ads@blueearthmarketing.com   712.224.5420

Supreme Court limits tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians (June 26, 2008)

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday limited tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians in a 5-4 decision that was split along conservative and liberal lines. In the eyes of many in Indian Country, Plains Commerce Bank v. Long was a contract dispute...

Judge to issue final ruling in Cobell case in August (June 26, 2008)

The federal judge handling the landmark Indian trust fund lawsuit said on Wednesday he will issue a final ruling in August. After 10 days of trial, Judge James Robertson heard closing arguments in the 12-year-old case. Though he has ruled...

Alaska Natives get small share of Exxon judgment (June 26, 2008)

Alaska Native villages and corporations will only get a small share of the damage award in the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, The Anchorage Daily News reports. The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday said Exxon only has to pay $507.5...

Crow veteran honored for World War II service (June 26, 2008)

Joe Medicine Crow, the oldest living veteran of the Crow Tribe of Montana, was honored by the United States and France for his service in World War II. Medicine Crow, 94, received the Bronze Star with valor from the...

Judge issues ruling in Yankton Sioux hog farm case (June 26, 2008)

A federal judge issued a written ruling in a lawsuit brought by members of the Yankton Sioux Tribe against a hog farm in Charles Mix County, South Dakota. In the three-page order, Judge Lawrence Piersol confirmed that the 40-acre hog...

Lawsuit challenges Indian candidate petitions (June 26, 2008)

A judge in Arizona will hear a lawsuit that could prevent reservation residents from fully participating in the political process. Three members of the Navajo Nation are running for the state Legislature. At issue are the candidates' nominating petitions. According...

IHS restores emergency care at Navajo hospital (June 26, 2008)

The Indian Health Service has restored emergency services at a hospital on the Navajo Nation. The Crownpoint Health Care Facility in Crownpoint, New Mexico, stopped offering emergency services during nights and weekends because there weren't enough lab workers. Services...

Study cites high placement rate of Native children (June 26, 2008)

Native American children in Washington are far more likely to be placed in the state's child welfare system than any other racial or ethnic group, according to a new report. Disproportionality in Child Welfare followed 58,005 children who were...

Winnemem Wintu Tribe wins backing for recognition (June 26, 2008)

A bill making its way through the California Legislature supports federal recognition for the Winnemem Wintu Tribe. Assembly Joint Resolution 39 passed the Assembly in April. A Senate committee approved the bill on Tuesday and it should reach the floor...

Nisqually Chair: A partnership for clean water (June 26, 2008)

" For centuries, Indian people across this great country have respected and cared for water, one of our planet’s most precious natural resources. This long-standing tradition has evolved sophisticated systems of sustainable resource management focused on maintaining a very...

Senate Indian Affairs hearing on contract health (June 26, 2008)

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee held an oversight hearing this morning on contract health services. The hearing started at 10am and lasted about two hours. There was a slight change in witness order, as Robert McSwain testified after all of...

Cherokee Nation marshal kills fugitive in Oklahoma (June 26, 2008)

A Cherokee Nation marshal shot and killed a fugitive in Oklahoma on Tuesday. Marty Workman, 30, was wanted on an arrest warrant from Arkansas. He barricaded himself in a home in Stilwell, Oklahoma, where local police requested the assistance of...

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe divided over payout (June 26, 2008)

The six bands of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe are divided over legislation that would distribute a $27 million trust fund. The tribe settled a land claim lawsuit in 1999 for $20 million. H.R.2306 and H.R.3699 would finally distribute the funds...

10th Circuit asked to rehear Wyoming eagle case (June 26, 2008)

A member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming is asking the 10th Circuit Court of Appealsto rehear his religious rights case. Winslow Friday, 23, shot a band eagle for use in a Sun Dance ceremony. He was prosecuted for...

Northern Arapaho Tribe seeks $1.5M for youth center (June 26, 2008)

The Northern Arapaho Tribe is seeking $1.5 million to build a youth center on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Tribal leaders held a press conference in Washington, D.C., yesterday to discuss the need for the center. They said it...

Study cites high Native youth alcohol disorder rate (June 26, 2008)

A forthcoming study says American Indian and Alaska Native youth are more likely to suffer from an alcohol use disorder than any other racial or ethnic group. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 14.9 percent of...

High court bars death penalty in non-homicide cases (June 26, 2008)

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday barred the use of the death penalty in a non-homicide case. By a 5-4 vote, the justices said the death penalty is restricted to homicide cases and crimes against the state. Two men who...

Judge cuts sentence in half for Abramoff partner (June 26, 2008)

A federal judge reduced the sentence of a man who pleaded guilty for his role in the Jack Abramoff scandal. Adam Kidan, 43, was originally sentenced to 70 months for bank fraud. He admitted that he helped Abramoff falsify documents...