Recently retired Bernalillo County Manager Julie Morgas Baca has a new job. She will start Tuesday as executive director of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta — about a month before the annual event kicks off. “Leading the Fiesta is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Morgas Baca said. “I am honored and delighted to begin this […]
Local Gov.
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City brings back routine food inspections
Inspectors with the Albuquerque Environmental Health Department are back at ensuring the city’s diners aren’t getting dangerous vittles. The department had scaled back its efforts and conducted only pre-opening and complaint-based inspections while a new food safety and retail ordinance was put into place and inspectors were trained on the new rules. Routine inspections were […]
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How one ABQ student got the city’s attention over pedestrian safety
Sometimes it may seem that public concerns brought to city officials go willfully unheard. But one University of New Mexico student’s persistence and determination on pedestrian safety got her a scheduled meeting with city development heads. Like most students with busy schedules, Jackie Davis risks jaywalking across Central Avenue near UNM. After noticing hundreds of […]
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Bernalillo County manager contract approved
Bernalillo County officially has its next manager. Cindy Chavez will start in the job Nov. 13 after county commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve her employment contract. Chavez will make $230,000 a year to start, with possible annual merit-based pay increases. She replaces Julie Morgas Baca, who retired at the end of June. Chavez will […]
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Bernalillo County is ‘Breaking Butts’ into compost and plastic
Bernalillo County officials are launching a new program to turn discarded cigarette butts into compost and plastic products such as hand tools and picnic benches. On Tuesday, the Keep BernCo Beautiful Advisory Board, county staff, and Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada unveiled new receptacles — branded with Keep BernCo Beautiful and a play on the “Breaking […]
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How much will Bernalillo County pay its new manager?
Bernalillo County commissioners Tuesday will consider a contract to pay incoming County Manager Cindy Chavez $230,000 a year. Chavez, currently a member of the Santa Clara County (California) Board of Supervisors, was selected in June to replace Julie Morgas Baca, who retired at the end of that month. Shirley Ragin, deputy county manager for finance, […]
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Bernalillo County sees first West Nile virus death this year
Officials announced Friday the first death from West Nile virus in Bernalillo County. Albuquerque’s Environmental Health Department and the Bernalillo County Planning Development Services Department announced in a news release that the woman who died was 65 years old, which is within the age range of people most at risk. The release stated the city […]
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Mobile food vendors shut down in South Valley
Bernalillo County authorities recently shut down two pop-up food vendors and are now warning residents to be aware of unsafe mobile food vendors operating within the county. County officials said they’ve seen an influx of temporary vendors at the intersection of Rio Bravo and Coors Boulevards and along Isleta Boulevard in the South Valley. Pop-up […]
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County launches dashboard to track water levels
Wondering about water levels below the ground’s surface around Bernalillo County and how they’ve changed over time? County officials on Monday launched an interactive tool that allows the public to view up-to-date water level measurements at wells across the county. Kristen Ferguson, a county spokesperson, said water professionals, well drillers, developers and homeowners will find […]
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Ranked choice voting explained
Ranked choice voting has been adopted in cities such as Santa Fe and Las Cruces but the idea of implementing the voting system has been voted down by Albuquerque city councilors for years. The City Council most recently voted against ranked choice voting — a system that allows voters to rank candidates by preference on […]