September News Byte 2023

Talk about a busy month 🤯

Hey, Verified News Community! We hope you are enjoying the first days of fall. I’m VNN’s Brittany Harlow here with your September News Byte.

There was a lot of news out of Muscogee Creek Nation this month. 

Muscogee Creek Nation Principal Chief David Hill and Second Chief Del Beaver were re-elected during this month's primary election. Two district seats are still up for grabs in the General Election on November 4th.

In other MCN news, the nation hit six figures for citizenship!

VNN Hawaii’s Cait Medearis told us about recovery efforts still underway in Lahaina. More than 100 people died during the Hawaii Firestorm this past August. Hundreds more were reported missing by the FBI. 

The issue of homeless young adults was reported on in Michigan, and what advocates are doing to help them. 

Business was also a busy topic this September.

In Oklahoma, the Straight Edge Lounge hosted their premiere Sober Speakeasy pop up event. 

In Michigan, we talked with two innovative founders about what led them to develop their health and wellness app Kozen.  

And in New York, “Just Breathe”, upstate New York’s first legal dispensary, launched the design of their new clothing merchandise inspired in part by the Twilight Zone. 

We also covered a sweet business deal facilitated by AICCO members as part of our Native Commerce News segment: the ribbon cutting of Zona Verde’s first affordable housing unit in Watonga, Oklahoma. 

VNN celebrated its own firsts this month. Like our first of its kind news consultation partnership with new VNN affiliate Osage News.

And our first in-person Ecosystem Engagement project training with more than a dozen news organizations in Oklahoma City, put on by Oklahoma Media Center and Trusting News.

VNN had a last to celebrate this month as well. Our Stealing Tvlse Summer Tour has come to an end with our final stop in Philadelphia. 

We promise to share our Allotment Era findings with you on the free VNN app, our Substack, our YouTube, through email, and our socials, so subscribe to them all. 

That’s where you’ll also find more affiliate news and hear about our upcoming events! (Hint, hint.) 

October is going to be another excitingly busy month and I look forward to telling you all about it 🎃 Can’t wait? Catch up with us in person at Tulsa Native American Day on October 9 at Dream Keepers Park!