Prank call causes school lock down
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The Gallup High School principal asked parents not
to be worried about a short lock-down on campus Wednesday morning
after someone made a prank call to the school.
Principal Mike Butkovich said the school was planning an evacuation
drill anyway for Wednesday but the call made the drill more imminent.
The school was only on lock-down for a few minutes, but it was
enough time for one parent to get nervous when she tried to pick
up her daughter and was sent away, as the school was on lock-down.
"We react and take precautions to make sure the kids are
safe," Butkovich said.
Butkovich doesn't want to go into detail about the prank call,
except to say the threat wasn't carried out.
The schools are taking more action and doing more types of drills
after the Sept. 11 terrorism attack in the east, said Assistant
to the Superintendent Angelo DiPaolo. On Tuesday, administrators
met with the Albuquerque Police Bomb Squad to discuss action at
the schools.
"In light of what happened last month, people are ultra-sensitive,"
DiPaolo said.
The Gallup-McKinley County School District just wants to ensure
everyone's safe at school — and assure parents safety is
of utmost importance to the district, DiPaolo said.
Any type of problem at school — not just a fire — could
lead to the necessity of a drill, DiPaolo said. One such problem
could be a gas leak at the school, he said.
Butkovich plans many drills throughout the school year. "We
just want to be prepared. Every time we do a drill, we find something
to make us better," he said. "We want to make sure we're
serious."
Butkovich added that any time spent away from school, responding
to any prank calls is time that will be made up on other school
days. Prank calls will not get students a break from school work.
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Anthrax strains connected
WASHINGTON (AP) — The strain of anthrax found at a Florida publishing
company matches anthrax mailed to NBC in New York, preliminary tests
show. Investigators are focusing on where the bacteria came from and
who has the know-how to make the refined strain mailed to Senate Majority
Leader Tom Daschle.
A match was made between anthrax found at American Media Inc., a tabloid
newspaper publisher where one man has died from the contamination
and another is hospitalized, and anthrax sent to NBC News anchor Tom
Brokaw.
Officials at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
said the strain — one of hundreds of varieties of anthrax —
occurs naturally and is found domestically in hoofed animals such
as cows and deer. Further tests must be done to determine if the strains
came from the same source.
The letter to Brokaw was postmarked Sept. 16 from Trenton, N.J. Investigators
believe the Florida man who died of anthrax may have contracted the
bacterium from a letter he handled at work that was destroyed before
he became sick. His last day at work was Sept. 26.
Still unknown is whether anthrax found in a letter sent to Daschle,
D-S.D., is the same strain as the Florida and New York material.
The anthrax found in Daschle's office was "professionally made,"
meaning it was manipulated and possibly refined with additives to
keep the particle size small enough so that it's more likely to waft
and be inhaled, said a federal terrorism expert, speaking on condition
of anonymity. Inhaled anthrax is the most deadly form of the bacterium.
There's no evidence so far that the anthrax is associated with a weapons
program. Iraq and Russia are both believed to have experimented with
anthrax as a weapon.
And no evidence has turned up linking the anthrax attacks to foreign
terrorists. One official said some evidence might suggest a domestic
source.
Meantime, House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., said tests
were being conducted on a suspicious letter sent to the office of
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. The letter looked like the letters
sent to Daschle and Brokaw, Gephardt said, quoting Hastert's staffers.
"We don't know yet whether it was another anthrax letter. I'm
sure we'll find out later in the week," he said Thursday on NBC's
"Today" show.
Attorney General John Ashcroft said the anthrax attacks could be the
work of a group and individuals working independently.
"It may be that there is some of both here," Ashcroft said
on PBS' "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer."
He also said that those responsible for mailing anthrax may also be
attempting to divert the attention of investigators by perpetrating
anthrax hoaxes.
"There may in fact be some linkage," Ashcroft said.
Detectives in New Jersey looking for the source of anthrax-contaminated
letters sent to NBC and Daschle are using the pre-stamped envelopes
and bar codes to narrow their search. The bar codes give a date and
approximate time the letters were processed. Postal Inspector Tony
Esposito said other information from the bar codes eliminated many
of the post offices from the search. Authorities were reviewing post
office surveillance tapes.
Investigators reported some leads based on evidence derived from the
powdery substance found in letters sent to various locations.
"We have substantive leads," said a senior federal law enforcement
official in bioterrorism, insisting on anonymity. "We have leads
in the sense of working with the material." The source declined
to provide details.
To that end, investigators are examining the type of expertise that
would be required to develop refined anthrax like the one sent to
Daschle's office and the facilities and equipment that would be necessary
to make it.
A chilling note warning, "You've been exposed to anthrax. You're
going to die," was in the letter sent to Daschle's office, said
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
Kerry, who was briefed on the anthrax exposure at Daschle's office,
said the letter was taped on all four sides, prompting a Daschle aide
to use scissors to cut it open. When she did, a white powder fell
onto a desk.
After reading the note, the aide dropped the letter onto the floor
and others in the office gathered around it. Twenty-three members
of Daschle's staff, three from the staff of Sen. Russell Feingold,
D-Wis., and five police officers in the Hart building have tested
positive for anthrax.
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Navajo Nation Council to keep election
laws
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Council rejected by a 2-1 margin
making any changes in the tribal referendum election laws. The laws
that were the subject of the vote have resulted in the failure of
all recent votes because they couldn't meet restrictive standards.
One delegate publicly admitted the real reason it is being proposed
is to reduce the size ofd the measure on May 14 until the summer session
and on July 17 referred it to the Board of Election Supervisors for
a position resolution.
Supervisors, on Oct. 11, supported the resolution, but asked for three
changes.
They objected to having their power to clarify language on the ballot
taken away and given to the Attorney General's Office and the Office
of Legislative Counsel. They wanted more time (90 days instead of
60) in which to hold the election because the last 30 days have to
be reserved for absentee voting. They wanted the council to provide
adequate funds for a referendum before the vote is held.
All three points were key issues in last year's battle between the
board and the Legislative Branch leadership that ended in criminal
charges filed in January against most of the old board.
When the elected board postponed the August general election - that
included a proposal to reduce the council to 24 delegates - the council
took over the election, putting the new board back into action in
May.
The resolution, sponsored by Delegate Ervin Keeswood (Hogback Chapter),
would have switched who has the authority over the wording on the
ballot from the board to the two legal offices, would have lowered
the percentage of registered voters needed to qualify a measure
for
the ballot from 30 percent to 10 percent,
and would have reduced the approval level from a majority of all
registered voters to a majority
of the votes cast.
Keeswood's proposal also would have made the results binding, forbidding
the council from amending laws passed by a referendum vote and requiring
another referendum to amend it.
Delegate James Bilagody (Coal Mine Mesa, Tuba City Chapters) called
the proposal a "lowering of the bar for excellence."
He related it to 25 people at a chapter "making policy for a
greater number of folks" and called it "a step backwards."
He said decisions made by a majority of votes cast will be "very
harmful."
Delegate Omer Begay (Greasewood Springs) said he liked only some of
the proposed changes, and introduced three amendments that were defeated
by overwhelming margins. One would have allowed a vote of three-fourths
of the delegates (66 of 88) to change a law placed into the code by
a referendum. A second would have granted the additional 30 days in
which to conduct the election. The third would have changed the approval
level to a level higher than the majority of votes cast.
Keeswood opposed the amendments, saying, "This takes the authority
away from the people and brings it back here (to the council)."
Delegate Joe Salt (Shonto) charged, "Any small disgruntled group
would cause an election."
The last two votes, in the summers of 2000 and 2001, each cost about
$130,000.
Delegate George Arthur (Nenanezad, San Juan) commented, "It's
strange to hear comments ... that it is on behalf of our
constituents. If you take the resolution to the people they will
tell you to reduce it to 10 percent
(to qualify to put a measure on the ballot)."
He pointed to his comments in the two previous sessions that taking
the government closer to the people is better.
Arthur charged that opponents of citizen-originated laws "are
bringing distrust between this government that sits in this council
and the general public." He said the public wants to participate
in the lawmaking with the council, but "We've segregated ourselves
so much that we can't be touched."
He concluded that if the council is going to keep the impossibly high
standards it has no business putting referenda on ballots. "Give
the government back to the people," he urged.
Saying he agreed with Arthur about the proposal for 10 percent
compared to 30 percent to get a referenda on the ballot,
Delegate Bilagody then attempted an amendment to delete the "majority
of votes cast" portion of the resolution, but lost by as big
a margin, as had Begay.
Of all referenda, beginning in 1978, only the first vote achieved
a victory. Currently, with 88,673 people registered, 44,338 yes votes
would be needed for a proposal to become law. In the 1998 presidential
election, 56,235 people voted.
Delegate Edison Wauneka, one of the longest-standing champions of
chopping down the number of delegates, said the proposed amendments
would benefit the people.
He suggested changing the approval level to a 2-1 margin (67 percent
of those who vote, rather than 50 percent), but didn't offer it as
an amendment.
Keeswood concluded the council's reformation rejection "will
continue to cause the Navajo people trouble, if we don't bring government
closer to the grass roots."
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Grants football
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
GRANTS — It will be the biggest football game of the year for
the Grants Pirates.
Grants hosts defending district champion Cobre Friday night in a battle
for first place in the District 3AAA. The winner of the game may ultimately
decide who will be the district champion.
Grants (2-0 in district, 5-2 overall) will have sole possession of
first place with a victory over Cobre (1-0 in district, 6-1 overall).
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
It's been five years since the Pirates have beaten the Indians with
a 7-6 win when former Grants coach Al Ocampo was head coach and his
son Damien Ocampo was the Pirate quarterback.
Grants coach Jerry Burns knows that knocking off Cobre will be a tough
task.
"We have to shut down their quarterback," Burns said. "Cobre
is pretty cocky. They think that nobody can beat them."
The Pirate offense has come alive the last month with each of the
three wins generating 40 or more points (48-6 over Taos, 46-12 over
Bernalillo and 40-7 over Socorro).
Cobre has posted wins over Moriarty 28-9, over Laguna-Acoma 42-0,
over Globe, Texas 42-0, over Colonia Juarez 42-0, and over Hot Springs
last week 51-14. Cobre's lone loss was to Deming, 29-26.
Cobre head coach Brian Miller explained why Hot Springs beat Deming
7-6 a team that beat Cobre 29-26, a team that routed Hot Springs 51-14.
"We had seven turnovers when we played Deming," Miller said.
"And when Hot Springs played Deming we had knocked out Deming's
first and second string quarterbacks when we played them. Hot Springs
also played a good game against Deming."
Miller says he's expecting a tough battle with Grants.
"They will be fired up," Miller said. "We have lot
of respect for them. They have a good running game. We'll have to
try to slow them down. Defensively Grants is very good. They have
good athletes. We'll have to keep them off balance."
Cobre will go with senior quarterback Stan Montoya to run the Indian
multiple offense along with four to five running backs that each have
about 300 yards of rushing this season.
The Indians won the district title over Socorro last year after both
teams finished with 3-1 records. However Cobre got the title based
on a point system. Cobre advanced to the Class AAA state finals before
losing to Lovington 42-7.
"We're playing pretty good football right now," Miller said.
Grants is coming off an impressive 40-7 road win over Socorro last
week, its first win over the Warriors in five years. The Pirates grinded
out 405 yards of offense, 288 yards rushing. Pirate junior quarterback
Boudy Melonas passed for 117 yards and two touchdown passes of 26
and 65 yards. Melonas also had a 40-yard interception return for another
touchdown. Senior running back Roshaun McKinney rushed 21 times for
142 yards with George Vigil with 13 rushes for 99 yards and one touchdown.
After playing Grants, Cobre will have two district games left with
a home game against Bernalillo and a road game at Socorro.
Grants will travel to Hot Springs next week for its final district
game. The Pirates will then close out the regular season at Espanola.
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Businesses, officials praise RMCH in
session
Hospital should 'toot horn' more
Bill Donovan
Staff writer
GALLUP — The problem with the local hospital, as area businessmen
readily admitted Thursday morning, was that the staff there didn't
"toot their horn" enough.
About a dozen local businessmen and government officials attended
a breakfast Thursday sponsored by the Rehoboth McKinley County Hospital
to talk about the hospital's image and role in the community.
Hospital Director Dave Baltzer said RMCH hopes these breakfasts about
every six months in part to explain to local business people some
of the things the hospital is doing as well as to answer any questions
they may have.
There was little negativism at the meeting as businessmen praised
the RMCH for its efforts to provide quality health care to the community.
Even County Commissioner Ben Shelly, one of the area's biggest critics
of the hospital, provided encouragement for the hospital staff to
take a more aggressive role in its future plans to get a federal contract...
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Navajo Council term extension proposal is 'ultimate insult'
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — The chairman of the Navajo Nation Budget and Finance
Committee has backed off from statements made Tuesday by a committee
member that it could be ready by Friday to submit a proposal to the
tribal council seeking to extend delegates' terms by two years.
Meanwhile, if delegates are floating a trial balloon on the proposal
to extend their terms — set to expire in November 2002 —
to November 2004, the reaction has not been positive.
Last Saturday, the Fort Defiance Agency Council, consisting of officials
from 27 chapters, and some delegates, voted 58-0 with four abstentions
against extending delegates' terms, which would require changing tribal
election laws. Those laws require an election of delegates and the
Navajo Nation president every four years in November in an even-numbered
year...
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U.S. Interior budget compromise approved
Diné Bureau
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives
agreed to a compromise for the U.S. Interior Department's $18.7
billion budget for the current fiscal year, including at least
$73
million for the Navajo Nation and New Mexico, Sen. Pete Domenici,
R-N.M., reported Wednesday.
In addition to $700,000 to take more land off the tax rolls and
add it to the El Malpais National Monument established in 1987 in
Cibola County (about 5 square-miles), the conference committee agreement
includes $19.5 million for the second phase of construction at the
Bureau of Indian Affair's Wingate Elementary School in McKinley
County, $1.2 million within the BIA's special programs-pooled overhead
account for the Crownpoint Institute of Technology, and $23.5 million
for operation and new construction of the Navajo Indian Irrigation
Project that supplies the water for the sprawling tribally owned
Navajo Agricultural Products Industry in San Juan County, Domenici
reported...
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Navajo Council actions
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Here is the summary of the Navajo Nation Council's
actions Wednesday, the third day of the five-day quarterly regular
session:
By a 27-46-1 vote, rejected changing the Navajo Nation Code's elections
title to make it easier for citizens to place a measure on the ballot
and to lower the approval level.
By a 29-39-1 vote, rejected an amendment to the government operations
title to allow council delegates to be elected to a county office.
Currently three delegates are county commissioners in New Mexico
and one is a county commissioner in Utah. No delegates are county
supervisors in Arizona. In Utah, their salary is $13,000 a year;
in New Mexico, $17,000 a year; in Arizona, $45,000 a year.
By a 33-24 vote, approved amending the education and election titles
for standards for tribal school boards after removing proposed prohibitions
against delegates serving on those boards...
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Dedication of new library at UNM-Gallup
on Friday
Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Special to the Independent
GALLUP — Six years ago local citizens voted to financially
support the improvement and expansion of facilities at the UNM-Gallup
campus. Now, in a 10 a.m.
Friday dedication ceremony, the university is inviting the local
citizens to see firsthand just what their
money purchased.
In a ceremony entitled "Welcome to the Future," university
officials will be officially dedicating the new Health Careers Center,
Student Services, and Zollinger Library.
The event will feature guest speakers, visiting dignitaries, local
entertainers and authors, and campus tours. In addition, the public
is welcome to offer ideas pertaining to the school's future at the
Annual University of New Mexico-Gallup Strategic Goals Forum in
the afternoon.
Borrowed classrooms
UNM-Gallup, founded in 1968 with 128 students and classrooms borrowed
from Gallup High School, now has about 3,000 students. UNM-Gallup
claims the largest Native American student body of any public university...
Arizona fuel prices drop
PHOENIX (AP) — Gasoline prices continued their roller-coast
run, dropping 9 cents on the average in Arizona in a month, AAA
Arizona reports.
The travel organization said Tuesday the average price for a gallon
of regular unleaded at self-serve pumps in Arizona was $1.395.
The average in rural Arizona was higher — $1.468 per gallon
— but the drop from September was even greater, AAA said.
Arizona's average was nearly 5 cents above the national average
of $1.346 per gallon, but it was well below prices in some other
Western states. Washing had the highest at $1.625, followed by California's
$1.60 and $1.58 in Idaho...
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Deaths
Gilbert Garcia
GALLUP — Services for Gilbert Garcia, 56, will be held at 10
a.m., Friday, Oct. 19 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Burial will follow
at Sunset Memorial Park.
Visitation will be held from noon to 7 p.m., today at Rollie Mortuary.
A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m., tonight at Rollie Mortuary-Palm
Chapel.
Garcia died Oct. 16 in Gallup. He was born Dec. 28, 1944 in La Jara.
Garcia was a cook at The Inn Best Western. His hobby included working
on and remodeling the house.
Survivors include his wife, Rose Garcia of Gallup; daughters, Angela
Garcia of Gallup and Theresa Rodriguez of Amarillo, Texas; brothers,
Ernie Garcia of Cuba and Orlando Garcia of Gallup; and sisters, Fema
Chavez of Cuba, Irene Garcia, Eileen Sanchez and Josephine Vigil all
of Farmington.
Garcia was preceded in death by his parents, Mariano and Rufugito
Garcia.
Pallbearers will be Andy Garcia, Brian Garcia, Joe Lovato, Andy Lucero,
Gilbert Ramirez and Robert Rodriguez.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Sacred Heart Family Center.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Alice G. Billy
ALAMO Service for Alice Billy, 68, will be held at 10 a.m.,
Saturday, Oct. 20 at Word of God Church, Alamo. Rev. Carlos Baki
will officiate.
Burial will follow at Word of God Church Cemetery.
Billy died Oct. 13 in Albuquerque. She was born April 10,
1933 in Alamo into the Mescalero Apache for the Salt Clan.
Billy attended Albuquerque Indian School and the University of New
Mexico, Albuquerque. She was employed with Alamo Navajo School, as
a head cook and a teacher's aid for the Head Start program. She was
a rugweaver and homemaker.
Survivors include her sons, Lexcey Billie, Edison Billy, Darryl Billy
and Howard Billy Jr.; daughters, Christine Monte, Rose Jean Spencer,
Gail Billie and Matilda Billy; brothers, Wilson Guerro, Joe Guerro,
Fred Guerro and John Guerro; sisters, Alta Secatero, Susie Padilla,
Pauline Padilla and Margaret Baca; 28 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Billy was preceded in death by her parents, Juan and Yanabah Guerro;
husband, Howard Billy Sr.; son, Randell Billy; sister, Louise Abeyta;
brothers, Tony Guerro, Daco Guerro and Jose Guerro.
Pallbearers will be Lexcey Billie, Edison Billie, Darryl Billy, Roger
Apachito, Bruce Key, Manuel Monte, Wayland Billie and
Jeffery Key.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Alice Billy's residence.
Emma Tennison
GALLUP — Services for Emma Tennison, 87, will be held 2 p.m.,
Friday, Oct. 19 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Cousins.
Burial will follow on private family cemetery, Cousins.
Tennison died Oct. 16 in Gallup. She was born May 24, 1914 in Cousins.
Survivors included her nephew, Stephen Nez of Gallup.
Tennison was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Tennison; father,
Francisco Nez; brothers, Jim Nez and Jimmie F.
Nez; and sister, Etta Nez.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Angela B. Lopez
GRANTS — Services for Angela Lopez, 76, will be held at noon
tomorrow, October 19, at St. Teresa de Avila Catholic Church, Grants.
Father Emeric Nordmeyer will officiate. Burial will follow at Grants
Memorial Park.
Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m., today at Grants Mortuary Chapel.
A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m., tonight at Grants Mortuary Chapel.
Lopez died Oct. 16 in Grants. She was born April 25, 1925 in Los Angeles,
Calif.
Survivors included her sons, Nazario Lopez Jr. of Lakewood, Wash.,
Billy Lopez of Seboyeta and Kevin Lopez of Grants; daughters, Lydia
Mirabel of Los Lunas, Julia Lopez of Milan, Ruth Marez and Angela
Lopez both of Grants, Terry Torrez and
Corrina Velasquez both of Albuquerque; brother, Val Baca of Los Angeles;
sisters, Viola Baca and Delia Ceballas both of Los
Angeles; 29 grandchildren; 54 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Lopez was preceded in death by her parents, Alfredo and Josephine
Velasquez Baca; husband, Nazario Lopez Sr.; daughters,
Betty Ann Lopez and Edna Martinez and brother, Manuel Baca.
Pallbearers will be David Torrez, Joseph Torrez, Peter Mirabal, Raul
Lopez, Eddie Marez and Aaron Baca.
Tom Long Livingston
TOHLEKAI — Services for Tom Livingston, 72, will be announced
at a later date.
Livingston died Oct. 16 in Gallup. He was born Aug. 29, 1929 in Rehoboth
into the Salt People Clan for the Bitter Water
People Clan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
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