A bill by two Albuquerque-area legislators moving through the Roundhouse could let Albuquerque keep an extra $2 million to $3 million a year in traffic fines — a shift that would cost the state roughly $5 million and remove current audit requirements. Senate Bill 91, sponsored by Albuquerque Democratic Sens. Heather Berghmans and Antoinette Sedillo […]
City Desk ABQ
Posted inBernalillo County, City Desk ABQ, Local Government
BernCo Commission OKs data center restrictions
AI data centers wanting to call Bernaillo County home will have to show they can be good neighbors after Commissioners Tuesday approved a resolution placing restrictions on centers that might be built in the county in the future. The legislation, sponsored by Commissioner Eric Olivas, makes the installations responsible for their own electricity and water […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
City installs AI-automated “parking sticks” to send you tickets in the mail
Jesse Jones, City Desk ABQ — Albuquerque is rolling out artificial intelligence-powered technology to curb illegal parking in high-risk safety zones across the city. The city has launched an automated parking enforcement program that uses 60 solar-powered camera units, known as SafetySticks, provided by Municipal Parking Services Inc., to catch drivers who block bus stops, […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, City Desk ABQ, New Mexico Legislature #nmleg
Will massive new funding push the New Mexico State Fair out of the city?
Jesse Jones, City Desk ABQ — The New Mexico Senate approved nearly $100 million in bonds Friday for the State Fairgrounds redevelopment, advancing a long-debated project. The investment could reshape Albuquerque’s International District with new housing and parks, or it could lead to relocating the State Fair after 87 years in the city. The Senate […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, City Desk ABQ, Local Government
NM United stadium stuck in extra time as legal battle reaches the Court of Appeals
Jesse Jones, City Desk ABQ — The proposed New Mexico United stadium has been delayed as the team’s plan for a new home at Balloon Fiesta Park sits in the state appeals process, awaiting assignment to a three-judge panel. Because of the legal delay, United would not move into a new stadium until 2028 at […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ, Education, Local Government
Fall finals after Christmas? APS seeks public input on next school calendars
Rodd Cayton, City Desk ABQ — Albuquerque Public Schools families have an opportunity to help district leaders decide on a potentially radical calendar change. An APS survey now open is part of the district’s efforts to create calendars far enough in advance to help families plan around school dates. The survey offers a pair of […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Last year, 389 people were denied a gun in Bernalillo County. Then they got a friendly visit from the sheriff.
For most gun buyers in Bernalillo County, a background check is a routine step. But for 389 people last year, that check ended in a denial and a visit from the sheriff’s office. Instead of a raid, these individuals often received a “knock and talk” from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Behavioral Health Unit (BHU). These visits […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ, Courts, Justice & Safety, New Mexico Legislature #nmleg
New NM law sparks ICE showdown: Will this new law change operations at MDC?
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed HB9 into law Thursday, creating a legal firewall between New Mexico local governments and federal immigration agents. While the move marks a major statewide shift, Bernalillo County officials say their facilities are already ahead of the curve. Known as the Immigrant Safety Act, HB 9 bars state and local agencies […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, City Desk ABQ
A seat to spark change: Albuquerque’s tribute to Rosa Parks on her birthday
Albuquerque will honor civil rights icon Rosa Parks on Wednesday, Feb. 4, with bus tributes and school presentations marking Transit Equity Day and what would have been Parks’ birthday. The city’s transit agency will place Rosa Parks seat tributes on all Albuquerque Rapid Transit buses operating Routes 766 and 777 on Feb. 4. Officials are […]
Posted inCity Desk ABQ, Local Government
Why Albuquerque can’t agree on short-term rentals, even as illegal listings grow
The Albuquerque City Council rejected a proposal Monday night to limit short-term rentals, marking the third time in three years a version of the policy has failed. The 5-4 vote defeated Ordinance O-26-5, which would have required 100-foot buffer zones between rental properties. The measure failed despite last-minute changes to narrow the scope and delay […]