Dilkon playing 'shell game' with chapter funds
School ex-officials asked to leave
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — Dilkon Chapter officials could be under scrutiny
from Navajo Nation attorneys resulting from what some have called
illegal appropriation of chapter funds.
The Independent confirmed from chapter members that a Dilkon Chapter
meeting was held Monday afternoon, with two emergency items passed.
One was a resolution, read aloud, to use approximately $19,500
in chapter housing discretionary funds, normally set aside for
weatherization purposes, and give the funds to Dilcon Community
School employees who have not been paid in recent months. Reportedly,
most school staff to receive the funds are not chapter voting
members, and some are not tribal members.
Navajo council delegates have mandated that specific chapter funds,
such as for housing, may only be spent within specific guidelines.
One chapter member, who wished to remain anonymous, said the chapter
meeting was supposed to be Sunday, not Monday, was not posted
properly and was therefore an illegal meeting. On Tuesday, some
chapter members met with tribal investigators to discuss the appropriation.
A copy of the resolution was unavailable at press time Tuesday.
The Division of Diné Education, in cooperation with the
Bureau of Indian Affairs, is investigating the circumstances that
have led to Dilcon Community School falling into financial ruin.
The school did not have enough funds to finish its school year
that ended June 1.
Patricia Nezzie, a school food service worker, said many among
the school's more than 30 teachers along with fellow staffers
are facing the prospect of losing their homes and their vehicles
because they have not been paid since April. Nezzie is leading
a recall effort to remove school board President Margie Barton
and fellow board members Kee Ben Begay, Gerdie Manygoats, Thelma
Barton and Kee Yazzie Nez.
Nezzie said Barton read aloud Monday's resolution for chapter
members.
A hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Friday in the tribe's Parks and
Recreation Department conference room regarding a challenge to
the recall signatures collected by the Recall Committee.
Eviction resolution
The Dilkon Chapter membership, by a vote Monday of 28-1, with
11 abstentions, also moved to evict former Dilcon school Executive
Director Gene Thomas from the house where he resides that is on
school property. The school board reportedly passed a similar
eviction item Sunday. Also targeted for eviction is former school
Principal Carolyn Pecotte, who has supported Thomas in his fight
to keep his job.
The school board's administrative hearing officer, Larry Foster,
recently ruled that Thomas violated school board policy by not
following proper procedures before expending school funds on such
projects as the purchase of special education trailers and a schoolwide
electrical upgrade. Prior to Foster's ruling, during the May 25
administrative hearing, Thomas argued that the former school board
had consented to all his requested expenditures in excess of $20,000.
Reached for comment Tuesday, Thomas said he is already planning
to move from the Dilkon community in about three weeks. Should
the school board wish to proceed faster, "they'll have to
go through the Navajo courts to do it," he added.
The resolution demands that "Eugene Thomas and Carolyn Pecotte
immediately vacate the premises of Dilcon school, stop all reports
to the media that the community of Dilkon supports them ... (and
that we) initiate plans to reunite and heal our community through
positive means."
The whereas section of the resolution blames Thomas for spending
in excess of $650,000 in school funds without board approval,
adding that "this unauthorized spending by Eugene Thomas
was not budgeted by the school (and) thus caused the current school
financial difficulties."
Thomas said it should be plain when the school's financial records
are reviewed that the school board racked up huge travel debts,
meeting debts and attorney's fees, all of which occurred after
he was placed on paid administrative leave last November.
The school's contention is that the school's debts occurred while
Thomas was still in charge of the school.
Thomas estimates that the school board has held 30 meetings within
the last year, most of which have been for the purpose of planning
strategy to keep him from getting a timely administrative hearing,
and to sanction and-or terminate other school employees. There
are seven school board members for the 400-student Dilcon school,
and for each regular board meeting, each board member receives
$100 per diem plus mileage. For a special meeting, board members
receive $60 per diem plus mileage. The board's attorney receives
$135 per hour.
"They do not have any audit or budget data supporting any
contention that I misspent any money whatsoever," Thomas
said.
He added that the present school board has likely saddled the
school's next administrators with a debt of what he estimates
will be $600,000.
"What they've created here is a wasteland for administrators
and teachers," he said.
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Female pilots race through Gallup
Dallas Moyer
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Under the gloomy backdrop of clouds and rainshowers,
70 female flyers brought good spirits and tall tales of flying to
the Gallup Municipal Airport Tuesday during the 25th annual Air Race
Classic.
Women from all across the country gathered to compete in this cross
country race challenging their stamena, skills and nerves. The race,
which started Tuesday in San Diego, California, will end on June 29
at Batavia, Ohio.
Among the 70 pilots participating in this all-women race, three pilots
carry the torch of the Southwest.
Valden Wooton, the lone pilot from the "Land of Enchantment,"
is flying in her second Classic. She is a retired vocal music teacher
from Silver City.
Suzanne Azar and Eve Fitzpatrick, both from El Paso, Texas, bring
a long tradition for the race and a newcomer to the flying world.
Azar, a flight instructor, is making her fourth appearance in the
Classic.
"I heard about the race through a flying club and it sounded
interesting," Azar said. "After the first one, I had to
do it again, and again and again."
Fitzpatrick, one of Azar's students, said that she was excited to
be competing for the first time. She said that she wanted to race
in the event since she got her license not too long ago.
"It was so exciting to see planes taking off full of women,"
Fitzpatrick said. "Suzy (Azar) is my instructor and I caught
the bug from her."
Both women said that the best thrill of the race is the low-level
fly-bys done at each checkpoint for their official time. At each airport,
timers log arrivals and departures for official records to determine
a winner.
"I like the fly-bys, going at full blast coming into the airport,"
Azar said. "Usually you slow down when coming in to land."
Azar said she was depressed that her two daughters could not participate
this year. Both daughters are pilots and have flown with her in past
years, but were unable to attend this year.
One of last year's defending champions will have more to accomplish
this year besides winning the race.
Denise Waters and new partner, Dee Bond Wakelin, have a few more plans
in mind...to fly around the world. The duo have completed most of
the trip already, starting March 2 in New York and landed in San Diego
just before the start of the Classic.
Once these two reach Ohio, its on to New York to finish their circuit
around the world. Waters and Wakelin also competed in the London to
Sydney Air Race, March 11 through April 7, in which they placed 15th.
The stakes of the race are simple. Each leg, seven in all, have medallions
for the top four pairs and cash prizes for the top three.
Each plane has to be checked in and out of each airport for official
timing. Once in Ohio, the top ten pairs will be awarded with an Air
Race Classic award and a cash prize of up to $5,000.
Other awards include the "Mary Pearson Award" for the highest
scoring team racing for the first time and the "SOS Claude Glasson
Award" for the team that places last.
Over the race's 25 year history, female pilots have seen the sights
of 40 states from the scenic Pacific coast of California to the orange
groves of Florida.
Plans for next year's race have already been made and New Mexico will
once again see these pilots, but not for a checkpoint. The 26th annual
Air Race Classic will start in Silver City and end in Hampton, Virginia.
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Tsaile man dies in 4 vehicle crash
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — A 29-year-old Tsaile man died last Wednesday night
(June 20) in a four-vehicle collision on Arizona Route 264 south of
Kinlichee, Navajo police report.
Officers identified him as Arthur Anthony, who lived about a quarter-mile
east of the Conoco store. The Window Rock Law Enforcement District
report did not identify the other three drivers and did not list any
injuries.
Anthony was headed west at Mile Post 459 at the abandoned Cross Roads
Trading Post where the highway and a dirt road intersect around 7:40
p.m. He drove a 1998 Ford Escort LX four-door sedan, the report said.
When a white Dodge pickup truck passed him and cut back too soon,
he swerved to the left into the eastbound lane. The move, in turn,
forced a blue Jeep Cherokee off the highway and Anthony collided head-on
with a silver Dodge Stratus, the report said.
The impact spun the Escort 360 degrees. A white Jeep Cherokee following
the Dodge Stratus then slammed into Anthony's left car door. The second
impact shoved him into the steering wheel, the report said.
Anthony died at the scene.
Officers found empty beer boxes in the vehicle, but it was not known
if the driver had consumed any, the report added...
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Cost-effective court time
Inaugural camp gives area teams summer action
Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer
GALLUP — The Gallup Bengals girls basketball ended successfully
Tuesday evening in the gym at Gallup High School.
The camp, which was put on by the Gallup Lady Bengals basketball team,
had 18 area teams participate in the camp.
The 18 teams competed in nine games each over the two days that the
camp was held, with three games going at one time.
"We didn't keep records or stats of any kind," said Gallup
Lady Bengal head coach John Lomasney. "We wanted to just give
some of the area players a chance to play without any pressure."
"I think it was pretty good for the kids," said Lomasney.
"The kids seemed to enjoy it."
Lomasney said that it was tough fitting nine games in for each team
in the time period but that the main reason for the camp was for the
athletes to play some offseason basketball for a reasonable price.
"With the high cost of camps I think the price was pretty reasonable,"
Lomasney said. "With the prices of camps, schools can only afford
to send their teams to one or two a year."
Each team paid $100 for the two-day camp and Lomasney said that all
of the money raised went to paying the officials.
"This was not a money raiser," he said. "There was
no charge to watch the games. It was just to get the kids some games
before the season starts. It didn't raise any money, but at the same
time it did save the teams that attended some money."
Teams that attended this year's camp included Gallup, Farmington,
Kirtland, Rio Rancho, Wingate, Tohatchi, Thoreau, and Ramah from New
Mexico. Schools from Arizona included Winslow, St. Michael, Chinle,
Holbrook, Ganado and Window Rock. Even teams from Colorado, Montezuma,
Cortez attended the camp. Rio Rancho, Kirtland and Gallup all also
had their JV teams compete.
Lomasney said that this year's camp was a success and that Gallup
High would like to make it an annual event. He also said that some
of the schools that attended are considering putting on camps of their
own in the future.
Besides getting some pre-season playing time, Lomasney said that all
of the girls that attended got to see a lot of college caliber competition
from returning players.
"There are a lot of talented basketball players in the area.
There were a lot of college caliber players that attended this camp,"
he said. "There were a lot of respectable athletes."
"Farmington and Kirtland battled for the AAA state title, Rio
Rancho took third in AAAAA, Winslow is another great team," said
Lomasney mentioning just a few of the schools that attended the camp
after having success last year.
The Lady Bengals attended a camp at Mesa State in Grand Junction,
CO earlier, but Lomasney said that the team is pretty much finished
with any type of camp until practice starts in late October.
Lomasney said that there is open gym for of the athletes every day
but that the team can not schedule practices because of NMAA rules
until around October 25.
"A lot of the kids play in tournaments on their own and some
go to individual camps," he said. "We are done with any
camps for now."
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Rancher's brand matches code
ISLETA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) — Joseph Jaramillo's five cows and five
calves have a possible claim to fame.
"They're all branded 575," he said.
Telephone customers in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and a dozen other surrounding
communities will get a new area code 575 beginning March 3. The rest
of the state will keep 505.
"This is a big surprise to me, that my brand would match the
new area code," Jaramillo said. "It never dawned on me..."
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Baby formula scam hits Four Corners
James Staley
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Reports of a bar code-swapping scam, involving baby
formula, have multiplied in the Four Corners areas of New Mexico and
Arizona during recent weeks.
Perpetrators have attempted to purchase several cans of powdered baby
formulawhich costs as much as $18 per canat discounts of up to 75
percent by altering container labels or fabricating receipts. During
the last month, they have attempted or completed the trick in at least
four large stores from Window Rock, Ariz., to Grants. Several area
store managers declined to comment whether their establishment had
been hit.
"Altering tags is considered shoplifting and possibly fraud,"
said Gallup Police Sgt. Brian Guillen. "Misrepresenting a larger
package for a smaller one is fraudulent..."
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'Desert People' asking Congress for citizenship
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Rep. Ed Pastor intends to ask Congress
to give U.S. citizenship to members of the Tohono O'odham Nation,
in part to splice a split dating from the mid-1800s.
The 24,000-member Indian tribe that once claimed land stretching
across northern Mexico to the Gulf of California now lives half
in Arizona and half in the neighboring Mexican state of Sonora.
Pastor, an Arizona Democrat, said he will introduce a bill this
week that would amend federal immigration laws to make 8,400 Tohono
O'odham members U.S. citizens.
Under the amendment, a tribal membership card would serve as proof
of citizenship or as a birth certificate...
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Diné people need stronger voice
Navajo leaders say election process needs to be simplified
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Council needs to simplify the
tribal election referenda procedures, Vice President Dr. Taylor
McKenzie said in reaction to last Tuesday's election.
In a two-page statement issued Tuesday, and speaking for President
Kelsey A. Begaye, the retired Indian Health Service surgeon said,
"It is clear the current referendum election process needs
to be addressed, and changes need to be made to the law in order
to capture a clear significance in the meaning of its potential
outcome. In other words, the Navajo people need a stronger voice."
He added, "The Office of the President-Vice President is strongly
favorable of such proposed changes."
McKenzie noted Delegate Ervin Keeswood tried, but failed in May,
to get the council to make a major change so that the majority of
votes cast would decide a referendum's fate...
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Election board case about to wrap up
So far, judge siding is with prosecution in all but
one case
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Only one more Navajo election supervisor has
a case pending in Window Rock District Court over last year's chapter-level
general election delay.
Roy Tso Sr. and his attorney, Kathleen Bowman, will appear before
Judge T.J. Holgate Monday morning along with Chief Prosecutor Donovan
Brown and John Kern of Brown's White Collar Crime Unit to argue
what type of dismissal will be granted.
So far the judge has sided with the prosecution in all except one
case. Holgate has dismissed without prejudice meaning the charges
can be refiled until July 31, 2003 the pair of criminal charges
against six of the eight defendants.
Last Thursday he granted Juliette Largo a dismissal with prejudice...
Shiprock man guilty of disembowelment
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
ALBUQUERQUE — A 34-year-old Shiprock man was found guilty by
a federal jury of two counts of felonious assault that
resulted in the victim having his bowels severed, U.S. Attorney
Norman C. Bay announced Tuesday.
On Monday the jury, after three days of trial before U.S. District
Judge C. LeRoy Hansen, deliberated less than one hour before finding
Dominick Harris Biggs guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily
injury and assault with a dangerous weapon.
A sentencing date has not been set as of Tuesday, said U.S. Department
of Justice spokeswoman Patricia Chavez-Arguello.
Biggs faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years imprisonment
and a $250,000 fine on each count.
The name of the victim was not released...
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Dilkon chapter 'double-dipping' case
delayed
Chapter secretary gets continuance
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — Margie Barton, the Dilkon Chapter's secretary/treasurer,
was granted a continuance until July 23 regarding 15 Navajo Nation
ethics charges filed against her.
The continuance, granted by the tribe's Ethics and Rules Committee,
was not supported by Ethics and Rules Office Executive Director Virgil
Brown Jr. Barton was served a subpoena on May 24 and has had "ample
time" to prepare a defense, Brown told the committee, chaired
by George Tolth (Baca/Prewitt/Casamero Lake chapters).
Brown said Barton has not provided his office with a list of any witnesses,
only documents in her defense.
Barton, a case manager with the Navajo Department of Behavioral Health,
is charged with repeatedly violating the Navajo Ethics in Government
Law. The allegations say that Barton attended events as a Dilcon Community
School official, for which she is the school board president, and
was paid by both her employer and the school on several occasions...
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