A package of federal appropriations bills that cleared both houses of Congress this week contains hundreds of millions of dollars for New Mexico, with a heavy emphasis on public safety in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján issued news releases Friday detailing the legislation, which now heads to President […]
Category: City Desk ABQ
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Bernalillo County seeks $72.9 million for capital projects in 2026 session
Bernalillo County is requesting $72.9 million in capital outlay funding for the 2026 legislative session to address public safety, housing, infrastructure and other countywide priorities. The funding request combines major capital projects with investments tailored to each of the county’s five commission districts, officials said. County commissioners are seeking $5 million to expand the Mesa […]
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Against the odds: APD’s DWI unit rises from the ashes
When I first heard about the sprawling corruption scandal that gutted the Albuquerque Police Department’s DWI unit in 2024, I, like a lot of people, assumed the specialized unit was finished. A decades-long bribery scheme involving nearly the entire squad, hundreds of dismissed cases, officers on the district attorney’s “Brady list” of untrustworthy cops, it […]
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DWI cases rebound in Bernalillo County court after APD corruption scandal
DWI cases filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court reached a multiyear high in 2025 and APD arrests are on the rise following a decades-long corruption scandal that has decimated its specialized DWI unit, a City Desk investigation found. The court recorded 2,404 total DWI filings in 2025, consisting of 2,360 misdemeanor and 44 felony cases, […]
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County rejects federal cut, maintains housing assistance for low-income families
Bernalillo County commissioners approved an item Tuesday to keep housing voucher rates unchanged for 2026, rejecting a federal decrease that officials warned would harm low-income renters. The county will maintain current subsidy levels, which average 2.9% above the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s fair market rents, to help tenants stay competitive in a […]
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New leadership takes the gavel in Bernalillo County
The Bernalillo County Commission elected the new chair and vice chair of the commission in its first meeting of the 2026 calendar year, where Adriann Barboa took over as the commission chair with Frank Baca as her vice chair. The commission voted 5-0 for Barboa to take over the gavel from outgoing chair Eric Olivas. […]
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Bernalillo County moves to regulate AI data center expansion
With Project Jupiter, a controversial campus of data centers slated for Doña Ana County, in the works, the Bernalillo County Commission took a first step Tuesday toward imposing some of the state’s strictest regulations on data center development, introducing a resolution that would tie taxpayer-funded incentives to aggressive hiring, wage and environmental standards. Sponsored by […]
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Albuquerque’s Gateway Center hits a turning point in homelessness response
The City of Albuquerque announced Tuesday that the Gateway Center reached full capacity for the first time since its late-2025 expansion, placing nearly 200 people on a path toward stable housing through intensive support services. The Gibson location now serves 192 residents — 100 women and 92 men — who commit to behavioral intervention and […]
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Bregman: A call to action for Gov, Legislature this session
Sam Bregman is the 2nd Judicial District Attorney in Bernalillo County. He is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2026. Learn more at bregmanfornm.com As the Governor and Legislature prepare for New Mexico’s annual legislative session, their two priorities should be clear: protecting New Mexicans from the consequences of the Trump Administration’s […]
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CNM’s $73 Million Film Training Center Almost Ready for Its Close Up
The $73 million film training center taking shape inside Albuquerque’s historic Rail Yards Boiler Shop will open several months later than first promised. When it opens in September, it is expected to be one of the most advanced film training facilities in the country and could be a game-changer for New Mexico’s creative workforce. Central […]