Savannah Maher
Savannah comes to Wyoming Public Media from NPR’s midday show Here & Now, where her work explored everything from Native peoples’ fraught relationship with American elections to the erosion of press freedoms for tribal media outlets. A proud citizen of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, she’s excited to get to know the people of the Wind River reservation and dig into the stories that matter to them.
Savannah got her start in journalism reporting for her hometown’s local newspaper (The Mashpee Enterprise) and public radio station (WCAI), and has since contributed to New Hampshire Public Radio, High Country News, and NPR’s Code Switch blog. She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2018.
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After months of repeated written questions and public records requests from NPR and the Mountain West News Bureau, Interior Department officials said they now plan to contract with an outside agency to examine the troubles plaguing tribal detention centers. -
COVID-19 relief funding includes $20 million for indigenous language programs. Critics say the money is spread too thin to make a difference. They say the investment is too little, too late.
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Learning Indigenous languages became even harder during the pandemic. In some communities, language learning ground to a halt. And many tribal communities saw the tragic deaths of native speakers. The latest federal relief package includes $20 million in emergency funding for Indigenous language programs, but advocates say it’s not enough. -
Tribal forces can investigate and hold non-Native Americans while waiting for back up from state police or federal officers, but they can't arrest them. Tribes say that means criminals going free. -
The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether to further limit the authority of tribal officers to police non-Natives committing crimes on reservations. -
The lesser prairie chicken could receive federal protections under the Endangered Species Act in parts of the Mountain West. -
"It feels exciting because a year ago today, we didn't even have a vaccine. And now, I'm just getting closer to the second dose day by day and I won't have to live in constant fear of catching the virus or spreading it to my family."
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Many unvaccinated Americans are eager to get the shot as soon as possible, but information barriers are standing in the way. That’s according to a new survey. Those results point to opportunities for public health officials in the Mountain West to target outreach and information to Hispanic and Latino communities. -
The term "critical race theory" has made its way into public debates over education in the Mountain West, and how students should be taught about race and racism. -
President Biden has laid out his vision for the future of public education, which includes a nationwide community college tuition waiver for all...
