News Archive: July 17, 2007 Archives

ph: 202 630 8439 fax: 202 318 2182

July 17, 2007
Report warns of serious dangers at BIA schools
A visit to 13 Bureau of Indian Affairs schools turned up "serious health and safety deficiencies," some of which have gone uncorrected for years, the Interior Department's Inspector General said in an urgent report. The BIA needs to take "immediate...

Alan Allery, Chippewa health advocate, dies at 59
Alan Allery, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota, died on Saturday. He was 59. Allery was a longtinme employee of the University of North Dakota. He served as director of the National...

Opinion: Tribal shellfish deal marks turning point
"One hundred and fifty years ago, the Indian tribes of Washington state signed treaties that were supposed to guarantee, forever, their right to collect shellfish from the beaches of Puget Sound. Not long after, the government started selling off the...

Cree Nation announces $1.4B deal with Canada
The Grand Council of the Crees announced a $1.4 billion settlement with Canada to pay for impacts of a major hydroelectric dam in Quebec. The Crees were promised $225 million when the La Grande dam was built 30 years...

BIA set for public hearings on Navajo power plant
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is holding the first public hearing today on the Navajo Nation's proposed power plant. The hearing takes place in Farmington, New Mexico. The BIA will hear comments about a draft environmental impact statement for the...

Gay Natives build a community in New York City
Gay Native Americans say living in New York City gives them greater freedom to be themselves. Kevin VanWanseele, 27, left the Barona Reservation in California because he didn't feel accepted there. But he said the community he has found...

Women taking leadership spots in Oklahoma tribes
Of the 37 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma, five are led by women. The women leaders are: Chief Kay Rhoads of the Sac and Fox Nation; Gov. Jennifer Onzahwah of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe; Chairwoman Bernadette Huber of the...

Picuris Pueblo shuts off water over non-payments
A New Mexico tribe has angered several families by shutting off their water. Picuris Pueblo charges $16 a month for service. The tribe needs the money to upgrade the water system and pay for repairs. But some tribal members said...

Editorial: Help Pascua Yaqui students succeed
"The Tucson Unified School District has unveiled a plan to improve student achievement. While the goal is to increase academic performance in all of its schools, the new outline gives particular attention to schools that are on state or...

BIA head addresses Navajo Nation Council
Bureau of Indian Affairs assistant secretary Carl Artman addressed the Navajo Nation Council on Monday. Artman cited education and economic development as pressing needs on the reservation and in Indian Country. "We're not failing ourselves,'' Artman told delegates, the Associated...

Opinion: The fall of Mississippi Choctaw Chief Martin
"Battles over issues of blood quantum, federal recognition, cultural & language retention, historical alliances and of course gaming, have caused lines of division not unlike those faced by communities across Indian Country. The architect of many of these divisions, Mississippi...

Former Rep. Carson supports Obama for president
Former Congressman Brad Carson, a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, supports Barack Obama for president. "As President he will end the current failed foreign policy that is killing thousands and ruining America’s good name abroad," Carson says in...

Activists not giving up on fight over Whiteclay
Native activists and their supporters will continue to lobby the Nebraska Legislature to restrict the sale of alcohol in the town of Whiteclay. Whiteclay is located near the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Four stores in the town...

Potawatomi woman found dead a day after wedding
The FBI is investigating the death of a Potawataomi woman who was killed a day after her wedding. Loretta Wandahsega, 34, was found dead in her home last Thursday. She was a member of the Hannahville Indian Community of...

Rep. Young spends more on legal fees than anyone
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) has spent more than $262,137 on legal fees, the most of any member or former member of Congress. Young, an advocate for Alaska Natives, spent the money on two top Washington law firms. Although he...

Former Rep. Hayworth cooperates with Abramoff probe
Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Arizona) says he is cooperating with the Department of Justice's probe into Jack Abramoff. Hayworth, the former co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus, said he has provided documents to federal investigators. “I have done nothing...

Tribes shell out cash for embattled Rep. Renzi
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Arizona) is under investigation for alleged political corruption but tribes are still willing to contribute to his campaign fund. According to the latest Federal Elections Commission filing, four tribes each donated $2,000 to Renzi. They were...

Local Links:

Federal Register | Indian Gaming | Jobs & Notices | In The Hoop | Message Board