By Abby McDonald The Albuquerque City Council met last Monday night to appoint a new inspector general and two new members of the Ethics Board. The position of the inspector general, previously held by Melissa Santistevan, was put on leave for her final remaining months after finding out that nine reports were not made public. […]
Local Government
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
Hemp haze clouds the council’s crackdown
An Albuquerque ordinance meant to ban the sale of synthetic THC-lookalike products may have missed its mark, allowing semi-synthetic cannabinoids like Delta-8 and THC-A to remain legal after amendments changed the bill’s scope. The City Council passed the amended “Intoxicating Hemp Products” ordinance June 2, aiming to close a legal loophole and protect kids from […]
Posted inEdgewood
Rainbow Road continues to divide residents
Residents in the Sandia Airpark Estates remain divided on whether the roads are private or public — an argument that has led to a lawsuit currently pending in district court. “There’s been a lot of discussion, words, anger among the residents of the air park, who owns the roads and who has the responsibility for […]
Posted inEdgewood
Misleading email sows confusion about Edgewood meetings
A mass email sent out last week urged Edgewood residents to show up at a meeting Wednesday evening and voice support for the proposed Campbell Ranch development. But, as the town pointed out on social media, there were two meetings Wednesday evening and Campbell Ranch was not an agenda topic for either one. The two […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
Albuquerque Council restores event funding, overrides two of Mayor Keller’s vetoes
Albuquerque city councilors overturned two of Mayor Tim Keller’s budget vetoes at the June 16 City Council meeting, restoring funding for events the mayor said raised legal and procurement concerns. Keller had vetoed four parts of the city’s $1.5 billion budget, saying the changes were needed to keep the budget legally sound and avoid picking […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
City Council approves deal to keep Isotopes in current home until 2039
By Abby McDonald The Albuquerque Isotopes don’t want to look for a new home and now, they won’t have to. Fresh off a sale to a new owner, the ‘Topes are staying in “The Lab” through 203 after Albuquerque’s City Council quietly and unanimously approved a deal Monday night. The council approved the Isotopes’ new […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
Commissioners commit to fully fund new PB&J family services building in the South Valley
Bernalillo County Commissioners Frank Baca and Barbara Baca have announced a major investment in the future of family support services in the South Valley. During the June 10 County Commission meeting, the two commissioners introduced and passed a resolution to fully fund a new purpose-built facility for Peanut Butter & Jelly (PB&J) Family Services on […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Local Government
Estancia is seeing increasing revenues as it plans for the upcoming fiscal year
The Town of Estancia is seeing increased gross receipts tax revenue — similar to a sales tax — as it budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. Department heads met at the Estancia Public Library on Tuesday to discuss the budget. Gross receipts tax is the primary source of revenue for the town and Michelle Jones, […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
City Council greenlights sawmill deal amid community pushback
The Albuquerque City Council unanimously approved a quarter-billion-dollar tax break at the June 16 City Council meeting for a three-part luxury development in the Sawmill District, despite public pushback over affordable housing, fair wages and developer accountability. The City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve industrial revenue bonds for three projects, a hotel, extended-stay suites […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Local Government
Albuquerque holds Comcast accountable for months-long cable hazards
The City of Albuquerque said it is fining Comcast $500 a day for leaving exposed internet cables in Northeast Heights neighborhoods, calling the months-old hazards a safety risk. City officials say Comcast left cable and phone lines exposed at eight sites across Albuquerque — dangling from trees, stretched across driveways and taped along sidewalks. Neighbors […]