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THE SHAWNEE NEWS-STAR | PAGE 5A
We have the capacity to receive messages from the stars and the songs of the night winds.”
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
— RUTH ST. DENIS
NATIONAL
Feds: Report shows progress in tribal prosecutions FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Federal attorneys say an updated report released Tuesday on investigations and prosecutions on tribal lands shows continued improvement since a 5-yearold study that criticized the Department of Justice for turning its back on reservation crime. The report from the DOJ states that 2,542 cases were filed in Indian Country in the 2013 fiscal year, a 34 percent increase from when the federal government began its tribal justice initiative in 2009. That’s down from the 3,145 cases brought in 2012, which DOJ officials attribute primarily to reduced budgets and a hiring freeze.
Timothy Purdon, U.S. attorney for North Dakota and chair of an advisory committee on Native American issues, said the study proves that federal prosecutors are “keeping our promises” to improve tribal public safety. “If you deal with more cases, you’re moving more violent predators and drug dealers and people like that from the reservation,” Purdon said. “I feel like we’re making progress, but these problems are centuries in the making. We’re not going to solve this at DOJ in three years with a new program.” A U.S. Government Accountability Office report released in 2010 revealed
that federal prosecutors had declined 50 percent of American Indian cases in a five-year period ending in 2009. Federal officials responded with a report in April 2013 that provided the first look at government investigations and prosecutions on tribal lands. The updated figures show that 34 percent of the cases were declined in 2013, compared with 31 percent in 2012 and 37 percent in 2011. Federal prosecutors say they take the rates of cases declined seriously but they’re not always the best measure because some of the cases wind up elsewhere, such as tribal court.
“I think this report tells an important story, but only part of the story,” Associate Attorney General Tony West told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “It’s difficult to be able to just look at the numbers and come up with an easy or facile explanation for what they mean. They can indicate a lot of things, but I think you always have to look below the surface when trying to think through what declination rates mean.” For instance, West said, more victims — particularly women — are stepping forward to report crimes in Indian Country because they have “some sense of certainty” that the offenses will be prosecuted.
The rates of cases declined were the lowest in the southwestern and northern Great Plains states, which have the largest treaty-based reservations in the country. Arizona brought the highest number of cases at 733, and declined 28 percent of cases. South Dakota was next with 470 cases brought and 26 percent declined. Among the cases that were declined by federal prosecutors in 2013, 56 percent were because of insufficient evidence. About a quarter of them are referred to another prosecuting authority. Purdon said the commitment to fighting reservation crime was shown last
year in a double homicide prosecution on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation in North Dakota that involved four assistant prosecutors from his office. Valentino “Tino” Bagola was sentenced to life in prison for the May 2011 slayings of 9-year-old Destiny Jane Shaw-Dubois and her 6year-old brother, Travis Lee DuBois Jr., known to the family as “Baby Travis.” “There was nothing that happened in North Dakota during the year that was as important to me and the office and the people of Spirit Lake as that case and making sure we brought about some measure of justice for Destiny and ‘Baby Travis,’” Purdon said.
NATIONAL
Mexican president praises California policies SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto praised Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers Tuesday for approving a series of immigrant-friendly laws, saying California is taking a lead role in the absence of national immigration reform. He specifically mentioned a law that allows immigrants in the country illegally to obtain driver’s licenses, a law that has yet to take effect because a final decision has not been made about the appear-
ance of the licenses. California also allows immigrants here illegally to apply for state-funded college scholarships and aid at public universities. And earlier this month, Brown and the Democratic legislative leaders announced a plan to spend $3 million to provide legal help for the estimated 3,900 unaccompanied immigrant children from Central America who are in the state. Pena Nieto said such actions signaled that California was recognizing
human dignity no matter a person’s immigration status. “The progress you have promoted not only benefits Californians because you have sent a very clear message to the U.S. and the entire world,” he said during an address in Spanish to a joint session of the Legislature. His visit followed Brown’s trade mission to Mexico earlier this summer. The Democratic governor wants to promote greater cross-border co-
operation with the country that is California’s largest export market, most notably on alternative energy projects that could help combat climate change. In his own remarks to lawmakers, Brown said California was leading the way on such issues. “There’s more energy from the sun in California than there is under the ground in Texas,” Brown said. “We’re not waiting here in California. We are joining hands with Mexico.” A day earlier, the gov-
ernor and Pena Nieto addressed hundreds of Mexicans and MexicanAmericans at an event in Los Angeles. The last day of the president’s two-day visit to California also was marked by a protest outside the historic mansion in the state capital where he had lunch with Brown and most members of the state Assembly and Senate. About 150 protesters waved American flags and shouted slogans across the street, calling for the release of a U.S. Marine who
has been detained since he crossed the border in April with weapons and ammunition in his vehicle. Pena Nieto did not comment about the detention of Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, but his staff was handed a letter signed by 19 Republican state lawmakers asking for the Marine’s release. “Him taking a second look would be a wonderful gesture,” said Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, a Republican from the Riverside County community of Lake Elsinore.
ASHER
The current, home dressing rooms in the back of the gym will be torn down and replaced by larger rooms, Grissom said. These rooms, totaling 1,643 square feet of space, will also function as safe rooms. Grissom said he hopes to
use this space as a public shelter as well. “During the school day the kids are first, but when we’re not using it it’ll be open for the community,” he said. Grissom said the safe room should easily be able to hold 329 people.
No timetable has been set for construction yet, but Asher expects to receive money for the project in spring. Before this bond issue was passed, Asher had to transport children offsite to take shelter or make do with their own facilities.
Proposition No. 2 allows the district $150,000 in bonds to spend on two new school busses. “We have definitely got our money’s worth out of the busses we’ve got now,” Grissom said. The new vehicles will be very useful for school
athletic teams, he added, which have been successful in recent years. Proposition No. 1 received 114 total votes, 96 in favor of the proposition. Proposition No. 2 received 111 total votes, 95 in favor.
to serve. “I’m looking forward to working with the council to make our city better — we’ve got a lot of things to do,” Collier said. “I’m really pleased with the city — we’re going in the right
direction.” Lemmings, who said he was a bit disappointed about the loss, said Collier has served five years and is well known in the community. “I wish him all the best,”
Lemmings said, adding he may run again in the future to help do his part. Attempts to reach Poole for comment were unsuccessful. With Tuesday’s election, there will be no changes to
the current city council. Also up for election this year were the Ward 1 and Ward 2 seats. Ward 1 Councilor Linda Farris and Ward 2 Councilor Bob Stewart both won their seats without opposi-
tion during the last filing
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Proposition No. 1 will add a new lobby area and new visiting team dressing rooms to the north side of the gymnasium.
TECUMSEH
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percent. Collier said he is honored that the people have given him the chance to continue
RUNOFF
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State Superintendent In the state superintendent’s race, Democrats also voted in a runoff to choose which candidate will face
BETHEL ACRES Continued from Page 1A
all-volunteer fire department. Davis said the funds would help update fire department radios and provide bunker gear. Businesses in Bethel Acres currently collect a 5.5 percent sales tax for each dollar, with 4.5 cents going to the state and one
penny going to Pottawatomie County. With the passing of the 2.5 percent town sales tax, the sales tax rate will total 8 percent. The mayor said the new tax should generate a few thousand dollars each quarter. “This tax is not going to bring in much,” Davis said, “but every little bit helps in a small town.”
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They’ll remain on the board with Parker and Collier, along with Ward 3 Councilor Linda Praytor.
Republican Joy Hofmeister in November. Pottawatomie County voters favored John Cox over Freda Deskin with 59.1 percent of the vote. Statewide, Cox also was the favorite to win the nomination with 62.9 percent of the votes.
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