Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2003-10-24

              INDEX
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY 2
NEWS BRIEFS 3
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS 4
CLASSIFIEDS 7
Tennessee final stop
for famed explorer
Meriwether Lewis
page 5
Interior secretary
disappointed with every
cost increase
page 3
Lumbee housing
rehab program
faulted for poor work
on home
page 3
Circle of Nations Indian
Association presents
author, activist Wllma
Mankiller
page 3
Is Leech Lake's
Shingobee Casino/
Housing Project realistic
or an act of re-election
desparation?
page 4
Pennies on the dollar: The Campbell solution to Cobell
By Jean Pagano
Senate Indian Affairs Committee chairperson Senator Ben
Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO)
has introduced new legislation
to setde the 7-year-old Cobell v.
Secretary of Interior lawsuit for
pennies on die dollar. The Indian
Money Accounts Claims Satisfaction Act of 2003 (IMACSA)
seeks to bring closure to the
multi-billion dollar Cobell case
for $40 million.
As recently as June of 2003,
Campbell and Indian Affairs
vice-chairperson Senator Daniel
Inouye (D-HJ) both supported
tlie appointment of a federal mediator to resolve die 7-year-old
litigation. Yet on Tuesday, Campbell introduced die new legislation in order to "get money into
die hands of Indians." Tlie plaintiffs in die Cobell case claim diat
over SI00 billion may be lost,
stolen, or otherwise unaccounted
for while die Department of Interior cannot account for $13 billion diat has passed dirough the
Individual Indian Money (IIM)
account system. The $40 million
figure is about 3/10s of 1% of
tlie unaccounted-for $13 billion.
IMACSA would create the
Indian Money Account Satisfaction Task Force that would be
chartered widi determining the
balances in IIM accounts. The
9 members of the Task Force
would be professionals culled
from various fields with expertise germane to the task of deciding what the balances are on die
tiiousands of IIM accounts.
Account holders would have
three choices concerning die Cobell litigation. The account holder could accept tlie Task Force
recommendation and receive die
money that was calculated to be
adequate for die given account.
The account holder can also
challenge die Task Force recommendation before die 5-member
Indian Money Claims Tribunal,'
a group of individuals appointed
by the Attorney General. The
account holder can also decide
to stay widi the current litigation
and continue forward, In any
case, IMACSA will probably allow for die quickest setdement
of individual cases, but may
come with the lowest payout of
die three.
On Friday, U. S. Representatives J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) and
Dale Kildee (D-MJ) wrote a letter to House Appropriation Committee, Subcommittee on Interior
Chairperson Charles Taylor (R-
NC) and Ranking Member Norman Dicks (D-WA), asking diem
not to include language in die
Interior funding bdl for 2004 diat
would eidier limit the full historical accounting of IIM accounts
or diminish the rights of Indian
Trust beneficiaries. Hayworth
and Kildee are co-chairs of the
Congressional Native American
Caucus.
Judge Royce C. Lamberth
recendy ruled at die conclusion of die Phase 1.5 Uial diat
die Department of the Interior
must complete a full historical
accounting of IIMs and diat die
process need be done in 7 years.
Interior has estimated diat the
cost of diis historical account
will be roughly $6 billion. Hayworth and Kildee stressed diat 7
years is a long time for a court
RED LAKE to page 7
St. Paul hosts Indigenous Language Symposium
By Maxine V. Eidsvig
In response to the native communities concerns about the rate
of language loss and die need
for action to recover die loss, die
Department of American
Indian Studies at die University
of Mimiesota, in co-sponsorship
with The Grotto Foundation,
conducted a language symposium on October 16 & 17,
2003.  The symposium was held
at die Holiday Inn, located at
Interstate 94 and McKnight
Road, in St Paul. The symposium was well received by die
approximately 150-200 people in
attendance.
In order to promote support for
Minnesota's indigenous languages and to address the challenges
in Native language revitalization,
die Symposium focused on four
key objectives: (1) To present
cutting-edge Native language
research, modalities, expertise and resources to die
Mnnesota Native language
community. (2) To provide an
opportunty for Minnesota Native language activists, experts,
flinders and supporters to fonn
lasting partnerships, and connect
widi those at a regional and
national level. (3) To provide a
venue for dialogue and sharing
of information, technique and
resources within, and across
Dakota and Ojibwe speaking
communities, (4) To promote
die Minnesota Native language
efforts to new and interested
grantmakers, institutions, academic disciplines, tribal representatives mid communities.
Helen Blue, chairperson from
the Upper Sioux Dakota Community, Granite Falls, MN and
Robert Peacock, chairperson
SYMPOSIUM to page 5
Heffelfinger urges Minnesota tribes to help in
homeland security
Associated Press
Granite Falls, Minn. - With
reservations bordering Canada,
Lake Superior and a nuclear
plant, U.S. Attorney Thomas
Heffelfinger urged each of die
state's 11 tribal leaders Tuesday
to join a task force on homeland
security.
Heffelfinger also asked for
tribal collaboration in gaming
regulation and fighting a "dramatic rise" in gang activity on
reservations and die rest of Minnesota.
"When we work togedier,
we're exu-aordinarily effective,"
he told the Minnesota indian Affairs Council, who gathered at
die Upper Sioux reservation.
Heffelfinger said Indian
Country plays a significant role
in homeland security from die
Prairie Island Indian Community
that neighbors a nuclear plant to
the Red Lake Band of Chippewa
in the northemest point of Mnnesota and die continental United
States.
"My reason for coming here
today on tins issue is to seek die
participation of all of Minnesota's eleven tribes in homeland security pi aiming and preparation,"
he said.
Heffelfinger called on each
band to serve on an advisory
council. He also expressed support toward amending die Homeland Security Act to put tribes on
the same level as state governments, allowing them to receive
funds direcdy from the federal
government.
SECURITY to page 5
Red Lake man indicted with murder
Minneapolis - A 20-year-old
Red Lake man allegedly involved in a July 2,2002 shooting that left one man dead was
indicted today by a federal
grand jury with murder and is
facing life in prison.
Arlen "Oatse" Jourdain, age
20, from Ret! Lake, was charged
widi conspiracy, murder, aggravated assault, and use of a
firearm in relation to a crime of
violence.
The grand jury alleged in the
indictment that Jourdain and
his co-conspirators solicited a
minor to shoot another person
and drove into the Back of
Town area with a loaded .22
caliber rifle. Jourdain was in a
vehicle that stopped next to the
victim who was walking along
the road. Two conspirators got
out of die car and allegedly fired
four shorts with the .22 caliber
rifle. Tlie victim died.
According to the indictment,
in an attempt to conceal evidence from law enforcement,
Jourdain and his co-conspirators
hid die rifle and die vehicle.
If convicted, Jourdain faces
a maximum potential penalty
of five years in prison and'or a
$250,000 fine for conspiracy,
up to life in prison and'or a
$250,000 fine for murder, up
to ten years in prison and/or a
$250,000 fine for aggravated assault, and a ten year consecutive
sentence for use of a firearm in
relation to a crime of violence.
Any sentence would be determined by a judge based on federal sentencing guidelines.
The case is the result of an
investigation by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and Red
Lake Law Enforcement.   Assistant United States Attorney John
Marti is prosecuting die case.
Grand jury indicted Redlaker with assaulting a woman
Mnneapolis - A 23-year-old
Red Lake man was indicted by
a federal grand jury for allegedly assaulting anodier member
of die Red Lake Tribe. Conrad
J. Smidi was charged widi four
counts of assaidt resulting in serious bodily injury.
The grand jury alleged in the
indictment that on four separate
occasions Smidi allegedly assaulted the same woman result
ing in serious bodily injury to
the victim, including cigarette
burns on die inside of die left eye
socket, multiple contusions on
die victim's face, fractured ribs,
and lacerations on die neck, right
ear, and nose. The assaults occurred over a period of time from
November 2002 to August 2003.
If convicted, Smith faces a
maximum potential penalty
of ten years in prison and/or a
$250,000 fine on each of the four
counts of die indictment. Any
sentence would be determined
by a judge based on die federal
sentencing guidelines.
The case is the result of an
investigation by die Federal
Bureau of Investigation and Red
Lake Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney
Tricia Tingle is prosecuting the
case.
Two tribes file suit against U.S. Interior and its secretary
Associated Press
The Lac du Flambeau and
Bad River Chippewa tribes of
Wisconsin have filed a federal
lawsuit claiming die Ho-Chunk
Nation's compact unfairly protects the Ho-Chunk from casino
competition.
They are suing U.S. Interior
Secretary Gale Norton and her
department for approving die
Ho-Chunk compact last June
with what diey informally refer
to as a "no-compete" clause.
The clause says die Ho-Chunk
would get a break in its state
casino payment if anodier tribe
won approval for an off-reservation casino diat would substantially eat into business at any
existing Ho-Chunk casino.
No odier tribe in Wisconsin
has such a provision in its compact. The suit asks that die clause
be declared invalid.
The suit, filed Friday, alleges
diat by approving the Ho-Chunk
deal, Norton violated several
provisions of federal law, including "unlawfully allowing one
tribe to interfere with anodier
tribe's efforts" and giving Ho-
Chunk a "right to be free from
economic competition."
No one could be reached for
comment at the Ho-Chunk tribe
Saturday. Messages left at the
Department of Interior were not
immediately returned Saturday.
Bad River Tribal Chairman
Eugene Bigboy Sr. said die lawsuit was "about not allowing
one Indian Uibe to succeed at die
expense of all die odier tribes."
The Chippewa tribes fear diat
dieir hopes for new off-reservation casinos could be quashed by
die Ho-Chunk clause.
Tlie Lac du Flambeau tribe is
seeking approval for an off-reservation casino in Shiulsbiug in
soudiwestem Wisconsin, and die
Bad River tribe wants to put an
off-reservation casino in Beloit.
The Ho-Chunk uibe has full
casinos in Lake Delton, Black
River Falls and Nekoosa; five
mini-marts widi slot machines in
other locations; and a Madison
bingo hall.
The reduction hi die Ho-
Chunk casino payment to die
state - $30 million for each of the
next two years - would be equal
to financial damage from a competing casino, according to the
Ho-Chunk compact. And if die
damage was greater dian die Ho-
Chunk payment, die state would
have to make up die difference,
according to die pact.
Efforts by tlie I .ac du Flambeau and Bad River Chippewa
to negotiate a compromise widi
die Ho-Chunk failed, said Kevin
Osterbauer, die Bad River tribal
attorney, prompting die lawsuit.
VOICE      OF      THE      PEOPLE
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Founded in 1988
Volume 16 Issue 19
October 24, 2003
David Anderson appears before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003,
on his nomination to be Assistant Secretary of Interior for Indian Affairs. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)
Senate panel approves Dave Anderson for BIA post
By Frederic J. Frommer
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Senate Indian Affairs Committee
approved the founder of Famous Dave's barbecue restaurant chain to head die Bureau
of Indian Affairs, paving die
way for a vote in die full Senate within the next few days.
Dave Anderson of Edina,
Minn., won unanimous support from die committee
Wednesday. Senators were
clearly impressed widi his rise
from poverty and alcoholism
to business success and community involvement.
"It doesn't matter where
you've been," Anderson told
die committee, after beginning his testimony widi a
prayer. "It doesn't matter
what you've been through."
Anderson's connection to
friend and fonner business
partner Lyle Berman, who has
several big casino projects
awaiting BIA approval, came
up only briefly in the hearing.
"I would recuse myself from
any decision," Anderson told the
committee chainnan, Sen. Ben
Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo.
Anderson and Bemian founded Grand Casinos Inc., in 1991,
and Anderson left die company
in 1996 to launch his barbecue
chain. He told die committee diat upon confirmation, he
would dispose of his slimes of
Park Place Entertainment Corp.,
die Las Vegas gaming company
made up of part of die old Grand
Casino Inc. and the old gaming
arm of Hilton Hotels Corp.
Anderson told reporters later
diat he would step down as
chainnan of Famous Dave's,
which has nearly 90 restaurants
across die country. He said he
would retain his ownership stake
in the chain, however.
Anderson, 50, is a member
of the Chippewa and Choctaw
tribes and spent some time living on die Lac Courte Oreilles
reservation in northern Wiscon
sin.
Paid Moorhead, chief counsel
to die committee, said he expected Anderson's nomination
to come before the full Senate
at die end of this week or early
next week. If approved, .Anderson would become Assistant
Secretary of die Department of
Interior for Indian Affairs.
The Interior Department has
been ensnarled in litigation over
mismanagement of a multibil-
lion-dollar trust fund for American Indians.
Anderson did not offer airy
specifics on resolving that issue
or odiers plaguing die Bureau of
Indian Affairs, but said he was
optimistic he could turn tilings
mound for Indians.
"The one tiling I do hope to
bring to this administration is
a positive, can-do attitude," he
told reporters. "I really believe
that as Indian people, we need to
have positive attitudes, and diat
BIA to page 5
Famous Dave's BBQ Shacks went public in 1996
Editor's note: Article originally published in Native American Press, October 1996
By Julie Shortridge
Dave Anderson, one of the
founders of Grand Casinos,
Inc. and diird largest investor
in the successful Rainforest Cafes, brought his latest
business venture to die stock
market last week. It's one of
die only Indian owned and
developed businesses to ever
sell stock on Wall Street, if
not the only one.
Famous Dave's BBQ Shacks
went public Monday, October
21, [1996J meaning people
can now buy stock (or part
ownership) in die business.
During the first couple of
weeks of trading, Famous
Dave's raised over S15 mil
lion, which the company will
use to finance the opening of
new restaurants. Dave will remain die largest shareholder in
the business.
There are currendy four Famous Dave's restaurants, which
have all opened in die past
year and a half - die original
restaurant/lodge in Hayward,
Wisconsin, two roadhouse BBQ
shacks in Linden Hills (Mpls)
and includes an in-house all-star
blues band led by Big John
Dickerson. Famous Dave's plans
to open 10 more restaurants in
die Twin Cities and expand into
other cities by the end of next
year, including plans to open 36
restaurants in 1998 alone. I lis
vision is to turn his local success
into a national chain.
Dave Anderson is an ambition
man. He and his brother and sis
ter grew up hi Chicago where his
father, a full-blooded Choctaw,
was an electrician and his modier,
a 3/4 La Courte Oreilles Ojibwe,
worked for the Department of
Labor.
His father was an orphan, and
both Dave's parents were taken
away by die federal government
and put in boarding schools
where they were given the Scandinavian names of Johnson and
Anderson. But the Indian ties
could not be broker. Dave's
mother used to bring the kids
back to the La Courte Oreilles
reservation near Haward, Wisconsin every summer. His father
worked with many Black con-
struction workers and acquired a
taste for BBQ, which he passed
along to his son, by going to
Chicago BBQ shacks on lunch
DAVE to page 4