Ceremonial honors Navajo artist as a 'Living Treasure'
Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Special to the Independent
GALLUP — Andy Tsinajinnie, a legendary figure in the world of
Native American art, is being honored this week by the Gallup Inter-Tribal
Indian Ceremonial.
Tsinajinnie, 84, a Navajo painter born near Rough Rock, Ariz., in
1916, has been named by the Ceremonial as a "Living Treasure"
in recognition of his distinguished art career that spanned much of
the 20th Century.
The Gallup Cultural Center will host a special exhibit of about 177
Tsinajinnie paintings this week. And if Tsinajinnie's health allows,
he will ride in this Friday morning's Ceremonial parade in downtown
Gallup and will attend the public art show reception in his honor
at the Cultural Center from 4-6 p.m. Friday.
Joe Tanner, a local trader, is lending his extensive private collection
of Tsinajinnie's work to the Cultural Center. Many of the paintings
came from Tsinajinnie's personal collection, which Tanner purchased
a few years ago and have never before been exhibited to the public.
Tanner encourages anyone interested in Indian art or Navajo history
and culture to come view the exhibit, particularly Navajo children.
"It's going to be a wonderful show," he said. "I'm
excited for the Navajo children to see it."
Tsinajinnie's art is known for depicting just about every type of
reservation scene, ceremony, activity and event important to Navajo
people, Tanner said. In addition to showcasing Tsinajinnie's artistic
legacy, Tanner believes the exhibit is important because it depicts
so much of Navajo life and culture.
"It shows them as they were," he said. "It's a beautiful
reflection of all that the Navajo do."
Like noted Navajo painters Harrison Begay and Beatien Yazz, Tsinajinnie
received art training under Dorothy Dunn, the famous art instructor
at the Santa Fe Indian School. He studied under Dunn from 1932-1936.
It was there that Tsinajinnie established his unique style.
Tsinajinnie's paintings, Tanner said, are known for their strong use
of color and their fluid movement of design. Throughout his lifetime,
Tsinajinnie received many art awards and honors, and his work is featured
in numerous books about Native American art.
In addition to paintings, Tsinajinnie created murals and book illustrations
during his long career. He also taught art at the Navajo Demonstration
School and the Navajo Community College.
Tsinajinnie eventually established an art studio in Scottsdale, Ariz.,
and he resides in the Phoenix area. According to Tanner, Tsinajinnie
is struggling with health problems, but is planning to attend this
week's Ceremonial activities "come hell or high water."
"He promised me he's coming," Tanner said.
The exhibit of Tsinajinnie's work will open Thursday morning, Tanner
said, and will run through Sunday. If possible, he added, the Cultural
Center will try to extend the show beyond Sunday, but that may be
the final viewing day and he encouraged people to see the show by
then.
The Gallup Cultural Center is located in the old train depot at 201
E. Highway 66. For more information about the Tsinajinnie exhibit,
call the Gallup Cultural Center at 863-4131. For more information
about Ceremonial events, call 863-3896 or (800) 233-4528.
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Gallup council rejects gambling deal
Mayor: Investors' proposal has 'holes'
Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Gallup City Council members unanimously rejected a proposal
Tuesday night for a lease-purchase agreement between the city and
investors wanting to build a racetrack/casino at Red Rock State Park.
Last month council members recommended the issue be put to a county
referendum, saying that a decision that affects a diverse population
within McKinley County and neighboring Native American tribes should
not be made solely by one governmental entity.
Adversaries of gambling within the county, many of whom are members
of the Gallup Baptist Church, voiced their concerns about the project
at the McKinley County Commissioners meeting Tuesday in an attempt
to have the issue placed on the November ballot.
At Tuesday's city council meeting, Rudy Garcia, an investor from the
Red Rock Downs Corp., said he refused the council's recommendation
that the issue of gambling be put to a countywide vote.
He said investors were not informed that the opposition was bringing
the issue before county commissioners.
Garcia maintained that a racetrack/casino would enhance Gallup's economy
by drawing tourists, creating new jobs and alleviating the city's
annual $1 million deficit for the maintenance of the park.
Councilman Charlie Chavez denied that Red Rock State Park is losing
$1 million per year due to maintenance costs. He said that figure
is the cost of operation, that the park is losing $400,000 or $500,000
per year.
"If people want to take over every facility in the city of Gallup
that is losing money," he said, "then take over our police
department, take over our fire department, take over our library,
take over everything we have because everything runs into deficit."
Regarding the opposition's statistics about high rates of domestic
violence and addictions in states with legalized gambling, Garcia
said those problems stem from lack of jobs rather than gambling.
Another investor, Frank Budick, said that if McKinley County outlaws
gambling, it also would outlaw bingo, pull tabs and the lottery.
Concerning the opposition's ideas about possibly building an amusement
park or museum at the facility, he asked the group to make it happen
instead of simply talking about it.
He said Gallup has not seen any economic development in 50 years and
that his group is only trying to draw tourists off the interstate.
Mayor John Pena admitted there is a lot of room for improvement when
it comes to economic development in Gallup but said overall things
are "rosy," with the gross receipts tax up 4.2 percent,
the gasoline tax up 1.5 percent and the lodgers tax down only two-thirds
of 1 percent for this last fiscal year.
Investors had asked that the city council make its decision Tuesday
so they could move ahead with the project through the county or elsewhere.
Speaking for the opposition, Richard Bonine, chairman
of the McKinley Soil and Water Conservation District, said he was
concerned about the project from an environmental standpoint.
He said that county subdivision ordinances require a terrain management
plan for such a project, and the Environmental Protection Agency has
guidelines regarding confined animals.
Bonine questioned where investors would get water need for the new
facility considering the county already has a shortage of water.
The council should vote against the agreement, he said, until developers
show the area meets the proposed use.
Concerned local resident Phil Woodard cautioned the council to have
legal input before agreeing to the investors' proposal and turning
over a $6 million investment.
The proposed track/casino contract says that should the city agree
to lease the park, it would receive 10 percent of the net income,
he said.
But the net income, he said, is the amount after one takes the total
gross receipts and subtracts all expenses, which means there in no
guarantee the city of Gallup will get "one dime" for the
use of the facility.
The agreement also does not state the level of maintenance
that will be required to operate the park, imposes the responsibility
of insurance on the city and does not specifically identify the party
from whom the city would be leasing.
The social problems that would accompany a gambling facility were
a concern expressed by several members of the opposition.
Richard Koontz, the former financial analyst for the Navajo Nation's
division of economic development, said he appreciated that investors
are concerned about poor people without jobs but believes the poor
have a right to vote on the issue.
He said he thinks citizens want clean economic development for the
city rather than economic development with excess baggage such as
increased prostitution, alcoholism and domestic violence, which he
believes could be associated with a new gambling facility.
That is why the Navajo people twice have voted against gambling on
the reservation, he said, because "Grandma Yazzie" does
not want her son beating her up and stealing her social security check
so he can gamble.
"When poor people are desperate, they do desperate things,"
Koontz said.
Pena and several council members expressed disappointment that investors
rejected the idea of a county referendum on the issue and agreed that
the lease agreement submitted by investors has a lot of holes in it.
Councilman Pat Butler said he has no problem with gambling and is
not on the council to "dictate morality," but does not believe
the city should lease its facilities to promote gambling.
But he said if investors want to buy property contiguous to the city
of Gallup, develop it and annex in, they have that right.
| Top |
Grants television channel goes dark
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Local cable access television aficionados will note
that Digital Systems Techno-Vision, better known as DSTV on local
Channel 10, is no longer on the air.
And it is not because the owner wanted to go out of business.
Owner Sue Loudner feels she is being forced off the air, simply because
she wants a written contract to protect her interests.
On Aug. 3, Earl Chavez, general manager of Comcast Cable of Grants
pulled the plug and DSTV went off the air, much to the surprise of
its viewers. Chavez would not talk about the matter except to say,
"We really can't talk about it in case it becomes a legal matter."
DSTV's forerunner, Buffalo Publishing, first went on the air in 1995
under a partnership arrangement which included Loudner's husband,
Ed.
Ed Loudner eventually became the station's sole owner and sold his
partnership to Sue Loudner. Two years ago the business became known
as Digital Systems Techno-Vision, or DSTV.
The original owners had a handshake agreement with Chavez in August
1995 to allow DSTV a certain amount of air time from the local cable
provider, then Jones Spacelink, which was bought out by Comcast Cable
Communications Inc., last year, Sue Loudner said.
"The agreement calls for one-third of the reader-board (scroll
advertising) earnings to be paid to Spacelink (now Comcast),"
Loudner said.
Loudner said she took the local access television company over in
1998. DSTV shared air time with 7 Cities Productions on Channel 10.
"DSTV was to get 16 hours a day air time and 7 Cities was to
get eight hours a day air time," Loudner said.
"That was in the original agreement. We have to pay for our air
time and 7 Cities does not."
She said that from the beginning she wanted a written contract. When
she took the company over in February 1998, she asked Chavez for a
written contract, Loudner said.
"He told me that he'd get back with me on that, but he never
did," Loudner said. "I asked him several more times for
a written contract and it was always the same answer, that he'd get
back with me, and, of course, he never did get back with me."
In April, Loudner decided to take drastic measures, ones which she
said were designed to force Chavez into writing a contract for DSTV.
She stopped making the one-third payments. "I felt that was the
only way we had to force a contract," Loudner said.
April passed and nothing happened. May passed and still nothing. Then
June went by and so did July.
On Aug. 3, Chavez walked into the DSTV office at 108 E. Stephens,
and hand delivered a letter stating: "This letter is to serve
as a termination of the verbal working relationship between Comcast
Cable of Grants and DSTV, effective immediately."
Chavez demanded back payment since April and the plug to DSTV officially
was jerked.
Loudner said she does not know why Chavez refuses to sign a contract
with DSTV. "It's rather obvious that after two years he doesn't
want to do one," Loudner said. "He doesn't even want to
sit down and talk about it."
Loudner said she intends to fight the issue. "An attorney in
Albuquerque has already been contacted," Loudner said. "We'll
fight this any way we can fight it."
Ed Loudner said, "I think we are of a value to this community
and we have always tried to do a good job for this town."
Meanwhile, Chavez did say that 7 Cities Productions is taking over
the advertising duties from DSTV. "There was no contract with
them," Chavez said. "It's a handshake agreement."
| Top |
Baby dies in crash
Infant was not buckled in
Jim Maniaci
Din Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — A 2-month-old girl died last week in a one-vehicle
accident three miles west of Pinedale on Bureau of Indian Affairs
Route 9.
The vehicle driven by Tonita Chischilly, 18, of Crownpoint was headed
west when she apparently dozed off at the steering wheel, went off
the other side of the road, overcorrected and flipped, ejecting the
little girl over a fence.
The baby, who was not belted in, died of head injuries, according
to the Crownpoint Police District report.
At first the infant was taken to Gallup Indian Medical Center, transferred
to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque and then returned
to Gallup, where she was officially pronounced dead.
Also riding in the vehicle was Vida M. Miller, 85, of the same address.
A Crownpoint High School teacher, Cynthia Hannah, was headed east
and witnessed the entire incident, police said. The accident happened
at 1:50 a.m. Thursday.
Family arson
The Criminal Investigations Department is looking into a fire that
apparently was deliberately set around 5:30 a.m. July 29 in a home
three miles north of Tseyi Shopping Center in Chinle.
According to the report, the suspect, identified as Dave W. Jones,
30, set a fire in the bedroom of his sister, Patsy Talley, 41, at
the home where four other people lived.
The Navajo Nation Fire-Rescue Department of Chinle saved about half
the 24-by-40-foot home, the report said. No immediate arrest was listed.
Man escapes fire
A 22-year-old Iyanbito man escaped with second-degree burns late Friday
in a home fire on Dakota Loop.
According to the Crownpoint Police District report, Jason John Livingston
came home drunk, lit a Coleman lantern and woke up later with the
16-by-20-foot hogan full of smoke.
He was taken to Gallup Indian Medical Center for treatment of second-degree
burns on both arms and hands. A neighbor, Marvin Corviso, no age listed,
also suffered burns on his hands and arms and went to the same
hospital.
Driver stabbed
A 22-year-old Vanderwagen woman was taken to a Gallup hospital after
being stabbed while driving with a suspect and two others on Bean
Farm Road at 9 p.m. last Wednesday.
According to the Crownpoint Police District report, Denise Wilson
of Skeets Road was riding with a neighbor, Joseph Lee Jr., 31, and
two other unidentified people when the two got into an argument.
Lee then allegedly pulled out a butcher knife and plunged it into
the driver's back, in her upper right shoulder, penetrating her lung.
He then reportedly fled.
Bootlegging arrests
Three Many Farms adults were arrested last Thursday night on charges
of delivery of liquor, with the oldest also charged by Chinle District
police with endangering the welfare of a minor.
Harold Holtsoi, 50, was booked on both charges, while Shawn Nez, 23,
and Heritage Holtsoi, 23, were booked on the tribal bootlegging charge.
An officer said he observed a sale of liquor around 1 p.m. Four hours
later Judge Wesley Attakai signed the search and seizure warrant,
which officers served around 8 p.m. at the trio's home, about one-quarter
of a mile east of the 7-to-11 store in Many Farms.
They seized 74 unopened 375 mililiter bottles of Garden DeLuxe Tokay
wine, plus 21 unopened bottles of Olde English 800 Malt Liquor and
a dozen bottles of St. Ides Malt Liquor, a 10-channel radio scanner
and $421 cash.
| Top |
Boyd Jr. captures all-round in tuneup
Carrie Loretto
Staff Sports Writer
TOHAJIILEE — Third-place finishes in two events were enough to
give roper John Boyd Jr. the all-around title at the NNRCA-sanctioned
Canoncito rodeo held this past weekend in Tohajiilee.
Boyd teammed up with David Platero for a 9.27 clocking in the team
roping event won by Roderick Tso and Clarence Yazzie. Boyd's time
in the calf roping was 12.03. He netted $498. for his efforts.
Tso and Yazzie clocked a first place time of 7.48 and $902. in innings.
Dennis Begay and Rudy Yazzie finished second in 8.47 for a $676. payout
and Victor Begay and James Begay, Jr. were fourth in 11.32...
| Top |
Gallup council rejects gambling deal
Mayor: Investors' proposal has 'holes'
Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Gallup City Council members unanimously rejected a proposal
Tuesday night for a lease-purchase agreement between the city and
investors wanting to build a racetrack/casino at Red Rock State Park.
Last month council members recommended the issue be put to a county
referendum, saying that a decision that affects a diverse population
within McKinley County and neighboring Native American tribes should
not be made solely by one governmental entity.
Adversaries of gambling within the county, many of whom are members
of the Gallup Baptist Church, voiced their concerns about the project
at the McKinley County Commissioners meeting Tuesday in an attempt
to have the issue placed on the
November ballot.
At Tuesday's city council meeting, Rudy Garcia, an investor from the
Red Rock Downs Corp., said he refused the council's recommendation
that the issue of gambling be put to a countywide vote...
| Top |
County voters may decide casino issue
Zarana Sanghani
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The decision to allow a racetrack and casino at Red
Rock State Park may soon be in voters' hands.
McKinley County Commissioners decided Tueday that they would vote
on whether to put the referendum on the ballot at their next meeting
on Aug. 22.
The commissioners will most likely agree to put the referendum on
the ballot so that voters can decide instead of putting elected officials
in the middle of an emotional issue.
The issue began months ago at Gallup City Council meetings when investors
who named themselves the Red Rock Downs Corp. began talking about
building the racetrack and casino at the state park...
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Tribal colleges tackle hurdles
Stan Bindell
Special to the Independent
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Technology, funding, administration and leadership
are the key issues facing tribal colleges, according to Carrie Billy,
executive director of the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges.
Representatives of America's 33 tribal colleges held a retreat at
Northern Arizona University recently. Billy and the administration
spent that time discussing educational strategy for the new millennium.
Representatives attending included those from Din Community College
in Arizona and Crownpoint Institute, Southwest Indian Polytech and
the American Indian Art Institute from New Mexico.
Billy, a Navajo who comes from the Jeddito area, said high speed technology
is needed in the tribal colleges, but that will take several hundred
million dollars that will come from the government and private sectors...
| Top |
Pom squad qualifies for nationals
Christopher Schurtz
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Following a successful run at the Universal Dance Association
Summer Camp last month, the Gallup High
School Pom-Pom Squad may soon be packing their bags for nationals.
Team head coach Kristy Herrera said the team has qualified for the
UDA National Tournament and, pending school board approval, the team
will join several other New Mexico high school pom-pom teams and more
than 80 squads from around the nation to compete.
"This will be an excellent opportunity to represent the city
of Gallup nationwide, not just the school," Herrera said.
At summer camp last month, the 18-member team brought home two trophies;
a third-place showing in the home routine division and a Superior
trophy...
| Top |
Navajos' general fund increases by $12
million
Jim Maniaci
Din Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation's general fund spending about
one-third of its annual budget will see a healthy $12 million increase
starting Oct. 1.
The overall summary shows an increase of more than one-tenth from
the current year's budget, rising from $101.7 million to $113.4 million,
as the Navajo Nation Council's Budget and Finance Committee moved
into the second week of a month-long review.
The committee will make its recommendation to the council Aug. 21,
with the council meeting Aug. 28-Sept. 1 to adopt the spending guide.
The general fund the tribe's own money will provide 2,038 jobs, 74
more than this year. The bulk of the employees will be in the Executive
Branch, rising from 1,416 to 1,730 due to the transfer or consolidation
of almost a half-dozen operations from the Legislative Branch. They
included the entire chapter services operation, the Office of Miss
Navajo, consolidation of the personnel departments, and the merger
of the computer services programs...
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Deaths
Ruth M. Curley
HOUCK, Ariz. — Services for Ruth M. Curley, 52, will be held
at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at the Assembly of God Church in Houck.
Pastor Tom Woods will officiate. Burial will follow at the Community
Cemetery in Houck.
Curley died Aug. 5 in Gallup. She was born Dec. 20, 1948, in Fort
Defiance into the One Who Walks Around You People Clan for the Towering
House People Clan.
Curley was a homemaker.
Survivors include daughter, Veronica Curley of Lupton; mother, Dorothy
Silversmith of Houck; brothers, Arthur Silversmith of Houck and Jim
Silversmith of Lupton; sisters, Nancy Moore, Mary Morgan, and Marie
Silver, all of Houck; and four grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Dewayne Roan, Ronald Nelson, Jackie Chischilly,
Larry Moore, Roy Begay and David Moore.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Kyle Robert Irwin
GRANTS — Services for Kyle Robert Irwin, 19, will be held at
2 p.m. today, Aug. 9, at the First Presbyterian Church, 400 Nimitz
Dr. in Grants.
Kyle died Aug. 6. He was born Sept. 15, 1980.
Survivors include parents, Myra and Robert Irwin; brother, Steve Irwin;
and grandmother, Connie Garcia.
He was preceded in death by grandfather David Garcia.Kyle attended
school in Phoenix, receiving an associate's degree in heating and
air conditioning. He was employed with Anderson Air Corps.
Jean Black Todachine
DENNEHOTSO, Ariz. — Services for Jean Black Todachine, 76, were
held 10 a.m. today, Aug. 9, at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in
Monument Valley-Gouldings, Utah. The Rev. Raymond Nez officiated.
Burial followed at a private family plot in Monument Valley, Utah.
Todachine died Aug. 4. She was born May 15, 1924, in Monument Valley
into the Bit'ahnii Clan for the Bitter Water People Clan.
Survivors include husband, Hosteen Todachine of Dennehotso; sons,
Tom Todachine and Hebert Todachine, both of Dennehotso, Darold Todachine,
Vernon Todachine, both of Phoenix, Larry Todachine of Blue Gap, Ariz.,
and Dan Todachine of Marino Lake; daughters, Rose Todachine and Antoinette
Smith, both of Dennehotso, Armida Todachine of Phoenix, Jo Anna Attakai
of Many Farms, Ariz., and Lena McKerry of Chinle, Ariz.; brothers,
Paul Black and Ned Black, both of Monument Valley, Utah, and Jay Yazzie
Black of Canoncito; and sisters, Mary Mitchell of Dennehotso and Bonnie
Charley of Monument Valley.
Todachine was preceded in death by father, Levi Black (Grey Whiskers);
mother, Mary Cly Black; son, Tommy Todachine; sisters, Bessie Jones
and Betty Simpson; and brother, Kato Black.
Pallbearers were Jonathan McKerry, Leo Todachine, Monty Roy Smith
and Travis Mitchelle.
The family will receive friends and family after the burial services
at the Todachine residence in Dennehotso.
Dorothy E. Antonio
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Funeral services for Dorothy E. Antonio, 75,
will be announced at a later date.
Antonio died Aug. 8 in Grants. She was born Jan. 1, 1925, in Ramah
into the Meadow People Clan forthe Mexican People Clan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Kee Hernandez
DENNEHOTSO, Ariz. — Services for Kee Hernandez, 64, will be announced
at a later date.
Hernandez died Aug. 7 at the San Juan Hospital in Monticello, Utah.
He was born June 13, 1936 in Dennehotso, Ariz.
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