Opinion: Tonto's Revenge in Jack Abramoff scandal (December 8, 2005)

"Call it Tonto's revenge: The outrageous rip-off of Native American tribes by a top Republican lobbyist is leading inexorably to a reckoning for the allegedly morally superior religious and political right. "I don't think we have had something of this...

Indian law cases await U.S. Supreme Court action (December 8, 2005)

The U.S. Supreme Court under new Chief Justice John G. Roberts made its first Indian law decision this week, ruling against a Kansas tribe in a state taxation case. The case, Wagnon v. Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, is the only...

Seven tribal colleges in search of new leaders (December 8, 2005)

Out of 36 tribal colleges in the nation, seven are in need of a new leader, The Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Locally, the Institute of American Indian Arts and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute need new presidents. Both schools...

Man guilty for death of Washoe tribal member (December 8, 2005)

A Nevada man was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and battery for the beating death of a member of the Washoe Tribe. Michael Ward, 21, was convicted after five hours of deliberations. He participated in the beating of Jeffrey...

Republicans plan to tie Democrats to Abramoff (December 8, 2005)

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is planning a public-relations campaign to tie Democrats to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, The Hill newspaper reports. The NSRC says there is a lot of evidence linking Democrats to Abramoff. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid...

Upper Sioux Community starts police department (December 8, 2005)

The Upper Sioux Community of Minnesota has started its first police department. The department only has one officer -- Police Chief Gary Lambert -- but he is already busy responding to calls on the reservation that is home to 428...

Tough winter for Pine Ridge Reservation residents (December 8, 2005)

Residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota are worried they might not be able to heat their homes this winter. Below-zero temperatures, storms and high energy prices have hurt the reservation, the Associated Press reports. Celeste Pretends Eagle,...

Judge won't close tribal college charter schools (December 8, 2005)

A judge in Michigan has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to close 32 charter schools that were authorized by a tribal college. The Bay Mills Community College, the tribal college of the Bay Mills Indian Community, opened the charter schools...

Oglala Sioux Tribe extradition compact on hold (December 8, 2005)

Talks between the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the state of South Dakota are on hold due to the suspension of President Cecilia Fire Thunder, The Rapid City Journal reports. Fire Thunder had been negotiating with the state for an extradition...

Sitting Bull College building new $40M campus (December 8, 2005)

The tribal college on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in South Dakota is raising $40 million for its new campus. Sitting Bull College has raised a little over $12 million so far. The money has financed the construction of a...

Air Force joins effort to block Goshute waste site (December 8, 2005)

The Secretary of the Air Force is supporting a measure that seeks to block the transportation of nuclear waste to the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation in Utah. The Air Force says a proposed wilderness designation would not hurt a test...

Commentary: Corruption in the nation's capitol (December 8, 2005)

"Please bear with me while I briefly explain why I became interested in the subject of this report. Not long after I moved to Washington 16 years ago, I started to wonder how on earth so many people I knew...

San Manuel Band wins 25 acres in surplus auction (December 8, 2005)

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians placed the winning bid on 25 acres of surplus state land. The tribe paid just over $7 million for the land, The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported. The purchase more than triples the tribe's holdings...

South Dakota tribe still dealing with storm effects (December 8, 2005)

The Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Tribe of South Dakota is still dealing with the effects of a winter storm that hit the reservation last week. The tribe set up a number of shelters but didn't have enough space for everyone. The tribe...

Feds hope others will start talking about Abramoff (December 8, 2005)

Federal prosecutors are hoping people will start talking about their dealings with Jack Abramoff, a political researcher says. Tony Raymond, a former Federal Election Commission analyst and co-founder of PoliticalMoneyLine [Web Site], says the Abramoff case has "huge potential." "You...

Sen. Burns to launch Abramoff offensive in January (December 8, 2005)

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana) says he will wait until the New Year to defend himself from charges that he is too close to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Burns has been linked repeatedly to Abramoff. He received more donations from...

Alaska Federation of Natives to return to Fairbanks (December 8, 2005)

After this year's successful convention, the Alaska Federation of Natives has decided to return to Fairbanks in 2007. This October, the conference was held for the first time in Fairbanks since 1998. Many attendees praised the city for the warm...

Ex-cop guilty of murdering Alaska Native woman (December 8, 2005)

A jury in Alaska found a former police officer was found guilty of murdering Sonya Ivanoff, a 19-year-old Native woman. Matthew Owens, a former officer in Nome, was convicted of first-degree murder for the August 2003 death of Ivanoff....

Ex-Abramoff partner set for deal in fraud case (December 8, 2005)

Adam Kidan, the former business partner of Jack Abramoff, is near a deal with federal prosecutors to testify against the disgraced lobbyist in their bank fraud case. Under the deal, Kidan would get up to 10 years in exchange...

Audio: House Resources hearing on Cobell (December 8, 2005)

The House Resources Committee held a hearing today on H.R. 4322, the Indian Trust Reform Act of 2005. Here are MP3 recordings of the testimony. Chairman Pombo, Ranking Member Rahall: Introduction - 6:34 - 1.50MB Panel I: James Cason Associate...