Fiesta at Fifty
In this week’s Special Edition of Chile Street:
Photos from the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Balloon stolen, recovered
ABQ Starbucks unionizes
Changes proposed to zero fare program
Good morning! Today is Friday, Oct. 7. Welcome to a Balloon Fiesta Special Edition of Chile Street!
Fiesta at Fifty
It’s the best time of year in New Mexico: Balloon Fiesta! This week, we’re going to relive some of the sights of the 50th Fiesta.
Joelly Bee Located
Joelly Bee, the baby of a trio of special shape bee balloons, was stolen early Thursday morning, along with its trailer and a Chevy truck. But there's a happy ending: Joelly, the trailer, and the truck were found within hours, KRQE-TV reported.
The truck and trailer were taken from a hotel parking lot around 1:30 a.m., but Albuquerque police detectives were able to track the balloon's whereabouts by accessing the GPS of an iPad that had been left in the vehicle. Although the thieves tossed the iPad out the window, detectives were able to track the movements enough to locate the truck, trailer, and bee along Unser Boulevard in northwest Albuquerque.
Watch or read the KRQE story here (no paywall): krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/baby-bumble-bee-balloon-stolen-ahead-of-special-shapes-day/
More Fiesta Ahead
The 50th Fiesta wraps up this weekend, offering plenty of chances to see some balloons.
Dawn Patrol is scheduled to launch at 6 a.m. Friday, with a Special Shape Rodeo set to launch at 7 and flying competition scheduled to begin at 8. Friday's Fiesta wraps up with a Special Shape Glowdeo scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Weekend festivities are scheduled to begin Saturday with a drone light show at 5:45 a.m., and a Dawn Patrol launch scheduled for 6. A morning balloon glow is set for 6:30, followed by a 7 a.m. mass ascension. Saturday evening begins with a scheduled Night Magic glow at 6 p.m. followed by an evening drone show at 7:45.
Sunday's schedule matches closely with an early morning drone show at 5:45 a.m., Dawn Patrol at 6, a morning balloon glow at 6:30, and a mass ascension at 7. However, there are no evening events scheduled.
A full schedule and ticketing information can be found on the official website: balloonfiesta.com
Other Top Stories
ABQ Starbucks becomes first NM store to unionize — A Starbucks store in Albuquerque has become the first store in the state to unionize, Megan Gleason with Source New Mexico reported.
Workers at the store located at Interstate 40 and Rio Grande Boulevard voted 10 to 7 in favor of unionizing, making New Mexico the 34th state with a unionized Starbucks location.
Employees said issues like losing work hours and inadequate pay led to the decision to join a union.
Read Gleason's story here (no paywall): sourcenm.com/2022/09/29/albuquerque-starbucks-becomes-first-store-to-unionize-in-the-state/
ABQ councilors propose changes to zero fares pilot program — Two city councilors are seeking changes to a program that allows anyone to ride city buses for free, Marilyn Upchurch of KRQE reported.
If passed, bus rides would remain free, but riders would be required to obtain a pass prior to boarding a city bus. Once obtained, passes would be valid for 36 months, but anyone without a valid pass would be required to pay $1 to ride.
Watch or read Upchurch's story here (no paywall): krqe.com/news/politics-government/city-councilors-propose-legislation-to-end-zero-fares-pilot-program/
A Wicker Basket with a Flamethrower
We leave you with a tweet from earlier this year. Though a bit old, it seems particularly apt for New Mexicans this time of year.
That’s it for now. Have a great weekend!
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Who’s responsible for Chile Street? The culprit is Ryan Lowery, a New Mexico journalist living in Albuquerque.
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