Dances drew tourists from around the globe

One couldn’t have asked for a more perfect evening — a beautiful New Mexico sunset splashed across the sky, a gentle breeze whisked by and the soothing melodic sounds of a flute danced in the air. The evening of Sept. 3 marked the end of another year for the Gallup Summer Nightly Indian Dances.

In their 35th year, the nightly dances once again proved why they’re such an anticipated event. The dances highlight various Native American tribes, who display their culture through song and dance. Dressed in their tribal regalia, various groups come out and perform before audiences for one hour.

Each year, the City of Gallup and the...

PHOENIX, Ariz. — On behalf of the Navajo Nation, Pres. Russell Begaye and Vice Pres. Jonathan Nez attended Sen. John McCain’s funeral service at the North Phoenix Baptist Church on Aug. 30, in honor of the ideals he upheld as a veteran and as a statesman.

“Navajos are paying tribute to the legacy of Sen. McCain shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow Americans,” Begaye said. “We had our differences and we shared common goals. In all, he was a respectable man willing to sit down with the Navajo Nation to hear our concerns. He was a man of courage who served the country with valor. Godspeed, Sen. McCain.”

McCain was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and to the...

Dancing for slavery awareness, ‘Planet Prancer’ concludes second leg of his journey in Gallup

Travelers along Route 66 over the past several months may have witnessed an unusual sight – a man in a neon tutu dancing along the road with a rolling buggy behind him.

That man is Ben Hammond, 40, a lecturer at the University College London Institute of Education in the United Kingdom.

Hammond is known online as the Planet Prancer, calling himself the world’s only long-distance dancer with one goal – to dance every step around the world, starting with the United States.

His trek across the U.S. began on March 28 at the Santa Monica Pier in California. The plan is to dance...

In June, Michael Sage, deputy director for Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation, based in Gallup, earned the designation of certified economic developer, a national recognition that denotes a mastery of skills in economic development, professional attainment and a commitment to personal and professional growth.

The CEcD exam was administered by the International Economic Development Council on June 23-24 in Buffalo, NY, at Buffalo Marriott HarborCenter. Sage was the only applicant from New Mexico to pass the exam. He joins GGEDC Executive Director Patty Lundstrom, who secured certification in 2016, as certified economic developers. GGEDC is the only economic development...