Frank Vaisvilas

2 weeks ago | wausaudailyherald.com | Frank Vaisvilas

Bozho (“hello” in Potawatomi) and igwiyen (“thank you”) for reading the First Nations Wisconsin newsletter. President Trump has been causing a stir in Indian Country the past few weeks, from denouncing Indigenous Peoples Day to supporting the use of Native American mascots to cutting funding for research into the horrific Indian boarding school era.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Frank Vaisvilas

Tribal police in northern Wisconsin have been frustrated in their efforts to find a missing Ojibwe woman, Melissa Beson. Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Police Chief TJ Bill said in a statement that police have been following up on numerous leads, including on the reservation and in the Wausau area, only to learn they are false sightings or hoaxes. Beson, 37, was last seen March 17 near Indian Village Road and Chequamegon Forest Trail on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation within Vilas County.

2 weeks ago | jsonline.com | Frank Vaisvilas

Indigenous voters, estimated at 60,000 in Wisconsin, could be pivotal in the swing state's elections. Turnout has increased significantly in several tribal communities, including a 63% rise in the Red Cliff and Bad River Ojibwe communities and an 81% increase in the Menominee community between 2023 and 2025. Advocates emphasize that Indigenous voters are not a monolith and prioritize issues like tribal sovereignty, voting rights and environmental protection.

3 weeks ago | jsonline.com | Frank Vaisvilas

The program aims to reconnect elders with their culture and provide access to healthy, culturally relevant foods. Funded by tribal gaming revenue, the program is supported by the state and serves 815 elders in the Milwaukee area. The food boxes include items like white corn products, bison, maple syrup, and wild rice, sourced from tribal nations in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Trisha Patton is happy to see tribal elders' faces brighten up when they receive boxes of Indigenous foods.

3 weeks ago | jsonline.com | Frank Vaisvilas

A Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe tribal member had his tires slashed while spearfishing on the reservation. Wisconsin officials condemned harassment of tribal spearers exercising treaty rights. Despite warnings, harassment continues, often with minimal consequences for perpetrators. Gary Belille Jr., 33, a Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe tribal member, thought he’d be safe from harassment while spearfishing on his tribe’s reservation in northern Wisconsin.