Bill gives tax break to Navajo power plant developer (February 16, 2006)

A bill facing final action in the New Mexico Legislature would give a $60 million tax break to the company that wants to develop a coal-fired power plant for the Navajo Nation. Sithe Global is seeking to build a a...

Native people not descended from lost Jewish tribe (February 16, 2006)

The Mormon Church doesn't plan on changing its teachings about Native Americans even after DNA evidence showed that indigenous people in the Americas do not descend from a lost tribe of Hebrews. The church has long claimed that Native Americans...

Passamaquoddy Tribe seeks former naval base (February 16, 2006)

The Passamaquoddy Tribe is seeking to acquire a former naval air station in Brunswick, Maine. The 3,200-acre Brunswick Naval Air Station is no longer in use. The tribe is eligible to acquire the property as long as the Bureau of...

FEC official seeks to rein in tribal political donations (February 16, 2006)

A Republican lawyer who played a key role in approving a redistricting plan engineered by Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), under scrutiny for his ties to Jack Abramoff, is going after tribes in his new position at the Federal Election Commission....

Editorial: Good work in keeping tribe's ER open (February 16, 2006)

"Good work all around in saving - even if only temporarily - the Indian Health Services Emergency Room in Wagner. It will stay open 24 hours at least through September. The Health Service had planned to close the ER to...

Oneida Nation wants land claim settlement honored (February 16, 2006)

The Oneida Nation of New York wants to go back to a land claim settlement reached in 2002, tribal Representative Ray Halbritter said. Halbritter told The Observer-Dispatch's editorial board that the settlement is a better solution than having the...

Wyoming tribes drop coalbed methane proposal (February 16, 2006)

The Eastern Shoshone Tribe and the Northern Arapaho Tribe have dropped plans to drill more than 300 coalbed methane wells on the Wind River Reservation. The tribes were working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs on an environmental impact statement...

Judge won't move Arapaho man's murder trial (February 16, 2006)

A judge in Wyoming has denied a request to move the trial of a Northern Arapaho man accused of murdering his 22-month-old daughter. Andrew Yellowbear Jr., 31, wanted the trial moved out of Hot Springs County, citing publicity surrounding the...

Police seek missing 14-year-old twin Native girls (February 16, 2006)

Police in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, are searching for two 14-year-old Native sisters who have been missing for more than two weeks. Cherish and Rosalee Frenchman are fraternal twins. They were last seen at a shopping mall on January 29 when...

Writer accused of slur against premier's Indian wife (February 16, 2006)

A magazine published in Alberta is facing another round of criticism of publishing a column in which the wife of Premier Ralph Klein is referred to as "just another Indian." In a column for The Western Standard, writer Ric...

Investigation into murder of 14-year-old Native girl (February 16, 2006)

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have launched an investigation into the murder of a 14-year-old Native girl in British Columbia. Aielah Katherina Saric had been missing for more than a week and was last seen near a bar in...

Ex-premier denies running a 'redneck' government (February 16, 2006)

Mike Harris, the former premier of Ontario, took the stand on Wednesday for the second day of his testimony to the inquiry into the death of Ojibwe activist Dudley George Harris adamantly refuted the testimony of an Ontario Park...

Bill opens tribal colleges to lottery scholarships (February 16, 2006)

The New Mexico House approved a bill on Tuesday to allow tribal college students to receive scholarships from the state's lottery scholarship program. The scholarships are already available to students at state-run colleges. The bill opens the program to students...

Group pushes Pataki to collect reservation taxes (February 16, 2006)

The New York Association of Convenience Stores submitted legislative testimony on Wednesday, calling on Gov. George Pataki (R) to collect cigarette and fuel taxes on the state's reservations. Starting March 1, state law authorizes the collection of taxes from the...

Pombo starts investigation of DOI royalty program (February 16, 2006)

Rep. Richard Pombo, the chairman of the House Resources Committee, launched an investigation on Wednesday into the Interior Department's "royalty relief" program. Pombo asked Interior Secretary Gale Norton for a wide range of documents related to the program in response...

Ceremonial swearing-in set for new Justice Alito (February 16, 2006)

The U.S. Supreme Court will hold a ceremonial swearing-in today for new Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Alito was given his oath of office immediately after being confirmed by the Senate on January 31. He has already taken part...

Tom Daschle: Opportunity for tribes and energy (February 16, 2006)

"A little-noticed section of America’s new national energy policy could bring new jobs and opportunities to Indian Country and help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil – but tribes need to act quickly if they want to take advantage of...

Alaska Native leader to leave Tanana Chiefs post (February 16, 2006)

Buddy Brown is resigning as president and chief executive officer of the Tanana Chiefs Conference due to health and family concerns. Brown, 36, has been battling cancer since October 2004. He underwent surgery to remove tumors on his liver...

Column: Urban Indian colony still thriving (February 16, 2006)

"A letter of approval to form a tribal colony in Albuquerque came from the Laguna Pueblo Tribal Council on Dec. 31, 1955. On Feb. 16, 1956, 60 Laguna tribal members living in Albuquerque came together in the auditorium of the...