Program kindles long-lasting friendship with law enforcement

The sight of flashing blue and red lights in front of the Gallup Walmart, 1650 W. Maloney Ave., was hard to miss the morning of Dec. 15. A row of police units in front of the store indicated something was happening inside — and indeed, something was going on behind Walmart’s doors. But despite any preconceptions of flashing lights and police units, the events unfolding at the scene were, well, jolly and nice.

The occasion was “Shop with a Cop,” an event during which selected McKinley County children visited Walmart, paired up with a police officer and a $100 gift card.

Children throughout McKinley County...

‘Drastic improvement’ in fiscal state of RMCHCS

David Conejo, CEO of Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services, was present at the McKinley County Board of Commissioners regular meeting Dec. 18 to discuss the progress RMCHCS has made in the past four years.

“We are very much in debt to [the Commission],” Conejo said during the meeting.

During those four years, Conejo said the hospital initiated a substance-abuse program, with improvements to the rehab services and upgrades to the facility’s labs.

Conejo said the cost of the facility’s renovation, which has been paid, was $1.5 million.

In addition, another $500,000 was spent to repair part of the roof of the...

Nearly $132 million counted

The Gallup City Council took action on a required certification of assets at the Dec. 11 regular meeting.

The item, spoken for by Chief Financial Officer Patty Holland, consisted of a required certification form that accompanies a complete and up-to-date listing of assets inventory for the City of Gallup as of June 30.

The inventory listing sorts the City of Gallup assets into five categories: land, buildings, equipment, infrastructure and miscellaneous improvements. The listing also specifies which city fund is covering the individual items.

Per the document, more than $98 million in assets have been counted for this fiscal year in proprietary...

Ideas aired about housing for vets and homeless, disabled individuals

Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services held a community meeting at the Substance Abuse Treatment Center, 650 Vanden Bosch Pkwy in Gallup, Dec. 10 to discuss a new housing project.

According to information provided at the meeting, the Gallup community assembled a grassroots team to develop a 30- to 40-unit Permanent Supportive Housing Project.

The project is spearheaded by RMCHCS, with aid from the City of Gallup and individuals like Rep. Wonda Johnson, D-Church Rock, and Councilwoman Linda Garcia, as well as entities such as The Western Health Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Veterans Helping Veterans...