Tom Udall speaks



Congressman Tom Udall listens Thursday as Vern Lee reads a letter during a town hall meeting in Gallup, thanking Udall for his help in obtaining the release of former Navajo Nation Chairman Peter MacDonald.



Congressman Tom Udall gestures while answering an audience member's question Thursday during one of a series of town hall meetings being held throughout his district.

Photos by Jeff Jones

 

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Citizens tell Udall that education is top concern

S.J. Ludescher
Staff Writer

GALLUP — The beginning of a new year, a new millennium and a new Congressional session brought U.S. Rep. Tom Udall into Gallup Thursday afternoon to talk to community members about their concerns. The city council meeting room was filled to capacity, with standing room only for late arrivals.

"This is your meeting. It is early on in the session, so tell me what you think we should be working on," he said.

Overwhelmingly, the answer was "education."

Miles Gershon, a teacher at Fort Wingate, brought students with him to witness the democratic process in action. "We've heard about model schools," he said. "Why doesn't the Bureau of Indian Affairs take schools they control 100 percent and make them a model program?"

Udall replied, "All of our schools should be models." He told Gershon and the students that Fort Wingate is budgeted to receive a $20 million renovation, since it is one of the oldest schools under federal control.

Dan Kruse, who ran for state senator in the last election, voiced concern over early childhood education programs, or rather the lack of them. "If we could change early childhood education from birth to 5 years old, then we could eliminate a lot of the later problems in schools," he said.

Kruse asked Udall to find $3 million or $4 million for family health issues that would include programs to train parents to read to children.

Complaints were also aired about the lack of budget control that principals have in the schools they are responsible for.
"Principals are getting ready to leave because they can't control the money," Kruse said. "Only 23 percent of the budget is
controlled by individual schools."

Udall advised the audience that "it must be a job and decision by the local school boards and community people."

Marty Esquibel, a law enforcement officer with the DARE program and candidate for school board, raised the issues of the prominence of two languages in the schools and the cultural biasing of the standardized tests.

"We're on the failing schools list, but where's the money coming from to place the failed kids in summer schools? And where's the money coming from for those teachers?"

A member of the audience expressed more frustration about the testing. "I have a daughter who is in eighth grade, a straight A student," she said. "We got a notice that she was in danger of being retained in the eighth grade, due to the fact that she doesn't measure up on those tests. What do we tell our child? Her best isn't good enough?"

Jim Camman, principal of Gallup Junior High School, also talked about the cultural bias of the standardized testing. "We need to design curriculum towards the standards. Are we teaching kids what they need to know to pass the tests? There's a great deal of inequity and no understanding ( about the problem) in Santa Fe," he said.

Udall said in agreement, "We shouldn't be using testing that is culturally biased. I'd like to think that part of education is learning to think critically, not just memorize facts and spit them out by rote."

Udall also reported on items completed by Congress that had a direct impact on McKinley County. Among them were $2 million to McKinley County and $200,000 to the Pueblo of Zuni for Internet service for schools and libraries.

"I'm trying to make sure all of our schools and libraries get hooked up to the Internet," he said. "If we don't get all children computer literate and prepared to compete in a global market, we will have failed them.

"Congress is committed to making sure everyone has computer access through schools and libraries. It may not all happen this year, but it is our priority."

The $3 million in federal money that have flowed into McKinley County include:

$6,000 for bulletproof vests for law enforcement officers,

$800,000 for improvements to the municipal airport, and

$2,500 for high-tech health care in Zuni.

"The budget surplus is a big issue with this Congress," Udall said. "We shouldn't be spending dollars we don't have yet. It could
turn around very quickly. We need to pay down the debt and be conservative in our spending.

"If we pay it down, it has the effect of a tax break. Because it lowers interest rates."

"Social security and Medicare are secure for this generation but may be threatened for the upcoming generations," he said. "By lowering the interest rate and the national debt, we can make both programs so they should be solvent for the next generations."

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MacDonald wants privacy

Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — A long-time supporter of former Navajo Chairman Peter MacDonald is asking area news media not to derail the healing process now going on within the reservation.

Vern Roy Lee, who has been one of the key people working to get the release of MacDonald, said Thursday that he is unhappy at news stories that have been published since MacDonald's release from a federal medical prison, following a commutation by President Bill Clinton.

MacDonald had been in his eighth year of a 14-year federal sentence for accepting bribes and conspiracy in connection with a 1989 riot in which two of his supporters died during a confrontation with tribal police.

Lee said a number of the articles he saw on MacDonald's release kept harping on that 1989 incident.

"I respectfully ask the media to exercise care in their reporting (and) to have some respect for our healing," he said in a statement, adding that reporters should "join us as peacemakers and let bygones be bygones."

Lee said that he would like to see the division that has existed since MacDonald's conviction be a thing of the past. "I hope and pray that the Navajo Nation will focus on healing, reconciliation and forgiveness," he said.

This can't happen, he said, if the news media continue to print stories emphasizing dissension over MacDonald's homecoming.

"I humbly ask the Navajo people, the president of the Navajo Nation and the Navajo Nation Council to join me in this healing process and not let the media derail this divine process," he said.

He pointed out that when he was interviewed by KOB-TV, the reporter brought up the subject of MacDonald possibly running for office again now that he has been released.

Lee said the television station reported that he said that if MacDonald was given a pardon, he could run for office again. This, he said, has given people the wrong impression.

"I assure you that Mr. MacDonald will not run for office even if he had received a full pardon," Lee said. "Please give him room for reintegration into the free society and cast your fear or suspicions aside and concentrate on healing."

Lee, who lives in Shiprock, was in Gallup Thursday to attend the town hall session sponsored by U.S. Rep. Tom Udall and hand delivered a letter thanking Udall for his efforts to get MacDonald released.

"You have certainly enhanced the healing process of the Navajo Nation," Lee said in his letter.

He added that he has received a number of positive responses to MacDonald's release via e-mail from people all over the United States.

"Of course, there will be some who disagree," he said. "But forgiveness, reconciliation and compassion outweigh these resentments. Regardless, we reach out to them in friendship."

Lee said that because of his vocal support of MacDonald in the past, he has been contacted by a number of news media in the area asking him to release information on MacDonald's whereabouts.

Since getting out of prison Saturday, MacDonald has been in seclusion at an undisclosed site with close family members and supporters.

"I don't know where he is," Lee said, adding that he was glad he was not told because of all of the requests being made of him to disclose MacDonald's current location.

"He needs this time to adjust and people should allow him to do that," Lee said.

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Acoma leaders concerned about schools

Tara Drolma
Staff Writer

GRANTS — Acoma Gov. Cyrus Chino and past Gov. Lloyd Tortalita say they are concerned about the low level of academic achievement in the Grants/Cibola County School District and the failure of the Title IX program to meet the needs of Indian students.

They made their comments Thursday night before the school board.

Board Chairman Terry Fletcher asked Tortalita to speak first, but he declined, saying tribal protocol would not allow him to speak before the governor. When he did speak he explained that this type of protocol the respect for one's leaders is not taught in schools. He said he is concerned about Indian education in the public schools.

Tortalita served on the board for nine years and left in 1999. He now serves the pueblo as adult education director.

One of Tortalita's concerns is the lack of parental participation.

He spoke about a meeting that had occurred Wednesday night between pueblo parents and Title IX Director Adela Holder. Title IX is the program that is supposed to provide for Indian education within the public schools.

The New Mexico State Department of Education has an Indian Education Division, which is responsible for promoting quality education for Indian students in New Mexico through several programs including Title IX. The Title IX program is designed to assist the school in the planning, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of appropriate curricula for Indian students. It also plans sessions with tribal entities, parents, and community members to discuss needs and develop and implement
workshops.

Tortalita said he was very surprised to learn the district was just getting started with the program when there are only three months left in the school year. Even now, he said the next meeting is not until Feb. 28.

Tortalita said he "felt very uncomfortable (at the meeting). I did not like the presentation. She (Holder) was the only presenter. There should have been parents giving that presentation."

Acoma students have lost out another year, Tortalita said, adding there were parents Thursday night who said the graduating seniors have missed out. Tortalita said if Cibola County is going to get the Title IX money, then it should have the programs.

Something needs to be done, Tortalita said; the dropout rate is high and the test scores are low. He said there is a Title IX application due in the first week of March and he wanted to know if this was the only reason the meeting was held.

This was a meeting for parents to address their concern and that was not allowed. Tortalita said he was very concerned and he "didn't appreciate what the director (Holder) told the parents."

After Tortalita spoke, Superintendent Linda Coy said she would schedule a time to meet with both him and Holder to discuss the matter.

Chino said he has taught every level from kindergarten to high school and he retired from teaching as a principal. During his talk he outlined several concerns, his views on education and his belief that all of students have the intellectual capacity to do well though they may have different learning styles.

Chino supports the new Laguna-Acoma High School 100 percent, but wants to see that the curriculum is developed before the school is built. He said the district should design the building to fit the curriculum, not vice versa.

"I am touched by our students' grades," Chino said. He said the students' grades are way down, while Oriental students are performing at a much higher level. Chino has had an opportunity to work with Oriental educators through his service as a member of a board on education at Harvard.

Chino called for more parental involvement as a solution to the problem. He said he wanted to meet with the parents at Acoma and he wants to increase the concentration on academics and decrease absenteeism so that the students would stay on track with their studies.

Several times Chino said he wanted to invite the superintendent and the board to visit Acoma to meet with the parents. He said he would like to see a plan where the Acoma and Grants teachers would get together to discuss education and the educational process.

Chino said he has an open door to the Phillips Academy and the Cushion Academy two prestigious college preparatory boarding schools that offer summer sessions, and the only expense would be the transportation for the children to attend and he thought the casino might be asked to help with that cost. Chino has helped four students one was a Grants High student go to the session.

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Bengal girls falter against Rio Rancho

Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

GALLUP — Against up-and-coming Rio Rancho Thursday night in a District 1AAAAA showdown for first place in the district standings, Gallup failed to finish out the game leading veteran coach John Lomasney to say that his team has yet to play a full 32 minutes against a very good team this season.

The Lady Bengals were held without a field goal for the last 12 and a half minutes en route to losing to Rio Rancho, 49-38.

Rio Rancho standout freshman guard Brio Rode almost singlehandedly took apart Gallup, pumping in 29 points including an impressive 7-of-8 treys.

"We have to play 32 minutes," Lomasney said. "We didn't play 32 minutes against La Cueva, Farmington, Kirtland and Sandia.
We had leads in all of those games and we lost. Rio Rancho played very well tonight. They had a good night. We needed to turn it on offensively and we didn't do it. We didn't cover her (Brio Rodeo) and she made us pay. She had a great night."

Gallup, 11-6 overall, 4-1 in district, will travel to Valley Saturday while Rio Rancho, 14-3 overall and more importantly 5-0 and in first place in the district, will host Albuquerque High Saturday in a pair of district matchups.

"We can come back," said Lomasney of the district season's second half. "It will take a lot of work and dedication. We're not through yet."

Rio Rancho coach Bob McIntyre, whose team's only losses have been to AAA power Portales, AAAA power Kirtland-Central and to AAAAA power La Cueva, said that beating Gallup was a "big win".

"This win puts us on the same level with the Gallups, the Sandias and the La Cuevas," he said. "This puts us in the driver's seat which is something we're unfamiliar with. We have one half of the district season done and a whole half to go. There will be more games with Gallup still. One or two, maybe three. But we played smart against the intelligence and composure of a Gallup team."

Rode, who was averaging 16.5 points per game, showed remarkable shooting ability for a freshman starter. Rode missed only one three point attempt in accounting for nearly 60 percent of her team's total point production.

"She scored 20 points by the half against Los Alamos and 10 points by the half against Valley," McIntyre said of his freshman standout. "We needed her to get a big second half. She's shows remarkable poise for a ninth grader."

Gallup, last year's Class AAAA state runner-up, never led against Rio Rancho while there was just one tie early in the final period.

The Lady Rams, who returned six returning letter winners from a team that stunned Hobbs in last year's season pre-plays, grabbed the lead from the outset and never trailed.

Rode nailed the first of her three-pointers during the first seconds of the district showdown, giving the crowd an early preview of what was to come. Rode sank two free throws and later came back to hit a turnaround bank shot and capped it with her second trey from the top of the key to account for 10 of her team's first 18 points.

Bengal junior forward Tanya Bailey scored five of her seven points in the opening period as Gallup trailed by four points, 15-11.

The Lady Rams stretched their lead to eight points, 21-13 early in the second period before the Lady Bengals fashioned a solid 8-2 run. Bengal junior guard Vanessa Hubbard knocked in a trey, Bailey scored her final two points of the game while junior post Christine Begay scored off the glass on a feed from senior guard Roberta Tahe, who was the lone Bengal in double digits with 12 points, as Gallup trimmed Rio Rancho's lead down to two points, 23-21. Rode buried two more treys in the second period to finish the first half with four treys and 18 points.

Gallup kicked off the second half with a solid third period performance.

Gallup held Rio Rancho to just 1-of-9 shooting from the field with Rode accounting for that with her fifth three-pointer. Gallup's Hubbard popped a trey from the key and buckets from sophomore guard Sunny St. Clair and Tahe along with a free throw sliced Rio Rancho's lead down to 37-35 heading into the final period.

A pair of free throws by Tahe at the start of the final period tied the game for the first and only time at 37-all.

But Rio Rancho broke the deadlock when Bridgette Johnson, who transferred from Moriarty, sank the back end of a two-shot foul.

Krystle Jim, from Kirtland, buried a crucial trey with less than four minutes left. Rode then drilled successive treys for her sixth and seventh of the night as Rio Rancho nursed a commanding 11-point lead, 49-38, with 2:25 left in the game which sent a surprising number of Bengal fans heading for the exits early.

All Gallup had to show for the final period was three free throws by Tahe at the start of the period and one free throw by St. Clair. Gallup was held scoreless the final three minutes and 45 seconds of the game.

With less than a minute left in the game, Tahe went down near half court with a strained calf muscle. Tahe was helped off the court and her playing status for this weekend's game is uncertain.

For the final minutes of the game Rio Rancho ran the clock down as Gallup was unable to get the ball back.

After shooting 58 percent (11-of-19) in the first half, Gallup hit on just 3-of-16 in the second half for a miserable 19 percent.

Gallup shot 40 percent from the field, 14-of-35 while Rio Rancho hit on 16-of-33 for 48 percent. The Lady Rams ironically hit on the same number of dueces as treys with eight each. From long range, Gallup hit on 3-of-15 treys for 20 percent shooting while Rio Rancho nailed 8-of-16 for 50 percent with Rode burying an outstanding 7-of-8 for 88 percent shooting.

Panthers knock off Warriors

Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer

PINE HILL — The Gallup Catholic Panthers knocked off the defending district 8A champion Pine Hill Warriors and moved into the lead for the district lead with a 56-38 win.
In the earlier game the Lady Warriors started slow, but the Lady Panthers could not keep up, falling to the Lady Warriors 75-28.

Boys Gallup Catholic 56, Pine Hill 38

Pine Hill (8-10, 3-1 district) led for most of the game but fell behind in the final seconds of the third and would not lead again.

Gallup Catholic (14-1, 3-0) got the ball with under a minute left in the third quarter behind 31-30 when Carl Georges hit a lay-up to give the Panthers the lead.

Going into the fourth, Mike Estrada found Brian Morris open for a lay-up to start a 12-3 Panther run. Estrada would score four of the points in the run as the Panthers pulled ahead 44-34. Justin Begay scored the only points for Pine Hill during the run on a three-point play with a lay-up and free throw.

Michael Raphaelito ended the run with a basket, but the Panthers came right back with another 12-2 spurt. Farell Bryant scored the only basket during that span for the Warriors, the last basket of the game for the team.

"I think this was one of our best games of the year," said Gallup Catholic head coach Vince Lonetree. "We had the defensive intensity and played well."

Lonetree said there were a few things the Panthers needed to work on, but overall he was happy with the performance. "We shut down their best player, and the defense played well. We need to work a little on rotating on defense."

Pine Hill jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the game and led by six early. The Panthers battled back, pulling to 12-8 at the end of the first quarter.

Gallup Catholic took their first lead in the game 13-12 with 6:26 left in the first half when Marshal Lemoine hit a three-pointer. On the Warriors' next possession they went back up, this time on a three from Uriah Maria.

Estrada grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to tie the game at 15 and the two teams battled back and forth the rest of the half, exchanging leads three times with two ties. In the final minute of the half Gallup Catholic took advantage of five Warrior turnovers to take a 24-18 lead at half-time.

Behind four points from Bryant and Dominic Chischilly the Warriors started the second half with a 10-2 run to take a 28-26 lead. Morris scored on a put back to tie the game at 28, but the Warriors came back with a three by Darwin Henry to go back up 31-28.

The Panthers scored the final four points of the quarter to retake the lead.

"We played really hard," said Pine Hill head coach David Whitesell. "We played three quarters really well, In the fourth quarter Cathedral just played better."

The Warriors were led by Farell Bryant with 10 points. Three players scored in double figures for Gallup Catholic with Mike Estrada leading the way with 14. DJ Biava scored 12 and Brian Morris added 11.

Gallup Catholic outrebounded Pine Hill 32-22 with Estrada grabbing 10 boards for the Panthers. Bryant also had 10 boards for the Warriors.

The Panthers turned the ball over 17 times to 19 times by the Warriors. Pine Hill did not turn the ball over in the first quarter, but then had eight in the second.

Gallup Catholic will play Tuesday at Rehoboth while Pine Hill will play in Ramah a week from Saturday.

The Gallup Catholic game against Ramah that was canceled on Tuesday was rescheduled for Feb. 6.

Girls Pine Hill 73, Gallup Catholic 28

With over half of the team in foul trouble throughout the game, the Panthers could not keep up with the Pine Hill Lady Warriors.
The Lady Warriors jumped out to an early lead and never trailed, picking up their first district win of the year.

"We were coming off two losses in district, so this was a good game for us," said Pine Hill head coach Rafael Esparza. "We used this game to try and cut down on fouls and work on getting rebounds on both sides of the board, and I think we did a good job."

The Lady Panthers had the game as close as 10-6, but a 7-0 run late in the first quarter put the Lady Warriors up 17-6. The Panthers scored the final points in the first on a shot by Janelle Estrada.

Panther Stevie Chavez picked up four fouls in the first quarter and missed most of the rest of the game. Four of the nine Panthers finished with four or more fouls as the team was called 24 fouls in the game.

The Panther's Estrada came out and scored the first points of the second quarter and Kathleen Mason scored a basket to keep the Lady Warrior lead under 10 points.

Late in the second quarter Pine Hill, led by Althea Dooley went on a 10-0 run to pull away. Dooley scored four of the points during the run.

Pine Hill slowly started to put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the Lady Panthers 16-8. Katy Sparks scored three points for the Lady Panthers in the quarter and Althea Pat scored five points for Pine Hill.

The Panthers could not cut into the lead as Pine Hill capitalized on Panther fouls, scoring 25 points to the Lady Panthers' three.

With 17 seconds left in the third Kathleen Mason picked up her fifth foul and then with 5:29 left in the game Chrissy Rogel fouled out. Maggie Mosher became the third Panther to foul out when she picked up her fifth foul with four minutes to go in the game. Chavez, with four fouls since the first quarter, did not foul out.

Pat Arthur and Candace Daw combined to score 16 of the Lady Warriors 25 fourth quarter points, both with eight.

Pine Hill grabbed 29 rebounds to 21 by the Lady Panthers. Candace Daw grabbed nine for the Lady Warriors while Katy Sparks had seven for Gallup Catholic.

The Lady Warriors were led by Candace Daw with 18. Denise Johnson added 15 and Althea Dooley had 13. Katy Sparks led Gallup Catholic with eight.

Pine Hill will play Saturday against Rehoboth while the Lady Panthers play at Rehoboth on Tuesday.

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MacDonald's goal to regain health

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Former Navajo leader Peter MacDonald wants to be able to stand on his own two feet not be sitting in a wheelchair when he emerges from his self-imposed seclusion.

But that first public appearance may be four or five weeks from now.

Because he wants to be able to stand to greet his well-wishers, he must first have hip surgery. A Navajo Nation Council delegate who is a close family friend said Thursday that his mother underwent a similar operation and it took her about four weeks to recuperate.

The operation probably would be done in Phoenix or Tucson where both heart and hip specialists are located, if MacDonald accepts the advice of the Navajo Nation vice president...

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Manager Bates fired

Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer

WINDOW ROCK — While the Navajo Nation Council completed the fourth day of its winter session, the NAPI Board of Directors which includes three council delegates was at crop enterprise headquarters near Farmington Thursday morning.

The six-member board's executive session resulted in the firing of NAPI General Manager LoRenzo Bates. Nenahnezad/San Juan Delegate George Arthur, chairman of the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry board, said the vote was a unanimous 5-0.
As chairman, Arthur did not vote.

The other delegates on the NAPI board are Hogback Delegate Ervin Keeswood Sr. and Blue Gap Delegate Tom LaPahe. Arthur said two attorneys were present during the meeting NAPI Legal Department Director Harrison Tsosie, who will serve as interim general manager, and outside counsel Paul Fry.

Fry was present to ensure that Tsosie's advisement to the board was sound, so there would not be the appearance of "in-house disenchantment of any sort," Arthur said...

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Deaths

Pedro Franklin Haudley

SALINA SPRINGS — Services for Pedro Haudley, 18, will be held Saturday, Jan. 27. Burial will follow at a family plot.

Haudley died Jan. 23 in Albuquerque. He was born Jan. 12, 1983, in Fort Defiance, Ariz., into the Red Running into the Water People Clan for the Bitter Water People Clan.

Haudley was an assistant at Carestone Assisted Living in Albuquerque. His hobbies included being outdoors and music.

Survivors include his parents, Yolanda Yazzie and Dennis Leo Poorman; sisters, Beatrice Sadie Haudley, Geraldine Sadie Stanley and Novadine Sadie Stanley; and grandparents, Ruth Robertson and Tulley Haudley Sr.

Haudley was preceded in death by his father, Tulley Haudley Jr., and grandparents, Sadie W. and Robert Franklin Yazzie Sr.

Pallbearers will be Robert Franklin Yazzie Jr., Jonathan Franklin Yazzie, Aaron Franklin Yazzie, Decker Franklin Yazzie, Dennie Leo Poorman and Vecente Tsinnie.

The family will receive friends and relatives after burial services at Dorthy Daw residence, Salina Springs.

Jolene Chee

GALLUP — Services for Jolene Chee, 28, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at Cope Memorial Chapel. Jack Benally will officiate. Burial will follow at Gallup City Cemetery.

Chee died Jan. 20 in Gallup. She was born Oct. 15, 1972, in Gallup into the Edge Water Clan for the Red House Clan.

Chee attended Wingate HighSchool. She was self-employed as a silversmith.

Survivors include her mother, Elmarie Chee of Wide Ruins, Ariz., and sisters Jacquelyn Gray of Gallup, and Jerilene Chee of Pinedale.

Chee was preceded in death by her grandmother, Irene D. Sam of Wide Ruins, Ariz.

Pallbearers will be Vincent Six, Boyd Ashley, Jasper White, Raphael Sam, Farrell Sam, Eugene Sam, Felix Ashley, and Joesph Ashley.

The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services at the Gallup Community Service Center located by the City
Recreation Center.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Ambrose Sandoval

TOHATCHI — Services for Ambrose Damon Sandoval, 56, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at St. Mary's Catholic
Church, Tohatchi. The Rev. John Mittelstadt will officiate. Burial will follow at Tohatchi Community Cemetery.

Sandoval died Jan. 23 in Gallup. He was born Dec. 4, 1944, in Albuquerque into the Bitter Water People for the Sleep Rock People Clan.

Sandoval was employed with the BIA, Carbon Coal, P&M Mine, and NTUA. He attended Wingate schools and later received his GED from Diné College, Tsaile, Ariz. He was attending the University of New Mexico-Gallup, working toward an art degree.
His hobbies included traveling and taking care of horses.

Survivors include his wife, Angela Sandoval of Tohatchi; sons, Stacey lee Lucero of Orem, Utah, and Ambrose Damon Sandoval II and Marlon Patrick Sandoval, both of Tohatchi; daughters, Sheila Brown of Orem, Utah, and Heavenor Damon-Sandoval and Christi Damon Sandoval, both of Tohatchi; mother, Alice Sandoval of Tohatchi; brothers, David S. Benallie, Dennis S. Benallie and Ickes S. Benallie, all of Tohatchi; sisters, Doris Benallie, Valentina Benallie, JoAnn Crosby and Mildred Benallie Morris, all of Tohatchi; and 14 grandchildren.

Sandoval was preceded in death by his father, Anson C. Damon Sr. and brother, Gary Sandoval Benallie.

Pallbearers will be J.C. Bedonie, Jodi Bitsoi, Harry Moore Sr., Willie Sandoval, Manuel Shirleson and Milton Shirleson.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Rose S. Lee

MARIANO LAKE — Services for Rose S. Lee, 43, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at Mariano Lake Community Church. Pastor Jones Dihiya will officiate. Burial will follow on family land, Mariano Lake.

Lee died Jan. 21 in Albuquerque. She was born April 11, 1957, in Crownpoint into the Water Flows Together People for the
Scattered Tree People.

Survivors include her husband, Michael Lee of Red Rock; sons, Isaac Lee and Jordan Lee, both of Albuquerque; daughter, Alsandra Lee of Albuquerque; mother, Sally Snyder of Mariano Lake; brothers, Edison Snyder of Gallup, Phillip Snyder, Robert Snyder and Steven Snyder, all of Mariano Lake; sisters, Dolores Burbank of Pinedale, Lucy Mann of Red Rock and Rena Snyder of Mariano Lake; and four grandchildren.

Lee was preceded in death by her father, Willie Snyder.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.