Revamped Caliente gets back in the game
5/14/2008, San Diego Union Tribune
TIJUANA - Construction workers are still removing debris and gardeners are tending to recently planted lawns, but a new kind of betting has begun at the iconic Caliente casino. The historic building has a new facade with a Las Vegas-style entryway. Within, there's the greyhound track, remodeled halls for traditional bingo games, sports betting, an international-cuisine restaurant and a piano bar.
Soboba chair cites 'war' against county 'calvary'
5/14/2008, indianz.com
Robert Salgado, the chairman of the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, is angered by the latest fatal shootings of tribal members by sheriff's deputies in Riverside County, California. In the last week alone, three tribal members have been killed in gunfire incidents. The latest occurred on Monday, when a 36-year-old Joseph Arres and an unidentified female tribal member were killed after an hourlong gunfight involving nine county officers.
All Bets Are Off
5/14/2008, The Press Enterprise
If I were a betting man, I wouldn't go near the Soboba Casino. Not until the RivCo sheriff and the Indian reservation declare a cease-fire. Welcome to RivCo's mini Sadr City. I don't pretend to fully understand what's happening out there, why or who's to blame. But everyone knows this: There have been copious exchanges of gunfire. Three tribe members have been killed in a week. And the RivCo sheriff and the Soboba tribal chairman are lobbing rounds o' rhetoric that aren't exactly climate coolers.
Taking a chance on Calif. lottery
5/14/2008, Fresno Bee
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Schwarzenegger on Wednesday proposed to close the state's $15.2 billion budget gap by borrowing against the state lottery and making major cuts to health and social service programs.
Clock Stops as Rincon Case Appealed
5/14/2008, San Diego Business Journal
After setting a 60-day schedule for the state to negotiate a new gaming deal with the Rincon Band of Luiseņo Indians, a federal judge has stopped the clock at the state's request. U.S. Magistrate Judge William McCurine Jr. set a hearing on the issue for June 2. McCurine had originally given the state of California two months to hammer out a new gaming deal with Rincon. The American Indian tribe wants to expand the number of slot machines at its casino northeast of Escondido, but couldn't reach terms with the state.
NIGA panel pans proposed Class II gaming regulations
5/14/2008, San Diego Business Journal
SAN DIEGO, May 14, 2008 (Indian Country Today - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- -- A group of impassioned Class II gaming experts has predicted that the "bright line" of regulations that National Indian Gaming Commission Chairman Phil Hogen hopes will save Indian gaming will actually kill it.
Addressing tribes' game standards
5/14/2008, San Diego Union Tribune
As executive director of the California Tribal Business Alliance, and on behalf of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians and United Auburn Indian Community, I'm writing in response to the editorial concerning financial and game security standards at tribal casinos ("Tin ear/Tribes risking integrity of casino games," Editorial, May 5).
Big River residents meet on tribal land issue
5/14/2008, Parker Pioneer
Colorado River Residents for Justice held a meeting on May 3 in Big River, Calif., regarding the land of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. The meeting was held at the Bonnie Baker Senior Center, which was filled to capacity. CRR4J was organized when California resort developers and lessees of CRIT lands felt they were being treated unfairly by tribal officials. At Paradise Point, the leaseholder was forced out without a court order. Residents were given a 30 day notice to move. The resort had their own sewer system and the line was cut by CRIT and electricity was cut off by Southern California Edison by request of the tribe.
Catching a glimpse of Red Hawk
5/13/2008, The Telegraph
Progress on Red Hawk Casino includes a pretty porte-cochere, a pandemonium of hammered steel and aluminum and plans for the stretch drive. The casino will open in December near Shingle Springs. It was open Thursday to a media tour exclusive to The Telegraph.
Supreme Court turns down Blue Lake Rancheria case
5/13/2008, Eureka Times Standard
The United States Supreme Court denied Monday a request to review a lawsuit between the Blue Lake Rancheria and a Sacramento area resident regarding her home after lower courts threw out the case citing tribal sovereignty. According to a lawsuit filed by 65-year-old Rita Carls of El Dorado Hills, she tried to sue the builder of her home for a building defect, which resulted in a mold infestation and discovered that the company had been acquired by the rancheria several months earlier. The El Dorado Superior Court dismissed the case after the rancheria claimed sovereign immunity. A divided appellate court upheld the lower court's dismissal by a 2-1 vote. The California Supreme Court declined to review the case.
Tribes tasking together
5/13/2008, San Bernardino Sun
SAN MANUEL RESERVATION - The San Manuels have partnered with dozens of tribal leaders from as far away as Canada, forming a coalition to brainstorm ways to deter rising gang and drug-related crimes vexing reservations. On Saturday, 40 tribal leaders from reservations across and North America, including the Carrier Sekani tribe of British Columbia, met with San Manuel tribal Chairman James Ramos at the San Manuel Reservation in the first of several meetings the coalition is planning. "These are not issues that face one (tribal) government. It affects us all," Ramos said Saturday after the meeting.
Charities Form Alliance to Preserve and Improve Charity Bingo
5/13/2008, PRnewswire
Nonprofit groups depend on electronic bingo to fulfill the unmet needs of individuals, families, children and communities SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Charity Alliance (CCA) today announced its formation to advocate for the use of traditional and technologically advanced forms of bingo as a responsible, legal and consistent funding source for nonprofit charities. Founding organizations for this new alliance include Disabled Sports USA Far West, Capitol Freelancers, Blue Devils of Concord, the Santa Clara vanguard and the Sacramento Chapters of United Cerebral Palsy and the Society for the Blind. Many local organizations, such as churches, fraternal organizations, schools and community groups, depend on charitable bingo as a primary source of fundraising.
Judge stays order in Rincon case
5/13/2008, San Diego Union Tribune
A federal judge has put on hold his order that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and North County's Rincon Indian band reach an agreement on a gambling expansion by July.
Bush administration opposes review of IGRA case
5/13/2008, Indian Country Today
The Bush administration is taking an unusual position in an Indian gaming case that is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. In a brief filed April 28, the Department of Justice argued that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals "erred" by invalidating a contested provision of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The provision authorizes the Interior Department to help tribes with Class III gaming when a state refuses to negotiate a compact.
2 girls left in car at casino
5/13/2008, Fresno Bee
A Fresno man was arrested after his two small daughters were found alone in a locked car at the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino parking garage Monday night. Madera County deputies and paramedics were called to the casino after two passers-by spotted the children -- a 10-month-old and a 2-year-old. The children's father, Fouchoy Saephan, 28, was taken into custody and booked into the county jail on suspicion of willful cruelty to a child, said Erica Stuart, Madera County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman. His bail was set at $10,000.
After gunfire, a war of words erupts between Indian and sheriff's officials.
5/13/2008, The Press Enterprise
SOBOBA INDIAN RESERVATION - The fatal shooting of two tribal members Monday has strained already tense relations between the Soboba tribe and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, with each side blaming the other for the worsening situation. A man and a woman who investigators say were armed with illegal assault rifles were shot to death Monday evening during a gunbattle with SWAT officers in a rugged area of the reservation east of San Jacinto, Sheriff's Department spokesman Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said.
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Upcoming Hearings
Public Hearing: Off Reservation 228.04 acre trust acquisition and construction of casino project to be located within the City of Plymouth in Amador County, California.Mail comments to Amy Dutschke, acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, BIA, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. 92825. Written comments will be accepted through July 2, 2008,
Upcoming Conference
North American Regulators Association June 10-13, 2008 Register on Line: www.nagra.org
NCLGS - National Council of Legislators from Gaming States
Summer Meeting - June 13 -15, 2008 Napa Valley Marriott Hotel and Spa Napa, California. www.nclgs.org sign up online.
Presentations will include: bingo and charitable gaming, lottery, off reservation gaming
22nd National Conference on Problem Gambling. June 26-28, 2008, Long Beach, California. Register online:www.ncpgambling.org/conference
INDIAN COUNTRY'S WINNING HAND, October 16-17, 2008, Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino Scottsdale/Fountian Hills, Arizona. Register online: www.law.asu.edu/ilp
LINKS and Legislation
Stand Up For California - Library
Stand Up For California - Helpful Links
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State Legislation to Watch
AJR 39 - Assembly Member Huffman
Reaffirmation of the Winneman Wintu.
AB 1924 - Assembly Member Jeffries Changes the amount of charitable BINGO funds that may be used for overhead and other operational expenses. Bill has been pulled.
AB 2026 - Assembly Member Levine -
The California Gambling Control in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall perform a study and report its findings to the legislature by June 30, 2009, regarding authorizing interstate Internet Poker.
SB 62 - Sen. Florez - Permits the transfer of funds from the General Fund to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund for eligible recipient tribes should there be insufficient funds in the Special Distribution Fund.
SB 331 -Sen. Romero - Imposes a state mandated local program to address tresspassers on tribal lands
SB 996 Sen. Florez - This bill would require each tribal state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and a federally recognized Indian Tribe to be ratified by the Legislature in Separate Statute.
SB 1201 - Sen. Battin Increases the aggregate limit of gaming devices licenses available for issuance under the 1999 compacts to 122,000 slot machines without tribal state compact renegotiations. Veto Bait.
SB 1328 - Sen. Cedillo - deletes the $250 limitation on bingo game payouts, thereby allows for an award of any denomination. BILL HAS BEEN PULLED
SB - 1570 - Sen. Vincent - Requires the Governor to use best efforts to ensure that satellite wagering on horese racing is one of the forms of gaming offered at any gambling facility authorized under a compact. SB 1626 - Sen. Steinberg -Game of Bingo to be played by machine with electronic cards. Slot machines? BILL HAS BEEN PULLED SB 1679 - Sen. Florez - Lottery Reform Bill: requiresthat not less than 87% of revenues be used for prizes and to benefit education, 13% for lottery expenses. Total revenue to education will be decided by the Commission but not less than 1,200,000,000. Requires 1 million to be committed to the Office of Problem and Pathological gambling. Defines, expands and loosens restrictions of lottery game themes.
SB 1695 - Sen. Florez - Prohibits the Governor from negotiating or concluding a gaming compact with a tribe that does not have land held in trust on which the gaming is to occur and that is not federally recognized. Bill passes the Senate.
SCA 20 -Sen. Vincent - Constitutional Amendment authorizes Roulette and Craps on California Indian lands for compact tribes.
Federal Legislation to Watch
H.R. 3490 - Congressman Radanovich
Declares that specificed federal lands are to be held in trust by the US for the benefit of the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuik Indians for non gaming purposes.
H.R. 5608 Congressman Rahall - mandates that adminstration directly consults with tribes on policies that directly affect their lives.
H. R. 5680 Congressman Grijalva - A bill to extend leases for Morongo and transfer money to CRIT.
S. 2676 - Senator Vitter - Common Sense Indian Gambling Reform Act of 2008. To make technical corrections to IGRA. Consultation with local government.
http://thomas.loc.gov/
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