Michigan Indian – Page 153

Romulus Casino Talk

November 21, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Officials in Romulus, Michigan, are still interested in hosting off-reservation casinos even after Congress killed a bill to authorize two tribal facilities.

Officials plan to meet with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians to discuss reviving the casino. A deal with the Hannahville Indian Community could be in the works too. With Congress looking at ways to bail out the auto industry in Michigan and considering economic packages, officials say now is a good time to think about the casinos again.

Get the Story:
Romulus casinos are still a possibility (The Journal Newspapers 11/20)

Interlochen Public Radio on the Great Lakes Compact

November 20, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From IPR:

INTERLOCHEN PUBLIC RADIO (2008-11-19) Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak will try again to address what he calls a serious flaw in the Great Lakes Compact. That’s the new law that bans diversions of water out of the basin. State legislatures and the Congress approved it overwhelmingly. But critics say the Compact leaves a door open for international companies to put unlimited quantities of water in containers and sell it. IPR’s Bob Allen reports.

Suit over LTBB Revenue Sharing Payments

November 20, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Indianz:

A lawsuit over the distribution of gaming revenues from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians will continue but the parties reached an agreement over payments for this year.

The tribe shares 2 percent of electronic gaming revenues from the Odawa Casino Resort with local communities. The Emmet County Local Revenue Sharing Board decides how to distribute the funds. Three educational institutions are suing the board over the distribution formula, saying they are entitled to a larger share. The tribe is not a party in the lawsuit.

Get the Story:
Agreement reached to delay casino revenue-sharing payments (The Petoskey News-Review 11/19)

Soo Tribe v. Bouschor et al. — Michigan Court of Appeals

November 19, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher3 Comments

The Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed, for the most part, the trial court’s decisions not to grant summary disposition of the various claims against former Sault Tribe chairman Bernard Bouschor and several others (Dan Green, Paul Shagen, Jim Jannetta, etc.) involving their severance packages in 2004. The claims against Miller Canfield appear to have been dismissed.

So I suppose the case will go to trial, unless settled. Interesting reading, to say the least….

Here is the opinion.

Federal Criminal Jurisdiction over Ontonagon Reservation in the Upper Peninsula

November 19, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Kudos to Jeff Davis for this one! The United States Attorney’s Office in Grand Rapids is prosecuting the taking of tribal timber on trust land on the Ontonagon Reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. The defendant argued the reservation was no longer reservation land, but Judge Robert Holmes Bell rejected the motion. Interesting case!

genschow-indictment

genschow-motion-to-dismiss

us-response-to-motion-to-dismiss-genschow

ontonagon-band-constitution

united-states-v-genschow-dct-opinion

Greektown Casino Bankrupty Materials — Motion to Extend Time

November 18, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Here is a selection of materials on the Greektown Holdings LLC’s motion to extend its planning period for finalize bankruptcy for 90 days. Other materials are here.

greektown-motion-to-extend-planning-period

michigan-gaming-control-board-objection

greektown-reply-brief

Soo Tribe’s Greektown Troubles

November 18, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Indianz:

A federal bankruptcy judge held a hearing to discuss the future of the commercial casino that is majority owned by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan.

The tribe plans to sell the Greektown Casino in Detroit but is seeking an extension in order to complete work on the facility. The Michigan Gaming Control Board opposes the extension and wants to affirm that it has the right to force a sale. Judge Walter Shapero did not rule on the matter but called another hearing next Tuesday to review the issue. He previously set a deadline of December 15 for the tribe to finalize the casino’s bankruptcy plans. The hotel at the facility won’t be completed until February 12, 2009.

Get the Story:
State tips hand on Greektown (The Detroit News 11/18)

Meg Noori in the Freep

November 16, 2008November 17, 2008Kate Fort

Patricia Montemurri at The Freep profiles Meg Noori, a University of Michigan professor who teaches Anishinaabemowin. Click through for some nice photos and an audio clip of her class.

“Izhaadaa Giizhigowaande!

Catch Margaret (Meg) Noori at any University of Michigan event and that’s how she exhorts fellow Wolverines to “Let’s Go, Blue.”

Meg, 43, is a professor of Ojibwe Language and Literature. In the classroom and at home, she seeks to celebrate and preserve a language of the American Indians who populated the Great Lakes region for several hundred years before European settlers arrived.

Using the language of her ancestors every day, says Meg, “is one of the most meaningful things I can do.”

Ottawa Tribe v. Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources — Sixth Circuit Briefing

November 14, 2008Matthew L.M. Fletcher2 Comments

Please see our previous post on this case here (it links to the briefs and other materials in the lower court).

Here is the Ottawa Tribe’s opening brief: appellant-brief

And here is the amicus brief signed by the National Congress of American Indians and several Michigan tribes on the laches question: brief-amici-curiae

And now the State of Ohio’s brief: brief-of-defendant-appellee-director-of-ohio-dept-of-natural