By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Prayers for people world­wide were conducted March 20 at the Shoshone-Bannock Festival arbor.

Tribal elder Fredrick Auck led the prayers in Shoshone language then English as they were said in the four direc­tions – east, south, west and north. He asked for someone from each of the tribal reservation districts to assist at the four direc­tional fires where cedar was burned because it carries the prayers a long way. Auck began at the east. Fort Hall Business Council member Lee Juan Tyler prayed at the south fire, LaGrand Coby at the west and Edison Darrell Dixey, also a FHBC mem­ber at the south. Fort Hall Business Council Chair­man Ladd Edmo spoke after the prayers were said, along with others who attended. (cont.)

FORT HALL — Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Public Affairs press release said the Tribal Election Board postponed the Primary Election until Friday, April 10, 2020 because of the public health pandemic.

The early voting scheduled March 25 is cancelled and postponed until further notice. (cont.)

By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Shoshone-Bannock Tribal government ceased all but essential operations March 20 after receiving notification from South­east Idaho Health District of a positive case of CO­VID-19 within 25 miles of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation border.

Safety leave is imple­mented for permanent and temporary employees for 14 calendar days.

The Tribal Office of Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is moni­toring the COVID-19 pandemic according to the EOC press release. The Fort Hall Business Council declared a state of emergency within the Fort Hall Indian Reserva­tion March 17. (cont.)

FORT HALL — Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel staff said the gaming floor, food outlets and hotel will remain closed until April 3.

The decision was made with careful con­sideration from local, regional, and national health organizations, Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Office of Emergency Management Operation Center, and the Fort Hall Business Council.

The gaming floor was closed on March 21 at 1 a.m.

During the closure, all parts of the property have been, or will be, thorough­ly cleaned and sanitized. (cont.)

By YVETTE TUELL
Tribal Public Affairs
BOISE — The Idaho Legislature established a policy statement that honors the lives of all missing and murdered indigenous people and affirms its commitment to the protection, the safety and wellbeing of all Idahoans, especially those most vulnerable by approving House Con­current Resolution 33 on Idaho’s Missing and Mur­dered Indigenous People (MMIP) on March 18 when the Idaho Senate adopted the resolution by voice vote.

The House had also adopted the Concur­rent Resolution the day before. Rep. Caroline Nilsson, R-Troy, from Genesee, introduced the bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon. (cont.)