Oglala Tribe Officials Happy Bernie Sanders Event To Focus On Key Reservation Issues (May 12)

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will bring his presidential campaign to Pine Ridge, Rapid City and Sioux Falls Thursday as he battles front-runner Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.
Wednesday, Oglala Tribe members were hustling to prepare for a morning appearance by Sanders at Pine Ridge High School.

As if working on the search for three missing tribal members wasnn't enough, Kevin Yellow Bird Steele also had to help plan a welcome for Bernie Sanders.

"It's not every day that you get somebody who's running for president of the United States to actually come to Pine Ridge and visit," said Steele.

The excitement was muted by the search for Tevin Tyon, Juan Lamont and Tyrell Wilson. All in their early 20s, and last seen on Saturday. Searching the sprawling Pine Ridge Reservation is an example of the challenges tribal leaders face everyday.

Sanders will hear about such challenges in an event that will be more meeting than rally and include a panel of tribal officials.

"We will be having a sit-down with senator Sanders," Yellow Bird Steele said. "It's going to be a type of a town-hall meeting here."

Steele said the format of the meeting will allow a real give and take with Sanders on key issues facing the Oglala and other tribes here on the northern plains.

Sanders picked health care, education, housing and law and order, all critical areas of concern on the reservation.

At the tribe's Department of Public Safety, Monica Terkildsen says daily law-and-order challenges are magnified by money problems.

"Right now because we don't have enough funding or adequate funding, we are down to 22 officers out there patrolling the Pine Ridge Reservation," she said.

That's less than half what it should be, and she hopes Sanders gets both a warm tribal welcome and a clear picture of how difficult things are.