Senate panel debates changes to Indian gaming act (March 25, 2004)

Federal officials and Indian leaders urged a Senate committee on Wednesday to change the federal law that paved the way for the $15.9 billion tribal gaming industry. Much of the concern centered over larger and larger payments that state governments...

Law school won't allow Lakota drum at graduation (March 25, 2004)

The University of North Dakota law school has denied a request to have a Lakota drum ceremony at the school's May 15 graduation. Indian students protested the decision yesterday and then met with UND president Charles Kupchella and other school...

Aquash murder suspect remains free on bail (March 25, 2004)

A British Columbia Appeal Court Justice has ruled that a Native man accused of murdering American Indian Movement activist Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash can stay free on bail pending an extradition hearing to the United States. John Graham is under house...

Appeals court issues stay of DOI shutdown order (March 25, 2004)

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday issued a stay on the information technology preliminary injunction at the Department of Interior. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the shutdown last week in response to concerns over security vulnerabilities. He...

First Nation in Nova Scotia rejects fishery deal (March 25, 2004)

The Indian Brook First Nation of Nova Scotia has rejected a $20 million fishing deal with the Canadian government. A majority of tribal members opposed the deal, said Chief Reg Maloney. They saw it as a signing away of their...

First Nations fishermen stage protest on waters (March 25, 2004)

Members of the Heiltsuk and Kitasoo First Nations of British Columbia are trying to protect waters from commercial fishing. The First Nations say herring stocks are depleted and that there should not be any more fishing off the central coast....

Can. Supreme Court hearing trust relationship case (March 25, 2004)

Canada's Supreme Court is hearing a landmark case on the trust relationship with First Nations in British Columbia.. Two years ago, the British Columbia Court of Appeal ruled that the government has a fiduciary obligation to inform First Nations of...

Three in Colo. plead guilty for death of tribal member (March 25, 2004)

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Colorado announced on Wednesday three guilty pleas for the murder of a Ute Mountain Ute tribal member. The three, who are also members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, beat and stabbed Richard Bearshead to...

FOX News: Wealthy tribes still get federal dollars (March 25, 2004)

FOX News is running a video report questioning why "wealthy" tribes with casinos continue to receive federal "subsidies." The report uses Cheryl Schmit of Stand Up for California as a source. Schmit says the San Manuel Band of Indians received...

Column: Miccosukee Tribe's new battle over water (March 25, 2004)

"The only sounds were the water lapping on the sides of the four airboats floating beside a small island deep in the Florida Everglades, the call of a heron somewhere, and the voices of our Miccosukee guides. The boats floated...

Norton to testify on Interior budget before Senate (March 25, 2004)

Interior Secretary Gale Norton is scheduled to testify about her department's fiscal year 2005 budget. Norton is the only scheduled witness before the Senate Appropriations Committee. The hearing starts at 9:30 a.m. in Dirksen Room 124. An audio-only link can...

Calif. tribes build dreams with wireless network (March 25, 2004)

The Tribal Digital Village of Southern California is officially complete with the construction of a wireless network serving 18 tribal communities. The Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association launched the project with a $5 million grant from Hewlett-Packard. The tribes will...

Okla. group opposes statue's use of headdress (March 25, 2004)

United Native America of Oklahoma is protesting the use of a headdress on a statue at Florida State University as culturally inaccurate. The "Integration" statue is meant to honor FSU's first African-American students. The representation of Doby Flowers, the school's...

Mont. tribes courted by candidates for governor (March 25, 2004)

Four candidates for Montana governor spoke at the Montana Wyoming Tribal Economic Development Summit in Billings, Montana, on Wednesday. Republican Tom Keating said he would appoint a Native Americans to the Board of Regents and the Board of Education if...

Cobell wins praise for trust accounting battle (March 25, 2004)

Elouise Cobell, the lead plaintiff in the Indian trust fund case, was the keynote speaker at the Montana Wyoming Tribal Economic Development Summit in Billings, Montana, on Wednesday. Cobell urged attendees to hold government officials accountable for their actions. "That...

Campbell to sponsor land swap bill for Crow Tribe (March 25, 2004)

Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.) is going to introduce a bill to authorize a land swap between the National Park Service and the Crow Tribe of Montana. Bob Krumen of Wyoming Outdoors said the bill will transfer at least 340...

Lumbee beauty queen trial underway in N.C. court (March 25, 2004)

An e-mail that ended the beauty pageant career of a Lumbee woman is at the center of a trial underway in a North Carolina court. Rebekah Revels was only the second Indian woman in state history to win the Miss...

Conn. AG promises long fight against tribes (March 25, 2004)

Connecticut attorney general Richard Blumenthal promised to tie up the federal status of two tribes in his state as long as possible. Blumenthal contends that the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation and the Schagticoke Tribal Nation do not qualify for federal...

Western Shoshone group challenges mine approval (March 25, 2004)

The Western Shoshone Defense Project and an environmental group are challenging the Bureau of Land Management's approval of a gold and copper mining project in northern Nevada. The groups say BLM hasn't asked Newmont Mining Corporation, a mining company, to...

Embattled lobbyist signs deal with another firm (March 25, 2004)

A Republican lobbyist who resigned from his firm after large payments he received from four tribes were made public was signed a deal with another lobby shop, The Washington Post reports. Jack Abramoff will steer business to Cassidy & Associates,...

BIA publishes school construction priority list (March 25, 2004)

The Bureau of Indian Affairs published the updated replacement school construction priority list in the Federal Register on Wednesday. The list determines which schools will receive federal funding. Based on need, the BIA is placing 14 facilities, including dormitories, on...

BIA approves compact for gaming on former reservation (March 25, 2004)

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has approved the Chickasaw Nation's Class III off-track betting compact, a top official said on Wednesday. George Skibine, the acting deputy assistant secretary for policy and economic development, said the BIA determined that the five...