The Chickasaw Times Post Office Box 1548 Ada, OK 74821 Chickasaw Times Vol. LIV, No. 5 Official publication of the Chickasaw Nation www.chickasawtimes.net May 2019 Message from Lt. Gov. Keel To the Chickasaw People: We have been diligently seeking For the past the Lord’s direction since then. I twenty years completed my treatments, and I have been by the Grace of God there is no honored to sign of cancer. The Lord healed serve you as me and I know that He has a plan your Lieuten- for me. ant Governor. On Friday, April 26, 2019, two During this years after my diagnosis, I spoke time our na- to Governor Anoatubby and told tion has ex- LT. GOV. KEEL him what had been my thoughts perienced about retirement since learning tremendous my diagnosis two years ago. growth and development. I have We agreed that it is time for been honored to serve our people me to begin a new chapter in my on the national and international life. My term of office will end on levels, including frequent testi- September 30th. Governor Anoa- mony to the US Congress. I am tubby has asked me to continue currently serving as the Presi- my service to the nation. Perhaps dent of the National Congress of as the Secretary of State, although American Indians, the nation’s the title and details still need to largest and most representative be refined. Indian organization. It is important that Governor From left, Governor Bill Anoatubby; Tom Love, inductee, and founder and executive chairman of Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores; Ken and Brian Estes, The time has come for me to Anoatubby look toward the fu- sons of Hiawatha Thompson Estes, inductee, and architect and founder of the Nationwide House Plan Book Company; Brenda Kingery, inductee, and step down, and for Carol and I to ture of the nation, and select the celebrated artist and champion of women’s empowerment; Jay Bond, Myron Bond and Catherine Ware Bond Wootten, grandchildren of Reford Bond, begin a new chapter in our lives. right person to serve with him. I inductee and principal member of one of the first law firms in Oklahoma, Bond & Melton; Jonathan C. Trent, MD, PhD, inductee and a leader in cutting- On April 26, 2017 I was diag- am confident that he will do so. edge research and treatment of cancer, and Lt. Governor Jefferson Keel. nosed with stage 4 lymphoma There is no greater honor than cancer. At that time, Carol and serving your own people. Thank I prayed for the direction that you for the honor and privilege we should go. We wondered if I of allowing Carol and I to serve Five inducted into Hall of Fame should step down at that time. As you. May God richly bless you and we prayed, it became clear that I continue to bless the Chickasaw NORMAN, Okla. – Governor Bill uniquely talented and extremely included a longtime tribal at- should wait until after my treat- Nation. Anoatubby led April 23 induc- successful, but who used their torney and Oklahoma Corpora- ments to decide on a direction. Jefferson Keel tion ceremonies for the Chicka- success to serve and inspire oth- tion Commissioner; an architect, saw Hall of Fame. The event is an ers, Gov. Anoatubby said. provider of scholarships and the annual celebration that honors “Perseverance, integrity, ser- nephew of famed Chickasaw sto- Chickasaws who have made sig- vant leadership and selflessness ryteller Te Ata Thompson Fisher; nificant contributions to Chicka- are but a few examples of what the founder and chief executive Chickasaw Nation election saw people or the Native Ameri- make these individuals special,” officer of Love’s Travel Stops & can community. he said. Country Stores; an internationally filing period June 3-5 “Tonight, we recognize five More than 600 people attend- individuals who are not only ed this year’s event. Inductees SEE HOF INDUCTEES HONORED, PAGE 3 ADA, Okla. - The Chickasaw quantum. Candidates must also Nation Election Commission an- be residents of the Chickasaw nounces the filing period for the Nation for at least one year im- 2019 General Elections opens mediately preceding the election. June 3 and continues through Candidates for Governor and Lt. June 5. Governor shall run as a team. Candidates must file between 8 Governor and Lt. Governor a.m. and 4:30 p.m., in the Election must remain residents of the Secretary’s office in the Govern- Chickasaw Nation during their ment Services building, 2015 Lon- four-year term office. Filing fees nie Abbott Industrial Boulevard, are $2,500 per gubernatorial Ada,. team. Seats up for election include Legislative candidates must be Governor and Lt. Governor, four registered Chickasaw voters at legislative seats and one Supreme least 25 years of age who have Court seat. been residents of the Chickasaw Legislative seats to be filled are Nation for at least one year and Pontotoc District Seat 5, Pickens of their respective district for at District Seat 3, Panola District least six months immediately pre- Seat 1 and Tishomingo District ceding the election. Seat 2. Legislators must remain resi- Seat 1 of the Chickasaw Nation dents of their elected district Supreme Court is also up for elec- during their three-year term of tion this year. office. The filing fee is $500 per Candidates for Governor and legislative candidate. Lt. Governor must be registered Supreme Court candidates Chickasaw voters at least 30 years must be registered voters of the of age who possess no less than one-fourth (1/4) Chickasaw blood SEE ELECTION FILING PERIOD, PAGE 9 The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes met in general session April 12 to discuss Native American participation in the U. S. Census and other matters. From left are Cherokee Nation Deputy Chief S. Joe Crittenden, Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Chief Greg Chilcoat, Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill U.S. Census Bureau, Chickasaw Anoatubby, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd and Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Chief Gary Batton. Nation join forces to ensure proper Inter-Tribal Council plans for 2020 Census, count of Indians in 2020 Census credits collaboration for ongoing progress WASHINGTON – Governor mittee to address this dispar- Bill Anoatubby has announced ity. An awareness campaign in- THACKERVILLE, Okla. – Tribal to allocate funding for programs Lisa Billy spoke to the gathering. a partnership between the U.S. cludes advertising in both tribal leaders of the Inter-Tribal Council and services. Mrs. Billy is a former Oklahoma Census Bureau and Chickasaw and local outlets as well as direct of the Five Civilized Tribes dis- Tribal representatives at the legislator who currently serves Nation to help ensure Native mail pieces encouraging citizens cussed the importance of encour- meeting credited working togeth- as Oklahoma Secretary of Na- Americans are counted accu- and employees to participate. aging Indian participation in the er for progress toward forming tive American Affairs. She spoke rately during the 2020 census. Census participation takes 2020 Census during the general and maintaining relationships about Oklahoma Governor Kevin During an April 1 “Shape Your place throughout the year on- session of its quarterly meeting with federal, state and local gov- Stitt’s commitment to fostering Future” press event here, Gover- line and on social media plat- April 12. ernments. relationships with Indian tribes nor Anoatubby said the task to forms, as well as informational The meeting was hosted by the “We have the capability and in the state. count all Native Americans was booths and kiosks at facilities Chickasaw Nation at its WinStar the power within ourselves, col- “It’s an honor to be here to rep- a priority for the Chickasaw Na- and events. Convention Center in Thacker- lectively as a group, to help each resent Governor Kevin Stitt, who tion. ville. other get to a different level,” is a citizen of the Cherokee Na- He stressed the Chickasaw Na- Meeting Tribal Needs “As citizens of this country, we Seminole Nation of Oklahoma tion,” Mrs. Billy said. “It’s a new tion would engage other tribes “We encourage all tribal na- have a responsibility to (partici- Chief Greg Chilcoat said. day in the state of Oklahoma. We to provide accurate information tions to institute their own ini- pate in the Census),” said Gover- Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma have a cabinet secretary for Na- about Native American popula- tiatives to encourage their citi- nor Bill Anoatubby said. “We’re Chief Gary Batton noted the tive American Affairs.” tions. zens to participate and to form working to educate our citizens, tribes collectively represented The council recognized Wayne “There has been an under- their own complete count com- our employees and our commu- more than 750,000 Indian citi- Simms, a former U.S. Department counting of certain populations mittees for the 2020 census,” nities of the importance of par- zens. of Housing and Urban Develop- and, as Native Americans, we Gov. Anoatubby said. Every tribe, ticipating in the Census, and we “Every day, we get to share our ment area director who worked have had a long-term issue that he said, can form its own com- look forward to the rest of the ideas, our thoughts and con- with the tribes, with an award for affects us,” Governor Anoatubby plete count committee. year working with these great na- cerns,” Chief Batton said. “We his service. told top census officials. The unique government-to- tions.” take it very seriously.” “(Mr. Simms) has dedicated his Native Americans were under- government relationship be- Gov. Anoatubby said it was im- “We are stronger as tribes and life to helping Native Americans counted by about 4.9 percent, a tween tribes and the U.S.