In an effort to address high area fatality and serious injury rates, the City of Gallup was chosen as the subject of a traffic and pedestrian safety analysis and plan, which was presented to the Gallup City Council at its regular meeting Aug. 13.

Rosa Kozub, government-to-government unit supervisor for the New Mexico Department of Transportation, said the department has been working on the safety plan with City of Gallup staff, the public works planning department, and the public safety department since May 2018.

“The plan emphasizes priority for fatality and serious injury incidents,” Kozub said.

The vision of the plan is to make Gallup a safer place for residents and visitors...

Travel on weekday mornings

Eastbound I-40 travelers and truckers are being encouraged to drive through the area around Exit 39 on weekday mornings to avoid major delays. At this time, eastbound I-40 is reduced to a single lane, while westbound I-40 has two lanes open.

A spokeswoman for the New Mexico Department of Transportation contractor working on a bridge rehabilitation, ramp and roadway improvement project, says backups during afternoons after 2 pm and on weekends can be as long as four to six hours.

Since there are no viable detours, travelers are encouraged to plan trips with extra time included and pay attention to slow-moving commercial vehicles and obey all posted traffic...

Groundbreaking August 11

Ground has been broken on a new shrine to honor St. Kateri Tekakwitha at Sacred Heart Retreat Center, Mile Marker 167, N.M. Hwy. 602, Gallup.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha was canonized as a saint in 2012 and is the first Native American Catholic saint.

She is the patron saint of Native American, Indigenous and First Nations peoples.

The Diocese of Gallup, Knights of Columbus, and the Southwest Indian Foundation broke ground on the shrine Aug. 11 at 2 pm.

Construction is scheduled to begin within days and completion is tentatively scheduled for August 2021. It will include a chapel, museum and 40 outdoor rosary stations.  Each station will be marked by a niche...

The Boys and Girls Club of Gallup, a non-profit organization, recently received a boost for their efforts to help local children build positive relationships, develop attitudes and behaviors to succeed in school, and get ready for careers, according to their website.

High Desert QSRs, which operates numerous restaurants across the Four Corners region, presented a check of over $5,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Gallup Aug. 14. The funds come through the Taco Bell Foundation Round Up Program, which aims to help young people across the nation pursue educational dreams, according to their website.

Marisa Hutchinson, CEO of Boys and Girls Club expressed sheer gratitude for the award...