NIGC updates regulatory agenda for 2007 (December 12, 2006)

The National Indian Gaming Commission is moving forward with rules affecting tribal revenues and casino site licensing, according to a notice published on Monday. In its semiannual regulatory agenda, the agency presents a plan of action for the next few...

Mohegan Tribe to create $1M fund for city (December 12, 2006)

The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut will donate $200,000 a year for five years to the city of Norwich. The Sachem Fund will be used for economic development and cultural improvement. Groups will be able to apply for loans or grants...

Gila River members oppose waste recycling facility (December 12, 2006)

Members of the Gila River Indian Community of Arizona are trying to kick a hazardous waste recycling facility off the reservation. The plant is operated by Romic Environmental Technologies Corp. The company has been trying to get a full permit...

Indian veterans cemetery bill up for Bush's signature (December 12, 2006)

The Native American Veterans Cemetery Act cleared Congress last week and is ready for President Bush's signature. The bill authorizes tribal governments and tribal organizations to receive funds for veterans’ cemeteries. Currently, only states can receive such funding from the...

Cherokee language appears on university team caps (December 12, 2006)

The Cherokee language now appears on baseball caps for the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Northeastern State University. The Cherokee script appears on the front of the cap and the English name of the team appears on...

Jodi Rave: Tribes share success stories on TV, radio (December 12, 2006)

"Native peoples are telling their success stories on radio and television, building on more than two decades of research by university professors who have spent decades trying to figure out why some tribal governments succeed where others don't. “Studies...

White collar crime on the rise on Navajo Nation (December 12, 2006)

White collar crime among employees of the Navajo Nation is rising, a top criminal investigator said. Mike Brown has spent 23 years investigating crimes. He said tribal workers are finding ways to abuse the system in more complex ways. "These...

DOI cancels tribe's contract for National Bison Range (December 12, 2006)

The Interior Department abruptly canceled the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' management contract for the National Bison Range in Montana. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent a fax on Monday, ordering the tribe to cease all activities and remove...

Letter: Paper's stories generate negative comments (December 12, 2006)

"I'd like to respond to all of the negative posted comments to articles about American Indians. Why is it, that whenever an article is written about American Indians,, whether it's a positive or negative article, the comments are almost always...

Lawyer paid $2.5M for Native abuse settlement (December 12, 2006)

A lawyer was paid more than $2.5 million for his work in settling the Native residential school abuse lawsuit, CBC News reports. Frank Iacobucci, a retired Supreme Court justice, negotiated the $1.9 billion between the government, churches and former students....

Arrests made in home invasion on First Nation (December 12, 2006)

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested two men and are searching for two more in connection with a home invasion on the Red Pheasant First Nation in Saskatchewan. The men are accused of breaking into a home, assaulting a 26-year-old...

Eastern Band chief weighs absentee voting bill (December 12, 2006)

The chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is considering legislation to change the way absentee voting is conducted. The tribal council wrote the bill in response to a tribal Supreme Court decision that would basically eliminate all absentee...

Supreme Court rules for DOI in royalty collection case (December 12, 2006)

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld the Interior Department's efforts to collect royalties from oil and gas companies. In the 7-0 decision, the court said the Minerals Management Service is not time-barred in seeking back payments for drilling...

Editorial: Interior's long history of accounting failures (December 12, 2006)

"The American treasury is already short more than a billion dollars because of the Interior Department’s failure over the last decade to collect all the royalties owed from oil and gas producers in the Gulf of Mexico. The new Congress...

Narragansett Tribe faces action on smokeshop (December 12, 2006)

The state of Rhode Island is moving forward with criminal cases against members of the Narragansett Tribe who were involved with the tribe's smokeshop. Criminal charges had been hold pending resolution of the tribe's federal lawsuit against the state. But...

Virginia Indians speak language once again (December 12, 2006)

Virginia Indians are once again speaking the language of their ancestors, or at least one that closely resembles it. Virginia Algonquian came back to life for director Terrence Malick's recent film "The New World." He hired a linguist. who...

Tulalip Tribes to offer meth treatment program (December 12, 2006)

The Tulalip Tribes of Washington will offer an experimental program to treat methamphetamine addicts. The tribe is training for the program, called Prometa (http://www.prometainfo.com/pi). Patients receive intensive drug treatment for one week before taking other medication for a month. The...

Notah Begay moving to England to play Europe (December 12, 2006)

Navajo/Pueblo golfer Notah Begay is moving to England to play the European Tour. Begay qualified for the tour at a recent event in Spain. He's planning to compete in 22 to 25 tournaments in 2007. While overseas, Begay hopes to...