Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2008-12-01

              '
INDEX
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY
NEWS BRIEFS
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS
CLASSIFIEDS
2
5
4-5
7
Shoshone activists
seek to halt NV gold
mine
page 5
Begay-Foss Selected as
Indian Arts and Crafts
Board Chairperson
page 4
Mint unveils new
Sacagawea
$1 coin Friday
page 4
Court sides with
convicted sex
offender in fight over
name change
page 4
Leech Lake could be
a leader in Nation
building
page 4
Six more Red Lake drug traffickers sentenced
VOICE      OF      THE       PEO.PLE
By Bill Lawrence
According to information
released by the South Dakota
U.S. Attorney's Office, six
additional individuals from Red
Lake were sentenced November
24-25 in Federal District Court
in Minneapolis by Judge James
M. Rosenbaum.
The six individuals and the
sentences they received are as
follows:
William Antoine May,
Jr. previously pled guilty to
conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
He was sentenced to 42 months
in prison and 3 years supervised
release. No date given for
reporting to prison officials.
Nicholas Avery Strong pled
Candidates for
Tribal Chief
Executive at
Mille Lacs
By Vincent Hill
The new crop of nine
candidates for Tribal Chief
Executive at Mille Lacs are
woefully unqualified to lead
a four thousand member
reservation, that owns
two financially lucrative
gambling casinos, and has
an annual multi-million
dollar operating budget.
The Grand Casinos Mille
Lacs are on par financially
with the nationally known,
Mystic Lake Casino,
located 30 miles south of
Minneapolis.
The exception is
Mushkoob, a.k.a., Steven
Aubid, from the East Lake
reservation community,
situated a few miles
southwest of McGregor,
and 65 miles northwest of
the main Mille lacs Lake
Chippewa reservation.
Mushkook has been a
perennial candidate for
Tribal Chief of the Mille
Lacs Band over the last twp
decades.
Despite the facts of
Muskoob's traditional
Ojibwe upbringing
(speaks Ojibwe fluently),
and college education,,
for some reason he has
not connected to tribal
voters. His antics, rhetoric,
and eccentricity have
been underscored over an
obvious intellect, if not
brilliance, needed to lead
the Mille Lacs Band. He
did place fourth in the first
primary election that was
held in April of this year;
Chief Executive candidates
included Melanie Benjamin
and Marge Anderson.
I attended the first chief
executive candidate forum
that had been held at the
District 1 community
center at Mille Lacs Lake
on November 24, 2008.
Candidates Michael Robert
Aubid, Clifford K. Churchill,
and Lisa Michelle Jackson
did not show; it was not
known why these three
candidates did not show.
The six candidates that
did show were Marge
Anderson, Kirstie Lee
Davis Deyhle, Mushkoob,
Larry M. Nickaboine,
Pamela Elaine Pewaush,
and Wallace St. John, Sr.
With the exception
of Mushkoob, the other
five candidates did not
have political, community
organizational, and
administrative skills,
training and experience;
they had no education
beyond a high school
level. Possessing no formal
ELECTIONS to page 3
guilty to conspiracy to distribute
cocaine. He was sentenced to 36
months and 3 years supervised
release. He is scheduled to report
to prison officials Jan. 5,2009.
Randy Matthew Sayers pled
guilty to conspiracy to distribute
cocaine. He was sentenced to 54
months and 5 years supervised
release. No date given for
reporting to prison.
Brandon Lee Strong pled
guilty to conspiracy to distribute
cocaine. He was sentenced to 36
months and 5 years supervised
release. No date given for
reporting to prison.
Concha Edith Jsham pled
guilty to conspiracy to distribute
cocaine.   She was sentenced
to 42 months and 5 years
supervised release. No date given
for reporting to prison.
Janet Lisa Head pled guilty to
using a telephone in facilitating
the commission of a felony
under the controlled substance
act. She was sentenced to 48
months and one year supervised
release. She voluntarily reports
to prison Jan. 5,2009.
The remaining ten defendants
will be sentenced January 6 and
7,2009.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney
John E. Haak from the District
of South Dakota prosecuted
the case against the total of 34
defendants.
1855 Treaty Rights arguments
heard locally December 10
On December 10 at 12:30 PM,
Tribal Attorney Frank Bibeau
and Anishinabe Legal Services
Attorney Chris Allery will
participate in oral arguments
before the Minnesota Court
of Appeals by ITV, Interactive
Television at the Beltrami
Judicial Center, Courtroom 2N
in Bemidji, Minnesota.
Arrangements have been
made to have a simulcast
session at the Leech Lake Tribal
Court in Cass Lake, for people
who may not want to travel to
Bemidji to attend. Leech Lake
Tribal Court Administrator
may be reached at 335-3682
or 335-4418. Additional efforts
will be made to have the oral
arguments simulcast to the
White Earth Reservation Tribal
Court at the new Government
Center.
The oral arguments are open
to the public, so anyone may
attend for the live arguments
in Bemidji. For questions or
additional questions contact the
Leech Lake Legal Department
at 335-3673.
Go to page 5 to read brief.
210 employees laid off from
jobs at casinos, hotels
By Michael Beebe, Dan
Herbeck
Seneca Gaming Corp. is
going to have to get along with
fewer employees because of the
recession.
Seneca officials Tuesday
announced a 5 percent across-
the-board layoff, or 210 of its
4,200 employees.
Pink slips were handed out in
the gambling operation's casinos,
hotels and entertainment
complexes in Niagara Falls
and Salamanca, as well as the
temporary casino in Buffalo.
It's another sign that the
economy is affecting those
who gamble. Fewer people are
throwing the dice or playing
slots, and revenue is down.
Besides the layoffs, the
corporation announced a
salary freeze for those making
more than $70,000 a year,
suspended yearly bonuses
and will reduce salaries for its
senior management and board
of directors.
Brian Hansberry, president
and chief executive officer
of Seneca Gaming, said the
company has been reducing
expenses over the last six
months.
"Unfortunately, that was not
enough, and we had to take a
measure that all ofthe members
ofthe senior management team
wanted to avoid," Hansberry
said in a prepared statement.
The announcement did not
come from Philip Pantano, who
since April 2005 has served as
spokesman for Seneca Gaming.
Pantano was among those who
lost his job, and though he
declined extensive comment,
he said he was not laid off, but
his position was eliminated.
Susan L. Asquith, a senior
vice president with Travers
Collins & Co. who has served
in the past as a spokeswoman
CASINOS to page 6
Billions of tax dollars at stake in
gambling fight
The Seminole Tribe has
expanded gambling at its Tampa
Hard Rock Casino. Taxpayers
stand to make billions of dollars
as part ofthe deal, but some are
trying to outlaw the practice.
Tampa, Florida -The stakes
are high, and that's why the
Seminole Indians are gambling
despite a Florida Supreme Court
ruling against the Tribe.
It started when„ voters
approved expanded gambling
in the form of Las Vegas Style
slot machines in South Florida.
Under the Department of Indian
Affairs, the law states that the
Seminole Indians can run any
type of gambling game that is
authorized by the state.
Clearly the Indians were going
to be able to expand gambling
with the new slot machines, but
they made a deal with Governor
Charlie Crist. The Tribe said if
the Governor signed a compact
that allowed them to run Las
Vegas style card games, they
would give the state a portion of
the take.
Although Crist is anti
gambling, he said he thought it
was the right thing for Florida.
The Governor concluded, the
federal government was going
to allow it anyway and Florida
taxpayers would have ended up
with zero.
That's why Crist, a gambling
opponent, signed a compact that
allowed the Seminoles to expand
gambling.
Seminole spokesman, Gary
Bitner, says the Tribe didn't have
to do it. The Federal law allows
them to offer gambling, that is
legal in the state, without having
to share any of the take.
Due to the compact, the state
will receive $100 Million a year.
This year a minimum of $125
million, next year $150 million
and in 2010 it could receive as
much as $1 billion a year if the
Indians are extremely successful.
The more the tribe makes, the
GAMBLING to page 6
Council approves settlement ending land dispute
By Shannon Fiecke
With a single vote Tuesday
night, the Shakopee City Council
ended a more than 13-year saga
over the local tribal land-trust
issue.
With Councilor Matt
Lehman absent, the City
Council unanimously approved
a settlement reached with
the federal Bureau of Indian
Affairs.
Although the city failed
to get the BIA to back away
from placing 752 acres (572 in
Shakopee) of tribal land would
into trust, the bureau agreed
to procedural conditions the
next time it receives a trust
application.
The councilors had met in
closed session in weeks prior to
discuss the pending litigation
and approved the settlement
Tuesday after each councilor
stated his opinion.
In October 2007, Shakopee
brought a lawsuit in federal
district court against the BIA,
claiming the agency had violated
federal law and regulations in
deciding to place land into trust
for the Shakopee Mdewakanton
Dakota Community. The BIA
has waited to transfer the land
title until the legal challenge
was setted.
The BIA agreed to a number
of procedural conditions in
exchange for the city dropping
its present lawsuit, including, but
not limited to, inviting the tribe
and city to a meeting the next
time an application is made and
requesting information from the
city regarding potential impacts.
The city would also be invited to
cooperate on an environmental
impact statement, if one is
required to be conducted under
federal environmental law.
"Hopefully all three parties
will follow it with good faith,"
said Councilor Pat Heitzman.
Once tribal land is placed in
trust, it is removed from local
property tax rolls and non-tribal
zoning authority.
The land trust issue has been
a source of tension between the
tribe and city for years. Scott
County also opposed the tribe's
application, but opted against
suing the federal government
web page: www.press-on.net
Native ,4»"j
We Support Equal Opportunity For All People
A weekly publication.  Copyright, Native American Press, 2008
Founded in 1988
Volume 20 Issue 14
December 1, 2008
Virginia tribes hope 2009 will bring federal status
Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, right, holds up a peace pipe presented to him by Chickahominy Chief
Stephen Adkins, center, as Mattaponi Chief Carl "Lone Eagle" Custalow, left, looks on in front of the Executive Mansion on Capitol Square in Richmond, VA Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008 as the Virginia Indian Tribes
present their annual tax tribute to the Governor. AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch, Bob Brown).
Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. - In a
Thanksgiving tradition rooted
firmly in Virginia history, Gov.
Timothy Kaine received a gift
of two deer from the state's
American Indian tribes _ and
promised to support their quest
for federal recognition.
Kaine received the tribute from
the Mattaponi and Pamunkey
chiefs at a ceremony marking a
1677 treaty between Virginia's
tribes and the British.
Virginia has recognized six
tribes since 1983, but the federal
government has not followed
suit.
Federal recognition would
allow the tribes' 3,000 members
to receive federal dollars for
housing, education and senior
care.
Kaine says it's an injustice
that the tribes have not been
recognized, and promised to
work on their behalf.
Native Nation
Building
Conference
November 18-19,
Tucson Arizona
Leech Lake has many problems
including high unemployment,
underemployment, high poverty
statistics, crime, and etcetera. The
new Band administration, after
the election of new Chairman
Arthur LaRose, Secretary
Treasurer Mike Bongo, and
District 3 Representative Eugene
Whitebird, in conjunction
with District 1 Representative
Robbie Howe and District 2
Representative Lyman Losh,
agreed to utilize the Nation
Building Model to focus on
building a successful future. In
preparation for setting the stage
Chairman LaRose, Representative
Whitebird, and administrative
staff Randy Finn, Brian Myers,
and Wallace Storbakken, attended
the Native Nation Building
Leadership, Governance, and
Economic Policy Conference
as a Leech Lake delegation.
Finn, Myers, and Storbakken
are the Band's Deputy Director,
Tribal Development Director, and
Economic Development Director,
respectively.
The goals of the delegation
were two-fold; first, to learn
as much as possible about the
process, and secondly, to talk
the Native Nations Institute
into bringing their expertise to
Northern Minnesota sometime
in the Spring of 2009. They are
glad to report that they were
successful on both accounts.
In regard to learning, they
reviewed case studies of tribes
that were successful, those
that were not, and what the
key factors were that made
the difference. They learned
that the keys to the successful
Nation Building model were
sovereignty, effective institutions
of self-governance, cultural
match, strategic orientation, and
leadership. They also learned that
many ofthe tribes failed to build
economies and infrastructure
because they were politically
unstable and did not have capable
governing institutions with
good rules, regulations, or laws.
Unsuccessful tribes also had
often set no strategic direction
Indian health bill appears dead
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -Congress is
expected to adjourn in December
without sending a wide-ranging
Indian health bill to President
Bush, leaving Senate Indian
Affairs Committee Chairman
Byron Dorgan and American
Indian leaders to look to a new
president for support.
Barack Obama campaigned in
Indian Country more than any
presidential candidate before
him _ mostly during primary
season in an attempt to win states
with high Indian populations,
including North Dakota, South
Dakota and Montana.
"I want you to know that I will
never forget you," Obama said
told Montana's Crow reservation
in May, where he was given an
honorary Indian name. "You will
be on my mind every day that I
am in the White House."
On the campaign trail, Obama
said he supported more funding
for the Indian Health Service and
better services at IHS clinics. He
has also promised to create a new
White House position to oversee
Indian affairs, which would be a
first.
Dorgan said he believes Obama
will be "a much more aggressive
advocate" for the nation's Indian
communities.
The North Dakota Democrat
hopes the Indian health
legislation passed by the Senate
earlier this year will pave the way
for similar legislation in the next
Congress.
The legislation would authorize
spending about $35 billion for
American Indian health care
programs over the next 10 years.
It would give Indians better
access to health care services,
including screening and mental
health programs.
It would boost programs at the
federally funded IHS, prompt new
construction and modernization
of reservation health clinics and
attempt to recruit more Indians
into health professions. It also
would increase tribal access to
Medicare and Medicaid.
Dorgan attributed the bill's
failure to the dispute over
abortion. He said its passage
through the House was
complicated by an amendment
added by Sen. David Vitter,
R-La., that would bar any money
authorized in the legislation
from being used for abortions.
"We just have to get this
done," Dorgan said. "It's pathetic
that this government has made
promises of health care and not
delivered."
American Indians suffer
much higher death rates from
disease than the rest of the
country. Alcoholism, drug use,
diabetes, cardiovascular disease
and suicide rates are especially
high.
Dorgan said he already has
talked to former South Dakota
Sen. Tom Daschle, who is
Obama's choice to head the
federal Health and Human
Services Department. Daschle,
the former Senate Democratic
leader, was active in Indian issues
when he was in Congress.
Jacqueline   Johnson,
the director of the National
BILL to page 6
2nd AIM slaying defendant
wants to see report
DISPUTE to page 3       CONFERENCE to page 6
Associated Press
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The
second of two men charged
with killing a woman on the
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
in 1975 has asked to see the
pre-sentence report of a third
man already convicted of the
crime.
John Graham and Richard
Marshall are scheduled to
stand trial in February on
charges they committed or
aided and abetted the first-
degree murder of Annie Mae
Aquash (AH'-kwash).
Arlo Looking Cloud was
convicted in 2004 for his role.
Marshall's lawyer earlier
filed a motion asking to view
Looking Cloud's pre-sentence
investigation report to
determine if any information
in it challenges his credibility
should he testify against
Marshall.
Marshall cited Looking
Cloud's history 'of and
treatment for mental disorders
and alcohol and drug abuse.
Graham's lawyer has now
filed a similar request.
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