Facility closures, updated stats, preparedness drills



The Gallup City Council held a special meeting March 16 to discuss the fallout to the rise of COVID-19, or coronavirus, specifically how numerous city facilities have been affected.




City Attorney Curtis Hayes reiterated an order from March 12 by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to restrict what have been classified as mass gatherings, or where groups of more than 50 people converge. The order also called on state restaurants and bars to operate at no more than 50 percent capacity.




Hayes also mentioned the city facilities that would be closed until further notice, which include: El Morro Theatre and Events Center, Red Rock...

New cases, school closures, precautionary measures

 

As the growing concerns mount over the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called a press conference on March 13 to address a number of relevant topics.




“We want to continue to raise the level of awareness [of the virus] because in doing so, we are able to manage this crisis in a prepared, non-panicked environment,” Lujan Grisham said.




NEW CASES




The conference opened with the announcement of four more confirmed COVID-19 cases across New Mexico. The new cases include:

A Bernalillo County man in his mid-50s with household contact with a previous presumptive positive resident. He is at...

New councilor, new municipal judge; mayoral runoff could be imminent

Folks crammed into the City Council Chambers after the polls closed March 3 to hear the unofficial results of the City of Gallup Regular Municipal Election.

Four positions were about to be decided: Dist. 2 Councilor, Dist. 4 Councilor, Municipal Judge, and the Mayor of Gallup.

Three of those elections delivered a clear winner, but a run-off will likely be required to determine the new mayor.

The canvass for the Municipal Officer Election is slated for March 10 before the McKinley County Board of Commissioners, according to City Clerk Alfred Abeita.

Abeita also said if a runoff election is necessary...

The Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation received a grant from the Marathon Petroleum Foundation in a March 4 ceremony.

The Marathon Petroleum Foundation, based in Findlay, Ohio, contributed $50,000 to the GGEDC Workforce Solutions program. The program, which celebrated its first class of graduates in December, provides industry and safety certifications through classroom and hands-on training for enrolled students.

The program was developed by GGEDC with numerous McKinley County employers and stakeholders to provide support for residents interested in obtaining proper credentials to pursue a career in the industrial sector.

A GGEDC press release states the funding will...