Latest news with #NavajoPolice
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oak Ridge Fire near the Navajo Nation capital in northern Arizona burns nearly 2K acres
Shawn Bia sat with his family inside the Window Rock Fighting Scouts Events Center in Fort Defiance, sharing a meal they were given as they worried about their home, located just five miles from the Oak Ridge Fire. Bia, along with his wife and their six children, managed to evacuate to the events center, where volunteers and staff from the Navajo Nation's executive and legislative branches were setting up cots for other evacuees. The fire, when it began June 28, was located roughly 4 miles south of Summit Road in the community of St. Michaels—about 10 minutes west of Window Rock. "I was going to haul some water, and I saw a plume of smoke. Just a small plume, I didn't think anything about it, but when I came back it stopped so I thought it was a small brush fire," said Bia, who lives 4 to 5 miles west of the fire. "I went back down a second time, and coming back up it was a lot started getting larger and then it became a big black puff of smoke. I couldn't see the sun at all. The haze and red light was all around us." As of the early afternoon on June 29, the seemingly small fire had burned at least 1,800 acres with 0 percent containment, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Wildland Fire Management. Sergeant Erwin Toddy, of the Navajo Nation Police Department, had initially reported the fire and said there were no reports of injuries or damages Lt. Tyler Lynch of the Navajo Nation Police Department reported that wood haulers were believed to be responsible for starting the blaze. Toddy said authorities had identified two persons of interest but did not provide details on how the fire was ignited, and the BIA Wildland Fire Management said they were investigating how it was started. "Somehow fire erupted and they immediately packed up their stuff," said Toddy. "When we got there, it was approximately half an acre but when the wind came in it just started to take off." In the midafternoon of June 29, as smoke blanketed communities near the fire, the Navajo Nation Commission on Emergency Management voted to declare a state of emergency for areas impacted by the Oak Ridge Fire. The declaration called for the deployment of Navajo Nation resources to address both current and future wildfire impacts. The commission also approved measures to tighten restrictions on fireworks use, officially elevating fire restrictions from stage 1 to stage 2. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was expected to sign these new restrictions. During a midnight briefing, Nygren implored the public to follow fire restrictions. 'I encourage all our Navajo people to respect and honor our fire restrictions,' said Nygren. 'I also encourage you all not to haul firewood, drag chains, or even light fireworks during this ongoing drought, which creates the perfect scenario for preventable fires.' BIA Wildland Fire Management official Johnson Benally reported there were about 55 firefighters out on the scene. It was listed that BIA had one type 3 incident commander; one taskforce leader; four type 6 fire engines; one 20-person type 2 hand crew; two wildfire suppression modules; one type 2 helicopter; multiple air tankers and one air attack fighting the fire. There were other resources ordered to assist. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority announced it was closely monitoring the fire and was prepared to minimize the impact of any potential power outages. While NTUA successfully rerouted power the day before, there was still a risk of system overload that could lead to an outage. NTUA urged residents to reduce electricity usage in their homes and conserve as much power as possible to help keep the system stable. El Paso Natural Gas Company reported that residents are also under a 'ready state' evacuation alert. Navajo Route 12 near El Paso Gas was being monitored as the fire's eastern boundary. If the fire crossed the 1-mile buffer zone, families in the area will need to evacuate immediately. 'Fire is not only a destructive force—it is also an essential part of our ecosystem,' said Navajo Nation Speaker Crystalyne Curley. 'We must engage with fire respectfully to support the efforts of our first responders, who are putting their lives on the line to protect us. We ask residents to work with local public safety agencies, be prepared to evacuate if needed, and take all necessary precautions. The safety and wellbeing of our people must remain our top priority.' The Navajo Nation Council continued to urge residents to follow all fire restrictions and to avoid travel near affected areas, including State Route 264 and Route 12, to allow emergency personnel full access. The public was reminded that drone flights were strictly prohibited in and around the fire area. Unauthorized drone activity endangered firefighting aircraft and ground crews. Bia said that as they were evacuating, the family loaded as many pets as they could into their van. However, some—like their dogs—jumped out during the process. The remaining pets had to stay outside the events center in the van. "We couldn't catch all of them," said Bia about his family's pets and animals. "Hopefully they will be OK. We have Ferraris, rabbits, guinea pigs and inside cats and dogs." With animal control in Fort Defiance at full capacity, the need for kennels quickly became apparent. Lt. Lynch said officials were looking to the nearby border town of Gallup to see if its humane shelter could accommodate evacuees' pets. Nygren's office reported that Navajo Forestry, Fish and Wildlife; park rangers and resource enforcement were all on site assisting evacuees with livestock. The Department of Agriculture continued to evacuate animals and provide water and feed. Livestock were being relocated to the Window Rock Fairgrounds, which were open and available as a staging area if needed. Donations were being accepted at the Bee Hółdzil Fighting Scouts Events Center in Fort Defiance. The Window Rock Fighting Scouts Events Center was now the primary emergency evacuation shelter for residents evacuating due to the fire. The facility was equipped with showers and locker rooms. The Navajo Nation Office of the President staff, executive branch and Window Rock Unified School District Staff were all on site to provide resources and support. Donations needed: Blankets, cots. Diapers/formula/wipes. Plates, forks, utensils, bowls, spoons, forks, napkins/cups/gloves. Prepared food. Shampoo/toothbrushes/towels/lotion/soap, toilet paper. Snacks (cookies, fruit cups). Nygren also cautioned the public to be wary of GoFundMe accounts claiming to raise funds on behalf of the Navajo Nation. He clarified that the Navajo Nation has not established an official GoFundMe for this fire. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Navajo Nation wildfire burns 1.8K acres, 0% contained
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Yahoo
FBI agent involved in deadly Hopi reservation shooting
The Brief A suspect is dead following a shooting involving an FBI agent, according to the agency. The shooting happened in Moenkopi, which is located within the Hopi reservation. PHOENIX - Officials with both the FBI and the Navajo Police Department have released details surrounding a shooting Monday morning on the Hopi reservation that left a suspect dead. What we know Per a statement from Navajo Police, FBI agents executed a search warrant at around 7:25 a.m. at Moenkopi when the suspect pulled out a weapon on the agents. In a separate statement, FBI officials said the suspect was shot, and has since died. "No FBI or task force personnel were injured," read a portion of the FBI's statement. "The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously. In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under review by the FBI's Inspection Division." The incident, according to Navajo Police, resulted in schools being placed on lockdown, but they say there is no active threat to the community. This story was reported on from Phoenix.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jessica Matten crosses borders in ‘Dark Winds' Season 3
Sandra Hale SchulmanSpecial to ICT Monsters lurk inside and out in the awaited return of 'Dark Winds' Season 3, starring Zahn McClarnon ('Reservation Dogs,' 'Longmire,' 'Fargo'), Kiowa Gordon ('The Red Road,' 'Roswell,' 'New Mexico'), Jessica Matten ('Rez Ball,' 'Tribal,' 'Burden of Truth') and Deanna Allison ('Accused,' 'Edge of America').At the end of Season 2, family dramas seemed to have been resolved for Navajo Police Lt. Joe Leaphorn (McClarnon), while Officer Jim Chee (Gordon) sees his love, Bernadette Manuelito (Matten), leave the Navajo Police for a job at the border patrol after sharing a passionate Manuelito return or find a new life – and challenges – away from them all? Without giving away too much, Matten, Metis tribe, has a very strong role and storyline in the new season. How does she feel about deepening this character both in the professional roles on the show and in a personal life?'It's been just an honor to be a part of the show and true to the journey of the Hillerman books,' Matten told ICT by video conferencing from her new home base in New York City. 'After Tony Hillerman passed and his daughter Anne Hillerman started writing and continuing on the books, she also started to extend Bernadette's character. It's been a joy getting to play Bernadette and seeing that play out on screen.'Bernadette's character in this season, it's all about her taking the Border Patrol position, she's completely in a separate world from Leaphorn and his world in a lot of ways. But there's a lot of parallels internally, what they're going through, interestingly enough.'I'm grateful to the fan base that has followed us on the journey of Season 1 and 2. I hope that they like Season 3 as much as they've enjoyed the last two seasons and that they continue on this journey with us. I hope it becomes something later on in life that they remember as being a part of that time period of their own lives. Just like the other long running project I'm working on, it really resonates with them, and they can reflect back in that moment in time and they're like, 'Oh yeah, that's when that show was on, it was my comfort show to watch.''In her new world she has challenges from all directions, forcing her to take a stand personally and professionally. Will Chee cruise to the border to help her out? You'll have to watch and see. It's just been announced that 'Dark Winds' will return for a fourth season. Beyond that, Matten is busy with films.'Right now, I'm still in the midst of shooting a feature film for Paramount Studios called 'Avatar: The Last Airbender.' That's starring Dave Bautista and Eric Nam. There is a female producer and director team. It's so awesome being in the studio with them for the last year and a half. I know how much that means to a lot of people in the world who've grown up watching that show. I hope that the fans like what I do with the character and that I'm able to serve justice, that they just enjoy the art we help to put out in the world.'Outside of that, I'm still producing and running my Indigenous Film Academy and we're producing short films for them right now on the rez. AMC has generously helped to partner up with us on that and help us with some of the financing. AMC is an entire network full of down to earth, hardworking, amazing people. I just feel really fortunate that this is the studio that we're working with and that we get to collaborate with.'What kind of short films interest Matten?'In short films right now, we're talking about the trials and triumphs that happen on the rez, but with humor. I produced a documentary two years ago that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival called 'Boil Alert,' that was spotlighting and highlighting all the Indigenous reservations across Canada and the states that are on boil alert for the lack of clean drinking water and really getting insight and delving into what those communities are dealing with on a regular basis. It's third world conditions in our backyard. All due respect to people that feel the need to go overseas to aid there, but we have our own backyard to fix as I've been saying for decades. So being able to produce content that sheds more of a spotlight on that, I hope increases more awareness and compassion and support for the communities.'Also, what it does is it acts as a sense of purpose, an employment opportunity for people coming off the reserve who may not in fact have those opportunities elsewhere. My biggest joy in life is to be able to help push them forward in that regard.' Matten's striking good looks and height – she's 5'10' – have led her to become a fashion icon. She graces the cover of Cowboys & Indians magazine this month and has walked the runway for several designers at the SWAIA Fashion shows.'I actually would rather not,' she says laughing. 'I like the acting and the producing, but what I do love is the people behind the fashion. I love the creators, the designers. And for that alone, it's been a complete honor to be a part of it. I still, to this day, get really nervous walking the catwalk, so I would rather not for that reason alone, but I appreciate it. Hey, I'm five foot 10. I get it. They're like, 'Hey, tall girl, come here. Put on the clothes, walk down that runway.''If it gives me the opportunity to continue to collaborate with the Indigenous community at large, at the end of the day, I'm all down for it. For the 'Dark Winds' cover shoot for Cowboys & Indians, I actually helped to produce and style that entire shoot. I'm the one that brought all the designers in to make sure that they got features as well. I'm just grateful to be a part of the fashion world in that respect.'My science degree is actually in clothing textile science. Before my acting days, I worked at a UK Magazine and my dream was to work in high fashion. I have deep gratitude and deep respect and having studied a lot of art history courses in architecture, even sound theory, I completely understand how a lot of designers draw inspiration and do a lot of incredible research of certain time periods and eras and how they mesh and now they blend that into the fabrics alone. Even the material that they choose can also reflect something that they're paying respect to.'My profound respect for fashion is almost completely separate from me not wanting to walk on a runway. I'm grateful for this life for sure. I'm grateful to do 'Dark Winds' four months out of the year. We shoot the film out of Santa Fe. I like to travel quite a bit, quite the gypsy, or as they say, following wherever the buffalo roams. It's just a lifestyle choice. I'm excited to go back to Santa Fe, and also explore New York, my new home. There's a big Indigenous population in New York. There's some great museums and a lot of things going on, there's this really cool built-in community.'The 'Dark Winds' Season 3 premier airs on AMC and AMC+ on Sunday, March 9, with new episodes airing weekly on Sundays. Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute $5 or $10 today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICT's free newsletter.
