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As the long list of guilty verdicts was read, Smith sat, stone-faced, while families and advocates for the victims cried and embraced each other.

Throughout the duration of the trial, they said they hoped their presence would send a message of strength and caring, but, most important of all, bring justice.

Milton Patrick McGarva. (Courtesy Morning Star Gali / Facebook)

In Modoc County, Calif., Jarrett Rucker, a non-Native man, is on trial accused of killing Pit River tribal member Milton Patrick McGarva, who was found stabbed to death in his home in 2020.

Rucker is charged with first-degree murder.

As Frank Sterling reports, advocates for missing and murdered Indigenous people says this is an important case.

The trial began with prosecutor Barton Bowers revealing that Milton McGarva, Yogi as he was known, and Jarrett Rucker were in a romantic relationship and had been living together in McGarva’s rural home for approximately two years before Yogi was killed.

Bowers also described the scene of the killing as brutal.

Numerous witnesses were called, including first responders and McGarva’s family.

His family painfully recalled the tragedy, saying McGarva had just pulled through some serious health challenges.

Russell McGarva is one of Yogi’s brothers.

“He had 13 different surgeries and he made it through it. You know, and to be taken away the way he was from us, it’s just not right.”

Geraldine McGarva, Yogi’s sister, says he was a community-oriented man and loved to help out.

“Fun loving guy that made everybody laugh when he was around. We all laughed and joked and kidded with each other. He helped everybody out.”

Advocate Morning Star Gali of the organization Indigenous Justice says this is an important case for Native people.

“There has actually been charges put forward in terms of a non-Native individual against a tribal member is something that’s unheard of out here and something that’s really significant in our seek for justice for the families and for all (MMIP) cases. These cases, the majority of them never actually make it to this point that go to trial.”

The trial is expected to wrap up next week with the testimony of the medical examiner and closing arguments by the attorneys before the case is turned over to the jury.

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Researchers in northern Michigan are trying out a new project that they hope will deepen our understanding of how aquatic ecosystems work.

Interlochen Public Radio’s Ellie Katz has more.

Starting this spring, biologists with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will begin submerging video cameras near reefs.

Chris Hessell is a fisheries biologist with the band.

He says cameras can capture snapshots of animal movement and interaction without disturbing them.

The idea is to better see how underwater animals interact with the world … in ways that aren’t all that different from humans.

“People need to utilize grocery stores, gas stations, fast food restaurants – so you have these different components within urban development, where you have people who are utilizing different facilities for different needs.”

He says fish and other animals also move from place to place like this, spending different amounts of time in different areas and interacting with different species.

But we just don’t quite understand why. Hessell says using video could help biologists start to crack the code.

The Wilton Rancheria and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office have entered an agreement to establish a framework for cooperation and collaboration related to public safety and law enforcement within the jurisdictional boundaries of the tribe.

The tribe is located about 15 miles southeast of the California State Capitol in Sacramento.

Wilton Rancheria Chairman Jesus Tarango says the signing of the agreement is a big day for Indian Country.

“Something as a chairman I believe that we all have our gifts and gifts of the chair are to make sure we are having conversations with other leaders of agencies and what not, and so today, I wanted to show our state and other areas – use this as an example.”

Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper.

“It’s been a long process. We really want to work together. I think it’s groundbreaking number one, it’s in the state capital. So, all these staffers that work here and do legislation live in Sacramento, the tribe is based here in Sacramento, and the legislators are here four or five days a week. So, I think what we can do and gain, in building this trust and friendship, will be reflected across the state of California.”

One of the goals of the agreement is to better address missing and murdered Indigenous people. Chairman Tarango.

“I know that the epidemic that we we have in front of us, it’s not going to get done today, it’s not gonna get done tomorrow. And I love the advocating of it. But we also have to make sure we’re starting to do some of the work and get people out there. And I really see that the relationships between tribes with the sheriffs are the key, that’s the key for us. We’re not cookie cutter here in California. And so every relationship between the tribe and the sheriffs has to be unique. But we have to show that it can be done. And I believe taking on or tackling Sacramento County, as this is where all of the laws are made for our people here in this great state, why not here. And if we could really get behind the sheriffs’ department and the sheriffs’ departments would get behind us. And then we can go out and show other communities, maybe what we’ve done and, you know, maybe they could add some things to theirs to make it fit for them and work for them.”

Sheriff Cooper says MMIP is an important issue, especially as women and girls go missing across the country.

“MMIP is big in Indian Country, it’s important. The relationship has not been there. We want to build up on that relationship. And that’s one of the reasons Chairman Tarango approached me and talking about it. So, it’s a collaborative, it’s a partnership working together, to definitely make sure we address the issue of our MMIP.”

The agreement was signed last week, during a MMIP summit hosted by the Wilton Rancheria and the Yurok Tribe.

This story is a collaboration with First Nations Experience Television with support from the Public Welfare Foundation, committed to advancing transformative youth and criminal justice reforms.

Courtesy Wisconsin Eye

Leaders from Wisconsin’s eleven tribes are gathered at the State Capitol in Madison for Thursday’s State of the Tribes address.

This year’s speech is being delivered by Forest County Potawatomi Chairman James Crawford.

The annual address lays out tribal priorities.

Watch the Address

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The trial of Brian Smith, a man accused in the murders of two Alaska Native women, resumed Tuesday in Anchorage.

Last week, jurors saw cell phone videos of the murder of 30-year-old Kathleen Jo Henry – and heard Smith admit to police that he killed another woman, 52-year-old Veronica Abouchuk.

As the trial got underway two weeks ago, the prosecutor apologized to the jury for the horrific images they would see, that might live on in their heads, long after the trial.

And for those who are not in the courtroom, Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA looks at why this trial could, for some, awaken old traumas.

Trigger warning: The details of this story are graphic and disturbing, and include an offensive term.

Courtesy Human Rights Watch

Chuck Hoskin Jr., Principal chief of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, says he’s heartbroken over the death of Nex Benedict, a student who died earlier this month.

The 16-year-old’s mother told the Independent Nex was being bullied over their gender identity and died a day after a fight at school.

In a statement Tuesday, Hoskin said the death is a tragedy and he has asked Cherokee Marshals to support in the investigation into the death.

Hoskin stated the Cherokee Nation database has no indication Nex was a citizen of the tribe, but said Nex was a child living within the reservation – and deserved love, support, and to be kept safe.

The investigation is ongoing.

The Catawba Nation has reacquired 32 acres of land in Lancaster, S.C.

According to the tribe, the land was given back to the Catawba Nation by the state.

The tribe plans to seek land into trust by the federal government.

The land, which is located near the reservation, is sacred and home to a historic village site.

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Federal officials recently denied hydroelectric projects in Black Mesa in northeast Arizona.

Tribal officials are praising the federal government’s decision.

Clark Adomaitis has more.

Tribal officials and environmental justice groups have been opposing three hydroelectric pumps in the Black Mesa region for over a year, saying the project would deplete already small groundwater reserves.

The communities on the high plateau rely on aquifers that are 2,000-3,000 feet below the ground for drinking water.

“Today, we don’t even see the springs and the seeps anymore on Black Mesa.” 

Nicole Horseherder, executive director of the Navajo nonprofit Tó Nizhóní Ání, says that for 50 years, coal mining projects have used billions of gallons of groundwater in Black Mesa.

“In a place that gets less than eight inches of rainfall a year, we’re almost 100% dependent on these groundwater sources. When industry comes in, and taps into the same groundwater sources, There’s just no way that you’re not going to make an impact on municipal and residential water uses.”

Horseherder praises the federal agencies for considering the tribal communities’ position.

Federal commissioners also announced a new policy of not allowing projects on Tribal lands that don’t have Tribal support.

An Alaska legislator apologized on the house floor last week for comments she made in a Tribal Affairs Committee meeting.

Committee members heard testimony from organizations serving Alaska Native people on the disparities in assault rates and violence against Indigenous women, which is several times higher than the general population.

At the end of the meeting, State Rep. Sarah Vance (R-AK) of Homer said she felt the presentation excluded the experiences of white women who are victims of sexual violence.

“It’s the same thing. But what I continue to hear in this committee over and over again, is if you are the only one. And I know that’s not your heart. But I ask that, when you come and present, that you remember that you have white sisters who are going through the same thing.”

State Rep. Ashley Carrick (D-AK) from Fairbanks responded to Rep. Vance’s comments.

“While the suffering is the same for victims, the causes of that violence are not the same. And the response to that violence is not the same. And the justice for the victims is not the same. And until it’s the same, we have got a lot of work to do.”

The 16-member Alaska House Coalition, which is made up of mostly Democrats and Independents, called for Rep. Vance to apologize in a press release last week, like State Rep. Maxine Dibert (Koyukon Athabascan/D-AK) from Fairbanks.

“As the only Alaska Native women in the legislature, knowing my Native sisters are disproportionately affected by these high rates of violence within Alaska and other states cuts me to my core.”

Rep. Vance apologized on the House floor that same day.

“But to every victim and every Alaskan Native voice, you have been heard and you will continue to be heard in this body. And I ask you to forgive me for, for not listening with understanding first.”

Rep. Vance sponsored four bills related to human and sex trafficking this legislative session.

The Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma is seeking changes to the Major Crimes Act for Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent.

The federal law governs criminal jurisdiction of tribal citizens on reservations and requires “Indian blood,” which the tribe says discriminates against Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. says they’ll seek change through Congress or the high courts.

The Cherokee Nation has more than 15,000 enrolled citizens of Freedmen descent, which are full Cherokee citizens.

Hoskin made the announcement during an event this week in Tulsa.

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Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna) is making history as the first Native American to serve as a U.S. cabinet secretary.

While she’s beloved in Indian Country, at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) winter session, some tribal leaders report they still don’t see the Interior Department as an ally.

Matt Laslo has the story from Washington.

In his State of Tribal Nations address on Monday, NCAI President Mark Macarro (Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians) tipped his hat to President Joe Biden.

“Under his presidency, there are more Native Americans in the highest levels of government than ever before. From the White House to agencies, we see you!”

Bernadine Atchison, council chair of Alaska’s Kenaitze Indian Tribe. praises Sec. Haaland and all the other Native Americans in the Interior Department.

“Well, I think it’s amazing because it sets good role models like for our children and grandchildren that you can accomplish anything and your voice can be heard and can make a difference. I know they’ve come to visit us. They’ve helped.”

Maurice “Mo” John, a member of the tribal council for New York’s Seneca Nation, says there’s no question Sec. Haaland’s presence is being felt in Indian Country.

“By any standard, she’s made it easier for us, and she is the go between us and the administration. She’s a wonderful girl and I think she’s doing a very hard job to help all of us and she does help all of us at any given moment.”

But it’s not all resounding praise.

Cheryl Andrews-Maltais is chairwoman of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah.

“We’re on the island of what we call Noepe, and everybody else knows as Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts.”

Andrews-Maltais used to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and has high praise for Sec. Haaland. Still, she says her tribe has butted heads with the Biden administration over its 30×30 initiative to conserve 30% of America’s land and water by 2030.

“The waters rose, creating our island over 10,000 years ago. So all the areas right out to what they call the continental shelf break, where it actually goes down, all that was dry land and that has all of our living patterns and archaeological history contained submerged somewhere underneath the water. We’re trying to protect that, and it seems to compete with the administration’s need and desire to meet their 30×30 slogan for climate resiliency.”

Dallas Owen, a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate tribe of South and North Dakota, says his tribe is still jumping through too many federal hoops and hurdles.

“It’s like you got to hit steps one, two and three before you can get to four. So I know she’s probably doing the best she can, but I do I expect more? Yes. But am I going to be at a loss if nothing comes to fruition? Probably not. Because I know the position she’s in and at the end of the day, unless they cut red tape, it’s just what it is.”

Ashley Hemmers (enrolled member of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe) says part of the way tribes were able to secure protections for the sacred Avi Kwa Ame National Monument was through bypassing Washington and working with other tribes first.

“We know we wanted to protect our sacred site and we can’t rely on Washington, right?”

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has published a book on the era of Indigenous slavery in Alaska that endured more than two decades after passage of the 13th Amendment to the federal constitution, which abolished the practice two years before Alaska became part of the United States in 1867.

The book is about a Haida man named Sah Quah, who embarked on a courageous quest for freedom from his Tlingit owner, and the trial that ultimately ended human bondage in 1886.

Sah Quah explores how slavery came to exist and persist in Alaska despite the federal act that banned it.

The book was written by journalist Jeff Landfield and Paxson Woelber along with attorney Lee Baxter.

The investigative special feature first appeared on the political news site The Alaska Landmine and was reprinted through SHI’s Box of Knowledge series.

Woelber said the story of slavery in North America is incomplete without an understanding of slavery in Alaska.

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On the Ute Mountain Ute reservation, the tribe has started a project to open one of the largest solar farms in the United States.

Clark Adomaitis has more.

Two-point-two million solar panels, 8 miles long and one mile wide.

That’s the dimensions of the proposed Sun Bear Solar Farm, just south of Towaoc, Colo. in the heart of the Ute Mountain Ute reservation.

Scott Clow, the Ute Mountain Ute Environmental Programs Director, says the solar farm will be one of the top five largest solar farms in the United States.

“It is a commercial scale project on the order of 756 megawatts (of) AC power.”

Planning has been ongoing for two and a half years and funding is coming from international renewable energy company Canigou.

According to Canigou’s Director Justin Passfield, the project will cost over $1 billion.

Passfield says electricity generated from the solar farm will be connected to the Western Area Power Administration line, but it’s unclear what regional entities the electricity will be sold to.

“We’re thinking about the power needs within Colorado, but also it makes sense for not to transmit power too far from where you are. Having said that, we’re going to be producing a large amount of power. So I’m not sure that all of it will be able to be consumed within Colorado.”

Courtesy Canigou Group

Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart is excited about job opportunities for tribal members and the opportunity for the tribe to become a significant player in renewable energy.

“We, as the Ute Mountain Ute tribe, had been a fossil fuel tribe with oil and gas for a long time, probably over 50 years. And today with the changes in legislation, global warming, and climate change, you can see the impact of what’s happening to our world. So renewable is the new future right now.”

Canigou Group says the solar farm will create over 500 local jobs for electricians and laborers, and they’re aiming to start producing electricity in 2026, once final approval is given from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Bodaway/Gap region of the Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation (TCRHCC) will have its own health care center after 20 years.

TCRHCC will hold a ground-breaking ceremony Friday for a new, two-story health care facility and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025.

When completed, the center will offer services such as a primary care center, dental clinic, eye clinic, wellness center, mental health clinic, and more.

Residents of Bodaway/Gap have had to travel 35 miles for health care services in Tuba City.

In 2018, TCRHCC established a limited-services, part-time clinic out of a mobile building.

The need for services started in 2002 when a request was made by the communities of Bodaway/Gap and Kaibeto for a health facility.

In a statement, TCRHCC CEO Joette Walters said: “This is a historic event for the surrounding communities, and it all started with a vision to improve access to healthcare.”

Participants in the February 2024 Atkuk Workshop share their creations. (Courtesy Alutiiq Museum)

The Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak, Alaska has released a set of instructions for making an Alutiiq/Sugpiaq snow falling parka.

This project was supported by the Tangirnaq Native Village and the US Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Produced in partnership with Elder Susan Malutin, the resources provided step-by step instructions for creating a long, hoodless coat from fabric.

The garment is styled like the iconic Kodiak Alutiiq snow falling parka worn by men, women, and non-binary people.

The resources are intended to help Alutiiq people create cultural garments to share and celebrate their heritage.

Education Manager Leda Beuthin is leading the project.

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The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and the Native American Agriculture Fund recently announced an investment in a new agriculture business degree program.

The BIE is partnering with Haskell Indian Nations University, based in Lawrence, Kan.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna) made the announcement in remarks at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium’s Annual Legislative Summit in Washington D.C.

Courtesy Secretary Deb Haaland / Facebook

The education effort will be housed within Haskell’s business school and the program will cover things such as lending operation, risk management, regulatory compliance – and encompass comprehensive fundamental lending principals that will improve the relationships Native farmers and ranchers have with their financial institutions.

In a statement, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland (Ojibwe) said he’s excited to see Haskell implementing innovative programs to foster opportunities for the next generation of Native American farmers and ranchers.

He went on to say new program will help ensure that Indigenous farming students can build sustainable business models which support them, their families, and traditional food systems by bridging the gap between educational needs and agricultural financial literacy.

Officials say the partnership will focus on building bridges between educational needs and ongoing efforts to improve agricultural financing, which they say is critical to a long-term sustainable and resilient Native Food economy.

Courtesy Julia Kitka / LinkedIn

A major transition is ahead for the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN).

AFN leaders have announced plans for Julie Kitka to step aside as president before this fall’s convention.

Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA looks at how this changing of the guard will take place.

Next month, AFN will open up the application process, the first step in choosing the next person to lead state’s largest Native organization.

In an announcement, AFN leaders said it was President Kitka’s choice to leave this role.

Kitka was elected president in 1990, but her service to AFN goes back four decades.

From healthcare to fulfilling the goals of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Kitka has had a hand in almost every one of AFN’s major achievements.

Paul Ongtooguk (Inupiat), an Alaska Native historian, says it’s always tough for a legacy leader to decide when it’s time to leave.

“No one lands on that squarely that I’ve ever seen. There’s an enormous amount of appreciation that needs to be given for all the time and enormous effort that she’s put in, year after year.”

AFN’s board of directors has created a succession committee and hired The Foraker Group to help with the search and transition.

Foraker is an organization that helps non-profits grow and adapt to change.

AFN is also asking its members to fill out a survey to help choose a new president.

Ongtooguk says that is a good idea and it’s especially important for AFN leaders to hear from the younger generation, who may have ideas they would never even imagine.

“The way people think about that role and what it could be and should be for the future. It really does need to take a fresh bend in the river.”

The plan is to have the new president in place by October to lead the 2024 AFN Convention, the largest gathering of its kind in the state.

Kitka says she has no comment at this time, but will not leave the picture completely.

She says she will take up a new role at AFN, to be announced sometime in the near future.

AFN Co-Chair Joe Nelson said in a statement that it’s difficult to imagine an AFN without Julie Kitka at the helm, but AFN leaders are committed to a healthy transition.

Analysis from Paul Ongtooguk: Why two tribal organizations have left the Alaska Federation of Natives

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The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld the federal government’s Indigenous child welfare act.

As Dan Karpenchuk reports, the challenge came from the province of Quebec which argued that the act overstepped provincial jurisdiction.

Quebec won the case in 2022 before the Court of Appeal, but Canada’s highest court, in a unanimous decision, upheld Ottawa’s child welfare law, thereby affirming that First Nations, Metis, and Inuit have the sole authority over the protection of their children.

Indigenous leaders cheered the decision.

One of them was Ghislain Picard, Assembly of First Nations regional chief from Quebec-Labrador.

“Our peoples have compromised enough. I think it’s time now for other governments to do the same. I think it’s the only way that trust and good faith will prevail.”

The ruling also affirmed that Indigenous peoples have an inherent right to self government – and that includes control over child and family services.

The High Court said there is nothing in the division of powers between the federal government and the provinces that prevents Parliament from affirming that Indigenous peoples have the inherent right of self government.

Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu called the decision truly historic.

“Separating parents and their children from culture, from family, from language, indeed from care, is a tool that colonizers have used to diminish and oppress people all around the world.”

Hajdu also says the decision paves the way for more Indigenous autonomy in areas such as health care and water quality on reserves.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is holding its winter session in Washington, DC this week.

President Mark Macarro (Pechanga Band of Indians) kicked it off on Monday with the annual State of Indian Nations address.

Matt Laslo has more from Washington.

The “work always continues”, Macarro told attendees here in Washington, but he reports, “the state of Indian nations is strong and on the rise.”

“Let us also take a moment to breathe in the rich diversity and strength of our thriving tribal nations that are in this very room. I believe this is a moment for hope and in the country. We continue to make strides and representation and everything from elected office to outer space to what I would what I believe will be a historic night at the Academy Awards next month.”

Macarro announced three calls to action in his address. First on his list is the announcement that NCAI plans to host a national public safety summit.

“Where we can engage in deep discussions about jurisdictional and law enforcement needs on all our tribal lands and address police brutality in our urban tribal communities.”

Macarro says that public safety summit will also focus on combatting the opioid epidemic.

Second on his list was the announcement that NCAI is forming a taskforce focused on the integrity of tribal membership and unity after two constitutional amendments to exclude state-recognized tribes from voting membership were defeated at last year’s annual conference.

“I want us to work through this in a respectful way. This is essential for uniting our voices and forging a legacy of unity and strength. And to our Alaska relatives, I recognize our unity as indigenous people. Our partnership moving forward is critically important.”

Lastly, Macarro announced NCAI will be convening a Native vote roundtable ahead of November’s presidential election.

“Our collected and continued political engagement is crucial. Every vote we cast has the power to shape the future.”

Under the Biden Administration, there are more Native Americans in the highest levels of government than ever before, which Macarro says is being felt in Indian Country.

“This representation fosters a deeper understanding of our needs. Substantial efforts have been made to enhance government to government dialogue and to seek consultation with us. We’ve seen improvements in community trust processes, NAGPRA, and environmental standards. This administration has also worked with us to restore stewardship of our ancestral homelands.”

Macarro called on Congress to make Indian Health Service funding mandatory and permanent, while he’s also advocating for federal lawmakers to reauthorize and modernize the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act.

“Indian Country needs are not entitlements. Indian Country’s needs are non-negotiable. They are imperative and they must be met.”

Throughout the rest of the week, tribal leaders and Alaska natives will receive training sessions before NCAI members hit Capitol Hill offices Thursday to lobby members of Congress and their staff’s directly on behalf of Indian Country.

NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright Jr. (citizen of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) says these efforts are vital.

“Our mission – to protect and advance the rights and interests of tribal nations – remains as critical today, as it was in our founding. My role as executive director convinced me to uphold this mission, ensuring that our collective efforts resonate not only within our communities, but across the halls of power because that’s where the decisions affecting our futures are being made.”

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The FBI just launched a new project to collect more data about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis.

Wyoming Public Radio’s Hannah Habermann reports on the announcement at the Wind River Reservation made last week.

The FBI is the primary law enforcement agency that investigates serious crimes on the Wind River Reservation – and they’re trying to collect more information about those who’ve gone missing or have been murdered.

The agency set up a new designated email account – WYMMIP@fbi.gov – to better understand what the crisis looks like in the state and what resources the agency can contribute to solving cases.

FBI agent Leonard Carollo says he recognizes that tribal members have not always been comfortable working with the agency.

“We recognize these historical barriers and want to do all we can to improve the flow of information.”

Agents and other FBI employees will collect information – like new details or cases that were never reported – for the next ninety days. Then, they will research and investigate the tips.

The FBI also plans to host in-person information-gathering sessions on the Reservation.

Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, where the trial is taking place. (Courtesy Lex Treinen / Alaska Public Media)

The Anchorage murder trial of Brian Smith enters its second week.

The 52-year-old man is accused of killing Kathleen Henry and Veronica Abouchuk, two Alaska Native women from the rural communities of Eek and Stebbins who had experienced homelessness in Anchorage.

Last week during jury selection, potential jurors were asked if they could handle seeing gruesome photos and video that Smith allegedly shot of the one of the killings on his cell phone.

A woman testified last week that she stole the phone from Smith’s truck.

At the time, she said she lived in a tent and was riding around town with Smith “on a date”.

In 2019, the woman turned in an SD card to police and told them she found it on the ground.

But in court last week, she admitted to stealing Smith’s phone from his truck and copying the video to an SD card, which she turned over police, after her therapist encouraged her to do so.

As the trial finished its first week, defense attorneys argued the footage shouldn’t be shown to the jury, because so many different stories have been told about the source of the video.

Before trial recessed last week, the judge asked the prosecution to explain more about how police obtained the video and how it was handled.

As of now, the judge plans to allow the jury to see the footage in which Smith does not appear, but is heard telling his victim that he plans to kill her.

Investigators say they recognized his South African accent from a prior investigation involving Smith, which led to his arrest.

The federal government is launching a new behavioral health call line for students and staff at tribal schools.

The Mountain West News Bureau’s Kaleb Roedel has more.

The line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and funded by the Bureau of Indian Education.

The agency says the line will mostly be staffed by Indigenous counselors who have experience serving Native communities.

They will offer both immediate individual crisis support and scheduling for virtual counseling.

Emily Haroz is with the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health.

She says this added support comes at a critical time.

“Across the board, we see inequities and mental health related outcomes among Indigenous groups, particularly Indigenous youth. And so having something really tailored to those communities is really important in order to make sure that the care that’s provided is culturally congruent, and also accessible.”

The behavioral health line will serve more than 180 tribal schools.

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The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is hosting tribal leaders from across the country this week in Washington, D.C. at its 2024 Executive Council Winter Session.

Tribal leaders will discuss crucial issues facing American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

They’ll also take part in taskforce meetings and listening sessions – and hear from Biden administration officials, members of Congress, and federal partners.

There’s also a Native Youth Leadership Summit.

One top highlight is the 2024 State of Indian Nations speech.

NCAI’s new president Mark Macarro, who was elected in November, is delivering the address, which sets forth tribal priorities for the year ahead.

Among priorities are land-into-trust issues, voting rights, environmental sustainability, and more.

The event kicked off Monday and will wrap up on Thursday.

March during the 2023 MMIP Summit and Day of Action.

The second annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Summit and Day of Action is taking place this week in Sacramento, Calif.

The events are sponsored by the Yurok Tribe and the Wilton Rancheria.

Joseph L. James, Chairman of the Yurok Tribe, says putting on these events gives a voice to the state’s MMIP and their families, which he says have, for too long, suffered in silence as countless loved ones have been lost to the MMIP crisis.

Tribal leaders from across California, along with state and federal legislators and leaders, including Assembly Member James Ramos (Serrano/Cahuilla/D-CA), Attorney General Rob Bonta (D-CA), and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), as well as law enforcement and families of MMIP are expected to advocate during the two days and seek solutions to target the crisis’ root causes.

Asm. Ramos says although there are increased awareness and resources to combat the MMIP epidemic, they’re seeing California trend the wrong way with numbers of unsolved cases going up instead of down.

Officials say California has the fifth-highest number of MMIP cases in the U.S. with the majority involving young women and girls.

The day of action is taking place as the U.S. Congress reviews legislation on MMIP.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren and Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley met with NASA administrator Bill Nelson last week, urging for federal protection of the moon.

The tribe has long advocated for protecting celestial bodies.

Navajo leaders reached out to NASA, the White House, and other federal agencies in December, expressing opposition of a private company’s rocket launch with NASA to the moon carrying human remains.

The Navajo Nation had an initial meeting with officials in January, just days prior the rocket launch.

In a press conference last month, President Nygren talked about the sacredness of the moon and says sending human remains there is desecration.

“The Navajo Nation holds the moon in such high regard, and when it comes to our way and life in our culture, that we shouldn’t be transporting human remains, ashes to the moon to the moon, and also, we’re born here, and we should be left here when we move on as well.”

“Pink Supermoon” shines over Little Bear Peak, located just south of Great Sand Dunes, in April 2021. (Photo: Patrick Myers / NPS)

President Nygren went on to say he’s expressed to the government how the moon plays a vital role to not only the Navajo Nation, but other tribes as well.

“Our land, our culture, our way of life within the four secret mountains. The way we grow things, we use it as a calendar, and our moon is so integral in everything that we do, that there should be some respect, and respect some sacredness to the moon.”

President Nygren says even though they’re opposed to this journey to the moon, the tribe is not opposed to science or space exploration, but wants continued tribal consultation.

The Navajo Nation says last week’s hour-long meeting at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., was a step toward acknowledging and respecting Native perspectives within U.S. space policy.

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