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November 26, 2008
Judge dismisses bid to block Alabama tribe from Class III
A federal judge on Monday refused to allow the state of Alabama to challenge a long-disputed provision of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Alabama Attorney General Troy King, a Republican, sued the Interior Department in April in hopes of blocking...

Thanksgiving event riles parents in California
Police were called to a public school in California on Tuesday after tensions rose among parents who are fighting over the cancellation of a Thanksgiving event for kindergarten students. Every year, the students dress up as "Pilgrims" and "Indians."...

Three tribes sue HUD over housing block grants
Three tribes sued the Department of Housing and Urban Development to challenge the amount of their annual block grants. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the Yakama Nation of Washington and the Grindstone Indian Rancheria of Wintun-Wailaki Indians of California say...

Navajo woman sentenced to life for murder
Galareka Harrison, 19-year-old member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced to life without parole for the murder of a fellow Navajo student at the University of Arizona. Harrison was found guilty for killing Mia Janelle Henderson, 18, in their...

County authorities raid Cayuga Nation smoke shops
The Cayuga Nation of New York plans to take two counties to federal court after its smoke shops were raided on Tuesday. The tribe says Cayuga County and Seneca County lacked authority to conduct the search and seizure. More...

Editorial: Save North Dakota student powwow
"For 39 years, UND’s Time Out Week has been a terrific addition to the campus and Grand Forks. The annual powwow is a snapshot that has introduced generations of valley residents to Plains Indian lore. The week also features...

Tribes sue to stop construction of major oil pipeline
A group of tribes filed suit in federal court to stop the construction of a major oil pipeline that will run from Canada to the U.S. The tribes say the State Department violated 1851 and 1867 treaties and failed to...

Navajo basketball players settle police lawsuit
Former members of a boys' basketball team from a high school on the Navajo Nation have settled their lawsuit against the New Mexico state police. The former players will receive $95,000. The lawsuit alleged their lockers and bus were unreasonably...

Southern Ute Tribe seeks to regulate air quality
The Southern Ute Tribe of Colorado is awaiting Environmental Protection Agency approval to regulate air quality on the reservation. The tribe developed a Reservation Air Code to administer point-source pollution under the Clean Air Act. The tribe plans to regulate...

Cherokee Nation chief plans bid for re-election
Chad Smith, the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is hoping for a fourth term in office. Smith is asking the tribe's Supreme Court to rule he on his eligibility. At issue is whether the tribal constitution's provision...

Saginaw Chippewa Tribe diversifies economy
The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan is diversifying its economy with the opening of a pharmacy. The Cardinal Pharmacy is the first tenant in a new tribal plaza. A credit union and a pizzeria are slated to move in. The...

San Manuel woman remains in jail after arrest
A member of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians of California will remain in jail after potentially violating the terms of her probation. Stacy Cheyenne Barajas-Nunez, 26, was sentenced to home detention for pleading guilty to a murder-for-hire...

Editorial: Indian ancestors deserve proper burial
"Tomorrow, Americans sit down to a traditional feast which, the history books tell us, owes it origins to the resident American Indians' generosity in sharing their food with a starving Pilgrim settlement in Plymouth four centuries ago. Sadly, these friendly...

Oglala Sioux Tribe seeks return of Episcopal lan
The Oglala Sioux Tribe is seeking the return of land being used by the Episcopal Church of South Dakota. The diocesan plans to close 11 churches on the Pine Ridge Reservation so the tribe wants the land back. A lawyer...

Commentary: Native villages voted for Mark Begich
"During his campaign for the US Senate, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich co-wrote a letter to Governor Sarah Palin, widely circulated by his campaign, that decried the lack of governmental response to the crises then confronting Native residents of Alaska villages....

Kevin Abourezk: Frank LaMere celebrates in January
"In less than two months, a black man will take a walk down Pennsylvania Avenue. He'll be the first of his race to do so under the watchful eyes of the Secret Service and the world. On the steps of...

Yellow Bird: Thankful for family on Thanksgiving
"I am thankful for what the Creator has bestowed on me and apologize that I haven’t always handled those gifts as well as I should have. In fact, there are times when I am not at all pleased with...

Conjoined Cheyenne River Sioux twins doing well
Doctors in Oklahoma plan to separate a set of 1-month-old girls who are believed to be the first American Indian conjoined twins. Preslee Faith and Kylee Hope Wells were born October 25 in Oklahoma City. Their mother, Stevie Stewart,...

Former Interior official pleads guilty to corruption
Edgar A. Johnson, a former Interior Department official, has been charged with one count of honest services wire fraud. Johnson worked for the Office of Insular Affairs. He is accused of taking payments from business leaders in exchange for arranging...

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