Posted inAlbuquerque, Jobs, Workers & Economy, Syndicated

Pharmacy deserts may grow as independent stores struggle with Medicare reimbursements

By Daniel Montaño A change meant to save patients money has community pharmacies shutting their doors and turning people away across the country. Pharmacies in rural or disadvantaged areas face the highest costs, and pharmacy deserts might start spreading. First Walmart closed early last year, then the Walgreens a couple blocks away, and now only three […]

City Council votes down updating the city’s minimum wage

City councilors on Monday voted against making Albuquerque’s minimum wage match the state’s minimum wage, but not before the discussion shifted to a debate over wage theft.  YES: Joaquín Baca, Tammy Fiebelkorn, Nichole Rogers  NO: Brook Bassan, Dan Champine, Renée Grout, Dan Lewis, Klarissa Peña, Louie Sanchez Councilor Nichole Rogers originally proposed — at the […]

Posted inAlbuquerque, Breaking News, Courts, Justice & Safety

BREAKING: Police investigating after two people shot Downtown

Albuquerque Police detectives are investigating after two people were shot — one fatally — Downtown early Sunday morning, according to a news release.  Police say officers were responding to a crash in Barelas when they were alerted to another crash near Gold Avenue and Fifth Street SW. When they went to that scene they found […]

AFR saves dog, people from fire

Albuquerque Fire Rescue rescued a dog and two people while responding to a multi-house fire Wednesday afternoon.  While crews were responding to the fire, they found a small dog hiding under a bed and later treated the dog and administered oxygen, according to a Fire and Rescue social media post. The fire was put out […]

One councilor proposed decreasing the tipped minimum wage. Now she’s urging her colleagues to slow down.

Albuquerque city councilors are expected to revisit the debate regarding lowering wages for tipped employees when they convene for their meeting on Aug. 19.  However, councilors Brook Bassan and Renée Grout have already said they support withdrawing the measure and plan to vote to temporarily pull the proposal “to give the Council time to confer […]

Posted inAlbuquerque, Housing & Homelessness

Homelessness, crime push rents higher says International District landlord

Property owners in the International District say homeless encampments and crime have caused insurance rates to skyrocket — in some cases tripling — and are contributing to higher rents for tenants in order to offset the costs. One well-known landlord with 1,800 apartments located mostly in the Southeast area — Chuck Sheldon — said the […]

Posted inAlbuquerque, Jobs, Workers & Economy

New sponsorship has ExxonMobil lending its name to Balloon Fiesta

ExxonMobil will get top billing at next year’s Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, thanks to a five-year sponsorship deal with the oil and gas giant. The new deal — which includes changing the name of the event to the ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta — will start in 2025 and last through 2029. This new partnership […]