Jesse Jones, Author at City Desk ABQ

Albuquerque City Councillor Dan Lewis, District 5.

Albuquerque city councilor accuses committee of ‘hiding’ fraud reports past legal deadline

More than two weeks past what he calls the legal deadline, Albuquerque District 5 City Councilor Dan Lewis is demanding the release of Inspector General reports on fraud, waste and abuse, accusing the city’s oversight committee of “hiding” public documents. Lewis sent a Sept. 3 letter demanding the Accountability and Government Oversight Committee convene by […]

Sichler Farms, a longtime chile stand, is expected to expand into a year-round farm-to-table restaurant thanks to new redevelopment incentives.

Albuquerque declares 23 acres ‘blighted’ to spur business growth and revitalize corridor

A struggling stretch of San Mateo Boulevard could get new life after Albuquerque city councilors voted unanimously this week to designate 23 acres as “blighted,” opening the door to tax breaks and redevelopment incentives. The resolution expands the Central/Highland/Upper Nob Hill Metropolitan Redevelopment Area to cover businesses between Central and Lomas, where closures and deteriorating […]

The City of Albuquerque’s Shelter Connect Dashboard has finally been updated after the public tracker was showing badly outdated numbers with Good Shepherd stuck on November 2023 and S.A.F.E. House on October 2024. (CABQ)

What happened to Albuquerque’s broken shelter bed tracker?

Last fall, the City of Albuquerque launched its Shelter Connect Dashboard to help first responders see which shelters had open beds. But by this summer, the public tracker was showing badly outdated numbers with Good Shepherd stuck on November 2023 and S.A.F.E. House on October 2024. The stale data raised doubts about whether the tool […]

Jonathan Sandoval continues to work building the Indy-500 roller coaster ride at the State Fairgrounds, a week before the start of the 2025 New Mexico State Fair. Credit: Photo by Roberto E. Rosales/ New Mexico News.

The Last Hurrah

The 2025 New Mexico State Fair could be Albuquerque’s last hurrah for a tradition that has drawn crowds for 87 years, as government leaders weigh relocation mere months before a state-imposed deadline. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has set a March deadline to decide the State Fair’s future, raising the possibility that 2025 could end nearly […]

Gateway contracts return to council after $70M program criticism

Albuquerque city councilors will vote Wednesday, Sept. 3, on millions in Gateway Center contracts that were postponed from the Aug. 18 meeting after calls for more accountability in the city’s $70 million homeless program. The contracts with Chicanos Por La Causa for women’s housing navigation and Community Bridges for men’s services were delayed last month. […]

Marble Brewery inks deal to brew Bosque beers

What started as a regulatory snag for one of Albuquerque’s top breweries has turned into a first-of-its-kind partnership in New Mexico’s craft beer scene. Marble Brewery confirmed to City Desk that it will produce and distribute Bosque Brewing’s flagship beers statewide while Bosque works through wastewater compliance issues at its facility in the Town of […]

Albuquerque eyes $777M investment in fusion energy research

Albuquerque city councilors may consider some of their biggest financial decisions of the year when they meet Wednesday, a few days later than usual because of the Labor Day holiday. The meeting could include a massive industrial revenue bond for a nuclear fusion facility, along with votes on previously deferred housing initiatives. Nuclear fusion development […]

Weeks after Mayor Tim Keller told reporters the city needs 100 more Safe Outdoor Spaces for its homeless population, his plan to make the sites affordable collapsed in committee.

Mayor Keller says city needs 100 sanctioned encampments, but his plan to get there is in danger

Keller says at least 100 Safe Outdoor Spaces are needed for those who “say no to the Gateway system,” but a council committee voted down his plan and his administration has no plan to get there.

City Councillor Dan Lewis who represents district 5 in the city is calling for upgrades to Ventana Ranch Park on the Westside saying the turf needs to be replaced. Credit: Photo by Roberto E. Rosales/ New Mexico News.

Albuquerque parks ‘dying’ as city councilor proposes $2 million emergency turf fix

Albuquerque families may soon see greener parks after City Councilor Dan Lewis introduced an emergency resolution to spend $2 million from city reserves on immediate turf replacement, saying budget cuts left fields patchy and overrun with weeds. The proposed resolution, R-25-183, introduced Aug. 18, targets parks citywide that are suffering from dead grass and weeds, […]

The Albuquerque City Council Candidate Forum took place Tuesday afternoon where members of the business community got to hear directly from the city council candidates in contested district races how to shape the future of our city. Photo by Roberto E. Rosales/ New Mexico News.

City council candidates clash over housing, immigration, labor policy

Albuquerque’s biggest challenges — from rising homelessness to federal immigration enforcement — took center stage Aug. 26, as ten City Council candidates squared off over high-profile policy topics in the city’s contested districts. The forum at Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown drew candidates from Districts 1, 3, 5, and 9 and was co-hosted by the National Association […]