Nygren served with ethics complaint as questions go unanswered; Navajo Times, November 22, 2025

Krista Allen, Navajo Times ; Nygren served with ethics complaint as questions go unanswered

"President Buu Nygren was formally served Friday with an ethics complaint outlining four counts of alleged violations of Navajo Nation law, marking a new stage in the case filed by Special Prosecutor Kyle T. Nayback.

The summons, stamped by the Window Rock Judicial District on Nov. 21, gives the president 30 days to file a written response with the Navajo Nation District Court in Window Rock.

The complaint accuses Nygren of misusing public resources, directing staff to conceal improper spending and placing a relative in a political job after being warned the hire violated Navajo Nation personnel rules. The filing seeks his removal from office, a five-year ban on public employment, forfeiture of up to one year of compensation and restitution for unauthorized spending."

In Navajo Nation, a Basketball Elder Earns Respect; New York Times, 1/1/17

Michael Powell, New York Times; In Navajo Nation, a Basketball Elder Earns Respect:

"Mendoza took a battery of tests and aced math. He applied to a college and was awarded grants. He met his wife, Marjorie, a Navajo, in college. She got pregnant, and they dropped out. Mendoza worked in a factory, making $30,000 a year.

It was good money, yet again he felt an ache: He wanted to coach and teach children to navigate new worlds. When he quit his factory job, his friends hooted: “You’re crazy! You won’t make any money teaching!

He paused, laughing.

“Sure enough, my first job at Window Rock, I made $9,500 a year.”

Mendoza has worked ever since as a guidance counselor and coach in the Navajo Nation and the Apache Nation in the White Mountains. His wife teaches on the reservation.

These nations are bounded by mountains and forests and buttes, with embracing clans, leaders and spiritualism woven deep. Each is poor, plagued by alcoholism and drug abuse and fractured families...

The Apache reservation suffered an epidemic of teenage suicide. Mendoza is a master at infusing the rez ball whirlwind with offensive and defensive discipline. His proudest accomplishment, however, was this: None of his teenagers took their own lives.

“I told the kids, ‘I understand, I knew fear,’” he said. “I learned how anger can affect you.”"