NEW MEXICO BEARS ARE ON THE MOVE…LOOKING FOR FOOD SOURCES AS DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO WORSEN ACROSS THE STATE. TRISTANNA BICKFORD WITH THE GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT SAYS BEAR SIGHTINGS ARE ON THE INCREASE. AND SHE SAYS THEY’RE SHOWING UP IN MORE URBAN AREAS. LAST WEEKEND IN THE GILA NATIONAL FOREST, A MAN WAS BITTEN…… MORE
Mayor Keller Signs Budget
WITH ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILORS LOOKING ON, MAYOR TIM KELLER HAS SIGNED THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL 2019. THE MAYOR SAYS IT WILL ALLOW FOR RECRUITMENT OF 100 ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS…DOUBLE ACCESS TO BEFORE-SCHOOL, AFTER-SCHOOL, AND SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR KIDS…AND FUND THE CORE PROGRAMS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. UNDER THE BUDGET, SPENDING WILL INCREASE BY 39-MILLION…… MORE
Weapon Found in Sunport Passenger’s Carry-on
IT DID NOT GO SMOOTHLY ON THURSDAY FOR A PASSENGER GOING THROUGH SECURITY AT THE ALBUQUERQUE SUNPORT. TSA AGENTS FOUND A LOADED GUN IN THE PASSENGER’S CARRY-ON BAG DURING X-RAY SCREENING. THE TSA ALERTED ALBUQUERQUE POLICE, WHO INTERVIEWED THE PASSENGER AND CONFISCATED THE WEAPON. THAT PASSENGER WAS LATER ALLOWED TO FLY OUT OF THE SUNPORT.…… MORE
Check Out the Civic Plaza Exhibit
THERE’S AN ART EXHIBIT ON ABQ’S CIVIC PLAZA DOWNTOWN. THE EXHIBIT SHOWS 92 REPRODUCTIONS OF MASTERPIECES FROM SPAIN’S MUSEO DEL PRADO COLLECTION. THE EXHIBIT OPENED ON THE PLAZA ON WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK AND CLOSES AT THE END OF THE DAY AUGUST 31ST. THE REPRODUCTIONS SHOW ARTISTS LIKE CARAVAGGIO, HIERONYMUS BOSCH AND OTHERS WHO WERE AHEAD…… MORE
Another Boost to NM Gas Prices
ANOTHER RISE IN GAS PRICES IN NEW MEXICO. AAA, THE AUTO CLUB, REPORTS WE’RE PAYING THREE CENTS MORE FOR THE AVERAGE STATEWIDE GAS PRICE THIS WEEK, WHICH IS NOW AT 2-98 A GALLON FOR REGULAR UNLEADED. THAT’S 68 CENTS MORE THAN WE PAID AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR. THIS WEEK, LAS CRUCES DRIVERS ARE PAYING…… MORE
Keller Expected to Sign City Budget
ALBUQUERQUE MAYOR TIM KELLER IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THE CITY’S NEW BUDGET PLAN APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. MOST OF THE NEARLY BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET IS FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THERE’S AND ADDED 1-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY APPROVED SPECIFICALLY BY THE COUNCIL. THE WHOLE THING INCLUDES RAISES…… MORE
Keller Updates A-R-T Project
THE ALBUQUERQUE RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT IS WAY BEHIND SCHEDULE AND THAT’S NOT ABOUT TO CHANGE. MAYOR TIM KELLER SAYS PROBLEMS WITH THE BUSES REMAIN THE MAIN REASON FOR THE LENGTHY DELAY IN STARTING SERVICE. AS FOR OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD, ONE IS SIMPLY TOO EXPENSIVE. THE “END TO A-R-T” OPTION IS SLATED TO COST 200-MILLION DOLLARS.…… MORE
Duke City Rakes in More Sales Tax Revenue
ALBUQUERQUE’S REVENUE PICTURE APPEARS TO BE LOOKING UP. THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL REPORTS THAT, FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR, THE CITY’S GROSS RECEIPTS TAX REVENUE FROM BUSINESS ACTIVITY WAS UP FOUR PERCENT FROM A YEAR AGO…AT JUST UNDER 95-MILLION DOLLARS. AND MORE TAX MONEY IS EXPECTED TO COME IN LATER THIS SUMMER. IN JULY,…… MORE
NM A-G Joins Coalition Opposing Healthcare Changes
COMPANIES THAT MUST PROVIDE COST-FREE CONTRACEPTIVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE MAY SOON HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT REMOVED. IT’S WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS TO DO. HOWEVER, NEW MEXICO ATTORNEY GENERAL HECTOR BALDERAS HAS JOINED A COALITION OF 16 OTHER ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN OPPOSING THE CHANGE TO THE HEALTH CARE PROVISION. HIS OFFICE HAS FILED A BRIEF IN…… MORE
Senate Finance Committee Chair Questions NMSU Paychecks
QUESTIONS BEING ASKED ABOUT THE ANNUAL PAY FOR TWO TOP ADMINISTRATORS AT NMSU. SENATOR JOHN ARTHUR SMITH, THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, SAYS THE SCHOOL’S BOARD OF REGENTS SEEM TO FORGET WHERE THE STATE IS FINANCIALLY. THE REGENTS APPARENTLY APPROVED THE TWO JOBS OF PRESIDENT AND CHANCELLOR TO TOTAL 950-THOUSAND DOLLARS. THAT GIVES PRESIDENT JOHN…… MORE
