Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2005-08-12

              '■W,  -X '. .. •
INDEX.
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY 2
NEWS BRIEFS 3
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS 4
CLASSIFIEDS 7
The "Face" of
Blackwater School
page 3
United Tribes
Technical College
students doing
nutrition research
page 5
American version of
Indigenous history
distorted
page 4
Our Mdewakanton
ancestors would be
so proud
page 4
Another Red Lake
shooting story/
Indian Mascots
canned
page 4
International award-winning journalists visit Press/ON
By Bill Lawrence
This week I was pleased to
speak to a group of International
Journalists. The group visited
Bemidji Tuesday, August 9, after
having been in Ely for an intense
4-day orientation experience.
The ten journalists were
selected for the World Press
Institute (WPI) Fellowship
program. Macalester College in
St. Paul has been facilitating and
hosting the program since 1961.
The fellows will spend four
months as a group in this country
experiencing a great variety of
events, sites, institutions and
geographical locations.
"They participate in briefings
by academics, elected officials,
business executives, non-profit
leaders, artists, athletes and
scientists. They meet young
people, accompany police
officers on patrol, interview
prison inmates, live with families
on farms in the Midwest, tour
military installations and observe
immigration officials intercepting
human smuggling across the
California/Mexico border."
[WPI publication]. The program
assures these individuals will
see fife on many levels in this
country. They will see the
ordinary, the local and the small
scale as well as the famous, well-
known and renowned aspects of
American life.
Their four month adventure
begins immediately upon arrival
in this country with an intense,
interactive program designed
to facilitate a quick getting
acquainted period as these
individuals will hve and travel
together in a close relationship
extended over a considerable
length of time. They may find
themselves milking a cow or
guiding a canoe during this first
encounter.
Later the group will travel
across the country to New York
for a ten day stay, Washington
D.C, for two weeks, Boston and
other eastern cities. They will
visit the United Nations, CNN in
Atlanta.
They will then reverse their
rout and visit San Francisco,
Los Angeles, Seatde and
the Northwest region. Each
experience is provided in order to
give these ten international media
people as complete a picture of
life in the USA as possible.
Each person winning a WPI
fellowship must have at least five
years of full-time news experience
and be able to show they possess
a potential for leadership. They
must be fluent in the English
language. The competitive
process involves submission
of several written essays, three
letters of recommendation and
at least three samples of an
individual's work.
VISIT to page 5
Leech Lake Assistant Police Chief heads to trial
By Diane White
WALKER, MN-On August 8,
2005, Alvin John Wind, Jr. represented by his attorney, Zenas Baer,
plead not gudty to one count of
felony Criminal Sexual Conduct
in the 4th degree and not guilty
to one couut of Criminal Sexual
Conduct in the 5th degree, a misdemeanor in front of Judge Smidi,
Cass Coimty Criminal Court.
Baer waived the omnibus hearing by indicating to the court they
have made disclosure of all the
written statements, that all witness
statements are diere, and they have
no legal issues to address.
The trial is set for October 25,
2005 with a pre-trial hearing
scheduled for October 11, 2005.
County Attorney Earl Maus is
prosecuting the case.
Wind was released on his own
recognizance pending the same
conditions:
• No contact with victim
• No chemical substance or alcohol use
• Must submit to random drug
tests on the request of law enforcement
• Must keep in contact with attorney, Zanus Baer; and
• Must be law abiding
Wind is still on-duty despite
an April 2005 memo signed by
fonner Executive Director Lenee
Ross, which suspended him. According to Michael Garbow, the
Band's Legal Director, Wind is
considered innocent until convicted and in June denied ever
seeing the April 2005 memo.
Wind's charges stem from an
incident that reportedly happened
at a New Year's Eve party at the
home of the reported "best friend"
of John Wind. She was identified
as Andrea Humphrey, the Chief
Dispatcher for the Leech Lake
Police Department. The source
diat reported the location of the
alleged criminal sexual conduct
to the Press/ON wishes to remain
anonymous and has been a guest
at die home. The source stated the
alleged criminal sexual conduct
took place in the bathroom, which
is located only 10 feet from the
kitchen and living area where the
rest of the partiers were located.
At other parties, the source stated
being an eyewitness to John Wind
"trying to seduce" younger women
and diat it was common knowledge that John Wind and his wife
frequent parties separately.
According to a source close to
the department, there were departmental complaints against Wind
and one other employee. Those
complaints led to a meeting with
Leech Lake Human Resources
staff last fall 2004, however, the
meeting did not have any impact
on the internal co-worker complaints.
The source stated, "I think they
all have crap on each other and
diey have to cover each other's
back" as a reason for Wind not
ever being reprimanded in any
TRIAL to page 7
Leech Lake Housing Improvement Program missing
thousands in 2003, BIA wants answers
VOICE      OF      THE      PEOPLE
By Diane White
Cass Lake, MN—The Secretary-Treasurer, Arthur "Archie"
LaRose of die Leech Lake Band of
Ojibwe reported Chairman George
Goggleye, Jr. had summoned him
into a meeting along with the rest
of the Reservation Business Committee (RBC). Bruce Johnson
accompanied LaRose and served
as an eyewitness to verify what
Arthur "Archie" LaRose reported
to Press/ON.
Last Friday, August 5, in a contentious meeting, Chairman Goggleye
was reportedly less than honorable
and Tribal Attorney Michael Garbow physically taunted LaRose,
because they received a summons
from the Superintendent of the
Minnesota Agency of the Bureau
of Indian Affairs (BIA) Gene Virden
requiring them to meet with him,
Terry Virden, Dee Springer, Shirley
Van Alstine and Richard Codepony
at the Fort Snelling office regarding
an investigation of missing Housing
Improvement Program (HIP) grant
monies in the amount of $279,235.
The BIA and Leech Lake RBC are
scheduled to meet on Thursday in
Minneapolis, August 11 at 1:00 to
discuss what happened to the grant
funding. The BIA turned the matter over to the Office of Inspector
General for a forensic audit.
The 2003 fiscal year grant funding of $279,235 was specifically
targeted to serve nine Leech Lake
tribal members (see Table 1: HIP
Repairs/Renovations Grant Fund
Recipients) and Table 2: HIP Replacement of Existing Substandard
Dwelling. The program funds were
for fiscal year October 1, 2002 to
September 30,2003.
In a letter dated.May 30, 2003
from Claricy Smith, BIA Deputy
Regional Director, to Acting Leech
Lake RBC Chairman Richard
Robinson, she writes, "Funds were
made available last week to the regional office for diose tribes contracting under PL 93-638. Funds
were reserved by memorandum of
April 29,2003, for reprogramming
through the Office of Self-Governance for contracting tribes under
PL. 93-638 as amended. The Midwest Region requested $279,235
for eligible Leech Lake Band applicants." She enclosed two forms:
1) Part 1-Regional Work Han and
Ehgible Applicant Priority Ranking; and 2) blank form of Part II
Accomplishments Report.
In a letter dated May 19, 2005,
from BIA Acting Regional Director, Dee Springer to Chairman
Goggleye, Springer confirmed
the original grant monies were
awarded to Leech Lake HIP and
she demanded, in writing, the
status of three of the 2003 grant
BIA to page 6
City may
eliminate one
police officer
By Channaine Barranco
Reprinted with permission of the
Cass Lake Times
The Cass Lake City Council
is considering cutting the police
department's budget.
No action lias yet been taken.
But at last week's meeting council
members were in agreement diat
the Cass Lake Police Department
should be downsized from six to
five officers.
Yet, Clerk/Treasurer Renee
Eckerly and Police Chief Larry
Johnson cautioned against that
move, citing has to furnish a school
resource officer at the elementary
school.
Under die grant, state funding for
the officer ends during the fourth
year, with the salary cost for that
year to be picked up by the city.
But a resolution passed by the
Leech Lake Tribal Councd states
the Band would take over the grant,
thereby benefiting from die extra
officer while also agreeing to provide funding for die position during
the fourth and final year.
The city, however, "retained ownership" of die grant, according to
Renee Eckerly, clerk/treasurer.
So, should the salary for the
fourth year of die grant not be
paid, die city would owe the state
$119,000 under the terms of die
agreement.
Currendy, Leech Lake has an officer at the elementary school.
CITY to page 6
Lower Sioux Elections Upset
Incumbents
By Diane White
Morton, MN-The Press/ON
called the Lower Sioux Community in Morton, Minnesota
tribal headquarters to request the
election results, but they could not
provide them until die five day
protest period was over, which is
Friday, August 12.
According to a tribal member,
Maxine Eidsvig, the unofficial
results of the election are listed
in Table 1: Unofficial Election
Results.
The top three vote-getters
are considered the winners
of their Tribal Council.
Unofficially this results in
three new members to the
Lower Sioux Community
Tribal Council. They are
Sheldon Peters Wolfchild,
145 votes, Scott Adolphson, 133 votes, and Shannon Blue, 132 votes.
The incumbents Ann
Pendleton Larsen was
defeated with 106 votes,
Bob Larsen was defeated
with 106 votes, and Brian
Pendleton was defeated
with 95 votes.
There were 330 eligible
voters and over 300 people
cast ballots.
The major impetus for
change in the Lower Sioux
Community is the Tribal
Council policy of who is
considered a Lower Sioux
Community tribal member
and eligible for all die ben
efits, including a per capita payment. Arguments abound that
some people are oidy trying to
get into the Tribe for the money.
Those trying to get onto the tribal
membership rolls say they have
always been native and that diey
are being treated unjusdy.
The Press/ON has seen numerous emails from joyous Lower
Sioux Community members
who claim they can now look
forward to a hopeful future for
dieir grandchildren.
TABLE 1: UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS
CANDIDATE NAME:
# VOTES
Ann Pendleton Larsen (Incumbent)
106
Bob Larsen (Incumbent)
106
Brian Pendleton (Incumbent)
95
Sandra Columbus Geshek
10
Charles Waterston
12
Russell Pendleton
13
Kathy Pendleton
16
Dennis Berry
17
Steve Whitaker
24
Candice Berry
33
Dion Prescott
49
Shannon Blue
132
Scott Adolphson
133
Sheldon Peters Wolfchild
145
web page: www.press-on.net
Native
American
We Support Equal Opportunity For All People
A weekly publication.   Copyright, Native American Press, 2005
Founded in 1988
Volume 18 Issue 8
August 12, 2005
,-h\mmVeei»i
Photo: Tuleah Palmer, Director. Leech Lake Area Boye & Girls Club
The Leech Lake Area Boys & Girls members showing their membership cards. The Club is drug/
alcohol/tobacco free place for children where they trust the environment to be able to relax in and
hang out with friends.
Boys & Girls Club reaching children in
Indian Country
Bv Diane White
Cass Liikc. MN—For the
first time in 99 years, the
Boys & Girls Club Area
Council Conference was held
on an Indian Reservation. The
conference was hosted by the
Leech Lake Boys & Girls Club
at the Northern Lights Hotel
& Casino in Walker, Minnesota on Friday, August 5 and
Saturday, August 6,2005. The
annual meeting was attended
by board members of the clubs
diroughout Minnesota, Nordi
and Soudi Dakota.
"It is generally recognized thai
nationally and locally the Boys &
Girls Club Movement must have
the interest and active support of
die board volunteers if it is to progress and attain its greatest potential
in service to youth. Area Councils
provide a medium through which
such volunteer interest and participation may be stimulated."
The first Boys & Girls Club
to open on an Indian Reservation occurred in 1992 on the
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
in Soudi Dakota. The Club was
opened iu memory of a young,
female leader, and high school
basketbaU star named Sue Ami
Big Crow, whose short life ended
tragically in the car accident. On
June 1, 2002, die Sue Ann Big
Crow Boys & Girls Club opened
a new, state-of-the-art facility.
Tuleah Palmer has been die
Director of the Leech Lake Area
Boys & Girls Club since 2002.
The Club has over 650 members between the ages of 5 to 19.
CLUB to page 5
Red Lake
superintendent
speaks his
mental state
after tragedy
Associated Press
RED LAKE, Minn. - Red
Lake Superintendent Stuart
Desjarlait said he was diagnosed
with post-traumatic stress after
last year's deadly shooting at
die high school and he is still
seeing a counselor after taking
some time off to heal.
"There were diings I was
thinking, diings I was doing,
tilings I was saying, diat I would
not nonnally do," he told die Star
Tribune. "I was up in die middle
of die night, staying up all night
dunking. I wasn't talking to my
wife. I was an emotional wreck.
"My wife sat down widi me
finally and told me, 'Get some
help. Do something. Get help.'"
Desjarlait was in die building on March 21 and heard die
shots diat claimed die lives of a
teacher, a security guard and six
smdents, including 16-year-old
gunman Jeff Weise.
"On April 2,1 did meet with
someone, and he told me to get out
ofthe areafor a wliile," he said. He
was criticized by some when he
took a diree-week medical leave of
absence after he was told to "step
back and look at myself."
He said die counselor told him
the shooting wasn't his fault.
As he outlined new security plans for die coining school
year, Desjarlait acknowledged
diat several famdies affected by
the school shooting have hired
lawyers and liability lawsuits
against die district are likely.
"When you see 10 lawyers
roaming the school widi notepads, you know they aren't diere
for tea," said Desjarlait, a fonner
school counselor, assistant principal and dean of students at die
TRAGEDY to page 6
Meth wreaks havoc on reservations
By BRODIE FARQUHAR
Jackson Hole Star-Tribune
LANDER — Parents and community leaders on die Wind River
Indian Reservation need to leani
when to say "no" and when to say
"yes" if they hope to deal widi a
burgeoning methamphetamine
problem, an expert says.
Parents need to say "no" to domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse, said Jean Nahomni Mani,
and "yes" to setting boundaries for
cliildren, pride in native culture,
education and responsibility.
Mani — a medi recovery counselor, member of the I Iunkpati
Sioux, resident of die Crow Creek
Sioux Resenation in Soudi Dakota and coordinator for die Crow
Creek Coalition — spoke here
Wednesday at the Wind River
Native American Conference.
Mani and her extended family
have had their own batdes widi
alcoholism and drug abuse, but
metii addiction is increasingly in
a class by itself.
Robert Murray, assistant U.S.
Attorney for Wyoming and an
enrolled member of the Eastern
Shoshone Tribe, said his fadier,
grandfadier and great-grandfather
all struggled with alcohol, "but they
all survived. I don't know if diis
generation will survive meth."
Mani painted grim pictures of
meth addiction, how it unbalances brain chemistry, ultimately
negating die ability to feel pain or
pleasure.
Meth can be found in any corner of society, she said, including
.   METH to page 3
Indians debate presence of
non-Indians at sacred sun dances
Associated Press
HALLAM, Neb. - At die second annual Timothy Iron Bear Sun
Dance, diree non-Indians were
obvious among die 13 dancers.
They were welcome at this sacred ceremony. But diey wouldn't
be allowed at all sun dances.
To some tribal members it's racist to bar non-Indians. To others,
it's a matter of cultural integrity,
preservation and protection.
Arvol Looking Horse, a chief
of the Rosebud Sioux, opposes
attendance by non-Indians:
"I feel pain in my heart because
a lot of our own people can't tnist
our medicine men," he said.
At the four-day sun dance ritual,
dancers pray in die sun and some
pierce dieir bodies as sacrifices
to the creator and a signal of
rebirth.
In 2003, Sioux, Cheyenne and
Arapahoe spiritual leaders discussed non-Natives joining sun
dances.
Afterward, Looking Horse
issued a statement that said die
sweat lodge purification ritual,
for example, should be conducted by Indians who can speak
dieir tribes' language. He left sun
dance attendance and participation
by non-Indians up to die medicine
men who conduct diem.
But in a recent interview he
said: "They can continue to pray
widi us, but for them to sun dance,
no."
"It's not about being racist,"
he said. "It's about protecting
our culture."
On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, just across the state line
from northwest Nebraska, about
50 sun dances are held yearly, said
Charlotte Black Elk.
She said she knows of only one
that doesn't allow non-Indian participation.
"Traditionally, die leader or the
sponsor was the one who made the
decision of who participates,"
Black Elk said.
Rosebud Sioux Alfred Bone
DEBATE to page 6