talks with Meredith Bunting about groundwater contamination cleanup during a community event held at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial in Albuquerque on Tuesday A poster displaying the history of cleanup work done by Kirtland Air Force Base at a site that was once used for aircraft and likely had fuel leaks Department of Defense joined the Department of Energy in a required public information event in Albuquerque on Tuesday Air Force engineer Begnaud Moayyad explains an active groundwater contamination site on Kirtland Air Force Base during a semiannual public meeting in Albuquerque on Tuesday A couple dozen people attended the community event hosted by the U.S Departments of Defense and Energy to learn about environmental restoration work Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base are doing The event was held on Tuesday at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial The three groundwater sites Sandia is actively cleaning up or monitoring today cover parts of the Manzanita Mountains east of Albuquerque as well as the north-central and west-central parts of Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia Labs Sandia National Laboratories had 300-some sites in New Mexico with contaminated groundwater Three contaminated groundwater sites remain today Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content it provides narrative coverage of local trends going beyond the headlines to keep you informed Megan Gleason is an assistant business editor for the Albuquerque Journal. She also covers energy, utilities and government. You can reach her at mgleason@abqjournal.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day Stay in the loop with the top stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday Sign up to see what’s trending and get the latest on the stories that matter most to our readers Get breaking news and important alerts sent straight to your inbox as they happen Stay up-to-date with the latest sports headlines and highlights from the Albuquerque Journal Get the latest on local happenings delivered straight to your inbox Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account SHIPROCK – Kashon Harrison wasn’t sure he was going to run in the Shiprock Marathon until about three days before the event as the 24-year-old Fruitland resident ran to a record-setting victory in the 43rd annual event beating nearly 100 competitors Saturday in a time of 2 hours Harrison’s final time eclipses the previous record for the Shiprock Marathon which was held by Shaun Martin with a time of 2:34:59 when he won the race in 2012 finishing second with a time of 3 hours and 5 minutes A multiple state champion in both track and field and cross-country at Kirtland Central High School but was not intending to run in the marathon until earlier in the week “I bought the registration card on Wednesday my mom convinced me to run in the race ,and I actually didn’t know the race was coming up,” Harrison said who works as an assistant for the track and field team at Kirtland Central High School has an extensive record of racing achievements He won the Class 4A state title in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meter events in 2019 Harrison captured the Class 5A title in those same events in 2018 Harrison captured individual state championships in the cross-country competition leading the Broncos team to second place in the 2017 state championships Harrison was voted the state’s top boys distance runner of the decade by NMMileSplit.com and was named the state’s top cross-country runner of the year in 2018 and 2019 by Gatorade Harrison took his talents to Colorado University where as a freshman he guided the cross-country team to third place at the NCAA national championships behind only Brigham Young University and Northern Arizona University Harrison earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors and was also named Pac-12 freshman of the year in 2019 Harrison now volunteers his time with the Kirtland Central track and field program and works as New Mexico Community Liaison and board member at Fundamental Needs an organization helping people in underserved communities addressing gaps in access to clean drinking water Harrison said the most difficult part of the race was the second half of the 26.2-mile journey “The turnaround after the halfway point was the hardest part and I felt like I was getting tired,” Harrison said “I needed some water and some snacks and all I saw was pickles and water and then I was able to take off again.” Harrison was on the road to Bloomfield High site of this past weekend’s Bloomfield Invitational track and field meet where Kirtland Central’s boys team finished second overall behind the host team beating more than 60 competitors in a time of 3:29:26 a bit more than a minute ahead of 42-year-old Stephanie Wurtz from Manitou Springs a graduate of Azuza Pacific University in 2020 with a degree in nursing including last year’s Oakland Half-Marathon and a 17th-place finish in the Bay Breeze Half Marathon this year but the conditions and the wind and the rolling hills made it difficult,” Baron said “The last 2 miles were the toughest of the race but I kept myself entertained by the landscape of the course.” For a list of competitors in the 2025 Shiprock Marathon, check out runsignup.com The email "' + userEmail + '" could not be added Please try again or email Shane at shane@durangoherald.com for assistance Choose from several print and digital subscription packages We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to our policies In the young Jack Pine forests of northern Michigan Nathan Cooper sometimes comes across an individual bird that he last saw weeks earlier in the Bahamas The chance to have these repeat encounters is one advantage of studying the Kirtland’s Warbler “It’s a very special situation to have this bird in your hand that you put a tag on two months ago,” says Cooper a research ecologist at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center “We both flew a couple thousand miles to Michigan and it survived the gauntlet of dangers and the immense physiological challenge of flying 2,000 miles in 10 days.” On top of those perils, the birds now face another, newly discovered threat. A December 2024 study by researchers at Penn State University found extensive but previously undetected signs of inbreeding in the genomes The invisible effects of this inbreeding are potentially significant enough to complicate the species’ recovery after it was removed from the endangered species list the findings arrive at a time when experts warn the birds are once again facing a sharp population drop a census of the species found that the population had fallen rapidly meaning that they do rely on human intervention even beyond their delisting,” McElrath says The recent study suggests that genetic wear and tear from inbreeding could complicate those efforts It is not uncommon for species that experience a “bottleneck”—a period with very few breeding adults—to show signs of inbreeding which can leave individual birds less fit for survival and reproduction Given the harsh bottleneck the Kirtland’s Warbler went through scientists suspected there might be some level of inbreeding Calderón and her colleagues turned to whole-genome sequencing a method that until recently was prohibitively expensive Past tests of genetic diversity in the Kirtland’s Warbler—including the studies that informed the decision to delist the species—used a small set of markers on the genome that the researchers compare to snapshots of a bird’s DNA offers something more like a high-definition film Their results showed a high frequency of potentially damaging genetic variants in the Kirtland’s Warbler which could have ramifications across the bird’s development it suggests there was probably much more inbreeding in Kirtland’s than was previously considered,” says co-author David Toews For comparison, the team also analyzed the full genomes of two closely related but much more abundant species. “We found no evidence of inbreeding whatsoever in Hooded Warblers or American Redstarts,” Toews said in a press release announcing the findings the level of inbreeding for the Kirtland’s Warblers is almost off the charts.” The findings raise an intriguing but ultimately unanswerable question he says: If wildlife officials had known about the inbreeding would they still have delisted the Kirtland’s Warbler Fish and Wildlife Service to list the subspecies under the Endangered Species Act and protect its critical habitat of coastal wetlands (To date the subspecies remains unlisted.) Calderón says she plans to continue studying how inbreeding could affect the growing but still relatively small Kirtland’s Warbler population she may partner with Cooper from the Smithsonian to study egg viability since at least based on Cooper’s anecdotal observations there seem to be more unhatched eggs in Kirtland’s Warbler nests compared to other species The birds have received less attention since they were delisted and executive director of the nonprofit Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance The birds need about 30,000 acres of jack pines that are between 5 and 20 feet tall but the currently suitable habitat falls almost 10,000 acres short of that goal could see the numbers dip below 1,000 pairs it’s possible to expand habitat in places that historically had young jack pine forests And as climate change drives a northward range shift for jack pine and the Kirtland’s Warbler there are opportunities to conduct experimental plantings in other parts of the Great Lakes region Keeping the Kirtland’s Warbler viable long into the future may require not only plenty of habitat but also a new approach to monitoring the health of the species “It goes beyond just counting population or estimating population numbers,” she says “Some of these genetic variables could be considered in future monitoring and measurements of success in the population.” Advocating for the species—and continued collaboration from all involved—remains essential “It’s amazing that the Kirtland’s Warblers were able to rebound as they have,” she says Conservation efforts brought about that dramatic recovery and now genomic science has a role to play in helping to sustain it “We have this really awesome opportunity to merge both of them.” Pledge to stand with Audubon to call on elected officials to listen to science and work towards climate solutions a leader in cloud-based digital banking solutions to enhance and streamline the financial institution's online and mobile banking services and provide a more seamless banking experience for its members Kirtland Federal Credit Union sought a digital banking provider prioritizing a safe efficient user experience while enabling flexible scalability Lumin Digital's transparent product roadmap and customizable platform will allow Kirtland Federal Credit Union to upgrade frequently and provide its members with a best-in-class mobile and digital banking experience "We're proud to partner with Kirtland Federal Credit Union to deliver an innovative and secure digital banking experience for its members," said Kelley Michalik "Kirtland's commitment to embracing cutting-edge solutions while prioritizing its members' financial well-being aligns perfectly with our mission." Kirtland Federal Credit Union will modernize its digital banking capabilities and reaffirm its commitment to member satisfaction and financial empowerment The partnership reflects a shared vision of innovation and trust that will benefit the credit union's members as digital banking evolves "We feel confident that Lumin Digital will be our long-term digital partner and collaborate with us to offer a modern tech stack as the digital landscape evolves," said George Walker "The company's member-centric approach and dedication to providing the best and we look forward to working together for years to come." About Kirtland Federal Credit UnionEstablished in 1958 Kirtland Credit Union is a full-service financial cooperative dedicated to improving the economic well-being and quality of life for its members KCU operates eight branch locations across Albuquerque About Lumin DigitalLumin Digital is the leading future-ready digital banking solution powering remarkable growth for financial institutions across the United States Lumin's disruption-proof platform was born in the cloud to stay ahead of the evolving expectations of retail and business banking users our clients innovate and scale at their own pace and create a strong digital relationship with their customers Lumin has received top marks from clients on the G2 Marketplace for digital banking software today announced the successful implementation of its new digital banking platform a leader in cloud-native digital banking solutions announced its latest partnership with Advanced Fraud Solutions (AFS) Banking & Financial Services Computer & Electronics Financial Technology Financial Technology Do not sell or share my personal information: This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com By Trent Toone, Church News The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has launched a new website offering information and resources for those interested in learning about and visiting Historic Kirtland and other historic sites in Ohio the Church was headquartered in northeast Ohio in the United States the Church owns historic locations related to this period in the towns of Kirtland and Hiram This spiritual period included appearances by the Savior and other heavenly messengers the reception of the majority of Doctrine and Covenants and other significant events Each website is available in multiple languages The Church hopes the websites will make the historic sites more accessible whether visiting onsite or online a curator for historic sites in the Church History Department who helped create content for the website the Ohio Historic Sites website offers the following features: “We provide more planning content than ever before to try and help individuals families and groups easily prepare for an enriching experience,” Dansie said The Church History Department has provided these resources to help Church members better understand the context of the Doctrine and Covenants and strengthen faith and testimonies a product manager in the Church History Department Added Dansie: “This helps provide a deeper understanding of how the revelations in Doctrine and Covenants are interconnected through physical location Additional Church historic sites websites are being created and will be released throughout the rest of the year Copyright 2025 Deseret News Publishing Company You are about to access Constant Contacts (http://visitor.constantcontact.com) You are now leaving a website maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints We provide the link to this third party's website solely as a convenience to you and security practices that differ from those on our website By referring or linking you to this website we do not endorse or guarantee this content If you would like to stay on the page you are viewing please click Cancel To download media files, please first review and agree to the Terms of Use Download a photo or video by clicking or tapping on it To download all photos or videos related to this article select the links at the bottom of each section (WPBN/WGTU) -- Kirtland Community College has re-launched its Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program in an effort to address the ongoing shortage of healthcare workers is now back to help fill the gap in staffing at many rehabilitation and long-term care facilities that were forced to cut back due to the shortage emphasized the importance of the program as a foundational step for students interested in healthcare careers "Being a CNA is the cornerstone," Blake said you can get your CNA certificate in six weeks and work in the health industry right along nurses or surgical techs or MA’s and you can work along and see where or how you want to progress It’s the first step in getting into the health care industry." The six-week program offers a combination of lab and clinical training through partnerships with local healthcare facilities providing students with hands-on experience and a pathway to advanced programs like nursing or surgical technology Kirtland’s Warbler Wildlife Management Area part of the National Wildlife Refuge System was established in Michigan for the benefit of the endangered Kirtland’s warbler .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Sheri McWhirter | smcwhirter@mlive.comGRAYLING MI – Saving the Kirtland’s warbler from extinction is touted among the greatest conservation achievements in Michigan history The migratory songbird was one of the first added to the federal list of endangered species That prompted conservationists to create thousands of acres of jack pine habitat specifically for the warbler and even take the fight to parasitic cowbirds known to take over warbler nests As a result, the bird’s numbers soared, and the species was delisted in 2019. Field scientists counted an estimated 2,245 pairs in 2021 and another population survey is planned this year But researchers at the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) say the way the warbler was rescued harmed other rare and native species Their report says that unintended consequence was caused by an industrial forestry approach rather than using fire which is the way the Michigan landscape naturally evolved This scientific revelation may now prompt a new chapter in how Michigan tells its signature conservation story After decades of a tree-planting technique proven to benefit the Kirtland’s warbler advocates want the mechanized method curbed and the return of a more natural approach Conservationists and wildlife regulators swooped in to rescue the Kirtland’s warbler after only 167 breeding pairs were found in 1974 and again in 1987 as the bird teetered on the brink of extinction State and federal scientists worked with nonprofit groups to create a rotating forest of tens of thousands of acres specifically to save the migratory bird with its distinctive song Michigan built a jack-pine lifeline for the critically endangered songbird when the species isn’t wintering in the Bahamas The bird nests on the ground beneath the branches of jack pines a scraggly tree species evolved to require fire to open its cones and regenerate Foresters use soil-trenching equipment to plant jack pine in a distinctive pattern – high density trees with periodic openings – to mimic the effects of fire on the land This is called the “weave,” and the birds love it 1/5The jack pine weave plantation“Now that they’ve got the plantations figured out those are warbler factories,” said Dan Kashian forest ecologist and longtime professor at Wayne State University in Detroit The trouble came in recent years when land surveys by MNFI scientists showed although the Kirtland’s warbler flourished within the man-made jack pine plantations the weave proved terrible for just about everything else Wildflowers like the northern blazing star and bird foot violet dramatically declined from the landscape secretive locust grasshopper and blazing star borer moth were driven away Those missing species are native to Michigan’s disappearing pine barrens ecologically natural savannah-style habitats created by wildfire and traditional Indigenous burning The MNFI report says large areas of those natural pine barrens were converted to jack pine weave and farm fields and today only 5,785 acres remain Jesse Lincoln is an MFNI plant ecologist and the lead author on the report In January he told a crowd during a stewardship conference in East Lansing that even the flames of wildfire failed to restore the lost biodiversity in areas of jack pine weave that used to be pine barrens He said the natural seed bank in the soil was gone and there’s no getting it back 1/4Burned jack pine treesMNFI scientists now recommend forestry and wildlife managers make a complete about-face and stop turning any more natural areas into jack pine weave The Kirtland’s warbler can easily survive with the plantation areas that already exist “A lot has been lost to the weave and continues to be lost to the weave,” Lincoln said “Much has been sacrificed at the altar of the warbler.” “We have to stop converting natural areas to plantation do any more weave in unwoven spots,” he said Kashian said he saw this ecological conundrum coming years ago the Wayne State researcher suggested Kirtland’s warbler habitat expansion should be curtailed The bird’s population was at 1,800 pairs by that point which he argued was well beyond the official recovery goal of 1,000 breeding pairs The longtime ecologist criticized how rare plants were “plowed up” for the jack pine weave and raised concerns there may be negative effects on biodiversity He wanted to talk about dialing back the Kirtland’s warbler crusade almost because of the inertia of the program so they just kept doing what they were doing,” Kashian said Michiganders love the iconic Kirtland’s warbler There’s the vehicle license plate with the warbler on it that raises money for wildlife conservation Vibrant spring tourism brings flocks of birdwatchers to the woods around Grayling and Mio there’s even an annual festival in Roscommon A male Kirtland’s warbler is shown singing while perched An estimated 2,245 breeding pairs of the migratory songbird were counted by field scientists in 2021 The species was removed from the federal list of endangered species in 2019.Michigan DNR The Kirtland’s warbler is a cultural touchstone in Michigan Perhaps that’s why there’s resistance to the notion of overhauling the immensely successful way the beloved birds are stewarded by state and federal officials Wildlife biologist Erin Victory leads the Kirtland’s warbler program for the state Department of Natural Resources She said the collective conservation effort is a complicated calculation and other methods will take time to figure out “Plantation management has been the paradigm up until now and certainly probably for the foreseeable future although we are looking to explore different management techniques including fire,” Victory said while speaking on a panel of experts at a controlled burning workshop in Grayling in February Today the Kirtland’s warbler depends on humans to provide it with jack pine habitat because of widespread modern fire suppression; Michigan and federal agencies are bound by agreements made when the bird was delisted. The warbler team must maintain a certain number of the birds based on jack pine densities The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is the agency that oversees the continued Kirtland’s warbler conservation partnerships among nonprofits The team of public and private researchers strives to ensure the long-term sustainability of the species A spokesperson with FWS said the agency is working with partners to assess how to return fire safely and responsibly to the landscape “Though prescribed fire would likely promote more biodiversity than the opposing weave method The Kirtland’s warbler conservation community is also developing improved mechanical treatment methods that support ecological health and a robust Kirtland’s warbler population,” the spokesperson said in an email The Kirtland's warbler teetered on the brink of extinction until conservationists built a rotating jack pine plantation system to provide enough habitat for the migratory songbird to be removed from the federal list of endangered species in 2019.MLive files Steve Roels of national nonprofit American Bird Conservancy is the coordinator of the official Kirtland’s warbler conservation team He believes positive changes are coming thanks to ongoing research and a culture of mutual respect among those working in the jack pine ecosystem The Kirtland’s warbler will hopefully become a true “umbrella species,” where land managers ensure habitat for the bird as well as other species of conservation concern Some of the biggest cheerleaders for the Kirtland’s warbler are ready to chart a new course conservationists don’t exactly want the last chapter in the tale of Michigan saving the Kirtland’s warbler from extinction to be the decimation of other native pine barrens species “We hit upon a special sauce to protect Kirtland’s warblers – the weave pattern – but we came to realize and it’s clear to everyone that we need to reassess what we’re doing and how we’re doing it in order to protect the entire landscape,” said Bill Rapai, executive director of nonprofit Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance The warbler team is set to meet in July and this biodiversity loss problem can be expected on the agenda After 50 years of this “artificial management” of the jack pine forest He suggests jack pine planting techniques that are less disruptive to the soil And he also likes the idea of rotating existing jack pine weave plantations going forward rather than converting any more natural areas Jack pine weave plantations feature meandering rows of planted jack pine that create oval-shaped openings between dense rows of pine According to the Michigan Natural Features Inventory the process of converting natural cover to the jack pine weave plantation is eliminating large areas of recoverable pine barrens like those seen on the right side of the photo.Jesse Lincoln/MNFI “I do think the answer to pretty much everything is finding the ways to let the ecosystem behave as naturally as possible We have to figure out a way to get fire back on the landscape,” Rapai said And he’s not the only one who thinks change is on the horizon for warbler habitat work A new biodiversity-focused effort called the Northern Pine Plains Partnership (NPPP) is expected to have an influence from Gaylord-based Huron Pines conservation nonprofit The partnership includes state and federal agencies and other natural resources experts Engle said now that many of those stands of jack pine weave plantation are aging out of usefulness for the Kirtland’s warbler the NPPP is collaborating on holistic efforts to restore the entire ecosystem for the benefit of all native species Methods are expected to include native plantings Rapai said that like a Great Lakes freighter it will take time to steer away from a single-species focus to landscape-scale management “We are thinking beyond just the Kirtland’s warbler,” Rapai said “We’re thinking about the Kirtland’s warbler An Americorps volunteer plants a jack pine tree by hand to help create habitat for the Kirtland's warbler songbird.Kirtland's Warbler Alliance Possible EPA rule change could rekindle more prescribed fire in Michigan forestry Census shows Michigan’s once-endangered Kirtland’s warbler is thriving Kirtland’s warbler recovery deemed a success, bird delisted from Endangered Species Act Why Michigan is so enamored with the Kirtland’s warbler How a tiny, rare songbird flies 3,400 miles and comes home to Michigan Can intentional forest burning across the Great Lakes help prevent runaway wildfires? Instead of being a debutante, this Michigan woman trailblazed as a wildlife scientist Sign up for MLive’s weekly environmental newsletter here Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices – Some of our federal lawmakers are concerned about one of our military bases possibly being used to house migrants.  Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury said there’s no situation in which the use of Kirtland Air Force Base is appropriate for immigration purposes delegation say they want answers but aren’t getting any “I don’t think this is something that’s been well-thought-out,” said U.S Kirtland was one of several military installations on the list Fort Bliss in El Paso was also named.  the New Mexico Congressional Delegation spoke out in opposition.  “So the fundamental problem here is that this is a White House that is sort of doing this stuff on the fly They’re not really thinking through the plans,” Heinrich said.  Gabe Vasquez says resources should not be siphoned away for this “It provides a critical mission for the United States and our national security research a lot of other nontraditional weapons testing that happens at Kirtland Air Force Base,” said Vasquez They’re also concerned about the people who live and work on base at Sandia National Labs Vasquez says so far they’ve gotten no response to the letter There’s still so many unknowns like where the migrants would be housed how many there’d be and how long they’d stay Vasquez says this is another example of a lack of communication lack of information that’s coming down to us I want to see a lack of respect for the constituents who voted for us because it’s our job to be able to deliver that information to our constituents about what’s happening in their backyards,” Vasquez said.  Getting any kind of information on this has been challenging Kirtland Air Force Base referred us to the U.S Homeland Security said there’s nothing to share at this time KOB 4 also reached out to Fort Bliss and are still waiting to hear back Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KOB via our online formor call 505-243-4411 We can now share the schedule for 2024 OHSAA Division VI state runner-up Kirtland The Hornets advanced to the Division VI state championship game last season by going 10-0 in the regular season and then cruising through their first five playoff games outscoring opponents 224-20 in those five games Kirtland has reached the state championship game in eight straight seasons Kirtland opens its season against another state runner-up from 2024 as the Hornets travel to take on Central Clarion (Pennsylvania) Below is the Hornets' schedule for 2025 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 🏈• The Kirtland Hornets will enter 2025 as one of four schools in America with 70+ wins & 4-or-fewer losses since 2020. 📊#HornetPride🐝@KLSDSupt pic.twitter.com/R1Ip3AsgYz To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App RYAN ISLEY, SBLIVE SPORTSRyan Isley is a Regional Editor for SBLive Sports © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Shawn Scott stands at the site where his son Kirtland Air Force Base airman Brion Teel-Scott Shawn Scott holds his phone with a photograph of his son Kirtland Air Force Base airman basic Brion Teel-Scott holding his daughter 22 after being chased off base by security forces Roses and a bottle of alcohol rest against a tree in honor of Kirtland Air Force Base airman basic Brion Teel-Scott near where the 28-year-old was shot and killed by base security The military says a Kirtland airman was armed when he was chased off base and fatally shot by members of his own squadron in a burst of gunfire that also left one of his pursuers shot in the hand a member of the 377th Security Forces Squadron His body lay on the road across from the Truman Gate between a Taco Bell and an apartment complex Matthew Reisen covers criminal justice for the Albuquerque Journal. Follow him on Twitter at @MReisen88, call him at (505) 823-3563 or reach him via email at mreisen@abqjournal.com Eberly College of ScienceOnce-endangered Kirtland’s warblers show extensive signs of inbreeding in genome New study of songbirds may inform delisting animals from the endangered species listThe genomes of Kirtland’s warblers show extensive signs of inbreeding which could guide continuing conservation efforts for the once-endangered songbird UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The genome of a once-endangered songbird shows extensive signs of inbreeding, according to a new study by Penn State researchers. Because inbreeding can negatively impact survival and reproduction, the results could guide continuing conservation efforts for Kirtland’s warblers, whose populations still rely on extensive management. The new study, published this week (Dec. 9) in the journal Evolutionary Applications also suggests how genetic information about inbreeding could be used when considering the removal of species from the endangered species list Kirtland’s warblers have also been known as jack pine warblers as their breeding habitat is limited to young jack-pine forests in Michigan The species nearly went extinct in the 1970s due to threatened habitat and the population decline was exacerbated by brown-headed cowbirds who lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species — including warblers — and divert resources away from their chicks Kirtland’s warblers were classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 Kirtland’s warbler populations have recovered The species was “delisted” — no longer considered endangered — in 2019 though management efforts remain critical to their survival “When any population goes through a period when few breeding individuals are present called a ‘bottleneck,’ there is always a chance of inbreeding which can lead to reduced survival of future generations,” said Anna María Calderón graduate student in biology in the Penn State Eberly College of Science and first author of the paper “The 2019 decision to delist Kirtland’s warblers referenced a study that did not find strong evidence of inbreeding but the tests available at the time were not very high resolution We used updated sequencing technology to get a clearer picture of the genetic diversity and potential for inbreeding among these songbirds.” birds receive one copy of their genome from each parent Some genetic variants can have negative impacts on an animal’s survival or reproductive success The likelihood of receiving the same potentially damaging variant from both parents increases with inbreeding Previous tests of genetic diversity — such as those referenced in the delisting decision — often focus on a small set of specific markers on the genome called microsatellites advancements in sequencing technology now allow inexpensive analysis of the entire genome from multiple individuals “If you think of the genome as a movie of the blueprint of life then using microsatellites is like trying to get the plot from half a dozen snapshots while sequencing the entire genome is like watching an entire 4K-resolution film,” said David Toews Louis Martarano Career Development Professor of Biology at Penn State and co-leader of the research team “There’s so much more information to be obtained from sequencing the entire genome and modern technology has made that analysis possible.” The researchers sequenced the whole genome of Kirtland’s warblers and they also sequenced whole genomes of two closely related species whose populations have remained large and stable The team specifically looked at a measure of inbreeding called “runs of homozygosity.”  A given spot on the genome is called homozygous when the genetic information obtained from an animal’s maternal parent is the same as the information obtained from its paternal parent sometimes millions of letters of the genetic alphabet in length Particularly long ROH indicate that the individuals who carry them are products of recent inbreeding when genetically similar individuals mated and were thus more likely to pass on the same genetic information Fewer and shorter stretches indicate that an individual’s parents are more distantly related “Runs of homozygosity give us a unique look into the past and can be an indicator of the genomic health of the population,” said Zachary Szpiech assistant professor of biology at Penn State and the other co-leader of the research team long ROH have been associated with how well other species survive in their first year ROH can also flag potentially damaging genetic variants which may be useful when considering the conservation of the bird.” The researchers found exceptionally long ROH in Kirtland’s warblers indicating very recent inbreeding that had not previously been identified in this species they found many small to medium-sized ROH in Kirtland’s warblers while the two closely related species had almost none “The contrast between Kirtland’s warblers and their closest related species which haven’t undergone any population bottlenecks “We found no evidence of inbreeding whatsoever in Hooded warblers or American redstarts the level of inbreeding for the Kirtland’s warblers is almost off the charts We also found a high frequency of potentially damaging genetic variants This gives us a clear picture of how the demographic history of songbirds can shape their genetic diversity.” The researchers noted that the Kirtland’s warblers they sampled did not appear to have any physical deformities they said that inbreeding could manifest during the stages of life they did not observe for example during development or the energy-intensive task of migration or impact aspects of their reproductive success such as how many eggs they lay or how many hatch continued monitoring of these birds to clarify the impacts of inbreeding will be critical to future conservation efforts “An open question in this species has been whether the population of Kirtland’s warblers has always been small or if it was once large and crashed,” Calderón said “We can actually use ROH to look into the past using rates of recombination — one way genomes can swap information around — to estimate when certain combinations of genetic information appeared we can see that most of the DNA segments within the short ROH in these birds originated between 1874 and 1954 This suggests that Kirtland’s warblers may have always had small population sizes This makes sense given the high specificity of these birds to young jack-pine forests.” Comparing these results with information about the distribution and abundance of the species can provide insight into the events that shaped the genomes of these birds the researchers dated the origin of many DNA segments within long ROH between 1940 to 1981 This is consistent with a sudden population collapse beginning in the early 1940s The researchers also plan to sequence the genomes of museum samples including birds collected as early as the late 1800s to provide additional context around genetically important events “Although Kirtland’s warblers are celebrated as a conservation success story they are highly inbred and have a high frequency of potentially damaging genetic variants that could impact their ability to persist,” Calderón said “Our work serves as an important example of how measures of genetic health may tell a different story than simple population numbers Both need to be considered when assessing a population’s recovery and when making conservation decisions.” the research team also includes Andrew Wood a research technologist in Toews’ lab at the time of the research and now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota National Science Foundation Division of Environmental Biology the Penn State Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Penn State Eberly College of Science supported this research Office: (219) 809-0445 | On-Air Line: (219) 861-1632 | ric@wimsradio.com  Tuesday, Feb 25, 2025Airman Basic Brion Teel-Scott, 27, was found dead outside the Truman Gate on Saturday, according to an Air Force news release. (U.S. Air Force)A shooting at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday left one airman dead and another injured, according to a statement from the base Airman Basic Brion Teel-Scott, 27, of the 377th Security Forces Squadron, died after attempting to escape an “attempted detention,” an Air Force news release said “Losing a member of your team is never easy but the circumstances of this incident make it that much harder,” said Col 377th Air Base Wing and installation commander at Kirtland and our base community receive the best possible care and support.” whose identity was not released by the Air Force That airman was transported to the University of New Mexico Medical Center and released later with non-life-threatening injuries An incident occurred outside the base’s Truman gate Saturday during the early morning hours and 377th Security Forces personnel responded to the scene at 2 a.m The arrival of Security Forces resulted in a shooting during which the airman was shot in the hand Security Forces found Teel-Scott dead at the scene and the cause of his death is under investigation The service did not immediately provide further details about who was responsible for the airman’s death The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is investigating the incident with the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation Just before Dalton boys basketball coach Cody Huth walked into the locker room after his team fell in a Division VI regional final to rival Kirtland 59-51 on Friday night one could see the emotions in the young bench boss's face as he took a few moments to gather himself “There is nothing for them to hang their heads about in the elite eight right after the graduation losses and preseason injury that we had Huth and Bulldog Nation felt a win here was attainable More: Zoey Eades, Merrick Gibson, two seniors who left it all on the mat and left their marks More: Northwestern's Kelsee Smith punches her ticket to state with an emotional win “It was coming from people who normally aren’t big contributors they just had guys step up off the bench and knock down some big shots each time.” it didn’t help that they seemed to miss some opportunities that could have changed the outcome “We just didn’t hit our shots,” said senior Brady Hignight “We missed a lot of shots that we normally make you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get.” “I felt like we hadn’t been playing well all night so to be tied at the start of the fourth quarter but we were just waiting on the lid to come off and for us to go on a run we felt good at that point - it never came off.” Though a 44-44 tie entering the fourth quarter eventually disappeared Hignight and Coy Wenger led with 20 points apiece “It just shows the kind of people we are,” said Wenger we know how to make runs in the tournament It stinks that we couldn’t extend that run tonight it finished with a OHSAA tournament record of 13-4 over the last four years And they made school history with three straight regional appearances “We wanted to set the standard high and we wanted to accomplish big goals I feel that we did a really good job these last few weeks.” “I feel that we were doubted a lot this year,” added Wenger We turned all of that doubt into motivation and although we lost tonight it seemed as if there was no one left in the town of Dalton “Looking up there and seeing our whole side of the stands filled was incredible,” smiled Hignight “The amount of support that we get from this community is like no other we are blessed to have this kind of community.” “Dalton is a special place,” chipped in Wenger “The whole community is always supporting us especially when we make it far in the playoffs That’s why Dalton is truly special and I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else.” walking off the hardwood for the last time he couldn’t help but be thankful as he looked back the friends and the memories that I’ve made,” he said the friendships that I’ve gained and the people that I’ve been around these past four years have changed my life I wouldn’t trade these memories for anything wrapping up his first-full year on the job it’s a class that set the bar and that he couldn’t be happier to have had “They definitely raised a bar that was already really high,” said Huth “They took it to the next level and now they leave a legacy behind as they showed these younger guys what it takes to be winners and to be high class guys at the same time.” photo by: Paul KrajnyakThe Monroe Central Seminoles and their fans in the stands celebrate as their OHSAA Division VI state semifinals game against Kirtland ends in a 58-54 victory for the Seminoles A Monroe County team will play for the state championship for the first time since 1985 as Monroe Central faces Marion Local for the title on Saturday WESTERVILLE — For the first time in four decades a boys basketball team from Monroe County will play for a state championship Skyvue fell in the 1985 Class A state finals fell behind late in the third quarter but rallied for a 58-54 victory over Kirtland (19-9) in an Ohio Division VI state semifinal inside a jam-packed Rike Center on the campus of Otterbein University “It feels good to win,” Monroe Central head coach Mason Lang said “But we’ve got to make free throws and limit our turnovers “I thought we took control of the game three or four different times but we’ve still got some things to work on,” Lang added “I’m really proud of the way the boys worked through some adversity Kirtland made a run and took the lead there late in the third quarter We could’ve folded but we finished strong.” the Seminoles (25-3) advance to the state championship game opposite Marion Local a 52-38 victor over North Robinson Colonel Crawford in the other semifinal Friday at Bowling Green State University March 22 inside the University of Dayton Arena photo by: Paul KrajnyakDeadlocked at 38 entering the final eight minutes Monroe Central outscored the Hornets 20-16 to punch their ticket Seniors Chance Allen (7) and Tucker Howell (6) combined for 13 of the fourth-quarter tallies the school’s all-time leading scorer gave Monroe Central the lead for good with an inside basket and a layup for a 45-41 advantage the Seminoles would never relinquish The final couple of minutes were helter-skelter as both teams had several turnovers and the Seminoles made things interesting by missing six free throws down the stretch but a steal by Cooper Howell and one of two free throws with 3.6 seconds remaining sealed the deal as the large Monroe Central contingent fans stormed the court after the final buzzer “Our fans have supported us the entire way and I know they will show up again next week,” Lang added It appeared as though Monroe Central was going to run away and hide in the early going as it scored the first eight points of the contest before Kirtland could get on the board Allen had seven of his game-high 20 points in the opening quarter while Cooper Howell pulled down eight of his 12 rebounds as the Seminoles led 17-7 after leading by 12 twice the Hornets slowly but surely cut into the deficit getting it to 29-21 at the half before taking their first — and only — lead at 36-35 with 1:20 remaining in the third quarter With the score knotted at 41 early in the fourth quarter Three free throws by Kirtland’s Vince Carriero made it 45-44 Allen buried a three-pointer from the left wing to push the margin to 48-44 Caedyn Silva bumped the lead to 51-44 with a free throw and layup Leading 55-52 Allen went strong to the basket for a 57-52 lead Allen misfired on two free throws — Monroe Central was just 4-for-15 for the game — and Carriero made 2 of 3 charity tosses for a 57-54 margin Cooper Howell made it a two-possession game with a late free throw Allen was joined in double figures by Tucker Howell with 14 points Corbin Farnsworth added eight points before fouling out and Silva chipped in seven Rich Rodriguez and West Virginia added another player to its large laundry list of transfer portal additions this .. NEW MARTINSVILLE – Tyler Consolidated scored five times in the top of the seventh to stun host Magnolia | https://www.theintelligencer.net | 1500 Main Street Kirtland Central’s Haylee Nocki attempts a 3-pointer against Gallup during the fourth quarter Saturday in Kirtland’s Bronco Arena Kirtland Central girls basketball fans celebrate the Lady Broncos’ win against Gallup on Saturday in Kirtland’s Bronco Arena Kirtland Central freshman Allyson Tsosie drives to the basket and is fouled on layup attempt by Gallup's Mykeia Vicenti in the fourth quarter Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena 2-ranked Kirtland Central girls took down top-ranked Gallup in a District 1-4A showdown in front of 3,500 fans Kirtland Central head coach Devon Manning protests a call in the third quarter against Gallup on Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena Kirtland Central's Krista Tsingine-Yazzie attempts a short jumper while defended by Gallup's Rylie Whitehair in the first quarter Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena Kirtland Central junior Haylee Nocki attempts a jumper over Gallup's Laylanah Williams in the first quarter Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena attempt to steal the ball from Kirtland Central's Krista Tsignine-Yazzie in the second quarter Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena Gallup senior center Rylie Whitehair attempts a shot between Kirtland Central's Allyson Tsosie and Krista Tsingine-Yazzie in the second quarter on Saturday blocks Gallup's Payton Johnson in the second quarter on Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena Gallup's Camira Cooper-Randles attempts to get past Kirtland Central's Akeelah Joe in the second quarter on Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena Gallup center Rylie Whitehair and Kirtland Central center Krista Tsingine-Yazzie battle for possession in the second quarter Saturday at Kirtland's Bronco Arena Gallup girls basketball fans cheer on the Lady Bengals at halftime against Kirtland Central on Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena Gallup's Marie Nez is fouled from behind by Kirtland Central's Zoey Benally in the second quarter on Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena Kirtland Central girls basketball fans protest a call against their team in the third quarter against Gallup on Saturday in Kirtland's Bronco Arena Kirtland Central's cheer squad performs during a girls basketball game against Gallup in Kirtland's Bronco Arena James Yodice covers high school sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com This work, Kirtland Air Force Base unveils state-of-the-art training environment, by Britianie Teston, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright A historic site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been recognized with an award Representatives from the Church History Department attended the event at the historic Ariel LaSalle Theater in Cleveland to accept the award which recognizes outstanding achievements in historic preservation in Northeast Ohio The award recognizes the Joseph and Emma Smith Home for enriching and preserving Kirtland’s historic and cultural heritage, Benjamin Pykles director of the Church History Department’s Historic Sites Division “The Church invests significant resources to restore preserve and share its historic sites with the public,” he wrote “Great care and attention to historical accuracy are paid to ensure that visitors have an authentic experience at these sacred places where they can learn about the great things the Lord has done in restoring His gospel to the earth We are grateful that others appreciate and celebrate the Church’s efforts to preserve and share its history.” A video detailing the project was shown at the awards ceremony and later posted on YouTube The portion showing the Joseph and Emma Smith Home starts at the 10:30 mark the Cleveland Restoration Society and AIA Cleveland collaborate to recognize preservation projects at the Celebration of Preservation awards Cleveland Restoration Society’s director of preservation services and publications A jury of nine reviewed nominations based on the following criteria: Lann said the Smith home stood out among many nominations “It was a unique nomination in that the home is being used as part of a museum that tells events related to the history of the region and a religion,” Lann wrote in an email to the Church News “The jury was especially impressed with the amount of research that was done prior to the reconstruction something that is not easily done on a home that is almost 200 years old and has been through multiple reconfigurations They also appreciated the careful balance of preservation and reconstruction techniques that were paired with application of materials that will allow the building to perform as a museum and tourist destination for what we hope is the next 100 years.” Joseph and Emma Smith lived in the home — located just down the hill from the Kirtland Temple — from late 1833 until 1838 because of persecution and threats of violence The home is where Joseph and Emma lived together and raised their family longer than any other place prior to his death in 1844 the Smith home served as a center for Church administration instructed missionaries and oversaw and participated in the construction of the Kirtland Temple He and Emma also oversaw significant publications for the Church in their home Some of the revelations Joseph received in Kirtland came in the home, including a portion of the preparation of what is now Doctrine and Covenants 109 the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple The Church acquired the Smith property in 2012 and conducted extensive archeological and architectural research to determine which parts of the structure are original to the home and which parts were added later Construction to return the structure to its original appearance began in May 2022 Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the restored home in August 2023 The following March, the Church acquired the Kirtland Temple, along with other historic properties, documents and artifacts from Community of Christ. Tours of the temple began on March 25 Pykles said more than 33,000 visitors toured the Smith home in 2024 the first full year it was open to the public Tours focus on the Prophet Joseph; his wife Visitors learn about how the couple cared for family fellow Latter-day Saints and guests as well as Joseph’s efforts to lead the Church through revelation during a significant period in the history of the Church The tour also highlights Emma’s contributions to both her family and the Church “We hope the Smith home historic site will continue to bless and inspire all those who visit,” he said CANTON — The Kirtland and Coldwater high school football teams kicked off Day 3 of the 2024 OHSAA state championships this morning with the Division VI title game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium The Coldwater Cavaliers are Ohio's Division I state champions after routing Kirtland 31-7 Saturday before a crowd of 3,472 in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Kirtland football on the board, halting running clockKirtland quarterback Jake LaVerde scored on an 11-yard run with 7:22 left in the game to cut Coldwater's lead to 31-7 The only real impact was that it stopped the running clock Coldwater was back in scoring territory a short while later after sacking LaVerde on fourth down Coldwater’s defense made a fourth-down stop near midfield late in the third The Cavaliers offense drove to a short field goal by kicker Bryce Couchot The boot gave the Cavaliers a 31-0 lead on the final snap of the third quarter and sent the game into the fourth quarter with a running clock Kirtland’s long day got worse to start the second half A fumbled snap left a wild scramble for the ball at the end zone Senior nose man Noah Welsch of Coldwater dove on the ball for a touchdown The Cavaliers lead 28-0 with 6:26 left in the third quarter Coldwater QB finishes first half on spreeColdwater’s defense finished a strong half by forcing a punt and the offense got to work again fired a perfect deep pass to Cadin Obringer for a 40-yard gain He then found Mason Welsch open in the right corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown with 39 seconds left in the half Coldwater bottled up Kirtland’s vaunted running game forcing the Hornets into third-and-long passes that were well covered with rush support that had quarterback Jake LaVerde throwing on the run The Cavaliers took over at their own 25 after Kirtland’s second punt of the day Kirtland’s defense stiffened and forced a fourth-and-19 punt but a roughing penalty gave Coldwater an automatic first down The Cavaliers ran and passed to scoring territory QB Baylen Blockberger took a step back and threw a touchdown pass to Mason Welsch It's 14-0 with 6:18 left in the first half Coldwater football makes first big play, capitalizesThe Coldwater Cavaliers made the first big play of the game when quarterback Baylen Blockberger unloaded a 45-yard bomb down the right sideline to Cadin Obringer A reverse to Miles Pottkotter caught Kirtland off guard and went for a 24-yard touchdown Pottkotter came around the right side and was untouched to the end zone The Cavaliers lead 7-0 with 2:03 left in the first quarter The score stood as the first quarter ended Kirtland started on its own 39 after the opening kickoff and immediately got a 15-yard run from Jack Lessick Lessick fumbled at the end of another nice run but the Hornets recovered Kirtland at times operated out of a classic I-formation with 6-foot-1 260-pound Ted Prusock at fullback in front of tailback The Hornets faced fourth-and-5 from the Coldwater 22 when quarterback Jake LaVerde rolled right but threw incomplete Coldwater answered the stalled Kirtland drive by advancing to midfield before a fumbled snap set back the Cavaliers Kirtland took over at its own 29 after a punt The Coldwater Cavaliers wasted no time taking the field as the stadium music began and the first wave of fans showed up for today's Division VI state championship football game against Kirtland having been in 14 state championship games Kirtland players waited a while to step into the cold and none was on the field 57 minutes before kick The Hornets have matched Coldwater's seven championships and lost in the finals five other times There is no noticeable tailgating in this weather and it appears the crowd will be late arriving Kirtland routed Northmoor 41-7 in a state semifinal as all five Hornet playoff wins have been by 34 or more points The Hornets have scored 41 each of the last three weeks Coldwater defeated Bluffton 28-6 in a state semifinal after scoring 45 56 and 58 points the previous four playoff games which has never lost a state semifinal game having gone 7-5 in the previous 12 title games Kirtland rolled to a 32-15 victory over Versailles in last year's Division VI final for Kirtland's first title since 2020 Kirtland continues to rely on its running game and arrives in Canton with 5,198 rushing yards this season on 630 carries Jackson Turk (295) and Lucci Cantini (285) They've scored 31 or more points 11 times while holding nine opponents to one score or less in reaching their first state final since 2021 Head coach Chip Otten has guided the program to five state titles and Coldwater owns seven OHSAA state championships overall The Division VI state title game will be televised on Spectrum News 1 OHSAA state finals: Ohio high school football state championships predictions, breaking down OHSAA finals How to stream the Coldwater vs. Kirtland Ohio high school football state championship gameIn addition to airing on TV on Spectrum News 1, the game can be streamed using the Spectrum News App or via OHSAA.tv multiple security forces airmen from Kirtland Air Force Base allegedly pursued airmen off base leading to a reported gunfight on Gibson Blvd SE One man was shot and pronounced dead at the scene It is believed that the person killed may have been a member of the military The Albuquerque Police Department initially responded to investigate the incident but the FBI has since taken over the investigation Officials have not released further details on what led to the chase Both lanes of Gibson Blvd SE are closed between San Mateo and Jackson St Additional lanes of traffic are reportedly closed on base including portions of Loop Rd SE and Truman St SE which leads to the Truman Gate Visitor Center we observed two APD crime scene RV’s and APD’s crime scene specialists collecting evidence There was a dead body seen behind the parking lot of the Taco Bell We have also learned that one additional person was taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand This person reportedly sustained non-life-threatening injuries This area is still blocked off as authorities investigated We have uploaded an updated Google map traffic pattern for the area but we have not received a response as of this update Please Request Permission Before Disseminating on Other Social Media Platforms We also need your support in keeping local journalism alive Go to https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=ZRPKF56W3ATGS Dang even military personnel are going crazy Let’s see how long this will take to blame Timmy O’Toole and mumbles Medina They have ruined our city but this one ain’t on them What their commandant doing to cover it up […] FBI Takes Over Investigation After Deadly Shooting Near Kirtland Air Force Base […] You must be logged in to post a comment Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive The award-winning “Christmas in Kirtland” Nativity display will celebrate its 20th anniversary by expanding to two locations in Kirtland the popular exhibit has been housed at the Historic Kirtland Visitors’ Center Growing crowds and new heirloom Nativity donations have prompted the addition of a second venue at the Kirtland Temple Visitors’ Center “Christmas in Kirtland” has received numerous awards over the years including an honor from the national Friends of the Creche society This organization is dedicated to preserving the artistry of Nativity scenes The display consists of numerous variations on the traditional scene with Mary Some creches feature not-so-traditional lions representing more than 70 countries — including South Africa China and India— have all been handcrafted from traditional fabrics clay and even a disk brake drum and shovel head interfaith communities throughout Ohio will share their Christmas traditions with visitors at live musical performances every Sunday evening throughout December Their hours of operation are Monday through Saturday to 7 p.m.; and Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve The exhibits will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Valencia’s Jadyn Montoya (2) and Kirtland Central’s Allyson Tsosie (15) battle for the ball during the girls 4A state basketball semifinals Thursday in the Pit Kirtland Central won 51-38 and advanced to the finals Kirtland Central's Akeelah Joe (22) and Saige Sorrelhorse (12) react as Kirtland takes the lead during the girls 4A state basketball semifinals against Valencia on Thursday in the Pit Kirtland Central's Allyson Tsosie (15) shoots past Valencia's Jaida Montgomery during the girls 4A state basketball semifinals Thursday in the Pit Kirtland Central and Gallup are district rivals whose only losses in their classification have come against each other They've traded winning the title the last four seasons It’s the matchup that seemed destined to occur since the season began as Class 4A’s top-seed and second-seeded Gallup both survived significant scares in Thursday’s semifinals and will meet in Friday’s championship at 7 p.m whose only losses in their classification have come against each other have traded winning the title the last four seasons with the Broncos the current defending champion KIRTLAND – The Gallup High girls basketball team needing to reverse its fortunes against defending Class 4A state champion Kirtland Central outlasted the Broncos 73-69 in overtime Saturday night in an emotion-filled District 1-4A tournament championship game which had lost its only two games of the season to Kirtland Central and came into the game ranked just behind the Broncos in Class 4A snapping Gallup’s five-game losing streak to the Broncos in one of New Mexico’s biggest rivalries in girls basketball 1 in Class 4A and in pursuit of their 14th straight win had four players in double figures including a team-high 19 points from junior Krista Tsingine-Yazzie The Broncos’ defensive lapses and inability to convert on free throws in the second half led to their first loss in 48 days We played like garbage in so many ways tonight,” said Kirtland Central head coach Devon Manning “These girls didn’t come into this game ready to play They thought they were going to walk in here and I don’t think they played with a lot of respect.” The Broncos had a 19-17 lead after a frenetic first quarter that saw Gallup’s offensive rhythm click a bit faster than in their two previous encounters Sophomore Kayden Tsosie scored seven points including a contested shot under the boards late in the quarter also knocked down a 3-pointer to keep the Broncos defense on its heels Zoey Benally had a strong shooting hand early for Kirtland Central scoring 13 of her 17 points in the first half The Broncos struggled with outside shots and rebounds to extend possessions and committed five turnovers in the second period Gallup went into the locker room with a 35-33 lead at the half but quickly turned away the Broncos in the third quarter thanks to Whitehair who opened the Bengals scoring with a trey in the opening minute of the half That was followed by back-to-back three-point scoring plays by junior Camira Cooper-Randles who connected from outside the arc before getting fouled by Haylee Nocki while driving the lane scoring and connecting from the free throw line to extend their lead “They changed up their press break a little bit,” Manning said They punched us in the mouth a little bit.” The Broncos were outscored 20-9 in the third quarter which included an 8-0 run in the final four minutes of the frame and the Bengals entered the fourth quarter with a 55-42 advantage Kirtland Central rallied to within one point of the lead midway through the fourth quarter thanks to Nocki who scored 11 of her 13 points in the final eight minutes of regulation who found themselves without Tsingine-Yazzie Nursing a 64-59 lead in the final 90 seconds of regulation Gallup failed to capitalize on back-to-back possessions while Nocki drove to the basket to cut the lead to three points The Broncos had a chance to narrow the margin more inside the final minute with Benally at the free throw line freshman Allyson Tsosie found her way to the rim scoring on a layup with 2.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter and tying the game at 64 heading to overtime Tsosie finished the night with 11 points for Kirtland Central free throws continued to plague the Broncos Whitehair scored seven of the Bengals’ nine points in OT to secure the win The win in the district tournament championship game will likely not alter the seedings of the Class 4A tournament when brackets are announced by the New Mexico Activities Association Sunday night The Broncos and Bengals are most likely to be considered the first and second seeds which could mean a bracket faceoff in the title game Gallup and Kirtland Central have combined to win the Class 4A state title in each of the last four seasons “Good shooting teams don’t miss the amount of free throws like we did tonight,” Manning said we’re going to go home early and if we play like this against Gallup if we meet them again they’ll beat us by more than four points.” junior Summer Joe scored 12 points for Gallup while Tsosie finished with 11 Gallup head coach Todd McBroom was unavailable for comment after the win In front of 4,000 fans — most of whom were from Monroe Central — Kirtland fell to the Seminoles 58-54 Friday in the OHSAA Division VI semifinal game at Otterbein University.Noah Weiskopf .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Noah Weiskopf | special to cleveland.comWESTERVILLE Ohio — Kirtland’s extraordinary playoff run has ended just one step short of the state title game In front of 4,000 fans — most of whom were from Monroe Central — the Hornets fell to the Seminoles Saturday in the OHSAA Division VI semifinal game at Otterbein University It was the first time in 34 years that Kirtland (19-9) reached final four Hornets coach Shawn McGregor summed up their historic run in one word: magical “Being on this ride and getting to this level Little kids that are watching this game are going to remember.” Kirtland junior Lucas Renfro was just thankful to see his team fight back after going down early “People didn’t even think we were gonna be here and this just shows what kind of players we are “We just kept fighting … we’re always underdogs Under a deafening Seminole-supporting crowd Monroe jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead as Kirtland missed its first six shots “You could tell some of the shots weren’t falling they kept themselves in the game by capitalizing on numerous Seminole turnovers But at the end of the first the Seminoles held a 10-point lead “You get that big pop and the kids had to respond to it,” McGregor said it took us the first quarter to get used to the speed of the game and really the magnitude of what was going on Kirtland settled down and scored eight straight points to cut its deficit to 17-13 The Hornets scored 12 of the game’s next 16 points and kept Monroe’s lead to only four Needing strong final minutes before the half the Seminoles continued dominating Kirtland down low scoring the quarter’s final eight points as Monroe took a 29-21 into the break the Seminoles owned the paint on the offensive end as all of their points came down low “We were just getting hung up on the backside,” McGregor said “We talked all week about how we had to be aggressive with our help and being on the midline Because you’re so worried about somebody scoring on you on the backside you’re not being where you’re supposed to be in your position on the defensive end.” six straight Kirtland points cut Monroe’s lead back down to four neither team was able to connect on a 3-point attempt Renfro buried the game’s first 3-pointer to pull the Hornets within one which gave Kirtland its first lead of the night After a Hornets layup in the closing seconds of the third the game was knotted at 38 heading into the final eight minutes Kirtland stayed within two possessions of Monroe for most of the final quarter Hornets senior Will Burt converted an and-1 down low and made it a one-possession game each team coughed the ball up on back-to-back possessions Monroe got to the paint and put through a layup with 30 seconds to go and extended its lead to an insurmountable five we just didn’t execute at the end,” McGregor said We got guys coming off screens and though we had some good looks McGregor knew his team didn’t play to the best of their ability he spent time in the locker room thanking his team we didn’t really play our greatest basketball but we left all of our heart out there,” McGregor said Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. 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