As we head into 2026, the pressures shaping tribal economies will feel familiar — but the ground beneath them has shifted. From energy and tax certainty to Native finance and federal contracting, here are key storylines @tribalbiz.bsky.social will be tracking.

TOP 10: From budget cuts and federal grant freezes to major developments like the Seminole Tribe's $826M jury award and Lumbee federal recognition — these were the stories that shaped 2025. See what our @tribalbiz.bsky.social readers followed most closely.

We’re halfway through December and have raised $9,135, but there’s still work to do. Your gift now ensures warrior journalism continues into 2026 — defending tribal sovereignty, uplifting community voices, and covering the stories mainstream media too often overlooks. Support our work below 👇

Join us for a conversation about the Power of #Native #Media with Acce Agoya from Indianz.com. Watch full Bidaské episode here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTjg...

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., convened more than 55 American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian maternal health experts and organizations to develop five reports outlining the state of Native maternal health in the United States. Read More ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/health/sen-l...

The #PrairieBandPotawatomi Nation Chairman Joseph "Zeke" Rupnick issued a statement via a YouTube video late Wednesday afternoon to tribal members announcing that the nation and its subsidiaries have fully divested from the $29.9 million U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement #ICE... Read More ⬇️

🚨 Breaking: Lumbee Tribe Set for Federal Recognition Under NDAA Passed by Senate The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is set to gain federal recognition once President Donald Trump signs the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026 into law. Read More ⬇️

A federal judge has approved a settlement requiring Chouteau County to redraw its county commission districts, a change that will allow citizens of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation to elect a representative of their choice for the first time in more than a decade. Read More ⬇️

Your gift now ensures warrior journalism continues into 2026 — defending tribal sovereignty, uplifting community voices, and covering the stories mainstream media too often overlooks. Donate today here: www.paypal.com/donate?campa...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Ethics Complaint Alleges Former Navajo Nation Chief of Staff Accepted Gifts From Contractor Read now: nativenewsonline.net/currents/eth...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT My Tribe’s ICE Contract Betrayed Our Values Read now: nativenewsonline.net/opinion/my-t...

After more than three decades of pressure from tribal governments seeking relief from IRS uncertainty, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service on Monday announced that two long-awaited tribal tax regulations have been finalized... Read More ⬇️

Law Should Not Get in the Way When "Manifest-ing Destiny" Guest Opinion. The judiciary should be above reproach and when a judge falls from grace, it is alarming. When the judge comes from the highest court in a state, it is cause for particular alarm. Read More ⬇️

The Senate unanimously approved legislation last week to address chronic staffing shortages in Tribal Law enforcement and improve resources for missing persons cases. Read More Below ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/health/senat...

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) has penned a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemning the treatment of Native Americans at the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Read More Below ⬇️

Top 5 Stories of the Week: 1️⃣ Breaking: Final Defense Legislation Grants Federal Recognition to #Lumbee Tribe

Last month’s lack of jobs report showed the importance of reliable federal economic data. However, Native communities have never had access to high-quality federal data, with significant negative impacts for Tribal governance. My new piece for @nativenewsonline.bsky.social with Steven Estrada:

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: Tribes search for alternatives as federal clean energy funding vanishes Cody Two-Bears spent more than $1 million training Native workers for clean energy jobs. Then the jobs disappeared. @tribalbiz.bsky.social Read More ⬇️

The Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives (MMDR) Task Force and the 25th Navajo Nation Council said they are offering prayers and continued support to Vangie Randall-Shorty after federal officials announced charges in the 2020 killing of her son, Zachariah Shorty.

The University of Oklahoma’s Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research recently named Grace Fox (Seminole) as its first tribal health care policy analyst. Fox will lead projects related to the National Institutes of Health-funded initiative Improving Cancer... Read More Below ⬇️

Stand With Warrior Journalism This December Yesterday marked the start of our year-end campaign. This December, your gift sustains months of reporting — defending tribal sovereignty, holding power accountable, and keeping Native voices visible.

Shout out to the people for interacting with us recently 👋🏼 Chi Miigwetch (Thank you) to all! @anishgirl.bsky.social, @icancclearlynow.bsky.social, @dreweliotcurtis.bsky.social, @doyleerina.bsky.social, @sdunungan.org, @daroldcuba.bsky.social, @bkeithb.bsky.social

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Native American Bank and Park State Bank & Trust are providing $6.9 million in joint financing for Tava House Properties' restaurant and event center in Woodland Park, Colorado. @tribalbiz.bsky.social Read More 👇

The Window Rock District Court on Tuesday granted Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren’s request for a temporary restraining order, halting action on legislation that seeks to remove him and Vice President Richelle Montoya from office. Read More below ⬇️

Five Native American Films You Should Watch This #Thanksgiving Weekend #nativeamericanfilm #native #indigenousmovies Check it out below ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/arts-enterta...

In his remarks, Kirkland emphasized what he described as President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s commitment to strengthening tribal sovereignty, improving government efficiency, and reducing federal bureaucracy in Indian Country. Read More below ⬇️

Articles You May Have Missed This Past Weekend While many Native Americans like to say we celebrate being Native Americans year round, it is the month that presents opportunities to reflect on our ancestors, history, and culture. Read More 👇

Five Native American Chefs You Should Know This Native American Heritage Month, Native News Online is celebrating by sharing our favorite Native American actor movies, TV shows, books, chefs, musicians, artists, and fashion designers. Read More below ⬇️

New Book Showcases 250 Images by Indigenous Photographers Spanning Two Centuries A new book, In Light and Shadow: A Photographic History from Indigenous America, gathers more than 250 images by Indigenous photographers from the 1800s to today. Read More below ⬇️

New Mexico Could Be First State to Address Forced Sterilization of Native American Women Jean Whitehorse's (Diné) Native name means "Many Children," but she only has one child. This spring, she spoke at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York to explain why. Read More ⬇️

Opinion. Ken Burns, the award-winning filmmaker whose work has defined how Americans understand the Civil War, baseball, jazz, and the Vietnam War, is back this week on PBS with a new six-part documentary, The American Revolution. Read More below ⬇️

Federal and tribal law enforcement officials announced a major drug bust on Monday, seizing more than 37,000 fentanyl pills valued at nearly $1.5 million during a coordinated operation on the Pueblo of Isleta Reservation in New Mexico. Read more below ⬇️

Opinion: Ten years in the making, Ken Burns' "The American Revolution" finally incorporates the Indigenous side of the story (via our partner @nativenewsonline.bsky.social). nativenewsonline.net/opinion/ken-...

#GuestOpinion Last week, I was honored to testify before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on the matter of Lumbee recognition. I am grateful to Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for holding a serious, measured hearing...This is long overdue. Read more below ⬇️

The federal government shutdown closed access to Volk Field Air National Guard Base that left organizers of the #Veterans D.O.R.A. Powwow with an unexpected challenge. Read more below ⬇️

The U.S. Senate on Monday night approved a bipartisan deal to end the nation’s longest #government #shutdown, breaking a weeks-long standoff that disrupted food aid for millions, left hundreds of thousands of federal workers without pay, and snarled air travel across the country. Read more below ⬇️

The longest federal government shutdown continues into its 40th day Thursday. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson, (R-LA), has the House of Representatives on recess. Read more below ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/currents/nat...

This Native American Heritage Month, Native News Online is celebrating by sharing our favorite Native American actor movies, TV shows, books, chefs, musicians, artists, and fashion designers. Read more below ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/arts-enterta...

Opinion. One in four Native Americans utilize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, often referred to as #SNAP or #foodstamps. Native Americans live at the poverty level twice the national average... Read more below ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/opinion/who-...

We have a question! How do you celebrate Native American Heritage Month? Every day is a good day to celebrate our heritage! #nativeamericanheritagemonth #indiancountry #nativeamerican @nativestorylab.bsky.social @nativegiving.bsky.social @native-ways.bsky.social

The 25th Navajo Nation Council has launched a public website to serve as a central hub for food access information as the Nation responds to the federal government’s suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Read More below ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/currents/nav...

The Cherokee Nation’s push to expand the television and film industry in northeast Oklahoma continues to deliver results, with several productions supported by the tribe’s film incentive program premiering this fall. Read More below ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/arts-enterta...

Ahead of Veterans Day, Native Bidaské host Levi Rickert will sit down with two Native Marine Corps veterans, Dean Dauphinais and Chairman Peter Lengkeek, for a discussion about service, sacrifice, and the urgent need to better support Native veterans. Tune in on November 7th at 12 pm ET below

Dear Indigenous N. American @governor.ca.gov stands thunder Representing all 🪶 🦫🐦‍⬛🦦🐳🐟🐍🐸🪿🦌🐺🦅🐻 We must support stand w/Newsom Few elected hear our voices none sound as thunder Vote✅️ Yes Prop 50 Save voices🇺🇸 Save🌎 @nativenewsonline.bsky.social @nativestories.bsky.social @ilrcenter.bsky.social

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Virginia Hedrick (Yurok) has been named the Chief Executive Officer of the California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB). Hedrick is the first woman to hold the position. Read More below ⬇️ nativenewsonline.net/health/virgi...