The Daily Spark

Gilbert, Arizona, is providing Native college students with hands-on experience in local government, according to Your Valley Independent. The Native American Management Internship program partners with tribal communities and Native students to offer exposure to municipal operations, including policy, public safety, community resources and administration.

Gilbert currently has two interns in the program: Erica Kleinman and Rose Starlin Jacket. Kleinman is a biology major at Northern Arizona University and a citizen of the Navajo Nation. Jacket is an English major at Arizona State University with tribal affiliations to the Navajo Nation, Hopi and Ute. Gilbert officials said the internship aims to strengthen relationships with tribal communities while preparing Native students for future leadership roles in government and public service.

Citizen Potawatomi Nation has established one of the first active foreign trade zones in Indian Country at its Iron Horse Industrial Park in Shawnee, Oklahoma, according to KOSU. The foreign trade zone operates on 700 acres of trust land and allows companies to import, export and store goods with deferred or eliminated duties through a secured Customs and Border Protection facility located inside a warehouse.

Vedrana Milakovic, director of economic planning and development for Citizen Potawatomi Nation, said companies use the zone for duty deferral and duty elimination. They can import large quantities of products from China or export goods to Mexico without duties when bonded carriers are used. Milakovic said the foreign trade zone provides stability for both tribal revenue and businesses navigating fluctuating tariffs. The Iron Horse Industrial Park recently received the Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development’s Honoring Nations award, which recognizes excellence in tribal governance.

James Smith Cree Nation has reached a $713.8 million settlement with the federal government related to a collection of complex land claims, according to CBC News. The settlement involves the Chakastaypasin, James Smith and Peter Chapman bands in Saskatchewan. Each band has already received an advance payment of $50 million.

The settlement addresses the forced amalgamation of the three bands in 1902 and supports their efforts toward de-amalgamation. Chakastaypasin Band Chief Calvin Sanderson said in a news release that the agreement marks an important milestone toward restoring the band’s status as an independent First Nation recognized by Canada. James Smith Cree Nation Chief Kirby Constant said in a statement that the settlement is a step toward acknowledging broken agreements and the lasting impacts of forced amalgamation.

Senior officials from Indian Affairs met with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Coalition of Large Tribes to discuss shared priorities across Indian Country, according to an Indian Affairs announcement. The Dec. 8 meeting included Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs William Kirkland and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development Ken Bellmard.

Kirkland emphasized the federal trust responsibility and commitments to transparency and sustained engagement with federally recognized tribes. The discussion focused on addressing the probate backlog through expanded estate planning, modernization of legacy systems using secure AI-enabled tools and stronger coordination to collect vital records earlier. Public safety priorities included combating violent crime, illegal drug activity and missing and murdered Indigenous people, with an emphasis on strengthening tribal law enforcement. Officials also discussed bison restoration efforts, including the transfer of more than 10,000 bison from federal herds to tribal lands, and plans to expand tribal food processing capacity.

Los Alamos Public Schools in New Mexico hosted its first Ribbon Skirt and Shirt Workshop last month at Los Alamos High School in celebration of Native American Heritage Month, according to the Los Alamos Daily Post. More than 45 students and family members attended the workshop, where participants created personalized ribbon skirts and shirts both during school hours and an evening session that was open to the community.

According to the Los Alamos Daily Post, the workshop was organized with support from LAPS Native American Student Support staff member Jovita Mowrer, who said the event focused on shared learning and strengthening community connection through Indigenous cultural practices. The report said community members shared cultural knowledge and assisted with the workshop, while local businesses donated materials and district employees volunteered as seamstresses. LAPS said it hopes to make the workshop an annual activity.

Sean Sherman released a new cookbook, “Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America,” and is preparing to expand his food sovereignty work, according to reporting by the Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. The cookbook documents Indigenous foodways across North America, organizing them into regional frameworks rooted in precolonial ingredients, practices and ecological knowledge.

Sherman is also planning to open a new Indigenous barbecue restaurant called Šhotá and expand operations of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems. The projects will be based in a Minneapolis building known as Wóyute Thipi, which will house a commissary kitchen, event space and food production for institutions. The magazine reports that the work aims to strengthen Indigenous-controlled food systems and support Native producers while increasing access to traditional foods.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Dec. 19 announced a criminal investigation into Native American boarding schools and other institutions that operated across the state, according to a statement from the Michigan Department of Attorney General. The department said it will seek to identify, document, investigate and prosecute instances in which criminal acts may have occurred at the institutions.

According to the statement dated Dec. 19, the Department of Attorney General is asking survivors, witnesses and others with firsthand knowledge to come forward with information that may assist the investigation. Nessel said the investigation seeks to bring truth and accountability to a painful chapter in Michigan’s history and that the office is committed to ensuring survivors’ voices are heard. The department said tips may be submitted anonymously by email or by phone at 517-897-7391.

President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Montana to support response efforts related to severe storms and flooding that began Dec. 10 and are continuing, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency press release. The declaration authorizes FEMA to coordinate federal disaster relief to address threats to life, property, public health and safety.

According to the release, the declaration applies to Lincoln and Sanders counties and the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide equipment and resources needed to alleviate emergency impacts. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be funded at 75% federal cost share under the public assistance program. Edwin J. Martin was named federal coordinating officer for response operations. Additional designations may be made if requested by the state following further damage assessments, according to the release.

A federal jury ruled in favor of NDN Collective and individual plaintiffs in a civil rights lawsuit against the Retsel Corporation, owner of the Grand Gateway Hotel, according to a press release issued by NDN Collective on Friday. The jury awarded NDN Collective $1 in damages for unlawful and discriminatory actions, an amount the organization requested.

“This case was never about money for NDN Collective,” Valeriah Big Eagle, director of He Sapa Initiatives at NDN Collective, said in the statement. She said the verdict reflects longstanding concerns about discrimination faced by Native people in Rapid City, South Dakota. Nick Tilsen, founder and CEO of NDN Collective, said the case was brought on behalf of ancestors, future generations and community members impacted by racism. The lawsuit was filed in March 2022 against Retsel Corporation, according to the release.

Rocker Steiner has earned the 2025 World Bareback Riding Championship after a 90.5-point ride in Round 10 at the National Finals Rodeo, according to a statement from the Navajo Nation Office of the President. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren congratulated Steiner, noting he competed in Window Rock during the Navajo Nation’s PRCA Rodeo in July.

According to the statement, Steiner secured the world title at age 21, marking a major milestone in his professional rodeo career. Nygren said Steiner’s achievement demonstrates that hard work and discipline can lead to success and serves as an example for Navajo youth. The statement said the Navajo Nation looks forward to welcoming Steiner back to Window Rock and supporting him as he continues to compete.

The Oceti Sakowin Treaty Council adopted a resolution calling for repeal of the General Mining Act of 1872 and permanent protection of He Sápa, also known as the Black Hills, during the Oceti Sakowin Treaty Conference on Dec. 17 in Rapid City, South Dakota.

“He Sápa is not for sale. It is not a resource colony,” Phil Two Eagle, CEO of Peta Omniciye Inc., said in the statement. According to the resolution, the Mining Act was enacted without the consent of Indigenous Nations and has enabled mineral extraction on Oceti Sakowin treaty lands in violation of the Fort Laramie Treaties of 1851 and 1868. The council stated that mining under the law has damaged sacred sites, water systems and ecosystems within He Sápa. Two Eagle said that He Sápa is a sacred place guaranteed by treaty and that laws imposed without consent lack legitimacy on treaty lands.

The resolution calls for full repeal of the Mining Act, an end to mining permits and claims within Oceti Sakowin treaty territory, and a new legal framework based on treaty compliance, Indigenous consent and environmental protection.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a Dec. 18 legal opinion that a recent directive by Gov. Kevin Stitt instructing law enforcement to arrest and charge Native Americans for exercising hunting and fishing rights is unlawful, according to KSWO. Drummond said federal law prohibits the state from prosecuting tribal members who hunt and fish on their own reservations.

In the legal opinion, Drummond cited federal law and a U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that state wildlife laws cannot be enforced where tribes have established comprehensive wildlife management programs. He called the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s enforcement policy unlawful, wasteful and harmful to the state’s relationship with tribal nations. The opinion states that tribal citizens should not be deprived of long-held rights while litigation proceeds. The legal opinion is binding unless overturned by a court, according to the attorney general’s office.

According to Tribal Business News, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Wednesday approved legislation that would give all federally recognized tribes authority to issue 99-year leases on trust lands. The Unlocking Native Lands and Opportunities for Commerce and Key Economic Developments Act of 2025 would amend the Long-Term Leasing Act of 1955.

According to Tribal Business News, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who co-sponsored the measure with Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said the bill would let tribes self-regulate leasing and better secure financing for infrastructure and economic development projects. The panel also received testimony on four tribal-specific bills addressing lease authority, jurisdictional barriers and land transfers affecting the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.

According to the North Dakota Monitor, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday released a long-awaited environmental impact statement for the Dakota Access Pipeline, recommending the pipeline continue operating with additional conditions at its Missouri River crossing in North Dakota. The Corps identified granting the easement under Lake Oahe with added safeguards as its preferred alternative.

According to the study, the conditions would include enhanced leak detection, groundwater monitoring, surface water sampling and a requirement for an alternate water supply if an oil spill affects Lake Oahe. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe said in a Friday statement that the environmental impact statement “does not remedy” its concerns related to pipeline safety or tribal sovereignty. The recommendation is not final until a 30-day waiting period required under the National Environmental Policy Act ends Jan. 20, after which the Corps may issue a record of decision.

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation on Dec. 16 to update the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act, according to a press release from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The bill was authored by Sen. Brian Schatz, vice chairman of the committee, and updates the original NATIVE Act signed into law in 2016. The changes are intended to strengthen the program and make it easier for Native communities to access federal tourism resources.

According to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the NATIVE Act requires federal agencies with tourism assets to include tribes and Native organizations in national tourism efforts and strategic planning. The law also provides American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities with access to technical assistance and resources to develop cultural and recreational tourism infrastructure, support economic development and create jobs. Schatz said the updates are aimed at helping Native communities share their own stories and expand economic opportunities.

The Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation alleges a top Utah lawmaker interfered with its effort to buy back ancestral land in eastern Utah, according to Utah News Dispatch. The tribe sued the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration and multiple state officials, saying its nearly $47 million bid for the 28,500-acre Tabby Mountain property was the highest legitimate offer and was rejected due to racial discrimination. The agency ultimately decided in 2019 not to sell the land.

An amended lawsuit filed in November names Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz and alleges he worked with other officials to block the sale and retaliate against the tribe through new legislation. Schultz declined to comment on the lawsuit but said in a joint statement that claims presented are inaccurate, according to Utah News Dispatch. The suit seeks a court order compelling the sale and punitive damages.

Two Blackfeet sisters are creating a horse-based mental health program on the Blackfeet Reservation after their brother, Wyatt Mad Plume, died by suicide at age 29, according to Montana Free Press. Lynn Mad Plume, who holds a doctorate in Indigenous health, and her sister Erika Mad Plume, a clinical social worker and addiction counselor candidate, are blending equine-assisted activities with clinical counseling to offer a free alternative to talk therapy through their nonprofit, Two Powers Land Collective.

According to Montana Free Press, the sisters say the program is designed to reach community members, particularly men and youth, who may resist traditional therapy. The effort comes amid persistently high suicide rates in tribal communities in Montana. The program has served dozens of children and adults since April and recently received grant funding to continue operations. The sisters said their goal is to support emotional regulation, cultural connection and long-term mental health in their community.

Energy Transfer asked the North Dakota Supreme Court on Dec. 18 to halt a lawsuit Greenpeace International filed against the company in the Netherlands while related litigation continues in North Dakota, according to the North Dakota Monitor. The request stems from an ongoing case in Southwest Judicial District Court, where Energy Transfer accuses Greenpeace International and two other Greenpeace entities of conspiring to use unlawful tactics to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

According to the North Dakota Monitor, Greenpeace International denies the allegations and says the North Dakota lawsuit is intended to punish the organization for opposing the pipeline. Greenpeace International filed its Dutch lawsuit in February under a European Union directive aimed at addressing frivolous lawsuits, seeking monetary damages and alleging harm from Energy Transfer’s litigation. Judge James Gion denied Energy Transfer’s request to suspend the foreign case, finding the legal claims different. The state Supreme Court took the matter under advisement, according to the North Dakota Monitor.

Poet Anpo Jensen will host a reading today in Rapid City, South Dakota. Jensen is the author of “Hero Dreams Shine,” a collection of poetry about “a Lakota girl navigating the challenges of engineering school,” according to Jensen’s website. The reading will feature poetry centered on dreams, courage and global inspiration. The event is open to the public and will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. at Aqua & Acre Market, 614 St. Joseph St.

A book signing with Jensen is scheduled for Dec. 20. Additional information about the event and the book is available through the @herodreamsshine account and on Jensen’s website, anpojensen.com.