Basketball Hall of Fame PAGE 11 Indigenous Sundance PAGE 9 Volume 16, Issue 3 • March 2020 Fifteen Osages file for candidacy seeking Congressional office in 2020 election Benny Polacca Osage News A total of 15 Osages are running Joe Tillman Jodie Revard Michael Bristow Colt Herren John Maker for the Seventh Osage Nation Con- gress in the June 1 general election – the same number of candidates who ran for legislative office in the 2018 election. Those candidates who filed by the March 2 deadline will be subject to background checks and the ON Election Office will meet March 9 to consider certifying the candidates whose names will appear on the ballot. Eligible Congressional can- didates are tribally enrolled Osages Melissa Dailey Jim Trumbly Billy Keene Michael Kidder Pam Shaw who are at least 25 years old on elec- tion day and who do not have felony convictions, according to the 2006 Osage Constitution. On Feb. 5 – the first day of the filing period – four Osages filed their candidacy and paid the $300 filing fee at the Election Office in Pawhuska. Incumbent Joe Tillman, current- ly the Congressional Speaker, filed See CANDIDATES Maria Whitehorn Mary Jo Pratt Amanda Proctor RJ Walker Shannon Edwards —Continued on Page 14 Mediation talks to begin Allegations arise after report in tribal gaming compact of Congresswoman’s tribal dispute with state Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton all, of the talks to be com- Osage News pleted by March 31. judgeship is published A former U.S. Attorney, Shannon Shaw Duty OKLAHOMA CITY — Phillips is a former federal Osage News With 14 tribes now suing judge who served on both the 10th Circuit Court of Gov. Kevin Stitt, the fate of The Congressional Rules Appeals and the Western Oklahoma’s gaming compact and Ethics Committee met District of Oklahoma. The may be decided by a media- on Feb. 25 and Feb. 27 to dis- University of Tulsa alumnus tor rather than a judge. cuss Congresswoman Shan- now leads an arbitration and On Feb. 14, Judge Timo- non Edwards’ appointment mediation firm based out of thy DeGuisti with the West- as an appellate justice for Corona del Mar, California. ern District of Oklahoma the Arizona-based Yavapai- The appointment came on appointed Layn Phillips as Apache Nation. the same day as the deadline a mediator in a lawsuit over After the Osage News pub- for tribes to officially join lit- the status of Oklahoma’s lished an article in its Febru- igation against the governor. model state-tribal gaming ary 2020 edition, written by compact with the under- the Yavapai-Apache Nation standing that most, if not See MEDIATION —Continued on Page 6 News about the swearing in of Edwards as their new ap- pellate justice, allegations be- gan to arise on social media Absentee ballot requests that she disqualified herself to Courtesy Photo/Yavapai-Apache Nation News serve as a member of the Osage Yavapai-Apache Nation council members swore in Osage Nation Con- due by April 17 to vote Nation Congress by taking the gresswoman Shannon L. Edwards in their council chambers on Aug. judgeship. The News obtained 6, 2019, to the position of Associate Appellate Justice. Chairperson the article about her swearing Jane Russell-Winiecki (center) administered the Oath of Office to in 2020 election in after Edwards sent a copy of Justice Edwards. it to the Osage News’ Editorial On April 27, the Election Of- Benny Polacca Board on Jan. 24. Under Article VI of the ON Attorney General Clint fice staff will begin mailing out Osage News According to the Clerk of Osage constitution, under Patterson responded to a re- absentee ballots from Pawhus- Court for the Yavapai-Apache, Section 5 under Disqualifica- quest for comment about the ka to those who requested Osages planning to vote as Edwards took her oath of office tions, it states “… No member allegations. them by the deadline. After- absentee voters in the June 1 on Aug. 6 of last year and had a of the Osage Nation Congress “It’s not for me to say wheth- ward, voters must send their Osage Nation General Election signed contract with the tribal shall hold any other tribal of- er she conclusively violated completed ballots back in the must submit absentee ballot nation for her work. The clerk fice under another Indian na- her Constitutional oath of of- supplied envelope, which must request forms to the Election also verified that Edwards tion during his/her term of fice. I know she took an oath, be received in the Pawhuska Office by April 17. has not performed prior legal office…” I know the oath says to uphold Post Office by June 1 to be The absentee ballot request work for Yavapai-Apache and Under Article VI of the and defend the Constitution, I counted that day. deadline is among important is still working as the appel- Yavapai-Apache Nation con- know the Constitution says no Absentee ballot request dates set by the ON Election late justice as of Feb. 21. The stitution, Section 6 under member of the Osage Nation forms can be downloaded from Board for the 2020 general Yavapai-Apache Tribal Sec- Term of Office, it states “… Congress shall hold any other election. The June 1 ballot will the ON Election Office vot- retary denied an Osage News The Chief Judge of the Court tribal office under another In- include candidate choices for er forms website at: https:// request for a copy of the signed of Appeals shall hold office for dian nation during his or her the Seventh ON Congress with www.osagenation-nsn.gov/ contract and denied a copy of three (3) years. The remaining term of office, and I know she two (2) Appellate Judges shall six seats opening and at least See ELECTION the oath Edwards took at her See ALLEGATIONS hold office for two (2) years …” two ballot questions. —Continued on Page 17 swearing in. —Continued on Page 5 INSIDE THE OSAGE NEWS FOLLOW THE OSAGE NEWS ONLINE Election Board Confirms Dates . 3 Culture Column . 14 • Breaking news at osagenews.org TPS Says Indian Ed Reorganization Still Happening . 3 Community . 15 • facebook.com/osagenews Native American Ballerinas from Oklahoma Honored . 6 Classifieds . 16 • twitter.com/osagenews Now Hiring Election Day Workers . 7 Obituaries . 17 • flickr.com/osagenews 2 March 2020 Osage News • osagenews.org Osage News • osagenews.org March 2020 3 TPS tells community Indian Ed reorganization still happening Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton Osage News TULSA, Okla. — Roughly 200 parents, students, commu- nity members, tribal leaders and employees sounded off for four hours at a Jan. 30 com- munity meeting about Tulsa Election Board confirms Public Schools’ proposed reor- ganization plan for its Indian Education Program. dates for candidate Packed into the Wilson Teaching and Learning Acad- emy’s cafetorium, attendees campaign requirements largely made it clear to Super- Shannon Shaw Duty person and their work ar- intendent Deborah Gist, school All photos by CODY HAMMER/Osage News Osage News rangement once they filed board members and other dis- Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist answers questions their candidacy. trict officials, that they were from the Native Youth Board at a community meeting to discuss the fu- The Osage Nation Elec- To date, seven individuals not happy about the potential ture of the Indian Education Program in Tulsa on Jan. 30. changes or the district’s com- tion Board confirmed the have filed their candidacy. munication efforts regarding dates for candidate cam- They are Tillman, Jodie Re- the Indian Education Program. through federal funds, would enough funds to pay teachers paign requirements and dis- vard, Michael Bristow, Colt “I’ve heard this is just be eligible to apply for one of across 21 sites a stipend for up cussed other issues at their Herren, John Maker, Melis- the beginning of a conversa- those three spots or be moved to four months to provide after regularly scheduled meeting sa Dailey and Jim Trumbly. tion,” Muscogee (Creek) Na- to another position within school tutoring for Indian Edu- the district. cation students. The proposal on Feb. 11. The following dates were tion Second Chief Del Beaver However, citing early feed- as presented on Jan. 30 calls Incumbent Joe Tillman, approved by the board at said. “I really hope it is. Part- back, the proposed reorganiza- for expanding tutoring to every who is the current Congres- their Feb. 11 meeting: nership starts with honest, open conversation. tion presented to parents and TPS site for eight months. sional Speaker for the Sixth • March 2, Candidate “It’s all about our kids. community members on Jan. The initial proposal was Osage Nation Congress, was Filing Ends That’s what this boils 30 differed from the one ini- based off of responses to a Ti- present at the meeting and tially presented to the depart- tle VI/JOM needs assessment • March 9, Regular Board down to.” had questions about building As part of its efforts to shore ment’s staff on Jan. 15 and the conducted at the beginning Meeting; Candidate usage for campaign events. up a $20 million budget short- Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs of the school year. However, Certification He said he was interested fall for the 2020-2021 school Commission. many attendees took exception Although it still calls for a to the methodology used to col- in using the Title VI build- • March 12, Contest of year, Tulsa Public Schools of- reduction in resource advis- lect those responses, as the as- ing in Fairfax but wanted to Candidacy Ends ficials confirmed on Jan. 17 that 84 non-teaching positions ers from seven to three, it also sessment was only handed out make sure the usage of the • March 17, Contest of across the district have been changes the number of addi- to parents who came to pick up building didn’t violate the Candidacy Hearing recommended for elimination.