Latest Abramoff plea targets Republican Congressman (May 9, 2006)

Federal prosecutors moved closer to Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) on Monday with the guilty plea of a former staffer and lobbyist who implicated the Congressman in a wide range of tribal matters. Ney has already faced scrutiny over his bid...

Researcher skeptical about claim on Geronimo (May 9, 2006)

A researcher who uncovered a 1918 letter about Geronimo is skeptical that Yale University's secretive Skull and Bones society actually has the remains of the Apache leader. Marc Wortman said the society may have looted the wrong grave at...

Editorial: Kempthorne left questions unanswered (May 9, 2006)

Indianz.Com Listening Lounge, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee confirmation hearing for Interior Secretary nominee Dirk Kempthorne, May 4, 2006. • Introduction by Idaho Senators - 8:31 - 1.9MB • Opening Statements by Senators - 44:54 - 10.2MB •...

Report on Ward Churchill to be made public next week (May 9, 2006)

An investigation into alleged research misconduct by University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill will be released to the public next week. A committee looked into alleged plagiarism, ghostwriting and misrepresentation of Indian law in Churchill's work. The panel did not...

Gay Native Americans share stories of struggle (May 9, 2006)

Gay and transgendered Native Americans said they have been the victims of hate crimes and discrimination. Elton Naswood, a member of the Navajo Nation, was attacked outside of a gay bar in Phoenix. He didn't seek out medical attention or...

Navajo Nation launches bid to restore Head Start funds (May 9, 2006)

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. was in Washington, D.C., on Monday in hopes of restoring the tribe's federal Head Start funds. Shirley presented a "corrective action plan" to the Administration of Children and Families, a spokesperson said. The agency...

Yellow Bird: All creatures deserve respect, dignity (May 9, 2006)

"At first, I wondered if People for Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA was trying to beat a drum without a stick when a PETA staffer wrote a column about a man who killed his girlfriend's goldfish. It was, after...

Montana teen begins defense in murder trial (May 9, 2006)

Lawyers for a Montana teen who is accused of murdering a homeless man began their defense on Monday. Rusty Lee-Ray Russell was 18 when he and a friend were involved in an April 26, 2005, incident in Billings. John Gewanski,...

Nature center to unveil mural of Tongva Nation (May 9, 2006)

The Louis Robidoux Nature Center in Riverside, California, is unveiling a mural that depicts the daily lives of the Tongva Nation. Tribal leaders and members will attend the Gathering at the River on Saturday. They will bless the nature center,...

Pine Ridge man appears in court on beating charges (May 9, 2006)

A man from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota appeared in court on Monday to face charges for an off-reservation incident. Dakota Garnier, 19, is accused of assaulting Matthew Pepin with a bat. A witness said he saw Garnier...

Maine's highest court upholds tribal sovereignty (May 9, 2006)

The Maine Supreme Court on Monday blocked two newspapers from the documents and records of the Passamaquoddy Tribe. The Bangor Daily News and The Quoddy Tides sought access to information about the tribe's proposed $500 million liquefied natural gas terminal....

Rep. Ney lashes out after former staffer pleads (May 9, 2006)

Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) and his lawyers mounted a defense campaign on Monday after a former staffer pleaded guilty to a corruption conspiracy in connection with the Jack Abramoff scandal. Neil G. Volz, 35, admitted to breaking federal laws while...

Cowlitz Tribe rebuilds culture after recognition (May 9, 2006)

The Cowlitz Tribe of Washington is rebuilding its culture one song at a time. A group of tribal members meets several times a month to learn songs. Some of them are brought by members of other tribes with Cowlitz ancestors....

U.S. Supreme Court weighs Cayuga land claim (May 9, 2006)

The U.S. Supreme Court will meet in private conference this Thursday to consider the Cayuga land claim. The Cayuga Nation of New York and the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma filed suit over 64,000 acres of stolen land in New York....

Tribe seeks funds to complete oil refinery study (May 9, 2006)

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, Three Affiliated Tribes, of North Dakota is seeking federal funds to complete an environmental impact statement for an oil refinery on the Fort Berthold Reservation. The tribe needs $112,000 to complete the draft before...

Tim Giago: Rich tribes should help poorer tribes (May 9, 2006)

"The living conditions of the very poor Indians in states like South Dakota, compared to those very rich casino Indians, is analogous to people living in the poorest Third World country to those living in Beverly Hills, California. In fact,...

Ojibwe woman elected to lead library association (May 9, 2006)

Loriene Roy, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, has been elected as the first Native American president of the American Library Association. Roy won the election with 65 percent of the vote. She is a professor...

Pine Ridge meth task force proposes tougher laws (May 9, 2006)

A methamphetamine task force created by members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota is proposing tougher drug laws. The Oglala Lakota Methamphetamine Prevention Task Force wants first time offenders to go to jail and get treatment. Second time...