CSC leaves jail a mess
Zarana Sanghani
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The souvenirs Correctional Services Corp. officials
left behind when they vacated the McKinley County Adult Detention
Center will make it hard for the new management to forget them.
A burned mattress, broken light fixtures and stained walls greeted
Management and Training Corp. when it moved into the prison Wednesday
morning.
"We came an hour ago for an inspection of the building and inventory,"
county commissioner Harry Mendoza said. "The building is not
in the same condition it was in when (CSC) took it over. To tell you
the truth, it's kind of filthy."
Several county officials along with Mendoza toured the county facility
to assess damages.
They found a blackened mattress huddled in the corner of a bunk bed,
its ashes littering the bottom bunk and floor. Prison officials said
they suspect the cell's inmate began the fire by tearing an electric
switch out of the wall and using the current to ignite a flame. The
switch still hangs torn out of the wall.
Further inspection revealed fire extinguisher residue lining the door
and floor near another cell. In the last week, inmates began three
fires, one prison guard said. It seems that though the prison staff
put the fires out, they left behind the resulting trash.
Walls are stained green and black, floors bear rust residue, light
and electric fixtures hang torn or broken and door sills are spotted
with tiny dots of brown slime. And CSC may have to pay for it.
"Under the contract, CSC had an obligation to clean up and repair,"
said Douglas Decker, civil counsel for the county. "We're still
going to be negotiating that out. I'm confident that we'll get something
from them."
Correctional consultant David Beck with CSC does not feel the same.
"Wear and tear ... is just part of the prison business. We will
not cover costs if we can't help (the mess)," he said.
Beck added that he had not heard any complaints from the MTC officials
with whom he had talked.
Decker said he and county Manager Irvin Harrison toured the building
with CSC officials the previous week to determine which items belonged
to the county and which belonged to CSC.
CSC officials did not show them the areas where most of the maintenance
problems found Wednesday morning existed, while boxes and cabinets
covered stains on walls and floors, Decker said.
What Decker did see last week were new walls in the county-owned facility
of which neither he nor other county officials were aware. CSC should
have asked for the county commissioners' approval or informed them
about many of those additions, he added.
Decker said CSC probably installed the walls to create the proper
segregated cells for women inmates and to create new offices or rooms.
Adding walls adds corners in which surveillance cameras must be installed.
Though CSC did install 18 cameras for those and other corners, the
old management took them during the move.
Judie Krauklis, county finance director, said, "When (CSC) put
up the walls, it changed the number of cameras needed. (CSC) will
have to take down the (new) walls or return the cameras."
The prison can hold 250-plus inmates, and it houses
115, including 11 women. The new MTC warden, Cody Graham, said as
the inmate pods are cleaned and repaired, the prisoners will be rotated
from pod to pod. Many pods are not in use because of the low occupancy.
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Tracks close to being fixed
Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Gallup residents soon may not have to endure the jarring
impact while driving over the Second Street crossing. The Burlington
Northern-Santa Fe Railroad finally has responded to the city's request
to repair the bumpy route.
In response to a letter from City Attorney Lynn Isaacson and hint
of a lawsuit, a railroad representative met with the public works
director last Thursday to discuss the crossing, City Manager David
Ruiz said.
"We got their attention, and now they're here," he said.
Consequently, the railroad has proposed to add sections of concrete
that would raise the tracks about 6 inches, he said.
But there is a catch the railroad is asking that the city help in
the repairs by reconstructing its portion of the street on the Route
66 side, he said.
A sloped area, or transition ramp, is necessary to acclimate with
the raised tracks, he said.
The railroad estimates that its part of the repairs would cost about
$140 a foot but has not provided the city with cost estimates for
its end of the deal.
The city council will not make a decision until the railroad provides
it with the figures, Ruiz said.
He said he is waiting until he sees the estimate because
of the city's experience last year when the railroad repaired the
Third Street crossing.
At that time, the city ended up paying $10,000 to repair signal lights
because of electrical wires the railroad said were faulty, he said.
The traffic was rerouted manually, using police officers.
The state originally had installed the lines, but said the lines were
correct when informed by the city of the railroad's claim, saying
the railroad should do the repairs.
After two weeks without signal lights, Ruiz said he was forced to
authorize the expenditure.
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Jail managers promise security
Sekai K. Mutunhu
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The McKinley County Adult Detention Center has officially
changed hands and new management is promising to tighten security
and repair a damaged relationship with a distrustful community.
A supervisor will be on the premises 24 hours a day to oversee security
guards and ensure inmates are properly monitored around the clock.
Structural reinforcements have been made, and officials are considering
installing a perimeter fence and additional razor ribbon or censors
on the roof of the building to heighten security.
Warden Cody Graham says MTC will also enforce the necessary leadership
and guidance required to run the facility effectively.
Graham brings 18 years of experience to the job and a "back to
the basics" philosophy.
"Whenever there is an escape it's a breakdown in security somewhere,"
he said.
The escape of 12 inmates between September and November ultimately
resulted in Correctional Services Corporation losing its contract
with the county. Ogden, Utah-based Management and Training Corporation
took over the medium security facility effective Jan. 1. The transition
was completed Wednesday.
Graham says CSC's claims that the jail was structurally flawed can't
be used as a justification for the recent escapes.
"You can say that about any facility that you go to but the bottom
line is if you don't have good basic security in place then it doesn't
matter," Graham said. "They (CSC) didn't ensure the staff
was out walking and monitoring inmates."
He added, "If they had been doing their job properly it never
would have happened."
Graham says he will take a hands-on approach in training and supervising
all staff to ensure they are fulfilling the functions they were hired
to perform. MTC has rehired 20 of the employees that were released
by CSC.
"We are going to get back to basics on security,
teach our staff and train them," he said.
Reluctant to use words such as minimum, medium or maximum, Graham
says he feels ready to house any inmates regardless of security classification
that are thrown his way. MTC will work with the county to determine
who will be housed at the facility and extra security precautions
will be taken for those inmates who require it.
Graham, who will be moving his wife and children to Gallup, said he
understands the distrust the recent jailbreaks have created within
the community. He intends to drive a simple but significant point
home to his staff to underscore the detrimental effects any security
lapses could have.
"It could be your family that they (escaped inmates) go to,"
he said.
MTC has formed a civic advisory panel that will include representatives
from the sheriff's department and the board of county commissioners.
Once a month, residents will be able to express concerns and suggestions
during a question and answer forum.
A date for the initial meeting has yet to be announced.
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Tribe works to avoid Aneth shutdown
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Officials scrambled Wednesday to keep the Aneth
Chapter running after its top three elected officials were removed
from office Monday and Tuesday for issuing thousands of dollars in
checks not authorized by the chapter's membership.
"The Navajo Nation is not anticipating any significant
problems for the chapter," said Carolyn Calvin, press officer
for Council Speaker Edward T. Begay.
Without a slate of officers to conduct the meetings
to approve spending and to supervise staff, the chapter of 2,182 people
would be shut down...
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Church Rock man in serious condition
Sekai K. Mutunhu
Staff Writer
GALLUP — After being severely beaten on New Year's Day, a Church
Rock man remains in serious condition at an Albuquerque hospital with
two skull fractures, multiple brain bleeds and a collapsed lung.
Willis Kee, 46, was transferred from the Gallup Indian
Medical Center to the University Hospital after being attacked at
an abandoned motel on the night of Jan. 1.
Stoney C. Tony, 23, and Aaron Shirley, 19, were arrested earlier this
week and charged with aggravated battery and robbery.
Gallup Police Lt. Robert Silva said Kee, who was drinking with a friend
in an empty room at the derelict Log Cabin Lodge on 1111 W. Highway
66, didn't know his assailants...
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Bengal wrestlers impressive
Alan Arthur
Sports Editor
GALLUP — It's not too hard to tell how excited Gallup wrestling
coach is about his team this year. You just have to talk to him.
"We have seven wrestlers that wrestle with anybody anywhere,"
Clothier said, who is in his sixth year as head coach for the Bengals.
The best proof of that may be the Flowing Wells Invitational tournament
held over the Christmas Holiday in Tucson, Arizona. At that tournament
which featured 40 teams, the Bengals placed eighth with 160.5 points...
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State pushes telecom plan
Grants, others urged to leave information 'dirt road'
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — A state office is conducting a three-week, 20-city blitz
to inform business and community leaders about the governor's white
paper on telecommunications.
On Wednesday Roberto Salazar, director of the office of science and
technology for New Mexico's Economic Development Department, hyped
the white paper to the media and a handful of invited community and
business leaders in Grants and later in Gallup.
Salazar said that rather than take a position and push for specific
legislation, Gov. Gary Johnson is supporting parameters on the deregulation
of telecommunications. The parameters are designed to promote multi-company
participation in the industry and to break US West's monopoly...
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Escapee suspect in fire
House burns in Dennehotso
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — A two-time Navajo jail escapee also wanted by federal
authorities is believed to have torched an unoccupied home in his
chapter of Dennehotso, near the Arizona-Utah border.
And the deadly combination of cold temperatures and drinking too much
alcohol claimed the lives of two more men, found frozen to death around
New Year's day, Navajo police report.
Merrill Singer, 39, the fugitive who has eluded capture since mid-September,
is accused by police of setting fire to an unoccupied stucco home
owned by Mae Ann Jeff of St. George, Utah. It is located about one
mile northwest of the Dennehotso Community School...
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Ex-Gallup coach returns to Greyhills
High School
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
TUBA CITY, Ariz. - A familiar face is back at Greyhills Academy High
School.
After being away from the area for the last 16 months, former Greyhills
and Gallup boys basketball coach Mark Ruybal is back at his former
stomping grounds as the new athletic director in addition to getting
his old job as the varsity boys basketball coach.
"I'm glad to be back," said the 39-year-old Ruybal during
a telephone interview Wednesday. "Initially it was strange to
be back here but for me and my boys it's like I never left. The people
here are so supportive. I'm excited to be coaching again. I'm looking
forward to the challenge..."
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'MASH' vets lend hand on reservation
Nancy Watson
Staff Writer
GALLUP — They come with tents, equipment and staff
to give shots and spay and neuter animals for free in six locations
on the Navajo Reservation.
Veterinarians, technicians, and students from the University of Tennessee
will arrive by plane, rent vehicles to bring in their equipment, and
set up instant animal hospitals.
"It looks just like a MASH unit," said Glenda Davis, program
manager of the Navajo Veterinary Program.
This is the third year the group has come to the Navajo Nation to
provide the service. The volunteers usually come twice a year in May
and August. This trip is an unexpected but pleasant surprise, Davis
said...
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