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Houston James Largo laid to rest

REHOBOTH, N.M. – Nearly a thousand people packed the auditorium at Rehoboth Sports Center in Gallup March 16 to witness the memorial service in honor of Officer Houston Largo of the Navajo Nation Police Department, who succumbed to injuries after being shot while on duty March 11.

Family members spoke fondly of Largo, saying he wanted to be a police officer at a young age, even going on ride alongs with police.

He worked for the Gallup Police Department and McKinley County Sheriff’s Office before heading to the NPD to become an officer, to serve his own people.

Three of the officers who had worked closely with Largo were called up to speak.

Sgt. Custer Bryan who trained him at the NPD said, “Houston was always very intelligent, very honest, and courageous. He was always smiling.

He was a very outstanding officer. He just had that leadership quality in him. He always stood by my side. I was always close to him. My brother, my best friend, watch over me as you rest in peace.”

Officer Joe Luke spoke next.

“Strength, brotherhood, family, friends. He would have made a great sergeant. He was a leader.” Luke, as well as the entire auditorium was very emotional and he his voice quivered as he closed the speech.

Officer Christopher Sloan came to the podium after him, saying, “Not only was he a great officer, he was a great friend. As a police officer we both knew the responsibilities of the job. He would call me in the middle of the night just to tell me something funny. When he called or texted me his personal ringtone was ‘Houston, we have a problem.’”

The auditorium crowd chuckled.

“I long to hear that ringtone again,” he said, choking up a little. “He was like a little brother. I was honored to have witnessed greatness. I will always be honored to have served with him. We will take over from here. Rest in peace, brother.”

President of the Navajo Nation Russell Begaye took some time to honor Largo.

“Thank you for allowing him to serve,” he said. “He always wanted one of those code talker dolls. This morning at 6 o’clock we found the Navajo code talker doll for the family donated by a member of the community.”

Begaye then presented the doll to the family.

“It is a devastating thing to go through this because, every officer is precious to us. Underneath the uniform, behind that badge, there is a person, loved by a family, with a big heart, and they deserve to be respected,” Begaye said.

The audience applauded. The president continued, “Next time you’re pulled over, or see an officer, say, ‘thank you’. We want to make that a habit on the Navajo Nation.”

The President gestured towards the floor of the auditorium at a woman in navy.

“Governor Martinez thank you for being here and accompanying the family of the fallen officer,” he said.

The auditorium roared with applause as Martinez stood up and joined Begaye on stage.

“Serving his neighbors was a way of life for this young man,” she said. “He worked hard to make his dream a reality, pushing himself through school. My heart breaks for you. Having had family members in the service, I know that you never know when they walk out that door if they will come back.”

Martinez continued, with emotion in her voice,  “I can’t imagine how you feel. They laid their life on the line for a complete stranger. I hope you find healing and comfort in his legacy of decorated service.”

The governor ended her talk with a reading of “The Policeman’s Prayer” by an unknown author.

Chief Phillip Francisco of the Navajo Nation Police Department said he’s had a trying week, dealing with the death of the young officer.

“Being a police officer on the Navajo Nation is pretty unique because we are all Navajo, protecting Navajo, protecting family,” he said. “This is the second time during my watch this has happened. I have not yet been able to take the steps I want to take to prevent this from happening, and I regret that. To my officers at Crownpoint, I know this is difficult. I know you are hurting. I am here for you. Lean on your brothers and sisters and lean on me. I am here for you.”

Over 100 hundred officers from many different departments were present from the four corners region to pay their respects. Largo, 27, was laid to rest at the Sunset Memorial Park in Gallup.

Naomi Mercedes Chan
Sun Correspondent

The FBI is looking for Josiah Alan Smith, 27, of Smith Lake, New Mexico, who is wanted on a federal murder charge.

Smith is accused of a fatal shooting on the Navajo Nation earlier this year. According to a press release, no specific details of the crime can be provided at this time due to the ongoing investigation.

Smith's physical description:

• Height: 5'11'

• Weight: 180 pounds

• Eye color: Brown

• Hair color: Black

• Race: Native American

A federal arrest warrant was issued in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico in Albuquerque June 11, after Smith was charged with murder and crimes committed in Indian Country. The Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety is assisting with this investigation.

Anyone with information on Smith's whereabouts is asked to immediately contact the FBI by calling (505) 889-1300 or sending information online at tips.fbi.gov.

The public is asked not to approach Smith as he is considered armed and dangerous.

Rating: «« out of 4

Running Time: 123 min.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Bridget Jones on the big screen. The original exploits of the character back in 2001 were, surprisingly enough, charming and very, very funny. Not long after, Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason (2004) rehashed the material in a painfully ineffective manner. After more than a decade, the character has returned in a new feature. So, is Bridget Jones’s Baby a worthy return or nothing more than a nostalgic cash grab?

From this reviewer’s perspective, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. This is a definite improvement over the previous calamitous and best forgotten entry. Yet in all honesty, it’s a far cry from the freshness and frivolity of the original. Are a handful of amusing moments here and there over two full hours enough to justify the experience? I’m still not sure, even as I write this.

The new chapter begins with 43 year old Bridget (Renée Zellweger), still on her own after breaking up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) some five  years earlier. Unfortunately, our protagonist’s professional life at a TV news station isn’t going much better. New management has stepped in, telling employees to emphasize shock journalism and the latest media platforms. As if that isn’t enough, Bridget’s life gets increasingly complicated after becoming romantically entangled with Jack (Patrick Dempsey) and rekindling her relationship with old flame Mark.

While the plot may seem simple, there a lot of characters present and just about everyone from the first film pops in for a scene or two, albeit briefly. All of the supporting role updates and introductions of new faces result in a rather slow and bumpy opening. It all feels a little rushed and many of the jokes early on don’t have the impact they should. The movie is also hampered by several subtle callbacks to the original (often by repeating familiar lines) that aren’t necessary and further elongate the proceedings.

But that’s not to say that there aren’t any laughs. When the central paternity concept is finally set up, it leads to several bits that do work. This includes Bridget attempting to covertly collect DNA samples to determine her offspring’s father and an incredibly awkward dinner between the three main characters. These moments are even funnier because of the bit players surrounding the stars, who react with amusing discomfort as revelations are revealed. There are also some funny lines from an obstetrician (Emma Thompson) who is forced to play along with Bridget’s elaborate ruse.

In truth, there’s a very funny 30 or 40 minutes smack in the middle of the picture when all of its comic cylinders are firing. But on either side of the fun are several dead patches. And the plotline doesn’t bring much of anything new to the table; there’s only so many ways you can rework the basic inspiration for this story. At least the movie attempts to raise some points about modernizing the definition of family (even if some plot elements wrap themselves up in a rather conservative and predictable manner).

Thanks to its capable cast, Bridget Jones’s Baby does manage to provide a few big laughs, which is probably more than many were expecting. Yet the screenplay is overstuffed with so many characters and nods to the previous films haphazardly wedged in that it also comes across as unfocused and clumsy. Fans and forgiving viewers will probably find just enough here to satisfy, but others would be better served by revisiting the original.

By Glenn Kay

For the Sun