Pat Davis, Author at City Desk ABQ

Northern lights make the New Mexico sky glow

It wasn’t just the balloons at the Fiesta that were glowing last week. The Northern Lights, a natural display of light in the Northern Hemisphere, lit up New Mexico Thursday night with a colorful, bright sky. Thanks to a severe solar storm, the spectacle could be seen throughout Northern New Mexico on Oct. 10, including […]

Splitting Votes and Taking Names

Democrat Fred Ponzlov and independent candidate Zach Withers are vying to knock Republican incumbent Stefani Lord out of office in the race for House District 22. Lord, who lives in the East Mountains, was elected to the seat in 2020. This is one of the few races during New Mexico’s 2024 election season where three […]

Residents push commission to deny new cannabis grows

There are often more staff than public speakers at regular Wednesday morning meetings of the Torrance County Commission. But on Oct. 9, more than three dozen residents made the trek to the commission chambers in Estancia to plead for commissioners to put a pause on the explosive growth of cannabis greenhouse projects quickly replacing the […]

Kick Back, Save Lives

For those looking for some fun and also looking out for their health this fall, Roosevelt Middle School, A. Montoya Elementary School and San Antonio STEM Elementary School are hosting the East Mountain Extravaganza Oct. 19 in Tijeras. Santana Torrez, the school nurse at Roosevelt Middle School has experience working in the ER, and said […]

Judge orders state agencies to ensure formerly incarcerated New Mexicans can vote in next month’s election

A judge has ordered two state agencies to work together to ensure roughly 11,000 formerly incarcerated New Mexicans can vote in next month’s election if they want. Tuesday’s order came in response to a lawsuit filed in late September alleging the voting rights of up to 11,000 individuals were in jeopardy this year, a violation […]

Make the Rio Grande Again

To protect the Rio Grande and manage stormwater runoff, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority signed an agreement Oct. 8 to construct the Middle Venada Water Quality Facility. The $2.1 million facility will capture 96% of stormwater runoff from the 16-square-mile Venada watershed, preventing trash, sediment and pollutants […]

Proposed constitution amendments would increase property taxes for homeowners

Submitted by Karen Wentworth, League of Women Voters Two of the four constitutional amendments voters will see on the ballot this fall are property tax exemptions for veterans. Currently all 100% disabled veterans are exempt from property taxes in New Mexico. Amendment 1 would offer partial exemptions to veterans who are partially disabled. A veteran […]

Spectacular Pumpkins, Intense Scares

McCall’s Farm has been a favorite fall destination for Moriarty locals and city slickers for decades, and these days the farm employs about 400 people to work its fall and Halloween events. Kevin McCall, owner and manager of McCall’s Farm, says first and foremost, people should come out for the pumpkins. A hay ride through […]

This election will not result in national unity. Reconnecting is up to us.

Early voting for the 2024 election began in New Mexico this week. No matter who becomes our next President, more than 40% of the country will have voted for someone else. Put another way, no matter whom you vote for, nearly half the country is voting for the other candidate. Here’s the tough part about […]

House Leader Jeffries stumps in ABQ

The “D” in “Democrat” stands for “Deliver,” U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told local elected and religious leaders Friday morning. The Democrats have, in the past couple of years delivered, lower prescription drug costs, more access to healthcare, new manufacturing jobs and lower poverty levels, he said. Jeffries, who stands to become Speaker […]