Written by KBIC chief judge (and Fred’s son) Brad Dakota.
Here.
Michigan Indian
Grand Traverse Resort GM Moving to Pechanga
From the Traverse City Record-Eagle via Pechanga (of course):
ACME — The search is on for a new leader at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, since its president and general manager is headed to southern California.
Grant Channing led the 600-room resort owned by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians for more than three years. He’ll step down Friday and will take over as vice president of hotel operations at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif., a 517-room resort and casino north of San Diego owned by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians.
“Something has to challenge me for me to go, and there were some challenges there that intrigued me to go,” Channing said. “The most difficult thing, frankly, was leaving here.”
Introducing MSU’s American Indian Programs and Organizations Website
Welcome to the American Indian Programs and Organizations Web portal at Michigan State University. This is your connection to the university’s many resources for American Indian scholarship, outreach, and support services.
Michigan State is home to one of the nation’s most inclusive approaches to American Indian studies in the nation, offering a wide range of programs and organizations related to American Indians, exploring all aspects of indigenous life. MSU has a long history of sharing the knowledge and resources created at the university with surrounding communities, adding to the vitality and richness of American Indian life—in Michigan and beyond.
Annual American Indian Events at MSU
Indigenous Law and Policy Center Spring Speaker Series
Held in the spring semester, this speaker series includes authors of new books about Indian law or Indian country who are invited to speak at MSU College of Law by the Indigenous Law and Policy Center. Generally, the events are held during lunchtime in the Castle Board Room, located in the law school building.
Indigenous Law and Policy Center Annual Conference
Held in the fall semester, the ILPC annual conference brings together scholars, practitioners, judges, and community members to discuss issues surrounding a specific topic. Past topics have included the Indian Child Welfare Act, American Indian law and literature, the Indian Civil Rights Act, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
News Profile on GTB Chairman
From the Traverse City Record-Eagle:
PESHAWBESTOWN — Derek Bailey made several promises throughout his campaign to lead a local American Indian tribe.
One of them was to work with all levels of government. So far, it appears the youngest tribal chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians has lived up to that pledge.
“Derek has been very open to collaboration with the county,” Leelanau County Commissioner David Shiflett said.
Commissioner Richard Schmuckal said Bailey is “the most active” tribal chairman he’s worked with since joining the Leelanau County board seven years ago.
“He’s here, he’s there,” Schmuckal said. “He’s very energetic.”
Bailey, 37, also reached beyond Michigan borders. He’s visited Washington D.C. five times since taking over as tribal chairman in December 2008.
“When I go out and travel, I’m living up to the promises I made during my campaign,” Bailey said. “My perspective is to develop those relationships. It’s important to put a face to a name.”
So it’s no surprise that one of the “major highlights” from Bailey’s first year in office involved a public introduction from President Barack Obama before a presidential speech in July on the American Graduation Initiative. Before he began, Obama introduced Bailey.
“And the chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indian Tribe, Derek Bailey is here. Please give Derek a big round of applause,” Obama said.
Patrick LeBeau Reviews The Writings of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft
Here is Patrick LeBeau’s fine review of Robert Dale Parker’s “The Sound the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky: The Writings of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft.”
Bomb Threat at Soaring Eagle Casino
MT. PLEASANT — Employees head back to work at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mt. Pleasant after a bomb threat Wednesday afternoon. It was like any other day at the casino until a call came in that turned the resort upside down. “The Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Police Department at approximately 1:30 this afternoon received a bomb threat,” said Public Relations Director Frank Cloutier.
Six other law enforcement agencies were called and within minutes the resort was swarming with police ready to shut the area down.
Casino player Kim Jones drove an hour to get to the casino when she was turned away. “Yes we were coming here to the casino and we got up here and we saw all the police cars…a friend…was here earlier and was playing a slot and the (police) come in and told them they all have to leave,” said Jones.
“We had a bomb threat and they evacuated us very professionally and we’re dealing with it the best we can,” said evacuee Randy Thompson.
Frank Cloutier said the bomb scare was unlike any evacuation he’s ever seen. “We haven’t had an impact on the property to this magnitude,” Cloutier said.
The search continued for over six hours but no evidence of a bomb turned up. Kim Jones said she was cashing in on her own theory about what took place.”Because I think somebody just lost and was upset and it doesn’t surprise me,” said Jones.
Greektown Revenues Improving
From the Detroit News via Pechanga:
Detroit — Greektown Casino-Hotel, the city’s smallest casino, reported a 21-percent increase in its November revenue over the same month in 2008.
Greektown took in $28.44 million last month compared to $23.51 million a year earlier.
Overall, gaming revenues were up just slightly in November, 0.6 percent, compared to the same month last year, according to numbers released by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
MGM Grand Detroit and MotorCity casinos reported respective year-over-year declines of 7.8 percent and 1.8 percent during the same time period.
News Article on Grand Traverse Band Fee to Trust Issues
From the Traverse City Record-Eagle:
PESHAWBESTOWN — A local American Indian tribe wants to expand its reservation.
Nearly 80 acres of additional land in northwest Michigan is a good start.
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians acquired a 78-acre parcel in Antrim County’s Milton Township last week.
Tribal Chairman Derek Bailey said the land trust soon will house 22 residential sites for band members.
The recent land acquisition addressed a “fundamental need” for tribal housing located near Turtle Creek Casino in Williamsburg and Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, Bailey said.
The parcel originally was zoned for agricultural development, said Chris Weinzapfel, Milton Township zoning administrator. But the band spent $1.5 million on road, sewer, water and electrical improvements, in hopes it could obtain residential zoning rights.
New Firekeepers Casino Crime Impact Never Materialized
From the Battle Creek Inquirer via Pechanga:
Four months after the opening of FireKeepers Casino, local police say crime hasn’t risen as some casino opponents had feared.
While some critics feared the casino would lead to an increase in burglaries, embezzlement and crimes of that ilk, that hasn’t materialized, police and residents said.
Increased traffic is the thing most residents near the casino are going to experience, said Emmett Township’s acting Public Safety Director Kenneth Cunningham. Gamers at the casino might see the occasional drunken and disorderly conduct, but nothing more than would be expected at a place selling alcohol, Cunningham said.
Cunningham and casino officials said data on the number of incidents near FireKeepers and on casino grounds were not immediately available. Those statistics are tracked by the Huron Potawatomi Police Department, the force for the Athens Township-based Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, FireKeepers’ owners.
Residents living near the facility say its impact has been minimal.
“It’s not really been a problem,” said Sue Bess, 67, who lives on Ackerson Drive, directly east of the casino property. “Traffic’s not really been much different. Everything’s moved pretty smooth.”
The tribe in October 2008 signed a $1.1 million agreement with Emmett Township for Emmett to police the casino around the clock for three years. The tribe pays for five cross-trained police, fire and emergency medical public safety officers and a new patrol car for the township, which is housed at the casino. Fire or medical calls are handled and paid for on a per-call basis.
Four months after the casino’s opening, “Things are going very good,” Cunningham said.
SCIA Trust Acquisition Delay Hearing — Featuring Derek Bailey
Via Indianz.
Turtle Talk 
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