Investigators fear worst in review of BIA jail system (July 2, 2004)

Investigators at the Department of Interior have discovered nearly 50 deaths, suicides, attempted suicides and prisoner escapes at a handful of Bureau of Indian Affairs jails, the majority of which were never reported or documented. Interior's Office of Inspector General...

Harjo: Anderson harassed Indian reporter over BIA death (July 2, 2004)

"[Indian reporter for The Oregonian, Kara] Briggs tried to interview the newly installed head of the BIA, Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Dave Anderson, but was denied access by his BIA press flak. When Anderson traveled to Chemawa a...

Sexual abuse alleged at Mashantucket safehouse (July 2, 2004)

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut says there isn't enough evidence to bring charges against people accused of sexual abuse at the tribe's safehouse. Two former employees of the Mashantucket Child Advocacy Center say the tribe did nothing after...

Senator pushes Oneida Nation to resolve land claim (July 2, 2004)

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York) says a court ruling against the Oneida Nation's gaming compact should force the tribe into resolving its outstanding land claim. Schumer said he supports the tribe's casino but wants other issues, such as taxation, addressed....

Ousted tribal members appeal to Pechanga council (July 2, 2004)

Former members of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians of California are appealing their removal from the tribe. The Riverside Press-Enterprise said the tribal council held hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday. Ousted members made their case that the tribe's enrollment...

Ex-IHS employee investigated for alleged theft (July 2, 2004)

A former Indian Health Service employee who was often described as outstanding is suspected of stealing money meant for repair and construction of new clinics. Barney Ahgoon resigned as director of IHS' business office in Phoenix, Arizona, shortly after internal...

Police keep close watch on tribal firework sales (July 2, 2004)

As the July 4 holiday approaches, police in Washington are busy patrolling areas near reservations where fireworks sales are legal. Police can't stop tribal vendors from selling fireworks. But they keep a close eye at fireworks stands to make sure...

Column: New tribal site in Utah already under siege (July 2, 2004)

"Weeks after newspapers reported its existence, one of America's newest archaeological discoveries is under siege. By the time a national media tour made its way to the rugged, remote site southeast of Salt Lake City on Wednesday, thieves already had...

Judge won't resolve tribal claims in gold mine case (July 2, 2004)

A federal judge says he is unable to come to a ruling in a case the Fort Belknap Tribes brought over two abandoned gold mines near the reservation. The suit claimed the Bureau of Land Management violated its trust responsibility...

Owner of ferry blames Makah Tribe for unsafe pier (July 2, 2004)

The owner of a troubled historic ferry says the Makah Tribe of Washington is to blame for damage the vessel caused. The tribe gave free mooring to the Kalakala. Owner Steve Rodrigues says the tribe's dock was unsafe, leading to...

Tribal treasures found in man's massive mound of junk (July 2, 2004)

Researchers at the University of California-Davis are poring through six tons of material collected by John Peabody Harrington, a linguist and anthropologist who spent his life studying tribal cultures. A lot of the material is junk, researchers say. But they...

Pechanga Tribe resolves burial ground dispute (July 2, 2004)

The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians has settled a lawsuit over the disturbance of a burial ground in Temecula, California. The tribe sued developer Temecula Creek Village and the city after workers uncovered remains and artifacts at a 32-acre site....

Pechanga chairman faces election challenge (July 2, 2004)

Voters of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians will go to the polls July 17 to decide on a chairman. Incumbent Marc Macarro is running again. He has served as chairman since 1994, when he was appointed to the position....

Innu hunters plead guilty in endangered caribou case (July 2, 2004)

Three men from the Innu Nation of Quebec pleaded guilty to shooting 14 animals from an endangered caribou herd. The hunters went after the animals earlier this year. But their lawyer says there is no proof they killed more than...

Sewer system to serve Mille Lacs Reservation (July 2, 2004)

Construction will begin next week on a new sewer system to serve the Mille Lacs Ojibwe Reservation and Mille Lacs County in Minnesota, The St. Cloud Times reports. The tribe recently completed a wastewater treatment center on its land. The...

Tribal college president calls for repeal of ID law (July 2, 2004)

Tom Shortbull, president of Oglala Lakota College, says the South Dakota state law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls is not needed. Shortbull, a former state lawmaker, sits on a federal advisory panel crated by the 2002...

Heard Museum North celebrates eight years (July 2, 2004)

The Heard Museum North, a satellite of the downtown Phoenix, Arizona, Heard Museum, is celebrating its eighth birthday. The North is a smaller version of the downtown location. Housing two exhibits a year, the main one currently features contemporary and...

Funding shortages turn town's attention to tribe (July 2, 2004)

Funding shortages in the town of Aquinnah, Massachusetts, are renewing interest in agreements signed with the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe. One agreement signed in 1994 calls for the town and the tribe to work together to find ways to pay town...