Hope holds for woman lost on mountain
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — State Police are sparing nothing in the frantic
search for a lost lightly clothed young Los Lunas woman on the
side of Mount Taylor as nighttime temperatures dip into the single
digits.
As of 10 p.m. Wednesday 20-year-old Ruth Miller still was listed
as missing, but searchers vowed to not give up the search and
said they would stay on the mountain side through the frigid night.
More than 35 ground personnel from across New Mexico, a snowmobile
from the Mount Taylor Ranger District of Cibola National Forest,
search and rescue dog teams, the State Police, the United States
Air Force, the National Guard and locals from Grants on All Terrain
Vehicles combed Mount Taylor for Miller, but hopes are fading
fast.
"All she was wearing were blue jeans, a T-shirt, sneakers
and a light jacket," said Lt. Tom Dobson with the state police.
The last time Miller was seen was about 4:30 p.m. Monday, a 20-year-old
male companion told the police. The young woman apparently met
Theodore Aragon, of Grants, a few days before she disappeared,
police said.
A state police command post has been set up on the same spot Boy
Scouts from the area hold a winter survival skills carnival called
the Klondike. The camping area is 5.2 miles from where the Lobo
Canyon Road pavement ends at Forest Road 239.
The search area is about 8,500 feet in elevation and is saturated
with about one foot of snow and waist-high snowdrifts.
Daytime temperatures on the side of Mount Taylor have been in
the 40s and 30s, but at night the frigid air dips to between 0
and 7 degrees.
State Police Search and Rescue Incident Commander Don Gibson said
that Aragon and Miller drove up on the side of Mount Taylor on
Sunday afternoon in a 1989 Honda Accord. Aragon apparently got
the car stuck in the snow about 300 feet off Forest Road 239 near
some corrals in the popular area. Searchers found numerous beer
cans and cigarette butts in the snow, but the state police said
area revelers held a party on the spot a few nights before Miller
and Aragon arrived.
Gibson said the pair spent Sunday night in the car. Gibson said
Aragon's statements to the police are conflicting as to what happened
next, but he said Miller allegedly told Aragon she had to use
the bathroom about 4:30 p.m. The young woman simply disappeared
on foot into the forest wearing clothing not meant for the mountains.
An hour after she walked away from the car, darkness erased the
daylight. "She could have walked right past the car and didn't
even see it," Gibson said.
Aragon stayed in the area Monday night. Gibson said on Tuesday
someone who happened on the scene picked Aragon up and brought
him into Grants.
Dobson said Aragon was taken to University of New Mexico Medical
Center Tuesday suffering from frostbite of the feet.
A hospital spokesperson there late Wednesday morning said doctors
planned to release Aragon later that afternoon, that he was listed
in satisfactory condition.
Aragon refused to talk to the press Wednesday.
Dobson said the State Police did not find out about the situation
until Tuesday afternoon, at which time a full-scale search was
started. Searchers stayed on the side of the mountain Tuesday
night. One team of rescue workers late Wednesday had been on the
side of Mount Taylor since about 10 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
A United States Air Force C130 from Albuquerque circled the mountain
all day Wednesday flying "grids" in ever-widening circles,
as did an Apache Helicopter from Albuquerque. The state police
also had its helicopter flying grids over the mountain.
Rescue dogs could not determine Miller's direction of travel.
"They had hits all around where the car was at," Gibson
said, adding that the car was towed to Grants for state police
processing.
Non-emergency personnel were kept at the start of Forest Road
239. Police said the command center is saturated with too many
vehicles for more to go up the side of the mountain.
Law enforcement officials did take some reporters to the command
center Wednesday, after food and hot coffee were brought to search
and rescue workers. Gibson said rescue crews would stay on the
mountain through the night. Pressed about Miller's chances for
survival in the frigid night air he refused to be definite, though
Gibson did say the police are "still holding out hope."
"Her parents (Miller's parents) were up here earlier, but
they left," Gibson said. "They weren't prepared for
the snow."
Gibson said Miller's parents told police their daughter is not
an outdoors person. "She's pretty much a city girl,"
he said.
The single largest problem facing search and rescue workers is
what direction Miller could have gone.
"We always hope we can find her," Gibson said, and then
he added the grim reality. "The problem is, we don't have
a direction of travel, so we have the rest of the world to look
in."
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Tuba man murdered
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
TUBA CITY — The body of a 32-year-old Toh Nanees Dizi (Tuba City)
Chapter man knifed to death was found Saturday, according to a Navajo
Nation Law Enforcement Department report received Wednesday.
He was identified as Michael Anderson of 4244 New Mutual Help Housing
in Tuba City.
IHS security guards found his body east of the animal shelter by the
old airstrip around 11 a.m. Feb. 9, his birthday, with multiple stab
wounds, the report said.
FBI agents from Flagstaff were called into the case after Navajo patrol
officers called in two tribal detectives.
With both sets of detectives working to find the killer or killers,
the case becomes part of the Safe Trails Task Force, a joint tribal-federal
program to investigate and prosecute serious reservation crimes in
federal court because of the stiffer penalties.
(Congress limits tribal courts to maximum penalties of $5,000 and
a year in jail per count.)
Man with rifle
SANOSTEE — A 21-year-old Sanostee Chapter man was arrested Saturday
after allegedly threatening his family with a rifle at a home about
a mile southeast of the local rodeo grounds, according to the Shiprock
Law Enforcement District report.
The report didn't list the arrest charges against Eric James Lewis.
Dispatchers received three calls of increasing seriousness in the
5:15 p.m. incident, starting with a drunken disturbance, then a man
loading a rifle and threatening his family, then actually discharging
the gun.
No one was wounded.
In the house with him at the time were Lena Lewis, 61; Lorenzo Begay,
37; Kathy Lewis 36; Delbert Lewis, 33; and Jason Lewis, 18.
While some of the five escaped, others remained trapped inside until
the suspect took a 1985 Ford pickup truck and left.
However, when he saw an officer's car blocking a cattleguard on BIA
Route 34, which connects to U.S. 666 to the east, he turned around
and fled back to the house. Officers got him to surrender peacefully,
the report indicated.
Inside the vehicle they found a loaded .22 caliber rifle — initially
it had been reported as an AK-47 — and a large quantity of beer,
the report said.
Man shot outside Gallup
GALLUP — A 19-year-old Rock Springs Chapter man was wounded Monday
night in what city and tribal police believe was a drive-by shooting
in the 300 block of East Hill in the China Springs neighborhood outside
Gamerco.
City police initially responded, then turned the case over to the
Crownpoint tribal police district, which provided no additional information
Wednesday.
Shawn Leonard, no age given, told city police he and Nathan Robinson,
19, were behind the Navajo Shopping Center in Gamerco on a dirt road.
Leonard approached a man known only as "Angus," told him
to leave his unnamed sister alone, the city report said. He then returned
to Robinson's small Dodge pickup truck.
As they were driving off, they heard a loud bang, the report said.
Leonard told officers he heard two shots; Robinson, the driver, told
officers he heard one shot. He told his friend he had been shot. They
increased speed to escape and went home. Shortly after 8 p.m. they
called the Metro Dispatch Center.
He called because the back of his left shoulder was hurting. The report
added that he told the officer "Angus" was standing about
10 feet from a second car, described as a red two-door older model
with tinted windows and wide tires with what appeared to be four subjects
inside.
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Navajo Nation fire calls
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Fire-Rescue Department recently
answered the following calls, according to Chief Larry Chee:
Tuba City
Jan. 18, 3 p.m. — Vehicle rollover north of Cameron on U.S. 89
with two taken to the hospital.
Jan. 19, 3 p.m. — Drunk driving rollover west of town at Rifle
Range Road with two taken to the IHS hospital and two refusing to
go.
Jan. 21, morning — Cleaned up 100-gallon unleaded fuel spill
at Navajo Oil and Gas convenience store.
Crownpoint
Jan. 15, 1:30 p.m. — Brush fire, caused by hot ashes, burns about
one acre west of town.
Jan. 20, 1:35 a.m. — Yard fire at 26 Old West Mesa Housing.
Jan. 24, 11:55 p.m. — Rescued mother and three children from
inside smoke-filled home in Dalton Pass subdivision; wood-
burning stove chimney found plugged with soot; cleaned it and restarted
fresh, safe, fire.
Leupp
Jan. 22, 3 p.m. — Leupp Public School evacuated when two victims
suffer respiratory distress from odors in computer lab; building ventilated.
Indian Wells
Jan. 20, no time listed — (Assisted by Leupp),
drunk driving vehicle rollover, with three ejected, one dead, and
survivors taken from scene, Mile Post 306 on Ariz. Route 87, to Winslow
hospital.
Jan. 21, no time listed — Vehicle rollover, one dead, two taken
to unidentified hospital from Apache County Road 447 east of Mile
Post 418 west of Toyei.
Jan. 27, no time listed — Non-injury drunk driver vehicle rollover
with four people east of Tees Toh on BIA Route 60.
Window Rock
Jan. 20, morning — Vehicle rollover, but no patients found at
unspecified location.
Jan. 21, 4:30 p.m. — Brush fire from wind-blown embers about
one-half-mile south of St. Michaels Chapter House.
Montezuma Creek
Jan. 21, 5:30 p.m. — Assisted with doublewide mobile home fire,
caused by water heater, at local clinic; High school, BIA and Bluff
departments also responded; no victims.
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Area sports
Abelita Rose Freeland
Staff Sports Writer
GANADO, Ariz. — The Tuba City Warriors proved that the loss of
a coach and nine seniors are easily replaceable.
The Warriors defeated the Ganado Hornets 64-56 in overtime in the
second round of the 3A North conference tournament at Ganado High
School on Wednesday night.
Tuba City now advances to the third round of the conference tournament
and will face Winslow at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Greyhills High School.
The victory assures the Warriors a ticket to state to defend their
back-to-back state titles and can be seeded no less than fourth.
"Everybody thought that because Tuba City lost nine players,
along with a coach they wouldn't see us at state," said Tuba
City coach Earl Flaggs. "Nobody believed in us. I believed in
(the team), they believed in me and we believed in each other."
"Ganado beat us twice. The first time by three and the second
time by 17. It is always difficult to beat a team a third time,"
Flaggs added.
The Warriors' goal entering Wednesday's playoff was to shut down the
Hornets' top scorer Lavon Salabye who was averaging over 20 points
a game entering the playoff game. Flaggs gave the unenviable task
to Michael Justice.
Justice held Salabye to 15 points. He was 5-for-11 on field goals,
1-for-8 on three-points shooting and 2-for-2 at the line. Salabye
also added a rebound and two steals.
"I give credit to (Salabye), he is a tough kid. He has a lot
of heart and he is a great player. If he needs a scholarship I want
him to call me because I know a lot of coaches," Flaggs said.
Tuba City also took advantage of their height and outrebounded Ganado
39-16.
The Hornets trailed by 11 points entering the fourth quarter, but
opened with a six-point run.
Salabye made a layup and followed with a trey. Kasey Bluehouse then
assisted a pass to Manuel Rico. An offensive putback from Warrior
Devin Dugi ended the run. Salabye added a free throw and a drive past
the Warrior defense for a layup.
The Warriors answered with a six-point run. Robert Morgan started
with a jumper. Justice added a jump shot and a drive up the middle.
Ganado still faced a 52-44 deficit with less than a minute and a half
in regulation before making a come back behind Tyrone Lynch.
Rico hit a pair of free throws before Lynch tied the game. After Rico's
free throws, Tuba City took the ball down court but Salabye grabbed
a steal and missed an attempt. Ganado kept possession of the ball
on an offensive rebound and called for a time out.
With a minute left on the clock, Lynch got open for his first three-point
basket. As the Warriors attempted to take the ball downcourt again,
Lynch snatched a steal and Ganado called for another timeout with
38 seconds left.
The Hornets ran the time down and Lynch got open to sink another trey,
but Ganado still left 5.4 second on the clock. The Warriors made the
last attempt as Donnie Curtis fumbled to make a basket before the
buzzer but failed to take the teams into overtime at 52-52.
In overtime, Bluehouse was first to score for Ganado on a drive to
the basket but Curtis countered with an offense putback.
Hornet Jimmy Tsinajinnie then grabbed a defensive rebound and assisted
Bluehouse to put Ganado up 56-54.
The Warriors then had Brown sink a trey and Justice was 1-for-2 at
the line. With 45 seconds left in overtime, the Warriors sealed the
win with Brown going 4-for-4 at the line.
Earlier in the game, the Hornets jumped to a 15-12 lead in the first
quarter behind five-points each from Lynch and Rico on both a trey
and jumper.
In the second quarter, the Warriors trailed 19-14 before they came
back on a 10-point run. The Hornets ended with a 26-24 halftime lead.
The Warriors had four players tally their total score and three players
in double-digits.
"We played very well. We came together as a team and we played
good as a team," said Brown who led the Warriors with 23 points,
five rebounds, a steal and dished out two assists. "Everybody
did a great job and I am proud of them. I just want us to defend our
title."
Dugi fired in 17 points, 12 rebounds, a steal and had two blocked
shots. Justice pulled in 14 points, added four rebounds, a steal,
an assist and had two blocks. Curtis added eight points, nine rebounds,
a steal and had a block.
"All season this boys have carried the team on their back and
done heroic things," coach Flaggs said.
Lynch led the Hornets with 17 points, a rebounds and grabbed four
steals. Rico finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, three steals
and had an assist.
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Session ends minus budget resolution
Walter Howerton Jr.
Legislative Reporter
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Legislature's 30-day session ends at
noon today. And for all of the business they have taken care of, that
is about all that can be said: It's over.
The budget was supposed to be the big business at hand, but lawmakers
have not even come up with a budget Gov. Gary Johnson is likely to
sign. And they didn't come up with that doomed budget until yesterday,
the 29th day of the session. That would not be so bad, but the new
budget looks pretty much like the old budget that Johnson vetoed last
week.
And he just might take his time vetoing this one. He has until March
6 and there is the feeling that he just might take every day of it
and get into a game of truth or dare with lawmakers. He also has threatened
to veto $250 million in capital outlay projects, that's usually spelled
P.O.R.K. But it includes things like money for the Gallup wastewater
treatment plan. Why not? He has nothing to lose. This is the last
year of his term.
Johnson doesn't think the Legislature has a clue about how to run
a railroad or a construction company or any other business for that
matter...
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Teacher fired for not reporting 'tap'
Zsombor Peter
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The district school board voted unanimously Tuesday
night to fire teacher Michael Warren on charges that included failing
to report an alleged case of child abuse.
Two questions dominated the evening once the board, prosecution,
defense, their witnesses and a hand full of teachers in the audience
sat down for the six-hour hearing: what constitutes child abuse
and what responsibility does the teacher assume when questions about
a potential case arise?
And then there is always the question of what exactly happened.
None of that mattered, however, to the board whose vote fired the
Turpen Elementary School teacher, according to member Manuel Shirleson.
"We went with the administration's decision . . . that's all
we did," he said, but declined to specify whose decision in
the administration they followed...
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Richardson Gov run in Gallup
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Former Congressman/United Nations Ambassador Bill
Richardson made his first campaign stop in Gallup Wednesday since
announcing his candidacy for New Mexico Governor.
And he spent most of the day doing something voters say politicians
don't do enough of — listening.
He spoke at the local Rotary Club, visited a few local government
officials and then concluded his day by meeting local Democrats
at a dinner at the El Rancho.
But it was obvious that one of the main reasons for his visit, other
than gathering support for his candidacy, was to try and bring himself
up-to-date on what has been happening in Gallup since he began a
career in the mid-90s as a national politician, serving in President
Bill Clinton's Cabinet and becoming well-known for his hands-on
version of diplomacy...
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Gallup sets retreat
Staff Report
GALLUP — City officials will be holding another retreat to
discuss city problems and needs and possible solutions on Feb. 28.
The city was going to have the retreat, the second one to be held
in the last three months, in Albuquerque so that department directors
would have a chance to get away from phone calls and their regular
duties.
But City Manager David Ruiz said Wednesday that the out-of-town
idea was not feasible because of the responsibilities that members
of the council had with their various businesses.
A decision was made then to have the retreat at the Holiday Inn,
beginning at 9 a.m. and lasting until the early afternoon or until
every department head had a chance to be heard...
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Coconino jail district could face budget deficit
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The county jail district could face
a budget deficit of as much as $658,000 by June 30 because the new
jail here isn't renting out as many beds to other agencies as officials
had hoped.
"This is truly a crisis," said Coconino County Supervisor
Paul Babbitt Jr. "The general fund cannot take a $658,000 hit."
The jail rents the beds, mostly to federal agencies, to offset the
cost of building and operating the oversized facility, said Bill
Pribil, deputy chief of the Coconino County Sheriff's Department.
As the county grows, local prisoners will be expected to fill the
extra beds...
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Olympic report given in secret
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — Navajo tribal Delegate Tom LaPahe (Blue Gap/Tachee/Whippoorwill)
slammed the door Wednesday to the public on a report on the status
of the Discover Navajo: People of the Fourth World pavilion in Salt
Lake City.
With most of the audience having left following approval of resolutions
at the Economic Development Committee meeting, LaPahe called for
an executive session. The vote passed 5-0, with Chairman Lawrence
Platero (To'hajiilee) not voting. Voting to close the Navajo pavilion
update were delegates Ralph Bennett, Tim Goodluck, and Robert Ortiz.
Two economic development specialists from Shiprock, Sally Begay
and Randy Sells, said they were surprised to hear that an executive
session had been called. "That should be public information,"
Sells said.
LaPahe, however, frequently calls for executive sessions under topics
listed as "receiving reports..."
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Deaths
Rose Clara Etsitty
FORT DEFIANCE, Ariz. — Services for Rose Etsitty, 95, will
be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 15 at Fort Defiance Catholic Church.
Father Meldon Hickey will officiate. Burial will follow at Fort
Defiance Cemetery.
A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m., tonight at St. Michaels Catholic
Church.
Etsitty died Feb. 12 in Ganado, Ariz. She was born Sept. 8, 1906
in Chinle, Ariz. into the Big Water People Clan for the One
Who Walks Around You People Clan.
Etsitty attended Albuquerque Indian School. She was employed with
Fort Defiance PHS, as a nursing assistant and
steamstress for 33 years. She was a member of the Catholic Church
in Fort Defiance, Fort Defiance Chapter house and
volunteer for the Fort Defiance Aging Services.
Survivors include her sons, Ernest Etsitty of Tse Bonito; Leon Etsitty
of Gallup and Vern Etsitty of Fort Defiance; daughters,
Irma Greenstone of Tucson, Ariz. and Thelma McCabe of Fort Defiance
and Henry Boyd Sr. of Fort Defiance; 20
grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great grandchildren.
Etsitty was preceded in death by her husband, Tsosie Henry Etsitty;
parents, Anna Boyd and Hatahli Nez Jr. and sisters, Esther Begay
and Francis Yazhe.
Pallbearers will be family members.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Linda Mae Davidson
ALBUQUERQUE — Services for Linda Davidson, 55, will be held
at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 15 at Our Lady of Blessed Sacrement,
Fort Defiance, Ariz. Burial will follow at St. Michael Community
Cemetery.
Davidson died Feb. 11 in Albuquerque. She was born Aug. 17, 1946
in Fort Defiance, Ariz. into the Mexican Clan for the Bitter Water
People Clan.
Davidson was a homemaker. Her hobbies included traveling, driving,
and arts and crafts.
Survivors include her son, Ramsey Michael Davidson Jr. of Fort Defiance,
Ariz.; daughters, Geraldine Lynne Lucero of Scottsdale, Ariz., April
Marchelle Garcia of Albuquerque, and Katherine Marie Davidson of
Window Rock; brother, Douglas Hawthorne of Sawmill, Ariz.; sisters,
Elana Peshlakai of Crystal, Regina Kelewood of Waterflow, Gloria
Nez of Shiprock, Marguarita Ballejos, Jennifer Hawthorne and Lorraine
Buck all of Albuquerque; 11 grandchildren and two great-
grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Ray Lucero Jr., Tony Lucero, Nabor Padilla,
Ramsey Davidson Jr. and Ramsey Davidson Sr.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Ramon Ray Granados
POWAY, Calif. — Services for Ramon Granados, 62, were held
at noon, Friday, Jan. 25, 2002 at St. Gabriels Church, Poway.
Granados was born Nov. 15, 1939 in Gallup.
Granados was employed as a supply manager for the U.S. Navy. He
was a member of the FRA and the VFW. His hobbies included biking.
Survivors include his wife, Bebe Ann Granados of Poway; son, Ramon
J. Granados Jr. of Albuquerque; daughters, Lisa Rae Sporal of Poway
and Teresa Ann Raymond of Coalinga, Calif.; sisters, Ellen Sparks
of Louisiana and Frances Williams of New Mexico and three grandchildren.
Katie Elizabeth Scott
SAN RAFAEL — Services for Katie Scott, 67, will be held at
10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 15., at Grants Mortuary Chapel. Rev. Hugh
Rogers will officiate. Burial will follow at Grants Memorial Park.
Scott died Feb. 12. She was born Jan. 15, 1935 in Canton, Okla.
Scott was a longtime resident and a waitress.
Visitation will be held from 3-6 p.m., today at Grants Mortuary.
Survivors included her husband, Dale Earl Scott of San Rafael, sons,
Wayne Galloway of Texas and Cecil Galloway of Florida; daughters,
Jackie Stapp of Florida, Wilma Galloway and Beula Galloway both
of Texas; brothers, Jessie Kirkham and Frank Kirkham both of Oklahoma
City, Okla.; sisters, Joyce Kirkham of Atoka, Okla., Cora Lee Hart
and Flora Mae Daniel both of Oklahoma City, 17 grandchildren and
five great-grandchildren.
Jonah Joe Price
CHINLE, Ariz. — Services for
Jonah Price, 26, will be announced at a later date.
Price died Feb. 11 in Phoenix. He was born June 11, 1975 in Fort
Defiance, Ariz. into the Big Water People Clan for the Red Running
Into the Water People Clan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
William Edgar Farmer Sr.
GALLUP — Services for William Farmer Sr., 87, will be announced
at a later date.
Farmer Sr. died Feb. 13 in Gallup. He was born Nov. 30, 1914 in
Newton, Kan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Jonah Joe
MANY FARMS, Ariz. — Services for Jonah Joe, 62, will be announced
at a later date.
Joe died Feb. 13. He was born into the Salt People Clan for the
Red Streak People Clan.
There will be a family meeting tonight at 6 p.m. one mile east of
Chinle Boarding School in Many Farms, Ariz.
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