ICT: Bill Richardson for Vice President (February 20, 2004)

Indian Country Today all but endorses New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as Vice President for the Democratic ticket. After dismissing other possible candidates, ICT praises the "articulate" Richardson and his "excellent Indian relations." "In New Mexico, after nearly two years...

Editorial: Norton's shabby treatment of UTTC (February 20, 2004)

The United Tribes Technical College, 66 tribes and the state of North Dakota are owed an explanation for the Bush administration's "shabby treatment" of the tribal college, The Bismarck Tribune says in an editorial. The paper criticizes the repeated cuts...

Kansas tribe buys land in ancestral reservation (February 20, 2004)

A Kansas tribe is finally reclaiming land in Illinois that one of its chiefs used to call home. The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation last week completed the purchase of a property in Shabbona, Illinois. Although only about one acre in...

Student to sculpt Winnemuca for U.S. Capitol (February 20, 2004)

An art student has been chosen to create a sculpture of Sarah Winnemucca for the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall. Benjamin Victor will show Winnemucca holding a book in her left hand and a shellflower as a token of peace in...

Calif. bill would recognize tribal insurance coverage (February 20, 2004)

A California lawmaker is introducing a bill that would recognize tribal workers' compensation coverage. At least two tribes have set up firms that offer cost-effective insurance coverage to businesses. But state regulators contend the tribes are flouting state law. Assemblyman...

Ernie Stevens: Congratulate tribe for surviving (February 20, 2004)

"I have been observing with dismay the publicity that has followed the publication several months ago of Brett Fromson's book "Hitting the Jackpot: The Inside Story of the Richest Indian Tribe in History." As an American Indian and a member...

Editorial: Ski area helped by snowmaking plan (February 20, 2004)

The Arizona Republic supports a proposal to allow a ski area in the sacred San Francisco Peaks to use reclaimed water to make snow. The paper says the U.S. Forest Service is right to allow the proposal. "The prospects for...

Lakota artist's mural at S.D. college unveiled (February 20, 2004)

A mural created by Lakota artist James Starkey was dedicated at Kilian Community College in South Dakota on Thursday. Starkey based the seven-section "Minnehaha Continuum" on his dreams. The panels were done in different styles, from realistic landscapes to traditional...

Metis addiction treatment program board resigns (February 20, 2004)

The board for the Métis Addiction Council of Saskatchewan has resigned after the province's health minister threatened to shut down the program. An internal report showed the program was operating without a budget for the past five years despite receiving...

Funding helps Native teacher training program grow (February 20, 2004)

Federal funding is helping the Native American Professional Development Center in Wyoming expand its mission. The center received $500,000 from the omnibus appropriations bill that Congress passed last month. The money is used to show teachers how to instruct Native...

Column: Alaska Natives placed in camps during WWII (February 20, 2004)

"On Feb. 19, 1942, in a time of war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an infamous decree — Executive Order 9066 — setting in motion the incarceration of nearly 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry. Largely ignored have been the devastating...

GAO analysis shows drop in Superfund budget (February 20, 2004)

Two Senators released a General Accounting Office audit on Thursday showing a 35 percent drop in funding for the Superfund program. The drop was measured by adjusting for inflation. Sens. James M. Jeffords (I-Vt.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said the...

Blackfeet Nation chief stresses cooperation, education (February 20, 2004)

Earl Old Person, the longtime chief of the Blackfeet Nation of Montana, spoke at the University of Montana audience on Thursday night. Old Person said cooperation between tribal, state and federal governments is key to addressing problems facing Indian Country....

Minn. museum hosts exjibit on Plains Indian shirts (February 20, 2004)

An exhibit on Plains Indians shirts is opening at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on Sunday. "Beauty, Honor, and Tradition: The Legacy of Plains Indian Shirts" runs through May 16. It features 44 shirts representing tribes from southern Canada to...

Nez Perce Tribe criticizes Bush on IHS budget (February 20, 2004)

Officials with the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho says the Bush administration's Indian Health Service budget isn't enough to meet the need. Bush has requested a total of $3 billion for IHS, an increase of 1.6 percent, but tribal officials...

Conn. lawmakers press BIA on recognition decision (February 20, 2004)

All seven members of Connecticut's Congressional delegation say the Bureau of Indian Affairs might be trying to limit appeals of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation's recognition. The lawmakers cite a letter from R. Lee Fleming, director of the BIA's Office of...

Four Native lawyers in top posts for Wash. bar (February 20, 2004)

Four Native American lawyers are in top positions at the Washington State Bar Association. Fawn R. Sharp is serving as governor-at-large, Gabriel Galanda is chair of the bar's Indian law section, Professor Robert Anderson is the chair-elect of the section...

Pueblo drum group recognized for GRAMMY award (February 20, 2004)

Black Eagle (http://www.blackeagle1989.com), a drum group from Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico, was congratulated for its recent GRAMMY award by Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), who introduced a statement in the Congressional Record recognizing the group's achievements. The statement, entered...

Law creating Indian Affairs department approved (February 20, 2004)

The New Mexico Office of Indian Affairs was officially elevated to cabinet-level status with approval of a bill by the State Legislature on Wednesday. The bill provides $527,000 to fund the department, which would have two divisions. One would be...

Ariz. tribes awarded more than $8M for housing (February 20, 2004)

Four tribes in Arizona have been awarded more than $8 million in grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The tribes will use Indian Community Block Development Grant funds for housing rehabilitation, land acquisition to support new housing...

Navajo Nation not planning boycott for sacred site (February 20, 2004)

The Navajo Nation supports protection of the sacred San Francisco Peaks but is not advocating a boycott of the city of Flagstaff, President Joe Shirley Jr. said. At a rally last Friday to protest a snowmaking plan in the peaks,...

DNA wasn't convincing for Redding Rancheria (February 20, 2004)

The chairwoman of the Redding Rancheria in California said the tribe questioned the accuracy of DNA tests for a large family that was recently disenrolled. Chair Tracy Edwards said the dispute over the Foreman family predates per capita payments from...

Alumni support didn't drop after mascot change (February 20, 2004)

Opponents of mascot changes often say alumni support will drop but that didn't happen at Miami University in Ohio. The Miami Nation opposed the school's "Redskins" mascot. After it was changed to the Redhawks, the school had its best fund-raising...

Bush administration relaxing No Child Left Behind (February 20, 2004)

The Bush administration is planning to make changes to the way public schools are required to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act. Education Secretary Rod Paige announced the first change yesterday. Testing requirements for students with a limited...