Issues & News 01/16/2010

Issues & News 01/16/2010
Attorney General Announces Significant Reforms to Improve Public Safety in Indian Country
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 11, 2010
Attorney General Announces Significant Reforms to Improve Public Safety in Indian Country
Attorney General Eric Holder today announced sweeping reforms intended to improve public safety on tribal land. The new directive is part of a larger Justice Department initiative to create better communication and coordination to fight crime and promote justice in Indian Country.
"The public safety challenges we face in Indian Country will not be solved by a single grant or a single piece of legislation," Holder said. "There is no quick fix. While today's directive is significant progress, we need to continue our efforts with federal, state and tribal partners to identify solutions to the challenges we face, and work to implement them."
The Attorney General directed all U.S. Attorneys' Offices with districts containing Indian Country (44 out of 93) to: meet and consult with tribes in their district annually; develop an operational plan addressing public safety in Indian Country; work closely with law enforcement to pay particular attention to violence against women in Indian Country and make these crimes a priority; and to provide summaries of their operational plans to the Office of the Deputy Attorney General and make those summaries available to the tribes in their districts .
The Attorney General also announced that the Justice Department's FY 2010 appropriation includes an additional $6 million for Indian Country prosecution efforts. At least 35 additional Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 12 additional FBI victim specialists will be added in offices with an Indian Country caseload. These new resources will enable the Justice Department to bring the federal justice system closer to Indian Country, including through a Community Prosecution Pilot Project that the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys is currently developing.
Today's announcement came out of the recommendations that have been gathered by Department leadership as part of a larger department-wide initiative on public safety in tribal communities. As part of this effort, Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden and Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli conducted a series of meetings addressing violent crime in Indian Country. On Oct. 28-29, 2009,Attorney General Holder convened a national tribal leaders listening session in St. Paul, Minn. Also in October, the Justice Department held its annual tribal consultation on violence against women, as required by the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. The department again had the opportunity to engage with tribal leaders on public safety in tribal communities during the White House Tribal Nations Conference in November 2009. In addition to these sessions with tribal leaders, department leadership has conducted meetings with Indian Country experts on law enforcement and public safety efforts.
The districts include: District of Alaska; Southern District of Alabama; District of Arizona; Central District of California; Eastern District of California; Northern District of California; Southern District of California; District of Colorado; District of Connecticut; Southern District of Florida; District of Idaho; Northern District of Iowa; District of Kansas; Western District of Louisiana; District of Maine; District of Massachusetts; Eastern District of Michigan; Western District of Michigan; District of Minnesota; Southern District of Mississippi; District of Montana; District of Nebraska; District of Nevada; District of New Mexico; Eastern District of New York (anticipating federal recognition of the Shinnecock Nation); Northern District of New York; Western District of New York; Western District of North Carolina; District of North Dakota; Eastern District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Oklahoma; Western District of Oklahoma; District of Oregon; District of Rhode Island; District of South Carolina; District of South Dakota; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Texas; District of Utah; Eastern District of Washington; Western District of Washington; Eastern District of Wisconsin; Western District of Wisconsin; and the District of Wyoming.
A copy of the guidelines, in a memo from Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden to the relevant U.S. Attorneys, can be found here : http://www.justice.gov/..dag/dag-memo-indian-country...html .
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/..2010/January/10-ag-019.html
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Teresa Anahuy
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/..FirstPeoplesNews
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ACTION ALERT: Please Sign the The Crow Creek Sioux Land is NOT For Sale Petition
Lakota Lands Recovery Project BulletinPosted by David Bartecchi
Thank you for reading!
Help the cause:
I Read This
http://www.petitiononline.com/..CrowCrek/petition.html


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The California Valley Miwok Tribe Fights Eviction to
Retain its Tribal Property
Stockton, California, The California Valley Miwok Tribe once again is facing the
threat of eviction off its Tribal Property located at 10601 Escondido Pl., Stockton,
CA 95212.
Stockton is in the top 5 across the nation regarding homes being foreclosed upon.
Miwok territory covers 10 counties and our Tribe is fighting to retain its 1
1/2 acres
of land. It is our homeland, our history here in San Joaquin. We do not want to
lose our land. Our people are being threatened to be thrown out in the street (by
the San Joaquin Sheriff's Dept.) on January 15, 2010.
We are asking for the community to join us. We are asking for One West Bank to
hold off on moving forward with the eviction. We have a lawsuit against the
California Gambling Control Commission that will be heard on February 9, 2010 in
which we anticipate our Revenue Sharing Trust Fund Money being released. That
means, the Tribe can pay to keep its property.
We are asking that One West Bank give us the extra time to have our day in court
and to have the chance to save our land. We (the "Tribe") have had so much
taken from us in the past that it may only be 1 1/2 acres of land but it means
everything to us.
You may help by contacting Governor Schwarzenegger and tell him that the
California Valley Miwok Tribe (a federally recognized Miwok Tribe) is fighting off
being thrown out in the street due to foreclosure of their Tribal Property because
of the California Gambling Control Commission illegally withholding their Revenue
Sharing Trust Fund Money for the past 5 years. Tell the Governor that the Miwok
people are in a dire situation and that CGCC will not release our funding because
they say they are waiting for the local BIA to say who the Tribal leader is, but the
BIA says they have no jurisdiction or mandate to tell CGCC anything.
President Obama needs to intervene on our behalf and put a stop to the abuses
the local BIA has been inflicting upon our Tribe. RELEASE OUR FUNDS!!!
For more information, contact the California Valley Miwok Tribe Tribal Office:
209.931.4567 Fax: 209.931.4333
http://www...californiavalleymiwoktribe-..nsn.gov
http://..californiavalleymiwoktribe.us




United Native Americans, Inc




The First Militant Indian Organization To Rise To National Prominence.
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Federation Farmers Conference February 12-13 in Albany - USDA's Pearlie Reed Keynote Speaker
For Immediate Release: January 15, 2010
Contact: Heather Gray 404 765 0991
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/
Land Assistance Fund
http://www.federation.coop

Federation to hold it's 27th Annual Small Farmers Conference February 12-13 in Albany
Keynote speaker will be USDA’s Pearlie Reed speaking on Civil Rights at USDA
And Attorney Rose Sanders will provide an update on the Pigford Two Lawsuit...and more
ATLANTA.... On February 12 and 13, 2010 the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund (Federation) will hold it's 27th annual Small Farmers Conference, Marketing and Trade Show. Hosting more than 300 farmers, landowners and supporters from across the south, the conference objective is to provide information on USDA programs, marketing, technical assistance, legal risk management issues, insurance, conservation and a variety of other agriculture issues that impact the survival of small farmers. Critical also for farmers will be an update on the Pigford Lawsuit negotiations. The keynote speaker will be Pearlie Reed, Assistant Secretary for Administration (USDA) (For information about Mr. Reed please go to - http://..federationsoutherncoop.com/pre..ss/pr2010/pearliereed.htm )

On Friday, February 12 from 9AM to 5PM conference participants are invited to join a bus tour of some of Federation's projects in southwest Georgia (see below). On Saturday, February 13 from 8AM to 3PM the plenary sessions and workshops will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn. See below how you can pre-register for the Conference.

As keynote speaker Pearlie Reed will speak about the USDA’s Office of Civil Rights and its program delivery to ensure fair treatment to farmers.

Other speakers will include the Federation's former Georgia Director Shirley Sherrod who now heads the USDA's Georgia Rural Development Office. She will provide updates on Rural Development in Georgia along with information on programs available to farmers and rural communities across the state. Attorney Rose Sanders of Chestnut, Sanders & Sanders in Selma, Alabama will provide an update on the Pigford Two Lawsuit and Georgia Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA) will speak about rural legislation in Congress. There will also be panels on USDA programs along with question and answer opportunities.

The Federation's Small Farmers Conference, Marketing and Trade Show is one of the rare opportunities for small farmers to ask specific questions about USDA programs from a diverse segment of USDA staff. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Registration Form and Sponsor/Exhibitor Form can be obtained in word documents through our website at:
http://federationsoutherncoop...com/press/pr2010/jan1110.htm

Pre-registration fees can be paid on our website at:
http://federationsoutherncoop...com/donate.htm
Conference Schedule

Friday February 12, 2010
Farm & Co-op Tour with Workshops
9:00AM - 5:00PM Fee - $10.00
Bus will depart from Hilton Garden Inn at 9:00AM. Lunch will be provided.
Please contact the FSC Albany Office TODAY to assure your seat on the bus.
Phone: 229-432-5799

Saturday February 13, 2010
Small Farmers Conference - Hilton Garden Inn
Keynote Speaker Pearlie Reed
Update on Pigford Lawsuit
8:00AM - 3:00PM Registration Fee - $25.00
Includes conference material and lunch

Hilton Garden Inn
101 South Front Street in Albany, GA 31701
For hotel reservations phone: 229-888-1590
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Note: The Federation/LAF, now in its 43rd year, assists Black family farmers across the South with farm management, debt restructuring, alternative crop suggestions, marketing expertise and a whole range of services to ensure family farm survivability.

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Cherokee Phoenix Weekly Newsletter

In news, the Cherokee Nation replied to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals as part of its appeal to a ruling denying a request to join Oklahoma in the lawsuit against the poultry industry. The state is arguing that bacteria from the over-application of poultry litter in the million-acre Illinois River Watershed in northeastern Oklahoma leaches into groundwater, springs and wells.

In sports, the Sequoyah Indians made their sixth appearance in seven years at Cherokee Nation Entertainment’s Tournament of Champions in late December. The Indians closed out the basketball tournament with a hard fought 57-51 loss to Class 5A No. 2-ranked Tulsa Memorial in the third-place game.

In other news, the Cherokee Nation Office of Veterans Affairs is coordinating its 9th annual “Valentines for Vets” campaign to honor disabled, hospitalized and elderly veterans. Valentines will be given to veterans at the Jack C. Montgomery Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Muskogee, the Ernest Childers Outpatient Clinic in Tulsa, outpatient clinics in Jay and Vinita and the Claremore and Talihina VA nursing homes.

Follow the Cherokee Phoenix on Twitter. Click on the link in the Check it Out section for updates on what is going on within the Cherokee Nation.

The Cherokee Phoenix is mobile. Keep informed on your iPhone with the new app available for download. Search for Cherokee Phoenix in the App store or go to mobile.cherokeephoenix.org ..on any mobile device.

Become a fan of the Cherokee Phoenix on Facebook. Click on the Facebook link in the Check it Out section.

Look for more news and events within the Cherokee Nation and Indian Country at www.cherokeephoenix.org and in future editions of the Cherokee Phoenix Weekly.