Kalispel Rest Area

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Kate Fort Speaking on Challenges to the ICWA Guidelines

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Professor Tsosie on Indigenous Identity & Sports Mascots

Professor Tsosie’s excellent Federal Lawyer article on identity and sports mascots is available below. Her longer law review article on these subjects is available here.

Tsosie Fed Lawyer Art on Mascots

As one of the curators of the Indian law columns for the Federal Lawyer, I am proud to have solicited this piece and grateful that she could squeeze writing it into her schedule.

Sherman Alexie’s Talk Last Friday for Pierce County Library in Washington State

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As usual, Alexie was an incredible speaker. He had the audience of thousands at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, WA laughing and crying and then signed books until past 11 pm. More about the Library’s program is here.

Oregon Court of Appeals Decision and Dissent on whether Indian status is an issue of subject matter jurisdiction

The majority and dissent opinions address when the argument as to Indian status must be raised in a state prosecution. State v. Hill

Briefs here:

Appellant Brief

State Brief

Prof. Frank Pommersheim at Snoqualmie

Prof. Frank Pommersheim

Among the highlights of Professor Pommersheim’s sage talk was the advice to Tribes to broaden business licenses to include consent to tribal jurisdiction over tort claims related to the business and consent by the business’ employees. He also suggests that Tribes consider amending their civil procedure codes to eliminate interlocutory appeals over jurisdictional questions.

Lawrence R. Baca Lifetime Achievement Awardees Announced

The FBA Indian Law Section’s Lawrence R. Baca Lifetime Achievement Awardees have been announced. There are co-awardees this year: Prof. Charles Wilkinson and the late Prof. Bill Rice.

Native American Scholarship Available for Elk River Writers Workshop

Chickasaw poet Linda Hogan is among the faculty.  Deadline is May 1.  More information is available here.

Crowdsourcing of archaeological sites

I hope the project described in this NPR story doesn’t lead to more intrusions into Native burial sites and sacred sites. http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/02/17/467104127/space-archaeologist-wants-your-help-to-find-ancient-sites

Mashpee Casino Land Deal in E. Taunton, MA Finalized

The Mashpee Tribe is planning to locate its casino in Taunton, a struggling city in Southeastern Massachusetts, the city where my grandparents lived in fact. The land deal was just finalized. It sounds like the economic development will be a win-win for the Tribe and the Taunton. Here’s the Taunton Daily Gazette story. Previous coverage here.