Wednesday, May 21, 2025

A long-standing argument over funding for law enforcement on northwest Montana’s Flathead Reservation is over – for now. Montana Public Radio’s Aaron Bolton reports Gov. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) has signed off on funding to help county and tribal officials hash out a long-term plan. For years, Lake County and Gov. Gianforte have sparred over who’s financially responsible for prosecuting tribal members for felonies on the Flathead Reservation. Lake County has historically done that work under an agreement known as Public Law 280. But the county says it can no longer afford that service. Both the county and the state had planned to leave the agreement. That would mean federal law enforcement would take over, but federal officials have said they don’t have the resources. This session, county, state, and Confederated Salish and Kootenai (CSKT) officials hashed out a plan. The state is providing $6 million over the next two years to help transition more cases to tribal courts. CSKT Spokesperson Rob McDonald says some of that work has already started. “We have in the past 18 months or so taking on more than 150 felonies and increased our efforts to reduce the workload on the county.” But Lake County is expected to continue handling more serious felonies that require prison time. The CSKT and Lake County are required under the new law to hash out an agreement laying out the balance of cases each will take on. This month has seen many awareness events across Indian Country for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). This included an event in Gresham, Oreg., organized by MMIW Search and Hope Alliance. Honor songs were sung with dancing – and people affected by the murders or disappearances of Native people shared their stories before an audience. Kim Lining is founder of MMIW Search and Hope Alliance. She says there was power in what people shared about their missing or murdered relatives. “The power lies in experience. So many times, people say they understand, but sometimes they don’t. And they don’t understand because they haven’t seen it firsthand from experience. So when you bring in surviving family members, family members that are still searching for their loved ones, it brings a different environment of emotion to the audience that’s listening.” While many cases remain unsolved, one outcome brought relief: Louann Aiken, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota, was found alive on May 10 in Portland, Oreg., after a two-year disappearance. Lining says she verified it was Aiken, then contacted her relatives. “A lot of tears, a lot of relieved emotions. And some sadness because of the situation, she’s been missing for so long. We did offer them help if they needed help to come out and take Louanne home if Louanne chose to go home. We’re just letting them as a family kinda figure that out. And if they so choose to take us up on that, then we have offered to bring them out here so that they can travel as a family back home to North Dakota.” Lining says her organization will hit its one year anniversary in July. She says the celebration will focus on volunteers, who keep things going. Lining says while MMIW Search and Hope Alliance is largely a regional effort, they try to help with national cases. This includes the Oklahoma City case of Seneca Shemayme, whose family says he was killed in a deliberate hit-and-run last October. MMIP events will continue through May. Those who want to get involved can contact their tribes or look up community calendars.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today.