Tulalip News

5 Things To Know Before Washington Marijuana Stores Open

Legal recreational marijuana goes on sale for the first time in Washington on Wednesday.Brandan Schulze / USDA — Legal recreational marijuana goes on sale for the first time in Washington on Wednesday.
Brandan Schulze / USDA

Source: OPB

Tuesday will be the first day that Washington stores can legally sell recreational marijuana. Even though the state has been preparing for this day for nearly two years since it passed Initiative 502, it still could be unclear to some people exactly what the rules surrounding pot are.

Here are some answers to the biggest questions that will arise when pot officially goes on sale this week:

Who can buy marijuana and how much can they possess?

Anyone over the age of 21 can legally buy and consume cannabis in Washington. Yes, that includes non-Washingtonians too. The state’s Liquor Control Board, which is responsible for overseeing the implementation of I-502, says it plans to keep a close eye on retailers so the drug doesn’t end up in the hands of anyone underage. Stores selling marijuana even have to post signs saying that’s what their business does and no one under 21 is allowed to enter.

Adults who can legally buy marijuana can purchase up to 1 ounce of plant material or 72 ounces of marijuana-infused liquid, such as oils. It’s also legal to buy as much as 16 ounces of edible pot products, such as cookies or brownies, but officials at the state Liquor Control Board say no vendors in the state have yet obtained all of the licenses necessary to sell edibles — so, they won’t be in stores initially.

Where will marijuana be on sale?

The state issued 24 licenses to retailers across the state on Monday. WLCB officials alerted the stores via email early in the morning that they could begin receiving product from growers. More stores should receive their licenses on a rolling basis after Monday. The state has said it plans to issue a maximum of 334 store licenses in the first year, and has compiled a list of lottery winners for those permits.

Of the nearly 200 stores in Seattle that applied for a license, only one — Cannabis City — received approval Monday morning. State officials say that’s because many stores there simply failed to meet licensing requirements in time. Customers near Puget Sound will also have options available in Bellevue and Tacoma. Elsewhere in the state, stores could open as soon as Tuesday in Bellingham, Kelso and Spokane. The full list of retailers who received the state’s first licenses is available online.

Locally, two stores in Vancouver made the licensee list and will open their doors to customers this week: Main Street Marijuana and New Vansterdam. The Columbian reports that the former plans to open its doors to customers on Wednesday after a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Tim Leavitt. They want to open their doors around 11 a.m. New Vansterdam is shooting for grand opening on Friday.

Where is it legal to use marijuana?

This is an area where it’d be easy for marijuana users to run afoul of the law. I-502 makes it illegal to consume pot in public view. That means no visits to nearby parks, no smoking in your vehicle, and definitely no sampling product inside a marijuana retailer. The Seattle Police Department gives a good rule of thumb and describes it like open alcohol container laws. Basically, don’t use pot anywhere you’re not specifically allowed to do so. You may not get arrested just for public consumption, but you can receive a fine.

And while we’re on the topic of consumption, Oregonians and other out-of-staters should be aware that crossing state lines with Washington pot isn’t legal. I-502 does allow residents of other states to buy cannabis, but it has to be consumed in the state. If you try to take pot out of Washington, expect to face the penalties for drug possession in whatever state you enter.

Will legal marijuana be cheaper than stuff on the black market?

No, at least not initially. Supply is still pretty limited in the state, which means that demand — aka prices at the register — are probably going to be steep.

So, what kind of prices can users expect in the early days? That’s likely to vary from store to store. Ramsey Hamide, manager of Main Street Marijuana in Vancouver, told the Columbian he expects initial prices on their shelves to be “maybe $90 to $100 for a 4-gram bag and $45 to $50 for a 2-gram bag.”

But Hamide also said he expects those prices to go down to near street costs in the weeks and months after the first sales as growers throughout the state begin to meet demand.

Does I-502 change state DUI laws?

It’s still illegal to drive while under the influence of marijuana or any other intoxicant. If you get pulled over by an officer, they can conduct a field sobriety test on you to see if you’re intoxicated. Because there aren’t yet any fancy tools — such as a Breathalyzer for alcohol — to figure out if you’re high, the officers can take you back to the station and seek your permission for a blood test if they think you’re driving high. That goes for medical marijuana too. And if a driver gets in an accident while driving high, those blood tests are mandatory.

Much like Washington’s blood alcohol content limit of 0.08, anyone caught with a blood concentration greater than 5 nanograms of THC (the active compound in marijuana) will be given a citation for driving under the influence.

Other questions

There are lots of questions that aren’t answered by this list. The sale of recreational pot is relatively uncharted water in the U.S., and the legalization in Washington is different in many ways to the legalization in Colorado. The best source for answers to questions on pot sales in the state is the Liquor Control Board’s website.

Would-Be Customers Eagerly Await Pot Store Openings

By Austin Jenkins, NW News Network

The first legal marijuana stores in Washington are scheduled to open Tuesday. The Liquor Control Board issued the first 24 retail licenses early Monday.

Rick Stevens stopped by 420 Carpenter, a marijuana retail location in Lacey, Washington, to see if it was open yet. The retired TSA worker is looking forward to making some homemade edibles and listening to Pink Floyd.

Credit Austin Jenkins / Northwest News Network

But state officials warn of high prices and short supply in the beginning. Even so that’s not keeping away some would-be customers.

420 Carpenter is a recreational marijuana retail location that has received its license – one of the first in the state. There’s a surveillance camera out front. The deadbolt is locked. And nobody is answering knocks at the door.

The location seems out of the way in the back of an office park.

Bobby Johnson, who was scouting this location on behalf of some local users of the social networking site Reddit, said, “It’s very nondescript, but I’m sure everyone will know where it’s at very soon.”

The store’s owner said he plans to open on Friday. Johnson said he’d like to be one of the first customers.

“I might drive by and see if there’s an insane line,” he said. “If there’s not then, yeah, I probably will.”

Another would-be customer, retiree Rick Stevens, said he has used marijuana medically for a bad back. Now he’s ready to become a recreational user.

“It makes food taste better and music seems to sound better and all of those things,” he said.

But Johnson said, “I’m a little more excited about the edibles — once that becomes available. I’m not really a big smoker.”

Eventually, legal pot shops will sell edibles. But that part of Washington’s nascent legal, recreational marijuana marketplace isn’t ready yet. For that matter, much of the legal pot crop isn’t either.

Randy Simmons, deputy director of Washington Liquor Control Board, called it “a real issue,” and he expects some grumbling.

“I would just say give it time,” he said. “This is day one of this infant starting to walk.”

Simmons also said the state will be running stings to make sure stores don’t sell to underage customers.

Native Americans struggle to bring teachers to Reservation Schools

By TOM LUTEY, The Billings Gazette

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) _ Desperate for new teachers, Hays/Lodge Pole School District Superintendent Margaret Campbell has pulled out all the stops: A three-bedroom home to live in for $230 a month, with utilities paid; a $1,000 signing bonus; and even a dollar-for-dollar match for up to $300 on monthly student loan payments.

And still, luring teachers to the school district on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in the shadow of the piney Little Rocky Mountains is extremely difficult. Starting pay is about $26,000 a year.

“A lot of people don’t want to live in a remote area,” said Campbell, who this summer is looking to hire three teachers and a principal. “It’s isolated here.”

Isolated, and challenging. In Montana, teachers are in demand, especially those capable of teaching special education, English and math. A report issued each December on teacher shortages listed 1,169 teaching vacancies, including 463 in critical areas like special education, English, math and science. The shortages are worst on American Indian reservations and rural schools on the outskirts of reservations.

American Indians as a whole represent a relatively small 11.8 percent of Montana’s 142,000 K-12 students, but in 40 Montana school districts American Indians make up at least half the student body. Of those districts, 34 did not meet No Child Left Behind standards.

The 20 most needy schools are all located in these areas. The schools are not only remote, but also lead the state in the percentage of students eligible for federally subsidized free and price-reduced school lunches, as well as low student achievement based on No Child Left Behind results.

The economies on reservations are the worst in the state, with double-digit unemployment rates on all but one reservation. On the Crow Reservation, the rate is 25 percent, according to Montana’s Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

Poverty at home and the social problems that come with it make school that much more difficult.

“I think on reservations there are major challenges in terms of poverty and associated issues,” said Madalyn Quinlan, chief of staff for the Montana Office of Public Instruction. “We talk a lot about the trauma the students bring to schools and it also affects teachers.”

Quinlan authors OPI’s annual report on critical teacher shortages. The report helps steer Montana’s Quality Educator Assistance Program, which provides up to four years of direct student loan payment for teachers who meet critical needs. There was money available for 246 teachers in 2014.

Both state and federal governments have tried to sweeten the pot for teachers willing to work in rural American Indian schools, but superintendents like Campbell say not all hurdles can be overcome with incentives.

“If you’re married, whether it’s your wife, or your husband, they need to work. On reservations there are strict hiring preferences for tribal members, Campbell said. “Your spouse is going to have a hard time getting a job.”

There’s also a professional isolation that can be difficult for teachers with a specialized skill, said Dan McGhee, Pryor Public Schools superintendent. Even in rural schools teachers have peers, but they often don’t have colleagues who specialize in the same subjects who can compare notes.

The student population is also fairly transitory: A significant number of students move in and out of Pryor School during the academic year, which makes teaching difficult. Teachers new to the school have to be ready for that challenge.

“The eight kids you start with in third grade you might wind up with five of the same kids at the end of the year,” McGhee said. The three kids who leave are more often than not replaced by three newcomers. The situation can be incredibly challenging for teachers trying to keep everyone up to speed with the curriculum.

Starting pay for a new teacher is just over $29,000 a year. That’s not a lot of money, McGhee said. Pryor has been offering $2,000 bonuses to non-tenured faculty, but the money came from a state program that is expiring.

McGhee said he would like to offer his teachers more pay, but school funding is pretty tight on reservations, where much of the property is owned by tribal government and tax exempt.

Schools receive Federal Impact Aid money to compensate for tax-exempt property. The money is similar to payments in lieu of taxes given to Montana counties with significant areas of tax-exempt federal land.

But federal budget cuts have reduced the amount of Impact Aid for schools by 10 percent, McGhee said. For school districts on Montana reservations, the cut means six-figure losses in funding and a much more difficult task of hiring teachers.

Ideally, the new teachers in the classroom would be American Indian.

In 2012, Montana State University and Little Big Horn College partnered to help American Indians receive master’s degrees in school administration. The goal is to boost achievement in underperforming schools.

Earlier in June, Sen. John Walsh, D-Mont., introduced a bill to completely forgive student loans for American Indian teachers who were teaching in schools with a percentage of American Indian students.

The bill was proposed to Walsh by tribal leaders concerned about the need for more American Indian teachers. The loans would be forgiven up to $17,500, provided American Indian teachers were in schools with at least 10 Indian students or not less than 25 percent of the total number of individuals enrolled in the school.

Descendants of Freedmen sue U.S. government

BY RYAN ABBOTT, Courthouse News Service

WASHINGTON – The U.S. government turned its back on the descendants of freed slaves of Native Americans, swindling them out of lucrative land royalties allotted to them as children, a class action claims in federal court.

Leatrice Tanner-Brown and the Harvest Institute Freedman Federation sued Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewel and Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn, seeking an accounting of revenue from leases on land promised to children of Freedmen, who were liberated by citizens of the so-called “Five Civilized Indian Tribes” or Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw and Seminole nations.

According to the complaint: “The Five Civilized Tribes allied themselves with the Confederacy during the Civil War and attempted to maintain slaves following the War. As a result of the Tribes’ disloyalty to the United States during the Civil War all territory owned by the Tribes was forfeited. The status of the Tribes was reestablished under treaties entered in 1866.”

Some of the forfeited land was allotted to the freed slaves and their descendants.

The Department of Interior in 1908 agreed to keep track of revenue from leases on land granted to Freedmen minors or their descendants.

“Notwithstanding demand from plaintiffs for an accounting of revenue from leases on restricted lands during the period that these lands were held by Freedmen minors and not subject to alienation, defendants have failed to provide the requested accounting,” the complaint states.

“Under the Act of May 27, 1908, restrictions against alienation of Freedmen allotments … were not removed. Accordingly, any royalties derived from leases on [Freedmen] allotments should have been accounted for by the Department of Interior under the terms of the Sections 2 and 6 of the 1908 Act,” according to the complaint. “These failures were not innocent. They were the result of a deliberate strategy to swindle land and money from Freedmen.”

The claims says many of these allotments were for oil-rich land, and the government allowed grafters and speculators “anxious to obtain oil-rich lands for little or no payment to allottees” to exploit the often unsophisticated and uneducated Freedmen.

According to the complaint, there were 23,405 Freedmen in 1914.

“Defendants breached their duty to avoid conflicts of interests and to monitor Freedmen allotments in favor of alienation of European settlers, Oklahoma statehood, and corporate interests,” the class claims.

They want an accounting of money collected from the allotted lands and declaration of the government’s fiduciary duties.

They are represented by Paul Robinson Jr. of Memphis, Tenn.

Whale poop may help fight climate change

By John Metcalfe, Cross-posted from CityLab, Source: Grist

It’s not a good time to be living in the ocean. Aside from oil spills and the scourge of plastics pollution, the seas are becoming ever more acidic due to humanity’s CO2 flooding the atmosphere. The altered PH of the water makes for a bevy of problems, from making fish act in really weird ways to dissolving the shells of creatures critical to the marine food chain.

But a group of scientists from the University of Vermont and elsewhere think the ocean’s future health has one thing going for it: the restoration of whale populations. They believe that having more whales in the water creates a more stable marine environment, partly through something called a “whale pump” — a polite term for how these majestic animals defecate.

Commercial hunting of great whales, meaning the baleen and sperm variety, led to a decline in their numbers as high as 66 percent to 90 percent, the scientists write in a new study in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. This mammalian decimation “likely altered the structure and function of the oceans,” says lead author Joe Roman, “but recovery is possible and in many cases is already under way.”

The researchers — who are whale biologists — present a couple of arguments for how these animals help secure the climate-threatened ocean. The first is their bathroom behavior: After feeding on krill in the briny deep, whales head back to the surface to take massive No. 2s. You can see the “pumping” process in action amid this group of sperm whales off the coast of Sri Lanka:

whale poop — Tony Wu/University of Vermont

You have to feel for the person who took that photo. But these “flocculent fecal plumes” happen to be laden with nutrients and are widely consumed by plankton, which in turn takes away carbon from the atmosphere when they photosynthesize, die, and wind up on the ocean floor. A previous study of the Southern Ocean, to cite just one example, indicated that sperm-whale defecation might remove hundreds of thousands of tons of atmospheric carbon each year by enhancing such plankton growth. Thus, these large whales “may help to buffer marine ecosystems from destabilizing stresses” like warmer temperatures and acidification, the researchers claim.

The other nice thing whales do for the climate is eat tons of food and then die. In life, they are fantastic predators. But in death, their swollen bodies are huge sarcophagi for carbon. When the Grim Reaper comes calling, whales sink and sequester lots and lots of carbon at the bottom of the sea, like this dearly departed fellow:

While there’s no exact measurement of how these “whale falls” impact global carbon sequestration — and some argue it can’t have that big of an effect — Roman thinks it’s worth keeping in mind when thinking about protecting these vulnerable creatures. As he told an Alaskan news station last year, “This may be a way of mitigating climate change, if we can restore whale populations throughout the world.”

This story was produced by The Atlantic’s CityLab as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

John Metcalfe is a staff writer at The Atlantic Cities.

Canadians are eating tar-sands pollution

By John Upton, Grist

Tar-sands extraction isn’t just turning swaths of Canadian land into postapocalyptic film sets. New research shows it’s also contaminating the wild animals that members of the Mikisew Cree and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations have traditionally relied on for food.

We already knew that the tar-sands operations have been dousing northern Alberta with mercury and other forms of pollution. Now university scientists have collaborated with the First Nations to test the pollution levels in hunted animals found downstream from the tar-sands sites. Here are some lowlights from their findings, which were included in a report published on Monday:

Arsenic levels were high enough in in muskrat and moose muscle; duck, moose, and muskrat livers; and moose and duck kidneys to be of concern for young children. Cadmium levels were again elevated in moose kidney and liver samples but also those of beaver and ducks … Mercury levels were also high for duck muscle, kidneys, and livers as well as moose and muskrat kidneys, especially for children. …

Total levels of PAHs [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons] and levels of carcinogenic and alkylated PAHs were very high relative to other food studies conducted around the world.

The First Nations members aren’t shocked to hear this. Some have already started avoiding their traditional foods because of worries about contamination, they told researchers. More from the report:

Participants were concerned about declines in the quality of [traditional] foods, in the greatest part because of environmental pollutants originating from the Oil Sands. It was notable how many participants no longer consumed locally caught fish, because of government-issued consumption advisories and associated human health concerns. Muskrat consumption had also declined precipitously, along with muskrat populations, a decline that was attributed to changes in hydrology and contaminant levels associated with the WAC Bennett Dam and the Oil Sands. The only effective alternatives to traditional foods are store-bought foods. …

All participants were worried about ongoing declines in the health and wellbeing of their community. They generally viewed themselves as less healthy than their parents, who rarely got sick. Neurological illnesses (e.g. sleeping disorders, migraines, and stress) were most common followed, in descending order of frequency, by respiratory illnesses (e.g. allergies, asthma) as well as circulatory (e.g. hypertension, coronary) and gastrointestinal (e.g. gallbladder, ulcers) illnesses. Yet, everyone was most concerned about the current and escalating cancer crisis.

A documentary about the research — One River, Many Relations — will be released in October. Here’s a trailer:

Alaska From Scratch: Crusted salmon with a kick

Sugar-crusted salmon with avocado-peach salsaMAYA EVOY — Sugar-crusted salmon with avocado-peach salsa
MAYA EVOY

By Maya Evoy

Alaska From Scratch July 4, 2014

There is nothing more seasonal in Alaska in July than a wild salmon caught directly from our local shores.

One evening last summer, after 13 hours on the water, a friend of ours came home with a marvelous salmon. Although it was late, it was still light out, and he and my husband made quick work of filleting while I pulled up a recipe. It wasn’t long before the fish was sizzling in a hot pan, filling the house with the aroma of spices and saltwater mingling together. There is truly nothing better.

That night, I coated the salmon with a homemade spice rub, based on a recipe I found on my talented friend Heidi Drygas’ local food blog, Chena Girl Cooks. Together, we ooh’ed and ahh’ed over the smokiness of the paprika and the cumin, the kick of the chili powder and dry mustard, the nice sweetness from the sugar and a surprising pinch of cinnamon. And can we just talk about that beautiful charred crust for a moment? You get a stunning caramelization when a hot pan swirled with oil meets a perfectly fresh fillet of salmon, patted dry (this is key) and rubbed generously. “I have to write about this,” I said aloud between bites, squeezing a wedge of lime over my fillet before diving back in. “We have to make this again.”

Two nights later, we indeed made it all over again, and this time I made a bright, summery avocado-peach salsa to go with it. When I don’t have peaches on hand, I’ve used mangoes in the salsa with equally terrific results. Since last summer, we have looked forward to eating this dish again, as soon as the first fresh salmon comes through the door and into my kitchen.

Sugar-crusted salmon with avocado-peach salsa

For the salsa:

2 sweet but firm peaches, pitted and finely chopped (or mangoes)
2 ripe avocados, finely chopped
1 small red or orange bell pepper, finely chopped
¹/₂ cup red onion, diced
1-2 jalapenos (to taste), seeds removed and minced
¹/₂ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper, to taste

For the salmon:

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1¹/₂ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons ground cumin
¹/₄ teaspoon dry mustard
pinch of cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1¹/₂ teaspoons kosher salt
4-6 wild-caught salmon fillets (about 4-6 ounces each), pin bones and skin removed
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a bowl, gently stir together the peaches, avocados, bell peppers, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a smaller bowl, stir together the sugar, chili powder, paprika, cumin, mustard, cinnamon, pepper and salt.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the salmon fillets dry and liberally season the top of each fillet with the rub, patting it so it will adhere. Place the fillets, seasoned side down, into the hot pan. Cook about two minutes, until rub is fragrant and caramelized but not burnt. Flip each fillet and continue to cook on the other side 2-6 minutes more, being careful not to overcook (cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fillets and your preferred doneness. I like my wild salmon fillets medium in the center, so mine were ready after four minutes). Plate the salmon and top with the avocado peach salsa. Spice rub adapted from Chena Girl Cooks, originally adapted from Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Maya Evoy lives in Nikiski and blogs about food at alaskafromscratch.com.

Lushootseed Camp begins July 21

Lushootseed teacher, Natosha Gobin, shares traditional stories with youth during the annual language camps.Photo courtesy of Tulalip Lushootseed Language Department — Lushootseed teacher, Natosha Gobin, shares traditional stories with youth during the annual language camps.
Photo courtesy of Tulalip Lushootseed Language Department

By Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News

TULALIP – The Tulalip Lushootseed Language Camp will begin July 21, marking its 19^th consecutive year of connecting Tulalip youth, ages 5-12, to the Lushootseed language and Tulalip culture.

This year youth will learn the traditional Tulalip story, “Seal Hunting Brothers,” told by Martha LaMont. Through the use of activity stations that include art, weaving, technology, traditional teachings, songs, and games among others, youth will learn the traditional story in Lushootseed. Youth will then perform the story in a play for the community at the end of the weeklong camp.

“This story is passed down from Martha LaMont and is one of our vision, mission and values story. Each year we pick our theme and pick our story. We ask ourselves, what story do we want them to learn; what morals do we want them to learn?” said Tulalip Luhootseed teacher Natosha Gobin, who has been teaching at the camp for over a decade.

The story, “The Seal Hunting Brothers,” explores topics about greed, honesty, providing for family and community, as well as explaining how the killer whale became the Tulalip Tribes emblem.

Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News

This year, teachers from the Quil Ceda & Tulalip Elementary School will be joining the camp in a collaborative effort to continue building a trust relationship between Marysville School District teachers and Tulalip youth.

“We’ve been doing this for 19 years, and I have been helping to lead the camp since 2003. After this many years, it is hard to hold back on all the ideas that we want to do. This year in our art station we will be teaching about Southern Coast Salish art. Kids will be able to start learning about the art design elements and how to put those elements together, while learning about positive and negative space,” said Gobin.

Held at the Tulalip Kenny Moses Building, the interactive camp is held in two sessions and open to 100 youth. Registration is open until July 28. Both camp sessions will feature a play based on the “The Seal Hunting Brothers,” held at the Hibulb Cultural Center’s Longhouse, followed by a potlatch and a traditional honoring of community members.

For more information about camp times and registration please contact the Tulalip Lushootseed Department at 360-716-4499 or visit their website at www.tulaliplushootseed.com.

Brandi N. Montreuil: 360-913-5402; bmontreuil@tulalipnews.com

24/7 Pow wow and native music online radio stations

Monica Brown, Tulalip News writer

In case you have been looking for some native beats to enjoy, visit the links below. Both stations play 24/7 and can be listened to on either a PC or on your smart phone (there’s an app).

Pow Wow Radio – Your source for 24/7 Pow Wow music free!

http://www.powwows.com/2012/08/03/pow-wow-radio-247-native-american-pow-wow-music/

NativeMusicRadio.com – Your source for ALL types of Native American music – jazz, rock, rap, country and more!

http://www.powwows.com/2012/02/16/native-music-radio/

Also, check out the PowWows.com free mobile app and access latest information right on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

The app includes access to

Latest Articles
Pow Wow Photos
Pow Wow Videos
News
Pow Wow Calendar
Classifieds
And more!

http://www.powwows.com/2013/08/03/new-powwows-com-app-for-android-and-ios/

All information from powwows.com

Who Wants Frybread?

Doe’z Onda Go is serving up a modern Native American classic

By Niki Cleary, Tulalip News

Boom City is over and you’re in between pow wows, what are you missing? Okay, besides all those opportunities for snagging. Frybread, of course! Don’t despair, you can still get your fix of that delicious, fluffy, awesomeness. Doe’z Onda Go serves frybread delicacies including Frybread burgers, Rez dogs, NLBs (Natives love bacon), and fried Oreos (Oreos wrapped in frybread), as well as the always classy frybread a la carte (which is a fancy French phrase that basically means ‘by itself’).

“Doe” is actually Nadene Foster (Klamath), also known by her nickname, Grandma DeeDee. Her frybread is made using a biscuit recipe that has been in her family for four generations, tweaked slightly to fry up crisp and light (in texture, not calories mind you).

According to Nadene, it’s not the ingredients that make her frybread special.

“It’s all made with love,” she said. “We pray every morning before we get started. We’re going to continue to produce awesome food.”

For Nadene, frybread is family tradition.

“When I moved to Southern Oregon I’d sell my bread to make a little extra money. I was always on the go. When I start making bread, all my granddaughters want to get their hands in that dough and fry their own piece!” she laughed, “They all take turns, even the boys, they all want to make their own piece.

“To go from that to where we are today is a dream come true,” said Nadene, her eyes sparkling. “It’s so exciting, I can hardly contain myself.”

Doe’z Onda Go. Photo/Niki Cleary — Doe’z Onda Go.
Photo/Niki Cleary

The magic all happens in a tiny building, located in the same lot as Off-Road Espresso on the corner of Marine Drive and 27^th Avenue. Although the building is only About 140 square feet, it contains a full professional kitchen, including a griddle, deep fryer and a fire suppression system in case all that hot food gets out of hand.

Although the recipe is old, the business uses modern technology to make sure that orders are correct, and it’s easy to pay whether you’re using cash or a card. Orders, taken on an iPad, are quickly transformed into delicious meals.

Nadene and her business partner Eric Cortez (Tulalip), opened the business June 21^st.

“This has always been a dream of Nadene’s. She showed me how to make the bread, and they had talked about going full-time,” said Eric. “I became part of the family, and I had the resources and funding to make it happen.

“My mom had the space, this empty building and the spot. By the taco stand (Tacos El Ray), Off-Road Espresso and the fruit stand. Plus this is 100% authentic, modern Native American food. Tulalip owned with a twist of southern Oregon.”

The staff favorites?

Making a frybread Oreo. Photo/Niki Cleary — Making a frybread Oreo.
Photo/Niki Cleary

“Fried Oreos are popular,” said Eric. “I like just the frybread alone and the large Rez dog is my second favorite. We’re thinking about adding deep fried bananas as a dessert. I tried one of those and wow!”

“My favorite is probably just a piece of frybread with butter,” said Nadene. “But I also like the frybread burger.”

So, if you’re ready to fulfill your frybread fantasies, Doe’z Onda Go is the stop for you. Doe’z Onda Go is open Tusday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Short on time? Call in an order for quicker pick-up, 425-622-6289.

Click here to download a Menu