Dental program seeks to help rural Alaska Natives (January 11, 2005)

A new health program seeks to assist Alaska Natives with dental care in rural areas where dentists are scarce. The state is training dental health aides who will provide certain services such as cleanings, removal of cavities and placing of...

Cayuga Nation re-establishing presence in New York (January 11, 2005)

The Cayuga Nation has opened an office to oversee its burgeoning enterprise in western New York. The tribe has purchased a gas station and convenience store and is operating a gaming facility on ancestral land. The tribe has plans for...

Supreme Court takes action on Indian law cases (January 11, 2005)

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected two Indian law cases on Monday as it began another round of arguments without the presence of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Without comment, the justices refused to hear Peabody Coal's lawsuit seeking to force the...

Revered Mescalero Apache medicine man dies (January 11, 2005)

Nathaniel Chee, a Mescalero Apache medicine man, died in his sleep last month. He was 68. Chee played a major role in the tribe's annual Mescal Roast and Mountain Spirit Dances. The ceremony is based on the mescal plant, a...

Navajo Nation co-hosting inaugural bash at NMAI (January 11, 2005)

Tickets go on sale today for the "Route 66 Inaugural Ball," a January 19 bash at the National Museum of the American Indian being co-hosted by the Navajo Nation and whose sponsors include the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and...

Failing school blamed on miscounted Indian (January 11, 2005)

A public school in Montana says a student wrongly counted as Native American contributed to its failing rating under the No Child Left Behind Act. Riverside Middle School didn't meet the act's Annual Yearly Progress standard for the Native American...

Controversial bison hunt in Montana killed (January 11, 2005)

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission voted 4-1 on Monday to kill a controversial bison hunt that was opposed by Indian lawmakers. The Legislature authorized the hunt last year. The season was to begin on Saturday, with 10 permits...

Manitoba returns more land to First Nation (January 11, 2005)

The government of Manitoba transferred the 1,800-hectare Spruce Island to the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation on Monday. The province is required to return 400,000 hectares of government land to the First Nation under a treaty. So far, 340,000 hectares have been...

Court denies First Nations say over adoptions (January 11, 2005)

The Sturgeon Lake First Nation of Saskatchewan is appealing a judge's decision that denies tribes approval over adoptions of Native children. The province has a policy to seek the consent of a First Nation before placing children up for adoption....

Judge's ruling won't stop water rights settlement (January 11, 2005)

A New Mexico judge's threat to dismiss a lawsuit over water rights on the San Juan River won't derail negotiations with the Navajo Nation. The tribe is moving to settle for 600,000 acre-feet of water a year and various water...

Dangerous road on Navajo Nation being rebuilt (January 11, 2005)

A dangerous road on the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico is undergoing a $100 million reconstruction. Tribal and state officials broke ground on the project yesterday. They said fixing a 70-mile stretch of U.S. 491 will improve safety and...

Talks continue over future of Klallam village (January 11, 2005)

The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe continues to meet with local and state officials in Washington to discuss the future of a construction site where a tribal village was uncovered. The state halted all work at the Tse-Whit-Zen Village late last...

Washington tribes negotiating tobacco compacts (January 11, 2005)

Several Washington tribes plan to negotiate tobacco compacts with the state in the coming year. So far 17 of the state's 29 tribes have reached agreements that require them to impose an amount equivalent to the state tax. The tribes...

Idaho Governor Kempthorne won't seek re-election (January 11, 2005)

Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne (R) announced during his State of the State address on Monday that he will not seek re-election for a third term. During his two terms, Kempthorne has worked with Idaho tribes on environmental, wildlife, gaming and...

Aquash murder defendant appeals conviction (January 11, 2005)

A man convicted of murdering American Indian Movement activist Anna Mae Pictou Aquash went before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday. Arlo Looking Cloud, 51, was found guilty of the 1975 murder of Aquash. Her body was found...