Monday, July 8, 2019 – Help for opioid addiction
All Indian Health Service facilities are drafting action plans for patients to seek medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction. That’s significant because it could mean more IHS patients would have access to methadone, Subutex and other drugs that are showing some promise in combination with behavioral therapy. IHS Principal Deputy Director Michael D. Weahkee set a December deadline for the plans. We’ll talk with doctors as well as people in addiction recovery about treating opioid addiction with medication.
Tuesday, July 9, 2019 – Public safety emergency in Alaska
Rural villages in Alaska are in a public safety crisis. One in three communities in Alaska have no local law enforcement, according to an investigation by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica. In some areas, crime victims—often Alaska Natives—must wait hours or even days for officers to respond. In some cases, residents are forced to apprehend people who pose a threat to the public. U.S. Attorney General William Barr declared an emergency, making $10 million of federal money available to boost rural law enforcement. The same day, Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed $3 million in spending for Village Public Safety Officer positions. In this hour we’ll look into law enforcement in Alaska and what solutions might help.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 – Wounded Knee dishonor
There’s a push on to rescind the official honors bestowed on members of the 7th Calvary Regiment for their roles in the Wounded Knee Massacre. Ironically, it was a tweet by President Donald Trump that prompted the latest effort to take back the 20 Medals of Honor given after the infamous 1890 attack that killed hundreds of Lakota men, women and children. We’ll hear from Wounded Knee descendants and other stakeholders about how an accurate portrayal of history informs what the federal government considers an ‘honor’.
Thursday, July 11, 2019 – Powwow basics
Dancers and emcees on the circuit are putting hundreds of miles on their cars traveling from one summer powwow to the next. There are fancy dancers, traditional dancers, jingle dress dancers, fancy shawl dancers, grass dancers and chicken dancers. Each of the dances has its own meaning, steps and regalia. We’ll spend an hour breaking down the powwow scene and find out how competition mixes with tradition in the dance arena.
Friday, July 12, 2019 – Native-owned grocery stores: economic development and community asset
Native entrepreneurs and even some tribes see grocery stores as a double win: they help the local economy and provide healthier food options in places where they aren’t often available. The USDA finds many rural areas of Native America are food deserts—areas without grocery stores or farmers’ markets with fresh produce. We’ll hear from Native grocery store owners about what it takes to make to be profitable on their reservations.
List of a bunch of Native-owned grocery stores:
