Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 2007)
M ore News from Indian Country Page 10 Spilyay Tyrnoo July 19, 2007 ■■■■■■ M ohegan Sun joins bid for N ew York racing NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) —Mohegan Sun, which operates one o f the world's most success^ ful casinos in Connecticut, has formed a partnership with one o f the bidders hoping to run thoroughbred racing in New York state. . The Indian tribal company has teamed up with Capital Play in seeking the 20-year franchise to operate Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga race tracks. “ They're a fantastic partner, obviously a great succès,” said Karl O'Farrell, chief executive officer of Capital Play. “We're very pleased to have them as our partner. They have one o f die best casino operations in the world.” Capital Play, which helped revive Australian racing, says Mohegan Sun would help in its efforts to revive horse racing in New York by making the tracks entertainment destinations as well as gambling operations. O'Farrell said that could include night dubs, comedy and top restaurants. Mitchell Etess, chief execu tive officer o f Mohegan Sun, said papers forming the partner ship were signed Friday. “I think it's great because we both share the same vision as far as the entertainment aspect of this business,” Etess- said. Etess and O'Farrell would not disclose financial terms of the partnership. The move is the latest by Mohegan Sun to expand and diversify. Mohegan Sun is ex panding its Connecticut casino and last year opened slot ma chines at the Pocono Downs harness racing complex outside Wilkes-Barre, Pa. “It would be a very signifi cant contributor to our diversi fication effort,” Etess said. New York officials are hop ing to select a franchise winner or winners before Dec. 31, when the franchise held since 1955 by the New York Racing Associa- against Agua Caliente. Some feared the case would compro mise the claims Of tribes nation wide that they have the power |0 govern themselves and are exempt from many state laws. “Tribes did not want this case brought to the U.S. Supreme Court, because it could result in a wholesale attack on tribal sov ereignty,” said H ow ard Dickstein, an attorney who rep resents several California tribes that voluntarily disclose dona tions to .politicians. “There's a lesson to be learned about pick ing ydur, fights:” , Agua Caliente owns two ca sinos in Palm Springs. The tribe has spent $20 million oripoliti- cal campaigns .since 2002. It was sued by the commis sion m&QQ2 for failing-.to meet deadline|p|n Your Bargain Connect on tion expires. NewYork Gov. Eliot Spitzer has said the recommendation could be for one competitor to run racing at all three tracks as well as video slot machines at Aqueduct and Belmont. Or, one entity could run racing while another runs the video slots. The groups vying for the 20- year franchise are: Excelsior Racing Associates, which in cludes Las Vegas casino devel oper Steve Wynn; Empire Rac ing, which has a p artn er in Churchill Downs and is based in Saratoga Springs; NYRA un der recendy changed manage ment; and Capital Play, p NAZARETH, Pa. (AP) - Archaeologists have found tools and other items more than 1,000 years old at a site th a t will becom e the N azareth A rea, School District's new campus. Scientists are working to preserve any artifacts before bulldozers finish excavating th e land* said M artin Reinhold, principal investiga tor for the firm conducting the study, K ittatinny A r chaeological Research. R einhold said an u n earthed site likely dates, to around the-year 1000, but might be up to 3,000 years old. Surveyors found frag ments o f stone tools, char coal, arrowheads and pos sible pole holes for erecting primitive shelters. American Indians might have used the land near th e Schoeneck Creek as a seasonal camp, diggers said. Because the schbôfïs pub licly funded, the state man dates the Pennsylvania His torical and Museum Com mission investigate to. pre serve any historical items. Catawba tribe elects new leadership Wealthy California tribe drops fight against political donation disclosure SACRAMENTO (AP) g| A wealthy Indian tribe has agreed to publicly rep p rt donations to politicians^ dropping its .claim that it's exempt from state campaign disclosure laws. / The Agua Caliente Band o f Cahuilla Indians and the Fair Political Practices Com- missioft ends a lawsuit that could have gorie to. thè U.S. Suprém'è Court. “T he outcom e o f this case' shores that -everypne who engages’ in the political process in California must adhere to the requirements of the Political Reform Act,” said FPPC Chairman Ross Johnson. The. California Supreme Court in December ruled Archaeologists make discoveries at school site the Political Reform Act for disclosing political donations and fqr lobbying activity from 1998 to 2QQ2“ , “ We had to balance con sideration^ for this tribe and other tribes as well,**. said tribal spokeswoman -Nancy Conrad, “t^e decided this is not the day to take this fight forward.” hinder the settlem en t, reached June 29, Agua Caliente agreednot to appeal the, '■California . Suprem e Court decision and to waive, its sovereign immunity re garding enforcement of state campaign disclosure laws. The tribe also agreed to pay $200,000 to the state gen- eral fund. Lk ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) - Members of the Catawba Indian tribe are voting on a new chief this weekend and they’likely will be looking for {someone, to help lead the tribe past years of bit ter infighting. “You've heard the old saying about too many chiefs, n o t enough Indians. Some o f that was going 6n,” tribal member Gene Blue said. “We need new people in here to make better decisions. It will be a new start.” ■ T he elecjripn com es four motiths after longtime Chief G ilbert Blue resigned amid growing criticism. Some tribal members de scribed the 73-year-old former chief as out o f touch and un willing to listen to opposing viewpoints. They accused him of. mismanaging the tribe's.;fL nances and said he wouldn't hold elections on a regular schedule as the tribal constitu tion requires. C h ief Blue denied the charges, but agreed it was time for a new leader. , “My only concern is that whoever gets in there is some one who will have concern for the tribe,” said Blue, who led the tribe for 40 years. ; The Catawbas hope as many as 1,000 ballots will be cast in the four-person race for chief. M ost o f those votes are ex pected to be absentee. There are 1,800 eligible voters nationwide out o f the tribe's 2,600 mem bers. Voters also will choose an assistant chief, secretary-trea surer and executive committee members. “ In a way, this is kind o f a scary time because you don't know what you're going to, end up with,” tribal member Jason Harris said. fTf you have an all new exec,utiye committee with ,no experience^you don't know if that is going to be a setback. But this is what:feyerybody wanted.” A new administration has to get a grip on the tribe's finances and housing and health care pro grams. T h e tribe also needs a new constitution. Blackfeet water treatment plant dedicated GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — Gov. Brian Schweitzer joined Blackfeet tribal leaders at a groundbreaking Friday for a $4.9 million water treat ment plant that will supply clean water to Browning and East Glacier. The two communities cur rently receive bad water from separate systems, officials said. The, micrq-filtration plant will treat water from Lower Two Medicine Lake, which the D epartm ent o f Com merce described as “very pure,” and is scheduled to be com pleted by July 2008. Swank C o n stru c tio n o f O pen M o n d a y -S a t 9:00-0:00 71 7 S.W. 5th St. Madras O r Valier is the general contractor. The firm will be working under an approved grizzly bear management plan because o f the remote work site. The plan- sets guidelines for working in bear country, such as the dis posal of garbage. “This isn't your typical job site,” said Neal Ullmari o f the Commerce Department, which is funding a portion o f the project. “It's in the middle o f a forest,” - Water will be immediately available to East Glacier resi dents once the plant is finished, but crews must build 10 miles o f pipeline before Browning residents can receive the treated water. Pipeline construction could begin next spring or summer, Ullman said. The Commerce D epart m ent has contributed $1.8 million to the project. Other funding has come from the ■tJ/S. • ¡D epartm ent ' f o f Agriculture's Rural Develop ment Agency, Indian Health Services and the Environ mental Protection Agency, { Several state and federal officials joined Schweitzer and Blackfeet Chief Earl Old Person at the ceremony, in cluding Commerce Director Anthony Preite., New Energy Eitness C enter a n d E u ll Service Spa y Welcomes 5x8 Area $29.08 hairstylist 6x9 Premium $49.00 Cheryl Taylor 2x8 Runner $15.00 3x8 Premium Runner $21.00 Working Saturdays 11 a.m .to'S p.m . Perms, colors, outs, etc. We use Pedken products. Phone 47<5-9369. Shoe Sale $18.00 Less °r V % I 123 SW first St. in Madras ■ ■■■• - -“ A - /
