FARMINGTON -  The Bureau of Land Management invites the public to participate in an informational pre-application virtual workshop for the Shiprock Solar Project on May 27 from 6 pm-8 pm.

The proposed project area encompasses 1,980 acres of BLM-administered public lands and 555 acres of private lands that are located approximately 4 miles north of Waterflow, N.M., near the Public Service Company of New Mexico-operated San Juan Generating Station.

The proposed project would produce approximately 372 megawatts of electricity. It would connect to the existing Western Area Power Administration Substation via an approximately 1,400-foot 345kV transmission line, using a constructed Main...

As several tribal casinos around Phoenix and Tucson prepare to reopen after May 15, officials for the Navajo Gaming Enterprise are still taking a wait-and-see attitude.

Brian Parrish, interim CEO of the enterprise, had already announced in late April the four Navajo casinos would be closed until at least May 17, and with deaths in the area still rising because of the COVID-19 coronavirus, no one is expecting the casinos to be open in the near future.

Parrish said this is partly in concern for the families and friends of the 1,000-plus employees of the casino.

“They live in 105 of the tribe’s 110 chapters and we don’t want them bringing the virus home with them when they return...

A lockdown has some particularly difficult aspects beyond the expected everyday boredom.

One of those can be taking care of vital needs, such as refilling medications, lab drop offs and laundry. In White Cliffs resident Karen Nieto’s case, she and one of her daughters are essential workers. Nieto works at U. S. Renal and her older daughter works at Red Rocks Care Center.

She says she has been in numerous arguments with state police and Gallup police because she needs to get her scrubs washed.

New Mexico State Police Officer Dusty Francisco looked into Nieto’s complaint May 4 and said essential workers can go in and out of Gallup with a letter from their essential workplace...

Gallup’s third lockdown will include several changes. One will be a need for face masks.

City Manager Maryann Ustick told the Gallup Sun May 7 that all Gallup residents will be required to wear a cloth face covering when they are inside a business, non-profit or government building. That new requirement was just a suggestion by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in her most recent public health order.  Now it is mandatory in Gallup.

The mask for customers was requested by Mayor Louis Bonaguidi and announced by the governor. The ordinance will be coming up on the city council agenda May 12.

The curfew will include a lock down of roads for non-residents until May 8 at 8 pm. That means...