New Lands family loses home to fire

New Lands family loses home to fire

By Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

SANDERS — New Lands residents launched an appeal to aid a large family which lost a five-bedroom home in a fire and burglary Thursday night.

Food, kitchenware, firewood and money can be dropped off at the Thompson residence or the Tapaha residence, lots 89 and 103, of the rural community south of Sanders. Donations also may be made by calling (520) 688-2610.

Pete and Rula Curtis and their elementary and high school children were gone from their Primrose Lane home at the time. It is the second time their home has burned down. They lost everything except a few personal effects and the clothes on their backs.

Neighbors are providing a small trailer, normally used for storage by Jerry and Glenna Thompson and their children, as temporary housing for the displaced family.

"Extensions run from our house to the trailer to provide light and for cooking. We are doing the best we can to accommodate this large family while they try to get their lives back together," Glenna Thompson said.

At a Toh Dah Sekei rural community meeting held Sunday additional assistance was arranged, but donations from the public also are needed, Thompson emphasized.

According to Navajo police, a neighbor saw flames coming from a bedroom of the home about 15 minutes after seeing someone running away in the dark. The house was fully engulfed in flames before firefighters from the Puerco Valley Fire Department could get there, police said.

Soon after that officers came across a stalled truck loaded with electronic and other equipment believed to be from the blackened home.

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Diabetes grant targets kids

By S.J. Ludescher
Staff Writer

GALLUP — The Diabetes Advisory Council of Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital has received a $487,000 three-year grant to take diabetes education into the public schools.

Education Coordinator Allison Kozeliski said the program is in keeping with RMCH's focus on wellness during the coming year.
"This is a home-grown, grass-roots approach," she said. "There's a lot of programs that focus on adults, but we wanted something to target kids."

The new program will be a partnership between Gallup-McKinley schools and the advisory council, a group of people representing area healthcare providers as well as diabetes patients.

The council has used part of the grant money to hire additional staff to help implement the program. Annette Dominguez, the new wellness project coordinator, will begin by teaching healthy lifestyle and eating habits to 150 fourth graders.

Ten high school students will also be chosen to mentor the children about healthy lifestyle choices. Then the students' families will become involved. Eventually, Dominguez and Kozeliski hope to cover all area fourth, fifth and sixth graders.

McKinley County leads the state in deaths from diabetes, Kozeliski said. This approach, it is hoped, will help bring that number down by teaching preventative methods at an early age.

The elementary schools to be involved in the project haven't been determined yet, but a meeting between school authorities and council representatives will be held in two weeks to make that decision.

"The high schoolers will be selected from teens already involved with healthy lifestyles eating right and getting exercise," Kozeliski said. "The generation we are raising are less active and heavier than previous generations."

The program will help the school district fulfill state requirements for health education, said Kozeliski.

"If this project works, the data will show healthy kids want to learn and are more successful at it," she said.

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Area in brief

Turkey dinner

TUBA CITY, Ariz. — There will be a turkey dinner and live entertainment from 9 p.m. to midnight Friday at the Tuba City High School gym. Admission is $5 per person. Information: (520) 283-1041, ext. 3055/3005.

Cake walk/bingo

MEXICAN SPRINGS — A cake walk and bingo will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, at the Mexican Springs Chapter House. Information: (505) 863-5461.

Christmas bazaar

TOHATCHI — A Christmas bazaar will be held at 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Ch'ooshgai Community School FACE Center. Information: (505) 733-2280/2296, ext. 234.

Revival

TSAILE, Ariz. — A Thanksgiving revival will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 25-27 at the Tsaile Community Church.

Holiday Magic

\GALLUP — Holiday Magic '99 will be 1-4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 12, at University of New Mexico-Gallup. Everyone is invited to enjoy the food, entertainment and crafts. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there. Information: 863-7687.

Planning meeting

TWIN LAKES — The Twin Lakes Comprehensive Land Use Planning Committee (CLUPC) seeks three more committee members with expertise to provide valuable contributions to the overall land planning process. Community members from the northeastern and northwestern areas of Twin Lakes are encouraged to attend. You must be a voting member of the Twin Lakes Chapter to participate. The next CLUPC meeting will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Twin Lakes Chapter. Information: (505) 735-2603/2600.

Santa's arrival

GALLUP — Santa will arrive at Rio West Mall at 10 a.m. Wednesday and will travel to his "holiday home" in front of JC Penney via a "Toys for Tots" motorcyle parade through the mall.
Santa will be at the mall through Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday -Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sundays to listen to the wishes of area children. Photographs will be available.

Holiday schedule

RAMAH — The El Malpais National Monument Headquarters, El Malpais Information Center and the Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. All areas of the monument will remain open during the holiday season.
Keep in mind that winter storms make passage difficult on County Road 42. This road can become impassable (even with four-wheel drive) when wet. Primitive park roads may also be impassable. Information: (505) 783-4774. The center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located 23 miles southwest of Grants on NM Highway 53.

Building dedication

WIDE RUINS, Ariz. — The governing board of Wide Ruins Community School and Wide Ruins Community Junior High School will hold a traditional Navajo dedication ceremony for the two new portable classroom buildings. The dedication will be held at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

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Bond raised for accused baby killer

By Sekai K. Mutunhu
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Unless he can come up with $10,000, a man accused of shaking his 4-month-old baby to death last April will stay in jail after violating the terms of his release.

On Monday, District Court Judge Joseph Rich added an additional $10,000 cash surety bond onto a preexisting $50,000 bond after Joe Baca Chavez was arrested on drugs and weapons charges while awaiting trial...

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Dukepoo dies at 56

By Stan Bindell

Special to the Independent
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Services have been held for Frank Dukepoo, founder of the National Native American Honor Society and a specialist in genetics, who died Oct. 27 at his home in Flagstaff.

Dukepoo, 56, was the first Hopi to earn a doctorate and one of only six Native Americans nationally who hold doctorates in the sciences. He was the only Native American geneticist...

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Families get homes they can afford

By Tom Purdom

Staff Writer
GRANTS — If it weren't for the City of Grants Housing Authority and Executive Director Cynthia Arrossa, 116 families would need a warm and safe place to sleep tonight.

Most of the families are single-parent households where money is little and needs are great...

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First Mesa leaders win IHS group awards

By Stan Bindell
Special to the Independent

POLACCA, Ariz. — Construction of the new Hopi Health Care Center is 56 percent complete and on schedule.

Construction began on the health care facility in February. In addition, selection of the contractor for the construction of the staff housing is under way with the goal of having rentals available by 2000...

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