Mobile home residents to fight crime
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Red Hills Mobile Home Park residents hope to bash
crime while banding together to form a neighborhood association.
Gallup Police Lt. Marty Esquibel spent two hours Tuesday night
talking with about 25 residents about how to form a neighborhood
association.
Crimes like burglaries, drugs, gangs, children not being properly
cared for, domestic violence, people improperly dumping trash
and smaller but important issues such as people speeding through
the trailer park are reasons residents gave for wanting a neighborhood
association.
"I told them, 'I'm not going to come in and solve all of
your problems for you, but I'll give you the tools you need,'"
Esquibel said Wednesday.
Community policing and becoming more proactive about crime, rather
than reactive, is the way to help prevent crime.
Three components a neighborhood association must keep in mind
is that the association address crime, discuss the fear of crime
and focus on the quality of life in the community. The goal of
improving the quality of life is achieved by reducing crime.
Esquibel discussed a crime triangle. Take away one of the pieces
and you won't have crime.
The three elements of the triangle are victims, the location and
suspects. Generally the location in this case, Red Hills Mobile
Home Park can't be taken away.
But residents can work to not be victimized, and they can work
to get suspects caught.
People unwittingly put themselves in the position of being a victim
by not being aware of their surroundings. In a neighborhood, this
can mean not knowing their neighbors or not being able to tell
which vehicles belong in the area and which ones don't.
Families can learn not to be victims of burglary, for instance,
if they take certain steps like having a good neighbor watch their
house or asking the police to do a routine patrol while they are
out of town.
The elderly can learn not to be victims by learning about scams
and not giving information such as their bank account number over
the telephone or withdrawing large amounts of money and giving
it to people who seem honest.
Residents can work on getting suspects caught by talking to each
other about crimes and about who they suspect is committing the
crimes. They can call the police and ask that an investigation
into the individuals be organized.
"If you hear of something happening and you don't know if
it's true, start asking the neighbors. Ask the police if they've
heard of it," Esquibel said.
If residents hear of a house that has a large volume of people
coming and going, and they suspect drug activity there, they should
contact the police.
"People are real fearful of confronting drug dealers,"
he said.
But police can take action on neighbors' suspicions.
Police don't run neighborhood association meetings. In fact, Esquibel
or other police officers might not always attend.
The goal is for the association to get active and take over crime
prevention in the community rather than relying solely on police.
The association can start preventing crime by being alert to what's
happening in the neighborhood. For instance, if a building is
abandoned in the neighborhood, people might notice one day that
some windows are broken.
The vandalism goes unreported. Soon, residents notice more windows
broken.
This still goes unreported. Finally, graffiti appears on the walls,
and it's apparent gang activity is occurring.
To prevent this situation, residents should have reported it the
first time windows were broken in the building.
"Instead of waiting for someone down the road to report it,
you report it," he said.
The association should never go after suspects themselves but
call the police in when they have suspects, he said.
The next meeting of the Red Hills Mobile Home Park neighborhood
association is May 8. Esquibel recommended residents bring one
or two neighbors to the meeting to make it more of a combined
effort.
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Alamo teen killed when truck rolls
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — A 14-year-old Alamo girl died Tuesday afternoon
when a pickup truck she was riding in with five young relatives rolled
on top of her in Soccorro County.
Navajo police declined to identify the girl who was in a 1986 Chevrolet
pickup driven by an inexperienced 17-year-old girl. The driver steered
too fast into a right-hand curve on a dirt road, skidding the truck
sideways and rolling it.
Crownpoint Criminal Investigations District detectives identified
the other four passengers as boys ages 17, 13 and 10 and a girl age
13.
Their parents had sent them on an errand when the accident happened
around 5 p.m. two miles west of New Mexico Route 169 on County Road
24, the report said.
All the injured were rushed to Soccorro General Hospital.
So far this year, 26 people have died in traffic accidents on the
Navajo Reservation, but this is the first in the Alamo Chapter, one
of three satellite reservations.
Drunken stabbing
A 24-year-old Shiprock man found lying by the side of a road in the
NAPI area south of Farmington late Saturday afternoon couldn't tell
Shiprock district police anything about who stabbed him.
The detective's report said Ruben Oliver was taken to the Shiprock
Indian Health Service hospital, treated for minor cuts on his head,
neck and left side, and released. He was intoxicated when found along
an unidentified Mesa Farm area road.
More on ramming
A few more details have emerged from an April 19 domestic violence
incident in Thoreau.
Navajo detectives said Eliseo Ballesteros, 37, of Rural Address 113,
McKinley County Road 13 fired two shots at Veronica Burg-Sandoval,
33, of the same address, during a drunken domestic violence incident
in which everyone escaped injury.
A second female victim in the afternoon attack, Livonia Billy, 25,
of Gallup told Crownpoint Criminal Investigations District detectives
she was standing about 15 feet from Ballesteros when he fired twice
with a small handgun. He apparently also had held the gun to her,
two police agency reports indicated.
As stated in Tuesday's Independent from a McKinley County Sheriff's
Office report, he then got in his car and rammed her vehicle as she
tried to flee.
Navajo police said the suspect left the scene after the ramming near
Mile Post 2 on New Mexico Route 371.
The Navajo report did not state any arrest charges.
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Path of Renewal 'not a threat'
Spokesman: Indian Hills residents creating problem
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — People who are planning to build group homes in the
Indian Hills section of Gallup were somewhat amazed Wednesday by the
reaction of their future neighbors to the proposal.
The biggest problem facing the subdivision is not plans to build the
group homes, said Dan Kruis, an agent for the Path of Renewal, but
the people who are protesting.
"They are creating a problem that doesn't exist," Kruis
said, and by doing this, they have "created a stigma" that
in the long run will hurt neighborhood property values and foster
a sense of fear within community members.
Residents of the Indian Hills section have become vocal in the past
few days about the Path of Renewal's plans to build group homes in
their neighborhood to house recovering alcoholics and drug addicts.
John Blackburn, a spokesman for the Indian Hills Neighborhood Association,
said once the group homes are up and running, life in the neighborhood
will change for the worse.
"Is it reasonable to expose children to the type of influences
likely to surround such facilities?" he said.
He said community members are worried about the possibility that the
group homes will attract drug dealers and that burglary in the area
will increase. He said he was also worried that many of the people
living in the group homes will come from a prison or violent background.
All of this, he said, will jeopardize the safety of the neighborhood
and decrease property values, while making it much more difficult
for area residents to sell their home.
Kruis said that the statements he has heard from the community members
indicate to him that they are reacting to a problem that does not
and will not exist when the group homes are built.
Three homes planned
He said Path of Renewal plans to build three homes not four, as stated
at Tuesday night's city council meeting. The program plans to rent
rooms to three or four people at each home.
He stressed that area residents seem to have a very poor understanding
of exactly who will be living in these homes.
These will not be people who are just beginning to live a life as
a former alcoholic or drug addict.
Instead, everyone will have months of sobriety under his belt before
he moves in. The residents would have gone through a 28-day treatment
program and would have lived in a halfway facility for several months
as well.
These will be people who have shown a commitment to leading a life
without alcohol and drugs, Kruis said.
The homes are part of a program, he said, that is the most successful
thing around to stop people from drinking.
"Would you rather have a drunk driver killing or maiming your
wife and children," he asked, as opposed to men who are sober
and have a meaningful job and are a productive member of society.
He pointed out that most alcoholic treatment programs get success
rates (based on clients staying sober for five or more years ) of
around 20 percent. The Path of Renewal program success rate is 62
percent and at times has gone up to over 80 percent, he said.
The reason behind this is that the Path of Renewal personnel realize
that the commitment to stay off drugs or alcohol cannot be reached
with just a 28-day program in a treatment center. Instead, the program's
clients stay in a halfway house for up to six months and will now
have an opportunity to actually live in the community as sober and
drug-free members of society, he said.
While there will be no supervisors on the premise, he said that people
who violate the rules and take drugs or consume alcoholic beverages
will be off the premises within hours.
He pointed out that the other two or three men in the home will have
invested a lot of time and effort to remaining sober and drug-free
and they won't jeopardize that by allowing one of their members to
go off the wagon.
In fact, he said, the group homes will be surrounded by homes in the
neighborhood where people will be taking drugs and abusing alcohol.
The homes will also be surrounded, he added, by houses where the father
commits domestic violence and children will be abused.
The people in the group homes, he added, will be the men who will
be asked by the schools to come to assemblies to share their experiences
in the hopes of convincing neighborhood children to stay away from
liquor and
drugs.
Property values
He said the argument that the group homes will decrease
property values just doesn't make sense.
For example, the people who will be renting in the group homes will
be months away from their lives as drug addicts and abusers of alcohol.
Just a short distance away from the group homes, in an area where
there are a lot of expensive homes, rests the Rehoboth treatment center,
where the alcoholics and drug addicts are much closer to their lives
on the street.
"The housing prices around the Rehoboth treatment center haven't
decreased in value," Kruis said. "In fact, there are some
very expensive homes now being built near the center."
The only threat to property values, he said, is from those who continue
to foster the unfounded belief that the group homes pose some sort
of threat to the community when they don't.
Another thing that Indian Hills residents have to understand, he said,
is that what the Path of Renewal is doing is not only legal, but the
premise of having the former alcoholics and drug abusers live in the
community is promoted strongly by the federal government.
"If the city council does something to take away our right to
do this, we won't be suing the city," he said. "It will
be the federal government."
He added that the program at one time was considering just renting
or buying homes throughout the community and then subletting them
to clients of the program. This would have been just as legal and
would probably have prevented the kinds of protests that are now going
on within the Indian Hills community.
Members of the organization said that once the group homes are up
and running, area residents will see there is no threat to their safety.
Michael B, a client for the program who now lives in the halfway house
run by Path of Renewal just north of Gallup, said he would have no
problem having people in the halfway house live next to his grandmother
when they get out.
In fact, he said, members of the halfway house were recently given
an outing and he took them to visit his grandmother. In the days after
his visit, his grandmother was so impressed with the men who visited
her that she would call and ask him how the boys in the program were
doing.
He also pointed out that the people who live in the homes will be
people who will have jobs in the community. In many cases, they will
be the sons or relatives of people in the community, he said, who
are only hoping to have a chance to become a productive part of society
again.
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Rehoboth beats Navajo Prep in 10 innings
Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer
GALLUP — The Rehoboth Lynx went into Wednesday afternoons game
against Navajo Prep looking to play for the runner up spot in district,
and it was not until after the game that they found out they were
playing for much more.
"Wow," is how Rehoboth head coach Rita Romero described
the game. "We came here with thoughts that this was just for
second place and didn't know about regionals."
Rehoboth, (9-5, 6-2 district) pulled off the 9-8 win in 10 innings
and during the break found out that the runner up in the district
will travel to Carlsbad to play in regionals, when earlier in the
week there was not going to be a regional tournament for the class
A-AA softball.
"I think it helped the girls not knowing about regionals,"
Romero said. "That way there was no added pressure."
The Lady Lynx, in their first season as a softball team, came from
two behind in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra
innings and then tied the game in the eighth and ninth before winning
it in the tenth. In the second game Navajo Prep came back to win 10-9
in a shortened game because the lights were not available at Veterans
Memorial Park. The second game did not count towards district
In the only other game called in Newcomb defeated Zuni 11-1 in district
competition and 22-5 in the second game.
Game 1 Rehoboth 9, Navajo Prep 8 10 innings
Both teams threatened in the first, putting runners on second base,
but neither team was able to come through, both stranding the runners.
The Lady Eagles looked ready to score in the second, loading the bases
with one out but a strikeout and pop out later the threat was gone.
Rehoboth broke through in the second, putting leadoff batter Christen
Sanchez on with a single and Gavi Burrola on with a walk. Lia Jaspers
walked to load the bases with no outs and Bobby Stall brought in Sanchez
and Burrola with a hit, giving Rehoboth a 2-0 lead.
Navajo Prep cut the lead in half in the third when Genice Morris reached
on an error and scored when Janielle Kelley was walked and stole second,
drawing the throw from the pitcher allowing Morris to score.
After a three and out inning by the Lady Lynx, Prep came back up and
took the lead with a three run fourth. Theresa Beach started the inning
off with a single to left and came in to score on a ground out by
Sue Rena Etcitty. Melanie Tsosie followed with a single and got to
third when Rehoboth could not handle a Tanya Huskay hit. Tsosie came
in to score on a single by Nanabah Fogulth and Huskay scored on a
Morris hit, giving the Lady Eagles a 4-2 lead.
Pitching took over for both teams the rest of the regular innings,
as neither team allowed any runs in the rest of the fourth, fifth
or sixth innings.
Rehoboth put Jaspers on with a single in the bottom of the fourth,
but left her on first. Beach picked up a triple for Navajo Prep in
the top of the fifth, but Rehoboth's defense stiffened and held her
there with a pop up and ground out to end the inning.
Both Erika Romero and Reedee Begay reached with base on balls in the
bottom of the fifth for Rehoboth, but Navajo Prep third baseman Beach
was able to end the inning by fielding a hard hit line drive.
Huskay doubled to start off the Navajo Prep sixth only to be picked
off at home to end the inning. The Lady Eagles got Rehoboth out in
order in the sixth and put a runner on in the seventh, only to leave
her stranded again.
Down to their last three outs in regulation, Rehoboth put together
their big inning. Stall started the inning with a single and then
went to second on a Nicole Begay ground out. Hess Romero drove in
Begay with a triple and then Erika Romero drove in Hess to tie the
game with a sacrifice fly to right field. Navajo Prep got the next
batter to ground out to end the inning and send it into extra innings.
Etcitty led off the eighth reaching on an error for Navajo Prep and
got to third with a walk by Melanie Tsosie and a hit by Huskay, but
Etcitty was thrown out at home for the first out. During the play
at the plate Tsosie was able to advance to third and scored on a ground
out by Fogulth, giving Prep a 5-4 lead.
Rehoboth matched the Eagles performance in the bottom of the inning,
when Kim Kaminski singled and scored on a Burrola bunt.
In the top of the ninth Navajo Prep attempted to put the game out
of reach, scoring three runs on two hits, a walk and an error. The
scoring started when Janielle Kelley single to lead off the inning.
Crystal Jones picked up a one out single to advance Kelley and both
cam in on a hit by Beach that was thrown away. Beach came in to score
on a passed ball giving Navajo Prep a 8-5 lead.
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UNM-G students share research ideas
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Have you ever wanted to know more about the American
Indian Movement or just how members of the Jehovah's Witnesses view
blood transfusions?
Or what about the benefits of cloning?
These and other subjects will be explored tonight and Friday night
at the University of New Mexico-Gallup in a unique program that allows
students to show off what they have learned and possibly win a $500
prize.
The sessions are part of a research competition sponsored by several
organizations on the college campus...
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Cibola reserve officers being trained
Tara Drolma
Staff Writer
GRANTS — The Cibola County Sheriff's office hopes to have nine
new reserve officers trained in time for the Fire & Ice Celebration
in July when 5,000 to 8,000 bikers are expected to ride into Grants.
Deputy Sheriff Harry Hall said the department advertised for the volunteers
five months ago, receiving 22 applications. Hall said there are nine
volunteers left in the training class eight men and one woman.
Part of the reason for having the class now was to have new officers
trained for the Fire & Ice Bike Rally on July 20-22. Sponsors
have estimated there could be upwards of 10,000 people in Grants for
the event.
The other reason Hall gave for the training class at this time is
attrition in the current reserve program. The department has been
losing reserve officers and there are only four or five reserve officers
who are active. Corky Hall of Bluewater, who had been very active
in the reserve over the years, died recently...
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Anger growing toward Dilcon board
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Call it coordinated chaos at Dilcon Community School.
A peaceful protest that began early Monday was still going strong
Wednesday.
Or, simply refer to the present situation as an emotional yet thorough
effort by parents, students, some teachers, staff members and bus
drivers to demonstrate their displeasure with the school board.
Enough staff members refused to work that Alex Thorne, who's helping
lead a recall effort against the school board, said just 10 percent
of the students were in attendance Monday.
Demonstrators, stationed at the school's east entrance, carried
picket signs during all-day protests that began at 6 a.m. and continued
until nearly 5 p.m. They handed out 150 fliers and gathered 60 more
signatures for their recall effort against the school board.
According to a tribal police report, the demonstration was peaceful,
even when acting school Director Roy Ruehle went outside to deliver
a notice to employees...
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Grants baseball loses
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
BERNALILLO — Grants' district hopes were handed a serious blow
as Bernalillo swept the Pirates 15-5, 13-3 in a crucial District
3AAA baseball doubleheader Wednesday afternoon.
"From last night (Tuesday) to today, I had two different teams
out there," Grants coach Walter Sarracino said. "Sometimes
you never know which team will show up. My pitching is tired, the
kids are tired. But you have to make the play. Bernalillo put the
ball in play. Errors played a key role. We have to put this behind
us. We still have a chance (for the No. 2 spot in district)."
Grants, now 4-4-1 in district, 7-8-1 overall, will travel to Cobre
Friday for a key district doubleheader showdown at 3 p.m. The Pirates
will then host Cobre at home next Tuesday in the season finale in
a single game. Grants must win at least two of its three games against
the Cobre Tigers, district's top team, who are leading the district
at 9-0, to have a chance of advancing to regionals. Bernalillo,
which has won its last four district games and swept Grants decisively
this season by scores of 14-1, 15-5, 13-3, is sitting in second
place for the moment at 6-6, Grants is next at 4-4-1 with Socorro
fourth at 4-5-1 with Hot Springs in last place at 1-9...
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Laughter may have to pay back money
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — For the first time since tribal laws were changed,
a chapter officer might not be removed from office if the Ethics-Rules
Committee finds he violated Titles 2 and 26.
Inscription House President David Laughter is scheduled to appear
at 9 a.m. Friday before the committee to answer charges of receiving
$500 for tasks he performed as a consultant for the chapter from
October 1999 to August 2000.
The Office of Ethics and Rules complaint alleges conflict of interest,
violating contract bidding procedures, unauthorized compensation
for official acts, unauthorized personal use of tribal funds and
not performing duties required by the Local Governance Act.
In its complaint, the OER asks the committee to order Laughter to
repay the $500...
Grants soccer teen invited to Australia
But donations needed for trip
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Beneath the pretty exterior of 13-year-old Minerva
Nevarez beats the heart of a real champion who needs some very real
help.
Somewhat shy, this brown-haired, brown-eyed girl plans to travel
to Australia for 14 days this summer as part of the People to People
Sports Ambassadors Program.
She has been invited to participate in the KIWI Cup Soccer Tournament,
a five-day competition for youth teams from around the world.
During the competition and after, while she tours Australia, she
will get the chance to show the rest of the world what children
from New Mexico are made of and what they are like...
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Deaths
Mela Lueras
ALBUQUERQUE — Services for Mela Lueras, 70, will be held at 10
a.m. Friday, April 27, at the San Martin Catholic Church, Albuquerque.
Burial will follow at Terrace Grove Cemetery, Belen.
A rosary will be recited at 7 tonight at the San Martin Church.
Lueras died April 24 in Albuquerque.
Lueras was a resident of Gallup and Albuquerque. Her hobbies included
bingo.
Survivors include her husband, Raymond Lueras; sons, Frankie Baca,
Bennie Baca and Anthony Lueras; daughters, Molly Romero, Debra Runyan
and Gail Tafoya; brothers, Raynaldo Salinas, Clemente Salinas and
Ramon Salinas; sisters, Josephine Sisnaros, Petra Montano, Vie McLane
and Todosia Lucero; 20 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Lueras was preceded in death by her parents, Hilario and Delfina Salinas;
sisters, Rufina Apodaca and Zorida Angel; and brothers, Juan Salinas
and Raphel Salinas.
Pallbearers will be Arron Romero, Eric Romero, Jonathan Romero, Lenny
Baca, Bryan Runyan and Dylan Runyan.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Church Hall in Belen.
Freddie Delgarito
SMITH LAKE — Services for Freddie Delgarito, 51, will be held
at 11 a.m. Friday, April 27, at Cope Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Jimmy
Etcitty will officiate. Burial will follow on family land, Smith Lake.
Delgarito died April 23 in Smith Lake. He was born Sept. 27, 1949,
in Crownpoint into the Start of the Red Steak People for the Water's
Edge People.
Delgarito was employed as a truck driver. He completed Heavy Equipment
NECA, Shiprock, and carpentry at Haskell. He attended high school
in Fort Wingate. His hobbies were fishing, hunting, horseback riding
and sports.
Survivors include his daughters, Freda Delgarito and Gabrielle Delgarito,
both of Smith Lake; mother, Mary Cayaditto of Smith Lake; brothers,
Stanley Saunders of Smith Lake and Jamison Delgarito of Gallup; and
sisters, Betty L. Saunders of Smith Lake and Mary Ann Delgarito of
Shiprock.
Delgarito was preceded in death by his parents, James Delgarito and
Bessie Charlie.
Pallbearers will be Stanley Saunders Sr., Stanley Saunders Jr., Sheldon
Saunders, Tony Barboan Jr., Edison Platero and Jameson Delgarito.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at the family home.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Sarah Dale Slowman
SHIPROCK — Services for Sarah Slowman, 80, were held at 10 a.m.
today, April 26, at the Bethel Christan Reformed, Shiprock. Pastor
Sadie Lister officiated. Burial followed at Greenlawn Cemetery, Farmington.
Slowman died April 22 in Shiprock. She was born Oct. 8, 1920, in Sanostee
into the Mexican Clan for the Salt People.
Slowman was a rugweaver. Her hobbies were cooking and sewing.
Survivors include her husband, Elwood Slowman; daughters, Eileen Honahni
of Phoenix, Clara S. King of Farmington, and Nellie Sloan, Loretta
Bennett, Marietta S. Lister and Lucita Slowman, all of Shiprock; brothers,
Lloyd Dale of Rattlesnake, Woody Dale of Hogback and Robert Dale of
Shiprock; sisters, Alice Yazzie of Breadsprings and Fanny Begay of
Shiprock;
24 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Slowman was preceded in death by her son, Chester Dawes.
Pallbearers were Lanfert J. King, Michael Walker, Sterling Benally,
Alonzo Sloan, Brian Lister and David Sloan Jr.
Ned Etsitty
SHIPROCK — Services for Ned Etsitty, 83, were held at 10 a.m.
today, April 26, at Chapel of Memories in Kirtland. The Rev. Woody
Yazzie officiated. Burial followed at Shiprock Cemetery.
Etsitty died April 20 in Farmington. He was born Dec. 15, 1917, in
Oak Springs, Ariz.
Etsitty was a sheepherder. He enjoyed going to ceremonies and his
hobbies included playing cards.
Survivors include his brother, Gilbert Begay of Table Mesa, and sister,
Gladys Begay of Shiprock.
Pallbearers were Lloyd Keeswood, Carl Keeswood Jr., Charile Chee,
Jack Williams, Harriett Dechilly and Stella Dodge.
Fred T. Houston
GALLUP — Services for Fred Houston, 92, will be announced at
a later date.
Houston died April 24 in Gallup. He was born July 1, 1908, in Taos.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
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