Gallup Sun

Library branches show warm hands mean warm hearts

The season of giving is in full swing as the Octavia Fellin Public Library continues its annual Mitten Tree donation program throughout the month of December.

The program, inspired by a children’s book of the same name, accepts hat and mitten donations at both library locations — the main branch, 115 W. Hill Ave., and the children’s branch, 200 Aztec Ave.

“We love doing it and we don’t mind doing it because we know it’s for a good cause,” Octavia Fellin Technology Trainer Markos Chavez said.

And a good cause it is indeed as donated items are distributed to those in need by Battered Family Services, Inc., an organization...

County teachers honored as ‘exemplary’ among state educators

More than 30 teachers were recognized at the Gallup-McKinley County Schools Board of Education regular meeting Dec. 17.

The teachers, who received plaques at the meeting, were rated “exemplary” by the New Mexico teacher evaluation system.

Priscilla Manuelito, Dist. 3 board member, said it was impressive that over 30 teachers were recognized that night.

“[It is] just awesome that we have a lot of great teachers who are going above and beyond,” she said after the meeting.

At the meeting, several teachers were also recognized by the McKinley Education Foundation, a nonprofit group formed in 2006 to support...

Highlights from the fall commencement ceremony

Photos by Cayla Nimmo

Rating: ««« out of ««««

Running Time: 130 minutes

I’ll be honest and write that I didn’t hold out much hope for a sequel to a Disney family classic from 54 years ago. Thankfully, the new film Mary Poppins Returns is a pleasant surprise. It may not live up to the original, but it does provide plenty sweetness and visual pop (even throwing in an unexpected cameo for good measure), providing families with plenty of fun this holiday season.

The plot itself isn’t exactly light and frothy. It follows Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) the grown-up son from the original film, still living in the family home. Now a widower and single father of three, trouble arises when the bank...