Training center slated for weedy lot
‘TUMBLEWEED FARM’ A TEACHER TRAINING CENTER: Gene Lisotto asks in an email “does anyone know what Albuquerque Public Schools plans on doing with that disgusting-looking 17-acre tumbleweed farm at the southwest corner of Louisiana and Comanche? Those tumbleweeds will really cause a fire hazard when they die.”
APS communications director Johanna King says “the lot the gentleman is referring to once housed the Montgomery Complex. That building was torn down last year, and construction began (last) week on the Berna Facio Professional Development Facility. Scheduled to open in the fall 2018, this will be a training and teaching center for teachers and staff within the district.
“The general contractor is Bradbury Stamm.” King says. “I’m told the tumbleweeds shouldn’t be as much of a problem once construction gets underway. They’ve placed a wind screen around the property to help as well.” WILL NORTH WYOMING GET BETTER? Davis asks via email about “the possibility of Wyoming from Alameda going north (being) scheduled to be improved. Some sections are straight and wide, while some sections are narrow and have curves.”
Amor Solano, who heads up Bernalillo County’s Operations and Maintenance Department, explains that “Wyoming north of Alameda is split. The city of Albuquerque maintains from Alameda to Beverly Hills, and the county maintains from Beverly Hills to Elena. For our portion, we do not have any immediate plans to re-pave. It may need some crack seal or micro-surfacing preventative maintenance in the near future, but paving is a long ways away in comparison to other county roads and limited funding.”
Mark Motsko with the city says “we have the stretch of Wyoming between Oakland and Modesto identified on the 5-year plan for a mill and inlay (resurfacing), but no expansion of the section or changes in alignment.”
FIGHT CRIME WITH PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY: That suggestion comes from Silvio Dell’Angela, a frequent critic of the city administration. After another traveler was robbed and Albuquerque took the top spot in the nation for vehicle thefts, he emailed that the solution “is not to throw more money at the Albuquerque Police Department for more officers but for the vehicle owners to do their part as well as the hotel/motel owners.”
He says “those who leave their vehicles out at night, those students and others who leave them all day in lots, those warming up cars in winter and others (should) not only lock their vehicles but also spend $30 to $40 to buy a Club or similar bar for their steering wheel. They are available not only at Walmart but auto stores.”
And Silvio speaks from experience: “I have a club/bars on both cars — one that is left in my driveway. I had a break in to that driveway car one night, and the only thing preventing its theft was the bar I put on the steering wheel. The car thief either has to cut the steering wheel or drill out the lock — too much trouble.”
He also recommends putting “lock nuts on vehicles with expensive wheels.”
WINDSHIELD OPPORTUNISM? Meanwhile, Michael Coe emails “I am a 73-year-old retired Marine. I have had my windshield shot at and hit three times in 18 months on Interstate 25. I finally called the Albuquerque police (and was told) they have had other reports of this happening.
“The last time I had my windshield replaced, the technician said that he had seen a few of these lately and suspected that someone was shooting pellet rifles or pistols to break them to get business! I would have never thought of this until he mentioned it. By the time I get the most recent one completed, I will have been out almost $2,000! Please pass the word for motorists to be watchful on I-25 for someone shooting out windshields.”