Mohegan firm late on taxes
Saturday, June 06, 2009
By NANCY H. GONTER
ngonter@repub.com
PALMER - The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which hopes to build a casino on 152 acres here, paid its quarterly tax bill 28 days late.
The check for more than $16,000 was received on May 29 and was due on May 1, according to town treasurer Melissa L. Zawadzki. The Mohegans were sent a demand notice $172.94 for the 14 percent interest and fees owed because of the late payment and paid it on Thursday.
The payment was made before the notice was received, but on the same day that inquiries were made by The Republican.
Paul I. Brody, vice president of development for the Mohegan Sun, said the late payment was made because in Connecticut there is a 30-day grace period to make the tax payment and Mohegan finance staff did not realize that did not exist in Massachusetts.
The Mohegan Sun casino is located in Uncasville, Conn., and leased the land between Thorndike Street (across from Massachusetts Turnpike Exit 8) and Breckenridge Street starting in October 2008 from Northeast Realty Associates LLC of East Longmeadow.
The plan is to build a $1 billion resort casino, but the state Legislature must first legalize gambling, a move which it is expected to consider in the fall.
Leon H. Dragone of Northeast Realty said the lease, which is for 50 years with optional extensions of 25 and then 24 years, calls for Mohegan Resorts Mass LLC to pay the taxes for the property. He said he was not aware of any late payment.
Zawadzki said the late payment was for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009. The Mohegans were charged 14 percent interest, plus a $10 fee for each of the four parcels, and a demand notice has been sent out.
Brody said the Mohegans will make timely payments in the future.
"We'll clean this up," Brody said.
"We will update our system so payments will be paid much earlier," Brody said.
The Mohegans paid their Feb. 1 tax bill on time, but their Nov. 1 tax bill was a few weeks late and they paid a interest and fees for being late, Zawadzki said.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: How come the payment was late? This is the way the MYGA (the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority), the Mohegan Tribal Council does busniness? A multi)PMohegan firm late on taxes
Saturday, June 06, 2009
By NANCY H. GONTER
ngonter@repub.com
PALMER - The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which hopes to build a casino on 152 acres here, paid its quarterly tax bill 28 days late.
The check for more than $16,000 was received on May 29 and was due on May 1, according to town treasurer Melissa L. Zawadzki. The Mohegans were sent a demand notice $172.94 for the 14 percent interest and fees owed because of the late payment and paid it on Thursday.
The payment was made before the notice was received, but on the same day that inquiries were made by The Republican.
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Paul I. Brody, vice president of development for the Mohegan Sun, said the late payment was made because in Connecticut there is a 30-day grace period to make the tax payment and Mohegan finance staff did not realize that did not exist in Massachusetts.
The Mohegan Sun casino is located in Uncasville, Conn., and leased the land between Thorndike Street (across from Massachusetts Turnpike Exit 8) and Breckenridge Street starting in October 2008 from Northeast Realty Associates LLC of East Longmeadow.
The plan is to build a $1 billion resort casino, but the state Legislature must first legalize gambling, a move which it is expected to consider in the fall.
Leon H. Dragone of Northeast Realty said the lease, which is for 50 years with optional extensions of 25 and then 24 years, calls for Mohegan Resorts Mass LLC to pay the taxes for the property. He said he was not aware of any late payment.
Zawadzki said the late payment was for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009. The Mohegans were charged 14 percent interest, plus a $10 fee for each of the four parcels, and a demand notice has been sent out.
Brody said the Mohegans will make timely payments in the future.
"We'll clean this up," Brody said.
"We will update our system so payments will be paid much earlier," Brody said.
The Mohegans paid their Feb. 1 tax bill on time, but their Nov. 1 tax bill was a few weeks late and they paid a interest and fees for being late, Zawadzki said.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: So this is how the MTGA pays it's bills? Late? On Sixteen Thousand Dollars? Are you kidding me? Paying late is okay? Who on the MTGA (the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority the Mohegan Tribal Council) is watching the store? Is this more poor management? Should these people go? Are some of the Tribal Council up for re-election? Can we (the Mohegan Tribe) afford to keep these people? Are they doing a good job for us? What do you think?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
POEM 'SAFE HOUSE ON THE NAVAJO NATION RESERVATION'
Safe House on the Navajo Nation Reservation”
I didn’t know what to expect
Safe House was in a run-down condition
Its crumbling foundation, & in need of dire repair
As I entered the old wooden floorboards creaked
Ceiling had holes & water was dripping
Obviously it lacked insulation
The house smelled of stale air,
But as I got further into the house
It smelled of clean, crisp Pine-Sol,
Lingered in every corner of the safe house
As I entered the large family room
There were three elderly Navajo women
Who were the latest victims
I felt remorse and utter sadness
That seemed to overwhelm me
They dressed in traditional style
Pleated cotton skirts
Mismatched long sleeve blouses
Several strands of turquoise & silver jewelry
Women's hair were worn in a tradition bun called tseyaal
The lines of their faces were marks of honor
From many countless seasonal conditions
Their strong brown, delicate hands once smooth
Carried many generations of hard work
It was not hard to imagine
As if one of them could be my mother or my grandmother
Written by: Grandma G. Naomi Pine
I didn’t know what to expect
Safe House was in a run-down condition
Its crumbling foundation, & in need of dire repair
As I entered the old wooden floorboards creaked
Ceiling had holes & water was dripping
Obviously it lacked insulation
The house smelled of stale air,
But as I got further into the house
It smelled of clean, crisp Pine-Sol,
Lingered in every corner of the safe house
As I entered the large family room
There were three elderly Navajo women
Who were the latest victims
I felt remorse and utter sadness
That seemed to overwhelm me
They dressed in traditional style
Pleated cotton skirts
Mismatched long sleeve blouses
Several strands of turquoise & silver jewelry
Women's hair were worn in a tradition bun called tseyaal
The lines of their faces were marks of honor
From many countless seasonal conditions
Their strong brown, delicate hands once smooth
Carried many generations of hard work
It was not hard to imagine
As if one of them could be my mother or my grandmother
Written by: Grandma G. Naomi Pine
Monday, June 8, 2009
NORWICH 350TH ANNIVERSARY
Norwich Recalls Day It Sealed The Deal
Rose City launches 350th anniversary celebration
By Claire Bessette Published on 6/7/2009
Norwich - The conversation might not have been much different in 1659 on the grounds now known as Chelsea Parade.
”Have you seen the Mohegan?” Norwich Alderman Jonathan Jacaruso said, adjusting the white collar on what passed for Puritan New England era attire. “Are we outnumbered?”
”Yes, we're outnumbered,” similarly dressed Alderman Robert Zarnetske said flatly.
”We were outnumbered back then too,” Ron Ward, dressed in what could have been wealthier apparel for the time to represent his direct descendant, Major John Mason, a Norwich founding father.
On June 6, 1659, a company of English settlers moved to settle the rugged landscape where two smaller rivers joined the deep, wide tidal river. There, they met a band of Mohegan Indians led by Sachem Uncas to sign a deed conveying “nine miles square” - 81 square miles of land - in the heart of the Mohegan territory to the new settlers.
Rose City launches 350th anniversary celebration
By Claire Bessette Published on 6/7/2009
Norwich - The conversation might not have been much different in 1659 on the grounds now known as Chelsea Parade.
”Have you seen the Mohegan?” Norwich Alderman Jonathan Jacaruso said, adjusting the white collar on what passed for Puritan New England era attire. “Are we outnumbered?”
”Yes, we're outnumbered,” similarly dressed Alderman Robert Zarnetske said flatly.
”We were outnumbered back then too,” Ron Ward, dressed in what could have been wealthier apparel for the time to represent his direct descendant, Major John Mason, a Norwich founding father.
On June 6, 1659, a company of English settlers moved to settle the rugged landscape where two smaller rivers joined the deep, wide tidal river. There, they met a band of Mohegan Indians led by Sachem Uncas to sign a deed conveying “nine miles square” - 81 square miles of land - in the heart of the Mohegan territory to the new settlers.
`CONNECTICUT SUN WIN
Sun Bounce Back From Dismal Loss
Conn. rebounds from dismal loss with victory the next day
By Ned Griffen Published on 6/8/2009
New York - Moments after Sunday's 66-57 win over New York, Connecticut's Tamika Whitmore was asked about atoning for her dismal performance 24 hours earlier.
”Everybody is talking about (Saturday),” teammate Barbara Turner interjected with a laugh. “Yesterday is gone, man.”
Saturday was long gone as the Sun rebounded, literally and figuratively, from a bummer of a loss to Washington.
There was plenty of blame to be passed around after Saturday's 82-70 loss, but Erin Phillips and Whitmore struggled more than most.
The duo shined before a Madison Square Garden crowd of 13,397 Sunday and provided the highlights of a 19-6 third-quarter scoring advantage.
Whitmore, in her new role as a spark off the bench, had 11 points and eight rebounds.
”(Saturday) was embarrassing,” Whitmore said. “You don't want to start the season down two (games). (Connecticut coach Mike Thibault) basically told us that we had to be aggressive and we came out and we were.”
Phillips made three of six 3-pointers and scored 13 points.
”Whit came into the trainer's room (Saturday) night and said, 'It's a long, long season,'” Phillips said. “I was like, 'Yeah.' … I just put it behind me. Whit put it behind her.”
The Sun outrebounded the Liberty, 47-33, led by Lindsay Whalen (14 points, game-high 12 rebounds).
”We won a game where we shot 32 percent,” Thibault said, “But our defense just kept playing hard and kept us in the game. Our rebounding was huge. We got annihilated on the boards (Saturday).
”We made their 3-point shooters rush. They shot 4 of 24. We tried to speed them up from the rhythm of their game.”
Whitmore looked helpless at times Saturday when she shot 2 of 9 and turned it over five times. Phillips missed all six of her shots and went scoreless.
But they came to the rescue Sunday with the Sun trailing 34-30.
It began with Kerri Gardin, who also struggled Saturday, making back-to-back baskets to tie the game.
Phillips followed with a pull-up jumper and a 3-pointer to increase Connecticut's lead to 39-34.
”I had a good preseason and wanted to get off on a good start,” Phillips said. “I think it was things like trying too hard (Saturday). … Probably just thought about it too much rather than naturally play.”
Whitmore scored five straight and added an assist to put Connecticut ahead, 47-36, with under a minute left in that period.
”I'm kind of doing a new role here, so I'm not comfortable doing it,” Whitmore said. “I think along the way, I'll get a bit little more comfortable.
”I don't get the same shots that I got last year. Everything is more towards the paint and the basket, whereas somebody bigger than me, I step off the block and shoot over them. If they're smaller than me, I'll post them up. I don't know, it's like I'm almost relegated to the paint a little bit more this year than stepping out and just playing. I have to find a rhythm to what we're doing.”
When asked how she liked her new role, Whitmore said, “So far? Honestly, I don't. But if it's what's going to make us win, I'll buy into it.”
Said Thibault: “I think that was one of the best rebounding jobs I've seen (Whitmore) have in a long time,” Thibault said. “If we can get that from her, we'll going to be hard to beat.”
The Sun have the week off before returning home on Sunday to face the Atlanta Dream at 3 p.m.
"Regional"
`EDITORIAL COMMENT: After playing a terrible game Saturday, the Sun turn it around on Sunday. Good Job Sun. Keep it up. What do you think?
Conn. rebounds from dismal loss with victory the next day
By Ned Griffen Published on 6/8/2009
New York - Moments after Sunday's 66-57 win over New York, Connecticut's Tamika Whitmore was asked about atoning for her dismal performance 24 hours earlier.
”Everybody is talking about (Saturday),” teammate Barbara Turner interjected with a laugh. “Yesterday is gone, man.”
Saturday was long gone as the Sun rebounded, literally and figuratively, from a bummer of a loss to Washington.
There was plenty of blame to be passed around after Saturday's 82-70 loss, but Erin Phillips and Whitmore struggled more than most.
The duo shined before a Madison Square Garden crowd of 13,397 Sunday and provided the highlights of a 19-6 third-quarter scoring advantage.
Whitmore, in her new role as a spark off the bench, had 11 points and eight rebounds.
”(Saturday) was embarrassing,” Whitmore said. “You don't want to start the season down two (games). (Connecticut coach Mike Thibault) basically told us that we had to be aggressive and we came out and we were.”
Phillips made three of six 3-pointers and scored 13 points.
”Whit came into the trainer's room (Saturday) night and said, 'It's a long, long season,'” Phillips said. “I was like, 'Yeah.' … I just put it behind me. Whit put it behind her.”
The Sun outrebounded the Liberty, 47-33, led by Lindsay Whalen (14 points, game-high 12 rebounds).
”We won a game where we shot 32 percent,” Thibault said, “But our defense just kept playing hard and kept us in the game. Our rebounding was huge. We got annihilated on the boards (Saturday).
”We made their 3-point shooters rush. They shot 4 of 24. We tried to speed them up from the rhythm of their game.”
Whitmore looked helpless at times Saturday when she shot 2 of 9 and turned it over five times. Phillips missed all six of her shots and went scoreless.
But they came to the rescue Sunday with the Sun trailing 34-30.
It began with Kerri Gardin, who also struggled Saturday, making back-to-back baskets to tie the game.
Phillips followed with a pull-up jumper and a 3-pointer to increase Connecticut's lead to 39-34.
”I had a good preseason and wanted to get off on a good start,” Phillips said. “I think it was things like trying too hard (Saturday). … Probably just thought about it too much rather than naturally play.”
Whitmore scored five straight and added an assist to put Connecticut ahead, 47-36, with under a minute left in that period.
”I'm kind of doing a new role here, so I'm not comfortable doing it,” Whitmore said. “I think along the way, I'll get a bit little more comfortable.
”I don't get the same shots that I got last year. Everything is more towards the paint and the basket, whereas somebody bigger than me, I step off the block and shoot over them. If they're smaller than me, I'll post them up. I don't know, it's like I'm almost relegated to the paint a little bit more this year than stepping out and just playing. I have to find a rhythm to what we're doing.”
When asked how she liked her new role, Whitmore said, “So far? Honestly, I don't. But if it's what's going to make us win, I'll buy into it.”
Said Thibault: “I think that was one of the best rebounding jobs I've seen (Whitmore) have in a long time,” Thibault said. “If we can get that from her, we'll going to be hard to beat.”
The Sun have the week off before returning home on Sunday to face the Atlanta Dream at 3 p.m.
"Regional"
`EDITORIAL COMMENT: After playing a terrible game Saturday, the Sun turn it around on Sunday. Good Job Sun. Keep it up. What do you think?
Sunday, June 7, 2009
DEED SIGNING IN NORWICH
Deed signing kicks off Norwich 350th
Descendants re-enact founding of Norwich
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwich Bulletin June 6, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwich, Conn. — Ron Ward only recently discovered he was descended from one of Norwich’s founders.
But it was that link that brought him to the Royal Mohegan Burial Grounds Saturday, leaning over a piece of paper and signing his name and that of his ancestor, Major John Mason, during a re-enactment of the original 1659 deed signing for Norwich.
“I just think it’s great that my path brought me here to honor my grandfather 13 generations back,” Ward said.
On June 6, 1659, settlers from Old Saybrook purchased a nine-mile square, now known as Norwich, from Chief Uncas of the Mohegan tribe. The original deed signing took place on the burial grounds, and marked the sale of the land for 70 pounds of silver, or approximately $350. Mason, one of Norwich’s founders, took part in the signing.
Saturday, an estimated 200 people gathered around the members of the Mohegan Tribal Nation and re-enactors, all dressed in period clothing, for the ceremony, the first public event of Norwich’s 350th celebration.
At noon Saturday, all of the city’s church bells tolled for 350 seconds to mark the start of the celebration, which will continue throughout July.
Approximately 40 members of the Mohegan tribe and 40 re-enactors posing as settlers and founders filed into the burial grounds from different directions, meeting at the signing table for the ceremony to begin. After a reading of the history of the deed signing, City Council members and 16 direct descendants of original signers signed a new deed commemorating the occasion.
“It gave me chills, but good chills,” Mayor Benjamin Lathrop said. “To be a part of history, it’s overwhelming.”
Martha Kendall of Lebanon said she came to honor her ancestor and one of the original signers, Deacon Hugh Caulkins.
“It really gave me a good sense of history to what my ancestors may have looked like,” Kendall said.
Harry O’Keefe of Norwich said he attended the city’s 300th celebration when he was 9, and found Saturday’s ceremony a fitting way to begin the next milestone.
“I thought it was kind of cool,” O’Keefe said. “Original — not something you’re going to see everyday.”
EDDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: A great job of reporting by the Norwich Bulletin. The Mohegan Tribe could have had more paticipation, if the the tribal government had not been so critical, demanding that the Tribal members wearing Regalia. There were at least 20 tribal members there watching who were not wearing regalia. The Tribe should have partcipated better. We (the Mohegan Tribe) fell down on the project. Some tribal members said that maybe the the tribe shouldn't have been there at all. The reason given was that most of the orginal burial ground is under private homes, etc. Sixty (60) tribal members out of a possible eighteen hundered (1800)? What do you think? Was it a good day for Mohegans?
Descendants re-enact founding of Norwich
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwich Bulletin June 6, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwich, Conn. — Ron Ward only recently discovered he was descended from one of Norwich’s founders.
But it was that link that brought him to the Royal Mohegan Burial Grounds Saturday, leaning over a piece of paper and signing his name and that of his ancestor, Major John Mason, during a re-enactment of the original 1659 deed signing for Norwich.
“I just think it’s great that my path brought me here to honor my grandfather 13 generations back,” Ward said.
On June 6, 1659, settlers from Old Saybrook purchased a nine-mile square, now known as Norwich, from Chief Uncas of the Mohegan tribe. The original deed signing took place on the burial grounds, and marked the sale of the land for 70 pounds of silver, or approximately $350. Mason, one of Norwich’s founders, took part in the signing.
Saturday, an estimated 200 people gathered around the members of the Mohegan Tribal Nation and re-enactors, all dressed in period clothing, for the ceremony, the first public event of Norwich’s 350th celebration.
At noon Saturday, all of the city’s church bells tolled for 350 seconds to mark the start of the celebration, which will continue throughout July.
Approximately 40 members of the Mohegan tribe and 40 re-enactors posing as settlers and founders filed into the burial grounds from different directions, meeting at the signing table for the ceremony to begin. After a reading of the history of the deed signing, City Council members and 16 direct descendants of original signers signed a new deed commemorating the occasion.
“It gave me chills, but good chills,” Mayor Benjamin Lathrop said. “To be a part of history, it’s overwhelming.”
Martha Kendall of Lebanon said she came to honor her ancestor and one of the original signers, Deacon Hugh Caulkins.
“It really gave me a good sense of history to what my ancestors may have looked like,” Kendall said.
Harry O’Keefe of Norwich said he attended the city’s 300th celebration when he was 9, and found Saturday’s ceremony a fitting way to begin the next milestone.
“I thought it was kind of cool,” O’Keefe said. “Original — not something you’re going to see everyday.”
EDDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: A great job of reporting by the Norwich Bulletin. The Mohegan Tribe could have had more paticipation, if the the tribal government had not been so critical, demanding that the Tribal members wearing Regalia. There were at least 20 tribal members there watching who were not wearing regalia. The Tribe should have partcipated better. We (the Mohegan Tribe) fell down on the project. Some tribal members said that maybe the the tribe shouldn't have been there at all. The reason given was that most of the orginal burial ground is under private homes, etc. Sixty (60) tribal members out of a possible eighteen hundered (1800)? What do you think? Was it a good day for Mohegans?
Saturday, June 6, 2009
RANDY SMITH DIES
Former NBA star working for Mohegan Sun dies
Randy Smith, 60, was a marketing director, greeter for casino Staff and wire reports
By Staff and Wire Reports Published on 6/6/2009
Randy Smith, who had worked in marketing at Mohegan Sun since 1996, died Thursday. Smith, a former All-Star, played 13 years in the National Basketball Association.
Randy Smith, a former NBA All-Star who had worked in marketing at Mohegan Sun since 1996, died while working out on a treadmill there Thursday. He was 60.
Smith had a massive heart attack, his son-in-law, Lekan Bashua, told The Associated Press. Mohegan Sun officials declined to comment on circumstances surrounding the death, citing medical confidentiality laws.
Smith was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital, where he arrived at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. He was pronounced dead 52 minutes later, Shawn Mawhiney, a Backus spokesman, said Friday.
”Randy Smith was a great friend to me and to many others in the Mohegan family, and I am very sorry to hear that he has passed away so suddenly,” Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council, said in a statement released by the tribe. “My heart goes out to his family and friends - he was one of a kind and we will always remember him.”
”We are deeply saddened by the loss of such a tremendous individual,” Jeffrey Hartmann, Mohegan Sun's chief operating officer, said. “Today, we have lost not just an employee, but truly a friend. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to all of Randy's family and friends.”
Smith, who played for the Buffalo Braves in the 1970s, once held the NBA record for consecutive games.
Jack Ramsay, his coach in Buffalo, called the 6-foot-3 guard the best athlete he ever coached.
”He had stamina, great speed and developed into a very good player,'' Ramsay said Friday from the NBA finals in Los Angeles. “And was so fun to be around. There was not a bad day in Randy's life.''
Smith was drafted by the Braves in the seventh round in 1971 and averaged more than 13 points in his rookie season. He played 13 years in the NBA and appeared in 906 consecutive games from 1972 to 1983. His mark was broken by A.C. Green in 1997.
Smith was hired by Mohegan Sun in December 1996, and most recently held the position of director of player development. His duties included marketing, managing preferred-player accounts, greeting and assisting guests while on the property and planning and attending golf outings, the casino said.
Smith's teammate with the Buffalo Braves, Ernie DiGregorio, the former Providence College star, greets guests at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Smith, who coached the Hartford Hellcats in the Continental Basketball Association in 1995, spent seven seasons with the Braves before the franchise moved to San Diego. He also played for Cleveland, New York and Atlanta, and retired in 1983.
At the 1978 All-Star game, Smith - playing alongside the likes of Julius Erving, Dave Cowens and Pete Maravich - scored 27 points and was named Most Valuable Player.
He averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists a game for his career. In one stretch, he averaged more than 20 points a game for four straight seasons. He finished with 16,262 points.
A native of Bellport, on Long Island, Smith is survived by his second wife, Angela; two sons, Brandon and Dominique; and a daughter, Terran.
Randy Smith, 60, was a marketing director, greeter for casino Staff and wire reports
By Staff and Wire Reports Published on 6/6/2009
Randy Smith, who had worked in marketing at Mohegan Sun since 1996, died Thursday. Smith, a former All-Star, played 13 years in the National Basketball Association.
Randy Smith, a former NBA All-Star who had worked in marketing at Mohegan Sun since 1996, died while working out on a treadmill there Thursday. He was 60.
Smith had a massive heart attack, his son-in-law, Lekan Bashua, told The Associated Press. Mohegan Sun officials declined to comment on circumstances surrounding the death, citing medical confidentiality laws.
Smith was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital, where he arrived at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. He was pronounced dead 52 minutes later, Shawn Mawhiney, a Backus spokesman, said Friday.
”Randy Smith was a great friend to me and to many others in the Mohegan family, and I am very sorry to hear that he has passed away so suddenly,” Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council, said in a statement released by the tribe. “My heart goes out to his family and friends - he was one of a kind and we will always remember him.”
”We are deeply saddened by the loss of such a tremendous individual,” Jeffrey Hartmann, Mohegan Sun's chief operating officer, said. “Today, we have lost not just an employee, but truly a friend. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to all of Randy's family and friends.”
Smith, who played for the Buffalo Braves in the 1970s, once held the NBA record for consecutive games.
Jack Ramsay, his coach in Buffalo, called the 6-foot-3 guard the best athlete he ever coached.
”He had stamina, great speed and developed into a very good player,'' Ramsay said Friday from the NBA finals in Los Angeles. “And was so fun to be around. There was not a bad day in Randy's life.''
Smith was drafted by the Braves in the seventh round in 1971 and averaged more than 13 points in his rookie season. He played 13 years in the NBA and appeared in 906 consecutive games from 1972 to 1983. His mark was broken by A.C. Green in 1997.
Smith was hired by Mohegan Sun in December 1996, and most recently held the position of director of player development. His duties included marketing, managing preferred-player accounts, greeting and assisting guests while on the property and planning and attending golf outings, the casino said.
Smith's teammate with the Buffalo Braves, Ernie DiGregorio, the former Providence College star, greets guests at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Smith, who coached the Hartford Hellcats in the Continental Basketball Association in 1995, spent seven seasons with the Braves before the franchise moved to San Diego. He also played for Cleveland, New York and Atlanta, and retired in 1983.
At the 1978 All-Star game, Smith - playing alongside the likes of Julius Erving, Dave Cowens and Pete Maravich - scored 27 points and was named Most Valuable Player.
He averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists a game for his career. In one stretch, he averaged more than 20 points a game for four straight seasons. He finished with 16,262 points.
A native of Bellport, on Long Island, Smith is survived by his second wife, Angela; two sons, Brandon and Dominique; and a daughter, Terran.
Friday, June 5, 2009
SHINNECOCK CASINO??????
Tribes mum on Shinnecock casino speculation
Mashantuckets, Mohegans support recognition bid
By Brian Hallenbeck Published on 6/5/2009
Neither of the region's casino-owning Indian tribes would comment Thursday on speculation that the Shinnecock Indian Nation could pursue a casino development at a horse racing track on Long Island or in New York City if it gains federal recognition.
Both the Mashantucket Pequots, who own Foxwoods Resort Casino, and the Mohegans, who own Mohegan Sun, indicated they support the Shinnecocks' long-stalled pursuit of recognition, which is expected to move forward by the end of the year.
In a U.S. District Court settlement filed last week, the Interior Department agreed to make a preliminary ruling on the Shinnecocks' application by Dec. 15. A final ruling could follow next year. The tribe would have to be federally recognized before it could develop a casino.
Since the settlement's announcement, the Southampton-based Shinnecocks have said they would consider locating a casino at Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island, just outside of New York City. The tribe also has expressed interest in Aqueduct Racetrack in the borough of Queens, having submitted a proposal for a casino there in a 2007 round of bids, as did the Mohegans and the Mashantucket Pequots.
Lori Potter, a spokeswoman for the Mashantuckets, said the tribe supports the federal-recognition efforts of any tribe that has historically been recognized by the state in which it is located. “Our tribe extends well wishes to (the Shinnecocks), as this is a long and detailed process,” she said.
”We are not aware of any specifics pertaining to the Shinnecocks' future economic development plans at this time, so we are unable to comment on them,” Potter added.
The Mohegans issued a similar statement from Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council.
”The Mohegan Tribe believes that any deserving tribe within Indian Country should be recognized by the federal government, and we support the Bureau of Indian Affairs' current consideration of the Shinnecock Tribe,” Bozsum said. “The right to sovereignty and self-government is a justified goal for all Native Americans, as is the provision of essential services ensuring the health, welfare and education of tribal members.”
According to its Web site, the Shinnecock Indian Nation has about 1,300 members, about 600 of whom live on a 1,200-acre reservation on Long Island's eastern end. The tribe's annual powwow, which attracts thousands of visitors, is its main source of income.
The Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, N.Y., just north of New York City, already provides Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun with competition for those who favor slot machines, or video display terminals. The seemingly inevitable introduction of slots at New York's other racetracks would be expected to up the ante.
New York state officials have yet to announce the outcome of a second round of bidding on the construction and management of an Aqueduct casino after Delaware North Companies, of Buffalo, N.Y., the winner of the initial round, withdrew its plan in March.
The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which operates Mohegan Sun, expressed interest only in managing a state-owned facility.
b.hallenbeck@theday.com
Mashantuckets, Mohegans support recognition bid
By Brian Hallenbeck Published on 6/5/2009
Neither of the region's casino-owning Indian tribes would comment Thursday on speculation that the Shinnecock Indian Nation could pursue a casino development at a horse racing track on Long Island or in New York City if it gains federal recognition.
Both the Mashantucket Pequots, who own Foxwoods Resort Casino, and the Mohegans, who own Mohegan Sun, indicated they support the Shinnecocks' long-stalled pursuit of recognition, which is expected to move forward by the end of the year.
In a U.S. District Court settlement filed last week, the Interior Department agreed to make a preliminary ruling on the Shinnecocks' application by Dec. 15. A final ruling could follow next year. The tribe would have to be federally recognized before it could develop a casino.
Since the settlement's announcement, the Southampton-based Shinnecocks have said they would consider locating a casino at Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island, just outside of New York City. The tribe also has expressed interest in Aqueduct Racetrack in the borough of Queens, having submitted a proposal for a casino there in a 2007 round of bids, as did the Mohegans and the Mashantucket Pequots.
Lori Potter, a spokeswoman for the Mashantuckets, said the tribe supports the federal-recognition efforts of any tribe that has historically been recognized by the state in which it is located. “Our tribe extends well wishes to (the Shinnecocks), as this is a long and detailed process,” she said.
”We are not aware of any specifics pertaining to the Shinnecocks' future economic development plans at this time, so we are unable to comment on them,” Potter added.
The Mohegans issued a similar statement from Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council.
”The Mohegan Tribe believes that any deserving tribe within Indian Country should be recognized by the federal government, and we support the Bureau of Indian Affairs' current consideration of the Shinnecock Tribe,” Bozsum said. “The right to sovereignty and self-government is a justified goal for all Native Americans, as is the provision of essential services ensuring the health, welfare and education of tribal members.”
According to its Web site, the Shinnecock Indian Nation has about 1,300 members, about 600 of whom live on a 1,200-acre reservation on Long Island's eastern end. The tribe's annual powwow, which attracts thousands of visitors, is its main source of income.
The Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, N.Y., just north of New York City, already provides Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun with competition for those who favor slot machines, or video display terminals. The seemingly inevitable introduction of slots at New York's other racetracks would be expected to up the ante.
New York state officials have yet to announce the outcome of a second round of bidding on the construction and management of an Aqueduct casino after Delaware North Companies, of Buffalo, N.Y., the winner of the initial round, withdrew its plan in March.
The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which operates Mohegan Sun, expressed interest only in managing a state-owned facility.
b.hallenbeck@theday.com
989 TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS IN TWO WEEKS
Montville seat-belt crackdown nets 989 tickets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwich Bulletin
Posted Jun 04, 2009 @ 11:59 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State police at Troop E in Montville handed out 989 infractions during last month’s statewide seat-belt enforcement campaign.
The enforcement ran for two weeks, from May 18 through May 31, and focused on limited access highways, secondary roads and town roads across the region.
Special emphasis was placed on the Route 2A and Route 2 corridor between Interstate 395 and Interstate 95 to address the number of serious accidents in the past few months, said Troop E commander, Lt. Michael Darcy.
“The men and women of Troop E will continue to vigorously enforce seat- belt laws, as well as speeding, unsafe moving violations and DWI offenses, as part of the barracks commitment to providing a safe traveling environment for residents and visitors to southeastern Connecticut,” Darcy said.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Please be careful on Route 2, Route 2-A and Route 32 in Uncasville, the State Police are everywhere. Buckle up, and don't drink and drive. You may not like what the State Police are doing, but they are enforcing a good law. Think about it, when you drive.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwich Bulletin
Posted Jun 04, 2009 @ 11:59 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State police at Troop E in Montville handed out 989 infractions during last month’s statewide seat-belt enforcement campaign.
The enforcement ran for two weeks, from May 18 through May 31, and focused on limited access highways, secondary roads and town roads across the region.
Special emphasis was placed on the Route 2A and Route 2 corridor between Interstate 395 and Interstate 95 to address the number of serious accidents in the past few months, said Troop E commander, Lt. Michael Darcy.
“The men and women of Troop E will continue to vigorously enforce seat- belt laws, as well as speeding, unsafe moving violations and DWI offenses, as part of the barracks commitment to providing a safe traveling environment for residents and visitors to southeastern Connecticut,” Darcy said.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Please be careful on Route 2, Route 2-A and Route 32 in Uncasville, the State Police are everywhere. Buckle up, and don't drink and drive. You may not like what the State Police are doing, but they are enforcing a good law. Think about it, when you drive.
FOXWOODS ELECTRICAL FIRE IN MANHOLE
Electrical fire causes disruption at Foxwoods
Blaze started by contractors enlarging manhole, burning cables, knocking out power
By Brian Hallenbeck Published on 6/4/2009
Smoke rises from the Foxwoods complex Wednesday as seen from atop Lantern Hill.
Mashantucket - A small fire that knocked out power to a portion of Foxwoods Resort Casino Wednesday was ignited in a manhole on the road leading to the Grand Pequot Tower.
The fire burned electrical cables, tripping circuit breakers and shutting down power to the casino in an area where restaurants, the Bingo Hall and the Festival Slots Casino are located. Backup generators kept the lights on, and the casino switched to an alternative power source, according to Rob Victoria, Foxwoods' senior vice president of consumer marketing.
Power was fully restored by 5:45 p.m., about four hours after the fire broke out, said Karen Samide, a spokeswoman for Connecticut Light & Power.
Firefighters from the Mashantucket Pequot Fire Department contained the fire to the manhole and let it burn out, Victoria said. People on nearby Lantern Hill and elsewhere in the area photographed flames and a plume of thick, dark smoke that rose more than 30 feet into the air.
The fire occurred as contractors hired by CL&P were enlarging the manhole in con-nection with work related to the Route 2 bypass project, according to Samide. The workers had constructed wooden forms to contain concrete and had sprayed the wood with oil, she said. In cutting the wood, they accidentally sparked a fire that burned the oil and electrical cables.
Into the evening, CL&P had men on the scene repairing the cables.
Foxwoods cleared patrons from a food court and the Festival Buffet as soon as the power outage occurred.
The buffet resumed serving at 7 p.m., and at 8, a performance of “Legends in Concert” went on as scheduled in the Fox Theater.
Around 5 p.m., patrons were lined up outside the Bingo Hall while others sat in the Festival Slots Casino, waiting for the machines, which had locked up when the power went out, to come back on. By 5:25, the entire room appeared to be on line.
Right away, Janice Geoffroy's luck changed.
”I wasn't winning before the power went out, but I am now,” Geoffroy, of Southwick, Mass., said. “I think it's a sign.”
b.hallenbeck@theday.com
"Mashantucket-CT"
Blaze started by contractors enlarging manhole, burning cables, knocking out power
By Brian Hallenbeck Published on 6/4/2009
Smoke rises from the Foxwoods complex Wednesday as seen from atop Lantern Hill.
Mashantucket - A small fire that knocked out power to a portion of Foxwoods Resort Casino Wednesday was ignited in a manhole on the road leading to the Grand Pequot Tower.
The fire burned electrical cables, tripping circuit breakers and shutting down power to the casino in an area where restaurants, the Bingo Hall and the Festival Slots Casino are located. Backup generators kept the lights on, and the casino switched to an alternative power source, according to Rob Victoria, Foxwoods' senior vice president of consumer marketing.
Power was fully restored by 5:45 p.m., about four hours after the fire broke out, said Karen Samide, a spokeswoman for Connecticut Light & Power.
Firefighters from the Mashantucket Pequot Fire Department contained the fire to the manhole and let it burn out, Victoria said. People on nearby Lantern Hill and elsewhere in the area photographed flames and a plume of thick, dark smoke that rose more than 30 feet into the air.
The fire occurred as contractors hired by CL&P were enlarging the manhole in con-nection with work related to the Route 2 bypass project, according to Samide. The workers had constructed wooden forms to contain concrete and had sprayed the wood with oil, she said. In cutting the wood, they accidentally sparked a fire that burned the oil and electrical cables.
Into the evening, CL&P had men on the scene repairing the cables.
Foxwoods cleared patrons from a food court and the Festival Buffet as soon as the power outage occurred.
The buffet resumed serving at 7 p.m., and at 8, a performance of “Legends in Concert” went on as scheduled in the Fox Theater.
Around 5 p.m., patrons were lined up outside the Bingo Hall while others sat in the Festival Slots Casino, waiting for the machines, which had locked up when the power went out, to come back on. By 5:25, the entire room appeared to be on line.
Right away, Janice Geoffroy's luck changed.
”I wasn't winning before the power went out, but I am now,” Geoffroy, of Southwick, Mass., said. “I think it's a sign.”
b.hallenbeck@theday.com
"Mashantucket-CT"
Thursday, June 4, 2009
SENECA CATSKILL CASINO
Sullivan County approves agreement for Seneca Catskill Casino project
By Staff reports
Story Published: Jun 1, 2009
Story Updated: Jun 1, 2009
MONTICELLO, N.Y. – The Sullivan County Legislature recently approved an agreement with the Seneca Nation of Indians, a federally recognized sovereign Indian nation, the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corporation, a wholly-owned corporate entity of the Nation and Sullivan County to develop a Class III gaming casino on 63 acres of land at exit 107 off Route 17 (Interstate 86) in the Town of Thompson.
In consideration of the undertakings of the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corporation, Sullivan County has agreed to actively work with and assist the nation to obtain any and all approvals required for the project from governmental entities. The county will also enter into agreements with locally affected entities to mitigate impacts of the project.
Under the agreement, the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corporation will pay annual local impact payments in accordance with the following schedule: Years one and two prior to hotel completion, $15.5 million, years three through seven subsequent to hotel completion, $20 million.
John Paulsen, CEO of Rotate Black, Inc., the company that will manage and operate the casino and hotel, thanked Sullivan County officials for their support of the Seneca Catskill Mountains Hotel and Casino project.
“The Seneca Nation and I want to personally thank Town of Thompson Supervisor Tony Cellini, Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Jonathan Rouis, Legislature Minority Leader Leni Binder, County Attorney Sam Yasgur, County Manager David Fanslau and Sullivan County legislators Alan Sorensen, Jodi Goodman, Ron Hiatt, David Sager, Frank Armstrong, Elwin Wood and Kathleen LaBuda for their support in this important project to assist in the revitalization of Sullivan County.”
Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther told Paulsen during a separate meeting that she will take the message of Sullivan County’s support to Governor David Paterson for his needed approval of project.
Once fully completed, the Seneca Catskill Mountains Hotel and Casino will include two million square feet of space, 6,000 slot machines, 120 table games, 30 poker tables, race book center, a 1,500-room hotel and spa, 12 restaurants, high-end retail space, a 5,000-seat arena and 100,000 square feet of banquet space and an arcade center.
Rotate Black projects that the Seneca Catskill Mountains Hotel and Casino will generate approximately $160 million in exclusivity fees to state and local governments, which is greater than what is currently being paid state and local governments under the nation’s existing Class III compact for its three western New York casinos. No other Indian nation in the state provides such sizable payments to state and local governments.
The Seneca’s Tribal Council established the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corp. as its development arm for this venture.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: The new Seneca Casino will be about one hundred and eight five (185) miles from Uncasville, Connecticut. It is sixty (60) miles from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania. It is about sixty six (66) miles from Yonkers Raceway, in Yonkers, New York, which has video slot machines. More competition, and not any solution on how to increase our (the Mohegan Tribe) profitablity. Has the Tribal Council failed us again? Do they continue to fail us over and over again? What do you think?
`
By Staff reports
Story Published: Jun 1, 2009
Story Updated: Jun 1, 2009
MONTICELLO, N.Y. – The Sullivan County Legislature recently approved an agreement with the Seneca Nation of Indians, a federally recognized sovereign Indian nation, the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corporation, a wholly-owned corporate entity of the Nation and Sullivan County to develop a Class III gaming casino on 63 acres of land at exit 107 off Route 17 (Interstate 86) in the Town of Thompson.
In consideration of the undertakings of the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corporation, Sullivan County has agreed to actively work with and assist the nation to obtain any and all approvals required for the project from governmental entities. The county will also enter into agreements with locally affected entities to mitigate impacts of the project.
Under the agreement, the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corporation will pay annual local impact payments in accordance with the following schedule: Years one and two prior to hotel completion, $15.5 million, years three through seven subsequent to hotel completion, $20 million.
John Paulsen, CEO of Rotate Black, Inc., the company that will manage and operate the casino and hotel, thanked Sullivan County officials for their support of the Seneca Catskill Mountains Hotel and Casino project.
“The Seneca Nation and I want to personally thank Town of Thompson Supervisor Tony Cellini, Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Jonathan Rouis, Legislature Minority Leader Leni Binder, County Attorney Sam Yasgur, County Manager David Fanslau and Sullivan County legislators Alan Sorensen, Jodi Goodman, Ron Hiatt, David Sager, Frank Armstrong, Elwin Wood and Kathleen LaBuda for their support in this important project to assist in the revitalization of Sullivan County.”
Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther told Paulsen during a separate meeting that she will take the message of Sullivan County’s support to Governor David Paterson for his needed approval of project.
Once fully completed, the Seneca Catskill Mountains Hotel and Casino will include two million square feet of space, 6,000 slot machines, 120 table games, 30 poker tables, race book center, a 1,500-room hotel and spa, 12 restaurants, high-end retail space, a 5,000-seat arena and 100,000 square feet of banquet space and an arcade center.
Rotate Black projects that the Seneca Catskill Mountains Hotel and Casino will generate approximately $160 million in exclusivity fees to state and local governments, which is greater than what is currently being paid state and local governments under the nation’s existing Class III compact for its three western New York casinos. No other Indian nation in the state provides such sizable payments to state and local governments.
The Seneca’s Tribal Council established the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corp. as its development arm for this venture.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: The new Seneca Casino will be about one hundred and eight five (185) miles from Uncasville, Connecticut. It is sixty (60) miles from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania. It is about sixty six (66) miles from Yonkers Raceway, in Yonkers, New York, which has video slot machines. More competition, and not any solution on how to increase our (the Mohegan Tribe) profitablity. Has the Tribal Council failed us again? Do they continue to fail us over and over again? What do you think?
`
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
KENO TO BARS?
Blumenthal Warns Keno Could Imperil State's Slot Revenues
Rell says game could net $60M, but effect on $400M deal with tribes unclear
By Ted Mann Published on 6/2/2009
Hartford - Attorney General Richard Blumenthal urged lawmakers to move cautiously as they consider whether to direct the Connecticut Lottery to offer keno, saying a “unilateral” embrace of the game could imperil Connecticut's lucrative revenue-sharing agreements with the tribal owners of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Legal precedent in other states and Connecticut's statutes provide “no definitive answer” about whether introducing keno would violate Connecticut's gaming agreements with the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, Blumenthal said.
Legislators should seek to amend the gaming accords before initiating keno, Blumenthal said, citing the risk that the tribes would sue for breach of their agreements and attempt to withhold Connecticut's 25 percent share of casino slot machine revenue, which totals roughly $400 million per year.
”We are not foreclosing, but definitely forewarning that more than $400 million could be put at serious risk by unilaterally enacting a statute to provide for keno gaming,” Blumenthal said at a press conference with Rep. Stephen Dargan, D-North Haven, who requested Blumenthal's opinion, and Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford. Dargan and Stillman are co-chairmen of the legislature's Public Safety Committee, which has oversight on gambling matters.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell proposed implementing keno last week, a move she said could eventually generate $60 million per year in new revenue for the cash-strapped state.
Keno has been aggressively lobbied by some who would stand to benefit from the game, a centralized, computerized drawing in which 20 numbers out of a possible 80 are selected at random.
Players at participating locations, including in many states' bars and restaurants, seek to pick up to 10 of the winning numbers. Drawings are usually held just minutes apart.
Among those lobbying for the game is Scientific Games, currently a vendor for the Connecticut Lottery Corp., which offers keno in other states.
At issue, Blumenthal said, is whether keno constitutes a permissible innovation of lottery gambling, or a casino game. The state agreements with the tribes give the tribes the exclusive right to offer a list of specific casino games, but it is unclear if keno falls into that category.
The state's Division of Special Revenue, which regulates gambling and the casinos, has said keno is a lottery game and could be legally offered by the lottery without violating the gaming compacts, but Blumenthal said more review - and greater detail from Rell on the specifics of her proposal - is necessary.
”The courts in other states are divided, there's no court ruling definitively resolving the question here in Connecticut, there's ambiguity in the statutes, and there is a complete lack of explanation or detail in the proposal as it has been made so far,” Blumenthal said.
But supporters of keno noted that Blumenthal himself had referred to keno as “a lottery type game” in a 2005 press release related to a Foxwoods Internet gambling promotion.
Blumenthal's proposal yielded a conflicted response from the Mashantucket Pequots. A tribal spokeswoman, Lori Potter, first e-mailed a statement saying simply, “We acknowledge that Attorney General Blumenthal has an accurate understanding of the slot agreement.”
Potter later retracted that statement, and said that tribal authorities “have not reviewed the Keno proposal and at this time are unable to comment on either the proposal or the Attorney General's statement at this time.”
Mohegan Tribal Chairman Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum said in a written statement that the tribe “will more fully consider the proposal after our legal team has had the opportunity to review the final language and the State's definition of this new game.”
”The Mohegan Tribe has always felt that communication and cooperation, when possible, between our governments is critical and we look forward to hearing more about this proposal so we can properly respond,” Bozsum said.
The proposal has generated broad concern among opponents of gambling.
Rell's move to implement keno is “born of desperate thinking and is likely to create more problems than it solves,” said the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, in a press release. The group suggested its introduction could increase intrusive gambling-related advertising and could lead to the introduction of other forms of electronic lottery games.
Senate President Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, has called keno “a misery tax,” suggesting it would raise revenue from those least able to pay.
And Stillman confirmed at Blumenthal's press conference that she remains skeptical of moves to broaden legal gambling in the state, warning that the introduction of the game in restaurants and bars could exacerbate both obsessive wagering and potentially drunken driving.
”I am not in favor of expanding gambling,” said Stillman. “… If it's something that ends up in bars, are we going to have people having another drink at the bar, waiting for that next keno card to come up?”
While Rell has urged lawmakers to include the game in a budget deal for the 2010-11 biennium, which begins July 1, Stillman said it would take “far more time than one month” for the legislature to decide if it was really a worthwhile idea.
"Regional"
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: How much does Keno make the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority? My observation of the Keno area at both Foxwood Resorts Casino and the Mohegan Sun don't look like money makers. Maybe the casinos should promote this game more? I remember going into the Mohegan Sun and having dinner and my party would be playing Keno while they ate. I don't see that happening as much anymore. I believe if Connecticut wants Keno, then the state should renegotiate the compacts with the casinos and they should pay a lower precentage on the slots. It might actually help the MTGA. At least this time, Chairman Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozsum didn't threaten the state with holding back revenue from the state. What do you think?
Rell says game could net $60M, but effect on $400M deal with tribes unclear
By Ted Mann Published on 6/2/2009
Hartford - Attorney General Richard Blumenthal urged lawmakers to move cautiously as they consider whether to direct the Connecticut Lottery to offer keno, saying a “unilateral” embrace of the game could imperil Connecticut's lucrative revenue-sharing agreements with the tribal owners of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Legal precedent in other states and Connecticut's statutes provide “no definitive answer” about whether introducing keno would violate Connecticut's gaming agreements with the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, Blumenthal said.
Legislators should seek to amend the gaming accords before initiating keno, Blumenthal said, citing the risk that the tribes would sue for breach of their agreements and attempt to withhold Connecticut's 25 percent share of casino slot machine revenue, which totals roughly $400 million per year.
”We are not foreclosing, but definitely forewarning that more than $400 million could be put at serious risk by unilaterally enacting a statute to provide for keno gaming,” Blumenthal said at a press conference with Rep. Stephen Dargan, D-North Haven, who requested Blumenthal's opinion, and Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford. Dargan and Stillman are co-chairmen of the legislature's Public Safety Committee, which has oversight on gambling matters.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell proposed implementing keno last week, a move she said could eventually generate $60 million per year in new revenue for the cash-strapped state.
Keno has been aggressively lobbied by some who would stand to benefit from the game, a centralized, computerized drawing in which 20 numbers out of a possible 80 are selected at random.
Players at participating locations, including in many states' bars and restaurants, seek to pick up to 10 of the winning numbers. Drawings are usually held just minutes apart.
Among those lobbying for the game is Scientific Games, currently a vendor for the Connecticut Lottery Corp., which offers keno in other states.
At issue, Blumenthal said, is whether keno constitutes a permissible innovation of lottery gambling, or a casino game. The state agreements with the tribes give the tribes the exclusive right to offer a list of specific casino games, but it is unclear if keno falls into that category.
The state's Division of Special Revenue, which regulates gambling and the casinos, has said keno is a lottery game and could be legally offered by the lottery without violating the gaming compacts, but Blumenthal said more review - and greater detail from Rell on the specifics of her proposal - is necessary.
”The courts in other states are divided, there's no court ruling definitively resolving the question here in Connecticut, there's ambiguity in the statutes, and there is a complete lack of explanation or detail in the proposal as it has been made so far,” Blumenthal said.
But supporters of keno noted that Blumenthal himself had referred to keno as “a lottery type game” in a 2005 press release related to a Foxwoods Internet gambling promotion.
Blumenthal's proposal yielded a conflicted response from the Mashantucket Pequots. A tribal spokeswoman, Lori Potter, first e-mailed a statement saying simply, “We acknowledge that Attorney General Blumenthal has an accurate understanding of the slot agreement.”
Potter later retracted that statement, and said that tribal authorities “have not reviewed the Keno proposal and at this time are unable to comment on either the proposal or the Attorney General's statement at this time.”
Mohegan Tribal Chairman Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum said in a written statement that the tribe “will more fully consider the proposal after our legal team has had the opportunity to review the final language and the State's definition of this new game.”
”The Mohegan Tribe has always felt that communication and cooperation, when possible, between our governments is critical and we look forward to hearing more about this proposal so we can properly respond,” Bozsum said.
The proposal has generated broad concern among opponents of gambling.
Rell's move to implement keno is “born of desperate thinking and is likely to create more problems than it solves,” said the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, in a press release. The group suggested its introduction could increase intrusive gambling-related advertising and could lead to the introduction of other forms of electronic lottery games.
Senate President Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, has called keno “a misery tax,” suggesting it would raise revenue from those least able to pay.
And Stillman confirmed at Blumenthal's press conference that she remains skeptical of moves to broaden legal gambling in the state, warning that the introduction of the game in restaurants and bars could exacerbate both obsessive wagering and potentially drunken driving.
”I am not in favor of expanding gambling,” said Stillman. “… If it's something that ends up in bars, are we going to have people having another drink at the bar, waiting for that next keno card to come up?”
While Rell has urged lawmakers to include the game in a budget deal for the 2010-11 biennium, which begins July 1, Stillman said it would take “far more time than one month” for the legislature to decide if it was really a worthwhile idea.
"Regional"
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: How much does Keno make the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority? My observation of the Keno area at both Foxwood Resorts Casino and the Mohegan Sun don't look like money makers. Maybe the casinos should promote this game more? I remember going into the Mohegan Sun and having dinner and my party would be playing Keno while they ate. I don't see that happening as much anymore. I believe if Connecticut wants Keno, then the state should renegotiate the compacts with the casinos and they should pay a lower precentage on the slots. It might actually help the MTGA. At least this time, Chairman Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozsum didn't threaten the state with holding back revenue from the state. What do you think?
Sunday, May 31, 2009
CHUCK BUNNELL GIVES THE TRIBE'S PER CAP ????
Updated: 14 minutes ago
Text size: Many Indian casinos aren't big moneymakers
BY KARLA SCHUSTER | karla.schuster@newsday.com
9:43 PM EDT, May 30, 2009
If the Shinnecock tribe is counting on a casino for financial salvation, it will discover that Indian gambling enterprises are far from a sure bet.
While Indian casinos have seen explosive growth over the past decade - 230 tribes now operate 425 gambling enterprises in 28 states - most wealth is concentrated in a few states. The rest, experts say, are moderately successful or break-even enterprises that rarely result in windfalls for members.
"There's a lot of disparity in the performance of Indian gaming," said Alan Meister, an economist with Analysis Group in Los Angeles and author of the annual Indian Gaming Industry Report. "Being in New York is a good thing and might work in its [the Shinnecock tribe's] favor . . . but there are a lot of other things that go into it besides location," such as the type of facility, whether nongambling amenities are offered and if any state or federal regulations apply.
In 2007, for example, 62 casinos in California and Connecticut accounted for nearly 40 percent of the $26.5 billion in tribal gaming revenue nationwide, according to latest Indian gaming report. Two Indian casinos in Connecticut generated the same revenue as 101 Indian casinos in Oklahoma.
In a settlement reached last week, the Department of the Interior has agreed to rule by Dec. 15 on the Shinnecock's request for federal recognition, which would give it the right to open a casino. A casino outside the tribe's Southampton reservation, at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont for example, would require state and federal approval.
Currently, the Shinnecocks' annual Labor Day weekend powwow, which attracts Indian vendors from all over the country and draws about 50,000 visitors, is the 1,300-member tribe's main source of income, according to Shinnecock officials.
The 1988 federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act allows tribes with federal recognition to open casinos and specifies how they use the profits, including tribal government operations, the general welfare of members, promoting tribal economic development, charitable donations and local government operations.
Tribes have used the money to pay for health care, scholarships, community centers and other facilities on reservations.
The Mohegan tribe, which runs the Mohegan Sun Casino in eastern Connecticut and a smaller operation in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., provides health care and housing for its elderly members, and full college tuition, according to Chuck Bunnell, the tribe's chief of staff. The tribe is also building a community center.
"The tribe has reinvested into the business that they own, which is Mohegan Sun, and they have been able to provide for their people in a way that the federal government never did or could have," Bunnell said.
Some of the most successful tribes also distribute a dividend from casino profits to members. Bunnell said the Mohegans issue a per capita payment of less than $30,000 a year. The Mashantucket Pequot tribe, which runs the Foxwoods casino resort, also in Connecticut, has reportedly paid adult members as much as $100,000 each some years.
But such high-profile success stories are the exception, not the rule, said Jacob Coin, former executive director of the National Indian Gaming Association. He said only a third of all tribes with casinos distribute per capita payments and those that do, rarely pay out large sums, he said.
"There are still quite a number of tribes who are happy to have just created jobs for their members, as opposed to generating a lot of revenues," said Coin, now public affairs director for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in California, which manages a casino and bingo facility.
Tribes outside the Northeast, which generally have more members and lack dense population centers to draw customers from, often see their casinos struggle. Some casinos have shut down.
Still, "having said all that, casinos are probably the only economic tool that has worked for Indians," Coin said./
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; If I were to give information about the per caps, I could be brought up on Good Standing Charges, but the Chief Of Staff can do it and nothing happens to him. Joe Smith gave it out, Roland Harris gave it out years ago, but a free press can't tell it. What is wrong with this picture? Could it be, who says it makes a difference? Could it be subjectice prosecution? What do you think?
Text size: Many Indian casinos aren't big moneymakers
BY KARLA SCHUSTER | karla.schuster@newsday.com
9:43 PM EDT, May 30, 2009
If the Shinnecock tribe is counting on a casino for financial salvation, it will discover that Indian gambling enterprises are far from a sure bet.
While Indian casinos have seen explosive growth over the past decade - 230 tribes now operate 425 gambling enterprises in 28 states - most wealth is concentrated in a few states. The rest, experts say, are moderately successful or break-even enterprises that rarely result in windfalls for members.
"There's a lot of disparity in the performance of Indian gaming," said Alan Meister, an economist with Analysis Group in Los Angeles and author of the annual Indian Gaming Industry Report. "Being in New York is a good thing and might work in its [the Shinnecock tribe's] favor . . . but there are a lot of other things that go into it besides location," such as the type of facility, whether nongambling amenities are offered and if any state or federal regulations apply.
In 2007, for example, 62 casinos in California and Connecticut accounted for nearly 40 percent of the $26.5 billion in tribal gaming revenue nationwide, according to latest Indian gaming report. Two Indian casinos in Connecticut generated the same revenue as 101 Indian casinos in Oklahoma.
In a settlement reached last week, the Department of the Interior has agreed to rule by Dec. 15 on the Shinnecock's request for federal recognition, which would give it the right to open a casino. A casino outside the tribe's Southampton reservation, at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont for example, would require state and federal approval.
Currently, the Shinnecocks' annual Labor Day weekend powwow, which attracts Indian vendors from all over the country and draws about 50,000 visitors, is the 1,300-member tribe's main source of income, according to Shinnecock officials.
The 1988 federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act allows tribes with federal recognition to open casinos and specifies how they use the profits, including tribal government operations, the general welfare of members, promoting tribal economic development, charitable donations and local government operations.
Tribes have used the money to pay for health care, scholarships, community centers and other facilities on reservations.
The Mohegan tribe, which runs the Mohegan Sun Casino in eastern Connecticut and a smaller operation in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., provides health care and housing for its elderly members, and full college tuition, according to Chuck Bunnell, the tribe's chief of staff. The tribe is also building a community center.
"The tribe has reinvested into the business that they own, which is Mohegan Sun, and they have been able to provide for their people in a way that the federal government never did or could have," Bunnell said.
Some of the most successful tribes also distribute a dividend from casino profits to members. Bunnell said the Mohegans issue a per capita payment of less than $30,000 a year. The Mashantucket Pequot tribe, which runs the Foxwoods casino resort, also in Connecticut, has reportedly paid adult members as much as $100,000 each some years.
But such high-profile success stories are the exception, not the rule, said Jacob Coin, former executive director of the National Indian Gaming Association. He said only a third of all tribes with casinos distribute per capita payments and those that do, rarely pay out large sums, he said.
"There are still quite a number of tribes who are happy to have just created jobs for their members, as opposed to generating a lot of revenues," said Coin, now public affairs director for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in California, which manages a casino and bingo facility.
Tribes outside the Northeast, which generally have more members and lack dense population centers to draw customers from, often see their casinos struggle. Some casinos have shut down.
Still, "having said all that, casinos are probably the only economic tool that has worked for Indians," Coin said./
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; If I were to give information about the per caps, I could be brought up on Good Standing Charges, but the Chief Of Staff can do it and nothing happens to him. Joe Smith gave it out, Roland Harris gave it out years ago, but a free press can't tell it. What is wrong with this picture? Could it be, who says it makes a difference? Could it be subjectice prosecution? What do you think?
PETER GREENBERG AT FOXWOODS MONDAY
Show will broadcast from Foxwoods
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwich Bulletin
Posted May 30, 2009 @ 11:11 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mashantucket, Conn. — Travel expert Peter Greenberg will broadcast his nationally syndicated radio program from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
People will be able to ask questions during the show. Greenberg will set up at The Club, on the concourse level in Grand Pequot Tower.
For information, call Kelly Grunther at (917) 841-2657.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwich Bulletin
Posted May 30, 2009 @ 11:11 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mashantucket, Conn. — Travel expert Peter Greenberg will broadcast his nationally syndicated radio program from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
People will be able to ask questions during the show. Greenberg will set up at The Club, on the concourse level in Grand Pequot Tower.
For information, call Kelly Grunther at (917) 841-2657.
PEPE'S PIZZA
Frank Pepe's Gets Fired Up For Mohegan Sun Opening
By Brian Hallenbeck Published on 5/31/2009
Buy Photo By Cheryl Albaine
Chairman of the Mohegan Tribe Bruce“Two Dogs” Bozsum, left, and Francis Rosselli of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana fire up the brick oven for a smudge ceremony Thursday at Mohegan Sun Casino.
Mohegan - It's a good bet that Francesco Pepe never imagined that one day they'd be burning cedar leaves and acorns in the brick oven of a pizza shop bearing his name - Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.
In a casino no less.
In fact, when he opened his New Haven store back in 1925, Pepe likely had little inkling that it would become the standard-bearer of an old-world style of thin-crust pizza whose devotees queue up outside the store and along Wooster Street in the Elm City's Italian section. Even by the time he died in 1969, he wouldn't have expected his heirs to eventually open four other locations and hire a CEO to run Frank Pepe's Development Co.
But it's all coming to pass. And that's why Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council, came to bless the oven Thursday in the Frank Pepe's under construction in the Casino of the Earth at Mohegan Sun. It's Pepe's third “satellite” location, following the opening of stores in Fairfield (2006) and opposite the Buckland Hills mall in Manchester (2007). The fourth is scheduled to debut this November in Yonkers, N.Y.
Bozsum, performing a “smudging,” lit the oven and then joined Francis Rosselli, Frank Pepe's grandson, in adding coal to the fire, starting a process that will culminate in the store's opening on or about July 1.
”You like to take a month to cure an oven before you start cooking in it,” the 57-year-old Rosselli said. “It pulls the moisture out of the bricks and prepares the oven for optimum baking. We learn about the oven during the process. It might need some tweaking.
”We'll have someone here every day to fire it up,” he said. “We'll let it burn out, let the heat go down and then start it up again. It's like breaking in a new car.”
In the back, the kitchen has another oven, which says a lot about the expectations that Rosselli and the casino have for the store, which will provide 50 jobs, most of them full time.
”That's for the overflow,” Rosselli said of the second cooker. “We expect a lot of takeout business, and we'll be serving guests at the hotel, too.” Now that's something new: a Pepe's that delivers.
Rosselli, who started working in his grandfather's original pizzeria at the age of 13, remembers when things really started to take off there. It was in the 1960s.
”The line would form inside and go the length of nine booths,” he said. “There was this waiter, Salvatore Montagna, who'd come from the kitchen holding the pizza above his head so he could get past the line of people. That was a common scene on weekends.”
So how many customers has Pepe's served? How many pies tossed?
”I never thought of it in terms of numbers,” Rosselli said. “It's always been about quality … in large volumes.”
Toward that end, the Pepe's ovens at Mohegan Sun, as at all the Pepe's locations, are “brick-for-brick replicas” of the original ovens installed in the New Haven store in the 1930s, according to Ken Berry, the aforementioned chief executive officer of Frank Pepe's Development Co.
The ovens, he said, are essential to the Neapolitan-style pizza that Pepe brought over from Italy, a style characterized by the thin crust that results from dough backed at extremely high temperatures.
”It gives it a unique texture,” Berry said. “These pizzas are handcrafted. They're an art form.”
Blessed events, you might say.
"Regional"
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; We (the Mohegan Tribe) had to lose the Earth Casino Snack area for this. Could it be the Mohegan Tribal Council in their haste to build Project Horizon (the Earth Casino Hotel, the Casino of the Wind and the parking lots, and other things, made a deal with the owners of Pepe's that we couldn't get out of . Did we have to do this? Did the Tribal Council again mess up? Do you know? The food court was, I have been told owned and operated by the Mohegan Tribe, so we probalby made a profit from it. So now we lease the space to Pepe's. Does that make sense? The picture of Bruce 'Two dogs" Bozsum, in my opinion, looked like he needed a shave. What do you think?
By Brian Hallenbeck Published on 5/31/2009
Buy Photo By Cheryl Albaine
Chairman of the Mohegan Tribe Bruce“Two Dogs” Bozsum, left, and Francis Rosselli of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana fire up the brick oven for a smudge ceremony Thursday at Mohegan Sun Casino.
Mohegan - It's a good bet that Francesco Pepe never imagined that one day they'd be burning cedar leaves and acorns in the brick oven of a pizza shop bearing his name - Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.
In a casino no less.
In fact, when he opened his New Haven store back in 1925, Pepe likely had little inkling that it would become the standard-bearer of an old-world style of thin-crust pizza whose devotees queue up outside the store and along Wooster Street in the Elm City's Italian section. Even by the time he died in 1969, he wouldn't have expected his heirs to eventually open four other locations and hire a CEO to run Frank Pepe's Development Co.
But it's all coming to pass. And that's why Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council, came to bless the oven Thursday in the Frank Pepe's under construction in the Casino of the Earth at Mohegan Sun. It's Pepe's third “satellite” location, following the opening of stores in Fairfield (2006) and opposite the Buckland Hills mall in Manchester (2007). The fourth is scheduled to debut this November in Yonkers, N.Y.
Bozsum, performing a “smudging,” lit the oven and then joined Francis Rosselli, Frank Pepe's grandson, in adding coal to the fire, starting a process that will culminate in the store's opening on or about July 1.
”You like to take a month to cure an oven before you start cooking in it,” the 57-year-old Rosselli said. “It pulls the moisture out of the bricks and prepares the oven for optimum baking. We learn about the oven during the process. It might need some tweaking.
”We'll have someone here every day to fire it up,” he said. “We'll let it burn out, let the heat go down and then start it up again. It's like breaking in a new car.”
In the back, the kitchen has another oven, which says a lot about the expectations that Rosselli and the casino have for the store, which will provide 50 jobs, most of them full time.
”That's for the overflow,” Rosselli said of the second cooker. “We expect a lot of takeout business, and we'll be serving guests at the hotel, too.” Now that's something new: a Pepe's that delivers.
Rosselli, who started working in his grandfather's original pizzeria at the age of 13, remembers when things really started to take off there. It was in the 1960s.
”The line would form inside and go the length of nine booths,” he said. “There was this waiter, Salvatore Montagna, who'd come from the kitchen holding the pizza above his head so he could get past the line of people. That was a common scene on weekends.”
So how many customers has Pepe's served? How many pies tossed?
”I never thought of it in terms of numbers,” Rosselli said. “It's always been about quality … in large volumes.”
Toward that end, the Pepe's ovens at Mohegan Sun, as at all the Pepe's locations, are “brick-for-brick replicas” of the original ovens installed in the New Haven store in the 1930s, according to Ken Berry, the aforementioned chief executive officer of Frank Pepe's Development Co.
The ovens, he said, are essential to the Neapolitan-style pizza that Pepe brought over from Italy, a style characterized by the thin crust that results from dough backed at extremely high temperatures.
”It gives it a unique texture,” Berry said. “These pizzas are handcrafted. They're an art form.”
Blessed events, you might say.
"Regional"
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; We (the Mohegan Tribe) had to lose the Earth Casino Snack area for this. Could it be the Mohegan Tribal Council in their haste to build Project Horizon (the Earth Casino Hotel, the Casino of the Wind and the parking lots, and other things, made a deal with the owners of Pepe's that we couldn't get out of . Did we have to do this? Did the Tribal Council again mess up? Do you know? The food court was, I have been told owned and operated by the Mohegan Tribe, so we probalby made a profit from it. So now we lease the space to Pepe's. Does that make sense? The picture of Bruce 'Two dogs" Bozsum, in my opinion, looked like he needed a shave. What do you think?
AN ARGUMENT AT FOXWOODS
State Police arrest man at MGM Grand after dispute
Woman treated for minor injury
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Staff reports
Norwich Bulletin
Posted May 27, 2009 @ 06:54 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mashantucket, Conn. — State Police at the MGM Resort & Casino at Foxwoods arrested David J. Delrossi, 29, of North Providence, R.I., after he was involved in an argument with his girlfriend.
Police said Delrossi and the unidentified woman got into a fight that became physical.
Delrossi allegedly grabbed the woman and closed the door of their hotel room on her leg, causing a minor injury. She was treated by casino emergency personnel.
Police said Delrossi became combative and initially resisted arrest.
He was charged with:
Second degree breach of peace; interfering with a police officer; and second degree unlawful restraint.
He was held on $500 cash bond and is expected today in New London Superior Court.
Woman treated for minor injury
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Staff reports
Norwich Bulletin
Posted May 27, 2009 @ 06:54 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mashantucket, Conn. — State Police at the MGM Resort & Casino at Foxwoods arrested David J. Delrossi, 29, of North Providence, R.I., after he was involved in an argument with his girlfriend.
Police said Delrossi and the unidentified woman got into a fight that became physical.
Delrossi allegedly grabbed the woman and closed the door of their hotel room on her leg, causing a minor injury. She was treated by casino emergency personnel.
Police said Delrossi became combative and initially resisted arrest.
He was charged with:
Second degree breach of peace; interfering with a police officer; and second degree unlawful restraint.
He was held on $500 cash bond and is expected today in New London Superior Court.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
BOSZUM IS NUMBER 2?
Mohegan - Five incumbents, including Chairman Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, are among the 10 finalists for the five available seats on the Mohegan Tribal Council, the tribe announced Wednesday night.
All five councilors whose four-year terms expire this year will seek re-election in secret balloting over the next several weeks. In addition to Bozsum, the candidates are Lynn Malerba, the council's vice chairwoman; Bill Quidgeon, treasurer; James Gessner, recording secretary; and Mark Hamilton.
The terms of the other four members of the nine-member council extend to 2011.
Also named Wednesday from among a field of more than 40 tribal members who vied in primary balloting in recent weeks were Mike Bozsum, the chairman's younger brother; John Henry Clark, a former chairman of the tribe's Council of Elders; Ken Davison, who maintains Feather News, a blog devoted to tribal matters; and Kathy Regan-Pyne and Mark Sperry, both of whom have worked for the tribe.
In a statement, the tribe listed the 10 finalists in alphabetical order and provided almost no other information, including the number of votes each candidate won.
”It is part of Mohegan custom and tradition to keep the details of the election results solely within the tribe,” said Joe Smith, a tribal member and manager of public affairs for the tribal government.
Davison, who has a background in accounting, often analyzes tribal finances on his blog. He also has waged a battle in Mohegan Tribal Court over the tribe's requirement that tribal members vote for a full slate of candidates in tribal elections. Davison, according to his blog, asserted that members should only have to vote for candidates they prefer and that requiring them to vote for more “is, among other things, a violation of free speech rights.”
The tribal court sided with the tribe and its election committee in a ruling this month, Davison reported on Feather News.
Earlier this year, the tribe approved and then rescinded a controversial freedom-of-information ordinance that would have imposed limits on the information that could be disseminated on blogs like Davison's. A new version of the ordinance is subject to an upcoming referendum vote among tribal members.
The results of balloting in the council race will be announced Aug. 30. The five winning candidates will be sworn in Oct. 5.
The council, in addition to governing the tribe, serves as the managing board of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which operates Mohegan Sun, the resort casino that employs nearly 10,000 people.
b.hallenbeck@theday.com
"Mohegan-CT"
R E A D E R'S C O M M E N T S
Posted - 5/28/2009 10:42:24 AM"is, among other things, a violation of free speech rights." Does the entity operating the business on limbo land, that place peculiarly part of the US, but not, have a document guaranteeing free speech? What "other things" are there?
US CitizenPawcatuck, CT
- 5/28/2009 10:44:38 AM
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Last year both blogs www.feathernews.blogspot.com and www.brokenwingeditorials.blogspot.com put the candidate totals up. I know of no tradition that prohibits tribal members from giving out the numbers. I guess, it is we make up the tradition as we go along. How do, the people in Connecticut, or any place in the United States view us ? This whole process that the Tribal Council is promoting, makes the Mohegan People look like a secret society. People will think we have something to hide? What government doesn't give out a vote count of a legitimate election? What do you think?
Congradualtions to all the winners. On the next round our picks should be Ken Davison, Mark Hamilton, John Henry Clark, Mark Sperry and Kathy Regan-Pyne.
AN INTERESTING FACT IS THAT IN 2006 THE MOHEGAN TRIBE GAVE THE RESULTS TO THE NEWSPAPERS, NOW WE HAVE A CUSTOM AND TRADITION, IN THREE YEARS.
All five councilors whose four-year terms expire this year will seek re-election in secret balloting over the next several weeks. In addition to Bozsum, the candidates are Lynn Malerba, the council's vice chairwoman; Bill Quidgeon, treasurer; James Gessner, recording secretary; and Mark Hamilton.
The terms of the other four members of the nine-member council extend to 2011.
Also named Wednesday from among a field of more than 40 tribal members who vied in primary balloting in recent weeks were Mike Bozsum, the chairman's younger brother; John Henry Clark, a former chairman of the tribe's Council of Elders; Ken Davison, who maintains Feather News, a blog devoted to tribal matters; and Kathy Regan-Pyne and Mark Sperry, both of whom have worked for the tribe.
In a statement, the tribe listed the 10 finalists in alphabetical order and provided almost no other information, including the number of votes each candidate won.
”It is part of Mohegan custom and tradition to keep the details of the election results solely within the tribe,” said Joe Smith, a tribal member and manager of public affairs for the tribal government.
Davison, who has a background in accounting, often analyzes tribal finances on his blog. He also has waged a battle in Mohegan Tribal Court over the tribe's requirement that tribal members vote for a full slate of candidates in tribal elections. Davison, according to his blog, asserted that members should only have to vote for candidates they prefer and that requiring them to vote for more “is, among other things, a violation of free speech rights.”
The tribal court sided with the tribe and its election committee in a ruling this month, Davison reported on Feather News.
Earlier this year, the tribe approved and then rescinded a controversial freedom-of-information ordinance that would have imposed limits on the information that could be disseminated on blogs like Davison's. A new version of the ordinance is subject to an upcoming referendum vote among tribal members.
The results of balloting in the council race will be announced Aug. 30. The five winning candidates will be sworn in Oct. 5.
The council, in addition to governing the tribe, serves as the managing board of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which operates Mohegan Sun, the resort casino that employs nearly 10,000 people.
b.hallenbeck@theday.com
"Mohegan-CT"
R E A D E R'S C O M M E N T S
Posted - 5/28/2009 10:42:24 AM"is, among other things, a violation of free speech rights." Does the entity operating the business on limbo land, that place peculiarly part of the US, but not, have a document guaranteeing free speech? What "other things" are there?
US CitizenPawcatuck, CT
- 5/28/2009 10:44:38 AM
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Last year both blogs www.feathernews.blogspot.com and www.brokenwingeditorials.blogspot.com put the candidate totals up. I know of no tradition that prohibits tribal members from giving out the numbers. I guess, it is we make up the tradition as we go along. How do, the people in Connecticut, or any place in the United States view us ? This whole process that the Tribal Council is promoting, makes the Mohegan People look like a secret society. People will think we have something to hide? What government doesn't give out a vote count of a legitimate election? What do you think?
Congradualtions to all the winners. On the next round our picks should be Ken Davison, Mark Hamilton, John Henry Clark, Mark Sperry and Kathy Regan-Pyne.
AN INTERESTING FACT IS THAT IN 2006 THE MOHEGAN TRIBE GAVE THE RESULTS TO THE NEWSPAPERS, NOW WE HAVE A CUSTOM AND TRADITION, IN THREE YEARS.
BARGAINS IN LAS VEGAS?
Casinos Serve Up Bargains To Draw Visitors Back To Strip
By Oskar Garcia , Associated Press
Published on 5/25/2009
Las Vegas - It's back to the buffet, bargains and customer bonuses for Las Vegas casinos.
Fast food is up, fine dining tabs are down and hotel rooms are available for under $50 in a city that has been calling on recession-weary tourists to come back and play the quarter slot machines.
Value is the hippest thing on Las Vegas Boulevard this year.
At O'Sheas Casino, the president of five Harrah's Entertainment Inc. hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip is poking fun at the economic downturn and the excesses that built Sin City's anything-goes reputation.
Don Marrandino points at a sign pushing $45 bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey or Smirnoff vodka, and says the promotion parodies the not-too-distant past when the gambling resorts marked up liquor by hundreds of dollars a bottle and patrons couldn't empty them fast enough.
And then it all changed.
”I don't get scared too often,” said Marrandino, who oversees the Imperial Palace, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah's Las Vegas and Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon. “In January, I was scared.”
Across Las Vegas, casinos found consumers unwilling to pay premium prices for just about anything, from meals to hotel rooms, drinks and entertainment. Occupancy citywide dropped to about 72 percent in January, far below the 90 percent-plus normally enjoyed by Las Vegas hotels.
Now a strategy that casino executives laid out earlier this year is taking shape - offering bargains and fighting for visitors without spending much to build the next big attraction.
”Our challenge, like everyone else, is how do you create things without capital?” Marrandino said. “You're dealt a hand, and you gotta play it.”
The story is much the same for casinos across the country, which are looking for different ways to get gamblers in the door and keep them and their dollars there.
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, for example, offered a one-week-only special for the first time this month that combined a room with a 50-minute spa treatment for $210 per night.
Marrandino explained as he walked his regular route checking his casinos that his employees have had to be more creative to keep customers flowing through the doors.
After brief chats with a waitress at the Flamingo's topless pool and a tattoo shop cashier at O'Sheas, he said he wouldn't have believed predictions in January that occupancy would be above 90 percent at Memorial Day.
But as hotel-casinos from one end of the Las Vegas Strip to the other lowered rates, visitors have returned to cash in. By March, occupancy rose to 85.9 percent - and 92.5 percent on weekends.
The average room cost about $92 per night, some 12 percent less than in January and almost a third less than a year earlier.
Executives say changing customer demands affect every hotel-casino, from the $159 per night Wynn Las Vegas to the Imperial Palace, where rooms can be found for $34 per night.
The Imperial Palace is selling a package that includes a one-night stay with all meals at its buffet and a cafe and all drinks at casino and pool bars for $95.
The Luxor has used Twitter to push a $35 one-day pass to its buffet. Other MGM Mirage hotel-casinos offer all-day buffet tickets, and the Luxor's includes beer, wine and champagne.
Even Michelin-starred restaurants where dinner tabs run to $100 per person are offering fine dining at reduced, fixed rates.
”Value comes in all kinds of prices,” said Marcus Wooden, chief operating officer of the Wynn Las Vegas. “It's not just about being the cheapest, it's about making sure that you have a level of service of execution and service against that price for people to feel good about.”
The three-star Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand is known for its $385 16-course meal and a $225 six-course option. But it recently debuted another menu for $89.
Visitors are more conservative with their cash, but they're demanding the same experiences and quality they always have, said David McIntyre, vice president of food and beverage for MGM Grand.
”It reflects their state of mind as they're constantly being fed a diet of economic information that is less than glowing,” McIntyre said. “They'll definitely continue to be conservative as long as that diet exists.”
While restaurants are busy, McIntyre said average checks are down. The hotel's sommelier has been asked to replace wines that once sold for $300 or $400 a bottle with others that sell for $100 or $200.
”(Las Vegas) went from bargain to high end really quickly,” Marrandino said. “Now it's going back to that middle market.”
"Regional"
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Other casinos, in other parts of the United States, now realize to survive, they must give discounts, and bargains to attract customers and to keep them. The Mohegan Sun Casino and The Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, must also learn this lesson. It seems the leadership (the Mohegan Tribal Council) has again fell down on it's responsibility. Is this leadership? Are they protecting our (the Mohegan Tribe's) interest? Is this doing the right thing for us? Do the Tribal Councilors running for re-election need to go? What do you think?
By Oskar Garcia , Associated Press
Published on 5/25/2009
Las Vegas - It's back to the buffet, bargains and customer bonuses for Las Vegas casinos.
Fast food is up, fine dining tabs are down and hotel rooms are available for under $50 in a city that has been calling on recession-weary tourists to come back and play the quarter slot machines.
Value is the hippest thing on Las Vegas Boulevard this year.
At O'Sheas Casino, the president of five Harrah's Entertainment Inc. hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip is poking fun at the economic downturn and the excesses that built Sin City's anything-goes reputation.
Don Marrandino points at a sign pushing $45 bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey or Smirnoff vodka, and says the promotion parodies the not-too-distant past when the gambling resorts marked up liquor by hundreds of dollars a bottle and patrons couldn't empty them fast enough.
And then it all changed.
”I don't get scared too often,” said Marrandino, who oversees the Imperial Palace, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah's Las Vegas and Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon. “In January, I was scared.”
Across Las Vegas, casinos found consumers unwilling to pay premium prices for just about anything, from meals to hotel rooms, drinks and entertainment. Occupancy citywide dropped to about 72 percent in January, far below the 90 percent-plus normally enjoyed by Las Vegas hotels.
Now a strategy that casino executives laid out earlier this year is taking shape - offering bargains and fighting for visitors without spending much to build the next big attraction.
”Our challenge, like everyone else, is how do you create things without capital?” Marrandino said. “You're dealt a hand, and you gotta play it.”
The story is much the same for casinos across the country, which are looking for different ways to get gamblers in the door and keep them and their dollars there.
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, for example, offered a one-week-only special for the first time this month that combined a room with a 50-minute spa treatment for $210 per night.
Marrandino explained as he walked his regular route checking his casinos that his employees have had to be more creative to keep customers flowing through the doors.
After brief chats with a waitress at the Flamingo's topless pool and a tattoo shop cashier at O'Sheas, he said he wouldn't have believed predictions in January that occupancy would be above 90 percent at Memorial Day.
But as hotel-casinos from one end of the Las Vegas Strip to the other lowered rates, visitors have returned to cash in. By March, occupancy rose to 85.9 percent - and 92.5 percent on weekends.
The average room cost about $92 per night, some 12 percent less than in January and almost a third less than a year earlier.
Executives say changing customer demands affect every hotel-casino, from the $159 per night Wynn Las Vegas to the Imperial Palace, where rooms can be found for $34 per night.
The Imperial Palace is selling a package that includes a one-night stay with all meals at its buffet and a cafe and all drinks at casino and pool bars for $95.
The Luxor has used Twitter to push a $35 one-day pass to its buffet. Other MGM Mirage hotel-casinos offer all-day buffet tickets, and the Luxor's includes beer, wine and champagne.
Even Michelin-starred restaurants where dinner tabs run to $100 per person are offering fine dining at reduced, fixed rates.
”Value comes in all kinds of prices,” said Marcus Wooden, chief operating officer of the Wynn Las Vegas. “It's not just about being the cheapest, it's about making sure that you have a level of service of execution and service against that price for people to feel good about.”
The three-star Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand is known for its $385 16-course meal and a $225 six-course option. But it recently debuted another menu for $89.
Visitors are more conservative with their cash, but they're demanding the same experiences and quality they always have, said David McIntyre, vice president of food and beverage for MGM Grand.
”It reflects their state of mind as they're constantly being fed a diet of economic information that is less than glowing,” McIntyre said. “They'll definitely continue to be conservative as long as that diet exists.”
While restaurants are busy, McIntyre said average checks are down. The hotel's sommelier has been asked to replace wines that once sold for $300 or $400 a bottle with others that sell for $100 or $200.
”(Las Vegas) went from bargain to high end really quickly,” Marrandino said. “Now it's going back to that middle market.”
"Regional"
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Other casinos, in other parts of the United States, now realize to survive, they must give discounts, and bargains to attract customers and to keep them. The Mohegan Sun Casino and The Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, must also learn this lesson. It seems the leadership (the Mohegan Tribal Council) has again fell down on it's responsibility. Is this leadership? Are they protecting our (the Mohegan Tribe's) interest? Is this doing the right thing for us? Do the Tribal Councilors running for re-election need to go? What do you think?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
ID CARDS FOR CONNECTICUT SUN SEASON TICKET HOLDERS
Sun Season Ticket Holders First In WNBA To Get Personal ID Cards
May 26, 2009 - UNCASVILLE, Conn. (May 26, 2009) - Connecticut Sun season-ticket holders will be the first in the WNBA to enjoy the convenience of a Personal Identification Card (PID) that serves as their season ticket and their loyalty card.
"This is a project that has been in process since the end of last season," Sun General Manager Chris Sienko said. "We have created a unique new approach to accessing the game, as well as all of our subscription benefits. This program completely eliminates the need for a paper ticket, which makes it as environmentally friendly as it is fan friendly"
All 17 home games, plus both preseason games, have already been placed on the magnetic strip on the back of the card. Loyalty card discounts are also recorded on the magnetic strip, which will allow fans to swipe and enter through a Mohegan Sun Arena gate. Additionally, the card will provide fans with a variety of discounts at Mohegan Sun shops and restaurants and arena concessions.
Season ticket holders will even be able to send a ticket directly to the Sun membership card of a friend or family member as late as 10 minutes prior to tip-off of the game.
The Connecticut Sun tip off their seventh season at Mohegan Sun Arena on June 6th with a 4 p.m. game against the Washington Mystics. Season tickets, group and mini plans are on sale now and can be reserved by calling a Sun Ticket Representative at 1.877.SUN.TIXX (786-8499) or by visiting www.connecticutsun.com.
May 26, 2009 - UNCASVILLE, Conn. (May 26, 2009) - Connecticut Sun season-ticket holders will be the first in the WNBA to enjoy the convenience of a Personal Identification Card (PID) that serves as their season ticket and their loyalty card.
"This is a project that has been in process since the end of last season," Sun General Manager Chris Sienko said. "We have created a unique new approach to accessing the game, as well as all of our subscription benefits. This program completely eliminates the need for a paper ticket, which makes it as environmentally friendly as it is fan friendly"
All 17 home games, plus both preseason games, have already been placed on the magnetic strip on the back of the card. Loyalty card discounts are also recorded on the magnetic strip, which will allow fans to swipe and enter through a Mohegan Sun Arena gate. Additionally, the card will provide fans with a variety of discounts at Mohegan Sun shops and restaurants and arena concessions.
Season ticket holders will even be able to send a ticket directly to the Sun membership card of a friend or family member as late as 10 minutes prior to tip-off of the game.
The Connecticut Sun tip off their seventh season at Mohegan Sun Arena on June 6th with a 4 p.m. game against the Washington Mystics. Season tickets, group and mini plans are on sale now and can be reserved by calling a Sun Ticket Representative at 1.877.SUN.TIXX (786-8499) or by visiting www.connecticutsun.com.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
VOTE NO ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION 2009-35
In the beginning of 2009 the Mohegan Tribal Council passed Ordinance 2009-24 (the first Freedom of Information Ordinance). It was a bad law, so Mohegan Tribal Members under Article 12, Section 1 of the Mohegan Constitution (the Right to Petition), successfully petitioned to reject the ordinance and bring it up for a referendum (vote) by the Mohegan Tribe.
About 55 days after the petition had been accepted by the Election Committee and forwarded to the Mohegan Tribal Council it was CANCELED. The Mohegan Tribal Council killed their own law so that , in my opinion, Tribal Members couldn't vote on whether to keep the bad law or not.
Within one (1) week tribal members again petitioned under Article 12, Section 1, (Right to Petition), this time to enact their own Freedom of Information Ordinance. The tribal members turned the petition into the Election Committee, who said they could not accept the petition because even though the Mohegan Constitution calls for 35 members within seven (7) days can reject or enact, the Election Ordinance says you need 40% of the voters to sign the petition. This is a real problem. Mike Bartha, one of the sponsors, has filed in Mohegan Tribal Court to have the Election Committee and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians (the Tribal Council) fix this situation.
About a week later, after the petition to create, by tribal members their own Freedom of Information Ordinance, the Mohegan Tribal Council voted, eight to one (8 to 1) in favor of the new Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-35. The lone dissenter was Mark Hamiliton, who got it right when he said, it was a bad law, that was captious and prohibitive. Another "RESTRICTION OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE."
Tribal members again, petitioned under Article 12, Section 1, (the Right to Petition) and again successfully petitioned to have the new Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-35 sent out for a referendum to rescind the law (send it out for a vote). This time the Tribal Council decided finally to allow tribal members to vote, consequently you received your ballot yesterday or you will receive it in the next day or two.
RECENTLY, A TRIBAL MEMBER TRIED UNDER THE NEW FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE 2009-35 TO GET INFORMATION TO DEFEND HIMSELF BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS. HE WANTED AUDIO TAPES OR DISCS AND A CONTRACT TO DEFEND HIMSELF. HE TRIED UNDER THE ORDINANCE TO GET THE EVIDENCE. HE WAS DENIED EVEN BEING ABLE TO SEE THE CONTRACT, AND THE TAPES HE COULD HEAR BUT COULD NOT HAVE AS EVIDENCE. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET EVIDENCE TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE'S. THE SYSTEM FAILED HIM. NEXT TIME IT COULD BE YOU.
ORDINANCE 2009-35 WAS A "RESTRICTION OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE."
The problems, I see is if you get information , the government basically is saying they own it and if you talk to someone other then a tribal member about it, you can be brought up on Good Standing for violating the ordinance. A RESTRICTION OF INFORMATION.
The COO (Chief Operating Officer) makes the determination of what you as tribal members will get. If you don't like his decision, you can appeal to a three (3) member panel. The problem is these people are appointed and work directly for the tribal council. So who ultimately decides what you can see and read?
Another problem, is that the government has two (2) business days to decide to give you the information. Example, the Tribal Council passes an ordinance of Wednesday morning, the earliest the tribal member can get in the Freedom of Information Request is Thursday morning, with two business days, he may not get the ordinance until Monday morning. Now he has only two days to petition against the ordinance, when the Mohegan Constitution says he has seven (7) days.
You recently received a letter from the eight (8) members of the Tribal Council urging you to vote for the new Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-35. Again the one person, who was wise enough not to sign the letter was Mark Hamiliton. How come the letter doesn't tell you he didn't sign it?
I believe, the new Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-35 is better than the original Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-24, but it could be vastly improved. It is still a RESTRICTION OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE.
At the end of the day on June 7, 2009, whether the Freedom of Information passes or fails, it will be a good day for Mohegans. We will have seen a successful petition, brought to a vote. . It has never happened before.
Get your vote in. This one is important, folks. If you vote Yes, you are in favor (want) the Ordinance. If you vote no, you are not in favor (you don't want) the law. Vote No. WE DON'T WANT IT. MAKE THE GOVERNMENT CREATE A BETTER LAW. VOTE NO.
Should the law go? Should the Councilors who voted for the law and wrote the letter go? What do you think?
About 55 days after the petition had been accepted by the Election Committee and forwarded to the Mohegan Tribal Council it was CANCELED. The Mohegan Tribal Council killed their own law so that , in my opinion, Tribal Members couldn't vote on whether to keep the bad law or not.
Within one (1) week tribal members again petitioned under Article 12, Section 1, (Right to Petition), this time to enact their own Freedom of Information Ordinance. The tribal members turned the petition into the Election Committee, who said they could not accept the petition because even though the Mohegan Constitution calls for 35 members within seven (7) days can reject or enact, the Election Ordinance says you need 40% of the voters to sign the petition. This is a real problem. Mike Bartha, one of the sponsors, has filed in Mohegan Tribal Court to have the Election Committee and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians (the Tribal Council) fix this situation.
About a week later, after the petition to create, by tribal members their own Freedom of Information Ordinance, the Mohegan Tribal Council voted, eight to one (8 to 1) in favor of the new Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-35. The lone dissenter was Mark Hamiliton, who got it right when he said, it was a bad law, that was captious and prohibitive. Another "RESTRICTION OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE."
Tribal members again, petitioned under Article 12, Section 1, (the Right to Petition) and again successfully petitioned to have the new Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-35 sent out for a referendum to rescind the law (send it out for a vote). This time the Tribal Council decided finally to allow tribal members to vote, consequently you received your ballot yesterday or you will receive it in the next day or two.
RECENTLY, A TRIBAL MEMBER TRIED UNDER THE NEW FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE 2009-35 TO GET INFORMATION TO DEFEND HIMSELF BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS. HE WANTED AUDIO TAPES OR DISCS AND A CONTRACT TO DEFEND HIMSELF. HE TRIED UNDER THE ORDINANCE TO GET THE EVIDENCE. HE WAS DENIED EVEN BEING ABLE TO SEE THE CONTRACT, AND THE TAPES HE COULD HEAR BUT COULD NOT HAVE AS EVIDENCE. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET EVIDENCE TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE'S. THE SYSTEM FAILED HIM. NEXT TIME IT COULD BE YOU.
ORDINANCE 2009-35 WAS A "RESTRICTION OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE."
The problems, I see is if you get information , the government basically is saying they own it and if you talk to someone other then a tribal member about it, you can be brought up on Good Standing for violating the ordinance. A RESTRICTION OF INFORMATION.
The COO (Chief Operating Officer) makes the determination of what you as tribal members will get. If you don't like his decision, you can appeal to a three (3) member panel. The problem is these people are appointed and work directly for the tribal council. So who ultimately decides what you can see and read?
Another problem, is that the government has two (2) business days to decide to give you the information. Example, the Tribal Council passes an ordinance of Wednesday morning, the earliest the tribal member can get in the Freedom of Information Request is Thursday morning, with two business days, he may not get the ordinance until Monday morning. Now he has only two days to petition against the ordinance, when the Mohegan Constitution says he has seven (7) days.
You recently received a letter from the eight (8) members of the Tribal Council urging you to vote for the new Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-35. Again the one person, who was wise enough not to sign the letter was Mark Hamiliton. How come the letter doesn't tell you he didn't sign it?
I believe, the new Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-35 is better than the original Freedom of Information Ordinance 2009-24, but it could be vastly improved. It is still a RESTRICTION OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE.
At the end of the day on June 7, 2009, whether the Freedom of Information passes or fails, it will be a good day for Mohegans. We will have seen a successful petition, brought to a vote. . It has never happened before.
Get your vote in. This one is important, folks. If you vote Yes, you are in favor (want) the Ordinance. If you vote no, you are not in favor (you don't want) the law. Vote No. WE DON'T WANT IT. MAKE THE GOVERNMENT CREATE A BETTER LAW. VOTE NO.
Should the law go? Should the Councilors who voted for the law and wrote the letter go? What do you think?
THE CANDIDATES 2009
THE CANDIDATES 2009. I talked to tribal members and came away with some choices and rejections of some of the candidates. Here's the list. It is their opinions, use the information anyway you choose.
Of the incumbents, look at their voting record. Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozsum, Lynn Malerba, William Quidgeon, and James Gessner have failed us. They voted for the two bad ethics ordinances, the two bad freedom of information ordinances, the permanent facility at Pocono Downs, the Government Community Center, and other bad business decisions. They don't deserve our votes. They have lost the confidence and support of the tribe.
The only incumbent, that should be saved, is Mark Hamilton. He voted against the two bad ethic ordinances, the two bad freedom of information ordinances, the permanent facility at Pocono Downs (55% to 62% off the top), He voted against the government community center that no one seems to want. He has done a good job for the Mohegan People. He deserves another term.
Mike Bozsum, is the person who allegedly violated the voting ordinance by parking the so called "Pimp Mobile" near the government building and had people giving out things (bumper stickers, pens, coffee mugs, and watches, to voters. If he is not possibly doing it right campaigning, what kind of tribal councilor would he make? Do we need two (2) Bozsums in office?
Former Tribal Councilors were voted out office years ago, because the membership was not happy with their performance. Running again are Roland Harris, Glenn La Vigne, Shirley Walsh, and Christine Murtha. Do we need to go down the road with what some tribal members are calling retreads? Should we give them another chance? i don't think so.
My choices would be Ken Davison, and Mark Sperry. I like John Henry Clark, in fact I think he would make a great Chief, but is he going to keep taking his pension and the salary of a tribal councilor or will he put his penson on hold? This question needs to be addressed.
Other possibles are: William Donehey, Bill Leuze, Bill Gucfa, Aaron Athey
Some of the people, that I wrote about are friends, but that does not change what tribal membes said, so I reported what was said to me.
What I think really doesn't matter. Make sure you vote, the people we now have running our government are failing us terribly, they need to go. We need new blood. We don't need people who have failed us in the past. No second chances. We need smart people who will do the will of the Mohegan People. People who will put the interest of the Mohegan People ahead of their own interest.
We need a more transparent, open, concerned, proactive, nurturing government. Not the unresponsive government we have at present. Think carefully, and vote for good people, not necessarily friends or relatives. We need good people. These are critical times in our history. What do you think?
Of the incumbents, look at their voting record. Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozsum, Lynn Malerba, William Quidgeon, and James Gessner have failed us. They voted for the two bad ethics ordinances, the two bad freedom of information ordinances, the permanent facility at Pocono Downs, the Government Community Center, and other bad business decisions. They don't deserve our votes. They have lost the confidence and support of the tribe.
The only incumbent, that should be saved, is Mark Hamilton. He voted against the two bad ethic ordinances, the two bad freedom of information ordinances, the permanent facility at Pocono Downs (55% to 62% off the top), He voted against the government community center that no one seems to want. He has done a good job for the Mohegan People. He deserves another term.
Mike Bozsum, is the person who allegedly violated the voting ordinance by parking the so called "Pimp Mobile" near the government building and had people giving out things (bumper stickers, pens, coffee mugs, and watches, to voters. If he is not possibly doing it right campaigning, what kind of tribal councilor would he make? Do we need two (2) Bozsums in office?
Former Tribal Councilors were voted out office years ago, because the membership was not happy with their performance. Running again are Roland Harris, Glenn La Vigne, Shirley Walsh, and Christine Murtha. Do we need to go down the road with what some tribal members are calling retreads? Should we give them another chance? i don't think so.
My choices would be Ken Davison, and Mark Sperry. I like John Henry Clark, in fact I think he would make a great Chief, but is he going to keep taking his pension and the salary of a tribal councilor or will he put his penson on hold? This question needs to be addressed.
Other possibles are: William Donehey, Bill Leuze, Bill Gucfa, Aaron Athey
Some of the people, that I wrote about are friends, but that does not change what tribal membes said, so I reported what was said to me.
What I think really doesn't matter. Make sure you vote, the people we now have running our government are failing us terribly, they need to go. We need new blood. We don't need people who have failed us in the past. No second chances. We need smart people who will do the will of the Mohegan People. People who will put the interest of the Mohegan People ahead of their own interest.
We need a more transparent, open, concerned, proactive, nurturing government. Not the unresponsive government we have at present. Think carefully, and vote for good people, not necessarily friends or relatives. We need good people. These are critical times in our history. What do you think?
Monday, May 25, 2009
MEMORIAL DAY 2009
Today, is Monday May 25, 2009, Memorial Day in the United States. The day is dedicated to remembering the war dead of America. It started as an observation of the Civil War (1861-1865) dead (500,000 people in 1868. It took place at Arlington National Cemetery, in Washington D. C. hosted by President U. S. Grant. It was called "Decoration Day."
New York, in 1873 was the first state to start celebrating the holiday annually. After World War I the day was dedicated to all American War dead all the way back to the American Revolution. The current day celebration on the last Monday in May, began in 1976, by an act of the Untied States Congress.
Mohegans, have fought for this country with the English Settlers even before the American Revolution. In fact, Mohegans have fought since one of the first conflict between the settlers and Native Americans. It took place at Mystic Fort (Pequot Fort). The Mohegans, the Narragansetts and English settlers joined forces to burn the fort down killing men, women and children.
We, (Mohegan tribal members) have fought in the Pequot War, the King James War, the Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Desert Storms I and II and all kinds of conflicts in between.
Our people have served our country in all kinds of times of need. These people have done us (the Mohegan Tribe) proud. Asking someone to put their life on the line is a great thing. Sometimes what needed to be done, was unspeakable. Some of these people have nightmares and all kinds of heartache and pain, years after living through the hell of war. Thank God they served our country. They have served all of us, we should treat them as special, because they are special by the very things they endured for us to enjoy the freedoms and rights that many of us take for granted.
When you see a veteran, thank them for serving our country. Whether you believed in the conflict or not, remember the courage, honor, fortitude, that these people showed. We should thank them for their service. We should willingly listen to them, their stories or whatever. We should just be there for them. They have done us proud.
Happy Memorial Day. Thank a soldier. Give them a hug. Buy them a drink, whatever, just let them know you care. What do you think?
New York, in 1873 was the first state to start celebrating the holiday annually. After World War I the day was dedicated to all American War dead all the way back to the American Revolution. The current day celebration on the last Monday in May, began in 1976, by an act of the Untied States Congress.
Mohegans, have fought for this country with the English Settlers even before the American Revolution. In fact, Mohegans have fought since one of the first conflict between the settlers and Native Americans. It took place at Mystic Fort (Pequot Fort). The Mohegans, the Narragansetts and English settlers joined forces to burn the fort down killing men, women and children.
We, (Mohegan tribal members) have fought in the Pequot War, the King James War, the Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Desert Storms I and II and all kinds of conflicts in between.
Our people have served our country in all kinds of times of need. These people have done us (the Mohegan Tribe) proud. Asking someone to put their life on the line is a great thing. Sometimes what needed to be done, was unspeakable. Some of these people have nightmares and all kinds of heartache and pain, years after living through the hell of war. Thank God they served our country. They have served all of us, we should treat them as special, because they are special by the very things they endured for us to enjoy the freedoms and rights that many of us take for granted.
When you see a veteran, thank them for serving our country. Whether you believed in the conflict or not, remember the courage, honor, fortitude, that these people showed. We should thank them for their service. We should willingly listen to them, their stories or whatever. We should just be there for them. They have done us proud.
Happy Memorial Day. Thank a soldier. Give them a hug. Buy them a drink, whatever, just let them know you care. What do you think?
Friday, May 22, 2009
IRON WORKER FALLS TO HIS DEATH
Death of ironworker at Mohegan investigated
By http://www.blogger.com/Phone No.: (860) 701 - 4260 Other Recent Articles Ledyard girl represents Connecticut fans at Fenway - 5/21/2009Michael Naughton
Published on 5/21/2009
Mohegan - Federal and tribal safety officials were at the site of a Mohegan Tribe construction project Wednesday investigating the death of an ironworker.
Dick Blake, 59, was reportedly working on the Mohegan Government and Community Center building Tuesday morning when he fell about four stories. Tribal fire crews took him to The William W. Backus Hospital, where he later died.
Tribal officials would not say where he lived.
Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are trying to determine what exactly happened, what safety standards apply and whether the employer complied with those standards, said Ted Fitzgerald, an OSHA spokesman. He said the investigation could be weeks or months long.
Terry McEvily, the assistant area director for OSHA, said it was the first time investigators have been called out to that project, which was suspended earlier this year for financial reasons. The Gilbane construction company of Providence is overseeing the work.
Blake was on a crew assigned to secure the construction work until building restarted, said Chuck Bunnell, the Mohegan Tribe's chief of staff.
The center, which was to have been completed in December, was slated to house offices, a swimming pool and a basketball court where the Connecticut Sun would practice.
Blake was a member of the Iron Workers Local 15.
A woman who answered the phone for the union Wednesday would say only that Blake “was a sweetheart, one of the nicest people.”
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the cause of death was multiple blunt traumatic injuries due to an accidental fall.
”We're thinking of (his family) and sharing in their grief,” Bunnell said.
m.naughton@theday.com
"Mohegan-CT"
R
By http://www.blogger.com/Phone No.: (860) 701 - 4260 Other Recent Articles Ledyard girl represents Connecticut fans at Fenway - 5/21/2009Michael Naughton
Published on 5/21/2009
Mohegan - Federal and tribal safety officials were at the site of a Mohegan Tribe construction project Wednesday investigating the death of an ironworker.
Dick Blake, 59, was reportedly working on the Mohegan Government and Community Center building Tuesday morning when he fell about four stories. Tribal fire crews took him to The William W. Backus Hospital, where he later died.
Tribal officials would not say where he lived.
Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are trying to determine what exactly happened, what safety standards apply and whether the employer complied with those standards, said Ted Fitzgerald, an OSHA spokesman. He said the investigation could be weeks or months long.
Terry McEvily, the assistant area director for OSHA, said it was the first time investigators have been called out to that project, which was suspended earlier this year for financial reasons. The Gilbane construction company of Providence is overseeing the work.
Blake was on a crew assigned to secure the construction work until building restarted, said Chuck Bunnell, the Mohegan Tribe's chief of staff.
The center, which was to have been completed in December, was slated to house offices, a swimming pool and a basketball court where the Connecticut Sun would practice.
Blake was a member of the Iron Workers Local 15.
A woman who answered the phone for the union Wednesday would say only that Blake “was a sweetheart, one of the nicest people.”
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the cause of death was multiple blunt traumatic injuries due to an accidental fall.
”We're thinking of (his family) and sharing in their grief,” Bunnell said.
m.naughton@theday.com
"Mohegan-CT"
R
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
FUGITIVE CAUGHT AT FOXWOODS
Fugitive arrested at casino
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By JOHN PENNEY
Norwich Bulletin
Posted May 20, 2009 @ 06:19 AM
Mashantucket, Conn. —
Police this morning arrested a New Hampshire man in the Foxwoods Casino wanted for failure to register as a sex offender.James R. Wiggins, 37, of Keene, N.H., was arrested at 12:15 a.m. today on fugitive charges. He was wanted in New Hampshire on failure to appear and failure to register as a sex offender charges, police said.Following the arrest, the New Hampshire County Sheriff’s office was contacted and will make arrangements for extradition, police said.Wiggins is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court this morning.
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By JOHN PENNEY
Norwich Bulletin
Posted May 20, 2009 @ 06:19 AM
Mashantucket, Conn. —
Police this morning arrested a New Hampshire man in the Foxwoods Casino wanted for failure to register as a sex offender.James R. Wiggins, 37, of Keene, N.H., was arrested at 12:15 a.m. today on fugitive charges. He was wanted in New Hampshire on failure to appear and failure to register as a sex offender charges, police said.Following the arrest, the New Hampshire County Sheriff’s office was contacted and will make arrangements for extradition, police said.Wiggins is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court this morning.
CHEATING AT CRAPS?
Defendant rolls the dice at craps cheating trial
Published on 5/19/2009
Richard S. Taylor took the witness stand at his craps cheating conspiracy trial in New London this morning but spent most of his time standing around a makeshift craps table to explain his “system” for winning the dice game.
Taylor, 43, of Memphis, Tenn., is accused of masterminding a conspiracy in which dealers at Foxwoods Resort Casino paid players he sent into the casino for late bets. The players then split the profits of the cheating with Taylor and the dealers, according to previous testimony at the trial.
Taylor denies taking part in the conspiracy and maintains that he is a professional gambler who has shared his system for winning craps with anyone who is interested, including a TV news crew.
“On Fox 13 News in Memphis, Tennessee, they did a special on me,” he testified.
Taylor said that he was approached by Foxwoods dealers and asked to take part in the cheating conspiracy but that he declined.
With jurors standing up for a better view of the green felt craps layout on the floor in front of them, Taylor took a pair of dice that had been provided by Foxwoods and rolled them, using the judge's bench as a back wall and referring to a written explanation of his system that was shown on a projector. Attorney Ralph Bergman asked Taylor to explain what numbers “go with” other numbers and how his system works.
“Nobody knows the exact number that will come up,” he said. “But if you know the parameters of the numbers that will come up you can win.”
Taylor wanted to have somebody else roll the dice for his demonstration, but Judge Stuart M. Schimelman told him he had to do it himself. He explained how if he was playing at the casino, he would be placing $3,000 or $5,000 bets. Because he was a high roller, Taylor said, there would be pretty women around him and hustlers looking for money.
With Taylor as the shooter, the makeshift craps table was “hot” for a while. The number nine came up frequently as did numbers in Taylor's system. And when the number was not in his favor, Taylor pointed out that even if he didn't win, he didn't lose, either.
Taylor will face cross-examination this afternoon from prosecutor Stephen M. Carney.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; I don't quite understand the system, maybe some reader could explain it to me. I have been told that certain numbers like six and eight (6 and 8) come up a lot. I have been told by gamblers that the system would not work at casinos. Does anyone know? What do you think?
Published on 5/19/2009
Richard S. Taylor took the witness stand at his craps cheating conspiracy trial in New London this morning but spent most of his time standing around a makeshift craps table to explain his “system” for winning the dice game.
Taylor, 43, of Memphis, Tenn., is accused of masterminding a conspiracy in which dealers at Foxwoods Resort Casino paid players he sent into the casino for late bets. The players then split the profits of the cheating with Taylor and the dealers, according to previous testimony at the trial.
Taylor denies taking part in the conspiracy and maintains that he is a professional gambler who has shared his system for winning craps with anyone who is interested, including a TV news crew.
“On Fox 13 News in Memphis, Tennessee, they did a special on me,” he testified.
Taylor said that he was approached by Foxwoods dealers and asked to take part in the cheating conspiracy but that he declined.
With jurors standing up for a better view of the green felt craps layout on the floor in front of them, Taylor took a pair of dice that had been provided by Foxwoods and rolled them, using the judge's bench as a back wall and referring to a written explanation of his system that was shown on a projector. Attorney Ralph Bergman asked Taylor to explain what numbers “go with” other numbers and how his system works.
“Nobody knows the exact number that will come up,” he said. “But if you know the parameters of the numbers that will come up you can win.”
Taylor wanted to have somebody else roll the dice for his demonstration, but Judge Stuart M. Schimelman told him he had to do it himself. He explained how if he was playing at the casino, he would be placing $3,000 or $5,000 bets. Because he was a high roller, Taylor said, there would be pretty women around him and hustlers looking for money.
With Taylor as the shooter, the makeshift craps table was “hot” for a while. The number nine came up frequently as did numbers in Taylor's system. And when the number was not in his favor, Taylor pointed out that even if he didn't win, he didn't lose, either.
Taylor will face cross-examination this afternoon from prosecutor Stephen M. Carney.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; I don't quite understand the system, maybe some reader could explain it to me. I have been told that certain numbers like six and eight (6 and 8) come up a lot. I have been told by gamblers that the system would not work at casinos. Does anyone know? What do you think?
GIVING DRINKS TO MINORS
Man Charged With Providing Underage Girls With Drinks
Published on 5/19/2009
Mashantucket - A New Hampshire man was charged Sunday night with providing alcoholic drinks to two underage females at a Foxwoods Resort Casino bar.
Barry Alan Dion, 29, of Hooksett, N.H., allegedly delivered the drinks to the two 20-year-old women who are also from Hooksett, N.H.
Officials from the state Liquor Control Division were at the Atrium bar about 9:30 p.m. when Dion allegedly bought the drinks.
State police were notified and they charged Dion with two counts of delivering alcohol to a minor. The two women, Cassandra Roll and Christie Bussiere, were charged with possession of alcohol by a minor.
Dion is due in New London Superior Court May 28.
"Regional"
Published on 5/19/2009
Mashantucket - A New Hampshire man was charged Sunday night with providing alcoholic drinks to two underage females at a Foxwoods Resort Casino bar.
Barry Alan Dion, 29, of Hooksett, N.H., allegedly delivered the drinks to the two 20-year-old women who are also from Hooksett, N.H.
Officials from the state Liquor Control Division were at the Atrium bar about 9:30 p.m. when Dion allegedly bought the drinks.
State police were notified and they charged Dion with two counts of delivering alcohol to a minor. The two women, Cassandra Roll and Christie Bussiere, were charged with possession of alcohol by a minor.
Dion is due in New London Superior Court May 28.
"Regional"
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
MATT LIGHT AND THE ALLEGED FIGHT AT ULTRA 88
Host sues Pats’ Matt Light in casino club fight
By Laurel J. Sweet Tuesday, May 19, 2009 -
UNCASVILLE, Conn. - A VIP host who catered to the whims of the rich and famous at a swank Mohegan Sun nightclub is suing New England Patriot Matt Light [stats], claiming the All-Pro tackle broke his nose during a dance-floor dust-up.
Jacob Herman II, 25, alleges in court papers the 6-foot-4-inch, 305-pound Light left him badly bruised and with two black eyes. Herman underwent surgery to repair a severe deviated septum and depressed left nasal bone fracture, his lawyer said yesterday.
“This (lawsuit) was the only way we could seek a final resolution to the matter,” attorney Robert Fashjian told the Herald.
Herman, of Preston, an interior designer currently studying in Korea, filed his complaint with the casino’s Gaming Disputes Trial Court Nov. 13, accusing Light of intentional assault and battery, negligence and recklessness. No date for the bench trial has been set.
Light’s attorney Mark Fay did not respond to a request for comment, but in court filings Light denies the allegations.
The incident is alleged to have happened on New Year’s Eve, 2007, in the exclusive Blue Room of Ultra 88. Pats players partying with Light included former quarterback Matt Cassel, center Dan Koppen, wide receiver Wes Welker and kicker Stephen Gostkowski, according to a Mohegan Tribal Police report.
Police said surveillance footage shows two groups being separated by club personnel, but “does not show anyone being struck.”
Light later told investigators “he may have pushed someone out of the way en route to help his wife,” who’d motioned to him she was having a problem on the dance floor, but he denied fighting with anyone, police said.
Herman, police noted, had a black-and-blue left eye and a cut on his nose, but refused medical attention.
He claims in his complaint he was trying to pull Light off another man who was being pummeled, when Light turned on him, fists flying.
“Part of the host’s position is to protect the general public and that’s what he was trying to do,” Fashjian said.
A club patron who was punched in the face and identified by police as Gerald Bagley told officers he couldn’t identify who hit him and wanted to leave the club.
Herman, Fashjian said, is “not a sports fan. We’re not taking on the Patriots [team stats], we’re taking on Mr. Light. One would hope we could reach a conclusion. It’s unfortunate that it happened to begin with.”
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Ultra 88 Night Club, in my opinion, is a problem waiting to happen. A lot of the alcohol problems, that seem to happen in the Mohegan Sun Casino, seem to generate from this location. I have been told, that fights and arguments happen there almost nightly. Why didn't we just let them lose their liquor license and take over the club? Was that possible? Is this a problem place, in the casino? What do you think?
By Laurel J. Sweet Tuesday, May 19, 2009 -
UNCASVILLE, Conn. - A VIP host who catered to the whims of the rich and famous at a swank Mohegan Sun nightclub is suing New England Patriot Matt Light [stats], claiming the All-Pro tackle broke his nose during a dance-floor dust-up.
Jacob Herman II, 25, alleges in court papers the 6-foot-4-inch, 305-pound Light left him badly bruised and with two black eyes. Herman underwent surgery to repair a severe deviated septum and depressed left nasal bone fracture, his lawyer said yesterday.
“This (lawsuit) was the only way we could seek a final resolution to the matter,” attorney Robert Fashjian told the Herald.
Herman, of Preston, an interior designer currently studying in Korea, filed his complaint with the casino’s Gaming Disputes Trial Court Nov. 13, accusing Light of intentional assault and battery, negligence and recklessness. No date for the bench trial has been set.
Light’s attorney Mark Fay did not respond to a request for comment, but in court filings Light denies the allegations.
The incident is alleged to have happened on New Year’s Eve, 2007, in the exclusive Blue Room of Ultra 88. Pats players partying with Light included former quarterback Matt Cassel, center Dan Koppen, wide receiver Wes Welker and kicker Stephen Gostkowski, according to a Mohegan Tribal Police report.
Police said surveillance footage shows two groups being separated by club personnel, but “does not show anyone being struck.”
Light later told investigators “he may have pushed someone out of the way en route to help his wife,” who’d motioned to him she was having a problem on the dance floor, but he denied fighting with anyone, police said.
Herman, police noted, had a black-and-blue left eye and a cut on his nose, but refused medical attention.
He claims in his complaint he was trying to pull Light off another man who was being pummeled, when Light turned on him, fists flying.
“Part of the host’s position is to protect the general public and that’s what he was trying to do,” Fashjian said.
A club patron who was punched in the face and identified by police as Gerald Bagley told officers he couldn’t identify who hit him and wanted to leave the club.
Herman, Fashjian said, is “not a sports fan. We’re not taking on the Patriots [team stats], we’re taking on Mr. Light. One would hope we could reach a conclusion. It’s unfortunate that it happened to begin with.”
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Ultra 88 Night Club, in my opinion, is a problem waiting to happen. A lot of the alcohol problems, that seem to happen in the Mohegan Sun Casino, seem to generate from this location. I have been told, that fights and arguments happen there almost nightly. Why didn't we just let them lose their liquor license and take over the club? Was that possible? Is this a problem place, in the casino? What do you think?
SHOULD HE OR SHOULDN'T HE?
On Monday May 18, 2009, Mohegan Tribal Member, Ken Davison, received the judgement of the Honorable Mohegan Tribal Court Judge Freeman. Davison's case is about whether a tribal member should have to vote the entire number of positions available in an election or can tribal members legally vote for less than the total number of positions available.
The Honorable Judge Freeman, decided in favor of the Defense (the Mohegan Tribe, and the Election Committee). To see her judgement, check out, http://www.feathernews.blogspot.com/. You will see how the judge came to her decision.
The question, now readers, is does he appeal or does he just accept the decision. I think he should continue. I think he should appeal. Although, I understand the judge's logic, I still feel there is something fundamentally wrong, when a voter has to do something he doesn't want to do. Voting, to me, is putting my picks down on paper.
It is FREEDOM OF CHOICE. If we, (the Mohegan Tribe) are doing something we don't want to do, then voting is no longer a privilege and something that tribal members are doing willingly. Are tribal members being forced to do something they really don't want to do? What do you think?
Tribal members, I spoke to, think Ken Davison should continue the fight. They think the law needs to be changed. Tribal members were asking the following questions.
Why aren't the Council of Elders, stepping up to fix this situation? Why isn't the Tribal Council stepping up and fixing the situation? Could it be, that the very practice of the way Mohegan Tribal Members vote, favor the incumbents?
Why couldn't the Tribal Council send this matter out for a vote, by the Mohegan membership, and settle the issue once and for all?
SHOULD HE OR SHOULDN'T HE? What do you think? Comment on his website and let him know.
The Honorable Judge Freeman, decided in favor of the Defense (the Mohegan Tribe, and the Election Committee). To see her judgement, check out, http://www.feathernews.blogspot.com/. You will see how the judge came to her decision.
The question, now readers, is does he appeal or does he just accept the decision. I think he should continue. I think he should appeal. Although, I understand the judge's logic, I still feel there is something fundamentally wrong, when a voter has to do something he doesn't want to do. Voting, to me, is putting my picks down on paper.
It is FREEDOM OF CHOICE. If we, (the Mohegan Tribe) are doing something we don't want to do, then voting is no longer a privilege and something that tribal members are doing willingly. Are tribal members being forced to do something they really don't want to do? What do you think?
Tribal members, I spoke to, think Ken Davison should continue the fight. They think the law needs to be changed. Tribal members were asking the following questions.
Why aren't the Council of Elders, stepping up to fix this situation? Why isn't the Tribal Council stepping up and fixing the situation? Could it be, that the very practice of the way Mohegan Tribal Members vote, favor the incumbents?
Why couldn't the Tribal Council send this matter out for a vote, by the Mohegan membership, and settle the issue once and for all?
SHOULD HE OR SHOULDN'T HE? What do you think? Comment on his website and let him know.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
NOHEGAN SUN SLOTS DOWN 8.4% IN APRIL COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO
April slots still down, but better than March
By http://www.blogger.com/Phone No.: (860) 701 - 4354 Other Recent Articles Mohegans Seek Niche, Won\'t Tout Slots - 5/17/2009Brian Hallenbeck
Published on 5/16/2009
Executives at Connecticut's tribally owned casinos said Friday that the size of the year-over-year declines in their April slot-machine winnings suggested things are looking up.
Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods won $57.5 million at 7,600 machines last month, eight-tenths of a percent less than Foxwoods alone won in April 2008. MGM Grand opened last May. The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority reported that Mohegan Sun won $64.3 million at nearly 6,800 machines last month, an 8.4 percent decline over the previous April.
”I am thrilled with our recent results, and proud to see that the enhancements and additional amenities we have added to our property are resonating with our customers,” Michael Speller, president of Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises, which operates the Foxwoods casinos, said in a statement.
Foxwoods, which had reported slight year-over-year increases in its slots win during February and March, recently added 24 table games to its Great Cedar Casino as well as 115,000 square feet of meeting space.
Although Mohegan Sun's April win was less than the previous month's win of $65.6 million, the year-over-year decline for April was significantly better than March's 14.6 percent decline.
”Obviously, we're glad the decrease was less than last month's, but I think it's premature to say the worst is over,” Mitchell Etess, president and chief executive officer of Mohegan Sun, said. “No doubt we're still seeing the same trends that have been affecting the entire industry. But it's a good sign.”
The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, which forward 25 percent of their slot revenues to the state
Division of Special Revenue, made April payments of $16.1 million and $14.4 million, respectively.
Data the casinos filed with the state indicate lower-denomination slots were particularly popular among patrons. More than 40 percent of Mohegan Sun's take - nearly $26 million - was won on penny slot machines. The casino won another $624,000 on half-penny machines and $181,000 on quarter-penny machines, denominations it introduced earlier this year. Foxwoods won $17.1 million on penny slots, more than on machines of any other denomination, which range as high as $100.
”That's been a trend throughout the whole industry, where the lower-denomination slots generate more and more of the win,” Etess said. “Whether it's economy-driven, I'm not sure. It's a way for people to get more time at play.
”The trend started before the economy went south, but that may have speeded it up.”
The April data show that Mohegan Sun won, on average, $316.88 a day on each of its machines, while the comparable figure for the Foxwoods casinos was $252.13.
B.HALLENBECK@THEDAY.COM
"Regional"
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; Congradulations to Foxwoods, a job well done. Foxwoods was down -0.8% (less than 1%), and the Mohegan Sun was down -8.4% (ten times the loss of Foxwoods), comparing April 2009 with April, 2008.
Etess are you kidding us? We (the Mohegan Tribe) can not continue to lose money like this month after month year after year. What is the MTGA (the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, the Mohegan Tribal Council) doing about these continuing losses?
Some tribal members, are saying not much or not enough. If these people can't get the job done, maybe it's time for new people? Should they go? What do you think?
By http://www.blogger.com/Phone No.: (860) 701 - 4354 Other Recent Articles Mohegans Seek Niche, Won\'t Tout Slots - 5/17/2009Brian Hallenbeck
Published on 5/16/2009
Executives at Connecticut's tribally owned casinos said Friday that the size of the year-over-year declines in their April slot-machine winnings suggested things are looking up.
Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods won $57.5 million at 7,600 machines last month, eight-tenths of a percent less than Foxwoods alone won in April 2008. MGM Grand opened last May. The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority reported that Mohegan Sun won $64.3 million at nearly 6,800 machines last month, an 8.4 percent decline over the previous April.
”I am thrilled with our recent results, and proud to see that the enhancements and additional amenities we have added to our property are resonating with our customers,” Michael Speller, president of Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises, which operates the Foxwoods casinos, said in a statement.
Foxwoods, which had reported slight year-over-year increases in its slots win during February and March, recently added 24 table games to its Great Cedar Casino as well as 115,000 square feet of meeting space.
Although Mohegan Sun's April win was less than the previous month's win of $65.6 million, the year-over-year decline for April was significantly better than March's 14.6 percent decline.
”Obviously, we're glad the decrease was less than last month's, but I think it's premature to say the worst is over,” Mitchell Etess, president and chief executive officer of Mohegan Sun, said. “No doubt we're still seeing the same trends that have been affecting the entire industry. But it's a good sign.”
The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, which forward 25 percent of their slot revenues to the state
Division of Special Revenue, made April payments of $16.1 million and $14.4 million, respectively.
Data the casinos filed with the state indicate lower-denomination slots were particularly popular among patrons. More than 40 percent of Mohegan Sun's take - nearly $26 million - was won on penny slot machines. The casino won another $624,000 on half-penny machines and $181,000 on quarter-penny machines, denominations it introduced earlier this year. Foxwoods won $17.1 million on penny slots, more than on machines of any other denomination, which range as high as $100.
”That's been a trend throughout the whole industry, where the lower-denomination slots generate more and more of the win,” Etess said. “Whether it's economy-driven, I'm not sure. It's a way for people to get more time at play.
”The trend started before the economy went south, but that may have speeded it up.”
The April data show that Mohegan Sun won, on average, $316.88 a day on each of its machines, while the comparable figure for the Foxwoods casinos was $252.13.
B.HALLENBECK@THEDAY.COM
"Regional"
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; Congradulations to Foxwoods, a job well done. Foxwoods was down -0.8% (less than 1%), and the Mohegan Sun was down -8.4% (ten times the loss of Foxwoods), comparing April 2009 with April, 2008.
Etess are you kidding us? We (the Mohegan Tribe) can not continue to lose money like this month after month year after year. What is the MTGA (the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, the Mohegan Tribal Council) doing about these continuing losses?
Some tribal members, are saying not much or not enough. If these people can't get the job done, maybe it's time for new people? Should they go? What do you think?
PALMER OFFICE TO OPEN MONDAY
Mohegans set up shop in Palmer
Mohegans open storefront office inPalmer
Updated: Friday, 15 May 2009, 10:32 PM EDTPublished : Friday, 15 May 2009, 10:00 PM EDT
Barry Kriger
PALMER, Mass. (WWLP) - It's not a casino, but Mohegan Sun has set up shop in downtown Palmer. The Mohegans will formally open the doors to a storefront office on Main Street Monday morning. The Connecticut Casino Tribe hopes to open a destination gaming resort in Palmer. 22News found one casino supporter who thinks this move might be premature on the part of the tribe. "They haven't made any serious moves yet. To put an office in the center of town already is kind of a big step," said Nicholas Johnson of Palmer. The Mohegans' storefront office officially opens Monday morning at 11. It will serve as a place where locals can learn more about the Mohegans' plans for Palmer and western Massachusetts.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Could this be another bad deal for the Mohegan Tribe? Look at the numbers, a $100 million to possibly higher than $250 million license fee. Can we afford that? What about a $500 million to $1 Billion dollar 600 room hotel destination resort casino? Can we afford that? Are the executives at the MTGA looking at our numbers?
Early Sunday morning (Saturday night), business at the Mohegan Sun was terrible.. Are the Tribal Councilors (the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority) looking for a quick fix (the Palmer project) for terrible business decisions, they have made over the years?
Are the Tribal Councilors, trying anything to get re-elected? Do these people need to go?? Do we need new blood? Look at the MTGA's record, over the years. It is terrible. I wouldn't want to defend their record. They have failed us. Now they are looking at Palmer, is it another Pocono Downs, that won't make us (the Mohegan Tribe) any money? Should we be doing this? What do you think?
Mohegans open storefront office inPalmer
Updated: Friday, 15 May 2009, 10:32 PM EDTPublished : Friday, 15 May 2009, 10:00 PM EDT
Barry Kriger
PALMER, Mass. (WWLP) - It's not a casino, but Mohegan Sun has set up shop in downtown Palmer. The Mohegans will formally open the doors to a storefront office on Main Street Monday morning. The Connecticut Casino Tribe hopes to open a destination gaming resort in Palmer. 22News found one casino supporter who thinks this move might be premature on the part of the tribe. "They haven't made any serious moves yet. To put an office in the center of town already is kind of a big step," said Nicholas Johnson of Palmer. The Mohegans' storefront office officially opens Monday morning at 11. It will serve as a place where locals can learn more about the Mohegans' plans for Palmer and western Massachusetts.
EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: Could this be another bad deal for the Mohegan Tribe? Look at the numbers, a $100 million to possibly higher than $250 million license fee. Can we afford that? What about a $500 million to $1 Billion dollar 600 room hotel destination resort casino? Can we afford that? Are the executives at the MTGA looking at our numbers?
Early Sunday morning (Saturday night), business at the Mohegan Sun was terrible.. Are the Tribal Councilors (the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority) looking for a quick fix (the Palmer project) for terrible business decisions, they have made over the years?
Are the Tribal Councilors, trying anything to get re-elected? Do these people need to go?? Do we need new blood? Look at the MTGA's record, over the years. It is terrible. I wouldn't want to defend their record. They have failed us. Now they are looking at Palmer, is it another Pocono Downs, that won't make us (the Mohegan Tribe) any money? Should we be doing this? What do you think?
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
THE CLAM BAKE
Mohegan Tribal Members are invited to a Clam bake at Shantok, on Saturday May 16, 2009 between 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (Lunch 11:00 A.M. to 3;00 P.M.).
Candidates for the Tribal Council will be there trying to get votes. I figure the five (5) existing Tribal Councilors will be there, to get your votes. When they talk to you remember their record. We are worse off now, then when they took office, and that's a fact. They have failed us. One of the most powerfull rights, we have is the right to vote. Don't give it away. We should want to put in office people who will make a difference. It is not a popularity contest.
The only Tribal Councilor who has consistantly voted for the tribe, in my opinion, is Mark Hamilton. Tomorrow, I will write about his and the other tribal coucilors records. It is eye opening.
Have fun, The food should be great. Good company, too. I wish I could be there with you. I will think good thoughts for you. Have fun. Hopefully it will be a warm, sunny day. It will be a good day for all Mohegans. What do you think?
Candidates for the Tribal Council will be there trying to get votes. I figure the five (5) existing Tribal Councilors will be there, to get your votes. When they talk to you remember their record. We are worse off now, then when they took office, and that's a fact. They have failed us. One of the most powerfull rights, we have is the right to vote. Don't give it away. We should want to put in office people who will make a difference. It is not a popularity contest.
The only Tribal Councilor who has consistantly voted for the tribe, in my opinion, is Mark Hamilton. Tomorrow, I will write about his and the other tribal coucilors records. It is eye opening.
Have fun, The food should be great. Good company, too. I wish I could be there with you. I will think good thoughts for you. Have fun. Hopefully it will be a warm, sunny day. It will be a good day for all Mohegans. What do you think?
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