Gallup Sun ● August 27, 2021 by gallupsun

E FRE

VOL 7 | ISSUE 335 | AUGUST 27, 2021

It’s not about the money Rehoboth doctors respond to hospital’s anti-union letter Date: Wed, Aug 25, 2021, 09:32 Subject: Response to Board

The super-majority of the employed physicians of the medical staff of RMCHCS who

are seeking to unionize appreciate the efforts of our hospital’s Board of Directors to serve our community. We were blindsided and saddened to receive a statement from the Chair of the Board opposing our unionization and further, stating that it would not be in the best interests of patients, without even meeting with us first. We respect Mr. McKernan and his accomplishments, which were achieved with the help of unionized resident doctors, nurses, technicians, and other staff, during his long tenure leading UNM [University of New Mexico] Hospitals and we expected better.

RMCHCS LETTER | SEE PAGE 20

members some of questions we thought our families might want to know. We asked them why being a GMCS School Board Member was important to them. We also asked them to share some of their experiences as a school board member and about the goals they have set for the 2021-22 school year.

PRISCILLA BENALLY Being a GMCS board member is very important to me because I think that there’s a voice that each of our district needs. Our parents and students need to be supported. They need that voice in our individual schools and a whole district to ensure we are collaborating and that we continue to see what’s in the best interest of our students, our parents, and our staff. I think the most important thing that we’ve seen in the last year is the safety of our students. I’m very thankful that we have developed a strategic plan that has put all the district on the same page of what our goals and objectives are and that we’re doing what we can to streamline and invest and do what’s best for our students of GMCS. My experiences as a GMCS board member have been wonderful for the most part, yes there have been some ups and downs but I’ve learned a lot as a board member. I always say that there are board members that are doctors or businessmen and I’m coming to the table as a mom. I think some of the biggest decision making I’ve made as I look back as a mom, or a parent of all the children that we serve at GMCS is making those decisions that make a difference or make a huge impact on our children. I think the thing that was an eye opener for me, was to see how much our staff care about the students and how our schools feel like a family. I’m thankful that we have support for one another. Support from academics to athletics, I feel the hard times we went through during 2&# . ,"#+'!9 5#0# 1##',% 1-+# -$ -30 $ +'*'#1 ," -30 -5, 12 $$ +#+ #01 %&2',% 2&# '031 We weren’t able see our family and friends, our co-workers, and students. We really found that the connection we had with them was bigger than we could ever imagine. I am very thankful that we have these individuals that work so hard with us and continue to support one another. 2021 and 2022 school year we fought harder than ever to get the impact aid money that was stolen from our children. This is going to be a huge impact on our district to have $25 million coming back to our schools. I’m excited to see how our school district is going to look with the upgrades our kids are going to have state of the art school buildings that they see in other cities and other states. This is how the money is supposed to be used. I’m excited to look forward to the next few years to see the improvements and the how our kids are learning and seeing them being successful. I think it also shows our students your school board and administration fought hard for that money and how it united a lot of us and our district, our parents our different tribes, and communities. It showed us who -30 . 02,#01 0# 2 2&# "'$$#0#,2 *#4#*1 &#0# 5#0# "'$$#0#,2 "'120'!21 5-0)',% 2-%#2&#0 2- %&2 2&#1# battles. The different lawsuits that we’ve had I feel it was an accomplishment. We do it for our children so I’m hoping that they will be very happy and know that we fought for them. I’m just thankful that we took those initiatives. I just want to say that in closing that I think I’m honored to be representing you, speaking -, 7-30 #& *$9 %&2',% $-0 2&#1# !& ,%#1P $ 7-3 0# #4#0 ', ,##" -0 '$ 7-3 ,##" -30 "4-! !79 .*# 1# *#2 31 ),-5 ," 5#b0# %-',% 2- !-,2',3# 2- )##. -30 !&'*"0#, 012 7-3 ),-5 *# 0,#" 2& 2 $0-+ +7 012 2'+# 5 1 #*#!2#" '1 )##. !&'*"0#, 012 ," b+ %-',% 2- !-,2',3# 2- "- 2& 2 2& ,) 7-3 Priscilla Benally - Member pbenally@gmcs.org '120'!2 = Gallup Central High • Ramah Elementary • Ramah Mid • Ramah High • Stagecoach Elementary • Thoreau Elementary • Thoreau Mid • Thoreau High

CHARLES LONG Being a board member is important because I want to see all students succeed and make sure that when they graduate, they ready to go to college or they are ready to go to work. In prior years, students were just passed from one grade to another. Unfortunately, this led to a lot of money being spent on remedial education while in college instead of on coursework that would earn a degree. I ran because the parents entrusted me with their kids, and they trusted me to do good job. There are a lot of experiences I could talk about. When I worked for the Navajo Nation, I addressed a lot of issues that pertained to communities and other people. From that experience there are still a lot of things left undone as far as meeting the educational needs of our kids. We’ve accomplished a lot since 2017. We’ve started buying school supplies for all students We provide our teachers with all their necessary school supplies. We provide free housing to our teachers that work in our rural county schools. We want our parents to know that our schools are going to be safe for students to come !) 2- 1!&--* 2- "- ',D!* 11 *# 0,',%P # *1- 5 ,2 2- *# 4# '2 3. 2- 2&# . 0#,2 2- !&--1# '$ 2&#7 5 ,2 to have their kids remain at home and learn online or learn in-person. We will listen to parental concerns and decide how we meet those needs. One of the things that we are hoping will happen in this new school year is that we will continue to make big progress in our achievements and with our increasing graduation rate. We are building new schools and we have a lot of exciting things like that we are working on. I guess another goal is to hopefully help get higher salaries for all of our staff for all our good work they are doing. Charles Long - President chase4long@yahoo.com

'120'!2< Catherine A. Miller Elementary • Crownpoint Elementary • Crownpoint High • Crownpoint Mid • Tse Yi Gai High

KEVIN MITCHELL 11 years ago, I decided to run (for the GMCS Schoolboard) because I knew that our children in the rural areas were not getting the education that they needed or deserved. After 11 years, I have seen a great change in the quality of the education we are providing. This is one of my main goals: providing better quality education. I feel my role is very important to our community. We work endlessly to help our children get the best education with the funds that they need and deserve. Whatever it takes. &# %0# 2 ,#51 '1 2& 2 5# 0# P # & 4# 2 )#, %0# 2 +# 130#1 2- ensure the safety of our children and our staff. I feel that our children really need to get back to the classroom where they belong and so they can get the education they need through in-person learning. I would just like to say that you know I have been on a great ride as a school board member through these 11 years. I am so grateful that I’ve been able to serve our students, our faculty, our staff… all the employees. I enjoy being a schoolboard member, representing my community and being a voice for our children. Kevin Mitchell - Member kmitchel1@gmcs.org '120'!2 ; &## -"%# *#+#,2 07 g 4 (- *#+#,2 07 g 4 (- '" 4 (- '%& g -& 2!&' *#+#,2 07 Tohatchi Mid • Tohatchi High • Twin Lakes Elementary

CHRISTOPHER MORTENSEN I feel deeply connected to the community here in Gallup and McKinley -3,27 -,b2 2#** ,7-,# 32 + #,% * $0-+ 2&# * 11 -$ ;CCA have 4 boys that have all gone to multiple schools here in GMCS. I wanted to give back to the community and help out in any way I can. I think every parent and every member of our community should get involved in their local school. Local control is what being on the school board and being a parent is all about. I invite everyone I know to come -32 ," 1## 2&# %0# 2 2&',%1 -30 123"#,21 0# ! . *# -$P I really enjoy being a member of the GMCS Board. I am impressed over and over by the resilience and energy of our students. I hope to see all of our district students achieve their dreams. GMCS is open for business. We are here to help children and families succeed. I want to see our kids back in classrooms where they can learn from one another’s experiences. Children learn best when they are in a classroom with a live teacher. &0'12-.&#0 -02#,1#, D '!# 0#1'"#,2 cmortens@gmcs.org '120'!2 > &'#$ ,3#*'2- '" g 4'" )##2 *#+#,2 07 g #* -02# *#+#,2 07 g **3. '%& g Lincoln Elementary • Turpen Elementary

MICHAEL SCHAAF &# 1!&--* - 0" #$-0# & " *-2 -$ "'$ !3*2'#1 ," 2&#0# 5 1 *-2 -$ turmoil. I thought I could make a difference. I want what is best for the students and for the whole school system. I chose to run because I wanted to be the voice for our students and for our communities. I hope I’ve done some good while on the board. One of our best achievements is the increase in our student’s test scores and our graduation rates are higher than the state average. This makes us all want to work harder because we know that we can be successful. 4#07-,# & 1 "-,# 2#00' ! (- &'1 . 12 7# 0 5#b4# ** *# 0,#" *-2 more about technology. The online learning model was rough for some students. Hopefully we can get students go back to an in-person model. We’ve lost so much time this year, I would like to see things turn around. Overall, it’s been a great experience I have really enjoyed it. I’m glad this school year is starting, and the kids will be back in class. I would like to see our graduation rates go even higher the test scores go even higher so that we are topping the state average. I wanted to say that this is a great school system I am proud to represent it. I hope I can do a good job for this community and again, I’m really glad to be part of it. Michael Schaaf - Secretary mschaaf@gallupnm.gov '120'!2 ? Gallup Mid • Indian Hills Elementary • Jefferson Elementary • Kennedy Mid • Miyamura High • Red Rock Elementary

Bus Drivers Needed!

WE OFFER COMPETITIVE PAY AND A GENEROUS BENEFITS PACKAGE

ING

N G I S * *$2000 Signing Incentive. Payment will be made ½ August and ½ in December of the contract year. The incentive will be prorated for hires made after the official work calendar start $ 2000 ! E date but prior to September 30, 2021. Any hires made on or after September 30, 2021 will not be eligible to receive the signing incentive listed above. Failure to complete the terms of V I T N the employment contract will result in a forfeiture of the entire signing incentive for that school year. To be eligible for the signing incentive, you must be a new employee who was not E C employed in any capacity by GMCS during the 2020-21 school year. Friday August NEWS IN27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

GET THIS GREAT OFFER ON MOST 2021 ACADIA AND TERRAIN MODELS

APR FOR

MONTHS

FOR VERY WELL-QUALIFIED BUYERS

PLUS, CURRENT ELIGIBLE BUICK OR GMC OWNERS/LESSEES RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL

$250

PURCHASE ALLOWANCE2

220 S. FIFTH • GALLUP, NEW MEXICO 87301 (505) 722-2271 • www.RicoAutoComplex.com 1 Excludes SL models. Monthly payment is $13.89 for every $1,000 you ﬁnance. Example down payment: Acadia 6.7%; Terrain 6.5%. Some customers will not qualify. Not available with lease and some other offers. Take new retail delivery by 8/31/21. 2Excludes SL models. MUST BE A CURRENT OWNER OF A 2007 MODEL YEAR OR NEWER BUICK OR GMC VEHICLE OR A CURRENT LESSEE OF A 2016 MODEL YEAR OR NEWER BUICK OR GMC VEHICLE THROUGH GM FINANCIAL FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS PRIOR TO NEW VEHICLE SALE. Not available with lease, special ﬁnance and some other offers. Take new retail delivery by 8/31/21. ©2021 General Motors. All rights reserved. GMC® Acadia® Terrain®

NEWS

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

LOCAL NEWS

NEWS

Coal Avenue Commons cuts the ribbon CELEBRATES DOWNTOWN GALLUP By: Molly Howell Sun Correspondent

oal Avenue Commons held the ribbon-cutting for its fi rst phase Aug. 24. It is part of the gallupARTS partnership with the City of Gallup to re-imagine Coal Avenue as a signature “event street” and creative commercial hub. Thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” grant in 2018, which was matched by $150,000 from local government, the process is underway. Mayor Louis Bonaguidi took note of the changes. “Coming out of the theater last Thursday night (Aug. 19) when it was dark and seeing the street lit up, I can’t help but think we did the right thing. This is great,” Bonaguidi said. “I think everybody in this community is going to be proud of what we’ve done here.”

City councilors and the mayor celebrated the completion of Phase 1 of the Coal Avenue Commons project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 24. Photo Credit: Knifewing Segura A t t h e c e r e m o ny, h e reflected on growing up in downtown Gallup and seeing the many changes the street has undergone. He mentioned that in 1975, the City Council thought the street was too narrow, so they widened it by taking three feet off each sidewalk. Bonaguidi laughed at the

9DOOH\ )HQFH &RPSDQ\ DQG 1HZ 0H[LFR 'HSDUWPHQW RI 7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ ZLOO KDYH PLOH ZRUN ]RQHV IRU WKH LQVWDOODWLRQ RI 6DIHW\ *XDUGUDLO , :HVWERXQG OHIW ODQH IURP 00 WR 00 7KHUH LV D ZLGWK UHVWULFWLRQ LQ SODFH 6SHHG LV UHGXFHG WR PSK WKURXJK WKH PLOH ZRUN ]RQHV 3OHDVH GULYH ZLWK FDXWLRQ UHGXFH VSHHG DQG REH\ DOO SRVWHG WUD൶F VLJQV 10'27 DQG 9DOOH\ )HQFH &RPSDQ\ DSSUHFLDWH \RXU FRRSHUDWLRQ

'ULYHUV FDQ H[SHFW PLQRU GHOD\V IURP $0 WR 30 0RQGD\ )ULGD\

Mayor Louis Bonaguidi cuts the ribbon while Dist. 1 City Councilor Linda Garcia, Dist. 4 City Councilor Fran Palochak look on and Dist. 2 City Councilor Michael Schaaf holds the ribbon tight Aug. 24 at Coal Ave. Photo Credit: Michael Bulloch revitalization would impact the city. “The city took this project on as a way to improve the infrastructure to make downtown streets safer for the

pedestrians,” Garcia said. “So I’m saying today and every day

COAL AVENUE COMMONS | SEE PAGE 18

Library Advisory Board to follow 12step method to build a new library By: Molly Howell Sun Correspondent

, (DVWERXQG OHIW ODQH IURP 00 WR 00

fact that the city is choosing to narrow the street now. He said he thought making these changes was the right decision. Bonaguidi was joined by members of the city council who agreed that the project was a huge improvement for the city’s infrastructure. Dist. 1 Councilor Linda Garcia talked about how the

he new library hasn’t been built yet, but the plans for it are coming together. During the Aug. 19 Library Adv isor y Boa rd meeti ng, Tammi Moe, Octavia Fellin Public Library’s deputy director, reminded the board about the planning method she proposed at a previous meeting — “The New Planning for Results: A Streamlined Approach,” written by Sandra Nelson and

published by the Public Library Association. In an interview with the Sun, Moe said public libraries have used the model since the ‘90s. She said the model is not just theoretical. It is meant for real world application. The fi rst step in the method is to form a planning committee. It will be the committee’s job to determine the community’s vision and identify its needs. The method which once had 23 steps, has combined some of the planning tasks

Octavia Fellin Public Library Deputy Director Tammi Moe

to reduce the number to a total of 12. It includes an

LIBRARY | SEE PAGE 18

WHAT’S INSIDE …

GALLUP GETS READY FOR POT Cannabis regulations being discussed

12 14 16 23 THE UGLY SIDE OF EDUCATION Uncovering the secrets of Native boarding schools

Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

TOBACCO — THE NEWEST INSECTICIDE Australian tobacco is deadly to bugs

VETERANS HONORED Quilts of Valor presented to 10 area vets

GET READY! The Junior Cupcake Wars start Aug. 27

NEWS

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

About 90 percent of GMCS students are back to in-person learning By: Molly Howell Sun Correspondent

he new school year has begun for GallupMcK i n ley C ou nt y School District students, and this school looks a little different than last year.

Gallup Sun Publishing, LLC Publisher Babette Herrmann Office Manager Mandy Marks Managing Editor Beth Blakeman Design Vladimir Lotysh Contributing Editor Cody Begaye Correspondents Molly Howell Photography Cable Hoover Ana Hudgeons Ryan Hudgeons Knifewing Segura On the Cover: Left: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Zoom meeting screenshot Right: Gallup High School in session wearing masks. Photo Courtesy GMCS Facebook

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: 1983 State Rd. 602 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. Guest columnists, email Sun for submission requirements.

During the Aug. 23 school board meeting, the district’s Superintendent Michael Hyatt told the board that the district ended last school year with about 25 percent of its students doing in-person learning. At the beginning of this year, about 90 percent of students are returning to campus. “We’re very pleased with what’s taken place so far, given [that] we went from a school year where there was very little in-person learning happening, to a start of a school year where we have a lot of students back on campus,” Hyatt said. “The transition hasn’t been perfect, but it has been better than expected.” Hyatt explained that the district doesn’t have the numbers completely figured out yet

THANK YOU ADVERTISERS Amigo Automotive Group - 1 AJ Tires & Auto Center - 8 Amazing Grace Insurance - 17 Anthony’s Taste of the Southwest - 15 Bubany Insurance Agency - 12 Butler’s Office City - 13 505 Burgers and Wings -15 Gal-A-Bowl - 10 Gallup Housing Authority - 21 Gallup McKinley County Schools - 2 Genaro’s Cafe - 15 Grandpa’s Grill - 15 Keller Williams Realty - 1 Kiwanis Club of Gallup (Courtesy) - 7 Maria’s Restaurant - 15 NM Dept. of Finance - 5 Pinnacle Bank - 17 Railway Cafe - 15 Richardson Trading Company - 16 Rico Motor Company - 3 Rollie Mortuary - 14 Route 66 Diner - 15 The Door - 13 Thunderbird Supply Company $ 6, 9, 11 T-Mobile - 24 Valley Fence - 4

Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

on how many students chose to come back to GMCS this school year, but he is expecting to have those numbers soon. “There are a lot of options for students in receiving their education and people are choosing different things for their children, so I’m sure we’ll have some decrease,” Hyatt said. “But I know that overall we’re very pleased with the number of students that have come back.” He noted that part of that success can be credited to the GMCS staff. “The staff have been tremendous … as far as working

Gallup-McKinley County Schools Superintendent Mike Hyatt with [students] and helping them come back to school and

Check out our FREE access community website!

www.gallupsun.com

feel comfortable that they’re coming back to a safe environment,” Hyatt said. He went on to explain the COVID-19 regulations that will be in place this year in accordance with the governor’s mask mandate put in place Aug. 20. Anyone on school premises will be required to wear a mask when they’re indoors. This mandate will also include i nd o o r s p o r t i n g e ve nt s . Athletes will also be expected to follow the mask regulation while they’re competing and practicing. Masks are not required outdoors, according to t h e Ne w M e x i c o P u bl i c Education Department and t he New Mex ico At h let ic Association. Right now, the district is not requiring vaccines. However, Hyatt did report that most of the district’s staff is vaccinated, and about 50 percent of eligible students are also vaccinated.

NEWS

THE KIWANIS CLUB OF GALLUP Thanks All Sponsors and Players For Supporting our July 10, 2021 Night Golf Tournament *EAGLE SPONSORS* CASTLE FURNITURE • TANNER INSURANCE • GALLUP JOURNEY MAGAZINE *BIRDIE SPONSORS* GURLEY MOTOR COMPANY • GREG PLESE CPA • RICO AUTO COMPLEX *PAR SPONSORS* + BUTLER'S OFFICE SUPPLY + FAMILY MEDICINE ASSOCIATES

+ NIZHONI VISION CENTER

+ DR. TERRY SLOAN

+ JOE MILO'S TRADING COMPANY

+ RED ROCK INSURANCE AGENCY

+ DR. LIDIO RAINALDI

+ MASON & ISAACSON, PA

+ REMAX COMBINED INVESTMENTS

+ DYNAMIC SIGNS

+ MUNOZ PROPERTIES

+ TONY GONZALES, CPA

The Kiwanis Club of Gallup celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2020. One project which the Club sponsors is the Dictionary Program. Each school year, the Club buys dictionaries and members deliver them to all third-grade students within McKinley County. At the end of the school year, the students take their dictionaries home to keep.

For more information about the Club, contact: Sarah Piano (505) 726-4285

John Taylor (505) 863-3770

Mary Ann Armijo (505) 870-1076

Fran Pawlowski (505) 722-5871

The advertising message courtesy of Castle Furniture NEWS

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

Will there be an ArtsCrawl 2021? By: Molly Howell Sun Correspondent

r t sCrawl is usually a big part of Gallup’s social calendar dur ing the spr ing, fa ll, a nd summer. But COVID-19 has kept it on hiatus for a year and a half. However, during the Business Improvement District meeting

on Aug. 19, Executive Director Francis Bee gave the board some hope for the future. “… I would say right now there’s like a 50/50 chance we’re goi n g t o h ave t he ArtsCrawl, but we’re planning for it; because if you don’t plan for it, it certainly can’t happen,” Bee said. Bee asked the city council to close Coal Avenue between

First Street and Third Street and Second Street between Route 66 and Aztec Avenue. The closures were approved. “We’re keeping a close eye on the COVID virus and the spread of the Delta variant,” Bee stated. “We have the September B.I.D. meeting, which is the third Thursday of September. “If at that point it looks like

the virus is out of control, we can cancel the October event.” The fi rst ArtsCrawl in 2021 is scheduled for Oct. 9. Coordinator Rhonda Quintana, who was unable to make the meeting, is already work ing on pla ns for the event’s return. Bee said that she was able to secure a large rock and roll band for the date.

Business Improvement District Executive Director Francis Bee

City council makes adjustments; approves cannabis ordinance By: Molly Howell Sun Correspondent

unicipalities across New Mexico are preparing ordinances to begin selling legal cannabis. Most of Aug. 24’s City Council meeting was spent preparing Gallup’s ordinance and making fi nal adjustments before it becomes official. In weeks past, the city council and the Planning and Zoning Committee discussed

what they wanted to see out of the ordinance. (Aug. 6) The Planning and Zoning Committee drafted a zoning ordinance which outlined the areas in the city where cannabis can be sold or consumed. (Aug. 11) This week’s city council meeting allowed for discussion and fi nal changes to the ordinance. In an interview with the Sun, Director Clyde Strain said the Gallup Planning and Zoning Committee decided the

city should allow cannabis consumption downtown because it will be allowed everywhere else in the city’s commercial districts. The committee a rgued that putting these rules in place would allow the city to have some control over the situation. The city council ultimately decided against this suggestion. Councilor Fran Palochak, Dist. 4, spoke about ArtsCrawl and other events held downtown when she argued why

Gallup city councilors are preparing for legalized recreational cannabis. File Photo ca nnabis consumption shouldn’t be allowed in the downtown area. “There’s hundreds of people, so if you have a consumption area and they’re opening the door to come out, is all that smell going to come out to the street?” she asked. W H AT IS L EGA L IMPAIRMENT? Although driving under the influence is not something the zoning ordinance covers, Councilor Linda Garcia, Dist. 1, asked what the legal level of cannabis would be for driving. The legal limit for alcohol is a .08 blood alcohol level. City Attorney Curtis Hayes explained that there is no set legal amount for cannabis at the moment because more research needs to be done on how it can be measured in the bloodstream. It cannot be

measured like alcohol. However, Hayes assured the council that the Gallup Police Department would be receiving training on what to look for when pulling someone over for possibly driving under the influence of marijuana. HOME-GROWN The next topic of discussion was home cultivation. The city ordinance allows people to grow cannabis in their homes. An individual is permitted six plants, and a family is allowed to have 12. Many of the councilors ex pressed concer n about allowing cannabis to be grown somewhere where a child could have easy access. Jessica Lawliss, an urban pl a n ner w it h t he a rch i tectural and city planning compa ny Dek ker/ Per ich / Sabatini, who helped Strain present the Planning and Zoning Committee’s changes, addressed the councilors’ concerns by explaining that the ordinance stated that any homegrown cannabis would be required to be contained in a closed area where minors

CANNABIS | SEE PAGE 18

Fall enrollment numbers down Staff Reports

N M - G a l l u p announced current enrollment numbers for Fall 2021 stand at 1,747 students and 14,165 student credit hours as of Aug. 25. At the same time last year enrollment stood at 1,937

Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

students at 15,474 student credit hours. Senior Public Relations Specialist Lee Lamb s a id t he school ex pec t s t he nu mber s to i ncrea se slightly over the next couple of we ek s a nd cou ld w i nd up about even or slightly ahead of last year’s figures. NEWS

NEWS

PUBLIC SAFETY

Alleged murderer found in Gamerco By Molly Howell Sun Correspondent

multi-agency effort led to t he ea rly morning arrest of a l leged wa nted murderer Josiah Smith in Gamerco. T he McK i n ley Cou nt y Sheriff’s Office, Gallup Police Department, and the FBI were able to locate Josiah Smith, 27, from Smith Lake, N.M. on Aug. 21 around 7 am. According to McK inley County Undersheriff James Maiorano, Smith had an outstanding warrant for a murder that was connected to a shooting that happened in Church Rock, N. M. earlier this year. That case is being handled by the FBI. Sm it h wa s t a ken i nt o custody without incident or injury. On May 17, Smith allegedly

Josiah Smith

shot and killed a man by fi ring into a window from outside a Church Rock home. Smith is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. He had his initial appearance in court on Aug. 25. He will be in custody until his detention hearing, which has been scheduled for Aug. 26. If he is convicted, Smith could face a sentence of up to life in prison.

Unregistered sex offender apprehended in Gamerco By Molly Howell Sun Correspondent

man who had been convicted of the rape of a child in Pennsylvania was found in Gamerco on Aug. 20 around 3:30 pm. T he McK i n ley Cou nt y Sheriff’s Office had been given a photo of Andres Cortez, 40, and his information, so they could be on the lookout for him. According to McKinley County Undersheriff James Maiorano, Cortez had an outstanding warrant from Pennsylvania because he hadn’t registered as a sex offender and he broke his parole by fleeing to New Mexico. Cortez was originally convicted of the rape of a child under the age of 13, sexual assault, indecent exposure, and incest. He was serving time in the Department of Corrections when he was paroled. He broke his parole and fled to New Mexico. A nationwide warrant was then issued out of Pennsylvania. Since he was out PUBLIC SAFETY

Andres Cortez of the state he was booked on the warrant as a fugitive from justice. “We worked diligently with the U.S. Marshals Service to track this guy down and get him back to prison, where he belongs,” Maiorano said in a statement given to the Sun. McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnson Lee was the one who found Cortez. Deputy Gavin Panteah and Lee pursued Cortez on foot after he initially avoided arrest. He was eventually apprehended without incident. Cor tez was booked at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center. Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

Police arrest shooter at elementary school Staff Reports

tagecoach Elementary School (1498 Freedom Dr.) went into a lockdown on the morning of Aug. 23 when Gallup Police responded to a call about shots fired in the a rea of Sagebrush Place Apartments (650 Dani Drive). Of f icer s made cont act with the caller around 9 am. The caller explained that he discovered an unknown male inside his vehicle at the apartment complex and when

he confronted him, the person inside his vehicle pulled out a firearm. Startled by the response, he left the area, but said he heard two gunshots. Officers set up a perimeter to search for the suspect and the school was placed on lockdown during the pursuit. Of f icer s of t he Ga l lup Police Department located the suspect and took him into custody. He was ident i f i e d a s Je r o m e T y s o n Stewart, 32, of Fort Defiance, Ariz. and formally booked into the McK inley County

Adu lt Detent ion Center for 1) Burgla r y of a vehicle, 2) Aggravated Assault (use of a deadly weapon), 3) Po s s e s s ion of a con trolled substance (possession of methamphetamine), 4) Tampering with evidence (third or fourth degree felony) and 5) Negligent use of a dead ly weapon (d is charging a firearm near an inhabited building). T he s c ho ol lo ckd ow n was lifted. No injuries were repor ted. The incident remains under investigation.

Sagebrush Place Apartments (650 Dani Dr.). Photo Credit: Courtesy

Weekly Police Activity Report Staff Reports ICE CREAM BREAK-IN Gallup, July 20 Someone really wanted some ice cream. On July 20 around 9:22 am the Gallup Police got a call saying that the Dairy Queen at 200 East Highway 66 in Gallup had been broken into. When Lieutenant Francie M a r t i ne z , O f f icer Ci nd y

Roma ncito, a nd Sergea nt Terrance Peyketewa got to the scene, they saw that the glass door on the east side of the business had been broken into. According to the police report, an employee said one of the customers had informed her about the break in. The business owner told police that nothing seemed to be missing, but that she would

have someone check the surveillance cameras. The total cost of the damage to the door is estimated to be about $650. CRACKED WINDSHIELD Gallup, July 19 A woman came back from work to fi nd that the front window of her car had been damaged, and she told the Gallup Police that she believed her ex-boyfriend did it.

Gallup Police Officer Nicole Diswood was dispatched to 3065 Red Bluff Court in Gallup on July 19, around 8:30 pm, after a woman reported that her car window was smashed. When Diswood met with the woman from Gallup, she told the officer that her silver Chevy Impala had been fi ne that morning when she had gotten in to grab her purse before heading to work. But when she came home from work later that day, her front window was broken. The woman said she suspected her ex-boyfriend, who had been over that morning was responsible. She said she had called the cops on him, so he had left. But she thought he may have returned later and damaged her car. The victim didn’t have any cameras outside her house. She estimated that it would cost her about $500 to get her windshield replaced. SPIT THREAT Gallup, July 19 A man threatened to spit on an officer and give him COV ID -19 after he was arrested for mu lt iple warrants. On July 19, a rou nd 4:53 pm, Ga l lup

Police Officer Patrick Largo was dispatched to the Alon North Store at 500 U.S. Hwy. 491 in Gallup because of a call about a fight. When he arrived at the scene he saw a man who was later identified as Darron Spencer, 36, from Gamerco. T he busi ness ow ner sa id Spencer had been involved in a fight. In his report Largo noted that he has dealt with Spencer in the past. He saw that the man had scratches on his face and that he was intoxicated. Metro Dispatch told Largo that Spencer had multiple warrants out for his arrest, so he placed him under arrest. When Largo took Spencer to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, Spencer made threats to spit on him and informed him that he had COVID-19. Largo warned Detention Officer Shania Lee to be careful when handling Spencer because he might spit. A s L a r go went t o get Spencer out of his patrol car he spit in the officer’s direction. According to the police repor t, the sa liva missed Largo. A mask and a spit mask were put on Spencer so that he wouldn’t try to spit on anyone. Spencer was booked on six warrants. He is currently in custody.

Check out our FREE access community website! www.gallupsun.com 10

Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

PUBLIC SAFETY

WEEKLY DWI REPORT Staff Reports Joseph Romero Jr. July 19, 10:15 pm DWI G a l lu p Police Officer N i c o l e Diswood was sitting in her patrol car at the Ga llup Municipal A ir por t when someone approached her and told her about a vehicle in a ditch across from the Sonic on the west side of town. According to her report, Diswood found the blue Nissan in the ditch off Margarite and West Historic Highway 66. When she approached the car, the driver was still trying to get out of the ditch. Diswood noticed the driver, later identified as Joseph Romero Jr., 22, from Gamerco, had bloodshot, watery eyes, and she could smell alcohol on him. She told him to put the car in park, and he proceeded to put it in neutral and then

PUBLIC SAFETY

back into drive. He told her it was in park. She told him it wasn’t, and after the correction, he was fi nally able to put it in park. Diswood told Romero to take the keys out of the ignition and give them to her. He then got out of the car, and Diswood asked him if he was willing to do the standard field sobriety tests, which he agreed to perform. Romero did not pass any of the tests. A t t he G a l lu p Pol ic e Department, Romero blew a .19/.19. He was transported to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, where he was booked for an aggravated DWI. He was released on his own recognizance July 21. Tyrone Descheny July 16, 4:31 pm DWI Tyrone Descheny was driving down the off-ramp of Exit 20 of Interstate 40 when he passed out in his car, which ended up blocking traffic.

W h e n Gallup Police Officer Cindy Romancito a r r ived, she could see Descheny was passed out in his blue Dodge van in the road’s center lane. She could smell alcohol coming from the van. She reached inside the window to turn the engine off. When she opened the door to take the van out of gear, Descheny woke up. Romancito told him to take the key out of the ignition, which he did. Descheny told Romancito that he had just gotten off work. When she asked him if he’d had any alcohol recently, he admitted to having one beer. Romancito arrested him, and when she went back to the Dodge to get his wallet, she found an open bottle of beer and a six-pack of Budweiser with four bottles missing. Romancito took Descheny to the Gallup Police Station for a breath test. Descheny provided breath samples of .16 and .15. He was charged with not having insurance, having an open container, his fi rst DWI.

Descheny was released on his own recognizance July 19. Zachary Largo July 13, 9:31 pm DWI Zachary Largo, 24, hit multiple cars a s he wa s driving drunk around Father Dunstan Park. Ga l lup Police Officer Gilbert Gonzales

arrived at the park at 9:31 pm to fi nd a row of cars lined up along with a gray Chevy Cruze, which Largo was still sitting in. When Gonzales attempted to ask Largo his name, the man’s speech was slurred, and Gonzales could smell alcohol in the car. Firefighters were there to check on Largo and see if he

WEEKLY DWI REPORT | SEE PAGE 18

This table represents a seven-day period of Gallup Police Dept. incident calls August 18 - August 24 INCIDENT TYPE

NUMBER OF CALLS

INTOXICATED

250

WELFARE CHECK

168

TRAFFIC-RELATED

104

DISORDERLY SUBJECT

POLICE REQUEST

ALARM

DOMESTIC

LAW

ROUTINE PATROL

ACCIDENT

All other calls including. attempt to locate, burglary, battery, assault, party call disturbance, etc.

231

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

NEWS

INDIAN COUNTRY

Boarding school history underpins Yazzie v. Martinez ﬁ ndings on Native education By Shaun Griswold nmindepth.com

history and legacy of boarding schools in the United States. U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced in late June

n an afternoon in Ju ne, neig hbor s wa lked the gra ss loop of Albuquerque’s 4-H park as kids chased underneath a metal sculpture and stepped on a marker that hints of the unmarked grave site below for students at the old Albuquerque Indian School who died more than 100 years ago. Draped on a solitary tree nearby were orange tapestries, part of a community-built memorial dedicated to the gravesite near the former site of the Albuquerque Indian School. It went up after someone noticed a plaque missing that commemorated the cemetery for Zuni, Navajo and Apache students buried there between 1882 and 1933. How the plaque went missing

returned the right to educate their children back to tribes. Or that Native students continue to lag their peers in educational

A sign demands a city council investigation of the circumstances of an unmarked gravesite for Zuni, Navajo, and Apache children who attended the Albuquerque Indian School in the early 20th century. The sign is at a community-built memorial near a burial ground at Albuquerque’s 4-H park. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marjorie Childress is a mystery, and its absence might have escaped notice a few years ago. But a discovery in May of 215

unmarked graves at an Indian boarding school in southern British Columbia has sparked heightened awareness of the

This plaque, now missing, designated the site of unmarked graves of Zuni, Navajo and Apache students at the Albuquerque Indian School. Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

Community members erected a memorial at 4-H park, and an altar where there was once a plaque that had noted the unmarked gravesite. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Shaun Griswold the agency would investigate the extent to which there was loss of human life in this country and the lasting consequences of boarding schools. The federal government, beginning in the late 1800s, took Indian children from their families in an effort to strip them of their cultures and language. It’s unknown how many Native children were affected over the decades, but, at a minimum, the numbers are into the tens of thousands. I n her a n nou ncement, Haaland described boarding school legacies of intergenerational trauma, cycles of violence and abuse, and disappearance and premature deaths. What Haaland didn’t include was that the government never

Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

outcomes. While the era of boarding schools eventually waned, Native students were largely shifted to state public schools, where tribes didn’t create the curriculum or oversee what their children learned in the classroom. But in recent years, tribes and Native American experts in Haaland’s home state have been demanding more control, saying they know best how to educate their children. They’re supported by the 2018 Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico court

BOARDING SCHOOL/YAZZIE MARTINEZ | SEE PAGE 13 INDIAN COUNTRY

BOARDING SCHOOL/YAZZIE MARTINEZ | FROM PAGE 12 ruling that referenced the Indian boarding school system as an underlying factor in poor educational outcomes among Native students. In 2018, then-chairman of the All Pueblo Council of Governors, Edward Paul Torres, bluntly described the importance of the moment to a joint session of the New Mexico Legislature. Calling Yazzie/Martinez a “landmark decision of monumental proportions,” Torres said, “Not since 1890 when the first Indian education policy was unveiled focused on assimilation have we had such an opportunity as we have today to redefine education that does not destroy who we are as a people.” EXCAVATING HISTORY Haaland announced the Interior Department boarding school initiative during the National Congress of American Indians Summit during which Chairman Wilfred Herrera (Laguna) described in detail how the schools “ripped our Pueblo children – some as young as four years old – from the arms of their mothers, stripping them of tender parental care and compassion; many unable to return home until the completion of their studies.” A member of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico whose own grandparents were subjected to the U.S. residential boarding school system, Haaland,

INDIAN COUNTRY

Benjamin Thomas, Mary Perry, and John Menaul of Laguna Pueblo in “before” and “after” photographs, included in an extensive repository of images and documents related to students who attended Carlisle Indian School. Photo Credit: Courtesy nmindepth.com is well-versed in the history and legacy of boarding schools. But for anyone who wanted to know, that history is well documented. The federal government opened the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania in 1879, the first of many boarding schools that became home to Indian children taken from their families. Two years later, the Presbyterian Church opened the Albuquerque Indian School for Navajo, Pueblo and Apache students, transferring control to the federal government in 1884. It was one of many boarding schools that would open in New Mexico. The goal was to force Native people to shed their cultural

identities, language, and spiritual traditions. Over the past century gover nment repor ts sounded the alarm about boarding schools. “The Meriam Report of 1928” criticized their inadequate facilities and the removal of children from their homes, stressing repeatedly the need for relevant curriculum adapted to the culture of the children.

Over the following decade, the federal government mostly shifted responsibility for educating Native children to state public schools. But that didn’t herald an embrace of Indian culture. “There is not one Indian child who has not come home in shame and tears after one of those sessions in which he is taught that his people were dirty,

animal-like, something less than a human being,” the then-president of the American Indian Historical Society said of public schools, when speaking before the U.S. Senate subcommittee on Indian Education that produced the Kennedy Report of 1969. Nor did public schools empower tribes to share control of education, despite precedents of successful tribal programs in the 1800s. The Choctaw of Mississippi and Oklahoma operated about 200 schools and academies, sending numerous graduates to eastern colleges, the Kennedy Report noted. And during the same period, the Cherokee tribe controlled a school system that produced 100 percent literacy. “Anthropologists have determined that as a result of this school system, the literacy level in English of western Oklahoma Cherokees was higher than the white populations of either Texas or Arkansas,” the authors of the reports observed. But those Cherokee and Choctaw school systems were abolished in 1906 when Oklahoma became

BOARDING SCHOOL/YAZZIE MARTINEZ | SEE PAGE 18

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

NEWS

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

Earthweek: Diary of a Changing World Week ending Friday, August 20, 2021

unknown to science, the newly named Nicotiana insecticida is covered in sticky glands that entrap and poison small insects such as flies, aphids and gnats. British scientists who discovered the plant say there is no evidence Nicotiana insecticida extracts any nutrients from insects it traps, but its poison does seem to prevent damage from the pests. The team says the plant is easy to grow and may one day be used to kill aphids and fungus gnats in greenhouses.

By Steve Newman

Fish Bake With record summer heat and drought threateni ng w i ld sa l mon i n Ca l i for n ia , t he Pa ci f ic Northwest, British Columbia a nd At la nt ic Ca na da t h i s summer, experts say many commonly eaten fish could fa ce ex t i nct ion a s g loba l heating makes waters too hot for t hem t o s u r v ive. A repor t i n t he jou r na l “Natu re Climate Cha nge,” wa r n s m a ny specie s w i l l struggle to keep pace with the deepening climate emergency. “Warming waters are a double whammy for fish, as they not only cause them to evolve to a smaller size, but also reduce their ability to move to more suitable env i ron ment s , co - a ut hor Chr is Venditti of Br ita in’s University of Reading, said. He warns this could threaten global food security.

3.9

6.9

Fred

Linda

Henri

7.2

+49° Agadir, Morocco

6.9

-68 Vostok, Antarctica

Hottest Month La Niña Return?

Earthquakes More than 2,000 people per i shed a nd 10,000 others were injured when a n intense temblor caused devastation in Haiti. • Ear th movements were a lso felt i n Ca nada’s southeastern Saskatchewan province, the Alaska Pe n i n s u l a a n d n o r t h e r n Vanuatu.

A La Niña watch has been issued for the tropical Pacific as the ocean-cooling phenomenon now has a 70 percent chance of developing from November to January. The sea surface between South America and Indonesia is now in a “neutral” phase between El Niño warming and La Niña. La Niña typically pushes the polar jet stream northward, bringing wetter weather to the Pacific

''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.

Northwest, western Canada and the Ohio Valley. But it may also bring ongoing dry conditions to California and the Desert Southwest, worsening droughts and wildfire threats. La Niña’s cooling can also contribute to an extended and active hurricane season.

Tropical Cyclones Florida and parts of the neighboring Southeast received downpours and local severe flooding as Tropical Storm Fred passed northward from the Gulf of Mexico and dissipated. • Haiti’s earthquake disaster zone was drenched by Tropical Depression Grace, which strengthened to hurricane force before lashing the Yucatán Peninsula. • Tropical Storm Henri looped around Bermuda as Hurricane Linda peaked at Category-4 force while tracking over the Pacific.

Tobacco Kills The first species of wild tobacco plant known to kill insects was discovered next to a remote highway truck stop in Western Australia. Previously

Ju ly w a s t he w o r l d ’s h o t t e s t month globally on record, according to the U.S. environment agency NOAA, which said the month’s “unenviable distinction” was a cause for concern. The agency calculated that the combined land and ocean-surface temperature was 1.68 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average of 60.6 degrees. That put the month 0.01 degrees hotter than in the previous hottest Julys of 2016, 2019 and 2020. “This new record adds to the disturbing and disruptive path that climate change has set for the globe,” NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said in a statement.

Temporary Island Japan’s Coast Gu a r d fou nd a newly for med island about 1,200 km south of Tokyo when a sur veillance f light spotted an active eruption in a remote area south of Iwo Jima. The Japan Meteorological Agency says previous eruptions created islands in 1904, 1914 and 1986, with all eventually being eroded by waves and currents. Dist. by: Andrews McMeel Syndication ©MMXXI Earth ºEnvironment Service

• 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 A new volcanic island emerged in the Paciﬁc. Photo Credit: Japan Coast Guard

Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

Governor signs ‘30 x 30’ EXECUTIVE ORDER CALLS FOR STATE TO CONSERVE AT LEAST 30 PERCENT OF LAND BY 2030 Staff Reports

omplementing a nationwide effort to protect U. S. land and water, Gov. Michelle Lu ja n Gr isha m signed a n order Aug. 25 to support New Mexico’s “30 x 30” framework, which would conserve at least 30 percent of all lands in the state by 2030.

land management agencies in planning, and coordinate with stakeholders. The agencies will meet quarterly to assess the state’s progress toward the goals set by the executive order and provide an annual report to the governor on progress. The agencies are instructed to use the best ava ilable

science, take a broad view of conser vation including contributions from working lands and demonstrate a commitment to equity, including respect for and consideration of tr iba l sovereignty a nd self-determination. “ Today we promot e a broad view of conservation that reflects the importance

of traditional resource protection, access for outdoor recreation, contributions of working lands, and tribal sovereignty a nd s el f- det er m i n a t ion ,” Lujan Grisham said. “We have set the wheels in motion to conserve our state’s incredible natural resources and ensure that New Mexico remains, forever, the Land of Enchantment.”

New Mexico Wilderness Society State Director Michael Casaus offered his support for the framework with the following statement: “Wi ld f i re s, d roug ht , a declining wildlife population, and the threats posed by

30 X 30 | SEE PAGE 18

Dine Local Restaurant Guide Please Support Local Businesses $INE )NçANDç0ATIOç3ITTINGç ISçNOWçOPEN

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. File Photo

#ALLçFORçPICK UPçORç$ELIVERY

7E REç"ACK çç

-ONȩ ȩ3ATȩ ȩAMȩ ȩ ȩPM 3UNDAYȩ ȩ#LOSED

'IVEçUSçAç#ALLçFORç$ELIVERY ç #ARRY /UTçORç#URBSIDEç0ICK 5P

ȩ3TATEȩ2OADȩ 'ALLUP ȩ.-ȩ

0H ȩ ȩ

&RPĠ MRLŨ XƖ IRU EUHDNIDVƜ OXQFŊ RU GLQQHU

New Mexico Wilderness Society State Director Michael Casaus. Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Wilderness Society

T h e e xe c u t i v e o r d e r directs the Energy, Minerals a nd Na t u r a l R e s ou r ce s Department, New Mexico Environment Department, Office of the State Engineer, Department of Agriculture, Indian Affairs Department and the director of the New Mex ico Depa r t ment of Game and Fish and Outdoor Recreation Division to use their existing authorities to support and implement programs that conserve, protect and enhance our lands and natural environments. This framework will leverage available funding and programs, allowing the state to move more quickly to protect and conserve New Mexico’s unique landscapes. T h e e xe c u t i v e o r d e r specifically: Directs the agencies to use existing programs across all land types, leverage state and federal funding to the fullest extent, engage with federal

> 7 )+!! R^ (+!! a^ DRe )+!! R^ '+!! a^

$INEȩ ȩ)N ȩ0ATIOȩ$INING

$INEȩ ȩ)N ȩ0ATIOȩ$INING ȩ #URBSIDEȩ ȩ#ARRY /UT

ȩ% !ZTECȩ!VENUE

'ALLUP ȩ.-ȩȩ

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

2IIHULQJ %UHDNIDVW /XQFK : &RDO *DOOXS 10 -ONȩnȩ3ATȩȩ ȩAMȩnȩ ȩPM

2IIHULQJ 'LQH ,Q &DUU\ 2XW

5RXWĠ 'LQHU %JOF *O BOE 1BUJP 4JUUJOH JT OPX PQFO 0S $BMM GPS 1JDL VQ PS %FMJWFSZ .PO 4BU BN QN & )JTU )XZ (BMMVQ /. 4VOEBZ $MPTFE ȩ ȩyȩ ȩ

Railway Cafe on Route 66 Join us for our huge selection of desserts!

50% dine-in and take out! Tues - Sat 7 am - 7 pm Sun 8 am - 1 pm • Mon Closed

(505)863-2535 Gallup, NM

Advertise in the Sun!

Offering Take-Out & Curbside! Give Us A Call!

Call for Great Rates & Ad Specials today. (505) 722-8994

(505) 722-9311 1981 NM-602, Gallup, NM 87301

Hours:

Tuesday - Saturday 11 am - 7 pm (Closed Sunday & Monday)

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

COMMUNITY

Local veterans receive gifts from Quilts of Valor Staff Reports

group of local quilters presented ten quilts to local veterans at the Veterans

Helping Veterans building Aug. 20. Some of those in attendance included Mayor Louis B o n a g u id i , D i s t . 4 C i t y Councilor Fran Palochak,

country and western entertainer John Encinio, who is a veteran of the Viet Nam conflict and returned to Gallup from Las Vegas, Nev. to participate in the event.

Others who can be spotted in some of these pictures include: Bill Werner, John Matajcich, Mike Sekiya, Pedro Flores, Lee Peshlakai, Heather Slim, Miguel Garcia,

Ned Pablo, Daniel Renault Haven, Shelly Biakaiddy, and Mike Selia. Photo Quintana

Credit:

Joe

3JDIBSETPO 5SBEJOH 1PTU

0QFO GPS #VTJOFTT ] $BTI 1BXO .PO 'SJ ] 4BU 8FTU "WF ] (BMMVQ /.

Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

COMMUNITY

New ‘Candyman’ sequel could save the franchise By Glenn Kay For the Sun

RATING:  OUT OF  RUNNING TIME: 91 MINUTES T h is feat u re f rom Universal Pictures will open at cinemas Aug. 27. In 1992, audiences got their fi rst taste of the iconic horror character known as Candyman. The original fi lm, based on a short story by Clive Barker, was striking and made a sizable impression on moviegoers. Unfortunately, the pair of follow-ups weren’t nearly as successful critically or commercially, and the franchise quickly petered out. Now, enough time seems to have passed to move forward with a new and updated take on the figure. While the new “Candyman” isn’t as dynamic as the original fi lm, it is certainly an improvement over the previous sequels. A r tist A nthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) once showed great promise, but finds himself experiencing a creative block. After hearing stories about the fabled Candyman, he decides to research the myth and the fi gure’s old haunting grounds of Cabrini Green. The protagonist becomes inspired and fascinated with the legend, befriending local laundromat owner and Candyman

aut hor it y, Wi l l ia m Bu rke (Colman Domingo). Anthony’s increasingly obsessive and erratic behavior begins to upset his significant other, art gallery director Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris). A s t he lead beg i ns to uncover more, those around him begin dying violently under highly unusual circumstances. Hor r or f a n s c a n r e s t assured that although the movie initially appears to be a reimagining or reboot, it is a direct sequel of the 1992 genre classic. This screenplay takes the opportunity to elaborate on and develop the history of the title character. As expected, the story attempts to connect Candyman to the many injustices committed against the African-American community and it even discusses the gentrification of the original Cabrini Green neighborhood. Conversations between the lead and supporting cast about these issues are anything but subtle. But this is a genre picture and at least an attempt is being made to delve deeper into the story’s subtext. The movie also benefits from some interesting photography. Those familiar with the sinister killer will know that he appears in the mirror whenever his name is uttered five times. The fi lm has a lot of fun with reflections and there are some clever images of familiar icons, sets and even cityscapes reversed or framed

Artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is experiencing a creative block and visits Candyman’s (of the 1992 ﬁlm) old haunting grounds in the 2021 ﬁlm “Candyman.” Photo Credit: Universal Pictures upside-down. Many of these shots are impressive and the technique also serves as a nifty way to create a sense of unease with seemingly ordinary surroundings. The unique shots also allow for some creative framing during the murder sequences. While there’s some good stuff in this feature, it does have its share of issues. The movie certainly attempts to develop its characters, but it takes too long for the menacing Candyman to actually appear and terrorize viewers. Early scenes also make a point of introducing Brianna’s brother Troy (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) and his partner Grady (Kyle Kaminsky). They’re fun to watch, but they end up fading

into the background and not playing a significant role in later scenes. While the movie provides reasoning for why Candyman targets specific individuals, tension and thrills would have been more prevalent had the fi lm’s stronger supporting cast members been put in danger. Instead, the killer often attacks inconsequential figures whom the audience won’t be particularly interested in. There’s one sequence involving a group of students that is largely unrelated to the main story and feels wedged in to provide some gruesomeness during a lag in the proceedings. There’s also a tendency to keep Candyman and even his victims offscreen. This can

be effective, but here it sometimes mutes the impact of the slayings. The lead also possesses some notable wounds that no one seems particularly interested in or concerned about, which strains credulity. In the end, “Candyman” has some interesting ideas, a few strong moments and a nifty cameo for viewers who know the original movie well. However, it is unfortunate that the movie isn’t as cutting or pulse pounding as it could have been. At least the fi lm is better than many re-imaginings being released these days and offers some hope for the future of the franchise. V ISI T: W W W. CINEMASTANCE.COM

Josie J Paiz John P. Paiz

With 40 years of experience we are here to serve your Insurance needs, providing friendly customer care with many companies to choose from …

A FEW OF THE POLICIES WE OFFER INCLUDE: • Life, Auto, home/mobile home, and businesses.

COME BY OUR OFFICE

AND LET US ASSIST YOU • Liability and Worker's Comp. & Collector Autos. WITH YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS. Also get a quote online for Auto Insurance daily @ Amazinggraceinsurance.net

SPANISH SPEAKING STAFF AVAILABLE Service is your way of life, and our way of doing business. GALLUP 107 E. Aztec Ave., 505.722.4411 Walmart: 1650 W. Maloney Ave., 505.863.3442 1804 E. Aztec Ave., 505.722.0300

COMMUNITY

Office Hours:

Mon-Fri - 9

to 5

Closed Weekends

(Closed from 1-2)

102 E. Aztec Office: 505-863-8086 Cell: 505-870-3948

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

COAL AVENUE COMMONS | FROM PAGE 4 from now on, let’s enjoy the beauty and the revitalization of Downtown [in the] City of Gallup.” Dist. 4 Councilor Fran Palochak was pleased to discover how the changes made it more convenient for Gallupians

LIBRARY | FROM PAGE 4 information-gathering toolkit for performing research and using customer surveys to provide a responsive level of service. Moe sa id the progra m

CANNABIS | FROM PAGE 8 could not access it. Homegrown cannabis is allowed for personal consumption only, not sales. Lawliss explained to the council that trying to police home growers would become too difficult because Gallup doesn’t have the resources to enforce a law against it. Hayes reminded the council

WEEKLY DWI REPORT | FROM PAGE 11 needed any medical attention. As they were asking him questions, Largo had a hard time keeping his eyes open. A firefighter on the scene

30 X 30 | FROM PAGE 15 climate change are of great concern to the future of New Mexico and our livelihoods here. We thank Gov. Michelle

BOARDING SCHOOL/YAZZIE MARTINEZ | FROM PAGE 13 a state. More recently, the late state Judge Sarah Singleton cited boarding school history in the Yazzie/Martinez court decision. And the 608 pages of facts and findings undergirding the Yazzie/Martinez decision implicate them as a key factor in poor educational outcomes

to move about and take advantage of the city’s downtown district. “I have a friend who is wheelchair-bound, and we were so impressed the other day when we came to shop downtown and we were able to get her wheelchair up to the building without having to go up a curb,” Palochak said. Phase One of the project

included Second Street and Third Streets, along with the intersection and the walkway through the two streets. Phase Two, which will begin shortly, will include the intersection from Second Street to First Street. The project as a whole contains two blocks of downtown and the walkway. In a previous inter view

with the Sun, Gallup’s Tourism a nd M a rke t i n g M a n a ge r Jennifer Lazarz stated that the project includes widening the sidewalks, making sure they’re even, and updating the utilities. Phase One cost almost $4.9 million, according to Lazarz. She said the city staff is currently lobbying for Phase Two. She estimated that the total

bill will add up to about $8.3 million. A grand opening of Coal Avenue Commons Phase One will be held for the public in conjunction with the October Artscrawl event. That celebration will feature live music, arts, and other entertainment that showcases the new block. Beth Blakeman contributed to this story.

estimates it will take four to five months to complete the process. Once it is complete, the building will begin, but fi rst, the library will need to figure out what the community needs out of a new library. “The OFPL team and the

Library Advisory Board are excited to partner with the community as we envision a new model of library services that are unique, and then ultimately build a sustainable, green library, in the heart of Gallup,” Moe stated. On the topic of the green

library, Moe said lowering the library’s ecological footprint is a goal for the board members and for community members. “It might be a factor in selecting an architect to work on the design,” Moe said The location is Gallupowned property just north of

the railroad tracks, and south of Maxwell, between Second Street and Third Street. Moe told the Sun, the relocation of the libraries will not begin until there is a consensus on the design, and the money to move forward has been raised.

that home brewing beer is legal and compared it to growing cannabis. L awl iss added to t hat comparison. “You cannot regulate cannabis uses on a more stringent level than you would other nuisances [like alcohol],” she stated. Strain also commented on the issue. “You can’t pad every corner, and it’s not like everybody’s gonna be honorable and

come in and say, ‘I’m doing this in my house; I have this many pla nts,’” Stra in rea soned. “That’s just not gonna happen, but we do have the basic regulations in place that give us authority to regulate it.” OTHER REGULATIONS The ordinance also requires that there be space regulations. A cannabis manufacture or retail store must be at least 300 feet away from any residence, religious assembly, church,

cultural center, government facility, or another cannabis establishment. The council also added parks, libraries, retirement homes, recreation centers, and rehabilitation centers to that list. Cannabis sales will be allowed from 10 am to 12 am, and people 21 and over can consume it any time between 10 am and 2 am Monday through Saturday. Sunday sales will only be allowed from 10 am to

12 am. Toward the end of the meeting, Mayor Louis Bonaguidi expressed how amazed he was at the cultural change this ordinance implies. “You know for 60 years pot was terrible for society, and it was criminal, and then all of a sudden we have to accept it with open arms,” he said. “We’re making a decision that actually gives me goosebumps.”

unbuckled Largo’s seatbelt, a nd t wo ot her f i r ef ig ht ers helped him get out of the ca r a nd back to their fire truck where they could check on him. As this was done, Gonzales noticed that the car’s center console and Largo’s clothes were covered

in vomit. According to the police repor t, Gon za les decided Largo couldn’t do the field sobriety tests because he was too intoxicated. Largo refused to give a breath sample. A n open bottle of New Amsterdam peach-f lavored

vodka was found in Largo’s car. He was transported to the Gallup Indian Medical Center for medical clearance. While Gonzales was driving to the hospital, Largo threw up in the patrol unit. A fter he was medically cleared, Largo was booked at

the McKinley County Adult Detention Center. He wa s booked for his first DWI, an open container charge, and for not having his license or any insurance. Largo was released on his own recognizance July 15.

Lu jan Grisham for taking action to ensure that we are developi ng loca lly- d r iven strategies that will create more opportunities for people to protect the nature closest to their communities, whether

in downtown Albuquerque or in the middle of rural New Mexico. New Mexico is in a position to be a national leader in 30x30 and to develop a plan for the future that sets bold and

equitable goals that include Indigenous traditional knowledge as well as the conservation and restoration of state, private, federal, and Tribal lands in these efforts. Now we must get to work across the

state to meet these goals and identify community-led opportunities to protect those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and pressures on our open spaces and public lands.”

today. “Language is the necessary means that provides for the full understanding of the indigenous customs and laws of the Pueblo people,” the document states, drawing from testimony of Regis Pecos, a former governor of Cochiti Pueblo and co-director of the Santa Fe Leadership Institute at the Santa Fe Indian School. The current public school system is a continued effort at assimilation, one that makes

for a fragile existence for tribes today, Pecos said in an interview. “… our identity, that comes with language and culture and the knowledge of our history and governance and our music, our connections to since the time of origin or creation or emergence, you know, those are all fragile today because of the intentionality of the policies and laws, conceived to assimilate us, to disconnect us from our homelands,” he said. To d ay, New Mex ico’s

Indigenous students, who make up about 34,000, or 11 percent of New Mexico’s K-12 student population, lag behind their New Mexico peers in reading, math, high school graduation and college enrollment. The Yazzie/ Martinez decision suggests those outcomes mostly stem from decades of underspending and neglect by New Mexico, shattering the perception that blame rests on children and their families and instead on a systemic failure.

The ruling “exposed that Native children attend systemically under-resourced schools that fail to provide essential educational programs and services and ignore students’ diverse strengths and needs,” the authors of the December 2020 report, “Pathways to Education Sovereignty: Taking a Stand for Native Children,” noted. In Part Two: This article focuses on the debate over educating Native American children.

Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

NEWS

Blu-ray/DVD Roundup for August 27, 2021 By Glenn Kay For the Sun

elcome to another look at the latest highlights arrivi ng on Blu-ray and DVD. As always, this edition features plenty of new material in a wide variety of genres. So, if you can’t, or shouldn’t be heading out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try! BIG NEW RELEASES! AGAINST THE CURRENT: Kayaking can cer ta inly be a lot of fun, but one person takes it to extremes in this documentary. Forty-four-year-old Veiga Grétarsdóttir sets out to be the fi rst to kayak over 2000 kilometers around the island nation of Iceland. And she sets out to complete the task by traveling counter-clockwise and against the current. A crew follows her for 103 days and tells her life story that includes a gender reassignment procedure earlier in life. Most wr ite-ups for the fi lm have been positive. A few complained that the storytelling technique on display was too predictable and generic, lessening the movie’s impact. However, the majority said the feature was courageous, upbeat, and featured gorgeous images of Iceland during the woman’s journey. For the time being, this feature will only be available on DVD. BEGINNING: This foreign-language feature from the former Soviet t e r r it o r y of Georgia is set i n a d e e ply religious community following the Jehova h’s Witness faith. W hen nasty va ndals bur n down the town church, the fer vent tow n pa stor tr ies to re-inspire his congregation. However, his own wife becomes shaken by the attack. She begins to question her husband’s old-fashioned views and the religious order, causing cracks in their marriage. Reviews were generally excellent for this drama. A small number of articles found the pacing slow and thought the movie was too ponderous COMMUNITY

a nd u n i nvolv i ng to keep them intrigued. Yet the vast majority thought it featured painterly images, strong performances, and a powerful feminist story that also critiques old-fashioned religious ideas. The cast includes Ia Sukhitashvili, Rati Oneli and Kakha Kintsurashvili. THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT: The third official fi lm in “The Conjuring” franchise follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren as they take on an eerie new case. When a young man commits a bizarre murder, he claims that he was possessed by a demon. Ed and Lorraine step in to investigate the claims and deal with a dangerous supernatural force. The fi rst two f ilms were ver y well received, but this chapter split the press. Almost half stated that these movies were becoming routine and that this particular effort was overlong, generic, and unmemorable. Just as many enjoyed the work of the leads and claimed that the story delivered enough chills and effective moments to earn it a recommendation. It stars Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ruairi O’Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook and John Noble. DREAMBUILDERS: In this Danish animated family fl ick, a young girl gains the ability to communicate with a magical crew who helps create our dreams. When her divorced dad remarries, the lead is tormented by her bully ing stepsister. K now ing that the new sibling is afraid of spiders, the girl decides to teach the new arrival a lesson. However, after learning more about her relation’s personal struggles, the protagonist decides to try to form a bond instead. T h i s Blu-ray a nd DV D combo pack contains both a n E n g l i sh a nd or i g i n a l French audio track. On the whole, critics were positive about what they saw. Those who disliked it said that the animation didn’t match the

level of studios like Pixar and commented that certain story elements were too disturbing and distressing for young kids. Yet more thought the movie improved as it progressed, had a nice message, and was innovative enough to keep their attention. HABIT: Set in Los Angeles, this dark comedy begins with a party girl and her friends h o o k i n g up with a washed-up Holly wood a c t o r. T h e l e a d ’s n e w beau decides to recruit her for his illegal drug smuggling operation. Things quickly go south and the ladies soon find themselves on the run from both hoods and cops. To escape, the young woman and her friends decide to disguise themselves as nuns … but how long can they keep their elaborate ruse going? There haven’t been many notices for this picture, but the ones that have appeared online haven’t been promising. Reviews suggest that the movie’s gags feel obvious and the story meanders pointlessly, resulting in a frustrating experience. Some even suggest that the entire feature may have been completely improvised. Bella Thorne, Gavin Rossdale, Libby Mintz, Andreja Peji, Hana Mae Lee and Ione Skye headline the fi lm. LANSKY: Based on the real-life figure, this drama follows a downon-his-luck reporter who stumbles upon a n incredible stor y. He receives a call from reclusive, aging “Mob’s Accountant” Meyer Lansky, who is still being pursued by the FBI for untold millions of dollars in missing funds. They meet and the criminal decides to open up to the journalist, revealing details about his life as a member of Murder Inc. and the National Crime Syndicate. This biopic split the press right down the middle. Half of them said the fi lm offered some interesting moments,

but felt forced, clichéd and didn’t make a lasting impression. The same number said that while f lawed, the performances were top-notch and the fi lm presented a few new tidbits about its subject’s life. The cast includes Harvey Keitel, Sam Worthington, John Magaro and Minka Kelly. PETER RABBIT 2: THE RU NAWAY: T he fa mou s Beatrix Potter ch i ld ren’s character returns in this follow-up t o t he 2 018 hit. Picking up from the previous adventure, the adventurous and bored lead rabbit decides to take a vacation from those he knows and venture to the big city. He meets various strange characters and gets himself into plenty of mischief, while his friends and family search for him. Peter must ultimately decide whether or not the chaotic metropolis is the right fit for him. Cr it ics were genera l ly upbeat toward this family feature. A number of them claimed the sequel wasn’t as clever or funny as the original and felt like a quick cashgrab for the fi lm producers. However, the majority thought it was entertaining and noted that the human co-stars were the best part of the show. It features the voices of James Corden, Elizabeth Debicki and Margot Robbie, alongside on-camera talent Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson and David Oyelowo. BL A STS FROM THE PAST! It’s another busy week for cult and classic movie fans. Arrow Video gets the ball rolling with their Blu-ray release of “Blind Beast” (1969). It’s a Japanese feature about a blind sculptor who kidnaps women and keeps them prisoner in his enormous studio. Besides the upgraded picture quality on this hard-to-fi nd feature, the disc includes an introduction to the fi lm from a movie critic, a fi lm historian commentary, as well as a video essay about the title and some of the hidden meanings in the story. It also includes publicity materials like a trailer and an

image gallery. You can also pick up a Blu-ray of Eloy de la Iglesia’s notorious Spanish genre fi lm, “The Cannibal Man” (1972). Considered misunderstood during its initial release, the story involves a worker at a meat processing plant who develops psychotic tendencies and begins to murder those around him. Many have noted the disturbing feature’s subtle commentary on the horrors of living in Spain under ruler Francisco Franco (who was still in power when the movie was shot). The high-definition upgrade includes the International and Extended Spanish versions of the fi lm, a featurette on the director, a discussion with a Spanish critic on the title, deleted scenes and the original theatrical trailer. A r r ow h a s a l s o b e e n upg r a d i ng some of t hei r previously released Blu-ray titles. This week, they are giving “The Cat o’ Nine Tails” (1971), a “Limited Edition” that includes the original Blu-ray and extras alongside a new 4K Ultra HD disc, presenting this classic from Dario Argento (“Deep Red,” “ Su s pi r i a”) with even sharper and more dynamic picture quality. Blue Underground also has a major “Limited Edition” title coming your way. “Two Evil Eyes” (1990), is a two-part anthology of Edgar Allan Poe stories by George A. Romero (“Night of the Living Dead,” “Creepshow,” “Dawn of the Dead,” “Day of the Dead”), and Dario Argento. Starring Ad r ien ne Ba rbeau a nd a disturbingly effective, tightly-wound Harvey Keitel, the movie wasn’t a hit during its original run. However, it has unsettling moments and has developed a large cult following over the years. This f lick is now being released fully restored in 4K Ultra HD and comes with a regular Blu-ray full of special features. The extras include a commentary from an Argento authority, interviews with the directors, cast, crew members and just about everyone involved in the project, a look at the effects work, and a tour of make-up legend Tom Savini’s home. This Blu-ray

BLU-RAY/DVD | SEE PAGE 22

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

RMCHCS LETTER | FROM COVER We understand that in bringing in the interim CEO, Mr. Smithburg, and other employees of CHC [Community Hospital Corporation] from Plano, Tex., the Board was acting in good faith during a difficult situation. However, now, more than a year later, a review of the impact of CHC’s leadership, or lack thereof, would show the company did not live up to what they promised. Furthermore, they have repeatedly acted against board directives. We would like to address a few of the concerns noted in Mr. McKernan’s letter: 1) The hospital is struggling because of the pandemic and legacy issues. We all know COVID-19 has been an immense challenge for community hospitals nationwide. However, despite that, most hospitals are not hemorrhaging long-term, talented staff. Most hospitals are not failing to address a serious safety issue for months on end. The resignation of locally-based nurses, clinic staff, physicians, gaps in anesthesia coverage, the shuttering of labor and delivery or the operating room, and the absence of an interim or permanent patient call bell system for months, is just ongoing mismanagement. 2) A union would harm collaboration among team members. At present, collaboration in the hospital between executives and staff does not exist. Executives fail to attend department leadership meetings or show up for interviews with much-needed applicants [that] departments seek to recruit. Mr. Smithburg and CHC promised regular meetings and interactions. Months go by with none until firings are announced and that too, after the fact. Nurses, overburdened with patients in the ER and elsewhere, fear for the wellbeing of their patients and leave us when their feedback remains unheard. A key appeal for unionizing is to

Steve McKernan, Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services Chairman of the Board of Directors. File Photo

Don Smithburg, Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services interim CEO. File Photo

negotiate for contractually-mandated hospital committees, which would include all categories of our staff, to improve collaboration. 3) We do not need a union because physicians are the highest compensated employees. Doctors enjoy a pr iv ileged place in society and we are grateful for the work we are entrusted with. The physicians of RMCHCS, trained across the nation, made their homes in a small, rural town because of their passion for working with underserved patients, including our majority Native American population. We are advocating for a union to allow us to uphold our oaths and do our work well. A union protects providers who speak up for patients, for other staff, and provides sorely needed checks and balances that are missing. The reference to compensation also misses the fact that CHC executives are not employees, but are paid through a management contract whose terms are not available for review. 4) Transparency and communication already exist among medical staff and management. The prior elected Chief of the Medical staff was an active member of the Board, where he asked Mr. Smithburg [Don Smithburg interim CEO] and CHC difficult, but appropriate questions about the hospital’s management. This physician was then terminated on-the-spot without notice, under the guise of finances, when he served multiple, key, and irreplaceable institutional roles. This included

providing critical primary care when making an adult appointment can take months. Management has not explained to the medical staff this extraordinary decision, or the manner in which it was implemented. Treating our elected representative, who we respect and trust, in this manner, sends a clear and chilling message to all staff - one that does not promote transparency or open communication. 5) Deep corporate expertise and experience is what RMCHCS needs and is not otherwise available. P r ivate equ it y g roups specialize in turning around struggling companies. But the formula for their “success” is well known: cut costs, improve short-term numbers, and then run or sell before the inevitable crash from neglecting a long-term perspective. This is not the experience we need. Research by Harvard Business School and others shows that physician-led hospitals outperform others, and that less experienced CEOs, who are not stuck in an old way of doing things, regularly outperform so-called experts. Good leaders, even new ones, can always draw on the knowledge of others. What matters most is their commitment to the community, not to their contract, and their willingness to work 24/7 to fi x problems fast and get us out of trouble. 6) A union will advocate for its members only at the expense of other hospital employees. Nothing could be further

- Assess how management decisions affected patient care and experience, patient communication, patient scheduling, as well as transitions of care. - Ask CHC to explain why critical funds are spent on expensive anti-union consultants and why working hours are being shifted away from patient care to make physicians attend multiple rounds of mandatory Dr. Caleb Lauber was elected by fellow management-led anti-union doctors to represent them on the Rehoboth meetings. McKinley Christian Health Care Services - Understand why essential Board in January. Photo Credit: Courtesy services are closed, such as of Dr. Caleb Lauber the region’s only sleep medicine center and the only delivfrom the truth. We would love ery center for non-IHS [Indian to have an all-employees union, Hea lth Ser v ice] pregna nt because we see how our col- mothers. leagues suffer even more. Labor - Inquire about the direct laws don’t allow this. So we want patient consequences from to use our relative advantage as required, broken safety systems. doctors to provide an example - Conduct the permanent and advocate for everyone else. CEO search here in Gallup, Losing our experienced and rather than allowing CHC to go talented colleagues, who resign ahead with CEO interviews in from understandable frustra- Plano, Tex., and prevent CHC tion with poor management, is from disqualifying excellent, a major reason for our union. We interested members of the cannot work alone. Our patients RMCHCS community. do not want a revolving door of - Review the state of the staff who are new or unknown. new and transformative Family We have lost too many clinic Medicine residency, built managers, medical assistants, through city, county, state, and and nurses who went above RMCHCS collaboration over and beyond, who lived in town, many years, that instead of being who helped make excellent care supported by management, has possible. been placed at risk of shutting By having a stronger voice, down. through the union, we hope to - Encourage management improve conditions for all staff and members of the Board to and encourage our colleagues to seek their health care in the form their own as well. organization they lead, as most We fear that Mr. [Steve] of the physicians and other McKernan and other members RMCHCS staff do. of the board are being misled We invite board members to by CHC executives who tightly join us in the clinic, in the hoscontrol the flow of information. pital, in our operating rooms, to We request that he and other circumvent the misinformation members consider the following: they have been subjected to. We - Commission an indepen- ask that our board help break dent review of CHC, its contract, the cycle of poor management and hospital finances. that has plagued RMCHCS for - Post publicly the board years. We love our work, our agendas and minutes. This is patients, and our community. a governance best practice, We have voted with our feet and one that UNM and other New with our families. We are here to Mexico hospitals also follow. serve. - Conduct exit interviews of Please let us. the resigned physicians, nurses, and clinic managers. Ask them The Providers Organizing why they really left. Committee

Tug of war over unionizing at RMCHCS By Beth Blakeman Managing Editor

he Providers Organizing Committee at Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care

Services says the administration at RMCHCS is cutting them out of the loop, keeping them from providing good health care and making the decisions necessary to give quality care to their patients.

20 Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

The committee, composed of seven medical professionals representing a mix of specialties at the hospital, issued a public statement about its intentions to sign union authorization cards to the National

Labor Relations Board on Aug. 10. Now, it has taken another step, composing a public letter to the RMCHCS administration (see the cover) in answer to an Aug. 23 letter written by

Steve McKernan, chairman of the hospital’s board of directors making the arguments that

RMCHCS | SEE PAGE 22 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. AUTO SALES

NM (505) 722-6621 www.gurleymotorford.com *** Amigo Automotive Center

Gurley Motor Company

2015 Chevrolet Equinox St # J21003 117,390 miles Red AWD $16,200 2017 Ford F150 Raptor Loaded! Moonroof, heated and cooled seats, auxiliary switches, and more! Less than 57,000 miles $62,650

$16,200

2018 Ford F250 SuperDuty 4WD Great Work Truck! Low Miles! Only 49,000 miles! $43,425

2020 Toyota Camry AWD T21573a

Gurley Motor Co. 701 W. Coal Ave, Gallup,

NOW HIRING Office Help: Knowledge in QuickBooks and Excel Applications can be picked up at: VHCC 4725 E. Historic Highway 66 Gallup, NM between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. *** McKinley County is now accepting applications for the following positions: POSITIONS SNAPS SA Coordinator DEPARTMENT Community Services

Amigo Automotive Center 1900 South Second St, Gallup, NM (505)722-7701 Amigoautomotive.com HELP WANTED NOW HIRING Yard Laborer Applications can be picked up at: VHCC 4725 E. Historic Highway 66 Gallup, NM between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

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

EXTRAS – $5 PER WEEK, PER ITEM: TEXT BOX, HIGHLIGHT, ALL CAPS, BOLD, AND/OR PIC/LOGO Free classifi ed: Limit one free ad per customer only. Second ad starts at $10, per 25 words.

EMAIL: GALLUPSUNLEGALS@GMAIL.COM DUE: TUESDAYS 5 PM the County website www. co.mckinley.nm.us Dezirie Gomez, CPO Human Resource Director Publish Date: Gallup Sun August 27, 2021 September 3, 2021 ***

Dezirie Gomez, CPO Human Resource Director Publish Date: Gallup Sun August 27, 2021 September 3, 2021 ***

Car Land Auto Sales, LLC 1221 E. Hwy 66 Gallup, NM 87301 (505)863-7880 carlandcarsales@gmail. com HELP WANTED Hiring for Sales Rep. No Experience Necessary, but preferred Will train, Basic Computer knowledge, Customer Service skills a must, Commission based pay.. Apply In-Person ***

McKinley County is now accepting applications for the following positions:

WRITERS/ PHOTOGRAPHERS WANTED

POSITIONS Executive Assistant to the Deputy County Manager

The Gallup Sun is hiring freelance writers and photographers. We know you’re out there! Also, taking resumes for a full/ time reporter. Please email resume with samples/clips to Publisher Babette Herrmann: gallupsun@gmail.com

CLOSING DATE September 3, 2021

2014 Dodge Challenger R/T Classic Condition: Used Body Style: Coupe Milage: 80,031 Stock #: P21098 Retail Price: $23,488

2017 Hyundai Tucson Night FWD Moonroof, Heated Seats and XM Radio 58,000 miles $23,400

Monday M d through h hF Friday. id ***

Applications and additional information regarding positions can be found on the County website www. co.mckinley.nm.us

DEPARTMENT Manager’s Office CLOSING DATE September 7, 2021 Applications and additional information regarding positions can be found on

*** DRIVERS WANTED

PUBLIC NOTICE GALLUP HOUSING AUTHORITY IN PERSON Intake Day will be on Friday’s ONLY

Now Hiring - Experienced Maintenance Tech full or part-time hours available, position available immediately.

BEGINNING Friday, September 3, 2021 FROM 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Please call for more information

Must have transportation and own tools. Apply in person at Casamera Apartments, 350 S. Basilio Drive, or email resume to hr@kay-kay.biz. No phone calls, please. Kay-Kay Management Services is an Equal Opportunity employer.

Gallup Housing Authority 203 Debra Drive Gallup, NM 87301 Phone: (505) 722-4388 / Fax: (505) 863-3386

CLASSIFIEDS

The Gallup Sun is hiring an independent contractor delivery driver. You must have a reliable vehicle, valid driver’s license, registration, and insurance. Email resume or work history to: gallupsuncirculation@gmail. com LEGAL/PUBLIC NOTICES INVITATION TO BID S.J. Louis Const., Inc. is soliciting subcontract and material bids for the NGWSP – Reaches 12.1 & 12.2 Project. Bids Due: September 9, 2021 @ 2:00 PM MDT. Qualified DBE/ MBE, Approved SLBE, and small business firms are encouraged to submit bids. We are seeking subcontractor and vendor quotes for Hauling/Trucking, Asphalt Milling/Paving, Pavement Markings, Bypass Pumping, Traffic Control, Aggregates, Concrete Material, Clearing/Grubbing, Erosion Control, Trenchless & HDD. Please contact us if you need any assistance in obtaining bonding, financing, insurance, equipment, supplies, materials or related assistance or services. All qualified bidders will not be discriminated against due to race, age, religion, color, sex or country of origin. Specifications and Plans available at www.sjlouis. com. Fax bids to (320) 2533533. Please contact us at (320) 253-9291 ext. 361 for additional information. Publish Date: Gallup Sun

CLASSIFIEDS | SEE PAGE 22

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

CLASSIFIEDS | FROM PAGE 21 August 20, 2021 August 27, 2021 *** ELEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF McKINLEY STATE OF NEW MEXICO In the Matter of the Estate Of EARL ALLEN EBRIGHT, Deceased. No. D-1113-PB-2021-000-15

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 Cibola County, New Mexico.

unionizing medical professionals at the hospital would damage collaborative relationships between the medical staff and management. He also states that staff members were taking this action to increase their pay, and that complaints that they were not consulted on important issues were false. On the issue of transparency, McKernan insists in the letter that the hospital is open and facilitates transparent communications by including

BLU-RAY/DVD | FROM PAGE 19 also comes with a special embossed slipcover for its fi rst pressing. If you’re a horror fan and have the set-up to enjoy 4K products, you’ll likely be impressed. MVD is delivering some fun genre films on Blu-ray. The first is a “Collector’s Edition” of “The Dark” (1979), which stars William Devan, Cathy Lee Crosby and Richard Jaeckel as acquaintances who discover an evil alien menace preparing to take over the world. This disc features a com ment a r y w it h bot h the director and producer, a separate inter v iew with the fi lmmaker and the score

Snail Mail: __ 1 yr. $59.95 __ 6 mo. $29.95

*Home Delivery: __ 1 yr. $45 __ 6 mo. $25

Digital (Email): __ 1 yr. $35 __ 6 mo. $20

*Gallup metro area only

Name: ________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________ City/State/Zip: _________________________________________

NATHANIEL A EBRIGHT Phone: ____________________________________ (for billing purposes only)

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

RMCHCS | FROM PAGE 20

Three Convenient Delivery Options

Dated: 8/23/21

MASON & ISAACSON, P.A NATHANIEL A EBRIGHT has been appointed Personal Representatives of the Estate of EARL ALLEN BRIGHT, deceased. All persons having claims against this estate are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this

SUBSCRIBE TO THE GALLUP SUN!

By: James J. Mason Attorneys for Personal Representatives 104 East Aztec Avenue Gallup, NM 87301 (505) 722-4463 Publish date: Gallup Sun August 27, 2021 September 3, 2021 September 10, 2021

Mail Check to: Gallup Sun, PO Box 1212, Gallup, NM 87305 Fax: (505) 212-0391 • Email: gallupsun@gmail.com Credit Card #: __________________________________ Exp: ________ 3-4 digit code: ________ Billing zip: _________ Pay By Phone: (505) 722-8994 The Gallup Sun is distributed weekly, on Fridays. Forms received after Wednesday, the subscription will start the following Friday.

an elected member of the medical staff to be involved in all meetings. That doesn’t square with the picture Dr. Mary Poel presented to the Sun. Poel is a pediatrician at the College Clinic, 2111 College Drive, who is acting as the spokesperson for the core group of physicians seeking to form a union. She said the impetus to organize reached a critical point when the medical staff’s elected representative was terminated. Dr. Caleb Lauber, who practiced family medicine at the hospital from January 2020 until July 2021, and the only physician

at RMCHCS who speaks Navajo, was elected to act as chief of staff and represent the medical group on the hospital board. He took his seat as the only doctor on the board in January and was fired in July. Poel said Lauber was dismissed as a result of disagreements with the administration about patient care. “That was the stimulus that we as a medical staff needed to do something,” she said. In McKernan’s recent letter, he made clear the board’s unequivocal opposition to a union at RMCHCS. “We do not support the

creation of a union for health care professionals who enjoy the highest compensation of any class of worker in the institution and perhaps the entire community,” he stated. Efforts to put an end to the union organizing activity have expanded into what Poel dubbed “anti-union” meetings. One of the doctors who attended the meetings in the hospital library on Aug. 24 and 25, and asked not to be named, told the Sun that these gatherings are hosted by a consultant named Steve Beyer, who said he is being paid $425 for each presentation.

composer, as well as a theatrical trailer. For those who enjoy promotional art, it also comes with a collectible miniposter for the movie. They also have the effective low-budget creeper, “One Dark Night” (1982). This movie follows a group of sorority sisters (including Meg Tilly) who are forced into spending the night in a mortuary. After they arrive, they fi nd themselves being attacked by an undead figure in the building that has mystical powers. It’s an enjoyable genre fi lm and the new Blu-ray is jam-packed with bonuses. You’ll get two commentary tracks with director/co-writer Tom McLoughlin (“Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives”). One

features the moviemaker with the producer. In the second, he and the other co-writer watch and discuss how they wrote the stor y. It also contains seven interviews with various cast and crew members, an alternate Director’s Cut of the film, behind the scenes footage, a photo gallery, and promotional materials. Looking for something with a more humorous bent? Shout! Factory is presenting a Blu-ray of “The Oh, God! collection.” These movies starred comic George Burns as an elderly, but sharp-witted God trying to communicate with ordinary humans struggling in life. The actor also takes on the role of Satan in the third fi lm in the series.

You’ll get “Oh, God!” (1977), “Oh, God! Book II” (1980), and “Oh, God! You Devil” (1984), in high defi nition, along with extras like new critic and theologian commentary tracks and interviews with various cast and crew members. The fi rst title also includes an archived commenta r y with the fi lm’s director, Carl Reiner (“The Je rk ,” “ T h e Man with Two Brains,” “A ll of Me”) a nd an episode of “The Johnny Carson Show” featuring the director and cast. This distributor also has a Blu-ray of “A Return to Salem’s

22 Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

This source said that the meetings lasted between 60 and 90 minutes and were filled with repetitions of negative statements about unions. Providers who miss as much as five to 10 minutes of a meeting, are required to attend make-up sessions. For its part, the Providers Organizing Committee, has stepped up its efforts to gain support for unionizing, by publishing a petition. The petition can be viewed at https://chng.it/ XWQs8F2f hd beginning Aug. 28.

Lot” (1987), a sequel of sorts to the Stephen King stor y and 1979 TV mini-series. It involves a traveling father and son who arrive in a small town and fi nd it overrun with vampires. King wasn’t involved in this sequel, but completists who own the fantastic 1979 official adaptation, may want this feature as well. It arrives on disc with a trailer. , Severin has a few noteworthy Blu-rays. Seemingly timed to tie-in with one of A r row’s relea ses of “ T he Cannibal Man,” they have t he “Eloy de l a Ig le si a’s Quinqui Collection,” which contains other titles from

BLU-RAY/DVD | SEE PAGE 23 CLASSIFIEDS/NEWS

COMMUNITY CALENDAR AUGUST 27- SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 21 FRIDAY, AUGUST 27

NAILED IT! JUNIOR CUPCAKE WARS

4 PM. Teens are challenged to compete in a Nailed IT Inspired Junior Cupcake War! Join OFPL @ the Children’s Branch (115 W. Hill Ave.) to compete against your peers in creating cupcake designs in 30 minutes. Do you have what it takes to beat the competition? Prizes will be awarded to first and second place winners plus all participants will receive a certificate and consolation prize. Registration is limited to 12. For more information email jwhitman@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291.

MCKINLEY COUNTY BACK TO SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION CLINICS

9 am-4 pm @ McKinley Public Health Office (1919 College Dr.) Call (505) 722-4391 to schedule an appointment. Bring your child’s shot record. Vaccines will be provided at no cost for children through 18 years of age. SATURDAY, AUGUST 28

MYSTERY AT TOADWORT SCHOOL

5 pm. Join OFPL LIVE on Zoom for a grand feast at the Toadwort School of Magic & Mayhem. Headmaster Professor Bumblebee, has invited all the students, teachers, and ghosts to present the school’s newest and most powerful artifact, the Philosopher’s Scone. This marvelous object provides an endless supply of baked goods to any witch or wizard with the strength to control it. The hour has arrived for the unveiling—but what is this? Can you solve this magical mystery at Toadwort? Space is limited to 20 individuals. All participants will receive a dinner Zoom invitation, their character descriptions, and a coupon for FREE pizza. For more information email jwhitman@ gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291.

WE READ, WE TALK BOOK CLUB

3 pm. Zoom discussions on “Braiding Sweetgrass:

BLU-RAY/DVD | FROM PAGE 22 the filmmaker. This Blu-ray set comes with “Navajeros” (1980), “El Pico” (1983), and “El Pico 2” (1984). The movies included have been newly re-mastered from the original camera negative interviews with a cast member and discussions with experts on the titles and their place in cinematic history. CALENDAR

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer shows how other living beings-asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass-offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices. Third Zoom discussion will be held this afternoon. For more information email bmartin@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291. MONDAY, AUGUST 30

CREATIVE CORNER

4 pm. on Facebook, @galluplibrary or YouTube. Create your own art using materials found around your home! Courses are geared toward individuals approximately 15-years-old or older. Supply kits are available at OFPL on a first-come, first-served basis using the Supply Request Form at ofpl.online. Each session is limited to 20 individuals on a first-come firstserved basis. DIY Accordion Sketchbook Tired of buying the same old style of sketchbooks for practicing your art? Learn how to construct your own accordion style sketchbook using cardstock, cardboard, and glue. For more information email jwhitman@ gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291. TUESDAY, AUGUST 31

TUESDAY EVENING VIRTUAL ARTIST TALKS

6 pm. LIVE on the @gallupARTS and @ART123Gallery Facebook pages. Chat with featured artists from ART123 Gallery’s “The August Show: All in One” about their creative processes.

SCIENCE AND THE FIVE SENSES

1 pm. Join us on Facebook and YouTube to explore with our five senses. This month we’re focusing on science we can see!- Density WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

SUMMER READING 2021: TAILS AND TALES

CALENDAR

dren read four hours, vote in the Land of Enchantment Books Awards, or complete a Summer of STEM kit. Do one, two, or all three! Expand your horizons, read different genres and a variety of literature and complete a book bingo card. All age groups are eligible to win PRIZES. The last day to submit your bingo card and enter into a grand prize drawing is Sept. 1. For more information email aprice@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291.

ESCAPE THE LAB: VIRTUAL ESCAPE ROOM

Put your puzzle-master skills to the test Sept. 1- Sept. 6 with our Escape the Lab: Virtual Escape Room. Successful escapees will be entered in a drawing for Wendy’s and Starbucks gift cards. For more information email childlib@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291.

GOING PLACES WITH STORYTIME

11 am. Join us outside by the playground at Octavia Fellin Public Library Children’s Branch. Join us for stories, songs and activities related to transportation and getting around.

Aztec Ave. office. Because the organization is committed to its cause, the doors are open and people are back at work. However, they would appreciate donations to help replace some of the items that were stolen, enhance their security, and get the office professionally cleaned. If you wish to help, visit bbbsmountainregion.org, email info@ bbbsmountainregion.org, or call (505) 726-4285 or (505) 728-8356.

GOOGLE CAREER CERTIFICATE SCHOLARSHIP

Jump-start your career with a Google Career Certificate scholarship. Prepare for entry-level positions in data analytics, project management, user experience design, and IT support-no college degree or relevant experience required. Apply for a scholarship at https://forms.gle/ 1jThmKPHVScnJuxr5 now through Sept. 15. For more information email bmartin@ gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291.

RMCHCS COVID VACCINATION CLINIC

2021 LEVITT AMP GALLUP MUSIC SERIES

8 am-5 pm Mon.-Fri. @ College Clinic (2111 College Dr.). No appointments needed. For COVID testing please call (505) 236-1074 and someone will come out to your vehicle to obtain a specimen.

CRAFTY KIDS

9 am-6 pm Mon.-Fri. Closed weekends. @ 1850 E. Hwy. 66. Acute care, Minor sprains & strains, minor procedures, physicals – DOT Employment and sports.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

7 pm @El Morro Theatre (207 W. Coal Ave.) Lindy Vision is an indie rock trio of Black Native sisters who harmonize introspective and emotional lyrics. 4 pm on Facebook and YouTube @galluplibrary (all ages) for family-friendly crafts and step-by-step tutorials for all skill levels. Supply kits are available at OFPL on a firstcome, first-served basis using the Supply Request Form at ofpl.online. This week we will introduce you to Back-toschool picture frames. ONGOING

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS NEEDS HELP

All ages can participate in Summer Reading 2021! Chil-

Following a break-in over the week end of July 24, a number of things were taken or destroyed at the 100 E.

“No One Heard the Scream” (1973) is yet another feature from the fi lmmaker that will be made available on its own. This horror fl ick follows a call girl who witnesses a murder – the two actually befriend one another as their lives spiral downward. The Bluray includes a new transfer re-mastered from the camera negative and an inter view with a fi lm scholar about the picture.

Code Red is deliver ing more B -mov ie thr ills a nd chills with the Blu-ray of “Guyana: Cult of the Damned” (1979). It’s a 1970 MexicanAmerican exploitation drama that uses the Jonestown tragedy as its inspiration. The movie stars Stuart Whitman as a menacing cult leader and the disc features a 2K master of the movie and a trailer. Finally, Warner Archive is premiering “Prince of the

RMCHCS RAPID CARE

MCKINLEY COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

8 am-5 pm; closed 12 pm-1 pm Mon.- Fri. @ McKinley Public Health Office (1919 College Dr.) Call (505) 7222004 for WIC services. Call (505) 722-4391 for clinical services. For COVID vaccinations (Moderna & Pfizer), register at cvvaccine.nm.org or call for assistance. Services include vaccines for children up to age 18 and adults 19 and older; Confidential family planning & STI services and confidential harm reduction services on Thursdays from 9

City” (1981), on Blu-ray, which received an Oscar nomination for its screenplay. This is a tale about a cop who plays fast and loose with the rules. When he is asked to investigate police corruption within his unit, it leads to tension and fractures between the lead and his coworkers. YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS! If you’re looking for kid’s entertainment, it’s a lighter edition but there are a couple

am-12 pm.

MCKINLEY COUNTY BACK TO SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION CLINICS

8 am-4 pm @ McKinley Public Health Office (1919 College Dr.) Call (505) 722-4391 to schedule an appointment. Bring your child’s shot record. Vaccines will be provided at no cost for children through 18 years of age. Also available are: COVID vaccines Moderna/Pfizer We take walk-ins. Register on cvvaccine.nm.org site. Family planning and SDI testing (confidential service). Harm reduction is available Mon and Wed. 9 am-noon.

CIBOLA COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

The club meets monthly. It is a non-profit 501c, and an all-volunteer organization made up of local amateur radio operators who assist local governments during emergencies, find lost people, and help citizens obtain their licenses to become amateur radio operators at no cost. Visitors and members must pay for their own meals.

FIRE HYDRANT TESTING

7 am-7 pm Mon.-Sun. The Gallup Fire Dept. will conduct annual fire hydrant testing and maintenance. This includes capturing pressure readings, flowing water of the fire hydrant, cleaning, painting and documenting any inefficiency found. Customers who experience any discolored water problems after the tests are encouraged to turn on a cold-water faucet outside of the house and let it run for five to 10 minutes. A slight decline in water quality is common. If quality does not improve or further problems occur, contact the Gallup Water Department by calling the utility dispatcher at (505) 863-1200. Testing is scheduled to continue until mid-August. 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.

of new options available. “Dreambuilders” “ Pe t e r R a b bi t 2 : T h e Runaway” ON THE TUBE! Here are all of the week’s TV-themed releases. “ C r a i g R o s s J r.’ s Monogamy” Season 2 “NCIS: L o s A ngele s” Season 12 “Prodigal Son” Season 2 V ISI T: W W W. CINEMASTANCE.COM

Gallup Sun • Friday August 27, 2021

24 Friday August 27, 2021 • Gallup Sun

COMMUNITY