August 7-13, 2023

Manoominike Giizis (Ricing Moon)

The Red Cliff Tribal Council is greatly saddened to share that Gaa-Miskwaabikaang lost a young community member this past weekend to suicide. The Tribal Council sends its sincerest condolences to all impacted by this incident. A Community Healing Gathering is being planned for the near future. Details will be announced soon.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Please remember there are many resources available to you and your loved ones, and it is okay to ask for help. Please, ask for help. If you or a loved one are experiencing a crisis, or any other problems, call 715-779-3707 to begin services or to get help answering any questions you may have.

Resources and Crisis Lines

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988

Red Cliff Community Health Center: Call 715-779-3707 / 715-779-3741

Bayfield County Crisis Line: Call 1 (866) 317-9362

Online: www.redcliff-nsn.gov/suicideprevention

Grief & Counseling

Resources are available to anyone grieving and impacted by the recent incidents in our community. The Red Cliff Community Health Center and Red Cliff Behavioral Health Department offer care and grief support to anyone in need. Please call 715-779-3707 or 715-779-3741.

Learn more and see suicide prevention resources online.

Remember - it is not too late to ask for help.

Miigwech,

Red Cliff Tribal Council       Red Cliff Community Health Center

The Tribal Council is requesting Tribal Members to vote on an advisory referendum question pertaining to Red Cliff Code of Laws Chapter 40 - Exclusion Ordinance.

Currently, Chapter 40 provides for the exclusion and removal of NON-MEMBERS who act in disregard of tribal or other law, destroy tribal fish and game, trespass upon tribal trust property, pollute tribal lands and waters, destroy real or personal property of the Band, its members or Reservation residents, or endanger or harm the natural, social, psychological or physical well-being of members or other persons on the Reservation.

The referendum question will ask if Chapter 40 should also apply to Tribal Members who violate the terms of Chapter 40. Please vote on Friday August 18, 2023 at Legendary Waters. Polls will be open 8 AM to 8 PM.

Click HERE to see the Tribal Council resolution, Chapter 40, and sample ballot.

The summer months are a tricky time of year for trapping, and 2023 is no exception. But with fantastic luck and determination, TNR staff have successfully captured and collared a beautiful female wolf in the Echo Valley Pack inhabiting the western end of the Reservation and adjacent Ceded Territory.

Captured in the early morning of July 13th with a foothold trap, she was sedated, fitted with a GPS tracking collar, and was given the identifier of EV400, but is casually called Winnie. After sedation, staff collected hair samples and documented weight, approximate age, body condition score, and body length from the tip of her nose to the base of her tail. Winnie weighed 55 lbs. and was estimated to be around 1-2 years old. Once staff collected all needed metrics, Winnie was safely released back into the woods.

This capture was a fantastic learning opportunity for first-year wildlife tech Chloe Peacock. It's a valuable experience in ecological diversity and the importance of tracking predator populations. Staff look forward to learning all they can from Winnie and wish her a long and healthy life.

Wildlife Tech Chloe Peacock pictured with the sedated EV400 wolf "Winnie" after she was collared.

A sedated “Winnie” being fitted with a GPS collar.

Wildlife Tech, Chloe Peacock, sedating EV400 wolf “Winnie” so staff can work on her with as little stress to the animal as possible.

Winnie’s front paws compared to Chloe’s hand.

On July 27 and 28, TNR staff successfully captured two female coyotes with foothold traps and fitted them with GPS collars. The two coyotes are now known as CY402 and CY404, and we are excited to learn where these coyotes go and what they do!

Capturing them was a great experience for TNR staff. After finding the coyotes in the foothold traps, staff members sedated them and took measurements and biological data. We measured length and weight of the coyotes, and recorded observations about age and body condition. After fitting the coyotes with their GPS collars, both were successfully released back into the woods.

Wildlife technician Ron Nordin checking teeth of sedated female coyote to determine age.

New GPS collar on sedated female coyote.

Project coordinator Ashley Huinker measures the length of a sedated female coyote from nose tip to tail base. 

Attention Pet Owners! You may see this sign around Gaa-Miskwaabikaang if you are out hiking or enjoying the outdoors. Please use caution with your pets around these areas.

The Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center now has an exhibit featuring the Red Cliff Pow Wow: Portraits of Honor, Dedication, and Celebration by artist David Stock.

The exhibit will be on display on the second floor until October 16, 2023. There are more than 25 portraits in the exhibit.

The NGLVC is located at 29270 Co Hwy G in Ashland. You can visit the exhibit between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM every day.

Learn more at https://nglvc.org/exhibits/

Reminder - Kwe Connections group with Giwiidosendimin Project LAUNCH will meet this coming Saturday August 12!

This will be the last Kwe Connections group for the summer. Stay tuned for more events coming from Project LAUNCH!

Please contact Amaris or Johanna with any questions:

715-979-1554

amaris.andrews@redcliff-nsn.gov

johanna.wilson@redcliff-nsn.gov

Join us on Tuesday August 8 from 4-6 PM at the Nuzzo House to kick off Indigenous Milk Medicine Week! This event serves to highlight breast/chestfeeding stories -- challenges, successes, and all else along your breastfeeding journey.

There will be snacks, breastfeeding supplies, support, and photos (for the Native Breastfeeding Coalition of Wisconsin).

Please call Amaris for more information at 715-979-1554.

Giwiidosendimin Project LAUNCH's Nuzzo House is located at 88985 Nuzzo Road in Gaa-Miskwaabikaang.

The Red Cliff Tribal Council is set to meet Monday August 7 at Legendary Waters.

The Regular Session is scheduled to begin at 4:30 PM. Community members are invited to attend.

Click HERE to access the meeting agenda.

The next Fishing Committee meeting is scheduled for August 7, beginning at 4:30 PM at the Red Cliff VFW. Please call 715-779-3750 with any questions.

Agenda items include:

Roll Call

Lake Trout quota update

Cisco quota update

License forfeitures

Chapter 7 update

Future Fishers Initiative update

Other business

Boozhoo Elders! Here is your meal menu for August. Please call 715-779-3706 with any questions.

The Red Cliff Community Health Center is currently recruiting for two (2) Community Health Worker (CHW) positions. A CHW is a frontline employee who is a trusted member or has a good understanding of the community. This position serves as a liaison between the community, health services, and social services.

Do you enjoy working directly with the community? The CHW position participates in many Tribal community events. They also interact with special populations, such as the elderly, to assist with direct needs and connect them to other needed services. The goal is to strengthen and expand services to our elders in areas of transportation, basic health monitoring and assistance with navigating through the complex health/service systems. 

We need you to make this happen!

The position description and application can be found HERE.

The Wisconsin Indian Education Association (WIEA) will host an ACT 31 Celebration event at Legendary Waters on August 17.

All are welcome to join, including Tribal Council members, Tribal Education Committees, Tribal staff, Elders and Tribal Community. This is an opportunity to learn and hear about the integration of ACT 31 in our School Districts.

Wisconsin Act 31 is the statutory requirement that all school districts provide instruction in the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of the American Indian nations in the state. This requirement represents our state’s commitment to serve our diverse communities and the American Indian tribes and bands who reside within Wisconsin’s borders.

There is space for up to five vendors. Please contact WIEA President Guyaushk (Jim Pete) with any questions or if you'd like to be a vendor during this event. Email guyaushk2002@yahoo.com.

James E. Pete, DBA

Anishinaabe/Ojibwe/Chippewa

The Red Cliff Environmental Department is seeking sealed bid proposals for laboratory services from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

The vendor will be testing various samples for PFAS, mercury, nitrogen, and other contaminants. View the entire RFP and project details HERE.

Proposals should be submitted by Tuesday August 15, 2023.

FoodWIse Nutrition has released its August 2023 newsletter!

FoodWIse is federally funded statewide by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). FoodWIse advances healthy eating habits, active lifestyles and healthy community environments for Wisconsin residents with limited incomes through nutrition education at the individual, community and systems levels.

Click HERE to view the full August 2023 FoodWIse newsletter.

The Red Cliff Education Department is offering additional financial support for those who have already applied for the Higher Education and Job Training Program.

Want to apply for the scholarship? Here's what we need from you:

Application, Education Plan, Unofficial Transcript, Fall/Spring Schedule.

Click HERE to learn more and access an application.

Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority is accepting applications for housing and housing assistance!

RCCHA provides clean, safe, adequate, and affordable housing for qualified families and elders.

Housing options to apply for include low rent, 6-plex, 4-plex, Elderly, Tax Credit, Tax Credit Rehab.

Oski-Ombendaam New Hope Supportive Housing

The Oski-Ombendaam New Hope housing contains efficiency, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units. The goal of New Hope housing is to provide supportive services to those individuals and families while providing clean, safe, adequate, and affordable housing.

You are also able to apply for Home Repair Assistance and Down Payment Assistance.

Click HERE to access an application.

Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority tenants have access to a Residential Resource Coordinator. The coordinator will help tenants get connected with various resources.

This service is available to Housing tenants Monday through Friday at New Hope Building A, at 37580 Pageant Road.

Please call 715-779-3744 extension 3514 with any questions.

Click to access the entire Treaty Natural Resources Division Ganawenjigaade newsletter for niibin (summer) 2023.

Tribal Members have opportunities to collect birch bark from US Forest Service potential timber sale locations. Opportunities are available in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and Ottawa National Forest.

Anyone interested should follow this link, then click on the "birch maps" tab. Under that tab, there are maps of both national forests that show the areas open to birch bark collecting and the approximate size of trees in that stand, if that data is available.

Please note: Tribal members should not remove bark from trees that are already marked with paint. Birch bark can be collected until a timber sale contract has been awarded. Once a timber sale contract has been awarded, tribal members would need to get permission from the timber sale purchaser to collect birch bark within the timber sale units.  

If anyone has questions, they can contact contact Alex Bohman at abohman@glifwc.org or 715-685-2125.

Click HERE to order online!