A Bernalillo County commissioner is looking to make things more fair for county employees who use cannabis outside work hours. Commissioner Eric Olivas said he plans to introduce legislation that would treat off-duty use of recreational cannabis in the same way as off-duty alcohol use. He called it a basic rights issue. Olivas said he’s been […]
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School calendar lawsuit back to court room
A hearing in the civil court case over a change in the mandatory school calendar is set for Sept. 30 in Roswell. In March, the New Mexico School Superintendents Association and dozens of rural school districts sued the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) over its mandate that every school calendar contain at least 180 […]
Businesses impacted by vandalism line up for city grant money
Almost two dozen businesses around Albuquerque have applied for a grant program the city launched two weeks ago aimed at helping small businesses that have been vandalized. The Albuquerque Police Department and the city Economic Development Department’s Small Business Office on Sept. 3 initiated a $200,000 “Window to Opportunity” grant to help offset the costs […]
Sandoval County Car Show and Flea Market returns for third year
For the third straight year, the parking lot of the Sandoval County Administration Building will be lined with classic, tricked-out cars as the county again hosts its annual Car Show and Flea Market. The event, hosted by the Sandoval County Employee Appreciation Committee, is set for Sept. 28. According to a press release from Sandoval […]
New life comes to shuttered North Fourth Art Center
After months of negotiations, the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy (ASLA) has finalized a three-year lease agreement with the city to expand into the former North Fourth Art Center. The city-owned space, located at 4904 4th St. NW, has been shuttered since January. A $1,000-a-month lease had the support of Mayor Tim Keller and was recently […]
The politics of immigration play differently along the US-Mexico border
By Morgan Lee, Associated Press SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (AP) — The politics of immigration look different from the back patio of Ardovino’s Desert Crossing restaurant. That’s where Robert Ardovino sees a Border Patrol horse trailer rumbling across his property on a sweltering summer morning. It’s where a surveillance helicopter traces a line in the sky, […]
Positive STD test lead to investigation of now incarcerated MDC guard
The investigation into an alleged relationship between a Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) corrections officer and an inmate started after the inmate tested positive for a sexually transmitted infection, according to a criminal complaint. The officer, Chevonne Culbreath, was arrested Tuesday after she was accused of having a relationship with an inmate and attempting to bring […]
Advocates who’ve lost someone to overdose gather in NM to create change
By Daniel Montano, KUNM About 50 people from across the country met at Albuquerque’s Uptown Sheraton hotel over the weekend with one common thing uniting them: All had lost a loved one to overdose. Something else they shared was a passion to fight the opioid crisis. The smell of fresh brewed coffee and breakfast pastries […]
Sandoval County offering free half-day at landfill
For fours on Sept. 21, Sandoval County is offering free landfill services. From 8 a.m.-noon, there will be no charge for dumping at the county landfill. The landfill’s regular pricing will go into effect after noon until 4 p.m. There are limits on dumping, including four tires, two TVs and 10 gallons of hazardous waste […]
Advocates denounce ‘criminalization’ of city’s unhoused population
Two consistent issues of concern among city officials, residents and business owners in Albuquerque are crime and homelessness. But conflating the two is a mistake and leads to the baseless stigmatization and criminalization of the unhoused, say advocates for those living on the streets and in shelters. Dozens of advocates and activists gathered at Robinson […]