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Albuquerque’s New Trade Cafe Blends Thrifting and Caffeine in One Stop

Ruben Reyes
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Albuquerque’s New Trade Cafe Blends Thrifting and Caffeine in One Stop

A new Albuquerque business is combining coffee and secondhand shopping, offering customers a place to browse for thrifted clothing, sell unwanted items, and enjoy a cup of coffee under one roof.

Trade Cafe, located at Las Villas Shopping Center off Juan Tabo Boulevard near Menaul Boulevard, is scheduled to open July 25.

The concept allows customers to thrift, donate, or sell clothing while relaxing with coffee and snacks. Co-owner Dasha Sanchez said the idea grew out of her and her husband, Jeffery Sanchez’s, shared passion for thrifting and coffee.

The couple invested about $40,000 to launch the business and spent five months turning the concept into reality.

“We wanted to create a space where people can connect, shop at their own pace, and then sit down to enjoy a coffee or snack,” Dasha Sanchez said.

The cafe is designed to blend the atmosphere of a thrift store with a coffee shop, creating what the owners hope will become a welcoming community gathering place in Albuquerque’s East Side.

Ahead of the grand opening, Trade Cafe is accepting gently used clothing from the public. Customers can exchange accepted items for cash or store credit, allowing them to participate in the store’s inventory before opening day.

The owners said they are encouraged by the community’s response and look forward to welcoming customers when the business opens on July 25.

APS Student Groups Improve in Early Literacy, but Middle School Math Falls Short of Goals

Gregg Morgan
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APS Student Groups Improve in Early Literacy, but Middle School Math Falls Short of Goals

Yazzie-Martinez and African American students at Albuquerque Public Schools improved their early literacy skills during the past school year. However, interim assessment results presented to the Board of Education on Wednesday showed they continue to struggle in middle school math.

“We’re excited about the gains we’re seeing in early literacy but know we need to do more to help our middle school students in mathematics,” Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey said. 

“We are committed to doing everything we can to get our students back on track in math,” she said in an APS report.

Blakey, Deputy Superintendent Randy Mahlerwein, Chief Academic Officer Sheri Jett, Executive Director of Accountability and Reporting Chris West, Associate Superintendent Anna Chavez and Associate Superintendent Chris Sanchez presented progress monitoring reports. They discussed the district’s progress toward its interim goals for early literacy and middle school math. 

Early Literacy Results Exceed Interim Goals

This year, the district began using Amira as an internal assessment tool. It is a state-required literacy assessment for students in kindergarten through third grade. Although the district is still in the early stages of implementation, the end-of-year data shows how students are progressing in foundational reading skills.

The results show APS is on track, according to the district. 

At the end of the school year, 29.2% of first-grade students in groups identified in the Yazzie-Martinez decision and African American students scored proficient or above. The result surpassed the district’s annual Interim Goal 1.1 target by more than 6.2 percentage points.

Among second graders in the same student groups, 33% reached proficiency. The result was more than 8.7 percentage points above the district’s annual Interim Goal 1.2 target.

Middle School Math Improves but Falls Short

Yazzie-Martinez and African American sixth- and seventh-graders also improved their performance on the internal i-Ready assessment compared with the previous year. However, they fell short of the annual targets.

For Interim Goal 2.1, which focuses on sixth-grade students, APS recorded a 21.2% proficiency rate. The result marked a 0.8 percentage point increase from 2024-2025 but fell 1.4 percentage points short of the 22.6% target.

For Interim Goal 2.2, seventh-grade students achieved 17.9% proficiency rate, up 1.3 percentage points from 2024-2025. However, they fell short of the 19% goal by 1.1 percentage points. 

In its analysis, the Goal 2 team noted that many students struggle to move from basic arithmetic to algebraic thinking. Deficits in sixth-grade “numbers and operations” make it harder for students to master expressions and equations in seventh grade. 

The team also cited another challenge. Schools often pulled students with disabilities from general education classrooms for specialized services, limiting their exposure to grade-level standards and advanced math concepts.

APS Outlines Steps to Improve Math Performance

APS leaders will begin active, daily tracking of leading skill indicators and specific missing student capabilities. They will also work with school leadership teams to address those gaps. The district will deploy co-teachers to deliver targeted 10-minute mini-lessons to students who need them before the main instruction begins. These lessons will give students the specific tools they need for that day’s work.

Students will use physical objects and visual diagrams to model math problems. They will then move on to formulas and written equations. This approach aims to help students build confidence by starting with concepts they can see and touch.

Special education and English Language resource staff will work with math teachers. Together, they will provide integrated accommodations and language support to help students understand math concepts. 

Background on APS Interim Goals

In 2023, the Board of Education adopted four five-year goals. They cover literacy; math; college and career readiness; and skills, habits, and mindsets for life success. 

The first two goals focus on early literacy and middle school math. They aim to improve academic outcomes for African American students and those identified in the Yazzie-Martinez court decision. Those students include Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities, and students who are economically disadvantaged. 

The early literacy goal calls for a 10 percentage-point increase in grade-level proficiency on the state English Language Arts summative assessment. It focuses on third-grade students in these groups who have historically struggled academically. Specifically, the goal aims to increase proficiency from 27.3% in May 2023 to 37.3% in May 2028.

The middle school math goal aims to increase grade-level proficiency on the state mathematics summative assessment by 10 percentage points. It focuses on eighth-grade students in these groups. Specifically, it calls for an increase from 11.1% in May 2023 to 21.1% in May 2028.

To stay on track, APS established interim goals focused on internal assessments. The district regularly reports to the board on its progress toward achieving those interim goals.

Delivery Robots in New Mexico? DoorDash Explores Expansion with Lawmakers

Gregg Morgan
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Delivery Robots in New Mexico? DoorDash Explores Expansion with Lawmakers

Ever wondered what food delivery would look like if robots handled the job? A major delivery service unveils plans to introduce delivery robots in New Mexico.

DoorDash representatives met with state lawmakers Tuesday to discuss the future of autonomous robot food delivery. They urged lawmakers to establish standardized regulations so the robots can operate on streets statewide. 

“Steps toward a legal pathway begin with these conversations to ensure we have support at the state and local levels before moving forward,” said a DoorDash spokesperson as reported by KOB 4.

DoorDash’s autonomous robot, “Dot,” is already operating in several U.S. cities. It primarily uses bike lanes, but it also travels on streets, including those in Phoenix and San Francisco.

Mixed Views on Robot Food Delivery 

According to KOB 4, some New Mexicans said they worry Albuquerque, in particular, could pose a much greater challenge for the robots.

“You know, again, we don’t know until we try.  And I know in Albuquerque, you do see the vandalism, the graffiti, and things like that,” said UNM worker Andrew Lovato. 

Autonomous robot delivery already exists on college campuses, so some people may already be familiar with it. 

For one, Grubhub has operated robots on the UNM campus for about two years. However, some still question whether the robots should operate beyond a college campus. 

“People are overestimating how much people are going to, like, kick them. I think they might get kicked,” said UNM student Cheyenne Hajagos. “But I really don’t know how often that would happen.”

Meanwhile, some New Mexicans hope DoorDash will expand the service across the state. They believe robot deliveries could help bring fast food and groceries to people who would benefit from them.

“But I do feel like it is an opportunity for Albuquerque to grow and experience something new,” said Albuquerque resident Allicia Moya. She noted she saw similar robots often when she lived in Los Angeles.

Robot Delivery Plan Remains Under Discussion

DoorDash has not set a timeline for rolling out the robots in the state as it continues discussions with lawmakers.  The company said the initial meeting was part of its efforts to “explore an expansion in New Mexico.”

“Although we presented to the New Mexico Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommittee on Tuesday, we have no immediate plans to roll out Dot in New Mexico,” said a spokesperson via email through KOB 4. 

DoorDash has maintained that its robots are not meant to replace human workers. The company made the statement in response to concerns that a full rollout could leave many people jobless. 

However, the company has said Dot is designed to handle short-distance deliveries between three and five miles. It said those trips typically are not as profitable for human delivery drivers.

What is a Microgrid, and Why Could it Erase New Mexico’s 20 Years of Air Quality Gains?

Juan Oliveros
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What is a Microgrid, and Why Could it Erase New Mexico’s 20 Years of Air Quality Gains?

A microgrid is a local energy system that can produce its own electricity without depending on the main power grid. Although microgrids can operate on their own, they often rely on natural gas or fuel cells. Experts point out that these sources emit large amounts of greenhouse gases.

Project Jupiter is a large data center campus for Oracle and OpenAI that is being built in Doña Ana County. At first, the developers asked for permits to build two natural gas plants to power the site. Later, they changed their plan and decided to use fuel cells, which make electricity by converting natural gas, biogas, or hydrogen.

Will switching to fuel cells help protect the environment?

State environmental reports show that the fuel cell system would create less pollution than the original natural gas plants, but its emissions would still be very high. Western Resource Advocates, a conservation group, testified that Project Jupiter alone would emit more greenhouse gases than all current power plants in New Mexico combined. This would push the state’s electric sector CO2 emissions back to their 2005 level.

David Baake, an attorney and energy policy consultant for Western Resource Advocates, told the interim Water and Natural Resources Committee that data centers building microgrids — power sources separate from the existing grid — often use natural gas or fuel cell technology that emits significant greenhouse gases.

A 2025 New Mexico law exempts off-grid microgrids. A New Mexico law taking effect in 2025 lets off-grid microgrids avoid the strict rules of the Energy Transition Act (ETA). The ETA says public utilities must get 50% of their energy from renewables by 2030 and 80 percent by 2040.

When the ETA was written in 2019, huge data centers like these didn’t really exist, so the law didn’t cover big, off-grid industrial power users. Under current law, if a private microgrid does not interconnect with the main electrical grid, it remains outside the commission’s regulatory jurisdiction.

What are lawmakers doing to try to solve this problem?

Lawmakers from both parties are debating how to balance data center growth with New Mexico’s climate goals. Some have suggested that developers should build these facilities in the Permian Basin to use local natural gas. On the other hand, some lawmakers are working together to propose a temporary pause on the construction of large data centers in the next legislative session.

Environmental groups also want officials to bring back the Microgrid Oversight Act, a bill that did not pass earlier this year. This law would require microgrids to comply with all renewable energy rules in the ETA.

A Refugee Advocacy Group in New Mexico Was Just Forced to Shut Its Doors. Here’s Why.

Ruben Reyes
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A Refugee Advocacy Group in New Mexico Was Just Forced to Shut Its Doors. Here’s Why.

An Albuquerque immigrant and refugee advocacy group has been forced to suspend operations at its headquarters and work from private homes following a series of burglaries and vandalism that leaders say have made the building unsafe.

New Mexico Women’s Global Pathways, which moved to its facility near Central Avenue and Louisiana Boulevard in 2018, reports ongoing security issues, including cut fencing, blocked entrances, and trash-strewn walkways.

The nonprofit organization teaches immigrant women English and sewing skills to create items like pillows and tote bags, which are then donated to the local unhoused population. However, organizers said individuals from that same community are among those repeatedly breaking into the property.

Nkazi Sinandila, the organization’s founder and director, said she was warned about safety concerns in the area before purchasing the property but chose to move forward with the acquisition anyway.

A break-in three weeks ago left the facility ransacked and its perimeter fencing severed. Sinandila said she believes a group of individuals stole donated jackets, handmade pillows, and tote bags.

In June alone, the organization reported three separate break-ins, including an incident in which a suspect drove a vehicle through the property’s fencing, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

While the organization has repeatedly contacted the Albuquerque Police Department’s non-emergency line, leaders say they no longer feel it is safe for participants to attend tutoring or sewing classes at the site.

The group is currently repairing the perimeter fencing and hopes to resume in-person training for women and children at the building soon.

Organization leaders have filed multiple police reports, and the Albuquerque Police Department said investigators are looking into the incidents.

‘In Sickness and In Health’ Came Early for This Newlywed After a Nightmare Honeymoon at Yellowstone

Juan Oliveros
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‘In Sickness and In Health’ Came Early for This Newlywed After a Nightmare Honeymoon at Yellowstone

A Wisconsin woman’s honeymoon camping trip to Yellowstone National Park took an unexpected turn when she contracted Cyclospora, a foodborne parasite linked to a multi-state outbreak.

Gretchen Pleuss said she felt fine until a few days into her outdoor honeymoon, when she began experiencing severe gastrointestinal symptoms.

“I felt fine until we got out here, and a couple of days into camping here, I started having symptoms,” Pleuss said. “It was just like incessant diarrhea.”

As the illness intensified, Pleuss sought medical treatment at a local emergency room. Doctors confirmed she had contracted the Cyclospora parasite, which infects the small intestine and causes severe cramping and watery diarrhea. “It feels like your intestines are really tight, like something is seizing them,” Pleuss said.

Despite the medical setback, Pleuss said she and her husband are maintaining a positive outlook on their new marriage. “Our vows said in sickness and in health, so we’re just getting an early start on that,” Pleuss said.

Federal health officials on Thursday identified shredded iceberg lettuce imported from Mexico and served at Taco Bell locations as the source of the Cyclospora outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning advising consumers to avoid shredded lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants across five states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Road Rage Turned Deadly. Digital Evidence Told the Story.

Victoria Padilla
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Investigators solved a deadly road rage shooting involving teenagers in New Mexico by using digital evidence. This case shows that technology is becoming more important in solving crimes.

Authorities said investigators used electronic data, surveillance video, cellphone records, and other digital evidence to build a timeline and figure out what happened before, during, and after the shooting.

Law enforcement officials said that new digital forensic tools have made technology even more useful in investigations. Evidence from cellphones, security cameras, and other devices can back up witness statements, help identify suspects, and show the order of events in criminal cases.

Investigators said the technology in this case helped them understand what happened more clearly and strengthen their evidence.

Public safety officials used this case to remind drivers to avoid getting into arguments on the road. They encouraged people to stay calm around aggressive drivers, not to fight back, and to call law enforcement rather than put themselves in danger.

Authorities warned that road rage can quickly get out of hand and sometimes cause serious injuries or even death. They advised drivers to report reckless or aggressive driving instead of trying to handle it themselves.

Law enforcement officials said digital forensic tools helped agencies solve tough cases and present stronger evidence in court. They stressed that technology is now a key part of modern policing, an aid to investigators in finding suspects, checking facts, and piecing together events more accurately.

New Mexico Expands Free Childcare System with New Statewide Strategies

Victoria Padilla
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New Mexico is rolling out new policies to expand its free childcare program, facilitating access for families while also improving early childhood education in the state. The New Mexico free childcare system is designed to help meet the rising need for childcare services.

Officials claim that the expansion measures include adding childcare options, improving provider support, and creating better access for qualifying families. Leadership indicates that the New Mexico free childcare system continues to receive state investments, ensuring more children receive a proper education in their early years.

Education and early childhood authorities point out that improving childcare systems should take into account the need to employ well-qualified specialists. The new plan includes several measures to support providers through workforce development, financial assistance, and program improvements relevant to the New Mexico free childcare system.

According to officials, accessible child care programs help New Mexico’s working population access job training and education programs. They added affordable early childhood care programs, which also benefit children by providing a safe environment for development before they enter school.

The state leaders reiterated that maintaining financial support for early-childhood education is a priority for the future. Expanding childcare services will stabilize family homes, improve educational performance, and promote economic development in New Mexico. In fact, the success of the New Mexico free childcare system will be crucial for families and the local economy moving forward.

Both the community organizations and the childcare providers will continue collaborating with state agencies to roll out the new techniques and identify areas that require further assistance. Officials stated that cooperation between public and private organizations will help ensure that the childcare initiatives remain available and effective.

Have You Registered Your Child for the New School Year? APS Urges Families to Use ParentVUE

Gregg Morgan
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Have You Registered Your Child for the New School Year? APS Urges Families to Use ParentVUE

In just a few weeks from now, the new school year will begin. First- through 12th-grade students start school August 7, while prekindergarten and kindergarten students begin classes August 11.

Ahead of the opening of classes, Albuquerque Public Schools reminds parents to register their children. The district encourages the public to complete the registration via ParentVUE.

Parents of already-registered students should update phone numbers, email addresses, and emergency contacts through ParentVUE. APS uses the contact information to communicate with families, including during emergencies. 

Families can access the student information system on a computer, mobile phone, or tablet. They can also use a device with a camera to upload required documents, including proof of residency.

For parents who are still undecided which school they want their student to attend, APS has options. These include schools focused on dual language, the arts, STEM, early college, and more. Parents may explore options through APS.edu/spark.

APS encourages families to register all children at the same time. Those needing assistance should contact their child’s school. 

How to Register Your Child?

  • Login to ParentVUE and click the “Online Registration” button at the top right of the screen. If you don’t have a ParentVUE account, visit the ParentVUE website and select the Activate Account button under the Create New Account section.
  • Update your child’s details, including address, phone number, email address, and emergency contacts.
  • Each year, families need to provide proof of residency. These may include a current New Mexico driver’s license, deed or mortgage payment receipt, property tax bill, lease or housing agreement, and utility bill. 
  • If you have more than one child in school, use one ParentVUE account to update all their information.
  • Log in to ParentVUE anytime to update your information.
  • At the beginning of each school year, log in to verify that APS has your most up-to-date information on file.
  • ParentVUE  is available in English and Spanish.

APS said online registration is available for all grade levels. Parents can also download ParentVUE for free in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

What Else Can You Do With ParentVUE?

ParentVUE does more than handle registration. You can also use it to check:

  • Grades
  • Assignments
  • Attendance
  • Calendars
  • Teacher contact information
  • And more.

Students can also sign up for StudentVUE to access their grades, assignments, attendance and more.

Renting in Albuquerque? New Ordinance Boosts Tenant Protections

Gregg Morgan
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Renting in Albuquerque? New Ordinance Boosts Tenant Protections

Albuquerque is adding an extra layer of protection to the city’s renters. Mayor Tim Keller signed a new ordinance on Wednesday, July 15, to strengthen rental housing standards. The measure targets dangerous living conditions and holds landlords with repeated housing code violations more accountable.

The Rental Unit Habitability Enforcement Ordinance establishes a faster response process for violations that threaten residents’ health or safety. It covers issues, such as the lack of heat, cooling, running water, ventilation, or safe exits, according to KOAT Action News.

Property owners must correct serious violations within 72 hours or submit a city-approved repair plan with a completion timeline. 

The ordinance imposes financial penalties on landlords who fail to comply.

Owners who fail to resolve serious habitability issues on time may face fines of up to $500 per day. Landlords who accumulate multiple habitability violations within a year face additional penalties.

Additionally, landlords must pay for temporary housing if repairs lasting over seven days make rental units unsafe to occupy.

If owners fail to arrange relocation, the city can relocate affected tenants. It can recover the costs through legal means, including property liens, the report said. 

City officials said they will prioritize enforcement of life-safety complaints. Residents are urged to document unsafe housing conditions and notify their landlords. They should contact 311 if the problems remain unresolved.

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