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[l] at 3/21/24 3:31am
By Marley Shebala Special to the Times WINDOW ROCK – Interim Navajo Nation Ethics and Rules Director Lewnell Harrison on March 12 said that it was not a conflict of interest for him to receive and personally benefit from a $102,001.68 contract with the controller’s office. Harrison’s security guard business, Dine’ Protection Agency of Yatahey, New Mexico, received the $102,001.68 American Rescue Plan Act/ARPA contract with the controller’s office for consultant work from Jan. 1, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2022. Harrison signed the contract on July 13, 2022, and former President Jonathan Nez signed it on Aug. 19, 2022, even though the contract services were from Jan. 1, 2022, to Dec.31, 2022. According to the Navajo Nation Ethics and Rules Office website, the primary purpose of the ethics law is to address conflicts. The “conflicts of interest” law mandates, “No public official or employee shall use, or attempt to use, any official or apparent authority of their office or duties which places, or could reasonably be perceived as placing, their private economic gain or that of any special business interests with which they are associated, before those of the general public, whose paramount interests their office or employment is intended to service.” The 2022 contract stated more than $102,000 for the Dine’ Protection Agency to provide “consultant” services for Interim Controller Elizabeth Begay, who was unavailable for comment because she is no longer the interim controller. President Buu Nygren replaced her with Sean McCabe on April 19, 2023. Controller’s office This reporter contacted McCabe through a written request for a list of contracts awarded to Dine’ Protection Agency and copies of the contracts on March 12. The controller’s accounting manager, Robert Willie, assured this reporter that he would email the written request to McCabe. But by Tuesday, McCabe had yet to respond. As he left a budget meeting, this reporter caught up and asked him about the DPA contracts. McCabe said he had “no problem” releasing information about DPA’s contracts, but the Navajo Department of Justice informed him that the request for the contracts should go to NDOJ. The Navajo DOJ instructed this reporter to submit a written request on Tuesday. According to the auditor general’s office, the controller’s office is the Navajo government entity that could provide a list of Navajo government contracts awarded to Dine’ Protection Agency. The controller’s office initially denied the list request after staff contacted Harrison for permission to release information regarding DPA, and Harrison said no. This reporter requested the controller’s office policy that allowed contractors to decide if their Navajo government contracts were public documents. A copy of those policies was not provided by publication time Wednesday. As this reporter waited in the controller’s office for documents, a Dine’ Protection Agency security guard was seen sitting behind the lobby desk, greeting individuals entering the lobby and asking if they needed assistance on March 12. DPA at Council This reporter repeatedly asked Harrison why the more than $102,000 ARPA contract for DPA to be consultants for the controller’s office was not a conflict of interest. Harrison was leaving an ethics hearing at the hearings and appeals office when Harrison was questioned March 12. The OHA conducts hearings on ethics complaints. As interim ethics director, Harrison files with OHA after the ethics office investigates and finds sufficient evidence or probable cause to file an ethics complaint. Harrison was an investigator for the ethics office before he was appointed interim ethics office director on Oct. 15, 2021. That’s according to former Speaker Seth Damon’s 2022 winter session report to the Navajo Council. This reporter contacted Speaker Crystalyne Curley’s office for information regarding Harrison’s appointment and for a list of contracts that the legislative branch has or had with Dine’ Protection Agency. Curley did not provide an answer by Wednesday’s publication. During several 2023 and 2024 Navajo Council meetings and sessions, DPA security guards were stationed at the east entrance of the Council Chamber. Filing against ethics director This reporter asked Navajo Nation Chief Prosecutor Vernon Jackson Jr. on March 12 whether an ethics complaint could be filed against Harrison and the process for filing such a complaint. Jackson replied in a March 12 email, “Some important considerations related to section 3782 of the Navajo Nation Ethics in Government Law are that the Office of the Prosecutor or Special Prosecutor enforces criminal violations, which are misdemeanors punishable by fines and/or imprisonment, with harsher penalties for subsequent offenses.” He also stated, “In other matters, a special prosecutor could be appointed consistent with 2 NNC §§ 2021-2024 to file a complaint alleging an ethics violation in connection with an administrative proceeding.” Navajo Nation Code Title 2, sections 2021 to 2024, is the Navajo Nation Special Prosecutors Act, which provides a process for selecting a special prosecutor. Special prosecutor law (sub) According to the special prosecutor law, the Navajo Nation attorney general shall conduct a preliminary investigation based on the special prosecutor law when the attorney general receives information sufficient to constitute grounds to investigate whether any of the persons listed in the special prosecutor law have committed a violation of any federal or state criminal laws, any Navajo Nation laws or regulations, or committed any act upon which the Navajo Nation may file a civil complaint. The special prosecutor law mandates that the attorney general can take up to 60 days to conduct a preliminary investigation. Special prosecutors were selected and hired to prosecute and remove Chairman Peter MacDonald Sr., President Albert Hale, and a majority of the former 88-member Navajo Council. The persons under the particular prosecutors jurisdiction are: 1. The Navajo Nation president; 2. The Navajo Nation vice president; 3. Any member of the Office of the President and Vice President executive staff; 4. Navajo Council standing committee chairpersons 5. The attorney general, in which case the deputy attorney general shall perform the functions of the attorney general based on the special prosecutor law; 6. The director or acting director or deputy director of any division, department, program, or executive branch offices and 7. Any other official, employee, or agent of the Navajo Nation, where the attorney general determines that investigation or prosecution or civil litigation against such person by the attorney general or other officer or employee of the Department of Justice may result in a personal, financial, or political conflict of interest. ‘Appearance of…’ The Navajo Nation conflict of interest ethics law mandates that “public officials and employees of the Navajo Nation avoid any action, whether or not specifically prohibited by the (ethics law) standards of conduct…which could result in, or create the appearance of: 1. Using public office for private gain; 2. Giving preferential treatment to any special interest organization or person; 3. Impeding governmental efficiency or economy; 4. Losing or compromising complete independent or impartiality of action; 5. Making a government decision outside official channels or 6. Adversely affecting the confidence of the people in the integrity of the government of the Navajo Nation.” The provisions of the Navajo ethics law also address government contracts, economic interests, incompatible interests, confidential information, participation in decision-making, gifts and loans, use of public property and money, staff misuse, and the employment of relatives. The post Ethics director denies conflict of interest in his acceptance of $102,000 consultant contract with controller’s office appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: News]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:30am
WINDOW ROCK – Chinle Chapter President Rosanna Jumbo-Fitch reported the chapter’s sub-recipient agreements, raising significant concerns during Tuesday’s Budget and Finance Committee meeting. Chinle Chapter has five sub-recipient agreements, better known as SRA, that are in progress for its APRA projects. The chapter was allocated $8.8 million. Chinle Delegate Shawna Ann Claw questions who would be accountable for that amount. She alleges not being included in any of the chapter’s project discussions and asked to be included. According to emails shared with Claw, the Chinle Chapter included the Navajo Nation Washington Office, U.S. Arizona Representative Eli Crane, and Delegate Eugenia Charles-Newton. Based on Jumbo-Fitch’s report, Claw believes that laws and regulations are being avoided with the chapter’s projects at hand. Claw read an email shared with her suggesting that Charles-Newton, the Law and Order chairwoman, gives the go-ahead to the Chinle Chapter to move forward with projects. This raised a significant concern as the projects by the Chinle Chapter are avoiding federal and tribal laws and regulations. Report findings Claw noticed some discrepancies, one being cost, with the ARPA projects. The Division of Community Development provided Claw with a report suggesting state cost amounts, which differ from what the Chinle Chapter reported. Jumbo-Fitch said Chinle has received sub-recipient agreements of $5.9 million. Last May, Chinle expended $3.6 million, which Jumbo-Fitch said was disbursed 100 percent. In January, the chapter received $2.2 million, of which 50% had been disbursed. Jumbo-Fitch added that an external sub-recipient agreement was completed 50 percent by Day-At-A-Time Club, which totals $250,000. Chinle Chapter is completing projects three and four. Other project costs have yet to be spent. According to Claw, $750,000 in the Chinle Chapter’s project was suggested to be audited as any chapter expending that amount in a fiscal year would need to provide a detailed expense report. Claw asked the BFC for legal opinion to see if the Chinle Chapter has met the requirements because it entails ARPA funding. Laws and regulations “What I’m finding out is that within these emails, they (Chinle Chapter) are requesting for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue permits,” Shawna Ann Claw said. The Chinle community suffered a massive flood last year. Claw said the Navajo Nation has a federal mandate to follow the U.S. Environment Protection Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency regulations when preparing for natural disasters. Claw added that the Chinle Chapter must also submit an emergency management plan. Based on the email discussion she received, the project is not feasible. Claw reinstated that $8.8 million is large and would not want any chapters to be mishandling funding. “How do we get them (chapters) to do the correct funding and reporting,” asked Claw. Accountability Each certified chapter can use an IDIQ, known as indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, to become their own project managers. Shawna Ann Claw said with IDIQ, chapters are bonded and warrant their work. Based on the report by the Chinle Chapter, Claw said the Summer Youth Employment and the Public Employment Program are aiding assistance in the chapter’s bathroom addition project. The chapter uses untrained and unlicensed individuals to help build bathroom additions. “I have reports of children, young kids, they are working on these bathroom additions,” Claw said. “I’ve heard people say that there is waste,” meaning these individuals don’t know how to use tools to cut and measure. “Our child labor laws, are they being complied with?” asked Claw. “These are some of the questions that I have, and those are in the back of my mind because God forbid that one of our children gets hurt on one of those construction.” Claw added that the bathroom additions for the elders are also not in compliance, as they have holes where mice and snakes could potentially enter the home or building. “So how do we (Council delegates) maintain accountability if the delegates are being left out of the discussion?” asked Claw. “That poses as a problem.” Sub-recipient agreements Controller Sean McCabe said when the Navajo Nation signs SRAs for chapters, obligations need to be met. McCabe said any chapter with sub-recipient agreements is responsible for its audits, but chapters are still responsible for reporting and project reporting. “If a chapter receives ARPA funding or any funding and expends more than $750,000 in any given fiscal year, they (chapter) are then responsible for a single audit,” McCabe said. SRAs are then assigned to different divisions, like the Division of Community Development. Each delegate was allocated $8 million for regional development projects, which was given to the chapters based on the delegate’s allocation. McCabe said DCD monitors non-certified chapters and will be audited by the Navajo Nation auditor general’s office. McCabe said the Navajo Nation is the primary recipient of the ARPA funding distributed to delegates and chapters. He added that the Nation is still the prime recipient if the funds are mishandled, regardless of who is responsible. Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty asked who is monitoring sub-recipient agreements. Executive Director Lisa Jymm with Fiscal Recovery Fund said they review the scope of work when sub-recipient agreements are submitted. “We are monitoring the reporting,” said Jymm, who said beginning in April, the fiscal recovery fund office will be visiting chapters. Jymm said the Chinle Chapter would be the first to visit since it is further ahead with its projects and funding. Claw stated that the Bureau of Indian Affairs responded to the Chinle Chapter’s report as unacceptable because of many concerns about laws and regulations. Crotty motioned for a progress report to ensure the report is addressed thoroughly, especially if it pertains to ARPA funding. “We are allowing enough individuals to review the documents,” Crotty said. Delegate Shaandiin Parrish, the BFC chairwoman, advised Chinle Chapter officials to submit all documents to Lisa Jymm. They said they would meet with the DOJ, DCD, and Shawna Ann Claw for further discussion. The BFC made a motion to defer the report. The post New report raises concerns about Chinle Chapter’s sub-recipient agreements appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: News]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:29am
By Jan-Mikael Patterson Navajo Times WINDOW ROCK – Rodeo fans, the Navajo Nation PRCA rodeo is back, but it will not take place during the 4th of July celebration. Navajo Times | Jan-Mikael PattersonDiné cowgirl Tara Seaton speaks, alongside Diné cowboys Erich Rogers and JaCauy Hale, during a press conference announcing “Home of the Navajo” at the Navajo Nation Veterans Memorial Park in Window Rock. Instead, it will be staged on Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1, at the Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena at the Navajo Nation Fairgrounds. “This all couldn’t be done without all of our role models,” said President Buu Nygren on Tuesday afternoon during a press conference at the Window Rock Tribal Park and Veterans Memorial, where a handful of professional rodeo athletes stood to his left. “You all make us look good. Wherever you go to compete, you professional rodeo athletes make the Navajo Nation look good. Ahxéhee’!” The professional rodeo athletes in attendance were Erich Rodgers, Aaron Tsingine, Tara Seaton, and JaCauy Hale. President Nygren, along with the Division of Natural Resources and the Navajo Nation Fair office, announced the “Home of the Navajo” PRCA Rodeo. They added that the Navajo Nation is competing with many other rodeos in terms of prize money that will draw more Navajo professionals to compete and showcase their talents in Dinétah. The July 4th celebration is one of the busiest rodeo weekends nationally. To allow Navajo professionals to compete in Dinétah, the date was changed so that rodeo fans might see their heroes showcase their talents. Other places where the PRCA rodeos take place during the “Cowboy Christmas” weekend are: * Livingston Round-Up, Montona. * Prescott’s “World’s Oldest Rodeo,” Arizona. * Black Hills Round-Up, South Dakota. * Cody Stampede, Wyoming. * Brush Rodeo, Colorado. * Sitting Bull Stampede, South Dakota. * Mandan Rodeo Days, North Dakota. * Morebridge Rodeo, South Dakota. * St. Paul Rodeo, Oregon. * Basin City Rodeo, Washington. * Sedro-Wooley Rodeo, Washington. * 8th Independence Day Rodeo, Oakley City, Utah * Rodeo Round-Up, Montonta. * Wisconsin Mid-West Rodeo * Belton Coc 4th of July Celebration PRCA, Texas For Tsingine, the PRCA rodeo was his place of inspiration. “When we were kids living here on the reservation, we had two pro rodeos to go watch,” he said. “One was in Window Rock over the 4th of July, and the second was Flagstaff Pro Rodeo.” As a youngster, Tsingine watched many professional athletes, and during that time, for a Navajo, he thought that reaching the professional level was unattainable. Special to the Times | Lee BegayeNavajo Prep’s Aniya Johnson goes up for shot while being guarded by Tohatchi’s Kayanna Capitan on Friday in the Class 3A girls state championship game at the Pit in Albuquerque. “The closest we got to seeing these (professional) cowboys was from a distance, so being able to come to Window Rock and watch all these guys compete was something big for us,” he said. “They were superstars in our eyes. In a way, that helped us because we had something to look forward to. We always wanted to compete in that arena someday, and that drove us. “This rodeo means something,” he said. “Especially to the kids growing up now because we looked to the professionals back then, and we’re fortunate enough to be on that stage. Now (the fans) get to come watch us compete.” “This is going to be a prestigious rodeo for us,” said Rogers. “With $10,000 added (to each category), you’re going to get some of the best guys out here. I’ve been spreading rumors while out on the rodeo trails saying, ‘Hey, there’s $10,000 added, and we moved the dates up.’” Rogers said that with the change of dates, it is along the pathway to the northwest rodeos before coming back for their summer run of rodeos. “I can’t wait to be here to help out and partake in it,” he said. “Basketball is the number one sport on the reservation,” Tsingine said. “I believe rodeo is second.” This year’s stock contractor is the Cervi Championship Rodeo Company from Greeley, Colorado. The post ‘Home of the Navajo’ PRCA Rodeo set for May 31-June 2 appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: News]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:28am
TWIN LAKES, N.M. – Two Diné film mentors are coaching student filmmakers on the basic and creative approach of digital filmmaking and media production. Special to the Times | Lee BegayeProducer Lonnie R. Begaye, director Kymora Sleuth, and producer Loren Anthony look at a camera sequence for the upcoming film, “Hello Grandma.” Lonnie Begaye and Loren Anthony have been selected as film mentors for Film Prize Junior New Mexico, a short film competition for middle and high school students across the state. Begaye became a filmmaker after earning a bachelor’s in cinematic arts and technology from the Institute of American Indian Arts in 2021. “Some of these students didn’t have much experience working with the cameras,” said Begaye, an actor, writer, and filmmaker based out of Chinle. Begaye said it makes him feel full inside as being a mentor has impacted his life teaching and supporting students to create their films. Growing up, he only had a few opportunities, like what the Film Prize Junior New Mexico mentorship program offers. Especially when it came to equipment to produce a film when he was at Chinle High School in 2016. “My experience to be telling that to students were similar (and relatable),” Begaye said. Anthony, a natural performer in front of people, made the transition to the film industry easy. “I started out in the background to now landing lead roles in feature films,” said Anthony. He added it was difficult, especially being Native and rooted in traditional culture. At a time in his film career, he walked off set during one of Adam Sandler’s movies, “Ridiculous Six,” in 2015 because of the negative portrayal and disrespect to Native people. “I’ll never sell out. I have my elders, community, and now, these kids that I have to come home to when I do movies,” Anthony said. “These kids are my kids, I love them.” Anthony has been cast in 18 films and TV series, including Dark Winds and Dexter: New Blood. Partnerships, equipment The competition is in its third year, and Film Prize Junior New Mexico partnered with Gallup McKinley County School District’s career technical education division. According to Rosey Hayett, the director of the competition, Gallup, Miyamura, Tohatchi high schools, and Thoreau Middle School are participating in the Film Prize Junior New Mexico program. Special to the Times | Lee BegayeDirector Kymora Sleuth prepares the clapperboard for the film shoot for the upcoming film titled “Hello Grandma.” Hayett said the mentorship program provides equipment, editing tools, software, transportation, and mentorship, which are part of an afterschool grant, to the student filmmakers. They will enter their work into the Film Prize Junior New Mexico Festival at the Albuquerque Convention Center from April 5 to 6, ending with an awards ceremony at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on April 7. Hayett said interested schools can sign their students up but would need to pay. He added that funding from the state, sponsors, and donations can help schools partake in the program. Film Prize Junior New Mexico steers student pathways into college and careers through Central New Mexico Community College, the Institute of American Indian Arts, and the Stagecoach Foundation, a Santa Fe nonprofit, respectively. Last year, Film Prize Junior New Mexico piloted its mentorship program with IAIA, which pursued more Native film mentors like Begaye and Anthony and expanded its radius to eight other communities and schools throughout New Mexico. Read more about young film enthusiasts in the March 21, edition of the Navajo Times. The post Diné film mentors coach crop of young film enthusiasts appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Arts]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:26am
By Jarvis Williams Special to the Times DENNEHOTSO, Ariz. – The 2024 550 Dodge Ram truck arrived on a Thursday in Dennehotso. The chapter manager had driven the truck back from Farmington. There was no fanfare, no special escort for the new vehicle purchased with the American Rescue Plan Act monies from the Navajo Nation. “The process was not easy. But we got it done,” Dennehotso Chapter Manager Maricelyn Smith-Williams said. She speaks of the Navajo Nation Fiscal Recovery Fund process established by the Navajo Nation government to help distribute federal dollars fairly to all 110 chapters. All 50 states and tribes received federal assistance and created processes to handle the federal funds. There were categories established to help communities decide how their projects would qualify. In 2021, former President Jonathan Nez created an FRF Office by Executive Order 008-2021 that was organized to oversee the fiscal funds coming from the ARPA. The Navajo Nation Council approved the plan later that August. Getting to work The chapter’s new truck was requested to help transport heavy equipment to areas within the chapter. Smith-Williams said, “Community residents request the chapter to assist with road maintenance, and sometimes that can be miles from the chapter. “So, the truck will be a big help because we can load the equipment on a trailer that our new truck can pull to the location,” she said. “That would help reduce maintenance costs for the heavy equipment.” Smith-Williams worked with chapter officials to select the projects and gain support for the resolutions. This project is one of several projects that the chapter has submitted for completion. The process can be lengthy for most chapters. According to Smith-Williams, all applicants have to be patient. For this project, Smith-Williams said she started with three quotes and then filled out the application, which she followed with a chapter resolution and numerous phone calls on the ARPA process. “It is easy to get frustrated because it is a new process, but our persistence paid off,” Smith-Williams said, “it was truly a team effort.” She said, “We had to work closely with our Council delegate and chapter officials because they are a big part of the process. “Our fearless leader, Delegate (Shaandiin) Parrish, moved our projects through Council and to President Nygren’s desk.” Parrish represents Kayenta, Dennehotso, and Chilchinbeto. Teamwork Following the Council’s and the president’s approval, the project was given back to the chapter for the drafting of the Request for Proposals, or RFP. The FRF Office provided guidance and examples of RFPs. “That part wasn’t too bad because I had my husband help me draft it. He can write,” Smith-Williams said. Once the RFP was approved, the next step was advertising in the local papers. Additional bids were required to meet the Navajo Nation Procurement policy. To Smith-Williams, this part of the process seemed redundant and unnecessary since she had already obtained several quotes to get a price for the project. Regardless, she continued with the process. After receiving sealed bids, a meeting was scheduled to open the bids and select one. The chapter officials and administration participated in the momentous meeting. Navajo Nation’s Senior Program and Projects Specialist Calvin Tsosie also attended. He had guided the chapter administration. Several weeks passed, and the money was deposited into the chapter account. A check was drafted for the purchase of the vehicle. “At the same time, I had to work with the Navajo Nation for vehicle insurance prior picking it up,” Smith-Williams said. New truck Finally, it was time to pick up the new vehicle. “That part was exciting,” Smith-Williams said. “I was relieved that all that hard work had paid off for the benefit of the Dennehotso community. “But we still have the trailer that we have to purchase because that’s the second part of this project,” she said. The truck was presented to the community at the recent chapter meeting. Residents had an opportunity to see the newest addition to the chapter fleet. Chapter President Larry Tuni was happy with the arrival of the truck and very proud of the chapter administration. Pictures were taken, congratulations were exchanged, and the chapter administration walked back into the office. They are moving on to the next project. Dennehotso Chapter is one of a handful of 110 chapters that have successfully navigated the Navajo Nation FRF process. The post ‘Process was not easy’: Dennehotso Chapter secures a new truck with ARPA funds appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Community]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:25am
Condolences to the family of slain New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare By President Buu Nygren To the family of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare, It is with great sympathy and deep sadness that, on behalf of the Navajo Nation, I express our sincere condolences to you for the tragic and senseless loss of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare on Friday. At just 35 years old, Officer Hare was a young husband and father of two young children who was taken from us in the line of duty by a criminal felon. Officer Hare was helping a motorist with a flat tire when he was approached and shot with without warning. If there is any good to be mentioned, it is that his fellow police officers with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office quickly apprehended his killer, thanks to the help of a Murphy’s gas station store clerk who spotted him, to make the City of Albuquerque that much safer. Along with all Navajo citizens, Vice President Richelle Montoya, First Lady Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren and I, we offer our deepest condolences to Mrs. Hare, her children and the beloved relatives of Officer Justin Hare. Sincerely, Dr. Buu Nygren, President The Navajo Nation The post Condolences to the family of slain New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Opinion]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:24am
Julie M. John TSE BONITO, N.M. — Funeral services for Julie Marie John, 60, of Window Rock, will be held Friday, March 22, at 10 a.m., at the Gateway Community Church in Tse Bonito, New Mexico, with Roscoe Smith officiating. Julie Marie John, May 23, 1963 March 17, 2024 Julie was born May 23, 1963, in Fort Defiance. She was Cherokee, born for Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water Clan). She passed away March 17, 2024, in Window Rock. Julie graduated from Window Rock High School in 1981 and attended Northern Arizona University and the University of New Mexico. She was employed with Window Rock Unified School District for 36 years. Julie was a member of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and was an organizer for New Mexico Highway Cleanup. She was also an Early School Success child advocate and a fan of the Washington Commanders (formerly Redskins). Julie is survived by her daughters, Nicole Marie John and Joy Gonzales; brothers, Dr. Glenn Haven of Magdalena, New Mexico, Floyd Haven of Buckeye, Arizona, Randall Haven of Gallup, and Adrian Haven of Window Rock; sisters, Sharyl Williams of Window Rock, Pandora Watchman of Shiprock, Janelle Allen of Chandler, Arizona, and LaDonna Haven-Spencer; and grandson, Nicholas Leo Mitchell-John. Julie is preceded in death by her husband, Leo John; infant son, Nicholas Lee John; father, Leo Haven; mother, Amelia Haven; sister, Denise Haven; and father-in-law, Lewis John Sr. Pallbearers will be Jason Haven, Joshua Haven, Ivan Williams, Matthew Williams, Derrick Williams, Duane Haven, Noah Haven, and Jaren Barney. A reception will take place at the Window Rock Unified School District multi-purpose room following services. Silver Creek Mortuary oversaw arrangements. Erwin M. Allison TOHATCHI, N.M. — Funeral services for Erwin Michael Allison, 57, of Tohatchi, New Mexico, will be held Monday, March 25, at 10 a.m., at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tohatchi, with Father Dale Jamison officiating. Burial will follow in Tohatchi. Erwin Michael Allison, March 3, 1967 March 19, 2024 Erwin was born March 3, 1967, in Fort Defiance, into the Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water Clan), born for Tódích’íi’nii. He passed away March 19, 2024, in Tohatchi. Erwin graduated from Window Rock High School. He worked in Taos for many years as a support staff and was a truck driver for a year. He was also worked at Navajo Tribal Utility Authority as a mail delivery service for 18 years. Erwin was a huge Dallas Cowboys fan and loved to play bingo and spend time with his family. Erwin is survived by his sons, Lyle Allison and Dwight Allison; brothers, Elmer Allison, Eldred Allison and Earlando Allison; and sisters, Barbara Olvera, Edwina Allison and Eugenia Allison. Erwin is preceded in death by Edward and Betty Allison, Edwin Allison, Elaine Allison, and Charlotte Watchman. Pallbearers and honorary pallbearers will be family members. A reception will take place at St. Mary’s Parish Hall following services. Rollie Mortuary oversaw arrangements. Agnes G. Nelson ST. MICHAELS, Ariz. — Graveside service for Agnes G. Nelson, 72, of St. Michaels, Arizona, were held March 18 at the St. Michaels community cemetery. Agnes was born Oct. 16, 1951, in St. Michaels, into the Naakai dine’é (Mexican Clan), born for Kiyaa’áanii (Towering House Clan). Her maternal grandfather is Honágháahnii (One-walks-around) and paternal grandfather is ‘Áshįįhí (Salt People). She passed away March 11, 2024, in Flagstaff. Agnes attended St. Michaels Indian School and Haskell Indian University. She worked at Navajo Communications and Fort Defiance Indian Hospital. Spending time with her grandchildren gave her much joy. Agnes is survived by her husband, Raymond Nelson; children, Terry Nelson, Dallas Nelson and Raquel Nelson; siblings, Albert Gale, Percy Gale Jr., Arthur Gale, Ronald Gale, Nellie Anderson, Nancy Gale-Begay, and Marlene Gale; and six grandchildren. Agnes is preceded in death by Florence and Percy Gale Sr. Pallbearers were Dallas Nelson, Nathaniel Nelson, Darnell Nelson, Olin Graymountain, Drake Graymountain, and Arthur Gale. Summit Funeral Home oversaw arrangements. The Navajo Times publishes obituaries free of charge as a public service. If you have an obituary you would like to submit, follow this link to the online submission form. We look forward to serving you. The post Obituaries for March 21, 2024 appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Obituaries]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:22am
ALBUQUERQUE – Navajo Prep boys basketball entered uncharted territory on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles played in their first state title game, and they came out winners thanks to a knockout blow in the third quarter en route to a 60-50 win over Las Vegas Robertson in the 3A state championship game before a large crowd at the University of New Mexico’s Pit in Albuquerque. Navajo Prep outscored the Robertson Cardinals 23-2 in said quarter, which erased a nine-point halftime deficit. The Eagles made 10-of-16 baskets in that period alone as they rode that momentum to match the Navajo Prep girls’ feat on the previous day. (The Lady Eagles captured the 3A girls state title on Friday, winning 41-26.) The boys state championship game was a rematch of last year’s semifinal when Navajo Prep fell to the Cardinals, 49-36. “It’s amazing,” Navajo Prep coach Matt Melvin said of his team’s state tournament run. “I’m just so proud of this group of guys. This means a ton. The first one is always special, right? “With this group, just the season that we’ve had, the stuff that we’ve gone through,” he added. “The journey is just amazing, and this caps it off.” Navajo Times | Quentin JodieNavajo Prep junior Xavier Nez (left) starts to attack the basket while being defended by Robertson Cardinal Nathan Gonzales Saturday during the Class 3A state championship game at the Pit in Albuquerque. Robertson led 6-0 before the Eagles scored their first basket, a putback from senior post Orion King with 4:31 left in the first period. Navajo Prep later tied the game at 10-10 on a three-pointer from senior guard Tylen Morris with two-plus minutes remaining before Robertson took a 14-11 lead going into the second quarter. In the highly competitive second stanza the lead changed hands two times and there were five ties, but with two minutes left Robertson finished out the quarter on a 10-0 run to go up 31-22 at the break. “We did not finish that first half great,” Melvin said, while adding that his team had a lot to talk about in the locker room. Whatever was said during those 10 minutes lit a fire under the Navajo Prep team. Jude Thomas set the tone in that quarter as the senior guard put in nine of his 16 points to give the Eagles a 45-33 lead after three quarters. “A lot of the guys are seniors, and I didn’t want to go out with the same fate that happened last year when we lost to Robertson,” Thomas said. “I knew that if we wanted to turn the tide, I had to start it. These guys were able to hit some big shots. We got on a big run … and you slowly felt the momentum shift.” Defensively, the Eagles held Robertson to 1-of-7 shooting while turning them over six times in that third stanza. “To put up a two-point defensive effort in the third quarter in a game like this is amazing,” the Navajo Prep coach. “That is what we talked about going into the fourth, which was to keep up with what we were doing on defense.” Navajo Prep picked up where it left off at the start of the fourth with King hitting a pair of inside jumpers sandwiched between a trey by junior shooting guard Xavier Nez. A two-point basket by Jakobie Thomas earned Navajo Prep its largest lead at 54-39 with 3:51 left. Robertson eventually righted its ship late in the fourth, but it was too late as the Navajo Prep student section got louder and louder. “In the last couple years, weve learned a lot in what it takes to get to this point, in what it takes to kind of get over that hump and be the last team standing,” Melvin said. “That was our mission this year to put the toughest strength of schedule we could, but a lot of people dont know as we went through a lot of adversity going into that. We didnt have this group; we lost some guys going into that. We didnt say anything, and we didnt make excuses.” The Eagles had three players in double figures headed by King, who finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Thomas added 16 and Nez chipped in 13. King, who stayed out of foul trouble, played an instrumental role in limiting Robertson’s damage with second-chance points. The Eagles grabbed 36 boards to Robertson’s 19. Of the Eagles’ 36 rebounds, 22 were on the defensive end as the Cardinals did not get any second-chance points. “They have some good guys who are really tall and big,” King said of Robertson players Nathan Gonzales and Mateo Contreras. “The one-and-done is what we talk about in our program, that and pushing the ball in transition … I think getting those defensive stops and having those rebounds was huge for us.” On the other side of the spectrum, Navajo Prep earned 17 second-chance points as it had a 14-5 edge in offensive rebounds over Robertson. “Were never the biggest team so everybody is just a group effort to get the ball,” Melvin said. “But, yeah, when you can find 14 second-chance opportunities with some those are threes, and some are putbacks for (King), man, it’s just huge.” The post Navajo Prep boys capture first state title appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Basketball]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:22am
ALBUQUERQUE – Navajo Prep boys basketball entered uncharted territory on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles played in their first state title game, and they came out winners thanks to a knockout blow in the third quarter en route to a 60-50 win over Las Vegas Robertson in the 3A state championship game before a large crowd at the University of New Mexico’s Pit in Albuquerque. Navajo Prep outscored the Robertson Cardinals 23-2 in said quarter, which erased a nine-point halftime deficit. The Eagles made 10-of-16 baskets in that period alone as they rode that momentum to match the Navajo Prep girls’ feat on the previous day. (The Lady Eagles captured the 3A girls state title on Friday, winning 41-26.) The boys state championship game was a rematch of last year’s semifinal when Navajo Prep fell to the Cardinals, 49-36. “It’s amazing,” Navajo Prep coach Matt Melvin said of his team’s state tournament run. “I’m just so proud of this group of guys. This means a ton. The first one is always special, right? “With this group, just the season that we’ve had, the stuff that we’ve gone through,” he added. “The journey is just amazing, and this caps it off.” Navajo Times | Quentin JodieNavajo Prep junior Xavier Nez (left) starts to attack the basket while being defended by Robertson Cardinal Nathan Gonzales Saturday during the Class 3A state championship game at the Pit in Albuquerque. Robertson led 6-0 before the Eagles scored their first basket, a putback from senior post Orion King with 4:31 left in the first period. Navajo Prep later tied the game at 10-10 on a three-pointer from senior guard Tylen Morris with two-plus minutes remaining before Robertson took a 14-11 lead going into the second quarter. In the highly competitive second stanza the lead changed hands two times and there were five ties, but with two minutes left Robertson finished out the quarter on a 10-0 run to go up 31-22 at the break. “We did not finish that first half great,” Melvin said, while adding that his team had a lot to talk about in the locker room. Whatever was said during those 10 minutes lit a fire under the Navajo Prep team. Jude Thomas set the tone in that quarter as the senior guard put in nine of his 16 points to give the Eagles a 45-33 lead after three quarters. “A lot of the guys are seniors, and I didn’t want to go out with the same fate that happened last year when we lost to Robertson,” Thomas said. “I knew that if we wanted to turn the tide, I had to start it. These guys were able to hit some big shots. We got on a big run … and you slowly felt the momentum shift.” Defensively, the Eagles held Robertson to 1-of-7 shooting while turning them over six times in that third stanza. “To put up a two-point defensive effort in the third quarter in a game like this is amazing,” the Navajo Prep coach. “That is what we talked about going into the fourth, which was to keep up with what we were doing on defense.” Navajo Prep picked up where it left off at the start of the fourth with King hitting a pair of inside jumpers sandwiched between a trey by junior shooting guard Xavier Nez. A two-point basket by Jakobie Thomas earned Navajo Prep its largest lead at 54-39 with 3:51 left. Robertson eventually righted its ship late in the fourth, but it was too late as the Navajo Prep student section got louder and louder. “In the last couple years, weve learned a lot in what it takes to get to this point, in what it takes to kind of get over that hump and be the last team standing,” Melvin said. “That was our mission this year to put the toughest strength of schedule we could, but a lot of people dont know as we went through a lot of adversity going into that. We didnt have this group; we lost some guys going into that. We didnt say anything, and we didnt make excuses.” The Eagles had three players in double figures headed by King, who finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Thomas added 16 and Nez chipped in 13. King, who stayed out of foul trouble, played an instrumental role in limiting Robertson’s damage with second-chance points. The Eagles grabbed 36 boards to Robertson’s 19. Of the Eagles’ 36 rebounds, 22 were on the defensive end as the Cardinals did not get any second-chance points. “They have some good guys who are really tall and big,” King said of Robertson players Nathan Gonzales and Mateo Contreras. “The one-and-done is what we talk about in our program, that and pushing the ball in transition … I think getting those defensive stops and having those rebounds was huge for us.” On the other side of the spectrum, Navajo Prep earned 17 second-chance points as it had a 14-5 edge in offensive rebounds over Robertson. “Were never the biggest team so everybody is just a group effort to get the ball,” Melvin said. “But, yeah, when you can find 14 second-chance opportunities with some those are threes, and some are putbacks for (King), man, it’s just huge.” The post Navajo Prep boys capture first state title appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Sports]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:21am
ALBUQUERQUE – Two years had elapsed since Kirtland Central girls basketball hoisted a state championship trophy. On Friday the Lady Broncos reclaimed the Class 4A state title by erasing an eight-point, first-quarter deficit against No. 2 seed St. Pius X at the Pit in Albuquerque. The top-seeded KC squad held the Lady Sartans to 10 points in the second half as the Broncos pulled away with a 45-33 win. The latest state championship was KC’s 21st after New Mexico’s most storied program came up short to Gallup in last season’s state title game. “Special is the right word,” sixth-year KC coach Devon Manning said, describing his team. “From last year to now, I looked at myself in what I needed to do to change a little bit for the program. When it came down to it they weren’t really receptive at the beginning. Navajo Times | Quentin JodieKirtland Central’s Zoey Benally (left) dribbles the ball while being guarded by St. Pius X player Catalina Anaya (15) during Friday’s Class 4A state championship game. “But I think they just bought in from the very beginning when we had to go to Page, Arizona, and play in a tournament with three days of practice,” he added. “We just kind of winged it; we had tough competition and after we won that tournament, I knew we had something special.” KC finished the season at 29-3 overall, which tied a school record for the most wins in a season. The Broncos first set that mark during last season’s state runner-up finish. “It’s hard to win that many ball games in a season,” said Manning, whose coach KC to two state titles. “And to have some of these girls to be a part of both teams and be able to do that two years in a row is a pretty remarkable feat. “It takes a lot of spirit, a lot of heart, a lot of dedication,” he added. “These girls just have that go-win attitude. They’re just very hard to beat.” The Broncos were down 14-6 in the state title game after one quarter of play. But in the second stanza KC came alive, outscoring St. Pius 18-9. Eighth-grader guard Allyson Tsosie started the rally with a three-pointer and the Broncos pulled even at 16-16 with 5:45 left following a mini 5-0 run, both buckets courtesy of senior Amber Shorty. The Sartans broke the tie behind an old-fashioned three-point play from senior guard Alyssa Maes, but the Broncos scored seven straight to go up 24-19 after a three-pointer from sophomore Haylee Nocki with 1:14 left before the half. The Sartans, however, used a 4-0 run to close KC’s lead down to 24-23 at the break. “We finally started hitting some shots,” Manning said. “That helps quite a bit with what we wanted to do once we started to score. We were able to get the game going a little bit faster because I thought we played at St. Pius’ pace in that first quarter.” Points were hard to come by after the break as KC outpointed St. Pius 8-4 in the third period for a 32-27 advantage The Sartans cut that margin down to three points, 32-29, following a pair of free throws from Maes at the start of the fourth. Nevertheless, the Broncos got some timely baskets from Shorty and Tsosie as the two helped secure KC another state title by combining for nine points in the game’s final five minutes. Tsosie led the Broncos with 12 points and six rebounds while Shorty added nine markers and Nocki chipped in eight. Senior Emilia Clani added six points and she dished out five assists. “It’s not by design but we just have a lot of girls that can step up at different times,” Manning said. “We never say we’re going to give this girl the ball to score points. We always have four, five girls who can hit buckets at any time because we have shooters everywhere. “Emilia hit a big three-pointer there in the second and Ally hit one late in the game,” he added. “And Amber had that quick 4-0 run in that last minute to close it out for us.” For St. Pius, junior post Macy Freeze led her squad with 12 points while Maes added 11 and junior point Catalina Anaya finished with 10. As a team, the Sartans went only six-deep the entire contest with those three players and senior Desirey Ortiz playing 30-plus minutes. “I thought that played quite a bit in our favor,” Manning said. “We knew we were a bit deeper than what St. Pius had, so we knew that we could get into their legs.” That was quite evident late in the game as KC closed out the game on a 13-4 run. “I thought that if we shot the ball a bit better in the second half, we could have got the separation we needed in that third quarter,” Manning said. “But I think we really got into their legs in that fourth quarter. They didn’t shoot the ball particularly well. They were missing jump shots and I think the wear and tear of having to deal with our press and trying to run up and down the court took its toll on them.” With the school’s 21st state title in tow, the KC program is proving to be in a class of its own. They have set the standard in girls basketball in the state of New Mexico. On a side note, the 1999 Kirtland Central girls state championship team was recognized during halftime of Friday’s finale. “It’s just a testament to the program that we have,” Manning said of the state title haul. “It started back in the 1980s and to this day we continue to be relevant. For the last 40 years, Kirtland has been at least in the state tournament and there have been so many great players, so many great coaches and so many great fans that have helped this program continue to grow.” The post Unprecedented: KC girls capture 21st state title appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Basketball]

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[l] at 3/21/24 3:21am
ALBUQUERQUE – Two years had elapsed since Kirtland Central girls basketball hoisted a state championship trophy. On Friday the Lady Broncos reclaimed the Class 4A state title by erasing an eight-point, first-quarter deficit against No. 2 seed St. Pius X at the Pit in Albuquerque. The top-seeded KC squad held the Lady Sartans to 10 points in the second half as the Broncos pulled away with a 45-33 win. The latest state championship was KC’s 21st after New Mexico’s most storied program came up short to Gallup in last season’s state title game. “Special is the right word,” sixth-year KC coach Devon Manning said, describing his team. “From last year to now, I looked at myself in what I needed to do to change a little bit for the program. When it came down to it they weren’t really receptive at the beginning. Navajo Times | Quentin JodieKirtland Central’s Zoey Benally (left) dribbles the ball while being guarded by St. Pius X player Catalina Anaya (15) during Friday’s Class 4A state championship game. “But I think they just bought in from the very beginning when we had to go to Page, Arizona, and play in a tournament with three days of practice,” he added. “We just kind of winged it; we had tough competition and after we won that tournament, I knew we had something special.” KC finished the season at 29-3 overall, which tied a school record for the most wins in a season. The Broncos first set that mark during last season’s state runner-up finish. “It’s hard to win that many ball games in a season,” said Manning, whose coach KC to two state titles. “And to have some of these girls to be a part of both teams and be able to do that two years in a row is a pretty remarkable feat. “It takes a lot of spirit, a lot of heart, a lot of dedication,” he added. “These girls just have that go-win attitude. They’re just very hard to beat.” The Broncos were down 14-6 in the state title game after one quarter of play. But in the second stanza KC came alive, outscoring St. Pius 18-9. Eighth-grader guard Allyson Tsosie started the rally with a three-pointer and the Broncos pulled even at 16-16 with 5:45 left following a mini 5-0 run, both buckets courtesy of senior Amber Shorty. The Sartans broke the tie behind an old-fashioned three-point play from senior guard Alyssa Maes, but the Broncos scored seven straight to go up 24-19 after a three-pointer from sophomore Haylee Nocki with 1:14 left before the half. The Sartans, however, used a 4-0 run to close KC’s lead down to 24-23 at the break. “We finally started hitting some shots,” Manning said. “That helps quite a bit with what we wanted to do once we started to score. We were able to get the game going a little bit faster because I thought we played at St. Pius’ pace in that first quarter.” Points were hard to come by after the break as KC outpointed St. Pius 8-4 in the third period for a 32-27 advantage The Sartans cut that margin down to three points, 32-29, following a pair of free throws from Maes at the start of the fourth. Nevertheless, the Broncos got some timely baskets from Shorty and Tsosie as the two helped secure KC another state title by combining for nine points in the game’s final five minutes. Tsosie led the Broncos with 12 points and six rebounds while Shorty added nine markers and Nocki chipped in eight. Senior Emilia Clani added six points and she dished out five assists. “It’s not by design but we just have a lot of girls that can step up at different times,” Manning said. “We never say we’re going to give this girl the ball to score points. We always have four, five girls who can hit buckets at any time because we have shooters everywhere. “Emilia hit a big three-pointer there in the second and Ally hit one late in the game,” he added. “And Amber had that quick 4-0 run in that last minute to close it out for us.” For St. Pius, junior post Macy Freeze led her squad with 12 points while Maes added 11 and junior point Catalina Anaya finished with 10. As a team, the Sartans went only six-deep the entire contest with those three players and senior Desirey Ortiz playing 30-plus minutes. “I thought that played quite a bit in our favor,” Manning said. “We knew we were a bit deeper than what St. Pius had, so we knew that we could get into their legs.” That was quite evident late in the game as KC closed out the game on a 13-4 run. “I thought that if we shot the ball a bit better in the second half, we could have got the separation we needed in that third quarter,” Manning said. “But I think we really got into their legs in that fourth quarter. They didn’t shoot the ball particularly well. They were missing jump shots and I think the wear and tear of having to deal with our press and trying to run up and down the court took its toll on them.” With the school’s 21st state title in tow, the KC program is proving to be in a class of its own. They have set the standard in girls basketball in the state of New Mexico. On a side note, the 1999 Kirtland Central girls state championship team was recognized during halftime of Friday’s finale. “It’s just a testament to the program that we have,” Manning said of the state title haul. “It started back in the 1980s and to this day we continue to be relevant. For the last 40 years, Kirtland has been at least in the state tournament and there have been so many great players, so many great coaches and so many great fans that have helped this program continue to grow.” The post Unprecedented: KC girls capture 21st state title appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Sports]

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[l] at 3/16/24 1:08pm
ALBUQUERQUE Two years had elapsed since the Kirtland Central girls basketball hoisted a state championship trophy. For Navajo Prep, the Lady Eagles last won it all during the 2021 pandemic-shortened hoops season. On Friday the two San Juan County schools were the last ones standing as both programs captured state titles, at the 4A and 3A levels, respectively, at the Pit in Albuquerque. Navajo Times | Quentin JodieThe Kirtland Central girls basketball team captured the New Mexico Class 4A state title with a 45-33 win over St. Pius X on Friday at the University of New Mexicos Pit in Albuquerque. The top-seeded KC Lady Broncos held No. 2 seed St. Pius X to 10 points in the second half to claim the Class 4A state crown with a 45-33 win. The latest state championship was KC’s 21st after New Mexico’s most storied program came up short to Gallup in last season’s state title game. “Special is the right word,” KC coach Danny Manning said of describing his team. “From last year to now, I looked at myself in what I needed to do to change a little bit for the program. When it came down to it they weren’t really receptive at the beginning. “But I think they just bought in from the very beginning when we had to go to Page, Arizona, and play in a tournament with three days of practice,” he added. “We just kind of winged it; we had tough competition and after we won that tournament I knew we had something special.” In the 3A state title game, Navajo Prep outscored archrival Tohatchi 24 to 9 in the second half as the Eagles produced a 41-26 victory in this heated rivalry. “We felt the heartache of losing to Santa Fe Indian School in the semifinal round,” longtime Navajo Prep coach Rainy Crisp said. “That was a really tough loss for us last year. We made a goal of not letting that happen again.” For a more in-depth story pick up next week’s Navajo Times.  The post KC, Navajo Prep girls win state titles appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Basketball]

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[l] at 3/16/24 1:08pm
ALBUQUERQUE Two years had elapsed since the Kirtland Central girls basketball hoisted a state championship trophy. For Navajo Prep, the Lady Eagles last won it all during the 2021 pandemic-shortened hoops season. On Friday the two San Juan County schools were the last ones standing as both programs captured state titles, at the 4A and 3A levels, respectively, at the Pit in Albuquerque. Navajo Times | Quentin JodieThe Kirtland Central girls basketball team captured the New Mexico Class 4A state title with a 45-33 win over St. Pius X on Friday at the University of New Mexicos Pit in Albuquerque. The top-seeded KC Lady Broncos held No. 2 seed St. Pius X to 10 points in the second half to claim the Class 4A state crown with a 45-33 win. The latest state championship was KC’s 21st after New Mexico’s most storied program came up short to Gallup in last season’s state title game. “Special is the right word,” KC coach Danny Manning said of describing his team. “From last year to now, I looked at myself in what I needed to do to change a little bit for the program. When it came down to it they weren’t really receptive at the beginning. “But I think they just bought in from the very beginning when we had to go to Page, Arizona, and play in a tournament with three days of practice,” he added. “We just kind of winged it; we had tough competition and after we won that tournament I knew we had something special.” In the 3A state title game, Navajo Prep outscored archrival Tohatchi 24 to 9 in the second half as the Eagles produced a 41-26 victory in this heated rivalry. “We felt the heartache of losing to Santa Fe Indian School in the semifinal round,” longtime Navajo Prep coach Rainy Crisp said. “That was a really tough loss for us last year. We made a goal of not letting that happen again.” For a more in-depth story pick up next week’s Navajo Times.  The post KC, Navajo Prep girls win state titles appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Basketball, News]

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[l] at 3/16/24 12:27pm
TWIN LAKES, N.M. They’re the “magnificent seven,” said Navajo Police Deputy Chief Ronald Silversmith. Vernon Chee, Ardy Johnson, Roy Luani, April Morris, Jonathan Robertson, Vincent Tsosie, and Laken Wauneka are the magnificent seven. On March 15, they graduated from the Navajo Police Training Academy as Class 59. Silversmith said they were named after Clint Eastwood’s The Magnificent Seven – who fought like seven hundred – because the class initially had 12 recruits, but only seven completed the academy. The class stood inside the Navajo Nation Museum’s auditorium and was sworn in to enforce Navajo Nation laws faithfully. After Silversmith and Police Chief Daryl Noon presented the Navajo Police badges, a selected family member pinned a badge on the uniform of their new officer. Chee and Robertson will serve in the Chinle Police District, Johnson, Morris, and Wauneka in the Dilkon Police District, Luani in the Tuba City Police District, and Tsosie in the Window Rock Police District. “Any day that we get to welcome new officers is a great day,” Noon said. Magnificent seven Those in attendance – in person or virtually – watched as Michael Anderson, the Division of Public Safety executive director, swore in the new officers. Patrick Sandoval, President Buu Nygren’s chief of staff, congratulated them. A few officers received awards. Chee received two awards for physical fitness and handling firearms. Wauneka received outstanding achievement for the highest athletic performance, and Tsosie received the academic award for the highest weekly scores throughout training. The seven officers initially began the police training academy with five other recruits. According to the Navajo Police Department’s 2021 organizational assessment by Strategy Matters and Public Safety Leadership, the academy staff “mentioned family issues and recruits’ discovery that the curriculum is more academically challenging than expected” as to why some recruits don’t finish. The report suggested that these issues need to be addressed if the goal of a 500-officer department is to be achieved. The Navajo Police Department personnel spoke of the need to make cultural changes within the Navajo PD and invest more in retaining good, experienced people selected from the younger generation. Anderson iterated that he visited with the academy recruits a few times during training. “These seven here are moving forward,” he said, requesting families to support their new officer. “I’m going to ask you to stand behind them,” Anderson said to those in attendance. Celebrating the ‘baddest’ The Navajo Nation is the only tribe that has a police training academy, according to Michael Anderson. “These law enforcements have joined the biggest and baddest law enforcement agency in Indian Country,” Patrick Sandoval said. The Navajo Nation Police Department and the president’s office are putting forth efforts to recruit more Navajo police officers. This calls for the Navajo Nation to meet approximately 750 police officers and say, “We have adequate police protection to provide services across Navajo,” Sandoval said. He said the Nation is not quite there nor even halfway. “We have to give it to these police officers today,” Sandoval said. “Or give it to the police officers who are on the beat right now.” Integrity and courage Michael Anderson and Patrick Sandoval restated that the Navajo police uniform is unique in color and image. The badge, which symbolizes a tsiiyeeł, is worn over the heart to serve and protect the Navajo Nation. “You’re prideful in everything you do,” Sandoval said. Sandoval said technology is advancing, and given the circumstances with lag services throughout the Nation, the president’s office and other stakeholders are pursuing better equipment to improve communications for the Navajo Police Department, its offices, and units. According to Sandoval, the Digital Equity Initiative’s “latest and greatest” technology is being pursued to push for 5G in the Nation by 2028, possibly 2027. Legislation CJN-29-22 report states that the digital equity initiative aims to bring broadband services for public safety, rural addressing, E911, public safety emergency communications, and cyber security. “Here today, we have young warriors,” said Michael Henderson, the director of the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. He recapped the purpose of the Navajo code of ethics and the oath each Navajo police officer read, presented, and knew. The post The ‘magnificent seven’, Class 59 graduates Navajo Police Training Academy appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: News]

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[l] at 3/15/24 6:30pm
ALBUQUERQUE A fast start and a gritty defensive effort put the Kirtland Central girls basketball team in the Class 4A state finals. The top-seeded Lady Broncos (28-3) raced to a 12-0 lead and dispatched archrival Gallup, 61-47, on Thursday afternoon at the University of New Mexico’s Pit in Albuquerque. The Broncos will take on No. 2 seed St. Pius X at 7 p.m. Friday. The Lady Sartans defeated No. 3 seed Artesia, 61-41, in Thursday’s other semifinals. “It feels good, but we didn’t come here to just play in it,” KC coach Devon Manning said of reaching the state title game. “You know, these girls battled. They had to go through a lot this year. That was the fifth time playing Gallup and that’s tough to do, you know, to come out on top, especially in this type of environment where it’s a 50/50 crowd. “Anything can go but the girls jumped on them early,” he said. Defensively, KC forced the Lady Bengals, the defending state champs, into 27 turnovers. Of those turnovers, 19 were steals as KC scored 26 points off steals. “With our matchup with Gallup we thought our guards were a little better than theirs,” Manning said. “We thought we were a little faster than they were, but everything you see on the court today, we practice that all the time whether it’s the trapping or the full court defense.” “They had real good active hands,” Gallup coach Todd McBroom said of KC. “They got their hands on a lot of balls, and deflections leads to turnovers. That is what I preach all the time, and they did that better than us tonight.” The Broncos nailed three early treys to go up 9-0 and extended that lead to 12-0 with an old-fashioned three-point play from freshman Elaina Clani with 3:16 remaining in the opening quarter. Gallup (23-9) closed the deficit to 16-10 at the start of the second stanza with an inside bucket from junior post Rylie Whitehair, who led the Bengals with 16 points and 18 rebounds. But KC eighth-grade guard Allyson Tsosie found a rhythm behind the three-point arc. Tsosie nailed three consecutive treys in a four minute-stretch that helped KC to a 33-21 halftime lead. For the first half, the Broncos hit six treys while Gallup struggled, missing all of its 12 shots from beyond the three-point arc. “It was one of those things to where the ball couldn’t find the basket,” McBroom said. “It’s tough when it’s an elimination game.” Behind a 14-6 run, Gallup cut that 12-point deficit down to 39-35 following a basket by freshman forward Kaden Tsosie (13 points) with just over three minutes left in the third stanza. That was as close as the Bengals would come as KC cashed in a couple of steals for a 48-37 lead heading into the fourth. The KC lead never dipped below nine in the final stanza as Gallup was forced to foul late in the contest. The Broncos reached the state finals for the third straight year by making 5-of-8 free throws. Tsosie led KC with a game-best 22 points and four treys while senior guard Emilia Clani added 10 and senior post Keira Beall-Gleason chipped in nine. Farmington The Farmington girls led for a majority of the game but could not preserve a 12-point, third-quarter lead as district rival Sandia rallied for a 61-58 win in the first of two 5A semifinal games played at the Pit on Thursday morning. “They stepped up and made some good plays,” Farmington coach Thomas Adair said of Sandia. “Give them some credit, they made some shots and they got some turnovers from us and that’s just basketball. “Sometimes things go your way and sometimes it don’t,” he added. “A couple of shots that should have went in didn’t go in for us. And shots that probably shouldn’t have gone in for them went in for them. They shot lots of free throws.” Early on the Scorps fed the ball to junior post Ayana Toledo for an 8-2 cushion. Behind four points from sophomore Caris Dale Farmington pushed its lead to 14-7 heading into the second. Navajo Times | Quentin JodieFarmington Lady Scorpion Ayana Toldeo (40) puts up a shot on Sandias Nadia Randall (33) in the Class 5A state semifinal game on Friday at the Pit in Albuquerque. Farmington fell short by a 61-58 count. The Scorps then got some superb shooting from senior Maleah Charlie as she nailed three treys in the second period for a 28-19 halftime cushion. “I feel like we do well on defense when we rotate but (Farmington) was taking advantage of making that extra pass for a better shot,” Sandia guard Sydney Benally said. “Hats off to Maleah for hitting those treys.” In the second half Farmington opened up a 38-26 cushion behind back-to-back baskets from Dale with 5:29 left in the third period. Sandia, however, used a quarter-ending 22-14 run and cut Farmington’s lead down to 52-48 heading into the fourth. The Matadors opened the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run for a 55-52 advantage. The Scorps regained the lead at 56-55 on a basket by sophomore Kjani Anitielu with 4:32 left. The lead changed hands two more times with Farmington taking its last lead at 58-57 when senior guard Maleah Charlie hit an inside jumper with 3:38 left in the contest. A minute later, Sandia junior guard Audri Wright tied the contest by hitting 1-of-2 free throws. Wright then scored the game-winner with 24 seconds left on an open three-pointer. At the other end, Farmington senior Kapiolani Anitielu had her game-tying three rim out. “It feels good,” Wright said. “This is what we’ve been working for. We started out slow, but at the end it went our way.” Benally, who has roots in the Shiprock area, led Sandia with a game-best 29 points. Benally scored 13 of those points in the first half. For Farmington, Charlie led the Scorps with 15 points. Dale added 14 points and Kapiolani Anitielu chipped in 13 with1 2 rebounds. “Caris has played really well for us all year long,” Adair said while adding that Charlie and Kapiolani were instrumental in leading the team this year. “I’m really proud of these two seniors,” the Farmington coach said. “Maleah stepped up big time for us today. I know she was a little frustrated with her shooting against Organ Mountain but, boy, did she recover today. “Sugar (Kapiolani) played a great game,” he added. “She had a heck of a game and she’s been doing that all year long.” Farmington finished the season at 26-5 overall. The post Top seed Kirtland Central beats Gallup in 4A semis, Farmington girls come up short in 5A appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Basketball]

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[l] at 3/15/24 6:30pm
ALBUQUERQUE A fast start and a gritty defensive effort put the Kirtland Central girls basketball team in the Class 4A state finals. The top-seeded Lady Broncos (28-3) raced to a 12-0 lead and dispatched archrival Gallup, 61-47, on Thursday afternoon at the University of New Mexico’s Pit in Albuquerque. The Broncos will take on No. 2 seed St. Pius X at 7 p.m. Friday. The Lady Sartans defeated No. 3 seed Artesia, 61-41, in Thursday’s other semifinals. “It feels good, but we didn’t come here to just play in it,” KC coach Devon Manning said of reaching the state title game. “You know, these girls battled. They had to go through a lot this year. That was the fifth time playing Gallup and that’s tough to do, you know, to come out on top, especially in this type of environment where it’s a 50/50 crowd. “Anything can go but the girls jumped on them early,” he said. Defensively, KC forced the Lady Bengals, the defending state champs, into 27 turnovers. Of those turnovers, 19 were steals as KC scored 26 points off steals. “With our matchup with Gallup we thought our guards were a little better than theirs,” Manning said. “We thought we were a little faster than they were, but everything you see on the court today, we practice that all the time whether it’s the trapping or the full court defense.” “They had real good active hands,” Gallup coach Todd McBroom said of KC. “They got their hands on a lot of balls, and deflections leads to turnovers. That is what I preach all the time, and they did that better than us tonight.” The Broncos nailed three early treys to go up 9-0 and extended that lead to 12-0 with an old-fashioned three-point play from freshman Elaina Clani with 3:16 remaining in the opening quarter. Gallup (23-9) closed the deficit to 16-10 at the start of the second stanza with an inside bucket from junior post Rylie Whitehair, who led the Bengals with 16 points and 18 rebounds. But KC eighth-grade guard Allyson Tsosie found a rhythm behind the three-point arc. Tsosie nailed three consecutive treys in a four minute-stretch that helped KC to a 33-21 halftime lead. For the first half, the Broncos hit six treys while Gallup struggled, missing all of its 12 shots from beyond the three-point arc. “It was one of those things to where the ball couldn’t find the basket,” McBroom said. “It’s tough when it’s an elimination game.” Behind a 14-6 run, Gallup cut that 12-point deficit down to 39-35 following a basket by freshman forward Kaden Tsosie (13 points) with just over three minutes left in the third stanza. That was as close as the Bengals would come as KC cashed in a couple of steals for a 48-37 lead heading into the fourth. The KC lead never dipped below nine in the final stanza as Gallup was forced to foul late in the contest. The Broncos reached the state finals for the third straight year by making 5-of-8 free throws. Tsosie led KC with a game-best 22 points and four treys while senior guard Emilia Clani added 10 and senior post Keira Beall-Gleason chipped in nine. Farmington The Farmington girls led for a majority of the game but could not preserve a 12-point, third-quarter lead as district rival Sandia rallied for a 61-58 win in the first of two 5A semifinal games played at the Pit on Thursday morning. “They stepped up and made some good plays,” Farmington coach Thomas Adair said of Sandia. “Give them some credit, they made some shots and they got some turnovers from us and that’s just basketball. “Sometimes things go your way and sometimes it don’t,” he added. “A couple of shots that should have went in didn’t go in for us. And shots that probably shouldn’t have gone in for them went in for them. They shot lots of free throws.” Early on the Scorps fed the ball to junior post Ayana Toledo for an 8-2 cushion. Behind four points from sophomore Caris Dale Farmington pushed its lead to 14-7 heading into the second. Navajo Times | Quentin JodieFarmington Lady Scorpion Ayana Toldeo (40) puts up a shot on Sandias Nadia Randall (33) in the Class 5A state semifinal game on Friday at the Pit in Albuquerque. Farmington fell short by a 61-58 count. The Scorps then got some superb shooting from senior Maleah Charlie as she nailed three treys in the second period for a 28-19 halftime cushion. “I feel like we do well on defense when we rotate but (Farmington) was taking advantage of making that extra pass for a better shot,” Sandia guard Sydney Benally said. “Hats off to Maleah for hitting those treys.” In the second half Farmington opened up a 38-26 cushion behind back-to-back baskets from Dale with 5:29 left in the third period. Sandia, however, used a quarter-ending 22-14 run and cut Farmington’s lead down to 52-48 heading into the fourth. The Matadors opened the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run for a 55-52 advantage. The Scorps regained the lead at 56-55 on a basket by sophomore Kjani Anitielu with 4:32 left. The lead changed hands two more times with Farmington taking its last lead at 58-57 when senior guard Maleah Charlie hit an inside jumper with 3:38 left in the contest. A minute later, Sandia junior guard Audri Wright tied the contest by hitting 1-of-2 free throws. Wright then scored the game-winner with 24 seconds left on an open three-pointer. At the other end, Farmington senior Kapiolani Anitielu had her game-tying three rim out. “It feels good,” Wright said. “This is what we’ve been working for. We started out slow, but at the end it went our way.” Benally, who has roots in the Shiprock area, led Sandia with a game-best 29 points. Benally scored 13 of those points in the first half. For Farmington, Charlie led the Scorps with 15 points. Dale added 14 points and Kapiolani Anitielu chipped in 13 with1 2 rebounds. “Caris has played really well for us all year long,” Adair said while adding that Charlie and Kapiolani were instrumental in leading the team this year. “I’m really proud of these two seniors,” the Farmington coach said. “Maleah stepped up big time for us today. I know she was a little frustrated with her shooting against Organ Mountain but, boy, did she recover today. “Sugar (Kapiolani) played a great game,” he added. “She had a heck of a game and she’s been doing that all year long.” Farmington finished the season at 26-5 overall. The post Top seed Kirtland Central beats Gallup in 4A semis, Farmington girls come up short in 5A appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Basketball, News]

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[l] at 3/15/24 6:20pm
By Santiago Ramos Jr. and Quentin Jodie Navajo Times RIO RANCHO, N.M The Class 3A state title game will be decided by two teams from District 1-3A. No. 3 seed Navajo Prep outplayed No. 7 St. Michael’s, 61-32, Thursday morning in the first 3A girls state semifinals at the Rio Rancho Events Center. In the late game, Tohatchi advanced with a 44-39 win over Santa Fe Indian School despite a late run by the Lady Braves. The 3A title game is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Pit in Albuquerque on Friday. The championship final will mark the fifth time the two Class 3A state powers will clash this season. The Lady Cougars and the Lady Eagles have split their four previous meetings. Tohatchi nipped Navajo Prep 38-36 early in the season. Navajo Prep took the second meeting, 47-40, only to lose the third meeting, 45-33, in the district tiebreaker. Navajo Prep bounced back and knocked off Tohatchi,  44-35, in the district tournament finals. Navajo Prep, which is seeking its eighth girls state basketball crown, appears to be peaking at the right time after beating Tohatchi in the district finals on the road. The Lady Eagles crushed No. 14 Socorro 73-15 in the Sweet 16 round and then cruised past No. 6 West Las Vegas 59-28 in the state quarterfinals. Tohatchi took care of two district opponents in the first two rounds cruising past No. 16 Crownpoint and No. 8 Zuni, 48-16 before holding off No. 4 Santa Fe Indian, 44-39, in the semifinals. Tohatchi, seeking its third state title and second in a row, pounded SFIS, 46-24, in a lopsided state final last year. St. Michael’s has now lost to Navajo Prep the last three years at state losing 49-42 in the state quarterfinals last year and losing 57-47 in the Sweet 16 round in 2022. Navajo Prep is focused on adding to its seven state titles after winning back-to-back state titles in 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic, over Tohatchi (46-33) and Robertson (63-47), respectively. “We always face St. Michael’s,” Crisp said. “They’re always a good team. They’re quick. We just had to slow it down in the second half and pull our press off because we were fouling way too much. Thank goodness they were missing their free throws (12-of-28).” With an early start and playing in a cold Rio Rancho Events Center venue, Navajo Prep, which never trailed, jumped out to a stunning start over a cold-shooting St. Michael’s team with a comfortable 14-1 first quarter advantage. Junior Eva Poyer scored all of her seven points by reeling off three consecutive baskets, including a trey that she banked off the glass. All the Lady Horsemen had to show for the first eight minutes was a free throw by Mariella Ruiz. “It was really good, cause we had a tough time scoring in the very few minutes, but we got going and then subs came in,” veteran Navajo Prep head coach Rainy Crisp said of her team’s quick start. “They did great.” Up 23-10 at the half, Navajo Prep nursed its lead up to 20 points, 36-16, after a pair of free throws by senior Aniya Johnson, who again led the way with 15 points and five steals. St. Michael’s did not help itself as it shot poorly at the free throw line, sinking just 12-of-28 attempts. Navajo Prep fared much better, converting 10-of-16 at the free throw line. In addition to the poor free throw shooting, St. Michael’s shot just 20 percent from the floor (11-of-53). Navajo Prep did a bit better shooting 33 percent (29-of-87). Even Navajo Prep’s bench was able to add to the lead late in the game. Kameron Dale and Kambreya Diane pumped in threes and Maureen Ford scored at the end as the Lady Eagles enjoyed their biggest margin of the night at 29 points, 61-32. Prep senior guard Tru Billie buried three treys to finish with 13 points. Special to the Times | Lee BegayeNavajo Prep senior Tru Billie (5) drives inside for a layup against St. Michael’s Thursday at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Navajo Prep advanced into the Class 3A title game with a dominating 61-39 victory. Again coach Crisp, who played on three state championship teams for Navajo Prep from 1995 to 1997, was pleased as 10 of her 12 players scored. St. Mike’s only had its five starters score. Against West Las Vegas, Prep showed its deep bench as 11 of 12 players broke into the scoring column. Crisp praised her team’s defensive pressure that caused 24 turnovers. “It was good,” Crisp said. “I just feel like we fouled too much but that’s something we’ve been working on. We played aggressive defense. We have great team defense.” Prep senior guard/forward Aniya Johnson says the team is peaking. “We’re starting to really peak,” Johnson said. “Our defense, were talking and communicating.” St. Michael’s head coach Sonya Ruiz was expecting a tough semifinal battle with Navajo Prep. “We knew they would be a tough matchup,” Ruiz said. “This was our fourth year in a row playing them in the state tournament. That’s the worst we’ve played them. We played them a lot closer the last three years. They’re a tough team. If we hadn’t fallen behind early we would have stayed in the game. We couldn’t get a shot; we couldn’t get a free throw. They broke us down in our half-court offense. We only had five players that scored. We need to have other people to step up.” Tohatchi Behind a balanced scoring attack Tohatchi earned a chance to defend its state title. “I’m very humbled to be back there again,” Tohatchi coach Tanisha Bitsoi said. “I’m grateful and thankful that I’m able to coach these young ladies. To go back to that championship game, not a lot of teams get to experience these types of opportunities. “Overall, I’m just grateful,” she added. The Cougars had seven players score, headed by 11 points from senior Brooke Bedonie. Juniors Yaya Peterson and Kayanna Capitan helped out with eight and seven points, respectively. Navajo Times | Quentin JodieTohatchi Lady Cougar Brooke Badonie (4) puts up a shot against the Santa Fe Indian School Lady Braves in the Class 3A state semifinals Thursday night at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Tohachi edged SFIS by a 44-39 count. Tohatchi also received six points each from seniors Marissa Denetso and Crra Cecil. The Lady Cougars parlayed a 22-15 halftime advantage into a 41-25 cushion with 4:45 left in the fourth quarter after a three-point shot from Denetso. That 16-point cushion was enough to hold off SFIS as the Braves put up a valiant effort in the last four-plus minutes of the contest. “In the third quarter we hit a slump, we couldn’t get much to go in for us,” SFIS coach Khadijha Jackson said. “We did get lost on defense but we regrouped and tried something different.” Santa Fe Indian junior post Emma Lewis scored six of her game-best 23 points in that final run. Despite being down by so much, the SFIS go-to player felt that they were never out of the game. “We’ve been trained with that mindset, like we can’t have any doubts in ourselves,” Lewis said. “We have to regroup and come together. It was all up to us.” Lewis got SFIS within 41-36 with 1:43 left. After the Braves turned Tohatchi over they gave it right back with a pass that sailed through Lewis’ hands on the sideline. The SFIS coach believes if they scored on that possession it would have put more pressure on Tohatchi. “We were trying to score and we were going to turn to our defense,” she said. “I just told my girls that we ran out of time. That’s pretty much it, we ran out of time.” Bitsoi credited SFIS for not quitting. “The game of basketball, you’ve been hearing all week, is a game of runs,” Bitsoi said. “Teams have to survive the runs and, you know, we can’t make the decisions we made down the stretch (today). “Credit Santa Fe Indian, they never gave up,” she added. “They had us on our heels for that last two, three minutes.” The post Tohatchi, Navajo Prep make 3A title game appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Basketball, News]

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[l] at 3/15/24 2:40pm
RIO RANCHO, N.M. The Navajo Prep boys basketball team is back in the Class 3A state semifinals for the second year in a row. On Wednesday the second-seeded Eagles received 19 points from senior Jude Thomas and a dozen from junior Xavier Nez in overturning Santa Fe Prep, 66-56, in one of four quarterfinal games played at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Navajo Prep plays No. 3 seed Santa Fe Indian School at 1 p.m. inside the iconic Pit on the University of New Mexico campus on Friday in Albuquerque. SFIS defeated district rival Santa Fe St. Michael’s 61-51 in its quarterfinal game. The top side of the bracket features top-seed Las Vegas Robertson pitted against No. 4 Hot Springs in one semi finals. The winners from Friday’s contests will play in Saturday’s championship game, which is scheduled for 12 p.m. at the Pit. The Eagles jumped on Santa Fe Prep by nailing four treys in the opening quarter for a 21-8 lead. That cushion gave Navajo Prep some leeway as the Eagles had to work through some early foul trouble with the 6’2” Nez and 6’3” senior post Orion King being saddled on the bench. “We did a lot of good things early and then we got into foul trouble and took ourselves off the floor,” Navajo Prep coach Matt Melvin said. “We put ourselves in tough positions because we’re not very big. “Orion was the first one off,” he added. “He didn’t make it through the first quarter and it changed what we wanted to do.” With those early foul woes, Navajo Prep had others step up. Senior Wallen Descheeny and freshman Breyden Benally scored six points apiece in that opening half. At the break, the Eagles led 35-23. “I feel like we’re just so deep,” Thomas said. “I mean, when those [starters] come off it hurts but we got other guys that are just as capable.” The much taller Santa Fe Prep team closed to within 35-32 midway through the third quarter following an old-fashioned three-point play from senior Mitch Grover, who finished with game-highs of 22 points and 14 rebounds. “(Santa Fe Prep) was a tough matchup for us,” Melvin said. “The one thing we didn’t want to do (was get in foul trouble) and that really changed our game plan from the jump, but we found ways to keep ourselves in the lead and not play from behind.” Behind a quarter-ending 12-4 run, the Eagles worked the lead back to 47-36 with Nez scoring four while Thomas and Descheeny hit some big threes. “That is what it takes at this point,” Melvin said of responding to Santa Fe Prep’s run. “I think something we’ve learned the last couple years is the teams that make it down the stretch are the ones that are going to be able to not let teams get on big runs. “And every time a team makes one, the kids answer,” he added. The post Navajo Prep boys advance into 3A state semis appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Basketball]

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[l] at 3/14/24 3:29am
ŁICHÍI’II, Ariz. – President Buu Nygren looked out over the homes in Diné Bikeyah en route to the ZenniHome factory at the decommissioned Navajo Generating Station site. He left Tsébigháhoodzání around 5 a.m. last Thursday. “What if our homes were built as strong as the bricks some homes are built with––carefully put together by craftsmen?” he asked himself. “Nizhónígo.” Navajo Times | Krista AllenIncomplete ZenniHome units sit inside the ZenniHome factory in LeChee, Ariz., on March 7. The steel comes from the former Navajo Generating Station. Contented with that vision, Nygren showed up at the ZenniHome factory in Łichíi’ii where 200 ZenniHome units would be built for families across the Navajo Nation. “Needy families” in each delegate region would receive ZenniHome units built from the steel recycled from the former power plant. The number of units for each region is not yet known, according to the president’s office as of Wednesday evening. Bob Worsley, the ZenniHome CEO and founder, said 6,500 units could be built with the equivalent amount of steel taken from the power plant. “That’s why I came here today,” Nygren said, t’áá Dinék’ehjígo. “These home (units) would be high-quality with structural integrity. They are the kind of homes our people (Diné) want and will put in place for the people. “Grandfathers, grandmothers––children, will grow up and they’ll remember this,” Nygren added. “Indestructible homes are what I want for our people. This would be for the long haul––fifty, eighty years––it’ll last that long.” The president visited the ZenniHome factory to spend time with the factory team about a year ago. It was then he told Worsley, “I want to do this with you, and I want these homes for my people.” Nygren had made concrete promises to his supporters during his campaign: homes. “And every day since he’s been in office,” Worsley said. “He wants to see 1,000 homes out on the Nation. And we want it to come from this facility as much as possible.” Nygren last year launched a “1,000 Homes Initiative” to address the lack of housing in the Nation and the inability of young, educated Diné returning home to start a business. Nygren on March 7 signed a $24 million ARPA grant with ZenniHome to expand production of its manufactured homes. The amount went up Thursday afternoon, according to George Hardeen, Nygren’s spokesman. “We’re going to build homes by Navajo, on Navajo, for Navajo from this location that used to be a coal plant,” Worsley said. “We’re (ZenniHome team) are very excited about that.” The ZenniHome factory is a 40,000 square-foot facility where at least three units can be built per day. Worsley wants to expand the factory by 300 square feet to build up to 30 units a day. “We … want to start – immediately – building homes for the Navajo,” Worsley said. “We think this would be the first time the Navajo Nation has had a significant export business, which makes a sovereign nation even more a sovereign nation.” The Division of Community Development received ARPA money under “numerous sections,” according to Arbin Mitchell, the executive director from Wide Ruins and Klagetoh, Arizona. One section received $211 million for chapters and regions, which was divided into the 24 delegate regions. Each delegate region received $8.8 million for its projects. Another section received $150 million under contract for bathroom additions. One hundred bathroom additions have been built thus far. The housing section received $50 million, according to Mitchell. “Back in November, we did an RFQ, request for qualification, and 14 firms submitted their proposals,” he explained. “We started reviewing those proposals. Out of those 14, eight firms went to the next round. We interviewed the eight firms last week. Navajo Times | Krista AllenDiné men listen as President Buu Nygren speaks during a grant-signing ceremony at the ZenniHome factory in LeChee, Ariz., on March 7. Over 100 Diné workers are employed at ZenniHome. “And within a couple weeks or so, we’re gonna select ZenniHome to do modular homes,” he added. Worsley praised the ZenniHome team, a majority of which are Diné and are highly skilled welders, electricians, plumbers, among other trades. Its workforce grew from 85 Diné employees to 135, with an annual payroll of more than $8 million. “When you need someone to work 24/7 and do fast, beautiful code-perfect welds––guess who we ask to come do it?” Worsley asked. “The Navajo. It’s always been the Navajo. We (at ZenniHome) think that building very strong steal structures that will last twice and three times longer than a (conventional) home.” Worsley said it’s time for Diné families to live in upper-quality homes such as a ZenniHome unit. “We’d really like to see that happen,” he said. Nygren said because Worsley treats people with compassion, he wanted to work with him and ZenniHome. The ARPA grant allows Indigenous Design Studio + Architecture, or IDS+A, a Diné-woman-owned architectural firm to expand production at ZenniHome. “We want to be able to lay out your home,” said Tamarah Begay, the principal-in-charge of IDS+A. “This is important. (It’s) about connecting our culture, language, and traditions.” Begay said construction costs in the Navajo Nation is “mind-boggling” after being in business for 12 years. It’s 30% to 40% higher in the Nation than in cities outside the Nation. “We need to build homes that are affordable for our people,” Begay said. “Sustainable and durable that they’re not falling apart. This is IDS+A’s commitment: working with Zenni(Home) in the Navajo Nation, working together to provide these homes for our Navajo people and our Indigenous peoples across the nation.” Mitchell said in Diné tradition, when one has a home, that’s stability. “This is a step forward for the Navajo Nation,” he added. “Building homes here where NGS used to be. When NGS closed (in 2019), out went hundreds of jobs. “This is another great venture Navajo will be moving forward with here. Like Bob (Worsley) said, ‘Navajo homes, Navajo built.’” The post ‘Navajo homes, Navajo built’: Nygren signs grant for ZenniHomes, IDS+A to expand production of manufactured homes appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: News]

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[l] at 3/14/24 3:28am
By Jan-Mikael Patterson Navajo Times SHIPROCK – Wah, said Ezekiel Atene after misspelling “destitution” at the Northern Regional Spelling Bee. The audience chuckled as Atene, 11, a sixth grader at Atsá Biyáázh sat on the sideline after the sixth-grade competition’s second round. Six regional schools sure made the Phil L. Thomas Performing Arts Center all the “buzz” during the Navajo Times/Office of Diné Youth’s Northern Navajo Regional Spelling Bee Competition on Thursday. This competition is the first spelling bee competition since before the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is my first year putting all of this together,” said Lynn Bia, the prevention specialist at Shiprock ODY. This is her second year on the job. Since school closures prevented the bee from taking place, area schools competed under the start competition. “I’ve put on other events, but this is the first time doing the spelling bee,” she said. Bia had a month to prepare and organize the competition. “We anticipated 15 students, the initial competitors that registered but this morning we were told that two more schools would be entering the competition,” she said. As the busses started rolling into the parking lot the lobby of the center was filled with excited competitors with Atsá Biyáázh students stuck out by wearing the same spelling bee T-shirt. Chaperones tried to maintain some order, but the lobby was just filled with excitement. The schools that competed are Atsá Biyáázh Community School, Judy B. Nelson Elementary, Tsé Bit’ą’í Elementary, Mesa Elementary, Newcomb Elementary, Elementary, Kirtland Elementary, Kirtland Middle School, and Northwest Middle School. In total, 34 students participated. Eight fourth graders began the competition, going six rounds until Russell Weber, 10, of Mesa Elementary won by spelling “scandium” to win the fourth-grade championship. Atsá Biyáázh student Lila Ayala, 9, earned runner-up with “Albuquerque.” “I wanted to try out for the spelling bee,” Weber said. “This is my first time (competing), so I was curious. I was nervous at first but after the practice round I felt better about competing.” Next up were nine, fifth graders who competed two rounds with Anden John, 10, of Nizhoni Elementary winning by correctly spelling “pipette.” Runner-up honors went to Winona Yazzie, 11, of Mesa Elementary, who spelled “Boba” correctly. “I thought (the judges) would use the list of words that was given to us,” said Ezekiel Atene, disappointed because he studied the list he was given for the past two weeks. There were six competitors for the sixth-grade competition that went nine rounds. Atsá Biyáázh student Logan Bedah, 12, took the championship. His first attempt to win in the seventh round, he misspelled “Macedonia.” When a competitor is the only one left and they misspell the anticipated championship world they go back in rotation with the previous contenders and begin a new round until one is left standing to spell the final word correctly to win. On his second attempt he correctly spelled “Palomino.” On his third attempt he won with “Delta.” Payton Mckinley, 12, of Judy B. Nelson, earned runner-up. Seventh grade champ Brycsen Pino, 12, of Northwest Middle School won with the word “acclaim” in 5 rounds. Michaela Begay, 12, won runner-up with the word “occupancy.” Five eighth graders rounded out the last of the competition in three rounds with Kaibah Jones, 13, of Northwest Middle School, winning with the spelling of “surplus.” Mariah Lee, 14, also of Northwest Middle School, earned runner-up. The master of ceremony duties was handled by Zane James of Western Skies Community Care in Albuquerque. Judges for the competition were head judge Chantz Samuels, the recreation coordinator for Chinle Office of Diné Youth; Christopher Schnieder, an attorney for the Department of Justice in Window Rock; and Jeff Holtsoi, the Shiprock Fire lieutenant. James IronMoccasin of Atsá Biyáázh Community School, read the rules and Delta Higdon served as the bailiff for the competitors. Nyssa Thomassen of Kirtland Central High School was the pronouncer. Bia is now anticipating the next competition. Organizing this year’s event bolstered her confidence in running another successful “bee.” Contest winners from all regional bee competitions will be competing in Fort Defiance at the Office of Dine Youth on March 21, 2024, to determine who will compete at the Scripps National Spelling in Washington, D.C. The post Northern regional spelling bee buzzes back to the Phil appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: News]

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[l] at 3/14/24 3:27am
By U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Colin Hollowell HQ Air Force Recruiting Service FARMINGTON – Four Department of the Air Force Indigenous Nations Equality Team members partnered with a local enlisted accessions recruiter assigned to the 367th Recruiting Squadron to increase awareness for U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve opportunities while touring five schools on the Navajo Nation from Feb. 26 March 1, 2024. INET is a Department of the Air Force Barrier Analysis Working Group that advocates on behalf of Native American Airmen. Courtesy | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Colin HollowellAir Force Tech Sgt. Anika Dexter, a 319th Training Squadron military training instructor trainer, left, Air Force Tech Sgt. Anastacia Rodriguez, a 6th Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion technician, right, and Air Force Master Sgt. Shannon Myhre, a 150th Special Operations Wing New Mexico Department of Military Affairs tribal liaison officer, brief Shiprock High School faculty members on the U.S. Air Force Indigenous Nations Equality Team in Shiprock on Feb. 27, 2024. Dexter, Rodrigues, and Myhre discussed Air Force enlistment opportunities and INET’s mission while sharing their experiences as Native American Airmen. “INET is the USAF’s total force cultural advocate for indigenous people that strives to remove conscious and unconscious barriers,” said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Darrell Charlee, a Kirtland Air Force Base Inspection Agency client systems NCO in charge. “We want to provide education across the force about Native American culture and raise awareness of unconscious appropriation.” Charlee is Táchii’nii and born for Dziłtł’ahnii. His maternal grandfather is Kinyaa’áanii and his paternal grandfather is Bit’ahnii. He’s originally from Gallup. One example Charlee described is the “End of Trail” sculpture, gifted to those who reached the highest enlisted rank of chief master sergeant. He explained that the décor’s origin represents the suffering of Indigenous people after being driven from their native lands. “I can’t blame people for not knowing, but that’s why INET is striving to increase awareness and understanding. We want to help foster a more inclusive environment,” he continued. INET’s current priorities seek to affect change for gender-neutral hairstyles for Native American males, on and off-duty ceremonial accommodations, and to address barriers that hinder Indigenous retention. Charlee said there are 574 recognized Native American tribes in the U.S., more than twice the number of countries worldwide. “Roughly 18%, nearly one-in-five Native Americans either have or are currently serving in the military,” Charlee said. “It goes back to that warrior ethos. Native men and women have an almost instinctual obligation to serve their country and people.” As Charlee highlights, Native Americans have historically had a high willingness to serve, and recent shifts in societal awareness have increased public understanding and Indigenous pride across the nation. “When I was growing up, we were encouraged to leave the reservation,” he said. “There’s been a recent resurgence of cultural pride that’s partially responsible for driving people to return. “People are now being encouraged to go out and learn trades and skillsets that they can bring back to help the reservation. The Air Force has offered that opportunity to many indigenous Airmen,” Charlee continued. With over 17 million acres of land spanning three states, the Navajo Nation is the largest Native American reservation home to over 170,000 residents. “Having Charlee, a Navajo native, and the other INET Airmen present while visiting these schools was tremendously helpful,” said Tech. Sgt. Dylan Tomczyk, the 367th RCS enlisted accessions recruiter. “The USAF is heavily underrepresented in these communities, with a large percentage of Navajo veterans having served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. “INET’s support and advocacy helps bring awareness to the USAF as another option of service,” he continued. Increased Indigenous representation throughout the ranks can positively impact other Native Americans currently serving. Tech Sgt. Anastacia Rodriguez, a 6th Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion technician, recalls how meaningful it was to meet a fellow Native American woman serving in the Air Force: “I was at a crossroads in my career,” she said. “If you could look at a timeline of my career, meeting Col. Maureen Trujillo was the moment where everything changed for me,” Rodriguez said. “In our culture, we strongly value the wisdom and experience of our elders, so meeting her and seeing everything she’s accomplished helped me see my own potential.” While INET strives to grow as the USAF’s champion for Native American advocacy, other groups at various levels aim to achieve similar goals. America’s Air and Space Force remains a diverse collective of the nation’s best and brightest. “It’s imperative for us as recruiters to be actively involved in different communities,” Tomczyk said. “The Air Force is a diverse team, and we can’t be successful without the collective contributions of every Airman from every walk of life. Diversity is our nation’s greatest weapon, something our adversaries simply cannot compete with.” The post INET and 367th RCS partner for Navajo school visits appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: News]

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[l] at 3/13/24 7:00am
Jacks Toon March 7, 2024 Select a thumbnail below to launch a gallery of Jacks recent work: The post Comics by Jack Ahasteen appeared first on Navajo Times.

[Category: Comics]

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