The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe (2013)

WIIKWEDONG

DAZHI-OJIBWE

The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe

Miinike Giizis - Blueberry Moon - August 2013 Issue 109

Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribe

Assist KBIC with Water Monitoring on Yellow Dog Plains

Water is a sacred gift of

life. This teaching is an important part of Ojibwe culture. The Keweenaw Bay

Indian Community (KBIC) is

concerned about the threat

metal mining poses to the

Great Lakes and takes seriously its obligation to protect

the waters for the next seven

generations. Planned and

permitted hardrock mining in

the western Lake Superior

region brings with it potential

large scale and long term

environmental risks. Accordingly, KBIC has been very

active in mining issues in

Michigan for the past several

years.

Aquifers of the Yellow Left to right, KBIC Council leaders with Shakopee officials; shown above are

Dog Plains, located just east Keith Anderson, Charlie Vig, Fred Dakota (KBIC), Lori Watso, and KBIC President

of the L’Anse Reservation, Warren (Chris) Swartz, Jr.

discharge to form several

pristine rivers including the Salmon Trout River

and the Yellow Dog River which flow directly into

nearby Lake Superior. The Yellow Dog Plains is

also the location of the first metal sulfide mineral

mining permitted by the State of Michigan under

their new non-ferrous metal mining laws at the

Eagle Mine.

KBIC feels ecologic baseline conditions and

water monitoring are needed to verify that these

untested regulatory rules are sufficient to mitigate

the environmental risks which pose potential

threats to their 1842 Treaty reserved rights and to

allow future determination of impacts to water resources which may directly impact Tribal member’s health and welfare for generations to come.

In response to the threats posed by the mining of

sulfide metal minerals, KBIC contacted the U. S.

Geological Survey (USGS) - Michigan Water Science Center - and requested assistance with a

baseline ecological characterization of the Yellow

Dog Plains. The proposed water monitoring program will extend over a five year period and cost

well over $1,000,000.00.

The Tribes of the Great Lakes share common

lands and culture. These Tribes also share a

common cause to protect our reservations, ceded

territories, and reserved treaty rights which are

now threatened by a multitude of potential mining

projects. It was with this sense of common cause

that KBIC requested financial assistance from

tribes to help fund this USGS water monitoring

program.

The call for help with funding the proposed

USGS water monitoring program was quickly answered by a generous funding award by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. The Shakopee’s have awarded $92,200 each year of the

five year USGS water monitoring program to assist KBIC with a comprehensive baseline determination on the Yellow Dog Plains.

The news of the funding award was received at

the L’Anse Reservation with surprise, gratitude,

and relief that KBIC could now exert its stewardship of water in their ceded territories. This gratitude was conveyed in person to the Shakopee

leaders by Warren (Chris) Swartz, Jr. (KBIC’s

Council President) and Fred Dakota (Council

Member) who both traveled to Shakopee, Minnesota to show the appreciation of Keweenaw Bay

Tribal members for the funding award.

KBIC believes that the preservation of our land,

our culture, and our way of life require that we act

now as guardians for the next seven generations

Tribal Council Members:

Warren C. Swartz, Jr., President

Elizabeth D. Mayo, Vice-President

Susan J. LaFernier, Secretary

Toni Minton, Asst. Secretary

Jennifer Misegan, Treasurer

Robert D. (RD) Curtis, Jr.

Frederick Dakota

Jean Jokinen

Michael F. LaFernier, Sr.

Carole LaPointe

Elizabeth (Chiz) Matthews

Don Messer, Jr.

SPECIAL POINTS

OF INTEREST:



July 12, 2013 Tribal Council

Meeting



KBOCC Granted Accreditation



11th Annual Kids Fishing Derby



KBOCC GRANTED

ACCREDITATION STATUS

KBIC Constitution Committee’s

Information Release To The

People



Dompier Retires from Ojibwa

Casino

The Keweenaw Bay

Ojibwa Community College

received formal notification

that the Higher Learning

Commission Board of Trustees at its meeting on June

27, 2013, voted to grant accreditation to the College. In

taking this action, the Board considered the selfstudy submitted by the College, the report of the

comprehensive evaluation team, the report of the

Institutional Actions Council (IAC) hearing committee, and the College’s responses to these reports.

The evaluation team visited the College’s campus on November 5-7, 2012, and recommended

accreditation. On May 6, 2013, a four member

team from Ojibwa Community College met with the

Institutional Actions Council who concurred with

the evaluation team and submitted their recommendation to the HLC Board of Trustees.



KBIC Dance Troupe Exhibitions



Maamaadizi



Deepest Sympathy

and sulfide mining will be the single greatest

threat to our lands in our lifetime. Many thanks to

the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for

the funding assistance on this critical water monitoring project.

~ submitted by Chuck Brumleve, Environmental Mining Specialist

KBOCC President Debbie Parrish said,

“The accreditation process has been a

long journey for the College, from our initial candidacy status in 2009 to full accreditation in 2013. All of the hard work

from our staff, faculty, and Board of Regents has finally paid off. We are very

proud of the commitment and support we

received from our students, the Keweenaw

Bay Tribal Council and community. A

celebration will be held in August.”

Many attend 11th Annual KBIC Kids Fishing Derby

This year the champion Fisherkid is 11-year-old Bryan Kinnunen (left), who caught five

bluegills and a sunfish. Kinnunen

won over $100 in gift cards and

various coupons from local businesses, the Championship Trophy, and first pick in the big prize

tent (he selected the bike he is

pictured riding on!)

KBIC Tribal Natural Resources held their Annual Kids’

Fishing Derby on Saturday, June

29, 2013, at the Ojibwa Recreation Area—Sand Point Pond, in

Continues on page Six.

(1) Bezhig

JULY 13, 2013 TRIBAL COUNCIL MEETING

fer Misegan to direct the Baraga Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief to work

with the KBIC’s Director of Fire Management and for the Director of Fire Management to bring a recommendation to the

Council within a two-week time period as

to whether the Council should move forward, supported by Robert (RD) Curtis,

Jr., ten supported (S. LaFernier, Minton,

Misegan, Curtis, Dakota, Jokinen, M.

LaFernier, LaPointe, Matthews, Messer),

one opposed (Mayo), 0 abstained, motion carried.

Vice President Elizabeth

Mayo stated her opposition is because all

Mr. Chosa requested at this time was for

the Council to allow the Baraga Fire Department to work towards an agreement, not to

say that Council is going to approve the

agreement, as it will still have to come before the Council at a later date allowing

Council to still have the opportunity to have

comment on the agreement.

Michael Cardinal, Constitution Committee Chairman, brought forth Resolution KB1914-2013 Secretarial Election to Amend

Article VIII Section 1 of the Constitution.

Motion by Jean Jokinen to approve

Resolution KB-1914-2013 Secretarial

Election To Amend Article VIII Section 1

of the Constitution and to have an informational letter sent to every voter explaining the details of this process, supported by Robert (RD) Curtis, Jr., nine

supported (S. LaFernier, Minton, Misegan, Curtis, Dakota, Jokinen, M.

LaFernier, LaPointe, Matthews), two opposed (Mayo, Messer), 0 abstained, motion carried.

Vice President Elizabeth

Mayo stated her opposition was due to that

she would have liked the community to have

had the letter from the BIA and a brief explanation of what this Resolution is going to

do.

A brief update on the sales and use tax

was on the agenda. Concerns on how

Council will proceed were discussed.

Gary Loonsfoot, Jr., Director of Cultural

Resources, brought forth a Powwow Service Agreement for Brandon Loonsfoot

(cooking and serving of the feast). Motion

by Elizabeth Mayo to approve the service

agreement between the Keweenaw Bay

Indian Community and Brandon Loonsfoot, supported by Michael F. LaFernier,

Sr., eleven supported, 0 opposed, 0 abstained, motion carried.

Gary Loonsfoot, Jr., Director of Cultural

Resources, brought forth a Powwow Service Agreement for Ron Lussier (Eyabay

Drum Group) as Co

GREAT LAKES INDIAN FISH & WILDLIFE COMMISSION

The Tribal Council held their regularly

scheduled Saturday Tribal Council meeting

on July 13, 2013, at the Ojibwa Casino Conference Room, in Baraga, Michigan. President Warren C. Swartz, Jr. presided over

the meeting with Elizabeth D. Mayo, Susan

J. LaFernier, Toni Minton, Jennifer Misegan,

Robert (RD) Curtis, Jr., Fred Dakota, Jean

Jokinen, Michael F. LaFernier, Sr., Carole L.

LaPointe, Elizabeth “Chiz” Matthews, and

Don Messer, Jr. present.

President Warren C. Swartz, Jr. shared

numerous Thank You and For Your Information items addressed to Council. President Warren C. Swartz, Jr. gave the President’s Report (page three), Secretary Susan

J. LaFernier gave the Secretary’s Report

(page four), and Larry Denomie III gave the

CEO’s Report (page five). Council passed

the Department Head Reports for April and

May 2013.

Treasurer Jennifer Misegan gave a brief

verbal Treasurer’s report as she has been

away from the office due to an injury. “I did

work in the office for two weeks in the

month of June, and I was very busy. We

worked on the guaranteed loan program for

the vocational tech students, and our first

student was awarded a $5,000.00 loan

through Superior National Bank. From now

on, a report will be generated comparable to

the one issued for the business loans (to the

Council from the bank). We still have

$20,000.00 available. When I return to the

office, I will submit an article for the newsletter so, students will be aware that this program is available to them. In regards to the

business loan program, there is only

$39,000.00 loaned out.

That leaves

$61,000.00 available. I worked on the press

release regarding the Marquette Casino on

Friday, June 21, and I also included a press

release from the Treasurer regarding the

issuance of the 2% and 8% monies. I will be

issuing this press release every time these

monies are awarded in the future. I have

been working on the forensic audit for OHA

and plan on presenting an engagement letter from Schechter, Dokken, Kanter, which

is going through the attorney’s office as they

will be overseeing the audit. I plan on returning to the office on Monday, July 15th.”

Thomas Chosa, Baraga Fire Department

Assistant Chief, addressed the Council regarding a proposed Cooperative Agreement

with the BIA and the Baraga Fire Department; seeking Council’s permission to work

towards an agreement. Motion by Jenni-

P.O. Box 9 • Odanah, WI 54861 • 715/682-6619 • FAX 715/682-9294

• MEMBER TRIBES •

Michigan

Bay Mills Community

Keweenaw Bay Community

Lac Vieux Desert Band

Wisconsin

Bad River Band

Lac Courte Oreilles Band

Lac du Flambeau Band

Red Cliff Band

St. Croix Chippewa

Sokagon Chippewa

Minnesota

-Host. Motion by Robert R.D. Curtis, Jr.

to approve the service agreement between the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and Ron Lussier, supported by

Don Messer, nine supported (Mayo, S.

LaFernier, Minton, Curtis, Dakota, M.

LaFernier, LaPointe, Matthews, Messer),

one opposed (Jokinen), one abstained

(Misegan), motion carried.

Gary Loonsfoot, Jr., Director of Cultural

Resources, brought forth a Powwow Service Agreement for Myron Pyawasit

(Smokey-Town Drum Group) as Co-Host.

Motion by Robert R.D. Curtis, Jr. to approve the service agreement between the

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and

Myron Pyawasit, supported by Don

Messer, nine supported (Mayo, S.

LaFernier, Minton, Curtis, Dakota, M.

LaFernier, LaPointe, Matthews, Messer),

one opposed (Jokinen), one abstained

(Misegan), motion carried.

Gary Loonsfoot, Jr., Director of Cultural

Resources, brought forth a Powwow Service Agreement for Kevin Syrette (Bear

Creek Drum Group) as Host. Motion by

Robert R.D. Curtis, Jr. to approve the

service agreement between the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and

Kevin Syrette, supported by Don Messer,

nine supported (Mayo, S. LaFernier,

Minton, Curtis, Dakota, M. LaFernier, LaPointe, Matthews, Messer), one opposed

(Jokinen), one abstained (Misegan), motion carried.

Treasurer Jennifer Misegan brought forward the donations for July 2013. Motion

by Jennifer Misegan to approve the July

2013 donations as $1000.00 to the Native

American Rights Fund, $300.00 to the

Baraga County Little League, and

$200.00 to Cheryne Clement’s request

for youth to attend Gus Macker Basketball Tournament for a $1,500.00 total,

supported by Michael F. LaFernier, Sr.,

nine supported (Mayo, S. LaFernier,

Minton, Misegan, Curtis, Dakota, M.

LaFernier, Matthews, Messer), one opposed

(Jokinen),

one

abstained

(LaPointe), motion carried.

Council moved into closed session with

Health Director Carole LaPointe for Dr. Peter Benson’s Contract and President Swartz

with an update on the IHS Settlement Case,

prior to adjournment. Motion by Elizabeth

Mayo to approve the Doctor’s Employment Agreement with Dr. Peter Benson,

M.D., supported by Susan J. LaFernier,

nine supported (Mayo, S. LaFernier,

Minton, Curtis, Dakota, M. LaFernier, LaPointe, Matthews, Messer), one opposed

(Misegan), one abstained (Jokinen), motion carried.

~ submitted by Lauri Denomie, Newsletter Editor

Fond du Lac Band

Mille Lacs Band

MEMORANDUM

To:

Voigt Intertribal Task Force

From: Alexandra Wrobel, Forest Ecologist

Date: June 27, 2013

Re:

Birch Bark Gathering Maps

Enclosed are the updated 2013 maps of potential birch bark gathering

areas on the Ottawa National Forest. These maps may be useful to tribal

members interested in collecting birch bark. These areas are currently being

analyzed, or have recently been analyzed, for vegetation management projects.

Marking will likely not occur in most of these areas until 2014 and beyond,

however, some areas may have trees marked with paint in 2013. Tribal

members should not remove bark from trees that are already marked with

paint. Birch bark can be collected in these areas in 2013, or until a timber

sale contract has been awarded. Once a timber sale contract has been

awarded, tribal members would need to get permission from the timber sale

purchaser to collect birch bark within the timber sale units.

Tribal members will continue to receive updated maps of potential birch

bark gathering areas on an annual basis. If you have any questions, please

contact Len Scuffham, Timber/Silviculture Program Manager, at 906-9321300, extension 326.

* For maps: Contact Susan J. LaFernier, (906) 353-6623, extension 4168,

or e-mail susan@kbic-nsn.gov.

(2) Niizh

2013 ANN MISEGAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

The KBIC Education Department announces the availability of the 2013 Ann Misegan Memorial Scholarship applications. The scholarship amount is $1,000, twice a year for up

to six years, and will be awarded to a new student each fall.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:











Enrolled Tribal member

Attending an accredited college/university

Enrolled as a full-time student

Pursuing a degree in a Health Care field

Resident of Baraga or Marquette County

Eligible students must complete an application, submit an

essay detailing their interest in their chosen health field, and

submit a copy of their official transcripts (high school or college).

For more information and to request an application, contact

Amy St. Arnold, Education Director at 906-353-6623 ext. 4117

or at amy@KBIC-nsn.gov. The application deadline is August

2, 2013, at 4 p.m.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2013

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

the month of June 2013:

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







I participated in a feral swine management conference call with the USDA.

The primary goal is to manage feral

swine and to reduce the impacts of feral

swine running loose in the wild. Officials

from the USDA are coming to the reservation to do a government to government consultation.

Commander Shalifoe and I met with

Veteran State Representatives at Post

144 in L’Anse to discuss their funding

levels. They told us there is a possibility

their funding could be cut, and we talked

about options to keep the program going. We told them to consult with other

tribal leaders in Michigan and see if they

could access their 2% gaming funds to

help. In addition, they provided an update to us regarding the programs and

services they offer to Veterans here in

Michigan.

I met with Regional Director Diane

Rosen and discussed the forestry program. She told us the funding level we

requested was above what they were

able to provide. She gave us an overview of the program here in Michigan

and how the funding is spent. About

$95,000 is spent here in Michigan. She

suggested we make a request for additional funds and gave us suggestions on

how to move forward that request to

Congress. She also took the opportunity to visit our powwow grounds to do a

site visit related to the recent paving that

was done there. She was impressed

with the grounds.

We have been working on our application relating to the water quality here on

the reservation, and I’m happy to report

that it was sent out, and we are waiting

to hear back from the Feds, so we can

start to regulate the water quality here

on the L’Anse Indian Reservation. In

the letter, I noted that we are an Indian

Tribe who has a governing body, and

the functions to be exercised by us pertain to the management and protection

of water resources and that we have the

resources to carry out those functions to

be exercised in a manner consistent

with the terms and purposes of the

clean water act.

I’m scheduled to meet Adam Burley,

President of the Eagle Mining Company.

I plan on talking to him about restoration

of the Eagle Mine, the details of the sale

to Lundin and mineral rights here on the

reservation. As soon as he gets back to













the States, we are going meet and discuss those items.

We received a letter from OHA auditors

related to their business operations.

The letter outlines HUD Grants and

notes no HUD grant money was used to

assist or operate any of Housing’s businesses. Ojibwa Holding Company total

revenues are up 25% from the same

time last year, and the house profit is up

243% from the same time last year.

We participated in a number of conference calls from Dave Murley, Legal Assistant to Governor Snyder. We discussed the 2-part gaming application

that the Community has been working

on for about 15 years. The long and

short of it is that the Office of the Governor decided to not concur with the Department of Interior’s findings that the

gaming operation is in the best interest

of the KBIC and not detrimental to local

governments near the proposed casino

in Negaunee.

The Tribal Council has passed a resolution to ratify the revised MOU with the

UDSA-Forest Service. We have hit the

ground running with this MOU as the

culture committee has requested a specific forest product that two of the Ottawa National Forest District Rangers

are already looking into. They (Ottawa

District Rangers) have also notified us

that they are looking to meet with this

TWG to discuss an upcoming project on

the Ottawa. The project is known as the

Pori Junction Vegetative Management

Project located by Mass City. The project involves timber harvests, prescribed

burning, road closures, and recreation

improvements.

We are continuing work on getting the

software and installing it to allow the

seniors to use direct deposit for their

monthly checks. This could take about

another 30 days or so. Once installed,

we will have to do a test run to insure

there are no issues with its installation.

Our Walleye stocking program is a great

success. Since last year, we were able

to stock another one million Walleye into

Portage Lake in Houghton County. This

is a successful operation, and we continue to commit to that fishery resource.

Our Health Director, Carole LaPointe,

attended a meeting in Traverse City.

This meeting was about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and

dealt specifically with Indian tribes in

Michigan. We look forward to hearing

from Carole on the implementation of

the Act, and as she reported, the bene-

fits it has for our Tribal citizens here on

the L’Anse Indian Reservation. She intends to do some training at one of our

department head meetings to update us

on its implementation.

 Recently the Shakopee Indian Nation

donated about $500,000.00 to the Community for our water monitoring program

related to the Eagle Mine. The money

will be used over the next five years to

help offset costs associated with the

program. Fred Dakota and I travelled to

Mystic Lake to thank them and to express our gratitude for their gracious donation. We also presented them with a

gift basket from the Community.

 I met with Congressman Benishek and

took the opportunity to discuss with him

the Indian Mascot issue, and how it impacts our children’s ability to learn. I

also talked to him about closing a couple of loop holes in the Clean Water Act

related to fill material and allowing mining companies to dump their waste into

our waterways.

 I attended a regional celebration for the

50th anniversary of the Michigan Civil

Rights Commission in Sault Ste.

Marie. At that meeting, we were able to

recognize Congressman Kildee's contributions to our people for decades. His

role with the recognition/reaffirmation of

several of our Michigan Tribes, his long

standing support of sovereignty and

education of our treaty rights, his strong

support of our right to game, and his

leadership as the Co-Chair and one of

the founders of the Native American

Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives just to name a few. I presented a

plaque to him from the KBIC and took

the opportunity to sit and chat with him

about his contributions to us.

 Senator Casperson, from our district,

sits on the Natural Resources Commission that recently approved a wolf hunt

to kill about 70 wolves despite the Community’s request to not do so.

 Great News! We’ve been informed by

the President of our College that they

are now an accredited college. This has

been an ongoing effort since I was a kid,

and we are happy that we now have a

college that is accredited. Kudos to

Debbie Parrish and staff for making this

happen for the Community. If you see

her thank her, for a job well done.

This concludes my report.

Respectfully submitted,

Warren C. Swartz, Jr., President

EDUCATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM AWARDS STUDENTS

The Keweenaw Bay Education Committee offers the Education Incentive Program

to local KBIC Tribal students. Monetary incentives are awarded at the end of each of

the four marking periods of the academic

year. Students must be enrolled KBIC

members, reside in Baraga, Houghton,

Ontonagon, or Marquette counties and must

attend a public or private school. A student’s Honor Roll status is defined according to the requirements of their school district.

The following forty-seven students were

placed on the Honor Roll for the fourth

marking period of the 2012-13 academic

year:

Baraga — Gabrielle Mayo, Annaleese

Rasanen, Virginia Shelifoe, Steele Jondreau, Dana Kelly, Steven Maki, Presley

Rasanen, Bailey Harden, Keegin Kahkonen,

John Messer III, Cheyenne Welsh, William

Jondreau Jr., Opal Ellsworth, Jailyn Sheli-

foe, Angel Loonsfoot, Shawna Lussier,

Richard Geroux, and Bryton Loonsfoot.

ceived awards for achieving Perfect Attendance:

L’Anse — Charles Spruce, Christopher

Genschow, Robert Genschow III, William

Genschow, Alicia Stein, Kayla Dakota, Abbygail Spruce, Ti’ia Friisvall, Shay Ekdahl,

Grayson Roe, Austin Ayres, Cody Clement,

Karli Hoggard, Eva Lind, Logan Roe,

Michaela Velmer, and Shantell Ekdahl.

Sacred Heart — Rachael Velmer and Tristan Francois.

L’Anse-Baraga Community Schools —

Barbie Byykkonen and Lisa Waranka.

Marquette — Shane Duquette, Brenden

Lindgren, Neebin Ashbrook-Pietila, Autumn

Ashbrook-Pietila, Taylor Shelafoe, Kimber,

Shelafoe, and Johnathan Shelafoe.

Ewen-Trout Creek — Lana Lind.

Baraga — Robert Curtis, Opal Ellsworth,

Bailey Harden, Rylee Holm, Steele Jondreau, William Jondreau Jr., Kamrin

Kahkonen, Keegin Kahkonen, Steven Maki,

Kylie Michaelson, Presley Rasanen, Kayla

Szaroletta, Frederick Dakota, Troy DeCota,

Preston Ellsworth, Gabrielle Mayo, and Annaleese Rasanen.

L’Anse — Jaycee Maki, Dallas Moulden,

Paige Zasadnyj, Keira Dakota, Adyson

Moulden, Lealind Back, Chase Larson, Cassandra Zasadnyj, Deija Dakota, Daniel Curtis, Shay Ekdahl, Grayson Roe, Cody Clement, Sean Spruce, Eva Lind, Logan Roe,

and Kayla Dakota.

The following thirty-eight students re-

Marquette — Kaitlyn Shelafoe, Johnathan

Shelafoe, Kimber Shelafoe, and Taylor Shelafoe.

(3) Niswi

SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR JUNE 2013

Activities reported by the Secretary,

Susan J. LaFernier, for the month of June

2013.

We continue to work on the Government Personnel Policy revisions. The summer has been busy, and we hope to resume

meeting every week for the review. Finally

after many meetings and reviewing the results of a wind feasibility study and solar

assessment of our Community, the CARE

(Community for Alternative and Renewable

Energy Committee) and Council approved

to install a 20 kW photovoltaic (solar) system at our Commodity Foods Warehouse

facility to help offset the current electricity

costs and assess the feasibility of solar installation to other Tribal facilities. The project requires a request for supplemental

funding. Thanks for all of the hard work

from our CARE Committee.

The Tribal Council has also approved

Resolution KB 1944-2013 which is a moratorium to ensure the protection of the health,

security, and welfare of our Reservation

Homeland, the people, the culture and environment of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community for future generations from the potential adverse effects of metal mining or

processing. The Tribal Council hereby prohibits metal mineral exploration and mining

activities within the boundaries of its Reservation Homeland and all activities related

thereto for a period not to exceed five (5)

years until the Tribal Council adopts a mining regulatory ordinance that will govern

mineral exploration and mining activities

within the Reservation.

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 and begin positive lifestyle

changes that will help us live longer, healthier, happier lives. Mino-Bimaadizin “Live

Well.” Remember everyone should participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity five times a week to stay fit. The Denise

Marth Memorial Family Fun Run was held

on June 29th and the 2nd Annual Lumberjack

Days 5k Liberty Run/Walk (3.1 miles) & the

Youth (1 Mile) Stars & Stripes Fun Run was

a success on July 4, 2013. Remember to

“Come Celebrate Lake Superior Day” on

Friday, July 19, 2013, sponsored by the

KBIC Natural Resources Department with

beach cleanup from Assinins to Pequaming. Lunch will be provided by the KBIC

W.H.I.P.P. Task Force at the Sand Point

Light House day use area. Lake Superior

Day is a special day that encourages people to appreciate living next to one of the

world’s biggest freshwater lakes. Although

Lake Superior is the cleanest of the five

Great Lakes, it, too, is vulnerable to pollution, poisoned fish, invasive species, loss of

habitat, and over development. The special

day reminds us how important the lake and

its surrounding basin are to our health, food

supply, recreation opportunities, economy,

and quality of life. Lake Superior Day is a

time to highlight the many ways we use the

lake every day and to find ways to protect it.

NATIVE VOTE 2013—every vote and

voice counts. We have 822 total eligible

voters and 681 registered voters, 429 registered voters, or 63%, voted in the December

2012 election. Our goal for Keweenaw Bay

is to have 100% of our registered/eligible

members vote!

The Drug Tip Line number is 353-DRUG

or 353-3784.

The yellow banners are

around the reservation with this drug tip line

number displayed. The Drug Task Force

holds monthly meetings, and their 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 each

other, to honor, and remember all of our veterans, service men and women, and their

families. Also remember those who are ill,

those with economic struggles, and all those

who have lost loved ones during the past

year. We pray that we and the world will be

graced with the gifts of peace, love, and joy.

Thank you for all that you do to keep our

land the beautiful place it is. Thank you,

God and Creator, for the great blessings of

our land. “Who does the land belong to?

Some to those who have walked on, a little

to those still living, but most to those yet to

be born.” ~ unknown.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan J. LaFernier, Secretary

Informational release to Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Membership

Dear Members:

At the Saturday, July 13, 2013 Tribal

Council Meeting, Council passed Resolution

KB-1914-2013 after recommendation of the

Constitutional Committee, which replaced

KB-1862-2011, to request the Bureau of

Indian Affairs to hold a Constitutional

amendment election to change our constitution, removing the Secretary of the Interior

from our amendment process.

The current process, which is under the

Secretary of Interior, is very cumbersome.

If major changes are requested, that request has to be sent to the Secretary of the

Interior and back again adding months and

in some cases years. This amendment will

not completely remove the Secretary of the

Interior from our Constitution, only from the

amendment process. It will provide a less

cumbersome process for updating our constitution by local Tribal members with the

help of our own legal staff. The Secretary

still has to approve the amendment once

passed by our membership.

Why has the Tribal Council enacted this

request at this time? These changes are

proactive in nature as Federal courts across

this country now use Tribal Constitutions as

the bases to restrict Tribal Sovereign Immunity. This is only one reason, as our Constitution is out-of-date and in need of change.

We have to modernize our constitution, and

in turn our government structure, so that our

tribe can be able to deal with business ventures and become proactive with creating

jobs for our membership. Without some

changes in vulnerable areas of our constitution, our Tribe will be unable to deal with

some contracts, business ventures, and

court action that may be brought against our

Tribe.

There may be hesitation to make

changes to our constitution, but change is

needed, and if done properly, safeguards

can be a part of these changes. Each Tribal

member will have an essential part in this

process, the approval of the changes. Without your approval of the amendment, it can(4) Niiwin

not be changed.

The membership of this Tribe is the answer to modernizing our constitution, to getting involved in the process, and to provide

your opinions to these changes. The Tribal

Constitutional Committee meets on the first

Friday of each month. These meetings are

open to the members.

Below is the current wording in Article VIII

Section 1. This Constitution and By-laws

may be amended by a majority vote of the

qualified voters of the Community voting at

an election called for that purpose by the

Secretary of the Interior provided that at least

thirty (30) per cent of those entitled to vote

shall vote in such election, but no amendment shall become effective until it shall have

been approved by the Secretary of the Interior. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of

the Interior to call an election on any proposed amendment upon presentation of a

petition signed by two-thirds of the eligible

voters of the Community.

The membership will be asked to vote on

whether to change Article VIII to the below:

Section 1. This Constitution and By-laws

may be amended at an election called for

that purpose by the Tribal Council on a

proposed amendment which has been

adopted by 2/3 of the members of the

Tribal Council. The proposed amendment, with a certification by the President

and Secretary of its adoption by the Tribal

Council, shall be submitted to the Election Board within 15 days after its adoption, for a vote thereon at the next general

election, or at a special election to be

called therefore, as directed by the Tribal

Council. The Election Board shall conduct the election in accordance with the

provisions of the Election Ordinance, provided that at least thirty (30) percent of

those eligible to vote shall vote in such

election. The amendment shall become

effective only after the amendment is

adopted by a majority (51%) vote of the

voters voting at such election.

Section 2. The Constitution and ByLaws may also be amended pursuant to

a petition for a Referendum signed by

thirty (30) percent of the eligible voters

of the Community provided the petition

meets all of the criteria under the Election Ordinance for a Referendum. When

the petition is approved by the Election

Board, the petition may be circulated for

signatures by eligible voters. When the

Election Board determines that the petition contains the required number of eligible voters, the Election Board shall

conduct an election on the Referendum

in accordance with the provisions of the

Election Ordinance.

The amendment

shall become effective only after the

amendment is adopted by a majority

(51%) vote of the voters voting at such

election.

Section 3. The Tribal Council or a Board

appointed by the Council shall certify the

election of an amendment to this Constitution.

AUGUST 2013 Calendar Events

Aug 1: Constitutional Committee Meeting, 1

pm, Council Chambers;

Aug 2: Gov’t offices closed, Employee Picnic;

Aug 3: Reg. Sat. Council Meeting, 9 am,

Ojibwa Resort Conf. Rm;

Aug 6: Ojibwa Senior Citizen’s Picnic, 12

noon;

Aug 21: Veteran’s Meeting, 7 pm;

Aug 22: Senior Citizens’ Pasty Sale.

~ 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.

CEO REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2013

The month of June 2013 included the following activities and reportable items:









A new loan program has been established at Superior National Bank &

Trust’s Baraga branch. KBIC members,

at least 18 years of age and reside in

Baraga or Marquette Counties, can apply for a KBIC guaranteed loan up to

$5,000 for fees associated with attendance at a licensed, registered, or accredited Vocational Technical Program

School of higher learning. The program

has a maximum loan pool of $25,000

available. KBIC will serve as co-signor

for each loan issued by SNB. Repayment by the borrower would commence

90 days following the date the student

completes the program. Applications

and additional information regarding the

program are available through the

TERO Director whose office is located

at the KBIC Tribal Center.

The Health Board approved moving forward with the hiring of Dr. Peter Benson.

Dr. Benson was brought on at first to

temporarily fill a vacancy created when

Dr. Oh retired.

The Health Board also approved moving

into use of the Tribal Health Fund. I.H.S

contract health funds have been depleted therefore requiring Tribal funds

be used to pay for KB members care.

Services provided directly at the health

center will continue to be available to

eligible descendants and KB members

but payment for Priority I care provided

off-site will be limited to KB members

only. The change took effect on June

21.

Francis LaPointe, CFO, Jim Nardi, HR

Director, and I met with Rodney Crawley

of Amerind Risk Management Corp to

discuss their available insurance plans

related to Property & Liability and Workers’ Compensation. Due to Amerind’s

structure, which includes ownership by

over 450 tribes, Rodney indicated that

KBIC could potentially see a savings in

premiums of up to 30%, which has been

the experience with other tribes who

have switched. Rodney will be working





on submitting proposals for comparison

purposes in the near future.

The Ojibwa Casino’s Marketing Manager, Jackie Skytta, submitted her resignation which was effective June 28. The

GM’s have reviewed the job description,

and the position is currently posted.

Staff met on June 25 to discuss the Affordable Care Act requirements and related information gathered at recent

meetings they attended. Sarah Maki,

Asst. CEO, and Jerry Lee Curtis, Substance Abuse Programs Administrator,

provided information they received at

their meeting held by the I.H.S, and Jim

Nardi, HR Director, relayed information

he had acquired from the Tribe’s health

insurance provider, BCBS perspective

which relates to employer issues. The

Tribe has two components to deal with

regarding health care reform, and after

hearing the information provided during

our meeting, I believe our biggest issues

are going to be related to educating our

community members and ensuring our

health center is prepared for the enrollment period which is to begin this October. We will also focus on the impacts

related to health services provided at

our health center. We will continue to

meet internally as well as attend the informational meetings externally, to aid in

the development of required policies

and procedures. A plan will also be developed to provide information to the

community members prior to October on

this very complex issue. From an employer standpoint, it appears that our

current health plans do meet the requirements of care required; however,

an evaluation of whether our current

plans costs paid by the employees in

relation to their family income thresholds

still needs to be reviewed. I would recommend that at minimum a half-day of

one of Council’s meetings in late July to

early August be set aside to discuss

both aspects of health care reform facing the Tribe. This is a very complex

and continually changing issue that

needs thorough discussion and consideration.



Since the hiring of Jerry Jondreau as the

Tribe’s Forester, staff has been working

with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to contract directly for forestry services. The

Bureau currently employs one forester

who has responsibilities for portions of

MI, WI, and MN, and does not adequately provide the level of services

needed to properly manage the Tribe’s

forests. In negotiating with the Bureau,

they provided an offer just over $1,000

which has been declined and is not sufficient for the Tribe to cover the costs

associated with managing our forests.

Since the Bureau has declined any further negotiations, the Tribe will be working on filing an appeal with the Bureau’s

hearing agency.

 I had the opportunity to meet with Jerry

LaCourt of LaCourt Bottle Gas Co.

Jerry was under contract this past heating season to provide LP gas at a set

fee. The program did provide a savings

to the members who participated as well

as the Tribal facilities which use LP gas

for heat. The program ran through April

of this year which was short of covering

the longer than usual winter. Jerry is

willing, if we chose to work on the program this coming winter, to extend the

set pricing through the end of May which

would also coincide with the Tribe’s

heating program for its seniors and disabled members.

 In a final note, Sarah Maki, Asst. CEO,

was selected to serve as the newest

member of the Baraga Area Schools

Board as a trustee. She applied for the

vacancy created by Tracy Barrett who

recently resigned. Sarah was provided

an interview at their June 25 board

meeting and appointed that night – she

was the only interviewee.

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

with, please don’t hesitate to stop, e-mail, or

call.

Respectfully submitted,

Larry J. Denomie, III, CEO

FOURTH OF JULY ON THE KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY REZ, BARAGA, MI

Collage by Lauri Denomie.

(5) Naanan

Kids Fishing Derby continues:

Baraga, MI. This year’s event was named in honor of Todd Warner,

who passed away on July 18, 2012. Warner was the Director of the

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Natural Resource Department

and had a great passion for conservation and protection of natural

resources.

Registered fisher-kids numbered 425 this year… another record

breaker! Gene Mensch, organizer of the annual event, said, “We

had no choice but to close registration due to crowd size and exhausted supplies. There were over 125 fish captured during derby

pond competition. The event has grown to be a favorite summer

activity, and we have, literally for the past two years, had families

contact us in advance asking about Derby dates, so they can

schedule their family vacations around the event.”

Several members of the Todd Warner Family were in attendance, and a special award, the "Todd Warner Legacy Award", was

presented to Sierra Ayres, during the Derby. Sierra is currently enrolled at the University of Michigan, and the $500 Scholarship that is

the Todd Warner Legacy Award will go toward her continued education.

Pictured above third from the right, is Sierra Ayres, winner of the “Todd

Warner Legacy Award,” along with members of Todd’s family.

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

(Above) A bunch of Fisher-Kids working together to not get tangled!

(Below) Kids enjoy a canoe ride around the shorelines.

(Above) A serious Fisherkid, Christian Kelly, waits for his catch.

(Below) Whose minnow is going to win?

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

PLACE

Name

Last Name

AGE # FISH FISH BREAKDOWN

1

Bryan

Kinnunen

11

6 fish

5 bluegill; 1 sunfish

2

Scott

Loonsfoot - Maskew

12

1 fish

14 inch bullhead

3

Brady

Perry

10

4 fish

4 rock bass

4

Preston

Smith

12

3 fish 2 rock bass; 1 bluegill

5

Samantha

Aleo

5

3 fish 2 bluegill; 1 rock bass

6

Jasmine

Perry

12

3 fish

7

Hayley

Mattfolk

12

3 fish 2 rock bass; 1 bluegill

8

Zander

Benson

4

3 fish 2 rock bass; 1 bluegill

9

Shayna

Pittsley

6

3 fish

2 sunfish; 1 bluegill

10

Daymin

Curto

9

2 fish

1 rockbass; 1 bluegill

11

Sam

Janet

11

2 fish

2 bluegill

12

Noah

Treadeau

12

2 fish

2 bluegill

13

William

Jondreau

11

2 fish

1 bullhead; 1 bluegill

14

Siearra

Sparrow

9

2 fish

2 rock bass

15

Aiden

Billyard

4

2 fish

1 bluegill; 1 sunfish

16

Malachi

Austensen

8

2 fish 1 bluegill; 1 rock bass

17

Makenna

Crawford

11

2 fish

18

Brighton

Bergstrom

4

2 fish 1 sunfish; 1 rock bass

19

Max

Massie

7

2 fish 1 sunfish; 1 rock bass

20

Bryant

Collins

7

1 fish

1 big bullhead

21

Teddy

Tharaldson

4

1 fish

1 largemouth bass

22

Moamin

Tareq

8

1 fish

1 big yellow perch

23

Eli

Ekdahl

6

1 fish

1 bullhead

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

24

Dallas

Moulden

6

1 fish

1 bluegill

25

Adyson

Moulden

7

1 fish

1 bluegill

This youngster enjoys spending time with one of the clown (Lisa Denomie) who were giving out balloons and stickers.

(6) Ningodwaaswi

3 bluegill

2 bluegill

Continues on page ten.

MAAMAADIZI

Isle Royale National Park 2013

On the morning of May 25, 2013, seven

young people from the Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community, Michigan Technological University’s

faculty member Marty Auer, and a team of volunteers from the Cedar Tree Institute boarded a

research boat in Houghton for a venture to Lake

Superior’s Isle Royale National Park. Elders

from KBIC graciously designated the trip in their

traditional Ojibway language—Maamaadizi, (The

beginning of a journey).

During the next five days, the group hiked

miles of trails, prepared food over camp stoves,

learned navigating skills, did Tai Chi in forest

meadows, and slept in tents and sleeping bags.

National Park Ranger Seth Tuuri commented,

“I’ve never seen a group like this. No complaining about the weather, food, or the trails. These

kids are comfortable in the forest. They know

how to kneel down on the ground, ponder lichen

growing on a rock. They’re eager to look for

signs of wildlife most visitors to Isle Royale

never think about.”

Isle Royale, located in the far Northwestern

part of Lake Superior, is one of the most fascinating of North America’s National Parks. A designated wilderness area, there are no vehicles or

roads permitted on the Island. A highlight of the

group’s adventure was a visit to Rolf Peterson’s remote Moose Research Center, accessed by boat from the Park’s Rock Harbor.

The group hiked through dense groves of hardwoods and pine forests, arriving at a small cabin

where the world-famous researcher and his wife

have spent the last 40 summers. The delegation roamed, with a sense of reverence and astonishment, through a collection of hundreds of

moose antlers. They were spellbound by the

retired MTU’s professor’s knowledge of the natural world, especially the relationship of the 800

moose and eight wolves that still roam the dozens of Islands that frame the boundaries of the

Park.

During days on the main Island, Jeff Noble,

a forester and former forest fire fighter, used an

eyeglass, inviting curious group members to examine small flowers, spores, and leaves. During

evenings, sounds of loons and the howls of a

lone grey wolf punctuated the dark nights. The

KBIC youth delegation was made up of 11 and

12 year-olds, with representatives of the tribe’s

Wolf, Bear, and Crane family clans. Participants

included Amy Selden, Kayla Dakota, Abby

Spruce, Jessica Wickstrom, Jaycie Forcia,

Bobby and William Genschow. Rich Wickstrom, Jessica’s father, served as the KBIC

delegation’s chaperone, supervisor, and muchappreciated cook.

A helpful, insightful team member for the

Maamaadizi Project, was Justin Miller, an

AmeriCorps volunteer working with the elders

program for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Justin joined the group as a representative from that community to explore intertribal partnerships for future trips to the Park.

Other participants included boat captain

Stephen Roblee, CTI volunteers Willie Noble,

Dan and Adam Magnuson. MTU students Nate

Zgnilec and Miles Corcoran served as guides

and also as deckhands for the research vessel.

Northern Michigan University Environmental

Studies student Anna Solberg accompanied the

group as the Project’s photographer.

As KBIC’s Kayla Dakota waited to board the

36 ft. long Agassiz to return home, she turned to

CTI’s Director saying with a proud smile, “I will

return here one day, many years from now, with

young people from our tribe,” she said. “I will be

their guide.”

As the Agassiz started up its diesel engines,

12 year-old William Genschow, standing for the

last few moments on the dock, looked at the rugged, forested ridges and rocky shoreline and

said, “We won’t be forgotten. We’ll always be

known as the first official delegation from the

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community to ever visit

this National Park. And I will remember what I

was taught by our tribal elders. No one owns the

land. We all belong to it.”

* Special thanks to Lori Ann Sherman and

Evelyn Ravindran from KBIC’s Natural Resource Department who worked with Tribal families and school officials to coordinate logistics for

this venture with the Cedar Tree Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides services in the

areas of mental health, religion, and the environment.

Pictures and article compliments of Jon Magnuson, The Cedar Tree Institute.

SORNA Education and Information Day

Friday, August 16, 2013, 9:00am – 12:30pm

Ojibwa Casino Resort Conference Room

Anyone interested in learning about the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Sex Offender

Registration Program or the KBIC Sex Offender Registry is welcome to stop by the Ojibwa Conference room any time between 9am and 12:30pm, Friday August 16, 2013.

This educational session is for anyone who:



Has a question about why someone may or may not be on the KBIC Sex Offender Registry.



Wants to sign up for community notification from the Registry.



Needs information about where to turn when dealing with an abusive situation.



Would like information or an update on the current state of affairs regarding the activities

of the SORNA office.

If you have any questions or for more information, please contact:

Chuck Miller – SORNA Coordinator,

KBIC Tribal Police at 353-6626

or cmiller@kbic-nsn.gov

(7) Niizhwaaswi

FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM ON

INDIAN RESERVATIONS (FDPIR)

NET MONTHLY INCOME STANDARDS*

(Effective October 1, 2012)

*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:

House

hold

Size

Use this

amount

SNAP Net

Monthly

Income

Standard

SNAP

Standard

Deduction

1

$ 931

+

$149

=

$1,080

2

$1,261

+

$149

=

$1,410

3

$1,591

+

$149

=

$1,740

4

$1,921

+

$160

=

$2,081

5

$2,251

+

$187

=

$2,438

6

$2,581

+

$214

=

$2,795

7

$2,911

+

$214

=

$3,125

8

$3,241

+

$214

=

$3,455

Each additional member

FDPIR Net

Monthly

Income

Standard

+ $330

Alaska:

Household

Size

Use this

amount

SNAP Net

Monthly

Income

Standard

SNAP

Standard

Deduction

FDPIR Net

Monthly

Income

Standard

1

$1,165

+

$256

=

$1,421

2

$1,577

+

$256

=

$1,833

3

$1,990

+

$256

=

$2,246

4

$2,402

+

$256

=

$2,658

5

$2,815

+

$256

=

$3,071

6

$3,227

+

$268

=

$3,495

7

$3,640

+

$268

=

$3,908

8

$4,052

+

$268

=

$4,320

Each additional member

+ $413

FDPIR Income Deductions—see 7 CFR 253.6(f)

Roberta G. “Birdie” Sheldon

(July 10, 1955-July 9, 2013)

Roberta G. “Birdie” Sheldon, age 57, of

Baraga, passed away on Tuesday, July 9, 2013,

at Marquette General Hospital.

She was born July 10, 1955, in L’Anse, MI,

the daughter of the late Robert and Geraldine

(Auge) Duschaine.

Birdie graduated from

Baraga High School in 1973. She had been the

bar manager at the Ojibwa Casino, Baraga. On

October 23, 1982, she married James Sheldon

in L’Anse. Birdie was a member of the KBIC,

Baraga American Legion Post #444 Auxiliary,

and the O.V.W. Transition Advisory Board. She

was an avid camper, and enjoyed reading and

doing puzzles.

Birdie is survived by her loving husband, Jim;

son, Jay of Green Bay; and daughters: Lily

(Terry) Marcotte of Baraga, Amber Weigel of

Fayetteville, NC, and Sara Sheldon of Green

Bay; grandchildren: Elexsonna, Samantha, Sabrina, Xackery, Xavier, Alexxus, Erika, Daisy,

Ella, Elisa, Davohn, and Evan; mother-in-law

Barbara Sheldon; and dear friend Harry

LaFernier. Numerous nieces and nephews also

survive. She was preceded in death by her

daughter Chelsey, sister DeDe, and brother

Ronnie.

Funeral services for Birdie were held on Saturday, July 13, 2013, at the Reed Funeral Service and Chapel, in L’Anse, with Pastor Judy

(8) Ishwaaswi

Mattson officiating. Following the services, the

family held a fellowship and luncheon at the

Baraga American Legion Post #444. The Reed

Funeral Home of L’Anse assisted the family.

George E. “Big George” Curtis, II

(July 28, 1977-July 14, 2013)

George E. “Big George” Curtis, II, age 35, of

Zeba, passed away unexpectedly, Sunday, July

14, 2013, at his residence.

He was born July 28, 1977, in L’Anse, MI, the

son of Robert and Gerlinde (Picard) Curtis, Sr.

George graduated from L’Anse High School. He

married the former Jennifer Lister in L’Anse on

July 9, 2009. George was a card dealer at the

Ojibwa Casino, Baraga. He was a member of

the KBIC, Blessed Kateri Church, and the

Baraga County Pool League. George enjoyed

playing pool frequently at the L’Anse VFW, fishing, hunting, watching sports, and being in the

woods.

George is survived by his wife, Jennifer, children: Jaclyn and Jade both at home; his mother

Gerlinde “Karen” Curtis; brothers: R.D. (Helen

Jondreau) Curtis of Baraga, Louis Curtis, Sr. of

L’Anse, and Lance Curtis of Zeba; sisters: Jody

Lynn Joki of Baraga, Haven (Clinton Back) Curtis of Zeba, Gerlinde “Ger” Curtis of Baraga.

Numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins also

survive. He was preceded in death by his father

Earned Income Deduction — Households with

earned income are allowed a deduction of 20 percent

of their earned income.

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.

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.

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.

FDPIR Resource Standards—see 7 CFR 253.6(d)

$3,250 for households with at least one elderly or

disabled member.

$2,000 for households without any elderly or disabled members.

LEGAL AID CLINIC

A legal aid clinic will be available to

Tribal members on Thursday, August

8, 2013, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in

the downstairs conference room of the

Tribal Center. The clinic is provided by

Michigan Indian Legal Services, for

questions call 1-800-968-6877.

“Big Bob Curtis,” grandpa Louis Picard, and Uncle Louis.

Funeral services for George were held on

Thursday, July 18, 2013, at the Ceremonial

Room in the Ojibwa Senior Citizens Center,

Baraga, with Father Corey Litzner officiating. A

traditional native service followed and was conducted by Paul Halverson. Interment took place

in the Pinery Cemetery. Following the services,

the family held a fellowship and luncheon at the

Ojibwa Senior Citizens Center. The Reed Funeral Home of L’Anse assisted the family.

Breastfeeding Matters

By: Laura Cladas RN, IBLCLC

WIC Coordinator KBIC-DHHS

I would like to encourage all

women who are pregnant to Breastfeed their baby. Why Breastfeed your

baby?? Why feed your baby Human

Milk??? Breast Milk is designed for

Human Babies. Breast Milk provides

ideal nutrition for growth and health,

it’s easy to digest, changes over time

to meet baby’s growing needs, and

protects from illness by providing immunity.

It is recommended that infants be

Breastfed exclusively for the first six

months of life. At the age of six-months infants can start eating

solid foods — vegetables, fruit, and cereal (baby foods), which will

supplement Breast Milk. It is recommended that infants have

Breast Milk for the first year of life.

It’s important for Moms to remember that any amount of Breast

Milk is beneficial for your baby — SO, GET STARTED, GIVE

FEEDING BREAST MILK A TRY, SEE HOW IT GOES, ONE DAY

AT A TIME!!!! You and your baby can decide how long.

The WIC Program offers Breastfeeding Education, Encouragement and Support. Please feel free to contact Laura Cladas, RN,

IBCLC at 353-4527 for any information about Breastfeeding.

This institution is a equal opportunity Provider.

Creating Confident Caregivers

A special program for family members caring for a loved one at

home with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

About the program —

Creating Confident Caregivers utilizes the Savvy Caregiver Program, a university tested program designed for family members caring for a loved one with dementia at home. Two hour sessions are

held once a week for six weeks and respite care may be available.

There is no charge to participants for the workshop or materials.

This program provides participants with information, skills and attitudes to manage stress and increase effective caregiving skills.

Respite Care —

OJIBWA LIBRARY NEWS

Our “Empowering Futures” grant has allowed us to develop two

new sections in the library. The first section focuses on books for

young adults and includes fiction and non-fiction titles. The second

section focuses on financial management, self-improvement, job

readiness, and other positive themes. And, as usual, we always

have new fiction for our patrons to enjoy. Stop by and check it out.

Our book club is on summer vacation but will resume in September. Our next selection will be “Night Flying Woman,” by Ignatia

Broker. Watch for the flyers later this month.

Our grant is also providing us with the opportunity to present a

Literacy Night late in September. We are looking for local writers to

read or make available original poems and short stories. Authors

may read their work, or we can find someone to read for them. We

would also like to display original art work. It will be a great opportunity to recognize the talented members of our community. Please

call the library at 353-8163 if you would like to participate.

~ submitted by Mary Bergerson,

Tribal Library Director

Care for your family member with memory loss may be available

through participating agencies while caregivers attend the sessions.

*Ask for details when you register.*

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

Employment Opportunities

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

Classes Offered —

Attend FREE!

Day & Dates:

Time:

Location:

Address:

Monday’s 8/5/13-9/16/13

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Lakeside Inn

900 South U.S. HWY-41, Baraga, MI 49908

To register contact: Tammy at 1-800-338-7227, Dial 2-1-1 or visit

our website at www.upcap.org.

Testimonial —

“After the first class, I felt a weight had been lifted. I learned so

much. It’s helpful to know what I’m experiencing is normal and I’m

not alone.” ~ Family Caregiver

What’s in it for you? Learn about —

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Dementia and its effects on the brain

Caregiver resources

Managing behaviors

Improving caregiving skills

How to handle everyday activities more easily

Taking care of yourself to better care for your loved one

Provided by:

The Area Agency on Aging/UPCAP

This program is supported, in

part, by the U.S. Administration

on Aging through its Alzheimer’s Disease Supportive

Services Program, (#90AI0022)

and the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging.

Continuous/On Call positions:

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Board Operator

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Pharmacist (on call)

Receptionist/Clerical Worker (on call)

Cashier (part-time)

Registered Nurse (on call)

Licensed Practical Nurse (on call)

Account Executive/Sales (full time)

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Pre-Primary Teaching Assistant

Community Service Supervisor (one

call)

Unit Manager (New Day)

Family Aide

On-Call Van Driver

Unit Manager (OVW)

Youth Programs & Facility Attendant

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.

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.

Applications must be received 30 days prior to all drawings for

processing.

16429 Bear Town, Rd.

Baraga, MI 49908

(906) 353-4222

(9) Zhaangaswi

Kids Fishing Derby continues:

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

Many enjoyed an all-time favorite, hay rides.

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

Planner and organizer of the annual event, and emcee,

Gene Mensch.

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

An early rainstorm left another activity for these youngsters to enjoy…. mud puddles.

KBIC COMMUNITY GARDENS

The KBIC’s Natural Resources Department and Committee have

planted three Community Gardens on the Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community Reservation. Supplies for the three gardens are made

possible through Keweenaw Bay Tribal Natural Resource’s grant

funding, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, and public donations. We have planted corn, zucchini, squash, egg plant, tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, peas, cucumbers, onions, herbs,

strawberries, blueberries, and plums.

Participation with gardens is appreciated, any experience is a

plus but experience is not necessary. Gardens are open seven (7)

days a week—for open hours, contact Charlotte Loonsfoot, Garden

Coordinator, at (906) 353-8152 or (906) 235-4220. Stop by and

check them out.

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

(Above) Community Garden located near the New Day Treatment Center,

Dynamite Hill area. (Below) Community Garden located next to the

Ojibwa Senior Citizens Center, Baraga.

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

Community Garden located at the KBIC Commodities.

(10) Midaaswi

Picture by Lauri Denomie.

ATTENTION ADULT TRIBAL MEMBERS

The Tribal Council is accepting letters of intent for a three

year seat on the AANIKOOSING, INC. BOARD of DIRECTORS.

Those interested should exhibit exemplary experience in

business, be responsible, and express integrity as well as good

judgment. Each interested individual member should be sensitive to the unique goals and the culture of the Keweenaw Bay

Indian Community.

The ideal candidate would recognize the need for diversification within the Tribe’s holdings as well as demonstrate expertise in and have an understanding of business management,

administration, accounting, finance, Indian law, marketing,

grants management, public relations, and other related disciplines. Time requirements include all regularly scheduled

meetings, including additional project meetings, and special

meetings.

A Letter of Intent will be accepted through August 22, 2013,

and should be mailed to:

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

C/O Vice- President Mayo

16429 Bear Town Road

Baraga, MI 49908

ATTENTION KBIC MEMBERS:

The following Committees have vacant seats:

 Natural Resources (1) seat

There will be a Native American Craft Bazaar on

November 24, 2013, 10 am—4 pm, at the Harvey

Community Center behind the Ojibwa Casino,

M-28, Marquette.

Featuring… fry bread, beadwork, blankets, Indian

statues, wreaths, Christmas center pieces, banana

breads, dream catchers, and beaded earrings.

Call Sandy at (906) 273-0286 for information.

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!

 Indian Child Welfare (1)

 Must be able to obtain a satisfactory clearance in

accordance with the Indian Child Protection and

Family Violence Prevention Act Background Investigations Policy to apply for this committee:

Please submit an application (located at the Tribal Center in

Kim Klopstein’s or in Peggy Loonsfoot’s office) by 4:00 p.m. on

August 23, 2013 to:

Warren C. Swartz, Jr. – President

16429 Bear Town Rd.

Baraga, MI 49908

NEWS FROM THE OJIBWA

SENIOR CITIZENS

Pasty Sales:

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August 21 — pasty prep starting after

lunch (12:15 pm).

August 22 — pasty making starting at

5:00 am. VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED

AS EARLY AS YOU CAN MAKE IT!

Upcoming Fundraising:

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September 25—pasty prep.

September 26 — pasty making.

Additional Information:

No Senior Meeting is scheduled for the

month of August. If anything comes up that

needs attention, an Executive Board Meeting

will be scheduled.

Senior Picnic will be on September 6,

2013. More information will be posted at the

Senior Center.

The Branson trip is scheduled for September 15-22. Those seniors going will be receiving more information around the end of

August/beginning of September.

At the June meeting, it was decided to offer two trips for December. One will be to

Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the other will be

to the Island Resort Christmas on Ice Show.

Individuals can sign up for one of the two

trips. Sign-up sheet and more information is

available at the Senior Center.

To be added to the mailing list or to correct your

mailing address,

contact the enrollment office

at (906) 353-6623 ext.

4113.

(11) Ashi bezhig

COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES

DOMPIER’S DEDICATION

Wendell “Pat” Dompier officially retired from

the Ojibwa Casino on July 13, 2013, with over 26

years of service, the final 20 of them as a Casino

Shift Manager. Widely respected for his knowledge, work ethic, and dedication to the Casino,

we wish Wendell all the best in his richly deserved retirement. Ojibwa Casino co-workers

and Governmental Officials joined Wendell for a

retirement celebration held in his honor on June

26, 2013, in the Ojibwa Resort Conference room.

Shown above is General Manager David

Haataja (left) as he presents a plaque to Wendell

“Pat” Dompier (right), during his retirement celebration.

Catholic Community of

Baraga County

KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY

Holy Name of Jesus

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT

SERVICES

Pastor

Father John Longbucco

Confessions: Sunday before Mass

Sunday Mass 12:00 p.m.

353-6565

saintann@up.net

Historic Zeba

Indian Mission

United Methodist Church

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:

 Establishment, Enforcement and

Modification of Child Support Orders

 Location of Custodial and

Non-Custodial Parents

 Paternity Establishment

 Community Education

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

Keweenaw Bay Indian

Community Dance Troupe

Participates in FinnFest

To place an ad, submit an article, or relate information or ideas on possible articles contact:

Lauri Denomie at (906) 201-0263, or e-mail

newsletter@kbic-nsn.gov.

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 STARDARD

(12) Ashi Niizh

“We welcome each of you to our

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

Sunday beginning June 30th at the

Campgrounds on Marksman Road,

for the summer in our beautiful

outdoor tabernacle.”

Pastor: Rev. Stephen Rhoades

Church office 524-7939

Parsonage 524-7936

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Cultural

Committee hosted the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Dance Troupe at the Finnfest Celebrations

held in Baraga County at the Meadowbrook Arena

in L’Anse, Michigan, on June 20, 2013.

The group presented exhibitions of the following

Native American Dances: Men’s Traditional,

Women’s Traditional, Jingle Dress, and Fancy

Shawl.