The first few hours of 2018 were exciting for McKinley County and Gallup Police officers. At about 4:14 am on New Year’s Day, McKinley County Sheriff’s Dep. Roxanne Slim was sent to Flying J in Jamestown over a domestic dispute in the parking lot. Slim detained Daniel Yazzie at the scene, who told officers that the woman “attempted to crawl on [him] in the driver seat. To stop her [he] kept pushing her away and [his] bracelet scratched her forehead,” according to the police report.

The woman denied that any altercation took place, although she had scratches and bruises on her face. Officers found that Yazzie had a bench warrant in Gallup, and was booked. The woman was...

Investigation underway

In the early afternoon on Dec. 27, around 2:14 pm on the day leading up to the New Year, McKinley County Sheriff’s officers found an unattended body on Country Road 1.

The body was reported by a man, 44, from Gallup, who discovered a decomposing leg while walking with his dogs around Rock Springs.

“My dogs were nibbling on something. I went to go check what they were eating and I notice a leg that had green pants,” he told MCSO Dep. Josie Bowman in a statement.

The identity of the deceased person is not yet known, although officers did find identification near the body at the scene. They have yet to confirm a link between the ID and the physical...

Latanya Livingston

Dec. 26, 6:35 pm

1st DWI

McKinley County Sheriff’s Sgt. Tammy S. Houghtaling was responding to an anonymous tip about an intoxicated driver who had staggered into her vehicle with a young child in tow, according to the police report. Houghtaling located the reported car on Highway 602 and Skeets Road, where she encountered Livingston, 25, with a child in the backseat.

Livingston was unable to give the child’s age when Houghtaling asked, first telling the officer seven months, then six, then “maybe about a year,” according to the report. The child was only wearing a tank-top shirt and no jacket, despite the winter temperatures outside.

Livingston...

TSAILE, Ariz. — Diné College’s commitment to maintaining and revitalizing the Navajo language continues, and college officials hope the hiring of a Navajo Language Immersion Institute Director will strengthen that progress.

James McKenzie, who previously served as Navajo Language Development Coordinator at the College, assumed the new role Dec. 18.  McKenzie brings to the job more than five years of experience with Navajo language immersion efforts and said he’s eager to create community partnerships and improve success with Navajo language initiatives.

“I’m humbled and excited at the new opportunity,” McKenzie said. “While I will have some new duties, I will still...