TAHLEQUAH – The Cherokee Nation’s presiding District Court judge was reappointed for another four years during the March meeting of the Tribal Council.
A Cherokee Nation judge since 2017, T. Luke Barteaux garnered a 16-0 vote from councilors March 9.
“I’m honored that chief has appointed me again for your consideration and still has that faith that I’m doing a good job, and I want to do a good job,” Barteaux told councilors during a recent committee meeting.
One of four District Court judges, Barteaux’s latest term will expire on March 31, 2030.
Barteaux earned a bachelor’s degree in public affairs and administration from the University of Oklahoma, and a juris doctorate from the University of Tulsa College of Law. He previously worked as a trial attorney in Tulsa and also served on the Cherokee Phoenix Editorial Board.
In late December, Barteaux was honored with a 2025 Judge Stephen S. Goss Award for leading “transformative initiatives that emphasize treatment, healing and cultural understanding over punitive measures.”
Barteaux established the Cherokee Nation’s first veterans’ treatment court and implemented forensic mental health services that integrate behavioral health care into the justice process.
In other business, the council approved a name for the under-construction Cherokee Immersion Middle School in Tahlequah.
“The building shall be known in the Cherokee language as the ‘School of Seven Directions,’” the approved act states.
CHIEF HITS HIGH POINTS
In his monthly address to the council, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. talked about recent milestones and celebrations that included the opening of a new community building in north Tulsa on Feb. 19.
“We have, under the leadership of this council and the deputy chief (Bryan Warner), opened a lot of community buildings in the Cherokee Nation in the last seven years,” Hoskin said. “But this community building is something that is a first for Cherokee Nation in that part of the reservation. We will have an elder nutrition site there this summer. We’ll have a language course in May. So, there’s a great deal already scheduled for that facility.”
Hoskin also mentioned that he assembled a task force to “help me know more, hopefully help the public know more and to help you all know more” about data centers and their impacts on communities where they locate.
“I know that if we’re reactive to issues that come up that we see in the media, then we probably won’t be at our best,” he said. “On this particular issue, I think we’d be wise to study it a bit, get a report out to the Cherokee people, to the council, to the people in my administration and myself so that we can be deeper thinkers on this issue.”
NEW VENTURE FOR CNB
In his report, Cherokee Nation Businesses CEO Chuck Garrett talked about the tribe’s first direct investment in the utility and infrastructure services sector. CNB recently partnered with Ariel Alternatives, LLC to invest in Front Line Power Construction, a Texas-based provider of electrical construction and power infrastructure services.
“In our efforts to diversify the businesses we run, and to build a durable and ongoing stream of income for the Nation, we made a significant investment last month in a utility services company based in Houston,” Garrett said. “It’s really a great business. It’s a very steady business, and it offsets our other businesses very well in terms of the economy and its various cycles. We’re very excited about that next step for our companies.”
The next Tribal Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 13 at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah.
TREE GIVEAWAY PLANNED
In her report to the Resource Committee earlier in the day, CN Secretary of Natural Resources Christina Justice said the tribe’s annual tree giveaway is planned for Arbor Day, April 24.
She noted that last year, between 1,000-1,500 trees were handed out in less than an hour.
“That was the most trees we’d ever given out,” Justice said. “It’s obviously something our citizens really want, so we listened to that. Another thing that people have asked for is to have it in more locations, so we’re going to deliver on that, as well.”
This year, 3,000 trees will be given away.
“The bulk of those will be at the powwow grounds here in Tahlequah just like they were last year,” Justice said.
A much smaller number of trees will be handed out at pilot sites in Ochelata, Kenwood and Muldrow at community buildings, she added.
“I want to be cautious about sending too many people to those satellite areas,” Justice said. “I don’t want people to be disappointed. The bulk of the trees will be here in Tahlequah on that day.”
The powwow grounds are located at 16967-16999 W. 810 Road in Tahlequah.
Last year’s available trees were black locust, red mulberry, bur oak, shumard oak, white oak, Osage orange, Native pecan, persimmon, loblolly pine, silver maple, southern catalpa, fragrant sumac, sweetgum, black walnut, chinkapin oak, sugarberry and roughleaf dogwood.
‘COUNCIL HOUSE’ ACT SUPPORTED
In a 16-0 vote under new business, the Resource Committee pushed forward the Cherokee Nation Council House and Capitol Complex District Public Wellness and Beautification Act of 2026.
“I’m very excited about it,” Hoskin said. “There are some other elements to this package that really go to things that we all care about – wellness, beautification, historic preservation, things of that nature.”
