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 […]
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Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety
How many fireworks complaints did the City receive this week?
Residents filed far fewer complaints about illegal fireworks on July 4th and the days leading up to it this year than they did last year — and there were significantly fewer outside fires. Lt. Jason Fejer, a spokesperson for Albuquerque Fire Rescue, said in a news release that all reports of illegal fireworks were routed […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.
Let’s Get Bold About Fixing Education
The most overused word in the recent primary was “bold.” Candidates were claiming they had bold solutions for New Mexico’s myriad problems and failings. Then we got the Kids Count report, reminding us that New Mexico is again 50 out of 50 in children’s wellbeing. The bare statistics in that report show that New Mexico […]
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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 […]
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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 inCongress & Federal Gov.
Age, the Issue That Won’t Go Away
When I was covering the Legislature and watching our elected officials at work, I would sometimes say a silent prayer: “Help me know when it’s time to step aside and do it before I make a fool of myself.” Legislative sessions are grueling. While some lawmakers give in to age-related health issues or exhaustion, some […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
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.
Want to know what Albuquerque’s climate might be like in 2080? Head to Roswell
This story is republished from NM Political Report, a nonprofit news outlet, as a part of our commitment to bringing you the best in independent news coverage that matters to Albuquerque. By Hannah Grover, NM Political Report Thanks to climate change, the Albuquerque of the future may feel a bit more like present-day Roswell. That’s […]
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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 […]
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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 […]