New Mexico

Every year, residents in Santa Fe, New Mexico send a huge human effigy into flames. Burning with it are physical representations of the bad memories and experiences of the past year.

The zoning code of Alamogordo, NM hasn't been revisited since April of 1950. Today, the zoning rewrite group is finally updating the code and making the switch to a form-based code in the process.

Small towns in New Mexico are increasingly being used as film locations. But for some locals, the invasion of Hollywood is not worth the economic benefits.

Officials in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas are pooling efforts to try to secure federal funding for a high speed rail link between their urban areas.

Two new laws in Colorado make legal the formerly prohibited act of collecting rainwater. Other states aren't so lenient.

Albuquerque's new "form-based codes" could offer city planners another model for denser, more pedestrian-friendly growth.

This column from Neal Peirce looks at the new megapolitan stronghold of the Intermountain West.

Restoration and preservation of historic sites along Route 66 are slow going in Albuquerque.

Criticism of New Mexico's commuter rail system heats up as officials claim Rail Runner starves other transportation projects of funding.

"Sky islands" are a globally unique convergence — the north-south overlap of two major cordilleras spanning the temperate and subtropical latitudes, covering some 40 distinct mountain ranges in the southwestern U.S. But they are at risk.

The seven western states dependent on the Colorado River for their water are on the verge of coming to an agreement on a management plan to ensure a steady supply of water from the increasingly stressed source. But some say the plan won't do enough.

A commuter rail project in Sante Fe is stressing New Mexico's state transportation budget, causing officials to announce delays on many road and highway projects. But many are upset that the rail plans will move ahead unhindered.

Rapid development is expected to bring the population of Albuquerque, New Mexico, over the 1 million mark within 15 years.

The Sante Fe River in New Mexico has been rated the most endangered river in the nation by the environmental group American Rivers.

After a lull in ridership, more people are now riding metropolitan Albuquerque's commuter rail line, thanks to the opening of new stations. The rail line is less than one year old and now counts more than 2,000 riders per day.

A recent article urges New Mexicans to support the idea of permanent housing linked to services as a solution to homelessness -- citing the cost savings and demonstrated success of such facilities.