Vanessa Dietz/Daily Mining Gazette The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Council donated to UPSET and other Marquette County organizations on Friday. Pictured from the left are: Randy Haataja, Treasurer Doreen Blaker, Vice-President Jennifer Misegan, President Chris Swartz, Secretary Susan LaFernier and Toni Minton.

BARAGA – Keweenaw Bay Indian Community donated $20,000 to the Upper Peninsula Drug Enforcement Team (UPSET) to help fight illegal drug use in the area.

“UPSET resolves to increase arrests involving prescription narcotics, focus on discovering and dismantling methamphetamine labs, and halt the growing trend of heroin within the Upper Peninsula,” Det. Lt. Tim Sholander said in a letter to the tribe. “UPSET, through Forsyth Township, is requesting $20,000 in 2-percent funding to be utilized towards conducting undercover narcotics investigations and reach these goals.”

KBIC Treasurer Doreen Blaker said the council granted the request in full, based on U.P.-wide statistics Sholander cited, including the following:

• Prescription-related cases increased by 82 percent from 2013 to 2015.

• Heroin-related cases increased 60 percent from 2014 to 2015, during which time heroin seizures increased almost 83 percent.

• Methamphetamine labs and dump sites discovered and dismantled by UPSET rose 80 percent from 2014 to 2015.

While UPSET has been active in the central and eastern U.P., the team’s newest branch, UPSET West, covers Baraga, Houghton and Ontonagon counties.

“The past and continued support of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community is greatly appreciated,” Sholander said.

KBIC derives the funds from 2 percent of the gaming revenue generated from its casinos.

In addition to UPSET, KBIC gave another $142,572.67 at its meeting Friday, less than half of the amount requested from 22 Marquette County organizations. Specifically, the tribal council donated: $10,000 to Beacon House; $5,000 to Room at the Inn; $50,000 to Chocolay Township Fire, Police and Sewer Utility; $10,000 to Cedar Tree Institute; $5,026 to Meals on Wheels; $3,000 to Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention; $7,500 to Noquemenon Trails Network; $10,500 to the township Fire and Rescue for a jet ski and trailer to use in saving drowning victims; $6,500 to Marquette Area Public Schools for Native American Education; $5,000 to Great Lakes Recovery Center; $5,000 Negaunee Township’s Community Center Recreational Trail for light poles and wiring; $14,603.67 to Forsyth Township for a patrol vehicle; and $10,443 to Sands Township for equipment and firefighting.