Opinion: Mascots still offensive to Native people (September 15, 2006)

"A friend of mine in the 1980s, when he would come to Washington on tribal business, always included in his itinerary a certain downtown sporting goods store. There he would buy several maroon baseball caps adorned with the Redskins logo...

BIA to pay $1.8M to family for student's death (September 15, 2006)

The Bureau of Indian Affairs will pay $1.8 million to the family of a 16-year-old girl who died at Chemawa Indian School in Oregon. Cindy Lou Brightstar Sohappy-Gilbert died in December 2003 after being placed in a holding cell at...

BIA nominee's tribal background prompts recusal (September 15, 2006)

Bureau of Indian Affairs nominee Carl J. Artman said on Thursday he has recused himself from some significant sovereignty, land claim and land-into-trust matters. Artman, a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, won't be making decisions affecting his tribe,...

McCain blames Bush administration for Cobell delay (September 15, 2006)

The Bush administration's inaction threaten to derail the $8 billion settlement of the Cobell trust fund lawsuit, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) said on Thursday. McCain said the administration has yet to respond to the settlement proposal even though Interior Secretary...

Editorial: Find solution over Mohawk 'prayer' (September 15, 2006)

""Today, we are gathered, and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now we bring our minds together as...

Native remains found in mass grave in Utah (September 15, 2006)

The remains of eight Native men were found in a mass grave in Nephi, Utah. The men were piled up in a small grave. They had been shot and killed as part of the 1853 Walker War between tribes and...

9th Circuit hears from tribes in sacred site case (September 15, 2006)

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on Thursday in a sacred site case being followed by more than a dozen tribes. The Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, the Hualapai Tribe and other tribes are trying to stop...

Seattle Times endorses Nez Perce woman in primary (September 15, 2006)

The Seattle Times has endorsed Claudia Kauffman, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, for state Senate. Kauffman has long been active in Indian issues. She currently serves as the intergovernmental affairs liaison for the Muckleshoot Tribe in Washington....

Female student who made up threat was expelled (September 15, 2006)

A female student who lied about an attack at a high school on the Navajo Nation had been expelled, The Gallup Independent reports. The paper identified the student as Lacey Cleveland and said she was a former senior at Ganado...

Volesky runs for South Dakota attorney general (September 15, 2006)

Ron Volesky, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, is running for attorney general of South Dakota. Volesky is a Democrat. He previously ran for governor, attorney general and U.S. Congress but has yet to succeed. If elected...

Rep. Herseth leads Lakota candidate in latest poll (September 15, 2006)

Rep. Stephanie Herseth (D-South Dakota) leads opponent Bruce Whalen, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, by 60 percent to 26 percent in the latest poll. Herseth also leads Whalen in campaign funds. She had more than $1.1 million in...

Olmec stone slab contains first known form of writing (September 15, 2006)

Anthropologists say a 2,900-year-old stone slab from the Olmec civilization contains the first known form of writing in the Americas. In research published in this week's issue of Science, anthropologists say the symbols on the stone bear the hallmarks...

Native teen safe house faulted in another report (September 15, 2006)

A new report Saskatchewan's children's advocate says operators of a safe house in Regina failed to protect Native teens. Advocate Marvin Bernstein said the Oyate House should be shut down unless it can make improvements in the next two months....

Cason meets land-into-trust foes from New York (September 15, 2006)

Officials from four counties in New York were in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to meet with Jim Cason, the associate deputy secretary of the Interior Department. Cayuga, Madison, Oneida and Seneca counties are fighting land-into-trust applications filed by the Oneida...

Coeur d'Alene Tribe co-sponsors House debate (September 15, 2006)

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe of Idaho is co-sponsoring a U.S. House debate tonight. Democrat Larry Grant is facing Republican Bill Sali for Idaho's 1st Congressional District race. Incumbent Rep. C. L. Otter (R) is not seeking re-election because he is...

Oglalas to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco (September 15, 2006)

Four members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe have left their home in South Dakota to complete a big challenge. Jesse Big Crow, Joni Tobacco, David Mills and Nakina Mills will swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco. Although none are accomplished...

Interior comes under fire for royalty giveaway (September 15, 2006)

Interior Department officials faced harsh criticism from Republicans and Democrats at a House subcommittee hearing on Thursday. Members of the House Committee on Government Reform said Americans will lose out on billions in oil and gas royalties. Hundreds of leases...

Tohono O'odham Nation caught in border battle (September 15, 2006)

Members of the Tohono O'odham Nation are being caught in the crosshairs of drug and immigrant smuggling across the U.S.-Mexico border. An estimated 1,500 people use the reservation to cross into the U.S. every day. They leave about six tons...

U.S. Supreme Court to post same-day transcripts (September 15, 2006)

The U.S. Supreme Court will post same-day transcripts of oral arguments on its web site. Americans usually have to wait two weeks for the transcripts to appear. Or they could pay the court's transcription firm hundreds of dollars for a...

Rep. Ney to plead guilty to Abramoff charge (September 15, 2006)

Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) is expected to plead guilty to charges related to his role in the Jack Abramoff scandal. He also checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic for alcoholism, The Washington Post reports. Ney helped several of Abramoff's tribal...