Tuesday,  Aug. 13, 2013 • Vol. 15--No. 29 • 16 of 29

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•  Aloysius White Dress, one of Whiteclay's homeless, said even though he drinks alcohol, he opposes legalization because of the damage it has done.
•  "There's too much drunks on the reservation," he said. "People are miserable on the reservation."
•  Federal law bans the sale of alcohol on Native American reservations unless the tribal council allows it. Pine Ridge, the only dry reservation in South Dakota, legalized alcohol for two months in 1970s, but the ban was quickly restored. An attempt to lift prohibition in 2004 also failed.
•  Opponents of the latest effort, including tribal president Bryan Brewer, believe a vote in favor of legal sales is a vote for alcoholism and the problem only will get worse.
•  "It's destroying our families and children," he said. "It's affected every family on the reservation. If it's legal, I anticipate the use will go up. Abuse of women and children will go up. A lot of people are saying we'll have all this money for treatment, and that's not true."
•  Most profits from alcohol sales would go to the distributors, Brewer said. The tribe, ultimately, would have very little left to fund meaningful treatment and education, he said.
•  A 14-page tribal council draft of the law offers no specifics about funding or required qualifications for the people who would run the operation. The proposed law calls for a new department and a full-time director to administer and enforce the law. A new commission comprised of nine members, one from each reservation district, also would be created to guide the director, buy the alcohol, open and operate the liquor stores, hire employees and investigate violations.
•  Brewer said there are problems with the document that need to be resolved if Tuesday's vote succeeds. Eagle Bull acknowledged it would be amended and a hearty debate would follow legalization before any law takes effect.
•  The council's plan calls for two detoxification facilities, one in the eastern part of the reservation and one in the west, and treatment and counseling programs for adults, youth and families.
•  Tribal members would lead the effort, Eagle Bull said.
•  "They'd rather hear it from one of their own who has dealt with the effects of alcohol," he said.
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SD woman accused of raping teen boy pleads guilty

•  RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- A Rapid City woman accused of raping a 14-year-old boy and videotaping the alleged acts has pleaded guilty by reason of mental illness.

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