
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY — This month, Councilmember Virginia Cross joined retired Seattle University professor Fr. Pat Twohy, S.J., to celebrate his 86th birthday and the recent publication of his latest book, syəyaʔaʔ: Coast Salish Sacred Lifeways and the Sacred Lifeways of Jesus.
Twohy dedicated a half century to share the stories, struggles, loss, and joy of Native peoples in the Northwest and was instrumental in establishing the Indigenous Peoples Institute at Seattle University.
He is the author of two other books.
Last year, Seattle University recognized Councilwoman Cross with an Honorary Doctorate degree. Cross has a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Washington and was one of Muckleshoot’s first college graduates. In the 1960s, Cross helped establish Muckleshoot’s Head Start program and served as its first director.
Twohy retired in 2023 after 50 years of working with and supporting Native Peoples.

As we enter the season of harvest and preparation for the colder months that follow, we know that many in the community are busy exercising our Treaty-protected rights to fill their freezers with fish and game to carry us through the year.

Members of the Muckleshoot Fish Commission met with Seattle Public Utilities General Manager Andrew Lee and his leadership team to tour the Cedar River Hatchery and discuss collaboration opportunities.

On Saturday, September 6th, Waterfront Park celebrated its historic grand opening. What was once the noisy Alaskan Way Viaduct is now a 20-acre civic waterfront — built for joy, connection, and community.

Tribal Councilwoman Virginia Cross was honored with the second ever D.R. Hanford Leadership Award at Green River College in August — this award honors visionary leaders whose impact ripples through their communities.
The Muckleshoot Messenger is a Tribal publication created by the Muckleshoot Office of Media Services. Tribal community members and Tribal employees are welcome to submit items to the newspaper such as news, calendar items, photos, poems, and artwork.