Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy, Westside Albuquerque

Sandoval County Unemployment Rate Inches Up

In July, Sandoval County’s unemployment rate increased to 5.3%, up from 4.5% in July of the previous year and from 4.7% in June. The rate matches the statewide average, according to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. Compared to neighboring counties, Sandoval County’s unemployment rate is higher than Bernalillo Countyโ€™s 4.9% and Santa Fe […]

Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy, Westside Albuquerque

Commission Extends Intel Bond Agreement for $1 Billion

Sandoval County Commissioners voted at the Aug. 14 meeting to amend an Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) agreement with Intel, aiming to support the ongoing upgrades at the company’s Rio Rancho facility. The commission approved the resolution to finalize the agreement before the current one expires in October. The amendment, which is the second requested by […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Jobs, Workers & Economy, Westside Albuquerque

Pharmacy deserts may grow as independent stores struggle with Medicare reimbursements

Byย Daniel Montaรฑo 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 […]

Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy

โ€˜Cuba is a Bit of an Islandโ€™

Many members of Cuba’s business community attended an economic growth-focused event at the Eichwald Center on Aug. 5. Business owners and officials explored opportunities to boost the village’s economy and support local businesses. The event was organized by Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez’s office in collaboration with the Rural Development Corporation (RDC), a nonprofit dedicated to […]

Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy, New Mexico Statewide News

Bernalillo May Get $20M for Wastewater Plant

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury has secured $20 million for improvements to Bernalilloโ€™s wastewater treatment plant in the House of Representativesโ€™ version of the Water Resources Development Act.  On July 22, the House passed the act by a vote of 359 to 13, authorizing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enhance the nationโ€™s water resources […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Jobs, Workers & Economy

New sponsorship has ExxonMobil lending its name to Balloon Fiesta

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

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Jobs, Workers & Economy, Local Government, Westside Albuquerque

Former city councilor on the still-closed visitors center: โ€˜It’s a boondoggle and a money pitโ€™

Editorโ€™s note: To read the first in our series โ€” A visitors center with no visitors: When will the taxpayer-funded project open? โ€” click here. Thereโ€™s still no opening date for the decades-in-the-making West Central Route 66 Visitors Center, though construction was completed years ago. Even so, one former city councilor thinks the long delay […]

Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy, Westside Albuquerque

Fueling the Future

Sandoval County Commissioners were presented with a proposal to purchase a nearly zero-emissions plant that converts plastic waste into high-quality fuels at the July 24 commission meeting, offering an alternative solution to combat plastic waste. A representative from PlastikGas, a global company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, presented the commissioners with a proposal to purchase a […]