Area Briefs | Department of Energy opens WR office

WINDOW ROCK

The Department of Energy’s Energy Office of Legacy Management opened a new office at the Window Rock Shopping Center in Suite 10.

The office’s goal is to protect human life and the environment through long-term surveillance and maintenance of four former uranium sites on the Navajo Reservation.

The office works on the four sites in Shiprock, Tuba City, Mexican Hat, Utah, and Monument Valley, Utah. It helps clean up these sites to improve life for residents who live nearby.

The office also supports the incorporation and growth of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs by attending STEM-related events in the Navajo Nation.

The office also plans to work with the Navajo Nation government to help explore options that will expand their knowledge and grow their STEM outreach.

The new office employs two full-time contractors who are both Navajo and speak Navajo. They are Kayla Bia and Lillie Lane.

The new office in Window Rock will help the program improve its work on the four uranium sites and to provide better support.

Code Talkers plan museum groundbreaking

FLAGSTAFF – The Navajo Code Talkers Museum board are planning to have a groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 14, at Tse Bonito, New Mexico, according to a news release.

Approximately 300 acres of land was designated for the future museum, which will honor the 400 Navajo Code Talkers who used the sacred language to help win the war in the Pacific during World War II.

Navajo Code Talker Day at Tse Bonito will include a ceremony, parade, celebration, gourd dance, and a day for families of Navajo Code Talkers to pay tribute to their loved ones.

Aug. 14 will also mark the 80th anniversary of the unbreakable code.

Lt. Gen David G. Bellon, commander of Marine Forces Reserve, will be the keynote speaker.

The public is welcome, local dignitaries and elected officials will be in attendance.

In May 2020, the Navajo Code Talkers Museum, an Arizona 501(c)(3) corporation, was formally organized as the successor to the famous Navajo Code Talkers Association.

As required by IRS rules, the membership in a nonprofit organization must maintain a high percentage of its specific demographic. In the case of the association, that meant a greater percentage of Navajo Code Talkers had to be active members.

As the men, those who served in the U.S. Marine Corps as Navajo Code Talkers, grew elderly and less able to participate in functions, the need to create an alternative for their legacy became clear: an organization governed by a simple board of directors, with a specific mission to build a world-class, nationally prominent museum for their remembrance.

Regan Hawthorne, U.S. Army veteran and museum board member, said, “Since our inception, we have been actively planning and strategizing for the fulfillment of that mission. Our vision statement: educating the world about the official Navajo language code, and the culture of the brave men chosen to create it, to advance the victory in the Pacific Theater in WWII.”

There are four remaining Navajo Code Talkers, when once they were 400 strong.

On Aug. 14, 1982, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the day to be Navajo Code Talkers Day. Then in 2014, the state of Arizona passed legislation that every Aug. 14 will be Navajo Code Talkers Day statewide.

The board will follow all CDC COVID-19 guidelines for this outdoor event and parade.

Information: navajocodetalkersmuseum@gmail.com

NAJA: Navajo Times to receive free press award

NORMAN, Okla. — The Navajo Times was chosen by the Native American Journalists Association to receive NAJA’s Elias Boudinot Free Press Award.

The award recognizes a publication or media outlet that has shown dedication and commitment to upholding freedom of the press, information and transparency in Indian Country.

The Times was notified on June 30 in an email from Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, executive director of NAJA, who said, “The Navajo Times was selected for the outlet’s long-term dedication to press freedom within the Navajo Nation.

“The 2022 NAJA Awards Committee especially recognizes the contributions of retired CEO and Publisher Tom Arviso Jr.,” she said, “in the ongoing effort to protect and expand press freedoms for the independent outlet.”

Duane Beyal, editor of the Navajo Times, on July 1 responded, “As ‘the newspaper of the Navajo people,’ we accept this honor as a salute to our efforts to serve the Navajo people.

“Our staff labors every week to produce a quality publication with news that serves the public good,” he said. “Your award shows us our efforts are welcomed and appreciated.

“We share this honor with the Navajo people,” he said, “for whom we exist and serve.”

The Navajo Times is scheduled to receive the award at NAJA’s National Native Media Conference Aug. 25 to 27 in Phoenix.

Bashas’ launches celebration for 90th anniversary

PHOENIX –Bashas’ announced on July 7 that it would begin a 90-day celebration this month to commemorate its 90th anniversary.

From grocery card giveaways to an attempt to break a Guinness world record to a local charity challenge (and more), the supermarket chain is ready to celebrate and thank Arizonans for their support through the decades.

Bashas’ supermarkets began in 1932 when brothers Ike and Eddie Basha Sr. opened the first Bashas’-branded grocery store five miles south of Chandler. Since then, the company has grown to more than 100 stores statewide.

Festivities began July 11 and 12 with an effort to build the largest doughnut mosaic (logo). From July 18 to Sept. 23 will be a “Community Choice Charity Challenge,” where Arizona residents can vote for the 501(c)(3) charity that they feel is most deserving of an additional $50,000 in funds from Bashas’.

And from July 27 to Oct. 4 will be weekly grocery gift card giveaways in which Bashas’ will randomly give away $500 cards.

Information: www.bashas.com

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