Settlement reached in Cherokee County police involved shooting case

More than two years after he was shot by Cherokee Indian Police Department SWAT Team members, Jason Harley Kloepfer has reached a $10 million settlement with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee County, ending any chances of what was shaping up to be a difficult and complicated federal trial.

Cherokee pottery exhibition to open

A special new exhibit, “Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop” will open on Thursday, May 29, at the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee. 

Eastern Band votes to allow for homegrown cannabis, again

Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who live on tribal land and possess a medical marijuana card will now be able to grow their own cannabis. 

Cherokee man sentenced following murder plea

U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Brandon Tyler Buchanan to 30 years in prison for second degree murder, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. 

DA rebukes Cherokee County deputy after new filings in 2022 shooting

New filings in the civil suit Jason Harley Kloepfer filed seven months after he was shot by police in the doorway of his own home cast a new shadow over the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

Cherokee hosts heritage seed workshop

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Extension office is hosting a workshop to teach people about the preservation of heirloom seeds.

Heirloom seeds help to ensure future generations maintain a reliable food supply, support financial self-reliance, preserve agricultural heritage and reflect cultural traditions. 

Trump urges full federal recognition for Lumbee: Eastern band continues its opposition

After over a century since receiving recognition from the state of North Carolina as an Indian Tribe, the Lumbee appear to be on the cusp of full federal recognition. 

Man sues EBCI for wrongful prosecution

A man initially convicted in a Cherokee Tribal Court for playing a role in a debilitating December 2019 ransomware attack is suing the tribe. 

Cody Long, the tribe’s former lead systems administrator for its Office of Information and Technology, was held in jail for 454 days and was in solitary confinement for the better part of a year following his initial arrest for tampering with public records and obstructing government functions.

Helene assistance deadline extended

At the request of Gov. Josh Stein, FEMA has granted North Carolina an extension for local governments and certain types of non-profits to apply for public assistance until Feb. 6, 2025. 

2024 A Look Back: The steamroller award

We hate to belabor one topic, but we have more than one marijuana-related award to hand out this year.  

The steamroller award goes to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who launched their cannabis venture despite no shortage of opposition from outside the Qualla Boundary.

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