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Sheep graze near an old building as the setting sun shines under a layer of clouds along Hwy 53 near Pescado, NM Photo by Jeff Jones |
— Contents — Navajo agencies
share $89 million Lights go out at
Chichiltah Head Start Sheep Springs man pleads guilty to
girlfriend's murder |
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Navajo agencies share $89 million NHA, the Four Corners Regional Residents Organization
and the Navajo Partnership for Housing. Although the Navajo Nation has its own housing department,
NHA has, by default, acted as the lead housing agency. A task force
has been trying to figure out what to do about the situation. But
until a new group receives a go-ahead, the task falls automatically
under federal rules to NHA. Chester Carl, NHA director, said later that almost one-fifth,
or $16.1 million, of the fiscal year 1998 allocation of $86.8 million
has been spent through October. With a two-year limit for 90 percent to be spent or
obligated by Aug. 13, he warned that participants who have not spent
or obligated their funds within the next six weeks will have them
taken away so that they can be funneled to pay for projects that are
ready to build. The FY 98 allotments got HUD's OK in August 1997 and
Navajo Intergovernmental Relations Committee approval in December
1997. HUD approved the FY 99 allocation of $89 million and
the IGR gave its OK in January 1998. The late approval came because
several council committees wanted to be sure all the money did not
go only to NHA. As of Oct. 31, Carl said, 15 percent, or $13.2 million,
has been spent or obligated, leaving $75.8 million to be used before
the fall of 2001.
Lights go out at Chichiltah Head Start CHICHILTAH — On Nov. 18, the lights went out on
Chichiltah Head Start. The problems at the school began when staff arrived
on the morning of Nov. 18 and found the school building cold and without
electricity. Elsie Dooley, the Head Start director and a teacher
in the program, wanted to know who was responsible for paying the
utility bills and why she and her staff were not given any warning
that the electricity was going to be shut off. But utility bills are
something the teachers and staff at the preschool should not have
to worry about, according to Samuel Harrison, director of Head Start
for the Eastern Agency of the Navajo Nation. Dooley said she couldn't call someone to get the answer
to her question because the school has been without a phone for a
year. She went to the chapter office looking for answers from Michael
Francisco, the chapter coordinator, but the electricity was disconnected
there as well, so the office was closed. A potluck Thanksgiving dinner planned for Nov. 22 was
canceled, and some of the food in the refrigerator spoiled, Dooley
said. The fruit and vegetables that were salvaged were given to the
students during home visits, and items in the freezer were moved to
a nearby trading post and kept there. But nothing happened. On Nov. 24, the staff began taking annual leave days
because they could not work, Dooley said. That day, they also smelled
gas in the building and turned off the main gas shut-off valve. The
group continued its efforts to reach Francisco, Dooley said, but the
chapter office was still without electricity and remained closed.
On Nov. 29, the lights were turned on again at the preschool.
But the gas heaters, stove and water heater needed to be turned on.
Dooley said she went looking for Francisco again, but the chapter
house remained closed. At the Red Rock Chapter House, where she went
to use the phone, she ran into Francisco, she said. Dooley said she contacted National Gas Co. in Gallup
to get the pilot lighted and to have an annual safety inspection done.
The gas company told Dooley the chapter had an outstanding bill of
$1,432, she said. The group only had a $45 purchase order for the
inspection. Later, the parents group decided to raise $137 to pay
for the repairs to the gas line, Dooley said. They wanted to sell
food and drinks at chapter meetings. But the chapter meeting scheduled
for Dec. 5 was postponed until Monday. At the last minute, it was
changed again to last Sunday. On Sunday morning, people were called to let them know
about the meeting's changed date, but many could not be contacted
on short notice. Only one-third of the people who usually attend chapter
meetings were there, Dooley said. At the parents' request, however, the chapter approved
a two-week extension to the Head Start school year to make up for
some of the time the children lost, Dooley said. Members of the parents' group also expressed their concern
that some chapter officials do not live in the community, Dooley said.
Francisco lives in Window Rock and Yazzie lives in Albuquerque. Dooley said older members of the community were disappointed
when they were told there would be no chapter Christmas dinner, no
tree, no treats and no chance to visit with their friends at the chapter
house. "They're not doing a good job, and they're not
setting a good example. The bills aren't paid, and we wonder why,"
he said. Both Michael Francisco and Lolita Yazzie did not return calls to the Gallup Independent. | Top |
Navajos seek improved fed role That's not the problem on the Navajo Reservation, but
the Navajo Nation has about 13,000 acres remaining from the 1974 Navajo-Hopi
Settlement Act that it must select in Arizona. Tribal leaders have requested a number of tribal departments
and programs to come up with suggestions on what changes are needed
in the federal trust status to make the Navajo government work smoother.
Virgil Pablo, director of the Public Law 93-638 contract
administration department in the Division of Social Services, said
the BIA should work with tribes as partners "and not from a paternalistic
stance as has been happening in the past. BIA needs to be more accountable
to tribes. BIA needs to 'trust' the tribes in a trust relationship."
| Top | Schools anti-violence call-in line gets
only 3 calls The toll-free phone line was created in the aftermath
of the Columbine school shootings and similar incidents as a way for
people to call if they hear of any potential violent situation that
would be occurring in the Gallup school system.
Sheep Springs man pleads guilty to girlfriend's
murder Burton's body was found at her residence. She had wounds to the top portion of her face, a large laceration across the lower portion of her face and wounds to her throat. At his plea hearing, Joe admitting stabbing Burton to death with a sharp metal object... | Top |
Donations needed Christmas bazaar
Wild Sage People's Market opens Word spread and soon others joined, ordering produce every two weeks from organic produce suppliers... | Top | All contents property of the Gallup Independent.
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