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Without a direct route, it takes three hours for one community on the Navajo reservation to get medical care and other services in a town that’s only 45 miles away.
But, if a new road was built, it would take about 30 minutes.
KUER’s Tilda Wilson reports for the Mountain West News Bureau on efforts to find Utah state funding.
The first step for building the connecting road is a $4 million environment impact study.
The Navajo Nation has committed to paying for half of that.
Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley says the remaining share was initially included in this year’s state budget, but it was pulled at the last minute.
“This morning we were told that we looked every underneath, every, cushion underneath every couch. And we cannot find $2 million.”
This is the third year in a row that this has happened.
State funding early on is critical to obtaining federal money for the $140 million project.
State Sen. Nate Blouin (D-UT) supports the road.
“It’s $2 million, of a $28 billion budget. It’s a fraction of a percent. And to shove it off as, you know, low budget year, especially when this has been brought forward for a number of years, is, I think a bit disingenuous.”
The Navajo Nation has pushed for the road for the past 15 years.
Speaker Curley says they’ll continue to be persistent until they get the road constructed.
The Nebraska Winnebago Tribe’s Ho-Chunk Community Development Corporation (HCCDC) has been awarded $2 million through Yield Giving, an organization set up by MacKenzie Scott using part of her record-setting $38 billion divorce settlement with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Deborah Van Fleet has more.
Some 6,300 nonprofits applied to Yield Giving’s open call for grants.
The HCCDC was among 279 to receive a top tier rating.
In the next-highest tier, 82 organizations each received $1 million.
Kristine Earth, executive director of the corporation, said the Tribe has a lot to be proud of but a lot of work left to do.
“We’re so excited and are so thankful for this generous gift for our community. We do have a lot of issues; we have a lot of health disparities. And so, a donation like this really is going to make an impact for our entire Tribe as a whole.”
HCCDC marks its 20th anniversary this year, working to improve economic, educational, and social opportunities for tribal members.
Earth pointed out they have five key initiatives: housing development, commercial development, financial services, quality of life, and food sovereignty.
The Winnebago Tribe has experienced huge growth in its middle class in the past few decades, but roughly 30% of its members still live in poverty.
HCCDC created a farmer’s market, which Earth says is helping them address both health disparities and food sovereignty.
“Through our farmers market, now we’re able to touch on not only agriculture and tribal farming, but also our health care system. Offering the fresh fruits and vegetables and the Indian corn; things that will restore the health of our people.”
Earth added Winnebago is in a “food desert,” making food security a major focus for the Tribe.
“It’s hard for people to access fresh fruits and vegetables, and we have such a growing community. We are all coming together to grow our own food and to feed ourselves, so we can be sustainable in the future.”
On the Yield Giving website, MacKenzie Scott called all the open call grant winners “vital agents of change.”
Traditional Games kick off Friday in Juneau, Alaska.
Athletes from 29 teams across Alaska, Canada, and the Lower 48 are expected to compete.
More than 260 middle school, high school, college, and adult athletes from more than 20 communities will take part in 12 events – based on hunting and survival skills of Indigenous people.
The games are different from other sports as athletes competing against one another also encourage each other to reach new personal bests.
Coaches give helpful tips and guidance to athletes from opposing teams.
The event is open to parents and adults and non-Native athletes are also welcome to compete.
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