Thoughts....

It's been a while since I've posted on here.  Sorry, I've been extremely busy but I want to give my opinions on those who were voted in the preliminary elections plus my thoughts on the Deb Deleon and Fred Kiogima mess.  I will give my comments on the per cap issue too.

First of all, I felt bad that Allan Kesick didn't make it through the preliminary elections.  I happen to know him and think he's about the ONLY one who would be working for Tribal members and not trying to line his pockets.  As of now, Frank Bernard made it through the preliminary election but so did Deb and Fred, along with David Harrington.  John Keshick didn't make it through the preliminary and he has appealed that.  I have no idea what happened on that.  He was a lousy Councilor who was in the job strictly for the money, from what I've heard.  He never did anything for the Tribal members.  I sure hope he isn't re-elected to Council.

Now onto the Deb-Fred issue.  They're the greediest Tribal members that I know.  They're still getting paid for being Chair and Vice-Chair!!!!  Within the last couple weeks, they lost their court battle to keep their payments (Chair {Fred}-$7500/month and Vice-Chair {Deb}-$5,000/month) so they appealed this decision.  All their shenanigans have pushed back the elections for Tribal Council and also for Chair and Vice-Chair.  They should be sued because they're accepting payments for a job they should be doing and aren't.  They were RECALLED by registered Tribal voters for not doing their jobs so they can't do the jobs they had been elected to do.  Why are they continuing to get paid??  I just don't understand that, even though by the Constitution, they can collect that money.  If they had done their jobs, we wouldn't be in this situation.  So, now they're running for Tribal Council!!  That's so unbelievable that they think they will do the Council jobs that it makes my head spin.  The cards they sent out were the same ones they sent when they were running for Chair and Vice-Chair except they put the words in that let people know they were running for Council and that they were ethical and that sort of garbage.  Then I saw an e-mail where Deb had asked her family members to vote only for her and Fred.  She didn't think she'd get elected to Council without family votes and thought Fred would make Council but not herself.  Good God Almighty, that woman has the gall to think she should be on Council.  Well, to my way of thinking, she and Fred had their chances as Chair and Vice-Chair to do something for Tribal members and didn't.  Does she think all Tribal members don't know they were in those positions and didn't do anything for Tribal members at all except go to meetings?  I cannot believe the gall of those two and the greed?  Forget it!!  I can't stand either of them personally and damn sure not politically!!!!!!

The per cap issue:  Tribal Council pulled their crap again about the Tribe not having enough money to up the per cap payments to $2,500.  There was a meeting with the Elders in July and they sent in their people to convince the Elders that most departments would be closed if the per cap was raised.  The financial people (whom Council had sent to the meeting) were asked why Council should give themselves raises if there was no money and, if there was no money, why are they going ahead with building a casino in Mackinac City.  No answer from any of them - those questions were either denials by those running the meeting (Council henchwomen) or no comment was made.  I believe that they didn't convince the Elders that there was no money.  The per cap needs to be raised, salaries cut along with a smaller government.  Council doesn't need to give the Council members more money - all they do is meet twice a month for two days each time and they want to be full-time, hence more money.  Council controls the whole Tribe!  They have departments under them that should be on their own and that's a violation of the Tribal Constitution for them to do that.  There's supposed to be three (3) separate divisions of Tribal government:  Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.  The judges supposedly are in Council's "back pocket", so to speak.  Our Tribal government is so corrupt that it makes me want to cry because everybody, it seems, is out for more money and they want it, come hell or high water.  We certainly need help from the Great Spirit!!
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 It's a holy wonder:  Deb and Fred lost their appeal, I think sometime in the latter part of October or early part of November 2015!!!  Yay!!  They lost their income for sitting on their butts, not doing anything for anybody except themselves.  Bet it hurts!!

Spoke to an elder from the Tribe a day or so ago.  Was told that the meals will cost at least $2 each in "donations" from each person who eats the meal.  Plus, it sounded like the meals are going to be only once a week, not twice a week as it was for years.  Was also told that a staff member in the Elders Department was demoted to just a regular employee and working 40 hours per week.  Elders are not a happy group.

I sat and talked with the elder for quite awhile and the person was really upset at how the Elders Department is run.  What I was told by the person was also posted on the Red Arrow.  What is going on with LTBB??  Council members are so greedy - they voted themselves a raise but yet took $99 from our per cap checks this year because they said they didn't have any money.  YET, they're going ahead with the Mackinaw City casino.  How STUPID can they be?  No Tribal member wants the casino for Mackinaw City - they haven't even paid off the casino that the Tribe currently runs in Petoskey!  We need help, not only from the Creator but also from someone who can be Chair and be honest and look out for the Tribe's best interests.  Is there anybody out there like that????????

2015 Tribal Council Candidates and Note about Per Cap Initiative

Please excuse the missing punctuation and non-capitalization of titles in the article below.  I copied this from the Red Arrow website.  It contains the names of all those running for the 4 available seats this year.  I also left the comments made by "4 new councilors are needed in 2015 make your own decisions".  The comments (don't elect past Chairs and/or Vice-Chairs, past Council members or those current Council members running for re-election) contain my sentiments exactly.

From what I gather, common consensus is that Tribal Council is corrupt.  This corruption is ruining our Tribe!  They spend money like water going through a person's fingers and have no accountability to Tribal members.  I could add more but I won't.  Just think about the definition of corruption and you get the idea of what I'm talking about.  Our Tribe needs change and the first place to start is with new Tribal Council members who are not corrupt, at least not yet, and will look out for Tribal members' interests and needs.

NEW COUNCIL CANDIDATES THIS YEAR (2015):
(give these citizens a chance )

1} Douglas Wylie Emery
2} Frank Bernard
3} Allan Wayne Kesick
4} John Angus Kawegoma
5} Virgina May Lewis
6} Jesse Lewis Boda
7} Dollie Keway
8) David M. Harrington
9) Warren Donald Petoskey (he has dropped out)

Past Councilors & Chairs & Vice Chairs :
(they had the chance to help the ltbb citizens but did not.  Who wants to give them another chance?)
They all were not good but the ones who were on Council were corrupt, along with the other Councilors.

10) Ken Harrington - chair - recalled
11) John Louis Gasco - councilor
12) Dexter Marsh McNamara - councilor & vice chair & chair
13) Kevin Alexander Gasco -councilor
14) Debbie De Leon -vice chair - recalled in 2014
15) Fred Kiogima- chair - recalled in 2014

Present Councilors and Present Chair
They have had 4 years or more years, some up to 12 years, to give back to our tribal citizens but instead voted to spend money on a day care, spent money on buying land for another casino and put themselves on more council committees and the last one they all voted yes to buy a farm and pay out $750,000.00 for and really close to 1 million dollars so far has been spent on it.
So everyone one states they have done economic development has anyone in ltbb seen really any change except to spend our monies on travel and buying land that is never used a day care that was shut down after a few months of buying it.
All they do is talk and spend money that is not theirs but the tribal citizens money and then when we try to ask questions at our own community meeting they hide behind a bad spokes person that is in with their games of not answering any questions.

16) Regina Gasco Bentley
17) Winnay Jolene Wemigwase
18) Jon W. Keshick, lll (another one that goes by John, Jon and sometimes puts lll (sic) in his name and other times not)
19) Bill A. Denemy (this time not putting Jr. in his name, hoping you think it's his father running- sneaky)
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An initiative to raise the per cap to $2,500 is currently going around for Tribal member signatures.  If the group handling this matter get enough signatures, it will go out to the general membership for election in June 2015 when voting for Council members.  Should the per cap be approved by the Tribal membership, we may get a portion of it this year but, next year, we will get the whole $2,500.  Council will have to budget at least $12,000,000 to fund this raise next year.  The reason I'm saying we may get a portion of the amount this year is that the budget has already been made and Tribal Council did not foresee the initiative going around for Tribal member approval.  The nice thing about this initiative is that it will force Tribal Council to do what has to be done if they come back and say there's no money for a raise.  This initiative did go around for signatures a couple years ago by Tim LaCroix and wasn't approved because Council told the elders that there was no money for the raise and they were told a couple other things so that went out to members through word of mouth and it did not get the required signatures.  The current initiative is exactly the same one as Tim put out, nothing was changed in it whatsoever.  Judy Feathers is the one who started this initiative going and she and Judy Field are the main ones collecting signatures but there are others in the Tribe who are collecting signatures too.  I was told that the group WILL get the required amount of signatures this time and they believe that Tribal members will approve this raise.  Good luck to them! 

People are saying the per cap will put them in a new income category and also a new tax category.  It may also affect a person's Social Security amounts received too and the member should check with the local Social Security office for clarification on this matter.  You should be aware that a person DOES NOT have to accept the per cap raise!  He or she can donate the amount back to the LTBB Tribe or some other agency for charity, elder or youth programs in LTBB, and claim that on their taxes.
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Football fans of Chicago, Detroit, and Green Bay

This will bring a smile to your face!!
 

Microwave Chocolate Fudge

A New, Quick Way to Make Chocolate Fudge (Microwave Fudge)

Doesn't it look yummy and good and all those good adjectives? I am now in the throes of craving fudge, darn it!!

TWO-MINUTE MICROWAVE FUDGE (delicious!)

Ingredients:
1 lb powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Sift powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt into a 1 quart microwave safe bowl.
Stir in milk and vanilla.
Mix well.
Place butter on top.
Microwave on high, 2 minutes.
Beat with wooden spoon until smooth.
Stir in nuts (OPTIONAL).
Spread in buttered 8 X 8 X 2 inch baking pan.
Chill about 1 hour or until firm.
Cut into pieces.

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 PHILLY STEAK PEPPER BOATS

You will Need:
4 Bell Peppers
10 oz. Thinly Sliced Roast Beef
8 slices of Provolone Cheese
1 large Sweet onion, sliced
4 Tbsp. Butter
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

How you do it:
Slice Peppers in half long ways...clean seeds out and cut stem part off
In a large pan over med heat...add butter, olive oil, garlic and onions...salt and pepper....saute them till they are caramelized...Approx 30 min.
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees
Slice your roast beef into thin strips and add it to the onion mix .. cook for 10 min. or so
Take 1/2 slice of provolone cheese and lay it to fit in your pepper... fill each pepper with meat/onion mix...
Bake for 15 min. Take out of the oven, then lay the other half of the cheese across the top of each pepper; bake another 5 to 8 min. or until cheese is golden brown on top!
Enjoy ~
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Something to Make You Smile!

Thought this might bring a smile to your faces!!

Cookie (no-bake) recipe and other fun things to make and eat

NO-BAKE OATMEAL COOKIES

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
3 c. quick cooking oats


Directions:
In saucepan over medium heat, combine the cocoa, sugar, milk, and butter.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in the salt, vanilla, oats and peanut butter.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto waxed paper.  Allow cookies to cool for at least 1 hour.

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COBBLER

Frozen berries, dry cake mix, and 1 can of sprite. yummy cobbler. It sounds so easy - and it is good and weight watcher friendly! Ingredients
Two 12-oz bags frozen mixed berries
1 box white cake mix (no pudding)
1 can of diet 7-up or sierra mist (clear soda)

Instructions
Place frozen fruit in a 9x13 baking dish. Add dry cake mix over the top. Pour soda slowly over cake mix. DO NOT stir the cake mix and the pop - this will give you a 'crust'. If you stir the two, you will have a cake like topping.
Bake 350 for 45-50 min.
You may be able to use frozen peaches instead of mixed berries.
Serves 16

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FILLING CAKE

Ingredients:
 4 cups mini-marshmallows 1 chocolate cake mix, 1 can cherry pie filling, 1 large container of Cool Whip Method: Pour four cups of mini-marshmallows into a greased 9x13 inch cake pan. Prepare chocolate cake mix according to directions on package. Pour over marshmallows. Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over cake. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes...or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. COOL~ Top with Cool Whip. Serves 15. (try peach or strawberry pie filling with vanilla cake mix, or apple pie filling with spiced or carrot cake mix.....)

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EASTER BUNNY  RACING CARS

Ingredients
Large Marshmallows, cut horizontally
Bunny Peeps®
Mini pretzels
Cream-Filled Cakes (e.g. Little Debbie® Cloud Cakes™)
Decorator Icing
Frosting
Sprinkles

Instructions
Cut a small rectangle out of the top of the cream-filled cake about a third of the way back from the “front” of the car. Use the white decorator icing to adhere the bunny Peep®, mini pretzel “steering wheel” and large marshmallows in place. Use frosting and sprinkles to decorate your car. Allow to set.

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STRAWBERRY PUNCH

Ingredients:
1 can (46 ounces) pineapple juice, chilled
2-1/4 cups water
3/4 cup thawed pink lemonade concentrate
3/4 cup sugar
1 quart strawberry ice cream
2-1/2 quarts ginger ale, chilled
1 Pint Fresh Strawberries

Directions:
In a punch bowl, combine the first four ingredients.
Add ice cream; stir gently.
Add ginger ale; stir gently.
Cut Fresh Strawberries and add to punch.
Serve immediately. Yield: 6 quarts.
Nutritional Facts
1 serving (1/2 cup) equals 74 calories, 1 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 11 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, trace protein.

Recipes (Pasty and Apple Cinnamon Bread)

Here are two recipes for you:

PASTIES FOR 6 RECIPE

CRUST:
1 cup lard---but Crisco will work
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup very cold water

Mix the shortening,salt and flour together until it looks about pea size with a pastry blender if you have one, or just cut with 2 knives crisscrossed. Add the cold water and mix just until it all sticks together ---don't overwork it or your crust will be tough. Refrigerate it while you do your filling. This is enough to make a 13x9 pan pasty pie -or 6-7 pasties. If you want more make a separate batch--don't double it. Take about a tennis ball sized piece of your dough and roll it out on a counter dusted with flour. Turn it and roll some more. I use an 8" salad plate and lay my crust on it and then place the filling on half, top filling with a pat of butter. Use a little water on your fingers on the bottom half of the edge of the crust then flip the top half over and press it down, the water will make the top half stick to the bottom. Cut off any excess crust hanging over your plate. and flute the edge. Make a small vent hole in your tops. Brush the tops of your pasties with some milk --it make your crust brown better.

FILLING:
1 1/2 lbs.pasty meat (about) SEE NOTE BELOW
4-5 diced potatoes
1 small diced rutabaga
1 small diced onion
diced carrots--Yoopers disagree about the carrots but you decide
salt
pepper
Mix all your filling together add your salt and pepper to taste.

Bake these for 1hr 15 min on 375----I will test one to see if the rutabagas are done because they take the longest to cook and the smaller you cut them the quicker they will cook..so good luck.
NOTE: Pasty meat is typically 3/4 coarse ground beef to 1/4 coarse ground pork, but I've seen finely diced steak as well as venison used too.

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APPLE CINNAMON BREAD


1/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 apple, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated; add vanilla extract.
Combine flour and baking powder together in another bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture. Mix milk into batter until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Next add half the apples and half the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter.
Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and add more brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a finger or spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

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