Earth Week

 

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Anger grows over election charges

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Faced with what one delegate described as an increasingly angry grassroots opposition to the prosecution of the Board of Election Supervisors, the Navajo Nation Council voted Wednesday to postpone changing the supervisors' formal Plan of Operation.

Delegate Duane Tsinigine (Bodaway-The Gap) got a 35-24 approval of his motion to refer the resolution to the Inter-Government Relations Committee until criminal charges filed by Attorney General Levon Henry's Justice Department are decided.

When the two criminal charges against eight of the board's 10 members were filed in late January, several supervisors agreed the case would eventually wind up in the U.S. Supreme Court. Two supervisors recently accepted plea bargains, thus escaping the prosecution's demand that the group repay more than $150,000, be fined $3,700 each, spend a year in jail, and resign, never again to serve on the board.

The committee acts as the elections board until last summer's voting appeals end. Only Eddie Arthur's appeal to the Navajo Supreme Court, filed in September, remains on the books, Speaker Edward T. Begay said Monday.

Tsinigine, who represents the western-most chapter, said, "Realistically speaking we should consider this when the litigation is done. I've been tormented and tortured, verbally and emotionally, even subject to recall, at my chapter."

Coal Mine Mesa and Tuba City Chapters' Delegate Raymond Maxx's wife, Eunice Begay, is one of the six remaining board members battling the charges. An Aug. 3 memo from Chief Legislative Counsel Steve Boos inspired the charges. Maxx began the day's opposition by objecting to Lucy Simpson of Boos' staff explaining the proposed changes since she was the attorney assigned to the board.

But Delegate Leo Gishie (Tees Toh) objected to Maxx's objection, saying Maxx had a conflict of interest.

Maxx replied, "I have chapter resolutions against the prosecution. If you try to censor me, you're putting a cover over the mouth of 8,000 people." And, he said, a conflict of interest exists only if finances are involved.

"Mrs. Simpson was assigned to the board. This is like having your own advisor chase you outside so she can be inside working you over. It's so obvious," Maxx added. He maintained the sponsor, Legislative Services Director Rose Graham, had to do the presenting.

Delegate Ervin Keeswood (Hogback), the council's acknowledged rules expert, said Maxx's point of order wasn't really a point of order. He asked Speaker Begay to either rule on the matter or put it to a vote. He won his appeal, 36-15-9, but Graham, instead of Simpson, finished the explanation.

Justice Department Attorney James Fitting explained to Delegate Bennie Shelly (Thoreau) that the prosecution would be based on laws in effect at that time, with the proposed resolution applying only to the future.

Maxx said, "The actions taken by the board were guided by the sponsors and they say they (the board) broke the law when they (Boos' staff) were providing the information. We need clarification by other than Keeswood and Boos, when they guided the board in the wrong direction. It seems like they are in cahoots. It's so convenient we're doing this. I don't know if we have the right. Let's ask DOJ."

Fitting then repeated the distinctions he'd explained earlier.

Graham said the resolution addressed issues present before the 2000 elections "and are not related to any sanctions of the board." Maxx maintained the council shouldn't change the law while the board remains sanctioned.

Before the filing of charges in January, Keeswood introduced the motion to approve the resolution, seconded by Delegate Thomas Cody (Leupp), with Keeswood also introducing the tabling motion, seconded by Delegate Jerry Bodie (Sanostee).
The council already has transferred to the Office of Hearings and Appeals deciding election protests.

Under the postponed resolution, the speaker, as the IGR chair, would hire the election director, subject to the supervisors' appproval. Currently that hiring is a board power.

"The director shall ... serve at the pleasure of, the chairperson of the Inter-Government Relations Committee, with confirmation by the board," the delayed proposal reads.

Supervisors also would no longer be able, "To maintain the Election Administration Office and staff independent under its supervision with the Inter-Government Relations Committee."

The board power to declare vacancies also would be given permanently to the election administration.

Another major proposed alteration would add to the board's duties a requirement, "To report possible Navajo Election Code offenses to the Attorney General and the Ethics Office of the Navajo Nation and recommend such action as is deemed necessary and proper for the enforcement of the Election Code."

The resolution would remove duplicate language from the election code, leaving the plan of operation in Title 2, the government operations code, Simpson and Graham explained.

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Cibola board, parents open discussions

Tara Drolma
Staff Writer

GRANTS — The new Grants/Cibola County School Board took a step toward improving communications Tuesday night when it facilitated discussion between a group of parents and the principal.

In the public comments portion of the Grants/Cibola County School Board meeting, several parents said they wanted their questions about senior graduation answered. Board Chairman Rita Suazo told them they would have to work with their building principal first, then if they are not satisfied, they should talk to School Superintendent Linda Coy.

During the board's executive session, the parents huddled, making plans as Grants High Principal Joe Dominguez talked with colleagues on the other side of the room.

During her closing comments, Suazo thanked the parents for taking the time to express their concerns. Then, motioning to Dominguez, she said, "Principal Joe Dominguez is in the back of the room and I hope you can start your communications ..."
Following the meeting, Ruth Hambright said Dominguez had talked with the parents and had promised to leave the planning to them if that is what they wanted. He agreed to meet with the senior sponsors and other parents in order to clear up any confusion over what day graduation is being held, whether cameras will be allowed, and how diplomas will be distributed.

During the break for the executive session, Shelby Alexander, who is one of the senior sponsors, said, "Part of the problem
is students don't always go to meetings and then don't inform the parents as they should." He said there are regular senior class meetings where plans are being discussed by the students.

Hambright, a teacher at Mount Taylor, said she attended the meeting to talk with Dominguez and she spoke not as a teacher, but as a concerned parent. She said, "We are not going to be rebels or cause problems. We just want some answers to some questions." She said the parents wanted to set up a parent committee meeting and a meeting with
Dominguez.

Concerns about coach

Walter Meech and Clifford Chavez addressed the board with their concerns about the dismissal of Coach Torske, the girls' basketball coach.

Meech said he had filled out a concerned parents' form following the last board meeting, when he asked the board to address the matter, and had taken it to the high school administrators. Meech said the school told him they could not discuss it because it is a personnel matter and he would have to address the board.

He told the board he thought the evaluation should be reviewed and Torske should be given more time to prove himself before firing him.

Chavez told the board Torske has volunteered a lot of his own time to train girls at lower grade levels so there will be a pool of students who have basketball experience when they enter high school.

Chavez said he wants to see more girls' sports and he thinks Torske should be given more time to prove himself, adding, "Two years isn't enough ... I want him to have his job back."

The board did not comment on these concerns.

Reorganization issues

Les Gains and Walter Meech cautioned the board about the way it conducts the reorganization and the impact it can have on the district.

Gains said his primary concerns with reorganization was accountability. He asked the board to remember the situation a few years ago when one superintendent left and the paperwork to secure certain funding had been overlooked and not filed. He said no one had been given responsibility for the funding and it fell through the cracks.

Gains said if the board reorganizes, it should make sure it knows who is responsible for funding applications. "As a citizen, I want to know who (is responsible,) and (that) there should be some accountability," he said.

Gains cautioned the board not to create a polarity between the "east" and "west" portions of the district. He said he works in Laguna and he doesn't want the district to "fall into that trap."

Another concern for Gains is the poor acoustics at the meetings. "Can you fix the sound system?" he asked. He said it was bad at the board room, but when the meetings are at the schools, on a scale of one to 10, he would give them a rating of three.
Meech said the district tends to get a new administration every three to four years and if they keep it up the district could have
a hard time recruiting qualified staff. He believes the district should develop some continuity.

Meech suggested the district might benefit from clarifying needs and duties, and responsibilities of the administration and the school board and defining the boundaries between the two.

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Chavez wins Gallup Invite for third time

Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer

GALLUP — No matter if it's two teams or 10, the Gallup High School Golf Invitational belongs to Greg Chavez.

The past three years Chavez has competed in the Gallup High School Golf Invite and the past three years, Chavez has won the Gallup Golf Invite.

"I have my good days and my bad days," said Chavez, who shot a 72 on the day, three ahead of second place finisher Edison Miller from Gallup.

The 72 would be good enough for a leg on the Gallup course, which has a 77 rating, but Gallup Coach Wes Shank said that the Bengals will have to wait and see if Chavez picks up his third leg and qualifies for state.

New Mexico Athletics Association rules state that in order to qualify for state, a player has to get three legs from three tournaments, and a tournament consists of three or more schools competing. On Tuesday only Gallup and Snowflake played in the Gallup Invitational. Thoreau was represented by Marcus Sampson, and Shank said that they will have to see if the NMAA will accept Thoreau as a team and consider the Gallup Invite as an NMAA tournament, giving Chavez his third leg.

"We were expecting five or six teams," said Shank. Los Lunas called and canceled on Monday, we expected Farmington but
they didn't show up for some reason. Grants called and said that they were going to be unable to make it earlier this week."

Shank said that realistically he did not want to put on a tournament this year because it is his first year and there is a lot of
work to put on a tournament, but it was Edison Miller and Greg Chavez' best chance to get leg towards state.

"Edison already has his third leg and has qualified for state and I am sure Greg would have gotten his third on a different
course," he said. "But the kids should get a chance to play on their home course and make it count. It's not fair that we live so
far from the main courses and have to travel to play in all of our tournaments."

Shank said that unlike other high school sports, golf relies on commitments from other teams and does not have any contracts like football and basketball. If a team can show up they can and if they are unable to they don't, and that makes it hard to put
on golf tournament in high school.

In the team results, Snowflake took first with 323 points and Gallup took second with 350 points.

Individually Greg Chavez took first (72), Edison Miller second (75) and Jason Peck of Snowflake took third with 79.
Snowflake golfers Paul Ottman and Jeff Redhead tied for fourth with 80.

"It's my home course," said Chavez. "It's pretty nice to play here."

Shank said that at this point in the season, Chavez and Miller are playing as well as anybody in the state, and that last week in the Kirtland Invite Miller won easily against some of the better golfers in the state.

"It wasn't even close," Shank said of Miller's win. "Greg struggles a little with the wind, but today it was nice when we started."

As far as the team, Shank said the team still needs some work, but they are getting better.

"We have two eighth graders and some juniors, so they will get bigger and stronger," he said. "As far as a team it is hard to say. Some of the kids are just picking up the game and are learning. I don't think they know yet if golf is really their passion or if it is just something to do. You need to put a lot of time and work into golf if you are really serious about it."

Shank did say that though the team is not strong enough right now to compete with the other schools in state, they might be
able to qualify for state because their district is weak.

"Our district is so weak that if we have a strong finish we may be able to get to the district tournament and surprise some people and come out with the district championship and qualify as a team for state," he added.

The Gallup golf team will be in action Monday in San Juan in Farmington. The team will then compete in the district tournament the following Monday and then will compete in the state tournament.

Thoreau's golfer, Marcus Sampson, said that he thinks he could have done better on the day, shooting a 101 on the day. Thoreau's has one other golfer, Gabriel Desadario, who was not at the tournament.

"It's tough," said Sampson of playing for Thoreau, who does not have a golf course or golf team. The two golfers practice at Grants or Gallup and have competed in six tournaments this year.

Things looking up for Bengal football

Carrie Loretto
Sports Editor

GALLUP — Things are looking up for the Gallup Bengal football program.

An increase in numbers is the most noticable change since new head coach Gary Lunsford took over two and a half weeks ago.

"I was disillusioned at the number of kids we had in the athletic program,"Lunsford told a small contingent of parents and booster club members who attended Wednesday's"Meet the Coach"session at Gallup High School.

Starting with only 33 sophomores and juniors in the football class, Lunsford has taken an active role in changing that and currently has 26 incoming seniors, 23 juniors and 75 sophomores registered for next year. Currently, 49 are actively participating in his spring program.

"And I'm not even sure if I've got all of them (that have participated in the football program in years past) yet, some who have dropped out for one reason or another (that) I don't know why, I don't really care why. All I want to know is I want them there now."

The other number Lunsford made note of was the quickness of his players.

"We've dramatically increased our capabilites over the last two and a half weeks. We went out on the football field the first week and timed 40s. They're telling me we got kids running 4.5,"said Lunsford.

Lunsford found out that wasn't the case with the fastest player being timed at five seconds flat. But with the new regimen of weight training, which includes an added emphasis in flexibility, and his back-to-basics style, Lunsford has already seen times drop to 4.7.

For gains to continue, Lunsford will be implementing a mandatory summer program which will include an hour of skill development and half an hour in the weight room three days a week. His program still falls under the guidelines set by the New Mexico Activities Association.

"I guarantee you, if we're going to compete with the people that are very successful in football, you got to be here in summer. You don't show up in August and expect to be successful,"he told the group, then added in a later interview,"I've heard it said a lot about Gallup kids not being able to compete with the Albuquerque people. If you don't play in the summer, if you
don't do the things that football teams in Albuquerque or the south do in the summer, you're not going to beat them."

That includes sacrificing during the summer, Lunsford added.

"I think I do a pretty good job of teaching fundamentalist football, I'm very confident in my fundamentals. I know how to coach the game, but I need kids willing to make the sacrifice to play the game."

Despite the discouraging start, Lunsford is excited about the prospects at being back in Gallup again.

"I knew that the talent was here, I know the program has the support of the community, I know the administration, to me it was perfect,"he said about reapplying for the position."I may not win a game, but I know people in Gallup deserve a good, solid, hard-nosed football team and I think I can give them that."

Lunsford had applied for the head position after Alex McAllister stepped down in 1995. He was passed over with Jeff Taylor taking over the reins. Lunsford has been the defensive coordinator in Loving the last three years. He first came to Gallup in
1975 and has coached and taught in Gallup intermittently for 12 years. He has 22 years coaching experience, including
assistant positions at Farmington, Roswell and Gallup. He has five years experience as a head coach guiding Deming and
Belen to district titles in 1977 and 1986 before moving into the area in 1988 to take over the Tohatchi program where he
coached for two years (1988-89). His last head coaching position was in 1991 at Crownpoint when the Eagles were district
runners-up behind AA state champ Menaul.

Although he worked with McAllister and with Taylor, there won't be many comparisons between Lunsford's approach and what has been done in the past within the Bengal program.

"I was part of this program, I've seen what goes on here and I know what I do to kids to make them prepared to play football and what I do and what has been done has not been the same thing,"Lunsford noted.

Besides the mandatory summer program for varsity players, Lunsford has a no-cut policy. As a late bloomer himself, Lunsford, who went from a 4'10"eighth-grader to a college football player, is hesitant to judge the potential of any player. He
promises that every underclassmen will play at the freshman and junior varsity level and that varsity players who see acrtion will have earned it.

"The kids I got back are working real hard, I'm real impressed with that,"said Lunsford who was less nterested in talking about last season or the number of returning players."I'll take what I got and work with them and do what we can to get them ready for football season."

Again Lunsford pointed out the physical changes, and added that the players have been accepting of the coaching change even if it includes more intense workouts.

"It's intense, it's focused on what we're trying to accomplish. We're very sincere about what we're trying to get across and the kids have accepted that,"said Lunsford.

Will that translate into more victories?

"What we're telling the kids is one play at a time, one tackle at a time, one offensive play at a time, one game at a time. If you
do everything you're asked to do, everything you're capable of doing, winning will take care of itself,"Lunsford replied.

Lunsford is also trying to rebuild his coaching staff with only one coach from last year's staff returning. He is in the process
of bringing in Ken Stevens with whom he coached the last two seasons in Loving.

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Vehicle office may open next week

Tom Purdom
Staff Writer

GRANTS — The Motor Vehicle Division office here may reopen Monday rather than today or Friday, a high-ranking MVD official said. However, the ongoing state and federal probe into activities at the office will take much longer.

The MVD shut down the Grants office located next to the Grants Police Department on Roosevelt Street on April 10 in the midst of a massive investigation looking into: the sale of bogus commercial driver licenses (CDL); sale of fake driver licenses to underage drivers making it appear the drivers were more than 21 years old; embezzlement; and even spiriting a state CDL test out of Grants to an unnamed trucking firm in New Mexico.

Because the state test was removed from the office and given to a trucking firm, the MVD was forced to recall the test from all state offices on April 13. Officials said altering drunken driving records is not part of the investigation at this time...

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4 more die on Navajo roads

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — More people have died in traffic collisions on the Navajo Reservation.

Jerry Yazzie, 56, of Fort Defiance died around 8:30 p.m. April 11 near Mile Post 6 on Bureau of Indian Affairs Route 112 that connects St. Michaels and Fort Defiance. A 1999 Dodge sedan driven by Louise Largo, no age or hometown listed, headed south could not avoid him as he walked in the southbound lane.

The Window Rock Law Enforcement District report said a witness confirmed the man was walking in the traffic lane.

Woman dies

A Coyote Canyon woman died before 9 p.m. Monday when she was ejected from a car with four occupants that skidded off Arizona Route 264 halfway between Mile Posts 451 and 452 near Ganado...

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Deaths

Michelle Nez

COYOTE CANYON — Services for Michelle Nez, 23, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 20, at the Church of Jesus of Latter-Day Saints. Burial will follow on family land.

Visitation will be held one hour before services at the church.

Nez died April 16 in Ganado, Ariz. She was born Jan. 6, 1978, in Fort Defiance, Ariz., into the Folding Arms People Clan for the Bitter Water People Clan.

Survivors include her sons, Erick Lee and Marcus Lee, both of Brimhall; parents, Billy Victor and Alice Barney Nez Jr., both of Brimhall; brother, Billy Victor Nez III of Brimhall; and grandmother, Mary Rose Nez of Coyote Canyon.

Nez was preceded in death by her grandparents, Jimmy Barney, Bessie Becenti and Billy Victor Nez Sr.

Pallbearers will be Chester Benally, Reynold Morris, Rodriguez Morris, Brain Nez, Michael Trottler and Landon Wilson.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Baker

GALLUP — Services for Mary Baker, 88, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 20, at Little Sisters of the Poor Villa Guadalupe Chapel. Father Pat Universal will officiate. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery.

A rosary will be recited at 4:45 p.m. today at Little Sisters of the Poor Villa Guadalupe Chapel.

Baker died April 18 in Gallup. She was born July 14, 1912, in Huron, S.D.

Survivors include her brothers, James O'Boyle of Bothell, Wash., and William B. O'Boyle of Seattle, Wash., and sister, Myrtle O'Boyle of Oympia.

Baker was preceded in death by her husband, James Allen Baker, and parents, John Francis and Anna O'Boyle.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Allison Tabaha

WINDOW ROCK — Services for Mary Tabaha, 47, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, April 20, at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Father Meldon Hickey will officiate. Burial will follow at Mennonite Church Cemetery, Wide Ruins, Ariz.

Tabaha died April 15 in Gallup. She was born May 4, 1953, in Ganado, Ariz., into the Tangle People for the Red House People Clan.

Tabaha attended Wide Ruins Boarding School and Intermountain Indian School. She worked at various jobs, General Dynamics, special education in St. Michaels and Navajo Arts and Crafts. She was a member of the Native American Church. Her hobbies were sewing and silversmithing.

Survivors include her husband, Dan Tabaha of Window Rock; sons, Randall Tabaha, Randy Tabaha, and Ronald Tabaha, all of Window Rock; daughter, Rolinda Allison of Window Rock; mother, Helen S. Allison of Wide Ruins; brothers, Richard Allison, Freddie Allison and Ernest E. Allison, all of Wide Ruins; sisters, Bertha James, Rita Nelson and Marcella Jones, all of Wide Ruins, Marita Benally of Phoenix, Louise A. Manuelito of Gallup and Lorinda Pete of Fort Defiance; and two grandchildren.

Tabaha was preceded in death by her father, John Allison, and brother, David Allison.

Pallbearers will be Randall Tabaha, Randy Tabaha, Jason Begay, Ernest Allison, Frankie Dale and Merle Nelson.

The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services at House 11, Roswell Drive, Window Rock.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Robert L. Rodriguez

SAN RAFAEL — Services for Robert Rodriguez, 73, were held at 10 a.m. today, April 19, at San Rafael Catholic Church. The Rev. Gil Mangampo will officiate. Burial followed at San Rafael Cemetery.

Rodriguez died April 17 in Grants. He was born May 30, 1927, in San Rafael.

Survivors include his sons, Paul Rodriguez of Albuquerque, Fernie Rodriguez and Robert Rodriguiez Jr., both of San Rafael; brothers, Ray Rodriquez of California and Rosario Rodriguez of San Rafael; sister, Trini Baca of Albuquerque; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Fernie Rodriguez, Fernie Rodriguez Jr., Andrew Rodriguez, Robert Rodriguez Jr., Tommy McDowell Jr.
and Ray DeLao.

Judy Chavez

MILAN — Services for Judy Chavez, 36, will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, April 20 at Compassion Harbor Church, Gallup. Pastor G.L. Gerrard will officiate. Burial will follow at Community Cemetery in Thoreau.

Chavez died April 16. She was born April 2, 1965 in Crownpoint into the Towering House Clan for the Sagebrush People Clan.

Chavez was a homemaker and housekeeper and a life-time resident of Milan.

Survivors include her husband, Gerald Chavez Sr. of Milan; son, Gerald Chavez; daughters, Geraldine Chavez, Geralda Chavez, Christina Chavez and Dianna Largo all of Milan; brothers, Limbert Largo III, Wilbert Largo and Jones Largo all of Casamero Lake, Gilbert Largo and Delbert Largo both of Durango, Colo. and sister, Julia Largo of Farmington.

Pallbearers will be Limbert Largo III, Wilbert Largo, Anthony Juan, Delbert Largo, Marvin Begay and Melvin Begay.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Kayadesbah Isabel Litson

TSAILE, Ariz. — Kayadesbah Litson, 81, died April 15 in Black Rock, Ariz. She was born Oct. 15, 1919 in Black Rock into the Towering House Clan for the Coyote Pass Clan.

Litson was a rancher, rugweaver and homemaker.

Survivors include her sons, Stanley P. Litson Sr., James Litson, Lee M. Litson Sr., Nelson Litson and Terry Allen;
daughters, Lettie M. Nave, Fannie Bahe, Laura Leonard, Rose L. Woody, Martina Litson, Jayne Lee, Martha White and Martha Allen; brothers, Wallace Staley, Benjamin Staley and Bennie Staley; sisters, Susie Clark, Addie Tsosie and Alice S.
Yazzie; 40 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Litson was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Zonnie Staley; husband, Martin Litson; two children, Eva and Glen
Litson and grandson.

Pallbearers will be Stephen Litson, Stanford Litson, Roland Belone, Travis Teller, Ambrose Clark, Shawna Litson and Scott
McKenzie.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Irene Rose Albert

SANDANCE — Services for Irene Albert, 80, will be announced at a later date.

Albert died April 17 in Gallup. She was born Nov. 20, 1920, in Fort Defiance, Ariz., into the Red Running into the Water People Clan for the Water Flows Together People Clan.

A family meeting will be held at 4-7 p.m. today at Whitehorse Lake Chapter House.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

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