North Carolina Senators Kay Hagan and Richard Burr introduced a bill to the Senate on October 1, 2009, to recognize the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. The bill will be referred to the Indian Affairs Committe.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians still opposes this path to recognition, claiming that the Lumbee should go through the formal process with the Office of the Interior.
“Senate bill calls for recognition of the Lumbee.” Asheville Citizen-Times. October 1, 2009.
To view the full this bill, along with details, go to http://thomas.loc.gov
In the “Search bill summary and status” search box, search “Lumbee”
Choose S. 1735.
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The University of North Carolina at Pembroke celebrated its joint study abroad program with University College of the North in Canada with a celebration on October 6, 2009. The celebration took place at the Native American Resource Center in Pembroke, North Carolina.
The University College of the North was selected to partner with UNCP because of their compatibility as schools that serve indigenous and First Nation students. For UCN, these are mostly the Cree.
The plans for this program include joint classes via video chat, summer trips to UCN, hosting students in Pembroke, and semester-long trips.
“UNCP begins program with University College of the North.” The Laurinburg Exchange. September 25, 2009. <http://www.laurinburgexchange.com/>
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The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has approved its 2010 budget. The $13 million budget includes a 67% increase in stipend for Tribal Council members as well as a 3% increase in cost of living for the tribal employees.
A breakdown of the 2010 budget:
$7.63 million for housing rehabilitation
($4.5 million from federal stimulus package)
$4 million for home ownership
$1 million for administration
$335,000 for public services
$306,000 for elder services
$1,234,861 for youth services
$173,868 for for veterans services
Shiles, Bob. “Tribe OKs budget, pay hike.” The Laurinburg Exchange. September 22, 2009. <http://www.laurinburgexchange.com/>
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The movie “Looking for Ms. Locklear,” written, produced and directed by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, premiered at the Galaxy Cinemas in Cary, NC on August 29, 2009.
The movie tells the story of the search for the duo’s first grade teacher, Ms. Locklear, in whose class they first met. The search takes place through interviews and word of mouth, and eventually brings them to the midst of the Lumbee Tribe and the tribe’s fight for recognition.
The premier featured a musical performance and a question and answer session.
Gregg, R. “NC Movie ‘Looking for Ms. Locklear’ Debuts on Saturday.” Raleigh Telegram. 25 August 2009. http://www.raleigh3.com/
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The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has qualified to receive $7.2 million dollars in tax credits. The money will be used to build 50 homes in the Tribe’s Arrowpoint subdivision.
To qualify for leasing a home, a family must make at or below 60 percent of the national median income. The homes will be available for a fifteen-year lease and are single-family.
Construction is projected to start in late October, 2009, and will create about 75 new jobs.
“Lumbee Tribe to build 50 homes.” Fayetteville Observer 28 August 2009.
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The Lumbee Guaranty Bank in Robeson County, NC, has received a 5-star rating from BauerFinancial, Inc.
The 5-star rating is BauerFinancial’s highest rating, and is given to banks that show the most financial solidarity. The information is gathered from quarterly financial reports sent in to the bank rating company.
To access the press release for this story, go to www.bauerfinancial.com/home.html
Select the “Star Ratings” tab at the top of the page. Enter “North Carolina” into the state category and Lumbee Guaranty into the bank name.
Reports of BauerFinancial’s analysis of Lumbee Guaranty Bank are available for order. Prices vary by level of detail of the report.
“Lumbee Guaranty Bank Receives BauerFinancial’s 5 -star rating.” Press Release.
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The Lumbee Tribe has been awarded $4.7 million from federal stimulus funds. Plans for allocating the money have been submitted to Housing and Urban Development and are awaiting approval. The Tribe plans on spending the money this way:
- $2 million will be used to build a Tribal Boys and Girls Community Center in districts 6, 7 and 8. The facility will also be used as a disaster center in case of a national disaster.
- $1 million will build an Elder Site in Tribal district 13.
- $650,000 will go towards trasitional housing for tribal members in Hoke, Cumberland, Scotland and Robeson who are affected by unforseen disasters, such as a fire.
- $525,000 will build a a boys and girls club and community center in Tribal District 4.
- $500,000 will help the Tribal rehabilitation program.
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Questions are being asked about who is really in charge of the North Carolina Indian Cultural Center, located in Pembroke, North Carolina. There are currently two men each claiming to have been appointed Chairman of the Board for the center, whose board of directors contains representatives from each of North Carolina’s Indian tribes.
Kenneth Preston Hall, from the Meherrin tribe, has been on the board since 1996. He claims to be chairman. Lumbee Eric Locklear says he was appointed chairman earlier this year, in June.
This is not the only issue that is unclear. Questions about insurance, state allocated money, and the center’s lease have also been raised.
As of right now, no answers have been given, though mediated meetings have been propsed to sort everything out.
Shiles, Bob. “So who is in charge of the Indian Cultural Center?” The Robesonian. 19 July 2009.
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Erskine Bowles, president of the University of North Carolina System, has announced that Dr. Charles Jenkins is the interim chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Jenkins, who has served UNCP for 38 years, was formerly provost and director of academic affairs at UNC-P.
Says Bowles, “UNCP will be in very capable hands during the search for a permanent chancellor.”
Jenkins is interim chancellor effective July 1, 2009.
Rach, Amber. “Dr. Charles Jenkins named interim Chancellor at UNCP.” University Newswire [UNC-Pembroke]. June 22, 2009.
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Chancellor Allen C. Meadors has announced that, after ten years of service, he is leaving his position at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to become Chancellor of the University of Arkansas. Meadors is an alma mater of the University of Arkansas and is a native of that state.
The president of the UNC System, Erskine Bowles, will name an interim chancellor.
Rach, Amber. “Chancellor Allen C. Meadors to retire from UNCP.” University Newswire [UNC-Pembroke]. June 18, 2009.
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