News

Op/Ed Favoring Little River Band Gaming Compact

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Muskegon Chronicle via Pechanga:

It’s becoming more of a sure bet Muskegon County will see construction of a casino in its near future.

With the governor’s approval of amendments to the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians’ tribal compact and Fruitport Township’s and Muskegon County’s approval of the 36-page Municipal Services Agreement last week, there are only a few hurdles left.

The Chronicle Editorial Board urges our state lawmakers to shepherd the plan to build at the former Great Lakes Downs site through the Legislature. All three — representatives Mary Valentine, D-Norton Shores, and Doug Bennett, D-Muskegon Twp., and Sen. Gerald Van Woerkom, R-Norton Shores — have indicated they will support the move that could eventually create up to 1,100 new jobs in Muskegon County.

The Legislature must agree with Gov. Granholm’s approval of a change in the tribal compact and the Little River Band needs approvals from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Interior. The tribe is expected to ask that 60 acres of its 233-acre site in Fruitport Township be placed in a “trust” for casino development.

The Editorial Board also urges Congressman Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, and U.S. senators Carl Levin, D-Detroit and Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing to help this proposal sail through the approval process in Washington, D.C.

Federal lawmakers also should push highway officials to fund construction of an interchange at I-96 and Sternberg. The development of the interchange will be key to the continued growth of tourism and retail businesses in that area. Muskegon County has waged a 25-year campaign for the improvement and it has waited long enough.

With the construction of the casino and proper highway access, Muskegon County could become a year-round tourism destination, a definite boost in efforts to diversify the area economy and create permanent jobs in business serving casino visitors.

However, the Editorial Board continues to draw the line against a casino in downtown Muskegon or multiple casinos in the county.

Continue reading →

Michigan Daily Article on NAGPRA Compliance

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Daily:

The University is set to begin implementing a process that will see the transfer of Native American human remains to Indian tribes, according to a University press release sent out today.

The decision came after a March 15 ruling by the United States Department of the Interior concerning how museums and other agencies — including the University — should deal with unidentified Native American human remains.

Under the terms of the ruling, unidentifiable remains must be returned to the tribes from whose land the remains were originally excavated, the press release stated.

The University currently possesses about 1,400 unidentified remains, according to the release.

Stephen Forrest, the University’s Vice President for Research, wrote in the release that the University is currently developing a process for the transfer of the remains.

“The rule change announced last week provides a clear path for the transfer of the human remains in our possession,” Forrest wrote in the release. “We will move down that path in a transparent, swift and respectful manner.”

The University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology currently possesses unidentifiable remains from 37 states, according to the release.

Continue reading →

Univ. of Michigan Press Release on NAGPRA Compliance

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here, from the UM Record Update.

The text:

U-M has begun outlining a process for the transfer of Native American human remains to Indian tribes.

Vice President for Research Stephen Forrest said the most recent activities are in response to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s March 15 publication of a final rule clarifying how museums and other agencies — including the university — should handle Native American human remains that are under their control but for which no culturally affiliated Indian tribe has been identified.

Other resources
• Web site of the Advisory Committee on Culturally Unidentifiable Human Remains under NAGPRA
• Culturally Unidentifiable Native American Inventory Database for the U-M Musem of Anthopology

“Now that the Department of the Interior has clarified the rule for transferring culturally unidentifiable human remains, it is important that the university reach out to tribal leaders and facilitate the transfer process,” Forrest said.

Forrest said he anticipates having a process in place by the time the new federal rule takes effect May 14. The university has in its possession the remains of about 1,390 individuals unidentifiable with an existing tribe.

“The rule change recently announced provides a clear path for the transfer of the human remains in our possession,” Forrest said. “We will move down that path in a transparent, swift and respectful manner.” Officials and traditional religious leaders will be included in the consultation process. A letter to relevant tribes will be sent soon. Continue reading →

Sherman Alexie wins PEN/Faulkner award

Kate Fort

From the Guardian:

Sherman Alexie wins PEN/Faulkner prize

Alison Flood

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Sherman Alexie takes the $15,000 PEN/Faulkner prize for fiction, beating Lorrie Moore and Barbara Kingsolver with War Dances, a short story collection described by judge Al Young as a ‘rollicking, bittersweet gem’

Sherman Alexie.Sherman Alexie’s War Dances: about ‘all the hearbreaking ways we don’t live now’ Photograph: Ulf Andersen/Getty Images Europe

Native American poet and author Sherman Alexie has beaten writers including Lorrie Moore and Barbara Kingsolver to win the PEN/Faulkner award for fiction.

Alexie won the $15,000 award for War Dances, a collection of short stories about ordinary people on the brink of change, interspersed with poems. From the story of a famous author whose father is dying a “natural Indian death” from alcohol and diabetes, to the tale of a young boy writing for his local newspaper’s obituaries pages, judge Al Young — California’s poet laureate — called it a “rollicking, bittersweet gem of a book”.

“War Dances taps every vein and nerve, every tissue, every issue that quickens the current blood-pulse: parenthood, divorce, broken links, sex, gender and racial conflict, substance abuse, medical neglect, 9/11, Official Narrative vs What Really Happened, settler religion vs native spirituality; marketing, shopping, and war, war, war,” said Young. “All the heartbreaking ways we don’t live now — this is the caring, eye-opening beauty of [War Dances].”

Almost 350 novels and short story collections were considered for this year’s PEN/Faulkner award, America’s largest peer-juried prize. Established with money donated by William Faulkner from his Nobel prize winnings, former winners include EL Doctorow, John Updike, Philip Roth and Ann Patchett. The four finalists — Kingsolver, Moore, Lorraine M López and Colson Whitehead — all receive $5,000.

Alexie, author of four novels, three previous short story collections and many books of poetry, has previously won a National Book Award for young people’s literature and the Native Writers’ Circle of the Americas lifetime achievement award.

Supreme Court Rejects Asian Carp Injunction Again

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

News article here via How Appealing.

News Coverage of Little River Band Casino Agreement for Muskegon

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Ludington Daily News via Pechanga:

FRUITPORT TWP. — The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and Gov. Jennifer Granholm have reached an agreement helping clear the way for development of a gaming facility just outside of Muskegon, the tribe announced Friday.

Granholm and the tribal government have reached agreement on two compact amendments that bring the tribe one step closer to building the casino on the site of the former Great Lakes Downs Racetrack, property the tribe now owns. The amendments will allow the tribe to go forward with the process of placing a small portion of the property into trust with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

A third compact amendment is proceeding to both houses of the Michigan Legislature regarding changing the definition of “Eligible Indian Lands” under section 2 (B) (1). Both houses will need to approve this additional amendment in order for the project to move forward. The first two amendments did not require legislative approval.

Granholm encouraged the legislature to approve the remaining compact amendment, the press release stated.

“In short, neither the state nor the local units of government in Muskegon County will realize the benefit of the additional revenue sharing and the attendant economic development represented by this project unless the Legislature adopts the necessary resolutions concurring in the Third Amendment,” she stated, adding, the project is, “…in the best interests of the state and the public …”

Tribal Ogema Larry Romanelli, a Muskegon area resident, said, “Muskegon has been hard hit in recent years and I am so pleased that our tribe has the opportunity to provide some hope and help to all of our people, tribal and non-tribal, at this time.”

Continue reading →

Michigan Daily on U-M’s Response to New NAGPRA Regs

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Excerpt from the Michigan Daily:

* * *

LSA sophomore Alys Alley, the co-chair of the Native American Student Association at the University, wrote in an e-mail interview that she and other members of the group believe that the new rule will mean that the culturally unidentifiable remains in the University’s possession will be returned to their respective tribes.

“Many of those remains that are held by the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology are the ancestors of the Native American students on campus, including myself, and I can say confidently that we are looking forward to the return of our ancestor’s remains to our communities,” she wrote.

She added that the status of the “culturally unidentifiable” remains in the University’s possession has caused a lot of tension between the University and Native American groups in Michigan.

“This whole situation with the 1,390 Native American human remains in the U of M Museum of Anthropology has caused a lot of pain for the Native American community; we have struggled to see our ancestors return home for many years,” she wrote.

Continue reading →

State Court Challenge to Kennecott Eagle Mine Permit Filed

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the NYTs:

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Four groups have filed a lawsuit hoping to overturn a state permit for a nickel and copper mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, saying the project does not meet legal requirements for protecting the environment.

The opponents said Kennecott Eagle Minerals Co.’s application didn’t prove the project would avoid damaging rivers, groundwater and other natural resources in the Yellow Dog Plains region of Marquette County, an undeveloped area prized for its woods and streams.

They particularly fear the mine’s ceiling could collapse beneath the nearby Salmon Trout River, a Lake Superior tributary home to the rare coaster brook trout.

”The evidence is compelling, the facts are strong and the law is squarely on our side,” Michelle Halley, attorney for the National Wildlife Federation, said Monday. Also joining the suit are the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and the Huron Mountain Club.

The circuit court lawsuit was filed in Washtenaw County, where the wildlife federation’s Great Lakes regional office is located.

Continue reading →

Detroit News on U-M Decision to Repatriate Culturally Unidentifiable Remains

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Detroit News:

The University of Michigan will work with tribes on the disposition of unidentified Native American human remains held by the university to comply with newly released federal rules.

The National Park Service on Monday announced the rule to establish a process to repatriate remains in museums or on exhibit which have not been culturally affiliated with a tribe.

The rules, which go into effect May 14, require universities and federal agencies with unidentified remains in their collections to work with tribes that lived in the areas where the remains were exhumed.

There are more than 124,000 unidentified Native American human remains in the United States, including some held by U-M’s Museum of Anthropology.

Continue reading →

New NAGPRA Regs Forcing U-M to Re-examine Its Museum Holdings

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Ann Arbor.com (formerly the Ann Arbor News):

The University of Michigan will have to re-examine its holdings of Native American human remains under a change to federal guidelines announced today.

The U-M Museum of Anthropology has about 1,400 human remains in a storage facility that are 800 to 3,000 years old.

The 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, known as NAGPRA, requires museums, federal agencies and institutions to inventory holdings of human remains and identify their cultural affiliations with tribes. Native groups can then claim the return of remains deemed to be culturally affiliated with them.

031510_native_american_remains.jpg

Frank Bartley III, an Odawa Indian and a U-M student, beats the drum and sings with other Native Americans in front of Fleming Hall in Ann Arbor before a U-M regents meeting in this 2008 file photo. The gathering was part of a request to the regents to return Native-American remains.

Ann Arbor News file photo

Continue reading →