Alamogordo 2024 What to Expect the Year Ahead - Business, Crime, Politics and Education

The year 2023 is behind us and 2024 has begun. What can our readers of 2nd Life Media managed AlamogordoTownNews.com, Alamogordo Conservative News on Newsbreak and listeners of streaming KRAZY KALH Radio expect in the new year?

2024 will be a pivotal year for Alamogordo in business, crime, politics and in potential changes to public education for Alamogordo students.

The business community is hoping for a stronger economy in 2024. 

Retail: While Wall Street is pushing record highs, Alamogordo's MainStreet New York Avenue continues to find its own with support from locals. Tourism is what is carrying most of the business growth.

Business operators such as Roadrunner Galleria, Victoria Alamogordo and Mia's Collectibles continue to build and grow. Each operate different than in years past. Roadrunner Galleria updated and expanded their locally crafted offerings going into 2024. Victoria has changed from the past with more sales and an expanded product mix, and Mia's Collectibles caters to more "by appointment visitors" from out of the area. Each business is still growing but adapting to a more tourist focused business model.  Each will continue to fine tune their offerings and continue to expand marketing to tourists seeking a shopping experience different than what visitors expect at home. 

Newcomer Zia Comic's opened late in 2023 and has increased their investment stake into the New York Avenue business district with the acquisition of the Sands Theatre. Work on upgrades and a reinvention of the space is planned to begin in 2024.

New businesses at the mall, such as Ashley Furniture and Big Lots are pleased with the first-year results since coming to Alamogordo according to company spokespersons. Occupancy at the mall continues to improve providing hope for 2024 to be a strong year for this property.

Picacho Peak, as the scrouge of Christmas, announced their departure from Alamogordo on December 22nd to their staff. They closed immediately. They were in negotiations with Sal Limon to take over the kitchen operations which would have been an expansion of local dining options. Sources tell AlamogordoTownNews.com that the talks feel apart when legal counsel reviewed contracts. After that blow, the decision of Picacho Peak was to leave the Alamogordo market. They struggled with staffing and an offering of dining options that was compelling to locals. 

The need for Office Space is retracting nationwide. The New York Avenue district has one office building that has been vacant for 3 years with no outlook for rentals as the need for commercial office space becomes less across the nation. The 1100 New York office suites building also struggled in 2023 and into 2024. The building in 2023 appeared to be positioned for a rival when the Griggs family sold the building. At its peak in 2023 it was occupied by a real estate company, a rehabilitative fitness studio, a music instructor, an attorney and seamstress, plus a title company. The building revival looked to compliment the revival of Alamogordo MainStreet. 

However, the owners struggled with upkeep and the economics of office space management and the building reverted back to the Griggs

The Griggs found a new buyer who is now attaching new roofing, working on the air conditioning concerns within the building and are seeking renters again

All the former tenants except for one have vacated and have relocated elsewhere. 

ReneFit Rehabilitative Fitness USA,  KRAZY KALH Radio and AlamogordoTownNews.com have consolidated operations into 1209 New York and remain committed to the vision of the Cultural Arts District. The rehabilitation and remodel of the 1209 Studio Q complex continues into 2024. The event space will feature live music, artisan events, Ghost History and Art Walks and tours and fitness workshops.  KALH and AlamogodoTownNews.com is presently broadcasting from this updated facility. Unique artwork is visible in the front with more unique features to be seen in 2024. 

Two new retail companies are in negotiations around the 1200 Block as potential new businesses to the cultural arts district. Stay tuned...

Crime:

Alamogordo and Otero County saw a spike in the crime rates committed by locals and gang related activities among the youth population in 2023. With two murders in the city parks and a huge spike in murders, the city is addressing concerns of crime with tighter curfews and discussion of more collaboration with the schools

The new police chief faces pressure of an increase in crime. The new chief also faces questions from the public on several recent allegations of deaths ruled suicide that the families believe were murders. Several police informants have been involved in crimes and lenient sentences are under scrutiny putting further pressure on the criminal justice system within Otero County and as a whole.

Politics:

Based on the results of the 2023 municipal races there is new leadership for mayor in Tularosa and Cloudcroft. 

Within Tularosa. will the new mayor address the public concerns of public information requests not being responded to timely which could result in 1000s of dollars of fines and investigations from the state? Will the new mayor address the issues of the police chief's failure to address the AMT investigation into police officers serving in positions outside of the certification process? Is the Tularosa police chief certified? Will transparency or continuity in coverup be what’s in store for 2024? 

Within Cloudcroft, water issues and issues of street vendors were hot topics of the mayoral campaign of 2023. Will the new mayor address the issue of licensing of street vendors in a manner that is fair to the established businesses but still creates opportunities for street vendors to enhance the tourist experience? Will the city create a water plan going forward?

Within Alamogordo, the city council of Alamogordo for the first time in its history has two moderate African American members elected to 4-year terms. This is an historic first as Alamogordo's African American population is less than 3% of the total population. In the 1970's minority voter suppression was an issue in Alamogordo and it was under federal watch for voter suppression with lawsuits filed by the NAACP at the time. Alamogordo has come a long way in this historic election which elected two candidates; Sharon McDonald and Warren L Robinson based upon a resume of community involvement and significant volunteerism to a diverse community well outside their base. Will this new influence on the city commission bring about additional openness and sunlight into addressing city constituent concerns? Will roads be repaired and blight addressed? 

Congressional politics, in what appears to be a rematch between Yvette Herrell and incumbent Gabriel Vasquez; lawsuits are still pending over redistricting.  But in the end the race will be between these two known figures

The question for the 2024 race will be the numbers

Which candidate can get the voters to the polls. Vasquez has the advantage of incumbency but the disadvantage that the Otero County Democratic Party is in a shambles without strong leadership. The Republican Party of Otero County is stronger than even, and is already staging campaign events for 2024.

Stay tuned in what will be both a high-profile race and one that has lots of outside influence and money poured into both campaigns.

Presidential politics. Otero County sways heavily Republican and Donald Trump is clearly favoured for the County, but statewide Biden holds a commanding lead. If another candidate evolves as the Republican nominee New Mexico could become competitive.

Couy Griffin though no longer a politician in Otero County since he was removed from office under the 14th Amendment still garners headlines. His appeal to regain the right to hold office is progressing through the courts and may have an impact on decisions around Trumps ability to run and hold office. These court cases are historic and unique for modern times. 

Education:

Within Alamogordo, the public-school system's leadership is facing a significant change. The school board was shaken at its core with 3 incumbents voted out of office in 2023. The Alamogordo Public Schools is at a crossroads. The new school board members have not even been given a chance to address their vision of changes for the system without the pressure from the Alamogordo Center of Commerce and a group of agitators that want to split the system apart.  These groups have proposed creation of a specialized charter high school outside of the system, and with its own board, but with public funding. 

The public is being enticed with the idea of a split, and potentially a separate International Baccalaureate World School for Alamogordo students. A proposal has been presented by the Alamogordo Center of Commerce and Main Gate to introduce a charter school to Alamogordo. The International Baccalaureate World School program is great idea and would greatly enhance the educational opportunities for Alamogordo students - if properly implemented. 

The question for the public, is should such a program be independent of the Alamogordo Public Schools system? Should funding be diverted from the present system into a new system to support this program? Should the new school board members be given a chance to lead and to implement this vision within the existing infrastructure? Or is there no faith in the newly elected members?

What will be of interest in the new year of 2024 and is an odd twist is the same group that supports a new charter school via a separate board, is the same group that called for the eviction of the incumbents from the APS school board and supported the new school board members to be elected.

Alamogordo voters in 2024 will question why did this group support new members but is not trusting them to implement a new program but instead is working against them to split the educational funding of Alamogordo between 2 systems?

Is Alamogordo large enough to support and adequately fund an Alamogordo Charter School System and the traditional public schools?

Or should the effort be; to engage and work within the new leadership of APS to implement enhanced educational opportunities and better student outcomes?

The Alamogordo Public School System will be faced with significant pressures in 2024 to resolve these issues.

We will be on site, demanding transparency, issuing IPRA requests to all parties involved and we will be following the stories, from both sides and perspectives, ensuring the public is informed and participating in the process that will have significant impact on future generations of Alamogordo students.

There will be many more twists and turns and even more news stories leading the headlines. You can count on  AlamogordoTownNews.com, Alamogordo Conservative News on Newsbreak and listeners of streaming KRAZY KALH Radio to be there and to engage the public. Stay tuned 2024 is bound to be a year to remember.

The new year begins…

Tularosa Mayor Debbie Cooksey Swearing In And Comments 010224
https://youtu.be/GpANyj3saTU

Susan Payne Love Inc 010324
https://youtu.be/W8ZWp-DDyFs

Prayer Breakfast 2024
https://youtu.be/RWnqD2Ss7hY

APS Special Board Meeting January 2, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/live/XS6y8SbCVZE

Alamogordo Town News On KALH 010324
https://youtu.be/fIhQKGZQkAM

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