The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe (2018)
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WIIKWEDONG
DAZHI-OJIBWE
The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe
Iskigamizige Giizis – Maple Sugar Making Moon - April 2018
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tobacco Committee, (KBICTC)
Have Machines Rolling and Stacking Shelves
Production of tobacco products began
at the KBIC Tobacco Company, LLC, on
March 1, and the cigarettes were available
on the shelves of the Pines Convenience
Center on March 12. The Sands and
Heron brands are those that are being
manufactured here. So far sales are doing
very well, even better than expected.
A Grand Opening Ceremony of
KBICTC, LLC. and Asemaa Wholesale
and Distribution Company will be on Tuesday, April 17, at 2:00 p.m. at 16360 Ojibwa
Industrial Park Rd., Baraga, Michigan.
The public is invited to tour the facility and
see how cigarettes are made.
Issue 165
Tribal Council Members:
Warren C. Swartz, Jr., President
Jennifer Misegan, Vice-President
Susan J. LaFernier, Secretary
Toni J. Minton, Asst. Secretary
Doreen G. Blaker, Treasurer
Robert R.D. Curtis, Jr.
Frederick Dakota
Randall R. Haataja
Michael F. LaFernier, Sr.
Gary F. Loonsfoot, Jr.
Rodney Loonsfoot
Elizabeth D. Mayo
SPECIAL POINTS
OF INTEREST
End of an Era at KBOCC —
Parrish Officially Retires
President Debra Parrish, the strong drive in establishing
the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC),
officially retired on January 26, 2018. A retirement celebration was held at the Ojibwa Resort Conference Rooms in
Baraga, Michigan, on March 2, 2018, to honor her life-long
career and strong desire in establishing a high learning opportunity for the people of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.
Interim President Cherie Dakota said, “Debbie has a long
history of program development with the Tribe, but by far her
greatest legacy will be the reestablishing the Keweenaw Bay
Ojibwa Community College as a viable institution of higher
learning
right
here in the middle of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.
As you may
know
KBOCC
was chartered in
1975 and honored its first
dually-enrolled
student
with
Michigan Tech
in 1979. Unfortunately,
the
College closed
in 1980.
Close to two
decades
later,
Debbie Parrish,
March 3, 2018 Tribal Council Meeting
KBICTC Machines Rolling
and Shelves Stacked
KBIC Participates at 25th
Annual NMU Powwow
KBOCC President Parrish
Retires
Ojibwa Library News
Criminal Report
New Employees
Deepest Sympathy
a woman armed with experience in education from Suomi
College, and a vision for education within KBIC, was given
the support by the Tribal Council to reopen the College.
In 1998, KBOCC was reborn in a small corner of the
Ojibwa Senior Citizens’ Center. Bob Zasadnyj taught the first
computer class at the L’Anse Library. JoAnne Racette taught
beading and Ojibwa language in the Ojibwa Seniors’ Lunchroom.
In 2000, KBOCC made the big move to its own buildings –
in Baraga on Superior Ave. Courses were held at the old
post office and the former Darcy house was used as the administrative building. KBOCC was small with a handful of
students and a few instructors, but was growing.
Along the way, KBOCC became a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and began to outgrow their mini campus on Superior Avenue.
In 2004, a new building was built to house the ever growing college: the Niiwin Akeaa or Four Directions Center. It
was a beautiful addition to our community and to the students
who were increasing in numbers.
In 2009, KBOCC obtained candidacy status with the
Higher Learning Commission. In 2013, KBOCC became fully
accredited, and the college continued to grow.
In 2014, KBOCC obtained Land Grant Status through the
USDA and recognition through the Bureau of Indian Education which in turn allowed KBOCC to continue expansion.
Armed with a dollar and some grants, Debbie forged ahead
and purchased the old hospital and renovated, which was
completed in August of 2014, and it became KBOCC’s main
Continues on page four.
(1) Bezhig
MARCH 3, 2018 TRIBAL COUNCIL MEETING
The Regular Monthly Tribal Council Meeting was held on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at the Big Bucks Bingo Hall in Baraga, Michigan. President Warren Swartz, Jr., presided over the meeting with
Jennifer Misegan, Susan J. LaFernier, Toni Minton, Doreen Blaker,
Robert R.D. Curtis, Jr., Fred Dakota, Randall Haataja, Michael F.
LaFernier, Sr., Gary F. Loonsfoot, Jr., Rodney Loonsfoot, and Elizabeth D. Mayo present.
President Swartz shared numerous Thank You and For Your Information items addressed to Council.
Vice President Jennifer Misegan gave the Vice President’s Report (page three), Secretary Susan J. LaFernier gave the Secretary’s Report (page five), and CEO Larry Denomie III gave the CEO
Report (page three). Council approved the Department Head Reports for January 2018.
Under new business: Treasurer Doreen Blaker presented the
March 2018 donation requests. Motion by Jennifer Misegan to
approve March 2018 donations as: $500.00 for the Diabetes
Outreach Network; $250.00 for the Grand Rapids Metro Ministry; and $1,000.00 for the U.P. Home Health and Hospice Dancing with the Stars event for team (Brigitte and Mariah) LaPointe
-Dunham (donations total of $1,750.00); supported by Randall
Haataja. Ten supported (Misegan, S. LaFernier, Minton, Blaker,
Curtis, Dakota, Haataja, M. LaFernier, G. Loonsfoot, R. Loonsfoot), one opposed (Mayo), 0 abstained, motion carried.
Vice President Jennifer Misegan presented Resolution KB-0072018 Native Farm Bill Coalition for Council’s approval. The Congress of the United States is preparing to deliberate the nature of
agriculture policy for the nation and the world in the form of the
2018 Farm Bill which will authorize all farm programs, rural development, and nutrition initiatives with the United States Department of
Agriculture. Economic development in Indian Country is tied to agriculture production which is among the largest industries in Indian
Country; it provides $3.4 billion per year, and the policies provide
the framework within which this production happens, and it constitutes a large portion of the Farm Bill. Not only is an overwhelming
majority of the land in Indian Country involved in agriculture production, a great many Tribal Members live in rural areas and communities where basic infrastructure costs are often prohibitively high.
The 2018 Farm Bill will provide an authorization of federal funding
for rural infrastructure initiatives. The Tribal Members of these areas are often afflicted by a poverty of place wherein they are unable
to find suitable employment to provide adequate income that supports good nutrition for their families; thus they may rely on federal
nutrition programs authorized in the Farm Bill. In spite of the great
strides made for Indian Country agriculture in previous Farm Bill
negotiations, from going virtually unmentioned in the 90’s to many
thoughtful provisions scattered across all Titles, the $3.4 billion generated annually through Indian agriculture efforts is still more than
99% raw commodities, instead of the healthy, local, economically
MICHIGAN INDIAN ELDERS ASSOCIATION 2018
SCHOLARSHIP NOTICE
The Michigan Indian Elders Association (MIEA) is pleased to
announce that it will make available (4) $1,000 scholarships and (6)
$500 scholarships. The scholarships will be awarded to at least
nine qualified students with the $1,000 scholarships being awarded
to top three qualified students, 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 and 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, 2018. (PLEASE NOTE, incomplete or late applications will not be considered).
An application form can be downloaded by visiting http://
michiganindianelders.org/students.php on the web. The application
can also be obtained from the Tribal Education Department of each
of the constituent Tribes/Bands (includes Keweenaw Bay Indian
Community).
(2) Niizh
beneficial, and nutritious food needed in Indian Country communities and rural areas. An effort is underway by the Native Farm Bill
Coalition, led by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
(SMSC), the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC), the Indigenous
Food and Agriculture Initiative at the University of Arkansas School
of Law (IFAI), and the National Congress of American Indians
(NCAI), to preserve and expand upon the gains made in the previous 30 years of Farm Bill discussions in each of the aforementioned
areas. This effort is the best opportunity in decades for Indian
Country to effectively advocate and lobby for enactment of truly
relevant and targeted legislation to ensure that federal agriculture
policy seeks to enhance the development of this industry beyond
raw commodities. This Farm Bill will allow tribes to get this funding
directly instead of going through a pass-through. This bill impacts
the KBIC through it’s Commodity Food Program, Conservation
Trade through Nations with nutrition programs, world development
funds, resource projects through the Tribe’s Community College
and Natural Resources Department, energy projects (solar), and
many other grants will be available. Resolution KB-007-2018
states, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Keweenaw
Bay Indian Community Tribal Council joins the Native Farm Bill
Coalition and supports the “Regaining Our Future” report, and the
policy initiatives generated there from; the Keweenaw Bay Indian
Community requests Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters
and Congressman Jack Bergman to lend their support to effective
deliberation and swift passage of those priorities set out by the Native Farm Bill Coalition. Motion by Toni Minton to approve Resolution KB-007-2018, supported by Robert R.D. Curtis, Jr.
Eleven supported, 0 opposed, 0 abstained, motion carried.
Council member Rodney Loonsfoot expressed some concerns
from Community members on how the recent fishing tournament
was marketed (advertised), rules of entry, etc. The event was organized by Council Member Gary Loonsfoot, Jr. who started it intended to increase revenue at the Baraga Casino and other area
businesses. Gary Loonsfoot, Jr. said, “Due to availability of ice, this
(ice-fishing) tournament was organized and advertised within a onemonth time frame due to the availability or unavailability of ice. One
-hundred-twenty individuals representing 35 teams registered at the
$20 entry fee. The event was open to anyone who wanted to register. People got out of the house, our Casino parking lot was full,
and revenues came in.” The event was done without a budget and
was made possible with volunteers and donations, and it was an
overall success.
Council adjourned with no further business on the agenda.
~ Submitted by Lauri Denomie, Newsletter Editor
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-four students were placed on the Honor
Roll for the second marking period of the 2017-18 academic
year:
Baraga – Jenna Carlson, Ireland Chosa, Robert Curtis, Alexxus
DeCota, Allison Durant, Dhanya Ekdahl, Richard Geroux Jr., Rylee
Holm, Jayla Isaacson, Steele Jondreau, William Jondreau Jr., Kamrin Kahkonen, Keegin Kahkonen, Georgia Lofquist, Machai Loonsfoot, Nevaeh Loonsfoot, Shawna Lussier, Steven Maki, Jenna
Messer, Liliana Messer, Kylie Michaelson, Kylie Peterson, Presley
Rasanen, Alana Schofield, Tyler Shalifoe, and Javon Shelifoe.
L’Anse – Dysean Allen, Erica Bartle, Daniel Curtis, Deija Dakota,
Keira Dakota, Rion Fountain, Ti’ia Friisvall, Robert Genschow III,
Rayleah Jacobs, Rowen Rexford, Alicia Stein, Mariana Teikari,
Rachael Velmer, Cassandra Zasadnyj, and Paige Zasadnyj.
Marquette – Neebin Ashbrook-Pietila and Zoe Hamalainen.
Sacred Heart Catholic – Robert Webb-Grisham.
The following thirty-eight students received awards for achieving Perfect Attendance:
Baraga – Robert Curtis, Starr Dunleavy, Allison Durant, Destin
Gauthier, Bailey Harden, Rylee Holm, Kamrin Kahkonen, Keegin
Kahkonen, Adrianna Kyllonen, Steven Maki, Kevin McIntyre Jr.,
Kylie Michaelson, Presley Rasanen, Alana Schofield, and Katie
Strong.
L’Anse – Dysean Allen, Tokala Chosa, Wakinyan Chosa, Alice Curtis, Deija Dakota, Kydan Dean, Gregory Dowd, Kobe Forcia, Brendon Friisvall, Nathan Friisvall, Chase Larson, Kaylee Loonsfoot,
Elsie Madosh, Jaycee Maki, Rowen Rexford, Mason Spruce, Alicia
Stein, and Paige Zasadnyj .
Gwinn – Kaitlyn Shelafoe, Kimber Shelafoe, Destinee Stanton, and
Lacie Stanton..
Negaunee – Brayden Velmer.
Vice President February 2018 Monthly Report
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tobacco Company began manufacturing tobacco product on March 1. We are very
excited that all of our hard work is coming to fruition. We are
still waiting for approval from the Federal Trade Commission
before we are able to sell our product. It is taking much longer
than anyone expected. Product is being made through the
weekend. There have been questions about the hiring of employees. This time we needed a few people to work outside of
our maintenance staff, so we hired two unemployed tribal members. We were looking for members who had machine or
manufacturing experience. It’s difficult to get anyone who can
only work a few days. I did look through the couple of applications in the TERO job bank. One was very young, and I was
unable to reach the other by phone. The next production run
that we do, we will have a posting for temporary workers listing
the duties, requirements, and necessary experience.
We are planning a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony
for next month. We will host tours of the facility, so members
are able to view the manufacturing process. The date will be
announced soon.
The Tobacco Ordinance of 2018 was passed by the Tribal
Council on March 1. This Ordinance now allows for the manufacturing and regulation of tobacco products on the L’Anse Indian Reservation. Some of the key changes in the law are the
requirement of a KBIC Fee Stamp. The fees collected from the
stamp will now fund the General Welfare Support Program.
The Tribe will have a Tobacco Agent whose duty it will be to
oversee the compliance of our regulations as well as federal
regulations. We have also implemented a limit on the sale of
cigarettes to 49 cartons at the retail level, to insure compliance
with the Cigarette Contraband Trafficking Act.
On February 9, the CEO, Tribal Attorney, Realty Officer, and I
attended a meeting with Chocolay Township Manager, Jon
Kangas (who is new), Suzanne Sundell, and Brad Johnson.
We discussed several issues with the water tower and the force
sewer main. We are all aware of the agreements that need to
be entered into, and Attorney Danielle Webb has begun working
on them. We are happy with the working relationship we have
with Chocolay and where it is going forward.
Treasurer Doreen Blaker and I attended the NCAI Executive
Session in Washington DC, the week of February 12. We met
with Congressman Jack Bergman and the staff of Senator Stabenow. We discussed the ongoing issue that our members are
having by being penalized by several federal programs for the
GWSPB. There is now the possibility of including language in
the upcoming Farm Bill to assist those who receive SNAP benefits or BridgeCards. We also talked to them about our Canal
Land claim and have asked them to assist by sending letters to
the Department of Interior.
We had a meeting with John Tahsuda, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, along with Counselor Kyle
Scherer and Attorney Matthew Kelly regarding the status of our
Canal Land Claim. Unfortunately, they did not have any answers for us and gave us a time frame of two weeks. We will
be calling them on Monday.
NCAI’s Executive Session was, as always, very good. We had
the opportunity to hear Senators Catherine Cortez Masto, Lisa
Murkowski, Heidi Heitkamp, and Jeff Merkley; our Congressman Jack Bergman; Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke; HUD
Secretary Ben Carson; Congresswoman Norma Torres; and
others. The Session is a great opportunity for us to get a feel
for the pulse of Washington, DC first hand and network with
other tribal leaders. We also participated in several listing sessions and government to government consultations.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Misegan
CEO’s Report for the Month of February 2018
As I reported last month, on January 9, Push, Inc., a subcontractor hired by our General Contractor Gundlach Champion, accidently ruptured the active waterline near the east side entrance to
the Baraga Casino and caused the casino to close for just over a
24-hour period. Because of the closure, the Tribe experienced a
loss in revenue and additional expenses were incurred to repair
the broken line. Gundlach has taken care of the additional expenses and was also considering handling the lost revenue. We
have provided Gundlach the information related to the lost revenue, and they are currently reviewing it. If Gundlach decides they
aren’t able to reimburse the Tribe, we will move forward with processing an insurance claim. We will follow up with Gundlach next
week, and I’ll provide an update on the issue.
We have received the draft market study from Klas Robinson
related to the casino projects. The new market study was required
by our financing partners based on the scope of changes that occurred for both the Baraga and Marquette casino projects. The final study should be ready within the next two-three weeks. Our
project team will be meeting with our financing partners this coming Tuesday at the Marquette Casino to review the draft report and
work on next steps.
The casino projects workgroup is also at work on finalizing the
updated design of the new Marquette Casino hotel. Once we were
informed that the hotel couldn’t be branded Comfort Inn & Suites,
the hotel design needed modifications. Those changes are expected to be complete within the next two weeks.
We have received several applications for the vacant Health
Director position. The selection committee has met and performed
an initial review of the applicant pool and determined that it is time
to close the posting which had been deemed open until filled. The
committee feels we have several candidates who meet our needs
and the required qualifications. The closing date is set for 4 p.m.
on March 16. Following the closing, the selection committee will
review the final applicant pool and schedule interviews.
The applicant pool for the Director of Fire and Emergency Management was reviewed by the selection committee. The pool consisted of two applicants, one of whom was a KBIC member. The
position has been offered to the member, and we expect to have a
response on the offer next week.
Darrell Kingbird, former Language Teacher for the Tribe, has
been replaced with George Howard Kimewon. Mr. Kimewon began teaching in the L’Anse and Baraga schools mid-February.
Both schools have indicated that he is working out very well, and
the students are very accepting of Mr. Kimewon. I would like to
extend a Chi Miigwech to Gary Loonsfoot, Jr., Cultural Resources
Director, for his work in finding Mr. Kimewon and working through
the required processes quickly to ensure that teaching continued
with very little interruption.
Sarah Smith, Asst. CEO, has taken the lead role in the development and construction of the new Halfway House project. The
Tribe received Indian Community Development Block Grant funds
to construct the building. The preliminary plans and budget for the
project have been developed and are under review by staff. The
plans have also been reviewed by Indian Health Services staff,
and their comments will need to be addressed. Sarah will provide
an update in the next couple of weeks.
A “descendant” of the Tribe is now defined. Through the work
of the Enrollment Board at the request of Tribal Council and approval of Resolution KB-008-2018, a descendant will be considered a person who is the biological child of a Member of the Community. I will be providing notice to all departments to ensure the
approved term is utilized for determining eligibility for programs
that descendants may access.
In a final note, the hard work and persistence in making tobacco manufacturing a reality has come to fruition. It was exciting
and rewarding to see the first KBIC Tobacco Company cigarettes
come off of the manufacturing equipment this week. It has taken a
dedicated and supportive team to accomplish this goal – Chi Miigwech to all who had a hand in it!
Respectfully submitted,
Larry Denomie III, CEO
(3) Niswi
Parrish Retires continued:
campus, the Wabanung Campus. Along the way, KBOCC sur“Hello. My name is Kristy Clisch,
and I've recently been hired as a
Community Health Worker for the
KBIC Health System. I'll be working
in conjunction with the American
Cancer Society to promote preventative screenings, as well as the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan and
the Michigan Tribal Food Access
Collaborative to encourage healthy
nutrition for our youth.
I am thankful for the opportunity
to serve in this capacity, and I look
forward to working with the community. In my free time, my interests
include reading, spending time with
family, and enjoying the local art and
music scene.”
There are two
familiar
faces
recently hired in
the KBIC Office
of Child Support
Services. (Left)
Laura Mayo recently accepted
the job duties of
the Office of
Child
Support
Services
Specialist. She was
previously employed as the
Office of Child
Picture by Lauri Denomie.
Support Services
Outreach Worker. Laura is a KBIC member who lives in Baraga
with her husband, Joel, their two children: JoJo and Megan.
Laura’s oldest daughter, Katie lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin,
and will enrich Laura’s life as a grandmother in two months.
(Right) Holley Makela has accepted the job duties of the
KBIC Office of Child Support Services Director. She has been
employed with KBIC for four years. Most recently as a Social
Service Specialist, and prior to that she was the Healing To
Wellness Court Coordinator. Holley lives in L’Anse with her
husband, Taylor, and their two children: Hollynd and Ronin.
George “Howard” Kimewon has recently accepted the position of
KBIC’s Ojibwa Language
Teacher. Howard, as he
prefers to be called, is
from Manitoulin Island,
Ontario, Canada. He lived
away from his people and
worked in the construction
field. Back in 2007, he
was on a two-week vacation in the Bay Mills Indian
Community area and ran
into his cousin, Phyllis.
She told him that she was
in Bay Mills for an emersion program for the
weekend and invited him
Picture by Lauri Denomie.
to join them. He did and
enjoyed it so much he shut his phone off and his mother worried
about him as he was unable to be reached for the whole weekend. She was delighted that he was relearning the language.
She kept asking him, “When you going back there? You should
do that, you should help the people.” As time went by, Howard
made a promise to his mother that he would help native communities who wanted to learn the native language. Howard said, “I
still keep that promise today. I quit my job and been on that two
-week vacation since, teaching the people.”
Howard is currently teaching in the L’Anse and Baraga Area
Schools, grades K-12, and will soon begin an elders’ class. “I
don’t teach with a computer, I teach from the heart.”
Howard resides in a temporary housing arrangement at this
time but will soon move his wife and their cat to the Keweenaw
Bay Indian Community.
(4) Niiwin
passed 100 students in five different disciplines: Anishinaabe Studies, Business, Early Childhood Education, Environmental Science,
and Liberal Studies.
KBOCC has had students take first place in the AIHEC Student
Conference Science Bowl, work with NASA projects, and one graduate went on to attend and graduate from an Ivy League College.
KBOCC’s first students in their Criminal Justice certificate program
were all accepted into the Michigan Academy of Corrections.
The path of education continued as a KBIC Tribal Member could
take one step though the door and later end up in graduate school or
Washington, D.C. Members can also return and bring their education and ideas home to continue to strengthen the Keweenaw Bay
Indian Community.”
Cherie Dakota concluded with, “It all started with one Anishinaabikwe with a vision…Debbie Parrish.”
Debbie Parrish began her career at KBIC in 1972 as a legal secretary to Tribal Attorney Gar Hood. He worked on the hunting and
fishing rights case with Buck Chosa, William Tyosh, and Boysie Jondreau. During this time, she was also instrumental in assisting the
late Georgianna Emery and others, to set up the first National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) meeting at the Tribal Center.
Debbie worked on a number of other endeavors as well. She
worked as a secretary and administrative assistant for the Young
Adult Community Corp (YACC) program; the Chairman’s Office; and
as Don LaPointe’s Administrative Assistant. She worked with James
Schutte on the Ellderly Nutrition Programs; assisted with setting up
the Ojibwa Seniors Gift Shop; as a Program Coordinator for a job
training programs; and in the Business Development Office. She
also worked with Mike Chosa and Tim Shanahan on the Ojibwa
Lanes and Lounge project, creation of the Ojibwa Industrial Park,
and development of the Economic Development Corporation. Debbie also volunteered in helping establish KBIC’s Big Bucks Bingo at
the Zeba Bingo Hall.
Debbie managed the Even Start Program at its beginning and
established the indoor Play Center which later became part of the
current Pre-Primary Program.
Debbie served on the Keweenaw Bay Tribal Council in 1987 and
was the Council’s Secretary for many years. She also served on
many committees throughout the years: Hiring Committee, Powwow
Committee, Economic Development Committee, Education Committee, Constitutional Task Force, Health Board, and presently serves
on the Ojibwa Senior Board.
The Community celebrated 46 years of dedicated service from
Debbie Parrish and wished her a happy retirement knowing full well
we will continue to see great strides from her throughout future
years.
~ Submitted by Lauri Denomie, Newsletter Editor
Michigan Indian Legal Services
Free Legal Aid Clinic
For Low-Income Native Americans
Do you need advice or assistance with a pressing legal problem and you think your income may fall lower than federal poverty guidelines? If so, come to the free legal clinic on:
Friday, May 25, 2018
9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M.
(No appointment necessary)
1st Floor Conference Room
KBIC Tribal Center
Family law
Treaty rights
Housing
Juvenile delinquency case
Child Welfare and ICWA
Garnishment and attachment
of per capita distributions
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO BRING ALL THE PAPERWORK
RELATED TO YOUR LEGAL PROBLEM.
If you have any questions, cannot make it to the clinic but
would still like free legal advice:
Please call MILS at 1-800-968-6877.
Tribal Council Secretary’s Report for the Month of February 2018 to the Council/Community
ANIN! We honor the greatness in you.
Remember: “Indian Country Counts”
“Our People, Our Nations, Our Future”
We continue to recognize the richness of Native American contributions, accomplishments, and sacrifices to the political, cultural,
and economic life of Michigan and the United States.
Spring begins March 20! We wish everyone a happy and blessed
Easter on April 1, 2018.
Mino-Bimaadizin “Live Well”
Respectfully, Susan J. LaFernier
During February, the Tribal Council held one Regular meeting
on February 3, 2018, one Work Session on February 26, 2018, and
four Special Council meetings on February 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2018.
Following are the unapproved minutes. This report will be published in the KBIC “Wiikwedong Dazhi-Ojibwe” newsletter, and the
approved minutes may also be found on the Keweenaw Bay Indian
Community Website.
February 1, 2018 Special Council Meeting (unapproved):
Closed session: Ojibwa Casino I and II Financial and Marketing updates; Radio Stations Operational Plan update; Language Instructor update; Nepotism request; and Tribal Attorney
update.
February 3, 2018 Regular Council Meeting (unapproved):
Approved the President’s Report (Warren C. Swartz, Jr.) January 2018 Report.
Approved the Secretary’s (Susan J. LaFernier) January 2018
Report.
Approved the CEO’s (Larry Denomie III) January 2018 Report.
Approved the Department Head Reports for January 2018.
Approved the February 2018 Donations: $500.00 to the
Baraga Senior Class of 2018 Lock-in; $500.00 donation for new
equipment to the Marquette County Youth Football; $1,000.00
to Deena Misegan, NMU student to attend interdisciplinary
study in global health care in Central America.
1st Reading of the Proposed Tobacco Ordinance 2018-01.
Scheduled the 2nd/3rd Readings for February 22, 2018
February 8, 2018 Special Council Meeting (unapproved):
Approved the January 6, 2018 Tribal Council Meeting Minutes.
Approved the waiver of nepotism request for Tyler Rasanen for
the on-call Facility Attendant position at the Youth Department.
Approved Resolution KB 005-2018 that formally approves the
re-affirmation of the adoption of the Official Flag and Insignia of
the Community and sent to the Commissioner for Trademarks,
US Patent and Trademark Office, for entry into the Native
American Tribal Insignia Database.
Approved the Tier III Services Agreement with Mary Hindelang,
Ph.D., to provide a Terrestrial Invasive Species Management
Plan (TISMP) under the Natural Resource Department for
$17,000.00, February 1, 2018-June 30, 2018.
Approved the Tier III Services Agreement with Windsor Solutions, Inc. to provide an environment management database
(Phase II) for $79,907.00, February 26, 2018-September 30,
2018, with the Natural Resource Department.
Approved the bid from Northwest Marine Technology, Inc. for
the purchase of a quality control device (QCD) for the coded
wire tag injector for $13,300.00 for the Natural Resource Department.
Approved the proposal from Grand River Anishinaabeg Community, LLC for consultation services for the Community Halfway House Project for $100,000.00.
Approved the bid from Northern Auto for (3) 2018 Dodge
Chargers for the Tribal Police Department patrol cars for
$25,975.00 each.
Approved Amendment Two with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Grant to extend the term to December 13,
2019, and add $300,000.00 to complete Phase 2 of the nonmotorized pathway connecting Zeba with Sand Point in Baraga.
Approved to offer the position of Gaming Commissioner to William Seppanen.
Approved to accept the resignation of Darrell Kingbird, acknowledge that he has abandoned his position and is not providing duties as of January 30, 2018.
February 15, 2018 Special Council Meeting (unapproved):
Approved the January 12, 18, and 22, 2018 Tribal Council
meeting minutes.
Approved by a poll of the Tribal Council-Resolution KB 0062018 which approves (George) Howard Kimewon as a fluent
speaker with a Credential for the Mastery of the Anishnaabe
Language.
Approved to allow James Denomie, who has been a loyal employee for 20 years, to retire.
Approved the Language Instructor Employment Agreement
with George Howard Kimewon at Baraga and L’Anse Schools
for five months: February 15, 2018-July 15, 2018.
February 22, 2018 Special Council Meeting (unapproved):
Council met with the Lundin Mining Company regarding Eagle
Mine: partnership, closure planning, business development.
Approved Personnel Policy 7.3 Closures of Governmental Offices with the changes.
There will not be a 16th Annual Kid’s Fishing Derby this year; it
was decided to hold the derby every other year.
Approved Resolution KB 004-2018 “2018-2020 Five Year Recreation Plan” to serve as a guideline for improving recreation
and enhancing natural resource conservation for the KBIC.
Approved the Tier III Services Agreement with Glenn Sarka
PLLC, Marquette to provide Guardian Ad Litem/other services
assigned by the Chief Judge of the Tribal Court, November 1,
2017-December 31, 2018.
Reviewed the Constitution Committee’s review of the BIA’s technical comment letter to proposed amendment to the Constitution
and By-Laws of the KBIC to add Article IX-Judicial Branch and
to conduct a secretarial election.
Approved Peggy Loonsfoot, Jeanne Emery. and Clayton Ekdahl
to the Election Board for three year terms.
Approved Tashina Emery to the Youth Committee.
Denied approval of a Retainer Agreement with Joseph P.
O’Leary to provide Guardian Ad Litem/Other services assigned
by the Chief Judge of the Tribal Court February 11, 2018February 10, 2019 and renegotiate the expenses/compensation.
February 26, 2018 Work Session-Special Council Meeting
(unapproved):
3rd Reading and Review of Motion to Amend Proposed Ordinance 2018-01. The Tobacco Ordinance of 2018 to add the
provisions on the manufacture of tobacco products amending
Title 21B-The Tobacco Ordinance of 2008 and moving the criminal provisions to Title 3.
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan J. LaFernier
Library Events during the month of April
~ By Angela Badke, Librarian
The Ojibwa Community Library is celebrating Poetry Month, National Library Week, and Children’s Book Day throughout the
month of April. Take a peek at our list of events below to see
what’s going on.
Starting April 2:
Poem in Your Pocket: April is Poetry Month! Stop in and pick up
a pocket-sized poem (or two!) for a little inspiration. Keep one and
give one to a friend.
Children’s Book Day Book Giveaways: April 30th is Children’s
Book Day. To celebrate, the Library has several children’s books
on display to giveaway to a few lucky winners. Enter your child by
filling out a drawing slip at the display in the library throughout the
month. The lucky winners will be drawn and announced on April
27th.
“Book Face” Facebook Photo Challenge: Take a picture of
yourself reading, and post it to our Facebook page. Participants
who post to our page will be entered to win some cool prizes! This
is a family friendly challenge, so please encourage all readers to
enter. Winners will be drawn and announced during National Library Week.
Throughout National Library Week (April 9 – April 14):
Fine Forgiveness: Return library materials and we’ll waive the
fines for you. Certain restrictions do apply, so stop by the library’s
circulation desk for more info.
Sugar Rush: All week long the library will have sweet treats for
our sweet patrons! Guess how many “bookworms” there are to be
entered to win the whole jar.
Book Sale Flash Sale: This week only Hardcovers are $.50 a
piece and Paperbacks are $.25 each!
Building Adult Skills in Computing (B.A.S.I.C) (April 19th at 6:007:30 PM):
The Library will be hosting the Breaking Digital Barriers group on
Thursday, April 19 for those who have questions about their smartphones, tablets, iPads/iPhones, and laptops. Student tutors from
Michigan Tech will be available to walk you through any questions
you might have about your device. If you don’t have a device of
your own, but still have questions, the Library has computers and
tablets participants can use during the event.
We also want to remind everybody that the library still subscribes
to Ancestry.com, but only until this July. If you want to use it, pop
on in and give it a try!
For more information about these, or any other library events, feel
free to call us at 353-8163. Hope to see you soon!
(5) Naanan
Tribal Social Services Establishes Foster Care Closet
In January of this year,
Tribal Social Services created
the Foster Care Closet. Tyler
Larson, Tribal Social Services
Director, said, “We thought of
this as an idea to have items
readily available in those emergency situations. Often times
we run into problems where
children will be removed and
parents refuse to send any
clothes with the children, or
they might not even have any
to offer. Some of the items
don’t fit, or are worn out beyond
repair. Other times, clothes
Tyler Larson, Tribal Social Services Director accepts a donation check from Melissa Treadeau,
KBOCC Student Government Treasurer.
may be exposed to hazardous material that we don’t want to take from
the home.
Our Foster Care Closet gives us an opportunity to have items immediately accessible to our workers at any time of the day or night. Typically, when kids enter foster care, there is a clothing allowance proKB Tribal Police “Fill The Truck” was a success. Above (left) Tyler
vided to the foster parents, but when a kid is sent with nothing, the
Larson, Tribal Social Services Director accepts the delivery from (right)
money can only be stretched so far. Foster parents get paid only a
Officer Jake Misegan.
small stipend per day to care for the kids. Having this closet established will allow us to get some of the
basics for them, and the parents can
OWENS GRADUATES BASIC
use the allowance and daily stipend to
MILITARY TRAINING
help supplement that.
The closet will also be used as a
Randy Steven Owens III graduated from
means for foster parents to exchange
BMT, (Basic Military Training), on March 9,
and replenish outgrown clothing for
2018, in Lackland, Texas. He is now an
the kids. We have a very limited
Airman in the United States Air Force
amount of foster homes, so we want
where he will continue his technical training
to be supportive in any way we can.
to become a member of the Air Force SeOn 02/02/18, the KBOCC student
curity Forces.
government conducted a bake sale/
Randy is a 2017 graduate of Baraga
clothing drive as a part of their volunHigh School. After graduation he worked
teering opportunities. They saw our
as a Police Cadet for the KBIC Tribal Porequest for donations and thought of
lice.
this as a great way to help. As a reRandy, a KBIC member, is the son of
sult of their event, the group donated a
Randy and Jami Owens and the brother of
check in the amount of $337.70 in adLeeah, Nico, and Maddan. He is the
dition to several boxes of clothing.
grandson of Donald Shalifoe Sr., Melissa
On 02/23/18, the Tribal Police DeKoepp, Randy Owens Sr., and Kimberly
partment held their Fill the Closet
Owens.
Event in an attempt to fill the trunk of a
police cruiser with donations to supKBIC Participates at the 25th Annual “Learning To Walk Together” Powwow
port the Foster Care Closet. In no
time, the police car was filled, and
they had to upgrade to their Tahoe in
order to fit all of the donations for the
event. This was much more than anyone anticipated. In addition to the
clothing donations, the police also accepted multiple cash donations totaling $165.00.
The cash donations will be used as
a slush fund to help cover miscellaneous costs to develop the closet and to
simply have cash available for emergency situations that the department
handles after regular business hours.
The Department also extends a
special thank you to all of the community members who donated, including
the staff at BCMH who held a clothing
drive for the closet, and Gene Mensch
who donated a washer and dryer.
We are very appreciative of all the
support we have received in establishPicture by Lauri Denomie.
ing this closet and hope this will be a
Northern Michigan University’s Native American Student Association Powwow is an event valuable resource for the community.
held in early spring. Many KBIC community members participated in the event held Saturday, We are not accepting any further doMarch 24, 2018, at the Marquette National Guard Armory. Pictured above are: (left) Donald nations as we will take this time to orChosa, Jr. (Head Male Dancer), Karlene Chosa (Head Female Dancer), and (back) Bnaaswi ganize and go through everything we
Biiaaswah (Head Veteran Dancer), the Wiikwedong Ogichidaa Society (KBIC Honor Guard), have received thus far.”
and fellow Veterans.
The event was well attended with three drums providing drumming and songs. Co-host
drums were Four Thunders and Sturgeon Bay. Joe Medicine and Mitch Bolo emceed the
event.
~ by Lauri Denomie, Newsletter Editor.
(6) Ningodwaaswi
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.
(7) Niizhwaaswi
TRIBAL COURT
CRIMINAL SENTENCES
The Tribal Court has agreed to comply with the
request of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s CEO’s office to publish criminal sentencing
on a routine basis.
John LaFernier, case #18-004, §3.1706, Controlled substance – 1st offense
Sentencing on 02/21/2018, #18-004, §3.1706:
1. One-hundred-eighty days jail, 90 days jail to be served, 90 days suspended
pending successful completion of all terms of probation. Defendant shall be financially responsible for the costs of lodging and any expenses incurred while
incarcerated.
Paquin, David, case #17-203, §5.6, Duty to report accidents forthwith – 1st
offense
Sentencing on 02/21/2018, #17-203, §5.6:
1. Fine $100.00.
2. Defendant shall pay restitution in the amount of $1,571.83 for the Baraga Telephone Company, which shall be paid to the KBIC Tribal Court for processing.
3. Ninety days jail, 15 days to be served, 75 days shall be suspended pending successful completion of all terms of probation. Defendant shall be financially responsible for the costs of lodging and any expenses incurred while incarcerated.
4. If the Defendant can provide proof of wage garnishment, the Court will consider
suspending his jail days to be served to commence at the end of the winter season.
5. Twelve months standard alcohol and drug restricted probation with a $10.00
monthly fee. Defendant shall be financially responsible for the costs of PBT and
drug testing, if any.
3.
4.
tion of all terms of probation. Defendant shall be financially responsible for the
costs of lodging and any expenses incurred while incarcerated.
Three to six months standard alcohol and drug restricted probation with the
$10.00 monthly fee. Defendant shall be financially responsible for the costs of
drug and PBT testing, if any.
The Defendant shall submit to a baseline drug test today.
Friisvall, Dale, case #18-021, §5.61, Penalties: Driver’s license required – 1st
offense
Sentencing on 03/12/2018, #18-021, §5.61:
1. Fine $100.00.
2. Ninety days jail, credit for one day served, two days (16-hours) community service in lieu of two days jail, 87 days to be suspending pending successful of all
terms of probation. Defendant shall be financially responsible for the costs of
lodging and any expenses incurred while incarcerated. A Remedial Order is
ordered in this matter. Every time the Defendant is caught driving, he shall do 30
days in jail automatically.
3. Three to six months standard alcohol and drug restricted probation with the
$10.00 monthly fee. Defendant shall be financially responsible for the costs of
drug and PBT testing, if any.
4. Defendant shall report one time a month to the probation office, and at any other
time as instructed by the probation office and the Sentry Call-in System.
Paquin, David, case #17-204, §16.515, Improper use of plates – 1st offense
Sentencing on 02/21/2018, #17-204, §16.515:
1. Fine $125.00.
2. Thirty days jail, 30 days to be served. Defendant shall be financially responsible
for the costs of lodging and any expenses incurred while incarcerated. Jail time is
concurrent with #17-203.
3. If the Defendant can provide proof of wage garnishment, the Court will consider
suspending his jail days to be served to commence at the end of the winter season. (Concurrent)
4. Twelve months standard alcohol and drug restricted probation with a $10.00
monthly fee. Defendant shall be financially responsible for the costs of PBT and
drug testing, if any. (Concurrent).
DeCota, Nora, case #17-062NR, §10.412, Special fishing provisions: Pricket
Dam – 1st offense
Sentencing on 03/07/2018, #17-062RN, §10.412:
1. Fine $100.00.
2. Defendant is financially responsible for the costs of lodging, random drug and
alcohol testing, if any.
3. Three to six months standard alcohol and drug restricted probation with the
$10.00 monthly fee.
4. The Defendant shall report once per month to the Probation Office.
5. The Defendant shall review the Community’s Title Ten Hunting, Fishing, and
Trapping Code for fishing restrictions and prepare a two-four page typed report
summarizing why there are fishing restrictions for Prickett Dam Spillway and two
other local bodies of water of her choosing.
6. The Defendant shall submit to a baseline drug test today.
Friisvall, Dale, case #18-020, §5.15, OUIL – 1st offense
Sentencing on 03/12/2018, #18-020, §5.15:
1. Fine $500.00.
2. Forty-five days jail, 45 days jail shall be suspended pending successful comple-
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa
Community College has the
following employment opportunities:
~ Adjunct Math Instructor – Fall 2018
~ Adjunct Culinary Arts Instructor – Fall 2018
~ On-Call Child Care Provider – ASAP!
Job descriptions and applications are available
at: www.kbocc.edu or for more information, call
Jody Joki at (906) 524-8412.
Now Hiring — KBIC Tobacco Company, LLC
Positions Announcement — KBIC Members Only!
Manufacturing Cigarette Packing Team Member,
closes April 9, 2018, 4 p.m.
Tobacco Manufacturing Maker and Material Handler, closed April 9, 2018, 4 p.m.
Part-Time, dependant on duration on manufacturing
session; $11 — $13 an hour, depending on experience.
Application can be obtained by contacting: Debbie Picciano, TERO Officer, 16429 Bear Town Road, Baraga,
MI 49908 or calling (906) 353 – 4715, or e-mailing:
tero@kbic-nsn.gov.
(8) Ishwaaswi
FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM ON
INDIAN RESERVATIONS (FDPIR)
FY 2018 NET MONTHLY INCOME STANDARDS*
(Effective Oct. 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2018)
Francis C. Darcy
(July 10, 1953—March 15, 2018)
Francis C. Darcy, age 64, of Baraga, MI,
passed away unexpectedly at his home on
Thursday, March 15, 2018. He was born in
Hancock, MI, on July 10, 1953, the son of
the late Ellsworth “Sonny” and Eleanor
“Stubby” (Rabideaux) Darcy. Francis was a
Baraga High School graduate. He proudly
served in the US Navy. Francis married the
former Shirley Hinkson in Bellefortain, Ohio,
on March 11, 1993. He retired from the
auto industry where he had been employed
as a fork lift operator. Francis was a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, the Ojibwa Senior Citizens, Baraga
American Legion Post 444, Wiikwedong
Ogichidaa (KBIC Honor Guard), and had
been an original member of the Drum and
Bugle Corp. His greatest passion was music and had played drums, guitar, and the
piano. He enjoyed traveling, including going
to his niece’s buffalo ranch, going on sideby-side rides, partying and taxiing around
anyone who needed a ride. He had driven
the van for Michigan Indian Elders Association for many years and will be remember
as the “Baraga County Clumsy Clown.”
Francis is survived by his wife: Shirley of
Ohio; son: Jared Darcy of North Dakota;
daughters: Stacy Colgin of Ontonagon and
Kassandra Tousignant of East Lansing; step
-children: Billy Jack Samuelson, Tom
Neeley, Bobbie Jo Anderson, and Roseann
Neeley; grandchildren: Henry, Connor, Nathan, and Marissa; brother: Thomas (Val)
Darcy of Baraga; and sisters: Barbara
Swartz of Baraga, Sandi (Boone) Pittsley of
Baraga, and Anne (Jim) Miller of Pelkie.
Numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins
also survive.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Vicki; his brother, Larry; his
brother-in-law, Clyde; and two step children:
Scott Neeley and Jeff Neeley.
Funeral services for Francis was held on
Monday, March 19, 2018, at the Reid Funeral Service and Chapel, L’Anse, Michigan, with Deacon John Deacon officiating.
Military honors, under the direction of the
Baraga American legion Post 444 was conducted at the funeral chapel prior to the services. Immediately following the funeral service, the family invited friends to join them
for fellowship and a luncheon at the Ojibwa
Senior Citizens Center, Baraga, MI. Spring
interment will take place in the Baraga
Cemetery. The Reid Funeral Service and
Chapel, of L’Anse, Michigan, assisted the
family.
A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Friday, March 23, 2018, at Holy
Name of Jesus Church, Assinins, MI, with
Father Corey Litzner, Celebrant. The family
greeted friends on the evening of Thursday,
March 22, 2018, at the Reid Funeral Serviced and Chapel, L’Anse, MI. Immediately
following the Mass, friends joined the family
for a fellowship and luncheon at the Ojibwa
Senior Citizens Center, Baraga, MI. A
spring interment will take place in the Evergreen Cemetery, L’Anse, MI. The Reid Funeral Service and Chapel, L’Anse, MI assisted the family.
NOTICE OF
COMMUNITY MEETINGS
The Constitution Committee will be holding Community Meetings regarding the
Amendment to the Constitution Article IX
Judicial Branch. KBIC Members are encouraged to attend one of the sessions.
May 15, 2018, at 5:00 pm
Bingo Hall, Baraga, MI
June 18, 2018, 5:00 p.m.
Zeba Community Hall, Zeba, MI
April 2018 Calendar
Apr. 1: Happy Easter!
Apr. 7: Saturday Council Meeting
at Big Bucks Bingo, Baraga, at 9
a.m.
*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
FDPIR Net
Monthly Income Standard
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
8
$3,444
+
$228
=
$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
Gloria A. Galer
(December 17, 1946—March 20, 2018)
Gloria A. Galer, age 71, of L’Anse, MI,
and formerly of Ontonagon, MI, passed
away Tuesday, March 20, 2018, at Bayside
Village, L’Anse, MI.
She was born in
Pontiac, MI, on December 17, 1946, the
daughter of the late Richard and Elizabeth
(Miller) Galer. Gloria graduated from Madison Heights High School in 1963. She had
worked as a waitress at the Chicago Steak
House in Dearborn, MI. Gloria was a member of Holy Name of Jesus Church, Assinins, MI, and the Keweenaw Bay Indian
Community. She enjoyed coloring, art work,
listening to music, and Tiger Baseball.
Gloria is survived by her loving family,
brothers: Robert Galer of L’Anse, and Foster Galer of Baraga; and sisters: Margaret
(Pete) MacDonald of Sun City West, AZ,
and Diane (Jim) Czech of Harper Woods,
MI. Numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive. She was preceded in
death by her parents, and sisters: Doreen
and Rosemary.
(9) Zhaangaswi
APRIL IS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH — “YOUR VOICE HAS POWER”
Embrace your voice
How you talk about sexual violence matters.
The things you say every day sends a message
about your beliefs and values.
When you stand up for survivors of sexual violence, you send a powerful message that you
believe and support them.
How you talk about sexual violence matters.
The things you say every day sends a message about your
beliefs and values. When you stand up for survivors of sexual
violence, you send a powerful message that you believe and
support them.
For example: “That commercial made me uncomfortable. I
don’t know exactly why, but I think everyone should be
treated with respect.” or, “I don’t think that’s true — I believe
people when they say that someone has hurt them.”
You can become an agent of change.
Our words shape the world around us.
Whether you are showing your support for a survivor or
helping someone better understand these issues, your
voice is powerful and necessary in this conversation.
© 2017 National Sexual Violence Resource Center. All Rights
Reserved.
www.nsvrc.org/saam
How Your Words Affect Others
Sasquatch Returns to the L’Anse
Township Park for the 5th Year!
Chances are someone you know is a survivor of sexual
violence. They might not have told anyone out of fear of
being blamed or judged.
If someone in your life is considering sharing something
personal with you, they are likely listening to your opinions or attitudes for clues on how you will respond.
A comment or joke based on assumptions or stereotypes
might not seem like a big deal, but it could make someone
feel unsafe about sharing personal or painful things with
you.
For example: “I could never tell her what happened to me.
She said if victims of sexual assault don’t go to the police,
then it wasn’t serious.”
What can you do?
Don’t wait for a critical moment to say the right things.
The words you choose every day communicate your values.
When you hear comments that blame victims or make light
of sexual violence, speak up so others know you don’t
agree.
Even if you don’t have a perfect response, this shows you do
not believe in stereotypes, you believe survivors, and you’re a
safe person to talk to.
Baraga County Trails in Motion! A group of local volunteers
dedicated to promoting all-season recreation in Baraga County
created a fun and unusual event on Cathy’s Path and Soup’s Loop
in L’Anse Township’s Curwood Park. Some of these volunteers
included workers from the KBIC’s NRD such as Evelyn Ravindran,
Karena Schmidt, Alan DesRochers, Keith Denomie, William Genschow, Robert Genschow, Christian Hebert, and Ti’ia Friisvall.
This event happened Saturday, February 24, 2018, at 4:30
p.m. A bonfire, refreshments, and the return of Bigfoot were all
parts of the mid-winter festivities. Fifty to seventy-five people
Brought to you by: KBIC OVW, 24/7 Crisis Line, 353-4599
came to enjoy the fun on the warm February evening. This was the fifth year of the popular event.
There were three Bigfoots on hand for a photo opportunity. In addition, there was a drawing for two
sets of snowshoes—Tubbs 30-inch shoes, one of
which was donated by Indian Country Sports. Admission was free. There was also a donation box
for non-perishable food items and hygiene products. The community donated 17 bags of goods
and $50 for the needy in Baraga County. Donated
goods were sent to St. Vincent de Paul in L’Anse.
In addition to the non-motorized trail opportunities
in L’Anse’s Curwood Park, there is a large trail system in Baraga near the Ojibwa Campground, with
over two miles of beach trails to enjoy! Sights to
see are more than beautiful sandy beaches, fitness
stations, and a garden full of pollinator friendly native plants with interpretive signs.
BCTM members extend thanks to L’Anse
Township and the many volunteers from all over
the community who help make possible these
beautiful all season, non-motorized trails. For
more information , call the Baraga County Convention and Visitors Bureau at (906) 524-7444, or go
to Baraga County Trails in Motion on Facebook.
BIA SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE
The deadline to apply for a BIA Scholarship
for the 2018-19 academic year is May 1,
2018.
Applicants must be enrolled KBIC members,
legal residents of Michigan attending a two or
four year accredited Michigan college in pursuit of a two or four year degree and must
complete the FAFSA (Free Application for
Federal Student Aid).
Applications are available from the Education
Office, Keweenaw Bay Tribal Center, 16429
Beartown Rd. Baraga MI 49908.
For more information, please contact Amy St.
Arnold, Education Director at 906-353-4117 or
amy@KBIC-nsn.gov.
(10) Midaaswi
KBIC Natural Resource Staff Present at Native Species Symposium - Targeting Gardeners
Evelyn Ravindran, Hatchery and Nursery Manager (above), and
Karena Schmidt, Ecologist, for the KBIC Natural Resources Department
(below) were invited speakers at a Native Plants Symposium that took
place on March 17th. Members of the Keweenaw Garden Club, Wild
Ones, and the Keweenaw Land Trust were all involved in hosting this
event that took place in the Carnegie Museum in Houghton, Michigan.
Financial donations from Copper Country Audubon and Hancock Public
Schools Foundation helped to fund the symposium.
Together Evelyn and Karena gave the opening presentation, “Shaping
Enduring Relationships: Lessons from Native Plants and their Pollinators” to an audience of over 50 people. Evelyn gave insights about the
people of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and shared some of our
migration story. She spoke of our respect for Grandfather Birch and
Grandmother Cedar, and when we are with them in the forest, we are
with our family and safe. Our relatives, Birch and Cedar, can give us everything we need to survive. Part of the vision of the Natural Resources
Departments as stated in the Integrated Resource Management Plan is to
“Live in harmony while enhancing the resources of the KBIC for the Seventh Generation.” In accord with this, Evelyn spoke of how KBIC members practice the principles of the Honorable Harvest and Reciprocity
when we are out gathering plants. These principles include:
Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so you can care for
them;
Introduce yourself, be accountable;
Ask permission and abide by the answer;
Never take the first or the last;
Take only what you need;
Take only what is given;
Never take more than half;
Harvest in way to minimize harm;
Use it respectfully;
Share;
Give thanks for what you have been given. (Allegiance of Thankfulness);
Give a gift in reciprocity for what you have taken;
Sustain the ones who sustain you, and the earth will last forever.
Briefly, she touched on Manoomin, the good berry, and our relationship with wild rice. Insights on sweet grass, cedar, sage, and tobacco,
the four sacred plants, which are medicines for all the people were
shared. After giving this foundational information she spoke of some of
the long-term plants projects that are being carried out by the Natural Resources Department that include the native plants restoration at Sand
Point, The Forest Recovery Project, which involves the removal of invasive Japanese barberry and replacing those with medicine plants. Our
garden projects on Brewery Road include a seed orchard and pollinator
plots that provide us with locally grown seed sources for our restoration
projects. Also at Brewery Road are the elements of our Food Sovereignty
Projects which include the People’s Garden, which makes available for
KBIC members garden plots to grow their own vegetables, a hoop house
which extends the growing season for strawberries and raspberries, a
small fruits (blueberry) and fruit tree orchard, and beehives to provide
housing for pollinating insects required by the fruit trees and other plants.
Following Evelyn’s presentation, Karena spoke of how very important
insects are to the success of the many plant’s projects. She learned from
an elder that insects are known as the Manidoosheg, or little spirits. Without the Manidoosheg the flowers would produce no seed, the fruit trees
would bear no fruit, the hives would have no honey. To more fully appreciate all the many services insects provide is so important. In turn, there
are many actions gardeners can take to express gratitude for insects.
Here are some ideas offered:
Use plants that are rich in nectar and pollen;
Use a diverse range of plants that bloom at different times of the
growing season;
Use specific host plants that serve as larval food for the caterpillar
stage of butterflies;
Include some native plants in the landscape that have a natural relationship with native pollinators;
Consider leaving a small patch of flowering non-invasive weeds to
create;
Supply a source of water for butterflies, beneficial insects, and some
bee species – (small dish with damp sand or pebbles and water);
Supply and/or protect nesting and hibernation sites -- patches of bare
earth for soil dwelling bees, hollow stems or tubes for cavity dwelling
bees, leaf litter, and small brush piles for butterflies;
Avoid the use of chemical pesticides. Instead, to control pests, use
cultural and mechanical techniques, and encourage the pest's natural
enemies in the garden.
Karena also gave tips on helping to distinguish between bees, wasps,
and flies, and details on providing habitat for different sorts of bees. Bumblebees are unique in that they “buzz pollinate” flowers, something they
alone are capable of. To buzz pollinate, a bee approaches a flower and
is able to disengage its flight wings and then vibrate its body. The resulting vibrations shake the pollen loose from the flowers and accumulate on
the bees’ legs. They then visit another flower, and the pollen is successfully transferred from one blossom to another. Blueberry blossoms, tomatoes, and tobacco depend on the beneficial bumblebees to buzz pollinate
them. A beautiful aspect of the blueberry blossom is that it faces downward so that when it is receiving the “buzz pollination” treatment the bumblebee is beneath the blossom and out of view of a potential predator. In
a sense, the blueberry blossom is protecting its pollinator.
Evelyn and Karena concluded their talk with several take home messages including:
Our First Treaty is with the Plant Nation, and we must respect and
honor the whole nation of plants;
Some plants are more commonly used, yet ALL are important;
We don’t have to justify why all plants are important; they just are;
We may not yet have received the teachings on their significance;
As humans, we do not know what all the nations need; therefore, we
must dedicate ourselves to protect biodiversity, pristine environments,
and high quality habitat;
Need to practice reciprocity toward ancestors and 7th generation;
People, the world over, may need our plants for healing, and we must
safe-guard them;
Life is all about relationships and building relationships takes time to
feel acceptance -- through a gradual adoption of plants a purpose
becomes recognized.
Their presentation was well received and followed by Research Assistant Professor Sigrid Resh of Michigan Tech, who spoke on “Avoiding
Invasives—Beautiful or Not”. The Natural Resources Department has
worked with Sigrid in previous summers to control several weed species
of concern including Japanese Knotweed, garlic mustard, and Japanese
barberry.
In addition, three local gardeners—Liz Gerson, Marcia Goodrich, and
Valorie Troesch—told of their experiences gardening with native plants.
They are all knowledgeable gardeners and shared their stories and advice for creating beautiful, nature-friendly gardens. They gave information
on rain gardens, garden design, and plant selections that work well in our
region.
The keynote speaker was Neil Diboll, a pioneer in the native plant industry and recognized internationally as an expert in native plant community ecology. He has guided the growth of Prairie Nursery, a wildflower
seed company in Wisconsin, for 30 years. He is enthusiastic about the
propagation of native plants and their promotion as uniquely beautiful,
ecologically beneficial, and sustainable solutions for landscapes and gardens.
Please be welcome to call Evelyn or Karena at the Natural Resources
Department if you are interested in learning more about the work we do
with plants or would like to sign up for a garden plot at the Brewery Road
People’s Garden this summer.
KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY
OFFICE OF VETERAN AFFAIRS
Rodney Loonsfoot, Tribal Council/Tribal Veteran
Service Officer
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
16347 Ojibwa Industrial Park Rd, Baraga, Michigan 49908
veteranaffairs@kbic-nsn.gov
(906) 353-VETS Office (906) 201-4448 Cell
OFFICE HOURS; Mon, Tues, Wed, 9 am —12 pm
PLEASE CALL TO SCHEDULE
INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENT
Wiikwedong Ogichidaa Society Monthly upcoming meetings, held at 6:00 pm — April 16, May 16, June 20, July
18, August 15, and September 19. Meetings are subject
to change. Special meetings for Powwows/funerals will be
announced.
(11) Ashi bezhig
Help Name the NRD Research Vessel
KBIC Natural Resources Depart is looking for
your help in the naming our new research vessel.
The vessel is currently being built to our specifications and will be ready for delivery by summer!
We are looking to the community for ideas for a
name for our new vessel. Send us your suggestions by May 1st.
Please call or E-mail Lori Ann Sherman with suggestions:
E-mail: loriann@kbic-nsn.gov
or,
Phone: 906-524-5757
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
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.