**By Native News Online Staff
September 29, 2025**
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### Walks On at 66: Ernie Stevens, Jr.
Ernie Stevens, Jr., a tribal citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and the longtime chairman of the Indian Gaming Association, passed away suddenly on Friday, September 26, 2025. He was 66 years old.
Jason Giles, executive director of the Indian Gaming Association, released a short statement on Friday evening:
> “Our Indian Gaming Association board and staff are stunned and saddened by Chairman Stevens’ passing. Out of respect for his wife Cheryl, his lovely family, and the Oneida Nation, we will issue a full tribute at the appropriate time. Please send your prayers to the Stevens family.”
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### Tributes for Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr.
Chairman Stevens was recently reelected to his 13th term at the organization’s annual convention held in San Diego in April 2025. In honor of his remarkable leadership and dedication, we are publishing several tributes shared by community leaders and colleagues.
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### Deb Haaland Highlights Tribal Cultural Expression and Ancestral Repatriation
Deb Haaland, the first and only California Native American elected to the Legislature since statehood, addressed important issues including tribal cultural expression, ancestral repatriation, and intertribal support in her recent remarks.
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### NCAI Statement: “Wounded Knee Was Not a Battle”
On Friday, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) issued a powerful statement declaring that the Wounded Knee event was not a battle but the deliberate mass killing of 350 Lakota. The statement reinforces the significance of remembering this tragic chapter in Native history.
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### Additional Native News Updates
– **D.C. Briefs:** Updates on U.S. Presidents in their own words concerning American Indians.
– **Oral History Project:** Announces its 14th stop in Portland, Oregon, as the Native American Broadcasting Service (NABS) continues to gather crucial stories from across Indian Country.
– **Native News Weekly (September 28, 2025):** More briefs and news from Washington, D.C.
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https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/monday-morning-september-28-2025-articles-you-may-have-missed-this-past-weekend