Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

FREE TAKE ONE!

Importance of Art.5

A Wild Ride: ‘Vacation’.7

VOL 1 | ISSUE 17 | JULY 31, 2015

94TH ANNUAL GALLUP INTER-TRIBAL INDIAN CEREMONIAL Aug. 5 - 9, 2015

Inside ...

Gourd Dance & Contest Pow Wow.3 Ceremonial Queen Contest.4 Official Ceremonial Rodeo Program!9

GALLUP INTER-TRIBAL INDIAN CEREMONIAL

an�

Contes�

AUGUST 7-8, 2015 RED ROCK EAST ARENA CHURCHROCK, NEW MEXICO

GROUP SINGERS * TWO-STEP * SKIP DANCE

Frida�

Saturda�

AUG. 7

1 0 : 0 0 AM R E G I S T R AT I O N WA R M - U P S I N G I N G & D A N C I N G 1 : 0 0 PM GRAND ENTRY

� e � r P � s Ca

AUG. 8

1 : 0 0 PM GRAND ENTRY

$10

WRISTBAND F O R B O T H D AY S CHILDREN 12 & UNDER

� e r F

HOST GROUP: LAKE SIDE SINGERS L E A D S I N G E R : DA N J I M N E Z

CO-HOST GROUP: JONES RANCH GROUP SINGERS LEAD SINGER: MARIE HOUSTON NELSON

r e ! � d e r e � ! r H � l P p a r Shee Speci C O M I N G Doo TOGETHER � t i w

C L I N T O N J I M , C O O R D I N AT O R

505-863-3896 2

pmtz_jim@yahoo.com Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

NEWS

ts Ar

nt e m n i a t r Ente

Gallup Fun!

uff! t S nity d o u o m G m Co Feel

Keeping Tradition Alive: Gourd Dance & Contest Pow Wow

By Dee Velasco Sun Correspondent

T

he 94th Ga llup Inter-Tr iba l India n Ceremonial is sure to please everyone this year, with events such as the: Queen Luncheon, Amphitheater Performances, INFR Tour Rodeo Performances, Parades, Native Film Series, and the Gourd Dance & Contest Pow Wow. Kicking off Aug. 5, the Ceremonial draws people from all over the world and this year is no exception. A big highlight of the Ceremonial is the Gourd Dance & Contest Pow Wow. This year’s pow wow is set for August 7 - 8, in the Red Rock West Arena, at Red Rock state park.

Mike Salabiye, coordinator, for this year’s event, says, “We hope to beat last year’s attendance of 300 dancers to over 400 dancers.”

Salabiye, who is no stranger to pow wows, has helped coordinate various pow wows, such as the Navajo Nation Fair and other organizations. He says this year’s event will be fun and different.

“This year we will be featuring Honored Elders. This is to honor those elders who have participated and have been in the pow wow circuit, and who have helped and been a blessing to the circle.”

The circle is where the dancers dance and is a traditional, symbolic area.

“We will have young people as well as grandparents honoring these elders by songs, speaking of them, and giving them gifts,” Salabiye says.

“This year we will be honoring Norman Largo (Dineh) from Brimhall, NM, and Marjorie Boyd (Dineh) Asdzani from Church Rock. Both are great people who have attended numerous pow wow’s and are local residents.”

Different dance categories will also be added, Salabiye said.

“We will feature Tiny Tots Combined, which is open to newborns up to 6 years old, and boys and girls, who will compete in all dance styles.

Prizes will be given to all participants and this is sponsored by Emerson and Caris John. This should be an event you do not want to miss because these are little ones who will be entering the circle and learning about tradition.

Some of the categories will feature both northern and southern traditional styles, and others will be split.

The pow wow will feature traditional standard dances, for all age categories too.

Dancers could win up to $400 or more depending on the entry of participants. This changes

of course due to the influx of entries. So, the more participants ... the more money is payed out and this becomes very competitive as well as exciting.

Host Dr ums a nd Head Dancers will be selected per session, and even the drum groups will have their own criteria of performance. They are judge by how lively they perform, the reaction of the crowd, the synchrony of the drummers and behavior.” Salabiye said.

August 7 will start off with a Gourd Dance at 3 pm and a Grand Entry at 7 pm.

T h i s yea r’s Ma st er of Ceremonies will be Erny Zah ( D i neh /Choc t aw/Jic a r i l l a Apache) from Dulce, NM. “Erny is a former dancer and very popular in the pow wow circuit, he was chosen because he knows the dances, songs, the people, and is extremely funny, he said. “He not only keeps the audience excited, he’s very articulate and educates the audience as well.”

This year’s Arena Director will be, Faron Owl (Quechan/ Paiute) from Winterhaven, Calif.

“We were really please to have Faron be our arena director,” Salabiye said. “He puts on quite a show; he is an teacher/ educator and runs events smooth.”

This year’s scoring and

This fancy dancer’s regalia is exploding with color as he dances to the beat of the drum. Photo Credit: Courtesy

GALLUP FUN!

tabulation will be done by BTN Book Keeping, Salabiye said.

“This is done so that the judging will be fair and most of all the scoring fair as well,” he explained. “The Head Drum

This year’s gourd dance groups are from Kiowa organizations, Salabiye says.

“We will have, Rick Yazzie (Dineh) from, Flagstaff, AZ, who will emcee and interpret

Watching the footwork of dancers during the women’s fancy shawl dance captivates and entertains audiences. Photo Credit: Courtesy

Judge has to be well respected, honest, and well know in the pow wow circuit. We like to show and follow our code of ethics and pass it on to the younger generation, so this is why we want everything to be fair and judged accordingly.

That way there is room for general complaints and favoritism like you find in some contest pow wows, and that is pretty sad.”

Dance specials will include a special initiation into the pow wow circuit for Jr. Boys Fancy Feather-Zundell Joe of Kirtland, NM, and Teen Girls Versus Women’s Fancy Shawl.

“These that are going to initiated into the circle are given words of wisdom from their elders about, respect, honesty, and, tradition, so this is indeed quite a honor to see,” he said.

to those who speak Navajo as spoken from the Kiowa dance groups.”

Day & Night, local singers, will also be on hand to entertain the crowd during the pow wow.

This year’s Gourd Dance & Contest Pow Wow will be exciting and a must see to those who have never attended one.

“We invite everyone to come out and enjoy this year’s event and be a part of the circle. We hope to draw in a huge crowd.

We like to thank our sponsors and everyone for all their help, so we hope you come out and enjoy the festivities of this year’s Gourd Dance & Contest Pow Wow.” For more information email mrsalabiye@yahoo. com or by calling 505-8633896 (Ceremonial Office).

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

3

37 Years of Tradition: Ceremonial Queen Contest Seeks Contestants

By Kimberly A. Gaona Sun Correspondent

E

a ch ye a r, a s t he Ceremon ia l ti me rolls around, young ladies apply to be the next Miss Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial. This year is the first year for organizer Virginia Ballenger.

The f i r st queen wa s crowned in 1978, and that was Teri Frazier.

While the contest is open to all unmarried young women ages 18 to 25, with no children and at least half Indian heritage, according to Ballenger, the contest only has two candidates at this time. Ballenger hopes that there will be at least five competing by the time the Ceremonial begins.

“I’ve got several phone calls from potential young women who are still trying,” Ballenger said.

The crowning will be held on Aug. 8 at 7:30 pm in the

dance arena at Red Rock State Park.

The candidates will have to present a traditional as well as a modern talent or skill and go through an interview with a panel of judges.

The judges for this year’s c omp e t it ion a r e Br e nd a Milosevich, Sandra Becenti, Ruth Kawano, Michele Lovett and Kathryn Babcock.

“She will also be judged on an essay titled ‘Why would you like to become Miss Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial and how will you provide a positive role model to the title and what goals would you like to execute through your reign?’,” Ballenger said. “She will also give a speech on how the cultural way of life has shaped me into a role model for others.”

The candidates will also be judged on general appearance as well as personality.

Last year’s Ceremonial crowned Mykhal Mendoza, a member of the White Mountain

Apache tribe. She has fulfilled her duties as the 2014-2015 queen. Her final duty will be to welcome the new Ms. Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Queen.

“We don’t crown the new queen until after the ceremonial,” she said. “The new queen will reign over next year’s festivities.”

The 2015-2016 Miss Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial will have her hands full for the next calendar year as some of the events that they have scheduled her for already include the New Mexico and Arizona state fairs, Navajo Nation fair, the Zuni tribal fair, and the Gathering of Nations.

“Her duties are to attend various events to promote the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial [as well as] to serve as a goodwill ambassador for the City of Gallup,” Ballenger said.

While the Queen will have the respect and the pride that comes with the title and the

2014-15 Ceremonial Queen Mykhal Mendoza will pass the torch to a new queen Aug. 8. Photo Credit: Courtesy

crown, she will also receive a $2,000 cash award. Some of the other candidates will still have a chance to be crowned as Miss Photogenic, Miss Congeniality and first runner

up and the other prizes on the table for such positions include a luggage set, a sewing machine, jewelry from various businesses in Gallup along with gift certificates.

MISS GALLUP INTER-TRIBAL INDIAN CEREMONIAL QUEEN PAGEANT August 5 Fire Rock Casino (Entertainment Center) Queen’s Luncheon: Noon (Doors Open at 11:30 am) Luncheon Tickets $20 Can be purchased at: Ceremonial Office - 206 West Coal Avenue, Navajo Spirit - 815 West Coal Avenue Rex Museum - 300 W. Hwy 66 Style Show by Navajo Spirit at Luncheon Miss Photogenic Competition at Red Rock State Park during Preview Night

4

Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

August 6 Traditional Talent Competition Awarding Miss Photogenic 4 pm - El Morro Theatre Special Guest Master of Ceremonies: James Junes $5 cash at the door (All proceeds go to Miss Indian Ceremonial Pageant) August 7 Modern Talent Competition Marlan Aitson Amphitheater - Red Rock State Park at 5 pm August 8 7:30 pm - Coronation at Red Rock State Park GALLUP FUN!

The Importance of Art to Gallup Part II of III

By Tom Hartsock Sun Correspondent

I

n spite of the rough-andtumble early existence of mining and the railroad, Gallup has mostly always been an artful community. It took a few years, of cou r se, to repla ce t he male-dominated life with the gentler wants and needs of the distaff side who seemed to appear from everywhere a nd succeeded, as well as they could, in calming and t a m i ng t he ha rdy, roug hhew n pio ne e r s t h a t d u g and scraped and built this a rea with their sweat a nd muscles.

Even the construction of houses became an art form.

Some women were not willing to accept four plain walls and a dirt floor, and the best of them insisted on a finer quality than men would have needed. As the town grew into a small city, women directed the advance without officially holding office of any kind. Instead, they used the ultimate power they had to convince or coerce their men into wanting what they did, what we call quality-of-life today.

It may have started with a white-washed exterior wall or two, or impor ted paint from A lbuquerque – a two or three day trip by train.

Or, with the use of well-laid bricks manufactured right here i n t ow n; perh a p s a picket fence here and there, a favorite plant or plants nurtured in the Gallup sun, and a long list of other accoutrements to lend at least a touch of individuality to home or business, artfully.

And there were always the art of the Native Americans, who had discovered early in their history how to weave rugs on very primitive (relative to today) looms a nd how to used the native soil to create potter y in traditional ways. Encouraged by white traders on the reservations and other businessmen, the knowledge and ability increased gradually as economy demanded.

At some point, pencil or charcoal drawings by other Native A mer ica ns melded into pa inting a nd a n aptit ude a nd t a lent for det a i l GALLUP FUN!

Native American Arts & Crafts on display at Earl’s Restaurant by a variety of street vendors generally attract a number of lookers and buyers. Photo Credit: Tom Hartsock

began to shine through into more a r t. A nd t here were also: sa nd paintings glued t o wo o d o r o t h e r m a t e rial, beadwork, traditional a nd moder n jewelr y a nd a va r iety of other products, i nclud i n g le a t her, wh ic h added to the economy.

By the time of the first Ceremonial, these arts and crafts had developed into a burgeoning business that kept many families fed and clothed and the upward curve seemed as if it would never quit. Boom times in art, especially that of the Navajo and Zuni, rose with the demand created, and even in the largest American cities one could see examples of the different kinds of art produced in this area.

The only thing really lacking was a single organization that could semi-control and promote these arts to the fullest extent, but business was good anyway. Not too many people were concerned with what tomorrow could bring, at least not in Gallup. Other New Mexico cities saw the opportunities though.

Santa Fe and Albuquerque both benefitted from the work of “our” Native Americans, buying at low prices and selling at very high ones. Gallup became somewhat reduced to providing raw materials for these artists as the finished product flowed out of town with the money it could have generated.

Art, though, is always in a constant flux and eventually the artists discovered that there was more income to be had from selling their own goods rather than shipping it to another destination. That

philosophy extended to those involved in higher valued pieces of work and the trend slowly revolved back to where it had begun.

Ga l lup now h a s l i s t ed i n t he yel low p a ge s t wo cera m ic ma nu fa ct u rer s, over 30 retailers of Native A mer ica n goods with another dozen or so in close proximity to the town, and over 20 ma nu factu rer s of Na t i v e go o d s , w hole s a le (s ome who a r e a l s o retailers).

The number of home-operated producers are unknown, but adding in that unknown variable, and one can easily see the impact that these forms of art have on a small town of just over 22,000.

And that is just a short list of that specific art. Throw in the many murals that decorate buildings, the awards granted to the Octavia Fellin Public Library, the restoration of the almost 100-year old El Morro Theater, several dance s t ud io s , t he C om mu n it y Concert Association, Land of Enchantment Opera, and ma ny other orga nizations that have art as their main focus and you quickly become aware of just how important art is to Gallup.

And never forget that it is not only the larger programs that determine importance, but t he s m a l ler one s a s depicted in the photos taken at Earl’s Restaurant, where ma ny street vendors push their wares at the hungry visitors, whether local or from out-of-town.

The impor ta nce of a r t to Gallup simply cannot be overstated!

Par t III, D iffe re nt Approaches to Art, will be

covered in the August 7 issue of The Gallup Sun.

THANK YOU ADVERTISERS

Butler’s Office Equipment & Supply – 17 Ceremonial Rodeo – 16

Ceremonial Song & Dance – 2 Cowtown Feed & Livestock – 7 First American Credit Union – 19 Go Team Go (COUPON) – 22 Midwest Finance – 6 Pinnacle Bank - 12 Richardson’s Trading – 14 Rio West Mall – 6 SMART Toilet Program – 18 Thunderbird Supply Co. – 4 Trailblazer – 15 TravelCenters of America – 24

Gallup Sun Publishing, LLC Publisher/Editor Babette Herrmann Correspondents Kim Gaona Tom Hartsock Melinda Sanchez Design David Tsigelman The Gallup Sun, published Fridays, is not responsible or liable for any claims or offerings, nor responsible for availability of products advertised. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

PO Box 1212 Gallup, NM 87305 www.gallupsun.com Find us on Facebook and Twitter Phone: (505) 728-1640 Fax: (505) 212-0391 gallupsun@gmail.com Letter to the editor/guest column ACCEPTED BY EMAIL ONLY. State full name and city/town. No pen names. ID required. All submissions subjected to editor’s approval.

Guest columnists, email Sun for submission requirements.

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

5

Tibbs Bob Pino: A recovered life

By Jeffrey Smith For the Sun

T

he toughest ride for this champion bull r ider did not have four legs and horns, but involved moving on from alcohol.

Tibbs Bob Pino grew up on a small family ranch south of the Zuni Mountains by Pinehill, New Mexico. It was

His father was a champion calf roper and “taught me to ride bulls and to rope” he added. He himself later began to win rodeos as a bull rider.

However, perhaps his biggest achievement involved his eventually successful fight with alcohol.

Pino went to Pinehill High School and while there joined the rodeo club. He started on the junior rodeo level.

Tibbs Bob Pino, a former bull riding champion, stands in front of some nostalgic posters. Photo Credit: Courtesy

a pleasant place to grow up: “the ranch had cows, horses, sheep, everything,” he said.

6

“My dad used to take me ever ywhere: Belen, Aztec, A la mogordo, Fa r ming ton,

Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

Gallup and Los Lunas,” he recalled.

He specia l ized i n bu l l riding.

A f ter g raduat i ng f rom high school, he competed in rodeos thoughout the reservation and New Mexico coming out as champion bull rider at the Bi-County Fair in Prewitt and also the Oak Canyon and Bread Springs rodeos. The pounding may have begun to take a toll though and at age 27 he began to experience vision problems. By 1994 he was legally blind.

He had married in 1991 and the marriage, to another lega l ly bl i nd i nd iv idu a l , involved enough joint alcohol consumption. “ I started having problems with alcohol,” he said.

Eventually, by 1998 both he and his wife were homeless.

Finally, in 2004 he ended up with a misdemeanor case in Grants and was referred to an alcohol treatment program, the Na Nihzhoozhi Center, Inc. in Gallup.

NCI had a program which was 56 days in length and was made up of eight levels each participant had to work through. He began by

Tibbs Bob Pino was a champion bull rider back in the day. Photo Credit: Courtesy

attending a daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at the center.

AA involves accepting one’s life is unmanageable due to alcohol. It then uses group support, the hard earned experience of people in recovery and an emphasis on asking for spiritual help to maintain sobriety.

“We used to do a lot of meetings in the Hogan in the traditional way. They were singing in the traditional way, the Medicine Man used to bless us,” he said.

The program also used Native American religious practices derived from the Great Plains tribes.

“The program had a sweat lodge, they would pray for you … all the evil stuff would be cleaned from your system,” he said.

Even for the seemingly tough former bull rider ,the sweat lodge was hot.

“I did twenty minutes the first round” he admitted.

He did complete the NCI program and return to Cibola County where he was involved in individual substance abuse counseling. He had difficulty interacting with the first counselor, but switched to another and successfully completed the course.

Meanwhile, he attended a Christian form of AA meetings

called Celebrate Recovery at the local center for the homeless, Community Outreach. He moved back into housing.

He asked his wife to join him in sobriety but she wasn’t ready.

“I can drink as long as I want to,” he recalled her saying.

The marriage ended in divorce and he missed her for some time.

The champion bull rider is quite honest and admitted that “after I got out of NCI I still had a craving for a beer and I drank a couple of beers. It’s hard, you have to be strong.”

He went on to give one technique he used to avoid relapse. He would drink “any substitute for beer – coke or coffee or water or juice” he said.

Pino now has eleven years of sobriety. He feels like the lessons he learned in a ranching family with two hard working parents left him resilient.

His mother’s maiden name is Dorothy Natan and his father is Clarence Bob. He is grateful they provided him a sense of a life worth fighting to return to.

“That for all those out there who have an alcohol or drug addiction, you have a choice to make, which side you are going to be on,” he said. “I’m glad I’m on the right track with God.”

GALLUP FUN!

‘Vacation’ Re-do: A fresh take on a classic dysfunctional family

By David Pinson For the Sun

««« OUT OF FIVE STARS

T

he Hollywood Hills echo the sound of regurgitation. A collective yack heard round the world as they recycle every plot idea they can buy the rights to.

I have screamed, moaned and complained about this for years but there is no end in sight. I suppose my Klout score holds little to no leverage with the powers that greenlight. So I’ve resigned to the fact that do-overs are going to happen but we don’t have to like them.

Unless, of course, they are entertaining.

Fortunately the new version of Vacation delivers plenty of self-aware laughs, embracing the fact that this is a retread the same way that the hilarious 21 Jump Street did. I blame the cast for this giddy trip down the holiday road. Ed Helms and Cristina Applegate are perfectly cast as Rusty and Debbie Griswold with Helms playing the oblivious buffoon

From left, Christina Applegate and Ed Helms play Debbie and Rusty Griswold in the new fun-packed comedy ‘Vacation,’ which opened in theaters July 29.

just as good as Chevy Chase did in the originals.

There is also plenty to love regarding the supporting cast.

Skyler Gisondo and Steele Stebbins as the Griswold kids are wonderful little morons that prov ide many of the film’s laugh out loud moments.

Chris Hemsworth chews up the scenery as the cowboy

brother-in-law, Stone Crandall and Charlie Day shows up for a suicidal trip down the rapids of the Colorado River.

The plot does not provide many speaking points but it really doesn’t have to. It’s a Vacation movie, so, you know, they go on vacation and funny stuff happens. That’s the pitch.

Rusty and his family are in a

rut so it is off to Wally World, the destination from the 1983 classic. They visit family and landmarks along the way with funny bits at each stopping point.

There are some similarities with the Chase movies but this movie provides enough fresh ideas to stand on its own.

There’s even a bit in the film

speaking to the fact that you don’t have to see the original to enjoy this film. It’s funny and true.

Speaking of Chase, he is the weakest part of the movie.

Luckily he has very little screen time but every second is awkward and unfunny. We do not need his blessing. He is not needed here at all.

Fans of Freaks and Geeks and Bones will find it interesting to know that the film is co-written and co-directed

by John Francis Daley and his writing partner, Jonathan M. Goldstein.

The pair also wrote the first Horrible Bosses film and you will notice a distinct similarity in the crudeness of the humor.

This is a hard- R film that pushes the border of obscene w ith a couple of scenes.

Doesn’t bother me though, just be aware.

Simply put, Vacation is a comedy and it is funny so it succeeds. I could take the highfalutin critic’s stance that we need fresh ideas and that we shouldn’t support the remakes.

But I won’t. I liked it. I am not ashamed.

Ok. I’m a little ashamed.

PETS OF THE WEEK JACKIE Jackie is a female Lab/Shep mix puppy about 10 weeks old, very sweet and loving and ready to go home with you. The shelter is full, consider adopting or becoming a temporary foster to save a life.

Free Me!

KITTEN ALERT! We have a cat and kitten special running for the month of August. “9 Lives for $9.”

MANY beautiful cats and kittens to choose from!

Consider adopting or temporarily fostering one of our fine felines. Save a life today!

Kitten Starter Kit!

Visit and adopt one of these deserving furry friends at Gallup-McKinley County Humane Society: 1315 Hamilton Rd #B, Gallup, NM. Information: (505) 863-2616.

GALLUP FUN!

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

7

DVD/Blu-ray Roundup for July 31, 2015

audiences in its day with its harsh tone and brutal violence.

Who wouldn’t want to see this, based on that poster pictured?

By Glenn Kay For the Sun

W

elcome back to another look at highlights of what is coming your way on DVD and Blu-ray. Much like the last edition, the pickings are slim, but there are a couple of noteworthy releases both new and old. So if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure and give one of these titles a try!

BIG NEW RELEASES!

dialogue and a nifty neo-noir sense of style. The movie stars Billy Crudup, Corey Stoll and Kelly Lynch.

were difficult to watch, all found the perspective unique, the animal performers incredible and the overall metaphor potent. Zsofia Psotta stars along with a lot of pooches.

and Denise Crosby star in this effective apocalypse-themed project.

Finally, Kino are delivering Zone Troopers (1985), a cult effort that mashes up World War II movies with sci-fi flicks. This low-budget, tongue-in-cheek effort stars Tim Thomerson.

BLASTS FROM THE PAST!

3 Hearts - Those with a taste for melodrama may be interested in this foreign-language roma nce ta le from France. It follows a young woman who meets the man of her dreams, but fate pulls their lives in different directions.

The heroine gets a shock a year later when she’s invited to her sister’s wedding, and discovers the groom is the man she fell for. Critics were generally positive about the film. While they admitted it was overwrought, most felt that it eventually worked its charm over viewers and didn’t resort to giving characters easy answers to the dilemma at hand. Cast members include Benoit Poelvoorde, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Chiara Mastroianni and Catherine Denueve.

Glass Chin - A pugilist well past his prime makes a shady deal with a crooked restaurateur to try and resurrect his career. Naturally, his guilty conscience begins to get to him as the big event nears.

This independent myster y drama received strong notices during its limited run at theaters. It has been described as a B-movie about boxing that works, engaging viewers with great performances, punchy

8

Home - This animated hit tells the tale of an invasion by inept aliens. When a young girl escapes capture and befriends an outcast from the invading party, the two join forces to try and reunite the child with her mother. Reviews were mixed for this children’s effort. While most thought it was a colorful adventure that would be fine for those under 8, they also wrote that anyone older would find it a rather dull (and occasionally annoying) effort that does little to separate itself from other animated efforts.

The voice talent includes Jim Parsons, Rhianna, Steve Martin and Jennifer Lopez.

W hite God - A teenage girl desperately searches the streets for her runaway dog, which has suffered at the hands of the girl’s father. After more mistreatment, the canine teams with others of his kind to stage a revolt against humans.

Yes, you read that correctly - it’s a doggy revolution. This foreign-language drama from Hungary was well reviewed by the press. While a few found some of the acting was uneven and felt that the violent acts

Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

Kino Lorber have some new Blu-rays that’ll definitely be of interest to some readers.

Cherry 2000 (1987) is a futuristic sci-fi action flick about a man whose pleasure robot breaks down. He hires a female part tracker to help him scavenge for a duplicate model and soon finds himself developing feelings for a real human being.

This odd effort features David Andrews and Melanie Griffith in the lead roles.

Miracle Mile (1988) is a solid drama about a man who gets a big shock after picking up a ringing payphone on an LA street corner. The voice on the other end tells him that nuclear war has broken out and that only 70 minutes remain before the nukes hit the city. He and group of nearby strangers attempt to determine if the call is real and what to do next if the world is truly on the brink of nuclear war. Anthony Edwards, Mare Winningham

In the mood for more hardboiled action? Monte Walsh (1970) is a western featuring Lee Marvin and Jack Palance as two cowboys at the end of an era. As civilization expands into the west, the men must decide if there’s any place for them in the modern world.

Shout! Factory are bringing the horror/western Ghost Town (1988) to Blu-ray. The stor y fol lows a cop who chases an evil ghost and his kidnapping victim into the past - specifically, an old west town where he must face off against all sorts of supernatural entities. If memory serves, it sounds a lot better than it actually is, but the movie has amassed followers over the years. This particular release doesn’t feature any extras, so it’s for fans only.

Prime Cut (1972) is a gritty little gangster flick set in the 30s that pits a mob enforcer (also played by Lee Marvin) against a sadistic rancher Gene Hackman who is heavily involved in the drug and sex trade. Reportedly, it shocked

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS! Although the week’s big feature is also a children’s film, there isn’t a whole lot else for the kids.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters GALLUP FUN!

NEWS

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

9

Glory Days Restored: Ceremonial Rodeo Features Fun for Everyone

By Melinda Russell Sun Correspondent

I

n t e r -T r i b a l I n d i a n Ceremonial would not be complete without the historical rodeo that accompanies the Native dancing and artistry. Event coordinator Dudley Byerley has organized a rip-roaring event that is sure to entertain the masses.

The rodeo was nearly cancelled last year. Byerley said he received a call from McKinley County Commissioner Carol Bowman-Muskett and New Mex ico St ate Rep. Pat t y Lundstrom, D-Gallup.

They asked him if he could take charge and make a rodeo happen. And he did. With only about six weeks to organize it, Byerley put together a decent rodeo that made money.

The rodeo budget wa s increased this year and Byerley reports that with support from

Get ready to compete cowboys and cowgirls – the rodeo champion with the most points all-around gets to take home this beauty. This prize is made possible, thanks to sponsors: TravelCenters of America, City of Gallup and McKinley County. Photo Credit: Babette Herrmann

the community through advertising and donations, he has almost paid for the rodeo. Any income from tickets sales will be a profit.

Byerley said his anticipated participation was about 300 entrants for the rodeo, but he already has over 500 cowboys and cowgirls on their way to the show.

“That’s a big rodeo in anybody’s book,” said Byerley.

One of the event sections Byerley hopes to grow is that of the Old School Ceremonial Fun Day. Can you imagine what events like the Wild Horse Race, Pony Express Race and the Pop Race will look like?

Other events will be the

Food Scramble and the Chapter House Challenge. Spectators will enjoy a taste of history when watching these events.

They were popular many years ago and will surely be popular again.

The kids rodeo, Aug. 5, will feature 26 events including midget wooly riding, peewee steer riding, senior boys bareback and senior girls barrel racing. Indian Junior Rodeo Association CES Alfreda Bates said the rodeo series is averaging 90 to 110 kids per rodeo this season. The IJRA sponsors rodeos nearly every weekend in the summer.

And then there are the serious adult cowboys and cowgirls who will compete in timed and rough stock events on Friday and Saturday. Bulls, broncs, steer dogging and more will be showcased during this go round.

Sanctioned by the Indian National Finals Rodeo Tour,

the rodeo will bring talent from Oklahoma, South Dakota, Montana and Arizona as well as the local contenders. The prize for high point all-around is a horse trailer! For those of you who don’t know, high point allaround is awarded to the contestant who accumulates the most points from participating and placing in the most events.

Rounding out the events will be the team roping and calf roping Aug. 9. Roping events feature cowboys with great talent in concentration, ropes and horsemanship.

As John Wayne once said, “Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway.” Ma ny cowboys a nd cowgirls practice countless hours, train like any other athletes and show up to perform to the best of their ability for their audiences. Any day of the rodeo will be a great day to attend.

Rodeo was a family affair

W

hen Gallup InterTr ibal India n Ceremonial was born it took on much of the excitement and fun that was found at fairs and Fourth of July celebrations all over the Southwest. Many of these activities were open to everybody.

In the late 1800s some cowboys in either Arizona or West Texas, or both, decided to hold a contest to see which cattle outfit had the best group of hands. It is said that the events were patterned after actual cowboy activities, but what ranch actually made their men ride bucking steers? Every small town in the West soon had its own rodeo.

The contestants in these contests were not professionals who did nothing but rodeo, but working men who got together once a year to have a good time. Besides the manly events, there was a variety of activities just for fun. There were lots of races, on foot and on horseback, for men, women and children.

At Ceremonial one of the favorite events was the tug-o-war.

There was a woman’s version, a men’s version, and now and then they would challenge one another.

10

This was a wild time! The roper tried to choke the horse into submission while his helper “eared” the bronco by twisting an ear. Imagine that Bronco was none too happy. Photo Credit: Courtesy

The women were able to hold their own, muscular from activities like wood chopping. That was a contest too. Dressed in their velvet finery, women were given and axe and a log. Once the log was cut they had to build a fire using primitive methods.

Since many of the events took strength and skill, the organizers needed some events that took

Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

neither. Just the will to compete.

One of these was the hide race.

Neither of the team members had to have special training. One man on a horse tied his rope to the rail of a dried cow hide, tough and stiff as a board.

The other man sat on the hide.

Sometimes they were allowed to hold the rope, sometimes just the edges of the stiff leather. From

the starting line the horseman whipped up his pony to top speed, heading for the finish line. In some places the route was circular, making it harder to hold on.

The rules varied, but mostly the man on the hide just had to hold on for dear life. In some contests there was no rule about staying upright, so the hide rider would sometimes end up underneath the

stinky skin. In either case he ate a lot of dust mixed with horse biscuits. Anybody could join.

A favorite that took a little more skill and a lot of toughness was the wild cow milking. Range cows would be bunched in the arena on one end. A two or three man team started on the opposite end.

The first task was to run down and rope one of these wild cows. Some of them had wicked horns.

Two of the men would try to hold the cow still while the third tried to milk her into a pop bottle.

Once they had the milk the milker ran back to the starting line. The usual rule was that at least one drop had to come out of the bottle into the judge’s hand.

Another rough and tumble event was the wild horse race.

Again, some range stock, wild and wooly and unridden, was held at one end of the arena. A two or three man team ran down and roped one of the wild horses. In a three man team the roper tried to choke the horse into submission while his helper “eared” the bronco by twisting an ear—which

RODEO | SEE PAGE 14

FROM THE RODEO NEWS ARCHIVES …

Dust, sweat and bruises: ceremonial rodeo revives old time events

W

hen the Ga llup Ceremonial was started in 1922, it was seen as a program of traditional Indian dances as well as a showcase for Native arts and crafts. But the Fourth of July celebrations held in town since Mr. Gallup went on down the tracks, had also featured a variety of races and a few rodeo events.

The sport of rodeo was just getting national attention at the time and few towns had arenas with permanent bucking chutes, regular rules, and profession riders and ropers. In fact, they didn’t have ropers at all. Who wanted to chase a frightened calf through the sagebrush?

For the most part the horses and steers—they hadn’t discovered the excitement of the brahma bull yet—were thrown down in the arena, saddled and mounted, and then let loose.

The cowboy rode until the animal quit bucking. Old photos document that rodeo used saddles on broncs, bulls and even buffalo.

All the local boys—and around here that included a few Indian reservations of vast acreage—wanted to take part and show off for their girlfriends.

Standard events included wild horse races, wild cow milking, the hide race, the chicken pull, and bucking buffalos.

So important were events like the chicken pull that its name in Navajo, nahohai, was the word for rodeo. There wasn’t one without the other.

The chicken pull was just what it sounds like—pulling a rooster from the ground in the center of the arena.

A tough old rooster was buried in the sand and horsemen took turns riding by at a full gallop, reaching down with one hand, and trying to pull the rooster up by its neck. When Anglos found that a little too disconcerting because a liberated bird flapped its wings and made a screeching racket, they buried a bag of coins in the arena and the rider tried to get a grip on that.

The noise, excitement and horror of the event came when the successful cowboy tried

Brave cowboy indeed, but this steer doesn’t compare to the muscular brutes ridden today. Photo Credit: Courtesy

to get his bird back across the finish line. There is no need to get more graphic than that.

The sport originated with the Mongol Hordes in northern Asia, was picked up by the Arabs and taken to Spain during the Moorish occupation of that country.

The Spanish carried the event to the New World where many Indian tribes thought it looked like a lot of fun. Superb horsemanship is on display in this event. In the early days it was made even more difficult when other riders were allowed to lash the runner to drive the horse off course.

Other crowd pleases were more common at rodeos outside the Southwest. The hide race is a pretty simple event with few rules. All a team needed was a horse, a rope, a stiff cowhide, and somebody crazy enough to hang onto the hide no matter how much arena dust got in his eyes, ears, nose and mouth.

It was considered good form to stick on the hide while kneeling, rather than lying prone, but as long as the cowboy kept hold of the rope he could cross the finish line in pretty much any position. It was not uncommon to see a man lose his shirt during the run.

Wild cow milking was downright dangerous. This one took a three man team—a roper, a mugger and a milker. One man on horseback, one with a coke bottle in his hand, and one husky fellow to get the cow by the head and hold onto her.

The best cows for this purpose were range animals with

horns. Many of them had never seen a man on foot before and they didn’t like getting intimate like that with strangers. The rule was that when the milker staggered across the finish line at least one drop of milk had to drip from the bottle.

At Ceremonial, like many other early rodeos, the wagon race had all the thrills and exc it eme nt of NA SCA R .

Wagons pulled by a single team of horses raced around the arena. Sometimes there were added rules: In Calgary there are two extra men who load certain items into the “chuck wagon” before it can take off.

They jump on their horses and race with the buckboard.

According to the newspaper, in 1935 there were one hundred and ten Navajo wagons in the parade. People still commonly came to town that way. The problem for the wagon race is the need for space. This year’s Rodeo Director, Jerry Silver wants to bring back some of the old time events, but the wagon race is a problem.

“A lot of places use miniature wagons to get around the problem of space in the arena,” he said. Events like that are hard to mount and can be expensive. “In the early days, enough wagons came to town to make the event possible.”

These days the wagons and teams would probably have to be trucked to the grounds.

One of Silver’s ideas to make the classic rodeo events possible is to get the local chapter houses involved. “Get the chapter houses to compete

with each other,” he said. They would each absorb part of the cost. “Since they started using stock contractors it has been impossible to have events like the wild horse race of cow milking. Animals in those events can really only be used once.”

Silver wants to add the chicken pull and the wild horse race. More old events will be added in future years. He pointed out that when Gallup Ceremonial started there weren’t so many time restraints on the arena, which was a rather informal space anyway. “I’ve heard that for the first ceremonials they just boxed in the area with cars and turned on their lights.”

Some of the old events, like the original horse race, or the moccasin race, can burn up a lot of time. Somebody else is always waiting to use the facil-

camps run with Navajo rodeo legend J. R. Hunt Jr. Jerry is a three-time National Indian Finals Rodeo saddle bronc champion. He and Hunt both try to encourage their students to take the sport seriously and clean up their own lives, if necessary.

He is also past president of the Navajo Rodeo Cowboy’s Association. He has worked with Ceremonial Rodeo before, but this time he has some changes in mind. One thing that should add to the enjoyment of this year’s rodeo is the appearance of Montana rodeo clown Fritz Harris, who worked last year’s Indian National Finals.

Harris is a Sioux who lives in Pocatello, Idaho.

The most amazing thing about the Ceremonial Rodeo is the fact that Jerry Silver, his

Hands down, this is one brave cowboy! Photo Credit: Courtesy

ities. Jerry Silver has a lot of ideas percolating in his head, and he’s very excited about making the rodeo the big draw it once was. “I’d like to see the stands packed for every performance,” he said.

Jerry Silver grew up on a farm in Utah and when he came back to the area his command of Navajo was rather poor. He learned his own language with the help of his wife Margie, who hails from the Tohatchi area.

As a young man he started out his rodeo career on steers and then bulls. Eventually he made saddle bronc his main event.

Today’s cowboys are more into fitness and less into partying and this is something Silver stresses at his saddle bronc

co-producer Walter Hudson and the other rodeo personnel are all volunteers. They don’t get paid for their long hours of hard work. It is all done for the love of the sport, and Silver would like to see another generation of rodeo enthusiasts start filling the stands.

In 2014, the rodeo nearly went dark, and if wasn’t for Cowtown Feed & Livestock owner Dudley Byerley, last year could have marked the end of an era. Thank goodness it didn’t.

And thanks to Dudley’s persistence, the rodeo has an event everyday of the Ceremonial, including Sunday, when most folks are making their way home. Stick around folks for some team roping action.

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

11

The Navajo People’s ‘AKALII’ Legendary Cowboy Clarence Peterson

M

ention the name, Clarence Peterson, and Rodeo Fans across this great nation will either know him or of his famous “Horse of the Year”, Blackie, with his perfect white diamond on his forehead.

The story always was, Clarence Peterson is the toughest competitive cowboy hero of his time.

Clarence Begay was born in the month of the “Great Wind” on December 20, 1937 and blessed to Rose MyersPeterson and Bigboy Begay of Steamboat, Ariz. In time, he changed his namesake to Clarence Peterson, is a rodeo performance name.

Clarence was always a wrangler. He broke and tamed wild horses and roped cattle in his adolescence years near the coal mine where his father had mined coal within the canyons beneath that majestic anchored ship known as the Steamboat.

Clarence held rodeo circuit memberships to the All Indian

Clarence Peterson was a rodeo legend back in the day, as seen in this undated photo. Photo Credit: A special thank you to: Dine’ Rodeo Cowboy Legend Paul W. Arviso Sr. For Rodeo Hall of Fame. Please visit and “Like” their Facebook page.

Rodeo Cowboy Association, Navajo Nation Rodeo Cowboy Association, and the Navajo Old Timer Rodeo Cowboy Association. He won numerous All Around Cowboy standings and cash winnings for calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding and wild horse races during the 1960’s and late 1970’s.

At the Navajo Nation fair

in 1964, Peterson won three saddles for calf roping, steer wrestling and All Around, all in a day’s work. At the height of his rodeo career his photo was featured in the July 1968 issue of Western Horseman Maga zine a nd in 1964 he played a role as an Indian in “A Distant Trumpet” starring Troy Donahue, Suzanne Pleshette and Diane McBain.

At the age of 65 he was

PERFECT FOR YOU. PERFECT FOR BUSINESSES.

PERFECT FOR GALLUP.

100

$

25

$

CREDIT

TOWARDS A NEW CHECKING ACCOUNT

OR FOR EXISTING ACCOUNTS

For every new product you open listed below, when you add them to an existing account: • Savings Account • Debit Card

recognized and presented with a trophy buckle honoring him for the “Legendary Cowboy” title. Humbled, he wore the buckle with honor and pride.

He never forgot his true beginnings and always remembered his fellow rodeo competitors. Cowboys Mark Begay, Dee Etsitty, Paul Arviso, Sr., Julian Martinez, Nelson Loretto, Dean C. Jackson, Wilson Stewart, Sr., Eddy “Ox” Anderson, Sonny Jim, Bucky Salaway, Lucky Salaway and Paul Begay who have paid their dues at the gates of the Great Creator. He ran with the best of them and is remembered today by many rodeo competitors and their rodeo families on the Navajo

Nation and abroad.

There are many Clarence Peterson stories. He was a man with a great sense of humor.

Once, he rode his horse into the American Bar on Coal Street to have a “cold one” while participating in the Gallup Ceremonial parade.

He was not a perfect man.

He faced many trials in his time. As a cowboy, he made sure his horse was fed and watered before his next meal.

To the end, he always gave modest words of advice to young cowboys who wanted to hear the secret to throwing and catching that next steer. He always ended the a dv ice w it h t h at not able boyish laugh and the famous, handsome, Clarence Peterson stance.

In remembrance, the community of Steamboat, family and relatives are pursuing a memorial in honor of Clarence Peterson. The memorial will read “Home of the Legendary Cowboy Clarence Peterson”.

It will be displayed for all to see when they travel through the eminent community of Steamboat, Ariz. This is and always will be his home. His philosophy was always, “No Guts, No Glory.” Rest in Peace, Dad. Our cowboy forever!

THANK YOU SPONSORS FOR SUPPORTING THE CEREMONIAL RODEO

• Mobile Banking • Bill Pay

SIMPLY BRING IN THIS OFFER TO A BRANCH BELOW BY SEPTEMBER 1ST AND RECEIVE A MAXIMUM OF $100 PER ACCOUNT* GALLUP 107 East Aztec Avenue, 505.722.4411 Walmart: Maloney Avenue, 505.863.3442 1804 East Aztec Avenue, 505.722.0300 • nmpinnbank.com *Up to $100 will be deposited into your account 90 days after opening and you must qualify under the account requirements.

Only one new account bonus per customer per calendar year. Offer expires September 1, 2015

MEMBER FDIC

15_BC101_$100OFFER_NEWS_5.925x6.25_AD.indd 1 12 Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

6/15/15 4:26 PM

MED STAR AMBULANCE JO MAMA’S MEXICAN WALL MART NAVAJO NATION DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LARRY DORSEY STATE FARM INSURANCE GALLUP STATE BANK

Cowboy Heroes!

T

By Jim Olsen

he Arviso clan from the Crownpoint, New Mexico area has a long and interesting history. For example, Jesus Arviso, whose family came from Spain and then settled in Sonora, Mexico, was once traded for a horse.

In the mid-1800s, young Jesus’s family was raided by a band of Apaches; he was taken.

Years later the Apache who had Jesus traded him to a Navajo man for a beautiful black stallion. Jesus finished growing up as a Navajo and eventually mar-

up tough. He and his brothers even used to ride “Billy” goats and rams around the corrals just for fun. Those corrals were the earliest “arenas” for what was to later become “a legend” of Native American Rodeo.

Paul was about fourteen when the family moved closer to town. He was then entered into a boarding school for the first time, making him quite old for a first grader. But even though he did not spend many years in school, he was well educated in livestock and the common sense department. In his later years, he continually speaks at meetings and com-

Paul Hazing for his nephew Tom Becenti at the Ceremonial Rodeo. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Will Paul Arviso

ried into the tribe. As a result of his unique experiences, he now spoke fluent Spanish, Apache and Navajo. Those talents came in handy, as he became a key translator, and important figure, in treaty negotiations between the U.S. Government and the Indians during the 1860s. Two generations later, his grandson, Paul W. Arviso Sr. was instrumental in popularizing the sport of rodeo on the Navajo reservation.

Paul was born many miles west of Crownpoint during 1920 into a family of stockmen.

His grandfather Jesus had done well serving as an interpreter and was rewarded with much livestock. Paul’s dad was a great stockman and also had been a horse racing jockey.

Out with the herd from his earliest memories, this was where young Paul learned about stock. Riding burros and mules while chasing cattle, goats and several thousand head of sheep, made him a superb stockman. Living out on the range as they did, he also grew

munity events to inspire and motivate young people. He emphasizes the importance of education. “I didn’t have the opportunity for a formal education, but you do, so go after it. Education is valuable and will go a long way,” he advises.

It was also 1934 when he discovered rodeo.

The group commonly given credit as having the first organized rodeos on the reservation was called the “Rough Riders Rodeo Club Association.” Paul was one of its earliest members. Paul and other members of the club set up bucking chutes, holding corrals and a timed event chute. Then families would come from miles around in wagons and cars, forming a semi-circle to be used as the arena fence. Those old-time rodeos were more than just competitions; they were a celebration, bringing members of the Navajo nation (and eventually other tribes as well) together. It was during this time Paul developed a lifelong love of rodeo.

Paul dedicated his life to rodeo at a young age and was serious about it. He trained physically and mentally (before that was common) and practiced regularly to hone his already great stockman skills into that of a rodeo cowboy.

Paul competed at just about every rodeo you can name across the Southwest and Fourcorners region at one time or another. He was a regular All Around Cowboy winner as he competed successfully in most every event including bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, wild horse racing, wild cow milking, team tying, steer wrestling, calf roping and even an event known as the original chicken pull. For those who have never heard of “the original chicken pull,” it involves uncanny horsemanship skills and daring. To start with, a chicken was buried in the soft sand of the arena with just his head and neck exposed. Riders came down the arena at a full gallop, leaned over and plucked the chicken out of the ground.

The fastest time won, and, as you can imagine, it was a big hit with the crowd.

As another testament to his all around skills, Paul was both header and heeler in the team tying (later team roping) event and both a “dogger”

Paul W. Arviso Sr. bareback riding at Ceremonial Rodeo. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Will Paul Arviso

group of guys got together and staged a rodeo as a form of entertainment. Paul entered the bareback and saddle bronc riding…they used pack mules for the rodeo stock. He wound up winning first in both events.

His prize money was a box of cigars in one event and a case of beer in the other. Paul laughs and says, “After the show, we really had a party.”

Back home, over the next several years, rodeo gained in popularity on the reservation.

Then, in 1958, a group of guys decided to form an official association - the All Indian Rodeo Cowboys Association (AIRCA). Paul served as the first vice president.

He was actually asked to be the first President of the AIRCA, but declined in favor of letting someone with a little more education take on those duties. He wanted only the best

Paul Arviso at the Historic El Rancho Hotel. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Will Paul Arviso

and hazer in steer wrestling.

Sometimes he also worked in the capacity of judge, flagger and even rodeo clown! He did it all when it came to rodeo. Paul says, “Rodeo is more than just a sport, it’s a way of life.”

In 1942, Paul was drafted into the U.S. Army and did his duty during World War II. While stationed in Burma, India, a

for the association and selflessly put any thoughts of personal gain aside. Paul’s nephew Roy Spencer honorably served as President.

During those early years, men such as Paul and his long-time friend, Sonny Jim, (another well-known name in Native American Rodeo) were the ones who showed the world

that an Indian could also be a cowboy…and a good one at that. These were the group of men who paved the way for today’s Native American Rodeo Cowboys to become what they have.

In a magazine interview for the 4th of July & PRCA Rodeo Celebration at Window Rock, Arizona, Paul once said, “I’m always praying for them to get somebody up there in Las Vegas some of these days.” It was always his dream for the younger generation to compete successfully in the Pro-Rodeo circuit and represent the Indian Nations.

Paul did not realize it at the time, but along the way, he became a hero to a whole new generation of guys. Many time Indian National Finals Rodeo qualifier and champion, Lucius Sells, once told the Navajo Times, “I’d like t o ment ion my (g r a nd fa ther) from Crownpoint, Paul Arviso Sr.. Being around him when he was roping…it’s a talent I got. It’s just a gift from God that he gave to me.

I guess they would say it’s in the blood.”

Just like most of those oldtime rodeo cowboys from that generation, Paul was tough.

Back in the day, he hauled his horse in the bed of his truck, then later on, in a self-made one-horse trailer. Also, back then most of the roads across the Reser vation were not paved, so if it was raining, you were likely to get stuck in the mud on the way to rodeos, then spend several hours digging out. At the rodeo, Paul and his family often camped in tents or outside on the ground, but they had a ton of fun.

As he grew older, Paul moved on to competing in “the old-timer’s rodeo association”

COWBOY HEROES! | SEE PAGE 15

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

13

Visit Historic El Rancho Hotel

L

isted in the National Register of Historic Places, the El Rancho Hotel is the embod i ment of A mer ica’s Old West.

Accord ing to author Russell A. Olsen, “A s you enter the historic El Rancho t h roug h t he stately front entry, you immediately realize this was and still is a special place. During its heyday, the El Rancho Hotel was one of the premier hotels in the entire Southwest and became the place for the Hollywood set to stay when filming in

The El Rancho Hotel was one of the premier hotels in the entire Southwest and became the place for the Hollywood set to stay when filming in the area.

– Author Russell A. Olsen

the area.

During its glory years, the El Rancho was the definition of luxury and included many amenities that were lacking in other typical tourist hotels of the day.

For 50 years, the El Rancho

"Come to Where the Indians Trade" Indian Jewelry Capital of the World in the Heart of Indian Country

RICHARDSON'S TRADING CO. & CASH PAWN Est. 1913

100 Years of Continuous Service 6 Days a Week VisitrTe hSetore Treasu

222 W. 66th Ave, Gallup, NM 87301

(505) 722-476 2

14

Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

Hotel greeted guests along Route 66 with class and dignity…Luckily for us, this oneof-a-kind hotel once again greets guests with open arms and enjoys the renewed worldwide interest in Route 66 and its landmarks.”

When you stay at the El Rancho Hotel, you will be sleepi ng i n a room where a movie star slept. But the hotel is not just about movie stars. When you stay at the El Rancho, you will be following in the footsteps of A mericans who have traveled We s t , i n hope s of a

better life. Route 66 is the road most traveled by dreamers looking for a better life a nd the El Ra ncho is one of the cornerstones of that Westward Journey.

But p erh a p s t he mo s t important experience of all is yours. When you stay at t he El Ra ncho Hotel, you will be giving yourself the oppor t u n it y t o l ive you r own Southwest experience in one of the most authentic places in the Region. You will give yourself the chance t o ex plore u n for get t a ble National Parks, and feel the

A mer ica n Spir it. You w ill give yourself the chance to discover churches that date back to the Conquistadors or t he cha nce to sit on a Mesa, far from the rest of the world, overlooking a picture perfect sunset on your own journey.

El Rancho features a great Mexican restaurant, lounge, jewelry and gift store, and a nosta lgic a nd d ra matic entry. The El Rancho Hotel is a proud sponsor of the 9 4 t h I nt er-T r i b a l I nd i a n Ceremonial. Stop by for a visit at 1000 E. Highway 66.

RODEO | FROM PAGE 10

unsaddle his horse, slap the saddle on the second one, and head out again at a gallop. He would repeat this several times on his circuit around the arena.

A really challenging event was the “Moccasin Race.” A group of men would put their cowboy boots, shoes, or moccasins on a saddle blanket. From the other end of the field they would race down to the blanket. They would jump off their horse, but they had to hold onto the reins because they had to ride back again if they completed the hard part.

The hard part was to find your own footwear and put them on, get back on the horse and race back to the starting line. The real challenge in this one came with the special rule. Each contestant was expected to pick up any boot or shoe that wasn’t his and throw

it as far as possible. Obviously the first man to the blanket had a big advantage. The other contestants would also try to spook your horse away from you in the melee.

There were contests for the women, like some pony races and the events already mentioned.

There was never a woman competing who wasn’t wearing the full, pleated, traditional dresses with layers of petticoats.

There were races for the kids too. Plus ribbon pulling, goat tying, and wooly riding. To a five-yearold kid the back of a bucking sheep was just as scary at a bull was to his dad.

This year the rodeo is re-introducing some of those old events and that should offer plenty of fun. Of course the professional cowboys wouldn’t be caught dead in a wild horse race.

the horse didn’t like very much.

The third man, who had carried the saddle down the arena, had to put the rig on the horse, get on board, and try to ride the wild animal back to the starting line.

I have seen riders who thought they could save time by holding the cinch tight in one hand. That usually didn’t work too well.

There weren’t a lot of contestants who came across the finish line in this one, but the audience had a good time.

A popular event was the “Pony Express” race. The contestant would have three or four horses at certain intervals around the track, usually a quarter mile. On the first horse he raced for the second mount. He would jump off,

RODEO CALENDAR Wednesday, August 5 Indian Junior Rodeo Association Red Rock Park 8 am Thursday, August 6 INFR Tour Rodeo Performances Red Rock Park 7 pm Friday, August 7 INFR Tour Rodeo Slack Red Rock Park 8 am Slack

INFR Tour Rodeo Performances Red Rock Park 1 pm Saturday, August 8 Rodeo: Old School Ceremonial Red Rock Park Noon Sunday, August 9 Open Team Roping/Calf Roping Red Rock Park Registration: 10 am Roping: 11 am

COWBOY HEROES! | FROM PAGE 13 where he continued his winning ways, adding events like breakaway, ribbon roping and his all-time favorite, steer riding, to his resume.

He ha s fond memor ies of competing with many men who have “now gone home” - Paul’s words for what most call death.

Paul taught his own kids (nine of them) and many other youth the basics of horsemanship and how to care for a horse. One of his own favorite competition horses was named “Rawley.” That horse was an all-around champion as well, being used in many d ifferent events du r ing a rodeo. Paul said, “Respect the horse. Take care of your horses and they will take care of you.”

In 2003, the Navajo Nation Fa i r a nd Rodeo honored Paul by bestowing the title of “Legendary Cowboy” on him.

He received a beautiful custom saddle and a plaque for that.

Now in his 90s, Paul still enjoys the sport of rodeo as a spectator and is constantly amazed at the talent of the younger generation. He is, in part, responsible for that talent as he served as mentor, inspiration and role model to many of today’s rodeo cowboy.

A l o n g w i t h h i s m a ny memories of competing with some of the all-time great Na t ive cowb oy s , Pa u l i s especially proud of the fact that the younger generation is now stepping it up a bit and competing “…up there in Las Vegas.”

Men like Derrick Begay, Erich Rogers and Spud Jones who now qua li f y for the Wra ngler Nationa l F ina ls Rodeo have the likes of Paul W. Arviso Sr. to thank for exciting the reservation about rodeo and paving the way by letting the world know that the Indian can also be one heck of a cowboy!

Armand Ortega Jewelry Store in the El Rancho Hotel

trader. As a child, he worked in a Trading Post in Holbrook Arizona and has always worked hand in hand with the Navajo community. Today, the Ortega family is one of the premier Traders in the region and he invites you to talk with their staff if you would like to learn more about Indian Jewelry.

We invite you to discover the beautiful Artwork in our store: • Zuni Art, including Fetishes, Inlaid Jewelry • Navajo Art, including Rugs, Bracelets, Squash Blossoms, Earrings, Pendants, Necklaces, and Rings • Hopi Art, including Kachina Dolls Alternatively, when you visit the El Rancho Hotel, you will be in one of the few places where you can literally travel to the places where the jewelry is made and get to know the community. If you have any questions about places where you can learn more about the jewelry, please feel free to ask a staff member in the Jewelry Store. Visit us at 1000 E. Highway 66

INDIAN JEWELRY REPAIR AND SALES LEATHER - Deer, Elk, Moose, Goat, Pig, Sheep, Leather Scraps

Huge Buffalo

$1300

Buffalo

$880

Mountain Lion

$675

HIDES: Badger • Bobcat • Otter • Beaver • Skunk • Coyote

The Jewelry Store at the El Rancho Hotel is owned by the Ortega family and features handmade jewelry from Local Artists throughout the Region. The Primary goal of the Jewelry Store is to provide you

with the finest handpicked jewelry from Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi Artists.

The late owner, Armand Ortega, had been in the jewelry business his entire life and is a 4th generation

Fox - Gray, Red, Kit, Blue, Arctic RACOON TAILS • DEER & ELK ANTLERS FEATHERS - Turkey, Parrot, Pheasant, Grouse

1833 S. 2nd – Across From Amigo Chevy (505) 722-5051

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

15

16

Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

NEWS

NEWS Gallup drug dealers: Hooked and booked due to them being mixed with other substances, presumably to make more profit from the sale of narcotics.

Agent #3 explained that .2 g ra m s wou ld be some what equivalent to the circle end of a pen, a very small amount.

Mazon was arrested on the warrant on July 14.

Moses A lonzo, 21, a nd Michael Villanueva, 39, were also arrested with Mazon, according to Agent #2. Alonzo had an outstanding warrant for trafficking.

By Kimberly A. Gaona Sun Correspondent

A

f t e r v a r iou s s i x month long investigations, six people were placed in jail on distribution charges. As reported in a previous addition, the Gallup Sun will not release the identity of undercover narcotics agents. Agent #1 and Agent #2 were met with at a secure location along with another agent and Capt. Rick White of the Gallup Police Department.

According to GPD, these are just the beginning. “[There are] more to come,” Agent #2 said regarding narcotics arrest.

HEROIN

METHAMPHETAMINE Dezerie Diaz, 30, Gallup Diaz is facing charges of possession of met ha mphetamine as well as distribution of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, according to two separate NEWS

arrest warrants.

The first warrant stems from a search warrant that was served on the residence which Diaz was occupying at 101 East Wilson.

During the search, a K-9 unit was utilized “to conduct an open air sniff of the residence” to which the K-9 “alerted in the bedroom” where Diaz had been. Agents checked the area “and located a small plastic Ziploc type baggie that contained white, glass, shard like substance having the appearance of methamphetamine. The substance was sent to the forensic lab which confirmed that the substance was methamphetamine.

The second warrant, filed

by Agent #2, describes an undercover buy with Diaz.

Undercover agents arranged the purchase of suspected methamphetamine’s from Diaz for $50. According to the warrant, Diaz arrived in a motor vehicle, made the exchange and left the area.

“Affiant conducted a field test of the suspected methamphetamine,” Agent #2 said in the warrant.

The test kit came back positive for methamphetamine.

The suspected drugs were sent to the forensic lab which confirmed that .17 grams was

methamphetamine.

Diaz was arrested July 16.

Both warrants held a $5,000 cash bond only at the time they were served.

Richard Mazon, 32, Gallup Mazon is also facing d istr ibution cha rges of metha mphetamine, according to the July 14 arrest warrant filed by Agent #1.

Undercover agents organized a buy from Mazon and walked away from the buy with “a small, blue plastic Ziploc ty pe baggie which contained a glass/shards like substance having the appearance of methamphetamine based on Affiant’s training and experience.”

A field test kit gave an initial positive test for methamphetamine. The suspected d r ug s were sent of f t he forensic lab where .25 grams were conf ir med a s being methamphetamine.

“When they sell it, they sell it in grams,” Agent #1 explained. “Only .2 of the gram was solid meth.”

The agents explained that most narcotics are not pure,

https://www.facebook.com/ Gallupsun

Kendrick Jim, 24, Gallup Acc or d i n g to t he st ate ment of probable cause, Agent #2 contacted Jim and set up a meet where the Agent purchased $80 worth of a “green leafy substance [that] had the appearance of Marijuana.”

Jim was arrested on the spot. Jim was asked if he had any belongings that he would like to take with him and he pointed out a black in color Nike bag.

“The black in color Nike bag had a beanie inside it,” Agent #2 wrote in the statement. “Inside the beanie was a white canister with green stickers on it.

Inside the canister was a black in color scale with green leafy substance on it, several small Ziploc baggies and a baggie with green leafy substance inside it.”

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

MARIJUANA

Alyssia Duran, 26, Gallup Duran was already i n t he ja i l when she was served on her warra nt for distribution of heroin. According to the arrest warrant, agents arranged an undercover buy where $60 was traded for the purchase of heroin.

Agents recovered “three little clear baggies containing black tar substance having the appearance of Heroin based on Affiant’s training and experience.” A test kit was performed on the suspected narcotics.

“The black tar tested positive for presumptive identification of Heroin,” Agent #2 said in the warrant.

The forensic lab confirmed what the test kit said and the narcotics tested positive as .08 grams and .06 grams of heroin.

The arrest warrant is for $5,000 cash only bond.

White said that the warrants served showed “a great team effort” from the narcotics agents along with the GPD Officers.

“There are more arrests to follow,” Agent #2 said. “A lot more.”

White said that this should serve as a warning to drug dealing population.

“If you’re selling drugs in Gallup, you will get caught,” White said. “You might already have been caught, just not served yet.”

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

17

Saving the Fox Run Golf Course

By Melinda Russell Sun Correspondent

M

ayor Jackie McKinney and all four city councilors voted to fix Fox Run Golf Course during their regularly scheduled council meeting July 28. At a price tag of over $3 million, the taxpayers of Gallup, over time, will foot the bill. It’s a move the council hopes will garner the support of the community.

T he cit y h i red Wi lson and Company Engineers and Architects out of Phoenix, Ariz. to complete a study of the course and make a recommendation that would be a longterm fix instead of a short-term Band-Aid. In essence, Wilson and Company draws the plans and they tell the city what needs to be fixed.

T he key t o lo n g t e r m success, said Architectural Manager Howard Kaplan of Wilson and Company, is an effective irrigation system.

“You ca n’t grow gra ss unless you have water and the water is in the right place,” he said.

Kaplan said NMSU’s Turf Grass Management Program has been somewhat successful in restoring the greens on the course, but they are not addressing the other issues that plague the golf course.

The engineering team from Wilson and Company along with employees of the golf course did a walk through

Councilors voted 5-0 to allocate $3 million into revamping Fox Run Golf Course July 28. Photo Credit: Tom Hartsock

of ea ch of t he 18 -hole s.

They identified a long list of problems, including drainage paths and service roads that cross fairways, areas that need grading and re-seeding, overgrown bunkers, ponding issues that need to be resolved and safety near Miyamura High School.

At this juncture, there are probably more prairie dogs enjoying the course than there are golfers.

It wa s the genera l consensus from community comment and council comment that Gallup needs to pay to fix the golf course or close it for good. The yearly golf course budget has been between $700,000 and $900,000, said McKinney, of which about half is spent on repeated repairs.

“It will never make money,”

he said. “It is a quality of life issue.”

During public comment, most were in favor of the fix. Regional Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Sarah Piano, encouraged the council to put t he money i nto a longterm plan that would fix the golf course. As an employee of a non-profit that hosts golf tournaments, she wants to be able to use the facilities.

She also said that statistics show that one in three men driving on the highway have golf clubs with them. If we had a golf course that was attractive to avid golfers, she explained, Gallup would benefit from them stopping to play.

John Lewis Taylor works with the Junior Golf Association. He said their

program is working with an average of 80 golfers each su m mer. T he prog ra m is supported by the Kiwanis Clubs and the Elks Lodge. Last summer, they hosted the Notah Begay Foundation for their participants. “Golf is a life-long sport,» he said. «You can play it from the time you’re four or six until you’re in your 90s.»

«Whether you are working w it h compa n ies t hat a re recr u it i ng or bu i ld i ng, a good golf course is a must for succe s sf u l econom ic development,» sa id Patt y Lundstrom, executive director of the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation. “I certainly support it.”

GGEDC Board Member and local contractor Rick Murphy said golf courses, hospitals and schools all tie in to successful

economic development.

T here wa s d i scu s sion about the cost of the project and whether other projects, such as roads, curbs and gutters, would be neglected.

McKinney addressed those concerns saying the money has already been set aside for the golf course mitigation plan and that no other projects will be negatively affected by the allocation of these funds.

Councilor Allan Landavazo said the city will use funds from the environmental surcharge tax to fund the $3 million project, which includes the planning and implementation of an irrigation and drainage system at the golf course.

The city has paid for 12 studies over the past 20 years, but none have ever been applied, McKinney said.

Wilson and Company has drafted a preliminary plan, and the next step is to go out for bid to find a contractor to complete the on sight work. Once the bid is awarded, the construction phase of the project will take about six months Kaplan said.

The construction phase will include fixing the issues listed above as well as installing a new water system.

Kaplan said the key to the success of this project is a fertigation system. A fertigation system is an irrigation system that has fertilizer and fungicides added to the water. They are used in California, Arizona and El Paso, TX with great success, he said.

Call for yours Today!

18

Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

NEWS

WEEKLY DWI REPORT

By Kimberly A. Gaona Sun Correspondent R ick y Ya z z ie, 21, Mentmore Aggravated DUI Citizens, Gallup Police D epa r t ment and McKinley C o u n t y Sheriff’s Office worked together July 22 to take an alleged intoxicated driver off of the road.

Even though Yazzie refused all standardized field sobriety tests, breathalyzers and blood draws, the fact that multiple callers called him in as a drunk driver and that he was found passed out in the driver’s seat should say something about his state of being.

A citizen, who was not named in GPD Officer Jessie Diaz’s report, stayed behind Yazzie on Ford Drive in the turning lane that would have taken the vehicle directly onto the main Highway 66.

W hen Diaz arr ived, he fou nd the citizen pa rked behind Yazzie’s vehicle with his hazards on, the keys to Yazzie’s vehicle on the roof of his car and the emergency brake engaged. Yazzie’s foot was on the brake pedal and he “was passed out in the driver seat with his upper body slouched over towards passenger seat.”

When Diaz woke Yazzie up, his foot released from the brake pedal and the vehicle did begin to move forward, according to the report.

“With my foot, I did press onto the brake while it was in motion to stop the vehicle I then placed the vehicle in park,” Diaz said in his report.

Yazzie did admit to drinking “Yukon Jack” to Diaz, a couple hours prior to the stop.

T wo MC S O D e put ie s , Jonathan Lee and A r nold Noriega, had to escort Yazzie from his vehicle during which time “he couldn’t keep himself up, he at one point almost fell down.”

Yazzie also fought being placed inside of a unit and when he was finally placed, he began to kick at it. He was taken to the hospital for a NEWS

medical clearance and then taken to tjail.

“In the sally port as the back door was opened, Ricky did fall due to him being asleep, I did have to catch him from falling,” Diaz said in his report.

Yazzie required assistance from both Diaz and corrections officer(s) in order to get him into the jail where he was booked for aggravated DUI, driver must be licensed, driver license suspended/revoked, as well as some smaller charges.

Trisha Pete, 23, Gallup 2nd DWI and Child Abuse Pete is facing child abuse charges along with a slew of ot her s a f t er MCSO Deputy Merlin Benally witnessed two small children not wearing their seat belts.

Benally saw Pete driving her vehicle north bound over Munoz Overpass and pulled her over at American Heritage Plaza.

When he approached the vehicle, he immediately smelt the unique odor of alcoholic beverages through a broken back door.

“The door was damaged and held shut by a jacket tied to the driver seat head rest,” Benally said in his report.

Benally also saw “a can of Steel Reserve beer on the rear floorboard” just underneath Pete’s 3-year-old daughter.

After Pete failed several field sobriety tests, she was asked if she would take a roadside breath test. At first she told Benally no, then change her mind and agreed. She blew a .307 percent BAC on the roadside breath test.

“Ms. Pete was placed under arrest for DWI and secured in my unit,” Benally said in his report. “I returned to the vehicle and checked the passenger’s sobriety. One passenger had a reading while the other was sober.”

At the MCSO, Pete was given a breathalyzer exam, her results were .27/.29. She was booked into the jail for child abuse, aggravated DWI (second offense), suspended/ revoked license, child restraint required and open container in a motor vehicle.

WEEKLY CRIME BLOTTER

By Kimberly A. Gaona Sun Correspondent East Side Gallup, Business District T y r e l l Charley, 21, of Chu rch r o ck NM is facing aggravated battery charges after a fight broke out at McDonald’s East July 24. According to the report, filed by GPD Officer Matthew Ashley, Security pointed out the individuals who had been involved in a physical altercation but had already left the area. Ashley found Charley at Hollywood Car Wash. Charley told him that a couple had started verbally assaulting him as he was leaving McDonald’s and that it had turned into a fight.

Officer Andrea Tsosie found the couple, Michael Paywa, 22, and Rochelle Begay, 23, in the area of Desert Rose Trailer Park. They also agreed that the verbal altercation led to a physical fight, but said that Charley had started it.

“Michael stated he [did] not know what exactly happen[ed]

but saw Tyrell pull out a utility knife and tried to stab him,” Ashley said in his report.

According to the report, Paywa had no idea that he was stabbed and when he did finally find the stab wound to his abdominal area, he saw the officer.

Charley was taken to the jail for aggravated battery.

Ca rlyle Becenti, 31, of Gallup was arrested July 22 after he was found inside a residence that he wasn’t supposed to be at. According to the police report, filed by GPD Officer Timothy Hughte, Mary Becenti arrived home to her apartment on Dani Drive and found her son, Carlyle, “lying on the floor of the apartment.”

Ma r y told Hughte that Carlyle argued with her and that “she feared that he was going to hit her,” she had to kick at him to get him away from her and Carlyle spit on her. She also told officers that she left the apartment with her other son and waited in her vehicle for officers arrival.

Hughte confirmed that there was an active restraining order on file for the two individuals as well as Mary showing Hughte a trespass notice.

GPD had to search the apartment twice to find Carlyle, who was hiding underneath the bed in the back bedroom.

Carlyle was taken to the jail where he was booked on charges of breaking and entering, assault on a household member, criminal trespass and restraining order violation.

Vanderwagen F i r s t responders had an unfortunate veh icle cr a sh Ju ly 2 6 a f t er responding to a f i re ca l l i n Vanderwagen. According to a MCSO vehicle crash report, filed by Deputy Jeff Barnhurst, the house fire that himself, Vanderwagen fire and Navajo Nation Police Department responded to was an oil fire on the stove that was resolved prior to their arrival. When the volunteer fire fighter was backing up the fire truck, he accidentally made contact with left rear bumper of the NPD unit leaving a large dent and damage.

“Both the fire truck and Navajo Nation unit were still dr ivable a nd went [their]

Discover the Credit Union Difference!

Auto Loans Business Accounts Consolidation Loans Credit Cards Savings Accounts

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

Checking Accounts Reward

2nd Chance

Pre-Paid & Gift Cards EZ Loans

1375 N. Hwy 491, Mesa View Plaza Gallup , NM 87301

(800) 759-9442

firstamerican.org

Some restrictions may apply, not all applicants will qualify. Account terms and conditions apply, see credit union for details.

Federally Insured by NCUA

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

19

OPINIONS

How to finance an indoor shuffleboard club AUTHOR PROPOSES SHUTTING DOWN A FIRE DEPARTMENT

By Joe Schaller Upon retirement ma ny Gallupians head to far away communities to spend their golden years participating in numerous activies. For many of us who remain the activities provided by our golf course, bowling alleys and local bars as well as the senior citizen centers for free lunch is not exactly our cup of tea. I have a pretty good idea of the type of recreation center activities which would attract my wife and I into paying membership fees and I reckon there are many others in Gallup like us.

In determining the appropriate venue for a publicly funded community recreation facility it may be best to first determine what is not in the best interests of citizens. A lot of money can be spent on something which benefits a small demographic at the expense of the majority such as an activity which requires athleticism over finesse thus favoring young men. A single purpose one-dimensional facility is something to avoid. Here are some things to consider. ***Recreation diversity: Because there is no “average” recreationist, it is important to plan for and maintain a spectrum of diverse recreation opportunities. ***Recreation activities should favor finesse and coordination over athleticism. ***Seniors, women and handicapped should not only have an equal opportunity to participate but to compete on a level playing field as well.

Although not a senior center an adult facility is preferable.

Public schools and other public facilities offer plenty of activities for youth. ***Multiple activities allows for multiple leagues and tournaments as well as multi-sport ‘athlon’ events. ***Act iv it ies shou ld n’t duplicate or compete with those already available at senior centers, private sector gyms/programs or other indoor community facilities. ***Political correctness has led to disastrous financial consequences when applied to the economic viability of a ‘business’. I personally witnessed that at Runnels Pool as a customer there for 30 years.

Everyone should be treated equally when it comes to admission fees. ***Minimize our government footprint. Simplicity of activities keeps the cost down. We all know about the excessive costs of our taxpayer funded golf course. ***Ideally a for-profit management would provide the best quality product, service and price. $5.00 a visit or a $40.00 monthly membership fee is quite reasonable for the wide choice of activities which I propose.

20 Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

***A social center: If possible all activities should be under one roof in one room.

A recreation center is a social center as well. People like to watch others and they also like to be watched. ***As a social center a juice and coffee sports bar centrally located would add to the atmosphere along with plenty of seating areas for easy viewing. ***Deck shuffleboard and bocce ball are the primary activities meeting my criteria.

These are commonly found both indoor and outdoor in senior retirement communities. ***Complimentary indoor activities include table shuffleboard, horseshoes, cornhole and darts. Table tennis and billiards could be added according to space and demand. ***Financing. There’s no shortage of waste in government.

Below is one area where Gallup is exceptionally wasteful.

FIRE DEPARTMENT FACTS The National Fire Protection Association is a private nonprofit trade association creating standards and codes for local

governments. **According to the NFPA over the past 35 years the number of fires in the U.S. responded to by municipal fire departments has fallen from 3.3 million to 1.2 million, a drop of 64 percent. Firefighter injuries have fallen from seven to just two per 1,000 calls in a span of 26 years. **The NFPA also reports that on average firefighters make 10 times more calls to accompany ambulances than fire related calls. Many cities no longer send out fire trucks but instead an SUV with one certified medic firefighter. **The NFPA shows the average number of volunteer firefighters for a city the size of Gallup is thirty. 78 percent have at least some volunteers. Gallup has no volunteer firefighters. **Thirty-five percent of the U.S. population is protected by mostly volunteer fire departments. **Seventy-six percent of cities our size have one or two fire stations. Forty-five percent have just one station. Gallup has FOUR active fire stations. **NFPA numbers reveal 25 to 35 career firefighters on

average for a city our size utilizing no volunteers - Gallup has 49. **The Navajo Nation, USFS, BLM and BIA all have fire protection services. There are also numerous volunteer fire departments in the county.

Only 13 percent of McKinley County is privately owned land. * *I n ou r we st er n U.S. region a city our size averages well under three million dollars annual fire department budget. After the 2009 union contract debacle which ripped off Gallup taxpayers for $millions the city chose to further increase the fire department annual budget in 2014 to 4.3 million dollars despite the continued decline of fires nationally. **CONCLUSION; Gallup can easily afford to shut at least one fire station, cut staff by 25 percent, slash a good one million dollars from the annual fire department budget and use that money to construct a community shuffleboard club – and do it while still maintaining the public safety. Obstacles include crony labor unions, public servants with a sense of entitlement, and the elected officials, media and bureaucrats beholden to them.

OPINIONS

SPORTS 360 World Series & More Golf at Fox Run

By Tom Hartsock Sun Correspondent

W

hat a great l a s t w e e k fo r baseball fans! The inaugural AABC Willie Mays (9-10 year-old division) Regional World Series in Gallup. Good ball playing by all eight teams, sparkling defense, awesome offense, and a lot of sportsmanship thrown into that mix.

As you may have already seen in the daily media, Las Cruces won the title with a 10-4 win over the Gallup Sun Devils, but there was more, much more for the fans that followed their young people in the three-day tournament, not all as described in the other journal.

Offensively, there was the power-bat of Steven Milam of Las Cruces, who cranked out five home runs – three from

the right side and two from the left – to earn the individual Batting trophy. He also collected an inside-the-park home run with his feet in at least one game, and several triples and doubles.

Selected for the Sportsmanship trophy was Gallup’s own Rhys Sellers, who made a tremendous effort defensively in the semi-final.

That play brought a lot of oohs and aahs from both sets of fans as the young shortstop ranged about 10 feet to his right to backhand a hard-hit grounder and still had the right arm necessary to throw out the runner at first. Rhys also served as a pitcher for the Sun Devils and was a constant batting threat from his lead-off position. And, lest we forget, he was a true gentleman on the field. After plunking a couple of batters from his mound position, Rhys immediately walked to first

Clayton Hall takes a good swing at a pitch during the Willie Mays World Series, connecting for a solid hit for the Sun Devils. Photo Credit: RAH Photography

Individual trophies were awarded to, from left: Rhys Sellers of Gallup for Sportsmanship; Steven Milam for Batting; and Riley Hall as the MVP of the Willie Mays World Series last Saturday. Photo Credit: RAH Photography

SPORTS

base to shake their hand and apologize for his errant pitches.

The MVP of the tournament was earned by Riley Hall. Like Sellers, he also batted first and made timely and important contributions to his Las Cruces team during the entire tournament.

The weather held off most of the rain except for a few drops, the teams came to play, the fans to watch, and the umpires to make the correct calls, making this tournament one of the best this writer has attended in a while.

Hopefully, next season we can get another shot at a couple more tournaments for AABC, at this or other age levels.

FOX RUN TOURNAMENTS The grass is greener at Fox Run, and although not all of the problems have been fixed, the course will be hosting several tournaments in the next few weeks.

First up is the Ceremonial Tournament, but the group is still trying to select a date that would satisfy the most people, either the eighth or fifteenth of August.

Set f i r m ly i n place is t he L ion s Club/ Vet er a n s Tournament which is scheduled for Sunday, August 23.

That will be a three-person scramble, best ball. The price will be $210 per team - $70 per player – and that will include Green Fees, Cart, and Lunch.

Contact Tom Martinez at 8796137 for more information.

This 7th Annual Tournament will begin at 9 am and there will be additional prizes awarded for Longest Drive, Closest to Pin, Longest Putt, and Highest Score, not to mention the further incentive of $10,000 for a Hole-In-One on all Par 3 holes.

The Gallup Lions are an avid supporter of Veterans Helping Veterans, a local organization handling most of the problems that returning veterans face when they return from overseas deployment.

Big Brothers Big Sisters will be holding their golf

tournament on August 30, and RMCH is still making a decision about whether to make their annual event – on hiatus last year – a one or two-day event in early September.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS SCHEDULES Schools will be starting up soon, as will TDFL and I think Youth Soccer, though I could be wrong about the latter.

Anyway, schedules will again be posted for the same four schools – Gallup, Miyamura, Rehoboth and Wingate – in the same four major colors, with other schedules in appropriate colors as well.

It’s not a time to relax for me though, as my anticipation will increase as those seasons get underway and I have a chance to see you in the bleachers! Pick a gym or field, and if you can keep up with me, we’ll talk!

Ukiah Smith slides safely into home for the first run against the Las Cruces Rhinos in the Championship game of the Willie Mays World Series last Saturday. Photo Credit: RAH Photography

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

21

9th Annual Route 66 Car, Truck & Street Rod Show The Sun may not know all the makes and models of these fine vehicles, showcased during Gurley Motor Co.’s annual car show July 25, but these hot rods sure make some excellent eye candy.

Photos By Tom Hartsock

From left, Tom Hartsock, Steven Milam and Steven Milam pose for a memorial picture of sorts at the Willie Mays World Series, which finished last Saturday. Hartsock played with the father/ grandfather of the two Milams, who had the same name, and his younger brother, David, and was coached by their grandfather/great-grandfather, Doc Milam, a well-known and respected Dentist of the 1950-60’s, who was one of the founders of the Little League programs in Gallup.

Photo Credit: RAH Photography

22 Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

SPORTS

CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Looking for a career minded individual that can gain new accounts and manage existing ones. Sales experience preferred. Commission & Mileage. Email resume: gallupsun@gmail.com

CABIN FOR SALE Cabin for sale on 1.5 acres in the Zuni mountains 20 minutes from Grants.

For information call 505-240-2112.

MAIL DELIVERY 1 year subscription. Send check for $49.95 to: Gallup Sun Publishing PO Box 1212 Gallup, NM 87305

DELIVERY DRIVER

Gallup Sun is hiring independent contractor newspaper delivery drivers.

Send work history/ resume to: gallupsun@ gmail.com

FREE CLASSIFIEDS! Place a standard FREE classified in the Gallup Sun! Runs four weeks.

Need to add photo/logo, highlighting or bold text?

Call 505-728-1640 for rates. Email classified to: gallupsun@gmail. com

REPORTER Gallup Sun is looking for an experienced freelance reporter to cover political and educational news. Will consider

candidates from outside of the area. Send resume and clips to: gallupsun@ gmail.com

YARD SALE 316 S. Valley View Rd.

NNACADV MEETING The next NNACADV meeting will be held from 10 am - 2 pm at the Window Rock Veteran’s Park. We also plan to have a cookout during lunch, so please bring your own meat to grill and if you’d like to bring a side dish that would be great too! We look forward to seeing you all on Friday! If you have any questions please contact Lorena Halwood at (928) 674-8314.

SATURDAY AUG. 1 CEREMONIAL PHOTOGRAPH EXHIBIT From Aug. 1 - 29, the Octavia Fellin Public Library will display vintage Gallup Ceremonial Photographs. The photographs were taken in the early decades of the Ceremonial before the move to Red Rock State Park and feature the downtown parade, the old Ceremonial grounds, and many dancers. The photographs will be on display throughout the library, 115 W. Hill. For more information please contact the Library at (505) 863-1291 or libsuper@gallupnm.gov.

FREE COMPUTER CLASS The Octavia Fellin Public Library is offering free computer training at the Main Branch, 115 W. Hill. Space is limited to 5 participants but open to 5 more that can provide their own Windows 8 device. Registration is

CLASSIFIEDS

required. To register, call (505) 8631291 or email: libtrain@gallumnm. gov or visit the front desk of the library. Today’s class: Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2010, 10 am - Noon.

DRIVE-IN MOVIE MATINEE From 1 pm - 3pm, the library will host a Drive-In Movie Matinee for kids aged 2 to 6. Advance registration is required and limited to 15 children per movie. We will show “Cars” at 11 am and “Cars 2” at 3 pm. Refreshments, cars, and parking spaces will all be provided.

Children may only be registered for one movie. Parents may register their children in person at the Children’s Branch, 200 W. Aztec, or by calling (505) 726-6120.

SPACE ADVENTURE EXHIBIT From Aug. 1 - 22, the Library, partnered with ATD Fourth World, will host a Space Adventure Exhibit in the Main Library Meeting Room.

The exhibit was built with the help of the Chief Manuelito Middle School gifted class students and their teachers. “Space Adventure” explores what it’s like to travel and live in space as well as what the solar system is. This includes touchscreen videos, digital displays, interactive displays, plaster reproductions of the planets in our solar

COMMUNITY YARD SALE Sunset Hills Apartments 220 Rudy Drive - Gallup, NM Saturday, Aug. 1, starting 8 am

PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED! FREE STANDARD CLASSIFIED (ONE PER CUSTOMER, MAXIMUM OF FOUR ISSUES)

ANY BOLD TEXT, TEXT BOX, YELLOW HIGHLIGHT OR LOGO/PIC $5 EACH, PER WEEK

SEND SPECIFICATIONS & CLASSIFIED TO: GALLUPSUN@GMAIL.COM OR FAX (505)212-0391 DEADLINE MONDAYS 5 PM. EMAIL/FAX SUBMISSIONS ONLY. PAYMENT DUE IN ADVANCE. ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR JULY 31 - AUGUST 6, 2015 FRIDAY JULY 31

Saturday, Aug. 1, starting 8 am.

For sale: Dryer, box springs and mattress, kids clothing and more!

CALENDAR

system, and much more. For more information, please contact the

WEDNESDAY AUG. 5 TAX FREE TIME!

Library at (505) 863-1291 or visit our

AUG 5 thru 9 - Back to school Free

website at www.galluplibrary.org.

Tax weekend in New Mexico!

MONDAY AUG. 3 SUSTAINABLE GALLUP BOARD MEETING The City of Gallup’s Sustainable Gallup Board, meets on first Monday each month from 3 - 5 pm in the Mayor’s Conference Room at City Hall. Community members concerned about conservation, energy, water, recycling & other environmental issues are welcome. Call Elizabeth Barriga at (505) 863-1293 at Bill Bright at (505) 722-0039 for information.

TUESDAY AUG. 4 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING McKinley County Board of Commissioners will hold a regular meeting at 9 am. A Public Hearing will also take place for the discussion on the ICIP priority. This meeting will be held in the Commissioner Chambers, Third Floor of the McKinley County Courthouse, 207 West Hill, Gallup, New Mexico. A copy of the agenda will be available 72 hours prior to the meeting in the Manager’s Office and the Auxiliary aides for the disabled are available upon request; please contact Michelle Esquibel at (505) 722-3868 at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting to make any necessary arrangements.

94TH ANNUAL GALLUP INTER-TRIBAL INDIAN CEREMONIAL A huge rodeo, dances, Ceremonial Queen contest, two parades, and pow wow are amongst the numerous activities taking place in town and at Red Rock Park, Aug. 5 - 9. There’s wine tasting this evening and a fine selection of Native American art and jewelry available for purchase. For a complete schedule, visit: gallupceremonial.com LIBRARY MOVIE NIGHT August Film Series – “Dog Days of Summer Films.” Wednesday nights at 5:30pm – popcorn provided.

Featuring this week: “A Walk Among the Tombstones.” Octavia Fellin Public Library, 115 W. Hill.

THURSDAY AUG. 6 FREE COMPUTER CLASS The Octavia Fellin Public Library is offering free computer training at the Main Branch, 115 W. Hill. Class size is limited to 10 participants per session. Registration is required. To register, call (505) 863-1291 or email: libtrain@gallumnm.gov or visit the front desk of the library. Today’s class: Intermediate Microsoft Excel 2010, 2 - 4 pm.

ONGOING COMMUNITY PANTRY The Hope Garden is offering organic produce for sale from 10 am -12 pm Tuesday - Friday. We are located at 1130 E. Hasler Valley Rd. All funds go to helping feed local folks. For personal attention call (505) 726-8068 or when visiting ask for Kenworth Jones.

GALLUP SOLAR MEETINGS Interested in learning more about solar energy? Come to a Gallup Solar meeting, held the first three Wednesdays of the month from 6-8 pm, East Logan Ave. Email: gallupsolar@gmail.com or call (505) 726-2497.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Habitat for Humanity Yard Sale fund raisers are open 9 am to noon every Saturday on Warehouse Lane off of Allison Road. If you have household items to donate or wish to volunteer, call Bill Bright at (505) 722-4226.

SUMMER NIGHTLY INDIAN DANCES Dances take place every night through Labor Day, from 7 pm to 8 pm, at the Courthouse Square, located on Aztec between 2nd and 3rd streets.

Free admission. (505) 722-2228.

To post a non-profit or civic event in the calendar section, please email: gallupsunevents@gmail.com or fax: (505) 212-0391. Deadline: Monday 5 pm.

Gallup Sun • Friday July 31, 2015

23

24 Friday July 31, 2015 • Gallup Sun

CLASSIFIEDS