Gasoline taxation lawsuit to proceed without tribal involvement (August 30, 2012)

A lawsuit that challenges gasoline compacts will be allowed to proceed without the involvement of tribes, the Washington Supreme Court ruled today. The Automotive United Trades Organization, which represents non-Indian gas stations, claims the compacts are unfair and unconstitutional. The...

Leonard Forsman: Suquamish Tribe forced to file suit on treaty (August 30, 2012)

"Today, with over 1,100 people employed in its government operations and business ventures, the Suquamish Tribe is one of the largest employers in Kitsap County. The purpose of the Tribe's investments is to support government functions that assist the community....

Attorney in San Francisco Peaks litigation won't face sanctions (August 30, 2012)

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday withdrew sanctions against attorney Howard Shanker for his handling of litigation to protect the sacred San Francisco Peaks in Arizona. The court in June accused Shanker of "grossly" abusing the judicial process...

Turtle Talk Tournament: Greatest decisions in federal Indian law (August 30, 2012)

"Let’s have some fun. I’ve picked 32 of the greatest cases in federal Indian law (it’s my game, so my opinion on which is the top 32 — basically, I picked winners for tribal interests). I’ve seeded them (by date,...

Fort Peck Tribes continue to weigh per cap on $75M settlement (August 30, 2012)

The Fort Peck Tribes of Montana have yet to make a decision whether to distribute a $75 million trust fund settlement on a per capita basis. Some members have asked for a share of the money. Amounts from $500 to...

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to share $10K per cap (August 30, 2012)

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana will send out $10,000 per capita checks on September 12, The Ronan Valley Journal reports. The per capita payment represents half of a $150 million the tribe received as part of a...

Republican Party approves platform with longer Indian section (August 30, 2012)

The national Republican Party adopted a platform this week that includes a lengthier section on American Indian and Alaska Native issues. The section titled Honoring Our Relationship with American Indians represents the party's strongest language to date on Indian issues....

Native Sun News: Indian education meetings set for Rapid City (August 30, 2012)

The following story was written and reported by Karin Eagle, Native Sun News Staff Writer. All content © Native Sun News. Rapid City Indian Education invites parent involvement By Karin Eagle Native Sun News Staff Writer RAPID CITY — The...

Steven Newcomb: No 'justice' with domination of Indian nations (August 30, 2012)

"It dawned on me recently that the title of Lewis Hanke’s classic book, The Spanish Struggle for Justice in the Conquest of America (1949), makes no sense. As is customary with scholars of the era of “discovery,” Hanke used the...

Sarah Deer: Protecting Indian women with our justice systems (August 30, 2012)

"In a prior column, I offered my opinion that providing support and advocacy for survivors of violent crime in Indian country. One of the more significant aspects of women’s advocacy in tribal communities during the last few years has been...

Rosebud Sioux Tribe keeping close on elders in late heat wave (August 30, 2012)

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe is keeping a close eye on elders as an unusual late summer heat wave set across South Dakota. “It’s pretty extreme,” spokesperson Alfred Walking Bull told the paper. Today's high temperature is forecast to be 97...

Court won't rehear ICWA case involving Cherokee Nation father (August 30, 2012)

The South Carolina Supreme Court won't rehear an Indian Child Welfare Act case that has drawn national attention. On July 26, the court affirmed a decision to return custody of a two-year-old girl to her father, a member of the...

Court rejects Navajo Nation in Indian Child Welfare Act dispute (August 30, 2012)

In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the placement of a Navajo boy in a non-Indian family. The Navajo Nation objected to the placement of the boy, identified as "Z" in a home with a...

Yanomami Tribe reports massacre at village in Amazon jungle (August 30, 2012)

Members of the Yanomami Tribe reported a massacre at one of their villages in the remote Amazonian jungle. A village in southern Venezuela, near the border with Brazil, was attacked late last month while some residents were out hunting. When...