Features

The New Mexico Balloon Fiesta is a popular annual tourist attraction, bringing in hundreds of thousands from all over the United States. Special shapes and vibrant colors fill the sky for this nine-day-long event. People bundle up and withstand the cold weather, all to witness this glorious sight.

Originally, the Balloon Fiesta was created in celebration of the 50th birthday of the radio station KKOB-FM 96.3. The station manager of the radio station asked Sid Cutter, the first New Mexican to own a hot air balloon, if his balloon could be included in the celebration.

Little do many know, the Balloon Fiesta greatly impacts our state's economy. According to a study done in 2019, the overall economic impact reached more than 186 million dollars. Abundant tourists create the need for motel rooms, late-night restaurants, and last-minute souvenirs. This heavily increased business for local vendors. The 2019 Economic Impact and Guest Research presented by Canon states that, “Balloon Fiesta guest spending directly increased the local business volume by $109.89 million and $76.93 million in indirect impact,”.

The Balloon Fiesta is a well-known event for locals and people out of state. It promotes Albuquerque as a state and increases New Mexico tourism and overall exposure as a craved destination. This can also help the outside world view our culture and traditions. New Mexico has a very rich culture that everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing. In the same study, results show that more than 3.4 billion impressions were made on digital and traditional media in response to the Balloon Fiesta.

Many local vendors also set up shop within the Balloon Fiesta grounds. Vendors can sell their products and publicize their small businesses. The 2019 study reveals, “that non-local guests spent an average of $13 per person with Balloon Fiesta food and drink concessionaires and $15 per person with artisans and retailers,”. Whether it's curly fries and cheese curds, or balloon animals and bubble guns, everyone can find something, regardless of age.

Some small businesses rely entirely on the annual Balloon Fiesta to get them through the year. Tourists typically feel the need to bring back keepsakes for their family and friends, and the Balloon Fiesta grounds are a great place to do it. Not only does the fiesta provide a fun event for families and friends, but it also helps our local businesses thrive. “From a social standpoint, the event is an opportunity to join together and celebrate the rich culture and traditions of New Mexico as well as the state’s natural beauty,”.

Every Wednesday, a meeting is held at the Gibson Health Hub to discuss plans for a new homeless shelter on Gibson Boulevard in Southeast Albuquerque. In 2019, voters voted, with an overwhelming majority, for a bond for a new homeless shelter to conquer homeless issues in the area surrounding the Health Hub. The bond was then used by the city of Albuquerque to buy the Lovelace Hospital back in April of this year for $15 million to use as a space for the shelter.

The homeless shelter, dubbed the Gateway Center, differs from other shelters in the Albuquerque area. While some shelters are only meant for families or for one gender, this shelter will be open to families, along with both men and women experiencing homlessness. “The mission of the Gateway Center is to provide a safe and welcoming place that provides a low-barrier, trauma-informed shelter along with services to meet people where they are at, using a client-centered approach to support individual paths to housing stability,” states the Operations Plan, a document on the plan for the Gateway Center provided by the City of Albuquerque. The plan is for the Gateway Center to be open 24/7.

There will be two components of the Gateway Center. One component is the actual shelter, which will be about 10 to 15% of the Gibson Health Hub. The other component is an engagement center, where the most important needs of people coming to shelter are met and where residents of the shelter have access to services. Currently, the city is in the process of designing the Gateway Center, which will be followed by a Construction Phase and finally an Opening Phase.

To aid it’s focus on a trauma informed environment, the design will exclude any trauma triggering factors, such as dark hallways and color patterns. The staff will be informed on trauma so they know how to aid the residents of the shelter. The planners want to incorporate into the design multiple floors to separate men, women and families. These floors will have physically sectioned areas for families and single homeless people. The design differs very much from the Westside Emergency Housing Center (WEHC). Located, hence its name, on the Westside, the shelter was originally a jail and centered in one giant room, lacking a trauma informed experience. The site houses up to 500 single people, larger in comparison to the Gateway Center’s goal of 100 singles and 25 families.

The Gateway Center is part of the city’s long term goal of conquering the homeless issue. According to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), a study conducted by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, New Mexico had some of the largest homeless increases in the nation between 2018 and 2019. The number of homeless people increased by 27%, more than California’s 16.4%. Despite California’s larger increase in homeless people, New Mexico has grown faster within a year’s difference and it’s smaller population. The city of Albuquerque, to conquer it’s homeless problem, wants to incorporate more housing for residents with low income and shelters for the homeless. Besides tackling homelessness, the planners of the shelter are hoping to make the Gibson Health Hub a thriving health point as it once was. Residents of the shelter will have access to services at the Health Center as part of it’s engagement approach to helping residents with drug addiction. The homeless shelter will also give nearby residents an opportunity to volunteer, especially youth in the area. “I think it’s important for young people to get involved because young people are our future,'' states Cristy Hernandez, the administrator for the Gateway Center.

The city is hoping to start operating the shelter by winter of 2022, but it may be later due to the amount of labor and gathering of supplies. Before then, the city must get conditional use approval to operate a shelter at this site. There is also concern from the residents of Parkland Hills, Siesta Hills and Elder Homestead neighborhood associations. They asked Robert Lucero, a zoning examiner, to reject the city and it’s plans for the former Lovelace Hospital. They argue that there has been no studies done on the future of this shelter and its impacts on the area. Hernandez believes the residents may also have concerns about encampments near the shelter.

To prevent these encampments, there will be a public safety district around the Gateway Center. This will include the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), which has a nearby substation located on Kathryn Avenue and Louisiana Boulevard, close to the Gateway Center. APD will work with the Department of Family and Community Services (DFCS) to assist residents in encampments to the Gateway Center as well as the Planning Department to clear out abandoned houses for the safety of residents. Encampments will not be allowed on the property. The APD Problem Response Team (PRT) will resolve issues in the area as they are already committed to the Southeast part of the city. The DFCS will monitor encampments on public private property. For public property, a notice will be posted immediately while on private property the encampment will be referred to the Planning Department Code Enforcement Division, a committee that deals with the uses of land in the city. The Albuquerque Community Safety Department (ACS) will assist people living in encampments that are a ¼ mile radius from the Gateway Center. The Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) Department will launch in fall of this year. They are located on Kathryn Avenue and San Mateo Boulevard. Other committees of the public safety district include Albuquerque Fire and Rescue, Parks and Recreation and Solid Waste. On site, drugs are prohibited, pets must behave and will be staffed 24/7 by city personnel and a private security firm. The staff include supervisors, case managers, peer supporters and navigators. The staff will be informed on de-escalation.

The University of New Mexico (UNM) is currently in the Literature Piece Phase of a

study, where they’re analyzing other studies done on homelessness and making predictions. The UNM study is expected to release results sometime next year. Meanwhile, Wellness Hotels have been operating during the pandemic at non disclosed areas and have been acting as experiments with results that will affect the course of the Gateway Center. These hotels have housed 190 children during the pandemic. There have been no complaints about the motels from nearby residents.

As for funding for other aspects of this project, the state will help provide money for the constructions and designs.

There is little known about how the upcoming election will affect the plans for the Gateway Center. If the current mayor, Tim Keller, stays in office, then plans for the center will continue. Not much is known about the other candidates.

New Mexico’s pro soccer team, NM United, has proposed a plan for a new soccer stadium, but will the installment be worth the worrisome price tag?

The Soccer Stadium Digest reports that building the facility could cost up to $70 million. Luckily, Albuquerque residents won’t be the only ones paying for the stadium though. United has already contributed more than $32.5 million towards the project, which, along with the bond, should fully cover the price of the stadium. The New Mexico legislature has also collected another $7.5 million as well. If the stadium is built, United will most likely be contributing continuous rental payments or possibly developments outside of the stadium. The president of United, Peter Trevisani, on the topic of the club's probable rent, told the Albuquerque Journal, “The issue there is we’re not allowed to own any of the stadium – we’re just a tenant. The stadium would need to be owned by the city and since we can’t own the stadium, we’re not really in a position to buy a percentage of it like you might buy a percentage of a company.”

The city asked CAA ICON, a consulting company for sports and entertainment building owners, to pick the best potential sites for the stadium. The two primary locations we're the west side of the railroad tracks on Iron and 2nd and the East side of the railroad tracks on Broadway and Coal. Private interests do control most of both those sites. A community benefits agreement (CBA) will be included with any neighborhood lease. A community benefits agreement is a legally binding document that will give the community a voice in any development that occurs. The Barelas Community released a statement on the stadium, commenting on the importance of the agreement. “A Community Benefits Agreement is a commitment, but it doesn’t guarantee that a stadium will be built in any specific neighborhood” declared the community. “What it does guarantee is that the City of Albuquerque and NM United have to respect impacted communities as true partners.”

Not all of New Mexico’s population agree though, and have expressed their concerns about the proposed $50 million bond that went to the ballot on November 2nd. Some residents have taken an interest in how the bond will be funded, and homeowners especially worry that certain taxes will be raised. Abigail Goldstien, along with many other United fans, thinks that the money could be put toward better uses such as housing for the homeless or dealing with COVID-19’s lasting effects. “I'm choosing to trust that if the bond passes they’ll make good on their word,” Goldstein said, “but we should see that the people of New Mexico are happy and stable before we worry about entertainment.

Albuquerque’s public schools struggle to find food for their students due to food costs and product shortages.

APS Food and Nutrition Services states that, “The goal of the department is to maintain high standards and accountability, while consistently exceeding the expectations of our families,”. This may become a challenge due to the recent shortages in available food for students. APS claims that the rising costs for food supplies and a backlog of products are making it hard to supply food for students.

Over the summer, APS provided Grab & Go Meals, which consisted of multiple days worth of food given from multiple public schools around the city. These meals were completely free and were available to be picked twice a week. During the school year, free lunches are currently available for all students, even if they are not a part of the Free or Reduced Lunch program. “Our vision is a partnership among students, staff, school, family, and the community in offering access to and providing attractively presented nutritious meals at the lowest possible price,” explains APS Food and Nutrition Services.

Unfortunately, it's not only food that is limited, but also utensils, paper goods, and all things you find in the average cafeteria. Luckily, APS can receive some supplies from businesses or universities that may have over-bought supplies, such as food trays.

Even though the menus may be altered and the food trays may have college logos on them, APS is making it their priority to provide substantial food for all students. “Studies show that students who are well-nourished have increased attendance, better grades, and are able to concentrate and perform at higher standards,” says APS.

Not only is APS focused on providing food for its students, but they also strive to provide healthy and nutritious food. APS knows that “Good nutrition is key to a healthful life.” Students are provided with healthy food choices that will help get them through the school day.

To add or to modify? That’s the question voters will be asking themselves when they

vote on the Joint Resolution One amendment. As a response to better education in New Mexico, the legislature voted on an amendment that will go out on the ballot in 2022.

The amendment will increase the amount of money taken from the Land Grant

Permanent Fund and is meant specifically for early childhood education. Originally proposed by house representatives Antonio Maestas and Xavier Javier Martinez, the amendment was originally only for changes in K-12 schools, but it later included early education. “Because we started to see some of that really important brain development...language development, early childhood...then we changed it to include early education.” states Stephanie Garcia Richard, the New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands.

Funds for education come from multiple sources. The legislature sets aside a general

fund for public schools that is a portion from statewide taxes such as property tax and gross receipt tax. Another important source of revenue is the Land Grant Permanent Fund, a 34 billion dollar fund made up of the money collected from the public lands of New Mexico that is used for public schools, colleges and hospitals in the state. It is only used for these institutions and would require an amendment to the New Mexico constitution to modify it. The same amount of money goes in the fund every year and is not taken from other resources. Every year, 5% is taken from the fund for education (Note that number has increased to 6% with the new amendment). The leftovers from the Federal Mineral Leases are also used to fund education/ After gaining those funds, the money is distributed with the State Equalization Guarantee (SEG for short). The SEG determines a unit value that’s based on the student as an individual, enrollment in the school and the cost to educate them with the number of programs, such as physical education and bilingual programs, it takes to educate them. After the SEG distribution, the money goes to the school districts across the state.

It took a long time to pass it within the legislature. It was brought up many times within

the legislature before it was finally accepted. Later, the Yazzie Martinez lawsuit against the state of New Mexico argued that there was a disparity in education that certain students were receiving and the outcome prompted the state to spend more money on education. “I think we have not made the commitment to put enough resources to education that it requires, I think it’s much more expensive than anyone wants to admit. That’s what I think, like we talk about it all the time, but when it comes time to actually do it….we’ve been trying to get it [the amendment] to pass for 10 years. It took a long time. And now we’re just going to start seeing the benefits of it. But to move people to do the right thing...it took a long time and a lot of convincing,” recalls Richard. By supporting early childhood education, Richard is also hoping to pave better futures for the children of New Mexico. She brings up the results of a study that was used as an argument in support of the amendment. “...If you had ever heard of return on investment...if you invest a dollar, you get three dollars back. And the return on investment for investing in early childhood means that things like juvenile detention actually decrease.” explains Richard. New Mexico students face challenges when it comes to poverty. New Mexico Voices for children stated in June 2021 that 25% of kids in New Mexico live in poverty. “I just think New Mexico has a lot of challenges...we got kids that come to school hungry...I mean you can learn if you haven had food the night before and for breakfast, you know what I mean?” empathizes Richard.

Teachers Carrie Apostle and Unna Valdez believe it’s not just the amount of money

used, it’s how it’s spent. “There is money...but what are we using the money for? If it’s not in the classroom, if it’s not into the programs, if we had early childhood programs that are being underutilized and what I mean by that is we have low enrolling preschool programs, low enrolling kindergarten, early childhood programs such as programs in daycare facilities they’re using resources but are we actually looking at what they’re putting out, what’s they’re output, how are they benefitting children? So it’s utilizing resources differently” states Apostle. Apostle is the current child development teacher at Sandia High School, as well as the former chair of the Early Education department before the program was canceled. Valdez is the culinary arts teacher at Sandia and the head of the culinary department. She brings up the infrastructure bill passed by president Joe Biden and it’s trickling effects on education in New Mexico. “Oil and gas...they need to diversify those funds...because you see Biden...just signed like the infrastructure bill at the national level and in Detroit some of those auto companies are going to go purely electric...so what are we going to do with our oil? We are not going to need as much because that’s what we put in our vehicles,” she exclaims. Apostle follows her up by stating that the largest percentage for education comes from oil and gas and that when we receive bad sales we don't receive money for schools. “And look at how many years we’ve gone without new textbooks. That’s a basic necessity!” Valdez says. Apostle and Valdez claim they have no power in deciding where funds go to. “...A lot of politicians and a lot of the people in power don't care about public education so much so that their children don’t attend public schools. They go to Manzano Day School, they go to Sandia Prep, they go to Bosque because they want the best education for their child, who doesn’t, yet they’re willing to pay for it, so therefore they don’t care about public education.” states Valdez. “You could throw money at a problem all day and that’s not going to solve it.”

The vote for the amendment will take place during a general election next year in

2022.“Vote, you have to vote, so you got to be aware it’s raising awareness, really a lot of it I think is transparency, I think if individuals saw where and how the money was being spent completely, it might be different.” concludes Apostle.