The Gallup-McKinley County Board of Education unanimously approved a contract Jan. 17 for interim superintendent Mike Hyatt. The action took place at the regular school board meeting and was met with a side suggestion from board member Joe Menini. In spite of an objection by Menini, the approval of the document went through.

Hyatt was thrust into the job after for Gallup-McKinley Schools Superintendent Frank Chiapetti was placed on paid administrative until the end of June 2017. Chiapetti earned $132,000 annually and Hyatt earned a little more than $88,000.

An addendum of the contract states that, “The administrator shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the entire district and...

WINDOW ROCK – Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye approved legislation for supplemental funding in the amount of $5,038,678 to be taken from the Minimum Fund balance of the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance for general assistance and welfare programs Jan. 17.

In a memorandum to Honorable Speaker LoRenzo Bates dated Jan. 17, President Begaye said the funds will be appropriated toward adult institutional care services, child welfare assistance and institutional care services, and for public assistance for general assistance.

“I am signing this appropriation to compensate the individuals who were not able to receive assistance in these last two months,” Begaye said. “This...

An unidentified elderly female died in a house fire Jan. 14 in an incident that took place on Gallup’s west end. The fire saw three engines from the Gallup Fire Department and two from the McKinley County Volunteer Fire Department respond, officials said.

“Upon arrival, the residence was fully engulfed,” Gallup Deputy Fire Chief Jesus Morales said. “The incident is still under investigation.”

Morales said at about 9:30 am that a call came in about a structure fire at 161 Crest View Rd., which is just over the city line. He said the 24-by-32 mobile home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. Morales said family members of the people living at the home were able to...

HANGING AROUND THE SCENE

1/16, GALLUP

A woman kicking back in her apartment watching some TV was startled when she heard knocking on her door. Wondering who could be calling on her at 6:30 pm, she turned off the tube and walked to her bedroom window. When she peeked out, she saw Gilbert Valdez, who was a perfect stranger to her.

She went to the front door and looked out the peephole, and that’s when she could hear Valdez reportedly shimmying her door handle, trying to get into the apartment. The woman grabbed a baseball bat and looked out the window, and noticed that he was gone. From there, she went outside and closed her gate. On her way back in she noticed that Valdez had...