July 30, 2021 Seminole Tribune
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Tribe’s 2021 Fourth of July fun Native Soldiers finish graduates second at NABI COMMUNITY v 6A v EDUCATION 2B SPORTS v 4B www.seminoletribune.org Free Volume XLV • Number 7 July 30, 2021 Tribe’s energy Team effort makes goals advance with Brighton calf shipping run smoothly BY BEVERLY BIDNEY funding Staff Reporter BY DAMON SCOTT BIG CYPRESS — Hurricane Elsa and Staff Reporter other scattered thunderstorms didn’t stop calf shipping in Brighton and Big Cypress from July 5th to July 15th. Every year, rain or Hurricane Irma had a big impact on the shine, the calves get shipped out to feedlots tribe’s communities across South Florida in around the country. 2017. Government operations were affected The annual two-week shipping event and electrical outages particularly plagued marks the end of a year in which cattle residents in Big Cypress and Brighton. The owners cared for the calves and kept them hurricane’s aftermath came with a monetary healthy and well fed. After a year of hard cost, too, as the tribe spent significant funds work, tribal owners sold 3,744 calves, which on propane and diesel to power electric will spend a few months eating with the generators. express purpose of putting on weight. When Tribal officials have said the rural nature they reach about 1,350 pounds, the cattle will of Big Cypress (52,338 acres) and Brighton be sent to market. (35,805 acres) makes its electrical grids This year, about half of the animals were vulnerable even when significant storms are sent to one buyer in Kansas, the rest went to not involved – to the tune of about 100 events lots in Florida, Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio. It per year or about 20 hours or more per week. took 38 truckloads to ship the animals. The Months after Hurricane Irma, Chairman average weight of Brighton calves was 483 Marcellus W. Osceola Jr. and the Tribal pounds; in Big Cypress the average was 467. Council formed a renewable energy The tribe’s Natural Resources director committee staffed with key personnel across Aaron Stam was involved with calf shipping the tribe to address such issues. One of its during his years as a livestock/4-H extension goals was to identify opportunities that would agent and federally recognized tribal allow the tribe to move toward more self- extension agent for the tribe, but this year he sufficiency in its energy demands. It launched was the one in charge. a study on the feasibility of operating a tribal “Calf weights were down,” Stam wrote utility and began an evaluation of electrical in an email. “The averages were 30-40 use for more than 600 tribal-owned facilities. pounds less than last year. It was a bad winter The committee also embarked on a “Seminole for grass and forages, translating into lighter Rural Reservation Resiliency Initiative.” calves.” F See ENERGY on page 4A F See SHIPPING on page 4A Beverly Bidney Makayla Torres herds calves into the pen leading to the cattle hauling truck during Big Cypress calf shipping July 14. Erica Deitz painting chosen to represent ‘Live’ is back at NICWA at Orlando conference Hollywood’s BY BEVERLY BIDNEY been in the past. The art depicts an elder permanent display. Staff Reporter Seminole woman on the left forefront of the As NICWA’s selected artist, Deitz will painting. She is just returning from visiting be awarded a cash prize of $1,500 for the use A watercolor painting by Seminole another camp. Walking was our form of of her work in promotional materials for the Hard Rock Live transportation prior to the introduction of conference. The image will be published on artist Erica Deitz was chosen to be the visual BY DAMON SCOTT centerpiece at the National Indian Child vehicles. Now, vehicles take us everywhere. the NICWA website and in printed materials. Welfare Association (NICWA) conference We still have Seminole craftsmen who The Seminole Tribe has been a member Staff Reporter April 3-8, 2022, in Orlando. make canoes and camps remain that are of NICWA since 2006 and served as the Deitz’s “Homecoming” painting depicts visited by families today. I enjoy capturing host sponsor of the virtual 39th annual HOLLYWOOD — It wasn’t even five a Seminole camp scene complete with my Seminole past, culture, and traditions “Protecting Our Children Conference” that months after the new Seminole Hard Rock chickees, women cooking over the fire, through my art, while sharing it with my was held in April. Hotel & Casino Hollywood and its massive grinding corn and living camp life as it used children in the present. My watercolor is an “Our tribal family and child advocates Guitar Hotel debuted Oct. 24, 2019, that the to be. appreciation piece for our ancestors’ way of work with NICWA and other partners for Covid-19 pandemic would bring activity Deitz described the painting when she living and their dedication to family,” her better outcomes for Seminole families. The to a halt. The hospitality and entertainment submitted it to NICWA’s call for artists. submission read. Seminole Tribe of Florida firmly believes that industry was stopped dead in its tracks. “Before cars, Seminole families would An accomplished artist, Deitz’s Native American families require a Native Adding to the pain was the closing of travel by foot from camp to camp, while artwork offers an Indigenous perspective American perspective and understanding,” the brand new $100 million Hard Rock Live canoes were used for longer travels and through a variety of mediums. The award- Shamika Beasley, advocacy administrator venue – something concertgoers had been hunting. Because of this, it was a blessing winning artist’s work has been showcased in with the tribe, said in a statement in April. anticipating for years. The 7,000-seat, state- to have a family member visit you because exhibitions around the world. The National of-the-art theater-style environment features they made the time. This Seminole Indian Museum of the American Indian and the three levels of seats, VIP sections and wide camp scene shows how it would have Lowe Art Museum have her paintings on concourses. The new venue was poised to host 200 events a year, double the number of the previous Hard Rock Live that had been demolished. But while the venue was able Courtesy photo to host some shows – including musical act Comedian and actor Bill Burr will perform shows Maroon 5, its first – the pandemic brought at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Aug. 28 and 29. the momentum and excitement to an end. “Because of the pandemic the Hard program that evening. It sent the message.” Rock Live didn’t get an opportunity to enjoy The lineup for August has comedy the full honeymoon period most new venues fans salivating. It includes three nights of get to enjoy,” Keith Sheldon, president of comedian Dave Chappelle, three nights of entertainment for Seminole Gaming and comedian Sebastian Maniscalco and two Hard Rock International, said. shows with comedian Bill Burr. The situation has begun to noticeably “That’s three of the most coveted change this year. comedians in the business. The comedy box Sheldon began in his position in June is firmly checked,” Sheldon said. 2020 and his goal was to be prepared and The lineup starting this fall will begin ready to go when the world spun back on its to firmly check the live music box, too. axis. Sam Hunt, Eric Clapton, two Guns N’ “It’s one of the most spectacular live Roses shows, Dan + Shay, Metallica and entertainment venues in the world,” Sheldon ZZ Top are all in the queue. That’s just a said. “The entertainment industry didn’t get taste, and Sheldon also teased that a “big to fully understand how special the room is.” announcement” was soon to come. Sheldon and his team have been in “This is the trend that everybody can contact with top promoters, managers and expect to see moving forward,” he said. artists, aggressively marketing the message Sheldon is used to booking big artists. that Hard Rock Live is open for business. He was previously the executive vice “We wanted the [show] calendar to be president of programming and development as robust as possible when it became safe to at BSE Global, where he led the development fully reopen,” he said. of special events at Barclays Center, home One of the early successes was booking of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. He has helped the Miss Universe competition in May, which secure musical acts like Bruce Springsteen, pulled in an international viewing audience. Barbra Streisand, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, “That was certainly our calling card to Madonna and Justin Bieber. the world that we were open to business, but More is at hardrocklive.com. still following safety protocols,” Sheldon Courtesy image said. “Miss Universe ended up being what Seminole artist Erica Deitz’s “Homecoming” painting. I believe was the number one most watched INSIDE: Editorial......................2A Sports.............................5B Visit the Tribune’s website for news throughout Community..................3A Education....................1B the month at seminoletribune.org 2A • The Seminole Tribune • July 30, 2021 Tribe adjusts but stays active as phase two Editorial returns BY BEVERLY BIDNEY on online virtual language class for tribal Staff Reporter members, which they plan to continue indefinitely. A more inclusive banking system “We’ve been doing that for 12 months,” Just 12 days after moving to phase three Frank said. “It’s grown beyond Florida of reopening, the Seminole Tribe returned borders. We have members throughout the in Indian Country is possible to phase two protocols July 17 as Covid-19 country in New England, Washington State, cases began to rise in the U.S.