Oak Flat, a mountainous area east of Phoenix, Arizona, is an Apache sacred site where Native Americans gather to pray and perform coming-of-age and sweat lodge ceremonies. A multinational corporation has proposed a massive copper mine on the flats, which could threaten their spiritual practices and heritage. Rio Tinto, the multinational company proposing the mine, says the project will create 3,700 jobs in the struggling region. More than 100 different faith organizations are supporting the Apache Stronghold, a grassroots group that is fighting the mining project. They say it is a matter of protecting the religious freedom of Native people.
A federal judge in Rapid City has sentenced a Montana man to three years in prison for trafficking eagle feathers, wings and tails. Harvey Hugs, 59, of Hardin, Montana, was found guilty in February of three counts of violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Authorities received information in 2020 that Hugs was involved in trafficking golden eagle feathers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement. A search of Hugs’ home in March 2021 resulted in the seizure of additional eagle tails and wings. Hugs sold golden eagle tails for several hundred dollars each, the statement said. He also sold a set of golden eagle wings and a tail for $1,000, then shipped the feathers to South Dakota.
Those are your headlines at this hour. I’m Colette Keith in the KIPI News center.
