Jesse Jones, Author at City Desk ABQ

City Council defers $3.6M Gateway Housing expansion amid funding questions

Albuquerque city councilors postponed votes on two Gateway Center expansion contracts Monday, citing concerns about transparency and unconfirmed state funding for the $3.6 million proposal. The City Council voted Aug. 4 to delay approving two $1.8 million agreements—one with Chicanos Por La Causa to expand women’s services, and another with Community Bridges for men’s beds—until […]

Back to school in a heat wave, APS juggles 500 work orders to fix aging cooling

Albuquerque Public Schools has more than 500 active cooling system work orders, even after running units all summer to avoid startup issues. Now, district officials are asking voters for $40.2 million in November to upgrade 20 schools to modern air conditioning, though they admit some campuses could still wait years for relief. John Dufay, APS […]

Albuquerque residents who find animals being sold or given away on sidewalks, in parking lots or other public spaces could soon see stricter enforcement under a proposed ordinance update scheduled for a City Council vote in August.

Albuquerque Council approves stricter animal sales enforcement

Burqueños will now see stricter enforcement of animal sales in public spaces under an ordinance amendment approved unanimously by the City Council Monday, Aug. 4. The measure updates the city’s 2006 HEART ordinance, which stands for Humane and Ethical Animal Rules and Treatment, to require immediate seizure and care of animals being sold, given away […]

Animal welfare crackdown could face final vote at Monday’s City Council meeting

Albuquerque could soon tighten enforcement of its animal welfare rules by cracking down on people who sell or give away pets in public spaces. The City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance tonight. The measure is part of a packed agenda that also includes proposed tourism bond funding, expanded homelessness services at the […]

Starting Aug. 23, Albuquerque Fire Rescue will expand its experimental deployment model to stations 5, 11 and 12

Fire chief defends paramedic changes, disputes union claims

Albuquerque Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo is moving forward with her paramedic deployment plan, set to begin Aug. 23, and disputing union claims that firefighters have been shut out of the process. The changes come after a months-long tension between the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 244 and Mayor Tim Keller’s administration over how the […]

Commuters begin to board an Art bus at the Alvarado Transportation Center in Downtown Albuquerque. Credit: Photo by Roberto E. Rosales/The City Desk.

ART security calls skyrocket, but actual violence plummets

Less than three weeks after a city bus driver fatally stabbed a passenger near Coors Boulevard, new data shows security calls to Albuquerque’s transit system have jumped 81% over the past year. The July 9 stabbing followed an argument on board that spilled onto the street. Surveillance video shows the 41-year-old driver pursuing the passenger, described as […]

Albuquerque mayoral candidates split on Trump homelessness order threatening $167M in federal funding

Albuquerque mayoral candidates are sharply divided over President Trump’s executive order threatening to cut off federal funding to cities that don’t enforce civil commitment laws for homeless individuals. Signed July 24, the order requires cities to prioritize involuntary treatment for people with mental illness or substance use issues and penalizes those that allow urban camping, […]

Residents find community and support in shared tents behind New Creation Albuquerque Church. (Jesse Jones)

Keller seeks to cut red tape for Safe Outdoor Spaces

Mayor Tim Keller wants to ease costly rules that have stalled efforts to open more Safe Outdoor Spaces in Albuquerque, saying churches and nonprofits should be able to create legal encampments without facing major financial barriers. Speaking July 28 at New Creation Albuquerque Church—the city’s only operating Safe Outdoor Space—Keller said current regulations make it […]

Balling for peace: Free hoops tournament builds community, promotes purpose

A free basketball tournament promoting community and nonviolence will bring 25 teams to Albuquerque’s Westside on Saturday, July 26. The 1st Annual Summer of Nonviolence: Above the Rim 5-on-5 Basketball Tournament kicks off at 8 a.m. at the Westside Community Center, 12520 Isleta Blvd SW. It’s open to players 15 and older, with four divisions: […]

District 5 gets $10.4M investment in first northwest Multigenerational Center

Albuquerque is investing big in its future — nearly $167 million in capital projects have already been launched or completed across the city. From new parks and library upgrades to fire stations and public art, these efforts aim to improve everyday life in every district. This series breaks down where the money went, what was […]