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<v Speaker 1>Good morning, good morning, good morning, and welcome, welcome, welcome.

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<v Speaker 1>It's time now for our community connection right here on ka.

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<v Speaker 1>Why don't you trust on the phone with me? He

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<v Speaker 1>is a principal Chief Chuck Hoskins, Junior, Cherokee Nation. How

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<v Speaker 1>are you doing there? Chief?

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<v Speaker 2>Very good time yourself.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh, you know you can stop raining any time. But well,

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<v Speaker 1>I'll tell you what We'll want this in August, so

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not going to complain. So I'm going to re

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<v Speaker 1>send my cynicism here. Hey, how are you and the

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<v Speaker 1>governor get along these days?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, hey, we were having a good ride for a while.

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<v Speaker 2>You know. We reached a compact back in December, and

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<v Speaker 2>so there was a bit of a honeymoon period. But

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<v Speaker 2>the honeymoon came to a screeching colt a couple of

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<v Speaker 2>days ago when he vetoed what was really a kind

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<v Speaker 2>of a technical amendment to the law called Ida's Law.

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<v Speaker 2>Tom he signed out of Ida's Law. And for good reasons.

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<v Speaker 2>What IDs Law did was it established an office in

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<v Speaker 2>the Oklahoma State Europe Investigation dedicated to Missing and Murdered

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<v Speaker 2>Indigenous person's case. Why because Native people's are disproportionately subject

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<v Speaker 2>to violent crimes, sexual assaults, cases that go unsolved. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>the statistics are pretty jarring. That's one reason. The second

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<v Speaker 2>reason is that there are jurisdictional challenges when it comes

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<v Speaker 2>to those cases. As we've talked about before, there's a

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<v Speaker 2>layer of federal law, there's a layer of tribal law,

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<v Speaker 2>there's a layer of state law. Getting everybody to work

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<v Speaker 2>together means we can work quickly, we can work cooperatively.

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<v Speaker 2>Made perfect sense. That's why I signed it. Twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 2>one gets a little bit in the weeds here, Tom,

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<v Speaker 2>But the technical amendment was to take away a requirement

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<v Speaker 2>of federal funding. Now, I'm all for bringing in federal funds,

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<v Speaker 2>and I don't think the governor's much as the span

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<v Speaker 2>of federal fund at least I didn't think he was.

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<v Speaker 2>But there were no federal funds for this particular program,

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<v Speaker 2>and there weren't going to be any federal funds, And

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<v Speaker 2>so almost unanimous legislatures said, hey, strike that amendment. We've

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<v Speaker 2>already budgeted this in the OSBI. The USBI was already

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<v Speaker 2>staffing this position at my top. This just housekeeping measure

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<v Speaker 2>comes across his desk on MMIP awareness Day and he

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<v Speaker 2>vetoes it and he detos it because he says, well,

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<v Speaker 2>we shouldn't have a different set of resources for different races. That's,

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<v Speaker 2>in my opinion, a tired old argument that's designed to

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<v Speaker 2>confuse and divide. So he and I aren't getting along

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<v Speaker 2>on that. Lots of other issues though, but that's an

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<v Speaker 2>important one because it's worked, it's cooperation, and so here

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<v Speaker 2>I think more reasonable folks will prevail. I think the

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<v Speaker 2>legislature will override his detail.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, let's talk about your trip to Washington, DC earlier

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<v Speaker 1>this week. You're a well traveled man.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, Washington, d C has been beckoning a lot lately,

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<v Speaker 2>and also for good reason. We've got, as everyone knows,

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<v Speaker 2>the new administration in Washington, d C. And look, irrespective

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<v Speaker 2>of party, that always calls tribal leaders to get to

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<v Speaker 2>d C. Start doing two things. One is making our

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<v Speaker 2>case for the resources we need, making our case for

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<v Speaker 2>why bringing resources to Indian country. It really is a

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<v Speaker 2>win for every body, and it's to make up for

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of lost opportunities that the United States has

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<v Speaker 2>had over centuries to do the right thing. I think

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<v Speaker 2>we've been in an aeron which they're trying to do

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<v Speaker 2>the right thing. But the other reason is when you

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<v Speaker 2>get a new batch of federal appointees, you got to

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<v Speaker 2>educate them on the basis of Indian country. And that's

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<v Speaker 2>not to diminish them. Tom, look at the dense topic.

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<v Speaker 2>Tribes are a fraction of the entire population of the country.

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<v Speaker 2>A lot of folks irrespect of a party, aren't well

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<v Speaker 2>versed in muse isus. So there's a baseline reason why

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<v Speaker 2>I would be in DC anyway at the start of

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<v Speaker 2>a new administration. This administration, I think if you just

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<v Speaker 2>if you say all you know is what you're reading

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<v Speaker 2>the papers. Hey, this administration is definitely different in terms

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<v Speaker 2>of its approach, the speed with which change is happening.

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<v Speaker 2>And then some things that are really concerning to me,

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<v Speaker 2>which is proposed cuts the things I care about that

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<v Speaker 2>will hurt people I care about, and I'm talking about

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<v Speaker 2>things that involve public safety. I'm talking about things that

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<v Speaker 2>involve healthcare. I'm real concerned about that. Cuts that have

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<v Speaker 2>already happened, grants that have been shut down. I'm not

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<v Speaker 2>saying we're in free fall at the cherry condition, because

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<v Speaker 2>we're not. I'm not saying that all of our grants

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<v Speaker 2>have been cut because they have not, but there's been

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<v Speaker 2>enough grants cut, Tom that I wouldn't be doing my

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<v Speaker 2>job if I didn't go up there and make the

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<v Speaker 2>reasonable case for why these cuts are harmful. And so

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<v Speaker 2>that's what I've done. I met with the AHHS Secretary,

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<v Speaker 2>Robert F. Kennedy Junior. I met with I never thought

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<v Speaker 2>I'd be saying, Hey, I had a meeting with doctor

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<v Speaker 2>Oz about government policy, but I did. And that's the

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<v Speaker 2>reason it is because he's in charge of the Center

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<v Speaker 2>for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Now that sounds like a long,

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<v Speaker 2>really boring name, Tom, but it's one of the most

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<v Speaker 2>consequential sub agencies around. If you ever want to be

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<v Speaker 2>on Medicare, and I think we all probably hope we

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<v Speaker 2>get there if you ever need Medicaid, and many of

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<v Speaker 2>us hope we don't need it, but we know a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of people need it. And so those two issues

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<v Speaker 2>can my attention. And then Cash Patil, the director of

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<v Speaker 2>the FBI, met with us along with the Secretary of

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<v Speaker 2>the Interior, Doug Burgram. He's a former governor, talking about

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of issues, not the least of which is

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<v Speaker 2>public safety. And I'd say these have been productive meetings. Tom.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, look, I'm never going to agree with every

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<v Speaker 2>person who holds these appointed offices. I don't care what

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<v Speaker 2>their background. These particular pointies have come out with some

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<v Speaker 2>pretty frankly harsh rhetoric on a lot of things. But look,

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<v Speaker 2>my job is to Tom, come with a level head,

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<v Speaker 2>make the case that the Cherokee Nations the not only

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<v Speaker 2>a sovereign government. Frankly, I got to make the case

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<v Speaker 2>that one of the best governments in the country. And

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<v Speaker 2>I think I can make that case strongly, and that

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<v Speaker 2>every dollar the United States sends to the Cherokee Nation

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<v Speaker 2>is a dollar well spent. We're efficient, We're effective, and

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<v Speaker 2>cutting those dollars hurts people I care about and hurts

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<v Speaker 2>communities I care about. So that's what I've been doing, Tom,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'll keep doing it all right.

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<v Speaker 1>On that note, here, Summer EBT program is now application

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<v Speaker 1>throw up.

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<v Speaker 2>And I understand that's right. And this program is such

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<v Speaker 2>a success. Look, we've been doing this for years, For

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<v Speaker 2>three years in a row, the state of Oklahoma has

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<v Speaker 2>said no, while we've been saying yes along with other tribes.

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<v Speaker 2>What is the program, Tom, It is a low income

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<v Speaker 2>food security program. Here's what it does one hundred and

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<v Speaker 2>twenty dollars to really low income kids every summer, get

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<v Speaker 2>them through months in which school's out that summer, or

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<v Speaker 2>that lunch program is gone, the lunch lady's gone home

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<v Speaker 2>for the summer, the kids are home, and they're in

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<v Speaker 2>households that just don't have a lot of money, you know, Tom, Look,

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<v Speaker 2>I've been paying attention to what's going on in the

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<v Speaker 2>country over the past few years. There's something called inflation.

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<v Speaker 2>We're all dealing with it. Grocery prices continue to be high.

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<v Speaker 2>I've heard about it. I heard a lot of people

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<v Speaker 2>talking about it. But what are we going to do

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<v Speaker 2>about it? Well, if you want to do something for

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<v Speaker 2>the people who are hurt the most, and look, the

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<v Speaker 2>cot of eggs is a problem to you and I,

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<v Speaker 2>if you and I are low low income, Tom, it's

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<v Speaker 2>a big problem. And you could get every example in

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<v Speaker 2>the grocery store and show why that's a problem. If

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<v Speaker 2>we can put one hundred and twenty dollars into the

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<v Speaker 2>pockets of a low income family in your listening area,

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<v Speaker 2>for example, where are they going to spend it at

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<v Speaker 2>the local grocery store. That's going to put money in

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<v Speaker 2>the pockets of the people that work there. They're going

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<v Speaker 2>to spend it in the community. It's an economic stimulus

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<v Speaker 2>and it's also a hedge against inflation for families that

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<v Speaker 2>are desperately needing it. That's why we're doing it. People

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<v Speaker 2>can go to Cherokee publica dot org and find out

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<v Speaker 2>how to apply. A lot of kids are applying through

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<v Speaker 2>their schools or a lot of their families are. And

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<v Speaker 2>when I say everybody, notice I didn't say just Cherokees, Tom,

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<v Speaker 2>It's for everybody, everybody that qualifies low income. We're going

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<v Speaker 2>to keep doing it. We think it's the right thing

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<v Speaker 2>to do.

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<v Speaker 1>Very good Chief. Any update on perhaps the new casino

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<v Speaker 1>plans near Bartleofell.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, it has been placed into trust. That much I

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<v Speaker 2>can report, and that's one of the steps in the process.

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<v Speaker 2>And we've talked about this before that having land in

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<v Speaker 2>trust for gaming gives us options. It gives us the

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<v Speaker 2>opportunity to very quickly invest. And look, we can build buildings,

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<v Speaker 2>quality buildings for commercial purposes and healthcare purposes pretty quick,

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<v Speaker 2>so we can move nimbly. What we don't want to

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<v Speaker 2>do is be hung up in governmental red tape when

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<v Speaker 2>it's time to act so we're still evaluating the market.

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<v Speaker 2>We don't just buy land willy nilly, but we also

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<v Speaker 2>buy land ahead of the curve, and so we want

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<v Speaker 2>to be in a position to do something. So nothing

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<v Speaker 2>to report right now in terms of any kind of groundbreaking,

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<v Speaker 2>any kind of of a rendering of a new casino,

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<v Speaker 2>but there has been a milestone in terms of land

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<v Speaker 2>and trust. No matter what we do, I think we've

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<v Speaker 2>proven we're good neighbors and we'll keep doing that.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh indeed, hey, how are the healthcare facilities doing. You've

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<v Speaker 1>had a lot of new ones and you've got the

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<v Speaker 1>ones that have been operating pretty darn well here as

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<v Speaker 1>have laid anything to report on that.

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<v Speaker 2>Just the expansion projects are going ahead as scheduled. This

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<v Speaker 2>massive hospital in Tahlequall four hundred and seventy million dollars

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<v Speaker 2>is right on schedule. It'll open in twenty twenty six.

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<v Speaker 2>Clinic in Soalina, I hate to call the clinic at

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<v Speaker 2>an eighty five million dollar really masterpiece tom At the

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<v Speaker 2>health facility with the wellness center that'll open this summer.

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<v Speaker 2>The biggest news is probably Clamore Indian Hospital. A year ago,

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<v Speaker 2>I said, and our council said our debut, you said,

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<v Speaker 2>we need to take that thing over. We can run

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<v Speaker 2>circles around the federal government when it comes to healthcare.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's do it at clam Will. I toured that place, Tom.

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<v Speaker 2>It proved what I already knew, which is that there's

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<v Speaker 2>great people working there at the facility. The United States

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<v Speaker 2>has just not taken good enough care of It's not right.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not right by the staff, not right by the patients.

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<v Speaker 2>When we take it over, we'll have some big decisions

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<v Speaker 2>to make, Tom, And eventually we know we'll have to

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<v Speaker 2>replace that. We know we'll have to replace it. In

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<v Speaker 2>the meantime, it's going to need a lot of tender

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<v Speaker 2>love and care. So all I can report there is

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<v Speaker 2>we're on track to take that thing over, have the

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<v Speaker 2>keys turned over October first. But we got a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of work to do. We're still negotiating agreements and looking

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<v Speaker 2>at what we need to do to make that facility

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<v Speaker 2>what it ought to be.

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<v Speaker 1>Chief John Coskin Jr. Thank you very much for being

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<v Speaker 1>with us here in our community connection today. I know

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<v Speaker 1>you're a busy fellow, but bye golly, thanks for taking

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<v Speaker 1>some time for us.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you, Tom.

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<v Speaker 1>Alrighty and you've been listening to our community connection right

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<v Speaker 1>here on K one, the one you druve