ON Congress holds inauguration event

Inauguration of newly-elected members to the Osage Nation Congress was held Wednesday morning at the Osage Casino Hotel in Skiatook.

The swearing-in ceremonies were scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and a public reception was to follow, officials said.

Five incumbents — Shannon Edwards, John Maker, Maria Whitehorn, Archie Mason and R.J. Walker — were among the six elected to the ON Congress during tribal voting that ended June 6. The only new member gaining election was Joe Tillman, who finished second (behind Mason) out of 15 candidates.

Osage Nation Congressional elections are conducted biennially, with half of the tribal legislature’s 12 members chosen to 4-year terms every two years. Other members of the current Congress are Otto Hamilton, Alice Buffalohead, Kugee Supernaw, Ron Shaw, Angela Pratt and James Norris.

The Fifth ON Congress opens its next session July 18.