Two-month leave stemmed from an apparent fight

The third deputy at the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office that was recently put on paid administrative leave has been reinstated, officials said.

McKinley County Sherriff Ron Silversmith said this week that Richard Rangel, 20, is now fully back to work as of March 3.

“He’s back on the job as of last week,” Silversmith said in a telephone conversation. “Again, he is back at work. But the investigation that we’re (the county) doing still is not yet final.”

Silversmith said Rangel, a Gallup High School graduate, is not patrolling, but is working “civic” duty. He said there really isn’t a time line as to when Rangel would...

On Feb. 8, Director Alecs Mojica of Uplift Community School recognized 10 students for Perfect Attendance for first semester 2016.

Parents and community members were witness to this wonderful achievement. Front row (from left) Keira Burnham (Kinder); Carla Steinback (1st); and Elijah Archuleta (3rd); 2nd row (from left) Caile Emerson (1st); Acacia Arviso (1st); Minowa Brown (4th) and Logan Chee (3rd); back row (from left), Meghanna Washington (4th); Kylee Donaldson (8th); and Elvyn Emerson (4th).

Esco Chavez, the Gallup native, New Mexico State University graduate and the former executive director at Gallup’s parks and recreation department, sees enormous potential in the Gallup Soccer Complex. It’s the size of four official soccer fields and was once the talk-of-the-town by Gallup youth, but is barely used as of late, he says.

And there is a reason for its lack of use.

“This is a gem no matter how you look at it,” Chavez said March 7, standing in front of the field along Sanostee Drive on the city’s west side. “Look at this. Why isn’t this field in use?”

Chavez recalls a time when players of all ages would practice various sports at the field, mostly soccer...

Gallup voters decide who leads two council districts March 14 and by the looks of it the candidates vying for District 3 could make things quite interesting.

DISTRICT 3 CONTENDERS

Growing up in Michigan, restaurateur Angela Chavez never imagined that she’d get deeply involved in municipal politics. But here she is, on the cusp of entering into a three-way election for a Gallup city council seat.

“I’ve served on boards, but I’ve never held elected office,” Chavez said during a recent interview with the Gallup Sun. “But I feel it’s something that I can do and can do well.”

Chavez has lived in the Indian Capital the past 24 years and owns and operates Angela’s...