BROKENWING EDITORIALS 2008

BROKENWING EDITORIALS, FIRST PRINTED ON AUGUST 8, 2008. IN A FIVE (5) MONTH PERIOD, WE COVERED A GREAT MANY TOPICS, TO EDUCATE AND INFORM THE MOHEGAN TRIBE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

WE STARTED BY TELLING OF THE ALLEGED FLYING ROCK FROM THE BLASTING OF THE ON RAMP ON ROUTE 2=A THAT SUPPOSEDLY HIT THE BRIDGE ON SHANTOK POND AND ENDED THE YEAR TALKING ABOUT HOW TRIBES IN THE UNITED STATES DEAL WITH OPENNESS IN THEIR MEETINGS.

THEN, WE COVERED THE TREES IN SHANTOK POND, WHICH WERE REMOVED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. GOOD JOB PUBLIC WORKS. ALSO, WE TALKED ABOUT GRAFFITI ON THE BRIDGE AT SHANTOK WHICH TOOK OVER A WEEK FOR PUBLIC WORKS TO PAINT WITH BLACK PAINT. WE REPORTED ABOUT THE NEW BRIDGE AND RETAINING WALL AT SHANTOK AND HOW NICE IT LOOKED WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED.

WE TALKED ABOUT AT WHAT IS HAPPENING AT FORT HILL ELDER HOUSING, AND HOW THE USE OF THE FAX MACHINE/ COPIER WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM RESIDENTS (ONLY DURING BUSINESS HOURS). THEN THERE WAS THE STORY ABOUT THE INADEQUATE CAMERA SYSTEM (CAMERAS INSIDE FACING THE EXTERIOR DOORS, WITH ONE CAMERA OUTSIDE FACING THE PARKING LOT). THE SYSTEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN UPGRADED. WE TALKED ABOUT THE PATIO DOORS ON THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS HAVE NO OUTSIDE LOCKS BUT JUST HOLES IN THE DOORS WHERE THE LOCKS BELONG. THE RESIDENTS ON THE FIRST FLOOR HAVE LOCK CYLINDERS BUT HAVE NO KEYS. AT LAST REPORT THE GATE AT FORT HILL IS STILL NOT WORKING (OR IT IS NOT BEING USED). WE TALKED ABOUT THE CLAUSE IN THE FORT HILL RESIDENTS LEASES, THAT SAYS TENANTS CAN NOT LEAVE A VISITOR ALONE IN THEIR APARTMENTS. THIS IS SUPPOSEDLY CHANGED, WE ARE WAITING TO SEE A COPY OF THE NEW ORDINANCE FROM THE HOUSING DIRECTOR.

BROKENWING EDITORIALS TALKED ABOUT THE NEW CASINO OF THE WIND, JIMMY BUFFET'S, THE NEW STORES AND RESTAURANTS COMING TO THE MOHEGAN SUN. WE TALKED HOW THE PROJECT HORIZON (EARTH HOTEL) WAS STOPPED AND IT MAY NEVER BE BUILT. ANOTHER THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE SMOKING BAN AND THE EXTENDING OF THE HOURS OF DRINKING ALCOHOL AT MOHEGAN SUN. WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE CASINO IS HAVING LOSSES ON TOP OF LOSSES. THE CREDIT RATING DROPPED FOR MOODY'S TO BBB- AND STANDARD AND POOR'S TO B- (WHICH MEANS WE ARE A BAD CREDIT RISK). THEN THERE IS THE $330 MILLION THAT THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL GAMING AUTHORITY (MTGA) HAS DUE IN 2009. IN OUR OPINION, THE ONLY WAY TO PAY IT IS TO BORROW MORE MONEY (FLOAT MORE BONDS AT WHAT INTEREST RATE.)

POCONO DOWNS WITH ITS $550 MILLION TO $625 MILLION PRICE TAG AND EBIDTA OF UNDER $30 MILLION CAN NOT POSSIBLY, IN OUR OPINION, BE MAKING ANY MONEY. IN OUR OPINION, THE MOHEGAN SUN HAS TO BE CARRYING IT. THE FISCAL CONDITION IS NOT GOOD. SEVEN OF THE PRESENT TRIBAL COUNCIL VOTED TO BUILD THE NEW FACILITY WHICH IN OUR OPINION IS NOT DOING AS WELL AS IT WAS DOING BEFORE THE UPGRADE. THESE TRIBAL COUNCILORS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE TRIBE.

IN 2008, WE SAW THE GOVERNMENT TRYING TO CUT SPENDING. THE GOVERNMENT IS BUILDING A $89 MILLION PLUS GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY CENTER,THAT NO ONE (TRIBAL MEMBERS) SEEMS TO WANT. WE TALKED ABOUT THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID (ELECTRIC CHAIR) CARS. WE TALKED ABOUT SECURITY AND THE POLICE. ANOTHER THING WE DEALT WITH WAS THE BENEFITS AND BLESSINGS OF BEING MOHEGANS. THE STORY OF SACRED FIRES WERE LOOKED AT. THEN THERE WAS THE SELLING AND BUYING OF HOUSES BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. THERE WAS THE INDIAN COLONIAL MUSEUM IN OLD MYSTIC AND ITS WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF BOOKS, ARTIFACTS, ETC. WE HAD A CHANCE TO BUY IT AND THE DEAL FELL APART. WHO'S FAULT WAS THAT?

WE TRIED TO INFORM THE TRIBE ABOUT FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO AND MGM GRAND AT FOXWOODS. WE TOLD ABOUT THEIR MGM GRAND THEATER, THE NEW MGM GRAND CASINO, AND ITS ECONOMIC SITUATION.

ANOTHER THING, WE TALKED ABOUT THE ECONOMY OF CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, RHODE ISLAND, JAPAN, AND THE UNITED STATES. WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THE ECONOMY IN CONNECTICUT, IS IN SERIOUS SHAPE, WITH THE OUTLOOK OF 20,000 TO 80,000 CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS POSSIBLY BEING OUT OF WORK BY THE END OF 2009. UNEMPLOYMENT COULD BE OVER 10% BY THE END OF 2009. THE DEFICIT IN CONNECTICUT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009 (WHICH ENDS JUNE 30, 2009), IS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $640 MILLION.

AT ELECTION TIME, WE REPORTED ABOUT HOW ONE TRIBAL MEMBER COULD NOT GET TO VOTE BECAUSE THE TRIBAL MEMBER NEVER GOT A BALLOT. THEN THERE WAS THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING CLOSING AT 12:00 P.M. INSTEAD OF BEING OPEN UNTIL 4;30 P.M. LIKE TRIBAL MEMBERS WERE INFORMED IN THE PACKET AND THE WUSKUSO. THE TRIBAL CHAIRMAN WHO IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE, DROPPED THE BALL (SO DID THE REST OF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS).

THEN THERE IS THE KEN DAVISON CASE, HE IS TAKING THE ELECTION COMMITTEE (TRIBAL COUNCIL) TO THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL COURT, TO TRY TO FIX AN ELECTION ORDINANCE. HE THINKS THE ORDINANCE VIOLATES THE MOHEGAN CONSTITUTION. HE BELIEVES, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO VOTE FOR EVERY POSITION FOR OUR BALLOT, TO BE COUNTED. IF HE HAD TO VOTE THE ENTIRE TICKET AND COULD NOT FIND SOMEONE THAT WAS SATISFACTORY, THEN HE WOULD BE MADE TO DO SOMETHING HE DID NOT WANT TO. IT IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. THE TRIBAL COUNCIL, INSTEAD OF FIGHTING THIS IN COURT, SHOULD BE SENDING OUT A SURVEY, TO SEE WHAT THE VOTERS WANT. IF THEY DID THAT O BELIEVE THEY WOULD FIND THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TRIBE WOULD WANT IT CHANGED. THE TRIBAL COUNCIL SHOULD DO THE WILL OF THE MOHEGAN PEOPLE AND CHANGE IT. WHY ARE THEY NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE?

ON CIVIL RIGHTS, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW A TRIBAL MEMBER'S RIGHTS, IN OUR OPINION, HAD BEEN VIOLATED. HE HAS SINCE HAD HIS RIGHTS RESTORED.

WE TALKED OF OTHER TRIBES, AND THEIR PROBLEMS. WE TALKED OF THE NARRAGANSETS AND THE SMOKE SHOP INCIDENT. THERE WAS THE STORY OF THE SHINNECOCK INDIANS AND HOW THE STATE IS TRYING TO MAKE THEM CHARGE TAXES ON THE CIGARETTES. THE PAWCATUCK EASTERN PEQUOTS WERE VISITED. WE NOTED, THEY SEEMED POOR, YET A PROUD PEOPLE, . THE MONANCAN TRIBE IN VIRGINIA AND HOW THEY ARE THE SURVIVORS OF A CONFEDERACY OF EIGHT TRIBES. THE MOUNDS IN VIRGINIA AND GEORGIA AND HOW THEY ARE STILL VISIBLE TO SEE, TO THIS DAY. WE WENT TO THE FILM FESTIVAL ON NATIVE AMERICAN FILMS IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

IT IS A NEW YEAR (2009). WE OPEN THE YEAR WITH NEW HOPES AND AMBITIONS. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE TRIBAL COUNCIL WILL DO ABOUT OUR (THE MOHEGAN TRIBES) SITUATION. WE WILL LOOK AT WHAT THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS DO ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS AND THE CULTURAL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, SINCE THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING AWAY WITH THE CONSTITUTION REVISION COMMITTEE.

THIS IS A YEAR WHEN 5 MEMBERS OF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL WILL BE RUNNING AGAIN, TO KEEP THEIR POSITIONS ON THE TRIBAL COUNCIL. WE WILL SEE IF THE TRIBE IS HAPPY WITH THE THINGS THEY HAVE DONE OR THE LACK OF THINGS THEY HAVE DONE.

THERE WERE A GREAT MANY STORIES, I DID NOT TOUCH ON, BUT THE FACT IS WE ENDEAVORED TO INFORM AND NOTIFY TRIBAL MEMBERS OF THINGS THAT THEY WERE NOT BEING INFORMED BY THE GOVERNMENT OR THE WUSKUSO.

THIS YEAR, BROKENWING EDITORIALS IS WORKING ON A STORY ABOUT MOHEGANS WHO WENT TO SEA, THE CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS OF FORT HILL, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, PUBLIC WORKS, AND THE PROGRESS ON THE GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY CENTER, AND ABOUT BREWSTER'S TRADING POST.

HOPEFULLY, THIS WILL BE A BETTER YEAR ECONOMICALLY. HOWEVER, THE PROJECTIONS BY ECONOMISTS ARE FOR 2 TO 5 YEARS MORE BEFORE THE COUNTRY COMES OUT OF THIS RECESSION. ARE BENEFITS THAT MOHEGAN TRIBE GOING TO BE CUT? IS THE TRIBAL COUNCIL GOING TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTIONS TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

THIS IS A BASIC SYNOPSES OF THE WHAT BROKENWING EDITORIALS HAS TALKED ABOUT AND ABOUT WHAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT IN THE FUTURE.. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: THE TREES AT SHANTOK POND WERE REMOVED BY STRICKLAND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AND NOT BY PUBLIC WORKS.