grown a 1,000-pound steer.”
After working for Circle C Ranch, he worked briefly for Salmon River Lumber Company and at a handful of additional jobs.
“I started running heavy equipment for Glen Bowdem and then moved on to Hess Construction, with Ken Walters and Lance Hess, for numerous years,” he said. “Now, I’m the foreman for Idaho County Road Department in Riggins and looking forward to retirement.”
Donnie has been a member of Salmon River Cowboys Association for more than 40 years and has served as director, vice president and arena director.
His entire family is involved in the Riggins Rodeo in one way or another, including his grandsons.
“I am proud to say a Clay has been a part of the Riggins Rodeo every year since the Salmon River Cowboy Association was established in 1948. We are four generations deep in Riggins Rodeo,” Donnie said. “I am very proud and honored to be this year’s grand marshal.”
— Lorie Palmer, Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville), Wednesday
