Meetings & Information




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MUST READ:
GET THE FACTS!






Thursday, May 31, 2012

Jeopardizing Children

Massachusetts legislators and Governor Slot Barns invited a monster that causes this type of behavior into the Commonwealth.

We can do better!

Oppose it now! Then - REPEAL THE CASINO DEAL!

[Then work to replace every elected officials who blindly supported Predatory Gambling!]




Father accused of leaving 8-month-old in car to gamble for 7 hours


Connecticut State Police have charged a father with leaving his infant son in a car for seven hours while he gambled inside the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville.

Kyuyoun Lee was arrested Wednesday at 10 a.m. inside one of the casino's parking garages. Police said Lee had been gambling inside the casino since 3 a.m. Lee's 8-month-old son was left alone in a car in the parking garage for the entire time, according to police.

Lee, 32, of Waterbury, was charged with leaving a child unsupervised, and risk of injury to a child. He was released on $5,000 bond and will be in court June 14.

The baby is now in the custody of The Department of Children and Families, according to police.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/31/11990291-father-accused-of-leaving-8-month-old-in-car-to-gamble-for-7-hours?lite

Ignoring Their Mistakes!

Let's not forget that Senator Rosenberg profits from his Gambling Investments and enjoys providing access to Gambling Lobbyists and having his over-inflated ego stroked.

The failure of the Legislature to conduct an INDEPENDENT COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS says it all.

They don't want to know the facts!

This is merely a distraction to conceal Failed Public Policy!


Top Massachusetts legislator criticizes gaming official for saying state might not license 3 casinos

Published: Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Taunton EIS June 20, 2012




[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 105 (Thursday, May 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32132-32133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13159]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Fee-to-Trust Transfer of Property and Subsequent 
Development of a Resort/Hotel and Ancillary Facilities in the City of 
Taunton, MA and Tribal Government Facilities in the Town of Mashpee, MA 
by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (BIA) intends to gather the information necessary for preparing 
an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the conveyance into trust 
of 170.1 acres of land currently held by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe 
(Tribe) in the Town of Mashpee, Massachusetts, and 146.39 acres of land 
in the City of Taunton. The purpose of the proposed action is to help 
provide for the economic development of the Tribe and to create a 
tribal land base. The Tribe is currently federally recognized but does 
not currently have a federally protected reservation or have land that 
is held in trust for the Tribe by the United States. This notice also 
announces public scoping meetings to identify potential issues, 
alternatives, and content for inclusion in the EIS.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS or implementation of 
the proposal must arrive by July 2, 2012. The public scoping meetings 
will be held June 20, 2012, in Taunton, Massachusetts, and June 21, 
2012, in Mashpee, Massachusetts. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. and 
last until the last public comment is received.

ADDRESSES: You may mail, hand deliver, or telefax written comments to 
Franklin Keel, Regional Director, Eastern Regional Office, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, 545 Marriott Drive, Suite 700, Nashville, Tennessee 
37214, Telefax (615) 564-6701. Please include your name, return address 
and the caption specifying ``Scoping Comments

[[Page 32133]]

for Proposed Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Property Trust and Development'' 
on the first page of your written comments. The public scoping meetings 
will be held at the Taunton High School, 50 William Street, Taunton, 
Massachusetts and Mashpee High School, 500 Old Barnstable Road, 
Mashpee, Massachusetts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chet McGhee, Regional Environmental 
Scientist, Eastern Regional Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 545 
Marriott Drive, Suite 700, Nashville, Tennessee 37214; telephone: (615) 
564-6500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe proposes that 146.39 acres in the 
City of Taunton, Massachusetts, be taken into trust and for the 
development of a casino, hotel, parking, and other facilities 
supporting the casino. The Tribe also proposes that 170.1 acres in the 
Town of Mashpee, Massachusetts, be taken into trust, for the 
continuation of its current uses of Tribal government and housing. The 
property in the City of Taunton is located within the current site of 
the Liberty & Union Industrial Park, generally bounded on the south by 
Route 140, on the west by Route 24, on the north by Middleborough 
Avenue, and on the east by Stevens Street. The proposed action is to 
develop a Class III gaming facility including a casino, parking 
structures, hotels, restaurants, retail, and a waterpark. The site is 
proposed to be accessible from Route 140 via Stevens Street. The 
property in the Town of Mashpee is located across eleven parcels 
totaling approximately 170.1 acres, including areas currently in use by 
the Tribe as council offices, a museum, and a burial ground. Proposed 
actions for the parcels include preserving these educational, 
recreational, and cultural sites as well as vacant land areas, in 
addition to developing some vacant land for tribal housing and building 
a permanent Tribal Government Center at the current site of Tribal 
Council Offices.
    Areas of environmental concern so far identified that the EIS will 
address include traffic, air quality, wetland resources, cultural and 
historic resources, water supply, wastewater, storm water, land 
impacts, rare species and wildlife, environmental justice, soils and 
geology, land use, community character, and safety. The range of issues 
addressed in the EIS may also be expanded based on comments received in 
response to this notice and at the public scoping meeting.

Public Comment Availability

    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at all of the mailing addresses shown in 
the ADDRESSES section (except those for the public meetings) during 
business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
holidays. Before including your address, phone number, email address, 
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should 
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Authority

    This notice is published in accordance with section 1503.1 of the 
Council of Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through 
1508) and Sec. 46.305 of the Department of Interior Regulations (43 CFR 
part 46) implementing the procedural requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), 
and is in the exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs by part 209 of the Department Manual.

    Dated: May 24, 2012.
Donald E. Laverdure,
Acting Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2012-13159 Filed 5-30-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P

Gambling chief irks procasino lawmaker

State Representative Joseph Wagner proves once again that ignorance prevails on Beacon Hill.

Regardless of the information available, this lawmaker stubbornly clings to misinformation.

The overstated jobs and wildly exaggerated revenues of the Spectrum Report, et al, are easily disproved.





Gambling chief irks procasino lawmaker

By Mark Arsenault

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Mark your calendars!



Don't forget:

Community-Wide Working Meeting

Wed., May 30 (TONIGHT!) - 7-8:30 pm
Sacred Heart Church - 303 Paris St. (Downstairs Fellowship Hall)


Come ready to work hard and find out how you plug into this effort!

See you there!

--------------------------------------

Dear Neighbor:

No Eastie Casino is a volunteer-led, grassroots group of your neighbors who are opposed to introducing casino gambling to this community. We've been hard at work planning out several important meetings and public events over the next month to increase our visibility and defeat any proposed casino in East Boston. The first of these is this Wednesday -- a working meeting to make signs, learn about reaching out to our neighbors and small businesses, and find out how each of us can plug into the campaign -- today. We'll also begin talking about ways we can start raising money for the effort moving forward. Even if you haven't been to a meeting yet, your presence this Wednesday is crucial to the effort if we are to defeat the casino. (a "Casino 101" course with John Ribeiro will be available for those who want to know more about the approval process or the effects a casino would have on the area) Here are all the details for Wednesday's meeting:


Community-Wide Working Meeting
Wed., May 30 - 7-8:30 pm
Sacred Heart Church

And then, on Saturday, June 2, from 9-11 a.m., we invite you to join us for some Small Business Education/Canvassing in East Boston. A $500 million - $1 billion casino in East Boston -- with its restaurants, shops, nightclubs and bars -- would have drastic effects on local businesses. (even casino insiders admit this) For a couple of hours on Saturday morning, we'll visit our local small businesses with a few simple handouts to make sure they know how they will be impacted. We'll be planning this outreach at the Wednesday working meeting, but if you cannot attend the meeting Wednesday and still want to participate in the small business outreach, please email celeste.myers@gmail.com and find out how you can be involved.

Mark your calendars:

Saturday, June 9, 9-11 - No Eastie Casino Visibility - This will be the public "coming out" for No Eastie Casino. We will hold signs, come up with catchy chants, and march peacefully through the neighborhood -- all the while, explaining who we are to anyone who asks. While the exact locations of the march have not yet been determined, we need as many people as possible to show up this Saturday and stand in solidarity with neighbors who believe a casino will harm -- not help -- our neighborhood.

Wednesday, June 20, 7-9 pm - HUGE No Eastie Casino Community-Wide Meeting - Probably our last large-scale meeting until the Fall, this will again be an important meeting to attend to keep the momentum going throughout the summer. We will invite our compatriots from Chelsea, Winthrop, Revere, and other parts of Boston to join us at this meeting.

Thank you for your continued support, and as always, do let us know if you have questions or comments throughout the process. If you are on Facebook, please come join our page!

Best Regards,

The No Eastie Casino Planning Committee
Celeste, John R., Mike, John D., Alison, Jessica, Giordana, Brian and Steve

Employee embezzles to feed Gambling Addiction

This is the crime that Massachusetts legislators and Governor Slot Barns invited into our Commonwealth!








Trusted employee accused of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars to feed gambling addiction
Posted: 05/29/2012

WESTLAND, Mich. (WXYZ) - Bette Wicker was a trusted employee, working for Rod Harris at his Sunoco Gas station in Westland for 23 years. But Wicker, 61, is now accused of ripping off tens of thousands of dollars to feed a gambling addiction.
In a letter obtained by 7 Action News, Wicker wrote that she and a friend used the stolen money to "go to the casino and stay there till we lost it all."
Westland Police are handling the case and investigators say Wicker is expected to turn herself in next week to face one count of Embezzlement.
Bette Wicker's husband told 7 Action News that they are not prepared to comment on the case.
"She was like family," said Rod Harris about Wicker who would even babysit his children over the years.
Harris has owned the Sunoco on the corner of Cherry Hill and Newburgh for nearly 30 years. He believes Wicker has been stealing from his small gas station and repair shop for years.
In late 2011, Harris began taking a close look at invoices and cash flow. He believes Wicker's alleged actions may have put his small business about $250,000 in the hole.
Matthew Harris, 17, says they are devastated and that Wicker was like "a grandmother."
Rod Harris is thankful for his loyal customers and suspects it will take years to financially recover from Wicker's alleged theft.


Read more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/wayne_county/trusted-employee-accused-of-embezzling-tens-of-thousands-of-dollars-to-feed-gambling-addiction#ixzz1wM95z23O

Carcieri Creep.....



They keep tucking a 'Carcieri Fix' into legislation.

16 Massachusetts Tribes have applied for federal recognition.


This would allow each of them to remove land from the tax rolls and open a Slot Barn, with the blessings of Beacon Hill.



Please take a few minutes and speak out.

Senator Kerry's contact form:
http://www.kerry.senate.gov/contact/

Senator Scott Brown:

 
Thanks for all you do!
 
please write your own letters opposing S676,-listed below
May 29, 2012
Dear Senator Kerry,
I was appalled to see that you added your name to the bill giving the Secretary of the Interior the ability to take land into trust for Indian tribes .S. 676: A bill to amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of .the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts supported the Rhode Island Governor in his quest to uphold the statue as passed by Congress in 1934. An amicus brief was presented to the Supreme Court.
27 states are opposed to a Carcieri fix.
16 states wrote an amicus brief supporting Rhode Island, They are
Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.
10 states’ attorneys' general wrote a letter supporting the Supreme Court after the Carcieri opinion was released. These are the states that supported the SCOTUS decision:
Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.
Please support your State and remove your name from this bill. It is an affront to the citizens of Massachusetts. It will be defeated, as you well know. You, as our senior Senator, should be opposing this!
Thank you for your time.
 

Subject: Re: The Carcieri Fix is on the move in the Senate
the Senate
S. 676: A bill to amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of ...
...the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes.
112th Congress, 2011–2012. Text as of May 17, 2012 (Reported by Senate Committee).
Status & Summary | PDF | Source: GPO
S 676 RS
Calendar No. 405
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 676
[Report No. 112-166]
To amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 30, 2011
Mr. AKAKA (for himself, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. KERRY, Mr. TESTER, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. BAUCUS, and Ms. STABENOW) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
May 17, 2012
Reported by Mr. AKAKA, with an amendment
[Insert the part printed in italic]
A BILL
To amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. MODIFICATION OF DEFINITION.
(a) Modification-
(1) IN GENERAL- The first sentence of section 19 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (commonly known as the ‘Indian Reorganization Act’) (25 U.S.C. 479), is amended--
(A) by striking ‘The term’ and inserting ‘Effective beginning on June 18, 1934, the term’; and
(B) by striking ‘any recognized Indian tribe now under Federal jurisdiction’ and inserting ‘any federally recognized Indian tribe’.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall take effect as if included in the Act of June 18, 1934 (commonly known as the ‘Indian Reorganization Act’) (25 U.S.C. 479), on the date of enactment of that Act.
(b) Ratification and Confirmation of Prior Actions- Any action taken by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to the Act of June 18, 1934 (commonly known as the ‘Indian Reorganization Act’) (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.), for any Indian tribe that was federally recognized on the date of that action is ratified and confirmed, to the extent that the action is challenged based on the question of whether the Indian tribe was federally recognized or under Federal jurisdiction on June 18, 1934, as if the action had, by prior act of Congress, been specifically authorized and directed.
(c) Effect on Other Laws-
(1) IN GENERAL- Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act affects--
(A) the application or effect of any Federal law other than the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.) (as amended by subsection (a)); or
(B) any limitation on the authority of the Secretary of the Interior under any Federal law or regulation other than the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.) (as so amended).
(2) REFERENCES IN OTHER LAWS- An express reference to the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.), contained in any other Federal law shall be considered to be a reference to that Act as amended by subsection (a).
(d) Study; Publication-
(1) STUDY- The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct, and submit to Congress a report describing the results of, a study that--
(A) assesses the effects of the decision of the Supreme Court in the case styled Carcieri v. Salazar (129 S. Ct. 1058) on Indian tribes and tribal land; and
(B) includes a list of each Indian tribe and parcel of tribal land affected by that decision.
(2) PUBLICATION- On completion of the report under paragraph (1) and by not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall publish the list described in paragraph (1)(B)--
(A) in the Federal Register; and
(B) on the public website of the Department of the Interior.
Calendar No. 405
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 676
[Report No. 112-166]
A BILL
To amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes.
May 17, 2012
Reported with an amendment
 
 
Let's just say
 
 

Taunton Postpones Ratifying Dumb Agreement



Meeting postponed until Thursday, May 31st, 7 PM.

Agenda:
http://www.taunton-ma.gov/pages/TauntonMA_CityCouncilAgendas/Agenda%20May%2031%202012.pdf

Taunton City Council sets new date for budget, casino meetings

By Gerry Tuoti
Posted May 29, 2012

The mayor’s budget presentation and the City Council’s discussion of the casino agreement between Taunton and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe have been moved back until 7 p.m. Thursday to avoid violating the open meeting law.

“It just pushes us back a couple days,” Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. said. “It was an inadvertent mistake. We’ve got to follow all the rules and necessary requirements.”

After considerable discussion, the Taunton City Council decided to reschedule the Tuesday night meeting. The Massachusetts Open Meeting Law requires that a public meeting be posted at least 48 hours in advance, excluding weekends and legal holidays. The council agenda was posted at City Hall Thursday, but wasn’t put on the city’s website until Friday morning. The Friday web posting failed to meet the 48-hour requirement because Memorial Day fell on Monday.

More than an hour after the council was scheduled to begin its committee meetings, City Solicitor Jason Buffington made the announcement that no meeting would be held Tuesday. The city, he said, was being “abundantly cautious.”

Well....not exactly! Every elected official receives a copy of the Open Meeting Law and signs indicating that they have received it.



Approximately 10 people, including some members of anti-casino group Preserve Taunton’s Future, had come to the meeting.

The intergovernmental agreement between the city and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe calls for the tribe to provide Taunton with $33 million in mitigation and infrastructure payments, followed by annual payments of approximately $13 million in exchange for agreeing to host the casino.
The agreement cannot go into effect until it is ratified by the City Council.

A study from the city’s consultants predicts that there would be 4.7 million annual visitors to the tribal casino. In order to upgrade city services to address the impact, Taunton would need to make $6 million in upfront capital improvements and $4.77 million in additional annual operating expenditures, according to the report, which was generated by HR&A Advisors.

The study, dated May 23, was posted on the city’s website over the weekend.

Taunton residents will vote June 9 on whether to accept a tribal casino in the city. Although the vote is technically nonbinding, Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. has said he would withdraw his support of the casino should the ballot question fail to pass.

Although the City Council isn’t technically required to vote on the intergovernmental agreement before the citywide referendum, some councilors have stated they think it would be best to do so.

“I feel councilors have had the opportunity to do their homework and ask a lot of questions,” Councilor Donald Cleary said. “I think people want to know where city councilors stand.”


Read more: http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x1832954648/Taunton-City-Council-sets-new-date-for-budget-casino-meetings#ixzz1wLbbaRkH

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Thank you, Freetown!




This is the second Massachusetts community that has voted NO!

Thank you Governor Slot Barns for providing the opportunity for neighbors to unite and speak in one voice!

You were right - TOGETHER WE CAN!

Freetown voters say no dice to Aquinnah tribal casino proposal

05/29/2012 9:00 PM
 

FREETOWN — Town voters declared their opposition Tuesday to a tribal casino proposed by the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah, in a non-binding referendum that may hasten the tribe’s pursuit of a legal challenge to the state’s long-held contention that the Aquinnah signed away their federal rights to build a casino.

As another fallback, the tribe -- based on Martha’s Vineyard -- has been preparing to move ahead with plans to open a high-stakes bingo hall or poker room on the Vineyard, which would further test the state’s position that the Aquinnah cannot host tribal gambling.

The vote failed here Tuesday by a 954-to-308 tally. About 22 percent of registered voters participated.

The federally recognized Aquinnah tribe has proposed a $167 million casino, hotel, and retail development along Route 140 in Freetown and Lakeville, where the tribe holds an option to buy land. A vote in Lakeville is scheduled for June 2.

Lawrence Ashley, a former Freetown selectman, said he is “pro-casino” but does not believe a gambling resort belongs in the area targeted by the tribe.

“The location is in the middle of a residential neighborhood and too close to the regional schools,” Ashley said. “They also don’t have a plan, and they’ve been too short on details. It’s like they were saying, ‘We’d like to do this — what do you think?’ Freetown is the investor and needs to know the impact to support this.”

Other voters said they opposed the plans, in order to preserve their town’s quiet character.

Leia Adey, with two young children trailing her, said she moved to the area because it is rural. “The last thing we want is a casino,” she said.

Resident George Wilcox has lived in Freetown for 35 years and wants things to stay the same.

“I think the benefits are far outweighed by the negative aspects,” he said. “The money isn’t going to compensate for the traffic and other impacts on the town.”

Richard Wisniewski cast his ballot in favor of the plan. “I think it’s going to benefit both towns, and be a good partnership for Lakeville and Freetown with the tribe,” he said.

Money is tight for communities, Wisniewski said. “You can’t depend on the state for anything anymore.”

The tribe has said a casino would bring about 1,350 permanent jobs to the area.

Though the vote is not binding, the outcome in Freetown denies the tribe any political momentum to pressure Governor Deval Patrick to back off his position that the Aquinnah lack the legal right to build a tribal casino.

Federal law typically grants tribes the right to negotiate with states over the operating details for tribal casinos, such as how each casino would be regulated and how much of its revenue, if any, would go to the state. The negotiated agreement, called a compact, is a key step to winning federal approval.

Patrick has declined to negotiate with the Aquinnah, citing the state’s legal position that the tribe gave up their casino rights in a land settlement in the 1980s. State officials maintain that the Aquinnah agreed to subject all of their land to state law, including the new state law that restricts casino gambling to a limited number of facilities approved through a competitive state bidding process.
The Aquinnah say they never surrendered their rights and insist they can develop a casino under the federal process, which would exempt the tribe from the state competition for a commercial casino license.

“Our rights were never extinguished,” said Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, Aquinnah chairwoman, in an interview Tuesday afternoon. “Our community has been waiting for a very long time for the expanded services the economic development such as gaming will provide,” and the tribe wants its leadership to “pursue all opportunities.”

The governor is currently negotiating a compact with another tribe, the Mashpee Wampanoag, for a tribal casino proposed for Taunton. The governor’s office has said the Mashpees qualify for the federal process because they never agreed to land restrictions.

Taunton residents will vote on the proposal on June 9 in another non-binding referendum.

Tribal gambling can only take place on Indian land, such as land held in trust by the federal government on behalf of the tribe. Neither the Mashpee nor the Aquinnah yet have trust land on the mainland, though the Aquinnah have trust land on the Vineyard.

Andrews-Maltais said the Aquinnah could use the tribe’s Vineyard land to host forms of gambling that do not require a negotiated compact with the governor, such as high-stakes bingo and poker, in which players pay an entry fee to play against each other, not against the house.


NO! THEY CAN'T !!!

“If we can provide economic development for ourselves [with high-stakes bingo or poker] then the spin-off … will be advantageous to the island community as a whole,” said Andrews-Maltais. “This wouldn’t be a destination resort; we want it to be another form of entertainment. We can create a draw for people to come in the shoulder season or the off-season, where maybe they wouldn’t be able to afford it in the high season.”

A high-stakes bingo parlor would still require a license from the National Indian Gaming Commission, a federal agency that oversees tribal gambling, she said.

Mark Arsenault can be reached at marsenault@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @bostonglobemark. Christine Legere can be reached at christinelegere@yahoo.com

http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/05/29/freetown-voters-say-dice-aquinnah-tribal-casino-proposal/erzhDwrkIgiXMbSKGHnErO/story.html


Get Involved!



Dear Neighbor:

No Eastie Casino is a volunteer-led, grassroots group of your neighbors who are opposed to introducing casino gambling to this community. We've been hard at work planning out several important meetings and public events over the next month to increase our visibility and defeat any proposed casino in East Boston. The first of these is this Wednesday -- a working meeting to make signs, learn about reaching out to our neighbors and small businesses, and find out how each of us can plug into the campaign -- today. We'll also begin talking about ways we can start raising money for the effort moving forward. Even if you haven't been to a meeting yet, your presence this Wednesday is crucial to the effort if we are to defeat the casino. (a "Casino 101" course with John Ribeiro will be available for those who want to know more about the approval process or the effects a casino would have on the area) Here are all the details for Wednesday's meeting:

Community-Wide Working Meeting
Wed., May 30 - 7-8:30 pm
Sacred Heart Church

And then, on Saturday, June 2, from 9-11 a.m., we invite you to join us for some Small Business Education/Canvassing in East Boston. A $500 million - $1 billion casino in East Boston -- with its restaurants, shops, nightclubs and bars -- would have drastic effects on local businesses. (even casino insiders admit this) For a couple of hours on Saturday morning, we'll visit our local small businesses with a few simple handouts to make sure they know how they will be impacted. We'll be planning this outreach at the Wednesday working meeting, but if you cannot attend the meeting Wednesday and still want to participate in the small business outreach, please email celeste.myers@gmail.com and find out how you can be involved.

Mark your calendars:

Saturday, June 9, 9-11 - No Eastie Casino Visibility - This will be the public "coming out" for No Eastie Casino. We will hold signs, come up with catchy chants, and march peacefully through the neighborhood -- all the while, explaining who we are to anyone who asks. While the exact locations of the march have not yet been determined, we need as many people as possible to show up this Saturday and stand in solidarity with neighbors who believe a casino will harm -- not help -- our neighborhood.

Wednesday, June 20, 7-9 pm - HUGE No Eastie Casino Community-Wide Meeting - Probably our last large-scale meeting until the Fall, this will again be an important meeting to attend to keep the momentum going throughout the summer. We will invite our compatriots from Chelsea, Winthrop, Revere, and other parts of Boston to join us at this meeting.

Thank you for your continued support, and as always, do let us know if you have questions or comments throughout the process. If you are on Facebook, please come join our page!

Best Regards,

The No Eastie Casino Planning Committee
Celeste, John R., Mike, John D., Alison, Jessica, Giordana, Brian and Steve

Taj Mahal Carjackers Sentenced


Man convicted in fatal carjacking of North Bergen resident gets 120 years in prison

Published: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 1:02 PM Updated: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 4:42 PM
The Associated Press

Atlantic City carjack.JPG
Craig Arno will spend the rest of his life in prison for carjacking and killing a North Bergen man.

ATLANTIC CITY — The same judge handling the case of two Canadian tourists stabbed to death across the street from an Atlantic City casino earlier this week handed down tough sentences today to a couple who carjacked and murdered a casino customer two years ago.

Saying that tourists must be made to feel they can safely visit the seaside gambling resort, Superior Court Judge Michael Donio ordered that Craig Arno of Atlantic City spend the rest of his life in prison and that his girlfriend, Jessica Kisby, serve 30 years behind bars before becoming eligible for release. Arno was sentenced to 120 years in prison and must serve 102 years before becoming eligible for parole.

Donio also is overseeing the murder case of Antoinette Pelzer, the homeless Philadelphia woman charged with stabbing to death an elderly Toronto woman and her daughter Monday morning across from Bally's Atlantic City, less than a mile from where the 2010 carjack killing began.

"Each and every person who visits Atlantic City should feel as if they can do so safely and not be in a position to succumb to a violent attack by violent criminals while they're on vacation," the judge said.

Donio had harsh words for both defendants in the May 21, 2010, kidnapping and killing of Martin Caballero, of North Bergen.

Arno and Kisby cornered Caballero in the parking garage of the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, forced him into the trunk of his SUV, drove him to a rural area, stabbed him to death and dumped his body in a field before torching the vehicle to try to cover up the crimes. They stole a few hundred dollars using his ATM card.

The judge echoed the words of one prospective juror who was dismissed from the case who asked Donio a rhetorical question: Why couldn't the pair have simply robbed Caballero or stolen his vehicle, and let him live?

"I've been asking myself the same question for the past 18 months," the judge said. "Why did he have to die in the trunk of his car after being savagely stabbed?"

Kisby took a plea deal from prosecutors in February and testified against Arno. But her demeanor on the witness stand, cavalierly describing the kidnapping and killing while giggling, stretching, yawning and twirling her hair, infuriated many observers.

Today, she showed a different demeanor, wiping away tears as she apologized to Caballero's family.
"I'm very sorry for your loss," she told them. "I should have stopped it and I didn't, and I'm sorry."

The attack on Caballero was interrupted when Arno's knife broke. That necessitated a drive to Kisby's mother's house to get additional knives, with Caballero lying bleeding and probably terrified in the trunk for nearly an hour before the stabbing resumed and he finally died, according to court testimony.

Arno did not speak at his sentencing, but his public defender noted Arno continues to maintain his innocence. At trial, he said Kisby was the killer.

William Cruz, a stepson of the victim, lashed out at Arno, turning to face him in the courtroom and speaking directly to him.

"Arno: Today you receive life in the cage," Cruz said, going on to describe Caballero as a loving father and friend, who loved to dance and told great stories. Cruz then contrasted his stepfather with Arno.

"You're someone who nobody cares about," he said. "That's what you are: a big, ugly nothing. When you find yourself alone in your cage, don't look for God. Your real sentence is going to begin the day you die."

Libia Martinez, Caballero's wife, said she cries every day thinking about how her husband died.
"I think of how he died and how he suffered and the horrible way in which he was killed," she said though sobs. "I am suffering for his suffering."

Caballero's family has filed a lawsuit against Trump Entertainment Resorts, alleging the company failed to warn the public about a series of violent crimes that have happened either in or near the Taj Mahal's parking garage. The casino has since beefed up security in the garage and plans additional protective measures there soon.

Monday's killings of Po Lin Wan and her daughter Alice Mei See Leung, both from the Scarborough section of Toronto, happened two years to the day from when Caballero was carjacked and murdered.


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/man_convicted_in_fatal_carjack.html
NJ casino carjacking couple sentenced to decades
KTVL
The pair cornered the victim in the parking garage of the Trump Taj Mahal in 2010, stabbed him to death and set his new SUV ablaze in an attempt to cover up the crimes. How are your tax dollars being spent? Reality Check tracks whether local, ...
See all stories on this topic »
New Jersey Casino Carjacking Couple Sentenced To Decades
KYW Newsradio
... Caballero in the parking garage of the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, forced him into the trunk of his SUV, drove him to a rural area, stabbed him to death and dumped his body in a field before torching the vehicle to try to cover up the crimes.
See all stories on this topic »

KYW Newsradio

Genting solid despite MTN issue



Saturday May 26, 2012

Genting solid despite MTN issue


PETALING JAYA: Genting Bhd's latest proposal to issue medium-term notes (MTN) may result in a substantial increase in the group's net debt but analysts believe the position will remain manageable for the diversified conglomerate.

“The company is in a strong position, given the strength of its businesses,” an analyst said.
“We believe the bulk of proceeds from the issuance of the new debts will be diverted to new investments, which will only further strengthen the group. So, it could be a good thing.”
Genting Bhd on Thursday announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Genting Capital Bhd, had received Securities Commission's approval for the establishment of an MTN programme worth RM2bil.
An aerial view of Genting Highlands Resort. Genting Bhd has received Securities Commission’s approval for a RM2bil medium-term notes programme.

Genting said it would guarantee the notes to be issued by its unit pursuant to the proposed MTN programme, which has been assigned a long-term rating of AAA(s) by RAM Rating Services Bhd.
It said proceeds from the MTN would be used for operational expenses (opex) and to finance its subsidiaries' opex, capital expenditure (capex) and investment plans.

RHB Research, in its report, said Genting's net debt would likely rise to an estimated RM3.4bil at company level, assuming the full RM2bil of MTNs were issued and utilised. At group level, though, Genting would see its net debt rising to RM1.8bil compared with a net cash position of RM194mil as at end-2011.

This implied a net gearing of 10.4% at group level, which analysts at RHB Research said remained manageable.

UOB Kay Hian Research believed the issuance of the new MTNs was meant for Genting's investment ventures. It highlighted Genting's announcement of a proposal to construct and operate a 660-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Indonesia, which the research house assumed would incur a total investment of about RM2.6bil.

“Nevertheless, we are not ruling out other investment opportunities in which Genting could be involved, such as Genting Singapore plc's venture into new markets,” UOB Kay Hian Research said in its report.

AmResearch, in its report, said that among Genting's subsidiaries, gaming arms Genting Singapore and Genting Malaysia Bhd were the most aggressive in overseas expansion.
AmResearch noted that Genting Singapore was currently working on two projects and had recently raised S$2.3bil (RM5.68bil) in perpetual bonds.

“So far, Genting Malaysia has not carried out any major fund-raising exercise. The group relied on external borrowings to finance the development of Resorts World New York (RWNY).
“Going forward, however, Genting Malaysia would have to find ways to finance the US$4bil extension of RWNY if it successfully concludes negotiations with the Empire State Development Corp of New York on Nov 30,” it added.

Genting Malaysia had net cash of RM343mil as at financial year ended Dec 31, 2011.
AmResearch reckoned that Genting Plantations Bhd, on the other hand, would be able to finance its expansion in Indonesia without any cash calls.

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/5/26/business/11361347&sec=business


Genting solid despite MTN issue
PETALING JAYA: Genting Bhd's latest proposal to issue medium-term notes ( MTN) may result in a substantial increase in the group's net debt but analysts ...
thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/5/26/...sec...
RAM Ratings assigns and reaffirms top ratings for Genting Group ...
Read 'RAM Ratings assigns and reaffirms top ratings for Genting Group' on Yahoo! News Malaysia. KUALA LUMPUR (May 24): RAM Ratings has reaffirmed the ...
my.news.yahoo.com/ram-ratings-assigns-reaffirms-top-ratings...

The 2012 Massachusetts Problem Gambling Symposium

Is Western Mass. Prepared

to Deal with Expanded

Gambling?


 
The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling is working to raise awareness about disordered gambling, as well as build treatment capacity in Western Massachusetts. As the Commonwealth awaits the arrival of casinos, the Council is preparing communities to address problems associated with disordered gambling.

Symposium topics will include:

The State of the State: Gambling Expansion and Problem Gambing;

Pathological Gambling: Clinical Issues and Treatment Challenges;

Co-Occurring Disorders: Mental Health and Gambling Disorders;

Connecting the Dots: Gambling Research and Outcomes; and

Recovery Support Services and Resources.

The prevention, intervention and treatment of problem gambling will be discussed, as will services

and resources to support recovery.

The 2012 Massachusetts Problem Gambling Symposium

Raising Awareness & Building Treatment Capacity in Western Massachusetts

Friday, June 1, 2012, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

UMASS Amherst,
Marriott Center

Cost:
$75 for general public, $65 for MA-PGS

certificate holders and $25 for students. Cost

includes a continental breakfast, lunch,

materials and CEUs.

CEUs:
CEU certificates have been applied for and

are expected to be given to all participants who

complete the full day. CEUs to be offered:

LADC I, LADC II, LADC Asst.

CAC/CADAC

CAS

RN/LPN

NCC

SW

NCGC

Sponsored by: The Massachusetts Council on

Compulsive Gambling, The Massachusetts

Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance

Abuse Services, & AdCare Educational Institute, Inc.

For More Information :

Please call the Council at 617-426-4554 or email

victor@masscompulsivegambling.org.

Register Online Today!

www.masscompulsivegambling.org

Sponsorship Opportunities Available!

Is Western Mass. Prepared

to Deal with Expanded

Gambling?


 
 

Monday, May 28, 2012

Just like Massachusetts....


95% of Massachusetts residents believe their government is corrupt and the politicians confirm it!

You've got Governor Slot Barns vetoing a bill to add sorely needed background checks after the Stan McGee caper, inviting criminals and organized crime.




You've got Governor Slot Barns defending Secretary Bialecki, the Governor's Casino Cheerleader for owning and profiting from Gambling stocks.

As candidate coming from the amoral Predatory Lending, is it any wonder he sees nothing wrong with Predatory Gambling?  

Mayor Menino and Senator "Bad Memory" Petrucelli have charities that skirt campaign limits receiving contributions for an owner of Suffolk Downs, a racetrack seeking a Slot Barn license. With no public disclosure, there's no way of knowing what other contributions were asked for and accepted. Is this a Pay for Play Scheme?  

All of that on the heels of major scandals - Probation Department, Chelsea Housing Authority (for which the Lt. Governor is up to his ears), House Speaker DiMasi's conviction for opposing Gambling legislation, among others.


Watching Massachusetts backroom deals, just like Maryland, there's always a connection to Gambling.





There is a moral and ethical leadership vacuum in Maryland [as in Massachusetts], starting at the highest levels. In 2002, state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Millerbegan the modern era of slots gambling by taking from the president of the Maryland Jockey Club a $225,000 "contribution" for a special election fund used to support selected candidates. Although investigated by the FBI and the state, Mr. Miller was technically correct in how he structured his fund to skirt state contribution limits — yet he had chalk all over his shoes. On the Senate president's watch, gambling interests have become the largest lobby in Annapolis, crowding out the voices of more-productive industries.

... Maryland businessman and developer William Rickman coordinated contributions from his numerous business holdings to help the governor retire campaign debt. Less than three years later, after the governor had robocalled Marylanders urging them to vote for the slots referendum, Mr. Rickman received the first slots license granted in Maryland.


Maryland politicians' crime spree

From political crime to legalized corruption, the state of ethics in the Free State is a sorry one

May 24, 2012|By Douglas M. Schmidt
 
For the past three years, Maryland has experienced an unprecedented crime wave of political corruption. The only comparable period in memory would be the 1970s, when a governor was jailed and a sitting U.S. vice president (who had served as governor and Baltimore County executive) resigned in shame. The current offenders have been high-ranking elected officials, and the offenses have been far more serious than simple lapses in judgment. They have involved a level of hubris and ethical depravity that are shocking by any standard.

The sequence of scandals is subtly and slowly undermining trust in government as well as putting a sordid label on modern Maryland politics. The scandals also raise the question about how much corruption is below the surface and how deeply established it is in Maryland government. If the people at the top are cheating, what passes for acceptable practices among the rank and file? The scandals come at a particularly inopportune time for Maryland politicians, forming a backdrop of hostile public reaction to Annapolis tax increases and the push by leaders for more state-sponsored gambling.

The first to fall was former Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, caught cavorting with a developer and then palming gift cards meant for needy children. During this period, Ulysses Currie, an influential state senator who chaired one of the most powerful committees in the Maryland legislature escaped a federal conviction for corruption but was stripped of his legislative power for peddling his influence. Then we have not one but two county executives jailed or under indictment. One, John Leopold of Anne Arundel County, who arranged his trysts in a mall parking lot, is being hauled up not for moral turpitude but for misuse of his police protection unit. The other, Jack Johnson ofPrince George's County, who is currently serving time, apparently had a second, undisclosed and high-paying job working for developers. His county councilwoman wife flushed a six-figure bribery check down the toilet and shoved ill-gotten cash into her underwear as federal agents came to the door. (Daryl D. Jones, the lowly county councilman from Anne Arundel who simply ignored paying taxes for four years and is now in jail, looks like a piker by comparison.)

One of Baltimore's most principled business leaders in recent times had a saying that he used to keep his troops in line: "Don't let me see you with chalk on your shoes." This CEO ran a stock brokerage, and as we know, the finance industry is prone to abuse and cheating. He had to be zealous in protecting his firm's good name. "Chalk on the shoes" meant "do not even get close to the out-of-bounds line." Stay well within the playing field, where it is clear to everyone that you can be trusted and where you can never be accused of violating the rules.

The question about Maryland politics is not how many politicians are technically guilty of headline-grabbing crimes but how many Maryland politicians have chalk on their shoes. Where does the corruption, nepotism and cheating at the edges begin and end?

There is a moral and ethical leadership vacuum in Maryland, starting at the highest levels. In 2002, state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Millerbegan the modern era of slots gambling by taking from the president of the Maryland Jockey Club a $225,000 "contribution" for a special election fund used to support selected candidates. Although investigated by the FBI and the state, Mr. Miller was technically correct in how he structured his fund to skirt state contribution limits — yet he had chalk all over his shoes. On the Senate president's watch, gambling interests have become the largest lobby in Annapolis, crowding out the voices of more-productive industries.

In 2006, Gov. Martin O'Malleyspent heavily and went into debt to defeat a Republican incumbent. In the months following the new governor's win, Maryland businessman and developer William Rickman coordinated contributions from his numerous business holdings to help the governor retire campaign debt. Less than three years later, after the governor had robocalled Marylanders urging them to vote for the slots referendum, Mr. Rickman received the first slots license granted in Maryland.

Some people are just born lucky. In the election cycle of 2010, Mr. Rickman's network, utilizing more than 15 separate names, again combined to become the governor's largest single contributor. After Mr. O'Malley became head of the Democratic Governors Association, Mr. Rickman gave the group $25,000. Though technically legal, the taking of these hundreds of thousands of dollars and then promoting legislation to benefit the contributor is an obvious conflict of interest. The governor has chalk on his shoes.


http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-05-24/news/bs-ed-maryland-corruption-20120524_1_crime-spree-maryland-politicians-baltimore-mayor-sheila-dixon