Gallup Sun

President Begay in attendance

PHOENIX – The Arizona State Legislature inaugurated Jamescita Peshlakai as Senator for Arizona’s Legislative District 7 and both Wenona Benally and Eric Descheenie as State Representatives for District 7 Jan. 9.

Peshlakai currently serves as an Executive Staff Assistant for the Office of the President and Vice President and Benally serves as the Executive Director for the Navajo Hopi Land Commission Office. Descheenie had previously served as an Executive Staff Assistant for OPVP.

As Senator, Peshlakai said she would serve on the Natural Resource, Water and Energy Committee as well as the Transportation and Technology Committee.

“Legislative...

Navajo Technical University conferred 117 degrees and certificates on Dec. 9 at the university’s commencement ceremony, including a master’s of arts degree in Diné Culture, Language and Leadership when Aurelia Yazzie of Sheep Springs graduated.

Yazzie became the second student ever to earn the degree from NTU after Perry James of Continental Divide earned one in May 2016. Yazzie said she was appreciative of the program and enjoyed the approach it took in blending western education with traditional Navajo values and thought.

“The program goes in depth about what it really means to uphold traditional values and to learn and teach from that perspective,” Yazzie said.

Yazzie...

Event honors the REGION’S elite rodeo champs

WINDOW ROCK – The Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President  will recognize the Team Navajo cowboys for the second annual Team Navajo appreciation dinner at the Twin Arrows Navajo Casino and Resort on Jan. 21, 2016 at 5 pm.

“We are proud of our Navajo cowboys that continue to represent the Nation well in the professional rodeo arenas,” President Russell Begaye said. “Their hard work and determination to excel in their sport speaks volumes to our Native Youth. We are excited to recognize their efforts during this time.”

Team Navajo consists of the following professional athletes: Derrick Begay, Kassidy Dennison and...

Rating: «« out of 4 stars

Running Time: 128 min.

Sometimes despite the best of intentions, things just don’t work out. The period drama Live by Night is based on a well-regarded novel by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone and The Drop among many others). The movie has an excellent cast and crew, some very impressive imagery and strong individual moments. Yet, this tale doesn’t end up translating well to the screen. In fact, it’s a bit of a muddle. There’s too much material here and events feel both rushed and slow-moving at the same time.

Set in the Prohibition era of the 1920s, the plot follows outlaw Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck). He’s a crook, but generally a...