Montana tribe drops court case in National Bison Range agreement (February 4, 2011)

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana won't be fighting a judge's decision to rescind a self-governance agreement at the National Bison Range in Montana. The tribe appealed after Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the Interior Department violated the National...

Law Article: The case for tribal self-governance and bankruptcy law (February 4, 2011)

"For businesses unable to pay creditors, bankruptcy can offer rebirth or an orderly demise. In either case, the federal bankruptcy process can protect debtors from their creditors, giving “to the honest but unfortunate debtor ... a clear field for future...

Osage Nation joins development partnership for airport in Arizona (February 4, 2011)

The Osage Nation of Oklahoma is in talks to develop an airport and airpark in Peoria, Arizona. The tribe has partnered with developer Mike Oliver on the project. Osage West LLC has entered into exclusive negotiations with the city. "This...

Navajo Nation man who was branded with swastika sues McDonald's (February 4, 2011)

The family of a Navajo Nation man who was branded with a swastika has sued McDonald's for hiring three men who are accused of kidnapping and torturing him. The suit filed on behalf of Vincent Kee, 22, says a franchise...

Jodi Gillette: Celebrating National Women in Sports Awareness Day (February 4, 2011)

"This week, we marked a very special day, the 25th Anniversary of the National Women in Sports Awareness Day in Washington, DC. On that day we took the time to celebrate and honor all of our mothers, sisters and daughters...

Seminole Tribe submits land-into-trust application for housing plan (February 4, 2011)

The Seminole Tribe of Florida has submitted a land-into-trust application to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The tribe plans to use a 750-acre site for housing. The land was purchased for about $13 million. "Building houses has been a priority...

Oneida Nation submits arguments to 2nd Circuit in foreclosure case (February 4, 2011)

The Oneida Nation submitted a brief to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in its foreclosure case. The tribe has waived its sovereign immunity in foreclosure proceedings. But the tribe says land within its ancestral reservation still can't be taxed...

Yakama Nation expects to finish $12M detention facility next year (February 4, 2011)

The Yakama Nation of Washington expects to complete work on a $12 million detention facility in the fall of 2012. The tribe received a grant from the Department of Justice to build the 38,000 square-foot facility. It replaces one that...

Fire destroys former boarding school on Coeur d'Alene Reservation (February 4, 2011)

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe of Idaho is investigating a fire that destroyed an old boarding school on the reservation. Crews responded to the blaze around 3am on Thursday. The three-story building was completely destroyed. “This is a big loss,” Chairman...

Delphine Red Shirt: Giago's newspaper gives voice to Indian writers (February 4, 2011)

The following opinion by Delphine Red Shirt appears in the current issue of the Native Sun News. All content © Native Sun News. I am writing this column, pretty much, the way I write many of my columns. I write...

Elouise Cobell to visit Navajo Nation to talk about $3.4B settlement (February 4, 2011)

Elouise Cobell, the lead plaintiff in the Indian trust fund lawsuit will visit the Navajo Nation next week to discuss the $3.4 billion settlement that was signed into law last year. Cobell and her team have scheduled meetings in Church...

About 45000 descendants qualified for Indian Act status in Canada (February 4, 2011)

About 45,000 First Nations descendants are eligible for Indian Act status under a new law that went into effect this week. The descendants were denied status because their grandmothers married non-Native men. The provision was found to be unconstitutional in...

Opinion: Eliminating the BIA, the IHS and all other Indian programs (February 4, 2011)

"If ever a federal agency were a candidate for termination, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) would make for a good choice. The BIA combines patronage and ethnic separatism into a single package, wasting sizable tax dollars in the process....