The average Albuquerque home is 44 years old, and a lot of families can’t cover the big repair bills that come with aging houses. On Sept. 15, the City Council approved a program to help, passing the measure 5-3. The Preserving Albuquerque Through Critical Housing (PATCH) program will provide up to $75,000 in forgivable loans […]
Category: Communities
Posted inNew Mexico
Contractors push back on immigrant detention center closures
The companies that manage the three New Mexico immigrant detention centers are pushing back against a new report that recommends closing those facilities due to concerns over the alleged mistreatment of detainees and unsafe conditions. Last week, the New Mexico Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights released a report entitled “Civil Rights […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
City Councilor Requests $2 million Emergency Fix to Keep Albuquerque Parks From ‘Dying’
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, making […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
From homelessness to hope: One mother’s journey through Albuquerque’s Gateway Family
When Gabrielle, a Gateway Family resident, called 311 for help, she was homeless and had spent a decade battling addiction that cost her custody of her children. Nearly two years later, she is sober, has full custody of her one-year-old, visits her older children regularly and is preparing to move from Gateway Family into her […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
New Mexico delegation, Pueblo leaders urge Trump administration to maintain Chaco Canyon drilling ban
New Mexico’s congressional delegation joined with Pueblo leaders Wednesday to demand the Trump administration maintain protections against oil and gas development on federal lands surrounding Chaco Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site threatened by potential drilling and extraction. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, Rep. Melanie Stansbury, Sen. Martin Heinrich and Rep. Gabe Vasquez stood with governors […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Botched euthanasia and animal fights lead to federal scrutiny for Lovelace Biomedical
The Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute in Albuquerque has received an official warning from the U.S. Department of Agriculture following two critical violations of animal welfare regulations that resulted in serious injuries to laboratory animals and a botched euthanasia procedure. The violations, documented in a USDA inspection report dated May 21, led to the federal agency […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Scammers pose as jail employees to target inmates’ families in Albuquerque
Officials at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center are warning the public about scammers who are impersonating jail employees and demanding money from inmates’ families in exchange for their loved ones’ release. The scammers are obtaining personal information about current inmates and using it to pose as MDC employees when calling families, according to an […]
Posted inBernalillo County
Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office nominated for national drone award after disarming children
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office has been named a finalist for a national award recognizing how deputies used drone technology to safely disarm two young children who were armed with a loaded handgun. The sheriff’s office is competing for Skydio’s 2025 Lifesaving Achievement Award, with the winner to be determined by public voting at skydio.com/vote, […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov, New Mexico
Sen. Lujan assails feds for canceling funding for minority-serving institutions
New Mexico Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan is decrying a decision by the U.S. Department of Education to terminate federal funding of grants for Minority Serving Institutions. “In New Mexico and across the country, Minority-Serving Institutions have long played a vital role in expanding access to education and creating pathways to economic opportunity. The Trump […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Albuquerque City Council approves $7.1 million Gateway West contract despite accountability questions
Albuquerque City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday, Sept. 15, to approve Executive Communication 481, giving Gateway West an extra $3.55 million, doubling Chicanos Por La Causa’s (CPLC) annual contract to $7.1 million and extending operations through June 2026, even as councilors and residents questioned whether the city’s $121 million Gateway program is producing results. Councilor Dan […]