Flooded



Above, a McKinley County Roads worker, left, who did not want to be identified, uses a water pump to move water that is flooding property in Williams Acres, Thursday. Toby DeArmond, center, owns three acres of land in Willams Acres and says his property has flooded. DeArmond blames the county who has known about the problem with drainage and the ditches for ten years. The county workers said, "we are doing the best we can."

Photos by Craig Robinson

 

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Snow, mud, cause big mess on reservation
88 chapters declare emergency

Jim Maniaci
Dine' Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Up to a foot of snow covered the Navajo Reservation from Thursday's storm, the latest in a series that emergency officials expect will continue through today and Sunday.

The latest storm resulted in a Navajo police sedan being heavily damaged, the Fort Defiance spelling bee being postponed and another half-dozen tribal chapters being added to the list of those impacted leaving less than two dozen chapters that have not yet received emergency road and rescue work.

And the Navajo Nation's Emergency Management Department's director fears the as yet untouched southwestern chapters will be hit by flooding as daytime temperatures rise.

Snowfalls since Christmas Day have evaporated drought-dry conditions almost to normal.

The deepest snow from the latest storm dumped 12 inches on the Bread Springs Chapter southeast of Gallup, with even deeper snow in drifts.

Emergency officials said New Route 371 from Thoreau to Crownpoint was closed, along with New Mexico Route 566 from Church Rock to Bureau of Indian Affairs Route 49. Route 49 also was closed from there to Smith Lake. With BIA Route 9 closed from U.S. 666 to Crownpoint.

Spelling Bee delayed

The Department of Youth-Community Services/Independent Spelling Bee for the Fort Defiance Agency's 14 schools was postponed to 9 a.m. Feb. 22 in the Peterson Zah-Navajo Nation Museum, Library and Visitors Center in Window Rock. It had been slated to be the first of the five agency contests to decide entrants in the March 15 reservation finals at the same location.

Officer in accident

Crownpoint Law Enforcement District Officer Tony Becenti, on the force about three years, received minor injuries when his 2000 Chevrolet Impala received heavy front-end damage about 9:10 Thursday morning on the
hill at Mile Post 16 on New Mexico 371 near Crownpoint.

The officer was treated and released at the Crownpoint Indian Health Service hospital.

He and other officers were attempting to block the highway so three semi-tractor-trailers could install their chains to climb the
hill.

Captain D.K. Thomas said that as Becenti reached the crest on the icy highway he collided with an unidentified driver from the Farmington area, who was not injured.

Thomas said the collision resulted in the highway being closed until about 2 p.m. The New Mexico Highway and Transportation Department was able to apply cinders that helped melt the ice.

Six chapters added to list

The list of chapters impacted by the January and February storms reached 88 Friday when Tohatchi, Becenti, Huerfano, Counselor, White Horse Lake and Torreon were added. This means only 22 chapters had not been impacted yet by the continual winter storms.

Guerito said the top priority is the welfare of people, then other needs such seed, grain and hay for livestock.

He also needs volunteers to help at the Navajo Nation command center, on the second floor of the Window Rock Fire Station.

"We would appreciate any volunteers and services we can get," he said.

The emergency director also cautioned tribal programs about sending people into the field in stormy conditions.

"Never go by yourself," he said,"always go in groups, or at least in pairs. And dress appropriately and prepare properly for the weather," he advised.

As an example of what can happen, he cited the Forestry Department's pair of crews in Narbona (Washington) Pass in snowmobiles both of which failed which had gone to measure the snow depth and moisture.

Guerito said he really appreciates the schools' help by either canceling classes or starting them late since it reduces the strain on emergency staffs.

A foot of new snow

After three straight days of warm weather had stirred up the mud, the new storm dumped an average of eight to 12 inches across the reservation about 275 miles east to west. Friday, a lot of it melted under a clear sky.

When the water mixes with the mud, the even thicker and stickier mud means heavy vehicles can't go on the unpaved roads because they tear up the surface even more, Guerito said.

So helicopters from different agencies will be on standby to rescue the stranded, injured or infirm to the hospitals and shelters.

Guerito said he appreciated the chapters that opened their Chapter Houses as shelters to stranded travelers and called it a reaffirmation of the principles of the Local Governance Act. He also appreciated chapters with road equipment joining the consolidated effort with the counties and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to clear the roads, in priority.

Another chapter, often independent-minded Ramah southeast of Gallup, has dealt with the emergency on its own, not turning to the already-strapped resources of the central government, said its Navajo Nation Council Delegate Bennie Cohoe.

And aid from the Arizona, New Mexico and Utah National Guards will be limited, Guerito said. The Guard units will not haul coal, wood or hay, he said. And to haul food, blankets and medicine will require that they be packaged.

Guerito said older helicopters' engines were not as sensitive as modern ones.

Flooding expected

The emergency director cautioned that the southwestern chapters should begin stockpiling sandbags and sand for emergency levees when the streams feeding into the Little Colorado River, especially from the White Mountains and Mogollon Rim in Arizona, fill and he fears, overflow.

In New Mexico, he also fears areas such as Coyote Canyon will have their flood plains covered with the mucky water from the melting snow.

Guerito said he expects the latest storm to hit tonight, and that yet another one behind it will hit about a week later.

A resolution asking the Budget-Finance Committee to recommend to the Navajo Nation Council that $2.2 million be pulled from the Undesignated Reserve Fund $20,000 per chapter will be considered Feb. 20. The money panel did not reach it on its long agenda Tuesday.

Also not considered Tuesday was a long-standing request for $1.7 million for the fund to the Natural Resources Division for an anticipated drought this summer and fall.

The Undesignated Reserve Fund was set up in the 1998 Appropriations Act as an emergency account to operate the central government for up to six months.

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Williams Acres homes flooded

Bill Donovan
Staff writer

GALLUP — Toby DeArmond knew as he watched the snow fall this past week that there was a good chance his property in Williams Acres would be flooded again.

But he wasn't prepared for just how much water would be diverted onto his property by county road crews this time.

"This was the worst flood ever," said DeArmond. "For the first time, my house was flooded."

He said that there is now an inch of water on his floor, ruining the carpet.

DeArmond has had an ongoing dispute with the county for the past decade over the ditches near his home and the flooding that occurs after every major snowfall.

"Every time this happens, the county road crews come out and do whatever they can to alleviate the situation but they don't fix the problem," DeArmond said.

Chris Mora, the county's road maintenance supervisor, said that he sympathizes with DeArmond and others in his area.
DeArmond's property is located about a mile west of the Love's Travel Stop on the west portion of Historic Route 66.

The problem, he said, is in the culvert in the area. The water in the culvert freezes up and there is no where for the water to go but
the area around DeArmond's property. "We try to pump the water away but there is just too much water," Mora said.

County road crews have been pumping water in the area for the past two days and Mora said they will continue pumping as long as there is a property.

"I admit that DeArmond is having a rough time but we are doing our best," Mora said.

DeArmond questions whether the problem is the culvert. "The problem was that the ditches were done wrong. The water runs in the wrong direction," he said.

DeArmond said that he and others in the trailer park are getting sick and tired of the flooding.

"Some of the trailers are starting to sag and several hundred dollars of gravel has been lost," he said. The situation is so bad that some of the people are thinking about moving out.

"I'm not trying to go after anyone but this is a problem that has been going on for 15 years now," he said. "After so long, it's time to wake up and do something to make sure that this doesn't happen again."

"If I have to sue, I will," he said.

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Survivors, Sunday dinners, profits, prophets and platypuses

Walter Howerton Jr.
Managing Editor

I did not watch "Survivor: The Australian Outback" after the Super Bowl the other night and I have not watched a single episode since.

I didn't watch the Super Bowl either, but that is another story. That would be the story about how we always ate Sunday dinner lunch for non-Southerners at my grandparents' house after church and how, after dinner, men and boys would adjourn to the den to snooze in front of the football game (or the baseball game, basketball game, etc.) while the women did the dishes out in the kitchen. Women cooked and cleaned; men ate and watched sports (at least on Sundays) where I grew up.

I have tried to become a more evolved man than that (besides who wants to hang out with several generations of snoring guys in front of a TV while the women are talking about real stuff out in the kitchen?). I realized pretty young that men might know about football or baseball or basketball but women know about stuff far more interesting than that.

Ever since I was old enough to quit hiding behind the kitchen door and eavesdropping, I always have preferred the company of women. But that, too, is another story, several of them. This is about "Survivor."

I am not interested in "Survivor." Now, I am as interested in survival as the next person; I am a Darwinian sort of guy (I am so Darwinian that there is not any room for creationism in my public schools). But survival is serious. "Survivor" is not (how can anything be serious that takes place in a country where lots of animals have pockets and platypuses lay eggs?).

I think Darwin had more in mind than staying around long enough to become a celebrity on TV (and, seriously, you creation-
types, don't you think God would expect more than that, too? Just imagine those people on TV dealing with a plague of locusts or the trials of Job instead of eating a grasshopper or two and camping out for a few days and getting paid for it. Now there is something I would watch. Instead, they eat bugs on a dare and we are plagued by TV and people who think it's fun to watch.)

"Survivor" is not about surviving. It is about entertainment and celebrity. And money.

Richard Hatch was the first winner on "Survivor" and he has been capitalizing on his celebrity ever since. What would Darwin have to say about the long-term chances of a world in which the sole survivor is a sneaky and entertaining gay man who liked walking around naked on national television? I have no problems with sneaky, entertaining, gay or naked, but think about it (Darwinially).

Now, "Survivor" is back (or would that be Outback?). We need another show creating another celebrity about as much as we need another appendix (a leftover piece of intestine whose sole purpose seems to be becoming poisonous and life threatening if not removed in time). I'm sure Darwin would agree. And I am sure he would agree that the real business of survival is not all that entertaining (how much fun is it to disappear from the face of the earth if you lose, though the losers on last year's "Survivor" have been trying with all their might to buck that trend? One of them filed a lawsuit this week. Her picture has been in all the
papers and on TV).

The key to surviving often is NOT being seen, of being as invisible as a snake in the grass, a horned toad in the desert, a cockroach in the wall or a snowshoe rabbit in the snow.

The goal of "Survivor" has nothing to do with becoming invisible and getting on with the business of survival. It is about the business of being seen and being paid for it.

When the snake in the grass becomes visible, he is likely to get his head chopped off with a hoe (perhaps we could get on with the real business of survivng a little longer if we took a similar approach to celebrities; the French once built a whole revolution on just such a notion).

Oprah (chop); Martha Stewart (chop); Tom and Nicole are getting a divorce (who cares? chop-chop); Eminem (chop); Jennifer Lopez (chop); Richard Hatch (chop); this year's yet-to-be-named survivor (chop); etc. (chop); etc., etc., etc. (chop, chop chop).
Let 'em eat snowshoe rabbit (if they can find one).

It is so easy to confuse profits and prophets these days. And if we fail to teach our children to spell, how can we expect them to grow up knowing the difference? And how do we explain to them that a survivor is more than someone on a TV show?

There was a story in the news a couple of weeks ago about a guy in Pennsylvania who accidentally cut his hand off with a saw.
By the time emergency help arrived, he had shot himself repeatedly in the head with a pneumatic nail gun, apparently trying to ease the pain of his severed hand. When he arrived at the hospital, he had about a dozen inch-long nails sticking out of his skull.
They pulled out the nails and sewed his hand back on. He lived. Now there is a survival story.

As for the other story: My grandparents are long dead. My own parents are growing old. They get by. When I call them on Sundays, my mother always tells me what she is cooking for Sunday dinner. My father always talks to me about sports. I am not sure what they talk to each other about, but somehow they survive. I do, too.

Real survival hurts sometimes and doesn't often come with a big paycheck. But with stories like ours, who needs television?

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Gallup boys score first district win

Carrie Loretto
Sports Editor

GALLUP — Key rebounds and clutch free throw shooting keyed a fourth quarter comeback that gave the Gallup Bengal boys their first district victory in over a year.

The Bengals converted four offensive rebounds into half of their points in the decisive fourth, including 3-of-4 free throws, as they pulled out a 33-32 District 1AAAAA victory over visiting West Mesa at Gallup High School Friday night.

It was the first district win of the season for the 3-12 Bengal team whose last one was Jan. 28, 2000.

"It was a very big win for us, I was real happy for our basketball program," first-year Gallup coach Earl Diddle said. "I thought we played hard, I thought we executed well going down the wire."

The Bengals got some big shots from Drew Money, key offensive rebounds from Maurice Guliford and strong defensive play from BJ Begay that combined to lift Gallup over the Mustangs.

Drew Money hit the winning free throws with 7.1 seconds left after getting a foul called on his scrambling drive through the lane.

BJ Begay had pulled the Bengals within one point nearly a minute and a half before, then stepped in and grabbed a loose ball on the defensive end as Diddle was calling for a foul to stop the clock. Begay was awarded a two-shot opportunity when he was fouled going back up with an offensive rebound.

Begay, who had an off night shooting tallying only five points, was big on the boards with 11. He tipped a Bengal miss to teammate Maurice Guliford which triggered the fourth quarter comeback when Guliford was fouled on his way to the basket.
Guliford sank both free throws to bring the Bengals within five points with 6:53 left in the game.

Guliford came up with a steal on West Mesa's ensuing possession, then scored on an offensive putback. He also drew a foul on the play, but couldn't convert the three-point opportunity leaving the score 26-23.

The Mustangs went back up by four with a free throw from Sammy Menton, but Begay answered with a basket underneath the goal off an assist from Money.

After a West Mesa miss, rebounded by Guliford, Money executed the Bengals' free throw play, looping around his defender to grab Begay's second missed free throw and put it back up for the basket.

Guliford drove the lane for a basket, drew the foul, and then completed the six-point turnaround with a three-point play. That gave Gallup a 30-27 lead with 4:17 left in the game.

West Mesa's Ruben Abeyta matched that with a three-point play to tie the game and the Mustangs regained the lead with a pair of free throws by Menton which gave them their one-point advantage with 2:15 remaining. However, the Mustangs couldn't hold onto the lead as they dropped to 2-7 in district, 4-13 overall.

"Gallup outhustled and outhearted us," West Mesa coach Diego Aragon said. "We just didn't play hard enough and we didn't rebound when we needed to and you gotta give Gallup a lot of credit, they played hard til the end."

"I think we outrebounded them so that was a big stat," Diddle said. "We don't shoot the ball real well, so we're kind of almost a second shot offensive team. I thought we had a little better looks, I thought we got inside their defense a little bit, Maurice did a real good job and Drew did a real good job of getting inside and being able to get a better angle at the basket then we normally
do."

Gallup outrebounded West Mesa 25 to 13. The Bengals had 16 offensive rebounds converting five of their second chance opportunities for nine points.

The Bengals shot 50 percent (4-of-8) from the field and 6-of-12 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. They finished with a 13-of-38 shooting performance from the field and 6-of-14 from the free throw line.

Money led Gallup with 12 points. Begay finished with 11 boards and five points and Guliford scored seven points, grabbed six rebounds and came away with a pair of steals.

West Mesa made 12-of-27 field goals, but ten of those came in the second and third periods. They were only 1-of-7 in the first when they trailed 4-2, then 1-of-4 in the fourth where Gallup outscored them 14 to 6.

Diddle was pleased with the offensive execution late in the game, particularly with ball control. Both teams went on scoring spurts throughout the game, but turnovers prevented either from taking control until the third quarter when West Mesa pulled out to the biggest lead of the game. The Bengals had 14 turnovers going into the final period. They finished the game with 15.

Gallup will host Rio Rancho tonight.

Girls prep roundup

Staff Report

ALBUQUERQUE — The Gallup Lady Bengals defeated West Mesa despite several turnovers and sloppy play.

Gallup won 44-16 and held West Mesa under 10 points in all four quarters, but head coach John Lomasney said the girls played sloppy. "Neither team played very well," he said. "But we did what we needed to pick up the win."

The Bengals were led by Candace Roanhorse with 10 points. None of the players from West Mesa scored in double figures.

Gallup, 15-6, 8-1 in district, will play against Rio Rancho who handed them their lone district loss tonight.

The Bengals led 12-3 at the end of the first quarter and pushed the lead to 22-6 at the end of the half. Gallup led 32-10 at the end of the third and held on easily for the win.

In other area girl games Friday night, Grants picked up a win against Hot Springs 38-36; Navajo Prep beat Navajo Pine 96-44; Ramah defeated Rehoboth 63-32 and Shiprock defeated Crownpoint 80-46.

In the 3A Enchantment Regional semifinals Winslow outlasted Monument Valley 64-59 in three overtimes and Tuba City beat Ganado 51-34.

Grants 38, Hot Springs 36

Not even a 12-4 third quarter was enough to get Hot Springs back in the game as Grants held on to a big first quarter lead and came out with a two-point win.

Grants jumped out 12-2 in the first quarter and held a 22-10 margin at the half. In the third quarter hot Springs cut the lead to 28-22, but Grants was able to hold on in the end.

"The girls played really great," said Grants head coach Al Torske. "Most of them have been in the gym less than a year and to see this much improvement with a young team is really great."

Grants was led by Berna Figerio and Antonia Dominguez, both with 10.

Grants, 6-16, 4-4 will host Bernalillo Tuesday in the first round of the district tournament between the No. 3 and 4 seeds.

Navajo Prep 96, Navajo Pine 44

Navajo Prep pulled ahead with a 27-point second quarter and ensured a win with a 29 point third quarter.

The Lady Eagles led 15-10 at the end of the first quarter when they pulled ahead 42-21. By the end of the third, Navajo Prep led 71-26, easily getting the win.

The Lady Eagles were led by Denise Morris who scored 22, including four three pointers. Vanessa Francis scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds.

Navajo Pine was led by Lahtona Louis with 13 points and Kayla Clark with 12.

Navajo Prep will play tonight against Zuni.

Ramah 63, Rehoboth 32

Tied at nine at the end of the first quarter, Ramah outscored Rehoboth in the next three quarters, which included limiting the Lynx to to only five points in the third quarter.

Ramah was led by Candace Gibbons with 22 points and 19 rebounds. Juanita Antonio scored 20 points, and had 10 steals and four assists.

Rehoboth was led by ReeDee Begay with 10 points.

Shiprock 80, Crownpoint 46

Shiprock had four players in double figures, picking up their seventh straight district win.

Samantha Pete led all scorers with 23. Jamie Pine scored 19, Virginia Beyale 15 and Lucita Yesslith 14 for Shiprock.

Crownpoint was led by Orlanda Martin with 13 and Crystal Bowman with 12.

Crownpoint will close out their regular season and play in their last district game tonight against Thoreau.

3A Enchantment Regional Tournament

Winslow 64, Monument Valley 59 3OT

Winslow was able to score 20 points in three overtimes and pull out the semifinal win.

Monument Valley led 9-6 at the end of the first quarter, but Winslow pulled it to a 18-18 tie at the half.

Winslow pulled ahead 35-27 at the end of the third and this time Monument Valley came back, scoring 17 to Winslow's nine.

Monument Valley was led by Miranda Todacheene with 19. Lorena Sullivan contributed 16 and Irene Bahe added 10.

Winslow was led by Lexine Jensen with 21, Francine McCurtain with 18 and Nicole Begay with 16.

Tuba City 51, Ganado 34

Tuba City led 14-2 at the end of the first quarter and had no problem advancing to the championship game.

Tuba City was led by Nicole Tsingine with 18 points. Ganado was led by Jolene Benally with 14.

Tuba City will play tonight against Winslow at 5 p.m. in the regional championship game.

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McKinley Co. Sheriff's ceiling caves in

Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer

GALLUP — The McKinley County Sheriff's Department evacuated nonessential employees Thursday night after the ceiling collapsed in its office and caused a light fixture come crashing down on one of its deputies.

McKinley County Sheriff's Capt. Donna Goodrich said Deputy John Yearley was not injured but that the fixture fell on top of his head last night when he closed the door to the Domestic Violence office in the northeast part of the building.

The staff on duty informed Goodrich of the incident about 6:30 p.m. at which time she decided it would be best to keep the nonessential employees such as office personnel from coming to work Friday.

The roof itself is intact but the captain said she stayed around the office until about 10 p.m. to make sure there were no further problems...

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Tribe has civil powers over non-members

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — President Kelsey A. Begaye has allowed nine Navajo Nation Council legislative actions to become law, including one that lays claim to civil jurisdiction over everyone within the outer boundaries of America's largest reservation.

Under Navajo law, the president does not sign legislation into effect like the U.S. president does, but can indicate in writing whether he will veto or not veto the measure. He also can let it become law by not marking either choice. The president has 10 days from the speaker signing the resolution to indicate his choice. The council can override a veto with yes votes of 59 of the 88 delegates.

The most important piece of legislation the council approved at the quarterly winter session is the Long Arm Civil Jurisdiction and Service of Process Act that extends the Diné claim to tribal jurisdiction over non-members in non-criminal situations...

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Deaths

Charles Mitchell

TOHATCHI — Services for Myron Charles Mitchell, 37, will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Feb. 12 at Sacred Heart Cathedal. Rev. John Mittelstandt, OFM, will officiate. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park.

A rosary will be recited at 6 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 11 at Rollie Mortuary.

Mitchell died Feb. 6 in Tohatchi. He was born May 29, 1963 in Gallup into the Bitter Water People Clan for the Weaver People Clan.

Mitchell served in the U.S. Navy, based in Norflok, Va. on the USS Independence and the Beirut and Granada Conflicts. He was employed with the Navajo Nation as an EMT and Community Health Representative.

Survivors include his wife, Lola Yazzie of Tohatchi; daughter, Jovonna Frank of Tohatchi; father, Lee Mitchell Sr. of Tohatchi and brothers, Mark Freeland of Albuquerque, Dwayne G. Mitchell of Gallup, Lee Mitchell Jr. and Michael J. Mitchell both of
Tohatchi and Shawn D. Mitchell of Mexican Springs.

Mitchell was preceded in death by his mother, Gloria D. Mitchell; brothers, Ernest Freeland and Darryl L. Mitchell; grandparents, Mae A. Mitchell, and Frank and Ruth Sandoval.

Pallbearers will be Mark Freeland, Lee Mitchell Jr., Michael Mitchell, Shawn Mitchell, Christopher Sandoval, Michael Tsosie, Ernest Vitah and Blaine Yazzie.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Larry Leonard Watchman

KINLICHEE, Ariz. — Services for Larry Watchman, 63, will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Feb. 12 at Presbyterian Church, Ganado, Ariz. Burial will be held at Kinlichee Community Cemetery.

Visitation will be at held one hour prior to services.

Watchman died Feb. 7, Flagstaff, Ariz. He was born June 5, 1937 in Kinlichee into Red Running into the Water People Clan for
the Black Streak People Clan.

Watchman attended Sherman Institute in California and Day School, Kinlichee, Ariz. He was self-employed, sheepherder, potato
picker, sugar beets, Union Pacific Railroad worker, construction worker at local chapter houses and odd jobs, and at the
American Airport at Englo, California. His hobbies included Navajo songs and playing cards.

Survivors include his son, Elvis Watchman of Kinlichee; daughter, Melvlyn Watchman; brothers, Dan Watchman and Lawrence
Watchman both of Kinlichee; sisters, Lillian Watchman, Louise L. Watchman and Lena M. Hubbard all of Kinlichee and Lillie
McCabe of Window Rock; grandfather, Azzan Yazzie; 60 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great
grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Raymond Hubbard, Harrison Gorman, Lambert Watchman, Humbert Watchman, Herbert Hubbard and
Bobby Hubbard.

The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services at Kinlichee Chapter House.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Velso Tabaha

HOUCK, Ariz.Services for Velso Tabaha, 90, will be announced at a later date.

Tabaha died Feb. 7 in Gallup. She was born Feb. 28, 1910 in Houck.

A family meeting will be held at 6 p.m., tonight at Houck Chapter House.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.