# Pueblo of Isleta website: www.isletapueblo.com (2021) > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Apueblo_isleta%3A7c307f0f8c57bebb ## Record - **Collection:** Tribal code - **Document type:** Tribal code ## Text Volume 16 Issue 3 Isleta Pueblo News Pueblo of Isleta website: www.isletapueblo.com March 2021 Governor’s Report Ma-Guwam, I hope everyone is doing well. We thank our creator for bringing us much needed moisture in the form of snow in the month of February. As we move forward in our day-today operations at the tribal administration office and pueblo programs, we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and still need to be cautious. Irrigation Update The farming season is upon us and we are hoping and praying for a good farming season. The mayordomos have continued in their roll again for the 2021 season. They are as follows: Chical Ditch Head Mayordomo – Leon Chiwewe Helper – Leonard Abeita Acequia Madre Head Mayordomo – Daniel Waseta Jr. Helper – Matthew Lente Cacique Ditch Head Mayordomo – Ben Garcia Helper – Calvin Jiron Tribal Administration and Tribal Council met with the mayordomos and some members in February to discuss our water situation. We are in a drought season and we all need to work together to maintain our Prior and Paramount water. For the latest on drought conditions visit: https://droughtmonitor. unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NM We are also working with the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to assure all of our farmers have water for the farming season. The start of the irrigation season this year will be pushed forward to April 1, 2021. Because of the pandemic we are faced with, the mayordomos have not decided on when or if there will be any ditch work. The mayordomos will notify the farmers when they decide. Please work with the mayordomos with the watering schedules they may come up with during this farming season. To view MRGCD Water Readings click on any of boxes, Division or other water informations links at: https://www.mrgcd.com/water-measurements.aspx COVID-19 Mitigation Team update The COVID mitigation team is working hard to provide the community with much needed information and the COVID-19 vaccines. Even if you are vaccinated with the prime and booster dose, please continue safe practices with wearing a mask, social/physical distancing and good hand hygiene. The vaccine is to reduce the symptoms and keep hospital admissions low. We try to keep everyone informed of the ongoing and ever-changing virus. The COVID Team has a new dashboard for vaccines received and administered. We are currently on Phase 1C in the vaccination process which is: • Isleta Tribal Members 65-75 years of age • Other Essential Workers • Isleta Tribal Members 16-64 Years of age with underlying health conditions. The Isleta Health Center currently receives the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines from the Indian Health Service in shipments. Of the total shipments received, 89% of the doses have been administered. All doses remaining are planned to be administered for booster doses the week of February 1, 2021. A total of 1,028 individuals from Pueblo of Isleta, including employees, have registered to receive the vaccine. The COVID-19 Mitigation Team will continue to provide weekly updates on COVID-19 vaccine administration for the Pueblo of Isleta using the COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard. The IHC Vaccine Administration Team is doing their best to reach all registrants in the coming weeks. We ask for your patience and understanding, please continue to encourage your family members to get registered to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by calling 869-9720. Please call the COVID phone line for any questions and to register for the vaccine at 505-869-9720. Vaccine Dashboard What do the numbers mean? As of January 31, 2021 a total of 1,176 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to the Pueblo of Isleta community, including the Pueblo of Isleta employee workforce. A total of 908 individuals have received their primary (first) dose, and 268 individuals have received their booster (second) dose. The week of January 25, 2021 a total of 172 doses were administered. Continued Page 2 Page 2 Isleta Pueblo News Governor’s Report (continued ) Infographic As of 02/15/21 COVID summary: The number of ACTIVE cases is five (5). There was one case identified today from NM Department of Health that we are investigating, the remaining four (4) cases we continue to monitor from last week. The IHC Response Team is actively monitoring a total of 20 individuals in quarantine/isolation and a total of 14 households. We continue to have zero (0) hospitalizations this week. We have consistently have less than 10 cases per week and we appreciate the community’s effort in being safe and abiding by the public health orders. Again, please continue to wear your mask, limit contact with others, wash your hands, and avoid gatherings. And, if you are sick and have symptoms of COVID-19, please call 869-9720 to get tested for COVID-19. Thank you! March 2021 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR DEADLINE for April Newsletter articles is set for Friday, March 19, 2021, 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 . 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. Residence Ordinance I want to remind everyone that we have a Residence Ordinance that was adopted by Tribal Council and amended in July 2011. The residency ordinance is being enforced by the Isleta Police Department and if there are any non-tribal members living with in the exterior boundaries of the Isleta Indian reservation please contact the Census Department for permission to reside. If you would like a copy of the Residence Ordinance, please call the Governor’s office at 505-869-3111. COVID-19 Mitigation Team update Lastly, since January 2020, our Environment Department has been sampling indoor air quality in our tribal buildings. Due to this undertaking, it was recently discovered that elevated radon was found present in St. Augustine Church. For that reason the church has been closed the past few weeks out of safety. Until various POI Departments complete a thorough investigation, the church will remain closed. Please see Environment’s article on its radon sampling efforts for our tribal buildings. (See Page 12 for Radon Article) If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Governor’s office. May our creator bless each and every one of you with a long and healthy life. Haw-wuh, Vernon B. Abeita Governor Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment is Postponed March 1, 2021 The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has notified the Pueblo of Isleta Environment Department that its anticipated request to review use of Dredge and Fill Permits under the Federal Clean Water Act is postponed until late October/November 2021. The project at Isleta Diversion Dam was expected to include exploratory drilling into the river bed, collecting core samples to identify sediment and geologic structure, and related activities. Please contact Ramona M. Montoya at the Environment Department at 869-7565 if you have questions about this withdrawn notice. 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: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 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) March 2021 Isleta Pueblo News Page 3 ISLETA TRIBAL COUNCIL MEETING OVERVIEW January 1, 2021 Meeting: The Isleta Tribal Council along with Governor Vernon B. Abeita met in accordance with the Isleta Tribal Constitution, Legislative Branch, Article V, Section 5 “to elect amongst themselves a President, Vice President of the Council and a Council Secretary.” The following is a result of this meeting: Joe Padilla, President Charlene F. Seidl, Vice-President Rodney Jones, Secretary January 6, 2021 Meeting: The first official meeting of the Isleta Tribal Council was held with the following items discussed and/or acted upon: COVID-19 Virus: A lengthy discussion was held concerning the COVID-19 Pandemic and the adoption of the “Chapter 40 Communicable Disease Code.” Governor Abeita will be providing an update of all cases within the Pueblo on a weekly basis. A few revisions must be made regarding “mass gatherings and enforcement” issues. Tribal Council along with Governor Abeita will review the Chapter 40 Code for additional amendments. Tribal Treasurer: The vacant position of the Tribal Treasurer is being advertised with a closing date of January 22, 2021. The Tribal Council determined to place the Tribal Treasurer’s position on the January 26, 2021 Tribal Council Meeting Agenda. Gaming Regulatory Director: The vacant position of the Gaming Regulatory Director is also being advertised with a closing date of January 26, 2021. This item will be placed on the January 27, 2021 Tribal Council Meeting Agenda. In-House General Counsel: Tribal Council was informed by Governor Abeita that General Counsel, Francine Jaramillo, has turned in her Letter of Resignation effective January 29, 2021. In accordance with the Isleta Tribal Constitution, Article V-Legislative Branch, Section 2(a): “to employ legal counsel.” Governor Abeita was directed to instruct Ms. Jaramillo to submit a written summary of all pending legal cases she is currently working on. This should include a summary along with the status of each case. Appellate Court Justices: Motion was made to extend the term of office for 30 days until the Appellate Court Justices are placed on an upcoming agenda. President Padilla will contact the Appellate Court and request that a list of all pending cases along with all cases that have been adjudicated be prepared for Tribal Council review prior to their placement on a Tribal Council Agenda. **Please note: On August 11, 2011, the Tribal Council enacted Resolution #2011-049 which established an Ordinance for Establishing the Number, Salary, Qualifications, Term of Office, Vetting Process and Superintending Authority for Pueblo of Isleta Appellate Court Justices in accordance with the Isleta Tribal Constitution, Article IXJudicial Branch, Section 6. COVID-19/CARES Funding Update: The Pueblo of Isleta received the following funding on the following dates: Phase I ----- received May 6, 2020: in the amount of $ 12,482,862.74 Phase II ---- received June 15, 2020: in the amount of $ 10,062,513.70 Phase III --- received June 18, 2020: in the amount of $ 3,177,635.90 TOTAL AMOUNT RECEIVED: $25,723,012.34 (Please keep in mind that this money must be spent in compliance with the Federal Rules and Regulations of the U.S. Treasury.) The 2019-2020 Isleta Tribal Council along with former Governor Max Zuni enacted the following Appropriations via Tribal Council Resolutions: Appropriation #1: Telework & Video Conferencing ……. $1,215,100.00 Appropriation #2: 3 Staff Members or COVID Cleaning Contract Services for Fogging PPE/Cleaning Supplies COVID Safe Workplace Items …… $ 2,059,220.00 Appropriation #3: Small Business Grants ………… .. $ 1,250,000.00 Housing Assistance through IPHA ...$ 250,000.00 Appropriation #4: COVID-19 Leave Governmental Closure Support due COVID-19 Food Distribution ……………… $ 7,708,542.74 Appropriation #5: K-12 Assistance Child Care Assistance IR&C Closure due to COVID ...$ 9,031,936.00 Appropriation #6: Headstart Distance Learning …$ 931,187.99 Appropriation #7: Individual Assistance 18+ Tribal Members Outside Accounting Services … $ 651,974.39 Appropriation #8 COVID-19 Testing Non-Congregate Sheltering Recovery from COVID-19 FEMA Cost-Share Match ……… $ 900,000.00 Appropriation #9: Unspent Funds go towards IR&C Closure …………………. $ Rescinded January 7, 2021 Meeting: Governor Abeita informed the Tribal Council that he will be revising the COVID-19 Mitigation Team, who will oversee the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Team will consist of Financial, Operations, Logistics and Planning from the various Tribal Departments/Programs. Further information will be provided in upcoming Tribal Council Meetings. Tribal Council Stipends: Motion was made and passed that the Tribal Council Stipends will remain at $240.00 per meeting and Committee Meetings will be $30.00 an hour—not to exceed 4 hours. Committee Stipends: Motion was made and passed that Committee/ Board Meetings will remain at $30.00 an hour—not to exceed 4 hours. Meeting Dates: Motion was made and passed that Tribal Council Meetings will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays apart from every third (3rd) Wednesday Meeting of every month to be set for Isleta Resort & Casino business. You are encouraged to contact the Tribal Council Office at (505) 8699746 if you wish to be placed on a Tribal Council Agenda. The Tribal Council is also discussing the possibility of conducting a Community Meeting in March depending on the COVID-19 status. Isleta Pueblo News Page 4 PROBATES IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: Jose Epifanio Olguin (DOD: 01/04/2020) Case No. CV-PR-0083-2020 First Notice TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with notice requirements, a Petition to Probate the Estate of Jose Epifanio Olguin, deceased 01/04/2020, has been filed in the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court. Any person claiming an interest in the Estate is hereby advised to notify the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court Clerk in writing within thirty (30) days of this notice being posted. Claims must be filed in writing. A hearing in this matter has been scheduled for Thursday, March 25, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Isleta Tribal Court, located at the Tribal Services Complex, 3950 Hwy. 47 SE, Building A, Albuquerque, NM. If you have any questions, please contact the Isleta Tribal Court at (505) 869-9699. IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: Andrew M. Teller (DOD: 10/18/2020) Case No. CV-PR-0113-2020 First Notice TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with notice requirements, a Petition to Probate the Estate of Andrew M. Teller, deceased 10/18/2020, has been filed in the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court. Any person claiming an interest in the Estate is hereby advised to notify the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court Clerk in writing within thirty (30) days of this notice being posted. Claims must be filed in writing. A hearing in this matter has been scheduled for “To Be Determined” at the Isleta Tribal Court, located at the Tribal Services Complex, 3950 Hwy. 47 SE, Building A, Albuquerque, NM. If you have any questions, please contact the Isleta Tribal Court at (505) 869-9699. IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: Lupita Avila (DOD: 09/29/2019) Case No. CV-PR-0325-2019 Second Notice TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with notice requirements, a Petition to Probate the Estate of Lupita Avila, deceased 09/29/2019, has been filed in the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court. Joseph Avila, has been appointed to serve as the Administrator of the Estate. Any person claiming an interest in the Estate is hereby advised to notify the Isleta Tribal Court. Claims must be filed in writing. A hearing in this matter has been scheduled for Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Isleta Tribal Court, located at the Tribal Services Complex, 3950 Hwy. 47 SE, Building A, Albuquerque, NM. If you have any questions, please contact the Isleta Tribal Court at (505) 869-9699. March 2021 Ma-gu ‘wam from the Department of Cultural and Historic Preservation! DCHP staff members continue to look forward to the day that we can welcome you all to the Yonan An Cultural Center for some of the many exciting programs we are planning. For the time being, as we all continue to practice social distancing, Archivist Cassandra Smith is busily building the Pueblo of Isleta digital photo archive. The DCHP photographic collection currently comprises more than 2000 historic photos taken at the Pueblo of Isleta dating from the late-19th century through the 1950s. Once catalogued, this collection will be made digitally accessible to tribal members who, in turn, will be able to contribute their knowledge of the people and places photographed to the community archive. In addition to such an extensive collection of historic photographs, Ms. Smith looks forward to including more recent photographs of Isleta tribal leaders and community members in the archive. If you have any photographs that you would like to consider adding to the archive, you may call Ms. Smith at (505) 869-5376 or email her at cassandra.smith@isletapueblo.com to discuss details. Original photographs will, of course, be accepted and properly catalogued and cared for in our secure and climate-controlled archival storage space. And if you can’t quite bear to part with your original photographs but would still like to share them with the community, you may make arrangements with Ms. Smith to create high-resolution digital scans for inclusion in the digital photo archive. Herkim! We look forward to hearing from you soon! Scholarship Criteria for the 2021-2022 Tibien (Elk Mountain) College Fund Purpose: In honoring the memory of our son and nephew, Aaron Robert Dailey, the Tibien College Fund will award one $1000 scholarship for school year 2021-2022 to a college-bound or college student. Criteria: Students eligible to apply for the Scholarship are graduating high school seniors or persons who graduated from high school within the last 4 years from the date of application, who are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe in New Mexico or California, and pursuing a college degree. Consideration will be given to academic achievement and the student’s community service record. Students should submit a scholarship application. Amount: One Scholarship of $1000 will be disbursed in two equal installments in August 2021 and January 2022. The disbursement will be made to the Financial Aid office of the recipient’s college. Guidelines: The recipient must continue to attend classes and maintain a 2.5 grade-point average each semester. Deadline: The application deadline is August 3, 2021. Applications must be received by that date to be considered. Award will be made no later than August 31, 2021. Application Process: Call (505) 869-3836 or email swlopc@outlook.com for application. (See next page) Submit applications by August 3, 2021 to: Sh’eh Wheef Law Offices P.O. Box 167 Isleta, New Mexico 87022 or swlopc@outlook.com March 2021 Isleta Pueblo News Page 5 Isleta Pueblo News Page 6 March 2021 Pueblo of Isleta Career Opportunities Position Posting ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT I ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT III ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATOR ARCHIVIST TECHNICIAN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MANAGER- REPOSTED BUS DRIVER- PART TIME CERTIFIED FITNESS INSTRUCTOR CHILD CARE PROVIDER - REPOSTED CHR VAN DRIVER (Part Time) CLINICAL THERAPIST COOK I CUSTODIAN FAMILY SOCIAL WORKER FEDERAL PROJECT MANAGER FITNESS INSTRUCTOR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE WORKER HEAVY EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN HOME OWNERSHIP COUNSELOR HVAC TECHNICIAN LANGUAGE TEACHER LIEUTENANT LIFEGUARD (6 POSITIONS) MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN PAINTER PERSONAL CARE SERVICE AIDE (2 Positions) PHYSICIAN- AMENDED PHYSICIAN/PEDIATRICIAN PLUMBER POLICE CAPTAIN POLICE OFFICER-CERTIFIED RECORDS CLERK / RECEPTIONIST REGISTERED NURSE ROADWAY MAINTENANCE WORKER I SALES ASSOCIATE-REPOSTED SCHOOL COUNSELOR SHIFT LEAD SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN TREASURER Office Location Tribal Prosecutor Isleta Elementary School Police Department-Open Space Police Department-Open Space Tribal Council Health Center Head Start Health Center Head Start Health Center Within Only Health Center Elder Center Within Only Public Works Social Services Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority Recreation Center Public Works Construction Operations Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority Public Works Language Director Police Department Parks & Recreation Public Works Housing Authority Elder Center Within Only Health Center Health Center Housing Authority Police Department Police Department Elder Center Health Center Construction Operations C-Stores Elementary School C-Stores Isleta Elementary School Tribal Council Closing Date 03/01/2021 03/01/2021 Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled 02/23/2021 Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled 03/01/2021 03/01/2021 Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled 03/01/2021 Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled 02/24/2021 Open Until Filled Open Until Filled Open Until Filled 02/19/2021 02/26/2021 Telemedicine Now Available at the Isleta Health Center Health Educator: Stephanie Barela, BS CHES CSST During 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 required to schedule a face-to-face visit for Well Child Visits and Sports Physicals. Please contact the Isleta Health Center at (505) 869-3200 to find out more. March 2021 Isleta Pueblo News Page 7 OUR LOCATION Isleta Resort and Casino is located 7 minutes south of downtown Albuquerque at Interstate 25 and Hwy 47, exit 215. The Human Resources office can be found on the east side of the building through the Employee Entrance doors. Address: Isleta Resort and Casino Attention: Human Resources Department 11000 Broadway Avenue SE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87105 Fax: 595 244-8232 Valle de Oro Survey We are requesting your feedback! What should the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Justice Leadership Team be doing to address environmental injustices in our community? Your input is essential to the success of the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge and its Environmental and Economic Justice Program. As the Refuge’s Environmental Justice Leadership Team works to update its Environmental and Economic Justice Strategic Plan for 2021 through 2025, we would like to hear from you on projects that matter most. You can review the existing goals of the plan and the projects underway by visiting http://bit. ly/VdOEJMailer or https://friendsofvalledeoro. org/our-impact/. Please send us your feedback by March 17th, 2021 by using our online form, https://forms.gle/xbvjRPJNfL8wrLPx6, by responding to our mailer coming to your mailbox soon, or giving us a call at 505-274-3560 and leaving us a message. Your input will allow Valle de Oro NWR to continue our efforts in advocating for a more just and healthy community for the benefit of wildlife and people alike, so thank you! Isleta Pueblo News Editor: Nathaniel Lujan Asst. Editor: Diane Abeita Published By: Valencia Express Isleta Pueblo News Page 8 Department of Education The Department of Education is delighted to join forces with these individuals in providing March Family Night. Let’s Welcome Don’t miss this deliciously fun event! The March Family Night will be held on Wednesday March 17 at 5:30-7pm. For National Nutrition Month, families will be learning how to prepare nutritious food for all to enjoy. Please contact 505-869-9810 by Friday March 12 to sign up for this event. Zoom links will be sent by email. Mr. Jacob Jojola is the new Native American Liaison for the Los Lunas high schools. Mr. Jojola works with the high school population at Century High School, Los Lunas High School, and Valencia High School. He will assist students on academic advisement, college preparedness and overall student support. Tune in to the College Engagement Nights! College Engagement Night is a great opportunity for high school students and all other college seekers to engage with different college representatives from around the state. The event is held on March 10 and March 24 at 4:30-6pm. The schools attending are NMSU, Fort Lewis, NMHU, SIPI, Brookline, and ENMU. College Engagement nights will be ongoing every other Wednesday evening through May. Additional schools, military personnel and FAFSA assistance will be included in more dates to come. Please register for the events at www.Isletapueblo. com -Educational Services tab. Contact 505-869-9790 for more information. Need more supplies for school? The Department of Education in collaboration with Los Lunas schools will be hosting a School Supply Pickup on Wednesday, March 3rd between the hours of 8-11 am and 1-3pm. This event is open to all K-12th grade students. The School Supply Drive will be held at the Department of Education office. Please update the Johnson O’Malley program form and/or the LL School’s 506 form with your liaison. Contact 505-869-9790 or 505-9857554 for more information. Calling All Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 High School SeniorsSeniors, submit the senior request form to the Department of Education JOM Department. In this request form, include your name, a photo and an outgoing message as a way to remember you throughout your educational journey. The request form will also include you in all Senior Graduation correspondence and senior recognition. Don’t miss out! ● 2020 Graduate Link-https:// isletapueblo.formstack.com/forms/2020_ hs_graduates ● 2021 Graduate Link-https:// isletapueblo.formstack.com/forms/2021_ hs_graduates College Students-Internship Opportunities Higher Education recipients are encouraged to participate in the Department of Education’s student internship program. College students are required to provide community service hours in acceptance of their financial assistance. The service these students will provide is tutoring, student mentorship, program collaboration, and student interventions. If you are a higher education recipient who would like to provide service hours to the department, visit www. Isletapueblo.com Tab: Educational Services to submit an internship form. Contact 505869-9790 for more information. Los Lunas Liaison- Schools Native American March 2021 Verna Williamson-Teller has served as the 1st and only woman Governor in Isleta Pueblo. She served as Governor from 1987 through 1990. Additionally, Verna Williamson served as the President of the Isleta Tribal Council for eight years. Verna made national history when she became the first Native American to deliver the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives. Verna was also named American Indian Woman of the Year in 2018. Here is a message to families from Mr. Jojola, Native American Liaison: My name is Jacob Jojola and I am the Native American Liaison for Los Lunas Schools. My job is to assist Native American students, at all three high schools. My office is currently based out of Los Lunas High School until further notice, due to Covid-19. I have been reaching out via email, but have not seen great success due to emails not active, blocked, or missing contact info. As your Liaison, I am your advocate for the success of your student’s education. I want everyone to know I am readily available for your convenience. As working parents, it is difficult to engage during working hours, so I would be more than happy to accommodate you and your student at any time. I have an open-door policy for any concerns for your students’ needs. If you have not updated or given your contact info, please contact your High School and update it. My direct contact info is jojojola@llschools. net or Office # 505-985-7554. I look forward to working with all of you! Indian Education Committee MembersThe Johnson O’Malley program would like to introduce our newest members to the Indian Education Committee. Felicia Jojola was elected for the vacant position to serve on the Indian Education Committee. Felicia Jojola is a mother of five children who have or currently attend Los Lunas Schools. She has served on various committees, such as the Isleta Headstart Parent Policy Council and the Los Lunas Indian Education Committee. She has also contributed her time to the Isleta Tribal Courts JDAI- Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative program. Felicia is very passionate about assuring that education is first for her children, as well as, the children of the Isleta community. It is her passion to assure that kids succeed academically, while assuring that she can help others succeed along the way. “Our ceremonies and our religious culture here in our community are of utmost importance to us,” she said. “That’s what’s kept us who we are as a people. And so when there’s any threat to that, it’s very frightening for our people. It’s a threat to our existence as far as we’re concerned.” Verna Williamson T Mrs. Agnes Dill was born in Isleta Pueblo on June 23, 1913. Agnes Dill was a graduate from New Mexico Highlands University in 1937, with degrees in English and Art History. She served as an educator with Bureau of Indian Affairs schools in Oklahoma. In 1971, Agnes founded the North American Indian Women’s Association, where she served as the President. Agnes worked diligently to establish job and talent banks for Native women, as she worked effortlessly as an activist for Native American women. In 1975, Agnes was elected by President Ford to the National Advisory Council on women’s education. She was the only Native American and the only New Mexican to serve on this council. In continuation of her success, she received an honorary doctorate in human letters from The University of New Mexico. Prior to her passing in 2012, Agnes Dill was honored with the Povika Award from The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts for service to Native communities. Aubrey Cherino will serve as our High School student representative. Aubrey is a sophomore at Los Lunas High school. She is very active in extracurricular activities with her school and is an active participant in the Isleta Community. Aubrey has served on the student council for Los Lunas High School. She also plays softball and basketball. Aubrey Cherino is the daughter of Reyes Abeita and Dominic Cherino. Did you know? As we celebrate Women’s history month, let’s take a moment to appreciate women in our community who have made history. When we look into Woman’s History for Isleta Pueblo, the names frequently mentioned are Judge Verna WilliamsonTeller and Mrs. Agnes Dill. “I knew there were other girls like me, who were qualified to do other things. So, while I was there washing dishes or sweeping floors, I made a vow to myself to do something for women’s betterment in education and employment fields.” Agnes Dill March 2021 Isleta Pueblo News Student Data School Choices These are the current number of students within the Los Lunas school district. The charts represent students who are in need of tutor support or those who are excelling in their academics. The goal for the Department of Education is to decrease the number of students in need and increase the number of students excelling. If your student is in need of educational supports please contact 505-869-9810. You may also visit www.Isletapueblo.com –Educational Services, to submit a tutor registration form for tutorial support. When it comes to your child’s education, choosing the appropriate school can often be challenging. Visit: www. Isletapueblo.com TabEducational Services to learn more about school choices around our community that may serve your student’s interest. Page 9 A big shout out to our New Mexico trivia winners and to the February Family Night lucky raffle winners. Visit: www.Isletapueblo.com TabEducational Services for event information, updates or to access forms for submissions from the Department of Education. Isleta Pueblo News Page 10 March 2021 Student Shout Out The Department of Education would like to give special recognition to the following students who are excelling in their academics for the 2020/2021 School year. DAMACIO CARRRASCO LLMS 8th Grade KAYANNA JIRON LLMS 7th Grade CELESTINO JOJOLA LLMS 7th Grade JUAN JOJOLA LLMS 8th Grade BAUTISTO HOWARD SODA 6th Grade Damacio likes Science. He plans to attend college to pursue his interest in basketball. Kayanna likes science and math. She plans to become a Veterinarian. Celestino likes History. He has good planning skills. Juan enjoys his Math class. Bau likes Geology. He strives to succeed in school. JAEDEN “BUG” TUCHAWENA VMS 7th Grade DESTINY LUCERO LLMS 7th Grade MICHAEL STORMS VMS 7th Grade CARLOS TAFOYA VHS 8th Grade HAILEY CHAVEZ LLHS 9th Grade Jaeden likes Math, Science, and Social Studies. He is involved with archery. Destiny likes Science, English, Art, and Web Design. She plans to attend school for Interior Design. Michael likes English. He plans to become a wartime journalist in New York Carlos likes Math and Health. He has plans to attend college Hailey likes all subjects. She is determined and driven for high academics. AMBRIA MALIZIA VHS 12th Grade TAH’WHIN WASETA VMS 7th Grade J’DEN HOWARD LLMS 8th Grade JORDAN HOWARD LLMS 8th Grade FAITH VICENTE LLHS 12th Grade Ambria likes Math. She plans to study in the medical field to become an Optometrist. Ta’Whin likes Math. He is a grand football player. J’den likes math. He plans to receive a college scholarship to play football or basketball. Jordan likes Social Studies. He plans to receive a college scholarship to play football or basketball. Faith likes Science and Math. She has received a Presidential Scholarship for her academics. JAZMEN BENSEN LLHS 12th Grade MEADOW SHADOWS VHS 11th Grade TRAVIS ABEITA LLHS 11th Grade ANNA ABEITA VHS 9th Grade LOGAN MARTIN LLHS 9th Grade Jazmen plans to attend medical school after graduation. Meadow likes Math and Writing. She plans to attend medical school after graduation. Travis likes English and Science. He will pursue a degree in Fine Arts in Theater and Design. Anna likes English and History. Her goal is to become a Surgeon. Logan enjoys his Math class. NATALIE JOJOLA LLHS 12th Grade DELSIN JARAMILLO LLHS 12th Grade ISAAC LIVINGSTON LLHS 10th Grade ANTHONY LUCERO LLHS 10th Grade MARIZA LUCERO LLHS 10th Grade Natalie likes Math, Science and basketball. She will pursue a degree in college. Delsin likes Math and Science. He will be attending NMSU to study Engineering. Isaac likes Math, football, and wrestling. He is interested in studying coding. Anthony likes music and plays the saxophone. He will pursue Fine Arts to become a music composer. Mariza has a strong passion for education. Her goals are to pursue a degree in Pediatric Oncology. SILAS MITCHELL LLHS 9th Grade JOSH MURPHY LLHS 12th Grade IZABELLA OLGUIN LLHS 11th Grade ELIZABETH WASETA LLHS 11th Grade MIRANDA YALCH LLHS 11th Grade Silas likes Computers and Coding. He will attend school to become an engineer. Josh likes Economics and Business. He will be attending ASU to achieve a Business degree. Izabella will pursue a marketing degree in college. Elizabeth likes English. She plans to attend college after high school. Miranda likes Math. She plans to attend medical school to become a Surgeon. VINCENT OTERO LLHS 12th Grade SELENA ARCHIBEQUE LLHS 10th Grade Vincent likes Drama. He will be attending Performing Arts school in Los Angeles. Selena Likes English. She has plans to attend college after high school. MACKENZIE ZUNI LLHS 11th Grade NATHANIAL DENETDALE LLHS 12th Grade Mackenzie likes baseball. She plans to pursue a college degree to become a Veterinarian. Nathanial likes Math. His goal is to attend medical school. AMBROSE ANDERSON VHS 10th Grade Ambrose likes Math. He plans to attend college on a basketball scholarship. AUDREY ABEITA LLHS 12th Grade Audrey likes Math-PreAP Trigonometry and Algebra II. She wants to go to college at Northern Arizona University or University of Colorado for Pre-Med or Astronomy. Isleta Pueblo News March 2021 Page 11 We are Proud : Isleta Eagles S March Newsletter Headphones/Earphones were donated by DOE. Distribution will be via bus or parental pickup depending on how parents have arranged material/ Pueblo of Isleta Elementary Betty Lovato, Acting Principal supply deliveries. Teachers will be receiving classroom supplies from DOE and will be able to provide student with school supplies as needed. Students of the Month – Dates to Remember: * 2/13-3/13 – WIDA Testing *3/18-19 Conferences *3/22-26-Spring Break *3/29-5/7 NM-SSMA TESTING Happy Birthday 1/01-Jaidan Lucero 1/11- Sophia Padilla 1/25-Kassie Tewaheftewa 2/6-Marricellia Jojola 2/11-Chamuel Jaramillo 2/17-Love Otero 2/20-Trevor Abeita 2/21- Isaiha Abeita 2/24-Donald Benavidez 3/1-Timothy Lente 3/1-Kateri Olguin 3/4-Keenan Lucero 3/11-Illiana Padilla 3/15-Jayden Jojola Great Work Ethic! K. – Faith Lucero First – Jonah Jojola Second – Mathayus Jaramillo Third - Damian Otero Fourth – Macy Zuni Fifth – Jayden Lucero Sixth – Sienna Flores Resource Room – Danian Mariano Return to School Survey: Please complete and return the survey regarding the reopening of IES for the remainder of the 20/21 school year by March 12th. Surveys will be distributed by bus or pickup. Congratulations to our amazing sister Janai Campos Master of Arts in Counseling Wayland Baptist University We are proud of you big sister! You have shown us the true meaning of dedication, motivation, and hard work. You are the best example of a smart, strong, and compassionate young woman. We look up to you for your kindness and your ability to always be you. We are fortunate enough to witness you follow your dreams. By watching you, we have learned to stay focused and to believe. You absolutely deserve the world. Thank you for being a fabulous big sister and role model. Keep Vibin’ Love, Miyawni “MC” and Zaiyah “Z” Acting Principals Message: Welcome back to the IES Teaching Staff: IES teachers are now back teaching from their classrooms. Their homes which were transformed into classrooms have now returned to their natural state. Teachers are thrilled to be back in their classroom setting. NM-SSMA Testing – Formally known as PARCC, is scheduled starting the week of March 29th, and continues through May 7th. The NM-MSSA is New Mexico’s statewide summative assessment for Mathematics and English Language Arts, administered at the end of 3-8 grade school year. Students will come to the school, on the date assigned for an hours’ time. Ms. Nicole, health assistant will take temperature checks before your children are admitted into the testing area. They will wear masks and be assigned a seat that is 6 six feet apart. Testing dates and times will be sent home closer to testing. New Mexico will join other states, in asking for a new waiver for spring 2021. More information forthcoming. Office Hours: Mon.-Thur. 7:00-4:00 Friday - 7:00-3:00 3:00-4:00 Fogging of building on Fridays Ms. Sanchez’ Valentine Project To: BUG from MOM ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU ARE BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE STRONGER THAN YOU SEEM SMARTER THAN YOU THINK & LOVED MORE THAN YOU KNOW YOU WILL DO GREAT THINGS IN THE FUTURE, I BELIEVE IN YOU. CONGRATULATIONS! YOU MAKE ME SO PROUD SON LOVE YOU BUG (Jaeden Tuchawena)! LOVE MOM (Frances Piro) Page 12 Isleta Pueblo News March 2021 ENVIRONMENTAL – RADON RESULTS In January of 2021, Environment staff deployed short-term radon sampling kits around the Pueblo’s department/ community buildings to measure indoor radon levels. The Environment Department has been testing radon levels annually since 2018 and continues to work closely with the Radon Outreach Program at New Mexico Environment Department. What is Radon? Radon is an odorless and tasteless radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium soil, rock, and water that gets into the air you breathe. Radon moves up through the ground in cracks and other holes within a structural foundation and is the 2nd leading cause for lung cancer. The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends to take further action when radon detections are greater than 4.0 pCi/L. The U.S. Congress has set a longterm goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels. While this goal is not yet technologically achievable in all cases, most homes today can be reduced to 2.0 pCi/L or below. Environment set out a total of 70 radon sampling kits. The majority of the results came back lower than 2.0 pCi/L which means the indoor air quality contains low levels of radon and no further action is required. For the location(s) that had results between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi/L, it is suggested to increase air flow in the building by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air flow. It is common for results to vary from office to office. Radon levels can fluctuate and spike during colder months when windows are kept closed, preventing heat (and radon) from escaping the building. Therefore, there is a possibility these levels can decrease as the season gets warmer. Offices or buildings that had results which exceeded the US EPA recommended action level of 4.0 pCi/L or higher are being investigated. Note: These results are based off of short-term testing and do not reflect the building’s year-round average radon levels. If you have any questions or concerns about radon feel free to email the Environment Department at Heaven.Lucero@isletapueblo.com or call 505-869-9814. 2021 Irrigation Water Supply The current water supply forecast for 2021 is not looking horrible, but it isn’t looking great either. Water supply is forecasted based on snowpack in the mountains that supply runoff water to New Mexico’s northern reservoirs which, in turn, supply water to the Middle Rio Grande. Reservoirs serving the Middle Rio Grande already have poor storage due to a dismal water supply in 2020. This year’s less than average snow pack (80% of average) coupled with predictions for higher than average temperatures and lower than average precipitation means that in 2021, Middle Rio Grande irrigators will likely have to work together to ensure everyone gets what they need. Irrigation season will start April 1st due to the relatively low snowpack totals and New Mexico’s debt to Texas under the Rio Grande Compact. Due to all of this, Irrigation water supply will be tight throughout the Middle Rio Grande, but Pueblo of Isleta Water Resources Dept. is working closely with Reclamation, BIA, and MRGCD water managers to ensure the Pueblos’ irrigators receive water in sufficient quantity and on schedule. The Water Resource Dept. is also working to ensure that prior and paramount water storage and delivery is managed to the benefit of Isleta’s farmers for as long as possible. Final prior and paramount storage numbers will likely not be known until April or May 2021, and as conditions change on the ground, so will management options. POI staff is closely monitoring this situation and is in close communication with Reclamation, BIA, and MRGCD. This year will require all farmers, mayordomos, and ditch riders to communicate frequently and work collaboratively together to ensure efficient scheduling and irrigation practices are adhered too. Should it be necessary for irrigation operations to deviate from regular practices due to water shortages, the farmers will be notified. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the Pueblo’s Water Resources Department, at 505-869-7566 3-month (April-June 2018) Temperature Outlook (http://www.cpc.ncep. noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead01/off01_temp.gif) 3-month (April-June 2018) Precipitation Outlook (http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead01/ off01_prcp.gif) March 2021 Isleta Pueblo News Page 13 Did the pandemic affect your goal of homeownership? Unsure if you’ll be eligible for a home loan? Or you’re on track but don’t know what to do next? What is ENGAGE New Mexico? For many students, going from a traditional classroom to learning from home can be a real challenge. New Mexico’s Public Education Department has partnered with Graduation Alliance to provide an extra layer of support for students in grades k-12 and their families who might be struggling with these changes. Students who choose to participate in the program will get an academic coach to work with them to answer questions, connect them with resources, and develop a plan to get on track and finish the school year strong. How does it work? Graduation Alliance is reaching out to students through phone calls, emails, text messages and more to get students started. What does it cost? There is no cost for the student. ENGAGE New Mexico is completely free to students. How do I enroll? Go to ParentsNM.GraduationAlliance.com, call 505-340-3250, or email EngageNM@GraduationAlliance.com to get started. Join Tiwa Lending Services’ Achieving Homeownership ZoomWebinar on Tuesday March 09, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. Unable to attend? We will be hosting the same webinar every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. Come join us for the following dates: March 16th March 23rd March 30th This 45-minute Zoom webinar will be an introduction to available counseling services to guide you through the obstacles and tasks of becoming a homeowner. To register please Email Miranda at miranda@ tiwalending.org or Call us at 505-916-0556. Truancy Department Greetings from the Isleta Truancy Department, The Truancy Department hopes that you and your families are off to a safe and great start to a new year. The department is here to support your child’s educational success during this uncertain time. Attendance is important because students are more likely to succeed in their academics when they attend school regularly. We work with the following school districts that our Isleta students attend: Los Lunas and Albuquerque Public Schools, Native American Community Academy, Isleta Elementary School and various Charter Schools. In conjunction with the various schools, we also work closely with Pueblo of Isleta Service Providers such as the Isleta Department of Education/JOM Program, Isleta Social Services, Isleta Behavioral Health Services, and Isleta Tribal Court. The Truancy Department offers: • Support to students and their families in regard to attendance and grades, as well as advocating for your child’s individual needs; • Referrals to service providers as needed, within and around the Pueblo of Isleta; • Perfect Attendance incentives to Isleta Elementary School students. The mission of the Isleta Truancy Department is to increase school attendance and reduce the truancy rates for our tribal youth. We know that there are many factors that can affect them; the Truancy Department is here to help and support families that may need assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns or questions regarding your child. We want your child to be successful with their education, as we know that this pandemic has challenged us with many obstacles. Thank you, Isleta Truancy Department Phone number: (505) 869-3870 “To support an education program for Isleta school age students that will reduce absentee rates, provide positive school attendance support and contribute to the general welfare and morale of our children by deterring truancy and juvenile crime” Isleta Pueblo News Page 14 March 2021 Pueblo of Isleta Public Library Happy Spring and I’m sure everyone is ready for warmer weather and longer days. The library has been busy these past months in preparation for our Summer Reading Program and monthly programs. We are working diligently to offer you innovative programs with a library twist. News The Spring Break vibe is in the air and students will be out on Spring Break during the month of March. When coming to the library please be extra cautious when driving, as we have been noticing more kids coming out to play. Please keep a look out for kids, walking, skateboarding or riding their bike near the library. On Thursday, March 4th the library will be having a staff meeting. During this time we plan for upcoming programs, and address any questions or concerns the library staff may have. For the time being, the library will stay open to help any patrons that come during that time. Please welcome Issac Jaramillo to the library. Issac accepted the part-time position here at the library and will mostly be working with the After School Program. His official first day was Wednesday, February 10th and we are excited to welcome him to our team. The library Teen room recently got an emergency door installed on the south side of the library leading in to the Rotunda. Plans for the emergency door were in place before COVID, so the project was put on hold for a bit. The emergency door was put in place, of course, if there’s any emergency but the main reason was if there was ever a situation of an active shooter there is now an emergency door to exit. Join us for our Virtual Family Story Time every Wednesday at 10:30 am. Story time will take place over Zoom and is open for ages 16 months- 5 years old. For each month a calendar will be available with the schedule of books and crafts. For the month of March crafts will include crafts like Cat in the Hat, Shamrock Man, Pot of Gold, Dinosaur, and a Frog craft. Supplies for the crafts will have to be picked up prior to the Story Time through our curbside service. If you would like to sign up please call the library at 505-869-9808 or email Cheyenne at Cheyenne.Castillo@isletapueblo.com. The Library is offering a contactless curbside service as well as computer After School Program students enjoyed doing the String Art project. They tried something new and had fun learning a new craft. 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 one-hour 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 to 6:30pm Friday: 8am to 4:30pm 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 helps 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, music, and periodicals (NY Times), 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 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 Isleta Pueblo News March 2021 access through the library website and click on the icon located on the general library section. The library now has Lynda.com, which is FREE online training on various computer software and programs. The Lynda.com Online Training Library is a massive online training resource. Using their thousands of videos, members are able to learn – selfpaced 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. Download the mobile app Libby to start borrowing and 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 Summer Reading Program Registration will be on Friday, May 7th at 7am. Registration will be on the first come, first serve basis. We will have one single line for youth and junior group. This will insure that priority is give to those whom showed up early. Some reminders to keep in mind before registering: • Please wear a mask and practice social distancing. • Only Parents/Legal Guardian of students is allowed to sign up students for the Summer Reading Program. • 3 year olds MUST be potty trained. • We will be asking for BASIC information on registration form along with a list of allergies. The Youth Summer Reading Program group descriptions will be out in next month’s article. We will feature 5 different themes to choose from. 5 spots will be available for each of the programs. Both Junior and Youth calendars will be released in the May newsletter and will be picked up at the library and will be posted on our social media account so keep a look out for that. If you have any questions regarding the Summer Reading Program please give us a call at the library and speak with a staff member at 505-869-9808. Spring Break activities and crafts will be offered during the week of March 16th -18th Monday through Thursday. This will be open to ages 6 years old and up from 1pm-3pm. Page 15 Lots to do at the library After School Program students keeping busy making DIY terrariums and painting a picture. The library staff is currently working on coming up with new programs for children, teens and adults. Currently all programs will have to be done in a virtual setting. As days go by we are hoping that we can once again have in-person programs. If you have any suggestions or ideas about any programs that you would like to see, please feel free to give us a call at 505-869-9808 and share any thoughts or ideas. Recap During the month of February library staff began the process of doing inventory on our library material. Inventory was done using Atriuum Inventory Resource, which is a mobile app. Each library item was scanned and marked as seen then submitted as a report to be finalized. By doing inventory we get to see what is missing, lost or misplaced in the library. We will continue to do inventory once a year to stay on track. The After School Program has been doing great with the program being back to inperson once again. We hope that it can continue to stay this way and we hope to open the program up to more students. Students have been coming in daily to work on homework for the first half, and the second half they get to participate in a craft or activity. For the month of February students made a picture using string art, Valentine’s Day crafts and a terrarium. Daily crafts and activities give students a chance to take a break from schoolwork and engage in something new while having fun. Isleta Pueblo News Page 16 March 2021 NEWSLETTER ISLETA POLICE DEPARTMENT MARCH – 2021 Another month come and gone and SPRING is just around the corner! I’m sure everyone is ready for spring to arrive this month as the weather has been chilling, snowy and icy causing closures or delayed start times for many, not only here on the Pueblo but in surrounding areas. With spring arriving soon, we are all too familiar of dusty windy days that will arrive as well. Please be sure to take precautions during days of high winds. CHANGES Changes abound and the Isleta Police Department has had its share as well. The Command Staff is currently manned by Interim Chief of Police, Robbin Burge; Interim Captain, Tim Zuni and an Interim Lieutenant, Jeff Tenorio. Plans are underway to make changes, improve in other avenues within the Police Department and continue to strive for professionalism and working with the community to address problem areas. INDIAN HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM IHSP Traffic Division continues to monitor and enforce the roadways throughout the Pueblo of Isleta maintaining safety for all with traffic enforcement. Construction continues on Highway 47 where the speed limits have been reduced in the area. The Traffic Division continues to monitor and enforce traffic laws targeting this area. Remember to ensure everyone in the vehicle is appropriately restrained in the vehicle (proper child carseats, boosters, etc.). Keep in mind, as recently advertised, remember “BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING”. You may think you are fine to drive after a few drinks and only feeling a “buzz” but you may be in for a rude awakening when you are arrested for DWI. Impairment to the slightest degree can earn you a trip to the local detention center on a DWI charge. “DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!” SEEKING A PHLEBOTOMIST: The Isleta Police Department is currently seeking interested individuals to conduct blood draws for DWI suspects. Must have a current license/certificate as a phlebotomist, pass a background check and be able to serve on an on-call basis as needed. For additional information, questions or interest, please contact: Detective Sergeant K. Lucero (505) 869-9728 WOOD AND BURN PERMITS Wood and burn permits are now available (no appointment necessary) in three locations: Isleta Open Space: 3950 Hwy 47, Bldg. E (505) 869-7564 Governor’s Office: 117A, Tribal Road 40 (next to Post Office) (505) 869-3111 Isleta Police Substation: 1501 Twilight Street (Old Census Office) (505) 869-5387 Please remember you must appear in person to obtain your permits. When preparing to burn, be sure to call the Isleta Police Dispatch center (505-869-3030) and provide the address/area where you will be burning to the Isleta Police Dispatch Center (505-8693030). They will verify if it is a “burn day” and will request the burn permit number. COMMUNITY SAFETY CURFEW AND RESIDENCY: The curfew remains in effect and we urge everyone to abide by these restrictions. Those who are non-Tribal and are not registered with Census to live on the Pueblo cannot be on the Pueblo. Though not as frequently as before there are still curfew violations being committed. It is posted throughout the Pueblo and there are no excuses – PLEASE abide by the restrictions. Residency requirements are being enforced and we request adherence by all. COVID-19: Governor Abeita has been publishing statistics on the progress of the virus. Judging from the last publication it seems the Pueblo is doing well and hopefully we are getting closer to suppressing this virus. However, we continue to need everyone’s help to keep the numbers under control. Testing and consideration in taking the vaccine are methods to help curb it. If you have tested positive for the virus, PLEASE STAY HOME AND QUARANTINE! Reports of the “new strain” of this virus found in New Mexico are troubling and we must continue safety precautions. Members of the Police Department continue to serve the members of the community, following safety protocols and strive to keep the community safe. So please: STAY HOME – MASK UP SAFE DISTANCING – WASH HANDS FREQUENTLY – AVOID GATHERINGS PLEASE! WARNING! Corporation (FDIC) or your bank and say your bank account or your ability to get cash are in danger and ask for your personal information. • Grandparent and military service member scams - A scammer pretends to be a grandchild or a military service member who’s sick or in trouble because of the coronavirus. They contact you asking to wire them money to pay for fake medical or travel expenses. Learn about other types of coronavirus scams and listen to recordings of sample phone messages from scammers. Report Coronavirus Scams • Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 866-720-5721 or email disaster@leo.gov. • Report a scam to the FBI at tips.fbi. gov. • If it’s an online scam, submit your complaint through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Coronavirus Rumors Rumors, myths, and conspiracy theories about the coronavirus can be frightening and misleading. Go to FEMA’s Rumor Control page to check out the real answers about the rumors you’re hearing. SCAM ALERT – SCAM ALERT – SCAM Report Price Gouging ALERT – SCAM ALERT Scams are nothing new, however, there seems to be an increased number and variations of these scams since the pandemic. As reported by the USA Gov website: Coronavirus Scams, Rumors, and Price Gouging During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, scammers may try to take advantage of you through misinformation and scare tactics. They might get in touch by phone, email, postal mail, text, or social media. Protect your money and your identity by not sharing personal information like your bank account number, Social Security number, or date of birth. Learn how to recognize and report a COVID vaccine scam and other types of coronavirus scams. Common Coronavirus Scams Scammers change their methods frequently. Current coronavirus scams include: • COVID-19 testing, vaccine, and treatment scams - Don’t trust offers to get early access to the approved vaccine. And be aware that scammers are also targeting Medicare recipients by offering COVID-19 testing in an attempt to steal personal information. • Charity scams - Fake charities pop up during disasters. And scammers can also claim to be from real charities. Learn how to research charity claims and protect your money. • Checks from the government Scammers say they’re from the IRS or another government agency and ask for your personal information or try to charge you fake fees for getting your stimulus check or offer you a way to get the money early. • FDIC and banking - People pretend to call from the Federal Deposit Insurance During times of high demand, sellers may raise prices to a very high and unfair level on needed items like: • • • Face masks Hand sanitizer Household or personal care items This is called price gouging and it’s illegal. If you suspect price gouging, report it to your state attorney general. Telephone Scams Telephone scammers try to steal your money or personal information. Scams may come through phone calls from real people, robocalls, or text messages. Callers often make false promises, such as opportunities to buy products, invest your money, or receive free product trials. They may also offer you money through free grants and lotteries. Some scammers may call with threats of jail or lawsuits if you don’t pay them. Report Telephone Scams It’s important to report phone scams to federal agencies. They can’t investigate individual cases. But your report can help them collect evidence for lawsuits against scammers. • Report telephone scams online to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also call 1-877-382-4357. The FTC is the primary government agency that collects scam complaints. • Report all robocalls and unwanted telemarketing calls to the Do Not Call Registry. • Report caller ID spoofing to the Federal Communications Commission. You can report either online or by phone at 1-888-225-5322. Isleta Pueblo News March 2021 For more help in resolving consumer issues, you can report scams to your state consumer protection office. Protect Yourself From Telephone Scams Remember these tips to avoid being a victim of a telephone scam: Do • Register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry. You may register online or by calling 1-888-3821222. If you still receive telemarketing calls after registering, there’s a good chance that the calls are scams. • Be wary of callers claiming that you’ve won a prize or vacation package. • Hang up on suspicious phone calls. • Be cautious of caller ID. Scammers can change the phone number that shows up on your caller ID screen. This is called “spoofing.” • Independently research business opportunities, charities, or travel packages that the caller offers. Don’t • Don’t give in to pressure to take immediate action. • Don’t say anything if a caller starts the call asking, “Can you hear me?” This is a common tactic for scammers to record you saying “yes.” Scammers record your “yes” response and use it as proof that you agreed to a purchase or credit card charge. • Don’t provide your credit card number, bank account information, or other personal information to a caller. • Don’t send money if a caller tells you to wire money or pay with a prepaid debit card. Banking Scams Banking scams involve attempts to access your bank account. Use this information to recognize, report, and protect yourself from them. Popular banking scams The most common banking scams include: • Overpayment scams - A scam artist sends you a counterfeit check. They tell you to deposit it in your bank account and wire part of the money back to them. Since the check was fake, you’ll have to pay your bank the amount of the check, plus you’ll lose any money you wired. • Unsolicited check fraud - A scammer sends you a check for no reason. If you cash it, you may be authorizing the purchase of items or signing up for a loan you didn’t ask for. • Automatic withdrawals - A scam company sets up automatic debits from your bank account to qualify for a free trial or to collect a prize. • Phishing - You receive an email message that asks you to verify your bank account or debit card number. Report Banking Scams The proper organization to report a banking scam depends on which type you were a victim of. • Report fake checks you receive by mail to the US Postal Inspection Service. • Report counterfeit checks to the Federal Trade Commission, either online or by phone at 1-877-382-4357. • Contact your bank to report and stop unauthorized automatic withdrawals from your account. • Forward phishing emails to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce. gov. How to Protect Yourself Remember these tips to avoid being a victim of a banking scam: Do • Be suspicious if you are told to wire a portion of funds from a check you received back to a company. • Be wary of lotteries or free trials that ask for your bank account number. • Verify the authenticity of a cashier’s check with the bank that it is drawn on before depositing it. • When verifying a check or the issuer, use contact information on a bank’s website. Don’t • Don’t trust the appearance of checks or money orders. Scammers can make them look legitimate and official. • Don’t deposit checks or money orders from strangers or companies you don’t have a relationship with. • Don’t wire money to people or companies you don’t know. • Don’t give your bank account number to someone who calls you, even for verification purposes. • Don’t click on links in an email to verify your bank account. • Don’t accept a check that includes an overpayment There are also local utility scams and one that has become prevalent is “PNM”. As published on their website PNM advises: Beware Phone Scams We continue to get reports that phone scammers are calling customers trying to get money. Page 17 Things to keep in mind: Check your bill. If you have not received a bold disconnect notice on page 1, it’s a scam. PNM does sometimes make calls to customers who are past due, but scammers have no way of knowing who those customers are. • If you are asked to purchase pre-paid gift cards, it is a scam. • If you are ever uncertain a caller is from PNM, hang up and call PNM at 1-888-DIAL-PNM (1-888-342-5766). There are a multitude of scams and you have questions/concerns please do not hesitate to contact the Police Department. Keep in mind: Never divulge any personal information i.e., Social Security number, date of birth, bank account numbers, etc. If there is a request to provide gift cards for payment this is clearly a RED FLAG and one should never purchase gift cards as payment. Many scams will notify you a grand prize is yours, but first you must send gift cards in various denominations to cover “costs”, etc. These vultures prey on the elderly who are on fixed incomes and many, across the United States, have had their entire savings “wiped out”. Inform them of these scams and let us work together to keep these scammers at bay and members of the community safe. Isleta Pueblo News Page 18 March 2021 Isleta Historical Society Protect the Land • Preserve the Culture • Honor the Ancestors This continues a monthly series of articles about historic Isletans and significant happenings at Isleta. The Isleta Historical Society is an independent, inclusive group looking to broaden understanding through vigorous research, interviews, visits to museums and other historical sites etc. We are interested in your reaction to these stories and encourage you to contact us with ideas for future publications. Visit us on Facebook and Instagram @isletahistoricalsociety or email us at isletahistoricalsociety@gmail.com. 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 Another former Laguna silversmith was Jose Platero, who worked silver in Laguna before coming to Isleta with the 1879 migration. In 1900, Jose Platero is listed in the Isleta census. Another Isleta silversmith was Juan Rey Churino, who is listed in the 1920 Isleta census as a widower living with his daughter Juana who is listed as a potter. Juan Rey, who was the only silversmith listed in the 1920 census, also migrated from Laguna, and was known to be a headstrong person, even in Old Laguna. After arriving at Isleta, hostility between he and Pablo Abeita arose and in 1923, he decided to move to Sandia because of their continuous fighting. Silversmithing at Isleta The Navajos/Diné were the first to learn silversmithing, sometime before 1870. They learned the craft from their Hispanic neighbors and used American silver coins as their silver source, making silver bells that were used in their ceremonial dances. Navajo mothers-in-law also wore the little silver bells so that their sons-in-law could hear them coming. Before they had silver, the Diné jewelers used copper and brass. They traded silver jewelry with the Zuni and Hopi and later with the Pueblos. The Diné also traded with the Fort Wingate soldiers during imprisonment there after the Long March (1864-1868). Isletan woman with silver and bead necklace and pendant Navajo Men with silver necklaces and earrings The commercialization of jewelry-making began when the Fred Harvey Co. started to order jewelry expressly for sale to tourists. It sold sliver-mounted turquoise jewelry on the trains that traveled the Santa Fe Line and at the stands in the stations. This commercialization begun in a small way by the Harvey Co. grew tremendously by the mid-1920s and this jewelry — mostly rings, bracelets, and necklaces — along with Pueblo-made pots became the stereotypical art of the Natives of the Southwest. brother). In 1883, Diego Ramos Abeita began working for Juan Andres Apodaca (known as Valencenio), an immigrant from Valencia, Spain, who made saddles and worked silver, crafts he learned in Spain. Valencenio taught Jose Ramos how to work silver using the Spaniard’s tools: a pair of bellows, a blowpipe, clay crucibles, and a pair of fine pliers to use on earrings. After working for Valencenio, with whom he was good friends, Diego Ramos Abeita added to his silversmithing skills when sheepherding with a Zuni man in Arizona. He learned how to set turquoise in silver, and in return taught the Zuni man how to do fancy bentwire work (filigree), a craft he learned from Valencenio. When Diego Ramos Abeita returned to New Mexico, he first settled at Laguna where there were about five other silversmiths and later moved back to his native Isleta. When interviewed by the silversmithing expert John Adair, Pablo Abeita told of another early Isletan silversmith, Jose Padilla, who was captured as a child from the Navajo, brought to Isleta, and raised by Tomas Padilla. Jose Padilla learned silversmithing from a Hispanic man in El Paso, who also made tinwork frames for santos. When Jose learned to melt tin at high temperatures, he made jewelry such as silver buttons, and other pieces. Jose Padilla is listed in the household of Tomas Padilla in the 1900 Isleta census, and as the head of a household in the 1920 census, married to Lola L. Padilla. Pablo Abeita also noted that the oldest silversmith in the village in 1944 was Jose Jaramillo, who learned his craft from Juan Rey Churino, thirty-five years earlier. Jose Jaramillo is listed in the 1920 census, married to Juanita Chiwiwi (probably from Laguna) and living with his stepdaughter, Damasia Lente, and his father-in-law, Jesus Chiwiwi, age ninety. At that time there were fifteen silversmiths Diné women started making silver jewelry in the 1910s. As their husbands found, the more jewelry made, the more money made, it behooved them to teach their wives, as well as their sons and daughters. Beginning in about 1870, Navajo silver evolved from a crude state with a few craftsmen into a highly developed fine art in which the decoration was much more complex. These artists made bracelet, rings, earrings, silver buttons, and necklaces. The first silversmiths at Isleta were Diego Ramos Abeita, Jose Platero, Juan Rey Churino, and Jose Padilla, two of whom had connections with Laguna. Diego Ramos Abeita was Marcelino Abeita’s uncle (Marcelino was Pablo Abeita’s Young Isleta girl with silver bracelets, silver and beaded necklaces, and woven belt, 1920, Horace S. Poley, photographer, NAA, Smithsonian Institution, negative P1054 Isleta woman with silver bracelet, rings, and skirt with silver buttons, George Wharton James, photographer, Autry Museum of the American West, negative no. P7271 March 2021 working from Isleta, five worked in Isleta and ten in Albuquerque. Also working at Isleta before the arrival of silver, before 1879, was a man named Spotted Eagle (nicknamed Copper) who made bracelets, rings, and buttons out of copper and brass. Isleta Pueblo was known for its silver necklaces, especially those with silver crosses interspersed with silver, coral, or jet beads, with a pendant double-barred cross at the bottom. Pueblo people began from the time of Juan de Oñate’s arrival in 1598; Oñate’s inventory included rosaries and metal crosses for distribution to the pueblos. By the time of Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez’s visitation to the Pueblos in 1776, many Pueblo people were wearing crosses, not so much because of devoutness (except in a few cases) commented Dominguez, “but from love of ornament.” Pablo Abeita told Adair that most Isletan necklaces were made with fifty beads to the strand, representing rosary beads. Traditionally, when a couple was married in the Catholic faith, the man gave the woman a necklace interspersed with crosses and later it was customary for the woman to give the man a similar strand, though smaller in size. During the wedding ceremony, the couple exchanged these necklaces, after they were blessed by the priest. Men’s necklaces, given to them by their brides, usually included beads made of abalone shells interspersed with other beads, while women’s necklaces given to them by their husbands contained beads made of red coral. Isletan women were particularly known for the doublebarred cross pendant at the bottom of the necklace, which has been seen to represent the dragonfly. Isleta Pueblo News Although it is not apparent from old photographs, men wore earrings as did women. Marcelino Abeita told the story of a pair of large earrings made for him by Jose Platero: “Those big earrings sure hurt your ears when you were riding. We used to turn them up over the top of our ears when we were on horseback.” The tools used by Isleta silversmiths were fairly simple according to Charles Lummis, who lived at Isleta for four years and discussed in our July 2020 article: “The silver [jewelry] is made by their own silversmiths, who achieve remarkable results with a mud forge, a hammer, files, a punch, and a little solder, resin, and acid.” The Marketing of Silver In the late 1800s, Isleta silversmiths rarely sold their work, mostly trading within the pueblo. Then by the 1920s, with the arrival of the railroad, and the commercialization of Pueblo arts and crafts, some silversmiths were able to make a modest living selling to tourists. In addition, mercantile establishments sprang up both on the pueblo and in Albuquerque to satisfy the growing demand for fine silver jewelry. Several shops operated within the pueblo, some specializing in silver and other Pueblo arts and crafts, others carrying a wide variety of goods including, jewelry, pottery, and weaving products like rugs and sashes. Diego Abeita, who we discussed in the October 2020 issue, opened a shop in the pueblo, selling mostly silver jewelry. He employed a few young experienced Isletan silversmiths and encouraged them to copy the designs of the old Isleta silver. Abeita’s shop made old-style crosses, beads, traditional bracelets, earrings, and bow guards. When Adair visited Isleta in the 1930s, he found that the shop had modern tools and that the silver produced there was well constructed and of good design. Damasio Lujan, silversmith, early 1940s Isleta woman wearing double-barred dragonfly cross, 1889, Charles Lummis, photographer The dragonfly represents spring, life-giving rain, and fertility in the Zuni origin story and the dragonfly motif was found in rockart, Hohokam shell pendants, and Mimbres pottery. Necklaces with the double-barred cross pendant were unique with Isleta women compared with those worn in other pueblos. In addition to these distinct pendants, these Isletan necklaces were also comprised of beads of silver, coral, jet, and glass, and single-bar crosses interspersed with the beads. Another local shop specializing in silver was the Isleta Indian Curio Shop operated in the late 1930s and early 1940s by Johnny Lujan. Damasio Lujan (1883-1979) was an old-time silversmith who had a small shop on highway 147. He and his sons then opened Isleta Indian Curio in the pueblo where they produced and sold silver jewelry as well as Isleta pottery. The Lujan brothers, Joe, and Johnny operated the shop during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Johnny Lujan served in WWII and upon his return in 1945, the Lujan brothers decided to make silver jewelry for Maisel’s in Albuquerque. By the late 1940s, it was possible for silversmiths working for Maisel’s to make a decent living, whereas in the 1930s this was not the case. In 1936, the special investigator for the United Pueblo Agency looked into the employment practices at Page 19 Interior of Isleta Indian Curio, Johnny Lujan at the counter, brothers Joe and Albert Lujan in the background, late 1930s to early 1940s Maisel’s when a former employee, Isletan Jose Rey Abeita, committed suicide in the Albuquerque city jail. The investigation discovered that the Maisel Trading Company hired Indians to finish silver rings in their own homes. However, the pay was so low that no one could make a living at that occupation. Conditions must have improved in the 1940s, because Damasio Lujan’s two sons, Johnny and Joe worked there for about six years,and according to Fred Lujan, Johnny’s son, the working conditions were much improved. Dolores Lucero Lujan worked at an unknown jewelry store located in Albuquerque, but never worked at Maisel’s. Dolores Lucero Lujan, polishing rings, early 1950s There is not much of the original jewelry that was created in Isleta left in the village, as most of it was bought up by outsiders who offered cash. Therefore, if you still own any of it, hold on to it tightly as part of your heritage. In the 1930s, when John Adair was writing his classic book on silversmithing, he noted that Isletans would never sell their silver jewelry. We would like to thank Fred Lujan for taking the time to speak with us about his family’s connection to silversmithing in Isleta and providing photos to go along with the article. For further reading see John Adair’s Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths and Allison Bird’s Heart of the Dragonfly. ••• Again, we want to thank everyone who has been reading these articles. We invest a great deal of time and energy into these articles and we do so because we are interested and passionate about the topics we cover. We believe that by sharing these stories with the community it may instill a sense of confidence in who we are as Isletans. We are grateful for all of our readers and have been receiving feedback from the community. Some of you have even reached out with ideas about what topics to cover next or areas of interest for the Historical Society to dig deeper into. We thank you for your interest in the stories we are telling about the Pueblo and the people and encourage you to reach out to us with any information, ideas, or comments that you feel would be helpful to us. We will soon be publishing on our social media platforms so be on the lookout for that content. Again, any information is greatly appreciated and will not be used without your permission. Thank you! Page 20 Isleta Pueblo News March 2021 ISLETA PARKS AND RECREATIONAL CENTER SPORTS Hope everyone is doing well. We have been staying busy here at the recreation center. In late January we held a Hot Shot competition for adults and youth and we were pleased with the turn-out. We had two youth divisions competing in this competition, a younger age group and an older age group. In the younger youth division the participants were Michael Toya, Lawson Sutton, and Kateri Toya. Michael Toya won the competition for that age group. In the older youth division the participants were Greg Zuni, Dylan Lente, Christiano Jojola, Kairi Lucero, Demacio Carrasco, Jaylan Lente, Andre Coriz, Dominic Jojola, and Elijah Zuni. In that division it was very exciting to see Andre Coriz come back from the Losers Bracket. He had to beat Elijah Zuni twice to become Champion. We also had the Adult Hot Shot challenge in late January as well. We invited Andre Coriz, winner of the older youth challenge, to compete in the adult division to see how he would do against the adults. In the Adult division the participants were Michael Toya, Dan Winsten, Joseph Pacheco, Bubba Jiron, Cubs Montoya, Jeremy Lujan, Edmund Lucero, Marissa Weldon, Michael Wilson and Andre Coriz. The adult competition was a battle throughout the event. In the end it came down to Andre Coriz who came through the loser’s bracket, and he had to go up against Michael Toya. Andre Coriz ended up winning the Adult Division. We are planning more competitions like this in the future. By the time you read this newsletter our Hitting Challenge will have concluded. Please keep your eyes open for other activities like this. As mentioned we will be having more activities like this. Please don’t hesitate to contact the recreation center, or better yet stop by the recreation center to ask about upcoming events and activities. These events are a great way to get a little exercise and we will be keeping safety practices in mind with these events. Keep your eyes open for information concerning our upcoming runs. The FUN RUN will take place throughout March and the BERNIE RUN/Walk which will take place in April. These runs are geared to families, we want families to get out and have fun runs together. Come to the Recreation Center and sign up for these runs. Hope to see you all. Stay safe and active. Coach Waquie FITNESS Isleta Recreation Fitness Center is doing quite well with a lot of new faces utilizing the facilities, which is awesome. The State’s Restrictions have changed to Yellow but unfortunately this still means we will continue to operate at a maximum of 25% capacity in the workout area. Remember our Basketball gym is open after 2:30pm everyday so come shoot some hoops as well. Distance Learning Program News: Our students are patiently waiting for this Covid-19 virus to end soon so they can have some real fun again with family and friends. At this time Imagination comes into play for these students here at the recreation center. We have several areas of the recreation center that we have used in our imagination to travel to many places like Neverland from Peter Pan, or go visit Grandma Willow from Pocahontas, and build forts by gathering branches and rocks like the movie Lord of the Flies. They also used their imagination in the game room as a group to decorate a place where they would like to go. One of their places is to visit is the ocean and see all the different sea life animals. We have several students who are very artistic in our program. We have displayed some of their work throughout the Recreation Center. Some of their drawings are made with various art materials such as stencils, colored pencils, markers, glitter and much more. Next month, the students will display another place where they would like to go. Maybe Disneyland, a camping trip, or maybe a safari. Who knows with these kids’ imaginations, but surely look out for it in the next newsletter. March 2021 Again, please remember that face masks remain highly required when visiting the recreation facility, especially during all activities. For all of you thinking about starting a workout regimen, we have trainers available to assist you, as well as weekly workouts written on our workout boards, for those of you that are not sure what you want to target that day. But before you start a routine… remember that we have the INBODY 270 body analyzer, this machine goes beyond the weight scale. It calculates: body fat percentage, muscle mass and your body’s hydration levels. This service is free of charge to all and we hope you take advantage of this unique opportunity. It will give a good reading to let you know exactly where you are before you get started with your fitness goal. For more information, please call your Recreation Center at 505-869-9777. Summer Recreation Program: We are currently planning for the Summer Recreation program, as long as things progress and we are able to have the summer program this coming summer. We will continue to update you on this. Please look out for flyers, and in the next newsletter for more information on lottery registration dates in April. Summer Recreation program will start June 7th to July 30th. PARKS For those of you that haven’t noticed, our Parks are open for use again, but keep in mind that signs have been posted requesting that safety guidelines are followed to ensure that you as well as everyone else who use are parks are being and staying safe. Masks are still required and social distancing is also a requirement, so please stay safe and enjoy our parks once again. Isleta Pueblo News AQUATICS CENTER Great news! On February 7th the new plaster was completed on our Swimming Pool! Meaning we are one step closer to swimming again. Now that the plaster is curing we are keeping a close eye on pH, Free Chlorine, Alkalinity, and Calcium Hardness as well as keeping the water temperature cold for a couple of weeks while the plaster hardens to ensure it lasts for the years to come. With that being said, we are still looking to filling our vacant Lifeguard positions. The positions are currently listed on the POI website for those of you that might be interested in becoming a Lifeguard. We are also tentatively looking to start swim lessons by April. Anyone interested in Child or Adult swim lessons please contact us at 505-869-9777 ext.9783. We look forward to getting the pool ready for Isleta Pueblo to enjoy and will keep you updated as things move forward with this project. Please come to the center and take a look at the Aquatics Center. We would love to show the progress being made. Page 21 Page 22 Isleta Pueblo News March 2021 March 2021 Isleta Pueblo News Page 23 The Ripple Effect IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) Isleta Health Center Behavioral Health Clinic 505-869-5475 “Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.” Dalai Lama The Ripple Effect Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) program is 90 days in length and is a viable treatment alternative to a residential treatment center for community members with chemical dependency issues. An individual spends a minimum of 12 hours per week engaged in education, individual therapy sessions, and group counseling and participates in a Recovery Peer Support group. Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) is a tool available to our patients with alcohol or opioid dependencies. Patients complete an in-depth substance use assessment and treatment plan to address specific needs. The Ripple Effect IOP gives patients the opportunity to live at home while they engage in treatment activities at the Behavioral Health Clinic. Individuals with a long history of addiction, who fight a constant urge to use, and have difficulty with sustained abstinence benefit from this structured program. The Ripple Effect IOP meets on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon with individual counseling sessions scheduled as needed. Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) Pros: ● Patients live at home and continue with daily activities such as work, childcare, social activities. ● Schedules are more flexible for counseling sessions. ● Patients practice coping skills and make positive changes while still in treatment. Cons: ● Patients face the same influences, risks and triggers to use drugs and/or alcohol. ● Drugs/alcohol are readily available. ● Daily life distractions compete with focus on recovery. If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol or drugs…there is help…space is limited in the Ripple Effect IOP (in-person-live sessions) or virtual is an option- call and schedule an appointment for an assessment to get on the waiting list for the next cycle. Covid safety protocols followed. 505-869-5475 Isleta Pueblo News Page 24 National Poison Prevention Week (March 21–27, 2021) Stephanie Barela, Health Educator https://nationaltoday.com/poison-prevention-week/ www.cdc.com Phone: 505-869-4479 National Poison Prevention Week, the 3rd full week of March, is a great way to educate yourself on Poison Prevention and do what you can to limit the number of people who get sick and die from poisonings each year. Nine out of 10 unintentional child poisonings happen in the home, so learn ways to prevent poisonings by remembering these facts: • Only take prescription medications that are prescribed to you by a healthcare professional. • Never take larger or more frequent doses of your medications, particularly prescription pain medications, to try to get faster or more powerful effects. • Never share or sell your prescription drugs. • Keep all prescription medicines (especially prescription painkillers, such as those containing methadone, hydrocodone, or oxycodone), over-thecounter medicines (including pain or fever relievers and cough and cold medicines), vitamins and herbals in a safe place that can only be reached by people who take or give them. • Follow directions on the label when you give or take medicines. Read all warning labels. It may be harmful to take certain medications or vitamins together, so it is important to read and follow the instructions. • Turn on a light when you give or take medicines at night so that you know you have the correct amount of the right medicine. • Keep medicines in their original bottles or containers. • Monitor the use of medicines prescribed for children and teenagers, such as medicines for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.1 • Dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs appropriately by taking them to a Drug Disposal Site, such as, the Isleta Police Department. Properly use household chemicals by: • Always reading the label prior to use. • Keep chemical products in their original bottles or containers. Do not use food containers such as cups, bottles, or jars to store chemical products such as cleaning solutions or beauty products. • Never mix household products together. For example, mixing bleach and ammonia can result in toxic gases. • Wear protective clothing (gloves, long sleeves, long pants, socks, shoes) if you spray pesticides or other chemicals. • Turn on the fan and open windows when using chemical products such as household cleaners. • If you or someone you know ingests something they are not sure if they should have, call the NM Poison Center, at 1-800-222-1222, to speak with a specialist and find out what steps they should take to stay healthy. To learn more about POISON PREVENTION, come to the March 9th Isleta Health Support Group Meeting at 5pm in the Isleta Health Training Center, to listen to a presentation by the NM POISON CENTER. Call to reserve your spot, 869-4479. 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 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 March 2021 Isleta Pueblo News March 2021 Page 25 Health Beat DON’T FORGET, THE ISLETA HEALTH CENTER IS STILL HERE FOR YOU It’s Important to Continue to Get your Screenings & Check Ups! Stephanie Barela, Health Educator Phone: 505-869-4479 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/tests-and-screenings-during-the-covid19-pandemic With so much attention focused on COVID-19, it is easy to forget about other health issues, such as, cancer or heart disease. Screening in most cases can prevent or detect them early so that treatment is more effective. Other preventive measures that we can take such as, mammograms, pap tests, and colonoscopies are crucial for good health. If you are experiencing symptoms or signs of illness please DO NOT WAIT, call your health care provider and get help. It may be possible to avoid an in-person visit by scheduling a Telemedicine visit, which is a visit over the phone or internet. Telemedicine is only available for certain medical appointments, such as, consultations, discussion of test results, general health questions and follow-up appointments. In person visits consist of scans, exams, procedures and sports physicals. Ask your Health Care provider if Telemedicine would be appropriate for you. Below is a list of important screenings and appointments that should not be postponed. Doctor’s offices now have safety measures in place such as screening and testing for COVID-19, wearing masks, practicing physical distancing, processes to minimize contact and taking additional cleaning/disinfecting measures. It is important that you do not hesitate to see your Health Care Provider during this time, especially if you are living with a condition that may put you at risk for certain diseases. SCREENINGS & APPOINTMENTS CHILDREN PEDIATRIC CHECK-UPS WELL CHILD VISITS • Keeping our children healthy and up-to-date on their vaccines is important to their overall health. WOMEN PAP TESTS (with or without human papillomavirus-HPV) • Can detect certain cancers of the cervix, as well as, viral conditions that put women at higher risk for cervical cancer. If your test is normal, you should have a Pap test every 3 to 5 years, unless you have a history of abnormal Pap tests, in that case you should get it done more frequently. MAMMOGRAMS • A yearly mammogram (or more or less frequent, as recommended by your doctor) • Important step in early detection of breast cancer. BONE MINERAL DENSITY TESTS • As women age, their bones get thinner and the risk for fractures increases. • This test assesses your risk and helps your doctor decide if you need calcium supplements or other treatment for bone mineral loss. MEN PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING • Men should follow their doctor’s instructions on getting tested for prostate cancer regularly. MEN & WOMEN COLONOSCOPY: Detects Colon Cancer, which if treated early can be managed effectively. • Men and women should get colonoscopies starting at age 45. BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) Follow your doctor’s guidance on getting regular blood tests for factors relevant to heart disease risk, such as: BLOOD SUGAR CHOLESTEROL CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM C-REACTIVE PROTEIN OTHER FACTORS AS YOUR DR SUGGESTS. Remember the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is: Wash Your Hands Often (Using soap & water or hand sanitizer) | Avoid Groups (Stay 6 feet apart) | Wear a Face Mask (When around others) | Practice Good Hygiene (Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth) in order to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID19). Isleta Health Center Purchased Referred Care (PRC) PRC’s current process during the COVID-19 Pandemic: • • • • • PRC staff are not meeting with patients in person. Patients are required to call PRC for any ER/Urgent Care notifications within 72 hours of admission. Patients are required to call PRC for all scheduled appointments. Referrals are being directly faxed to the requested facility. If a patient is requesting for a referral, it will be mailed to the address listed in the patient’s chart. Patient bills may be faxed, emailed, mailed or dropped off at the clinic drive thru area. St. Augustine Parish Isleta Pueblo Ministry of Consolation The PRC department is extremely busy during this time of COVID-19 and may be difficult to reach. You are encouraged to leave a detailed message, include your name, date of birth and phone number of where you can be reached. Please be assured that your call will be returned in a timely manner. Phone numbers for PRC staff: Erin Cooeyate, Manager Phone: 505-869-4488 Renee Lujan (A-K), Clerk Phone: 505-869-4862 Antoinette Peralta (L-Z), Clerk Phone: 505-869-4396 Andrena Martin, AP Clerk Phone: 505-869-4381 PRC Fax Number: 505-869-4881 MISSION STATEMENT We are a ministry of consolation at St. Augustine Parish to offer spiritual comfort and support to families who have experienced the loss of a loved one. We will continue to honor and respect our traditional teachings. Page 26 Isleta Pueblo News March 2021 We had a Wonderful aunt, One who never really Grew old; her smile was Made of sunshine, And her heart was Solid gold Michelle (Garcia) Piro, age 49, a tribal member of Isleta Pueblo, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 11th, 2021, surrounded by her loved ones. Michelle was born on September 4th, 1971, Her pride and joy were her 3 daughters, her loving husband, and twin nephews Bahkhimo and Thlee-chee. Michelle's favorite past time were attending Sunday morning mass. Also spending time with her family, she would support her family by going to watch them play sports whether it be going to the softball fields to watch her husband and daughter play co-ed or in a gym watching her daughters play basketball. Michelle was a huge family fanatic, she spent so much time with family you could say her entire family was her sanity. She also enjoyed evening sit outs with her late mother as they enjoyed the peacefulness of hummingbirds from outside her home. Michelle and her late mother enjoyed eating watermelon and popsicles outside while watching her girls, nieces and nephews water the garden. She is preceded in death by grandparents Joe L Abeita, Dolores M (Huo-oo) Abeita, late Mother Mary Agnes (shedy) Garcia, Frederick Ray Jr Garcia (Brother) Michelle is survived by her husband of 29 years, Jason L, Piro, daughters, Patricia, Ciara and Makayla. Father Frederick Ray Garcia, sisters Annette, Victoria, and brother Christopher Garcia and many loving nephews and nieces. All services were held at the Saint Augustine Church on Thursday February 11th, interment followed at Isleta Cemetery. Aunt, her-khem for being the world’s best aunt! You will be missed by everyone dearly. We love you, you and Chee-ee spread your wings, and fly MICHELLE JOJOLA On the behalf of the entire family of the late Michelle Jojola we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to each and every person who expressed their condolences and sympathy during our most difficult time. On February 4th 2021 Our Creator called her home where she was needed. Michelle is now with her mother Martha and her younger sister Jennifer who were also called home a month before. Michelle is survived by her Dad Bobby, her son Marvin and two daughters Gabriella and Isabella. She also is survived by her sister Christina, her brother Michael Mark, and her two nephews and 2 nieces which were more her sons and daughters. Again we thank you and pray that our creator bless you and your families with healthy and long life. Isleta Health Center Program Postponements The Isleta Health Center (IHC) is doing our part to encourage social distancing, by continuing to postpone the following programs until further notice: The IHC Programs below are postponed: ► ICAP Sewing Class on Thursday evenings ► ICAP Moccasin Making Class on Tuesday evenings Isleta Diabetes Prevention Exercise Classes (Eagle HIIT) held Mondays and Wednesdays ► ► Isleta Diabetes Weight Training held Tuesdays and Thursdays March 2021 Isleta Pueblo News Page 27 Head Start, Early Head Start, and Child Care P.O. Box 579 Isleta, NM 87022 March 2021 First week of March (TBD)Special Policy Council Meeting via BlueJeans March 3, 2021Family Night/ Meal pick up at the center March 9, 2021Parent/ Head Start Transition Committee Meeting at 5 pm via Zoom (Call and inquire for meeting ID and password) March 15-19, 2021Spring Break- NO SESSION FOR CHILD CARE March 16, 2021Policy Council Meeting at 5pm via BlueJeans (Call and inquire for meeting ID and password) Program Updates: • Full day child care is open for limited slots for previously enrolled children. • Policy Council meetings will be held to discuss the reopening of in person services for Early Head Start and Head Start. • Remote learning will continue- Weekly activity packets and meal distribution is scheduled for each Thursday and Friday. • We are continuously accepting applications for all programs (Early Head Start, Head Start, and Child Care- Prenatal to 5 years). Applications are completed via telephone, with prior required documents. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an application please call the center at 869-9796 Isleta Pueblo News Page 28 MONDAY SAT/SUN 2 Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 6/7 9 Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 16 Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 22 23 Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 27/28 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 15 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 20/21 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 8 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 13/14 TUESDAY 1 29 Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 WEDNESDAY 3 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 Wellbriety Group: 11:00 -12:00pm > Virtual Session. For more Information please call: 869-5475 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 10 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 Wellbriety Group: 11:00 -12:00pm > Virtual Session. For more Information please call: 869-5475 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 17 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 Wellbriety Group: 11:00 -12:00pm > Virtual Session. For more Information please call: 869-5475 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 24 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 Wellbriety Group: 11:00 -12:00pm > Virtual Session. For more Information please call: 869-5475 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 30 31 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 The Ripple Effect : 9:00 - 12:00pm Virtual or Limited in person Session. For more information please call: 869-5475 Wellbriety Group: 11:00 -12:00pm > Virtual Session. For more Information please call: 869-5475 Virtual Youth Group: 3-4:30pm For more information please call: 869-5475 March 2021 THURSDAY 4 FRIDAY 5 CLINIC OPENS AT 9:50am Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 CLINIC OPENS AT 9:50am 12 11 CLINIC OPENS AT 9:50am Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 CLINIC OPENS AT 9:50am 19 18 CLINIC OPENS AT 9:50am Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 CLINIC OPENS AT 9:50am 26 25 CLINIC OPENS AT 9:50am Podiatry Clinic - 8:00 - 12:00 CLINIC OPENS AT 9:50am National Poison Prevention Week DPP=Diabetes Prevention Program: 869-4595 BHS=Behavioral Health Services :869-5475 --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Apueblo_isleta%3A7c307f0f8c57bebb. Public record. Not legal advice.