Podcasts about kjzz

Photo: Notah Begay III, who is Diné and from the pueblos of San Felipe and Isleta, is the 2026 recipient of the Payne Stewart Award. (Courtesy PGA) The PGA Tour has bestowed one of its highest honors, the Payne Stewart Award, to a four-time PGA Tour winner who is also a citizen of the Navajo Nation. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Notah Begay III excelled at swinging a club. His success on the fairway afforded him the chance to play college golf beside Tiger Woods at Stanford University – winning a national team championship in 1994. Begay is widely considered the first Indigenous golfer to compete on the PGA Tour. When accepting the award on Tuesday, Begay noted how Native Americans have the lowest graduation rates and life expectancies in the U.S. among all ethnicities. “So for me to be standing up here as a Stanford graduate with a degree in economics, four-time PGA Tour winner and a television broadcaster accepting this prestigious award is a miracle.” Entrance to White Mesa Mill in southeastern Utah. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) A uranium mining company missed a Monday deadline to turn over communications between its executives and the feds. KNAU's Chris Clements reports that is according to House Democrats, who have launched an investigation into Energy Fuels for potential insider trading. Two House Democrats allege the Trump administration may have tipped Energy Fuels off about the cut to Bears Ears National Monument before it happened, leading company executives to invest in their own firm. One of the Democrats is U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California. “The timing and the volume of these stock purchases are conspicuous and speak for themselves.” Huffman asked the company to send a year's worth of communications with the feds, as well as its lobbying contracts, by August 24, but Energy Fuels did not provide the materials by that deadline, according to a spokesperson for Huffman. In a statement, the company said it strongly rejects the idea that anything improper took place, but did not deny that it missed the deadline. Energy Fuels stands to benefit from less protections to the uranium-rich monument, the lawmakers argue, because the company owns the White Mesa Mill, the only conventional uranium processing mill in the United States. Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, has signed an executive order blocking new state mineral leases and halting permitting work for proposed nonferrous mining projects in the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed near the Boundary Waters. The National Congress of American Indians praised the move, saying it protects treaty rights, Tribal resources, and culturally significant lands from potential mining-related pollution. NCAI also recognized the Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, and Grand Portage Bands of Lake Superior Chippewa. The three 1854 Treaty Tribes have pushed for protections in the region and earlier this year joined the Red Lake Nation and an Anishinaabe First Nation in Canada in a cross-border effort to protect the watershed. NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright Jr. says the order provides immediate relief, but permanent protections are still needed. The organization is calling for federal legislation permanently withdrawing the Boundary Waters and Rainy River Headwaters from mineral leasing and development. Jeffery Amherst painting by Joshua Reynolds. And on this day in 1763, British commander Jeffery Amherst wrote a letter calling for the destruction of Native people resisting British expansion. The letter came during Pontiac's War, when a confederation of Native nations fought British forces around the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. Amherst also supported efforts to spread smallpox among Native people, one of the most infamous examples of biological warfare discussed during the colonial era. 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, August 27, 2026 — Native Bookshelf: ‘Treat Them as Buffalo’ by Blair Palmer Yoxall

FBI Director Kash Patel met with tribal law enforcement partners in Albuquerque, New Mexico last week. The visit comes on the heels of the agency launching a new tool to raise public awareness over missing and murdered Indigenous cases. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. It is called Voices Not Forgotten, a webpage featuring select, unsolved crimes across Indian Country where the FBI is seeking the public's help by offering $25,000 minimum rewards. That includes the high-profile homicides in Arizona of Maleeka “Mollie” Boone and Emily Pike. But as Deiandra Reid with the Albuquerque nonprofit Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women notes, this tool is not exhaustive. “You know, I looked at this website that they have, and I didn't see my sister on there.” Twenty-two years ago, Navajo teenager Tiffany Reid went missing while walking to high school in Shiprock, New Mexico. Decades prior, a 9-year-old Navajo girl disappeared from nearby Gallup, New Mexico. “Anthonette Cayedito is on there, and she's [been] missing for about 40 years, so I don't see what the difference is between her case and my sister's case. And a lot of times, our relatives fall through the cracks. The visibility is very important, but it's not the finish line.” The Pinyon Plain Mine, as seen from the air in November 2019, is owned and operated by Energy Fuels Inc., which has extensive Canadian roots: (Photo: Ryan Heinsius / KNAU) There has been a surge of mining companies looking to dig for minerals in the Southwest, including near tribal communities. KNAU's Chris Clements explains why so many of these companies are Canadian. It boils down to this: Canada has a unique tax system that allows mining companies that are exploring projects to pass their costs along to investors. John Steen, a professor at the University of British Columbia, says Canada is home to hundreds of those companies. “They’re hearing that the regulatory regime is, you know, maybe as not as tight as it was, and they’re seeing the U.S. as an attractive place for investment and exploration.” Steen says Canadian firms are responding to President Donald Trump's push to end reliance on China for critical minerals. Take Chakana Copper, which is using a subsidiary to explore mining copper on the Navajo Nation. Or Laramide Resources, which wants to mine uranium near the site of the largest release of radioactive mining material in U-S history. James Hopkins, an associate professor at the University of Arizona, says the reason for that is due in part to the rollback of mining regulations. And that's had consequences. “The growth in uranium mining in the United States is unprecedented. With the increased deregulation, you’re seeing these conflicts arising more and more with respect to tribal lands and tribal resources.” Hopkins says the flurry of mining projects, including some proposed by Canadian companies, is causing pushback from tribes who have long borne the environmental consequences of mining. Opponents of a proposed project to drill for uranium in the southern Black Hills listen to a meeting of the Board of Minerals and Environment at the Joe Foss Building in Pierre, South Dakota, Aug. 20, 2026. (Photo: Meghan O'Brien / South Dakota Searchlight) The South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment took actions affecting two proposed uranium projects in the Black Hills. South Dakota Searchlight's Meghan O'Brien has more. The Dewey-Burdock Project has been on hold for more than a decade. Project leaders want to mine for uranium near Edgemont in the southern Black Hills. Uranium is a metallic, radioactive element used as fuel in nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants. Interest in uranium exploration and mining has risen recently. That is in response to nuclear energy's potential to supply electricity for data centers. The project needs federal, state, and local permitting. After being held up by legal challenges, it secured the remaining federal permits it needs and will start seeking state permits. The Board of Minerals and Environment approved a socioeconomic study, which will help the board understand the economic, environmental, and community impacts of the project. The board also continued discussions on a separate request to drill holes in search of uranium near Craven Canyon, in the same general area of the southern Black Hills. A new state law requires the board to have language interpretation services available at hearings for those who need it, such as Lakota speakers. Some of the project opponents are members of Lakota tribes. A lawsuit by a project opponent against the board alleges it violated due process because an interpreter was not available on the first day of a May permit hearing. The lawsuit is ongoing in federal court and the hearing is on hold. Opponents to the drilling project say it could endanger the canyon walls which are lined with ancient Native American petroglyphs. Others say Native American spiritual practices at the site could be disrupted and the drilling could endanger local water sources. 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, August 24, 2026 — Native in the Spotlight: Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord

Photo: Bill Hill (Athabascan), Independent candidate for Alaska’s at-large congressional district. (Courtesy Bill Hill campaign) Tuesday is primary day in Wyoming, Florida, and Alaska, which uses ranked-choice voting (RCV). The top four vote getters in each race, regardless of party, move on to the general election in November. That makes voters turnout a key issue, especially in remote parts of the state, where Alaska Natives have seen numbers fade over the past 20 years. As Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA reports, there are hopes Tuesday's election will show signs of a turnaround. One encouraging sign for Alaska Native voter turnout is the number of Native candidates running for office this year. “It's notable that we have a high-profile Native candidate in each big race.” Michelle Sparck is the Alaska director for Get Out the Native Vote. She says this marks the first time in years that there is an all-Native ticket for Alaska governor – with Meda DeWitt, a Tlingit and her running mate, Chris Steere, an Iñupiat. And there is national attention focused on former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (Yup'ik/D-AK), the first Alaska Native member of Congress. Peltola’s bid for the U.S. Senate is one the state's most closely watched races – a battle that could determine control of the country’s most powerful legislative body. Polls show a tight race between Peltola and incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan S. Sullivan (R-AK). The primary election could offer the clearest picture yet of where this race really stands. There is also Bill Hill (Athabascan), a longtime school superintendent and Bristol Bay fisherman. He is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK), who in 2024 unseated Peltola. Hill is an Independent and a relative political unknown, but his grassroots campaign has gained traction and polls show he is closing the gap with his opponent. Sparck says Get Out the Native Vote remains strictly nonpartisan and does not back candidates, but she is hoping the wealth of Native candidates will energize Native voters. Sparck says the real work in getting out the Native vote might be compared to cultivating a garden that has long been neglected. The mission for Sparck and her volunteers has been to travel from village to village, to revive the voting culture of the 1980's, when voter turnout ran as high as 70-80%, the era of the super voter. “They are today's elders.” Spark says turnout has fallen below 20%, but she hopes sharing the story of those earlier generations will inspire a new wave of super voters. A marker along the Southern border near the Tohono O'odham Nation between the U.S. and Mexico in June 2026. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio) A federal judge is denying calls for a preliminary injunction by the Tohono O'odham Nation to halt border wall construction along a 60-foot stretch of land bordering the tribal reservation. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. Judge Richard Leon in D.C. ruled last week that an injunction is “unwarranted”, writing he expects the U.S. to follow through on consulting with the Tohono O'odham Nation. Historically, that has not been the case, according to Tohono O'odham Chairman Verlon Jose. He points to the destruction of the 1,000-year-old Las Playas Intaglio, as the latest example. “We were assured that the border wall construction would not impact it, but despite that warning and assurances, federal contractors just bladed right through it, causing permanent damage to this O'odham and American treasure. You can't rebuild it.” Still, the judge noted that the feds' interests in ensuring public safety and enforcing immigration laws “outweigh any surviving irreparable harms.” 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, August 18, 2026 — Are Native voters in line with the Democratic Party's shift to the left?

Photo: A house floated by floodwaters during ex-Typhoon Halong rests on top of a snowmachine in Tuntutuliak on October 22, 2025. (Gabby Salgado / KYUK) The State of Alaska is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other agencies to collect what are known as Right of Entry forms from households impacted by ex-Typhoon Halong, as KYUK's Evan Erickson reports. The form is required for getting certain types of assistance with winterization and debris removal. It allows authorized recovery agencies to enter properties to inspect, document, and complete recovery work. Completing the form does not guarantee that work will be performed. The form is for households both that may need or have already received assistance in the forms of emergency winterization of storm-damaged homes; temporary weatherproofing or securing openings; moisture control or minor temporary repairs; limited heat or fuel-related stabilization; and/or certain types of private property debris removal. Gallup Indian Medical Center. (Courtesy Gallup Indian Medical Center / Facebook) The Navajo Area Indian Health Services and the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) have signed a memorandum of agreement to support rural health initiatives through data sharing. KUNM's Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné) has more. Dr. Laura Parajón, director of the Center for Health Protection at NMDOH, says the coordination between the state and the Navajo Nation is crucial. “It’s important that Navajo Nation has the same access to high-quality data that we do, that they get similar data that allows Navajo Nation themselves to conduct their own analysis, and that they can design their own culturally meaningful public health interventions for themselves.” The agreement is a first step in partnership between state and tribal public health departments to make sharing information easier and filling gaps in data. It will help better identify unmet needs, coordinate care, and monitor outcomes. NMDOH Tribal liaison Janet Johnson (Santa Clara Pueblo) says tribal leaders need to be able to access data instantly, such as a system used to track sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. “And that will help Navajo Area Indian Health Service support their public health surveillance, and give them again that real-time access to see where these outbreaks are occurring, what they need to do and again with our support to be able to better address any issues and concerns that are affecting their populations.” The current agreement does not include any state appropriations. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, left, Gov. Katie Hobbs, and Hopi Chairman Lamar Keevama sign a memorandum of understanding for coal-impacted communities at the Desert Botanical Garden on August 11, 2026. (Photo: Connor Greenwall) Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) announced an economic agreement Tuesday with northern Arizona tribal leaders. It is meant to bolster the Four Corners region – at a time when the coal industry is in decline. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. The Memorandum of Understanding is between the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, and the state – all of which are vulnerable to coal mines and power plants shutting down. That includes the Four Corners plant, which could close by 2031. The Navajo-owned company that fuels the aging facility recently announced plans to extend the life of a massive coal mine by more than a century, but with coal giving way to cleaner, more efficient fuels, state, and tribal leaders are coming together to ink a five-year commitment to track closures and promote the wellbeing of coal miners. Map of the several villages in Kaskaskia, Ill. with part of the Mississippi River from 1851 by Thomas Hutchins. On this day in 1803, the Kaskaskia Tribe signed a treaty with the United States at Vincennes in the Indiana Territory. Under the agreement, the Kaskaskia ceded most of their lands in what is now Illinois to the U.S. The treaty provided the tribe with reserved lands, annual payments, and other assistance. The agreement was negotiated for the United States by territorial governor William Henry Harrison, who later became president. 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 August 13, 2026 — Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival grows its presence and influence

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

In the first of a three-part series, KJZZ explores the Navajo Nation's complicated history with the coal industry. Plus, a non-profit in Surprise is bringing military veterans together through the art of theater, Arizona researchers are looking into ways to keep desert dust on the ground, and leaders of the Colorado River Indian Tribes say the federal government didn't consult them enough while drawing up new plans for sharing Colorado River water.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ news.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

California and six other states that rely on the Colorado River have been unable to agree on how to divide its water for years. Now, the federal government is stepping in to decide. As early as this week, the federal government may adopt new rules for sharing water on the drought-stricken river. The Lower Basin states, which include California, are expected to face major cutbacks.KJZZ reporter Alex Hager has been following the anticipated federal plan. He joined Midday Edition on Wednesday to discuss the impacts the new rules could have on cities like San Diego, which has long depended on the Colorado River but now has excess water to sell.Guest: Alex Hager, senior field correspondent at KJZZ

Photo: Kaiser Canyon fire in Washington, July 2026. (Courtesy Inciweb / USFS via National Interagency Fire Center / Facebook) Wildfires continue to burn across the U.S, including many areas of Indian Country. In Washington state, the largest fire is the Kaiser Canyon Fire which is burning through the Colville Indian Reservation. As of late Tuesday, the fire surpassed 126,000 acres and was 16% contained. In an update Tuesday morning, Keith Kelley, operations section chief for Northern Rockies Unit 2, shared the day's plan of attack against the Kaiser Canyon Fire. More than 1,000 personnel are committed to the effort. “And we do have resources looking at some additional containment lines, trying to find places to what we call pinch in the fire, to keep it from spreading. So we’re kind of like checking it up. So we’ll put some dozer lines in, and the fire will slow its progression, and then eventually it will it will kind of continue to move. But it gives us an opportunity to put some dozer lines and put in some containment lines so we can stop that progression as it moves to the north. So certainly have resources in there. We’ll continue to do that.” The Kaiser Canyon Fire started July 16 when a lightning strike hit the Nespelem area on the Colville reservation. Meanwhile, more than a million acres have burned in Oregon. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has closed its tribal government due to Level Three evacuations caused by the Bench Fire, which at last check had burned more than 45,000 acres. The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation have set up a Wildfire Recovery Fund for volunteers and supplies to help those affected by the fires. Chris Deschene, left, and Emily Ellison are the two vice-presidential candidates in the upcoming 2026 Navajo Nation election. (Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy / Emily Ellison for Navajo President 2026 / Facebook) Following the Navajo Nation presidential primary last week, the top vote-getters have named their vice presidential picks. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley was first to announce her ticket in Window Rock, Ariz. “Excited to share this moment with you. I know people online were very anxious.” She picked former Arizona Democratic state lawmaker Chris Deschene. “Throughout my career, I know what it's like to be an underdog.” In 2014, the Marine Corps vet vied for the very seat Curley is now seeking, but after placing second in that primary, Deschene was disqualified, in part, because of Curley's November opponent – Farmington attorney Justin Jones. “This is where I grew up.” As for Jones, he returned to Rock Point, Ariz. to name his running mate. Emily Ellison is in charge of the Gallup nonprofit Battered Families Services. “I want to thank the committee for this opportunity to serve our Navajo people.” Billy Kirkland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, visits Choctow Central High School, one of several Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools with a graduation rate above 90%. (Courtesy BIE / Facebook) The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) says 21 of the high schools they fund achieved graduation rates of 90% or greater in 2025, in what the agency calls an “unprecedented milestone”, reflecting their commitment to student achievement, college and career readiness, and workforce development. The 21 schools include Kickapoo Nation School, Santa Fe Indian School, Shoshone-Bannock School, Navajo Preparatory School, and Choctaw Central High School. The BIE's overall graduation rate reached 79%, the highest in its history. The BIE is aiming for a rate of 91% by May 2030. The Associated Press reports that, beginning in 2018, the BIE began standardizing data collection methods, which has helped improve data accuracy. While Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland (Navajo) said that these gains reflect the Trump administration's commitment to Native American students, there are concerns that the administration's changes to the BIE — including the planned dissolving of the U.S. Department of Education and further fallout from DOGE cuts — could undermine progress and prevent struggling schools from improving students' performance. 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, July 29, 2026 – Southeast Alaska tribes closer to land designation more than a half century after being locked out

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning news podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News,

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

Photo: “Navajo” Bob Sandoval announces the results of the 2025 Navajo Nation presidential primary (Courtesy Crystalyne Curley for Navajo Nation President / Facebook) Tuesday was primary Election Day not only in Arizona, but across the Navajo Nation, which includes Utah and New Mexico. And as KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, incumbent President Buu Nygren will not be moving on to the general. Before midnight, the tribal radio station KTNN – known in these parts as the “Voice of the Navajo Nation” – called the 16-candidate race. Here is host “Navajo Bob” Sandoval reading the unofficial score from the 110 polling places. “Here we go, Justin Jones – 15,039. Crystalyne Curley – 8,424. Buu Nygren – 7,410.” Farmington attorney Justin Jones came in third behind Buu Nygren during the 2022 primary. Justin Jones speaks during his 2026 primary watch party in Window Rock, Ariz. (Courtesy Justin Jones for Navajo Nation President / Facebook) This time, Jones and sitting Navajo Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley beat out incumbent President Nygren, who has faced ethics violations and allegations of corruption. Now, Jones and Curley will pick their VP running mates before November. If elected, Curley would be the first Diné female president. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) makes remarks regarding her bill that passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 17 2026. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced last week that her bill allowing five Alaska Native communities in Southeast Alaska to receive land entitlements passed out of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The legislation, called The Alaska Native Landless Equity Act, would allow Petersburg, Wrangell, Haines, Ketchikan, and Tenakee to form Alaska Native corporations and each receive about 23,000 acres of federal land, as KFSK's Baiz Hoen reports. Those communities were excluded from the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) when it became law over 50 years ago. ANCSA transferred 44 million acres of land to more than 200 regional, village, and urban corporations to resolve land claims throughout Alaska. The Landless movement is not without controversy. ANCSA mandated the newly recognized Native corporations to make a profit. Because of this, some who oppose Sen. Murkowski's bill argue that it would privatize 115,000 acres of land in the Tongass National Forest. Murkowski spoke directly to the opposition in her committee remarks last week. She addressed concerns about environmental conservation, but said “this should not be the controversial measure it has historically been viewed as.” “There are no better stewards of our Alaska lands than the people who have lived on them for thousands of years.” The Alaska delegation has been introducing landless legislation since the early 1990s without success. In 2023, a landless bill introduced by Murkowski cleared committee for the first time. Murkowski also noted during remarks that a companion measure by U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK) passed in the House of Representatives last month — with no recorded opposition. Rep. Begich's bill is the first Landless bill to clear the House. “ And I think there’s good reason for that because it comes back to the inequity that we have seen, uh, and in an effort to do right by the Alaska Native peoples who were excluded so many decades ago.” Murkowski's legislation now heads to the Senate floor for consideration. Fort Harney in Oregon in 1872. On this day in 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed an executive order canceling Oregon’s Fort Harney Military Reservation and placing those lands under the existing Malheur Indian Reservation. The order expanded the reservation established in 1872 for the Northern Paiute and Snake peoples as federal policies continued reshaping Native homelands. 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, July 23, 2026 – First Nations in Canada wary of new bill addressing longstanding water issues

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

General election races are coming into focus, as Arizona's primary votes are being counted. What some of those contests might look like. Plus, our series on data centers continues with a look at the differing approaches of two Valley cities.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

Tuesday is Primary Day in Arizona. We discuss the Republicans hoping to unseat Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in November and the competitive primaries for an open Phoenix-area House seat.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and KJZZ correspondent Wayne Schutsky.This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News,

Photo: “Water is life. Life is water”, said AFN Newfoundland Regional Chief Brendan Mitchell during the 2026 Assembly of First Nations. (Courtesy Assembly of First Nations / Facebook) First Nations chiefs in Canada have gathered in Ottawa for a three-day general assembly. High on the agenda for the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is the issue of clean water. As Dan Karpenchuk reports, many of the chiefs say Ottwa's new proposed clean water legislation appears to walk back their hard won rights. The new proposed legislation is in line with a preivous bill that failed to pass under the government of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Some chiefs are taking issue with new changes to the wording that no longer explicitly recognizes First Nations rights to clean drinking water … as a human right. The new bill was recently introduced with the aim of making sure that Indigenous people have reliable access to clear drinking water in their communities, according to Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation Chief Greg Sarazin. “We need to protect water. We need sustainable water. There needs to be legislation that ensures safe, clean, sustainable drinking water.” About 100 chiefs and community members recently held a march for clean drinking water. Brendan Mitchell, a regional chief from Newfoundland, says the issue is critical, but no longer appears to be a priority with the federal government. “Previously in meetings with the former prime minister, three times, I heard him state at a meeting like this, that no relationship was more important to him than his relationship with the Indigenous people of Canada. I've yet to hear our current prime minister say that.” The AFN is considering a proposed resolution that calls on chiefs to demand the right to clean water be included in new legislation. Executive chef Nephi Craig prepares a dish at Café Gozhóó in Whiteriver, Ariz., in Feburary 2026. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio) The food sovereignty movement is teaching tribes to reclaim healthier and more sustainable food systems. And a new memoir penned by one of Arizona's most popular Indigenous chefs is giving direction. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports. Executive Chef Nephi Craig is in charge of Café Gozhóó in Whiteriver and is now the author of “Our Knives Will Save Us: Dispatches from a White Mountain Apache Chef”. “I'm 46 years old and 15 years into my sobriety, and I wanted to write a story that is a tool for others.” His modern, scratch kitchen inside a renovated gas station employs fellow Apaches recovering from substance abuse. “This is our legacy: To make health and healing an everyday practice, bringing back ceremonies, planting songs, cooking recipes, hunting, language – all of that great stuff. That way, it doesn't matter if you're in New York or on the rez.” “Dark Winds” shoots in New Mexico. (Courtesy AMC) New Mexico’s high tax incentives meant to lure film production crews are paying off – even in remote or rural communities. Roz Brown has more. After reaching a financial high mark in 2022, the state’s film industry took a hit starting the next year, after two Hollywood strikes. Now, it is showing modest gains, thanks in part to the “Uplift” program, designed to encourage film and television producers to choose more rural communities or those off the beaten path. Film Office Director Steve Graham says productions spent $325 million in the recent fiscal year – nearly a quarter in locations beyond Santa Fe and Albuquerque. “There’s a historically high mark now, from $57 million dollars worth of shooting in the rural areas. It means the uplift worked and it has spread activity across the state.” Graham says smaller towns such as Truth or Consequences and Ruidoso have shared in the windfall, along with Las Cruces – which is larger than Santa Fe, but failed to attract as many film productions until recently. The 1940 film “Grapes of Wrath” shot in New Mexico. The Uplift program benefitted from Senate Bill 12, which was signed by the governor in 2023 and increased the tax credit from 5-10%. That is in addition to the state’s 25% base film credit for expenditures on productions filmed at least 60 miles from city halls in Albuquerque or Santa Fe. New Mexico is among the top five states with the most competitive film and television tax incentives. In the past year, it has hosted 63 productions, including the hit television show, “Dark Winds”. Graham says great weather, iconic locations, robust infrastructure, world-class crews, and support from local businesses add to its appeal. “Some of the things that make it hard to shoot in larger jurisdictions, they don’t have to deal with here. Permits are inexpensive or free. Traffic is low or nonexistent. There’s places to park. It’s easy to get around.” Graham is optimistic about the film industry’s future, but he is also watching a lawsuit New Mexico joined last week to prevent a merger between Paramount Skydance Corporation and Warner Brothers Discovery. While federal regulators approved the $110 billion transaction, a coalition of attorney generals in 12 U.S. states led by California have since filed an antitrust lawsuit to block the deal. They claim it would create an illegal monopoly, stifle competition, and hurt entertainment workers. 19th Century illustration of Vitus Bering’s expedition wrecked on the Aleutian Islands in 1741. And on this day in 1741, Danish explorer Vitus Bering, sailing for Russia, sighted Alaska’s coast near Mount St. Elias during the Great Northern Expedition. The voyage marked the beginning of sustained Russian contact with Alaska Native peoples, forever changing the lives of Unangax̂ (Aleut), Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Yup’ik, and other Indigenous communities through the fur trade and eventual colonization. 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, July 16, 2026 — Tribal leaders condemn Trump's downsizing of Utah national monuments

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

Photo: Soren White working at the Harry Race Pharmacy in Sitka, Alaska on July 10, 2026. (Katherine Rose / KCAW) Historically, pharmacists in Alaska have been limited in what they can do. Over the last decade they have advocated for and been granted expanded authority. Now, a new law goes further. Alaska Public Media health reporter Rachel Cassandra delved into the law, which will increase access to care by changing how pharmacists can work in the state. Soren White grew up in a pharmacy. “Both my parents are pharmacists here in Sitka.” As a young adult, he worked as a pharmacy tech, then went to school in Oregon to become a pharmacist. That included a four-year graduate program with clinical training, but when he returned to Sitka, Alaska for a job at his parents’ pharmacies, his daily work was much more limited. “Typically we’ve been really stuck behind the counter, counting pills.” A new state law expands what White and other pharmacists can do as part of their practice. Starting in next January, they will be able to test and treat certain ailments, like strep throat, urinary tract infections, or the flu. State Rep. Justin Ruffridge (R-AK) is a pharmacist who supported the bill. He says pharmacists in rural areas play a vital role. “We are the most highly accessible healthcare professional.” Data shows people see pharmacists up to twice as often as primary care providers. The law builds on other legislation that has helped increase pharmacists’ authority in recent years. The bill passed by wide margins in both the Alaska House and Senate. Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) vetoed it, saying it would expand the scope of practice too much and too fast, but lawmakers had enough support to override his veto. Brandy Seignemartin is executive director for the Alaska Pharmacy Association. She helped write the legislation and says it will change healthcare in the state. “Patients are gonna be able to walk into community pharmacies and have access to care for minor ailments, test and treat.” She says that is really important in a rural state like Alaska and it will be easier for pharmacists to set up collaborative agreements where they work with a provider. With more training, that could include specialists. For example, she says initially a psychiatrist could diagnose the patient, but then work with a pharmacist to optimize their medication, so the patient does not need to see the psychiatrist every single visit. She says the new law also opens the door to pharmacists covering other healthcare gaps, especially for Alaska’s vulnerable populations, including HIV prevention medication like PrEP and PEP and medications for opioid use disorder. It also would create a pathway for pharmacists to be able to get a DEA license so they can prescribe those medications. She thinks that will be a major game changer for the ongoing opioid crisis in Alaska. Molly from Denali at a Heard Museum meet-and-greet on July 11, 2026. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio) Molly of Denali made her groundbreaking debut on PBS Kids back in 2019. The animated Alaska Native girl is the first Indigenous lead of a nationally distributed children's series. And as KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, she made a stop in Phoenix, Ariz. If you visit the Heard Museum between now through August, you will come across an Alaskan village where you can tag along with Molly on all of her wild adventures – from flying a bush plane to riding a snowmobile, wearing snowshoes or smoking salmon. “We brought Alaska to Arizona” Patty Talahongva (Hopi) is the museum's chief programming and engagement officer. “…and therefore the Heard Museum is the coolest place in town.” Alison Nicolosi is director of the nonprofit AZ Husky Rescue. “You never know when you're going to find your best friend, and sometimes it might be at the museum.” AZ Husky Rescue co-founders Alison Nicolosi, left, and Veronica Reece with Marley, an adoptable dog, at the Heard Museum on July 12, 2026. (Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio) Sadly for Heard employee Susan Taylor, Max the husky has already found a new home. “Oh my gosh, there's one that I'm trying to adopt. He claimed me like no other.” But there are still plenty more pups – maybe enough for a pack to pull a dog sled. 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, July 15, 2026 – Native Playlist: Shub and Darksiderz

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ news.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

What does it mean to have a constitution? That is a question tribal leaders are going to grapple with this week in southern Arizona during a two-day seminar. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. Up until Congress passed the landmark Indian Reorganization Act, tribes were not seen as sovereign. That all changed in 1934. Dave Beeksma is from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Wisconsin. “But there are going to be some conditions. So, what the U.S. government did, was they provided these boilerplate templates. [In] some cases, these were literally fill-in-the-blank constitutions.” He is also director of the Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona. “We the people of – state your tribe – are constituting a constitution to do x, y, and z. That created some challenges for us over the next 90 years.” Which is why the institute is helping tribes review these outdated texts. The U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times. Such reform is something Thomas Jefferson encouraged. “The Cherokee Nation does something like that right now. They have a provision every 20 years where they can look and decide whether or not to have essentially a constitutional convention. Our constitutions should be like nature. They should be like our world. They should be like our communities. They should be able to grow.” (Courtesy New Mexico Native Census Coalition / Facebook) The 2030 Census is still nearly four years off, but a growing distrust of government has those planning to help with the New Mexico count worried about fairness and representation. Roz Brown has more. The count is conducted every ten years by the U.S. Census Bureau and relies on a vast network of partners and community organizations like the League of Women Voters to help. State Demographer Robert Rhatigan says New Mexico has had a constant problem with undercounting of first-generation immigrant families and Native Americans, primarily because addresses are missing from the Census Bureau’s address list. “Those reasons include non-standard addressing, field work limitations; there’s the language and cultural barriers, and distrust of the federal government. The Hispanic community in particular, and that is a big part of it.” Rhatigan says census undercounts can prevent tribal communities and other groups from receiving federal funding. He notes the state’s financial investment in a program called the Local Update of Census Addresses for the 2020 Census was highly successful – adding more than 100,000 previously overlooked addresses. He believes the state could see more gains if some $300,000 are allocated by the state legislature for the 2030 Census. Compared to other agencies, the Trump administration’s staff cuts to the Census Bureau have been minimal. About 300 workers, or 25% of the Bureau’s employees, were laid off during broader federal downsizing, but Rhatigan worries it still could be detrimental. “That 25% of staff represented well north of 50% of the institutional knowledge, folks who’d been through two or three censuses. So that’s a huge loss.” In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the first Trump administration could not include a question about citizenship on the 2020 census form, but there are new efforts in Congress to add a similar question in 2030. States with a majority of Democratic voters argued such a question would discourage legal and illegal immigrants from responding and make the population count less accurate. Rhatigan says there also are efforts underway by Congressional Republicans to limit the Census Bureau’s contact strategies. “The policy in 2020 was six knocks on the doors. They wanna limit that to two contacts. That would be extremely problematic, and it would almost certainly depress the count in New Mexico more so than in other states.” 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, July 13, 2026 – Tribal solar projects shine on without much federal support

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ news.

“Navajo Highways”, a children's show using puppets to teach youth the Diné language, recently won Emmys gold. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio caught up with the creator and has more. After just a single season that included six episodes and a Christmas special, “Navajo Highways” won one regional Emmy award for informational-instructional content and another for best set design. “I really wanted it for the crew – the crew who believed in me – and I wanted them to feel validated that I wasn't just some crazy kook that came up with the puppet show, you know.” Utah-based creator Pete Sands, who films in Moab, says he is still awestruck, even weeks after coming back from the La Jolla ceremony. “I guess I've been out of the artist world, living in my own bubble for so long. Dipping a toe back into it, I was like, ‘Yeah, I kinda like my Utah life, keeping to myself.' And our culture is still alive.” The Star Princess in Ketchkan, Alaska, May, 2026. (Courtesy Carnival) An Alaska cruise ship recently set sail powered by liquid natural gas (LNG), the first cruise vessel in the state to do so. The Alaska Highway ferry system, which serves as the state’s public transportation network, hopes to follow suit, but operational and funding challenges have created obstacles, as Mark Moran reports. The Alaska cruise ship industry leaves a sizable carbon footprint with its emissions. The maiden Alaska voyage of the Star Princess this spring was powered entirely by LNG, which the industry says is “as clean as it gets.” Harly Penner, president of Seaspan Energy, which fuels giant, clean-burning ships, says using LNG in large vessels reduces potent and toxic emissions, like nitrogen (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx). “Those are the carcinogens that live in our port and most important to the people in those port communities. The NOx, the SOx, and the black carbon are greatly reduced.” At this point, Alaska Marine Highway still has no ferries operating on natural gas or any other alternative fuel, but they say the fleet will be designed to do so in the future. The agency is reliant on state funding for any upgrades, which has dwindled in recent years. Penner says engine, scrubber, and emissions technology on large vessels will continue to evolve, and believes LNG is the most effective way to reduce emissions among large fleets. Companies must measure the costs of retrofitting ships to run on LNG while balancing the pillars of environmental, social, and economic sustainability. “If you knock one of those pillars out, you really have a hard time making that sale in the boardroom. And one of those pillars is financial viability. Like, if you’re not financially viable, it’s hard to make a sustainable decision on that.” Data from the International Maritime Organization estimates that in the next three years, between 1,600-1,700 vessels will be powered completely by LNG. This introductory video from the ongoing exhibit “Nation to Nation” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian was named in the White House report. On the heels of America's quarter millenial, the White House is questioning the world's largest museum and its depiction of the U.S. being founded on stolen Indigenous land, as Judith Ruiz-Branch reports. The nearly 200-hundred page report was quietly published over the holiday weekend. It criticizes exhibits in the Smithsonian Institution for reinforcing narratives that the U.S. government forcibly pushed Indians from their ancestral lands. The White House argues these interpretations place too much emphasis on racial injustice while downplaying the nation's founding ideals and accomplishments, but Native scholars like Dan Lewerenz contend land dispossession and treaty violations are essential parts of the American story. “I think it’s important to remember history accurately. A part of that is remembering for purposes of the Declaration of Independence, Indians were sort of used as a propaganda tool by the colonists.” Lewerenz argues the United States has long used American Indians to serve its interests and agendas. The report was issued as part of President Donald Trump's effort to reshape how federally supported institutions are presenting American History. Experts say it sets the stage for further heightened debate over how U.S. history is told and who gets to be included. Although North Dakota's history also involves a painful past for Native people, Lewerenz says the state has made strides in repairing past harms and improving relations with Indigenous people. He says efforts like the Government to Government conference and policies to improve Tribal programs all point to a growing partnership. “Tribal sovereignty and the ability of tribes and tribal members to govern their own communities and live by their own ways has sometimes been respected and sometimes not. But tribes have to remain hopeful.” As part of the newly unveiled Theodore Roosevelt Library in Medora, N.D., a medicinal garden marks a renewed dedication to Tribal alliance. Library trustees say the monument does not ignore Roosevelt’s racist views on Indigenous people, but confronts history honestly with a call to honor and commit to a more vibrant future. 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, July 10, 2026 — New report: Native student discipline disparities persist at New Mexico school district

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

Tribal fishing access sites along the Columbia River will be getting needed upgrades and repairs, based on the findings of a new federal report, as Isobel Charle reports. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found some infrastructure at 31 fishing access sites along the river – including docks and fish cleaning stations – is breaking down. Laurie Jordan is with the Columbia River Inter Tribal Fish Commission, which works with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to maintain the sites. She says they are known as jewels of Tribal sovereignty that are still shimmering along the sprawling waterway “I just can’t stress how fundamental the ability to maintain access to the river and to exercise the fishing right is to the member Tribes of our commission. The treaty rights are a property right. It was taken, and you gotta compensate for that.” The fishing access locations were built by the federal government after 1930s dam construction flooded traditional fishing areas. Under their treaties, four Columbia River Tribes retain fishing rights. Jordan says the Tribes look forward to improvements, including restroom repairs, additions, and updates to water systems. Anna Maria Ortiz is with the GAO. She says the report also looked at why the repairs have been delayed for so long. “If BIA could be more effective in terms of its internal communications, the way it maintains data, and its funding formula, it would have a better chance at improving the safety and sanitation of these sites.” Jordan adds with all the steps to secure funding, design the changes, permits and construction, it will likely take a couple years before the repairs and updates are done. The damaged Hopi headdress (kopatsoki) from the Desert View Watchtower at Grand Canyon National Park. (Courtesy National Park Service) Grand Canyon National Park rangers are still seeking the public's help identifying a tourist who damaged a tribal artifact last month while trying to photograph it. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more on the broken piece and its famed artist. According to witnesses, a white man – believed to be in his 60s or 70s – fell while standing atop furniture inside the Desert View Watchtower. Staff rendered first aid to the man, who left before law enforcement was dispatched. The colorful, hand-carved wooden crown worn during Butterfly Dance ceremonies was fashioned years ago by the late Fred Kabotie. Kelley Hayes-Gilpin is with the Museum of Northern Arizona. “If people have heard of one Hopi artist, it'll be Fred Kabotie.” Kabotie worked alongside architect Mary Coulter to depict Kiva murals inside the South Rim watchtower. Meg Kabotie is one of his granddaughters. “I remember one of the stories. There was like a certain color of blue that she was trying to get. He kept having to go up and down the ladder and it still wasn't the right color and he finally slashed open the whole tube of paint – just kind of a renaissance man.” The damaged headdress is being evaluated to see whether repairs can be made. “It's hard to see people not caring about beautiful pieces of artwork or artifacts or things that are very sacred and special, and just kind of being dumb tourists.” The oil painting “Washington the Soldier” by Jacques Auguste Regnier depicts the battle. (Courtesy Library of Congress) On this day in 1755 at the Battle of the Monongahela, French forces and their Indigenous allies defeated a British army led by Edward Braddock. Warriors from several Indigenous nations, including members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy on different sides of the conflict, played a major role in the outcome. 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, July 9, 2026 – Native programs aimed at cultivating responsible tourism

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning news podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ news.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ News.

KJZZ's Sun Up is a weekday morning podcast giving you the Arizona news you need to start your day. It is the biggest stories of the day from KJZZ news.

Photo: A panoramic view of Monument Valley. (Gabriel Pietrorazio) The nation's 575 federally recognized tribes are now eligible for conservation grants from the National Park Service. And as KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, a new digital tool is designed to help them navigate the bureaucracy. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been around since 1964. “It receives about $900 million each year from offshore oil and gas royalties – not taxpayer dollars – to support conservation and outdoor recreation nationwide. And yet, I had never heard of the program.” Starlyn Rose Miller is from the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe of Montana. She is with the nonprofit Wilderness Society, which launched the new online hub. “Tribal governments are so busy. We thought if we could put a hub up designed in partnership with Indigenous-led orgs, agencies, nonprofits, that it could be helpful.” The fund has aided more than 47,000 projects in nearly every county nationwide. Bethel siblings Vjosa Pellumbi, left, and Drini Pellumbi pose after winning the top prize at the UAF College of Business and Security Management’s Arctic Innovation Competition held at the 8 Star Events Center in Fairbanks on April 18, 2026. (Photo: Sarah Lewis / UAF) High energy costs are a fact of life in remote, rural Alaska with few easy answers. A brother and sister team from Bethel, Alaska recently won top honors at an innovation competition hosted from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. As KYUK's Evan Erickson reports, they are committed to being part of the solution. Fraternal twins Drini and Vjosa Pellumbi have more in common than the same birthday. So far, their education and career paths have followed side by side. The brother and sister graduated from high school with college credit gained through the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) and are currently studying mechanical engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The Pellumbi twins are busy advancing a prototype of a device that attaches to home boilers and aims to reduce heating costs in cold-weather climates. Drini Pellumbi says their device essentially takes heat that would have been wasted by the boiler and just repurposes it to heat incoming water. Their Arctic Heat Recovery System design earned the top prize and $21,000 at the Alaska Innovation Competition hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The same day, Vjosa Pellumbi said the pair celebrated their 20th birthday. “It was such a whirlwind of emotions, because during the finals of that competition, we still had finals for our semester course, and you know we’re taking rigorous engineering courses, so stresses were high. It was just, it was a lot of good news that day.” This summer, the Pellumbis are both in Washington, D.C., interning with a wildlife conservation nonprofit. In their off-hours, they are plugging away at their prototype. Drini says the heat recovery concept is nothing new, but that it's so far been focused on large-scale commercial applications. “On my table right in front of me we have a couple thermocouples and sensors. We’re in two separate apartments, but we take turns, whose room carries all the junk. I guess a lot of people just don’t see a profit margin in developing it for Alaskan citizens, like residents, to use. We’re not really in it for the profit, we’re in it because it’s clean, it saves oil, it saves money, it saves pollutants from entering the atmosphere. Hopefully it’ll be good all around.” Friends and family in Bethel – where fuel prices have recently spiked due to the war in Iran – are eager to be the first to test the device. The Pellumbis say it has the potential to save homeowners thousands of dollars per year. They say the money they earned at this year's Arctic Innovation Competition is going directly into making the heat recovery system a reality. The second-generation Albanian-Americans credit their mother for pushing them to apply together for the competition. Vjosa says the parallel paths her and her brother have taken come down to family ties. “Within Albanian culture, one of the core values is being very family-oriented. So I guess that’s always been why we’ve gravitated towards doing the same things, because we've always been close.” Both say they could end up specializing in different engineering fields down the road. But for now, they say they're enjoying being a team as long as they can. 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, June 23, 2026 — Descendants reflect on Greasy Grass anniversary

Roseburg Schools and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians have announced a partnership to help preserve the tribe's ancestral language, as KLCC's Brian Bull reports. Starting this fall, both Native and non-Native high school students can take the Takelma language for official language credit. The last known speaker died more than a century ago, but linguists and audio recordings from the Smithsonian Institution have helped revive it. Lindsay Campman, a spokesperson with the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua, says the tribe has deemed language as important to its citizens. “And that continues to make our people strong. It’s a link to have something in common with your ancestors who lived a very, very different life centuries ago. But being able to speak that same language that they did, that’s a powerful connection.” The Cow Creek Band is also partnering with Roseburg Schools on a statewide program to improve Native students' attendance and is gifting the district half a million dollars towards renovating Roseburg High School's sports complex. Myles Lewallen, left, his client Indigenous Design Studio + Architecture founder Tamarah Begay, and his co-counsel Jake Curtis testify before the Budget and Finance Committee on June 17, 2026. (Courtesy Navajo Nation Council) The Navajo Nation Council has paused its public hearing into the ZenniHome scandal until next month, but in testimony last week, a key witness made a bombshell allegation against her ex-business partner. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. Tamarah Begay is the founder of Indigenous Design Studio and Architecture, which hired the now-bankrupt ZenniHome as a subcontractor to make 160 modular homes for the Navajo Nation. Zenni built only 18 after getting $24 million. “I am not a thief, and I am not a criminal.” But under oath, Begay leveled an accusation against ZenniHome CEO Bob Worsley. “He went ahead and actually forged my name under HozhoniHomes and submitted that to the state of Arizona.” That 2023 filing created an LLC, naming Begay's firm as a member. Her legal counsel clarifies they have not “seen any documents with her signature forged,” but insists this entity was formed “without her consent and against her express direction.” Neither Worsley nor his attorney, who signed off on the LLC, immediately responded to KJZZ's request for comment. (Courtesy Lomakatsi Restoration Project) Nine tribal members have graduated from a forestry and wildland firefighting training program in southern Oregon that blends modern fire management with traditional Indigenous knowledge. The graduates completed 18 weeks of paid training through the Tribal Ecological Forestry Training Program, operated by the Lomakatsi Restoration Project. Participants learned wildland firefighting, forest restoration, fuels reduction, chainsaw operation and cultural burning practices. For thousands of years, Indigenous communities across the West used carefully managed burns to improve forest health, encourage the growth of important plants and reduce vegetation that can fuel large wildfires. Many of those practices were restricted after federal fire suppression policies took hold. Today, tribes and land managers are increasingly looking to traditional fire knowledge as a tool for reducing wildfire risk. Program leaders say the training not only prepares Native youth for careers in forestry and firefighting, but also helps reconnect participants with cultural traditions tied to caring for the land. The program serves tribal communities in Oregon and northern California, where increasingly severe wildfire seasons have threatened forests, wildlife habitat and rural communities. Organizers say graduates leave with industry certifications and hands-on experience that can lead directly to employment in wildland firefighting and natural resource management. As fire seasons grow longer and more intense across the West, supporters say Indigenous knowledge and the next generation of Native fire practitioners will play an important role in protecting forests and communities. 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, June 22, 2026 — Rebecca Nagle's ‘First America' amplifies Native voices amid the din of America 250 celebrations