White Mountain Apache Tribe

Three congressional Democrats from Arizona are calling on federal officials to fully fund a major water system for the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The long-delayed project has kept many residents without safe and reliable drinking water. KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius reports.

Scientists developing vaccines for the coronavirus disease say it’s critical to recruit diverse volunteers—especially Native Americans, who have been hit hard by the pandemic. That’s why Pfizer set up sites for its ongoing clinical trial on the Navajo and White Mountain Apache nations. But it’s not easy to repair decades of broken trust between Indigenous people and non-Native scientists. Historical traumas in the name of research remain fresh in many memories. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports, some practitioners of both traditional Diné medicine and Western medicine want to heal that divide.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $1 million grant to the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s Head Start Program. It comes as such programs have become increasingly critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius reports.

The Town of Eagar in the White Mountains won’t cancel its Fourth of July parade this weekend and several other events. It comes as Arizona sees record numbers of new coronavirus cases and the White Mountain Apache Tribe has banned visitors to the reservation. KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius reports.