Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2005-04-08

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INDEX
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY 2
NEWS BRIEFS 3
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS 4
CLASSIFIEDS 7
Leech Lake Petition
Organizer's meeting
and protest
page 3
Can Pawlenty negotiate
better than Ramsey did?
page 4
Leech Lake Chiefs
against their Indians
page 4
This week's Top 10
Reasons Leech Lake
RBC has got to GO
page 4
This week in
Minnesota
Indian Country
page 4
Goodbyes, heroics and a time for change
By Bill Lawrence
Resident George Bush, in a radio
address of Saturday 3/26, praised
and singled out Security Guard
Derrick Brun for saving many
lives. Aldiough he was unarmed,
he confronted the shooter, who was
armed with a 12 gauge shotgun and
2 handguns. Tlie President said,
"Derrick's bravery cost him his life
and all Americans honor him."
Lee Ann Grant, the surviving
security guard, said Brun went outside in at attempt to talk the assailant
down. His action bought time and
allowed Grant to lead many students
(reports vary a to the number but
range from 12-16) down die hall
and out a rear exit to safety. By
holding Weise at bay, Grant said
Brun has saved her life and the hves
of the other students, one of whom
was his sister Victoria's son.
Weise shot Brun with the shotgun, at close range, in the chest.
Brun turned away. Weise shot him
a second time in the back.
Bran's family, although filled
with grief, are comforted that dieir
son, and brother, died a hero's deadi.
Barb Brun, Derrick's modier, said
of her son, he, "wouldn'trim. That
was the way he was. He would never run when confronted by anything.
So it sounded like he was trying to
use his police experience to try to
get the kid to think before he did
it—to try to get him to stop."
Chairman Floyd 'Buck" Jourdain
said, "Their son is one of our national heroes. We want our stories
to be told"
Services for Derrick Bran were
held March 27 at St. Mary's Mission Catholic Church in Red Lake.
Derrick Brun, age 28, was buried
next to bis daughter at Holy Cross
Cemetery in Bemidji.
Services for the first of Weise's
victims, his grandfadier Daryl
Lussier and Michele Sigano, were
held on Saturday, March 26. Tlie
funeral drew more than 750 people
andlasted nearly four hours. Those
in attendance included hundreds of
pohce officers from several states.
Two Royal Canadian Mounted
Police also attended.
Many dignitaries and elected
official attended the funeral. They
included, Governor Tim Pawlenty,
Senators Norm Coleman, Mark
Dayton and Representative Colin
Peterson, a representative from the
White House, tribal officials and
several local political figures.
Governor Pawlenty's expressed
his regret for the loss and urged
the Red Lake Nation, which he
described as a "rich place," to
create a positive from die tragic
events. He said, 'Everydiing on
earth has a purpose, every disease
acure and every person amission."
He ordered Minnesota state flags to
be at half-mast on Monday in remembrance and as an expression
of public sympadiy for die losses
experienced at the reservation.
Police officers stood at attention,
in salute, along the two mile drive
as a horse drawn wagon carried
the caskets of Lussier and Sigano
to die cemetery. According to Star
Tribune coverage of the event, "At
CHANGE to page 7
Peaceful protesters at Leech Lake
want referendum vote, recall
Protestors want vote on MN Equity Gaming. Act's metro
casino project, recall of Chairman and Committeeman
By Diane E. White
CASS LAKE-On the cool Tuesday morning of April 5, a small
group of protesters set up camp
outside die shut down headquarters of the Leech Lake Band of
Ojibwe (LLBO) on Highway 2
in Cass Lake. Although the government offices were closed, the
Band's attorney Mchael Garbow
coidd be seen occasionally peering at die small group. It was not
known who else was inside. A
KSTP local news crew filmed die
protest and interviewed bodi sides,
including Garbow.
In conjunction with die protest
was a petition drive to gain 20% of
die resident ehgible voters whose
signatures will trigger a binding
referendum vote regarding die
Mnnesota Equity Gaming Act's
metropolitan casino project. The
protest was a scheduled event of
a newly organized, yet unnamed,
committee whose apparent mission is to be a watchdog group
to ensure that elected officials are
adhering to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT) constitution
and bylaws which governs the
Band.
Many of the protesters were
retired folks who were there to let
their elected triba] leaders know
they are not happy with how diey
are running the Tribe since July
2004 when George Goggleye, Jr.
took office. They didn't believe
the reasons diey heard as to why
the government offices had been
closed and blamed LaRose's co-
Council of not earning dieir high
salaries and trying to make diem
look like they are violent. According to a Press Release from
die Band, "A vocal minority of the
LLBO forced die Tribal Council to
close tribal operations on Monday,
April 4, 2005. A source informed
the Tribal Council headquarters
on Monday that a minority faction of the Band members were
upset with Tribal Council actions
PROTEST to page 6
One dead, one
injured after
early morning
rage
by Mike Kallok
Messenger Staff"Writer
Reprinted with permission of
the Messenger
A 22-year-old Onamia woman
is expected to be charged with at
least one count of homicide, following an argument diat nirned
deadly in die early morning hours
of April 2 in a quiet subdivision
just north of Grand Casino on the
Mille Lacs Indian Resenation.
According to the Mille Lacs
Comity Sheriff's Office, Danielle
Boyd was taken into police custody
and awaits her arraignment on April
5, after she allegedly ran down
and killed Julie Ann Nayquonabe/
Nickaboine, 35, of Onamia, and
seriously injured Deanna Louise
Sam, 40, also of Onamia, before
crashing into die lower level of a
house on Gabeshi Lane.
A joint statement made on
April 4 by county and tribal law
RAGE to page 2
Sam sentenced
in beating case
By Mike Kallok
Messenger Staff Writer
[Reprinted widi permission of die
Messenger]
One of the two men who were
charged with third degree assault
in conjunction with die Nov. 27
beating of an Isle man has been
convicted and sentenced in Mile
Lacs County District Court.
According to the comity attorney's
office, Bradley Sam Jr., 23, of Isle,
was sentenced to 180 days in jail
and five years of probation.
• A prison sentence was stayed on
the condition that Sam Jr. make full
restitution to his 49-year old victim,
James Leon Lancrain, for medical
expenses. Sam also must undergo
an anger assessment and follow all
recommendations of the court.
According to the victim's mother,
SAM to page 7
IRS testifies on Native Gambling
Revenues
Potential Tax Abuse By Tribes Raises Concerns
By Jean Pagano
SenatorCharles Grassley (R-IA),
chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, held a hearing this
week concerning die activities of
charities and non-profit organizations. Grassley presented a letter,
written by IRS Chairman Mark
Everson, detailing issues within
the Tax Exempt and Government
Entities Division (TE/GE). The
entities examined by TE/GE are
typically tax-exempt and include
Indian tribes. Part of the goal of
TE/GE is "to deter abuse within
tax-exempt and governmental
entities and abuse of such entities
by third parties for tax avoidance or
other unintended purposes."
The IRS reports diat the tribal
community has been transformed
by the gambling phenomenon.
There are roughly 440 Native casinos and revenues have increased in
the last 10 years by 300% to $16.7
billion. Pursuant to die Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, some tribes offer per capita payments to enrolled
members. These payments are federally taxable and must be reported
to die IRS each year.
Everson said the IRS is concerned about tax-indifferent parties,
such as tribal governments, being
used as accommodation parties to
facilitate abusive tax-shelters. "Accommodation party" is a tenn that
describes a tax-indifferent party's
involvement in a transaction dial
isn't really a part of the entity's
primary function, but is designed
IRS to page 7
Metropolitan casino still possible despite 10-4
Senate committee vote against the Bill
By Diane E. White
ST. PAUL, MN-On Monday,
April 4, 2005, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Veterans
Affairs, and Gaming voted 10-+
against the Minnesota Gaming
Equity Act Despite die setback,
White Earth Chairwoman Erma
Vizenor and the Governor's Chief
of Staff Dan McElroy vowed to
forge on and work hard and have
our Bill pass. McElroy said, 'If we
don't pass it in 2005, we'll pass it
in 2006, or 2007 or 2008."
The Democrats who voted
against the Bill were Dean Johnson (Senate majority leader), Wes
Skoglund, Becky Lourey, Steve
Murphy, Ann Rest, Yvonne
Prettner Solon and Jim Vick-
erman. Rod Skoe, Democrat,
voted for the Bill. Republicans
who voted against die Bill were
Steve Dille, David Hahn, and
Sean Nienow. Dick Day, Paul
Koering and Betsy Wergin are
Republican committee members
who voted for die Bill.
Many of the proponents of the
Bill were the same people who
testified last week in front of die
Regulated Industries committee.
A famous new proponent of the
Bill who testified was former Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of
Indian Affairs, Dave Anderson.
As to why Famous Dave is ad-
Former Bureau of Indian Affairs Assistant Secretary, Dave Anderson testified
before House Committee on Agriculture, Veterans Affairs and Gaming, April
4 as a proponent of the Tribal-State metropolitan casino.
ensure each Tribe's current on-
Reservation casinos (assets) are
not subject to any legal setdements
diat may rise from die project. Presumably in response to last week's
testimony that questioned Valerie
Red Horse's business practices, an
investment banker who indicated
he had also worked on similar financing for die Mile Lacs Band
was also approving of die financing package.
BILL to page 2
vocating for die Bill, he stated, "I
was asked by the Tribes. When
they come and asked what my
thoughts were and I told them I
was for opporftinities for Indian
people. I diink those tribes up there
need opportunity. I think diis is a
great way to have that happen."
The proponents again testified lo
die waiver of limited sovereignty
by die Tribes, which would only
affect the off-reservation casino
facility. They stated this would
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Volume 17 Issue 42
April 8, 2005
Wallace Storbakken, Leech Lake tribal member was arrested on April 1, 2005 for Criminal
Trespass as he was walking up to the entry way of the Palace Casino & Hotel in Cass
Lake. He was transported by the Leech Lake Tribal Police to the Cass County Detention
Center, booked and released within 90 minutes.
Leech Lake RBC quarterly meeting draws large
police force guarding main entry, one arrested
By Theodore White, Jr.
CASS LAKE, MN - When
I arrived at die Palace Hotel
& Casino, I surveyed the
area and witnessed two tribal
police officer's parked at
die main entrance, one Cass
County deputy parked in die
front row parking lot, and two
more tribal police car's parked
outside die Hotel entrance. I
continued to drive through
the parking lot wondering
if somediing had happened
for such a large police force
to be standing inside and
outside die entry ways along
with George Goggleye, Sr.
Head of Security. Altogether,
I saw die total of 21 police
officers diroughout die time
period die Quarterly meeting
took place.
Tribal member Wally Storbakken
was taken into custody and charged
widi Criminal Trespass. He had not
even entered the Palace building,
but was on his way in when Security Director, Rod Northbird, told
him he had 10 seconds to leave.
Debra Storbakken, Wally's wife
and their young grandson David,
were there along with Debra's
aunt Hazel Nordmarken. Mrs.
Nordmarken had already entered
the building and was on her way
into die Bingo Hall for die RBC
Quarterly meeting. Debra stated
they would leave, but she had to
go and tell her aunt so diat they
could arrange to pick her up after
the meeting. By the time Debra
returned to the entry way, her
husband Wally, was handcuffed
by Tribal police and was being
placed into die squad car. He was
booked in at the Cass County
Detention Center in Walker
about 25 minutes south of Cass
Lake. During die meeting, Debra
stated she fears for her husband's
safety. Wally Storbakken was released 90 minutes later and will
be charged in court on May 25,
2005.
As Storbakken was being
handcuffed, Arthur "Archie"
LaRose, Secretary-Treasurer
and attorney Frank Bibeau were
walking up. Bibeau snapped pictures and LaRose shouted, "You
are violating diis Band members
Article XIII [Civil] rights!" The
full entourage of Leech Lake
Conservation Officers, Cass
ARREST to page 6
Embattled tribal leader says he'll stay, despite
son's alleged involvement in school shooting
By Patrick Condon
Associated Press
RED LAKE, Mnn. - Tribal
politics at the Red Lake Indian
reservation have been turbulent
over the years, long before die
son of tribal chairman Floyd
"Buck" Jourdain was arrested
in connection with a deadly
school shooting here.
But despite calls for his
resignation, Jourdain said he'll
remain as chainnan of die Red
Lake Band of Ojibwe, arguing
dial his departure could make
die tribe more unstable.
"If diere's ever a time our tribe
needs leadership, it's now," Jourdain said Friday. vTt's a time of
crisis. It would be anodier blow to
die community to lose its leader."
His son, Louis Jourdain, was arrested last week in connection widi
a shooting diat left 10 people dead,
including 16-year-old gunman Jeff
Weise. Federal authorities have
suggested that Louis Jourdain
may have had prior knowledge
of Weise's plans; Floyd Jourdain
denies that and maintains Ins son
is innocent.
In die days after his son's arrest,
some of Jourdain's political oppo
nents questioned whedier he could
continue to lead die tribe. Several
of diose aides dien backed off dial
suggestion, saying it had angered
some tribal members.
As at many reservations, tribal
politics at Red Lake have been
rocky. Jourdain's short tenure as
chainnan has not been marked by
overt controversy, but observers
said it doesn't take much to incite
long-standing feuds.
vTn our community when you
combine anger and politics, it's a
LEADER to page 6
In Red Lake,
quick police
response is a
big change
from Columbine
By Joshua Freed
Associated Press Writer
MINNEAPOLIS - Less
than two minutes after police
heard about the shootings at
Red Lake High School, armed
officers stormed in, headed toward a shootout widi die gunman, die town's public safety
director says.
Their quick action is credited
with saving lives _ and it marks
a big change in law enforcement tactics since the 1999
Columbine shootings, when
police waited outside for about
40 minutes. Critics have said a
wounded teacher bled lo death
during that time.
RESPONSE to page 3
Shooting victim's condition
upgraded to serious
Hope for recovery soars
By Dave Kolpack
Associated Press
EARGO, N.D. - After coming
out of a medically induced coma,
Steven Cobenais' first words were
typical of a 15-year-old boy:
"I'm hungry."
Doctors say Cobenais, the
student most seriously injured
in last mondi's shootings at Red
Lake High School in Mnnesota,
has been making remarkable
progress. He has been able to say
a few words, move his body and
eat small amounts of Jell-O.
He also has been removed from
a ventilator. His condition was
upgraded from critical to serious
on Tuesday, MeritCare Hospital
neurosurgeon Dr. Alex Mendez
VICTIM to page 6
World Bank president visits Pine
Ridge to boost entrepreneurism
By Carson Walker
Associated Press
KYLE, S.D. - Angie Reyes
does what economic development
leaders on die Pine Ridge Indian
Reservation believe is key to
building an economy where one
barely exists.
She and her husband, Jesus,
started selling burritos out of a
cooler 11 years ago at powwows
and other events. As the business dirived, they moved it into
a trailer and then a bigger trailer.
Now they run die Mexican restaurant La India Bonita Burritos.
in Kyle, one of diree eating places
in town.
VISIT to page 6