Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque are collaborating on an initiative they say will improve access to food, housing and behavioral health services. The city and county are partnering with the software company Unite Us to offer a “secure and efficient way to connect residents to the services they need,” according to a Bernalillo […]
Elise Kaplan
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New housing program offers quicker permits — without the additional fee
Those building new housing projects now have access to the Planning Department’s “Fast Housing” tool online to quickly find areas of town that qualify for expedited permits without additional fees. The Planning Department provides an optional, fee-based program called “FasTrax” — $1,000 minimum — to accelerate the plan review process and ensure completion by specific […]
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Will ABQ get ‘Safe Haven Baby Boxes’?
Albuquerque may be on its way to getting baby boxes — usually installed in fire departments under the promise of giving parents a way to anonymously surrender their baby. City Councilors Renée Grout and Klarissa Peña want Albuquerque to become the next city to get Safe Haven Baby Boxes and plan to bring a resolution […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Jobs, Workers & Economy
How many hours of work does it take to afford an apartment?
A New Mexican earning the state’s minimum wage of $12 an hour would need to work 60 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom apartment at the fair market rate of $942 a month. In order to work a typical 40-hour workweek, the renter’s hourly wage would need to be $21.81. Albuquerque metro area renters, […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Congress & Federal Gov.
Albuquerque to be home to a national cemetery
By next year, veterans will be able to be buried right here in Albuquerque at a newly constructed national cemetery. Albuquerque will be the new home to the third national cemetery in the state — joining the Santa Fe National Cemetery and Fort Bayard National Cemetery in providing a burial place for veterans. The U.S. […]
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It’s official: New Albuquerque Community Safety director appointed
Fresh off moving into its new headquarters, the Albuquerque Community Safety Department has a new — yet familiar — director. Jodie Esquibel, who had been the department’s acting director since March, officially took the permanent position Friday. In a press release announcing Esquibel’s selection, Mayor Tim Keller said ACS is transforming public safety in the […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Courts, Justice & Safety
How many fireworks complaints did the City receive this week?
Residents filed far fewer complaints about illegal fireworks on July 4th and the days leading up to it this year than they did last year — and there were significantly fewer outside fires. Lt. Jason Fejer, a spokesperson for Albuquerque Fire Rescue, said in a news release that all reports of illegal fireworks were routed […]
Posted inNew Mexico Statewide News
Photos: Donkeys, goats and the red, white and blue of the Corrales 4th of July Parade
Thousands of revelers wearing red, white and blue lined the sides of the main road through Corrales Thursday morning for the town’s annual 4th of July Parade. There were tractors, donkeys, goats, floats, politicians, and even a water gun fight to cool off in the late morning sun. City Desk ABQ photographer Roberto Rosales got […]
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Here’s how much councilors, commissioners and school board members make
At the last City Council meeting, Councilor Klarissa Peña proposed an amendment to change the way salary increases work so all councilors receive a raise at the same time. Currently, some make more than others after the Citizens’ Independent Salary Commission — the commission that determines their salaries — decided last year that councilors needed […]
Posted inNew Mexico Statewide News, Syndicated
Wildfire risk in NM expected to increase later this month after rain-soaked respite
By Patrick Lohmann The early monsoon rains that helped firefighters turn the corner on the South Fork and Salt fires in southern New Mexico were part of a pattern across the state that reduced wildfire risk for at least the next several weeks, according to a forecast released this week. The risk of wildfire will return with […]