The Daily Spark

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SNAP program will undergo changes this week, many recipient could lose benefits

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins cited unverified fraud statistics to justify strict new eligibility rules that experts warn could remove millions from food assistance rolls

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the Trump administration will implement structural changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) this week, according to NPR. Rollins points to “massive fraud” in the program to justify the changes, claiming hundreds of thousands of Americans are receiving double benefits and thousands of deceased people are receiving benefits. The validity of these statistics are unclear, as the USDA has not confirmed Rollins claims.

The changes come on the heels of the November SNAP interruption caused by the government shutdown, which Rollins said spurred the structural changes. Rollins did not specify what changes will occur. A USDA draft of regulation submitted last month suggests the changes may narrow the “broad-based categorical eligibility,” which some welfare recipients can qualify under. A senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities told NPR an estimated 6 million people could lose benefits with a policy change this big.

Rollins also said all SNAP recipients would have to reapply to receive benefits. A statement from a USDA spokesperson seemed to walk back Rollins’s comment, saying the agency plans to use the standard recertification process.

Tribal nations honored for assistance in LA County fires

Local officials formally recognized fifteen indigenous communities in California, Oregon and Arizona for deploying crews to battle the Eaton and Palisades blazes

Fifteen tribal nations are being recognized by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for their assistance in the Eaton and Palisades wildfires that rapidly spread in California in January 2025. Fire crews from tribes in California, Oregon and Arizona were deployed to help, according to a press release from Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.

“In January, tribes came to our aid in our time of need,” Barger was quoted as saying. “Their response reflects generosity, partnership, and a shared commitment to co-stewarding this land. Our Los Angeles County Fire Department relied on the incredible support of these tribal fire departments to provide mutual aid when it mattered most. I’m honored to welcome representatives from several of these tribal nations here today.”

Fire Chief Keith Alexander of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation was quoted as saying the acknowledgement “honors the bravery of our personnel” and “uplifts the spirit of our nation.” He added, “We are proud to stand alongside the Los Angeles County Fire Department to protect lives and the land that we all cherish.”

Ancient earthen observatory in Ohio reveals vast astronomical knowledge of early Natives

After years of restricted access due to a private golf course, the Hopewell culture’s precise lunar tracking site recently joined the Pyramids and Great Wall on the UNESCO World Heritage list

More than 2,000 years after the Octagon Earthworks were developed, the series of earthen mounds built by early Indigenous people are finally getting their due recognition. PBS Newshour reports that archaeologists have compared this site in present-day Newark, Ohio, to Stonehenge for its precise design that tracks the moon’s 18.6 year journey across the sky. But the intricate series of mounds suffered centuries of development, including a members-only golf course that limited access for researchers.

In 2023, the World Heritage Committee rewarded more than 20 years’ effort by the Ohio History Connection by putting eight of its mounds on its list, alongside notable structures such as the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Giza. Earlier this year, visitors were invited to experience the Octagon Earthworks as an official World Heritage Site, an ancient astronomical observatory built by Indigenous people who lived roughly 1,500 years before Galileo.

A Native chief, Glenna Wallace of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, told PBS Newshour that when she visited the site, she could hear ancestors singing. The Eastern Shawnee are descendants of what researchers call the Hopewell people, who were driven out of Ohio with the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

Report: Native youths in Washington less likely to get diversion after first offense

A recent analysis indicates that racial disparities regarding court leniency widen significantly with subsequent offenses, prompting lawmakers to implement stricter data collection requirements

Native American youths in Washington are less likely than white youths to be offered diversion from juvenile court, particularly after a first offense, according to InvestigateWest. A 2025 analysis by the Washington Center for Court Research found that disparities widen when prosecutors decide on diversion for second and third offenses in large counties. “It’s rinse-repeat,” Indigenous rights attorney Gabe Galanda, a citizen of the Round Valley Indian Tribe, was quoted as saying. Researchers called the findings “really disheartening,” said Joshua Rovner of The Sentencing Project.

Lawmakers and researchers are pushing for better tracking. House Bill 1391 requires the state to define and collect data on formal and informal diversion. King County plans to replace most prefiling diversion programs after audits questioned performance and financial practices. The research center reported “very strong” evidence that race and ethnicity influenced diversion decisions for Native youths in Pierce County and “moderately strong” evidence in Spokane County, according to the report.

Family seeks answers 20 years after death of Sisseton woman in Missouri

Investigators suspect the 22-year-old was a victim of sex trafficking, but DNA evidence has failed to identify a perpetrator in the two-decade-old cold case

Twenty years after Lakota Renville was found dead in a vacant lot near Kansas City, her family is still seeking justice, according to ICT. Renville, a 22-year-old Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota woman and 2003 graduate of Crow Creek Tribal Schools, was discovered wrapped in a blanket in Independence, Missouri, in 2005. Police believe she was killed elsewhere and transported to the site.

Investigators said Renville had been a victim of sex trafficking and that DNA collected in the case has not yet identified a suspect. Her family continues to raise awareness through a Facebook page called “Justice for Lakota Renville,” while the Independence Police Department renewed its social media campaign on the 20th anniversary of her death. A candlelight vigil is held each year at the lot where Renville was found.

Energy Transfer asks North Dakota Supreme Court to pause Greenpeace case in Netherlands

The company argues that the foreign litigation improperly challenges a recent domestic jury verdict and is urging the state's high court to intervene before upcoming oral arguments

Energy Transfer is asking the North Dakota Supreme Court to order Southwest District Court Judge James Gion to halt a Greenpeace International lawsuit in the Netherlands while related litigation proceeds in North Dakota, according to the North Dakota Monitor. The company argues the Dutch case “collaterally attacks the jury verdict” in Morton County and invites “a foreign tribunal to sit in judgment over North Dakota’s judiciary,” according to its petition. Gion denied a stay in September, finding the cases raise different claims and that the Netherlands matter is unlikely to affect the state case. The high court will hear arguments Dec. 18.

Greenpeace International says Energy Transfer has no basis to involve it in North Dakota and will join oral arguments in support of Gion’s decision, according to its filings. The state filed a neutral friend-of-the-court brief urging guidance on when courts should pause foreign cases. Gion recently reduced a jury award against Greenpeace from more than $660 million to about $345 million.

ICE personnel confront Native actress Elaine Miles

The Seattle Times reports that Elaine Miles, known for her roles in “Northern Exposure,” “Smoke Signals” and “The Last of Us,” said she was stopped outside a Redmond, Washington, bus stop by four men wearing face masks and garb emblazoned with the ICE label. In an account originally detailed in a Facebook post earlier this month, Miles said the men emerged from two black SUVs without front license plates and demanded to see her ID.

In that same post, Miles said when she presented her tribal ID card issued by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation of Oregon, one man called it “fake” while another said, “Anyone can make that.”

The men themselves did not share their names or badge numbers when Miles asked for them. When pressed on the validity of her tribal ID, she told them to call the phone number on the back of it. After she called the tribe’s enrollment office, the men attempted to take her phone but then retreated after a fifth ICE agent summoned them back to the SUVs.

Tribes have urged their citizens to remain calm if confronted by ICE and to present their tribal IDs, which are valid proof of U.S. citizenship, and they have called on government agencies to honor the IDs and exercise caution when detaining people.

On Veteran’s Day, a woman enrolled with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community had an ICE detainer placed on her as she was preparing to leave the Polk County Jail. A spokesman for the jail called the mix-up a “silly” clerical error.

Critics call these two incidents examples of racial profiling. ICE did not respond to requests for comment.

Native Conservancy promotes regenerative ocean farming in Alaska

The Native Conservancy is developing regenerative ocean farming projects in Alaska that focus on cultivating kelp and bivalves to restore ecosystems and strengthen Indigenous sovereignty, according to The Fish Site. Founder Dune Lankard, an Eyak Athabaskan from Cordova, said the initiative aims to revive Indigenous coastal economies and reconnect communities with ancestral food systems disrupted by colonization and pollution.

The Conservancy, the first Native-led and Native-owned land trust in Alaska, is collaborating with regional organizations to establish kelp test farms and collect environmental data on salinity, temperature and biomass. Tiffany Stephens, director of Ocean Back at the Conservancy, said the group is also working to address barriers such as permitting, workforce development and processing. Lankard said the project’s success will be measured by sustainability and sovereignty rather than profit.

Indigenous brand Tópa collaborates with Ralph Lauren for global collection

Indigenous-owned clothing brand Tópa partnered with Ralph Lauren for the fourth installment of the company’s Artist in Residence program, according to the National Indigenous Times, a news publication based in Australia. The collaboration blends Indigenous design elements with the American fashion house’s signature style.

Tópa is owned by Jocy and Trae Little Sky of the Oceti Sakowin. Jocy Little Sky is Dakota and belongs to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nations, while Trae Little Sky is Oglala Lakota and Stoney Nakoda. The collection features men’s and women’s apparel and accessories inspired by the colors red, black, yellow and white. A short film was shot on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota to accompany the release.

Ralph Lauren announced a portion of proceeds will support the Lakota Language and Education Initiative through the Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation.

Minnesota Wild honors Native heritage with mural and Ojibwe-language broadcast

The Minnesota Wild will celebrate Native American Heritage Day on Friday, Nov. 28, with two tributes highlighting Indigenous culture and language, according to MPR News.

Ojibwe-Cree artist Shawna Grapentine of Warroad, Minnesota, created a mural titled “Land of 10,000 Rinks” for the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships. The artwork, selected by Minnesota Sports and Events in partnership with USA Hockey and the 2026 IIHF Local Organizing Committee, features orange and yellow hues, Ojibwe floral designs, and imagery of animals and pond hockey. According to MPR News, Sky Boucha, chair of Minnesota Sports and Events’ Indigenous Initiative Advisory Committee, said in a press statement that the piece “embodies the vibrancy, teachings, and resilience of Indigenous culture.”

Friday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche will also mark the first Minnesota Wild broadcast entirely in Ojibwe. Chato Ombishkebines Gonzalez of the Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Institute, along with Gordon Maajiigoneyaash Jourdain and James Ginoonde Buckholtz, will provide commentary. Puck drop is at 2:30 p.m. CST at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.

Tribal nations lead Michigan wild rice revival efforts

Tribal nations in Michigan are partnering with the state to restore wild rice, known as manoomin, to lakes and streams across the region, according to MLive. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community have worked together for the past decade to sow thousands of pounds of wild rice seed. The effort has since expanded to include other tribal partners, including the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa.

Bay Mills fisheries biologist Frank Zomer said tribal communities are sourcing seeds and determining where restoration projects should take place. Despite federal funding cuts earlier this year, state and tribal officials continue their collaboration through the Michigan Wild Rice Initiative, which aims to protect manoomin and raise awareness of its ecological and cultural importance.

Turtle Mountain College receives $22 million gift from MacKenzie Scott

Turtle Mountain College in Belcourt, North Dakota, has received a $22 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, according to the Minot Daily News. The college announced the donation on Nov. 24, describing it as the largest private gift in its history. It follows an $8 million donation from Scott in 2020.

Wanda Parisien, president of Turtle Mountain College, said the contribution will strengthen the college’s mission and future. “We are profoundly grateful to MacKenzie Scott for this extraordinary commitment to our students and our mission,” Parisien was quoted as saying. She added that the funding will ensure financial stability and expand opportunities for students to thrive academically while honoring their heritage and traditions.

Cowlitz Indian Tribe strengthens cultural preservation through traditional foods

The Cowlitz Indian Tribe continues efforts to restore food sovereignty and cultural traditions through programs that connect members to first foods such as salmon, steelhead, camas lily bulbs and huckleberries, according to The Reflector.

Tribal Chairman Bill Iyall said access to first foods remains a top priority and reflects the tribe’s commitment to sustainability and community well-being. The Fish Distribution Program, which has operated for more than 20 years, now ships filleted fish nationwide to tribal members. The Cowlitz community garden, established in 2019, distributes food and plant medicines to more than 375 Native households along the Interstate 5 corridor.

Iyall said the tribe’s preservation efforts extend beyond tribal members, benefiting the wider community and continuing the work to reclaim traditional hunting and fishing rights.

MHA Nation partners with Killdeer High School for first Indigenous culture assembly

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation and Killdeer High School hosted their first assembly about Indigenous culture, according to Dakota News Network. MHA borders Killdeer, North Dakota, and the school district has about 85 Indigenous students.

Two history teachers at the school reached out to Jessica Howling Wolf to provide authentic cultural education for their students. Howling Wolf collaborated with the MHA Nation to organize an educational and immersive assembly, marking the first partnership of its kind between the neighboring communities.

New search effort targets restricted area in Renzo Bullhead case

Eight months after Renzo Bullhead went missing, trained volunteers with search dogs combed a previously off-limits area near Bismarck’s train bridge on Nov. 22, according to Valley News Live.

Ten volunteer ground searchers and certified dogs from Northstar Search & Rescue of Minnesota participated in the operation. Spirit Lake Tribe officials said the Northstar K9 team focused on water areas after receiving information suggesting Bullhead may have been dragged from the water.

The Bismarck Police Department was present during the search, and findings will be shared with Mandan police, Bismarck police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs MMIP Unit. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Vice Chairman Mike Faith said tribal officials helped coordinate the effort to ensure the search was conducted “legally and safely.”

Deidre “Roxy” Leaf, Bullhead’s mother, said she remains grateful for continued efforts and “will not stop fighting” for answers.

Colorado River Indian Tribes recognize river as a living being with legal rights

The Colorado River Indian Tribes of Arizona and California voted this month to recognize the Colorado River as a living being with the same legal rights as a person, according to KUNC. The resolution states that “there is no greater expression of sovereignty than protecting, stewarding, and securing for future generations what our Ancestors handed down to us.”

Chairwoman Amelia Flores said the designation gives the tribal council authority to include actions in future water transactions that support the river’s long-term health, such as habitat restoration and wetland development. The tribes hold the senior-most water rights in Arizona for Colorado River water, Flores said, adding that protection efforts must focus on what people can give back to the river, not only what it provides.

Wampanoag-owned Tribal Fire launches cannabis brand with Suncrafted in Massachusetts

Holistic Health Group, Inc., operating as Suncrafted, has partnered with Tribal Fire, a cannabis delivery service based on Cape Cod, to launch the first licensed Native American cannabis brand on the East Coast, according to PR Newswire. The partnership aims to support members of the Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts through the sale of cannabis products including flower, pre-rolls and vape cartridges.

Tribal Fire founder John Marcellino said the collaboration honors Wampanoag traditions while promoting sustainable cultivation practices. Suncrafted President Tim McNamara said the company’s natural production methods, such as using local cranberries, align with Tribal Fire’s focus on sustainability and cultural reverence. The products are currently available through Tribal Fire’s delivery service, with plans to expand to dispensaries statewide.

FBI operation leads to hundreds of arrests, child rescues in Indian Country

The FBI announced new arrests and convictions following Operation Not Forgotten, a nationwide effort to solve violent crimes in Indian Country. The Department of Justice said in a press release it deployed 64 personnel through field offices across 10 states, making 1,123 arrests, charging 1,260 suspects, recovering 304 weapons and identifying or finding 458 child victims.

The press release called the effort the “longest and most intense” FBI deployment in Indian Country history. The agency worked with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal law enforcement on more than 330 investigations, using tools such as ground-penetrating radar and underwater cameras.

Indigenous advocates reclaim breastfeeding as a cultural practice

Indigenous lactation advocates in Minnesota are helping Native parents navigate breastfeeding through culturally informed education and support. According to MPR News, lactation consultant Camila Valenzuela-Panza offers free home visits and classes at the Ain Dah Yung Center in St. Paul. Valenzuela-Panza, who is of Mapuche ancestry, said access to care is limited because insurance reimbursement for lactation consultants is low and outpatient appointments are difficult to schedule.

Valenzuela-Panza is part of the Indigenous Breastfeeding Coalition of Minnesota, led by Shashana Skippingday and Pearl Walker-Swaney. The coalition promotes breastfeeding as a traditional practice and provides resources for new parents. The Minnesota Department of Health reports that breastfeeding rates among Indigenous parents are among the lowest in the state, due in part to lack of support and access to prenatal education.