From Indianz:
Bailey defeated incumbent chairman Robert Kewaygoshkum in a second matchup that was ordered by the tribal court. He won by 70 votes, after losing by 23 votes in a disputed election in May. At 35, Bailey will be the youngest person to serve as chair. The term lasts four years.
Get the Story:
Challenger elected tribal chairperson (The Traverse City Record-Eagle 9/26)
Tribal Court Decision:
Bailey v. GTB Election Board (August 8, 2008)
From SCIA:
Witnesses
THE HONORABLE TIMOTHY M. KAINE
Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, VA
THE HONORABLE JIM WEBB
United States Senate, Washington, DC
THE HONORABLE JAMES P. MORAN
United States Congressman
Panel 1
MR. LEE FLEMING
Director, Office of Federal Acknowledgment, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC
THE HONORABLE ANNE TUCKER
Chairwoman, Muscogee Nation of Florida, Bruce, FL
THE HONORABLE JOHN SINCLAIR
President, Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana, Great Falls, MT
THE HONORABLE RON YOB
Chairman, Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, Grand Rapids, MI
DR. HELEN C. ROUNTREE
Professor Emeritus, Old Dominion University, Hampton, VA
Ugghhh. I wish we just had one election, instead of two or more every time….
From the Record-Eagle (H/T Indianz):
PESHAWBESTOWN — Members of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will have another shot at selecting a tribal chairman today.
A tribal court in August ruled the band’s election board improperly censured candidate Derek Bailey shortly before the initial vote in May. A new election was ordered, and polls will be open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Peshawbestown, East Jordan, Traverse City and Benzonia.
Bailey lost by 23 votes to two-term incumbent chairman Robert Kewaygoshkum in the regularly scheduled May 21 election. But Bailey challenged the results because the band’s election board issued an e-mail censuring him for using a tribal computer to visit his campaign Web site.
The mass e-mail was sent less than 24 hours before the election to all tribal gambling and government employees. A tribal appeals court eventually ruled the action was “far outside the scope of the authority granted to the election board under the Constitution.”
Bailey, who served as a tribal councilman before running for chairman, is pleased to see the new election.
From the TC Record-Eagle:
TRAVERSE CITY — Some Michigan politicians want to lift a ban on using bait to lure deer during hunting season in lower Michigan.
State officials banned baiting over fears it could help spread a deadly deer disease, but politicians who oppose the restriction said those who grow and sell bait crops could suffer financially.
State Sen. James Barcia, D-Bay City, plus state Reps. Joel Sheltrown, D-West Branch, and Jeff Mayes, D-Bay City, sponsored similar resolutions in the Michigan legislature this week to urge state officials to rescind a ban enacted after a deer at a private ranch in Kent County tested positive last month for chronic wasting disease.
The politicians contend state officials overreacted.
***
Not everyone agrees.
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians supports the baiting ban. Michigan’s wild deer herd is a valuable natural resource for the public and the tribe, said Hank Bailey, a tribal fish and wildlife technician and elder tribe member.
“If they bow to this, they are jeopardizing that resource,” Bailey said, adding he fully expected politicians to meddle in the decision.
Here is the court order referenced in the Record-Eagle article — Bailey v. GTB Election Board
PESHAWBESTOWN — A new election will be held for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’ chairman’s post after a tribal court ruled the band’s election board improperly censured candidate Derek Bailey just before the initial vote.
A 23-page order issued by the band’s appellate court last week threw out the results of the May 21 tribal chairman’s election and ordered a new vote for the four-year post.
Bailey lost by 23 votes to two-term incumbent Robert Kewaygoshkum. But he challenged the results because the band’s Election Board held an emergency meeting two days before the election and subsequently issued an e-mail censuring him for allegedly using his tribal computer to visit his campaign Web site.
No date for the new election has been scheduled, tribal officials said.
Here is the press release — 2-first-half-2008-press-release-07-30-08
From Indianz:
The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians won support for its off-reservation casino in Muskegon, Michigan.
The Fruitport Township Board voted 4-3 on a resolution in favor of the casino at the defunct Great Lakes Downs. Residents said they welcomed the jobs the facility would create. The tribe operates the Little River Casino on its reservation, about 80 miles from the proposed gaming site.
Get the Story:
Divided Fruitport Township Board supports casino (The Muskegon Chronicle 7/29)
From ICT:
WILLIAMSBURG, Mich. – Go green!
That might be the new motto for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
The northern Michigan tribe, which opened the doors to its rebuilt Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel in June, has received much fanfare for creating an eco-friendly gaming destination.
The project didn’t come without apprehension, though.
As GTB officials excitedly toured tribal casinos in their state and visited gaming properties in Las Vegas during planning stages of their new Turtle Creek property, they were nervous about the direction architect Stephen Knowles envisioned.
From Indianz:
The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians is seeing support for its off-reservation casino in Muskegon, Michigan.
The board of commissioners in Muskegon County passed a resolution in support of the project. The tribe said local approval is one step in the long process for the casino. The tribe purchased the former Great Lakes Downs and plans a $100 million casino.
Get the Story:
Muskegon County bets on casino at former track (Press News Service 7/18 )
Turtle Talk 
You must be logged in to post a comment.