MMIP task forces are given years to solve a problem centuries in the making
WASHINGTON - At least 10 states, including Arizona, and federal agencies have efforts to address the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous people, but those efforts have to grapple with historical neglect, modern bureaucracy and myriad legal and police disparities.
Student loan repayments will hit economy; how hard depends on who’s being hit
WASHINGTON - When federal student loan payments resume Oct. 1, they could pull $71 billion a year out of the economy, $5.3 billion from Arizona. The pain could be real for borrowers - about 880,000 in Arizona - but will present only a "modest headwind" to the overall economy.
Group mentor program in Tucson teaches male youth about healthy relationships
TUCSON – A mentoring program is using talking circles, adventure outings and overnight camping trips to help young men develop positive and healthy relationships. The goal is to give every boy in middle and high school access to safe and trusted men.
As water regulations shift – again – advocates, officials work to cope
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court's ruling this summer in the Sackett case was supposed to clarify Clean Water Act regulations, but has instead left officials waiting and wondering what's next as federal regulators work our new Waters of the United States rules, due by Sept. 1.
‘We cannot continue to scar Mother Earth’: Public shows support for proposed monument near Grand Canyon
FLAGSTAFF – Dozens of community members, tribal leaders and state officials gathered in Flagstaff to show their support for a proposed national monument around the Grand Canyon, saying the designation could protect natural and cultural resources. Critics say the monument could hurt the economy.
Hot enough for who? Report says other states may be more vulnerable to heat
WASHINGTON - Phoenix could hit 115 degrees this weekend, but a new report says the greater heat threat may be outside the Valley - and even in other states. The Census study looked at income, housing and other factors to find those most at risk for heat-related harm.
Navajo witnesses clash over government’s Chaco Canyon mining ban
WASHNGTON - A moratorium on mining within 10 miles of Chaco Canyon tramples on tribal sovereignty and denies Navajo badly needed royalty payments; or it is needed to ensure oil and gas operations no longer poison the people, competing witnesses told a House panel.
Navajo president presses Congress for more time, money, for water project
WASHINGTON - Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren asked senators Wednesday for more funding, and time, for a pipeline project that would create a reliable water supply for 250,000 people across Arizona and New Mexico.
Kamala Harris discusses commitment to Native communities during Arizona visit
LAVEEN – Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Gila River Indian Community Thursday. She addressed disparities facing Native communities.
Inmate can press claim that phone limits hurt right to stay in his kids’ lives
WASHINGTON - An inmate who claimed that the federal prison system's 300-minute-a-month limit on phone calls infringed on his ability to be involved in his children's lives should get a chance to present his case, an appeals court ruled.
Federal development funds will let Oklahoma tribes expand access to capital
WASHINGTON - Three Oklahoma tribal nations will receive more than 40% of the initial $73 million in funding from a federal small business initiative that for the first time is being targeted directly to tribes.
Economic growth in Dominican Republic fueled by investment and migrant labor
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic is one of the fastest-growing countries in Latin America thanks to a boom in tourism and foreign investment. But it relies heavily on migrant labor from Haitians, who are often mistreated inside the Dominican Republic.