News

Coverage of Rep. Elect Peltola’s Win

Kate Fort

Alaska elected its first Alaska Native to represent it in Congress. Rep. Elect Peltola is Yup’ik and grew up in Bethel, Alaska. A few things to note–this was a special election to replace Rep. Young, so there will be another election in November for the regular election. This was also Alaska’s first use of ranked voting and an open primary, something that many democratic reformers believe is a fairer process for elections.

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/31/1120327126/palin-peltola-begich-alaska-special-house-election-results

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/democrat-mary-peltola-defeats-sarah-palin-special-election-become-firs-rcna45756

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62747378

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/special-election-results-expected-for-lone-alaska-house-seat/2022/08/31/8c1389b4-2969-11ed-a90a-fce4015dfc8f_story.html

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and Spirit Lake Tribe v. Jaeger

Matthew Campbell

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Spirit Lake Tribe, and several individual voters filed suit in North Dakota challenging North Dakota’s state legislative map as unlawfully diluting the voting rights of Native Americans in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). You can see the complaint here.

Press release is here.

May be an image of text that says 'REDISTRICTING "In a process that is supposed to produce election boundaries that fairly and accurately reflect North Dakota's population, the state instead approved a map designed to stifle Native American votes." -PLAINTIFF WES DAVIS TURTLE MOUNTAIN CHIPPEWA) CHAIR OF NORTH DAKOTA NATIVE VOTE NARF'

Virginia Executive Order on Tribal Consultation

gabrielagendreau

Va. Order Gives Tribes More Power Over State Permits

By Clark Mindock, Law 360

Read the article here!

Further Reading:

Gov. Northam’s Press Release: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2021/november/headline-911335-en.html

Washington Post article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/11/18/virginia-indian-tribes-northam-consultation/

Law360 (attached; it’s behind a paywall): https://www.law360.com/projectfinance/articles/1441920/va-order-gives-tribes-more-power-over-state-permits

Indianz.comhttps://www.indianz.com/News/2021/11/18/virginia-governor-adopts-formal-tribal-consultation-policy/

WRIC: https://www.wric.com/news/politics/northam-executive-order-requires-consultation-with-tribal-nations-on-permits-for-environmental-cultural-and-historic-resources/

WHSV: https://www.whsv.com/2021/11/19/executive-order-state-permitting-agencies-must-consult-tribal-nations/

Virginia Mercury: https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/northam-orders-state-to-consult-with-tribal-nations-when-considering-permits/

First Native American Appointed to MN Court of Appeals

gabrielagendreau

Gov. Walz appoints Sarah Wheelock to fill vacancy on the Minnesota Court of Appeals

Bench & Bar of Minnesota | Minnesota State Bar Association
By Claire Lancaster

Read the article here!

___________________________________

Minnesota Governor Appoints Meskwaki Tribal Citizen Sarah Wheelock to Serve on State’s Court of Appeals

Native News Online
By Native News Online Staff

Read the article here!

News Coverage of Indian Law Matters (9/27/2021)

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Leelanau Ticker: “Leading The Way In Vaccinations, Grand Traverse Band Still Aims Higher“

Grist: “Montana tribe finalizes historic $1.9 billion water rights settlement“

WaPo: “Housing in Alaska can’t survive climate change. This group is trying a new model.”

Cherokee Phoenix: “Oklahoma organizations, foster families react to developments in Supreme Court’s review of Indian Child Welfare Act“

NYTs: “She Bought Her Dream Home. Then a ‘Sovereign Citizen’ Changed the Locks.”

AP: “Tribe wins major step toward resuming whaling off Washington“

News Coverage of Indian Law Issues (9/24/2021)

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

CNN: “Mary Johnson, an Indigenous woman, went missing nearly a year ago. While the FBI recently offered a reward, activists say that’s not enough”

Tulsa World: “Native American Voting Rights Act needed to protect our sacred right to vote” [Chuck Hoskin]

Seattle Times: “Swinomish tribal members say steelhead net pens violate fishing rights, add their voice to state Supreme Court case”

CNN: “Fossilized footprints show humans made it to North America much earlier than first thought”

NARF: “Experts Sound Alarm On Line 5 Oil Pipeline Tunnel Climate Impacts”

High Country News: “6 things you should know about the 2021 Native American Voting Rights Act”

News Coverage of Indian Law Matters (9/22/21)

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Norman Transcript: “Oklahoma organizations, foster families react to developments in review of Indian Child Welfare Act”

Mongabay: “Thanks to the Yurok Tribe, condors will return to the Pacific Northwest”

Insider: “710 Indigenous people, mostly girls, were reported missing over the past decade in Wyoming, the same state where Gabby Petito reportedly disappeared”

NPR: “Fred Dakota, Native American Gambling Pioneer, Dies At 84”