The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe of Washington has returned a $2,500 donation after local business leaders sought to force the tribe to change its mind on a construction project that led to the discovery of a major tribal village.

The Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce had given the money to the tribe to support the 2005 Paddle Journey. The event attracts dozens of tribes from Washington and Canada.

But the tribe returned the money when chamber leaders wrote a letter to urge local lawmakers to seek "very forceful action" on the tribal village, which stopped work on a bridge construction project. Local businesses want the work restarted but the state has agreed with the tribe not to continue.

Get the Story:
Anonymous donor starts fund to help Elwha tribe host Paddle Journey (The Peninsula Daily News 1/31)
Lower Elwha Klallam tribe to `educate' in Olympia this week (The Peninsula Daily News 2/1)

Relevant Links:
Tse-Whit-Zen Village News - http://tse-whit-zen.elwha.nsn.us
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe - http://www.elwha.org

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