Tillie Tahe of Mexican Springs looks through some saddle blankets at Roy McMahon Saddles and Tack Stand at the Gallup Flea Market on Saturday afternoon. Tahe was searching for a gift for her nephew who recently graduated from the Tucson Police Academy. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

Ray Daw heats branding irons in a fire during a cattle branding session on the Saganitso Ranch northeast of Tuba City. While residents of the area don't drink the water, their livestock do, raising concerns of potential harm. At the moment no one knows how much, if any, and to what extent off site water contamination has occurred. [Photo by Brian Leddy/Independent] Full Story

An evaporation pond that is used to concentrate uranium and nitrates out of ground water contaminated by an old uranium mill northeast of Tuba City. The former Rare Metals Incorporated uranium mill is now under management by the Department of Energy. Officials hope that the process will eventually cleanse the ground water within the next 20 years. [Photo by Brian Leddy/Independent] Full Story

Shirley Charley prepares a butchered sheep for the grill during a cattle branding session on her family's ranch northeast of Tuba City near Rare Metals Incorporated old uranium mill. Recently the Navajo Nation has raised fears that there is more contamination that what was previously thought and that it has spread offsite. The tribe and El Paso Natural Gas Company, which bought Rare Metals Incorporated, have reached an agreement that says if contamination is found the company will provide an alternative water supply. [Photo by Brian Leddy/Independent] Full Story

Ray Daw heats branding irons in a fire during a cattle branding session on the Saganitso Ranch northeast of Tuba City. While residents of the area don't drink the water, their livestock do, raising concerns of potential harm. At the moment no one knows how much, if any, and to what extent off site water contamination has occurred. [Photo by Brian Leddy/Independent] Full Story