Action on missing, murdered women legislation caps years of advocacy

WASHINGTON - Native American advocates and families have worked for years to draw attention to Indian Country's epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women. The federal government finally passed legislation that could help do something about it.


With clock ticking – and state lagging – Census court fight continues

WASHINGTON - A see-saw legal battle over the 2020 Census continued Friday, with the government pushing to end the count in just five days while local governments, including two Arizona tribes, hoped to extend it to Oct. 31.


‘Baby-Friendly’ hospitals tackle health disparities by encouraging Native mothers to breastfeed

A hospital on the Fort Apache Reservation in eastern Arizona is one of several overseen by the Indian Health Service that aims to encourage more Native American women to breastfeed.


Sinema pushes Wolf on damage from border wall; Wolf cites security

WASHINGTON - Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema confronted the acting head of Homeland Security Wednesday over border wall construction she said has ignored the needs of local communities and bypassed environmental assessment reports.


From showdown to stalemate, Pascua Yaqui voting site feud continues

WASHINGTON - What was a showdown between the Pascua Yaqui tribe, the Pima County Board of Supervisors and the county's recorder has now turned into a stalemate after the board voted to OK an emergency voting site on tribal land and the recorder refused.


Tribe rushes to beat use-or-lose deadline on COVID-19 relief funds

WASHINGTON - Spending $177 million may not seem like a problem, but it is a challenge for Navajo Nation leaders who could lose those federal COVID-19 relief funds if they don't find projects that can be completed by the end of this year.


System could help tribal members past – one – voter registration hurdle

WASHINGTON - Advocates said a new policy that lets Arizona residents without traditional street addresses register to vote online is not perfect - but it's a vast improvement over the old process.


Critics: Feds reopened tribal schools without asking or advising tribes

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers and tribal leaders berated the Bureau of Indian Education on Thursday for a school reopening plan that prioritizes in-person learning, despite tribes' opposition to the plan in the face of COVID-19 health concerns.


Tribal leader says ensuring accurate census is a ‘life and death’ issue

WASHINGTON - Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis told a House panel Thursday that an accurate Census count could be a "matter of life and death" for tribal communities.


COVID-19 cases on reservation at lowest point since May, but Navajos urged to remain vigilant

PHOENIX – Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said there was only one case of COVID-19 in a 24-hour period but warned of a possible spike in the wake of the three-day Labor Day weekend.


Next Generation: Grappling with loss of life and connection, Native youth transform into the leaders of tomorrow

PHOENIX – With COVID-19 disproportionately affecting tribal nations, Native youth are stepping up to help others, preserve their culture and start the healing process.


Judge halts plan to end census early, as Arizona, tribal responses lag

WASHINGTON - A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Census Bureau plan to end its counting a month earlier than planned, ruling in a suit joined last week by the Navajo Nation and Gila River Indian Community.