Native Americans
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The Supreme Court leaves Indian Child Welfare Act intact
The case pit prospective adoptive parents and Texas against the act, a federal law aimed at preventing Native American children from being separated from their extended families and their tribes.

‘It’s going to take all of us’: Yakama Nation youth learn about Hanford’s legacy
Long before the U.S. government made plutonium for bombs at the Hanford Site in southeast Washington state, the land belonged to native peoples. For the Yakama Nation, the area was vital for hunting and fishing. Tribal leaders want young people to know about their legacy and the fight that lies ahead.

Former Washington state senator and tribal policy champion John McCoy dies at 79
McCoy, a member of the Tulalip Tribes, was one of the state's longest serving Native American lawmakers. He retired in 2020 due to health reasons after 17 years as a state legislator, writing in his resignation letter that it was "the honor of a lifetime."

Opera Theater Oregon centers Indigenous voices in new telling of Sacajawea’s story
Opera Theater Oregon is creating an opera about the life of Sacajawea, the Native American woman best known for her role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It’s called “Nu Nah-Hup: Sacajawea’s Story.”

Washington to form cold case unit focused on missing and murdered Indigenous women and people
Washington recently adopted legislation to form a cold case unit to investigate a rising number of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples cases.

‘Portraits in Red’ portray missing and murdered Indigenous people and the loved ones they left behind
An Indigenous artist has created "Portraits in Red," a series of painted portraits of missing and murdered Indigenous people. An exhibit featuring 40 of these portraits is on display in Newport.

Long-term rules limiting access to E. Oregon lake sought as worsening drought exposes Indigenous relics
The Oregon Land Board on Tuesday took a step toward permanently closing public access to Crump Lake when water levels dry up.

Tribes seek input as Central Oregon development promises to use less water
The proposed Thornburgh resort, located just southwest of Redmond, has been tied up in litigation for nearly two decades, with opponents arguing it could negatively affect water supplies and wildlife in the surrounding area.

The fight of the Salmon People
Randy Settler’s family has spent generations fighting for its right to harvest salmon. But the federal government squandered its chance to recover the endangered fish before the onset of climate change. Now, Settler sees it all slipping away again.

Episcopal Diocese plants path forward with Indigenous neighbors on 80 acres in Union County
Two members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are working with the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon to return 80 acres of land in Union County to its pre-colonial environment.