Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

Appearing last week on KWON Radio's COMMUNITY CONNECTION, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said his recent trip to Washington, D.C., focused on protecting the federal 8(a) contracting program, which generates millions of dollars for the tribe and supports jobs across northeast Oklahoma. Hoskin testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, arguing the program fulfills federal trust and treaty obligations and should not be eliminated amid broader DEI debates.

Hoskin also highlighted recent community investments, including a new elder community center in Tahlequah’s Sequoia Heights neighborhood and the swearing-in of nearly 100 Cherokee Nation marshals and staff. He praised the tribe’s law enforcement training and emphasized its growing role in regional public safety.

In addition, the tribe is expanding its reentry program for formerly incarcerated citizens, committing $4 million in opioid settlement funds toward transitional housing and support services. A new elder nutrition site in Dewey has also opened at 700 E. Durham Ave., with a grand opening set for Feb. 17. Hoskin said there are no immediate plans to develop recently acquired land near Bartlesville, though future opportunities remain open.