Antonia Gonzales

In our last story, we shared how leaders with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde’s treatment and recovery services say they are making strides in opioid addiction treatment. That includes work through Great Circle Recovery in Oregon. The tribe also provides transitional housing services through Main Street Recovery, a program with supportive housing, which also helps address mental health and addiction services on site. Kelly Rowe is the Executive Director of Health Services for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. “Instead of having to go to a facility where you might get 21 days or 28 days, that’s really been something that is more prescribed by insurance than it really is for the best thing for a person to have we’re not putting a limit on that. We’re saying what is good for you is what we want you to do. We’re letting them stay as long as they need to get well.  So that’s become another piece in the continuum of care for us. So, we’re really working hard to make

Leaders with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde’s treatment and recovery services say they’re making strides in opioid addiction treatment in both the tribal community and in neighboring towns and cities. Jennifer Worth is the Operations Director for Great Circle Recovery in Oregon. “There are no throwaway people, everybody deserves the chance for hope and help.” Kelly Rowe is the Executive Director of Health Services for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. “It’s changed lives. It’s saved lives for us.” Kelly Rowe and Jennifer Worth talk about Grand Ronde’s recovery services. Worth says Great Circle started out of an idea to help figure out what to do about overdoses. “Folks were coming in and out of jail, there was a pattern where they were kind of noticing that there would be higher overdoses. And that’s because when people have an opioid use disorder and they go into incarceration and there’s no support during that time and they come out, they are more at risk and more

Photo: Youth royalty from the Colorado River Indian Tribes stamp the Ireichō – or Book of Names – in Parker, Ariz. on October 25, 2025. (Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II is among the chapters of U.S. history that the Trump administration is actively working to erase. It is part of a sweeping campaign to remove so-called “disparaging” signs and markers of the country’s past and focus only on “American greatness”. In the final installment of his series on the camps, KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio visits the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) to see how others are making sure victims are highlighted in – not erased from – the history books. Inside a strip mall owned by the tribe, hundreds flock to its museum in Parker, Ariz. Director Valerie Welsh-Tahbo says her space used to be an old swimwear shop. Tucked in one teal-hued corner is an exhibit dedicated to the Poston camp’s 18,000 internees.  “This was already up here, this structure in this store and I s

During World War II, Japanese Americans were held captive in 10 internment camps throughout the US. Two of them in Arizona, built on reservations without tribal consent. In our last story, we heard how the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) in western Arizona have made a point to preserve the remnants of one such war-time prison. Today, KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio takes us to the state’s other site, which sits well-hidden in the shadows of Phoenix – slowly fading away atop of the Gila River Indian Community. He had the privilege to see this restricted site twice this year with the tribe’s Wally Jones, who supervised his trip. “I can’t give, really the location. I wanted to, but people do search it.” They first met in April at the Chevron gas station in Bapchule, Ariz. about 30 miles south of downtown Phoenix. The tribe did not allow KJZZ to record inside the camp itself, but Jones agreed to let Pietrorazio document their short ride there. No matter who is coming out, Jones stresses they’re not tou

Arizona tribal reservations were home to two of the nation’s 10 internment camps during World War II. On the western edge of the state, the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) welcome visitors to see abandoned relics from that dark past. In fact, there is even an annual pilgrimage – and this year, KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio went along, in part three of his ongoing series. One way to remember those who lived – and died – at the internment camp officially known as the Colorado River Relocation Center, and more commonly known as Poston, is by rebuilding, with CRIT entrusting the care of crumbling buildings to the nonprofit behind the pilgrimage. Barbara Darden is a preservation architect from Aurora, Colo. “It’s not Poston Community Alliance. It’s not anybody that we work for. The building is our client.” She’s been restoring Poston piece-by-piece since 2009, turning that camp into a construction zone – this time, along with Andrew Phillips, owner of a Durango, Colo. company called Natura

The Alaska chapter of Safari Club International took a group of men from Kipnuk deer hunting last month. The hunters were evacuees from a storm that ravaged the Western Alaska coast, unleashed by Typhoon Halong. After more than a month of staying in shelters and hotel rooms in Anchorage, they were quick to accept the invitation. As KNBA’s Rhonda McBride tells us, what transpired turned out to be more than just a hunt. The Safari Club and Alaska Native subsistence hunters have often been on the opposite side in debates over fish and game management. And some who have followed the politics over the years find it puzzling that the Safari Club reached out to help Kipnuk hunters displaced by the storm. But John Sturgeon, a longtime Safari Club member, says it should not be a surprise. “The Safari Club and the subsistence people are much closer together than most folks would think. We’re hunters. They’re hunters.” Sturgeon helped to organize the hunt. “We have the resources to help. And them eating wild game and go

Photo: Mrs. Crystal Claus, Peppermint the Elf, and Solte Santa, as portrayed by Colleen Payne, Qalch’ema Friedlander, and Jerry Payne, visit the Chifin Native Youth Center in Springfield, Oreg., Sunday, December 14, 2025. (Buffalo’s Fire/Brian Bull) It’s the holiday season with many families across Indian Country waiting for Santa’s visit to reward all good children with presents. And while the mainstream depiction is of a jolly old elf who’s white and decked out in a red, fur-lined suit, some Native Santas are inspiring yuletide cheer in their own ways. Brian Bull of Buffalo’s Fire shadowed one across Oregon. At the Chifin Native Youth Center in Springfield, Oreg., a packed classroom welcomes Solte Santa, accompanied by Mrs. Claus, Peppermint the Elf, and others from the North Pole. Jerry Payne, the man behind the curly beard, explains his role. “’Solte’ in Salish means ’warrior’, so I wanted to honor that. And I’m a veteran myself. Every community has their own style of Santa so I wanted to make sure that t

Long before World War II, the U.S. forced Native Americans onto reservations. After the Pearl Harbor bombing in 1941, the U.S. forced Japanese Americans into camps. In Arizona, the federal government once again looked to Indian reservations. In part two of his series on World War II internment camps in Arizona, KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. None of the eight other internment camps in the U.S. were on tribal lands, so why here in Arizona? UCLA anthropology professor Koji Lau-Ozawa has an answer. “John Collier, who was the commissioner of Indian Affairs at the time, advocated for all of the camps to be put on reservation lands. He thought that the Office of Indian Affairs was well suited to this task of managing these confined racialized populations.” The “Indian New Deal”, as FDR called it, was part of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and tried making amends for past treatment by investing in tribal infrastructure. That was, until the war effort began. “Funds were starting to dry

A federal jury has ruled against the Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City, S.D. With just one exception, Retsel Corporation and the Grand Gateway Hotel were found to have discriminated against Native Americans. South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s C.J. Keene was in the courtroom. In total, tens of thousands of dollars of compensatory and punitive damages were awarded to the people denied service to the hotel. Additionally, that discrimination suit means NDN Collective will receive its request of $1 from Retsel. In total, Retsel is now liable for six discrimination claims connected to the events of 2022. Regarding the assault claim against Sunny Red Bear, Retsel Corporation was found l iable for Connie Uhre’s assault against her. Uhre was also convicted in criminal court for the incident. For Nicholas Uhre, the current operator of the Grand Gateway Hotel, his two defamation claims against NDN Collective were thrown out by the jury. The final claim regarding an illegal nuisance was found in favor of Uhre and t

It’s official — with the swipe of President Donald Trump’s pen, North Carolina’s Lumbee Tribe is now the 575th federally recognized tribe. Correspondent Matt Laslo has the story from Washington. Dozens of members of the Lumbee Tribe traveled from North Carolina to Washington to be a part of history this week. Tears were heard in the gallery after the U.S. Senate approved the measure granting the Lumbee federal recognition Wednesday. And after President Trump signed it into law Thursday, Lumbee Chairman John Lowery could barely contain his joy. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning, and our joy is here. It’s here. We finally achieved what our ancestors fought so long and so hard to achieve.” There are roughly 60,000 members of the Lumbee, making it the largest Native American tribe east of the Mississippi River. North Carolina officials recognized the tribe after the Civil War in 1885, but not federal officials. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has helped lead the fight in the Senat

The Lumbee Tribe is celebrating the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes legislation to grant the tribe federal recognition. The U.S. Senate passed the defense bill Wednesday, as Lumbee citizens gathered in Pembroke, N.C. for a watch party. Lumbee Chairman John Lowery was in Washington D.C. for the vote, and shared a short video message saying he’s the last chairman to go the nation’s capital to fight for full federal recognition. “Now our children and our grandchildren, our great grandchildren can come up here working and fighting and promoting other things for our people.” The tribe has sought federal status for more than a century. The Lumbee’s effort has faced opposition, including by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, while President Donald Trump promised the Lumbee Tribe federal recognition. President Franklin Deleanor Roosevelt in 1941 and President Donald Trump in 2025 invoking the Alien Enemies Act. This December marked the 84th anniversary of

The Arctic continues to warm faster than other parts of the world — and is experiencing record high temperatures and record low levels of sea ice. That’s according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which released its annual report card for the region Tuesday. As The Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA reports, those findings directly affect Alaska Indigenous communities. The Arctic Report Card has been documenting changes in snow and sea ice cover, as well as air and ocean temperatures in the northern part of the globe for the past 20 years. It has shown that, in that time, the Arctic’s annual temperature has increased at more than double the global rate of temperature changes. Hannah-Marie Ladd is the director of Indigenous Sentinels Network. “These changes cascade directly into people’s lives, affecting fisheries, coastal safety, and subsistence harvests. We are no longer just documenting warming. We are witnessing an entire marine ecosystem, wh

The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation neighboring Fountain Hills, Ariz. recently dealt with reports of “aggressive dogs running loose”, resulting in attacks that prompted its police department to increase patrols while urging the public to stay away. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports. Two tribal members were bitten last week and are now recovering from non-lethal injuries, according to acting chief of police Jesse Puffer. “We did catch three out of the four dogs.” Incidents like this are not uncommon on tribal lands with canines roaming their 24,000-acre reservation. Some are seen as strays – often dogs that are dumped there by owners who do not wish to keep them – while others are claimed by tribal members as pets. “We also have a dog ordinance, too, so people get cited for that as well – depending on what the nature anywhere from, you know, $150 fine and plus you and it can be higher if you can’t show record of vaccination and also licensing.” The documentary “Remaining Native̶

For the last few months, Navajo Nation leaders have been butting heads over who is its official controller – the person responsible for handling the tribe’s finances. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren tried firing that top official. As KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, that dispute is now over. Sean McCabe has been reaffirmed as the sole lawful controller through a legally binding stipulation between him and President Nygren, which also orders Controller McCabe to receive backpay and have his attorney fees covered. Nygren recently apologized for sending profanity-laced texts leaked by McCabe to council delegates. “I used language that I shouldn’t have. In moments of great stress we don’t always act as our best selves. This was one such occasion for me.” The October exchange preceded his sudden termination. Screenshots show Nygren pressured McCabe to unlock his government-issued purchase card, but McCabe told him there’s no budget. Nygren reiterates that his agreement with McCabe isn’t a “compel

A Tucson, Ariz. resident is facing federal charges for allegedly excavating and trafficking archeological resources from the Gila River Indian Community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 46-year-old Leo Reynoso stands accused of violating the Archeological Resources Protection Act. Prosecutors said Reynoso allegedly removed several artifacts from the community without authorization. This included jewelry, Indian Trader tokens, crucifixes, and buttons from archeological sites on tribal land. He also stands accused of selling these items without a permit. The archeological value of the items is estimated at $29,000, while the cost of repairing the archeological sites is estimated at $23,000. If convicted, Reynoso faces a $20,000 fine and could get up to two years in prison. U.S. soldiers at a burial for some of those who were killed at Wounded Knee, S.D. on January 1, 1891. December 29 will mark 135 years since the Wounded Knee Massacre. In part two of his story, KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio shares some Native re

Photo courtesy Cherokee Nation / Facebook In Tahlequah, Okla. this week, Cherokee language speakers and officials unveiled a Cherokee language dictionary app. They were joined by representatives of Kiwa Digital Limited, who developed the app based on a Cherokee dictionary 50 years ago, created by Native speaker Durbin Feeling. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Junior said the new app will allow every Cherokee family to carry the resource in their pockets, and represented the tribe’s sovereignty and knowledge, as well as their commitment to keep the Cherokee language strong for generations to come. “For the last five centuries, our language and our culture has been under assault, has been eroded, and that’s the story of Indigenous languages around the world. Many of which the languages that have been lost and that we will lose in the future. Many of which are a part of history books, about languages that once were.” Chief Hoskin said he expected the app to become more than a simple curiosity for tribal members, and

Photo: Josh Engle, manager and peer support specialist at True North Recovery in Wasilla, gives out cookies as part of homeless outreach efforts in Anchorage on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. (Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media) For people experiencing addition, it can help to talk to someone who has been through recovery themselves. Peer support specialists offer a different kind of support from therapists or psychiatrists. And in Alaska, there are state certifications for peer support roles, including a special track for Indigenous people with lived experience in recovery. Alaska Public Media’s Rachel Cassandra has more on peer-to-peer care in the state. Josh Engle is bundled up on one of the first really cold days in October. He walks along a forest path to do outreach in an encampment in Anchorage. He approaches a man in a weathered coat. “How long you been out here on the streets?” “Too long. Yeah. Yeah.” Several tents and makeshift structures lean together. “You connected wi

Native actress Elaine Miles, known for her roles in TV’s “Northern Exposure” and the 1998 movie “Smoke Signals” has spent the last month contending with a run-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents – and the response to her sharing her story with local and national media. Brian Bull of Buffalo’s Fire reports. On November 3, Miles says she was at a bus stop in Redmond, Wash. preparing to do a Target run when several men in camo fatigues and tactical gear appeared. For 45 minutes, she says they deliberated over the legitimacy of her tribal ID, and if they were aware of her rights as a U.S. citizen. “I go, ‘Are you federal? Are you recognized as a federal officer? Do you have the warrant stating that you have right to stop me?’ And then they kept saying, ‘We don’t need a warrant.’ And I go, ‘Yes, you do.’” Miles said the men often looked confused at her assertions and finally left when another man called them back to a waiting SUV. In the following weeks as ICE activity continued aro

Photo courtesy Assembly of First Nations / Facebook More than sixty Indigenous artifacts have now been returned to Canada from the Vatican. As Dan Karpenchuk reports, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders were on hand at Montreal’s airport over the weekend to welcome them back. There were 62 items in large crates on board the plane that landed on Saturday morning. Many Native leaders as well as those involved in the repatriation efforts were on hand. Some bowed as the crates were lowered onto the tarmac, for most, the objects on board were more than simply artifacts. One of those present was the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak. “This is an important and emotional moment for many First Nations across this country. And I also hope it’ll be an important moment for all Canadians to consider the history and the future of this country. Reconciliation isn’t one stop here, reconciliation is every single day doing this work.” After many years of

  Canadian ministers address final day of AFN special chiefs meeting   'Native Highways' is back with a holiday special on FNX this Friday