Pueblo of Isleta website: www.isletapueblo.com (2020)

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Volume 15 Issue 8

Isleta Pueblo News

Pueblo of Isleta website: www.isletapueblo.com

August 2020

GOVERNOR’S REPORT

Good day to everyone,

As the daily COVID challenge continues to

plague our country, I am hopeful that you will

continue to keep yourselves safe. The curfew,

stay at home order, keep away from COVID

hot spots are still set in place. As we all

know, life is filled with challenges and we all

need to stay strong and united to meet these

challenges.

Currently, we are faced with the planning

of our children’s educational future as we

definitely do not know how the schools are

reopening or if they will reopen. Being a parent

and grandfather, I too have many concerns for

educating our children. Our next challenge is

discovering a way to provide the teaching tools

our children need to continue their education.

Be assured that we are working to find a safe

and compatible solution.

The current drought conditions are a concern

for the farmers along with the distribution

of water for irrigation. Please read the

letters that follow this article, for additional

information on the irrigation water situation.

It is very important that irrigators work

together to manage the water we are receiving.

Also, we are requesting that the community

consider submitting public comments for the

Environmental Assessment for the Bosque

and River Restoration Project.

As stated in the July Newsletter, we would

not be celebrating the feast of Kateri and

Saint Augustine in August and September.

Instead mass was held on Saturday, July 25,

2020 with a limited number of parishioners

attending. Although this is not the norm for

feast days, prayer is always a good thing.

Also, we had our newly appointed priest,

Father Graham, lead us in prayer. Thank

you to all those who were able to attend.

We continue to address the daily concerns

of our community. Stay vigilant to protect

yourselves, your loved ones and our

community.

Wishing you great strength and good health,

Max A. Zuni, Governor

PUEBLO OF ISLETA

VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Due to the pandemic our association has not

met since March. Occasionally, our officers

are meeting briefly to conduct business. We

have four ongoing projects. Through our

lobbying efforts with the state legislature we

have received funding for replacing the entry

ramp and new porch lighting. Also, we are

still waiting for approval on two other projects

from the state. One project is the renovation

of the modular building for $ 147 K and $ 219

K for a tractor / implements and a storage

building. We have also applied for a grant

with the USDA farm agency to re-engineer

our irrigation system and crop development.

We have not received approval as of this date.

We will continue to provide funeral details,

headstone placements and replacing flags at

tribal owned facilities. Also we are continuing

to help veterans in need of various assistance.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ISLETA IRRIGATORS

On July 17th, 2020, the Rio Grande Compact Commissioners approved the Middle Rio Grande

Conservancy District’s emergency use of approximately 38,000 acre-feet of Rio Grande Compact

debit water being held in El Vado Reservoir. This water will be used for emergency purposes within the

middle Rio Grande valley to prevent catastrophic crop losses and minimize impacts to endangered

species.

The Pueblo of Isleta is grateful for the use of this water on its Newly Reclaimed Lands during this

exceptionally dry and difficult irrigation season. This water will be stretched out over the next 60 days,

helping to provide Isleta irrigators with water through mid-September.

The Pueblo’s stored Prior and Paramount water for 2020 is also continuing to be released as natural

flow in the Rio Grande is unable to meet current irrigation demands. This P&P water, combined with

emergency usage of the stored Rio Grande Compact water will help Isleta irrigators make it through

this season.

The Pueblo of Isleta Water Resources Department (WRD) continues to work closely with the Middle

Rio Grande Conservancy District to ensure an adequate water supply is delivered to the canal

headings on Isleta. Deliveries will be regulated closely so that both Indian and non-Indian farmers

have an adequate supply of water for their crops.

During this very dry year it will be especially important to work with your Mayordomo to schedule

irrigation water. Farmers must all work together with the mayordomos so that everyone has a

successful year during this time of severe drought.

Let’s all pray for a good monsoon and lots of rain to supplement the flows in the Rio Grande and

replenish the soil moisture on Isleta rangelands.

Chical Mayordomos:

Leon Chiwewe-261-0007

Leonard Abeita-908-5101

Cacique Mayordomos:

Ben Garcia-389-0429

Calvin Jiron-307-3825

Acequia Madre Mayordomos:

Daniel Waseta Jr-433-8229

Jonathon Piro-259-4178 or 917-6933

Pueblo of Isleta Water

Resources:

Cody B. Walker-869-9623

Derek Jarner-869-7566

Page 2

Isleta Pueblo News

August 2020

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

DEADLINE for September Newsletter articles is set

for Wednesday, August 19, 2020, at 4:30 pm. Articles

may be dropped off at the Library or emailed to Nathaniel.

Lujan@isletapueblo.com. Should you email your article,

expect a confirmation email. If you do not receive a

confirmation email, odds are it never made it to me and

then it’s time to panic, so call Nate at 505.869.9808.

People who wish to submit an article or flyer are responsible

for generating their own article or flyer. Should you need

help, please call the Library at 505.869.9808 and set up a

date and time to sit down with a Library staff member who

will help you throughout the process. The Library will NOT

accept notes dropped off at the Library or information over

the phone to generate your article.

PROBATES need to be published in the Newsletter for

two consecutive months. Probates are considered court

documents, therefore, all submitters must provide: 1)

Name of Deceased, 2) Date of Deceased 3) Court Case #

and 4) Date of Court Date. A Probate form can be found on

the Newsletter Archive page at http://www.isletapueblo.

com/newsletters.html .

Health Beat

Telemedicine

Now Available at the

Isleta Health Center

CLASSIFIED ADS: The new administration has requested

that the Newsletter start a Classified Ad section for Tribal

members selling land, houses, mobile homes, vehicles, and

farm equipment. Leasing of houses and mobile homes will

be accepted. Smaller items which can be sold at the local

flea markets or weekly yard sales will NOT be accepted.

Currently, this service is FREE to Tribal members. Land,

houses, and mobile homes must be within the reservation

boundaries. Ads must meet the 160 character limit. Ads

that exceed the 160 characters will NOT be submitted into

the Newsletter. A single picture may be submitted with

the ad. Submitters of classified ads are responsible for

generating their own ads as this is a FREE service.

As a reminder, Tribal business owners may submit a small

flyer at no charge. Like the classified ads, business owners

are responsible for generating their own flyers as this is a

FREE service.

Classified ads and business flyers will be posted no

more than two consecutive months. In the event where

the Newsletter may exceed the 24-page limit, classified

ads and business flyers will be “bumped” for newsletter

articles. Again, this is a FREE service for Tribal members.

The Isleta Newsletter is owned and operated by the Pueblo

of Isleta. Therefore, the Governor of the Pueblo of Isleta

has the final say of all articles and contents within the

Isleta Newsletter.

For additional questions, you may call the Library and

speak with Nate or Diane at 505.869.9808.

Thank you,

Nathaniel Lujan

Newsletters may be found at the fifteen distribution

locations listed below. Remember, Digital copies of the

Newsletter may be obtained from the Newsletter archive

at http://www.isletapueblo.com/newsletters.html

The fifteen Newsletter distribution locations are:

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

TR 2 & TR 22 - Chical SE of Community Hall

TR 10 - Behind the old 47 Sales

TR 1 & TR 5 – Ranchitos / Bosque Farms

Reservations Line

Ranchitos Park

Post Office - Big Tree

TR 82 & TR 84 - Teller Road

TR 78 & TR 82 - Carlos Trujillo Sr.

TR 90 @ Y - CF Padilla

Mouse Town Park –

Health Center – South end of Health

Center Parking lot

Library Sunlight & Moonlight Intersection

TR 6 - 47 Intersection

TR 12 - 47 & 147 intersection (Old Smoke & Save)

TR 71 & TR 54 @ Y - Holiday Robot / Paved Road /

Railroad Tracks

TR 45 & TR 40 @ Y - Tata Mel (POI Signage)

Health Educator: Stephanie Barela,

BS CHES CSST

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic the Isleta Health Center is working hard at keeping

the Isleta community healthy and safe by offering Telemedicine. Telemedicine is a prescheduled appointment that allows patients and healthcare providers to communicate

via phone call. These appointments will allow you to speak with your provider and ask

basic medical questions. Based on your medical needs your provider may schedule

an in office appointment. Patients are still being required to schedule an in office

visit for Well Child Visits and Sports Physicals. The Diabetes program will continue

to offer Patients AIC screens by drive-thru testing. The provider will follow up by a

Telemedicine appointment to discuss your condition.

With this new technology and in the interest of keeping our patients safe, the Isleta

Health Center is working toward offering video visits that will allow Providers to see the

patient over a cell phone, tablet or computer.

Please contact the Isleta Health Center

at (505) 869-3200 to find out more.

Isleta Health Center

Program Cancellations

Health Educator: Stephanie Barela,

BS CHES CSST, 869-4479

The Isleta Health Center (IHC) is doing our part to encourage social

distancing, by continuing to cancel all of our programs until further

notice:

The IHC Programs below are canceled:

►

All IBHC Prevention activities

ICAP Sewing Class on Thursday evenings

►

ICAP Moccasin Making Class on Tuesday evenings

►

Isleta Community Health Fair, scheduled for August 8, 2020.

►

Isleta Diabetes Prevention Exercise Classes (Eagle HIIT)

held Mondays and Wednesdays

►

Isleta Diabetes Weight Training held Tuesdays and

Thursdays

►

Healthy Cooking Classes

►

Wellbriety on Wednesday evenings

24 Hour Coronavirus Hotline

1-855-600-3453

www.nmhealth.org

Isleta Health Center’s Nurse Advice Line

505-869-3200

Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm

August 2020

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 3

Pueblo of Isleta Career Opportunities

Position Posting

AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION TECHNICIAN

AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION TECHNICIAN -TEMP

BUS DRIVER- PART TIME

CAREGIVER I

CAREGIVER II (2 Positions)

CARPENTER I, II, OR III

CHR VAN DRIVER (Part Time)

COMPUTER TEACHER

DENTAL ASSISTANT

DIRECTOR, LANGUAGE

EMS MANAGER

EMT INTERMEDIATE

EMT INTERMEDIATE PRN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GAMING REGULATORY

FEDERAL PROJECT MANAGER

FIRE CHIEF

HEAVY EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN

HOME OWNERSHIP COUNSELOR

LABORER

LANGUAGE TEACHER

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN

NURSE EDUCATOR -REPOSTED

PHYSICIAN-AMENDED

PHYSICIAN/PEDIATRICIAN

PLASTERER I, II or III

PLUMBER

PAINTER

PARAMEDIC (1 Part Time / 1 Fill Time - REPOSTED

PRC MANAGER - REPOSTED

PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR

PROJECT ASSISTANT

REGISTERED NURSE

SCHOOL COUNSELOR

TREASURER

UTILITY WORKER

Office Location

Agricultural Division

Head Start

Assisted Living

Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority

Health Center

Isleta Elementary School

Health Services

Language Department

Health Center

Gaming Regulatory

Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority

Fire Department

Transportation Services

Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority

Language Director

Public Works

Health Center

Housing Authority

Health Center

Treasury

Social Services

Health Center

Isleta Elementary School

Treasury

Public Works

Closing Date

Open Until Filled

Page 4

Isleta Pueblo News

August 2020

Middle Rio Grande

Conservancy District

Contact: Mike Hamman

(505) 247-0234; mikeh@mrgcd.us

For Release: July 17, 2020

Action by the Rio Grande Compact

Commission to Ease Crisis for Farmers and

Prevent Drying of the Rio Grande

Albuquerque, NM:

Due to extreme drought

conditions and historically low Rio Grande flows the

Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (District)

was anticipating running out of its general irrigation

water supplies in upstream reservoirs by Saturday

morning that would have led to extensive river drying

and devastating crop losses throughout the middle

Rio Grande valley. Since mid-June, virtually all

flow through the middle Rio Grande valley (between

Cochiti and Elephant Butte) has been due to water

released from upstream reservoirs.

The District will be working with the State to

use approximately 38,000 acre-feet of Rio Grande

Compact water being held in El Vado Reservoir as

debit water owed to Elephant Butte Reservoir. The

New Mexico Compact Commissioner, State Engineer

John D’Antonio, requested the concurrence by the

two states of Colorado and Texas to allow him to

direct the use of this supply for emergency purposes

within the middle Rio Grande and they agreed to the

use of this water with conditions that this supply be

judiciously used to prevent catastrophic crop losses

and minimize impacts to endangered species.

The District is grateful for the use this water. The

amount of water is relatively small, and the Rio

Grande is still experiencing exceptionally dry and

difficult conditions. The water must be managed

very carefully so that no drop goes to waste. The

authorization of this release by the Rio Grande

Compact Commissioners is an exceptional occurrence,

but also cautionary. The District is informing the

public and our water users that although we may

squeeze by this year, without significant precipitation

we can expect to have in excess of 100,000 acre-feet

debt to downstream users next year. This water must

be replaced as soon as possible to prevent harm to

irrigation districts below Elephant Butte Dam and,

by the rules of the Compact, may also severely limit

the District’s use of El Vado Reservoir in future years.

The District will continue to address its top priorities

of delivering irrigation water to middle valley

farmers that includes the six middle Rio Grande

Pueblos, assisting to meet the Rio Grande Compact

obligations and optimizing available leased water to

meet environmental goals as required under the 2016

Middle Rio Grande biological opinion.

About the MRGCD: The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy

District has been promoting sustainable agriculture for the

past 85 years. The District delivers water to about 70,000

acres of cropland in the Middle Rio Grande Valley. That

water is reused time and time again to irrigate crops,

sustains the cottonwood bosque along the Rio Grande, helps

create and maintain habitat for the endangered Rio Grande

silvery minnow and recharges the aquifer. The District owns

30,000 acres of bosque in the valley, the largest continuous

cottonwood forest in the world, and a stretch of land that

provides unprecedented recreational opportunities and an

irreplaceable swath of greenbelt in New Mexico’s largest

metropolitan area. The District was formed in 1925 to

alleviate flooding and to reclaim farmland in the valley. Its

boundaries stretch 150 miles from Cochiti on the north to

the boundary of the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife

Refuge on the south, running through Sandoval, Bernalillo,

Valencia and Socorro Counties. It operates more than 1,200

miles of canals, laterals and drains, which are used to

convey water to and from cropland. The District is funded

by water service charges and property assessments on the

benefited lands within its boundaries.

August 2020

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 5

Isleta Elementary School

Mr. Torrez, Robert EPA/Principal

1000 Moonlight Dr.

Albuquerque, NM 87105

505-554-0592 c/505-565-5717 office

Robert.torrez@poies.org

https://www.facebook.com/IsletaElementarySchool

https://www.isletaelementary.org

Isleta Elementary School Staff (PHASE TWO - DISTANT/VIRTUAL LEARNING)

Dear Parents and Families,

We hope your safety and well-being is

balanced as we stay home, wash hands

and be resilient of changing situations due

to COVID-19. IES is working through many

changes in the education world creating a

stable educational environment with safety

precautions for our students, families and

staff.

Based on School Board, Governor Zuni, and

Administration team the start of the school

year will be Distance/Virtual (remote) learning

starting in August. IES will begin with remote

Distant/Virtual Learning on August 12, 2020.

The scheduled date of re-opening was August

5, 2020 for In-Class Instructions. The new

date for re-opening will provide Teachers/Staff

an opportunity to prepare for Distant/Virtual

Learning. As we start with remote learning,

we are committed in offering every child with

quality and rigorous curriculum facilitated by

our highly qualified teachers. Instruction will

be conducted utilizing “Google Meet, Google

student email accounts, Class Dojo, go meet,

etc.”

IES Re-Entry Plan consist of Phase I (InClass), Phase II (Distant/Virtual), and Phase

III (Hybrid):

A. Phase II: August 12-October 12, 2020

a. Distant/Virtual Learning for all students

b. IES will provide Lunch on campus

as a pick up/Lunch Deliverables to all

enrolled students (11:30am to 12:30pm)

c. Enrolled IES students will individually

be assigned an IPAD, Chromebook

laptop, or tablet

d. Families will be updated on how

Internet will be provided at home. This

will be addressed by Mr. Abeita (IT

Technician)

e. Students class schedule will be mailed

the week of August 3rd-7th, 2020

f. Hard copy learning packets will be

provided via school bus delivery to all

who request (Phone call to the school)

g. Special Education IEP instructional

services and hours will be provided by

qualified instructional support providers

h. Parent/Adult training will be provided

by IT Technician from IES to help

students log in to their device and how

to find online learning programs that will

be placed on the technology device

i. Fridays will be a half day

i. Phone call to parents to support

questions and provided academic

progress for students

ii. Limited instructions

iii. Grading for staff and collaboration

meetings will occur

B. Phase II: October 13th-December

17th, 2020 (Subject to Change)

a. Continue with Distant/Virtual Learning

for students

b. IES will have some students entering

campus for In-Classroom Instruction

that need academic support based on

student’s data participation, academic

needs, Axillary services. (Parents will

officially be notified)

C. Phase I: January 6, 2021-June 2,

2021 (Subject to change)

a. Students will be going to IES for inclass instructions

b. Bus pick and drop off will be done

i. Temperature checks will be done

before students enters the bus

ii. Masks will be worn as a mandatory

safety precaution

c. School entrance:

i. Temperature check will be done

before entering the school

ii. Masks will be worn as a mandatory

safety precaution

iii. Social distance will be monitored

d. Instructions in the Classroom

i. Staff will wear Masks all the time

ii. Sanitation done continuously

iii. Re-Opening Plan will be available

on the external website, Facebook,

and through DOE/JOM websites as

well as the Library for more detailed

information and procedures

Depending on individual family needs and

connectivity to internet, students may receive

instruction in the following ways:

• Online via computer with packets

provided for support;

• Telephonically with hard copy packets

provide for students to demonstrate their

knowledge;

• There will be a Virtual recording of the

lessons provided through social media,

email or flash drive to the students

We will be reaching out to parents through our

SMS portal that will provide information about

the re-opening plans of IES. IES is requesting

that you update your phone numbers and

email with the Office Clerk at IES so we may

communicate with all families in a timely

manner.

IES has created a document for you with

specific schedule, attendance, and grading

information that will be in a re-opening plan

for all three Phases of instruction that I

provide you with through our social media,

external website, and through email. We

must now increase academic rigor, time on

task, and attendance to ensure grade level

achievement of high academic standards.

Teachers will be required to teach the full

curricula, meet required instructional hours,

and students will be required to attend daily

to their Distant/Virtual lessons. It is important

to note that education in this environment

offers us all challenges that will add additional

complexity to our lives.

We are working with MIS to get hot spots to

the community and locations that best provide

connectivity.

We appreciate your patience and trust as we

encounter changes following executive orders

with COVID-19 to ensure we protect our

precious children well-being and community.

Sincerely,

Robert Torrez

Mr. Robert Torrez

EPA/Principal

505-565-5717 (office)

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 6

August 2020

Isleta Historical Society

This continues a monthly series of articles about historic Isletans. The Isleta Historical Society is interested

in your reaction to these stories, and we encourage you to contact us with ideas for future publications. Please

email us at isletahistoricalsociety@gmail.com or call the Governor’s office at (505) 869-3111 (mention the Isleta

Historical Society) or visit us on Facebook and Instagram @isletahistoricalsociety. We will not use any information

without your permission. Thank you!

Members: Randy Jiron, Kateri Jojola, Malcolm Ebright, Valentino Jaramillo, Rick Hendricks, and Ted Jojola

Historic Agriculture and Stock Raising in Isleta – Part 1

One of the first Spanish officials to report

on agriculture at Isleta, Fray Francisco

Atanasio Domínguez, noted in his 1776

visitation of the missions of New Mexico

that Isleta was a prosperous community

that harvested beautiful crops of everything

it planted, orchards of fruit trees, “and

vinestocks from which they usually make a

little wine for the church sacrament.” From

the earliest days of the U.S. occupation of

New Mexico, Indian agents, newspaper

reporters, and other commentators have

noted the prosperity of Isleta. Blessed

with a considerable land base and ample

irrigation water from the Rio Grande, Isleta

had substantial farmland.

In 1858 when publisher Samuel Yost

visited Isleta, he noted that Isleta owned

large tracts of the best land in the Rio

Grande Valley and they judged Isleta to be

“the most prosperous and one of the most

industrious pueblos in New Mexico. Isleta

governors reported on the prosperity of the

pueblo when dealing with U.S. government

officials. When Isleta governor Ambrosio

Abeita testified before the Surveyor General

of New Mexico in 1856; he said, “we raise

enough to support us comfortably, indeed

some of our men are wealthy.” Another

Isleta governor was even more direct.

When Governor Simon Zuni was asked in

1890 by Special Agent Henry R. Poore why

Isleta was so advanced, he replied after

some thought, “it is because the people of

the pueblo expended all their energy on a

single thing, their farms.”

Isleta, N.D., Charles Lummis,

photographer, Courtesy of the Autry

Museum of the American West, Negative

no. P8057.1

Special Agent Poore determined that Isleta

was farming from 2,400 to 2,600 acres of

cropland in 1890. Twenty years later, when

Pablo Abeita was lobbying for a bridge across

the Rio Grande, he estimated that Isletans

farmed about 4,000 acres on the east side of

the Rio Grande where they raised, “alfalfa,

corn, wheat, oats, melons, and other crops

in large quantities.” Isletans also raised

beans, chiles, cotton, and a small amount of

vegetables. Some families owned fruit trees

and others raised grapes, to be made into

wine as Father Domínguez had reported.

Farmlands were irrigated by four acequias;

today they are known as the Ranchito,

the Acequia del Chical, the Belen High

Line, and the Acequia Madre. Working

on the ditch was mandatory community

work. When community members failed

to appear for ditch cleaning and other

acequia work, their names were given to

Opening the Acequia at Isleta Pueblo, 1894, Charles F. Lummis, photographer,

Courtesy of the Autry Museum of the American West, Negative no. P7964

Horse Powered Thresher, 1895, Charles Lummis, photographer, Courtesy of the Autry

Museum of the American West, Negative no. P9890

the governor, who passed them on to the available, Isletans were quick to adopt

Court of Indian Offenses. Judge Pablo them, unlike some conservative pueblos

Abeita would then access fines or jail time like Santo Domingo and Jemez. In 1924

against those without a valid excuse. The Jemez officials were punishing progressives

cleaning of the acequia usually occurred for using a cultivator rather than a hoe to

in March; the timing was governed by the weed. One Jemez man responded that his

ceremonial leaders and was accompanied choice was pragmatic and had nothing to

by rituals such as a game of shinny. Part do with religious beliefs. The Jemez man

recreational and part ceremonial, the noted that “by the use of the hoe we grow

shinny game traditionally took place in the better corn than … [his] neighbors, and …

main plaza at the conclusion of the ditch took first prize on corn at the Albuquerque

cleaning. The opening of the acequia was [state] fair.” Indian Superintendent Chester

also accompanied by prayers and a blessing Faris came to the man’s defense, noting

of the waters.

that the Jemez and other conservative

The irrigated farmland was distributed pueblos had eagerly adopted other modern

fairly evenly among farmers. In 1940 the technologies, including “the steel breaking

average farm did not exceed ten acres, plow, the thresher, the mower, the dropper,

though a few large landowners farmed the wagon, … and many other implements

about thirty acres. Pueblo landholding that offer practical return.”

was similar throughout the pueblos. Most

land within the pueblo was community

land available to all Isletans for hunting,

gathering wood, herbs, and land for grazing.

Irrigable tracts were assigned equitably,

usually by the governor or the council. Land

farmed for a year or more was passed from

father to son or daughter, but could also be

sold to other Isletans, but not to outsiders.

Farming tools were fairly basic until the

late 1800s. Farmers plowed with horses or

oxen and planted and cultivated by hand.

When interviewed by the Indian agent,

Isletan governor Juan P. Lente, born in

1866, remembered that his grandfather

used wooden shovels to dig irrigation

canals and jawbones of sheep and cows to

cut their wheat. Juan Rey Olguin, born

in 1873, remembered a time when oak

was used to make plows and pitchforks.

When mechanized farm equipment became

Farmers at Isleta began acquiring

modern farm equipment as early as 1912

when Indian Agent Phillip T. Lonergan

encouraged the purchase of these items at

reduced cost through a government loan

program. Under the program farmers could

obtain implements like plows, mowers, and

threshers as well as wagons at reduced

prices. Superintendent Lonergan worked

closely with Pablo Abeita in making this

modern machinery available. In addition,

students at the Albuquerque Indian School,

such as Pablo’s son, Jose, became adept

harness makers, providing the harness

necessary for the animals that pulled the

plows and other farm equipment. Pablo

Abeita made it clear in a speech delivered

in the 1920s that his cooperation with

the Indian Superintendent regarding

agricultural implements did not mean

that he was against the maintenance of

August 2020

Isleta Pueblo News

the rituals and ceremonies that formed

the spiritual underpinnings of all pueblo

agriculture. “Progressive is that a man can

plow his land better with a riding plow than

a hand plow, [but] drifting away from Indian

customs, I don’t call that progressive.”

As the use of these farm implements began

to increase production, especially of alfalfa

hay, pueblo members were able to sell their

surplus. In August of 1912, Lonergan wrote

to Pablo Abeita asking him to send the

names of Indians who wish to sell alfalfa

hay and the prices. Lonergan then offered

to buy twenty-four tons at $13 per ton. By

December 1912, Lonergan had purchased

all twenty-four tons, twelve of them to be

shipped to Laguna by rail. Alfalfa became

a kind of currency in good years. Lonergan

told Pablo Abeita in December 1912 that

an Isletan named Montoya had been

credited with $10 at Mr. Seis’s store and

promised to pay in hay. Alfalfa as well as

oats and wheat continued to be the major

cash crops at Isleta, even when irrigated

agriculture was declining at other pueblos

due to diminished water supplies. In 1965

Juan D. Zuni was selling alfalfa for $27 a

ton and oats at $19 a ton. He owned two

balers and made money cutting and baling

the hay of other farmers, money he used to

pay workers who helped with handling and

stacking the hay.

Page 7

farmers produced such abundant crops that

the pueblo continued to rank number one in

crop production.

Children at Irrigation Ditch, 1890,

Charles F. Lummis, photographer,

Courtesy of the Autry Museum of the

American West, Negative no. P8340

Many Isletan farmers were also stock

raisers, a subject we will discuss as we

continue this article on Isletan agriculture.

Farmers complained about livestock and

horses invading planted fields. By the

1890s the Indian agents were supplying the

pueblos with barbed wire which replaced

wooden fencing in some places. Another

solution to the problem of invading animals

were the stock rider officials working under

the mayordomo of the acequias whose job

was to chase away roaming animals.

Chile ristras were sometimes dried, packed

in burlap, and shipped by rail as a cash

crop. In a good year, fruit might be plentiful

and was dried and stored for winter. With

plenty of rain and few grasshoppers, Isletan

ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH

My name is Father

Graham

Golden

and

it is a humbling honor

to be the new pastor of

St. Augustine Church.

Like Fr. George, I am a

Norbertine Priest living

at Santa Maria de la Vid

Abbey on south Coors

Blvd. Prior to coming

to serve here at Isleta

Pueblo, I was pastor of

Our Lady of the Most Holy

Rosary in Albuquerque.

In addition to my pastoral

ministry here, I oversee

our young adult and

vocation ministries for our Norbertine Abbey and the formation

of our young Norbertine brothers and those studying to be

priests. I also have a background in social work and community

development and have worked in various social service and

rural development ministries. I attended the University of

New Mexico where I studied music and Spanish. I earned my

Master of Divinity in intercultural ministries at the Catholic

Theological Union at Chicago and my Master of Arts in social

service administration at the University of Chicago.

I have lived my whole life here in New Mexico, with the exception

of the years I spent in seminary studies and graduate school.

I have been a priest for five years now, and a member of my

Norbertine Community for eleven years. I am an only child and

my parents still live in Albuquerque. I love community, family,

friends and all the things that bring us together. Cooking,

hiking, the arts, and enjoying time with people I love are some

of my favorite things.

I am excited by the opportunity to be here with you all. I have

spent many years attending the wonderful feast day celebrations

and participating in other events alongside Fr. George. I know

what a wonderful presence Fr. George was here, as he was a

wise influence on my own life at our Norbertine Abbey. I hope

to get to know each of you, and am grateful for the opportunity

to serve here at St. Augustine. Always feel welcome to reach out

for anything you may need.

Chiles Piled for Shipment, 1903, Frank C.

Churchill, photographer, Courtesy of the

National Museum of the American Indian,

negative no. N26963

Again, this month we are requesting

information about silversmithing and

jewelry-making at Isleta. Many of the

old photos in our archives depict women

wearing intricate, stunningly beautiful

necklaces. We would like to know more

about how they were crafted. We would

also like to know how families exchange

jewelry with one another when their

children marry. Is anyone still working

with silver? Do you have examples of silver

or other jewelry that was handed down in

your family? Any information is greatly

appreciated. Thank you!

CHEE-EE,

God looked around his garden

And found an empty space

Then he looked down upon this earth

And saw your tired face

He put his arms around you

And lifted you to rest

God’s garden must be beautiful

He only takes the best

Mary Agnes (Abeita) Garcia, age 70, a tribal member of Isleta

Pueblo, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 15th, 2020,

surrounded by her grandchildren and children. Her pride and joy

were all of her 12 grandchildren. Her favorite past time was going

to bingo and spending time with her family. Mary loved to sit

outside and enjoy the peacefulness of hummingbirds from outside

of her home. She is preceded in death by Fredrick Ray JR (son),;

parents, Joe L. Abeita, Dolores M. (Hu-oo) Abeita, sister Charlene

Abeita. Mary is survived by her husband of 48 years, Fredrick R.

Garcia; children, Annette, Michelle, Christopher, and Victoria, ;

twelve grandchildren; with many loving nieces and nephews. All

services were held at the Saint Augustine Church on Thursday,

July 16. Interment followed at Isleta Cemetery. Pallbearers were

Jason Piro, Dylan Abeita, Joshua Campos, Georgie Waquie,

Benjamin Abeita, Anthony Abeita, Mike Montoya, Tim Zuni,

Rocky Garcia, and Luther Jojola.

Chee-ee Mom you will be missed by everyone dearly, especially

by your grandchildren. We love you, spread your wings, and fly.

Page 8

Isleta Pueblo News

August 2020

ISLETA POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER

The School Year for 2019 - 2020 definitely did not end as planned and it may begin with many questions and

concerns. By the time the Newsletter hits the stands, the children have prepared for the new school year and

are beginning classes.

With that in mind, everyone be mindful of those walking, riding bicycles or utilizing buses to get to and from

school. Do not pass a school bus when it is at a designated bus stop pickup or drop off zone with stop sign

extended and emergency lights flashing. Going around or passing a school bus in this mode is a citable offense

and officers will be vigilante for these violations. Please take heed of speed limits, stop signs, traffic lights, etc.

as well. Let’s keep everyone safe!!

CONGRATULATIONS

HARRY S. POWERS!!

Congratulations to Harry S. Powers for

completing twenty years of service in law

enforcement with the Pueblo of Isleta Police

Department on July 16, 2020. In honor of

this accomplishment a small celebration

was held with cake and a gift.

continue serving the Department and the

community. He is looking forward to begin

DARE instruction in the school this year

and continue his endeavors for strong

community relations.

COMMUNICATIONS:

We hope that you will congratulate Officer

Powers when you see him.

So let us begin his journey on July 16, 2000

when he was hired as a police officer.

In 2001 Officer Powers was selected as

Officer of the Year by the Optimists Club

of Belen.

He was promoted to Graveyard Sergeant

by Chief Stanley in 2004 and was made

Public Information Officer in 2005.

He served as Acting Lieutenant for eighteen

months as the Field Services Commander

beginning in 2007.

From 2008 through 2018 he served as the

DWI Coordinator active in preparing plans

for DWI roadblocks, patrol saturations

and other activities. In 2009 he became

a General Police Instructor and provided

instruction for the department for Biennium

training so officers could maintain current

police certification, and remains active as

an instructor.

He served as Interim Chief of Police from

July to November, 2019. Also in 2019 he

received training at FLETC and earned

his certification as a School Resource

and DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance

Education) Officer. On December 25, 2019

he relinquished his sergeant position and

took on the new position of Community

Resource Officer.

His accomplishments are many but most

assuredly he is well-known and liked in

the community and many ask for him by

name. He has served this Department

and Community proudly for the past

twenty years and his future plans are to

Thank you sir for a job well done!

IHSP NEWS

The Traffic Division is out and about

conducting daily traffic enforcement but

in the upcoming weeks, Patrol Saturation

Projects will be implemented and patrol

officers will be joining them in their

enforcement efforts. Forewarning to watch

your speeds, obey traffic signals/signs, have

proper and necessary documents available

on demand, no texting and driving and

most importantly DON’T DRINK AND

DRIVE!

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the process

of bringing the Traffic Division’s staff

up to capacity and fill two positions that

have been vacant for several months, we

welcome a new member who joined the

Division on July 27, 2020. This officer has

prior experience with the IHSP Program

working traffic in another department.

At the time of this printing we have no

photograph or biography but be sure we

will publish it in the next newsletter.

WELCOME OFFICER

DANIEL TENORIO!!

Hello Pueblo of Isleta.

My name is

Christopher Padilla, Dispatch Supervisor

for Isleta Police Department.

I would like to take this time to thank our

heroes in the dark that are never seen

and only heard. Job well done on every

call you take and for taking care of our

community and guests who pass through

our reservation. I know that you do not get

thanked for your hard work but now I am

taking this time to thank each and every

one of you. Keep up the good work and

keep our officers and first responders safe

so they may go home to their families at the

end of each shift.

Heat has been prominent over the past

few weeks and safety is key for all.

Hydration, staying in, venture out only if it

is necessary, exercise in moderation and in

the cooler times of the day, sunscreen, skin

protection are all important.

August 2020

Another important fact to remember is

never leave children, elderly or pets in a

vehicle. As listed on the NHTSA website

child deaths from heatstroke as a result

of being left in the car is tragic and

preventable.

Though it may not seem terribly warm, let

us take a look at changes in temperature at

different outdoor temperatures.

Here's a look at just how

hot it can get:

• When it's 70 degrees outside it

can get to 89 degrees inside after 10

minutes and 104 after 30 minutes

• When it's 75 degrees outside it

can get to 94 degrees inside after 10

minutes and 109 after 30 minutes

• When it's 80 degrees outside it

can get to 99 degrees inside after 10

minutes and 114 after 30 minutes

• When it's 85 degrees outside it

can get to 104 degrees inside after 10

minutes and 119 after 30 minutes

• When it's 90 degrees outside it

can get to 109 degrees inside after 10

minutes and 124 after 30 minutes

• When it's 95 degrees outside it

can get to 114 degrees inside after 10

minutes and 129 after 30 minutes

Please keep these numbers in mind on

warm days when you have children, elderly

and pets in the vehicle with you.

SAFETY

COVID-19 is still with us and based upon

some of the numbers throughout New

Mexico it does not appear it will be leaving

us soon. The Pueblo of Isleta has done very

well in keeping the numbers down and it

is due to responsible members who wash

hands frequently, wear masks, practice

social distancing and travel out only when

necessary.

With that in mind, a reminder from Chief

Stanley, nightly curfews still remain in

effect until further notice. So from 9:00

p.m. to 6:00 a.m. travel outside of the

home is restricted only to those who are

going to or returning from work. Officers

will continue to be vigilant for curfew

violations in a continuing effort to keep our

community safe.

Isleta Pueblo News

Editor:

Nathaniel Lujan

Asst. Editor:

Diane Abeita

Published By:

Valencia Express

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 9

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 10

August 2020

Pueblo of Isleta Public Library

We hope everyone has enjoyed their summer and now it’s time to prepare for virtual school. We

would like to wish all students the best of luck during the school year. We are keeping updated

with local schools and their plan to return to school and our goal is to prepare resources that

will benefit students adjusting to a new school schedule and experience. Make sure to continue

reading our news portion of the article as we have some new changes that may benefit you and

your student(s).

News

At this time there are no scheduled closures

for the library during the month of August.

However closures may happen pending the

Tribal Administration. Please keep a look

out for library signage and social media posts

of any closures. Of course, you can always

give us a call at the library at 505.869.9808

and we will relay any information we may

have.

Library information is posted at the front of

the library with COVID-19 business Hours

of Operation, library Wi-Fi and Library

Mobile Apps.

New York Times online is now available

to our library patrons for FREE. New

York Times will be available on library

computers, library Wi-Fi or if you are at

home you can access through the library

website and click on the icon located on the

general library section.

The library is bringing back Lynda.com,

which is FREE online training video

tutorials on various computer softwares and

programs. The Lynda.com Online Training

Library is a massive online training

resource. Using their thousands of videos,

members are able to learn – self-paced and

on-demand – topics ranging from Google,

Zoom and so much more. Members must

have a Library card in order to utilize the

Lynda.com site. The link to Lynda.com may

be found on our Library website at http://

isletapueblo.com/library.html. Just click on

the “Start Learning Click Here” button to

start your digital continuing education.

The Library is offering a

contactless curbside service

as well as computer use by

appointment only for essential

use. Curbside services will

be Monday-Thursday from

10am to 5pm and Friday

10am to 4pm. To check out material please

download our mobile app Librista.

To make a computer appointment please

call the library to set up a time, as space is

limited. Appointments will be based on onehour increments so please come prepared.

When visiting the library please remember

to wear a mask at all times, patrons’

temperatures will be taken before entering

the library. Sanitation stations have been

set up throughout the library, and computer

workstations must be disinfected before

and after use. Patrons will enter at the

front entrance of the library and will exit

on the north side of the library. We greatly

appreciate your patience at this time as

we are adjusting to a new normal. If you

have any questions or concerns feel free to

contact the library at 505-869-9808.

To drop off any library materials please

use our drop off box, which is located in the

front of the library. Drop off material will

be quarantined for three days, disinfected

and then checked in.

With things changing daily, library staff

is closely monitoring the COVID-19

situation and as a result library programs

and services are being impacted. We will

continue to keep you updated and informed

about upcoming programs and services as

more information comes along. Below is a

list of our new hours of operation.

Library Temporary Covid-19

Hours of Operation

Monday –Thursday: 8am-5:30 pm

Friday: 8am-4:30 pm

Saturday: Closed

Curbside Hours

Elderly: 10am-11am

General: 11am-5pm

Library staff members are on site to answer

any questions or address any concerns you

may have and we are always open to any

suggestions you might have to help us

better serve the community. Please don’t

hesitate to give us a call at 505-869-9808.

Library Access from Home

During this time we encourage the use

of our digital services. If you ever have

questions or need help accessing our online

services, please call us at the library at

869-9808 during regular business hours or

message us on social media (FB, Snapchat,

& Instagram).

The Library’s digital services give

cardholders 24/7 free access to eBooks,

audiobooks, and music. So you can maximize

your reading, and listening experience at

home. We’ve got you covered.

The library online services will ask you to

enter your library barcode number which

is located on the back of your library card

and a pin or password. If you do not have

a pin or password set up with us you can

call the library during business hours and a

staff member can help you set that up over

the phone.

Below is a list of the digital services the

library has to offer.

To search our library collection and view

your account you can download the Librista

app on your iPhone, Android and Kindle

devices. This feature will let you see

what library material is available, let you

August 2020

search our library collection and view your

account.

New York Times online is now available to

our library patrons for FREE. Find breaking

news, multimedia, reviews & opinions

on Washington, business, sports, movies,

travel and so much more. New York Times

will be available on library computers,

library Wi-Fi or if you are at home you can

access through the library website and click

on the icon located on the general library

section.

Download the mobile app Libby to start

borrowing, reading ebooks and audiobooks

for FREE. Put your library in your pocket

with Libby. To access this app you will need

your library barcode and password.

Free Music! Take advantage of our Freegal

Music service. Log on with your library

card number and pin to start downloading

and streaming music. Library patrons

receive 3 free downloads each week and

UNLIMITED streaming of music with NO

AD interruptions. Log on to freegalmusic.

com or download the Freegal Music app. If

you have any questions about this service

or would like to set up a password please

give the library a call at 505-869-9808.

For additional help and information, library

staff members have made YouTube videos

featuring the library’s digital services and

how to utilize them. Check them out by

visiting the library’s YouTube page at www.

youtube.com/user/poilibrary.

Upcoming

There is still no official word if we are going

to have an After School Program this year.

However we are coming up with ideas

on how to provide resources to students

during this time. Which may include online

resources and programs to help students

adjust with the new changes and school

year. We are always open to suggestions

or ideas from community members. Please

feel free to call the library at 505-869-9808.

Library Virtual Programs for

August

Join us on Thursday, August 6th for an

online introduction on how to use Zoom!

Diane will be leading a beginner instruction

on how to navigate Zoom for work, school or

personal use. This program will go over the

basics of Zoom like how to set up, join and

invite people to your meeting. Other topics

covered will be how to navigate Zoom like

share your screen, chat, record and even

change your background. This program will

be a virtual program and we will meet using

Zoom so you will need to have a device with

Internet connection. Sign ups will start

on August 3rd and is open to everyone, to

and speak with Diane or email at Diane.

Abeita@isletapueblo.com

On Tuesday August 11th, library staff

member Rebekah will be going over Google

Docs and Google Drive. Google Docs is a

free online software that you can use to

create documents for personal use, work or

school. Topics that will be covered are how

to create, edit, navigate tools and share

documents. This program will take place on

Tuesday, August 11th and will be a virtual

program. Participants will need a device

with an Internet connection. To sign up

please call the library at 505.869.9808 and

speak with Rebekah or email at Rebekah.

Lovato@isletapueblo.com.

( Continued next page )

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 11

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 12

Library (Continued)

Get a first hand

look at our Digital Library where library

staff member Shaypof will go over all of

our digital services that we have to offer.

The library’s digital library includes

Freegal, Libby, Atriuum and New York

Times and this program will show

you how to download, access and use these

services. This program will take place

on Wednesday, August 19h and will be a

virtual program. Participants will need a

device with an Internet connection. To sign

up please call the library at 505.869.9808

and speak with Shaypof.

Before you go out and buy an expensive

device that you might not like or doesn’t

work for you, check out this program first.

Library staff Cheyenne will be comparing

devices like a laptop, notebook, tablet and

desktops. Topics that will be covered are

RAM, storage, keyboard, software and so

much more. This program will take place

on Thursday, August 20th and will be a

virtual program. Participants will need a

device with an Internet connection. To sign

up please call the library at 505.869.9808

and speak with Cheyenne or email at

Cheyenne.Castillo@isletapueblo.com.

As mentioned before Lynda.com is back.

Library staff member Ashley will show you

how to access and use Lynda.com. Provided

by the library completely free to you Lynda.

com is an online service that helps you learn

software, creative, and business skills. This

program will take place on Wednesday,

August 26th and will be a virtual program.

Participants will need a device with an

Internet connection. To sign up please

call the library at 505.869.9808 and speak

with Ashley or email at Ashley.Morales@

isletapueblo.com.

Lastly the library will be getting a new

printer so there will be some new changes.

You will now need your library card and a

password. Prints will be FREE but there is

a limit to 20 per day and per library account

so please keep that in mind. We can also

scan to an email address or a USB and the

printer will be Android and IOS friendly so

you can now print right from your phone.

Library staff member Kyle will be showing

patrons how to use the printer in a future

program so keep a look out for that.

Recap

Our 2020 Summer Virtual Reading

Program has come to an end. We had an

exciting summer that included story time

August 2020

and activities. Both Junior and Youth

Programs met weekly online using Zoom

conference. The Youth Program had a total

of 10 students that participated in the

program and the Junior Program also had

10 students. The Youth Program activities

included Shadow Painting, Glow Jars,

Glow-n-Dark Bouncy Balls, Bottle Rockets,

Grow A Crystal and Ice Cream in a Bag. The

Junior Program included Story Time every

Tuesday and activities such as Breakfast

Sushi, DIY Aquarium, Skittle Experiment

and Rainbow Bread. The staff had an

amazing time with the Summer Reading

Program this year and it was so nice seeing

all the kids again we have missed them

so much. With everything going on the

Summer Reading Program was definitely

the highlight of the summer. The Library

would like to thank all the participants of

our Summer Reading Program.

This year’s Summer Meal Program

concluded on Wednesday, August 7th. The

Library was a host site for the Bernalillo

County Meal Program, which provided

our community with both breakfast and

lunch throughout the summer. We served

40 meals daily to students around the

community.

SRP Virtual setup.

Junior SRP Student with her DIY

Aquarium

Junior SRP Student working on Breakfast

Sushi Activity.

Junior SRP Student with her DIY

Aquarium

Youth SRP Student working on Shadow

Painting Activity.

Summer Reading Program Weekly Zoom

Meetings

Junior SRP Student with

her DIY Aquarium

August 2020

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 13

PUEBLO OF ISLETA RECREATIONAL CENTER

I hope all of you here in the Pueblo are staying safe!

As all of you know, the whole state is still reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 virus and it seems like we will

continue to be dealing with COVID related issues for a while longer. We all need to continue to do our part to prevent

the spread of this virus, the longer we continue to do our part the sooner we can all get through this matter.

FITNESS GYM UPDATES:

Isleta Recreation and Fitness West have

some new updates regarding health and

working out. As cases rise in the state of

New Mexico, we are now mandated to wear

masks indoors and outdoors. This means

during workouts. For example: wearing

your mask while bench pressing, wearing

your mask while running on the treadmill

and yes even running outdoors. We know

this is uncomfortable and it may seem

excessive, but please understand that this

is not to punish you. We are abiding by the

state’s Department of Health guidelines

and requirements. Also the maximum

capacity has been lowered to 25% in gyms,

which was 50% prior to the rise in cases

of COVID-19. You, the community have

been amazing with all your efforts to

stay healthy. We greatly appreciate your

cooperation during these times. Just a

friendly reminder to continue wearing your

mask properly, the proper way to wear your

mask is with a firm fit around your mouth

and nose being completely covered.

On a more exciting note! The main recreation

weight room has been approved to get the

flooring redone. We are planning to begin

this process in early August. Flyers will

be posted with closures and updates. With

this being said, expect the weight room to

be closed 4 to 5 days maximum. The weight

room at Fitness West will be available for

your fitness needs during this time. We are

excited for this long time needed upgrade.

Thank you for your continued patronage,

we will continue to keep our fitness room

and facilities as clean as possible, your

safety is our number one priority. If you

have any questions or concerns, contact us

at 505-869-9777.

RECREATION PROGRAM

UPDATES:

As all of you already know, the 2020 youth

summer recreation program was postponed

for the safety of the community due to the

COVID-19 virus and it looks like the same

thing is going to happen with the start of

our afterschool program as well. We will

continue to monitor other youth programs

around the state and their re-opening

protocols and we will also continue to follow

state mandates and suggestions concerning

the re-opening of these types of programs

as well. We will re-open those programs

as soon as we get the word that we can

do so. I know it may cause all of us some

inconvenience, but please remember that

all decisions being made concerning these

matters are being made based on the safety

and well-being of everyone involved (youth,

parents, staff, family members and the

general community). Thank you for your

support and patience.

GRAB AND GO MEALS FOR

YOUTH (1 to 18 years of age)

This program will continue through the

first full week in August. For those of

you that my not know, these meals can be

picked up at the north parking lot of the

new recreation center from 10am to 1pm

Monday through Friday. Many members

of the community have taken advantage of

this program and we are pleased that they

have and we hope that they continue to do

so through the end of the program. The last

day for the community to get these meals

will be Friday, August 7th, 2020.

FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTION

UPDATE

We are still distributing food boxes at the

reception hall in Chical. Those distributions

are taking place on Mondays from 10am to

2pm, Wednesdays from 12noon to 4pm and

Fridays from 10am to 2pm. Currently we

only have food boxes for youth, if we receive

any more food boxes for adults we will make

sure to get the word out.

COVID-19 SAFETY MASK

DISTIBUTION UPDATE

We are also giving out masks to all tribal

members to help decrease the spread of

the COVID-19 virus. Tribal members can

get their free mask at the reception hall in

Chical. Those masks can be picked up on

Mondays from 10am to 2pm, Wednesdays

from 12noon to 4pm and Fridays from

10am to 2pm at the Chical Reception Hall.

It is very important that we do our part to

help prevent the spread of this virus, so

please make some time to go pick up your

free mask and make sure you use them as

often as possible to help prevent the spread

of this virus.

PARKS MAINTENANCE UPDATE

Our Parks Maintenance crew continues to

do their jobs silently without much fanfare

at all. These are the individuals all of you

probably see every day out cutting the

grass in our parks and taking care of the

weeds around our parks. These individuals

brave the heat and cold day in and day out

to make sure our parks are some of the best

looking parks in the state. Many of you

walk, picnic, play and just plain enjoy using

our parks, which is awesome because that

is why they are there, for your use.

Do me a favor and take a few seconds and

let my parks crew know that you appreciate

the job that they do and compliment them

on how great the parks look. I’m sure they

will appreciate they recognition and the

compliment.

If you have any questions or concerns for

the Parks & Recreation Department or any

of our programs, please feel free contact us

at 505-869-9777.

Page 14

Isleta Pueblo News

August 2020

Isleta Health Center

Take Steps to Protect

Children and Others

Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by doing

the same things everyone should do to stay

healthy. Teach your children to do the same.

► Clean hands often using soap and

water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

► Avoid people who are sick (coughing

and sneezing).

► Put distance between your children

and other people outside of your home.

Keep children at least 6 feet from other

people.

► Children 2 years and older should

wear a cloth face covering over their nose

and mouth when in public settings where

it is difficult to practice social distancing.

This is an additional public health measure

people should take to reduce the spread

of COVID-19 in addition to (not instead of)

the other everyday preventive actions listed

above.

► Clean and disinfect high-touch

surfaces daily in household common areas

(like tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs,

light switches, remotes, handles, desks,

toilets, and sinks).

► Launder items including washable plush

toys as needed. Follow the manufacturer’s

instructions. If possible, launder items using

the warmest appropriate water setting and

dry items completely. Dirty laundry from an

ill person can be washed with other people’s

items.

For more information,

please visits www. CDC.GOV

Counseling Can Help

The Behavioral Health Clinic is open for

direct patient contact with careful adherence

to protocols as established by the Isleta

Health Center to include:

•

Patients must wear a face mask at all

times when in the facility and when in your

vehicle checking in for your appointment

•

All patients must check in at the front

of the Isleta Health Center where your

temperature will be taken and you will

receive a wristband and instructions how

to proceed

•

Please arrive 15 minutes ahead of

your appointment time

•

Patients and staff maintain social

distancing at all times

•

Lobby and offices are sanitized before

and after each patient visit

Talking to others is always helpful and

talking with a professional therapist can

really help – especially during this difficult

time.

Call 869-5475- Make an appointment

to meet with a therapist - see if

counseling can help.

Sometimes you can’t wait - If you or

someone you know is having a mental health

crisis, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National

Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can

also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour

support from the Crisis Text Line.

Give time and attention to all your

health needs – physical, emotional,

and mental.

August 2020

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 15

CURRENTLY ENROLLING

(NO WAITING LIST) ALL

GRADE LEVELS PRE-K-12.

CALL 866-SODA(7632) OR

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT

www.sodacharter.net

Why:

Parents and the community deserve educational

options for their children.

What:

We created the only public charter school in Valencia

County (Tuition Free)

What Do we Offer?

NM 4-Year-Old PreK Program (Full Day)

3y,4y DD PreK Program (4y Full Day, 3y Half Day)

PreK Child Find Screenings and Evaluations

Challenging S.T.E.A.M. Education PreK - 12th Grade

Individualized Learning Plans

Bilingual Multicultural Program

Early College High School / Dual Credit (Earn an Associate

Degree)

College and Career Readiness

Robotics / Dance

/ Band / Guitar

/ Coding

Digital Arts / Video Filmmaking Photography / Art

Vocational Agriculture / Ag Mechanics

Botonny

Virtual Learning / Blended Learning Opportunities

Counseling / Behavioral Health

Extended Learning Time

SODA STRONG

E Sports

All Taught by Highly Qualified and Award-Winning Staff!

YOU DESERVE TO KNOW MORE!

Apply online: www.sodacharter.net

906 Juan Perea Rd -Los Lunas, NM 87031

505-866-7632

Isleta Health Center

CDC Cleaning and Disinfection Practices

CDC has great information available for cleaning and

disinfection practices. The framework is based on doing

the following:

1. Normal routine cleaning with soap and water will

decrease how much of the virus is on surfaces and

objects, which reduces the risk of exposure.

2. Disinfection using EPA-approved disinfectants

against COVID-19 can also help reduce the risk.

Frequent disinfection of surfaces and objects touched

by multiple people is important.

3. When EPA-approved disinfectants external are

not available, alternative disinfectants can be used (for

example, 1/3 cup of bleach added to 1 gallon of water,

or 70% alcohol solutions). Do not mix bleach or other

cleaning and disinfection products together. This can

cause fumes that may be very dangerous to breathe in.

Keep all disinfectants out of the reach of children. Store

and use disinfectants in a responsible and appropriate

manner according to the label. Do not mix bleach or

other cleaning and disinfection products together–this

can cause fumes that may be very dangerous to breathe

in. Keep all disinfectants out of the reach of children.

4. Always wear gloves appropriate for the chemicals

being used when you are cleaning and disinfecting.

Additional personal protective equipment (PPE) may

be needed based on setting and product.

https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/pdf/guidelines/

environmental-guidelines-P.pdf

Page 16

Isleta Pueblo News

August 2020

ISLETA HEALTH

CENTER UPDATES

Hours of Service:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

(8:00am to 4:30pm)

Thursday (10:00am to 4:30pm)

Main Phone Line: 505-869-3200

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please call ahead

for any changes or instructions on how to access

care. For medical emergencies or after hours, call

911.

What is new at the Isleta Health Center?

► Please provide your cell phone number when

you are checking in at the front for temperature

check and wristband.

► Isleta Health Center has purchased two

exterior buildings, one is for the Pharmacy Drive up,

and the other for patient temperature checks.

► The Isleta Health center now has an entrance

and exit only, to enter the parking lot please use

the north east entrance and to exit please use the

southeast.

► Please let your provider know if you are having

the following symptoms: Fever, Cough, Shortness

of breath, Sore throat, Headache, Muscle pain,

Chills, Repeated shaking with chills, and Loss of

taste or smell.

► Let your provider know if you have traveled out

of state or travelled to a “Hot Spot”. What is a hot

spot? A hot spot is not a public health term, but has

been used to describe areas with a particularly large

cluster of COVID-19 cases.

Other Services

● Dental: Please call (505) 869-4499 to

schedule.

● Optometry: Please call (505) 869-4080 to

schedule an appointment to pick-up/and

or look at eyeglasses.

● Pharmacy Drive-thru services are still in

effect: Please call refill line @869-4590 for all

medications at one time. Allow 48hr

turnaround time for your prescriptions.

● Behavioral Health: Please call 505-869-5475

or 505-869-5477, if you need information

on services, or if you need someone to talk to.

● ALL other Services: Call 505-869-3200

COVID -19 is a rapidly evolving situation. (The

Isleta Health Center (IHC) will provide updated

information and guidance as it becomes

available.) The IHC is taking all precautions

and following New Mexico Department of

Health. The federal government is working closely

with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, as

well as public health partners, to respond to this

situation.

For questions pertaining to COVID-19, please

call the Coronavirus Hotline or the Isleta Health

Center’s Nurse Advice Line.

24 Hour Coronavirus Hotline

1-855-600-3453

www.nmhealth.org

Isleta Health Center’s

Nurse Advice Line

505-869-3200

Monday - Friday

8:00am - 4:30pm

Thank you for Helping to

Keep Our Community Safe

August 2020

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 17

Isleta Community Health Needs Assessment Childhood Asthma

www.mayoclinnic.org www.cdc.org www.kidshealth.org

Stephanie Barela, BS CHES CSST, 869-4479

In 2019 the Isleta Health Center conducted a Community

Health Needs Assessment survey to provide information on our

community’s health. Based on the survey the results for childhood

asthma are below:

8. Has a child in your household (age 17 or younger) been

told by a doctor they have one of the following conditions?

(check all that apply)

Asthma

Diabetes

Mental Health Issues

Overweight

Obesity

Substance Abuse

Unsure

N/A

Results: 12% stating their child was diagnosed with this condition

9. If a child in your household has asthma, how many times

during the past year did you visit an emergency room due

to asthma? ________________

Results, 21 people went to the ER for childhood asthma in 2019

and of those; the average person went 2.26 times, with the highest

person going to the ER 5 times.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “in childhood asthma, the lungs and

airways become easily inflamed when exposed to certain triggers,

such as, inhaling pollen, catching a cold or other respiratory

infection.” Asthma in children is not a different disease than

asthma in adults, but it can cause issues when children are

playing and being active, as well as, in school and while sleeping.

In some children, if asthma goes unmanaged, it can turn into a

severe asthma attack that can cause a child to be hospitalized and

miss school. Childhood asthma cannot be cured and goes on into

adulthood, but if treated correctly it can be managed and prevent

damage in growing lungs. According to the CDC, nationally about

8% of children are diagnosed with childhood asthma. It is important

to manage asthma, whether it be in adults or children, however,

according to the Mayo Clinic, this condition is a leading cause of

emergency department visits, hospitalizations and missed school

days in children, which shows how important it is to continue to

manage childhood asthma.

Kids Health states that most kids’ asthma can be controlled so

well that flare-ups are rare. It is important to learn about your

child’s asthma, such as, what treatments are needed and when

as well as what triggers to avoid. The more you learn about their

asthma, by talking with others that have asthma, reading more on

asthma, and discussing any concerns with your doctor, the better

prepared you will be and the better prepared you are, the more you

can work to plan carefully and avoid asthma triggers, which can

prevent asthma attacks.

Good ways to prevent asthma attacks according to the

Mayo Clinic are:

•

Limit your child being around any asthma triggers.

Help your child avoid the allergens and irritants that trigger

asthma symptoms.

•

Do not allow smoking around your child. Exposure to

tobacco smoke during infancy is a strong risk factor for childhood

asthma, as well as a common trigger of asthma attacks. If you

or a loved one is a smoker, contact Stephanie Barela at the Isleta

Health Center (869-4479) to help you quit smoking.

•

Encourage your child to be active. As long as your

child's asthma is well controlled, regular physical activity can

help the lungs to work more efficiently.

•

See the doctor when necessary. Get Well-Child Checks

annually. Do not ignore signs that your child's asthma might not

be under control, such as needing to use a quick-relief inhaler

too often. Asthma changes over time. Consulting your child's

doctor can help you make needed treatment adjustments to

keep symptoms under control.

•

Help your child maintain a healthy weight. Being

overweight can worsen asthma symptoms, and it puts your child

at risk of other health problems.

•

Keep heartburn under control. Acid reflux or severe

heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) might

worsen your child's asthma symptoms. He or she might need

over-the-counter or prescription medications to control acid

reflux.

•

Take medicines as prescribed. Most kids with asthma

need to take medicines. Some are daily medicines to help keep

airways from getting irritated. Others are used only during a

flare-up to help open the airways.

•

Make sure your child gets a yearly flu vaccine. The

flu vaccine is recommended for all kids, especially those with

asthma. If kids with asthma get the flu, they are at risk for flareups and developing a more serious illness.

Page 18

Isleta Pueblo News

August 2020

WHAT IS GRIEF?

Grief is the natural reaction to loss. While everyone

experiences some form of grief and loss, it is also an

intensely personal experience. It is the emotional

suffering we feel when we lose something or someone

we love. The pain of the loss can feel overwhelming

and we may suddenly experience unexpected

emotions from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and

deep sadness. The pain of grief is not limited to our

emotional suffering but our physical health can also

suffer, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think

straight. These are common reactions to loss—and the

more significant the loss, the more intense our grief

will be.

Many are enduring losses during this challenging

time of the Pandemic. While we usually associate grief

with the death of a loved one, any loss can cause grief,

including:

•

Divorce or relationship breakup

Loss of health

Loss of a job

Loss of financial stability

A miscarriage

Retirement

Death of a pet

Loss of a cherished dream

Serious illness of a loved one

Loss of a friendship

Loss of safety after a trauma

Selling or moving away from the family home

Whatever the cause of the grief, there are healthy

ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can ease our

sadness and help us come to terms with our loss, find

new meaning, and eventually move on with our lives.

Seek help if you:

1. Feel like life isn’t worth living

2 Wish you had died with your loved one

3. Blame yourself for the loss or for failing to prevent

4. Feel numb and disconnected from others for more

than a few weeks

5. Are having difficulty trusting others since your

loss

6. Are unable to perform your regular daily activities

Call Isleta Behavioral Health Clinic

at 869-5475

August 2020

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 19

WE ARE HERE TO SERVE

Isleta Health Center Team

A New Way to Properly

Dispose of Your

Unused or Expired Medications

Stephanie Barela, Isleta Health Center,

Isleta Health Center, (505) 869-4479

The Isleta Health Center

has been working on

decreasing

substance

abuse in the community,

through education on

proper disposal of unused

and expired medications.

We have been working

with the Isleta Police

Department (IPD) on this

initiative and we continue to find new ways to

address this concern. IPD currently accepts

expired and unused medications and hosts

the Prescription Drug Take Back Events

twice a year in April and October. Now we

are happy to announce that IPD and the

Isleta Health Center has come up with a new

way to help those patients who are unable to

dispose of their medications properly by now

using a prepaid mailing envelope. Patients

can simply put their unused and expired

medications in the prepaid envelope and put

them in the mail so they can be sent to a

facility where they will be properly disposed

of.

This DEA-Compliant method is part of the

Stericycle Seal & Send Program designed

for our patients to dispose of their unused

controlled substances correctly. Patients

can simply follow the instructions provided

inside the envelope for use and assured

destruction—fill it, seal it and place it

in a USPS mailbox. If you are unable

to get your unused or expired medications

to the appropriate locations (i.e. the Isleta

Police Department), you can simply ask the

Isleta Health Center or the Isleta Police

Department for a Seal & Send Envelope.

It is very important that any unused or

expired medications be properly disposed

of to prevent these potent medications from

getting into the wrong hands and hurting a

person or an animal. Please remember DO

NOT FLUSH medications down the drain as

doing so can contaminate the water that we

all use for eating, drinking, washing clothes

and more.

During the Pandemic we should be cleaning

and disinfecting more often. It is important

that you do not inject or ingest these

chemicals into your body. Please remember

to keep ALL chemicals out of the children’s

reach. If any cleaning or disinfectant solution

is swallowed or injected, please contact the

NM Poison Control immediately.

NM Poison Control

1-800-222-1222

Page 20

Isleta Pueblo News

August 2020

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.