Social media went into a frenzy when TACC announced Whataburger was breaking ground in the city at the end of October . Mayor Sue Catron was at the restaurant ’ s groundbreaking ceremony on Nov . 1 , and she said a number of conversations are taking place with developers and potential business owners .
“ Most businesses want to ensure all the pieces are set before they announce their intention to locate in Tahlequah . We can certainly understand and respect their wishes to keep things under wraps until they ’ re ready to go public ,” said Catron .
The mayor said speaking with someone at TACC is a great place to start for anyone interested in moving to Tahlequah .
“ If needing help establishing a business , the Tahlequah Regional Development Authority may have suggestions . The State Department of Commerce can also be a big help if interested in relocating a business to Tahlequah ,” she said .
Cherokee Nation Businesses recently opened several new ventures , including 1839 Cherokee Meat Co ., which was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct . 25 .
“ Friends , these pandemic revealed what so many of our friends in agriculture are already knew . There is in this region , and in this country , far too little capacity for meat processing , and it ’ s in the hands of far too few people and far too few corporations ,” said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr . “ The men and women in the agriculture industry works so hard to keep our families fed , and therefore they keep our economy moving , and therefore they can contribute to the vitality of this great nation .”
Hoskin said this work was more than mere economics .
“ No nation on the face of this earth is free and secure if their food processors are not free and secure ,” he said . “ Food producers cannot be free insecure if they lack access to the marketplace , and so it ’ s in the national interests of the Cherokee Nation that we do all we can to support the hard-working men and women in farming and ranching in this region to get their products to market , and my pledge to you in this industry is we have your backs 100 %.”
Council Speaker Mike Shambaugh shared a personal story at the ceremony regarding the need for more meat processing in the area .
“ Several years ago , I bought a 300-pound pig for $ 30 because the guy had several and he couldn ’ t get rid of them ,” said Shambaugh .
Shambaugh said the man couldn ’ t take them to a slaughterhouse because it was over two years backed up with work .
“ So I was lucky . I had a friend who I got this pig in to get butchered , but so many people were trying to rely on these things happening , that they had relied their whole life , of sustaining meat for their families , and they weren ’ t being able to do it ,” said Shambaugh .
The meat processing facility will be open to the public , he said , not just Native citizens . Starting off , the facility will only be accepting domesticated pigs and cattle – no deer this year .
Sara Serrano | Daily Press Mayor Sue Catron spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Tahlequah Whataburger location on Nov . 1 .
Issue 1 • Volume 4 • Green Country Scene | Tahlequah Daily Press 7