ending May 6
Clockwise from top left:
Foxwoods logo. Mohawk casino.
A highway. The Pit.
Missed our stories? All the headlines for the week can be found here. Book brews brouhaha
We read the book and found it rife with factual, style, and presentation problems. But tribal foes in Connecticut have read and it see a political rallying cry, even hoping to bring President Clinton into the fold. Of course its the recently published book Without Reservation. Local town officials who have long opposed Pequot presence and expansion like the book and so do the ones who question the federal recognition of two other Connecticut tribes, the Eastern Pequot and Paucatuck Eastern Pequot. Its unlikely the book will have any dramatic effect except to heighten the fears of those already in the anti-tribal, anti-recognition, and anti-gaming pack. Get the Story:
Book subject of debate (Tribal Law 5/5)
Pequot prepare response to book (The Talking Circle 5/5)
Authors: Pequot heritage unquestionable (The Talking Circle 5/4)
BIA questioned Pequots (Tribal Law 5/3)
Pequot foes want Clinton's help (The Talking Circle 5/2)
Towns see ally (The Talking Circle 5/2)
Pequots defended (The Talking Circle 5/1)
Pequots biggest taxpayer (Money Matters 5/1) Casino creates controversies
After a three year wait, the BIA finally approves land to be taken into trust for the St. Regis (Akwesasne) Mohawk. The tribe then gets the biggest gaming company in the world to operate the casino. So what's the problem? The company wants to build the casino on land that hasn't received trust status approval, prompting a $12 billion lawsuit by tribal members and lots of questions for the future. How long will approval for the new site take? What about the tribe's former partner? What happens if the tribe has to return the $2 million payment the company fronted them? Is the gaming company just sabotaging casino efforts in the region? What happens if the company loses the lawsuit? This is definitely one to keep your eye on. Get the Story:
Mohawk deal crucial for tribe (Tribal Law 5/3)
Mohawk casino would compete with Atlantic City (Money Matters 5/3)
Mohawk casino details revealed (Money Matters 5/3)
Mohawk partner buys resort (Money Matters 05/02) Gathering gets Gore
The 17th Annual Gathering of Nations in Albuquerque, New Mexico kept everyone excited over the weekend and even Vice President Al Gore showed up for a little bit, if only to pose for the cameras and drum up support for his 2000 campaign efforts. We saw everyone from gator master Chief Jim Billie to darling diva Arigon Starr to Apache comic Andrew Lacapa. We can't wait until next year! Get the Story:
Gathering grabs spotlight (Arts & Entertainment 5/1) Road remains ridden
Commuters in Northern New Mexico breathed a little easier when the negotiations over a stretch of a highway finally ended early in the week. San Ildefonso Pueblo, who own the land, was hours away from closing it but the Department of Energy and the tribe finally agreed on some terms. The cost: $2M for a 30-year easement on the road. The tribe had never received any money for a 50-year agreement that ended December 31, 1999. Get the Story:
Pueblo keeps road open (Tribal Law 5/1)
Pueblo gets $2M (Tribal Law 5/1)
more stories
Still more stories in the Weekly recap.