Candidates vie for four positions

The unofficial list of candidates for the March 3 Municipal Officer Election has been released.

Candidates for Mayor

1. Louis O. Bonaguidi

2. Charles Van Drunen

3. Yolanda E. Ahasteen-Azua

4. Jayson Gomez

5. Sammy Chioda

Candidates for Dist. 2 (East Side) City Councilor

1. Michael W. Schaaf

2. Roger Allan Landavazo

Candidates for Dist. 4 (West Side) City Councilor

1. Francisca “Fran” P. Palochak

2. Levi Franklin Saucedo

Candidates for Municipal Judge

1. Janell Griego

2. Earl Andrew Yearley

3. Jackie D. McKinney

Rio Grande Resources Abandons ‘RE-ACTIVATION’ Plan

SANTA FE - In a victory for Native communities, Rio Grande Resources, owner of the Mt. Taylor uranium mine, notified the Mining and Minerals Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department of “cessation of mining operations” and RGR’s intention “to begin closure plan activity.”

Eric Jantz, Staff Attorney at the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, which has been representing the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment and Amigos Bravos on the Mt. Taylor permitting, said, “The frontline communities are thrilled about this development because they have been living with the mine...

2019 Year in Review

Record Lightning

A new report said that U.S. weather satellites detected the longest lightning ever observed — a 300-mile bolt from Texas to Kansas. Other researchers measured the most powerful thunderstorm on record, with an electric potential of 1.3 billion volts in India.

Plastic Homes

A Mexican engineer has developed a process to recycle plastic into houses that may last for up to 150 years. Ramón Espinosa’s Eco Plastico Ambiental company converts the ubiquitous debris into strong sheets of “plastic wood” that can be used to build homes, furniture and other objects. Plastic is now one of the world’s most pervasive environmental pollutants.

Magnetic...

This year the Gallup Sun asked local leaders to think about the issues that concern them. They were asked how they planned to address those issues in the coming year, and what their biggest dream was for their organization, department or board for 2020.  Also, they were asked how they plan to achieve those results.

Here are their answers in their own words:



James Maiorano III, Undersheriff, McKinley County Sheriff’s Office



Issues and how we plan to address them:

“We at the Sheriff’s Office are always looking for ways to improve the quality of living in the community and the quality of service we provide. We pride ourselves in participating in community events...