BIA plans four meetings for Section 20 regulations (March 28, 2006)

Amid Congressional efforts to curb off-reservation casinos, the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Monday announced a series of meetings on new land-into-trust regulations. Setting an aggressive timetable, the BIA plans to hold four meetings throughout Indian Country in the coming...

New name, president for Lakota film group (March 28, 2006)

The Lakota Film and Television Group has a new name and president. The group will now be called the Northern Plains Film Commission Board of Directors. The president is actor Moses Brings Plenty, who has starred in "Hidalgo," "Pirates of...

Sex offender bill on Navajo Nation Council agenda (March 28, 2006)

A bill to require sex offenders who work, live or attend school on the Navajo Nation is set for debate next month by the Navajo Nation Council. All offenders must register with the Navajo Nation chief of police even if...

Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation seek deal with power plant (March 28, 2006)

An agreement between Southern California Edison Co. and the Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nation would lead to the reopening of a power plant and the Peabody coal mines. Southern California Edison shut down the Mohave Generating Station in Laughlin,...

Indian film festival at University of Idaho (March 28, 2006)

The American Indian Film Festival at the University of Idaho kicks of tomorrow with remarks by Nez Perce Chairwoman Rebecca Miles and a screening of "Thunderbird Woman," a film about Winona LaDuke. Other screenings include "Surviving Lewis and Clark:...

Judge orders tribal consultation on Klamath River (March 28, 2006)

A federal judge ordered the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Bureau of Reclamation to consult with tribes about a water management plan for the Klamath River. In a 16-page decision, U.S. District Judge Saundra B. Armstrong said the agencies...

Yellow Bird: Free press needed in Indian Country (March 28, 2006)

"A free press on the reservations is sorely needed but hard to build. Tribal government skirmishes are covered by mainstream press when there is a major crime or a recall petition, but other than that, there is little day-to-day coverage...

Tribal applicants to state Board of Higher Education (March 28, 2006)

The former chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the current president of the Cankdeska Cikana Community College are among the applicants to the North Dakota Board of Higher Education. The eight-member board has two open seats. Eleven people...

Alaska Native man loved dancing, rave scene (March 28, 2006)

Justin Schwartz, 22, an Alaska Native man who was killed during a mass shooting early Saturday morning, was known for his love of dancing and the rave scene in Seattle. Born in Bethel, Alaska, Schwartz was Eskimo. He was adopted...

Blackfeet workers reach out to hurricane victims (March 28, 2006)

A handful of members of the Blackfeet Nation are still in Dallas, Texas, helping the Federal Emergency Management Agency provide services to hurricane victims. Over 350 tribal members were working in Dallas at the height of the relief effort....

Puyallup Tribe asks for surplus military property (March 28, 2006)

The Puyallup Tribe of Washington is seeking to acquire a 9-acre former military site in the port of Tacoma. The tribe wants the old Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center as part of its effort to acquire more port...

Fire Thunder vows fight for women's health rights (March 28, 2006)

Cecelia Fire Thunder, the president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and a former nurse, said women who are raped or the victims of incest should have the option to choose an abortion. A new South Dakota law bans abortions except...

Bush backs Sen. Burns at Washington fundraiser (March 28, 2006)

President Bush campaigned for embattled Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana) at a Washington, D.C., fundraiser where guests paid up to $10,000 to attend. Bush said he was "proud to stand by" a man who has been accused of doing Jack...

Letters ask judge to show leniency for Abramoff (March 28, 2006)

More than 260 friends, family and associates of Jack Abramoff have written letters to a federal judge in Florida, seeking leniency for the admitted convict who fleeced tribes out of millions and attempted to bribe a member of Congress. The...

Powhatan's village to be placed on National Register (March 28, 2006)

Werowocomoco, the village of Chief Powhatan, will be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Werowocomoco, located along the along the York River in Virginia, was Powhatan's residence and headquarters. It is about 15 miles from Jamestown, where the...

Dakota students compete in Scrabble tournament (March 28, 2006)

Dakota students from North Dakota, South Dakota and Manitoba, Canada, competed in the first-ever Dakota Scrabble tournament last Friday. The game is an effort to preserve the Dakota language. The Hasbro company authorized 30 educational versions and up to 500...

Ralph Reed won't face probe for anti-tribal lobbying (March 28, 2006)

A county prosecutor in Texas said on Monday he won't investigate the anti-tribal lobbying efforts of Ralph Reed, the conservative Christian activist who is running for lieutenant governor of Georgia. Travis County Attorney David Escamilla acknowledged "legitimate questions" about...

Listening Lounge: Hearing on Indian Trust Reform Act (March 28, 2006)

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee held a hearing this morning on S.1439, the Indian Trust Reform Act. The hearing focuses on Titles II-IV of the bill. These sections deal with reforms at the Interior Department, including a provision to eliminate...

Tim Giago: Little attention for Native American Day (March 28, 2006)

"There is a legal holiday in South Dakota that gets little attention from the general population. The day became a holiday in 1990, sixteen years ago. It is called Native American Day, and it was recognized by the state legislators...