Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, July 18, appointed Shannon Pinto to the senate seat left vacant after the May death of her grandfather, Navajo Code Talker and New Mexico icon, Sen. John Pinto.

Sen. Pinto will serve the remainder of her grandfather’s term in Senate District 3. She was nominated to fill the vacancy by the San Juan County Commission.

Pinto, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is an educator, having worked as both a middle school and high school math teacher in Tohatchi. She earned an associate’s degree in business administration from the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute and a bachelor’s in financial management from the University of New Mexico.

“John...

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - The Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President is aware of concerns from the Navajo public stemming from social media posts regarding white vans in various communities that appear suspicious.

The Navajo Police Department, under the leadership of Navajo Police Chief Phillip Francisco, is actively addressing these concerns.

In one situation in the community of Tonalea, the Navajo Police Department responded to concerns over a white van traveling on a local road, which turned out to be a local church group that had rented the van to conduct group church activities in the area.

In another case, a white van was found to be abandoned and was towed on July...

Officers from Gallup Police Department were dispatched to Subway, 2206 E. Hwy. 66, in reference to a robbery July 21. Officers made contact with the reporting employee, who informed them that the business was just robbed by a Caucasian female.

The unknown female pulled a handgun out on the Subway employee and demanded money after ordering a sandwich.

The female got away with an undisclosed amount of money.

A blue colored passenger car was seen leaving the location south on Boardman Drive.  If anyone has any information about this incident, they are encouraged to call the Gallup Police Department (505) 863-9365 or Metro Dispatch at (505) 722-2002.

FOUL MOUTH

Thoreau, July 19

McKinley County Sheriff Deputy Ben Benally was dispatched to the 371 Bridge in Thoreau and advised that a male subject was at the base of Thoreau EMS shouting obscenities and profanity at people, and refusing to leave. Metro Dispatch informed Benally en route that the subject was also waving an axe head at passing motorists.

Benally reached the area of First Avenue and 371 Bridge and made contact with Shawn Patrick White, 32, of Milan, who told Benally he wasn’t doing anything and had no weapons on him.

The person who reported White to Metro said he had come into their place of business and begun yelling obscenities at people. The caller then...