Good morning, Albuquerque.

Albuquerque Solid Waste Management Department and Keep Albuquerque Beautiful are asking residents to volunteer for a city cleanup ahead of the 54th Balloon Fiesta, scheduled for Saturday, Sept.

26 at Balloon Fiesta Park and in local neighborhoods. Volunteers will receive supplies (trash bags, pickers, gloves, and safety vests).

On Friday, Sept. 11, Albuquerque held a memorial at Civic Plaza where local firefighters completed their annual stair climb to honor the 343 firefighters killed on Sept.

11, 2001 + the community paid tribute to national remembrance.

Vellum&Vine, a local romance bookstore and coffee shop, opened on Saturday, Aug.15 and quickly drew a loyal following with its themed drinks, cozy study nooks and extensive selection of romance, fantasy and thriller titles.

Fuego 505 won the New Mexico State Fair green chile cheeseburger challenge on Monday while Badlands Burgers and Brews earned the People’s Choice award from over 100 fairgoers.

Six local restaurants competed in a contest that has become a beloved tradition for showcasing the best green chile cheeseburger.

Cultural geographer and author Carolyn Finney spoke at the Albuquerque Museum on Saturday, Sept.

12 & explained how race, history and land influence belonging in New Mexico. Her talk accompanied an exhibit of contemporary Black art open through Oct. 18.

Elkhorn Media’s Bands of Enchantment returns this season with concert tapings at the KiMo Theater from Sept.

16 to 18 and a free live music festival on Central Ave. from Sept. 19, featuring over 40 local bands and a classic car show honoring Route 66.

From June 2025 to June 2026, a state report said New Mexico job growth was less than 1% as federal agencies cut 2,100 positions; it forecasts over 11,000 new jobs in higher-wage sectors by fiscal year 2030.

Sophia Farwell, a fifth-grader at Ernest Stapleton Elementary, was one of five students nationwide chosen today to earn a Super Bowl ticket through the American Heart Association’s Kids Heart Challenge and Finn’s Mission (a program that teaches heart health and CPR).

The school assembly celebrated her achievement with community pride.

The Department of Wildlife reported record conflict kills with 254 bears taken from April 1 to Sept.

8 after property intrusions; 253 were hunted and 41 lost in accidents. Officials expect fewer incidents as natural food like acorns and juniper berries ripen (conflicts are mostly in Bear Zone 4).

NOAA reports that El Niño, measured with a weekly RONI of 2.0 degrees Celsius above average, has reached super status and may influence winter weather patterns in the Southwest (including potential local impacts) as it continues to strengthen.

Rio Rancho officials voted to block the Maverik gas station plan at NM 528 & Obregon Road NE after traffic concerns raised by residents, even though revised highway access was negotiated with NMDOT.

Some councilors supported the project while others remain worried about neighborhood safety.

Damon Bankston, a University of New Mexico alum, joined the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad after playing three preseason games for the New York Giants.

He is expected to add depth to the Packers’ running back roster while veterans recover + the team develops his potential for the 53-man roster.