Miss Navajo

Miss Navajo Nation Karletta Chief poses with her crown, sash and jewelry outside of the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock.

Photo by Jeff Jones

Champion of the environment
Miss Navajo is not just another pretty face

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Defenders of keeping Lake Powell rather than draining the huge reservoir have a new champion in the new Miss Navajo Nation, Karletta Chief.

The 24-year-old holds bachelor and master's degrees from Leland Stanford Jr. University and has started work on her doctoral degree. Her interest is environmental engineering, especially being able to apply the theory in a practical way.

But Chief, who graduated from Page High School in 1994, laments that the rising waters of the Colorado River covered archaeological sites and burial grounds.

"There are a lot of issues surrounding it," she said. "I think now the economy is so dependent on Lake Powell that draining it would really affect the economy there. I think that with Lake Powell they have been able to create an environment that is environmental friendly. I think keeping it has more positives than negatives.

"I can't imagine what's at the bottom with all the litter."

Born of the Bitter Water Clan for the Near the Water Clan, her interest in the land, water and air comes from a lifelong exposure.

In her brief biography for the annual pageant, she wrote, "For many years, my family experienced the environmental degradation by local mining and I have seen the land being torn for the sake of energy needs of metropolitan areas. This background created my passion to study environmental engineering and in preserving and healing the environment.

"I grew up in a home with no electricity, no running water and little money, but with Navajo as my first language. My parents' teaching taught me to pray daily, work hard, appreciate life, respect others and take pride in my culture. My parents, aunts and uncles have little education, but they have always told me that my education was for them and that I should always do my best.
They have always been my inspiration."

In turn, the 4-foot 11-inch tall successor to Victoria Yazzie wants to be a positive role model, especially for youth.

For the youngsters, Chief has developed a presentation she calls "Teaching from the Hogan," using the eight sides of the Navajo home to illustrate eight principles of life.

The eight are family, spirituality, culture (including language), history, respecting elders, health, education and being a role model to return to the first link, completing the full circle.

Advanced education costs a lot of money $30,000 a year at the prestigious private university she attended in Palo Alto, Calif., thanks to a Chief Manuelito Scholarship getting her through the first year. Other financial aid, such as the Chapter Scholarship Fund, professional society scholarships and private aid paid the rest, she said.

Still it was an uphill battle for a youngster from a small public school competing with young men and women trained for collegiate life in special preparatory schools.

The first year was especially difficult, she said, not being able to verbally communicate with her parents, though they wrote letters to each other. The first quarter was the most difficult, she said, "because I come from a family that is very close."

With a rigorous level classes and highly competitive students, it got so that during her sophomore year she was sleeping only three or four hours per night. However, it gradually got better. "But now I look back and wonder how I did that, physically," she said.

In her junior and senior years on her way to a 1998 bachelor's in civil and environmental she started getting better grades.

"I was really determined, and I know a lot of people are looking at me to see if I will finish because there were other students before me who went there and got sick and weren't able to finish," she said.

She received her master's degree in March and now has 18 of the approximately 90 units she will need to earn her doctorate.
But after seven straight years she needed to take a break, and had always wanted to run for Miss Navajo.

As Miss Navajo and being exposed to vast array of modern technology in the Silicon Valley, Chief wants to update the computers in the office, adding a Web page. Already, she said, she has received thanks from all over the world from Navajos who contacted her Web page at Leland Stanford.

She especially wants to use the Web page as an educational tool to teach Diné culture and language.

Chief also wants to put up a monthly display in the showcases in the hallway outside her office that is lined with photos of previous Miss Navajos in the Peterson Zah-Navajo Nation Museum, Library and Visitors Center.

Chief wants to be proactive in communicating through newspapers and radio with the Navajo people.

Chief also known as "Daane," for "Little Doll" as her uncle and father began calling her because they thought she was so cute is the fourth of six children of Lillian (Tallman) and Paul Chief.

| Top |

Hopis, Navajos agree: Road needs paving

Stan Bindell
Special to the Independent

POLACCA, Ariz. — Navajo and Hopi officials are working together to push for the paving of a 14.7-mile stretch of road from First Mesa to Pinon.

Lester Charley, contract administrator with the Hopi Tribe, estimates the paving would cost $3 million for planning and $8 million to $10 million for the construction. He said they hope to get on the 2002 fiscal year budget for funding.

Navajo Route 65 goes by Hard Rock, Forest Lake, Blue Gap, Whipporwill and Low Mountain. The road is unpaved and known for large potholes.

Hopi Councilman Steve Youvella, representing First Mesa, said with the recent addition of the new medical center in First Mesa, officials are concerned about the ability of police and medical vehicles to use Navajo Route 65. School officials whose students travel to Pinon High School to compete in sports are concerned about the road's condition.

Hopi Junior/Senior High School Superintendent Paul Reynolds said he is concerned about the safety of the children who must ride on buses on this route.

"We're here to serve the students. I'm concerned about unsafe conditions, so let's be proactive and get something done before something tragic happens," he said.

The road is impassable in the winter, he said.

"We feel lost individually, but collectively we can see a light at the end of the tunnel to get this done," he said.

About 20 tribal and county officials met at Hopi High School on Thursday to discuss working together to see that the road is paved.

Charley said he knows there is money available, but the question is who needs to go to whom in order to obtain those funds.

"The Hopi Tribe sets priorities. I can't predict what the tribe will do because it's all political. Both tribes are like that. It's a shame and it's frustrating as it goes," he said. "It's only 13 miles so why not complete it? It would benefit both tribes."

Funding could come from the federal and state governments. In Arizona, the state often relies on the counties for road paving recommendations.

Ivan Sidney, community service administrator at First Mesa Consolidated Village, said the village leadership wants the road paved. Low Mountain Chapter House passed a resolution supporting the idea.

Sidney said officials from both tribes need to work with Congress in order to obtain special funding because the normal process is a nightmare.

Sidney noted that paving the road would help with teacher recruitment for several schools that are near this route. About 20 percent of the student population at Hopi High School comes from the Navajo reservation and he is concerned about the students' safety as well as the wear and tear on the buses.

"It's 13.7 miles, but it feels like it takes two hours," he said. "It impacts the students' extracurricular activities. If Navajos and Hopis work together, it will get attention because it will be 'we the people' doing it."

Louella Nahsonhoyua, director of the Northland Pioneer College Hopi Center, said 60 percent of the enrollment is Navajo and NPC has to send many teachers to Navajo communities near N-65 in order for them to get their instruction.

"The students who come in on those roads complain a lot," she said.

Navajo County Supervisor Jessie Thompson said there is stronger justification now than in the past. He added that the county can help with technical support.

"If the assessments are done this year then there shouldn't be any problem going to the county and the state," he said.

Bill Cox, director of public works for Navajo County, said the county can pay only for the paving of the road if it is declared a county highway. Charley responded that the Navajo and Hopi tribes would be reluctant to give up their roads.

Sidney said he attempted in the 1980s to get the road paved, along with then-Navajo Chairman Peterson Zah and U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, but their attempt fell short.

Herb Begay, a planner with Hopi BIA Roads, said this road was sixth on the BIA's priority list seven years ago, but dropped out of the top 10 a couple of years later. He said his department spends at least 20 percent of their maintenance time working on t e road. He said the problem was not lack of money, but that the Hopi Tribe had made the paving of Leupp Road its priority.

Calvin Castillo with the Fort Defiance BIA Roads Department, said if the Navajo Agency and Phoenix Agency (which includes Hopi) split paying for the project, it would stretch the dollars and make it more viable.

The next meeting on the proposed paving of N-65 will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Low Mountain Chapter House.

| Top |

Navajo delegate must repay over $17,000
Chapter official removed from office

Jim Maniaci
Dine' Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Another elected official has been removed from tribal office for violating the Navajo Ethics in Government Law and removed from office.

Joey Antonio Jr. has been removed by the Navajo Nation Council's Ethics and Rules Committee as secretary-treasurer of the Upper Fruitland Chapter and ordered to repay more than $17,000 to the Northern Agency chapter.

Antonio Jr. was the second Navajo Nation elected official removed by the committee in one week as Toadlena-Two Grey Hills Council Delegate Richard Begay Jr. also was forced to resign for violating the Ethics in Government Law. The process of removal includes: (1) immediate resignation from office; (2) prohibition against holding tribally elected office for five years; and (3) paying restitution as deemed by the committee.

The committee added two punishments to the standard three sanctions for ethics law violators by requiring Antonio to write a letter of apology to the chapter's membership, along with a prohibition against handling any public chapter-level funds.

The Aug. 4 complaint by the Office of Ethics and Rules charged Antonio with signing and cashing 44 checks for $16,180 from June 2, 1997, to April 23, 1999. The unauthorized checks ranged from $75 to $1,750.

The complaint also charged Antonio with $846 worth of unauthorized credit card use for a trip with his grandfather to Dallas in September 1997. The tribal credit card rented vehicles at the Farmington, Albuquerque and Dallas-Fort Worth airports, plus paid the airline fares from Duke City to the Big D.

Navajo law requires advance chapter membership approval for checks, which also require two signatures. The ethics law forbids use of "any property of the Navajo Nation or any other public property of any kind for other than as authorized and approved for official purposes and activities."

All of the checks were drawn on the chapter's BankOne account; most were for $500 or less, but three were for $1,750, $1,500 and $1,250.

While the Office of Ethics and Rules wanted him to repay the money at $150 a month, the committee raised it to $200 a month until the entire $17,026 is returned. This means he would pay off the debt in seven years and two months, starting this November, with the last payment due December 2007.

The committee also imposed the standard prohibition against holding tribal elected office for five years along with the immediate relinquishment of office. Current chapter-level terms end next month, so the chapter will have to select pro-tem secretaries to take minutes at the Upper Fruitland meetings.

Antonio agreed to the standard terms of a stipulated judgment, which admits the allegations of the complaint, recognizes the committee's authority to decide the case and impose sanctions, waives the holding of an administrative hearing, and prevents any appeals.

| Top |

No. 2 Ramah romps over Pine Hill, 58-7

Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

PINE HILL — Second-ranked Ramah crushed Pine Hill 58-7 in a district showdown that was called on the mercy rule at the end of the first half on a blustery Saturday afternoon.

"The guys are coming around," Ramah coach Ron Stevenson said as his Mustangs improved to 4-0. "The boys wanted it (the district win). They've come together very well. We have four more district games. I told the team that the second season starts today. Pine Hill was hurt without its quarterback Urian Maria. They don't have a lot of depth."

Ramah, 4-0, 1-0, will host Reserve Saturday at 2 p.m. Pine Hill, 2-3, will play at Carrizozo Saturday also at 2 p.m.

Pine Hill coach Steve Barron said not having his top player Urian Maria for its district showdown with rival Ramah was crucial.
"He's a senior and he does all the plays," Barron said of Maria. "Along with Brandon Hooper, they're my two best players.
But Ramah has a really good team. There's no reason why they shouldn't take state. They have all the tools to win it."

The Warriors were also without Kevin Chicharello who was injured as well.

Pine Hill put themselves in trouble in the early going, going for fourth down and long that set up several of Ramah's scores in the first half.

"We never kick," Barron said of the Warriors going on the fourth-down plays. "We usually spread it. Also I didn't have Maria who usually does the kicking."

Mustang senior Austin Clawson got the Mustangs on the scoreboard when he picked off a pass by fill-in freshman quarterback Bush Martine and ran the ball back 12 yards for the score. Mustang kicker Rafael Cruz booted four of the PATS.

With six minutes remaining in the first quarter, Ramah struck again as junior Reginald Antonio caught an 18-yard pass from quarterback Tucker Simons.

The Mustangs set up their third score after the Warriors came up short on another fourth down try.

Simons completed his second touchdown pass, this time finding Ian Andersen for a 12-yard strike.

Simons pushed Ramah's lead to 30-0 in the first quarter as he broke loose for a 69-yard scamper with 2:44 remaining.

Pine Hill's quarterback Martine was sacked at the 1 on a fourth down play. The Mustangs took over and found the end zone as Antonio dove in for the six points.

On a fourth down and eight from the 8, the Mustangs scored when Clawson bullied his way into the end zone at the 3:33 mark for a 44-0 lead.

Simons intercepted a Pine Hill pass that set up Ramah's seventh TD of the first half. Simons picked off the pass and broke several tackles on his way to a 16-yard touchdown.

The Mustangs closed out their scoring when Simons completed a 20-yard pass to Garrett Lewis for a 50-0 Mustang lead.

But the Warriors were able to avoid a shutout with seconds remaining.

Pine Hill's Brandon Hooper scored on a 10-yard run with 36 seconds left but a clipping call nullified the score. The Warriors were able to regroup as Hooper eluded several Mustang defenders before being stopped on the 4. With 15 seconds left in the the first half, Hooper got the ball and sprinted from the 4 for the score. Martine passed the ball to Kerry Chicharello on the two-point conversion on a Hail Mary pass as the game was called on the 45-point mercy rule as Ramah won easily, 58-7.

Ramah's Reginald Antonio had three rushes for 28 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns along with one TD pass reception of 18 yards; Austin Clawson three carries for 36 yards and one rushing TD and one interception for another score; Ian Andersen one TD reception for 12 yards and Garrett Lewis three receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown.

Mustang quarterback Tucker Simons completed 5-of-7 passes for 73 yards with three TD passes of 18, 20 yards and 20 yards and rushed 71 yards for another score.

On defense Ramah was led by Reginald Antonio with 13 assisted tackles and four solos; Austin Clawson 16 assisted tackles, one solo and one interception; Tucker Simons three assists, two solos and two interceptions; Cagney Martine five assists, two solos and one sack; Ian Anderson five assists, one solo, caused one fumble and one fumble recovery and Ephraim Montague six assists.

Hooper rushed for 138 yards and one touchdown while Dominic Chischilly rushed for 21 yards. Hooper and Felix Chavez each had four tackles. Martine passed for 24 yards.

At long last
Bengal girls pick up first win

Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer

GALLUP — The Gallup Lady Bengals soccer team picked up their first victory of the year with a big, 5-0 win against West Mesa Saturday afternoon at Gallup Public School Stadium while the boys took their game down to the wire, winning 1-0.

Gallup girls 5, West Mesa girls 0

"It was a long time coming," said Lady Bengal head coach Shannon Gill. "The girls have not quit at all this season, and it finally paid off."

The Lady Bengals, (1-10, 1-1 district) scored four goals in the first half, the first two by Christina Kolb.

Christina Kolb scored less than two minutes into the first half to put the Lady Bengals up and made it a 2-0 lead with 36:30 left in the half on an assist from sister JoAnne Kolb.

JoAnne Kolb then set Sara Yurkovich up for the team's third goal with 12:39 left in the half.

Sharla Wicketts scored the final goal in the half with under two minutes to play, on a play where she tapped the ball in, along with a little assist from the wind. The West Mesa goalie was unable to get to the ball in time as it slowly rolled across the goal line.

The Bengals extended their lead to 5-0 on a JoAnne Kolb put back with 12:38 left in the game. Yurkovich picked up the assist on the play.

Lady Bengals goalie Nicole Smith blocked eight West Mesa shots. The Lady Bengals took 21 shots against the West Mesa goalies.

"It was a great moral victory for the team, they played great, shared the ball, and I'm excited about the rest of the year," said Gill.

The Lady Bengals host Rio Rancho on Thursday at 3 p.m.

Gallup boys 1, West Mesa 0

The Gallup boys varsity soccer team waited until the waning minutes in their contest with West Mesa to take the lead and pull out the last minute victory.

Gallup, (5-4, 1-1 district) and West Mesa were locked in a scoreless tie until two minutes left in the game when Eric Lujan broke away and kicked the ball into an open net for a 1-0 lead.

West Mesa goalie Chris Perez was drawn out on the play and missed the ball, leaving Lujan open for an easy goal. Perez had a perfect game up until that point, stopping 29 Gallup shots.

"It was a very tough and physical game," said Bengal head coach Shaun Gill. "The team stayed patient and didn't force any shots."

Gill said that it was a good effort all around by his team and that his defense played tough the entire game, especially at the end when the Mustangs pulled their goalie up to try and tie the game. "The defense really held up at the end, not allowing a shot."

West Mesa took 21 shots on goal, all stopped by Christian Isaacson.

The Bengals prepare for Rio Rancho, who they will play host to on Thursday.

| Top |

Navajos voice frustration over proposed sales tax

Jim Maniaci
Dine' Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — A proposed sales tax had many Navajos show frustration with their central government during public hearings last week.

But the hearings also concern proposed revisions to the Possessory Interest Tax (PIT) law, which is the equivalent of a property tax off the reservation. It is charged on land leases and could mean that homeowners would pay a tribal property tax for the first time.

The Office of the Navajo Tax Commission will continue its series of hearings this week on both topics: today in Kayenta (1-5 p.m.), Tuesday in the Tuba City Chapter House (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Thursday in Window Rock's Peterson Zah-Navajo Nation Museum, Library and Visitors Center (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

While most people seem concerned about the sales tax in addition to the automotive gas tax it would be the only levy paid by all consumers on the reservation the hearings also are about revisions to the existing Possessory Interest Tax...

| Top |

Cibola County cockfighting forum tonight

Tom Purdom
Staff Writer

GRANTS — County Commissioners today will decide if Cibola County will continue in the process to rescind part of its animal control ordinance to allow cockfighting.

The issue has attracted national attention. An animal rights group from Virginia may have members in attendance at tonight's 6 o'clock meeting and it could be well attended by both sides of the controversial cockfighting issue.

If the commission agrees to continue the process by agreeing to advertise the ordinance in a newspaper of general circulation in Cibola County, the ordinance will be voted on in October. If the vote is to make cockfighting legal, the ban would officially be lifted 30 days after the vote.

In 1987, Cibola County Commissioners enacted an animal control ordinance which, in effect, banned cockfighting by placing it in the same category as animal fighting and then banned animal fighting as a sporting venue...

| Top |

Deaths

Howard John Sandoval

FORT WINGATE — Services for Howard John Sandoval, 82, will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26 at the Tse Bonito Community Bible Church. Burial will follow at the Tohatchi Community Cemetery in Tohatchi.

Sandoval died Sept. 20 at the Red Rock Care Center in Gallup. He was born Aug. 15, 1918 in Tohatchi into the Meadow People Clan for the Meadow People Clan.

Sandoval attended Santa Fe Indian School. He was employed as a silversmith and was employed by El Paso Gas Line, Ciniza Electric, Gallup Mercantile and Paramount Curio. He was the president of the senior center in Tohatchi. His hobbies included fishing, hunting, traveling and participating in powwows, playing football with children. He received recognition from the Arts and Crafts Museum in Chicago, Ill. as the world most renown Navajo silversmith. He also demonstrated and worked for the
museum.

Survivors include his wife, Lucy Sandoval of Fort Wingate; sons, Richard Sandoval of Yah-Ta-Hey, Lester Sandoval and Chester Sandoval, both of Fort Wingate, Bobby Sandoval of Sage Brush and Harvey Sandoval of Rock Springs; daughters, Bernice Sandoval of Fort Wingate, Rickilee S. Hall of Farmington, Ethel Koyle of Orem, Utah and Elaine M. Soloman of Elsinore, Utah; 73 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; and 18 great-great-grandchildren.

Sandoval was preceded in death by his son, Herman Sandoval; parents, John Sandoval and Alice Sandoval; brother, Albert Sandoval; and sisters, Maureen Billy, Irene Badoni, Marie Becenti and Aalgebha Sandoval.

Pallbearers will be Willy Sandoval, Harvey Sandoval, Richard Sandoval, Gary Sandoval, Lester Sandoval and Chester Sandoval.

The family will receive friends and family after the burial services at the Tohatchi Chapter House.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Guy P. Todacheeny

WINDOW ROCK — Services for Guy P. Todacheeny, 79, will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26 at the St. Michaels Catholic Church. Father Meldon Hickey, O.F.M. will officiate. Burial will follow at the St. Michaels Schools Cemetery.

Rosary will be recited at 6 p.m., tonight at Rollie Mortuary in Gallup.

Todacheeny died Sept. 21 in Window Rock, Ariz. He was born Sept. 15 1921 in Nazlini, Ariz. into the Coyote Pass People Clan for the Bitter Water People Clan.

Survivors include his sons, Fred Morgan of Thatcher, Ariz., Ray Morgan of Fremont, Calif., Gudy Todacheeny Jr. of Ganado, Ariz., James Todacheeny and Jim Todacheeny, both of Las Vegas, Nev. and Joseph Todacheeny of Phoenix, Ariz.; daughters, Raymarie Brown of Las Vegas, Nev., Wanda Morgan Ross of Fort Defiance, Ariz., Dinah J. Todacheeny of
Window Rock, Ariz. and Charlotte Tsosie of Kayenta, Ariz.; brother, Henry Henderickson of Okla.; 35 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Todacheeny was preceded in death by his wife, Stella Marie Todacheeny; parents; and a sister, Cecelia Begay.

Pallbearers will be Fred L. Morgan, Ray Morgan, Guy Todacheeny Jr., James Todacheeny, Jim Todacheeny and Joseph Todacheeny.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Louise Holmes Sellers

GALLUP — Graveside services for Louise Holmes Sellers, 74, will be held at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26 at Sunset Memorial Park in Gallup. Bishop Decker will officiate.

Sellers died Sept. 25 in Gallup. She was born June 24, 1926 in Manassa, Colo.

Sellers was the owner of Three Hogans Trading Post in Lupton, Ariz.

Survivors include her son, Allen R. Sellers; daughters, Diana L. Alcala; sisters, Alma Welsh and Margaret Shawcroft; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Sellers was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Sellers.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Marie L. Shay

LUKACHUKAI, Ariz. — Services for Marie L. Shay, 51, will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26, at the St. Isabel Mission in Lukachukai, Ariz. Father Caron, O.F.M. will officate. Burial will follow at the Lukachukai Community Cemetery.

Shay died Sept. 21 in Tsaile, Ariz. She was born July 20, 1949 in Shiprock into the Ute Division of the Red Running into the Water People Clan for the Edge of the Water People Clan.

Shay was a graduate of Chiliocco Indian School. She got a degree for teaching pre-school. She was teaching for 10 years and later retired to spend time with family.

Survivors include his sons, Gary Shay, Raymond Shay and Nicholas Betony; daughters, Levina Shay, Martha Shay, Cecelia
Shay and Natasha Tsosie; mother, Betty J. Begay; brothers, Herbert Tsosie, Roy Tsosie, Tom Tsosie Jr., Terrence Begay and Terrill Begay; sisters, Louise Betony, Nora Betony, Christine Saltwater, Zelma Begay, Brenda Tsosie, Madelene Begay, Tomacita Begay and Sonya Begay; and 16 grandchildren.

Shay was preceded in death by her father.

Pallbearers will be Roy Tsosie, Tom Tsosie Jr., Terrence Begay, Gary Shay, Ray Benally and Herbert Tsosie.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.