Gallup man arrested after shots fired
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — A tactical response team broke into a home where
a barricaded man had fired several shots and threatened his girlfriend
Monday afternoon.
Gallup Police were called to 507 N. Fourth St. at 2 p.m. to investigate
a shooting, according to a police report.
Neighbor Melinda King said she was home when her neighbor, Marlene
Billie, 46, came to her house.
Billie said that her boyfriend, Manuel Contreras, 61, was drunk
and had pointed a gun at Billie and others at the home.
Billie told King that Contreras had purchased two guns that morning
for $200 and that she was scared of him. Billie left with a group
of people and said she was going to her sister's house.
A short while later, King heard three shots. She told police she
wasn't sure if she should call the police, but when she heard
a few more shots being fired, she called 911.
Afterward, she heard about 10 more shots.
King said she saw Contreras through a window. He saw a gun in
his hand.
Gallup Police arrived, along with McKinley County Sheriff's deputies
and New Mexico State Police officers. They knocked on the door
at 507 N. Fourth and called to Contreras to let them in. There
was no response.
By this time, Billie had returned to the scene. She gave police
a key to the front door but said the locks had been broken from
prior police incidents at their home. The doors were locked on
the inside by two-by-four boards, she said.
Police decided to gather a tactical team to break into the house
and apprehend Contreras. The team was formed of five Gallup police
officers and two sheriff's deputies.
Police set a perimeter around the house and blocked off Wilson
and Fourth streets near the house.
Gallup Police Lt. Jess Watkins rammed in the front door while
the other officers on the tactical team commanded Contreras to
drop his gun and surrender. Officers located Contreras in the
bedroom and handcuffed him without further incident.
An officer discovered seven .32-caliber bullets in Contreras'
pants pocket. Contreras was arrested and charged with aggravated
assault on a household member and shooting inside an occupied
dwelling, both felonies.
Police talked to a manager at B & R Pawn, Feed, Recycling
& Livestock, 514 W. Maloney Ave., where Contreras worked.
The manager said he sent Contreras home early that afternoon because
he was intoxicated. This had happened before, the manager said.
Police spoke to Billie, who smelled of alcohol. She said she and
her brother and some friends were drinking at her home with Contreras.
They became scared when Contreras pointed a gun at people in the
room and threatened to shoot Billie's brother. Billie said she
ran out of the house while Contreras was firing the gun.
That evening, Gallup Police obtained a search warrant for the
home. They found a .32-caliber semi-automatic handgun, which Contreras
had been holding.
Under the mattress, officers found a .22-caliber semi-automatic
handgun. They also found several live and spent .32-caliber cartridges.
There were 14 bullet holes in the walls of the house.
Police took Billie to the Na'Nizhoozhi Center, the local detoxification
center.
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Faction takes on Keeswood
Non Navajo lawyers take hit again
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — All 88 Navajo Nation Council delegates will receive
a copy of a Navajo citizens' group letter expressing alarm over a
statement made by Hogback Delegate Ervin Keeswood Sr. during the council's
recently completed spring sesssion.
Keeswood's comment, in reference to the council, was that "the
people despise this body." The April 20 statement came on a Friday,
the final day of the spring session. It aired on tribal KTNN radio.
The context of the statement during deliberations over whether to
pass a resolution to allow the Diné people a referendum on
the controversial tribal takeover of Indian Health Service was that
the people perceive non-Navajo lawyers within the tribe to be running
tribal government.
Keeswood also said that delegates' actions, such as giving themselves
$10,000 pay raises, have caused the resentment among the people.
By a vote of 32-18-3, delegates voted to put the IHS takeover issue
on a special election referendum ballot within two months. But once
again, unless the council decides otherwise, a majority of all Navajo
registered voters would have to defeat the takeover for it not to
go forward rather than a simple majority of those who actually get
out and vote.
The citizens' group alarmed at Keeswood's "the people despise
this body" statement is the Diné Sovereignty Defense Association.
The western agency-based grassroots group, which went on the record
recently with the Independent over lost opportunities for Colorado
River water rights, says Keeswood may be trying to line up fellow
delegates against their own constituents.
"Statements like (Keeswood's) make the people think he is trying
to ally other delegates against the people and treat them as their
enemy," the Diné Sovereignty letter says. "We are
NOT the enemy."
The letter was sent Wednesday.
The people's enemies are non-Navajo lawyers who run Navajo government,
"and the small handful of delegates who help them keep control,"
it says. "The time has finally come for us (Navajo people) to
govern ourselves."
Diné Sovereignty members say they have confidence in the Navajo
people's abilities and their duly elected delegates' abilities to
achieve true self-determination.
"We don't need three or four non-Navajo lawyers to keep oppressing
us, lying to us and destroying the nation," the letter says.
The letter mentions that in early June, in Las Vegas, Nev., tribal
leaders from Native American nations from across the United States
and Canada will be gathering for the purpose of holding a conference
on how to develop and institute a tribal constitution. The Diné
Sovereignty Defense Association supports a constitution-style form
of government.
Currently, the Navajo Nation operates on tribal codes.
"It is obvious that this (a constitution) is probably the only
long-term way we can finally end our colonial government system,"
the letter says.
The Las Vegas conference on tribal constitutions, "Building Strong
Nations," will be presented by the Falmouth Institute. It will
run June 3-7 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, with participants invited
to participate in a number of separate workshops, such as constitution
writing, the ratification process and amending and revising constitutions
and bylaws.
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Sheriff's traffic-stop drug busts yield
$200,000 in pot
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The McKinley County Sheriff's Department seized $108,000
worth of marijuana in separate traffic stops Sunday and last Friday.
Sheriff's Deputy George Justice stopped a vehicle for speeding on
N.M. 53 in Ramah, according to a press release from the Region II
Narcotics Enforcement Task Force. Justice became suspicious about
the possibility of drugs in the vehicle, and he had his drug-sniffing
dog, Voy, walk around the vehicle.
Voy indicated there were drugs in the vehicle, and a search was conducted.
Justice found 108 pounds of what appeared to be marijuana hidden in
the car.
Also in the vehicle were two small children, ages 3 and 7 months.
Arrested were Fernando Gonzalez, 31, and Norma Orlando, 27, both of
Tucson, Ariz. They were charged with possession with intent to distribute
marijuana, child abuse, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, all
felonies.
Gonzalez and Orlando were booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention
Center. The children were taken to the Christian Child Care Center
in Gallup.
Deputy Wayne Robertson confiscated 86.3 pounds of marijuana during
another traffic stop, according to a sheriff's report. The seizure
occurred on Friday, although the report wasn't ready until Monday.
Robertson noticed the car speeding on Interstate 40 west of the Munoz
exit.He asked the driver if he was carrying illegal drugs. The man
said he wasn't.
The man declined Robertson's request to search the car. Robertson
had his drug-sniffing dog, Fen, walk around the car.
The dog indicated drugs at the front passenger's side of the vehicle.
Robertson said he was going to have the car towed to the sheriff's
department and he was going to obtain a search warrant.
The vehicle was towed, and Robertson obtained the search warrant.
In the trunk, Robertson noticed a large blue bag and a smaller red
bag.
Inside the bag was about 15 bundles of a substance believed to be
marijuana. It weighed in at 86.3 pounds of marijuana, with a street
value of about $86,000.
Robertson arrested the driver, Norman Miller, 25, of Flushing, Mich.,
and charged him with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute,
a felony. The drugs were taken into evidence.
The deputy transported Miller to the detention center.
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Gallup’s Tahe signs letter of intent
Abelita Rose Freeland
Staff Sports Writer
GALLUP — Gallup High School Lady Bengal Roberta Tahe has signed
her letter of intent to attend St. Petersburg Junior College in Florida.
Roberta was first given the choice to attend Colorado State University
and University of Arizona on academic scholarships, but after playing
in the Tour of Legends New Mexico basketball all-star team she changed
her mind.
"After playing the whole Tour of Legends thing I realized how
much I really missed basketball,"said Tahe."It made me want
to play
Finally on April 20, Roberta was given a round-trip airline tickets
to SPJC to take a visit of the school and met the coach and some of
the players.
Roberta was satisfied with the facility and the small college environment
because she could focus on one-on-one with the teachers.
After the visit, Roberta still had doubts in whether or not she would
attend the school because she worried about her grandparents, Paul
and Helen Tahe from Steamboat, Ariz., because she had formed a close
bond with them and didn't want to leave them to do things on their
own.
"They told me to just go over there, we'll be okay,"Roberta
said. When she heard that from her grandparents Roberta decided it
was what she wanted.
While attending SPJC on a full-ride scholarship to play basketball,
Roberta will study electrical engineering.
Roberta has already started to make history at SPJC. She will be the
first Native American to ever play for the team.
"I think it's a big privilege for myself,"Roberta said on
being the first Native American to play for the Lady Trojans."My
family has always wanted me to make something of myself and now this
is helping me in away."
"There has always been the opportunity for Native American's
to play for the team, but they just never went to the orientation,"said
Roberta's mother Rosie Tahe.
"I am very excited,"said the Lady Bengal Roberta Tahe."But
yet I feel I haven't completed what I am suppose to have done."
"I know I could have been a much better player than I am now,"Roberta
added."I hope the younger kids look up to me for the things I
have done and even go further than I did."
While at Gallup High School, Roberta has dedicated herself to just
basketball as a three-year starter for the Lady Bengals.
"Roberta is our only senior starter that we will be losing this
year,"said Lady Bengal coach John Lomasney."We lose seniors
every year, so we just have to forget about it and start over the
next year. That is the bad thing about high school and college is
graduating kids and they go out on their own and hopefully they'll
be successful."
"This is the first year we did not place at state, but we do
have a second and third place with Roberta,"Lomasney said."She
is certainly a qualified basketball player and she contributed to
our program and Roberta is one of the pieces of the puzzle like everybody
else is."
Roberta is glad that she was able to compete against her cousin Melissa
Jones of Ganado. She is also happy to have Dani Aretino, Tanya Bailey
and Iris Wilson.
When askeded to remember just one memorable moment while playing at
Gallup High School, Roberta recalls the District championship game
her sophomore year against long-time 1AAAA rival Farmington High School.
"They whole gym was packed and the last few minutes came down
to just mainly free throws,"Robert remembers."Every time
I got the ball I was fouled and I had to go to the free throw line
and it was pressure on me."
"I just kept thinking, 'just make the free throw and you'll be
okay,' and I made all my free throws and we won,"Robert said.
Roberta said she is very fortunate to have coaches like John Lomasney
and Dave Zehrung.
She describes coach Lomasney as a straightforward coach who will tell
you what he feels and that his strict discipline will help her in
the long run.
"Coach Lomasney always tells me what I need to work on. I would
always remember going up to him and asking him what I need to work
on and he would say, 'are you sure you want me to tell you the truth?'
and I would say 'I don't want to hear it but sure.'"
Roberta said Lomasney always told her what she needed to work on and
finally learned that if she started working on those areas sooner
than later things were easier for her.
She explains Zehrung as being on top of all the academics on all the
athletes and helping her with college.
Roberta plans to attend SPJC for at least two years then transfer
to a major university to continue to play basketball.
"I would like to go to a university in Florida or maybe I can
get lucky and go to Tennessee and play for Pat Summit or in Colorado,"Roberta
said.
Roberta is the daughter of Robert and Rosie Tahe from Yah-ta-hey.
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Students bring toy gun to school
Staff Report
GALLUP — Two students who stand accused of bringing a toy gun
to school weren't arrested Thursday.
In a McKinley County Sheriff's report released Monday, two 12-year-old
boys pointed fingers at each other as to who owned a toy handgun teachers
found in one of the students' lockers at Thoreau Middle School.
The boy whose locker the gun was found in said the other boy found
the gun at Thoreau High School. They were trying to figure out how
to load it with caps.
The other boy said the gun belonged to the boy in whose locker it
was found...
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Jailed teen scuffles with officers
Staff Report
GALLUP — A fight at the Juvenile Detention Center ended in two
corrections officers being injured.
Juvenile Detention Corrections officers Archie Josley and David Gee
reported to McKinley County Sheriff's Department deputies that at
6 p.m. Sunday, during dinner, two juveniles got into a fight. Josley
and Gee said one teen came at Josley and hit him several times in
the face.
Josley and Gee restrained the teen. Josley had a cut on his nose,
and Gee had a swollen finger from the struggle...
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Reservation seniors' building bill halved in Arizona senate
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Arizona Senate on Friday chopped the reservation
senior citizens construction bill in half, then overwhelmingly approved
it.
The bill will now be taken up by the Arizona House of Representatives
to concur with the amendments. If the larger body agrees with the
modifications, the bill will then go to Gov. Jane Hull for signature
or veto. The House was expected to vote on the bill either Monday
or today.
Presidential Legislative Liaison Mellor Willie said the money will
be in the state budget, but since the governor a former Chinle teacher
hasn't received the bill he doesn't know if she will eliminate it
with a line-item veto.
After being approved by the Senate Rules Committee Thursday what
is now House Bill 2485 won the solons OK 24-5 with the other senator
not voting...
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Secretaries' pay hike will be less than teachers
Bill Donovan
Staff writer
GALLUP — There isn't much suspense this year about how much
most public school teachers in McKinley County will be getting next
year.
But the salary increases for many other school employees are still
up in the air.
The Gallup-McKinley County School Board has already addressed, to
some extent, the question of salary increases for secretaries at
its last meeting and will be looking at salaries for teachers and
other personnel in the next few weeks.
The school board agreed to go along with a maximum of a 6.5 percent
increase for secretaries, which is based on the state legislative
recommendation this year...
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IHS takeover: No means yes, yes means
no
Voter registration closes May 18
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Diné voters will go to the polls June
19 to cast their ballots on whether to allow the tribal government
to take over the Navajo Area Indian Health Service through a non-profit
corporation.
The interim elections board, the Navajo Nation Council's Inter-Government
Relations Committee, voted 7-0 Monday to approve the election schedule,
and to add to the ballot that current IHS contracts won't be affected.
Four delegates tried to get the committee to simplify the "yes
means no and no means yes" language the council approved April
20 for the ballot.
At the urging of Chief Legislative Counsel Steve Boos during the
council session, delegates adopted language that would add a prohibition
into the health code thus making the referendum a binding legislative
act, if voters approved...
5 Pinon residents die in house fire
Jim Maniaci
Dine' Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Five Pinon residents died in a house fire Sunday
morning, Navajo police have reported.
The Navajo Criminal Investigation Department identified the victims
as Dewayne Lewis, 28, Darrell Begay, 23, Donahue Kinlicheenie, 18,
and two unidentified girls ages 17 and 16.
Cause of the deadly fire remained under investigation on Monday,
according to Captain Samson Cowboy of CID headquarters.
Chinle district detectives said an unidentified grandfather of one
of the victims discovered the fire around 6 a.m. He and his wife
were unable to awaken the sleeping victims or enter the home because
of intense smoke and heat...
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Deaths
Bernie R. Montano
GALLUP — Services for Bernie R. Montano, 79, will be held at
10 a.m., Wednesday, May 2 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Father Pat Universal
will officiate. Burial will follow at Gallup City Cemetery.
Montano died April 27 in Albuquerque. He was born July 18, 1921 in
Pecos.
A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m., tonight at the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Survivors include his wife, Dora Montano of Gallup; sons, Anthony
Montano, Bernie Montano Jr., Danny Montano and Johnny Montano all
of Gallup; daughters, Bernadette Montano and Cecilia Perez both of
Gallup; sister Dora Rodriguez of Albuquerque and 14 grandchildren.
Montano was preceded in death by his parents, Antonio and Andelia
Montano and brother, Tony Montano.
Pallbearers will be Mike Chavez, Micheal Montano, Eric Perez, Richard
Perez, Andy Rodriguez, Leroy Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Tommy Salas,
Ryan Chavez, Anthony Montano, Bernie Montano Jr., Danny Montano, John
Montano Jr., Johnny Montano, Joshua Montano and Joe Salas.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Michelle Smith
GANADO, Ariz. — Services for Michelle Smith, 18, were held at
2 p.m., today at Presbytian Church in Ganado. Steve Greene will officiate.
Burial will follow at Ganado Cemetery.
Smith died April 24 in Albuquerque. She was born Dec. 18, 1982 in
Fort Defiance, Ariz. into the Honey Combed Rock People Clan for the
Red House People Clan.
Survivors include her parents, Corandina Smith and Thomas Lee Sr.,
both of Red Rock; brothers, Myron Smith of Albuquerque, Nicholas Yazzie
of Ganado, Thomas Lee Jr., Gabriel Lee, Gregory Lee and Tyrrell Lee
all of Red Rock; Amanda Tom of Phoenix, Yvonne Lee, Shivonna Lee,
and Kerianne Lee all of Red Rock; and grandparents, Esther B. Smith
of Ganado and Joe Marie Lee of Red Rock.
Smith was preceded in death by her grandfather, Hugh Smith Sr. and
brother, Darrell J. Begay.
Pallbearers will be Nicholas Yazzie, Clauretta Slivers, Lester Bahe,
Philbert Shirley, Bruce Chee and Mark Curley.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at 3.5 miles east of Cornfields Chapter House, Marco and
Esther Smith resident.
Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Nora James
LOWER GREASEWOOD, Ariz. — Services for Nora James, 87, will be
held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 2 at Assembly of God Church, Lower
Greasewood. Rev. Paul Jones will officiate. Burial will follow at
Lower Greasewood.
James died April 28 in Phoenix. She was born March 12, 1914 in Lower
Greasewood into the Red House Clan of the Big Water Clan.
James was a rancher, homemaker and rug weaver.
Survivors include his sons, Thomas Evans and Anjoe Evans; daughters,
Alice Denny, Mary Clark and Elise McIntyie; 13 grandchildren and four
great grandchildren.
James was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond James and parents,
Etsitty Begay and Mary Begay.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Lower Greasewood Chapter House.
Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Fred Eugene Zschach
PREWITT — Fred Zschach, 81, died April 25. He was born July 16,
1919 in Great Divide, Colo.
Zchach served in the U.S. Army, as a Medical NCO. Battles and campaigns
he served in were Air Offensive Japan, Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea-Southern
Phillippines, Luzon and Western Pacific. Decorations and Citations
awarded were the
American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, and the Philippe
Libertation Ribbion with on Broze Star. He
was discharge as a Corporal with the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron.
He was employed by the Navajo Tribe, as a Supervisor
Drilling Water Wells, Farris Mines, Sherry and Henry Andrews. He was
a member of the Prewitt Volunteer Fire Department
and the Prewitt V.F.W.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret; sons, Fred E. Zschach Jr. of
Bloomfield and Robert Anderson of Gallup; daughters,
Betty Loyd of Albuquerque, Edith Mazon of Gallup and Linda Baca of
Denver, Colo.; brother, Helmer Zschach of Craig,
Colo.; 16 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Zschach was preceded in death by his first wife, Amada DelaO Morris.
Bettie Jo Webster
GALLUP — Services for Bettie Webster, 66, will be held at announced
at a later date. Webster died April 28 in Gallup. She was born April
14, 1935 in Cement, Okla.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Samson Tom
CUBA — Services for Samson Tom, 34, will be announced at a later
date.
Tom died April 29 in Cuba. He was born Jan. 5, 1967 in Crownpoint
into the Hairy People Clan for the Towering House
People Clan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Andrew Yazzie
VANDERWAGON — Services for Andrew Yazzie, 73, will be announced
at a later date.
Yazzie died April 30 in Vanderwagon. He was born Oct. 10, 1927 in
Vanderwagen into the Salt People Clan for the
Towering House People Clan.
A family meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday at the Pine Tree
Mission.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
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