Gallup veterans fight to reopen VA Transition Center

Freedom isn’t free. It costs something that can only be paid by those in uniform. Some pay with everything, but what about the veterans who return to the home front? Finished with one war, these veterans often find themselves facing another when they return home.

This is the situation facing local veterans in need of care. The Gallup Veterans Transition Center, at 513 Williams St., stopped receiving new admissions on June 10. The future of the center seemed uncertain at the time of closure, but later reports indicated that the center is temporarily closed due to lack of a full-time nurse on staff.

Some veterans have rolled...

New matter to come before city again for vote

The Gallup City Council discussed putting into place an ordinance that would allow Off-Highway Motor Vehicles, often referred to as All-Terrain Vehicles, to be driven on city streets. City Attorney George Kozeliski agreed to draft a formal ordinance regarding the matter, which could be re-introduced to council members for a vote in a matter of weeks.

At the request of citizenry, City Councilor Allan Landavazo asked that the matter be discussed, and the matter was listed on the July 12 regular city meeting agenda as a presentational and informational item.

“Pretty much we’re talking about any off-road vehicle,” Kozeliski said...

Proposals create positive steps for strengthening local economy

The Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation gathered with representatives of businesses, the arts, volunteer groups, nonprofit organizations, tourism, energy, as well as city, county, and tribal officials at El Morro Theatre for an Economic Roundtable to discuss the work being done to boost economic and community growth through strategic focus on three key areas of the local economy: downtown, tourism, and energy.

During the roundtable, the group discussed how investments in downtown, tourism and business retention and expansion efforts present significant opportunities to grow the economy of Gallup-McKinley...

City most likely to contract with new firm in months

The Gallup City Council has unanimously agreed to a month-to-month extension of an agreement that allows the Pennsylvania-based Severn Trent Services to continue operating the west-side wastewater treatment plant. The action took place at the July 12 regular city meeting and did not receive opposition from council members or members of the general public.

The agreement permits Severn Trent, which originally entered into a contractual agreement with the city for managerial services in May 2010 at an annual rate of $1.1 million, to operate and maintain the plant and its related facilities. The agreement expired June 30, 2016.

City...