Gallup Mayor Louis Bonaguidi has written a second letter to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, hoping for an extension of the lock down, and a change in the curfew. The original lock down ordered by the governor is set to expire at noon May 4. Should it be approved, another three-day lock down would extend to noon May 7.
Bonaguidi told the Gallup Sun May 3 that health professionals he’s been talking to said if the COVID-19 numbers don’t break in the next two to three weeks, the virus is going to continue ravaging the area all summer long.
The mayor pointed out that in addition to issues Gallup faces with transients, there are people who come into the city at the first of the month to shop. Then they go home, possibly taking the virus with them.
Bonaguidi is the owner of City Electric Shoe Shop (230 W. Coal Ave.) and Zimmerman’s Western Wear (203 Rte. 66). He looks at the lock down from the point of view of a businessman, as well as a mayor.
“As a businessman I definitely don’t like seeing it…I see the need for it.”
He adds that in talking with people, “It just seemed there was nobody that I talked to that said not to extend it [the lock down].”
In addition, the mayor began noticing a need for a change in the curfew hours during a fire May 2 in the 1200 block of Puerco Drive. As the firefighters were extinguishing the flames, a member of the department started making calls to get food for the crew and discovered everything was closed. In the end, a supermarket stepped up and re-opened to provide supplies.
Bonaguidi realized that a lot of essential workers end their days at 4:30 pm or later, meaning grocery-shopping is difficult. So, he asked the governor to change the curfew. Instead of businesses in Gallup being closed from 5 pm through 8 am, they would be closed from 8 pm through 8 am.
The COVID-19 situation is not resolved. The New Mexico Department of Health reports a total of 6,482 COVID-19 tests administered in McKinley County, with 1,144 positive cases as of May 3. There have been 21 deaths due to COVID-19 in McKinley County.
There are 241 cases of COVID-19 reported in the 87301 zip code and 132 cases in the 87305 zip code.
When Gallup gets the numbers down and businesses can re-open, the mayor envisions a different business atmosphere.
He said he has been talking with the Chamber of Commerce and looking at what other states are doing, as he considers what it’s going to take for Gallup to open up again.
“Most states are taking temperatures before you walk in [to stores]. Everybody wears masks. Everybody wears gloves,” he said.
In looking at his own businesses he said, “If we do open up, we’ll have to have all employees tested.”
