The tribe’s Supreme Court sets Dist. 3 Tribal Councilor David Walkingstick’s appeal hearing for 9 a.m. on May 24. The Election Commission disqualified him as a principal chief candidate on May 17 for violating election law.

Dist. 3 Tribal Councilor David Walkingstick was ousted from the principal chief race on May 17 by the Election Commission following an all-day hearing.

Poke, a leafy green plant, is a favorite among Cherokees. Though poisonous, traditional poke gatherers know how to prepare the plant to make it edible.

TULSA (AP) – Fines, dues and court expenses assessed to Oklahoma defendants have spiked since fiscal year 2007 and government agencies are increasingly relying on them as an income source, criminal justice advocates said.

Citations, fees and costs have risen 27 percent since 2007, the Tulsa World reported. State lawmakers have also imposed two administrative charges that collectively require defendants to pay an additional 25 percent of all fees amassed by the courts for the executive branch.

The attorney general’s office claims David Walkingstick worked with Cherokees for Change LLC to illegally funnel donations into his campaign.

STILWELL – This year’s Stilwell Strawberry Festival was a damp yet successful affair packed with parade-goers, vendors, entertainment and umbrellas.

“I would like to say thank you to all the people who came to the festival on this rainy day,” newly-crowned festival queen Sydney Ritter said during the May 11 event. “I know that it’s kind of miserable, but I think if everybody comes together they can still have a good time.”

SALLISAW – The Cherokee Nation is postponing its annual Sequoyah Day celebration because of weather concerns.

The family-friendly day of activities was scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 18 at Sequoyah's Cabin Museum. A new date has not been set at this time.

The museum is located at Highway 101, 7 miles east of Highway 59 in Sallisaw. For more information about Sequoyah’s Cabin Museum, visit www.VisitCherokeeNation.com.

TAHLEQUAH – The Cherokee Nation Election Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to grant a continuance of the hearing into allegations of electoral fraud by Dist. 8 Tribal Council candidate Jodie Fishinhawk.

The hearing was rescheduled for 9 a.m. on May 23 in the EC meeting room.

The bill adds language to regulations concerning the placement of children in foster care.

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The next meeting of the Tahlequah Writers group is 2 p.m., May 18 in the Rawls Room of the Tahlequah Public Library on College Street.

The Rawls Room is the left as you enter the library. Writers are encouraged to bring a work in progress to share with the group.

Everyone is welcome to the meeting. Also, attendees will be able to report on what they are up to regarding writing and reports will be provided on writing activities in the area.

Attendees include poets, fiction writers, historians, essayists, humorists, playwrights, scriptwriters, and more. Meetings discuss the art of writing as well as the business of publishing and promotion.

For information, visit Tahlequah Writers on Facebook.

The beetle has been listed as endangered since it was first included on the list of protected fauna in 1989 under the Endangered Species Act.