Wind River Reservation

During the last year, food trucks were a safer option for many of us wanting to eat out. One chef from the Wind River Indian Reservation is starting her own food truck featuring Native cuisine.

On March 20, the Wind River Family and Community Health Care is holding another mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Riverton. To bring people in, the clinic is entering everyone who gets vaccinated in a drawing for gift cards.

This weekend, the Eastern Shoshone Tribal Council will discuss a proposed dog ordinance that would try to help control a feral dog problem on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Buffalo on the Wind River Indian Reservation have given birth, setting plans into motion to build a better environment for their future.

Since December, Wind River Cares has been distributing the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Distribution is now happening at Great Plains Hall in Arapaho to allow for social distancing while the health care workers administer the vaccines.

The Wind River Start-Up Challenge is an annual program that provides seed money, mentorship and workshops for budding entrepreneurs on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Central Wyoming College (CWC) has been designated as a Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution. That means the college will be better equipped to support their Native American students.

After President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn in at the nation's capital a virtual parade was held. Participants from both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes were invited to dance for a national audience.

Wind River Cares, a community-based health organization that serves the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes, is piloting a program in schools to provide proactive care for eligible students.

There is an excess of homeless dogs in Fremont County and on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Local shelters are trying to keep up with demand, but one group is helping ease the burden.

Due to a large number of missing and murdered Indigenous people, efforts have been made to install a Wind River Indian Reservation specific Amber Alert system.

Wyoming has a short growing season and one non-profit is already starting the new year preparing to combat food insecurity on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Food insecurity is being without access to affordable, healthy food. Historic racism and long drives to a grocery store impede Native people on the Wind River Reservation from access to healthy food.

Chairman Lee Spoonhunter of the Northern Arapaho Business Council has tested positive for COVID-19. According to a statement released Monday afternoon, Spoonhunter is experiencing mild symptoms and self-isolating under the supervision of the Northern Arapaho Tribe's clinic, Wind River Family and Community Healthcare.

The Northern Arapaho Tribe has plans to launch a sports betting operation on the Wind River Reservation in the coming months. Tribal leaders hope the addition will help the tribe's three casinos recover from months of closure and revenue loss amidst the pandemic.

After getting an initial COVID-19 outbreak under control, tribal leaders on the Wind River Reservation are reporting a renewed wave of community spread. During a virtual address this week, Northern Arapaho Business Council Chairman Lee Spoonhunter called on community members not to allow "coronavirus fatigue" to influence their behavior.

This week, a federal cold case task force office opened in Billings to investigate unresolved cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous people [MMIP]. It’s one of seven established across Indian Country this summer, part of the Trump administration’s multi-agency initiative, called “Operation Lady Justice,” to combat violence against Native people.

After four months under a strict stay-at-home order, residents of the Wind River Reservation will now be able to gather in small groups, enter tribal buildings, and return to work at non-essential jobs on the reservation. Tribal offices and businesses, including casinos, hotels and restaurants, will also be permitted to re-open.

Hundreds of students on the Wind River Reservation will begin the school year online. This week the Fort Washakie, Wyoming Indian and Arapahoe districts, as well as St. Stephen's Indian School, became the first in the state to officially opt for virtual instruction.

The Wind River Reservation has been under a strict stay-at-home order since April, requiring non-essential tribal offices and both tribes' casino operations to remain closed to the public. In a Monday morning online address, Northern Arapaho Business Council Chairman Lee Spoonhunter announced plans to begin re-opening.

Citizens of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe are eligible for direct COVID-19 relief funds from their tribal government. The money comes from the $10 million fund allocated to the Eastern Shoshone Tribe through the federal government's massive coronavirus stimulus bill known as the CARES Act.