Major IGRA amendments advance to Senate floor (June 16, 2006)

The first major amendments to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act since the law was passed in 1988 are ready for the Senate floor. Last Tuesday, S.2078 was placed on the Senate calendar. Although a vote hasn't been scheduled, the bill...

Navajo Nation fire threatens sacred mountain (June 16, 2006)

A fire on the Navajo Nation is threatening the sacred Navajo Nation in southeastern Utah. The fire has burned 3,000 acres on the east side of the mountain. About 600 people face danger, although no evacuations have been ordered....

Another school challenges NCAA mascot policy (June 16, 2006)

The College of William and Mary in Virginia filed an appeal to the NCAA's Indian mascot policy. NCAA said the school could continue using the "Tribe" nickname but had to stop using feathers on its logo and sports uniforms....

Opinion: 'Fighting Sioux' logo hurts students (June 16, 2006)

"A very strict UND survey using Institutional Review Board guidelines shows that the Fighting Sioux team name and logo has real effects on students. The controversy at UND sparked a study based on the Indian mascot logo issue. The study...

Opinion: Native Hawaiian debate far from over (June 16, 2006)

"Last week, a bill recognizing the rights of native Hawaiians failed in the Senate. Though a bipartisan majority supported the legislation, it came up four votes short of the 60 needed to bring it to the floor for a full...

Tribal languages focus of conference in Montana (June 16, 2006)

The annual meeting of the Siouan and Caddoan Language Conference takes place at Rocky Mountain College in Montana this weekend. About 15 to 20 educators and linguists are expected to attend. The conference includes a trip to Little Big Horn...

Pueblo woman wins National Heritage Fellowship (June 16, 2006)

Esther Martinez, a Tewa language teacher and storyteller from Ohkay Owingeh in New Mexico, was named a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts. Martinez taught Tewa to generations of students at the pueblo. She is...

Zuni Pueblo man charged with murdering girlfriend (June 16, 2006)

A man from Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico has been charged in federal court with murdering his girlfriend. Samuel Poblano, 39, allegedly stabbed Michelle Walela, 37, at their home on the reservation. Poblano reported that he had been drinking and...

Jack Anquoe, Kiowa elder, passes away at 73 (June 16, 2006)

The Indian community is mourning the loss of Jack V. Anquoe, a Kiowa elder, dancer and singer who died on Monday, June 12, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was 73. Anquoe belonged to the Black Leggings Warrior Society, a group...

Response: Mashpees earned federal recognition (June 16, 2006)

"Cedric Sunray’s recent commentary (Native American Times June 9, 2006, print edition) took a swipe at federal recognition, and his backhand struck a stinging blow at the Mashpee Wampanoag. The Choctaw who is teaching at the Pawnee Nation College accused...

Kickapoo Tribe sues over unresolved water crisis (June 16, 2006)

After years of battling drought conditions, the Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas has decided to go to court. The tribe filed a lawsuit in federal court against local, state and federal officials. It accuses them of hindering a reservoir project...

Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation builds justice center (June 16, 2006)

The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation of Arizona has started construction on a $7 million justice center. The center will house the police, fire, court and prosecutor's offices. It will not include a detention facility because the tribe said it would...

D-Q University may transform into non-tribal college (June 16, 2006)

The interim president of D-Q University, California's only tribal college, is proposing to admit more non-Indian students and develop a non-Indian campuses. Art Apodaca said the school needs more students if it wants to stay alive. He wants to create...

UND to file lawsuit over 'Fighting Sioux' name (June 16, 2006)

The University of North Dakota will file to keep the school's "Fighting Sioux" nickname and logo off the NCAA's list of hostile and abusive mascots. The North Dakota Board of Higher Education voted 8-0 to authorize the suit. The board...

Parents, museum visit stirred Harjo's passions (June 16, 2006)

Suzan Shown Harjo, one of the most prominent Native activists, credits her parents and a visit to a museum with sowing the seeds of her many accomplishments. Harjo and her mother, who was Cheyenne, visited a New York City museum...

Arapaho man faces charges for Sun Dance ceremony (June 16, 2006)

An Arapaho man appeared in Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribal Court on Wednesday for allegedly violating a court order not to bring the Sun Dance ceremony to Oklahoma. Patrick Spottedwolf brought the ceremony anyway, resulting in a clash last Friday. He said 20...

Grand opening for $17M Creek Nation health clinic (June 16, 2006)

The Creek Nation of Oklahoma held a grand opening on Thursday for a $18 million health facility. The Koweta Indian Health Facility is being financed by the tribe and the Indian Health Service. The tribe spend $18 million to build...

NMAI Indian Summer: Jazz by Redhouse Family (June 16, 2006)

The National Museum of the American Indian's Indian Summer Showcase continues with a performance by the Redhouse family. Navajo siblings Larry, Lenny, Tony, Vince, Charlotte, and Mary Redhouse blend Native and non-Native traditions into their jazz music. They have...

No verdict on charges against ex-Bush official (June 16, 2006)

A federal jury continued deliberations on Thursday on charges against an ex-Bush administration official. David Safavian is accused of lying about his relationship with Jack Abramoff. The charges stem from an August 2003 trip to Scotland that was partly funded...