TSE BONITO, N.M. — The Navajo Division of Transportation is set to begin the N9402 Bridge Replacement Project in Lupton Chapter in mid-November.

The bridge being replaced lies approximately three-quarters of a mile southwest of the Interstate 40 intersection with Navajo Route 12 in Lupton. The current one-lane, steel military-style bridge crosses over the Rio Puerco Wash and has been deemed functionally obsolete.

The bridge will be replaced with a new five-span bridge that will accommodate the current average daily traffic count of 400 vehicles per day.

The project will cost $5,531,604 and is funded by the Federal Highway Administration.

During project construction, all access to...

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and First Lady Phefelia Nez congratulated United States President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris for being elected to serve in the White House, according to projections issued on Nov. 7.

“The people have spoken and change is coming to America. Now that the hard-fought campaign and election have passed, we have to come together, heal, and unite to move tribal nations and the country forward on a positive path. The First Americans of this country, including a large majority of Navajo voters, had a major impact in the outcome of the presidential election in several swing states – that needs to be...

SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced her appointment of Dr. Tracie C. Collins, dean of the College of Population Health at the University of New Mexico, as the new leader of the New Mexico Department of Health Nov. 11. Collins will formally begin official work with the administration in mid-December.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Collins to our team,” Lujan Grisham said. “New Mexico has never needed experienced and compassionate public health leadership more than right now.

“Dr. Collins will hit the ground running as part of our state’s COVID-19 response effort with the Department of Health and indeed all of state government,” she...

SANTA FE – The Legislature has authorized state officials to impose civil administrative penalties to enforce public health emergency orders restricting business operations, the New Mexico Supreme Court concluded in an opinion issued Nov. 5.

The Court’s unanimous written opinion provides the detailed legal reasoning for an oral decision issued from the bench in August following a hearing in which attorneys presented arguments to the justices.

A group of businesses had filed a lawsuit in district court challenging emergency health orders issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham petitioned the state’s highest court to resolve the dispute.

The Court concluded...