Past News Items

Indian educators will be meeting February 28 to March 2 in Denver, Colo., to review draft regulations required for implementation of Indian sections of the Education Amendments Act of 1978. Title XI of the Act, dealing with Indian education, has a June 27 deadline for publication of some final regulations.

Rick Lavis, Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, said that the steering committee, responsible for implementing Title XI, will also be reporting on the status of task force projects and schedule of future actions.

WASHINGTON – Bureau of Indian Affairs Director W. Patrick Ragsdale today announced that he has confirmed Edward F. Parisian as regional director of the BIA Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Billings, Mont. Parisian, an enrolled member of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation in Montana, had been serving as the acting regional director since May 8, 2006. His new appointment was effective April 1. The Rocky Mountain Regional Office serves federally recognized tribes in Montana and Wyoming.

Assistant to the Secretary office "Interior' for Indian Affairs Marvin L. Franklin today announced the award of a $2.3 million contract to expand the facilities of Sherman Indian School, Riverside, California. This is the second phase of a $5.2 million effort to modernize the school

The contract was awarded to Buster and Schuler Construction, lnc. Redland, California.

Proposed regulations governing the removal of Federal trust restrictions from lands belonging to Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes of eastern Oklahoma, in response to requests from the owners, were announced today by the Department of the Interior.

Regulations covering such removal in cases where there is no 'application from the owner were recently adopted by the Department and published in the Federal Register August 22, 1958.

WASHINGTON – President Bush has proposed a $2.2 billion budget for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) for Fiscal Year 2008. The 2008 request is $7.0 million above the President’s 2007 budget request and $1.0 million below the 2007 continuing resolution. The budget includes two initiatives to ensure that future generations of Native Americans have safe and secure communities to call home and that Indian children attending BIE schools can fulfill their potential through education.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson today announced that a $3 million contract has been let to Nielson's, Inc. of Dolores, Colo. for construction of nearly 15.5 miles of bituminous paved highway beginning near Whitehorse, N. Mex., and extending north and east to, Pueblo Pintado, N. Mex.

Mounting interest in the leasing of lands on the 475-acre Dania Indian Reservation about 25 miles north of Miami, Florida, for commercial and industrial development was reported today by the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior.

PALA, Calif. – During a visit to the Pala Indian Reservation in Southern California today, Interior Associate Deputy Secretary James E. Cason announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has completed the transfer of 18 acres of land from a former United States Air Force base located near the City of San Bernadino, Calif., to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, a federally recognized Serrano tribe headquartered in Patton, Calif.

It would appear that the origins of our State names would be well-established facts; however, when an attempt is made to trace these origins, they are found to be quite elusive and controversial. In most instances, loose translations are offered as an explanation for the meaning of the original word; this is especially true for State names of Indian origin. Some of the following information is quoted, and some is a composite of ideas and opinions expressed by several authorities.

Award of a $44,965.83 contract for construction of reinforced concrete box culverts on Oaks-Teresita road in Cherokee and Delaware Counties, Oklahoma, was announced today by the Department of the Interior.