SAC and FOX NEWS Nemîshâtênemo êhthâkîwiyâni Phone: 918-968-3526 • 920963 S. Hwy. 99, Bldg. A • Stroud, OK 74079 • Vol. 43 • No. 6 • June 2021 Chief Justin Freeland Wood’s Address to the Nation Two years ago this week, The Total amount approved tribal members elected me to be by Congress and signed by Pres- Principal Chief. I have learned ident Biden to be split amongst quite a bit in these fi rst two all tribal governments is 31.2 years. And it has been a cra- Billion dollars. zy two years. I was clear while • One billion will be divided running for offi ce that I wanted evenly and 20 billion will be to offer new transparency in the distributed based on a variety decision making that happens of statistics including tribal during Business Committee population. meetings. • Six billion has been set We introduced our common aside for Native Health Sys- press releases that were placed tems. in local news papers, this news • 1.2 billion was set aside for paper and on our Nations web- Housing. site and Facebook page. I also • 1.1 billion was set aside for started appearing monthly on education programs. the KUSH radio morning pro- • One billion will be used gramming. The goal was to get for tribal child care programs more information out to our and assistance. tribal members more frequently. • 900 million will be admin- We will work to expand upon istered by the Bureau of Indi- those improvements over the an Affairs for issues concern- next two years. ing; public safety, justice and Another goal we talked about social services, child welfare, during the 2019 election was tribal housing improvement, diversifying our stagnant econo- water, and administrative my. We hit the ground running in costs and oversight. G. William Rice the fi rst year with the purchase • 600 million will be distrib- of a small business (Shawnee uted for the use of economic Remembered on Trophy) with so many other op- development and infrastruc- portunities on the horizon. The ture investments. Sac and Fox pandemic interrupted our course • 20 million will be utilized and we took a step back from to preserve and protect Native ‘Victory Day’ economic development to look language programs. by Mike Brown at how best to serve our people • 19 million is dedicated to Annette Rice, Sac and Fox during our most trying time in domestic violence programs. Nation tribal member and wife decades. One of my life verses While we are working on a of the late attorney G. William is Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plan to present to Governing Rice, made a special visit to the plans in the minds of man, but it Council for the possible use of Sac and Fox Nation campus on is the purpose of the Lord that our $20,444,306.94 allocation, May 18 in recognition of the Na- will stand.” I fi nd hope in know- we need your input on how we tion’s 28th anniversary of ‘Vic- ing that we are in great hands. can best use these dollars. tory Day.’ On May 17, 1993 a With a petition signed by 52 As we learn more about U. S. Supreme Court decision tribal members, we have called how we will be allowed to uti- Annette Rice is pictured in the top photo in the Sac and Fox upheld the Sac and Fox Nation’s a Special Governing Council for lize these funds and how much Nation Administration Building lobby, and is pictured in the power to impose and collect June 5th 2021. This is the same money we will receive, we will above photo in front of the Sac and Fox Cultural Center. motor vehicle registration tax- day as the primary election for continue to communicate that (Photos by Mike Brown) es, and invalidated an unlawful tribal Treasurer. I encourage you to all tribal members; via social Oklahoma state tax on Indian to attend this special council and media, news media, and our Na- motor vehicles and income. vote in the upcoming election. I tion’s website. The late attorney G. William implore you to exercise your In conclusion to this month’s Sac and Fox Nation Rice, served as counsel for the right to vote this year. Your vote address, I want to share some Sac and Fox Nation and ar- will decide who will guide our exciting economic development Powwow is Canceled gued the federal lawsuit before tribal fi nances for the next four news. The Business Committee The Sac and Fox Nation has Business Committee concurs the Supreme Court. He was years. You may not have a more has passed a resolution creating canceled the 2021 Powwow due with the Powwow Committee’s remembered and honored at a important vote in Sac and Fox the Sac and Fox Nation Trading to the continuing COVID-19 recommendation to cancel the 25th anniversary silver jubilee Nation elections. Post. We will begin selling to- Public Health Emergency annual event, which had been celebration by the Sac and Fox I am more than excited to bacco products and other mer- “The Sac and Fox Nation, scheduled for July 8-11, 2021, Nation Activity Committee on safely hold a council meeting chandise at the route 66 Chan- with a heavy heart, has made in a continued effort to keep Sac May 16, 2018. Tribal business on June 5th. We plan to discuss dler smoke shop location in the the decision to cancel what and Fox tribal members, their offi ces are closed each year on and distribute unexpended 2020 very near future. Our goal is to would have been the 57th An- families and our guests safe May 17 in observation of Victo- RAP funds, discuss the Sauk have a Sac and Fox Nation Trad- nual Sac and Fox Nation Pow- during this diffi cult time,” said ry Day. Business Enterprise Board plans ing Post in multiple communi- ties in the next several years. wow. The Sac and Fox Nation a spokesperson. (Continued on Page 2) for economic development, the Sac and Fox Housing Authori- The branding will place Sac and ty Covid funds, the 2020 Cares Fox culture, tradition, and histo- Act appropriations, and the new ry front and center. American Rescue Plan. As always, I can be reached Human Services In reference to the Cares Act - at 405-240-0044 or at my of- we will redistribute in detail the fi ce extension -1004. My email Dept. Accepting information that we provided is justinwood@sacandfoxna- Applications for over the summer, fall, and win- tion-nsn.gov. I am grateful for ter of 2020/early 2021. It is clear the outpouring of prayers and LIHEAP Program that we emphasized supporting support that the Business Com- tribal members fi nancially over mittee receives so often. It really We are currently accept- infrastructure. However, with has been an honor to serve you ing application for the cool- the remaining funds we are em- over these past two years. May ing season of our LIHEAP phasizing infrastructure needs. God bless and multiply peace to program. The Low-Income We have passed resolutions to you and the great Sac and Fox Home Energy Assistance renovate the Bill Rice Building Nation. Program is designed to pro- in downtown Cushing for satel- vide energy assistance to any lite clinic use, to dig new water members of a federally rec- wells and maintenance our exist- ognized tribe. ing wells, to build a water treat- ment plant to allow for clean Applicants must reside water to be utilized across our within Sac & Fox Nation ju- reservation’s central grounds, risdictional boundaries. Ap- and to upgrade our phone and plicants must meet the cur- Internet accessibility with fi ber rent year of LIHEAP income and broadband technology. guidelines. Applicants may We have submitted our in- only receive assistance once formation to the United States per cooling/heating season Treasury for our allocation of per household. American Rescue Plan funds, The application can be which I highlighted in the May issue. We have been on numer- found under the Human ous calls with the US Treasury Services tab on the nation’s to discuss the possible uses of website at www.sacandfox- the ARP funds. Below is anoth- Sac and Fox Nation nation-nsn.gov. er list of how the dollars break Principal Chief down: Justin Freeland Wood Page 2 - Sac and Fox News - June 2021 Sac and Fox News The Sac & Fox News is the monthly Obituaries publication of the Sac & Fox Nation, located on SH 99, six miles south of Clifford Ray Blanchard Stroud, OK. Mailing address: Shawnee, Okla. resident Clifford Stroud under the direction of Walker Fu- the United States Army, was in the 82nd Blanchard, 68, passed away Saturday, neral Service of Shawnee. Airborne for two years, and in Nation- Sac and Fox Nation May 1, 2021 in Shawnee. Wake ser- Clifford was born March 7, 1953 in al Guard for ten years. Clifford worked Administration Building vices were held May 5, 2021 at the Sac Shawnee, Oklahoma to Clifton Gene most of his life as a mechanic and his 920963 S Hwy 99 Bldg A and Fox Nation Community Building Blanchard and Freda Marie (Grant) hobbies included hunting, fishing, read- Stroud, OK 74079 in Stroud, Okla. Burial was held May Blanchard. He attended school and ing, and working on anything that needed Phone: 918-968-3526 6, 2021 at the Sac and Fox Cemetery in graduated from Noble. He enlisted in to be fixed. Fax: 918-968-4837 He was preceded in death by his par- The Sac & Fox News is the official ents; brother Ricky Blanchard; sisters publication of the Sac and Fox Gloria Lasley and Carol Blanchard; grandchildren Ethan, Stephen, Daniel, Nation.