A private dirt lot located one block north of East Central Avenue in Albuquerque’s International District recently saw a swell of activity from an illegal encampment. About 50 people experiencing homelessness were living on the site that functioned as a makeshift community. There was considerable trash on the street and reports of burglary, vandalism, public […]
Federal Government & Congress
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Local Government
City Council committee listens to budget concerns from residents
Housing, community safety services, Explora and funding for disc golf topped the list of public comments at a meeting of city leaders to hear city budget concerns. What’s COW? The Albuquerque City Council’s Committee of the Whole (COW) met Thursday to hear resident input on the mayor’s proposed $1.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2025. […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress
The High Cost of Self-checkout
If you do grocery shopping for your family, you have undoubtedly used self-checkout. That’s what I was doing recently when shopping for two items in a nearby store. I noticed a new sign had been posted: “Self-check-out restricted to 15 items or less.” I had not seen that before. On the contrary, there were times […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress
Apodaca Wants to Help Moderates
Democrats’ notion of their party as the big tent is suffering as hard line progressives target moderates in the primary. It’s been widely reported that progressives have primaried every state representative who voted against the family and medical leave bill. They’ve reportedly raised millions to help their candidates. Jeff Apodaca, son of late Gov. Jerry […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, New Mexico State Government, Pueblos
How to vote
Do I need to present identification when I vote? What identification do I need to provide when I vote? A physical form of identification is only required for first-time New Mexico voters who registered by mail and did not include identification with their voter registration application form. Otherwise, you will be asked to provide a […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Pueblos
Placitas Studio Tour Expected to Draw Thousands
The annual Placitas Studio Tour kicks off this Mother’s Day weekend featuring 79 artists, 61 studios and seven neighborhoods. The tour is now in its 27th year and welcomes thousands of visitors to Placitas. The tour is scheduled for 10 am to 5 pm, on Saturday and Sunday, May 11 and 12. With the help […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress
Why You Should Care About the Federal Debt
Does everyone in your household have a spare $102,000 lying around? Because that’s what it will take to clear our federal debt: $102,000 from every woman, man and child in the United States. The debt currently stands at $34 trillion, is rising by a trillion dollars every 100 days or so and projected to reach […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Local Government
Who sued the city and how much did they settle for?
In the fall of 2023 — from October through December — the city paid out more than $3 million in settlements for various lawsuits. Residents sued after they tripped and fell on sidewalks, for discrimination and for civil rights violations. Two people were in crashes with solid waste employees and two were in crashes with […]
Posted inCourts & Justice, Federal Government & Congress
‘There was no real security.’ Witness describes scene at convention center graduation shooting
A mother is recovering after being shot by her stepson during a graduation ceremony for Southwest Secondary Learning Center, at the Albuquerque Convention Center, on Wednesday, according to court documents. Cristian Joshua Bencomo, 21, was taken into custody directly following the incident and is charged with aggravated battery of a household member, use of a […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Housing & Homelessness
International District has become an urban ‘pharmacy desert’
Not that long ago there were three large commercial pharmacies located within the boundaries of Albuquerque’s International District — Walmart, CVS and Walgreens — including a small independent one, Phil’s Pills. Today, only Phil’s Pills remains. The effect for residents seeking to fill prescriptions has become a problem with potentially dire consequences. “For some folks, […]