Spotted Wolf Memorial Highway opens in Montana
LAME DEER, Mont. – The scorecard for wins by Indian legislators in the 2021 MT Republican dominated Legislative session was bleak. But, Representative Rena Whiteman Pena, Northern Cheyenne pulled off a home run when HB 810 was passed on a near unanimous vote late in the session.
HB 810 establishes part of Highway 212 in Big Horn County as the Terry Spotted Wolf, Sr. Memorial Highway. Corresponding signage will soon be installed and the new name included in future publications of Montana Highway maps.
Spotted Wolf, Northern Cheyenne tribal member was a veteran law enforcement officer both BIS and tribal on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. He was killed in the line of duty in 1982. While In pursuit of drunk drivers his police vehicle struck a horse, a common hazard on that stretch of roadway.
Pena noted that re-naming the highway in honor of Spotted Wolf had been a longstanding goal of former tribal vice-president, Winfield Russel who served with Spotted Wolf as a law enforcement officer. That effort failed in several previous legislatures.
“I’m honored to be a part of finally getting this done,” Pena said. “It is a way to honor law enforcement officers, and specifically Terry Spotted Elk, Sr. and those who lose their lives in the line of duty. Indirectly, it also honors the Northern Cheyenne people. In my opinion, that is so important at this time,” Pena noted.
The bill was co-sponsored by eleven other legislators including members of the Indian caucus: Terry Running Wolf, Frank Smith, Sharon Stewart Peregoy; Karen Walsh and Jonathon Windyboy.
(Contact Clara Caufield at editor@nativesunnews.today)
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June 3, 2021