Looking for something to do Downtown this weekend? How about a street fair at the Alvarado Transportation Center on Saturday, hosted by ABQ RIDE. Summer at the Alvarado Street Fair will be held on the last Saturday of each month through the end of the season. In addition to musician Marion Carrillo, this Saturday’s event […]
Elise Kaplan
Posted inAlbuquerque, Housing & Homelessness
‘I didn’t like who I was becoming, and I was afraid’
Life changed in an instant for Ragina Smith on April 18, 2023, when her husband of five years was killed in a motorcycle accident. “One night he left and just didn’t come back,” Smith said. “He only had the bike three months.” The couple was living in Jacksonville, Florida, where Smith, 43, worked as a […]
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Community center expansion in Southwest ABQ makes a splash
City leaders celebrated the indoor and outdoor expansion of the Westgate Community Center on Thursday. The expansion adds a splash pad, classrooms for early childhood education programs and two multipurpose rooms — which city staff say will increase the use of the already-busy center. Hundreds of people a day participate in various multi-generational programs at […]
Posted inBernalillo County, Courts, Justice & Safety, Local Gov.
Sheriff’s Office, nonprofit partner for gun buyback event
Turn in your firearms for cash this weekend at a gun buyback event hosted by a local nonprofit, in partnership with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. In a news release, New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence (NMPGV) said it doesn’t keep any information on participants and they can turn in as many guns as they’d […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Education
Albuquerque high school grad wins international video contest
The Rio Grande Bosque has always been important to Jack Barkhurst and his labor of love for the site has earned him a first place award in an international video contest. Barkhurst, a 2024 graduate of Corrales International School in Albuquerque, made a short video about the impact Siberian elm trees have had on the […]
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Animal Welfare Department tells pet owners to keep their furry friends on a leash
As summer brings pet owners and their dogs to parks and trails, the Animal Welfare Department is emphasizing the importance of keeping dogs leashed. With that in mind, the department sent out a news release this week telling residents to follow the leash laws in Albuquerque. “We love our furry friends here in Albuquerque and […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Education
Where are APS graduates headed?
Almost seven out of 10 graduates of Albuquerque Public Schools this year are heading for higher education — and most of them plan to remain in the city. According to a district survey of 4,249 graduates, 48.3% (2,053) are planning to attend four-year colleges or universities, with another 20.3% (862) heading for two-year or community […]
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Drive-thrus, tribal consultation and other changes to the city’s zoning code
At their eight-hour meeting Monday, city councilors voted on multiple zoning changes that could impact neighborhoods and businesses, including allowing tribes to comment on developments in certain areas, allowing drive-thrus in others and creating design standards around the Rail Trail. Tribes can now comment on land development: Passed Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn introduced an ordinance to […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Education
City offers ‘World’s Largest Swimming Lesson’ to adults and children
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department offered free swim lessons at the West Mesa Aquatic Center on Thursday, as part of the “World’s Largest Swimming Lesson.” The department offered lessons in floating for children ages three to five, floating and gliding for children ages six to 14, introduction to freestyle swimming ages six to 14 […]
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Board wants city to make attacks on homeless a hate crime
The city’s Human Rights Board is recommending that Albuquerque’s hate crimes ordinance be updated to include housing status — a reference to those experiencing homelessness or who are precariously housed. The recommendation comes after board members noticed a rise in hostilities toward the unhoused community. The board is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by […]