Author: Scott Albright

The Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS® November Market Statistics report shows home prices are stabilizing, inventory is up and fewer homes are going under contract compared to this time last year. The trend tends to favor homebuyers who are seeing an increase in supply and less demand in the greater Albuquerque area. Increased supply and lower demand drives home prices down, but overall market activity also tends to slow. “As we enter the holiday season, we’re starting to see less activity in the local housing market,” 2022 GAAR President Bridget Gilbert said in a Dec. 10 press release. “Home buyers…

When parents come to pick their kids up from school, they will stop and chat with Sam Vinson first. Sometimes kids give him cookies and candy. Other times he can be seen standing in the street with his stop sign instructing drivers to slow down. Vinson started his job as a crossing guard in 1996 when he retired from IBM. Prior to moving to New Mexico, he lived in Los Angeles, California, where he first began working for the computer company. When IBM transferred him to Albuquerque, he fixed computers for the banks and worked at Sandia Labs. After retirement,…

Thomas Gallagher seems to know everyone at the North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center. If he’s not high-fiving kids or swirling one of the seniors around in the lobby, he’s shaking hands, going out to the skatepark or striking up a conversation with a community member. Gallagher, the center supervisor, said it’s important to get to know the people in the community to bring about positive change. “Know your community,” Gallagher said. “The biggest thing that I did when I first came here is I found out who my community partners were. So I went around and introduced myself and I…

Monday’s storm brought just enough snow to the Sandia Mountains for cross-country skiers to strap up and head out on the trails.Therese Baca-Radler took advantage of the new snow Tuesday morning. At around 9:30 a.m., with the temperature at 8 degrees Fahrenheit, Baca-Radler was putting on her cross-country skis at the Ellis Trailhead, just down the road from Sandia Peak.“I grew up out here in the East Mountains and I started cross-country skiing when I was much younger with my father,” Baca-Radler said as she was putting on her skis. “And then I got back into it with my husband…

Eldorado students in Don Gonzales’ wood shop class built doghouses to donate to the city’s Animal Welfare Department this semester. The students competed against wood shop classes at Sandia High School to see who could build more houses for the department’s Doghouse Drive. According to the Animal Welfare Department webpage, The Doghouse Drive helps “bring relief to pet owners who need assistance during the cold winter months.” The department is accepting new or gently used, medium to large dog houses which can be dropped off at the east side shelter, 8920 Lomas Blvd. NE. Email ahargis@cabq.gov to have a doghouse…

La Cueva High School’s Key Club provides more than just an after-school activity. Members are always giving back to the community.Just this year, they volunteered at Hot Rods for Hunger, served snow cones at the BMX National Event, helped with Camp Adventure Summer Camps for the Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation, volunteered to help Locker 505 move into its new building, scanned tickets at the Balloon Fiesta, volunteered at Walk to End Alzheimer’s, parked cars at the Doggie Dash & Dawdle event, collected donations for the Salvation Army and most recently helped collect supplies for the Barrett House Foundation during the…

Fifty-two-year-old David Knotts was arrested by Albuquerque police on Monday for the May 4 fatal shooting of Alexander Renner, 37. Knotts is accused of killing Renner and keeping his body wrapped in a rug in the garage of a home at 12224 Vienna Drive NE. According to a press release sent by Albuquerque Police Department Director of Communications Gilbert Gallegos, detectives found the decomposed body at Knotts’ home after securing a search warrant. The case stems from a missing persons case opened in June 2022. Detectives learned Renner was staying at Knotts’ home and later determined Knotts was responsible for…

Social media posts are full of complaints about porch pirates and thieves stealing packages, gifts, decorations and other items this time of year. During the holidays, more packages are delivered to homes, and more crooks trying to get a hold of them while also scoping out houses to find vulnerable targets. The Albuquerque Police Department provides holiday safety tips when shopping and these tricks for keeping the home protected during the holidays: Lighting Install lights by all exterior doors. Keep lights on all night – consider dusk-to-dawn sensors. Use timers on lights to give the impression you are home. Doors…

Students at La Cueva High are donating gifts to different charities as part of the school’s 12 Days of Giving event. Day one began with donations to Make-A-Wish New Mexico, and on day two students collected non-perishable food items for Roadrunner Food Bank. Monday, Dec. 12, is day eight of donations, with students collecting shampoo, conditioner, face wash and disposable kitchen products for the Barrett Foundation. The foundation provides shelter and supportive services to women and children experiencing homelessness. La Cueva Key Club member Ziana Hossain explained more about the 12 Days of Giving in an email. “The 12 Days…

Eldorado High School, Del Norte High School, McKinley Middle School, Bel Air Elementary School and Comanche Elementary will be in a new school board district and represented by a different school board member as of next school year. The Albuquerque Public School Board approved Concept Map E2 on Wednesday, which shifts a total of eight schools in Albuquerque to new districts. The move does not affect school zone boundaries, but it does change the population size, demographics and representation of those districts under the new map. Under the new map, which will take effect with the 2023 school board elections,…