Soboba tribal chairman vows to stop Riverside County deputies at reservation gate7/31/2008, Los Angeles Times Despite the threat of arrest and possible closure of their casino, leaders of the Soboba Band of Luiseņo Indians said Wednesday that they would continue stopping law enforcement officers at the gates of their reservation unless they were responding to an emergency. The move sets up a possible confrontation with Riverside County sheriff's deputies who have shot and killed four tribal members in altercations and gunfights since December. "We hope it doesn't hit a crisis point, but I am fairly certain it will," said Chief Deputy Jim Domenoe. "We are going to be reasonable about this, but if they cause us significant delay, that could be grounds for arrest." 

 Soboba tribal leader says sheriff deputies' access limits will remain
7/30/2008, The Press-Enterprise
SOBOBA INDIAN RESERVATION - Soboba Tribal Chairman Robert Salgado on Wednesday defended his tribe's policy of questioning sheriff's deputies when they visit the reservation, saying officials can arrest him for the practice if they want. Salgado said he's well within his rights to have tribal security guards briefly delay sheriff's deputies who serve search warrants or conduct other business at the reservation. His remarks, made in a news conference at the tribe's administration building near San Jacinto, were in response to Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff's comments Tuesday that anyone interfering with police business could be arrested.
25 CFR Section 170.120. Section 170.120 reads:

Stand Up For California!:  What restrictions apply to the use of an Indian Reservation Road?

County deal with tribe starts controversy
7/31/2008, ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
The casino agreement reached by the Sonoma County board of supervisors and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria last week raised some eyebrows and left local officials and leaders at odds over how much the county and tribe really gained. Under the agreement, the tribe stated that it would not build more than one casino in Marin and Sonoma counties, and that for any additional ventures, it would comply with the county zoning code and General Plan, and undergo a complete environmental review. The tribe also agreed to resolve environmental disputes through binding arbitration, if necessary.

El Dorado County LAFCO defers action on Indian casino's water supply for now7/31/2008, Sacramento Bee
The commission responsible for approving annexations in El Dorado County will allow a citizens group its day in court before pursuing legal action over an El Dorado Irrigation District decision to supply water to an Indian casino. The El Dorado Local Agen- cy Formation Commission had on its agenda last week a proposal to seek a state attorney general's opinion on the validity of the Shingle Springs Rancheria's annexation to the irrigation district 20 years ago and restrictions approved by LAFCO as part of the annexation agreement.

PECHANGA: Tribe makes $30.8 million payment to the state
7/30/2008, North County Times
PECHANGA INDIAN RESERVATION -----The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians made its first payment Wednesday to the state of California under the terms of its amended tribal compact. Pechanga's payment to the state's general fund totaled $30.8 million, tribal officials said. That amount covers the tribe's payment to the state for the period of early February through the end of June.

Key step for new Lake casino7/30/2008, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
A Lake County Pomo Indian tribe has passed a significant milestone in its quest to build a casino near the shores of Clear Lake. The Bureau of Indian Affairs has determined there would be no significant adverse social or environmental impacts to placing 11.24 acres of land just east of Upper Lake into trust for the 202-member Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, department officials said.

Intertribal court moves to Rincon7/30/2008, North County Times RINCON INDIAN RESERVATION ---- The fledgling Intertribal Court of Southern California has a new home at the Rincon Indian Reservation. The 3-year-old court deals with legal issues that arise on local American Indian reservations, such as civil disputes and land use, housing and family matters. It serves as an appeals court, mediator and arbitrator for 10 San Diego County tribes. Until earlier this month, the court was housed in an office building in Escondido. The Rincon tribe offered to remodel a building at its reservation on Golsh Road. The building was formerly occupied by the Indian Health Council, a clinic serving local tribal communities.

HOOPA-Strategies for civil disobedience the topic of workshop
7/30/2008, Triplicate
Activists fighting to remove hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River and restore the waterway will host a civil disobedience workshop today in Hoopa. Event organizers say the goal of the workshop is to empower local people with the tools necessary to protest peacefully in the mold of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. "The real focus is on nonviolent strategies for affecting change," said S. Craig Tucker, who is the Klamath Campaign coordinator for the Karuk Tribe. 
 

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