New high school graduation requirements aren’t set in stone yet — the Public Education Department still has to finalize them — but districts are getting ready. Superintendent Scott Elder says Albuquerque Public Schools will be ready when the new rules kick in and that the district already meets a key threshold, with more minimum credits […]
Albuquerque
Posted inBernalillo County, Education, Local Gov., Westside
New APS program to offer courses in drones, sustainable farming, clean energy
Students in four Westside schools could soon be learning to fly drones and build a more sustainable future for the rest of us. Beginning next year, four schools in the Rio Grande High School feeder group – Los Padillas Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, Polk Middle School, and Rio Grande High School – will begin offering […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Courts, Justice & Safety
City seeks, again, to shutter Adam Food Market after years of emergency calls
For the second time since last year, the City of Albuquerque will be filing legally to shutter Adam Food Market on Central Avenue. The area has struggled with high crime for years. On Tuesday, officials said the store has been the location of seven homicides and an officer-involved shooting, and recently undercover officers say they […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Education, Uncategorized
Board members discuss APS budget with public
School board members Monday evening hosted the first of two “community conversations” intended to gather public input for Albuquerque Public Schools’ next spending plan. The Board of Education is expected to approve a fiscal year 2024-2025 budget in early June, then present it to the New Mexico Public Education Department. The new budget will go […]
Reader-supported
Like Clean Air?
Haze is that dirty looking veil in the air that hangs over the metropolitan area. Sulfur dioxide particles are partially to blame for that haziness, according to a 2022 annual regional report on sulfur dioxide emissions in the area. As part of the compliance, each state must release, and get public comment, on a draft […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Courts, Justice & Safety
Man who killed beloved Albuquerque rocket scientist sentenced to 11 years in prison
The man who shot and killed a rocket scientist in front of a Southeast Albuquerque home three years ago was sentenced on Monday to serve 11 years in prison — 18 years total with seven suspended — followed by five years of supervised probation and two years of parole. Vigil pleaded guilty to second-degree murder […]
Reader-supported
How many stay in Albuquerque shelters every night?
Albuquerque’s efforts to end homelessness isn’t a one person or one department affair. The project involves those in city departments, outside agencies, nonprofits, emergency shelters, day shelters, street outreach, housing, volunteerism and public policy work. It’s a tree with multiple roots and branches that can be confusing for a public eager for straightforward information. The […]
Reader-supported
ABQ’s street lights are not purple on purpose
Residents of Albuquerque have noticed certain street lights appear purple when the sun goes down. While this has raised concerns, the city says they are being replaced. “It is a manufacturer defect in the lights and the manufacturer is aware of the issue,” said Dan Mayfield, a spokesperson for Albuquerque’s Municipal Development Department. More than […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Jobs, Workers & Economy
Long vacant buildings irk officials, business owners
Editor’s note: This is the second installment in a series titled Downtown Albuquerque Reboot, about Downtown Albuquerque, its challenges and the plans to address them. Read the first installment about why the area matters here, peruse a photo essay about lowriders here, read about crime here and end with what the area has to offer […]
Reader-supported
Broad and burdensome: City paid over $1.4 M in Public Records Act lawsuits over last year and a half
Just before the pandemic, Christopher Michael Sanchez was killed on Feb. 21 at a local bar and police ruled his death was a justifiable homicide. Eight months later, his father requested — through the Inspection of Public Records Act — all videos and records relating to his son’s death. By 2023, however, the city still […]