Rodeo dreams



Rodney Begay, 5, of Rockpoint, Ariz., catches a snooze after his father, Bennie Begay, finished competing at the Indian National Finals Rodeo at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, N.M., Wednesday.

Photo from the Albuquerque Journal

 

---

UNM-G not sleeping on dorm issue

Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Robert Carlson would love it if an unseen spirit would boom in his ear, "If you build it, they will come."

But he is hearing no voices and the director of the University of New Mexico-Gallup branch is having to rely on other types of information to determine whether he will continue supporting the building of the first campus dorm.

What he has so far is inconclusive a year-old survey that seemingly indicates that there are enough students willing to move into a dorm if it is built and a nagging suspicion that all of this talk he has heard in the past that a dorm would do very well here is just that talk.

"I'll go either way," he said Tuesday at a meeting with several faculty and staff members. "If you wanted to pin me down, I'd say I was in support of the idea but I'm not that far over the line."

What he heard during a meeting on Tuesday was not enough to change that position.

Some people had a number of concerns to bring up while others said the building of a dorm would definitely change the dynamics of the campus for the better.

College officials are looking at getting bond financing from a state program for either a 136-bed facility (at a cost of $4.5 million) or a 192-bed facility (at a cost of $5.8 million). One proposal calls for the dorm to be built in the form of four bedroom quads with four students sharing two baths and one kitchen.

The quad proposal came under criticism by some during the meeting who wondered if this fits in with the lifestyle of most of those who attend the Gallup branch, which, in this case, means Navajos.

Carlson pointed out that the quad arrangement provides the cheapest alternative with each lodger paying $310 a month. A setup where two people share two bedrooms and two baths with one kitchen ups the rent to $410 a month and a single apartment for one person with all the amenities would cost $600 a month.

Dale Mason, head of the faculty senate, also brought up questions about security needs and the problems associated with extra water and sewage use.

The security issue is something that will have to be dealt with, Carlson said, adding that security would have to be increased to around the clock. The college would have to deal with associated problems, such as the cleaning up of beer bottles after the weekend.

"We already have to pick up beer bottles in the parking lot on Monday so that won't be any different," Carlson said.

But having a dorm on campus could increase crime on campus and Carlson said that some discussions will have to be held as to who would have responsibility of investigating major crimes, such as rape or assault.

The need for extra water and sewer facilities will also have to be dealt with, Carlson said, and this will necessitate bringing in the city to coordinate the college's needs with the city's capacity to handle the extra water and sewage problems.

There was also discussion of the need to issue guidelines to deal with problems such as overnight guests and students allowing family members to move into their quarters.

While a lot was said about the problems associated with a dorm, there was also some positive reaction.

For example, branch instructor Carolyn Milligan, who is vice-president of the Senate Faculty, said a dorm would invigorate campus life. A number of others on campus have said in the past that a dorm would also encourage more student involvement in campus activities.

But the main question that was unanswered is how many students would move into the dorm if it was built.

While an informal survey indicated that there would be enough students interested to justify at least a 136-bed facility, Carlson questioned its reliability. The Student Senate has also taken a survey but these results have not been released yet.

Carlson questioned whether this latest survey would be accurate and called for another survey that would be done with input from his office to get a better determination of how much of a need there is for a dorm.

He pointed out that ever since he was appointed director, the main question he received was when a dorm would be built. But once the college actually began discussing the possibility of building one, the comments he received changed with people beginning to question whether one was needed.

With a student population of 2,800, the college would seem to have enough to justify at least one dorm but Milligan pointed out that a good proportion of the student population in Gallup seems to consist of a single mother with two kids.

It was also pointed out that a large segment of the student body is in their late 20s and 30s, an age when most single men and women already have their own apartments.

The question then, Carlson said, is whether there is enough of a demand from single men and women in their late teens and early 20s to justify building a dorm.

"We'll have to address the needs of those who are married or have families at a later date," he said.

The meeting ended with a decision to have various committees on campus discuss the idea more and come up with a recommendation that would be taken to the college's governing board which is the same board that oversees the schools in the county.

Since the deadline for getting on the annual school financing bond proposal is March, Carlson said he would like to see everything wrapped up in the next couple of months so if the decision is to go forward, the college could meet the March 2001 deadline.

If it does, Carlson said that the proposed timetable would allow the dorm to be up and operating by fall 2003.

| Top |

---

Gallup cop claims boss assaulted him

Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer

GALLUP — A Gallup Police officer has accused a department captain of committing assault and battery on him following his demotion for refusing to work overtime.

According to a report filed at the McKinley County Sheriff's Department, Gallup Police Officer Merle Bates requested a report be made in reference to an incident that occurred on Dec. 1 between him and the alleged suspect, Capt. Ronnie Gonzales.

According to a typed transcript of a taped interview, Bates told Sheriff's Investigator Daniel Henio that after being demoted by Gonzales, the captain became intimidating, sticking his finger in the victim's face and brushing up against him.

The confrontation occurred after Bates refused several requests to work overtime that weekend because he had worked until midnight the night before and arrived for duty early the next morning, a police report said.

After refusing a direct order from a sergeant to work the overtime, Gonzales was called and, after Bates refused his order to work, the captain asked for the detective/corporal's badge, demoting him to the rank of patrolman, police said.

The victim told police that the captain then approached him and, coming within five inches of him, put his finger in his face and said, "The next time you get an order, you do it."

Bates said he told the captain to get his finger out of his face but that he continued to do it and finally said, "I don't need you here. Get out of my office," and "I'll just fire your a," a police report said.

The victim then told Gonzales to just fire him and walked out into the corridor where the captain continued to threaten to fire him and began pushing up against Bates with his chest, police said.

Bates told the investigator that a report has been made at the city police department and that the administration is aware of "their" side of the story, apparently insinuating that his own side of the story is being overlooked, the police report said.

The patrolman told police he has hired an attorney and now is awaiting a hearing concerning the incident.

Gallup Capt. Bobby Silva said the case has been turned over to internal affairs and that the report made by the department will not be released.

| Top |

---

Grants prison guard faces sex charges

Tom Purdom
Staff Writer

GRANTS — For the first known time since the women's prison took over as the only state women's facility, a guard has been charged with four counts of criminal sexual penetration of an inmate.

Tommy McDowell Sr., 44, of 421 Teresa, Grants, was indicted on the four charges Wednesday by the Cibola County grand jury.

All of the charges involve one woman, who reported that she was forced to "engage in fellatio" with McDowell.

The incidents allegedly happened between July 17 and Sept. 12 one time each in the old maintenance facility, the E-Unit, in a "caustic closet" and on the roof of the prison.

The official title of the crime is criminal sexual penetration second degree (inmate). It is considered a second-degree felony.
According to the indictment Grants Police Detective Marty Vigil investigated the alleged crimes.

Several other indictments involved violence:

Billy Overson, 33, of 2300 Highway 66, Milan, was indicted on two charges of abuse of a child, tampering with evidence and negligent use of a firearm.

Overson apparently shot a firearm in his home while two children were in the home on Oct. 31. Neither of the children was injured in the shooting. When Milan Police Officer Daren Geaguero went to the home to investigate, the defendant allegedly tried to hide the firearm, which prompted the tampering with evidence charge. The negligent use of a deadly weapon charge stems from an allegation that Overson was under the influence of an intoxicant or narcotic when the reported incident happened.

Jacob Lopez, 18, of 1121 Mount Taylor Ave., allegedly battered a woman holding her child on Sept. 7. The indictment states Lopez intended to injure the victim and in doing so, "inflicted great bodily harm or did so in a manner whereby great bodily harm or death can be inflicted." The woman was holding her child when Lopez allegedly attacked her. Lopez was charged with aggravated battery and abuse of a child.

Michael Powell, 38, of Pinehill, was indicted on dual charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and stalking. He allegedly assaulted a woman with a shotgun and, according to the indictment, "pursued a pattern of conduct ... that would cause a reasonable person to feel frightened, intimidated or threatened." The reported crimes happened June 7.

| Top |

---

Area riders place in first go-round of INFR

Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

ALBUQUERQUE — Area bull riders Alfonso Francis of Ganado, Ariz. and Jarvis Woody of Rock Point, Ariz. placed second and third respectively in the bull riding competition during the first go round of the 25th Annual Indian National Finals
Rodeo Wednesday night at Tingley Coliseum.

Southwest Indian Rodeo Association qualifier Francis scored a 76 score on Hi Roller to grab second place while Navajo Nation Rodeo Cowboys Association qualifier Woody rode Bandit to 73 and third place in the money. Hank Winnier of White Swan, Washington pushed a spinning Unforgiven to the rodeo's top score of 84 and first place money. Brad Fish scored a 72 on Phantom for fourth place.

Former two-time world champion Julius Y. Begay of Shiprock appeared to have escaped a close call when he was stepped on by his bull Undertaker several times. Begay, who was bucked off Undertaker after several seconds, landed hard on the ground and then the bull turned back several times and charged at a helpless Begay. The bullfighter came to the rescue and shielded
Begay from the bull and may have saved his life. After being inspected by the EMTs, Begay, who like the other bullriders was wearing a protective vest, walked off, looking a bit stunned by the incident.

The rodeo continues tonight with the second of four go rounds of action. The action will continue Friday and Saturday with two performances daily at 1 and 7 p.m.

Mike Murphy of Fort Wingate took third in the bareback with a 73 score on Raindance. Shawn Best took first place money with a 78 score on The Original. Kelvin Fox placed third with a 76 on Wild Mocassin with Clarence Gilham fourth with a 72 on Silver Bullet. NNRCA qualifier Ernest Bitsui of Steamboat, Ariz. scored a 60 on Foxhole. 1998 world champion Bennie Bitsui of Rock Point, Ariz. and Daniel Billy of Manuelito both were bucked off their broncs.

Fruitland's Jacey Mike finished third in the breakaway roping with a fast 3.7 second run. Oklahoma's Kasi Prather won the first go with a quick 2.6 second clocking with Lizzie Dixey second with a 3.6 just ahead of Mike. Karen Twiss and Billie Tiger tied for fourth with 3.9s. Casa Grande, Arizona's Carole Holyan posted a 4.5. Crownpoint's April Pablo, a two-time National High School Rodeo Finalist and 2000 College Rodeo Finalist, posted a no time. Former two-time world champion Lynn McGuire finished far back with a 15.7.

Albuquerque's Donovan Yazzie tied for fourth in the calf roping with a 11.2 with Preston Williams. Corbin Warren topped the field with the lone sub-par 10-second run with a 9.8. Mark Cuny placed second with a 10.7 and Troy Crawler was third with a 11.0. Gerald Daye of Gallup and Benson Charley of Standing Rock posted no times.

The SWIRA team roping combination of Marco and Lucius Sells of Rough Rock, Ariz. finished fourth with a 7.9. The team of Preston Williams snd Casey Green won first place money with a fast run of 6.1. The team of Sam and Justin Bird finished second with a 7.0 while the team of Don Bettelyoun and former world champion Spike Guardipee was third with a 7.4. The NNRCA team of Tedson and Clarence Yazzie of Mexican Springs posted a 20.1 while the NNRCA team of Roderick and Reginald Tso of Blue Gap, Ariz. posted a no time.

Barrel racer Shannon Burnette of Window Rock, Ariz. covered the clover leaf pattern in 16.35 seconds, the fifth fastest of the opening round of action but just one spot of the money. Yvette Fangsrud topped the field with a 15.92 second clocking, the lone under-16 second run. Nicole Welch Romo took second with a 16.05 with Laci Best third (16.27) and Lisa Creighton fourth (16.33). Charlene Jackson of Casa Grande turned in a 16.49 and Leeja Bitsoi of Twin Lakes turned in a 16.58.

1996 world champion Howard Edmundson of Dewar, Oklahoma won the steer wrestling, wrestling his steer down in 3.8 seconds. Lyle Smith trailed in second with a 4.3 with Corbin Warren, who has an early lead in the all-around race, and Marty Johns tied for third place with 4.4s. Robert Tom of Pinon, Ariz. had a 5.2, 1998 world champion Ben Bates Jr. of Mexican Springs had a 7.4 and Crownpoint's Tyrone Tsosie had a 9.5. Fort Defiance, Arizona's Dwayne Salaway turned in a 46.6.

Former three-time world champion Marty Hebb of Eagle Butte, South Dakota and Ben Louis tied for first place money in the saddle bronc with 78 scores. Jay Louis, the 1996 world champion, Cody BlackRabbit and defending world champion Phillip Whiteman tied for third with 74 scores. Benson Kee of Keams Canyon, Ariz. scored a 68 score. Former three-time world
champion James Hunt Jr. of Toadlena and Ramos Benny of Bloomfield were bucked off their broncs. Patrick Smith of Steamboat, Ariz. had a great ride of Touch of Mustard but failed to mark out.

| Top |

---

NTUA studies power plans

Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer

WINDOW ROCK — NTUA's general manager divulged Wednesday that the utility is examining several projects that would allow the utility to generate power within the Navajo Nation.

"We import all of our power needs," said Randall Medicine Bear, general manager of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. For every dollar received from customers, 50 cents pays for outside power.

Reliance on outside power sources is something NTUA would like to see changed, Medicine Bear told members of the tribe's Economic Development Committee as he presented an operations report. Under consideration is the possible installment of gas-fired, turbine-driven generators in the Aneth-Montezuma Creek, Utah, area that would generate up to 30 megawatts of power.

The utility is also considering gas-fired generators for areas near low-BTU gas locations along U.S. 666. The gas is otherwise non-marketable while fuel costs are stable. Small amounts of power could be directly fed into NTUA distribution systems...

| Top |

---

EPA fines businesses for missing paperwork

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — All that was missing was the paperwork.

There was no fuel seeping from buried tanks or pipes at a half-dozen locations in Kayenta, Black Mesa, Many Farms and Shiprock.

Not having their paperwork ready when the U.S. and Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency's inspectors arrived cost five reservation businesses and a school $50 to $500 each last month with a total of $1,570 imposed in fines.

A press release last month by the U.S. EPA scared some people into believing gas and diesel were leaking into the ground in the northern Arizona and New Mexico communities, but all six absolutely denied Tuesday there was any such thing going on...

| Top |

---

---

Deaths

Louie Yazzie

COUSINS — Services for Louie Yazzie, 69, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Burial will follow on private land, Smooth Mountain Road.

Yazzie died Dec. 3 in Vanderwagen. He was born Sept. 5, 1931, in Two Wells, Ariz.

Yazzie attended Sherman School in California and Fort Wingate. He worked for Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroad and did carpentry work. He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. His hobbies included wood hauling, sheep herding.

Survivors include his wife, Bessie J. Yazzie of Cousins; sons, Charley Yazzie and Bill Yazzie of Cousins and Sammy Yazzie of Twin Lakes; daughters, Elsie Thomas of Two Wells, Jenny White of Pine Hill, Margaret Yazzie of Las Cruces and Rita Chee, Belinda Yazzie and Tanya Becenti, all of Cousins; 30 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Yazzie was preceded in death by Urbar and Seebah Yazzie.

Pallbearers will be Darrell Chee, Calvin Skeet, Ivan Skeet, Bennie White, Russell Thomas, Jr. and Dwayne Yazzie.

The family will receive friends and family after the burial services at the Yazzie residence.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Pete Franco

EAST CARBON, Utah — Services for Pete Franco, 88, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at Good Shepherd Catholic
Church in East Carbon. Burial will follow at Price City Cemetery.

Franco died Dec. 4 in Price, Utah. He was born Feb. 24, 1933, in Gallup.

Franco was a member of the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, where he was a Knight of Columbus member. He worked for various mines in the area, was past vice president of Kaiser Steel Local 9958 and a retired member of U.M.W.A. He worked for Green River Missile Range as a propellant supervisor. He was also a manager for a local baseball league in Sunnyside.

Survivors include his sons, Pete Anthony Franco of East Carbon, Utah, and Paul Roy Franco of Salt Lake City, Utah; daughters, Mary Stella Bigbee of Buena Vista, Colo., Sylvia Marie Pacheco of Boise, Idaho, Cecilia Dean Martinez of Riverside, Calif., Darlene Romero of Price, Utah, and Dorothy Lucero and Janet Clorice Campos, both of Gallup; brothers, Carmen Franco and Jessie Cota, both of California, and Ruben Gonzales of Gallup; sisters, Lupe Murnell of Arizona and
Aurora Espinosa, Ermina Santiago and Lorretta Torres, all of Gallup; 27 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren.

Franco was preceded in death by parents; son, Frank R. Franco; brothers, Tony Franco and Raymond Gonzales; and sister,
Mary Romero.

Mitchell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.