Who is that masked boy?

 

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Student losing eyesight gets help

Tara Drolma
Staff Writer

GRANTS — When Patty Black told her fifth-grade students at Mesa View Elementary that their classmate Luis Terrazas, 11, was going blind, they decided to do something to help.

On Friday they donated 15 Braille books to Dr. Terry Menning so that Terrazas, his two brothers, and a cousin, who all have the same rare eye disease, will have something to read when they go for their checkups.

A week before Terrazas left for a six-week training at the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped in Alamogordo, he gave Black permission to tell the class about his condition.

Black said the students felt a lot of compassion for Terrazas, adding, "I have never seen compassion so deep in a class."

After talking to the class, Black invited Helen Reilly, a teacher from the school for the visually impaired, to speak to the students. Reilly gave the students a beginning class in Braille and explained how hard it is to find Braille books because they are difficult to make and very heavy.

Casandra Sanchez decided to translate a book she had written about honeybees into Braille. She used glue to make the raised dots for the Braille letters.

When the rest of the students saw what Sanchez had done they wanted to translate their books. Black borrowed a Braille writer from the special education department for the project. With her guidance the children have used it to translate their insect books and to write to Luis while he is away.

Menning's wife, Sue, is an assistant in Black's class and the students decided they would donate the books to Menning, who is the boy's optometrist. On Friday they walked to his office to present the books and Menning gave them a short talk about the disease, retinitis pigmentosa.

Both parents pass down the hereditary disease that is generally diagnosed by ages 4 to 7. Most children who have the disease are blind by the time they are 20, Menning said.

The first sign of the disease is night blindness and the child might have difficulty adjusting when going from a brightly lit area to a dark room.

The class wanted to know if the disease caused pain. Menning explained the eyeball cannot sense pain. When you get something in your eye or you scratch your eye, it is actually the eyelid that hurts.

But, the disease does cause pain emotional pain. Yvonne Terrazas, mother of the boys, said, "I cry every night." The disease has affected the whole family, she said.

Terrazas said she took her older son, Jose, to the doctor two years ago after she noticed he couldn't see at night. After diagnosing Jose, the doctor examined her other three boys and found her older boy was well, but the two younger boys, Luis and Javier, both had the disease.

When they were first diagnosed the boys who are now 13, 11, and 7 had about 20 degrees of vision. A normal person has about 150 to 180 degrees. After their biannual checkup this year Terrazas learned Luis has only 3 degrees left. This means he has lost all of his peripheral vision and has only his central vision.

To understand how Luis sees, look through a straw. This is why the condition is called tunnel vision. Despite his constricted field of vision, Luis can still play basketball.

Sometimes he misses the ball, but he has adapted. Menning said when you see Luis you can't tell he is legally blind.

When he was diagnosed, Jose was in Black's class. Black said, "I did all the wrong things. After he was diagnosed I didn't understand his disease, but I thought if I made everything bigger it would be easier for him to see."

Unfortunately that only makes things worse for someone with tunnel vision. "Jose never told me I was making mistakes. I thought I was doing everything I could to help him," Black said.

Motivated by what she has learned and her desire to help the boys, Black is doing her master's thesis on the topic of language acquisition with a visually impaired student, retinosa pigmentosa and working with bilingual students.

Terrazas says she wishes other kids would understand, "When other kids are sick it's not a joke, because they really do get hurt."

Terrazas believes the teacher can make a big difference in helping the kids adjust. Having Black as a teacher has really helped Luis, who is an honor student, she said.

Terrazas feels it is important for the parents of handicapped children not to be ashamed of their children and to seek help for them. When help is available, like the school for the visually impaired, Terrazas said it is important to accept the help because it can give the child an opportunity to be with peers who have the same disease.

All three boys will be at the school until Nov. 21. They visit their parents on weekends and they seem happy.

"I am glad we sent them to the school because they are learning how the blind live," Terrazas said. "They are learning living skills like how to use a cane, how to cook, and how to read Braille."

As the boys lose more of their sight it might become necessary for the family to move to Alamogordo so that they can go to the school for the visually impaired on a full-time basis. If that happens, Terrazas and her husband will move. They are committed to doing everything they can to help the boys be successful.

Retinosa pigmentosa is a progressive disease. As a person grows older he may have only 3 to 5 degrees of central vision. In some instances this is sufficient for them to be able to read for many years even though they are legally blind. The federal definition of legal blindness is 20/80 vision and 10 degrees of peripheral vision.

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Fetal-alcohol center would help victims
Meeting to study options

S.J. Ludescher
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Imagine a young person who is cold and remembers he or she owns a jacket, but can't remember where it is. Or where he lives.

Imagine this same person trying to explain to law authorities that he or she could not control his behavior and had not been drinking. Then, imagine the further frustration of trying to explain that these problems stem from a condition created before birth due to the mother's ingestion of alcohol.

This is a simplified example of some of the difficulties faced by a victim of fetal alcohol syndrome. The damage is permanent and irreversible, which makes treatment and care challenging.

A luncheon Tuesday at Sacred Heart Family Center will bring together state and community leaders to discuss the feasibility of creating a fetal alcohol center to help the victims and address these problems.

The idea for a local center is the brainchild of Gallup resident Margo Manaraze, who has received wide acclaim for her Angel Sighting series of photographs. Manaraze's day job as a court reporter brought her into contact with victims of this syndrome.

At the beginning of her work on the angel photograph series, Manaraze befriended a homeless teen-ager named Gary. Through
her friendship, she developed a growing awareness of the difficulties of his daily life. Gary has become the poster boy and
inspiration for the project.

"I'm frustrated that our resources are so limited through no fault of his own," she said.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman has pledged his support for this venture and is expected to attend the luncheon. He is also expected to tour the new transitional housing for women and the community food bank.

"We want to get a lot of people together to see if there's interest in a center for the treatment of fetal alcohol syndrome," said attorney Randolph Barnhouse, who is acting as an adviser for the project.

"There's state and federal fund and programs that we can tap into. The best news is that we'll work together to create something good that we haven't had before. The worst case is that we'll all just enjoy having lunch together."

Confirmed diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome depends on the confirmation by the mother that she abused alcohol during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester.

Characteristic signs of possible FAS include:

Facial abnormalities including flattened features such as lips and cheekbones.

Growth retardation including low birth weight, declining weight over time not caused by nutrition.

A disproportionately low weight to height.

Neurodevelopmental abnormalities including decreased cranial size at birth, structural brain abnormalities (microencephaly.)

Impaired motor skills, neurosensory hearing loss, poor tandem gait and/or poor hand- eye coordination.

Evidence of a complex pattern or behavior or cognitive abilities that are inconsistent with developmental level and cannot be explained. These can include learning difficulties, deficits in school performance, poor impulse control, problems in social perception, deficits in language skills, poor capacity for abstraction or mathematical skills, problems in memory, attention or judgment.

Statistical information detailing the number of cases in the McKinley County area was not available.

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Catholic organization may help Hopi High get nursing teacher

Stan Bindell
Special to the Independent

POLACCA, Ariz. — An award-winning Hopi Junior/Senior High School program may get a further lift with the help of divine intervention.

The Daughters of Charity, an affiliate of the Catholic Church, may help provide a nursing instructor for Hopi High's Two Plus Two Plus Two program.

This program starts high school students on career paths by giving them concurrent high school and community college credits, then they complete their first two years at Northland Pioneer College and their final two years at Northern Arizona University.

This program has won an award from Harvard's Honoring Nations program because of its innovation. Among 16 winners, it was the lone school.

The problem is that a certified nursing instructor is needed to teach the concurrent course at Hopi High and NPC and there aren't a lot of professionals in this remote area who fit this criteria.

Three sisters from the Daughters of Charity met with Hopi High and NPC officials last week to discuss finding the needed certified nursing instructor.

Sister Margaret Keaveney from Los Altos, Calif., Sister Frances Vista from Tuba City, and Sister Schreier from Keams Canyon told the Hopi High officials that they will try to help them find the necessary professional.

Keaveney noted that the Catholic Church owns 120 American hospitals. She said they have supplied nursing instructors to Bolivia and Guatemala, but not in the U.S.

"You need an educator who sees this as the first step," she said.

Keaveney said she would take this message to the next level and have higher officials from the Daughters of Charity visit Hopi High and NPC to see the situation. She added that this is an exciting possibility because of the Two Plus Two Plus Two program.

Vista said this would be a dream come true. She has been involved in elderly and food programs in Tuba City. She said a food bank warehouse could be built in the area so that people from all the villages would be adequately fed.

Ivan Sidney, president of the Hopi Junior/Senior High School governing board, said diabetes remains a problem on the Hopi Reservation and a nursing instructor with the help of the students could help address this.

Paul Reynolds, superintendent of Hopi Junior/Senior High School, said the proposal opens the doors to immense possibilities.
"Our students can continue to live here while seeking degrees right here on Hopi," he said.

About 40 students at Hopi High School have shown an interest in health careers.

Louella Nahsonhoya, director of NPC Hopi branch, said area students are smart but need support.

Steve Youvella, council delegate from First Mesa who attended St. Michaels High School, said he saw a lot of energy during this meeting. He said he would like to see the Daughters of Charity also help with bringing music teachers to the Hopi
Reservation.

While Hopi High School has a music program, most of the feeder schools do not. He said this is due to lack of funding by the BIA.

"Our kids are getting the short end of the stick. By the time they get to high school, they have to take beginning band and that's sad," he said.

Youvella could not miss the chance to joke with the sisters.

"I got as far as altar boy, but that was it," he confessed.

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Shiprock beats Thoreau in 1AAA

Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

SHIPROCK — Top-seed Shiprock put a halt to No. 4 seed Thoreau and its Cinderalla run with a 15-9, 15-9, 15-8 win Saturday night during the District 1AAA tournament finals.

Shiprock, unbeaten in regular season district play, indeed proved that they were still the best district team at the end as well.

"We didn't care who we played," Shiprock head coach Alicia Stewart said of the district finals. "Winning in three (games) makes a statement. We were ready."

Shiprock, 17-3 overall, will play Friday at regionals at Kirtland-Central Friday night at 7 p.m. Thoreau, now 11-12, will travel to Portales for its first round regional match Friday.

"The key was our serving and defense," said Stewart who was the New Mexico Volleyball Coach of the Year last year. "You have to give my kids credit. They have to work hard for every point. We've always had a rivalry with Thoreau. Thoreau has beaten us before. But I hope our best will be at state."

Thoreau, which was playing its fourth match in six gruelling days, had beaten No. 5 Tohatchi Monday 15-6, 15-11, 15-9, No. 3 Crownpoint Tuesday 3-15, 15-6, 15-7, 14-16, 15-8 and No. 2 Wingate Thursday 15-6, 8-15, 16-14, 15-8, ran out of steam.
The Lady Hawks were unable to make it an incredible four wins in a row against a solid Shiprock team that was waiting in the wings, well-rested for its district finals showdown against the final district survivor.

"They couldn't play," Thoreau coach Josie Willie said. "I just don't know. They weren't moving and not setting. That's just the way it goes."

After losing to Shiprock in a pair of tough four-game matches during the season, Thoreau ran into a determined Shiprock team Saturday night.

Shiprock jumped to a quick 4-0 lead which included the first kill from senior starter Sonya Edsitty. Edsitty, who finished with 21 kills in the three-game match, added successive kills to push Shiprock's lead to 6-1.

A pair of aces by Thoreau's Rochelle Shanta pulled the Lady Hawks to within three points, 6-3.

Thoreau slipped into the lead briefly at 7-6 on three service points by Melissa Anderson. Shanta put away a kill along with a stuff block on Edsitty for a pair of points for Thoreau.

But Shiprock regained the lead for good with junior Krystal Phillips at the line, who served a pair of aces along with an Edsitty kill for a 10-7 Chieftain lead.

Solid hitting by Anderson, who had a nice stuff block, kept the Lady Hawks within striking distance at 11-9 but six service errors by Thoreau paved the way for a loss.

Shiprock gradually pulled away with a pair of aces by Kimri Clah and a net hit by Thoreau gave Shiprock the opening game, 15-9.

In the second game, Thoreau held a 7-4 lead but Shiprock had a 9-0 run with junior Debra Naljahih serving for six points with a pair of aces along with an Edsitty kill.

The Lady Chiefs were able to put the Lady Hawks away on a dink kill by senior Alison Jones that caught Thoreau off-guard, looking for a regular spike.

Leading two games to zero, Shiprock was poised to put Thoreau away in three straight with a 4-0 lead on back-to-back aces by Naljihih to the left and right sides.

Two more kills by Edsitty pushed Shiprock's lead to 7-2 as the Lady Chiefs were never threatened the rest of the wya. A pair of dink kills by Jones along with another Edsitty kill gave Shiprock a commanding 14-5 cushion. The Lady Chieftains had to go to their third match point attempt before Naljahih put away the final kill for the game and the match, 15-8.

Shiprock senior hitter Sonya Edsitty put away a total of 21 kills and seven service points to pace the Lady Chieftains. Junior
Debra Naljaqhih added 12 kills, 17 service points and seven aces. Alison Jones chipped in five kills and had 32 assists. Junior
Krystal Phillips had eight service points.

Thoreau was led by Melissa Anderson with eight kills, one dink kill, and two stuff blocks while Rochelle Stanta had three kills, one dink kill, one stuff block and 11 service points.

Turnovers plague Bengals in 19-0 loss

Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer

ALBUQUERQUE — Injuries and turnovers were just two of the problems Gallup had in their 19-0 loss Saturday night as the Bengals traveled to Milne Stadium to face Albuquerque High.

Four interceptions and two fumbles, along with a blocked punt and a missed field goal were just a few of the problems the Bengals, along with players missing because of injuries, sickness and grades.

Sophomore Jared Montano made his second straight start at quarterback for the Bengals because Ben Garcia still has an injured arm. Chris Hendrix missed a lot of playing time because he became ill before the game.

The highlight of the game for the Bengals may have been the defense once again. The Bengal defense gave up only two touchdowns in the game. The defense did give up a score in the first half when Jason Carter took the ball in from the 1-yard line, but the defense held for most of the game.

"The defense has been playing well all year and did again," said Gallup head coach Jeff Taylor.

Taylor also said that Montano, for being a sophomore, has stepped up and played well as the backup quarterback.

"Jared had some good passes and there were some dropped passes."

Montano finished the game 4-of-18

One of the biggest plays for the Bengals in the first half may have been with under two minutes left in the half. The Bulldogs had the ball all the way to the 1-yard line and the Bengals defense held strong, stopping them on four straight plays to keep Albuquerque from adding to their 6-0 lead.

The Bengals took over inside the one and on the first play fumbled the ball, but Charles Krueger recovered the ball and was able to save the safety. Montano attempted a run on second down but lost a half a yard back to the 1/2-yard line.

The Bengals were then called for a false start and the ball was moved half the distance to the goal line, which was only a matter of the referee picking the ball up and setting it back down in the same spot. With a third-and-10 and the edge of the ball nearly touching the goal line, Jared Montano pushed his way out to the 6-yard line to allow Gallup a little breathing room for them to punt the ball away.

Gallup took over one more time before the half, but with 26 seconds remaining the Bengals chose to take a knee instead of running a play and go into the half down 6-0.

The Bengals had their best chance to get on the scoreboard in the third quarter when the defense recovered a fumble inside their own 20. The Bengals took over first-and-10 on their 19, but the offense could not move the ball, picking up 3-yards in three plays. The Bengals attempted a 33-yard field goal that came up short.

With the Gallup defense stopping Albuquerque every time they got the ball, the Bulldogs had to find other ways to score. The
Bulldogs returned a blocked punt 37-yards for a touchdown for a 13-0 lead and then returned an interception to the 16-yard line and after a penalty had a first and goal at the 8-yard line. The Bulldogs capitalized on the turnover, taking the ball in one play later.

"Turnovers made a big difference," said coach Taylor. "I don't think we came out ready for the game. Chris got sick before the game and some kids missing because of grades, it's tough."

Taylor said that at 0-3 the Bengals chances of playoffs is out of the picture, and that now the Bengals are playing for pride.

The Bengals play in their final home game Friday against Cibola.

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Safety tips for 'little goblins'

Staff Report

GALLUP — Gallup has no designated time for trick-or-treating Tuesday but city officials are recommending little ghosts and goblins make their rounds while it is still light outside so they will be easily seen by motorists.

City Manager David Ruiz is asking motorists to use caution on the roadways and parents to use common sense regarding Halloween safety.

Parents should accompany trick-or-treaters, keep them out of the street and try to finish at a reasonable hour, he said.

To ensure everything goes smoothly this Halloween, Ruiz said the city will have emergency personnel on standby and extra police patrolling the streets to enforce speed limits and deter vandals...

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Analysis
Government reform a slow trip for Diné

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The journey toward reforming the Navajo Nation's central government already is behind schedule. Still, the destination might end up being a constitutional convention in May.

The Government Development Commission has outlined ambitious schedules for several different trails toward reform.

One trail, labeled "Diné appropriate government," will begin with holding a summit on traditional governance summit between December and late February.

The schedule then calls for the Government Development Office to compile the summit's recommendations by the end of February so they can be issued to the chapters...

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Deaths

Thomas F. Batson

GALLUP — Services for Thomas F. Batson, 65, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1 at the First United Methodist Church. The Rev. Joel W. Wood will officiate. Burial will follow at the Sunset Memorial Park.

Batson died Oct. 27 in Gallup. He was born May 11, 1935 in Tucumcarri.

Batson was assistant to the Superintendent of the Gallup McKinley County School district for six years before he retired in 1990. He was a principal at Jefferson Elementary School for 19 years. He began his teaching career in McKinley County at
Thoreau Elementary School. He served on the boards of the Inter-Tribal Ceremonial, the Chamber of Commerce, the American
Heart Association and past-president and life member of the Western Health Foundation Support Committee, past-president and life member of the Melvin Jones Foundation. He was the member of the Lions Club; a member of the Gallup Elks Club #1440; past president of the Gallup Rotary Club; was the first chairman of the Bike-A-Thon to benefit the Diabetes Association; past president of the New Mexico Elementary Principals Association; and a current member of the Retired Educators Association.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Batson of Gallup; son, Thomas Brad Batson of Fort Worth, Texas; daughter, Linn Condrey of Gallup; brother, Jerry Batson of Fort Worth, Texas; sister, Janis Moyer of Fort Sumner; and three grandchildren.

Batson was preceded in death by his parents, Farrel Batson and Juanita Batson; sister, Joan Batson; and two grandsons.

Pallbearers will be Roland Carey, Richard Johnson, Ben Lewis, Rudy Salazar, Dennis Satermo, Donald Stokes, David Torres and Larry Worthen.

Donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association, 525 San Pedro NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87108 or RMCH Hopsice, 650 Vandenbosch Dr., Gallup, N.M. 87301.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Milosevich

ALBUQUERQUE — Memorial services for Mary Margaret Milosevich, 85, will be held at 10:30 a.m., Oct. 31 at the Sangre de Cristo Church, 8901 Candelaria NE in Albuquerque. Burial will follow at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31 at the Sunset Memorial Park in Gallup.

Milosevich died Oct. 25. She was born July 20, 1915 in Alison.

Milosevich was a life-time member o the Catholic Daughters of America. She was a former resident of Gallup.

Survivors include her son, John J. Milosevich Jr.; sister, Emma Pecoraro; and three grandchildren.

Donations can be made to Alzheimer Foundation.

Ted Silversmith

CHURCH ROCK — Services for Ted "Teddy, Teddy Bear" "Sonny" Silversmith, 34, will be announced at a later date.

Silversmith died Oct. 26 in Church Rock. He was born Oct. 19, 1966 in Gallup into the Edge Water People Clan for the
Charcoal Streaked Division of the Red Running into the Water People Clan.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Robert Allen Weeks Sr.

GALLUP — Services for Robert Allen Weeks Sr., 69, will be announced at a later date.

Weeks Sr. died Oct. 23 in Gallup. He was born May 6, 1931 in Bismark, N.D.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.