National Native News

Photo: The international boundary between Mexico and the Tohono O’odham Nation in June 2026. (Gabriel Pietrorazio) An Arizona tribe along the Southern border has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. The Tohono O’odham Nation has submitted an injunction to halt the Trump administration from looking to build a wall along its 62-mile boundary with Mexico. According to the complaint, the administration plans to solicit contracts for construction on sovereign lands – without the tribe’s consent. Tohono O’odham Chairman Verlon Jose in a social media message. “We would prefer not to file this lawsuit, and instead use these resources for our people. And it is our hope DHS will reconsider their plans once they see the strength of our arguments, however, at this point we have been left with no other choice.” Carla Johnson is Tohono O’odham Vice Chairwoman. “The wall is a wasteful political gimmick. It will separate our families, desecrate our sacred sites and waters and harm our natural environment, while doing nothing to actually make us safer.” In response to the legal filings, DHS cites Mullin’s Cherokee citizenship and commitment to tribal sovereignty, telling KJZZ the agency “values its relationship with the Tohono O’odham Nation and remains focused on open communication and minimizing impacts.” Sheep graze in the Coppermine Community near Page, Ariz. (Courtesy Loren Thomas) A Navajo Nation community near Page voted Sunday to oppose a controversial copper mine proposal, as KNAU’s Chris Clements reports. The Coppermine Chapter voted 45-12 to adopt a resolution opposing Essential Minerals’ exploration of a possible copper mine. The resolution also rescinded a policy put forward by the chapter back in 2005 that supported exploration of a separate copper mine. The resolution adopted on Sunday says back in 2005, the company looking into mining failed to fulfill its commitments. It adds that no mining company – like Essential Minerals – can use the 2005 policy to justify exploring a copper mine now. Tribal members say they are worried a copper mine would cause health and environmental issues in the community. Representatives of Essential Minerals previously told KNAU they want to build trust about the project, which they say is just being explored right now. Community members enjoy a meal at the 2026 Return of the Salmon Celebration at Riverview Park in Bethel on June 13, 2026. (Photo: MaryCait Dolan / KYUK) The day after the season’s first drift gillnet fishing opener, salmon remained top of mind for fishers of the Kuskokwim River, as KYUK’s Samantha Watson reports. At Riverview Park in Bethel, Alaska, community members gathered and filled plates of dried whitefish and grilled, fresh-caught fillets of king salmon. The second annual Return of the Salmon event was put on by Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition, a grassroots organization opposing the proposed Donlin gold mine. Supporters of the mine point to the job prospects it would bring to locals in the region. Calista Corporation, the regional Native corporation who owns the subsurface rights to the proposed mine site, says that responsible development and subsistence can coexist. Others, like Mother Kuskokwim, say it is too risky. They argue that potential contamination from the mine could pose dire environmental impacts, namely for the region’s salmon populations. The celebration is, at its core, an anti-Donlin demonstration, but it feels like a fish camp cookout. Organizer Gloria Simeon says on the Kuskokwim, salmon is a mechanism for something bigger. “Fish camp is not an activity. Fish camp is the time, the single most important time of families coming together with one purpose, and that’s to get prepared for the winter, catch our salmon, take care of it, to have it for the winter, and it’s not just only about that, it’s about sharing your genealogy, your oral traditions, our cultural values, who we are as a people, our history.” She talks about how it is sustained her family, and people like her granddaughter, Ashlynn Simeon, who is the Deputy Director of Mother Kuskokwim organization. She says the moments on display in a community event like this — children playing, babies having their first bites of fresh salmon of the season — that is what the Mother Kuskokwim advocates are trying to protect.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Thursday, June 18, 2026 — Native Bookshelf: ‘The Home of the Drowned’ by Elin Anna Labba  

Navajo Nation Controller Sean McCabe testifies under oath during the third day of the Budget and Finance Committee’s investigatory public hearing on June 10, 2026. (Courtesy Navajo Nation Council) Despite the Navajo Nation Department of Justice (NNDOJ) advising government staff not to testify about a failed, multi-million-dollar housing project, one employee broke ranks. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. So far, Navajo Nation Controller Sean McCabe has been the sole witness out of a dozen or so to comply with the Budget and Finance Committee’s subpoenas. “My intention today is not to undermine a NNDOJ advisement. My intention is to fulfill my professional duties as a certified public accountant.” Yet, McCabe was still cautious on Wednesday. “I would have hoped that legal counsel was here to step in if I needed it – if I was breaching any client-attorney privilege, but it doesn’t appear that they are.” The ZenniHome hearing is set to wrap up this week. Dylan Gorman, left, Lisa Norton, Todd Logan, and Joshua Rilatos speak to 165 people at their presentation at the Amanda Gathering Place in Yachats, Oreg. on June 6, 2026. (Photo: Brian Bull) Members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians recently shared their perspective on harvesting a humpback whale last November. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, the harvest highlighted the whale’s cultural significance to coastal Native communities. For nearly two hours, the group spoke to 165 people at the Amanda Trail site in Yachats, near where the 10-ton juvenile humpback washed ashore last fall. Despite efforts by locals to save it, it was ultimately euthanized on the beach. Shortly after, a team of Siletz tribal members arrived to harvest parts of the mammal, while another team from Oregon State University did a necropsy. During their talk, the Siletz said they wanted to get across that the joy many felt that day wasn’t because of the whale’s death, but because they were able to practice a traditional harvest that hadn’t been done for generations. Lisa Norton, the tribe’s chief administrative officer, said this was due to several factors. “We’ve got forced relocation, we’ve got 1932 The Marine Mammal Relocation Act, the Termination Act of ’54. These aren’t things that we thought, ‘Oh, well this is just temporary.’ We were forbidden from practicing.” Norton’s son Joshua Rilatos talked of carving the baleen and blubber from the whale, much like his ancestors did. At the end, the audience gave the Siletz a standing ovation. Rilatos said he was pleased that the event was well-received. “It was a little nerve wracking at first because you never know what to expect from the community, especially because of social media and just the perceptions people have, but people here have got a pretty good understanding of what it was like for us, and the hard work and the respect and love that we had for the animal.” In this photo from November 2025, a humpback whale lies stranded on San Marine north of Yachats, Oreg. (Courtesy View the Future) While some online commenters made racist remarks or generalizations about Native people during the harvest, supporters say the amount of reverence and respect paid to the whale showed how important it was for the Siletz to do it. Chief Doug Barrett of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians said he’d like to consult with tribes like the Siletz and Makaw to better understand whale harvesting. A dead whale recently washed ashore in his region. “I did what I could with what I had. I had my four knives and I went up there and just started taking what I could. And I would like to render the blubber out, so I could put oil on our canoes. To me, that would be an awesome way to use that whale.” Joanne Kittel is co-chair of the conservationist nonprofit View the Future, which sponsored the Siletz’s presentation. She said the group picked the Amanda Trail in Yachats because of its significance to Native history. “This area symbolizes the government-sponsored genocidal policies that led to the murder and deaths of so many Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw and Alsea people here in the Yachats area. And this whole area and the Amanda Trail bring the historical truth to the present.” Kittel said she wasn’t surprised 165 people turned out to hear the Siletz’s story. She added that it is important to have these conversations in an open and welcoming space.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, June 15, 2026 — The ongoing lessons from the Battle of Greasy Grass 150 years later

Photo: Apache Stronghold supporters converge at Oak Flat campground on February 22, 2025. (Gabriel Pietrorazio) A group opposed to a massive Arizona copper mining project filed a petition last week before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. They are hoping the court will reconsider the recent Oak Flat land swap between the U.S. Forest Service and Resolution Copper. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. A split, three-judge panel from the very same appeals court allowed the controversial transfer to proceed after tossing out a slew of lawsuits – while also lifting an injunction back in March. But plaintiffs now argue they still have a case to be made. Judge Johnnie Rawlinson agrees. In her dissenting opinion from April, she wrote that before the court stamps its seal on a decision that will “completely annihilate sacred Native lands, we must be certain that every i was dotted and every t was crossed. And that simply is not the case.” An FNX original children’s series is earning national recognition. “Navajo Highways”, created by Pete Sands and filmed in Moab, Utah, has been nominated for two Emmy Awards by the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The nominations, announced recently, honor the show’s educational content and set design. The Navajo-language series teaches culture and storytelling through the journey of a young girl reconnecting with her roots.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, May 4, 2026 – Demands for action grow as details of Indigenous surveillance program surface

Actor Nathan Chasing Horse, known for his role in “Dances with Wolves”, has been sentenced in Nevada to 37 years to life in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls. A jury found him guilty on 13 charges, mostly involving sexual abuse. Prosecutors say he used his position as a Lakota spiritual leader to gain trust and manipulate victims over many years. One woman, who was 14 when the abuse began, told the court her childhood was taken from her. Chasing Horse was arrested in 2023 and has denied the charges. Tongass National Forest Deputy Supervisor Barb Miranda talks about the Tongass Forest Plan Revision agenda to Wrangell, Alaska residents at the Nolan Center on April 21, 2027. (Photo: Colette Czarnecki / KSTK) U.S. Forest Service (USFS) personnel have been visiting Southeast Alaska communities to understand how residents want the Tongass National Forest used. The federal agency is doing a comprehensive revision of the Tongass National Forest plan, which will guide long-term management. They are focusing on tribal, subsistence, recreation, tourism, and timber aspects. Tongass National Forest Deputy Supervisor Barb Miranda with USFS visited Wrangell last week and gave a brief presentation to community members. “Down in the lower 48, the towns and wild places are surrounded by civilization. Here it’s the opposite — we have our communities surrounded by this wild place that provides so much for our food, for our subsistence and for our economies.” Miranda says the plan aims to balance ecological preservation and community needs. Towards the back of the room were activities where people could write down their thoughts and take a survey. Community members highlighted the importance of balancing commercial activities like logging and recreation with subsistence needs. Albert Rinehart is the tribal administrator for the Wrangell Cooperative Association. He just finished an activity that had him identify the greatest subsistence harvest in a certain area of the Tongass. “Subsistence is important to a lot of our smaller communities, rural communities. If we’re gonna be doing any planning, it should be to help those habitats prosper and have our subsistence game be available.” The current comprehensive plan for the Tongass was revised in 1997 and was last amended in 2016. The deadline for Southeast communities to comment is May 6. USFS plans to release a draft of the environmental impact statement in November with a 90-day comment period following. Additionally, they plan to release the final draft of the statement in the summer of 2027, and the final plan in January of 2028. This story was provided by KSTK’s Collete Czarnecki Perseverance Lake in Ketchikan, Alaska. (Photo: Leila Kheiry) The Federal Subsistence Board (FSB) voted last week to uphold Ketchikan’s rural designation. That is after two tribal organizations on Prince of Wales (POW) Island submitted requests for reconsideration to the federal Office of Subsistence Management (OSM) last July. FSB voted in 2025 to reclassify Ketchikan from a non-rural status, allowing all residents to hunt and fish on federally managed lands and waters that were previously closed to them. That designation was challenged by Craig’s tribe and Native corporation. They said the board failed to “fully consider the unintended consequences” of allowing new subsistence hunters from Ketchikan to access POW’s deer population. The Ketchikan Indian Community was in favor of the rural designation, and worked for years to get rights to federally regulated subsistence activities. The tribe argued that the rural designation allows its tribal citizens to exercise traditional subsistence practices. The vote to sustain Ketchikan’s rural designation came in the final hours of the board’s four-day wildlife regulatory meeting in Anchorage. The vote also followed an executive session on April 23 to discuss the requests for reconsideration. This story was provided by KRBD’s Hunter Morrison   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, April 29, 2026 — The Menu: Traditional diet success and the first Indigenous ‘Chopped’ champion  

Questions are being raised about how the Anchorage Police Department responded to a missing Alaska Native college student from the Bering Sea community of Shaktoolik. After almost four months, the remains of Kelly Hunt were found in a wooded area in the city, as KNBA’s Rhonda McBride reports. Although the search for Kelly Hunt ended in a ravine where she was found last week, the quest for answers goes on. The 19 year old’s remains were discovered not far from the home she had been staying in, where she stopped to visit on her way to attend college in Soldotna. She was last seen on the morning of January 7. Her family reported her missing four days later. Advocates for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) have questioned the police’s response. “When a young Alaska Native woman is reporting missing, it is too late, and now we are looking at human remains.” Michael Livingston (Unangax̂), a retired Anchorage police officer and MMIP advocate, says Hunt’s case reflects a pattern he has seen too often. He says several red flags in Hunt’s disappearance should have prompted a more aggressive investigation. He says she had left her purse behind, with money inside, as well as clothing, signs she did not plan to be gone for very long. “Was there anymore, that anybody could have done, to try to have located her, early on in the game, to see whether or not any video surveillance cameras or people in the neighborhood might have seen anything suspicious?” Livingston says he would like to see an investigation into the police’s response. Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case says he would be happy to discuss the department’s handling of the case with advocates, but for now, the ability of police to talk about the investigation is very limited. “The problem is that can really cause challenges if it does become a criminal investigation later on.” Case says one of difficulties police faced was the four-day gap between the time that Hunt went missing and when her disappearance was reported. Case says he doesn’t blame anyone for the delay. The difficulties were understandable under the circumstances. “But as soon as we found out that she was missing, we took the report, and detectives took over that case and treated that case as a critical or a high-risk case, that there was definitely concern over.” Case says investigators continue to process evidence in the case as they wait for the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of Kelly Hunt’s death. So far, no arrests have been made. A tribute to slain teen Emily Pike adorns a fence in Mesa, Ariz. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) signed a bipartisan bill into law this month, mandating that the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) make attempts to enter cooperative agreements with each of the state’s 22 federally recognized tribes. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has more on the measure meant to improve child welfare. The statute requires DCS to identify a liaison for each tribe, who is then responsible for providing technical assistance and coordinating communication. The agency will also share best practices, policies, training materials, and operational standards. Murdered San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike was in the care of DCS when she went missing from a Mesa group home for the last time in early 2025. Her tribe has yet to enter an agreement with DCS, but is in talks. To date, only four tribes have established such Memoranda of Understanding.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, April 28, 2026 – Oklahoma tribes work to keep Medicaid access intact as federal cuts loom  

Anchorage, Alaska police have identified the person found deceased last week in the Spenard area of the city as 19-year-old Kelly Hunt from the Alaska Native community of Shaktoolik. Police say Hunt was discovered outdoors on April 20 near the 3500 block of Lois Drive. Next of kin have been notified. According to investigators, Hunt had arrived in Anchorage on January 6 and was staying at a residence on Oregon Drive. She left that home the following morning, January 7. Four days later, on January 11, Hunt was reported missing to Anchorage Police. Detectives were assigned to investigate her disappearance. More than three months later, officers responded to a call just before 9 a.m. on April 20, where Hunt’s body was found outside. Members of the crowd at the 2026 ASAA 1A/2A Basketball State Championships in March hold signs with a photo of Kelly Hunt printed on them. (Photo: Waatsasdiyei Apayakuk Yates) The Anchorage Police Department says the death remains under investigation. The State Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death. No arrests have been made at this time. In a statement, Police Chief Sean Case acknowledged the impact of the loss. Police are asking anyone with information related to the case to come forward as the investigation continues. 2026 U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty & Governance Summit. (Courtesy Indigenous Data Alliance / Instagram) With the rise of AI, Indigenous people around the world are growing more concerned about data sovereignty. The Mountain West News Bureau’s Hanna Merzbach has more on a recent conference on the topic in Tucson, Ariz. One attendee was Burt Dillabaugh, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, who works for an organization focused on Indigenous data sovereignty. He says at the last conference in 2024, people were still trying to understand the concept. Now, as AI scrapes data from the internet including traditional knowledge, they are ready to take action. “Since AI is here to stay, now is the time to be planning for it before it’s too late.” The mission is to protect Indigenous data – everything from genetics to language – from being exploited. “It’s some outside entity,  whether it be the federal government or a university or some corporation, wanting … to get data from tribes.” He says tribes can protect their data with policies that govern access. Or by creating systems to store it within Indigenous nations. The Indigenous data sovereignty movement is gaining steam with the growth of AI. Indigenous members from across the world recently gathered in Tucson, Arizona to discuss how to keep control of their data. That includes Burt Dillabaugh, who is with an organization trying to do just that. He says attendees at the recent event were more familiar with the movement. “It was less like introducing this new concept to people and more like, We know what’s going on. Here’s some ideas, let’s get down to work, do something.” Ideas include having tribal nations create policies to govern data access and prevent exploitation. Dillabaugh says this often happens when the federal government or universities want to collect genetic data about tribes. He wants tribes to have more of a say about how that data is used. Two community members in Galena, Alaska stand on the shore of the Yukon River, which no longer feeds their families. (Courtesy Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim Tribal Consortium) Three tribal organizations from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta have launched a new resource page for their ongoing salmon advocacy partnership. The Association of Village Council Presidents, the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, and the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish commission launched a partnership called the Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim Tribal Consortium (AYKTC) in 2002. A press release from the organization says the goal is to protect the ways of life associated with salmon, by focusing on policy and advocacy rooted in science and Indigenous knowledge. The tribal organizations have shown public support for a state Board of Fisheries proposal that would reduce salmon fishing time in Area M, and have advocated for bycatch caps and migratory corridor closures in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery. Its new website salmonpeople.org serves as a center for testimonials and resources for salmon advocacy. It features a collection of news stories and accounts documenting the impact of Western Alaska salmon crashes on the lives of the people who live in the region. It also aims to be a landing page where people can learn about current fisheries policies and engage in advocacy. This story was provided by KYUK’s Samantha Watson     Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, April 27, 2026 – Wide disparities persist when encountering ancestors’ remains

The U.S. Forest Service swapped 2,400 acres of lands last month with Resolution Copper that included an Apache holy site called Oak Flat. Now, an Arizona organization is challenging that decision. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has the latest. Resolution Copper told KJZZ that courts at every level have consistently ruled in the mining company’s favor, adding “it is time for the meritless litigation to end”. Becket Fund senior counsel Luke Goodrich disagrees. “This litigation is far from over. It’s really just getting started.” That is why his D.C. religious liberty firm filed a 41-page plea on Earth Day on behalf of the nonprofit Apache Stronghold. They are asking Arizona’s federal district court to essentially undo this congressionally approved land exchange, claiming the U-S has violated federal laws and even an 1852 treaty. Goodrich says there is even legal precedent to back them up. “The courts, if they find that transfer is unlawful, can unwind the transfer and require the parties restore the land to its pristine state.” (Photo: Theo Greenly / KUCB) Unalaskans got a chance to learn about the island’s only recycling program Tuesday, as part of Earth Day celebrations this week. Most of what the Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska collects gets shipped out, but not the glass. KUCB’s Sofia Stuart-Rasi has more on how used glass bottles could be put to use on island, over and over again. “Thank you all for joining us today.” Shenoy Anderson is standing in a conference room, walking community members through a PowerPoint presentation about recycling called “Bin to beyond”. “And recycling is a process of gathering and processing materials to create new products.” Anderson is the environmental director for the tribe. The tribe started their recycling program in 2024, collecting glass, number one plastic, aluminum, and cardboard. It is Unalaska’s only recycling program. Most of the recyclables get shipped out in containers to the Tacoma, Wash. area through a partnership with the barge company Matson, but glass is heavy and takes up too much space. So rather than see it go to waste, the tribe recycles it in house. “I got to take off all the plastic and, the metal off the bottles. That takes up most of the time.” That iss John Gustafson. He is the tribe’s recycling and facilities manager. He sorts the glass and runs the crusher machine, processing bottles into material used for sandbags and winter road traction for the island. That is cheaper than sending it out of town. When sorting glass, Gustafson has one hard rule. Bottles with food residue do not make the cut. Food residue and recycling can contaminate entire batches of material and can cause costly damage to equipment. “Like spaghetti sauce, Alfredo, and stuff like that. People don’t think to rinse it first.” As of now, the tribe has about 6,000 pounds of crushed glass stored. That is roughly 2 years’ worth, but Gustafson says there is room to grow in the future. “It’s just me and can only, you know, handle so much at a time. But eventually we want to upgrade all of our equipment and everything and we’ll spread the news to the whole community. It’ll be even busier.” Anderson says the tribe hopes to have the new equipment ready within the year and potentially recycle the glass into other materials for art, construction, and landscaping. She says once it is up and running, they plan to collect recyclable glass beyond an Alaska. “Our goal is to be a hub.” For now, community members can drop off recyclables at the Cowlingan Tribe’s office.         Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, April 24, 2026 — Music, fashion, and traditional ink under the stars with the Native Guitars Tour

An oil and gas lease sale is scheduled in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for June. The auction of drilling rights is mandated in federal law, but also reflects the Trump administration’s commitment to promoting energy development in the state. The response from Indigenous residents that live in or near the refuge is mixed, as the Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA reports. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced this month it will hold a lease sale in the nation’s largest wildlife refuge, in the northeastern corner of Alaska. The piece of ANWR that has been the subject of passionate dispute for decades is the Coastal Plain, a swath along the Beaufort Sea that potentially has oil and gas reserves. The only community within the refuge is Kaktovik, an Iñupiaq village of about 300 people. Kaktovik Mayor Nathan Gordon Jr. says resource development in the refuge means economic opportunity because the regional government, the North Slope Borough, taxes oil and gas companies. “The taxes that come from the development pay for our schools, our water system, our sewer system. It pays for everything that has meaning in our lifestyle and protection and safety.” ANWR provides habitat for migratory birds and polar bears. And the Coastal Plain specifically is the calving grounds for the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Gordon says he believes development within the refuge will not interfere with wildlife. “With restrictions in place, it’s already set in stone for us to have safe development with our animals.” But opponents of the project are concerned that gravel roads, drilling, and seismic exploration can harm caribou, especially during their vulnerable calving period. The Gwich’in community of Arctic Village is located right outside ANWR to the south. Faith Gemmill lives in Fairbanks, but is from Arctic Village and has family there. “Imagine oil development in their core calving area. It’s going to … devastate our herd.” Gemmill says caribou support food security, culture, spirituality, and economy for Gwich’in people, including the future generations. “Our way of life is reliant on the caribou. So in my opinion, (President Donald) Trump’s incessant drive to drill in this area is a form of cultural genocide of the Gwich’in.” If the upcoming lease sale is successful, it could still take years for a project to break ground. Additional reporting from Alaska Public Media’s Liz Ruskin Diné chef Justin Pioche, right, inspects ingredients as “Chopped” host Ted Allen watches during an episode from April 21, 2026. (Courtesy Food Network) “Chopped” is a Food Network show where four chefs compete in a race against time to make a three-course meal. The latest episode aired Tuesday night and featured an all-Indigenous lineup. As KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, a Navajo chef took the honors. From Chicago to Montana, Indian Country’s top cooks vied for the “Chopped” title, but two of them repped the Southwest including Chef Ray Naranjo, who comes from the Santa Clara Pueblo just north of Santa Fe, N.M. Justin Pioche lives on the Navajo Nation. The 2023 James Beard finalist for Best Chef in the Southwest co-owns Pioche Food Group, a high-end catering company. He plans on using the $10,000 cash prize to help pay for his own brick-and-mortar restaurant.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native Aerica Calling episode Thursday, April 23, 2026 — Gathering of MCs: Native musicians compete for best bars, beats, and freestyles

Photo: An aerial view of the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson, Ariz. during an EcoFlight trip in April 2026. (Gabriel Pietrorazio) Today is Earth Day and earlier this month, the Colorado nonprofit EcoFlight came to Arizona as part of its annual aerial educational program — Flight Across America. A cohort of college students soared through the skies for an environmental tour of endangered landscapes across the West. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio took flight with them and has this report. On the Tucson International Airport tarmac, a fleet of three Cessna 210s taxi for takeoff. Manufacturers ceased production of this 6-seater model four decades ago, but these very planes have lately been the college students’ main mode of transportation. Their four-day adventure across the Grand Canyon State kicked-off in Flagstaff. “And I am in awe of just what the world looks like from a bird’s eye view.” Back on the ground, 23-year-old Kimmale Anderson reflects on her ride. She is from the Hopi village of Kykotsmovi and a senior majoring in environmental science at Fort Lewis College in Colorado. Anderson and seven more students met tribes along the way. While here in Tucson, Tohono O’odham Vice Chairwoman Carla Johnson joined her and the rest. “These leaders coming and being with us in these planes and giving their perspective is very powerful. And I think that they don’t really speak for all of their people. And I appreciate the fact that they always express that.” An aerial view of solar panels near Tucson during an EcoFlight tour in April 2026. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) Arizona State University data science junior Sophia Honahni is Diné-Hopi and from Tuba City. “They had a lot to share – coming from both a western science and a traditional ecological knowledge perspective.” Eager high schoolers were the first to learn about the land from above through Flight Across America – until the nonprofit EcoFlight shifted its attention to career-bound college students who could make the most meaningful change in areas of conservation. This opportunity can, in part, be credited to one of the nation’s most popular folk singers — John Denver. This passion for piloting and astronomy only grew when he moved to spend much of his life in this snowy Colorado city. Aspen is also where Bruce Gordon founded EcoFlight. “My good friend John Denver, you’re old enough to know who he is? (laughter)” Gordon was one of the pilots that ferried students around Arizona. “But I laughed like that, because, even a number of the students we just had – maybe a third of them raised their hands.” Flight Across America was their brainchild for Earth Day 2000. “This idea sort of came to a huge fizzle when he passed away.” In 1997, the eight-time platinum album recording artist crashed an experimental plane into California’s Monterey Bay. Gordon dedicated the maiden Flight Across America voyage in 2004 to Denver’s memory. About 180 students have taken to the skies of the West since then. It is something Gordon thinks would have inspired Denver, too. “Yeah, he would have really been excited about this – getting up in the air, getting the people involved – because that was one of his main loves for sure.”     Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, April 22, 2026 — Earth Day read: “Mother Earth is Our Elder” by Katłı̨̀ą Catherine Lafferty

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) is announcing more than $6.3 million in technical assistance funding for tribal water projects across the country. The funding, announced in Washington, D.C., will support 10 projects aimed at improving access to clean and reliable water in Native communities. The investment comes through the agency’s Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program (TAP), which helps federally recognized tribes manage, develop, and protect water resources. Officials say the program is part of the federal government’s trust responsibility to tribes, and has supported projects across 17 western states since 2016. Acting Commissioner Scott Cameron says the need for these projects remains urgent. In a statement, Cameron says, “These projects speak to the needs that remain in these communities… many focus on ensuring communities have safe drinking water and sanitation.” The funded projects include a range of water infrastructure improvements, from drinking water system installation and rehabilitation to wastewater and lagoon construction, well installation, and water quality testing. Among the largest awards, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Spirit Lake Tribe will each receive $1 millionfor water system upgrades and wastewater infrastructure. Other projects include nearly $1 million for the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians for drinking water improvements, and more than $950,000 for Nambe Pueblo to support a community health drinking water initiative. An intertribal project led by the Inter Tribal Council will receive $675,000 to support water quality testing and accessibility across nine tribal nations in Oklahoma. Additional funding will support projects for the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, the Fort Sill Apache Tribe, and the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel. Tribal leaders say the investments are critical not only for infrastructure, but for long-term community health, sustainability, and workforce development. Federal officials say the program is designed to strengthen tribal capacity and ensure tribes can protect and manage their own water resources for future generations. A stretch of North Dakota Highway 31 winds through the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Monday, August 22, 2022. (Photo: Darren Thompson / Buffalo’s Fire) More than $2 million in grants is headed towards two tribes in North Dakota for road improvements. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is giving $1.2 million to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe for its Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) 3400 Roadway Realignment Safety Project. It will fund improvements on a nearly one-mile stretch to address “slope, drainage, and crash history”, according to a press release from North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer. Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Steve Sitting Bear told Buffalo’s Fire that the work on BIA 3400 addresses a real risk his people have lived with, but added that one-time grants aren’t enough. And roughly $777,000 went to the Spirit Lake Tribe for its Oyate Walkway to add warning panels and improvements to existing crosswalks and pavement markings. Spirit Lake Tribal Chairwoman Lonna Jackson-Street expressed gratitude for the funding, adding that it’d connect her community to the city of Devils Lake. The grants are part of a $21 million package for tribes allocated through the Tribal Transportation Fund. A 2024 report by the FHWA says Native people are at most risk of death in vehicle crashes, highlighting the need for safe and stable infrastructure across Indian Country   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, April 21, 2026 — Federal funding reinstated for public libraries but worries about the long-term remain

More than 400 athletes from over 100 communities gathered in Anchorage, Alaska for this year’s Native Youth Olympic games, held April 16-18 at the Alaska Airlines Center. Among them was Mila Neely, a sophomore at Juneau-Douglas High School (Yadaa.at Kalé) in Juneau, Alaska, but for Neely, the competition went beyond physical strength. She is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, with family roots in Oklahoma, where her ancestors, including her great, great, great, great grandmother, were forced to walk the Trail of Tears. When she was nine years old, she retraced that history alongside her father and great grandfather. “It’s kind of indescribable… to just stand where your ancestors stand… when my grandma was walking the Trail of Tears, she was thinking of me.” Neely says that experience continues to shape how she approaches the games. “For the games… especially when I’m doing seal hop… I’ll be like, ‘My grandma walked the Trail of Tears, I can make it to the end.’” She also sees connections between Cherokee traditions and Alaska Native values, rooted in community strength. “Our ancestors… they really just wanted other people to do good… because if they didn’t do good, their family might go hungry.” For Neely, every event carries a deeper purpose. “I hope I’d be making her proud… trying to make my ancestors proud, and keep our culture alive.” She says she is competing not just for herself, but for the generations who came before her, and those still to come. Turtle Mountain Community College. (Courtesy Wanda Parisien) For the second year in a row, the Trump administration is proposing to end all funding for the nation’s tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). As Brian Bull of Buffalo’s Fire reports, administrators are rallying against the proposal. The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) has blasted the White House’s proposed cuts, saying it is deeply concerned that the Trump budget for Fiscal Year 2027 “does not align with the Administration’s stated policies to support rural America and expand access to higher education.” Last year’s proposed budget cuts never came to pass, but Wanda Parisien president of Turtle Mountain Community College, in Belcourt, N.D., says this renewed call is a disheartening prospect. “Our programs are gonna be cut, so we’re gonna have fewer students because those programs won’t be offered. If we have fewer students, we’re not going to have the money to pay our instructors. We live in a poverty-stricken area.” Another tribal institution of higher learning is Nueta, Hidatsa, and Sahnish Community College in Fort Berthold. Its president Twyla Baker says she and other administrators will be working with congressional representatives to challenge this proposed cut. “Our representatives are highly cognizant of the fact that we are economic drivers in our communities. The TCUs — we generated $3.8 billion for the U.S. economy and supported over 40,000 jobs in healthcare and government and retail.” Besides the disruption caused, should the cuts to tribal colleges and universities be implemented, tribal administrators say it would be a violation of the federal government’s trust and treaty obligation to tribes. Tomi Kay Phillips is president of Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, N.D. She is cautiously optimistic the funding cut will be thwarted, eventually. “I believe that we will get the funding, it just doesn’t make sense for them not to fund us. Y’know, we make do with what we have if we have to. Our ancestors went through worse things. And we will always be okay.” The proposed cut to tribal colleges and universities comes to roughly $160 million and includes TCUs, institutes operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIA), technical colleges, and scholarships. It came through the U.S. Interior Department, helmed by former Governor Doug Burgum (R-ND). A request for comment on the proposal to Sec. Burgum was not answered.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, April 20, 2026 — Native Bookshelf: “Python’s Kiss” by Louise Erdrich

Opening ceremonies for the statewide Native Youth Olympic (NYO) games got underway at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska Thursday. This year’s NYO coordinator, Brittany Vo, says it is impressive to watch the procession of 400 athletes from across Alaska enter the stadium, as they carry homemade banners that represent their schools and communities. “It’s just so exciting to have so much representation in one room, which I think is really powerful to see how one event can bring us all together.” Over the next two days, thousands of people will come to watch traditional Native games like the Alaskan High Kick, the Seal Hop, and Stick Pull – tests of skill, strength, and endurance, Vo says, that are rooted in survival off the land. “It’s really important to me, because as a youth, I didn’t always feel like pride in my culture. And the fact that these students come and they’re proud to do these games is really important for self-esteem and confidence.” This year marks the 40th year that the Cook Inlet Tribal Council has hosted NYO. Since then, the games have continued to grow. Today, teams from more than 100 Alaska communities take part. The deadline to comment has passed on a Trump administration proposal that could roll back a two-decade ban on oil and gas drilling around a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within seven days, more than 70,000 comments were gathered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has more on potential changes for public lands surrounding Chaco Canyon. The BLM wants to repeal a Biden-era 10-mile buffer zone of more than 336,000 acres. Rich in oil and gas, some 40,000 wells already dot the Greater Chaco Landscape. “What we are fighting for is the last, right now, unleased federal lands.” Marissa Naranjo is from the Santa Clara Pueblo. She is with the New Mexico nonprofit Sovereign Energy. “Even when tribes lead, engage and help shape the process over many years, you know at this point, there’s no guarantee that those outcomes will be respected, as we’re seeing by the seven-day public comment. It could set the tone for how sacred sites and public lands are treated nationwide.” The mineral leasing withdrawal in 2023 followed a 150-day comment period. After a year of working for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Scott Davis has stepped down from his role as deputy assistant secretary of Indian Affairs (ASIA). As Brian Bull of Buffalo’s Fire reports, Davis is now back in North Dakota and the private sector. Davis is a citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe with Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa heritage. He has long been a familiar face across North Dakota, having served as the executive director of the state’s Indian Affairs Commission from 2009 to 2021. It was in that capacity that he became friends with Doug Burgum, then governor of North Dakota. When Burgum was confirmed as the 55th U.S. Secretary of the Interior last year, he tapped Davis to join his staff. Davis confesses he was hesitant. “You know when things started getting really busy, and not enough people power in the ASIA Hallway, I said I would help him get things set up, and whether that was a year, two years. But it wasn’t solely intended by no means, it was never my goal to be working in government, but sometimes that’s where the Creator puts you.” Davis said he is proud to have met with 400 tribes and addressed red tape, natural resources development, and probate while in federal office. He will go back to his consulting and lobbying firm, Tatanka Consulting, which he founded in 2023. He will also spend more time with his family. Among the groups praising Davis’ tenure are the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the InterTribal Buffalo Council.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, April 17, 2026 – Storytelling and advocacy through film, culture, and collaboration at Arctic Encounter  

Photo: Researchers and community members gather for a presentation by Robin Masterman at the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center in Bethel on April 9, 2026. (Samantha Watson / KYUK) Researchers and local experts gathered in Bethel last week to share environmental knowledge. As KYUK’s Samantha Watson reports, the conference highlighted the power of linking Indigenous knowledge with Western science across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. It is the beginning of the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference, but before everyone gets down to work – organizer Katie Basile asks them to stop and … “Think about resilience and abundance in Western Alaska. What does that look like?” Basile, with the Alaska Sea Grant which organized the conference, says it is hard not to get bogged down by the difficult issues the region is facing. Many of those problems are informing research presented this week: salmon fisheries in decline, permafrost erosion, and the devastation of Typhoon Halong. Basile says this gathering is also an opportunity to imagine what things could lead to a better future. “What conversations can we have this week that will connect us to a narrative of abundance and resilience?” The conference is in its 18th year and it rotates between Western Alaska communities. Bridging Indigenous knowledge with Western science took center stage. Joann Slats, mayor of Napakiak, spoke about growing up in the village — when permafrost was close to the surface. “The permafrost was about two feet, July, June.” Today, Slats says stronger fall storms, including October’s ex-Typhoon Halong, have been a new piece of the village’s relationship with its environment. “90% in our community, 90% of the homes experienced water getting into their homes.” Much of the research that was presented had similar firsthand accounts and testimonies around the changing environment. Nicole Herman-Mercer with the U.S. Geological Survey presented a project that couples collecting interviews with data surrounding extreme weather events in Y-K Delta communities. “We set out to develop finer scale climate data coupled with community narratives to create storylines of change.” Organizers said a record-breaking 160 people registered to participate in the conference this year. An eagle staff stands among the trees in the Black Elk Wilderness on March 21, 2026. (Photo: Preston Keres / U.S. Forest Service) A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by Great Sioux Nation Tribal leaders and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), that allows collaborative stewardship of the Black Elk Wilderness in South Dakota. Brian Bull of Buffalo’s Fire reports. Last month, members of both parties signed the MOU, in an event that also included a hike up Black Elk Peak. The wilderness comprises more than 13,000 acres of forest in the Black Hills National Forest and was created in 1980. Boyd Gourneau is chairman of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, one of the 11 tribes represented in the agreement. He says this is an especially important development for Native youth. “Our children are one of the most important resources for the future of our nation. We want our kids to have a chance to visit the sacred lands, our ancestors roamed free at one time.” Gourneau said he wished the parties would have signed a MOU, as he considers that more binding. Ultimately he would like to see all the land returned to tribes. In a release, the USFS said the MOU “enhances opportunities for tribal guidance, knowledge, and consultation regarding wilderness management, resource protection, recreation, and cultural interpretation.”     Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Thursday, April 16, 2026 – Eklutna: a trailblazer on gaming and climate change action in Alaska