Panel delays school boards' staggered terms issue
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Board of Election Supervisors accepted
a proposal last Thursday from two of the three tribal school board
associations that would delay — again — staggering the
terms of their board members.
The Navajo Nation Council mandated staggered terms almost a decade
ago, and delegates — 22 of them serve on 24 boards —
never altered it.
Of the 332 members on 65 boards, 157 would serve the short term
and 175 the long term.
Two of the groups showed up before the supervisors with their
resolutions that would put off until the 2004 elections a one-time
event in which less than half of those elected to tribal school
and dormitory boards would serve two years. The other group, more
than half, would serve the standard four-year term. Election officials
have not yet heard from the third group, composed of state charter
schools in Arizona.
In their resolutions, the Navajo Area School Board Association
and the Association of Navajo Community-Controlled School Boards
said it is unfair both to the board members and the voting public
to change in middle of the current term when they were not told
that would be the case during the 2000 election.
Their resolutions point out that consultation has to occur first.
The council's Education Committee put the change in its 1992 rules,
but court suits and other council actions last year didn't leave
time for the committee and the supervisors to put the change into
effect.
Under the current system, the membership of an entire board can
be changed in one election, thus leaving the board without any
experienced members. State-financed local school panels operate
with staggered terms so that there are some experienced members
on board at all times.
The two groups acted quickly after Carol Kirk Perry, the elections
director, sent out a letter on Sept. 14 explaining that the determination
of which board positions would be up for two years and which for
four years would go into effect in mid-November.
That would be so "unless a request is made by the affected
officials, school board or chapter. Officials may elect to voluntarily
decide who will serve two or four year terms, or if necessary,
our office will be willing to draw lots to determine which officials
will serve two or four years," she wrote.
Four-year terms went to those in the odd-numbered positions on
the ballot.
Council delegates on the short list are Jerry Bodie, Edison Wauneka,
Leo T. Gishie, Calvin Kirk Jr., Samuel Billison, Harrison Plummer,
Lee F. Johnson and Lawrence T. Morgan (1 of 2 positions).
Delegates on the long list are George Tolth, Annie B. Descheny,
Lawrence T. Morgan, Frank Chee Willeto, Lawrence Robert Platero,
Peter Watchman, Ralph Bennett Jr., Omer Begay Jr., Richard T.
Begaye, Harry Williams Sr. (2 positions), Jack Colorado, Daniel
Peaches, Joe Dayzie, Thomas L. Cody and Willie Greyeyes.
Seven of the 22 are either chairs or vice chairs of council standing
committees, with Billison, Kirk and Willeto on the Education Committee,
but not as chair or vice chair.
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Navajo Council special session likely
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Council is expected to be called
into a one-day special session on Nov. 19, to finish items not reached
during the regular session in October.
The council's Ethics-Rules Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Friday in
the Office of Ethics and Rules Conference Room to receive the proposed
agenda from Rose Graham, chief of legislative services, and the request
by Speaker Edward T. Begay to
call the delegates back together.
Among the matters expected to be on the agenda are:
A $1 million appropriation from the Undesignated Reserve Fund to the
Attorney General's Office to fight Congressional and state Legislature
redistricting in Arizona and New Mexico, both administratively and
in the state and federal courts.
Adopting a new Plan Of Operation that would greatly increase the powers
of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, give it a huge increase in
its debt limit, and restrict council oversight committee powers over
the utility.
A report on the progress of negotiations with the U.S. Indian Health
Service to have the tribally-chartered Navajo Health Care System Corporation
take over the $400 million-plus Navajo Area IHS medical services in
view of this past summer's referendum that showed a 4-1 margin against
the tribal takeover through a non-profit corporation. (The referendum
failed, however, because of the current requirement that a majority
of all tribally registered voters cast ballots in favor or against
a
measure.)
A water rights report from the council's Resources Committee.
Overriding President Kelsey A. Begaye's veto of the 33-24 council
vote to approve a series of amendments to the Navajo Nation Code's
education and election titles. The council removed a proposed section
that would have forbidden delegates from
being on tribal school boards in the future. Currently 20 delegates
hold 22 school board or dormitory board seats. An override
requires at least 59 votes among the 88 delegates.
Begaye has indicated he would not veto the reservationwide gambling
control ordinance, legislation for the peacemaker
division of the judiciary, taking $792,639 from the Undesignated Reserve
Fund to pay for insurance premiums increases, and
the Bond Financing Act.
The tribal president has 10 days from the council speaker's certification
of a legislative resolution to say in writing that he will
either veto or not veto a measure. (A Navajo president does not sign
legislation into law, as do state governors or the U.S.
president.) A third choice is not to do anything, which lets a measure
become law automatically after the 10-day period.
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Grand jury charges battery, conspiracy
Michael McKenna
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Aggravated battery and conspiracy charges led a list
of grand jury indictments by the 13th Judicial District in Cibola
County.
In five separate but related cases, the grand jury handed down indictments
for aggravated battery and conspiracy against Michael Chacon, 23,
of Grants; Ronald Lucero, 35, of Casa Blanca; Terrance J. Lorenzo,
21, of Casa Blanca; Edward Merayo, 25, of Bluewater; and Anthony Romero,
25, of Old Laguna. In addition to the aggravated battery and conspiracy
charges, Chacon and Merayo were also indicted on false imprisonment
charges.
According to the indictments, the five defendants reportedly caused
great bodily harm to Eric Poncho and restrained Poncho against his
will. Aggravated battery is a third degree felony. False imprisonment
is a fourth degree felony.
In other grand jury cases, Richard Nanez, 45, of Grants, was indicted
on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving
while his license was suspended or revoked, and failure to carry proof
of financial responsibility. All charges are misdemeanors.
Orlando Archunde, 31, of Grants, was indicted on forgery and accessory
to commit forgery charges. According to the indictment, Archunde reportedly
gave Discount Liquors a U.S. Treasure check in the amount of $259
knowing the check was forged.
James Torrez, 23, of Grants, was indicted for receiving stolen property.
The indictment said that Torrez received a Russian SKS model 45 cal.
handgun knowing that the handgun had been stolen. Receiving stolen
property is a fourth degree felony.
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Athletes of the week
Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer
The Athletes of the Week for the week of October 22-29 are Grants
Pirate George Vigil and Ganado Lady Hornet Jolene Benally.
"It feels pretty good," Vigil said of being selected Athlete
of the Week.
Vigil, a senior at Grants High School, said that winning the district
championship was his main goal for the season. "And to get the
team together to play as a team," he added.
Vigil came through big in the Pirates district finale Friday in Hot
Springs. Vigil had a 5-yard touchdown run in overtime to help lift
the Pirates over Hot Springs 24-18.
"Now I want to stay focused and win the state championship,"
Vigil said. "I think winning district will help boost the team
spirit more and get more local support."
Vigil said that he thinks this is his best season so far and that
him and the Pirates have done some great things this season.
"None of it would have happened without the great line the team
has," Vigil said. "It makes me proud that I can play with
the players on this team this year, we are all dedicated."
Besides football, Vigil also plays baseball and is on the wrestling
team. Last season Vigil was named to the All -istrict second team
and has been an honorable mention player every year. He was voted
most dedicated wrestler last season.
After high school, Vigil said that he thinks he will go to Highlands
and that he wants to become a history teacher.
Benally, a senior at Ganado High School, said that she could not believe
that she was selected Athlete of the Week.
"I have my teammates to thank for getting this," she said.
"We hope to accomplish more at state."
Benally was named MVP of the 3A North Region Tournament this weekend,
helping Ganado to the championship and continuing their winning streak.
"Ever since my freshman year I have wanted to go undefeated in
my senior season," Benally said. "This year, with 13 players
and 10 of us seniors we have made a commitment to do something different."
Benally said that the school record for consecutive wins was 36 matches.
This year the team is 41-0.
"This is my best season," Benally said. "The record
was 36 wins and we wanted to beat that in our senior year, and now
I want to get the state championship."
"All of my teammates want it and we believe it," she said.
"We all want to win the state championship and are working hard
to achieve it."
Benally has been playing volleyball since third grade and also plays
on the basketball team and is part of the track team at Ganado High.
Benally said that after high school she plans on going to college
in Yuma and playing basketball there. She said she wants to be a nurse.
Due to technical problems, the Athlete honor roll will run on Wednesday.
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Poll finds U.S. has war doubts
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans' doubts about the war on terror are
starting to grow, despite their continued overwhelming support of
President Bush and the military attacks on Afghanistan, a poll suggests.
They're starting to question how well the government can protect its
citizens, whether the international alliance will hold, and whether
the U.S. will capture or kill Osama big Laden.
The CBS-New York Times poll indicated that 18 percent now have a "great
deal of confidence" the government can protect its
citizens, compared with 35 percent in late September.
The poll comes as government officials warned Monday that Americans
should be on alert for another terrorist attack that could come this
week...
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Local arts and crafts market is taking strange twists
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Indian arts and crafts dealers have seen bad times but
no one has seen the market behave as it has since the terrorist attacks
on September 11.
Wholesalers say that no one seems to be buying but the business seems
to still be there for retailers. And people who are putting on arts
and crafts shows appear to be hurt the worst as neither buyers or
dealers seem to want to risk traveling at this time.
This was evident this past weekend when the Indian Arts and Crafts
Association, the trade organization, held its semi-annual buying show
for its members in Phoenix.
"We knew it was going to be bad," one official for the organization
said Monday, "but we didn't know it was going to be this bad..."
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Area store has scary anthrax moment
Staff Report
GALLUP — A Vanderwagon store manager found powder inside a
bag Friday morning and called McKinley County Sheriff's deputies
because of the Anthrax scare.
Deputies met with Germaine Garcia, 37, manager of El Sabino's, who
said a clerk was beginning to bag items for a customer, and when
she opened a bag, she got white powder on herself, according to
a sheriff's report released Monday. She looked in the bag and found
a lot more powder inside.
She talked to Garcia because of the recent scare of Anthrax, a powdery
substance known to cause flu-like symptoms that could lead to death.
Deputies told Garcia to call the company that makes the sacks to
see if they had any other problems with other sacks...
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Navajo Council special session likely
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Council is expected to be called
into a one-day special session on Nov. 19, to finish items not reached
during the regular session in October.
The council's Ethics-Rules Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Friday
in the Office of Ethics and Rules Conference Room to receive the
proposed agenda from Rose Graham, chief of legislative services,
and the request by Speaker Edward T. Begay to call the delegates
back together.
Among the matters expected to be on the agenda are:
A $1 million appropriation from the Undesignated Reserve Fund to
the Attorney General's Office to fight Congressional and state Legislature
redistricting in Arizona and New Mexico, both administratively and
in the state and federal courts...
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Navajo exhibit opens
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — A new exhibit debuts Thursday in the Peterson
Zah-Navajo Nation Museum, Library and Visitors Center on Post Office
Loop Road.
Called "Of Stone and Stories: Pueblitos of Diné tah,"
it is a traveling exhibit from the Museum of New Mexico, sponsored
by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management with support of the Museum
of New Mexico Foundation and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture,
all of Santa Fe.
Admission is free from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesdays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. The exhibit
will stay until January.
It is the story of the little rock houses "small stone forts
rising just out of reach atop isolated boulders and clinging to
narrow cliff ledges" south of the San Juan River and west of
the Rio Grande, a brochure explains...
Deaths
Carroll Fulton
GALLUP — Services for Carroll L. Fulton, 68, will be held at
10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct 31, at Rollie Mortuary Palm Chapel.
The Very Reverend Lawrence J. O'Keefe will officiate. Burial will
follow at Sunset Memorial Park.
Visitation will be held at Rollie Mortuary today between noon-7 p.m.
Fulton died Oct. 27 in Albuquerque. He was born Oct. 21, 1933 in Arkadelphia,
Ark.
Fulton was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served in the Korean conflict.
He was a member of the Gallup Lions Club and the
Elks Lodge.
Survivors include his son Daniel Fulton of Albuquerque; daughter Deanna
Merrill of Gallup; brothers Bill Fulton of
Petersburg, TX and Laron Fulton of Lubbock, TX; and two grandchildren.
Fulton was preceded in death by his parents Cleo and Jennelda Fulton.
Pallbearers will be Steve Kennedy, John Matajcich, Frank Spolar, Keith
Spolar, Kyle Spolar and Ron Yocham.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
John Jack
TWIN LAKES — Services for John Jack, 71, will be held at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 31 at the Free Trinity in Tohlakai. The
Reverend Dennis Garden will officiate. Burial will follow in Tohatchi
Cemetery.
Jack died Oct. 25 in Twin Lakes. He was born June 1, 1930 in Lupton,
Ariz., into the Many Goats People Clan for the Salt
People Clan.
Jack was a silversmith and mechanic. He was a long-time resident of
Twin Lakes.
Survivors include his wife Ella Mae Jack of Twin Lakes; son Jason
Jack of Twin Lakes; daughters Betty Jack, Georgia Jones, both of Twin
Lakes and Laverna White, and Ellamae Brown of Gallup; brothers Roger
Johnson and Ben Johnson, both of Yah Ta Hey and Benny Thompson of
Gallup; sisters Esther Jumbo and Elizbeth Mae Jones, both of Yah Ta
Hey; eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild and one great-great-granchild.
Pallbearers will be Robert Brown, Roger Johnson, Anderson Jones, Ben
Johnson, Jonathan Soce and Robert Brown Jr.
Cope Memorial is in charge of arrangements.
Rick Hohman
KALISPELL, Mont. — A memorial service for Rick W. Hohman will
be held in the Sweetgrass Hills of Montana on his
birthday, July 5, 2002.
Hohman died Oct. 19 in Albuquerque. He was born in Shelby, Mont.
Hohman was an English teacher at Gallup High School for 13 years.
Survivors include his wife Lia Payne; children Corwin Cornelius, Ahri
Cornelius, Asa Hohman and Cian Hohman; brothers
Jim Hohman and Adam Benton; sister Debbie Tschida and mother Alfonsina
Hohman.
For details on the service call 406-756-8917.
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