Thursday 6/11, Dedication of GLBT Memorial Sculpture in Nob Hill

from Democracy for New Mexico

From Albuquerque Pride: Every year the Albuquerque Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) community commemorates pride and identity with Pridefest. Pridefest is comprised of a wide variety of events including pageants, concerts, family activities, dancing and the most fun parade in all of New Mexico. The first Albuquerque Pridefest event took place in 1977 with fewer than 100 participants. Last year an estimated 30,000 people attended the three‐day Pridefest which is run and organized by Albuquerque Pride, a not for profit organization. Continue reading here.

Thursday schedule of Pride events:
6:00 PM: Morningside Park GLBT Memorial Art Sculpture Dedication
6:30 PM: Pride Candlelight Vigil
9:00 PM: Reception at Albuquerque Social Club

Additional Pridefest events will take place Friday and Saturday, June 12-13. Click for a complete schedule of 2009 Pride events.

R-09-203, Recogninzing the INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT

At the City Council Meeting on Wednesday, February 18th City Councilor Rey Garduño will be introducing R-09-203, which recognizes the area in and around Louisiana Blvd. between Central Ave. and Zuni Ave. as the “International District.”

The area in and around the International Marketplace at Louisiana Blvd. between Central and Zuni, which includes the communities of La Mesa, Trumbull, South San Pedro, Elder Homestead, Fair West, and the surrounding areas.

Throughout the years, these neighborhoods have had a disparaging name for their communities. Now, through community voice and the beginning of redevelopment in the area, residents are ready for a fresh start.

The discussion of the “International District” begun nearly six years ago and has taken place in Neighborhood Association Meetings, Health Coalition Meetings, and every community meeting in SE Heights. They have culminated in two Town Hall Meetings with Senator Tim Keller and Councilor Rey Garduño, where the community settled on a unified name.

“The population is the most diverse in the City, and possibly the State. Native Americans and New Mexicans whose families have been in New Mexico for hundreds of years live alongside recent immigrants from Mexico, Central and South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and many other countries” said Councilor Garduño. “The many cultures, customs, and faiths are represented in this diverse and vibrant part of the city.”

Councilor Garduño is sponsoring R-09-203 simultaneously with State Senator Tim Keller, who is sponsoring Senate Joint Memorial 24 at the State Legislature, to have this area of Albuquerque no longer labeled by a derogatory term and ensure that community members have the right to name and create their own identity in their community.

Councilor Garduño is encouraging community members to come to the City Council Meeting and speak to the City Council, before their vote, about their community and their support for the “International District.” The Council Meeting begins at 5:00 pm at the Vincent E. Griego Chambers at One Civic Plaza NW.

Town Hall Meeting This Saturday

ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILOR REY GARDUÑO TO SPEAK AT NATIONAL SMART GROWTH CONFERENCE

Albuquerque City Councilor Rey Garduño will be presenting at the 8th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, January 22nd at 3:15pm. The nation’s premier Smart Growth conference will be held in Albuquerque, NM from January 22-24.

Councilor Garduño is an invited as guest of the Local Government Commission, host of the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference.

Councilor Garduño will be a part of the panel discussion titled Green Jobs: Defining Opportunities in Economic Development for a Sustainable Future.

This session will explore best practices for defining green jobs, identifying green jobs locally, customizing job training programs to reflect a greener economy, and ensuring that there is broad access to green jobs and their benefits.

This event will highlight the latest research, cutting-edge implementation tools and strategies, successful case studies, new partners, new projects, and new policies and codes. The conference is expected to attract over 1,000 participants.

The conference will draw a multidisciplinary audience of local elected officials, city and county staff, landscape architects, developers and builders, planners, transportation professionals and traffic engineers, public health professionals, architects, bankers, crime prevention professionals, realtors, urban designers, parks and recreation professionals, environmentalists, advocates for older adults and youth, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, advocates for social equity and affordable housing, labor representatives, and all others committed to building safer, healthier, and more livable communities everywhere.Visit the conference Web site for more details on the program, speakers, sponsors and cosponsors, special events, and optional tours: http://www.newpartners.org/

Albuquerque Indian Center to Receive Money to Equip Newly Renovated Kitchen

The Albuquerque Indian Center, located at 105 Texas St in the SE Heights of Albuquerque, provides services and programs that cater to the Native American Community.

The AIC strives to empower the community by promoting wellness, healing, self-sufficiency, traditions, and to educate and inform public about the indigenous culture in Albuquerque.

The large Native American community in Albuquerque benefits from the AIC and will continue to because the Albuquerque City Council has approved $5,500 for kitchen equipment in their newly renovated kitchen.

After inviting City Councilor Rey Garduño to the center, Garduño was able to amass support from the Council to appropriate money to equip the kitchen.

The equipment and kitchen will provide a space for the center to conduct cooking classes, restaurant business trainings, and their large community meals. Their goal is to be an asset by providing not only kitchen training but business training to community members that are looking to open a small business or restaurant. Giving aspiring entrepreneurs all the tools they will need for a new business.

The AIC also hosts community meals 2-3 times a year as well as food, clothing, and jacket give-aways. The AIC’s last give-away attracted about 500 people.

The AIC is not only available to Native Americans, from the total amount of people served, 70% is Native American, 20% Hispanic, and 5% mixed.

There will be a press conference and check distribution at the Albuquerque Indian Center TODAY at 2:00 pm. The AIC staff and board will be joined by City Councilor Rey Garduño.

Councilor Garduño's 2009 Committee Appointments

District 6 City Councilor Rey Garduño has been appointed to the following Committees for the upcoming year:
Land Use, Planning & Zoning Committee; Councilor Garduño served on this Committee last year and will continue to assure that the land use policies for the City are serving the community and not burdening them.
Albuquerque / Bernalillo Water Authority; One of Councilor Garduño's passions is water and policies that conserve and protect our water. He will be an essential voice on this increasingly crucial board.
Public Safety Committee - Chair; During his campaign and first year on the Council, Garduño has stressed the importance of prevention and intervention programs play in the larger scope of Public Safety, along with Police and Fire Departments. Councilor Garduño will assure that programs will be available and accessible to ensure community safety.
Regional Transit District; Another issue that Councilor Garduño has continually pushed is the efficiency and accessibility of public transportation. He will continue to serve on this board to keep improving the transit in the mid-region of the state.
Other appointments include Albuquerque / Bernalillo County Government Commission, Accountability in Government Oversight Committee, Committee on Guidelines for Negotiations, Internal Operations, Community Schools, Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

Human Rights Week

Tonight is the culmanation of Human Rights Week in Albuquerque with a program being sponsored by the Albuquerque United Nations Association and Veterans for Peace. The event will take place at Smith-Brasher Hall, which is on the corner of University and Coal, at 6pm.

The moderator for this event is your very own District 6 City Councilor Rey Garduño.

Here is program schedule;
6:00 pm – Refreshments
7:00 pm - Program: MODERATOR: Rey Garduno, member of
Albuquerque City Council

Songs by The Raging Grannies
Introduction of Moderator
Reading of City Proclamation
Reports by participating organizations
Awarding of Essay Contest Prize by Veterans for Peace
Reports of other organizations

SPEAKER: Ladonna Harris, President of Americans for
Indian Opportunity (AIO)

Questions and Discussion; A Charge to Protect

Door Knocking with Garduño

Check out this link from SWOPblogger, as Councilman Garduño reminds folks the importance of voting on the eve of the election.

Tomorrow is the BIG Day and your last chance to vote if you have not already. Here is a link to find your polling location.

Streetscape Construction for International Marketplace

Councilor Garduño was joined by Mayor Martin Chavez, Senator-Elect Tim Keller, Neighborhood leader Joanne Landry, and City Redevelopment staff at the groundbreaking for street scape improvements for the International Marketplace. The International Marketplace is the area south of Central and Louisiana.

The construction will include alteration of sidewalks, curb and gutter, asphalt, banners, planters, installation of greenery, irrigation system, site furniture, artistic amenities and street lighting.

The design will improve pedestrian orientation and provide a distinct identity. Below are some renderings of pillars that will be placed in the steet scape.

Monumental Debate; Linking Terrorism and Iraq

District 6 City Councilor Rey Garduño is featured in the Albuquerque Journal article about a new war memorial that has broken ground.

If you have a subscription to the Journal, you can read the article here.

The article highlights a case that Councilor Rey Garduño and Charles Powell, president of the Albuquerque chapter of Veterans for Peace, brought before City Council months ago. The memorial is to honor fallen soldiers from the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. Depictions in the memorial include images and photos of the attacks in Washington D.C. and New York, and the hijacked plane that went down in Pennsylvannia.

Councilor Garduño and others like Mr. Powell view the linking of Terrorism and Iraq as political smoke and mirrors to continue the deception of the public.

Mayor Chavez: Flip-flopper on binding arbitration?

from the New Mexico Independent

By Marjorie Childress 08/27/2008 79 Views -->
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Andrew Padilla, president of public employees union AFSCME Council 18, calls Mayor Martin Chavez’s threat to veto a bill passed last week by the Albuquerque City Council a “punch in the gut to labor.”
That’s because of what the mayor said last fall during his short-lived Senate race.
According to Padilla, Chavez came to the AFSCME union hall to speak with blue-collar workers and union representatives last fall to drum up support for his Senate campaign. During that visit, Padilla said, the mayor clearly voiced support for a binding arbitration measure like the one passed by the City Council.
“When he was running for the Senate last fall, he was for this measure,” Padilla said. “He came down to the union hall and said, in front of blue-collars and union reps, that he was in favor of binding arbitration for noneconomic issues. He said that. His vow to now veto this bill is a big deal for us. It’s a punch in the gut to labor from Marty Chavez.”
The Mayor’s Office did not respond to inquiries by the Independent asking for the mayor’s recollections of last year's campaign visit, or to questions in general about his thoughts on how to resolve the union’s concerns.
The New Mexico Public Employee Bargaining Act provides for forced arbitration to break through an impasse during labor contract negotiations. In such a case, an approved arbitrator is agreed to by both parties and has the final say on unresolved issues. The cost of arbitration is borne equally by both sides.
But when the act was signed into law in 2003, it grandfathered in municipal ordinances already in effect. One of those is the City of Albuquerque Labor-Management Relations Ordinance. The city ordinance allows the two sides to voluntarily enter into binding resolution, but does not allow either side to force the other into arbitration for unresolved issues.
Padilla told the Independent that he could not recall the city ever agreeing to enter into voluntary arbitration to resolve an impasse during contract negotiations, and attributes this to the city knowing that it can simply impose a contract in the end since public employees don't have the right to strike.
For this reason, he said, the city’s labor ordinance has long hampered genuine negotiations between the city and it’s public employees.
“Negotiations really aren’t negotiations if the employer can just impose a contract on you in the end,” Padilla said. “In the past, when we’ve reached an impasse and mediation hasn’t worked, we’ve sent a letter requesting arbitration. Then they say no.”
When asked about concerns that the bill would constitute a “substantial” change, which under the state statute would end the grandfathering provision and make the city ordinance null and void, Padilla said it was pure speculation. Different attorneys say different things, he said, and in any event Councilor Debbie O’Malley offered an amendment to the bill that would make the binding arbitration provision null and void should it be declared a “substantial” change in court.
Other concerns are that the bill would make it difficult for the city to schedule workers when and where they are needed. Padilla said that would not be the case either since O’Malley added an amendment to the bill exempting “management rights.”
Under the City’s labor ordinance, management rights have the following definition:

§ 3-2-5 MANAGEMENT RIGHTS.
Subject to existing law, the Mayor and his administrative staff shall have the following rights:
(A) To direct the work of its employees;
(B) To hire, promote, evaluate, transfer and assign employees;
(C) To demote, suspend, discharge or terminate employees for just cause;
(D) To determine staffing requirements;
(E) To maintain the efficiency of the city government and ensure the carrying out ofnormal management functions;
(F) To take actions as may be necessary to carry out the mission of the citygovernment in emergencies; and
(G) To manage and to exercise judgment on all matters not specifically prohibitedby this article or by a collective bargaining agreement in effect between the city employer and an employee organization.

Padilla argues that staffing questions regarding when and where employees would be assigned to work falls under management rights that are exempt from the bill. O’Malley also amended the bill to exclude drug use policy.
There are a whole host of other issues that fall outside of economic issues, management rights, and drug use policy, that are the subject of contract negotiations. Current city contracts can be seen on this Web page.
The table of contents in each shows the scope of issues covered. The City Council passed the bill 5-3, with Councilor Sally Mayer absent. To override the mayor’s veto, Mayer would need to provide the sixth vote in favor of the bill.
Padilla said his union will challenge the city’s ordinance in court if necessary in an attempt to bring it in line with the arbitration provisions in the state statute.

Councilors Garduño and O'Malley Sponsor Labor Amendement

Last night, an ordinance that amends the impasse procedure of the City's Labor-Management relations. The bill, co-sponsored by Councilor Rey Garduño and Councilor Debbie O'Malley, allows for binding arbritaration when impasse is declared. Under the current ordinance, binding arbritration could only occur if both parties voluntarily agree to enter it, now only one party can volunteer for binding arbritaraiton and both would have to enter.

Below is an article about the bill from The New Mexico Independent;

ABQ CITY COUNCIL PASSES LABOR ORDINANCE

By Marjorie Childress 08/19/2008

The majority of the Albuquerque City Council said it was the only fair thing to do when they passed an ordinance tonight to allow binding arbitration to break an impasse during labor/city contract negotiations. The arbitration provision could be triggered by either side if mediation fails to break an impasse, and would apply only to non-economic issues, excluding management rights and alcohol and drug use policies.

Councilor Debbie O’Malley, who sponsored the bill, said the city simply doesn’t have true collective bargaining without the change. Councilor Rey Garduno agreed, saying that the ordinance would “level the playing field.” Currently, public employees are legally barred from striking, and therefore have no recourse to city imposed contracts when negotiations come to a stand still.

“The essence of a union is that if the employer doesn’t negotiate in good faith, they can strike,” Councilor Michael Cadigan explained. “In New Mexico the public unions can’t strike so we need to give them some fair leverage here.”

But Ed Adams, who was confirmed as the city’s Chief Administrative Officer earlier in the evening, said the city’s ability to provide services would be impaired by the ordinance because it would prevent the city from making critical staffing decisions about where and when public employees should work. “The bill is touted as leveling the playing field, but it reverses the playing field,” he said, ”...placing our futures in the hands of an arbitrator who on a whim can make a decision.”

Labor representatives disagreed. Andrew Padilla, president of AFSCME Council 18, said the point is to not get to an impasse, with both sides coming to reasonable agreement. This mechanism would prevent one side from having more leverage than the other, making that outcome more likely.

And AFSCME Council 18’s Josh Anderson added that, ”...as it stands, the union has an underlying belief when they enter into negotiations that the administration doesn’t have enough incentive because at the end of the day they can impose a contract.”

read the rest of the article here.

Jet Fuel Leaking from Kirtland to City

from the New Mexico Independent
By Trip Jennings, Marjorie Childress 07/11/2008
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ALBUQUERQUE -- Air force officials said Friday that 12 groundwater wells would be dug over the next year to monitor a long-term leak of jet fuel that has migrated off Kirtland Air Force and into the groundwater table nearby.
The fuel was discovered on the groundwater table in December 2007 after several years of tracking fuel from a leak detected in 1999, according to a Kirtland Air Force Base press release.
"An interim remediation system has also been installed to initiate removal of the fuel from the groundwater," a press release said Friday of the original leak. "The interim remediation system is removing liquid fuel from the groundwater and collecting it at the surface for recycling." Later, air force officials clarified that the fuel contamination had not made it to drinking water wells nearby.
The proposed wells will serve two purposes, said John Pike, chief of natural resources management at Kirtland Air Force Base: to determine the size and extent of the contamination in the groundwater and to ensure that the spreading of the fuel contamination doesn't get to several nearby wells that produce drinking water for the base, the Veteran Affairs Administration and the city of Albuquerque.
Air force officials briefed Albuquerque city officials Friday morning on the development.
City Councilor Rey Garduno, one of the officials briefed, said he was told that the leak is from fuel that hasn't been used since 1974. Garduno said he asked if the leakage had been happening since 1974 and was told that the Airforce "didn't know."
"It's a plume about two blocks wide and five blocks long, from a fuel storage facility near the northern boundary of KAFB," Garduno said.
"They've known about the leak for awhile and have remediated 130,000 gallons so far—which tells us it's quite large," Garduno said. "They hadn't told the public up until now because they thought it was contained within the base. But apparently, it hit clay and began flowing north to northeast, off the base. The neighborhood affected is the Ridgecrest community just south of Gibson."
Kirtland spokesman Michael Kleiman said the fuel migrating north to northeast and past the base boundary is from the same jet fuel leak discovered in 1999. The leak was caused by a corroded pipe leaking fuel. The leak is believed to have started sometime in the past 40 or 50 years, but it is unclear how long the leak continued. It is from this leak that officials have cleaned up 130,000 gallons of fuel vapors found in the soil, he said.
Garduno said he asked air force officials several questions around the groundwater contamination.
"I asked if it was possible it was causing air contamination, by evaporating up to the topsoil and into the air," Garduno said. "They said they hadn't had an opportunity to test the air but assured me that they would conduct those tests."
Kleiman said it was important to note that no contamination of drinking water wells had been discovered. He added that a $2.8 million contract to dig and install the 12 wells should be let by this fall, with drilling starting soon afterward. All 12 wells should be in the ground by next summer, Kleiman said, and there are no public safety concerns at this time.
A Kirtland air force base press release said that the "leaking pipes have been removed from service and the existing fuel distribution system tested and to date, no additional leakage has been detected." The release also said air force officials had been working "very closely with the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Groundwater Quality Bureau (GWB) since 1999 "to identify and institute appropriate remedial actions and to conduct further investigation in order to assess the extent of impacts to the groundwater."
The release said Kirtland has closely monitored the base and Veterans Affairs Hospital water production wells and has verified no impacts to these wells.
The Kirtland and Veterans Affairs wells, located approximately 1,000-2,000 feet away from the edge of the known plume, are tested quarterly and the City of Albuquerque’s wells, located approximately 1.5 miles away from the edge of the known plume, are tested annually.
Kirtland AFB will provide periodic updates of its ongoing fuel release investigation and remediation efforts to the New Mexico Environment Department, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department, the Veterans Affairs Hospital and any potentially affected neighborhood associations adjacent to the base.
Garduno said that he "asked that we have some very open, public meetings, so that the public could be informed and have their questions answered. They assured me that they would do that in the next two weeks."
In addition to periodic updates, the base will be scheduling public meetings in the upcoming weeks to further discuss current and future remediation efforts. Kirtland will also hold its regularly scheduled public meeting on environmental issues on Oct. 16, 2008, at the Cesar Chavez Community Center. Subject matter experts will be available at all meetings to provide detailed information and answer any questions. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend.
"I commend the AFB for coming forward with the information, since it has such a negative aspect to it," Garduno said. "Now we need a very open and public discussion with full assurances that the air force will fully discover the extent of the contamination and its effects, and take responsibility for complete remediation for any contamination from this fuel leak."

City Councilor Rey Garduño Announces Community Advisory Board

For Immediate Release:

City Councilor Rey Garduño Announces Community Advisory Board.

On the same day that he will be sworn in as District 6 city councilor, Rey Garduño is announcing that he plans to be the city councilor that truly represents the entire community. He has put together an informal Community Advisory Board made up of health, gay & lesbian, peace & justice, African American, Native, Chicano, Asian, immigrant, and democracy advocates, community organizers, water, labor & environmental justice leaders, youth and most importantly District 6 community members. “The city council is the governing body of the City of Albuquerque; it belongs to the people of Albuquerque, not to the city councilors. We are their representatives. I plan on putting the people back into government,” said Rey Garduño.

This over 20 member Community Advisory Board will serve as a sounding board for the new city councilor, so that he can get a community analysis of the issues that face District 6 and the city as a whole. “This will help him to better represent his constituents in the legislation that he proposes and how he votes on the many bills up for consideration on the city council,” said Javier Benavidez a member of the advisory board.

Summing up the Community Advisory Board, Garduño said, “It’s really the way government should function, and the way it was always meant to function: For the People, By the People.”

Community Advisory Board Members:

Steve Allen

Floy Barrett

Javier Benavidez

Aurea Cardiel

Enrique Cardiel
Lucille Córdova

Chris Fairchild

Ilsa Garduño
Tomás Garduño

Kizito Wijenje
Rachel Lazar

Joaquin Lujan

James Maestas

Don & Michelle Meaders
Michelle Melendez
Ann Nihlen

Eric Schmieder
Lauro Silva

Phil Tonne
Sonny Weahkee
Lisa Wisdom

The list is dynamic, and is sure to grow as time goes by. If you are interested in being on Rey's Community Advisory Board, email Rey at reygarduno@gmail.com
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The Weekly Alibi Endorses Rey! Can we get any more endorsements?

District 6

The Alibi Endorses: Rey Garduño

District 6 is lucky. It has a track record of excellent councilors. Hess Yntema, one of Albuquerque’s all-time favorites, filled the seat for more than a decade. When he left four years ago, the position was filled by “movie star Martin” Heinrich, who has come to be another city favorite. Heinrich has garnered such a large fan base in his district and in Albuquerque that he’s decided to pull a “Heinrich maneuver” (you have no idea how long we’ve been waiting to use that term) and run for Congressional District One against incumbent Heather Wilson. That little move leaves his Council seat wide open, and now several outstanding candidates have entered the ring to take his place.
Like we said, District 6 is lucky. District 9 doesn’t even get a choice as to who its next councilor is because only one person is running. The other districts at least have races, but they still don’t compare to District 6, which has four savvy, knowledgeable and articulate candidates willing to work full-time for a relatively thankless job at less than $10,000 a year. All four would make good councilors. Three would be excellent—but, forced to choose, we did come out with a favorite, who we think would be best of all.
Rey Garduño has been living in District 6 in the same house for 33 years. During that time, he’s owned two local businesses and worked with a host of organizations (Common Cause New Mexico, CNM, the Spina Bifada Association, the Kiwanis Club, the Hispano Chamber of Commerce, the SouthWest Organizing Project, All Faiths Receiving Homes, more than 20 years working with APS and UNM Hospitals, etc.), exemplifying a long history of social activism. In fact, when we were going through archived issues for our anniversary a couple weeks ago, we found a picture of Garduño getting his eyes washed out after being sprayed with mace at the infamous 2003 peace march.
Garduño has a string of progressive ideas he’d like to see implemented in his district and in the city. He wants to revitalize some of the area’s more blighted neighborhoods, such as East Trumbull and La Mesa. But he wants to do so in a way that takes residents’ desires into account instead of pushing some cookie-cutter solution on the problem. He wants to explore practical ways of expanding our transportation service, such as with an excellent idea to use small, fuel-efficient, van-like buses (“collectivos”) that can go through neighborhoods where normal buses can’t. That, in addition to expanding arterial bus routes, could gradually increase ridership numbers until the city is ready for light rail and trolleys. Other cities like Portland have followed a similar model.
Garduño was also the only candidate who recognized that certain developments shouldn’t be allowed to build if we don’t have the water to support them. As he said, “We can’t promise water to anyone who wants it.” Garduño is focused on using what we have as wisely and efficiently as possible without relying on outside and unreliable sources of water to save us. Yet Garduño is by no means anti-development and believes in investing in smart projects, such as infill and redevelopment.
He has made a couple of mistakes in his past. He’s been criticized for using his UNM e-mail address to send out a campaign-related letter. He admits that, in hindsight, he shouldn’t have used it. But in his defense, he’s allowed personal use of the address for life as a retired UNM employee. Ultimately, the whole ordeal was a misunderstanding. He’s also gotten a lot of flack for not stating on his Albuquerque Journal questionnaire that he had been charged with shoplifting nearly 20 years ago. After hearing his explanation, the incident sounds innocent enough. He was at a department store picking up a few things before closing and, on his way out the door, stopped to look at a cell phone. He says he walked out the door without realizing he was still holding it. For the mistake he had to take three courses in petty larceny, which he thought would expunge the citation from his record. This is why he didn’t claim the event on his questionnaire. Still, Garduño takes full responsibility for his actions. We can’t really ask anything more of him.

Trib Covers Candidate Forum. Rey: "We Need to Grow Smart, Not Out."

Joseph Crumb: Candidates, I'm a little hot about this asphalt

By Joseph CrumbThursday, September 20, 2007

Twice a day, my dog, Lucky, and I walk along Carlisle Boulevard north toward Burton Park, in the Kirtland Corners neighborhood north of Nob Hill and Ridgecrest.

The neighborhood association might be dormant, but the neighborhood clearly is not.
The center of activity is Michael Thomas Coffee at Carlisle and Anderson and the Source next door. At the coffee shop you can get a cup of coffee from beans roasted on site or down a shot of wheat grass juice, if that be your morning elixir.

The Source is an adobe building with sunflowers galore. It looks like a van Gogh.
Lucky's ears always perk up as we approach. He makes a left at the patio and sticks his nose in the small courtyard.

The Source offers holistic health services like massage, acupuncture and kinesiology. It also is host to yoga classes, art shows and music performances. There are Wednesday potlucks (Lucky's favorite), Freaky Fridays (dancing madness), Hippie Church on Sunday mornings (at 10-ish) and workshops on topics like building sustainable communities.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, The Source had a forum for the four City Council candidates running for the District 6 seat being vacated by Martin Heinrich.
In Albuquerque, local elections pop up early - Oct. 2 this year - and the campaign signs sprouted sometime in August.

Joanie Griffin has the most signs. She is a New York City native and a local business owner (Griffin and Associates, a marketing firm, and It's Just Lunch, a dating service).

Rey Garduno, a longtime community activist and business owner, has been endorsed by Heinrich, former City Councilor Eric Griego, and current Councilors Isaac Benton, Debbie O'Malley and Michael Cadigan.

Blair Kaufman is an elementary school principal and a vice chairman of the CNM Governing Board.
Kevin Wilson, the sole Republican in the nonpartisan race, has been a Nob Hill business owner since 1988.
So why spend a Sunday afternoon at a political forum?
After all, it was the NFL's opening weekend, and my beloved but hapless Buffalo Bills were playing the Denver Broncos on TV.

First, let me tell you that Lucky and my cat, Alice, and I spent a good part of this summer splayed out around my hotbox apartment, broiling. During Lucky's early walks, the morning cool vanished by 9. In the evening darkness the mercury barely budged, hovering around 90 degrees for hours.

So I had questions to ask the council candidates: Are those enormous developments planned for Mesa del Sol and the Atrisco land grant property locked in? Are they really going to pour all that heat-absorbing concrete and asphalt and roast us all alive? Will Albuquerque become another Phoenix?

I waited until the Broncos had dispatched the Bills on a last-second field goal and then dashed down to the Source and waited my turn to speak.
"You know, it's been an awfully hot summer," I began.
Well, there must have been a hint of surprise or naivet‚ in my voice because everybody laughed at me.

Turns out, my questions were on the minds of many.
Wilson believes that with land prices skyrocketing, growth on Albuquerque's outskirts is inevitable. But developments can be planned without creating "vast oceans of hot asphalt," he said.

Griffin said Mesa del Sol could become "our shining star of development," a national model of building green.

Garduno urged an end to sprawl growth. He said SunCal hopes to build 100,000 units on 50,000 acres, with 16,000 homes in the first phase. "We need to grow smart, not out. We can't promise water that we don't have," he said.

Later Kaufman echoed those sentiments. "We're a desert. We're a desert city. We cannot keep growing. The water will run out."

ABQ Journal will be doing an online forum!

Calling all Supporters! Please participate in this First Ever Online Forum!


Chat Online With District 6 Hopefuls

Want the candidates to answer your questions for a change?
Here's your chance. All four City Council candidates in District 6 have agreed to participate in an online chat with Journal readers.
The chat starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, but you can leave questions for them any time by visiting abqjournal.com.
Journal staff writer Dan McKay will moderate the chat.
District 6 covers much of the Southeast Heights. Incumbent Martin Heinrich isn't seeking re-election.
Campaigning for the seat are Rey Garduño, Joanie Griffin, Blair Kaufman and Kevin Wilson.

http://www.abqjournal.com/

Come See Rey in Action! Come to a Candidate Forum!

Please come and see Rey in action! If you are a supporter, we need you to be there and cheer Rey on. If you are undecided, come and listen to what Rey has to say, you’ll leave a supporter!

Albuquerque & District 6 City Council Candidate Forums

Thursday, September 6, 6-8pm: ABQ-United Candidates Forum (SWOP, SAGE Council, 1000 Friends of NM, League of Young Voters) if you can't make it to the forum listen online: http://albuquerque.indyvoter.org/ - South Broadway Cultural Center, 1025 Broadway SE

Sunday, September 9, 2-4 pm: Forum at The Source - 1111 Carlisle Blvd SE

Tuesday, September 18, 6:30 pm: Forum hosted by the Southeast Heights Neighborhood Association - Bandelier Elementary School, 3309 Pershing SE

Wednesday, September 19, 7-9 pm: Forum hosted by Albuquerque Vecinos United - Highland Senior Center, 131 Monroe NE

Sunday, September 23, 2-4 pm: Forum by Sixth District Coalition of Neighborhood Associations and La Mesa Community Improvement Association - Highland Senior Center, 131 Monroe NE

Thursday, September 27, 6-8pm: We The People Forum hosted by The League of Women Voters and airing on cable channel 27 or http://www.cabq.gov/govtv/index.html

Our First Mailer Hits 1,000's of Households in District 6

The Rey Garduño for City Council Campaign's first Mail Piece hits Voter's doors on Saturday!

The mail piece talks to Rey's proven service to Albuquerque and let's voters know that just about every progressive public official endorses Rey for City Council. If you haven't already received it, look in your mailboxes!

Interesting Information about Joanie Griffin

Check out Duke City Fix's website to learn a little more about one of Rey's opponents in the City Council Race: Joanie Griffin.

http://www.dukecityfix.com/index.php?itemid=3140#more