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
– Kailiah Peters is a senior at Shiprock High School
and she starts her day off just like anyone else would.
and we haven’t broken the cycle,” said Peters
Following in her five older siblings’ footsteps
Kailiah has not missed a single day of school since her first day in elementary school
Now she’ll be walking across that stage as valedictorian
“I’ve been working my whole high school career for it
I always had a lot of pressure on me because I wanted to be as good as them
it’s always like a competitive thing with us,” said Peters.
which was first priority for Kailiah’s mom.
“She’s had my support and my belief of how important education is and how important school is
But then she’s also had some very incredible counselors and teachers at the high school,” said Kelly Miller
Which wasn’t always easy to do.
“We had arrangements with the school
so someone would be there at 7 so that she could get into the building so we could go to work,” said Miller
“My struggles were finding a ride because both my parents worked
It was kind of hard we had to ask neighbors for rides sometimes
but we always got there,” said Peters
“I feel like our expectations about our culture
Like getting out and getting your education is so important
and coming back to the community is also so important
especially when you see people struggling every day,” said Kailiah
Kailiah plans to help those people who struggle every day
by getting a degree in public health.
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
A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for their alleged roles in a large-scale marijuana cultivation and distribution operation on Navajo Nation lands
with multiple offenses related to the illegal marijuana operation
The charges include conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana
manufacture of 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants
possession with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants
and two counts of knowingly discharging pollutants into waters of the United States without a permit
The defendants are also accused of violating the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into the San Juan River
filling in a channel along the San Juan River dam
and installing a sandbag dam along the San Juan River
These actions potentially caused significant environmental damage to the area
law enforcement seized approximately 60,000 pounds of marijuana and approximately 260,000 marijuana plants from the twenty-five marijuana farms allegedly operated and controlled by the defendants
during a raid on two additional marijuana farms operated by Dineh Benally in Estancia
law enforcement identified 10 Chinese workers and seized approximately 8,500 pounds of marijuana
The sandbag dam was installed so that water would pool at a separate location to be used to irrigate the marijuana crops
Benally's illegal marijuana growing operation that spans two farms in Estancia
“The Department of Justice will protect the sanctity of the ancestral lands and waters of our Tribal partners from those who would exploit them for profit,” said U.S
"The FBI remains committed to continue to dismantle criminal organizations operating in New Mexico." said Raul Bujanda
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division
"Effective law enforcement requires strong partnerships at every level
This operation is a testament to the power of collaboration between state
and federal agencies to ensure justice is served and our communities are protected
the defendants each face no less than 10 years and up to life in prison
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office
Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Area Office of the EPA Criminal Investigation Division
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and U.S
Environmental Protection Agency investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
the following law enforcement agencies participated in the law enforcement operation: Torrance County Sheriff’s Office
Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case
San Juan County Sheriff's Office
Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety
New Mexico State Police
Torrance County Sheriff's Office
NM 87402 - 505-566-3517 - KSJE@sanjuancollege.edu
Shiprock Capital Management promoted Frederick Schroder to the role of CEO this week following his work as director at the firm since 2023
Schroder joined the London firm after serving as managing director at Gemcorp Capital Management
Prior to that he was a partner at ProMeritum Investment Management
Shiprock attribute the promotion to his strategic […]
Join industry leaders who rely on Alternatives Watch’s comprehensive coverage of alternative investments across asset classes
© 2019-2024 BMV Digital Inc
Customize your consent preferences for Cookie Categories and advertising tracking preferences for Purposes & Features and Vendors below
You can give granular consent for each Third Party Vendor and Google Ad Tech Provider
Most vendors require explicit consent for personal data processing
you have the right to object to their use of legitimate interest
Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site
such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences
These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data
Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website
These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns
Other cookies are those that are being identified and have not been classified into any category as yet
network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g
supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website
for one or several of the purposes presented here
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data
your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example
to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you)
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit
content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example
information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users
This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects)
Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles
which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit
Information about your activity on this service (for instance
non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users
This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects)
Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests
such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you
so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles
which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance
This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you
so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached
whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website
This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g
reached its intended audience and matched your interests
listen to a podcast or look at a product description
how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc
This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles
analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance
to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents)
Information about your activity on this service
such as your interaction with ads or content
can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions
This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data
or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example
to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you)
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example
and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely
It can also be used to correct any problems you
the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising
and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters)
This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service
in support of the purposes explained in this notice
In support of the purposes explained in this notice
your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer
or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices)
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance
the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice
your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice
certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins
the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice
We use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website
and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you
you can opt out of these cookies by checking "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" and clicking the "Save My Preferences" button
you can opt in again at any time by unchecking "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" and clicking the "Save My Preferences" button
© 2019-2024 BMV Digital Inc
Join industry leaders who rely on Alternatives Watch's comprehensive coverage of alternative investments across asset classes
A Shiprock man faces two felonies and four misdemeanors after reportedly brandishing a gun and making threats at Kentucky Fried Chicken
a misdemeanor and three misdemeanor counts of resisting
The charges are in connection to an April 9 incident at the Kentucky Fried Chicken
San Juan County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene after it was reported that Chavez allegedly “had a gun and was threatening to shoot employees” because of “undercooked chicken,” according to the statement of probable cause
Chavez allegedly told a restaurant employee
“I’m going to kill you and shoot up the place,” court records state
Chavez reportedly was pushed out of the KFC and then
allegedly stood in the parking lot and pointed a gun at the employee
according to the statement of probable cause
he reportedly refused commands from law enforcement to stop
they allegedly found a “black .177 mm pellet handgun” in his waistband
Once detained in the law enforcement cruiser
Chavez reportedly complained of chest pains and was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center for evaluation
he allegedly again refused to follow commands from the deputies
Chavez was booked into the San Juan County Detention Center
Court records show Chavez has a criminal record dating to 2015
Chavez is described as a “fugitive from justice,” in the court records for violating his probation on a criminal damage to property conviction from 2023
when he threw rocks and damaged cars driving on Broadway in Farmington
His preliminary hearing on the new charges is set for 8:30 a.m
Sign up for our daily email newsletter or to receive breaking news delivered to your inbox:
– It’s important to be able to get help when you need it
That’s why the Navajo Nation is investing millions of dollars into a new facility for first responders.
This project has been eight years in the making
Shiprock Chapter officials are excited for it to open this fall
“First and foremost it’s about safety and protection for our community members
and anyone who comes within our service area,” said Debra Yazzie
It’s no secret that it can be hard to get help when you live miles away from anything
Yazzie says it’s something they’ve been working on improving for years
which is why they are building a new first responder substation
“It is being built for our much-needed fire department
Let’s just say the current buildings aren’t quite up to par
too small or inadequate to store their equipment,” Yazzie said
we don’t have those facilities and this will provide that.”
The new $19 million facility will be a workplace for all first responders in Shiprock with room for all of their equipment
Not only will this be a key facility in Shiprock
but it will also boost their E911 communication system
“Currently we are working on our rural addressing for the Shiprock Chapter
and all our roads will be listed on Google Maps and any other mapping program
Then we’re able to be tied into the New Mexico E911 system so anyone that’s here in the state of New Mexico can call the E911
and we’ll be part of that dispatch communication system,” said Yazzie.
Yazzie says she’s excited to see the facility in full operation
“Being able to provide what’s needed for our community
being able to access for our business and that really also helps with bringing down a lot of the insurance costs for commercial businesses
because we do have a fire department that can respond within a minute’s time,” said Yazzie.
Shiprock will soon see the long-awaited hotel that tribal government says will bring economic growth to the Navajo Nation’s largest town
A groundbreaking took place Thursday near the Wells Fargo Bank off U.S
Highway 491 where the 85-room hotel will stand
Notable tribal figures attended including Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren
Navajo Nation Council Delegates Eugenia Charles-Newton
Brenda Jesus and Hospitality Board Member Otto Tso
“This long-overdue project marks a significant milestone that will keep dollars within the Navajo Nation and attract tourists and businesses to our beautiful lands,” Nygren said
He credited former Presidents Russell Begaye and Jonathan Nez and the 23rd Navajo Nation Council for laying the groundwork
Funding of the project comes from a combination of $2.3 million from the Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development sales tax
$11.4 million from the Sihasin Fund and $8.3 million from the Permanent Trust Fund
“This is one of the products of the Permanent Trust Fund plan,” he said
It’s a project long overdue for the community of Shiprock
Shiprock had more than one hotel in the community
according to Shiprock Chapter House president
According to a Navajo Nation press release
an arsonist burned a Shiprock hotel down in 1979
In response to the crime in Shiprock involving arson
ensured there would be security measures taken by company NV5
Navajo Nation Council delegate Eugenia Charles-Newton of Shiprock said getting to this point with the project was slow
“It is a process we are trying to fix with the Navajo Nation,” she said
The Shiprock Chapter attempted to launch the project in 2018
and she kept its momentum going as a delegate on the 25th Navajo Nation Council
said the hotel create 77 jobs and will be an economic anchor
“We expect a mix to be about 60 to 70% business people and the tourists to be 30 to 40% of the mix that come here,” he said
director of the Navajo Nation Department of Economic Development
said there is a growing demand for lodging throughout the Four Corners
“There are approximately 800 rooms across the entire Navajo Nation,” Skrelunas said
The Shiprock Pinnacle Hotel will help bring tourists closer to the sights they come to see
Daily rates have not been determined said Christine Runkee
so we anticipate rates should be reasonable
I anticipate that community members would be happy and able to stay at the hotel,” she said
Design and construction of the project will be done by the Navajo-owned architectural firm Dyron Murphy Architects and general contractor Benally-Woodruff Construction
Sapp said there will be Navajo designs incorporated by the Dyron Murphy team such as local rug designs and pottery
“It's Navajo people making some good Navajo decisions,” she said
Kinlacheeny said there needs to be continued to work for the community’s growth from all branches of the Navajo government
The Shiprock formation in New Mexico by edb3_16/Envato Elements
Shiprock Capital Management hired Max Matveev as a new portfolio manager
Shiprock continues to build out its team following its 2023 launch with a focus on global distressed and special situations. Last month the firm added Yacine Bourezak as a new senior analyst
Matveev has over two decades of investment experience
he was co-lead portfolio manager at APG Asset Management (Netherlands) on their multi-billion AUM high yield and special situation credit funds
He joined APG in 2018 from GML Capital where he worked alongside Simon Milledge
co-founder and senior portfolio manager at Shiprock
“Max is a key senior hire for us as we continue to build our investment team,” said Andrey Pavlichenkov
co-founder and chief investment officer at Shiprock
“He has enormous experience in special situations which is perfect for our strategy and has worked at leading institutions globally.” Pavlichenkov described the hire as demonstrating that the firm was serious about bringing in top talent
Matveev added that the firm has gotten off to a "highly impressive"’ start since launching in early 2023
– A student in the Four Corners is doing something many of us wish we could do: picking the right stocks.
KOB 4 spoke with the Shiprock high schooler about winning his investment game and becoming the best in the Southwest.
The stock market game is an online simulation that teaches students about the stock market world and how to navigate it
Students are given a virtual $100,000 portfolio to manage and whoever makes the best investment
The winner of the Southwest region is Shiprock senior Tallahatchie King
Hatchie finished with more than $143,000 in his portfolio and a little over $30,000 left to spend
he thought the game was just a class assignment.
“I didn’t think it was an actual competition
I thought it was just within the classroom,” said Hatchie.
after seeing how good his investments were
Hachi said he started independent research outside of the classroom
he’s happy all his hard work is reflected in his final score.
I didn’t know that many teams were playing against me,” said Hatchie
Hatchie said the stock market game didn’t just give him a new hobby but a new way of cashing in
For the last month I’ve been trying to think of how ICT could approach Indigenous Peoples’ Day differently
“It’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day every day for us.” So for the first time
Lists and stories named land acknowledgements, supporting Native-owned businesses, reading about the history of Native peoples, and watching TV shows or movies by Native people. (Personally I’d say to support Indigenous-led media because there’s so many out there. The Indigenous Journalists Association has a list.)
It all seemed pretty redundant because we exist in these spaces all day
'What do Indigenous nations do outside of this one day during this time of the year?' Then I asked myself
what does this time of the year mean to me as a Diné asdzáán
October meant Northern Navajo Nation Fair time
Since I grew up on the northeast side of the Navajo Nation
this was the closest fair to me on the rez
about an hour away from the Four Corners Monument
Let’s start with the more significant part of this
it also means it’s Diné New Year
“Yá’átééh Gháájí’” on Oct
“While many believe our Diné New Year begins on October 1, our elders remind us it starts after the new moon in October or when there’s new snow on top of the mountains,” Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren wrote on Facebook
“This time marks the end of our growing season
a time for harvesting and storing food for winter
This is also when our summer ceremonies end for the season
and we transition to our winter ceremonies.” The new moon is Oct
On the fairgrounds, the community has the Yei Bi Cheii ceremony
Several years ago I told my younger sister let’s stay out all night with the aunties
We barely made it past midnight before we headed home
On the first or second day of this year’s ceremony
my sister texted me saying a community member threw on earrings because they didn’t have any cash to offer the Yei Bi Cheiis
Fair time is unbelievable on the Navajo Nation
and a highlight for myself and my family every year
It’s not your regular county or state fair
ready to fight traffic and claim their fair parade spots
If you drive in Shiprock the day before the parade
yellow tape will already be put up by those who don’t want their spots taken
I’m not a morning person but I will wake up early for the Shiprock fair so I can buy food from a burrito lady
We have to support the elders because this is their only income so the more burritos or food you buy
We usually sit with my mom’s side of the family during the fair
before the only bridge in Shiprock that we sit at
Sometimes my dad’s side of the family joins us or is 50 feet away
My cousins and we would all dress in our traditional clothes with our tsiyeeł
made waiting for the candy or whatever treats will be thrown our way
Of course this year I’m expecting more politicians to be part of the parade
which honestly isn’t outside the norm
I may start a fight on the internet but I will forever say the Shiprock fair parade is the best parade of all the Navajo Nation fairs
Our parade line is usually a few miles long and takes three to four hours
I was actually in the parade with Diné Youth Council at the high school I taught so we had to walk three-ish miles
Jourdan and Taylor Bennett-Begaye in the Northern Navajo Nation Fair Parade with Navajo high school students
passing out candy to spectators in Shiprock
we would wander to a food stand in the flea market
kneel down bread and pies serve as filling snacks later in the day
The other best part about this is you see family
friends or just people you know and visit with them
Oddly enough the Navajo Nation isn’t the only Indigenous nation that celebrates a new year at this time
A Choctaw colleague informed me that this is also the end of the Choctaw calendar
which ushers in the New Year during the winter
the New Year came in the early part of fall for the Choctaw calendar,” read the Choctaw Nation’s Instagram post
“This was because fall is the time of year when oral traditions indicate that the Choctaw people were first created.”
It allows us to learn more about other Indigenous peoples and nations
takes place during Indigenous Peoples Day weekend
12 when Mark Ruffalo will be in attendance
Since I started at ICT a little over six years ago
my definition of Indigenous peoples has expanded exponentially
I’ve learned to look outside the borders of the United States and Canada thanks to my mentor and our founding editor Mark Trahant
Mark first introduced me to the Arctic Circle Assemblies during my first year on the job when he was part of the program. He talked about how the media doesn’t cover the Arctic Indigenous peoples
The event is a large gathering by government officials
and others from 60 countries who have an interest or stake in the Arctic
The assembly perhaps is a modern take but an important one to part of given the condition of our climate and with Indigenous peoples at the frontlines
A new favorite community event I hope to be part of every year now is the Alaska Federation of Natives convention and the First Alaska Institute’s Elders and Youth conference in Alaska
My sister and I had the opportunity to attend the conventions last year in Anchorage
I remember pitching her the idea and asked if she wanted to come with me
“It’s like the Gathering of Nations in New Mexico but all Alaska Natives from every corner of the state.”
General session at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Anchorage
Elders coming out of a breakout session at the First Alaskans Institute's Elders and Youth Conference in Anchorage
Just before AFN is the elders and youth conference hosted by the First Alaskans Institute
It’s full of cultural activities like how to skin a fish and more how-to workshops
They really want to have the young people learn from their elders
I remember my sister and I were on one of the floors of the building checking out the vendors and a breakout session had ended
We saw the doors fling open and all these elders walked out
Both conferences happen in a one week time frame and you will learn so much
Quyana performances during the 2023 Alaska Federation of Natives in Anchorage
ICT)(L to R) Taylor and Jourdan Bennett-Begaye at Chugach National Park outside of Anchorage
it has a big focus on cultural and art activities and the community
My sister and I have never been to anything like it
We were both surprised with how much art there is
And art you can’t find in the lower 48
Everyone was so excited to teach us when we had questions or to introduce us to new foods
We tried seal jerky and the good salmon everyone raves about
My sister and I ended up knowing more people there than we thought
We learned about the “AFN shuffle,” which is when you see someone and say hi
you take a couple steps and see someone else
I had three favorite memories of the entire experience
Every night of the convention are cultural performances that
Elders and toddlers and everyone in between are on the stage dancing away
Now anytime I see those dances online or in-person in Washington
The mountains and by the water were breath-taking
You can see the Aleutian Islands on a clear day
Alaska and the Alaska Native communities will leave you in awe — and tears
there are more ways that Indigenous peoples celebrate being Indigenous during the fall outside Indigenous Peoples Day. Yaadilah! We are older and so much more than this holiday.
Will you support our work?All of our content is free
And we have hired more Native journalists in the past year than any news organization ─ and with your help we will continue to grow and create career paths for our people
Support Indian Country Today for as little as $10
to more than six years in federal prison on child sex crime charges
admitted to sexually abusing two girls under the age of 12 in separate incidents that began in February 2014 and ended in September 2020
The crimes were committed on the Navajo Reservation
Bitsilly entered a plea agreement admitting to the crimes
Bitsilly will be subject to 15 years of supervised release
Special to the Times | Donovan QuinteroShiprock Chapter officials
speak with New Mexico Indian Affairs Department Cabinet Secretary Josett Monette on Nov
Tribal officials stressed the urgent need for a permanent police department and a modern incident command center during a meeting at the Shiprock Police District’s headquarters
attended by Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren
Shiprock Chapter President Nevina Kinlahcheeny
New Mexico Indian Affairs Department Cabinet Secretary Josett Monette
focused on improving law enforcement and public safety infrastructure in the community
Special to the Times | Donovan QuinteroNew Mexico Indian Affairs Department Cabinet Secretary Josett Monette speaks to Shiprock Chapter officials about the Navajo Nation Police and its Shiprock Police District operating out of an old post office in Shiprock on Nov
I used to come here as a kid to check our mailbox
it serves as our police department,” Kinlahcheeny said
Monette asked detailed questions about the community’s needs
A central topic of discussion was the Shiprock First Incident Command Center
a proposed 25,500-square-foot facility to house police officers
Shiprock’s police officers work out of the old post office
EMTs operate from a conference room at Northern Medical Center
and firefighters are based in an aging fire station
The SFICC project is estimated to cost $15.9 million
While New Mexico has committed $12.1 million and the Navajo Nation Division of Community Development has allocated $1 million in matching funds
An additional $1 million is needed for furniture
“We cannot continue operating effectively under these conditions,” Kinlahcheeny said
emphasizing the strain on emergency responders and the impact of inflation on project costs
Kinlahcheeny added the urgency of the need for additional funding to keep the projects going
but I can’t spend $200,000 because I need $900,000 to finish the project
I have one potato,” the chapter president said
Special to the Times | Donovan QuinteroShiprock Police District Lt
speaks about costs relating to the construction of a new police department in Shiprock on Nov
The new facility will address long-standing gaps in emergency response infrastructure while also integrating mental health services to better serve the community’s needs
Damon asked tribal officials how they planned to close the funding shortfall
it’s $3.7 million,” Kinlahcheeny told Damon
She added that before the COVID-19 pandemic
New Mexico initially had covered construction costs in its entirety
but inflation increases inflated prices and created a shortfall
The challenges in Shiprock are part of a larger problem across Navajo Nation communities
Department of Justice audit revealed mismanagement of over $35 million in grants intended for correctional facilities
Funds that were supposed to support projects in Tuba City and Kayenta were misallocated
leaving essential needs in other areas unaddressed
The audit found that facilities in Tuba City and Kayenta were overbuilt
Tuba City’s facility was designed for 132 beds when the master plan only called for 48
communities like Shiprock and Window Rock lack adequate public safety infrastructure
relies on a former elementary school in Fort Defiance to serve as its police department
further illustrating the disparity in resource allocation
Kinlahcheeny highlighted Shiprock’s 27 schools and 350 roads as evidence of the community’s pressing need for enhanced emergency response capabilities
Tribal leaders closed the meeting by urging Monette officials to prioritize funding for the SFICC and other public safety projects
More weather »
Tuba City: US 160 at SR-264
Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress
high school and professional sports teams have faced pressure to remove Native American mascots due to their racist and offensive nature
have long been criticized by Indigenous groups and their allies for perpetuating harmful misconceptions about Native cultures
an all-Indigenous high school basketball team on the Navajo Nation is reclaiming Native imagery on their jerseys
Rez Ball follows the Chuska Warriors as they deal with issues that disproportionately affect Indigenous communities
The team is made up of all-Indigenous high school students
and its jerseys and practice uniforms feature traditional Indigenous warrior themes
The team’s sports apparel is displayed prominently throughout the film
Rez Ball is produced by the SpringHill Company
which is Lebron James’ film production venture
despite the basketball legend's lifetime deal with Nike
the film’s wardrobe didn’t feature Nike-exclusive clothing
the players wore uniforms designed by Shiprock
a one-person business that designs Indigenous-themed sports apparel for youth teams all over Indian Country
He often designs teams jerseys based on their tribal imagery
He designed the Chuska Warriors’ home and away uniforms
“I'm just this little Rez kid with a shop that I ran out of by my house from Shiprock,” said Denetso
Denetso said the stakes were high as the film crew needed his designs to be ready for filming various scenes
“If we ever miss a deadline on something that hurts everything because it stops a whole day or two of production
Denetso got to watch his jerseys in action on the set
he got emotional watching the filming in and around the community
“I was able to be on set when they shot at Shiprock High
My ‘coming to reality’ moment was when they were unloading stuff to go on set
and they had a cart (that) said Black Streak Apparel,” said Denetso
Denetso played basketball throughout his youth
attending state and national championships
He said he identified with the Warriors team members dealing with their alcoholic family members
I come from having an alcoholic mom and alcoholic stepfather
Ninety-nine percent of my games all through high school
my mom and stepdad showed up intoxicated or hungover,” said Denetso
Denetso is proud of his hard work and shares a message for those struggling with trauma
“It's just all about how you use the generational trauma that we deal with
or you can use it as motivation to do better and to change the cycle,” said Denetso
He hopes to inspire young people to show pride in their culture
He also hopes to reach more customers for his garments now that his work is reaching a large audience
Voices From the Edge of the Colorado Plateau is a reporting collaboration between KSUT Public Radio and KSJD Community Radio
It seeks to cover underrepresented communities in the Four Corners
The projects cover Native, Indigenous, Latino/Latina, and other communities across southwest Colorado. Explore more Voices stories on the series page
Special to the Times | Lee BegayeShiprock senior guard Deon Harvey (10) catches the ball during a District 1-4A playoff game against the Miyamura Patriots on Monday night
The Chieftains advanced into the second round with 52-43 win
pulled off a stunning 52-43 upset over third-seeded Miyamura in the opening round of the district tournament on Monday night
which finished 1-9 in district play with its lone win also coming against Miyamura
held off a late third-quarter surge by the Patriots to secure the victory
Shiprock built a commanding 17-point lead late in the third quarter
led by sophomore guard Jordan Cadman and senior forward Brody Tah
Both players scored four points each as the Patriots clawed back within one
Special to the Times | Truman BegayeMiyamura senior forward Brody Tah (25) pulls up for a jump shot during a District 1-4A tournament game on Monday night against the Shiprock Chieftains in Gallup
Shiprock regained control in the fourth quarter to close out the win
Sophomore forward Ashton Keith led all scorers with 16 points for the Chieftains
and junior forward Ayden Nevayaktewa contributed 10 in the losing effort
Miyamura opened the game with a 9-8 lead after holding Shiprock scoreless for the first five minutes of play
Sophomore forward Joaquin Nez finally broke the drought with a jumper at the 2:29 mark
The two teams traded baskets in the final minutes
with Shiprock outscoring Miyamura 8-4 down the stretch
while senior forward Antwon Lahi added three
with Harvey and junior guard Teryn Mescal each chipping in two
Shiprock opened the second quarter with a quick 3-pointer from Keith
including two treys and a perfect 3-for-3 from the free-throw line
The Chieftains went on an 8-0 run to grab a 16-9 lead before Miyamura called a timeout with 5:25 remaining
Miyamura remained scoreless for nearly five minutes as Shiprock extended its run with five more points
Junior forward Jaxon Jones finally ended the Patriots’ drought with a layup at the 3:30 mark
Miyamura responded with a 6-2 run to end the half
Cadman led the Patriots with four points in the quarter
scoring the first seven points to extend its lead to 30-17 before Miyamura called a timeout with 5:46 remaining
Lahi finally broke Miyamura’s dry spell with a jump shot
but the Chieftains continued their dominance
adding six more points to stretch the advantage to 36-19
Miyamura responded by ramping up defensive pressure
forcing Shiprock into turnovers that led to fast-break points
The Patriots exploded on a 16-0 run to close the quarter
Six different Miyamura players contributed to the rally
while Keith led Shiprock with five points in the frame
Shiprock regained control in the fourth quarter
The Chieftains extended their lead to 40-35 in the first two minutes
pulling within two at 42-40 with three minutes left after a three-pointer from Nevayaktewa and a layup from Ashley
Shiprock called two timeouts in the final two minutes as Miyamura’s full-court press continued to create pressure
the Patriots failed to capitalize on Shiprock’s mistakes
making just 1-of-9 attempts beyond the 3-point arc down the stretch
Tah led Miyamura with six points in the final quarter
while Shiprock’s Elishah Tsosie and Nez each scored four
with four other players adding two points apiece
Shiprock head coach Larenson Henderson reflected on the third-quarter collapse: “Looking back
I see it was a mistake to slow the game down in the third quarter
We should have kept attacking instead of playing conservatively
but they stepped up defensively when it mattered.”
he added: “I called those timeouts to break their momentum and remind our players to stay calm
I told them to keep the floor spread and not let the pressure get to them.”
the coach remained hopeful: “We have to bring this same intensity to the next game
we can win this district tournament.”
Shiprock (4-23) advances to face top-seeded Gallup (15-12) on Wednesday night at Gallup High School
Miyamura finished its season with an overall record of 6-21
SHIPROCK – The Kirtland Central High School boys basketball team found a way to win another close game Tuesday night
rallying from a four-point halftime deficit for a 51-48 road win over Shiprock at the Cheftain Pit
The win gives the Broncos a sweep of the District 1-4A series over Shiprock after a 50-45 win at home last month
Kirtland Central has now won four straight
tied with Gallup for second place in the standings and just one game back of district leading Bloomfield
The Broncos were led by a pair of double-digit scorers
Senior Shawn Mullahon scored 12 of his game-high 19 points in the second half while senior Bryle Matthews scored 13 points
Kirtland Central also got key contributions from sophomore Isaiah Dan
who got the Broncos on even terms with the Chieftains midway through the third quarter when he nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the circle after trailing by as much as seven points in the second quarter
Senior Kyluar Howard helped the Broncos stay in front during a contested fourth quarter with a pair of baskets during an 8-2 run that put Kirtland Central up by as much as eight points with 2:04 left on the clock
“Different people in almost every game that are making an impact for us,” said Kirtland Central head coach Isaiah Valdez
“(Dan) makes the big shot and gets us going again and then we maintain that lead
There’s a difference though between maintaining a lead and going out and winning a game and that’s something we have to get better at.”
which was led by an impressive 18-point performance off the bench by sophomore Elishah Tsosie
narrowed that deficit in the final moments of the game when Tsosie found the basket on a pair of tough inside shots
The Chieftains trailed 50-48 with under a minute to go but were forced to stop the clock by fouling Kirtland Central players sending them to the free throw line
The Broncos converted on 12 of 20 shots from the charity stripe in the contest
but were only successful on one of four attempts in the closing minute
It’s a rivalry game and so we have to get better at the free throw line
but it’s a hard-fought grind for a win but we have to get better there or we’re not going to win many of those games like that,” Valdez said
Senior Deon Harvey also reached double figures for the Chieftains
Shiprock falls to 3-20 overall and 1-6 in District
with five of those district losses by single digit margins
Shiprock will be home Thursday night to tangle with Aztec
Kirtland Central (10-13 overall) will look to avenge one of its two district losses when they visit Miyamura Thursday night
The Patriots clobbered the Broncos 67-36 last month
Four of Kirtland Central’s five district wins during this stretch have been by five points or less
The Broncos finished last week with a 2-point win at home over Gallup avenging a 68-58 loss on the road to the Bengals last month
The Broncos are hoping a continued late surge will propel them towards a district championship and a potential spot in the Class 4A state tournament
The team came into the week ranked 21st by Maxpreps with Bloomfield (17th) and Gallup (18th) just ahead of them
“We all probably have something close to the same record and so we can’t worry about those things,” Valdez said
Go 1-0 every night and fight and survive and advance every night
N.M.Bashas’ Diné Market replaces longtime City Market in Shiprock
N.M.Retailer continues to serve Navajo Nation with newest store
This month, Bashas’ Family of Stores opened its newest Diné Market on the site of a former Kroger-owned City Market on the Navajo Nation in Shiprock
The store is Bashas’ ninth grocery store on the Navajo Nation and its second New Mexico location
“Bashas’ Diné Markets exist and succeed because of our commitment to the Navajo people,” said Johnny Basha
vice president of special projects for Bashas’ Family of Stores
we’ve considered it a privilege to work side-by-side with the Navajo
and to share in a vision for stimulating economic growth
The strength of this partnership rests largely on the value and emphasis we’ve put into developing our cultural proficiency and creating markets that serve the unique needs of shoppers.”
The City Market officially closed at 8 p.m
and reopened as a Bashas’ Diné Market at 8 a.m
Bashas’ will now occupy the entire 42,108-square-foot-store
making it the new anchor tenant of the Shiprock/Tse' Bit' A'i Shopping Center at the corner of US-491 and Highway 64
The transition was a collaborative effort between Bashas’ and City Market
with the retailers working together closely to provide continuity as the only full-service market in the vicinity changes hands
The new grocery store will provide several economic benefits to the Shiprock community
Each Bashas’ Diné Market location gives back 25% of its profits to the Navajo Nation
Bashas’ has contributed upwards of $48 million to the Navajo Nation for educational scholarship and economic development
Click through the slideshow to see before and after photos
and what the new Bashas’ Diné Market has to offer
Michael Browne joined Supermarket News in 2018 after serving in managing and executive editor capacities at leading B2B media brands including Convenience Store News
He also previously served as content production manager for print and digital in the Business Intelligence division of Informa
parent company of Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News
Mike oversees the editorial content of supermarketnews.com as well as the monthly print publication
He also directs all content-based brand-related projects including the annual Top 75 Retailers report
Mike has also presented and moderated at industry events
In addition to the positions mentioned above
Mike has also worked as a writer and/or editor for special projects at American Legal Media (ALM)
special projects editor at American Banker • Bond Buyer
and as production editor for Bank Technology News and other related financial magazines and journals published by Faulkner & Gray
Contact Mike at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn
Registered in England & Wales with number 01835199
April is considered National Poetry Month
and the Shiprock High School English department will be hosting inaugural Poet Laureate of the Navajo Nation
on April 8 at the Phil Thomas Performing Arts Center
The event will highlight the works of Tapahonso while giving student work a spotlight
Tapahonso graduated from Shiprock High School in 1971 and was a clear choice for the annual community event that is required of all departments at SHS
according to English teacher Alexus Uentillie
Poetry night has several years under it’s belt with a correlation in curriculum as students read and write poetry before the event
our classes are focused on a Native unit right now for our English classes,” Uentillie said
“We're reading “Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko
but it really fits in perfectly with some of the stories and poems that Luci Tapahonso has.”
Uentillie said she enjoys the narrative work of Tapahonso
specifically “Songs of Shiprock Fair.” Works of literature that showcase the student’s community is important
“It just shows the students our community and our lifestyle is worthy of being published
showcased and shared with different people and different cultures,” she said
said there is an entire collection of literature from Indigenous authors with 200 just being purchased to add at the SHS library
“We work very hard to have a large selection of Indigenous writers
and then specifically Navajo writers,” Pratt said
Uentillie said she has noticed a student interest in narrative and rhyming with themes around culture
“I think some of them write really well,” she said “When they do get into it
they can really express themselves really well.”
Reading literature written by Indigenous authors also holds a positive for students
“It's a little bit easier to make connections in terms of the message or the tone of a poem
because they're able to take information from their background and apply it to the poem because it's relatable,” she said
“They understand it a lot better compared to like William Shakespeare.”
there has been a burst of Native youths who are finding an outlet in poetry
there's just been all these wonderful Navajo writers coming in on the scene
and it's like across the board,” Tapahonso said
yet there's always recognition or respect for the culture and ancestors
I think that's something that's just in all the writing is this commemoration of the land plants
Tapahonso said there were very few classes on Navajo history and culture while she attended Shiprock High
There was also little representation of Indigenous students at the University of New Mexico during her time there
Coming from a multigenerational home with an inclusion of the Navajo language
Tapahonso said there was an early influence on storytelling through ceremonies and songs
“One of the edicts in writing is to write about what you know
everything I was reading had nothing to do with my own culture or my own background,” she said
“There was a lot of writing about New Mexico because it's such a beautiful place to live
Drawing inspiration from families and cultures is what Tapahonso encourages and said she also approaches teaching in prayer
The poetry reading will include some published and unpublished work ranging in stories
Tapahonso said she is excited about the opportunity to read her work in Shiprock while Pratt and Uentillie are hoping for community attendance and support
“One of the wonderful things about doing readings and sharing my work is that afterward or later on
people will contact me and tell me stories,” Tapahonso said
and I hear a perspective from other people who have the same experience as mine
SHIPROCK – The Shiprock High School boys wrestling team earned a pair of victories Wednesday afternoon at the Chieftain Pit
securing a win in the Tri Duels Meet by topping Gallup in the finals of the three-team tournament
The Chieftains boys team advanced to the finals
while the Bengals scored a 30-18 win over Wingate
setting up a finals showdown for the boys team title
Shiprock’s Kameron Simpson scored a win at the 172-lb
who won a majority decision over Mason Denetclaw at the 215-lb
Shiprock won the final dual of the meet over Gallup by a combined score of 39-12
thanks to winning performances by 114 Narbona Martin
who took down Gallup’s Tyler Thompson in the 114-lb
Shiprock’s Zeshawn Dick (Shiprock) topped Jacob Yazzie
the Gallup squad prevailed over Shiprock in the final dual meet of the day
with the Bengals coming out on top by a combined score of 42-23
Gallup won their opening dual over Wingate 48-6 to advance to the finals
while Shiprock topped Wingate 36-18 to set up the final pairing
Gallup’s Shoshanah Smith needed only 13 seconds to win her final match of the day at the 126-lb
topping Shiprock’s Daylana Garcia by pinfall
Gallup’s Cimarron James scored a pinfall win at the 114-lb
Gallup’s girls team also scored wins in the fina round by Faith Swatzell
weight class when Quanndreeia Ramone won by pinfall over Persaeus McRoy
For more information on the Tri-Duels Meet, log on to the results page at trackwrestling.com
Special to the Times | Lee BegayeShiprock sophomore Kaden Lapahie (24) drives the lane while being defended by Gallup’s Joshua Keeto on Wednesday night during a District 1-4A playoff game
The Chieftains came up short by a 56-46 count
GALLUP – The Gallup Bengals ended the Shiprock Chieftains’ tournament run with a decisive fourth-quarter performance
the last seed in the District 1-4A tournament
led for more than three quarters before top-seeded Gallup surged ahead in the final minutes
The Bengals outscored Shiprock 20-9 in the fourth quarter to punch their ticket to the championship game
5 seed Aztec on Friday night with tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m
2 seed Bloomfield 66-59 on Wednesday night
Gallup senior wing Jayson Bruner led the charge with 24 points
while junior wing Joshua Keeto added 10 in the victory
Shiprock’s senior guard Deon Harvey and sophomore center Blake Begay each contributed 12 points in the losing effort
prompting Shiprock head coach Larenson Henderson to call a timeout to settle his team
The Bengals capitalized on their first two possessions
the Chieftains responded with a 7-2 run to take an 8-7 lead
Bruer received a half-court pass and drove in for a layup
regaining the lead for Gallup at 9-8 with three minutes left in the quarter
dropping into a 2-3 zone that disrupted Gallup’s passing and denied them second-chance opportunities
The Chieftains closed out the quarter on a 6-0 run
Special to the Times | Lee BegayeGallup senior Jayson Bruner (1) breaks free for a layup during Wednesday’s District 1-4A semifinal playoff game with the Shiprock Chieftains
Sophomore forward Austin Keith led Shiprock with five points while Gallup had Bruer score five
The Bengals pulled within 18-17 when Bruer grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback with 5:20 left
The Chieftains used another timeout to try to halt Gallup’s momentum
The Bengals took a 25-24 halftime lead with Keeto draining a 3-pointer with 24 second left
Bruer scored half of Gallup’s 16 second-quarter points
The third quarter opened with a defensive battle
as both teams struggled to find the basket
Shiprock managed to score four points in the first three minutes
while Gallup’s junior wing Dedrick Brown finally broke through to cut the deficit to 28-27
Shiprock pushed its lead to 33-27 with two minutes left
Junior forward Kelton Edison sank a pair of free throws to bring the Bengals within one at 35-34
Both teams exchanged baskets and turnovers before Shiprock held a narrow 37-36 lead heading into the final quarter
Keith led the Chieftains in the third quarter with five points
The decisive fourth quarter began with coach Henderson receiving a technical foul with 7:40 left in the game
Despite spending much of the evening voicing his concerns to the official
the Shiprock coach was seated for the remainder of the contest
Gallup reclaimed the lead at 38-37 when sophomore guard Crevin Watson drove in for a layup after two scoreless minutes from both teams
Shiprock’s Harvey attempted a 3-pointer but was called for flopping
a controversial call that would prove critical down the stretch
With 2:37 remaining and the score tied at 42-42
Bruer secured the rebound and banked in a shot to extend Gallup’s lead to 45-42
Harvey drove for a layup but was again called for flopping after contact
pushing the Bengals’ advantage to 47-42 with 2:23 left
With Gallup maintaining possession after the technical
the Bengals ran the clock before Shiprock fouled Keeto
A turnover by Shiprock allowed the Bengals to push its lead to 51-42 following a fast break layup by Brown with 1:30 to go
The Bengals then capitalized on some missed shots from Shiprock
adding four more points in transition to stretch their lead to 55-44 with 22 seconds left
Bruer led Gallup’s fourth-quarter surge with six points
sophomore guard Kaden Lapahie scored four points
Gallup head coach Ryan Becenti commended Shiprock for giving them a tough game
“It was a high-intensity district game,” Becenti said
and Shiprock came in riding the high of an upset win over Miyamura
Becenti praised his team for executing late in the contest when the Bengals capped the last 2.5 minutes on a 14-4 run
“We just tried to rely on our defense,” he said
“We wanted to work our offense more and let our defense lead into our offense
we got some easy buckets and breakaway layups that helped us pull ahead.”
Looking ahead to the district championship on Friday with Aztec
“We just played them last Friday,” Becenti said
We need a good practice tomorrow and be ready to bring it on Friday.”
Shiprock’s Henderson lamented on the missed opportunities they had as the Chieftains had a few close range baskets miss its mark
and I think that cost us a lot,” Henderson said
“There were a lot of layups we should’ve made
and that’s something I told the guys—we practice those things.”
Henderson is looking forward to next season as the Chieftains ended its season at 4-24 overall
“I got to work with them a lot this year,” he said
“Some of them (will) come back as juniors next year
Santa Fe Indian School girls soccer players on Saturday in Shiprock celebrate the team’s first win in five years
but they continued to come to practice and show up to games and continue to get better,' Burgess said
Email notifications are only sent once a day
the Santa Fe Indian School girls soccer program reacquainted itself with the thrill of victory Saturday
The Lady Braves’ ended a 75-match drought with a 2-1 nondistrict win at Shiprock
the program’s first win since beating Pojoaque Valley
Officials ended the match with five minutes left as the Chieftains
who had the minimum of nine players to play
the Lady Braves (1-9) began celebrating with hugs and cheers
who coached the team in place of head coach Nick Cashmere
said it was a tribute to the players’ determination and persistence
but they continued to come to practice and show up to games and continue to get better,” Burgess said
we’ve been able to develop this team and their skills
and Burgess said it was a momentous occasion because it represented the first goal by the team in more than two seasons
as the Chieftains scored in the first 90 seconds off a miscommunication by the backline
It took the Lady Braves 13 minutes to respond
as Elliana Juanico intercepted a goalie kick in the Shiprock penalty box and placed a shot into the lower left of the net to tie the score
local prep sports and more every Wednesday
The match winner came 9 minutes into the second half as Denisha Padilla took a thru ball at midfield and outraced the Chieftains back line and slotted her shot into the right corner
The combination of the SFIS back line and goalkeeper Aleyah Andrews thwarted those opportunities
Burgess said the team has worked hard at its technical skills
which have improved as the season progressed
“They’re getting good at connecting passes and looking where their next pass is open,” Burgess said
“They’re looking for the space and moving within that space.”
SFIS plays Academy for Technology and the Classics on Tuesday at home in a District 2-1A/3A match
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device
Account processing issue - the email address may already exist
Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning
get a preview of The New Mexican's big Sunday stories and review highlights from the week
Stay informed of the latest local news by receiving emails as soon as news is posted online
Stay up to date with news from the Capitol during the legislative session
and follow New Mexico politics throughout the year
A guide to outdoors opportunities and profiles on peoples' connections with places
Keep up with what's going on in the local business scene
Receive the latest episode of "Conversations Different" in your inbox every Tuesday.
Taking the temperature of New Mexico's environmental issues
Contests and special offers from The Santa Fe New Mexican and advertising partners
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
is starting to find its rhythm after securing their first win of the season with a 12-3 victory over Shiprock on Wednesday at the Chieftains' home field
The game was limited to seven innings because they played a varsity and junior varsity doubleheader
The Bears (1-3) faced tough competition early on
suffering losses to a strong Pagosa Springs team in a doubleheader
They lost the first game 17-1 and the second 24-9
Freshman pitcher Branson Lee led the Bears in their game against Shiprock
recording 11 strikeouts while allowing just three hits and runs over six innings
Sophomore Levi Hampton closed out the game in the final inning
while freshman Hayden Lancaster followed with two runs and one hit
sophomore Zach Billy recorded two strikeouts
allowing two hits and three runs in the first three innings
Senior Khalil Nakai pitched the final four innings
striking out four batters but giving up six hits and nine runs
taking a 2-0 lead by the end of the first inning
with both teams missing out on scoring opportunities
striking out Shiprock’s Tyson Clark and Sean Chee early
showcasing the challenge the Chieftains faced against his fast arm
the Chieftains responded in the top of the fourth
and Orin Samulski in the Bears' first three batting attempts
Lee resumed his dominant performance in the bottom of the fourth
putting Shiprock on the board for the first time
struggling to get a hit big enough to score a run
The Bears took control in the top of the sixth inning when Lee hit a deep ball
allowing teammate Wyatt Kiddoo to score and sending Lee to second base
Corben Tallmadge followed with a deep hit of his own
The Bears continued their strong hitting and base running
Lee continued to dominate Shiprock’s offense in the bottom of the sixth
He stumbled briefly by throwing four balls
earning two strikeouts in a row and helping the Bears retire another batter to close out the inning
The Bears continued their success from the previous inning in the top of the seventh
Samulski’s hit brought Lee home for a run and sent Tallmadge to second base
Waylon Kiddoo’s hit allowed Tallmadge to score his second run of the game
Lancaster followed with a hit that brought Wyatt Kiddoo in for the final run of the night for Dolores
The inning ended when Gus Vaughn struck out
marking the team’s third strike and switching sides
Hampton took over pitching in the bottom of the seventh
impressively striking out the first two batters for the Chieftains
but it was caught by the Dolores fielders to end the game
Coach Garver said the team’s strong pitching helped in their victory over Shiprock
“He threw about 85 pitches before Levi came in to close it out
Having strong pitching from the start and maintaining that through the game really helped us a lot.”
marking step one of Garver’s plan to revive Dolores’ baseball program after he took on the role of athletic director and head baseball coach in 2023
the Bears reached step two by fielding a varsity squad
“Last year was about getting some playing time and trying to teach them as much as we could about baseball and now
we’re going to get into our league play after spring break
so we’ll know exactly right where we are in our league
Dolores will travel to Ignacio on March 25
then take a short break from league play before competing in the Aztec Invitational
they will face Ignacio again at home on April 5
After managing a $100,000 portfolio over the course of three months
was named the champion of the Fall 2024 Stock Market Game
is a competition where students manage a simulated portfolio
“This victory is a testament to their hard work
showcasing how the program equips students with essential life skills for the real world,” a news release from the district said
King thought it was just a class assignment and was unaware it was an actual competition
Economics was not always of interest to King
and this year was his first time enrolling in the class
King was tasked with researching stocks and monitoring their performance
His concentration was mutual funds and ETFs
King said he looked into cybersecurity and was surprised at how quickly stocks can rise and drop
“I just mainly focused on The Magnificent 7
because their stocks essentially won't go bankrupt,” he said
King said he hopes to continue with investing after graduation
said the class teaches students about investing and finance
You've got to keep on top of things on what's going on in America with stocks
with businesses,” Dixon said about staying informed on economics
students can become more aware of their role in the economy and their contributions to it’s growth
“They're going to be a lot more invested into the overall economy,” Dixon said “They can also invest into society
The SIFMA Foundation recognized Shiprock High School for its outstanding performance
underscoring how students are developing crucial analytical and critical thinking skills
“It gave me a lot more insight and knowledge about what to expect when I do start investing,” King said
Dixon has plans to enter his class again in the second semester Stock Market Game this school year
Two students were arrested at Shiprock High on Tuesday afternoon after Navajo Nation Police Department recovered a firearm on campus
The weapon was reported by a district administrator at 12:18 p.m.
according to a release from Central Consolidated District
“The school administration and the Central Consolidated School District became aware of the situation and immediately notified the Navajo Police Department,” the district said
A shelter-in-place order was put into effect at 12:58 p.m
public relations officer with Central Consolidated
One suspect was put into custody before that
The decision to place the drill was made to secure the classrooms and avoid panic
“No one was harmed,” the district said in the release
“Our school administration worked diligently with law enforcement to ensure a calm and orderly environment throughout the incident.”
Navajo Nation Police did not respond to inquiries made by the Tri-City Record for more information regarding the incident
“We appreciate the vigilance of everyone who has reported potential threats to the Central Consolidated School District
whether directly to your building administrator
Say Something” Tip Line at 1-844-572-9669,” the district said in the release
“Thank you again for your cooperation and support in keeping our schools safe.”
The Shiprock Chieftains bounced back from their loss to Dolores on Wednesday
securing a dominant win over Dove Creek in the Bulldogs' season opener on Friday
and the Chieftains closed out the game 19-6 after the top of the fifth inning
Sophomore Jeramyh Begay led Shiprock on the mound
striking out 13 batters and allowing just six runs and six hits throughout the game
He also contributed offensively with a .667 batting average
Senior Khalil Nakai matched his batting average
scoring three runs and playing a key role in the victory
Junior Taylor Hale also added three runs to the tally
sophomores Cael Beanland and Konner Spigner were standout performers
Beanland recorded five strikeouts on the mound
both players scored two runs and posted a batting average of at least .500
scoring four runs in the top of the first inning
Shiprock responded with a nine-run outburst and never looked back
Begay minimized Dove Creek's offensive opportunities by striking out the first batter in two of the three innings he pitched
He was supported by a flawless defensive effort
as Shiprock maintained a perfect fielding percentage throughout the game
Senior Antonio James led the defense with 13 putouts
Chieftains head coach Alfred Baer credited the strong pitching as a key factor in their win over Dove Creek and emphasized the team's goal of continuing to improve all aspects of their game
He did a tremendous job for us,” said Baer
We’re working to get our defense and offense to match our pitching.”
Beanland started strong but faced challenges in the third inning when he threw several balls
Shiprock extended their lead with a 6-0 run
Dove Creek catcher Frankey Montoya allowed several passed balls
which ultimately helped them extend their lead to 19-5
Despite Spigner scoring a run for Dove Creek in the top of the fifth
the game was effectively sealed when Begay struck out three consecutive batters to close out the game early
Dove Creek head coach Chris Beanland noted that the team is still in the process of adjusting
with several players returning from their winter sports seasons and others coming back from injuries
“We just need more team practices,” Beanland said
“We’ve only had three full-team practices so far
but I think we’ll be a good team once we get going.”
Shiprock will host Monument Valley on Monday before traveling to face New Mexico Military Institute on Thursday
They will then host Hozho Academy on March 24
and a doubleheader against Navajo Prep on March 28
Dove Creek will look to secure their first win against league rivals Nucla at home on Tuesday before traveling to Ignacio on April 1 and Monticello for a doubleheader on April 4
They will host Dolores on April 8 and Sargent in another doubleheader on April 11
A shining open business sign lights a window as cars line the dirt parking lot on a warm winter Friday night at the Coffee Ship in Shiprock
Renown Native artists and residents gather inside as baristas fill coffee cups and Dion Hayes and Zakota Shade take turns strumming acoustic guitars and singing various big name renditions
Nine-year-old Mary Benally and her mother greet patrons as they enter a space of fine art
The fourth grader and wrestler for the Shiprock Wrestling Club was elected to represent Nizhoni Elementary School in September
She wants to be a canine police officer when she grows up
Benally said she was at the art show and drive to ask for donations of shampoo, deodorant and other hygiene products for the community’s most vulnerable people. Benally’s mother said the café owners invited the Nizhoni Princess to help her collect products for the local women’s shelter
Trudy Tso, marketing representative for The Coffee Ship
revealed that the unlikely response from patrons visiting the café for the first time is surprise and suspicion of who owns the business
is it white people that own the place?” she said
The ambience and ownership of the café may suggest a non-Native influence
which can raise concerns among Indigenous residents
said she hears that hesitancy daily from patrons
Mindful of historical and cultural sensitivities
they foster positive relationships in the community
supporting local initiatives and showcasing inclusiveness and diversity in their business practices
The business opened in August during the Northern Navajo Nation Fair
They chose the name after a suggestion from employee Gilbert Begay
The owners attribute the use of the Shiprock landmark for their logo design to another employee and Black Street Apparrel
which designed the jersey for the Netflix film “Rez Ball,” did the rest
Tso said the owner gathered artists to fill the exhibition
he’s the one that put all the artists together
He also made the life-size sculptures inside the Northern Navajo Medical Center
Joe's journey from humble beginnings to artistic success is a testament to the power of dedication and passion
Joe's early exposure to a coloring book from his mother sparked his interest
and his father's influence and encouragement helped shape his artistic endeavors
instilling in him a love and drive for painting
avoiding distractions and dedicating himself to his craft
Guidance from his junior high and high school art teachers further fueled his passion for art
introducing him to new media such as stone and leading him to formal training in Italy in 1984
His success in selling paintings at a young age showed him he could make a living from his art and motivated him to pursue his passion with fervor
while advocating for Native American artists
His collaboration with the owners of The Coffee Ship
showcases a shared vision of promoting and showcasing Native American art and talent
He also shared that he is working on an as-yet unpublicized project in Durango
“I’m working on a 30-by-16-foot mural in Durango
right now at the new Three River Springs Surgical Center
My son and a couple of other painters are on our fifth day there
They’ll have an opening reception probably mid-March or something,” he said
“That’s my latest project,” he said pointing at the framed painting leaning against the male sculpture
“So you go from that size to 30-foot; you know
bridging a gap between creators and consumers
The Whites have created a space where Native artists can showcase their art and share a way of life
The café’s beginnings during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 came as blessing in disguise
As owners of Shiprock Windows and Glass LLC
the Whites were able to pivot and provide essential protective barriers to reservation businesses and entities in need
The experience shaped their perspective on community involvement
Though The Coffee Ship operates as a café and coffee shop
the Whites have incorporated traditional staples such as blue corn mush and alkaan (Navajo cake)
setting it apart from corporate shops and sharing their cultural heritage
“I think having the coffee shop here kind of brings everyone together to enjoy each other’s company,” Laurel White said
“That’s something I really want to do for the people; you know a lot of times the reservation doesn’t have anything like this.”
Matthew and Laurel White’s dedication to their community goes beyond food and drink
They are actively involved in supporting local schools
providing Wi-Fi to students and hosting community organizations and business meetings
They hope to open a fine arts gallery for Native work to showcase and support local talent
KIRTLAND – The Aztec High School boys basketball team upset Kirtland Central 65-51 Monday night at the Bronco Arena in the opening round of the District 1-4A tournament
The victory was the second of the year for Aztec over Kirtland Central after the Tigers defeated the Broncos six days earlier by a similar margin at Lillywhite Gym on Feb
The chemistry between seniors Quintin Secatero and Jaden Sims has been on full display in these closing weeks of the regular season with the pair combining for 33 of Aztec’s points with Secatero accounting for 18
4-6 District 1-4A) entered Monday night as the fifth seed in the tournament and will look to carry its momentum into Wednesday when it will face second-seeded Bloomfield at Bobcat Arena at 6 p.m
Bloomfield won both games in the regular season over Aztec
but only by a margin of 6½ points between the two contests
“Every possession is going to count in that game
and everything is going to have to click because the time is right now,” Aztec coach Ryan Dee said
“This is the time we get our dancing shoes on
but I want them to have fun because they’ve come a long way
Aztec found its footing with a 7-0 run to grab its first lead of the night
Kirtland Central’s success from the two-point field managed to keep the Broncos close on the scoreboard
never letting the Tigers pull away more than six points in the first half
Aztec opted to take its chances from the 3-point line in the first half but found little success shooting 5-for-20 (25 percent)
This allowed Kirtland Central to chip away at Aztec’s lead utilizing its inside strategy from the two-point field paired with a 3-point conversion from Shawn Mullahon to head into halftime with a two-point lead
The first half saw six lead changes in total and Aztec picked up the seventh at the 6:50 mark of the third period
scoring four of those points on three consecutive Bronco turnovers
changing its tactics from shooting 3-pointers
to working the lanes inside of the paint and playing offense off its defense
The Tigers shot 10-for-39 (27 percent) from the field in the first half but changed the tune to 16-for-26 (62 percent) in the second half
gaining a double-digit lead heading into the final period
“I wanted to play our style of basketball which is pressure and hitting the fast breaks,” Dee said
“The 2-3 zone defense kind of threw us off so we switched to a high-low offense
and it allowed us to shift the 2-3 defense and give us options to drive.”
The lead proved important for Aztec who could continue to play its fast style of play
forcing Kirtland Central to play almost perfect defense while its offense made up the deficit
getting outscored 20-14 in the final period
5-5 District 1-5A) will see its season most likely come to an end after entering the district tournament ranked 22 in Class 4A according to MaxPreps and being bounced in the first round of the tournament
The Shiprock High boys basketball team picked a great time to snap a five-game losing streak
going on the road Monday night to beat Miyamura 52-43 in the opening round of the District 1-4A tournament
The win comes just three days after Miyamura beat Shiprock 62-54 in the closing game of the regular season
which allowed the teams to earn a split in their two district meetings
The Chieftains were led by senior Deon Harvey and sophomore Ashton Keith
each of whom scored nine points on the night
Shiprock also got big scoring contributions from sophomores Joaquin Nez and Elishah Tsosie who combined for 15 points in the winning effort
Shiprock (4-23 overall) advances to the second round of the district tournament and will be on the road Wednesday night to face off with Gallup
The Chieftains are winless in two prior meetings against Gallup this season
The district’s top-ranked Bengals (15-11 overall
8-2 District) have won five of their last seven games against the Chieftains
which exits the tournament with a record of 6-21
has likely seen their season come to an end
City of London skyline by kijevskymarek/Envato
London-based Shiprock Capital Management has named Gavinish Sangha as COO
Sangha joins the global distressed and special situations firm from Fidera Group
a European-focused investment manager that concentrates on dislocated and distressed corporate and asset-backed investments
The new hire follows the promotion of Frederick Schroder to the role of […]
SHIPROCK – The boys and girls basketball teams from Navajo Prep and Shiprock will face off in championship games on Saturday night at the Chieftain Pit in tournament championship games of the Chieftain Invitational tournaments
Shiprock’s boys team capped off a busy Friday night at Chieftain Pit with a convincing 70-50 win over Pine Hill
while Navajo Prep got another strong offensive showing from several of its stars in a 66-39 rout over Cuba
Shiprock advanced to the finals after topping Montezuma-Cortez 52-25
The Navajo Prep girls team pulled clear in the second half to run away from Bloomfield by a final of 40-23
Here’s a recap of all the Friday night action from the Chieftain Pit
Xavier Nez and Dylan Lansing did a majority of the scoring in an impressive first half as Navajo Prep slipped past Cuba 66-39 in a second round championship bracket game of the Chieftain Invitational Friday at the Chieftain Pit
Nez and Lansing combined to score 23 of the Eagles 32 points in the first half as the team improved to 4-0 on the season ahead of a showdown against Shiprock in the tournament’s championship game set for Saturday at 7 p.m
Hozho Academy and Aztec advance to consolation championship game
Whitehorse will face Shiprock Northwest in consolation championship game
which went into the locker room with a 32-15 advantage at the break over Cuba
Lansing and Caden Nodestine who chipped in with some big points from off the bench
Navajo Prep outscored Cuba in the second half by a 34-24 margin to secure the victory
“We’ve got some guys that are still learning the system and the kind of offense we want to run,” said Navajo Prep head coach Mark Teel
“Right now everything is still kind of in an adjustment phase but this was a good effort tonight.”
The Eagles are in the midst of a 24-game win streak which dates back to last season
The defending Class 3A champions haven’t lost a game since a tournament game last December against Hope Christian
Three players scored in double figures for the Shiprock High boys basketball team as they dominated the second half of a 70-50 win over Pine Hill
advancing the Chieftains into Saturday’s tournament championship contest
Hayden Frank and Deon Harvey each scored more than a dozen points to lead Shiprock
which trailed heading into the locker room 25-24 after a wild second quarter which saw the lead change hands five separate times
“We were a little overly aggressive and reaching too much and they got a lot of putbacks
so I told them that when we get a rebound we have to get position and in playing defense
you have to get that positioning,” said Shiprock head coach Larenseon Henderson
The Chieftains defense swarmed on the Warriors in the final two periods
particularly in the opening minutes of the third quarter
Shiprock took advantage of some missed opportunities and turnovers on the Warriors side of the court and converted on four of those opportunities leading to a 10-0 run within the first three minutes of the second half
Shiprock wound up outscoring the Warriors 46-25 in the final two periods of the game
“Considering this was only our second game and they need to find that confidence and they need to learn a little more as they get used to playing,” Henderson said
The Eagles and Chieftains are about to become very familiar with each other on the court in the coming days
Just three days after Saturday’s championship game in the Chieftain Invitational
Shiprock will again host the Eagles for a non-district showdown on Tuesday night
it was much of the same in the championship bracket of the Lady Chieftain Invitational
The Navajo Prep girls basketball team outscored Bloomfield 32-13 in the second half and earned a spot in Saturday’s Lady Chieftain Invitational championship game with a 40-23 victory Friday over the Bobcats
Neither team could do much on the offensive side of things in the first half
Both teams struggled converting on field goal attempts and went into the locker room with Bloomfield maintaining a slim 10-8 advantage
“The confidence wasn’t there early because the shots just weren’t falling,” said Navajo Prep girls basketball coach Rainy Crisp
“Once we started getting those shots to fall
then you could really see the confidence build
A lack of offense plagued both the Bobcats and Eagles in Thursday’s opening round wins
Navajo Prep advanced to the second round after beating Aztec 35-24
while the Bobcats topped Monument Valley by a score of 41-18 in the opening round
“You can see that we’re still really trying to find our identity,” Crisp said
“If we can put together four quarters in a game
Better to have these issues now early in the season as opposed to later on down the road.”
will face Shiprock in the Lady Chieftain Invitational championship game Saturday at 5:30 p.m
The Shiprock High girls basketball team broke open a slim halftime lead with a dominant second-half performance
earning a spot in Saturday’s Lady Chieftain Invitational championship game with a 52-25 win over Montezuma-Cortez
Avaya Etcitty led the way in the third quarter for the Chieftains
scoring 10 of the team’s 24 points in the frame
Kylie Benally and Tegan Howe also stepped up their game in the third quarter as Shiprock outscored the Panthers 24-10
taking a 42-21 advantage into the fourth quarter
The first half was a forgettable one for both sides offensively
The Panthers and Chieftains combined to make just 10 of 58 field goal attempts
Shiprock didn’t record its first successful shot from the floor until 1:01 remained in the first period
“We’ve got to get into the mindset not to let those cold streaks beat us,” said Shiprock head coach Robert McCaskill
I liked seeing the energy these girls came out with in the second half.”
Here’s a recap of some of the top games from Thursday
Shiprock boys basketball cruises to first round win
Sophomore Elishah Tsosie scored 13 first half points and was one of ten players to score for Shiprock in a 92-18 rout over Thursday night over an overmatched squad from Tse' Yi' Gai High School in a first round game of the Chieftain Invitational
The Chieftains were never threatened in the win over Tse' Yi' Gai
jumping out to a 25-0 lead before Tse' Yi' Gai scored their only points of the frame on a pair of Aaron Sam free throws
The Chieftains began clearing the bench midway through the first quarter and went into the locker game with a 49-10 lead at halftime
which led to a running clock when the second half started
Seniors Deon Harvey and Antonio James also led the Chieftains in scoring in the contest
Shiprock grabbed eight steals in the first quarter which led to 12 points in the first game of the season for the Chieftains
“We showed great athleticism and that’s something we wanted to see tonight,” said Henderson
“It’s one thing to see movement in practice
we got a good glimpse of what we’re capable of.”
Tse' Yi' Gai only had six players on their roster for Thursday’s contest
The Warriors finished 5-17 last season and are hoping to improve in Class A this season under head coach Anthony James
Shiprock rolls past Hozho Academy in first round
Senior Avaya Etcitty led the Shiprock High girls basketball team with 20 points
including 15 in the first quarter as the Chieftains romped their way to a 59-18 victory over Hozho Academy in Thursday’s opening round of the Lady Chieftain Invitational at the Chieftain Pit
The Chieftains (1-1) led from start to finish
blanking Hozho Academy in the first quarter 28-0
Etcitty hit three 3-point shots in the first quarter
all of those coming off turnovers which were converted into points
The Wolves turned the ball over nine times in the first quarter and didn’t score their first points until the 5:58 mark of the second quarter
“Even when we don’t have good shooting nights
that defense is going to benefit us until we have that streak when we get a couple of shots,” said Robert McCaskill
Sophomore Haiden Sanisya scored eight points for the Chieftains
while junior Tegan Howe scored seven points and Taylor Begay scored six points in the win
“I think the energy around this team is tremendous right now,” McCaskill said
“The rebuilding process is really starting to show now
The girls want to get better all the time.”
SHIPROCK – The Piedra Vista High School boys basketball team overcame a slow start on the road Thursday night
winding up with three players scoring in double digits in a 53-51 win over Shiprock at the Chieftain Pit
The victory snaps an eight-game losing streak dating back to the second game of the season
After a win at home over Bloomfield to open the season
the Panthers had come close in several contests
with seven of those eight losses coming by less than 10 points
so I’m just looking for little things like tenacity and the little things that help us finish off plays that ultimately finish off a game,” said Piedra Vista head coach Forrest Becker
Piedra Vista got big individual performances from junior Darian Watson
who scored all of his 14 points in the third quarter after sitting on the bench much of the first half after a pair of first quarter personal fouls
Senior Darian Penn and sophomore Santiago Aranda each scored 10 points in the victory
Neither team got off to the best of starts offensively
with the teams combining to go 4-for-23 from the floor in the opening period
Piedra Vista turned the ball over six times in the first quarter but Shiprock failed to capitalize on the changes in possession
hitting only a pair of baskets in the final 4:20 of the period
The Chieftains opened up the offense to start the second quarter with Dieon Harvey hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the opening minutes
which allowed Shiprock to have a 16-8 lead with five minutes remaining before halftime
who filled in some valuable minutes off the bench
converting on a pair of short jump shots and nailing a 3-pointer that had Piedra Vista trailing 16-15 before the Shiprock called a timeout with 2:29 remaining in the half
The Panthers came out of the timeout with a purpose
outscoring the Chieftains 9-2 thanks to a 3-point shot by senior Julius Keeswood
followed by a steal and quick layup right before the buzzer by junior Josiah Gaede to give Piedra Vista a 24-18 lead at the break
The offensive rhythm of the game picked up in the third quarter
with the Panthers outscoring Shiprock 24-19
hitting a pair of 3-pointers while Keeswood was getting a couple of clean looks inside the paint
Shiprock kept up with the Panthers early on
with sophomores Ashton Keith and Blake Begay each connecting from outside the 3-point line
The Panthers closed the third period strong
getting a pair of baskets from Watson as well as a conversion off a steal by Penn in the final two minutes
sending Piedra Vista into the final quarter with a 48-37 lead
Shiprock closed the gap to open the fourth period
who scored seven of his 10 points in the opening minutes of the frame
Sophomore Kaden Lapahie also hit from the 3-point line and the Chieftains trailed by only a point with under three minutes left to play
Aranda provided the dagger with a little more than a minute left on the clock when he scored from inside the paint on an awkward shot that put the Panthers up 52-49
Shiprock countered in the final 30 seconds when sophomore Joaquin Nez collected an offensive rebound and scored to narrow the Panthers lead to 52-51
the Chieftains let precious seconds tick off the clock as the Panthers tried to preserve the lead
Penn found his way to the free throw line where he connected on one of two attempts to seal the deal
to learn how to win some close games and how to finish some plays,” Becker said
“We did a much better job tonight closing things out.”
The Chieftains were led by Harvey and Tsosie
who each scored 12 points in a tough losing effort
Shiprock (2-7) has now lost seven straight and will be looking to bounce back Saturday at 2:30 p.m
when they visit Rehoboth Christian before opening a four-game home stand on Tuesday night against Bayfield
Piedra Vista improves to 2-8 and will visit Aztec on Tuesday night before opening up tournament play on Thursday at 5:30 p.m
New Mexico State Police recently helps destroy about 85 tons of marijuana in Waterflow
About 85 tons of marijuana was destroyed at a cannabis farm outside Shiprock last month and now
the state’s Organized Crime Commission and New Mexico State Police destroyed the marijuana
State Police spokesperson Wilson Silver said
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content
Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source
the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day
it provides narrative coverage of local trends
going beyond the headlines to keep you informed
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
SHIPROCK – Junior Kameron Dale and senior Lailah McGary led the Navajo Prep girls basketball team to a 49-39 win Tuesday night over Shiprock at the Chieftain Pit in the opening game of the 2024-25 season for both squads
playing for the first time since winning the Class 3A title last spring
the win was an important first step in trying to defend a state championship
the mindset was that we’d need to create baskets with our defense
and I think defense is where we’re at,” said Navajo Prep head coach Rainy Crisp
“Trying to put pressure on teams and take advantage of turnovers.”
forcing four Chieftain turnovers in the first quarter
Navajo Prep couldn’t capitalize on those mistakes however
scoring only twice from the field in the opening frame
got on the board with 3 minutes left in the first quarter but had a slim 10-8 advantage after the first eight minutes
Navajo Prep’s offensive struggles were evident early
The team went nearly seven minutes without a field goal
missing 11 shots during that span and going 8-for-17 from the free throw line in the first half
The Chieftains got a strong first half performance from Avayia Etcitty
who scored eight points before having to go to the bench late in the half after picking up her fourth personal foul
Shiprock junior Tegan Howe nailed a couple of 3-point shots in the second quarter to also pace the attack and the Chieftains went into the locker room with a 22-19 advantage
Junior Kamyra Goldtooth found her shooting touch with a pair of 3-pointers while Dale also hit the mark on a 3-pointer
Senior Shiloh Conn also got into the mix on both sides of the floor
Etcitty was forced to sit on the Chieftain bench for much of the third period
She didn’t return to the court until the 3:14 mark of the frame and was held scoreless the remainder of the game
Navajo Prep outscored Shiprock 16-12 in the third quarter and took a slim 35-34 advantage into the fourth quarter of the game
Junior Makayla Howard teamed with Howe as the Chieftains and Eagles traded the lead several times in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter
Howe finished the night as Shiprock’s leading scorer with 12 points
Navajo Prep took command in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter
McGary took advantage of a missed Chieftains shot
drove the lane and earned a 3-point play when she was fouled on her way to the basket
That was followed up on the next possession when Kassidy Jones stole the ball and found Dale wide open down court for an easy layup
Dale led all scorers on the night with 16 points
McGary scored 14 for the Eagles while Conn and Goldtooth had six points apiece
this is what we’re looking for,” Crisp said
there was a little frustration so it was getting them to not overthink things and expecting them to be where we were last spring
We’re not where we’re supposed to be until the district season begins.”
the first half of a doubleheader featuring the boys and girls teams from each school
in the opening game of the Lady Cheftain Invitational at home against Hozho Academy
Navajo Times | Quentin JodieShiprock sophomore Kaden Lapahie captured his second individual title on Saturday at his home meet
SHIPROCK – The upward trajectory of Kaden Lapahie does not surprise Shiprock boys cross-country coach Herbert Beyale III
Lapahie captured his second individual title of the young season when he finished first at his home meet
The Shiprock sophomore won the 5K race in 16:48.49 as runners battled wind gusts that reached 25 mph during Saturday’s race
Lapahie beat second-place finisher Elijah England of Navajo Prep by nearly 14 seconds
clocked in at 17:02.09 while KC senior Dathan Esson finished third at 17:22.65
Esson challenged Lapahie for nearly two miles before the Shiprock harrier pulled away
I felt like I could go faster,” Lapahie said
“That is when I got further away from him (Esson).”
“Last year he had a really good season,” Beyale said
so we were excited about him entering his sophomore season
He’s someone that committed himself all year round so it’s not surprising that he’s doing well
“I’m just happy for him,” the Shiprock coach added
He’s racing hard; we just got to find ways to keep him improving.”
Lapahie won his first meet at the Durango Cross Country Invitational on Aug
“To lead that race the whole time really helped boost my confidence,” Lapahie said
“My goal in that race was not to lose and have (the other runners) beat me at the end.”
the Chieftains took part in the UNM Lobo XC Invite with Lapahie placing 11th among some of the state’s best runners from the 4A and 5A levels
Lapahie competed against some of his 4A peers with Albuquerque Academy runner Nicholas Ponte finishing third overall at 15:18.68 while the Taos tandem of Judah Duffron (15:48.71) and Billy Romero (16:03.18) finished seventh and eighth
“I raced against the two Taos runners for almost the whole race,” Lapahie said
for most of the race and that was a good confidence booster coming into this meet.”
And while Lapahie is showing no signs of slowing down
the Shiprock coach says it’s too early to prophesize what’s to come for his pupil
especially when it comes to the 4A state meet in early November
“I think he’s a great athlete,” Beyale said
“He’s on top of everything that he needs to do as far as being a student-athlete
and he’s taken his running up another level
but I think it’s too early to say how he’ll do at state
we’re trying to find ways for him to improve week to week,” he added
Beyale is hoping to get his entire team qualified for state
and Gallup and they’re tough year in and year out
“I’m hoping that we can match up with them,” he added
“We have strong leadership from Kaden and Zeshawn (Dick)
Those two runners are showing the boys what needs to be done.”
Shiprock Chapter is set to address a robust agenda during its planning meeting on Jan
with a strong emphasis on veterans’ housing and community support
The meeting will also provide a platform for significant updates and initiatives concerning local economic development
One of the key focuses of the meeting will be the chapter’s support for housing initiatives benefiting veterans
the Shiprock Veterans Organization commander
has sponsored proposals to support housing for Caroline Barber and David Clah III
These measures reflect a dedicated effort to address the unique challenges faced by Navajo veterans
the chapter will consider a proposal to approve hybrid meetings for the Shiprock Chapter Veterans Organization
ensuring greater accessibility and engagement for veterans in its monthly discussions
The meeting will also feature presentations and updates from local organizations
Representatives from the Farmington Women’s Business Center
will provide insights into their efforts to support and empower Navajo entrepreneurs
Bernadine Beyale and Alyssa Begay from 4 Corners K9 Search & Rescue will present updates on their critical work in enhancing community safety and emergency response
the chapter will discuss the proposed application of the Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company for Tribal Access Authorization to proceed with the Running Horse Pipeline
Sponsored by Racheal Dahozy and Leonard Eltsosie
this initiative is seen as a potential boost to local infrastructure and economic development
Another item involves supporting the land designation of 94 acres for the Shiprock Associated Schools
Yazzie to enhance educational opportunities and resources for the community
Chapter updates will include a report from Simms on the activities of the Shiprock Chapter Veterans Organization
as well as updates from chapter officials on administrative matters
The Shiprock Chapter planning meeting is scheduled for Jan
with a regular chapter meeting to follow on Jan
The meeting will take place both in person and via teleconference to ensure broad accessibility
attendees can dial in using one of the following phone numbers: 1 (720) 707-2699
Zoom participants should enter Meeting ID 505 354 0868 and Passcode 87420
In a newly released movie released on Netflix
an all-Indigenous high school basketball team on the Navajo Nation is reclaiming Native imagery on their sports jerseys
The team is made up of all-Indigenous high schoolers
and their jerseys and practice uniforms feature traditional Indigenous warrior themes
The team’s jerseys are displayed prominently throughout the film which follows the players as they bond
despite the basketball legend's lifetime deal with the company
He often designs teams’ jerseys based on their tribal imagery
Denetso designed the Chuska Warriors’ home and away uniforms
and other apparel seen throughout the movie
Denetso said the stakes were high as a large film crew relied on his designs to be ready
Denetso got to watch his jerseys in action on set
he felt emotional watching the filming in and around the community
moving to state and national championships
He said he identified with the Chuska Warriors dealing with issues of alcoholic family members
Roddell Denetso hopes to inspire young people to show pride in their culture
And he hopes to reach more customers for his custom-made garments now that his work is reaching a large audience on Netflix
BLOOMFIELD – The Kirtland Central boys and Shiprock earned victories in the District 1-4A cross country championship meet Saturday at Naaba Ani Elementary School in Bloomfield
The runners were treated to great temperatures and a light breeze as they tackled the 5-kilometer race that included sandy washes and flat-topped hills
The Kirtland Central boys scored 30 points
placing five runners in the top 10 with Dathan Esson leading the way for the Broncos
Esson won the boys race with a time of 17 minutes
earning his second individual district title
considering we didn’t have one of our top five guys,” Esson said of his team’s effort
“It’s really impressive to see what the team was able to do without him
The Miyamura boys finished second behind the Broncos with 50 points
Gallup (76 points) rounded out the state qualifying teams
with district runner-up Sage Livingston (17:42.76) finishing on the heels of Esson
Shiprock finished with 44 total points and three runners placed in the top 10
Jazelle Thompson (21:13.31) led the Chieftains to victory with a second-place finish
and we just kept building momentum during the season
Our fifth runner (Kaitlyn Begay) was injured at the beginning of the season
but she came on really strong for us,” Shiprock coach Alice Kinlichee said
“We hope to run our very best and we’d like to get a trophy at state
I think this team can do it if we regroup like we did today.”
Gallup rounded out at second place with 55 points
who competed in cross country for the first time this year
won the district girls race with a time of 20:42.19
Other individual qualifiers included Kirtland Central’s Elizabeth Yazzie and Haylee Nocki who finished sixth and seventh
Aztec junior Alisia Valerio finished 10th in the girls race
Bloomfield’s Lee Wells qualified individually with a 10th-place finish
The three qualifying boys and girls teams will take seven runners to the 4A state championship meet Nov
“One of things we always say is that the ‘job’s not done’
and I think we’re on the right path,” Broncos coach Lenny Esson said
we have to have a little bit of luck on our side (and) our two through six have to run very smart and stronger
cleaning up abandoned uranium mines is personal
“My family and many other family members throughout New Mexico have gone through numerous doctors appointments
numerous times taking care of our elders who either worked in the industry or are family members of someone who worked there,” he said
has long advocated for environmental justice on the Navajo Nation
The freshman representative is sponsoring HB 333
which would provide funding for cleanup and characterization for the hundreds of abandoned uranium mines and other contaminated sites in New Mexico
Hernandez said his mother would tell him stories about his grandfather coming home from working in the uranium mines and his clothes would be full of uranium dust
“This dust continues to get blown through our communities
“This is communities throughout New Mexico
HB 333 would provide $50 million for cleanup of both uranium sites and other contaminated locations
but it won’t be enough to remediate all of the contamination in the state
deputy cabinet secretary of administration at the New Mexico Environment Department
but we do anticipate $50 million will give us a good start,” Rhoderick said
According to the bill’s fiscal impact report
an Environment Department analysis estimates cleanup of each site will likely range from $4 million to $12 million
Environment and Natural Resources Committee with unanimous support
talked about her constituents and friends who have been impacted by uranium contamination
She said the San Mateo Acequia Association has contaminated waterways and the community of Lake Valley are unable to use much of their land due to contamination
The legislation now heads to the House Appropriations and Finance Committee
HB 333 also has the support of the uranium industry
a lobbyist who represents uranium companies that are looking at someday operating in the state
argued that other contaminated sites like former drycleaners should not be included in the legislation
“The reality is these other sites are in cities and counties where there are a lot more funds,” he said
He said if the number of people impacted by the contamination is used to prioritize where the funds go
it could disadvantage Navajo Nation communities
Montoya said he would like to see the bill amended to require that at least 50% of the funds go to uranium sites
He said that while he believes the abandoned drycleaner sites do need to be addressed
he would prefer the funding go to uranium sites because “that has been a blight on New Mexico for years and years and years.”
“I do not want to see the folks who have been waiting for this clean up for years and years and years see these dollars diverted away,” he said
The bill parallels SB 260 on the Senate side
which goes to the Senate Conservation Committee next
NM Political Report is a nonprofit public news outlet providing in-depth and enterprise reporting on the people and politics across New Mexico
SHIPROCK – The Newcomb High School boys powerlifting team scored an important win Saturday morning
taking first place in the Shiprock Open at Chieftain Pit
the Skyhawks boys team outscored Escalante and Miyamura for team scores
The Newcomb boys team scored 44 total points
with Escalante and Miyamura tying for second at 33 combined points in the six-team event
outlifted five rivals at that classification
earning high marks of 365-lbs at the squat
in the bench press competition and 455-lbs
was well ahead of Miyamura’s Josh Hughbanks (905 lbs.) and Skyhawks teammate Caleb Smith (865)
topping Miyamura’s Diego Guerrero (380) Cameron Eustace from Zuni (375)
Competing in the super heavyweight division
topping Christian Medrano from Bloomfield to take first place in that category
winning by a team score of 53-16 over runner-up Escalante in the five-team event
Delilah Henderson scored an impressive win over her rivals in the 181-lb
in her three elements to beat Newcomb’s Shania Charley (500) and Chieftains teammate Samantha Shorty (475)
Shiprock teammates Kokoualani Clah and Jaiden Harrison finished first and second at the 220-lb
with Clah lifting more than 600-lbs.with Harrison lifting a total of 535 lbs
For more information, including schedules of upcoming events in the sport of powerlifting, check out the official page at the New Mexico Activities Association’s website at NMACT.org