http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ Erik Siemers' City Hall notebook is overflowing. Check here for fresh analysis of city politics and the behind-the-scenes details of today's Albuquerque news events. en-us esiemers@abqtrib.com 2006-07-11T15:36:26-07:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/07/dear_readers_ta.html To our valued readers, wherever you may be, the winds of change have drifted into my cubicle here in the Tribune newsroom. Put simply, I'm no longer covering City Hall. I'm now the Tribune's business editor, which means I won't... 41190@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-07-11T15:36:26-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/chavez_and_wint.html The mayor's most recent plan to reform Albuquerque Public Schools -- what critics might say is the next step in his APS coup d'etat -- has also brought out the vitriol between his mayorness and City Councilor Brad Winter. Anybody... 40195@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-29T11:12:01-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/blue_spruce_get.html Remember the Blue Spruce Lounge? There's a lot of people who would like to forget it. The bar at 7200 Central Ave. S.E. was often called a crime magnet. The nearby intersection of Central and Louisiana was one of the... 39480@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-22T17:39:55-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/what_i_missed.html I'm regretting my recent week off. After all, I missed this: Albuquerque is the 10th smartest city in the nation, according to a survey conducted by bizjournals.com. Mayor Martin Chavez announced the ranking Wednesday, with the message that "Albuquerque's future... 39209@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-20T12:06:39-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/its_sheriff_dar.html 11:50 p.m. Almost everybody involved in Bernalillo County politics knows Geraldine Amato. She's on TV, both on GOV-TV and reading the newspaper behind the podium at City Council meetings. She rails against our "absentee overlords," drives a station wagon with... 37708@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T23:35:59-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/county_races_ov.html 11:34 p.m. The county vote is complete with all 422 precincts reporting. . County Commission Chairman Alan Armijo won, but it was closer than anyone expected. Armijo maintained a five point lead on Loretta Naranjo Lopez for most of the... 37706@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T22:53:51-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/mccullough_wins.html 10:22 p.m. I'm finding the numbers on the Secretary of State's Web site to be unsatisfying in the why-aren't-they-updating-faster sort of way. So, here's my analysis of some numbers provided by the Associated Press, which says 83 percent of statewide... 37702@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T22:15:15-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/secretary_of_st.html 9:45 p.m. The numbers are just trickling in at the Secretary of State's Web site, but we're getting a clearer picture on a few contested statewide races. Mary Herrera and Stephanie Gonzales are within a hair of each other for... 37699@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T21:44:42-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/democrats_not_l.html 9:09 p.m. Tribune state government reporter Kate Nash has made her way over to the Hilton, where the Democrats are break dancing. They're not really. But that would be funny. But Kate does report that the party is much livelier... 37697@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T21:07:26-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/alan_armijo_in.html 8:50 p.m. Tribune reporter Casey Phillips reports again from the Bernalillo County vote count down at City Hall. Only 87 of 422 precincts are reporting, but it still might be surprising that County Commission Chairman Alan Armijo's race is close.... 37694@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T20:48:04-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/republican_part.html 8:30 p.m. Tribune state government reporter Kate Nash offers blog readers our first glimpse into the Republican antics over at the Mariott. About 100 Republicans are gathered around a projection screen in the hotel lobby awaiting returns. In her words:... 37691@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T20:25:46-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/bernalillo_coun.html 8:14 p.m. Casey Phillips, our reporter on the scene at City Hall, offers these figures from contested Bernalillo County races. With only 28 of 422 precincts reporting: -- Rachel Walker Al-Yasi is in the lead with 65 percent over Reed... 37690@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T20:12:00-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/numbers_pouring.html Early tallies are coming already. And it's looking good so far for Mary Herrera in her bid to be Secretary of State. With only less than 3,000 votes counted, Herrera has 30.1 percent of the vote. She's followed by Stephanie... 37686@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T19:41:48-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/behind_the_scen.html Deep in the bowels of City Hall, Tribune Reporter Casey Phillips is watching as county election workers tally the votes. Casey has provided you blog watchers with a little insight into how the county updates vote totals on its Web... 37679@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T19:26:06-07:00 http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/archives/2006/06/polls_closed_fu.html 7:02 p.m. Good evening. Welcome to the Tribune's live Web log of tonight's primary election. The polls should now be closed. And we'll be bringing you whatever we get, whenever we get it from reporters posted at top secret spots... 37677@http://blogs.abqtrib.com/albq/siemers/ 2006-06-06T19:01:04-07:00