According to the Municode for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Section 2-1, Subsection B, “The Tribal Council shall have the power to exclude other persons from Cherokee trust lands when necessary to protect the integrity and law and order on Tribal lands and territory or the welfare of its members”. Subsection A talks about the “exclusion” or banishment of enrolled members who are deemed sex offenders or drug traffickers.

When you look at the outside world from through your front door, one has to wonder where are we going? Who is going to lead?

I truly appreciate any input and/or suggestions as far as the Pageant is concerned. I have coordinated Miss Cherokee for many years, from time to time with a different co-coordinator.

In order to continue the growth that Cherokee has enjoyed, we cannot continue to depend on one industry to supply the revenue necessary to sustain economic development.

You may remember a couple of months ago the EBCI Tribal Council passed an ordinance prohibiting smoking on any part of the Cherokee Indian Hospital Campus. I wanted to remind the public of this ordinance and to ask for your help in keeping our hospital campus smoke free.

When the decision was made to purchase the Tallulah Mound property, it seemed that a couple, if not all council members, were a little bit confused about the price.

On Veterans’ Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, we celebrate the 77th year of this national holiday.

On the Veterans’ Memorial, in front of the tribal finance office and council house, engraved in granite, are the names of all enrolled members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who served in the armed forces and have passed away.