U.S. Supreme Court affirms landmark Indian Child Welfare Act
The Indian Child Welfare Act will remain intact despite a challenge that made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a stunning 7-2 opinion the U.S. Supreme Court rejected all of the challenges to the 45-year-old law.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote in the majority opinion that the issues in the case are “complicated,” but the court rejects “all of the petitioners’ challenges to the statute.”
This is a significant win for Native families and tribal nations. The court was considering a number of issues related to tribal sovereignty.
Significantly, the court rules tribes are a political entity rather than a racial group, which is the foundation to keeping much of federal Indian law intact.
Tribal nation leaders - including the Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. - are praising the decision as a “major victory.”
When Sara Hill, Attorney General for the Cherokee Nation, saw the U.S. Supreme Court's decision regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act, she was relieved.
“We have so many Indian children in custody, and, you know, we have so many foster parents and grandparents and people who are whose lives are tied up in the court system in different ways,” Hill said. “And because of the Indian Child Welfare Act, you know, these families have this protection that they so desperately need.”
OU Raises Tuition
The University of Oklahoma is raising tuition for the third year in a row, and other state universities are following. The 3% tuition hike was approved at Wednesday’s Board of Regents meeting.
OU attributes the hike to increased costs and employee raises amid a rapidly inflating economy.
So what does that mean for Sooner students? If you’re an Oklahoman attending OU next year, you can expect to pay about $5 more per credit hour. If you’re coming from outside of Oklahoma, expect to shell out nearly $22 more per credit hour. Different rates apply for Law and Health Sciences Center students.
Rogers State University will also see a 2% tuition bump for in-state students and 1% for out-of-state.
Cameron University is raising its tuition as well, by nearly 3%, but it’s eliminating fees to balance out the costs to students.
Also at the meeting, OU President Joe Harroz was approved for a $100,000 bonus.
The regents took up their business at the PostOak Lodge near Tulsa, instead of one of its usual on-campus locations for public meetings.
That’s drawn criticism, pointing out the vote to raise tuition rates happened at a retreat getaway that normally charges around $2,000 a day.
A records request has been filed for the costs of the meeting.
Alleged Chemical Attack At A Jones Farm
A farm in Jones could be the site of a chemical attack resulting in dying crops and financial loss.
Michael Ruzycki believes his farm was targeted with some kind of plant poison earlier this week. The chemical killed much of his produce, totaling more than $100,000 in damages.
"We’re just going to be as positive as we can about this situation. The community, the support that we’ve seen, has just been overwhelming," said Ruzycki.
Ruzycki has filed a report with the Oklahoma City police department in hopes to find the person responsible. The Department of Agriculture will visit the farm this week to discover what exactly was sprayed on the crops.
For now, Ruzycki Farms will sell flowers and evaluate how to move forward. Community members and customers are supporting the family through Go-Fund-Me.
High-Speed Internet Coming To Some Rural Communities
Counties in Southeast Oklahoma and the panhandle will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to bring high-speed Internet to rural communities.
More than $50 million dollars in loans and grants from the USDA’s ReConnect Program will help develop broadband access for rural Oklahomans in Beaver, Cimarron and Pittsburg counties.
It will also link broadband services to people in Eastern New Mexico bordering the panhandle.
The federal funds will help connect more than 2,000 people, 700 farms and 70 businesses to high-speed internet.
The panhandle’s Beaver and Cimarron Counties are the largest recipients in the state, with a loan and grant worth more than $43 million dollars. Pittsburg County in Southeast Oklahoma will receive almost $10 million dollars.
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