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The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s annual literary magazine, Spirit Lake Review (SLR), will be hosting a launch party celebrating the release of its 2025 issue on Wednesday, May 7, from 5:15-7:30 p.m. in the Nohr Art Gallery SLR is a literary magazine published every spring semester and is edited and designed by Dr setting it apart in the literary magazine landscape SLR has been running for more than twenty years and originated as a project at UW-Platteville’s Baraboo-Sauk campus “Spirit Lake Review is completely different from most other classes I've taken at UW-Platteville,” said Editor-in-Chief Matty Olson “Everything we do has a purpose—and that purpose is to create a literary magazine Working on the magazine tasks students with copy editing half a dozen pieces a week creating the SLR website and making weekly social media posts review and vote on a weekly 40–70-page submission packet of prospective poetry and prose pieces for inclusion in the issue “The most unique part of this experience is that it culminates in a living “While the responsibility of handling and debating the work of creatives from around the world can be daunting at times Candito is all too familiar with the hard work it takes to run a literal journal “I stepped into my role as SLR faculty advisor in 2022 when instructor Kelly Dwyer retired,” said Candito associate professor of creative writing and English literature “I did editorial work for a literary journal in graduate school and served as an associate editor for another which has been publishing an annual issue since 2003.” the SLR team received several hundred poetry prose and visual art submissions from over 100 authors many of whom are UW-Platteville students and faculty "Running a literary journal is unpredictable fun and sometimes stressful,” explained Candito prose and visual art submissions; selecting pieces for publication; producing and publishing an issue; and planning a launch party is always tight." explains why she continues to submit year after year “The unique thing about SLR is that it’s student-run,” said Bigelow “Current students review and make decisions about my poetry which helps me understand what topics and styles resonate with the next generation It warms my heart to see that the education I received is still empowering students who are ready to take the world into their own hands I’ve seen the strength of a UW-Platteville education—how it prepares you for any kind of life you want even one that follows an unconventional path—and it excites me to see that potential carried forward by such capable hands.” The Literary Magazines course will be offered next spring and interested students are encouraged to sign up “If you’re an English major or a creative writing minor “You’ll get a great insider’s view of what’s publishable as well as refine your writing skills through exposure All UW-Platteville students are encouraged to submit their poetry/prose and visual art pieces to be featured in next year’s issue Multi-year SLR contributor Matty Olson comments it is a trustworthy place for your art to live.” In addition to selling full-color printed copies of this year’s issue at the launch party contributors and the SLR team will dress in 90s attire and perform live readings of their work All UW-Platteville students and faculty are invited to join the celebration SPIRIT LAKE NATION — As Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Awareness Day approaches the Spirit Lake Tribe and other tribal nations throughout North Dakota continue to face the widespread issue by advocating for legislation offering reward money and organizing widespread searches "This day serves as a crucial call to action spotlighting the urgent need for legal reforms and resources to combat violence against Indigenous communities," says a press release issued by the Spirit Lake Tribe Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) Awareness Day is Monday there are 14 Indigenous people considered missing in North Dakota according to the state's missing persons database All tribal nations located in North Dakota as well as some in South Dakota and Minnesota Nonprofit organizations have offered their assistance as well "Spirit Lake is still assisting with his search," Vicki Alberts Spirit Lake Tribe's public relations specialist "The council has still been open to deploying resources and still allowing me to help where I can with the family and continuing to help with some of their social media posts." The Spirit Lake Tribe acknowledges that while state and federal resources and support are vital to resolving missing persons cases "they cannot always be relied upon," the release said (tribal nations) must assist one another in all ways possible reinforcing the importance of inter-tribal solidarity in the face of adversity." The tribe is offering a $20,000 reward — which would come out of the tribe's general fund — for information leading to the recovery of Posey and Hunt and we want the families to know that we stand with them in their search," Chairwoman Lonna Jackson-Street said and we are committed to utilizing all available resources to find Jemini and Isaac.” A 5K walk/run in honor of Posey and Missing Indigenous Women's Month is scheduled for 2 p.m Another area of advocacy for Indigenous peoples has occurred at this year's legislative session during which two bills that could help have been making their way through the Legislature a bill that aims to establish a state-funded task force that focuses on missing Indigenous peoples with an emergency clause that makes it effective immediately once filed with the secretary of state “This bill is about ensuring that when an Indigenous person goes missing every available resource is mobilized to bring them home safely," said Rep aims to establish a state "Feather Alert" system which would allow for notifications to be issued when an Indigenous person is missing When the bill returned to the Senate with amendments Thursday “The Feather Alert system is essential for empowering our communities to respond swiftly to missing persons cases," Jackson-Street said "We cannot afford to wait when lives are at stake." A driver hit and killed a motorcyclist Friday night in Spirit Lake after the driver failed to yield to the 61-year-old Spirit Lake woman The woman was riding a motorcycle at about 11:40 p.m west on Idaho state Highway 54 near Coeur d’Alene Drive A 23-year-old Spirit Lake man was driving east on the highway in a 2014 Subaru SUV when he failed to yield while making a left turn onto Coeur d’Alene Drive and crashed into the motorcyclist ISP said it believes alcohol was a factor in the crash Traffic on the highway was blocked for about two hours The Kootenai County Coroner’s Office will release the name of the motorcyclist after her next of kin has been notified and will determine her cause and manner of death ISP did not release the name of the Subaru driver Troopers did not say whether the Subaru driver was arrested or cited Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens TDS Telecommunications continues expanding its high-speed all-fiber internet network into more Spokane-area neighborhoods © Copyright 2025, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy Idaho State Police and Spirit Lake Police Department are investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash which occurred May 3 at approximately 11:40 PM at the intersection of State Highway 54 and Coeur d’Alene Dr Preliminary investigation indicates a 2022 Honda driven by a 61-year-old female from Spirit Lake was traveling westbound on SH 54 near Coeur d’Alene Dr driven by a 23-year-old male from Spirit Lake began to make a left turn onto northbound Coeur d’Alene Dr The driver of the Subaru was wearing their seatbelt at the time of the crash and was uninjured The driver of the motorcycle was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and succumbed to injuries at the scene Traffic on SH 54 was blocked in both directions for approximately two hours to allow emergency responders to assist those involved Alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor The Kootenai County Coroner’s Office will release the name of the deceased after the next of kin has been notified and will determine the cause and manner of death This incident remains under investigation by the Idaho State Police Photographers for AFP were Pulitzer Prize finalist for their work from Gaza Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today there are no recent results for popular commented articles Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Fishing and boating access site closures in the Panhandle during May will be short duration and will result in better road and parking conditions Idaho Fish and Game will be temporarily closing five of its fishing and boating access sites in the Panhandle Region for short duration repairs during the month of May We recognize these access closures are an inconvenience and we thank you for your understanding and patience the sites will be more useable by the public than they currently are and they will remain useable much longer into the future If you’d like to learn more about Idaho Fish and Game facilities and access sites throughout the Panhandle, check out our online access guide For more information or if you have questions, please contact the Panhandle Regional office You can also follow the Panhandle Region Facebook page to get regular news and updates Buy Licenses Hunt Planner Hunter Ed Fishing Planner IFWF Hunt Report Report Wildlife Crime Volunteer! Report Roadkill Closures & Delays Local News | Tagged Walleye Caught in Spirit Lake Iowa – It didn’t take long for someone to snag one of the 10 specially tagged walleyes in this year’s Walleye Weekend caught the fish on Big Spirit Lake around 2:00 a.m The tag was confirmed at Stan’s Bait and Tackle Information courtesy of fellow Community First Broadcasting Station KUOO in Spirit Lake IARN – USDA Undersecretary for Trade nominee Luke Lindberg says the United States ag sector is facing too many unfair trade IARN – Iowans seeking to nominate individuals or families who are conservation leaders in their community for the 2025 Iowa Farm Environmental DC — Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) has announced that his office will host two in-person passport fairs — one in Iowa — This is National Correctional Officers’ Week Sioux County Sheriff Jamie Van Voorst says that this week Office: 712-324-2597 | Text: 712-324-2597 | Studio: 712-324-5377 Contact us: newstips@kiwaradio.com An official website of the United States government Date: March 17, 2025Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov Department of the Interior today announced that the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the transfer of 680 acres of land to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Spirit Lake Nation in Benson County “This land transfer is a significant step toward strengthening tribal sovereignty and empowering the Spirit Lake Nation to use its trust lands for economic growth and community well-being,” said Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum the Trump administration has been committed to fostering self-determination and expanding opportunities for tribal nations we are honoring the Spirit Lake Nation’s deep connection to their homeland and ensuring they have the resources needed to build a stronger future.” The administrative transfer marks the culmination of a many decades' long effort by the Spirit Lake Nation and reflects the administration’s commitment to strengthening tribal sovereignty and enhancing the quality of life for Indigenous people "The return of 680 acres to the Spirit Lake Tribe marks a historic victory and an important milestone in our healing and reconciliation journey,” said Spirit Lake Tribe Chairperson Lonna Jackson-Street symbolizes both our history and our present as Native American people every acre returned is a testament to the dedication and efforts of our tribal leadership who have worked tirelessly to make this achievement possible "I would like to extend our gratitude to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the General Services Administration for their support in this process The returned lands may potentially be utilized for the expansion of a new health center and we are actively working on moving these lands into trust status This victory stands as a powerful reminder of our resilience and commitment to our future generations." The 680 acres will remain titled in the name of the United States of America held in trust for the Spirit Lake Nation protections and limitations to land held in trust by the United States on behalf of an individual American Indian or a tribe This land was initially transferred from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1959 to grow hay for feeding bison in the winter at the nearby White Horse Hill National Game Preserve In a major step to expand recreational access to America’s public lands Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum today announced 42 new proposed hunting opportunities across more than 87,000 acres within the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System The Department of the Interior hosted a solemn ceremony today to officially unveil the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge name change by the Fish and Wildlife Services Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is taking immediate steps to unleash Alaska’s untapped natural resource potential and support President Donald J Trump’s vision of American Energy Dominance This page was not helpful because the content: eager anglers will cast their lines into the waters marking the 150th walleye fishing season in Iowa’s Great Lakes The highly anticipated event promises great fishing opportunities thanks to a healthy walleye population observed during spring broodstock collection efforts at the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery Fishing enthusiasts can look forward to a season stretching until February 14 with regulations designed to maintain sustainable populations The protected slot limit for walleyes spans 19 to 25 inches with a maximum daily catch of three fish and a possession limit of six anglers are allowed just one walleye over 25 inches per day Iowa’s Great Lakes teem with other sought-after species offering further excitement to visiting anglers Current water levels remain slightly above crest in the Okoboji chain while Spirit Lake sits a few inches below crest With thousands expected to hit the water, officials urge anglers to check safety equipment and prepare boats in advance to minimize congestion at busy ramps. The weekend also brings competitive fun with the 43rd annual Iowa Great Lakes Walleye Weekend Fishing Contest, hosted by the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the contest, visit their website Additionally, the Midwest Walleye Challenge welcomes anglers to contribute valuable data toward managing Iowa’s walleye populations through a citizen science project. Participants’ catch records help fisheries biologists develop strategies to maintain healthy numbers of these prized fish. For more information and to sign up visit their website Our fellow Community First Broadcasting partner, KUOO in Spirit Lake, will be broadcasting the KUOO Morning Show live from the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce to kick off the annual Walleye Weekend. Visit their website for more information (Photo courtesy of fellow Community First Broadcasting partner KUOO) Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced that his office will host two in-person passport fairs Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced that Ella Strudthoff – a The MOC-Floyd Valley Board of Education announced this morning that they have hired Mr The water main has been replaced from 5th St Iowa’s agricultural community saw a mix of modest gains and subtle shifts The Sioux Center Community Foundation has announced its 2025 Generations Grant recipients an accident was reported at the intersection of Highway 9 and 15th Street in Spirit Lake The Spirit Lake Police Department said 87-year-old Richard Staver of Spirit Lake was driving a 2020 Chevy Equinox west on 15th Street Staver reportedly stopped at the intersection of Highway 9 when he pulled into the path of the cement truck driven by 66-year-old Dennis Pike of Luverne Staver and a passenger in his Chevy Equinox were taken by ambulance to Lakes Regional Healthcare driven by Stave,r is estimated to have $30,000 in damage The Spirit Lake Fire Department had to remove a door from the SUV to get one of the occupants out Damage to the cement truck is estimated at $15,000 Want to get the latest news and weather from Siouxland’s News Source? Follow these links to download our KTIV News app and our First Alert Weather app SPIRIT LAKE RESERVATION — Two people were killed in a St according to a correction issued by the Spirit Lake Tribal Council The shooting took place at approximately 9:30 a.m. and all involved — including the alleged shooter — are members of the Spirit Lake Tribe according to the updated statement issued Wednesday afternoon The council apologized to the family for the mistake and expressed regret that the shelter-in-place order impacted how quickly the family was able to receive information The council urged the community to honor the family’s wishes that their privacy be respected and no names be released at this time who was apprehended at approximately 1:20 p.m The council acknowledged many agencies for their swift response during this incident as well as their continued efforts to carry out the investigation including the Fort Totten Bureau of Indian Affairs Spirit Lake Emergency Management Services and Lake Region Ambulance The tribal council also extended its gratitude to North Dakota Gov Alan Dohrmann for their quick response and air support amid the search for the suspect “Their collaborative efforts exemplify the strength of our community and state in times of crisis,” the statement said Tribal citizens are reminded that grief counseling services are available and everyone is encouraged to prioritize their mental health and overall well-being during this time Spirit Lake Behavioral Health can be reached at 701-766-1613 and Spirit Lake Suicide Prevention at 701-381-0047 U.S. government returns 680 acres to the North Dakota tribe The Spirit Lake Nation is celebrating the return of 680 acres of land that was stripped away more than a century ago from its original treaty territory 10 marked the culmination of a multi-generation effort by the nation to reclaim lands from the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s White Horse Hill National Game Preserve in North Dakota SUPPORT INDIGENOUS JOURNALISM. CONTRIBUTE TODAY. "This return of land is a significant step towards healing and reconciliation,” said Spirit Lake Chairwoman Lonna Jackson-Street we are grateful for the support of our partners in the government and the recognition of our rightful claim to these lands.” The land was carved from the tribe’s 1867 treaty territory by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905 it was deemed "submarginal lands" and and was designated to be excess to the needs of the game preserve The Spirit Lake Nation formally sought the return of the lands as part of a broader movement by Congress to return submarginal lands to Indian nations the Fish and Wildlife Service retained the lands for hay production to support the buffalo population at White Horse Hill Yellow lines wrap around a 680 acre parcel of land recently returned to the Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota from the U.S which manages the federal government’s real estate portfolio “The community is excited and thankful for the leadership of the tribe who worked collaboratively getting our land back," said Spirit Lake Tribal Councilmember Darren Walking Eagle The returned property all lies within the original 1867 reservation boundaries and includes areas with native and medicinal plants the tribe intends to preserve The returned land also offers some development opportunities the tribe may explore "It does offer the potential to expand our medical facility and build housing but there are no definite plans at this time," said Jackson-Street there are 300 other acres of federal game preserve land that the tribe seeks to have returned "Our leadership and community are hopeful regarding the return of lands back to the tribe," Jackson-Street said Multiple emails and voicemails left to representatives from the Fish and Wildlife Service seeking details about the land transfer were not returned By Stewart Huntington is an ICT producer/reporter based in central Colorado. 2024 1 p.m.The human-engineered tunnel that drains Spirit Lake on Mount St Helens is buckling because of geological activity sending millions of gallons of water cascading into towns below.Inspectors recently checked the integrity of a tunnel that drains water out of Spirit Lake near Mount St In the early evenings, a thick mist often forms on Spirit Lake wrapping around the trees and snaking down nearby valleys It’s easy to see how a tired hiker might conjure shapes in the haze used to own a cabin by the lake in Skamania County and has never seen anything unusual what he remembers is the sense of community around the lake before Mount St our grandkids are intermarried and are friends,” he said Ford’s cabin was one of about 50 buried by the eruption on May 18 along with scout camps and a YMCA cottage An aerial view of Spirit Lake and the pumice plain that holds it in an avalanche of debris shoved the lake sideways Then the returning water sloshed thousands of trees and ash back into the lake a pyroclastic flow blocked the lake’s outlet to the Toutle River Over the years, the water pressure began to grow behind that natural dam. So, in 1985, the US Army Corps of Engineers built a tunnel one-and-a-half miles long to allow the water to drain into the Toutle River “They were kind of band-aid repairs,” said Ryan Cole, who manages Spirit Lake for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Ryan Cole manages Spirit Lake for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Forest Service is working to find a longer-term solution for the lake The tunnel was built through a vertical rock seam where two types of rock slide against each other Where the tunnel travels through that particular spot “And because they built it under emergency conditions they didn’t reinforce it probably as much as they should have at the time,” said Cole The tunnel has been fixed several times over the years That’s a thought that keeps Larry Hembree, the director of Cowlitz County Emergency Management He remembers the Cowlitz River just after the eruption: “It was very thick mud with lots of trees in it There were pieces of housings or buildings in it.” Standing next to the river in downtown Kelso recently he said he worries that if the Spirit Lake tunnel fails catastrophically “The consequences of that damn failure would be a 40-foot wall of water right where we’re standing,” he said Larry Hembree is the director of Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management He's worried about what happens if the tunnel that drains water out of Spirit Lake fails That wall could crash through other towns along the Cowlitz and Toutle Rivers Understandably, people want a permanent fix for the Spirit Lake tunnel, and the U.S. Forest Service has some ideas They could dig out a new channel above ground so the lake could more naturally flow into the Toutle River They could also just keep the old tunnel and reinforce it when necessary Perhaps the most original idea is to install a long pipe just underground along the surface then gradually shorten it so the water spurting out the end washes away the soil “Rather than cutting a giant open channel all at once and taking all of that fill material somewhere we can allow nature … to slowly start cutting its way back,” Cole said The cost of each idea is unclear, as is the effect escaping silt would have on the river system. So, the Forest Service is asking for public comment Retired carpenter Roy Ford lives right next to the river in Kelso he’s not bothered by how the government fixes it “I really don’t give a rip as long as it’s taken care of,” he said The preferred fix for Spirit Lake should be chosen by the end of 2025 Congress has yet to appropriate money for the project so it will be years before any major work starts Authorities say the tunnel will continue to get fixed every time it buckles Thousands of logs were washed into Spirit Lake after the eruption of Mount St Spirit Lake continues to settle into a natural balance Thousands of logs still blow around its surface and will continue to do so for decades to come And while the water was toxic with volcanic gasses after the eruption Tags: Mount St. Helens, Water, Infrastructure Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now Kristian started as a cub reporter in 1988 In 1991 he moved to Oregon and started freelancing the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Voice of America Kristian has won a Peabody Award along with awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors He graduated from the University of Westminster in London Kristian Foden-Vencil is a reporter and producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting In 2004 he was embedded with the Oregon National Guard in Iraq According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Monday morning is accused of shooting three people on March 4 before fleeing from a residence near Tokio Gaking's adult sister and her 3-year-old daughter were found fatally shot at the residence Gaking's mother was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head A paramedic reportedly said the woman was in and out of consciousness Gaking is believed to have stopped at a second house near Tokio where he allegedly stabbed himself with a knife multiple times before fleeing again in a blue Ford Focus Residents of the second home told Bureau of Indian Affairs agents that when Gaking arrived at the house he had "crazy eyes," and he told a resident "(his sister)'s dead I didn't do it." Residents observed fresh blood on Gaking's chest and abdomen and believed he had stabbed himself Law enforcement apprehended Gaking shortly afterward and transported him to the hospital to receive medical care Gaking allegedly told law enforcement that men in ski masks had been stalking him and that they made him kill his family The complaint also alleges he told agents he did not stab himself; he didn't know who did A family member who lived with the three people who were shot reportedly told agents that Gaking had been talking earlier about men in ski masks chasing him and that he had not been sleeping was "tripping," and had an outburst earlier in the day Gaking said if his family members didn't believe him when he said people were trying to kill him he would "kill all you (expletive) then," according to the complaint The family member told agents Gaking had been waving a gun around uncle," and the family member "ran for his life," the complaint said Gaking was transported to the Ward County Correctional Center in Minot where he will remain at least until his detention hearing Prosecutor Samantha Schmidt asked during Monday's initial appearance that Gaking be held in custody based on his risk of fleeing as well as the danger he may pose to the surviving party of the case These details will be discussed further at the detention hearing Thursday Gaking appeared remotely for his first court appearance appeared from a federal courtroom in Fargo while Judge Alice Senechal appeared from Grand Forks' federal courthouse Sheeley said he believed Gaking would qualify for court-appointed counsel based on his financial status Gaking agreed to be represented by Sheeley if this is the case The murder charges have maximum penalties of life imprisonment and up to five years of supervised release while the attempted murder has a maximum 20-year sentence and up to three years of supervised release Gaking complaint by Hannah Shirley on Scribd Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again — A man is in custody after a triple homicide on the Spirit Lake Reservation that led to a four-hour lockdown Tuesday Law enforcement apprehended the suspect by early afternoon following an extensive search The Bureau of Indian Affairs notified the Spirit Lake Tribe of the shooting at approximately 9:30 a.m. prompting a shelter-in-place order for all residents within the reservation’s boundaries Tribal departments were also placed on lockdown Benson County Sheriff Ethan Rode described the manhunt as "nerve-wracking" as more than two dozen local we had no idea where to even start," Rode said "Lots of side roads and different areas you can't see from the main road so you just kind of have to start somewhere and take the backroads and look." when a local farmer spotted a vehicle matching the suspect’s description and provided authorities with a location pin "We got a tip from a local area farmer that saw a vehicle that matched the description He sent us a pin and took us right there," Rode said Authorities found the suspect inside the vehicle with self-inflicted injuries Rode did not elaborate on the nature of the injuries but confirmed they were not caused by a gun The suspect was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive "Circling it so there wasn't any crossfire or anything like that The Spirit Lake Tribal Council issued administrative leave for all tribal employees following the incident and urged the community to support the victims' families The three victims were family members and one of them was a young child we ask for the community's empathy and understanding," the tribal council said in a statement "Our hearts go out to the victims' families and we encourage everyone to keep them in your thoughts and prayers as we grieve this tragic incident together." Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or the suspect citing confidentiality and respect for those involved The FBI remains on the scene processing the home just south of St Grief counseling services are available through Spirit Lake Behavioral Health at 701-766-1613 and Spirit Lake Suicide Prevention at 701-381-0047 “This land transfer is a significant step toward strengthening tribal sovereignty and empowering the Spirit Lake Nation to use its trust lands for economic growth and community well-being,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum Thank you, @SecretaryBurgum, for completing the transfer of hundreds of unused acres back to the Spirit Lake Tribe from @usfws It is a recognition of tribal sovereignty and treaty rights FWS has not used the land for grazing in decades The Donald Trump administration is facing a major test of its commitment to Indian Country with a lawsuit challenging the firings of government employees at two tribal colleges Arts & Entertainment Federal Recognition Indian Gaming Phone: 202 630 8439 (THEZ) | Email: indianz@indianz.com Ia (Northwest Iowa Now) – The 103rd Dick Barrett Boys Track and Field Meet was held at the Estherville Lincoln Central Football Field and Track on Thursday.adButlerLazyLoad("1879271485920639930",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Carson Storey of Okoboji was the Long Jump winner at 20 feet 2.5 inches Emmetsburg’s Byron Maina took 1st at 6 feet.adButlerLazyLoad("673765372713605796",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Jace Hungerford of Spirit Lake won the 3000m Run at 10:48.1.adButlerLazyLoad("36037625632375152",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Okoboji’s Evan Osler took the 400m Dash gold running 49.14 seconds.adButlerLazyLoad("437486718233357364",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); it was Jerron Heller finishing first for Okoboji in 15.7 seconds Spirit Lake’s Ethan Stecker won at 22.45 seconds Elijah Graves would take gold for Okoboji in the 400m Hurdles at 55.14 seconds.adButlerLazyLoad("711693083026560262",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); The Team Title was taken handedly by Spirit Lake at 130 points Okoboji Chamber Director Blain Andera says one of the tagged fish was caught just two hours after the tournament began at midnight Friday The city of Spencer will hold another flood meeting Wednesday night at Sacred Heart Parish Hall The Spirit Lake police department has released information about a collision between a passenger vehicle and a cement truck Even with diminished winds over the weekend things are so dry that a planned burn near Wallingford got out of control IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — Dickinson County Treasurer Kris Rowley says after several delays Listen Live A new person has joined the Spirit Lake Tribe office from New Town and raised on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation was hired as a public relations specialist Her father was a member of the Spirit Lake Tribe and grew up in St She currently lives in Bismarck and makes the long commute when she is working at the office in Spirit Lake Alberts sat down with the Journal and told us about herself and her goals in this new department She has an extensive education background holding an M.A She told the Journal that this department was something that the council had pushed for She started in February and has already been an asset to media and the public with information coming from the top “There was a little pushback,” she said “Kind of like whether the role was really needed But I think since coming on board… I think that the community is becoming more receptive.” She said her goal for the department is “laying a good foundation” when it comes to media policies “A lot of times there are not necessarily media policies and procedures that are in place And so having a media plan in addition to developing policies and procedures for the department is so important.” Alberts said there is an online community open to tribal and non-tribal members that will be available until April 15. The survey can be accessed here. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/68WDPB6 Completing the survey will give you a chance to win a $30 gift card The purpose of the survey is to solicit the best way to communicate with the members of the community on events and other things pertaining to Spirit Lake “I really like to abide by data-driven processes,” Alberts said “And I think that this community survey is great because it’s all community input community feedback… I want to make sure that we’re providing it in an effective way for Spirit Lake members and outside stakeholders.” When she isn’t working she said she likes to spend lots of time on the road She also writes poetry and has competed in slam poetry in the past She also likes to spend time with her family and friends she said “I represent the people of Spirit Lake.” She wants to ensure that the “people are represented in a good light and in an effective light.” She also wants to honor “[her] father’s legacy by being a part of his home community.” (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0] j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-5JSJKTT'); Subscribe Powered by Editor's note: Mni Wakan is spelled differently across sources The Grand Forks Herald uses the "Mni Wakan" spelling in this story because that is how it is spelled by the Spirit Lake Tribe online SPIRIT LAKE RESERVATION — Whether intentionally or by mistake it seems white settler misinterpretation of an Indigenous story is behind the "devils" named throughout eastern North Dakota an Indigenous tribe whose reservation includes much of the lake and the Thunderbird wants to bring it up into the clouds and make rain," Garcia told the Grand Forks Herald "It's just their Indian way of explaining the hydrological cycle — how fog and rain and ice and snow work but they use this story and they make it so that it's sacred." The Unktehi are said to be protective of the water This is why they are sometimes referred to as water "monsters," or "the Terrible One," rather than the more neutral term of "spirits." So when the Dakota people tried to explain to French explorers why the lake was sacred the Frenchmen listened to the story and concluded instead that these Unktehi were monsters and subsequently named the lake Lac du Diable "There was a translation problem," he said The tribe later became known as the Devils Lake Sioux though their Dakota name is Mni Wakan Oyate — which translates to something along the lines of "people of the Spirit Lake." a woman whose obituary says she lived on the reservation throughout her life before dying in 2020 was interviewed by a Grand Forks Herald reporter in the early 1990s She said that when the white people came to the area "they started naming everything about the devil." Graywater told the reporter there was a 'Devil's Tooth' right down the road "It's just a big rock — they say it looks like a tooth." Graywater had been told by elders in the community that the story of the rock had to do with a young maiden who left the camp where her group was having a gathering because she was angry with her husband When he and another man followed after her but instead found what was later named the Devil's Tooth "They believe that she turned into a rock," Graywater said In Garcia's work gathering and preserving Indigenous history and stories such as the one Graywater shared he said he didn't get the idea that most people were sitting down and analyzing the name of Devils Lake questioning why it was that way — much like one wouldn't be expected to do so for any other location "(They say,) 'That's what we've always called it.'" tribal members voted to change their name to the Spirit Lake Nation a decision that seemed natural — returning to a more accurate translation of the Dakota name former tribal chairwoman and current executive director of Spirit Lake Tribal Housing An archival article written by Kris Halvorson a staff writer at the Journal — presumably the Devils Lake Journal — says the vote for the name change was 265 to 125 Pearson recalls working in the financial department at that time "We had to change everything — all the check blanks," she said "Back then we didn't have all the technology we have today and she remembers strong support for the change At the same time that then Chairman Elmer White brought the matter to a vote a much more controversial matter was also being voted on "That was also the third time they brought the issue to the people to open up the reservation for alcohol," Pearson said asking why he would allow the issue to be put to a vote for a third time when there was such strong opposition to it but somehow they always had that thing voted down," she said with a chuckle It seemed support for the change came largely from the reservation's younger population "But I also remember one of the chairmen saying she said; this was something outlined in their treaty "It’s kind of the root of all evil that goes on here," Pearson said The subject was dropped for quite some time afterwards the tribe ultimately voted in favor of allowing the sale of alcohol at its casino in St The CHI Devils Lake Hospital was in lockdown as two ambulances waited outside Michael is being investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs along with the Benson and Ramsey County Sheriff The shooting happened on the morning of Tuesday The names of the victims and the assailant are not known at this point the Spiri Lake Housing Corporation went on lockdown “We hope this message finds you safe and well We wish to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances our housing building is currently on lockdown we will not be opening the doors for anyone for the time being This measure is being taken to ensure the safety and security of all residents.” CHI St Alexius Health Devils Lake Hospital and other businesses also went into lockdown The Spirit Lake Tribal Council released a statement: “This morning an incident occurred within the boundaries [of the] Spirit Lake Reservation and we are currently awaiting details from law enforcement we ask the public to remain calm and shelter in place until further notice The Spirit Lake Tribal Council will provide updates as more information becomes available We urge everyone not to approach individuals involved in any suspicious activity and to report such instances to local law enforcement at 701-766-4231.” Ia (Northwest Iowa Now) – Several KICD 9-County Area teams competed at the Spirit Lake Meet on Tuesday Here are winners from the KICD area.adButlerLazyLoad("3348779671918171405",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Emmetsburg’s Byron Maina won the Boys High Jump at 6 feet 4.25 inches The E-Hawks swept the High Jump with Rachel Schany winning the girls event with a height of 5ft 7in.adButlerLazyLoad("662760950477910630",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Okoboji’s Calan Peters won the boys Discus at 149ft 11in Lauren Travis of Spirit Lake took 1st in the Girls Discus at 111-10.adButlerLazyLoad("103779229354657540",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Rachel Schany took 1st in the Long Jump at 18-4.25 Teh Boys long jump was won by Carson Storey of Okoboji at 20-3 Lauren Travis picked up another win in the girls Shot Put at 41-6.5.adButlerLazyLoad("197825590008197288",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Estherville Lincoln Central’s Liam Brown took the Boys Shot Put with a toss of 46-9 Okoboji’s Girls 800m Sprint Medley Relay team of Avery and Walz won with 1:37.3.adButlerLazyLoad("3616080514268958720",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Spencer’s Peyton Morey placed 1st in the girls 3000m Run at 12:58.14 Spirit Lake’s Brandon Hughes was the boys 3200m run winner at 9:56.06 Sioux Central Girls’ 4x800m Relay of Christian and Madsen took 1st at 11:02.73.adButlerLazyLoad("1750450970758518630",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); The Okoboji Boys 4x800m Relay won with Ballis The Spencer Girls Shuttle Hurdle Relay team of Stuckey Spirit Lake’s boys Shuttle Hurdle Relay team of Stecker and Jalas were the winners at 1:00.33.adButlerLazyLoad("3359391441077228375",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Krishauna Allen of Okoboji claimed the 100m Dash with a time of 12.53 seconds It was Dylan Stecker of Spirit Lake in the Boys 100m Dash with a time of 11.02 seconds The Spirit Lake Girls Distance Medley Relay team of Duvall and Mueting won with a time of 4:40.27.adButlerLazyLoad("227644775608014755",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Spirit Lake’s Abby Scott won at 1:02.28 The Boys 400m Dash was claimed by Sioux Central’s Jack Christian at 54.05 seconds.adButlerLazyLoad("621959996667022390",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Spirit Lake’s Leah Bolluyt won the Girls 100m Hurdles at 14.99 seconds.adButlerLazyLoad("454415800295338890",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Cooper Winkel was 1st with 14.05 seconds for Spirit Lake Rachel Schany went 2:28.14 for Emmetsburg to finish 1st Spirit Lake’s Dietrich Dirks ran 1:58.68 in the Boys 800m Run to take 1st.adButlerLazyLoad("2687374363473312712",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Anthea Leupold of Spirit Lake was the winner at 25.67 Dylan Stecker of Spirit Lake finished in 22.29 to take 1st Leah Bolluyt of Spirit Lake claimed 1st place in the 400m Hurdles with a time of 1:07.39.adButlerLazyLoad("424070228911143815",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Jerron Heller of Okoboji went 59.01 seconds to win Sage Weber of Sioux Central clocked 5:15.49 to take 1st Spirit Lake’s Jace Hungerford took 1st in the Boys 1600m Run with a time of 4:41.38.adButlerLazyLoad("1806347129524157220",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); In the Girls 4x100m Relay it was Spencer’s team of Hopkins and Krieg winning with a time of 51.21 seconds and Scott capped off the day with a 4x400m Relay time of 4:18.05 to win.adButlerLazyLoad("234528147117819192",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); The Spirit Lake Girls won the team title at 182 points and North Union rounded out 4-6 in that order.adButlerLazyLoad("105140741464823202",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Spirit Lake also won the Boys team title with 234 points — Spirit Lake Nation is exploring development and preservation options for 680 acres of land that have recently been returned to the tribe by the United States government Fish and Wildlife Service for hay production to support the White Horse Hill National Game Preserve buffalo are part of the Spirit Lake Nation’s original territory a press release announcing the return said President Theodore Roosevelt reserved the lands in 1904 for Bureau of Indian Affairs Agency Reserve purposes Tribal Chairwoman Lonna Street confirmed other land was also given back “There is additional acreage beyond the 680 acres which was returned but the exact amount has not been disclosed,” she said The tribe has been trying to get the lands back for 65 years Congress had started a movement to return excess lands and in the late 1950s Spirit Lake Nation sought the reserved lands from White Horse Hill “This return of land is a significant step towards healing and reconciliation,” Street said we are grateful for the support of our partners in the government and the recognition of our rightful claim to these lands We also extend our gratitude to the previous administration under the leadership of former chairman Douglas Yankton and their efforts in laying the foundation to reclaim these lands This is not just about regaining land; it is about celebrating our history There are no specific plans yet for what to do with the land “It does offer the potential to expand our medical facility and build housing but there are no definite plans at this time,” she said A Jeep that had been resting on the bottom of Spirit Lake in the St Louis River was pulled out of the water on February 3rd Local fisherman had known about the vehicle in the water for some time but originally believed it was a piece of a dock that had washed away in the flood of 2012 It wasn’t until recent sonar scans of the structure revealed that it was in fact a car Since there was no way of knowing whether there were people inside or not there were no people inside when they got it out Retrieval of the vehicle was a collaborative effort between the Superior/Douglas County Dive Team Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public file should contact Vicki Kaping at vkaping@wdio.com or (218) 727-6864 GRAND FORKS — The Spirit Lake Tribe has come out in opposition to legislation that proposes allowing the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa to have a casino in Grand Forks “We felt like a very important piece was missing and that was consultation with people we call our relatives,” Tribal Chairwoman Lonna Street said “It is my responsibility as chairwoman of the tribe to look out for my nation.” Spirit Lake representatives said that they were caught off guard by the casino announcement and feel they should have been consulted They said the lack of communication was likely the result of a "misjudgment rather than an intentional oversight." “The introduction of a new gaming facility in Grand Forks County threatens to divert critical revenue away from existing tribal casinos including the Spirit Lake Casino and Resort potentially jeopardizing the financial stability of tribal nations reliant on gaming for essential services,” Street wrote in the release The release said Spirit Lake deeply values the leadership and kinship that exists between the Spirit Lake and Turtle Mountain bands The release sent to the media says "the opposition to SB 2376 is in no way a reflection of division or disrespect toward TMBCI but rather a response to a legislative process that did not adequately include all affected tribal nations." the decision of the Legislature to take up this proposal also calls into question the state’s past expansion of electronic pull tabs and charitable gaming which Spirit Lake leaders believe have hurt tribal operations “(Gaming) is a huge economic boost for the Spirit Lake Tribe; in fact it’s forefront for us,” Street told the Herald “It’s one of our main economic boosters in our community which provides a lot of social funding for our community as well as program funding.” The Spirit Lake Tribe is headquartered in Fort Totten and its tribal lands are on the southern shore of Devils Lake approximately 100 miles west of Grand Forks — The Spirit Lake Tribe is calling for help as a severe police staffing shortage leaves just four officers patrolling 400 square miles The reservation is authorized by the federal government to have 17 patrol officers but due to budget constraints and hiring challenges a Crow Hill representative for the Spirit Lake Tribe Despite posting two police positions in April 2024 The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) received nearly 200 calls for service on the reservation in one recent week When asked if crime is an issue due to the lack of law enforcement presence the Spirit Lake Tribe reached a recruiting agreement with the BIA in an effort to speed up the hiring process They hope this encourages tribal members to answer the call calling them essential to fostering trust and understanding within the community Walking Eagle said lengthy background checks often discourage applicants from waiting for approval "It takes a while for that background to get done," he said sometimes they are waiting two to three years Law enforcement from Benson and Ramsey counties and the North Dakota Highway Patrol are allowed to provide backup when requested but the BIA must first determine if those involved in a call are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe but we typically don't get involved unless they request us," said Benson County Sheriff Ethan Rode Benson County has its own staffing challenges with only four deputies and the sheriff covering the area "The shortage does affect us to a point," Rode said "When they only have one person on and they need assistance we need to pull someone from the county to our jurisdiction to go assist them." Leaders at Spirit Lake hope younger generations will step up to serve as officers in the future "To encourage some of our youth to go into that job duty for our reservation," Walking Eagle said the Turtle Mountain Reservation has been lending a couple of BIA officers to help Spirit Lake manage calls CEDAR FALLS — Tate Hawf knows what it feels like to lose The West Lyon senior experienced four straight years of losses But on Friday – after years of setbacks – Hawf and his West Lyon football teammates came out on top the Wildcats made it to the state championship game but finished as runners-up behind Southeast Valley His sophomore and junior seasons ended in the quarterfinals he lost his final season of high school football before it even began breaking his collarbone in a preseason scrimmage That injury cost him almost the entire season; Hawf returned in the playoffs “It was really tough on our team and really tough on him,” head coach Jay Roozeboom said postgame “But we were able to get him in the first playoff game He kept getting better and better … and he did what he was supposed to do.” Hawf finished the game with a team-high 114 rushing yards and two touchdowns The Wildcats' stingy defense held Spirit Lake to just eight total rushing yards and one touchdown – and finished with seven sacks Hawf and company helped West Lyon to the best possible end to the season a perfect 13-0 record capped with a trophy “This group was really fun and really special,” Roozeboom said “Great group of guys who worked really hard together.” It took just over three minutes for West Lyon to score Jorden Meyer’s 30-yard kickoff return gave the Wildcats possession on their own 40-yard line rattling off six short gains before Bryson Childress found the end zone on a 41-yard rush The point-after attempt hit the left upright Spirit Lake’s first possession proved less favorable Quarterback Caden Lundt was sacked twice for a total loss of 13 yards; West Lyon’s Ridge Kramer played a part in both takedowns Both teams limited the scoring for the remainder of the first quarter Three straight punts followed West Lyon’s touchdown and Spirit Lake started the second quarter with the ball A massive catch in coverage from Dylan Stecker sent Spirit Lake to the red zone for the first time and then West Lyon defenders bobbled a possible interception in the end zone and Spirit Lake settled for a 42-yard field-goal attempt that was unsuccessfull allowing the Wildcats to net just two yards on the next drive keeping Spirit Lake out of the end zone yet again Sam Hendrickson intercepted West Lyon’s quarterback on the Wildcats’ next drive But that change of possession didn’t move the chains A four-yard rush from Bode Higgins wasn’t enough The Wildcats set the tone of the very first play after the punt moving West Lyon just outside the red zone The Wildcats’ wide receiver barely stayed on his feet before falling into the end zone West Lyon successfully converted the two-point attempt and the Wildcats – after several stops on defense – headed to the locker room with a 14-0 lead at halftime Jared Ciesielski made possibly the biggest play of the game on the opening drive of the second half Spirit Lake marched downfield and made it to West Lyon’s 21-yard line on a 36-yard pass from Lundt to Stecker Ciesielski intercepted Lundt at the 3-yard line stepping one foot in bounds and then – like an NFL player – tapped down the toes of his right foot while falling over the white line this time off a 7-yard run up the middle by Hawf but the Wildcats still held a convincing lead things went from bad to worse for Spirit Lake West Lyon’s Drendan Van Wyhe forced a fumble of the kickoff return and Childress recovered The Wildcats took over on Spirit Lake’s 30-yard line all by Hawf – for West Lyon to score again the Wildcats led 28-0 with less than three-and-a-half minutes left in the third Stecker – less than a minute after West Lyon’s fourth touchdown of the game – broke Spirit Lake’s scoreless streak battling past a Wildcats defender and into the end zone The fourth quarter featured more of the same: strong defense from West Lyon and turnovers going the Wildcats’ way Spirit Lake’s quarterback fumbled on a sack but Spirit Lake fumbled the return and Carson Meyer recovered for West Lyon Evan Hildring ran 19 yards for another touchdown and a 35-7 West Lyon lead Hildring scored again and gave the Wildcats a running clock in the state championship game “Our front guys did a great job of coming off the ball and pushing the pocket to the quarterback,” Roozeboom said “Just being one of 11 is what we like to talk about and it was a great group effort by our defense.” Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker