Sawmill man dies in pickup rollover
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — A 41-year-old Sawmill Chapter father died a day
after being ejected from a pickup truck his son was driving, Navajo
police said Tuesday.
Thomas George Gail Jr. and his son Wayne Gail, no age or hometown
listed, were thrown out of their vehicle when it went off the northbound
shoulder of U.S. 191 at Mile Post 404.5 near Ganado shortly before
5 p.m. Sunday.
The father was flown by helicopter to Flagstaff Medical Center, where
he died Monday, according to police. He suffered serious head, neck,
hip and leg injuries, Navajo police said.
The son was taken by ambulance to Sage Memorial Hospital in Ganado,
police said.
The men's truck went off the northbound shoulder of
the pavement, overcorrected, came across the two-lane highway to the
southbound shoulder and rolled at least four times.
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School leaders break ground for new Turpen
Elementary
Zarana Sanghani
Staff Writer
GALLUP — With tractors leveling the ground and digging a square
pit in the background, Gallup-McKinley County School District officials
shoveled dirt Tuesday afternoon at the formal groundbreaking for the
future Tobe Turpen Jr. Elementary School.
Construction of the building started last December, said David Irving,
the district support services construction director. He expects the
project to be completed in June.
Among the shovelers was Tami Maldonado, principal of Turpen. The school
is housed temporarily in portable buildings next to Washington Elementary.
"It's been one hectic year of two schools on one
campus," Maldonado said, "so we were excited to come out
here and find a pit ready for building on."
In the first phase of construction, the district will build administrative
offices, a nurse's office, library, computer room, special education
classes and cafeteria.
Maldonado said more than 200 students now attend Turpen. She expects
another 200 students from Chee Dodge and Stagecoach elementary schools.
The initial portion of the new school will span 22,000 square feet
and cost about $2.4 million. Those funds are provided by the New Mexico
Critical Outlay Program.
An additional 22,000 square feet of classrooms are scheduled to be
built when the district obtains more money from the same program,
said school Superintendent Robert Gomez.
In July, Gomez said he will present information to the State Public
Capital Outlay Study Committee in an attempt to receive the $2 million
needed to complete the school. He said he expects the committee to
approve the additional the funding.
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Zuni's clean water project steps nearer
S.J. Ludescher
Staff Writer
ZUNI — Zuni Pueblo Gov. Malcolm Bowekaty says the reservation
has made progress toward bringing clean water to residents.
Bowekaty received word last week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture
has offered a $500,000 loan, with a low interest rate, to pay for
a rural utilities project.
Including a separate grant to the tribe, the Zunis will have more
than $2 million available to implement the program.
A Laguna firm has received a contract to build five wells and provide
a generator at Zuni. That includes more than 5 miles of pipeline from
Ojo Caliente, Bowekaty said.
The project also calls for a water dechlorination facility and storage
tanks.
"We expect to have clean running water by the end of 2000, with
the entire project completed by 2003," Bowekaty said. "This
is a new source of water for us. There will be expansion westward
that will also make some economic development possible."
The new wells are expected to provide water for the next 50 to 70
years, as opposed to the current aquifer that will last for another
10 to 20 years but which is contaminated with iron promagenate, he
said.
"Iron promagenate discolors plumbing and porcelain. The bacteria
that flourishes on the compound gives off sulfur dioxide rotten eggs
when it's heated, like in a hot water tank. That may not be life threatening,
but it's not acceptable to our people, that's for sure," he said.
Bowekaty also listed the following projects as priorities this year
for the pueblo:
Approach the state legislature for funds for recreation
and Head Start.
Expand the local fire department.
Acquire special funds for senior citizens to repair damage from flooding
last summer and the replacement of vans damaged by those floods.
Seal seepage from the Zuni dam site.
Streamline the pueblo government so it will run like
a business.
Bring in on-site classes to improve the education level of council
employees, with the goal of all employees holding a bachelor's degree.
Work with the Navajo Nation to find common objectives to work for
during the state legislative session when the other tribe cannot be
present.
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Blaze must pay taxes, court rules
Bill Donovan
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — The now-defunct Blaze Construction Co. won't get its
day before the Navajo Supreme Court until it pays what it owes the
tribe in taxes.
Blaze, which sold out its assets to another company five years ago,
sued the Navajo Tax Commission in 1997, arguing it did not owe the
tribe some $581,000 that the tax commission claimed.
This dispute goes back to 1989, when the commission assessed the construction
firm some $1.1 million in taxes, penalties and interest. The company
began a payment plan but still owed that $581,000 when the suit was
filed...
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Navajos, Hopis agree to settle two lawsuits
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — After years of legal battles, the Navajo Nation has
agreed to pay the Hopi Tribe $29 million to settle two of five lawsuits
dealing with the century-old land dispute between the two tribes.
The payment will be made during the first quarter of the year.
The three remaining lawsuits involve rent, taxation and land ownership.
Disputes over reservation boundaries and property rights have been
ongoing since the late 1800s. The $29 million settlement is expected
to solve 40 percent of the disputed matters...
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Council postpones vote on impact fees
Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer
GALLUP — After receiving more criticism from developers Tuesday,
city council members voted to postpone a decision on the impact fees
ordinance and to instead begin planning for a bond election.
A final decision concerning the fees will be delayed until the first
city council meeting in June. In the meantime, council members will
prepare a general bond issue to go before voters in a special election.
City Manager David Ruiz said if council members begin working on the
bond issue Wednesday, it could be ready to go before voters in 60
to 75 days...
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Millionaire abducted at casino
Staff Report
GALLUP — Jim Rashid, a Gallup businessman who last year won more
than $8 million at the Sky City Casino on the Acoma Indian Reservation,
allegedly was kidnapped Tuesday night from the gambling hall along
I-40.
Police reports indicated Rashid, who owns restaurants, bars and an
Indian jewelry store, was taken by three individuals. They forced
him to drive nearly 80 miles from the casino to his Pow Wow Indian
Jewelry store and forced him to open the vault.
Details are sketchy, but the Independent has information suggesting
that two Hispanic males and one female with blond hair are being sought
in connection with the abduction from Sky City Casino. Police would
not release descriptions this morning...
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Panel: Evaluate Navajo Times
Nancy Watson
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The Navajo Times soon may be undergoing some changes.
But then it again, it may not.
In December, the Navajo Nation Council's Economic Development Committee
decided to review the performance of the weekly, tribally-owned newspaper...
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Committees Spend $4 Off Rez Travel
Jim Maniaci
Dine' Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Navajo Nation Council committees spent three-fourths
more for off reservation meetings in October, the first month of fiscal
year 2000, compared to the last month of FY 99 in September.
During September nine of the 13 committees shelled out $41,090 for
motels, car mileage, registration fees, meals, parking lot fees and
cab fare.
The biggest spender was the Public Safety Committee
for $9,167 for meetings in Gallup and Tulsa, Okla...
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The time has come ... finally!
Vera McNamee
Independent columnist
GALLUP — On Sunday night, our family was reunited after the Winter
Break. We had all gone a variety of directions over the holidays.
So we decided to go out to eat to celebrate, even though our budget
is somewhat strained.
While visiting her mother, my step-daughter had watched
a whole slew of movies. But Thea hadn't seen "The Mummy,"
so we had rented it and watched it twice. Now, I told my family while
we were celebrating, I was seriously toying with the idea of buying
the video.
My family was shocked. They couldn't believe I would <cm+it>like<cm-it>
a movie like "The Mummy." I am not a fan of horror flicks...
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