Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque are collaborating on an initiative they say will improve access to food, housing and behavioral health services. The city and county are partnering with the software company Unite Us to offer a “secure and efficient way to connect residents to the services they need,” according to a Bernalillo […]
Local Government
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
New housing program offers quicker permits — without the additional fee
Those building new housing projects now have access to the Planning Department’s “Fast Housing” tool online to quickly find areas of town that qualify for expedited permits without additional fees. The Planning Department provides an optional, fee-based program called “FasTrax” — $1,000 minimum — to accelerate the plan review process and ensure completion by specific […]
Posted inUncategorized
Will ABQ get ‘Safe Haven Baby Boxes’?
Albuquerque may be on its way to getting baby boxes — usually installed in fire departments under the promise of giving parents a way to anonymously surrender their baby. City Councilors Renée Grout and Klarissa Peña want Albuquerque to become the next city to get Safe Haven Baby Boxes and plan to bring a resolution […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Edgewood, Local Government, Uncategorized
Commissioner Advocates For Keeping Carnuel Ramp Open
A New Mexico Department of Transportation plan to close a freeway ramp near Carnuel has residents of some East Mountains communities concerned. Department officials said in a public meeting in June that the bridge, which crosses the Tijeras Arroyo, is in poor condition. The NMDOT proposes to permanently remove the westbound off-ramp, and route traffic […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
It’s official: New Albuquerque Community Safety director appointed
Fresh off moving into its new headquarters, the Albuquerque Community Safety Department has a new — yet familiar — director. Jodie Esquibel, who had been the department’s acting director since March, officially took the permanent position Friday. In a press release announcing Esquibel’s selection, Mayor Tim Keller said ACS is transforming public safety in the […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
Here’s how much councilors, commissioners and school board members make
At the last City Council meeting, Councilor Klarissa Peña proposed an amendment to change the way salary increases work so all councilors receive a raise at the same time. Currently, some make more than others after the Citizens’ Independent Salary Commission — the commission that determines their salaries — decided last year that councilors needed […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
Battling loud cars with technology
Nick Ferenchak likes his quiet — whether sleeping at night or hiking in the Sandia Mountains — and he has a plan to preserve his quietude from noisy vehicles. Ferenchak, an assistant professor in the Gerald May Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at the University of New Mexico, is the president of Not-A-Loud, […]
Posted inLocal Government
Call an Uber, get $10 off over the holiday weekend
Need a ride home after too many brewskies at a Fourth of July barbecue? Call an Uber and receive a credit of up to $10 off two trips. The “Take a Ride on Us” program is offered in Bernalillo, Sandoval and Santa Fe counties and runs from 10 a.m. July 4 through July 7. Bernalillo […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
Mayor vetoes council’s proposal to eliminate threshold to win an election
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller vetoed the City Council’s proposal to change the city’s voting system Tuesday — saying the measure would “remove a level of accountability our constituents deserve.” At their last meeting, councilors on a 6-3 vote approved a proposal to put on the November ballot a measure to eliminate the threshold to win […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
ABQ RIDE Connect gets five electric vans
ABQ RIDE’s microtransit service is the agency’s latest division to go electric. City officials and transit staff announced the addition of five electric vans to its fleet on Tuesday. The 2023 Ford E-Transit units will be the main rolling stock of the ABQ RIDE Connect pilot program. “ABQ RIDE is committed to zero emissions to […]