Llama phenomena at Crownpoint CIT
S.J. Ludescher
Staff Writer
CROWNPOINT — The newest phenomenon in Crownpoint
may be the herd of 18 llamas donated to the veterinary program at
Crownpoint Institute of Technology.
The herd was a gift from a generous Oregon rancher, who has also promised
an additional 20 females. "We can get another 20 if we find that
our community can place the animals in a good home," instructor
Clint Balok, a Gallup veterinarian, said.
Balok has been looking for alternative livestock to introduce into
the area, keeping an eye out for better adaptability or suitability
of certain animals.
Last year, Balok met the Oregon rancher who donated the llamas, at
an alternative livestock ranching conference. "When he heard
about our program, he was impressed. Of course, we could never afford
to buy these animals," Balok said. "When he called me a
month ago and made this generous offer, how could I resist?"
Each animal in the herd is valued at between $500 and $5,000.
Llamas' have excellent vision and are inquisitive about anything that
approaches, which make them good guards for herds of sheep, calves
or goats. In fact, llamas do not need to be trained to guard they
do that naturally. These natural abilities have helped create a growing
demand for the animals.
"Llamas are terrific as guards for a herd because they eat the
same thing as the animals they guard," Balok said. "And
they're more economical to keep."
"Llamas are also becoming popular as caddies for golfers,"
explained Dr. Kristie Fisher, a CIT instructor.
Llamas are considered the pre-eminent pack animal, since
they are exceptionally strong and were bred for packing as early as
3,000 to 4,000 B.C.
"Llamas are related to camels and have the same structure to
their feet, which makes them agile and prevents damage to trails and
golf greens," Balok said.
The Crownpoint llamas are used to human contact, but have not been
broken or trained. That's the job of the veterinary students. CIT's
six veterinary students have chosen animals to work with for a minimum
of an hour each day.
When the students show up at the corral, they catch and harness their
llama. Then they coax them to practice certain behaviors on command,
such as lying down or walking between a narrow set of railings.
"The llama must learn to lie on command, so they learn to rest
when you do, if you use them for backpacking," first-year veterinary
student Donna Damon said.
Further incentive for the students will be a school-sponsored llama
show later in the spring, with competition and cash prizes for the
student with the best trained and/or performing llama.
After "gentling-down" the llamas, Balok wants to find good
homes for them in the community. He hopes to start a 4-H Club with
the llamas as a focus to the project. "This is a great way to
teach responsibility and caring," he said.
The program will give away about half of the llamas, maintaining the
rest for the school, approximately eight to 10 females and eight to
10 males.
Another benefit of llama raising, Balok added, is that yarn made from
the hair is high quality. "We are hoping to see some beautiful
Native weavings. This has interested both elders and preschoolers
alike."
The veterinary program will have a new home for the llamas in March,
when the new, state-of-the-art, 6,000-square-foot hospital opens.
"We've been planning this for five years," Balok said.
"The new facility will be a teaching hospital and also provide
service to the community," he said. "We will be able to
provide distance learning (Internet classes) and video cameras during
surgeries for students to view."
Balok said the veterinary program will apply for certification from
the American Veterinary Medicine Association and require students
to take both national and state boards.
The goal is to attract more students that will, in turn, provide better
animal care on the reservation. "This is something that's been
needed on the Navajo Reservation forever," Balok said.
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Bengals get physical
Alan Arthur
Sports Editor
GALLUP — The Rio Grande Ravens tried to get physical with the
Gallup Bengals Friday night. All it seemed to do was tick them off.
The Bengals fought off the Ravens for a 61-34 District 1AAAA victory
at Gallup High School to give Gallup a 3-0 start in the district race.
'It was a hard fought one,' Gallup head coach John Lomasney
said. "It was a very physical game. They came at us hard.'
As hard as the Ravens (3-12 overall, 0-3 district) tried, though,
they couldn't match up with the district leading Bengals. Gallup led
from start to finish despite getting knocked around at times by the
Ravens.
The most noticeable battle on the court came when Rio Grande's Jolene
Hart entered the game and went at it with Gallup's Daniella Aretino
in the second half. At one point, Hart leaped in front of Aretino
away from the ball and gave a forehand shove to Aretino, drawing the
foul. During that same interlude, Hart got into another shoving match
with Aretino, drawing a warning from the officials.
The physicalness of play by Hart only seemed to intice Aretino, who
responded with strong play on the inside and scored 16 second half
points as the Bengals pulled away from the Ravens. Aretino finished
the game with a double-double of 20 points, 13 rebounds and two blocked
shots to lead the Bengals.
Aretino was not the only star for the Bengals, though.
Other players came through to produce the victory. Roberta Tahe finished
with nine points, including a three-pointer; Perrline Kelewood had
nine points and handed out six assists; Rhonda Begay came off the
bench to score nine points in the second quarter; and Ramonica Harvey
finished with six points and two steals despite having to leave the
game for a short time in the second half after a collision with a
Raven player on a charge call.
"Everybody gave me some good minutes," Lomasney
said. "We've got to be tough in those types of situations. Not
only physically tough, but mentally tough as well. I felt we maintained
our composure."
The Bengals jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first quarter as Kelewood
scored on a three-point play, Aretino hit for four points and Harvey
scored on the inside. The Ravens were just 0-for-6 from the field
in the opening quarter, getting their only two points on free throws.
The Bengals moved their lead out to 20-5 in the second
quarter as Begay came off the bench and hit a pair of free throws
and a three-pointer. Later, Begay hit two more free throws and scored
on an inside shot to help Gallup to a 26-9 advantage.
The Bengals did have a letdown toward the end of the quarter as they
let the Ravens go on a 7-0 run, capped by a three-point play by Maria
Padilla to cut the Gallup lead to 26-16 at halftime.
But the Bengals put things away in the second half. Aretino scored
the first two buckets of the third quarter and, after a goal by Rio
Grande, Harvey completed a three-point play that had Gallup back on
top, 33-18. Later, an inside goal by Tahe put the Bengals up 41-21
with 1:35 left to play.
The Bengals led 45-24 at the end of the third quarter.
A 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter put the game away as the Bengals
led 52-24.
"We've had little bruises, colds, tendinitis, things like that.
Our kids are getting out there and gutting it up," Lomasney said.
"I know they're a good ballteam. I'm proud of them."
The Bengals head to Albuquerque tonight to face the Valley Vikings
in another district battle. Game time is 7 p.m.
| Top |
Arrest warrant issued for former Navajo
police captain
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — An arrest warrant has been issued for a former
San Juan County commissioner, sheriff and Navajo police captain who
is accused of wire fraud in handling a community policing grant.
Billy Fred Hillgartner, 51, of Shiprock is accused of engaging in
a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Justice, the Navajo Nation
Department of Law Enforcement and Navajo, N.M., of $150,000 between
Aug. 15, 1996, and Dec. 11, 1997.
Hillgartner, who was a captain with the Navajo Nation police in Shiprock
during that time, was fired in September 1998.
Hillgartner failed to appear Thursday for an arraignment
in U.S. District Court here, resulting in the arrest warrant.
"He never got in touch with anybody," said courtroom deputy
Mary Archuleta. "Nobody came in to represent him. The judge then
issued a warrant for his arrest."
Archuleta said a charge of failure to appear will be decided by the
U.S. attorney's office. Hillgartner already faces a maximum penalty
of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on each count of fraud
if convicted.
Another arraignment date would be scheduled when Hillgartner turns
up, the U.S. attorney's office said.
Hillgartner, who served as sheriff from 1987-89 and county commissioner
from 1991-98, is accused of mismanaging a grant from the Department
of Justice.
The Community Oriented Policing Services program grant listed Navajo,
N.M., and the Navajo Nation police as co-grantees. The grant called
for the community to be responsible for hiring and the police department
to be responsible for the grant project.
The grant was to be deposited into the a Navajo Nation bank account
in Window Rock, Ariz., but, prosecutors charge, Hillgartner established
a separate checking account at a Farmington bank for it.
The government charges Hillgartner falsely told the Farmington bank
he had authority to conduct all activities associated with the grant.
The government also charges Hillgartner withdrew funds without the
knowledge or consent of the Navajo police department or the town.
| Top |
Do you know where your kids are?
Officials say parental involvement essential for success
in school
Zarana Sanghani
Staff Writer
GALLUP — As state officials pour over standardized
test questions and principals comb through tangles in class curricula,
some school administrators and teachers are talking about reforming
a more abstract element in education: parental involvement.
"Not many people contribute to that area (parental
involvement) because it's an area that's hard to stimulate lots of
results," said Beverly Crowe, an assistant to the superintendent
for staff development at Gallup McKinley County Schools. "Everybody
is really interested in it, but we don't know how to (develop such
involvement)."
In the fall issue of the education journal Accomplished Teacher, Crowe
wrote an article, "New avenues to reach parents." In it,
she explains why schools must go beyond traditional methods of engaging
parents in their child's education...
| Top |
Attorney named to probe tribal ethics
violations
Bill Donovan
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — The Navajo Nation has gone to a familiar face to investigate
government entities for violation of tribal ethic laws.
That person is Fred Chris Smith, a Santa Fe attorney who was appointed
special prosecutor in the cases that ultimately led to the resignation
of Albert Hale as tribal president and the removal of his successor,
Thomas Atcitty. Both men were investigated for allowing companies
doing business with the tribe to pay for their golf trips.
Smith, as before, will report to a special panel of judges who are
expected to meet on a regular at least monthly basis to get reports
from Smith on the status of his investigation...
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BIA tells McKinley:Pay for road access
Zarana Sanghani
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Before any paving or grading can be done on roads owned
by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs in McKinley County, the county
will have to pay for the right of way.
That's the word which county road officials received
recently from the BIA, according to statements made Tuesday at the
McKinley County Commission meeting.
Since paving roads in the county takes more than a year and funds
are already spread thin, any extra fees will make it even harder to
improve those county roads, county officials said. The BIA is asking
the county to pay the BIA for the use of land for roads under its
jurisdiction, said Diane Willatto, who works to secure rights of way
for the county Roads Department...
| Top |
Road beckons for trucking school students
Gaye Brown de Alvarez
Staff Writer
GALLUP — About three years ago, Tracy Raven thought her life
was all laid out. She had a great career at Sunwest Bank as a commercial
loan officer and a house in Whispering Cedars. She was also a prospering
single mother.
Then life handed her a bunch of lemons.
She made lemonade.
NationsBank bought Sunwest Bank in 1997, and all of
a sudden, Raven was out of a job. "I thought I would retire with
Sunwest Bank," Raven said...
| Top |
Winter video picks
Gaye Brown de Alvarez
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The holidays are over and although there's no snow,
it's too cold and grey outside. It gets dark at 5 p.m. You're bored.
You've already organized your sock drawer.
Why not watch some videos? There's some great movies
currently out on video and here are my winter video picks. These videos
are NOT for children and not for those squeamish about sex or violence.
Everyone knows about the obvious movies, "Shakespeare in Love,"
"The Matrix," "Saving Private Ryan," but how about
some lesser movies, maybe from studios that don't quite have the promotion
budget of the Hollywood biggies? There's plenty of them and they're
good, intelligent, unpredictable and best of all, fun to watch...
| Top |
Navajo Democrats want a stronger voice
Zarana Sanghani
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Strengthening the Native American voice in the Democratic
Party was the main concern for nine Navajo citizens who gathered Thursday
night for the first meeting of Native Americans for the Democratic
Party.
"The biggest concern the Native American has is not being heard
in the Democratic Party," said Ben Shelly, McKinley County commissioner,
who led the group through the first meeting.
Shelly advertised the meeting on KGAK, AM 1330, on Thursday and called
several people to bolster attendance...
| Top |
Voters will decide size of Navajo Council
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Navajo voters will be given a chance to determine
just how big or small the tribe's legislature should be.
The Navajo Nation Council voted 62-5 Friday to give some 87,000 tribal
voters the opportunity for the first time to decide whether they want
to enlarge the tribal legislature from 88 to 110 members, keep it
the same size it is now or reduce it to 72, 48, 44, 32 or 24 delegates.
Delegate Edison Wauneka (Crystal, Red Lake, Sawmill chapters), who
has campaigned for years to reduce the size of the lawmaking body,
sponsored the resolution to put the menu of sizes on the May primary
election ballot. The top two choices would advance to the August general
election...
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