The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

This week’s view from the editor’s desk

All Photos by Clarke Condé.

The view from the editor’s desk this week was looking up. The Rio Grande is running again through Albuquerque. There is a great set of shows coming our way in August. Plus, our first print edition is slated for August. Onward into August.

The Good

The good this week was bad, and the breaking thereof. Albuquerque has a history of controversial sculptures so it should come as no surprise that the Walter White and Jesse Pinkman statue unveiled Friday has received mixed reviews. On the under/over I think it is a good thing. I write in detail about why here.

The Bad

The bad this week is the mayor’s announcement that the city has decided to clear out Coronado Park of its unhoused population without any plan as to where they should go. If homelessness is the city’s number one problem as the mayor has said, then let's come up with a plan now. We are a wealthy people with tons of vacant properties and land. Housing first. No excuses.

The Ugly

The ugly this week is the reminder that pollinators are in trouble. This week the Monarch butterfly was placed on the endangered species list due to rapidly declining numbers. It is hard to place enough emphasis on the fact that it is not canaries in coal mines that dictate our fate as a species, but rather the bees and butterflies out in our farmers' fields.