Howes wants to return to first love —
teaching
S.J. Ludescher
Staff Writer
GALLUP — New Mexico Sen. Gloria Howes may be leaving public service
after 51 years, but retirement is definitely not a word that should
be applied to this Democrat.
Most people who are 69 years old are looking for an easy chair and
an afternoon nap. But during an interview Thursday about her forthcoming
retirement from the state senate, Howes announced she was looking
for a part-time job.
She wants to return to her earlier loves: teaching, golf and tennis.
"I'd like to do substitute teaching or teach early childhood
education classes at the (University of New Mexico-Gallup) branch,"
she said.
More than 51 years ago, and before Howes had any ideas about running
for public office, she taught school. Her first assignment was at
a U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs school in Keams Canyon, Ariz. Later,
she worked in Navajo, N.M., and then became a principal in Twin Lakes.
In the late 1960s or early 1970s, she moved into Gallup and taught
at Jefferson Elementary. Mary Batson, whose husband taught with Howes,
remembered her as a "vibrant teacher loved by the children."
Batson described Howes as someone who made learning fun. Batson, who
played with Howes in the Ladies Golf Association, also confessed that
"Gloria's a pretty good golfer, too."
Perhaps her love of teaching is what motivated Howes after she won
the senate race. In that capacity, Howes succeeded in obtaining three
years of seed money $500,000 from the state Legislature to bring bachelor
of science programs in education and nursing to UNM-G.
The establishment of a north side satellite of UNM for basic adult
education was also organized under Howes' leadership.
For another three years, Howes worked to get $13.3 million in Impact
Aid construction and remodeling money for local schools.
The new construction under way at UNM-G was also made possible by
Howes' acquisition of $3 million from the Legislature.
Schools were not Howes' only priority. "You can tell she cares
about youth because of her commitment to education projects,"
said Mary Ann Armijo, president of the local chapter of the Democratic
party. "But she also cares about senior citizens."
Howes helped to establish senior centers and programs in Gallup, Zuni
and 12 chapters on the Navajo Reservation. "She continues to
make sure the senior programs are fully funded," Armijo said.
Other projects Howes worked to accomplish are:
A Pueblo of Zuni water project, for which she acquired $500,000.
A traffic light for the new Gallup High School, for which she got
$350,000.
The renovation of the train station and cultural center, for which
$300,000 was given.
Various road projects in Gallup and throughout the reservations.
The Old Historic Route 66 project.
Howes' desire to help people started at a young age. Growing up in
the 1930s, she moved often as her dad traveled, looking for work as
a salesman. Howes, who attended 25 different elementary schools, began
working when she was 9 years old.
"We lived in an apartment building," she said. "I started
working by writing down on little pieces of paper what I could do
for the other people in the building. So I'd write down, ironing,
10 cents, wash dishes, 10 cents. I worked like that for two years.
When I was 12, I was the first paper girl for the Minneapolis Tribune.
"I always had it in my mind to help others. I was bound and determined
never to live like that again."
Howes' interest in seeking public office started in 1979.
"McKinley County needed a county manager," she said. "There
hadn't been one for almost a year. I applied and got the job. I didn't
know beans about the county. But I served the county well."
Soon afterward, she successfully ran for county commissioner. "I
knew I could handle the job," she said. She ran two years later
and was re-elected.
"After my second term as county commissioner, I wasn't going
to do anything," she said. "But I went to Santa Fe to be
Sen. (John) Pinto's secretary. And I wound up running for the seat."
At that time, Gary Tomada had won the ballot slot in the primary but
dropped out of the race six weeks before the election. The local party
drafted Howes for the spot. "We ran fast and furious with only
six weeks time," she said.
Mary Ann Armijo was her campaign manager and it was Armijo's first
race.
"You knew she was a teacher from the way she directed us,"
Armijo said. "We knocked on doors, and she always made it fun,
and she was motivating."
Howes won. That was 12 years ago.
When she's not in Santa Fe working as a senator, she said, she spends
most of her time answering the phone and filing.
"If the Legislature was a paid position, I'd hire
a secretary," she said with a smile.
New Mexico and New Hampshire are the only two states with "citizen
legislatures."
"New Mexico is a poor state. It would cost a lot to pay the representatives,"
Howes said. "We have a rich heritage. The people are beautiful.
(But) I believe it would take funds away from needed programs."
The special legislative session which concerns, among other things,
the state budget will begin soon.
In addition to teaching, golf and tennis, Howes wants to do more gardening,
cooking and visiting her four children and two grandchildren. "There's
no countdown until retirement. I'm just concerned about day by day."
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Cut line disrupts phone service
Bill Donovan
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — Most families on the Navajo Reservation had to do without
long distance telephone service for several hours Wednesday because
of a ditch being dug in Gallup.
Joe Hausner, general manager for Navajo Communications Co., said long-distance
service to Albuquerque was disrupted from 4:45 to about 11 p.m., when
a crew digging a ditch behind the former Safeway building across from
the Rio West Mall cut the fiber line that connected NCC to US West.
"This didn't affect the ability of telephone users to call anywhere
on the reservation, but it prevented long-distance phone calls for
companies like MCI and Sprint from going to Albuquerque," he
said.
That basically shut off the majority of calls because long-distance
calls for these and other phone companies would go to Albuquerque
and be rerouted to other destinations. Customers who use phone companies
like Citizens and AT&T were not affected because their long distance
service was routed through Holbrook.
Hausner said people on the reservation with cellular phones also were
not affected since these numbers were 870 and operated out of Gallup
with their own fiber lines to Albuquerque.
But the shutdown of NCC long distance service had a major effect on
a lot of people who went to reservation gasoline stations and restaurants
and tried to use their credit cards. The phone service for these operations
went through Sprint and therefore was out until the connection with
US West was restored.
"Approximately 70 percent of the traffic from the reservation
was affected," Hausner said.
The ironic part of this episode, Hausner said, is that US West was
aware that some work was going to be done in the area of the former
Safeway building and was planning to reroute phone calls in case of
a disruption.
"But the contractors apparently got ahead of their schedule,"
he said.
NCC deals with minor disruptions to its services several times a year
when bad weather may knock out a microwave unit and cause problems
to one or more communities. NCC, Hausner said, has spent millions
of dollars to provide backup equipment to reduce the effect of these
problems.
But major disruptions like the one that occurred on Wednesday happen
on the reservation only about every three or four years.
Hausner said it would be up to Sprint and some of the other carriers
to decide whether it would be worth the cost to have the ability to
switch the phone calls through Holbrook if the Gallup line was knocked
out again.
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Correction
GALLUP — The attorney for an Anglo woman the Hopis are trying
to expel from their land said Thursday that a tribal news release
incorrectly portrayed his statements during a hearing on the matter.
John Trebon, who represented Arlene Hamilton, said a statement in
the Hopi press release that said he argued that Hamilton had been
named a negotiator for the Navajos by the tribe's president, Kelsey
Begaye, was wrong.
"No one said anything about Kelsey during the hearing,"
he said, adding that the Hopis "made it up."
The Hopis have made no decision on whether Hamilton should be expelled.
The hearing officer is expected to make a recommendation in the next
44 days to Hopi Tribal Chairman Wayne Taylor.
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Cibola schools face hurdles
Money for construction a problem
Mary E. Davis
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Grants/Cibola County School District has several hurdles
to jump to obtain the necessary funding for school construction and
renovation.
The district's debt load would grow, state funding would be needed
and voters would have to approve a $3.6 million bond issue in an April
4 election before there would be enough money to build a combination
middle school and high school,
renovate existing schools and either expand or construct a Progressive
Learning Center.
Voters also will be asked to approve a property tax increase of $2
per $1,000 valuation of a resident's home. Under state law, voters
must approve a property tax increase every four years. The district
forgot to put it on the February 1999 ballot...
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Town helps orphans hit by tragedy
Residents of Navajo raise funds
Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer
NAVAJO, N.M. — The mood was solemn in Navajo on Thursday, but
friends, neighbors and relatives of the Hobb family raised money and
showed support in the aftermath of a heartbreaking tragedy.
Three members of the Hobb family Ray, 36, his wife, Christine, 34,
and their 8-month-old girl, Shasawn were killed by a suspected drunken
driver Monday on Route 66 in Gallup.
Adding to an already sad event are the six Hobb children who are now
without a mother and father. The children Sharona, 16; Latoya, 14;
Raythasha, 9; Reneilda, 8; Raevana, 7, and Ray Jr., 5 have been staying
with both sets of grandparents...
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Kirtland topped by Los Alamos
Free throws the difference 68-62 defeat
N.M. boys state tournament
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
LAS CRUCES — Free throws proved to be Kirtland-Central's undoing
during the Class AAA state tournament.
Top-ranked Los Alamos sank 16-of-26 free throws en route to overcoming
Kirtland-Central 68-62 during the Class AAA state quarterfinals Thursday
night at Las Cruces High School.
"The bottom line was the free throws," said Kirtland-Central
coach Steve Scott whose team ended the year at 19-5. "They shot
26 free throws and we shot 9. We outscored them from the floor. We
did what we wanted to do. We played well enough to win. We just didn't
get good enough in the fourth quarter. It just wasn't to be..."
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Village manager job still pending
Staff Report
MILAN — Although the board of trustees here interviewed David
Jiron for the village manager's job during a special meeting Thursday,
it took no action on naming him to the position.
Today is the last day for Joe Murrietta to work as village manager.
The meeting, however, was held in a closed-session and no decision
was made.
Jiron, a Grants/Cibola County School District administrator, one of
the applicants vying for the job, was approved by the board during
its last meeting. But several details still needed to be worked out,
such as the salary for the part-time village manager...
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St. Michaels speller is champ on reservations
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — "Placidity, p-l-a-c-i-d-i-t-y, placidity."
St. Michaels Elementary School eighth-grader Alfreda Begaye won the
annual Gallup Independent-Navajo Nation Spelling Bee on Thursday by
pronouncing the word, spelling it and repeating its pronunciation
to indicate to the judges she was finished.
Begaye won an all-expenses paid trip to350,000.
The renovation of the train station and cultural center, for which
$300,000 was given...
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Officials praise Howes for helping communities
S.J. Ludescher
Staff Writer
GALLUP — On the eve of New Mexico Sen. Gloria Howes' formal announcement
of retirement, she summed up her life of public service: "I get
so much energy from people working enthusiastically as a team. People
have always been like my life's work."
Mary Ann Armijo, who served as Howes' first campaign manager, had
this to say about Howes: "She's a great asset to the (University
of New Mexico-Gallup) branch and this community. I attribute my political
leanings to her. She's always been real positive, sincere and emotional
about the people of Gallup and Native American people."
Gallup City Councilor Rosemarie "Shorty" Sandoval considers
Howes a friend...
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Aztec holds off Wingate, 64-61
Bears finish season with loss in quarterfinals
N.M. boys state tournament
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
LAS CRUCES — Aztec sank just 3-of-13 free throws in the fourth
period but got 25 points from its bench as the Tigers turned back
Wingate 64-61 Thursday afternoon during the Class AAA state quarterfinals
at Las Cruces High School.
"We made a lot of turnovers," Wingate coach Peter Viola
said. "We were a little bit nervous. Maybe it was overexcitement
on our part. We got into foul trouble early. Basically we haven't
been in foul trouble like that."
Wingate, which ends the year at 14-10, grabbed its first and only
lead of the game early in the fourth period on Stuart Nez's three-pointer
from the corner for a 56-53 Bear lead...
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Deaths
Laverne Ann Saunders
GALLUP — Services for Laverne Ann Saunders, 40, will be held
at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 18, at the First Baptist Church in Thoreau.
Pastor Glenn Marshall will officiate. Burial will follow at the Thoreau
Community Cemetery.
Saunders died March 11 in Gallup. She was born Oct. 10, 1959, in Rupert,
Idaho, into the Towering House People Clan for the Mountain Cove/Reeses
People Clan.
Saunders was a graduate of Thoreau High School and attended the University
of New Mexico-Gallup. Most recently, she was employed by Rehoboth
McKinley Chrisitan Hospital as accounts payable specialist. She served
in the U.S. Navy for a short time.
Survivors include her husband, Ben Saunders of Gallup; daughter, Sherry
Spencer of Gallup; brothers, Jerry Spencer of Prewitt and Ernest Spencer
of Tucson, Ariz.; sisters, Darlene Hobbs of Thoreau and Juliana Shirley
of Chinle, Ariz.
Saunders was preceded in death by her parents, Tom and Bessie Mariano
Spencer; and grandparents, Wilson Mariano, Alice Mariano, Sam Joe
Spencer and Rachel Spencer.
Pallbearers will be Jameson Saunders, Tommy Mariano, Ervin Spencer,
Woody Spencer, Timothy Yazzie and Jerome Lee.
The family will receive friends and family after the burial services
at the First Baptist Church in Thoreau.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Keven Bahe
CHINLE, Ariz. — Services for Kevin Bahe, 15, will be held at
10 a.m. Friday, March 17, at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Navajo,
N.M. The Rev. Niles Kraft, O.F.M., will officiate. Burial will follow
on family land in Wheatfields, Ariz.
Bahe died March 12 in Chinle. He was born Aug. 20, 1984, in Chinle.
into the Bitter Water People Clan for the Red Running into the Water
People Clan.
Bahe attended Chinle Boarding School and the Rough Rock Community
School.
Survivors include his parents, Gloria Bahe and stepfather Gilbert
Lee, both of Chinle; brothers, Orlando Carroll, Calvin Bahe, Orsen
L. Bahe, Orville Bahe, Timmy Lee, Randy Lee and Harrison Lee, all
of Chinle; sisters, Delores Carroll, Olivia Bahe, Gabrielle Lee and
MaKayla Lee, all of Chinle; and grandparents, Francis Carroll Sr.
of Wheatfields, and Edward Bahe and Nellie Bahe of Chinle.
Bahe was preceded in death by his father, Oliver Bahe, and grandmother,
Alice Carroll.
Pallbearers will be Calvin Bahe, Franklin Carroll, Tommy John, Earl
Carroll, Frantino Carroll and Oscar Bahe.
Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Leandro Emery Pino
RAMAH — Services for Leandro Emery Pino, 18, will be held at
10 a.m. Saturday, March 18, at the Ramah Nazarene Chruch. Pastor Herman
Nells will officiate. Burial will follow on family plot.
Pino died March 12 in Gallup. He was born July 10, 1981, in Zuni into
the Water's Edge People Clan for the Bitter Water People Clan.
Pino attended Ramah Elementary School, Ramah High School, and graduated
from Wingate High School in 1999. During high school he participated
in cross-country, wrestling and ROTC. He had received several awards
for his participation in sports. His hobbies included running, fishing,
playing basketball and listening to music.
Survivors include his parents, Ann T. Pino of Ramah; brother, Delford
Pino of Ramah; sisters, Cpl. Antionette Pino of Camp Pendleton, Calif.,
and Evangeline Pino of Ramah; and grandparents, Yonnie M. Jake of
Ramah and Jimmie T. Pino of Pinehill.
Pino was preceded in death by his father, Emerson Pino; brother, Harold
Smith; grandmother, Mary Bluebird; and great-grandmother, Bah Thomas.
Pallbearers will be Delford Pino, Eugene Begay, David DuBoise Jr.,
Alfonso Martine, Dallas Ryan Ellsworth and Rojo Jay Ellsworth.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Dylane R.A. Begay
CROWNPOINT — Services for Dylane R.A. Begay, 39, will be held
at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 18, at Cope Memorial Chapel in Gallup.
Burial will follow at the Sunset Memorial Park.
Begay died March 16 in Albuquerque. She was born June 2, 1960, in
Shiprock into the Joining of the Water Clan for the Mexican People
Clan.
Begay was a graduate of Chinle High School and attended the University
of New Mexico in Albuquerque and Diné College. She worked with
the Navajo Police Department and the Navajo Social Services in Window
Rock.
Survivors include her son, Karl L. Atcitty of Fort Defiance, Ariz.;
daughters, Marissa Rose Jones of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Tamera
Wynona Atcitty of Holbrook, Ariz.; mother, Betty T. Begay of Crownpoint;
brothers, Marshall Begay Jr. of Albuquerque and Darryl Begay and Everytt
Begay, both of Crownpoint; and sisters, Carla L. Atcitty of Albuquerque,
Corynthia DeLeon of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Bethyl B. Trujillo
of Las Cruces.
Begay was preceded in death by her father, Marshall Begay Sr.; brothers,
Elwyn G. Begay and Haryln D. Begay; and grandmother, Mary Tso.
Pallbearers will be Michael Trujillo, Darryl A. Begay, Eugene Perry,
Everytt R. Begay, Shawn A. Begay and Karl L. Atcitty.
The family will receive friends and family after the burial services
at the Begay residence in Crownpoint.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Lorene Manulani Dunlap
ALBUQUERQUE — Services for Lorene "Lani" Manulani Dunlap,
43, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 20, at the Heights Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, 8600 Academy NE. Pastor Don Wilson and Pastor
Cookie Leonardelli will officiate.
Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the French
Mortuary, Lomas Boulevard Chapel, 10500 Lomas NE.
Dunlap died March 15 in Albuquerque.
Dunlap was of Hawaiian descent and enjoyed music. Her middle name
Manulani means "heavenly bird." She played the flute, enjoyed
singing and performed with Gallup High School Band in Europe. She
was involved in charitable causes.
She taught at an English camp in Hong Kong in 1999. She was a longtime
employee at Citibank. She continued to pursue a bachelor's degree
in business and was a member of the Heights Cumberland Presbyterian
Chruch.
Survivors include her husband, David Dunlap of Albuquerque; daughter,
Ariel Dunlap of Albuquerque; parents, Sarah Laa Bowers and Walter
Bowers of Tucumcari and Charlie Irwin and Jackie Irwin of Shady Point,
Okla.; brothers, Glenn Bowers of Phoenix and sister, Cindy Naranjo
of Albuquerque.
Donations can be made to the Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
8600 Academy NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87111.
Lynette Faye Pavenyouma
KYKOTSMOVI, Ariz. — Services for Lynette Faye Pavenyouma will
be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 18, at the Kykotsmovi Mennonite
Church. Burial will follow at the Kykotsmovi Village Cemetery.
The family will receive friends and family after the burial services
at the Kykotsmovi Community Center.
Menless Winfield
MONTE VISTA, Colo. — Services for Menless Winfield, 83, will
be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 18 at the Romero Funeral Home
in Alamosa with full military honors.
Winfield died March 14 in Monte Vista, Colo. He was born April 14,
1916 in Ozone, Ark. to John Winfield and Martha Jane Warren Winfield.
Winfield was a veteran of World War II serving with the U.S. Army.
He married Grace Barnsely on Aug. 18, 1944 in Russellville, Ark. He
retired from Turquoise Mining and Ranching. He was well known for
his lifetime work at Villa Grove Turquoise Mine in Colorado and Lone
Mountain Mine in Nevada. He was a member of the B.P.O.E. Elks Lodge
of Salida, Colo. His hobbies included trading in the turquoise industry,
raising Appaloosa horses and longhorn cattle, fishing, huting, gardening
and being with family.
Survivors incldue his wife, Grace Winfield of Monte Vista, Colo.;
son, Robert Menless Winfield of Gallup; daughter, Caroline Vigil of
Alamosa, Colo.; brothers, John Winfield of Eureka, Calif. and Omer
Winfield of Sapulpa, Okla.; sisters, Alma Casey of Eureka, Calif.,
Betty Pitts of Ozone, Ark., Evelyn Bowen of Clarksville, Ark.; and
two grandsons.
Winfield was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers.
Donations can be made to the Russell Cemetery in Ozone, Ark. in care
of Grace Winfield, 2691 Sherman Ave., Monte Vista, Colo. 81144.
Visitation is from 1-5 p.m. Friday and from 9-10 a.m. Saturday at
the Romero Funeral Home in Alamosa, Colo.
Justina J. Chavez
PHOENIX, Ariz. — Services for Justina J. Chavez, 60, will be
announced at a later date.
Chavez died March 14 in Phoenix, Ariz. She was born Feb. 15, 1940.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Arnold Fito Joseph Galindo
GALLUP — Services for Arnold Fito Joseph Galindo, 69, will be
held at 10 a.m. Friday, March 17, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Father
Jim Walker will officiate. Burial will follow at the Sunset Memorial
Park.
Galindo died March 13 in Gallup. He was born May 16, 1930, in Gibson.
Galindo was a life member of the Knights of Columbus 3rd Degree and
Sacred Heart Cathedral. He served in the U.S. Army during World War
II and worked for the City of Gallup for more than 30 years.
Survivors include his wife, Rita Galindo of Gallup; daughters, Diana
Galindo, Linda and husband Paul Herrera, Rita and husband Nazario
Galindo-Noreiga, Gina and husband Walter McBride all of Gallup, and
Geralyn and husband Manuel Villalobos of Winslow, Ariz.; brother,
Benjamin Galindo of Amarillo, Texas; sister, Cipri Sanchez of Gallup;
seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Galindo was preceded in death by his parents, Guillermo and Maria
Galindo, and a brother, Trini Galindo.
Pallbearers will be Eric Herrera, Paul Jude Herrera, Brian Maldonado,
Richard Ross, Joe Sanchez Jr. and Manuel Villalobos Jr.
Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Gerald Andrade II, Arnold Joseph
Galindo Noriega II, Paul Jude Herrera II, Jonathan Suarez and Dr.
Raymond Suarez.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements and this obituary is
a paid advertisement.
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