Monday, July 17, 2017 — Remembering the Church Rock uranium spill
It’s been 38 years since 94 million gallons of radioactive waste from a uranium mine spilled into the Puerco River on the Navajo Nation near Church Rock, New Mexico.
The health effects, water contamination and cleanup remain a concern to the people who still live in the area. The mining company, Kerr-McGee Corp., paid $1 billion of a $5 billion settlement to the Navajo Nation in 2014.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017 — Fighting LGBTQ2 violence
The first transgender person murdered in the United States this year was a 28-year-old Oglala Lakota woman. Statistics are hard to come by, especially for Native Americans, but the National Congress of American Indians points to a 2010 survey that says 1 in 3 LGBTQ2 Natives in New York State faced violence because of their sexual status. Some tribes have a traditional acceptance and respect for two-spirit people.
Wednesday, July 19, 2017 – Prostate cancer awareness
Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men. Fortunately, American Indian and Alaska Native men have among the lowest rates of prostate cancer compared to other ethnic groups, according to most recent data available from the National Cancer Institute. And the numbers are going down for everyone. That’s good news. But it doesn’t mean men can ignore the latest recommendations for tests, treatment and prevention.
Thursday, July 20, 2017 – The threats to SNAP
President Trump’s budget proposes almost $200 billion in cuts to what is commonly referred to as food stamps over the next 10 years. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was created to help low income people buy food. In 2015, an average of 43 million people received SNAP benefits according to the USDA. A 2014 survey from the non-profit Feeding American notes American Indians and Alaska Natives experience food insecurity at higher rates than the national average.
Friday, July 21, 2017 – The continuing fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe continues to battle the Dakota Access Pipeline in the courts. A judge will decide this fall whether or not to stop the flow of oil while the legal dispute continues. Meanwhile local courts are slowly churning through the hundreds criminal trespassing and riot cases. We’ll get some perspective on both legal fronts and hear the latest from Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault II.
