UNM Contract Archeology Excavates Mimbres Pit Houses Pot­tery sherd from Lake Roberts Project in South­west­ern New Mexico Beau­ti­ful vivid frag­ments of Mim­bres pot­tery, tiny arrow­heads smaller than a fin­ger­tip, seeds and bones of ani­mals, metates used to grind corn, rocks chipped and shaped to form the head of a hoe. Those are some of the arti­facts UNM stu­dents work­ing for the Divi­sion of Con­tract Arche­ol­ogy at UNM are bring­ing back from south­west­ern New Mex­ico this summer. To access this story, copy and paste this url in your browser: news.unm.edu/2012/09/unm-contract-archeology-excavates-mimbres-pit-houses/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Looking for some great bargains? Come and shop at Hands of Hope’s Fall Garage Sale on Saturday October 6th from 8 to 11 am! Located at the First Baptist Church Gym, 2112 College Dr, Gallup- use the west side entrance. There will be a big assortment of household items and adult and children’s clothing. Proceeds of the sale will benefit Hands of Hope Pregnancy Center. For information call 722-7125. Barbara Leslie, Director Hands of Hope Pregnancy Center 120 S Boardman Ave Gallup, NM 87301 505.722.7125 office office@handsofhopegallup.com email www.handsofhopegallup.com website
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (non-profit) ID#95-3034133 Contact: Veryl Anderson, Western Regional Office 1-800-733-2773 Email: asseusawest@asse.com<mailto:asseusawest@asse.com> Non-Profit Organization Looking for Community Representatives to Join our International Team ASSE International Student Exchange Programs is seeking volunteers to serve as Area Representatives in your local community. ASSE provides academic year and semester exchange programs in the United States for high school students from around the world. Students are 15 to 18 years of age, have passed a series of academic and character requirements and are awaiting an opportunity to embark on their American Adventure. Area Representatives recruit and screen prospective host families, interview students to study abroad and supervise the exchange students in their community. Area representatives are compensated based on the number of students they are supervising. ASSE's primary goal is to contribute to International understanding by enabling students to learn about other languages and cultures through active participation in family, school and community life. ASSE's Area Representatives are the cornerstone of the organization, making all of this possible! For more information about ASSE or becoming an Area Representative, please call our Western Regional Office at 1-800-733-2773 or email us at asseusawest@asse.com<mailto:asseusawest@asse.com>. We look forward to welcoming you to the ranks of Area Representatives nationwide - striving towards a world of understanding, one child at a time!
I Strengthen My Nation - A New A&D Prevention Campaign now Available targeting American Indian and Alaska Native Youth In many AI/AN communities, teens and young adults use drugs and alcohol at rates higher than the national average. The I Strengthen My Nation campaign was developed by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) to help communities address this concern. The goal of the campaign is to empower Native youth to resist pressures to drink and use drugs. By standing up to this pressure, youth can strengthen themselves, influence their friends, and strengthen their nation. A 30 second video and radio spot reminds youth: You affect other people, even if you don't think you do. People notice your actions. You have influence. Think about it. What someone sees you do, can change their life. That one choice strengthens you, strengthens others, and strengthens your nation. The campaign includes: * Logo jpegs that communities can use on their own print materials and promotional items (T-shirts, key chains, water bottles, etc.). * 3 Posters (male<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation%20-%20Male%20poster.pdf>, female<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation%20-%20Female%20poster.pdf>, and Chaske<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation%20-%20Chaske%20poster.pdf> versions) * 2 Brochures, with versions for Teens<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation%20-%20Youth%20brochure.pdf> and Parents<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation%20-%20Parent%20brochure.pdf> * A Fact Sheet<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation%20-%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf> * A Window Cling<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation-windowcling.pdf> * A lanyard<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation-lanyard.pdf> * Black and White T-shirts<http://www.npaihb.org/images/epicenter_docs/MSPI/THRIVE/2012/Strengthen%20my%20Nation-tshirt.pdf> * USB Drive with PSAs pre-loaded * A 30 second Radio PSA. * A 30 second Video PSA. * A 3 minute Video PSA. These items can be ordered free-of-charge from THRIVE, at the NPAIHB. Materials will automatically be mailed to the 43 federally recognized tribes in ID, OR, and WA. To order print materials, please contact: Colbie Caughlan Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board 2121 SW Broadway, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97201 ph: (503) 228-4185 fax: (503) 228-8182 Email: ccaughlan@npaihb.org<mailto:ccaughlan@npaihb.org> Please include your: Name, Tribe/organization, desired items, quantities, and mailing address. All of the I Strengthen My Nation campaign materials are also available on our website. Please download, print, and pass them along to interested parties: http://www.npaihb.org/epicenter/project/mspi_prevention_media_resources/ Consider using these materials in conjunction with: * April - Alcohol Awareness Month * October - National Substance Abuse Prevention Month This project was made possible with financial support from the Indian Health Service. The campaign was developed by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board in partnership with KAT Communications, with input from hundreds of teens, parents, and health educators from throughout the U.S. Colbie M. Caughlan, MPH Suicide Prevention Project Manager - THRIVE Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board 2121 SW Broadway, Suite 300 Portland, Oregon 97201 Ph. 503-416-3284 Fax 503-228-8182 ccaughlan@npaihb.org<mailto:ccaughlan@npaihb.org>
| |||
New Census data shows NM household income fell 3.1 percent
A new report by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that New Mexico has gone backward in
three key areas: median household income, the number of people living in poverty and
the number of young adults who have health insurance.
To access this story, copy and paste this url in your browser:
www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2012/09/20/new-census-data-shows-nm-household.html?ana=twt
The ACS showed that New Mexico’s median household income fell by 3.1 percent from 2010 to 2011, making it one of 18 states that saw significant decreases in their median income, according to the Census Bureau’s 2011 American Community Survey.
The number of New Mexicans living in poverty in 2011 increased to 439,914, or 21.5 percent of the population, compared to 413,851, or 20.4 percent in 2010.
Nationally, the poverty rate increased to 15.9 percent, or 48.5 million people, from 15.3 percent, or 46.2 million in 2010.
New Mexico also saw a decline — the only state to do so — in the percentage of young adults aged 19 to 25 that had health insurance. The insurance rate for those young adults dropped to 60.6 percent from 61.4 percent in 2009 for a 0.8 percent decline.
The percentage of young adults with private health insurance fell to 45.7 percent from 47.1 percent in 2009, a 1.4 percent decrease.
Susana Martinez Pulls \`Forcible Rape\` Language From New Mexico Policy New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez (R) asked her administration to remove language about "forcible rape" from a new state policy on Wednesday after The Huffington Post reported that the language had been added in. To access this story, copy and paste this url in your browser:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/susana-martinez-forcible-rape-new-mexico_n_1901130.html
CYFD had used the term "forcible rape" because the FBI still uses it, and it can be found in some federal regulations for the establishment of paternity.Martinez, a former prosecutor, also used the language in an executive proclamation earlier this year.
“Rape is rape," said Adriann Barboa, field director with Strong Families in N.M. "Let’s not move backward toward victim blaming."
Passage of Education Bond C Means $1 Million in Water/Sewer Upgrades for UNMG GALLUP -- This fall voters will have an opportunity to improve New Mexico’s higher education system and benefit nearly every public college and university across the state by supporting General Obligation Bond C. A “yes” vote on Bond C will fund capital improvements and renovations to our higher education system and will create an estimated 1,200 new jobs with no increase in property taxes. Locally, the University of New Mexico-Gallup stands to gain $1 million for much-needed water and sewer upgrades for fire and safety needs. “State GO Bonds are especially critical for McKinley County projects," said Wynn Goering, interim executive director of UNM-Gallup, "because we always receive a great deal more than we put in. They're by far the best way to meet our infrastructure needs." UNM-Gallup is one among New Mexico’s many aging institutions of higher education with facilities that are badly in need of repair. In order to keep our institutions competitive and ensure that New Mexico has an educated workforce, major capital improvements and upgrades to existing facilities need to be made regularly. Higher Education Bond C proposes a total of $119,400,000 for capital improvements and renovations that will include nearly every public college and university in the state. A complete list of proposed projects statewide is included on a website – www.educationbondc.com<http://www.educationbondc.com>. General Obligation Bond C is funded with no new taxes. Campaign organizers say that voters would, instead, see a positive economic impact due to the addition of an estimated 1,200 jobs for architects, contractors and other workers to complete the capital improvements. Proponents also say that by improving our higher education buildings, New Mexico provides a better learning environment for students and builds a more highly educated workforce. “No matter where you live in New Mexico, there is a school and a community that will benefit from Bond C,” said former New Mexico Governors Garrey Carruthers and Toney Anaya, who are statewide honorary co-chairs of the 2012 General Obligation Bond for Education Campaign Committee. “These infrastructure improvements to our colleges and universities are critical to maintain a high standard of education and produce the skilled workforce that is essential in a competitive economy.” Absentee voting begins Oct. 9, and lasts through Nov. 2. Early voting is scheduled from Oct. 20-Nov. 3, and polls are open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6. For more information about Bond C, visit www.EducationBondC.org<http://www.EducationBondC.org> Additionally, voters will also be deciding about Library Bond B, which if passed, will provide the UNM-Gallup Zollinger Library with $28,942 in funds for acquisitions. If all three ballots – which include a senior facilities ballot as well as the above two ballots –are approved by the voters in November 2012, the average cost to the owner of a property worth $100,000 over a 10-year period will be $8.04 per year. Of that $8.04 average cost per year, $6.88 is attributable to the higher education ballot, $0.59 to the senior facilities ballot, and $0.56 to the library acquisitions ballot.
Navajo President Says Navajo Head Start is Improving WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly welcomed the opening of a new school year at Navajo Nation Head Start. "We are making progress to make our Head Start Program better than it has been in the past. We are making bold changes and want to make sure our Head Start program complies with all the federal Head Start standards," President Shelly said. Navajo Head Start, a $27 million program, has been trying to stabilize throughout the year after nearly being terminated by Federal Head Start in fall of 2011 and, most recently, the program achieved a feat that has hampered Head Start for years. During this next school year the program will begin its first year of rebuilding in order to improve services. "This has to be done because it is one of the terms that the Navajo Nation agreed to with the Federal Office of Head Start in our government to government consultations to keep the program running," said Dawn Yazzie, presidential staff assistant assigned to Head Start. Yazzie has been working closely with Navajo Head Start since last summer, and now has some pieces in place that are going to be the pillars for the program to continue to rebuild. For the first time in recent history, a licensed superintendent heads Navajo Head Start. Sharon Singer, who has 25 years of teaching and administrative experience in working with rural and urban schools, was hired on at Navajo Head Start in the middle of August. "Early Childhood is vital to the education system, my vision is to provide quality education and services to the students and families of the Navajo Nation,'' says Singer. Transformative leadership that encompasses transparency and accountability is priority for Singer. "I will be visiting your centers," Singer said to Head Start employees before the school year started. Navajo Head Start has enrolled more than 2,100 students for the upcoming year, which is about two thirds of what enrollment was before the 2006 shutdown. Various issues from filling vacant positions to bringing structures into compliance have hindered the program's enrollment potential. "One of our biggest challenges is getting enrollment numbers back to where they used to be due to the programs instability and lack of updated facilities and difficulty in finding credentialed teachers," Yazzie said. When Head Start was suspended in 2006, about 3,600 students were enrolled in centers and home base programs throughout the Navajo Nation. However, another factor plagued the Navajo Head Start. The federal government threatened to cut Navajo Head Start's funding in half from $27 million a year to just below $15 million a year. Then came news of the program being possibly terminated due to non-compliance in correcting issues. "I had to use my political connections to meet with high ranking federal officials to keep the program afloat," President Shelly said. President Shelly met with U.S. Senators and Representatives and told them that Head Start didn't consult with the Navajo Nation on a government-to-government basis. This consultation is required considering that the Navajo Nation has unique differences from other large programs across the United States. "The Navajo Nation has very little infrastructure and very minimal health resources," said President Shelly. All of these issues affect the Navajo Head Start program. The Office of Head Start Director Yvette Sanchez-Fuentes conducted a sight visit in December and agreed to allow the Navajo Nation three to five years to revamp Head Start in order to meet the more than 2,800 regulations. "We have come a long ways since November of last year, but we aren't out of the woods yet. We still have a lot of work to do to make this program successful. I hope everyone gets on board for the changes we must make to keep this program on the Navajo Nation," President Shelly added. The Head Start program received a letter in mid-August from the Office of Head Start confirming that they will receive $26.8 million for fiscal year 2013 to run the program.
Resources and Development Committee listens to Bodaway/Gap Chapter group supporting development of Grand Canyon Escalade project 22nd NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL | Office of the Speaker MEDIA CONTACTS Jerome Clark | 928.637.5603<tel:928.637.5603> Carmenlita Chief | 928.255.3428<tel:928.255.3428> nnlb.communications@gmail.com<mailto:nnlb.communications@gmail.com> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 20, 2012 Resources and Development Committee listens to Bodaway/Gap Chapter group supporting development of Grand Canyon Escalade project ST. MICHAELS, Ariz. - As a testament to fairness and equity, the Resources and Development Committee listened to a presentation from developers and a group of citizens from Bodaway/Gap Chapter touting the benefits of developing the proposed Grand Canyon Escalade project. Last month, the committee accepted a report from a separate group of citizens from Bodaway/Gap Chapter that were in opposition to the project's construction, primarily because of its proximity to the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers, a sacred site used for prayer offerings. Shortly after that report, Council Delegate Katherine Benally (Chilchinbeto, Kayenta, Dennehotso) cited that it was only fair to hear what the projects supporters had to say. The presentation in support of the project's construction was led by Albert Hale, former Arizona state senator and former Navajo Nation president, now a partner and legal advisor with Confluence Partners', LLC, the developers behind the estimated $200 million tourist destination project. In his presentation, Hale identified project details, project economics, and its current status, followed by an outline of what the next steps are for advancing the project. The project site, which will be located west of Tuba City and southwest of Bodaway/Gap, is designed to include hotel lodges, specialty retail stores, an RV park, facilities for artists to vend their crafts, restaurants and cafes, a general store, a cultural center and museum, and a tram station connected to gondalas that will carry tourists down to a riverwalk near the bottom of the canyon. According to plan details, the Confluence Partners will primarily develop and manage the project under an operating and development agreement with the Navajo Nation. The developers are responsible for raising the $120 million in private investment funds that are needed to help pay for onsite construction activities. The Navajo Nation, however, will be asked to contribute up to $60 million," said Hale, "which will be used to construct roads and utilities to the site." Hale argued that since the Nation is "obligated" to extend and improve roads and utilities for residents in these areas, it would eventually need to spend millions of dollars in the future anyway to fulfill the need for these infrastructural development and improvement projects. A group of about 30 supporters from the Bodaway/Gap Chapter underscored the importance of the project to bring much needed economic development to the area, which for four decades had been impacted by no-build restrictions imposed under the Bennett Freeze, lifted in 2006. The development would bring jobs that would enable Navajo family members to stay home on the reservation to provide for their families and remain in a setting to maintain cultural identity and knowledge of the Navajo language, the group said. "I'm not against the project. This committee is pro-economic development," said Council Delegate Leonard Tsosie (Baca/Prewitt, Casamero Lake, Counselor, Littlewater, Ojo Encino, Pueblo Pintado, Torreon, Whitehorse Lake), who clarified that the questions and concerns posed by the committee is reflective of the cautious and "harmonious" manner in which the committee is trying to approach the issue. "One thing that worries me is that [the groups are] beginning to approach this committee separately. Last time we had the other group, and now we have the pro-group," Delegate Tsosie added. Delegates Benally and Tsosie both urged the supporting group to work with members of the opposing group, as well as the Navajo Medicine Men's Association, to mediate and address the concerns of both parties. The association had passed a resolution opposing the project. The division within the community of Bodaway/Gap was unsettling and worrisome for Delegate Tsosie, who stated that the negligence of the teaching of k'é was not "the Navajo way." If mediation discussions do not prove fruitful, the committee suggested another solution - that perhaps the issue will have to go up for a chapter referendum vote. Whichever avenue of solution, the committee stressed to all parties to interact respectively with one another and to move toward a harmonious position that will benefit all individuals and families involved.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
