Justin Garcia

Albuquerque RENT Ordinance fails in committee after landlord pushback An Albuquerque City Council committee on Wednesday voted down a proposed set of regulations intended to increase the power of renters and comprehensively regulate landlords after the latter expressed ...

Tried for an hour to think of RENT references but they voted it down

Albuquerque RENT Ordinance fails in committee after landlord pushback www.abqjournal.com/news/article...

Hundreds of state workers evacuated twice in one month due to gas leaks • Source New Mexico The workers' union president says the NM health department "has systematically endangered its workforce" after an office was twice evacuated.

Hundreds of workers at the state Department of Health and the Health Care Authority "were forced to work in a building with an active gas leak for several days on two separate occasions,” the head of CWA Local 7076 wrote in a grievance last week.

YouTube video by Bernalillo County Bernalillo County Commission: Administrative Meeting 6-10-2025

Eric Olivas, the Bernalillo County Commission Chair, spoke out against Donald Trump, ICE, the republican party, and immigration sweeps in California before reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. He said American values are under attack like never before.

Check it out

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhou...

Nebraska congressman’s bill would prioritize filling Weather Service vacancies after DOGE cuts • Nebraska Examiner The proposal comes after a National Weather Service office in the Omaha area announced pausing weather balloon deployments in April.

DOGE NEBRASKA UPDATE: Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood introduced legislation this month that would make it harder for National Weather Service employees to be fired. He's hoping to improve protections by treating them as public safety employees.

From Juan Salinas II:

Fake Images and Conspiracy Theories Swirl Around L.A. Protests

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/t...

Proposed RENT Ordinance aims to rein in unfair rental practices The Albuquerque City Council is set to consider sweeping new rules that would overhaul the rental process citywide, aiming to protect tenants from hidden fees, housing instability and unresponsive lan...

“Why would landlords also be interested in this? I think the answer to that is that clear rules reduce confusion and conflict.”

www.abqjournal.com/news/article...

haussamen.com Commentary and essays Journalist Heath Haussamen writes about our crumbling society with a focus on issues relevant to New Mexico and the borderlands.

If you're not following Heath's website, you're missing out on some of the best journalism in the state
haussamen.com

State withheld records in Rio Arriba sheriff death investigation The state's reasoning for withholding police reports from a sheriff's death investigation could conflict with court rulings.

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety took 42 days — far beyond the 15 days allowed by state statute — to release information this week about the mysterious April death of Rio Arriba County Sheriff Billy Merrifield. sfnm.co/4kSws45

From the fees associated with applications and screening, to eliminating pet rent, to instances of landlords paying tenants, the bill seeks to support renters who make up about 44 percent of Albuquerque households.

The bill, known as Renter’s Empowerment and Neighborhood Transparency (RENT) Ordinance, would enshrine protections around almost every part of the renting experience.

The Albuquerque City Council is set to consider a comprehensive set of protections aimed at shielding renters from unscrupulous landlords.

Read it here --> cabq.legistar.com/LegislationD...

Just bought $100 worth of drugs. Story tk

Getting into Frankish history for mental health reasons

Barcelona Suites closed by city, 68 residents forced to relocate Barcelona Suites hotel has hosted countless proms and visitors to the nearby fairgrounds over its decades in Northeast Albuquerque. But for the last four years, it’s been 76-year-old Virginia Harkes’

And finally…

Barcelona Suites closed by city, 68 residents forced to relocate

www.abqjournal.com/news/article...

Four mayoral candidates have balked at public financing. Uballez is the latest Alex Uballez ended his efforts to seek public financing on Friday, becoming the latest Albuquerque mayoral candidate to do so.

Four mayoral candidates have balked at public financing. Uballez is the latest (it might be 6 by the time you read this)

www.abqjournal.com/news/article...

Albuquerque to spend $4.5M in opioid settlement funds on addiction recovery projects Members of the Albuquerque City Council and the mayor’s office came together Wednesday to mark the signing of legislation that allocates portions of the historic opioid settlement — one of

Albuquerque to spend $4.5M in opioid settlement funds on addiction recovery projects (the opioid settlement saga continues!)

www.abqjournal.com/news/article...

Squeezed by inflation, city budget keeps spending steady but trims ambition The Albuquerque City Council last month approved a $1.5 billion budget for the next fiscal year, largely accepting Mayor Tim Keller’s proposals and continuing his priorities on housing, homelessness a...

Squeezed by inflation, city budget keeps spending steady but trims ambition (this one took me awhile tbh. But it’s a summery of CABQ’s budget for the year)

www.abqjournal.com/news/article...

Busy couple of days. Here’s what I’ve been working on Icymi

I was at the Gateway Medical Sobering Center yesterday for a news conference and saw this posted on the door near the entrance.

New Mexico report reveals far higher homelessness numbers than federal count Before calling the sidewalks of Albuquerque home, Trina Hunter was a manager at Wendy’s while volunteering at St. Martin’s Hospitality Center on the side and raising a teenager.

“We’re able to capture a lot more in this system. And so I definitely think it’s a good, reliable way that we’ve done it here, but I definitely don’t want to discount the good work that (the New Mexico) Coalition to End Homelessness has done.”

Which chair do you think the mayor will sit in?

State report finds homeless population likely far higher than yearly count Department of Health research aimed at finding number of homeless hospital patients in five-year period comes to another significant conclusion.

So I'm working on an ABQ version, but I wanted to highlight Carina's piece on this. Really, really good stuff icymi
www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...

The Journal has a daily news podcast. For today’s episode, I talk about yesterday’s event with Ken Miyagishima including a few bars from Ken’s country-western campaign theme song.

And no, I don’t have a lisp. Something about the software or my phone is struggling with sibilant sounds…

4-year-old Bakersfield girl facing deportation could die within days of losing medical care In 2023, a Mexican girl, 4, was allowed U.S. entry for lifesaving medical care. She and her parents, who live in Bakersfield, have been told they must leave.

Little girl with small bowel syndrome was *allowed* into the U.S. for life-saving medical care. Now they’re kicking her out, and without care she’ll die. A death sentence.

Bookmark for those online discussions about us being a Christian nation.

the moth has largely been a non-factor in this meeting

There's also a moth in the room

Alright, let me fill you in. Tonight, I have two things of interest, both of which are likely to pass.

1. About 5.2 million to a family services non-profit in the South Valley. The county is financing their new building.

2. Emergency grant for a senior center in Tijeres for a nearly dry well

You sickos wanna know what’s up at the Bernalillo County Commission meeting?

House approves Trump’s massive tax and immigration package The legislation would extend tax cuts and add billions in new spending — and trillions in new debt.

Been trying to get a better understanding of Medicaid and Medicare with this looming. Does anyone have any good explanatory sources for a dummy who thought he'd never have to worry about this?

wapo.st/3H6cqVq

New Mexico Angels report: Startup growth is strong, but exits lag The organization, which aims to grow startups and high-growth companies in the state, presented findings from its 2024 venture capital report in a webinar on Wednesday.

From a report by nonprofit New Mexico Angels: Startup growth is strong, but exits lag www.abqjournal.com/business/art...