HALCHITA, Utah — After a five-year wait, Lorraine Black and Ricky Gillis heard the rumblings of an electrical crew reach their home on the sprawling Navajo Nation. In five days’ time, their home would be connected to the power grid, replacing their reliance on a few solar panels and propane lanterns. Some rely on solar panels or generators, which can be patchy, and others have no electricity whatsoever. Gillis and Black filed an application to connect their home back in 2019. But when the coronavirus pandemic started ravaging the tribe and everything besides essential services was shut down on the reservation, it further stalled the process.

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Persons: Lorraine Black, Ricky Gillis, Gillis, “, ” Gillis, Black Locations: HALCHITA, Utah, Navajo, Arizona , New Mexico