Hopi girls clinch spot in state tourney
POLACCA, Ariz. — The Hopi Lady Bruins assured themselves of a
spot in the upcoming state tournament with a 71-31 rout of Rough Rock
Wednesday night in the 2A-North regionals.
Hopi will now play Valley Sanders in the semifinals at 1 p.m. on Saturday
at St. Johns High School. The winner plays at 6 p.m. against St. Johns
for the championship.
Thanks to an early lead, Hopi was able to rest its starters, using
their substitutes throughout the contest. As a result, the Bruins
were led by two freshmen in scoring Mallory Shattuck with 22 points
and Hannah Hohnanie with 11.
The Bruins jumped out to a 9-0 lead as they held Rough Rock scoreless
through the first four minutes of the game. Hopi led 19-6 after the
first quarter and were up 30-11 at halftime. After the third quarter,
the Bruins held a 48-21 advantage.
Boys Valley 73, Many Farms 60
SANDERS, Ariz. — The Valley Pirates used a strong third quarter
to take a 73-60 victory over the Many Farms Lobos in their 2A-North
regional game Wednesday night.
Valley had a 35-28 lead at intermission, then used a 17-11 advantage
in the third quarter to open up a 52-39 lead.
Valley improved to 18-10.
Junior Shawn Gene led the Pirates with 14 points. Other leaders for
Valley were junior Milo Benally with 13 points and junior Arlison
Six with 10 points.
For Many Farms, Brian Smith topped the team with 21 points. Jerold
Begay contributed 11.
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Area in brief
Book fair
GALLUP — The Gallup Middle School will host a Scholastic Book
Fair from 7:50 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. every day from Feb. 9-18. A family
night will be held 3:45-7 p.m. Tuesday.
Valentine's Dance
SANDERS, Ariz. — A Valentine's dance will be held
from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday at the Valley High School gym. Admission
is $10 per person. Information: (520) 688-2914.
Parent meeting
GALLUP — There will be a parent, teacher and student
meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15, at Gallup Junior High School.
Counselors will be present to talk about scheduling for next year.
Information: 863-6811, ext. 235.
PTO/SIPT meeting
MEXICAN SPRINGS — The Tohatchi High School's parent/teacher organization
and the School Improvement Team will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the
Mexican Springs Chapter House. Information: (505) 733-2206/3436.
Cake walk/bingo
STANDING ROCK — A cake walk/bingo will be held at 6 tonight at
the Standing Rock Chapter House. Information: (505) 786-7216.
Gospel concert
UPPER FRUITLAND — A youth rally and gospel concert
with Jim Feliy of Canada will be held at 6:30 tonight at the Sanostee
Multi-Use Building and Saturday at the Water Collins buildings. Information:
(505) 698-1165.
Valentine's dance
FORT DEFIANCE, Ariz. — A Valentine's dance will
be held from 8-11 p.m. Saturday at the Fort Defiance Chapter House.
Conservation workshop
HOLBROOK, Ariz. — State experts will give a conservation workshop
from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Northland Pioneer College Community
Education Center. Anyone interested should make reservations to attend
by Monday for the workshop and luncheon. Information: (520) 524-6063,
ext. 5.
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Tribal committees reallocate money
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Here is a roundup of actions taken recently by
Navajo Nation Council committees.
Transportation and Community Development Committee:
Approved reallocating $211,380 designated to replace
the Low Mountain Chapter House and giving it to the Senior Citizens
Center construction account.
Approved reallocating $55,393 that remained after buying a building
from the Window Rock Unified School District to pay $12,264 for a
1997 GMC Suburban. The rest of the funds were approved for miscellaneous
projects such as electric and water lines, bathroom additions and
chapter renovations.
Approved a contract for $32,399 for the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority
to extend electric service to one home in the Round Rock Chapter.
Authorized the Navajo Housing Services Department to
award 15 new homes to qualified Navajo families using 1998 Native
American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act funds.
Navajo-Hopi Land Commission:
Approved using $400,000 as a capital improvement project within the
Navajo Rehabilitation Trust Fund when the moratorium on the fund is
lifted for a joint project to provide solar photovoltaic power, plus
weatherization, for Navajo families living on Hopi-Partitioned Land.
Directed the Navajo-Hopi Land Office to work with the
committee first before signing contracts, such as the solar power
project.
Postponed until its Feb. 23 meeting approving the concept for use
of the trust fund.
Government Services Committee:
Recommended the Intergovernmental Relations Committee approve the
Navajo Transit System's application to the Arizona Department of Transportation
for $470,825 in federal aid.
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$40 million marked for Fort Defiance
Nancy Watson
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — Navajo Nation President Kelsey Begaye has learned that
$40.1 million has been designated for the Fort Defiance Indian Health
Service Hospital in FY 2001.
The funding is included in President Bill Clinton's
budget proposal to Congress which has come under fire from Republicans.
The money for Fort Defiance would be used for Phase II construction
of the new hospital. IHS received $25 million to begin construction
of the $100 million-plus hospital this year...
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Gaming veto angers council
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The good relations between the Navajo Nation Council
and President Kelsey Begaye may be over.
The Legislative Branch Thursday issued a four-page press
release sharply criticizing Begaye for vetoing a council resolution
that would have opened the door to Navajo gaming. The resolution would
have allowed the tribe and various chapters to continue discussing
gaming proposals.
"The honeymoon is really over between the council and the president,"
said Wallace Charley of Shiprock. "The veto took me and several
other delegates by surprise..."
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Cibola to OK coordinators to aid voters
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Cibola County Commissioners are poised to approve contract
agreements for two Native American voting rights coordinators.
The commission will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the Cibola County Commission
meeting room for a regularly scheduled session.
Victor Sarracino will be the voting rights coordinator for the Laguna
Pueblo, and Martha Garcia will be the coordinator for the Ramah Navajo
Chapter...
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Warrior basketball is big in Pine Hill
Alan Arthur
Sports Editor
PINE HILL — Sitting about an hour's drive away
from Gallup, nestled hidden between the trees just south of Ramah,
sits Pine Hill High School.
It is here that the Warriors boys basketball team plays, always in
front of a strong contingent of basketball fans and being broadcast
by their own radio station, sitting up above the bleachers in a little
booth.
The Warriors are in the thick of the battle for the District 8A No.
1 seed with a 5-2 district record to go with a 12-8 overall mark.
They are currently tied with the Gallup Catholic Panthers, who have
two losses in the district. Last Thursday, the Warriors beat the Panthers
48-33...
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Navajos back 'Save Peaks'
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — Navajo Nation President Kelsey Begaye said Thursday
he supports legislation passed during the last Navajo Nation Council
session that would protect the western sacred mountain, the San Francisco
Peaks.
The council's legislation supports efforts to stop mining at the White
Vulcan Pumice Mine and calls for a boycott of stone-washed jeans.
Pumice is used to create the faded and worn look of the popular jeans.
Begaye said the Navajo Nation is pleased to become allies with the
Sierra Club and the Diné Medicine Man's Association...
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Family's raffle called illegal
Bill Donovan
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — A raffle now being conducted by a Navajo family to raise
funds to pay their son's legal fees violates Navajo gaming laws, the
chief prosecutor for the tribe said Thursday.
But Donovan Brown said he doubts anyone will make a
big fuss about it because private raffles have become commonplace
throughout the Navajo Reservation.
Members of the Fred family, who are also operating a small food stand
about three and a half miles south of Gallup, have been holding a
raffle for the past two months to help pay off attorney fees 16-year-old
Justin Fred. The youngster has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder
in the death of Sheridan Peters of Bloomfield last August...
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Deaths
Marie Y. Begay
PINE SPRINGS, Ariz. — Services for Marie Y. Begay, 87, were held
at 10 a.m. today, Feb. 11, at Cope Memorial Chapel.
Begay died Feb. 7 in Phoenix. She was born Jan. 1, 1913, in Pine Springs
into the One Who Walks Around You People Clan for the Black Sheep
People Clan.
Survivors include her sons, Roger Nez Begay of Bellemont, Ariz., and
John Gilbert Begay of Phoenix; daughters, Grace F. Benally of Pine
Springs, Irene E. Every of Glendale, Ariz., Lorene B. Legah of Window
Rock, and Mary Ochoa and Eleanor M. Curtis, both of Phoenix; 25 grandchildren
and four great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Melvern Avery, Robert Avery, Aaron Avery, Davin Legah,
Derrick Ochoa and Raymond Benally.
Cope Memorial Chapel had charge of arrangements.
Francis Watchman Sr.
FORT DEFIANCE, Ariz. — Services for Francis Watchman Sr., 72,
were held at 10 a.m. today, Feb. 11, at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
Catholic Church. Father Martan Rademaker, O.F.M., officiated. Burial
followed at the Veterans Cemetery.
Watchman died Feb. 8 in Albuquerque. He was born Sept. 22, 1926, in
Blue Canyon, Ariz., into the Bitter Water People Clan for the Red
Running Into the Water People Clan.
Watchman attended Fort Defiance Boarding School. He served in the
U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. His hobbies included steer
wrestling and hunting.
Survivors include his wife, Imogen Watchman of Fort
Defiance, Ariz.; sons, Leo F. Watchman, Francis Watchman Jr., both
of Sheep Springs, and Julian Watchman and William Watchman, both of
Fort Defiance; daughters, Priscilla Watchman, Veronica Watchman, Clara
Watchman, Elvira Watchman, all of Sheep Springs, and Linda Watchman
of Fort Defiance; brothers, Charlie Watchman and Peter Watchman, both
of Fort Defiance; sisters, Mary A. Robbins, Ella Mae Slinkey, Lou
Dineyazhe, all of Fort Defiance, Alice Notah of St. Michaels, Ariz.,
Lillian Malone of Mexican Springs, and Betty Allison of Tohatchi.
Watchman was preceded in death by his son, William F. Watchman; daughter,
Florence T. Watchman; parents, Minnie Peshlakai and John E. Watchman;
brothers, Albert Watchman, Wilson Peshlakai, Manual Peshlakai, Albert
Peshlakai, and Michael Peshlakai; sisters, Lillian Tsosie, Josephine
Quiver, Mary J. Begay, and Anna M. Shirley; and grandmothers, Onebah
Watchman and Yonabah Seeley.
Pallbearers were Jimmy Tom, Dennis Williams, Jonah Begay
Jr., Leonard Robbins, Ferdinand Notah and Edison Notah.
The family received relatives and friends at St. Dominic Catholic
Church hall.
Tse Bonito Mortuary was in charge of the arrangements.
Gladys Teller
MANY FARMS, Ariz. — Services for Gladys Teller, 70, will be held
at 11 a.m. today, Feb. 11, at the Many Farms Full Gospel Church. Evangalist
David Wagner will officiate. Burial will follow at the Chinle Community
Cemetery.
Teller died Feb. 6 in Farmington. She was born April 29, 1929, in
Rough Rock, Ariz., into the Salt People Clan for the Mexican People
Clan.
Teller was a homemaker and rug weaver. Her hobbies included farming
and cooking. She was a traditional medicine woman.
Survivors include her husband, Charlie Teller Sr.; sons, Askee Teller,
Danny Teller, Stanley Teller and Charlie Teller Jr.; daughters, Marlene
Thomas, Arlene Begay, Evelyn Teller, Selena Tsosie, Elaine Bia and
Darlene Gorman; brothers, Ralph Bia, Harry D. Begay Sr. and Chee Begay;
sisters, Rosenda Jumbo and Hazel Jumbo; 31 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Teller was preceded in death by her son, Kee Teller,
and parents, Descheny Begay and Ason Chee Begay.
Pallbearers will be Askee Teller, Stanley Teller, Charlie
Teller Jr., Edward Tsosie, Stanley Gorman, Bill Thomas Jr. and Kee
Ben Begay.
Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
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