From 1957 to 2010, the Smurfit-Stone Pulp Mill operated along the Clark Fork River in Montana. It left large amounts of pollution and leaked wastewater into the river. For decades, environmentalists and tribal leaders have called for the site to be cleaned up for the protection of the animals and people. Rachel Neal from the University of Montana School of Journalism took a deep dive into the ways this contamination has affected Indigenous people.

Earlier this month, ABC announced it will not bring the TV show “Alaska Daily” back for a second season. The series, starring actress Hillary Swank, focused on reporters who investigate cold cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Vera Starbard was one of the Alaska Native staff writers on the show.

At the time of this recording, negotiations on the debt ceiling continue. The Treasury Department says legislation needs to be passed before June 5 to avoid an economic disaster. ICT regular contributor Holly Cook Macarro is a partner with Spirit Rock Consulting and a board member of IndiJ Public Media, the parent company that owns ICT and the newscast.

  • Western Apache tribes are celebrating a decision that puts a pause on destroying sacred land. The area under dispute is Oak Flat, located in southeastern Arizona. It is culturally significant to several nations. The U.S. Forest Service last week told a federal court it is not sure when an anticipated environmental impact statement would be approved for the proposed mining project. Oak Flat sits atop the third largest deposit of copper ore in the world.
  • Native actors took over the red carpet and theater at the Cannes Film Festival. In France, Martin Scorsese’s” film, “Killers of the Flower Moon” received a nine-minute long standing ovation. The high budget project follows the series of murders and theft over oil and land against the Osage Nation in the 1920s. “Killers of the Flower Moon” will be in theaters in October.
  • A South Dakota surgeon has become the first Native American to summit Mount Everest. The 36-year old Cheyenne River Sioux doctor Jacob Weasel conquered the mountain peak earlier this month in an effort to make history and raise funds for charity. The expedition aimed to raise over $175,000 to build a playground in his hometown of Rapid City and fund women’s health centers in rural Nepal.

Shirley Sneve, Ponca/Sicangu Lakota, is vice president of broadcasting for the ICT Newscast. Follow her on Twitter @rosebudshirley. She is based in Nebraska and Minnesota.

Aliyah Chavez, Kewa Pueblo, is the anchor of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @aliyahjchavez.

R. Vincent Moniz, Jr., NuÉta, is the senior producer of the ICT Newscast. Have a great story? Pitch it to vincent@ictnews.org.

McKenzie Allen-Charmley, Dena’ina Athabaskan, is a producer of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @mallencharmley.

Paris Wise, Zia and Laguna Pueblo, is a producer for the ICT Newscast. Instagram and Twitter: @parisiswise. Email: paris@ictnews.org.

Drea Yazzie, Diné, is a producer and editor for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @quindreayazzie. Yazzie is based in Phoenix.

Virginia Rigney, Chickasaw, is a video editor for the ICT Newscast.

Daniel Herrera Carbajal is a video editor for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @daniulherrrera

Pacey Smith Garcia, Ute, is a production assistant for the ICT newscast. On Twitter: @paceyjournalist.

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