Gallup keeps its community warm this holiday season with hats, scraves, and mittens

Nothing warms the heart more during the holiday season than giving to those less fortunate. That’s where the Mitten Tree Project, sponsored by the Octavia Fellin Public Library, comes in to help.

A bare tree is set up at the library, where do-gooders then decorate it with donated hats, scarves, and mittens. The donated goods keep coming until the tree is completely crammed. A similiar tree is also set up at the Children’s Branch. All of the practical decorations are gifts from the community, and some pieces are even handmade.

This marks the seventh year for the project. Marko Chavez...

ALBUQUERQUE —Amber Wallin, who has been with New Mexico Voices for Children since 2012, has been promoted to deputy director of the child advocacy organization. She will be serving directly under the executive director James Jimenez and helping to oversee the group’s research, analysis, and advocacy work.

“Amber is known around here colloquially as a ‘rock star,’” said Jimenez. “Whether she’s presenting at a conference or testifying before a legislative committee, she exudes extraordinary energy, passion and warmth. We’ve always felt very fortunate to have her, so it’s a real pleasure to mentor her on her professional journey.”

Wallin was brought onto the NM...

An evening of music performed by Gallup Middle School students filled the Kenneth Holloway Auditorium Dec. 19, marking their annual winter concert.

The concert started at 6 pm and was opened to the public.

Newcomer Liam Murphy, band director at Gallup Middle School and Miyamura High School, experienced his first Gallup Middle School winter concert this season, where he led two performances by the beginning and advanced bands.

Murphy said he started in the beginning of October as the band director of both schools. He said it takes a full semester to prepare a concert, ideally.

“It took us 10 weeks to prepare this time,” Murphy said.

The band director instructs roughly 100 to...