🌱 Former Hispanic Governor Dies + Monitoring Team Pay Cut Requested

Hello, Albuquerque! I'm here in your inbox this morning to get you caught up on everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Cooler with showers around. High: 61 Low: 40.
• Saturday: Sunny, pleasant and warmer. High: 73 Low: 47.

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Here are the top three stories today in Albuquerque:

1. Jerry Apodaca, a former New Mexico Democratic governor and the state's first Hispanic governor in 54 years at the time of his inauguration, has died at the age of 88 in his home an hour away in Santa Fe. Apodaca became the state's governor in 1975, nearly 54 years since the last Hispanic governor, Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, left office in 1921. (KRQE News 13)
2. Albuquerque's chief administrative officer Lawrence Rael has submitted a request to the city's independent monitoring team asking to reduce monthly payments to the team down to $80,000 a month, a 40 percent decrease from the current $133,000 a month that the city has been paying since 2019. The city cites the reason for the pay cut request as the city has made "significant strides" in reaching compliance required by a settlement with the Department of Justice. Officials requested an answer by yesterday, Apr. 27. (KOAT New Mexico)
3. Honor Flight of Northern New Mexico will be hosting a fundraising event on Sunday, Apr. 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the local Veterans Memorial on 1100 Lousina Blvd SE. Proceeds from the event will go towards the non-profit organizations' mission of providing free trips to veterans to provide them honor and closure through visiting memorials dedicated to the wars in which they served. (KRQE News 13)

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Today and tomorrow in Albuquerque:

Friday, April 28

• Baby Storytime At Lomas Tramway Branch Library (10:30 AM)
• Lego Club At San Pedro Branch Library (3:00 PM)

Saturday, April 29

• Spring Arts Market 2023 At Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Meetings, Parties & Events (9:00 AM)
• Live Music With Mimosa Brunch At La Luna Eatery & Events (10:00 AM)
• Spring Carnival At 7215 Montgomery Blvd NE (10:00 AM)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

Do you know an Albuquerque student who’s making a difference in the community? We want to hear about them! Click here to nominate a student to be featured on Patch.

From my notebook:

• Bring home a new furry family member today! These pets are looking for their new forever homes, and they're waiting for adoption here in the Albuquerque area. (Albuquerque Patch)
• Help the unhoused animals at the Albuquerque Animal Welfare animal shelter and get great photos of you and your pets in the process! You can get a free pet lover photo session with Erika Durdle Photography in exchange for donating to Animal Welfare. Learn more and book here. (Albuquerque Animal Welfare via Facebook)
• Mother's Day is coming up, and if you're looking for ideas on how to celebrate, don't miss Mother’s Day at the Zoo on Sunday, May 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the ABQ BioPark. (ABQ BioPark via Instagram)

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Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Free Stuff And Great Perks Every Week (May 2)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday! I'll catch up with you soon with your next update.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.