By Marisa Demarco — The fight over public access to records and hearings in the coming Levi Chavez trial continues. Lawyers representing local media appeared in court to make a stand against the sealing of pre-trial motions in the case. The trial is slated to begin in June. Chavez, a former Albuquerque Police Department officer, … Continue reading »
By Marisa Demarco — Want to know all about local government but don’t want to spend a couple of hours digging through our archives? Tune in to our new podcast “Local Government Matters.” Compass editors sat around Carolyn Carlson’s kitchen table a couple evenings ago and talked about the major issues this year for the … Continue reading »
ABQ City Council delays votes on APD oversight By Carolyn Carlson — Councilors toyed with police department issues at their Monday, May 6 meeting, but deferred final action. There was discussion on the creation of an ad-hoc committee to come up with ways to revamp the civilian police oversight commission. In the days leading up … Continue reading »
Conchas Lake is a stark image of New Mexico’s extreme drought conditions By Margaret Wright — Ed Wright has lived and worked at Conchas Lake for 21 years. Much of that time, snow runoff and summer monsoons fed the reservoir, which drew tourists from all over the Southwest. As an owner of the Conchas North Dock … Continue reading »
By Maren Tarro — Thirteen years ago the Federal Communications Commission opened up the airwaves to small FM broadcasters, giving nonprofit groups a voice amid the megawatt cacophony of broadcast corporations. Low-power FM stations—100 watts or less—were at first relegated to rural areas so as not to disrupt signals from full-power stations. They’re able to … Continue reading »
By Anna Challet, New America Media — The Affordable Care Act will make pediatric dental care more accessible, but many children’s advocates are concerned about the affordability of coverage and the availability of providers. New America Media spoke with Joe Touschner, a senior health policy analyst at the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown. … Continue reading »
By Robin Brown — Like public schools across the country, the University of New Mexico is struggling to pay its bills while addressing the concerns of staff, teachers and students. Shoshana Handel, a graduate program assistant and member of UNM’s Labor Union Coalition, said with the cost of living on the rise, a tuition increase … Continue reading »
By Marisa Demarco — Maria Perez has worked as a healer for most of her adult life. As a doctor of Chinese medicine with a “public health, social justice heart,” she offered low-cost treatments for years. Which is why, she says, her comparatively small income hasn’t been able to bear the costs of health insurance. … Continue reading »
By Marisa Demarco — Dozens of citizens attended the Bernalillo County Commission meeting last night to argue for and against a wage raise. Commission Chair Maggie Hart Stebbins said more than 40 people signed up to speak on the issue. Many business owners argued that the impact of a 13 percent raise was too much … Continue reading »
— District Judge George P. Eichwald sealed seven pre-trial motions in the case of Levi Chavez, a former Albuquerque Police Department officer who’s accused of murdering is wife. After the decision on Monday, April 22, those motions and all related documents about what will be allowed as evidence during the trial won’t be public. Chavez’ … Continue reading »
