Those colorful light pole banners that make downtown bright and cheerful and remind people about special events have a downside: they’re a huge time suck for city employees. So how many banners are enough, and how many are too many?

Constantly installing and removing event marketing banners is causing wear and tear on banners and city parks workers, and gobbles up a large chunk of the parks department staff hours, according to Parks and Recreation Director Vincent Alonzo.

While they plan for upcoming events, the city council will have to decide now how many banners is worthwhile, without overtaxing staff and resources.

Alonzo is recommending that from now on, city banners get...

Danielle Notah, of Tohatchi, N.M.,  is the presumptive new District 1 County Commissioner, following her nomination at a meeting of the McKinley County Democrats Aug. 13.

With no Republicans in the race, the two Democrats – Notah plus District 2 primary winner Walt Eddy – will be unopposed on November’s ballot, and will be sworn in to begin their service next January.

Notah’s unusual path to the Commission started with the June primary. She ran unsuccessfully for County Assessor. Meanwhile, Ernest C. “Charles” Becenti III withdrew from the primary after the deadline for the county to submit ballot information to Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s office, so his...

ARPA funds to be split between employees, pipes

City employees will get an extra spiff in their pay packets and some important water and sewer lines will be replaced soon, when the second installment of American Rescue Plan Act funds are released.

The COVID pandemic premiums will start this month or next month and go on until the funds run out, as a $254 per paycheck bump for working through a difficult time. Part-time employees will receive half that amount.

“One caveat, we have not yet received this money, despite what the state originally led us to believe,” Gallup’s  Chief Financial Officer Patty Holland told the city council Aug. 9. “Anything you do approve will not be...

TAKING A NAP

Gallup, Aug. 13

A man tried to take a nap in a car, but he didn’t have permission from the car’s owner and had to get in by throwing a rock at the car’s window.

On Aug. 13, around 5 pm, Gallup Police Officer Lionel Desiderio was dispatched to the Rex Museum, 301 W. Hwy. 66, when a man allegedly broke into a gray Dodge Journey.

When Desiderio arrived at the scene, he met with the victim and noticed that her car’s rear window was shattered. According to his report, Desiderio also noticed that there was a man, who was later identified as Christopher Begay, laying in the backseat of the car.

Desiderio asked Begay, 30, to get out of the car, but he refused. Sgt...