June 1, 2018 with graduation insert

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Yu-Can

www.c-a-tribes.org/tribal-news

June 1, 2018 -Vol. 14, Issue 10

Coalition highlights school safety awareness at town hall meeting Latoya Lonelodge Staff Reporter

The horrors and fatalities of past tragedies are never forgotten and with each decade, new generations are faced with the possibilities of reoccurring events.

No one was prepared for the horrendous acts that took place on April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colo. What started out as a normal bright and sunny warm day for students and staff of Col-

umbine turned quickly into catastrophe with the sound of loud gunshots being fired.

In a state of panic, students quickly became terrified for their lives and many witnessed the ghastly scenes of what was caused by two of Columbine’s very own students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.

The heinous scenes of that day instilled itself into the minds of many, scenes that cannot be erased from those that witnessed the Yu-Can / pg. 4

The Yukon Middle School Theatre Department performed skits focusing on highlighting safety awareness on drug and alcohol abuse and gun violence in schools. (Photo / Latoya Lonelodge)

C-A Tribes will vote on new policy aimed at preserving tribal coordinator position Randy Spicer II, City Editor Weatherford Daily News

Looking out across the land surrounding the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Headquarters, one can usually spot the tribes’ growing herd of buffalo grazing peacefully. (Photos / Rosemary Stephens)

Where the buffalo roam Auctioned bison herd to stay in Oklahoma

By Josh Wallace, Daily Oklahoman

I

n a first for the state, a herd of more than 60 bison were auctioned to the highest bidder this month, bidder who has worked for decades to reintroduce the animals to what was once part of their native habitat.

Sold in a state surplus auction, the herd, totaling about 65 head of bison, had roamed the grasslands in Foss State Park but were put on the auction block due to drought conditions in western Oklahoma that left the state to rely on costly purchases of hay to feed the animals.

Nearly 110 bids were made for the bison, with the winning bid of $88,002.01, or a little more than $1,350 per head, made by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes.

“It’s been the goal to grow a herd and the Cheyenne and Arapaho have a strong cultural connection to the animals,” said Nathan Hart, the economic development director for the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes in Concho.

Since 1980, with a gift of 29 bison, the tribes have maintained bison herds in central and western Oklahoma. Now, the bison number more than 250, not including the newly purchased herd, Hart said.

With a strong push from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes’ governor and lieutenant governor, Hart said it was his priority to ensure the herd stayed in Oklahoma and became part of their tribal program.

Many of the bison are part of what Hart referred to as a “conservation herd,” an effort made by the tribes to foster a strong genetic diversity among the animals.

“The goal there is to have a good breeding stock for the longevity of the species,” he said.

Buffalo / pg. 4

Economic Development Director Nathan Hart is proud of his Farm & Ranch staff and of the tribes’ expanding healthy bison herd.

The Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribe’s current tribal council coordinator says “political” moves have been made by certain unnamed members of the tribe to oust her from her position in the past.

After calling Tribal Council Coordinator Jennifer Plummer Wednesday morning in reference to a public notice that appeared in the Weatherford Daily News last week, she said tribal members with shady backgrounds have attempted to remove her five times in the past twoand-a-half years.

The public notice deals with a “policy establishing the removal of the Tribal Council Coordinator,” which is an elected official. Cheyenne-Arapaho tribal members will vote on the resolution June 9 in Concho if a quorum is met.

However, that vote appears to have been rescheduled for July 22.

If approved, the resolution would allow only one removal attempt of the tribal council coordinator per 2-year term and says the person in that position can only be removed for “good cause beyond a reasonable doubt.”

The resolution further states the process for electing a new tribal council coordinator.

Duties and responsibilities of the tribal council coordinator include scheduling meetings for the tribal council and accepting resolutions, as well as communicating with tribal members and keeping them informed on daily government activities.

It’s that last part, Plummer said, that certain tribal members have a problem with.

“A lot of these people who have been around and been in office, they’re getting flushed out right now because everybody’s becoming aware of what’s going on,” she said. “The first thing they go after is the tribal coordinator because TC meeting / pg. 8

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Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

Gaming Per Cap Update Deadline for Change of Address and W9 forms is July 13 If You Have Not Moved or Do Not Have a Name Change, You Do Not Need to Submit a Change of Address and W9.

You only need to update your address with the Enrollment Department if these changes pertain to you since the last per capita payment (December 2017).

Please read instructions carefully on the Change of Address (COA) form and W9. The COA form requires all areas to be filled out according to instructions and to be notarized. If all areas are not filled out according to instructions, the forms will be returned to you, which will delay your paperwork. The W9 requires your full name, address, social security number, signature, and date. The address placed on the W9 will be the address the check will be sent to. Please keep in mind this address should match with Enrollment’s mailing address.

The Per Capita office is not responsible for sending a per capita check to the wrong address if the tribal member has failed to submit a current and correct change of address form and W9 to Enrollment Department.

Please submit all COA Forms and W9 forms to Enrollment Department by deadline. Forms can be mailed to you

by calling the Enrollment Department 405-422-7600 or 800-247-4612 ext. 27600 or printed off on our website at www.c-a-tribes.org/department-enrollment.

The Per Capita Office will mail your check or any letters concerning your account to your mailing address on Change of Address and W9. Once paperwork is processed, Per Cap Office will review accounts to determine if any past due checks are available for reissue.

Minor Change of Address forms need to be notarized and signed by their legal guardian. Only the legal custodial parent(s) or legal guardian(s) listed in our database system can fill this form out on the minor’s behalf. Should guardianship/custody change, an original or certified copied court order must be submitted to the Department of Enrollment verifying guardianship. Originals and certified copies will be returned via certified mail.

If you have any Child Support, Student Loans, or Federal Garnishment questions that need to be addressed, please contact the Per Capita Office at 800-247-4612 ext. 27725 or 405-422-7725. All garnishments of Child Support, Student Loans, and/or Federal Garnishments should be submitted to the Per Capita Office by July 15, 2018.

Cheyenne Arapaho Election Commission defers action to legislature on case of residency (CONCHO, OK) On May 24, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Election Commission (EC) held a meeting to address ongoing questions surrounding Arapaho District 2 Legislator, Winslow Sankey’s residency issues.

After lengthy discussions, a break for an executive session, and hearing of opinions from members of the audience, the EC voted to refer Sankey’s residency issue to the Seventh Legislature for them to act upon. The EC reserved their right to declare the seat vacant should the Legislature fails to act within 45 days.

On Feb. 13 the commission received a notarized letter from an A4 constituent stating Sankey no longer resided within the A4 district boundaries and was requesting assistance from the EC. The commission mailed out certified letters on Feb. 16 to Sankey informing him of a March 15 hearing to address his residency. The letter was returned. The commission mailed another certified letter on Feb. 19 again notifying Sankey of a March 15 public hearing, again the letter was returned as undeliverable.

The commission held a working public meeting on March 15 and declared the A4 Legislative seat as vacant

with a vote of 6 commissioners voting yes, 1 not voting and 1 vacant.

“We felt as a whole we had the right to vacate because that is the way it is written within our Election Laws,” Sarah Orange, Cheyenne District 4 election commissioner stated during the May 24 hearing.

Following the March 15 hearing, Sankey, being represented by the Seventh Legislature legal counsel Joseph Morsette, filed in the Supreme Court, case no. SC2018-20, asking the court to enjoin the commission from conducting an election for the A4 legislative seat. The court ruled in Sankey’s favor granting the injunction.

Based on the evidence, th court did not feel Sankey had received due process regarding notice of meeting and an opportunity to be heard, “in a meaningful manner.”

The court ordered the EC to provide due process in proceeding with their procedures surrounding residency issues.

Following the court’s orders, the EC set out to afford Sankey due process in notifying him of the May 24 public meeting.

Shortly after the decision by the Supreme Court in case no. SC-2018-20, Sankey, once again, filed in court ask-

ing for permanent relief from being pursued by the EC regarding his residency for the remainder of his term and to find the EC in contempt of court. The Supreme Court denied both of Sankey’s requests stating he should have filed in the lower court first before pursuing a case within the Supreme Court.

“Sankey was properly served (for the May 24 hearing) by the court,” Orange said.

EC records show Sankey has provided five different addresses he has lived, and none of them have been able to be verified as valid addresses for Sankey’s place of residence.

According to the 2006 Constitution, pg. 9, Section 4 Qualifications, subsection (c), “At time of filing a nomination petition a candidate for District Legislator shall physically reside in such District. Each District Legislator shall reside in the District from which they are elected for the duration of their term.

Each District Legislator shall be a registered voter in the District from which they are elected.”

Sankey continues to maintain he lives within his district. He has provided the EC with a copy of his Tribal ID card and two certified letters from individuals stating

Arapaho District 1 Election Commission Seat Election - June 5 The Candidates to fill the vacancy for the A1 Election Commission Seat are: Debra Woolworth of Watonga, Okla. and Ray Mosqueda of Canton, Okla.

In accordance with Article IX, Section 9 of the Constitution of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, these candidates will not have a Primary Election.

They will be in the General Election to be held on June 5, 2018.

The Polling Sites will be at the Cheyenne and Arapaho Community Centers located in Watonga and Canton, Okla.

Polls will be open from 7am to 7pm.

he lives within the district.

Timeline Provided for Winslow Sankey Jr. by Election Commission Certified letter mailed to 307 Broadway, Hammon on April 19 – returned to original sender Certified letter mailed to PO Box 241, Hammon on March 24 – returned to original sender Certified letter mailed to PO Box 225, Hammon on Feb. 19 – returned to original sender Certified letter mailed to PO Box 225, Hammon on Feb. 16 – returned to original sender 2015 Filing for candidate address: 808 Moad Street in Hammon, Okla.

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

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Tribal citizen files in court to halt swearing in of two Supreme Court justices

(CONCHO, OK) Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizen Joyce Wood filed a motion on May 14 requesting declaratory and emergency preliminary and permanent injunctive relief and request for Writ of Mandamus in case number SC-201830 (CIV-2018-40) Joyce Wood, A tribal member individual capacity vs. Reggie Wassana, Governor, in his official and individual capacity and Patrick Spottedwolf, Speaker of the Legislature in his official capacity and all other members of the Legislature in their official capacity.

The filing’s intent is to halt the confirmation process for two Supreme Court nominees; Dennis Arrow and Lindsey Robertson based on banishment resolutions passed June 2, 2012 at a Special Tribal Council meeting. Special Tribal Council Resolutions 060212STC-01 and 060212STC-002 banned Arrow, Katheleen R. Guzman and Robertson from entering Cheyenne and Arapaho territory.

In her motion Wood also names Supreme Court justice nominee Ryland Rivas, however, Rivas was not part of the original Special Tribal Council resolution banishment.

On May 15, the current sitting Supreme Court justices, Daniel Webber, John Ghostbear and Richard Goralewicz ruled, “The court finds that in view of the existence of this action, the following order is entered: Dennis W. Arrow, Lindsay G. Robertson and Ryland Rivas have allegedly been excluded from the Tribal territory by act of the Tribal Council and would, therefore, be ineligible to enter the Tribal Justice Center, therefore the named individuals will not be sworn in as justices of the Supreme Court until this matter is resolved.”

(See photo on right.)

Arrow, Robertson and Rivas were nominated by Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana and confirmed by the Seventh Legislature. According to the 2006 Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes’ Constitution, pg. 15, Article VIII Judicial Branch, Section 2. Selection, it reads, “Each Judge and Justice shall be selected upon nomination by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Legislature and approval by the Tribal Council, provided that, if the Legislature fails to approve or disapprove a nominee for Judge or Justice within thirty days of nomination by the Governor, then the nominee shall be deemed confirmed by the Legislature, provided further that, if the Tribal Council fails to approve or disapprove a nominee who been confirmed by the Legislature, or who has been deemed confirmed by the Legislature, within sixty days of confirmation by the Legislature, then the Judge or Justice shall be deemed approved by the Tribal Council.”

Wassana’s attorney, Hershel Gorham filed a Petition for Declaratory Judgment on May 29 under case number CIV2018-66 IN RE: Matter of Tribal Council Banishment, Validity of Tribal Council Meeting Held June 2, 2012.

“The governor’s action to the court seeks an interpretation of his responsibilities in connection with the improperly held, and therefore invalid, Special Tribal Council meeting held on June 2, 2012 and the unconstitutional resolutions passed at the meeting.”

The motion outlines arguments disputing the validity of the Tribal Council meeting banishing Arrow and Robertson.

Tribes and the Census At the end of March the Census Bureau sent the questions it is proposing to ask in the 2020 Census and on the Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) to the Congress for review.

The questions for the upcoming decennial census got all the attention, stirring up a major controversy over the inclusion of one on citizenship status. (See the April 3rd issue of this newsletter for details.)

Even though the population counts coming out of the 2020 Census are of major importance, used to apportion the seats in the US House of Representatives among the states and for the redistricting of federal and state legislative seats, the ACS questions are arguably of equal or greater significance. Most of the nearly $700 billion in federal dollars that are distributed based on the use of Census Bureau numbers in their allocation formulas involve programs that use ACS data on the characteristics of the population, rather than on the population counts themselves.

The 2020 decennial will, like the 2010 Census, ask simply about the age, sex, race, ethnicity (Hispanic origin) and relationship to the person regarded as the householder. On the other hand the ACS asks over 30 detailed questions involving a wide range of matters related to education, income, employment, migration, transportation, veteran's status and housing conditions.

For programs distributing federal and state funds, state, regional and local planning agencies and businesses analyzing places to invest, it is primarily the ACS numbers that count.

The booklet showing the wording of the decennial and ACS questions that the Census Bureau recently sent

Administration to spend general ETA funds to pay for the special tabulation necessary to acquire the necessary data, as it has always done in the past.)

While the ACS data is important, and for the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations is the only source of numbers on Native unemployment and poverty down to the reservation level, the ACS questionnaire, designed for the general population, does not accurately reflect the situations of Native people, particularly in reservation areas. For example, this is the question on labor force status.

The question relies on the standard Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) definition of unemployment. The three main elements of that definition are that the person has not worked in the last week, the person could go to work when a job is offered and that the person has "actively" sought work in the previous four weeks. If any one of these three conditions is not met, for example if the person has not actively sought work by directly contacting employers, then he or she is not considered to be unemployed, but simply "not in the labor force."

Under the conditions in many reservation areas such an "active" search for work is irrelevant.

There are few job openings and when employment opportunities do arise, the news spreads quickly over the "moccasin telegraph." Moreover, the ACS collects virtually no information on the barriers to employment that often keep Native workers from accepting work or even "actively" looking for it, barriers such as lack of child or elder care, lack of reliable transportation or a lack of the training necessary to qualify for a job

to Congress has 20 pages devoted to the questions proposed for the upcoming Census. It has roughly 70 pages devoted to the questions proposed for future ACS forms.

The data derived from the ACS is particularly important as it is the only source of survey data covering every part of the United States, including every Indian reservation, former reservation area in Oklahoma and every Alaska Native village, as well as every county and city nationwide.

The ACS and Native Workforce Programs The formula for the allocation of Native American workforce funds provided under Section 166 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is one example of the importance of ACS data. The regulations for the program specifically provide that the funding appropriated by the Congress for the Section 166 Comprehensive Services Program be allocated by a formula involving the number of Native persons counted as unemployed and the number counted as in poverty within each grantee's designated service area as a proportion of the total of such numbers nationally.

Supplemental youth funding is allocated by a formula involving Native youth in poverty.

In the 2000 Census this data came from a "long form" survey that was part of that decennial headcount.

In 2010 this "long form" was no longer used. It was replaced by an ongoing survey, the ACS, conducted every month separately from the decennial census. (The Labor Department continues to use the 2000 "long form" data to allocate Native workforce program funds as a result of the refusal of the Employment and Training

Rosemary Stephens, Editor-in-Chief 405-422-7446 / rmstephens@c-a-tribes.org Society of Professional Journalists members

that is available. Persons with such barriers disappear from the unemployment data; they are counted as not in the labor force at all.

The ACS data also lacks the level of detail that's important for other aspects of the employment numbers.

For example, the ACS collects information on the "class of worker," whether a person who is working is employed by a private for profit, nonprofit or government employer. While employment with a tribal government or by a tribal government-owned but profit-seeking enterprise are the most common types of employment on many reservations, there is no mention on the ACS questionnaire of such employers at all.

Accurate Data Must Come from Tribes and Native Organizations Themselves Other ACS questions can also be problematic. The housing questions involve a simple, two-choice answer as to whether the housing unit is owned or rented. The variety of options provided currently under the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program and in the past under the many HUD-assisted housing initiatives in reservation areas are not well covered by this simple two-part answer. The one ACS question that does address the Native condition involves health coverage.

IHS coverage is specifically listed as a possible answer to this question.

With no major changes currently proposed for the ACS questions in future years, accurate data on many characteristics of the Native population will have to rely on data that tribes and Native organizations collect themselves, using questionnaires that reflect the actual conditions in Native communities.

Cheyenne and Arapaho r i b a l T r i b u n e

T

P. O. Box 38, Concho, OK 73022 Fax: 405-422-8204 Oklahoma Press Association member

In one paragraph the motion reads, “The Supreme Court previously ruled on In Re Matter of Legislative Banishment, that Legislative Bill No. 2L-2009-RS-16-03 which purports to banish Chief Judge Bob Smith, is unconstitutional because the “Legislature’s attempted banishment of Chief Judge Smith is a de facto attempt to remove the Trial Court’s Chief Judge from office” is unconstitutional based on “aggrandizement/encroachment” Separation of Powers grounds.

As of press time no court date had been set to hear case no. CIV-2018-66 Petition for Declaratory Judgment filed by Gorham.

Cheyenne-Arapaho governor adds to administration (CONCHO, OK) Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana has appointed former lt. gov. Cornell Sankey as the new Chief Financial Officer operating out of the Dept. of Treasury.

Sankey served four years as the tribes’ lieutenant governor from Jan. 1, 2014 to Jan. 5, 2018. Prior to this Sankey worked as the treasurer under former governor Janice Boswell’s administration.

Also being appointed, as Executive Director of Social Services, is tribal citizen

Winnie White Tail.

White Tail’s appointment is still pending legislature approval as stated on pg. 14 of the 2006 Cheyenne & Arapaho Constitution, Section 4 Powers, Subsection (h), “The Governor shall have the power to nominate an Executive Director for each Department subject to confirmation by the Legislature, provided that if no confirmation vote is taken by the Legislature within ninety days of nomination, the nominee shall be deemed confirmed.”

Latoya Lonelodge, Reporter/Advertising Sales 405-422-7608 / llonelodge@c-a-tribes.org Native American Journalist Association member

DISCLAIMER: Letters to the editor, opinions and commentaries do not reflect the views of the Tribune unless specified. Correspondence must be signed and include a return address and telephone number for verification, otherwise it will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Submission of a letter does not guarantee its publication. Photographs, news stories or other materials in this publication may not be reprinted without prior permission. Printed by Lindsay Web Press, Lindsay, Okla.

2010-2017 NATIVE AMERICAN JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION MEDIA AWARD WINNER & 2012-2017 AWARD WINNER OF THE OPA BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 4

Yu-Can continued from pg. 1 school shooting. Thirteen lives were lost that day and more than 20 students were injured. Just before the term of an era was up and the 21st century would begin, the tragedy of the Columbine school shooting plagued the thoughts of many on the safety of children in school and the controversial topic surrounding gun control.

Nineteen years after the Columbine shooting, topics surrounding gun control and safety have continuously strived to improve as various occurrences involving gun violence have occurred in regions and school districts Frank DeAngelis, Former Columbine High School Principle, retells the story of what hapthroughout the United States. pened at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. (Photo / Latoya Lonelodge) While initiatives on the safety night’s town hall meeting, local police enforcement were also surrounding school and children have changed throughout the in attendance to enlighten the public on the topic. years, it is still a trending topic that continues to be of interest.

“What we do as the police department within this comOn May 10, the Yu-Can Coalition and The Drug and Almunity is try to make sure they (students) are safe and they cohol Task Force presented Working Together for the Sucfeel safe. We spend a great deal of time and a lot of years cess of the Next Generation: Learning from the Experience of developing our response based on the incident that’s preColumbine at a town hall meeting held at Yukon High School sented tonight. This morning it was mentioned that 20 years in Yukon, Okla. really changes your perspective about how far things have The featured keynote speaker of the event was Frank come and still how far we have to go with ensuring that our DeAngelis, Former Columbine High School Principal. With kids are safe at schools, the types of training continues to be years of educational background experience, DeAngelis was developed, continues to change, the focus now is empowernot prepared for that fateful afternoon on April 20, a day he, ing these young people to protect themselves, empowering along with many others, will never forget. administrators and staff with simple ideas and tools that can “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about be used in the classrooms within the building that create even 11:13, twelve of my students and a dear friend of mine, Dave more security that allows law enforcement a quick response, Sanders, all I keep thinking about, I have a lot of survivors time to get in the building to take care of any type of the sitguilt, but these kids walked into my building at 7 ‘O clock in uation that they arrive at, but those are the changes, those are the morning and they would never make it home again. And things that have developed over the last several years,” Chief the thing that was so difficult for me to deal with is their lives John Corn, Yukon Police Department said. were taken by two of my students and I’ll always wonder was Chief Corn also informed the public of safety work trainthere something we missed or something we could’ve done,” ing being offered to businesses and the community.

DeAngelis said.

“If you’re interested in any type of training, if you’re a With each word, the horrid scenes from that day at Columbusiness owner, if you’re a tribal citizen that entertains a bine High School were retold, capturing the hearts of attendgroup on a regular basis and you would like to have some ees who listened silently with grief stricken eyes. training done on what could be done for your events, please Recollecting thoughts from personal experience of that don’t hesitate to contact my office and I’ll give you that inforday, DeAngelis continued to tell the story of the Columbine mation and we can set up that training for you,” Chief Corn High School shooting. said.

“I did make a promise to the 13 that you just saw up there, In hosting the town meeting, Yu-Can Coalition focused there’s nothing I could do to bring them back but I’m going on spreading safety awareness around schools as the Yukon to do everything in my power to continue to go out and speak Middle School Theatre Department performed skits centered on their behalf’s and I know we have some young people here on drug and alcohol abuse and gun violence. With students tonight and I can assure you our schools are still the safest, actively involved with the message of safety and awareness, they’re safe places, one of the things that I think you need to their role for the future actively spoke for itself. hear loudly and clearly,” DeAngelis said.

“We started planning this meeting right around the time Since the Columbine shooting, other various acts of school of the Parkland shooting in Florida and so it just kind of fell shootings have followed, fueling discussion and controversial in place that we were able to get a hold of Frank DeAngeissues on the safety of children in schools. DeAngelis dislis to be here. I think it’s really great that we were able to cussed the importance of speaking out to someone if suspiget somebody as well known as him to come speak and we cious activities involving violence are known. used him all day, he talked to our administrators this morning “We hear unfortunately about some of these other violent from around the state about things that they could do in their acts that have taken place but how many have been stopped schools, then he came and talked to our youth today at lunch because of things we’re doing right now and for all the stuand talked to us about how we are the leaders of the next gendents that are here tonight when you go to school, whether it eration and how we can help make the future better,” Sarah be middle school, high school or elementary school, if you Gregory, Yu-Can Coalition Treasurer said. see something you need to say something, if you hear someThe Yu-Can Coalition’s mission is to advocate for a healthy thing you need to say something because you’re the ones that lifestyle free from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in the Yucan make a difference,” DeAngelis said. kon Community. The Town Hall was supported and funded in With the subject of school safety as the highlight of the part by SAMHSA through the STOP Act Grant.

A case of mistaken identity Have you ever googled your full name to see what comes back on the World Wide Web? For instance, when I googled my name I found 10 other individuals all with the name Rosemary Stephens. And even one who lives in the same small Oklahoma town I currently live in. Talk about coincidences.

Imagine you are an elected official, in any capacity, someone picks up a newspaper and there, in black and white, they see your name printed in the “arrests/charges” section.

Only it’s not you. It can get crazy real quick.

Ask Cheyenne District 2 Legislator George Woods. He knows first hand the chaos having the same name as another can cause.

On Wednesday, May 23 the Watonga Republican published a small excerpt of an arrest of a ‘George Woods’ being charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. There was only one small problem. It was not Cheyenne District 2

Legislator George Woods, but in fact, an individual from Weatherford, Okla. with the full name of George Woods II. Think of the rapid spread of allegations, rumors and such.

Cheyenne District 2 Legislator Woods, after contacting the arresting agency to gather more information about this “mystery” arrest, resorted to addressing those rumors and allegations on Social Media. The quickest and fastest way to reach those who chose to start the rumors without first checking on the facts.

Woods wrote, “This is crazy! Had people call me and asking me. The person in this article is not me! This person name is George Woods II out of Weatherford Oklahoma. I just called Blaine County and you are more then welcome to verify yourself. Any other questions or concerns feel free to contact myself or Blaine County. Thank you.”

So lesson learned … check the facts before jumping on the band wagon.

Buffalo continued from pg. 1 Some of the animals are destined to provide food for a tribal elderly nutrition program, specifically one aimed at diabetes wellness. Currently, the tribes rely on local slaughterhouses to process the animals, but Hart said they are looking to build their own slaughterhouse in the near future.

While many of the bison are based among the 4,000 acres of tribal pastureland in Concho, others will populate land owned in other parts of the state.

“We own ... just a little over 15,000 acres in western Oklahoma, so we’ve got a couple other areas that we’ve been getting ready,” Hart said. “Those range anywhere from 800 acres up to 1,000 acres here and 1,000 acres there, that would be solely pastures for the bison.”

In addition to the goal of growing their pre-existing herds, Hart said it was also a

The 12th annual Native American Economic Development Conference June 4-5, 2018 at Disney’s Grand Hotel & Spa in Anaheim, Calif. For more information visit www.nativenationevents.org.

The seventh annual Native American Housing Conference June 4-5, 2018 at Disney’s Grand Hotel & Spa in Anaheim, Calif. For more information or to reg-

unique opportunity to help the state.

“The grasslands out there have really struggled the past year so we understand the difficulties the state had on their land there, not having the grassland resources available to take care of the herd,” Hart said. “We’re really honored to be the new caretakers of this herd coming from the state park.”

Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department officials said they were excited at the news that the tribes would take possession of the herd.

“The cultures of the Plains Indians and the bison have been intrinsically joined for centuries,” said Dick Dutton, executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. “We are glad that our herd can play a small part in the Cheyenne Arapaho continuing to bring back this element of their history.”

ister visit www.nativenationevents.org.

Native American Healthcare Conference June 4-5, 2018 at Disney’s Grand Hotel & Spa in Anaheim, Calif. For more information or to register visit www.nativenationevents.org.

Amending and Updating Tribal Enrollment Requirements June 18-20, 2018 at the

BRIEFS AT A GLANCE

Flamingo Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information or to register visit www. falmouthinstitute.com.

Management and Control of Tribal Assets and Property June 26-27, 2018 at the Flamingo Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information or to register visit www. falmouthinstitute.com.

The National UNITY Conference

July 5-9, 2018 at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego, Calif. For more information or to register visit www.unityinc.org.

Leveraging ICWA and Developing Your Tribe’s Own Child Protection Code July 18-19, 2018 at the Bally’s in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information or to register visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

National Insitute for Native Leadership in Higher Education 2018 Summer Institute July 25-27, 2018 at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo. For more information or to register visit www.depts.unco. edu/ninlhe.com.

Basic Bookkeeping: Federal Grants and Contracts Accounting for Tribes and Tribal Organizations

July 30-31, 2018 at the Hilton in Phoenix, Ariz. For more information or to register visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

Introduction to Tribal Grants Management Aug. 6-7, 2018 at the Alaska Native Health Consortium in Anchorage, Alaska. For more information or to register visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

Tribal Transportation Safety Program puts kids safety first (CLINTON, OK) Is your child’s car seat safe? That question goes through the minds of every new mom and dad as they strap in their precious child. And that’s the question Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Transportation Safety Program (TSP) wants to answer with a definite yes.

At a community baby event hosted by the Clinton Indian Health Services on May 22 in Clinton, Okla. members of the TSP were on hand to check, correctly install car seats and distribute new car seats for children to eliminate that one question from many parents’ minds.

Along with the TSP, the Nationally Certified Passenger Safety Technicians (CPST) checked and installed 28 car seats and distributed 19 new car seats during the event.

“During the car seat checks there were many installation errors identified and corrected by the CPST reducing the likelihood and/or severity of injuries in the event of a motor vehicle crash,” David Bales, Division of Environmental Health Services environmental health officer wrote in an email. “The car seats were provided by the Clinton Indian Health Center and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Transportation Safety Program with the car seat check up booth being staffed by the IHS Division of Environmental Health and the Cheyenne and Arapaho TSP staff.”

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Transportation Safety Program (C&A TSP) submitted an application to the BIA IHSP for the Child Protection Safety (CPS) grant in May 2017 and was a successful recipient in which to acquire and distribute fifty (50) child safety seats under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance title “State and Community Highway Safety” to “enhance the Tribe’s Child Passenger Safety Project aimed at reducing juvenile death and injuries on the reservation.” As per the grant application submitted, the C&A TSP had secured a letter of support from Mr. Bales, Environmental Health Officer of the Oklahoma IHS Division of Environmental Health and Oklahoma Safe Kids Coalition.

“The Car Seat Checkup booth held at the Clinton Community Baby Event on May 22is a prime example of the collaborative effort developed between the C&A TSP and Indian Health Services. Through the FY2018 BIA IHSP CPS Grant application, the C&A TSP has distributed a total of 36 car seats through community checkpoint events and another three through direct appointments at our office in Concho, which has been established as a Permanent Fitting Station by Oklahoma Safe Kids Coalition,” Angela Blind, Tribal Transportation director said.

Currently, the C&A TSP is awaiting approval from Okla-

NOTICE OF CLOSINGS All Tribal Community Centers will be closed for personal/family events beginning Monday, June 4 thru July 22, 2018 for yearly ceremonies, although they will be open for tribal programs Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

June 16-July 1 SEILING COMMUNITY CENTER will be open during this time as a cooling station for the children, elderly & handicapped.

June 25-July 1 NAC & HAMMON COMMUNITY CENTER will be open during this time as cooling stations for the children, elderly & handicapped.

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Transportation Safety Program members team up with members of the Nationally Certified Passenger Safety to inspect, install and distribute car seats to tribal citizens during a community baby event in Clinton, Okla. (Courtesy photo) homa Safe Kids Coalition to establish the Clinton Transit site as a Permanent Fitting Station in which Tribal citizens can arrange appointments to receive a car seat or instructions on proper installation of car seats.

Through community checkpoints held at Clinton, Concho, Watonga and Canton, the C&A TSP has been successful in providing child safety seats, inspection services and proper installation instructions to Tribal citizens across the Tribes’ service area.

Blind said the C&A TSP looks forward to extending their services into other Tribal communities including Hammon and Seiling in the upcoming months.

“The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Transportation Safety Program is proud to be serving Tribal citizens in need through the funds received from the BIA Indian Highway Safety Program (IHSP) for 2018 and has submitted an application for the FY2019 BIA IHSP CPS Grant in which the goal will be to acquire even more seats to be provided to Tribal citizens in need,” Blind said.

Parents of three young children who died as a result of house fire files suit The parents of three young El Reno children killed in a New Year’s Day house fire are suing the manufacturer of a space heater as well as their landlord at the time.

The lawsuit, filed in Canadian County District Court, names Patton Products, Sunbeam Products, Newell Brands Inc. and Edward Graham as defendants. The suit was filed by James Redbird and Kee-Yanna Osage, individually and on behalf of Mayley Jean, 22 months, Gunner Ray, 3, and Amylah Dawn Redbird, 4. The lawsuit Mayley Jean, 22 months, Gunner Ray, 3, and Amylah seeks damages “in excess” of Dawn Redbird, 4 died in a house fire on or about Jan. 1, 2018 $75,000.

The case has been assigned in El Reno, Okla. to District Judge Paul Hesse.

The lawsuit states: On or about Jan. 1, 2018, Plaintiffs were at home sleeping. Suddenly and without warning, the space heater inside Plaintiff’s home malfunctioned, sparked and ignited a fire inside the house. The fire quickly consumed the house, and with it Mayley Jean, Gunner Ray and Amylah Dawn Redbird.

The suit alleges Patton Products, Sunbeam Products and Newell Brands Inc. “designed and manufactured the space heater that malfunctioned and led to the fire.”

The suit also alleges Graham “failed to keep the home safe and habitable for his tenants, as he did not make necessary repairs and maintenance to the home.”

In late April, a number of investigators and attorneys were at the house at 208 N. K in what El Reno Fire Chief Kent Lagaly described as part of a “civil matter.” El Reno’s deputy fire marshal was also at the scene that day as an observer, Lagaly said.

The Redbirds are being represented by Atkins and Markoff of Oklahoma City.

Mothers at the Independent Living Center received a special Mother’s Day dinner at Pedro’s Mexican Restaurant in Clinton, Okla.

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“The Circle f 19”

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

Remembering the journey to bring Cheyenne and Arapaho people home Written in collaboration between Ed Wilson and Rosemary Stephens Twenty-five years ago, in the summer of 1993 the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes came together to honor tribal citizens who had perished in massacres and battles with soldiers and militias of the United Sates Military.

As well as with civilians who joined the effort to subdue and move many tribes to reservations.

It was a sad and dark history for Indian Country.

There were many battles.

There were many massacres and just plain hostilities between the white man and tribal people.

The U.S. Military acted upon orders and decisions of the Washington politicians and their agents in the field.

Many military commanders just followed orders or reacted and improvised in the field as they came into contact with tries and moved to subdue them.

The reservation system was off the planning board and was being implemented as fully as intended. It was to be the way congress moved to systematically civilize the Indian, and following many hundreds of U.S. Treaties negotiated with many tribes.

And it is history that the U.S. government, in turn, broke, negated or simply ignored the provisions and languages of those treaties.

It was that summer of

1993 the tribes exercised their right to bring home to Concho 19 tribal members through the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) of 1990.

“That was a difficult moment for all of us,” Hart recalled in an article published June 5, 2000. “You could see the bullet holes in some of the skulls.”

In summary, the NAGPRA allowed tribes to request that remains of tribal members be returned to their tribes. Some were housed in museums, warehouses, federal institutions, state care and storage, and any other known location identified to fall under the Act. Sometimes it included private or state institutions preserving or displaying those remains, such as bones, skeletons, put together caricatures of tribal remains.

“The Smithsonian Institute was the keeper/holder of many sets or pieces of remains of many tribes. Their research and historical evidence was very instrumental in working with tribes to make it possible for the tribal members to be sent home,” Ed Wilson wrote, who was one of the men who made the trip to the Smithsonian in 1993 to reclaim the remains of tribal members.

Wilson also stated, “The process was endearing and important to those individual tribes who wanted their deceased members to be

Different photos of the burial of the Circle of 19. Cheyenne & Arapaho members whose remains were finally returned to the tribes to be placed in their final resting place among their people. (Submitted photos) returned to the tribe and interred in the tribal homeland.

At that point the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes enacted the process and were successful in the return of those identified and held by these various institutions.”

Cheyenne Peace Chief, Rev. Lawrence Hart, was the catalyst for the process of applying to the federal government for the identification and return of the remains to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. Hart was eventually appointed to the NAGPRA review committee in 1993 by then Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt.

Hart approached the tribes and shared his information and contacts with the proper authorities and briefed them on fully implementing the application process. He had done his due diligence and had most of the process wrapped in a very precise and understandable package.

From that point, it was up to the tribes to do their part in drafting legislation, passing and submitting the application, as well as working with the Smithsonian directors and negotiating any items that had to be agreeable to both parties under the law.

“We still had a lot of work to do within the tribes. There were many details and findings to be dealt with and we understood we were embarking on a very sensitive subject,” Wilson wrote. “Many prayers were expressed on an ongoing basis to give us strength and understanding of how important this subject really was.”

A request was sent out for traditional and ceremonial members to assist, and the response overwhelmed the people involved by the

emotions and support they received. Wilson said it was the traditional and ceremonial members’ knowledge and prayers that made the program successful.

Hart was very adept in working with tribal staff and elected officials in moving and keeping the program on track. Many elements of the tribes come together, many individuals were involved and gave great support and direction to the tribal tem that processed the application and worked out the legal terms.

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma were the first tribes in Oklahoma to fully complete the process and have it successfully come to fruition.

“During the entire process we were in contact with the Northern Cheyenne, not only with their governing body but with their traditional/ ceremonial leaders. It was understandable after much discussion that we may come into possession with remains that have close ties with our northern brothers and sisters, and may be very close relatives, or part of a northern family,” Wilson said.

It was concluded that the tribes should make the Northern Cheyenne apart of the burial and honoring process when the interment at Concho was to happen.

By that same assumption, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma were invited to the same type of burial and services when the Northern Cheyenne completed the repatriation at Lame Deer, Montana.

“Their process was much the same as ours here in Oklahoma. We were thankful of their invitation and how

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

they hosted us. Their representatives provided us with valuable tribal/traditional information, guidance, and we were very thankful for their support and involvement in their visit to our lands,” Wilson stated.

But nothing would prepare the group who traveled to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum for the emotions they felt upon seeing the remains of lost tribal members, some from the massacre at Sand Creek. And as they stood and stared at the long row of tables in a silent room that day in 1993 they all knew their lives would forever be changed.

“One of the most unforgettable experiences of the entire project was when we were invited into a large room in the Smithsonian to uncover and view the remains. The officials of the museum gave us a rundown of their efforts to establish and maintain a working relationship with tribal representatives and to carry out the letter of the law,” Wilson wrote. “The remains were on a very large table covered with sheets, each pile of bones were the remains of an individual … victims of one of the many battles, massacres perpet4rated against the Cheyenne and Arapaho people.”

They were asked to station themselves behind sets of remains and one or more of the elders present said prayers. After the prayers and more dialogue, they were asked to each

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

uncover a set of remains.

“There were wails of emotions, tears shed by everyone, even the men were brought to tears. It was an unbelievable moment,” Wilson stated. “One of the most memorable set of remains was that of a young girl, probably close to a teenager that had been struck in the head by a sabre, presumably by an officer on a horse. She perished, but the piece of her skull that was taken off by the sabre was kept with her body and we were able to bury her intact.”

The flood of emotions was a wide-ranging flood. One from anger to humility to admiration for those individuals that endured the awful plight of running from the soldiers and volunteers, to trying to escape with their families and trying to save the children and elders.

“We owe these tribal members our love and respect and to take care of their resting places. It is our responsibility as a tribe and perhaps as relatives of the ones that we brought home,” Wilson said.

When you have a chance go by the “Circle of 19” and see the broken stones, the chipped and sunken areas, the overgrown grass that disrupts the sanctity of the remains. And say a prayer for the tribes, the relatives that rest there, and for our future generations that will someday rest in the hallowed ground of our homeland.

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Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

“You are Educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative ... think of it as your ticket to Change The World.�

Tom Brokaw

Cheryl Carter Bachelor of Arts Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Arthur Condulle Bachelor of Science Langston University

Marvin Garcia Jr. Associate of Arts Chief Dull Knife College

Logan Haverstrom Bachelor of General Studies University of Kansas

Brian Jai Keith Bachelor of Fine Arts Institute of American Indian Arts

Sharon Levi Associate of Arts Oklahoma City Community College

LeeAndrea Lewis Bachelor of Science Mid American Christian University

Terrence Littlejohn Bachelor of Arts Haskell Indian Nations University

Denny Medicinebear Bachelor of Science University of Central Oklahoma

Maria Moore Master of Science Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Sabrina Daukei Norris Bachelor of Science Kansas State University

Amelia Sam Associate of Arts Redlands Community College

Chazz Schapansky Bachelor of Science Oklahoma State University

Montana Stonecalf Associate of Science Redlands Community College

Kelly Cheyenne Jury Bachelor of Science University of Oklahoma

Michelle Tippeconnic Doctorate of Nursing Oklahoma City University

Samuel Youngbull Associate of Arts Haskell Indian Nations University

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 9

“You’re life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.”

Kerry Washington

Bryce Cole Bacon Sapulpa High School

Tristan Beacham Emerald Ridge High School

Jayci Bear Calumet High School

Breyden Kyle Michael Bearshield Valhalla High School

Michael Ray Bigfoot El Reno High School

Marley Black Harsthorne High School

Seth Black Seiling High School

Walter Blackowl II Yukonn High School

Cheyne Bullcoming Lokeba-Sickles High School

Andrea Curtis Riverside Indian School

Alisa Esparza Clinton High School

Nakai David Freeland Rock Canyon High School

Anna Galaviz Weatherford High School

Mariah Garcia Lame Deer High School

Jarrett Goombi Mustang High School

Seth Gouldsby West Moore High School

Layshayla Green Canton High School

Ethan Guerrero Mustang High School

Desiree, Hamilton El Reno High School

Janelle Hawk Kingfisher High School

Michael Heap of Birds El Reno High School

Samuel Horse Jr. El Reno High School

Justus Hulsey Enid High School

Riley Island Calumet High School

Tanner Island Calumet High School

William Jabbar Santa Fe South High School

Alexia Jenkins Lawton-MacArthur High School

Jarred Johnson El Reno High School

Aundrea Koshiway Del City High School

Dalton Hunter Lime Woodward High School

Kyle Lime Clinton High School

Josiah Isaac Marshall Geary High School

Lauryn Lee Medicinebear Watonga High School

Shay Allen Oliver Woodward High School

Rylee Ortega Seiling High School

Rayna Patton Kingfisher High School

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 10

“To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe�

Anatole France

Natane Pelkey Campus High School

Adrian Perez West Moore High School

Sage Peyton Piedmont High School

Jemma Powell Clinton High School

Kaleb Primeaux El Reno High School

Logan Primeaux El Reno High School

Calista Reed Epic Charter High School

Neock Reyes El Reno High School

Carlos Rodriguez Clinton High School

Jordan Roque Clinton High School

Nekohl Sawtelle Yukon High School

Allen Sioux Jr. El Reno High School

Dariney Slinkey Riverside Indian School

Dominic Riley Spotted Corn El Reno High School

Gavin Stonecalf El Reno High School

Theresa Surveyor Canton High School

Dominick Tucker Bethel High School

Nicole Turtle Clinton High School

The Cheyenne & Arapaho Graduation Special Edition Compliments of the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune Congratulations to ALL the Graduates Fred Washee Jr. Lame Deer Junior High School

Janae White Eagle El Reno High School

College Graduates/Not Pictured: Allison Black Masters of Teaching Oklahoma State University Traci Dru Bachelor of Science Rogers State University Jeanna Ford Doctorate of Nursing Chamberlain University Zachary Hokeah Bachelor of Arts Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Lauren Odom Bachelor of Science University of S. Florida Robyn Smith Masters in Curriculum & Instruction Concordia University William Stepp Bachelor of Arts Southwestern Oklahoma State University Christina Vasquez Bachelor of Science Oklahoma State University

Kelly Jury Bachelor of Science University of Oklahoma

Damon White Thunder Bachelor of Arts Ft. Lewis College

Candice Magana Bachelor of Arts Reinhardt University

Hannah Winslow Bachelor of Science University of Oklahoma

Susan Muliagatele Bachelor of Science Oklahoma City University

Larry Yarbrough Bachelor of Science Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Ethan Wilson El Reno High School

Victoria Woods El Reno High School

High School/Not Pictured: Kara Bearshield, Clinton High School Emily Bellymule, El Reno High School Treyla Bence, Woodward High School Coye Beig Eagle, Riverside High School Brianna Bighorse, NW Classen High School Seth Black, Seiling High School Taylor Black, El Reno High School Marcus Blackwolf, El Reno High School Samantha Blood, Canton High School Jose Campos, Canton High School Kola Carter Watonga High School Maci Chandler, Cache High School Nicole Coffey, Watonga High School Hunter Cometsevah, El Reno High School Abbigail Deardorff, Webbeers Falls High School Kiera Dodge, Clinton High School Jaylon Esparza, Arapaho High School Richard Gutierrez II, Mustang High School Addie Haag, Kingfisher High School Iris Hamilton, El Reno High School Laudie Hamilton, Kingfisher High School Rylee Hamilton-Ortega, Seiling High School Kaleb Hanson, Woodward High School Elmer Tsatigh Jr., Canton High School Nadia Wandrie, Clinton High School

Suzette Whitebuffalo, Riverside High School Madelyn Henry, Clinton High School Connor Holdon, El Reno High School Reshea Jenkins, El Reno High School Lydia Kaaloa, Nanakuli High School Braden Kesster, Thomas High School Josiah Marshall, Geary High School Daylen Pawnee, El Reno High School Tabitha Prairie Chief, El Reno High School Lauryn Redhat, Canton High School Graciela Rivas, Seiling High School Lena Russell, Moore High School Cooper Sperle, Clinton High School Jakob Whitecrow, Woodward high School Madison Wilson, Yukon High School Micco Wilson, Glenpool High School

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 11

“A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark ...”

Unknown

Elijah Fegin Canton Head Start

Bit’Ko Garcia Canton Head Start

Kassidi Hartfield Canton Head Start

Kathryn Island Canton Head Start

Ambrien Kelley Canton Head Start

Karah Kershner Canton Head Start

Lovelee Montgomery Canton Head Start

Konner Patt Canton Head Start

Morkel Barker Clinton Head Start

Peyton Bullcoming Clinton Head Start

Damars Ellis Clinton Head Start

Stacey Frank Clinton Head Start

Geneva GonzalesGarcia Clinton Head Start

Adriana Harkness Clinton Head Start

Javier Hernandez Clinton Head Start

Zayvon Hester Clinton Head Start

Tyree James Jr. Clinton Head Start

Aiden Merriott Clinton Head Start

Brynlee Nowling Clinton Head Start

Benjamin O’Dell Clinton Head Start

Zaiden Soto Clinton Head Start

Caralyn Spottedwolf Clinton Head Start

Lena Warden Clinton Head Start

Miralle Whiteshirt Clinton Head Start

Charlotte Chillous Concho Head Start

Savannah Rose Curtis Concho Head Start

Beibeitsei Nya Hamilton Concho Head Start

Sky Hirst Concho Head Start

Gage Levi Concho Head Start

Amaziah Meely Concho Head Start

Justice Morsette Concho Head Start

Shaileigh Ortiz Concho Head Start

Nevaeh Pollack Concho Head Start

Prince Beave Ramirez Concho Head Start

Yazmin Rosales Concho Head Start

Caroline Sharp Concho Head Start

Kamrynn Shockley Concho Head Start

Ryder Shockley Concho Head Start

Alexis Sleeper Concho Head Start

Julien Tahdooahnippah Concho Head Start

Nevaeh Tiger Concho Head Start

Tahnee Ware-Beaver Bluesky Whitecloud Concho Head Start Concho Head Start

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 12

E a t i n g healthy for

DIABETES

The American Liver Foundation stated in 2015 that 25 percent of people in the U.S. are living with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is a condition associated with obesity that can eventually lead to other liver conditions or even liver failure. They state that in less than a decade, NAFLD will likely become the number one cause of liver transplants in the country.

NAFLD is a described as a disease of the accumulation of excess fat in the liver and closely correlates with the obesity epidemic. It is also being intertwined with alcohol consumption and binge drinking because both puts a greater stress on the liver.

Today, 1/3 of Americans are obese and is expected to top 60 percent in 13 U.S. states by 2030. A genetic predisposition to obesity or diabetes, lack of exercise and poor diet-all of which are major health issues for the

U.S. Rates for the disease is expected to continue to rise and will pose major health risks to many Americans in coming years.

NAFLD is the accumulating of fat in the hepatocytes or liver clues in excessive amounts, mainly in the form of triglycerides.

These facts are normally burned off for energy, when you overeat your body is overwhelmed with calories.

If you don’t exercise, then the triglycerides are not released. They then accumulate in the liver and cause NAFLD, which can lead to inflammation, scarring, liver dysfunction and even liver cancer.

The liver is the second largest organ in the body and it can repair itself. This disease is preventable and reversible with exercise and nutritional improvements.

The symptoms don’t cause problems for years maybe five or 10 years before you

Meet Rozalyn Timothy:

Rozalyn Timothy was inducted into the Oklahoma Indian Honor Society in April 2018. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and has learned the basics of the Cherokee culture.

Rozalyn is known for reaching out to support others and for standing up for her peers.

She loves playing her musical instruments, the guitar, the piano and the baritone, also loves art and science.

Rozalyn loves to travel, documenting along the way and assists in writing comedy short shories.

Congratulations on her induction into the Oklahoma Indian Honor Society.

Fatty Liver Disease Tara Conway, MS, RD, LD, CDE C&A Diabetes Wellness Program

realize you have might have a problem. Fatty liver has no associated symptoms, you may experience fatigue or vague abdominal discomfort, or it may become slightly enlarged which a doctor can detect during physical examination. Excess fat can cause inflammation and if it becomes inflamed you may have symptoms like poor appetite, weight loss, physical weakness, abdominal pain or confusion.

What are the causes of fatty liver? It develops when the body creates too much fat or cannot metabolize it fast enough. The excess fat is stored in the liver where it accumulates to form fatty liver disease. Eating a highfat, high-sugar diet may not directly result in fatty liver but it can contribute to it because the more calories, fat and carbohydrates you eat the less your body can metabolize the nutrients which in turns gets stored as fat.

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Election Commission attended a seminar entitled, “Conducting Tribal Elections Training,” April 25-28 in Albuquerque, N.M. The training was held during the same timeframe as Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana and Lt. Gov. Gib Miles, New Mexico community outreach, as well at the Office of Tribal Council community outreach, giving some of the commissioners the opportunity to attend the community outreaches.

Pictured l-r: Ramona

Besides alcoholism there are other causes of fatty liver such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, or high levels of fats in the blood, diabetes, genetic inheritance, rapid weight loss and side effect of certain medications, including aspirins, steroids, tamoxifen, and tetracycline.

It is important to remember monitor portions, balance your plate, get plenty of rest so you won’t overeat and exercise at least 30 minutes every day.

NOTE: NYPD camp is June 11-15. We are at capacity and then some. I am so happy we are able to take so many of our youth to camp.

All campers will need to report to the Diabetes Program 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. both June 5 and June 8.

For more information and tips on wellness contact Tara Conway at the Diabetes Wellness Program 405-4227685 or email tconway@ca-tribes.org.

Welch, Cheyenne District 3, Elizabeth Birdshead, Arapaho District 4, Norma Yarbrough, Cheyenne District 2, Patricia Smother, Arapaho District 3, Sandra Hinshaw, Cheyenne District 1, Dale , Arapaho District 2 and Sarah Orange, Cheyenne District 4.

Also attending training was the Election Commission administrative assistant, Marvina Black The ones attending the Office of Tribal Council community meeting were Welch, Birdshead, Hinsahw and Black.

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

TC meeting continued from pg. 1 it’s my job to inform tribal members of what’s going on with our tribal legislature.”

Plummer said C-A tribal members “never knew about” the PokerTribe.com website venture until after it failed.

The Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes filed a lawsuit last September claiming fraudulent gaming deals, including the failed poker website, cheated their people out of $13 million, The Oklahoman reported.

“We never knew about it until it was already done and over with,” Plummer said.

“We had already spent $9.4 million on it and nobody knew about it because nobody was being informed.”

“A lot of the people involved in the scams, they are the ones who are trying to get me out,” she added.

Plummer said 35 percent of the tribal members live inside the C-A tribe’s district, which includes Beckham, Blaine, Custer, Dewey, Roger Mills and Washita counties. The other 65 percent, Plummer said, live outside of the tribe’s district and have helped her stay in office.

“They’re the ones keeping me in (office) because I keep them informed through

social media,” she said. “I use all means of communication including texting to get info out about what the tribal government is doing.

“The people that work or have been around our area in Concho or El Reno; they keep wanting to get me out because they don’t like people knowing what’s going on in our government.”

Plummer believes the new tribal council coordinator policy resolution will pass, if a quorum is met “because the new administration we have are not paying employees to come and vote like the past administrations have done whenever they wanted something done at a tribal council meeting.”

She said past administrations have paid employees to vote her out “the last five times they’ve tried to remove” her, but “it didn’t happen because I had more people showing up out of the district.”

She said people drove all the way from New Mexico to vote to keep her in office because she helps them stay informed on government dealings.

“I don’t know if we’ll meet a quorum. If we do have a meeting, it’ll pass,” she said.

Congratulations to Rayna Patton 4A Oklahoma State 2018 Champion Girls Discus Throw Kingfisher High School

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

Wishing a Happy 12th Birthday to Alex Yellow Eagle on May 19 and Happy 10th Birthday to Bindi Yellow Eagle on May 26. We are proud of you for making good grades, for being good citizens, for knowing right from wrong and for treating people with respect and consideration. Jesus Bless you both. Your family loves you very much.

Happy 18th Birthday Justus.

We love you to the moon and back. Best of luck on the beginning of the rest of your life. Grandma Robbin

PAGE 13

Thank You

Thank you from Sheldon, Shannon and Lanae She had an awesome trip!

Your Higher Ed program was able to assist in Lanae’s tuition fee and we wanted to say thank you to all your staff. Keep up the great work.

The Ben Family / Shiprock, New Mexico

Congratulations Neock M. Reyes Class of 2018 I would like to express how proud I am of my baby girl’s accomplishment of graduating this year & furthering her education and talent in a few months at Institute of American Arts at Santa Fe, N.M. Best wishes always on reaching all her goals she sets forth in her life.

Love always, mom

Congratulations Johnathan “Aiden” Pappan Sequoyah Elementary We love you and are so proud of you. Love your family

Congratulations Seth!

On a job well done. We are so proud of you!

Love your entire family.

Seth is the grandson of Rita Black and nephew of Sandra Hinshaw

I would love to sent a giant congratulations to my granddaughter Maudie Cruz Marin!! She graduated from Clinton High School Love Roselyn Rodriguez

The Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes Johnson O’Malley Program would like to Congratulate the Class of 2018. YOU DID IT! Best wishes on your next adventure.

OBITS

Jason Lynn Harrison, 56, of Anadarko, Okla. was born Oct. 28, 1961 to Edward Harrison Sr. and Rita Kaudlekaule Harrison. He passed away on Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Oklahoma City with his family by his side.

Angeline Sankey was born on Feb. 26, 1968 in Clinton, Okla., to Arapaho Chief Alonzo and Margaret (Redcherries) Sankey. She passed away on May 21, 2018 at her home in rural

The Clinton C&A Head Start would like to thank the C3 & A3 Legislatures Mr. Sonny Redshin & Mr. Patrick Spottedwolf for purchasing gifts for all the Head Start graduate and nongraduate students, the JOM program for purchasing gifts for the graduates, and our own Head Start Program for purchasing gifts for all the Head Start graduate and non-graduate students. We would also like to thank drum group Tradition not Addiction for conducting the flag song during our graduation ceremony. We appreciate all the parents and families that came to enjoy this special day with their child. Good luck to all of our students that are moving onto kindergarten!!

He grew up around Kingfisher and the Anadarko area.

He attended Concho School and graduated from Riverside Indian School. He loved all his family and friends. He enjoyed all his grandchildren.

Jason enjoyed drawing, watching football and love his western shows. He was an avid Oklahoma Sooners fan as well as a Dallas Cowboy fan.

He leaves to cherish his memories one brother William “Scuff” Harrison of Anadarko, Okla., two nieces Myra Harrison and companion, Sherman of Anadarko, Okla. Lynda Goombi and husband Melvern of Ft. Cobb, Okla., one uncle

Harry Kaudlekaule of Carnegie, Okla., nine grandchildren, Kobe, Kambry, Caleb, Shanie, Faith, Anthony, Jacoby, Deluca and Kaiden.

Jason was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Harrison Sr. and Rita Kaudlekaule Harrison, three brothers, Ronald Gene Harrison, Melvin Ray Harrison Sr., Edward Zock Harrison Jr., one sister Linda Harrison and one nephew Melvin Ray Harrison Jr. Wake Service were held May 23 at Ray & Martha’s Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services were held May 24 at the First Apache Indian Baptist Church in Apache, Okla.

Canton, Okla.

Angie grew up in the Canton area and graduated with the class of 1986 at Canton High School. She worked for 11 years for the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes Food Distribution Center in Watonga as a Certification Clerk. Angie enjoyed going to powwows, benefit dances and concerts.

Angie was preceded in death by her parents, Alonzo and Margaret Sankey, two sisters, Trudi and Alondra Survivors include her daughter Natasha Sankey of the home, two brothers, Scott Sankey and wife Candi and Corbin Sankey, both of Canton, Okla.; three sisters,

Danette Hook and husband Harold of Canton, Okla., Annette Bober of Canton, Okla. and Lanette Coffey of Watonga, Okla.; two nieces Logan Sankey and Hazel Sankey; one nephew, Leo Bober Jr.; companion Troy Littleraven of Geary, Okla., and many other extended family and friends.

Wake services were held May 24 at the Canton Native American Gym with Rev. George Akeen, Jr. officiating. Funeral services were held May 25 at the same venue, followed by an Intermentat the Canton Cemetery under the direction of Pierce Funeral Home.

Arapaho Jaylon Esparza Canton Jose Campos LaShayla Green Lauryn Redhat Theresa Surveyor Elmer Tsatigh, Jr Clinton Kara Bearshield DeAntre Caldwell Kiera Dodge Danielle Foster Kyle Lime Ryan Martinez Jemma Powell Carlos Rodriguez Jordan Roque Cooper Sperle Nicole Turtle Nadia Wandrie Calumet Riley Island Tanner Island El Reno Jayci Bear Emily Bellymule Michael Bigfoot Taylor Black Hunter Cometsevah Morgan Darnell Abram Ferguson Jacob Girten Elyja Goulsby Desiree Hamilton Iris Hamilton Bella Hammond Michael Heap of Birds Connor Holden Samuel Horse, Jr. Reshea Jenkins Jarred Johnson Loren Lake

Jacob McQuown Daylen Pawnee Tabitha Prairie Chief Kaleb Primeaux Logan Primeaux Neock Reyes Allen Sioux Dominic Spottedcorn Gavin Stonecalf Cameron Wahweah Niela Wahweah Trinity Weese Janae WhiteEagle Ethan Wilson Victoria Woods Elk City Maria Shockley Geary Zachary Holt Josiah Marshall Ciera Williams Seiling Rylee Hamilton-Ortega Abigail Paukei-Oliver Thomas Braden Kester Janice Springwater Watonga Kola Carter Nicole Coffey Cameron Greer Kingfisher Addie Haag Laudie Hamilton Emily Harder Janelle Hawk Rayna Patton Dreamie Taylor Travys Townsend Kylee Young Cashion Kinzie Conley Presley Payahsape

Mustang Franklyn Arviso Kyra Avila Phillip Baker Trevor Benally Braden Corley Cole Embrey James Foreman, IV Jarrett Goombi Ethan Guerrero Richard Gutierrez, II Caitlin Hairgrove Allison Ivanoff Anna Johnson Dylen Koon Milly Krivanck Joseph Lupton Austin McHolland Kinley Purcell Aliya Short Mashayla Short Jessica Springwater Aydan Tahdooahnippah Michelle Walker Madison Wheeler Kari Williams Allison Woodward Yukon Karen Billy Walter Blackowl, II Blaine Brawner Brytanee Carter Quinn Dennis Alysha Dick Matthew Doke Paul Eaton Maizie Eslick Cheyenne Factor Macy Farha John Fisher Jayden Flowers Jaxen Gilmore Gabriel Grulkey

Isabelle Haney Jamie Hardison Joshua Hill Ethan Himes Aspen Holder Alexander Holland Eddie Jackson, IV Parker Nelson Perry Olsen Robert Sample Broox Seright Tiara Shaw Lorien Tapia Katelynn Tee Madison Wilson Piedmont Sage Peyton Watonga Sophia Keesie Isaac Little Yellowman Lauryn MedicineBear Natane Pelkey Jacob Smith Weatherford Anna Galaviz David Grayson Sylas Long Heidi Moreno Alexander Shook Angel Yeahpau Woodward Treyla Bence Jakob Whitecrow Kaleb Hanson

Dennis Howling Buffalo Lincoln July 9, 1948 - May 14, 2018 Wake services for Dennis Howling Buffalo Lincoln were held May 21 at the St. Stephens Church in St. Stephens, WY Funeral services were held May 22 at the same venue, followed by an Interment at the St. Stephens Cemetery.

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Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Employment: Submit a tribal application, resume, diploma(s), transcripts, valid copy of Oklahoma state driver’s license and a copy of CDIB (if applidable) to Personnel Department, PO Box 38, Concho, OK 73022 or email atisdale@c-a-tribes.org.

Arapaho Cultural Cheyenne Coordinator Arapaho Coordinator Transit Drive II – FT Specialist C&A Language & C&A Language & Tribal Transit Program C&A Language & Culture Program Culture Program Closing: Until Filled Culture Program Closing: Until Filled Closing: Until Filled Qualifications: Closing: Until Filled Qualifications: Qualifications: Must possess CPR and Bachelor’s degree in NaQualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in NaFirst Aid Certification or Valid Oklahoma driver’s be willing to attend vari- tive American Studies or re- tive American studies or relicense. Must be insurable ous training programs to lated field preferred. 10 years lated field. 10 years of expefor government fleet insur- obtain certification. Must of experience in Cheyenne rience in Arapaho traditional ance. High School graduate pass pre-employment drug traditional activities. 5 years activities. Strong commuor equivalent. Five years of screening process and be of verifiable supervisory nication and writing skills. experience in Arapaho tra- subject to random drug test- experience. Strong commu- Five years of supervisory ditional activities and proj- ing. Should be able to lift, at nication and writing skills. experience. Supervisory exect management experience. a minimum, 50 lbs. with no Traditional and supervisory perience may substitute for Supervisory experience mat physical barriers from doing experience may substitute educational requirements. substitute for educational so. Must possess the ability for educational require- Familiar with the culture, requirements. Familiar with to communicate effectively ments. Thoroughly familiar history and traditions of the the culture, history and tra- to patrons and superiors any with the culture, history and Arapaho. Must be familiar ditions of the Arapaho. Must findings, incidents, activities traditions of the Cheyenne. with the C&A former resbe familiar with the C&A and daily responsibilities. Must be familiar with the ervation and service area. former reservation and ser- Must possess a high school C&A former reservation and Must demonstrate profesvice area. Must demonstrate diploma and possible com- service area. Must demon- sional conduct. Must have professional conduct. Must pletion of a commercial driv- strate professional conduct. valid Oklahoma driver’s libe available to work nights ing raining program and/or Must have valid Oklahoma cense. Must be insurable for and weekends as required by defensive driving program. driver’s license. Must be in- government fleet insurance. planned activities. Must have Must have an accept able surable for government fleet Arapaho preference. good writing, communica- driving record and if selected insurance. Cheyenne preferSALARY: Negotiable tive skills and organizational for the position, must pro- ence.

SALARY: Negotiable skills with attention to detail. vide a current Motor Vehicle Language Coordinator SALARY: Negotiable C&A Language & Arapaho Project Report (MVR) from the Sate Culture Program Manager Department of Public Safety.

THPO Closing: Until Filled C&A Language & SALARY: Negotiable Language & Culture Culture Program Program Qualifications: Family Service Closing: Until Filled Closing: Until filled Bachelor’s degree in EduCoordinator Qualifications: cation Native American StudC&A Head Start Associates degree from Qualifications: ies, or related field preferred.

Closing: Until Filled an accredited college. Five Prefer bachelor’s degree Fluent speaker of language years of experience in Cheyin Anthropology, Architec- Qualifications: preferred, but not necessary.

BA degree, credential or enne traditional activities tural History, Art History, Managerial, organizational, Historic Preservation or certification in social work, and project management. planning and writing skills a closely related field. Equiv- human services, family ser- Supervisory experience may must.

Excellent interpersonal alent combination of edu- vices, counseling or a related substitute for educational and communication skills recation, training and expe- field. A minimum of three requirements. Familiar with quired. Knowledge of C&A rience will be considered. years teaching experience the culture, history and tradihistory, culture, philosophy.

Knowledge of principles in early childhood program. tions of the Arapaho. Must be Must have valid Oklahoma and practices of program Computer experience a must. familiar with the C&A fordriver’s license and be insurmanagement, procurement, Knowledge of Head Start mer reservation and service Standards. area. Must demonstrate pro- able for government fleet inpurchasing and contract- Performance surance. Cheyenne Arapaho ing activities. Knowledge Ability to clearly articulate fessional conduct. Must have preference. of the review process under the program’s goals and phi- valid Oklahoma’s driver’s liSALARY: Negotiable Section 106 of the Nation- losophy and the role of the cense. Must be insurable for al Historic Preservation Act early childhood development government fleet insurance. of 1996 (NHPA). Possess a and the family & communi- Cheyenne preference. Must valid Oklahoma driver’s li- ty content areas. Leadership be available to work nights cense, must be insurable for ability in planning, organiz- and weekends as required by government fleet insurance. ing, supervising and imple- planned activities. Must have good writing and communiCheyenne Arapaho member menting program design.

SALARY: Negotiable cative skills. preference.

SALARY: Negotiable SALARY: Negotiable

DEADLINE PASSED

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

LEGAL NOTICES

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

A-B Honor Roll 2nd Grade: Jocelyn Aguina, Jazmine Eaglenest, Annabella Ferrell, Raeden Lerma, Peytyn Mendez, Jayden Plentybears, Matthew Smith, Jasmine Spottedbird, Cadence Sutherland-Martinez, Omar Trejo, & Leo Willis.

3rd Grade: LaRaya Alexander, Amya Eaglenest, Sasha Elledge, Kynadee Hamilton, Donovan Mahseet, Aaron Sleeper, Koneihii Sleeper, & Isaiah Smith.

4th Grade: Vicente Baxcajay, Jacen Bear, Michael Gill, Blake Lamebull, Jayden Lime, Drelyn Main, Lou Lou Munsey, Abigail PrairieChief, Trynity Rednose, Eryn RomanNose, Delilah Sandoval, & Charles Woolworth.

5th Grade: Harley Billings, Alex Elizondo, Emmary Elizondo, Xavier Elledge, Jayden Fudge, Terry Guzman, Ariana Lucio, Lilly Thomas, Tristen Turtle, & Miccah Woods.

6th Grade: Ashton Hamilton, Carley Kighega, Hunter Navanick, Kaylee Pawnee, Josiah Reveles, Bryan Richardson, Carter RomanNose, & Mariza Salazar.

7th Grade: Javier Baxcajay, Jayla Hamilton, Samyra Hunter, Cobyn Mendez, Evan RomanNose, Kelsey Pierson, Jerid Sandoval, Logan Sandoval, & Kaydence Thunderbull.

8th Grade: Janae Black-Harmon, Cionna Garcia, Caleb Hulbutta, Lauren Locust, Jacob Long, Paige Primeaux, & Allena Sioux.

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

“A” Honor Roll 2nd Grade: Tusha Adair, Kyler Eaton, Chela Gonzalez, Justyn Hawk, Shayn Keller, Kobe Little, Ava Mallory, Taryn Mayes, Caitlyn Mendez,& Daniel Sioux.

3rd Grade: Khadija Ba, Antonio Baxcajay, Serenity Billings, Ryleigh Burns, Major Eckiwaudah, Livia FourHorns, & Shannon Russell.

4th Grade: John Sandoval, 5th Grade: Yareni Baxcajay 6th Grade: William Elledge, Tina Ortiz, & Nazhoni Sleeper 7th Grade: Wicahpi Cook, Angel Guzman, & Tori Hollis

Kelly Cheyenne Jury Bachelor of Science / University of Oklahoma Congratulations to Kelly Cheyenne Jury, who was honored to carry the tribal flag during OU’s recent graduation procession.

He received his degree in electrical engineering and would like to thank the tribe for helping him make this possible.

Kelly is the son of Roberta Goodbear Jury and Tony Jury.

May Student of the Month - ‘Imaginative’ Top Row: Kaylee Randall, Lou Lou Munsey, & Jenna Bigfoot.

Middle Row: Jazmine Eaglenest, Jasmine Spottedbird), Koneihii Sleeper, and Emmary Elizondo.

Bottom Row: Colt Curtis, Teagan Winter, Yasmina Sleeper and Mason Raya.

Perfect Attendance Back Row: Javier Baxcajay, Torence Fasthorse, Baylee Fasthorse and Tristen Turtle.

Front Row: Khloe Knoxsah, Violet RomanNose, Taurino Baxcajay and Antonio Baxcajay.

PAGE 15

Congratulations Dariney Slinkey

Darlington News Ho May 2018 ance n d or

Ro ll

s

ten

c rfe Pe

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Students of the Month

Congratulations to Dariney Slinkey who recently signed with Sisseton Wapeton University to play basketball in the Fall 2018. Slinkey is a 2018 graduate of Riverside Indian High School.

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Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei