ENDAZHI' GIZHAAWASONG: A Place Where Children Are Protected — Celebrating the grand opening of the child advocacy center in wahkon
The long-awaited grand opening of the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) in Wahkon took place on Thursday, December 18, 2025, marking an important milestone for the community. The event brought together a wide range of partners who share a deep commitment to supporting children and families, including Mille Lacs Band elected officials; the Mille Lacs Band Victim Services and Grants departments; Tribal Police Department officials; the Mille Lacs County Sheriff; the Mille Lacs County Attorney's Office; the District 5 Mille Lacs County Commissioner; Pine County officials; representatives from the cities of Wahkon, Isle, and Onamia; the Minnesota Indian Sexual Assault Coalition; Brainerd Sexual Assault; the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center; and additional Mille Lacs Band department representatives.
FEDERAL COURT DISMISSES MORRISON COUNTY LAWSUIT OVER MILLE LACS BAND TRUST LAND
A legal challenge that has been years in the making — and closely watched by local governments and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe - reached a major milestone on November 26, 2025, when a federal judge dismissed Morrison County's lawsuit opposing the placement of more than 3,200 acres of land into federal trust for the Band.
In a 26-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel sided with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) clearing the way for the federal government to move forward with placing the land in Richardson and Leigh Townships into trust. The lawsuit had been filed earlier this year by Morrison County, along with the two townships.
Tribal Government News
SWEARING-IN FOR NEW POSITIONS — 2026 Election Calendar and Election Ordinance
As the 2026 election year approaches, Band members are encouraged to stay informed about important election timelines, processes, and requirements. The election calendar outlines key dates, while the Election Ordinance provides the legal framework that governs how elections are conducted, helping ensure fairness, transparency, and consistency.
TERO 101: WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU
TERO stands for Tribal Employment Rights Office. TERO is both a tribal ordinance and a federal law that allows tribal governments to regulate and monitor employment and business activities on tribal lands.
The goal of TERO is to promote business development, expand employment and training opportunities, and protect the rights of tribal members. Across Indian Country, TERO programs serve as an important tool for strengthening tribal economies and supporting community well-being.
TRIBAL GENERAL WELFARE EXCLUSION ACT: New federal rules strengthen tribal programs and tribal businesses
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently finalized two important federal rules that directly affect Band members, Tribal governments, and Tribal-owned businesses. These long-awaited rules provide clarity, reduce uncertainty, and formally recognize Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
MLBO SOLICITOR GENERAL DOGEAGLE APPOINTED TO SERVE AS BOARD MEMBER OF INDIAN LAW RESOURCE CENTER
The Indian Law Resource Center is proud to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Rochelle Morgan-Verdin and Caleb J. Dogeagle. They join a strong, Indigenous-led Board committed to advancing the rights and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.
WATER OVER NICKEL: GRATITUDE FOR ALL WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED AND EXCITEMENT FOR THE YEAR AHEAD
As I reflect on 2025, I want to offer deep gratitude to every Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe member who has stood with Water Over Nickel. Your leadership, voices, presence, and stories have helped shape and support our work to protect clean water from the negative impacts of nickel mining.
GROWING ENGAGEMENT SHAPES THE FUTURE OF MLB CONSTITUTION
Delegates encourage Band members to join the conversation and help shape the proposed updates
The MLB Delegates are pleased to share the strong interest generated from the two Constitutional Conventions held in September. As a result, one new group has formed, and another is looking to incorporate regular discussions around Constitution work. We are extremely encouraged by this growing engagement and the opportunity for more Band members to play an instrumental role in proposing changes to the MLB Constitution, originally created in 2010 by the prior Delegation.
Highlights
WILD OJIBWEMOWIN BROADCAST GOES VIRAL: Minnesota’s historic telecast is the first of its kind
"Bimaakoweba' igedaa!" means, let's play hockey!
Those words marked more than the start of a game on November 28. They signaled a historic moment for the Minnesota Wild, who broadcast an entire NHL game in Ojibwemowin on the FanDual Sports Network for the first time. What began as a celebration of Native American Heritage Day at Grand Casino Arena quickly became a national story, spreading across social media and news outlets as viewers realized they were witnessing something unprecedented.
Winter wellness: Caring for ourselves and the community
In my professional career as a physical therapist, it is often my job to explore, discover, address, and adjust a plan of care to help guide patients through their experience in their journey back from an injury, pain, or limitation that creates a wall in the way of their life. Most people who work in recovery, healthcare, and the sort, know that the journey of healing is not always linear and people often have ridden a roller coaster towards healing from the difficulties that stand in their way. The few moments we get to spend with our patients or clients just a few times per week can seem like such a small moment in time to us but can often be the difference maker in someone's life.
Building Confidence in Ojibwe, one question at a time: Quiz bowl returns to grand casino mille lacs
The sounds of Ojibwemowin filled the Grand Casino Mille Lacs Convention Center on December 4, 2025, as students from across Minnesota gathered for the Winter Ojibwe Quiz Bowl, hosted by Nay Ah Shing Schools. Ten teams of focused, determined learners came together not just to compete - but to grow their confidence, sharpen their skills, and strengthen their connection to the Ojibwe language.
NAY AH SHING SCHOOLS TABLE TENNIS TEAM TO MAKE HISTORIC STATE TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE
In a moment that will go down in the history of Nay Ah Shing School, the school's table tennis team is preparing for its first-ever appearance at the Minnesota State Table Tennis Tournament scheduled for February 21, 2026.
Led by Social Studies and band teacher Joe Covert, the achievement marks a milestone not only in athletics but also in overall school spirit. Nay Ah Shing School will compete against the state's top teams, bringing skill, teamwork and enthusiasm to the table.
A DECADE OF ADVOCAcY: Daher retires after 10 years in the Office of the Solicitor General
Peeking out from behind mountains of paperwork and case files accumulated over a decade of service, Angel Daher reflects on her time with the Mille Lacs Band Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) with humility, gratitude, and a deep sense of purpose. Though small in stature, Angel has been a mighty and fierce advocate — steadfast in protecting the rights of the Band and unwavering in her commitment to Native children and families.
ELECTED OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGE MLBO STAFF WITH APPRECIATION PARTY
The Mille Lacs Band Elected Officials and Commissioners recently hosted an employee appreciation event to honor and thank Band employees for a year of dedicated service to the Band and its members. The employee-only celebration was designed as a chance to pause, connect, and recognize the vital role employees play in supporting the work and mission of the Band. The afternoon offered an opportunity to step away from daily responsibilities and enjoy time together in a relaxed, celebratory setting.
Indian Country News
Wife of accused Minnesota lawmaker killer says husband's actions were "a betrayal"
The wife of Vance Boelter, the man accused in the deadly Minnesota lawmaker shootings, released a statement on Thursday calling her husband's alleged actions "a betrayal." Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed inside their Brooklyn Park home in the early morning hours of June 14. Their golden retriever, Gilbert, was also shot and later died from his injuries. Also targeted in the shootings were Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who were attacked inside their Champlin home about 90 minutes before the Hortmans were killed. Boelter, 57, faces federal and state murder and attempted murder charges. He was captured some 36 hours after the shootings near his home in Green Isle, about 50 miles southwest of Minneapolis, in what officials say was the largest manhunt in state history. Jenny Boelter's full statement, released on her behalf by her legal team: "On behalf of my children and myself, I want to express our deepest sympathies to the Hortman and Hoffman families. Our condolences are with all who are grieving during this unimaginably difficult time, and we are praying daily for them."
Source: CBS News.
‘As vulnerable as a plant can be’: New study finds climate change largely to blame for less wild rice:
A new study finds the availability of a wild rice in the Great Lakes region has been declining over the past 30 years, partially due to climate change. The decline, the study says, “has disrupted Ojibwe lifeways, family, and health.” Brandon Byrne, inland fisheries biologist at the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, or GLIFWC, coauthored and helped collect data for the study. Byrne said that the plant is most vulnerable during its early stages. “Not only is it vulnerable to weather or climatic variables, it’s also vulnerable to motorboat use. Its ecology is very delicate.” Rob Croll, coauthor of the study and commission policy analyst and climate change coordinator, said, “You have to look at manoomin and climate change holistically. It’s as vulnerable a plant as a plant can be. One of the things that we’re seeing — will continue to see — is our precipitation coming less frequently, but more intensely: much heavier rain storms, which can cause quick floods. During [early growth] stages, floods will uproot the plant. Later on in its growth, when there are seeds on the plant, big storms and heavy winds can devastate a rice bed just by blowing the stalks down into the water. Source: WPR Wisconsin Today.
White House budget request slashes funding for tribal colleges and universities:
In President Donald Trump’s budget request, he’s proposing slashing funding for tribal colleges and universities, including eliminating support for the country’s only federally funded college for contemporary Native American arts. If the budget is approved by Congress, beginning in October, the more than $13 million in annual appropriations for the Institute for American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, would be reduced to zero. It would be the first time in nearly 40 years that the congressionally chartered school would not receive federal support, said Robert Martin, the school’s president. Source: APNEWS.
Upcoming EVENTS
February 16
Chief’s Day
December 31 & January 1
New Years Day Break
January 19