New York, NY — Kino Lorber is coming out with a new documentary about honeybees, opening June 12 at the New York City Film Forum with a national release to follow.

Oscar-nominated director Markus Imhoof (The Boat is Full) tackles the vexing issue of why bees, worldwide, are facing extinction. With the tenacity of a man out to solve a world-class mystery, he investigates this global phenomenon, from California to Switzerland, China and Australia. Exquisite macro-photography of the bees (reminiscent of Microcosmos) in flight and in their hives reveals a fascinating, complex world in crisis. Writes Eric Kohn in Indiewire: “Imhoof captures the breeding of queen bees in minute detail, ventures to a laboratory to witness a bee brainscan, and discovers the dangerous prospects of a hive facing the infection of mites. In this latter case, the camera’s magnifying power renders the infection in sci-fi terms, as if we’ve stumbled into a discarded scene from David Cronenberg’s The Fly.” This is a strange and strangely moving film that raises questions of species survival in cosmic as well as apiary terms.

“There are a myriad of reasons why the honey bee population is declining and they all fall under the term Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly disappear,” said Mary Ross of the Mohawk Valley Trading Company where they specialize in varietal raw honey.

“CCD is a very broad term,” Ross continued. “It could be caused by a combination of, but not limited to malnutrition, pesticide use, varroa mites or GMOs among other things. However, I think that the European Commission proposal to suspend the use of three neonicotinoid pesticides on any agricultural crops that attract bees, is a step in the right direction.”

The European Commission has proposed prohibiting the sale and use of clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid on crops attractive to bees, including sunflower, rapeseed, corn and cotton. It would also ban sale and use of seeds treated with the three pesticides. Exceptions would include crops and seeds that do not attract bees and winter cereals. The Commission will review the ban in two years.

Kino Lorber, Inc. was founded in 2009 by industry veterans Donald Krim and Richard Lorber, combining the staffs, libraries and resources of Kino International, Lorber Films and Alive Mind to create the new leader in film distribution.

For more information, please visit: http://www.kinolorber.com/film.php?id=1380.

About Honey Bees
Bees are insects that are related to wasps and ants and there are approximately 20,000 known species of bees found on every continent except Antarctica. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are not native to the United States as they were introduced by Europeans to produce honey and beeswax. Honeybees are responsible for pollinating 80% of flowering crops, and without them the world’s food supply would be dramatically reduced.

As people become more conscious of the important role that honeybees play in their daily lives, beekeeping is becoming more mainstream and is now allowed in many urban and suburban municipalities. Since 2006, beekeepers in the North America and Europe have noticed a mystifying occurrence called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in which worker bees from a beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly disappear, leaving the queen and insect larvae behind, unable to fend for themselves. While such disappearances have occurred throughout the history of apiculture, the term colony collapse disorder was first applied to a drastic rise in the number of disappearances of Western honey bee colonies in North America in late 2006.

In a 2013, a formal review by the European Food Safety Authority stated that recent studies show that neonicotinoid pesticides, some of the most widely used pesticides in the world, pose an unacceptably high risk to bees, and that the industry-sponsored science upon which regulatory agencies’ claims of safety have relied is flawed and possibly deliberately deceptive.

Honey has been used by humans since ancient times for its health benefits and as a sweetener and flavoring for many foods and beverages, with tea being the most popular. Next to maple syrup, it is the most commonly used natural sweetener in North America.

Honey bees make honey by collecting nectar from flowers and regurgitating it into beeswax honeycombs inside their hive. Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the hive of honey bees of the genus Apis and its most popular uses are beeswax candles and as an ingredient in natural skin care products.

The flavor and color of honey is determined by the type of flower the bees gather the nectar from; therefore, when cooking or baking with honey it is a good idea to taste the honey before using it in a recipe. For example: a dark honey like tulip poplar-black locust honey will result in a strong, heavy, pungent flavor, whereas orange blossom honey will result in a delicate orange flavor. Dark-colored honey is considered to be higher in minerals and antioxidants than light-colored honey, and one of the most well-known dark-colored honeys is buckwheat honey. Raw buckwheat honey contains a higher amount of minerals and an antioxidant called polyphenol, which gives it its dark color. The health benefits of buckwheat honey are many and well known.

The rawest honey available is comb honey which is sections of the hexagonal-shaped beeswax cells of the honeycomb that contain raw honey that have been cut from the wooden frames of a beehive.

Using raw honey is a long-term investment strategy for optimal health and personal care; the dividends are overall mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Like a blue chip stock, raw honey should be included in any health-conscious consumer’s immune system boosting portfolio and the return on investment of substituting honey for refined sugar in the human diet is incalculable.

Another product made by honey bees and used by humans is bee propolis; a resinous substance that honey bees collect from tree buds and bark or other botanical sources and mix with beeswax, nectar and pollen. This mixture is used by bees to seal gaps in the hive and by humans for its health benefits and as a traditional, natural or homeopathic medicine.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/honey-bees/more-than-honey/prweb10746126.htm

Seal Harbor, Maine — Mohawk Valley Trading Company Raw Summer Wildflower Honey is now available at the Naturalist’s Notebook, located in Seal Harbor, Maine.

“Wildflower honey, also known as polyfloral honey, is derived from the nectar of numerous species of flowers or blossoms,” said Mary Ross of the Mohawk Valley Trading Company where they specialize in raw varietal honey. Varietal honey is made primarily from the nectar of a particular type of blossom or flower. To capture the unique character and flavor of the blossom or flower, beekeepers must study botanical bloom and flowering patterns when planning hive placement.

“The taste, aroma and flavor will vary from season to season, depending on which flowers are dominant at the time the nectar is collected,” Ross continued “From about April thru mid-late August, we place on both slopes and the surrounding area of the Southern Kuyahoora Valley & Central Mohawk Valley regions of Upstate New York.”

About The Naturalist’s Notebook

The Naturalist’s Notebook is a unique shop and exploratorium in the coastal village of Seal Harbor, Maine. It is located a few hundred yards from both the Atlantic Ocean and Acadia National Park. The Notebook combines nature, art and science in fun and inventive ways. Created by artist and photographer Pamelia Markwood and her husband, Craig Neff, a longtime writer and editor for Sports Illustrated, the Notebook is a place where you can feed your brain, shop for everything from great books to stone-ground chocolate to nature-inspired rugs, explore the Earth and the stars, discover Natural League sports, stock up on bird-friendly coffee, study bones and fossils, fly inside a beehive, try to solve puzzles, meet fascinating people, size yourself up against a Neanderthal…or just relax and draw wildlife doodles on the beautiful Natural History Deck. As one newspaper feature described it, the Notebook “somehow [contains] the universe in one two-story building.”

About Honey

Honey has been used by humans since ancient times for its health benefits and as a sweetener and flavoring for many foods and beverages with tea being the most popular. Next to maple syrup, it is the most popular natural sweetener in North America.

Honey bees make honey by collecting nectar from flowers and regurgitating it into beeswax honeycombs inside their hive. Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the hive of honey bees of the genus Apis and one of its most popular uses is beeswax candles and as an ingredient in natural skin care products.

The flavor and color of honey is determined by the type of flower the bees gather the nectar from. Therefore, when cooking or baking with honey it is a good idea to taste the honey before using it in a recipe. For example, a dark honey like tulip poplar-black locust honey will result in a strong, heavy, a pungent flavor, whereas orange blossom honey will result in a delicate orange flavor. Dark colored honey is considered to be higher in minerals and antioxidants than light colored honey and one of the most well-known dark colored honeys is buckwheat honey. Raw buckwheat honey contains a higher amount of minerals and an antioxidant called polyphenol, which gives it its dark color. The health benefits of buckwheat honey are many and well known.

If you are planning to buy honey for its health-benefits, it must be raw honey. Heating honey (pasteurization) destroys the all of the pollen, enzymes, propolis, vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, minerals, and aromatics. Honey that has been heated and filtered is called commercial, regular or liquid honey. The rawest honey available is comb honey which is sections of the hexagonal-shaped beeswax cells of the honeycomb that contain raw honey that have been cut from the wooden frames of a beehive.

Using raw honey is a long-term investment strategy for optimal health and personal care; the dividends are overall mental, physical and spiritual well being. Like a blue chip stock, raw honey should be included in any health conscious consumer’s immune system boosting portfolio and the return on investment of substituting honey for refined sugar in the human diet is incalculable.

Pure honey is kosher since kosher honey must be 100% honey with no additives or dilutions and to get the best price when buying large quantities of honey, look for a company that sells bulk or wholesale honey.

Organic honey from the United States is a myth because the country is too developed and uses too many agricultural and industrial chemicals to for the production of organic honey. Honey bees are free-roaming, wild creatures and it is impossible guarantee that while foraging they have not come in contact with prohibited substances, like pesticides.

Another product made by honey bees and used by humans is bee propolis. Propolis is a resinous substance that honey bees collect from tree buds and bark or other botanical sources and mixed with beeswax, nectar and pollen. This mixture is used by bees to seal gaps in the hive and by humans for its health benefits and as a traditional, natural or homeopathic medicine.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/honey-raw/mohawk-valley-trading-co/prweb10744999.htm

and the area’s top Jazz musicians celebrating Ragtime, Dixieland, the Swing Era, Big Band, Bebop, Cool Jazz, Free Jazz and Contemporary Styles….

Honoring the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation…..Featuring an exhibition of the Oneida Black History Archive and a Soul Food Buffet!

Saturday, June 15th 6:30-10:30

Full course Soul Food buffet!

To benefit For the Good Inc.

Monday, May 20^th from 8:30 – 11:30 am

Numerous health care agencies will be present to discuss those issues that will impact the health of our community in the days ahead as well as the most important health issues facing our community today.  The information will be used in Oneida in County’s Community Health Assessment to be completed later this year.

Refreshments will be served.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $90 million in NY Works funding will advance nearly 90 construction projects to upgrade and repair more than 50 state parks and historic sites across New York.

“Through the NY Works program, the state is investing in much needed projects to repair our parks and historic sites while creating jobs and generating local economic activity,” Governor Cuomo said. “These projects to rehabilitate park infrastructure and address health and safety issues will improve the experience for park visitors, create jobs and support New York’s tourism industry.”

“A first-class parks system encourages healthy recreation, protects the state’s natural resources, and attracts residents, tourists, and private investment to communities around our state,” Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey said. “Governor Cuomo’s investment in parks and historic sites across the state will improve New York’s quality of life, while strengthening important economic assets.”

This year’s State Budget provides $90 million for state parks to begin construction on the next round of the New York Works capital program to address the backlog of environmental capital needs and spur job creation and economic development. Additionally, State Parks will undertake 60 architectural and engineering designs to advance shovel-ready capital improvement projects in nearly 50 parks in future years. The State Budget capital plan calls for investing $90 million annually in state park improvements over the next five years.

“Following decades of deferred maintenance and under-investment, New York’s state parks are on an exciting upswing, thanks to the leadership and commitment of Governor Cuomo and members of the legislature. The second installment of NY Works funding is a critical acknowledgement that New York’s state parks are important recreational, cultural and economic destinations. On behalf of the more than 60 million people who visit state parks each year, we express our appreciation for this ongoing commitment to upgrade parks and enhance the visitor experience throughout the system,” said Erik Kulleseid, director of the Open Space Institute’s Alliance for New York State Parks program.

“This infusion of capital funding is breathing new life into a park system that has suffered from decades of underfunding. Thanks to the strong commitment of Governor Cuomo and the Legislature the revitalization of our state park system can continue, boosting tourism, creating jobs, and securing New York’s parks and conservation legacy for future generations,” said Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks and Trails New York.

Last year, Governor Cuomo committed $89 million through the New York Works initiative to rehabilitate dozens of state parks and historic sites, enabling State Parks to move forward with more than 100 overdue projects to improve 55 parks and historic sites. Construction is underway at parks and historic sites across the state on health and safety-related improvements and critical infrastructure rehabilitation, including modernizing bathhouses, repairing deteriorated restrooms, improving trails and replacing dilapidated playgrounds

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 179 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 60 million people annually. A recent study by commissioned by Parks & Trails New York found that New York State Parks generates $1.9 billion in economic activity annually and supports 20,000 jobs. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.

Two million bucks out of pocket over your lifetime for health care?  Hard to believe isn’t it? Well, read on for just a few examples of how the dollars mount up.

But first, a story.
Three weeks ago at the World Health Care Congress, I shared a breakfast table alone, in the company of business, governmental and health care giants. Sadly, I had no idea who they were. Each of them was just a guy (usually balding with coke bottle spectacles) gnawing on bagels and pastries and downing prodigious amounts of coffee. Alone, but in each other’s company, we didn’t speak a word to each other. Only later when they delivered their key note addresses did I realize that I was in the company of titans. They were non health care CEOs of huge private sector companies, committed to reforming our broken health care system. One other fellow, with whom I shared a table, was a Nobel Peace Prize recipient. I did speak with him (“Can you pass the cream cheese please?”). Unburdened by the adoring crowds they usually attract, I had, and lost, the opportunity of having a private conversation with them. But they looked like everyone else at the meeting.

Providers, No Longer The  Deciders
Most of the attendees were Italian clothed, harried folks who threw their business cards around so skillfully that I am sure they had lessons from ninja masters in the art Shuriken. No, they weren’t tossing throwing stars or ninja stars, but the danger of paper burns to face and body was not inconsiderable. They were business warriors who delivered their skillfully practiced palaver with perseveratory persistence. They were ready to get on line for the billions of dollars that were about to be channeled away from providers and toward the new ‘deciders’ in the health care industry…the Private Sector.

Remember that the 800 billion the feds funnel thru to Medicare and Medicaid is more than the budgets for the departments of Energy, Education, Homeland Security, Labor, Transportation, the Treasury and the Environmental Protection Agency COMBINED.

Two Inspirers
On the last day of the conference,  most reasonable people had given up and figured that it was time to take in the sights of D.C. Oh no, not me. I sat at a table with a gentleman who went on to deliver the best keynote address of the symposium. John Torinus from Serigraph Inc., and the author of The Company that Solved Health Care. Use the link to see what a remarkable man he is and understand my sadness at the lost opportunity I had to speak with him personally during breakfast.

When he spoke to the conference a bit later, he made reference to my former colleagues who practice Gastroenterology. We clinicians are preening gods, who magisterially gaze over our domains, feeling invincible as masters of our universe. Well to him we are just proprietors of ‘scope-shops’. We were ranked similarly to noncommissioned officers in the military. We bring to the table only the cost of a ‘scope-job’. His ‘scopers’ had to toe the mark and follow the company line. It really put things into perspective. He, more than any speaker made it clear that medical care WAS too important to be left to the doctors.

The Two Million Dollars
Now, let’s go to the two million dollars that my son Zach will have to spend. Mind you, this money was not to keep his health, but rather to keep his health insured. Never confuse the two.

That dollar amount (1.5-1.8 + million dollars) was tossed about by several speakers. But the one who caught my interest was David Goldhill, the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Game Show Network; and the author of Catastrophic Care: How American Health Care Killed My Father – and How We Can Fix It. His presentation resonated with me. He used a lot of the same facts and felt a lot of the same quiet outrage I brought to the fore while writing my own book. After his talk, I caught up with him. I figured he knew who I was (he didn’t) and had read my book (he hadn’t) and would be happy to speak with me for a while…well one out of three isn’t bad…right? A nice man, and a smart man. He explained how he tallied up the 1.8 million dollar figure that a newly minted worker would need to pony up during his or her life time. I enjoyed our time together. He was the only person to whom I handed my business card. That will probably get me a seat in the audience of one of his many game shows. Oh well.

But later, when I saw him on my favorite Sunday news show, CNN’s, Fareed Zakariah, GPS, I realized two things. First, he had a way better PR person than I did, and second, he was a real big shot. And then I dredged up from my subconscious, a gauzy recollection. I looked back at an Op-ed piece I admired and then saved from The New York Times. I realized that its author was…well you guessed it…David Goldhill.

He noted in our conversation, and in his Op-ed, that beginning this year, as part of ObamaCare, both employee and the employer contributions to health care costs will appear on your pay stub. The hope was that this knowledge might do away with the ignorance, apathy, and passivity consumers demonstrate when dealing with health care costs. His main point was that Americans do not understand that the largest effect of the cost of our health care system is to reduce the amount of money you actually take home. So I wanted to expand on that a bit here. Note: I am borrowing shamelessly from the generosity he showed by spending some time with me, and his New York Times article.

Zachy thinks that he is paying roughly $2,600 for health care in his first year on the job …the $500 deductible plus his $2,100 share of the company’s health insurance premiums. In fact, he’s forking up more than $10,000 into the country’s health care system. His employer pays $6,190 of his health care costs, money that might otherwise go to him in salary. It must be understood (and it’s not) that health care is just a different form of return for your services. He is also paying more than $1,500 in federal and state taxes to finance Medicare and Medicaid. 1.45 percent of every paycheck that goes to Medicare, as well as the portion matched by the employer comes out of Zach’s pocket. Furthermore, a large slice of his general taxes are, in fact, health care costs: roughly 20 percent of federal spending and 10 percent of state spending support Medicare and Medicaid. He pays for it.

Many people think that they are only getting the dollars back that they already put into Medicare. They aren’t. For every dollar you paid into Medicare and Medicaid, the Chinese and our other debt holders are paying $3.00. Only one out of three Medicare dollars was contributed by you. And they are charging our government interest on this debt. They are charging YOU interest on this debt.

Take a look at Salary Wizard Link to Salary Wizard . See the industry averages for your job and then fill in the contributions you make for your health benefits. You will see how much your employer could pay you if you opted out of some of those benefits.

The student address, “Commit, Complete, Compete”, will be given by Katie Ranno of St. Johnsville, graduating with an associate degree in Digital Filmmaking.

“In a region that has struggled for a long time, I view this as a positive
step, and remain confident that we can chart a course that will be
beneficial to the Oneida Indian Nation, as well as to the taxpayers,
homeowners and small businesses throughout Oneida and Madison Counties.

“These issues have far too long been an obstacle to progress and economic
growth in a region that continues to struggle economically.
I am now looking forward to an open, and transparent review process, so
that all of the details of the agreement can be carefully considered by our
local officials and residents.”

“I want to commend Governor Cuomo, Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray
Halbritter, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, and Madison County
Board of Supervisors Chairman John Becker for their willingness, effort and
work to negotiate and present this agreement for consideration and
approval.”

“Our region continues to face major economic challenges, and we all need to
remain firmly focused on our key goal of bringing new jobs, investments and
economic opportunities to Oneida and Madison counties.  By working
together, I am confident that we can achieve this objective, and create a
stronger, brighter future for every city, town and village throughout our
entire region.”

Agreement Gives Oneida Nation Exclusive Gaming Rights, Includes Revenue Sharing with Stateand Local Governments, Ends Unfair Cigarette Pricing

today announced a comprehensive agreement settling multiple, long-standing disputes between the State of New York, the Oneida Nation of Indians, Oneida County and Madison County.

The settlement paves the way to end years of litigation over property tax, land and reservation issues. The agreement would grant the Oneida Nation exclusive rights to casino gaming in Central New York in exchange for sharing a portion of gaming revenues with the state and local governments. In addition, the agreement would end legal disputes over land claims by setting a cap of approximately 25,000 acres on land that could be under the Nation’s sovereignty. Further, the agreement will end unfair competition by requiring the Nation to adhere to minimum pricing standards and charge a sales-tax equivalent for cigarette sales to non-Indian customers.

“This is a fair and reasonable agreement that will benefit all parties involved and the people of the Oneida Nation, Oneida and Madison County, and all New Yorkers,” Governor Cuomo said. “By working together we have reached an agreement that preserves a zone of exclusivity for casino gaming, while ensuring that gaming revenue is shared with local and state governments. The agreement also ends years of expensive and disruptive court battles for all parties involved and marks a new era of collaboration and commonality between the Oneida Nation and the State of New York.”

Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative, said, “Today, sovereign governments came together to begin a new partnership in shared prosperity. As a result of Governor Cuomo’s focus, integrity and willingness to negotiate a fair agreement we are able to begin this new chapter in our Nation’s history. This agreement is recognition that the state and counties see a value in supporting, strengthening and expanding what the Oneida Nation has built in the region over the last two decades and in building a new path for the future.”

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said, “I want to thank Governor Andrew Cuomo for his vision and leadership in bringing all parties to the table with this one goal in mind, an equitable and fair agreement that is a win-win for everyone. I also want to thank Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter for his constant willingness to be a partner in reaching such a solution. Finally, I need to thank Chairman John Becker from Madison County for working with us all to get this accomplished. With the pieces we have put in place, including revenue sharing and a settling of the lawsuits on all sides, we have reached an historic settlement that will pave the way for a true partnership that is in the best interests of all our citizens.”

John Becker, Chairman of the Madison County Board of Supervisors, said, “I want to thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership on this important issue. This issue has been discussed, debated, litigated and fought over for 20 years. Several governors have tried to solve these complex issues and attempted to bring these groups to the table in a meaningful way but only one Governor, this Governor has been able to cut through the hard feelings and struggles of the past to find a common ground.”

State Senator Joseph A. Griffo said, “I have always maintained that open communications and a negotiated settlement would be preferable to litigation. While we are still reviewing all of the details, I view this as a positive step, and remain confident that we can chart a course that will be beneficial to the Oneida Nation, as well as to the taxpayers, homeowners and small businesses throughout Oneida and Madison County.”

State Senator David Valesky said, “I congratulate Governor Cuomo, Representative of the Oneida Indian Nation Ray Halbritter, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, and Madison County Chairman of the Board of Supervisors John Becker on their good faith efforts to resolve these longstanding issues. While we have some additional work to do, I believe this agreement is reasonable and represents a positive step forward for the counties, the Oneida Indian Nation, and the entire region.”

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush said, “I am pleased to see resolution on many issues that affect both NYS and the Oneida Indian Nation and the surrounding communities. Being able to move forward will have a cascading effect on my district from meeting the needs of economic development to infrastructure improvements and a sustainable revenue sharing plan to support it.”

Assembly Member Anthony J. Brindisi said, “This agreement will benefit Oneida County taxpayers,” “Revenue sharing will help hold the line on our property taxes and prevent our area from being oversaturated with casinos. I commend the Governor and the Oneida Nation on coming to this common ground agreement that is a win for everyone involved.”

New York State and the Oneida Nation have had ongoing disputes since 1795. The Nation, the State and the counties have been in litigation since 1970 and there have been failed attempts to resolve the disputes on and off for decades. The Nation has operated Turning Stone Casino and Resort in Verona since 1993. Litigation has clouded the validity of the facility, and today’s agreement will remove that cloud.

The agreement is detailed below:

Tribal Revenue Sharing with State and Local Governments and Gaming Exclusivity

Under the agreement, the Oneida Nation will receive exclusive rights to casino gaming in a ten county region of Central New York (Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, and Otsego counties). Vernon Downs will be authorized to continue its existing harness racing and video lottery facility. In exchange, the Nation will devote 25% of its net gaming revenue from its slot machines to the State of New York. Based on current Oneida gaming revenues, that would be approximately $50 million annually to the state. From the state share there would be distributions as follows:
· Oneida County, as the host county, will receive 25% of the state’s payment (approximately $12.5 million based on current gaming revenues), and in addition will receive a $2.5 million annual payment from the state share to settle back property tax claims.
· Madison County will receive $3.5 million per year from the New York State share, and in addition will receive a one-time payment of $11 million from the Oneida Nation to settle past tax claims.
Settling Land Claims

Under the settlement, the Oneida Nation will agree to a permanent cap of approximately 25,000 acres of land which may be taken into trust by the Department of Interior as Nation land. Oneida and Madison County will drop their legal claims concerning land disputes against the Oneida Nation, currently pending in the courts, and the State of New York will withdraw its support for those legal claims. The Nation expressly waives its rights of sovereignty over any land over the cap amount.

Ending Unfair Competition

The settlement requires the Oneida Nation to impose a Nation sales tax that equals or exceeds the State’s and counties’ sales, use and occupancy taxes. Under the agreement:· The Nation sales tax would apply to all cigarettes, motor fuel, and all other sales by Indian retailers to non-Indians.
· The Nation must adhere to minimum pricing standards for cigarette products.
· The Nation must use sales tax revenues only for the same types of governmental programs to which the State and Counties devote their tax revenues.
An Enforceable Agreement:

Under the settlement, the Nation agrees to waive its sovereign immunity for enforcement of the agreement. The settlement gives Federal courts authority over the agreement, including the enforcement of binding arbitration awards. The agreement requires the Nation to undergo an independent assessment to ensure compliance with all minimum tax and pricing requirements. The compliance assessment will be reported to the State.

Ratification:

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.

UTICA, N.Y. (May 16, 2013) — The American Red Cross will honor several Mohawk Valley residents for their heroic actions during the past year at the 14^th annual  Real Heroes Breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 4, at the Radisson Hotel-Utica Centre in Utica.

The Real Heroes Breakfast, hosted by the Mohawk Valley Chapter, celebrates the Red Cross mission of alleviating human suffering by honoring people from throughout Oneida, Herkimer and Otsego counties who have performed heroic acts to help others in need.

Among this year’s honorees: the Oneida County Water Rescue members who aided victims of Superstorm Sandy; the 911 dispatch team that worked on the frantic day of the Herkimer shootings; and a 9-year-old boy who ran through snow for help when his house was on fire.

The major sponsors of the Mohawk Valley Chapter Real Heroes Breakfast are Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Carbone Auto Group. The Real Hero award sponsors are:

GPO Federal Credit Union, International Wire, National Grid, NBT Bank, New York Central Mutual Insurance, NYSTEC, Remington and Rome Strip Steel. Media sponsorship is provided by the Utica Observer-Dispatch and WKTV News Channel 2.

Proceeds from the Real Heroes Breakfast benefit the Mohawk Valley Chapter. From July through April, the Mohawk Valley Chapter provided nearly $70,000 to 349 people from 130 families who were affected by disasters; provided 95 emergency communications and more than $4,400 in financial assistance to members of the Armed Forces and their families; and trained thousands of individuals in CPR, First Aid and other health and safety courses.

Here’s the list of awards and honorees:

● Michael Cianfrocco Family Humanitarian of the Year Award (presented by the Carbone family): Symeon Tsoupelis. The owner of Symeon’s Restaurant in Yorkville, Tsoupelis has donated his time, food and money to various humanitarian organizations, including the Regional Cancer Center at Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare, United Way, and American Red Cross.

● Adult Good Samaritan Award: David Kalk. Kalk was driving in the Village of Camden in December when he noticed a house on fire. He called 911 – the dispatcher who answered the call was his mother – and then helped a woman and her 9-month-old child escape the burning home.

● Animal Rescue Award: Debra Estey. A longtime volunteer for HALO (Helping Animals Live Organization), Estey, of Herkimer, raises funds for the non-profit organization and helps maintain its home for stray and abandoned cats.

● Blood Donor Award: William Sadlon. Sadlon, of Little Falls, has in his lifetime donated 208 units of blood, or about 26 gallons, which is enough to save more than 630 lives.

● Mary Haggerty Education Award: Debbie Nutty. Nutty, of Whitesboro, is a cancer survivor who returned this past November for her 17^th year as a kindergarten teacher at Deerfield Elementary School.

● Fire Rescue Award: Oneida County Water Rescue. When Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast this past October, several members of the Water Rescue team answered the statewide call for mutual aid to New York City and Long Island to evacuate and rescue residents.

● Good Neighbor Award: Scott Beach. On Christmas Eve, Beach was on his way to work when he noticed flames coming from a house in Herkimer. Beach, of Herkimer, banged on the front door, warning a family with three children who were unaware their home was on fire.

● Kurt Wyman Law Enforcement Award: New York State Police Trooper Mark Hale and Oneida County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Taylor. Last June, Hale, of Lee Center, and Taylor, of New York Mills, rescued a man whose house in Rome was set on fire by an arsonist.

● Military Award: Master Sgt. James Mauthe. A member of the New York Air National Guard and a volunteer firefighter in the Village of Clinton, Master Sgt. Mauthe plays a vital role in the homeland defense of our country and saves lives as a first responder to emergency calls.

● Youth Good Samaritan Award: Jesse Richard. This past January, when his house was on fire in Herkimer and his parents asked him to get help, 9-year-old Jesse ran through the dark and snow and flagged down a snow plow driver who called 911.

● 911 Dispatch Award: Susan Crimmins, Natalia Rogers, Susan VanOlst, Kelly Wares. On the day of the shooting incidents in Herkimer, dispatchers Rogers, VanOlst and Wares and supervisor Crimmins remained calm and professional as they fielded an enormous amount of calls and encountered high emotion levels while dealing with incidents at four different locations.

For more information about the 2013 Real Heroes Breakfast or to arrange an interview with an honoree or Red Cross official, contact Matt Michael, Chief Communications Officer, at (315) 234-2220 or matt.michael@redcross.org.

Tickets: $25 per person. Call (315) 733-4666 or email jennifer.balog@redcross.org.