Legislature Honors Tribe

The California Legislature has honored the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians on the 125th anniversary of its Temecula-area reservation's 1882 creation.

Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro accepted a framed proclamation from Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, during Thursday's floor session.

"Tribes elsewhere have come and gone, but we've managed to survive during that whole period," Macarro said.

It marked the first time California lawmakers have marked the occasion. The Pechanga reservation's 100th anniversary in 1982 came and went with no notice by the Legislature, Macarro said. Since then, Pechanga and other tribes with casinos have become active players in California government. The tribe is trying to get the Assembly to ratify a renegotiated gambling compact that would let it have up to 7,500 slot machines.

"There's been a lot of talking going on. There are still some important loose ends that need to be addressed," Macarro said.

--Jim Miller - The Press Enterprise
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_pechanga22.3dbe0ce.html