New Mexico officials say a drunk man barreled an SUV through a parade that celebrates Native American culture and that least 15 people were injured, including two Gallup police officers. The state police agency said Friday they have no reason to suspect the crime was motivated by hate. The incident stoked fear in the crowd of thousands who lined the parade route in front of businesses selling Native American jewelry, arts and crafts. Police arrested 33-year-old Jeff Irving and said his blood-alcohol content was three times the state’s legal limit for driving.
The National Indian Gaming Commission will announce tribal casino revenues for fiscal year 2021 this week. The announcement takes place on Wednesday August 10, during the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association’s Tradeshow and Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. NIGC Chair E. Sequoyah Simermeyer and Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland are set to participate. The figures will show how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Indian gaming industry. For most of 2020, tribes shut down their casinos, resulting in a dramatic decline in their revenues.