Jara Courson competes for Miss Teen USA title Community by Beverly Bidney - September 2, 2015September 2, 2015 NASSAU, Bahamas — After a 10-month whirlwind of service as Miss Florida Teen USA, Jara Courson competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant Aug. 21-22 in the Bahamas. Although she did not win the national crown, the Seminole descendant and enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation gained confidence and social
Fond memories of Immokalee Reservation roots Community by Beverly Bidney - September 2, 2015September 2, 2015 IMMOKALEE — With the stroke of a pen on Oct. 26, 1989, hundreds of Tribal members, local politicians and community members witnessed the birth of the Immokalee Reservation as William D. Ott, Eastern Area director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, signed the documents that placed 595 acres into trust
Seminole patchwork to color radio show with fashion, culture Community by Beverly Bidney - September 2, 2015September 2, 2015 HOLLYWOOD — Longtime National Public Radio (NPR) host and reporter Jacki Lyden recently visited the Hollywood Reservation to research Seminole patchwork for an upcoming series of radio broadcasts and podcasts about fashion as culture. "These people had to become invisible to survive the Seminole Wars," Lyden said. "But in the 20th
Star Nayea shines at Boys & Girls Club Community by Beverly Bidney - September 2, 2015 HOLLYWOOD — As an infant, Star Nayea was taken from her home in Canada and adopted by a white family in Detroit, Michigan under the Indian Adoption Project, a controversial federal program that placed Native children into adoptive homes from 1958 to 1967. She suffered years of abuse and does
Scooter donation provides boost for Vietnam veteran Dan Bowers Health by Beverly Bidney - September 2, 2015September 2, 2015 BRIGHTON — Dan Bowers’ life became a little easier Aug. 12 when the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) presented him with a motorized scooter at the Florida Seminole Veterans Building on Brighton Reservation. A Vietnam War veteran, Bowers suffers from the effects of Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant used during
Nunez girls share family ties, royal titles at Princess Pageant Community by Beverly Bidney - July 30, 2015August 5, 2015 HOLLYWOOD — Destiny Nunez was named Miss Florida Seminole 2015-16 during the 58th annual Princess Pageant July 25, keeping the crown with Brighton Reservation for another year. The newly crowned Jr. Miss Florida Seminole Skyla Osceola hails from Hollywood. Destiny’s crowning was an emotional family affair as her younger sister and
Immokalee families move home Community by Beverly Bidney - July 30, 2015 IMMOKALEE — Eight families returned home to the Immokalee Reservation June 26 after the completion and grand opening of new, long-awaited townhomes. Raul Escobar, who has lived nearby off the reservation with his family for 16 years, signed his lease during the grand opening event and moved in the same afternoon
Horses, hoops provide summer fun with new CCDT programs Community by Beverly Bidney - July 30, 2015 Two new programs offered through the Tribe’s Children’s Center for Diagnostics and Therapy (CCDT) are providing special needs children with fun ways to learn. The youngsters can now shoot hoops during basketball clinics and straddle horses at the Junior Cypress Rodeo Arena all while receiving important therapy outside of a therapist’s
Seminole calf sale exceeds expectations Community by Beverly Bidney - July 30, 2015July 30, 2015 Another record-breaking calf sale made for busy days during the annual calf shipment July 6-17 in Brighton and Big Cypress, where nearly 3,000 calves were rounded up for transport to feedlots across the country, Seminole 4-H’ers and the Tribe. The two reservations exceeded more than $5 million in calf sales and
Annual Wellness Conference revitalizes mind, body, soul Health by Beverly Bidney - July 30, 2015 MARCO ISLAND — For 22 years, Seminoles in Recovery’s Wellness Conference has provided the community with camaraderie and tools to make better choices for healthier lives, a fact Helene Buster hopes will make a 23rd year possible. "I hope people see the fellowship of Tribal members and that there is sobriety