Peabody loses another round in Navajo coal lease fight (June 16, 2004)

The world's largest coal company lost another round to the Navajo Nation on Tuesday when a federal appeals court tossed its lawsuit against the tribe. Peabody Coal has battled the tribe for more than a decade over a controversial coal...

Seneca-Cayuga Tribe asks Pataki for gaming rights (June 16, 2004)

The Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma wants gaming rights in New York to settle its portion of the Cayuga land claim. $p The tribe was not included in the recent announcement to settle the lawsuit. But Chief LeRoy Howard said the...

Meeting called to seek support for Pueblo water deal (June 16, 2004)

The New Mexico State Engineer is holding a meeting tonight to seek support for a settlement to a long-running water rights suit involving four Pueblo tribes. $p A deal to end the Aamodt lawsuit, filed in 1966, was announced by...

Column: Native-only basketball team 'unworkable' (June 16, 2004)

"A whites-only professional basketball team? Unacceptable. A blacks-only professional basketball team? Some already are that, though not by policy. A Native Americans-only professional basketball team? Personally, I have no problem with the concept. Only with the application." Get the Story:...

Tribes nationwide expanding entertainment options (June 16, 2004)

Patrons to tribal casinos are used to seeing acts that were popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s. But some tribes are now bringing in higher-caliber artists. $p The Muckleshoot Tribe's $30 million White River Amphitheatre opened last summer and...

Ousted Fort Peck chairman appeals removal to BIA (June 16, 2004)

The ousted chairman of the Fort Peck Tribes of Montana is appealing to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. $p John Morales says the tribal council's decision to remove him was unconstitutional. He says general council meeting he called to remove...

Residents challenge county to fight Chumash Tribe (June 16, 2004)

Residents of Santa Barbara County, California, want their leaders to fight the Chumash Tribe's land-into-trust request. $p The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to take seven acres into trust. The land, located across...

Rosebud Sioux Tribe assesses flood and fire damage (June 16, 2004)

Officials with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota are still trying to assess the damage from a fire and flood that claimed a community center and affected some roads and bridges. $p The loss of the Okreek Community Center...

Oglala Lakota College to graduate largest class (June 16, 2004)

Oglala Lakota College in South Dakota is graduating its largest class in history. $p The college, based on the Pine Ridge Reservation, will holds its 31st commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 20. A record 18 students are receiving a master's...

Some in New York opposed to Cayuga land claim deal (June 16, 2004)

A proposal to settle the Cayuga land claim is drawing opposition from some in upstate New York. $p The group Upstate Citizens for Equality is staging a three-day protest of the deal. The group wants more politicians to get involved....

New paper takes on 'corruption' on Blackfeet Nation (June 16, 2004)

Long Standing Bear Chief says his new paper, The Piikani Sun, will take on corruption among leaders of the Blackfeet Nation of Montana. $p Long Standing Bear Chief, also known as Harold Gray, says the current paper on the reservation,...

Study focuses on health care needs of Native women (June 16, 2004)

A study being released this week looks at the health care needs of Native women in Saskatchewan, Canada. $p THe Prairie Women's Health Centre of Excellence interviewed Native women who said the health care system is inadequate. The women want...

Indian voter group had ties to Democrat-leaning PAC (June 16, 2004)

An Indian voting rights group that has criticized the way South Dakota's recent election was handled had ties to a defunct political action committee that gave money to the state's Democrats. $p Four Directions PAC was dissolved earlier this year....

House Republicans push two energy bills through (June 16, 2004)

House Republicans on Tuesday began reviving energy and environmental bills that the Senate is likely to reject. $p The House voted 244-178 to approve a bill to free the makers of MTBE, a gasoline additive that has contaminated some groundwater...

Cherokee Nation couple denied right to marry (June 16, 2004)

A Cherokee Nation couple who tried to file their marriage license in tribal court were rejected on Tuesday because they are lesbian. $p Kathy Reynolds and Dawn McKinley obtained a marriage license from the tribe and were married in a...

Martin delays decision on Nipmuc recognition (June 16, 2004)

The Bureau of Indian Affairs delayed a decision on the federal recognition of two Nipmuc tribes from Massachusetts. $p Principal deputy assistant secretary Aurene Martin was to announce a final determination on the Nipmuc Nation and another Nipmuck band yesterday....

Senate approves expansion of hate-crimes law (June 16, 2004)

The Senate voted 65-33 to authorize an expansion of the 1968 hate crimes law to include offenses based on sexual orientation, gender and disabilities. $p The provision was approved as an amendment to the Defense appropriations bill. Supporters added to...

Tribe to add Reagan's name to veterans memorial (June 16, 2004)

The Grand Ronde Tribes of Oregon will be adding the late former president Ronald Reagan's name to the tribal veterans memorial. $P Tribal members revere Reagan for signing their federal restoration into law in 1983. They plan to invite Nancy...

Half of firefighters on front lines are Indian (June 16, 2004)

Native Americans are only 1 percent of the general population but make up half of the firefighters on the front lines of wildfires, The Washington Post reports. $p With hourly wages in the $12-20 range, firefighting is an attractive job...