I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The Navajo Nation voted to change its government structure Monday, significantly increasing the power of the president in relation to the tribal council. Navajos reduced the size of their tribal council from 88 to 24 members and gave their president line item veto power.
About 44 percent of 94,000 eligible voters turned out, according to the Associated Press. The reduction in size of the tribal council was supported by nearly 61 percent of the voters, and the line item veto measure got 59 percent.
The AP quotes Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. expressing satisfaction that the ballot initiative he launched was successful:
“This is history in the making,” said Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr., who launched the initiatives last year. “I feel like I helped write the Navajo Nation history at this juncture. That makes me very happy for my people. I feel we’re going to be where we should have been a long time ago.”
Shirley was just reinstated to his position on Monday by District Court Judge Geraldine Benally in Window Rock. He had been put on administrative leave by the tribal council on Oct. 26 for alleged ethical, civil and criminal violations concerning two companies that have contracts with the Nation. At the time, Shirley said the move by the council was politically motivated in response to the impending vote on reducing the size of the council and giving the president line item veto power. Benally ruled that the council acted outside its authority. Her decision to reinstate Shirley can be appealed to the Navajo Nation Supreme Court.
The Navajo Nation is the largest tribe in the United States, with about 300,000 members as of 2000. About 180,000 live within it’s boundaries, which encompass approximately 26,000 square miles in three states–Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.
