When President-elect Joe Biden takes office next month, his agenda will hold the hopes of Navajo Nation leaders for the restoration of Bears Ears National Monument.

Bears Ears, which was two-million acres when originally established in 2016 by President Obama, was reduced in size by President Donald Trump in 2017.

“After years of litigation, the Department of Justice looks forward to the Navajo Nation having the opportunity to work with the other tribal parties and the Biden-Harris Administration in a collaboration of sovereigns to permanently restore protections to the lands and sites in Bears Ears, which have great significance to our culture, history, and way of life,” Navajo...

TSAILE, Ariz. — Fearing an outbreak of COVID-19, Diné College conducted its first ever virtual graduation ceremony Dec. 11 during which more than 50 students received associate’s and bachelor’s degrees and certificates.

The graduation ceremony included Spring 2020 and Fall 2020 graduates — the latter of whom weren’t able to participate in an actual ceremony in March due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Navajo Nation continues to have a high COVID-19 caseload and a simultaneous in-person graduation was subsequently canceled.

Amanda Begay, a bachelor’s degree graduate in psychology who is from Lukachukai, Ariz., said the coronavirus pandemic made things that much more...

It has been nearly one year since the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted life across the world began. But now, it appears there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

Dr. Tracie Collins, the newly-appointed cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Department of Health, began a video update on NMDOH’s Facebook page on Dec. 15 by saying she has good news.

“The very first doses of the Pfizer vaccine have arrived in New Mexico, with more arriving today and tomorrow [Dec. 16-17],” Collins said, adding the state expects to receive 17,550 doses with this first shipment. NMDOH has plans in motion to issue the doses to over 30 New Mexico hospitals.

“Today we begin to turn the tide...

Fewer lines outside stores

SANTA FE — The state’s emergency public health order on Dec. 16 was amended to accommodate slightly increased capacity inside essential retail spaces, such as grocery stores and certain other large big box retailers that generate a percentage of their revenue from consumable food and drink products, as cold weather grips most of New Mexico.

In accordance with the state’s graduated red-to-green system of measuring the risk of viral spread in specific counties, the changes establish that essential retail spaces:

May operate at 50 percent of maximum occupancy at the Green Level

May operate at 33 percent of maximum occupancy at the Yellow Level

May...