BIA recognition decision database now online (July 16, 2004)

For months, Bureau of Indian Affairs officials have been touting a CD-ROM containing documents related to the federal recognition process. Thanks to Indianz.Com, you can now access them online! The Acknowledgment Decision Compilation (ADC) is a record of documents the...

Battle for top Pechanga post heats up before vote (July 16, 2004)

The two candidates for chairman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians are decrying "smear" tactics that have characterized the campaign. Anonymous letters circulated among tribal members criticized chairman Mark Macarro and rival Norman Pico Sr. Both were accused of...

ITMA session focuses on 'complicated' system (July 16, 2004)

The Intertribal Monitoring Association on Indian Trust Funds (ITMA) kicked off the first day of its listening session in Billings, Montana. Indian beneficiaries, tribal leaders and government officials spoke of the problems and challenges associated with managing billions of funds...

Bill includes suicide prevention funds for tribes (July 16, 2004)

The Senate passed a bill to provide $82 million to tribes, states, colleges and universities to develop youth suicide prevention and intervention programs. The bill will help tribes combat high suicide rates, Sen. Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota) said. American Indian...

Oregon tribe gives to candidate seeking Campbell's seat (July 16, 2004)

The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe in Oregon has donated a maximum of $4,000 to the campaign of the man seeking to replace Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado). The tribe gave the money to Colorado attorney general Ken Salazar,...

Non-Indians press for access at sacred Bear Butte (July 16, 2004)

More and more non-Indians are seeking access to sacred Bear Butte, causing clashes with tribal members who practice their religion at the South Dakota site. Sonny Richards, a tribal member who goes to Bear Butte State Park, says non-Indians try...

Panel holds hearing on South Dakota voter ID law (July 16, 2004)

The South Dakota Legislature's State-Tribal Relations Committee held a hearing on Thursday to discuss the state's voter identification law. Tribal leaders and advocates said the law has disenfranchised Indian voters. They are calling for repeal of the law, passed at...

Lumbee Tribe awaits approval for rest of housing funds (July 16, 2004)

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is still holding back some of the funds it previously awarded to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. HUD officials withheld the money due to concerns over the tribe's handling of the housing...

Festival to promote talents of Montana Native artists (July 16, 2004)

The first-annual Gathering of Artists will be held on the Flathead Reservation in Montana this weekend. The event is designed to promote Native artists in the state. Dyani Bingham, coordinator of the Montana Tribal Tourism Alliance, says Montana Natives often...

Mdewakanton site in Minnesota dates back 2,000 years (July 16, 2004)

Archaeologists in Minnesota have uncovered more than 2,000 artifacts at a Mdewakanton Dakota site on the west short of Lake Mille Lacs. The items are being removed from the site in advance of some construction work. The site dates from...

Program helps Pascua Yaquis become homeowners (July 16, 2004)

Members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona are realizing the dream of homeownership with the help of the YouthBuild USA program. The program helps people establish or repair their credit history, improve their job prospects and make mortgage payments....

Arizona Indians remember voting rights ruling (July 16, 2004)

On July 15, 1948, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that American Indians had the right to vote. Tribal leaders and Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) remembered the occasion by kicking off the Native Vote 2004 campaign yesterday. They are trying to...

British Columbia First Nation blocks rail in protest (July 16, 2004)

The Seton Lake First Nation of British Columbia temporarily blocked a railway on Thursday in protest of the $1 billion deal that tribal leaders say undermines their rights. The First Nation was successful in stopping a freight train before lifting...

Search continues for missing five-year-old Native girl (July 16, 2004)

Volunteers in Saskatchewan, Canada, are continuing the search for Tamra Keepness, a five-year-old Native girl last seen at her family's home on July 5. Police in Regina dropped their official search and are focusing on the family, according to media...

Japanese-Americans want 'Jap Road' in Texas changed (July 16, 2004)

Japanese-Americans are leading an effort to rename "Jap Road" in Beaumont, Texas, but residents there say their street is not racist and may even have been named in honor of a Japanese man. A meeting on Monday was held to...

Coquille Tribe's youth golf clinic sees triple turnout (July 16, 2004)

The Coquille Tribe of Oregon held its second annual youth golf clinic this past Friday, drawing triple the turnout of last year. Nearly 125 youth turned out for the event, designed to keep kids active. Nike's Native American Employee Network...

Medicare to allow some treatments for obesity (July 16, 2004)

The Department of Health and Human Services has dropped language in its Medicare policy that excluded obesity as an disease. The removal of the phrase "obesity itself cannot be considered an illness" from the Medicare Coverage Issues Manual clears the...

Hearing on high lobbying fees expected in September (July 16, 2004)

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee is expected to hold a hearing on high tribal lobbying fees this September, The Washington Post reports. The committee also set a deadline of this week for lobbyists to respond to several subpoenas it issued...