When everyone is running away.. they're the ones running toward the fires, floods, and shootings. Red Cross is implementing a new program to increase volunteerism in Central New York. They've an for...
12 of the world's elite
PGA golfers are to compete in this year's NB3 Foundation Challenge.
Oneida Nation
Representative Ray Halbritter and four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay the details...
Turning Stone Resort &
Casino is getting ready to open its multi-million dollar entertainment
facility, Exit 33.
Officials say everything
is going as planned, but they are looking to a...
Friday marks the 17th annual Ride for Missing Children. Over 400 riders participated in the 90 mile ride, each of them hoping to raise more awareness on missing children across the Kozkiewicz...
The ink has barely dried on the agreement between New York and the
Oneida Indian Nation, but people are showing strong reaction already.
The agreement says it will give Oneida Nation exclusive a...
The village of Whitesboro is about to celebrate its 200th Birthday. That's why some community members are holding a Bicentennial Parade and ceremony kicking off the celebrations on Sunday, June the...
For the fifth year in a row, a second grade class at Oriskany Central School has released trout into the Oriskany Creek. It's part of a trout in the classroom project. Clarice Horan's have...
With recent events in our nation like the Boston bombings or the shooting spree in Herkimer County, some can't help but think, do some Americans live their life in fear? "A lot of people a...
Turning Stone Resort &
Casino is getting ready to open its multi-million dollar entertainment
facility, Exit 33.
Officials say everything
is going as planned, but they are looking to hire more people. The Oneida
Nation is looking to fill over 100 part-time full-time positions ranging from
club managers to cooks.
"You just have to be
fun and outgoing. We don't really look for a lot of experience. We just want
people that have a fun attitude and are willing to learn," said Jerry Marrello,
Sr. Entertainment Operations Manager.
If you are interested, a
job fair will be going on until 8 p.m. Monday night in the Oneida Room at
Turning Stone.
The ink has barely dried on the agreement between New York and the
Oneida Indian Nation, but people are showing strong reaction already.
The agreement says it will give Oneida Nation exclusive gaming rights in
exchange for revenue sharing with county and state governments. Is it
jackpot or bust? Community members and lawmakers have mixed opinion.
Judy Bachmann is the chairman of the Citizens Equal Rights Alliance, and she has big concerns about the agreement.
"It
says they lost! The court says the counties are entitled to their
money!" says Judy Bachman, chairman of the Citizens Equal Rights
Alliance.
Bachmann is referring to the Oneida Nation Supreme
Court case in 2011, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the tribe
with regard to land claim issues dating back to 1974. She says she
doesn't know why the governor is getting involved now.
"The issue
is not whether or not the Oneidas are going to get land. The issue is
whether there is federal oversight in the area," says Bachmann.
Bachmann says her biggest concerns in the agreement are the land claim issues because she says there aren't any.
"I
think the reason they're using a land claim situation is because of a
federal law, Indian gaming regulatory act, that allows a Governor to
negotiate a compact to settle a land claim," says Bachmann.
"The
land claim was settled. Its the phrasing of it. There are land issues,
there are land and trust issues, there are foreclosure issues on the
property," says Anthony Picente, (R) Oneida County Executive.
The County Executive says it's an agreement on revenue and land, and that no party is getting exactly what it wants.
"Can't
have it both ways. Can't get money, can't get a settlement, can't move
on and still sue the Oneidas and still challenge those issues? That's
what a settlement is, like any other negotiation," says County Executive
Picente.
But Bachmann questions the timing of the agreement. In
February, the Supreme Court postponed a decision to hear a case
regarding the Nation until it heard the Solicitor General's view on the
issue, and that view could be made public soon.
"I don't think it
should be pulled before the Solicitors' opinion comes in. I don't think
it should be pulled at all. If we go to court and we have our fair time
to argue this this and we lose, we lose. And if we go to court and we
have our fair time to argue this this and we win, we win," says
Bachmann.
"I cant keep living in the past and if we lose, we lose
and the train has left the station on this deal and then we get
nothing. And would they rather have nothing? 100% of zero is still
zero." says County Executive Picente. Portions
of
the settlement will require New York State Legislative approval,
approvals by Madison County and Oneida County, Department of Interior,
the New York State Attorney General, as well as judicial approval. The
agreement is not effective until these approvals
are secured.
The village of Whitesboro is about to celebrate its 200th Birthday. That's why some community members are holding a Bicentennial Parade and ceremony kicking off the celebrations on Sunday, June 9th.
"The reason we're asking the community is because it is their village, they'll be celebrating their 200th birthday as well. We wanted to really celebrate it with a huge parade and week-long celebration," says Dave Glenn, Whitesboro trustee and Bicentennial Committee member.
The Bicentennial Committee is seeking groups or
organizations interested in marching in the Bicentennial Parade on Sunday, June
9th. The parade starts at 1:30 PM and proceeds along Main Street from Watkins Street to the Village Green.
Interested groups can contact the committee by sending an email to whtboro@roadrunner.com or by calling the Village Office at 315-736-1613.
The parade is sponsored by the Village of Whitesboro Bicentennial Committee and the Whitesboro Historical Society.
The grand marshal is Margaret Stephenson, longtime resident and former Village of Whitesboro Trustee.
Following the parade, there will be a ceremony and the dedication and unveiling of a new monument in the Village Green.
For the fifth year in a row, a second grade class at Oriskany Central School has released trout into the Oriskany Creek.
It's part of a trout in the classroom project.
Clarice Horan's students have raised the trout from eggs to fingerlings.
It's done in part with the DEC and it gives students a hands on science project.
"We have to put a certain amount of drops into a test tube and it's full of the water from the trout tank and it tells us if the water is good or not," said 2nd grader, Ryan Donohue.
With recent events in our nation like the Boston bombings or the shooting spree in Herkimer County, some can't help but think, do some Americans live their life in fear?
"A lot of people that have been directly affected by it worry," said Utica resident, Carolyn Luehrs.
According to a recent nationwide poll conducted by Zogby Analytics, when it comes to the likelihood of a disaster happening in your own community, 25% or less said that it was likely to happen close to home.
"Some of it is just the resilience of people, that no matter what is going on around you, you just have to put food on the table. Life still has to go on," said founder of The Zogby Poll, John Zogby.
The poll is wide-ranging and looks at attitudes toward local and national security.
"On one hand, more than half say they feel knowledgeable that they'd be prepared enough in case of an emergency situation," said Zogby.
But, according to the poll, only one in three has an emergency plan.
"You don't know where it's going to be, when it's going to come, how are you going to be prepared for it?" said Utica resident, Janice Gehrke.
Sgt. Steve Hauck with the Utica Police Department says an emergency plan can be as easy as using social media.
"If you use Facebook or use Twitter and you are in some type of disaster and you are safe to post something on your site as in I'm okay and here's where I am," said Sgt. Hauck.
