A different view


Proving that "boys will be boys," Tyler Long, 7, climbs on a slanted cement pillar Saturday at the Ft. Defiance fieldhouse in Arizona.

Photo by Jeff Jones

 

 



City public housing units to be demolished

Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Seven public housing units in Gallup will soon be history.

Officials for the Gallup Housing Authority say that the seven units, spread throughout Gallup, will be demolished in the next few months because it would cost too much to make them livable.

They will not be replaced since Gallup has not received any federal funds to build new public housing in Gallup for 25 years.

Four of the units are located on Arnold Street, two on the corner of Strong and Vista, and one in Ford Canyon.

The houses scheduled to be demolished all have a variety of structural problems that make them unlivable. All have been vacant for years, some going as far back as 1997.

This still leaves 247 public housing units in Gallup, which has an operating budget of about $500,000 a year as well as an annual grant of another $500,000 which is sued to modernize existing units, said Douglas Thornton, the authority's director.

He said that the authority's board is now looking at ways to use the land that will be made available when the demolition is done. At Ford Canyon and Sky City, one of the options is to build laundromats.

The site at Arnold is too far back from the other houses for a laundromat so one option being considered is to turn it into a park, he said.

While Gallup could use some more public housing, said Thornton, the agency's waiting list "is not really that long" right now, containing between 50 and 60 names. But with housing money so tight for the past two decades, no one seems to be holding their breath about the possibility of getting new construction funds, even though many of the tenants are Native American and the government is providing tens of millions of dollars annually for Indian housing.

"That comes from a different program," Thornton said, with money going to the nation's Indian reservation housing departments.

But there is another program which has the potential of providing some new public housing for Gallup.

Under that program, if someone with a FHA or Fanny Mae mortgage defaults and no one is found to take over the payments within six months, the housing authority can step and acquire it for practically nothing.

"That doesn't happen very often," said Thornton. In fact, in the last two and a half years, it has only happened only once.

While the demolitions have been set, public housing residents, as well as the general public, can comment on that or any other matters regarding public housing when the authority has its annual meeting at 3 p.m. Friday in the authority's conference room.


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'Strangler'awaits hearing on drive-by Pregnant teen OK

Andrea Egger
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Albuquerque hospital staff say the unborn baby of a Thoreau teen wasn't injured when a bullet lodged in the teen's brain after the Jan. 20 drive-by shooting in western Gallup.

Meanwhile, Eric"The Strangler"Upshaw Villegas, 20, of 829 Kevin Drive, will face court this week in the shooting, in which he confessed to Gallup Police detectives.

Eleventh Judicial District Attorney Karl Gillson said Friday that shooting victim Rhonda Tayah, 19, should be able to be released from University Hospital in Albuquerque this week."She's recovering well,"Gillson said.

Gillson will be ready to take Villegas to a hearing in Magistrate Court this week to determine whether Gillson has enough evidence for the charges against Villegas to result in a jury trial, or a plea agreement, in District Court. Gillson amended Villegas' earlier charges and has now charged the jailed man with attempted first-degree murder, shooting at or from a motor vehicle resulting in great bodily harm, child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and two counts of tampering with evidence, all felonies.

The child abuse was determined because Villegas had a 14-year-old male passenger with him, and Villegas' actions endangered the child, Gillson said. Conversely, the contributing to the delinquency of a minor was determined because the 14-year-old was with Villegas during the 2 a.m. shooting and could be considered a co-conspirator, although the teen hasn't been charged, the district attorney said. Contributing to the delinquency of a minor is charged when an adult permits a minor to be in a position where the minor might commit a crime.

"This could have evolved into a homicide,"Gillson said.

At 2:46 a.m. Jan. 20, dispatchers sent police to Gallup Indian Medical Center to meet with a victim of a gunshot wound. When Officer Krissy Leekity arrived, doctors were working on Tayah, so she spoke to the woman's boyfriend and driver of their vehicle, Derrick Shirley.

They had been at the Shalimar Inn and headed over to Love's Truck Stop to look for a party after the bar closed, Shirley said.

Police officers showed up at Love's and"chased everybody out,"he said. As Shirley turned onto Highway 66, heading east, a pickup truck, later determined to be driven by Villegas, pulled up next to him. The driver and teen passenger"threw gang signs"at Shirley and Tayah, according to Leekity's report.

"All I heard was a loud 'boom,' my window shattered, and then I noticed a bullet hole in my windshield,"Leekity quoted Shirley as saying.

Shirley said he didn't know Tayah had been shot yet, and he was determined to get the license plate of the pickup, which headed onto Interstate 40 at the west interchange. Shirley became involved in a 100-mph chase with Villegas as he followed him onto I-40.

He caught up to the pickup at the Munoz overpass, where Shirley wrote down the license plate number.

That's when he heard muffled noises coming from his girlfriend."I looked over toward her and that's when I saw all that blood flowing down her face."
Villegas rushed her to the hospital. Leekity and other officers examined the victims' car in the hospital parking lot. Leekity saw blood on the front passenger seat, the middle console and the gear shift. She saw a bullet hole on the windshield and pieces of the shattered windshield on the floor board on the driver's side.

Tayah was able to talk at first and told Leekity she and Shirley did nothing to provoke the driver of the pickup. Officers asked about Tayah's wound, at which time the nurse removed a bandage from the victim's right cheek.

"We could see what appeared to be a wound caused by a bullet. The nurse informed us that they were unable to find an exit wound,"Leekity wrote.

After a CT scan, hospital staff told Leekity Tayah's right cheek was smashed and the bullet lodged in her brain. Shortly after talking to police, Tayah fell into a coma, and hospital staff prepared Tayah to be flown to UNM.

Police ran the pickup's license plate, which Shirley had obtained, and determined it belonged to Silvestre Villegas of 829 Kevin Drive.

That's when they met with Silvestre Villegas and then his son, Eric Villegas, who confessed to Gallup Police detectives, sergeants Rick White and Brian Guillen, said Gallup Police Lt. John Allen, spokesman.

Villegas"said he did shoot at this vehicle with a .38-caliber handgun three times. He said the reason he did it is because the driver of the victims' vehicle had pointed a shotgun at him,"Allen said.

But Tayah, Shirley and a back seat passenger, Shirley's best friend, Shawn Smith, 22, of Mentmore, never mentioned a shotgun in their statements, and evidence police collected didn't corroborate Villegas' story about a shotgun, Allen said. Smith slept during the events leading up to the shooting and was awakened by the sound of the gunshots.

Villegas said he threw the .38-caliber gun, three spent casings and a live round out the window while speeding away on Highway 66. Allen said about 10 officers from the Gallup Police and the McKinley County Sheriff's Department searched to no avail the area where Villegas said he threw the gun.

"Villegas is a self-admitted gang member from Salt Lake City,"said Allen, adding that he'd been living at the above address with his dad for several months.

Allen later called the Albuquerque hospital and found Tayah was listed in serious condition but "she was sitting up and eating,"Allen said.

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Navajo Nation DWI's

Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Corrections Department booked the following adults on drunk driving charges from Dec. 24-Jan. 20. A person is guilty only when convicted in a court.

Tuba City — Kee Haskie Jr., 40, Tuba City; Lionel Goldtooth, 35, Tuba City; Kara Wilson, 21, Kinlichee; Melvin Cepi, 42, Keams Canyon; Virgil Keams, 39, Leupp; Chuck Hollow Horn, 18, Tuba City; Mike Adson, 43, Tuba City; Judas Begay, 43, Tonalea; Rena Tsinnijinnie, 34, Kaibeto; Gerald Benally, 21, Tonalea; Burt Cody, 32, Cameron; Leonard Fowler, 28, Tonalea; Michael Lopez, 31, Tuba City; Monty J. Mix, 22, Tuba City; Bert Tohonnie, 43, Tonalea; Rexaniel Watson, 30, Tuba City; Yellowhair Begay, 75, Kaibeto; Anthony Ben Sr., 33, Leupp; Yasminda Thomas, 21, Tuba City; Kenneth Clitso, 35, Tuba City; Soloman Goldtooth, 36, Tuba City; Candice R. Benally, 28, Tuba City; Aruda C. Willie, 27, Tuba City; Chandler Yazzie, 21, Corpus Christy; Keith Yazzie, 43, Tuba City; Jonah Johnson, 25, Inscription House; Bruce A. Lafountain, 40, Santa Fe; Edwin Smith, 44, Leupp and Wanda Carol Yazzie, 40, Tuba City.

Window Rock — Nicholas Thomas, 19, Holbrook; Leo Valencio, 26, Window Rock; Larry Begay, 40, Rock Point; Thomas Begay, 37, Nazlini; Chester Slivers, no age listed, Tsaile; Benjamin Tsosie, 35, Sawmill; Anthony Jones, 25, Crystal; Darlene Yazzie, 31, Window Rock; Aaron Rosetta, 20, Navajo; Vernon Begay, 32, Twin Lakes; Frankie Dale, 31, Wide Ruins; Truman Smith, 31, Ganado; Vergena Peshlakai, 45, Indian Wells; Eva Smith, 45, Pinedale; Irvin Toledo, 50, Farmington; Barbara Kee, 35, Klagetoh; Sally Lewis, 41, White Cone; Virgil Clark, 43, Navajo; Dennison Billy, 41, Wide Ruins; Fredrick Baldwin, 43, Querino Canyon; Anthony Metteba, 21, Newcomb; Lester Sam, 39, Hunters Point; Francelia Johnson, 26, Fort Defiance; Leo Spencer, 36, Greasewood; Jackie Webb, 28, Greasewood; Benson Silversmith, 28, Tohatchi; Julian Tohe, 29, Rough Rock; Michael Wauneka; 22, Ganado; Lorenzo Davis, 47, Flagstaff; Marilyn Chavez, 55, Fort Defiance; Geraldine Hubbard, 33, Fort Defiance; Benson Beyal, 31, Crown Point; Alton John, 28, Tse Bonito; Harry Kee Jr., 49, Window Rock; Shannon Silvers, 24, Ganado; Sharon Alcott, 24, Dilkon and Marcedes Russell, 33, Cibicue, Ariz.

Chinle — Melfred James, 20, Rough Rock; Melvin T. Bede, 26, Whippoorwill; Wilhemina H. Badonie, 57, Ogden, Utah; Melvin Jim Hatahlie, 21, Farmington; Silas Kaye, 19, Burt Corn; Dean Begay, 38, Pinon; Armando Roanhorse, 19, Chinle; Edward Wagner, 21, Many Farms, Paul Edward Tso III, 27, Many Farms; Carlbert Miller, 221, Round Rock; Nelbert Miller, 21, Lukachukai; Nolan Miller, 23, Round Rock; Abraham Bochencloney, 39, Lukachukai; Bennie R. Arvesto, 51, Chinle; Harris Francis, 51, St. Michaels; Martin Hardy, 41, Many Farms; Donavon Nez, 23, Chinle; Harland Todecheenie, 27, Chinle; Theodore Tullie, 29, Crystal; Joseph Allen, 38, Lukachukai; Dennis Edward Yazzie, 49, Blue Gap; Elroy Brady, 31, Rock Point; Daniel Claw, 37, Many Farms; Shawn D. Nez, 25, Many Farms; Gary Nutlouis, 33, Whippoorwill; Nickie Harvey, 24, Lukachukai; Michael B. Thomas, 42, Chinle; Roncelle Yazzie, 26, Chinle; Roderick Coggeshell, 20, Many Farms; Raymond Charlie, 53, Nazlini; Jerry Ben, 58, Tsaile; Alfred Holtsoi, 38, Chinle; Rita Price, 41, Many Farms; Jonathan D. Begay, 41, Round Rock; Jerrison Kee, 28, Whippoorwill; Wilson Dean Begay Sr., 53, Lukachukai; Rolinda K. Brown, 33, Chinle; Mary R. James, 41, Tsaile; Leo D. Tah, 40, Chinle; Juan Harvey, 31, Tsaile; Michael Davis, 51, Lukachukai; Clinton B. Mark, 51, Chinle; Elmer Tsosie, 30, Pinon; Casey Dawes, 30, Pinon; Sharon C. Jones, 35, Chinle; Ambrose Luckton, 43, Tsaile; Gilbert Yazzie, 39, Tsaile; Priscillia Singer, 42, Chinle; Dickie Altsisi, 36, Pinon; Alvin C. Begay, 37, Navajo; Randy Bia, 43, Chinle; Alex Descheenie, 29, Navajo; Anthony Gray Eagle, 25, Burt Corn; Darlene Lee, 37, Tsaile; Marlene McCurtain, 32, Rough Rock; Richard Tosie Jr., 39, Fort Defiance; Joseph Turner, 40, Chinle and Kee Lee Wilson, 41, Chinle.

Crownpoint — Aldora Henry, 37, Mexican Springs; Aaron Bitsui, 28, Crown Point; Shawn Willeto, 47, Ojo Encino; Ashley Henry, 40, Becenti; Brenda John, 37, Smith Lake; DeWayne Eskeets, 23, Gallup; Aaron Rico, 33, Crown Point; Norlene Begay, 24, Iyanbito; Herbert Joe Jr., 35, Fruitland; Larry Mexicano, 49, To' Hajiilee; Ray Dennison, 36, Twin Pines; Richard Jim 32, Thoreau; Daniel Ramone, 30, Borrego Pass; Joshua Largo, 20, Crown Point (two different days); Jolene Charley, 33, Thoreau; Patricia Yazzie, 34, Farmington; Lambert Benally, 25, Red Lake; Wendall Benally, 60, Bloomfield; La Donna Baca, 23, Jemez; Rufus Sandoval, 37, Ojo Encino; Gerald Harrison, 31, Counselor; Larry N. Largo, 23, Mariano Lake; Ronald Armenta, 36, White Rock; Marvin Begay, 29, Huerfano; Eric Hosteen, 23, Prewitt and Ernest Yazzie, 50, Church Rock.

Kayenta — Margarite White, 31, Kayenta; Dalroy L. Killsnight, 32, Dennehotso; Raymond Stanley, 38, Kayenta; Kenneth Tsosie, 33, Dennehotso; Lester Begay, 34, Gouldings; Kirk Gray, 21, Kayenta; Randy Yazzie, 31, Cow Springs; Archie Yellow, 30, Kayenta; James Franklin, 19, Kayenta; Leonard Thinn, 35, Kayenta; Bob Mitchell, 56, Gouldings; Boyd Yazzie, 38, Gouldings; Leonard Fernado, 18, Chilchinbito; Ricky Manhiemer, 34, Inscription House; Jefferson Black Jr., 26, Kayenta; Harry Bigman, 33, Gouldings; Helen Smallcanyon, 64, Kayenta; Marco Jackson, 19, Ganado; Marlinda Perry, 34, Goulding; Kevin Etington, 45, Wichita, Kan.; Celina Grey, 30, Kayenta (two different days); Leroy Clitso, 52, Kayenta; Linda Grey, 31, Kayenta; David Joe, 25, Dennehotso; Dennis Kinlecheeny, 35, Chilchinbito and Richard Tohannie, 32, Tuba City.

Shiprock — Edwin Sells, 35, Shiprock; Darian Tso, 23, Fruitland; Ernest Happy, 29, Sanostee; Wilbert Poiche, 52, Shiprock; Ruben White Horse, 53, Montezuma Creek; Renardo Thomas, 31, Shiprock; Larry Begay, 42, Many Farms; Daisy Begaye, 38, Farmington; Jim Lansing, 45, Shiprock; Raymond Tso, 27, Rattlesnake; Brenda Tsosie, 37, Shiprock; Davin Yazzie, 23, Shiprock; Paul Begay, 24, Aneth; Arland John, 22, Kirland; Thomas Benally, 43, Red Valley; Lucius Begay, 34, Naschitti; Danny Benally, 41, Sanostee; Aylesa McRoy, 36, Red Mesa; Francis Shorty, 34, unknown home town; Dineah Talker, 29, Blanding; Ronald Begay, 50, Shiprock; Tom Begay, 59, Aztec; Darrell Desiderio, 25, To' Hajiilee; Russell Quigg, 21, Teec Nos Pos; Thomas Lowe, 60, Shiprock; Thomas Tsosie, 20, Shiprock; Earl Johnson, 66, Rough Rock; Larry Brown, 40, Newcomb; Wesley Martinez, 45, Kirtland; Kyle Potts, 18, Shiprock; Magdaline Bizardi, 21, Shiprock; Malegeny Denetclaw, 26, Sheep Springs; Raymond Lee Jr., 30, Cudeii; Derrick Redhouse, 19, Teec Nos Pos; Stanford Sakizzie, 37, Aneth; Manuel Scott, 32, Shiprock; Brian Lister, 24, Shiprock; Caroline Tsosie, 28, Naschitti; Franklin Hadley, 38, Teec Nos Pos; Daniel Benjamin, 19, Shiprock; Irick Phillips, 27, Shiprock; Sterling Charles, 20, Two Grey Hills; Pernell Smiley, 20, Toadlena; Karlett Tsosie, 19, Rock Point; Nathaniel Begay, 20, Shiprock; Grace Clah, 54, Fruitland; Manuel Matchers, 23, Sheep Springs; Brian Johnson, 31, Shiprock and Odell Yazzie, 26, Hogback.

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Area sports

Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer

ALBUQUERQUE — A night after their big overtime win over Rio Rancho, the Gallup Bengals fell to Valley in a key district 1AAAAA matchup.

The Bengals, (10-6, 2-2 in district) led throughout the first quarter and kept the game close until 6:50 left in the third quarter, when Gallup head coach Ryan Cordova was called for a techincal after arguing a referee call.

At the time the Bengals trailed 29-26 but found themselved down 35-26 after the technical. Lucas Vigil hit his pair of free throws from the foul call and then hit the two technical foul shots to put the Vikings, (12-4, 3-1 district) up 33-26. On the following posession Diego Gallegos scored on a layup to continue the six point run.

The Bengals were fianlly able to end the run when Daniel Guliford hit a three pointer on their next posession.

"XXXX," said Cordova. "XXX."

Gallup jumped ahead early and held a 12-10 lead at the end of the fist quarter, thannks to a three pointer by Fremin Gallegos and a pair of baksets by BJ Estrada.

Valley was able to get the advantage when the Begnals got into foul trouble in the second quarter. Valley hit 11-of-14 free thorws in the seocnd quarter to take a 28-26 lead at halftime.

The Vikings only made four feildgoals in the second quarter, but held the Bengals to three layups and a three pointer. Gallup shot 5-of-10 form the free throw line in the second quarter.

In the third quarter the Valley continued to make their freethrows while the could not get their baskets to fall.

The Vikings were sent to the line nine times in the third quarter, making eight of the attempts. In the fourth quarter Valley hit 11-of-12 fom the line, finishing 31-of-42 form the line, while the Bengals made only 11-of-18 from the line.

"XXX," said Cordova. "XXX."

The Bengals were able to keep the Valley ladd under 15 for most of the second half, trailing by only eight going into the fourth quarter. Gallup was outscored 17-11 in the third quarter and trailed 45-37 going into the fourth.

In the final quarter the Bengals had to foul to try and keep up but the Vikings continued to hit their freethrows and held on for the win.

In the second half the Vikings only made one jumpshot, the rest of their points came off free throws and layups.

After outrebounding Valey in the first half 17-15, the Bengals were unable to control the boards in the second half and were outrebounded 19-16.

Leading the way for the Vikings was Vigil, who finished with 16 points, 14 coming in the second half. Ish Loya finished with 12 points and Tyler Jones scored 10 for Valley.

No Bengal scored in double figures as the leading scorers for Gallup was Jeremy Lewis and Dominic Romero, both finishing with eight points.

Despite no dominant performance from any one player, the Bengals got eight different Bengals to score, all scoring more than once.

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Indian study: fewer visitors to Santa Fe

SANTA FE (AP) — Indian Market isn't as crowded as everyone thought.

A study for the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts — the first visitor survey and economic impact study of the annual event in eight years — shows 43,749 visitors attended the 2001 Indian market Aug. 18-19.

For years, people have said attendance at the Indian arts sale reaches 100,000.

"That was an estimate no one seemed to know where it came from and was probably urban legend," said Eddie Dry, a University of New Mexico professor who headed the new study...

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Gallup may appeal redistricting action

Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — City officials are looking at the possibility of appealing a district judge's ruling Thursday that would pit two area state representatives against each other in the state legislative races this year.

District Judge Frank Allen Thursday approved a reapportionment plan that would combine District 9 and 5, pitting democrats Leo watchman and Patty Lundstrom against here other.

Allen said he combined the districts together to give Native Americans a better shot to elect another representative to the legislature this November. But city officials said that Allen's decision also robs Gallup of the only representative that answers to city voters...

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Ariz. Guv candidate for Code Talker Rd.

Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer

WINDOW ROCK — Matt Salmon, a leading Republican candidate for Arizona governor, says it's a shame that attempts to name State Highway 264 "Navajo Code Talker Highway" have fizzled.

Salmon, 44, of Mesa, Ariz., a former three-time U.S. representative, stopped off in Window Rock Thursday. He visited the Navajo Code Talker exhibit at the Navajo Nation Museum for the first time and exited more impressed than ever with their World War II accomplishments.

Salmon has heard about the forthcoming movie the "Windtalkers." He was present inside the Capital Rotunda in Washington, D.C. in late July of last year to see four of the original 29 Code Talkers receive Congressional Gold Medals from President George W. Bush...

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Teachers call for raise

Zsombor Peter
Staff Writer

SANTA FE — If Rick Miera, D-Albuquerque, and members of his House Education Committee had forgotten that New Mexico has the 47th lowest average teacher's salary in the nation, the state's educators certainly reminded them Saturday morning.

Nearly 50 teachers from as far and wide as Farmington to Las Cruces converged on the state capital building from 9 to 11 a.m. for a special hearing of the committee to voice their educational concerns.

"We can pay now or we can pay later," warned Jamie Chodosh of the need to raise teachers' salaries and school funding or face the consequences of a poorly educated generation of New Mexico students. She, like many others at the hearing, told stories of having to paying privately for essential school supplies, such as atlases and textbooks, her school could not afford...

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Gallup resets role at Diné pavillion

Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Steps have now been taken that make it appear that the Gallup booth at the Winter Olympics next month can be manned for a reasonable cost.

City Manager David Ruiz said Friday at his weekly press conference that arrangements have now been made that will provide personnel to man the city's booth at the Discover Navajo 2002 pavilion in downtown Salt Lake City for the Olympics.

There was concern expressed by members of the city council over how much it would cost to man the booth that the city received when it purchased a sponsorship from the Discover Navajo 2002 Foundation for $20,000. Some on the council were worried that manning the booth may double or triple the costs to the city...

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Man struck and killed by car

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A 45-year-old man was killed when he walked into the path of a car on Farmington's main street, police said.

The name of the victim, who died Saturday, had not been released pending notification of relatives.

A Farmington police spokeswoman said the man was struck at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The driver of the car was identified as Frances Manzanares of Farmington...

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Deaths

Lynn Ian Chambers

WHITE HORSE LAKE — Graveside services for Lynn Chambers, 28, will be held at 1 p.m., Tuesday, on family land, Whitehorse Lake. Pastor David Skiles will officiate.

Chambers died Jan. 24 in Farmington. He was born July 18, 1972 in Crownpoint into the Mexican People Clan for the Edge Water People Clan.

Survivors include his parents, Buck Chambers Jr. of Ganado, Ariz. and Arlene Sandoval of Crownpoint and grandparents, Frances Chambers of Ganado and Tom Tsosie of White Horse Lake.

Chambers was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jean Tsosie and Buck Chambers Sr.

Pallbearers will be Lance Dixon, Donovan Gordo, Waylon Jim, Loren Miles, Dean Robertson and Alex Trujillo.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

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