December 7, 2009 (Alpine) – San Diego East  Visitors Bureau celebrated the grand opening last week of its new office in the Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine. The site is an official California Welcome Center, providing information for tourists on attractions in East County and the San Diego region.
 

“This is the first California Welcome Center ever opened on tribal lands,” said Charlie Brown, director of Viejas Community Relations.

November 24, 2009 – Tribal Council leaders rolled out the first strikes following a ribbon cutting ceremony today at the new Viejas Bowl, located in the Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine. (www.shopviejas.com. Opening ceremonies included a blessing and smudging, or burning of sage, to bring good luck to Viejas’ newest entertainment venture.

Viejas Outlet Center transforms into a winter wonderland complete with ice skating, holiday tree lighting & shows

November 10, 2009 (Alpine)– Viejas Outlet Center officially kicks off the holiday season this Friday, November 13, with the opening of Southern California’s largest ice rink including skating show at 6 p.m., holiday tree lighting at 7:30. p.m., the return of the Legend of the Ice Princess performance, plus  holiday savings at all retail stores.

October 29, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) – Want to be a winner at a casino—without having to gamble any money? Several area casinos are hosting Halloween costume contests and paying out big cash prizes. Others are offering parties, gifts, and Halloween eve concerts.

Thousands enjoyed free concert, car show and kids fun zone

Story and Photos by Leon Thompson

Viejas (September 26, 2009) Thousands of enthusiastic rock music fans of all ages convened in the parking lot of Viejas Casino to hear a free concert co-sponsored by radio station Magic 92.5 on Saturday, October 3. The event, new this year, was clearly a success—as evidenced by a line of cars backed up to the freeway exit by mid-afternoon.

The event featured attractions for the whole family including free rides in the fun zone for the young and young at heart, a vintage and custom car show. A troop of young spray-can outlaws fascinated the crowd by transforming a blank wall into living art that seemed to jump from the wall. (The artists, who declined to have their faces photographed, honed their skills from years of practice in places not so welcoming as here.)

By Miriam Raftery
 

September 3, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) – Thousands of tribal members from across the United States as well as many local participants and spectators are expected to flock to the Barona and Syucan reservations in East County during the first two weekends in September.

By Marisa Kezirian

Photos by Miriam Raftery
 

August 16, 2009 (La Jolla) – It was a day filled with education and excitement for Native American youngsters enrolled in Camp Heyaay Coome Kooknumch, which means “The Elders Long Ago Tell Our Stories.”

July 7, 2009 (San Diego)--A new chapter was added to the history books at San Diego State University on July 1. The arena on the SDSU campus has been known as Cox Arena ever since it opened its doors 1997. But Wednesday, the name officially changed to Viejas Arena.

By Miriam Raftery

June 1, 2009 (Warner Springs)—“It’s always fun when we get an adult to volunteer to be the cow,” Sherri Freeman quipped, then deftly lassoed a running parent. Nearby, youngsters saddled up on a bucking mechanical horse, ground acorns, studied history of the Butterfield Stage Coach, hiked with an ecologist, visited farm animals, and learned about wild herbs from a Native American healer.

Watch our slideshow

View our videos! Acorn-grinding lesson; teacher lassos a parent “cow”

ALPINE, Calif. — May 28, 2009 — As the weather begins to heat up and children get out of school, Viejas offers a place to beat the heat with an array family-friendly events. The annual Power of Nightfire show will feature performances at 9 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday, until Labor Day. The unique performance intrigues the audience with water fountains, lasers, pyrotechnics, special effects and intricate choreography. The show tells the story of an ancient Kumeyaay Indian who saved his people from the evil “water spirit” and brings the valuable water back to his village.

“I had a dream that I would have a drum,” recalled Neka’asawe, a drum maker who was among the many vendors displaying indigenous crafts at the Sage & Songbirds Festival at Viejas Outlet Center in early May. “I went into a sweat lodge and prayed. A spirit told me I would make many drums.”

By Miriam Raftery

April 23, 2009 (Viejas Indian Reservation)—Preparing for fire season, fire
engine crews from more than 60 fire protection agencies donned full safety
gear and participated in structure protection drills, wildland hose lays, pumping
evolutions and other exercises. Aerial resources, including helicopters, practiced
coordinated fire attacks with ground crews under simulated fire conditions.
The eighth annual event was hosted this year at the Viejas Indian Reservation
east of Alpine on April 18, 21, 22 and 23.

La Mesa Chamber of Commerce President Mary England and Viejas spokesman Charlie Brown

By Miriam Raftery

March 26, 2009 (Alpine) —“We don’t just hold mixers. We make cash registers ring,” La Mesa Chamber of Commerce president Mary England told a crowd of approximately 100 members and guests at a mixer hosted by the Chamber at the Dreamcatcher Lounge in Viejas Casino. England presented a plaque to Viejas, which donated dinners for all Chamber members and guests.

1st place Barona team

March 17, 2009 (San Diego) — The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians hosted the Inter-Tribal Sports (ITS) Basketball Championships on the Viejas Reservation on Sunday, March 15. The sports league, consisting of teams from 16 different tribes or tribal organizations in the Southern California area, provides athletic opportunities along with native cultural and spiritual development.

March 3, 2009 (San Diego)--At an inaugural celebration, Viejas Enterprises was awarded the East County Regional Business of the Year by the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce. The first "Bet on the Chamber" celebration, held at Viejas' DreamCatcher Lounge, recognized over 20 outstanding East County businesses.The Chamber annually recognizes businesses throughout East County that have made a substantial contribution to the community.