Year in Review, Part II

The Winslow City Council passed two measures that got the ball rolling on the creation of a plan for the I-40 tradeport. The first was a commitment to a public coalition to develop a plan for the tradeport and the I-40 corridor at large. This plan included only public partnerships with entities including Bernalillo County, City of Kingman, City of Albuquerque, Village of Los Lunas, N.M., and a few others. This coalition would be managed by Bernalillo County; they would be in charge of the acceptance of all grant dollars and then distributing them to the other partners. The other measure was a commitment of $77,000 for lobbying efforts associated with the plan.

The City of Winslow updated its water and wastewater rates after learning the rate plan originally passed in 2020 and set for the years 2020-2029, was impacted significantly by inflation rates exceeding initial forecasts.

The City of Holbrook’s emphasis for the fiscal year included beautification, recreation and tourism. This effort was to include the beautification of Hopi Drive and Navajo Blvd., an increase in code enforcement and an overall policy review.

The Holbrook Unified School District approved the district’s school safety plans, which included training for emergency situations, safety plans and evaluating campuses for potential weak spots in security, as well as engagement within the community and cross training with the city. The district implemented Mutualink, ensuring that all employees have access to enable quick emergency response and communication. Schools can communicate in real-time using Mutualink’s integrated communication platform with push-to-talk technology. With this technology, live video, pictures, files, emergency plans and floor plans can be shared with law enforcement, addressing the ever-changing nature of emergency situations, making real-time information critical.

The Petrified Forest National Park worked with Hubble Trading Post National Historic Site to translocate Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs from a location where they are in conflict with humans, to another location where they can thrive and support their ecosystem. A large number of prairie dogs were at the staff housing area of Hubble Trading Post, and with the support of a National Park Foundation grant, Petrified Forest National Park biologists stepped in to capture the dogs and bring them to established colonies within the national park.

In a momentous act of tribal solidarity, leaders from the Hopi, Navajo Nation and San Juan Southern Paiute tribes met together at the Heard Museum of American Indian Art in Phoenix to sign a landmark water rights settlement agreement. The signing of this historic agreement marked a significant step forward in ensuring water security for all water users in northeastern Arizona and providing sustainable management of the region’s precious water resources. The Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Settlement Agreement is the largest Indian water settlement to date. It not only settles decades of litigation between the three tribes and significant state water users over rights to the Little Colorado River watershed, it also resolves complex, long-standing disputes outside the scope of the litigation—such as the Arizona Colorado River water rights of the Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nation, groundwater management and federal funding for vital water infrastructure on the reservations.

Local author, Richard Nichols, formerly an instructor at Holbrook High School for 25 years, published a second novel, “The Song of Jesse,” a religious allegory depicting the life of Christ as a young man. The work is entirely fictional and involves the family of Christ, including his mother, stepfather, brothers and sisters, and a contrived relationship with Mary Magdalene.

August

A move was underway in Congress to bring accountability to the federal government for promoting the effort to forcibly remove hundreds of thousands of Native American children who were taken from their homes and sent to boarding schools–sometimes hundreds or even thousands of miles from their families from 1819 until 1969. The schools were run by churches and the federal government with a clear purpose: to strip Native Americans of their cultures and force them to assimilate. Abuse was rampant. Overcrowded and unsanitary, the schools became breeding grounds for tuberculosis and other diseases, taking the lives of an estimated 40,000 children in these boarding schools. Arizona was home to 59 of these schools.

The Arizona Narcotic Officers Association recognized Navajo County Deputy Nathan Ostertag and Sergeant Daniel Deets as K-9 Officers of the Year for 2024. The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit is committed to combating the illegal drugs that attempt to pass through the county and were recognized for this work.

The Holbrook City Council agreed to participate in a national opioid settlement against Kroger Co. In 2021, Arizona participated in national opioid settlements with Johnson & Johnson and distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health and Amerisource Bergen. A year later in 2022, five additional defendants-Teva, Allergan, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS entered into similar settlement agreements. As of March 2024, Kroger Co. agreed to settle its opioid lawsuit contingent upon the consent judgement with the settling states, which includes the approval of the settlement agreement and the release of Kroger from all related claims. The settlement with Kroger Co. is over $1 billion. Of this amount, it was anticipated that $68.5 million would come to Arizona for opioid remediation.

Navajo County, in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Transportation, planned a pedestrian improvement project in Joseph City. According to a letter provided by Wilson & Co., the engineering firm facilitating the project, Joseph City lacks facilities for pedestrians, including school children. This project would provide safe access to new Americans with Disabilities Act sidewalks, multi-use paths and crosswalks along roads near and around schools.

The Winslow School District learned of a 50% cut to its crucial school improvement grant allocated by the federal government, originally valued at $90,000. Specifics of how the district’s strategy with these funds would have to change were not discussed but the district felt confident that the goals of the district could still be met.

The Holbrook City Council agreed to a lease proposal for a parcel located off Highway 377, west of the Navajo County Public Works for Rutz MX. The approximately 100-acre parcel will be used to develop a motocross track with no infrastructure development required from the city. The company, owned by Daniel Hutchens of Joseph City, is anticipated to be an economic asset to the community, drawing participants and spectators from throughout the state.

Three Apache County officials were indicted by grand jury on a range of criminal charges following an extensive investigation conducted by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, which accused Apache County Attorney Michael Whiting, his wife, Apache County Superintendent of Schools Joyclynn “Joy” Whiting and Daryl Greer, a subordinate of Michael Whiting, of engaging in a series of unethical and illegal activities over the past two years. The indictment listed 10 charges including harassment, sending threatening or anonymous letter, stealing, destroying, altering or secreting public record, two counts each of conflict of interest and theft, and three counts of misuse of public monies.

September

The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office introduced a plan to reduce criminal recidivism with its Coordinated Re-Entry Services Program, which provides a comprehensive approach to addressing substance abuse disorders within the jail system. The program’s primary focus is tackling the opioid crisis and other substance abuse issues that often lead individuals into repeated contact with the criminal justice system. Deputy Chief Ernie Garcia explained that the initiative seeks to create a seamless process from the moment individuals enter the jail until their reintegration into society. Upon initial booking, comprehensive assessments are conducted to evaluate mental health, substance abuse and socioeconomic needs. This early intervention helps the Sheriff’s Office tailor in-custody treatment to each individual, with a particular emphasis on medication-assisted treatment for those struggling with opioid addiction. The program doesn’t stop at treatment within the jail; it also includes pre-release planning, where case management teams work with inmates to prepare them for life after incarceration. This involves connecting them with community resources, peer support and mentors to ensure they have the tools and support needed to maintain sobriety and avoid reoffending.

The City of Winslow’s new library was under construction. The building, located at 523 W. 2nd St., was to be over 10,000 square feet and feature a children’s library and area for education-related activities that parents and children may check out and use while at the library.

The Hopi Tribe and the Hopi Utilities Corporation (HUC) were awarded $20 million in funding from the U.S. EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program to construct a 10-megawatt solar and battery storage microgrid and 12 miles of new power line on the Hopi Reservation. This project will provide renewable electricity that will improve access and reliability for Hopi customers and reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to energy use. The project was set to be constructed in Range Unit 255, adjacent to Highway 264. The Hopi Tribal Council previously designated this site for renewable energy development, and HUC worked with Hopi staff to conduct site pre-clearance surveys. A 12-mile electric distribution line will also be constructed along Highway 264 to connect the microgrid to existing Arizona Public Service distribution lines near Hotevilla and Bacavi.

Navajo County was awarded the prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). This honor recognizes the county’s annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, which was evaluated by an impartial panel and found to meet the high standards of the GFOA. The report demonstrates a “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

October

The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office was awarded $2.3 million from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance. This grant is designated for the continuation and expansion of the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Communication Project. Needed improvements were made very apparent to the county during a 911 outage that occurred four years prior, caused by a damaged fiber optic line. This outage left the county without critical communication capabilities for two to three days. The grant was to be utilized to enhance interoperability among various law enforcement agencies within the county, upgrade existing radio systems, acquire additional mobile and portable radios, and enhance computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems. A portion of the grant was also allocated to acquiring mobile cell phone towers that can be deployed rapidly during emergencies. These devices create a mile-wide communication bubble within minutes, ensuring that dispatchers can maintain reliable communication even in remote or affected areas.

Nearly 200 cyclists rode in Northland Pioneer College’s (NPC) Friends and Family’s 12th annual Pedal the Petrified cycling tour at the Petrified Forest National Park. Riders from all over the U.S. took part in the event, raising over $37,000 for NPC student scholarships. This was the 10th “live” ride (two were virtual due to COVID) produced by NPC Friends and Family, the college’s nonprofit foundation that supports student scholarships.

The City of Winslow was seeking solutions to the concern of unauthorized use of Clear Creek by non-residents, particularly individuals and groups from Flagstaff. Frustration was expressed over the financial losses incurred due to this unauthorized usage and the capitalizing on the park’s amenities without contributing to the local economy. Other concerns included parking fee evasion by visitor parking outside of the barriers of the creek, deteriorating infrastructure, park maintenance and cleanliness. In response to these multifaceted challenges, the city council proposed several solutions aimed at improving revenue generation and enforcing park regulations. One key suggestion was to station personnel at the park during peak times to ensure compliance with fee payments. The city council also discussed forming a dedicated committee comprising of experienced community members.

The City of Holbrook hosted a group of French students for a taste of the Old West. The students were part of a project to take a group of scholars from Salins les Bains, France where the geologist Jules Marcou was born in 1824, to Harvard, then to Holbrook, where Marcou had participated in the Whipple Expedition. According to Historical Marker Database, U.S. Army Lt. Amiel Whipple, surveying for a railroad route about one mile south of Holbrook along the 35th Parallel, passed a broad sandy wash in Dec. 1853. Impressed with the deposits of petrified wood visible along the banks, Whipple named it Lithodendron (“stone tree”) Creek. Although Native Americans have long used petrified wood for projectile points, knives, scrapers and other tools, Whipple was one of the earliest explorers to report its presence in this area. Jules Marcou, a geologist who accompanied the expedition, published the first professional description of Triassic plant fossils and rocks found in the Southwest.

Deputy Navajo County Attorney Martin Roes was named the 2024 APAAC Juvenile Prosecutor of the Year Award during the Arizona Prosecuting Attorney’s Advisory Council’s annual award ceremony. The award recognizes the extraordinary achievement of an Arizona juvenile prosecutor on a specific case or for a series of outstanding prosecutorial accomplishments that demonstrate the prosecutor’s exceptional advocacy.

Winslow officials reported on the progress of the Middle Mile Fiber Project, a cornerstone of the county’s efforts to improve broadband services. This project involves laying down fiber-optic cables that will serve as the backbone for high-speed internet, ensuring that underserved areas within Navajo County gain reliable and fast internet access. However, Winslow has the unfortunate position of being off State Route 77, which connects some of the biggest cities in the county. Which means for this project to include Winslow it would have to cost significantly more to get the infrastructure that far west. The county’s solution to the issue was a collaboration with Arizona Public Service to further expand fiber connectivity. This partnership is pivotal, as it not only supports the existing Middle Mile project, but also paves the way for future expansions.

November

On election day, Navajo County received bomb threats aimed at government buildings and polling sites in at least six counties. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported that these threats likely originated from Russian sources. The targeted locations included the Maricopa County Superior Court, along with polling places and election offices in Navajo, Pima, La Paz, Cochise and Pinal counties. Locally, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Joseph City Unified School District about an email threatening bomb attacks at four polling locations: Joseph City Elementary School, Kayenta Old Primary School, Kykotsmovi Community Center and Little Singer School in Dilkon. Law enforcement agencies, including the Navajo Nation Police Department and Hopi Law Enforcement Services, were dispatched to these sites. As a precaution, Joseph City Elementary School was evacuated, and students were moved to the high school auditorium. In tribal communities, decisions about evacuations were made collaboratively between local law enforcement and school administrations. Bomb squads conducted thorough inspections of the facilities, following standard safety protocols that included evacuating staff. No credible threats were found at any location.

The Holbrook Council took action to enter litigation regarding the burned and dilapidated remains of the Star Inn on Hopi Drive. The motion was passed to move forward with a lawsuit, which entails demolishing the entire building complex. The city also purchased an Asphalt Zipper to use for city road repair, which was greatly needed.

The Holbrook City Council gave their approval on a conditional use permit for the development of what was listed as a “high-impact medical facility,” also known as a detox center by Western States Developing, Inc. The site for the new medical detox and observation center would be on the east side of the 1400 block of Navajo Blvd., behind the Aliberto’s Mexican Food restaurant. The building was described as a single-story medical facility, approximately 3,400 square feet, that would include eight semi-private rooms, a common area, kitchen, bathrooms and a private office space.

The Navajo County Community College Governing Board selected Dr. Von Lawson as Northland Pioneer College’s (NPC) new president. Dr. Lawson comes to NPC from Mt. San Jacinto College in California, where he served as the dean of instruction for the People, Culture and Public Service Pathway, and had the overall responsibility of providing day-to-day supervision and leadership to the social sciences, career and technical education programs, instructional personnel, expenditures and facilities at the San Jacinto campus.

December

A legal dispute arose between the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) and its former ancillary group, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Posse, Inc. run by Mark Reynolds. Reynold’s group, after being stripped of its affiliation with the county earlier this year, filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against the county, alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition. The conflict centers on the use of the “Hashknife” brand and the organization of the annual Pony Express Ride, where riders carry mail by horseback over 200 miles from Holbrook to Scottsdale, an event that began in the 1950s, with the NCSO search and rescue organization. Reynold’s group had descended from that organization, but in 1984 Reynolds formed his own non-profit for the organization, thus benefitting from contributions received. The organization has not been a certified search and rescue operation with NCSO for over 10 years. Reynolds asserts that his organization had exclusive rights to several trademarks and tradenames, including “Hashknife Pony Express” and the Hashknife brand, which they claim to have used continuously for decades and registered with the Arizona Secretary of State.

Despite grants and numerous programs to help mitigate the issue, cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women continue at relatively high rates. The extent of the problem is almost certainly underestimated. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System showed a dozen missing Indigenous women from Arizona as of mid-2020. They had been missing on average for 21 years. But the Arizona-based Navajo Nation alone lists 22 missing women. Some of the cases date to the 1970s.

The Holbrook City Council swore in elected officials Mayor Kathleen Smith, council members Mike Nilsson and Teri Tafoya and new council member Tamera Church. Mayor Smith, Councilman Nilsson and Councilwoman Tafoya were previously members of the council. The council then voted for Councilman Nilsson to continue serving as vice mayor.

Invenergy’s Hashknife Solar Energy Center broke ground in Joseph City on its latest project. According to developers, benefits for the community include up to 450 construction jobs and millions of dollars in local economic investment. The project was ready to begin construction, which is estimated to last 18 to 24 months. The target operational date for the site to produce energy is 2027, with a project life of 20 years. Throughout its lifetime, the project will invest $49 million directly into Navajo County through local tax revenue. Composed of two phases, Hashknife I (275 megawatts) and Hashknife II (200 megawatts), the completed site will provide enough electricity to power more than 110,000 American homes. This project will also include 475 megawatts of battery storage, which will bolster long-term grid reliability. Both phases are contracted with Arizona Public Service, ensuring that the energy benefits Arizonans.

The City of Winslow took a major step forward with the development of the Winslow Commerce and Industrial Park, a 1,479-acre project located in southern Winslow led by Atlas Global Development. The council approved a rezoning request to designate the area as a preliminary Planned Area Development, or PAD, and finalized a development agreement to guide the project. The development agreement is essentially an extra set of rules put on a developer so that the city will be cooperative in developments that have a large impact on their communities. Although this is an important step in the process, ultimately the council will still need a final PAD with several bouts of additional information before a shovel ever hits that red dirt.