By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque’s legal bill for defending its treatment of unhoused residents is getting bigger. The city has already paid nearly $1.4 million in legal fees and litigation expenses and has added another $1.6 million to its outside counsel contract, pushing the contract’s maximum value to $2.66 million. The City Council […]
Jesse Jones
Jesse Jones is a reporter covering local government and news for The Paper. through a local journalism fellowship from NM Reports. He is a graduate of UNM.
Posted inAlbuquerque
Uptown Connect Secures millions as Albuquerque affordable housing project gets scaled back
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — The long-promised Uptown Connect housing project at Albuquerque’s Uptown transit hub is finally moving toward construction, with $31.2 million in new financing approved this week. But the project looks different on paper than it did last year, with fewer apartments, a lower price tag and a different financing package. […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Councilor Dan Lewis wants more say for neighborhood associations, less for coalitions in ABQ development
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — When the City of Albuquerque approves a development project, construction may still be a long way off. Residents and community groups can challenge approved projects through city appeals and, in some cases, state court. Councilor Dan Lewis has proposed four companion measures that would change who can appeal those […]
The Paper. Rio Rancho
Posted inRio Rancho
Severe weather delays trash pickup in Rio Rancho
Heavy rain from what’s left of Hurricane Polo is causing problems beyond flooded streets and soggy yards in Rio Rancho. Waste Management said severe rainfall and landfill closures are delaying residential trash collection throughout the week. The company said it is monitoring conditions and adjusting its operations as needed to safely serve customers. Waste Management […]
Posted inBernalillo County
Landfill closure puts Bernalillo County, Albuquerque trash pickup on hold
Heavy rain from what’s left of Hurricane Polo is causing problems beyond flooded streets and soggy yards in Bernalillo County. Waste Management has paused residential trash collection after severe weather closed a landfill the company uses. Bernalillo County said Waste Management notified the county that the landfill is temporarily closed because of the severe weather. […]
City Desk ABQ
Posted inNM.news
City’s recycling test could mean fewer pickups for some residents
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — For some Burqueños, trash day will soon mean one less bin to take to the curb each week. The city is starting a pilot program that will switch blue recycling bin pickup from weekly to every other week. Starting today, the city’s Solid Waste Management Department will test the […]
City Desk ABQ
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
Five electric buses, zero passengers: ABQ electric buses not used since last December
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque’s first electric buses were supposed to be the start of a shift toward cleaner public transportation. Four years later, all five are still in the city’s fleet but have not carried passengers since December because of mechanical problems and difficulty getting parts. The city rolled out the fleet […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández wants New Mexico to hit pause on data centers
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández wants New Mexico to hit pause on new data centers, saying Thursday that companies should first prove they can protect the state’s water, keep electricity costs from passing onto families and bring jobs and benefits to local communities. In a press release, Leger Fernández […]
City Desk ABQ
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
Six months of lawsuits left Albuquerque with a $4.38 million tab
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Mayor Tim Keller sent two overdue quarterly litigation reports to the City Council last month, revealing $4.38 million in lawsuit settlements over six months, including a case in which a police SWAT operation burned down a family’s home and killed a teenage boy hiding inside. At its Sept. 21 […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Keller: The Luminaria Bus Tour is back on
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Days after the City of Albuquerque’s Transit Department announced that its Christmas Eve Luminaria Bus Tour had been canceled this year, Mayor Tim Keller announced Wednesday that the popular holiday tradition is back on. In a news release, the administration said Keller directed the city to continue the annual […]