It is reported that all four federally supervised Indian schools in northern Minnesota failed to meet federal testing standards last year, yet they aren’t likely to see much of the money being doled out to public schools across the country under the Obama administration’s signature education reform plan. Two of the schools are sorely in [...]

Read my 2001 Oregon Law Review article on American Indian economic development issues. U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota says his initiative to open a one-stop-shop for oil development on the Fort Berthold Reservation is paying off. The reservation sits on top of the Bakken Shale Oil Formation. Dorgan says the review and approval [...]

Leaders of Maine’s Indian tribes praised an executive order signed by Governor John Baldacci that aims to improve communications between state agencies and tribal governments. The executive order, which the governor signed during a ceremony at the State House with tribal leaders, requires state agencies to consult with tribal representatives during the development of any [...]

The Justice Department wants to provide more than $250 million in anti-crime grants for Indian County, an increase of 54%, partly by creating a 7% budget set-aside from the COPS Hiring Program, Office of Justice Programs anti-crime money, and Office on Violence Against Women accounts, Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli told the Senate Committee on [...]

The Portland Oregonian reports that a Native American spiritual leader convicted of selling black market eagle feathers for use in tribal dance competitions was ordered today to help make an educational video urging others not to commit such crimes. Reginald Dale Akeen of Albuquerque, N.M., was scheduled to give a videotaped statement to the U.S. [...]

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act is almost 40 years old now but the debate continues. Some tribal leaders are meeting in Anchorage this week to revisit ANCSA. The Act cleared the way for construction of the Trans-Alaska pipeline. Under ANCSA, Native land claims were resolved or settled to allow the unimpeded building of the [...]

The Montana Supreme Court ruled that a state District Court has jurisdiction to hear a medical malpractice lawsuit filed by the widow of a citizen of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes against a physician and a Polson Montana clinic. The ruling reverses a decision by District Judge Ted Lympus that dismissed a suit Diane Morigeau [...]

A tribally owned telephone system has been up and running on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation in South Dakota since September. (This is one of a very few if not the only tribal telephone utility service.) Native American Telecom-Crow Creek provides telephone and advanced broadband service on the reservation. Tribal officials say it will pave [...]

The New York Times ran an obituary on Feb. 15 for Chief Phillip Martin of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Martin is widely credited with guiding his tribe from grinding poverty in the hills of east central Mississippi to become the proprietor of one of the state’s leading business empires. Marting died Feb. 4 [...]

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Monday, Feb. 22 that he was creating the Justice Department’s Tribal Nations Leadership Council (TNLC), a group of tribal leaders from around the country that will advise him on issues critical to tribal communities. The TNLC marks the first time a council composed of tribal leaders selected by [...]