The Gallup Police Department is asking the public’s help in locating Tiffany Erica Gray, 35, of Gallup.

She was last seen on June 20 at Days Inn West, 1603 W. Hwy. 66, in Gallup. She was wearing a white shirt and black pants at the time of disappearance.

Gray is described as 5’3”, 160 pounds with brown eyes and waist-length black hair. She has a “DITTO” tattoo on her right tricep and three dots below her right eye.

Gray was last seen driving a black 2015 Chevy Blazer with a cracked windshield and a feather hanging from the rear-view mirror. Her intended destination is unknown.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Tiffany Erica Gray, please contact the Gallup Police Department at (505)863-9365.

Most people know A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’ story about ghosts of the past, present and future warning a miser to change his selfish ways. Artist Dennis Dewa wants people to know the world is at just such a crossroads with climate, and the little choices we make every day will ultimately decide how our future looks.

Dewa is the second in a summer series of guest curators at ART123 Gallery, with an installation May 14 to June 4. The gallery asked local artists to submit briefs for the grant-funded program, with each one focused on a different social justice issue.

Dewa’s exhibit, “The Transition: Fossil Fuels to Renewables,” aims to show how our collective response to climate change will dictate whether our future landscape is bright or bleak.

“Every year it’s getting hotter and hotter and the storms that usually come are getting more intense,” he said. “That’s part of climate change and what’s causing it, the greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere. Fossil fuels like coal and gas emit those emissions that can also cause air pollution and lung cancer. It’s a lot that sometimes people don’t know about. That’s where I’m trying to shed some light.”

Dewa paints in an ethereal style that suggests parallel and overlapping worlds where the physical and spiritual play together. That lends itself particularly well to a mural installation meant to engage viewers in the world as it is, and the possible futures at the end of diverging paths. For the installation he’s doing a mural overhung with seven large paintings.

“On one side it’s going to be fossil fuels and on the other side it’s going to be renewable energy, like solar and wind turbines,” he said. “If we transition from fossil fuels into renewable energy, this is how it could be.”

“The underlying design on both walls of the gallery [….] on the back is going to be a silhouette of an offshore well, but in the forefront is going to be a water design. It’s going to switch onto land where there’s an oil rig sitting there but with grass coming out. There will be symbolism and design going throughout the whole gallery,” he explained. “On top of those designs, the paintings are going to come in front. All the paintings will be that same design that’s carried on the wall, so it’s going to be running through all the paintings in the gallery.”

The result is art that invites visitors to see themselves as participants. “The goal is not necessarily to hang a gallery show, but to create a more of an interactive, immersive experience,” GallupARTS Executive Director Rose Eason said. “His idea is to show the state of the climate and the environment as it is today and the industries and practices that are contributing to global warming on one wall; then on the opposite wall show what it could look like if we transition to renewable energy and make some drastic changes to our ways of life.”

One need look no further than the wildfires currently burning in New Mexico and Arizona to see the effects of prolonged drought and changing weather patterns.

“An artist’s job is to record things,” Dewa said. “I think that’s why I’m here, to record our culture and share it with the youth so they know who they are.”

Fortunately, it appears there’s an audience eager to see and hear his message. A January survey by 4H and Harris Polls found that 41% of youth think about the environment frequently, 48% do at least sometimes, and their anxiety about the environment is stronger the further into the future they think: 21% of youngsters surveyed were hopeful about the environment a year ago while 27% were worried about it; 24% are optimistic about the situation a year from now and 39% are concerned; and 28% think things may be better in 50 years, while 42% think things will be worse.

Survey respondents split responsibility for taking care of the environment about equally among business, government and individuals, and 79% agreed with the statement that “protecting the environment should take priority over economic growth.”

Not coincidentally, Dewa’s art goes back to his own roots, literally. Being raised with Zuni farming traditions that he still follows gave him respect for the land and natural resources from which city dwellers may feel disconnected.

“Our people are represented as planters and growers. Every year I’ve planted corn right outside my house – this past year it grew up to 12 feet!” he said. He and his neighbors at Zuni Pueblo grow herbs, squash and other vegetables every year, he said.  “Mostly the whole village does that because it’s part of the culture.”

Dewa sees his art as a vehicle to pass on language and culture, but also as a way to educate people about horticulture and natural resources. He hopes visitors will leave thinking about the small changes they can make – shutting off the tap while brushing their teeth, taking reusable bags to stores, even growing some of their own food – and how to take responsibility for the future.

“It’s about returning to our culture and who we used to be as farmers and people who respected the land,” he said. “Maybe if more people farmed and returned to their roots, everything would be alright and everything would come back into place.”

ART123 Gallery is open noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at 123 W. Coal Ave. Information is available at https://galluparts.orgor (505) 488-2136.

By Holly J. Wagner
Sun Correspondent

Fourth grade teacher Elna Go, of Red Rock Elementary School, knew her calling to become a teacher at a young age because she watched her mother teach first graders at the same public school she was attending.

Go, nominated for this month’s Camille’s Sidewalk Café, “Teacher of the Month,” describes her mom as being dedicated and sincere as a teacher. She calls her a role model. And she admires her mom the most for helping her students by feeding and clothing them.

With her mom always on her mind, Go is embarking on a similar journey. Originally from a southern island in the Philippines, called Mindanao, Go and her family arrived in the United States in 2004 and resided in Chicago. In Chicago, she taught preschool for almost 11 years at a private school.

Eventually she decided to move into a public school setting and she maintained her license to teach K-12 grades. In all, Go has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration.

This school year will be her first time teaching in a public school, and so far, she loves teaching the fourth grade.

“I want my kids to be on top,” she said. “I am trying my best to teach them the right way. When I see that they understand the lesson that I am trying to present to them, that is the best rewarding part.”

What she also finds rewarding as a teacher is the love and respect that is felt by her students.

“I am able impart my knowledge and I am able to mold the children to proper behavior, proper guidance so that they can grow someday into somebody who is successful,” she said.

As for the Gallup area, she says that the area is not as busy as Chicago, but the people, especially her co-teachers, are “absolutely awesome.”

She once heard through the grapevine that teaching fourth grade was not easy; however, she finds it an easy grade to instruct. She believes that the students are at a stage where they understand what you are trying to teach them. One of the major lessons that she tries to teach is good behavior.

“Behavior is number one. I told them, no matter how smart you are, if your behavior is poor it will pull you down,” she said.

She talked about the usefulness of technology and how it makes education easier for her students as compared to her mom’s students, but she stresses that proper guidance is needed, especially when they are home.

“With that, we have to be very careful, also, because if you let them do that all the time, it will not be used in the right way,” she said.

One of her most memorable moments as a teacher at Red Rock Elementary School, was the day her students did not recognize her because she wore jeans to school for casual Friday.

“I was standing here and the kids came in and said, ‘Who is that?’” she said. “One student did not recognize me! Then, I turned around and he said, ‘Good morning, Mrs. Go!’ and I said, ‘Good morning!’ and he said, ‘Mrs. Go, I did not recognize you because you always look fancy every day.’ I said, ‘Oh, thank you!’”

As a creative outlet, she enjoys making jewelry. Usually, she dons the very jewelry she creates. She enjoys dressing up and hosting functions, such as weddings, and being in the public eye.

She shares that the best advice she ever received is to be sincere, dedicated, and flexible with all of the work that you do.

This December she plans on taking a trip back home to the Philippines to see her oldest son and her three grandchildren. Since starting her career at Red Rock Elementary last August, she has not had much time to explore, what she calls, the “Land of Enchantment,” but it’s something she plans to do with her family.

“Although Mrs. Go is new to Red Rock Elementary, she is an exceptional fourth grade teacher. The students enjoy being in her class and her curriculum is of high rigor,” Sharmyn Munoz, principal of Red Rock Elementary School said.

Every month, Camille’s Sidewalk Café will announce the “Teacher of the Month” and this upcoming summer, look for the announcement of “Teacher of the Year.” To nominate your teacher, fill out an entry form at Camille’s Sidewalk Café, 306 S. Second St. in Gallup.

Activists see RMCHCS changes as positive, but just a start

Changes are in the works at Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services in response to community protests and the threat of losing the hospital’s lease with McKinley County.

One change that may help is that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has designated RMCHCS’s College Clinic as a Rural Health Clinic facility, which is intended to make healthcare more accessible in areas where medical care is in short supply. CMS also reimburses RHCs at higher rates than non-RHC providers.

CMS has clout because it is not only a regulator, but also the single largest payer for health care in the U.S., covering nearly half of Americans.

The designation could be a big step, because RHCs are required to provide outpatient primary care services and basic laboratory services, and to use a team approach of physicians working with non-physician providers such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives.

A month ago, the McKinley County Board of Commissioners gave RMCHCS management 180 days to respond to community and board concerns – including finding a permanent CEO – or risk losing their lease.

RMCHCS brought on new CEO Robert Whittaker April 15 to replace interim CEO Don Smithburg, and added interim CFO Chantelle Venter, who specializes in hospital turnarounds. Venter outlined her “100-Day Financial Improvement Plan” in a presentation to the hospital Board of Trustees April 20. That plan aims to stabilize and improve the hospital’s finances.

Problems arose last year when RMCHCS hired Community Hospital Corporation of Plano, Texas, to take over management. A few months later,  about two dozen physicians voted to form a union which has yet to negotiate contracts. Some other staff quit or were let go.

Community Health Action Group attributes the turnover to the CHC management, which the group claims is putting technology and money ahead of staff and services. The grassroots group began a campaign of town meetings, online activism and protests outside the hospital demanding change.

Now CHAG is shifting its focus to circulating a petition. Constance Liu, CHAG co-founder and spokesperson, said her organization has gained 2,000 signatures, calling for a new RMCHCS board of trustees composed entirely of members of the community.

CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM

McKinley County Attorney Doug Decker said RMCHCS has taken steps in response to the commission’s edict to improve communication and transparency, but there is still work to do.

“There is the communication with the county that has been improving but can still be even better, he said. “We do not want it to close and that’s why we are willing to work with RMCHCS, because they are communicating better with us now.”

Another positive sign is placing one county representative on the board as a voting member, which was the case before CHC took over.

“That’s a change from the lease. They can do that, and they chose to do that,” Decker said.

Activists are also guardedly optimistic about the moves, but keeping the pressure on. CHAG is also concerned about what it calls a lack of permanent nurses in labor and delivery. Liu claims most nurses working at RMCHCS now are temporary hires – costing two to three times more than a permanent nurse – but that some former staff members would come back if they were comfortable with new leadership.

“From the pattern of testimony that has come out at several public forums over the course of several months,  there was, under the prior management, a pattern of retaliation and toxic work culture that was making it difficult for permanent employees to remain at the hospital,” said Liu, who is also an OB-GYN at Indian Health Services.

“I work in McKinley County because I always intended to serve an area that needs doctors and I am involved in this issue because I believe that our community deserves excellent health care,” she said. “I will continue to be involved because I see that they are willing to speak up and organize to get it, and that is inspiring.”

As for CHAG, she said, “Our interest is really to build a strong relationship between hospital leadership and the community, because we want this to be a true community hospital, one that serves community interest and puts the community in the center of its decision making in the interest of a long-term resolution.”