Editorial: Keep pressing for answers in Native abuse case (February 28, 2012)

"Sen. Lisa Murkowski told the Alaska Legislature last week that she'll keep asking why the Justice Department dropped a teen sex crime case against former Veco chief Bill Allen, convicted on corruption charges in Alaska's political scandal. She said she'll...

County official's Native accent is deemed 'inappropriate' (February 28, 2012)

An elected official in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, says he doesn't mean any harm when he speaks in a "Native accent" to a Native American employee. “We go back and forth in it,” Treasurer Patrick Padilla told The Albuquerque Journal....

Diocese apologizes to Menominee girl who spoke language (February 28, 2012)

The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay has apologized to a member of the Menominee Nation who was reprimanded for speaking her language in class. Miranda Washinawatok, a seventh-grader, translated some phrases in the language for her classmates. Her teacher claimed...

KUOW: Totem pole dedicated to slain Native woodcarver (February 28, 2012)

"Raising the John T. Williams memorial totem pole was part celebration and part hard work. Volunteers carried the pole from Pier 57 on the waterfront, where it was carved, to its new permanent home near the Space Needle. John T....

Yurok Tribe outraged at theft of nearly $1M from program (February 28, 2012)

Authorities in California made two arrests and are looking for a third person in connection with the theft of nearly $1 million from the Yurok Tribe. Roland Raymond, the former forestry director for the tribe, and two biologists -- Ron...

Blackfeet Nation investigating reports of starving horses (February 28, 2012)

The Blackfeet Nation of Montana is continuing to investigate reports of starving horses on the reservation. Tribal officials responded to a complaint of about 20 to 30 starving horses. It turns out the animals were off the reservation but the...

Fort Peck Tribes reach $75M trust management settlement (February 28, 2012)

Another tribe has reached a trust management settlement with the Obama administration. The Fort Peck Tribes of Montana agreed to accept $75 million to settle a lawsuit filed in 2002. The tribe sought an accounting of its trust funds and...

Hualapai Tribe offers $11M to buy Grand Canyon Skywalk (February 28, 2012)

The Hualapai Tribe of Arizona says it will pay a non-Indian operator $11 million for the Grand Canyon Skywalk. The $11 million is based on an appraisal from a company that the tribe hired. But operator David Jin says the...

Larry McAdams: A slanted report on Wind River Reservation (February 28, 2012)

"After reading The New York Times‘s article, “Brutal Crimes Grip an Indian Reservation,” by Timothy Williams, published February 2, 2012 and the comment section where responses were provided by many individuals living in States from across this great nation to...

Mohawk man won't recognize jurisdiction of state's court (February 28, 2012)

A Mohawk man appeared in New York state court on Monday to face charges for removing soil from a Superfund site near the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. Wearing a traditional headdress, Larry Thompson told the judge that he doesn't recognize...

Developments in Muscogee Nation tobacco bribery cases (February 28, 2012)

One person pleaded guilty and charges were dismissed against another in the Muscogee Nation tobacco bribery case. Michael P. Wisner, the former CEO of the tribe's Department of Trade and Commerce Authority, pleaded to charges of conspiracy and perjury in...

Native Sun News: Oglala Sioux Tribe baffled by missing bison (February 28, 2012)

The following story was written and reported by Jesse Abernathy, Native Sun News Editor. All content © Native Sun News. PINE RIDGE RESERVATION, SOUTH DAKOTA –– In a case eerily reminiscent of the recent turmoil on the Cheyenne River Reservation...

KVNO: Book shares struggle of Ponca Chief Standing Bear (February 28, 2012)

"This year’s selection for One Book One Nebraska is a story of one of the earliest victories in the struggle for civil rights: a universal story of humanity and courage and a true story – one that took place...

Onondaga Nation asks 2nd Circuit to reinstate land claim (February 28, 2012)

The Onondaga Nation is taking its land claim to the the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2005, the tribe laid claim to about 4,000 square miles, including the entire city of Syracuse. But a federal judge dismissed the case...

Judge issues amended ruling in tribal payday loan lawsuit (February 28, 2012)

A judge in Colorado has reportedly issued an amended opinion in a tribal payday loan case Judge Morris B. Hoffman acknowledged that 99 percent of the profits from payday loan businesses operated by the Miami Nation and the Santee Sioux...

Blog: Anchor speaks out against racism in Redskins name (February 28, 2012)

"The video of “Vance’s View” is above, but I went ahead and did the transcription, below. “A few days ago, a couple guys at ESPN got in a boatload of trouble when they got too cute with the Jeremy...

Opinion: Nepotism rampant at BIA office in Washington DC (February 28, 2012)

"A few weeks ago, I received a series of emails from an employee at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which came in response to my recent article on that agency. This employee was deeply concerned about poverty on Indian reservations,...

Chukchansi faction occupies tribal headquarters in dispute (February 28, 2012)

Members of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians in California are occupying the tribal headquarters as part of an ongoing leadership dispute. A group led by Morris Reid stormed the offices on Monday. They are refusing to leave unless...

Obama signs bill to move Quileute Tribe to safer grounds (February 28, 2012)

President Barack Obama on Monday signed H.R.1162 into law, allowing the Quileute Tribe of Washington to move out of a tsunami zone. The bill transfers 785 acres within Olympic National Park to the tribe. The land will be used to...

Column: Indian artifacts serve as portal to America's past (February 28, 2012)

"I didn't have any problem accepting the idea that Native Americans long ago camped on Kinderhook Farm, a couple of miles to the east of us upstate. That information came from an employee of the farm, Harold Lobdell, who said...

TransCanada to resubmit proposal for Keystone XL Pipeline (February 28, 2012)

TransCanada said it will resubmit plans to build the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline in the U.S. President Barack Obama rejected a permit for the 1,700-mile pipeline after he said was rushed into a decision by Republicans in Congress. But...