Past News Items

The Interior Department’s Indian Arts and Crafts Hoard announced today publication of a new 32-page Source Directory of interest to potential customers for authentic Native American arts and crafts.

Completion of a preliminary membership roll of the Ponca Indian Tribe of Nebraska, a step toward withdrawal of special Federal services to tribal members, was announced today by Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall.

Secretary of the Interior Don Hodel and Health and Human Services Secretary Otis Bowen, M.D., have signed a memorandum of agreement to coordinate implementation of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. A portion of the law is devoted to the prevention and treatment of alcohol and substance abuse among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

A total of 159 entries was submitted from 11 Bureau of Indian Affairs schools in the first travel poster contest sponsored by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs and ARROW Inc., an Indian interest organization with headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Although all of the winners were from the Bureau's Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, N.M., David Young, BIA Art Director, was highly pleased with the general level of the entries.

Interior Assistant Secretary Ken Smith has offered to continue the Bureau of Indian Affairs' operation of 21 village day schools in Alaska in 1982-83.

In a March 10 letter to Alaska Governor Jay Hammond, Smith offered two options, both of which included BIA operation of Mt. Edgecumbe boarding high school for one more year.

Option 1 called for the 1982 transfer of 16 of the 37 village day schools now operated by the BIA and the remaining 21 at the end of 1982-83 school year.

The Northern Cheyenne Indians of Lame Deer, Mont., recently launched a small industry on their reservation that is beginning to bring dividends with the Yule season. The firm, called Northern Cheyenne Originals, manufactures Christmas trees, wreaths, costume jewelry and other novelty items for decorations from pine cones collected on the reservation.

Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan announced today the appointment of David J. Matheson a former chairman of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, as Deputy Commissioner of Indian Affairs effective May 20

"Dave Matheson has an outstanding record of leadership in Indian affairs in the federal government, as a tribal official and in the private sector," Lujan said. "He is especially well equipped to stimulate much needed economic development on tribal lands across America."

Forrest J. Gerard, a member of the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana, has been appointed Legislative Liaison Officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Robert L. Bennett, BIA Commissioner, announced today.

Gerard had been chief of the Tribal Affairs Division of the Public Health Service's Indian Health Division. In his new position he will be an advisor to the Commissioner and Bureau officials on legislative matters and will analyze pending legislation which would affect Indians and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Earl J. Barlow, Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Indian Education Programs since 1978, has been appointed Director of the BIA's Minneapolis Area Office, Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Ken Smith announced today. His appointment is effective March 7, 1982.

Barlow, a Blackfeet Indian, is a member of the Federal government's Senior Executive Service.

The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs today announced the award of a $251,472 contract to a San Diego, Calif., company for installation of two 750-kilowatt gas turbine generator sets at the Bureau's Point Barrow, Alaska, power generating station.

The generators will double the output capability of the present equipment which serves the needs of the village of Barrow and the Bureau installation, including elementary and high school facilities for about 630 native children. The plant also will supply power for a new Public Health Service hospital.