Jesse Jones, Author at City Desk ABQ

Keller makes ABQ history: First mayor to win three consecutive terms

Mayor Tim Keller made history tonight, defeating former Sheriff Darren White to become the first Albuquerque mayor to win three straight four-year terms since the city adopted its current mayoral system in the mid-1970s. With all of the absentee and early votes cast, Keller emerged with an early 58%-41% lead according to unofficial results from […]

Your bus route is about to change. Here’s what you need to know

Albuquerque will roll out its biggest bus overhaul in nearly 30 years on Saturday, Dec. 13, when nine routes shift to a new map designed for a new era of the transit system. The changes will affect thousands of riders across the city. Officials announced the changes Wednesday at the Montaño Transit Center, launching Phase […]

Outside groups dump over $100K into runoff elections, and still have lots more to spend

Political Action Committees (PACs) spent more than $132,000 during the three-week runoff election sprint to influence Albuquerque’s three runoff races as early voting kicked off this week, with the mayor’s race drawing most of the outside money just days before voters decide the Dec. 9 contests. The mayoral race drew more than $101,000 in PAC […]

Who is turning out to vote in the runoff? We checked the numbers

With just four days of early voting left before Election Day 2.0, about 32,000 Albuquerque voters have cast ballots in the city’s Dec. 9 runoff election, with Democrats turning out at significantly higher rates than Republicans. Of the 31,926 ballots cast by late afternoon Tuesday, 18,132 came from early voting sites and 13,794 were absentee […]

Dead grass, weeds and a $2 million fix: Will your park get a turf upgrade?

The Duke City’s nearly 300 parks will get up to $2 million for emergency turf repairs after the City Council voted 8-1 on Monday to use leftover money from last year’s budget. The measure, R-25-183, sponsored by Councilor Dan Lewis, passed after two delays since August, while councilors and the administration debated whether dying turf […]

‘Alarm bells of the highest order’: APD chief’s testimony reveals years of deleted police texts to avoid public records

Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina testified under oath in a lawsuit that he routinely deletes text messages about official business, a practice legal experts said violates a state law that requires government agencies to keep communications for at least one year. In an October whistleblower case, Medina said he and other high-ranking APD officials have […]

PNM power outage solution or wildfire risk? NE Heights substation debate reaches decision point next week

Bernalillo County’s Planning Commission will decide Wednesday whether to recommend a $35 million Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) substation in North Albuquerque Acres — the utility’s third attempt in five years. The public hearing continues from September, when commissioners unanimously approved a 90-day delay after Sandia Heights residents said they felt “disenfranchised” by […]

Who’s funding Albuquerque’s runoff campaigns? Voters may never know

A federal judge this week struck down Albuquerque’s donor disclosure rules for advocacy groups that spend money in city elections, opening the door for thousands or even millions of dollars in anonymous cash to flood the Dec. 9 runoff with early voting starting in 10 days. U.S. District Judge James Browning ruled Wednesday that Albuquerque’s […]

ABQ street homelessness grows 40% since ’23, outpacing shelter use by 2-to-1, count shows

Albuquerque’s unsheltered homeless population jumped 40% over two years, outpacing increases in shelter bed usage, up 18% over the same period, by two-to-one, according to the latest Point-in-Time count from the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness. By the numbers The annual statewide and local census of homeless persons, conducted each January but released just […]

Dark money and developer dollars fuel District 3 runoff battle between Peña, Garcia

Competing visions of campaign finance transparency are front and center in Albuquerque’s City Council District 3 runoff election where outside money is pouring in and each candidate is calling out the other’s supporters for unnecessary big money influence in a relatively small city council runoff race. Klarissa Peña, the longest-serving member on the council currently, […]