Special to the Journal
LANSING With the recent confirmation of Deb Haaland to lead the Department of the Interior, the nation has its first Native American cabinet member.
The position has significant influence on Native American affairs, and tribal representatives in Michigan say they’re optimistic about what Biden administration’s policies and Haaland’s position mean for Native representation.
Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, is a former U.S. representative from New Mexico and now runs the department with the most responsibility for Native American affairs, including relationships between the federal government and tribes. The department includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education.
Editorial Roundup: Michigan
Detroit News. May 8, 2021.
Editorial: Whitmer must avert Line 5 face-off with Canada
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is recklessly placing Michigan at the center of an international trade showdown with her order that the Line 5 petroleum pipeline must cease operations by Wednesday.
The governor revoked Enbridge Inc.’s 67-year-old right-of-way across the Straits of Mackinac last November, short-circuiting an existing and sensible agreement that would replace the pipeline with one encased in a concrete tunnel deep below the lakebed.
Canada wasn’t pleased, to say the least.
Line 5 is vital to its robust energy economy, transporting 540,000 barrels per day of petroleum products from the rich Alberta oil patch to the United States. Included is much of the propane used as heating fuel in Michigan. It also provides resources to Michigan’s manufacturing base.
May 11, 2021
MARQUETTE Two Northern Michigan University entities are holding a virtual Walk for Justice throughout the month of May to raise awareness of what has been called “the silent epidemic” of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
The NMU Social Work Department’s Walking the Path Together program, along with the Center for Native American Studies, invites participants to log and share their miles on Facebook to be eligible to win prizes. Other activities include an art competition and T-shirt sales to support a local chapter of MMIW.
The month-long event included the May 5 National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which was designated through a congressional resolution.
Michigan voters chose to take politicians out of the redistricting process. The time has come to weigh in.
Updated May 11, 2021;
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Michigan voters in November 2018 chose a new way to map out the state’s federal and legislative political districts. Starting Tuesday, they’ll have the chance to participate in that process in person.
That initiative, put on the ballot by the group Voters Not Politicians, took political redistricting the process of redrawing Congressional and state House and Senate districts every 10 years based on U.S. Census population data out of the state Legislature’s hands and created an independent commission to do the job. Supporters argued the change would help prevent gerrymandering to benefit certain lawmakers or political parties and give every Michigan resident more of a say in what their political districts look like.
May 11, 2021
PRICETON, MI – Samuel Mario Dozzi, 72, of Princeton, entered eternal life Tuesday evening, May 4, 2021, at Beaumont Hospital, in Troy, Michigan.
Sam was born February 21, 1949, in Ishpeming, to Felix and Laura (Capovilla) Dozzi and graduated from Gwinn High School, Class of 1968. He then earned two bachelor’s degrees from Michigan State University where he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma; one in Social Studies and History and the other in Industrial Arts Education. He taught various courses in high school in Otsego before moving back to Gwinn.
Sam owned and operated Gwinn Mini Storage and co-owned and operated Video World in Gwinn. He was very talented with hands-on work in mechanics, building, woodworking and art working. He took graphic art design classes at Northern Michigan University and won awards at the national level for his screen-print work, some of which was done on his homemade paper. Sam was a voracious reader, enjoying history books from various eras