On the morning of Monday, July 13, Dakota Ward surrendered in Cherokee Tribal Court, with Judge Barbara “Sunshine” Parker presiding, to begin his five-year sentence for four counts of false imprisonment and child abuse in the first degree. Victim impact statements were read for the record.

The Department of the Interior announced on Monday, July 13 the launch of the Electronic Probate System, a secure digital platform that modernizes how probate cases are managed for American Indian and Alaska Native families across Indian Country. 

Official Results for Dinilawigi on Wednesday, July 1

The One Feather provides weekly legislative updates on various pieces of federal legislation of interest to members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The bills are shown in the order in which they were introduced following the new bills for the week.

On the morning of Friday, July 10, Dakota Ward, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), entered a guilty plea in Cherokee Tribal Court with Judge Barbara “Sunshine” Parker presiding.

A community input meeting was held on the evening of Thursday, July 9 at the Pam Taylor Gymnasium in Aniwodihi (Painttown) by the Office of the Principal Chief to discuss the ongoing build of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and People (MMIWGP) online database.

This Week in Native News

The Town of Murphy approved a resolution on Monday, July 6, 2026 to transfer the Fort Butler Park and Historical Site, aka Fort Butler Memorial Park, to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI).  This will occur at no cost to the EBCI.