Coronavirus Information: https://www.cabq.gov/office-of-emergency-management/resources/coronavirus-covid-19-information

 

The 2020 Census is happening now. You can respond online, by phone, or by mail.

https://2020census.gov/en.html

 

“How Can I Help?” Ways You Can Assist During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
The City has received numerous offers of help from residents, and is coordinating volunteer opportunities online. Many Albuquerque residents have asked how to help in addressing the concerns and needs of our community and the City has provided an online listing of these opportunities at: https://cabq.galaxydigital.com

 

Utilize Free Online Services Through the Public Library!
With the majority of residents social distancing, self-quarantining, working from home or staying home with kids due to the coronavirus outbreak, having access to online services and projects is essential now. Did you know that you can check out online books, listen to free music, and access a huge variety of virtual services, classes and projects, all by visiting www.abqlibrary.org and using your library card! Don’t have a library card? You can apply for a temporary card by by contacting the Library’s Customer Service number at (505) 768-5170.

 

From APD Northwest Area Commander Cecily Barker

As our community is practicing social distancing, I wanted to reach out and provide some information:

• The department is practicing social distancing and has several measures and contingency plans in place in response to the COVID19 virus.
• While some non-essential employees are working from home, the Northwest Substation remains open.
• The Northwest Substation is serving as one of the locations accepting donations for seniors.
• When practical, officers are taking reports over the phone.
• When not on a call for service, officers have been directed to continually patrol the parking lots of stores within the Area Command.
• The Northwest Area Command is working with the Parks and Recreation department to provide extra patrol and safety measures at parks through the end of June.
• I encourage you to continue to report any suspicious activity. Call 911 for an emergency and 242-COPS for non-emergency.
• All community events and neighborhood association meetings have been cancelled per Mayor Keller’s initiative concerning the COVID19 virus.
• Officers are still expected to communicate with their Block Captains. Unless mitigating circumstances exist, we have recommended that the communication occur via                  telephone or email.
• If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us.

 

Cecily Barker                      cabrker@cabq.gov

Pete Gelabert                    pgelabert@cabq.gov

Lt. Ana Nunez                    anunez@cabq.gov

Lt. Michael Brodbeck         mbrodbeck@cabq.gov

Lt. Jose Sanchez                josesanchez@cabq.gov

 

Federal and State Tax Deadlines Postponed Until July 15

The Federal Treasury has postponed federal tax filing – Tax Day – until Wednesday, July 15, and the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department has followed suit for state filing. This applies to personal, business, corporate, and withholding taxes. To learn more, visit: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-now-july-15-treasury-irs-extend-filing-deadline-and-federal-tax-payments-regardless-of-amount-owed

 

Northwest Area Command Community Policing Council Meetings:

Held the third Tuesday of every month at 6:00 PM. The meeting is at the Northwest Area Command Substation located at 10401 Cibola Loop, NW 87114 across from Cibola High School.

 

 

Mayor Tim Keller and City of Albuquerque officials announced new details on how the City plans to re-open in phase one.  (49 page document)
https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/documents/reopening-plan-5-14-2020.pdf

Mayor Keller Announces City’s Preparation Phase Readiness for Child, Youth and Summer Programs for Working Families
https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/news/mayor-keller-announces-city2019s-preparation-phase-readiness-for-child-youth-and-summer-programs-for-working-families

 

ABQ Lottery for Children’s Summer Programs 

Should the state of NM go to phase 1, the City will offer a scaled-back version of community center-based summer recreation programs.  The City has launched a lottery to determine which students will get slots.    Parents have until May 20 to enter their children in the lottery at:  play.cabq.gov 

Registration information: https://www.cabq.gov/family/documents/summer-recreation-program

For help for using RecTrac, the membership registration system for the City of Albuquerque.: https://www.cabq.gov/online-services/rectrac/rectrac-help#autotoc-item-autotoc-1

 

New Mexico Voter’s Guide Online For First Time

For the first time in history, the New Mexico Voter’s Guide is available online! This valuable, bipartisan resource offers a detailed listing of all candidates, voter registration information, how to request an absentee ballot, important election dates, and much more. To see the Guide, visit: https://www.vote411.org/new-mexico

Request an Absentee Ballot for Upcoming Primary Election.   If you would like to request an absentee ballot, https://www.bernco.gov/clerk/elections.aspx   Absentee voting began on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 for the Primary Election.

 

Early Voting Locations

17 Early Voting Convenience Centers are open for 2020 Primary Election :  https://www.bernco.gov/clerk/early-voting-locations.aspx 
May 16, 2020 to May 30, 2020 – Most locations open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Open on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2020  Closest location for Ladera is West Bluff  at  5201 Ouray NW Suite D-2   Early voting began this past Saturday, times are Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

 

We’re Open: Restaurants & Eateries

Within the New Mexico Stay-at-Home due to coronavirus restaurants, bars, breweries, eateries, and other food establishments are designated essential businesses. Though they are closed for in-person dining, restaurants will still be allowed to do pickup and delivery options.  Save the cooking for another night and support our local businesses!   https://nmliving.com/we-are-open-restaurants-order-online/#/gallery?group=348480

 

Age-Friendly Albuquerque Survey

Age-Friendly cities are livable communities that allow people of all ages to thrive. The City of Albuquerque has created a survey for residents to share their thoughts and opinions on the livability and age-friendly qualities of our city. Adults of all ages are encouraged to complete the Age-Friendly Albuquerque Survey. .  The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete.  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/agefriendlyabq

Census 2020 
Are you stuck at home looking for something to do? Get Counted!  You can respond online, and it will take about 10 minutes.  It’s easy. It’s online. It’s important!
https://2020census.gov/?cid=20003:2020%20census:sem.ga:p:dm:en:&utm_source=sem.ga&utm_medium=p&utm_campaign=dm:en&utm_content=20003&utm_term=2020%20census

 

Request an Absentee Ballot for Upcoming Primary Election   

If you would like to request an absentee ballot, please follow the steps on the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website.

https://www.sos.state.nm.us/voting-and-elections/voter-information/absentee-and-early-voting/  
Everyone’s voice should be heard in our democracy and nobody should have to risk their health in doing so. Your voice and your vote matters. There is no higher patriotic duty than exercising our right to vote, encouraging others to do the same, and fighting for what we believe in.   Absentee voting begins on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 for the Primary Election.  Applications must be received by the County Clerk no later than 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 28, 2020.

 

Register for the Mayor’s Town Hall Meetings (Next Meeting Thursday May 14 at 7:30 p.m.) 

Mayor Tim Keller and City leaders will hold a telephone town hall to answer questions from people across Albuquerque about the City’s plans to re-open and our local response to coronavirus on Thursday, May 14th at 7:30 p.m.  Deadline to register is 9 p.m. Monday to join town hall.  To register for Mayor Keller’s Telephone Town Hall meetings, to stay informed, simply register and you will be included in future telephone Town Halls.

cabq.gov/townhall 

NM Gas Company Offers Free Online Savings Tool

Interested in learning how you might conserve natural resources within your home during winter months? The New Mexico Gas Company now has a free analysis tool available to help you. Visit: https://nmgc.energysavvy.com/residential/start/   and start saving today!

 

LearningExpress Library Offers Numerous Online Study and and Homework Resources
LearningExpress Library is a great online resource that offers online tutoring, homework assistance in English and Spanish, test preparation, and career preparation for students of all ages!  Best of all, it’s free, all you need is a library card.
Visit:www.learningexpresshub.com/productengine/LELIndex.html#/learningexpresslibrary/libraryhome?AuthToken=91614C7C-629D-4D6C-A8A2-8709C84561E0 to learn more!

 

Avoid water waste! Follow Time-of-Day Watering Restrictions from April 1 to Oct 31

A lot of things have changed since last spring, but at least one thing is the same:  April 1 is still the date on which time-of-day watering rules go into effect for Water Authority customers in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. That means sprinkler and spray irrigation is not allowed between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. from now until Oct. 31 in order to minimize losses to wind and evaporation.

Using spray irrigation during the hottest, windiest part of the day is not efficient. Instead, water in the early morning or in the evening when it’s cooler. Another good way to avoid water waste is by troubleshooting your irrigation system on a regular basis to identify leaks and make sure water is directed properly to the plants. Follow these tips for a desert friendly yard:

• For turf, follow the Water by the Numbers program and adjust your watering schedule as the season changes:  Two days per week in April and May, three days per week in the summer, and ramp down again in the fall.
• Irrigate only when your plants need it, and water them deeply rather than too frequently.  Use a long screwdriver or soil probe to check soil moisture.
• Add compost to your soil to increase moisture retention and boost soil fertility.
• Mulch around plants to help retain moisture and reduce weeds.

Grow strong and healthy trees by watering infrequently, to a depth of at least 24,” in a wide area around the tree’s canopy.  Many of our trees only need deep watering 1 -2 times per month (depending on the species and conditions).

Water Conservation Phone Consultations:

If you suspect you have an indoor leak, or if you have questions about your landscape and irrigation system, call our experienced staff for a free one-hour educational phone consultation. To sign up, visit https://rebates.abcwua.org/ or call 505-842-9287 and press option 4.

Our staff will respond to your request and schedule a one-hour call between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Monday – Friday.

We will offer two types of educational phone calls:

Indoor Leak Consultations consist of a full walk through, via telephone, on how to identify and repair leaks. We aim to educate you on the most effective method to check for leaks in your home. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• How to read your meter
• Identify and repair malfunctioning fixtures (tubs, faucets, toilets)
• Identify and repair malfunctioning equipment (swamp coolers, water softeners, hot water heaters)
• Finding underground leaks
• Historical water use

Landscape and Irrigation Consultations will answer many of your landscape and irrigation questions. We will also be able to troubleshoot specific situations and walk you through projects and offer advice and guidance where we can. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Irrigation scheduling and start-up
• Maintaining and repairing broken irrigation systems (it’s easier than you might think!)
• Plant identification and basic plant suggestions
• Planting and irrigating edible landscapes, including vegetable gardens
• Installing a drip system
• The best way to water your trees (new or mature)
• Plant health
• Design strategies
• Rainwater harvesting suggestions

Spring Irrigation Startup:When do I start my irrigation system back up?

Turn on your irrigation system after the last chance of freezing temperatures has passed (typically late March in the greater Albuquerque area, but possibly as late as mid-April). This will prevent damage to your irrigation system.

1. Turn on your irrigation system. Then observe and listen.

If you turned off the main valve for your irrigation system over the winter to prevent freezing, turn it back on slowly, only part way. Then wait a few minutes until the system is fully pressurized. If it is not leaking, turn it fully on.

Caution: turning it too fast can create a water-hammer which could break pipes.

 

Irrigation valve box with backflow preventers.

• Check the backflow preventer for leaks by inspecting it and checking for wetness.
• Open the valve box (it usually has a green cover) and make sure there is no water in the box itself. Look for leaks in the valves, connections, filters and pressure reducers.
• Run each zone for several minutes (long enough to see every part of it up close). Walk along each irrigation system pipe and inspect all sprinkler, bubbler and/or drip zones.

 

For sprinklers:

• • Look for signs of a leak, such as at the risers to the heads, the heads themselves, the emitter lines, or the pipes.
  • Look for heads not spraying correctly, such as spraying in the wrong direction, spraying too low, or other signs of breakage or misalignment. It is very common for them to go out of alignment when the system was turned off for the winter.

Spray head with minor leak

 

For drip and bubbler systems:

• • Look for missing emitters and/or bubblers. Emitters or bubblers may be hard to see due to plant coverage so listen carefully. Hearing a whooshing sound means an emitter or emitter line has blown off.

Drip emitter

2. Re-check the valve boxes again for water leaks now that the system has been on for testing.
3. Perform any necessary repairs and re-check for leaks after repairs are complete.
4. Set the timer.

Typical Irrigation Timer

The key to irrigation is to supply enough water to replace evaporative losses from the ground root areas and from the leaves or stems. Too much or too little water can harm your plants. It is important that you set the timer correctly.

• Follow the water recommendations guide to help you set your timer. Mixed zones like lawns and desert friendly landscapes are hard to water together. They usually need different run times. Large trees do not do as well being watered as if they were a lawn. Lawns have shallow roots (1” to 6” is typical) so usually need less water per application than trees with their deep roots (up to 24”). They require longer, deeper watering. Sign up for a FREE Efficient Irrigation Consultation at 505-289-3003 for help with your timer settings.
  • Do not confuse start times with zone numbers. Remember that every start time (4 am, 11 am, 5 pm….) on a program (A, B, C…) will run all your zones in series for the program you are running.
  • Attach a written copy of your schedule showing programs, zone number and corresponding location to the inside of your controller box.
  • Sprinkler heads or emitters vary greatly as to how much water comes out per minute. A slow watering head may need 2 to 4 times the watering time of traditional faster water delivery heads. For example, emitters can be as low as ½ gallon per hour but could be as high as 14 gallons per hour. The same watering time will not work for all zones or all emitter types.
  • Bubblers typically deliver 1 or 2 gallons per minute, compared to emitters that can be 1 or 2 gallons per hour. Many people over water when using bubblers for small plants. If you see pooling, run-off or recognize the flow is too fast, then replace the bubbler with a smaller one.
  • After watering, test to see if you provided enough, too little, or about right amount of water to the plants. Use a soil probe or a long screwdriver to test soil moisture. Push the screwdriver into the soil about an hour after you’ve watered your plants. It will go easily into moist soil. Mark and measure how far it went into the ground. That will tell you how deep you have watered that plant. Every yard is different, but once you figure out how long it takes your watering system to water to certain depths, you’ll be set.
  • If your controller is getting old, you would be wise to install an up to date one. There are lots of options. Some are “smart” controllers and can do many irrigation tasks well and can be operated from your phone or home computer, allowing you anywhere, anytime control. Check out the Irrigation Efficiency Rebates here to help you with the cost.

5. Observe your irrigation system the first month of the season.

We suggest the run times for the first few weeks should be during times of day where you can observe the operation of the system. When you are sure everything is running well, then you can have the system run at times you would not normally be observing. However, we suggest manually running the system zones for a few minutes every two months just to stay on top of any problems that may occur.

Many homeowners want to put a lot of water on at the beginning of the year to make sure the dry roots from the winter get thoroughly soaked. This makes some sense for the first watering of the year. Once the roots are soaked, you can go to shorter run times and number of runs per week to adequately irrigate your plants.

If you are uncertain about the any of the start-up tips, or need help, contact us for FREE Irrigation Efficiency Consultations at 505-289-3003. Or consider hiring a landscape contractor to help you get your system up and running correctly.

 

An Updated Message from the Bernalillo County Housing Authority

An Updated Message from the Bernalillo County Housing Authority: The spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is a critical nationwide concern and the top priority of the Bernalillo County Housing Authority, to ensure that our staff, residents, program participants, landlords and partners are protected when working with us. We ask that you not visit our office or residential properties. Instead, please call us at (505) 314-0200 or fax us at (505) 462-9737. We are here to answer questions and concerns you may have. The Bernalillo County Housing office will be closed for moving from March 23 to March 30, 2020. When it re-opens, Bernalillo County Housing will not host any in-person meetings, briefings or client meetings at our office. Instead, work will be conducted via email, phone, fax and virtually. We ask that you use electronic methods instead of coming into the office. This is for everyone’s safety. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.

 

March Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Newsletter now available.  Check out the crime reduction safety tips and other great information.

 

311 Customer Service Survey Invites Public Feedback

Have you taken the 311 Customer Service Survey yet? This online survey offers you the chance to give feedback and share ideas for making the City’s 311 service more open, accessible and accountable to the community it serves. To take the survey, visit:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S8TKMZV

311 Citizen Contact Center

Information about the 311 Citizen Contact Center.

The 311 Citizen Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services.

We answer questions and respond to requests for service.

Hours

Monday through Saturday – 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Animal welfare calls and fixed bus times)

How Can We Help?

There are several ways the City of Albuquerque and 311 can answer questions or requests for service.

• Online 311 Search
• City website
• Dial 311 or (505) 768-2000
  Outside Albuquerque, dial (505) 768-2000
• Online form
• Twitter

Click here for website

 

The new City website link to report abandoned vehicles.

    Report Abandoned Vehicles at: https://www.cabq.gov/report-abandoned-vehicles/report-abandoned-vehicles

 

Sign Up for APD’s Security Camera Analytical Network! Does your home or business have a security camera? Register it with the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) Security Camera Analytical Network (SCAN) network at: www.cabq.gov/scan. Connecting your street-facing security camera to the SCAN network can help counter crime in your area and helps APD with visual surveillance and information in the event a crime was captured on camera.

 

 

From the City, the County and APD - just go to our "Neighborhood News" page!