Editor s note: This article is a part of a series reviewing Utah and U.S. history for KSL.com s Historic section.
BLANDING, San Juan County A significant Navajo Nation trading post at the heart of Monument Valley in southeast Utah received major recognition Thursday as efforts begin to save it before it s possibly lost forever.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Oljato Trading Post one of its 11 most endangered historic sites in the United States this year, which highlights it as one of the more important historic sites in desperate need of rehabilitation to preserve it.
The listing comes as members of the Navajo Nation and also historians have started to look into ways to rehabilitate the structures tied to the trading post and turn them into a new community center and tourism destination at the center of growing popular outdoors spots like Monument Valley and Bears Ears National Monument.
FARMINGTON The Navajo Nation Council has removed Pearline Kirk as the top financial officer for the tribal government, stemming from allegations that her office entered an illegal contract for COVID-19 testing on employees and other related services.
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez on May 20 named former auditor general Elizabeth Begay as acting controller. Begay will start work on May 21, according to the president s office.
Delegates voted 13 in favor and 10 opposed on May 19 on emergency legislation brought forward last week by Delegate Pernell Halona.
While the bill does not cite reasons for removing Kirk, it states the council no longer desires to retain her as controller and finds it to be in the best interest to remove her from the office.