When Alex Uballez lost his bid for mayor in Nov., he quickly endorsed candidates in two of the city’s three runoff elections, both for Westside council seats, scheduled a month later — but not for mayor. That changed, sort of, this past weekend when Uballez penned a lukewarm endorsement of his former rival in the […]
Category: City Desk ABQ
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Who is giving the homeless “I ♥ Tim Keller” hoodies?
Albuquerque social media accounts have been filling up with photos of homeless persons in the International District sporting bright yellow hoodies printed with “I ♥ Tim Keller” in large letters across the front, but no one is taking responsibility for the stunt. Photos were first shared with City Desk on Wednesday of persons wearing the […]
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Many New Mexicans lack access to “trustworthy local news,” new study finds
Many New Mexicans say they lack access to trustworthy local news, what they do have is often hard to access, even in bigger cities where news institutions have been hollowed out over the years. Those are just some of the findings of a new study highlighting the troubling state of local news and promising solutions […]
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Commentary: From conflict to collaboration — How a New Mexico transmission line will protect power delivery and prairie chickens
Opinion in New Mexico Political ReportIn his role as Executive Director for Audubon Southwest, Jon Hayes oversees the National Audubon Society’s operations in Arizona and New Mexico—including two nature centers, a research ranch, and a team of scientists, educators, and advocates all working to advance bird conservation in the Southwest. The Crossroad-Hobbs-Roadrunner Transmission Project, a 345 […]
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Former Mayor David Rusk, 85, champion of transit, Downtown, passes away
David Rusk, the former mayor of Albuquerque known for his contributions to the city’s arts and public transit, has passed away at the age of 85. Rusk, who served as Albuquerque’s mayor from 1977 to 1981, was instrumental in the renovation of the KiMo Theater and was a strong advocate for smart and inclusive growth, […]
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‘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 […]
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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 […]
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We asked readers to tell us whether City Desk mattered. Here’s what they said.
Our team at nm.news and City Desk ABQ outside our new Nob Hill office, July 2025 From Pat Davis, City Desk founder & publisher When voters elected me to Albuquerque’s City Council in 2015, I promised to serve no more than two terms. In that time, we’d navigated the city through COVID, brought APD to […]
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Outside groups spent over $1 million to influence ABQ’s elections in 2025
In the months before a federal judge struck down part of the city’s election transparency laws last week, outside groups had already spent more than one million dollars to influence Albuquerque elections in 2025. A City Desk analysis of city campaign finance data shows that Albuquerque’s 2025 local elections were among the most expensive in […]
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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 […]