The Scammer(s) is/are calling individuals and stating he is Sergeant Anderson with the Gallup Police Department. He is calling and telling the individual they have missed jury duty and there is a warrant for their arrest.

Sergeant Anderson is directing the individual to purchase a form of money transfer (such as moneygram or greendot, etc.) from Lowe's, or other places that sell these types of services, and wire the money into a certain account or to the suspect to avoid arrest.  Sergeant Anderson is providing the address and phone for the Gallup Police Department in his scam.

Capt. Marinda Spencer said the "Gallup Police Department is not doing any such enforcement, nor would we call you on your phone demanding payment."

Spencer said to share this information, and if you have been a victim of this scam file a police report with the Gallup Police Department.

Call: (505) 722-2002 or (505) 863-9365

GPD's office is located at 451 Boardman Drive, Gallup.

Additional resources:

New Mexico Attorney General Office

http://www.nmag.gov/

Federal Trade Commission

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0090-using-money-transfer-services

Mary Ellen Pellington, the affable and studious Octavia Fellin Public Library director is set to retire in the coming weeks.

Pellington, who hails from New Jersey, but whose career adventures readily dot a U.S. map, sat down with the Gallup Sun to reminisce on her library career in Gallup. She arrived in 2009, to the water-scarce region after spending decades near sandy beaches and flowing waterways – even living in Florida for two decades.

“I lived all over,” she said, adding that she earned her Master’s degree in 1973, before “Post-It Notes” were invented and during the dawn of liquid white-out.

Pellington explained that when she arrived in Gallup, she had the goal of enhancing and making the two-library system work. It struck her odd that the Children’s Branch was separate from the main branch. And logistically, it was an administrative nightmare.

However, what anchored her was a supportive City Council whose members listened to her concerns and supported her vision of adding more children and adult programs, the latest technology in the form of computers and a 3-D printer, and even a prestigious annual book festival.

“I believe we worked to make this an inviting environment,” she said. “We work to make sure the entire community knows they’re welcome.”

In her eyes, Pellington believes strongly in the celebration of local cultures. So, bringing in storytellers and singers during African American and Native American awareness months is a must-do.

“Hopefully the library has embraced all the cultures” from the surrounding areas, and beyond, she said.

The art on her office walls showcases her appreciation of diversity, with eclectic pieces from Morocco, Nepal, India and Egypt. Art she’s collected over the years.

Pellington is heading home to Manchester Township, N.J. And she said that she’ll continue to travel, and continue to dabble in her passion for black and white photography.  Manchester is about 40 miles from New York City, she explained, where she’ll head to some Broadway plays and mingle with old friends.

“You never know where your next adventure can be, so I am looking forward to my new adventure,” she said.

PELLINGTON’S VISION COMES TO LIFE

When she first arrived in Gallup, Pellington knew the library needed a bigger and better place to call home, and that the adult and children’s books need housed under one roof. Her vision is one step closer to reality. It will take a collaborative effort to make it happen, one that Pellington said is essential as the current buildings are showing their age.

The Gallup City Council received a concept report April 25, on a possible new library. Gallup Public Works Director Stan Henderson and Pellington stressed that the report was a follow up to last year’s downtown redevelopment planning sessions.

The report was presented by the Dallas-based Huitt-Zollars and at a cost to the city of around $35,000.

Joe Gallegos and José Zalaya of Huitt-Zollars told council members about design layout and cost, saying a new library would cost in the range of a little more than $18 million.

The proposed location of a new Gallup library is at the northwest corner of Second Street and Aztec Avenue, which is the current location of Gallup Children’s Branch library. The diameter of the Octavia Fellin Library and the Children’s Branch is a little more than 24,000 square feet Gallegos and Zalaya told council members.

A new facility would expand to some 44,000 square feet.

Pellington said a new library director will go into the venture with an opportunity to see the project to completion.

“A new director will have fresh eyes, and will take the library in an exciting direction,” she said.

Library staff have planned a going away celebration for Pellington July 21, from 10 - 6 pm, 115 W. Hill Ave.

By Babette Herrmann

Sun Editor

Located on the west end of town, the Manuelito Children’s Home is off the beaten path, possibly forgotten about by some locals.

But anyone traveling the far west side of Gallup on Interstate 40, the signage is clear, the name painted large on the backside of the sprawling circa 1970’s gymnasium. South of the gymnasium, which is often mistaken for the home itself, lies a little slice of paradise for the 16 children, ages 7 to 19, that call Manuelito Children’s Home – home.

The children don’t live in a dormitory, they reside in spacious ranch style houses, one each for the boys and girls, plus a relief house – where the young residents reside while their house parents take a break from work.

“This is not a juvenile facility … a place where bad kids go,” Superintendent Jim Christian said.

The serene campus is located along a circular drive, with one facility that serves as the educational hub – Gallup Christian School. MCH is sponsored by Gallup Church of Christ. It began as what Christian called a “preaching mission” about 58 years ago at the Manuelito Chapter on the Navajo Nation.

It was 1959, and times we’re challenging. Not all of the reservation folks embraced the church’s Christian message. The area, mired in poverty, became a second chance for children in need. Taking in needy children shifted the church’s overall mission to that of a children’s home. By 1964, the homes at the current location at 12 Theta Street were built.

And providing a stable environment for children that Christian said often arrive at the home behind in school, or suffering from behavioral, emotional, and/or social problems, is the organization’s top mission, in addition to providing spiritual teachings and support via Church of Christ.

Christian said MHC receives no government funding, but must meet stringent state requirements.

“We are completely privately funded,” he said, adding that it cost about $1 million annually to keep the campus afloat.

Each home has a set of “house parents” – a mom and dad that provide structure and activities for the young residents.

House parent Norman Atchison works and lives in “Cottage 3” with his wife Cathy. The demanding and rewarding job is close to his heart as he grew up at MHC.

He came back to the home to “give what was given to me,” he said.

Atchison travels the country to conduct fundraisers and to collect food and non-food items from donation
drives.

“I speak and raise money for the home,” he said.

While some children may come into the home, totally detached from their families, others remain attached, Christian said, spending weekends away with grandparents or other family.

“We want them to know where they came from,” he said.

Christian has lived in Gallup for 31 years, and said his own rocky childhood made him feel a strong connection to MHC.

“I feel this is where God intended me to be,” he said. “Everything worked so easy for me to be here and do it.”

WILD THING & GIVING

For the past 23 years, Wild Thing Championship Bull-Riding event has served as a major fundraiser for the home. Both children and staff team up to handle the parking and concessions.

Christian said on average the organization nets somewhere between $10k - $12k.

But, the children’s home needs the community’s help year-round.

Donations can be submitted via PayPal at www.mnch.info or mailed to: PO Box 58, Gallup, NM 87305. MCH can also use paper products, such a paper towels, toilet paper, and hygiene items for the children. To donate or for more information call: (505) 863-5530.

By Babette Herrmann

Sun Editor

The distant sound of drums beating, voices singing of prayers and thanksgiving, the aroma of fresh frybread lingering in the air in downtown Gallup can only mean one thing – the Gallup Summer Nightly Indian Dances are underway once again.

Marking its 34^th year, the always anticipated Summer Nightly Indian dances are held nightly at the McKinley County Courthouse plaza from 7-8 pm Monday through Sunday, sponsored by the City of Gallup and Chamber of Commerce.

In the beginning, the event was held at the Red Rock State Park and attracted mostly tourists to the park’s museum and trails. Today, it not only attracts tourists from all over the world, but it entertains many locals as well according to Nightly Indian Dances Director Teri Fraizer.

“The visitor numbers are steady, we see many more visitors outside the U.S. this year, and we are grateful to those who attend nightly,” she said. “Now that summer has officially arrived and more people get out on the road, we should see increases in attendance.”

The goal of the dance program as it relates to the city, and chamber tourism efforts, is to have visitors stop in Gallup, catch the dances and spend the night.

“Our specific program mission is to help promote economic development and tourism for the City of Gallup by providing a safe, high quality, educational, and cultural venue for all visitors to the Richardson Courthouse Plaza.” she said.

Fraizer supervises three ambassadors, three sound engineers, two emcees, and seven groups this summer. Involved since the beginning, she still looks forward to working with the groups and attending nearly every evening.

“I have the best crew this side of the Rio Grande,” Fraizer said, “Through the hard work of Bill Lee at the Chamber of Commerce, Mayor McKinney, and Jennifer Lazarz from the city, we have been able to secure more lodgers tax funding for the staff and dancers.”

One group that has been a major attraction for more than 30 years is the, Cellicion Traditional Zuni Dancers, from Zuni. Directed by Fernando Cellicion, he says they enjoy dancing, and meetingpeople from around the world.

Cellicion’s group consist of Ray Johnson, Belyle Johnson, Calela Lamy, Alexandra Nastacio, and Florentine Johnson.

“This has become so popular and its good exposure for tons of people to share our culture and dances,” Cellicion said. “It’s a very important program for the City of Gallup, the vendors selling their crafts, and it’s a friendly event. In fact, some people come even though they’ve came many times, they just want to see it because they enjoy seeing the many dances done each night.”

Twenty-two-year-old group member Alexandra Nastacio has been dancing with the Cellicion group since she was 5, and has become an icon at the nightly dances as well as for the “New Mexico True” campaign. Her regal image can be seen on tabletops at local area restaurants and a billboard along Interstate 40.

Nastacio says she is excited to represent her group as well as her tribe of Zuni Pueblo.

“I feel great dancing for the people that come to our show, and I feel proud that they choose me.” Nastacio said.

The Cellicion group has done so well that group leader Fernando Cellicion will be receiving the New Mexico Music Commission’s Platinum Music Award at the Lensic Theatre in Santa Fe on July 21, for his contribution to the Native American music genre.

“The Platinums” are an evolution of the New Mexico Music Commission’s Platinum Achievement Awards, established in 2013 to celebrate the role that the music industry plays in the cultural life and economic success of New Mexico.

“I feel honored and overwhelmed. I received one similar in 2012 at the House of Representatives in Santa Fe, but this one is going to be pretty exciting to receive.” Cellicion said.

Dawn Lujan, an ambassador for the summer nightly dances, was approached by Fraizer several years ago, asking her to come aboard.

Lujan says she loves her role, and it’s a wonderful way to introduce the public to the Native American culture that this area is so rich in.

“I’ve been doing this for the past three years and I love it … it gives me the opportunity to meet with people all over the world and locally, and to let them know the good things that are happening in Gallup,” Lujan said, “I think that we need to get the word out to local people, to see what we have to offer, the positive side, the culture; if more people knew about it they would get a better idea of what the Native American tribes have to offer.”

Summer dance visitor, Tina Pablo from Lake Valley, said she enjoys the dances and believes this event helps keep the culture alive.

“I think it’s really good and how they keep the culture going by these various dances and seeing not only my Dine’ culture, but others as well makes you proud to be a Native American,” she said.

Also believing the nightly dances are a beautiful way of showing one’s culture through songs and dances is Fran Henry of Gallup.

“The dances are an expression of one’s belief and culture … colorful and deep. I love it … great company, great weather,” she said.

Free to the public, the summer dances run until Sept. 4.

Visit: www.nightlyindiandances, www.thegallupchamber.com, or contact the Chamber of Commerce (505) 722-2228 or toll free (800) 380-4989.

By Dee Velasco

For the Sun