By Rodd Cayton What happens when several state legislators and childcare advocates gather in one room in Bernalillo? “Great success and great fun,” says Kate Noble, president and CEO of Growing Up New Mexico. Her organization focuses on strategies for improving the lives of children from the prenatal stage to age 5. Growing Up New […]
Rodd Cayton
Rodd Cayton is a senior reporter with nm.news covering local news and government as a local reporting fellow with NM Reports.
Posted inTown of Bernalillo
Bernalillo Town Council approves controversial apartment master plan
By Rodd Cayton A controversial apartment development will be moving forward after town councilors in Bernalillo voted to approve an ordinance allowing it. The 258-unit complex will be built within the Venada Plaza subdivision. “This is not a request to invent a new land use policy for this property,” Angela Piarowski, representing the applicant, developer […]
Posted inRio Rancho
A journey to 2040: RRPS celebrates the grand opening of Puesta del Sol preschool
By Rodd Cayton Dana Petro says Puesta del Sol Preschool welcomed about 100 4-year-olds into the classroom Tuesday, but Rio Rancho Public Schools is looking down the road. “We’re already thinking about who they will be as third-graders, as fifth-graders, as middle-schoolers, and ultimately our graduates,” Petro said at a press conference announcing the grand […]
Posted inEdgewood
Edgewood never billed for $200,000 in sewer services, police gas cards shut off as town discovers more fiscal problems
Another meeting, another fiscal mess. That’s the story Edgewood town staff shared with town commissioners during recent public meetings as they explained in June how the town had failed to collect hundreds-of-thousands of dollars for city services over several years and in July why the town manager had to use his personal credit card to […]
Posted inCorrales
Council delays traffic ordinance update to correct errors, allow public input
By Rodd Cayton Citing a desire to ensure the community is kept up to date, village councilors in Corrales have delayed an official update to the uniform traffic code. The code had already been posted, but councilors added changes they felt the public should have time to review. Village Attorney Randy Autio told councilors the […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Keeping it cool: A/C conversion part of APS strategy to fight rising temps
By Rodd Cayton It’s hot, and that’s not ideal for learning, Albuquerque Public Schools officials acknowledged Monday. Therefore, the district has been working on a variety of initiatives to keep kids cool. “We are overstaffed for the beginning of the year in terms of having all hands on deck to address any work orders,” Antonio […]
Posted inEvents
Fun, food and community: Why National Night Out matters for our neighborhoods
By Rodd Cayton As law enforcement agencies across the country work to bond with the communities they serve, local departments are offering a variety of ways to reinforce that connection on Aug. 4. National Night Out began in 1984 and takes place the second Tuesday in August in hundreds of locations in 49 states and […]
Posted inTown of Bernalillo
Bernalillo Town Council passes $12M budget for FY2027
By Rodd Cayton Town of Bernalillo leaders have another budget process under their belts. The Town Council approved a $12.07 million spending plan for fiscal year 2027 on July 25, shortly before the state deadline. The budget includes a 4% pay increase for non-union employees. Wages for those represented by unions were determined by collective […]
Posted inWestside Albuquerque
Westside shopping mecca celebrates 30 years
By Rodd Cayton It’s not just another birthday trip to the mall — this time, it’s the mall’s birthday. This weekend, Cottonwood Mall is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a party Friday, three decades to the day the shopping center opened its doors. On July 31, 1996, Albuquerque’s Westside finally had a regional level mall. […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
APS receives grant to connect coordinators to instructional teams
Albuquerque Public Schools has been awarded a grant connected to enhancing its community schools program. The $50,000 National Moonshot Grant is for “Extending the Educator Team: Embedding Community in the Future of Learning,” an initiative of Remake Learning, a Pennsylvania-based network “that works to bring together a diverse network of stakeholders to imagine a more […]