Attorneys say Resolution Copper Mine would ‘destroy’ worship at Oak Flat

WASHINGTON - Attorneys for Apache Stronghold told a federal appeals court Tuesday that the proposed Resolution Copper Mine would lead to the "complete physical destruction" of sacred lands at Oak Flat, a clear violation of religious liberty laws.


FBI investigates rehab scams targeting Indigenous community

PHOENIX - The FBI is investigating scams where fake rehab groups target the Indigenous community. Officials said organizers of these "pop-up facilities'' falsely offer addiction recovery, then file documents to rake in government money before disappearing.

The FBI is investigating scams where fake rehab groups target the Indigenous community, offering bogus substance-abuse recovery or mental-health services at pop-up facilities to rake in government money, FBI officials say. (Photo courtesy of the FBI)

Justices grapple over Navajo water rights, government’s duty to tribe

WASHINGTON - Supreme Court justices pressed government attorneys Monday on their argument that the treaties that put the Navajo on reservation lands implied an intent - but not a duty - for the government to provide water to the tribe.


Supreme Court hears Navajo water rights case with potentially big impact

WASHINGTON - When the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments Monday in Arizona v. Navajo Nation, it will be considering fairly technical legal questions, but the answers could have a large impact on water allocation in the Colorado River basin.


Tohono O’odham leader says lack of infrastructure, capital hinders development

WASHINGTON - Economic development on the remote Tohono O'odham Nation is hobbled by everything from a lack of basic infrastructure to poor access to capital, a tribal leader told lawmakers at a House hearing Wednesday on development challenges in Indian Country,


Super Bowl brings more opportunity for Phoenix artists

PHOENIX — Super Bowl LVII has come and gone, but its impact on the local arts community remains in the form of a larger national profile it has given several Arizona artists.

A gif showing the progression of the mural's creation through five photos.

Conservation groups, highway advocates square off on proposed Interstate 11

TUCSON — Four conservation groups have sued the Federal Highway Administration over a proposed corridor for Interstate 11, saying there hasn’t been enough consideration of how it would affect the pristine Sonoran Desert and animals in the area.

Tom Hannagan, Friends of Ironwood Forest board president, walks through Ironwood Forest National Monument on Jan. 31, 2023, in Tucson. (Photo by Evelyn Nielsen/Cronkite News)

Native hoop dance coaches preserve history, tradition with new generation

PHOENIX – Indigenous intertribal hoop dance combines tradition and history with individuality and creativity. We tell the story of three dancers who are sharing their passion for the dance with the next generation.

Gianna Begay, who is Navajo and Anishinaabe, is an intermediate student in the Native American Hoop Dance Class at Ballet Arizona in Phoenix. Photo taken Feb. 8, 2023. (Photo by Izabella Hernandez/Cronkite News)

Tribe seeks burial for mountain lion P-22 in LA park

LOS ANGELES - Indigenous communities view wildlife as relatives and honor their memory by welcoming them back to nature. Even a deceased mountain lion.

Celebrity deejay Diplo speaks onstage during Celebration Of Life For Beloved Mountain Lion P-22 at The Greek Theatre on Feb. 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for the National Wildlife Federation)

‘We were always sovereign’: Hia-Ced O’odham seek federal recognition as a tribe

PHOENIX – In Arizona, 22 federally recognized tribes inhabit nearly every region of the state, but the Hia-Ced O’odham community isn’t one of them. Some members are working to change that, and others believe it may be too difficult to achieve.

Lourdes “Lulu” Pereira is a student worker at the Labriola Center and the official archivist for the Hia-Ced Hemajkam LLC, which was established in 2015 to work toward federal recognition and reclamation of ancestral lands. Photo taken Dec. 1, 2022, at Hayden Library in Tempe. (Photo by Campbell Wilmot/Cronkite News)

Statewide hotline to support mental health during and after pregnancy

TUCSON – A hotline expected to launch next spring seeks to help improve access to information and treatment options for perinatal mental health.

Allison, who asked that only her first name be used because of concerns about mental health stigma, sits in front of her home in Tucson on Nov. 3, 2022. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 18, Allison sought help from a perinatal psychiatrist when she decided to start a family. A new statewide hotline aims to help more people like her. (Photo by Laura Bargfeld/Cronkite News)

Arizona taking steps to combat maternal mortality, one doula at a time

TEMPE – A new doula advisory committee in Arizona is developing certification procedures for the nonmedical labor professionals. It will bring the state one step closer to increasing access to doulas – who, research shows, can help prevent pregnancy-associated deaths.

Latisa Ratliff holds her daughter in her living room in Tempe, Arizona, on Nov. 16, 2022. As a birth doula and a mother of three, Ratliff encourages her clients to find a health care provider who listens to their individual needs. “Listen to that mother’s intuition,” Ratliff says. (Photo by Laura Bargfeld/Cronkite News)