Mark Charkey checks the base of a powerpole Wednesday in Grants. Charkey works for a company called Powerpole Inspections that travels around the country inspecting power poles. (Photo by Jerry Wilson/Independent) Full Story

Parking at a Premium: Students arrived for the first day of the new semester Tuesday at University of New Mexico-Gallup to find over-filled parking lots that caused many students to park on the streets. (Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent)

Roof Repairs: Willy Retana pulls nails out of the roof of El Dorado Restaurant Wednesday afternoon. The roofing crew pulled up most of the old wooden shingles Wednesday and will start to work pulling up the rest of the roof today. (Photo by John A. Bowersmith/Independent)

Going Up: Tom Kinslow, from San Juan Signs, fuses the top section of the new Hampton Inn sign to the support base using a plug-weld Wednesday at the intersection of I-40 and Historic Route 66 on the west end of Gallup. The inn, which is scheduled to open this spring, is one of two Hampton Inns being built in Gallup. (Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent)