LCO's Little Newspaper

Odaawaa-Zaaga'iganing Babaamaajimoo-mazina'igaans

Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians

"The Pride of the Ojibwe"

January 21, 2023

In this Issue!

General Membership Meeting

Constitution Revision

Native News Headlines

Volleyball with Teachers

Christie Mountain Trip

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Please remember that if you aren't following us on Facebook, you may be missing out. Here's a link to the Tribe's Facebook page, check it out and click Like to get notifications of our news and event updates.

Lisa Abeita January 18

Irene Quaderer January 19

Donald Potack January 20

Deborah Ferguson January 20

Philip Roell January 20

Mary Ann Morey January 21

Gary Schuck January 22

Donald Jalowitz January 23

Wayne Jensen January 23

Clyde Miller January 24

Jerome Smith January 24

Patricia Belille January 24

If an elder would like to be added or removed from our birthday announcements please email Joe Morey at [email protected]

All enrolled members of the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe are encouraged to make sure your address is up to date in the LCO Citizenship Services office! Be sure your address is current since too much mail is being returned due to incorrect addresses. Check that your family members are updated as well. Also, contact the office if you have a death in the family. Please call Tiera at 715-558-7459 or Harmoni at 715-558-7429 to get your addresses updated right of way. Miigwech!

PS. Other member's cannot check on your status for you. You will need to all the office yourself if you are over 18 and not under a guardianship. You also must actually call the office to update and not send in an email as they have to verify it is you.

Boozhoo Gakina Awiya

Dear Readers,

You all were waiting for quite some time to have a General Membership Meeting with our tribal leadership and it's happened and it was a very good meeting with lots of reports. The meeting was held Saturday, Jan. 20. The TGB members presented their own reports as well as various reports from tribal program and enterprise directors.

This meeting was full of information on what our programs and leadership are acting upon and in the coming weeks many of those reports will be published in the LCO News.

Lots of news to catch up on!

Now that we are through the holidays a whole lot of news is getting sent to me in addition to articles I am working on. Watch for some great news and information over the coming weeks, especially with the Membership Meeting that took place on Saturday.

Scroll down to see all that's happening in Lac Courte Oreilles.

When you scroll down, you'll find that the newsletter is divided into sections beginning with the news headlines, jobs and other announcements section, followed by Tribal Court notices. Down below in the Flyer section you'll find Community Information, Community Events, Elder News and Events, and the College. In the Employment Opportunities section that has links to employment pages for the tribe, you'll find links to several of the latest job postings to the Tribal Website.

LATEST NEWS HEADLINES

TGB Members Declare Tribe in Best Financial Shape Ever at General Membership Meeting

By Joe Morey

News Editor

Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Chairman Louis Taylor welcomed a group of about 80 tribal members to an LCO General Membership Meeting held at the Big Fish Golf Event Center on Saturday, January 20. It was the first Membership Meeting since Sept. 24, 2022.

Various entities among the hundreds of services and programs at Lac Courte Oreilles provided written reports to the membership with updates, information on services that are available and recognizing recent accomplishments.

Taylor started off the meeting acknowledging that many members would like to see the Tribe’s General Membership Meetings live streamed over the internet, but that some things reported on are for the membership only.

“We are a progressive tribe, and we are looked at,” Taylor stated. “We work with the county, state and townships on many levels and certain things are meant for us.”

Taylor noted that with the new age of Internet sometimes untruths are spread faster than truths. He asked that members wait for official statements rather than from Facebook posts.

Taylor said that he and fellow Tribal Governing Board (TGB) member, Don Carley, were recently speaking about how they have both served on the TGB for over 20 years together and this is the best our Tribe has been financially.

Mino Maajisewin Program Provides Information to Membership

Mino Maajisewin is a voluntary home visitation program that is designed to assist parents/caregivers in the care and development of their baby or young children. This program is available to federally enrolled or eligible to enroll Native American families living in Sawyer County who are pregnant and/or who are parents of young children.

Services are available to first-time parents/caregivers, or a non-first-time parent/caregiver involved in child welfare services and/or receiving services for substance abuse and/or mental health. Our goal is to engage a woman as early in her pregnancy as possible so that we can support her emotional and physical needs during this critical time.

take our

WEEKLY POLL

Who will you vote for President in the 2024 election?

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

Neither

January 15 Poll Results

Question: Would you like to see the TGB invest in a wellness/fitness center?

80 total votes

Yes - 65% (52 votes)

No - 11% (9 votes)

Maybe - 24% (19 votes)

Constitution Revision Group Meets Thursdays In Hopes to Change Tribal Government Structure

A group of Elders and community members has been meeting regularly for the past couple of years with a goal of changing the Lac Courte Oreilles tribal constitution.

Dr. Rick St. Germaine leads the meetings held on Thursday nights at the Kinnamon Museum.

As St. Germaine explained it at their meeting on Jan. 11th, the group known as the LCO Constitution Revision Group, states that although the tribe has a constitution, it is outdated and was first created back in the 1930’s during the Franklin Roosevelt presidential administration, at a time when Roosevelt was re-structuring governments to deal with the Great Depression.

During the 1930’s, St. Germaine said the Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), John Collier, was a progressive leader who transformed the way the government worked with tribes. Ultimately, Collier created the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) which would establish each Tribe to develop their own constitutional governments, and prior to that time, the BIA was running the tribes.

In the picture are L-R) LCO Vice Chairman Tweed Shuman, Vera Homeskye, Marie Kuykendall and Dr. Rick St. Germaine

3rd Book Excerpt: The Battle of the Horsefly

The following is the third installment of book excerpts the LCO News will feature from local author, John Dettloff. The excerpts will be from his new book.

Detloff has lived on the Chippewa Flowage, near New Post, for over 50 years. His family has had a small resort just east of New Post for 56 seasons and for 40 years he has been writing historical articles about the flowage, tribal history (especially Old Post), old guides, old resorts, and fishing.

His new book called Whispers of the Past, A History of the Chippewa Flowage, released on November 1st, gives a comprehensive history of the flowage going back to the fur trade era.

According to Detloff, the book profiles in great detail the people of the "Chippewa Basin" (the area that became flooded by the flowage) and talks about the 300 plus people who were affected by and displaced by the flowage. There were probably 250 plus tribal members and nearly 100 non-tribal members that were affected.

From the Book:

To an Ojibwe warrior, avenging a fallen “brother” by killing his enemy was a way of ending one’s period of mourning. So once spring arrived and sugar bush was over, the season for war would invariably resume with old rivalries being reignited with a vengeance.

The last significant battle to occur in the upper Chippewa region between the Ojibwe and the Dakotas occurred around 1790 and was known as the Battle of the Horsefly. Ojibwe storytellers have long passed on tales about the intended attack on the village of Pahquahwong by the Mdewakanton, a sub-tribe of the Eastern Dakota (Santee Sioux). Ojibwe historian Paul Demain learned about the battle from his elders and has graciously allowed this author to retell portions of his story about the event.

LCO Police Department Provides Report on Law Enforcement Activities

LCO Police Department

The LCO Police Department is staffed by a chief of police, assistant director, office assistant, sergeant, K-9 officers, DARE instructors, investigators, school resource officer, bailiff, cadets and animal control officer.

New Building – Emergency Operations Center

The first day of operation in the new building was July 31, 2023. The new building includes a conference room, a classroom, and a kitchen area, and much needed additional space. The new building also contains our dog pound with six dog kennels and six cat cages.

Curfew Hours

We are now enforcing the LCO Tribal Curfew which encompasses the hours of 10pm to 7am. All persons under the age of 15 years who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian, will be picked up by an officer and released to a parent, guardian or responsible adult at their residence. Parents or guardians will also be cited in Tribal Court and may face possible fines. Parents are encouraged to always know where their children are during these hours.

NATIVE NEWS: Mole Lake Donates $99,365.63 to Organizations and Local Townships

On Monday, the Sakaogon Tribal Council presented donations totaling $99,365.63 to 20 organizations and local townships.

Chairman Robert VanZile, Jr., welcomed everyone and talked about the importance of partnerships and working together for the benefit of our natural resources and regional economic development.

"We are focused on the health, welfare and safety of our communities, and we are focused on cooperating and working together. We are not looking at race or the color of skin - that is not in anyone's best interest," Chairman VanZile said.

NATIVE NEWS: Tribal Entities Won a Record High $23.3 Billion in Federal Contracts in 2023

Tribal Business News

The U.S. government, the world’s largest buyer of goods and services, increased its purchasing to record levels last year and that was very good news for tribal entities in the federal contracting sector.

The surge in federal buying during fiscal 2023 helped push contract awards to tribal entities to record heights last year. Federal awards to tribal enterprises increased to a record $23.3 billion in fiscal 2023, a 16.3% increase over fiscal 2022, according to exclusive data provided to Tribal Business News by HigherGov, a market intelligence firm that tracks federal contracting.

The increase of $3.3 billion in awards to tribal entities last year was due primarily to double-digit growth in federal contracts from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) versus the prior fiscal year.

5th Annual Light the Night for A Cure to Be Held in Februarys

The Relay For Life of Sawyer County is holding its 5th annual Light the Night for a Cure - a family fun ski and snowshoe evening at the Johnson Center at OO Trailhead on Sunday, February 4, 2024 from 4:30-6:30 pm. This is an outdoor event which includes a lit ski loop and snowshoe trail, walkable dedicated luminaria reflection loop, bonfire, hot cocoa and snacks. All of this is for a $10 per person donation to the American Cancer Society. Additional information and on-line registration and forms are available at www.relayforlife.org/sawyercountywi. Once you access the site, click on "More Details." Paper forms are also available at First Lutheran Church, the Chamber of Commerce and many business locations in the area. Consider dedicating a luminaria to a friend or family member who is a survivor, fighting cancer or has lost the battle. The dedicated luminarias are available for a $10 donation for each dedication and are due by February 1st. As this is an outdoor event, participants should dress warmly. Regardless of snow conditions we will be snowshoeing and/or hiking the trails. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, although registrations will be accepted at the event.

Michigan Woman with Ties to LCO Appointed to Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council

LANSING, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Dec. 21, 2023) – A Holland woman was among a number of appointees to state panels announced by the office of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday.

Rosalie Austin, a member of Partners Advancing Self-Determination, as well as with the Health Equity Advisory Committee for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, was tabbed to fill a vacancy on the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council. Austin is the mother of an adult daughter who is afflicted with Pervasive Developmental Disability, leaving her functioning as a two-year-old.

This panel acts as an advocate for those with developmental disabilities to increase access for appropriate treatment, services and habitation. This appointment runs through the end of September, 2027, and is not subject to “the advice and consent” of the state Senate.

Article & Flyer Submission.

If you have something you wish to share with the Lac Courte Oreilles Community,

please Email Me your information by 5 pm Wednesday for the Friday edition

Chi-Miigwech

Joe Morey, Public Relations Director

Lac Courte Oreilles Band

Phone: 715-699-6014

C-Store Has LCO Apparel!

LCO Apparel is now available at the LCO CStore. Hooded sweatshirts/ T-Shirts in many different colors.

Upcoming Holidays

The Tribe will celebrate Treaty Day on Monday, January 22. The Tribal Office and other tribal entities will be closed. Please enjoy the holiday.

Current Job Listings

Visit the Tribe's employment page for a full listing of current jobs

Visit Sevenwinds Casino for their employment oppportunities

Visit LCO Ojibwe College for their employment opportunities

Visit lcofinancial.com for LCO Financial Services Job Listings

GIS Specialist Job

Quick Stop Manager

Accounts Payable Clerk

Nutrition Manager

School Operations Manager

Woodstone Admin Assistant

Realty Officer II

Prevention Planner

Check out the Tribe's Jobs Page

Currently over 100 job opportunities here at Lac Courte Oreilles listed!

Time: New Year Puts Emphasis on Reflection and Projection

By Don Posh

IndiGO

Another year goes into the history books. The New Year celebrations emphasize the passage of time with reflection and projection. As we age there is much more reflection than projection. I guess that’s why we often find ourselves watching TV shows from the past. The past is so much easier to deal with. We look back to our school days, becoming adults, created relationships, family and good times we had. Looking ahead is a bit more difficult. Dr. visits, the diagnosis, the pain of a lifetime of labor and the fear of the futures of our children and grandchildren.

Two Hayward Businesses Celebrate New Ownership

Two businesses held ribbon cuttings in Hayward recently to celebrate new owners. First, Hayward Feed & Seed transferred ownership to new owner Nik VanVonderen who is pictured with scissors in hand, and his mom, Mary VanVonderen, holding the plaque.

Second, Apple Awards celebrated the transition of ownership to Emily and Matt Caves. Iin the pic is previous owner Dennis Smith, center in maroon shirt, and next to him are new owners' Emily Caves (holding plaque) and Matt Caves (w scissors). Also in pic are family members of Matt and Emily and several Hayward Chamber of Commerce board members and Chamber ambassadors.

GUEST COLUMN: Famous Dave on Being a Teacher First

Most recently, all of us business owners have repeatedly heard or said—“Where have all the good, hard-working employees gone?—it seems like the kids today have no clue of what “work ethic’ means. This tells me that, as entrepreneurs, we’re not doing a good job of being teachers. Where I am going with this discussion is that instead of trying to look elsewhere for blame—the only way to fix the problem is to own it.

Most business owners think they are in the business of selling a product and growing their business. After all, a business that doesn’t grow is dying. You have to grow! However, what almost all business owners don’t get— is that they are actually in the business of “Growing Their People First.”

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB TRIP TO CHRISTIE MTN.

From the LCO Boys & Girls Club Facebook Page: Teens Tubing Trip to Christie Mountain was alot of fun to say the least. It was alittle chill but it was a blast..

STUDENTS VS TEACHERS VOLLEYBALL

From the LCO Ojibwe School Facebook Page. Students vs teachers volleybal to end the semester.

CONSERVATION WARDENS ASSIST IN ICE FISHING

From the LCO Conservation Facebook Page: Our Game Wardens assisted the Akii-gikinoo'amaading Charter School with ice fishing over the last couple days, they spent one day with a quick overview of ice fishing regulations for on and off reservation. They helped set up pop-up ice shacks and then spent the last two days on the Chippewa Flowage.

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