The Daily Spark

The U.S. Department of the Interior has launched the Electronic Probate System, a digital platform designed to modernize probate services for American Indian and Alaska Native families, according to an Interior Department announcement. The system allows beneficiaries to report a death, upload documents, provide family history information and track the status of probate cases through a secure online family portal. Bureau of Indian Affairs probate staff will use a companion specialist portal to manage case reviews and prepare files for the Office of Hearings and Appeals.

The Electronic Probate System replaces paper-based processing with a fully electronic workflow intended to improve efficiency, transparency and customer service while reducing delays, according to the Interior Department. The department said the system standardizes probate case management, reduces administrative tasks for staff and maintains human oversight throughout the decision-making process as part of its broader effort to modernize trust services for tribal communities.

Twenty-two Native high school students from across the country participated in the University of Kansas' Native Storytelling Workshop July 6-10, where they learned journalism skills from Indigenous media professionals, according to reporting from ICT. The five-day program introduced students to podcasting, photography, broadcast production, social media and news writing. Workshop co-director Melissa Greene-Blye, a citizen of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and a University of Kansas journalism professor, said the program encourages students to consider journalism careers while emphasizing the importance of Native communities telling their own stories.

The workshop was led by eight Indigenous journalists and University of Kansas faculty, according to the ICT reporting. Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi, Diné and president of the Indigenous Journalists Association board of directors, said the program helps students build on existing storytelling skills while learning journalistic practices. Co-director Rebekka Schlichting said organizers hope to expand participation in future workshops to help develop more Native storytellers.

Tribal leaders, descendants and community members gathered July 3 in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, to dedicate a new sculpture honoring Frederick "Fred" Dupree and his Lakota wife, Mary Good Elk Woman, for their role in helping preserve the American bison, according to reporting from Native Sun News Today. Sculptor John Lopez unveiled "Dupree, Fort Pierre's American Bison," while the Wakinyan Maza Drum Group performed an honor song during the ceremony. The event also included the dedication of a companion water-carrying woman sculpture. 

Descendants said the couple rescued orphaned buffalo calves in 1883 when bison populations had nearly disappeared from the Northern Plains, according to the Native Sun News Today reporting. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Ryman LeBeau recognized the family's contributions with an executive proclamation, saying their actions reflected Lakota teachings of thinking seven generations ahead. Speakers also highlighted Mary Good Elk Woman's role in preserving the buffalo and her family's cultural responsibility to the Buffalo Nation.

The Association on American Indian Affairs has appointed Dr. Crystal Miller as its cultural sovereignty director, according to an official statement from the organization. Miller, a citizen of the Walker River Paiute Tribe, will lead national initiatives focused on cultural sovereignty through advocacy, policy development, education, capacity building and direct support for Native Nations. The organization said her work will include efforts related to the protection of cultural heritage, Native knowledge systems, sacred places, languages and traditional lifeways.

Miller previously worked in Native policy, higher education and federal advocacy, including initiatives involving clean energy, natural resource protection and Native Nation governance. The Association on American Indian Affairs said Miller will work with Native Nations, government agencies and national partners to support cultural sovereignty and Native self-determination.

Professional boxer Shawn "Sioux Warrior" Hawk has launched Cetan Promotions LLC, a Native-owned boxing promotion company based in North Dakota, according to a company press release. "Cetan" means "hawk" in the Lakota language. Hawk, an enrolled member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, said the company will promote professional boxing events in North Dakota, the Upper Midwest and tribal communities throughout Indian Country. The company is also seeking partnerships with fighters, trainers, tribal nations, sponsors and community organizations.

Cetan Promotions plans to offer youth boxing clinics, mentorship programs, amateur and professional boxing development opportunities, and community outreach focused on health and fitness, according to the press release. The company also plans to partner with tribal nations, schools and local organizations to support youth engagement and showcase regional and Native American boxing talent.

Leaders of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes marked the creation of the Shoshone and Arapaho Public Works Authority during a July 8 celebration in Lander, Wyoming, according to reporting from County 10. The U.S. Department of the Interior recognized the authority April 27, allowing it to enter Public Law 93-638 contracts with the Bureau of Indian Affairs for shared transportation, right-of-way and realty programs on the Wind River Reservation. 

The authority was established through a 2025 Wind River Inter-Tribal Council resolution and is governed by a six-member board representing both tribes, according to the County 10 reporting. Officials said the authority will manage transportation infrastructure projects and seek federal transportation contracts while operating with less reliance on Bureau of Indian Affairs oversight.

Native-led organizations in Seattle are raising concerns that Native people were undercounted in King County's 2026 Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness, according to reporting by Underscore Native News and ICT. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority reported that 4.2% of unsheltered individuals identified as American Indian, Alaska Native or Indigenous, while leaders at Chief Seattle Club and the Seattle Indian Health Board said the number is likely closer to the 15% reported in 2020. They argued the results could affect funding decisions and resource allocation.

Native leaders criticized the respondent-driven sampling process and federal reporting standards, including the use of a multiracial category that they said can obscure Native representation, according to the Underscore Native News and ICT reporting. Zack Almquist, a University of Washington sociology professor who designed the county's sampling method, said federal reporting standards are the larger issue and called for local reporting that better reflects Native populations. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority did not respond to requests for comment before publication, the news organizations reported.

The Bureau of Indian Education has reported its highest rate of on-time high school graduations, but tribal leaders and education advocates say recent federal changes could affect continued progress, according to reporting by The Associated Press. The reporting highlights improvements at tribally controlled schools, including Chief Leschi Schools, where the four-year graduation rate increased from 53% in 2019 to 87% in 2025, and Choctaw Central High School, where administrators said a virtual learning option contributed to graduation rates rising from about 70% to 93%.

Tribal leaders also raised concerns about staffing shortages, aging facilities and changes affecting the Bureau of Indian Education. Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Chairman Peter Lengkeek said the BIE-operated high school serving his community remains understaffed and in need of repairs.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek presented Glendon Smith with a public service ambassador award in May for his work as the Oregon State Police tribal liaison, according to reporting from Underscore Native News and ICT. Smith, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, became the agency’s first full-time tribal liaison in June 2023 after more than a decade working for his tribal nation. His previous roles included associate tribal court judge, secretary-treasurer and chief executive officer of the Tribal Council.

Smith provides training to state troopers and coordinates with tribal police on jurisdictional issues involving treaty rights, fish and game enforcement, cultural artifacts, and missing and murdered Indigenous people, according to the Underscore Native News and ICT. He also facilitates communication between the Oregon State Police and Oregon’s nine tribal nations. Smith said his goal is to help tribes access needed assistance and resources.

Officials in Juneau are preparing for an annual glacial outburst flood expected in early August, according to reporting from the Alaska Beacon. The City and Borough of Juneau is partnering with the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, along with state and federal agencies, to monitor Suicide Basin, an ice-dammed lake that fills with glacial melt before releasing floodwaters into the Mendenhall River. Officials estimate the basin will reach capacity between Aug. 1 and Aug. 9.

Crews with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the City and Borough of Juneau have strengthened flood barriers to withstand a flood about 30% larger than last year's event and are installing pumps to reduce seepage, according to the Alaska Beacon reporting. Officials have expanded this year's voluntary evacuation advisory to about 1,900 residences, businesses, schools and transportation corridors. Public preparedness events will continue throughout July, and officials said wireless emergency alerts will be issued if flooding begins.

A new monolingual magazine published entirely in the Ojibwe language is introducing vocabulary for contemporary activities such as skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing, according to reporting from MPR News. The publication, Asab, was created by Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians citizen Nick Bimose Reo, who teaches Indigenous studies at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. Reo said the annual magazine works with first-language speakers and hobbyists to develop Ojibwe words for activities that have limited existing vocabulary.

The first issue includes essays, poems and a glossary of skateboarding terms translated into Ojibwe ,according to the MPR News reporting. The project partnered with organizations including the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's Language Program and the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network. Contributors from Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Canada submitted work exploring modern hobbies through the Ojibwe language, with future editions planning to focus on additional topics.

The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is marking 40 years since opening its first tribal gaming enterprise in 1986, according to an official statement from the Nation. Tribal leaders said gaming revenues have supported government services, infrastructure, education, healthcare and cultural preservation while expanding the Nation's gaming operations to include Yaamava' Resort & Casino in Highland, California, and Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The Nation said it is the first Native American tribe to wholly own and operate a casino in Las Vegas.

According to the statement, the Nation's gaming and government operations generate more than $3.2 billion in annual economic impact, support nearly 8,000 employees and provide more than $627 million in annual wages and benefits. The Nation also said its San Manuel Cares initiative has invested more than $450 million in philanthropic efforts since the early 2000s, supporting education, healthcare, housing, public safety, cultural preservation and Native-led organizations.

California's Medicaid waiver allowing reimbursement for Native traditional healing services is set to expire Dec. 31, making it the first of four state waivers approved in 2024 to come up for renewal, according to reporting from Native News Online. The waiver allows Medi-Cal to reimburse traditional healing services for Native patients receiving treatment for substance use disorder. Arizona, Oregon and New Mexico also received federal approval for similar waivers, though those states cover all Indian Health Service-eligible Medicaid beneficiaries.

Renewal requires state and federal public notice-and-comment periods and evidence that the waiver has been effective and budget-neutral. The California Consortium for Urban Indian Health said it supports renewing the waiver and expanding access by streamlining reimbursement and allowing Tribal clinics and Urban Indian Organizations to bill Medi-Cal directly. The organization also supports expanding coverage beyond substance use disorder and behavioral health services, according to the Native News Online reporting.

Members of the 25th Navajo Nation Council and the Diné Uranium Remediation Advisory Commission met at the Cove Chapter House to review uranium cleanup efforts, discuss proposed uranium development and consider recommendations to strengthen environmental protections, according to an official statement from the Office of the Speaker of the 25th Navajo Nation Council. Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, the Navajo Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Department and community organizations provided updates on remediation projects across the Navajo Nation.

The commission approved a letter asking the Navajo Environmental Protection Agency to remove the Tse Tah Repository Cell and restore the nearby Tso family homestead, citing concerns about the repository's condition, its construction without the family's consent, and potential environmental and public health risks, according to the statement. Commissioners also reviewed a draft resolution supporting amendments to the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and said their next regular meeting will be held in the Western Agency at Coal Mine Canyon Chapter in August, with the date to be announced later.

The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition has named Nikki Santos, a citizen of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, as its new chief executive officer, according to reporting from ICT. Santos succeeds former CEO Deborah Parker of the Tulalip Tribes, who stepped down in April after leading the organization for four years. The coalition announced Santos' appointment Wednesday following a three-month search.

Santos brings nearly two decades of leadership experience in federal policy, philanthropy, strategic development, fundraising and community-based organizing, according to the ICT reporting. She previously served as a senior adviser at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and executive director of the Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute, and held leadership roles with the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. The coalition said Santos will lead its work to address the ongoing impacts of the federal Indian boarding school system through truth, justice and Indigenous-led healing.

A beaded artwork by Apsáalooke, Arikara and Hidatsa artist Karis Jackson of Browning, Montana, was included in the America250 Semiquincentennial Time Capsule buried at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, according to reporting from the Daily Montanan. The time capsule contains contributions from the three branches of the federal government, all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the five U.S. territories and partner organizations. Jackson's piece represents Montana. 

The Montana Historical Society said the commissioned artwork depicts the outline of Montana in the colors of the state flag surrounding a bison. Within the bison are a mountainous landscape, the state flower, bitterroot, and the state bird, the western meadowlark. The Montana 250th Commission commissioned the artwork for $1,000 specifically for the time capsule, according to the Daily Montanan reporting.

Founded in 2010, the Native American Women Warriors Association continues to advocate for Native women veterans through education, outreach and support programs, according to reporting from ICT. Founder Mitchelene Big Man, an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe, said she created the organization after seeing Native women veterans receive less recognition for their military service. The volunteer-led association provides advocacy, connects veterans with resources, and offers financial assistance and scholarships while supporting veterans and their families.

Association leaders said the organization has grown steadily since its founding and participates in powwows, conferences, community events and military recognition activities, according to the ICT reporting. The group has also been recognized by the Obama Presidential Center and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, where two of its jingle dresses are on permanent display. Big Man said the organization's mission remains focused on supporting Native women veterans and strengthening community connections.

Several tribal nations in South Dakota are holding elections for leadership positions this year, according to SDPB, citing South Dakota News Watch. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe will hold its general election in August to choose a new president after longtime President Anthony Reider did not seek reelection.

The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe reelected Chairman Peter Lengkeek in April. Lengkeek has served as chairman since 2020, according to SDPB While tribal elections often have term lengths and limits similar to local, state and federal offices, tribal governments conduct elections on their own schedules. A complete list of this year's tribal elections is available from South Dakota News Watch.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation filed a federal lawsuit July 3 against the State of Kansas, alleging the Kansas Lottery violated the Nation's sovereignty by selling lottery tickets and operating lottery machines within its reservation boundaries, according to a press release from the Nation. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, asks the court to halt the lottery operations and alleges they violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the Nation's Gaming Ordinance and the Nation's sovereign rights.

The Nation sent multiple written notices to Kansas Lottery Executive Director Stephen Durrell in May and June, and held discussions with state officials before filing suit, but the issue was not resolved, according to its press release.The lawsuit also seeks a declaration that the reservation established under the 1846 treaty has never been diminished or disestablished under federal law and continues to constitute Indian land, according to the Nation.