The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library Advisory Board has raised $925,000 in pledges from state, city and county officials to replace the Main Library’s 50-year-old heating and cooling system, bypassing traditional district boundaries. The board still needs $1.6 million to reach its $2.5 million goal. The 100,000-square-foot downtown library relies on a 1975 “air handler” system […]
Category: City Desk ABQ
Have an opinion? Of course you do! Share yours and we may publish it at citydesk.nm.news. Submit your opinion piece.
This story is "Reader-supported." NM Political Report relies on sponsor and reader donations to fund journalists covering local politics and policy other outlets don't cover. Think we need more reporting like this?
Thank a reporter and help us keep reporting like this free to read by becoming a monthly or one-time supporter today.
Local democracy needs local journalists.
This report is more than a news story. We partnered with NMreports to expand our ability to cover stories that help readers understand how New Mexico works and inspire them to participate in public decisions.
When you see "Reader-supported"on a story it means your donations helped us cover a story we would have otherwise missed. Become an investor in rebuilding local news for New Mexico by giving a monthly or one-time donation now.
Reader-supported
Water supply to be tight despite recent snowfall
Local farmers’ water fortunes will largely depend on precipitation this year. Recent snowstorms have improved the area’s water availability outlook, Anne Marken told the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Board of Directors Monday. However, she said, the water supply in the basins that serve the district is still expected to be about half of the […]
Reader-supported
Albuquerque’s nightly outreach hits record as winter temperatures plunge
Albuquerque Community Safety transported a record 1,230 people experiencing homelessness to shelter in December, helping protect lives during extreme winter temperatures. The total is the highest since the service relaunched in November 2025, a 136% increase from the previous month and a 92% jump from December 2024. The surge reflects rising community need and an […]
Reader-supported
Beyond the crosswalk: APS’s Vision Zero plan gets a $2.7M boost
Albuquerque Public Schools has received a $2.7 million federal grant to expand safe walking routes and launch a new “Walking School Bus Program.” U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., announced the funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program. The grant will support APS’s Vision Zero for Youth Initiative, expanding […]
Reader-supported
160,000 properties in Albuquerque could get a zoning change, here’s what you need to know
Sweeping zoning changes affecting at least 160,000 Albuquerque properties head next to the City Council’s Land Use, Planning and Zoning (LUPZ) Committee amid sharp disagreement over what’s changing and whether residents received adequate notice, according to 2023 U.S. Census data. The Integrated Development Ordinance Biennial Update, approved by the Environmental Planning Commission in November, includes […]
Reader-supported
Bernalillo County Commission to consider data center regulations
The Bernalillo County Commission is set to tackle a landmark proposal to regulate data center incentives and a final vote on a revision of the county’s ethics code on Jan. 13. Commissioner Eric Olivas said he will introduce a resolution establishing strict criteria for data center projects that seek taxpayer-funded incentives. “If we are to […]
Reader-supported
Bernalillo County joins Campbell Ranch lawsuit legal battle in Edgewood
Bernalillo County joined a longstanding lawsuit with the Town of Edgewood as an interested party last month, filing a petition to intervene after the Campbell Ranch development appealed the Town of Edgewood’s decision in July to deny its subdivision applications. The Edgewood Town Commission denied subdivision applications for an area known as Village 2, which […]
Reader-supported
Dream Week 2026 kicks off to honor Dr. King’s legacy
The New Mexico Martin Luther King, Jr. State Commission has designated Jan. 12–19 as Dream Week 2026, a statewide commemoration built around the holiday honoring the civil rights leader. In a news release, the commission called for “a week of commemoration, service, reflection, and action honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, […]
Reader-supported
APD Interim Chief reorganizes department, eliminates 12 command positions
Albuquerque Police Department Interim Chief Cecily Barker announced a reorganization that includes new executive appointments and the elimination of 12 command staff positions, expected to save the city about $2.4 million. Three officers were promoted to interim executive roles: Luke Languit as Deputy Chief of the Field Services Bureau, Mike Hernandez as Deputy Chief of […]
Reader-supported
ABQ’s new interim police chief follows a familiar path. Will it lead to the same destination?
Cecily Barker, named Albuquerque’s first woman interim police chief on New Year’s Eve, follows a familiar pattern: Her two predecessors served as interim chief for about six months before being permanently appointed. The pattern is clear: Michael Geier served 6.5 months as interim chief before the City Council confirmed him 9-0 in June 2018. Harold […]