Gallup High School students Jaylaine Garcia,left, and Anastasia Jim both claim an alcohol free and drug free life. Jim spends her time skateboarding and playing the french horn and Garcia spends her time volunteering and doing marshal arts. While talking about a message for other youth, the two girls offered a phrase of advice, "Think twice before you roll the dice, life is not a gamble." [Photo by Daniel Zollinger/Independent] Full Story

Ms. Northern New Mexico Alyssa Harrison clears a plate and cup from a table at Diné Restaurant in Window Rock, Ariz. Saturday evening during a fund raiser for the Special Olympic Navajo Nation. Harrison and other Ms' helped in the fund raiser that made money through the tips people left for the girls. The girls noted that several people had left fourty dollar tips. [Photo by Daniel Zollinger/Independent] Full Story

Last-minute rush: Vendors are kept busy on Christmas Eve day Monday as last minute shoppers stop in to see what they have to offer and what types of bargains they can find outside of Earl's Restaurant on Hwy 66. Several vendors said not only was their business pretty good, but that they also appreciated the Richards family allowing them to sell their work at the famous restaurant [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]