economic development

Excerpt:

Inside, employees of the Oneida Indian Nation dump the shredded tobacco leaves into rolling machines and fashion them into cigarettes to be sold at a dozen tribal convenience stores midway between Syracuse and Utica.

The cigarettes, branded with names like Niagara’s and Bishop, sell for as little as $39.95 for a 10-pack carton — much cheaper than those at non-Indian retailers — and bring in millions of dollars a year to the tribe, which also has a resort casino, five golf courses and a multimedia production house.

“We tried poverty for 200 years,” the Oneidas’ leader, Ray Halbritter, said in an interview. “We decided to try something different.”

Thanks to T.W.

Update in Grand Canyon Skywalk Controversy

February 20, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

New materials in the developer’s effort to avoid the tribe’s move to using eminent domain to end the controversy:

GCSD Complaint 2-16-12

GCSD Motion for TRO

GCSD Emergency Request for Service

Tribal Court Order 2-17

GCS Tribal Court Opposition

Additional news coverage here.

Wisconsin COA Affirms Stockbridge-Munsee Immunity in State Courts

February 15, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Here are the materials in Koscielak v. Stockbridge-Munsee Community:

Wisc. COA Opinion

Kscoielak Opening Brief

Stockbridge-Munsee Brief

Kscoielak Reply Brief

Colorado Trial Court Quashes Subpoenas and Vacates Bench Warrants in Cash Advance Remand

February 14, 2012February 14, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Here is that opinion:

Order

Here is the Colorado Supreme Court decision remanding the case back to the trial court.

News Coverage of Campbell v. BIA and Tulalip

February 13, 2012February 13, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Two Shields’ Motion to File Surreply

February 11, 2012February 10, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

RAMONA TWO SHIELDS MOTION 2-10-12

Federal NAGPRA/NHPA Claims re: Mt. Hood Road Construction Survive Motions to Dismiss … For Now

February 10, 2012February 9, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Slockish v. FHA (D. Or.):

Magistrate Report in Slockish

DCT Order in Slockish

Ninth Circuit Rejects Save the Peaks’ Effort to Stop the Arizona Snowbowl, Labels Effort a “Gross Abuse of the Judicial Process”

February 9, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher3 Comments

Here is today’s opinion in Save the Peaks v. United States Forest Service, where the court opens with:

This case represents a gross abuse of the judicial process. Just when Defendants-Appellees United States Forest Service and Joseph P. Stringer (USFS), and Intervenor-Defendant Arizona Snowbowl Resort Limited Partnership (ASRLP) had successfully defended an agency decision to allow snowmaking at a ski resort on federal land all the way to the United States Supreme Court, “new” plaintiffs appeared.

Here are the briefs:

Save the Peaks Opening Brief

Federal Response Brief

Arizona Snowbowl Response Brief

Save the Peaks Reply Brief

Oral argument audio here.

Lower court decision here.