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Oglala Sioux Tribe Chief meets with Gov. Dave Heineman

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The president of South Dakota's Oglala Sioux Tribe met briefly with Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman to discuss alcohol sales in Whiteclay, but walked out after less than three minutes.

Tribal president Bryan Brewer said Monday that he left the meeting because he felt the governor has no intention of trying to address alcohol-related problems that spread from Whiteclay, a Nebraska town that sells millions of cans of beer annually on the border of South Dakota's officially dry Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Brewer also says he felt disrespected by the governor. A Heineman spokeswoman denies the allegation.

Heineman says Nebraska has no legal authority to shut down the alcohol stores unless they violate the law. He says the tribe should focus on providing education and treatment to curb alcohol abuse.

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