Visalia Times-Delta from Visalia, California • 19

uiuay, June 30, 2006 3C Cable bill advances, with questions Assembly committee rejects Indian casino plans in Barstow On the Net Read AB2987 at www. assembly.ca.gov ernments continued control over things like cable rights of way. But city and county organizations said there are likely no provisions that will let local governments support the bill because its basic goal is to transfer their power to the state. Lawmakers also want more guarantees that high-tech TV phone and Internet connections will go to poor neighborhoods if they approve the bill. The phone companies have or are seeking similar statewide franchises in about a dozen other states and are pursuing federal legislation.

California is demanding and getting more concessions than any of the other states that have adopted programs so far, Verizon's West Region president, Timothy McCallion, said after Thursday's hearing. Negotiations will continue over the summer before the bill is considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee in August. But McCallion said the phone companies are unwilling to give up more for fear of hurting the profits they need to make the program work, leaving some groups unhappy with the outcome. Proposal would have let Indian casinos on non-reservation land The Associated Press BARSTOW An Assembly committee rejected proposed side-by-side Indian casinos by so-called reservation-shopping tribes hoping to lure Las Vegas-bound gamblers off Interstate 15 in Barstow. Wednesday's vote by the Assembly Governmental Organizational Committee likely dooms Barstow casinos for the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians of San Diego County and the Big Lagoon Rancheria of Humboldt County.

Federal law requires that state and local officials agree to gaming deals before non-reservation land can be taken into trust and used for gambling purposes. The committee, which heard tes chairman, urged Schwarzenegger and the tribes to look for a site with no ancestral ties for other tribes. San Bernardino County's San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and Chemehuevi tribe both claim Barstow as an area where their people once lived. Representatives from those tribes testified against the Big Lagoon-Los Coyotes bid. Barstow leaders testified the two-casino proposal would be an economic lifeline and representatives from the Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes tribes said the Barstow deal would help lift them out of poverty.

The Big Lagoon tribe's Northern California reservation is considered environmentally sensitive by the state and Schwarzenegger was against a casino at the site. The governor's negotiators proposed the unusual partnership to Barstow and Los Coyotes as a way to end a long-running lawsuit between the state and Big Lagoon timony from other tribes against the proposal, marked the latest rejection by lawmakers of gaming compacts negotiated by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration The bid for the two casinos was crafted by Schwarzenegger's nego-tiators last year. Legislative approval is required for the deals to be enacted. Tribes on remote reservations unlikely to attract gamblers try to get approval to open casinos on land away from their reservations.

The proposed twin casinos in the Mojave Desert along Interstate 15 would beckon gamblers at the midway point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Opponents of the Los Coyotes and Big Lagoon Rancheria proposals told the committee the Barstow casinos would violate state and federal laws. Assemblyman Jerome Horton, D-Inglewood, the committee Rob Schneider collapses The phone companies promise cheaper cable television rates and more viewing choices if they are allowed to web the state with fiberoptic lines that also would be used to provide telephone and highspeed Internet service. Cable companies also support the bill, given provisions adopted this week that would let them opt out of their current local agreements in favor of a statewide franchise. That leaves cities and counties objecting that they could lose the benefits and money from franchise agreements that have years left to run They fear public access and government television channels and Web sites could also fail without the financial support provided by the cable monopolies.

Members of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, pledged to minimize the financial damage, and promised local gov Fair Continued from page 1C regular fair admission Some of the performers include the Motown group, The Spinners, who made their national debut in the early 1970s and have recorded songs, "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love," and "I'll Be Around." Also, artist Tracy Lawrence, a 16-year veteran of country music is coming. Lawrence has recorded 11 albums with songs such as "Time Marches On," and "Paint Me a Birmingham." The second country artist coming is Lee Greenwood, who has been doing country and patriotic music for more than 30 years. He has recorded 12 albums and performed in several venues, but he's probably best known for his recording of "God Bless the USA." "Lee Greenwood is probably the widest known from the largest audience," said Jane Quebe, who helped book the acts for the fair. Quebe said both country artists are multiplatinum artists. But just because some of the other performers are less known, doesn't mean they won't be any fun This may be the case with Pablo Cruise, a 1970s-80s band that recorded "Ocean Breeze," and "A Place in the Sun" The performers will be going on stage at 7 p.m.

Wednesday-Satur- peratures have soared above 100 in recent days. "The combination of bad food and the heat just hit him," said his publicist Shara Koplowitz. She did not know what he ate but said he was treated at San Joaquin General Hospital and released Wednesday. "He's back on the set directing today," she said Thursday. Firefighters were called out to the set for several cases of heat BUY MARKET This year's fair Wednesday Sept.

Gates open 11 a.m.-ll p.m. Entertainment: Country artist Tracy Lawrence Thursday Sept. 14: Gates open 4 p.m.-midnight. Entertainment: Country artist Lee Greenwood Friday Sept. 15: Gates open noon-midnight.

Entertainment: 70's and 80's band Pablo Cruise Saturday Sept. 16: Gates open noon-midnight. Entertainment: Motown group The Spinners Sunday Sept. 17: Gates open noon-midnight. Entertainment: Fiesta music from noon-9 p.m.

Tickets: Adults $7, 6-12 and over 62 are $4. Children 6 and younger are free. Information: www.tularefair. org or 559-686-4707. day, but on Sunday there will be fiesta music all day, Quebe said.

She explained the fair is working with a local radio station to bring in local acts. In addition to the evening entertainment, Sanders said the fair will feature more than 100 different commercial vendors ready to cater to some 86,000 people who are expected to visit the fair over its five-day run. The reporter can be reached at gubbelohvisalia.gannett.com. LOCAL GUYS -US FE3 ATMK3.1S Bill would let phone companies compete with cable TV The Associated Press SACRAMENTO A bill that would allow telephone companies such as Corp. and Verizon Communications Inc.

compete with existing cable television companies cleared its first Senate committee Thursday over the objections of cities and counties. The 9-0 vote came with many details of the complicated legislation yet to be decided. The Senate then went to summer reruns as it adjourned for five weeks, leaving until August and another committee the remaining questions over a bill that proponents and opponents agree would change the landscape of California mass technology, The bill would let telephone companies compete for a piece of California's $5.3 billion-a-year cable business by seeking franchise agreements issued by the state, rather than by cities or counties. The legislation passed the Assembly unanimously earlier this month. BBQ.

Continued from page 1C they could not park in their lot." Morse said because employees from Bubba's could not park in their own lot, they would sometimes park in front of UFO, where furniture pieces are set up on display. Edith Madrid, a floor manager at Bubba's said she can understand the furniture outlet's standpoint. 'Actually they're really nice people," she said. "It's probably because we're blocking their merchandise. I guess they just want to have business too." Madrid said parking is not a problem at night because UFO closes at 6 p.m., and around dinner time is when the restaurant is the busiest.

That's when customers can park there, she said. "It's a tight parking problem in general," Geena Saenz, the general manager of Bubba's said. "In general, we need a full parking lot, our banquet room fits 95 people alone." "We would truly love to have more parking," she added. Eric Bons, the senior civil engineer with the city of Visalia, said the UFO signs were unofficial, therefore they are unenforceable. "Caltrans or authorizing agents can install the signs," Bons said.

"But it's the police departments that can enforce them." Morse said she is aware of that. "I realize that this is a highway and people can park on it," she said. "But it would be nice if they left some room for tour customers, though." The reporter can be reached at rpersingvisalia.gannett.com. This space kept clean by Locally owned and operated for 16 years Screened, bonded employees Offering customized cleaning 734-3320 Let us keep your space clean too! Local headlines delivered to your desktop every morning. Sign up today at www.Visalia1imesDelta.comheadlines The Associated Press STOCKTON Former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Rob Schneider was taken to a Northern California hospital after collapsing from food poisoning and heat exhaustion during the filming of an upcoming movie.

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