Adding more variety for shoppers in the Gallup and surrounding area, Rio West Mall will add a new anchor, Hobby Lobby is projected to open in January 2018.

Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., a major Oklahoma City-based corporation began as Greco, a miniature picture frame company in 1970. When David Green moved his business from the family garage to a 300 square-foot retail space in 1972, Hobby Lobby was born. It is now the nation’s largest privately owned arts and crafts retailer.

“The success of our stores in New Mexico led us to look at Gallup and Alamogordo,” said Bob Miller, company spokesperson.“We think these are great locations and we are eager to get the doors open and become...

Repair is related to 5th and Hill break last year

It’s considered a major utility-oriented job, and it’s going to be a few months before things get back to normal, a city official said about a repair project on the south side.

The scope of the project is to install a new water transmission main from Historic Highway 66 to the Park Avenue Pump Station, Dennis Romero, director of the city’s water and sanitation department, said.

“This will replace the line we’ve been experiencing problems with,” he said.

Romero, hired into the job a little more than a year ago, has had to hit the ground running with frequent water and sewer line breaks throughout the city since coming...

Three ‘under’ votes amid final tally

There were no real problems with the recent election for city council seats in District 1 or District 3, officials said. But there were instances whereby nothing was marked on a few ballots and that was something that came out of last week’s canvassing session, officials said.

The final vote tally was skewed a little due to the fact that there were three “under” votes, Gallup City Clerk Al Abeita said. That means that three voters inserted a ballot into a machine, but there was nothing essentially marked on the ballot.

The under votes occurred at the McKinley County Courthouse and related to District 1. The other under vote took place...