The Daily Spark

The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI announced April 2 a personnel surge under Operation Not Forgotten 2026 to support investigations in Indian Country. The initiative, now in its fourth year, focuses on unresolved violent crime cases, with priority on cases involving violence against women and children, including those who are missing or murdered.

According to a DOJ press release, the operation will deploy investigative, intelligence and victim-service personnel on rotating assignments across 11 FBI field offices, including Phoenix. The FBI is coordinating with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and tribal law enforcement. Officials said prior deployments supported more than 700 cases, resulting in recoveries of child victims, arrests and federal indictments.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin is observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April alongside the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women and tribal nations, according to a statement released April 2. 

According to the statement, the Office on Violence Against Women awarded more than $5.6 million to Wisconsin grantees in fiscal year 2025 through programs including the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program, Legal Assistance for Victims Program and Transitional Housing Assistance Grants. The Department of Justice also funds victim services through the Office for Victims of Crime. Officials encouraged the public to learn the signs of abuse and connect victims to available resources, including national and Native-focused helplines.

The five tribal colleges in North Dakota, along with participating state colleges, will host Red Sand Awareness events April 7, according to the First Nations Women’s Alliance. The events are part of the Red Sand Project, a visual campaign that raises awareness about human trafficking and exploitation by filling sidewalk cracks with red sand to symbolize people who fall through gaps in systems and communities.

Participating colleges include Turtle Mountain Community College, United Tribes Technical College, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, Cankdeska Cikana Community College and Sitting Bull College. According to the announcement, each location will offer informational booths, a short video, a speaker and opportunities for attendees to take part in the Red Sand activity. Organizers said the events aim to bring communities together to increase awareness and support those affected.

Descendants of Choctaw code talkers gathered April 1 in Fort Worth for the unveiling of a historical marker recognizing Native soldiers who used their language to transmit encrypted messages during World War I. The ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park was hosted by the Choctaw Nation, the Texas Historical Commission and the city’s parks and recreation department, according to the Fort Worth Report.

Nuchi Nashoba, president of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association, told the Fort Worth Report the marker helps preserve the group’s legacy. The code talkers were among 19 Native soldiers who served in northern France and were sworn to secrecy for decades. Officials said the men trained at Camp Bowie in Fort Worth and used their Choctaw language to send messages that enemy forces could not decipher, according to the Fort Worth Report.

Jaynie Parrish, a member of the Navajo Nation, is leading efforts to increase voter registration and civic participation across tribal communities in Arizona, according to Flagstaff Business News. Parrish is the founder and director of Arizona Native Vote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on engaging Native voters in rural areas, including Navajo, Hopi and White Mountain Apache communities.

Parrish said the organization provides voter registration support and culturally tailored civics education for middle and high school students. The group also helps explain voting requirements, including address verification and identification. Arizona Native Vote works with volunteers to deliver curriculum and outreach, and Parrish said students exposed to the program are more likely to vote. She said the effort aims to build long-term engagement and understanding of government systems.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has terminated dozens of agricultural grants, including nearly $9 million awarded to the Piikani Lodge Health Institute on the Blackfeet Reservation, according to Montana Free Press.

The funding was part of the Increasing Land, Capital and Market Access Program, which distributed about $300 million to 50 grantees in 2023. USDA officials said the program involved “discriminatory preferences” tied to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and “wasteful spending.” Tribal leaders and project organizers disputed that characterization, calling the cancellations “devastating,” according to Montana Free Press. The grants supported projects including land purchases, farmer training and food production infrastructure, and leaders said the loss of funding threatens jobs, training programs and economic development efforts.

A Fort Totten man pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges tied to two incidents on the Spirit Lake Reservation, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota. Kolby Jae McKay, also known as Kolby Woods, 33, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, assault of a spouse, intimate partner or dating partner by strangulation and voluntary manslaughter before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte. Sentencing is scheduled for July 22, 2026.

According to the statement, the assault charges stem from a March 13, 2024, incident involving a woman identified as “Jane Doe.” He also pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the April 3, 2024, killing of Monte Ray Herman Sr. McKay fled after the killing, prompting a curfew and reward notice by the Spirit Lake Tribal Council, according to the statement.

Warm Springs Chief Delvis Heath Sr. died March 29, according to a statement from the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. He served as the Warm Springs people’s hereditary chief for 42 years and took on the role in 1984.

Heath was a ceremonial leader, Sahaptin language speaker and longtime participant in Longhouse traditions, including dancing, drumming and singing, according to the statement. He also served as Board Member Emeritus for the Museum at Warm Springs and worked as a liaison with federal and state governments during his time on Tribal Council. Heath advocated for tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, natural resources, fishing rights and health issues. He was born Sept. 26, 1938, near Simnasho and married Shirley Stahi in 1960.

NDN Collective, Black Hills Clean Water Alliance and Earthworks filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service over its February decision to approve exploratory drilling at Pe’ Sla, according to a statement from the groups. The lawsuit argues the agency improperly used a “categorical exclusion,” which allows projects to proceed without a full environmental review, despite the graphite project being expected to last at least three years.

The groups say the project could harm the site’s cultural and religious uses and impact water in the Rapid Creek watershed. According to the statement, a 2024 memorandum of understanding between the Forest Service and Oceti Sakowin tribal nations established a 2-mile buffer zone around Pe’ Sla and recognized its cultural importance. The lawsuit asks a federal court to reverse the permit and halt further activity.

The South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment is hosting a five-day hearing, beginning April 13, at the Mueller Civic Center in Hot Springs, regarding an application for uranium drilling in the southern Black Hills. The Canadian firm Clean Nuclear Energy Corp. is seeking a permit to explore the area known as Craven Canyon for uranium deposits. The firm wants to drill up to 50, 700-foot-deep test holes adjacent to sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lakota elders, tribal nations, landowners and community members oppose the project, saying the location is a sacred site. Opponents plan to hold a five-day prayer vigil during the hearing, with a sunrise ceremony scheduled for April 13. The meeting was initially planned in Pierre but changed to Hot Springs at the request of Lakota organizers. 

The meeting will be the first in the state's history to accept comments in the Lakota language. On March 9, Gov. Larry Rhoden signed legislation requiring the state to provide translator services in official hearings. The law was named after Helen Red Feather, a fluent Lakota speaker from Wounded Knee, South Dakota. She previously provided comments about the significance of Craven Canyon in the Lakota language and was told by the South Dakota Board of Minerals that it couldn't accept comments in a language other than English. Organizers then successfully lobbied to change the law, allowing state proceedings to accept verbal submissions in any language, including the Lakota language.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program has become a rare path to homeownership for Native nations, where trust land and lending barriers have long limited access to mortgages, according to Underscore Native News and ICT. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission said 17 of 25 eligible eventual tenant ownership homes at Spokane Tribal housing are in the process of being transferred, while 352 more homes across seven Native nations were eligible for ownership as of 2026.

The program allows residents to purchase homes after a 15-year compliance period. Advocates told Underscore Native News and ICT that the option helps preserve affordable housing and build generational wealth in Native communities.

High Country News reports the Bureau of Indian Affairs could undergo a reorganization that includes additional staff cuts, citing testimony from tribal leaders during a congressional hearing on federal funding for Indigenous communities. Mark Macarro, president of the National Congress of American Indians, said the plan would reduce staff responsible for administering programs and distributing funding and was developed without consultation with tribal nations.

The proposed changes follow earlier workforce reductions within the Department of the Interior. Macarro said prior cuts have caused delays and left agencies with critical gaps, citing findings from the Government Accountability Office. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland said in a statement that the agency aims to improve efficiency and strengthen services, though details of the reorganization have not been released, according to High Country News.

A mission patch created for Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen incorporates Indigenous teachings and symbolism as part of the Artemis II mission, according to the Canadian Space Agency. The patch, designed by Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond of Sagkeeng First Nation, includes references to the Seven Sacred Laws, represented through animal symbols and a heptagonal shape.

The design also features elements tied to space exploration and cultural meaning, including a bow representing Artemis, the Moon as “Grandmother Moon” and stars used for navigation. According to the Canadian Space Agency, Hansen worked with Indigenous leaders and Knowledge Keepers, including Dave Courchene III of Turtle Lodge, to reflect teachings shared with him. The agency said the design recognizes Indigenous knowledge and its role in understanding the natural world.

Antonia Gonzales will step down as host of National Native News on March 27, ending more than two decades with the program, according to National Native News. Gonzales reported for 22 years and produced specials including the Climate Desk, Alaska’s Native Voice and election coverage, while also mentoring emerging journalists.

Jill Fratis, a journalist with KNBA 90.3 FM, will serve as interim host and continue the program without interruption, according to National Native News. Gonzales marked her departure during her final broadcast, thanking tribal and public radio stations, stringers and listeners for their support.

“As a longtime NNN stringer and fill-in host/producer, I wanted to give my gratitude to Antonia for her 20-plus years at the helm of this national program,” said Brian Bull, senior reporter at Buffalo’s Fire. “She delivered the latest headlines from across Indian Country with professionalism and care, and I wish her good fortune ahead as she explores new opportunities.”

The Choctaw Nation purchased a former Big Lots distribution facility and adjoining land in Durant after concerns the site could be used as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, according to KOSU. The Choctaw Nation Council approved the purchase March 14, and Chief Gary Batton confirmed the acquisition in a statement, calling it an opportunity to support long-term business strategy.

The facility, which closed in January 2025, previously employed more than 300 workers. Tribal leaders had raised concerns earlier this year about the potential detention site’s proximity to government headquarters and community services. The Durant City Council also passed an ordinance requiring a conditional use permit for detention centers. Batton said the tribe is evaluating future uses for the property that align with its strategic vision, according to KOSU.

Former Nike executive Sam McCracken announced the launch of the Sam McCracken Youth Project, a Native-led nonprofit focused on advancing mental, physical and cultural wellness for Indigenous youth, according to Underscore Native News. McCracken, a citizen of the Fort Peck Sioux Tribe, introduced the program at the Reservation Economic Summit hosted by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.

The program aims to serve more than 5,000 Native youth across 30 tribal communities in its first five years by combining culture, community and athletics. Organizers said the initiative will bring programming directly into communities to reduce barriers to access. The group plans to host its first event in June at the University of Montana in Missoula and will include Indigenous athletes to support mentorship and representation, according to Underscore Native News.

Owamni, the James Beard Award-winning Indigenous restaurant in Minneapolis co-founded by chef Sean Sherman, will reopen under a new name as it moves to a larger location, according to MPR News. The restaurant will be called Indígena by Owamni and is set to open this spring at the Guthrie Theater overlooking the Mississippi River.

Sherman said the name change reflects growth rather than reinvention and draws from the Spanish word for Indigenous, referencing shared histories across Indigenous communities. The restaurant will continue operating under the nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems. The expanded space will include more seating and a broader menu, including bison, elk and seafood offerings. The restaurant is expected to open in late spring, according to MPR News.

A Navajo Nation Council committee voted unanimously to oppose the SAVE America Act, citing concerns the legislation would disproportionately affect Indigenous voters, according to Law360. The Naabik'íyáti' Committee said the bill, H.R. 7296, would require proof of U.S. citizenship such as a passport or REAL ID, documents that often require birth certificates many elders do not have.

Speaker Crystalyne Curley said the requirements could force some Navajo voters to travel more than 100 miles and make multiple trips to register and vote. The committee also raised concerns about financial burdens tied to travel costs. The legislation would require in-person identification for mail registration and has been referred to the U.S. Committee on House Administration, according to Law360. The Navajo Nation called on congressional leaders to work with tribes to expand voting access.

Twyla Baker, president of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College in New Town, has been selected as one of 23 community college presidents to participate in the Aspen Presidents Fellowship, according to a report by the Minot Daily News. The yearlong program brings leaders together to develop reform agendas aimed at helping more students graduate into good jobs or continue to bachelor’s degree programs.

According to Minot Daily News, fellows will work with other college presidents and Aspen Institute College Excellence Program leaders to analyze labor markets, student outcomes and national models of excellence. “I am thrilled and honored to be selected to participate,” Baker said in a statement. “I look forward to the opportunity to learn within a community of practice and build a network of support amongst likeminded people.” The cohort includes leaders from 14 states representing a range of institutions, including tribal-serving colleges.