Public News Service

The Arizona State University Center for Tribal Digital Sovereignty is designed to provide tribal nations with the resources they need to build proactive digital platforms. (ASU)

New ASU program to help tribal governments develop digital sovereignty

Historic inequities have left many tribal nations behind the rest of the country but a new Arizona State University program is designed to launch them…

Expert: AZ native voters face challenges, lack trust in elected officials

Native voting-rights advocates contend two Arizona laws have made it more difficult for Native American voters to be civically engaged, despite …

The difference between age-adjusted non-cardiac mortality rates for the overall population in rural and urban areas grew from being 6% higher in rural areas than urban areas in 1999 to 20% higher in rural areas than urban areas in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Mortality rates in rural Arizona have experts concerned

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public…

Indigenous AZ researcher calls for more quality focused farming

By Breanna Draxler for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Yes! Magazine-Public News …

More than 10 trillion gallons of water have been lost from the Colorado River basin between 2000 and 2021, according to a recent UCLA study. (Paul Moore/Adobe Stock)

AZ celebrates Colorado River conservation agreements

Arizona leaders are celebrating the federal government's just over $63 million investment for water conservation, efficiency and protection of the …

Cabeza Prieta is one of the largest wildlife refuges in the United States and contains more than 800,000 acres of designated wilderness. (Adobe Stock)

AZ coalition seeks expansion of wildlife refuge and protection of ancestral lands

An Arizona-based coalition is calling on the Department of the Interior to expand the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in addition to returning …

For decades, Arizona courts interpreted the state Constitution to deny the right to vote to Native Americas as

Federal judge blocks AZ law that 'disenfranchised' Native voters

A federal judge has blocked a 2022 Arizona law that voting-rights advocates say would have made it harder for some Native Americans to vote. House …

Claire Gunderson is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, and the Jemez and Laguna Pueblo of New Mexico. (Charlie Leight/ASU News)

First-Year ASU Student Helps Close Engineering Gender Gap

The percentage of female engineers varies by specialty, but 2021 figures show only 9% of mechanical engineers are women. One Arizona State University …

The new monument's Native American name is Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni, which refers to the ancestral footprints of Indigenous peoples. It is made up of three distinct areas to the south, northeast and northwest of Grand Canyon National Park. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Announces Historic National Monument Near Grand Canyon

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced the designation of a new national monument near the Grand Canyon. The latest move will conserve and …

Desiree Fowler will be formally inducted into her new role during the board's annual conference in December. (AZ School Boards Association)

Arizona School Boards Association Elects First Indigenous President

The Arizona School Boards Association has for the first time in the organization's approximately 80-year history chosen an Indigenous woman to be pres…

Dental Therapists Could Fill Dental-Health 'Gap' in AZ

Since last month, dental therapists can apply for licenses to practice in Arizona, and some believe they'll play a critical role in a state full of …

Jacob Moore is the former associate vice president of tribal relations in the Office of Government and Community Affairs. (Charlie Leight/ASU News)

New Leader at Arizona State University for American Indian Affairs

Arizona State University wants to continue fostering and cultivating relationships with tribal nations in the state. It plans to continue to do so …

According to the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, in 2022, outdoor recreation in Arizona, in places like the Grand Canyon region, generated $3.3 billion in wages and salaries. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Tribal Nations, Lawmakers Want New Grand Canyon Nat'l. Monument

President Joe Biden has designated new national monuments in Nevada and Texas - and some in Arizona say it is time to do the same for the Grand Canyon…

Din� College is the first tribally controlled and accredited collegiate institution in the United States. (Wikimedia Commons)

Rural, Tribal AZ College Works to Support Student, Community Needs

A tribal college in Arizona has gotten some national attention this spring for "community college excellence," in this case, on the Navajo Nation…

Irresponsible target shooting, littering and off-highway vehicles are among the human factors causing damage to heritage assets. (Adobe Stock)

New Map Outlines Reasons for Protecting Great Bend of Gila

Conservation groups have added an interactive story map to their toolkit as they continue to push for permanent protections for the Great Bend of the …

While many circumstances of Native American female homicide are unknown, the largest known circumstance involved an argument between the victim and the offender. (Adobe Stock)

ASU Research Shows Increasing Number of Missing Indigenous Women, Girls

Researchers at Arizona State University are tackling the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women in the state, trying to figure out why it is …

This is a three-dimensional model of the Resolution Copper Project. Opponents say it will use 40,000 acre-feet of water per year, comparable to the City of Tempe, Ariz. (Photo courtesy Henry C. Mu�oz, Sr.)

Proposed Mine Near Superior Draws AZ Tribal, Environmental Pushback

Members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe are planning a march and other events this week to oppose what they're calling a destructive mining project sla…

Modelo tridimensional del proyecto Resolution Copper. Sus detractores afirman que consumir� 40, 000 acres-pies de agua al a�o, una cantidad comparable a la de la ciudad de Tempe, Arizona (Fotograf�a cortes�a de Henry C. Mu�oz, Sr.).

Proyecto de explotación minera cerca de Superior suscita oposición tribal y ecologista en AZ

Miembros de la tribu apache de San Carlos están planeando una marcha y otros actos esta semana para oponerse a lo que denominan un proyecto miner…

In 2019, Ty'Lesha Yellowhair worked with the town of Gilbert as its Native American management intern, as part of its Family Violence Unit. (Photo courtesy of Yellowhair)

ASU Grad Wants to Make a Difference for AZ Tribal Members

Arizona tribal communities face inequalities every day, but a recent Arizona State University graduate said she wants to shape public policy to help …

About 30% of residents on the Navajo Nation do not have running water or electricity in their homes. (Adobe Stock)

Tribal Knowledge, Science Team up to Fight Climate Change in AZ

By Fiona L.Q. Flaherty for Cronkite News.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

Free Program Fosters Business Skills for AZ Native American Women

Native American women in Arizona are getting a chance to launch their own businesses, with expert advice. Project DreamCatcher is a unique, free …

In a CDC report following COVID-19, unintentional injuries and chronic liver disease were some of the leading reasons for a drastic decline in life expectancy among Native Americans and Alaskan Natives from 2020 to 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Health Disparities Only Part of Problem for AZ Native Americans

Between 2020 and 2021, Native Americans and Alaskan Natives saw a two-year decrease in their life expectancy - the biggest drop among demographic …

Native American students, girls on the right and boys on the left, attend class at the Walapai Indian School in Kingman, Ariz., around 1900. (Wikimedia)

SCOTUS Case on 'Separations' Could Affect AZ, Other Native Families

A case before the U.S. Supreme Court has Native Americans concerned the outcome could revive a centuries-old practice of separating indigenous …

Petroglyphs and other rock formations dot the landscape in the Great Bend of the Gila, which could become a National Conservation Area. (Dawn Kish/The Wilderness Society)

Bill Would Give Tribal Leaders Stake In Managing AZ Conservation Lands

A bill to make tribal governments equal partners with the federal government in managing a pair of Arizona land preserves advanced in the U.S…

Interior Department Changes 650 Place Names to Remove Racial Slur

The U.S. Department of the Interior has ordered name changes for nearly 650 sites on federal lands, in Arizona and across the country, containing …

Native Americans make up about 1% of Arizona State University's 40,000 students on its Tempe campus. (Pixabay)

Arizona State Recognized for Recruiting Native Faculty, Students

An article in the Chronicle of Higher Education showed progress has been made at Arizona State University (ASU) in recruiting Native American faculty …

Los nativos americanos representan alrededor del 1% de los 40,000 estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de Arizona en su campus de Tempe. (Pixabay)

Arizona es reconocido por reclutar profesores y estudiantes nativos

Un artículo de Chronicle of Higher Education señala el progreso realizado en la Universidad Estatal de Arizona para el reclutamiento de prof…

Tempe-based SRP line crews have hooked up more than 20 Navajo Nation homes with electricity over the past two weeks. (SRP)

Volunteers Bring Power to Navajo Homes for First Time

The lights were turned on this week for 20 families in the Navajo Nation, as volunteer power company workers continue to connect previously dark …

Pete Sands and two of his puppet creations, Sadie and Ash. The puppets will be the stars of

Puppets Aim to Teach Navajo Children Tribe's Language, Culture

It was a little bit "Muppet Show," a little bit "Sesame Street" and a lot of community pride that brought about the idea for a TV series to teach Nava…

A sign warns of radioactivity near an abandoned uranium mine in the Horseshoe Mesa area near the Grand Canyon. (Deep Desert Photo/Adobe Stock)<br />

Tribes Urge Congress to Make Grand Canyon Mining Ban Permanent

Members of native tribes living in or near the Grand Canyon are calling on Congress to make a provisional ban on uranium mining near the park permanen…

Native American advocates say many elected officials don't understand the social structure on tribal lands, and can apply voting rules that make it harder for indigenous populations to cast ballots. (ruslanita/Adobe Stock)

Native Americans Voice Concerns Over AZ Redistricting Maps

TUCSON, Ariz. - As Arizona's Independent Redistricting Commission prepares to issue its final voting-district maps, Native American groups are …

Native American students, most of them barefoot, sit for lessons in a crowded classroom inside the Walapai Indian School in Kingman, Ariz., circa 1900. (Wikimedia Commons)

Grant Aims to Boost Early-Childhood Education for Native Americans

TUCSON, Ariz. - Tribal colleges and universities in Arizona and across the nation are teaching the next generation of pre-K and elementary-school …

Almost 190 miles of wall on the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona were built before President Joe Biden called a halt to construction earlier this year. (Elizabeth/Adobe Stock)

Border Map Shows Wall Construction Damages Landscape, Migration Routes

TUCSON, Ariz. - A newly released map identifies portions of the U.S.-Mexico border wall built by the Trump administration, and many conservation …

The Navajo Nation is one of dozens of tribal lands where thousands of cases of missing and murdered Native Americans remain unsolved. (Flickr)<br /><br />

Haaland Prioritizes Cases of Missing, Murdered Native Americans

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has created a new law enforcement unit to put renewed focus on resolving the cases of Native …

Oak Flat in the Tonto National Forest in considered sacred ground by several native tribes and also is a popular area for outdoor recreation. (Elias Butler/Wikimedia Commons)

Biden Order Temporarily Blocks Start of Oak Flat Mine Project

GLOBE, Ariz. -- Native Americans, conservationists and a host of other advocates are cheering a Biden administration move to delay plans for a copper …

The planned Navajo Energy Storage Station would use water from Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah border to generate hydropower and sell it to cities in Arizona, California and Nevada. (TebNad/Adobe Stock)

Groups Call Lake Powell Hydropower Project 'Unsustainable'

PAGE, Ariz. -- Federal regulators have issued a preliminary permit for a pumped-hydropower project using water from Lake Powell, but conservation …

Sunset brings out the brilliant colors of the Arizona desert at Saguaro National Park near Tucson, part of the millions of acres of public lands across the state. (Nate Hovee/Adobe Stock)<br />

Poll: People of Color Concerned for Future of Western Public Lands

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- A recent poll of voters in Arizona and seven other western states shows increased support for conservation policies, and deep …

Tribal communities are making strong efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 on reservations. Native Americans face the highest COVID-19 mortality rates in the country. (Joe Sohm/Dreamstime)

Groups Form to Care for Native Elders During Pandemic

LEUPP, Ariz. -- As Native Americans are killed by the coronavirus at a rate nearly twice that of Caucasian people, groups are forming to care for and …

Census 2020 workers and volunteers are making last-minute, in-person contacts with Arizona households in hopes of completing the once-a-decade population tally by Oct. 31. (Flickr)

AZ Groups Work Overtime as Census 2020 Deadline Looms

PHOENIX -- With just a few weeks left to complete the 2020 census, groups representing Arizona's historically undercounted residents say they're …

Conservation groups say they fear construction of a border wall across the San Pedro River could cause flooding during the rainy season and block a migration route for endangered animals. (Flickr)

Border-Wall Project Could Block San Pedro River

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Conservation groups say the federal government is building a stretch of the border wall that could block the San Pedro River…

Civilian Conservation Corps workers display the handmade signs they created to post along a newly constructed trail system in 1937 at the Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona. (University of Arizona Library)

Groups Seek Revival of Civilian Conservation Corps for AZ, U.S.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Conservation groups say reviving the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps could help stimulate Arizona's economy by building …

As many as 75,000 Americans could die from drug or alcohol abuse and suicide as a result of stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic, according to a new study. (Steheap/Adobe Stock)

Report: COVID-19 Could Trigger Increase in Overdose Deaths

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The coronavirus pandemic has pushed unemployment rates in Arizona and other states to record highs, and health policy groups …

Tribal officials say an accurate 2020 Census count of all children on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community will ensure that their children will get a good education. (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Schools)

AZ Officials Want Accurate Census Count on Native American Kids

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. -- Making sure all children are counted is a major goal for the 2020 Census. The number of young children missed in previous …

Arizona's Gila monster is an example of the type of species wildlife officials say they would protect under the Recovering America's Wildlife Act. (National Park Service)

Bill Would Provide Billions to Protect Wildlife in Arizona, Other States

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- A bipartisan bill designed to proactively manage wildlife species to keep them off the Endangered Species List will be waiting …

A recent report finds that 2 millions Americans do not have access to running water and basic indoor plumbing. (ChepkoDanit/AdobeStock) <br /><br /><br />

Study: Water Gap Found at Navajo Nation, Other U.S. Regions

APACHE COUNTY, Ariz. - A report finds that several regions across the United States, including the Navajo Nation, lack access to clean water in many …

A school bus transports students through the Navajo Nation on U.S. Highway 89 in northern Arizona. Bus routes in rural school districts often cover more than 100 miles a day picking up and dropping off students. (Savola/Adobe Stock)

Report: Rural Arizona Schools Struggle with Lack of Funding

COTTONWOOD, Ariz. — Out in Arizona's wide-open spaces, dozens of rural school districts are struggling to serve their communities and often are …

The Grand Falls, also known as Chocolate Falls, are a major feature of the 338-mile Little Colorado River in northern Arizona. (EasyArts/Adobe Stock)

Groups Oppose Plans to Dam AZ’s Little Colorado River

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Conservation groups say a proposal to build dams along Arizona's Little Colorado River could trigger an environmental …

The Indian Health Service, operated by the federal government, is one of several sources of health coverage for Native American children. (Wikimedia Commons)<br /><br />

Study: Higher Uninsured Rate for Native American Kids in AZ

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - American Indian children in Arizona and across the United States are more likely to live in poverty, to die in infancy and to …

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AZ: Native American/Indigenous