Route 264 construction big concern: safety
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
ST. MICHAELS, Ariz. — Concerns about dangerous truck drivers,
Navajo and chapter preference, and school buses highlighted an
informational meeting about $25 million in highway construction
on Arizona Route 264.
The meeting was Thursday at the chapter house.
The Arizona Department of Transportation has two projects under
way, with a third in the planning stages in five-mile sections
over a 30-mile distance from the New Mexico border to west of
Ganado.
By October the contractor on the Ganado project, Klukwan Contracting
of Fountain Hills, Ariz. an operation of South Coast, Inc., an
Alaskan native company is scheduled to finish its $2 million worth
of work from the Ganado Unified School District overpass west
to Burnside Junction.
Project Manager Jose Galindo Sr. said he employs about 15 people
at any one time, but most are specialists who will be in and out
after short periods of work. In addition to the widening of the
highway, street lights will be installed in Ganado and at Burnside
Junction. Another key feature will be removing the concrete curb
from the Ganado Wash bridge and replacing it with a modern safe
railing.
U.S. 191 makes a 90-degree turn, coming from the south in Ganado,
and another 90-degree turn to the north at Burnside Junction,
about 45 minutes south of Chinle and Canyon De Chelly National
Monument. The duplicate 191-264 route covers about five miles.
Work has just begun on the eastern-most five-mile stretch, from
the Navajo Nation forest on the west side of St. Michaels to the
New Mexican border.
Klukwan also is the contractor for the $6.8 million project which
will include the pouring of 209,000 square feet of concrete for
sidewalks that will connect with the New Mexico Route 264 sidewalks
that run for almost a mile through Tse Bonito.
The contractor also will mill up almost 12,000 square yards of
pavement and lay more than 40,000 tons of new asphaltic concrete.
More than 173,000 lineal feet of white and yellow pavement stripes
will be applied to the smoother pavement.
Traffic signals at Bureau of Indian Affairs Route 112 in St. Michaels
and BIA Route 12 in Window Rock will be altered and dozens of
new street lights installed to improve pedestrian safety. ADOT
will pay for the installation and maintenance of the lights and
the Navajo Nation will pay for the electricity.
The work is scheduled to be finished in December, if the project
remains on schedule.
Project Manager John Leasure Jr. said that if the construction
can't be completed before the cold winter weather then it will
have to be carried over into spring. He said he will use about
15-30 people at any one time.
Since the company has several other projects under way on the
Navajo Reservation, those workers will most likely be offered
the opportunity to transfer.
Both managers told the crowd of about 50 people that they would
hire Navajos when possible. In fact, Leasure said he stopped taking
applications after the stack reached 200 for about 20 jobs and
is now having people put their names on a contact list.
The office is located next to the St. Michaels Chapter House.
Both projects are dwarfed, however, by the upcoming $16 million
replacement of 264 from St. Michaels to the Summit, which is the
next five miles. The new highway will be a parkway, almost like
a scenic freeway. When the new divided highway is finished, the
old road will be removed.
Ed Wilson of ADOT's Holbrook office offered to meet with residents
to answer their questions about how access will be maintained.
The Ganado project, which is basically a two-lane highway, means
traffic sometimes has to be stopped in one direction. The Window
Rock-St. Michaels project won't have that problem because most
of it already is five lanes. Some bus pull-outs will be installed,
benefiting not only the school districts, but the tribal bus system.
Residents were worried about school buses being delayed since
children often spend long hours on them already.
Gay Lucy of Star-Tangle, a Flagstaff public relations firm which
hosted the meeting, said her firm, ADOT and the contractor are
working with the school districts. One option being seriously
considered, she said, is to give the bus drivers radios with the
same frequency as the traffic control flaggers.
The parties also are working with the Fort Defiance Indian Health
Service hospital to be sure emergency vehicles can get through
the construction zone without delay.
One resident, who has a daughter who is a flagger, repeatedly
criticized lead-footed truck drivers who ride the bumpers of smaller
vehicles and speed not only on the highway, but rural feeder roads.
Officials said they can relay those concerns, which they share,
to the offending companies, but have no direct control over the
other firms.
Most of the concern appeared to be against one particular firm
described as driving blue and white trucks that is supplying Klukwan
materials for the massive BIA Route 54 (Coalmine Road) repaving
project that provides an eastern alternative route between Tse
Bonito and Fort Defiance.
The speed limit in the Window Rock-St. Michaels construction zone
has been reduced to 45 mph. (Even in the commercial area of Window
Rock it is 45 mph, with the other four miles normally being 55
mph, while it is 65 mph in the Summit stretch.)
Arizona also expects to begin enforcement in a few weeks of a
double fine and sentence for being convicted of speeding in a
construction zone.
Others said they were going to meet with the Navajo Nation Law
Enforcement Department in an attempt to get officers assigned
to the construction zone. Several people said that when that happens,
drivers slow down.
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Tufted weaving - still an art
Navajo woman displays traditional style at museum
Heather Armstrong
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — The traditional art of Navajo tufted weaving, or
ditsozi, has weathered the storm of modernitybarely.
Zonnie Y. Jones, of Chinle, is one of the few weavers who still practices
the art of tufted weaving. She demonstrates her talent at the Navajo
Nation Museum in Window Rock this Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m.
Jones' beautifully wrinkled face boasts laugh lines, evidence of her
smiles which she flashed often during the demonstration.
Jones' long tapered fingers appear to be normal fingers on normal
hands until she begins to work. Her deft fingers flash as she grabs
a piece of yarn and spins it with a long spindle. She then weaves
the yarn and bats it down with a wooden comb that resembles a large
fork. Jones' movements take on a sort of rhythm that remains unbroken
despite questions fired at her from people watching.
Zonnie weaves about one inch with yarn. She then expertly takes a
tuft of wool and wraps it around the woven yarn, piece by piece. The
finished row looks like a bunch of soft wooly white pigtails in a
row. She then begins weaving another inch of yarn, which to anchor
yet another row of tufts of wool.
Clarenda Begay, Window Rock Museum curator, said that this type of
weaving is time consuming, which may be one reason why few weavers
still know how to do it. Begay said that tufted weaving comes from
Ft. Sumner, where the Navajos were held after the Long Walk of 1864.
The woven textiles were used as rugs, mats for sleeping on and even
chaps. Begay stressed the rarity of the art.
"It's really rare that weavers still do this," Begay said,
adding that the museum has only one piece of tufted weaving in their
collection. The museum plans to purchase Jones' finished product to
add to their collection.
Jones' daughter, Matilda Jones, translated from Navajo to English
as Zonnie explained the process of cleaning the wool. First comes
the sheep shearing. The resulting wool is then sloshed around in water
with a dab of shampoo or even Woolite to clean and soften the wool.
While the wool is still wet, it is washed with white clay to whiten
it. It is rinsed again and set on a flat surface to dry.
"It's lots of work," Matilda said.
Zonnie estimated that the first phase takes about three hours. The
drying itself takes another three hours or so, depending on the amount
of wool being used. The weaving itself takes even longer, depending
on the size of the textile.
One visitor, Effie Ashley, of St. Michaels, said she learned weaving
as a child from her late mother and her late aunt, but has not done
it in years.
"I want to learn again," Ashley said. "But, this time
I will use store bought yarn."
Ashley said she remembered her mother would tell her the Navajo names
given to some of the traditional designs.
According to Matilda, Zonnie was self-taught, learning the intricate
art by imitating her mother.
"She wanted to learn to weave but her mom didn't have time,"
Matilda said. "So she stole some of her mother's wool and set
up her own loom. She watched her mom."
Matilda laughed that the "tradition" continues with her
young niece, Latanya, who takes Zonnie's wool and sets up her own
loom. She then tries to sell her woven attempts back to the family.
Matilda credits Zonnie with handing down her knowledge, talents which
Matilda used in various pageants she competed in over the years. Matilda
said that her weaving, which she learned from Zonnie, helped her win
Miss Central Navajo in 1995.
"She's really talented, my mom," Matilda said.
Zonnie imparts knowledge on traditional songs, weaving, sewing, blue
bread making, beadwork and more. Matilda is the youngest, with three
brothers, two of whom have passed away, and five sisters. One sister,
Irene James, has entered her own rugs into shows.
Matilda's two-year-old son, Tyler, learns from Zonnie, too.
"He likes to follow grandma," Matilda said. "He's learning
songs and he mimics her."
Matilda said that Zonnie did not learn English like her siblings because
she had to stay home and tend the sheep. Matilda's first language
was English. She did not learn Navajo until she was seven-years-old.
Her mother worked and so Matilda learned English from her brothers
and sisters, who helped care for her. However, Tyler, who spends time
with Zonnie is learning Navajo before he is English.
The ditsozi demonstration is done it conjunction with the exhibition
"Navajo Weaving Through Time and Space: a Collection from the
Navajo Nation Museum," which is open through August 1. For more
information call the Navajo Nation Museum at (928)871-7941.
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Grants will host mental health experts
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — A mental health conference featuring nationally-known
professionals will be held Aug. 1 and 2 at the New Mexico State University-Grants
campus and is being opened to the public for free and to mental health
professionals for a fee.
Patricia Strange, NMSU community education coordinator, said the conference
is designed to increase awareness of mental health issues through
educational workshops and even information booths.
"Actually the conference will have many focuses, but three in
particular," Strange said. "One is to promote awareness
and understanding of mental health issues, the second involves workshops
for mental health professionals, the third is about youth and surviving
high school.
"We have mental health professionals coming in from all over
the state. What we hope to get here are people from all over the area
to come in and learn about all the programs offered."
Strange encouraged people from all walks of life who may have questions
about mental health or any aspect of it to come to the conference
to ask questions. Even the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill,
which has a Cibola County chapter, will have a panel discussion at
the conference about humanizing mental illness.
There are three ways of registering for the conference. One type of
registration is for people who may want to attend just to find out
answers to problems. There is no charge for this category of registrant.
The second registration is for mental health professionals and a fee
is charged, and the third type of registration is for students in
the mental health field who want to earn college credits.
Strange said that mental illness has been shrouded in misconceptions
for years and people tend to fear what they cannot understand.
"Good mental health is essential to good physical health, and
it benefits all of us to understand the numerous factors that contribute
to positive mental health," Strange said.
Peter Alsop, a keynote speaker, holds a Ph.D in educational psychology
and is a nationally-known songwriter and singer and a humorist.
Dr. Victor LaCerva will also be a part of the conference. He is the
medical director for the family health bureau of the New Mexico Department
of Health.
Just a few of the topics to be covered by experts include personality
testing, surviving high school, depression and anxiety, co-dependent
families of substance abusers, how to work through grief, grief management
for victims of sexual abuse, eating disorders and suicide prevention.
"We'll even have mental health professionals there to help people
who come to the conference and suddenly find out they need to talk
to someone," Strange said.
For additional information contact Strange at (505) 287-7981.
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Power of positive thinking
Former Gallup standout takes on challenge of raising
a son and rises to become a world class runner
Abelita Rose Freeland
Staff Sports Writer
GALLUP — Over five years ago, when Gallup's former four-time
cross country and track state champion Brandon Leslie became a father
everybody thought it was the end of his career.
Leslie overcame what some would consider that obstacle, and every
other, and will now make his world debut at the World University Games
when he competes in the 10,000 meter in Beijing China in September.
Leslie will represent the United States but says he also wants to
represent the Navajo people who have supported him throughout his
whole running career.
"The Navajo people did their best to support me," Leslie
said. "Now this is the only way I can show my appreciation for
them supporting me even after all the things that have happened to
me."
Leslie qualified to race in China when he was the second collegiate
winner in the 6.2 mile run at the U.S. Senior Nationals in Eugene,
Oregon earlier this summer. He ran a time of 31:12.
Leslie says the competition will be tough because the Africa, China
and Japan always have good teams.
"There are going to be a lot of world class runners there and
it's going to be a taste of what the Olympics are going to be like
and that's a motivation factor," Leslie said.
Leslie has already set his goals to be at the 2004 Olympics. He has
already run the qualifying time to get to the Olympic Trials but the
time has to be made within two-years of the Olympics.
Leslie does expect the run to be easier because they will be at sea
level as opposed to where he is currently training at 6,500-7,500
feet above sea level.
"I won't be as tired, I will be able to breath easier and I will
hopefully run a lot faster," Leslie said.
Leslie says the hardest part of being a student-athlete is far from
coming from his training and competition schedule, but is instead
the time spent away from his son Brandon Jr.
"The time I spend with him makes it hard because he is fun to
be with so he makes it more difficult when I come back from school,"
Leslie said. "Then when I leave back to school it's hard for
me and I hate to (leave) but he is what keeps me going because I want
a better life for my son and myself as well. And that is the reason
I am at this level right now."
Leslie says even after people doubted that he would be able to overcome
the challenge of having to juggle raising a child with his ambitions,
the best part of having been able to do so is showing that he didn't
give up his dreams.
"The best part is going to the world championships now and having
a son. It is just up to how determined you are to better your life
for yourself and for your child. That has been my main focus since
I have enrolled in school," Leslie says.
Leslie says he could quit pursuing a college education and joined
the work force, but he thought about the consequence of how life for
him and his son would be.
"Life would have been really hard and I would probably be struggling
with a minimum wage job," Leslie comments. "You could probably
make a good life like that but that is not what I wanted. I wanted
my son to have a lot of valuable things and go to a private school
that I will be able to pay for so he can have a quality education."
Leslie is glad that his son knows when he is away from home that he
is at school and he is running.
"He (Brandon Jr.) understands what I do now and that is one thing
that makes it easier for me because if anybody asks him where is your
dad and he tells them, 'he is at school running,' and it makes me
happy and proud when he says that," Leslie says.
"I guess I can say I want to be his role model," Leslie
continued. "I'm glad other people are looking up to me and I
appreciate that, but one of my main focuses is to have my son look
up me and say he is into the same thing his father is into, but I
want to show him that when things get hard he can look back and say,
'my dad did it and so can I.'"
The motivation to overcome obastacles is one message Leslie imparts
to younger runners as well.
Leslie has been involved in conducting running camps for youths while
continuing his running career at the college level.
Because of his training, Leslie has been limited to the number of
camps he has been involved with this summer. When he is able to do
the camps, Leslie says his main focus is motivation.
"I tell the kids to be strong and determine who you are and if
you set goals, accomplish them," Leslie said. "I am living
proof that if you set goals you can accomplish them. There is a lot
of talent out there but when people start to struggle you just can't
give up."
One thing Leslie says he can pass on to younger athletes who are struggling
is to stay positive and keep going.
"You have to be motivated, have a good self-esteem and be determined
in what you really want in life. It's not easy and if it was, then
everybody would be doing it. It is just depends on how determined
you are," Leslie said.
Leslie is currently training under Adams State College. Leslie, a
Sports and Exercise Management major with an emphasis in business
and coaching, has one more year at Adams State.
Leslie is currently running as a professional with no sponsors but
before he signs with any agency he wants to finish college. After
college Leslie will decide on one-of-two professional agencies to
sign with.
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Teen commits suicide
Staff Report
GALLUP — A Gallup 16-year-old shot himself and died Tuesday morning
in front of his girlfriend's house.
Gallup Police met with the girlfriend of Robert Crow, of 402 Baja
St. in Gallup, at her home at 2708 E. Aztec Ave. The girlfriend told
police she was sitting in the passenger seat of Crow's car and they
were arguing.
Suddenly, Crow told her he was going to kill himself. He quickly took
out a small pistol from his pocket and shot himself.
The girlfriend tried to grab the gun away from him but wasn't able
to. Police found Crow bleeding heavily from the head while still seated
in the driver's seat of the car...
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IHS head: Takeover no problem
Jim Maniaci
Dine' Bureau
GALLUP — The top official of the Indian Health Service said in
Gallup Friday the federal government is looking forward to the Navajo
Nation taking over the $383 million a year operation that employs
about 4,400 workers.
The Window Rock government is using a tribally chartered non-profit
corporation, the Navajo Health Care System, Inc., for the takeover
to operate the eight medical service units that stretch from Crownpoint
to Tuba City. The transition will involve most, but not all, of the
approximately 4,400 employees who serve the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and
San Juan Southern Paiute Tribes.
At least three-fourths of the tribes in the country have taken over
health care from the federal government, mostly under Public Law 93-638
contracts.
Rear Admiral-Dr. Michael Trujillo, IHS director from Washington, D.C.,
spoke at the 11th annual NAIHS awards ceremony at the Best Western
Inn and Suites in Gallup Friday, and later answered a reporter's questions...
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Teen stabbed after beer drinking spree
Jim Maniaci
Dine' Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — A stolen government-owned all-terrain vehicle
and a stabbing are being investigated by the tribal and federal
detectives.
Shortly before midnight Wednesday a 17-year-old Mentmore boy was
taken to the Gallup Indian Medical Center for treatment of nine
stabs inflicted with a pocket knife. But the wounds were not considered
life-threatening, according to the Crownpoint district detectives
report.
Nor was the suspect, Adrain P. Dennison, 31, no address listed,
arrested, the report said.
FBI detectives interviewed both individuals, the report said...
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Water at area schools tested for bacteria, harmful
contents
Staff Report
GALLUP — Well water at the Thoreau Middle School and High School
campus is safe once again, after staff discovered some bacteria
in a sample and had to flush out the system.
John Cresto, manager of maintenance and operations at the Gallup-McKinley
County Schools, said Friday that the schools' well is tested monthly.
This month, the test failed the Environmental Protection Agency's
test for harmful contents, such as bacteria.
The test was taken last week. Since the water was only slightly
below EPA standards, the EPA allowed another test to be taken.
The second test was taken Monday, and the results came back Wednesday
as another failure, Cresto said...
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Navajo Justice Austin retiring
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Navajo Nation Supreme Court Associate Justice
Raymond Austin the last member of the original 1985 court has been
granted a medical retirement because he can hardly hear anymore.
"I'm close to completely deaf. I thought the best thing to
do was step aside and let someone else come in and take over,"
he said in a prepared statement the Independent received Thursday.
His hearing was injured while with a U.S. Army artillery unit from
1972-74 in Vietnam.
He first became concerned in 1993, going for tests with Veterans
Administration doctors in Albuquerque. In 1998, the VA Disability
Compensation Review Board increased his permanent rating for impaired
hearing and tinnitus from 80 percent to 100 percent...
Academy play mirrors students' reality
Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Special to the Independent
GALLUP Ñ In theory, schools are supposed to be environments free
of prejudice, intolerance, harassment, bullying, and violence. In
reality, however, many students are fre quently on the receiving
end of those attitudes and actions.
These problems are portrayed in "School is What Happens When You're
Not in Class," the latest the atrical production of the Gallup Area
Arts Council's Performing Arts Academy for area youth.
This year's performance debuts in Gallup next week, running Monday
through Wednesday, at the Gallup High School auditorium. Admission
to the shows, which begin at 7:30 each night, is $4. Discount handbills,
being distributed around the com munity, reduces the ticket price
by $1. The production, which mixes comedy, dance, and drama, features
about 25 local student performers, ages 10 to 17, and is targeted
at a mid-school through high school au dience...
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Deaths
Jordan Paige Benally
WINDOW ROCK — Services for Jordan Paige Benally, 8, will be held
at 10 a.m., Monday, July 30 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Gallup.
Burial will follow at Gallup City Cemetery.
Jordan died July 25 in Gallup. She was born Oct. 6, 1992 in Ganado,
Ariz.
Jordan attended Chee Dodge Elementary. She enjoyed reading and wanted
to be a barrel racer.
Survivors include her mother, Georgia A. Smith of Window Rock; brothers,
Derek Benally of Ketchikan Island, Alaska. and Deane Benally of Window
Rock; sister, Jaime L. Arthur of Mesa, Ariz.; grandparents, Garnet
Smith of Cornfield, Ariz., Alice H. Benally of Church Rock and Jimmy
Benally of Standing Rock.
Benally was preceded in death by her father, Dennis Benally.
Pallbearers will family and friends.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Roy Williams Jr.
TWO GREY HILLS — Graveside services for Roy Williams, Jr., 29,
will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, July 30 at Greenlawn Cemetery in Farmington.
Williams died July 21 in Sheep Springs, N.M. He was born April 6,
1972 in Shiprock.
Survivors include his sons Natas Williams, Roy Williams III, and RoyShawn
Williams, all of Cove, Ariz.; parents Louella and Roy Williams, Sr.;
brothers Marvin Williams, Derwin Williams, Julian Williams, Juan Williams,
Chance Williams and Lucas Williams; sisters Anita Williams, Mitzi
Williams, Marina Williams, Crystal Williams, Natasha Williams and
Autumn
Williams and grandmother Annie McDonald.
Pallbearers will be Marvin Williams, Derwin Williams, Aaron Smiley,
Adam Yazzie, LeWayne McDonald and Frayne
Jackson.
Ernest B. Toledo Sr.
CHURCH ROCK — Services for Ernest B. Toledo Sr., 66, will be
announced at a later date.
Toledo died July 26 in Albuquerque. He was born Nov. 15, 1934 in Torreon
into the Red House People Clan for the Mexican
Clan.
A family meeting will be held at 4 p.m., today at the New Navajo Housing
#1, Church Rock.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
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