Native American Issues / Public News Service

In 2022, there was a 1,700% increase in hard clams in Shinnecock Bay and more than 110 acres of seagrass was regrown. (Adobe Stock)

NY Indigenous women use seaweed to conserve shellfish

By Alexandra Talty for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for New York News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

Liquefied gas export terminals have zeroed in on the Texas Coast for a major expansion of the industry. (AA+W/Adobe Stock)

Climate activists along TX coast want LNG ban

Climate and environmental activists along the Texas Coast are celebrating after receiving favorable news from an insurance company covering liquefied …

By federal law, tribal law enforcement officers may attend a state training program or the Indian Police Academy in New Mexico. This year is the first tribal-specific training has been included in South Dakota's program. (Adobe Stock)

SD police academy grads newly schooled on Indian Country

South Dakota's police training program included a new course this year, one specific to tribal communities. A class of 20 graduated yesterday from …

Group proposes changes, encourages use of Indigenous SD education standards

A team of educators and supporters recently proposed changes to South Dakota's framework for Indigenous education, making the lessons more accessible …

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…

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest is among 17 national forests managed under the Northwest Forest Plan. (heidi/Adobe Stock)

Committee makes recommendations in updated NW Forest Plan

The U.S. Forest Service is considering changes to modernize the Northwest Forest Plan. While it was hailed as a success when it was created 30 years …

Citizens of the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation participate in the Netlh-'ii~-ne Steward program along the northern California coast, covering natural-resources management strategies and cultural practices. (Rosa Laucci/Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation)

CA tribes ask Newsom to sign bill on co-management of lands, waters

Indigenous leaders are asking California Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill that would allow federally recognized tribes to sign agreements with the …

The Postsecondary National Policy Institue says in 2020, 22% of the 18- to 24-year-old Native American population were enrolled in college compared to 40% of the overall U.S. population. (Adobe Stock)

MN's new free tuition program resets higher ed path for tribal students

Indigenous populations have long faced barriers in pursuing higher education and Minnesota's new free college tuition program could help put some of t…

The Lomakatsi Restoration Project partners with the U.S. Department of the Interior on forestry training for tribal youth. (fs.usda.gov)

Fed grant supports OR tribal youth conservation training

Federal grant money is supporting an Oregon organization rehabilitating the land and training tribal youth. The Interior Department's Indian Youth …

In a partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Cement Masons Plasterers and Shophands Local 633 holds a 10-week training camp each summer for Native Americans looking to learn a trade. (Photo courtesy of Fair Contracting Foundation of Minnesota)

MN cement mason bootcamp pays off for tribal youths

The next time you drive over a newly built highway in Minnesota, the concrete may have been poured by a Native American trained through a pre-…

Coastal flooding and erosion caused by rising sea levels are critical issues facing tribes in the Northwest. (Jan/Adobe Stock)

Report finds barriers for NW coastal tribes responding to climate change

Coastal tribes in the Northwest are on the front lines of the changing climate but face barriers to responding to its effects. A new report …

A new policy brief says North Dakota has one of the lower residential placement rates for youth offenders in the country. But nationally, report authors say there are still too many young people - roughly 2,500 on a typical day - being held in adult prisons and jails. (Adobe Stock)

New snapshot of youth incarceration shows hope, but disparities persist

Over the past couple of years, North Dakota has implemented juvenile justice reforms. And a new national report says there's been major progress in …

The Biden administration's recent $15 million commitment to its Investing in America agenda is expected to grow Indian Youth Services Corps partnerships by 30%, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Indigenous-led public service program in SD secures more funding

The Department of the Interior is disbursing $7 million to offices throughout the country for Indigenous-led conservation projects. The Indian …

The 2014 water crisis due to algal blooms had an economic impact of around $65 million. (Elena/Adobe Stock)

Climate change contributes to shift in Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms

By Kathiann Kowalski for Inside Climate News.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Networ…

According to a 2022 Government Accountability Office report, 18% of people on Tribal lands did not have access to broadband internet, compared to only 4% in non-Tribal areas. (Adobe Stock)

‘Tension, confusion’ around broadband access in Indian Country

Some federal incentives to bring internet access to Indian Country neglected to require tribal participation, according to a new report. The Federal …

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 …

Kids are invited to paint skateboards during the festival, one of many events at RedCan that complements the murals painted by visiting artists. (Cheyenne River Youth Project)

Youth 'Graffiti Jam' hits 10th year on Cheyenne River Reservation

By Kate Mothes for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Greater Dakota News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Servi…

Ponderosa pines in New Mexico's Zuni Mountains can measure 60 inches wide and live 300 to 600 years. (Courtesy Zander Evans)

Importance of NM's old-growth forests amid climate change cited

Climate change is forcing hard conversations about the importance of old-growth forests but in New Mexico, many say future generations must know the …

Native American children make up more than a third of the foster care caseload in Montana, despite representing less than 10% of the state's child population, according to a data analysis by the Montana Free Press. (Adobe Stock)

Racial gaps persist for Montana's Indigenous foster care youth

New research shows Indigenous youth comprise more than a third of the children in Montana's foster care system, despite making up a far smaller …

The Tribal Climate Resilience Annual Awards Program is now accepting applications for 2024. Information is on the U.S. Department of the Interior's website. (Benjamin Simeneta)

MI tribe celebrates funding to combat climate change

It has been less than four months since Michigan's Gun Lake Tribe received grants totaling $4 million for its plans to fight climate change. Its …

The Wind River Canyon corridor is part of U.S. Route 20, the longest highway in the country, which spans 2,542 miles from Boston, Massachusetts to Newport, Oregon, according to the Federal Highway Administration. (Rita Robinson/Adobe Stock)

WYDOT gets grant for Wind River Canyon corridor study

Wyoming's Wind River Canyon corridor turns 100 years old this year, and federal grant money will soon support a study on potential improvements…

Using the data and maps, Bastrop County Cares has been convening different stakeholders to identify areas of need to help develop solutions to address the broadband shortage in rural Texas areas. (tippapatt/Adobe Stock)

Retired TX geoscientist uses talent to connect rural community to the web

By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service Service for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

The Educare Winnebago Center in Winnebago, Neb., can serve up to 191 children from birth through age 5, and usually has a waiting list of 20 to 30 children. (Educare Winnebago)

NE Winnebago Educare promotes children's well being

Nearly 60% of Nebraska three- and four-year-olds are not enrolled in preschool programs, which are associated with increased success in school and …

More than 30 tribal nations are represented at the University of South Dakota, according to the institution. (Wikimedia Commons)

USD threats to fire staff part of larger trend

The University of South Dakota threatened to fire staff members in what some see as an ongoing attack on academic freedom, according to reporting in …

The U.S. government recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. The Black Hills Forest Reserve was established in 1897 and transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905. (R. Blauert, Wikimedia Commons)

Black Hills Visitor Center under new joint tribal, federal oversight

The Black Hills National Forest is one of the latest federal lands to enter a co-stewardship agreement with local tribal nations-a management model en…

The wells providing water on Santee Tribal lands had manganese levels more than 50 times greater than what is considered safe for adults. Excessively high manganese can cause problems with memory, attention and motor skills. (Adobe Stock)

NE Santee Sioux Tribe hopeful after years of unusable tap water

Members of the Nebraska Santee Sioux Tribe hope a solution to their five-year water ordeal may be on the way. Their tap water has been unusable for …

A new Colorado law provides local and tribal governments with science-based resources for siting and permitting new renewable-energy projects, including maps identifying sensitive wildlife habitat. (Adobe Stock)

New resources available to site CO clean-energy projects, protect wildlife

To reach 100% clean energy by 2040 - a move seen as critical for averting the worst impacts of climate change - Colorado must generate five times more…

Two South Dakota drought resiliency projects will supply about 130 homes with high-quality drinking water. (Adobe Stock)

New federal funds earmarked for SD rural water projects

Some rural South Dakotans struggle to get good drinking water but the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded two local communities with grants to …

A new clinic on the Grand Ronde reservation includes solar panels so the building has power even during an outage. (Photo by Claire Carlson)

Clinic on OR reservation drives tribal self-reliance

By Claire Carlson for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaborat…

With the online tool Ballot Builder, advocates are working to make voting easier, more accessible and efficient for Indigenous people living on Montana's seven reservations. (Adobe Stock)

MT goes live with online tool for Indigenous voters

Indigenous leaders in Montana have announced the release of an online tool to help Native voters learn about the issues and candidates on the ballot…

According to the Native American Rights Fund, more than 1 million eligible Native American voters in the United States are not registered to vote. (Adobe Stock)

Native organizations commemorate 100th anniversary of Citizenship Act

Sunday marks 100 years since the United States granted citizenship to all Native Americans. North Dakota voices are observing the milestone, and …

Some counties in Nevada are required to provide language assistance in Spanish, Shoshone, Paiute or other Native American languages. (Abode Stock)

Early voting underway for Nevada Primary Election

Nevada's early voting started this past weekend and will run through June seventh - with the June Primary Election taking place on Tuesday, June 11…

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…

Ho-Chunk, Inc., Apprenticeship Program participant Marquez Bass (right) works with Information Technology Technician Blade Smith to run network cable at one of the company's buildings in Winnebago, Nebraska. (Ho-Chunk, Inc.)

NE Winnebago Tribe apprenticeships prepare students, build workforce

Workforce watchers project the country could face critical worker shortages in many of the skilled trades in coming years. The Nebraska Winnebago …

Recent statewide figures look promising, but homelessness in South Dakota has risen more than 120% since 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (Adobe Stock)

Sioux Falls programs address rising homeless population

Homelessness in South Dakota may be down overall, but the state's urban areas are an exception. New programs in Sioux Falls aim to address it…

Every year, 37 million falls occur among older adults age 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

During Older Americans Month, experts share ways to stay healthy and fit

Unintentional injuries are among the top ten leading causes of death for older adults, and during Older Americans Month, experts want to raise …

In a 2018 survey by the Native American Voting Rights Coalition, 32% of respondents not registered to vote in South Dakota said long distances to travel for registration were prohibitive. (Adobe Stock)

Ballot dropbox ban a barrier in SD primary

South Dakota's June 4 primary will be the first national election here since ballot dropboxes were banned in 2023. It is one of 12 states to ban …

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument's new Molok Loyuk region provides habitat for tule elk, mountain lions, bears, bald eagles and golden eagles. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

Public lands groups cheer expansion of two CA national monuments

Conservation groups, tribes and community organizers are praising President Joe Biden's decision Thursday to expand two national monuments in …

Last month, tribal and community leaders joined members of Congress from across the West to present more than 800,000 petition signatures, urging President Joe Biden to use the Antiquities Act to designate and expand national monuments. (Dominic Gentilcore/Adobe Stock)

NV Tribal Nations push for Bahsahwahbee National Monument

Native American tribes in Nevada are calling for designation of a new national monument within the National Park System in east central Nevada…

New Mexico is the second sunniest state in the nation after Arizona, creating maximum opportunities for solar development. (KristinaBlokhin/AdobeStock)

NM tribal communities benefit from EPA's "Solar For All" program

New federal funding aims to revolutionize solar energy access within New Mexico's Native American communities and benefit the state overall. The …

Nevada has 62,000 Urban Indians, according to the University of Nevada, Reno. (Adobe Stock)

Initiative champions Native voices in Nevada political arena

A Nevada grassroots organization has launched its inaugural endorsement process for the 2024 elections in an effort to champion indigenous voices in t…

Despite making up more than 5% of North Dakota's population, fewer than 2% of state legislators are Native American. Advocates said with more Native candidates running, the gap could soon begin to shrink in the coming years. (Adobe Stock)

ND sees flurry of campaigning among Native candidates

North Dakota's June 11 primary is inching closer and those running for legislative seats are trying to win over voters, including Native American …

Some in Michigan's Native American community say they can relate to the struggles of Palestinians in Gaza. Artist Christina Damianos depicts the idea in her

MI Indigenous group uses art to show solidarity with Palestinians

Some Indigenous groups in Michigan want to draw parallels to their own historic struggles and those of Palestinians in Gaza and they are doing it thro…

For centuries before Europeans arrived in North America, the buffalo not only provided Indigenous societies powerful spiritual support and healing, but also food, clothing, toys, tools, shelter and other necessities of life. (Adobe Stock)

Call for artists to create Wind River Water and Buffalo Alliance logo

The Wind River Water and Buffalo Alliance is looking for a graphic artist to develop a logo. Before Europeans arrived, some 60 million buffalo …

The proposed Ambler industrial mining road would have crossed nearly 3,000 waterways, including the Kobuk and Koyukuk rivers, which are important spawning grounds for the Yukon salmon. (National Wild and Scenic Rivers System)

Biden administration moves to protect Alaska wilderness

Conservation groups are rejoicing over the decision Friday by the Biden administration to reject a proposed mining road in Alaska. The 211-mile …

Native American tribes and support organizations have pursued several lawsuits since the 2020 redistricting cycle, in hopes of securing fair political boundaries. There is also a push to get more tribes to be active when maps are drawn, so legal action will not be necessary. (Adobe Stock)

Tribal advocates keep up legal pressure for fair political maps

Across the U.S., most political boundaries tied to the 2020 Census have been in place for a while, but a national project on map fairness for …

The Bureau of Land Management's newly issued Public Lands Rule is designed to safeguard cultural resources such as New Mexico's Chaco Culture National Park. (Photo courtesy SallyPaez)

BLM's 'Public Lands Rule' could reform conservation, access in NM

Balancing the needs of the many with those who have traditionally reaped benefits from public lands is behind a new rule issued Thursday by the Bureau…

During what is known as the Medicaid post-pandemic

Report: SD Medicaid expansion enrollment remains low

Last year's Medicaid expansion in South Dakota increased eligibility to another 51,000 adults but a new report showed among people across the state wh…

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