WINDOW ROCK, Ariz.—The Navajo Nation is in mourning. President Russell Begaye ordered flags across the Navajo Nation to be flown at half-staff from sunrise on June 9 to sunset on June 12, in honor of the late Navajo Code Talker Bahe Ketchum.

Ketchum passed at the age of 96 at in Flagstaff June 8.

“The Navajo Nation sends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Bahe Ketchum. As a Navajo Code Talker, he defended not only the Navajo Nation, but the United States of America against tyranny and oppression,” President Begaye said.

“We salute his bravery, sacrifice and determination for the Navajo people,” he added.

Vice President Jonathan Nez said, “Bahe Ketchum...

The UNM-Gallup campus will be receiving some much-needed infrastructure improvements during a nine month project that begins this week. The first part of the construction will involve the installation of new water lines which will increase the volume and flow of water into and out of the campus, and will provide the additional water needed for the second phase of the project which involves the installation of fire sprinklers in several campus buildings. The current utilities infrastructure has almost reach its water capacity and requires a pumping station to boost pressure within the campus.

The benefits of this project are far-reaching and will allow for anticipated campus...

The new 7,000 square-foot building that will house the VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Gallup is now officially open after a dedication ceremony June 5. Just west of the old clinic, at the corner of Second Street and Highway 564, the new facility has plenty of patient parking – eight handicapped spaces and 48 regular slots. Approximately 1,155 veterans from the Gallup area use this facility on a regular basis. Services include primary care, primary mental health, and laboratory. Other services are being expanded at this new location through Tele-medicine, a new approach to primary and continuing care.

The Director of the NM VA Health Care System, Andrew...

It seems in the last year, every major American city has been broached with the question of police brutality. The riots in Ferguson, MO, the more recent incident in Baltimore, MD have caused national speculation. More locally, the recent indictments of two ex-Las Cruces officers or Albuquerque’s numerous shootings.

These scenarios have caused protests on both sides of the coin, riots, destruction, injuries and indictments. McKinley County is not without it’s fair share of crime and battery charges are not in short supply, even being named in the list of the most dangerous cities in the state.

The Gallup Police Department [GPD] has already handled 614 battery reports and 596...