The Daily Spark

A new play by University of Montana alumna Kendra Mylnechuk Potter addresses the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people and premieres Feb. 14 at the Montana Theatre in Missoula, according to UM News Service. “Can’t Drink Salt Water” was commissioned by the Montana Repertory Theatre and selected by a nationwide team of Indigenous artists, including actress Lily Gladstone.

Mylnechuk Potter, a member of the Lummi Nation, said the project centers on MMIP, a crisis in which American Indian and Alaska Native people face disproportionate rates of violence and disappearance. Indigenous people in Montana are four times more likely to be reported missing than others, according to a 2024 Montana Department of Justice report cited by UM News Service. The production runs through Feb. 22 and includes professional Indigenous artists alongside University of Montana students.

Washington State University has hired Jeffrey Wall as an Indigenous-focused horticulturist at the WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center, according to Washington State University News. Wall began Jan. 1 and is part of the Department of Horticulture within the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. His work examines traditional ecological knowledge and historic Indigenous-managed landscapes, including camas meadows, crabapple habitats and aquaculture systems.

Wall said he is exploring collaborations with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, the Squaxin Island Tribal Garden and Kwiáht, a nonprofit conservation biology laboratory. His research focuses on how Indigenous plant cultivation and habitat stewardship practices can inform environmental care and food systems, according to Washington State University News.

Washington State University News

South Dakota lawmakers advanced a bill recognizing principles for tribal consultation but rejected a proposal to require quarterly meetings between state officials and tribal leaders, according to South Dakota Searchlight. House Bill 1232, sponsored by Rep. Peri Pourier, D-Rapid City and a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, states that agencies should recognize accountability, cooperation and early communication with tribes when developing programs affecting tribal members, though language requiring documentation of those principles was removed before a 12-0 committee vote.

A separate measure, House Bill 1190, would have established a tribal consultation commission to meet four times a year; it failed 8-4. Algin Young, secretary of the state Department of Tribal Relations, testified that “you can’t legislate relationships,” according to South Dakota Searchlight. Another bill, House Bill 1175, cleared the House Judiciary Committee to expand tribal access to criminal background check information.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., introduced a resolution calling for an end to unsanctioned Native American mascots and imagery in schools, according to a Feb. 9 press release from his office. The measure responds to what the release describes as efforts by the Trump administration to investigate New York school districts that complied with a 2022 state rule phasing out Native American mascots.

The resolution is endorsed by the National Congress of American Indians. It urges schools, athletic associations and policymakers to retire Native American-themed mascots and calls on the Department of Education to work with tribal governments and educators. According to the release, Maine banned Native American mascots in public schools and colleges in 2019. Other states, including California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, have adopted policies restricting or phasing out Indigenous mascots in public schools.

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., and U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., have reintroduced legislation to investigate and document the history and long-term impacts of federal Indian boarding school policies. Cole and Davids serve as co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus.

According to a joint press release, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2025 would establish a commission to examine boarding school histories and policies and develop recommendations for federal action. From 1819 through the 1970s, the federal government established more than 526 government-funded and church-run boarding schools aimed at assimilating Native children. By 1926, nearly 86% of Indian school-age children were attending such schools. The proposed commission would report on the schools’ impacts and seek to provide answers for survivors, descendants and tribal communities.

North Dakota has reached a settlement with the Department of Justice concerning a ruling that awarded the state $28 million in damages from the Dakota Access Pipeline protest, according to Law360.

The Army Corps of Engineers approved the pipeline’s construction in 2016, which drew opposition from over 200 tribes. The pipeline crosses under the Missouri River and Lake Oahe just north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, which threatens Standing Rock’s water resources and harms the environment, says the tribe.

The state filed a lawsuit in 2019 against the United States, acting through the Corps, for failing to minimize civil unrest and prevent damage to civilians, law enforcement and private property during the 2016 and 2017 protests. In an April 2025 ruling, a federal judge found that the Corps was at fault for negligence, civil trespass and public nuisance and ordered the United States to pay North Dakota $28 million in damages.

In June, the United States issued a notice to appeal. Now, parties have come to a settlement out of court. Information about what the settlement entails and how much the state will be awarded in damages is not yet public.

Tribes could lose $1.5 billion in climate funding previously authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 due to cuts related to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to a recent ICT article that cites a Feb. 5 report from the Brookings Institution. The report found that while $4.2 billion was projected for Indian Country, about $2 billion had been dispersed by the end of fiscal year 2025. Researchers said the remaining $1.5 billion is unlikely to reach tribes.

The report also outlines potential barriers to SNAP and Medicaid access, despite exemptions for Native people, according to the National Council of Urban Indian Health. Researchers Robert Maxim and Glencora Haskins said state verification systems may not reflect tribal enrollment data, potentially placing documentation burdens on individuals seeking benefits.

Tensions over the legal status of tribal bison in Wyoming surfaced before the Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on Tribal Relations on Jan. 28, according to WyoFile. The dispute followed an October incident in which buffalo associated with the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative wandered onto a neighboring rancher’s property. Jason Baldes, an Eastern Shoshone leader of the initiative, said it took hours of negotiations with state officials before he was allowed to retrieve the animals. Rancher Mitch Benson later told lawmakers he sought “clarity” on how escaped tribal bison should be managed.

Under Wyoming law, most bison are classified as livestock, including those on private lands near the Wind River Indian Reservation. Wyoming Game and Fish Department Chief Warden Dan Smith testified that privately owned bison falling outside reservation boundaries do not fall under the department’s authority. Gov. Mark Gordon said there had been a “misunderstanding” and outlined procedures for handling stray animals, according to WyoFile.

Tribal leaders and educators criticized a federal restructuring of Native education programs during a consultation in Washington, D.C., according to Indianz.com. With the Department of Education being dismantled, the Department of the Interior will assume oversight of key programs, while the Department of Labor will take over others, including about $1.6 billion in Impact Aid funding. The changes affect nearly half a million American Indian and Alaska Native public school students. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. of the Cherokee Nation was quoted as saying that agreements were already “at the execution stage” before consultation occurred. Vice President Richelle Montoya of the Navajo Nation cited Executive Order 13175, saying the November 2025 announcement was made without consultation.

At the session at the National Museum of the American Indian, Chairman Peter Lengkeek of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe said the format did not constitute “robust and meaningful consultation,” according to Indianz.com. Tribal leaders raised concerns about the Bureau of Indian Education’s capacity to absorb additional programs and called for regional meetings.

An MMIP prayer walk will be held in Bismarck, North Dakota, on Valentine’s Day. The walk, titled “Remembering Their Hearts,” will begin at Keelboat Park at 11 a.m.

“On a day of hearts and love it is important that we remember the hearts of the missing and murdered and all of the grieving families,” Melanie Angel, the event organizer, said in a Facebook post.

People are encouraged to wear red, dress warmly and bring signs.

A North Dakota man accused of killing a woman inside a hotel room at Sky Dancer Casino & Resort has pleaded not guilty, according to Casino.org. Rigoberto Mendez Morales, 58, is charged with second-degree murder in Indian country in the death of a Native woman enrolled with the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.

According to Casino.org, deputies with the Rolette County Sheriff’s Office responded to the casino in Belcourt on Jan. 10 following a 911 call. Investigators said surveillance video showed Mendez Morales and the woman entering the room shortly after midnight, with no one else entering or exiting before officers arrived. Authorities allege the woman was stabbed to death. Mendez Morales told investigators he had no memory of the incident and awoke to find the woman unresponsive. A federal magistrate ordered him held in custody pending a jury trial scheduled for April 14.

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College hosted its seventh annual Ojibwe Language Symposium in Cloquet, Minnesota, bringing together community members for workshops, immersive games and speaker panels, according to MPR News. The free, family-oriented gathering invited learners of all ages and experience levels to participate.

“I think it's one of the few opportunities that we have just to kind of gather and to celebrate the language, and then also to connect with one another,” Michelle Goose, an Ojibwe language instructor at the college and a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, was quoted as saying.

According to MPR News, the symposium is held in collaboration with local immersion programs, including the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network, known as MIIN. Goose said about 300 people registered this year, ranging from grade school students to elders. The two-day event took place Feb. 6-7.

David Bean, the new chairman of the Indian Gaming Association, said he is continuing the work of longtime chairman Ernie Stevens Jr., who died in September 2024, according to ICT. Bean, a citizen of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, said he learned from Stevens the importance of sharing personal stories and remaining vigilant against threats to Indian gaming.

“My takeaway from watching chairman is to make sure and tell these personalized stories,” Bean was quoted as saying. He added, “We also have to remain vigilant.”

According to ICT, Bean has been involved with the Indian Gaming Association since 2009 and previously served as the first Northwest regional representative. He was elected to the Puyallup Tribal Council at age 37 and later served as vice chair and chairman until 2021. Bean said his priorities include protecting Indian gaming, safeguarding tribal sovereignty and promoting economic diversification. He plans to honor Stevens during the association’s annual tradeshow and convention March 30 to April 3 in San Diego.

A vigil on what would have been Hoksila Running Bear’s 19th birthday will be held Feb. 12. Running Bear passed away in October after being hit by a train in Mandan, North Dakota. Prior to his death, he was assaulted and had been receiving threats.

In a flyer made for the event, Running Bear’s family calls for justice and answers.

The vigil will take place at 4:30 p.m., near the railroad on BisMan Avenue, where Running Bear was last seen on a security camera before his death. Brittney Rough Surface-Arnett, Running Bear’s mother, encourages people to dress for the weather and bring chairs if they would like to sit.

Anyone with questions about the event can contact Rough Surface-Arnett via email at arisangel2005@gmail.com.

The Bismarck Police Department said Charlie Eagle Shield, a 17-year-old citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, has been found safe.

Police had been searching for Eagle Shield after he was reported missing on Jan. 30. He was last seen after traveling to Minot, North Dakota, and was expected to return to his foster home after three days, according to Bismarck Police Officer Collin Schlecht.

No additional details were released. Police thanked the public for sharing information.

State-Tribal Relations Day will take place Feb. 25 at the Capitol Rotunda in Pierre from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., according to South Dakota State News. The 2026 theme is “Bringing Awareness to the MMIP Crisis Through Collaboration,” with a focus on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.

The event will bring together MMIP organizations, tribal leaders and state legislators to foster collaboration and dialogue, according to South Dakota State News. As of Jan. 1, 2026, 61% of the 118 people listed as missing in South Dakota were Native American, according to the South Dakota Missing Persons website. “We must never forget the lives lost and the families still searching for answers,” said Algin Young, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations, according to South Dakota State News. The event is open to the public, and formal invitations have been extended to all nine tribal leaders and councils.

The Office of Sovereign Partnerships & Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Kansas will host the Sovereign Futures Series: AI and Data Sovereignty Across the Southern Plains March 3-4, according to the university. The event will bring together tribal leaders, community practitioners, scholars, educators and technologists to examine how artificial intelligence, data governance and emerging technologies affect tribal sovereignty and Indigenous self-determination. Sessions will be held in person at the university and livestreamed.

The event will include panels on Indigenous data sovereignty, digital repatriation, AI governance and community-centered technology design, according to KU. “AI and data systems are already shaping everyday decisions,” Chamisa Edmo, a co-organizer and graduate student in computer science at KU, was quoted by KU News as saying. “The work ahead is building shared understanding of how these systems work and ensuring tribal nations have the authority to govern them.” The event is open to the public, with in-person and virtual registration available.

Indigenous activists held a demonstration Saturday outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis to protest immigration enforcement and detentions at the site, according to MPR News. The “Not On Native Land” rally was organized and led by Indigenous clergy from Minnesota in response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity tied to Operation Metro Surge.

Jim Bear Jacobs, program director of environmental justice with Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, said the building’s namesake, Henry Whipple, advocated for Dakota people during the U.S.-Dakota War. Jacobs read a statement from Craig Loya, bishop of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, calling it a “painful irony” that a building named for Whipple now houses immigration enforcement, according to MPR News.

Speakers and performers, including members of Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, addressed the crowd. Kate Beane, executive director of the Minnesota Museum of American Art, said the land where the building stands was never ceded by Dakota people, according to MPR News.

Representatives of Nuiqsut, an Iñupiat village on Alaska’s North Slope, have sued the Trump administration over the cancellation of a conservation agreement protecting the Teshekpuk Lake area and the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd, according to Alaska Beacon. Nuiqsut Trilateral Inc., which includes the city government, the tribal government and Kuukpik Corp., filed the lawsuit Jan. 28 in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

The lawsuit challenges the Interior Department’s December cancellation of a 2024 right-of-way agreement covering about 1 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Interior Department Deputy Secretary Katharine MacGregor said in a cancellation notice that the agreement violated the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act and described subsistence harvesting as a “non-use” of resources. Alaska Beacon reports that the complaint disputes that characterization, arguing that subsistence is a recognized use under federal law and that the cancellation violates longstanding subsistence protections.