Past News Items

The award of a $439,600 contract for adding seven classrooms and a 500-seat gymnasium to an Indian school plant at Fort Yates, North Dakota was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

The successful bidder was Kyburz Construction Company of Aberdeen, South Dakota. Nine higher bids ranging from $452,990 to $497,800 were received.

Standing Rock School, operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, has a present enrollment of 133 boarding and 157 day pupils in grades 1 through 12.

Ada E. Deer, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs announced today that a Notice of Advanced Rule Making was published in the Federal Register on May 10, 1996. This publication seeks comments on the Department's authority under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) to promulgate "procedures" to authorize Class ill gaming on Indian lands when a sate raises an Eleventh Amendment defense to an action brought against it in federal court by an Indian tribe.

Award of a $414,700-contract for construction of a new school building at Fort Totten, near Devils Lake, North Dakota, was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

Roel Construction Company, Inc., of Fargo, North Dakota was awarded the job on the basis of its low bid. Ten higher bids were received by the Bureau of Indian Affairs ranging from $415,000 to $488,000.

Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan today announced he approved a cooperative agreement to activate the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program for the recovery of endangered squawfish "Although the actual effort to bring about recovery of the squawfish in the San Juan Basin has been underway for nearly two years, the completion of this document provides us with the blueprint for future," Lujan said.

Secretary of the Interior Fred A. Seaton today called attention to the proposed roll of the Ottawa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma which was published in the Federal Register March 21, 1958.

Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan today announced the appointment of Philip N. Hogen, former U.S. Attorney in South Dakota, as Director of the Department's new Office of American Indian Trust.

"I am pleased that Phil Hogen has agreed to fill this important post that was created to expand the oversight of the trust responsibility this Department has for American Indians and Alaska Natives,” Lujan said. "He brings a wealth of experience in protecting the rights of people in his previous jobs and I feel certain he will do the same in this new position."

The Department of the Interior announced today the appointment of Harold W. Schunk as Superintendent of the Rosebud Indian Agency, Rosebud, South Dakota, effective November 27. He succeeds Graham E. Holmes, whose transfer to the Gallup Area Office in New Mexico, as Assistant Area Director for resources, was effective today.

Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan today met with leaders of six Indian tribes to recognize "a new chapter giving form and substance to the concept of tribal self-determination." Lujan welcomed the tribal leaders to his office for a ceremony recognizing agreements that give them greatly increased authority in the budgeting and spending of federal funds for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) programs.

Reappointment of Turner Bear as Principal Chief of the Creek Indian Tribe of Oklahoma for a two-year term beginning October 5 was announced today by the Department of the Interior. He has been serving in the position for the past two years.

Under a 1906 law the President was empowered to appoint a Principal Chief periodically for each of the so-called "Five Civilized Tribes" of Oklahoma--Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole and Creek. In 1951 this appointing authority was delegated to the Secretary of the Interior.

Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan today announced that he will hold a series of mini-summit meetings around the country with tribal chairmen and educators aimed at improving the quality of Indian education in America. The first of these meetings is scheduled for February 12 - 13, 1990, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and will include representatives from Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.