The McKinley County Board of Commissioners recently voted to increase the county’s budget by more than $4 million, using revenue from the CARES Act, the economic relief bill signed into law during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Commissioners Bill Lee and Billy Moore approved a motion on the matter during their Dec. 8 meeting with little fanfare.

But County Manager Anthony Dimas, Jr., who spoke with the Gallup Sun afterward, stressed the importance of the funds, saying they are much needed in a place like McKinley County, which has experienced its share of coronavirus cases compared to other parts of the state.

“It’s giving us (the ability) to be able to get PPE...

A waterline break at Aztec and S. Ford Drive in Gallup Dec. 8 did not disrupt water service for area customers, but did create a void at the southwest corner of the intersection.

Dennis Romero, Gallup executive director of water and sanitation explained that a void is something hidden underground.

“When you have a waterline leak like this,” he told the Sun, “the pressure creates a hole underneath. It doesn’t affect what’s above.”

Because the break did not impact service, it was determined that the line would be repaired Dec. 9. at which time Romero said, “We’re having to repair the sewer line as well.”

“We can do that without affecting any customer service,”...

Health care executive shares her COVID-19 story, strategies for virus

Tonya Ortiz-Louis knows what it’s like to be on both sides of the COVID-19 equation — the health care provider on the frontlines helping stricken patients and becoming one herself.

“I’m very grateful that I am alive today, considering the significant and life-threatening symptoms that I was experiencing,” Ortiz-Louis told the Gallup Sun Dec. 7. “This entire experience really reminded me that COVID-19 has no boundaries — it doesn’t matter how young or old you are; whether you think you have a good immune system or you don’t have any underlying health care conditions.”

The executive director of...

Three phase plan draft explained

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — A near-final coronavirus vaccine plan was shared with the Health, Education, and Human Services Committee of the 24th Navajo Nation Council Nov. 25 by the Navajo Area Indian Health Service.

The plan, presented by NAIHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Loretta Christiansen, will coordinate the delivery of vaccine doses across the Indian Health Service system once the Federal Drug Administration approves one or multiple vaccines.

The plan covers three phases in the development and distribution of accepted vaccines for Covid-19.

Phase One calls for the shipment of a limited number of vaccine doses across the IHS system and to tribal...