Scientists Discovered a New — and Already Endangered — Whale Species

The species lives in the Gulf of Mexico

A Rice's whale.

BY TOBIAS CARROLL @TOBIASCARROLL

Normally, the discovery of a new species is grounds for celebration. And in the case of Rice’s whale — also known as the Gulf of Mexico whale — that is very much the case, but it’s tempered with no small amount of scientific anxiety. That’s because, according to this Washington Post article, there have only been 50 known examples of the species in the wild.

As the NOAA explained, the Rice’s whale was originally believed to have been a population of Bryde’s whales living in the Gulf of Mexico. Bryde’s whales are found north and south of the Equator around the globe; Rice’s whales, meanwhile, have a much more contained habitat. They can grow to be over 40 feet long, with the Post‘s article comparing their weight to that of a fire truck.

The species takes its name from the late scientist Dale Rice, who was the first to observe the population decades earlier.

The fact that these whales call the Gulf of Mexico home speaks to one of the reasons that they’re considered endangered. Events like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill have had an adverse effect on creatures living in the Gulf of Mexico, and the whales are vulnerable to both the effects of pollution and to vehicular collisions. Hopefully, now that the species has been identified as such, further steps can be taken to protect it.

After Hurricane Ian, Florida citrus and agriculture struggle

The thousands of oranges scattered on the ground by Hurricane Ian’s fierce winds are only the start of the disaster for citrus growers

ByCURT ANDERSON Associated Press
October 15, 2022



ZOLFO SPRINGS, Fla. -- The thousands of oranges scattered on the ground by Hurricane Ian’s fierce winds like so many green and yellow marbles are only the start of the disaster for citrus grower Roy Petteway.

The fruit strewn about his 100-acre (40-hectare) grove in central Florida since the storm swept through will mostly go to waste. But what are even worse are the flood and rain waters that weakened the orange trees in ways that are difficult to see right away.

“For the next six months we'll be evaluating the damage,” Petteway said in an interview at his farm, where he estimates about a 40% crop loss. “You're going to have a lot of damage that will rear its head.”

Citrus is big business in Florida, with more than 375,000 acres (152,000 hectares) in the state devoted to oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and the like for an industry valued at more than $6 billion annually. Hurricane Ian hit the citrus groves hard, as well as the state's large cattle industry, dairy operations, vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, and even hundreds of thousands of bees essential to many growers.

“This year will be tough, no one is disputing that, but I believe in the tenacity and passion of our citrus industry professionals to come back stronger than ever," said Nikki Fried, commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The orange forecast for 2022-2023, released Wednesday, puts production at about 28 million boxes, or 1.26 million tons, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. That's 32% below the year before and does not account for damage from the hurricane, which will surely worsen those numbers.

Most Florida oranges are used to make juice, and this season’s drastically lower harvest, combined with the still-unquantified slam from Ian, will press prices upward and force producers to rely even more heavily on California and imported oranges from Latin America.

“This is a gut punch. There's no doubt about it,” said Matt Joyner, CEO of the Florida Citrus Mutual trade association. “You've really got about 72 hours to get the water off these trees before you start sustaining significant damage if not mortality. Trees need water to grow. They don't need to be standing in water.”

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who appeared at a Florida Citrus Mutual event this week in Zolfo Springs, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Tampa, said about $3 billion in federal funding is needed to cover costs from loss of crops and trees. And, Rubio told about 500 people at the gathering, it's crucial not to let the storm make agricultural land disappear.

“When you lose land, and what happens is people can't afford to keep doing this anymore, and that land is taken. It's gone,” the Republican senator said. “I've never seen a mall turned back into agricultural land.”

Then there are the bees.

The University of Florida estimates that about 380,000 known bee colonies were in the path of Hurricane Ian as it bisected the state. The storm not only damaged the beehives themselves, but also blew off blossoms, leading some bees to raid other colonies for the honey they need to eat.

“Masses of honeybee colonies submerged in water are in distress,” the Florida Farm Bureau said in a statement. “Bee pollination is critical to the livelihood of our state's plants and crops, and is just one example of the long-term effects of this deadly storm.”

More than 100 people died in Florida from the storm, about half of those in hardest-hit Lee County, where the powerful Category 4 hurricane came ashore with 155 mph (259 kph) winds on Sept 28.

Hardee County, home to Petteway's citrus and cattle operation, recorded four of those storm-related deaths. Adding to that tragedy, the long-term effects on the farm industry will add broad impacts on the community.

“If you eat, you're part of agriculture,” Petteway, a fifth-generation Floridian, said during the tour of his groves. “We were anticipating a very good crop this year. Sadly, there's nothing we can do about it. It's just a devastating thing.”

As Petteway drove around on a golf cart, in a neighboring pasture he spotted a brand-new donkey foal he hadn't noticed before the hurricane. Coincidentally, not long after the storm passed, his wife gave birth to a daughter, now just over week old.

The people in these rural parts of Florida, he said, will recover as they always have.

“This was going to be the first good year in a while,” he said. “We're a resilient bunch. This is just another hurdle.”

FIRST NATIONS
Repatriation Conference: The Promise and Peril of Paleogenomics

Jennifer Raff, a professor in Indigenous studies with a specialty in genetic research at the University of Kansas, was a keynote speaker at the 8th annual Association for American Indian Affairs conference on repatriation. 

(Photo: Jenna Kunze for Native News Online)BY JENNA KUNZE OCTOBER 13, 2022

NEW BUFFALO, Mich.—Paleogenomics, the study of ancient ancestors’ DNA to understand the past, is a practice with a fraught colonial history.

That’s because DNA analysis of Indigenous people by non-Indigenous people was done mostly without the consent of living tribal relatives, and served to perpetuate harmful stereotypes against Native peoples.

Jennifer Raff, a professor in Indigenous studies with a specialty in genetic research at the University of Kansas, believes that paleogenomics have both promise and peril.

“Ancient genomes give us an extraordinary understanding, and powerful way to understand the past and to understand specifically the biological histories of humans, of nonhumans, of entire ecosystems,” said Raff, who spoke Wednesday as a keynote speaker at the Association on American Indian Affairs conference on repatriation. “Like any other tool, paleogenomics can be used for good purposes and it can be used for bad purposes. It can be positive and empowering, or it can have unintended harmful consequences, even when it's employed by people who are well meaning and well-intentioned.”

Here is a recap of Raff’s speech on the power, shortcomings, and process of analyzing ancient DNA from ancestors. Her comments have been edited and condensed for clarity.
What can genetics tell us about the past?

“DNA can tell us about the biological relationships between individuals living in the present and the past. So the evolutionary forces that act on all life on Earth—natural selection, genetic drift migration, mutation—these all change the genetic composition of populations over time.

“DNA can allow us to estimate past population sizes, with some caveats. It can give an insight into sources of ancestry. Did your ancestors themselves have ancestry from this population? Or did they have some from an entirely different population that we may not have realized? We can look at demographic events. We can calculate approximate dates for these demographic events, again, with some caveats.

“We can also even learn about things like tuberculosis and other infectious diseases and where they came from. And we can learn about the relationships between nonhumans and humans. For example, dogs, and how they are related to the indigenous peoples and the populations with whom they traveled.”

What can’t DNA tell us?

“There's some things DNA cannot tell us. In general, it cannot tell us the location of events, unless there's some pretty tight connection with archaeological records. It can be very tricky. It cannot tell us the difference between two populations if they are or were genetically very similar to each other. It does not tell us anything about behavior and identity. And it does not tell us about tribal affiliation—That's a big one.”
How does the process of extracting and reading DNA work?

“We first take a sample from the ancestor, and this can be either a small bit of bone or tooth or hair. We can also obtain DNA from soil and some and sometimes from artifacts. The amount needed is 50 milligrams, and that's the approximate equivalent of a pinch of powder for each extraction.

“That much disturbance of an ancestor’s remains is completely unacceptable for some descendants, so that alone takes it off the table. There are some methods for trying to get ancient DNA without actually taking that powder sample, but they're a little bit unreliable.

“So the sample from the ancestor is treated to remove any contaminating DNA from the people who may have touched it, for example, museums. Then it is chemically treated, which releases DNA from the sample. You basically come out of it with a little tube full of liquid that has DNA in it. We take that resulting liquid that contains the ancestor’s DNA and run it through a column that contains silica. The DNA binds to silica under certain conditions, and that allows us to wash it with multiple buffers to clean away the soil, chemicals, and any other chemicals that might be there that could interfere with the sequencing process.

“Depending on how much DNA we have, we can either just sequence it outright and just sequence the whole genome. The DNA sequences that we get give us a literal readout of all the A’s, G's, T's and C's in that genome, but they're in a bazillion different random fragments, and so they have to be sorted. Once you have the genome assembled [into order], then you can begin to analyze it.”

How can DNA be used as a tool for repatriation, and what are the problems with this?

“DNA can be used to strengthen repatriation claims, but it's not a simple issue. If using DNA in repatriation claims becomes more common it potentially opens the door to defining indigeneity in genetic terms, which is problematic.

“It may also privilege DNA as a tool for assessing relationships over cultural knowledge and traditional knowledge and that is also a problem. And I say this as a geneticist. So the other thing I'm concerned about is, if using DNA for repatriation claims becomes common, will this widespread use set an expectation for DNA study and repatriation claims? I don't know that it will. But if it does, what about those tribes for whom DNA research is off the table because of its sacredness? Does that mean that they have less opportunity? And again, also, the results of DNA study may not match traditional knowledge traditional cultural historical knowledge. It can't be reliably used to determine tribal affiliation necessarily.

“I worry about using biological criteria, but I also am heartened by any tool that can strengthen repatriation.”

What is the ethical debate around paleogenomics?

“Expertise in ancient DNA does not make you an expert on bioethics. And I include myself in that category. Diné geneticist and bioethicist Kristal Tsosie pointed out … that being a paleogeneticist creates a conflict of interest when it comes to ethics, because [paleo geneticists] benefit from the research products, and she is absolutely right.”
What are some ‘best practice’ considerations, and questions to consider if you’re a tribe interstate in pursuing DNA analysis?

“The first consideration is consultation. How would the tribe like to be consulted? This is different in every project I am involved with.

“The research design is another big question and I think it is very helpful for tribes to figure this out in advance at least what their priorities are. Because when I go to a tribe, I will come to them with specific questions I might be interested in, but I want to know what they're interested in. What do you want to know about the past? What do you want to know about these ancestors? And we build both sets of questions into the research design, unless the tribe does not like my questions. If they don't want to address the same kinds of questions that I want to, we take those off the table.

“This is a big one. So the DNA extraction and retrieval process is destructive, but there are products that are left over from that process. So you will have a little bit of DNA sample left. And so what should be done with that? There are options: it can be thrown away or destroyed; (or) it can be returned to the community to be buried with the ancestor.

“What do you want done with that? And what do you want done with the DNA itself?

“The other thing that I'd like you to keep in mind as decision makers or advisors is that the process of sequencing DNA generates huge amounts of data. The standard practice and academia, and one which your research partners may push for, is to publish the raw data open access, free for anybody to use. Anybody can do any kind of future research with them.

“There's some options: you can go with the open access model, you may also say no access. Then there’s a middle ground where the tribe has oversight over the kinds of research that is done with their DNA.”

If you’re a tribe considering the use of paleogenomics, how do you choose a trustworthy research partner?

“This is a tough one, I think it will take a lot of work. So first, I would decide what it is you're looking for. What are your priorities? Do you want research to be done quickly, [or] do you want research to be more personalized? Do you want those long term relationships? In that case, a smaller lab might be more useful for you. They're not mutually exclusive, of course.

“I would look at the lab’s webpage and see the kinds of tones that they're setting. What kinds of language are they using? Are they talking about ‘specimens’ or are they talking about ‘ancestors’? Do they describe their work as engaged or community-based participatory? Those are things to look for.

“Then of course, ask other tribes and ask archaeologists and ask repatriation specialists about the reputation. The ancient DNA community is not very big, and so we all have reputations.”

In concluding her remarks, Raff said that she’s seen the field change significantly—and for the better—in just the last few years.

“We have a really long way to go. We are not where we need to be. There are setbacks, there are bad actors, but we are actually heading in the right direction,” she said. “I am very positive about this. So empowering tribes as decision makers in this process is the path forward.”

About The Author

Jenna Kunze
Staff Writer
Jenna Kunze is a staff reporter covering Indian health, the environment and breaking news for Native News Online. She is also the publication's lead reporter on stories related to Indian boarding schools and repatriation. Her bylines have appeared in The Arctic Sounder, High Country News, Indian Country Today, Tribal Business News, Smithsonian Magazine, Elle and Anchorage Daily News. Kunze is based in New York.

OPINION

Anti-Palestinianism makes the weaponization of antisemitism possible

Zionism requires the demise of and continuous crimes against the Palestinian people. I will oppose it regardless of what you label me.

BY TERRY AHWAL OCTOBER 15, 2022

PALESTINIAN WOMAN RAISES A PLACARD BY BRAZILIAN CARTOONIST CARLOS LATUFF AT A PALESTINE SOLIDARITY RALLY IN LONDON. (PHOTO: ZUMA PRESS)


In the eyes and minds of Israel’s supporters, I am antisemitic, simply because I am Palestinian. Anything I say about my life, culture, tragedy, and experience is considered the same as vilifying people who are Jewish. Never mind that Zionism is a politically exclusionary movement that originated in Europe and it does not represent all Jews.

Zionist leaders and some of their followers have for years accused me and anyone else who fight for our Palestinian rights as a human being as being antisemitic. They launched campaigns in the United States and across Europe to discredit, dehumanize, fight our narrative and try to erase our existence. They want us and the world to forget about our lineage in Palestine that goes back more than for thousands of years – something we can scientifically and anthropologically trace.

When a political movement tries to erase my culture, steal my history and my land, I will stand and fight to reclaim my right as a human being born to be free.

Since the creation of Israel, the Zionist movement and their supporters mounted campaign after strategic campaign to remove my people from our homeland. They destroyed our villages and expelled 750,000 people, including my family, from their homes. They rebuild their lives over the rubble of our own homes. They have destroyed our lives and labeled us terrorists, savages, foreigners, fake. They insist that our history and narrative never existed and try to erase our existence.

Since the creation of the State of Israel there has also been a continuous campaign to annihilate and discredit the narrative of the Palestinian people.

In Israel and abroad there is an organized effort to stifle the voices of Palestinians — mine included. There is an organized effort by agencies like AIPAC, ADL, the Jewish Federation, Canary Mission to blacklist anyone who dares to speak on behalf of the Palestinians. Palestinian students and activists find their names with the false accusation of antisemitism on the internet. While working for Wayne County in Michigan, a well connected Zionist tried to get me fired for writing an editorial critical of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the suffering of my family. Active Zionists in the Democratic Party scuffled any attempt at my nomination to school and university boards simply because I am vocal about my Palestinian tragedy. Some in my community advised me to keep away from the Palestinian issue if I have any further ambition to serve my country.

The ardent supporters of Israel up the ante by weaponizing antisemitism, partnering with American and European politicians and instituting policies that makes it a crime for me and other activists to boycott companies who do business with illegal Israeli settlements. Today, if I want to work and seek a contract with the State of Michigan, I have to agree not to be part of an Israeli boycott. I can boycott my country, I can protest the policies of my country, but I am criminalized and liable when I protest the theft of my land and the illegal occupation of my people.

In fact, we as Palestinians cannot even tell our own stories. I am accused of hate when I point out the oppressive facts sanctioned by Israel and its supporters. I am called antisemitic when I tell people about the beating of my father. I am lucky that I never lost a job for speaking out, but many others did. Anyone who suggests Palestinians deserve basic human rights are targeted, vilified and accused of antisemitism. When given an opportunity to talk or write about our Palestinian tragedies, I have to wait for an Israeli counter point before my side of story is published. My account regardless of how personal has to have a countered side.

I did not choose to be a Palestinian — like all humans, I inherited my heritage. But I am proud of being Palestinian, and I embrace and celebrate the diversity of my people. I celebrate all its religious affiliations including my own. All Palestinians, whether they be Christians, Muslims, Jews, Druze, Sufis, or atheists, should be free to live in peace based on justice in their homeland. The notion that some are more chosen than others is racist. Palestine is home to all the monotheistic religions; no religious group should have a monopoly on the place because the loving God that we all pray for does not have a preference. I respect the beliefs of others, unless the others devalue my humanity. I respect the humanity of all and believe that peace without justice is tyranny. And therefore, I will continue to seek justice regardless of the accusations directed at me.

My problem with Zionism is their dream for a homeland is at the cost of my destruction.

As a Palestinian, I am grateful for the Jewish people including members of my family who always stood for civil and human rights, and I am keenly aware of the evil of antisemitism. Our Jewish brothers and sisters continue to face violence and bigotry at the hands of religious zealots and hate mongers. I stand with the Jewish people who fight antisemitism. I believe that the safety of the Jewish people is as vital as my safety. We all must work together to ensure each other’s welfare. I am also indebted to the Jewish people who stand by the Palestinian people and fight for their cause, but, for those who equate the call for justice of the Palestinian people with antisemitism, you are doing a disservice for your cause. Equating a country that practices apartheid with the Jewish people does not only harm the Palestinians, but it harms the Jewish people as well.

As for Zionism? If the dreams of Zionists for a homeland requires the demise and continuous crime and eviction of the Palestinian people, I will oppose it regardless of what you label me. My problem with Zionism is their dream for a homeland is at the cost of my destruction. They want to deny my existence. They want to erase my culture, heritage, families and towns, and replace us with people who espouse their beliefs.

I stand shoulder to shoulder with my Jewish brothers and sisters in the fight to stop antisemitism, just as I will always continue to fight for a free Palestine. Our history and reality of our lives may not be recognized by our occupiers, but we all know the truth about what happened to our families who were indigenous to the land. No amount of pressure, propaganda, or false accusations will change that. The love of our land is seeped in our veins.

Animal rescue gets death threats after drag queen reads to dogs

"I seriously hope that the next workplace shooting occurs at our organization and snuffs out everyone who approved of this," one threat read.

By Daniel Villarreal Saturday, October 15, 2022


Photo: Shutterstock

A dog shelter is receiving death threats because it had a drag queen read books to dogs.

On September 24, the Hard Knocks Rescue & Training facility of Huntsville, Alabama had a drag queen named Miss Majesty Divine read to the dogs in its care.

Chaya Raichik, who goes by LibsofTikTok on social media, posted an article that sought to generate outrage about the event. Video of the live-streamed event — which had only one child in its in-person crowd — showed the drag queen reading Walter the Farting Dog: Banned from the Beach and making innuendo comments about men liking “meat” and “big bones.”

After Raichik published her article, the dog shelter began receiving violent threats. Her posts, which regularly accuse LGBTQ people of “grooming” children for sexual abuse, have inspired death threats against drag performers, educators, and healthcare providers.

James Miller, the drag performer who read to the dogs, has since been put on paid leave from his job as a teacher in the Huntsville School District after Raichik’s post. He has said the jokes he made weren’t any worse than the innuendo that has appeared in children’s cartoons.

“You guys are total f**king scumbags … You sick f**ks secretly WANT to sexualize little kids because deep down you’re twisted and demented pedos who really really want to f**k kids,” one message said. “I seriously hope that the next workplace shooting occurs at our organization and snuffs out everyone who approved of this. Maybe then our children will be safe from predators like you.”

The shelter also began getting bad reviews on its Google and Facebook pages.

In a video responding to the threats, the shelter owners said, “We’re not backing down on what we do…. We know this is a risk, but it is the right side of things to be on.”

They also said they had reported the threats to the police and FBI but would continue to operate as they usually do.

“We are being very careful about security,” they continued. “We understand that this is a scary situation. It’s a scary situation. For us. It’s a scary situation for our volunteers, and it’s probably going to make a lot of our clients uncomfortable as well.”

They also noted that Miss Majesty Divine had helped them fundraise and host story hour events at their shelter in the past. The books read during the event focus on “inclusion, acceptance, being authentic, being comfortable in your own skin,” they added.

“Our mission is to focus on the outcast dogs, the underdogs, the dogs that nobody wants to work with,” they said. “The people that we kind of gravitate to and pull into our circle are the people who have always felt pushed out.”

One of the owners also said that they knew what it was like to feel marginalized because they grew up with a gay father during the 1980s.

“To have had a place to go and activities that we could have gone to together as a family that also encompassed other things that we liked, would have been life-changing for me,” one owner said.

The shelter also said it wants to begin a program to help at-risk LGBTQ youth work with dogs so they can both “heal together.”

“We would rather be excluded for those we include that included for those we exclude,” the nonprofit’s CEO Lisa Maasen said.

An Indigenous Peoples Day and a racial reckoning in L.A.

Yahoo News

Monday was Indigenous Peoples' Day

 (Photo: Courtesy of URL Media)

 OCTOBER 14, 2022

Guest Opinion. The week started with Indigenous Peoples Day and ends with a subpoena of former President Trump. In between came an exodus from the Los Angeles City Council over racist rhetoric. We turn to URL Media partners to make sense of these intersections.

“Indigenous Peoples Day is an awakening to the truths our people have advocated for decades,” said Darren Thompson, a Native News reporter. It is a celebration of “the millions of people who have lived on this land since time immemorial instead of a lone man who never stepped foot on North American soil,” as URL Media partner Native News Online described the federal holiday.
Want more BIPOC News? Get the free weekly URL Media newsletter today.

Last year was the first time a sitting U.S. president issued a proclamation declaring the second Monday in October Indigenous Peoples Day — the culmination of a decades-long effort led by Native Americans.

Events marking the day spanned the nation. In Minneapolis, the day started with about 70 community members gathered at Bde Maka Ska for a sunrise ceremony, URL Media partner Sahan Journal reported. In Milwaukee, a day of celebration ended with a bridge on the lakefront lit up with the colors of the Indigenous medicine wheel — black, white, yellow and red — Native News reported.

Leading up to Indigenous Peoples Day, URL Media co-founders S. Mitra Kalita and Sara Lomax-Reese spoke with Dr. Kyle T. Mays, associate professor at UCLA, and Levi Rickert, founder of Native News Online, for the latest “Meet the BIPOC Press” episode on The Laura Flanders Show. They explored the forces that have both facilitated and thwarted movement-making among Black and Indigenous people in the United States.

“It’s imperative to not only center Blackness, but also to center Indigenous peoples because upon whose land were African-Americans exploited? This is Indigenous land,” Mays said.

The power of intersectional solidarity to effect change is worth recognizing in the wake of audio recordings of three Los Angeles City Council members, including the council president, making racist and other crude remarks.

The day after city-wide celebrations of Indigenous Peoples Day, a cross-section of Angelenos converged at City Hall to demand the resignation of City Council president Nury Martinez and council members Gil Cedillo and Kevin De León during the first council meeting following the leak.

Since that meeting, Martinez has resigned from the council. But her statement failed to take responsibility for her racist comments, like saying the young Black son of a councilman is “parece changuito,” or “like a monkey.”

And her remarks belie the intersecting identities the Latinx community encompasses. In her statement announcing her resignation, Martinez said that she hopes she has “inspired [all little Latina girls across this city] to dream beyond that which they can see.” But what about folks like Breanna Reeves, a reporter for Black Voice News, who wrote about her dual identity as an Afrolatina? “While my mother does not expressly identify as Afrolatine, my siblings and I do,” she wrote. “As her children born in the U.S. to a Hispanic mother and an African-American father, we identify with our heritage on both sides.”

This latest controversy shows that even in cities like Los Angeles that publicly celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, racism is still very much alive. And Nury's resignation, along with the House Jan. 6 select committee's unanimous vote to subpoena former President Trump, show that gestures toward accountability for public officials may not be all the way dead.

All people — including people of color — must examine their anti-Black racism, on which so much intra-racial discrimination hinges. As writer and civil rights activist Audre Lorde wrote, "I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own. And I am not free as long as one person of Color remains chained. Nor is any one of you."

May we all learn to stand by and with one another.—Alicia Ramirez

PANEL: Infrastructure Law Creating A “Gold Rush” for Tribal Energy Projects

Former U.S. Dept of Energy Indian Energy Director Kenny Frost (Center) speaks on a panel highlighting current energy development opportunities available for Tribes during the inaugural Indigenous Biz Con in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

(Photo: Darren Thompson for Native News Online) 

BY DARREN THOMPSON OCTOBER 15, 2022

MILWAUKEE—With the passage of a “once-in-a-generation” infrastructure law last fall, funding opportunities for tribal energy projects have increased to unprecedented levels. That’s according to industry experts who spoke at an Indigenous business conference in Milwaukee this week.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), enacted last November, includes $13 billion in infrastructure funding, including energy projects, for Indian Country. That is spurring record levels of interest and activity in new energy projects, panelists said on Tuesday at the inaugural Indigenous Biz Con event at the Potawatomi Hotel.
Want to learn more about the Tribal economy? Get the free Tribal Business News weekly newsletter today.

“No matter what region of the country you’re in, there is something going on from A to Z,” former Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) James Campos said during the panel discussion. “From nuclear modules to gas and oil, electricity, renewable energy, organic based energy, oceanic energy, money is available in all of these areas.”

Campos is currently a principal partner with Right Energy Group, a consulting agency that helps tribes and businesses take advantage of energy opportunities that are available. Campos and another business partner, Kenny Frost, were among those who spoke to conference attendees about the opportunities — as well as the challenges — that come with using federal funds for energy projects.

For starters, navigating the DOE can be daunting and takes a tremendous investment of time, said Frost, a citizen of the Southern Ute Tribe and the DOE’s former Indian Energy Director.

“Right now, Indian Country, we’re seeing a ‘gold rush’ for energy,” he said. “The idea is to make sure Tribes know what endeavor they’re getting into to ensure they get the full value of their assets.”

One resource mentioned during the panel is the Tribal Playbook, which The White House released to help Tribal governments take advantage of the historic investments in infrastructure.

Frost also spoke about how his Tribe in southwestern Colorado transitioned from being energy assimilationists to energy leaders. “We went from being a poor, destitute Tribe in the 1990s, to being the largest employer in the four corners region,” he said. “Now, we have more jobs than citizens.”

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe was awarded $9 million in the early 1990s from a water-rights settlement and started investing in energy infrastructure that allowed the Tribe to transition from “being royalty receivers to generating direct revenue,” Frost said.

Because it had developed revenue streams from assets outside of Indian gaming, the Tribe wasn't affected as much as others during the Covid-19 pandemic, Frost said. Today, the Tribe has bargaining power to “pick and choose” who they work with, or how they invest in other projects that are beneficial for the Tribe and its citizens.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates that Tribal lands compose 5% of land area in the United States, but contains an estimated 10% of all energy resources in the country. According to the Dept. of Energy, the Office of Indian Energy has invested over $114 million to more than 200 Tribal energy projects across 48 contiguous states and Alaska between 2010 and 2021.

Many energy projects, though, have stalled or failed for a variety of reasons, including turnover in tribal government and changes in the White House.

“A lot of energy projects die because of transitions of Tribal leadership,” Frost said. “The goal is to find energy champions that are not elected officials.”

Frost also advised Tribes to build relationships with “career Feds,” or federal employees that are not appointed by the President. “The most important question any Tribe should be asking is, ‘who are the career feds in these areas?’” Frost said. “During [administration] transition changes, these people are still there.”

Once you establish relationships with the career feds, “projects move a lot quicker,” Frost said, adding that two departments within the Dept. of Interior that are helpful for Tribes: the Division of Energy Mineral Development (DEMD) and Indian Energy Service Center.

Pentagon Grapples With How To Defend Military Women From Tucker Carlson's Insults

The Fox News host, who has never served in the armed forces, can't stand women in the military, even though they're often praised by its leaders.

By Mary Papenfuss
Oct 15, 2022

Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth on Friday called for military leaders to “stand up for women” amid a roiling Defense Department controversy over how to respond to vicious criticism of female soldiers by Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

A fierce debate was triggered after Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe was recently scolded by the Army — and his retirement put on hold — for defending female soldiers, with one of his tweets last year calling out Carlson.

Retired Col. Yevgeny Vindman — the twin brother of retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified at Donald Trump’s first impeachment investigation during his presidency — lashed out last month at the treatment of Donahoe by an Army cowed by the political right because he “stood up to Fox/ Tucky.”

The Pentagon and the Army “are lost. They fear the right,” Yevgeny Vindman tweeted. “They are losing their moral compass and service-members will vote with their feet.”

Carlson has repeatedly bashed women in the military with misogynistic insults, as he denigrates an increasingly “feminine” U.S. armed forces — and hails the brutish “masculine” militaries of Russia and China. Carlson has never served in the military.

Wormuth warned at a conference earlier this week that Army leaders need to stay “out of the culture wars” — and out of politics.

“We have got to ... have a broad appeal,” she cautioned. “When only 9% of kids are interested in serving” in the military, “we have got to make sure that we are careful about not alienating wide swaths of the American public to the Army,” Wormuth added.

But on Friday, she clarified her comments amid a furious backlash.

“Let me be clear: I expect @USArmy leaders to stand up for women—and all Soldiers—who are unduly attacked or disrespected,” she tweeted.

She added in another tweet: “Use good judgment online. Keep it professional.”

Several top military leaders have angrily responded to Carlson’s insults — without referring to him by name — and issued statements supporting women in the armed forces.

Donahoe had named Carlson in a tame retort in March 2021, saying the right-wing Fox host “couldnt be more wrong” with his insults against women in the military.

That’s when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) fired off a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, accusing Donahoe and other military leaders of partisanship for sticking up for soldiers and other service members.

A report on the issue by the Army’s Office of the Inspector General, obtained last week by the website Task & Purpose, stated that “while potentially admirable,” Donahoe’s post “brought a measurable amount of negative publicity to the Army.”

A headline on a Washington Post opinion column early this month asked: “Why is the Army punishing a general for calling out MAGA lies?”

The military is “rightly eager to stay out of politics, but this laudable instinct can lead it to run away from controversy even at the cost of ceding the information battlefield to the far-right forces trying to subvert American democracy,” warned writer Max Boot.

Donahoe’s “only offense was to champion on social media the very values the Army claims to stand for,” Boot added.

New York Candidate for Congress Releases Sex Tape He Says Shows His ‘Sex Positive Approach'

Mike Itkis is running a long shot bid to unseat political powerhouse Rep. Jerry Nadler on a platform that includes sex positivity as one of his keystone issues, and says he supports legalizing sex work

Published October 14, 2022


As the 2022 election season nears its conclusion, one Manhattan candidate is hoping his latest raunchy stunt will help him come out on top — or at least get his name out there.

Mike Itkis is running in New York's 12th district, where he is mounting a long shot bid to unseat Rep. Jerry Nadler, the longtime Democrat who won a June primary over fellow NYC political bastion Carolyn Maloney. Itkis, an independent, is running on a platform that includes sex positivity as one of his keystone issues, and supports legalizing sex work.

To prove he's more than just talk, Itkis was willing to bare all — and no, not in an interview. The candidate filmed and released a sex tape he made with an adult film star in hopes of pumping up support and getting his name into the race.

The cybersecurity specialist and major in the U.S. Army Reserves called his video posted to a pornographic website a "conversation piece," in an interview with City & State.

"If I would just talk about it, it wouldn’t demonstrate my commitment to the issue. And the fact I actually did it was a huge learning experience, and it actually influenced items on my platform," he told the outlet.

On his campaign website, Itkis describes himself as a "liberal independent candidate" who is "not married. No kids. Not celibate. Atheist."

Aside from cybersecurity, sex positivity appears to be one of his top issues he addresses on his website, though he doesn't go into great detail about some of his positions. A pro-choice candidate, his website says he would like to "redefine abortion debate as a right to unplanned sex."

Congressional Candidate Stars in Porn Video to Show He’s ‘Sex Positive’

By BRITTANY BERNSTEIN
October 15, 2022 9:25 AM

A “liberal independent” congressional candidate in New York recently starred in a porn video to demonstrate his “commitment” to sex positivity.

Mike Itkis, who is running against Representative Jerrold Nadler (D., N.Y.), uploaded the 13-minute video, “Bucket List Bonanza,” to Pornhub over the summer.

He told City & State he made the sex tape with porn performer Nicole Sage in 2021 as a “conversation piece.”

“If I would just talk about it, it wouldn’t demonstrate my commitment to the issue,” he told the outlet. “And the fact I actually did it was a huge learning experience, and it actually influenced items on my platform.”

He said he had never had sex on camera before making the video and described himself as an introvert.

“I’m kind of a nerd who doesn’t like to be the center of attention if I can avoid it. But I thought the issues I’m trying to address are so important . . . I wanted to have my issues talked about in some way,” said Itkis, who is running in New York’s newly redrawn 12th Congressional District.

Itkis, a registered Democrat whose bio describes him as “Not married. No kids. Not celibate. Atheist,” said in a statement that making the sex tape was “one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.”

“One of my three primary goals is to advance sex positivity, including several proposals for legislation designed to explicitly protect sexual rights by ending government involvement in marriage, the right to not become a parent in case of pregnancy, a right for women to terminate an abortion, decriminalization of sex between consenting adults, a nation-wide definition of consent, and legalization of sex work,” Itkis said.

He writes on his website that men should not be required to support biological children without prior agreement and that he plans to work to “redefine [the] abortion debate as a right to unplanned sex.”

Itkis, an Army cyber operations officer, said he decided to run for office because “our freedom of expression is under threat from all ends of the political spectrum.”

“The far right, led by the Supreme Court, has a negative view of sexual rights, pursuing the position that sex should only happen between a married man and woman, clearly leaving out multiple demographics such as single individuals, and people whom the ‘traditional’ marriage arrangement doesn’t work,” he said. “With this worldview in mind, modern conservatives are clearly opposed to sexually-explicit speech as well as research that doesn’t comply with their views.”

He added: “Unfortunately, many Democrats have also opposed freedom of speech, contributing to ‘cancel culture’ and political correctness. Being born in the Soviet Union, I’m well aware of the consequences for people who deviate from the party line, and am strongly opposed to restrictions on speech because someone may be offended.”

Mike Zumbluskas, the Republican candidate running in NY-12, said of the sex tape stunt: “You gotta do what you gotta do.”

“The media ignores everybody that’s not a Democrat in the city,” he told City & State.

Why environmentalists went after Canada's biggest bank for alleged greenwashing

Jaela Bernstien - CBC

Standing in the rain in downtown Montreal, Kukpi7 (Chief) Judy Wilson lifts her fist in defiance outside a branch of the Royal Bank of Canada. Wilson's gesture goes largely unnoticed by the shoppers who hurry past, but her efforts to hold banks accountable on financing fossil fuels have certainly caught the attention of Canadian regulators.

Wilson, based in south central British Columbia, is the chief of the Skat'sin te Secwepemc-Neskonlith Indian Band and the secretary-treasurer for the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC).

She's also one of six applicants who filed a complaint to Canada's Competition Bureau, accusing RBC of greenwashing — something that prompted the regulator to open an inquiry into whether Canada's biggest bank misled customers about its climate action.

"It's time to be truthful," said Wilson, who spoke with CBC News while in Montreal for a meeting.

"[Climate change] is real, it's here and we have to deal with it."


Wilson says there's no time to waste in cutting emissions as Indigenous people are disproportionately affected by climate change.© Jaela Bernstien/CBC

The allegations, filed with the help of environmental law non-profit Ecojustice, suggest the bank has been marketing itself as being aligned with the climate goals of the Paris Agreement, all while continuing to finance the fossil fuel industry


It's not the first time RBC has been called out over its support of the oil and gas sector.

A separate report published this year by a group of environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club and the Indigenous Environmental Network, ranked RBC fifth globally among major banks financing the fossil fuel industry.

But in marketing materials, RBC states that it is "fully committed" to supporting drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

"The claims and RBC's actual action don't stack up," said Matt Hulse, the Ecojustice lawyer who helped draft and file the complaint to the Competition Bureau.

In response to the Competition Bureau's investigation, the bank denied it has been misleading clients.

"RBC strongly disagrees with the allegations in the complaint, and believes the complaint to be unfounded and not in line with Canada's climate plan," RBC spokesperson Andrew Block said in an email.

"It's critically important that we get the transition to net zero right in order to address climate change and we have taken a measured, thoughtful, and deliberate approach in our climate strategy."

In the past, RBC has said its transition to net zero must be gradual in order to succeed.

A Royal Bank of Canada logo is seen on Bay Street in the heart of the financial district in Toronto on January 22, 2015. The bank has been accused of misrepresenting its climate actions.© Mark Blinch/Reuters

Time is a luxury that Wilson doesn't have, as her community is already experiencing the impacts of climate change.

"Many of our people still hunt and fish and harvest on the land … so they can firsthand see what climate change is doing. The rivers are low, warmer. The forests are tinder dry," she said.

"With climate-destroying fossil fuels and climate change disproportionately impacting Indigenous peoples around the world, as well in Canada, we have to make the right decision."

Holding companies accountable via the Competition Bureau has worked in the past. Earlier this year, Keurig Canada was ordered to pay a $3-million penalty for falsely claiming its single-use K-Cup pods can be recycled.

An inquiry could take more than a year, but environmental advocates hope that if they're successful, other banks will take note.

"RBC is a market leader. What they do, other banks — particularly in Canada — follow," Hulse said. "We thought that going after the biggest, if our complaint is upheld, would send a message across the industry."

Dror Etzion, a professor specializing on sustainability at the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University, said it's become popular for banks to project an image of sustainable finance.

"The key really is, how serious, how honest is self-reporting on these topics?" Etzion said.

He said regulators can play an important role in holding companies accountable on climate promises, rather than leaving it to individuals.

"It's very tough for consumers to shoulder and also it's a bit of guilt-tripping us as individuals to try to force corporations to change their behaviour."

While the bureau's findings could create ripple effects within the financial industry at large, Etzion said they may not lead to the kind of outcome that environmentalists are hoping for.

"It wouldn't be good if the outcome is that the legal teams and these banks just become more careful in how they express themselves," Etzion said.

"What would be very good is if the policies and strategies underlying these banks' activities do change in a meaningful way."

Wilson hopes it's the latter, but regardless of the outcome said she will keep pushing for climate action.

"There's going to be continued pressure like this, people aren't just going to give up," she said.

Wilson, who will be attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt next month, said she's learned issues must be tackled holistically.

Political, legal and technical — it was the three-pronged approach that she learned from her late Uncle George Manuel, an internationally-renowned Indigenous activist and founder of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.

Wilson said she now adds spiritual and international as important components to that formula.

"What we're doing is important not just for the planetary crisis, it's for the well-being of our children and our grandchildren," she said.

"I'm going to do everything I can to keep my children and my grandson well, so that they can survive. Our ancestors did that for us, otherwise we wouldn't be here."