After months of negotiations, the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy (ASLA) has finalized a three-year lease agreement with the city to expand into the former North Fourth Art Center. The city-owned space, located at 4904 4th St. NW, has been shuttered since January. A $1,000-a-month lease had the support of Mayor Tim Keller and was recently […]
Category: Government
Posted inLocal Gov.
BernCo commissioner seeks pot parity
A Bernalillo County commissioner is looking to make things more fair for county employees who use cannabis outside work hours. Commissioner Eric Olivas told City Desk ABQ he plans to introduce legislation that would treat off-duty use of recreational cannabis in the same way as off-duty alcohol use. He called it a basic rights issue. […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Are fluoride levels in ABQ’s water safe?
According to new research, extreme levels of fluoride in drinking water could be associated with lower IQ in children, but according to local water officials, Albuquerque and Bernalillo County’s fluoride levels are still safe for residents. In its “Monograph on the State of Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopment and Cognition,” the National Toxicology Program, […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Fentanyl Forum coming next month
Later this week, the public can learn about overdose prevention, how to help those struggling through substance use disorders and get hands-on training in administering naloxone and Narcan distribution. Registration is now open for the 2024 Fentanyl Forum, a full-day event focused on critical issues surrounding the opioid crisis. The free public event is Oct. […]
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Softening the workforce shortage squeeze
Construction projects across the state are booming, but contractors say finding enough skilled laborers to fill positions is a chronic challenge. The workforce shortages often cause project delays and increased costs — issues that have motivated officials to propose a fix in Albuquerque. The Apprenticeship Empowerment ordinance would require contractors to dedicate 15% of a […]
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City Council to tackle downtown vacant buildings, sleeping on sidewalks
A proposal to tackle the vacant building issue and ban people from laying or sitting on sidewalks in Downtown Albuquerque is on the agenda for the City Council’s Monday meeting. The Downtown Vacant Buildings and Properties Ordinance — sponsored by Councilor Joaquín Baca — states that vacant buildings and properties are a health and safety […]
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Contention brewing over zoning change in University area
Albuquerque property owner Augustine Grace wants to convert two of his adjacent residential properties near the University area into a new coffee shop but after pushback from a neighborhood association, the future of the project is in the hands of City Council. At their meeting Monday, city councilors will hear from Grace about his proposal […]
Posted inBernalillo County, Housing & Homelessness, Local Gov.
County commissioners delay funding for pallet homes, reaffirm support
Bernalillo County commissioners Tuesday reaffirmed support for an effort to combat the local homelessness problem, despite voting to move money they had designated for it elsewhere. At their regular meeting, commissioners decided to redistribute $600,000 that had been earmarked for a pallet-home campus planned by the City of Albuquerque. City leaders envision the pallet homes […]
Posted inEast Mountains, Local Gov., Uncategorized
Commissioners OK additional water money for Carñuel wastewater project
Residents of the Carñuel area continue to see local officials working to improve their water situation. Bernalillo County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to spend almost $578,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money toward a wastewater project in the East Mountains community. The commission in 2021 approved $3.85 million for the project, though bids for the […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Will your trash pick-up get more expensive?
Residents of unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County may see the cost of trash pickup increase. County commissioners on Tuesday will consider a slate of increases to reflect inflation in the last year. In the meeting agenda, county staff wrote that costs for the service provider — Waste Management of New Mexico — have risen, which […]