Letters: Last NGS outage after 45 years of operation

The Three Sisters are back at it again. A milestone was reached in April when, after nearly 45 years of continuous operation, Navajo Generating Station officially completed its last scheduled maintenance outage.

Great job to everyone involved in the summer prep outages, condenser tube leaks, seal repairs, cable faults and much more over the past several weeks of work. You are all an awesome bunch, and I appreciate all you do every day to keep The Three Sisters safely putting power on the grid for the benefit of all those living in the Southwest. Our Unit 3 start-up closed the books on decades of calendared, budgeted, planned and scheduled outages at NGS. This is a sad day in my book – but it is also a day to be extremely proud.

All of the thousands of permanent and temporary employees who participated in maintaining NGS for the past four-and-a-half decades have done an amazing job. You have made NGS one of the most recognized power plants in the country. Not because of all the headlines the non-governmental agencies initiate. No, NGS is recognized throughout the country and energy industry for its performance.

There are few power plants in the U.S. that can boast the performance statistics NGS has logged over its life. The past 30 years it has performed its best. Each of you who played a role should be hugely proud of this accomplishment. You made it happen with what you do day in and day out.

The teamwork, the camaraderie, sense of ownership and pride have all combined to create an exceptional team that has created an exceptional power plant. Thanks again for everything you have done and continue doing to make NGS what it is. It is what it is simply because of the great folks who have worked here, who work here today and those who will continue to work here. This is a lot of iron that requires a lot of skill and finesse to operate and maintain.

You have done and continue to do a magnificent job. There are still many megawatts to be generated by The Three Sisters. Let’s all continue to do everything we can to help NGS finish strong!

My sincere gratitude to all of you who are and have been NGS.

Shayne Jones
NGS Maintenance Manager
Page, Ariz.

Keep animals off the road

In my community, raising livestock is the way of life. Unfortunately, livestock tend to get on the road and cause traffic accidents. It would be highly appreciated if people with livestock kept their animals off the road at night and during the day.

Sueann Becenti
Crownpoint, N.M.

Halona needs to step down

It has recently come to my attention that there are members of the Navajo Nation Council that behave inappropriately. Any sexual misconduct from leaders is disturbing. Within this past year another Council delegate, Mr. Pernell Halona, has behaved improperly. It doesn’t matter how his “private parts” got on the video, whether it was mutual or he was a victim, behaving in any way that would allow a video of his “private parts” to be in possession of a woman that is not his wife is unacceptable. In the Navajo language we have no word for “sorry.”

Is it a Navajo teaching that if an action will result in the wrongdoer feeling regret or penitence then the wrongdoer should refrain from that action? If the wrongdoer accidently fulfilled a wrongful action, then the wrongdoer should genuinely act to fix it. This is what you teach to children.

Mr. Pernell Halona is an adult and, not just that, but a representative of the Navajo people. According to the Navajo Times, he continued with a video chat with a woman who is not is wife even when she sent him a nude. It is distressing that he would allow such a video chat. In what world is it acceptable to see another woman naked who is not his wife? He apologized for his curiosity getting the best of him.

If he is genuinely sorry for his action then he should step down from the Navajo Nation Council delegate position. Our Council delegates should be role models for the younger generation and should behave on a higher standard because of their position in the Navajo government.

Letting Mr. Pernell Halona continue as Navajo Nation Council delegate is embarrassing and disconcerting. Role models are leaders that have important values such as honesty, respect and virtue. Leaders need to live their values and aim for them every day. In this way values will drive behavior and leaders will make decisions that are consistent with their values.

Mr. Pernell Halona did not behave as a leader should. It brings to question what his values are. And we, as a Navajo people, should ask ourselves, Is this a leader we want in our Navajo Nation Council? If actions are not taken against unworthy role models then the Navajo Nation Council does not care about the Navajo people.

Men cannot behave in any sexual misconduct and get away with it. If our own Navajo men don’t respect us Navajo women, then how will other men?

Kirena Clah
Albuquerque, N.M.

All departments need updating

In the Navajo Times article titled, “Nez-Lizer working on strategic plan,” by Arlyssa Becenti (April 25), she writes about how Navajo Nation president and vice president are making plans to change the Navajo Nation. President Nez states, “We felt we needed to bring someone that can give us a third-party perspective to re-evaluate the programs and to recommend ways to reorganize and restructure programs.”

With this coming from the Navajo Nation president I do believe that changes need to be done in each department. Just as in the article about Miss Navajo Nation having to use some of her own funds to attend and schedule events (April 25), there are many departments that need help and updating.

With the Navajo Nation trying to have our people work in the Nation, they should allow the younger generation the opportunity to work on the nation and to bring brighter ideas not only in one department.

I also think that not only the Navajo Nation president but others should take advantage of small businesses to assist in the plans. As mentioned by Pratt, who owns a business and is able to help in strategic planning, “Our traditional teachings have laid out goal achievement within the guidelines of nitsahakees, nahat’a, iina, sih hasin.”

This is a way of life, not just for the Navajos, but for everyone. With what has been said I believe that changes do need to be made on the Navajo Nation and those are being put into place one department at a time.

Rolanda Manygoats
Navajo, N.M.

Thanks for promoting safety seats

Belatedly, but thankfully, do I express appreciation, on behalf of the Winslow High School class of 1964, for Norma Bowman, program manager for the Navajo Department of Transportation, who last month called a California radio station to help spread the word for Navajo NewBorns Need Safety Seats.

Over the international air waves of KCNR 1460.com, Ms. Bowman helped explained the critical need for brand new infant car seats for expectant Diné. JoDee Dennison, executive director of Think First Navajo, an injury prevention program, also spoke on behalf of Navajo NewBorns Need Safety Seats, as did Barbara Crowell Roy, executive director of Eve’s Fund For Native American Health Initiatives.

The Navajo NewBorns Need Safety Seats “give back” project was birthed on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2017, when Navajo Times reporter Pauly Denetclaw wrote articles that motivated the Winslow High School class of 1964 to try to get 100 brand new infant cars eats donated before the class reunion this summer.

The 45-minute interview, involving Bowman, Dennison and Roy, can be heard by going to the radio station’s website at KCNR 1460.com and clicking on archives.

And for readers of the Navajo Times, who want to purchase the Graco Snugride Click Connect 30X infant car seat, please go to facebook.com/navajo newborns need safety seats.

Jerry Sanchez Sr.
Redding, Calif.

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