The strong winds that blew across Gallup in spurts over the holiday weekend contributed to a massive power outage on Gallup’s west side, officials said.

City Electric Director Richard Matzke said city work crews simply had to clear power lines of debris and tree branches so that things could go smoothly.

“We did not have to replace equipment in this instance,” Matzke said. “Power was restored.”

At around 3:30 am on Dec. 24, the indoor and outdoor lights went out everywhere from McDonald’s West to past the Love’s Travel Stop. That distance covers several miles. The only residences and businesses that maintained power were those that had portable generators.

Matzke said...

Robber takes batteries, sunglasses

A Yatahey man jailed Christmas Eve on an armed robbery charge bonded out of the McKinley County Adult Detention Center a few days later, records show.

Robert Brown, 30, had no idea that the moment he decided to rob the Giant at 3340 E. Historic Highway 66 was the same instance that a deputy sheriff from the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office was at the store. Brown was carrying a 4-foot silver ninja sword at the time of the robbery.

“I was on routine patrol to use the air pump,” Deputy Merlin Benally wrote in a police report on the matter. Benally saw Brown, who was wearing all black and carrying “a long silver item,” quickly walk away from...

An unknown suspect remains on the lam in connection with a possible arson of the local property maintenance office of a Gallup state legislator.

Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, said his office, Munoz Properties, at 2607 Chamisal Ave., was partially set ablaze Dec. 27. He said he has no idea why somebody would do such a thing.

“I don’t know why someone would do this,” Muñoz said. “The situation is under investigation.”

According to a fire report, the left side screen and window pane of the business was broken and burned. Smoke damage was noted in the report as having occurred inside the walls of the business. A mini set of blinds was pulled down from its hinges and was on the...

The legal limit is .08.

Shawn Dawes

2nd DWI, Aggravated

Dec. 17, 2:05 am

Dawes alerted Gallup Police Department Officer John Gonzales by driving with his headlights turned off down Hwy 66. Gonzales, who was traveling eastbound, turned around near the intersection of Arnold street to check on Dawes.

According to the police report, Dawes, 26, sped up and started driving on the shoulder. At this point, Gonzales turned on his overhead lights and sirens. Dawes increased his speed until he arrived at the intersection of Marguerite and pulled into the parking lot of Sonic west.

When Gonzales approached the vehicle, Dawes denied having any drinks, the report states, but the...