Watching anxiously

 

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Patty Lundstrom revels in big win

Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer

GALLUP — As she celebrated her victory Tuesday night, Patty Lundstrom, the new state representative for District 5, said it will be a special privilege to serve the people of Gallup and the surrounding area.

"It feels wonderful to have this kind of support," she said. "It gives me a sense that what I've been working on is what the people of the county are interested in also."

Lundstrom said in preparation for the next legislative session, she plans to start meeting with the leadership in Santa Fe to discuss her interest in being appointed to the appropriations and capital outlay committees.

She also plans to start the process of several bills to acquire funds for a new Veterans Memorial, the Adventure Gallup initiative and infrastructure in Gallup.

Lundstrom will remain in her capacity as executive director of the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments and plans to start a field office for the agency in Santa Fe.

With regard to the Democrats winning overwhelmingly locally, Lundstrom said it is an endorsement of the issues she talked about during her campaign.

She said it is a reflection of the community's interest in a new approach to politics in Santa Fe working within the system to promote the community.

Despite his loss, her Republican opponent, Daniel Kruis, said he will continue to fight for education and economic development in Gallup and hopes Lundstrom will do the same.

Kruis said he still plans to pursue the Read Gallup 2000 program, which involves strengthening early childhood programs by having university interns give books and encouragement to mothers at local pediatric clinics.

"If I had gone to Santa Fe, I would have done more for Gallup by working with principals and teachers to develop a reading program in Gallup," he said. "And it is my hope that as a community we can get behind that program because the education of our children still is the most important thing for our future."

Kruis, who currently has no plans to run for any other office, said he may accomplish more for the people of Gallup by staying at home as opposed to going to Santa Fe.

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Gambling loses; Galanis wins
County voters tell gamblers: Fold 'em

Zarana Sanghani
Staff Writer

GALLUP — The majority of McKinley County voters rejected gambling for this area.

The ballot asked simply whether the county should allow racetracks and casinos here. About 55 percent, or 5,626, voted no.

Early in the night, when results came in from city voters, even more were opposed to gambling almost 62 percent were against. As numbers from around the county came in, the gap narrowed.

The people who were opposed to gambling are happy with the results, though they wanted a bigger victory.

"Certainly we were hoping for a landslide," said Randy Stokes, one of the opponents. "Nonetheless, this is a majority vote that clearly said no to gambling. This is a victory for McKinley County."

Beating casinos and racetracks by 10 points is still a good margin, Stokes added.

Stokes and his supporters wanted a landslide majority because the question was more a political one than a statutory one. State law allows gambling institutions, so no matter what the outcome of this vote is, the state ultimately decides whom to award casino and racetrack licenses.

Stokes hopes the vote against gambling influences the state if it ever has to make such a decision.

The people who first came to the city a year ago proposing to open a racetrack, casino and theme park at Red Rock State Park said the vote is not important.

"Whether it passes or not, my feeling is it doesn't make any difference," said Rudy Garcia, a local businessman who was one of several investors in the initial project. "I feel it was put on the ballot by a bunch of idiots."

Garcia said the decision was the city's and the city's alone. The Gallup City Council voted against gambling a few months ago. Garcia said they didn't have the guts to vote for a project that could have made Gallup's economy flourish. The question should never have gone to the county on the ballot, he added.

If people had voted to have casinos and racetracks here, Garcia said he wouldn't have tried to start the project again anyway.
Red Rock was an ideal location and putting a casino anywhere else would be a "marginal gamble," Garcia said, which he isn't willing to take.

Garcia said the opposition's arguments and the Independent's recent editorial against it are both ridiculous.

The casino would have created jobs and drawn more money to Gallup businesses, he said. The casino would not have raised poverty rates or worsened other problems here, Garcia added.

Already, Gallup has gambling at bingo halls and through lottery tickets, Garcia said. He added that the city has morally questionable establishments like adult entertainment shops, but no one is going after them. He said people against the casinos are hypocrites because they engage in all these other activities and some go to casinos out of town.

Garcia said, "I don't think those people (opponents) have the right to tell the people what to do with their money, with their habits."

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Cibola School Board divides bond money

Tara Drolma
Staff Writer

GRANTS — On the third try, the Grants/Cibola County School District passed a resolution Tuesday night for the distribution
of money from the $6 million bond election on Dec. 12.

The final resolution allocated $3.3 million for the design and reconstruction of Grants High School and $700,000 for the new Laguna-Acoma High School.

The first motion for a resolution would have given $3 million to Grants High and $1 million to Laguna-Acoma High, but it failed when board members Bob Murdoch, Rita Suazo, and Lloyd Felipe voted against it.

The remaining money will distributed:

$250,000 to Cubero Elementary; $500,000 to San Rafael Elementary; $100,000 to Seboyeta Elementary, $250,000 for Bluewater Elementary; $200,000 for Los Alamitos Elementary; and $700,000 for districtwide maintenance, security, and technology.

Felipe had hoped for an even distribution of money between Grants and Laguna-Acoma high schools, but the majority of members were concerned with drafting a resolution which would pass in the December election.

In April voters failed to pass a bond resolution for $3.6 million for the new Laguna-Acoma High School by about 40 votes. At that time the board ignored the recommendation of the bond election steering committee to distribute the money throughout the county. This time they don't want to make the same mistake.

Walter Meech, a member of the original steering committee, said whatever is decided if the election fails, there will be no new schools. Meech said it is immaterial how the money is distributed; the primary concern must be to pass the bond election.

"Everyone must work together as a team or we don't get anything. We have to pull together stand together," Meech said.

Board member Bob Murdoch said, "The dollar distribution of the bond is irrelevant; it is merely a golden opportunity (to get other funding)."

Meech and Murdoch are referring to the need to pass the bond election in order to qualify for the $4.3 million in state funding that has already been allocated. The district must be bonded at the 75 percent level and must have $500,000 in matching funds in order to qualify for the $4.3 million. If it meets these criteria the district will be eligible to qualify for additional funding for several more years.

School Superintendent Linda Coy said this is the money that will be used to build the new Laguna-Acoma High School.

In other business the board passed a resolution to purchase new software and hardware for the business office and accepted the signed contract for the Casa Blanca school site from the Laguna Pueblo.

The board and Laguna Pueblo moved closer to an agreement for the Casa Blanca site Tuesday night when Gov. Harry Early said the pueblo would provide roadwork for the site. Early also said the pueblo can provide the necessary water for fire protection of the new school.

Coy said she had ordered a water study to determine the amount of water that is necessary for fire suppression for a building of that size.

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Growlers, Fangs end season with wins

Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

GALLUP - The Growlers downed the Stompers 24-6 and the Fangs held off the Stalkers 6-0 in the season finale for the TDFL on a freezing cold Tuesday night at Public School Stadium.

The Growlers-Stompers game was moved up from Thursday night to Tuesday in order to end the regular season early.

The Route 66 TDFL Bowl will be held Saturday at Public School Stadium. In the 8-9 year division, the Gallup Pouncers will play the Grants Rams at 11 a.m. In the 10-11-year-old division, the Gallup Predators will face the Laguna Jaguars at 1 p.m. In the 12-13-year division, the Gallup Claws will play the Grants Diamondbacks at 3 p.m.

Last year Grants won the 8-9 year-old division while Gallup took the 10-11 and 12-13 year-old division.

The Growlers were able to score three times against the Stompers to win going away, 24-6 in the nightcap.

The Growlers scored on their first possession, which proved enough for the victory.

Growler tailback KJ Corley made a nice cutback as he rambled for 27 yards to the 17. Three plays later, Corley found a big hole in the Stomper defense and bolted for a nine-yard gain to the 6 for a first and goal. Running back Damon Sherriffee got the ball on the very next play and scooted into the end zone. Brandon Estrada booted his first of three PATs that gave the Growlers an
8-0 lead with 37 seconds left in the first period.

The Stompers scored their only points on their third possession of the first half.

Senovio Garcia scored the Stompers' only score of the night as he broke for a nice 40-yard touchdown run that capped a four-play drive. Ryan Hamilton failed on the one-point PAT on a run, leaving the Growlers on top, 8-6 with 1:16 left in the first half.

But the Growlers were quick to match that as Sherriffee grabbed the ensuing kickoff and bolted for a 65-yard touchdown.
Estrada's PAT gave the Growlers a 16-6 lead at intermission.

The Growlers pretty much sealed their victory with their third score of the game.

The final touchdown was set up when Stomper quarterback Adrian Morris was intercepted by Joshua Fischer.

Tailback Corley broke free for a 32-yard run. Three plays later, Sherriffee broke several tackles on a nine-yard pickup. Corley capped the seven-play drive on a 21-yard scoring jaunt. Corley was able to cut back, breaking a number of tackles en route to this touchdown run. Estrada booted his final TD that made the score, 24-6.

Estrada attempted a 26-yard field goal with 10 seconds left in the game but came up short.

In the opening game, the Fangs held on to top the Stalkers 6-0.

The only score of the game came on the game's opening series with the Fangs able to march downfield to score the only points of the game.

Fang running back Jeremy Wilson scored on an 11-yard run with 5:10 left in the opening period. The PAT failed.

With just over two minutes remaining in the first half, the Stalkers mounted their best drive of the game, only to come up shy of the goal line.

Stalker running back Marcus Williams sprinted down the sidelines for a 18-yard gain. The Stalkers marched down to the three-yard line after Jason Valdez rushed for seven yards. But on a third down play, Williams was dropped for a one-yard loss as the final seconds of the first half ticked off.

Neither team threatened in the second half as the Fangs' lone score proved to be enough to win.

Chinle girls take third, boys settle for fourth

Stan Bindell
Special to the Independent

GILBERT, Ariz. — The Chinle girls placed third and the Chinle boys took fourth during the Class 4A state cross country meet Saturday at Freestone Park in Gilbert, Ariz.

Chinle sophomore Kristen St. Germaine placed ninth (20:18) after finishing second last year at state. Chinle's other runners were Doreen Anderson 31st (21:14), Colleen Yazzie 51st (22:03), Andrea Yazzie 52nd (22:07) and Gayla Montano 53rd (22:07).

Chinle girls coach Steve Keiser said that the Lady Wildcats would have done better if three of his girls hadn't gone the wrong way and had to backtrack.

"They had walked the course, but in the heat of battle they forgot," Keiser said. "It was costly because the rest of the team ran their best race of the year."

Running in her first state competition, Prescott junior Jennifer Klein edged out Flagstaff freshman Annie Falor for the individual state cross country title. However, Falor paced her team to the Class 4A state team title.

Klein, who had whipped Falor earlier during the season, won the state race in 19:33 while Falor came in five seconds later at 19:38 after the two ran neck-and-neck through most of the race.

Flagstaff scored 76 points to win the team title by packing its first five runners in the top 25. Page grabbed second with 113 points. Chinle, Prescott and Scottsdale Chaparral tied for third with 177 points each in the 21-team race.

The top five runners for state champion Flagstaff were Klein, Amber Gordon 11th (22:24), Kristina Acothley 23rd (20:54), Jean Marie Loverich 24th (20:55), and Allison Wine 27th (21:02).

Keiser said a Chinle High School bus accident Thursday caused the runners to leave late and it wasn't until late the previous night they knew they were coming. One runner did not attend because her mother would not let her ride the bus after her sister had been in the bus accident.

The Chinle boys placed fourth with 186 points in the 21-team field. After placing second the last four years, Catalina Hills finally won the state team title by placing its top five runners in the top 29 to finish first with 99 points. Sahuaro grabbed second with 126 points with Page third with 158 and Chinle fourth with 186.

Lordell Johnson was the first Wildcat finisher, placing 14th with a time of 17:20. The other top runners for the Wildcats were Raymone Paul 26th (17:36), Wilson Crosby 38th (17:51), Bradlee Stewart 67th (18:22), and Aaron Bahe 70th (18:26).

Ted Gast of Sahuaro won the race in 16:33.

Chinle boys coach Brian Paniagua said that the Wildcats ran a good race because they ran up to their capabilities.

Chinle will lose five seniors but Paniagua is glad that sophomore Wilson Crosby and freshman Eric Bahe will return to lead the Wildcats next year.

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Dems win in Apache County

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — About half of Apache County's voters 19,210 of 39,002 cast ballots Tuesday, unanimously favoring Democrats.

Except for incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, voters also returned all county elected officials all Democrats by wide margins.

The final, but unofficial returns, were completed from all 44 precincts around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Voters in the northeastern-most of Arizona's 15 counties also rejected Proposition 203, the English immersion for school children proposal, 13,824 to 4,332, reflecting the total and vocal opposition of the Navajo Nation government and public school districts...

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Navajo to fight English only

PHOENIX (AP) — As of next fall, Arizona's public schools will no longer be able to offer students optional bilingual education.

Genevieve Jackson, director of the Navajo Nation's Education Division, said this morning in Window Rock that the Navajo Nation will most likely challenge the proposition in court as well as a Utah measure making English the official language, with a list of exceptions.

"We will be preparing to challenge it in court if in fact it challenges our sovereignty. Mr. (Ron) Unz (father of the proposition) did not make a lot of information clear to the voters and that's part of the reason it passed," Jackson said.

"Any time you force your ways on others it borders on discrimination and racism..."

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Deaths

Norma Parsons

GRANTS — Services for Norma Parsons, 68, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Latter-Day Saints Church in Grants. President Ronnie Cash will officiate. Burial will follow at the Pioneer Memorial Park at the Bluewater Village.

Visitation will be held from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Thursday at the church.

Parsons died Nov. 6 in Grants. She was born Dec. 27, 1931, in Snowflake, Ariz.

Survivors include her husband, William Parsons of Grants; daughters, Beverly Griner, Delores Meador and Lois Glasgow, all of Grants; brothers, Phil McLaws of Winslow, Ariz., Ross McLaw of Yuma, Ariz., Delroy McLaws of Snohmesh, Wash., and John McLaws of Winslow; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Parsons was preceded in death by her son, Larry Parsons; brothers, Delwayne McLaws, Melvin McLaws and Jay McLaws; and a sister, Mildred McLaws.

Pallbearers will be William Grimer, Bobby Griner, Plillip Meador, David Meador, Wayne Meador and Kurtis Kirlin.

Edison Lee Jimmy

SMOKE SIGNALS, Ariz. — Graveside services for Edison Lee Jimmy, 40, will be held at 10 a.m. today, Nov. 8, on family land in Smoke Signals.

Jimmy died Oct. 18 in Gallup. He was born Aug. 18, 1960, in Fort Defiance, Ariz., into the Deer Springs Clan for the Red Running into the Water People Clan.

Jimmy attended Low Mountain Boarding School, Chinle Boarding School and Many Farms High School. He was a member of
the Native American Church. His hobbies included chopping wood, making houses and working hard.

Survivors include his sons, Joseph E. Jimmy of Grand Canyon and Tyrone D. Jimmy of Smoke Signals; daughter, Josephine Jimmy of Smoke Signals; parents, Henry and Barbara Jimmy, both of Smoke Signals; brothers, Emerson Jimmy and Kee J.
Jimmy, both of Smoke Signals, Benson Jimmy of Tsaile, Ariz., Lamuel H. Jimmy of Pinon, Ariz., Leroy Jimmy of Jacksonville, Fla., and Henry Jimmy Jr. of Smoke Signals; sister, Susie Jimmy of Grand Canyon, Dorothy Jimmy of Chinle, Ariz., and Evelyn Riggs of Smoke Signals.

Pallbearers will be Justin Tracey, Lamuel H. Jimmy, Kee J. Jimmy, Emerson Jimmy and Henry Jimmy Jr.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

John E. Begoody, Jr.

STEAMBOAT, Ariz. — Services for John E. Begoody Jr., 79, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at the All Saints Catholic Church, Ganado, Ariz. Father Flann O' Neill, O.F.M., will officiate. Burial will follow on family land in Steamboat.
Begoody died Nov. 5 in Fort Defiance, Ariz. He was born March 23, 1922, in Steamboat into the Black Streak Water Edge People for the Big Water People.

Begoody worked with his father at a small trading business in Steamboat. He worked at many places, including Morency Copper Mines in Morency, Ariz., Belmont Depot in Belmont, Ariz., US Marine Corps Supply Center in Barstow, Calif., and the Northwest Railroad Co. He served in the Army Air Force Base Unit and was awarded an American Theather Medal, Victory Medal and Good Conduct Medal for serving in the Army. He was also a medicine man.

Survivors include his daughter, Helena M. Hubbard of Navajo, N.M.; sister, Sarah Hood of Steamboat, Ariz.; and four grandchildren.

Begoody was preceded in death by parents, John E. Begoody Sr. and Hasba Sam, and brother, Carl Begoody Sr.

Pallbearers will be military honor guards, Western Agency.

The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services at Mary Jones' residence.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Nathaniel Willie

PHOENIX — Services for Nathaniel Willie, 33, will be announced at a later date.

Willie died Nov. 4 in Phoenix. He was born Aug. 1, 1967, in Shiprock for the Folded Arms People Clan into the Red Running into the Water People Clan.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.