Skateboarders mad about park closure after graffiti incident
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — This has been the week of the Gallup skateboarder's
discontent.
For six long and skateboard-free days, the city's skateboard park
next to Gallup Fitness Center has been closed because of
vandalism.
Marty Bonacci, an avid skateboarder, has been unhappy and has
been wondering why the skateboard park — the only legal place
that skateboarders can do their thing — has been closed so
long if all the city had to do was paint over some graffiti that
had been placed on some of the skateboarding ramps.
"I can tell you this," he said, "they wouldn't
close down any city park or baseball field for this long to paint
over graffiti."
About an hour after he called the Independent Thursday afternoon
and just minutes after the photo that accompanies this story was
taken, parks and recreations crews came and unlocked the gate
to the park, opening it for the first time since Friday.
Gabe Lewis-Kritsik, who has been skateboarding for 16 years, said
he felt the city's decision to close down the park was "vindictive"
and that the city was punishing skateboarders even though there
is no proof that a skateboarder was responsible for the graffiti.
"This wasn't vindictive," said Esco Chavez, the city's
parks and recreation director. "But we are trying to send
a message to skateboarders that they have a responsibility to
help us keep the park clean and graffiti-free."
For one thing, he said, the park was opened as soon as possible.
Although it doesn't take six days to paint over graffiti, the
city's efforts were hampered by three days of rain. "You
can't paint in the rain," he said.
Also the level of graffiti and trash at the site was the worse
he had ever seen it, far worse than he has seen at any of the
other city parks and baseball fields.
As for the allegation that the skateboard park is being treated
differently than the other parks, Chavez said that he's talking
"apples and oranges."
He also pointed out that despite Lewis-Kritsik's opinion, the
city has received only one complaint about the closing of the
skateboard park and that was from a relative of Bonacci's.
"We have painted those areas at the skateboard park umpteen
times in the three years it has been opened and we feel something
has to be done to try and control the situation," he said.
He said he was out of town recently in Palm Springs and went to
use a restroom at one of the parks, only to see a sign saying
"closed because of excessive vandalism."
He got to thinking and checked with city officials when the vandalism
at the skateboard park became excessive. Skateboarders may not
like it but closing the park for a time to get the vandalism taken
care of may be the only way the city can convince people who use
it to start accepting some responsibility to keep it clean and
graffiti-free, he said.
"Hopefully people will get the message," said City Manager
David Ruiz. "Don't vandalize."
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Native artist picked for 'Tonto'
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — His T-shirts have been sold by the Southwest Indian
Foundation, his jewelry in Gallup and Santa Fe stores as well as on
the Internet and his records all over the reservation.
But people in this area will soon know Micki Free as the next Tonto.
Free, who won honors earlier this month as the best male singer at
the annual Native American Music awards, has been chosen to take on
what is without doubt the hardest job in moviedom - portraying Tonto
with political correctness as well as stay true to the character.
You remember Tonto, the sidekick of the Lone Ranger who was on the
radio and on television from the 1940s to early 1960s.
Portrayed during those years by Jay Silverheels, he, along with Iron
Eyes Cody, became the most well-known Native American actor of his
time.
Now Free, who is Cherokee, is being given a chance to take on the
role, shortly after he sings and signs autographs at the 2002 Denver
Rocky Mountain Indian Market Oct. 18-20 at the Denver Coliseum. He's
planning to sing a duet with Jana, a Native American singer who also
won at the recent Native Americans music awards show for best single
of the year.
Up to now, Free's main forays into non-music entertainment has been
in appearing in the occasional Wild West Show and showing up on the
History Channel as an Indian.
"I'll do anything that promotes pride for Native Americans,"
he said recently in a phone interview.
He got word a couple of months ago that he had the Tonto role after
meeting Scott Shepherd, the actor chosen to play the Lone Ranger.
No, you don't know him either but that's one of the main reasons he
was chosen — the face behind the mask will be a mystery.
The studio looked at more than 3,000 possible candidates for the Tonto
role and chose Free after he and Shepherd "just clicked"
during the auditions.
The question, however, is just what kind of Tonto did they get.
Free said he is still working on the character and producers have
given him a blank check on how to portray Tonto — they don't
want the Silverheels type of Tonto that was subservient to the Lone
Ranger but they also don't want someone who doesn't ring true to the
audience.
"We (the Lone Ranger and me) will be equal partners," said
Free who added that he felt some of the criticism of Silverheels was
unfair.
Take, for example, the criticism attached to Silverheel's use of the
phrase "Keme Sabe." Which some have viewed as an Indian
way of saying "Yes, Master."
Not true, says Free.
"I don't view that phrase as derogatory," he said. "In
the native way, it just means faithful friend."
About a decade ago, they made a remake of the movie with a couple
of scenes filmed on the Navajo Reservation. There is no word where
the new version will be filmed.
For more on Free and his various products and where he will be, log
on to his website at www.cherokeefrees.com/
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Another non-Navajo leaves NAPI
Called a 'BIA spy'
Larry Di Giovanni
Staff Writer
FARMINGTON — Another non-Navajo agribusiness expert has left
the ranks of the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI) after
employees at the tribal farm said Navajos on the farm's Board of Directors
made derogatory comments that the paid consultant was a "BIA
spy."
Steve Wilmuth was hired early this year at the request of NAPI General
Manager Tsosie Louis to work with Louis as a paid consultant. Under
terms of an agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the BIA was
to pay the first two years of Wilmuth's consultant contract with NAPI
to pay the second two years.
Wilmuth, of Las Cruces, lasted about six months and had recently moved
out of the NAPI headquarters building south of Farmington after employees
there told him they needed his office space. Wilmuth temporarily located
before his leaving to the New Mexico State University laboratory.
He left NAPI within the past few weeks.
Wilmuth, who was unavailable for comment, has taken a job in California
with a consulting business. He previously worked for Metwest in California,
an agribusiness firm that manages high-value crops. He also worked
for Superior Farming Co. in California. He is known for his expertise
managing farm personnel and crop production.
At NAPI, Wilmuth was able to help Louis "straighten out"
a number of subcontractor arrangements and joint venture leases, employees
said. In late March, Shiprock Delegate Wallace Charley said unfair
and untrue rumors began circulating that Bob Krakow, the Bureau of
Indian Affairs' Navajo Indian Irrigation Project (NIIP) manager, had
"rammed this guy (Wilmuth) down Tsosie's throat." But that
is a complete lie, Charley said, adding that Krakow, Louis and Wilmuth
sat down together, with Louis acknowledging that he requested Wilmuth's
services — not once, but twice.
Anyone who said that Wilmuth has been forced on Louis was wrong, Charley
said, adding, "Steve (Wilmuth) told me the only person he reports
to is Tsosie. Steve doesn't answer to any politicians or anything."
Louis is Wilmuth's boss, not the other way around, Charley added.
Krakow also provided NAPI with a BIA-paid bookkeeper to aid Colleen
Curtis, a one-time "Women of the Navajo" calendar model,
who replaced Lucille Leupp. Curtis had served NAPI as both a board
member and an employee, which NAPI sources said was a clear conflict
of interest. They have also called into question the fact that Chavez's
daughter is married to Louis' son.
Sources said Louis "hand-picked" Wilmuth to be his consultant.
Wilmuth, who has also been chief executive officer of a huge nut farm
in the Las Cruces area, was one of a number of non-Navajo applicants
for the NAPI general manager's job who had higher educational credentials
than Louis but were not hired. NAPI sources said the non-Navajo applicants
were not given serious consideration.
Charley said he had been made aware that the departing NAPI board
made statements late last year that they would not allow "white
people" to run the farm.
Wilmuth's departure is just the latest in a series of non-Navajo agribusiness
experts leaving NAPI. Last month, two highly respected agribusiness
experts, both vice presidents within their respective companies, resigned
from the five-member NAPI Board of Directors. While Daniel O'Neill
and James Manassero each cited that a new NAPI Plan of Operation has
done nothing to stop the massive internal politics that is destroying
the ability of the farm to thrive and make profit, Manassero went
one step further: he claimed that top tribal leaders have an "anti-Anglo"
attitude that left him and O'Neill treated as enemy outsiders.
The Independent was the first media member to report on the minutes
of the May 24 Economic Development Committee meeting, during which
NAPI board members, EDC members and tribal Council Speaker Ed T. Begay
made statements about Manassero and O'Neill that former NAPI General
Manager LoRenzo Bates said "pushed right up against" the
race line.
Manassero and O'Neill were not on hand to defend their board memberships.
Begay and NAPI Board Chairman Gary Nelson made comments that O'Neill
and Manassero had not contributed anything of value since becoming
board members, with Begay adding they might as well "turn in
their resignation."
Manassero said in a letter to Navajo President Kelsey Begaye that
he was resigning because "When I accepted the position, it was
on the basis that the Navajo Nation wanted to remove the politics
from NAPI. Unfortunately, others members of the board, (tribe) and
EDC are still using NAPI for their own political purposes."
"After reading the minutes of the EDC meeting on May 24, 2002,
it is obvious that Anglos are not welcome on the board," Manassero
added.
In minutes of a late November special board meeting last year, members
of the old NAPI board, which included three tribal council delegates,
mentioned how important it would be not to have a non-Navajo majority
on a five-member board with the new Plan of Operation in place.
It is President Begaye's responsibility to seek NAPI board members
through public advertisements, a process that has just started in
terms of finding replacements for Manassero and O'Neill, Division
of Natural Resources Division Director Arvin Trujillo said Friday.
Begaye received the go-ahead to seek nominees Aug. 19 from Nelson,
giving the administration 60 days to make the appointments. If not,
the economic committee can take the appointment duty away from Begaye,
as it did in selecting the most recent NAPI board member, Clarence
Hogue, a Navajo and friend of former board member and San Juan/Nenahnezad
Delegate George Arthur.
"We're going to give it a shot and see what we turn up,"
Trujillo said.
The new NAPI Plan of Operation requires that three of the five board
members have professional agribusiness experience.
However, the three Navajos who control the board — Nelson, Hogue
and Ervin Chavez — lack that experience. Chavez also lacks a
bachelor's degree, violating another Plan of Operation requirement
that each board member have a degree.
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Emergency centers close in Tuba, Chinle
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Emergency command centers in Tuba City and Chinle,
activated earlier this week due to flash flooding that coated populated
areas with a sheen of silt, closed on Thursday afternoon, according
to Navajo Nation Emergency Management Department Director Johnny Johnson.
Johnson and associates briefed President Kelsey Begaye, Vice President
Dr. Taylor McKenzie and the Navajo Nation Council's Public Safety
Committee on Thursday about the Saturday through Tuesday storms that
forced more than 50 families from their homes all across the reservation,
and stranded dozens of others who could not navigate sticky or washed
out trails that provide access to their rural homes in New Mexico
and Arizona.
The tribal emergencies director added that Begaye's division directors
also were briefed Friday morning. While the Arizona National Guard
had been alerted, troops were never called out because local, county,
tribal and federal agencies on the reservation were working around
the clock to contain, then repair, the damage.
At one point authorities feared an earthen dam above Tuba City would
burst, but aggressive pumping by the Bureau of Indian Affairs lowered
the Dodson Park Reservoir as a pair of storms dodged the hard-hit
Western Agency capital. Authorities also kept close watch on four
other ponds in the community.
On Wednesday the tribal Emergency Management Commission issued a new
state of emergency declaration, meaning there are now two such proclamations
in effect, one for the drought and one for the floods.
Johnson said on Friday he does not expect the drought declaration
will be lifted until spring, if an expected wet winter produces forage
for the animals on the range who already are showing weight gains
from the little bit of greenery springing up from the recent rains.
Although the emergency command centers in Tuba City and Chinle closed
at noon and 3 p.m., respectively, the communities and the emergency
staff are still on alert in case the clouds return and dump more moisture
on the saturated earth.
After the president pointed out to the BIA on Wednesday at the Tuba
City command center in the old hospital that the drought emergency
still was in effect and should be used to gain access to heavy-duty
earth-moving equipment desperately needed in Tuba City, the giant
machines were sent to the Western Agency community hit by what some
residents called the biggest weather disaster since the 1968 winter
snows that turned the West Virginia-size reservation into a tundra.
The Red Cross from Phoenix also was assessing the reservation with
on-site visits Thursday and Friday to determine what food, clothing,
shelter and financial aid would be needed.
Because everyone has been battling the mud, Johnson said no dollar
estimates had been completed, although the damage estimates are underway.
The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority was busy pushing dirt back over
water lines that were exposed, but none of them broken, in Chinle
and southwest Shiprock. However, some sewer problems did happen.
Johnson said flood waters did damage the sanitation facilities in
the Nazlini and Chinle Chapters, with the tribal environmental division
handling the situation.
Because of the scarcity of weather reporting stations on the reservation
— there is none in Tuba City, the reservation's most populated
city — the National Weather Service in Bellemont, west of Flagstaff,
said 1.97 inches of rain was recorded from last Saturday through Wednesday
at its Canyon De Chelly station on the east side of Chinle. At Window
Rock, 1.88 inches were recorded during those five days.
On Friday, the EMD headquarters in St. Michaels received a report
that at least 30 families in the Tohatchi Chapter were stranded by
impassable muddy roads.
In Johnson's Thursday summary, it was noted that 42 families were
flooded out in Tuba City, while 45 people were evacuated in the Chinle
and Many Farms Chapters. The number of families who went to the Chile
Community Center is not known.
There also was one mobile home foundation damaged in Rough Rock, Laguna
Wash overflowed its banks in the Dennehotso Chapter which requested
heavy equipment to supplement its backhoe, and two families were affected
in the Shiprock Chapter when the Salt Creek overcame its banks and
flowed through their homes in a farming area in the chapter's northwestern
quarter.
In the Fort Defiance Agency, sandbags were delivered to the Oak Springs
Chapter which received heavy flooding with almost all roads to the
east impassable. Sage Memorial Hospital in Ganado reported ground
floor flooding and requested sand bags.
And BIA Route 15 from Burnside Junction west was flooded but passable.
One family's soaked roof collapsed in the Cornfields Chapter.
In the Eastern Agency, BIA Route 9, the western part of which the
BIA has had under reconstruction for several years, was damaged and
very muddy, with no sandbags available to be sent to the Coyote Canyon
Navajo Housing Authority subdivision, and three homes in the Twin
Lakes Chapter damaged near Mile Post 11 on U.S. 666.
McKinley County sent 1,100 sand bags to the Oak Springs Chapter. Coconino
County sent 10,000 sandbags to Tuba City, while the BIA Navajo Region
sent heavy equipment and pumps to Tuba City. Apache County attempted
to round up more sand bags, with commodity survival food packages
available from the tribal Food Distribution Program when the president's
office sent an authorizing letter.
Tribal police sent a dozen additional officers to Tuba City, pulling
officers from the other six precincts.
Another part of the report came from the Safety of Dams Bureau. It
listed 15, most of which were no problem
Apparently the most damage was at the new Many Farms Dam. High flows
from the Chinle Wash did considerable damage to the diversion dike
upstream of the feeder canal. High flows in the Lukachukai Wash, combined
with the Chinle Wash flows, caused some flooding in the Rock Point
area. The Many Farms Lake level was 5,298 feet.
The only other problem was at Window Rock Lake, which was two-thirds
full at elevation 6,746 feet. Asaayi Lake was up to spillway level
at 7,536 feet but no problems, with Captain Tom Lake only about one-fourth
full, while Ganado Lake was at elevation 6,428 with normal inflow
and no problems.
Everything was also fine, or there was no information, at Blue Canyon,
Canyon Diablo, Cutter, Red Lake, Round Rock, Todacheene, To' Hajiilee,
Tsaile, Wheatfields, and Morgan Dams.
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Area Sports
Abelita Rose Freeland
Staff Sports Writer
LOS ALAMOS - The Gallup Bengals made their move in the second half
against the Los Alamos Hilltoppers, leaving them blanked 21-0 at Los
Alamos High School in Friday night prep football action.
It took the Bengals the first half to get into the groove of the shotgun
style that their head coach Gary Lunsford has had them targeting at
since the beginning at the season.
Bengals quarterback Cyle Balok had six attempts with one interception
in the first half.
On the one interception, the Bengals were able to recover from it
when it was caught at the Los Alamos' 44-yard line and taken to the
Bengals' 20 early in the second quarter.
The Hilltoppers didn't make any progress on four plays and attempted
a field goal. The 24-yard field goal attempt was missed by Alec Bridge.
"We dropped the ball a lot and the ball was tipped a lot but
that is frightening for me," said Gallup head coach Gary Lunsford.
"We are still learning shotgun. We want to use shotgun because
it is design to get more yardage.
"I was happy to see the boys come back in the second half. The
passing was perfect. The throws were there and there were just a few
plays when the offense was short of receiving," Lunsford said.
Bridge then kicked off to the Bengals to the seven-yard line. Gallup
marched its way downfield on 18 plays to Los Alamos' 19. With fourth
and 11 to go and less than 30 seconds left on the clock, the Bengals
had the opportunity to get on the boards
but Marc Lujan missed a 20-yard field goal attempt.
The Bengals opened up within second of the second quarter on the opening
kick. Bengal Jared Montano made an 89-yard return for a touchdown
just 15-second second into the third quarter. The PAT by Lujan was
good to put the Bengals up 7-0.
The Bengals' defense continued to show their strength, forcing the
Hilltoppers to turn over the ball for the first time in the second
half and the fifth time during the game.
The Hilltoppers once again put the ball in a tough position for Gallup
at their own one-yard line. The Bengals were smart avoiding the safety
with Balok on the run for a six-yard gain. Gallup pounded their way
down to their own 43 before Los Alamos intercepted the ball.
Los Alamos yet again couldn't break through the Bengal defense with
a goal of only seven yards and punted the ball away to the Bengal
30-yard line.
Gallup finished the third quarter by losing 16 yards on a sack and
an illegal movement penalty. With second and 26, Gallup moved up 10
yards on a pass to Montano and then a run by John Gonzales. At the
50 yard line and a yard to go, Gallup punted the ball away but a drop
by Los Alamos had Gallup recover the ball at the Hilltoppers 16.
The Bengals then setup for the next play on a six-yard run by Montano
to the 10. Montano then hammered and twisted his way through the Hilltopper
defense for a touchdown with 9:37 left in regulation.
The Hilltoppers could gain only five yards on their next possession
and punted the ball away. Bengal Kevin Walsh then tipped the kick
for a 17-yard punt that landed at the Hilltoppers' 47.
Gallup didn't make progress on their possession and punted the ball
with only a three-yard profit. The Hilltoppers also didn't do well
with the ball in had, which included a sack by Mat Long for a 15-yard
loss and punted the ball.
The Bengals started at Los Alamos' 37 and ran five plays to the Hilltoppers'
five. Balok found Bengal Jeff Burnett open in the end zone for a five-yard
touchdown pass.
Los Alamos had ball possession two more times. Josh Garcia lost the
first on an interception. A fumble recovery by Los Alamos loss ball
possession for Gallup at their own 45. The Hilltoppers last possession
ended at the buzzer at the Bengal 28.
Bengal Montano rushed for 88 yards and had two touchdowns. Gonzales
ran for 49 yards and Balok had 37 yards. Balok passed for 154 yards
with an interception. Marc Lujan kicked three PAT and missed a field
goal attempt.
Los Alamos rushed for a total 81 yards and passed for 71 yards.Gallup
(2-0) will play Albuquerque High next Saturday at Milne Stadium in
Albuquerque.
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New contractor takes over Window Rock highway project
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Arizona Transportation Department has replaced
the contractor on the stalled $6.8 million remodeling of Route 264
in St. Michaels and Window Rock.
Holbrook District Transpiration Department Resident Engineer Ed
Wilson said Friday, "Shoulder work, including sidewalk and
streetlight installation, will be the focus of work starting"
Monday...
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Diné ed heads to sponsor school construction meet
Staff Report
WINDOW ROCK — The Division of Diné Education will be
sponsoring a two-day workshop Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 17-18)
at the Navajo Nation Museum on constructing quality school facilities
on the reservation.
The purpose of the event is to seek comment from the general public,
including private citizens and families, school administrators,
school board members and others on their insights into the essential
components of school creation that facilitate the maximum learning
environment possible...
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Theft or laziness? Building materials missing from NHA
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
SAWMILL — Tribal police and the Navajo Housing Authority
have turned over a massive case of alleged thievery involving
thousands of dollars of building materials by a local chapter
man to the Navajo Nation Chief Prosecutor's Office of White
Collar Crime.
According to the Window Rock Law Enforcement District report,
the suspect is Phillip Billiman, no age listed, who lives
at 434 Logging Road 1000 in the Sawmill Chapter. No immediate
arrest was made...
Ernest Harry Begay will be Begaye's campaign manager
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — One of the 15 Navajo Nation presidential candidates
who didn't make the cut in Tuesday's primary will organize and manage
incumbent President Kelsey Begaye's drive to be re-elected on Nov.
5.
And on Friday afternoon, Begaye's incumbent vice president, Dr.
Taylor McKenzie, filed his papers to continue as Begaye's running
mate...
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