The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe (2011)

WIIKWEDONG

DAZHI-OJIBWE

The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe

Onaabani Giizis - Crusty Moon Moon - March 2011 Issue 80

KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY

7TH WINTER TRADITIONAL POWWOW

Tribal Council Members:

Warren C. Swartz, Jr., President

William E. Emery, Vice-President

Susan J. LaFernier, Secretary

Toni Minton, Asst. Secretary

Eddy Edwards, Treasurer

Elizabeth (Chiz) Matthews

Elizabeth D. Mayo

Michael F. LaFernier, Sr.

Jerry Lee Curtis

Frederick Dakota

Gary F. Loonsfoot, Sr.

Isabelle H. Welsh

SPECIAL POINTS

OF INTEREST:

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February 5, 2011 Tribal

Council Meeting

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KBIC 7th Winter Traditional

Pow-wow, January 29th

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New Employees

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Drug Convictions

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KBIC holds Healthy Heart

Fair

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KBIC officials attend President

Obama special

Deepest Sympathy

Newsletter photo.

Left to right: Jacqueline Swartz, Sierra Ayres, Jason Dowd, Raistlin Awonohopay, and LeRoy Gauthier.

Newsletter photo.

Rodney Loonsfoot, Head Veteran Dancer leads

the KBIC Color Guard in the Grand Entry.

Newsletter photo.

Sierra Ayres, Youth Head Lady Dancer.

K.B.I.C. Cultural Committee

Gerry Mantila, Chairperson

Beverly Lussier, Vice-Chair

Diane Charron, Secretary

Elizabeth Matthews

Doreen Blaker

Cody Blue

Leo Durant

Toni Minton

Myrtle Tolonen

Evelyn Ravindran

Many Anishinaabeg attend the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Cultural

Committee’s 7th Winter Traditional Powwow

on Saturday, January 29, 2011, at the Niiwin Akeaa Community Center in Baraga,

Michigan. Gerry Mantila, Cultural Committee Chair, welcomed guests to the morning

ceremonies of “Honoring Our Tribal Council.”

Opening song was performed by

Jeremiah Churchill of Mille Lacs Band of

Ojibwe, who also was the event’s guest

speaker. Cultural Committee member, Doreen Blaker, gave the opening prayer. The

very talented Courtney Clisch performed a

selection of musical solos and an honor

song was offered by Jeremiah Churchill.

The Cultural Committee recognized the current Tribal Council — Warren (Chris)

Swartz, Jr., William (Gene) Emery, Susan J.

LaFernier, Toni J. Minton, Eddy Edwards,

Jerry Lee Curtis, Fred Dakota, Michael F.

LaFernier, Sr., Gary F. Loonsfoot, Sr., Elizabeth (Chiz) Matthews, Elizabeth (Popcorn)

Mayo, and Isabelle Helene Welsh. This

year a special recognition was presented to

KBIC’s First Woman Tribal President, Myrtle

Tolonen.

Head Veteran Dancer, Rodney Loonsfoot, led the KBIC Color Guard in the 1:00

and 6:00 p.m. grand entries. Jason Dowd

and Jacqueline Swartz served as Head

Male and Female Dancers with LeRoy

Gauthier and Sierra Ayres as Youth Head

Male and Female Dancers. Raistlin Awonohopay and Megan Tucker served as Junior

Head Male and Female Dancers. Woodland Singers served as host drum and provided songs along with invited drums Four

Thunders and Summercloud. Emcee, Eric

Awonohopay, did an awesome job keeping

everyone informed of the events, and Arena

Director, George Gauthier, kept the arena

running smoothly with the assistance of the

•

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enrollment office at

(906) 353-6623 ext.

4113.

Assistant Arena Director, Joe Jacker. The

day’s events included a Pink Shawl Honor

Dance and hoop dancer Megan Tucker.

The Cultural Committee honored Gabrielle

Picciano, Miss Keweenaw Bay, and Tribal

Elders: Richard J. Edwards and Lena Kuopus, and our first Woman Tribal Council

President, Myrtle Tolonen. A grand feast

was enjoyed by all in attendance.

Newsletter photo.

Women’s Traditional, Left to right: Veronica

Adams, Jacqueline Beauchamp, and Cindy

Curtis.

Continued page four.

(1) Bezhig

FEBRUARY 5, 2011, TRIBAL

COUNCIL MEETING

The Tribal Council held their regularly

scheduled Saturday Tribal Council meeting

on February 5, 2011, at the Ojibwa Casino

Resort Conference Room in Baraga, Michigan. President Warren C. Swartz, Jr. presided over the meeting with William E. Emery, Susan J. LaFernier, Eddy Edwards,

Jerry Lee Curtis, Fred Dakota, Michael F.

LaFernier, Sr., Gary F. Loonsfoot, Sr., Elizabeth “Chiz” Matthews, Elizabeth D. Mayo,

and Isabelle Helene Welsh present. Toni J.

Minton was absent. President Warren C.

Swartz, Jr., shared numerous Thank You

and For Your Information items addressed

to Council. One of the topics included the

Settlement of Cobell vs. Salazar Lawsuit—

Distribution of materials/information regarding Indian Trust Settlement for IIM account

holders, owners of land held in Trust/

Restricted status or their heirs. Council

agreed to schedule a Community meeting

for our members with a representative from

the BIA present to explain the Cobell vs.

Salazar Lawsuit. The date of this Community meeting is to be determined.

The President’s Report was given for

January 2011 by President Warren C.

Swartz, Jr. (page two), the Secretary’s Report was given for January 2011 by Secretary Susan J. LaFernier (page three), the

Treasurer’s Report was given for January

2011 by Treasurer Eddy Edwards (page

two), and the CEO Report by Larry Denomie III was read for January 2011 by Susan

J. LaFernier (page four). Council passed

the Department Head Reports for December 2010.

Motion by Gary Loonsfoot, Sr., to table the economic development committee presentation regarding implementation plan and charter vs. stock corporation and the risk and benefits associated

with them until Attorney John Baker is

present, supported by Michael LaFernier,

Sr., ten supported, 0 opposed, 0 abstained, one absent (Minton), motion carried.

Motion by Eddy Edwards to table the

request from the grant writer regarding

the Rural Innovation Fund Program

Grant with the Office of Deputy Assistant

Secretary for Economic Development

until next Thursday’s meeting and to

have the CFO present, supported by Isabelle Welsh, ten supported, 0 opposed, 0

abstained, one absent (Minton), motion

carried.

Motion by Elizabeth D. Mayo, to approve the January 2011 donations to the

Baraga Special Olympics Basketball in

the amount of $500, to Superior Alliance

for Independent Living Second Annual

Chocolate Festival in the amount of

$250, to the Keweenaw Family Resource

Center to participate as a patron of the

playground in the amount of $500, and to

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr.’s campaign fund in the amount of $1000, supported by Michael F. LaFernier, Sr., ten

supported, 0 opposed, 0 abstained, one

absent (Minton), motion carried.

Council adjourned with no further actions.

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(2) Niizh

PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011

The following is a list of activities that occurred in the office of the President for the

month of January 2011.

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I attended a number of committee

meetings this month including hiring,

gaming, retirement, and others. I also

attended a department head meeting

during the month.

I received a copy of the current strategic

plan from the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa

Community College. The plan is currently being revised again by faculty and

staff for the upcoming accreditation visit.

I also received the college’s quarterly

report as required by the MOA.

Yvette Friisvall has completed her review of the Tribal Code Book. The attorney’s office is formatting and reviewing

her changes, so it can be printed.

The Isle Royale National Park would like

to meet with KBIC representatives regarding their new cultural resources

management plan. The Tribal Historical

Preservation Office has been participating in the public listening session. The

next meeting will take place on February

17th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Duluth, Minnesota, at the Great Lakes

Aquarium. This workshop provides an

important opportunity to broadly discuss

issues and concerns regarding landscape treatment alternatives for the

Washington and Barnum Island landscape with representatives from key

stakeholder groups with an interest in

Isle Royale National Park.

The Council approved football promotions in the casino.

The House National Resources Committee Chairman-elect, Doc Hastings, was

named subcommittee chairman for the

112th Congress. He announced the establishment of a new subcommittee on

Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Article

1, Section 8, Clause 3, of the Constitution delegates to Congress the power to

regulate trade with Indian tribes, and in

the House of Representatives the Natural Resources Committee is assigned

jurisdiction over this power. Oversight

and legislative responsibilities for Indian

and Alaska Native matters were previously handled by the full committee.

The Keweenaw Bay Tribal Council

adopted ordinance 2010-04, Title 16,

the Motor Vehicle Code of 2010. This is

an ordinance of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community adopted under the authority of the Constitution and By-Laws

of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community for the purpose of authorizing and

regulating the issuance of certificates of

title for motor vehicles; regulating the

registration of motor vehicles; and repealing certain laws, resolutions and

motions of the Tribal Council pertaining

to titling and registration of motor vehicles.

I conducted two employee reviews during the month. A review was done on

the TERO Director and the Executive

Director of Gaming.

I was informed by Jerry Santos that the

CITGO Venezuela Heating Oil Program

will continue again this winter. This winter marks the sixth year of the program,

and the third year the Community was

able to take advantage in this program.

The Community’s application was submitted for approval.

I received a letter from Dennis Knapp,

Tribal Liaison for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. In his letter

he expresses concern regarding the

methodologies used to estimate Lake

Trout populations and to estimate Lake

Trout TAC’s in 1842 ceded territory wa-

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ters located in Michigan. He asks to

meet to discuss a way to “cooperatively

develop models for future management

consideration.” We are in the process of

gathering the biologist’s information and

doing an analysis of the data. I’m confident the Community is using appropriate

methodologies in estimating populations

and setting total allowable catches

(TAC’s) given available data.

The Council participated in operation

Red, White, and Blue Phase 4. It’s

where we send out care packages for

soldiers overseas. This event was put

on by the 6th graders from Baraga Area

School. We also donated to a similar

event put on by a number of individuals

in L’Anse and the L’Anse 5th Grade

class.

The Council affirmed the recommendation of the President to appoint William

Winkler Jondreau as Justice of the Appellate Division of the Tribal Court. Jondreau accepted the three-year appointment. I wrote a letter to Justice Palmer

explaining the situation, thanking him for

his services, and stating that he would

be paid for his services on the two

cases under his existing contract which

will be extended to the date his work

has been completed.

The Tribal Council approved the following to the list of applicants for KBOCC

Board of Regents: Jill Hodges, Shirley

Brozzo, Shirley McKasy, Diana Chaudier, and Loretta Hugo.

The January 14, 2011 report from Human Resources indicates the KBIC government employs about 70% of Indians

on its workforce. This concludes my

report for the month of January 2011.

Respectfully submitted,

Warren C. Swartz, Jr., President

FEBRUARY 2011

TREASURER’S REPORT

Activities reported by the Treasurer, Eddy

Edwards, for the month of February 2011.

The Treasurer’s report was given verbally

and transcribed by the newsletter editor.

Our employee benefits are our number

one expense. The Council has approved

interviewing two firms, Cottingham & Butler,

and M3, to analyze our employee benefits

to make sure we are getting the best deal

and that it is the best fit for the facilities and

the number of employees that we do have.

An update on the activities of our businesses, from the first quarter of the fiscal

year and relative to this same period of

time last year. Our Baraga Casino has

seen a decrease of 9% in house profit and

the Marquette Casino has seen a 3% increase in house profit. This is before a slot

machine upgrade of a million dollars for

both Casinos that will occur soon. Over the

last several years we’ve seen a downward

trend. We are reinvesting into both Casinos to change the trend. Eagle Radio’s

revenue is ahead of projection. The gross

profits from cigarette sales at the Pines and

at the Casino in Marquette are higher than

they were at this time last year. At Tribal

Construction, an inventory of all the equipment is nearly complete, and the Council

will be addressing those assets and assigning some of those assets to the newly

formed Public Works Department. So that

is a report on some of the activity of our

businesses, and I am always open to questions from the members about the funds of

our Community.

Respectfully submitted,

Eddy Edwards, Treasurer

SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011

Activities reported by the Secretary, Susan

J. LaFernier, for the month of January 2011.

BOOZHOO! We honor the greatness in

you. Remember: “Indian Country Counts,”

“Our People, Our Nations, Our Future.”

We continue to recognize the richness of

Native American contributions, accomplishments, and sacrifices to the political, cultural, and economic life of Michigan and the

United States.

The employee W.H.I.P.P. (Wellness,

Health, Intervention, Prevention Program)

Task Force and volunteers continue to have

monthly meetings. It is never too late to encourage positive lifestyle changes that will

help us live longer, healthier, happier lives.

On January 7th, Larry Denomie, CEO,

and I visited our Hancock radio station site

and met with the employees there. It was a

good visit. On January 12th, we also reviewed the Radio Sales Manager applications, and John Preston was hired for the

position. I attended the quarterly department head meeting on January 18th and the

Health Board meeting on January 19th.

That same day, I presented our KBIC flag to

two board members from the Keweenaw

Heritage Center per their request and Tribal

Council approval. I also attended a meeting

regarding our annual blue cross/blue shield

renewal rate reviews and recommendations.

The Council will be presented this information in the near future. I also was honored

to present our first woman Tribal Council

President, Myrtle Tolonen, at the “Honor

Our Tribal Council” presentation on Saturday, January 29th, before the Powwow began. I was also honored to present our honored elders: Lena Kuopus and Richard Edwards at the 7th Winter Traditional Powwow. Our appreciation and thanks to our

KBIC Cultural Committee for all of their hard

work and preparation for these events.

I had the distinct honor to bowl in the

Y101 Bowling Tournament that was held on

January 29-30, at the Miller’s Lanes in

Laurium. Our men’s and women's team

from the Whirl-i-gig consisted of six tribal

members out of ten team members. Congratulations to these teams for winning 3rd

place and bringing the tournament to the

Whirl-i-gig and our area next year. Congratulations to our Pressbox Senior men for

winning the Y-101 event! We have very talented bowlers in our Tribe and in our Community, and we are always looking for new

teams to join.

The Drug Tip Line is 353-DRUG or 3533784. The yellow banners are around the

reservation with this drug tip line number

displayed. The Drug Task Force holds

monthly meetings. We will also be meeting

in the near feature with other interested

groups and the Baraga County Community

Foundation regarding collaboration that will

benefit the health and welfare of our communities. The Drug Force Mission statement is: “To promote education through

public awareness with the specific objective

to eliminate the use of illegal drugs for the

betterment of the health, welfare, and safety

of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

and our neighboring communities.” Remember to continue to pray for, honor, and

remember all of our veterans and service

men and women and their families. Also

remember those who are ill, all who have

lost loved ones, and our economy struggles.

Let us be thankful for our beautiful area and

we pray for peace in the world, good health,

and happiness.

During January 2011, the Tribal Council

held one Regular Tribal Council Meeting on

January 8, 2011. This meeting is covered in

the February 2011 Newsletter. Tribal Council held five Special Council Meetings. Following are the unapproved motions from

January.

At the council meeting held January 6,

2011, the following actions were taken:

• Approved the June 10, 2010 meeting

minutes;

• Approved the June 12, 2010 meeting

minutes;

• Approved the June 17, 2010 meeting

minutes;

• Approved Resolution KB1798-2011

Delene property acquisition on the Silver

Road for $30,000;

• Approved the bid from Hiawatha Chef

Supply for $50,782.98 for kitchen equipment for the new Early Childhood Education Center;

• Approved the agreement with KBIC and

Integrated Designs, Inc. for the Transfer

Station project design for $41,700;

• Approved the Brian Haataja well pump

Installation construction agreement for

$2,975.41 with Larson Pump Co., LLC;

• Approved a Bay Mills Winter Semester

2011 for the immersion students for

$14,055;

• Approved the renewal business license

for Ojibwa Housing Authority/Ojibwa

Plumbing & Heating;

• Approved to have the Task Force continue with the planning for the Casinos

(new and renovations);

• Tabled a request for a donation for

cheerleading uniforms for more information from the Booster Club;

• Approved an amendment to Personnel

Policy 11.3 Incentive Policy Options to

include: The sick leave incentive hours

will be paid at the last permanent wage;

• Approved the reclassification request to

change the Clinical Social Worker position from a grade 11 to a grade 13 (is

posted);

• Approved the Employment Agreement

with Heather Chapman, Assistant Tribal

Attorney and Assistant Tribal Prosecutor, for three years;

• Upheld the CEO’s decision on the Government employee termination case

#008-10 after the President broke the

tie;

• Approved the reclassification of Cheryne

Clements as the Fitness & Youth Programs Director;

• Approved to omit the FAA building from

the Land in Trust Application in Marquette;

• Approved to discontinue Tim

Shanahan’s sick leave as of January

18th;

• Approved to accept Derek Sever’s resignation from the Radio Station and place

Deborah Hilscher as the Interim General

Manager at the beginning wage rate for

the General Manager.

At the council meeting held January 14,

2011, the following actions were taken:

• Approved the Senior/Disabled snow

plowing requirements (guidelines);

• Approved an amendment to Personnel

Policy 18.3 Appeal of Dismissal; the position will be posted after the ten day

timeline for the employee to appeal and

the appeal will be made in writing to the

Tribal Council Secretary;

• Defeated a motion to approve the proposed updates to the KBIC Casino TICS

for Promotional Activities;

• Approved to post for two (2) vacancies

on the hiring/personnel committee for

two weeks;

• Approved adding step-brothers/stepsisters to the Community Assistance

Program (CAP) policies;

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Approved erecting an 80’ fiber optics

tower at the KBIC Police Station and a

roof system or tower at the Hatchery

garage for the wireless Bridge Wave

system;

Approved Resolution KB1802-2011

MOA with KBIC, BIA, and MDOT regarding the 2011 highway routes inventory;

Approved the purchase of 100 Tribal

flags and to draw up guidelines

(regarding distribution and the use of

flags);

Approved to recommend Gretchen Emery and Violet R. Friisvall to the Election

Board (two vacancies posted);

Approved Resolution KB1800-2011

NIGA (National Indian Gaming Association) membership renewal;

Approved the changes to the General

Manager—Eagle Radio job announcement and to post the position;

Approved the pass through agent to

North Star Academy for the 2% distribution for the Gwinn School Title VII funds;

Approved to interview 15 applicants for

the Community Assistance Programs

(CAP) Administrator on January 27-28;

Approved to motion to have football

pools at the Lanes.

At the council meeting held January 20,

2011, the following actions were taken:

• Approved to have our Personnel Department develop a job description for a

Business Manager for our prospective

cigarette business with a strong background in marketing, engineering, etc.

for review at the next meeting;

• Approved the Pre-Primary Education

Program guidelines;

• Approved that the guidelines will become effective with the opening of the

new Early Childhood Education Center;

• Approved Resolution KB1799-2011

Residential Lease to Ann M. Degenaer,

Patrick A. Degenaer, and Brett A. Degenaer;

• Tabled the Tribal Weatherization Assistance Program Policy Guidelines, application, and Services Agreement until the

next meeting;

• Defeated a motion to decline the President’s recommendation for William Jondreau to the Appellate Justice position;

• Approved William Jondreau to the Appellate Justice position;

• Approved a $500 donation for postage

to the L’Anse 5th grade class care packages for service men and women;

• Approved a $500 donation for supplies

to the Baraga 6th grade class for care

packages for service men and women;

• Approved three applications for the

Ojibwa Community College slate for the

Board of Regents: Shirley McKasy,

Shirley Brozzo, and Jill Hodges;

• Approved Ruth Lamson’s request for

her off-reservation snow plowing;

• Approved Dorsey & Whitney LLP Special Counsel Contract for one year;

• Approved the employment contract with

Christoph J. Geiger, Deputy Tribal Attorney, for three years;

• Approved the agreement between

Michigan Works! Job Force Board/

Region 1 Michigan Small Business and

Technology Development Center Network and KBIC;

• Approved the Amendment to Agreement

between KBIC and the Village of Baraga

(relates to the improvements to the water supply system);

• Approved to reconsider the motion reContinued page four.

(3) Niswi

Secretary’s Report continued:

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garding the football pools on January

14, 2011;

Approved to have football promotions at

the Lanes;

Defeated a motion to pay Dale Shalifoe

what he requested for a wage of

$51,126 as the Executive Director of the

Gaming Commission;

Approved the reclassification of Dale

Shalifoe to a Grade 11, $21.22;

Approved to grant a one time limited

waiver of sovereign immunity up to the

limit of insurance available for the claim

Beverly Lussier vs. KBIC-Tribal Court

Case #10-079C.

At the council meeting held January 27,

2011, the following actions were taken:

• Approved to invite Cottingham/Butler

and M3 Insurance to a meeting to discuss various options and an analysis

regarding health insurance;

• Approved the amendment to James

Otto Vollmar R. Ph. Services agreement

(for the pharmacy);

• Approved the Tribal Weatherization Assistance Program policy guidelines;

• Approved the services agreement with

Ojibwa Housing Authority to provide

home weatherization audit services for

the community;

• Tabled the decision regarding the Disability Determination Appeal Hearing

Case #001-11 until the Disability Program guidelines can be drafted by the

CEO’s office by February 10th;

• Approved applicant Diana Chaudier for

the Ojibwa Community College Slate of

the Board of Regents;

• Approved the bid from Cybex for

$59,332.07 and the 505 budget modification for fitness center equipment;

• Approved to add Elizabeth Julio and Jeff

Francois to the Community Assistance

Programs (CAP) Administrator interviews;

• Approved the introduction 1st reading of

the proposed ordinance 2011-01 to

amend Title 3 to add two chapters: 3.19

Criminal Sexual Conduct and 3.20 Sex

Offender Registration Code and waived

the first reading.

At the council meeting held January 28,

2011, the following actions were taken:

• Approved a donation of $300 to John H.

Messer for travel assistance to his son’s

hockey tournament in Escanaba;

• Tabled the discussion regarding the

draft Business Manager job description

until February 3rd (for review);

• Approved to offer the Community Assistance Programs (CAP) Administrator

position to Janice Halverson.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan J. LaFernier, Secretary

7th Annual Traditional Powwow continued:

Honored elders: Lena D. “E” Koupus and Richard J. Williams.

Lena D. Kuopus (nicknamed “E”) was

born on June 1, 1928, in Zeba, Michigan.

She is the daughter of Charles and Susie

(4) Niiwin

CEO REPORT FOR THE MONTHS OF JANUARY 2011

The month of January 2011 included the

following activities:

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Attended a Healthy Heart Fair 2011

planning meeting. This year’s event will

be held on February 14th at the Community Center. The WHIPP Task Force

is co-sponsoring the event and will have

a booth at the event as well.

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The Fitness Center located within the

Community Center is undergoing a face

lift and will house numerous pieces of

new equipment. It is anticipated that

around mid-February the newly named

Free Spirit Fitness Center will be up and

fully operational. Cheryne Clements,

Youth and Fitness Programs Director, is

developing additional programs which

will be announced in the coming months

as well.

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The new Early Childhood Education

Center project is moving forward and is

expected to be completed the end of

February. In anticipation of the opening,

enrollment policies were developed and

approved by Council. Lisa Denomie,

Pre-primary Program Director, is working on advertising for slots for children in

the program.

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Tribal Council selected 17 KBIC members to interview for the Community Assistance Programs Director. Fifteen of

the 17 interviews were conducted and

the final selection and offer was made

and accepted by Janice Halverson, the

CEO’s office now former Administrative

Specialist. Janice began duties in the

office on January 31st and is settling in

nicely. The Administrative Specialist

position is now posted and open to the

public to apply.

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The Tribal Home Weatherization program is moving forward. Council has

approved the guidelines and initial contract for home energy audits to be conducted by Ojibwa Housing. The guidelines include a point system which will

be used to prioritize homes to have the

audits completed and funds available

through various programs will assist with

the cost of updating the homes. Some

of the funds have income guidelines

while others do not. The weatherization

office will be sending out information to

every member in the approved service

area to ensure everyone has the opportunity to apply. There will be deadlines

to initially apply and once the deadline

has passed, the prioritized list will be

created, and the audits will be conducted. If anyone has questions after

receiving the information they are encouraged to contact the weatherization

office. The new Department of Public

Works will have work crews within the

department which will complete the work

on the homes.

Marksman and was married to Arthur Kuopus (deceased). Lena enjoys caring for

all of her many nieces/nephews, great

nieces/nephews, and great, great nieces/

nephews who keep her young and who all

love her dearly.

She worked as a barmaid for 22 years

and at Big Bucks Bingo, and she is now

enjoying retirement. She is a member of

the Ojibwa Senior Citizens, Baragaland

Senior Citizens, and an active member

and volunteer of the Zeba Indian MissionUnited Methodist Church. She also enjoys

quilting, picking berries, and baking delicious pasties, pies, and everything!

Richard J. Edwards was born on July

21, 1929, in Baraga, Michigan. He is the

son of John and Mary Edwards and was

married to Barbara Wadaga on June 27,

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A project to clean up and remove dead,

broken and unsafe trees from the Pinery

Cemetery that were a result of the major

wind storm that blew through the area

late last year, ran into some issues and

was stopped for a short period of time.

The individuals initially working on the

project were relieved due to the unsafe

nature of the project and inexperience of

workers involved. After meeting with the

necessary staff, it was decided that the

Beartown Firefighters who possess the

proper experience and certification

would complete the project. They will

resume working in early February and

the project is expected to be completed

by late February to early March.

KBIC Seniors 55 years and up can have

their income tax preparation completed

for free. Keith Rolof will again be making appointments with interested seniors

again this year. Flyers have been distributed and are also available at the

Ojibwa Seniors Center.

On January 24th I participated in a Fox

UP/TV6 News interview regarding the

Tribes plans to locate a new gas station

and convenience store at the property

they purchased which is the former Los

Tres Amigos restaurant site in Marquette. The interview was requested after Fox UP/TV6 News aired an initial

story the week prior where Gregg

Nominelli, KBIC’s Economic Developer,

provided them with information regarding the project at my request. The news

story garnered numerous comments on

Fox UP’s web site of which a majority

were positive but some negative. The

interview provided an opportunity to give

facts and additional details related to the

project. Several of the negative comments related to how the Tribe doesn’t

pay taxes. During the interview I relayed

the fact that the Tribe has contributed

nearly $8 million dollars since 2006 to

roads programs and that the Tribe also

pays 2% distributions to local units of

governments based on net slot machine

revenue. I also had the opportunity to

provide facts related to the taxes associated with gasoline and how they relate

to the Tribe and their ability to sell the

fuel at a discounted rate. The news

story, in my opinion, did provide a positive light on the project and the additional comments on Fox UP’s site following the airing of the interview were

again mostly positive with a few negative.

As always, if anyone has questions, concerns, or issues that the CEO’s office can

assist with, please don’t hesitate to stop, email, or call.

Respectfully submitted,

Larry J. Denomie, III, CEO

1953. They have been married for 57

years. They have four children: Mary,

James, Pauline, and Ann. Their grandchildren are Joe and Tom LaFernier, Philip

Edwards,

Christopher

Edwards

(deceased), and Hannah and Max George.

The great-grandchildren are Pamela, Philip

II, and Tyler.

Dick worked at the Pettibone Corporation for 37 years and the Jacobson Funeral

Home for 20 years. He enjoys hunting,

wood working, and travelling. He served

for four years with the 82nd Airborne Division from 1948-1952 and is a Korean Veteran. He is a member of the 82nd Airborne

Association, the 325th Airborne Association, American Legion Post 144, KBIC Veterans Honor Guard, and the Ojibwa Senior

Citizens.

Continued page six.

Erin Johnston

has been hired as

the Lake Superior

Program Coordinator for the Natural Resources Department. Erin was

born and raised in

East Lansing but

spent time in the

U.P. as a child in

Menominee where

her parents grew

up.

Erin graduated from NMU in

2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in biology

and ecology. In 2008 Erin received her

Master’s degree in natural resources management from the University of Wisconsin

Stevens Point. For the past two years Erin

has been the Department Chair for the Environmental Science program at KBOCC.

Erin looks forward to taking on the challenges of this new position and playing a

role in the protection and enhancement of

the Lake Superior basin. In her spare time

Erin enjoys spending time with her husband

hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting.

Monica Kohn

was hired as the

Medical Clinic

Receptionist.

Monica is the

daughter of the

late Tippy Emery and Cora

Robinson Emery. Monica, a

KBIC member,

was born and

Newsletter photo.

raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She and her husband,

Tim, just celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary. They relocated to the reservation

in October 2000. She worked at the Casino

from 2000 to 2003, and worked in the Donald LaPointe facility from 2003 till 2009.

Monica is an active member of the KBIC

Powwow Committee and the Women’s

Planning Group. Monica states, “I enjoy

hunting, fishing, rock hunting, bingo, and

slots. I am trying to teach myself to burn

and carve wood. I also collect hoodies and

sweatshirts, love to bake and I hate housework. Tim and I live with our dog Buster,

and two cats, MO and Missie.”

C a t h y

Hebert has

been

hired

as

the

Healthy Start

LPN. Cathy

previously

was

employed for 31

years in the

surgery and

specialty clinics at BCMH.

She and her husband,

Rodger, raised their family here in Baraga

County—Jeremy (Ashley) Hebert, John

(Hope) Herbert, and Jay Hebert. They have

six grandchildren and one on the way.

Cathy states, “I enjoy all outdoor activities, especially gardening and camping. I

am very excited about my new job with the

Healthy Start Program and I look forward to

working with all the new mothers and the co

-employees at the Donald LaPointe Center.”

Jennifer

Almli has been

hired as an

Accounts Payable Clerk in

the Accounting Dept at the

KBIC

Tribal

Center.

She

is the daughter of Pearl

Thoresen

&

the late Harold

Thoresen

of

Newsletter photo.

L’Anse. She

graduated from LHS in 1972 with an emphasis on business courses. She was employed by Commercial National Bank/

Superior National Bank for over 35

years. She is married to Jerry Almli and

resides in Baraga while their son Ryan resides in Florida.

Community Members Enjoy Snowshoe Event

This outing is a part of the Footsteps in

the Forest Program offered by the KBIC

Diabetes Programs. Footsteps is a hiking

program in the summer and they’ve extended it to include snowshoeing in the winter months.

The picture to the left is from a recent

hike held on Saturday, January 29th in the

Pinery on the Indian Cemetery Road, in

L’Anse, Michigan. Eleven community members attended this particular event. The

events usually last about an hour. Heather

Wood, KBIC/DHHS Health Promotions Educator, states, “We will be scheduling a few

more snowshoeing events this winter which

will be posted on flyers throughout the community. We have snowshoes to loan for

those who do not have them, and we are

hopeful to interest more participants for our

next outing.” If anyone is interested in the

Footsteps in the Forest events, contact

Kathy Mayo, Sndni Voakes, Vicki Emery, and Heather Wood at 353-4546 for more inforHeather Wood. Photo by Robin Roe.

mation.

Ojibwa Community Library News

The library has the movie "Gasland." It's about a man who discovers his home is on a

rock formation containing natural gas. He was offered $100,000 to lease this land by Halliburton. He discovers that he is part of a 34 state drilling campaign, the largest in history.

This movie documents his journey to find out if hydraulic fracturing is actually safe.

A reminder: movies can only be checked out for one week and only one movie at a

time.

~ Mary Bergerson, Library Director

All Tribal Veterans’ Meeting at

the Lighthouse, Sand Point, will

be held every third Wednesday

of the month at 1900 hours. All

Tribal Veterans Welcome!

Leander August "Lee" Madosh ~

"Muh-Koons" (Little Bear),

(October 27, 1949—February 12, 2011)

Leander August “Lee” Madosh, age 61,

of 611 Silver Creek Road, Harvey, walked

on into eternal life Saturday morning, February 12, 2011, at home, in the comforting

care of his family and the caregivers of UP

Home Health and Hospice. Born October

27, 1949, in Marquette, a son of Leander

Alfred and Clara (Hilliard) Madosh, Lee was

raised in Marquette and was a 1967 graduate of the Marquette Senior High School.

He entered the US Marine Corps in July of

1968, serving during the Vietnam Era, until

October of 1969 when he was honorably

discharged with the rank of Lance Corporal.

Lee enrolled in the welding program offered

at the Jacobetti Vocational Skill Center at

Northern Michigan University and later began an eleven year stint in highway construction with the Bacco Construction Company. Another eleven year employment in

highway construction followed with the Paul

Smith Construction Company. Lee’s last

employment was with the Marquette Fence

Company, as an installer for ten years, retiring in 2007 due to ill health. Playing hockey

in his younger years, Lee loved the sport

and was a dedicated Detroit Red Wing

hockey fan and, from the beginning, a

Northern Michigan University hockey fan,

never missing a season. He enjoyed NASCAR, off road racing, and gardening. His

passion was riding his Harley and helping

out whenever and wherever he could. He

loved to be of service to others. Lee was

proud of his American Indian heritage and

received the name “Muh-Koons” meaning

“Little Bear”, and was the last of the Madosh

Family who was a chief. Lee was a member of St. Louis the King Catholic Church,

Knights of Columbus, the Marine Corps

League, and the Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community. A recovering alcoholic, Lee

was a dedicated member of Alcoholics

Anonymous for over 19 years, aiding others

in their recovery. Survivors include his

daughters: Bobbi (Carl) Chambers of Gwinn

and Jessica Bigger of Harvey; stepdaughter, Nichole (Mike) Peterson of Harvey; sons: Anthony Madosh of Green Bay,

WI, and Leander E. Madosh of Harvey; six

grandchildren; his sisters: Genevieve

“Jeannie” (Gerald) Terando of Morris, IL,

Nora (Stephen) Logan of Orange Park, FL,

Lana Rosenthal of Fond du Lac, WI, Anita

Madosh of Harvey, and Sharon (Dave)

Schnorr of Fond du Lac, WI; a brother: Jon

Glen (Debbie) Trevillion of Negaunee; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; and

his faithful canine companions, Nicholas,

Simon, and Holly. Lee was preceded in

death by his parents; first wife, Lorraine

Madosh; step-father, Raymond Trevillion;

sister, Judy Smith; and brother, Gerald

Madosh. A Mass of Christian Burial was

celebrated at St. Louis the King Catholic

Church in Harvey on Monday, February 14,

2011, with Rev. Ben Paris, pastor, as celebrant. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be

directed to UPAWS (Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter), P.O. Box 968, Marquette, MI 49855. The Fassbender Funeral

Home assisted the family.

(5) Naanan

7th Annual Traditional Powwow continued: years, the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, and presently serves on

the Elders Advisory Board and Cultural

Committee. She is also presently taking

classes at our Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College winter semester, and she is

loving the classes.

In 1976, Myrtle was elected to a seat on

the Tribal Council, and she served until

1995. Myrtle was the first woman President

elected in 1984, again in 1985, and 1989.

Newsletter photo.

Myrtle Tolonen, KBIC First Woman Tribal Council President was honored at the 7th Winter Traditional Powwow.

Myrtle Tolonen, First Woman Tribal

Council President was honored on January

29, 2011, during the “Honor Our Tribal

Council” presentation prior to the 7th Winter

Traditional Pow-Wow. Myrtle Helen Tolonen

was born on April 28, 1935, on Blaker Road

in Zeba, Michigan. Her parents were

George and Charlotte (Blaker) Matthews. In

1955 she married Donald E. Tolonen Sr.

(deceased). They have five children: Donald Jr. (deceased), John Henry, Cheryl Denomie, Glenn and Tyler Tolonen. They also

have 18 grandchildren, seven greatgrandchildren, soon to be eight.

Myrtle worked at Minnie Sands Restaurant making pasties for 50 cents an hour;

she also worked at the hospital. After

graduation in 1953, she went to Chicago

and worked there for a few years. In 1955

she married Donald and moved to Dearborn

where she worked at the Mercury Motor Inn

Steak House for 13 years. In 1972 Myrtle

and her family moved back home. In 1976

she was hired by the Tribe as the Tribal Enrollment Clerk. She was also the Commodity Foods Program Director. Myrtle loves to

read both fiction and non-fiction books and

playing bingo. She served on the Indian

Child Welfare Committee for almost 20

Newsletter photo.

(Above) A young jingle dress dancer —

Bree Jondreau.

(Below) Fancy shawl

dancer — Jeani Jaye Aho.

Newsletter photo.

Fancy shawl dancers (above) Sheena

Halverson and (below) Vanessa Beaver.

Newsletter photo.

Newsletter photo.

KBIC Holds Healthy Heart Fair

Newsletter photo.

Newsletter photo.

KBIC’s Department of Human Services

and W.H.I.P.P. Task Force teamed up to

host the 2011 Healthy Heart Fair. This

year’s fair was held at the Niiwin Akeaa

Center and as one committee member labeled it as, “truly a community event as everyone comes together to plan and attend the

very organized opportunity.” Registration

revealed 202 people attended this year’s

gathering who all enjoyed the numerous

health related booths.

Participants were able to receive chair

massages as three massage therapists

were ready and able to assist those wanting

to be their customers. Cholesterol and

blood pressure screenings were offered as

well as a lot of other helpful health related

topics.

Booths offered were: Aspirus Superior

Home Health & Hospice; Baraga County

Newsletter photo.

Newsletter photo.

Newsletter photo.

Newsletter photo.

(6) Ningodwaaswi

Newsletter photo.

Home Care & Hospice; Baraga County

MSU Extension SNAP-ED; Bay Ambulance;

BCMH Rehab & Fitness Center; Clowns

(Lisa Denomie & Roxanne Carlson); Fox

Den Massage; Health Mart Pharmacy; KBIC

Dental; KBIC Diabetes Programs; KBIC Nutrition; Public Health Preparedness; KBIC

Even Start; KBIC Healthy Start; KBIC Medical; KBIC Natural Resources; KBIC OVW;

KBIC Pharmacy; KBIC VOCA; KBIC WIC;

KBOCC; New Day Treatment Center; Northern Orthotics & Prosthetics; Over Eaters

Anonymous; Weight Watchers; WHIPP

Taskforce; the L'Anse/Baraga HOSA students; and KBIC Community Health.

Important information about the $3.4 billion Indian Trust Settlement

________________________________________

For current or former IIM account holders,

Owners of land held in trust or restricted status, or their heirs

There is a proposed Settlement in Cobell v. Salazar, a class action lawsuit about individual Indian land held in trust by the federal government.

This notice is just a summary. For details, call the toll-free number or visit

the website listed below.

The lawsuit claims that the federal government violated its duties by (a)

mismanaging trust funds/assets, (b) improperly accounting for those

funds, and (c) mismanaging trust land/assets. The trust funds include

money collected from farming and grazing leases, timber sales, mining,

and oil and gas production from land owned by American Indians/Alaska

Natives.

If you are included in the Settlement, your rights will be affected. To object to the Settlement, to comment on it, or to exclude yourself, you

should get a detailed notice at www.IndianTrust.com or by calling 1-800961-6109.

Can I get money?

There are two groups or “Classes” in the Settlement eligible for payment.

Each Class includes individual IIM account holders or owners of land held

in trust or restricted status who were alive on September 30, 2009.

Historical Accounting Class Members

▪ Had an open individual Indian Money account (“IIM”) anytime between October 25, 1994 and September 30, 2009, and

▪ The account had at least one cash transaction.

▪ Includes estates of account holders who died as of September 30,

2009, if the IIM account was still open on that date.

Trust Administration Class Members

▪ Had an IIM account recorded in currently available data in federal

government systems any time from approximately 1985 to September

30, 2009, or

▪ Owned trust land or land in restricted status as of September 30,

2009.

▪ Includes estates of landowners who died as of September 30, 2009

where the trust interests were in probate as of that date. This means

you have asked a court to transfer ownership of the deceased landowner’s property.

An individual may be included in one or both Classes.

What does the Settlement provide?

A $1.5 billion fund to pay those included in the Classes.

A $1.9 billion fund to buy small interests in trust or restricted land

owned by many people.

▪ Up to $60 million to fund scholarships to improve access to higher

education for Indian youth.

▪ A government commitment to reform the Indian trust management

and accounting system.

How much can I get?

▪ Historical Accounting Class Members will each get $1,000.

▪ Trust Administration Class Members will get at least $500.

▪ If you own a small parcel of land with many other people, the federal

government may ask you to sell it. You will be offered fair market

value. If you sell your land it will be returned to tribal control.

If you believe your are a member of either Class and are not receiving IIM

account statements, you will need to call the toll-number or visit the website to register.

What are my other rights?

▪ If you wish to keep your right to sue the federal government about the

claims in this Settlement, you must exclude yourself by April 20,

2011.

▪ If you stay in the Settlement you can object to or comment on it by

April 20, 2011. The detailed notice explains how to exclude yourself

or object/comment.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia will hold a hearing on

June 20, 2011, to consider whether to approve the Settlement. It will also

consider a request for attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses in the amount

of $99.9 million. However, Class Counsel has fee agreements that would

pay them 14.75% of the funds created for the Classes, which could result

in an award of $223 million. The Court may award more or less than

these amounts based on controlling law. If approved, these payments

and related costs will come out of the Settlement funds available for payment to Class Members.

If you wish, you or your own lawyer may ask to appear and speak at the

hearing at your own cost. For more information, call or go to the website

shown below or write to Indian Trust Settlement, P.O. Box 9577, Dublin,

OH 43017-4877.

▪

▪

________________________________________

For more information

BUILDERS

Residential Building Specialists.

353

353--7127

1-800-961-6109

www.IndianTrust.com

BUILDING

SUPPLY

PLUMBING &

HEATING

For all your building supplies.

For all your maintenance needs.

353

353--8850

353

353--6967

Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa

Housing Authority

"Owned and operated by the

Ojibwa Housing Authority.

All proceeds go to

affordable housing activities

in our community."

Newsletter designed ad

(7) Niizhwaaswi

tether, he goes to jail. Defendant will be

financially responsible for the costs of lodging and/or tether, and any expenses incurred while incarcerated.

4. Twelve to twenty-four months alcohol and

drug restricted probation with a $10 monthly

probation fee. Defendant will be financially

responsible for the costs of drug and PBT

tests, if any. Defendant must report daily for

PBT’s until the probation officer deems it to

be not necessary. (Concurrent with 10-109).

Newsletter photo.

Meet Payton Rain LeClaire, born August 28,

2010, to Fanchon Picard and James LeClaire,

Jr. Payton weighed 5lbs. 9 oz. and was 17 1/4”

inches at birth.

Proud grandma is Rose

(Picard) Everson and proud grandpa is James

Cote, Jr.

Newsletter photo.

Meet Daylea Skye Blue, born December 24,

2010, to Cody Blue and Nick Lokers. Daylea

weighed 8lbs. 4.5 oz. and was 18” inches at

birth. Proud grandparents are: Peggy Minton,

Brad Blue, Brenda and Brian Lokers. Greatgrandparents are: Bev and Adam Lussier.

Newsletter photo.

Meet Isaac Richard Rajala, born December

31, 2010, to Candy Kemppainen and Daniel

Rajala. Isaac weighed 10lbs. 3.3 oz. and was

20” inches at birth. Proud grandparents are:

Wanda Seppanen, John and Shirley Kemppainen, and Marvin and Carole Rajala.

DRUG

CONVICTION

REPORT

In a continuous effort to reduce the illegal use of controlled substances in our community, the Drug

Task Force has requested the publication of pertinent information regarding any convictions of

the Controlled Substances section of the KBIC

Tribal Code §3.1706. The Tribal Court has

agreed to comply with the Drug Task Force’s

request and will publish a Drug Conviction Report on a routine basis.

Yancey DeCota, case #10-117, controlled

substance (use – morphine) – 2nd offense

Sentenced on 11/22/2010 to:

1. $1000 fine.

2. Defendant is to obtain a substance abuse

screening and is to follow the recommendations of that screening until successfully discharged. (Concurrent with 10-109.)

3. 180 days jail, 150 suspended, 30 days to be

served. Defendant will be allowed to serve

these 30 days on GPS tether. If the Defendant does not comply with the terms of

(8) Ishwaaswi

Derek Gauthier, case # 10-102, controlled

substance (use - morphine) – 3rd offense

Sentenced on 01/10/2011 to:

1. $1500 fine.

2. 24 - 36 months standard drug and alcohol

restricted probation with a $10 monthly probation fee.

3. 180 days jail, credit for time served, (30

days) and 150 days suspended.

4. The Defendant is banished from this community until he provides proof that his substance abuse treatment is completed. He is

to sign a release, so information can be

shared with the Probation Officer.

5. The Defendant is to pay at least $50 per

month towards his costs and fines. When

the Defendant obtains employment, he is to

sign a payroll deduction.

Corey Haataja, case # 10-203, controlled substance (use – marijuana, cocaine, and morphine) – 1st offense

Sentenced on 01/24/2011 to:

1. $500 fine.

2. 90 days jail, 80 days suspended, Defendant

is to serve 10 days jail. The Court will allow

the Defendant to serve jail sentence on GPS

tether. Defendant is financially responsible

for the costs of lodging/tether and any other

costs incurred while incarcerated. (To be

served consecutively of 10-201). If Defendant doesn't comply with the terms of tether,

he goes to jail.

3. Defendant is to obtain a substance abuse

screening and is to comply with the recommendations of that screening until successfully discharged. (Concurrent with 10-201).

4. Nine to twelve months of alcohol and drug

restricted probation with a $10 monthly probation fee. Defendant is financially responsible for the costs of drug and PBT testing, if

any. (Concurrent with 10-201).

Joseph Francois, case # 10-221, controlled

substance (use – cocaine and morphine) –

2nd offense

Sentenced on 02/09/2011 to:

1. $1000 fine.

2. Defendant must obtain a substance abuse

screening and is to comply with that screening

until

successfully

discharged.

(Concurrent with #10-220).

3. 180 days jail, 120 days suspended. Defendant is to serve 60 days. This is to be consecutive with time served from case #10220. Defendant is financially responsible for

the costs of lodging and any expenses incurred while incarcerated.

4. Twelve to twenty-four months of alcohol and

drug restricted probation with a $10 monthly

probation fee. Defendant will be financially

responsible for the costs of drug and PBT

tests, if any. Defendant must report to the

probation office on the first day he is released from jail or from a treatment facility.

(Concurrent with #10-220).

5. Defendant may be released upon a motion,

directly to an inpatient substance abuse facility, if he has obtained an admit date on his

own volition, but only after he has served 90

days of his consecutive jail sentence with

#10-220.

6. Defendant is to be referred to the KBIC Drug

Court.

KBIC/DHHS PARTICIPATES IN

PHAB BETA TEST

During the time period of fall 2009 until December 2010, 30 public health departments

throughout the United States participated in a

test of the national voluntary public health accreditation program. The goal of the public

health accreditation program was to improve

and protect the health of every community by

advancing the quality and performance of public

health departments. The Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community was carefully selected with considerations that varied from size, structure, popula-

tions served,

governance,

geographic

region,

and

degree

of

preparedness

for accreditation from a

pool of 148

applicants

who wished

to participate

in the PHAB

Tribal Health Department Beta beta test.

ThroughTest Site Accreditation Coordiout the beta

nators and Representatives.

test, the sites

worked through the accreditation process and

provided valuable feedback on the process, materials, and tools that will inform the accreditation

program’s national launch in 2011.

PHAB hosted an appreciation dinner on February 1, 2011, for the Beta Test sites. Dr. Bud

Nicola, Chair of the Beta Test Steering Committee, represented the PHAB Board of Directors

as he provided comments and presented the

recognitions to each site. He stated, "Without

the hard work and commitment of the beta test

sites, PHAB's work on accreditation would not

be where it is today."

Carole LaPointe, KBIC DHHS Health Director, attended the dinner on behalf of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and accepted a

beautiful plaque which is displayed on the second floor of the Donald LaPointe Medical Facility.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

The John Hopkins University OPREVENT Project

Needed: Research Assistant/Data Collector for

the John Hopkins University OPREVENT Project.

Employment Start Date: March 2011

Location: Baraga, MI

Responsibilities: The data collector will conduct interviews and administer standardized

surveys with Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

(KBIC) members in Baraga and L’Anse, Michigan. Primary activities include: 1) the identification and recruitment of participants, 2) the administration of the surveys and interviews, 3)

the transcription and entry of data, and 4)

weekly staff updates. Research assistants may

also assist in community presentations, intervention development, and program support

(filing, scheduling, etc.).

What is the OPREVENT Project?

OPREVENT stands for Obesity Prevention

Research and Evaluation of InterVention

Effectiveness in NaTive North Americans. It

is an obesity and diabetes prevention program,

which is designed to: 1) improve the availability

of healthy foods in stores on or near American

Indian reservations, 2) increase the purchase

and eating of healthier foods, and 3) increase

physical activity. It combines mass media (by

newspapers, radio, and possibly TV), school,

food store and worksite intervention components, which will each be evaluated for effectiveness.

Job Qualifications: The applicant must 1) be a

high school graduate or GED equivalent; 2) be

interested in and knowledgeable about American Indian obesity/chronic disease prevention

programs; 3) be comfortable working on American Indian reservations; 4) have access to reliable personal transportation; 5) be willing to

travel independently between research sites

(Baraga and L’Anse, Michigan); 6) have some

experience conducting surveys and interviews;

and 7) be available on at least a part-time

status (25 hours per week). This job requires 60

-75% travel time. Pay rate per experience ($1215/hr.)

How can I apply?

1) Apply online at:

jobs.jhu.edu/. Select “Find Your New Job”; 2)

Enter Requisition #46486 at the bottom of the

page; 3) Click on the job that appears

(“Research Data Collector”), and begin the application.

Contact

Megan

Rowan

(mrowan@jhsph.edu) with questions regarding

the web-based application.

Who is the local contact for this position (if I

can’t access the application)? Preety Gadhoke, MPH, PhD Candidate, John Hopkins

Bloomberg School of Public Health, 443-4582410, e-mail pgadhoke@jhsph.edu.

Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community Officials attend President

Obama’s speech at NMU

President Swartz and

I were fortunate and

honored to be able to

attend

President

Obama’s speech at

Northern Michigan University on February 10,

2011, regarding their

WiMax Technology and

his “National Wireless

Initiative” that he also

spoke about a few weeks ago during his State

of the Union address. It took one hour standing

in line and getting through security at the Superior Dome to hear his speech at the Vandament

Arena which lasted about one half hour. We

shared the event with representatives from the

Sault Tribe, Hannahville Indian Community, and

Chairman Shively from LacVieux Desert. The

Chairman from the Oneida Tribe was also in

attendance. President Wong from NMU gave a

short speech, and we also heard remarks from

U.S. Senator Carl Levin who flew here with the

President. He stated to the crowd that President Obama commented on how beautiful the

Upper Peninsula is even in winter from the Air

Force One window before landing at Sawyer

International Airport. It was an exciting, historic

day for us all and one that we will remember.

~ Susan J. LaFernier,

Tribal Council Secretary

KBOCC President Debra J. Parrish was also

honored to attend this historic event.

KBIC SENIORS—FREE

TAX PREPARATION

Eligibility requirements: Enrolled KBIC member 55 years of age or older.

To schedule your appt. call 524-5757, ext. 10

between 9am-noon, Monday-Friday. Individual

and personal appointments will be arranged

with Keith Rolof at the Ojibwa Senior Center,

during early evening hours Monday-Thursday.

Children and Violence

A recent U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)funded study concluded that a majority of children in the United States have been exposed to

violence, crime, or abuse in their homes,

schools, and communities. The consequences

of this problem are significant and widespread.

Children’s exposure to violence, whether as victims or witnesses, is often associated with longterm physical, psychological, and emotional

harm. Children exposed to violence are also at

a higher risk of engaging in criminal behavior

later in life and becoming part of a cycle of violence.

FAST FACTS

Children exposed to violence are more likely

to abuse drugs and alcohol; suffer from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic disorders; fail or have difficulty in school; and

become delinquent and engage in criminal

behavior.

▪ Sixty percent of American children were exposed to violence, crime, or abuse in their

homes, schools, and communities.

▪ Almost 40 percent of American children

were direct victims of 2 or more violent acts,

and 1 in 10 were victims of violence 5 or

more times.

▪ Children are more likely to be exposed to

violence and crime than adults

▪ Almost 1 in 10 American children saw one

family member assault another family member, and more than 25 percent had been

exposed to family violence during their life

▪ A child’s exposure to one type of violence

increases the likelihood that the child will be

exposed to other types of violence and exposed multiple times.

▪

Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., Ormrod, R., Hamby,

S., and Kracke, K. 2009. Children’s Exposure to

Violence: A Comprehensive National Survey.

Bulletin. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of

Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

More information is available at www.ncjrs.gov/

pdffiles1/ojjdp/227744.pdf or www.unh.edu/ccrc/

projects/natscev.html.

For more information or request a presentation, call KBIC-Dept. of Health and Human

Services, Behavioral Health at 906.353.4532

FOOD DISTRIBUTION

PROGRAM ON

INDIAN RESERVATIONS

NET MONTHLY INCOME STANDARDS*

FOR THE 48 CONTIGUOUS UNITED

STATES AND ALASKA

(Effective October 1, 2010)

48

Contiguous

United States

Alaska

Household

Size

Income

Limits

Income

Limits

1

$1,044

$1,369

2

$1,356

$1,759

3

$1,667

$2,149

4

$1,991

$2,539

5

$2,329

$2,929

6

$2,666

$3,334

7

$2,978

$3,724

8

$3,290

$4,114

Each additional member

+ $312

+ $390

*The net monthly income standard for each household size is the sum of the applicable Supplemental

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) net monthly

income eligibility standard and the applicable SNAP

standard deduction.

Income Deductions—see 7 CFR 253.6(f)

Dependant Care Deduction — Households that

qualify for the dependent care deduction are allowed

a deduction of actual dependent care costs paid

monthly to a non-household member.

Earned Income Deduction — Households with

earned income are allowed a deduction of 20 percent

of their earned income.

Medicare Part B Medical Insurance and Part D

Prescription Drug Coverage Premiums — Households that incur the cost of Medicare Part B medical

insurance and/or Part D prescription drug coverage

premiums are allowed a deduction for the monthly

cost of the premiums.

Child Support Deduction — Households that incur

the cost of legally required child support to or for a

non-household member are allowed a deduction for

the amount of monthly child support paid.

∗

Cannot be on food stamps.

PLEASE BRING BOXES, CRATES,

BASKETS, ETC...

PRESS RELEASE — CHRIS SWARTZ —

KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY

PRESIDENT

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community; 2010

Walleye, Brook Trout, and Lake Trout Stocking Milestones

2010 was another good year for the Keweenaw

Bay Indian Community Natural Resource Department stocking program.

Walleye Rearing and Stocking: For many

years our Community has wanted to develop a

walleye rearing and stocking program to raise

walleye for stocking into local waters. Construction of our walleye rearing facility finished in

2008, and in 2009, we started raising walleye for

stocking. The first year produced 16,450 walleye, 3-6 inches in size, which we stocked into

Keweenaw and Huron Bays. 2010 was a tough

year for the walleye programs. Unusual spring

weather seemed to affect walleye spawning success in many areas. We did, however, manage

to produce 12,581 walleye, 3-7 inches in size,

which were stocked into the Pike Bay area of

Portage Lake and into Keweenaw and Huron

Bays. Our Natural Resource Department staff

thinks that many of these walleye should start

reaching harvest size over the next 2-4 years.

We are very proud to have this walleye stocking

program operating successfully and are looking

forward to continuing to build on our initial success.

Brook Trout: Since 1997 our Community has

been stocking brook trout to restore depleted

populations in the western Upper Peninsula of

Michigan. The brook trout we raise for stocking

is a Lake Superior basin strain we developed

from the Jumbo River in the Ottawa National

Forest. In 2010 we stocked 72,809 Jumbo River

brook trout into selected streams in the western

Upper Peninsula. Brook trout stocked varied

from fry size to 6 inches in length. In addition to

our Jumbo River brook trout we also stock Siski-

wit Bay strain coaster trout into local waters.

Coaster brook trout were once common along

the south shore of Lake Superior but are now

fairly rare since overfishing, habitat degradation,

and non-native species introductions severely

reduced their numbers to a few remnant populations. In 2010 we stocked a total of 37,481

coaster brook trout into Keweenaw Bay area

waters. Since we began our brook trout rearing

program in 1997, our Natural Resource Department has stocked a total of 983,787 brook trout

into Western Upper Peninsula streams and rivers to help restore populations of this native

trout to the area.

Lake Trout: Since 1993 our Community has

raised and stocked lean lake trout into Lake Superior to help restore populations to self sustaining levels. In December of 2010 our Lake Trout

stocking program passed the 1.5 million mark for

Lake Trout stocked into Lake Superior since

1993. Since the founding of our Natural Resource Department our Lake Trout rearing and

stocking program and our hatchery facility have

been active participants in the Fishery Restoration Plan for Lake Superior developed by the

Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and we’re

very proud of our participation. According to our

Natural Resource Department staff the Lake

Trout that we stock make up about 50% of the

lean Lake Trout present in lower Keweenaw

Bay, helping to make Keweenaw Bay one of the

best lake trout fisheries in Lake Superior. For

further information please contact our Natural

Resource Department at (906) 524-5757.

Photo credit: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

Natural Resources Department.

Local Top Bowlers Compete

Eight Baraga County teams competed January 29-31, 2011, at the Miller’s Recreational

Center, Laurium, in the Old Milwaukee’s Y101

All-Star Bowling Tournament.

Both the Ojibwa Pressbox/Lanes and the

Whirl-i-gig sponsored their top five bowlers in

each of the following categories:

Major

Women’s division, Major Men’s division, Senior

Women, and Senior Men.

Major Men’s division winners were “Miller’s

Recreation” defeating the Torch in the finals.

Major Women’s division winners were “Miller’s

Recreation” defeating the “Mine Shaft” in the

finals. Senior women division winners were the

“Mine Shaft” defeating Millers Recreation in the

Ojibwa Pressbox/Lanes, Senior Men’s

Left to right: Jack Robeson, Floyd Crawford,

Tom Maki, Tom Racette, and Wayne Neimi.

Photo by: Whirl-i-gig.

Continued page ten.

(9) Zhaangaswi

website: www.kboha.com

Mission: To provide affordable and attractive housing opportunities

in a safe and healthy environment to qualifying tribal members of

the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, encourage self-improvement

of the community’s low income families, and provide employment

opportunities.

Programs and Services provided by the KBOHA:

• Low income rental homes and apartments

1. 158 Homes/apartments in Baraga

2. 50 Homes in Zeba

3. 40 Homes in Marquette/Harvey;

• Supportive housing/transitional housing to help address family

issues;

• New, custom built, super-insulated homes for homeownership

on Bear Town Road;

• Home buyer training to prepare members for home ownership;

• Financial literacy training to improve members’ financial skills;

• Home maintenance training to improve members’ ability to maintain homes;

• Home rehabilitation program to improve the condition of member

-owned homes;

• Home emergency assistance program to remedy negative con-

ditions in the home;

• Individual development account program – a 4:1 matched savings program for member goals that include:

1. Down payment assistance for home purchase;

2. Business expansion/start-up expenses.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Low cost home improvement loan program for qualifying Tribal

members;

Low cost tax preparation program for residents and Tribal members;

Affordable curbside trash service for residents and members;

Ojibwa Building Supply Do It Best—providing Tribal employment, quality affordable building supplies and profits for housing

programs;

Ojibwa Builders Construction Company—providing Tribal employment, quality affordable construction, and profits for housing

programs;

Market rate rentals—five rental properties in Baraga and one in

Negaunee- providing profits for housing programs;

Ojibwa BP, Car Wash and Laundry- providing Tribal employment, superior products and service, and profits for housing programs.

Y101 Bowling Continued:

Whirl-i-gig Major Women

(Photo unavailable): Susan J. LaFernier, Jennifer

St. George, Pearl Thoresen, Tara Rebholz, and

Kim Parrish.

finals. Senior men division winners were the

“Ojibwa Pressbox/Lanes” defeating Millers Recreation in the finals. Congratulations to the

“Ojibwa Pressbox/Lanes” Senior Men’s Team for

their first place win! The Whirl-i-gig brings the

tournament to Baraga County for 2012!

Continued page twelve.

March 2011 Calendars Events

Ojibwa Pressbox/Lanes, Major Men’s

Left to right: Kerry Picciano (alternative), Steven Denomie, Charlie Parrish, and Robin

Chosa, missing from photo Jim Plutchak and

Don Shalifoe, Sr. Photo by: Betsey Rexford.

Ojibwa Pressbox/Lanes, Senior Women’s

Left to right: Gloria Leppanen, Nancy Kauppila,

Doris Sawicky, Nancy Shannon, and Marge

Wagner. Photo by: Whirl-i-gig

Ojibwa Pressbox/Lanes, Major Women’s

Left to right: Henny Vanderzanden, Nancy Shannon, Doris Sawicky (alternative), Olivia Loonsfoot, and Amy Mattson, missing from photo is

Dawn Maki. Photo by Betsey Rexford.

Mar. 3 — New Year, New You Challenge weigh

in;

Mar. 4 — Constitutional Committee Meeting,

1 pm, Council Chambers;

Mar. 5 — Reg. Sat. Council Meeting, 9 am,

Ojibwa Casino Resort Conf. Room;

Mar. 9 — Ash Wednesday;

Mar. 12 — NMU Powwow;

Mar. 16 — Daylight savings time begins;

Veteran’s meeting 7 pm;

Mar. 17 — St. Patrick’s Day;

Mar. 20 — Spring begins.

~ submitted by newsletter editor

Events occurring throughout KBIC are welcome to be

listed on the Calendar of Events. Contact newsletter@kbic.nsn.gov to list your events. Some events are

more detailed FYI within the newsletter. For up-to-date

event listings, visit www.ojibwa.com and click on calendar. For Youth events, see @ www.ojibwa.com, click on

youth club, or contact 353-4643/Main Office at Youth

Club, or 353-4644 for the facility attendants or the

Kitchen/craft rooms.

ATTENTION KBIC MEMBERS:

The following Committees/Boards have vacant seats:

Hiring Committee – 1 seat

Natural Resource Committee – 2 seats

Parks/Recreation Committee – 3 seats

Pow-Wow Committee – 8 seats

Youth Committee – 4 seats

Please submit an application (located at the Tribal Center’s front reception desk or in Peggy Minton’s office) by 4:00 p.m. on March 24, 2011,

to: Warren C. Swartz, Jr. – President,

16429 Beartown Rd., Baraga, MI 49908.

ATTENTION

KBIC MEMBERS

The 2nd Reading of Proposed Ordinance 2011-01 Sexual Offender

Registration will be held on Thursday, March 3, 2011, at 1:00 p.m.

during the Special Tribal Council Meeting in the Tribal Center Conference Room.

The Tribal council will receive verbal and written comments from Tribal

members at the public hearing in accordance with the Legislative Process public hearing procedure adopted by the Tribal Council.

Copies of the proposed Ordinances are available at the Tribal Center,

KBIC Donald LaPointe Medical Center, Pines Convenience Center,

Ojibwa Senior Citizens Center, Tribal Court, Commodity Foods Center,

Ojibwa Housing Office and Ojibwa Community College. Copies are

also distributed to all Departments within the Tribe.

(10) Midaaswi

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO MEMBERS OF THE KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY

Over the past few weeks many of you have received information

either by mail, posting, radio and/or television regarding the proposed Indian Trust Settlement (Settlement) in Cobell v. Salazar, a

class action lawsuit regarding individual Indian land and assets

held in trust by the federal government.

The Cobell v. Salazar case began in June of 1996 when Elouise

Cobell, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe, filed a lawsuit

against the United States Department of Interior (DOI) and the

United States Treasury Department (Treasury) for the mismanagement of Individual Indian Money (IIM) Accounts. The lawsuit claims

that the federal government violated its duties by mismanaging

trust fund assets, improperly accounting for those funds, and mismanaging trust land assets. The trust funds which are the subject

of the lawsuit include money collected from farming and grazing

leases, timber sales, oil and gas production, and mining on land

owned by American Indians/Alaska Natives (i.e. Allotted Lands).

The settlement in Cobell v. Salazar comes after 15 years of fighting

with the DOI and Treasury in the federal courts.

The $3.4 billion negotiated Settlement is broken down into three

parts. According to the Settlement 1) $1.5 billion will be used to

pay the estimated 500,000 plus Class members for the mismanagement of trust funds and assets; 2) $1.9 billion will be used to

purchase fractional interests in trust lands for the tribe having jurisdiction; and 3) $60 million will be used to fund scholarships to improve access to higher education for Indian youth.

There has been speculation by some that agreeing to this Settlement means losing your land. That is not true. It is extremely

important to understand that the sale of any lands will be strictly

voluntary. No one will be forced into selling their land by accepting

this Settlement.

Individual Indian Money or IIM accounts, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, are “automatically created when a person

inherits any kind of trust assets, including land”. This means that

any Indian who owns or has owned trust lands or assets – currently

have or did have an IIM account. The criteria as to whether or not

you are considered a Class member is listed in the paid add on

Page seven of this edition of the WIIKWEDONG DAZHI-OJIBWE.

Class members are divided into two groups - (1) Historical Accounting and (2) Trust Administration. The Historical Accounting

part of the settlement pays you for the federal government’s inability to provide an accurate accounting or statement of your IIM account as required by the Trust Reform Act of 1994. You are not

able to exclude yourself from this Class. The Trust Administration

part of the Settlement pays you for the federal government’s mismanagement of your trust funds and assets. You are able to exclude yourself from this Class if you wish in order to retain your

right to sue the federal government for the claims made in the Settlement. Instructions for excluding yourself can be found by contacting any of the numbers listed at the end of this article.

If you have received information by mail regarding the Settlement – you have been identified as a Class member. If you have

been identified as a Class member you do not need to do anything

further to remain in the Settlement UNLESS one of the criteria listed

on the Claim Form fits your situation, for instance, if you do not

have a current IIM account, but believe you owned an interest in

trust or restricted land on September 30, 2009; or if you do not have

a current IIM account, but believe you had an IIM account open

sometime between 1985 and September 30, 2009; or if you want to

establish your status as an heir to a deceased IIM account holder or

individual landowner.

If you did not receive notice by mail of the Settlement and believe you should have, we recommend contacting – first, the Trust

Beneficiary Call Center at 1-800-961-8609 to receive personal information regarding your account; and then secondly, the Garden City

Group Call Center (Indian Trust Settlement) at 1-800-961-6109.

Keep in mind that if you are included in the Settlement, your right

to file later suits may be affected.

The Indian Trust Settlement is a complex issue and we will strive

to relay important and correct information to our Tribal members.

We have contacted the legal team representing the Class and an

informational meeting will be held the week of March 28. The exact

date and time will be announced on the Tribe’s website and in local

newspapers, as soon as all arrangements are made. We encourage you to attend if you have any questions and we will be there to

assist you.

For more information, call any of the numbers listed below:

Trust Beneficiary Call Center at 1-800-961-6109 for information regarding your Individual Indian Money (IIM) Accounts

Garden City Group Call Center (Indian Trust Settlement) at 1-800961-6109 for information regarding the Cobell Settlement or visit

their website at www.indiantrust.com.

Jennifer Misegan, Enrollment Director at 906-353-6623, Ext. 4111

for information regarding enrollment and the Cobell Settlement.

Jason Ayres, Real Estate Officer at 906-353-4132 for information

regarding individual ownership of fractional interests and the Cobell

Settlement.

BIA Scholarship Deadline

The deadline to apply for a BIA Scholarship for the 2011-12 academic year is May 1, 2011.

Applicants must be enrolled KBIC members, residents of Michigan

attending a 2 or 4 yr. accredited Michigan college in pursuit of a 2

or 4 yr. degree and must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for

Federal Student Aid)

Applications are available from the Education Office, Keweenaw

Bay Tribal Center, 16429 Beartown Rd. Baraga MI 49908.

For more information, please contact Amy St. Arnold, Education

Director at 906-353-4117 or amy@KBIC-nsn.gov.

(11) Ashi bezhig

Ojibwa Community Library

409 Superior Ave., Baraga, MI 49908

353353-8163

www.oclib.up.net

Hours:

Funded by:

Monday—Thursday 11am-7pm

Friday—closed

Saturday—10am—3pm

Newsletter editor designed ad

and the Keweenaw Bay

Indian Community

KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY

OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT

SERVICES

427 N. Superior Ave. • Baraga, MI 49908

In Tribal Court Building

Phone: 906-353-4566 • Fax: 906-353-8132

• Email: ocss@kbic-nsn.gov

“Your Children…Our Priority”

We provide the following services:

Zeba Indian Mission

United Methodist

Church

“We welcome each of you to our

worship services, at 9:00 a.m. each

Sunday.”

Pastor: Rev. John Henry

Church office 524-7939

Parsonage 524-7936

Catholic Community of

Baraga County

Holy Name of Jesus

Blessed Kateri Yekakwitha

Pastor

Father John Longbucco

Confessions: Sunday before Mass

Sunday Mass 11:30 a.m.

353-6565

saintann@up.net

• Establishment, Enforcement and

• Location of Custodial and

Modification of Child Support Orders

Non-Custodial Parents

• Paternity Establishment

• Community Education

tp://www.kbic-nsn.gov/html/ocss.htm

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Employment Opportunities

http://www.kbic-nsn.gov/html/personnel.htm

∗

Natural Resources Technician — March 1, 2011 deadline

∗

Education Clerk — March 4, 2011 deadline

∗

Survivor Advocate Worker — March 4, 2011 deadline

∗

Family Aide (on-call) — open continuously

s:

tion

osi

p

l

l

Ca

* Community Service Supervisor * Cashier

* Unit Manager

* Receptionist/Clerical Worker

* LPN

On

* Pre-Primary Teaching Assistant

* RN

* Youth Program & Facility Attendant

* Account Executive/Sales

*

For current job listings, complete job announcements, applications and closing dates contact: KBIC Personnel Department, 16429 Bear Town Road, Baraga, MI 49908-9210 or 906-353-6623, ext 4176 or 4140 or

visit: www.ojibwa.com.

Whirl-i-gig Senior Women’s

Left to right: Goldie Marshall, Diane Bennick, Fran

Whitman, Betty Patterson, and Ann Nelson. Photo by

Whirl-i-gig.

Permit No. 62

U.S Postage PAID

Big Rapids, MI 49307

PRE-SORT STARDARD

(12) Ashi Niizh

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

16429 Bear Town Rd-Baraga, Mi 49908-9210

Whirl-i-gig Senior Men’s

Left to right: (back) Dan Whitman, Bill Swartz, Greg

Sides, (front) Robert Pascoe, and Tim McIntrye. Photo

by Whirl-i-gig.

Whirl-i-gig Major Men’s

Left to right: Todd Chosa, Chris Loonsfoot, Paul Maki,

Jr., Craig McKinnen, Brad Dakota. Photo by Olivia

Loonsfoot.