Cherokee man arrested in cold case murder

Nearly a decade after 26-year-old Marie Walkingstick Pheasant’s body was found in a burned-out vehicle in Cherokee’s Big Cove community, her husband Ernest Dwayne Pheasant, 46, has been arrested for her murder. 

Per cap numbers indicate faltering casino revenues

The most recent per capita distribution numbers indicate flagging revenues at the two casinos operating on Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians lands in Jackson and Cherokee counties.

Living culture: WCU undertakes project showcasing Cherokee heritage on campus

At mid-morning on Wednesday, Nov. 15, the fountain at the heart of Western Carolina University’s campus is a thoroughfare.

SBI report on police shooting heads to special prosecutor

Nearly 11 months after a Cherokee County man was shot by police officers in the doorway of his own home, a State Bureau of Investigation probe into the shooting is complete. 

Tribal Council approves short-term funding for Qualla Enterprises: Long-term plan still in process

Tribal Council has again delayed approving long-term funding for its cannabis enterprise but voted overwhelmingly Thursday, Nov. 2, to loan the company up to $3 million to cover expenses over the next month. 

Police shooting case could test limits of sovereign immunity

As police shooting victim Jason Harley Kloepfer’s sprawling federal lawsuit  makes its way through court, where he’s seeking millions of dollars in damages, some attorneys are speculating that it has the potential to spur a first-of-its-kind ruling on the limits of sovereign immunity, a defense that often protects Native American tribes from lawsuits. 

Cannabis funding decision expected soon

Cherokee issues first medical ID cards; tribe continues to work on product transport plan 

Former Tribal Council candidate seeks compensation for 2017 election outcome

A former Tribal Council candidate is seeking $800,000 from the tribe in compensation for “physical, mental and financial despair” allegedly inflicted on her and her family in the aftermath of the 2017 election. 

Hicks proposes loan to fund cannabis enterprise

In one of the first pieces of legislation of his new term, on Monday, Oct. 9, Principal Chief Michell Hicks presented Tribal Council with a resolution that would provide Qualla Enterprises an additional $19 million in funding — under certain conditions.

Reclaiming the name: Cherokee museum chooses new name, branding

When Shana Condill  stepped in as Cherokee’s new museum director, she expected questions about the museum’s name — and her instinct quickly proved correct. 

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