Jesse Jones, Author at nm.news

The vacant alley between Hollywood and Edna avenues NW, where the city plans to build a segment of the Rail Trail. Photo courtesy of Debra Montoya

Could NIMBY neighbors derail city’s rail trail plans?

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — A small group of West Old Town residents is challenging the City of Albuquerque over a segment of the ABQ Rail Trail, a multimillion-dollar marquee project. Although the group wants to halt the planned extension through their neighborhood, the city owns the property, forcing residents to navigate municipal bureaucracy […]

Albuquerque's Juneteenth celebration at Civic Plaza has grown steadily since 2021, when this photo was taken. Organizers expect a record crowd this year. (Photo courtesy NM Juneteenth/bccofnm.org)

Arts & Culture

Albuquerque’s Juneteenth Celebration Is Bigger Than Ever. Here’s What’s Planned

by Jesse Jones June 18, 2026October 10, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Music, food vendors, art and community celebrations will soon fill the Duke City as Burqueños and visitors from across New Mexico gather for what organizers expect to be the largest Juneteenth celebration the city has ever hosted. What started as a community gathering has grown into a citywide tradition. […]

Albuquerque City Councilor Brook Bassan, co-sponsor of a resurrected $113 million gross receipts tax increase. The council voted 5-4 on June 15 to kill the measure, keeping the massive tax hike out of voters' hands this November. (Jesse Jones)

City Desk ABQ

Denied again: Why the ABQ City Council killed the same sales tax hike twice

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Burqueño voters will have one fewer question on the November ballot after the City Council narrowly rejected a proposed $113 million gross receipts tax increase, marking the second defeat for a measure that had already been revived once. The City Council voted 5-4 Monday to kill Resolution R-26-43, a […]

Bernalillo County

After years of issues at MDC, Bernalillo County adds a new piece to the healthcare puzzle

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — For years, Bernalillo County has poured millions of dollars into fixing healthcare at the Metropolitan Detention Center, bringing in a new medical provider and overhauling its behavioral health system. Despite millions of dollars in new investments, turbulence continues at MDC. The facility has cycled through three wardens since 2022 […]

An APD officer-involved shooting near I-40 and 6th street in 2024. A spike in late May 2026 shootings has city leaders questioning why the Albuquerque Community Safety department is not being dispatched to some high-risk mental health calls. Photo by Roberto E. Rosales/The City Desk. Photo by Roberto E. Rosales/The City Desk

NM.news

After three police shootings in five days, City Councilor questions APD, ACS mental health response rules

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Imagine calling 911 for help during a mental health crisis only to have the encounter end in death. That happened in May when the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) shot and killed a man after his family called for help because he was threatening to harm himself. The shooting was […]

Mayor Tim Keller during his inauguration at the Albuquerque Convention Center on Jan. 4, 2026. Keller recently allowed the city's new $1.5 billion budget to pass without his signature due to a dispute over the City Council's revenue projections. (Jesse Jones, The Paper.)

City Desk ABQ

Albuquerque’s record $1.5 billion budget heads to the state, without Keller’s signature

by Jesse Jones June 9, 2026October 10, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Burqueños and city workers can breathe a sigh of relief as the city’s new $1.5 billion budget becomes law without the stroke of the mayor’s pen. The plan avoids resident trash fee hikes, locks in funding for core community services from public safety to senior programs and includes upcoming […]

Civic Plaza in downtown Albuquerque with the City Hall building pictured in the background. (Roberto Rosales)

City Desk ABQ

Why did the city cancel 311 on Sundays? Councilor quizzes mayor’s office after getting no answer

by Jesse Jones June 9, 2026October 10, 2026

City Desk ABQ: How that story came together Jesse Jones is a local government reporter with City Desk and The Paper. This column covers his work uncovering what’s behind a news tip he received about City Hall. Whether you’re reporting graffiti, looking for a swimming pool schedule, seeking homeless services or trying to track down […]

A storefront for Smokers Town sits across from the University of New Mexico campus along Central Avenue. City councilors rejected a proposal Monday night that would have created strict buffer zones between future smoke shops, cannabis dispensaries, and other nicotine sellers. (Jesse Jones)

City Desk ABQ

How a new zoning ordinance could send future Burque smoke shops up in smoke

by Jesse Jones June 8, 2026June 8, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Smoke shops and cannabis dispensaries have become a common sight in many Duke City shopping centers, but city leaders may soon make that boom go up in smoke. Concerned about the increasing concentration of 21-and-over shops, a city councilor is proposing new zoning rules that would limit how many […]

Bernalillo County

BernCo balanced its budget, expands free programs without raising taxes

by Jesse Jones June 4, 2026June 8, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — For Bernalillo County families already stretched by rising costs, the new county budget aims to lighten the load, with no tax hikes and more free programming at community centers. Faced with an $8.5 million budget gap, county leaders balanced the $857.7 million budget without raising taxes or cutting services, […]

City Councilor Brook Bassan, co-sponsor of the revived proposed gross receipts tax increase that would go before Albuquerque voters in Novembe. (Jesse Jones)

Local Government

ABQ councilors try again on tax hike — but this time, voters will decide

by Jesse Jones June 4, 2026October 10, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Following the defeat of a similar measure in March, a pair of City Councilors are reviving a nearly half-percent sales tax proposal to fund neighborhood improvements and city services. The measure would ask Burqueños to pay slightly more in exchange for neighborhood infrastructure upgrades and higher pay for city […]