A curfew for minors living within the Gila River Indian Community — just south of Phoenix — was supposed to expire by the end of December, but it will continue through the new year in an ongoing effort to stymie violent crime throughout the nearly 600-square-mile reservation.
This marks the fifth time Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis has extended the curfew since first imposing it in February.
Now it’s set to end this March.
Back in July, during a six-hour town hall, Lewis acknowledged the limits of simply amending his executive order: “If we want to do anything permanent, of course, this would come from the council, which is the lawmaking body.”
Leaders have been weighing whether to draft an ordinance that could banish tribal members who are convicted of violent crimes. Meanwhile, the Valley tribe also recently announced the return of its annual rodeo and fair.
It’s called Mul-Chu-Tha, a tradition that was cancelled last March due to safety concerns that prompted the soon-to-be yearlong curfew in the first place. When KJZZ asked how it may affect this year’s gathering, Lewis declined to say.
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