Chickasaw Nation beefs up police department (February 20, 2006)

Since taking over law enforcement services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in October 2004, the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma has beefed up its Lighthorse Police Department. The BIA only had four police officers and one supervisor to oversee 13...

North Dakota tribe considers new constitution (February 20, 2006)

The Three Affiliated Tribes, also known as the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, is considering a complete overhaul of its constitution. The rewrite has been in the works for more than two years. It would officially change the tribe's name...

Forest Service to study sacred site concerns (February 20, 2006)

The U.S. Forest Service will take extra time to determine whether to allow motorized travel in the sacred Badger-Two Medicine area in Montana. The agency plans to issue a travel plan next month for 392,000 acres of federal lands....

Mashpee Wampanoag elders pass before recognition (February 20, 2006)

Six more elders of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts died last year without seeing their federal recognition acted upon. Of the tribe's 1,468, 360 are over the age of 55. They have been a key source of information for...

Urban Indian health cut to affect 6,500 in Montana (February 20, 2006)

President Bush's proposal to eliminate the $33 million urban Indian health care program will affect 6,500 Native Americans in Montana, The Great Falls Tribune reports. More than half of the Native population in the state lives off-reservation. Many receive...

Gas tax refunds for tribal members hard to get (February 20, 2006)

Only 11 tribal members have applied for gas tax refunds in North Dakota, and three of them have been turned down. The State Legislature authorized refunds after a successful lawsuit filed by members of the Three Affiliated Tribes and the...

Opinion: Unfair advantage for tribal smoke shops (February 20, 2006)

"We have had 13 months to analyze the new tobacco tax with the results being crystal clear: This is the biggest unmitigated disaster the state of Oklahoma has ever brought on itself. Remember the promise: "This new tax will help...

Ron Allen met Abramoff at Signatures restaurant (February 20, 2006)

Ron Allen, the chairman of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe of Washington, says he met Jack Abramoff at the disgraced lobbyist's former restaurant in Washington, D.C. Allen, who also serves as president of the Washington Indian Gaming Association and treasurer of...

Saginaw Chippewa woman not upset with Abramoff (February 20, 2006)

At least one member of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan is still supporting Jack Abramoff even after the disgraced lobbyist pleaded guilty to defrauding tribes. Patricia Anne Peters, who runs http://www.sagchipvoices.org, says Abramoff didn't commit any crimes. "He did...

Rep. Cole says tribes painted as 'scapegoats' (February 20, 2006)

Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a member of the Chickasaw Nation, is fighting efforts to restrict the ability of tribes to make political donations. Cole says he doesn't want tribes to be blame for the Jack Abramoff scandal. "I don't intend...

Native American Bank's new CEO seeks to expand (February 20, 2006)

J.D. Colbert, the new president and chief executive of the Native American Bank, wants to expand the institution's reach in Indian Country. Colbert, who is Chickasaw/Creek from Oklahoma, is seeking to establish more branches and provide other services like...

Yellow Bird: The Westminster Rez Dogs Show (February 20, 2006)

"My family on the reservation would scoff at my interest in the pampered and indulged show dogs of the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship and the Westminster Kennel Club Show, the Super Bowl of dog shows. The family's experience with pets --...

Rep. Doolittle praised Mississippi Choctaws (February 20, 2006)

Rep. John Doolittle (R-California), who praised and defended Jack Abramoff as a friend and a Republican, inserted comments into the Congressional record that praised the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, one of the disgraced lobbyist's former clients. On September...

New website for Senate Indian Affairs Committee (February 20, 2006)

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee has launched a new website with an updated look. The redesign features a calendar with links to all the recent and upcoming hearings. A special "Investigations" section has all the information about the Jack...

'Native Network' lunches planned in Washington (February 20, 2006)

DC Native Network, a new network for Native people in Washington and their allies, will be holding its first lunch meeting this Wednesday. DC2N is being described as a gathering to share information and strategize about Native issues. The meetings...

NY Times: Drug trafficking in Indian Country (February 20, 2006)

The New York Times ran two big articles on drug trafficking in Indian Country, citing a rise in the drug trade on reservations across the United States. Drug traffickers have targeted reservations near the Canadian and Mexican borders, due to...