Suquamish: Native Author Gyasi Ross Talks Cultural Preservation - There�s a lot of controversy about how long Natives in both North and South America have been here, somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 years. Five hundred years is absolutely nothing compared to how long we�ve been here. The United States empire is already showing incredible signs of decay, it�s already falling apart. And most Natives can understand that this has been an experiment gone terribly wrong and that we shouldn�t buy into it. Some Native people are trying to dis-enroll other tribal members over casino money�and that�s the culpability that bell hooks writes about�and some of us are buying into this failed experiment. That�s a subset of Native people don�t understand that this is just a drop in the bucket. Comment: That is a very important insight.

Suquamish: Paddle to Seattle founder Emmett Oliver celebrated on his 100th birthday - Emmett Oliver established the Paddle to Seattle in 1989 to ensure Washington's First Peoples were represented in the state's centennial celebration. He was born Emmett Sampson Oliver on Dec. 2, 1913 in South Bend, the son of a Chinook mother and a Cowlitz father.

Suquamish: Suquamish chairman, other tribal leaders meet with Obama - Chairman Leonard Forsman was among a dozen American Indian leaders to meet with President Barack Obama on Tuesday as part of the annual White House Tribal Nations Conference. Obama told a larger group of 566 leaders from federally recognized tribes Wednesday that he would make his first trip as president to Indian Country next year.

Suquamish: Tribal Artifacts Come Home to Suquamish - Centuries old artifacts traveled across Puget Sound from the University of Washington to the new Suquamish Museum Tuesday as orcas leaped and splashed. Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman saw it as a sign that the tribe was doing something good for its people

Suquamish: Dozens of Orcas Surround Ferry Returning Suquamish Artifacts Home - The Suquamish had fought for decades to get their artifacts returned to their lands, and on Tuesday October 29 the ancient objects made a triumphant return home�on a ferry surrounded by rejoicing orcas.

Suquamish: Tribe celebrates return of ancestral objects - A ferry carrying boxes of objects � some of them thousands of years old � taken from the Old Man House village site in the 1950s and 1970s sailed from Seattle to Bainbridge on Tuesday, bringing the objects home.

Suquamish: Couple makes history in Suquamish Tribe - Suquamish Tribe member James Abler and his fianc� Terry Johnson II didn�t set out to be the first same-sex married couple recognized by the Suquamish Tribe. The timing just felt right.

Suquamish: Pilot program teaches students about tribal culture - Twenty-one students from Suquamish Tribe�s Chief Kitsap Academy and Madrona School on Bainbridge Island embarked Wednesday on a sailing tour of the Puget Sound to learn about environmental stewardship.

Suquamish: Museum achieves LEED Gold designation - Tim Ryan Construction, Inc. announced that the Suquamish Museum project the company completed in September 2012 has received a LEED Gold rating. The project targeted LEED Silver, but received enough credits to achieve the gold rating.

Suquamish: Tribe celebrates 102nd Chief Seattle Days - It was around the year 1810 when nearby mountain Indians were planning raids on the saltwater tribes of the Puget Sound. Anticipating the attacks, the tribes gathered to form a plan to protect themselves. When the tribal leaders were unable to settle on a viable plan of action, ideas were solicited from the younger generation. A young man, Si�ahl from the Suquamish and Duwamish tribes, stepped up with a cunning idea. That moment was the beginning of a historic period of transition, and the rise of one of Washington�s most prominent Native leaders: Chief Seattle.

Suquamish: Tribe donates $100K to Village Green Foundation - Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman said the Village Green Foundation's community center is something he can get behind because of Kingston's commitment to local children and elders. At the foundation's annual Pie in the Park event Aug. 15, Forsman presented a $100,000 donation from the Tribal Council to the Village Green Foundation to be used to help build a community center and library at Village Green Park.

Suquamish: Suquamish Museum celebrates 30 years June 29 - Films about the Suquamish Tribe�s past and present are the focus of festivities celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Suquamish Museum. �Come Forth Laughing,� the award-winning documentary featured alongside the Eyes of Chief Seattle exhibit at the 1983 museum opening, will be screened at 2 p.m. on June 29 at the House of Awakened Culture.

Port Gamble S'Klallam-Suquamish: Forterra signs purchase agreement for Port Gamble shoreline block - Forterra and Pope Resources signed a purchase and sale agreement Wednesday for 535 acres of forestland and 1.5 miles of shoreline along Port Gamble Bay and State Route 104.

Port Gamble S�Klallam-Suquamish: Deal signed for first purchase of Pope Resources land near Port Gamble - Forterra and Pope Resources have signed a purchase and sale agreement to protect 535 acres of forestland and 1.5 miles of shoreline along Port Gamble Bay, south of the former Pope & Talbot sawmill site.

Suquamish: Federal appointment for Suquamish Tribe chairman - President Obama on Wednesday announced his intent to appoint Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman to the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Suquamish: Local tribe among 3 in country to defy federal law and invite a lawsuit that could threaten the sovereignty of all tribes - Heather Purser, a member of Washington state�s Suquamish Tribe who knew she was gay at age 7, led a personal lobbying campaign that ended with her tribal council voting in 2011 to approve gay marriage. Comment: Traditionally, no tribe issued marriage licenses. Until and unless DOMA is repealed or overturned, tribes that defy DOMA are putting the sovereignty of all tribes at risk. As long as the progressive-left controls the White House, the risk is low. But when a progressive-right administration takes over, as will eventually happen, all tribes could see their sovereignty diminished by that fight.

Suquamish: Students will produce a documentary film in 36 hours - By the time their films premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival June 1, 50 student filmmakers will have worked for 36 hours straight to produce their community-based documentaries on the Suquamish culture.

Suquamish: Suquamish artists join Vikings at festival village | Viking Fest 2013 - Two groups were crucial to the founding of Poulsbo � the Norwegian settlers who immigrated, and the ancestral people of the Suquamish Tribe, according to Viking Fest organizer Ron Krell.

Suquamish: Treaty rights subject of presentation - The historic 1974 U.S. District Court case, United States v. Washington, reaffirmed the right of Washington Tribes, including the Suquamish Tribe, to act as �co-managers� of salmon restoration and harvesting, alongside the state of Washington.

Suquamish: Is there a better way to deal with Liberty Bay pollution? - The Suquamish Tribe has proposed reopening the west side of Liberty Bay for shellfish harvesting. The Washington Department of Health is expected to undertake a three-year review of water quality in the bay as well as upstream pollution sources to make sure that the shellfish are safe to eat.

Suquamish: Tribe hosts �Spirit of Giving� event for beneficiaries - Money donated to the community by the Suquamish Tribe in 2011 helped pay for health care services, textbooks, youth sports equipment, local programs for veterans, and myriad other causes in Kitsap County. All told, a total of $722,217 was granted to 141 nonprofits agencies and organizations.

Suquamish: Squamish Harbor will keep its name, for now - Misspelled or not, Squamish Harbor on Hood Canal will keep its name, following an intense disagreement among local Indian tribes. The Suquamish Tribe, based in North Kitsap, proposed an official name change to correct the spelling from �Squamish� to �Suquamish,� which is the name first assigned to the harbor in 1841 by Capt. Charles Wilkes of the U.S. Exploring Expedition.

Suquamish: Tribe elects two new council members - The Suquamish Tribe has elected two new members to serve on the Suquamish Tribal Council. Long-time tribal employee Wayne George, 58, was elected to the position of vice chairman. The tribal membership also elected council newcomer Robin Sigo to the position of treasurer.

Suquamish: Museum newest of many impressive tribal cultural displays in Washington, Oregon - Six life-size wood figures shouldering a 300-year-old canoe command the most attention among the exhibits at the new Suquamish Museum and Cultural Center on the west shore of Puget Sound.

Port Gamble S�Klallam-Suquamish: North Kitsap Forest and Bay: Confidence high as option date nears - After a year and a half of earnest fundraising, and several years of plans and proposals, the paperwork phase of preserving thousands of acres in Port Gamble is coming to an end. The option agreement between Forterra, representing the Kitsap Forest and Bay Coalition, and Pope Resources officially ends March 28, but parties on both sides are confident a deal is near.

Suquamish: New clubhouse at White Horse Golf Club another example of tribes� commitment to the game - Continued tribal investment in the game of golf west of Puget Sound continues with the grand opening of a new clubhouse Sunday at White Horse Golf Club in Kingston. The Suquamish tribe, which owns the Clearwater Casino on the way to the Bainbridge Ferry, purchased the course and 159 undeveloped lots nearby in 2010. Since then, the course has had more than $700,000 worth of improvements made in an effort to soften the course for the average golfer.

Suquamish: Chief Kitsap Academy students raise awareness of ocean acidification during summit - Both sides of Tyleeander Purser's family have fishing backgrounds. The Chief Kitsap Academy student said his Tribe has lived off the water forever. He doesn't want to see that go away. "If there's no water, there's no us," Purser said.

Suquamish: Tribe elects new council members - Two new tribal council members will serve on the Suquamish Tribal Council. The Suquamish Tribe elected Wayne George as vice chairman and Robin Sigo as treasurer, according to a news release. Both are lifetime residents of the tribe.

S'Klallam-Suquamish-Tulalip: Tribes, cable groups protest plan for tidal-power project - While a federal study recently gave an environmental OK to the Snohomish County Public Utility District's plan to try out two tidal power turbines, some don't agree with the conclusion. Three Indian tribes, a cable company and a cable trade group all sent letters last week to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission opposing the Admiralty Inlet project as it's proposed.

Suquamish: Clearwater Casino plans convention center expansion - The Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort plans to expand its convention and meeting center space dramatically, as well as adding a new five-story hotel. The casino/convention center, located on the Kitsap Peninsula, said it plans "to become the largest convention center in the West Sound region," and will add a five-story hotel, a 700-car parking facility, a new restaurant, an enlarged gaming area, a new casino lounge and bar, a new administrative wing and a tenfold expansion of its meeting and entertainment space.

Suquamish: Head Start applications available - The Suquamish Tribe Head Start and Early Head Start program is accepting applications for the 2013-2014 school year through March 31.

Suquamish: 'Suquamish' or 'Do ho bud': State committee reconsidering request to change name of harbor - The Suquamish Tribe had asked the state Committee on Geographic Names to change the name of Squamish Harbor, on the west shore of Hood Canal, to Suquamish Harbor, saying the name was misspelled.

Suquamish: Clearwater doubles down and then some on convention space - Plenty of people come to Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort to gamble, and its owners think it�s a safe bet that expanding the operation into a convention center with more than double the resort�s current number of hotel rooms and far more meeting space than any other Kitsap County facility will pay off.

Suquamish: Tribe�s long ancestral presence in Port Gamble Bay, by Leonard Forsman, Chairman, The Suquamish Tribe - Recent articles appearing in Crosscut, High Country News and other media outlets have ignored, or at the least discounted, the antiquity of the Suquamish Tribe�s presence in Port Gamble Bay.

Suquamish: Tribe loses preliminary injunction in Bangor construction - Construction of the second explosives-handling wharf at Kitsap Naval Base-Bangor will continue, as a federal judge denied a preliminary injunction to halt construction pending a lawsuit filed by the Suquamish Tribe.

Suquamish: Poulsbo man charged with burglary of tribal academy - A 27-year-old Poulsbo man was charged Friday in Kitsap County District Court with second degree burglary for thefts of laptops, a large TV and other items from the Suquamish Tribe�s Chief Kitsap Academy that were caught on video surveillance tape Dec. 24-26.

Suquamish: Corinne Dawn Rock - Corinne Dawn Rock, a former Suquamish court clerk who helped in the publication of a history of St. Peter�s Church, died Jan. 25. She was 81. She was proud to be a Suquamish Tribe elder and valued Native traditions.

Suquamish: Will more casinos embrace non-smokers? - If you�ve gotten accustomed to breathing fresh air thanks to Washington state�s ban on smoking in indoor public places, you might be happy to stay out of tribal casinos that aren�t covered by that prohibition.

Suquamish: Learn about Chief Seattle and his tribe in a pilgrimage to new museum - A new $6 million tribal museum on the Kitsap Peninsula tells the story of the people and culture that produced a man named Seattle.

Suquamish: Storm water toxicity studied at hatchery - Storm water runoff from highways appears to contain one or more unidentified compounds shown to be highly toxic to coho salmon and perhaps other salmon as well. The problem has been studied only a few years. Now, experiments at Grover's Creek Hatchery in North Kitsap have confirmed that polluted Storm water has the ability to kill adult coho before they can spawn.

Suquamish: Judge Won�t Block New Explosives Wharf On Puget Sound - A federal judge is declining to halt construction of a new explosives wharf at Naval Base Kitsap. The U.S. Navy has said the new wharf is needed to help handle Trident nuclear submarines. But two peace groups and the Suquamish Tribe filed two separate lawsuits last year, arguing that the Navy withheld information and that the $715 million project would violate treaty fishing rights in Hood Canal.

Suquamish: Judge won't stop construction of second wharf at Bangor - Construction of a second explosives handling wharf at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor can continue. A U.S. District Court judge denied motions Friday from Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action and the Suquamish Tribe to halt the $715 million project until environmental effects are more fully explained and considered. Construction began Sept. 27.

Suquamish: Kitsap hotels hope to ride Suquamish expansion - Kitsap hoteliers are crossing their fingers in hopes that the planned Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort expansion will help overall tourism rather than simply shift guests away. Andy Olsen past president of the Washington Lodging Association, explained the potential economic multiplier effect of the facility and its new workers and visitors.

Suquamish: Tribe will receive $25,000 Salmon recovery grant - The Suquamish Tribe will receive $25,000 from the state and contribute $4,425 to remove wood that has accumulated for the past century from 1.5 acres at Doe-Kag-Wats marsh to improve marsh conditions. Doe-Kag-Wats is on the Port Madison Indian Reservation about 1.5 miles east of Indianola in north Kitsap County.

Suquamish: Tribe donates $80,000 to PCHS - In 2012, Peninsula Community Health Services expects to have taken care of 25,000 patients in 80,000 visits, providing 24-hour on-call care for low-income, uninsured and underinsured residents at four locations. Peninsula Community Health Services received a financial boost from the Suquamish Tribe. Members of the Tribal Council visited the Penin-sula Community Health Service offices on 7th Avenue in Poulsbo to present a donation of $80,000 and tour the offices.

Suquamish: School board member Henden questions tribal sovereignty - Early indigenous leaders never gave up their peoples� right of self-government and self-determination, or sovereignty, and today�s indigenous nations or tribes are recognized by the U.S. as sovereign, though domestic dependent, nations. But North Kitsap School Board member Scott Henden said he can't accept the Suquamish Tribe�s sovereignty.

Suquamish: Fat Tuesday Parade of Service entry deadline Oct. 31 - Clearwater Casino is inviting all Kitsap County service organizations to complete an entry for the third annual Fat Tuesday Parade of Service. Each year, Clearwater holds a Mardi Gras-style parade inside the casino on Fat Tuesday, with parade floats made by members of service organizations throughout Kitsap County. The Fat Tuesday Parade of Service is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 inside Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort. Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort is operated by Port Madison Enterprises, an agency of the Suquamish Tribe that develops community resources while promoting the economic and social welfare of the Suquamish Tribe through commercial activities.

Suquamish: Rains bring sudden rush of salmon to Kitsap peninsula - Peering over the side of the Erlands Point bridge, Jon Oleyar described how the rising waters of Chico Creek have incited a sudden rush of salmon, providing an opportunity for people to watch the migration. "Those rocks over there were all exposed a couple of days ago, and there was no water coming around that log," said Oleyar, a biologist for the Suquamish Tribe.

Suquamish: Suquamish Museum opening joins Squaxin as tribal showcases on west side of Puget Sound - Another tribal museum has opened on the west side of Washington's Puget Sound. The Suquamish Tribe has opened the $7.5 million Suquamish Museum on the Port Madison Indian Reservation near Poulsbo.

Suquamish: New Museum is full of living culture - For many, a museum is an arrangement of antiquity, a collection of old tools, relics and objects used by souls long gone. But in Suquamish, the museum lives and breathes memories. The 9,000-square-foot museum includes two galleries, a performance space, museum store and outside learning areas. The Suquamish Museum Board of Trustees and curatorial staff worked with Storyline Studios to design the new permanent exhibit, �Ancient Shores � Changing Tides,� which includes some items from the former museum but many new items as well.

Suquamish: Museum tells the story of tribe's past and present - When Tribal Elder Marilyn Wandrey first walked into the new Suquamish Museum, she got goose bumps knowing that her late father's mission to create a place to preserve and share the tribe's culture was at long last fulfilled. "He said to know who we are, we need to know where we come from," said Wandrey, who is a museum board member.

Suquamish: Reopened Suquamish school puts emphasis on heritage - While 17-year-old Vincent Chargualaf attended public school, the Suquamish tribal member felt expectations were lower for him than for other kids. That was among the reasons that he decided to spend his senior year at Chief Kitsap Academy, the revamped high school program run by the Suquamish Tribal Education Department. "They recognize that we're not just dumb Indian kids, and we have potential," Chargualaf said a week into the new school year.

Suquamish: Chief Kitsap Academy opens its doors for new school year - Chief Kitsap Academy opened its doors for the first time Wednesday, and Superintendent Joe Davalos already had high expectations for the new school. Chief Kitsap Academy, formerly Early College High School, held a student orientation and celebration Wednesday. The academy enrolled 30 eighth-grade students, who live within the attendance boundary of Suquamish Elementary. The students are enrolled in North Kitsap School District. The school is funded primarily by the Suquamish Tribe. Services, such as counseling, nursing and special education from NKSD will be available to the 30 enrolled in the academy.

Suquamish: Tribe's new museum opening - The Suquamish Tribe will open the new Suquamish Museum to the public on Sept. 15. Doors will open at 10 a.m. when staff invite visitors inside the state-of-the-art, 9,000 square-foot facility located on the corner of Division Street and Suquamish Way on the Port Madison Indian Reservation.

Suquamish: Tribe sues Navy over wharf project - The Suquamish Tribe has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Navy, the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Marine Fisheries Service, to fight the proposed explosives-handling wharf at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor. �We just came to an impasse,� Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman said. �The Navy wasn�t willing to acknowledge our treaty rights.� The proposed wharf is located in Hood Canal, within what the Tribe says is it�s usual and accustomed fishing and harvesting grounds protected by the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855.

Suquamish: Tribe's claims lacking clarity - When is a fishing right not a right to fish? Put another way, can you have a right and be wrong? Those questions remain to be settled since the Suquamish Tribe sued the Navy and other federal agencies over construction of a $715 million explosives handling wharf at the Bangor naval submarine base. A federal court in 1984 ruled that the Skokomish Tribe holds the "primary right" to take fish in Hood Canal, and no other tribe or tribal members may "exercise tribal fishing rights" on Hood Canal without prior consent of the Skokomish Tribe. In a separate federal court action, the Skokomish and S'Klallam tribes agreed to joint rights in Hood Canal, making legally binding a fishing and cultural relationship they'd had for countless generations. Because the Skokomish have not granted permission for the Suquamish to fish in Hood Canal, they do not have an actual right to do so � nor do the 20 other tribes who signed the Point Elliott Treaty.

Suquamish: Youth keeping language alive; Chief Seattle Days Royalty crowned - Dressed in handmade outfits of traditional clothing, 11 youth prepared speeches and introductions � some in Lushootseed, the Suquamish language � and told their community why they wanted to represent Chief Seattle Days. Suquamish hosted the Chief Seattle Days Royalty Pageant Aug. 17 on the lawn in front of the House of Awakened Culture.

Suquamish: Tribe builds, operates its own shellfish nursery - The Suquamish Tribe is one of the few tribes in Western Washington to build its own floating upwelling system (FLUPSY), a type of shellfish nursery that is becoming more common for raising clams to seed on beaches. The tribe constructed a 15-foot by 30-foot floating dock that holds eight bins for baby clam seed. In mid-June, for the inaugural load of seed, two million clams were placed throughout four of the bins. A constant flow of water is forced through the bins, providing nutrient-rich water for the clams, promoting growth.

Suquamish: After-school music program proposed for Suquamish Elementary - Students at Suquamish Elementary School could be getting a new after-school opportunity starting this fall. Kids in Concert � a Bainbridge Island-based nonprofit that has run four music programs for kids in Kitsap since its conception in early 2011 � is in conversation with the Suquamish Tribe about starting an after-school music program that would primarily serve tribal students.

Suquamish: Canoe Journey in North Kitsap, day two | Slideshow - Thirty-two canoes arrived at Suquamish on Saturday as part of the 2012 Canoe Journey/Paddle to Squaxin. Protocol begins at 3 p.m. Sunday in Suquamish's House of Awakened Culture. At 6:15 p.m., the Suquamish Tribe and the Suquamish Olalla Neighbors co-host a potluck dinner, with the main dish provided by the Suquamish Tribe. Canoes depart Monday for other points south en route to the final destination, the territory of the Squaxin Island Tribe, July 29 to Aug. 5.

Suquamish: Port Madison Enterprises named one of Washington�s Best Workplaces by Puget Sound Business Journal - Port Madison Enterprises was named as one of the finalists for Washington's Best Workplaces by the Puget Sound Business Journal. Port Madison Enterprises is the economic arm of the Suquamish Tribe. PME operates a diverse collection of highly successful businesses in Kitsap County, with more than 750 people working in retail, hospitality and entertainment. The company includes Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort, White Horse Golf Course, the historic Kiana Lodge, Suquamish Village Shell, Longhouse Texaco and the Masi Shop. PME also includes a newly developed property management firm with several commercial and residential properties in North Kitsap.

Suquamish : Where We Live: The Local Feast - The Suquamish are actively encouraging the rediscovery of traditional food knowledge among their people. This is just a partial list of the immediately local foods they ate: Salmon (all five species), Cod, Smelt, Bottom Fish, Clams, Dungeness Crab, Oysters, Mussels, Ducks, Deer, Elk, Beaver, Bear, Otter, Muskrat, Crayfish, Freshwater Mussels, Thimbleberries , Oregon Grapes, Salmonberries, Huckleberries, Salal berries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Serviceberries , Trailing Blackberries, Fern Roots, Salmonberry Shoots, Bracken Fern Fiddleheads, Blue Camas, Wapato �potatoes�, Mushrooms, Acorns, Redcedar inner bark (starvation food).

Suquamish: Kitsap emergency managers practice for the big one - Across the Puget Sound region, volunteers involved in the Evergreen Earthquake Series disaster response simulation set up drive-thru emergency supply distribution centers � known as community points of distribution, or CPODs � to test the government's ability to respond if the "big one" hit. "This is a great exercise for us," Suquamish Tribe Emergency Management Coordinator Cherrie May said. "This helps us to be prepared � so when an event like this does happen we're ready."

Suquamish: The power of the canoe | 2012 Canoe Journey - The Canoe Journey has been a regular part of the lives of most Northwest Coast Native people born in the 1980s and later. But elders remember the decades of cultural drought that preceded the first Canoe Journey in 1989. Beginning in the 1880s and until the 1950s, traditional ceremonies were illegal. From 1943 to 1970, the U.S. government sought to end its treaty relationship with Tribes. Then, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, many Indians in Washington were arrested and jailed for exercising their treaty reserved rights to harvest salmon. Jump to 1989. Educator Emmett Oliver of the Quinault Nation was serving on the committee planning the state�s centennial celebration and was bothered that the indigenous canoe culture was being left out. Yachts and tall ships, in. Navy, in. Canoes, out. Oliver pushed for inclusion. So, canoes from Suquamish traveled across the water to Seattle as part of the celebration, landing at Alki Point, and the Canoe Journey was born. Demain said when he saw the canoes, �Tears came to my eyes. I felt the ancestors were saying �Thank you for remembering us.� �

Suquamish: In kids� view, Tribal Council gets an �A� - Suquamish Elementary School students honored the Suquamish Tribal Council Tuesday for its support for the school�s education and outdoor learning programs. Without Suquamish�s funding, �we would have lost these programs,� Principal Jon Torgerson said. The Suquamish Tribe has provided grant funding to help support summer school, all-day kindergarten, family reading nights, and outdoor school at Islandwood.

Suquamish: Marine expert gives update on salmon recovery - Jay Zischke will give an update on the status of salmon recovery in the Puget Sound at the Sustainable First Monday program next week. Zischke, a fisheries biologist for more than 30 years, is the marine fish program manager of the Suquamish Fisheries Department. He presently directs salmon supplementation facilities and develops harvest management plans for the Suquamish Indian Tribe.

Suquamish: Tribe asks state to change name of harbor - The State Committee of Geographic Names voted last week to fix a 152-year-old spelling error, referring a request to change the name of Squamish Harbor to Suquamish Harbor to the State Board of Natural Resources for a final decision.

Suquamish: Early Learning Center celebrates five-year anniversary - Since its humble beginnings as a daycare in Indianola, the Marion Forsman-Boushie Early Learning Center has gone through significant changes. Now educating more than 100 students per year, the learning center is celebrating its fifth year at its home off Totten Road. Leonard Forsman, Forsman-Boushie's brother and chairman of the Suquamish Tribal Council, emphasized how important education was to his sister during a fifth-year anniversary celebration May 22 at the center.

Suquamish: White Horse Enjoys New Look & Brighter Future - When White Horse Golf Club opened in 2007 on Washington's Kitsap Peninsula, it was heralded as one of the state's most promising tracks and received recognition by Golf Digest as one of the top-10 new affordable courses to open that year. The Suquamish Tribe purchased the golf course as well as development rights to 159 housing lots - 400 acres in all - in March 2010.

Suquamish: Same-Sex Marriage Brings Healing to Me�and My Tribe - For four years, Heather Purser fought quietly but persistently for the right to get married. Then last summer, she captured the attention of state politicians and national media when she persuaded her small tribal community in western Washington to write gay marriage into its constitution. Comment: This helped to pull all tribes into a mainstream political issue that, under a president opposed to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, would threaten tribal sovereignty.

Suquamish: Bremerton gasworks added to superfund national hazardous cleanup list - Bremerton Gasworks, a former coal gasification plant that operated in Bremerton, Washington from 1930 to 1963, will be listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency�s national list of highly contaminated sites. The Suquamish Tribe uses this area as a subsistence fishery. EPA will work in close partnership with these agencies, the company, and the Suquamish Tribe to clean up the site.

Suquamish: Men don heels for abuse awareness - Some feeling sore, a dozen men staggered to the Suquamish House of Awakened Culture with heads held high, having just walked more than half a mile in bright red, high-heeled pumps. Domestic violence and sexual assault is a problem for women everywhere, but studies show Native American women suffer at some of the highest rates in the country. According to a University of Oklahoma study, nearly three out of five Native American women have been assaulted by their spouses or intimate partners.

Suquamish: Men, women will stand together against violence - The Suquamish Tribe hosts an event Monday to take a stand against sexual abuse and gender violence. The event is �Walk a Mile in Her Shoes,� 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the House of Awakened Culture in Suquamish Village. Comment: It's too bad they do not stand together against all family violence. This does nothing to protect children from violent women.

Suquamish: Suquamish gives $100K to NKSD - Suquamish elder, military veteran and member of the tribe�s seafood board, Thomas Mabe, attends Suquamish Council meetings, encouraging education support. And, looking back, he realizes how much easier life would have been if he took advantage of the education system. �Support it, support it, support it,� Mabe said regarding education. On Monday, the Suquamish Tribal Council did just that, donating a $100,000 grant to the school district.

Suquamish: Kids celebrate Earth Day with parade - Led by drummers thumping on 5-gallon buckets, more than 400 Suquamish Elementary School students disguised as animals, plants and even a seashell-encrusted rock, marched Monday to the House of Awakened Culture in the school's third annual Earth Day Parade. Suquamish Tribal drummers greeted the children as they entered the cedar longhouse and Elder Rich Demain welcomed them with a message about taking care of the earth. "Everything we have we can thank Mother Earth for providing for us," he said.

Suquamish: Tribe donates $100,000 to North Kitsap School District - The Suquamish Tribe gave the North Kitsap School District a $100,000 grant Monday. The money will help expand the district's math program and afford new technology devices, according to a news release issued by the tribe.

Suquamish: Power of the Powwow - This was the Suquamish Renewal Powwow, March 31, in the House of Awakened Culture. And like other powwows across the continent, this gathering was imbued with cultural and spiritual significance: Native dance is a form of prayer, a way to honor and respect the ancestors by keeping the breath of Native ways alive, a time to dance in the way of the grandparents and great-grandparents.

Suquamish: Bones of decomposed whale won't be put back together - Some of the bones from a 30-foot gray whale that died last summer on a Bremerton beach did not survive the cleaning process, so re-forming a complete skeleton has been ruled out. Portions of the whale can be put together or otherwise used in educational programs, said Leonard Forsman, chairman of the Suquamish Tribal Council. But the hope of erecting a fully intact skeleton for display will not come to pass.

Suquamish: Children in the spotlight at Renewal Powwow - There is a lot of beauty in a powwow: The music of the big drums, the high-pitch Plains-style singing, the jingle of jingle dresses, the elaborate beadwork and headdresses, each dance a mix of art and honoring and tradition.

Suquamish: Leaders from community, Suquamish meet - North Kitsap community leaders, members and guests of local Rotary clubs and the Suquamish Tribe met March 13 in the House of Awakened Culture to promote fellowship and learn about Suquamish Tribal history and culture. Many of the participants had never been inside the House of Awakened Culture and openly marveled at its beauty and scale. The presentation about the Tribe provided an increased appreciation of pre-contact history and the longhouse, as its role in the culture was explained.

Suquamish: Coastal Jam Friday, Suquamish Renewal Powwow Saturday at House of Awakened Culture - The annual Suquamish Renewal Powwow is Saturday, 1-9 p.m., in the House of Awakened Culture. The powwow is open to the public. It is presented by Suquamish Youth Services. Host drum is Smokey Valley from the Sto:lo Nation. Master of ceremonies is Antone George of the Lummi Nation. Arena director is Sonny Eagle Speaker. Head Man is Gerald Brien. Head Woman is Clarissa Betancourt.

Suquamish: Tribe reelects three incumbents at 2012 General Council meeting - The Suquamish Tribe General Council reelected all three Tribal Council incumbents at the annual General Council meeting and election March 18 at Kiana Lodge. Irene Carper was reelected to Council Position No. 1, receiving 187 votes to challenger Bennie Armstrong�s 139. Bardow Lewis was reelected to Council Position No. 2, receiving 123 votes to Nigel Lawrence�s 94, Lois Sullivan�s 75, and Bill Stroud�s 38. Luther �Jay� Mills Jr. ran unopposed for Council Position No. 3.

Suquamish: Tribe proposes clam-raising operation at Port of Poulsbo - The Suquamish Tribe Fisheries Department wants to try a new clam-raising operation in Liberty Bay.

Suquamish: State transportation budget includes funds for Highway 305/Suquamish Way improvement planning - Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman said 305 is important economically to the area as well as socially to the Tribe. �A lot of our members live on Bainbridge and need to get to different facilities here. We need to make sure our residents can get to and from the area, but need to balance that with the needs of the region,� he said.

Suquamish: Renewal Powwow is March 30-31 - The annual Suquamish Renewal Powwow will be on March 30 and 31 in the Suquamish Gym, 15838 Sandy Hook Road, off Highway 305 on the Suquamish reservation. Host drum is Smokey Valley from the Sto:lo Nation. Master of ceremonies is Antone George of the Lummi Nation. Arena director is Sonny Eagle Speaker. Head Man is Gerald Brien. Head Woman is Clarissa Betancourt.

Suquamish: Vincent Chargualaf elected chairman of Youth Council - Vincent Chargualaf was elected chairman of the Suquamish Youth Council for 2012-13, on March 2. He was previously the council�s historian and UNITY representative. Also elected: Ryan Sigo, vice chairman; Uriah Wright, treasurer; Jazmine Lawrence-Ortiz, treasurer; Devon Crow, historian; Shilene George, representative 1; and Sequoia Chargualaf, representative 2.

Suquamish: Tribe awards grant to Kitsap 9/11 memorial project - The Kitsap 9/11 Memorial Committee had its preliminary memorial design approved unanimously by the Bremerton City Council earlier this month and also received a grant from the Suquamish Tribe to go toward the memorial project costs. The Suquamish Tribe awarded the committee $2,500 for the memorial, according to a Feb. 3 dated letter from the tribe.

Port Gamble S�Klallam-Suquamish: Shooting of Thomas Black justified - The shooting of Thomas Anthony Black on Dec. 8 was found justified by the Kitsap County Prosecutor�s review of the investigation. Prosecutor Russell Hague released his memorandum Feb. 3 after reviewing the Sheriff Department�s investigative report for nearly one month.

Suquamish: Silverdale incorporation effort questioned - As Kitsap County planners work to adjust eight of the county's urban growth boundaries, they face a new challenge that could slow a vote on Silverdale incorporation and possibly drag Poulsbo into the dispute. The county's renewed efforts to study growth trends and draw up new urban growth boundaries are "commendable," according to a motion filed by the group that appealed the county's 2006 comprehensive plan. But ongoing efforts to create a new city of Silverdale provide evidence that urban growth areas should be declared invalid until the work is finished, the group said. The motion was filed by the Suquamish Tribe, Citizens for Responsible Planning and South Kitsap resident Jerry Harless, who make up the group that won a court battle against the county.

Suquamish: Spearman family offers thanks to community - On behalf of our family, we would like to thank the members of the local community who came together in January to build a healing, inspiring memorial service in honor of Ted Spearman. Morrie Black-Eagle and the Suquamish Tribe gave generously of their time and shared the grand space of their Community House with us.

Suquamish: Bellingham residents asked to search property for signs of missing man - Police are asking residents of west Bellingham to check their property for any trace of a tribal elder who went missing more than 10 days ago in downtown Bellingham. Robert D. "Bobby" Johnson, 72, was last seen more than a week ago in the 200 block of East Magnolia Street. He and his wife had been drinking at the Horseshoe Caf� before they parted ways about 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, said Cyril Morris, Johnson's son-in-law. Johnson, an elder of the Suquamish Tribe, and his wife have a home near Fisherman's Cove on Lummi Reservation.

Suquamish: Volunteer fish feeders needed for Carkeek Park salmon project - Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Carkeek Watershed Community Action Project (CWCAC) need volunteer salmon feeders for the 2012 salmon supplementation project in Carkeek Park. One of the things that make the park unique is that Piper�s Creek runs through the park and supports salmon runs each fall. These salmon begin life raised in a small pond in the park. There, tiny fry from the Suquamish Tribal fish hatchery learn the smell and taste of Carkeek�s creek water. Volunteers feed more than 50,000 Chum Salmon fry three times a day between February and May.

Suquamish: Toddler found in car with drugs - A 26-year-old Suquamish man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia. While making the arrest, Suquamish police officers found a 2-year-old girl in the suspect's car. Officers tried to stop the suspect as he was leaving the Suquamish Tribal Center about 3:45 p.m., because they had gotten information he might have been driving with a suspended license.

Suquamish: Diver Heather Purser Pioneers Same-Sex Marriage for Suquamish - Earlier last month in Seattle, as all the threads for a planned Human Rights Day banquet were being woven together, Heather Purser, Suquamish, who was to be among the honored guests, was shuffling through mud and ooze. The bottom of Puget Sound in December is an unusual place to find a human rights honoree. But then Purser, who risked rejection by asking her tribe to support same-sex marriage, is a delightful blend of the surprising and the unusual. After more than 20 years of wrestling with inner conflict about her skin color and her sexual orientation, Purser, 29, stood up at her tribe�s annual General Council meeting last March and asked if the tribe would support her desire to be able to legally marry another woman. Purser was overwhelmed at the affirmation.

Suquamish: Kitsap HOF: Baseball teams step into spotlight - Saturday's 24th Annual Kitsap Sports Hall of Fame Banquet at Baymont Inn & Suites was remarkable for the talented individuals in the induction class. But it was also special because the two baseball teams honored couldn't have been any different. Throw in the 1983 South Kitsap baseball team which won the first of three state championships for coach Elton Goodwin and mix it with the 1922 Suquamish Tribe baseball team led by the amazing pitcher Louie George, and it created a mood of inclusion, as Louie's 83-year-old nephew Ted George expressed it while accepting the induction for his uncle and the team.

Suquamish: Stillwaters Fish Passage should be finished on time - Within the next two months wildlife in the Carpenter Estuary will be able to enjoy a more natural flow of things. Barring any terrible weather, the Stillwaters Fish Passage on South Kingston Road will be finished in February. The project is scheduled to be completed the week of Feb. 5-11 according to Kitsap County Engineer Jon Brand. Environmental groups were studying the Carpenter Estuary and watershed before construction began. Stillwaters and crews from the Suquamish Tribe took beach seining samples on both sides of the Carpenter Creek culvert. Maasberg said the data collected before the project will be compared with data after the project is finished.

Port Gamble S�Klallam-Suquamish: Suquamish shooting investigation complete, now in prosecuting attorney's hands - The nearly month-long investigation is over. And now Kitsap County Prosecuting Attorney Russell Hauge is reviewing the investigation report and will decide whether charges are warranted in the police shooting death of a Suquamish man. Thomas Anthony Black, 44, was killed Dec. 8 when police attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Stacy Callihoo, 42, who was in the Black home. The warrant was issued by Port Gamble S�Klallam Tribal Court and was being served by Port Gamble S�Klallam, Suquamish and Kitsap County Sheriff�s officers. Callihoo, who is Port Gamble S�Klallam, was booked into county jail for failure to appear in tribal court for a probation violation. He is now serving two years in Chehalis Tribal Jail.

Cowlitz-Suquamish: After half-century of doubt, KC area man solves ancestral mystery - Washington Children�s Home Society, March 21, 1941, Dear Rev. & Mrs. Samuelson, We are wondering if you might not be interested in a seven month old baby boy. He is of French, Scotch (black ink mars this portion of the letter) descent. That baby is now 71 years old. Nearly 50 years on his quest to unravel the truth, he can fill in the scratched-out blank. He is Justin Orr, former executive director of the Heart of America Indian Center in Kansas City. And he is of the Snohomish and Cowlitz nations of the Pacific Northwest.

Suquamish: Oliphant Decision Led to Jurisdictional Issues on Indian Reservations - In 1973, during the annual celebration of the Suquamish Indian Tribe, Mark David Oliphant, a non-tribal member, was arrested and charged with assaulting a tribal police officer and resisting arrest. Oliphant argued that the Suquamish tribal court did not have jurisdiction over non-tribal members. By 1978, the case ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court, which in a split decision ruled that tribal courts do not have criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians. The Oliphant case has been a major barrier to exercising tribal sovereignty and maintaining tribal law and order on reservation communities, many of which have a majority of non-Indian residents. Some states, like Oregon, Wisconsin, Minnesota and others, have increased the ability of tribal police to contain reservation crime through powers of cross-deputization.

Suquamish: Woman likely to stay in spotlight in 2012 - Heather Purser drew national attention in August and won't be out of the spotlight soon. The 29-year-old Suquamish Tribe member and Seattle resident helped influence the tribe to defy federal law and put tribal sovereignty at further risk over a mainstream political issue that could have been skirted with a simple provision to provide benefits to same-sex non-member partners based on "close, socio-economic ties."

Suquamish: Employer spotlight: Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort - The Suquamish people opened a bingo hall in 1992 with the hope of one day opening a casino. Their dream was met when Clearwater Casino opened in a temporary location in December 1995. The current, permanent location opened in 2004.

Port Gamble S�Klallam-Suquamish: Callihoo gets 812 days for probation violation - Stacy Callihoo, the subject of a recent warrant service that ended with a fatal shooting in Suquamish, has been sentenced to 812 days in jail by Port Gamble S�Klallam Tribal Court for violating his probation. He will serve his sentence at the Chehalis Tribal Jail in Oakville.

Port Gamble S'Klallam-Suquamish: In police shootings, a needed impartial observer - Fortunately, if such a word can be used in this case, Suquamish police officers wear personal video cameras.

Port Gamble S�Klallam-Suquamish: Police chief issues statement regarding shooting - The officers of the Suquamish Police Department have all been issued "Body Cameras." The entire incident was captured on video. The cameras were immediately provided to the investigators. The subject refused multiple commands to show his hands, then suddenly reached and swung up with what appeared to be a gun.

Port Gamble S'Klallam-Suquamish: No gun found in home where Suquamish man was killed by police - The man killed last week in an officer-involved shooting at a Suquamish home did not have a gun, according to new information released Wednesday by the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.

Port Gamble S'Klallam-Suquamish: Coroner releases cause, manner of death - Black, 44, was shot and killed Dec. 8 when officers from Port Gamble S�Klallam police, Suquamish police and Kitsap County Sheriff�s Department went to his house to serve an arrest warrant on another man, Stacy Callihoo, of Port Gamble S�Klallam.

Squamish: New mayor, council sworn in - "Today you�re being sworn in, tomorrow you�ll be sworn at," Squamish Nation Coun. Dale Harry teased the new District of Squamish council at its inaugural meeting on Tuesday.

Suquamish: Memorial pole dedicated to 1960s chairman Charles Lawrence - Disenfranchised, World War II hero, father and peacekeeper, Charles Lawrence died at the age of 39 fifty years ago, but his memory lives on.

Suquamish: Human rights award for Suquamish tribal member - Heather Purser honored with the Seattle Human Rights Commission�s 2011 Seattle Human Rights Award for asking her tribe to take a politically correct stand on a mainstream issue by "legalizing" same-sex marriages which, in the State of Washington, have been not-illegal at least since the 1970s.

Suquamish: Man shot in Suquamish as officers attempt to serve arrest warrant - Officers from the Port Gamble S'Klallam and Suquamish tribal police departments, accompanied by Kitsap County Sheriff's Office deputies, attempted to serve an arrest warrant when another man in the home drew a gun and fired on the officers, who returned fire.

Suquamish: Kitsap County standoff sparked by officer-involved shooting - A Suquamish tribal police officer apparently shot a man this afternoon, although details of the shooting are unclear.

Suquamish: Grovers Creek coho part of test for causes of pre-spawn mortality - Tribe works with scientists to test if stormwater runoff is reason why 60 to 90 percent of coho salmon die before they spawn.

Suquamish: Study of urban pollution under way in North Kitsap

Suquamish: Tribe donates $80,000 to NKSD

Suquamish: Citizens Advisory Council needs members

Duwamish-Suquamish: Seattle's bounty of attractions beckons Whatcom visitors

Suquamish: Schools foundations across Kitsap help fill in the cracks in funding

Suquamish: 45-year-old Suquamish man charged with vehicular homicide

Port Gamble S�Klallam and Suquamish: Option agreement could conserve 7,000 acres of forestland and shoreline

Suquamish: Getting the sights, sounds and tastes of Native American culture

Suquamish: Orcas expected to follow chum salmon

Suquamish: The Turnaround Artists

Suquamish: Restoration projects planned for Dickerson Creek in the Chico area