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Ramos bill to make California Native American Day paid holiday for state employees earns committee approval
A key policy committee on Wednesday approved a measure in the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization to make California Native American Day a paid holiday — celebrated annually on the fourth Friday of September — for state employees.Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) introduced the bill, AB 989, which made it out of committee on a 20-0 vote. It will next go to the Committee on Public Employment and Retirement.
Ramos, a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe, is the first California Native American lawmaker elected in the state’s almost 175-year history. He has been working to enact a California Native American Day since 1998. The Assembly committee analysis of AB 989, provides the following background:
Native American Day began in California in 1939, when Gov. Culbert Olson dedicated Oct. 1 as “Indian Day.”
In 1968, Governor Ronald Reagan signed a resolution calling for a holiday called American Indian Day, to be held on the Fourth Friday in September.
In 1998, the California legislature passed, and the Governor signed AB 1953 (Baca) which changed the name of American Indian Day to Native American Day, and authorized public schools to provide instruction on the contributions of Native Americans. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., in 2011 wrote a Governor’s Proclamation highlighting this momentous and important day.
Since 2014, with the passage of AB 1973 (R. Hernández), Chapter 537, Statutes of 2014, California has recognized the fourth Friday in September as "Native American Day" as an official state holiday, albeit a holiday that does not directly provide for paid time off for any state employee.
Ramos said, “I was a San Manuel council member when I started working toward this goal with then-Assemblymember Joe Baca Sr. “This is one more step forward in recognizing and building knowledge about the history, culture and contributions of California’s Native Americans.”
In 2021, he successfully authored AB 855 that created a paid judicial holiday. The legislation did not include other state personnel because they are governed by a different statutory code section. Ramos noted, “California Native American history is California history, and the current unpaid holiday designation is an inadequate acknowledgment of the state’s First People and their millennia-long presence, saga and stewardship of the lands now known as California.”
Supporters include Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe of California, California Consortium for Urban Indian Health, Chalon Indian Nation of California, Elk Valley Rancheria, California as well as Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, Indigenous Justice, Mongo Band of Mission Indians and Native Development Network.
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Scotts Valley Pomo tribe sues federal government over casino project reconsideration
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The battle over a Lake County tribe’s casino plan in Vallejo has escalated with the filing of another lawsuit.On Tuesday, the Lakeport-based Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians filed a federal lawsuit and an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order to block what the tribe called the Department of the Interior’s “sudden and unlawful attempt” to reopen the tribe’s gaming eligibility determination for the casino project.
In January, the Department of Interior, while still under the Biden Administration, granted Scotts Valley’s fee-to-trust application for the $700 million, 400,000-square-foot mega casino complex, along with 24 homes and an administrative building, which is slated to be built near I-80 and Highway 37.
On March 24, two other tribes — the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, which owns Cache Creek Casino in Yolo County, and the Kletsel Dehe Band of Wintun Indians, a nongaming tribe based in Colusa County — filed a lawsuit challenging the Department of the Interior’s casino decision, as Lake County News has reported.
Three days later, the Department of the Interior wrote to the Scotts Valley Pomo to say that it was rescinding the gaming eligibility determination granted to the tribe under the Biden Administration in January in order for it to be reconsidered.
In a Tuesday statement, Scotts Valley said the Department of Interior’s March 27 action “seeks to upend years of federal approvals and threatens a carefully planned economic development project that would provide jobs, revenue, and long-term stability for the Tribe and the City of Vallejo.”
The tribe said it is “calling the action motivated by unfounded opposition from competitors, legally baseless, and in direct violation of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, federal trust obligations, and basic principles of administrative law.”
The Department Interior’s reconsideration “effectively ignores the determination that the Tribe’s trust land in Vallejo is eligible for gaming — despite DOI's own prior conclusion after years of review,” according to the statement.
Scotts Valley said the determination it received from the Department of Interior on Jan. 10 “came after years of extensive administrative review and litigation.”
As part of those previous reviews and lawsuits, Scotts Valley said it “successfully challenged an earlier negative decision, which a federal court found to be deficient.” As a result, the court ordered the matter remanded to the Department of Interior, leading to the January determination.
“The January 10 decision was based on evidence submitted by all parties as of 2019, and the Department already considered and rejected the points put forward by opposing casino operators,” the tribe said. “DOI is attempting to revisit a final decision that it had no legal basis to reopen.”
“This is a shameful decision,” said Scotts Valley Chairman Shawn Davis. “We will not allow bureaucrats to trample our sovereignty or destroy the opportunities we have fought decades to secure. This land is ours. The law is on our side. And we will see the Department of the Interior in court.”
Davis added, ““This is like trying to replay a football game after the final whistle has blown and the score has been posted. We won. The process is over. We shouldn’t have to replay the game because others don’t like the outcome.”
Scotts Valley’s Tuesday filing seeks immediate judicial intervention to prevent the Department of Interior “from inflicting further harm while the case proceeds. The Tribe is confident that the law, the facts, and common sense are on its side.”
The tribe’s statement said it “remains steadfast in its mission to exercise its sovereign rights, develop its economy, and hold the federal government accountable to its promises.”
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Authorities arrest burglary suspect following kidnapping incident
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said its arrest of a Lakeport man marks “a significant development” in the ongoing investigation into a series of property crimes across the county.Jeremy Wayne Griffin, 38, was taken into custody on March 26 after a brief foot pursuit, said sheriff’s spokesperson Lauren Berlinn.
Griffin had multiple outstanding warrants from Lake County and neighboring counties and was a primary suspect in numerous burglaries, Berlinn said.
Berlinn said the “diligent efforts” of the Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Community Oriented Policing and Targeted Restoration Unit, and Lake County Narcotics Task Force established probable cause linkingGriffin to thefts in Loch Lomond and Kelseyville.
Earlier in the investigation, Griffin evaded detectives in a high-speed vehicle pursuit, reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour before fleeing on foot, Berlinn reported.
Berlinn said a subsequent search of the abandoned vehicle yielded significant evidence, including multiple cell phones, burglary tools, cash, checks, stolen property from local businesses, as well as drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Detectives dedicated extensive hours to surveillance and investigative work to track Griffin’s whereabouts, according to Berlinn’s report.
Berlinn said that on March 26 detectives received a report that Griffin had forcibly kidnapped his estranged wife in front of their children. Ring doorbell footage confirmed that Griffin had forced her into a vehicle.
Detectives quickly located Griffin at a property on Gold Dust Drive in Kelseyville. Despite attempting to flee, Griffin was apprehended and arrested without further incident, Berlinn reported.
He now faces multiple charges, including burglary, kidnapping, evading a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance for sales, and numerous felony and misdemeanor offenses tied to his outstanding warrants.
Griffin is currently being held at the Hill Road Correctional Facility, with his bail set at $636,000 according to his booking sheet.
Berlinn said multiple cases have been referred to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, and the investigation into additional property crimes remains ongoing.
Lake County Superior Court records indicate Griffin has a lengthy criminal record, including previous convictions for assault, burglary, drugs and evasion.
The sheriff’s office commended the dedication of its deputies and detectives who worked tirelessly to apprehend Griffin and bring justice to the victims of these crimes.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Major Crimes Unit Tipline at 707-262-4088.
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Clearlake City Council to discuss charity bingo ordinance
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council this week will hold the first reading of an ordinance regarding charity bingo games and hold a hearing to close out a city project.The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 3, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The agenda can be found here.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel.
Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 827 7105 3751, the pass code is 715698. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,82771053751#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 646-931-3860.
On Thursday, the council will hold the first reading of an ordinance authorizing bingo games for charitable purposes only, and set the second reading and adoption for the next council meeting.
The council also will hold a public hearing to discuss the closeout package to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for the Community Development Block Grant Storm Drain Master Plan. Council members will consider adopting Resolution 2025-14 to authorize the city manager to submit the closeout package, confirming successful project completion and financial reconciliation.
Also on Thursday, the council also will offer a proclamation declaring April 2025 as Child Abuse Awareness Month, receive a presentation by North Coast Opportunities on the BUILD Program and receive the annual animal control report by North Bay Animal Services.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; review of the 2024 Annual Housing Element Progress Report; continuation of the local emergency proclamation for the Boyles Fire; continuation of the local emergency proclamation for the winter storms; and authorization of fee structure changed to special events applications, authorizing the city manager to implement special event fees and
deposits based on an hourly rate.
The council also will hold a closed session to discuss a liability claim filed by Anthony Oldfield.
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