The Oglala Lakota Nation’s council declined to remove President Julian Bear Runner from office after an impeachment hearing on Monday on sexual misconduct allegations. Removal from office requires the support of two-thirds of the 21 member council – 14 votes – and only eleven council members voted in favor, with five voting against and five abstaining.

Following the Census Bureau’s shortening of the response period for the 2020 Census by a full month, Montana Native Vote (MNV) has partnered with the Crow Incident Command Center to set up census drive-through stations to help members of the Apsaalooke Nation complete the 2020 Census.  

100 demonstrators gathered outside the Humboldt County Sherriff’s Office in Northern California last week to bring greater attention to the growing number of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) in Humboldt County. A report published in July by the Yurok Tribe and Northern California partners found 70 cases of Indigenous people who have gone missing or been murdered over the past two decades.

Keep reading for a full news update. 

COVID-19:

Oklahoma Tribal Gatherings Cancellations Continue Due To COVID-19 Pandemic

Native News Online, Chez Oxendine, September 14

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to stifle public tribal gatherings across Oklahoma, including typically massive tribal events, such as the Seminole Nation Days event in Wewoka, Oklahoma. Early September, usually a hectic time for the tribe, became a sad reminder of the loss of the event, said Seminole Nation Director of Communications Bo Whitekiller during a Sept. 8 broadcast of the tribe’s radio program.

Sunday Navajo Nation COVID-19 Update: Total Cases Approaches 10,000

Native News Online, September 14

On Sunday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 8 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and six more deaths. The total number of deaths remains 536 as of Sunday. Reports indicate that 7,179 individuals have recovered from COVID-19 and 99,217 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 9,977.

Politics:

Oglala Lakota Council Fails To Convict President After Impeachment Hearing

Indian Country Today, Mary Annette Pember, September 14

The Oglala Lakota Nation’s council failed to impeach President Julian Bear Runner during a special hearing Monday.  The council voted to suspend Bear Runner on August 24 after receiving a complaint alleging the president had inappropriate sexual conduct with a 17-year-old boy. During Monday’s vote, 11 council members voted in favor, 5 against and 5 not voting.

National Census:

Crow Tribe Partners With Montana Native Vote For 2020 Census

Sidney Herald, September 13

The U.S. Census Bureau’s new deadline has sent Montana tribes and social justice organizations like Montana Native Vote (MNV) into crisis mode, fearing a historic undercount that could curtail funding for tribal programs for years to come. In response to the new deadline, MNV has partnered with the Crow Incident Command Center to set up census drive-through count stations to help members of the Apsaalooke Nation complete the 2020 census. 

Other:

California’s First Suicide Prevention Office To Focus On Native Youth

Native News Online, Nanette Kelley, September 15

New state legislation in California targeting suicide prevention could stand to benefit communities like Humboldt County, where the suicide rate among Native youth is three times higher than the state average.

100 Demonstrate To Bring Attention To Missing And Murdered Indigenous People In Northern California

Native News Online, Levi Rickert, September 14

With the California clouds filled with smoke from dozens of wildfires burning rampant in the state, 100 demonstrators gathered outside the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office last Wednesday evening to bring public attention to the growing number of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) in Humboldt County. 

New Building Projects Meet Emergency Needs, Make Cherokee Communities Stronger

Indianz.com, Chuck Hoskin Jr., September 14

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens Cherokee Nation like it does the rest of the world, but we are responding in ways that make our Nation stronger. Our sovereign government is making investments that will address immediate health, safety and economic needs during this crisis. These measures also create jobs and ultimately will increase prosperity for Cherokee families for years to come. We recently broke ground on a series of Respond, Recover and Rebuild projects that will meet immediate emergency needs and will pay huge dividends for a more secure future.

Indigenous Tribe Sees Mission To Reclaim Remains From UT As A Spiritual Issue, Not A Legal One

KUT, Riane Roldan, September 14

For the past four years, members of the indigenous Miakan-Garza Band in San Marcos have been asking UT to return the remains of three Native Americans who died thousands of years ago to them for repatriation. UT denied the tribe’s request for the remains in June, largely because researchers classified them as “culturally unidentifiable,” meaning they couldn’t find a shared group identity between the remains and any living tribe, including the Miakan-Garza.

Cherokee Nation To Assume Ownership Of Iconic Cherokee Heritage Center

Native News Online, September 14

The Cherokee National Historical Society announced it has agreed to partner on the transfer of all assets of the iconic Cherokee Heritage Center to the Cherokee Nation, located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The Cherokee Heritage Center was established in 1963 to preserve and promote the Cherokee culture. The center houses the Cherokee National Archives, which is the Nation’s foremost collection of historic tribal-related documents and cultural treasures from the 1700s through to the present day.

Projects Addressing Internet Connectivity Across Indian Country Advance With New Partnerships 

Native News Online, September 14

A pair of recent business deals are aimed at accelerating projects that promise to bring much-needed high-speed internet infrastructure to rural tribal communities.