Gomez under fire from Red Rock staff
Principal gets support
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Teachers at Red Rock Elementary School are angry
with Superintendent Robert Gomez at what they see as an attempt
to ruin their principal's reputation.
Forty-two teachers and staff at the school signed a letter to
Gomez and faxed the letter to the Independent. Principal Chantal
Irvin was listed as one of four principals whose contract is still
under review and who has not yet been rehired for the next school
year.
Gomez listed to the press all the principals whose contracts have
been renewed and four whose contracts are still under review.
This information was presented at the school board meeting Monday
night at Navajo Pine High School.
The names appeared in an article Tuesday.
"We do not appreciate the way that you are trying to destroy
her reputation," the letter to Gomez says. "She is an
excellent principal, one of the best in the district."
The letter calls for Gomez to apologize personally to Irvin and
to make a formal apology in the Independent.
Gomez was out of town until Monday and could not be reached for
comment. Assistant Superintendent Angelo DiPaolo said Thursday
that Gomez did not say the four principals were not recommended
for rehire.
Instead, Gomez said that the review process has not been completed
in the four principals' cases. He also stated in the article that
people should not read too much into the fact that the principals
hadn't been rehired yet.
"There was nothing said that he wasn't recommending her back,"
DiPaolo said of Irvin.
DiPaolo has fielded complaints from parents about Irvin. He said
the review process contained different deadlines for different
people.
"We just didn't get them done in a timely fashion,"
DiPaolo said.
Irvin said Thursday that she was upset to be listed in the group
of principals who had not yet been rehired. She said she's sure
she will be rehired at the next board meeting.
The fact that some of the review process isn't finished on particular
principals makes it look like there's something wrong with those
principals, Irvin said.
"It casts an aspersion on my 30-year career," Irvin
said.
She said she's always received excellent evaluations including
her evaluation this year.
What Gomez should have done was wait until all the reviews were
complete for all of the principals before he told the board who
would be rehired, said Red Rock teacher Glynda Samford, one of
the 42 who signed the letter. That might have meant waiting until
the next board meeting to make the announcement.
"She's the most competent principal I've ever worked for.
She's an excellent educational leader," said Samford, who
has taught at the school for 15 years.
Irvin has a great rapport with students, teachers and parents,
said Samford, a second-grade teacher.
Fourth-grade teacher Ardith Couzens said this is her 33rd year
of teaching at Red Rock Elementary School. She praised Irvin's
manner of supporting teachers.
"Of all the principals, she is the best principal I've ever
worked with," Couzens said.
Gomez should have waited until all the reviews were finished with
principals instead of telling the press that certain ones had
a longer review process, she said.
"The implication to all of us was she wasn't doing a good
enough job and has to be reviewed," Couzens said.
DiPaolo is upset that teachers took Gomez's comments in a negative
manner when it was just the paperwork that hadn't been finished
by Monday's meeting.
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UNM-Gallup graduates to face a digital
road
411 receive degrees
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The road ahead for the 411 students who graduated from
the University of New Mexico-Gallup on Thursday is going to be a hard
one.
But speakers at the school's commencement exercises advised them that
the going would be a lot easier if they realized that the world they
were entering was constantly changing and they would have to adapt
or be left behind.
"The best advice I can give is to do good," said Brian Foster,
provost for the University of New Mexico. "If you do, it will
continue to give you greater satisfaction."
The school bestowed a record 248 associate's degrees, 88 bachelor's,
18 master's and 70 certificates, as well seven GEDs. This marks the
first time that the local branch has ever bestowed master of science
degrees for elementary education.
Much was said about the digital information era that the graduates
will be entering and the need to keep up to date by never stop learning.
David Stiger, president of the school's student senate, urged graduates
to keep in touch with their school and even consider taking a couple
of courses again next year.
"UNM-Gallup is growing and getting better all the time,"
he said.
The stress on the digital age was continued with the selection this
year of Dwayne Jordan as the recipient of the college's Distinguished
Citizen Award.
The award is given annually to a man or woman who not only is an exceptional
citizen of the community but also one who has helped the college either
as an active volunteer or on one of its numerous boards.
Jordan, a former high-ranking official for the Navajo Nation, has
worked for the last decade for the Rehoboth McKinley County Hospital,
the last five as its chief information officer.
As such, he has moved from the political world to one of high-speed
computers and technology, helping to bring the best of this technology
to the Gallup area.
Jordan said he was surprised to learn last week that he had been chosen
for the honor but during his acceptance, he stressed that he was one
of several people who have been working over the years to bring Gallup
into the computer age.
He told the students that one of the things that he has learned over
the years is that one person can make a difference.
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No bomb in suspicious box
Tara Drolma
Staff Writer
GRANTS — New Mexico State Police responded Wednesday to a call
from the Post Office to investigate a package which postal employees
thought might be a bomb. However, it turned out to be a shipment of
urine.
State Police Sgt. Rick Doty said Officer Joe Molina, an Emergency
Response officer trained in hazardous materials, and Grants Fire and
Rescue Department responded to a call about a possible bomb.
Postmaster Walter McBane said a clerk brought the package, which had
been deposited as outgoing mail, to him because it did not have an
address label or a return address on it. Postal procedures require
the postmaster to treat any package without labels as suspicious.
McBane said he could tell it contained a liquid.
McBane followed procedures and called the postal inspector in Albuquerque,
who called the state police. After police arrived they spoke with
an employee who told them the package resembled those that are sent
out regularly by the Probation and Parole Department.
Officers went to the probation department and got a box like the ones
the department normally ships urine specimens in.
After comparing the two boxes, officers determined they were the same,
so they opened the suspicious package. Inside they found urine samples
from the Probation and Parole Department.
McBane said it is important for customers who are mailing a package
over 16 ounces to present it in person at the Post Office. The package
needs to have a return label and a mailing label.
Casino theft
A Georgia woman who stopped at the Sky City Casino Wednesday misplaced
her purse, which was then stolen.
Doty said the woman told officers she had $1,000 and credit cards
in the purse. She had been playing the slot machines and she forgot
to pick up her purse when she moved to a new machine. When she realized
what she had done and returned to look for her purse, it was gone.
Officers found the purse abandoned near the Exit 102 rest area, minus
the money and credit cards.
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Guliford captures 800 title
Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer
ALBUQUERQUE — After one day of competiton at the AAA through
AAAAA state tournament the Gallup Bengals have produced a state champion
and the Grants Lady Pirates have scored 13 points.
Gallup Bengal Felicia Guliford became the first area athlete to win
a state championship in the 2001 state track meet with a time of 2:15.24
in the girls 800 meter run finals.
"I think I did good," said Felicia Guliford, who said she
missed her goal time by about two seconds. "So far we look pretty
good." She said that though the Lady Bengals are doing good so
far, she does not know if they will be able to pull out a state
championship. "We just don't have the numbers this year,"
she said.
Guliford added that she hopes to do as well in the last two days of
competition, competing in several more distance events.
The junior standout will compete in the 1600 meter run today and the
3200 tomorrow. She will also run a relay. During the regular season,
Guliford helped the 1600 medley relay team qualify for state.
The Gallup boys also produced some points on the opening day of the
state meet, scoring two points with a fifth place finish by Maurice
Guliford in the boys 800 with a 1:59.66.
Maurice Guliford said that he thinks he could have finished higher
than his fifth place in his race.
"I got boxed in and it caught me off rhythm," he said. "I
tried my best. I was shooting for first or second but it just didn't
work out."
Marurice said that he is looking foreward to the 400 meter preliminaries
on Friday and finals on Saturday.
"I am going to go all out in the 400," he said. "It
is my last race of my high school career."
Vanessa Hubbard also qualified for the Lady Bengals in the only other
preliminary Gallup was entered in, the 100 meter girls hurdles. Hubbard
clocked a time of 16.30 in the preliminaries. She will run as the
number two seed in the finals on Saturday.
"We've done as good as we possibly could," said Gallup head
coach Spencer Sielschott. "We look well going into Saturday."
The Grants boys were unable to score in their only final while the
Lady Pirates were able to score points with three girls in two events,
getting a good break and a bad break along the way.
"We thought we could get two of our runners in the 100,"
said Grants boys head coach Bob Vandiver. "And then in the 800
our guy ran a PR and took eighth."
In the 100 meter dash, Grants' top runner was disqualified for a false
start and their second runner was unable to qualify for the finals,
missing the cut by three one-hundreths of a second, finishing with
a 11.46. The last runner to qualify finished the preliminaries with
a time of 11.43.
The Grants boys were able to qualify in the 4x100 relay though.
"There are still two more days, and we will try and be optimistic,"
said Vandiver. "We are a pretty young team. We hope to get some
points in the 1600 finals."
The Grants girls had an up and down first day, with Maegan Montoya
breaking a school record and then her leg. Montoya went up for her
second pole vault attempt at 9-0, a school record height, but on her
way down broke her leg. She was unable to finish her jumps and came
in second.
Two other Lady Pirates, Josephine Jaramillo and Erin Lewis also scored
points in the pole vault, both tying for fifth place with a 7-0 jump.
Lewis also finished second in the girls 800 meters with a time of
2:22.76.
"I felt really good going into the competiton," said Lewis,
who placed in both the 800 and pole vault finals. "The team looks
really good."
"We are looking real good," said Grants girls head coach
Theresa Dominguez. "We are going to have to change some things
around without Maegan, but I still feel confident that we will be
okay."
Dominguez said that Montoya was supposed to run in three relays and
that she will have to be replaced.
"We are the kind of team that will rise to the occasion,"
Dominguez said.
"I think we look real strong," said Antonio Dominguez, who
qualified for the 100 meter hurdle finals. She finished with a time
of 17.79 and will be seeded sixth in the finals. "(Missing Montoya)
will hurt the team, but we have a lot of girls who will step in and
can do very good."
Dominguez will be competing in the long jump finals on Friday.
"There is pretty good competition here," said Josephine
Jaramillo, who qualified for the 100 meter dash on Thursday, along
with her pole vault finish. "I thought I would have done better
in the pole vault, but I made up for it in the 100."
Jaramillo qualified for the finals in the 100 meter with a time of
12.99. She will be seeded first in the finals on Saturday.
Kirtland boys head coach Tom Adair said that he was disappointed with
his relay teams, but that he was pleased with his distance runners
and shot put thrower.
"The distance runners did outstanding," he said. "We
got a little ahead of where we wanted to be with our shot put thrower
placing so high, but I think without our relays we will lose points
in the end."
The Broncos' 4X400 and 4X100 relay teams were both eliminated in the
preliminaries. The Kirtland 110 meter hurdler was also unable to qualify
for the finals. Kirtland's Chad Dawson finished second in the 800
meter run with a time of 1:56.08 and Vernon Harrison finished right
behind him in third with a time of 1:58.15.
"I ran a PR today," said Dawson, who will be competing in
the 1600 and 3200 meter runs on Friday and Saturday. "My goal
was just to try and run with Phil Sakala and I came in right behind
him."
Sakala from Onate took first with at time of 1:54.04.
"I was hoping for first, but in the end Phil was just too much
for me," said Dawson. "But I came in second, which is the
next best you can do."
Kirtland's Aaron Doolin took third in the shot put with a throw of
48-08.
Wingate head coach David Garza said that his runners surpassed his
expectations during the first day of competition.
"We kind of expected the ones that are here to be here,"
he said. "We did not expect them to do as well as they did."
Wingate's Leonardo Jim placed sixth in the 800 meters with a time
of 2:03.30 and Lady Bear Cateka Tsosie finished fourth in the girls
800 with a time of 2:36.12.
"I could have done better," said Tsosie. "I am satisfied
with my marks." Tsosie said that she expected to come in fifth
or lower, but was suprised to come in fourth. "The race went
so fast," she said.
Jim said that he thinks he did good.
"This was my first time running the 800 in state," he said.
"I thought I would finish eighth. "I just told myself that
I have to push myself."
Jim said he is looking forward to running in the 1600 and 3200 meter
runs, and that Tsosie has helped him prepare for his races.
"She is doing pretty good for a freshman," he said. "She
was the one who told me to push my hardest."
Thoreau boys head coach Dick Heward said he was pleased with the way
his team finished, qualifying for the 4X100 relay and 100 meter dash.
"I think in the sprints we will do well," he said. "In
the field events we only have one, and it is going to be tough to
get him in."
Heward said that the relay team had some problems on handoffs and
will have to pick it up in the finals.
The Thoreau girls start Friday with girls in two events.
Tohatchi coach John Moore said that he hopes to get some points on
the second day. Tohatchi had a relay team in the 4X400 but they did
not qualify for the finals.
"There is tough competition here," said Moore. "We
have to run faster than we did today."
Moore said that his relay team was able to cut more than 30 seconds
off of their best time in the preliminary race, but it was still not
enough to qualify.
Tohatchi only has one girl competing at the state meet, Larenda Carl
and she will compete in the shot put on Friday.
Shiprock head coach Al Madera said that he was hoping for a few more
points after the first day, but that his team is looking okay.
"Everybody is hitting their PRs at the right time," he said.
"I was being realistic, hoping we score 15 points in the boys
and five in the girls. They were a little set back when I told them
I wanted to score five when we came out of district scoring over 200
points. They don't understand how good the competiton is here that
five points is more realistic."
Madera said that he is hoping to qualify two relays on Friday to get
closer to scoring points for the Chieftains. The boys 4X100 relay
team was unable to qualify for finals, and in the girls their 100
meter hurdler was unable to qualify. The only Chieftain to score any
points on the first day of competiton was Preston Wilson, scoring
a half of a point with a tie for sixth place in the boys high jump.
He finished with a jump of 5-6.
Crownpoint's only athlete competing on the first day of competition
was Emily Wilk, who just missed qualifying for the finals in the girls
100 meter dash.
The state track meet continues today at UNM Stadium with field events
starting at 9 a.m. and the running events starting at 1 p.m. On Saturday
the field events start at 8 a.m. and the running events start at noon.
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'No show' keeps Ortiz job in limbo
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — County Manager Bob Ortiz's future as Cibola's top administrative
officer is still uncertain despite a special meeting Thursday which
did not turn out to be so special.
The five-member county commission was supposed to decide if Ortiz,
who has worked in government for 27 years, will remain as the manager,
but then Commissioner Fred Scott apparently forgot about the meeting
and did not show up. The meeting was supposed to begin at 6 p.m.,
but after waiting 13 minutes for Scott to show and then finding out
he forgot about the meeting, the commission decided to end the session
and set a new special meeting for 6 p.m. May 17.
County officials held a special April 27 meeting to evaluate Ortiz's
job performance for the two years he has held the office and at that
meeting, Commission Chairman Isaac Padilla was late; however, he did
show up.
Commissioner James Meisner asked District Attorney Lemuel Martinez
for direction. "Since all five commissioners are not present
is it proper for us to go ahead with matters of this importance?"
he asked...
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Gallup youth baseball ready for summer start
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The Gallup summer youth baseball season officially gets
under way Saturday with officials for the Boys and Girls Club reporting
that everything is going smoothly.
There has been some concern by city officials over the program this
year because of the controversy this past spring when the city council
decided to give responsibility of the program to the Boys and Girls
Club instead of the local branch of the National Little League.
City Manager David Ruiz said recently that the transition has apparently
gone without a hitch, although there were some concerns about whether
this would happen because of the short time the program's new officials
had to prepare.
McClellan Hall, who is overseeing the program this year, said the
transition hasn't happened without a few problems, mainly dealing
with equipment...
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Court overturns Wide Ruins case
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Supreme Court has ruled that
a Wide Ruins applicant for the school's top administration post,
who was denied the position, should have sought relief in federal
court.
The court's 3-0 ruling, filed May 4, affects former Bureau of Indian
Affairs-administered schools that have become "grant"
schools, better known as community schools.
The ruling overturns a decision made by the Navajo Nation Labor
Commission in December 1999, which awarded Lula Mae Stago back pay,
out-of-pocket expenses and attorney's fees of more than $34,000.
The commission determined that in choosing a less-qualified job
applicant over Stago, the Wide Ruins Community School board had
failed to follow the Navajo Preference in Employment Act...
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Work begins on Indian marketplace
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Sandia Oil Company is working hard to make a
July 4 deadline for the opening of the Chi Hoo Tso Indian Market
Place's vendors' building.
The project includes an Indian marketplace for residents and visitors
to enjoy traditional Diné food and genuine Navajo-made arts
and crafts.
Crews are now on 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, trying to make
up time lost by the belated departure of former residents who signed
court documents last August but still say they weren't given enough
time to leave.
Sandia project manager Roy Starr said Tuesday that the firm had
been given 90 days to erect the project at the junction of Arizona
Route 264 and BIA Route 12, where the old Window Rock Flea Market
had been located...
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Police remove hungry kids
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Navajo police took three children, all age 4,
from their father last week after officers found no food in the
refrigerator of their Window Rock apartment.
Lawmen charged Daniel Lincoln, 24, with three counts of endangering
the welfare of minors after housing authorities became suspicious
when no one answered the door for a certification inspection, but
they could hear the children inside.
The children were sent to the Hogan Hozhoni.
According to the Window Rock Law Enforcement District report, officers
found old food dried up on newspapers, extremely strong odors and
a general mess, with no adult or babysitter with the youngsters.
Fire levels home
A fire the morning of April 29 leveled a single-wide mobile home
in the Crystal Chapter, but no one was injured. The Window Rock
police report did not identify the family which lived in the home.
It was listed as being owned by Priscilla Begay, 47, of Phoenix...
2 city heads get permanent posts
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Two men who have been working as acting department
directors for the city for the past several months have been given
permanent appointments.
Joe Athens has been named manager of Red Rock State Park and Esco
Chavez has been named executive director for the city's parks and
recreation and senior citizen departments.
Neither comes as a complete surprise since city officials have been
saying for months that they thought Athens and Chavez were doing
good jobs in their acting positions.
Athens will continue to oversee the city's beautification program,
although some of his duties dealing with maintaining projects have
been delegated to Vince Alonzo...
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Deaths
Henry N. Charley Sr.
TWO GREY HILLS — Services for Henry N. Charley, Sr., 56, will
be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 12, at Toadlena Christian Reformed
Church. The Rev. Bessie Teswood will officiate. Burial will follow
at Toadlena Cemetery.
Charley died May 7 in Albuquerque. He was born July 11, 1944, in Tocito,
N.M.
Survivors include his wife, Rena S. Charley of Two Grey Hills; sons,
Henry Charley Jr. of Mariano Lake, and Albert Charley
of Las Vegas, N.M.; daughters, Karlene Johnhat of Grants and Marlene
Yazzie and Regina Charley, both of Toadlena;
brothers, Tom Charley of Shiprock, Jimmie Charley of Toadlena, John
Charley of Denver, Colo., and Larry Charley of
Waterflow; and four grandchildren.
Charley was preceded in death by his parents, Morris and Mary Begay;
brother, Randall; and sister, Lilly.
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