Pat's Sunrise Cafe

08/15/2026

08/15/2026

WRUSD Early Release Notice - Friday, August 14, 2026

In honor of National Navajo Code Talker Day, WRUSD will observe an early release for students on Friday, August 14 as we recognize and honor the courageous Navajo Code Talkers whose use of the Diné Bizaad played a vital role in securing victory during World War II.

"My wartime experiences developing a code that utilized the Navajo language taught how important our Navajo culture is to our country. For me, that is the central lesson: that diverse cultures can make a country richer and stronger." – Chester Nez, Navajo Code Talker.

Friday, we proudly celebrate the bravery, service, and enduring legacy of the Navajo Code Talkers while honoring the strength of the Diné language and culture for future generations.

Honoring the Past. Inspiring the Future.

08/07/2026

A newly identified dinosaur species has officially joined New Mexico’s prehistoric past.

Paleontologists with the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science and collaborating researchers have identified Dinevenator robustus, a new bird-like dinosaur that lived in northwestern New Mexico about 73 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous.

The species is estimated to have measured 8 to 10 feet long and weighed up to 300 pounds. Researchers say it was a feathered predator belonging to the troodontid family, a group of agile, bird-like dinosaurs closely related to modern birds.

The discovery is based on part of a skull that was excavated from the San Juan Basin in 2005. For years, scientists believed the fossil belonged to a close relative of Velociraptor, but a detailed reanalysis revealed it represented an entirely new species.

The name Dinevenator combines “Diné,” honoring the Navajo people and the region where the fossil was discovered, with the Latin word venator, meaning “hunter.”

Via: New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science / Diversity Journal
📸: New Mexico Museum of Natural History