FYI: This game is SOLD OUT!

• Buffalo Bandits vs. Philadelphia Wings
• Feb 07, 2026 7:00 PM EST at KeyBank Center
• 1 Seymour H Knox III Plaza, Buffalo, NY 14203, US
• Purchase Deadline: Feb 07, 2026 7:00 PM EST

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We hope to see you there!

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The gatherings focused on healing, accountability, and strengthening individuals, families, and communities through honest reflection and open discussion. Both speakers brought perspectives rooted in lived experience, cultural knowledge, and long-standing work within Native communities.

Pooley, a Hopi and Navajo tribal member, is known for his work as a counselor and national speaker focused on trauma, family wellness, and healing within Native communities.

During the sessions, he spoke about how unresolved trauma can shape behavior, relationships, and decision making. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging pain directly and learning healthier ways to respond, rather than avoiding or suppressing difficult emotions. He stressed that healing is an ongoing process that requires effort, honesty, and support from others.

Tom Porter, a respected Mohawk elder and speaker, shared teachings grounded in Indigenous values and cultural understanding. His teachings focused on balance, respect, and the importance of maintaining strong connections to culture, community, and one another. Porter spoke about the role of traditional teachings in guiding people through challenges and restoring harmony in both personal and collective life.

Pooley’s message centered on responsibility and self-awareness, encouraging participants to reflect on how healing is not only personal, but also impacts families and future generations. He says, “When we heal families, we can heal a nation”.

Attendee Gina Maybee said “A message from Tom Porter that resonated with me most was to not be resentful about the way our parents raised us, or grandparents, especially if they didn’t show affection. Have compassion for them because they weren’t taught how to be loving, nurturing parents. Those skills were taken away from them during the Residential school era, and they never experienced those displays of affection.”

Together, Pooley and Porter created space for meaningful dialogue, encouraging participants to listen, reflect, and engage with one another in a respectful environment. Rather than offering quick solutions, the sessions emphasized long-term growth, accountability, and the importance of community support in the healing process. They said we are worth more than the worst mistake we’ve ever made.

Weso’ Nya:wëh to our guest speakers, Albert Pooley and Tom Porter, President Seneca, Councilors and Executives, all the departments, community partners, and especially our community members.

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By Alyssa Brooks, Reporter

Nativa is redefining what a tribally owned cannabis operation can look like. Grounded in experience, transparency, and full control of the process from seed to finished product. During a recent guided tour of Seneca Nation owned cannabis production facility in Cuba, New York, Nativa team members walked visitors through every stage of production, offering an in depth look at how cannabis is cultivated, processed, and refined on site.

The Nativa processing facility is located at the former Tracewell Manufacturing facility (pictured below). The Nation has owned that property since 2008, when it was purchased for future economic development purposes. The facility is approximately 92,000 square feet and was originally designed for advanced electronics manufacturing before becoming vacant.

The tour began with genetics and cultivation, where staff explained how careful strain selection and controlled growing environments set the foundation for quality and consistency. From there, visitors followed the process through harvesting, drying, processing, and finally solvent-less rosin extraction.

The Seneca Nation opened the Nativa Cannabis dispensary in Niagara Falls on April 12, 2023, following months of planning and construction. Unlike many dispensaries that rely on third-party growers or outside manufacturers, Nativa operates as a vertically integrated facility, where all stages of a product’s lifecycle are handled by the same organization, rather than being split among different companies.

This structure allows the team to oversee each phase of production under one roof, ensuring accountability and quality control from start to finish. This approach not only improves consistency but also allows workers to respond quickly to issues that can arise during cultivation or processing.

The team behind Nativa brings decades of combined experience in regulated cannabis markets, with professional roots in both Colorado and California. These states are among the earliest to legalize recreational cannabis and helped shape modern cannabis regulations and industry standards. According to crew, working in those early markets provided valuable insight into compliance, scaling operations, and maintaining quality in a highly regulated environment.

Another point emphasized during the tour was that Nativa follows stricter quality and operating standards than those required under New York State regulations. While New York establishes minimum standards for safety, testing, and compliance, Nativa has implemented additional layers of oversight for quality control at each stage of production.

That experience now informs the standards being applied at Nativa. Staff explained that many of the protocols used in the facility were developed through years of trial, refinement, and adaptation in those earlier markets. This includes plant health monitoring, environmental controls, and data driven decision making.

From managing pests and nutrient balance to refining harvest timing and post processing techniques, each step requires close attention and informed judgment. Consistency is not achieved through shortcuts but through repetition, documentation, and long-term observation.

One area that drew particular interest during the tour was Nativa’s approach to solvent-less rosin extraction. They explained how rosin is produced using only heat and pressure, avoiding chemical solvents altogether. This method preserves naturally occurring compounds in the plant while maintaining a cleaner, more transparent extraction process. Visitors were shown how material is prepared, pressed, and evaluated, highlighting the precision required at each stage.

Environmental responsibility and sustainability were also recurring themes throughout the visit. The team described how energy use, waste reduction, and environmental controls are factored into daily operations. While cannabis production can be resource intensive, the team stressed the importance of minimizing impact wherever possible and building systems that are sustainable over the long term.

As a Seneca owned enterprise, Nativa represents more than a business, it reflects an assertion of economic sovereignty. By maintaining ownership and operational control within the Nation, Nativa ensures that decision making remains tribal and local rather than outsourced. This structure allows the facility to align its practices with Seneca values while supporting long-term economic development.

By bringing together experienced leadership, in house production, and Seneca ownership, Nativa demonstrates how tribal nations can take an active role in shaping new industries. From cultivation to the packaging, the operation reflects a focus on quality, responsibility, and self-determination that extends beyond the facility itself.

Nya:weh to staff Head of Cultivation – Josh Henry, Head Of Solventless- Tyler Hewitt, Head Of Security- Jessie Alejandro, Lead Cultivation Tech- Brooke W, and General Manager- Trey Franey for the well informed tour and visit of the site.

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Land bordering Long Rd. and I-190 presents potential economic development opportunities; No definitive plans yet

CATTARAUGUS TERRITORY, IRVING, N.Y. – The Seneca Nation is returning more than 200 acres of its ancestral homelands to Nation ownership, thanks to a donation agreement with a local developer.

William and Michael Huntress, owners of Acquest Development, are transferring title to 207 acres of land in the Town of Grand Island to the Nation for $1. The transaction was recently approved by the Seneca Nation Council.

“We have lost tens of thousands of acres of our homeland throughout history, so any time we are able to return any portion of our homelands to Seneca Nation ownership for the ultimate benefit of our people, it is an important step forward,” said Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca. “On behalf of the Seneca Nation and all Seneca people, I want to thank Bill and Michael Huntress for generously helping us create a path for new growth for our Nation.”

“We are happy to have donated this land to the Seneca Nation, the rightful owners of Grand Island,” said Michael Huntress. “We believe it is the right thing to do.”

The 207-acre site is located west of I-190 between Long Rd. and Bedell Rd. The land currently has multiple zoning designations, with the eastern 141 acres closest to I-190 currently zoned for industrial uses and the western 66 acres currently zoned for residential. “We don’t have any definite plans for the land yet, but a site of this size and in this location creates a number of potential economic development opportunities,” President Seneca said. “As we continue to try to grow and strengthen our economy and provide for the quality-of-life needs for our people, land is a vital asset. We’ll take a strategic look at how we can put this newly reclaimed site to the best use in meeting the long-term needs of our Nation.”  

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CATTARAUGUS TERRITORY, IRVING, N.Y. – The Seneca Nation has secured key legislation to help in its ongoing battle against illegal drug activity on its territories.

Late Friday evening, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a bill which Nation leaders presented and advocated for throughout this year’s New York State legislative session amending Section 8 and adding a new Section 79 of New York Indian Law. The new law clarifies existing law, enabling the Seneca Nation to better work in coordinated partnership with New York State Police, County Sheriffs and City of Salamanca police in removing non-Native intruders engaged in drug trafficking and other illicit activities from the Seneca Nation’s sovereign territories.

“This is a long-awaited and hard-fought victory for the Seneca people,” said Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca. “Governor Hochul did the right thing in signing this legislation. It provides a new, needed and incredibly powerful tool in ridding Seneca territory of non-Native people who are using our territories as a haven for drug trafficking and drug use. This should send a clear message to those individuals who are terrorizing our people: the Seneca Nation will stop at nothing to protect our people, our territories, and our communities.”

“Public safety is my top priority, and coordination and collaboration between all levels of law enforcement is essential to driving down crime and keeping New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “With this legislation, we are ensuring the Seneca Nation has the tools and resources they need by partnering with the State Police and local law enforcement to fight drug trafficking, combat criminal activity, and further protect the Nation. I thank President Seneca for his work in advocating for this legislation and the work he continues to do to rid the Seneca Nation of illicit drugs, and combat addiction and substance abuse.”

President Seneca acknowledged the tireless and selfless efforts of the Seneca Mothers Against Drug Dealers (SMADD) in highlighting and demanding action to combat illegal drug activity on the Nation’s territories. Members of SMADD have gone to great lengths, including camping outside known drug houses with spotlights in an effort to keep the community safe.

“The members of SMADD have been demanding action, even placing themselves in harm’s way. We listened and have made combatting the drug issue a top priority,” President Seneca added. “Along with SMADD, I want to thank the County Sheriffs and other local law enforcement partners who supported this legislation, the bill sponsors, State Senator Sean Ryan and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, and legislative leaders who worked with us to pass the bill, and Governor Hochul for considering the bill’s importance and signing it into law.”

Governor Hochul’s signature comes at a critical time in the Seneca Nation’s ongoing battle against illegal drug activity. Over a 60-day period earlier this year, the Nation witnessed three murders on its territories, each with a suspected connection to drug activity. In recent years, President Seneca and his predecessors have issued multiple Executive Orders excluding known drug dealers from Nation territory and the Nation has moved to evict tenants at several properties on Nation lands where criminal activity is known and proven to have taken place.

The Seneca Nation’s territories are in the middle of a known drug trafficking corridor from nearby Jamestown through Salamanca and across the Southern Tier, as well as along the New York State Thruway and up toward Buffalo. All the while, ambiguities in existing law left sheriffs and local law enforcement to navigate conflicting interpretations of removal authority, and drug dealers have exploited the confusion. “Armed with the clarity of this new legislation, the Seneca Nation will immediately begin working with our local law enforcement partners on agreements and strategies to cooperatively address the issues facing our territories,” President Seneca said. “We are going to stay vigilant on every front of this ongoing battle: working with law enforcement, working with federal, state and local governments, staying active and alert in our communities, and providing critical support and pathways to recovery for those dealing with addiction. We have to finally put a stop to what has been going on for far too long. Drug dealers have had the upper hand. That’s going to change.”  

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The Seneca Nation has the inherent right to exclude individuals from the Territories of the Seneca Nation who cause harm or pose a threat to the health and safety of the Seneca Nation and its community members.

View the Official Exclusion Order HERE for more information.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the President’s office at 716-532-4900.

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I hope everyone in the Seneca Nation enjoyed a great Christmas! The spirit and togetherness of our community, and the entire region, really shines bright during the holiday season, so I hope you are enjoying this special time creating special memories with family and friends.

Shortly before Christmas, the Nation received great news on two different fronts. Late in the evening of December 19, the law enforcement legislation that we presented to New York State leaders and strongly advocated for throughout the past several months, was signed into law by Governor Hochul. This is a long-awaited and hard-fought victory for the Seneca people. The new law amends Section 8 and adds a new Section 79 of New York Indian Law, enabling the Seneca Nation to better work in coordinated partnership with New York State Police, County Sheriffs and City of Salamanca police in removing non-Native intruders engaged in drug trafficking and other illicit activities from our territories.

There are many people to thank in this effort, especially our Seneca Mothers Against Drug Dealers, whose tireless and selfless efforts in highlighting and demanding action to address the illegal drug problems in our community have inspired our administration to take every possible step to protect our people. I also want to thank the legislative leaders who worked with us to pass this bill in the New York State Senate and Assembly, and the County Sheriffs who supported us throughout this effort.

Around the same time, the Nation received a significant donation of 207 acres of land in Grand Island. The land was transferred to the Nation by developers Bill and Michael Huntress for $1, and the acquisition was approved by our Council at the December meeting. Any time we return a portion of our homelands to Nation ownership for the benefit of our people, it is a reason to celebrate. We will take a strategic look at how we can best utilize the site to provide for the long-term needs of our Nation. Many nya:wëhs to Bill and Michael Huntress for their generosity in restoring this land to Seneca Nation ownership. We hope others in Western New York will follow their example.

Speaking of celebrations, our very own Rochester Knighthawks had their home opener against Philadelphia last Saturday, and, let me tell you, we brought the noise! Many Nation members traveled to the game and we let everyone know that the Knighthawks are OUR team! The arena was rocking throughout the night, and Councillor Jonathan Williams represented the Nation during a ceremonial ball drop before the game. It was a great night capped off by a Knighthawks victory!

Mark your calendars because the Knighthawks’ next home game is Saturday, January 10th against the Buffalo Bandits! Let’s all get ready to make some noise and enjoy a great game – and another Knighthawks win! Go ‘Hawks!

As we count down to 2026, I want to remind residents of the Cattaraugus Territory that Seneca Energy is offering a free program to connect to the Gas Distribution System. The deadline to apply is December 30, so please don’t wait! Residents can also apply to convert their appliances to the Gas Distribution System. For more information on these programs, contact Seneca Energy at 716-532-9221 or email Wes Jackson at wes.jackson@sni.org.

Looking ahead to the New Year, the Seneca Nation is getting ready to ramp up our advocacy efforts in Albany and Washington to build on the progress we have made over the past year. We are planning an active schedule to make sure we have a visible and vocal presence, including attendance at Governor Hochul’s annual State of the State Address, additional Seneca Impact Day advocacy events, and face-to-face meetings with legislative leaders and representatives in both the federal and state governments.

We are also making moves to ensure that our voice and our issues are heard loud and clear in 2026, especially as New York State prepares for elections for Governor and every member of the State Legislature. Stay tuned!

As we finish 2025, I am energized and encouraged for the year ahead, ready to take on every challenge in front of us to continue to move our great Nation forward and to prepare the way for the Seventh Generation. From our family to yours, the First Lady and I extend our wishes for a New Year filled with health, happiness, and prosperity for all Senecas everywhere.

Until next time,
J.C.

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• Seneca Allegany Casino – Salamanca, NY | Pool & Spa and Roofing
• Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino – Niagara Falls, NY | Sports Bar & High Limit Gaming Areas
• Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino – Buffalo, NY | Future Projects

All qualified trades will be considered to receive the bid packages in 2026. Interested vendors can submit company interest and firm information to:

Anthony Cimino
VP. Preconstruction
acimino@arcbldg.com
Phone: 716-955-0986

Gina Terbot
Preconstruction Support
gterbot@arcbldg.com
Phone: 716-341-4860

See flyer below for more information:

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7.7 acres of woodland & partial hillside, near Carrollton within the Allegany Territory for $40,000.

Serious inquires can call or text Kira Bloxsom (585) 307-4097.

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