News from the Mashkiiziibing Community

News from the Maskiiziibing Community

March 4, 2020

View in Browser

Mino-dibishkaan (Happy Birthday) to Our Elders

March 1st

Kate Plucinski

March 2nd

Annette Bigboy

Pete Powless

Jace Johnston

Raymond Couture

March 5th

Mike Santana

Dar Hafeman

March 7th

Dennis Malouf

March 8th

Mary Jo Wolf

Sam Powless

March 11th

Carole Kraft

March 12th

Ron Rufus

March 15th

Jeff Toman

March 17th

Patrick Bigboy

Michele Davis

Patti LeMieux

Tribe Addresses Illegal Use and Possession of Lands and Water with Enbridge

By Danielle Kaeding for the Daily Press

The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is asking Canadian energy firm Enbridge Energy Co. for $45 million in damages for trespassing on its lands in addition to shutting down and decommissioning the company’s oil and gas pipeline within the Bad River watershed.

In a February 25th letter, Bad River Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins Jr. detailed the tribe’s terms for the company in order to resolve a federal lawsuit the band filed last July, which seeks to shut down Line 5 on the tribe’s reservation. The pipeline carries up to 23 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas liquids each day from Superior to Sarnia, Ontario.

The letter asks for $45 million in trespass damages, ceasing operation of Line 5 on the reservation and decommissioning or rerouting the pipeline outside of the watershed as part of a stipulation agreement before the court.

The tribe began negotiating the renewal of expired easements with Enbridge in 2013, but the band ultimately decided against renewal on some tracts of land in 2017.

“Since 2013, they’ve been in violation of our tribal and federal law. Without a proper easement, they’ve been essentially occupying tribal lands and waterways illegally,” Wiggins said on Thursday.

Wiggins said the tribal council weighed similar settlements with Enbridge, the company’s continued operation under expired easements and the energy firm’s profits in arriving at the proposed $45 million payment.

In the letter, Wiggins states Enbridge owes a debt to the Bad River community, which it must pay “without contingencies” to the tribe. The letter followed a meeting between Enbridge officials and the tribe on Monday.

In a statement Thursday, Enbridge said officials were pleased to meet with tribal leaders. The company said it’s working quickly to move forward with permitting and rerouting Line 5 outside of the tribe’s reservation in response to Bad River’s lawsuit.

View More of the Story Here

View the Tribe's Enbridge Line 5 Issues Brochure

Energy Institute Discusses Barriers Facing Tribes

By Molly DeVore, The Badger Herald

The Wisconsin Energy Institute held a panel on Tuesday, February 25th, discussing how indigenous tribes in Wisconsin have been working with renewable energy and the barriers they’ve faced.

The panel included Dylan Jennings, Tribal Council Member for the Bad River Ojibwe; Micheal Troge, Project Manager for the Oneida Nation and Charles Opferman, Vice President of Operations for FCPC Renewable Generation in the Forest County Potawatomi Community.

Opferman said the Potawatomi community was first alerted to the dangers of fossil fuel through fishing. Coal-fired power plants caused Walleye in their community and across the country to contain mercury.

This tainting of natural resources due to fossil fuels does not stop at fish, Jennings said. The Bad River Reservation has been working to protect its resources for generations.

“We very much see our home as paradise,” Jennings said. “So talking about innovative ways to work with renewable energy and to conserve and basically pass down this place as best as we possibly can is what we strive to do as a community.”

The Bad River tribe is currently working on establishing a solar field that will power their health and wellness center as well as their wastewater facility, Jennings said.

Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club Van Gets a Make-Over

The Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club's van recently had a make-over. The van is used daily for the local run around New Odanah until approximately 6:00 pm on a normal school day. Times are adjusted on days when the Club is open but there is no school or an early release day.

"Signature Sign & Graphics in Butternut did the wrap, and we are really excited about how it turned out!" shared Kristi Broeniman, Executive Director of the Club.

For more information on the daily run, please call Kristi at 715-685-9489.

Spring Forward for Daylight Savings Time on Sunday

Congratulations to Our Wrestlers and Coaches

Chi Miigwech to Heidi-Beth Burns for Sharing This Photo

2020 Tribal Council Meetings

Community Information

News from Head Start

Picnic in the Park Playgroup has been a collaboration with Head Start and the Tribal Child Care Program. Exciting things are unfolding with the new Head Start and Early Head Start programs, as well as with the Tribal Child Care Program.

In order to give us time to plan and re-structure, there will be no Picnic in the Park Play group at the Head Start Building on Thursday evenings. We will keep you posted when it resumes!

Vehicle Registration, Titling Locations and Times

View the Fee Schedule

Biizindadedah Program

March WIC Late Pick-Up on March 13th

Bad River Community Development Corporation Logo Contest

Deadline is Friday, April 17th

Youth Activities and Internship Opportunities

GLIFWC Summer Internship Opportunities

The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) is pleased to announce available internships for its 2020 GLIFWC Summer Internship Program.

Through this internship program, college students will work one-on-one with their GLIFWC mentors in various divisions and learn about necessary coursework, college degrees, and trainings which result in gainful employment in a multitude of careers, including natural resource and stewardship careers with tribes. Also, interns will participate in a multitude of traditional Anishinaabe cultural events and learn about the importance of treaty reserved rights to the Anishinaabe people and their history in preserving these rights.

View Internship Opportunities . The deadline is this Friday, March 6th.

Housing Updates

News from LCO College

LCO College Joins National Junior College Athletic Association

The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College was recently approved to join the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). This critical step brings the College closer to their goal of launching a golf program in the 2020-2021 academic year.

President Russell Swagger commented, “The College continuously focuses on student engagement, retention and graduation. The addition of athletic programming aligns with the College’s strategic plan and aims to fill the needs of today’s students who are looking for athletics to be part of their educational experience.”

As part of the College’s vision for the future, plans for expansion include additional athletic programs, student housing, and childcare.

“The NJCAA is very excited to welcome new member Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College to the association. We know their focus is on student engagement, student success and student completion and that excites us all because they are using sports to help obtain those goals,” said Dr. Christopher Parker, Executive Director of NJCAA.

“Region 13 is very excited to welcome Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College to the NJCAA and Region 13. We look forward to working with Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College to develop their intercollegiate athletic programs and value their membership in organization,” said Steve Crittenden, NJCAA Region 13 Board Member.

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College will be launching their inaugural athletic program with a men’s and women’s golf team with the spring 2021 season.

College Announces New Logo and Mascot

The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College announced a name change in November 2019 to demonstrate to internal and external stakeholders that the College is transforming and positioning to offer bachelor’s degrees. The process of the name change included community conversations, community surveys, and the announcement of pilot bachelor’s degree courses.

Through additional conversations with stakeholders including students, faculty, staff and community members, the College has refreshed their logo, updating the colors and incorporating teachings about the earth, water and the path of life.

Additionally, with the recent approval to join the NJCAA (see story above), and its commitment to offer athletic programs, beginning with golf in the spring of 2021, the College has identified a team name of Migiziwag Dayesaashijig (Soaring Eagles) and adopted a mascot by the name of Desaash (s/he soars in the air/wind without flapping wings).

A celebration of the logo and mascot is planned for April. For additional information, contact Jessica Wagner-Schultz, Director of Institutional Advancement, at 715-634-4790.