Area Briefs: Crownpoint fall cleanup set

CROWNPOINT

The K’é Community Trails Coalition is planning a community-wide fall clean up Oct. 7 and 8. The cleanup is hosted by the Crownpoint Chapter’s Community Watch and Awareness group.

New Mexico’s Clean and Beautiful program will fund the majority of the effort along with donations from the Navajo Rug Weavers Association, the county commissioner’s office, and the North West Regional Solid Waste Authority.

The Crownpoint Chapter was awarded the Clean and Beautiful grant in the spring to promote a clean community and prevent litter.

The cleanup will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Crownpoint Chapter and end by 4:30 p.m. Trash bags, safety vests, gloves, and trash picker-uppers will be available to volunteers.

Trash bins donated by County Commissioner Billy Moore and the Solid Waste Authority will be located at the transfer station north of town for all local residents.

The K’é Community Trails Coalition is an effort by the Crownpoint Chapter, Navajo Technical University, Office of Diné Youth, and the National Park Service to develop pedestrian trails in Crownpoint. The coalition has operated since 2018 and has started to develop trails on Office of Diné Youth land.

‘Uncontrolled spread’ of virus at 40 chapters

WINDOW ROCK – On Monday, the Navajo Department of Health issued a health advisory notice to 40 chapters due to the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 based on cases from Sept. 10 to Sept. 23.

These chapters include Baca/Prewitt, Becenti, Beclabito, Black Mesa, Bodaway/Gap, Cameron, Casamero Lake, Chichiltah, Chinle, Church Rock, Coyote Canyon, Crownpoint, Ganado, Hogback, Indian Wells, Jeddito, Kaibeto, Kayenta, Leupp, Manuelito, Many Farms, Nageezi, Naschitti, Newcomb, Piñon, Pueblo Pintado, Ramah, Rock Springs, Sheepsprings, Shiprock, Shonto, Smith Lake, Teesto, Thoreau, Tohatchi, Tsayatoh, Tuba City, Two Grey Hills and Upper Fruitland.

President Jonathan Nez said, “We urge schools, businesses, and families in these communities to take extra precautions to slow the spread. Continue to wear your mask in public, wash or sanitize your hands often, and stay a safe distance from others.”

County commission accepts grant for railroad study

AZTEC, N.M. – On Sept. 21, the San Juan County Commission formally accepted a federal grant to pay for a study on building a new railroad to serve the county.

The Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation in September of 2020.

In February of 2020, San Juan County entered a memorandum of understanding with the Navajo Nation to take steps to plan for the construction of a railroad.

John Beckstead, chairman of the county commission, said, “Rail service has been discussed in our area for decades. Today, the San Juan County Commission can take steps to create jobs for San Juan County and the Navajo Nation, moving full-steam ahead to build a diverse economy for the future.”

A request for proposals will be issued before the end of the year to solicit contractors to engage in the planning process. There is no set timeline but grant funding must be spent by 2024.
A new railroad would have to cross Navajo lands, and some Diné residents and chapters have opposed the project.

Glove factory plans Friday groundbreaking

WINDOW ROCK – A groundbreaking is scheduled on Friday for Phase 2 of construction for the glove factory and warehouse at the Church Rock Industrial Park.

Rhino Health Inc. will expand its operations at Church Rock with a planned 100,000-square-foot facility to increase operations.

Construction is expected to be completed a year from now in September 2022.

Flagstaff governing board reaffirms face-mask requirement

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The Flagstaff Unified School District’s governing board on Tuesday reaffirmed the requirement that everyone must wear face masks while indoors on school property.

The action follows the Sept. 27 ruling by the Superior Court of Arizona that said the law prohibiting school districts from requiring masks is void and unenforceable.

School districts that wish to require face masks may lawfully do so unless an emergency stay is issued or another Arizona court rules otherwise.

The face mask requirement is outlined in the school district’s COVID-19 Mitigation Plan and it also allows the school district to exercise the K-12 exception for quarantining. This exception means less students may need to be excluded from school in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 in a class or school.

Michael Penca, superintendent, said, “The Flagstaff Unified School District Governing Board and I believe that consistent and layered use of the available mitigation strategies gives us the best chance of protecting the health and safety of our students and staff.”

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