Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2001-10-26

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INDEX
M^^^
K    Mirabel is
Non-band members
News Around Indian Country
2
^r
■ top winner
warned not to trespass
Commentary/Editorials/Voices
4
1 at Native
on White Earth tribal
Smoke Signals of Upcoming Events
5
^m American
land, still need state
Classifieds
7     1*1
J| Music Awards
license to hunt
pgi
pgi
Newspaper King asks lenders for
publisher files waiver on $27 million loan
as intervenor principal payment
in casino audit
lawsuits
pg 1 pg 1
Commentary
Casino audits
essential to
addressing
gambling issues
pg4
Publisher files
as intevenor in
casino audit
lawsuits
by Clara NiiSka
Press/ON publisher Bill
Lawrence, acting as his own attorney, filed Friday as intervenor in tlie
two casino audit lawsuits being
heard in Ramsey County District
Court: Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Indians, Plaintiff, v. State ofMinnesota and Charlie Weaver as the
Commissioner ofthe Minnesota
Department of Public Safety, and
Prairie Island Indian Community v.
Minnesota Department of Public
Safety.
Lawrence stated that he also intends to file as intervenor in the
third casino audit lawsuit, Shakopee
Mdewakanton Sioux (Dakota)
Community, Grand Portage Band
of Chippewa Indians, and Lower
Sioux Indian Community v. Mike
Hatch, Minnesota Attorney General. David F. Fisher, Commissioner ofthe Minnesota Department of Administration, and
Charles R. Weaver, Jr., Commis-
LAWSUITtopage3
King asks for 1-year waiver on
$27 mMon loan principal payment
By Bill Lawrence
Despite releasing a glowing report
on the financial position ofthe Red
Lake Band of Chippewa Indians two
weeks ago, at a tribal gaming board
meeting on October 22
treasurer Dan King
pressured lenders for a
12 month waiver of
principal payments on
the $27 million loan
for the motel
waterslide expansion
project at the River
Road casino.
In a telephone interview, Red Lake tribal
member James White told Press/ON
that at the October 22 meeting at the
River Road casino, tribal council
treasurer Dan King asked a representative ofthe 12-bank consortium
that loaned the tribe the $27 million
to construct the motel and water
slide project for a 12 month waiver
ofthe principal payment. White said
a Mr. Mike Molder, a representative
of 1he National City Bank of Michigan told King, "He can't do that,
he's only one of 12 banks in on the
27 million dollar loan. Molder said
he doesn't want to have to tell his
bank that King promised 14 million
in profit in the first year, and he isn't
even close." Principal payments on
the loan will increase the first ofthe
"Molder said he doesn't want
to have to tell his bank that
King promised 14 million in
profit in the first year, and he
isn't even close."
year to $509,000 a month; presently
payments are being made only on
the interest.
White also told Press/ON thai a
tribal accountant at tlie meeting reported that, "profit for September
was $378,778 (way short ofthe over
a million a month needed), and that
profit for the year was $79,000 less
than lastyear, but administration
costs Wereway up. In addition, the
accountant said that, "the administrative costs include $89,287 for 'travel
WAIVER to page 6
Legislative committee hears testimony on
proposed state-owned casino
by Clara NiiSka
Should the State ofMinnesota
get into the casino-operatioas business? The Minnesota House of
Representatives' Government Operations & Veterans Affairs Policy
(Gov Ops) Committee, chaired by
Rep. Jim Rhodes (R-44B), held an
"informational" hearing about that
issue at St. Cloud City Hall on
Thursday evening, October 18,
2001.
The proposed legislation: At issue
are six separate gambling-related
bills referred to the Gov Ops committee during 2001, including:
HF2528, proposing an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution
to allow the legislature to authorize
one or more privately-operated casinos, "with the state's share of net
proceeds... dedicated to highway
purposes and educational infrastructure."
HF2441, changing several subdivisions ofMinnesota Statutes
297A.259 and 349A to establish
video lottery terminals in bars, with
proceeds dedicated to state and local "infrastructure." The bill also
provides for local regulation, including the authority for counties
and certain cities to prohibit state
lottery operations within their own
jurisdiction.
HF1689, authorizing the state lottery to lease space for and operate a
casino in the main terminal ofthe
Minneapolis-St. Paul International
Airport, and providing that "the
metropolitan airports commission
shall not unreasonable refuse to
lease space in the main terminal for
this purpose."
Victim discharged from hospital
without the shirt on her back
By JeffArmstrong
A Leech Lake woman rear-ended
at a stoplight by a drunk driver last
month claims Fargo MeritCare
Hospital staff added insult to her injuries when they released her without treatment—or even adequate
clothing.
Flown into Fargo on Sept. 25 after undergoing examinations at two
local medical facilities, Cass Lake
resident Michelle Davis LaRose
said she was barely given the time
of day at MeritCare after x-ray results for spinal fractures came back
negative.
"I was there for 30-45 minutes af
ter they took x-rays," said LaRose.
"Then my nurse came back and
told me I could go home. When I
told her my ride wasn't here, she
said, T suppose you'll have to take
a cab to Bemidji," a 135-mile trip.
As is routine procedure in such
cases, medical staff had cut off
LaRose's clothing rather than risk
aggravating her injuries. The
Anishinaabe woman thus found
herself in serious pain, penniless
and without clothing, far from her
home. Belatedly taking note of her
predicament, LaRose said, the
VICTIM to page 6
Taking back the gift
By Jean Pagano
The United States Supreme
Court, in their term ending 28 June
2001, issued five decisions which
affected the issue oftribal sovereignty. Specifically in the decisions
of Nevada v. Hicks and Atkinson
Trading Company v. Shirley, tribal
jurisdiction over the conduct of
non-Indians on tribal land has been
severely curtailed.
The issue oftribal sovereign immunity is not a new one. The rulings on tribal immunity stretch back
to Turner v. United States in 1919,
according to Justice Kennedy.
Whereas Congress has not codified
the issue of sovereignty, there is
definitely interest in moving that di-
Notice to Red Lake
tribal members in
the Twin Cities
There will be a meeting in Minneapolis concerning the financial situation and future of the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The meeting is
planned for Thursday, November 1.
As many people are already aware,
Red Lake reservation may be in serious financial trouble. Next
Thursday's meeting is intended to
address the financial questions that
many in the Red Lake community
have.
The Red Lake tribal council will be
invited to respond to some of the
community's questions about treasurer Dan King's recent financial report and his mismanagement of Red
rection, according to the September
11* Tribal Leaders Forum (The Forum), sponsored by the National
Congress of American Indians
(NCAI). The Forum is concerned
that four out ofthe recent five decisions by the Supreme Court eroded
the tribal sovereignty issue more
and more.
The leadership ofthe Forum detailed an overall strategic plan to
combat the perceived diminishing
oftribal sovereignty. The strategic
plan that they developed is as follows:
1. Develop Federal legislation to
reaffirm tribal jurisdiction
2. Support and coordinate tribal
GIFT to page 5
Judge asked
to review
court-assisted
abduction
ruling
By JeffArmstrong
Jawnie Hough has filed a motion asking Beltrami County district judge Terrance Holter to set
aside his Oct. 3 ruling in favor
of Hough's ex-husband's family,
whom she alleges misused tribal
and state courts to legalize the
abduction of her four-year-old
daughter.
"[M]y child was with me essentially every single day for 3
years until taken away by this
court and given to my ex-in-laws
in Red Lake, Minnesota, without
my knowledge or consent," said
Hough in an affidavit in support
of her motion, a preliminary step
toward appealing to a higher
court.
Four-year-old Meghan Brun
was seized from her mother Jan.
10, 2001 by University ofMinnesota police at a campus hospital on the basis ofa Beltrami
County order enforcing a Red
Lake tribal ruling. The child suffers from a serious neurological
condition, compounding her
mother's fears for the child's
well-being and safety.
The father, Donald Brun, Jr.,
RULING to page 3
Upper Sioux breaks ground on
$21 million hotel, casino
By Tom Cherveney, staff writer,
West Central Tribune
GRANITE FALLS - The elders
took center stage Monday as the
Upper Sioux Community broke
ground on a casino and hotel complex estimated to cost $21 million.
To be known as Prairie's Edge
Casino Resort, it will be located on
a bluff overlooking the Minnesota
River Valley about five miles south
of Granite Falls. It will replace the
community's Firefly Creek Casino
when it opens in January 2003.
Upper Sioux Community Tribal
Chairwoman Helen Blue invited
elderly residents to take center
stage at die traditional
groundbreaking ceremony on
Monday.
SIOUX to page 5
TEC to meet at Fortune Bay
The Tribal Executive Committee (TEC) ofthe Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe has scheduled a
meeting to discuss the $20 million land settlement on Friday,
COURT to page 6    October 26, at 9:00 at the Fortune
Bay Casino on Bois Forte Reser
vation.
People should call to verify die
meeting before traveling long distances to attend, because TEC
meetings are frequently changed
without notice.
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Volume 13 Issue 48
October 26, 2001
HF1267, authorizing the state lottery to offer games involving sports
wagering and sports wagering
pools, and authorizing sports book-
making under licenses issued by the
director ofthe state lottery, and requiring net proceeds to be deposited in the "Minnesota active recreation fund" which the bill would establish.
HF 1036, authorizing foe state lottery to construct or acquire and operate a casino in the Twin Cities
metropolitan area The bill also
amends state law relating to designation of smoking areas to provide
for smoking in the new casino, and
dedicates 40% ofthe net proceeds
ofthe casino to foe environment
and natural resources trust fund al-
TESTIMONY to page C
New center to honor Sacajawea
\Akociated Press
.LMON, Idaho ■ A daylong
dedication ofthe future home of
the Sacajawea Cultural and Education Interpretive Center is expected to draw crowds and dignitaries from throughout tlie region.
The new center, to be sited on
75 acres of prime irrigated pasture
bordering the Lemhi River just
east of Salmon, is already home to
a ranch house, bam and outbuildings.
A new 1,200-sqare foot visitor's
center, rest rooms, an outdoor amphitheater, interpretive exhibits,
and trails are planned improve-
!.
The city of Salmon bought the
property with a $1 million HUD
grant appropriated by Congress for
the center.
Officials hope the interpretive
center will be an added attraction
for the millions ofpeople expected
to follow the Lewis and Clark trail
during the expedition's bicentennial celebration in 2004 and 2005.
Rose Ann Abrahamson, a lateral
descendant of Sacajawea, and
president ofthe nonprofit
Sacajawea Interpretive and Educa-
Photo credit: Bill Lawrence
tion Center, Inc., said Saturday's
dedication is die culmination of
years of work.
"We are deeply honored by this
opportunity to host and pay tribute
to this nation's famous Native
daughter," she said. "We have
worked long and hard to obtain a
land base in our traditional homeland and to tell the history of our
people and famous ancestor,
Sacajawea."
The accompanying photo is ofa
statue of Sacajawea at the Upper
Plains Indian Museum in Cody,
Wyoming.
St. Cloud State asks North Dakota to leave
"Fighting Sioux" nickname at home
AssociatedPress
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The
University ofNorth Dakota has no
formal request from St. Cloud State
to leave its "Fighting Sioux" logo
home when the men's hockey team
plays in St. Cloud next month, Athletic Director Roger Hiomas said
Monday.
"I just checked here with our
president's office, and they indicated to me they don't have a request here, so I don't know what we
can respond to," Thomas said.
The Sioux football team played
at St. Cloud two weeks ago and
nothing was said then about the
matter, Thomas said. The men's
hockey team plays at St. Cloud on
Nov. 2.
Rex Veeder, an assistant to the
president for special projects at St.
Cloud State, said he doubts Fighting Sioux uniforms would cause the
game to be canceled. He said the
request not to display the logo was
in response to faculty and student
views.
"We don't tolerate hate speech,"
said Sudie Hofrnann, an associate
professor and chairwoman of St.
Cloud State's human relations and
multicultural education department,
who coasiders the nickname and
logo insulting to American Indians.
In March, St. Cloud State President Roy Saigo submitted a resolution to the National Collegiate Athletic Association asking for the
elimination ofall American Indian
nicknames.
"One university cannot change
this," Veeder said. "It needs to be -
on a broader sort oflevel... UND is
not going to buckle from one
university's concern over this."
St. Cloud State also presented its
case to Minnesota State Colleges
andUniversities, the governing
body for state schools including St.
Cloud State; the North Central
Conference and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. St.
Cloud State and North Dakota are
members ofthe NCC and WCHA.
"President Saigo has taken this as
a personal issue and taken it to the
highest level," said Morris Kurtz,
director of intercollegiate athletics
for St. Cloud State.
The WCHA did not adopt a
policy against American Indian
nicknames, Kurtz said.
"Without foe league's backing,
they (North Dakota players) have
the right to choose to wear what
they want," he said.
UND benefactor Ralph
Engelstad, who built the new $ 100
million UND hockey arena that
NICKNAME to page 5
Tribal gambling
dominates
Conference
opening
By Lisa Snedeker
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS - The growth of
tribal gambling dominated
Wednesday's opening ofthe
World Gaming Conference and
Expo with a keynote speech by
the National Indian Gaming Association chairman and the induction ofa longtime tribal leader
into the Gaming Hall of Fame.
Tribal gambling has ballooned
into a $9.6 billion industry since
1988, when Congress passed the
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act,
said Emest Stevens Jr., newly
elected NIGA chairman. Despite
CONFERENCE to page 5
Robert Mirabal top winner at
Native American Music Awards
By Mary Perea
Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE,
N.M. - Robert Mirabal
was foe big winner at the
Native American Music
Awards, taking artist of
the year, songwriter of
the year and record ofthe
year honors for "Music
from a Painted Cave."
The fourth annual
awards ceremony took
place Saturday night at
Sandia Casino's new 3,000 seat
amphitheater near foe Sandia
Mountains.
Rodney A. Grant, who co-starred
as Wind in His Hair in the 1990
film "Dances with Wolves," was
the host. Country music star Crystal
Gayle was among the performers
and was inducted into the N AMA
Hall of Fame.
'This is such an
honor just being
out here and being part of something that I feel so
much a part of,"
Gayle, who is
part Cherokee.
Gayle performed
a new song called
"Back When
Times Were
Good" about
Robert Mirabal American Indian
experiences as the country has
changed.
Other performers included Keith
Secola, a crowd favorite with his
electric guitar, and 8-year-old flute
player Evren Ozan, who later was
honored as foe "future ofNative
American music."
MIRABEL to page 5