Landmark signs point to Seminole past Community by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016 When Jack Chalfant visits the Micco Camp on Brighton Reservation he does not need a newly erected 6-foot monument sign to tell him the place is important. For the Tribal citizen and Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) management trainee, every inch of the 1.5-acre area reminds him of his family history. A
‘60s babes’ hula happily into seventh decade Community by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016 BIG CYPRESS — Sixty never looked younger than when seven Big Cypress childhood girlfriends hula danced before a crowd Jan. 23 to celebrate 420 collective years of happy birthdays. With shimmying hips and gracefully raised arms in the barn at the Junior Cypress Rodeo Arena grounds, they sent a message amid
Protest walk to defend fragile environment gears up Community by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016 TRAIL — A consortium of aboriginal groups, environmental activist groups and independent citizens will stage an 80-mile protest walk March 20-25 from Miami to Naples to shed light on matters they say threaten to kill South Florida’s unique, fragile ecosystem. At risk are numerous endangered wildlife and plant species, Florida’s only
Junior Cypress Cattle Drive & Rodeo reaches 20-year mark Community by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016 BIG CYPRESS — Cattle and cowboys will take over Big Cypress March 19 for the 20th annual Junior Cypress Cattle Drive & Rodeo. The daylong tradition will warm up with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast roundup at Billie Swamp Safari and then hit pastures and roads with 200 riders and a herd
Fish fry serves up better years ahead for recovery community Health by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016 SUNRISE — Age meant nothing at the 9th annual Hollywood Fish Fry hosted by Seminoles in Recovery at Markham Park. Participants at the Jan. 23 food, fun and fellowship event in Sunrise measured their years in time free from drugs and alcohol. "I’m at 20 years," said Kelly Hancock, an addictions
FIU, Tribe enter partnership Education by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016 BIG CYPRESS — Big plans are in the works to put teens on a fast path to college degrees at Florida International University. "This will allow our kids to take college courses without going into towns 30 or more minutes away. They can go to college on the reservation," said O’Hara
Teens explore federal, tribal relations in Washington, D.C. Education by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016February 29, 2016 WASHINGTON — A recent weeklong visit to Washington, D.C. gave four Seminole Tribe teens a hands-on view of the federal government’s inner workings as it relates to Native sovereign nations. The high school students and kids from 16 other Tribes that included the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, the Mohegan Tribe of
Ahfachkee awards awesome student achievements Education by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016 BIG CYPRESS — Ahfachkee School honored its academic superstars Jan. 27 during the first semester awards ceremony at the Herman L. Osceola Gymnasium in Big Cypress. Among the awards were Ahfachkee School’s top elementary, middle and high school GPA earners: Mikiyele Cypress (middle school), Sarah Robbins (elementary school), Eden Jumper
Big Cypress kids play cops and firefighters Education by Eileen Soler - February 29, 2016February 29, 2016 BIG CYPRESS — Playing cops and firefighters with real police and fire rescue personnel is fun for boys and girls in Big Cypress. "I just like everything I get to learn," said Akira Cabral, 10, during a recent Seminole Police Department Explorer Program meeting with the Seminole Tribe of Florida Fire
Tribe reveals growth plans if compact passes Tally Community by Eileen Soler - February 1, 2016 HOLLYWOOD — Gov. Rick Scott visited Hollywood Reservation for a presentation Monday that gave a glimpse of the future of the Tribe’s Hard Rock empire if the new gaming compact currently under consideration in Tallahassee is ratified by state legislators. For starters: an 800-room, guitar-shaped hotel in Hollywood with new restaurants