Author: J. Erika

Albuquerque has long attracted adventurers with a hankering for the great outdoors. Named by Global Traveler at the top for Adventures Destinations in the U.S., there's plenty to keep you busy.  ABQtodo, Albuquerque & Bernalillo County’s premier events calendar, suggests spending a day exploring the Sandia Foothills. "More than 5 trails and numerous picnic areas are sprinkled throughout the Sandia foothills. Trails range from easy to moderate with elevation gains allowing hikers to easily distinguish three...

Travel+Leisure has this to say about one of New Mexico's most otherworldly gems: "You might expect to see such a bright white in the middle of Antarctica or on a tropical, sandy beach, but White Sands National Monument is neither of these things. This national park in New Mexico is home to the largest area of gypsum sand dunes, making it a truly otherworldly destination in our own backyard. The sand may look like snow,...

For its 2020 list of the "Nicest Places in America," Reader's Digest selected Las Cruces, stating: "How would your city respond if 1,600 asylum seekers were sent there? In Las Cruces, they were greeted with food, shelter, and open arms." ...

In March 2019, Outside Online rounded up its top editors to have them name their favorite adventure destinations, both within the United States and abroad. Coming in #2 was New Mexico. Nicholas Hunt explains his choice: "Taos Ski Valley has seen a renaissance since it was bought by philanthropist Louis Bacon in 2013. In addition to becoming the first B Corp–certified ski resort—it meets the nonprofit’s high standards for environmental and social responsibility—the mountain has seen...

Placing Taos Ski Valley among skiers' most-sought after destinations, PureWow writes: "In northern New Mexico, Taos is already well-regarded by skiers for Kachina Peak—at 12,450 feet, it’s one of the highest lift-served mountains in the U.S. Plus, it’s packed with dry powder and expert terrain. Visit the historic town of Taos and the UNESCO Taos Pueblo site. Both are less than 20 miles from the ski area."...

PureWow placed Santa Fe in the top 23 of all American Ski Resorts, stating: "In northern New Mexico, Taos is already well-regarded by skiers for Kachina Peak—at 12,450 feet, it’s one of the highest lift-served mountains in the U.S. Plus, it’s packed with dry powder and expert terrain. Visit the historic town of Taos and the UNESCO Taos Pueblo site. Both are less than 20 miles from the ski area."...

For its best places to travel to in the U.S., Forbes had this to say about Santa Fe. "Santa Fe never goes out of style, but with an ever-growing adventure travel scene, a slew of special events and restaurants and spas that nurture the body and soul, it should be on your 2019 travel radar."...

Readers of USA Today's 10Best poll ranked  Taos #4 on its list of the best ski towns in the U.S. "What makes a great ski town? Some would say it's convenient access to the slopes, for others, maybe it's the variety of restaurants, bars, shops and accommodations. Yet others might gravitate toward a small town vibe or historic atmosphere. Taos started as a pueblo tucked within the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Northern New Mexico. Today,...

Facebook's data center in Los Lunas is looking to the double in size. The operation, which stores data for Facebook's social media sites such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, opened in early 2019. It currently comprises three fully-operational buildings, a fourth due to come online shortly, and two more currently under construction. Under this new proposal, the center could expand by a total of six new additional buildings, with plans to build two by 2023. Through its...

The pandemic upended expectations for both business buyers and sellers in 2020, but not necessarily in negative ways. The past year saw one of the steepest year-over-year declines in Main Street business sales, according to BizBuySell’s Insight Report released January 21, 2021. The quarterly report, which tracks and analyzes business-for-sale transactions, stated that 7,612 business transactions closed, a 22% drop from 2019. Looking forward, the news is more promising. Pent-up demand combined with the Fed’s aggressive...

“It’s the COVID effect,” Duran said [Stephanie Duran, an associate broker with Barker Realty]. “People have been realizing they don’t need to be at the office. They can live anywhere. At the same time, they are fleeing higher density. Instead of just retiring to Santa Fe, they can live in Santa Fe now instead of having a multidecade dream of living here.” Demand for homes in Santa Fe continues at a fast pace, drawing homebuyers from...

Business editor Teya Vitu reports that construction is booming in Santa Fe. Seventeen apartment projects and a 68-unit independent living center have been recently completed or under construction. Between January and November 2020, 281 building permits for single-family dwellings were pulled. Construction activity and related job growth have ranked Santa Fe in or near the top ten among the nation's 358 metropolitan areas. Read the full article on the New Mexican....

The Economic Development Department has published the most recent series of county economic reports with detailed economic and employment data for all of the 33 counties as well as a statewide snapshot, Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said today. The reports with a Dec. 2020 publication date cover the first quarter of the 2021 fiscal year – July, August, and September 2020 - during the COVID-19 public health emergency. “This community-level data, delivered in a timely and...

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="365"] Recently constructed, SpinLaunch's 10,000 square foot Integration Facility and Mission Control at Spaceport America[/caption] A company that is developing and testing a mass accelerator with the aim of launching satellites into space orbit, using kinetic energy instead of rockets, is expanding at New Mexico’s Spaceport America, Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes announced today. SpinLaunch signed a lease at Spaceport America in 2019 and has since invested in test facilities and an integration facility....