citydeskabq, Author at City Desk ABQ

Six Albuquerque schools to require clear backpacks in safety push

Six Albuquerque Public Schools will require students to use only clear backpacks starting Tuesday, the latest measure in the district’s efforts to address weapons on campus. Del Norte High School and five middle schools — Wilson, Kennedy, Hayes, Washington and Cleveland — will implement the policy, joining Taylor Middle School, which already mandated clear backpacks. […]

City releases first wolves into Bosque conservation facility for new year

Nine Mexican gray wolves are officially calling the bosque in Albuquerque home for the new year. As City Desk reported earlier this year, the city built a 4.5 acre facility in the bosque near the ABQ BioPark to provide homes for new wolf pups. “Through fostering, young wolf pups born in professional care facilities are […]

A Bernalillo County housing program has a 75% success rate. Now it’s tripling in size.

A Bernalillo County program that has helped about three-quarters of homeless families find stable housing is expanding to serve 76 families at a time, more than tripling its previous capacity. The county opened Ponderosa Place on Thursday at a former Comfort Inn at 411 McKnight Ave. NW near Fourth Street and Interstate 40. The site […]

State approves $67 million bond for fairgrounds. What comes next?

Albuquerque is set to get a new 10-acre public park at the State Fairgrounds after state finance officials approved $67 million in bonds Tuesday. The approval, combined with a $22.35 million land acquisition bond cleared Dec. 9, commits more than $90 million to park space and pedestrian upgrades ahead of a final redevelopment plan expected […]

Garcia to seek recount after Peña prevails by 68 votes in Westside council race

By Lauren Lifke, nm.news — City Councilor Klarissa Peña held onto her seat in the runoff in District 3 on Dec. 9 after a close race with candidate Teresa Garcia, winning by just 68 votes after all votes were counted. The runoff election was held because no single candidate got more than 50% of the […]

Telles triumphs: Democrat secures firmer city council majority

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales Democrat Stephanie Telles won the District 1 City Council runoff, giving Democrats a firmer majority on the nine-member council as she prepares to represent Albuquerque’s central Westside. Her victory preserves a Democratic voting bloc and concludes a competitive two-candidate runoff that followed a four-way race in November. Early and absentee voting showed […]

8 years after plans began, new Westside park inches forward

Way back in 2017, Susana Martinez was still governor of New Mexico, no one had heard of COVID and residents of the Westside’s Crestview and Alamosa neighborhoods began working with City Councilor Klarissa Peña to plan a new neighborhood park. Eight years later, a press release from the City announced that the project is completing […]

Albuquerque voters face fewer polling places Tuesday—here’s what to know

With over 88,000 ballots already cast and voter interest picking up, Albuquerque voters will see fewer places to cast a ballot Tuesday. City council and mayoral runoff elections will have 50 polling locations, down from 74 in November, and election officials say they expect long lines. Democrats are turning out at higher rates, accounting for […]

Auto thieves steal DA’s Office car left warming with keys in

Earlier this week, Mayor Tim Keller and the Albuquerque Police Department announced that Albuquerque was on tack to see a sizable reduction in auto thefts this year, but that doesn’t mean thieves aren’t still targeting cars. Case in point: A vehicle belonging to the local District Attorney’s Office was stolen earlier this week when an […]

Donors open their wallets for White in 5-week sprint to pick our next mayor

Voters and businesses have opened their wallets for Darren White in the five-week sprint to the city’s runoff Election Day, a new analysis by City Desk found. In the first 72 hours following the Nov. 4 regular election, White raised $102,000 to kickoff a the head-to-head runoff with incumbent Mayor Tim Keller. It’s only gotten […]