As the entire country learned about the historic conviction of former president Donald Trump on Thursday, City Desk ABQ kept an eye out for what our local elected officials and politicians from both sides of the aisle had to say. Rep. Melanie Stansbury was the first New Mexico politician to weigh in. Sen. Ben Ray Luján said […]
Elise Kaplan
Posted inBernalillo County, Education, Local Gov.
Bernalillo County approves mobile health clinics for schools
Bernalillo County will soon have two mobile School-Based Health Centers serving students and community members. This initiative — approved by the Bernalillo County Commission — will launch in September and provide primary, preventative and behavioral health care to pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students, student families, school faculty and local community members. Two mobile clinics will rotate […]
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No central point of contact stymie motel voucher program
The clock is ticking on a required city report to address the metro’s inventory of blighted motels and its hotel voucher program — one that’s meant to assist citizens in urgent need of a free room for a night or a short stay, including those experiencing homelessness. Frustrations with unsafe and unhealthy motels and the […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Education
Expanding the arts, programs for struggling schools approved in $2.15 billion APS budget
The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education has approved a $2.15 billion budget for the next fiscal year — which will go toward educating, feeding, busing and otherwise serving almost 65,000 students at 143 schools. The budget also includes raises for more than 11,000 employees and more arts instruction. The spending plan covers APS schools […]
Posted inBernalillo County, Local Gov.
Bernalillo County’s Summer Lunch Program to launch June 3
Bernalillo County’s Summer Lunch Program will return June 3 to serve free meals to thousands of kids in the county’s unincorporated areas including the South Valley, North Valley, East Mountains, Pueblo of Isleta and Paradise Hills area. This program — funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant administered by the New Mexico Early Childhood […]
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Councilor Dan Lewis ‘likely violated’ ethics law during air quality board controversy
The executive director of the State Ethics Commission found that City Councilor Dan Lewis “likely violated” the Governmental Conduct Act when he applied to work for an association of paving companies whose members were impacted by air quality legislation he sponsored and voted on in his role as an elected official. Under a pre-litigation settlement […]
Posted inBernalillo County, Housing & Homelessness, Local Gov.
Vote on BernCo Behavioral Health Authority delayed after outpouring of public comment
A month ago, Bernalillo County officials hoped for feedback from city and county residents on the proposed creation of a Behavioral Health Authority and how it should operate in their communities. At its meeting Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners said the volume of public comments it received exceeded expectations, and due to the wide […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Breaking News
Military aircraft crashes south of Albuquerque
A military aircraft crashed in a field south of the Albuquerque International Sunport Tuesday afternoon just after take off. The pilot — the only person on board — was seriously injured and has been taken to the hospital, said Lt. Jason Fejer with Albuquerque Fire Rescue. He said the aircraft had taken off from the […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Education
What to expect: APS board to finalize $2.15 billion budget
Albuquerque Public Schools board members are set to finalize the budget for next school year at their May 29 special meeting. The budget the board will decide on includes $2.15 billion, which covers both APS operations and those of district-authorized charter schools. The budget includes a 3% raise for all employees, as approved by the […]
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What we get wrong about homelessness
If you’re like many in Albuquerque who feel helpless and frustrated when passing by someone experiencing homelessness, author Kevin F. Adler wants you to know you’re not alone. The California-based advocate and author of When We Walk By said he’s found antidotes to the despair and solutions in Golden State cities that would be useful […]