Attempted murder or suicide not yet known
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Police aren't sure whether a Gallup man shot in
the head in Gamerco tried to kill himself or was shot Thursday
afternoon.
New Mexico State Police Criminal Agents investigated the scene
after McKinley County Sheriff's Department deputies first were
called around 3:45 p.m. to a trailer at the corner of Marble and
Pillar streets in Gamerco. Med Star Ambulance personnel took Pedro
Ramirez, 21, of Gallup, to Gallup Indian Medical Center with a
gunshot wound to the head, said his uncle, Quirino Ramirez, who
was called out to Gamerco.
State Police Sgt. Darren Soland said this morning that criminal
agents are executing a search warrant on the trailer. He had no
information about any suspects or whether it was a suicide attempt.
Criminal agents were not available at presstime for comment.
Dr. Floyd Thompson, executive director of Gallup Indian Medical
Center, said at 5 p.m. that Pedro Ramirez had just been taken
to the hospital and was in critical condition. Soland said Ramirez
was airlifted Thursday night to San Juan Regional Medical Center,
where his condition was unknown at press time.
Pedro Ramirez was working on the trailer; he doesn't live there,
his uncle said.
Quirino Ramirez and his brother, Heriberto Ramirez, said they
ran to the scene to see what was going on.
"When I got here, the cops were already here. I asked two
people what was going on but nobody knew anything," Quirino
Ramirez said.
The uncles were just standing around by the building next to the
trailer, which was wrapped in yellow police tape while state police
officers waited for criminal agents to arrive. They didn't know
if their nephew was alive or dead at the hospital but planned
to stop there later.
"I feel sad," is all Quirino Ramirez said, and his brother
echoed the sentiment.
Police had another young man in the back seat of a police car.
Lt. Robert Cron said he was being detained for investigative reasons
because they didn't know if the incident was homicide or suicide.
They did not release the name of the man.
"It could be either one. That's why we called out the criminal
agents," Cron said.
McKinley County Sheriff's Deputy John Yearley hugged an unnamed
girl who sobbed at the scene. She left before she could be questioned.
Quirino Ramirez said he hadn't talked to his nephew in about a
week. But a week ago, Pedro Ramirez was not suicidal or depressed,
he said.
A group of students gathered at a home across the street, watching
three police officers standing near two parked marked state police
cars.
"It's drama," said a teen-age girl when asked why they
were there. She declined to give her name.
A teen-age boy said they lived in the home across the street.
He didn't want to give his name either.
Patrick Romero, 13, who goes to Gallup Middle School, said they
often see sheriff's deputies at a house down the block.
"They're crackheads," said Antonio Guerrero, 12, of
the people living in the house. Guerrero also goes to Gallup Middle
School.
"This is Gamerco, home girl. We see 'em everywhere,"
said the teen-age girl who refused to give her name.
She chastised the boys. "You're giving Gamerco a bad name,"
she said.
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Inmate transfer hits snag
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The proposal by the county to house county inmates in
the city jail may have problems.
On Tuesday, the county commission approved a joint agreement with
the city that would result in up to 50 county inmates being incarcerated
in the city jail at a cost of $15 per day for each inmate.
County officials say that once this happens, the county will start
saving between $15,000 and $18,000 a month since it is paying $35.00
a day to have them housed at the McKinley County Adult Center.
On Thursday, however, City Manager David Ruiz, at his regular weekly
press conference, said he had not seen the joint agreement and said
there was still some questions he wanted answered before he planned
to give it to the city council for consideration. The biggest questions,
he said, centered around liability.
Just who would be responsible if a county inmate was injured while
in the city jail, he asked, adding that the liability question would
have to be resolved by city attorney Lynn Isaccson meeting with his
counterpart in the county, Doug Decker.
The joint agreement says that the city shall provide jail services
for county inmates. "This shall include all liability for injuries
and property and all medical costs associated with incarceration and
transportation to and from any other local facility," the agreement
states.
Decker said that the county cannot assume liability since it does
not have any control over the inmate once that person is turned over
to the city. If he or she slips in a shower, for example, the responsibility
will rest with the city and not the county.
The $15 a day figure was apparently being discussed by the city under
the assumption that the county would still be liable for injuries
and would pay medical costs. Ruiz said that the liability question
could raise the amount the city would charge since it does not want
to enter into an agreement that would end up costing the city money.
No one knew Thursday how much the liability and medical question would
raise the proposed fee and whether the city could do it for a fee
cheaper than that currently being charged to the county.
Some were saying on Thursday that the $35 a day fee now being charged
may be cheap, pointing out that the Management and Training Corp.,
which runs the adult detention center, charges others $95 a day and
has no problem getting inmates at that rate.
He said he also had questions about another statement in the proposed
joint agreement which said that as many as 50 county inmates would
be housed in the city jail. Ruiz said that the figure he had heard
before was 40 so he wasn't sure that the city could handle that many
prisoners.
In the discussions on the matter Tuesday before the county commission,
county officials were pointing out that the city was getting other
benefits, including $100,000 from the liquor excise tax for the remodeling
of NCI, the building that houses people picked up for public intoxification.
The NCI building belongs to the city but Ruiz said he knew nothing
about the remodeling.
The agreement also provides $100,000 to the city to house up to 15
prisoners in the city DWI jail. This funding also comes from the liquor
excise tax.
But this program is now ongoing and city officials appeared to be
unaware that this has now been made part of the city jail proposal.
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Grants holds military 'stand-down' for
vets
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Military veterans from all military branches are invited
to attend the first Cibola County Stand-Down to learn about all the
benefits due to them ... and then some.
A Stand-Down is a military term for the old R&R, better known
as Rest and Recreation. During periods of conflict military personnel
are given time off from the fighting to re-gather thoughts and to
rest.
This Stand-Down, though, is for the men and women who served in the
nation's armed services, got out of the military and may, or may not
know about all of the benefits due to them.
Gil Riggs, 71, who served for years in the United States Coast Guard
from Long Beach to Alaska and Korea, said the event has been planned
to also give a little F&F, which is food and fun.
In essence, it will be like a clearinghouse of knowledge for veterans
to build upon. Representatives from many benefit-providers will be
at the Stand-Down to explain exactly what is, and what is not available.
In addition, breakfast and then lunch will be served. "And it's
all free," Riggs said. "We also have a lot of clothes to
give out for those veterans who are in need."In addition rod
Bush & High Mesa Country will play country/western favorites,
Riggs said.
The Stand-Down is fast becoming a reality thanks primarily to Acoma
Pueblo Gov. Cyrus Chino, who is not a veteran, but he has relatives
who are military veterans. "It was his idea," Riggs said.
"He saw one of them in Albuquerque and wanted to see one in Cibola
County."
Riggs said a pool of about 30 volunteers met twice at the Sky City
Casino and two times at the National Guard Armory in Grants to plan
the event.
"We've got veterans walking around out there who don't even have
current veteran identification cards, which are needed to get many
of the services," Riggs said. "Getting them cards will be
one of the things done at the Stand-Down."
Riggs said many Native Americans are unaware of the benefits they
can get and need to attend the Stand-Down.
So far the following entities and services are committed to attending
the Stand-Down:
New Mexico Veterans Service Commission.
Veterans Administration Regional Office.
Veterans Administration benefits counseling.
Veterans Administration burial benefits.
Albuquerque Veterans Administration Hospital medical screening.
Women's veterans concerns.
Human Services Department Income Support Division.
Indian Health Services.
Grants area service providers.
Many other services including job counseling, job services and a mini-job
fair, help from the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs and help to issue veterans identification cards.
"If you need an identification card you need to bring your DD214
or valid proof of service," Riggs said. "All of the organizations
coming, all of the people who plan to attend, will be there to help
the veteran learn what they and their families are entitled to today."
Medical personnel will even be at the Stand-Down to provide certain
medical screenings, such as blood-sugar tests, blood pressure tests
and eye tests.
The Cibola County Stand-Down will begin at 7 a.m. and will end at
4 p.m. Oct. 20, at the New Mexico Army National Guard Armory, 2001
E. Santa Fe Ave., Grants.
For additional information contact Calvin Aragon at 1-505-331-0364;
VFW Post 3221 at 285-3747 and 287-5157; or 1st Sgt. Chris Garcia at
1-505-474-2664.
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Gallup returns to fundamentals
Carrie Loretto
Sports Editor
GALLUP — Prep football goes on in Gallup just as it does across
much of the nation.
"The kids did show a lot of remorse about it," Gallup head
coach Gary Lunsford said about Tuesday's terrorist attacks on New
York and Washington. "It angered them more than anything, but
realistically we realize there's nothing we can do about it."
The New Mexico Activities Association, the governing body of high
school sports in the state, left the decision to individual schools
whether or not to play regularly scheduled games in the wake of the
tragedies. Volleyball and soccer matches were cancelled Tuesday. All
major pro sports have cancelled games through Monday.
According to Associated Press reports, many school districts across
the country will play games tonight, but some have postponed games
until Saturday to observe today's national day of prayer and remembrance
proclaimed by President Bush.
"Our thinking is that like goes on, we've gotta go on with it,"
Lunsford added.
The Bengals (1-1) are hosting Rio Grande tonight. Kickoff is set for
7 p.m.
Gallup is coming off a 37-14 loss to Bloomfield at home last Friday.
The Bengals will have to deal with key absences including offensive/defensive
lineman Jim Ramirez. Ramirez will sit out the game after missing two
practices with the flu according to school/team policy.
Defensive end and offensive tackle Chris Touchin is out indefinitely
after leaving last week's loss against Belen with a knee injury. Last
week's starting center Watson Billy is also sidelined with a recurring
injury.
Five-foot-four, 225 lbs. sophomore Greg Santiago will start at left
tackle; Joel Nez, who started at center in the Bengals' season-opening
win at Grants, will start at center and John Baca will start in place
of Ramirez.
Six other Bengal reserves are also nursing injuries and the flu including
Leo Montano, John Arviso, Matt Long, Ray Hirni, Bobby Molina and Kelsey
Cowboy.
"We should be okay everywhere," Lunsford said. "It's
just that our line was our strength."
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Shiprock doc quizzed by FBI
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Thousands of leads across the United States are developing
into names and faces for the FBI. One is a radiologist who worked
under a one-week contract for the Shiprock IHS hospital starting Sept.
4.
By late Thursday afternoon, the bureau's Albuquerque office had issued
a statement that the matter concerning Dr. Basem Hussein "is
now considered resolved." However, shortly after 6 p.m., the
FBI issued a revised press release. It deleted the final sentence,
which read: "Dr. Hussein was not implicated in this investigation
and is not a suspect in this investigation."
The FBI, focusing on leads related to terrorist attacks on America,
searched the Newcastle, Pa., apartment of an Arabic-speaking doctor
who took the one-week position at Northern Navajo Medical Center.
The radiologist has been identified by Navajo Area Indian Health Service
as Hussein, NAIHS spokeswoman Jenny Notah said in a Thursday release.
Hussein contracted for one week with the Shiprock hospital just one
week prior to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon...
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Navajo budget will not be vetoed, officials say
Jim Maniaci
Dine' Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation government budget for the coming
fiscal year will not be vetoed, the Begaye-McKenzie administration
announced Thursday night.
But President Kelsey A. Begaye, through Vice President Dr. Taylor
McKenzie, sent Council Speaker Edward T. Begay a five-page memo saying
he is not happy that delegates continue to pass budgets that are balanced
only because they draw funds from the Undesignated Reserve Fund.
The fund is supposed to contain $55 million and be for the emergency
operation of the government for up to six months.
When the annual budget session began, it held $24.5 million. When
the session ended five days later delegates stripped it down to less
than $6 million.
However, Begaye liked six of the allocations totaling $10.7 million
of the $18.8 million that delegates pulled from the reserve...
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Panthers' rally falls short
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
GALLUP — Gallup Catholic rallied for three goals in the second
half but ended up coming up short, losing to Aztec 6-3 Thursday
afternoon at the Gallup Soccer Complex.
The Panthers trailed 3-0 at halftime but came back to trail 4-3
in the second half but ran out of gas.
"In the second half we finally settled down but we came up
short," Gallup Catholic coach Nick Digiallonardo said. "Since
we didn't use any subs, fatigue may have been a factor in the second
half. This is the first real varsity team we've played so far. But
overall we did good. Kathleen Mason played a good game and had one
assist."
Gallup Catholic, 3-2-1 overall, will host the Bloomfield JV next
Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Gallup Soccer Complex...
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Board urges reform of Navajo voting
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Board of Election Supervisors voted unanimously
Thursday to recommend referenda changes to the Navajo Nation Council.
The board's resolution targets how citizens can get a referendum
on the ballot and how many votes would be needed for such a measure
to be approved. It also takes aim at the wording on the ballot.
Under the proposed changes, an election would be held if five percent
of the number who cast ballots in the last Navajo presidential election
sign the petitions and their signatures are validated.
Currently the qualification which has never been met in the 11 years
it has been in effect is 30 percent of the registered voters or
about 30,000 signatures. In comparison, the proposed standard would
be less than 2,500 people. The high requirement has kept all referenda
in the hands of delegates instead of allowing citizen-initiated
legislation, which is one of two main ideas behind the concept...
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School union's rep threatened with
arrest
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The Gallup-McKinley County School District threatened
the local teacher's union with trespassing when union members placed
flyers on vehicles at various schools Wednesday.
McKinley County Federation of United School Employees President
Tom Payton said he called Superintendent Robert
Gomez Wednesday and told him he was in jail and asked Gomez to bail
him out.
"I hope you have a lot of friends," Payton quoted Gomez
as saying.
Payton was just joking that he was in jail, but Gomez didn't know
that...
Area girl is bitter, sweet 16
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — A Red Rock Chapter teen who turned 16 on Tuesday is
leading a citywide memorial service at Red Rock Elementary School
this morning.
The service was at 10 this morning at Red Rock Elementary School.
Sponsoring the event is Sherelle Lynne Walker, 16, who said she
is "deeply touched by our national tragedy," she wrote
in a press release.
She gave out to local police, firefighters and other officials,
along with attractive pins crafted by Walker containing a ribbon
bow and rose in red, white and blue. Walker, the daughter of Nicole
Walker-Brown, will travel five months across America to commemorate
the 20th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 2002...
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Deaths
Lorraine Jake Chavez
WHITEHORSE LAKE, Ariz. — Services for Lorraine Chavez, 102, will
be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Gospel Lighthouse Assembly
of God, Crownpoint. Rev. Kenneth Norton will officiate. Burial will
follow at Crownpoint Cemetery.
Chavez died Sept. 8 in Grants. She was born Nov. 22, 1898 in Whitehorse
Lake into the Zuni Clan for the Mud People.
Chavez was a rugweaver, ranched livestock, gardening and in younger
years she was a horsewoman. She was a member of the Rug Weaver's Association.
Survivors include her daughters, Elaine Fedorov, Gloria Toledo, Marie
C. Toledo, Ethel Augustine and Linda Tanezahni; sisters, Fannie Thompson
and Annie Betone; 86 grandchildren; 62 great-grandchilden and 19 great-great
grandchildren.
Chavez was preceded in death by her husband, Juan Jose Chavez, sons,
Bill Chavez, Bob Chavez and Dennis Chavez; and daughters, Jane Henio,
Helen Toledo, Nina Chavez and Mae Chavez.
Pallbearers will be Wesley Augustine, John Fedorov, Vincent Harrison,
Keevin John, Leroy Toledo, and Wilford Harrison.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Christian Reformed Church Fellowship Hall.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Curtis O. Chee
NAVAJO STATION, Ariz. — Services for Curtis Chee, 38, will be
held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Church of Nazarene, Navajo
Station. Rev. Michael Winslow will officiate. Burial will follow in
Navajo Station.
Chee died Sept. 4 in Dilkon, Ariz. He was born Aug. 15, 1963 in Ganado,
Ariz. into the Towering House for the Big Water.
Survivors include his son, Richard Chee and Mathew Chee both of California;
parents, Kee Chee of Cornfields, Ariz. and Rose Mary Whitefeather
of Navajo Station; and sisters, Virginia Claw of Greasewood, Ariz.,
Juanita Tolth of Casmero Lake, Emma Begay of Phoenix and Cheryl Wenger
of Gallup.
Chee was preceded in death by his sister, Shirley Chee.
Pallbearers will be Adrian Tolth, Gary Yazzie, Ted Nez, Dennis Curley,
Alvin Slivers and Adam Wenger.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Juanita M. Hernandez
GAMERCO — Services for Juanita Hernandez, 61, will be announced
at a later date.
Hernandez died Sept. 12 in Gallup. She was born April 26, 1940 in
Marion, NC.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Tom Serna Sr.
GALLUP — Services for Tom Serna Sr., 67, will be announced at
a later date.
Serna Sr. died Sept. 13.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
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