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- By Native News Online Staff
With Labor Day weekend underway, you may have been engaged in visits with family and friends or attending powwows, fairs, and cultural festivals, and may have missed recent developments from Indian Country.
Below are some stories you missed:
Weapons of War Don’t Belong in Our Schools and Sacred Spaces
Opinion by Levi Rickert (Potawatomi): The Minneapolis school shooting proves assault weapons have no place in civilian hands. Research shows the 1994 federal ban reduced mass shooting deaths—we must reinstate it to save lives.
Native News Weekly (August 31 2025): D.C. Briefs
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on Frieday announced over $40 million in available funding to help Tribal governments improve roadways and address transportation safety issues through the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund (TTPSF).
This announcement will help eligible applicants – the 574 federally recognized Tribes – meet their transportation infrastructure priorities and help reduce the risk of serious roadway departures and fatal crashes, particularly for those living and working in Native American and Alaska Native communities. Project improvements may include measures that keep drivers in their lanes, enable safe recovery along roadsides, and strategies that reduce the severity of accidents.
Photos from the Kee Boon Mein Kaa Contest Powwow
Smoke from campfires lingered in the air as attendees gathered for the Kee Boon Mein Kaa Contest Powwow on the powwow grounds of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi in Dowagiac, Mich., on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Dozens of powwow dancers, drummers, and others camped overnight at the Rodgers Lake campground, where the powwow was held.
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Native News Weekly (August 31 2025): D.C. Briefs
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At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
