NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
Federal legislative updates of interest to EBCI citizens (Jan. 5)
The One Feather will now provide 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.
Man sentenced to 21 years in prison on drug and gun charges
Grey Alan Hester, 50, of Candler, N.C. was sentenced on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, to 21 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority celebrates opening of new Cherokee County Clinic
The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), alongside Tribal leadership, community members, and project partners, celebrated the opening of the new Cherokee County Clinic on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
ONE FEATHER PHOTOS
COMMUNITY ᏍᎦᏚᎩ
Atlanta Braves Cultural Committee and Atlanta Braves hold Career Expo
On the morning of Thursday, Dec. 11, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Atlanta Braves Cultural Committee and the Atlanta Braves held the Beyond the Diamond Career Expo at the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Event Center for EBCI high school and college students to explore careers in professional sports.
Littledave, Stephens receive Frell Owl Award
Sheyahshe Littledave and Ahli-sha Stephens, both members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, were named the recipients of the prestigious Frell Owl Award during a ceremony at Granny’s Kitchen in Cherokee, N.C. on the morning of Monday, Dec. 8.
Meet the EBCI’s 2026 Remember the Removal Riders
Following are the riders who will represent the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on the 2026 Remember the Removal (RTR) bicycle ride. The ride will retrace the northern route of the Trail of Tears from New Echota, Ga. to Tahlequah, Okla. Exact dates are not yet available for this year’s ride, but it will occur in June 2026.
OPINIONS ᏃᎵᏍᎬᎢ
December report from Aniwodihi (Painttown) Rep. Michael Stamper
This is my Council Report for the month of December. November was a very busy month, and I hope each of you enjoyed a restful holiday season with family and friends. As always, my report follows the standard format below.
THE GOOD STUFF: Janell Rattler always puts Cherokee elders first
If elders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) are involved, Janell Rattler will not be far behind – assisting wherever and however she can. She is the Senior Games coordinator in the Cherokee Recreation Program and has made it her life’s work to make sure that Cherokee elders have the opportunity to be active and healthy.
SPEAKING OF FAITH: Christmas Story
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s (Mary’s cousin) pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
SPORTS ᏍᎦᏚᎩ
RUNNING: Swimmer commits to D1 program for cross country, track and field
Dvdaya Swimmer, a member of the Tsalagi Anata Anitsvyasdi (Cherokee Lady Braves) cross country and track and field teams, is about to take her running career to the Aloha State.
Building from Legacy: Cherokee Wrestling begins again
Tsalagi Anitsvyasdi nole Tsalagi Anata Anitsvyasdi (Cherokee Braves and Cherokee Lady Braves) wrestling kicked off the 2025-26 season with the Maroon and Gold intrasquad scrimmage on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 6 in the Charles George Memorial Arena.
CROSS COUNTRY: Tsalagi Anata Anitsvyasdi (Cherokee Lady Braves) High School, Middle School teams win at Hayesville
The Cherokee High School (CHS) and Middle School (CMS) cross country teams participated in a meet, hosted by Hayesville High Schools, at the Clay County Rec. Center in Hayesville, N.C. on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 27.
OBITUARIES ᏧᏂᏲᎰᏒ
OBITUARY: Hershel Felix Hyatt
Hershel Felix Hyatt enjoyed the simple pleasures of life-fishing, racing, and hunting-but nothing brought him more joy than time spent with his family.
OBITUARY: Eugenia Thompson Guess
Eugenia Thompson Guess, born July 21, 1966, went home peacefully after an extended illness surrounded by family on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. She loved the Lord, and he was her anchor through her days spent in the hospitals.
OBITUARY: Thomas Joseph “Tom” Haigler
Thomas Joseph “Tom” Haigler, 96, passed away peacefully on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at home in Bryson City, N.C., with his daughter by his side.
HAPPENINGS
Food truck rodeo coming to Harrah’s Cherokee
Three Cherokee-owned food trucks will be setting up at The Cherokee Convention Center this Friday, Feb. 4 and Saturday, Feb. 5 to serve any and all who want an Indian dinner or Cherokee fare.
May classes at Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education
The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, has released the May class schedule. The workshops will be hosted outside and led by Wildlife Commission staff. The Center’s COVID-19 policies are stated on their...
Mountain Heritage Day planning for return to WCU campus this fall
Mountain Heritage Day, the festival of cultural traditions presented by Western Carolina University, is again being planned as a live, in-person event on Saturday, Sept. 25.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A Butterfly’s Heart: Melah Perkins’ fashion show debut
Kimmemelah Chontay Perkins, or Melah, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Sioux, is a beadwork and quillwork artist making her debut as a designer in the Kananesgi Fashion Show coming up Nov. 8.
Waleli Crow brings an artist’s eye to modeling
Waleli Crow is surrounded daily by art, and modeling offers her another artistic outlet. Crow, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, is a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. where she majors in dramatic writing with minors in film and television and graphic design.
“The web grows stronger”: The story behind Kananesgi
What began as a bold vision to bring Cherokee art to the world has become one of the region’s most celebrated showcases of Indigenous creativity. The Kananesgi events, including an art market, competition, and fashion show, were created to uplift artists of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and celebrate both tradition and innovation.
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