Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2006-06-23

              INDEX
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY 2
NEWS BRIEFS 3
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS ■ 4
CLASSIFIEDS 7
Scholarship not tied
to nickname
page 7
Judges weigh legality
of Kamehameha's
admission policy
page 4
Reader calls from
debate between Roy
and Jourdain
page 4
Leech Lakers: End it
before they end you
page 4
More about upper
Red Lake, Leech
Lake situation,
federal subpoenas
page 4
Leech Lake Gaming Director resigns
VOICE      OF      THE      PEOPLE
By Diane White
CASS LAKE, MN-Press/ON
received an official memo from
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
(LLBO) dated June 22,2006 from
Interim Executive Directory Rodney White to All Gaming Employees regarding the new designation
of authority.
The memo states, "I have accepted Bruce Band's resignation
effective Thursday, June 22,2006.
Daniel Erickson will assume responsibilities as Interim Gaming
Director.
The Tribal Council expects all
employees to step up and do there
[their] jobs as they have done in
the past. The Division will run the
same way as it has in the past and
operations will not be interrupted.
If you have any questions or
concerns contact Dan Erickson at
ext. .7517 or 218-760-0397.
Thank you."
Press/ON sources believe Bruce
Baird was fired from the Gaming
Director position in a political
move to make room for District
1 Representative Burton "Luke"
Wilson who was soundly beaten
in his chance at the Secretary-
Treasurer position in the June 13,
2006 general election. Another
source indicated Baird was fired to
make room for Interim Executive
Director Rodney White. This also
coincides with another Press/ON
source who indicated Wilson has
been saying in pubhc that he will
be the next Executive Director or
Deputy Director.
Rodney White was fired from
the Gaming Director position in
2003. White returned to work at
LLBO in 2005 as the Director
of Tribal Referral. White was
recently named Interim Executive
Director of the Band.
According to Press/ON sources,
this action was taken at a meeting on Thursday, June 22, 2006
between Rodney White, Samuel
"Rocky" Papasodora, Dan Erickson, Controller, and Bruce Baird.
Sources stated Baird was given the
option to be fired or to resign voluntarily. It is not certain as whose
direction White was working at.
The RBC also serves as the Gaming Commission who have the
authority to accept the resignation
or terminate employment.
Secretary-Treasurer Arthur "Archie" LaRose was contacted for
comment and indicated he did not
have all of the details of the termination, did not see the paperwork
and was not a part of the RBC
meeting that terminated Baird.
Press/ON attempted to contact
Mr. Baird at his home for comment
and left a message. Press/ON attempted to contact Rodney White
for comment, but only reached his
answering machine on his office
number, 335-8230. Press/ON attempted to contact Dan Erickson
at 218-335-7217 and left a message on his answering machine
regarding the resignation. At press
time, we did not receive any comments from LLBO executives or
Mr. Baird.
web page: www.press-on.net
Native
American
Press
We Support Equal Opportunity For All People
A weekly publication.  Copyright, Native American Press, 2006
Founded in 1988
Volume 19 Issue 2
June 23, 2006
Graham ordered extradited to U.S.
to stand trial for Aquash murder
By Denise Maloney Pictou
Indianbrook, N.S. - On June
20,2006, the family of murdered
native activist, Annie Mae Pictou
Aquash, learned that Canada's
Justice Minister, Hon. Vic Toews,
has ordered that John Graham,
a.k.a., 'John Boy' Patton, be
extradited to the United States
to stand trial for her murder. Mr.
Graham has 30 days to file an
application for judicial review of
the Minister's decision.
This news was met on the eve
of Canada's National Aboriginal
Day with great anticipation and
hope from Annie Mae's family
and friends who, for 30 years,
have waited, prayed and sought
justice for Annie Mae. The decision also came on the eve of our
2nd Annual Annie Mae Aquash
Traditional Mawiomi (Mi'kmaq
Gathering).
"Two years ago we exhumed
our mother's remains and brought
her home from South Dakota
to her homeland, in Mi'kmaki
(land of the Mi'kmaq). Tomorrow marks the anniversary of her
homecoming and reburial. Today
is a very special day and the news
we received today is welcomed
with open hearts. We will now be
able to look forward to bringing
this horrific and senseless act of
violence to a closure. As a family
it is important to hear in a court of
law what Mr. Graham has to say.
We want to thank all our family
and friends for the ongoing support
and prayers throughout the years
of seeking justice for our mother,"
said Denise Maloney Pictou.
In March 2003, the United
States Department of Justice
indicted one of two suspects,
Arlo Looking Cloud, who was
subsequently tried and convicted
in Rapid City, S.D. of first degree
murder on February 6, 2004.
John Graham was also indicted
for Annie Mae's murder and was
arrested in Vancouver, B.C., December 1,2003.
In December, 2004, Graham
was brought before a B.C. Supreme Court Judge for an extradition trial. On February 21, 2005,
Judge Bennett ruled that Graham
should be extradited to the United
States for his alleged role in Annie Mae's brutal murder.
He remains out on bond with
restrictions until the Justice Minister's decision on the time and
place of his surrender.
Semi-final Story Pertaining to Acquiring of Land
around North, Eastern Shores of Upper Red Lake
Prior to the Act of 1889 all of
the land around Red Lake and to
the northern boundary of Minnesota was a part of the diminished
Red Lake Reservation. During
the negotiations with the Indians
in 1889 for a treaty under the
Nelson Act and which Act was
passed for the purpose of getting
timber from tracts of land remote
and away from the lakes, the Indians frequently expressed themselves desiring to keep within the
diminished reservation after the
Treaty was made, all of the land
around both lakes and a mile distant. There was no question but
what this was so understood and
that in describing the boundary of
the reservation after the proposed
cession was made it was to be
that both lakes and at least a mile
distant around, was to remain
and belong to the Reservation.
The proceedings no where show
what the actual description ofthe
boundary line was agreed upon.
The best they show is that on the
last day when an agreement had
been reached Commissioner Rice
stated: "After you sign up the
agreement the Commissioners
and your younger Indians will get
together and agree upon a boundary line." They apparendy had a
Rand Mc-Nally 1888 map. This
map is outof print, diligent search
has been made to get on, without
any success. No map has ever
been found in the Department as
having been turned in with the
report of the Commissioner. If
there had been any such meeting
between the Commissioners and
the Indians there would have been
a record somewhere made of it. It
is my belief that after the Indians
consented to the agreement, and
they all signed, that everyone
was in such haste, particularly the
Commissioners who had spent
so much greater time than anticipated at Red Lake, that they just
went away for the Indians never
would have agreed under any
conditions to changing the boundary line drawn where it was. The
Indians were hostile in this Treaty,
they quarreled with the Commissioners all of the way through,
they continued to refuse to sign,
they told the Commissioner
that the mission was a failure,
the records are full of instances
proving this. The Commissioners used tactics unbecoming of
them. For instance, they brought^
the influence of Bishop Ireland,
the Catholic Bishop of St. Paul,
with them, they sent for Pierre
Bottineau, a French explorer who
with six or eight children signed
the agreement without any right
to do so and used their influence
with the Indians to favor the
agreement. Other names were
added to the list of signers who
were not present, particularly
Peter Graves who was in Carlisle
Indian school at the time. They
pleaded their great friendship and
love for the Indians and they kept
and fed him for twelve days during practically all of which time
he was obstinate and refused to
consent to make the' treaty, the
Commissioners well knowing
that if they stayed long enough
and promised everything they
would finally make the Indians
believe they were truthful and
honest and that the Treaty was a
good thing for the Indians.
The Act was unfair to the Red
STORY to page 5
University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks answers questions from U STUDENTS (left to
right) Martha Ockenfels-Martinez, Derrick Biney, Amy Ojibway and Sylvia Gonzalez-Castro.
U of M President Meets Students, Staff,
Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence BBQ
About 100 University of
Minnesota students and staff
enjoyed an opportunity to meet
and speak with University President Robert Bruininks at a BBQ
on June 15.
The lunch was hosted by the
U's Multicultural Center for
Academic Excellence (MCAE)
to thank the tutors and others
students who have provided
academic support or community
services for other students during the 2005-06 academic year.
The attendees were mostly
students of color who have
worked in the center's tutoring
program, the family literacy
program, the business leadership mentoring program and the
civic engagement program.
Bruininks, who put on a specially designed apron and grilled
several hot dogs and hamburgers
for the students, pledged that the
U of M is committed to increasing diversity in its student population and encouraged students to
get involved in various campus
and community activities.
Many students had a chance to
speak with Bruininks and asked
questions on various issues.
"It was a good experience," said
student-tutor Peggy Chien. "It was
good that the President took time
to visit MCAE. I was glad that
students were able to voice their
opinions on General College and
ethics to the President."
"It was refreshing to see
President Bruininks in our
center because it is kind of far
off campus," said student-tutor
Sandi Chahla. "We were happy
to share our small courtyard
with him."
"It was a great opportunity for President Brunininks
to visit MCAE and learn first
hand about the students and programs," said MCAE program
coordinator Jean Strommer. "It
is important that President Bruininks hears from the students
directly about their participation
in tutoring and our programs
since he may not be aware of
these programs. This contact is
so vital to our programs."
Teen sentenced to juvenile facility
in Red Lake threat
Upper Sioux ex-trustee member under investigation
Reprinted with Permission of
The Independent, Marshall, MN
By Rae Kruger
A grand jury was held Tuesday
in St. Paul for an investigation of
allegations of fraudulent travel
and credit card expenses against
former Upper Sioux Community
Board of Trustees member Tom
Ross, the tribal board of trustees
confirmed this week.
The trustees board has already
required Ross to repay the Upper
Sioux Community for certain
expenses and is cooperating with
the investigation, the trustees said
in a prepared statement for the
Independent.
"Selected members of the Upper Sioux Community Board of
Trustees, past and present, were
subpoenaed to offer testimony to
a grand jury... in regard to former
board of trustees member-at-large
Tom Ross' travel and credit card
expenses," the trustees said.
A grand jury was conducted
by the U.S. Attorney's office as
a way to determine if Ross will
be charged.
Ross was a long-time at-large
member of the trustees board.
The investigation appears to
stem from alleged discrepancies
found in travel and credit card
expenses submitted by Ross and
found by former board treasurer
Leo Baker HI.
Ross is not listed in telephone
records, and the tribal office did
not release a telephone number for
Ross. He could not be reached for
comment.
The trustee chairman is Kevin
Jensvold, and board members
are Teresa Peterson, Elitta Gouge, Sharon Odegard and Scott
Larsen.
"If through (U.S. Attorney)
investigation any further monies
are found to be owed to the Upper Sioux Community, the board
of trustees will take all necessary
steps to recover those funds as
well as protect the interests of
the Upper Sioux Community and
its tribal members," the trustees
said.
The trustees said the board had
considered it an internal matter
and had "previously required
Mr. Ross to reimburse the Upper
Sioux Community for certain expenses incurred by Mr. Ross."
Baker said this week he told the
board of trustees in June 2005 of
discrepancies where he alleged
Ross double-billed the Upper
Sioux Community.
Baker said the trustees removed
Ross from office in April, only
after federal investigators decided
to investigate Ross.
Baker, too, was removed from
office.
A copy of a board of trustees
letter from October said Baker
was removed from the treasurer's
position because of improperly
handling community and position affairs.
Baker contends he lost his
position because he informed
the trustees of Ross's alleged
actions.
Baker filed a lawsuit against the
board of trustees that claims he
lost his job because he reported
Ross's alleged actions and that the
trustees removed his name from a
special election ballot because of
his report on Ross.
The suit was dismissed and
Baker has appealed.
"Our position is (the trustees)
acted vindictively," Marshall
Tanick, Baker's lawyer, said.
Baker's complaint was dismissed on Jan. 27 by the judge
in Tribal Court of the Upper
Sioux Community in Minnesota
because the court did not have
jurisdiction in election matters, a
copy of the judge's order obtained
by the Independent said.
Tanick, of Minneapolis, said the
judge didn't make a ruling on the
merit of Baker's complaint but
said she couldn't rule because the
court didn't have jurisdiction on
the tribal community elections.
Baker's lawsuit against the
board claims he lost his position
as treasurer because he reported
the alleged double billing by
Ross.
Tanick said the trustees also
wrongly removed Baker's name
from the ballot for the November
special election for the treasurer's
position.
SIOUX to page 3
Associated Press
DULUTH, Minn. - A teenager
detained in connection with threats
this spring at Red Lake High
School was sentenced Monday to
up to a year in a juvenile treatment
facility, according to a report.
The 15-year-old boy, whose
name wasn't released, was charged
in connection with threats that
came to light in mid-April. Parents and guardians were notified
by letter that a "group of smdents
were threatening to form some
sort of an assault on the Red Lake
High School.".
The ninth-grader could be
released after he finishes a four-
month program the Star Tribune of
Minneapolis reported, citing people
familiar with the case. The teenager
will remain on probation until he's
21, an uncle told the newspaper.
The boy, who admitted late last
month to a delinquent act of making terroristic threats, will go to a
program at Woodland Hills, a juvenile rehabilitation home in Duluth,
according to the boy's uncle.
The newspaper didn't name the
uncle to protect the identity ofthe
teenager. The court session was
conducted before U.S. District
Judge Ann Montgomery.
The threats surfaced a little
more than a year after the Red
Lake Indian Reservation in far
northern Minnesota suffered the
nation's second-deadliest school
shooting. On March 21, 2005,
Jeff Weise, 16, killed his grandfather and grandfather's girlfriend
at their home, then drove to the
school and opened fire, killing
seven others before taking his
own life.
In January, Louis Jourdain,
17, the son of tribal leader Floyd
(Buck) Jourdain, was sentenced to
up to a year at a juvenile treatment
facility after pleading guilty to
sending threatening messages in
connection to the shootings.
Federal agents raid armor plant
in Fort Totten
By James MacPherson
Associated Press
Federal agents raided an
American Indian-owned armor
plant based in Fort Totten on
Wednesday, confiscating boxes of
company records under a search
warrant involving questionable
business practices.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David
Peterson said Sioux Manufacturing Corp. was under investigation
by the Justice Department and the
U.S. attorney's office for "alleged
contract irregularities." He would
not elaborate.
Carl McKay, the company's
president and chief executive officer, said nothing criminal has gone
on at the plant. He said he was
told the federal investigators were
"looking at our quality control."
"About 25 to 30 agents came
in with their shotguns out and
locked down the place," McKay
said. "It just scared the dickens
out of our employees."
"There were some agents at the
site" from the Justice Department
and the FBI, Peterson said.
FBI special agent Paul McCabe
in Minneapolis said one FBI agent
participated in the raid. "We're
just assisting in a liaison capacity," he said.
The plant, which opened in
1974, manufactures protective
armor for soldiers, tanks, ships
and aircraft. Nearly all of the 210
employees are American Indians.
The plant is owned by the Spirit
Lake Sioux tribe, on the Spirit
Lake reservation in northeastern
North Dakota. The tribe, which
numbers about 5,000, also owns
a casino and other manufacturing
businesses on the reservation.
McKay said the plant shut down
Wednesday after the raid and employees were told to go home. The
plant runs three shifts and had been
operating nonstop since the war in
Iraq began, he said.
The plant was expected to re
open on Thursday.
"We have nothing to hide,"
McKay said. "Whatever you want
to look at, you're free to look at.
"The matters that I was interviewed on was the quality of out
Kevlar cloth - to ensure that the
cloth we weave meets government requirements," he said. "No
one was arrested or read their
rights, or anything like that."
McKay said some disgruntled
former workers might have given
federal investigators bad tips.
"Six months ago, we were
audited by the Department of Defense, and there were some issues
and those issues were resolved,"
he said. "But it was nothing criminal or anything like that."
Because ofthe war in Iraq, the
company surpassed $20 million
in revenue for 2005, a record,
McKay said.
The company reported $17
milhon in revenue in 2003. Officials said revenue was down
slightly in 2004 because of a
shortage of special fibers used
for the bulletproof material that
protects U.S. troops.