The Gallup City Council took up the topic of face coverings at its May 12 meeting.

The ordinance has three mandates, which includes requiring anyone over two years old to wear a mask or face covering while in a public place. This first mandate exempts people who are in vehicles by themselves or with immediate family members, as well as people engaged in recreational activities that don’t place them in close proximity to non-family member.

City Attorney Curtis Hayes said an effective face covering covers both the nose and mouth and fits snugly against the person’s face to reduce the viral load that is secreted.

This mandate also does not apply to employees of businesses because...

ALBUQUERQUE - New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colón hosted an emergency virtual meeting May 12 with significant stakeholders of the Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services that included the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Chair of the McKinley County Commissioners, County Manager, the Hospital’s CEO and CFO, and members of the Executive Leadership team of the Office of the State Auditor. The meeting was held to convey the OSA’s serious concerns over the hospital’s continued failure to communicate, lack of transparency, and poor fiscal management.

Over the past year, the OSA asserted that it has made substantial investments of time into assisting the hospital and the...

The spread of COVID-19 has impacted the Navajo Nation hard given the number of rural areas where families may lack amenities like running water or have to travel long distances to get basic supplies.

This is why a number of groups and organizations have stepped up to support families on the reservation any way they can. Trinity Navajo Bible Church, near Smith Lake, N.M., is one of those places.

Pastor Bobby George said May 13 the church’s support has been going on for about a month. Members of the church were handing out food and water to families at Whitehorse Lake Chapter House, east of Crownpoint.

“The biggest reason why this is being done is because the Navajo chapters...

In a declaration May 12, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer extended the Navajo Nation’s public health state of emergency to include the period from May 18 to June 7 with Executive Order Number 004-20.

That will mean:

All Navajo Nation government offices and enterprises shall remain closed to minimize the spread of the corona virus disease. Only essential employees, as determined by respective division directors or enterprise management, shall report to their respective worksites.

Essential Employees are defined as those workers necessary to maintain basic, direct government or enterprise services, either working in their offices or...