Gallup Sun • October 2, 2020

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VOL 6 | ISSUE 288 | OCTOBER 2, 2020

‘Out of the mouths of babes’ New Mexico Ethics Watch essay contest winners share their thoughts

Intro by Beth Blakeman Associate Editor

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n a ZOOM event Sept. 17 hosted by New Mexico Ethics Watch, N. M. Secy.

Of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, OLÉ NM Executive Director Andrea Serrano, and the Campaign Legal Center’s Trevor Potter weighed in on everything from ensuring the validity of the upcoming election, to making sure mail-in votes are counted, to when results will be finalized, and voter suppression in our state.

Oliver talked about the election process and mail-in ballots.

“From the very highest level of the postal service – Postmaster General DeJoy and his senior staff, down to the local and regional officials here in New Mexico, we have been assured and reassured that the election is the highest priority of the U.S. Postal Service until the election is concluded. We are in ‘trust yet verify’ mode with them, making sure we have really good communication and accountability mechanisms in place to make sure that does happen.”

Serrano addressed concerns about voter suppression.

“Our experience is that we’ve had people who were formerly incarcerated who are eligible to register to vote, but they’re told by someone in their county clerk’s office, ‘You went to prison, you don’t get to vote ever again.’ That isn’t true. People have been told they have to show ID – voter ID is not required anywhere anymore. We work with a lot of naturalized citizens voting for the first time who are older and often don’t know what their rights are ... People of color in New Mexico and around the U.S. are voting at

lower rates… For us it’s about how to make sure that our folks know their rights, so if they do encounter a problem they can say, ‘No, you’re wrong and here’s why.’ People need to know you can show up and register and vote in the same moment.

That is our mission – to get the word out about that.”

Potter took on the questions about a peaceful transition.

“Under the Constitution, on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20 at noon, the incumbent president and vice president turn into pumpkins.

Their term ends… they’re either re-elected or somebody else has been elected. What if the electoral college votes from the states are not clear by the Dec. 8 deadline?

There is a provision … If it’s a state whose votes are not going to

determine the outcome because one or the other candidate has won based on every other state, then it doesn’t matter. If it’s THE swing state, and it hasn’t [been] figured out by Dec. 8 who won there, then it goes to Congress. I assure you there is a procedure for this … on Jan. 20 somebody will be sworn in as president. Worst case scenario, someone will be sworn in as acting president until the issue has been resolved and the official president is duly elected.”

The first place winner of the essay contest addressed himself to the handling of the COVID19 pandemic. The second place winner addressed the question of whether the ends justify the means. Both students have agreed to be published in the Gallup Sun.

First Prize Essay New Mexico Ethics Watch MEANS TO AN END

By Elijah Nix Volcano Vista High School - senior

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n 1945, the United States d ropped t wo at om ic bombs on Japan, bringing a swift end to WWII. This action, however, came at a cost: many thousands of Japanese citizens died from

the explosion, and many more died from radiation poisoning.

Today, we are still left with the questions, “Was that the right move? Were the means justifi ed by the end?” Regardless

ETHICS ESSAYS | SEE PAGE 5

At GMCS Education Matters!

How w doo youu thankk a hero??

Now,, how w doo youu describee a teacher?

Gallup-McKinley County School teachers are guides, navigating their students into a brave, new world, leading them past all the challenges that arise. GMCS teachers are inspirational leaders, proving support, courage and strength for their students. Most importantly, GMCS teachers are heroes, people to look up to, people who will fight for the safety of their students and fight to provide them an education and the skills to prosper in a brighter future. So, on this special day, we honor our local heroes – GMCS teachers.

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Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

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Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

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LOCAL NEWS

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Did she jump or was she pushed?

JUDGE AGREES TO STEP DOWN

By Beth Blakeman Associate Editor

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he Judicial Standards Commission for the State of New Mexico fi led a petition Aug. 28 to accept the permanent retirement of McKinley County Eleventh District Court magistrate April J. Silversmith.

An agreement was reached with Silversmith in lieu of disciplinary proceedings for ten allegations in a Notice of Investigation dated Feb. 20, 2019.

Among the 10 allegations listed on the notice of investigation were two that involved Silversmith’s family. The petition said Silversmith failed to recuse herself from two traffic cases for her niece, Chelsey Thomas, and involved herself in cases connected with her son, Stephen Silversmith, and in a matter in which her daughter, Brittany Silversmith was the victim in a criminal case.

The petition stated Silversmith created an appearance of impropriety when she directed and/or allowed court staff to use her signature stamp to sign documents (e.g. release orders) when she was unavailable.

In addition, the document fi led by the standards commission listed excessive absences from court for more than 622 hours between Jan. 1, 2019 and Jan. 3, 2020.

T he s e a nd beh av ior a l issues that were considered outside the boundaries of patience, dignity and courtesy were listed.

The judicia l sta nda rds com m i s sion c a l led for Si lver sm it h to prov ide a written explanation for each allegation.

Her attorney, William G. Stripp answered the Notice on March 15, 2020 saying that Judge Silversmith denied that she failed to perform her judicia l duties or act

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inappropriately in any way.

Further, it stated that she believed she had been the target of discrimination and bigotry by certain members of the McKinley County Magistrate Court staff including the former court manager.

Stripp’s letter also mentioned that some of the allegations were six years old and were never previously presented to the judge. The lapse of time between the alleged inappropriate behavior and the date of the complaint made it hard to gather information to respond to the notice.

Stripp’s letter said the allegation that Silversmith missed over 622 hours from court in a period of a year and 2 days “is absurd.�

In each of the allegations concerning the judge’s family members, her attorney’s response denied any inappropriate behavior, stating three times that in Thomas’ case,

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her n iece never appea red before her in cou r t. In those concerning her s on , S t r ipp said she was not i nvolved i n t he case.

The response conc er n i n g her daughter’s case was that the judge was appearing in court with her daughter Judge April Silversmith Photo Credit: Eleventh Judicial as a mother, not a District Court judge.

Throughout his letter, Stripp made numerous references to dis- proceedings. agreements with the court Effective Aug. 31 at 5 pm, manager and mentioned that Silversmith was ordered to there were indications that never aga in hold, become manager had difficulties with a candidate for, run for or women of the Navajo culture. st a nd for elect ion to a ny Despite the response from New Mexico judicial office.

Silversmith’s lawyer, the State S he c a n not s e ek , a cc e pt Supreme Court accepted her appointment to, or serve pro permanent retirement from tempore for any New Mexico judicial office rather than pro- judicial office including the ceed with further disciplinary posts of judge in municipal court, probate court, magistrate court, metropolitan court, district court, Court of Appeals or Justice of the Supreme Court.

She i s never a ga i n t o hold or exercise any judicial authority in the state, including officiating at weddings.

In addition to Silversmith’s departure, the court manager has left. Weldon Neff, court executive officer for the Eleventh Judicial District Cour t that oversees cour t operations in McKinley and San Juan counties explained in an email to the Gallup Sun on Sept. 30. “Kristie Jaramillo retired in January with 25 plus years of experience. Her retirement was not tied or related to matters with Judge Silversmith,�

Neff stated Neff stated.

WHAT’S INSIDE ‌

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GALLUP NURSE Making a dierence in the era of COVID

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NTUA PROJECTS Bringing electricity, water, internet to the rez

Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

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NURSING HOMES State agencies move to protect seniors

NETFLIX IN NEW MEXICO The Western set to film near Santa Fe

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NUCLEAR THREATS The next hurdle for cleaning up uranium mines NEWS

ETHICS ESSAYS | FROM PAGE 1 of any answer, there is no way to judge without a standard by which to make that judgement.

If we are to determine means that truly justify the end, we must gather all information on the subject, defi ne who or what defi nes correct ethics, and conclude what a true end looks like.

Good-hea r ted people working without information will usually yield results that

Gallup Sun Publishing, LLC Publisher/Editor Babette Herrmann Accounts Representative Sherry Kauzlarich Associate Editor Beth Blakeman Photography Knifewing Segura Ana Hudgeons Ryan Hudgeons Cable Hoover Correspondent/Editorial Asst.

Cody Begaye Dominic Aragon On the Cover A ZOOM presentation of the New Mexico Ethic Watch 2nd Annual Student Essay Contest Photo: Courtesy N.M. Ethics Watch.

Picture of fi rst place winner Elijah Nix. Photo: Courtesy Elijah Nix The Gallup Sun, published Fridays, is not responsible or liable for any claims or offerings, nor responsible for availability of products advertised. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Gallup Sun distributes newspapers in McKinley, Cibola and Apache counties.

Office: 102 S. Second St., Gallup, NM 87301 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gallup Sun, PO Box 1212, Gallup, NM. Mailing Address: PO Box 1212 Gallup, NM 87305 www.gallupsun.com Phone: (505) 722-8994 Fax: (505) 212-0391 gallupsun@gmail.com Letter to the editor/guest column ACCEPTED BY EMAIL ONLY. State full name and city/town. No pen names. ID required. All submissions subjected to editor’s approval.

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contradict their efforts. Using the current pandemic as an example, we see how the lack of knowledge is impacting decision-making. Many seemingly moral people find it acceptable to engage in non-essential interactions, due to a common rationale: “I’m young and healthy so I’m not at risk of getting sick.” Perhaps they are correct in that regard, but more information might bring a change in perspective.

If they knew that it is possible to spread COV ID -19 to others, even though they themselves are not experiencing symptoms, and that the increased spread of the virus is burdening hospitals and impacting care for all patients— not just COVID-19 patients— they might choose to adopt a stricter quarantine strategy. This, of course, is a small-scale example. However, when considering a larger population, exponentially more information is needed to make an informed decision. When seemingly moral governors

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are deciding to open counties and cities in this current time, information regarding countless fronts is required. What economic problems are we facing? How will this impact healthcare? How is the environment impacted? What is public opinion?

All of these queries are extensive, but are necessary questions to answer, and each query requires information to arrive at a satisfactory answer.

If one side lacks moral representation due to a shortage of data, the conclusion is flawed and should be amended. To come to a perfect conclusion, one would need every available piece of information. This rarely happens.

Yet even when it does, who is to say which data matter more than others?

To point the information in an ethical direction, an objective source of what is ethically correct is the next step to justifying the means.

Where do correct ethics come from? Some might say that the largest group has the correct ethics. However, if this were true for every situation, the majority of Americans who supported Manifest Destiny

in the 1800s were not in the wrong for expanding on Native American territory. Of course, the modern person might fi nd this unacceptable.

Some say that nature governs ethics, but if this is true then every natural inclination which humans experience must also be permissible. This would include bursts of anger against others and affairs that could potentially break relationships. Does a higher power govern ethics? The question then becomes, “Which higher power?”

With the millions of different gods humans believe in, which one or ones would be in the right, and how could you prove so? Clearly, objective justice is nearly impossible to fi nd, and exponentially more impossible for all to agree upon. However, if we did have an ethics compass to work with, where would the final destination be?

Correct means are only beneficial if the end is also correct.

Using COVID-19 as an example once again, we fi nd many different ways to defi ne what the end of the pandemic would be. Some might say that the end comes when businesses

are reopened or when travel is once again permitted. Others might say that the end comes when COVID-19 is eradicated or when an effective vaccine is found.

Still others might say the end comes when the economy has fully recovered from the lack of commerce. Which of these ends is the best? Even when the answer is agreed upon, unprecedented circumstances may arise causing the predicted end to be compromised or unresolved. Of the three aspects of moral decision-making addressed in this paper, this one seems to warrant the most difficulty.

Even with all knowledge of the present backed by a correct morality, reaching a good ending is not guaranteed. It is a predicament of lacking the ability to look into the future.

With this all laid out, we see that the question posed is truly quite difficult to answer.

Not every piece of information is available, the true ethics is never a consensus, and the true ending always blurred. What, then, is to be done? It is the

ETHICS ESSAYS | SEE PAGE 17

Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

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Making a difference in local lives

Frontiers in Science

GALLUP NURSE CHRONICLES TREATING COVID PATIENTS

Virtual Talk

The NASA Perseverance Mars Rover: Looking for signs of past life

By Cody Begaye Sun Correspondent

Nina Lanza, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Mars has long held a special place in Ì i Õ > >} >Ì >Ã > ÃV w Ü À ` inhabited by Martians. The real Mars is very different vÀ Ü >Ì Üi >} i` LÕÌ ÕÀ LÃiÀÛ>Ì Ã ÃÕ}}iÃÌ that life could have existed there in the distant past.

The Perseverance rover carries the tools to search for à } à v «>ÃÌ VÀ L > vi > ` Ü > à }>Ì iÀ Ã> « ià for a future return mission from Mars to Earth for the ÛiÀÞ wÀÃÌ Ì i° Join Los Alamos scientist Nina Lanza as she shares the excitement of this next mission to the Red Planet and contributions of Los Alamos scientists and engineers.

Wednesday, October 7 at 6 pm As capacity is limited to 1,000 attendees, advance online registration is required at http://bit.ly/frontiers-in-science For more information: Call (505) 667-2871 or visit http://frontiers.lanl.gov Admission is free

Photo: NASA/ JPL-Caltech

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Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

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uring the fi rst weeks of t he COV I D -19 pandemic, hospitals across the world were overrun with patients needing treatment. Most of them may have recovered, but not without suffering potentia lly la sting hea lth issues. Headlines flew each day about the number of new cases and the people who had succumbed to the disease. The number of total deaths across the world passed one million just before Sept. 30.

Being a fi rst responder in a hospital during unprecedented times could be expected to take a severe toll on anyone, as well as those near and dear to them. Anna Rogers is one of those people.

Rogers started working at Gallup Indian Medical Center last October because she wanted to care for the underserved, according to a release

by United World College-USA. Six months after starting, she found herself treating COVID19 patients in the hardest hit area per capita for the pandemic in the United States, the Navajo Nation.

“It’s been challenging, emotionally and physically,” Rogers said in the release. “It has been isolating personally and professionally, and it’s been hard to watch the devastation in the community. There’s not a family that hasn’t lost a loved one on the Navajo Nation.”

As of Sept. 29, 10,333 positive cases were confi rmed on the Navajo Nation. This number includes 7,255 recoveries and 555 deaths.

Rogers was born in Gallup and moved to California when she was five, but then returned to New Mexico to attend United World College-USA near Las Vegas, N.M. She is a 2012 graduate of the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and completed her residency in family medicine at Ventura County Medical Center, where she remained

Anna Rogers Photo Credit: The United World College-USA

with the hospital for two additional years before moving to Gallup.

She currently works for the U.S. Indian Health Service, a government agency that provides care for 567 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and their descendants, or about 2.2 million people.

Health experts said the coronavirus has been devastating because of a lack of infrastructure on the reservation. An estimated 30 percent of reser vation homes lack running water, and over half of Navajo communities do not have broadband access.

A shortage of healthy food options, overcrowded housing and high rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity compound the problem.

“The [Navajo people] have such strong family networks and live in multigenerational homes so it’s difficult to isolate,” Rogers said. “Those communities that have been systematically marginalized are a setup for a respiratory virus to be particularly bad because of difficulty isolating and keeping their community protected.”

These family networks were why the Navajo Nation was hit

COVID NURSE | SEE PAGE 12 NEWS

PUBLIC SAFETY

NEWS

WEEKLY DWI REPORT Staff Reports FEATURED DWI Jacob Anslem Harrison Sept. 18, 7:09 pm Aggravated DWI (Third) A call for a suspected drunk driver led to an encounter between a very uncooperative person and a McKinley County Sheriff’s Officer.

Deputy Miguel Bittony arrived near the intersection of

Alpha Street and Ranae Street in Mentmore and spotted a white Ford F-150 parked on the side of the road. The Ford began to drive off once Bittony pulled up, so he immediately turned on his unit lights and sirens.

The suspect veh icle s t opped a t t he i nt er s ec tion and the driver, Jacob Harrison, 42, of Rock Springs, N.M., stepped out and shouted dem a nd i ng to k now why

he was stopped by Bittony.

Harrison threw his keys on the ground and walked to the front of his vehicle.

When Bittony asked him what he was doing, Harrison said he wanted to wish a happy birthday to his brother, but did not give specific directions when asked where his brother lived. Harrison said he had a can of beer and 10 shots of Fireball whiskey earlier, and he threw another shot of whiskey into the bed of his truck as he walked to Bittony’s unit.

Bittony noted Harrison had

bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and smelled of liquor. Harrison handed over a New Mexico identification card, and admitted he did not have a driver’s license and had two previous DWI convictions.

Lieutenant Monty Yazzie arrived on scene and administered the standard field sobriety tests to Harrison, during which Harr ison was ver y uncooperative and had trouble standing still. He failed the test and was arrested and placed in Bittony’s unit.

Harrison was transported

to the sheriff’s office for the breath test and posted two samples of .23. After receiving medical clearance from Gallup Indian Medical Center, he was transported to McKinley County Adult Detention Center and booked.

OTHER DWI ARRESTS Ricky Benson Smith Sept. 22, 11:20 am Ursula Rose Lewis Sept. 18, 10:00 pm Monique Ann Haudley Sept. 18, 12:28 am

Red Valley man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in DWI crash Staff Reports

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LBUQUERQUE – Maroquez Clah, 28, of Red Valley, Ariz., a nd a n en rol led member of the Navajo Nation,

pleaded guilty on Sept. 21 to involuntary manslaughter.

Clah was arrested on an indictment charging him with involunta r y ma nslaughter Feb. 14 . During his hearing, Clah pleaded guilty to killing a

victim, referred to as John Doe, by driving carelessly with willful disregard for the safety of others in which he was under the influence of alcohol and likely to endanger a person or property.

He faces up to eight years in federal prison, followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Clah remains on release pending sentencing. The court has not yet set a date for the

sentencing hearing.

The FBI and the Navajo Division of Public Safety investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Novaline D. Wilson is prosecuting the case.

State Police issuing statewide checkpoints and saturation patrols in October Staff Reports

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rivers on New Mexico ro a d s s hou ld b e extra careful in the coming weeks as the days get shorter and colder.

New Mexico State Police w ill be conducting sobr iety checkpoints; saturation patrols; a nd reg istration, insurance and driver’s license c h e ck p o i n t s i n a l l New Mexico counties throughout

October.

State Police said in a Sept.

28 release they are bringing awareness to these events in an effort to reduce alcohol-related fatalities through continued media attention and intensive advertising.

The goa l of the checkpoints is to “ENDWI in New Mexico.”

“These checkpoints are helping to change society’s attitude about drinking and

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driving,” the release reads.

“Hu nd reds of l ives cou ld

be saved each year if every driver had the courage to

You were very kind and thoughtful With a warm and loving heart And when other people needed help, You always played your part.

You’re thought of every single day Whatever time of year But somehow more than ever Now your special day is here.

No present can be given A that’s really very hard And But there’s a world of love insidee This special little card.

Each memory is shining bright And treasured dearly too.

But memories can’t take the place Of someone dear, like you.

make the right decision not to drink and drive.”

10/4/91 – 7/22/16 “Gilly the Kid”

Happy 29th Birthday Sweet Angel. We Love and Miss You more & more each year. Keep shining like the diamond that you are Love Always, Mom, Dad, Amarra, JoJo, Roseann, Lilly, Salvador, Denise, CamiRaye

www.dinecollege.edu PUBLIC SAFETY

Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

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Weekly Police Activity Report Staff Reports GAS STATION ROBBERY Tse Bonito, Sept. 22 A late-night call to McKinley County Sheriff’s Office led to a hunt for a suspected robber caught on security footage.

Deputy Frank Villa Jr. was dispatched to the Speedway store in Tse Bonito, 1579 Hwy. 264, after a man called and said he saw a robbery. When Villa arrived, he met with Navajo

Nation Police Depar tment Officers who were searching for the suspect, described as wearing all black.

Villa watched the video taken by the caller on his phone and saw the suspect wearing a black jacket with fur on the hood and black pants. He also wore black shoes with white soles and a white shirt under his jacket.

While Deputy Nocona Clark and Sgt. Garylle James searched

the surrounding area, Villa checked the store. The right front door had been shattered and glass shards were scattered inside and outside the building.

Villa noted several items on the floor as well as a rock, which he suspected was how the robber entered the building.

The manager of the store arrived on the scene and showed Villa the security camera footage. The suspect made multiple trips into the store to

Update: NMSP officer shot in an unprovoked attack on I-40

State Police arrest fugitive in connection to Arizona murder Staff Reports

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A R M I NGTON — N.M. - A New Mexico State Police officer on patrol in Farmington initiated a traffic stop on a purple Hyundai Elantra for a speeding violation about 4:30 pm on Sept. 28. The vehicle was occupied by one male later identified as Isaiah Pringle, 18, of Phoenix, Ariz.

T he of f icer conducted a driver’s license check on

Pringle through the National Crime Information Center.

Pringle had an arrest warrant that was issued by the Maricopa County Superior Cour t in A rizona for first degree murder and attempt to commit armed robbery, that occurred on Aug. 28.

Pr ingle was taken into custody without incident. He was arrested on a fugitive of justice warrant for: • Murder in the fi rst degree • A t t e m p t t o C o m m it

Staff Reports

Isaiah Pringle Photo Courtesy: NMSP

Armed Robbery He was booked into the S a n Ju a n C o u n t y A d u l t Detention Center on a $500.00 bond.

It’s time to come back to Church!

First Baptist Church

2112 College Drive, Gallup, NM Sunday Services at 8:30 am and 11:00 am (505) 722-4401 • www.fbcgallup.com 8

Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

grab several nicotine-related items.

While reviewing the footage, Villa was advised by James that he and Clark had detained a man who matched the description of the suspect.

Villa met with the man, Taylor Etsitty, 25, of Churchrock.

Etsitty was wearing black pants and shoes with white soles, but he did not have a jacket on. He said he was sleeping in a nearby ditch and

didn’t do anything. He asked to see the footage, which Villa showed him. One camera angle showed the suspect looking up at the camera and showing his face, and Villa confirmed it was Etsitty.

Clark gathered the evidence on scene while James took photos of the suspect’s shoe tracks and clothing. Villa transported Etsitty to McKinley County Adult Detention Center and booked him for commercial burglary. Etsitty was also found to have an active bench warrant.

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I BOL A COU N T Y, N.M. - When an offi cer approached a GMC pickup driven by a Scottsdale, Ariz. man on the morning of Sept. 12, she became the target of 28-yearold Robert Benjamin Nelson.

New Mexico State Police officer Sharron Duran was on patrol about 9:30 am on I- 40 at milepost 130 near Laguna. She was parked in the median of I-40 when she saw a white GMC pickup following the vehicle in front of it too closely.

Duran initiated a traffic stop on the GMC pickup.

The pickup was occupied by a male later identified as Nelson.

As Duran made her initial approach, she walked up to the passenger side of the vehicle. Without warning, Nelson fired multiple rounds at her through the passenger side door window, which was tinted and partially closed.

A f ter being str uck by gunfire, Duran was able to recover and return fire at the suspect. Nelson fled the scene and continued eastbound on I-40.

Despite having multiple injuries, Duran returned to her vehicle, gave chase and a short pursuit ensued. Nelson stopped on I-40 near milepost 135 and exited his vehicle. Laguna officers arrived to assist Duran, and Nelson was taken into custody a short time later without further incident.

Duran was transported to an area hospital where she was treated and released.

Nelson was booked into the Cibola County Detention Center and charged with the following crimes: • At tempt to Com m it Murder • A g g r av at ed Bat t er y Upon Peace Officer • Shooting from a Motor Vehicle • Resisting, Evading or Obstructing an Officer Duran is also commissioned as a Federal Task Force Officer, so the FBI was involved in the investigation and charged Nelson with the attempted murder of a federal officer and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

Duran , who is assigned to the New Mexico State Police K-9 unit, has been employed for seven years.

T h i s c a s e w a s i nve s t i gated by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau.

PUBLIC SAFETY

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INDIAN COUNTRY

Navajo Tribal Utility Authority brings electricity to 223 families CARES ACT FUNDS MOVE WATER, WIFI ACCESS PROJECTS FORWARD Staff Reports

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INDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer received an update report from Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, indicating that NTUA has connected 223 homes to the electric grid, upgraded 30 water wells, and continues to install up to 150 water cisterns systems, and move forward using CARES Act funds.

NTUA utility crews are working 10-hour days, weekends, and holidays to complete projects. NTUA is planning to extend electricity to 510 families, which includes over 350 families that were identified during the 2020 LIGHT UP NAVAJO II application process.

In addition, NTUA continues to accept applications from residents for its residential solar program, which was allocated $35.1 million in CARES Act funds.

“NTUA is doing a great job in partnering with the Navajo Nation to expedite the rightof-way processes and other requirements to connect many homes to the electric grid,” Nez said. “We are very grateful to all of the NTUA crews and management for moving quickly to move forward with projects that will provide more electrical power, water resources, and internet access for our communities.

“We are hopeful that our people will have access to electricity and water to help minimize the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are optimistic that NTUA will be able to connect electricity for well over 500 families by the end of the year,” he added.

NTUA was approved to receive $13.8 million for power line projects, $24.7 million to increase overall electric grid capacity, $20.9 million for cisterns systems, $18.6 million for wastewater systems, and $32.8 million for wireless and broadband expansion from the INDIAN COUNTRY

Worker connecting Navajo Nation homes to electric power. Photo Credit: OPVP CARES Act funds.

“I commend NTUA for putting together a plan that leverages all of the available resources and CARES Act dollars for the benefit of the Navajo people,” Lizer said.

“Their utility crews are spending many hours away from their families to help other families – that’s what we need more of, people helping other people during this pandemic to help us overcome the challenges.

“We look forward to seeing more progress in the weeks and months ahead,” Lizer said.

Among the numerous water projects, NTUA utility crews are in the process of replacing motors and pumps for up to 45 targeted water wells, and working with Navajo Engineering and Construction Authority to install 150 water cisterns systems where there is no water available for household drinking water, and bathroom and kitchen usage.

Other projects include renovations and upgrades of regional water stations, construction of several new watering points, converting off-line-wells to watering loading stations for livestock, water well renovations, replacement of exposed water lines, and more.

NT UA ha s a l so est ab lished 32 free wifi hotpots in various communities across the Navajo Nation to help students, parents, and teachers with online learning. NTUA

and NTUA Choice Wireless are assessing the possibility of installing additional wifi hotspots due to increased demand and usage. NTUA is also awaiting the arrival of new materials and equipment to construct new towers in several communities.

“The fa milies have expressed to our crews their heartfelt gratitude that electricity has fi nally reached their homes. It is a challenging goal which we will work hard to surpass, because as we are connecting homes, more families are coming forward submitting their applications for electricity,” NTUA General Manager Walter Haase stated.

Overall, the Navajo Nation received over $714 million in CARES Act funds: $600 million

Worker uses equipment to lift him into the air as he works on the electric grid on the Navajo Nation. Photo Credit: OPVP on May 6, $86 million on June 16, and $27 million on June 18.

Approximately $537 million in CARES Act funds has been approved and signed into law, leaving a remaining amount of

$176 million.

For more information about eligibility for the solar program, please visit ntua.com under CARES ActNTUA Projects.

Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

9

Remembering Judge Marilou Begaye Staff Reports

N

avajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer offered condolences and prayers for the family of retired Navajo Nation Judge Marilou B. Begaye, who passed on Sept. 24 at the age of 74. “In her 23 years of service

to the Judicial Branch, Judge Begaye helped many families and served with great honor.

We offer our prayers for her family, friends, and many others who are grieving the loss of a great person,� Nez said.

Begaye was appointed children’s court Judge by Chairman Peterson Zah and was conf i r me d for proba t ion a r y

appointment in 1985. She was permanently confirmed in 1989 and retired in 2008.

Begaye was known for her commitment to families and educating young people, which was reflected in her work. She helped many Navajo families working at DNA Legal Services before becoming a Navajo Nation Judge. After retiring,

she was a substitute teacher at Eva B. Stokely Elementary School in Shiprock, N.M. “By all accounts, Judge Begaye ser ved our Navajo people with great integrity and honor. We join her family in paying tribute to all of her contributions and thanking our Creator for the life she lived. May God bless her family,

Retired Navajo Nation Judge Marilou B. Begaye died Sept. 24 at the age of 74.

Photo Credit: OPVP friends, and colleagues,� Lizer concluded.

Construction company partners with Chapter House BRINGS JOBS TO LOCAL YOUTH Staff Reports

A

nonprofit construction compa ny i n Farmington partnered with Shiprock Chapter House to employ young people during the pandemic.

The New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps awarded Capacity Builders, Inc. of Farmington $105,000 to provide jobs for young people in public projects that conserve the state’s natural resources and yield community benefits of lasting value.

The project gave on-the-job experience in construction to 16 young adults and three of those were hired in permanent positions with local companies.

As COVID-19 swept the nat ion t h is yea r, Ni zhon i Park, Shiprock’s community park, was already selected as a workforce site by CBI to operate a YCC workforce development g r a nt . Wit h so many youth employment prog ra m s bei ng ca nceled due to the pandemic, CBI was determined to move forward with the project and bring

employment to local youth because the Shiprock community needed a recreation site for families.

The project began with safety training to ensure compliance with NMDOH and NMYCC COVID-19 guidelines.

From day one, masks were required to be worn at all times, and crew members were tested for COVID-19 before initially reporting to work and are tested every two weeks continually. The crew members also received equipment safety training before beginning their

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10

Friday October 2, 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ Gallup Sun

initial work of clearing out the overgrowth, trash, and debris that had littered the park since its last cleaning in the fall of 2019. In early July, the initial two-week clearing effort uncovered steel park benches by the banks of the San Juan River. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Before, the park didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look as good as how weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making it look now,â&#x20AC;? YCC crew leader Brandie Lee explained.

I n a pr oj e c t me et i n g with CBI and the YCC crew, Sh iprock Ch apt er Hou se Manager Michelle Peterson also expressed the need for va nda l ism prevent ion by requesting steel gates to block street access for vehicles after park hours.

CBI hired CLT Welding to provide basic welding, which included designing, fabricating, and installing numerous gates and park signs. This gave the crew members real-world, on-site construction experience in welding technology over the three days of training. The training was highly successful, and several crew members expressed interest in entering the welding program at San Juan College. . â&#x20AC;&#x153;What excites me the most is knowing that these young adults are growing,â&#x20AC;? Trini King, Capacity Buildersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; YCC Field Foreman, said. King manages the crew and coordinates the on-site construction efforts with the Shiprock Chapter House and contractors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every young person deserves that chance to have a platform.â&#x20AC;?

Once the gates were up, it was time to lay the concrete in the skate park area. Mesa Sand and Gravel provided the concrete and offered guidance on-site. Leonard Canuto spent two full days training with the YCC crew on the ins and outs of working with concrete,

N. M. Youth Conservation Corps crew member Kristen Deel, 24, of Shiprock, was oďŹ&#x20AC;ered a permanent position with GeoMat, Inc. after receiving on-the-job training during the CBI project. Photo Credit: Lionel Johnson including setting the forms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The crew learned how to properly calculate the volume for the amount of concrete that needed to be purchased by t he Sh iprock Chapter House,â&#x20AC;? Capacity Builders Inc.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Progress Director, Corine Florez, explained . â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not just doing, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re learning on the job,â&#x20AC;? she said.

This is the fourteenth community project CBI has funded through the NMYCC program in San Juan County.

YCC crew member Kristen Deel noted that CBI helped with job training while she was seeking a permanent job.

Deel was offered a job with GeoMat Inc. during the threeday concrete pour.

In addition to their work at Nizhoni Park this summer, the YCC crew trained with Johns Hopkins University to set up COVID-19 testing sites numerous times. Several crew members also assisted Soul Dog, a mobile veterinarian, with a spay and neuter clinic.

This training resulted in two YCC member s ex pressi ng interest in enrolling in San Juan Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Veterinarian Assistant program.

INDIAN COUNTRY

NEWS

STATE & REGION

State agencies champion good treatment in nursing homes

By Dominic Aragon Sun Correspondent

S

tate leaders from the a t t o r n e y ge n e r a l’s office, the state auditor and state ombudsman are working together across the state to protect seniors and people who need specialized care.

T he gover nor’s of f ice announced the partnership between the agencies on Sept.

16 in a news release which focuses on poor treatment, abuse and fraud at nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

The state has over 370 longterm facilities with over 11,000 residents.

“The overarching goal is to make sure we elevate the care in long-term care facilities across the state of New Mexico, that we make sure residents are safe, that their rights are protected, that these facilities know that when it comes to issues of abuse, neglect or assault, that we take a very strong stance in stopping and preventing that,” New Mexico Ombudsman Zack Quintero told The Gallup Sun Sept. 23.

The state ombudsman’s role is to address and investigate complaints against mismanagement. This partnership allows for the office to forward specific cases to other agencies where needed.

N.M. State Auditor Brian Colón File Photo

N.M. State Ombudsman Zack Quintero Photo Courtesy

Reports of abuse will be forwarded to the office of the New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colón.

“I think what we found to be true in this administration is a real desire to make sure that there is no static in the line; that lines of communication are completely open, and there’s collaboration when it comes to protecting New Mexico’s taxpayers, that’s how government serves the people best,” Colón told The Gallup Sun Sept. 26.

Colón said the Ombudsman’s office got in touch with his office to work together on this initiative.

He said the partnership will help the Ombudsman’s office do its job more effectively.

“No one had to sell me on

the idea, you had me at ‘hello’,” Colón said. “When it comes to protecting New Mexico’s most vulnerable, that’s the bottom line for me.”

Colón, who takes care of

2003 W. Hwy 66 Gallup, NM 87301

(505)722-8969 STATE & REGION

NURSING HOMES | SEE PAGE 20

Obituary Steven Gregory Yoder Steven Gregory Yoder, age 38, passed away on August 9, 2020 in Turlock, Calif. Yoder was born in Gallup on June 21, 1982 and attended local schools, graduating from high school in Rehoboth and then attending the University of New Me x ic o - G a l lu p and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N. C. Yoder worked at Houston Lumber and taught construction tech at Miyamura High School. He was also a youth pastor at East Aztec Baptist Church and Grace Bible Church. He received an “Exemplary Teacher” award from Gallup-McKinley County Schools and was recognized by Skills USA with many students that were state and national champions.

He loved spending time with family and friends, engaging in

paintball, working on cars, traveling, cooking, smoking ribs and using his pizza oven. Yoder is remembered as a caring and compassionate man who loved the Lord with his whole heart.

Yoder was preceded in death by his grandparents Roy and Virginia Yoder, and Glynn and Naomi Morris; and his brother-in-law Michael Spolar.

He is survived by his wife Jackie Yoder; his parents Mark and Diann Yoder; and his sister Staci Spolar.

Yoder’s service will be held at Rehoboth New Gym and has been prepared for safe social distancing. Masks are required.

The service will also be live streamed. To see the service go to youtube.com/c/gracebiblegallup at 11:00 am on Oct. 10.

Mon - Sat. 8am - 5pm Sunday 8am - 2pm

Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

11

Positive COVID cases in New Mexico public schools SEVEN STAFF MEMBERS, THREE STUDENTS TESTED POSITIVE Staff Reports

S

ANTA FE — The Public Education Department announced seven new positive cases of COVID19 as of Oct. 1. Rapid response has been initiated, and all pertinent information has been verified with the schools and school districts. The following new cases were reported: • Three cases in Bernalillo County. All three infected individuals are staff members who were last on school property Sept. 3 and Sept. 23 (two individuals). All staff members and the parents and guardians of all students in the affected school have been notified of the

positive cases.

• One case in Chaves County.

The infected individual is a staff member who was last on school property on Sept. 29. The school is in remote learning mode. All staff members and the parents and guardians of all students in the affected school have been notified of the positive case.

• One case in Curry County.

The infected individual is a staff member who was last on school property Sept. 29. The school is in remote learning mode. All staff members and the parents and guardians of all students in the affected school have been notified of the positive case.

• One case in Doña Ana County. The infected individual

is a staff member who was last on school property Sept. 10.

The school is in remote learning mode. All staff members and the parents and guardians of all students in the affected school have been notified of the positive case.

• Two cases in Eddy County.

The infected individuals are both students. One was last on school property for small-group learning on Sept. 24. The other was last on school property for small-group learning Sept.

25. All staff members and the parents and guardians of all students in the affected school have been notified of the positive cases.

• Two cases in Hidalgo

County. The infected individuals are both staff members who were last on school property Sept. 23 and Sept. 24 respectively. All staff members and the parents and guardians of all students in the affected schools have been notified of the positive cases.

Symptomatic staff may return to work after 10 days plus 24 hours after the fever is gone and COVID-19 symptoms have improved.

Asymptomatic staff who have been “close contacts” may return to work after a 14-day quarantine.

The PED has collected this data since Aug. 17; since then, 195 total cases have been

Deborah Martinez, Media Relations Coordinator, New Mexico Public Education Department Photo Credit: o-agency.com reported in 99 schools. (That number has been adjusted from previous reports after removing a case that turned out to be in a private school.) Of those, 137 have been staff members and 58 have been students.

For additional inform at i on a b out COV I D 19 s afet y i n s ch o o l s , please visit: https://bit.ly/ SafeSchoolsNM.

Community policing spells the end for public safety secretary MARK SHEA DISMISSED Staff Reports

S

ANTA FE — Sept. 25 was the last day for N. M. Public Safety Secretar y Mark

Shea.

The Lu ja n Gr isha m Ad m i n i s t r a t ion i s u s i n g this leadership change to strengthen the mission of the Department of Public Safety to deliver vigorous and smart-oncrime statewide law enforcement, with a renewed emphasis on community police work and the unequivocal protection of New Mexicans’ civil rights.

State Police Chief Tim Johnson will serve as interim secretary. Deputy Chief Robert

Thornton will serve as interim state police chief. The administration has begun a search for a replacement secretary.

Johnson has served in various leadership roles at the agency since 2000 and as state police chief since April 2019.

Thornton also began his career with the department in 2000 and served as a major before being named a deputy chief in 2019.

“I want to thank Secretary S he a for h i s s er v ic e t o t he st ate,” Gov. M ichel le Lu jan Grisham said. “The Department of Public Safety plays an essential role. Our employees and officers are duty-bound to equitably protect and dutifully serve New

COVID NURSE | FROM PAGE 6

and Las Cruces.”

Gallup’s 99-bed hospital had up to 45 COVID patients with a disproportionately high admitted to the inpatient number of cases compared wards, forcing Rogers to work with the rest of the country, 10-to-12-hour days. She also Rogers continued. had to protect herself and “We very quickly had a sig- her staff. Rogers has tested nificant number of cases in the negative for COVID six times emergency room and admit- to-date. ted to the hospital,” she said.

A nother challenge was “The sickest were often flown COVID-19 rules and regulato Albuquerque. Ultimately, tions. The hospital didn’t allow the state set up a hub, where in-person visitation, but propatients were sent all over the vided video visits for patients state – Santa Fe, Farmington and their families.

12

Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

Former N. M. Public Safety Secretary Mark Shea was dismissed from his position Sept.

25. Photo Credit: N.M. Dept. of Public Safety Mexicans, and I am confident they will continue to meet and exceed the expectation of communities all across the state.”

New Mexico State Police Chief Tim Johnson and Deputy Chief Robert Thornton will serve as interim public safety secretary and interim state police chief respectively. Photo Credit: New Mexico State Police

Rogers said the hardest part about caring for COVID patients was when they were alone and scared, and their family wasn’t able to visit them.

This proved especially difficult on Mother’s Day. “To have a family on a Zoom meeting, having to say goodbye to their grandmother on Mother’s Day [was painful],” Rogers said. “[The family] knowing Mother’s Day would be difficult forever, knowing their grandmother had to die alone without family in the

hospital, in a culture where when a loved one dies, there are often 10 to 20 family members in their room with them.”

Rogers said her time at United World College-USA led to her decision to go into medicine, a career where she could make a difference in local lives.

“I’m interested in global health, and at some point will work abroad and this opportunity allowed me to serve a very underserved population,” she said. “I think it’s important to provide access to excellent

health care to those who need it most.”

T h e Un i t e d Wo r l d College-USA is one of 18, two-year international high schools on five continents for 16-to 19-year-olds. UWCUSA offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma and has an average enrollment of 230 students from more than 90 countries; 85 percent of its students attend on scholarships. To learn more visit www.uwc-usa. org.

STATE & REGION

Netfl ix to start fi lming feature in New Mexico WESTERN PRODUCED BY JAY-Z; STARRING REGINA KING, IDRIS ELBA Staff Reports

T

he Harder They Fall is bringing the stars to New Mexico.

State Film Office D i r e c t or A mber D o d s on announced Sept. 25 that the Netfl ix-produced feature fi lm will commence principal photography and continue production in Santa Fe and the surrounding area through December.

The Harder They Fall is directed by Jeymes Samuel, a singer-songwriter, producer and director also known as The Bullitts. T h e Harde r They Fall is produced by JayZ, James Lassiter, Lawrence Bender, and Jeymes Samuel.

In this Western, outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) discovers that his enemy, Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), is being released from prison, so he reunites his gang to track Rufus down and seek revenge.

The Cast includes:Jonathan Majors (Da 5 Bloods, Lovecraft Country), Emmy Award Nominee Zazie Beetz (Joker, Atlanta), Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods, The Good Fight), Lakeith Stanfield (Knives Out, Sorry to Bother You), Danielle D e a d w y l e r ( Wa t c h m e n , Atlanta), Edi Gathegi (X-Men: First Class, StartUp), RJ Cyler (White Boy Rick, Me and Earl

Jay-Z is producing the new Western, “The Harder They Fall” for Netflix and the N.M. Film Office through December. Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org and the Dying Girl) with Academy Award Winner Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk, Watchmen) and Golden Globe and SAG Winner Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation, Mandela Long Walk to Freedom).

The production will employ approximately 500 New Mexico crew members and 312 New Mexico vendors, including background actors, stunt performers, and principal talent.

“The Harder They Fall is one of the fi rst productions to resume in New Mexico since March,” Alicia J. Keyes, New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary said. “We are excited about the allsta r line up of d irectors, producers, cast, and crew

Online inquiry form available to fi le discrimination charges Staff Reports

A

LBUQUERQUE — The New Mexico Depar tment of Workforce Solutions Human Rights Bureau has launched a new online initial inquiry form for individuals who have complaints of d i scr i m i nat ion a nd /or harassment in employment, housing, credit, and or public accommodations.

The inquiry form located on the NMDWS website (dws. state.nm.us/Filing-a-Chargeof-Discrimination) is the fi rst step an individual must take STATE & REGION

if they feel they have been discriminated against based on a protected class.

Federal and state anti-discrimination laws prohibit discrimination based on certain protected classes, including race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age (if 40 or over), pregnancy or childbirth, and physical and mental disability, serious medical condition, and spousal affi liation.

Complaints must be fi led

DISCRIMINATION | SEE PAGE 15

Regina King is starring in “The Harder They Fall” which will be shot in around Santa Fe through December. Photo Credit: IMDb and are thankful to our New Mexico Film Partner, Netfl ix for bringing this exciting production to Santa Fe, which will feature some of our most picturesque landscapes, and will put hundreds of New Mexicans in the motion picture industry back to work a nd generate revenue for hundreds of local businesses that the industry is dependent upon.” “ We a r e i m m e n s e l y proud to have a Black-led

inclusive storytelling, filmmaking, and content creation,” she added.

All fi lm and television productions in New Mexico are required to adhere to the state’s operative emergency public health order, associated public health restrictions and COVID-Safe Practices.

Those restrictions include but are not limited to the adherence to indoor occupancy maximums, the maintenance Idris Elba will be seen on the silver screen in of a six-foot distance between the Western, “The Harder They Fall,” being individuals, wearing masks at filmed through December in and around all times, daily disinfection, Santa Fe. Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org sy mptom screenings, a nd more. production of this magnitude, The New Mex ico F ilm on the ground in New Mexico,” Office has released Back2One, Dodson said. “The Harder a catchall set of principles, genThey Fall is a production with eral recommendations, and a predominately Black cast and resources for fi lm and televilead production team, which sion productions operating signals a move to embrace the during COVID-19. Back2One call for diversity in America – recommendations and other something we value highly in COVID Safe Practices can be New Mexico. found at nmfi lm.com.

“This production is kickFor more information on ing-off a very busy year ahead the production, contact: proas we resume production, and ductionthehardertheyfall@ is setting the tone for more gmail.com

''A Tradition'' • A Gallup tradition with over 100 years of dedicated service.

Now under new ownership, the Rollie legacy continues; providing the facilities and conveniences that serve families best with dignity, integrity and understanding.

• Rollie Mortuary offers package pricing, accepts Navajo Nation Social Service packages and can assist families with pre-need planning and set up.

• Rollie Mortuary offers a genuine desire to be of assistance to you and your family in this time of need.

401 E. Nizhoni Blvd.

Gallup, NM 87301 (505) 863-4452 Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

13

NEWS

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

Earthweek: Diary of a Changing World

By Steve Newman

Week ending Friday, September 25, 2020 Summer Melt Arctic sea ice melted to its second-smallest expanse on record on Sept. 15, covering only 1.44 million square miles around the North Pole, according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Only during the summer of 2012 did the polar ice cap shrink farther. And since the unprecedented drops in sea ice extent in 2007 and 2012, there have been fewer areas with thick, multiyear ice that has accumulated over countless winters.

Experts believe this and global heating will keep the ice from recovering, and will soon lead to icefree summers across the Arctic.

Earthquakes Mo r e t h a n 10 0 bu i ld i ng s were damaged when a magnitude 5.3 temblor struck southern Turkey’s Nide province.

• Earth movements were also felt in souther n Eng la nd, I nd ia’s Ja m mu a nd K a sh mir territory, the southern Philippines, northeastern New Zealand and coastal Southern California.

Super Pigs Ex per t s are warning of

Teddy Rene

Beta

3.1

Alpha Paulette Vicky

4.5

Medicane Ianos Greece wa s

3.7 +118° Yanbu, Saudi Arabia

Lowell

a “feral swine bomb” that could go off at any time. It would be due to a population explosion that has seen numbers of hybrid wild pigs soar to 6 million and spread from 17 to 39 U.S. states within the past three decades. The National Fera l Sw ine Da mage Management Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that the female “super pigs” can reproduce twice a year, beginning at only 3 months of age, with litters of around 10 piglets each. The USDA says the hybrids of European boars and domestic pigs cause major damage to proper ty, crops, livestock, native species and ecosystems. The super pigs also threaten the health of people, wildlife, pets and other domestic animals.

Dolphin

5.3

pounded by a cyclonic storm swirling over the central Mediterranean that looked very similar to a tropical storm or hurricane. Dubbed Medicane Ianos, the storm triggered flooding and inflicted wind damage responsible for at least three deaths in the Ionian Islands and the western Peloponnese before the storm moved i n l a nd over ce nt r a l Greece. The first such storm on record occurred during the autumn of 1995, a nd t hey have become more frequent in recent years. One in 2017 triggered floods that killed 25 people and left hundreds homeless.

if global warming is limited to only 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, as outlined in the Paris Agreement.

Writing in the journal Nature, the team says that while the rise won’t be immediate or even rapid, it will be relentless as Antarctica’s ice melts farther into the nex t cent u r y. A nd i f efforts to curb carbon emissions a ren’t successful and the Earth warms an additional 3 degrees, the Antarctic melt w i l l event u a l ly lift ocean levels by 21

6.1

Tropical Cyclones

4.3 fe et . T h a t would render par ts of many -101 coastal Vostok, com mu n ities around Antarctica t h e wo r l d eit her submerged or uninhabitable.

Scorching Summer Scientists have calculated that this June, July and August were 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the 20th-century average, making the season

Warming Awash A n i nter na tiona l tea m of scientists warns that sea levels will rise by 8.5 feet even

the hottest Nor ther n Hemisphere summer on record. During the same per iod, the Souther n Hemisphere experienced its third-warmest winter yet. NOAA predicts this abnormal warmth could lead to 2020 being one of the five hottest years on record.

Medicane Ianos lashed parts of Greece. Photo Credit: European Space Agency

The Atlantic hurricane season continued to be one for the record books.

After the list of offi c i a l n a me s b e c a me exhausted with Tropical Storm Wilfred, storms Alpha and Beta were given names from the Greek alphabet for the fi rst time since 2005.

• Remna nts of Hu r r ic a ne Pau let t e regenerated into what meteorologists dubbed a “zombie” tropical storm near the Azores.

• Nearby, Tropical Stor m A lpha soa ked northern Portugal and Spain.

• Hurricane Teddy raked much of Atlantic Canada while Tropical Storm Beta inundated eastern Texas.

Dist. by: Andrews McMeel Syndication ©MMXX Earth Environment Service

Changes at the top at the Bureau of Land Management Staff Reports

W

illia m Per r y Pendley is out as the director of the Bureau of Land Management.

The United States District Cour t for the Distr ict of Montana issued a decision that enjoins Pendley from exercising authority as the director of the BLM. The Court declared

14

that Pendley served unlawfully as the acting director for the BLM for 424 days.

On Sept. 25, chief district judge Brian Morris of the U.S. District Court of Montana r u led aga i nst Pend ley i n a 34 -page decision, st ating that Pendley’s unconfirmed appointment violates the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which limits how long a temporary official can fill a

Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

vacant federal position without Senate confi rmation. “[Pendley’s] ascent to acting BLM director did not follow any of the permissible paths set forth by the U.S. Constitution,” Morris ruled. “Pendley has not been nominated by the president and has not been confi rmed by the Senate.”

Pendley has drawn criticism among environmentalists for his views on climate change

and opinions about how the government should manage public lands. Under his direction, the BLM offered hundreds of leases to oil and gas companies on lands designated as wildlife habitat, according to the Sept. 25 court ruling.

In 2009, Pendley expressed d isag reement w it h cou r t decisions protecting Native Americans’ religious rights on federally controlled land

William Perry Pendley File Photo

PENDLEY | SEE PAGE 15

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

Society for American Archaeology protests BLM movement in Chaco Culture Region Staff Reports

I

shortcomings: â&#x20AC;˘ Even the best management option presented would still fail to provide adequate protection for the heritage resources of the region; â&#x20AC;˘ Consultation with stakeholder g roups, i nclud i ng Tribes, pursued by the BLM during the pandemic was wholly inadequate; â&#x20AC;˘ The BLM commissioned a n ethnographic study to ensure that all Register-eligible

n a letter to the Bureau of Land Managementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Mex ico State Office dated Sept. 25, t he S ociet y for American Archaeology expressed its opposition to the BLM movi ng for wa rd w it h a new Resource Management Plan / E nv i r on ment a l I mpa c t Statement for the sale of oil and gas extraction leases in the Mancos Shale area (northern New Mexico) in the Chaco Culture region.

The SA A is a con su lt i ng pa r t y to t he BLM process, and our Mancos Sha le Ta sk Force has been involved from the beginning.

Specifically, the SAA calls BL Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at tention to the planâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s serious Chetro Ketl in Chaco Canyon Photo Credit: National Park Service

PENDLEY | FROM PAGE 14 at a July 11, 2009 Republican Breakfast Forum reproduced on YouTube at https:// bit. ly/36pczi8 Montana Governor Steve Bullock, who fi led suit July 20 to stop Pendley from exercising the authority of acting director at BLM in violation of the U. S. Constitution, called the Courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sept. 25 ruling â&#x20AC;&#x153;a win for the Constitution, the rule of law, and our public lands.â&#x20AC;?

He continued, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Montanans can rest easy knowing that

DISCRIMINATION | FROM PAGE 13 with HRB within 300 days of the last act of discrimination or harassment. Information needed to complete an initial inquiry form includes: Cont a c t i n for m a t ion (n a me, m a i l i n g a dd r e s s, phone, email, etc.)

Organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s information (involved in the alleged illegal action(s))

sites in the impact area are identified, but is issuing the RMP without waiting for its completion. This is especially serious and will result in the exposure of additional National Register-eligible resources to damage or destruction; and â&#x20AC;˘ The draft RMP does not adequately address the adverse impacts of increased development on the cultural resources of the area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We bel ieve ever yone

center of a th r iv i ng society that f lour ished in the Four Corners region of New Mexico from 850-1250 C.E. C h a c o C a nyo n a n d s e vera l of the outly ing great houses are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The region has deep spiritual and cult u ra l i mpor t a nce to contempora r y P ueblo people and many Native American Tribes, including the Navajo, Apache, and Ute.

Pueblo Bonito Great Kiva in Chaco Canyon Photo Credit: National Park Service

National Public Lands Day [Sept. 26] will begin with William Perry Pendley packing his desk and vacating the Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office at the Bureau of Land Management.â&#x20AC;?

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt was also enjoined from unlawfully delegating the authority of the BLM director.

Anna Peterson, executive director of The Mountain Pact, a six-year-old organization that mobilizes local elected officials in Western mountain communities with outdoor recreation-based economies, was pleased.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are thrilled by the federal court ruling that William Perry Pendley can no longer serve as Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For over a year, Pendley, a climate change denier, has limited local input while ignoring science and experts in regard to decisions about our public lands. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While mountain communities struggle to navigate the effects of the pandemic, he prioritized bailing out fossil fuel CEOs, gave the oil and gas industry special treatment and the opportunity to pollute

Information on the alleged violation(s) including dates, names of individuals (only if the individual fi ling wishes to include), and any additional allegation details of what happened. Â Â After the inquiry form is received by HRB, a call will be scheduled with an investigator to assist with fi ling a formal charge of discrimination. If an individual is represented by an attorney, an

inquiry form is not needed.

The attorney must fi le a formal Charge of Discrimination on the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behalf.

For any questions or to submit an inquiry form over the phone, individuals can contact the Human Rights Bureau at (505) 827-6838 or toll-free in New Mexico at (800) 566-9471.

Questions may also be sent via email to Human.

RightsInfo@state.nm.us.

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

benefits from protecting heritage areas like the Chaco Canyon area,â&#x20AC;? SAA President Joe E. Watkins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re disappointed that the BLM has chosen to go ahead without waiting for the ethnographic studies it has commissioned to be completed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We urge the BLM to give Tribes the chance to complete the studies before it makes any leasing decisions,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Chaco Ca nyon wa s the

without accountability, all while expediting requests from companies to reduce what they pay to drill on our public lands,â&#x20AC;? she continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;An anti-public lands zealot who has spent his lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work trying to dismantle our public lands has no business overseeing our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s precious

natural resources. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thankful our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public lands, waters, and air won today,â&#x20AC;? she stated.

Andrew Weaver, Associate Editor of SNEWSnet.com contributed to this article. His story can be found at https://bit. ly/36mImAe

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Gallup Sun â&#x20AC;˘ Friday October 2, 2020

15

OPINIONS

More nuclear threats to New Mexico and uranium mine cleanup

By Leona Morgan Co-founder of Diné No Nukes and the Albuquerque-based Nuclear Issues Study Group

I

n New Mexico, due to the many nuclear sites, at any give time there are several new and ongoing threats to our communities, our public health, and our Mother Earth.

Currently, the various federal and state agencies and respective contractors are planning to expand activities while there is still much to clean up at each site.

In the northern part of the state, plans for increased plutonium pit production for nuclear weapons at Los Alamos National Labs is underway.

In the southeast, proposed changes to the ty pes and amounts of radioactive waste that can be stored in New Mexico are ongoing, including expansions to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant facility and the two proposed nuclear power plant waste dumps: Holtec and Waste Control Specialists. Holtec’s application has just gone through a public comment period that

ended on Sept. 22 for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Now the DEIS for WCS’s proposal to bring 40,000 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste to a site along the New Mexico-Texas state line, near Eunice, New Mexico is open for public comment until Nov. 3.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold four webinars in place of in-person public meetings, to be held on Oct. 1, 6, 8, and 15.

With this administration’s push for so-called “strategic” and “critical” minerals, the uranium industry is still alive despite the price remaining under forty dollars per pound for the last four years. There is no current uranium mining in New Mexico, but there are hundreds of mines that require cleanup, and more than 15,000 “abandoned” uranium mines across the country.

Since 2008, the U.S. government has been working with the Navajo Nation, in five-year plans, to clean up 523 abandoned uranium mines and four former mill sites on the Navajo Nation. However, there are hundreds of additional contaminated sites, adjacent

to or within the reservation boundary, but not technically on Navajo Nation. The first five-year plan was from 2008 to 2013, and the second one was from 2014 to 2018. The latest proposal for cleanup is a ten-year plan for the period 2020-2029, which is still in draft form.

The federal agencies working on this cleanup include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, Indian Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, and Centers for Disease Control. The Navajo Nation agencies i nvolved are Navajo EPA, Abandoned M i ne L a nd s Recla mat ion Department, and Department of Water Resources. Other partners include: University of New Mexico, Northern Arizona University, as well as the Hopi Nation.

One of the most contaminated areas on Navajo is north of Churchrock in a community called Red Water Pond Road.

There were two companies that mined there, Kerr McGee (now known as Quivira) and United Nuclear Corporation (UNC, now owned by General Electric). UNC also operated a mill site that was the source of the 1979 Churchrock Spill.

Due to its proximity to the RWPR community, the UNC Northeast Churchrock uranium mine has been a high priority from the beginning, yet is nowhere near completion.

The residents have insisted that wastes be moved off of the Navajo Nation. Some remediation of the NECR mine has been conducted, including removal of contaminated soils from residences to lands that are not on Navajo, but close enough to be carried back by the wind.

General Electric is responsible for remediation of the NECR uranium mine and the mill site. The mill operated from 1977 to 1982 and released over 90 million gallons of liquid radioactive waste and over 1,100 tons of radioactive sludge into the environment on July 16, 1979. The liquid flowed at least 100 miles westward into Arizona via the Puerco River.

For cleanup of the mine, GE proposes moving approximately one million cubic yards of mine waste atop the existing mill tailings impoundment; and removal of approximately 32,000 cubic yards of more radioactive wastes offsite, to either Utah or Texas. The mill site is on privately owned land and has been undergoing remediation and monitoring, but the off-site contamination from the spill has never been adequately addressed.

The RWPR community has been demanding clean up of their area and all sites across the Navajo Nation for over a decade, including demands for new housing, funding for education, and a full comprehensive health study. In an August interview with Edith Hood, the main spokesperson for the

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Leona Morgan RWPR Community Association, Hood explains, “We want the community and the impacted ground cleaned up … We want this concept of ‘hózhó’ back in the community, all across the Navajo Nation, with us included.”

The proposed action to move mine waste to the mill site requires an amendment to the NRC materials license for the mill (SUA-1475). GE submitted the license amendment application in Sept. 2018. NRC notified the public of its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement, to conduct a scoping process, and request for public comments in Feb. 2019. NRC held two scoping meetings in Gallup in March 2019. At these public meetings, locals expressed disappointment in the slow remediation process and strong opposition against moving mine waste on top of the mill waste, which they said is located in a flood plain.

A Draft Env ironmental Impact Statement is expected this month, Oct. 2020. The Final EIS is estimated to be complete by Aug. 2021, and a fi nal decision could be made in 2022.

Since 2009, the Red Water Pond Road Community has held an annual public event with a sunrise prayer, walk, and talks to raise awareness about uranium mining, the spill, and cleanup. This year, due to COVID-19, they were not able to gather, but next year they plan to carry on and Hood says the RWPR welcomes “anyone who is doing something to help Mother Earth” to join their community event in 2021.

OPINIONS

ETHICS ESSAYS | FROM PAGE 5 nature of society to disagree and make mistakes.

This is how humanity has always functioned. We are by no means perfect. However, we a r e a l s o c a p a ble of

collectively making good decisions from time to time. When means are being produced for an end, it is up to each person to ensure that their perspective is heard.

History would have it no other way.

to win the election?

Ethically speaking, this is not just. The student could have found other means to win the election, such as using good advertising. Even if the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opponents had used similar methods in their campaigns, it was not an honorable path to take. This could have led to losses such as broken ties with classmates who felt cheated.

Millions of different paths exist to reach the same destination. Some may be easier than others, however that does

Second prize essay winner New Mexico Ethics Watch competition THE PATH VERSUS THE DESTINATION

By Mariluz Lebkuechner Gonzalez-Aller Public Academy for Performing Arts - graduate

justify the unfair actions taken

NEWS

our eyes to the possibility that as the internet freed some, it enslaved others.

The internet brought information and education to many, yet this continues to be something that is not always accessible. Success can depend heavily upon education, which relies upon financial security. In 2019, the governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, proposed a plan to make higher education free

ETHICS ESSAYS| SEE PAGE 20

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o t he end s ever justify the means?

Although this idea sounds somewhat confusing, it really is quite simple. To reach a certain goal one must take a journey to get there. This idea contemplates whether or not the goal achieved can justify the journey and the actions that were taken to get there.

By keeping in mind that a path might be as important as its destination, we can better make ethical decisions.

Sometimes the ends achieved can dramatically impact peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. There have been many occasions throughout human history where v iolence ha s freed enslaved and suffering people.

For example, many argue that without the battles fought in World War II, the Nazis would have ruled Europe. Although the journey to peace during the Second World War was not fair or just, it was necessary to protect those in suffering.

Many say that you can only fight fire with fire, fight violence with violence, and fight fear with fear. And so, this proves that the ends can justify the means.

However, when we consider our everyday lives, this view might change. Envision a student running for an officer position in their schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Student Council. The path he or she takes to win the election includes bribing fellow classmates and ruining the images of opponents. Nevertheless, as an officer the student is able to bring good changes to the school, provide volunteer service to charities, and connect with the surrounding community.

So do these good deeds that the student did as an officer

not mean that they are the ones that should be taken. The development of electronics and of the internet lead to a greater accessibility to information for all people and helped further democracy. Behind this great accomplishment, however, were millions of people in developing countries who were denied fair working conditions and salaries, building these technologies.

The progress that the internet brought does not justify the mistreatment of workers who made it possible. This opens

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17

COMMUNITY

‘The Glorias’ is a solid, but surface-level biopic

By Glenn Kay For the Sun

RATING:  OUT OF  RUNNING TIME: 147 MINUTES The Glorias, from Roadside Attractions and LD Entertainment, is available for purchase on Digital and Streaming exclusively on Prime Video.

Glor i a S t ei nem h a s lived a remarkable life as a journalist, activist and a spokesperson for the feminist movement in the United States. Her incredible accomplishments serve as the inspiration for this biopic. T he Glorias attempts to condense the woman’s many pursuits and experiences into one narrative. There’s a lot of passion on display, and for youngsters the film should ser ve as a stirring introduction to her work.

It’s a good film overall, although it ultimately feels like a surface-level examination of its subject that could have reached even greater heights had it been willing to dig a little deeper.

Based on Steinem’s own autobiography, the feature intercuts impor ta nt exper iences at four pa r ticula r

ages in her life (played, from youngest to oldest, by Ryan Kira Armstrong, Lulu Wilson, Alicia Vikander and Julianne Moore). In her early years, we see Steinem’s family life and the influence of her mother (Enid Graham), who was a writer, as well as her father (Timothy Hutton), a huckster of sorts who may have fostered a streak of adventure in the young woman.

As expected, more time is spent with the college-age Steinem traveling the world and making her star t as a journalist in a male-dominated world, and then her time as an adult fighting for feminist causes. As the story progresses, the four individual Glorias appear together on a bus, interviewing each other about their va r ious choices in life.

The cast is excellent and despite the jumping around between various time periods, the overall performance feels unified and consistent throughout, despite four different performers playing the same role. While most know about Steinem’s public life, it is interesting to see the figure’s relationship with her eccentric parents. Of course, the beginnings of her career are also intriguing as we witness the hardships faced in getting her work taken seriously by male editors, and

Gloria Steinem (Julianne Moore) with feminist Dorothy Pitman Hughes (Janelle Monáe) the co-founders of Ms. Magazine portrayed in the biopic about Steinem, entitled “The Glorias.” Photo Credit: Roadside Attractions and LD Entertainment

her successes, including a piece going undercover to detail the less-than-glamorous life of a Playboy bunny.

As the picture progresses, we also see her develop a talent for public speaking and her personal relationships with important feminist figures like Dorothy Pitman Hughes

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(Janelle Monáe) and Bella Abzug (Bette Midler).

T her e a r e i nt er e s t i n g moments and scenes throughout that generally help viewers get a broader sense of S t e i n e m’s m a n y a c c o m plishments. And on a technical level, there are some effective transitions as the movie jumps from one era to another and back again. Yet, while the technique works in some instances, there are other elements that do take one out of the proceedings.

The increasing focus on the four different Steinem ladies on a bu s i nteract i ng a nd cracking jokes feels forced.

On a technical level, the heavy green screen work in these scenes and the occasional use of surreal dreamlike imagery to depict inner turmoil stand out in a negative way and distract from the film.

The mov ie a lso ha s a n overly glossy appeara nce.

This stylized approach might not have been the best tactic, considering the story is about a character trying to connect with all women from different backgrounds. A grittier

look would have added more authenticity. And of course, it’s tough to get very deep into Steinem herself when the story is based on the figure’s personal perception of her own experiences.

There is a scene when the older protagonist appea rs on T he Lar r y King Show and is verbally attacked by a caller. While she brushes off the experience on air, you can still see a pang of sadness and pain in the hurtful comments. This is a powerful moment and one might wish that the movie had dealt with its lead enduring these kinds of trials.

T he mov ie i sn’t a pr i ze -w i n n i ng ef for t a nd given its already extended running time, likely should have delved even f u r t her into the mind of its subject.

Still, The Glorias does have strong individual moments, and for anyone not familiar with its subject, does serve as a decent, if somewhat superficial entry point to the life of a very important figure in modern history.

V ISI T: W W W. CINEMASTANCE.COM COMMUNITY

Blu-ray/DVD Roundup for October 2, 2020

By Glenn Kay For the Sun

I

t ’s t i me for a not her look at new Blu-rays and DVD arrivals. This week is a quiet one for big Hollywood titles, but it does promise some interesting independent fi lms as well as another truckload of older features getting high defi nition upgrades. So, since you likely can’t or shouldn’t go out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!

BIG NEW RELEASES! ALIEN ADDICTION: A young man living in a small town in the Waikato district of New Zealand gets the surprise of his life when an alien spacecraft crashes nearby. He takes the UFOs two occupants to his home and the group gets along famously, developing a close personal relationship in the process. Unfortunately, experts tracking down aliens soon arrive and threaten to reveal the man’s secret to the world. This wacky comedy is described as having a similar vibe to early Peter Jackson titles like Bad Taste and Braindead.

There currently aren’t a great many write-ups in this part of the world, but the ones that have appeared online from other parts are quite positive. They state that while the stoner gags do get repetitive, the movie is amusing and provides plenty of chuckles. It features Jimi Jackson, Thomas Sainsbury, Jojo Waaka, and Harry Summerfield.

THE LEGEND OF TOMIRIS: This Kazakhstan production is a historical epic.

Told from the point of view of Greek historian Herodotus, it details the life of Queen Tomiri, leader of the Massagetae people. This woman not only trained herself to be a great warrior, but fought off invading forces led by Cyrus the Great, King of Persia. In fact, she eventually defeated his army and fought her enemy on the battlefield.

This picture won a prize at the L’Étrange Festival in Paris earlier in the year. The movie hasn’t been seen by a lot of critics outside of attendees at the festival. One or two articles have popped up online, describing it as a good film with COMMUNITY

impression production design.

However, they did warn that it was overlong and as a result was not as exciting as it could have been. Almira Tursyn, Adil Akhmetov and Erkebulan Dairov headline the feature.

LOVES ME, LOVES ME NOT: This little independent comedy involves a woman desperately looking for Mr. Right. Unfortunately, her goal turns out to be far more difficult than originally thought. Over t he cou r se of t he r u nning time, the protagonist fi nds herself on a series of strange and comical misadventures with potential mates who all seem to be either inappropriate, unobtainable or unmanageable. The press synopsis describes the movie as Looking for Mr. Goodbar meets Sex and the City.

This feature is premiering on disc and as a result there are absolutely no press writeups for it. So, like the lead character on one of her dating adventures, those interested will have to go in cold and hope for the best. The cast includes I s a b e l le C he s t e r, D a v id DeLuise, David Chokachi and Paul Rodriguez.

THE SILENCING: Frustrated with the modern world and still reeling from the disappearance of his daughter, a r e for me d h u n t e r decides to live in isolation and run a wildlife sanctuary.

Of course, he doesn’t stay a recluse for long after coming across a young girl and saving her from a serial killer. Much to his chagrin, authorities arrive and ask for his help in catching and bringing the psychopath to justice. Reaction toward this independent thriller wasn’t particularly strong.

One or two wrote that the feature was a passable little thriller with a few interesting characters. Unfortunately, ever yone else seemed to agree that there was nothing about the film that was original and that this was a strictly by-the-numbers affair.

It features Nikolaj CosterWaldau, Annabelle Wallis, Hero Fiennes Tiffi n and Zahn McClarnon.

WELCOME TO SUDDEN DEATH: This unexpected arrival is described as a sequel to the 1995 Jean-Claude Van Damme action fl ick, Sudden Death. I’ll be honest and say that I was very amused by the original, which featured a fi reman at the Stanley Cup hockey playoffs saving his children, the president and an arena full of hockey fans from a gang of nasty terrorists. This follow-up has an entirely new cast and follows a security guard battling some tech-savvy thugs who decide to take hostages inside a basketball arena. This is a DVD-only release through Universal and it has yet to be shown to critics.

It stars Michael Jai-White, Michael Eklund, Sabryn Rock, A nthony Grant and Nakai Takawira.

BL A STS F ROM T H E PAST! While it’s slim pickings this week for new releases (don’t worry, folks, the next few weeks will be better), there is a truckload of interesting older titles receiving high defi nition upgrades.

Watch out for Aunt Martha!

AFGA is putting out a Blu-ray of Sometimes Aunt Martha Does Dreadful Things (1971), an eccentric drive-in genre f l ick a b ou t a psychotic, cross-dressing bank robber. The movie has been given a 2K preservation from the only 35mm print in existence, comes with a fi lm historian commentary, as well as some bonus movies (The Drag Queen’s Ball) and shorts (Gay-In III, Caught in the Can) and trailers for other genre titles with an LGBT theme.

Those looking for kidfriendly entertainment can now pick up a 20th Anniversary Edition of Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000), the cinematic spin-off the popular series featuring Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda. This edit ion i nclude s a t wo -pa r t

documentary with the wr iter/pro ducer/d i rector of the fi lm, inter v iews with several cast members (including Baldwin) and the score composer, as well as deleted story lines and a behind-the-scenes reel.

The Milagro Beanfi eld War (1988) is a comedy/fantasy with Chick Vennera, Ruben Blades and Sonia Braga that was directed

by Rober t R e d fo r d . It was a well-regarded feature that ended up winning an Oscar for best original score.

The plot involves a farmer squaring off with a shady developer and authorities after one of their water valves breaks on his land, showering it with water and causing his crops to grow. It comes with a commentary track featuring Vennera and a movie expert, along with a trailer.

Criterion is delivering some heavyweight titles as well. The Elephant Man (1980) is a personal favorite. It is based on the true story of John Merrick, a disfigured man who was made to perform as a circus freak.

When a doctor discovers Merrick and asks to study him, the physician learns that his guest is incredibly intelligent and sensitive. Directed

by David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks), the movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

It is an incredible fi lm with memorable performances by John Hurt as the title character and Anthony Hopkins as his doctor. Criterion is presenting a 4K restoration of the film along with archival interviews of most of the cast and crew, a 2001 documentary about the movie, an audio recording of a 1981 Q&A with Lynch, and footage of the fi lmmaker meeting

with critic Kristine McKenna and reading from Room to Dream, a 2018 book they coauthored. Sounds like a fantastic disc.

And fi nally, Warner Archive is putting out a few made-toorder Blu-rays. The first is a 2-Film Collection containing Genesis II (1973) with Alex Cord and Planet Earth (1974) starring John Saxon. They also have the western Jeremiah Johnson (1972) and the war picture Memphis Belle (1990), which follows a group of young pilots on a dangerous bombing raid. It features plenty of familiar faces in the cast.

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS! There are lots of goodies old and new arriving for youngsters.

Abominable / The Boss Baby 2-Movie Collection Dolittle / A Dog’s Journey 2-Movie Collection D reamwork s 10 -Movie Collection – Abominable, The Boss Baby, The Croods, Home, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Trolls The House with a Clock in Its Walls / Casper 2-Movie Collection DVD Illumination Presents: 10 - M o v i e C o l l e c t i o n Despicable Me / Hop / The Lorax / Despicable Me 2 / Minions / The Secret Life of Pets / Sing / Despicable Me 3 / Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch / The Secret Life of Pets 2 PAW Patrol: Mighty Pups Super Pack! (Nickelodeon) Sea Level / Sea Level 2: Magic Arch Double Feature VeggieTales: All the Silly Songs - 60 Favorites ON THE TUBE! And here are the week’s TV-themed releases.

The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete Series Frontline: Opioids, Inc. (PBS) Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America - Documentary Series Humboldt: The New Season (Canadian TV Special) Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: Season 1 Space Adventure Cobra: The Complete Series (anime) Stargirl: Season 1 Supernatural: Season 1 Supernatural: Season 2 Supernatural: Season 3 V ISIT: W W W. CINEMASTANCE.COM

Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

19

Gallup veteran honored in #StillServing campaign Staff Reports

G

allup veteran Christian Roman’s volunteer work in the local community recently earned him recognition in the national Veteran of Foreign Wars #StillServing campaign.

The campaign honors veterans who continue to serve in their communities after active duty. A patrolman with the New Mexico State Police, Roman

volunteers his time serving food and eating with veterans, reading and singing to veterans at the care shelter, conducting food drives for homeless veterans and serving food at local shelters and pantries.

Roman’s favorite part about being a patrol officer is participating in community events like First Responders Night Out and Shop with a Cop where he can get to know the people in the community.

Roman has dedicated his

life to serving others, having been in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years in Japan, Iraq and Afghanistan before serving his community as a police officer and assisting other veterans in his spare time.

Roman’s lifetime of dedicated ser v ice led him to be chosen a s one of the few #StillSer v i ng Heroes nationwide.

VFW invites all veterans to submit their stories at vfw.org/ stillserving.

New Mexico State Police Officer Christian Roman ties a child’s shoe at the 2019 state fair in Albuquerque. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Christian Roman

Roman was deployed to Houston during the flooding after Hurricane Harvey. Roman is being honored as a VFW #StillServing Hero.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Christian Roman

U. S. Dept of Interior honors Navajo energy company Staff Reports

F

ARMINGTON — The Navajo Transitional E ne r g y C o m p a ny was recognized for exemplary mining and reclamation by the U. S. Dept. of Interior Sept. 29.

T he d e p a r t me nt g a v e NTEC it’s highest honor for activities that went above and beyond reclamation requirements to achieve superior results, reworking marginal, legacy reclamation sites to create a stable landscape, ultimately allowing the land to be returned to a condition better than the one in which

NURSING HOMES | FROM PAGE 11 his 89-year-old mentor’s widow, said it’s personal.

“She’s like a mother to me.

She’s in an assisted living facility, and so for me, I understand

they found it.

N T E C i s t he s t ew a r d of the nea rly 33,000 acre Nava jo Coa l Mine on the Navajo Indian Reservation.

Traditional piecemeal reclamation began at the mine in 1970. When NTEC, a Navajoowned company, purchased the mine in 2013 they inherited failing reclamation and u n st able la nd for m s. T he company immediately saw an opportunity to correct the situation and do more than required to create a stable, sustainable landscape that mimics the natural erosion and deposition process of the Southwest.

Specifically, one site had been reclaimed to the previous applicable standard and wa s u n natu ra lly erod i ng, while another site was lacking soil to shape and fi ll the area. However, the existing site configuration didn’t allow equipment the access necessary to perform reclamation work. NTEC and Bisti Fuels ( N T EC’s cont r a c t m i ner) applied a creative solution to remedy both situations and allow for a watershed reclamation method.

The limiting infrastructure included electric rail structures (necessary to move coal from the pit to the power

plant) and a local access road.

The company removed electric rail overhead lines and purchased diesel locomotives, as well as relocated a portion of the road. The new road location served the dual purpose of providing locals safe passage during the weather events.

The new con f iguration allowed NTEC to correct the erosion problems with one pit, minimize impacts to previous reclamation, and move soils for future reclamation.

Com bi ne d , t he s e ef for t s a l lowed for a la rge - sca le effort that mimics a natural watershed and creates

a sust a i nable restoration landscape.

“We took a site that has already been released from jurisdiction by the agency, and put it back in, because we knew we could do it better— we wanted to leave things better than we found them,” Cla rk Moseley, CEO sa id.

“Doing the right thing is one of NTEC’s core behaviors.

“We have an obligation to our shareholders, the Navajo People. O u r recl a m a t ion efforts present an opportunity to step up, do the right thing, at the right time, and create a better landform than what is required,” Moseley said.

that journey, both for care providers and for the loved ones that need our care,” Colón continued. “Anything I can do to bolster the support and responsiveness we give that community, is something I’m very excited about.”

Quintero pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for better communication.

“We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure these residents are protected and their family members know

that they have a strong ally that can advocate for them,” Quintero said. “We noticed that we didn’t have a direct line and communication with the attorney general and state auditor. It was kind of sporadic, it would rotate, depending on the case,

and now what we have in place is much more robust.”

Vo l u n t e e r s i n t e r ested in helping the State Ombudsman or who wish to raise an issue can contact the New Mexico Ombudsman at (866) 451-2901.

As the scope of these situations becomes larger, it is harder to discern which paths are just and which are not. As Pauline Phillips, the writer behind the ‘Dear Abby’ advice column, once wrote: “People who fight fi re with fi re usually end up with ashes.” This can explain why there are always great losses when confl ict is involved. This includes military and civilian casualties in wars, the oppression of one

people to free another, and even damaged relationships between people due to small but unjust actions.

Considering this idea that the ends cannot justify the means, ethically speaking, makes it ver y difficult for ordinary people to lead completely just lives. In today’s world, the success most people experience depends on their access to money, technology, and so on. Due to globalization, many of the products people have access to depend on the cheap labor

of worker s i n developi ng cou ntr ies. These workers are frequently denied safe working conditions and just compensation.

If the statements expressed beforehand are consistent, then this makes the consu mption of common necessities by people unethical.

Now one must consider: if it is unethical to buy common necessities, how is it possible to lead a fair and just life?

In this world, it may not be possible. Our current society

depends too heavily upon the hardship of other humans.

However, it is the responsibility of people to advocate and fi ght for a system that does not rely on these hardships.

W hen a ll a re given fa ir r ig ht s a nd people do not depend so heav i ly on t he exploitation of the planet, it will finally be possible to live an ethical life. This life would favor a just path that would not need to be justified by its end. This could allow the means to justify the ends.

ETHICS ESSAYS | FROM PAGE 17 for all. This could help make the world a more even playing fi eld, but one must consider the means taken to get there.

This plan would depend upon funding from oil revenues in the state. This means is unjust, because it furthers the destruction of the planet through the use of fossil fuels.

The achievement of accessible education would not justify the dreadful means used to get there.

20 Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

NEWS

CLASSIFIEDS

CLASSIFIEDS

WEEKLY RATES FIRST 25 WORDS: FREE! (4 consecutive weeks max.)

GALLUP SUN ARCHIVES Need a past issue? $2.00 per copy. Note issue date and send check or M.O. to: Gallup Sun, PO Box 1212, Gallup, NM 87305. Subject to availability.

HELP WANTED September 30, 2020 McKinley County is now accepting applications for the following positions: POSITION & DEPARTMENT Prevention Specialist, Community Services Deputy Clerk, Clerk’s Office Chief Deputy Treasurer, Treasurer’s Office FOR BEST CONSIDERATION DATE October 15, 2020 Applications and additional information regarding positions can be found on the County web site: www. co.mckinley.nm.us Dezirie Gomez, CPO Human Resource Director *** The Gallup Sun is seeking a part-time (16-24 hours a week) front desk Office Assistant with superb phone skills and multitasking abilities. This position also requires an individual that’s punctual, reliable, honest, detail-oriented, and polite.

Mandatory work days are Wed.-Fri., with flexibility on Mon./Tue. The Office Assistant must be proficient at using Microsoft Office, Google Docs, and possess basic bookkeeping skills. Pay DOE. Drug test and criminal background check mandatory.

No phone calls, please. Email cover letter and resume: gallupsun@gmail.com LEGAL/PUBLIC NOTICES P.T.D. ORDER NO. 20-112 September 10, 2020

CLASSIFIEDS

ORDER EXTENDING CERTAIN DEADLINES MCKINLEY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO Pursuant to my authority under Section 7-38-85 NMSA 1978, I hereby extend the following deadline found in Section 7-38-27C of the Property Tax Code with respect to the 2020-tax year only: 1)The deadline for the McKinley County Assessor to resolve protests from September 28, 2020 to no later than November 27, 2020.

Done this 10th September 2020.

day

New Mexico.

Dated: September 10, 2020 THOMAS JOBE Personal Representative MASON P.A.

&

ISAACSON,

By James J. Mason Attorneys for Personal Representative 104 East Aztec Avenue Gallup, New Mexico 87301 (505) 722-4463 Publish: The Gallup Sun September 18, 2020 September 25, 2020 October 2, 2020 ***

***

Public Notice is hereby provided that the GallupMcKinley County Schools is accepting competitive sealed bids for:

ELEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF MCKINLEY STATE OF NEW MEXICO

Multipurpose & Paper Price Agreement ITB-2021-09MA

In the Matter of Estate of MARLENE COX, Deceased.

Commodity 64569 & 64551

No. D-1113-PB-2020-00029 NOTICE TO CREDITORS THOMAS JOBE has been appointed Personal Representative of the Estate of MARLENE COX, deceased.

All persons having claims against this estate are require to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or the claims will be forever barred. Claims must be presented either to the Personal Representative at the offices of Mason & Isaacson, P.A., 104 East Aztec Avenue, Gallup, New Mexico, 87301, attorneys for the Personal Representative, or filed with the District Court of McKinley County,

Free classifi ed: Limit one free ad per customer only. Second ad starts at $10, per 25 words.

any formalities or minor inconsistencies, and/or cancel this solicitation in its entirety.

to upload proposals or documents after the specified CLOSING date and time.

Dated the 21st October 2020

The Gallup-McKinley County School Board of Education reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive any formalities or minor inconsistencies, and/or cancel this solicitation in its entirety.

Day

of

By: /S/ Charles Long, President Board of Education Gallup-McKinley County School District No. 1

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID

Publish: The Gallup Sun September 18, 2020 September 25, 2020 October 2, 2020

EXTRAS – $5 PER WEEK, PER ITEM: TEXT BOX, HIGHLIGHT, ALL CAPS, BOLD, AND/OR PIC/LOGO EMAIL: GALLUPSUNLEGALS@GMAIL.COM DUE: TUESDAYS 5 PM

of

Santiago Chavez, Director Property Tax Division

26-50 WORDS: $10 51-75: WORDS: $20 76-100 WORDS: $30 $10 FOR EACH ADD’L 25 WORDS

Index

Code(s):

As more particularly set out in the BID documents, copies of which may be obtained by downloading from the Gallup-McKinley County Schools eBidding platform website https:// gmcs.bonfirehub. com/portal/?tab= openOpportunities Sealed bids for such will be received until 2:00 P.M. (LOCAL TIME) on, October 20, 2020. FAX and HARDCOPY PROPOSALS will NOT be accepted.

Offerors will not be able to upload proposals or documents after the specified CLOSING date and time.

The Gallup-McKinley County School Board of Education reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive

BID ISSUE DATE: September 21, 2020 PUBLICATION DATES: September 25, 2020 & October 2, 2020 (Gallup Sun) *** LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID Public Notice is hereby provided that the GallupMcKinley County Schools is accepting competitive sealed bids for:

Dated the 21st September 2020

Day

of

By: /S/ Charles Long, President Board of Education Gallup-McKinley County School District No. 1 BID ISSUE DATE: September 21, 2020 PUBLICATION DATES: September 25, 2020 & October 2, 2020 (Gallup Sun) *** PUBLIC NOTICE

Art Supplies and Materials Price Agreement ITB-2021-10MA Commodity 78530 & 78545

Code(s):

As more particularly set out in the BID documents, copies of which may be obtained by downloading from the Gallup-McKinley County Schools eBidding platform website https:// gmcs.bonfirehub. com/portal/?tab= openOpportunities Sealed bids for such will be received until 2:00 P.M. (LOCAL TIME) on, October 20, 2020. FAX and HARDCOPY PROPOSALS will NOT be accepted.

Offerors will not be able

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the McKinley County Board of Commissioners will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.

Adhering to the Social Distancing Protocols, issued by the Governor’s Office; and the requirements of the Open Meetings Act allowing members of the public to attend and listen to meetings of the quorum of the governing body, this meeting will be physically closed to the public but open to the public via technology services. Members of the

CLASSIFIEDS | SEE PAGE 22

Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

21

Chairperson Publication date: Gallup Sun October 2, 2020

CLASSIFIEDS | FROM PAGE 21 public may view the live stream feeds offered on the approved Facebook account of the McKinley County Office of Emergency Management. Members of the public are welcome to call in with comments about any of the items on the agenda. The comment call in number (505.863.1400) will be monitored beginning at 8:45 am on the day of the meeting; and, it will stop being monitored at 9:10 am on the day of the meeting.

Please give your name, and the Agenda Item Number you desire to comment on, and a return phone number. When, at the appropriate time for making comments on the agenda items, (beginning at approximately 9:10 am) the Commission Chair will call you on your return number so you can make your comment. The Commission Chair pursuant to state law and county policy can limit the time of comments and reduce common or cumulative comments as needed; comments will be limited to 3 minutes.

The members of the County Commission at their option can participate by phone or other technological participation methods. A copy of the agenda will be available 72 hours prior to the meeting in the Manager’s Office and the County Clerk’s Office and can be sent electronically upon request.

All interested parties are invited to attend via the live stream mentioned herein.

Done this 24th September 2020

day

of

McKINLEY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS /S/ Billy Moore,

*** LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID

*** Public Notice is hereby provided that the GallupMcKinley County Schools is accepting competitive sealed bids for: New Equipment for Maintenance & Operations (Mower & Lift) ITB-2021-11MA Commodity 02016 & 54539

Code(s):

As more particularly set out in the BID documents, copies of which may be obtained by downloading from the Gallup-McKinley County Schools eBidding platform website https://gmcs. bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab= openOpportunities Sealed bids for such will be received until 2:00 P.M. (LOCAL TIME) on, October 22, 2020. FAX and HARDCOPY PROPOSALS will NOT be accepted.

Offerors will not be able to upload proposals or documents after the specified CLOSING date and time.

The Gallup-McKinley County School Board of Education reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive any formalities or minor inconsistencies, and/or cancel this solicitation in its entirety.

Dated the 28th September 2020

Day

of

By: /S/ Charles Long, President Board of Education Gallup-McKinley County School District No. 1

REVERSE MORTGAGES Draw cash from your home & eliminate monthly mortgage payments.

All Island Mortgage • • • • • •

BID ISSUE DATE: September 28, 2020 PUBLICATION DATES: October 2 & 9, 2020 (Gallup Sun) October 4 & 8, 2020 (Albuquerque Journal)

www.allislandmortgage.com Since 1989 NMLS # 3740 FHA insured In-home service Call or email for our 28 page catalog 1-888-660-3033 Aimfc@aol.com

496 Smithtown BY-Pass Smithtown NY 11787.

New Mexico Financial Institutions Division.

Loans arranged through third party providers.

22 Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Gallup Planning and Zoning Commission will consider the following action at its regular meeting to be held virtually on Wednesday, October 14th, 2020. Item One will go before the City Council for final approval at its regular meeting to be held on October 27th, 2020. Both meetings will be held at 6 p.m.

ITEM ONE: CASE # 2000300007: Request by Aequitas Education, the City of Gallup, and Joshua Generation for Jesus, property owners for Final Plat approval of a Minor Subdivision; Replat No. 1 of Bernard T. Espelage Addition Within Section 21, T15N, R18W, N.M.P.M. & Lots 1-5, and A Portion of Lot 6, Block G, First Unit of BurkeGeorge Heights & City Tank Site Described as A Tract Known as the Southwestern Hill Reservoir Site Being Situated in the SE ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 21, T15N R18W, Cont. 0.64 Acres M/L & Sports Complex Described As 56.691 Acres M/L in Sec. 21 T15N R18W, N. of Bypass Hwy & A Tract of Land Within 21 15 18 Lying Within the Bernard T. Espelage Cont. 4.027 Acres M/L. Also requesting for the City of Gallup to vacate a portion of the existing Elva Drive and dedicate new portions of Elva Drive to reflect the existing street right-of-way (R.O.W.).

Rename an undeveloped

CLASSIFIEDS Read online at gallupsun.com portion of Elva Drive to Elva Place containing 0.0898 acres M/L. Dedicate 6.1965 acres M/L along Park Avenue from Old Zuni Road to Elva Drive to reflect the existing street right-of-way (R.O.W.).

The properties are located at 405, 425, 515 & 925 Park Avenue and 1380 Elva Drive; subdivision contains 92.8475 acres M/L which includes the vacated and dedicated R.O.W. portions.

ITEM TWO: CASE # 20-00600004: Request by Aequitas Education, the City of Gallup, and Joshua Generation for Jesus, property owners for the Rezoning of 32.578 acres M/L FROM SingleFamily Residential (SFR-B) Zone District TO General Commercial (GC) Zone District; and 54 acres M/L FROM Rural Holding Zone (RHZ) Zone District TO General Commercial (GC) Zone District. The properties are located at 405, 425, 515 & 925 Park Avenue and 1380 Elva Drive.

ITEM THREE: CASE # 2000700002: Request by David Giron Chacon, Gallup Plastic Recycling on behalf of United Development Limited Partnership, property owner,

We believe in ideas.

We believe in passion.

We believe in dreams.

We believe in you.

for a Conditional Use Permit to allow the operation of a recycling facility in the Heavy Commercial (HC) Zone District. The property is located at 920 East Highway 66; more particularly described as Lots 1 thru 8, Block 1, Ford Hwy 66 Addition.

In accordance with the public health order issued by the New Mexico Department of Health, the meeting will be physically closed to the public; however, it will be accessible to the public via the following technology service: Facebook Live Stream through the City of Gallup’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ CityOfGallup Members of the public may call in with questions and/or comments before or during the meeting at (505) 8631240. Please leave your name and a return phone number.

Copies of the Agenda are available on the City of Gallup’s website at: https://www.gallupnm.gov/ agendacenter.

City of Gallup, McKinley County, New Mexico By: /S/ Alfred Abeita, City Clerk PUBLISH: 2 October 2020 *** Public Notice Public Notice is hereby given that Gallup Business

www.nmhu.edu

CLASSIFIEDS | SEE PAGE 23 CLASSIFIEDS

CALENDAR

COMMUNITY CALENDAR OCTOBER 2 – OCTOBER 8, 2020 FRIDAY, October 2

VIRTUAL FUN FRIDAYS WITH OFPL

4 pm Fri. @ Octavia Fellin Public Library Facebook. Join the OFPL staff and special guests every Friday on Facebook Live for trivia games and more. This week: OFPL plays Feat of Legends.

SCIENCE AND STORIES

Join us Live on Facebook and YouTube, @galluplibrary for beginning Spanish lessons and silly spooky science experiments this month. Videos are posted Wednesdays and Fridays at 11 am. This week: Counting in Spanish.

COVID-19 DRIVE THRU TESTING

10 am-2 pm @ Kinlichee Chapter House (Kinlichee, Ariz.). Open to the public, all ages, no appointment needed.

Face mask required. Please stay in your vehicle. For more information: (928) 755-4819 SATURDAY, October 3

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY SALE – RELAY FOR LIFE GALLUPMCKINLEY

8 am-1 pm @ 3708 Zia. Items for sale include household items, linens, stained glass materials, pottery, toys, bed, crib. All proceeds go to ACS. Masks required.

ART IN ISOLATION

Virtual show runs through Oct. 3. Organized by local artist Christian Bigwater, featuring new work created by seven artists, since the beginning of the pandemic @ gallupARTS facebook page.

ART123 Gallery is open by appointment on Fridays and Saturdays from 12 pm-4 pm.

For more information: galluparts.org/art123gallery

THRILL OF THE CHASE CHALLENGE

Forrest Fenn was a N.M. poet that loved the outdoors and encouraged others to do the same. He created a treasure hunt that baffled the world for a decade. To honor his memory and outdoor adventures he loved, OFPL has created a Treasure Hunt!

CLASSIFIEDS | FROM PAGE 22 Improvement District, Inc. will conduct its regular monthly Board of Directors Meeting to be held virtually on Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 3 PM. The agenda and a dialin number will be available 72 hours prior to the meeting from francis@gallupbid.com and on City of Gallup website.

CALENDAR

Watch for a poem to be posted on each of our social media platforms, @galluplibrary on Oct. 3. Follow the clues in the poem to find the treasure we have hidden somewhere in the Gallup area. Find our treasure, enjoy the contents, take a photo with it, and share it with the library. Enjoy the thrill of the chase with this great adventure! For more information: mdchavez@gallupnm.gov; (505) 863-1291.

RMCHCS FLU VACCINATION CLINIC

8 am-12 pm @ College Clinic (2111 College Drive) Walkins as well as drive-through vaccinations will be available.

For those with no health insurance there will be a $25 fee.

MONDAY, October 5

CREATIVE CORNER

4 pm-5 pm @ Octavia Fellin Public Library You Tube.

Make your own art from materials around your home.

Art courses are for the inner creative, geared toward people 15 years old and older.

This week we will focus on Drawing Basics 101. Learn the basics of perspective and lighting in this interactive workshop.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

1 pm-2 pm at the Student Support Center Board Room (640 S. Boardman).

TUESDAY, October 6

REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING

9 am-12pm Regular McKinley County Commission meeting via livestream. The comment call in number (505) 863-1400 will be monitored from 8:45 am until 9:10 am the day of the meeting.

DRIVE-UP COVID-19 TESTING

9 am-11 am @ UNM Gallup Lions Hall parking lot (705 Gurley Ave.).

ONE-2-ONE VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY HELP

5 pm. The Library will offer one-2-one technology assistance online on Facebook Live and through Zoom. Ask technology questions and get assistance during the live one-hour sessions. Please

*** LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Gallup-McKinley County Animal Control Authority will consider the following action at its Regular Meeting to be held on Tuesday, October 13th, 2020 at 1 p.m.

email libtrain@gallupnm.gov to get access to the zoom link, or join us on Facebook live at one of the scheduled times. For more information: (505) 863-1291.

FLU SHOT AND COVID-19 TESTING DRIVE-UP EVENT

9 am-12 pm Baca Chapter.

No appt. needed. For more information: (505) 786-6294, (505) 786-6240.

DRIVE-UP COVID-19 TESTING

9 am-11 am @ UNM Gallup Lions Hall parking lot (705 Gurley Ave.).

WEDNESDAY, October 7

TECH TIME ONLINE: GOOGLE SLIDES

4 pm. Learn to use Google slides to create slideshows and presentations for school, meetings, and more. We will also learn how to make the presentation using meeting software such as ZOOM. For more information: libtrain@ gallupnm.gov; (505) 863-1291.

FLU SHOT DRIVE-THROUGH EVENT

9 am-4 pm in Crownpoint. No appt. needed. Call for location. For more information: (505) 786-5291.

THURSDAY, October 8

DRIVE-UP COVID-19 TESTING

9 am-11 am @ UNM Gallup Lions Hall parking lot (705 Gurley Ave.).

CRAFTY KIDS

4 pm on Facebook and Youtube @galluplibrary (all ages) for family-friendly crafts and step-by-step tutorials for all skill levels. This week we will make Paper Marigolds.

ONGOING

2021 WINTER TALK

Art work request for one original piece of two-dimensional art (mixed media, watercolor, acrylic, oil, print, charcoal) suitable for scanning size 16”x 24” for a commission of $500 to an Indigenous artist (18 years and older with a CDIB), to be completed and delivered to the New Mexico Conference of Churches by Nov. 30.

RMCHCS FLU VACCINES (ADULTS ONLY)

9 am-5 pm Mon.-Sat. drive through hours Urgent Care Clinic (520 Hwy. 564) and 5 pm- 9 pm Mon. – Sat. walkins; 12 pm-5 pm Sun. walkins. Please bring insurance information. For those with no health insurance there will be a $25 fee.

GIRL SCOUTS ROBOT BUILDING PARTY

Times will be scheduled based on demand. This free ongoing activity continues until Nov. 30. For more information: https:// wwwnmgirlscounts.org/en/ about-girl-scouts/join/robot-building-party.html; (505) 343-1040.

VIRTUAL TUTORING AND HOMEWORK HELP

Beginning Sept. 8, The Boys & Girls Club of Gallup has been offering virtual tutoring and homework help with trained mentors using Zoom calls. Club members with a 2020 membership can attend for free after they fill out a virtual permission form on the club website. To get a 2020 membership, fill out an online application and permission form. It’s free.

The help will be available until Dec. 31. For more information: bgcgallup.com; (505) 488-2378; Facebook@ BoysandGirlsClubGallup

RMCHCS DRIVE-UP FLU SHOTS

ITEM TWO: Financial Report

Quarterly

In accordance with the public health order issued by the New Mexico Department of Health, the meeting will be physically closed to the public; however, it will be accessible to the public via

TALKING TUESDAYS

4 pm on Facebook and YouTube @galluplibrary for book, author, movie, tech talks and more.

OFPL BOOKMARK DESIGN CONTEST

OFPL is excited to announce the next phase of the contest.

Vote online for your favorite bookmark in three age group categories. Winning designs will be professionally printed and distributed at OFPL’s Main Library and Children’s Branch. Vote now at ofpl. online, or social media, @galluplibrary! Online polls close Wednesday, September 30 at 11:59 pm. For more information: jwhitman@gallupnm. gov; (505) 863-1291.

DIAL-A-STORY

Storytime anytime, call (505) 862-9177 to hear a story any time of the day or night.

Stories will change daily, at the end feel free to leave us a message to let us know what stories you want to hear. For more information: childlib@ gallupnm.gov; (505) 863-1291.

WE READ, WE TALK BOOK CLUB

RMCHCS COVID-19 DRIVE-UP TESTING

Register at ofpl.online for a copy of Heart Berries by Therese Marie Mailhot now through Oct. 9. A powerful, poetic memoir of a woman’s coming of age on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation in the Pacific Northwest. Get ready for some great conversations and tons of fun as we meet virtually! Zoom discussions will be held Oct. 22 at 6 pm and Oct. 31 at 2 pm. For more information: bmartin@ gallupnm.gov; (505) 863-1291.

MCKINLEY COUNTY BACK TO SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION CLINICS

To post a nonprofit or civic event in the calendar section, please email: gallupsunevents@gmail.com or fax: (505) 212-0391. Deadline: Monday at 5 pm.

9 am-5 pm M-Sat @ Urgent Care Center (520 NM Hwy 564, north of the New Mexico Cancer Center). Closed Sunday.

RMCHCS WALK-IN FLU SHOTS

5 pm-9 pm M-Sat @ Urgent Care Center (520 NM Hwy 564, north of the New Mexico Cancer Center). 12 pm-5 pm Sundays.

9 am-5 pm M-F @ Urgent Care Center (520 NM Hwy 564, north of the New Mexico Cancer Center). Closed weekends.

8:30 am – 4 pm Mon., Wed.,

ITEM ONE: Nomination and appointment of the new Chairperson

Fri. continues through October. @ McKinley Public Health Office, (1919 College Dr.) Call (505) 722-4391 to schedule an appointment.

Vaccines provided at no cost for children through 18 years of age. Bring your child’s shot record.

the following technology service: Facebook Live Stream through the City of Gallup’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ CityOfGallup Members of the public may call in with questions and/or comments before or during the meeting at (505) 863-1240.

Please leave your name and a return phone number.

Copies of the Agenda are available on the City of Gallup’s website at: https://www.gallupnm.gov/ agendacenter City of Gallup, McKinley County, New Mexico By: /S/ Alfred Abeita, City Clerk PUBLISH: 2 October 2020

Gallup Sun • Friday October 2, 2020

23

APPLY NOW! McKinley County CARES Act Small Business Grant Eligible businesses can qualify for up to $50,000.00 in funding. Funding is first-come, first-serve.

Any business within the unincorporated areas of McKinley County that meets the following criteria is eligible: • Business must have a physical location in McKinley County (outside of City of Gallup) • No more than 1-50 full-time employees, or equivalent part-time employees, including the owner.

• The business is headquartered in the McKinley County (outside of City of Gallup).

• The business has a current business registration and has been in business prior to March 1, 2019.

• Restaurants, bars, short-term lodging, and other non-essential organizations impacted by the local or state stay-at-home orders.

• McKinley County residents who engage in 1099 contract work (must have a County business license).

• Funds must be used toward overhead costs incurred or estimated as a result of required closures, provided those costs are not paid by insurance or by any other federal, state, or local program.

Such costs may include employee wages, rent, or other operational expenses. These costs must be from March 2020- December 2020. A maximum of $50,000 may be requested by the applicant.

• Business revenues must not exceed 2 million dollars.

Each business will need to be prepared to submit specific business information and forms related to the cost of these closures when applying online for assistance.

The link to the application is https://tinyurl.com/McKinleyCountySB The application can also be found on www.co.mckinley.nm.us and www.thegallupchamber.com.

For More Information call (505) 722-2228 24 Friday October 2, 2020 • Gallup Sun

COMMUNITY