Along with some states, tribes are opening up their businesses despite the continued threat from the coronavirus. Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Tribe opened its casino with added precautions May 1. In Washington, the Kalispel tribe opened its facilities May 5. At least four other tribes in the state are planning on casino openings in the coming days despite state-mandated stay-at-home orders. The debate over opening businesses to the public weighs economic survival against the health and safety of citizens. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports cases of COVID-19 are declining nationally, but some tribes continue to struggle with increasing infection rates despite the national trend. Experts also warn about a possible spike of new infections if public interactions increase too soon.
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Tuesday, May 12, 2020 – Alaska’s fishing season vs. coronavirus fears
As the commercial fishing season in Alaska nears, residents and medical professionals are worried about the potential coronavirus threat posed by the thousands of seasonal workers who arrive from all over the world. The only hospital in Dillingham has two ventilators, which officials say would not be adequate if there’s a major COVID-19 outbreak. The tribally-owned Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation urges the state to postpone the fishing season, citing the health risk to the 28 Alaska Native villages it serves. A group of mayors from the area sent a letter to Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy to consider closing the fishing season. So far, there is no plan to do so.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2020 – Coronavirus behind bars
Almost 5,000 inmates in prisons and jails across the country have tested positive for the coronavirus. Nearly 100 of them have died according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Andrea Circle Bear (Cheyenne River Sioux) was the first female inmate in the country to die of COVID-19. Her family says she should’ve been treated much sooner than she was. In New Mexico, the state Supreme Court denied a petition to release certain inmates to prevent the spread of the virus there. We’ll check on the dilemma of those who have no way to isolate themselves from the pandemic.
Thursday, May 14, 2020 – Supreme Court hears McGirt jurisdiction case
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in a pivotal jurisdiction case about tribal land in Oklahoma. For the first time in history the hearing is available to the public as it happens. In question is the disestablishment of the Muscogee (Creek) reservation in McGirt v. Oklahoma. The defendant is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He claims he was convicted in the wrong court because the crime was committed in traditional Muscogee territory. We’ll bring you parts of the hearing and analysis of the arguments.
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Friday, May 15, 2020 – Pomp and social distancing
Graduation time this year comes with a moratorium on public gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But high school and college seniors are not letting social distancing keep them from celebrating their educational accomplishments. Social media and family gatherings are among the ways the Native senior class of 2020 is marking the occasion.
