RECENT EVENTS AT THE SAN XAVIER DISTRICT, TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION

Arriving in Phoenix on October 29th, Liddell and Martel met with Al Zapanta, President of USMCOC and then drove down to Tuscon. During the trip the program was discussed and the itinerary for the following morning when they would meet with the Tohono O’odham on “Wire the Border”. 

(Bernie Encinas, San Xavier Dist. Receptionist)

Arriving at Tucson in the early hours of the morning they checked into their hotels. Later that morning, October 30th, Marie Martel and John Liddell met with the Chairman, Austin Nuñez for the San Xavier District, Tohono O’odham Nation in his offices. Also attending the meeting were Mark Soresen, a contractor, Acting MIS for the District and Elmer Ronald Corella, Coordinator for the Materials Department. 
During the meeting the Memorandum of Understanding covering the San Xavier District, Tohono O’odham participation in “Wire the Border” was discussed and the Web Site was demonstrated. 

The effort in creating the Webpage for San Xavier District, the information it contained was very well received.  Following this meeting, Soresen, Corella, Martel and Liddell went to the San Xavier District Education Center where the computers were installed. 

(L to R: Gertie Lopez and Marie Martel)

(L to R: Ronald Corella, Mark Sorensen, Gertie Lopez)

At the Center we met with Ms. Gertie Lopez, the Learning Resource Coordinator.  While a few minor configuration adjustments to the systems were made so that Internet connections could be made, the home page was set to the Tohono O’odham EPA page and security blocks were activated to prevent access to unsuitable internet sites.

 
While Liddell discussed maintenance and operational requirements with Corella and Sorensen, Martel gathered information and discussed needs for EPA information with the Learning Resource Coordinator. 

Once the systems were installed and our discussions were completed we returned to the Main offices to meet with the Chairman once again.  With everything satisfactorily installed, access established and fact finding completed. 

(Ms. Gertie Lopez, Learning Resources Coordinator)

Once the systems were installed and our discussions were completed we returned to the Main offices to meet with the Chairman once again. With everything satisfactorily installed, access established and fact finding completed. 
The Chairman signed the Memorandum of Understanding signifying the successful implementation of the program at San Xavier and stated that he looks forward to participating in the “Wire the Border” program and the consequent benefit of increased awareness and information that will help the District and address their current and future environmental needs.