Kmart begins 'the end,' 80 to lose jobs
DETROIT (AP) — Kmart Corp. began liquidating merchandise
Thursday at the more than 300 stores nationwide, including the
Big K store in Gallup, N.M., slated to close as part of the retailer's
plan to emerge from bankruptcy.
The affected stores began posting signs and putting merchandise
on sale, mostly at modest discounts of 10 percent. The entire
liquidation process is expected to take 10-12 weeks, Kmart spokesman
Jack Ferry said.
The loss of the Kmart in Gallup will cost about 80 people their
jobs.
Carlsbad and Clovis lost their Kmarts in the company's earlier
first round of closings.
At the same time Kmart began liquidating merchandise at the closing
stores, it kicked off a new marketing campaign designed to draw
the customers of closing stores to Kmart's remaining locations.
As part of the company's "Savings Are Here To Stay"
campaign, every store, including stores slated to close, will
hand out coupon books good for up to $150 in savings.
Using a coupon, shoppers who transfer prescriptions to a new Kmart
pharmacy will receive $10 toward their next merchandise purchase.
The coupon books are good only at stores scheduled to remain open.
Closing stores will also distribute Register Reward Receipts to
customers who spend at least $10. The receipts are good for savings
of up to $12 off a purchase of $100 made at a nearby Kmart store,
which will remain open.
The stores slated to close also will pass out maps and address
information of the nearest open Kmart stores in every shopping
bag.
Shoppers at a Detroit Super Kmart included in the closings said
they were disappointed that their store, which offers both groceries
and general goods, was shutting down. They said the store is one
of the few places to shop in the area.
"After all the argument about putting it in a neighborhood
they chose to close this one," said Lydia Thomas of Detroit.
"We can go to the smaller neighborhood stores but I don't
think they have the same quality."
Jose Lewis of Detroit said he worries about the impact the closing
will have on his neighborhood.
"I live down the street so it was great for any emergency,"
Lewis said. "It was cool for buying clothes too. Now it's
just going to be another empty building in Detroit."
On Tuesday, a federal bankruptcy judge in Chicago approved the
retailer's plan to close 316 stores. The closings, which Kmart
had announced earlier, will leave the company operating approximately
1,500 stores, located in every state except Alaska.
Kmart announced earlier this month it planned to close 326 stores,
but eight stores were taken off the list after Kmart was able
to renegotiate leases for those stores.
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Navajo prez, VP push for their appointees
Larry DiGiovanni
Staff Writer
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo president and vice president went to
bat Thursday for their nominations to run the Divisions of Natural
Resources and Economic Development, and that support paid off.
The Navajo Nation's Resources Committee supported Arvin Trujillo to
return as Natural Resources executive director by a 5-0-1 count after
Vice President Frank Dayish Jr. told its members that all issues related
to water, the tribal farm, the Navajo Aquifer and others "will
be taken very seriously by the new administration."
Later Thursday morning, Dayish was joined by President Joe Shirley
Jr. in supporting their appointment of Allan Begay as executive director
of economic development. That support also made an impact as the Economic
Development Committee supported Begay's nomination by a 6-0-0 vote.
In supporting Begay, a former Navajo deputy director of economic development
on two occasions who has outstanding Diné language skills,
according to Shirley, the president answered a casino-related question.
"If it's the wishes of tribal leadership that the gaming initiative
go back to the people, then he (Begay) needs to be available to do
the grassroots campaigning necessary so that both sides can be heard,"
Shirley's press officer, Deana Jackson, quoted him as saying.
Committee support for Trujillo and Begay means that the administration's
staff will make a push to have their nominations added to today's
Navajo Nation Council agenda for consideration of confirmation, Jackson
said. Louis Denetsosie, Shirley's pick for Attorney General, was out
of town Thursday but his possible confirmation could also be added
to the agenda depending on how the council's last day of the regular
Winter Session unfolds.
Should the council not get to the confirmation resolutions today,
the Shirley/Dayish administration — which still has more than
a dozen other similar appointments to fill at the division or equivalent
level — will either have to wait until the Spring Session in
April, or request a special session.
"We'll see. I've gotten through the first hurdle here,"
Trujillo said.
Concerns had surfaced within the new administration that Trujillo
could be facing an uphill battle for committee and council confirmation
after delegates including LoRenzo Bates of Upper Fruitland had said
he did not accomplish much while holding the post under the Begaye-McKenzie
administration. Trujillo, however, said he helped generate millions
in annual revenue for the tribe through gas pipeline agreements and
a new taxation agreement with the state of New Mexico that allows
the Navajo Nation to tax the power generation from the Four Corners
Power Plant and Navajo Mine.
Several tribal officials have said that Trujillo put tremendous effort
into such matters as hiring agribusiness professionals to the Navajo
Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI) farm board. But then he had
to watch those appointments fall apart because Begaye would not intervene
to smooth out the transition to a new board with "outsiders"
on it.
Dayish assured the Resources members that Trujillo will receive the
administration's full support for initiatives of their choosing and
"will be guided in the right direction." Trujillo is an
example of a corporate-level Navajo who made significantly more in
the private sector than he does as a tribal division director, where
his base salary is about $67,000. As a BHP senior mining engineer
in the Four Corners, he made significantly more but said he gave up
certain considerations to "work on behalf of my people."
"I looked at this as an opportunity to utilize the skills I have
to be a part of the solution," Trujillo said.
Trujillo's five supporting Resources Committee votes came from the
five new members on the committee. The returning three members did
not. Committee Chairman George Arthur (San Juan/Nenahnezad/Burnham)
did not vote, and Delegate Norman John II abstained. Fellow returning
delegate Herman Daniels was absent.
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$12 million cop dog will be remembered
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — A Gallup Police officer died in early January with little
fanfare.
Officer Spade, a German Malinois, was a certified police officer with
his own badge. His handler, Cpl. D. Dosal, said Tuesday that Spade
had to be put to sleep at Cedar Animal Hospital Jan. 11.
Spade had a rectal tumor that began growing, although veterinarians
at first told Dosal they didn't think it would grow. A week before
she took the 7-year-old dog back to the vet, he stopped eating and
wasn't listening to or obeying his commands.
The vet told Dosal that he was going to suffer with the tumor and
should be euthanized.
"It was the hardest thing I ever had to go through in my career,"
Dosal said, adding it was more difficult than handling homicide cases,
gruesome fatal crashes and other types of cases she's worked on.
Although she didn't consider herself an animal person, Dosal said
she still became attached to the large, intimidating dog during her
three years working with him. "It really is true, they become
your best friend," Dosal said.
She felt that Spade's career should be highlighted.
"A regular officer who served three years, he would be recognized,"
she said. "He (Spade) protected and served for three years."
Dosal and Spade became local heroes more than a year ago when they
uncovered 320 pounds of a mixture of methamphetamine and cocaine at
the Port of Entry between Arizona and New Mexico.
The duo were called to the port because a Department of Transportation
officer needed someone to translate Spanish. Dosal spoke to the driver
for a while and thought of asking him to let Spade search the semi,
more as a training exercise for Spade than anything else.
"He was just not making sense," and his logs didn't match
his statements, she said of the driver.
The man was very cooperative and agreed to have the dog walk around
the truck. Spade indicated to Dosal that he sensed drugs in the passenger
side, in the sleeper area of the truck.
She told the Department of Transportation officer and the driver that
the dog was alerted to something in that area. She and the Department
of Transportation officer began searching the sleeper compartment.
They took the bed apart and found a handmade wooden box placed inside
the box spring.
Inside the box were 20 bricks of a drug they thought was probably
methamphetamine. The officers were excited — that was probably
about $3 million in street value.
But that wasn't all.
Dosal and the other officer took the bricks out of the box and found
20 more bricks underneath with more bricks underneath those.
"We just started taking them out," Dosal said.
They learned later it was $12 million street value in a mixture of
methamphetamines and cocaine.
"It was a good hidden compartment. It looked like it was part
of the bed," Dosal said.
Spade came already trained from Germany and all of his commands were
in German, she said. Dosal had to spend three 50-
hour weeks training with Spade to learn the commands and to get Spade
familiar with her.
After they began working the streets together, she and
Spade went on drug searches at the high school and on building
searches for the police department.
He was considered a multi-purpose dog, used for patrol and narcotics.
"He was a talented dog. He could do anything," Dosal said.
In most of their training, Spade was the largest dog and Dosal was
the smallest officer. "He looked intimidating but he was probably
the nicest dog you'd ever meet. He was calm," Dosal said.
She said she met only one other female officer working as a canine
handler during her various training sessions in the country. The other
female officer worked at a department in Colorado.
Dosal first became a canine officer after her brother, Gallup Police
Sgt. Gabe Cebada, began running the program for the department.
Cebada recently returned back to duty after his police dog, Bosco,
attacked him while they trained July 1. Cebada had to have several
surgeries to his hand and almost lost a finger.
Bosco is now working with another department. Cebada is working with
a new patrol dog named Rocky.
Other Gallup Police canine officers include Cpl. Andy Yearley, who
works with K-9 Officer Tater, and Officer Donald Howard and his patrol
dog, Ufo.
Each of the officers had to pay for their own dogs, although the department
paid for the training. Dosal paid $3,500 for Spade.
Sometimes people remark that it seems cruel to work the dogs, but
Dosal has found that the canines get "upset and restless"
if they aren't training or being worked constantly.
While K-9 officer handlers get attached to the animals, they are trained
to understand one of the sad purposes for the police dogs, that their
main purpose is to take the bullet for their partner, if need be.
"If it's a situation where it's you or your dog, you send in
the dog," Dosal said.
Police dogs are on diets and can't gain more than a set amount of
weight. Because of all the training, they are usually very muscular
dogs, as was Spade.
A website for deceased police dogs on the internet provides cards
with information about the dog, similar to cards distributed at funerals.
The information Dosal provided about Spade will remain on their website
for a long time.
Dosal expressed appreciation for Cedar Animal clinic for their caring,
especially Dr. Jessica Balok, who also became attached to Spade. Not
even an hour after Spade died, the clinic sent Dosal flowers.
"I'll never forget that," Dosal said.
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Feb Arts Crawl to take advantage of weather
Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Special to the Independent
GALLUP — With the unseasonably warm temperatures Gallup is currently
enjoying, patrons of the monthly Arts Crawl should have good weather
to enjoy Saturday's receptions.
Although all the Arts Crawl events in downtown Gallup are beginning
at 7 p.m., there are a couple of other receptions in Grants, N.M.
and Gallup that are taking place earlier. The Double Six Gallery in
Grants will be hosting an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. for "New
Horizons," the gallery's latest group exhibition. Wine and hors
d'oeuvres will be served at the gallery, which is located at 117 N.
First St.
In Gallup, muralist Be Sargent will be hosting "Art and High
Tea at Be's" from 2 to 6 p.m. at 113 E. Logan Ave. Sargent is
the artist who designed and painted the Navajo Code Talker Mural on
South Second Street. She will be showing some of her own paintings
and an exhibit of ceramic goddesses by Candice Lee.
The remaining Gallup Arts Crawl events will begin at 7 p.m. Red Mesa
Art Center, 105 W. Hill Ave., will feature the music of Rusty Strings
and the Flat Tones along with "Expressions of Love," an
interactive community exhibit. Arts Crawl patrons, particularly families,
are encouraged to stop in the gallery and add their own creative "expressions
of love" to the gallery's exhibit.
Gallup's other arts cooperative, Gallery 211, will be hosting an opening
reception for two new exhibits. "Sights & Insights,"
will feature fine art by area artists in the main gallery. In the
solo gallery, the mixed media work of Laura Bentz will be featured
in "Levels of Peaceful Discomfort." The gallery is located
at 211 W. Coal Ave.
Crashing Thunder Studio, 228 W. Coal, will be opening "Recent
Works by Michael J. Kaczor," a collection of paintings and sculptures.
According to Crashing Thunder, Kaczor's work has been strongly influenced
by art from the Zuni Pueblo through his training under a Zuni craftsman.
Desert Rose Fashions, 206 W. Coal, will be hosting a fashion show
from 7 to 9 p.m. The show will feature custom made special occasion
dresses by Karen Kirkman and prom gown designs by Lily Whiteflower
Vann.
The Coffee House, 203 W. Coal, will be showing the artwork of local
artists who design snowboard graphics; NexWave Studio, 231 W. Coal,
will feature the art of Irving Bahe imprinted on T-shirts; and Silverbear
Gallery, 233 W. Coal, will be featuring the art and clothing designs
of Zuni artist Julie Maree Jamon.
Yazzie's Indian Art, 236 W. Highway 66, will not be opening a new
show, but the business will be open through the evening for extended
Arts Crawl hours.
Further east on Highway 66, in the historic train station, Angela's
Cafe con Leche will host a show of paintings and sculpture by Greg
Analla. The coffee house, which has been featuring live music on Friday
evenings, will be open on Saturday evening throughout the Arts Crawl.
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Sky City Casino celebrates Chinese Year
of the Goat
GRANTS — Celebrating the start of the Chinese Year of the Goat
on Saturday will be free live entertainment by Chinese performers
at Sky City Casino.
There will be authentic dragon dancers, a blazing firecracker tree,
specialty entertainment and a Chinese buffet created uniquely by chefs
from the New Fortune Cookie Restaurant from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Activities begin at 5 p.m. with performances beginning at 7 p.m.
The public is invited to the free concert including singers Troung
Vu, Thanh Ha and Cong Thanh with Lyn Thanh.
The casino is located at exit 102 off Interstate 40.
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Lawmaker wants power plants to use less water
Kristen Davenport
Special to the Independent
SANTA FE — A state senator wants all future power plants —
like those that surround Farmington — to be forced to use far
less water.
Sen. Leonard Tsosie, a Democrat from Crownpoint, has introduced
legislation at the capitol in Santa Fe that would require all future
power plants to use a different technology for dry cooling instead
of wet cooling. Power plants use thousands of gallons of water to
cool turbines.
Critics of the bill say it could cost power companies hundreds of
thousands of dollars to build plants that use air to cool turbines
rather than water. The bill does not require existing power plants
to retrofit those power generating stations with new air-cooling
technology.
"That wouldn't really even be possible," Tsosie said,
because it would cost too much.
The electricity crisis in California several years ago prompted
several electric utility companies to begin seeking new sites for
power plants — many in Arizona and Utah. Although no formal
proposals have popped up yet, Tsosie said there is talk of several
new power plants near Gallup and Grants, including an Energy Development
Group natural gas plant in Gallup and a Peabody coal-fired plant
north of Grants.
There is also a new coal-fired plant proposed along the San Juan
River near Farmington. The San Juan power station would use 20,000
acre-feet of water per year.
Most of the new power plants would not be providing electricity
to New Mexico; instead, the power would be sent elsewhere.
Right now, there are 15 new power plants proposed for New Mexico
and three are under construction. The existing power plants use
68,000 acre-feet of water per year — about five times the amount
the entire city of Santa Fe uses.
"By exporting electricity we are in effect exporting water,"
says a fact sheet put out by those pushing for the bill. The fact
sheet also says that air-cooled plants, as opposed to water-cooled
plants, emit far less contaminants into the air.
The proposed bill, which was stitched together by a temporary committee
in October, is backed by several clean-energy environmental groups,
as well as the New Mexico Environment Department and others. However,
Tsosie said he expects some resistance when the bill goes to committee
— mostly because he anticipates power companies such as Public
Service Company of New Mexico will oppose the bill.
"They've had the same objections to any alternative idea we've
put forward," he said. "I hope my good friends at PNM
will see we're doing this to help New Mexico out of its water shortage."
The bill would require anyone building a new power plant in New
Mexico that was going to generate more than 50,000 kilowatts of
electricity or more than 100 acre-feet of water to get state approval
for its business plan. The company would also have to develop a
water conservation plan to prove the power plant won't use too much
water.
Dick Kamp, director of the Border Ecology Project who sat on the
committee that designed the bill, said the bill is a good template
for how New Mexico can force industry to use less water in a state
that already doesn't have enough.
Nuclear and coal power plants use the most water; solar and wind
power plants use almost none.
Tsosie's bill is one of at least a dozen water-related bill the
New Mexico Legislature will look at during its 60-day session, which
ends March 22.
Gov. Bill Richardson, in his first term, has promised that he will
develop a statewide water plan to address the increasing clash between
lack of water and need for growth.
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