CrowNews.Net

Plenty Coups Beats Shields Valley, Faces Rocky Boy

CrowNews.Net

The Plenty Coups Warriors beat Shields Valley 64-60 in the first round of the State C tournament Thursday night. Pryor's Rumeal Decrane poured in 24 points, leading the team in scoring.

Tonight's semi-final match between Plenty Coups and Rocky Boy looks to be exciting. Rocky Boy beat Big Sandy 74-65 during the first round of state tournament games. Tip off for tonight's game is at 8:00 p.m. at the Butte Civic Center.

Senate Passes Indian Health Care Bill

CrowNews.Net

The U.S. Senate voted 83-10 to pass the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, a $35 billion piece of legislation that would improve improve IHS programs, health clinics on reservations and the number of Natives in health professions during the next 10 years.

Plenty Coups Warriors Win Division

                        
Fans crowd around the Plenty Coups Warriors as player Avery Bull Shows shows off the team's plaque and he and his teammates celebrate capturing the Southern C Crown. Click here to see a slide show of last weekend's Southern C tournament. Photo by Casey Kills Pretty Enemy.

By Leo Hudetz
CrowNews.Net

Billings' Shrine Auditorium was the place to be on Saturday night for basketball fans. Those lucky enough to get in saw Pryor's Plenty Coups Warriors beat the Wibaux Longhorns, 77-72.

Plenty Coups fans, hailing from every district on the reservation, filled the gym and some waited as long as three hours to get a seat. Many children grabbed court side seats -- on the floor. The game had an electric atmosphere with fans stomping in the bleachers, cheering on their team and rattling not only the auditorium but the Wibaux team, too. When a Wibaux player stepped to the free throw line for a crucial shot late in the fourth quarter, the basketball hoop shook.

Tournament Teams Face Off

Click on the image above to see the audio slide show.
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Story by Jennifer Kirby | Photos by Adam Sings In The Timber and Emily Haas
CrowNews.Net

Families and friends gathered in Lodge Grass last Saturday night for an informal hand game tournament. Seven teams paid the $100 entry fee, hoping to win the $700 prize.

Albert Gros Ventre, the announcer at the event, explained that tournaments like these occur frequently and sometimes address a need in the community. 

“We’ve had a number of deaths here recently, so we offer the prayer to get rid of bad vibes," he said. "Then we can have fun and have a good time."

Crow Fair Board Names MCs, Drum Groups and More

CrowNews.Net

The tribal members who will work with Albert Gros Ventre, this year's Crow Fair powwow director, and help run the celebration in August have been selected and are featured on a recently released flier for the event.

The handbill includes the names of the 2008 arena directors, singing judges and invited drum groups. All drums of the Apsaalooke will be selected as the powwow's host drums, according to the flier, and Jason Good Striker of Canada, and the Apsaalooke Nation's Dale and Robert "Corky" Old Horn are scheduled to be this year's masters of ceremonies.

Seven dance categories and three singing contests are also promised. Stay tuned, as dance specials and hand drum contests will be announced in the coming months.

Grand entry at Crow Fair 2007. Crow News Photo/Adam Sings In The Timber

On the Courts: Prep Tournaments and 2 LBHC Losses

CrowNews.Net

The Little Big Horn College Rams lost a high scoring game in Crow Agency to Salish Kootenai College Bison Tuesday. The final score was 105-104.

The Rams had a balanced scoring attack with Frank Hugs leading the way with 16 points.

Crow tribal member Pius Takes Horse, who's from Wyola, poured in 19 points for SKC.

On Sunday, the Rams also lost at home in a game against the Williston State College Tetons. The final score was 118-84.

Tim Pease takes a practice shot before the Rams play the Williston State College Tetons. Crow News Photo/Adam Sings In The Timber

Commentary: Outcome of Eagle Case Crucial for Crows

By Jay Harris
CrowNews.Net

In March 2005, a 22-year-old oil field worker named Winslow Friday, Jr., a Northern Arapaho tribal member from Wyoming's Wind River Reservation, was preparing to participate in the Sun Dance ceremony that July and needed an eagle plume, feathers, and a wing.

Problem was, Friday had none of these items and knew of no other way to get them except by killing one of the eagles on the Reservation.  Friday also knew that it was against the law to kill eagles, but he took a rifle and shot and killed a bald eagle anyway.

On Politics: Indian Country Deserves a Debate

By Jay Harris
CrowNews.Net

There are many political observers thrilled to see a highly-contested Democratic Party nomination. With the intense competition for votes naturally comes an intense competition of ideas.

Many believe that the Democratic nomination may not be decided until the party convention in late August. That gives the two front-running candidates plenty of time to introduce and discuss their ideas for improving America in states that traditionally cast their primary votes long after a nominee is declared and with little attention paid to them.

Tribe, State Sign Economic Development Pact

       
Members of the tribal legislature stand with Rep. Dennis Rehberg, R-Mont. Click here for more photos. (Photo by Jeff Garrard).

By Mary Hudetz
CrowNews.Net

The Crow Tribe and the state have become the first in the country to sign a compact that intends to make it more feasible for banks to provide loans on the reservation. In the past, banks often shied away from financing business ventures and other interests in Crow Country.