The Daily Spark

A new exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry uses Indigenous storytelling to examine ancient geological events in the Pacific Northwest, according to reporting by Underscore Native News. “Heads and Hearts: Seeing the Landscape through Nez Perce Eyes” draws on Nimiipuu stories to explore events such as the eruption of Mount Mazama, Ice Age floods, earthquakes and landslides. The exhibit runs through Feb. 16.

Ethnogeologist Roger Amerman, a Choctaw Nation citizen, and consulting geologist Ellen Morris Bishop worked for nearly two years with Nez Perce knowledge holders to gather stories and analyze them alongside Western geological research, according to Underscore Native News. Morris Bishop said the stories provide insight into geological history while remaining culturally grounded. With permission, the team recorded traditional stories and incorporated petroglyphs and video into the exhibit. Amerman said the work highlights Indigenous knowledge as a valid scientific lens and was quoted describing it as “geology with a soul."

The Trump administration plans to consolidate the federal Office on Violence Against Women within the U.S. Department of Justice and has proposed a 29% funding cut for the office in the 2026 budget, according to ICT. The change would shift oversight of tribal grants to the Department of Justice tribal affairs division beginning in February, according to testimony from Stanley E. Woodward, associate attorney general, during a tribal consultation meeting held Jan. 21-23 in Prior Lake, Minnesota.

Tribal leaders and advocates testified in opposition to the plan, warning the consolidation could delay funding and disrupt services addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and tribal justice systems, according to ICT. Several speakers said tribes rely heavily on Office on Violence Against Women grants to support victim services, law enforcement and courts. Elizabeth Jerue, executive director of the Healing Hearts Coalition, testified that the consolidation is not something tribes requested.

The North Dakota Senate voted down a bill Friday that would have provided free school meals to all K-12 students, leaving the issue likely headed to a statewide ballot, according to the North Dakota Monitor. House Bill 1624 failed on a 24-22 vote, one day after passing the House 55-38.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, would have provided $65 million to fund free breakfast and lunch beginning next school year, according to reporting by the North Dakota Monitor. Supporters said placing the program in state law would allow lawmakers to adjust funding and policy in future sessions. Opponents argued the cost could be better spent elsewhere and said lawmakers should not rush legislation to head off a constitutional measure.

The Together for Free School Meals coalition said it will continue gathering signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot, according to the North Dakota Monitor.

A new LGBTQ+ Safety Taskforce focused on reducing suicidality among LGBTQ+ youth in North Dakota is set to launch Feb. 2, according to a press release from organizer Faye Seidler. The effort aims to address gaps in state intervention by increasing protective factors through community connections and outreach.

The task force will operate as a volunteer-led network across North Dakota rather than a formal organization, according to the release. Seidler said volunteers will advocate in their local communities and legislative districts by connecting resources, sharing data, developing support networks and challenging stigma and prejudice. To mark the launch, Seidler will host a 16-hour Twitch livestream beginning Jan. 31 at 8 a.m. Additional information is available at fayeseidlerconsulting.com/lgbtq-safety-taskforce, according to the release.

A federal judge declined to dismiss two lawsuits challenging whether northeast Oklahoma prosecutors can prosecute Native Americans for crimes committed in Indian Country, according to KOSU. The U.S. Department of Justice and several tribes are suing district attorneys Matthew Ballard and Carol Iski, alleging they exceeded their jurisdiction by prosecuting tribal members on reservations outside their own tribal nations.

Ballard and Iski argued the cases should be dismissed based on the recent Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decision Tulsa v. O’Brien, which held that state courts have jurisdiction over non-member Indians in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Claire Eagan ruled that Oklahoma law does not align with federal law on the issue and denied the motions to dismiss, according to KOSU. The DOJ, Cherokee Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Muscogee Nation are plaintiffs in both cases, with the Chickasaw Nation also joining the case against Ballard.

The Bismarck City Commission on Tuesday approved a request from Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health to begin phase two planning for a proposed community triage center, according to KFYR-TV. The initiative would include an unrestricted homeless shelter and a medical detox program, with a crisis center also under consideration to reduce pressure on hospitals and emergency responders.

Phase two includes identifying short- and long-term plans, convening community partners and exploring ownership and funding options, according to KFYR-TV. Commissioners previously approved a request in February 2025 for public health officials to research the need for services addressing homelessness, addiction and behavioral health. Public Health Director Renae Moch said those needs consistently rank high in the agency’s community health needs assessments. Mayor Mike Schmitz and Commissioner John Risch said coordinated services could help reduce taxpayer costs tied to policing and jail use, according to KFYR-TV.

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation will host a reception Feb. 11 in Washington, D.C., highlighting the work of the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children, according to event materials shared by organizers. The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Senate Hart Building’s ninth floor reception room during the National Congress of American Indians Executive Council Winter Session.

The reception will focus on updates from the commission’s “The Way Forward” report, and next steps related to Native children and families will be discussed, according to the materials. The event is presented by the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation with co-hosts including the National Congress of American Indians, the Alaska Federation of Natives, tribal nations and regional tribal organizations. Organizers said the gathering builds on momentum from an NCAI resolution supporting implementation of the report’s recommendations.

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation are now selling fruits and vegetables to the public at its newly operating NG2 Greenhouse in Parshall, North Dakota, on the Fort Berthold Reservation. The retail store, which is connected to the greenhouse, sells bell peppers, strawberries, baby lettuce and herbs, along with merchandise, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. The MHA Nation held its greenhouse grand opening on Nov. 26 after nearly five years of construction. The climate-controlled greenhouse can grow year-round and is expected to produce 2 million pounds of fruits and vegetables a year. MHA Chairman Mark Fox said at the grand opening that they plan to expand production to 10 million pounds a year with two additions to the greenhouse, which will expand the growing space to 412,000 square feet. He said they also plan to hold farmers markets during the summer.

The Environmental Protection Agency this month proposed revisions to the Clean Water Act that would narrow how tribes and states review federal projects for water quality impacts and change how tribes gain regulatory authority, according to Grist. The proposal would limit reviews to pollution discharges rather than evaluating a project’s full impacts on water quality, including risks to cultural resources and wildlife, a process tribes and states have used since 2023.

The proposal would also restrict water quality reviews to tribes with Treatment in a Similar Manner as a State status, known as TAS, requiring others to seek approval through a more rigorous authorization process, according to Grist. Currently, 84 tribal nations hold TAS status. Legal experts said the changes would reduce one of the few mechanisms tribes use to enforce treaty rights and protect waters near tribal lands. The EPA said a 30-day public comment period is underway and the rule is expected to face litigation after it is finalized.

U.S. officials ordered national parks this month to remove or edit signs and displays related to the mistreatment of Native Americans, climate change and environmental protection, according to a report by Reuters citing the Washington Post. Documents reviewed by the Post show removal or edits were directed at materials in at least 17 parks, including the Grand Canyon, Glacier, Big Bend and Zion.

The orders include removing a display at the Grand Canyon about the forced removal of Native Americans and flagging a brochure and sign about climate change at Glacier National Park, according to Reuters. The U.S. Department of the Interior said the actions are part of carrying out President Donald Trump’s executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The department said all federal agencies are reviewing interpretive materials to ensure alignment with the order and that the National Park Service is taking action following that review.

The Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center in south Minneapolis is operating a warming center that provides food, clothing and overnight shelter during subzero temperatures, according to MPR News. The center offers 20 beds overnight in response to extreme winter weather and has been open since last year.

CEO Ruth Buffalo told MRP News the center also hosts “Resource Connect” every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering breakfast, lunch and on-site housing support services after receiving $100,000 in emergency funding from the city of Minneapolis last year. Buffalo said the center has seen up to 200 people on Tuesdays with the addition of a mobile medical unit that provides basic checkups, exams and referrals.

Buffalo said the funding was projected to last one year and has now ended, and the organization has applied for additional grants to continue services. She said the center is open to anyone in need and relies heavily on volunteers to operate.

Michigan spent three years and $1.1 million studying the state’s Native American boarding schools but has declined to release the completed report to the public, according to Bridge Michigan. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights, which oversaw the study, said the report produced by a Washington-based Native American firm, Kauffman and Associates, was too flawed to release, while the consulting firm accused the state of editing the report in ways that minimized findings.

The report was completed in October, but department officials declined to share it with Bridge Michigan or members of the Civil Rights Commission. Commission member Regina Gasco said survivors testified with the expectation the findings would be made public. The study was requested by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2022 and funded by the Legislature in 2023, according to Bridge Michigan. State officials said the report lacked substance, while Kauffman and Associates said it was asked to significantly cut content and remove references to local government involvement.

A $200,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the murder of Emily Pike, as family and community members marked one year since she went missing from a group home in Mesa, Arizona, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Pike, 14, disappeared in January 2025. Her remains were found weeks later outside of Globe on Valentine’s Day. No suspects have been identified.

Family and friends held a candlelight vigil Sunday at the corner of Mesa Drive and McKellips Road, where Pike was last seen alive. Participants lit candles and placed flowers to honor Pike and keep attention on the unsolved case. Pike’s relative Kristopher Dosela said the family believes continued public attention is critical to resolving the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Federal education officials said a New York school district violated civil rights law by changing its team name from the “Thunderbirds” to the “T-Birds,” according to The Associated Press. The U.S. Department of Education said the Connetquot Central School District can resolve the violation by restoring the Thunderbirds name. The Long Island district changed the name to comply with state regulations that ban Native American sports names and mascots, according to the report.

Federal officials said the state mandate violates civil rights law because it allows schools to keep team names derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the Dutchmen and Huguenots, according to The Associated Press. The school district said it is reviewing the federal finding. New York state education officials said the conclusion “makes a mockery” of civil rights laws. A spokesperson for the New York State Education Department said the department remains committed to ending harmful depictions of Indigenous people.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has launched the First Peoples First Stewards Children’s Library, a new initiative featuring books by Native American authors at nine DCR visitor centers, according to a Jan. 23 announcement by the agency. The reading libraries include more than 20 fiction and nonfiction titles and are available for on-site reading. DCR said the program is designed to highlight Indigenous history, culture and connections to land and water.

The libraries are located at visitor centers at Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park, Blackstone River Greenway Visitor Center, Blue Hills Reservation, Borderland State Park, Breakheart Reservation, Fall River Heritage State Park, Great Falls Discovery Center, Mount Greylock State Reservation and the Quabbin Reservoir, according to the announcement. DCR said the locations were selected to provide access across different regions of the state and that additional sites may be considered in the future.

Native youth organized a demonstration in Omaha, Nebraska, on Jan. 21 to oppose recent immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota, according to ICT. The protest was hosted by the Bluebird Cultural Initiative’s Youth Council and organized by Kylesse Walker, an 18-year-old Omaha and Ho-Chunk woman. The youth-led event drew Native participants who gathered near downtown Omaha despite high winds.

Walker told ICT the protest responded to reports of increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Minnesota. Nicole Benegas, director of the Bluebird Cultural Initiative, said the youth council decided to act after discussing events in Minneapolis, where federal agents conducted immigration enforcement operations. Benegas said some youth council members have family or friends impacted by the enforcement actions. Demonstrators held signs opposing ICE and said they plan to organize future events and pursue additional training to support youth leadership, according to ICT.

Indigenous snow sculptures are being installed across Minneapolis riverfront parks as part of a public art project led by an all-female Indigenous team, according to MPR News. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board titled the installation “Carved in Snow: Stories of Land and Legacy,” which highlights Indigenous history, seasonal storytelling and youth mentorship. The project includes four snow sculptures, each representing one of the four seasons, at parks near downtown Minneapolis.

Team Kwe, a three-person Indigenous snow carving team led by Heather Friedli, completed the first sculpture at Mill Ruins Park in January, according to MPR News. The sculpture depicts a merganser with flames emerging from its torso and is based on Ojibwe stories about the transition from winter to spring. Team Kwe is working on the second sculpture at Father Hennepin Bluff Park. Additional sculptures will be installed at Nicollet Island Park and Graco Park, with the project concluding in early February, according to MPR News.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Animal Control Division is offering free pet food to residents, according to reporting by KFYR. The program is available only to tribal residents who complete annual pet registration requirements.

The initiative aims to support the health, safety and well-being of animals and their owners within the community. Households are limited to two registered pets.

Residents seeking additional information about registration or the free pet food program can contact Standing Rock Game and Fish at 701-854-7236.

The Spirit Lake Tribe will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 27 and 28 to assist with tribal identification cards and Certificates of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB), according to a post on the tribe’s Facebook page. The event will take place at the American Indian Center on East Franklin Ave. All tribal ID card fees are waived for the event. The tribe also assisted Jan. 21-23. First time applicants must submit their application and all required documents by Jan. 27. Tribal ID pick up will be on Jan. 28 between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Returning applicants who completed their tribal ID or CDIB applications during the week of Jan 21-23 may pick up their IDs or CDIBs in person at the upcoming event. Applicants must also bring a form of photo identification, a separate document verifying their address and a social security card or copy of the card. Minors ages 7-17 are eligible for a tribal ID, and those six and under will receive a CDIB. All minors need a parent or guardian present. Anyone with questions can contact Spirit Lake Tribal Enrollment Department at 701-230-0866 or tribalenrollment@spiritlakenation.com.