Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor,
I am writing to your newspaper to publicly express my appreciation for President Joe Biden’s “policy of empathy” towards Navajos. The 2020 CARES Act provided relief from hardship during the Covid-19 public health crisis. The American Rescue Plan Act provided $1.8 billion to the Navajo Nation. The funding was...
Be cautious of inflation when planning your retirement

Another factor that makes long-term loans less attractive to lenders, thus raising interest rates, is inflation. Inflation is the rise over time in the price of goods and services. Lenders know the longer it takes the borrower to pay back a loan, the less that money will be worth because everything costs more.
Inflation is the rise over time in the price of goods and services. Is a loaf of bread higher than it was the year you were born? Inflation is measured as an annual percentage, and the same way interest rates are measured as a yearly...
Letter to the editor: Working for a bright healthcare future
As a patient, I try to support our hospital by getting my care locally. I recently received excellent care at RMCH {Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital]. I underwent three surgical procedures from mid-July through mid-October. I felt fortunate to be able to receive care by highly qualified docs and caring nurses. Everyone was pleasant, courteous, and professional.
But I have to say I was a bit hesitant knowing about the turmoil within the organization, seemingly random and reckless retaliatory firings, and ignored safety concerns resulting in the departure of experienced nurses. Most of the nurses caring for me were new graduates.
I want to thank the Board of Trustees of RMCH for...
But I have to say I was a bit hesitant knowing about the turmoil within the organization, seemingly random and reckless retaliatory firings, and ignored safety concerns resulting in the departure of experienced nurses. Most of the nurses caring for me were new graduates.
I want to thank the Board of Trustees of RMCH for...
Letter to the Editor: Can a community exist with no hospital?

Is a community viable if it does not have a hospital? Sadly, for Gallup and McKinley County, this question, while rhetorical (the answer is clearly “no”), is not hypothetical. RMCH currently has no OBGYN and no neurologist on staff. (It’s been without an OBGYN for at least a month and without a neurologist for perhaps a year.) Is a hospital a hospital if it cannot provide care in all basic/major medical areas? Is a health care system a health care system if it is made up of LOCUM/traveling providers who are only available on an erratic and unreliable schedule?
Can a community retain and attract workers, families, retirees, and businesses if it is known as having an...
Letter to the editor: Not just another day on the calendar: Indigenous Peoples’ Day matters

Every day is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Even more so in the “Indian Capital of the World” where the Gallup City Council acknowledged the historical contributions of the First Nations who call “Turtle Island” home and met the challenge of celebrating the correct history of this misguided federal holiday.
On September 27, 2016, the Gallup City Council passed Resolution/Proclamation R2016–40, declaring the second Monday of October as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” into perpetuity. On October 17, 2017 the McKinley County Commission also approved Resolution/Proclamation No. OCT‑17–085 designating the Second Monday in October of each year as “Indigenous...
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