From Linda M. Brown - Mendota Community: (11/16/99)
Dear Friends, there is so much to tell you, since our visit to Washington MNDOT is cutting trees with a vengeance. Today seven people scrambled into trees just a block or so from the four oaks. One of our Native American supporters was taken to the hospital with heart attack symptoms. I heard that he will be all right, but the stress of living at the encampment is just too much for him right now. Please send special prayers for him. Every day the threat to the four oaks becomes more apparent. State Troopers visited the camp at the end of last week and said they will be clearing the land where the four oaks stand in December. We were told that they would give us some warning before they come in. I pray to the creator that they will keep their word. We are trying to stay as positive as we are able under the circumstances. We are going ahead with plans for events and celebrations as we have always done. We will be gathering at the encampment for a day of fellowship on thanksgiving from 2PM until about five, for a pot luck feast, please join us if you can. Also wanted to let everyone know that the majority of people who were arrested in July will be going back to court on December 6th at 9AM. We are asking everyone who can attend to be there. This will be at the Hennepin County Government Center. We are also trying to raise some money to help compensate lawyers time and cost, we have opened a bank account for this, please send any donations to "Stop the Reroute of Highway 55", Riverside Bank, 1801 Riverside Ave.., P.O. Box 582419, Minneapolis, MN 55438-2419. The 13 year old boy who was beaten by the police in July is now being charged, four months after everyone else was. Sounds like retaliation for our trip to Washington D.C. and our discussions with the Justice Dept.. to me. The State of Minnesota has filed a motion to dismiss our Federal Lawsuit, this motion will be heard on December 17th, again we would like as many people to show up for our support as possible. I will send more details as we get closer to those dates. Arrests continue almost on a daily basis. Yesterday one of our supporters, an elder Nun, went up into a tree for a few hours , another Nun was arrested for trying to reach people sitting in trees with food and water. We continue to try to slow down the progress of this destruction on a daily basis. There are still some lawsuits pending over environmental issues from other groups that don't want this road built. We are still waiting on a final report from the independent hydrogeologist that is working for the Minnehaha Watershed District. Ther is another Watershed District meeting at the Minnetonka Civic Center again on Thursday November 18th, please attend this if you can. So many things going on and so little time. I know that all of you are still out there supporting us and praying with us. Take care my friends, Pidamiya, Love Linda
Governer Jesse Ventura Phone: (651) 297-9500 State Capitol Building 75 Constitution Ave. St. Paul, MN 55155 mailto:Jesse.Ventura@state.mn.us Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg Phone: (651) 296-3000 Fax: (651) 296-3587 MNDOT 395 John Ireland Blvd St. Paul, MN 55155 Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton Phone: (612) 673-2100 350 S. 5th St. Minneapolis, MN 55415 U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone Phone: (202) 224-5641, fax (202) 224-8438 136 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington D.C. 20510 mailto:senator@wellstone.senate.gov Mr. Alan Steger Division Administrator FHWA Phone: (651) 291-6100 Sheryl Martin Galtier Plaza, Suite 500 175 E. 5th St. St Paul, MN 55101 Bruce Eberly Historic Preservatin Officer FHWA Phone: (202) 366-2060 C/O HEP -40, room 3240 Washington D.C. 20590 Ann Boland, National Register of Historic Preservation Dept of the Interior Phone (202) 343-9500 Box 37127 Washington D.C. 20013-7127 Bruce Babbit Secretary of the Interior Dept. of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington D.C. 20240 202208-7351 mailto:Bruce_Babbitt@IOS.DOI.GOV President William Clinton Phone: (202) 4565-1414 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC 20500 MAILTO:President@whitehouse.gov Vice President Al Gore Phone: (202) 4565-1414 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington DC, 20500 MAILTO:VicePresident@whitehouse.gov Janet Reno U.S. Attorney General Phone: (202) 737-5214 Justice Dept. 600 E. St. NW Washington,DC 20090
The Mendota are a non-profit organization and reciepts will be supplied for
those who request them. Send donations to:
Checks or money orders may be made payable to MMDC.
Mendota Medewakanton Dakota Community
PO Box 50835
Mendota, MN 55150
Contact numbers are Linda M. Brown - (612) 944-7290
FAX (612) 944-0105
or Bob Brown, Chairman - (612) 576-9686
FAX (612) 576-0632
We ask that everyone send what they can...be it money or supplies.
PLEASE HELP PROTECT OUR SACRED SITES!