New Mexico
Albuquerque International Sunport unveils new food court
If you’re traveling for the holidays, you’ll notice the Albuquerque International Sunport is looking different. Right past security, you’ll see a new spot for the iconic Dream of Flight statue, along with four new places to eat.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s the moment a lot of traveling foodies have been waiting for, the new food hall at the Albuquerque Sunport is open.
It isn’t completely finished, but holiday travelers will have four new spots to grab a bite. And while that might not sound like much, it’s more options than we had before during all those renovations.
Right when you pass security, you’ll see a new spot for the iconic Dream of Flight statue and new restaurants.
Sunport officials and Mayor Tim Keller unveiled the four new locations in the new food hall Monday: Flavor of New Mexico, Rush of Prana, Panda Express and Dunkin’.
“At the beginning of 2022 we had a vision of making a change here at the Sunport. And that vision was also to take into consideration the sense of place in Albuquerque and New Mexico,” the city’s Director of Aviation Richard McCurley said.
McCurley also said they wanted to incorporate New Mexican culture and food, and he believes this project hits that goal. Some passengers noticed the four new options right away.
“Everything looked different. My wife and I, right away, said, ‘What’s going on?’” Darren Watson said.
Watson and his wife fly through the Sunport a few times a year to visit family. He thinks even phase 1 of the food hall is an improvement because there weren’t many choices before.
“You got quite a few options. Kind of fun you have a donut spot, you know, this healthy smoothie place, a little bit of everything going on here,” Watson continued. “So I think that’s a good change because, you know, a lot of times you get to the airport early.”
The Dream of Flight Statue is one of the main focal points in the hall, too. And now it sits on a stage. So as you wait for your flight, you can hear from performers like Jason Younis.
“This stage eventually is going to host musicians, demonstrating, artists, storytellers, all those things that are just touch points to our unique culture and traditions,” Younis said.
He explained moving the statue and adding a stage, gives people a chance to really sit and enjoy.
“What’s wonderful about this space it’s accessible, and it’s opened up to where there’s seating, where it’s not a passing through,” Younis said.
This is also just the beginning with more restaurants and shops on the way.
“We’re committed to roughly an 80% local mix, and that also includes extremely small micro vendors,” Mayor Tim Keller said.
Teller says Spirits is expected to open later this month and other locations like Cheese & Coffee, Steel Bender Brewery and more are expected to open throughout 2025.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Republican candidate for governor Duke Rodriguez is suing Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham over her executive order that started universal free child care before a new law takes effect.
The governor enacted the program through executive order in November.
Lawmakers passed a universal child care law during the past session, but that law does not take effect until May 20.
Rodriguez says he objects to some of the rules and to how the governor started the program. The suit asks the Second Judicial District Court to prohibit further enforcement of any regulations tied to the program.
“You could understand an outgoing governor trying to do it for political capital, for expediency just to say, I’m first in the nation.” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez says he is confident he will win and that the rules he is challenging will be struck down.
“We also now have what we call pre emptive eligibility, which means you don’t even have to prove you’re eligible and you’re covered the moment you walk in,” Rodriguez said. “All of those things individually and collectively that have been proposed and changed probably invite fraud, waste and abuse and you know it.”
The governor’s office responds
The governor’s office sent a statement saying the program was properly implemented and that the governor is confident the lawsuit will be rejected.
A spokesperson for the governor sent KOB 4 the following statement:
“This lawsuit makes clear that Mr. Rodriguez has a fundamental misunderstanding how state government works. He states that ECECD did not have the authority to undergo rulemaking regarding universal childcare. They do. He states that ECECD did not have the funding to implement the program when they did their rulemaking. They did. That is why the program was operational in December – before the 2026 Legislative session started. Perhaps more importantly, the lawsuit ignores that the legislature passed SB 241, which codified the program and its future funding into law. The governor is confident that the courts will reject his meritless claims.“
Woody is up for adoption with the City of Albuquerque’s Animal Welfare Department. Meet him here!
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In this Love 4 Pets, we have Woody, Zwei and Kanai, who are all up for adoption at the City of Albuquerque’s shelters.
Woody is looking for a loving home after going through the ringer. He came to Albuquerque Animal Welfare about a month ago after he was hit by a car. He’s healing from some pelvic fractures and is moving slowly so he can hang out in the backyard and go for short walks.
Woody is very smart and can sleep all night. They believe he is about nine years old and is believed to be a Lab mix. He’s very sweet and is house-trained.
Woody is set to be 100% ready soon. You can meet him in the video above or at the Eastside Animal Shelter (details).
We also have Zwei and Kenai.
Zwei:
An Australian Shepherd mix, Zwei is a little tripod who is a great companion, has wonderful manners and loves to lean into you for hugs. She walks beautifully on a leash and doesn’t miss a beat, even with only three legs.
Zwei is currently in foster care. If you are interested in adopting her, contact Albuquerque Animal Welfare to set up a time to visit her.
Kenai:
Kenai is a Labrador retriever mix. He is a friendly, affectionate boy who enjoys being around people and has good manners. He walks well on a leash and is very excited about exploring the world.
Kenai loves attention, toys (especially stuffed animals) and car rides. So, if you’re looking for an adventure buddy, you can meet him at the Westside Animal Shelter (details).
Grant’s Monday Night Forecast
A few evaporating rain showers are possible again Tuesday with warmer temperatures. Windier weather later this week will bring a high fire danger back to New Mexico.
It’s been a warm day with a few isolated showers and thunderstorms across central and northern New Mexico. Some of that rain has made it to the ground, while other showers have evaporated before reaching the surface. Temperatures have climbed into the 70s and 80s for most of the state. Showers will fade after sunset, with mostly clear skies overnight and mild temperatures.
Even warmer weather is on the way Tuesday with lighter winds. More areas will reach the 80s by the afternoon. A few spotty showers will develop again, especially near the mountains, with some of that rain evaporating before reaching the ground.
Winds pick up Wednesday afternoon, with gusts between 25 and 45 mph. This will begin another stretch of high fire danger across the state. The strongest winds arrive Thursday, with westerly gusts of 35 to 55 mph. That will expand the fire danger statewide. A dry cold front will move through Thursday as well, but temperatures will only drop slightly, ending up closer to average.
Breezy conditions continue Friday through the weekend as the jet stream pulls more moisture into New Mexico. That will bring increasing chances for rain and thunderstorms this weekend, with a few lingering into early next week.
-
Sports2 minutes agoAustin Reaves nearing return for Lakers as Luka Doncic remains out indefinitely with hamstring strain: report
-
Technology8 minutes agoMichael and Susan Dell surpass $1 billion in donations backing AI-driven hospital project
-
Business14 minutes agoContributor: ICE raids and migrant pay cuts are devastating California economies
-
Entertainment20 minutes agoReview: Monica Lewinsky, a saint? This devastatingly smart romance goes there
-
Lifestyle26 minutes agoWhat are Angelenos giving away in one Buy Nothing group? All this treasured stuff
-
Politics32 minutes agoCommentary: He honked to support a ‘No Kings’ rally. A cop busted him
-
Sports44 minutes agoSun Valley Poly High’s Fabian Bravo shows flashes of Koufax dominance
-
World56 minutes agoMoldovan oligarch sentenced to 19 years in prison over $1bn fraud