Citizens of the Cherokee Nation — the largest tribe in the U.S. have re-elected Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. to lead the tribe for another four years – as it enters a golden era after courts recognized its sprawling reservation and with an operating budget of more than $3 billion. Hoskin, a 48-year-old attorney, was elected to the tribe’s top position, similar to that of a state’s governor. The nonpartisan election for chief, deputy chief and eight positions on the tribe’s 17-member council took place this past Saturday, with many Cherokee citizens from across the country submitting absentee ballots.
A library in Montana canceled a transgender Native American woman’s talk for fear that the event would violate the state’s new anti-drag law. Adria Jawort was suppose to speak last Friday at the Butte Public Library on the topic of “Montana History of Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Peoples.” But her appearance was “abruptly canceled” Thursday by J.P. Gallagher, chief executive for the city of Butte and Silver Bow County. Gallagher, who proclaimed Pride Month for the city and county the same day said he had no objections to the event, “but we would be in violation of state law if we allowed this person to give her presentation.”
Those are your headlines at this hour. I’m Colette Keith in the KIPI News center.