LAKEPORT — Scotts Valley Pomo Indians respectfully asked passers-by to sign a letter to their U.S. senators and congressman in support of bringing a casino and jobs to Lake County during a rally Friday in Lakeport.
Matthew Miller said he and other tribe members want community support to spur change.
“It”s what the world should be like, people working together to achieve something better than one individual can,” Miller said.
About 20 tribe members gathered in front of the museum on Main Street in Lakeport to, as a sign read, “Support our cause ? jobs for all.” The tribal members want to bring jobs to Lake County by buying Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa and adding a casino, Miller said. The tribal council has been working for years to build a casino in Richmond, which the ralliers don”t support.
“This is not just a tribal issue,” Miller said. “This is our history, our land. It means more than a potential moneymaking demographic.”
Miller said aside from the Pomos not living in Richmond, he doesn”t think the tribe should build a casino there because two teens were shot in church Sunday in Richmond.
“People who are doing shootings at churches pretty much wouldn”t mind doing a shooting in a casino parking lot,” Miller said.
Miller said he”s rallying in support of his family, including his dad, uncle and cousins who attended the rally.
“I”m just trying to do the right thing,” Miller said.
Miller”s dad, Les Miller, helped to organize the rally that gained about 70 signatures of support. The elder Miller plans to go house-to-house for more signatures and will send the letters early next week.
Les Miller also said he and other tribe members wrote a formal letter asking four tribal council members to resign because they have been breaking laws in their support of the Richmond casino.
People walked up to a table in front of the museum, asked questions and then signed the letter.
Aaron Ussery of Oakridge, Oregon was in Lakeport for a few weeks and stopped by to help the friends he grew up with.
“I”m here to support the cause,” Ussery said. “There isn”t a lot of work here, people feel helpless.”
Ussery thinks the tribe would help to improve employment in Lake County by opening Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa.
“I moved away because there”s no jobs,” Ussery said.
“If they started getting more jobs in Lakeport, I would move back here,” he said.
Tyka Booker of Clearlake belongs to the Tongva/Gabrielino tribe in Southern California and came to the rally to support her friends and family, she said.
Booker set up concerts at Konocti Harbor Resort during the summer and probably would do so this summer if it was open, she said. She thinks opening a casino at the resort would be better than it sitting empty.
“It”s like a landmark. It”s been there forever,” Booker said. “It”s a beautiful setting on the lake and it”s just going to waste.”
She said she thinks it”s silly that the tribal council wants to build a casino in Richmond.
“They don”t want to pick up and move to Richmond, especially when they”ve been here all their lives,” Booker said.
Booker said she thinks community support will help the tribe because many people in the county need jobs.
County administrator Kelly Cox stopped by the rally and spoke with Les Miller to see if the county and the tribe could work together to consider adding a casino to Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa.
“The Board of Supervisors has expressed their willingness to discuss all options related to Konocti Harbor Resort because the board recognizes the importance of that facility to the county”s economy,” Cox said.
Tribal member Joe Thomas of Lakeport said he came to the rally to build support that will help his 5-year-old daughter in the future.
“I”m trying to represent for the little kids. Nobody is representing them,” Thomas said. I”m that voice.”
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
