Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren's Weekly Radio Address (in Diné Bizaad)

Thursday, April 30, 2026

1. Introduction

2. Mayday for Mutts and Be Kind to Animals Week

Mayday for Mutts, observed the first Sunday of May, highlights mixed-breed "rez dogs" across the Navajo Nation
Hundreds of thousands of free-roaming dogs live across the Nation; nonprofits offer spay/neuter programs, vaccination clinics, and rescues
Adopt when you can, support local rescues, and treat animals with respect

3. Local Announcements

Missing person: Angela Woody, 17, last seen Saturday, April 25, 2026 in Farmington, NM. Contact 928-674-2111
Missing person: Kylie Marie Leigh Cecil, 33, last seen March 12, 2026 in Chinle, AZ. Contact 928-871-6111
Located: Alphonzo Bahe Jr., Tizanna Henry, and Joslyn Shundiin Smith have been found and are safe

4. Frequently Asked Question of the Week

How to volunteer at a chapter: visit your Chapter Administration Office to apply; you may need a background check, CIB, and voter registration
Opportunities include youth programs, elder support, community events, and administrative help
Also volunteer with Navajo Head Start, Red Feather Development Group, Adopt-a-Native Elder, or Best Friends Animal Society

5. Life Lesson

Not every season is meant for grinding — some are for stepping outside, laughing louder, and enjoying where you are
Growth doesn't always look like hard work; sometimes it looks like peace and sounds like laughter

6. Accomplishments

Addressed a packed DNR Expo: 4,500+ homesite leases since 2023, 3,500+ windmills repaired, 51 stock tanks, 118 earthen dams restored, 10 wells drilled, 26 miles of waterline built
Carbon credit sales generated $8.3M; wool initiative moved 365,000 lbs. returning $140,000+ to producers; 10,000+ feral horses removed
Signed 25-year lease for 83-room La Quinta Inn & Suites in Shonto on April 27 — $17M project at U.S. 160/SR 98; grand opening mid-June 2026; funded via $5M Permanent Trust Fund, $5M sales tax, $3.5M ARPA, $3.2M Abandoned Mine Lands, $94K Project Development Funds
Over 200 applications for 32 hotel positions; tourism generates up to $212M and supports 2,100+ jobs across the Nation
Celebrated $5.8M fiber-to-the-home in Ramah connecting 602 households to broadband via Oso Internet Solutions and the Broadband Office
Met with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in D.C.; proposed $9.094B for IHS in FY2027 must be protected; raised concerns about cuts to Sanitation Facilities Construction and Special Diabetes Program for Indians
GIMC construction remains the top healthcare priority; behavioral health expansion continues through the Yideeską́ądi Hózhǫ́ǫ́jí Center in Phoenix
DFS held Child Abuse Prevention Mini Conference in Dilkon on April 22 with education on protective factors
Office of Diné Youth led the Navajo Nation Science Fair in Crownpoint for grades 4–8 across STEM fields

7. Major Projects

Hardship assistance: January Executive Order requested funding clarification from the Controller; identified funds may serve other eligible uses, so confirmed amounts are needed before setting distribution parameters
GIMC kickoff meeting launched federal planning and design; Master Plan will define facility size, capacity, and staffing through 2026
Navajo Homeowner Assistance Fund updated: mortgage reduction up to $225,000 (senior 55+) or $175,000; home repair up to $200,000; total cap now $275,000 per household

8. Meet and Greets

Joined the Piñon Just Move It event, running alongside elders, youth, and families
OPVP supported the Protect the Land Skate Jam at Two Grey Hills, creating safe spaces for youth

9. Closing: Thank you and tune in next week!

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This audio program and description are produced by the Navajo Nation Office of the President, which is responsible for its content.

Content Coordination: Kristin Carl and OPVP Media Team

Audio Editor: Byron C. Shorty