A passerby near the intersection of Third Street and Highway 66 made a grisly discovery early on Sept. 4 and reported their findings to Gallup police.

Captain Erin Toadlena-Pablo told the Sun Sept. 8 the call about the dead body came in about 7:36 am on Sept. 4.

She said the caller was on his morning walk near the railroad crossing on Third Street when he noticed the remains east of the tracks.

The victim was identified as Steven Yazzie, 37, of Gallup. The confirmed cause of death was from a collision with a train at an unspecified time.

There is no other information available.

Two tractor-trailers collided on Interstate 40 around milepost 109 near Laguna, N.M. Sept. 6.

New Mexico State Police responded around 3 pm and found a 53-year-old Fresno, Calif. man had sustained fatal injuries. The driver of a 2014 Kenworth CMV was pronounced dead on the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator.  His identity is not being released until a positive identification has been made.

It appears that a 2001 Freightliner, driven by a 26-year-old Lynnwood, Calif. man had slowed for traffic that was stopped ahead of him when both semis were traveling east on I-40.

The Fresno driver failed to stop and rear-ended the driver from Lynnwood.

The Lynnwood driver was...

The McKinley County Board of Commissioners had two items on the agenda of their Sept. 1 meeting that reflects the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the local economy.

County Manager Anthony Dimas, Jr. presented the items to the board. Both items involved adjustments in the county budget that was discussed at a prior meeting.

“When we presented the regular budget back in May, Sara [Saucedo] and I said we knew the pandemic was going on, and that we’d look at the first quarter results of FY21 and then we’d have the results for you by October,” Dimas said. “With the recent announcement of the Gallup refinery losing their number three taxpayer, we felt it best to bring to...

RMCHCS hires third interim CEO since Conejo’s departure

Mary Bevier took the helm as interim CEO at Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services when CEO David Conejo was terminated June 11. She had been the hospital Chief Financial Officer.

She was then joined by Steve McKernan as acting CEO. McKernan had also been a CFO at UNM Hospital for almost eight years and a CEO for 21 years.

Bevier has now returned to her duties as CFO at RMCHCS and the hospital board of trustees has announced the appointment of interim CEO, Don Smithburg.

Smithburg began his work at the hospital Sept. 1 and will remain for 12 months.

A native of Albuquerque and senior healthcare executive, Smithburg...