By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Sandoval County voters could be asked to approve nearly $34.4 million in new library, fire and elections-facility debt this November, while county commissioners separately take up almost $12 million in landfill and land-purchase bonds that don’t require a public vote — all on Wednesday’s agenda. The Sandoval County Board of […]
■ Local Government
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 […]
Sandoval County extends deadline for Junior Treasurer Program, adds $5,000 scholarship
By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Sandoval County high school juniors and seniors have two more weeks to apply for the Junior County Treasurer Program, which now comes with a $5,000 scholarship for each student who completes it. The Treasurer’s Office extended the deadline to Aug. 21 so students returning from summer break have time to […]
New protections approved for ABQ workers speaking up at City Hall
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque city workers who report fraud or wrongdoing at City Hall now have stronger legal protections after the City Council unanimously approved two overhauls Monday to protect whistleblowers and strengthen the city’s fraud watchdog. Councilors unanimously approved the Accountability in Government Ordinance, which Councilor Brook Bassan sponsored. The measure […]
Bill to restrict cannabis, smoke shop locations goes up in smoke
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Smoke shop and cannabis dispensary owners rolled into the Albuquerque City Council chambers Monday, Aug. 3 and watched a zoning bill that would have separated the two businesses go up in smoke. City councilors voted 6-3 to reject Ordinance O-26-39, sponsored by Councilor Renée Grout at the request of […]
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 […]
Expanding access: How a new state law is bringing a large preschool to Rio Rancho
By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. A vacant lot near Rio Rancho’s City Center is one step closer to becoming La Esperanza Preschool, a 200-child facility, after the Planning and Zoning Board unanimously approved its site plan on July 28. Planning and Zoning Board Manager Brian Babyak recommended approval of the project, proposed by LEBM2 LLC […]
City Council cracks down on stolen copper, brass sales
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Burqueños whose catalytic converters get stolen or whose streetlights go dark because of stripped copper wiring have a new tool aimed at fighting the market for stolen metal after the City Council voted 8-1 Monday night to toughen the city’s recycling laws. The council approved the Sale of Recycled […]
Procedural mutiny: ABQ City Councilors overrule Council President to block tax ballot measure
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Taxpayers in the Duke City will not see a proposed gross receipts tax increase on their November ballots after city councilors used a procedural move to stop the measure before it reached a vote. During the Aug. 3 City Council meeting, Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn used a parliamentary challenge to […]
Bosque cleanup hauls off 16 tons of debris near Rio Bravo
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Mattresses, tents and scorched brush piled up along the Rio Grande this month as crews worked through Burque’s Bosque between Rio Bravo Boulevard and Interstate 40, clearing fire hazards from the river corridor during a historically dry summer. The third annual, multiagency cleanup wrapped up this week after crews […]


