Prior Lake, Minnesota - The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community announces two donations to support public television programming.

An $80,000 donation goes to the Native Report series, out of WDSE-8 in Duluth, Minnesota. Native Report is an entertaining, informative magazine style series that celebrates Native American culture and heritage, listens to tribal elders, and talks to some of the most powerful and influential leaders of Indian Country today. The series promotes understanding between cultures, tribes, and reservations; offers a venue for the stories of challenge and success coming from tribal communities; and educates public television viewers about the culture and traditions of native citizens. Native Report is hosted by Stacey Thunder (Red Lake Nation) and Tadd Johnson (Bois Forte Band of Chippewa). The Native Report series is offered at no charge to all public television stations in the United States and is currently seen in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, California, northern Wisconsin, central Virginia, and the upper peninsula of Michigan. The SMSC donation kicks off fundraising efforts for Native Report's second 15-episode season. "Funding from the Shakopee Tribe has enabled us to cover a larger geographic area of Indian Country, to tell the stories that otherwise might not be told, and bring those stories to a wider public television audience," said Executive Producer Juli Kellner.

A $25,000 donation goes to the Twin Cities Public Television's program Almanac at the Capitol, a public affairs program which airs twice a week. Political topics, including guest interviews, highlight this local issues-based program hosted by Mary Lahammer while the Minnesota State Legislature is in session. Shows also review important legislation and report on their progress as well as give behind the scenes looks at the political players. Almanac at the Capitol is a spin-off of the popular Almanac show which has aired for more than 20 years on Twin Cities Public Television. The SMSC has donated a total of $125,000 over the past five years to the program.

"Both of these programs provide good information. Native Report covers Indian Communities in an interesting, informative way. Almanac at the Capitol is an important fixture in the coverage of Minnesota politics. We are happy to be able to support these fine programs on public television," said SMSC Tribal Chairman Stanley Crooks.

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