Nation fills vacant seat

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Jimmy Yellowhair will have a few weeks to get accustomed to serving as a Navajo Nation lawmaker.

The Black Mesa man was sworn in to the Tribal Council on Dec. 5 to fill a seat left vacant by the resignation of Dwight Witherspoon. Yellowhair had been recommended for the post and appointed by council Speaker LoRenzo Bates.

Yellowhair already was set to join the 24-member council in January after being elected to the seat earlier this month.

Yellowhair is representing Black Mesa, Forest Lake, Hardrock, Pinon and Whipporwill in northern Arizona.

He previously worked for the tribe’s judicial branch.

Witherspoon did not seek re-election and resigned to serve as chief of staff for outgoing tribal President Russell Begaye.