By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Bernalillo County residents now have new tools to find and access behavioral health and other social services more easily. Close the Loop, the county’s coordinated system for behavioral health and social service referrals, includes a public resource directory, an online assistance request form and a third tool, Population Insights, […]
Category: +Communities
Posted inAlbuquerque, Local Government
City Council set to hear changes to development appeals
by Jesse Jones, The Paper. — A battle over who gets a say in Burque’s development process hits City Hall on Monday. The City Council will consider four measures from Councilor Dan Lewis that could reshape zoning appeals, developer fees and the role neighborhood associations play in development decisions, drawing strong opposition from neighborhood coalitions. […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Courts & Justice
Drones grounded as Balloon Fiesta takes flight
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Leave your drone at home if you plan to capture the hundreds of hot air balloons painting the sky at this year’s Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Federal officials have established a temporary no-drone zone around Balloon Fiesta Park and warned that unauthorized operators could face steep fines and other […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Local Government
Albuquerque adds $1.6M to legal fight over homeless encampment sweeps
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque’s legal bill for defending its treatment of unhoused residents is getting bigger. The city has already paid nearly $1.4 million in legal fees and litigation expenses and has added another $1.6 million to its outside counsel contract, pushing the contract’s maximum value to $2.66 million. The City Council […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Local Government
Uptown Connect Secures millions as Albuquerque affordable housing project gets scaled back
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — The long-promised Uptown Connect housing project at Albuquerque’s Uptown transit hub is finally moving toward construction, with $31.2 million in new financing approved this week. But the project looks different on paper than it did last year, with fewer apartments, a lower price tag and a different financing package. […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Local Government
Councilor Dan Lewis wants more say for neighborhood associations, less for coalitions in ABQ development
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — When the City of Albuquerque approves a development project, construction may still be a long way off. Residents and community groups can challenge approved projects through city appeals and, in some cases, state court. Councilor Dan Lewis has proposed four companion measures that would change who can appeal those […]
Posted inBernalillo County, Environment, Conservation & Climate
Landfill closure puts Bernalillo County, Albuquerque trash pickup on hold
Heavy rain from what’s left of Hurricane Polo is causing problems beyond flooded streets and soggy yards in Bernalillo County. Waste Management has paused residential trash collection after severe weather closed a landfill the company uses. Bernalillo County said Waste Management notified the county that the landfill is temporarily closed because of the severe weather. […]
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City’s recycling test could mean fewer pickups for some residents
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — For some Burqueños, trash day will soon mean one less bin to take to the curb each week. The city is starting a pilot program that will switch blue recycling bin pickup from weekly to every other week. Starting today, the city’s Solid Waste Management Department will test the […]
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Five electric buses, zero passengers: ABQ electric buses not used since last December
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque’s first electric buses were supposed to be the start of a shift toward cleaner public transportation. Four years later, all five are still in the city’s fleet but have not carried passengers since December because of mechanical problems and difficulty getting parts. The city rolled out the fleet […]
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Six months of lawsuits left Albuquerque with a $4.38 million tab
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Mayor Tim Keller sent two overdue quarterly litigation reports to the City Council last month, revealing $4.38 million in lawsuit settlements over six months, including a case in which a police SWAT operation burned down a family’s home and killed a teenage boy hiding inside. At its Sept. 21 […]