I’ve spent seven years hustling across the UW’s iconic, cherry-tree-lined “Quad” on my way to teach journalism classes. But it wasn’t until this week that I learned those red brick pathways zigzag over what was once a Duwamish village. “Are you sure you know where you are standing?” asks Professor Megan Bang, co-director of the…
Before and after photos of Animus River (grindtv.com) Navajo Nation Sues EPA Over Animus River Heavy Metals Spill The Navajo Nation has filed a federal lawsuit alleging the EPA has failed to adequately remediate the disaster a year after the dispersal of 880,000 pounds of heavy metals into the Animus river watershed near Silverton, Colorado. The chemicals…
2016 is shaping up to be a record year for Native American electoral participation. Eight indigenous candidates are running for Congress, up from two in 2014. Over 90 are running for state legislatures, again exceeding previous years. “This is the best campaign ever in Indian Country,” says Nicole Willis, member of the Confederated Tribes of…
In a significant action that will assist Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Congress has moved to waive the non-federal dollar-for-dollar match requirement for the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) program in the FY 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, now Public Law 113-235. The law appropriates $15 million in funding to NACA for financial and technical assistance, training,…
Washington Tribes Seek Econometric Adjustments for Gaming Machine Allocations Video gaming machines are among the most profitable elements of most Tribal casinos, and the number of machines in a casino can significantly impact the profit potential for the Tribe. In Washington state, gaming Tribes are currently negotiating new compacts with the state government that would provide for…
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk have unveiled the new Tribal Consultation Policy for the Department of the Interior, designed to launch “a new era” of enhanced communication with American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. “This comprehensive initiative reflects President Obama’s commitment to strengthening the government-to-government relationship between…
KUOW Radio in Seattle has posted an interview with Professor Ron Whitener, Director of the Native American Legal Center at the University of Washington, regarding the impact of the federal Tribal Law and Order Act on Tribal justice systems. Last July, Native American leaders gathered in Washington, DC, to celebrate the passage of the new law,…
In a bid to assert control over law enforcement in their lands, leaders of the White Earth Band of Chippewa are seeking retrocession from Public Law 280 and are writing a new criminal code to replace state law for members of the Band. Crossing three counties in northwest Minnesota, the White Earth Reservation has been…
Only days after filing an appeal of the National Labor Relations Board’s ruling ordering it to bargain with the over 2,500 dealers represented by the United Auto Workers, the Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprise (Foxwoods Resort Casino) and the UAW have agreed to enter into discussions regarding a labor agreement under Tribal law. The jurisdictional dispute over whether…
The Tribal Council of the Yakama Nation has approved the development of a guest-worker program that would require licenses or permits for foreign workers and non-Tribal citizens working on reservation lands. The Yakama Nation’s territory contains much fertile agricultural land that is famred by a significant force of migrant workers during the growing seasons. The…