Kim Kalliber, Author at Tulalip News

Tribe lends a hand with spring cleaning

By Monica Brown, Tulalip News
It’s time for spring cleaning; let the neat freaks and germaphobes unite. The sun is shining more often and the weather outside is warming up. It’s a perfect time to clear the clutter, organize and clean up the remnants of winter before the hot days of summer are here.
The Tulalip Tribes are supplying garbage dumpster containers at select housing locations (see list below) on April 28th and they will be available for tribal members to use for 3 weeks. Please do not put paint or tires in the dumpsters; leave them outside the container and Solid Waste will pick them up. For disposal of larger items, call the tenant service specialists to make a request.

Spring cleaning tips
Organize your household clutter into five piles; Items that belong in another room, donations, giveaways to a specific person, items to throw away and uncertain items. If the items in the uncertain pile go unclaimed, pack them up and label the box with the date. If in six months to a year you never open the box or can’t remember what is inside, and can stand parting with it, you can safely discard those items.
Clean up dust, dander or mold and sanitize. This is perfect weather to clean those items that have been skipped over during housecleaning or only need once a year cleaning. Steam clean the rugs and couches, sort out and clean the refrigerator, dust behind electronics, wipe down cabinets, doors, windows and light fixtures, sanitize door handles, t.v. remotes, game controllers, phones and light switches.

Tenant Service Specialist for each area
Jolene M. Fryberg 360-716-4842: Mission Highlands, Church site, Battlecreek tax credit apartments, and all tax credit homes 1, 2 and 3
Darla Johnny 360-716-4458: Battlecreek, Silver Village, Quil Meadows
Elizabeth Vosika 360-716-6647: Y-site, Senior apartments, Senior duplexes, Battlecreek apartments, Turk, Quil 1 & 2, Beatty Estate, 28th Ave. and John Sam

Gov. Jay Inslee hires coal lobbyist to direct his policy office

Washington State Governor-elect Jay Inslee hugs outreach director Unjin Lee, the first hire made by his campaign, during a celebration on Friday, November 9, 2012 at the Inslee campaign headquarters in Seattle. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Joshua Trujillo)

By Joel Connelly, Seattle PI

Gov. Jay Inslee has hired a coal lobbyist to direct his policy office, an eyebrow-raising selection for a governor who has insisted on sweeping scrutiny of coal export terminals proposed at Cherry Point, north of Bellingham, and along the Columbia River at Longview.

The new appointee is Matt Steuerwalt, who has been through the revolving door in recent years. He was a top energy/climate adviser to then-Gov. Chris Gregoire, then went to work for the Seattle-based Strategies 360 group.

At Strategies 360, he represented TransAlta, the Canadian-based owner of the Centralia Coal plant and the state’s only coal plant and its largest greenhouse gas emitter.

The state, under Gregoire, and TransAlta reached a landmark agreement for a phased, decade-long phaseout of coal at the power plant. Steuerwalt also lobbied for a coal port proposal.

“In recent years, Steuerwalt has acted as a lead lobbyist for coal-fired power in Washington, as well as for a now-defunct coal port proposal,” said Eric de Place, research director with the Sightline Institute.

De Place has delighted in giving footprints to Northwest public relations firms which have touted their “green” credentials and commitment to renewable energy, while lobbying on behalf of Big Coal, the railroad industry and “astroturf” front groups.

“Given that Steuerwalt has recently been a paid lobbyist in support of coal in Washington, the move raises questions about whether he will use his influence in the Inslee administration to advance an agenda more favorable to the coal industry,” said de Place.

He won’t, said Inslee spokeswoman Jaime Smith.

“The choice of a policy director will have no impact on the state’s role in reviewing coal export projects,” she added. ”The governor has a longstanding and well-known position on coal pollution and climate change, and has directed the Department of Ecology to conduct a rigorous review of current coal projects to the full extent allowed under state law.”

Inslee has touted his green credentials and been rewarded for same.

He coauthored a book, “Apollo’s Fire,” which calls for a U.S. commitment to develop new energy technologies that would rival, in intensity, the drive in the 1960′s to put Americans on the Moon. He will preach to the choir next month as keynote speaker at Climate Solutions’ annual breakfast.

In turn, two years ago, the national League of Conservation Voters made Inslee the first gubernatorial candidate it had endorsed in 42 years. The conservation community, state and national, spent an estimated $750,000 to get him elected.

Strategies 360 has close ties to Democrats, but not always of the same mindset as Inslee.

It has hosted fundraisers for Montana Sen. Jon Tester, who supports coal development and export from the Big Sky State. It has represented Puget Sound Energy, which gets electricity from a Montana coal plant, in fighting back movements to create a public utility district in Island and Skagit counties.

Steuerwalt gave $250 to support then-U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee in 2009, and $950 to Inslee in 2011-12 as he transitioned and quit Congress to run for governor.

Steuerwalt begins his new job on May 1.

Schimmel Is the Highest Native American Drafted in W.N.B.A. History

<br /> — Associated Press
Louisville’s Shoni Schimmel holds up an Atlanta Dream jersey with WNBA president Laurel J. Richie after she was selected 8th overall in the WNBA draft on, Monday, April 14, 2014, in Uncasville, Conn.

Source: Indian Country Today Media Network

“DREAM BIG” followed by several emoticons and then “#N8tive” was what Shoni Schimmel tweeted on Monday night before she held up an Atlanta Dream uniform on the WNBA draft stage at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The 5-foot-9 University of Louisville guard became the highest drafted Native American player in WNBA history when she was selected eighth overall by the Atlanta Dream.

“I was very happy to hear my name called, and the fact that it’s down the road in Atlanta will make the transition even easier,” Schimmel told WNBA.com. “I’m just so excited.”

“We are all excited about Shoni Schimmel coming to Atlanta,” said Michael Cooper, head coach of the Dream. “She can play in an up-tempo offense like we play, and is a player that can push the tempo and play multiple positions.”

Schimmel ranks fifth in NCAA Division I history with 387 three-point shots, just five shy of the 392 record. She became the first Louisville player ever to accumulate totals of at least 2,000 points and 500 assists, finishing with 2,174 and 600, respectively, said WNBA.com.

Schimmel sat in the green room prior to the draft with her parents, Rick and Ceci Schimmel. Her sister Jude Schimmel was also there to congratulate her. After the news was announced, Jude tweeted, “Can’t explain how happy I am for my sister” and “@Schimmel23 killed that interview! REPRESENT!!!! It’s the revolution.”

“Most people’s dreams don’t come true because they don’t work at it hard enough,” Shoni’s father, Rick Schimmel, told theNew York Times. “She’s put everything she could into it.”

“It’s really starting to hit me now,” Schimmel told the Oregonian days before the draft was announced. “It’s crazy. You’re used to going to school, and now you’re trying to figure out everything about pro basketball. It’s hitting me fast, but I’m excited. I’m getting ready to start my life.”

‘God Hates Native Culture’: Westboro Baptist to Picket Alaska Natives

Vincent Schilling, Indian Country Today Media Network

The Westboro Baptist Church, infamously known for its offensive protest signs which celebrate the death of soldiers, God’s hate toward homosexuals and more, has set their sights to protest the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage on Sunday June 1. Though the former leader of the church Fred Phelps recently died, the members of the WBC are carrying the torch forward.

Shortly after the announcement of the protest by the WBC, a No Westboro Baptist Protest at our AK Native Heritage Center! Facebook page was created to offset the protest. Though the Facebook page had over 600 members on Monday evening, it had doubled in size by Tuesday afternoon to well over 1,200.

According to the ‘No Westboro’ Facebook pages’ mission statement posted by Donna Willoya:

‘We are uniting as Alaskans to honor and embrace our cultural diversity, to preserve our heritage and to teach future generations the importance of acceptance & respect for all people.’

Willoya also posted in the group that though people may get angry at the WBC members for wanting to protest, she wishes the Native community not to respond with violence and sink to their level.

“So many people love the AK Native Heritage Center. Any Westboro Baptist protest will and can invoke a feeling horror in ourselves. It makes us lash out. We almost become like them, those Westboro Baptist people. Some of us want to fight. I do. We must remain non-violent and peaceful. It is the best way to combat the toxic waste of Westboro Baptist protests. Keep it clean in the comments folks. We desire suggestions. We understand the need to spew and basically scream away the toxic waste. Keep it clean and check back for updates,” she wrote.

According to their release posted on their offensively titled website GodHatesFags.com, they will be protesting the Alaska Heritage Center in Anchorage Alaska on Sunday, June 1 from 8:45-9:15 a.m. for two reasons:

“…you make a religion out of the pagan idolatrous practices of past generations. There is nothing appealing or holy about the ‘heritage’ of the eleven ‘distinct cultures’ or ‘diverse population’ of Alaska. They walked in darkness and served idols of every kind, contrary to the direct commandment to have no gods before God.”

“… you fail to give God the glory, instead of the traditions and gods of the past… Stop worshiping dead cultures, man-made idols, and the sinful traditions of past generations. Put the resources into teaching and learning the Bible instead, and warning your neighbor to stop sinning before it’s too late, and he’s sinned away the last day of grace.”

The release is also peppered with bible passages from Acts and Exodus and comments such as “God hasn’t completely destroyed Alaska yet, so there is time to repent of this idolatry.”

Many people in Indian country have already commented on the Facebook page, Twitter and Google+ about the WBC. Comments include the following:

Burt Hanna in the Google+ Native Community wrote: “I thought the Westboro Baptist would settle down after the death of their leader. Now they hate Natives.”

Stacey Duggins of Wasilla, Alaska wrote on the Facebook page: “Maybe a better idea is that they never make it up here at all. Does anyone know anyone that could have them added to the terrorist watch list? That way they would have to stay at least in the Lower 48! And you have to admit, Free speech, Religious Liberty, or whatever, what they do borders on terroristic tactics. Just say’n if they can’t come, they can’t protest!”

Kristin Glitterboots Jones also wrote on Facebook: I would love to see this day set up to be the biggest cultural celebration the center has ever seen!!! Showcase all Alaska’s peoples with dance and events and beauty all day! Perhaps a parade of all our peoples to start at 8:30am? Ignore their stupid protest and don’t give them any power. Don’t cover it on the news, nothing. Instead, cover the beautiful celebration.

According to David Farve, the Public Relations administrator at the Alaskan Native Heritage Center, the WBC while stopping to protest at the center, has also planned to protest at the Governors church that same day. Though he did not have an official statement he did share the following with ICTMN.

“We are not going to release an official statement yet, but most likely in the next 24 hours. We really don’t want to give the WBC any more press that they have already received. Our entire community is up in arms over something that may not even happen.”

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell recently commented on his Facebook page, stating: “Westboro Baptist Church, from Topeka, Kansas, needs to recant its recent despicable position related to Alaska Natives and their culture. There is beauty, depth, and a rich heritage among Alaska Natives, each made in the image of our Creator and each person intrinsically valuable. How about getting to know a few of these fine Alaskans first before pronouncing judgment?”

SWN returning to New Brunswick as Mi’kmaq plan renewed resistance

People round dance around burning tires on the highway during demonstration last fall against SWN Resources Canada’s shale gas exploration work. Photo: APTN/File

By Jorge Barrera, April 15, 2014. Source: APTN News

Another round of battles loom between the Mi’kmaq in New Brunswick and a Houston-headquartered energy firm exploring for shale gas deposits in the province.

SWN Resources Canada has submitted two proposals under the province’s environmental impact assessment process to drill exploratory wells in separate parts of New Brunswick. The projects were registered with the provincial environment department on Monday, according to an official.

The company plans to drill one well in Chipman, which is in central New Brunswick, and a second well near Richibucto, which is in an area that saw intense demonstrations against shale gas exploration last autumn.

The Mi’kmaq community of Elsipogtog is only about 17 kilometres west of Richibucto and its War Chief John Levi said SWN should again expect resistance.

“We are just getting ready to go back out there and stop them. It’s going to be rough,” said Levi. “It ain’t no game. This is our livelihood that is at stake. We are not going to allow it. It’s like they are trying to kill us slowly.”

SWN Resources Canada, which is owned by Houston-based Southwestern Energy Company, could not be reached for comment.

The Mi’kmaq, in an alliance with Acadians and residents of Anglophone communities in the region, led months-long protests against SWN Resources Canada. The Mi’kmaq feared the discovery of shale gas would lead to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

The company ended its shale gas seismic exploration work this past December amid burning tires and highway clashes between demonstrators and the RCMP.

The RCMP also launched a heavily armed raid of an anti-fracking camp anchored by the Mi’kmaq Warrior Society last Oct. 17. The camp was blocking a compound holding SWN’s exploration vehicles. The raid triggered day-long clashes and the burning of six RCMP vehicles. Police arrested about 40 people that day.

The company has applied to have its exploration wells approved under the province’s phased EIA process which allows some components of proposed projects to unfold amid the environmental review. The environment department is currently putting together a technical committee to review SWN’s proposed wells, according to a provincial official with knowledge of the file.

SWN wants to build two well pads for vertical drilling that will range in depths between 1,000 and 4,000 metres. The company wants to determine the geology of the area by examining rock samples coming out of the holes, according to the provincial official who has read the company’s proposal.

The environmental assessment will also include input from the public.

Deadline Approaching for Landowners with Fractionated Interests at Pine Ridge Reservation

The Department of the Interior has sent purchase offers totalling more than $100 million to nearly 16,000 landowners with fractionated interests at the Pine Ridge Reservation. These offers will provide landowners the opportunity to voluntarily sell their interests, which would be consolidated and held in trust for the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Pine Ridge is among the most highly-fractionated locations in the United States;landowners with purchasable interests have been located in all 50 states.

The Buy-Back Program was created to implement the land consolidation component of the Cobell Settlement, which provided a $1.9 billion fund to purchase fractionated interests in trust or restricted land from willing sellers, at fair market value, within a 10-year period. Interested sellers will receive payments directly into their IIM accounts. Consolidated interests will be transferred to tribal governments for uses benefiting the tribes and their members.

Owners Must Respond Soon. Purchase offers are valid for 45 calendar days. Owners must accept and return current purchase offers for fractionated lands on Pine Ridge postmarked by May 2, 2014.

Staff Ready to Answer Owner Questions. Landowners can contact the Trust Beneficiary Call Center at (888) 678-6836 with questions about their purchase offers, visit their local Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) or Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)office, or find more information atwww.doi.gov/buybackprogram/landowners. Landowners may also contact Oglala Sioux Tribe outreach staff at 605-867-2610 with questions.

Sellers Receive Fair Market Value. In addition to receiving fair market value for their land based on objective appraisals, sellers also receive a base payment of $75 per offer, regardless of the value of the land. Early purchases from willing sellers have resulted in the consolidation of more than 100,000 acres of land for the tribe, and in payments to landowners exceeding $35.5 million. While the amounts offered to individuals have varied, a few owners have already received more than $100,000 for their interests. On average, payments to individuals have been made within seven days after Interior approves a complete, accepted offer package.

Tribal Outreach Events Are in Progress. Interior has worked cooperatively with the Oglala Sioux Tribe over the past several months to conduct outreach toeducate landowners about this unique opportunity, answer questions and helpindividuals make a timely decision about their land. For information about outreach events at Pine Ridge where landowners can gather information in order to make informed decisions about their land, contact the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s outreach staff at 605-867-2610.

Participation Is Voluntary. Participation in the Buy-Back Program is voluntary and selling land does not jeopardize alandowner’s ability to receive individual settlement payments from the Cobell Settlement. Cobell Settlement payments are being handled separately by the Garden City Group, (800) 961-6109.

PUD proposes alternative to dam on Sky River

Mark Mulligan / The HeraldKim Moore (in black shirt), assistant general manager for water, generation and corporate services for the Snohomish County PUD, talks with John Baummer (in plaid), a fisheries biologist with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, at Sunset Falls last year. — Mark Mulligan / The Herald
Kim Moore (in black shirt), assistant general manager for water, generation and corporate services for the Snohomish County PUD, talks with John Baummer (in plaid), a fisheries biologist with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, at Sunset Falls last year.

By Bill Sheets, The Herald

INDEX — A controversial plan to build a mini-dam on a scenic stretch of the South Fork Skykomish River might become a little less controversial — at least from the point of view of the utility hoping to do the project.

Officials of the Snohomish County Public Utility District now say they can build the project near here without having a structure partially block and divert water — that enough water can be collected in a sharp bend in the river to be sent through a tunnel to a powerhouse downstream.

The previous plan called for pooling water behind a 7-foot, inflatable weir on the river above Sunset Falls before sending it through the 2,200-foot tunnel.

Removing the weir from the Sunset Falls project addresses aesthetic concerns, reduces construction time and cuts $10 million off the project, previously pegged at $133 million, according to the PUD.

“Visually, you really won’t see much,” spokesman Neil Neroutsos said. “Some times of the year, portions of the very top of the intake may be visible.”

One opponent says eliminating the weir wouldn’t help much.

“The bottom line is, if you’re going to produce hydropower in this river, you have to divert enough water form the river’s natural course and channel it to the turbines to make the hydropower. Any significant amount of hydropower you could create would affect salmon habitat,” said Andrea Matzke, who has a cabin near the proposed dam site.

The Tulalip Tribes have expressed concern that reducing water flow in the river could impede outward migration of juvenile salmon. That issue will be studied this spring, PUD officials say.

Nearby residents and environmental groups have opposed the project. They have also cited the fact that rock blasting will be necessary to build the tunnel, contending it could create dust, pollute the river and destabilize the terrain. Studies are expected to address these issues as well.

The new design also includes changes to the tunnel, Neroutsos said, making it narrower in places and reducing the amount of excavation necessary.

The utility has not formally applied with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to build the project but has submitted preliminary plans. The PUD is to discuss the new plan with the federal agency over the next couple of weeks, Neroutsos said.

The PUD buys more than 80 percent of its power from the Bonneville Power Administration and is looking to diversify power sources. The project could power up to 22,500 homes at maximum output, according to the PUD. The utility also recently received the go-ahead from FERC for a $26 million pilot project to install tidal power turbines in Admiralty Inlet.

More studies, 17 in all, lie ahead on the Sunset Falls project, and any decision is likely five years away, FERC officials have said.

In May, the PUD is planning to survey ratepayers about the project through its website.

Tulalip educates community on habitat restoration and treaty rights

Special guest, Scoopy Doo, showed up to encourage Earth Day attendees to be conscientious and clean up after their pooches. Dog waste is bad for plant, animal, and fish habitat. Photo/Francesca Hillery

By Francesca Hillery, Tulalip Tribes Public Affairs

Two exciting events took place on Saturday, April 12, 2014, to honor Earth Day where tribal staff had an opportunity to help educate the surrounding public about Tulalip’s habitat restoration projects and treaty rights.

The Allen Creek Quilceda Watershed Team (AQWA) hosted their annual Earth Day event at Wilcox Farms in Marysville this year. Several organizations including the Tulalip Tribes, Adopt-a-Stream, Snohomish County Conservation District, Earth Corps, Sound Salmon Solutions, Washington State Department of Ecology, City of Marysville Surface Water Management, and NOAA hosted educational booths to raise awareness of environmental issues affecting the region as well as providing tips and solutions for common problems.

Tulalip hosted a booth on the Qwuloolt Estuary that included information on the history and future of the tribe’s biggest salmon habitat restoration project. Visitors also got to take away a purple t-shirt that displays the Qwuloolt logo.

Tulalip Tribal member Valerie Williams took a break from talking to visitors about the Qwuloolt Estuary and posed with special guest, Scoopy Doo. City of Marysville Surface Water booth sponsored the Scoop the Poop campaign. Photo/Francesca Hillery

Earth Day is hosted at different locations every year so that participants can learn about the various ecosystems around Marysville as well as help plant native plants and trees. Wilcox Farm was donated to the current owner, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, who according to spokesman Jon Natterstad plan to, restore the area of the property that Allen Creek runs through, in order to create “healthy communities for both animals and people .“

An important element to restoration work is planting the plants and trees that are native to the Snohomish watershed. Visitors enjoyed learning about the trees they were planting. This included Western Red Cedar, Sitka Spruce, and Douglas and Grand Firs, which, along with Alder make up Conifer forests.

One of the more poignant messages that came through this year was the importance of picking up after your dog. If dog waste is left in the environment it compromises fresh water sources and salmon habitat. Dogs are our best friends but they need us to help make sure they are good citizens, said one eight year old Earth Day visitor, after meeting Scoopy Doo, who made a surprise appearance, thanks to Sound Salmon Solutions.

The second event of note was hosted by the Tulalip Treaty Rights Office at the Hibulb Cultural Center for a group of 29 student advocates who are part of the Citizen’s Action Training School (CATS) for people engaged in Puget Sound issues. After completing fifty hours of training, where they become familiar with environmental challenges and various recovery projects, the student advocates will then volunteer at a variety of agencies and organizations that are working to restore environmental integrity to priority issues like shellfish, habitat, and stormwater runoff.

The had already completed courses on Climate Change, Nearshore Ecology, Salmon and the Endangered Species Act, Forestry, Shellfish, Marine Mammals, and Water Quality before their trip to Tulalip. “This made for an interested and engaged group,” said Tulalip environmental liaison Daryl Williams. Williams and environmental policy analyst Morgan Ruff gave presentations on the history Treaty Rights as well as current environmental projects the Tulalip Tribes coordinating.

Qwuloolt EstuaryPhoto/Francesca Hillery — Qwuloolt Estuary
Photo/Francesca Hillery

Following the presentation the student advocates were given a tour of the exhibits at Hibulb and were very happy to learn about the culture and history of the Tulalip Tribes. The group then traveled over to the Qwuloolt Estuary site where they had the opportunity to see one of Tulalip’s biggest salmon habitat projects first hand.

Death Toll In Mudslide Rises To 39

A road sign advising the closure of Highway 530 stands near a small display of flowers and a cross Tuesday, April 15, 2014, in Darrington, Wash.Elaine Thomopson AP Photo — A road sign advising the closure of Highway 530 stands near a small display of flowers and a cross Tuesday, April 15, 2014, in Darrington, Wash.
Elaine Thomopson AP Photo

By The Associated Press

The death toll from the mudslide that hit the Washington town of Oso has risen to 39.

The Snohomish County medical examiner’s office announced two more victims Wednesday and said it’s trying to identify three of the bodies.

The sheriff’s office still lists seven people as missing from the March 22 landslide that buried dozens of homes in the community about 55 miles northeast of Seattle.

Recovery workers with dogs are probing the debris, and the state Transportation Department is making plans to clear a mile-long stretch of Highway 530 that is covered with mud and trees up to 25 feet deep.

Opportunity Expo returns April 22

Source: Marysville Globe

TULALIP — The Marysville School District’s third annual Opportunity Expo is coming on Tuesday, April 22.

The Expo is a dynamic college and career fair designed to help prepare students for life after high school.

The event will take place at the Tulalip Resort Orca Ballroom and Chinook rooms from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

There will be three sessions for students — 8 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and noon — and one session open to parents, students, staff and community members at 1:45 p.m.

Marysville School District juniors will be bused to the morning sessions.

The Expo is provided through a partnership between the Marysville School District, the Tulalip Tribes, the Marysville Rotary and the Rotary Education Foundation.

More than 120 college, tech, trade, vocational, civic and military representatives will be in attendance, to help students prepare for their futures, and support them in their dreams and goals.

For more information, call 360-653-0800.