Gallup leaders recall their favorite books, movies

By Gaye Brown de Alvarez
Staff writer

GALLUP — With the summer over and the weather getting cooler, people aren’t doing so much biking, hiking and camping. They seem to be staying inside doing more reading, watching TV and seeing movies. How are they entertaining themselves?

A call to some local residents gave an indication of what amuses and enlightens them:

• Gallup Mayor Harry Mendoza said he is currently reading “The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War” by David Halberstam. He recently saw the movie “The Bear,” a movie made in 1988 by the famous director Jean-Jacques Annaud, which he said he really enjoyed. On television, he enjoys mysteries, he said, such as “Law and Order” and “CSI.”
  
• Becky Apel, director of the chamber of commerce, said she is currently reading “Dance of the Gods” by Nora Roberts, which she described as “a romance with vampires.” Her favorite movie recently was “Transformers,” which she saw with her teenage son, and her favorite TV show is “Grey’s Anatomy.”
  
• Allen Landavazo, city councilor for District 2, is reading “A Purpose-Driven Life,” by Rick Warren. His favorite recent movie is “Final Season” and he said he and his family enjoy watching anything on HGTV about rebuilding, redecorating and redoing homes and buildings.
  
• Sarah Luginbuhl, assistant manager at the El Morro Theater and manager of MainStreet, is reading a mystery, “Out of the Shadows,” by Sigmund Brouwer and her favorite recent movie that she’s seen was “The Wedding Planner” with Jennifer Lopez and her favorite show on television is “So You Think You Can Dance.”
  
• Our new city manager, Gerry Herrera, is reading “Post Fix, The Definitive Guide,” a technical manual for Internet management, and his favorite recent movie is “Fearless” with Jet Li. He said the television show he enjoys watching is “House M.D.”
  
• Principal Ray Macias of Tobe Turpen Elementary said he’s not reading anything currently. His favorite recent movie was “The Wild Hogs” and his favorite thing to watch on TV is old “Seinfeld” re-runs and “Two and a Half Men.”
  
• Accountant and CPA Brett Newberry said that he is reading “Influencer: The Power to Change Anything,” by Kerry Patterson, which he described as a how-to book to create change. He and his wife both liked the new movie “The Kingdom” with Jaime Fox and Newberry said his new favorite thing to watch on TV is Dallas Cowboy football, since his wife bought him a new Sharp Aquos 46-inch LCD-HD TV.
  
• Our new Police Chief Robert Cron said that he is currently reading the book “Beginning Blacksmithing” a book abut metallurgy. He recently saw “Reign on Me” an Adam Sandler movie that he really liked, about a man who lost his family during 9-11 and his favorite thing to watch on television is Emeril Lagasse’s show on the Food Network.
  
• Jeri Poletto, the executive director of the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, is currently reading “Blood and Thunder,” by Hampton Sides, a book about Kit Carson. She said she hadn’t seen many recent movies but she did see “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” and her favorite thing to watch on TV is the original CSI, the one set in Las Vegas.
  
• Chee Dodge Principal Edie Morris said the book she is currently reading is “Enhancing Student Achievement: A Framework for School Improvement” by Charlotte Danielson. She recently enjoyed seeing “Transformers” with her nephew and her favorite television show is the original CSI.
  
• County Clerk Jacqueline Sloan said she is reading “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne, and she said she doesn’t get a chance to watch many movies but she recently enjoyed seeing “Evan Almighty” on DVD. Her favorite thing to watch on television is “Grey’s Anatomy.”
  
• Butler’s Office Supply print shop manager and graphic designer Shawna Compton said she is reading the book “The Watchers,” by Dean Koontz. She said it is a story about a golden retriever which is trained to think like a human. The best thing she’s seen on DVD recently is “The Sopranos” and her favorite television shows are “Saving Grace,” and “The Closer”
  
• Sammy Chioda, president and general manager of Millennium Media and owner of the up and coming Sammy C’s Rockin’ Sports Pub and Grill, said he’s very busy these days, but he just picked up the book “The Legacy of Pete Rozelle,” by John A. Fortunato, which he hopes to start reading soon. He hasn’t seen any movies, but he does catch up with news and sports on TV.
  
• Dee Burke, a certified nurse midwife at GIMC said “right now” she is reading “Songs of the Humpback Whale,” a novel by Jodi Picoult. Her favorite recent movies were “Talledega Nights” and “Wild Hogs” and she enjoys watching news and sports on TV.
  
• Bill Keeler, owner of Gallup Jewelry and Pawn in downtown Gallup, said he is currently reading “Photoshop: Classroom in a Book” and “The Last Night of the Earth Poems,” by Charles Bukowski. He recently saw the movie “Ratatouille” with his grandchildren and they all enjoyed it. He said he doesn’t watch much television, but likes to see anything on the Discovery Channel.