Alaska tribes sign agreement for refuge services (May 3, 2004)

After nearly two years of negotiation, the first tribal agreement to provide services to a federal wildlife refuge was signed on Friday. Representatives of the Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments came to Washington, D.C., to ink the unique contract. The...

Revised executive order promotes Indian education (May 3, 2004)

An executive order designed to apply the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act to the education of Indian children was signed by President Bush on Friday. Tribal leaders, educators, members of Congress and a group of Indian students...

Alcohol suspected in teen's death at Flathead (May 3, 2004)

Law enforcement on the Flathead Reservation of Montana suspect the death of a 15-year-old boy is linked to alcohol. $p The county and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are investigating but the county sheriff says alcohol was "definitely" involved....

Professor likes challenge posed by tribal research (May 3, 2004)

Former assistant secretary Kevin Gover calls the Bureau of Indian Affairs "cowardly" for denying recognition to the Chinook Nation of Washington. $p Gover, on his last day in office on January 3, 2001, issued a final determination in favor of...

Strip club on reservation fights for liquor license (May 3, 2004)

A strip club within the boundaries of the Crow Creek Sioux Reservation is going to court to obtain a liquor license. $p The Prairie Chicken club says it was already granted a license by the Crow Creek Tribe. But Buffalo...

California tribes worry wealth creates backlash (May 3, 2004)

A Los Angeles Times poll showed that most Californians support tribes and Indian gaming. But tribal leaders aren't taking their success for granted and worry about their public image. $p Only about half of California's 107 federally recognized tribes operate...

South Dakota tribe developing services for elderly (May 3, 2004)

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota is creating a new department to handle all services for the elderly. $P The Wisdom Keepers Department is a "one-stop office' designed to address the needs of the elderly, chairman Harold Frazier...

Navajos turn out for civil rights commission hearing (May 3, 2004)

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights held a hearing on Friday to address discrimination against Navajos and other Native Americans. $p The hearing was held in Farmington, New Mexico, a city near the Navajo Reservation. Testimony last 12 hours, according...

Column: Designs for Indian school 'stunning' (May 3, 2004)

Whitney Gould of The Minneapolis Journal-Sentinel praises the designs of the new Indian Community School outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. $p New Mexico architect Antoine Predock was selected for the $35 million project. He has incorporated tribal elements into the design...

Campaign of convicted ex-chief stirs controversy (May 3, 2004)

When people heard "Super Chief" Darrell "Chip" Wadena was running for chairman of the White Earth Ojibwe Tribe of Minnesota, some got a little upset. $p The reason is that Wadena was convicted of stealing more than $400,000 from the...

Editorial: Big money influences recognition process (May 3, 2004)

The battle against federal recognition is not about tribes, it's about keeping the Bureau of Indian Affairs "honest," The New London Day says in an editorial. $p Black and Latino lawmakers last week accused state attorney general Richard Blumenthal of...

Wayne Smith to testify at recognition hearing (May 3, 2004)

Former Bureau of Indian Affairs aide Wayne Smith, ousted over allegations of influence-pedding, will testify at a hearing on federal recognition this week, The New London Day reports. $P The main focus of the hearing is on the alleged influence...

Alaska bill would return old village site to tribe (May 3, 2004)

The Alaska State Senate passed a bill to return the historic site of the Athabascan village of Minto to the Minto tribe. $P The original site was abandoned due to flooding and erosion and is currently under state ownership. But...

U.S. Attorney: Lack of opportunity behind crisis (May 3, 2004)

The Minneapolis Star Tribune interviews Thomas Heffelfinger, the U.S. Attorney for the state of Minnesota, about law enforcement problems affecting Native youth. He says he is encouraged by cooperation between tribal, state and federal officials but that "any long-term improvement...

Editorial: Culture holds solution for Ojibwe youth (May 3, 2004)

"The way forward for these young people is to go back -- back to the rich, life-sustaining Ojibwe culture from which they have been torn. Salvation for these young people means connecting with elders who care. Elders who will teach...

Opinion: Tribal families have no support system (May 3, 2004)

"At the heart of the harrowing lives of children in "The Lost Youth of Leech Lake" is an urgent question: Can anything be done to prevent another generation from suffering blighted futures? The question is not new; it pervades almost...

Letters: Responses to Lost Youth of Leech Lake (May 3, 2004)

Linda Bertrand: "Crime in this area almost seems an everyday occurrence. I honestly avoid Cass Lake, although I love the recreational opportunities in the area. It just feels so unsafe. I hope your series will open the doors for a...

Opinion: 'Offensive' series on reservation youth (May 3, 2004)

"We are deeply troubled by the Star Tribune's unfair and offensive series on youth at the Leech Lake Ojibwe Indian Reservation. These articles carried very dangerous implicit messages. Larry Oakes and the newspaper editors portray Ojibwe people as a danger...

Yellow Bird: Tribes and media must work together (May 3, 2004)

"For a reporter, getting a good story isn't always as easy as it might seems. When people in the headlines don't want publicity, they can pull their heads in and close their mouths tightly. That certainly is understandable for people...