Gangs getting bolder
But youth advocates help members turn lives around
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
ROCK SPRINGS — In Chinle, Ariz., eight area gangs are getting
bigger, stronger and bolder every day.
This summer, the Navajo Nation is seeing an increase in gang-related
burglaries. Theft targets include guns, VCR cameras, Nintendo
games anything of value that can be quickly sold on the street.
With the proceeds, wanna-be gangs can step up from "scavenger"
status to territorial mode.
In Fort Defiance, members of the Cobra gang within past years,
the largest and most violent gang in Navajo land have been known
to chase people into their homes and beat them.
The above facts come from Stuart Calniptewa, a private consultant
and former police officer who works with Navajo law enforcement.
For the past four years, he and Mary Chris Martin, a self-described
"youth advocate," have lessened the negative influence
of the Cobras by giving them positive projects to do. One involved
several members building a playground.
"We have to take a serious look at gangs because they're
here ... it's only going to get worse if we don't continue to
intervene," Calniptewa said.
Calniptewa and Martin were two of the presenters Thursday during
a two-day Wellness Conference-Injury Prevention event, "Let's
Make Rock Springs a Safe and Healthy Community." It was held
at the chapter house.
Calniptewa emphasized his message with revealing slide show photos.
Some were taken by journalists from the Chicago Tribune during
a reservation trip in 1999.
The slides demonstrated how "tagging" and "code
words" two mainstays of gang graffiti painted on just about
any kind of wall, from a water tower to the easiest targets, abandoned
buildings are a growing problem. Graffiti is now found across
the reservation, spreading north from Tsaile, Ariz., and Navajo,
N.M., to Lukachukai, Shiprock and beyond.
The acts resulting in destruction of property appear to be getting
bolder. Calniptewa showed a slide of a black-and-white "Do
not pass" sign made permeable by a large bullet hole.
"It's all over," he said. "You have the original
gang members, and then you have their disciples." Gang membership
stretches from kindergarten age to experienced holdouts well into
their 30s, Calniptewa added.
Martin was part of an innovative approach since 1996 that has
helped lessen violence produced by Cobra gang members,
whose turf has been the Rio Puerco Acres housing complex in Fort
Defiance. Five women, some of whom had lost their own children
to killings by gang members, pushed a tribal curfew law that still
exists. Gang members were hired to give
motivational talks at chapters and community centers on the power
of high self-esteem.
A new type of thinking evolved, Martin said, which meant adults
looking gang members in the eyes, and believing that they "could
be turned on to the power and strength of their own language and
culture."
Cobra members also became more cooperative after 10 of them went
to prison for some extremely violent acts, Martin said.
One incident at Black Rock Creek involved gang members stabbing
a man more than 100 times, then throwing the dead body into the
creek.
"They just continued to smoke marijuana and drink over (his
body)," Calniptewa recalled.
However, gang members can turn their lives completely around for
the better, he said. Bob Garcia, now in his 30s and the original
leader of the Cobras, founded in 1986, works with Head Start children
in Window Rock.
Gang members typically come from broken, dysfunctional homes,
so the key is to give their participation high value through work
and projects, Martin said.
"We don't want them in jail. We don't want them in prison,
and we don't want them dead," she said.
Calniptewa said putting gang members to work and giving them real
projects is the only solution at present, since the Navajo juvenile
justice system, in his opinion, simply cannot handle the burden
of deterrence through proper punishment.
"They don't have to pay restitution (for crimes) because
they can't pay for it, anyway," he said. "Something
has to be done."
At these juvenile centers, participants "eat burgers, kick
back" and then get to go home within a short turnaround time,
sometimes the next day or within a few days, even for serious
crimes, Calniptewa said. This creates a real crisis of morale
for tribal police officers who spend much time and effort often
putting their lives on the line bringing gang offenders to justice.
"The Navajo Nation's juvenile justice system is really kind
of weak right now," he said.
There are about 110 gangs on the Navajo Nation, Calniptewa said.
Tribal law enforcement officers keep track of their habits to
the full extent possible, such as noting who the gang leaders
are.
Innovative surveillance techniques have been employed for this
purpose, such as the use of night scopes.
| Top |
Gallup plans water limits
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The city plans to restrict the use of water in the near
future because of local drought conditions.
City Manager David Ruiz said Thursday during his weekly press conference
that city officials are looking at plans to go on an even-odd method
in order to conserve water over the next couple of months.
Under this plan, houses with even numbered addresses would be allowed
to water lawns on certain days while residents in odd numbered houses
would be able to water their lawns on other days.
In previous summers, the city has undertaken water conservation measures
by restricting watering by the city and the schools.Ruiz said that
will be done as well but the city will have to go further by restricting
water use by residents.
City officials also will be watching for residents overwatering their
lawns and causing water to run down the streets. If a complaint is
filed or if a city police officer notices water in the streets, he
will follow it back to the source and the homeowner will first be
given a warning and if it happens again, he or she will be cited.
In the past, the city also has urged residents to water in the evening
after the sun goes down or in the early morning hours to cut down
on evaporation.
The city also plans to take extra steps this Fourth of July holiday
because of the drought conditions.
"We had a wet winter but it looks as if we will have a dry Fourth,"
Ruiz said, adding that the decision by the county to allow the sale
of aerial fireworks will make it even more dangerous.
"Everything is very dry, the roofs, the weeds so we will have
everyone on double standby," he said...
| Top |
Cibola board OKs repairs
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — School board members were presented with a master plan
which shows more than $23 million in work will have to be done just
to bring the district's facilities up to standards. And that price
doesn't even include the two high schools.
Superintendent Linda Coy told the trustees that the document will
be a good one to take to the community to show which projects the
Grants/Cibola County School District will try to do over the next
few years. The news media was not given a copy of the same material
given to board members, so details of the plan are unavailable.
The master plan was one of the items discussed in the recent school
board meeting.
Coy said the facilities master plan and the $23-plus million in work
is "our hill to climb."
She added that the firm which put the master plan together will be
in Grants on July 2 for a more extensive presentation, during which
Coy said she would like to have members of the community present to
hear the whole picture on what needs to be done.
Board member Bob Murdoch asked about the "ranking of projects"
in the plan and was told the plan does give priority ratings on the
various projects listed.
Board member Lloyd Felipe said the plan includes a mountain of information
the board needs to sift through. Felipe said something needs to be
done to all of the district's facilities. Communities where each of
the facilities are located need to be part of the upgrade process,
he said.
Coy said that Grants High School and Laguna High School facilities
are not in the plan because the district has other plans for those
buildings.
Murdoch asked where the Grants/Cibola district ranks, concerning facilities,
compared with the state's other 88 districts. Coy told him: "You
know, maybe in the middle ... possible lower middle. I think if you
included Grants and Laguna high schools it would pull it down significantly,
so certainly we have a lot of work to do."
Coy said the government has set aside "hundreds of millions of
dollars to address health and safety needs of students." She
said now, because of the conditions of the schools, is a perfect time
to request some of the funds.
"These documents now give us some really good information we
can pull off when we are applying for those other funds," Coy
said.
Felipe said he also wanted meetings about the master plan to be held
in outlying areas of the district, and he moved that the master plan
be adopted.
School Board member Don Sandoval seconded the motion and the board
voted 4-0 to approve it.
In other matters the board:
Approved 4-0 an almost $1.5 million budget adjustment request for
Title I funds; a $32,844 budget adjustment request for Title II funds;
a $262,378 budget adjustment request for Title VI funds; a $19,285
budget adjustment request for title IV funds; and a $31,400 budget
adjustment request for Title VI funds.
Approved 4-0 a continuation of the district's sick leave bank plan.
Approved 4-0 a $1,059,173 contract with Mesa Transportation Inc.,
for fleet services.
Approved 4-0 the elementary schools language arts and math curriculum.
Approved 4-0 a resolution which allows school administration to get
rid of surplus property.
Tabled action on a policy change which would allow the marching band
program to meet physical education requirements for graduation.
Approved 4-0 school handbooks.
Tabled action on administrative salaries until the district's reorganization
is completed.
Approved the following hires, leaves and resignations for the next
school year:
Certified personnel: Raymond Lain, David La Court, Guy Archambeau,
Joyce Footracer, James Williamson, Johnny Hollins,
Margaret Bland, Stacey Maes, Roman Martinez, Renee Salazar, David
Whitefield, Brian Nehr.
Classified: Dean Ellsworth.
Leave of Absences:Patricia Urioste, Sharon Puderbaugh, Teresa Burns.
Resignations: Dorothy Garcia, Coleen Becenti, Jennifer Torivio, Mary
Zuni, Michael Herbert, Fredrick Sassone, Al Torske,
David Jackson and Cathy Hebert.
| Top |
Bischoff claims second straight title
Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer
GALLUP — Gigi Bischoff won the Holman's Diamond in the Rough
golf tournament for the second year in a row.
Bischoff shot an 83 at the Gallup Municipal golf course Thursday to
top the 26 golfer field.
"I think I did very well," Bischoff said of her performance.
"The golf course is in very good shape."
Bischoff said that she usually shoots in the low eighties, usually
between 80 and 83. She was right on target Wednesday with an 83. With
her handicap Bischoff finished with a net score of 72, which would
have beat all other net scores except Pat Lanier's 69.
She has competed in several area tournaments this year, including
the Paul Hanson Tournament last month.
"I get flyers promoting tournaments around the area and if I
can play in them I like to go," Bischoff said. She said that
she competes in tournaments in Gallup, Albuquerque, Grants, Farmington
and Durango.
Bischoff said that she likes to compete in tournaments as often as
she can in the surrounding areas. She also said that if there is a
tournament when she goes on vacation that she will sometimes play
in them as well.
The next tournament that Bischoff said she plans to compete in is
the Hillcrest Ladies Championship in Durango on July 17th.
Bischoff, in her eighth year of golfing, said that she is preparing
for the Gallup Lady Golf Association Championships to be held in September.
"It's my home course," she said of playing at the Gallup
Municipal Golf course.
The golfers were divided into three divisions championship flight,
first flight and second flight. The divisions were determined by handicap
and the top three net and gross scores in each division were recognized.
Taking second in the gross scoring in the championship flight was
Denise Bates, shooting an 86. She was followed by Gloria Pace with
a 104.
Taking top honors in the net scoring championship flight was Pat Lanier
shooting a 69 net score. She was followed by Mary Alther with a 78
and Eulalia Skinner with an 81.
Winning the top honors in the gross first flight was Dee Balliger
with a 99, followed by Viola Pena with a 105 and Lyta Head with a
107.
Taking first in the net scoring in the first flight was Barbara Lail,
shooting a 76. She was followed by Birdye Abraham with a 76 and Deborah
Sowers with a 78.
In the second flight Marilou Condrey took firth in the gross scoring
with a 110. She was followed by Shirley Frazier with a 116 and Etheleen
Burgi with a 118.
Taking first in the net scoring in the second flight was Mary Batson
with a 73, followed by Shirley Wilson with a 79 and Pat Holloway with
a 79.
Gloria Price and Joan Lee picked up awards for the longest drives
in the first flight, Pace getting it on hole number nine and Lee on
number 15.
Joan Lee also was the closest to pin on the first flight on hole number
seven.
Shirley Frazier won for the second flight in both categories, getting
the longest drive on hole number three and the closest to pin on hole
number eight.
| Top |
Dogers rally past Indians
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
GALLUP — The Window Rock Dodgers rallied for four runs in the
bottom of the third inning to pull out a thrilling 12-11 win over
the Indians Thursday night in the 8-9 year-old baseball division at
Stafie Memorial Field.
In the opening game, the Braves scored the winning run on the delayed
double steal in the bottom of the fifth to top the Cubs, 7-6.
WR Dodgers 12, >Indians 11
The Window Rock Dodgers and the Indians got themselves hooked up in
a wild three-inning game that was decided in the final inning.
The Indians erupted for six runs on just two hits in the top of the
first off Dodger pitcher Byron Mego. Mego did not help matters much
as he issued six of his 10 walks in the first inning. Pitcher Taylor
Jones had an infield single and Wesley Brown doubled one run in for
the Indians...
| Top |
City to messy people: Clean up your yards
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Your neighbors who have had that junky car in their
front lawn for the past year or who have weeds taller than Michael
Jordan will soon be getting a letter from the city telling them to
clean up their mess or else.
City Manager David Ruiz said Thursday during his weekly press conference
that he has completed a draft of a letter that will be going out in
the next couple of weeks to a number of city residents who have yards
that desperately need some attention.
"We're going to try this approach on some select properties (in
the city) and see how it works," Ruiz said.
City officials have always encouraged city residents either renters
or those who owned their homes to keep them clean but enforcement
of city laws prohibiting eyesores has been less than stringent because
of the lack of code enforcement officers...
| Top |
Kiro prosecutor familiar with death penalty
But undecided in this case
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The deputy district attorney hasn't decided whether
to ask for the death penalty in Robert Kiro's case, but he has experience
in death penalty cases.
Eleventh Judicial Deputy District Attorney Joseph Arite won the
death penalty in one case in Grants and was the judge in another
death penalty case.
Kiro, 34, is accused in the May 30 murder of Gallup Police Cpl.
Larry Brian Mitchell after a nine-hour standoff with police. The
standoff ended hours after Mitchell's death when Kiro surrendered
to police.
Gallup has never had a death penalty case that originated in Gallup,
although Gallup jurors heard a Farmington case in which the death
penalty was sought in 1994. Jurors sentenced the defendant, Kevin
Ogden, to life in prison...
| Top
|
Fort Defiance site burned, vandalized
James Staley
Staff Writer
FORT DEFIANCE, Ariz. — Vandals attacked the Tse Hoot Sooi Community
Center, smashing and burning the inside of the building early Thursday,
said Acting Navajo Nation Police Chief Francis Bradley.
The vandals destroyed office equipment, speakers and a vending machine
after breaking in through a window. They also wrecked the kitchen
and started a fire in one of the administrative offices which caused
heat and smoke damage to the ceilings and main entrance. A damage
estimate is not yet available.
Officials found pollen/dust masks and rubber gloves in several places
at the scene but found none of the tools used in the destruction.
There was evidence that the vandals were on the roof.
"(The fire) definitely was intentionally set," Bradley
said. Apparently the culprits started the fire on a large pile of
paper. It is not known if any type of fuel, like gasoline, was used
to propel the flames...
| Top
|
'Gallup Life' strives for positive
image
Heather Armstrong
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Gallup Life, a 49-page four-color magazine profiling
Gallup, makes its debut this week.
Judith Leyba, magazine editor and head of advertising, described
the magazine as a community profile. Gallup Life highlights the
goings-on of Gallup that usually aren't in the spotlight.
"I've always felt people didn't get the right impression of
Gallup," Leyba said in a telephone interview. The magazine
is an attempt to shed light on the positive aspects of the community.
Gallup Mayor John Pena applauds Gallup Life. While Pena has not
yet seen the magazine, he did see an issue of Silver City Life,
a sister magazine to Gallup Life...
State warns Milan: Turn in reports!
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
MILAN — An official with the New Mexico Department of Finance
and Administration brought a message to the Milan board of trustees
Thursday: Get the required finance reports done or else.
The village is behind one year in submitting state-required financial
reports to the department. That has never happened before in the
department's history, Assistant Division Director Darlene Mares
told the board, adding that the reports are mandated by state law.
Milan Mayor Elisabeth Lopez-Rael said Village Manager David Jiron
is supposed to do the quarterly financial reports, but he does not
know how to fill out the reports to send to DFA, so the village
has lagged behind in its statutory requirements.
And then Mares laid down the law...
| Top
|
Deaths
Herman Touchin Sr.
CHURCH ROCK — Services for Herman Touchin Sr., 51, will be held
at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 23, at Rollie Mortuary-Palm Chapel. Pastor
Bobby Boyd will officiate. Burial will follow at Rehoboth Mission
Cemetery.
Touchin died June 19. He was born March 3, 1950, in Grants into the
Mexican People Clan for the Zuni People Clan.
Touchin worked as a foreman with BNSF Railroad Co. for 20 years. He
was also a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in Vietnam.
Survivors include his wife, Farrah Touchin of Church Rock; sons, Harvey
Touchin, Edman Touchin, and Herman G. Touchin Jr., all of Church Rock;
daughters, Hermina Touchin of Albuquerque, Cindy Touchin, Savannah
R. Touchin, and Doldra P.
Touchin, all of Church Rock; brothers, George Touchin Jr. of Mexican
Springs and Jerry Touchin of Cousins; and one
grandchild.
Touchin was preceded in death by his father, George Touchin Sr.; mother,
Mary D. Begay; brothers, Harry Touchin, Roger Touchin and Thomas Touchin;
and sister, LaRose Touchin.
Pallbearers will be J.K. John, Brian Showalter, Ray Sloan, Edman Touchin,
Herbert Touchin, and Herman Touchin Jr.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Charlotte Watchman
TOHATCHI — Services for Charlotte Watchman, 30, will be held
at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 23, at Tohatchi Pentecostal
Church. The Rev. Benjamin Manygoats will officiate. Burial will be
at Tohatchi Cemetery.
Watchman died June 18. She was born May 3, 1971, into the Bitterwater
Clan for the Mountain Recess People.
Watchman graduated from Tohatchi High School. She was previously employed
with Tohatchi Special Education. She was
employed with Tohatchi High School at the time of her death.
Survivors include her husband, Erwin Allison of Tohatchi; sons, Lyle
Allison and Dwight Allison, both of Tohatchi; mother,
Ella Rose Watchman of Tohatchi and brothers, Ronald Etsitty, Gordan
Watchman, Watson Watchman and Walton
Watchman, all of Tohatchi, Bennie Watchman of Twin Lakes, and Virgil
Watchman of Thoreau.
Watchman was preceded in death by her father, Ben Watchman, and sister,
Susie Kinsel.
Pallbearers will be Ronald Etsitty, Virgil Watchman, Bennie Watchman,
Watson Watchman, Walton Watchman, and Aaron
Kinsel.
The family will receive friends and relatives following services.
Cope Memorial Chapel is charge of arrnagements.
Robert F. "Bob" Jones
WINKENBURG, Ariz. — Private services for Robert Jones, 85, were
held June 16 in Wickenburg.
Jones died June 8 in Sun City West, Ariz. He was born June 6, 1916,
in San Francisco, Calif.
Jones served in the U.S. Marines and the Army. He was wounded at Pearl
Harbor and saw action at Guadalcanal during
World War II and in Korea. He retired from the Army with the rank
of major.
He was elected to the New Mexico Senate in 1966. After moving to Gallup
in 1968 he also served as liaison between the
Legislature and the governor.
While in Gallup, he was a member of the Rotary Club, the Chamber of
Commerce, the Retired Officers Association and the
Elks Lodge No. 2160 in Wickenburg.
Jones owned and operated the Gallup Taco Bells and Baskin Robbins
franchise.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret "Hill" Jones; daughters,
Marilyn Donathan of Farmington, Janet Jenkins of Peoria, Ill.,
Barbara Nelson of Gallup and Nancy Cota of Albuquerque; 10 grandchildren
and one great-grandchild.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to R&R Respite Care,
580 S. Mariposa Dr., Wickenburg, Ariz. 85390.
| Top
|
Contact the Gallup
Independent
Please send the Gallup Independent feedback on
this website and the paper in general.
E-mail: gallpind@cia-g.com
By mail:
The Independent
PO Box 1210 Gallup, NM 87305
500 N. 9th Gallup, NM 87301
All contents property of the Gallup Independent.
Any duplication or republication requires consent of the Gallup
Independent.
Feel free to send any questions or comments to gallpind@cia-g.com
E-mail the webmaster at martyr_dom@hotmail.com
for problems concerning the website ONLY.
|
