Frank Vaisvilas

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Frank Vaisvilas

State officials are investigating an incident in western Wisconsin in which ancient Indigenous human remains were discovered more than a decade ago, but never reported and recently thrown into the Black River. Authorities became aware of the incident last week when Ryan Howell, an archeologist for the Army Corps of Engineers who lives in Wisconsin, was notified.

1 month ago | jsonline.com | Frank Vaisvilas

Melissa "Missy" Beson, 37, went missing from the Lac du Flambeau Reservation in northern Wisconsin on March 17. Tribal police, volunteers, and advanced technology like AI software are being used in the ongoing search. Leads off the reservation have proven to be false, and authorities are concerned given the higher risk of violence faced by Indigenous women. The challenging terrain and limited resources of the tribal police department complicate search efforts.

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Frank Vaisvilas

The National Weather Service confirmed at least seven tornados touched down in Wisconsin May 15, including four in Dodge County. Damage was reported in Juneau and Mayville about 50 miles northwest of Milwaukee as two EF2 tornados with peak winds of about 120 miles per hour struck. “Those are considered strong tornados,” Mark Gehring, of the Milwaukee area National Weather Service office, said May 16.

1 month ago | greenbaypressgazette.com | Frank Vaisvilas

A new book, "Beyond Blood Quantum: Refusal to Disappear," explores the concept of Indigenous identity and the impact of blood quantum requirements on tribal membership. Blood quantum, a system imposed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, has historically determined tribal enrollment based on percentages of "Native blood."The book features essays, poems, and personal stories from Indigenous authors, highlighting the controversy and challenges surrounding blood quantum.

1 month ago | jsonline.com | Frank Vaisvilas

Father Gosbert Rwezahura is the pastor at the last Catholic church in the South Holland and Dolton areas in the Chicago south suburbs, where Pope Leo XIV grew up. “This is a huge blessing for the Archdiocese of Chicago,” he said. “We are so happy.”Rwezahura hopes having a Pope from the economically-depressed area might revitalize the faith and spirit of people not only in South Holland, but across the United State.