New Mexico legislators began hearings today on legislation to prohibit local governments from contracting with prison companies and the federal government to create immigration detention facilities. Members of the House Judiciary Committee kicked off a hearing on the bill Wed. afternoon as local elected officials from Cibola and Torrance County, where two of the state’s […]
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Scorecard for subsidies: BernCo looks to tie public subsidies to private company benefits
County commissioners reviewed new economic development policies Tuesday aimed at ensuring businesses receiving public subsidies provide measurable benefits to local communities. The Board of County Commissioners heard findings from a steering committee that conducted five community meetings and a countywide survey over the past year. Commissioner Barbara Baca, who led the initiative, introduced a resolution […]
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County presses pause on AI data center incentive
Following a lengthy debate over water use, renewable energy and local hiring requirements, Bernalillo County commissioners pumped the brakes on a proposed framework for incentivizing AI and data center projects, voting to defer the item until their next meeting rather than approve or reject it outright. Commissioner Eric Olivas, who sponsored the “Holding Data Center […]
Posted inCorporate Responsibility, NM Political Report
Oilfield service company cited for ‘serious’ safety failures after workers exposed to flammable gas
The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) recently cited Banta Oilfield Services, Inc. for two serious safety violations after inspectors found that employees were exposed to flammable gas last summer while performing maintenance at an oilfield site near Eunice. According to the citation issued by the department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau in late December, inspectors […]
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Historic investments and more work ahead: Barbara Baca announces re-election bid for District 1 commissioner
Bernalillo County Commissioner Barbara Baca announced Wednesday she will seek re-election in the June Democratic primary for District 1, which encompasses Albuquerque’s Westside and North Valley. Baca, a lifelong Westside resident and 14th-generation New Mexican, said she is running to continue work on housing, behavioral health and public safety initiatives begun during her first term. […]
Posted inElections & Politics, NM Political Report
New Mexico Democrats will try to change state election dates to be 2028 early primary state
The Democratic Party of New Mexico has applied to the Democratic National Committee to move the state’s presidential primary ahead of Super Tuesday, seeking to give its diverse electorate a larger voice in selecting the party’s 2028 nominee. If approved, New Mexico would need to change state law to move its primary date, a change […]
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Neighborhoods vs. housing crisis: Council to take another step towards sweeping residential zoning changes
Albuquerque city councilors will take another step this week towards enacting sweeping zoning changes that would allow grocery stores, duplexes and townhouses in single-family neighborhoods and reshape development rules for about 160,000 properties, a move supporters say could ease the housing shortage and critics say threatens long-established neighborhood character. The proposal, part of the city’s 2025 Integrated […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
New Mexico court strikes down “Homewrecker Law,” ending husband’s suit against ex-wife’s new boyfriend
The New Mexico Supreme Court has unanimously abolished the state’s century-old “alienation of affections” law, commonly referred to as “Homewrecker Laws,” that allowed spouses to sue third parties for the failure of a marriage. In an opinion authored by Chief Justice David Thomson, the court unanimously ruled that the law is “outdated” and ordered a […]
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County to weigh strict rules for data center incentives
Bernalillo County commissioners are set to revisit a high-stakes resolution aimed at tightening oversight of large data center and AI infrastructure projects when they meet Tuesday in Albuquerque. The “Holding Data Center Projects Accountable in Our Community” measure, introduced at the Jan. 13 meeting, would condition county incentives on clear community benefits and sustainability standards. Under […]
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Driving I-25 at night? Expect major detours this week
Overnight closures are coming to a busy stretch of Interstate 25 and Montgomery Boulevard as crews move forward on a bridge-widening project in Albuquerque. Construction crews will set beams over I-25 for two nights starting Jan. 27, requiring full overnight closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., according to project information. Northbound and southbound I-25 […]