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Two major gatherings of Alaska Native people are taking place in Anchorage’s Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center this week: the Elders & Youth Conference and the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention. The Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA has this story. This year marks the 60th anniversary of AFN. “It was born out of this tremendous movement for Native unity and representation and self determination.” Roy Agloinga (Iñupiaq) is the president of First Alaskans Institute. He says the event has been a touchpoint for most Alaska Native leaders over the years. “It has evolved into this tremendous celebration. It’s Native New Year. It is where all of our artists gather, and our families gather, and we get to experience the very diverse cultures across the state.” The week started with EYC, which brings together several generations through games, conversations, and workshops on Alaska Native cultures, history, and language. Tikaan Galbreath is the Chief Operating Officer of the First Alaskans Institute, which hosts EYC. “It’s just such a powerful thing to witness the youth coming with this idea or a dissatisfaction, like this isn’t working for me in the community, and then learning the framework to really have their voice heard.” The AFN convention starts on Thursday. Organizers say typically up to 7,000 people attend the event and as many as 100,000 people watch it online. This year’s keynote speaker is Tlingit leader and President of the Sealaska Heritage Institute Rosita Worl. Her Thursday speech will be followed by remarks from U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and U.S. Rep. Nick Begich. On Friday, there will be a political candidates forum for the upcoming November election. And on Saturday, delegates will discuss and vote on a number of resolutions that touch on healthcare, public safety, education, and subsistence in Alaska Native communities. Agloinga says working on resolutions is one example of how people from different regions and with different priorities find common ground. “We want our children to succeed. We want to protect our lands. We want to have access to good education. We want our languages to survive and our cultures to survive. So many of our villages are really dependent on our subsistence lifestyle, and that’s something that AFN protects.” This year’s convention was scheduled a week later than usual to coincide with the early voting period for the general election. Organizers say they plan to encourage attendees to cast their ballots while they are visiting Anchorage for the convention. AFN will also feature two nights of dancing and drumming at Quyana Alaska on Thursday and Friday. EYC started Sunday and runs until today. The AFN Convention starts tomorrow and concludes Saturday. This drawing by J. Howland, originally printed in Harper’s Weekly, depicts the council between representatives of the U.S. government and the Kiowa and Comanche tribes at Medicine Creek Lodge, Kansas, in 1867. And on this day in 1867, leaders of the Kiowa and Comanche Nations signed the Medicine Lodge Treaty with the United States in Kansas. The agreement sought to end conflicts on the Southern Plains, but required tribes to surrender vast ancestral lands and relocate to reservations in Indian Territory. Although the federal government promised food, supplies, and other assistance, disagreements over treaty terms and continued westward expansion led to further conflict in the years that followed.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, October 21, 2026 — Alaska Native advocates cite shortcomings in addressing MMIP crisis

Photo: Volunteers remove weeds and debris from the Seven Generations Children’s Teaching Garden at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center on September 10, 2026. (Brian Bull) Volunteers come to Seattle’s Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center throughout the year to tend to plants that are traditionally important to Native people. Brian Bull (Nez Perce) of Underscore Native News and KLCC reports. It is a balmy afternoon as a small group of volunteers follow Shameka Gagnier (Purépecha) down to a shed full of gardening equipment. Plants, including tule, camas, huckleberries, and cedar, are found here, which have been either First Foods or materials for making traditional baskets, mats, and other items. Gagnier is the land cultural steward manager for Daybreak Star. She says between two to 70 volunteers usually arrive, ready to connect with a vital part of Native culture. “The plants are really the ones that are going to net us back to our place in the circle of things, and they’re the ones that are going to bring us back home. And so as we bring them back to their usual and accustomed territories, we understand our roles and that restoration is reciprocal, and something happens in our spirits and transforms us.” Groundbreaking for the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center was 50 years ago, after a successful occupation by Native activists who had form the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation. Facilities director Tony Monroe (Yakama) says, back then, this area was a federal military installation. “This whole area was previously Fort Lawton, and this was clear cut, so there were no trees here 55 years ago, and so most all of these have been less than that time frame. especially in our forest garden area. Started out with the Bernie Whitebear Garden that has some native plants, and then it’s spread out to the whole 20 acres, and then now we have another area that’s called Wolf Tree Trail that Shameka is now taking care of and tending.” Gagnier’s volunteers today include Beck Luke (Tlingit), who grew up in Seattle. She is on a six-week internship with the center. “We’re just mostly helping restore the land, learning about food sovereignty and everything. It’s been really nice to reconnect with my culture and just seeing all the beautiful things. It’s been really special to be able to do that.” Another volunteer, Zachary Pacleb, is skimming away a thick layer of duckweed from one of the ponds where at least one beaver is believed to inhabit. “By the looks of it, I assume that it’s a little bit invasive or inhibitive of the beaver’s work or to the water quality. I can imagine that this plant requires –or is taking a lot of oxygen– from the water.” The cultural garden tending happens year-round, with food and tools provided. Volunteers are advised to arrive with gloves, water, and a “good heart and mind.” Screenshot from drone footage taken above the Pueblo of Zuni after flooding. (Courtesy Rochelle Malie) A new report shows that natural disasters caused more than $4 billion in damages to tribal communities across the nation over a ten-year period, but there is a shortfall in economic support from the federal government to address these impacts. KUNM’s Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné) has more. The report by the Urban Institute found Indigenous communities are more exposed to hazards like hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding, and also face more systemic challenges. So disasters have a greater impact. The research was funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and explores how tribes are currently handling natural disasters and what current federal resources are available. Between 2014 and 2024, more than half of all Indigenous communities experienced two or more disasters within a two-year span. These back-to-back disasters make it difficult for communities to respond and recover efficiently. “It could be another hurricane. It could be a wildfire. So when there are those kind of compounding or back-to-back disasters, it makes it really hard for any community, but especially for communities that have you know challenges around housing stock maintenance or challenges around lots of lower income households, it makes it really really hard to recover.” Urban Institute research associate Will Curran-Groome says the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a program called Building Resilient Infrastructure just for tribal applicants, but losses often exceed FEMA funds, or tribes do not know how to access the resources available. “So I think would really encourage tribes, if they haven’t already, to really assess the landscape and to start building some of those initial relationships with contacts of federal agencies.” He says this is just one piece of a broader project. The Institute hopes to build a community of practice with tribes facing these issues.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, October 20, 2026 — Alaska Native leadership and land rights advocacy through the generations

The 43rd annual Statewide Elders and Youth Conference got underway Sunday at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. Hosted by First Alaskans Institute, the gathering brings together Alaska Native Elders, youth, and community leaders to celebrate Indigenous cultures, strengthen relationships, and discuss challenges facing their communities. This year’s theme comes from the Denaakk’e, or Koyukon Athabascan, language and translates to “We are approaching change.” According to First Alaskans Institute, the theme reflects how Alaska Native communities are adapting to changing landscapes, including shifts in weather, waterways, traditional foods, and ways of life. The afternoon opening ceremony starts with a traditional Warming of the Hands, followed by an opening prayer and several Alaska Native dance group performances. The first day also includes auditions for Natives Got Talent, ahead of Monday evening’s talent showcase. Organizers say the conference provides an opportunity for Elders to pass down traditional knowledge while giving younger generations a voice in decisions affecting their futures. Monday’s agenda includes a keynote address from Koyukon Athabascan leader Emil Notti, the first president of the Alaska Federation of Natives. Participants will also take part in a Koyukon language panel, regional breakout discussions and a panel focused on co-management. The opening day also features a screening of the documentary, “Niqipiaq: To Eat Real Food“. “Niqipiaq: To Eat Real Food” director Alexis “Alex” Anoruk Sallee (Iñupiaq). Directed by Alaska Native filmmaker Alexis Anoruk Sallee, the 26-minute film explores the importance of traditional subsistence practices in Arctic Alaska Native communities. It follows families and hunters as they harvest, prepare, and share traditional foods, while examining the challenges posed by climate change and changing diets. The film highlights how subsistence connects Alaska Native communities to their cultural identities, health, and future generations. The conference includes workshops and cultural activities throughout the week, providing opportunities for participants to share skills, stories and Indigenous knowledge. First Alaskans Institute says the gathering is about more than preserving traditions. It is also about preparing Alaska Native communities to navigate the changes ahead. The conference continues through Wednesday, ahead of the AFN Convention in Anchorage. Candidates for Navajo Nation president and vice president met for a debate at Arizona State University on Tue, Oct 13. Candidates for Navajo Nation president and vice president squared off last week in the final debate before the election. KNAU’s Chris Clements has more. The debate focused on opposition to AI data centers and uranium mining, allegations of corruption within the tribe’s government, and the resolution of the tribe’s water rights claims. Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley is running for president and said, if elected, she would continue her work to bring water to the Navajo Nation. “I will continue to challenge Congress, and I will continue to work with the Water Rights Commission and also our communities because it is long overdue.” Attorney Justin Jones is running against Curley. If elected, he said he would support lobbying state governments to approve a federal deal that would resolve the Navajo Nation’s water claims. “We need to do some serious lobbying, not only in Washington but also in the Upper and Lower Colorado compacts and commissions.” The federal deal stalled earlier this year after neighboring states blocked it. Kona Island Sheriff Richard Neville was killed during the Kaʻona Uprising on this date in 1868. And on this day in 1868, a violent confrontation erupted in Kona, Hawaiʻi, between followers of Native Hawaiian religious leader Kaʻona and authorities attempting to evict them from their settlement. The clash left Sheriff Richard Neville dead and led to a government crackdown on the religious movement.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, October 19, 2026 — Native in the Spotlight: Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly

Photo: Jason Smith and Kremena Doust at their ranch on the Warm Springs Reservation on September 30, 2026. (Brian Bull / Underscore Native News) A Native-owned horse ranch on Oregon’s Warm Springs reservation that has been struggling to recover from this summer’s wildfires is now getting ready for a challenging winter, as Brian Bull of Underscore Native News and KLCC reports. Since early September, the Jason Smith Ranch has managed to adopt out 47 horses to new homes, but they still need donations to provide hay and grain for their remaining animals, including wild horses roaming the expanse beyond the ranch’s boundaries. Back at the ranch, Kremena Doust drives a 4×4 to nudge a small herd of horses towards a fenced-in pen, where she has put down hay. Her partner Jason Smith says there is also a few hundred wild horses that they have tried to feed after the Bench Fire burned up most of the grazing land. “We’ve been out there a handful of times, we try to get out there at least once a week to put some big bales out and about in the burned areas. So there’s cattle and horses in our two districts down here that are short some feed. But we did get some rain. Hopefully, the rain might spurt like a fall greenup, y’know?” With the penned-in horses munching away, Doust points out where the Deschutes River flows by, which provides fresh water for the herd. She also points out where many horses grab shade under trees and other growth. “It is soothing to be here, and healing for the horses too. There are bigger trees over there. It’s all natural. That’s how it should be.” Doust says she is getting a non-profit underway and that will be called the Wild Horse Legacy Foundation. “Its mission is to rehabilitate and rehome wild horses, and take care of the welfare of the livestock and wild horses on the reservation land.” The Jason Smith Ranch has also launched a new online horse auction, where they hope to adopt out 25 more of their horses. Between that and learning how to fix old equipment, as well as using his past experience as ranch and agricultural manager for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Smith is determined to make ends meet. “We’re surviving, you know. It’s constantly, horses eat, eat, eat. They’ll eat everything that you put in front of them, you know. So we’re struggling, but we’re making it.” People who want to help support the Jason Smith Ranch through the winter can find them online. National Archives in San Bruno, Calif. Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging plans to close the archives in San Bruno, California and relocate its collections. The facility holds historical documents, including federal Indian boarding school records. Four Native organizations, including the National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Rights Fund, have raised concerns about a lack of meaningful tribal consultation. NARF executive director John Echohawk says the archives contain documents tribal nations rely on to protect their rights and hold the federal government accountable. According to KQED, fewer than 4% of National Archives records nationwide have been digitized. Federal officials say the closure is part of an effort to reduce costs and consolidate records. California’s lawsuit seeks to stop the closure and prevent the transfer of the collections. And on this day in 1844, Northern Paiute activist and author Sarah Winnemucca is believed to have been born in present-day Nevada. Winnemucca became a leading advocate for Native American rights, speaking out against the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. In 1883, she published “Life Among the Paiutes: Their Wrongs and Claims”, one of the earliest books written by a Native American woman.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, October 16, 2026 — The ongoing struggle to protect wild horses

Photo: Navajo pro bull rider Cody Jesus sits on a bull named Dead Red as he prepares for his first ride on home turf after recently being acquired by the team on October 8, 2026. (Emma Bradford) An Arizona-born bull rider from the Navajo Nation recently celebrated a homecoming. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has more from Desert Diamond Arena in the Phoenix metro. Nicknamed the “Pride of the Navajo Nation”, Cody Jesus has long been on the radar of the Arizona Ridge Riders. General manager Casey Lane says the franchise intended to draft him in 2022, but the Navajo rookie was swept up in the first round. It was a missed opportunity, according to Lane, but one they have since rectified by finally bringing this hometown rez kid back to Arizona after Jesus bounced around on rosters in Texas and Tennessee. “When they announced through the league that Cody was going to be a free agent, we had the deal done in less than two hours. That great of a talent. I mean, look, I would be lying to you if I didn’t say he’s probably going to help us sell a few tickets too.” For the 28-year-old Navajo pro, he is coming off a pair of hip surgeries. “Feeling great, this is probably the healthiest I’ve been in five years. Like I’ve always had something nagging, something hurt, and my hips [have] been hurting me for about three, four years now, and finally got them fixed. Finally took the time and it’s game on now.” Whenever he is riding here in this arena, his Window Rock fans always show up. “I don’t really expect it and it just catches me by surprise every time.” Barbara Hartzell, Executive Director of Native Voters Alliance Nevada, speaks at Monday’s event. Monday’s Indigenous Peoples Day observances in Nevada includes new proposal to establish a text and email alert system for missing and murdered Indigenous people. Suzanne Potter has more. Advocates gathered in Las Vegas to celebrate the commemorative day and promote a proposal to establish an Indigenous Alert System, similar to Amber Alerts or Silver Alerts, that would help get justice for MMIP. Jonnette Paddy with the Native Voters Alliance of Nevada says federal data show that 84% of Native American and Alaska Native women have experienced some form of violent victimization. “Indigenous women are murdered at rates up to ten times higher than other ethnicities. Indigenous people are disproportionately represented among missing cases.” Paddy says the reasons for this include questions over jurisdiction and the fact that many reservations are rural and near oil or mining camps where men greatly outnumber women. Nevada is home to more than 100,000 Indigenous and Native American people, about 3% of the state’s total population, according to data from the World Population Review. The state has 28 federally recognized Tribes. Paddy says the new alerts will help engage the public in cases where Indigenous women are in harm’s way. “It’s just kind of more of the next step in trying to mitigate this issue and close the gap by building on existing infrastructure and ensuring families and communities receive the swift response that they deserve.” The MMIP alert bill will be introduced in the next legislative session by Assemblywoman Shea Backus (Cherokee), D-Nevada, the state assembly’s only Indigenous member. And on this day in 1836, representatives of the Otoe, Missouria, Omaha, and several Sioux nations concluded a treaty with the United States near the Missouri River. The agreement involved Native land claims and was later ratified in February 1837. The treaty was part of a broader period of federal expansion into Indigenous territories.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Thursday, October 15, 2026 — How a young Ponca activist shaped the future of Native activism

A college student near her hometown of Point Lay, Alaska made a startling discovery last month: A baby walrus sandwiched between two carcasses, as Alaska Public Media’s Casey Grove reports. Violet Anniskett (Iñupiaq) was helping with a walrus survey on Alaska’s northwest coast. “And I saw the stomach like move, and I was like wait. Take a step closer and his eyes opened-up.” The calf had been under attack from seagulls. Polar bears roamed the area, and a storm was about to hit. Anniskett wanted to save the calf. “He kind of missed his mother and walked around with a sad little, ‘Whooo.'” After getting the OK from the community of Point Lay, Anniskett and U.S. Geological Survey’s walrus researcher, Tony Fischbach, took the calf to a small cabin. The 200-pound calf, estimated to be about five months old, eventually warmed up to its human helpers, literally, by cuddling into Fischbach’s sleeping bag or laying its head on Anniskett’s leg. Violet Anniskett and Annautaq, an orphaned Pacific walrus calf she helped rescue near Point Lay, Alaska. (Photo: Anthony Fischbach / U.S. Geological Survey) Anniskett named the walrus calf Annautaq after her late father. A few days later, with the help of locals, they brought the calf to Point Lay in a boat. From there, they flew it to Anchorage and then drove it to Seward for rehabilitation at the Alaska SeaLife Center. Fischbach says they later discovered the calf had been injured in what was probably an attack by a polar bear. Because of its young age and habituation to people, the SeaLife Center says it is not a candidate for being released back into the wild. The SeaLife Center says Annautaq has since been transferred to his long-term home, though, but as of Monday, they have not said where that is. The Black Hills celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day this week. As music and the smell of hot food cut through the cold October air, organizers say the event was more than a rally. It was a chance to have fun. C.J. Keene has more. On stage in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota, a Palestinian keffiyeh adorned an eagle staff, symbolizing the interconnected struggles of Indigenous peoples the world over. While a clear political symbol, NDN Collective strategic communications director Martell Hesketh says activists should celebrate these days with happiness. “Organizing should also be joyful, right? Art and music and visual art has always been a core part of organizing. In this time, as we’re coming up to these really consequential elections, as we’re facing all these fights to protect our sacred sites, it’s more important now than ever to come together in these spaces. To celebrate, to lift our spirits, and also to share our messages.” In the last year, those fights have seen victories in the field as mining equipment was removed from the Black Hills near Pe’Sla, a sacred site, and in the courtroom as the legal case against the Grand Gateway Hotel played out. Poet and activist Robert Bordeaux (Siċaƞġu Lak̇ot̄a Oyat̄e) says sharing light despite ongoing struggles highlights the strength inherent in an indigenous background. “This is a great example of the tenacity and resistance of Lakota people. The colonial project tried to erase us, and we’re still here. When we gather like this, it’s a showcase of that.” And gather the community does. Hundreds braved a chilly autumn day, teepees lined downtown Rapid City’s Main Street, and for one night Indigenous peoples could celebrate the work they have done in the world of civil rights and consider a brighter future. “I think a lot about resistance, and I think a lot about what it took for us to still be here. Carrying on our ways, our language, our culture. To me, it’s a celebration of that. I know protecting land and water is hard, difficult work, so when we can take a chance to gather around the drum, gather with music – I don’t know, it’s just really important.” The night was capped with a performance by Macklemore, who once again performed a free concert for the community.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by James Jones (@notoriouscree)   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, October 14, 2026 — Tribes remain excluded from some major water policy decisions

Photo: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, D-Minnesota, connects with a student during an Indigenous Peoples Day event on Monday, October 12, 2026. (Courtesy Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan / Facebook) Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in Minnesota gave educators a chance to spark curiosity for Native history. As Mike Moen reports, Minnesota is rolling out enhanced learning opportunities in K-12 schools and state law now requires teachers to complete training on Native history when renewing their licenses. Sung Ja Shin, director of K-12 education programs at the Minnesota Humanities Center. says this knowledge boost can be powerful. “There’s a lot of background knowledge, context, and history that is less known, and understanding treaties and sovereignty is critical for understanding how our government relationships have worked, how they failed.” She says learning more about that history also helps Minnesotans recognize how tribal sovereignty continues to shape present-day issues, including land use. MHC helps distribute books under the Native Lives series and is collaborating with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community on a new interactive map of Dakota history. Away from the classroom, it is the 15th anniversary of the “Why Treaties Matter” exhibit, on display at the Minnesota State Capitol. For a more immersive, real-life setting tied to Native history, learners can schedule Dakota-led tours along the Bdote, where the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers meet. Shin says these experiences weave together stories and past events in a beautiful way. “It’s a way for adults to step outside of their traditional learning environments and to really let those places speak to you.” She says enhancing Indigenous learning in a more engaging way is an antidote to the negative effects of digital devices. “When things are whittled down to sound bites, digital content only, it’s easy to make assumptions. It’s harder to challenge ourselves to reach beyond, and it’s, it’s frankly harder to remember the storytelling.” Prime Minister Mark Carney announced this month that the new West Coast Oil Pipeline, now known as Pacific Link, has been officially listed as a project of national interest. (Courtesy Prime Minister Mark Carney / Facebook) An Alberta First Nation is taking the Canadian government to court over a proposed oil pipeline. Cold Lake First Nations has filed for judicial review of Ottawa’s decision to designate the Pacific Link pipeline as a project of national interest. The designation would accelerate reviews of the pipeline connecting Alberta to British Columbia. Chief Kelsey Jacko told the Canadian Press that his community was excluded from consultations, despite being located in Alberta’s oil sands region. “I’m here to protect the best interests of my people and for the ones yet to come.” The First Nation argues the designation threatens treaty rights and could worsen the environmental impacts of oil sands development. It is asking the Federal Court to overturn the designation and recognize the government’s duty to consult. Canadian officials say consultations and environmental reviews are still required, with construction targeted for September of next year.   Image of the death of General Brock at the Battle of Queenston Heights by John David Kelly published 1896. And on this day in 1812, Mohawk warriors helped defeat American forces at the Battle of Queenston Heights during the War of 1812. Fighting alongside British and Canadian troops, Indigenous warriors played a critical role in defending the Niagara frontier in present-day Ontario, Canada, against an American invasion.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, October 13, 2026 — Yosemite is the latest in a 10-year expansion of tribal National Park foraging

The investigation into the death of a 19-year-old Alaska Native college student in January is still ongoing. As Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA reports, Anchorage Police say they have taken some unusual steps. Kelly Hunt’s teachers remember her as a strong student with a bright future. They say she hoped to return to Shaktoolik one day to become a teacher or work in health care. Last week, the department revealed it sent detectives hundreds of miles away to Kelly Hunt’s home village. They traveled to the Bering Sea community of Shaktoolik on a U.S. Marshals Service plane in September, eight months after she disappeared in Anchorage. Police Chief Sean Case says investigators had a two-fold mission: to give Hunt’s family an update and learn more about her last moments. “Although the case remains open, there’s a very narrow window that this can turn into a homicide.” In January, Hunt passed through Anchorage on her way back to college. She stayed with some friends, who told police she was last seen headed to meet someone to buy alcohol. Three months later, as the snow began to melt, Hunt’s remains were found at the bottom of steep, wooded embankment. The Medical Examiner said she died of hypothermia with alcohol in her blood. Alexis Savage, an advocate for the Hunt family, says the fact that an underage girl had alcohol in her system raises questions investigators need to answer. “In my heart, I just don’t feel like a 19-year-old would end up in that ravine. And even if she did, we need to know who supplied that alcohol to her.” The Anchorage Police Department is saying little about their investigation, except that it also wants to answer the same question. “If we can uncover that question, we also going to get more of the story.” Savage says this case is bigger than Kelly Hunt. She believes there is a network of illegal alcohol suppliers who make money off young Alaska Natives. “A lot of times, they’d say something like, I’ll give you a tip of $15 and gas money. A lot of times, it’s just that.” Savage says these sellers, often called “plugs”, can be found on Snapchat. She says what begins as an alcohol sale can become a gateway to sex trafficking. Case says trafficking does not appear to be a factor in Hunt’s case, but says alcohol sales to minors often end in violence. “We have so many cases and it’s in sexual assault cases, it’s assault cases. It’s in robbery cases. We’ve seen this over the years.” Case declined to say whether they have any suspects in the Hunt case. An ad funded by a political action committee backing U.S. Rep. Eli Crane, R-Arizona, attacked his Democratic opponent, Jonathan Nez, on Friday, but as KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, it misidentified Nez twice – before the error was corrected. Nez, a former Navajo Nation president, points out the PAC released the ad just days before the controversial federal Columbus Day holiday. He thinks they were in a rush. “And they didn’t do their research obviously, because they mixed up me with my former vice president.” While Arizona families are struggling, Jonathan Nez was accused of using tribal money to take his family to Disney World. A photo of his former VP, Myron Lizer, appears twice as the ad references Nez. And ironically, Lizer is an outspoken conservative and staunch Trump supporter – even speaking at the 2020 Republican National Convention. KJZZ reached out to both Lizer and Crane about the ad, but neither immediately responded. “That just shows you that there is fear amongst my opponent and his supporters in this election.”   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, October 12, 2026 — Joy Harjo on the healing power of poetry

The Kitt Peak National Observatory is hosting a special family night tomorrow for the Tohono O’odham Nation, whose tribe views sacred the mountain that hosts over two dozen research telescopes. And as KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, a science center there has been renamed in southern Arizona. Long before the National Science Foundation looked to the starry sky, O’odhams like Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan stood atop I’oligam Du’ag, or Manzanita Shrub Mountain. So the legend goes, the creator I’itoi would come from his home in a nearby cave and pluck food from this mountain’s bountiful slopes. Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan is the education liaison for Kitt Peak National Observatory. “And whether we were farming, wild harvesting or hunting, we use the night sky as a resource. You know, we used it to help teach directions. We used it to be able to count.” The tribal council signed a lease in 1958 allowing astronomers to use this summit. Since then, more than two million visitors have climbed the nearly 7,000-foot tall peak. This spring, its science center was renamed after an O’odham word meaning a place of illumination and understanding. “And since we opened Taṣogida Ki, our field trips have all been ramping up, which is really great and a big part of my job is just telling people, ‘Come visit. Call me, let’s set up a tour,’ and having that direct invite has brought a lot of our tribal members back to the mountain.” Devil’s club grows in the understory of the Tongass National Forest in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo: Alix Soliman / KTOO) Public comments closed Tuesday on a federal proposal to lift a roadbuilding ban in national forests across the country, including the Tongass National Forest, as KTOO’s Alix Soliman reports. More than 370,000 people submitted comments online and 99% of them oppose a rollback of the Roadless Rule. That is according to an analysis published Wednesday by the Center for Western Priorities, a conservation advocacy group. Many comments pointed to research that shows the Tongass holds more than 40% of all carbon stored in U.S. national forests, and called the forest the “lungs of the Earth.” Adrian Lee is a representative of the Tongass Hub of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network. She testified at the hearing that her small village of Hoonah is still recovering from issues brought by logging camps. “The impacts with addictions and violence was huge in our community.” While tribes and environmental groups have said millions of acres of Tongass forestland could be opened up to logging without roadless protections, some members of the timber industry disagree. Sarah Dahlstrom is the director of public relations at Viking Lumber. Her family’s multi-generational sawmill is on Prince of Wales Island. In an interview with KTOO, she said that timber sales likely will not open immediately if the Roadless Rule is lifted and an amendment to the current Forest Management Plan will be necessary to identify areas that could be available for roadbuilding and logging. “I’m going to say it’s a very small amount of acreage that gets opened up that could have road building on that.” The Alaska Forest Association is an industry group that advocates on behalf of timber companies in Southeast and supports lifting the roadbuilding ban. In an email to KTOO, the association estimated that around 188,000 acres of currently roadless areas could be considered suitable for logging under the Tongass Forest Management Plan, which is undergoing a revision. That is less than 2% of the Tongass. The association says that is because most roadless areas of the Tongass have additional layers of protection, like a wilderness, natural area, or recreation designation. The Forest Service did not respond to a request for comment.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Native America Calling • Today’s Episode Assessing college campus safety in light of troubling allegations at Cornell University Listen now →

Photo Courtesy Stewardship Utah / Instagram Rural Native American voters in Utah often face long distances, unreliable mail service, and changing election rules ahead of the November 3 midterm election. As Mark Richardson reports, the challenges are especially acute in rural San Juan County. The Navajo Nation covers about one-third of the county’s land, with more than 6,000 people in that portion of the county. Lenise Peterman is rural director for Stewardship Utah. She says rural residents can face both current and historic voting obstacles. “Rural counties, and especially when we talk about San Juan, is so large that people who reside on Navajo Mountain literally have to drive four hours to get to a polling place.” The county lists Election Day sites in Blanding, Montezuma Creek, Monument Valley, Navajo Mountain and Monticello. Navajo and Ute language help and ballot boxes will be available at each site. Peterman says a recent legislative audit found San Juan County generally conducts elections well, but auditors also found compliance gaps. County officials will mail ballots on October 13, and early voting starts October 20. “We encourage people to immediately fill them out if they’re dropping them back in the mail, because postal service on Navajo Nation is questionable, and if it’s not received on November 3, it will not count.” Peterman says Stewardship Utah has worked on another basic barrier: street addresses. The group worked with Google and Google Earth Maps in 2018 to help Navajo Nation residents establish mapped addresses. She says the effort improved ballot delivery, but the memory of past voting problems may be harder to overcome. “There’s not a lot of trust there. There’s not a lot of buy-in to the system. But we’ve been trying to educate and work with them and let them know that you do have a voice.” Vision Maker Media is bringing five new Native documentaries to public television in November for Native American Heritage Month. The films will air nationally on the PBS WORLD channel and explore issues ranging from land return and missing and murdered Indigenous people to boarding school history, incarceration and cultural resilience. “Coming Home: From Shadowland to Spiritworld” follows Kashia Pomo Tribal members in California seeking the return of ancestral coastal lands after generations of dispossession. “She Cried That Day” follows Christine Means and her family as they seek answers surrounding her sister’s death, bringing them into the MMIP movement in New Mexico. “Medicine Ball” follows Native basketball players at the University of Minnesota Morris, which sits on the site of a former Native boarding school. The film examines how basketball has become a source of resilience and cultural pride in Native communities. The lineup also includes “Reservation Redemption” about a Colville citizen who reconnects with his heritage during decades in prison – and “The Land Returns”, examining efforts to return land to Indigenous nations. Vision Maker Media President and CEO Francene Blythe-Lewis says audiences can expect stories of “reciprocity, recovery, and perseverance.” Two new episodes of “First Peoples, First Stories”, featuring films from emerging Native filmmakers, will also air in November.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Thursday, October 8, 2026 — Native authors and book sellers reflect on a record year for banned books

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