Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2004-09-03

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INDEX
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY 2
NEWS BRIEFS 3
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS 4
CLASSIFIEDS 7
Legislature readies
third attempt
at oversight
of compacts
page 3
Tribal PAC influence
at the Minnesota Capitol
page 6
Wolf Center, The Raptor
Center offer Hoot'n
Howling Weekend
Adventure
page 7
Dying of an
Indian stereotype
page 4
Not much
"new" in Indian
Health Report
page 4
U.S. Civil Rights Commission issues Draft Report on
Native American Health Care Systems
VOICE      OF      THE      PEOPLE
By Bill Lawrence
A new Civil Rights Commission report, Broken Promises:
Evaluating the Native American
Healtli Care System, is available online (at indianz.com)
in die form of a draft for the
Commissioners to review. It
states that a significant disparity
in health care exists for Native
Americans. That this disparity
is caused by the U.S. Government's failure to adequately
fund the Indian Health Service.
This constitutes a breach of faitii
on the part of the federal government since the tenns of treaties and legislation have obligated the government to provide
for the general welfare of Native
Americans as a consequence of
the taking of Indian lands.
This 140 plus paged report
is a follow up to the July 2003
A Quiet Crisis: Federal Funding and Unmet Needs in Indimi
Country. Tins report is similar
in that it reiterates the proposition that the federal govermnent
is obliged to provide health care
for Native Americans under
tnist agreements. The conclusions are similar in that the proposed solution for the problem
lies in Congress' appropriation
of more funds.
The Commission, from information gathered at public meetings, through interviews with
tribal members and representatives (including the Mille Lac
Band of Ojibwe), and responses
to questionnaires, identified
social and cultural barriers as
well as structural and financial
barriers affecting Indian health.
The report discusses proposed
legislative changes and makes
extensive recommendations
for improving the delivery and
quality of Native American
health services.
Among the social barriers to
Tribal PAC influence
at the Minnesota Capitol
Numbers as of 8/30/2004 Pre-Primary
Filing as reported by Tribal PAC reports filed
at Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public
Disclosure Board. Table compiled by
Minnesotans for Responsible Gaming
(IVINRG.org) and Citizens United for Baseball
in Minnesota (Extra-lnnings.org) 9/2004.
Go to page 6 for complete details.
good health in Chapter 2, the report identified patient behavior
and life style choices as major
contributors to the problem.
'Native Americans continue
to experience significant rates
of diabetes, mental health disorders, cardiovascular disease,
pneumonia, influenza and injuries. Specifically Native Americans are 770 percent more likely to die from alcoholism, 650
percent more likely to die from
tuberculosis, 420 percent more
likely to die from diabetes, 280
percent more likely to die from
accidents, and 52 percent more
likely to die from pneumoma
or influenza than the rest of the
United SUUes. . . populations."
(P-8)
Doctor Jon Perez, director
of Behavioral Health at Indian
Health Service, in testimony
before the Commission, stated
"that fully seven of the top 10
causes of the high morbidity
and mortality rates are 'directly
related to, or significantly affected by individual behavior
and lifestyle choices.' " (p.8)
"Native Americans have the
highest prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in the world and rates are
increasing at 'almost epidemic
proportions.' "  It is alanning to
read that even though Type 2 diabetes, "historically. . . has been
restricted to adults," the "incidence is rising faster among
Native American children and
young adults."   Dr. Perez as-
REPORT to page 4
TEC votes to uphold Constitution; Leech Lake RBC
refuses to comply, will not certify candidates
By Bill Lawrence
The Minnesota Chippewa
Tribal Executive Committee
held a Special Emergency meeting at ten a.m. Thursday, September 2 at the Palace Casino in
Cass Lake. The purpose of the
meeting was to discuss alleged
MCT Constitutional violations
on the part of the Leech Lake
Reservation Business Committee (LLRBC) in their refusal
to certify three candidates for
public office. The candidates
who were refused certification
are: Arthur "Archie" LaRose,
Alfred 'Tig" Pemberton and Jim
Michaud.
All twelve members (two
from each reservation) of the
TEC were present.   Approximately 200 persons attended the
hour and a half meeting. About
a dozen members of the audience spoke, many expressing
dissatisfaction and frastration
with the fact that tins issue had
been brought before the TEC
several times and no resolution
had been offered.
The three candidates spoke on
their own behalf; most of the
twelve TEC members also expressed dieir vjews. Discussion
centered around the eligibility
requirements of die MCT ConstiUition and Ordinance #9.
The three individuals were
denied certification based on
resolution (05-32) passed Au
gust 23, 2004, by the Leech
Lake RBC. The newly passed
ordinance added criteria that
eliminated candidates from
eligibility if they had ever been
convicted of a felony wliile in
office or were under investigation for alleged wrong doing
while in office. Further discussion concerned the inconsistency (hat ©pasts among the various'
Bands of Chippewa who belong
to the MCT. Some allow convicted felons to run for public
office; others do not.
The inconsistencies were
even more pronounced in the
White Earth Band wherein Dar-
rel "Chip" Wadena, who was
TEC to page 5
Minnesota School Report Cards Released:
Some Native schools not making
adequate progress
By Jean Pagano
The State of Minnesota released school report cards this
week, detailing whedier schools
were making adequate progress
toward the goals of No Child
Left Behind. Everf'school in
the State of Minnesota is graded
with a series of five star ratings
based on academic achievement,
opportunities, school safety, and
student participation. Schools
that do not perfonn to expectation in reading, writing, student
participation, and graduation are
deemed "Not Making Adequate
Yearly Progress" (AYP). Several
Native school districts were
found to be "Not Making Adequate Progress" in 2004.
Schools that are Not Making
AYP for two or more consecutive
years are deemed as "needing
improvement" under No Child
Left Behind (NCLB). These
schools are required to offer
supplemental services including
additional academic instmction,
such as tutoring, to help improve
students' perfonnance.
A number of districts with significant Native populations did
well in the evaluations and were
deemed as making Adequate
Yearly Progress. Tins group
includes the disuicts of Bemidji
and Dulutli. Deer River, which
was rated as Not Making AYP
did reach its percentages vis-avis Native sUidents, but fell short
widi Special Education students.
Scores for Native students in
Waubun were above the targeted
percentages, however the district
was rated as Not Making AYP
due to missed attendance rate
targets.
The districts of Cass Lake,
Cloquet, Mahnomen, Minneapolis, Red Lake, and Walker all
had schools diat had issues widi
Native students not making the
required percentages in either
reading, madiematics, or bodi.
There were issues widi Native
students in two of Cass Lake's
schools. Cass Lake Bena ALC
School was listed as Not Making
PROGESS to page 5
Anderson
pushes stern
message to
American
Indian students
Associated Press
LAWRENCE, Kan. - After
speaking at their graduation ceremony tins spring, LIS. Bureau
of Indian Affairs leader David
Anderson returned to Haskell
Indian Nations University tins
week to reminded students to
take control of their lives.
As for students planning to
party rather than study this semester?
vTm asking you to leave.
Now," Anderson said Tuesday,
pointing to the Haskell Memorial Stadium exit where about 300
students and faculty gadiered for
the speech.
Anderson, a motivational
speaker, was appointed by
President Bush to die top post of
the Bureau of Indian Affairs in
2003. The Chippewa and Choctaw tribe member and founder
of the "Famous Dave's" family
MESSAGE to page 5
Landscape is changing in Indian gambling
relationship with state
Associated Press
ST. PAUL(AP)_ Fifteen
years after Indians secured gambling compacts with the state,
big changes could be on die
way, judging by developments
in the past week.
Officials of die Leech Lake
Band of Ojibwe, an 8,600-mem-
ber tribe whose reservation is
near Bemidji, said on Friday
that it might join two other big
northern tribes in trying to establish a Twin Cities-area casino
to benefit the state and the diree
tribes.
And earlier in die week, die
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe expressed an interest in joint gambling ventures with die state.
The idea of a Twin Cities-
area casino had been opposed
previously by the Leech Lake
band. The two other bands who
backed die idea failed to make
much progress in die legislamre.
vvWe feel that this would benefit the state greatly and would
meet some serious social service
needs diat the northern tribes
have," said Michael Garbow, legal director for die Leech Lake
Band. He and George Goggleye,
the new tribal chairman, said
they are very close to announcing participation in die project.
In February, Gov. Tim
Pawlenty said die state, winch
does not tax Indian gambling,
needs a vv better deal" with
Minnesota's 11 tribes. Representatives of die governor have
had infonnal discussions with
tribal leaders this year, but have
reached no agreement.
But on Thursday, the Mille
Lacs Band, which operates successful casinos at Lake Mille
Lacs and Hinckley, suggested a
series of joint ventures widi the
state, including sports betting,
new casino games and even
financing a new stadium for die
Vikings or Twins.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the
proposal from Mille Lacs Chief
Executive Melanie Benjamin
was significant because it means
die state can talk widi one tribe
at a time, radier dian having to
deal with the complexity of a
multi-tribe pact.
vvSo we could find ourselves
where we are negotiating a
custom or unique deal with one
tribe and also simultaneously
negotiating a different deal with
STATE to page 6
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Volume 17 Issue 12
Septembers, 2004
Volunteers finish putting up the walls of a straw house on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Lame Deer, Mont., in this undated photo. Red Feather Development Group is a nonprofit founded by Robert Young, named in honor of his adopted grandmother, that builds efficient
and inexpensive homes made from straw to help ease housing shortages on Indian reservations.
(AP Photo/Baumhower.com)
House leaders weigh in on gambling developments
By Ashley H. Grant
Associated. Press
FALCON HEIGHTS,
Minn. - A proposal by die
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
to share casino profits with
die state in exchange for certain concessions will probably get a good reception
in the stale House, at least
initially.
The Republican and DFL
leaders of die House said
at a debate Wednesday that
die Mille Lacs proposal, and
a related one by die Leech
Lake Band of Ojibwe, were
positive signs in die long
ninning dispute over whedier to expand gambling in die
state.
vTt sounds like die ice is
being broken," House Minority Leader Matt Entenza,
a DFLer, said during a debate withJRepublican House
Speaker Steve Sviggum at
the Minnesota State Fair.
However, die two men differed on what should happen
next.
Mille Lacs Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin
publicly suggested die uibe
could share some revenues
widi the state in exchange for   .
more games and simulcast horse
racing at the Grand Casino
Hinckley and Grand Casino
Mile Lacs. But she stressed that
the Mille Lacs Band won't agree
to reopen existing compacts or
agree to reduce gambling revenues the tribe now uses for its
members' needs.
The Leech Lake Band floated
the idea of perhaps joining two
odier northern Uibes in trying
to establish a Twin Cities-area
casino to benefit die state and die
Uibes.
Sviggum said he thought
there should be some competition for the tribes, but added
that he might be open to giving
tribes exclusive rights to operate
casinos and expand gambling
_ if they shared revenues from
new and existing games with the
state.
Sviggum said offering some
profits from new games to die
state may not be enough to get
lus support.
vvThat does not address die
inequity out diere diat exists already," he said.
He said die tribes would need
to offer dievv right amount of
resources." Asked if that meant
hundreds of millions of dollars,
he said yes.vv Obviously, I would
be talking in diose types of
terms."
Sviggum said he agreed with
Gov. Tim Pawlenty that Benjamin's suggestion that part of the
money go toward stadiums didn't
jibe widi his priorities, winch
would include education.
Because tribes are sovereign
governments, states can't tax
diem. However, tribes are increasingly signing long-term
agreements diat send more money to state coffers in exchange for
permission to add games.
In Wisconsin, the 11 Uibes
diat have compacts with die state
recendy were allowed to expand
the number of games they offer
to include games such as craps
and roulette in exchange for more
dian $1 billion over die next
decade. A court decision lias put
diose in limbo, however.
In Minnesota, compacts were
signed about 15 years ago and
didn't include revenue sharing with the state or an expiration date. The suite gets about
$150,000 per year collectively
from all 11 Uibes - money dedi- .
LEADERS to page 3
Former tribal
finance director
pleads not guilty
Associated Press
BILLINGS,Mont.-A
fonner Crow tribal finance
director already convicted
in a kickback scheme pleaded not guilty Tuesday to
two indictments involving
stolen tribal money.
The charges allege the
money was stolen to pay
for the legal defense of a
fonner tribal chainnan in a
briberv case.
Kelly D. Passes, 37, of
Crow Agency, is charged
with conspiracy to defraud
the tribe, dieft from a tribal
organization and obstruction of justice. Elliot Mountain Sheep, 36, also of Crow
Agency, is a co-defendant
in the conspiracy and dieft
charges and also pleaded
not guilty Tuesday.
Passes and Mountain
Sheep conspired widi former Chainnan Clifford
Birdinground to steal tribal
money to pay for Birdin-
DIRECTOR to page 4
Federal judge orders halt to sale of
Indian oil lands in Oklahoma
By John Heilprin
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) _ A
federal judge has ordered die
Interior Department to temporarily halt its auction of Indian
lands in Oklahoma, some of
winch come widi rights for oil
drilling.
U.S. District Judge Royce
Lamberdi signed die restraining
order late Tuesday at the request
of lawyers in the multibillion-
dollar lawsuit by American
Indians against die Interior Department.
vTn no way are we saying that
individuals don't have the right
to sell their land," said Keitii
Harper, a lawyer for die Indians.
vyThe problem is diat it is not
at all clear that they have given
knowing consent to the sale, or
that they would get fair market
value."
The deparunent had planned
to start opening bids Wednesday
for the 26 parcels of land totaling about 2,000 acres in die oil-
rich region around Anadarko,
Okla. It was once a hunting
ground for numerous tribes
such as the Kiowa, Comanche,
Apache, Wichita and Caddo.
The parcels range in size from
about two to 160 acres.
Dan DuBray, an Interior Department spokesman said the
auction involved Indians who
had asked the department to sell
their lands. He said die judge's
order would affect all further
sales. vvIts been a practice of the
Department for 30 years," he
said.
The class-action suit was filed
in 1996 on behalf of more than
300,000 Indians. It alleges that
the government, for more dian
a century, mismanaged or stole
billions of dollars in oil, gas,
timber and grazing royalties that
should have gone to the Indians.
Lamberth found in 1999 diat
the department had breached its
trust responsibility and must account for what die Indians were .
owed.