Susan Goudzwaard



Special education teacher Susan Goudzwaard reads to her students to end the busy day of activities at Gallup Mid School.



Buffie Klumpenhower explains how to use a toy that teaches children color theory to Nathaniel Harder and his cousin Cassandra Harder during the First Annual Family Fest Saturday, sponsored by the MORE program, at First United Methodist Church in Gallup. Klumpenhower runs a program called Adults Morning Out, as well as selling Discovery Toy educational products.

Photos by Jeff Jones

 

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BIA could take over troubled NAPI

Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer

WINDOW ROCK — Should the Navajo crop enterprise continue its deficit spending, and recommended changes not occur on a timely basis, the Bureau of Indian Affairs may be forced to take over.

"If we don't do anything, it could happen," Shiprock Delegate Wallace Charley said Monday.

Charley is extremely concerned at the tribe's slow response to proposed changes to the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry
outlined by Mid Kansas Agri Co.

Bill Roenbaugh of Mid Kansas was finally permitted to present the executive summary of his firm's 270-page report to the Navajo Nation Council during a Feb. 1 special session, despite Tohajiilee Delegate Lawrence Platero's efforts to block the presentation. Platero heads the Navajo Nation's Economic Development Committee, which oversees the NAPI Board of Directors.

Mid Kansas findings showed that NAPI is losing roughly $2 million per year due to failed management. Recommended was a complete organizational restructuring of the crop enterprise at all levels. This includes a proposal to replace NAPI board members with qualified farming professionals.

That may mean that Nenahnezad/San Juan Delegate George Arthur, NAPI board chairman, would have to step aside. Hogback Delegate Ervin Keeswood Sr.'s one-year board term expired last Tuesday. But it is up to Navajo President Kelsey Begaye to replace him. As long as the president holds off on that decision, Keeswood is permitted to remain on the board.

Charley said he's aware of three proposed changes to NAPI's Plan of Operations, which are only starting to inch through the tribe's laborious and often time-consuming review process. The changes involve the areas of board authority, farm management and water provided by the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project, or NIIP.

But Charley said as long as Arthur and Keeswood hold NAPI's fate in their hands, changes will be slow in coming, if they come at all. Arthur and Keeswood were involved Monday in a day-long hearing aimed at investigating Navajo hydrologist's Jack Utter's claims that non-Navajo tribal lawyers have thrwarted plans to pursue Navajos' Colorado River water rights. They
were unavailable for comment.

"I'm getting impatient," Charley said. "I don't want to wait until the (council's) spring session to see some of these solutions."

BIA's hand may be forced

Sources close to NAPI say the specter of the Bureau of Indian Affairs taking over the crop enterprise, at least on a temporary basis, is not out of the question. The U.S. government has ultimate trust responsibility over all tribal lands, with a duty to protect lands such as NAPI as tribal assets.

In the late 1970s, the Ball company took over management of the crop enterprise for a period of several years, following a period of tribal mismanagement.

The BIA's Farmington NIIP agent, Bob Krakow, mentioned during his Feb. 1 appearance before the council of a forthcoming "ceiling." Within two years, the U.S. government should reach its ceiling of $600 million, which is all it has been authorized to spend on completing NIIP. The Navajo Indian Irrigation Project provides San Juan River water to NAPI through a complex
water delivery system.

Krakow hinted to the council that if NAPI continues its deficit spending, the BIA would be hard-pressed to recommend that Congress reauthorize new funds to complete NIIP. NAPI receives water through a NIIP system constructed in blocks. Blocks 8 through 11 have yet to be constructed, and Krakow estimated that $233 million above that $600 million will be needed to finish
NIIP.

The Interior Department authorized a 40-year contract to provide NIIP water to 110,000 acres of NAPI farm land on April 10, 1976. However, that allocation is not a "water right" for the Navajo Nation. The 40-year authorization is not set in stone, sources have said.

Though it provides for a diversion limit of about 370,000 acre-feet for NAPI, the amount is based on actual acreage of NAPI land being irrigated.

NAPI currently has about 64,000 of its 110,000 acres under irrigation. However, due to cash shortfalls, inactive/outdated equipment including center pivots, and other factors, just 44,000 of those acres are currently used for agricultural production.

NAPI's 40-year authorization from the Interior Department for NIIP water was completed in 1976, during a time when the intent was to provide a high volume of water for flood irrigation. Presently, more efficient sprinkler systems have raised the issue of whether such a huge water diversion is necessary for NAPI.

San Juan Basin water users have been lining up for years to claim NIIP water, should NAPI falter. A total of 508,000 acre-feet annually was originally allocated for NIIP diversion, but an agreement specifies that 110,000 acre-feet be diverted to the Rio Grande Basin.

From Albuquerque to Phoenix, other water users have the pipelines and necessary delivery systems in place to accept additional water allocations. One is the San-Juan-Chama project, which is ready to accept an additional 105,000 acre-feet of water. If NAPI continues its deficit spending, it is in jeopardy of losing vast amounts of its San Juan water by default.

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New teacher enjoys work, challenges in special ed

Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Special to the Independent

GALLUP — In December 1999 Suzi Goudzwaard graduated from college with a somewhat unusual undergraduate degree in theology. Now, just a little over a year later, with no education training or experience, she is working in an unusual setting teaching disabled children.

And, to her pleasant surprise, Goudzwaard is enjoying the work and, in particular, enjoying her students.

Each year the Gallup McKinley County Schools hires more than 100 new teachers, many of them for special education classrooms where teacher burnout and turnover is high. Because certified special education teachers are so difficult to find, the state of New Mexico allows school districts to hire, on a waiver, college graduates with no education degree. The new teachers are required to pass nine hours of special education college class work each year.

This year, Goudzwaard was one of those new special education teachers. In a recent interview, she talked about her experiences thus far.

Unlike most of the new teachers to the Gallup-McKinley County Schools, Goudzwaard was raised in this area. Her mother is a teacher at Rehoboth Christian School, and Goudzwaard graduated from there in 1995.

She started out in college with a pre-veterinary medicine major and a minor in agricultural science but soon tired of the rote memorization required in science classes. After a year, she switched to theology, a subject she found more interesting because it involved thinking out answers. The new major also allowed Goudzwaard, a sculptor, time to take fine art and writing classes.

Goudzwaard wasn't too sure what she wanted to pursue after college, but she knew the Gallup schools were always looking for
teachers. Last fall she landed a special education position at Gallup Mid School.

Goudzwaard was hired to teach in a "D Level" program, which involves working with children who have profound disabilities.
Because of the severity of the students' needs, Goudzwaard has only six students, all of whom stay in her classroom
throughout the day. During adaptive physical education class, two more students join her group. Three teaching assistants help
with different activities off and on throughout the school day.

When she was interviewed at the beginning of the school year, Goudzwaard expressed some anxiety about her first week in the classroom.

"You just have to get through it," she admitted now.

The first semester was difficult, she added. It was a lot of work at first to learn what her students' needs were and how to meet those needs. That was also complicated by the fact she had to learn teaching methods and special education procedures on the fly.

It was also difficult, she said, to deal with the extra burden of her own graduate level college course work in special education. Goudzwaard took one class last semester and will take a class this semester and one in the summer to fulfill her nine credit hour requirement.

"It's a lot for a first-year teacher," she said.

That first class, however, taken through the Western New Mexico University Graduate Studies Center in Gallup, did help, she said. She was able to research educational articles that directly applied to her students' disabilities, and she was able to research and write up a case study on one particular student.

She has also found the school district's mentor program helpful. An experienced teacher was assigned to be her mentor, Goudzwaard said, and she frequently consults with her when questions arise.

The only real frustration she has, Goudzwaard said, was when she and her teaching assistants work hard with a student to eliminate a negative behavior, and the child regresses after appearing to do well for a time.

Some of her students physically act out when they are angry, she added, but not to any serious degree.

The positive aspects, however, outweigh the negative for Goudzwaard. Through this experience, she said, she has learned that she enjoys teaching children, and she describes her students as a "good natured bunch of kids" who are fun to be with each day.
Unlike many special education teachers, Goudzwaard does give her students homework, and she said they are good at
completing it.

"My kids actually like to do school work," she said.

Her experience in the classroom has been so positive, Goudzwaard said, she is committed to earning her master's degree in special education and is considering a permanent career in teaching.

Although Goudzwaard enjoys her special education position now, she said she might eventually want to switch into the art education field.

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Jury indicts 4 for stolen goods scheme

Tom Purdom
Staff Writer

GRANTS — Four Albuquerque residents took a stolen 1997 Ford truck hauling a United Van Lines trailer full of household goods and then tried to get rid of the goods in Cibola County.

The big problem was the cops were onto the scheme.

The four Mark Springer, 21, Destiny Trujillo, 19, Lawrence Sedillo, 22, and Doris Ruiz, also known as Doris Gallegos, 34 were indicted by the Cibola County grand jury last week.

Each was charged with: receiving/transferring a stolen vehicle (possession), a felony; receiving stolen property (receive and retain) (over $2,500); receiving stolen property (dispose) (over $2,500) and tampering with evidence. Each faces up to 13 years in prison and/or fines up to $20,000.

According to the indictments the four took possession of the stolen truck, along with the cargo trailer, in Cibola County and then tried to sell the goods such as kitchen ware, furniture, supplies, tools, sports equipment and other items.

The four also tried to get rid of evidence in the case.

According to the indictment the crimes happened on Jan. 3.

The grand jury also indicted:

Eva Betone, 31, of Prewitt, on charges of shoplifting a cassette player and a Blue Whistler Inverter from Petro Travel Store in Milan on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. She apparently took children ages 7 and 11 into the store and when Milan police officers
confronted the woman she allegedly resisted arrest.

Betone faces three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, two shoplifting counts and one count of resisting arrest. If convicted, sentenced and fined the maximum amount allowable by the law, Betone faces up to five and one-half years in
prison and/or fines up to $15,000.

Ivan Salvador, 20, of San Fidel, on charges of assault with intent to commit a violent felony, aggravated battery (deadly
weapon), aggravated assault (deadly weapon) conspiracy to armed robbery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The
indictments allege Salvador attacked a San Fidel couple with a knife and that he conspired with his younger brother to rob the
couple. His brother was less than 18 years old when the crime happened Nov. 10. Salvador faces up to 10 years in prison
and/or fines of up to $20,000.

Oscar Carbajal, 28, of Grants, and Michael Smart, 22, of Bosque, on charges of robbery stemming from a Jan. 7 incident
involving a Grants man. Carbajal and Smart allegedly took $5 from the Grants man without his permission. The crime is a
third-degree felony, meaning that if the two are convicted and sentenced to the maximum and fined the maximum allowed by the
law, each faces three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

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Ramah still in hunt for top seed

Abelita Rose Freeland
Staff Sports Writer

GALLUP — Eighty-four percent free throw shooting helped Ramah score a 67-53 victory in a District 6A playoff game at Gallup Catholic High School Monday night.

Ramah, which finished in a three-way tie for first place in the district with Pine Hill andTohajiilee, advances to play against Tohajiilee for the top seed at Rehoboth High School tonight at 6:30 p.m. The winner will be seeded first for the district tournament which starts tonight.

"We feel we should have been seeded first and that is what we are shooting for," Ramah coach Mike Hyatt said. "Hopefully we won't be tired out. We usually don't play well the second day after a game, but the way they are pumped up now and the way
they want it, they should come out strong."

Pine Hill is now the third seed and awaits the winner of tonight's Gallup Catholic-Rehoboth game.

The Lady Mustangs made 21-for-25 at the line.

"We knew that was what we had to do," said Hyatt. "In the fourth quarter, we knew we had to make our free throws and match each of their points to win. It was now or never."

"When we came out (Ramah) came out with a high tempo," said Pine Hill coach Rafael Esparza. "Juanita Antonio did an excellent job of breaking us down at the dribble and she did a real unselfish job at dishing the ball off and we had a hard time
dealing with that and keeping up with her."

Ramah Mustang Juanita Antonio started the game with a steal, taking it to the the basket for the score. Pine Hill answered back
with Cecile Rafelito connecting on a jumper and Candace Daw with a trey, putting Pine Hill up 5-2.

The two teams continued to exchange points throughout the quarter.

Behind 10-9, Pat Arthur put Pine Hill back up with a three-pointer, but Gibbons retied the game scoring on an offensive
rebound.

Denise Begay gave a 14-12 first quarter lead to the Warriors with a steal and basket at the buzzer.

The Lady Mustangs overtook the Warriors in the second quarter, holding Pine Hill to only six points, while scoring 16.

Althea Pat scored on a pass from Denise Johnson but Ramah answered back with an eight-point run.

Antonio assisted Gibbons, Alexis Peykatewa scored on a pass from Emily Koelbel, Gibbons grabbed a steal for a basket and
Candace Lewis connected a jump shot, putting the Lady Mustangs up 20-16.

Pine Hill finished their second quarter scoring on a basket by Pat with an assist from Johnson. Johnson also sank a pair of free
throws.

Ramah ended their quarter on another eight-point run behind Gibbons. Gibbons was 4-for-4 at the line, followed with a put back, and finished with a jumper, allowing the Lady Mustangs to go into half-time leading 28-20.

Ramah continued to widen their lead scoring 18 to 12 in the third quarter. Mustang Ghahate was 4-for-4 at the line in the third quarter.

In the fourth period, both teams scored 21 points, but the Lady Mustangs' advantage over the first three quarters helped them close the game.

Koelbel scored 6-for-6 at the line in the fourth quarter and Gibbons was 10-for-11 at the line throughout game.

"We had a lot of missed shots and we just had a hard time coming back. The Ramah girls were really determined tonight," Esparza said.

Esparza added, "We were hoping to contain Juanita (Antonio), so she wouldn't be able to get the ball to the post but she did a good job and my hat is off to her. The coach had an excellent game plan and that, together with our so many missed shots, helped them win."

"I feel our team came out really strong tonight," said sophomore Gibbons who led her team with 26 points, 20 rebounds and four steals. "We really hustled and worked together as a team. Whenever we play Pine Hill, it's always been tough and a rough game but we were ready for what they came out with."

Koelbel added 14 points and seven rebounds and Antonio contributed 10 points, four rebounds and three steals.

Warrior Begay led their effort with 11 points and Daw and Dooley both finished with 10 points each. Johnson grabbed nine rebounds and Arthur finshed with seven.

Ganado's Cornfield earns state title, named top 3A wrestler

PHOENIX — Ganado Hornet Sterling Cornfield was named the 3A Arizona State Wrestling Tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler this past weekend.

Cornfield captured the 125 lbs. state title with an 11-4 decision over Jason Lague of Holbrook in the finals.

Also for Ganado, Almon Nelson finished as a state runner-up in the 140 lbs. division, losing 11-9 to R.C. LaHaye of Payson.

Their finishes propelled Ganado to a 15th place team finish with 48 points. Window Rock finished 16th with 43.5 points followed by Tuba City in 17th with 42. Greyhills was 23rd (28); Pinon 25th (22) and Monument Valley 26th (19). Rio Rico won the state title with 165 points.

Window Rock's points came off a fourth place finish by Sean Yazzie at 139 lbs. and Marcus Yazzie's seventh place finish in the 130 lbs. division. Sean Yazzie was pinned by Matt Logan of Round Valley in the third place match. Marcus Yazzie pinned Nick Nowak of Sahuarita.

Ky Borhauer of Tuba City decisioned Josh Robles of Rio Rico, 6-3 to place 5th in the 119 lbs. division. Teammate Hinton Williams finished eighth after getting pinned by Van Holydak of Show Low in the seventh place match at 112 lbs. Alex Brock
also finished eighth for the Warriors, losing an 11-6 decision to Steve Polacca of Winslow in the 171 lbs. seventh place match.

Roman McCabe of Greyhills finished fourth after he lost a 13-5 major decision to Michael Martinez of Winslow in the third
place match in the 130 lbs. division. Also for the Knights, Travis Morgan ended up eighth after getting pinned by Globe's
Daniel Seaney in the seventh place match at 152 lbs.

For Monument Valley, Daniel Etsitty finished sixth at 103 lbs., getting pinned by Jeff Murray of Winslow in the fifth place
match and Jeremiah Etsitty placed seventh at 160 lbs., pinning Kyle Stokes of Chino Valley.

In 4A, Chinle senior Ronaldo Jumbo had the top performance for the Wildcats. Jumbo went 5-2 during the tournament
beginning 2-0 before losing to eventual state runner-up Chris Bravo of Sunnyside. Jumbo then advanced to the third place
match with three straight wins. He lost 4-10 to Matt Howell of Sinagua in the 140 lbs. third place match.

Chinle sophomore Evan Tracey finished sixth in the 125 lbs. weight class. After a first round bye, Tracey lost in the third round
to state runner-up Scott Selin of Cortez, but came back to win his next two matches. He came up on the short end of his final
two matches, losing each by just two points.

Junior Nelson Hanley finished seventh in the 189 lbs. division, pinning Lopez of Tolleson and beating Justin Cooper of
Saguaro, 15-1 after losing his second round match. He lost his final match to John Booker of Agua Fria.

Also for Chinle, freshman Neilville Hanley went 1-2 to place 12th.

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Labor panel to investigate union conduct

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Office of Navajo Labor Relations will investigate the battle over control by Laborers International Union of North America headquarters of Local 1367 that serves the Navajo Area Indian Health Service.

Then the ONLR will report April 9 to the Navajo Nation Council's Health-Social Services Committee. The committee also voted 5-0-1 on Monday to accept the report of officers who resigned in protest to what they consider heavy-handed and one-sided maneuvers by the Washington, D.C.-based international headquarters.

If the ONLR issues a right to sue decision that leads to a hearing before the five-member Navajo Labor Relations Commission, three commissioners will have to excuse themselves to avoid a conflict of interest...

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Granddad takes district to task over bullying

Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Louis Maldonado hates bullies.

He hates bullies so much that when his grandson had his second encounter with a bully last year, he met with Gallup-McKinley County School Superintendent Robert Gomez to see what the district could do to protect his grandson.

He hates bullies so much that after the meeting he said that if the district doesn't do anything, he would take whatever steps he had to take to protect his grandson, even if it means he would "be taken to jail."

School officials say that Maldonado, 66, who is now in retirement after managing a number of local grocery and convenience stores, has overreacted to two minor instances in the last three years when his grandson was roughed up by an older kid...

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Deaths

Floyd Etsitty

MENTMORE — Services for Floyd Etsitty, 85, will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, at Rollie Mortuary. Pastor Ted Farris will officiate. Burial will follow at Gallup City Cemetery.

Etsitty died Feb. 10 in Gallup. He was born Sept. 5, 1915, in Tsayatoh into the Water Edge Clan for the Towering House Clan.
Etsitty worked for the Union Pacific, Santa Fe Railroad, Mentmore Mine, and the Mentmore Trading Post and Gallup Indian
Trading Company. His hobbies included reading history books, helping with softball tournaments, and participating in
powwows. He was a former chapter secretary, health board member and Native American Church roadman.

Survivors include his sons, Edison Etsitty of Gallup, Hubert Etsitty of Twin Lakes, and Floyd Etsitty, Leon Etsitty and
Raymond Etsitty, all of Tsayatoh; daughters, Nellie Giger of Mesa, Ariz., Cynthia Perry of Price, Utah, and Elsie Baldwin,
Jenny Blanchard and Bertha Concho, all of Tsayatoh; brothers, Jimmy J. Etsitty, Tom Jim and Tom B. Hudson, all of
Tsayatoh and Tom J. Etsitty of Haystack; sister, Mary Etsitty of Tsayatoh; 40 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Etsitty was preceded in death by his wife, Aah-Bah Etsitty; parents, Atsitty and N' Desbah Begay; daughter, Alice Brown; and
sister, Nasbah Spencer.

Pallbearers will be Robert Concho, Edison Etsitty, Eugene Etsitty, Hurbert Etsitty, Leon Etsitty and Gary Giger.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Clinton Charles

NEWCOMB — Services for Clinton Charles, 94, will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, at the Newcomb Assembly of
God. Pastor Duane Hammond will officiate. Burial will be held on private family land, Newcomb.

Charles died Feb. 9 in Toyei, Ariz. He was born Sept. 15, 1906, in Chaco Canyon into the Bitter Water People Clan for the
Mountain Cave/Recess People Clan.

Survivors include his son, Vincent Charles of Newcomb; daughters, Corrine Herrera of Albuquerque, Evangeline Yazzie of
Newcomb, and Marian Yazzzie of San Tan, Ariz.; sister, Louise Sherman of Newcomb; and 14 grandchildren.

Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Violet Charles; parents, Hastiin Ska'i and Taa'haabaa Charles; sons, Benjamin
Amos Charles, Jimmy Charles and Michael Charles; daughter, Priscilla Rose Platero; brothers, Tsedeez'zhi Charles and Navajo
Charles; and sister, Bessie Begay.

Pallbearers will be Randy Charles, Clinton Herrera, Eli Herrera, Javin Herrera, Melvin Platero and Michael Platero.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Bailio DiGregorio

GALLUP — Funeral arrangements are pending for Basilio DiGregorio, 88.

DiGregorio died Feb. 10 in Gallup. He was born Sept. 12, 1912, in Cansano, Italy.

There will be a rosary at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.