Are you satisfied with the delivery of this newspaper? If you are experiencing a delay, we need to know! We need your help. Where do you live? How long does it take for you to get this newspaper? CALL TOLL-FREE AT (888) 94-AARON. HE AULT RIBE EWS T S Visit us online at www.saulttribe.comT N Waabagaa giizis: "Leaves turning color moon" Win Awenen Nisitotung “One Who Understands” September 22, 2006 • Vol. 27 No. 13 Briefs Greektown Casino saves $43 Constitution meeting scheduled in the Sault The Constitution Committee recently announced an addi- million; ready to build in October tion to their meeting schedule. million. The committee would like to Although, the new hotel and inform all Sault Tribe members parking garage site remains there will be a meeting on Sept. a cleared lot, construction is 29-30 in Sault Ste. Marie at the scheduled to begin soon. The Kewadin Casino. Friday's meet- casino was able to begin demoli- ing will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. tion on June 9, which included the Saturday's meetings will be held removal of an old parking garage from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and apartment building. With the The committee encourages site now cleared, the casino can all tribe members to attend each begin constructing the founda- meeting to give their input tion for the garage and hotel. The regarding amendments to the construction crew is scheduled to Sault Tribe's Constitution. Time begin installing caissons on Octo- is set aside at each meeting for ber 2, followed by pile caps and the membership to express their grade beams for the new garage concerns. and hotel. The Constitutional Convention The project also experienced Committee is a group of tribe significant gains in planning, members who were voted to which included finalizing all the represent the general member- major approvals, cutting costs, ship regarding improvements to and improving the construction the Sault Tribe's Constitution. schedule. The committee is charged with The estimated $228 million collecting membership input and construction budget (excluding drafting proposed amendments. land acquisitions) was reduced For more information, please to $185 million in April 2006. call Candace Blocher at (866) The ending project cost, which 632-6281. includes land acquisitions, is esti- mated to be $226 million. The ma- An artist rendering of the Greektown Casino Hotel and parking garage. jority of the cost reductions were BY CORY WILSON hotel, and parking garage has than originally planned due to an identified in the building plans for DETROIT, Mich. —In the progressed by leaps and bounds. accelerated construction schedule. the hotel and parking garage. past five months, the Greektown The expansion is projected to be By cutting construction costs, the Casino’s new gaming expansion, completed five months earlier Sault Tribe will also save over $43 – Continued on page 2 Tribe unable to assist members who Michigan Indian elders conference coming to the Sault fail to pay Michigan cigarette taxes BY BRENDA AUSTIN years I was not involved in Native BY COURTNEY KACHUR Dec. 20, 2002, the tribe secured Under Michigan's Tobacco The Michigan Indian Elders As- American matters and when I Several tribe members have for its members the right to obtain Product Tax Act, it is illegal to sociation (MIEA) will be celebrat- neared retirement I was interested contacted the tribe in recent cigarettes and other products free purchase cigarettes over the In- ing its tenth anniversary during in giving back to the community. months, and surely more will in from state taxes. However, the ternet or through any other source their annual conference held this I developed skills during my the future, after receiving tax bills cigarette and tobacco products tax outside Michigan, unless the pur- year at Kewadin Casino Hotel and working years that I felt I could from the State of Michigan in the exemption is strictly limited to chaser is registered by the State of Convention Center. (Please see the use for the good of the community range of $3,000 to $5,000. These tribe members making purchases Michigan or the seller complies conference agenda and registra- so I ran for office and was elected members are learning first hand from tribally owned retailers. with the act by applying, collect- tion form on page 13). president. When the elders get that the State of Michigan has The Michigan Department of ing and remitting appropriate ciga- Ishpeming resident and Sault together they are like a big family begun a crackdown on the illegal Treasury has sent hundreds of let- rette and use taxes. Michigan has Tribe member, Bob Menard has and work enthusiastically to repre- sale of un-taxed cigarettes. ters to Michigan residents, some specifically designed a system to been president of the MIEA for sent our goals and communities," All tribe members can purchase of whom are tribe members, who identify and penalize the purchas- the past four years and is up for he said. cigarettes and other tobacco prod- have purchased untaxed cigarettes ers of Internet cigarettes. re-election after his term expires The MIEA board of directors ucts without paying the tobacco from Internet-based companies. Under federal law, Internet this October. has 22 voting members, two from products tax, but these tobacco The Michigan Department of cigarette vendors are required to The tribal board of directors ap- each of its 11 member tribes. products must be purchased Treasury has requested that on- provide the Michigan Department points MIEA delegates represent- For the past four years, the MIEA from the Midjim Stores and the line cigarette purchasers send to of Treasury with names and ad- ing the Sault Tribe; our current has been focusing on ways to Kewadin Casino gift shops. Under the state any applicable cigarette dresses of all Michigan residents delegates are Bob Menard, Ilene bridge the gap between youth and the agreement between the tribe tax, use tax and interest associated who purchase their products, Moses and alternate Jerry Miller. elders, according to Menard. and the State of Michigan, which with their purchases or they may Menard has been active in MIEA — Continued on page 2. was negotiated and signed on face significant penalties. — Continued on page 2 since about 1998. "For many In This Issue Kewadin news 20 News 2, 3, 5. 10 Education 21 Chairperson's report 4 Student recognition 22-26 Board briefs and rep. reports 6, 7, 8, 9 News of other nations 27 Community Health 11 Walking on 28 People 12 Announcements 29 49735 Announcements 13 Calendar 30 MI Gaylord, Permit No. 30 No. Permit Health 14 Advertisements 31-36 PAID ACFS 15-16 Postage U.S. Photo gallery 17-19 STD PRSRT Page 2 NEWS September 22, 2006 • THE SAULT TRIBE NEWS United Way chili cook-off Greektown Casino ––Continuedsaves from page 1$43connect million the hotel to the casino. According to Vice President of The parking garage and walk- Development and Management way is scheduled to be completed Board Representative Greg Col- in October of 2007, at which lins, “We made necessary scope time the casino expects to see an changes that reduced construction increase in revenue. costs in the amount of $43 mil- The location of the parking lion to ensure we complied with garage and hotel remains the the Michigan Gaming Control casino’s most significant attribute. Board’s financial covenants. We Patrons will be able to enter the were able to do this without elimi- parking garage strait off the main nating any of the necessary items highway, which allows for easy that were detailed in the plan.” access into the 2800 car parking The $43 million scope changes garage and 400 room hotel. are considered savings as they The casino renovation, which have no effect on future revenue is set to begin this coming Decem- projections. ber or January, includes expand- Collins added, “I am pleased to ing the casino out and up, over announce that with the accelerated Lafayette Street. By expanding the construction plan we are currently casino, the gaming floor will in- Recently, under the cooking talents of “Chef” Bob Flowers, the Sault Tribe team participated on schedule and are more than one crease by 30,000 sq. ft. to 100,000 in their fifth chili cook-off. This annual Chippewa County United Way Campaign was held inside million dollars under budget.” sq. ft. and will include 2700 slot for the first time at the Pullar Arena making the so-so weather a non-issue. Profits are still being Improving relations and com- machines. totaled, but it appears to be $2,500, which is $400 over the previous year. Left, Angie Spencer, munications with the City of Though many preliminary Heather Smith, Bob Flowers, Eric Flowers, James McLeod and Officers Brian Savard and Bob Detroit and the Michigan Gaming renderings for the exterior of the Marchand. Photo by Brenda Austin Control Board, has also proved to new hotel, parking garage, and ca- be a significant factor regarding sino have been proposed; the city the project’s development. and Michigan Gaming Control Sault Tribe veterans memorial Collins, who began serving as Board’s final approval of the most the Vice President of Develop- recent plan now gives the public ment for Greektown Casino in a clear picture of what the new April, has worked diligently for casino and hotel will look like. the past several months with city With the new “fast track” officials and the Michigan Gam- schedule, the Greektown Casino ing Control Board to complete all and hotel is projected to open in the major approvals necessary to September 2008, as opposed to begin construction.