Native America Calling

At first officials identified Navajo, Apache, and other Arizona tribal members as among those who were victims of a massive Medicaid fraud scam. Now tribes in Montana, North and South Dakota, and other states are taking stock of their members who were also caught up in the fake substance abuse treatment con that reaches into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The Blackfeet Nation declared an emergency to help gain resources to repair the fallout for its citizens. We’ll find out the latest on the efforts to help the people who were harmed and hold those responsible accountable.

Until this month, one of Colorado’s highest peaks was named for the former state governor who fostered and supported what became known as the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864. It took years of pressure and an awareness campaign to get the name changed. Still, support is not universal. We’ll get the story on changing the Mount Evans name to Mount Blue Sky - and some updates on other important place name changes.

Neighbors are helping each other rebuild after the historic deadly fire on Maui. The community is in line for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal and state funds, in addition to private donations from all over the world. More than a month after the blaze swept through the city of Lahaina and the surrounding area, officials are still sorting out the cause and the factors that contributed to its severity. And, while not as bad as originally feared, the death toll approaches 100 people. We’ll check back in with the rebuilding effort in Hawaii and what some of the major challenges are as residents look to the future.

The newest survey from the Pew Charitable Trusts concludes suicide is an urgent public health issue. Their data shows that while the suicide rate increased an alarming 30% across the board over a 20-year span, the rate for Native American and Alaska Native females rose a staggering 135% over the same time. The number for Native males is close behind. At least half of those people had contact with the health care system within a month of taking their own lives, indicating an opportunity for trained professionals to intervene. It’s Suicide Awareness Month, and we’ll look at the promising work to turn around a dire trend.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling denying race-conscious college admissions has Native business owners on alert over the far-reaching implications beyond higher education. A recent federal judge’s decision puts an additional hurdle in front of Native businesses when it comes to a program in place to diversify federal contracts. Some experts and Native small business owners worry it’s only the beginning of a new system that will mean fewer successful Native entrepreneurs.

The Center for Native Futures (CfNF) opens this weekend in the heart of downtown Chicago. The gallery art space is the first of its kind in the Windy City and it’s dedicated to contemporary Native artists interested in visualizing the future and setting the tone for the future of Native art. We’ll visit with the founders and artists at the new center.

The Biden Administration reversed oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), earning praise from environmental advocates and Alaska Native wildlife and subsistence hunting protectors. But the move also received criticism from Alaska Native corporations and the state's entire congressional delegation. We’ll look at the ongoing political back-and-forth that defines the pristine but resource-rich tundra of Alaska. Plus, a preview of what could be an historic marine sanctuary set-aside initiated by the Chumash Tribe in California.

The good news is high school sports injuries are decreasing, according to a study released this year by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The bad news is the severity of those injuries are getting worse. As fall seasons get underway, Native trainers are responding to new awareness of the dangers of life-long injuries from high school sports. Young athletes could encounter serious injuries including concussions, broken bones, ruined joints, and even anxiety and other mental health problems. The one-time advice to "walk it off" is replaced with sophisticated attention to long-term health.

The Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe just took ownership of almost 900 acres of ancestral land in Virginia, thanks, in part, to $3 million in federal funds. And legislation in Minnesota would transfer a state park to the Upper Sioux Community in a historic act recognizing atrocities committed by state and federal officials against the Dakota people that culminated in the mass execution of 38 Dakota men in 1862. Those are two examples of a trend in governments, organizations, and individuals facilitating the return of important land to tribal control.

Many of the roads, hiking trails and even railroads that crisscross the landscape began thousands of years ago as trails by Indigenous hunters and traders. Many tribes have since lost their connections to those trails. But some are trying to re-connect their strong cultural links to the ancient routes, and tell their own stories about what they mean.