Na’ Nizhoozhi Center, Inc. was notified by Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital on April 7 that someone in the detox facility tested positive for COVID-19.  Executive Director Dr. Kevin Foley called county authorities and asked them to test people with whom this person had been in contact.

Foley said RMCHCS decided to take the people still left in the NCI detox center in to the hospital and have them wait for their COVID-19 tests.

At that point, the detox center was cleaned and re-opened at 10:30 pm on the same day. There was no lockdown or quarantine.

David Conejo, CEO of RMCHCS told the Gallup Sun what was happening with the NCI patients at the hospital.

Twenty-two patients were...

Sheriff seeks Speedway robber

McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Joey Guillen is looking for help from the public to identify the person involved in a robbery at 7:42 am April 6 at the Speedway in Vanderwagen.

Officer Jeff Barnhurst caught the call of a possible robbery in progress.

When he arrived he saw a man leaving the store.

As he approached the front door, manager Anita Spencer said she had been working on stock inventory in the back when she heard the front door bell.  Then she heard the cooler door open and she headed for the front of the store.

When she got there she saw a man heading for the exit with two cans of beer and she called out.  She said he...

Ewing Todacheene, 33, of Bloomfield, N.M., has been charged federally in connection with an incident in which he allegedly fired several rounds near houses and other buildings on the Navajo Nation on April 2.

Todacheene is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

He allegedly fired several rounds from a rifle while driving a vehicle in and near the community of Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle, southeast of Farmington, N.M.

No one was injured.

The Navajo Police Department arrested Todacheene, with the assistance of the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Police, and FBI, who all responded to the scene.

The...

NURSE ATTACKED

Gallup, April 2

Gallup Police Officer Timothy Hughte was dispatched to Gallup Indian Medical Center in reference to a male being assaulted.

Hughte made contact with James Hayne, charge nurse of the emergency room, who said he was trying to help a male identified as Ashford Rodriguez, 28, of Gallup, when he was hit in the head with a closed fist. Rodriguez had been transported to the hospital by Medstar Ambulance for a high level of intoxication, where he had to be restrained and eventually sedated due to being combative.

Hughte returned to GIMC later that night after being told Rodriguez was awake and moving. He had no recollection of the incident, nor could he...