About francarr
Heather Dawn Thompson, CRST attorney, appointed Director of USDA Office of Tribal Relations
Heather Dawn Thompson, Thašúŋke Híŋ Zi Wiŋ, has been appointed as Director of the Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thompson is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe and from Rapid City. She reports directly to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack. Diverse and bipartisan Thompson’s appointment is part of the trend […]
FBI Increases reward in 2016 Eagle Butte murder case
The FBI has increased the reward money in the murder investigation of Jessie Wallace Cook, 32, of Cheyenne River. The reward doubled and is now $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. According to the FBI, Cook was found on the ground, unresponsive, near the water tower on the corner of Willow Street and Highway […]
Joye Braun noted for impact on KXL executive order
Cheyenne River’s own Joye Braun was highlighted in an opinion piece Newsweek magazine on Feb. 1, 2021 by Aimee Allison, founder and president of She the People and Newsweek columnist. The article, entitled “The Women Behind Biden’s Executive Orders” covers five women influencers on current topics.
Cheyenne River moves to COVID-19 Level 3
This week the Reservation moves to Level 3 of the CRST COVID-19 Response Plan. There are three measurable public health criteria that trigger moving to a new level under the Response Plan. All three criteria need to be met to move to a lower level.
Deb Haaland, first Native American to be nominated as Sect’y of the Interior
Deb Haaland has been nominated by President-Elect Joe Biden to serve as the first Native American Secretary of the Interior, the department which also oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In the role, she will oversee the Department’s responsibility for over 500 million acres of public lands which include national parks, oil and gas drilling sites and endangered species habitat. […]
From the Editorial Board: An apology
The West River Eagle would like to issue an apology to Ms. Alaina Beautiful Bald Eagle. It has come to our attention that we made an error in layout in the January 21st issue and wrongly attributed a byline to Fran Carr when the work in question was actually written by Ms. Beautiful Bald Eagle. Alaina, we are so sorry. […]
Regarding the Attack on the US Capitol, from the Editorial Board
January 11, 2021 It has been a tumultuous week in the United States. Domestic terrorists attacked the US Capitol building in an illegal attempt to thwart the certification of the November election. The attack peeled back the veneer of white supremacy and shattered the illusion of civil discourse. Here at the West River Eagle, we have struggled with how to […]
Noem delivers State of the State Address
South Dakota governor Kristi Noem delivered her third State of the State address on January 12, 2021. She spoke in a climate of national crisis after an attempted coup of the national government by pro-Trump extremists last Wednesday. Noem spoke to a joint session of the South Dakota legislature. Many but not all of those in attendance wore masks. Noem […]