FROM THE ARCHIVE

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In The Hoop
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2001

Welcome to In The Hoop, Indianz.Com's occasional column about assorted Indian issues.

Calling all Indian lawyers
You might remember In The Hoop told you the Department of Justice is hiring. You know, the division that got kicked off the Cobell v. Norton trust fund lawsuit.

But if you are looking for job security, especially given the peculiar climate over at Justice, you might want to consider working for Dorsey & Whitney. The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based law firm recently took tops in a survey by Minority Law Journal as having the highest percentage (1.3 percent) of Native American attorneys.

According to the journal, there were nine Native attorneys at the firm, which has an Indian law practice. A spokesperson says that number has actually increased to 12.

The overall number of Native attorneys, of course, is very small. Nationwide, just 0.1 percent of attorney are Native, according to the journal's comprehensive survey.

Calling all Comanche Code Talkers
While the U.S. Attorneys office in Washington, D.C., is out defending the government for its (mis)handling of the trust fund, the one in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma will be honoring the Comanche Code Talkers this week.

On Thursday, the office will be holding its own presentation as part of Native American Month (which is this month, in case you forgot). Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Mikkanen, who is Kiowa and Comanche and happens to be the president of the Oklahoma Indian Bar Association, is inviting any family members of the original 17 Comanche Code Talker to come and participate in the event. The only surviving member is Charles Chibitty, 80, said Mikkanen.

Thursday, incidentally, was the day Windtalkers was supposed to be released. You know, the one which chronicles the story of the Navajo Code Talkers and the Marines assigned to protect them.

MGM Studios, however, has delayed the Nicolas Cage / Adam Beach vehicle until next summer, citing holiday movie "scheduling" conflicts.

Chlorine Dioxide, Anyone?
It looks like the Hart Senate Office Building, which houses the Indian Affairs Committee, will be closed for quite some time still.

The Washington Post reports today that fumigation using chlorine dioxide gas has been delayed pending further testing by the Environmental Protection Agency. While pumping the chemical through the air system has been hailed as "promising," it is still unproven for such a large building as the Hart.

But callers to the committee -- chaired by Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), whose own office is in the building -- won't necessarily be informed of the debate, much less the reason why the building is closed. "The committee appreciates your patience during these challenging times and will do its best to serve you from remote locations," the answering machine states.

In The Hoop doesn't know where these remote locations are, but we suspect Blackie's House of Beef, The Palm and the coat room at Morton's are on the short list.

In Your Hoop
Where do you think the Indian Affairs Committee should hold hearings? Email In the Hoop.