Battle of the Plains PAGE 13 Volume 14, Issue 2 • February 2018 The Official Newspaper of the Osage Nation Imperative Entertainment executives honored Stillwater and overwhelmed by Osage tour and culture Public Library to Imperative and wanted to Standing Bear: set up a meeting. After the initial contact was showcasing ‘they want to make made, Principal Chief Geof- a movie the Osage frey Standing Bear appoint- “Killers of the ed Renfro and Roanhorse as will be proud of’ ambassadors for the Nation to spearhead the relationship Flower Moon” Shannon Shaw Duty between the two entities. It Osage News wasn’t until Renfro and Roan- horse attended a meeting with with Osage If there was one conversa- Standing Bear at the Okla- tion that Addie Roanhorse re- homa Film and Music Office events and members from a recent visit in Oklahoma City that they by Imperative Entertainment learned there had been a lack executives is that they want of communication between discussions to make a film that tells the the office and Imperative and Osage story, that tells Mollie as a result Osage County had Osage News Burkhart’s story and showcas- not been named as a possible The Stillwater Public es her as the heroine. film site. Upon learning about Library is hosting a series “We showed them as much the situation Renfro reached of events titled One Book, as we possibly could in a short out to Imperative again and One Community: “Killers arranged for them to visit amount of time,” Roanhorse of the Flower Moon: The the Osage. said. “We got an email from Osage Murders and the Roanhorse feels confident them last night about how Birth of the FBI.” that Imperative’s two-day vis- honored they were and how “The programs are de- it on Jan. 25-26 was impactful overwhelming it all was. They signed to foster a sense and it showed them how much said it’s clear to them that the of community through a Osage people are thriving.” the Osage care about the proj- shared reading experience When Osage Nation lead- ect. Roanhorse is the senior and to increase an under- ership saw that the rights graphic design artist for the standing of a dark period had been purchased to David Office of the Chiefs, an artist Osage News in Oklahoma history and Grann’s bestselling book, “Kill- and business owner and Renf- Mollie Burkhart (right) with sisters Anna (center) and Minnie (left). Mollie an appreciation of the ers of the Flower Moon: The ro is an Interior Designer and Burkhart is at the center of the Osage story in David Grann’s bestselling Osage Nation,” according Osage Indian Murders and the business owner who is also a book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Indian Murders and the Birth Birth of the FBI,” in March of See IMPERATIVE of the FBI.” Anna, Minnie, and their mother were all murdered in a plot to See LIBRARY 2017, Chad Renfro reached out —Continued on Page 2 obtain Mollie’s family’s headrights. —Continued on Page 4 Young Osage singer wows crowd at Good Morning America studio Shannon Shaw Duty Osage News When 10-year-old Ava Rose Johnson took the mic from the announcer at ABC’s Good Morning America studios in New York City, her parents LENZY KREHBIEL-BURTON/Osage News had no idea she was going to Osage Nation citizens Scott Lohah and Ryan Bush protest in Pawnee near receive a standing ovation. an AEP-PSO open house about a proposed 800-turbine wind farm slated What the audience didn’t to go up in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The project calls for part of a 360- know about Ava is that she is mile transmission line to potentially go through southern Osage County. already an accomplished sing- er and performer who comes from Red Oak, Okla. She was Another wind project may be on in NYC to perform with Okla- homa Kids, a division of Amer- the horizon for Osage County ican Kids Inc., at BB King Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton the world, Wind Catcher En- Blues Club and Grill in Times Osage New ergy Connection is a joint Square and at Luna Park on effort among Chicago-based Coney Island. On Labor Day PAWNEE — Another Invenergy, Southwestern morning, she and the other wind project may be dot- Electric Power Company and performers went to a taping ting the Osage County hori- the Public Service Company of Good Morning America zon in the near future, albeit of Oklahoma. where they had priority seat- See HEALTH ing tickets. without turbines. The proposed transmission —Continued on Page 1 “After they were seated, the Pitched as the second larg- See WIND est wind energy project in —Continued on Page 4 announcer began getting the crowd ready for taping. Ava Courtesy Photo/Nathan Johnson was asked where she was from Osage boys win big at OKWA and she responded with Okla- Ten-year-old Ava Johnson performs at ABC’s Good Morning America stu- homa! The announcer said to dios in New York City on Sept. 3. Novice State Championships in Tulsa Ava, ‘If you are really from Idol, what would you sing?’ She singing and took pictures with Shannon Shaw Duty Oklahoma, then you will be said, “Broadway Baby.” He her,” Johnson said. able to sing “Oklahoma!” Ava Osage News handed her the microphone, Ava has been singing and immediately began to sing she performed and received a performing with Oklahoma “Oklahoma!”, as it is also in Deacon Hendren, Leighton standing ovation.” the Oklahoma Kids Broadway Kids since she was four years Shaw and Levi Hendren are Johnson said the guests on Show,” said her dad Nathan old. A Performing Arts Pro- 2018 Oklahoma Kids Wres- GMA that day were Country Johnson, who is the national gram founded in 1982 that Music stars Brothers Osborne, tling Association Novice State director of American Kids Inc., Lauren Alaina and Dustin boasts such alumni as Blake Champions. SHANNON SHAW DUTY/Osage News and the state director of Okla- All three Osage boys wrestle Lynch, who were on the show Shelton, Carrie Underwood, From left: Levi Hendren, Deacon homa Kids Inc. for the Pawhuska Elks Take to announce the nomina- Kristin Chenoweth, Brian Hendren and Leighton Shaw. “The announcer was shocked tions for the CMA Awards, as White and others. Down Club and competed in All three boys are Osage and she sang it so well. He brought the double-elimination state are OKWA Novice State Champi- Ava onto the floor in front of well as the news anchors of “I love New York City and tournament on Jan. 27, held ons and were recognized at the the news anchors desks. He the show. will never forget how amazing See WRESTLING Pawhuska Wrestling Homecoming told Ava, ‘If you had 30 sec- “They all complimented Ava See AVA —Continued on Page 4 on Jan. 30. onds to audition for American and encouraged her to keep —Continued on Page 16 INSIDE THE OSAGE NEWS FOLLOW THE OSAGE NEWS ONLINE Candidates Certified for 2018 Election . 5 Influenza Update and Precautions to Take . 9 • Breaking news at osagenews.org Absentee Ballot Requests Form Deadline . 5 Osage County Producers Challenge EPA Order . 9 • facebook.com/osagenews ONPD Works to Renew BIA Commissions . 7 Energy Column . .. 17 • twitter.com/osagenews Vann Bighorse Named Language Director . .7 Obituaries and Classifieds . 20 • flickr.com/osagenews 2 February 2018 Osage News • osagenews.org baum and John Atwood. The said Imperative Entertain- IMPERATIVE meal, catered by Osage-owned ment was founded in 2014 and –from Page 1 Ah-Tha-Tse Catering, con- that every film they make they board member for the Osage sisted of dried corn, frybread, put their heart and soul into it. Nation Foundation. meat gravy, green beans, sal- They said their visit was a good “I made a point to tell them, ad and dessert. The meal also faith showing that they will be however this story ends up this used dishes owned by Assis- in touch with the Osage. is going to shape how people tant Principal Chief Raymond After the dinner, Standing will view us for generations,” Red Corn – vintage Blue Spode Bear said: “I listened careful- she said. “We will be talking china, which are used for spe- ly to what was said and two about this movie and how it cial Osage occasions. things stand out: one is they impacted our people. Being a Apfelbaum is Head of Film want to make a movie the mom, I want my daughter to for the Santa Monica-based Osage will be proud of, and the know how strong her people Imperative Entertainment other is this story will show are and that Mollie is the her- and is a producer for film, tele- Mollie Burkhart as an Osage oine of the story, she is a hero vision and live entertainment woman who suffered great per- and not a victim.” and is currently working on sonal loss and who was strong Roanhorse said that accord- recently acquired Faster, Neal enough to endure the horrors.” ing to Imperative executives, Bascomb’s upcoming novel Imperative Entertainment the first draft of the screen- about French Jewish race car acquired the rights of “Killers play isn’t finished yet and that driver Rene Dreyfus, as well of the Flower Moon” in March the company is still in the be- as Tangerine, Circling the of 2016 for $5 million. The ginning stages of planning. Sun, The Fifth Season and screenplay has been entrusted A date has not yet been set Sand, according to Deadline.