What's going on, Albuquerque?

Morning Fix: What's my Sign? Kick Me.

Is the Balloon Fiesta going broke? Why else would vendors be asked to kick back 30%. Sellers told to just raise prices. For me, just another reason to not fight the crowds, the traffic, the heat, the parking.

The ABQ poet Jimmie Santiago Baca documentary film on his "transformation from nearly illiterate convict to award-winning poet" raises over $50k on Kickstarter. About to finish production. Deadline for participation is tonight.

Like to bike loaded? Check out this electric propelled utility bicycle also on Kickstarter. Wow!

Hey aisle warriors! Albertson's needs a shopper to star in a national TV commercial. Interviews here in ABQ this Friday. Pay is a $500 gift certificate and a grocery shopping spree.

APD spent $144k on license plate readers for 6 police cars. "An officer can drive through a shopping mall parking lot and photograph thousands of license plates within hours," says APD. And…and...and then…?

Midnight Motors. Cadillac Escalades and Chevy Tahoes are being stripped for their parts. Who says exports are down this year.

4 members like this

Comment by Malibu Cunningham on July 31, 2012 at 8:28am: Many of our big events have not been managed well. The fair has been retched since the mid 90's and now the city didn't keep the fiesta in mind when letting the housing go up. So it's been having issues with space and cost for several years now. I also have heard some balloonists that don't even bother with the lottery anymore.

Comment by once banned twice shy on July 31, 2012 at 11:16am: Since the bike path along the North Diversion Channel goes all the way to the balloon park, there is no need to fight the traffic, the crowds and parking.

Comment by Izquierdo on July 31, 2012 at 5:03pm: Might as well read license plates. I've heard they know the minute the insurance expires on a car in their area...and wait for it to come home from work.

Comment by hettie on July 31, 2012 at 7:27pm: "Since 2006, which is the last time the concession agreement were even addressed, we've seen a 50-percent increase in trash pickup, 50-percent increase in propane costs, and a 400-percent increase in helium costs," Garrity said.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but it sounds like this guy is saying that fuel costs for balloons are affecting the price of food for fiesta visitors. How does that work? Aren't the owners of each craft responsible for their own fuel costs? I guess I have no idea how that works, but it seems odd to justify increased concession costs by pointing to higher fuel costs for balloonists (is that the right word?)

Comment by Princess Peussie on August 1, 2012 at 3:57pm: It would be sad to not attend the balloon fiesta. I remember some of those as a child. Does anyone remember that one balloon ascension when the balloon got loose in that wind storm? My goodness, it was a crazy time getting those people down.

Comment by Grumpy on August 1, 2012 at 4:25pm: The police drive through the city parking lots downtown and check all the license plates of parked vehicles. It's not unusual for someone to get off work, walk to their car, and find it booted. I guess this is the system they use to execute their, uh, responsibilities.