The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe (2020)

WIIKWEDONG

DAZHI-OJIBWE

The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe

Waabigwani Giizis – Flower Moon - May 2020

Ojibwa Senior Citizens’ Nutrition Program staff keep meals

going out the door despite COVID-19 Pandemic

With the doors closed at the Ojibwa

Senior Citizens’ Building, on the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Reservation in Baraga, Michigan, the delivery

list got much larger. Dianne McMahon,

Elderly Nutrition Director, said, “We

now have an additional 100-plus deliveries since the Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community Tribal Council closed the

doors here at the Ojibwa Senior Center

due to COVID-19. With this additional

load of transporting meals to the homes

of the Tribe’s elderly and disabled, we

needed more help!”

Current staff, essential workers, include: Dianne McMahon, Elderly Nutrition Director; Jordanne Gauthier, Elderly Nutrition Cook; Brittany Maki, Elderly Nutrition Prep-cook; and Cari

McMahon, Elderly Nutrition Transporter. Shawnee Stein, recently joined

the Ojibwa Senior crew as a temporary

Elderly Nutrition Cook for the duration

of the COVID-19 closure. Shawnee is

the Preprimary Program cook, which

was also closed due to the Pandemic.

Dianne McMahon said, “We transferred

her over to the Elderly Nutrition Program because we needed help. We

also have two terrific volunteers who

are assisting with the deliveries, Terri

Denomie and Lisa Denomie.

We had a ham dinner during Holy

Week, but nothing else was planned for

Easter. With so many people signing

up for meals and the changes we had

to make, we didn't have time to do anything extra this Easter. If anyone is interested in volunteering, give us a call.”

Lisa Denomie said, “I really enjoy

being able to get out and volunteer.

Our elders really appreciate it and are

happy to get a hot nutritious meal during this Pandemic time. Plus I’m getting my exercise and fresh air.”

Issue 190

Tribal Council Members:

Warren C. Swartz, Jr., President

Gary F. Loonsfoot, Jr., Vice-President

Kim Klopstein, Secretary

Toni J. Minton, Asst. Secretary

Doreen G. Blaker, Treasurer

Robert R.D. Curtis, Jr.

Eddy Edwards

Dale Goodreau

Randall R. Haataja

Susan J. LaFernier

Rodney Loonsfoot

Don Messer, Jr.

SPECIAL POINTS

OF INTEREST

Preparing for delivery (above) left to right, Shawnee

Stein, Jordanne Gauthier, and Cari McMahon. (Below)

left to right, Terri Denomie and Lisa Denomie returning

from deliveries. Photos compliments of Dianne McMahon.



Ojibwa Senior Citizens’ Nutrition Program Keep Meals

Going Out The Door



KBIC Response to COVID-19

Updates



EPA Approves KBIC TAS Application For Water Quality

Standards Program



Cannabis Update

Community



Michigan Indian Elders Association 2020 Scholarship

Notice



Deepest Sympathy

To The

— NOTICE —

Individuals may call Tribal

Police (906) 353-6626 if they

have an emergency or 911.

Updates to operations can

be obtained by calling (906) 353

-4523.

Update On Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Response To COVID-19

April 22, 2020, From the Office of the

President of the Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community — Due to the uncertain and

continually changing nature of the Coronavirus pandemic, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community decided to extend the

closure of the Ojibwa Casinos and its

government offices until further notice.

Tribal Council and the Tribal Emergency

Response Commission/Local Emergency Planning Committee are monitoring the situation and will continue to

keep the members, employees, and the

public aware of any changes via our

website and Facebook page.

I am impressed by the resilience and

resourcefulness of the Tribe, our members, and our employees as we make it

through this unprecedented time. It

gives me hope that the Tribe will be

stronger and more connected than ever

once this is all over. We are all trying to

do our part to protect the members and

our community. Please help us and

take the steps below to limit exposure

and spread of Coronavirus.

To protect yourself and others from

the Coronavirus, everyone should stay

home as much as possible. If you do

have to go out, cover your mouth and

nose with a face covering and put distance between yourself and others. You

should wash your hands often and avoid

touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. It

is also important to cover your coughs

and sneezes with a tissue and to clean

and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in your home every day.

If you get sick with COVID-19 or

think you might have COVID-19 you

should stay home except to get medical

care. Most people with COVID-19 will

have mild illness and are able to recover

at home without medical care. Stay in

touch with your doctor if you are a perContinues page two.

(1) Bezhig

Update On KBIC’s

COVID-19 continued:

Response To

son at a higher risk for severe illness or

have questions about your symptoms.

The KBIC Health System is open Monday-Friday, 8-4:30 p.m. Please call the

clinic at (906) 353-8700 before coming

in or to speak with a medical provider.

The KBIC Health System received an

Abbott ID NOW Analyzer on April 9th,

from the Bemidji Area Office of Indian

Health Services. This is a point of care

piece of equipment, and it allows staff to

test for COVID-19 at the health center

without sending a specimen to a laboratory. Each test takes 15 minutes to

complete, so test results are immediate.

Nursing staff have participated in training on how to operate the analyzer and

test for COVID-19. Even with limited

testing supplies, there has been several

tests completed to date. The Bemidji

Area Office of Indian Health services is

sending kits on a regular basis. Each kit

consists of 24 tests.

If members are experiencing fever,

cough, shortness of breath, they should

contact the clinic at (906) 353-8700. A

provider will assess signs and symptoms, and if the individual meets the

testing criteria, they will be scheduled to

come to the health center to be tested.

Contact the pharmacy at (906) 3534555 to pick up prescription medications. For up-to-date information about

the Coronavirus please visit the CDC

website at cdc.gov.

Here are a list of available businesses and services that are continuing

to operate during the closure.

Businesses

 Pines Convenience – Daily, 7:00

a.m. - midnight

 Ojibwa BP - Monday-Friday, 8:00

a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

 Rez Stop – Daily, 8:00 a.m - 8:00

p.m.

 Eagle Radio - By appointment only.

Please call (906) 353-1057.

 KBIC Solid Waste Facility: TuesdayFriday, 8:00 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. - noon.

Governmental Services & Buildings

 Health Center - Monday-Friday 8:00

a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Please call in advance for medical at (906) 353-8700

and pharmacy at (906) 353-4555.

 Commodity Foods - Monday-Friday

8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Phone: (906)

524-7340.

 Community Assistance Programs

(CAP) - please e-mail kimk@kbicnsn.gov or leave a phone message

at (906) 353-4206. The Tribal Center is closed to the public. Applications will be accepted by mail or emailed to kimk@kbic-nsn.gov for

programs. Applications are located

on the ojibwa.com website or can be

requested by phone or e-mail.

 KBIC Niimigimiwang Transitional

Home - please call (906) 353-4599.

 Personnel - Monday-Friday 8:00

















a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Please call (906)

353-4140 or e-mail bfish@kbicnsn.gov.

Housing - Monday-Friday 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Please call (906) 3537117. There is limited access with

no visitors at Superior View Apartment. For after-hours emergency

calls, please call (906) 201-1903.

Senior’s Elderly Nutrition program is

operating by delivery only. Please

call (906) 353-6096.

Natural Resources - Please call

(906) 524-5757, ext 11, or e-mail

eravindran@kbic-nsn.gov. Buildings

are closed to the public.

Tribal Social Services - Please call

(906) 353-4201.

Buildings are

closed to the public.

Tribal Court and Child Support Services - Please call (906) 353-8124 or

e-mail courtclerk@kbic-nsn.gov.

Building is closed to the public.

Tribal Police - Please call (906) 3536626.

CEO - Please call (906) 353-4184 or

e-mail sarah@kbic-nsn.gov

President - Please call (906) 3536 6 2 3 , e xt 4 1 1 2 , o r e - m a i l

tcchris@kbic-nsn.gov

For general questions please call or

e-mail the CEO or President. Your

question will be answered as soon as

possible.

*Make sure to visit our website or

FaceBook page for any updates.

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Court—Continuity of Operations Plan

April 9, 2020 and

Updated April 13,

2020, From the Office of the Chief

Judge — While

keeping the Court

available to the fullest extent, all proceedings must be consistent with public safety as well as any

further directives from the Court, as well

as, federal and tribal public health advisories.

The Court shall employ a balanced

and objective approach that considers

both the uninterrupted administration of

justice and the health and well being of

the judicial branch of the Keweenaw

Bay Indian Community and its Court patrons.

To allow access to the Court, that is

consistent with the wellbeing of the community and Court staff, the Court shall

take the following actions:









All persons in custody or who shall

have the potential to be placed into

custody shall have immediate access to the Court as described by

law.

All persons who shall have had a juvenile petition alleged against them

shall have access to the Court as

described by law.

All criminal and civil jury trials scheduled to begin within the next thirty

(30) days shall be postponed until

further notice of the Court.

All currently scheduled criminal and

civil proceedings, including juvenile

proceedings, shall utilize telephone,

polycom, and video services as

(2) Niizh









much as administratively feasible.

Attorneys representing the various

Tribal departments and individual

clients shall file the appropriate motions with the Court to attend their

required hearings via telephone or

polycom services, or reschedule due

to illness.

The Court Clerks shall coordinate all

duties related to filing, scheduling,

and payment with clients and other

agencies via telephone, e-mail, and

fax as much as administratively feasible.

The Probation Office shall coordinate

all duties related to probationers,

persons on bond, and other agencies via telephone, e-mail, and fax as

much as administratively feasible.

Required reporting with Probationers

shall be done though the Sentry system and via telephone as much as

administratively feasible.

The Office of Child Support Services

shall coordinate all duties related to

child support enforcement, paternity

establishment, and outreach with clients and other agencies via telephone, e-mail, and fax as much as

administratively feasible.

Effective: April 13, 2020

Access to Court Building:

Access to the Court Building shall be

prohibited to the general public. Only

those designated Court personnel shall

have physical access to the Court.

The Court shall be staffed with the

Court Clerk during the hours of 10:00

AM thru 3:00 PM. Court staff shall then

perform their other essential duties from

their residence.

The Judges, Child Support, and Probation shall be available to the Court.

Access to Court Records/Paperwork:

Access to Court records shall be

available by contacting the Court during

the designated hours during the COVID19 pandemic. The Court Clerk shall

prepare the requests for Court records/

paperwork for delivery through the U.S.

Mail or personal pick-up which has been

pre-arranged.

Court records shall include access to

the following records which have been

authorized.

 Court records/forms, probation records, child support records.

Please contact the Court staff at

(906) 353-8124 (phone) or (906) 3537259 (fax).

Please contact the Court with any

questions and/or concerns:

 William W. Jondreau, Sr., Chief

Judge, wjondreau@kbic-nsn.gov.

(906) 353-4562

 Violet Friisvall Ayres, Associate

Judge, violet@kbic-nsn.gov, (906)

353-4563

 Lauri Denomie, Chief Court Clerk,

courtclerk@kbic-nsn.gov, (906) 3534561

 Diana Chaudier, OCSS Director,

diana@kbic-nsn.gov, (906) 353-4569

 Meghan Maki, Probation Officer,

meghan@kbic-nsn.gov, (906) 3534564

NOTE: Lauri Denomie shall schedule

any necessary hearings for the Court.

KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY

OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

Office of Child Support Services continues to

provide services during the indefinite closure of

the government offices of the Keweenaw Bay

Indian Community.

If you need to file for child support services

or need to speak with our staff regarding your

child support case – please call (906) 353-4569 and leave a detailed message that includes: your name, phone number or other

contact information, and the specific issue you are calling

about. Messages will be answered, in the order they are received,

by the end of the next business day.

Child support payments can be made by check or money order

and mailed to:

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

Office of Child Support Services

PO Box 490

Baraga MI 49908

Money orders may be obtained at a bank, credit union, United

States Post Office, and some retail and groceries stores. We look

forward to serving you and are here to meet all of your child support needs!

EXTENSION OF LICENSES

AND REGISTRATIONS

through Easter. When it was imminent that the closure was going

to last much longer, a decision had to be made to balance the financial security of the Tribe while caring for its valued employees.

Based on the CARES Act bump of $600 weekly, it was comforting

to know that a majority of our employees would experience some

financial security, so the decision was made to place them on temporary leave. The decision allowed Tribal funds to cover the essential needs of the governmental operations going forward. The employees placed on temporary leave and who were already receiving

the Tribes Health Care plan, were also guaranteed coverage

through May of 2020. As of the writing of this update, only two employees remain on the payroll at the casinos; the General Manager

and the Controller.

The reopening of the casinos will provide a much different environment than has ever been seen before. Plans are being developed to be ready for the reopening and will include measures that

will continue to meet the ever changing recommendations being issued to help control and eventually combat this horrible pandemic.

It is believed that the world will continue to look and feel different

until a vaccine is approved; this will hold true for the Ojibwa Casinos

as well.

We look forward to the day that we can open the doors and once

again have our fantastic employees serving our loyal and valued

customers!

Respectfully,

Larry Denomie III, General Manager

NOTICE — BURN RESTRICTION

April 14, 2020 — Many of you have expressed concern regarding your soon to expire Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Licenses as well

as your expired motor vehicle registrations. Earlier today, I attended a Tribal Council meeting and expressed your concerns to

them.

The Council approved a motion today that Tribal Members will

have 30-days from the date that the Government is reopened to

renew Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Licenses. In the meantime, members are to carry their expired license and if they do not have one,

their Tribal Membership card, while exercising their treaty rights.

This extension also includes motor vehicle registrations that expire during the time of the Governmental closure, as well as the

new registrations of newly purchased vehicles. Please be sure to

have your expired registrations in your vehicle. Newly purchased

vehicles must have their purchase paperwork. This extension

does not include expiration of insurance. All vehicles still must

have valid insurance.

If there are any questions, please contact Sarah Smith, Chief

Executive Officer.

As of 4/22/2020, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal

Council passed Resolution KB-13-2020 restricting all open burning

on Keweenaw Bay Indian Community lands in Baraga, Marquette,

and Ontonagon counties. Response to wildfires often places first

responders in close proximity to other responders and the general

public. The purpose of these restrictions is to reduce the risk to first

responders for potential exposure related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outdoor cooking, camp, and ceremonial fires are still permitted.

All fires must be contained within a fire ring no larger than a 4 ft diameter with the ground cleared of all combustible material a minimum of 5 ft on all sides. A fire contained in a charcoal, camp stove,

or other device for the purpose of cooking or heating is also permitted. If you have any questions regarding these restrictions, contact

the KBIC Fire Management office at (906) 524-4142.

These restrictions shall remain in effect until the Tribal Council

determines that the risk to emergency responders has been alleviated.

This resolution is enforceable under Tribal Code – Title 3 Criminal, Obstruction of Process §3.608.

Jennifer Misegan

Enrollment/Licensing Director

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

Thomas Chosa Jr.

Fire & Emergency Management

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

The Ojibwa Casinos remain closed

indefinitely until it is safe for our employees and customers to return to

our casinos. During the closure period, work continues to move forward

on a number of important projects.

The Tribe has vetted a number of iGaming and internet sports

betting partners. The process has resulted in the Tribe working with

Golden Nugget and their platform partner, Scientific Gaming. The

status of the opportunity includes building the relationship with the

partners, developing the partnership structure, review, and finalization of the agreements that support and control the relationship, review and consideration of our facilities to work on offering onsite

sports betting and working with our team that is involved in monitoring Michigan’s regulations, which are taking much longer than anticipated. This opportunity will provide the Tribe and our casinos

with another avenue to aid in supporting the many programs and

services offered to its members. It will also provide an avenue to

allow our valued guests, both old and new, with the opportunity to

game amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and what is sure to be a very

slow return to building our brick and mortar customer base. The

completion of the casino projects couldn’t have happened at a more

unfortunate time; but we will get through this and continue the progress that was being made prior to the closing.

Efforts are also taking place to continue the sale of the KBIC Tobacco Co. branded cigarettes in the Marquette area. Immediately

following closure of the Marquette Casino, a cigarette shop was

setup behind the casino in the community building. The shop is

open each Friday and Saturday from noon until 4 p.m. Sales were

slow at first but have grown over the five-week period. The sales

generate a portion of the funds provided to members eligible for the

General Welfare Support Payment (aka; Christmas Check).

The casinos closing hasn’t only affected our Tribe. It has also

affected hundreds of our employees. Employees received their notices of being placed on a temporary leave due to COVID-19, following research of the MI Unemployment and CARES Act regulations. The Tribe initially provided paychecks to all of the employees

EPA APPROVES KBIC TAS APPLICATION

FOR WATER QUALITY STANDARDS PROGRAM

April 22, 2020 — The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC)

is very excited to announce that on April 20, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved KBIC’s application for

Treatment as a State (TAS) status for Water Quality under §518(e)

of the Clean Water Act (CWA). KBIC is the first tribe in Michigan to

achieve TAS regulatory authority for water quality. TAS permits

KBIC to administer a water quality standards (WQS) program for

KBIC's L'Anse Indian Reservation under CWA §303 and the certification program under CWA §401.

Now that the TAS application has been approved, the KBIC will

proceed with the next steps towards administering its WQS program. KBIC will continue its development of water quality standards

while working closely with the EPA and the State of Michigan.

Once KBIC and EPA have determined standards that can be reasonably attained, a public hearing will take place, at which time, the

public will have the opportunity to provide comments. The KBIC will

need to provide responses to public comments and after the response, EPA will have 60 days to approve or 90 days to disapprove

KBIC’s Water Quality Standards.

The EPA has long encouraged and assisted American Indian

tribes to create and administer locally-relevant environmental programs. Kurt Thiede, EPA Region 5 Regional Administrator, provided the following in response to the KBIC TAS approval, “I am

pleased to recognize the Tribe’s authority to protect rivers and

streams on the L’Anse reservation and to safeguard the health and

heritage of its community and natural resources,” said EPA Regional Administrator Kurt Thiede.

Following TAS approval, KBIC President Swartz stated, “With

honoring our first treaty, with all orders of creation which include our

obligations and connections to the natural environment, it is imperative that we take the next steps in exercising our sovereignty. The

KBIC is excited to begin working on the development of water quality standards that will take into account the well-being of our local

community. By obtaining Treatment as a Sovereign, we will continue building relationships with our local, state, and federal partners

Continues page eight.

(3) Niswi

CANNABIS UPDATE TO THE COMMUNITY

04/20/2020 — After many months of planning, we are very

close to beginning the construction phase of our projects.

Since our last community meeting, there have been several

advancements in the cannabis laws and state ordinances,

along with opportunities that we are going to capitalize on.

We are looking at three (3) projects, which I will update, individually.

Crystal Falls, MI, has opted in to allow unlimited licenses

to grow cannabis, and two (2) provisioning licenses. Although the opportunity to grow in an unlimited capacity is

great news, we are focusing on the provisioning opportunity,

for now, in Crystal Falls. Right now, we are in the process of

purchasing a building in Crystal Falls with the intent to sell

recreational cannabis. Unfortunately, the city of Crystal Falls

only opted in for the “adult use” market, and not the medical.

What does that mean for the KBIC? It will limit our market.

That is it. Those who are medical card holders are not to be

subject to the 10% excise tax at provisioning centers that offer medical cannabis. If they choose to purchase our products in Crystal Falls, they will have to pay the excise tax,

along with the mandated 6% sales tax. However, because

our provisioning center is only 15 miles from Florence, WI,

we expect a high volume of traffic from our neighboring state.

It is this strategy that we are looking to capitalize on. A

Phase 1 environmental will be conducted by the time this notice is published as well as a site survey. We have already

had the building inspected by a commercial building inspector

and will have an architect drawing up the plans for remodeling. We are looking to have this dispensary built and ready

for business by July.

Marquette, MI, is still continuing to develop their ordinances and policies for the cannabis industry. As some of

you may know, our gas station in MQT is in the jurisdiction of

Marquette Township. The city of Marquette has different ordinances and is a different municipality. The Marquette

Township office of Planning and Development is working on

the ordinance to present to the MQT Township Board for review, and hopefully, approval. While we are waiting for ordinances and policies to be established, we will be planning for

the subsequent approval by having building designs being

created and ready to move on once approved.

Negaunee, MI, is the site of our grow operation. Although

we own 96 acres at the former airport site, it was zoned as

“residential”. We are in the process of re-zoning 20 acres of

this property to “industrial”, as required by the State of Michigan. There are three (3) steps to this process. We are on

step two (2). The application for re-zoning was approved by

the Planning and Development Board of Negaunee Twp. It is

now in the hands of the Marquette County Board of Commissioners. Our application is scheduled to be approved at their

next meeting. After that, the application then goes back to

the Negaunee Twp. Board for final approval. This will occur

thirty (30) days after MQT County’s approval.

As of today, our Mechanical and Electrical drawings are

95% completed. We are finishing up the list of equipment

that will be installed by the owner and the contractor. This

will be completed by the time this letter is published. Once

the drawings are completed, they will be submitted to the

State of Michigan for approval, along with our application for

licensure. We intend to organically grow into the building.

We are going to start with one Class C license in medical,

then one Class C license for “adult use”. We will repeat this

process until the building is at maximum capacity. Along with

the indoor grow, we will also be looking to capitalize on the

ability to grow outdoors during our short grow season. We

intend to build temporary hoop houses when weather permits.

I apologize for the lengthy process and the time to plan

and develop our projects. Had I known the bureaucratic

process in advance, I would have given a more realistic timeline. Now that we are nearing the completion of our drawings, the next steps in the process are not going to take much

longer. I would like to thank everyone involved, as well as

the community for their patience. As soon as our restrictions

are lifted, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will hold another public meeting with the community to address any

questions or concerns that may arise. As of today, a meeting

is scheduled for May 14th at 6:00 p.m. If the “stay at home”

order is still in effect, the meeting will be rescheduled. Announcements for rescheduling will be in the local papers,

online, and will be broadcast over our radio stations. Miigwech.

Respectfully,

Gary F. Loonsfoot, Jr.

KBIC Director of Cannabis Development

MICHIGAN INDIAN ELDERS ASSOCIATION 2020 SCHOLARSHIP NOTICE

The Michigan Indian Elders Association (MIEA) is pleased

to announce that it will make available three $1000 scholarships and six $500 scholarships. The scholarships will be

awarded to at least nine qualified students with the $1000

scholarships being awarded to top three qualified student, as

determined by committee review and lottery, if necessary.

Each student must be currently enrolled in a course of study

at, or have a letter of acceptance from, a public college or

university or technical school and must meet the following

qualifications.

QUALIFICATIONS – the student:

 Must be an enrolled member (copy of tribal card) or be a

direct descendant of an enrolled member of one of the

MIEA constituent Tribes/Bands (must be verified in writing

by your Tribal Enrollment Department).

 Must have successfully completed and passed all five

General Education Development (G.E.D.) equivalency

tests with a minimum score of 40, an average score of 45,

and must possess a G.E.D. certificate; or must have

graduated from an accredited high school with a 3.00

grade point average; or if currently enrolled at a college,

university, or trade school, must have an accumulated

grade point average of 3.00.

 Must, except for special and extenuating circumstances,

attend college, university, or trade school on a full-time

basis.

 Must complete the provided application form and submit it

with required supporting documentation and the mailing

must be RECEIVED BY THE COORDINATOR postmarked no later than June 15, 2020. (PLEASE NOTE,

incomplete or late applications will not be considered).

An application form is available at

https://

www.michiganindianelders.org/students.php or can be ob(4) Niiwin

tained from the Tribal Education Department of each of the

constituent Tribes/Bands.

KBOCC Capstone 2020 — Future Plans —

Of Our Graduates

Business

Beth Koski

Beth Koski still has a successful business she plans on continuing, although it was on hold, she is excited to use her degree in business by developing it further. She is not done

learning and aspires to take more Anishinaabe courses.

Beth would love to one day teach here at the KBOCC in the

future.

Raistlin Awonohopay

First, he needs to take a nice break! With a baby on board,

his little family needs one. Raistlin plans are to spruce up his

business plan he created during his capstone and by finding

funding opportunities, setting up finances, and examining

places to present it. His goal is to start the restaurant his dad

always wanted, maybe starting with a food truck first to examine the customer base and potential audience.

Environmental Science

Sydni Voakes

Sydni’s dream is to attend the University of Michigan and obtain a Masters in their Sustainability Department, but before

then she plans to complete her Bachelor’s in Science at

Northern Michigan University, hopefully this fall.

Carisa LaFernier

Carisa currently is working at the KBIC’s Transitional Home;

she plans on using her Environmental Degree and will be

Continues page five.

KBOCC Capstone 2020 continued:

looking into careers at the hatchery with the KBIC Natural

Resource Department.

Kristen Dean

Kristen is not sure for now, with the halt in the Nation, but she

plans to explore a work-study program with Northern Michigan University, using her degree and her work at L’Anse

Warden Plant. While she waits, she is enjoying time with her

kids and plans to use her degree locally. Kristen’s dream is

working at NMU on sustainability and one day receive her

graduate degree, maybe in biomass fuels.

seeking new educational opportunities and definitely doesn’t

want to stop here; she wants to keep growing.

Billie Jo Krask

First stop, Disney was a plan to celebrate her degree, but instead will now be going next spring! Billie Jo plans on connecting with an advisor at Northern Michigan University, she

is considering two options: a BA in criminal anthropology or

switching her major to a BA in teaching. She decided on

NMU to follow in her parents’ legacy because they both

graduated from there. She does intend on returning to

KBOCC someday to work, she almost stayed this time!

Sophia Michels

Sophia is moving to Mount Pleasant soon to continue her

education at Central Michigan University; she was accepted

for the fall and plans to study School Health. Her goal is to

one day teach health in school as well as teach classes also

using what she learned at KBOCC.

Liberal Studies

Dalene Chosa

Dalane was accepted at Northern Michigan University for this

fall to continue her education pursuing a Bachelors in Native

American Studies.

Desiree Jermac

Desiree is going to continue her work during this summer.

After summer, she plans on continuing her education. She is

(5) Naanan

(6) Ningodwaaswi

Gene Mensch Named 2020 KBOCC Faculty

Member of the Year

Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC) is

pleased to announce Gene Mensch as its 2020 Faculty Member of the Year, an award supported by the American Indian

College Fund.

Gene Mensch received nominations from students across

campus for his outstanding teaching and his excellence in

instruction in his labs and field work projects with them.

As an Adjunct Instructor at KBOCC, Gene teaches one

biology course per semester in the Environmental Science

Department in a rotation featuring General Biology, Principles

of Ecology, Wildlife Biology and Management, and Fisheries

Biology and Management.

Gene is the full-time Fisheries Biologist for the Keweenaw

Bay Indian Community (KBIC). He plays a lead role in the

Tribe’s stewardship of its valuable fisheries resources, in

partnership with state, federal, and inter-tribal agency partners. He is actively involved in the KBIC fish stocking program and helps monitor harvests by KBIC fishers. He is also

very active in community programs such as the annual Kids’

Fishing Derby and K-12 Environmental Fair. Through these

activities, Gene is well-recognized across the community.

Here is a sampling of the reasoning students gave for

their nomination of Gene for this award:

 Gene had us doing amazing lab stuff last semester with

real animal samples. I totally didn't expect that kind of experience at such a small college! Very hands-on way of

teaching that really helps. It's great to learn from someone who does this stuff for a living. Talk about real science. Now I think I want to take the fish class for my elective if it’s run the same way. He's really understanding

and flexible with making up work too, which really helps.

 Gene is kind and caring and always looking out for students’ needs. He goes above and beyond for giving us

good experiences learning in the lab and outside, showing

us what people really do in environmental careers. I also

like how he teaches us about research and studies that

are actually going on around here. Like with the water

projects him and Andrew do with students. Overall, he

just does a lot for the college and for the tribe, and he's a

great teacher in many ways!

 Gene does a lot of great things, positive about learning,

and really getting into what he teaches. Gene does tons

of great things for us students and the community too, like

giving stuff away and making sure we're all doing okay.

He's a good guy and a fun teacher.

 Gene sets up incredible labs and field projects, I can't

imagine how much time and planning he must put into all

this! He gets us into the college's research projects too,

taking us out to the study sites and explaining it all. He

really works hard to make us ready for real jobs someday.

He knows his stuff.

This award was established by American Indian College

Fund Board Member, Kim Blanchard, to recognize and celebrate distinguished faculty members at each of the AIHEC

Member Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) across the

United States. The award honors TCU faculty members who

exemplify a commitment to students, scholarship, teaching,

and service to Native communities. In recognition of his or

her excellence, the faculty member receives a $500 award.

Through this award, KBOCC students and the entire campus community recognize Gene for all he does for his students and for the college. He is dedicated and professional,

an integral part of the college, and well-deserving of this

honor.

Below is Gene with his family. Congratulations!

(7) Niizhwaaswi

“Thoughts, Challenges,

Prayers”

“April Showers Bring

May Flowers!”

50th Anniversary Earth

Day – April 22, 2020

Thoughts for us to think about:

I saw an article that stated air quality was already better in

the northeastern U.S., and sea turtles were nesting better

without human interference because of our stay-in order.

Scientists say this is grand; it shows how much of a foot print

humanity has on our planet.

I had a great visit with my brother on bikes a few weeks

ago to a beautiful Falls in my backyard where the Silver River

and another Creek meet in the woods. It was beautiful…our

gift of water and trees that we are the caretakers of.

Did you know that trees can give you a reduction in stress

while our immune function increases, so spend some time

with a tree and learn about our trees…

Remember to reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose.

Later we can plant wildflowers for the bees and butterflies.

Social distancing doesn’t mean you can’t go outside and

enjoy nature, just to do responsibly. Nature is not cancelled!

Our challenge is to revision and redesign a more efficient

and caring way for each other and the natural environment

we share.

Prayers for all who are ill and have lost loved ones. Remember to pray for our courageous workers who protect us

all during this world pandemic.

“Alone-Together” Thinking of you...

Susan J. LaFernier,

Tribal Council Member

StrongHearts Native Helpline Partners

with The Marigold Project

(EAGAN, Minn., April 24, 2020) — The Marigold Project

has selected StrongHearts Native Helpline as a recipient of

net proceeds from the sale of a special 7” vinyl album and

downloads of Nathaniel Rateliff’s song “Willie’s Birthday

Song,” a tribute to Willie Nelson. The album will be available

this summer exclusively at shop.nathanielrateliff.com/. The

forthcoming 7” release will also include a duet by Rateliff and

Willie as the A-side, which will at that time be available digitally. Listen, share and download the song here: https://

found.ee/NRWilliesBirthdaySong

Founded by Denver-based musician, Rateliff, The Marigold Project supports community and nonprofit organizations

working on issues of economic and social justice. The Marigold Project believes that all people deserve to be treated

with respect. In order to move forward together, The Marigold Project seeks to fund strategies that solve problems

caused by income inequality, boost civic engagement, spark

creativity, offer equitable access to growing and eating good

food, and encourage gender and racial justice.

“The work of StrongHearts is something both Nathaniel

and Willie are hugely supportive of, and we hope to shine a

light on their efforts,” said Executive Director of The Marigold

Project Kari Nott.

StrongHearts Native Helpline (1-844-762-8483) is a culturally-appropriate domestic violence and dating violence

helpline for Native Americans, available every day from 7

a.m. to 10 p.m. CT. StrongHearts advocates offer peer support and advocacy, education, safety planning, crisis intervention, and referrals to Native centered domestic violence

service providers.

“We are honored to be chosen as a beneficiary of this

special project,” said StrongHearts Director Lori Jump

(Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians).

2020 Spear Harvest

Considerations

Impacts of COVID-19

Due to unprecedented circumstances, several staff and assessment challenges are being addressed, taking into account

special precautionary procedures and tactics to reduce risks

associated with COVID-19, for KBIC Members exercising

Treaty Rights, and for KBIC-NRD.

For these reasons, KBIC Leadership and KBIC-NRD are

working together to decide timing of the declaration of the

“Special Harvest Season” (Daily Walleye bag limit increase

from five to ten fish, as per legal rules detailed in Title 10.)

Upon Presidential declaration, we will disseminate information

as best as we can.

In the meantime, Title 10 rules are currently applicable,

with a Walleye harvest limit of five fish per day being allowable. Due to issues associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic,

there will likely be no declaration of special Quota Lake harvest scenarios. However, KBIC-NRD is asking for your help

with tracking harvest activity.

Please consider allowing KBIC-NRD staff to assist you with

coordinating and reporting harvest on the Keweenaw Waterway and Portage Lake Complex, and possibly on other systems.

1. A Facebook Messenger information exchange mechanism

is available.

2. You can reach the KBIC-NRD as well: Pat LaPointe (2011320), Shawn Seppanen (201-7571), Fisheries Biologist at

gmensch@kbic-nsn.gov.

3. KBIC Law Enforcement can be reached at (906) 353-6626.

We would like to document spear harvest effort and actual

fish harvest on Portage and other area lakes to allow us to

compare 2020 effort and harvest to previous years, and to do

whatever we can to salvage some degree of assessment and

tracking in light of the current COVID-19 outbreak.

We would maintain appropriate social distancing, and

would tally and gender check harvested fish. We are also interested in attempting to collect a sample of Walleye for contaminant testing, and are working on securing a small amount

of funding to provide monetary compensation for Walleye of

specific sizes, and from specific areas.

Additionally, KBIC Law Enforcement and KBIC-NRD will

attempt to have some degree of presence for security and/or

emergency response purposes, as we have done with the

fishing community the past several years at Portage Lake.

Please work with KBIC-NRD, KBIC Law Enforcement, and

the Leadership of this Community to assure continued best

management of the 1842 Ceded Territory

natural resources, during a period of unprecedented challenges.

KBIC-NRD, (906) 524-5757, (906) 201-1320

KBIC Law Enforcement (906) 353-6626

EPA APPROVES KBIC TAS APPLICATION continued:

in protecting our water resources here on the KBIC L’Anse Reservation.”

For more about the KBIC WQS program and its process on

achieving KBIC TAS, please contact Stephanie Cree, Water Resources Specialist at scree@kbic-nsn.gov or our cover story on the

Natural Resources Department website at http://nrd.kbic-nsn.gov/.

May 2020 Calendar:











May 1, 2020 through ? — Ojibwa Casino Baraga and

Ojibwa Casino Marquette — closed due to COVID-19

Pandemic;

May 1, 2020 through ? — Tribal Government offices limited — due to COVID-19 Pandemic;

May 10, 2020 — Happy Mother’s Day;

May 14, 2020 — Community Meeting/Cannabis Venture

TENTATIVE DATE due to COVID-19 Pandemic;

May 25, 2020 — Gov’t offices closed — Memorial Day

Holiday.

~ submitted by newsletter editor

(8) Ishwaaswi

SPRING HARVEST OPPORTUNITIES

Spring has arrived, and we’re all anxious to get outdoors,

and take advantage of nature’s bounty, and enjoy some fresh

air. In these uncertain times of social distancing and concern

over food scarcity, the NRD would like to highlight some of

the trapping and hunting opportunities available to Tribal

Members that encourage a subsistence lifestyle and support

natural resource stewardship. This is also a good time for us

to remember that for many

species, spring is the beginning of courtship, breeding, and nurturing/rearing

of young. KBIC rules and

regulations take these

times into consideration,

providing protections for

these animal nations, so

future generations may enjoy the same relationships

and opportunities we have.

The muskrat and beaver trapping seasons run through May

15th. Harvest of these species not

only puts food on the table, but

provides a source of income

though the sale of their fur. The

meat of beaver and muskrat is a

good source of protein and can be

cooked similar to a pork or beef

roast (and tastes very similar). The water-rich environment of

the Reservation supports robust populations of both muskrat

and beaver.

Spring turkey season opens on April

1st and continues through May 31st.

The NRD would encourage hunters

to limit their spring take of turkey to

males only (jakes and toms) to protect the females (hens) during the

breeding season. Small game and

upland game bird seasons run from

September 1st through March 31st

providing ample time to harvest species such as squirrel, rabbit, snowshoe hare, and ruffed

goose. Porcupine can also provide a year-round source of

meat similar to pork or chicken.

While you may be seeing white-talked deer in every field

you pass, early spring is a very difficult time for deer. Winter

is a season of food scarcity, which puts a great deal of stress

on their bodies. Unpredictable spring weather can prolong

access to higher quality resources, which can lead to additional stress and mortality. Many females are pregnant and

need all the nutritious food they can get to birth a healthy

fawn. While antlers are starting re-grow, it is still very difficult

to tell a doe from a buck. Hunting deer at this time could be

detrimental to the long-term health and sustainability of our

deer herd. We would not encourage deer hunting for any

reason at this time, but encourage everyone to enjoy their

sightings, while spending time outdoors.

NRD staff are currently working with Tribal leadership, the

legal department, and law enforcement to update the KBIC

Tribal Code Title 10 Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, and Gathering (2003). Proposed changes include providing more opportunities for youth, clarity on rules and regulations, and when

possible expanding harvest opportunities.

For additional questions regarding season regulations,

please see KBIC Tribal Code Title 10 Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, and Gathering or contact Erin Johnston, Wildlife Biologist, at ejohnston@kbic-nsn.gov.

Peter B “Pete” Shelafoe

(July 20, 1935—April 2, 2020)

Peter B. “Pete” Shelafoe, age 84, of Marquette, walked on

into eternal life on Thursday, April 2, 2020, at UP Health System – Marquette.

Born July 20, 1935, in Baraga, a son of Benjamin Joseph

and Ada (Sipe) Shelafoe, Pete was raised in Baraga until the

age of ten. When his parent’s marriage ended, Pete and his

sisters went to Muskegon where they were raised by their

aunt and uncle, Rose and Solomon Shalifoe. Times were

hard and Pete made extra money by collecting lost golf balls

at the golf course and selling them, and also working at the

carnival when it came to town. He did everything he could to

make the lives of his sisters better. He entered military service in 1954, serving with the US Army during the Korean

Conflict. On November 3, 1956, Pete was united in marriage

to Charlotte Robinson at St. Christopher Catholic Church,

Marquette. Pete’s duty assignment sent him to France where

he served for four years, during which time their son, Michael, was born. Upon his honorable discharge in 1959, the

couple returned to Marquette where their two daughters,

Rose and Debra were born. Pete’s early local employments

included selling for the Fuller Brush Company, working at

Montgomery Ward, and later at the Marquette Veneer Plant.

He then began a long career with Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company, learning electronics at the Pioneer Pellet Plant. During

his career as an electronics repairman with CCI, he worked

at both the Tilden and Empire Mines, retiring from the Empire

Mine, following 32 years of service.

Following retirement, Pete worked at part time jobs and

did a lot of volunteering. He volunteered at the Jacobetti

Home for Veterans where he often drove vets to doctor’s appointments at the VA Hospital in Iron Mountain. He was

proud of his work at Jacobetti and his service to veterans.

Pete was a longtime member of Richard Jopling Post 44

of the American Legion where he served as past commander

and was an active volunteer for many years. Pete was instrumental in starting the Flags Program at the Veterans Memorial in Harlow Park. The program which placed flags along

Washington Street on Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July,

Labor Day, and Veterans Day, has grown from 10 flags to

currently over 140 flags. This highly visible tribute to veterans is just one of his many accomplishments. Additionally,

Pete served on the executive board of the post and was also

involved as a senior leader within the Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community Military Honor Guard, participating in ceremonies

and funerals with both posts. Always with the goal of making

life better for others, Pete previously counseled Native American veterans who were inmates at Marquette Branch Prison

helping them start productive lives. Pete served as a founding member responsible for the development of the building

used for bingo at the Marquette County Fairgrounds. He assisted with bingo and serving monthly lunches to the members at the Jacobetti Home for veterans. For his many years

of service to the community and veterans, Pete was named

Marquette County Veteran of the Year in 2019, receiving congratulations and recognition from Senator Debbie Stabenow

and Representative Sara Cambensy. The recognition was

well deserved as he served faithfully and honorably, generously giving of his time and talent.

Pete always liked keeping busy, assisting his children with

home building and remodeling and looking forward to projects. In leisure moments, he enjoyed camper camping

(member of Good Sam Club), biking, walking with his wife,

and making tin men out of various cans.

Pete was the patriarch of his family, a leader in the full

sense, to the entire family including his many in-laws, nieces,

nephews, and cousins. He was respected and highly regarded by all.

Pete is survived by his wife of 63 years, Charlotte; his children: Peter Michael (Gery) Shelafoe, Rose Marie (Jerry)

Paquet both of Marquette, and Debra Jean (Joseph W. III)

Bingham of Halfway Location; his grandchildren: Samantha

Hurley-Binns, Shela Bingham, Joseph W. Bingham IV, Michael Benjamin (Mari) Shelafoe, Dana Paquet, and Cera

Shelafoe; great grandchildren: Sophia, Trenton, William, Joesiah, and Joshua; sisters: Annette Settlemoir of Madison

Heights, Fran Minor of Simms, TX, Linda Hunnicutt of Two

Rivers, WI, and Lila Minor of Simms, TX; a brother: Wally

(Marsha) Lehto of Sommerset, KY; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; and his extended second family at Jopling

Post 44 of the American Legion and Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community. Pete was preceded in death by his parents; sisters: infant Dorothy Shelafoe and Gloria Loucks; a brother:

Eddie Lehto; and brothers-in-laws: Monty Settlemoir, Milton

“Tex” Minor, Leo Trepanier, and Morris Minor.

The family would like to express their appreciation for all

the remembrances, words of encouragement, and many

kindnesses extended to Pete and to them.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. The Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is

assisting the family.

(9) Zhaangaswi

EAT WELL, STAY HAPPY AND HEALTHY IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

~ By Dr. Dale Schmeisser

We are fortunate in Baraga County to have a low rate of

COVID-19 illness. We can thank the wonderful effort that

KBIC and the rest of the county made to keep everyone safe.

Minimizing contacts by closing offices, implementing work-athome, stay-at-home policies, and encouraging social distancing guidelines have been essential to reducing the risk of

transmission.

Congratulations and thanks to each of the Community

members who cooperate with those recommendations.

Maintaining social distance is the best strategy we have

available at the moment. Better ones are on their way—

testing for virus and antibodies, and/or a vaccine. The situation changes daily, so we need to stay informed.

Some good news is that food itself is safe. There is no

evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted by food or food packaging. Of course, we need to use good sense at the grocery

store by maintaining social distance, wearing masks, and

washing hands immediately when returning home. Wash all

veggies and fruits (even ones that you will peel). That’s a

good practice for preventing any food-borne illness. Actually,

the risk with groceries is more a function of being out in public at the store than it is the food itself.

But will what we eat make a difference in preventing

COVID-19 disease? Can we protect ourselves even more

through good nutrition? The answer is: YES, and NO.

YES, making good food choices can balance our immunity

to offer the best defense of our health. The immune system

gives us protection from all sorts of invaders (bacteria, viruses, etc), and it depends on the protein, vitamins, minerals,

and antioxidants that good food choices provide. Good food

choices means getting some good lean protein foods, along

with plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Think of it

this way: “A balanced diet makes a balanced immune system.”

Putting that into practice right now requires some extra

effort. Food is expensive, and sometimes the items we’re

looking for just aren’t available. One week the bread aisle is

bare, then the next week many of the veggies are missing.

Be flexible when shopping—adapt your menu plan to what’s

available and affordable. Don’t bust the budget on beef if the

price is high. Stretch meat further by incorporating into casseroles and stir-frys. Enjoy some meatless meals—eggs,

beans, nuts, cheese, and milk are great protein sources. If

canned or frozen vegetables and fruits fit better in your

budget and your lifestyle, by all means use them generously.

KBIC Commodities offers sodium-free canned vegetables,

and they are available in the markets, too. Canned fruit in

juice is the best choice compared with canned fruit in syrup,

which have a lot of added sugar.

Many of us have a little more time to cook now that we’re

spending so much time at home, so check out some healthy

recipes on the internet or pull out an old cookbook. We can

use this time to do some slow food (mmm, navy bean soup

from scratch?)

YES, we can be happier by eating well, too. A happy

mood also helps the immune system. Social distancing can

leave us with anxiety and the blues. How we eat and what

we eat can lessen both anxiety and sadness. Keeping a routine can help. That includes a reasonable meal schedule of

balanced meals. If you’re not accustomed to snacking, don’t

start now. But if you usually do have a snack, make it a

healthy one—fruit, nuts, veggies with salsa, a light yogurt are

good choices. Cottage cheese with fruit can make a fine

evening snack. For most people, avoiding sugary foods, especially early in the day, will support a brighter mood and better energy level. If you love a sweet, save it for later in the

day, and be careful of portion. This is probably not the time

to go on a crash diet, by the way. You’re handling a lot of extra emotions now, and severe diet restrictions can add to

that. On the other hand, be careful not to turn all this hometime into a food frenzy. Especially with alcohol; too much can

worsen mood problems, and it’s hard on the immune system

too.

Unwanted weight gain is a real possibility right now.

There are multiple reasons for that. 1) When we’re in the

house much of the time, we’re simply less active. 2) When

we’re a few steps from the kitchen, it’s easy to grab snacks

too often. That’s why a routine is helpful. 3) Anxiety or sadness can trigger emotional eating. A Time Magazine con(10) Midaaswi

tributor suggested standing up and doing some exercises

every time you see news that makes you frustrated or sad

(which is most news these days). Watching too much news

isn’t generally good for mental health at any time. Checking

in morning and evening is plenty.

There is no evidence that a particular diet or supplement will prevent COVID-19. However, we do know that a

few vitamins and minerals that are often in short supply in our

diets are important for optimal immunity. Vitamin D is one

such vitamin. Because we live in a cold climate we don’t get

enough sun exposure. 1000 to 2000 units of Vitamin D3 is

safe for most adults, and a supplement may be helpful. A

general multivitamin with minerals (Centrum, Theragran-M

or a generic equivalent) isn’t a bad idea to supply extra vitamin C and zinc, both of which support the immune system in

important ways. The April 1 online edition of a Harvard

newsletter called Nutrition Source mentions these as reasonable additions to a well-balanced diet.

Lastly, NO, eating well does not protect entirely from getting a COVID-19 illness. Eating well might reduce severity or

shorten the duration, but even that is not a given. Older

folks, no matter how well they eat, are at higher risk of a severe case of COVID-19. Likewise, people with diabetes,

heart disease, and obesity need to be especially careful to

protect themselves, as they tend to have a more severe illness. Therefore, maintaining social distancing (6-feet minimum), washing hands often (soap and water for 20 seconds),

and minimizing unnecessary public interactions is key.

As a final comment, by all means avoid any internet or TV

ad that claims a dietary or other supplement will offer complete protection or a cure from COVID-19. So many competent people are working hard on containing this novel virus,

and eventually we will have it resolved. There are some con

artists out there who would love to get your money on bogus

remedies. We’ve been there before, let’s not go there again.

Be well in body, mind, and spirit, and support your local

immune system!!!

Now is the Time to Quit Smoking

1-855-372-0037 for Culturally Tailored Quit Resources

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on preliminary U.S. data, persons with underlying

health conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, and

cardiovascular disease, appear to be at higher risk for severe

COVID-19-associated disease than persons without these

conditions.

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 is a respiratory illness,

and therefore impacts individuals harder with weakened

lungs.

Cigarette smoking is proven to cause lung damage such

as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or lung

cancer.

Now is the time to quit smoking.

According to the CDC, over 25% of Native Americans and

Alaska Natives smoke cigarettes. That is 1.5 times greater

than the U.S. smoking rate. However, over 50% of those

who smoke say they want to quit.

Call 1-855-372-0037 for the American Indian Commercial

Tobacco Program. The AICTP offers support, culturally tailored quit coaches, quit tips, along with nicotine patches,

gum, and lozenges to help Native Americans quit smoking

and keep tobacco sacred.

To be added to the mailing list or to

correct your mailing address, contact

the enrollment office at (906) 353-6623

ext. 4113.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM ON

INDIAN RESERVATIONS (FDPIR)

FY 2018 NET MONTHLY INCOME STANDARDS*

(Effective Oct. 1, 2019 to Sept. 30, 2020)

*The net monthly income standard for each household size

is the sum of the applicable Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) net monthly income standard and

the applicable SNAP standard deduction.

48 Contiguous United

States:

Household

Size

Use this

amount

SNAP Net

Monthly

Income

Standard

SNAP

Standard Deduction

1

$1,005

+

$160

=

$1,165

2

$1,354

+

$160

=

$1,514

3

$1,702

+

$160

=

$1,862

4

$2,050

+

$170

=

$2,220

5

$2,399

+

$199

=

$2,598

6

$2,747

+

$228

=

$2,975

7

$3,095

+

$228

=

$3,323

$3,444

+

$228

=

8

FDPIR Net

Monthly Income Standard

$3,672

Each additional member

+ $349

Alaska:

Use this

amount

Household

Size

SNAP Net

Monthly

Income

Standard

SNAP

Standard Deduction

1

$1,255

+

$273

=

$1,528

2

$1,691

+

$273

=

$1,964

3

$2,127

+

$273

=

$2,400

4

$2,563

+

$273

=

$2,836

5

$2,999

+

$273

=

$3,272

6

$3,435

+

$285

=

$3,720

7

$3,870

+

$285

=

$4,155

8

$4,306

+

$285

=

$4,591

Each additional member

FDPIR Net

Monthly Income Standard

+ $436

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

Is your charitable organization

planning on holding a raffle or selling raffle tickets on the L’Anse Indian Reservation?

Federal law, through the Indian

Gaming Regulatory Act, granted

Tribes exclusive right to regulate gaming activity on Indian lands. Even if

you or the members of your organization are not tribal members, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Gaming Commission has the authority to

regulate your raffle. It is unlawful to

game without a license.

Please contact the KBIC Gaming

Commission Office at (906) 353-4222

or stop by the office located at the

Tribal Center for an application and a

copy of the rules and regulations.

Application deadline for submission

of ALL Class I Drawings is 30 days

and Class II Raffles

is 60 days prior to

your event. License

Fee will be waived

when the application

16429 Bear Town, Rd.

is received within

Baraga, MI 49908

(906) 353-4222

this timeline.

To place an ad, submit an article, or relate information,

ideas, or possible articles

contact:

Lauri Denomie at

(906) 201-0263, or e-mail:

newsletter@kbic-nsn.gov.

(11) Ashi bezhig

Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community

Office of Child Support

Services

P.O. Box 490, Baraga, MI 49908

Phone: 906-353-4566

Fax: 906-353-8132

“YOUR Children …

OUR Priority”

We provide the following

services:

• Paternity Establishment

• Establishment of Child Support

• Outreach Services

• Mediation

Permit No. 62

U.S Postage PAID

Big Rapids, MI 49307

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

16429 Bear Town Rd-Baraga, MI 49908-9210

PRE-SORT STANDARD

(12) Ashi Niizh

While we are safe distancing during this Pandemic, remember you need

to get outside for fresh

air.

Let’s take care of the

local cemeteries.

There

are no work crews this year

thus far.