Bill contained $200K for detox purposes

Gov. Susana Martinez has vetoed a bill pertaining to funding the Na’nizhoozhi, Center, Inc. The bill contained $200,000 in funds earmarked for Gallup’s sole institution that teats substance abuse.

“It was a surprise that (Martinez) vetoed the bill,” Sen. George Muñoz said. The bill was one of several sponsored by Muñoz during the 2016 New Mexico Legislative session. “We really needed it.”

The veto came about two weeks after U.S. Congressman Ben Ray Luján held a meeting in which officials from the city of Gallup, McKinley County and the Navajo Nation talked about nailing down a permanent funding pattern for NCI.

At one point...

State superdelegates give thumbs up to Clinton

Most area Democratic politicians say they’ll support Hillary Rodham Clinton over Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for the 2016 Democratic nomination for president of the United States. In most cases, it’s a no-brainer, considering New Mexico and McKinley County are predominantly Democratic.

Clinton, a former U.S. Secretary of State, has locked up public support from U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham as well as U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich. Each is a state superdelegate.

Made up mostly of distinguished party leaders and elected officials, a superdelegate is a delegate to the Democratic National...

Name snafu on ballot

SANTA FE – Former Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly filed to run Tuesday for the soon-to-be-vacant District 69 New Mexico House of Representatives seat. Shelly is seeking the seat being vacated by former N.M. Speaker of the House W. Ken Martinez, D-Grants. Martinez, an attorney, is retiring from public office. The son of a former N.M. Speaker of the House, Martinez began serving the state Legislature in 1999.

“Today, I accept a new challenge as I run for a state office in becoming a lawmaker,” Shelly said upon filing at the state secretary of state office in Santa Fe. “I have been a registered Democrat all of my life.”

Since ending his four-year tenure...

In a recent audit report of the Gallup-McKinley County Schools, conducted by Accounting and Consulting Group, LLP,  shows deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting for the date ending in June 30, 2015.

It was stated in the in the General Funds Report, the total revenues amounted to about $100.5 million and the total amount of expenditures is $85.6 million. This also reflects the excess (deficiency) amount of revenues over expenditures which amounts to $14.8 million.

The audit uncovered that the district is not keeping track of lodging receipts for purchases made with the superintendent’s credit cards and two transactions occurred with a total amount of $1,310.57...