The Daily Spark

Columbus Day will return to the City of Philadelphia’s calendar after the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court invalidated a 2021 executive order by former Mayor Jim Kenney on Aug. 6, 2025. The order had replaced the holiday with Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Judge Patricia McCullough wrote in her opinion that the seven judges ruled unanimously that the executive order was a violation of the separation of powers, and that Mayor Kenney lacked authority to remove Columbus Day. The court determined that establishing or changing official city holidays is a legislative power reserved exclusively for the city council.

George Bochetto, an attorney who sued on behalf of Italian American organizations and Councilman Mark F. Squilla, said the holiday is "back to how it should be." Squilla said the decision should have involved the city council.

Mabel Negrete, executive director of Indigenous Peoples' Day Philly, expressed disappointment, calling it a silencing of voices. She said Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations would still proceed on October 13. The City of Philadelphia Law Department is reviewing the opinion and declined comment.

The Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute is analyzing an anonymous survey of more than 50 current and former Native foster youth to inform child welfare agencies about their needs.

Katy Stewart, senior program manager at CNAY, said the survey is believed to be the first of its kind, and its initial findings have already been shared with at least one state agency. Native youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system but underrepresented in discussions about their needs.

Stewart noted themes from the "Understanding Native Youth Foster Care Experiences" survey include youth feeling lost about their rights and the need for workers to recognize historical harms. Respondents also emphasized including cultural teachings, respecting Indigenous identity, and learning more about the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Roxy Sprowl, a Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe and the center's child welfare consultant, said the effort aims to ethically involve youth in decision-making. The findings will be compiled into a report to inform the development of a training curriculum.

The National Park Service awarded $1 million to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians to build five playground and picnic areas expected to be completed by the end of 2029, according to InForum. The funds will be allocated through the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department via the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is primarily financed by federal offshore oil and gas lease revenue.

Since 1965, the National Park Service has provided more than 45,000 LWCF grants supporting local park projects and expanding outdoor recreation access. The 2019 John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act reauthorized the fund and ensures states receive at least 40% of its funding, InForum reported.

U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled Aug. 5 that homeowners and the town of Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin, have an implied easement to use four roadways crossing Lac du Flambeau Band of Chippewa Indians land, according to ICT. Conley rejected the federal government’s claim that the town violated the Indian Right of Way Act, writing that the Bureau of Indian Affairs had granted the rights of way to a private developer with the understanding the roads would become public.

The decision follows years of failed easement negotiations and disputes that led the tribe to block the roads in 2023. The tribe said Aug. 7 it is disappointed in the ruling and concerned about its precedent for tribal governments. Tribal President John Johnson said, “We will continue to review the decision and consider all available options for the tribe. The band will continue to defend its land, uphold the promises made in its treaties and ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens and community members.”

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will receive $2.5 million from Oregon for water and habitat restoration projects in the Walla Walla Basin, with Washington providing $2.4 million in matching funds, according to Underscore Native News. The projects are part of the 30-year Walla Walla Water 2050 Plan, which aims to improve water management and streamflows through collaboration between tribal, state, federal and local stakeholders in Oregon and Washington.

The plan addresses longstanding challenges in the basin, where legal water rights exceed available supply and low streamflows have harmed fish populations. Funded CTUIR projects include floodplain and streamflow restoration, fish passage improvements, stormwater infiltration, irrigation upgrades and water quality enhancements. The plan requires long-term funding commitments from both states to maintain progress on restoration and infrastructure goals.

The Department of the Interior’s Victim Assistance Program is offering a series of free virtual trainings to strengthen law enforcement and public safety providers’ responses to violent crime in Indigenous communities, according to the Arizona Mirror.

The program is partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Indian Country Training Initiative, U.S. Indian Police Academy, FBI, DEA and ATF to provide sessions on topics including trauma-informed interviews, crime gun intelligence, evidence handling, social media exploitation and firearms trafficking. Nearly 900 people joined the first webinar in May on responding to domestic violence and strangulation incidents. The series will continue throughout the year and is open to federal, state, county and local agencies connected to Indian Country.

Crow Fair 2025, held Aug. 13-19 in Crow Agency, Montana, is one of the largest and longest-running Native American gatherings in the U.S., according to Visit Southeast Montana. Often called the "Teepee Capital of the World," the event features thousands of white teepees forming the largest modern-day encampment of its kind. Visitors can experience daily powwows with hundreds of dancers, morning parades showcasing traditional dress and decorated horses, rodeos, Indian Relay races and cultural craft markets. The powwow grand entry at 6 p.m. draws hundreds of dancers in intricate regalia representing Apsáalooke heritage.

The celebration welcomes visitors to learn and participate in events. For details, the Crow Tribe Tourism Office directs visitors to the official Crow Fair website.

An archaeologist is monitoring the reconstruction of Memorial Highway in Mandan, North Dakota, according to KFYR-TV. The highway lies on land historically belonging to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, increasing the likelihood of discoveries during excavation.

The archaeologist will be on-site during all earthwork. Reilly Lembo, the North Dakota Department of Transportation state archaeologist, said, “You want to make sure that anything that could come up is treated properly and respectfully.“

The federal government filed a lawsuit against Savannah Land Holdings for allegedly destroying Native American artifacts and human remains at a development site in Richmond Hill, Georgia, according to WTOC. The company is accused of failing to follow conditions of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit, which required protection of cultural resources across 18 archaeological sites.

The complaint states that more than 80,000 artifacts were not properly curated and 3,000 were lost or disposed of. It also alleges Savannah Land Holdings failed to consult with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as required. The company reportedly continued excavation after discovering human remains. The federal government is seeking to halt development, secure the site and impose civil penalties.

The Little Shell Powwow is bringing four days of dancing, drumming and celebration to 4 Bears Park in New Town, North Dakota, from Aug. 7–10, according to event organizers. Hosted at the Antelope Society Arbor, the event features dance contests in grass, fancy, jingle, chicken and traditional styles, with prize money up to $1,200. Special categories include woodland/appliqué and cowboy/cowgirl, along with youth and teen divisions.

Dozens of sponsored specials are scheduled throughout the weekend, including one with a $30,000 top prize. Other contests honor community members and graduates, such as the Men’s Grass Special in memory of Matt Foolish Bear, and the Women’s Jingle Specials honoring Shaundeen Smith and Sweety Baker. Youth contests include a Jr. Girls Fancy Special and Tiny Tot specials honoring T’iwa Don Her Many Horses and Brenda Smith.

Drum groups Mandaree, Oakdale and Little Shell are among the host drums. The weekend also includes a hand game tournament, a health fair hosted by the Fort Berthold Diabetes Program and a community feed sponsored by MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox. Representing royalty are Little Shell Princess Jaiuelyn Driver and Junior Princess “MJ” Marie Josephine Aguilar. Color guards and auxiliaries from multiple posts, including VFW Post 9061 and Post 271, are taking part in the weekend’s events.

Attorney J.R. Howell filed a formal complaint with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, calling for an independent investigation into violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada, according to PR Newswire.

The complaint cites failures by Canadian law enforcement to search a landfill where the remains of Ashlee Shingoose, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran and Rebecca Contois were disposed of by a serial killer. It also highlights the unresolved case of Tanya Nepinak. Howell argues the lack of response reflects systemic racism, gender-based violence and cultural genocide. He calls for an urgent U.N. investigation, listening sessions in First Nations territories and international oversight into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

The National American Indian Housing Council has named Maria Danz, a member of the Couchiching First Nation, as its new training and technical assistance program director, according to a statement from NAIHC. Danz has more than 20 years of experience in tribal and affordable housing development and management, including 14 years with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Native American Programs.

Her HUD service included 12 years with the Northern Plains office in Denver and two years at headquarters, where she focused on the Indian Community Development Block Grant and Tribal HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing programs. From 2003 to 2011, Danz worked in the nonprofit sector in Duluth, Minnesota, developing nearly 100 units of affordable housing, including one of the country’s first urban permanent supportive housing projects for Native American families.

The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will host its annual Rendezvous Days Powwow Aug. 8-10, in Grand Portage, Minnesota, according to event postings. The annual powwow coincides with the Grand Portage Rendezvous Days celebration and features traditional dance, song and family gatherings.

Attendees are asked to respect traditional songs, dances and ceremonies. The tribe requests no pets, removal of headwear when asked and photography only at appropriate times. The powwow offers a chance to experience Anishinaabe culture and community.

The Medicine Lodge Intertribal Powwow will take place Sept. 27-28 at the newly developed powwow grounds at Memorial Peace Park in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. According to event information from The Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Association, spectators are welcome to attend and are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, as seating around the dance area is reserved for dancers. Taking photos and entering the dance arena is prohibited unless permission is granted.

Food vendors will be on site with fresh Indian tacos and fry bread. Craft vendors selling Native-made goods will also be present.The powwow will feature a variety of dances, including the Gourd Dance, War Dance, Straight Dance, Chicken, Jingle and Fancy.

The Meskwaki Annual Powwow will take place Aug. 7-10, behind the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel, in Tama, Iowa. The location was moved due to flooding of the traditional powwow grounds. According to the Meskwaki Nation, the four-day event includes daily grand entries at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and traditional dancing, singing, games, and food.

A variety of themes will be celebrated daily, such as Children’s Day on Aug. 7, Senior Citizen’s Day on Aug. 8, Veteran’s Day on Aug. 9 and Special Events Day on Aug. 10, which will include a 5K run/walk. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for children 5 and under. Tickets are sold at the gate, with no presales.

The powwow highlights Meskwaki culture and traditions and is the only one of its kind in Iowa. The nation invites all to reconnect and celebrate community.

Ten colleges and universities in North Dakota, including all five of the state’s tribal colleges, will collaborate on a $7.96 million National Science Foundation award to expand STEM research and education, according to the Minot Daily News. The four-year Sustainable Programs Advancing Research and Knowledge across North Dakota (SPARK-ND) project will be led by North Dakota State University.

The initiative aims to strengthen the state’s STEM ecosystem by building research capacity, connecting research communities and increasing STEM literacy in rural areas. Planned activities include outreach to rural schools, recruitment and retention of STEM students and development of multi-institutional research teams. Participating institutions include Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, Sitting Bull College, Turtle Mountain College, United Tribes Technical College and five state universities.

The Seneca Nation has purchased the Rochester Knighthawks, marking the first time a tribal nation has joined the ownership ranks of the National Lacrosse League, according to ICT. The deal with Terry and Kim Pegula keeps the team in Rochester, New York, where professional box lacrosse has deep Indigenous roots.

Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca said the move honors the cultural and spiritual significance of lacrosse, known as the Creator’s Game, and secures the team’s future in the community. The National Lacrosse League called the acquisition a “historic partnership,” which Commissioner Brett Frood said strengthens the NLL’s commitment to honoring the sport’s Indigenous origins. The Knighthawks are coming off a playoff season and will begin their 2025-2026 campaign under the leadership of Seneca Holdings. General Manager Dan Carey will lead the organization as team president and general manager.

Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, the nation’s oldest and largest Indigenous Greek letter organization, is concerned about its future on college campuses amid a series of executive orders from the Trump administration targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, according to The 19th. Founded to support Indigenous women in higher education, the sorority has 14 undergraduate chapters, 11 professional chapters and more than 900 members from nearly 130 tribes.

Sorority grand president and leader LaDonna Richardson said most undergraduate chapters are based at predominantly white institutions and could struggle to attract new members if DEI programs are curtailed. Federal judges have blocked some of the administration’s orders, but others remain in effect or unchallenged. Alpha Pi Omega members at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke — home to the largest Native American student population in North Carolina — say the sorority provides a vital sense of belonging, mentorship and cultural connection for Indigenous students.

Nine recruits from the Yankton, Oglala, Sisseton-Wahpeton and Rosebud tribes will join South Dakota’s next basic law enforcement certification class, beginning Aug. 18 in Pierre, according to South Dakota Searchlight. The 13-week program certifies officers for tribal and non-tribal agencies, with three sessions held each year.

Since May 2024, the state has certified 13 tribal graduates. Officials hope to expand training opportunities for tribal officers. U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds and state Public Safety Secretary Bob Perry have called for a federal tribal police academy in the Great Plains. Most tribal officers currently train at a Bureau of Indian Affairs facility in Artesia, New Mexico, which leaders say poses hiring challenges due to distance and duration.