Past News Items

Louis C. Peters, former manager of the Alaska Native Industries Cooperative Association, against whom removal action was initiated by the Department of Justice, has offered to settle his dispute with the Government for $2,500, Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay disclosed today.

Under the terms of the settlement, Peters would surrender his office and deliver all properties of ANICA and its premises to an authorized representative of the Department of the Interior. Peters would also relinquish all claims against either the United States or ANICA.

Regulations have been published in the Federal Register to cover distribution of nearly $3 million awarded the Confederated Tribes of Weas, Piankashaw, Peoria and Kaskaskia Indians by the Indian Claims commission under two different dockets, Marvin L. Franklin, Assistant to the Secretary for Indian Affairs, announced today.

WASHINGTON – The Justice and Interior Departments this week launched a new training seminar for tribal and federal law enforcement on investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases on tribal lands. More than 75 participants from throughout the United States participated in the three day training course, which began on Monday, August 20, 2012. They included tribal and federal law enforcement officers, prosecutors and victim specialists from 23 tribal nations and 23 states.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Glenn L. Emmons today wired his and the Bureau's congratulations to the Southern Ute Tribe of Colorado as they prepared to sign a contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield to provide health protection for the Southern Ute Indians.

In his telegram to Tribal Council Chairman Sam Burch, Commissioner Emmons praised the Council for its far-sightedness and progressive attitude.

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act has three basic components: Land, money, and an interrelated corporate structure Land, money, and an interrelated corporate structure of Native villages and regions.

Since Alaska Natives -- Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts --are a land-oriented people, the cession of 40 million acres of land to them under the Act is of great importance. One-twelfth of Alaska will be in their hands starting in early 1974.

BISMARCK, N.D. —Government-to-government tribal consultation will occur Friday, July 27, 2012 in Bismarck regarding a proposal that would help the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) achieve the objectives of President Obama’s Executive Order 13592 concerning improving educational opportunities provided to American Indian and Alaska Native students.

Clarence W. Ringey, superintendent of the Umatilla Indian Agency, Pendleton, Oreg., will move to the comparable position at Western Washington Agency, Everett, Wash., on July 17 and will be replaced on July 31 by William E. Ensor, Jr., administrative officer of the Cherokee Agency, Cherokee, N.C., the Bureau of Indian Affairs announced today.

At Western Washington Mr. Ringey succeeds Melvin L. Robertson who transfers July 14 to be superintendent of the Menominee Agency, Keshena, Wis.

American Indian trust landowners have been given greater flexibility when they negotiate over electric power rights-of-way across their land, and the process of granting these rights-of-way has been streamlined with the abandonment of certain time consuming requirements, Marvin L. Franklin, Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, announced today.

This has come about through amendments to Title 25, code of Federal Regulations--which concerns American Indians and their trust lands--published recently in the Federal Register.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Acting Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Donald “Del” Laverdure today participated with the White House Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs Jodi Gillette to moderate a panel of leaders from across Indian Country in celebration of the contributions made to the First Lady’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country (LMIC) initiative. The event, in honor of the one-year anniversary of the program’s launch, was streamed online at www.WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay today announced an extension in the term of office of John F. Davis as principal chief of the Creek Indian Tribe of Oklahoma until a successor can be duly qualified and appointed. The maximum period of extension is six months.