Friday, March 10, 2006

Now this is the Right Direction!

Friends,
The unrestrained growth of Indian Gaming has already proven vulnerable to citizen action as you proved in San Pablo. The voice of your success has been heard across the nation and through the halls of Washinton!

This is a great article in the Contra Costa Times about bills being introduced in the House and Senate to put a stop to urban gaming, but shutting down the Indian Casino land grab.
Bill limits Indian casinos to Reservation
Reacting to backlash against Indian gambling's most controversial trend, key lawmakers are seeking to limit Indian tribes' ability to establish casinos away from their reservations.
Bills by House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, and Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., would eliminate an exception in existing law that allows tribes with reservations to build casinos in other locations -- even in other states.
Their bills would also tighten the circumstances under which tribes that have been newly recognized by the federal government or don't have reservation land of their own could get permission to build casinos.

Read the rest of the article by CLICKING HERE.

But our work is not over. Make sure to take part in the Bureau of Indian Affairs hearing 6:PM next Wednesday, March 15 at the Richmond Auditorium, room 403 and make your voice known!

You can also get a copy of the draft "Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Environmental Impact Statement" online by CLICKING HERE.

Or by mail, you can write to John Rydzik, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2820, Sacramento, CA 95823 (or call 916-978-6042).

Written comments must be received by April 28 and should be directed to Clay Gregory, Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825. Include name, return address and caption "DEIS Comments, Scotts Valley Casino Project" on the first page of comments.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

True Citizen Action!

Friends,
This is how we do it! True citizen action against the uncontrolled expansion of urban casinos. Join their voice and help us put an end to the deception that urban casinos bring prosperity and not crime! Read this newsletter to see the gang of problems that have sprung up and the number of Police emergency calls at the San Pablo casino.
East Bay Coalition Against Urban Casinos
NEWSLETTER - Issue 2 - March, 2006
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There has been a very important development requiring urgent action from all opponents of urban casinos in the East Bay. Please take a moment to read about it:

Voices Needed for Sugar Bowl Casino Hearing!
On March 15th the Bureau of Indian Affairs will be holding a public hearing on a 2,000 slot machine casino planned for an unincorporated area of North Richmond. The Scott's Valley Band of Pomo Indians, a 181-member tribe from the Clear Lake area, are attempting to install an enormous 225,000 sq/ft monstrosity they call the "Sugar Bowl Casino." Backed by casino magnate Alan H. Ginsburg, the man responsible got the failed Koi Nation Casino planned near the Oakland Airport, the Sugar Bowl Casino is a blatant example of reservation shopping at its worst.

Sugar Bowl's developer, Alan H. Ginsburg has a long history of shady business deals: in 1999 his company was sued for attempting to cheat a Seminole tribe he had invested with out of $200 million dollars; in 2003, working with an Okalahoma tribe, he had land in Kansas converted into a satellite reservation of the tribe because tribal gaming is not allowed in Okalahoma. Sugar Bowl Casino is no different; its proposed location off Richmond Parkway is 116 miles from the Scott's Valley Band's familial home.

Wednesday, March 15th hearing will be on an Environmental Impact Survey (EIS) paid and commissioned by the Ginsburg's development company to 'sugar-coat' this enormous casino project and pass it off as something that it is certainly not. The East Bay Coalition has already begun taking apart this document, and with help from our friends and allies, we will take a swing at the casino and its developers and hope for a home run.

Read about the holes in the Sugar Bowl EIS report in Dean Marshall's letter to the Berkeley Daily Planet Editor. Using data showing a huge increase in police calls and emergency transports from Casino San Pablo after the installation of slot machines, Dean gives readers a hint of the crime, traffic and social problems that will affect the East Bay if the Sugar Bowl Casino is allowed to be built.

Read Dean Marshall's Letter in the Berkeley Daily Planet.


HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:
1. JOIN US AND OTHERS AT THE HEARING. Wednesday night, March 15th from 6-9 p.m. at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, located at 403 Civic Center Plaza at 27th & Nevlin, in Richmond.
2. BRING FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Forward this email around, and tell your friends and neighbors to come along.
3. VOLUNTEER TO HELP. We can always use a hand. Or a letter. Or a phone call. Contact Conor Lee to do what you can to keep urban casinos out of the East Bay. Call us at (510) 271-0640 x103 or email info@stopurbancasinos.org.

View a map of the Richmond hearing site.


NEWS & UPDATES
This week, March 6-12th, is National Problem Gambling Awareness Week. If you have loved ones suffering under the weight of gambling addiction, please take this time to seek help by calling the California Problem Gambling Hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER (426-2537).

Problem gambling is a serious issue that not only harms the individual, but hurts their friends, their family, their job and, on a large scale, the surrounding community. For more information, please visit the National Council of Problem Gambling website.

If you, a friend, or a family member has overcome a gambling problem and wants to share their story to help others do the same, please call us at (510) 271-0640 x103 or send an email to info@stopurbancasinos.org.

The National Council of Problem Gambling website.


Asian Problem Gambling in the Bay Area
CBS 5 Reporter Linda Yee has a special report on the issue of problem and compulsive gambling among the Bay Area's Asian populations, who suffer from particularly high rates of such addiction. Our friend Kent Woo, Director of the San Francisco-based NICOS Chinese Health Coalition, is interviewed on the subject and discusses ways in which casinos target Asian gamblers.

Visit the NICOS Gambling Project website to learn more about what they do: http://www.cbs5.com/video/?id=11295@kpix.dayport.com

Watch the CBS 5 special report.


Slot Machines Toll on City – New data from San Pablo
New data shows confirms predictions of sharp increases in problems from Casino with installation of slot machines. Police calls and ambulance trips to Casino San Pablo have sky-rocketed since their installation. With more than 800 machines installed, and plans for 2,500, these statistics are likely only the beginning of the problem.

Since the installation of slot machines at Casino San Pablo began in July of 2005, ambulance trips to the casino have increased by 217% and monthly police calls have shot up a shocking 492%.

Sources: San Pablo Police Department, Contra Costa Emergency Medical Services


Contact Us!
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email: info@stopurbancasinos.org
phone: (510) 271-0640 x103
web: http://www.stopurbancasinos.org/index.php?index
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Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Our Clean Technology Symposium!

Friends,
A little bit of media on our symposium I would like to share with you:
Assemblywoman Loni Hancock partners with the City of Richmond & the State Treasurer’s Office to hold “Clean” Technology Symposium in Richmond, CA.

The Office of Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, The City of Richmond (Richmond) & The State Treasurer’s Office recently hosted a successful “clean” environmental technology symposium in Richmond, California. The symposium brought together “clean” technology companies with potential investors and provided valuable information on how to access private capital and state funding. Building a strong economy and developing investment policies and programs that foster sustainable development, including alternative sources of energy, are key to California’s future. Assemblywoman Hancock welcomes the opportunity to work in partnership with the City of Richmond to create jobs, clean up the environment and bolster the economy; creating a vibrant, sustainable future for the City.


More information can be found at: http://www.theglobenewspapers.com/richmond2.htm