qyuuqs News March 2023

Elder Christmas Party in January

Traditions of our Ancestors:

Honoring them with their Stories | PG. 20

ELDER CHRISTMAS PARTY Marvin Wilbur Sr., Jeff Edwards, Eric Day, Lydia Charles, Cynthia Orock, Ivan Willup Sr., Shirley Cassimere

editor’s NOTE

Every now and then the sunrise has a peculiar vibrant air since my father’s passing. My family’s lives have shifted, which means the times are evolving. Below, is a photograph of my families ‘kyah‘, nana, ya so litza III, Dianne Edwards surrounded by her children and grandchildren and great-grandson right after we laid papa David Edwards to rest. The notion, the show must go on – rain or shine, hits harder than ever before!

In this publication you will find the feature Patterns Of Our Grandmothers. Sharing stories of our elders and ancestors is continuous. We’re featuring tribal member and departmental submissions for the Patterns of Our Grandmothers. I hope you enjoy this feature and future features.

Swinomish Earth Day is Thursday, April 20, 2023. It’s time to beautify the Swinomish Reservation! Sign up to receive important tribal notifications by texting Swinomish 1 to 91896.

Like clockwork, my mind, spirit, body and soul is ready for spring!

goliahlitza

Caroline Ammons

Much of April is the "Moon of the Whistling Robins," signaling the actual music of springtime. Herring and smelt continue to be harvested. At beach sites, shellfish sh such as mussels, cockles, oysters, horse, butter, and littleneck steamer clams, are harvested. Some clams are eaten fresh, but most are cured for winter by fi rst steaming on top of hot rocks in a sand pit, stringing the meat on cedar bark ropes, and smoking or drying hard. Canoes are built and baskets, both waterproof and open, are woven and dyed. Many types of plants are collected such as tender young shoots of salmonberry and trailing blackberry. The roots of bracken ferns are dug up, baked, dried, and then pounded into a flour to be stored in baskets. Flatfish, halibut, lingcod and rockfish are all fished during this moon. Two pronged spears are used to catch lingcod and rockfish. Halibut are caught using a line attached to a V-shaped hook made of bent hemlock, then cooked by placing hot stones in watertight baskets, or cut into strips to be dried. Spring Chinook begin to run during the moon.

Excerpt from ‘13 Moons: The 13 Lunar Phases, and How They Guide the Swinomish People’

By swelitub (Todd A. Mitchell) and Jamie L. Donatuto

Moon of the Whistling Robins

TRIBAL SENATE

yal le ka but

Steve Edwards, Chairman (360) 840.5768 | sedwards@swinomish.nsn.us

kuts bat soot

Jeremy Wilbur, Vice Chairman (360) 770.7447 | jjwilbur@swinomish.nsn.us

sOladated

Brian Wilbur, Treasurer (360) 333.9487 | bwilbur@swinomish.nsn.us

sapelia

Sophie Bailey, Secretary (360) 853.6458 | sbailey@swinomish.nsn.us

qws stania

Aurelia Bailey (360) 853.6376 | awashington@swinomish.nsn.us

stoolsta

Eric Day (360) 770.7024 | eday@swinomish.nsn.us

spi sta yup ton

Greg Edwards (360) 854.8612 | gedwards@swinomish.nsn.us

taleq tale II

Barbara James (360) 391.3958 | bjames@swinomish.nsn.us

ya qua leous e

Brian Porter (360) 840.4186 | bporter@swinomish.nsn.us

siwelce?

Alana Quintasket (360) 302.0971 | aquintasket@swinomish.nsn.us

kani?ted

Tandy Wilbur (360) 770.3050 | tandywilbur@swinomish.nsn.us

Website: swinomish-nsn.gov

@SwinomishSenate

The official news publication of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

The mission of qyuuqs News is to provide monthly communication to Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Members near and far. We are committed to serving as an apolitical forum for the Swinomish governing officials and all Community Members. qyuuqs News is not intended to reflect the official position of the governing body at Swinomish Indian Tribal Community but rather reflects the ideas, events, and thoughts of individual Community Members and Tribal staff. As such, the Swinomish Tribe makes no claim as to the accuracy or content of any of the articles contained therein.

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QYUUQS NEWS

Caroline Ammons, Editor qyuuqs@swinomish.nsn.us

SWINOMISH COMMUNICATIONS

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Katie Bassford, Staff Photographer

Communications@swinomish.nsn.us

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Tracy James, John Stephens, Kevin Paul

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PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE

SWINOMISH PUBLIC HEALTH

March 9, 2023 – Is it over yet? Are we are done with COVID-19? Unfortunately, no. We have reached this point in the fight due to historic investments and efforts to mitigate its worst impacts, but addressing COVID-19 will remain a significant public health priority.

Deaths and hospitalizations have dropped considerably thanks to vaccines and masking; however, the virus still poses a great threat with more than 2,000 COVIDrelated deaths per week in the U.S. Large studies show a significant risk increase for stroke and heart attack in adults the year following infection, but the vast majority of people who are becoming severely ill and dying from COVID are elderly.

Masking and vaccinations protect you and our entire community. It is imperative we continue to PROTECT OUR ELDERS.

UPDATE YOUR COVID VACCINE TO SAVE LIVES! COVID vaccinated people who receive an updated vaccine are 14 times less likely to die compared to those who receive no vaccine at all, and three times less likely to die compared to those who received only the original vaccine.

Everyone aged 12 and over who received their last COVID vaccine dose before September 2022 needs an updated booster dose. If you are not sure when your last vaccine was, visit  myirmobile.com or call your healthcare provider to find out.

Call the Swinomish COVID Helpline at (360) 588-2771 for information and supplies, including masks and home test kits.

GET VACCINATED! Call the Swinomish Medical Clinic to schedule your appointment today: (360) 466-3167

Got COVID? Call you healthcare provider or visit doh.wa.gov/ emergencies/covid-19/treatments/telehealth for treatment.

Thank you for protecting yourself and our community,  Swinomish Public Health Team

RECENT TRIBAL CODE AMENDMENTS

The Swinomish Senate, the governing body of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, recently enacted the following code amendments:

Title 2, Chapter 1 – Tribal Government, Elections

At the October 2022 Senate meeting, the Senate made revisions to the Tribe’s Elections Code. The amendment clarifies the steps taken by the Election Board to post Candidate and Public Notice on the day of certification. The Swinomish Election Board recommended the amendment, which the Senate enacted on October 4, 2022.

Title 15, Chapter 11 – Dental Health Provider Licensing

At the November 2022 Senate meeting, the Senate made revisions to the Tribe’s Dental Health Provider Licensing Code. The amendment includes:

Adding definitions and providing authorization and standards for Dental Health Provider Licensing Board Certification of a Dental Therapy Education Program; and

General Council

Establishment of, and setting standards for, a Limited Scope Teaching License for faculty of the dəxʷx ayəbus Dental Therapy Education Program providing services at the Swinomish Dental Clinic.

The Dental Health Provider Licensing Board recommended the amendment, which the Senate enacted on November 8, 2022.

Title 12, Chapter 5 – Stormwater Management Code

At the March 2023 Senate meeting, the Senate made revisions to the Tribe’s Stormwater Management Code. The amendment updates STC 12-05 to reflect the July 2019 edition of the Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington, prepared by the Washington State Department of Ecology. The Planning Commission recommended the amendment, which the Senate enacted on March 07, 2023.

The amended code and Constitution are available for review on our website at www.swinomish-nsn.gov. Paper copies are available for review at the Tribal Court Clerk office or the Office of the Tribal Attorney.

Chairman Edwards swears in our newly enrolled members.

Wanaseah, Larry Wayne Campbell Sr.

Larry Wayne “Wanaseah” Campbell Sr., (Swinomish) was born in Tacoma, Washington on December 1, 1948. After a brief stay in the Skagit Valley Hospital (Mount Vernon, Washington) he was called home to be with his lord on February 1, 2023, surrounded by his children, grandchildren, relatives, close friends, and tribal community. Always quick with a joke, we miss his ready banter and trademark laugh.

Wanaseah’s was a life of service to his family, community, Indian Country, and nations worldwide. As a graduate of La Conner High School, Skagit Valley College, and Western Washing University’s Fairhaven College, Larry shared his education with everyone. He was friend, mentor, teacher, and spiritual guide to many, and his influence was felt by all. We miss his guiding light and steady hand, while we hope to achieve the goals, he helped so many to believe possible.

His journey saw him wear many hats. In his professional life he was a fisherman, student, cultural instructor, former Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (SITC) and he worked as a Community Environmental Health Specialist for his tribe up until his last days. Larry also served on the boards for Northwest Indian College,

Northwest Cascades Institute, and Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission.

Music and reading were a huge part of his life. Wanaseah was always accompanied by books, newspapers, magazines, and a killer soundtrack. His was a life dedicated to learning and sharing what he had discovered with anyone who had the luck to be in the same vicinity. He treasured his time spent at concerts, lectures, traditional gatherings, and sports events. He was often accompanied by family and friends, generously sharing his love of all these things. During the spring and summer months we could find him treasure hunting at liquidation stores, estate sales, or garage and tag sales. Had to get there early in the morning to beat Edie & Posey!

Larry enjoyed an appreciation of all things spiritual, from a founding Pentecostal tradition he was eventually led to East sannich, where Linda Day, and himself joined Smokehouse, and he had participated in all areas where he was needed, down to always having gas in his vehicle(s) during the season to jet off to wherever he was required at a moment’s notice. Larry traveled the world, sharing his personal life and cultural traditions with folks from the

Alta Renee Cassimere

Alta Renee Cassimere, 60, a resident of Yakima, passed away Wednesday, December 28, 2022. She was born in Toppenish on March 11, 1962 to Alexander and Judy (Jobey) Cassimere. Alta and her siblings attended school in La Conner. She spent most of her life going back and forth from Yakima to La Conner.

Alta was an animal lover and loved her dog Troubles. She loved reading books while sipping on a cup of

tea. She enjoyed watching kids play softball and while they played on the playground. Playing games at the casino was another favorite of hers. She enjoyed going to her sister’s house for a home cooked meal. Alta was a true Mariners fan. She was a kind person and always met everyone with a smile.

Alta has left behind two sons: Adrian and Alabear; two granddaughters; and

Maori in Aetearoa to elected officials in Washington D.C. He felt in all that he had seen or accomplished in this life; he was blessed that he was able to witness his grandchildren in breaking the cycle of addiction that plagued our people for generations.

Wanaseah is survived by his children; daughters Ramona Campbell and Janette Crume-Centeno, sons Larry “Sooner” Campbell Jr., Frankie Campbell, Marvin Campbell, and sister Laverne “so sad waleets” Grove. Larry’s living grandchildren are Lorena, Laura, Chris, Steven, Betsy, Helen, Freddy, Jerome, Donald, Sylvia, Janessa, Joshua, Kialoni, and Layloni. His great grandchildren are Leila, Anneka, Alina, Maci, and Breyden.

Larry was preceded in death by the mothers of his children, Faith MayhewCampbell and Helen Campbell, his mother Mary Ann Williams, father Herman Campbell, maternal grandparents Thomas Williams and Oceal Wanasar, paternal grandparents Pete Campbell (Skagit) and Cecillia Baker (Colville), and daughters Hope Jimicum and Maryann Campbell. At this time, we wish to thank everyone who has come together to share their respects and appreciation for our dad, uncle, cousin, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

two sisters: Michelle Teo Cassimere and Julia Cassimere.

She was preceded in death by her parents Alex and Judy Cassimere; her son Alex; her sister Audrena Eldean Cassimere; and her brother Galen Andrew.

The family is very thankful for all the help during our loss. May the good Lord bless you all.

Goliah, David R. Edwards

Goliah, David R. Edwards, 69, a member of the Swinomish Tribe, passed away peacefully after a long fight with cancer surrounded by his loving family on February 17, 2023. He was born on October 21, 1953 to Russell Edwards and Alfreda (Edge) Edwards. He graduated from La Conner High School with the class of 1971. He then went into the Job Corps in Montana with several other friends. He then met the love of his live, Dianne Charles, and although they were married in 1979, they were together for 48 wonderful years. They have three beautiful children: Marlo Quintasket (Joe), Harold Williams (Althea), and Caroline Ammons (Kyle). Grandchildren Alana, Anthony, Dianne, Ivie (Ian), Elizabeth, Joey, Scottie, Jeanette, Kennedy, Marissah, Marriah, Maddie and great grandson Jayden. David was a humble man and he did not ask for much, but one thing he wanted more than anything was to walk his baby girl Caroline down the aisle on her wedding day. It was a joyous day surrounded by family and loved ones and David’s heart was full of pride.

David had a very large family growing up, he had 10 siblings: Janie Beasley (Troy), Glen Edwards Sr. (Nancy), Steven Edwards, Cathi Bassford

(Kurt), Greg Edwards Sr. (Michelle), Susan Wilbur (Todd), Carolyn Edwards, Russell Edwards, Ida Edwards and Sharon Edwards (Mike). Having so many siblings growing up, David developed a passion for fishing/crabbing and basketball. David took everything he learned from his family and spent many years on our fishing grounds to provide for his family. He never focused too much on himself and freely gave his time and teachings on the water and on the basketball court away to his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and anyone willing to learn. There are so many stories from his family and friends about how giving, friendly and patient David was with everyone and he was such a quiet, gentle soul.

Growing up in the 70’s David had a fine taste in music. He had a large record collection, but as he got older he developed a passion for the Blues. Dianne, David, their children and grandchildren would meet up in Winthrop with other friends and family to enjoy the Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival for three days during the summertime every year. They created many memories and made many new friends at Washington’s longest and largest blues festival with entertainers from around the region.

David and Dianne always focused on family and are now passing their passions onto beloved grandchildren.

Proceeded in death by: Parents Russell Alvin Edwards & Alfreda Agnes Edge; Grandparents Alfred Edwards & Laura Squi-qui, James Edge & Elizabeth Shumaker “Grandma Oregon,” Greg Edwards Sr., Susan Wilbur (Todd), Russell Edwards, Ida Edwards, Carolyn Edwards, Sharon Edwards

Survived by: Beloved Wife Dianne Edwards; Children: Marlo (Joe) Quintasket, Harold Williams (Althea), Caroline (Kyle) Ammons; Grandchildren Alana, Anthony, Dianne, Ivie (Ian) Lowery, Elizabeth, Joey, Scottie, Jeanette, Kennedy, Marissah, Marriah, Maddie, and great grandson Jayden; God Children: Sarah Cayou, Mark Joe Jr., Josiane Sam, Lucy, Laura & Calvin, Candace, Hawk, Alice

The family would like to thank you all for love and support during our time of loss.

The family edited David’s Obituary and would like to apologize for any grievances the former obituary and memorial card may have caused.

Salish Summit

JUNE 4-7, 2023

You are invited to the Salish Summit event hosted by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community,

Co-convened by the Cross-Pacific Indigenous Aquaculture Collaborative and Washington Sea Grant.

The Salish Summit gathers members of the CrossPacific Indigenous Aquaculture Collaborative (indigenousaquaculture.org), a project across many Nations to build partnerships, share knowledge, and support each other in developing Indigenous marine stewardship that honors and upholds Indigenous knowledge, resiliency, and sovereignty.

Participants are invited to camp at the John K. Bobb Memorial Baseball field (17337 Reservation Road, La Conner, WA 98257). Swinomish will provide bathrooms, showers, and meals. All ages welcome. This is a drug and alcohol free event. Contact Alana Quintasket (360) 302-0971, aquintasket@swinomish.nsn.us or Courtney Greiner (360) 333-0016, cgreiner@swinomish.nsn.us for more information. Please visit the SITC website for update information as we near the event date.

MAIN PROGRAM ACTIVITY

WELCOME & OPENING PROTOCOLS

LOCATION SWINOMISH RESERVATION

COLLECTIVE WORK & KNOWLEDGESHARING

SWINOMISH CLAM GARDEN

FIELD TRIPS (SMALL GROUPS)

FINAL SHARING & GOODBYES

VARIOUS TRIBAL HOSTS AROUND SALISH SEA

SWINOMISH RESERVATION

DENTAL CLINIC

National Hygienist week is the second week of April! We have two hygienists at the Swinomish dental clinic, Leah and Laura. You may only see your dental hygienists every six months, but those two appointments play a crucial role in the condition of your oral health allowing you to chew properly and smile confidently.

It is Oral Cancer Awareness month – come in for a dental check-up and get your complimentary oral cancer screening, where the providers will thoroughly check for any unusual lumps or bumps that may be cancerous. This oral cancer screening may just save your life; commonly the first signs or symptoms start in the mouth, and dental providers are the first to notice.

What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

It’s important to be aware of the following signs and symptoms, and to see your dental provider if they do not disappear after two weeks:

» A sore or irritation that doesn’t go away

» Red or white patches

» Pain, tenderness, or numbness in mouth or lips

» A lump, thickening, rough spot, crust, or small eroded area

» Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving your tongue or jaw

» A change in the way your teeth fit together when you close your mouth

Some people complain of a sore throat, feeling like something is caught in their throat, numbness, hoarseness, or a change in voice. If you have any of these symptoms let your dental provider know, especially if you’ve had them for two weeks or more.

April is also National Facial Protection Month. Spring sports are coming up; for those who play any sports, it is important to wear a sports guard to help protect your teeth and prevent injuries to the face and mouth. Sports guards are made of soft plastic or laminate, and is a fast and easy appointment to make for a properly fitted mouth guard.

GROUP-PURCHASE PROGRAM MAKES SOLAR ENERGY AFFORDABLE ON THE SWINOMISH RESERVATION

Olympia Community Solar, a non-profit that facilitates the installation of clean energy systems, has started its third annual solar energy group-purchase program called Solarize. The Skagit Valley Clean Energy Cooperative is working with Olympia Community Solar this year to facilitate the program here on the Swinomish Reservation and in Skagit County.

Interested residents can access solar at prices below market rates until July 4, 2023. Financing is available.

The Solarize program makes solar power installation simple and affordable for individual households by

leveraging the purchasing power of many households, which together qualify for a discounted group rate.

Attention Tallawhalt II homebuyers! Your home is being built solar-ready! This is a great opportunity to plan your solar purchase and gain the advantage of the group pricing. Tribal staff is available to facilitate the solar assessment of your future home. Contact the Solarize program to start the process.

Sign up for a free solar site assessment at olysol.org/ solarize. You can email info@olysol.org or call (360) 481-4020 with any questions.

• LastWilland Testament:

• DurablePowerof Attorney: A document to specify who youA document to specify a person want to inherit your propertyyou would trust to make your (includes trust and fee land);financialandhealthcaredecisions provide for non-tribal spouses andin the event you are disabled

minor children

• HealthcareDirective: Adocumenttospecifyyourwishes regarding end-of-life care and life support

Medicaid Enrollees Application Deadline Notice

With the upcoming end to the pandemic health emergency, Medicaid enrollees can expect to receive letters from their state’s Medicaid program requesting updated contact information, income verification, or other information needed to determine an individual’s eligibility. This process may begin as soon as February 1, but this timeline will vary from state to state. It is now more important than ever that individuals ensure their contact information is up to date so that they do not miss these notifications.

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) currently anticipates resuming normal operations April 1, 2023. Clients will receive a renewal notice prior to the end of their renewal period sometime over the next 12 months, based on a client’s renewal date.

•

Burial Directive: Adocumenttospecifyyourwishes for your funeral or services, and burial or disposition

FORALL SWINOMISH TRIBALMEMBERS AND THEIR SPOUSES

ThisisafreeservicearrangedbySwinomishIndian Senate Contactfor

For example, clients with a renewal date in May will receive a renewal notice in the month of April. Clients found not eligible could lose their coverage as early as April 30, but more likely at the end of May.

Anyone receiving a letter can call the Medical Clinic at (360) 466-3167 and they will be put in contact with one of the tribal assisters that are here to help.

Links from the WA HCA website:

https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/free-or-lowcost/end-of-phe-social-media-toolkit.pdf

https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/free-or-lowcost/end-of-phe-communications-toolkit.pdf

https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/programsand-initiatives/apple-health-medicaid/applehealth-and-public-health-emergency

MEET THE NEW STAFF

Jake Sullivan

Jake is one of the newest members of the Department of Environmental Protection team. Jake will oversee the management of Swinomish Reservation forests, which includes both forest health and resources use such as timber harvests.

Jake has worked in forestry for 12 years and is now applying his knowledge to develop the DEP’s forestry program. Jake sees his role as contributing to Swinomish by helping understand the forest’s potential as a resource, and ensuring the program provides valuable services to the community.

Sally Schroeder

My name is Sally Schroeder. I am the Education Department’s out of district support and Adult Basic Education/mastery-based learning instructor.

For those who may think I look familiar, I was a La Conner High School teacher for a large portion of my career. The past several years I have worked as an administrator in Arlington Public Schools. I retired from K-12 public school work in 2022 and recently found an opportunity to work for Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. My role now is to support those who want to work on their HS+/GED, provide educational support for out of district families, and help build mastery-based education opportunities with La Conner Schools. I am really happy to be here and thankful for the chance to help Swinomish students of all ages.

Erika Faubion

My name is Erika Faubion. I was fortunate to be hired as a wildlife technician with Swinomish.

I work on the large mammal project to monitor elk, deer, black bears, mountain lions, and other mammal species that exist on the landscape in the Cascade foothills. This monitoring is accomplished by an array of camera traps that I periodically check and ensure are functioning. I go through the photos collected by these cameras, catalogue the mammals that they captured, and use the data to complete analyses and provide information.

TIDE TABLE: APRIL 2023

Lastquarter: April13

The Swearing In of Judge Mary Cardoza

The Swearing In of Senator Jeremy Wilbur and Senator Barbara James

Chairman Edwards swearing in Judge Mary Cardoza at the March 7, 2023 Senate meeting.

Judge Cardoza swears in Senator Jeremy Wilbur

Judge Cardoza swears in Senator Barbara James

Being Frank Salmon Management Must Build on the Lessons of the Past 50 Years

ED JOHNSTONE, NWIFC CHAIRMAN

FEBRUARY 23, 2023 ― One year from now, in February 2024, we will mark the 50th anniversary of federal Judge George Boldt’s ruling in United States vs. Washington, which affirmed tribes’ treatyreserved rights to harvest salmon outside of our reservations.

The court case was brought about by the Fish Wars of the 1960s and ’70s, when state authorities arrested tribal fishermen violently—often with tear gas—for exercising the fishing rights we reserved in the Stevens treaties of the 1850s. The state confiscated our boats, our nets and our fish. Racism against Native Americans seemed to be at an all-time high.

Now, despite the co-management relationship we have developed since then to manage salmon harvest with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), some elected state leaders seem determined to set tribal fishermen up to endure that kind of racism again.

Gov. Jay Inslee recently asked state legislators to pass a bill banning commercial gillnets on the Columbia River. He knew this would put a target on our backs because he offered to include $500,000 for fish and wildlife enforcement to prevent the expected increase in harassment of tribal gillnetters.

Member tribes of NWIFC, Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission and Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians formally opposed this legislation, but Inslee’s senior policy adviser implied at a senate committee meeting that, because the governor’s office held several meetings with tribes, we had been consulted. These meetings were not in the spirit of governmentto-government consultation. True consultation requires tribes’ free, prior and informed consent to policies

affecting our treaty-protected resources. The governor’s office disregarded our concerns.

Fortunately, this bill did not make it out of committee, but we shouldn’t even be having these conversations. While the proposed legislation would not have applied to tribal fisheries, this discourse endorses the misconception that the gear used in tribal fisheries is somehow harmful to salmon recovery.

Tribes use gillnets because they are selective by time, place and mesh size. Nets are the most efficient way for us to harvest salmon while causing the least amount of impact on other species.

Tribes already have reduced their Chinook salmon harvest by 60-95% since the 1980s, at great cost to our way of life. If recovering salmon were as easy as taking tribal nets out of the water, we would have done it by now. The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians hasn’t held a commercial Chinook harvest in decades, and yet low numbers of Stillaguamish River Chinook continue to constrain state and federal harvest allocations each year.

If conservation were truly their goal, elected leaders would do the hard work of protecting and restoring salmon habitat. Preventing landowners from degrading and destroying habitat. Ensuring our streams and rivers are protected from the high temperatures and low flows exacerbated by climate change. Amending legislation to allow for the management of marine mammal predation of salmon. Increasing funding for hatchery production for harvest and to protect endangered runs that lack sufficient habitat to sustain their populations. These are the areas we need to focus on.

Tribal governments and WDFW have worked too hard to reach our current level of co-management to be undermined by calls to ban gillnets. For the first decade after the Boldt decision, the state continued to work against us. During a meeting with tribal leaders in the 1980s, Bill Wilkerson, then director of the state Department of Fisheries, turned his attention to the technical staff that were resistant to work with the tribes. “I don’t want to hear that anymore,” he told them. “If you’re going to keep going down that pathway, just walk right out the door.”

Tribal and state co-managers have learned a lot of lessons since then. We all need to work together—not against each other. It’s what we have to do if we hope to have salmon to harvest for another 50 years.

Being Frank is a column by Chairman Ed Johnstone of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. As a statement from the NWIFC chairman, the column represents the natural resources management concerns of the treaty tribes in western Washington.

"We all need to work together−not against each other. It's what we have to do if we hope to have salmon to harvest for another 50 years."

− Ed Johnstone

1967 Swinomish Tribal Archive

Traditions of our Ancestors: Honoring them with their Stories

SWINOMISH TRIBAL ARCHIVE

As noted in the article from 2014, that although there were many knitters, the Archive has very little information or items in our collection.

Winifred “Winnie” Mitchell was born in Tulalip to Andrew and Louise Fryberg on February 2, 1899. She married Dewey Mitchell of the Swinomish Reservation on July 7, 1921. They spent their early years of marriage living in Tulalip and Kingston, before moving to the Swinomish Reservation in 1935. During her time in Swinomish, she was one of the women fish cooks, and well known for her knitting.

A few months after the archives 2014 article was shared Winnie’s son, Ray Mitchell, brought in photos to be scanned into the archive collection. One of the photos was of Winnie knitting at the family home on the corner of Front Street and Snee-Oosh. Along with the photos he brought in balls of yarn that belonged to his mother, and a pair of sox that she knitted. Ray noted that this is the last pair of sox that they have left from her.

While dropping these items off, Ray shared this story: “She [Winnie] got the wool from a local farmer. She would wash the wool, dry it, card it, and spin it. It was a lot of work.” “I would push the wool down into the water, I’d feed it through the ringer to press the water out.” “After she spun the wool and put it into skeins, I’d help her roll it into balls. My mother took her knitting very seriously.”

According to Ray, Winnie knit about 50 to 75 pairs of sox per year. “After she knit them she would press them out in between the mattresses and the box spring. She would sell them at a store in Ballard. My dad would drive her down and after dropping them off they would have lunch at O’Brien’s Restaurant on 15th Street.”

Winnie past away in June 28, 1996, but her story will forever live through her loved ones, and at the Archive. Stories like these are important to preserve, and would not have been possible if [the late] Ray hadn’t shared this with the Archive. If you have stories, photos, or items you would like photographed or donated, please reach out to the Archive: 360-466-7382 or email khamburg@ swinomish.nsn.us.

Ball of wool that belonged to Winifred Mitchell Brought in to be photographed by Ray Mitchell Swinomish Tribal Archive

List of other Swinomish knitters based off of a 1957 letter written by Tandy Wilbur Sr.:

Addie Williams

Angeline Bob

Clara James

Winifred Mitchel[l]

Nellie Charles

Margaret Cagey

Minnie Dan

Alice Dan

Ruby Paul

Nellie Bob

Emily Bill

Louisa Joe

Lucinda Joe

Lizzie Sampson

Laura Wilbur

Ida Bobb

Puget Sound Mail Article

August 4, 1949

For more history on knitting in Swinomish, please refer to past qyuuqs article written by Theresa Trebon in March 2014 [issuu.com/Swinomish/docs/4-2014_final_online_qyuuqs]

Winifred “Winnie” Mitchell knitting in her family home on the Swinomish Reservation.

C. 1964

Photo from Ray Mitchell Collection Swinomish Tribal Archive

Swinomish Tribal Archive

Wool sock knitted by Winifred Mitchell

Brought in to be photographed by Ray Mitchell Swinomish Tribal Archive

PATTERNS OF OUR GRANDMOTHERS

Patterns of Our Grandmothers is this month's Editorial Theme. A feature to honor the patterns of our relatives. History happens every second of every minute. The patterns created throughout time tell a story of our ancestors.

My grandmother was once in the Seattle Times for being the first to bring Cowichan Sweaters to Seattle by selling them at Pike Place Market. Marcus Joe

The following are submissions from tribal members, sharing the patterns of their grandmother:

My mother, Dianne Edwards shared with me the story of how she inherited my great-grandmother Squi qui Laura Edwards' white knitted cape. Every time I saw my greatgrandmother she was always wearing something hand knitted. - Caroline

Ammons

Tending the Clam Garden to Honor our Grandmothers – Past, Present, and Future

OLIVIA HORWEDEL AND MELISSA POE

As the night sky grew darker and the tide receded, our flashlights began to reveal the top of the clam garden wall. The highest rocks rose above the water line and formed a strand - like the beads of grandmother’s necklace. On January 19th, the Swinomish community gathered to tend the clam garden on the shores of the Kukutali Preserve, seeing the garden for the first time since it was built last August.

A few dozen people showed up; ranging from the youngest, Kim Williams (12) to Swinomish Elder Donna Dan, accompanied by her relatives. This special event also brought in guests from the Organized Village of Kake, Alaska, who are in the process of building a clam garden for their community.

This celebration began with the gathering of wood to build a fire. Joe Quintasket prepared a traditional chowder over the fire using clams harvested by the Quintasket family. The Swinomish Shellfish Company donated oysters, which Stuart Thomas grilled on the beach and served open on the half shell. After sharing a meal together, we all went to tend the clam garden. People shared stories, laughed, and connected over the importance of this place.

Friends and family members stood along the clam garden rock wall, rakes in one hand buckets in the other. Joe Williams, community shellfish liaison, taught us how to tend the clam garden. We raked the smaller rocks of the seafloor that were exposed during the low tide. This was to “fluff” the beach, helping to feed the intertidal creatures that rely on this garden for habitat. Clam gardens are also known as ‘sea gardens’ because they cultivate many other traditional foods such as seaweeds, sea cucumbers, and even smaller fish. That night we spotted lots of baby Dungeness crabs too!

In addition to traditional foods, clam gardens also help provide climate resilience. The walls are able to adapt to changes in sea level rise, promote biodiversity, and potentially help shellfish as marine waters become more acidic. Clam gardens are a wonderful example of how important it is for climate resilience actions to include Traditional Knowledge.

Through the Swinomish clam garden, the teachings and care of grandmothers, great grandmothers, and grandfathers are honored today. The garden provides a place for the community to harvest food, share teachings, and heal relationships with the land. As the community tends to the garden it is not only for today but also for the future generations to come. Today’s children, who are the future grandmothers, are tending the beach for their future grandchildren. Clam gardens connect past, present and future generations, creating resilience in food systems, climate mitigation, and most importantly, human relationships.

If you are interested in getting involved, contact Joe Williams, and follow updates at Swinomish Fisheries. There will be a Clam Garden Work Party during the Salish Summit on June 4-7, 2023. A gathering with our friends and relatives of the Cross-Pacific Indigenous Aquaculture Network, who also tend sea gardens and fishponds in their territories.

Wildlife Program Detects Rare Forest Carnivore in the North Cascades Foothills

LESLIE PARKS

In addition to collecting countless photos from our network of motion-activated trail cameras deployed throughout the greater Skagit Valley and foothills of the North Cascades as part of an ongoing research project to examine elk, deer, black bear, and cougar populations across the landscape. We also capture target species, and we were surprised to detect fisher – a house-cat sized member of the weasel family – at multiple locations.

Fisher were extirpated from Washington in the mid-1900s, but a reintroduction effort from 20152020 brought the species back to the Cascades. Though they remain on Washington’s endangered species list, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that the agency had documented the first known wild fishers to be born in the North Cascades in May of 2021.

The Wildlife Program’s fisher detections in 2021 and 2022 represent new areas of confirmed fisher occupancy, and additional testament to the fisher’s resiliency.

A fisher passes by a motion-activated camera trap deployed in the Mt. Baker National Forest (SITC Wildlife Program)

A cow elk and calf (SITC Wildlife Program)

A female cougar and kitten (SITC Wildlife Program)

A black bear sow with three cubs (SITC Wildlife Program)

2022 Light Trap Update

LINDY HUNTER

The numbers are in and the 2022 counts for baby Dungeness crab are at the top of the charts. With total Dungeness larvae finishing up even higher than the 2021 counts, it is safe to say that Skagit and Similk Bays have received back-to-back years of very hearty crab recruitment. In fact, the past two years caught more larval crab than all three of the previous years combined.

Swinomish light traps were in the water from April through September this year and located at Rosario Beach, Cornet Bay, and Cap Sante Marina. SITC deployed an additional trap further north near Semiahmoo Resort and were surprised to discover that the timing of crab delivery was unlike any of the other sites. Swinomish Fisheries has partnered with the Pacific Crab Research Group (PCRG) to set out and monitor light traps throughout the Puget Sound as well as on the Pacific Coast. This network of traps is providing extremely valuable data that resource managers will use to better understand when, where, and how many crab are present in these waters. For more information on light traps, check out the previous qyuuqs articles on page 28 of the April 2018 issue, and page 22 of the June 2021 edition.

Light traps are not just a great data source tool for crab management, they also provide a pathway to interact with some of the tiniest and most charismatic members of the Salish Sea. On any given light trap check you could stumble upon a larval Dungeness crab snagging a ride on an isopod, a see-through opalescent nudibranch with bright orange external lungs structures, a spiny lumpsucker with modified fins for suctioning onto wherever it lands, or even a baby octopus looking like a perfectly formed miniature of its future self. But with light traps, as in life, there are also those days when you find you’ve been handed a bucket of worms or worse yet, a bucket of worms and partially decayed fish larvae. In either case, whether it’s a cool critter or a slimy mess, the task is the same: dig in and get counting.

2022 Light Trap Update

PLANKTON More Than Meets the Eye

LINDY HUNTER

Plankton make up the base of marine and freshwater food webs, and are responsible for the production of over half of the oxygen on this planet. They are an extremely diverse group of drifters that come in all kinds of shapes and sizes (specifically, tiny to super tiny). Plankton can be plants, animals, bacteria or viruses, and feed off everything from each other and decaying matter to surrounding nutrients and sunshine.

While plankton populations are necessary for a healthy and balanced marine system, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. When a group of plankton grow abundant in an area it is called a “bloom”. The vast majority of these are beneficial, providing a pulse to the base of the local food web, but occasionally blooms can be hazardous for surrounding creatures. Bacteria

populations can expand rapidly in the midst of a plankton bloom and those feasting bacteria use up a lot of the surrounding water’s oxygen. So much so that slow moving and immobile creatures – like sea stars, urchins, and clams – can suffocate. Additionally, some plankton naturally produce toxins. In high density blooms those toxins can saturate the water and be consumed and stored in the tissues of other marine species. These types of events are called Harmful Algal Blooms, or red tides, and they present a significant risk to anyone who eats from, or spends time in, the water while they are occurring.

Climate change is affecting naturally occurring events throughout the world and red tides are no exception. Concerns about an increase in their locations, frequency, and duration have researchers attempting to

identify global trends. So far, the diversity of species producing the blooms and variable location reporting efforts prevent a clear picture from forming.

Moving forward, improvements in monitoring and reporting systems are further being made to examine blooms on a species-by-species and site-by-site basis. Many platforms have emerged for reporting, tracking, and learning about red tides on a global, regional, and local scale. At this stage, we are still unable to forecast future blooms but we can prepare ourselves for what increases in red tides events could mean for our local fisheries and our marine systems.

For more information or updates on HAB events, visit the NOAA website

The European Green Crab is Invading Up the Pacific West Coast from California through British Columbia Towards Alaska

If you think you’ve found a European Green Crab... TAKE A PHOTO!

Take photos of the crab with as much detail as possible. Email the photos, with location details, to the email below. Leave the crab where you found it.

CONTACT US!

Lindy Hunter

(360) 499-4719

Email: lhunter@swinomish.nsn.us

Claire Cook

(360) 391-3652

Email: ccook@swinomish.nsn.us

Invasive European green crab

Bottom view of two European green crab

Photo by: SeaGrant Crab Team

INDIGENIZING PLACE-BASED LOCATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The installation of stream crossing signs on the Reservation was completed April 2022. These signs feature the modern name of the creek, a traditional/ Lushootseed name, and say “Yours to Protect” along with the body of water that each creek flows into. These serve as a reminder of our traditional place names, original tribal allottees (landowners), and to protect the water quality of our salmon habitats.

The signs were installed along Reservation roads at Lone Tree, Fornsby, Munks, and Snee-Oosh Creeks, Snee-Oosh Wetlands, and a previously unnamed creek – Doosdawhub – that drains into the Swinomish Channel (see map). An additional sign has been created for Hansen Creek, located up Highway 20.

See if you can spot all the signs as you drive about the Reservation and remember you are passing over our streams with a direct connection to the Salish Sea.

Can you match the Lushootseed name with the modern name?

1) Fornsby Creek

2) Munks Creek

3) Doosdawhub Creek

4) Snee-Oosh Creek

5) Lone Tree Creek

Answers: 1-C, 2-A, 3-B, 4-E, 5-D

This project was developed by the Department of Environmental Protection, in collaboration with the Communications and Planning Departments, Skagit County Public Works, and utilizing information gathered from Swinomish Elders and the Archives.

Top: Lone Tree Creek stream crossing sign

Left: Map of stream crossing signs located on the Swinomish Reservation

Billy Frank Jr. Day

The La Conner School District celebrated Billy Frank Jr. Day on March 7 with a fair for students and the community. In the spirit of advocacy and education, Swinomish departments and other local organizations with ties to salmon or environmental stewardship and management were in attendance with informational booths.

Tactile, hands-on activities were popular; students crowded around a table hosted by the Swinomish Wildlife Department which contained a cougar pelt, skulls and antlers, and photos from trap cameras. The Sound Water Stewards’ table was also a hotspot with freshly acquired water samples that students viewed through microscopes; a supplement to their table's information about plankton, and the role they play in the food web.

School district Community & Cultural liaison Clarissa Williams shared that the intention is to move away from celebrating Native American Day, and instead honor Treaty Day and Billy Frank Jr. Day – two days that are more meaningful and have a connection to Swinomish people.

Above: Michael Vendiola shows off a beautiful ribbon dress gifted to our Youth Council.

Left: Students learn about invasive green crab, and play with stamps with Lindy Hunt from Swinomish Fisheries.

Tino Villaluz and Brandon Nickerson showing LCMS students cougar fur, antlers, trail cams, and other items at their presentation table for the Billy Frank Jr Day hosted by the school.

LA CONNER SOROPTIMIST OF NOVEMBER JOSLIN JAMES

La Conner High School senior Joslin James is La Conner Soroptimist Honored Student of the Month (November 2022). Joslin is the granddaughter of Senator Barb James and Bruce James Sr. and the daughter of Sonny James and Lana Fornsby James.

Joslin is part of the Swinomish Canoe Family, which perform at La Conner schools, pow wows, Swinomish Days, and other cultural events, and enjoys participating in Swinomish Culture Night as a way to hold on to tradition.

Cheer is a school activity that Joslin enjoys very much and one that she will miss after graduation. She plans on going to beauty school and would like to specialize in hair extensions. She will also likely continue crabbing with her dad and her uncles, an activity that will utilize her strength and agility along with knowledge of the waters around here.

Vintage La Conner will award Joslyn with a gift certificate to use at the volunteer-run store. Store proceeds support women and girls in the community, primarily with scholarships but also with special needs as they arise. We give thanks for our volunteers, our shoppers, and our donors. The only requirement for becoming a member is the willingness to work in some manner.

LA CONNER SOROPTIMIST OF FEBRUARY

TAYLOR CAYOU

La Conner Soroptimist honored student for February, Taylor Rae Cayou has demonstrated an aptitude for leadership in several significant ways.

As a member of Peer to Peer at LCHS, Taylor and 8-10 other students work on addressing important issues affecting the high school population. During suicide prevention month, they presented a lunch time slide show explaining how to talk about suicide. They also are creating a movie called, “Most Teens Don’t Vape”.

As the school board student representative, Taylor prepares and presents a monthly report for the school board. She recently worked on the details and implementation of a new cell phone policy, “No Phones Out During Class”. She is also a student representative on the Native American Parent Advisory Council where they have addressed complicated issues such as bullying, attendance and race.

Taylor further demonstrated her leadership skills as moderator for the Swinomish Senate candidates’ forum. She was the meeting facilitator and invited to ask questions of the candidates.

Taylor is committed to practicing mindful meditation daily and presented a mindfulness program to the La Conner high school staff at the beginning of the school year.

Taylor enjoys playing first base on the La Conner softball team and playing on the La Conner volleyball team. In her free time, she likes to go crabbing and salmon fishing with her dad. Taylor also worked on the development of the clam garden on Kiket Island, the first modern clam garden in the United States.

A lifelong La Conner resident, Taylor is the daughter of Kim George and Louis Cayou. She has an older sister Olivia and a nephew Kayson. She is attending running start at The Northwest Indian College and would like to go on to university and study law or marine biology.

Taylor will receive a gift certificate to Vintage Thrift, the thrift and consignment shop run by volunteers to support women and girls in the community and enabled by the generous donations from the community.

IRS Publication 596 (2022), Earned Income Credit (EIC)

For use in preparing 2022 Returns

Introductory Material

What Is the EIC?

The EIC is a tax credit for certain people who work and have earned income under $59,187. A tax credit usually means more money in your pocket. It reduces the amount of tax you owe. The EIC may also give you a refund.

Can I Claim the EIC?

To claim the EIC, you must meet certain rules. These rules are summarized in Table 1 on PAGE 33.

Do I Need This Publication?

Certain people who file Form 1040 or 1040-SR must use Worksheet 1 from irs.gov/publications/p596#en_ US_2022_publink1000298556, instead of Step 2 in their Form 1040 instructions, when they are checking whether they can take the EIC. You are one of those people if any of the following statements are true for 2022.

» You are filing Schedule E (Form 1040).

» You are reporting income from the rental of personal property not used in a trade or business.

» You are reporting income on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8z, from Form 8814 (relating to election to report child’s interest and dividends).

» You have income or loss from a passive activity.

» You are reporting an amount on Form 1040 or 1040SR, line 7, that includes an amount from Form 4797.

If none of the statements above apply to you, your tax form instructions may have all the information you need to find out if you can claim the EIC and to figure your EIC. You may not need this publication. But you can read it to find out whether you can take the EIC and to learn more about the EIC.

Do I Have To Have a Child To Qualify for the EIC?

No, you can qualify for the EIC without a qualifying child if you are at least age 25 but under age 65 and your earned income is less than $16,480 ($22,610 if married filing jointly). See chapter 3 on Table 1. Earned Income Credit in Nutshell.

How Do I Figure the Amount of EIC?

If you can claim the EIC, you can either have the IRS figure your credit, or you can figure it yourself. To figure it yourself, you can complete a worksheet in the instructions for the form you file. To find out how to have the IRS figure it for you, see chapter 4 on Table 1. Earned Income Credit in Nutshell.

How Can I Quickly Locate Specific Information?

You can use the index to look up specific information. In most cases, index entries will point you to headings, tables, or a worksheet.

Is There Help Online?

Yes. You can use the EITC Qualification Assistant at IRS. gov/EITC to find out if you may be eligible for the credit.

What’s New for 2022

Earned income amount. The maximum amount of income you can earn and still get the credit has changed. You may be able to take the credit if:

» You have three or more qualifying children who have valid SSNs and you earned less than $53,057

» ($59,187 if married filing jointly),

» You have two qualifying children who have valid SSNs and you earned less than $49,399 ($55,529 if married filing jointly),

» You have one qualifying child who has a valid SSN and you earned less than $43,492 ($49,622 if married filing jointly), or

» You don’t have a qualifying child who has a valid SSN and you earned less than $16,480 ($22,610 if married filing jointly).

Your AGI must also be less than the amount just listed that applies to you. For details, see Rules 1 and 15.

Age requirements for taxpayers without a qualifying child. The special rules that changed the age requirements for certain filers claiming the EIC without a qualifying child were limited to 2021. For 2022, to claim the EIC without a qualifying child, you must be at least age 25 but under age 65. See Rule 11—You Must Meet the Age Requirements, for more information.

Investment income amount. The maximum amount of investment income you can have and still get the credit

Continues on PAGE 34

Table. 1 Earned Income Credit in a Nutshell

First, you must meet all the rules in this column

Chapter 1. Rules for Everyone

Second, you must meet all the rules in one of these columns, whichever applies

Chapter 2. Rules If You Have A Qualifying Child

Chapter 3. Rules If you Do Not Have a Qualifying Child

Third, you must meet the rule in this column.

Chapter 4. Figuring and Claiming an EIC

1. Your adjusted gross income (AGI) must be less than:

$53,057 ($59,187 for married filing jointly) if you have three or more qualifying children who have valid security numbers (SSNs).

$49, 399 ($55,529 for married filing jointly) if you have two qualifying children who have valid social SSNs.

$43,492 ($49,622 for married filing jointly) if you have one qualifying child who has a valid SSN, or

$16,480 ($22,620 for married filing jointly) if you don’t have a qualifying child who has a valid SSN.

2. You must have a valid social security number (SSN) by the due date of your 2022 return (including extensions).

3. You must meet certain requirements if you are separated from your spouse and not filing a joint return.

4. You must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien all year.

5. You can’t file Form 2555 (relating to foreign earned income).

6. You investment income must be $10,300 or less.

7. You must have earned income.

8. Your child must meet the relationship, age, residency, and joint return tests.

9. Your qualifying child can’t be used by more than one person to claim the EIC.

10. You can’t be a qualifying child of another person.

11. You must meet the age requirements.

12. You can’t be the dependent of another person.

13. You can’t be a qualifying child of another person.

14. You must have lived in the United States more than half of the year.

15. Your earned income must be less than:

$53,057 (59,187 for married filing jointly) if you have three or more qualifying children who have valid SSNs, $49,399 ($55,529 for married filing jointly) if you have two qualifying children who have valid SSNs, $43,492 ($49,622 for married filing jointly) if you have one qualifying child who has a valid SSN, or

$16, 480 ($22,610 for married filing jointly) if you don’t have a qualifying child who has a valid SSN.

Source: irs.gov/publications/p596#en_US_2022_

publink1000298556

IRS: Publication 596 (2022) Earned Income Credit

is $10,300. See Rule 6—Your Investment Income Must Be $10,300 or Less.

EIC Eligibility Checklist sourced from EIC Publication 596:

You may claim the EIC if you answer “Yes” to all the following questions.

1) Is your AGI less than:

• $16,480 ($22,610 for married filing jointly) if you don’t have a qualifying child who has a valid SSN,

• $43,492 ($49,622 for married filing jointly) if you have one qualifying child who has a valid SSN,

• $49,399 ($55,529 for married filing jointly) if you have two qualifying children who have valid SSNs, or

• $53,057 ($59,187 for married filing jointly) if you have more than two qualifying children who have valid SSNs?

(See Rule 1.)

2) Do you and your spouse, if filing jointly, each have a valid SSN issued by the due date of your 2022 return (including extensions)? (See Rule 2.)

3) Are you filing a joint return with your spouse or do you meet the special rule for separated spouses? (See Rule 3.) Answer “Yes” if you weren’t married at the end of 2022.

Caution: If you are a nonresident alien, answer “Yes” only if your filing status is married filing jointly. (See Rule 4.)

4) Answer “Yes” if you aren’t filing Form 2555. Otherwise, answer “No.” (See Rule 5.)

5) Is your investment income $10,300 or less? (See Rule 6.)

6) Is your total earned income at least $1 but less than:

• $16,480 ($22,610 for married filing jointly) if you don’t have a qualifying child who has a valid SSN,

• $43,492 ($49,622 for married filing jointly) if you have one qualifying child who has a valid SSN,

• $49,399 ($55,529 for married filing jointly) if you have two qualifying children who have valid SSNs, or

• $53,057 ($59,187 for married filing jointly) if you have more than two qualifying children who have valid SSNs? (See Rules 7 and 15.)

7) Answer “Yes” if (a) you aren’t a qualifying child of another taxpayer, or (b) you are filing a joint return. Otherwise, answer “No.” (See Rules 10 and 13.)

STOP: If you have a child you want to claim for the EIC, answer questions 8 and 9 and skip 10–12. If you don’t have a qualifying child or if another person is entitled to treat your child as a qualifying child under the tiebreaker rules explained in Rule 9 (See Rule 9.), skip questions 8 and 9 and answer 10–12.

8) Does your child meet the relationship, age, residency, and joint return tests for a qualifying child? (See Rule 8.)

9) Is your child a qualifying child only for you? Answer “Yes” if (a) your qualifying child doesn’t meet the tests to be a qualifying child of any other person, or (b) your qualifying child meets the tests to be a qualifying child of another person but you are the person entitled to treat the child as a qualifying child under the tiebreaker rules explained in Rule 9.

10) Were you (or your spouse if filing a joint return) at least age 25 but under age 65 at the end of 2022? (See Rule 11.)

11) Answer “Yes” if (a) you can’t be claimed as a dependent on anyone else’s return, or (b) you are filing a joint return. Otherwise, answer “No.” (See Rule 12.)

12) Was your main home (and your spouse’s, if filing a joint return) in the United States for more than half the year? (See Rule 14.)

If you answered “No” to any question that applies to you: You can’t claim the EIC.

Source: irs.gov/publications/p596#en_US_2022_ publink1000298556

Boys & Girls Club

ANGELA BALL

Jaydin Clark is our February Youth of the Month. Jaydin is a junior at La Conner high school. He loves football and played on the high school football team. Jaydin’s leadership and compassion are a few of his special qualities, and why he was chosen February’s youth of the month.

Our March Youth of the Month is Katarina Edwards. Katarina is a freshman at the La Conner high school, where she plays basketball and softball. Art is Katarina’s passion, and she plans to attend art school after graduation. Kat was chosen as Youth of the Month for the compassion she shows her peers, her willingness to help with whatever she is asked, and her mentoring of the younger youth at the club.

The 13 moons anti-bully curriculum lesson is every Tuesday during our power hour time. The Boys & Girls club Inspire Her sessions are every other Thursday ending after March. The Friday night outings have started.

As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement planning, and more. Other perks include generous paid time off and discounted meals.

To view details about open positions and download our General Employment Application, visit swinomishcasinoandlodge.com/ careers. All positions are “Open until filled” unless specified.

Email applications to: jobs@swinomishcasino.com

Fax applications to: (360) 299.1677

Mail or hand deliver to: Swinomish Casino & Lodge 12885 Casino Drive, Anacortes, WA 98221

Questions? Call Human Resources at (360) 299.1642

For the latest open positions, please visit: swinomishcasinoandlodge.com/careers/

HUMAN RESOURCES

JOB OPENINGS

• IT: Systems Administrator

• Medical: Certified Physical Assistant or Advanced Regular Nurse Practitioner

• Utility Authority: Certified Water and Wastewater Operator

• Tribal Archives: Archival Assistant

• Planning: Planning and Community Development Director

• Community Environmental Health and Wildlife: Community Health and Wildlife Associate

• Education: Early Education Teacher Assistant II

• Planning: Senior Planner - Team Supervisor

• Habor Master

• Health Programs: Medical Operations Director

• Health Programs: Health Clinic Custodian

• Finance: Accountant I

• Planning: Permit Tech (Part Time)

• Communications: Graphic Designer

• Health Services: Medical Social Worker

• Swinomish Dental: Dental Assistant

• Social Services: Social Services Specialist

• Police Officer

• Swinomish Defense Services: Social Worker

• Human Resources Generalist

• Registered Nurse

• Certified Medical Assistant

Full descriptions of the job announcements listed above are available on the Swinomish website: swinomish-nsn.gov/resources/human-resources

HOW TO APPLY TO THE SWINOMISH TRIBE:

Return completed application, cover letter, and resume to: Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

ATTN: Human Resources

DIDGWALIC WELLNESS CENTER

The didgwalic Wellness Center is an integrated clinic serving clients with substance use disorder and related conditions.

Employment is managed by the didgwalic Human Resources Department. Please contact HR at (360) 288.5800 or email hr@didgwalic.com with your inquiries.

didgwalic Wellness Center website: didgwalic.com

11404 Moorage Way, La Conner, WA 98257

Fax applications to: (360) 466.1348

Or email to: hr@swinomish.nsn.us

Applications must be received in the Personnel Office by 5PM on or before the job closing date.

Questions? Call the Personnel Office at (360) 466.1216 or (360) 466.7353