The Gallup City Council discussed several grant awards from the Lodgers’ Tax Grant, which supports tourism and events, at the Oct. 9 regular meeting.

The Red Rock Balloon Rally Association would receive an additional $35,000, and the Friends of Hubbell Native American Art Auctions would receive an additional $4,100.

As of Sept. 26, there was $143,445 available for grants in city funds.

City Tourism and Marketing Manager Jennifer Lazarz spoke for the item. She said Balloon Rally funding was increased in order to grow the event. The available funds had been stagnant for nearly 20 years, she said.

“They want to target crews and crew opportunities,” Lazarz said when asked about...

The McKinley County Board of Commissioners held its regular commissioner meeting on Oct. 2.

At the meeting, Loline Hathaway, of the Ya-ta-hey Water and Sanitation District, requested a $25,000 loan for a new monitoring well.

Potential issues facing the district included moving the well on property the district does not own, as well as changes in terrain, and making sure financial audits are clean.

County Finance Director Sarah Keeler said funds for the project would have to come from the Environmental Gross Receipts Tax lease.

In addition, Keeler said there’s a $75,000 grant from the NM Environment Department to acquire land to plan, design and construct water system improvements...

WINDOW ROCK, NAVAJO NATION — Attorney General Ethel Branch announced Oct. 11 that former Dilkon Chapter Vice-President Daryl Joe was found guilty of five charges of forgery by the Dilkon District Court of the Navajo Nation.



The Navajo Nation filed criminal complaints against Joe on Oct. 17, 2017. He was arraigned on Feb.21 and pleaded Not Guilty. The Court held a bench trial on Aug. 17, 2018. The Court issued its judgment, findingJoe guilty of five charges of Forgery on Sept. 10 and 11.



Joe submitted five forged hotel receipts to justify and keep Dilkon Chapter funds provided to the Defendant by the approved Dilkon Chapter Travel Authorization/Advance. Defendant submitted...

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health announced continued progress in addressing prescription drug overdose in New Mexico with its latest state quarterly prescribing report showing improved prescribing practices for opioids Oct. 11.

Opioid prescriptions dropped nearly 12 percent compared to the second quarter of last year. This reduction in prescribing comes after Gov. Susana Martinez enacted legislation making it mandatory for healthcare providers to check a patient’s prescription history in the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program database when prescribing opioids.

Most measures of opioid prescribing have shown significant declines from the second quarter of 2017...