SEVERE WINTER STORM PELTS AREA - Eastern Band of Cherokee

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8 cherokee one feather THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010OPINIONSLeers to the EditorThank YouThank you to Joe-hi Griffin for being a good neighbor during the storm! Weppreciate you!Your neighbors on Bradley Branch and Ensley RoadConcerns over Natural Resources inSwain CountyMany citizens in Swain County are concerned about the quality of our naturalesources. Some are worried that the natural heritage – healthy forests, clean streams,ood fishing and hunting – is threatened. Others see immediate threats: eroding roads,andslides, muddy water, and litter along highways and creek banks.hen I talk to people in Swain County about environmental problems, many shrug theirhoulders suggesting that’s the way it always has been and always will be. But, I haveet many people who are concerned. They want a healthy environment for themselvesnd for their children. The concern can be a form of self-interest; a clean environments more prosperous, with a healthier economy, than a degraded or polluted one. Mostly,he concern grows from a sheer appreciation for these god-given mountains, forests,reeks and rivers. With all of our technology, we have become stewards of these treasres.We must act wisely.There will be a meeting entitled “Swain Green Networking and Planning Workhop”to be held on Thursday evening Feb. 11 in the conference room at the Mariannalack Library in Bryson City. There will be a potluck dinner at 6:15pm followed by aeeting from 7-8:30pm. Please call my office at 488-8418 if you plan to attend thepotluck so we make sure we have enough drinks.The purpose of this workshop is to bring together environmentally minded peopleto discuss common problems, to share plans, and to come up with solutions. Thegroups organizing this event are the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River,the Little Tennessee Land Trust, the Green Women of Swain County, and the Swain 4Hand Youth Council. We sense that there are other groups who mend their roads andclean up their creeks, or are simply concerned about our landscape, whom we don'tknow about. This is an opportunity to meet each other, share ideas, and partner. If yourgroup needs volunteers, then come with a sign-up sheet.We especially invite folks from Cherokee. In the coming year, thanks to a grantfrom the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, WATR will be working in partnership withgroups across the Tuckasegee River watershed, from Lake Glenville, Cullowhee, Sylva,Dillsboro, Cherokee, Whittier and Bryson City. We will be partnering with tribal governmentagencies and working with community groups on the Qualla Boundary, too.We intend to bridge communities and provide opportunities to learn about stream ecologyby actually collecting bugs and fish from the creeks. There is nothing more excitingthan seeing first-hand the incredible biology of healthy mountain creeks. No previoustraining required. It is easy to become a “citizen scientist,” which leads naturally to defendingclean streams and objecting to pollution. What better way to bond young andold, upstream and downstream, community and community?Letters PolicyRevised December 2008The Cherokee One Feather is available as a forum for any opinion or point of viewconcerning issues of general interest. Letters should be typed, exclusive to the One Featherand are not to be longer than 250 words. We do not edit letters for length, and letters inexcess of the maximum will not be accepted. Letters must be signed and should includea name, address, and phone number for verification. Only the name will be printed.No letter writer may have more than two letters published in any 4-week period. Libelousor unsigned letters will not be considered for publication at all. Letters endorsingindividual political candidates or parties will not be accepted. The One Feather will notaccept poetry submissions as a letter or requests for pen pals.Those of us who devote time and work to safeguarding our environment are init for the long-haul. For this reason we take the challenges seriously and fight for solutionsand sustainability that will ensure a healthy community and landscape for our children.We also find joy and friendship in this work, and we don't take ourselves tooseriously.This is an invitation for the public and particularly for representatives of communitygroups to convene, meet each other, and plan together. In short, we want to startanswering the question: “How Green will Swain County be in 2010?” in the 40th yearsince Earth Day.Let’s Make Indian Country CountRoger ClappExecutive Director WATROn Jan. 25, the 2010 Census kicks off in the Inupiat Eskimo village of Noorvik,Alaska. No roads lead to this community, so Census workers will arrive by air, snowmachine or dog sled – and they will need to get there early before the ice melts and theresidents leave for fishing and hunting season.It is important to recognize the significance of Noorvik as the first place thecensus count begins. Our community of American Indians and Alaska Natives is one ofthe nation’s hardest populations to count, because of language barriers, barriers to traveland transportation to remote and rural communities, and a historic mistrust of governmentinstitutions and efforts.Counting all Alaskans is critical, but it is especially so for Alaska Natives, giventhe unique, historical relationship between the United States federal government andthat community. An accurate count of Alaska Natives means fair access to federal resourcesand fair representation in state legislatures and the United States Congress.But equally important, it determines the annual distribution to states and tribes– and our communities and children – of more than $400 billion in federal funds annuallyover the next 10 years.This federal money based on census data is used for everything from schoolsand roads to health care for low-income residents, veterans and senior citizens.The goal of the 2010 Census is to paint a “Portrait of America.” Because theAmerican Indian and Alaska Native population is relatively small, every Native personwho is counted makes a huge difference in getting that portrait right.We know Indian country faces many hurdles to an accurate Census count. PastCensuses have missed more than 1 in 10 Native people. The Brookings Institution recentlyfound that for every person missed by the Census, the community loses morethan $1,000 every year. The future of Indian country will be built on a foundation of reliableand accurate Census data.As the president of the National Congress of American Indians, I encouragetribal leaders to get the word out to Native communities about how important the Censusis to our future generations. I also urge all local leaders across the nation to encouragetheir community members to participate in Census 2010.NCAI is working closely with the Census Bureau and other national and localpartners to prevail over the challenges of the past to make sure there is an accurate countof all Native peoples.We know Indian country counts. Let’s make sure its people are accuratelycounted in the Census.Jefferson KeelNational Congress of American Indians presidentDisclaimer: the opinions expressed on the Opinions pages do not necessarily reflectthe views of the Cherokee One Feather, the Principal Chief, the Vice Chief or TribalCouncil of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
OPINIONSCOMMENTARYKituwah and Swain CountyBy NATALIE SMITHKituwah can’t speak for herself. I can’tspeak for her either, but without a doubt, Ifeel is necessary to let my people knowwhat is planned to happen to her.It has been confirmed that Duke Energyplans on building a major energy producing substation,erecting 3 massive coil towers, and building a greatretainer wall up on the lower ridge at exit 69 (HyattCreek). They purchased the land for this project from alocal man for over a million dollars in 2008. The parcelto the right of it is still for sale, and the Duke parcel isbordered on the left by Trust Land and another deededproperty.A perennial stream and waterfall, which is onState property, is dangerously close to the left side ofthe dozing activity. As far as my small grass roots researchteam can tell, Duke has not consulted with manyState and local offices that they are required to so with.Perhaps they didn’t bother to consult the Army Corps ofengineers about the close proximity to the water (boththe river and the stream that neighbors their property).What else did they neglect to do? We knowthey did not inform our tribal government nor the SwainCounty Board of Commissioners of the girth of thisproject until after dozing had begun, and seems not tobe concerned with the American Indian Religious FreedomAct (commonly abbreviated to AIRFA, which is aUnited States federal law and a joint resolution of Congressthat was passed in 1978.), nor the Native AmericanGraves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C.3001 et seq. [Nov. 16, 1990].After all of this, are we just going stand asideand allow a big energy conglomerate, who we as ruralAppalachian citizens, struggle to pay each month, sufferthrough outages time and time again due to trees falling,mainly because DUKE doesn’t want to put lines undergrounddue to a high upfront cost?How else can they take from us? In my opinion,they RELY on our small population to NOT speakVictimhood and a young Indian writerThere is a youngercolumnist whosewriting has caughtmy attention in recenttimes. I havebeen greatly impressed by, firstof all, his good writing style. Hetalks to his readers, straight talkabout what he thinks, not mincingwords. He also has a goodview of our societies and theproblems that afflict them, andplenty of confidence andcourage to write frankly aboutthem. Not least, he also has ahave much to looseChuck TrimbleGUEST COLUMNwicked sense of humor but eschewsmeanness.I have enjoyed his writingsand invariably read hisup, to NOT investigate, to NOT know the laws that protectus from such impositions they cast. In my opinion,they use their power (literally) to sway our politicians,and a former Duke employee said that big utility companiesoften make big IOU exchanges with small municipalitiesto get what they want without muchresistance or none at all.Fred Alexander, a representative for DukePower of WNC, informed Tribal employees of theseplans in a closed-door meeting early last week. At thistime we do not know if this was the first such informativemeeting, BUT we DO know that Duke has beenworking on this project at least since 2008 and we havenot heard a peep about it in public. He says he wants tohear from the public. You can email him at fred.alexander@duke-energy.comand let him know how you feel.Personally I would like to see NO substation,NO towers, NO retainer wall overlooking Kituwah.Don’t get me wrong, I need electricity too and I am incomplete support of progress and growth, but I also understandthat growth must be smart and serve the publicin a sustainable manner.1. The Kituwah valley and Swain County deservemore consideration. Kituwah is located in SwainCounty, and is an asset to the county and its citizens. Itis rich in history and active living cultural practices.Swain County just started on an uphill climb towardgood tourism dollars. The Smokey Mountain Railroadjust made Bryson City their main depot, and the Fergusonfields (Kituwah) is the first open view for train ridersthat head out of town toward Whittier. Currently theview is largely unscathed at the mound, there is a HistoricalMarker in clear view for the train passengers andSwain could do well to boast this site in their tourismcampaign. The site just won’t have the same nostalgiaif there were a massive substation where everyone willbe aiming his or her cameras.Swain County is one of the poorest counties inNC, and relies heavily on tourism dollars. Wouldn’t theSwain County Chamber of Commerce be concernedabout the amount of destruction happening to their mostcolumns, printing out some ofthem for re-reading later. Butwhat really caught my fancy isthat he so deftly expresses viewsthat I share. He writes so manythings I wish I had written. Herecently announced that he willbe publishing a book in thecoming year, something I hadencouraged, and definitely lookforward to.This writer’s name isGyasi Ross, and he’s a memberof the Blackfeet Nation, withfamily among the Suquamishpicturesque valley? Isn’t the beauty EXACTLY whypeople flock here, and stay at places such as the HemlockInn?2. As of yet, there are no power lines that runthe full length of that mountainside parallel to HWY 74,BUT, according to page 22 of the Transmission ProjectsAt A Glance document (on the web) there is planned tobe a straight line of power created connecting existingsubstations. On this straight line falls the proposedHyatt Creek Substation that is up high and visible fromanywhere in that valley on Hwy 19. Now, we all knowthat a straight line is the shortest distance between twopoints, but here in the mountains, we also know thatstraight lines just aren’t realistic. If we wouldn’t puttunnels everywhere to get from point A to point B, whyshould we allow an energy company the luxury of astraight line at the cost of our most valuable asset, OURBEAUTY AND OUR HISTORY.Duke Power doesn’t absolutely have to put asubstation and power lines up on that mountain abovethe Kituwah. There are other options. Fred Alexandersaid that “the other options were worse” but provided nodetails whatsoever as to why or what the other optionswere that they had explored. I really don’t see whatother option could be worse than breaking virgin soil upon a ridge top next to a perennial stream and waterfallover looking a sacred site in a place where every one inmore than a 180 degree radius can see it.Us mountain folk are accustomed to crookedlines, and crooked business. We have to put up withdowned power lines every time a storm of any significancehits because the Fortune 500 company Duke Energywon’t spring for underground lines here and therethat could greatly reduce the amount of people who sufferfrom trees falling on lines. Yet, we as their customersin rural Appalachia, struggle to pay our powerbills each month.A long time customer of mine said that he hasTribe. He describes himself as alawyer, warrior, teacher, entrepreneurand author. I have notmet him personally, but lookforward to the day.I have asked his permissionto quote his most recentcolumn extensively, since I didnot want to chance misinterpretinghim. Also, I wanted to givehis words more exposure amongmy readership on the Pine Ridgeand Rosebud Reservations. Hehas graciously allowed me to dothis. In that column, he wrotesee KITUWAH page 10the following:“…I hear intergenerationaltrauma arguments overand over and over. I hear thatthe reason why Natives consistentlyserve as the poster childrenfor FAS, teen suicide,alcoholism, drug abuse, domesticviolence is because of whathappened to us in the distantAND not-so-distant past, ok, Ican dig that. That makes somesense (and I hold any questionssee VICTIMHOOD page 10THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010cherokee one feather9
Page 3 and 4: COVER STORYSnow and Icepelt AreaPow
Page 5 and 6: Tribal Council AgendaFeb. 4 at 8:30
Page 7: Be Safe During aWinter StormNEWS ka
Page 12 and 13: 12 cherokee one feather THURSDAY, F
Page 15 and 16: HEALTH TALKFebruary is Teen Dating
Page 17: CHEROKEE IN A SNAPSubmied PhotoSNOW
Page 20: SPORTS di-ne-lv-di-yiCherokee sweep
Page 23: NEWS ka-no-he-daBUDGET, from page 2
Page 30 and 31: CELEBRATIONSCongratulationsHappy 21
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SEVERE WINTER STORM PELTS AREA - Eastern Band of Cherokee

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