Pechanga Tribal Nation

News & Press

FORUM: Temecula Needs to Honor Agreement

August 10, 2010 -- Temecula, CA
Tuesday night, the Temecula City Council can decide to continue down a litigious path of conflict and dissipate what remains of any good will between Pechanga and the city. Or, it can honor both the letter and spirit of the Intergovernmental Agreement we reached earlier in the year so we can conclude negotiations with the county of Riverside to complete the agreement.

At the heart of the dispute is a central provision of the deal that calls for the intergovernmental agreements between Pechanga, the city and the county to be interdependent. A primary reason for this interdependence is that the county of Riverside ---- not the city of Temecula ---- provides law enforcement services to the reservation, yet under the proposed agreement Temecula would receive all of the funding for law enforcement and cover the county's law enforcement costs.

Thus, a possibility exists for the county to reject the notion of reimbursement by the city and instead choose to receive the payment directly. In this time of economic recession and chronic government deficits, it would be negligent for the Tribal Council to transfer money before the county signs off on its portion and the agreement is effective.

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Temecula could sue Pechanga over casino costs

August 6, 2010 -- Temecula, CA
Temecula officials are recommending legal action against the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians to cover the costs the tribe's casino incurs on the city.

An item on Tuesday's City Council agenda would direct the city attorney to go to court to get the tribe to pay for the effect Pechanga Resort & Casino has on traffic and city services.

Officials also want to use $2 million of the city's savings to cover the shortfall created when the tribe didn't pay that amount. The $2 million annual payment was part of a long-term mitigation agreement between the tribe and the city ratified by the council in March.

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TEMECULA: Council to consider suing Pechanga tribe

August 6, 2010 -- Temecula, CA
City officials say tribe is overdue for $2 million payment

City leaders will discuss Tuesday whether to file suit against the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians in an attempt to force the tribe to fork over millions of dollars the city says it is owed for costs associated with a voter-approved expansion of the tribe's gaming operations.

The decision on whether to sue will be made by the Temecula City Council at Tuesday's meeting, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 43200 Business Park Drive.

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Pechanga re-elects chairman Macarro to eighth term on council

July 21, 2010 -- Temecula, CA
Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians on July 17 re-elected Mark Macarro to an eighth consecutive term as chairman of the seven-member tribal council.

Besides Macarro, the tribe re-elected: Mark Calac, Corrina R. Garbani, Andrew Masiel, Sr., Russell "Butch" Murphy and Ken Perez. Elected to replace Marc Luker, who did not seek another term in office, was Benjamin Vasqez.

Macarro, who has served as tribal chairman since 1995, has been on the tribal council since 1992.

"I am sincerely humbled to have the opportunity to serve the Pechanga people as tribal chairman for another two years," he said in a statement Wednesday. "Serving our people in elected office is a privilege and an honor."

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Pechanga Public Safety Officers to be Honored by Riverside County Sheriff

March 31, 2010 -- Press Release
Five Pechanga officers and a dispatcher cited for bravery and quick action in assault on Sheriff's Deputy

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department will formally recognize six Pechanga Resort & Casino Public Safety Team Members tonight at the Riverside Convention Center for their involvement in subduing a suspect who attacked a Sheriff's Deputy during a struggle inside a Pechanga parking garage last December. The recognition will take place during the Sheriff's Annual Awards Ceremony.

The suspect in the attack was identified as James Francis Deck of San Diego. Deck is accused of entering the parking garage in an attempt to evade a traffic stop on Pechanga Parkway. Deck, pursued on foot by the Sheriff's Deputy, knocked the officer to the ground and grabbed for the officer's handgun.

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Pechanga's showroom theater in Temecula draws big talent

January 21, 2010 -- Temecula, CA
State-of-the-art technology means dozens of big names will be popping up on the Pechanga marquee in the coming months.

Take a quick glance at Pechanga Resort & Casino's entertainment line-up and the talent is sure to impress. Huge industry names like Merle Haggard, Styx and Kenny Rogers are considered standard fare at this local venue, and there's a reason why.

"We have a lot of top acts who love to perform here. Some of them actually enjoy visiting our resort. We are a premier destination. And I do hear from locals all the time about the quality of [talent] that we have here and they usually have requests for more and more acts," said Pechanga's Public Relations Manager Robert Bledsoe.

Pechanga Resort & Casino appears poised to deliver.

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