Remains Found At County Museum Could Jeopardize $100K Grant

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than $104,000 in federal grant money could be withheld from a Los Angeles County-supported museum if officials fail to resolve American Indian tribes' concerns over remains found during the facility's construction.

The National Park Service sent a letter Thursday to county capital projects manager Dawn McDivitt saying that settling the issue is a precondition of the release of the historic preservation grant money.

The remains were unearthed in October during construction of the Mexican-American cultural museum. Tribal leaders say burial records show the remains are Native American.

Some Native Americans say they've received no assurances that the county will appropriately reinter the bones. And they want more testing on parts of the construction site beyond just where the remains were discovered.

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