The Daily Spark

Nearly 3,000 gaming professionals will gather in Oklahoma City July 14-16 for the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association’s 30th annual Conference and Trade Show, according to The Journal Record. The event celebrates three decades of growth from bingo halls to over 130 gaming facilities operated by 35 tribal nations.

Oklahoma’s tribal gaming industry generated more than $202 million in exclusivity fees in 2023 and supports over 113,000 jobs statewide. Conference sessions will cover such topics as disaster preparedness, federal policy changes and sports betting. The event also features award presentations recognizing leaders who have advanced tribal gaming rights and sovereignty. OIGA Chairman Matthew Morgan said the industry continues to drive economic development and funds government programs that benefit tribal citizens and the broader community.

The Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the cause of death for Emily Pike, a 14-year-old San Carlos Apache girl, as “homicidal violence with blunt head trauma,” according to ABC15. Pike was reported missing from her Mesa, Arizona, group home in January and was found dead weeks later along U.S. 60, northeast of Globe. The full medical examiner’s report remains restricted. According to ABC15, efforts to raise awareness continue, including a recent clean-up event at her memorial site and ongoing calls for justice.

The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is standing with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe in opposing the construction of a migrant detention center in the Big Cypress region of Florida, according to KOSU. The proposed 5,000-bed facility, referred to as “Alligator Alcatraz,” is located near traditional village sites and sacred lands.

“These lands are not empty stretches of wilderness,” said Seminole Nation Chief Lewis Johnson. “They are living, breathing homelands, deeply tied to the cultural, spiritual and historical identity of Miccosukee and Florida and Seminole people.” Jake Tiger, cultural specialist and Thomas Palmer Band chief, was quoted as saying that no one “can be illegal on stolen land” and criticized the project as “a clear case of colonial oppression.” Tribal leaders argue the project disrespects the land and their shared history.

Oil production on the Fort Berthold Reservation fell 4.6% in April to 184,026 barrels per day, down from 192,961 barrels per day in March, according to the Minot Daily News. Two rigs were active on the reservation, which had 141 active permits and 3,008 active wells.

Statewide, North Dakota’s oil production dropped to 1.17 million barrels per day in April. Director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, Nathan Anderson said that oil production is down 1.8% from March, while natural gas production increased slightly. McKenzie County accounted for 32% of statewide oil production. The state’s rig count held steady at 32, with 105 permits issued in May.

Haskell Indian Nations University will remain fully accredited under a “continued accreditation with monitoring” recommendation from the Higher Learning Commission, according to The Indian Leader. The shift comes after a December 2024 HLC review that recommended probation over academic advising, communication and program assessment concerns.

A May 20 letter from President Frank Arpan noted that after a formal response and an April 29 meeting with the HLC’s Institutional Actions Council, the harsher recommendation was changed. The university awaits final approval by the HLC Board of Trustees, expected in late June. Arpan said student advising, complaint transparency and assessment of academic outcomes “will remain a focus for improvement.”

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. signed a new employee policy on June 5 that offers financial incentives to government employees who complete college degrees, according to the Cherokee Phoenix. The Workforce Development Program provides a range of rewards from $2,000 for associate degrees to $5,000 for doctoral degrees.

The policy applies retroactively to October 2019 and includes nearly 5,800 government employees. Employees must meet performance standards, complete accredited programs and commit to one to three years of service depending on the degree level. Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said the policy reflects Cherokee community values. Executive Director of Human Resources Samantha Hendricks said it supports retention and development. The policy supplements existing tuition assistance and follows other employee-focused initiatives, including paid family leave and flexible spending accounts for eligible employees.

Two Lipan Apache Native American Church members are pursuing federal court protection for trees and birds at Yanaguana, a sacred site along the San Antonio River’s headwaters, according to ICT. The city of San Antonio has sought to remove trees and disperse migratory birds, including cormorants, citing failing retaining walls and public health concerns related to bird guano. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previously ruled the city must allow church members access to the riverbend and placed a temporary stay on tree removal for religious purposes. However, the Texas Supreme Court ruled the city can address public health and safety hazards despite religious protections. Plaintiffs Gary Perez and Matilde Torres argue the birds pose no health risk and that immediate tree removal is unnecessary. They plan to continue the legal battle and possibly take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, emphasizing their commitment to preserving the site’s spiritual and ecological integrity.

The Trump administration has withdrawn from the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement, halting plans to restore salmon populations and remove four hydroelectric dams, according to Grist. The federal government, under the Biden administration, entered into the deal in 2023 with two states and four Indigenous nations, pausing decades of litigation over salmon impacts.

Leaders from the Yakama, Nez Perce, Umatilla and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs said the withdrawal violates treaty rights under the 1855 agreement guaranteeing access to traditional fishing grounds. “This termination will severely disrupt vital fisheries restoration efforts,” Yakama Tribal Council Chairman Gerald Lewis was quoted as saying. Hydroelectric producers in Washington and Oregon supported the decision, citing energy demands from data centers and cryptocurrency. Daniel Cordalis of the Native American Rights Fund called tribal fishing rights “a contract right.”

Tribal and Pueblo governments, conservation groups and elected officials are urging federal officials to maintain Biden-era protections around Chaco Canyon, according to reporting by Source New Mexico. A 10-mile buffer zone around the historic site, established to prevent oil and gas development for 20 years, is under threat from a Republican-backed bill in Congress. The National Congress of American Indians passed a resolution June 17 supporting permanent protections and called for full tribal consultation before any decisions are made. Pueblo of Acoma Governor Charles Riley was quoted as saying the region represents “our most sacred ancestral homeland.” More than two dozen groups and 38 government officials also sent letters to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in support of maintaining existing protections.

Red Sky Nation will hold its fourth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives powwow July 11-13 in Sioux City, Iowa, according to an interview aired by KCAU. Event organizers Trisha Rivers and Hayden Parker said the gathering will raise awareness about the MMIR crisis and provide a cultural safe space for families in the Siouxland area. The powwow will feature dance contests, food and art vendors and community engagement. Parker, who serves as the MMIR princess, said she has attended events across the region to increase awareness of families still seeking answers.

Four Montana tribal nations and Native advocacy group Western Native Voice filed a motion Tuesday to intervene in a lawsuit opposing a bill that limits when Montana residents can register to vote, according to the Daily Montanan. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Blackfeet Nation, Fort Belknap Indian Community, Northern Cheyenne Tribe and Western Native Voice argue the law disproportionately impacts Indigenous voters in rural areas. The motion supports a suit filed by the Montana Federation of Public Employees in Lewis and Clark County District Court. Montana Senate Bill 490 removes an important eight-hour election day registration window that Native voters rely on due to transportation, distance and mail challenges. The tribal groups are represented by the ACLU of Montana, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Native American Rights Fund.

Leonard Peltier, a Native activist and citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, spoke to MPR News about his transition to life outside prison during an interview at his home in Belcourt, North Dakota. Peltier was released in February after President Joe Biden commuted his two life sentences related to the 1975 deaths of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Peltier, 80, described improved health and adjusting to life after nearly five decades behind bars. Despite bitterness over his conviction, he said he has no regrets standing up for his people, and he plans to focus now on combating youth substance abuse. Peltier expressed remorse about the agents' deaths but denied involvement in the shootings. He remains a prominent figure in Native activism and is known as one of the longest-serving political prisoners in the U.S.

More than 150 cadets and senior members of the Civil Air patrol have gathered at Camp Rapid for the 2025 Joint Dakota Encampment. The annual training includes instruction in leadership, military-style discipline and aerospace education. This year’s participants hail from 18 states.

Cadet Major Clover Naughton of the Sioux Falls Composite Squadron serves as cadet commander. Lt. Col. Tom Anez of the South Dakota Wing, an Army combat veteran, is this year’s encampment commander. “This is a complicated, high-level event that is largely planned and managed by the cadets,” Anez was quoted as saying. Activities include classroom sessions, physical training, orientation flights over the Black Hills and daily drills. The eight-day encampment ends June 29.

The Department of Health and Human Services is holding virtual listening sessions July 16-17 to hear tribal input on the agency’s reorganization. According to a Dear Tribal Leader letter sent on behalf of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., tribal members can register online and submit written comments by July 18. The letter states the restructuring aims to streamline services and address unmet needs in Indian Country.

Separately, the Indian Health Service is hosting four in-person tribal consultations, according to a June 13 Dear Tribal Leader letter. They will take place in July in Seattle, Phoenix, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. A virtual urban confer will be held on July 28.

Republican lawmakers introduced legislation to shift oversight of Haskell Indian Nations University from the Bureau of Indian Education to a tribally appointed board of regents, according to the Kansas Reflector. The Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act would maintain federal funding, establish a trust fund and require annual reports to Congress.

“It is clear that the best path forward is for the university to be led by an independent Board of Regents nominated by the Tribal community,” Sen. Jerry Moran was quoted as saying. Dalton Henry, president of the current board of regents, said tribal nations are best suited to guide Haskell’s future. The bill has gained support from several tribal leaders and national Native organizations.

California has awarded $15 million in grants to 14 Native American tribes, tribal coalitions and tribally led organizations to support job training, environmental protection and economic development projects, according to a June 25 announcement from Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Jobs First Council.

The grants include $1.9 million to the Owens Valley Career Development Center for clean economy career pathways and $1.6 million to the Tule River Economic Development Corporation for workforce training. Other awards will support a bioenergy facility, aquaculture center, community centers and land restoration. “Our tribal partners are uniquely positioned to grow their local communities and economies utilizing cultural values and principles of self-determination,” said Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari.

Twelve Native American soldiers from Oklahoma who served in World War I are eligible for the Valor Medals Review, a congressional act directing the Department of Defense to identify whether service members were overlooked for the Medal of Honor due to their race, according to News On 6.

Researchers at the Sequoyah National Research Center, led by Assistant Director Erin Fehr, identified the men after years of examining Indian boarding school records and other archives. Among them is Choctaw code talker Otis Leader, who received the Distinguished Service Cross and French Croix de Guerre with Palm. The Department of Defense has up to three years to decide if these soldiers merit the Medal of Honor.

Mark Cruz, a citizen of the Klamath Tribes, was sworn in June 19 as senior advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to Native News Online. Cruz's appointment fulfills a commitment Kennedy made during his confirmation process to ensure Native voices are represented at the highest levels of the department.

Previously, Cruz served as deputy assistant secretary for Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior under the first Trump administration. He has also held key roles on Capitol Hill, including chief of staff to Representative Todd Rokita and legislative fellow in the office of Representative Tom Cole. Cruz began his career teaching at St. Francis Indian High School on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. He holds degrees from Pepperdine University and Brown University.

Talking Stick, an Indigenous-designed mental health app, has earned a Badge of Compliance from the Mental Health Commission of Canada. The free app offers anonymous peer support from trained Indigenous advocates and was recognized for meeting national standards in data privacy, usability, accessibility, cultural safety and data sovereignty.

Developed by TryCycle Data Systems with Indigenous partners, Talking Stick also received a badge from ORCHA, an international digital health app review group.

Talking Stick is available on mobile and desktop and is offered to Native nations in both Canada and the U.S. It connects users with Indigenous peer advocates trained to provide compassionate, culturally grounded support.