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Student government previews legislative priorities

Shin Thant Hlaing | January 26

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, students and staff from the University of New Mexico will participate in “UNM Day,” an annual event at the state legislature meant to increase the University’s lobbying presence at the capitol.  This year, the legislative priorities of the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico are the “Basic Needs Fund,” an upcoming bill meant to address non-academic barriers to education access, and a Capital Outlay request to improve parking security for T-Lot and P-Lot.

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News

ASUNM, PATS launch long-awaited nighttime ‘LoboLift’ escort program

Elizabeth Bolke | January 26

LoboLift will run Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., with the last pickup at 10:45 p.m. When calling LoboLift, the dispatcher must  verify the rider’s LoboID before a vehicle is sent to the pickup location, to ensure safety. Each LoboLift vehicle has a camera to provide security, and if there is suspicious activity, the LoboLift driver can relay that information directly to UNMPD via the vehicle’s radio.  Each cart is driven by trained student employees with no services being provided across city streets.

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Sports

UNM Track and Field shakes off the ice with season opener

Elizabeth Bolke | January 26

On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23-24, the University of New Mexico track and field team held its first home meet of the season, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational.  The meet was held at the indoor track at the Albuquerque Convention Center, which features a 200-meter Mondo oval with 12-degree banked turns and six 36-inch lanes along with a 60-meter infield and high jump area. Kyra Mohns, assistant coach of sprints, hurdle and multis, said it is important to have meets at a higher altitude, especially at the beginning of the track and field season.

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News

Protesters pressure lawmakers during NM legislature opening day

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | January 26

On Tuesday, Jan. 20, over 1,000 protesters marched throughout the chilly morning from Santa Fe Plaza to the New Mexico State Capitol on the opening day of this year’s legislative session and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s State of the State address.    The march was organized by Youth United for Climate Crisis Action and sponsored by 25 organizations, including University of New Mexico Leaders for Environmental Action and Foresight, New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition, New Energy Economy and Tewa Women United, according to a YUCCA press release.   The protest was part of the “We Got Us” mass mobilization that aimed to “put forward a people-centered vision for the future, show up for one another in the face of systemic failure and make our movements’ collective power impossible to ignore,” the press release reads.  

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Culture

UNM alum, songwriter and artist Hataaliinez Wheeler makes Indie Rock his own

Camillo Cretara | January 26

Staying in one place is never good for an artist and University of New Mexico alum Hataaliinez Wheeler, who performs under the name “Hataałii,” recently realized that when he moved to New York City, New York, to continue writing music and painting.  A 23-year-old singer, songwriter and painter, Wheeler is known for creating a psychedelic fusion of indie-rock and melancholic pop. Wheeler, who recently attended UNM, first started writing songs and painting in his dorm room, he said. Art can come from a lot of different places, and for Wheeler, his music and paintings often come from similar places, described as “Ntł’iz and Yódí,” he said.

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Sports

Lobo men’s basketball howls louder than the Wolf Pack

Alex Joe | January 26

The University of New Mexico Lobo men’s basketball team, after a home victory against the California State University, Fresno Bulldogs, aimed to defend their undefeated home record versus the University of Nevada, Reno Wolf Pack. The battle was tough on Saturday, Jan. 24, but in the end UNM pulled away late with a 80-73 victory. Lobo forward Tomislav Buljan only had two points in the first half but proved to be a force in the game, finishing with a double-double of 11 points and 15 rebounds. 

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Sports

Lobo women’s basketball breaks three game losing streak against Falcons

Wyatt S. Padilla | January 26

On Saturday, Jan. 24, The University of New Mexico Lobos Women’s basketball team lifted itself out of a massive slump that included a three-game losing streak, as sophomore guard Joana Magalhães scored a career-high 29 points, grounding the U.S. Air Force Academy at Falcon Stadium in a 74-57 win.  Magalhães went nine of 14 from the field, five of six from three and went perfect from the free throw, going six of six.  The Lobos saw a big-time return of their defense to offense style. The largest factor, besides Magalhães going off, was the 24 turnovers that the Lobos forced onto the Falcons, which created 18 points and 19 steals for UNM. Guard Alyssa Hargrove chipped in a game-high five steals, with Magalhães and guard Destinee Hooks combining for another seven. 

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Culture

Albuquerque to become ‘Community Edition’ Monopoly board

Addison Fulton | January 26

In November, 2026, the city of Albuquerque will join the proud ranks of San Diego, Memphis, Tenn. and Star Wars in receiving its very own Monopoly board.  Monopoly’s publisher, Hasbro, selects cities to be made into “Community Edition” releases where iconic local landmarks and institutions replace the traditional properties on the game board. Daniel Mayfield, the public information officer for the City of Albuquerque, said the board will be split into parks, restaurants, cultural destinations, tourism spots and other locations. 

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Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week

Simon Reseigh | January 26

Where there are winners, there are losers. While some losses are unavoidable, others can be traced back to a single performance or decision. Those players earn the unfortunate distinction of being this week’s bobbleheads. The Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs wrapped up Sunday, Jan. 18, with an instant classic, as the Los Angeles Rams outlasted the Chicago Bears 20-17 in overtime in front of a raucous Soldier Field crowd. Meanwhile, the NHL season continues to roll along, and with the Winter Olympics approaching in Milan, many athletes are either justifying their selection to represent their country or giving fans reason to question those decisions. Here are the Bobbleheads of the Week, whose mistakes came at costly moments.

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Culture

Immersive show encourages Popejoy to sing

Leila Chapa | January 22

“Sing-A- Long Broadway” is a unique show which invites audience members to an opportunity to celebrate Broadway music, from a variety of shows, through a guided sing-along stage experience on Sunday, Jan. 25. According to a Popejoy press release, the show is designed to include attendees of all ages and levels of experience to participate in the show. “Hosted by a two-person emcee team, the duo will lead the audience through musical highlights, thematic medleys, and interactive moments,” the press release reads.

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Sports

Lobos bounce back with win over Fresno State Bulldogs

Marley Herndon | January 22

After dropping their previous game in San Diego State, the University of New Mexico Lobos men’s basketball team returned home to face the California State University, Fresno Bulldogs and get back in the win column with an 83-74 victory in front of the fans.  The Lobos got on the board first when guard Jake Hall hit a three, and despite the Bulldogs eventually taking a one-point lead, this sparked an early 14-0 run that the Lobos never looked back from.  The Pit exploded when guard Luke Haupt dunked late in the first half, which felt like the exclamation on a first half that had the Lobos looking truly dominant. 

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Sports

Lobo men’s basketball pushes San Diego State to the brink in narrow defeat

Austin Bishop | January 20

The University of New Mexico Lobos men’s basketball team seemed up for the challenge against the San Diego State University Aztecs, in what could be the Lobos last trip to Viejas Arena, with the Aztecs moving to the Pac-12 next year. The game came down to the wire, with SDSU guard BJ Davis making a last-second shot, leading to an 83-79 win on Saturday, Jan. 17. With the Aztecs having a slim lead early over the Lobos, guard Luke Haupt made a crucial three-pointer to put the Lobos up. Lobo guard Jake Hall kept the momentum going, scoring two shots. With the team flowing, guard Tajavis Miller stepped up, making crucial shots to keep the game close while the team fought to stay up. 

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News

Elected officials condemn Trump administration in Albuquerque ‘Free America Rally’

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | January 19

Hundreds gathered at Civic Plaza on Sunday, Jan. 18  to express their disapproval of President Donald Trump’s administration, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement detentions, the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Trump’s “fascism,” according to the event flyer.   Among those who spoke at the rally were New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D), New Mexico Women’s March Founder and Chair Samia Assed and community organizer Selinda Guerrero.  Haaland was one of many rally speakers who encouraged attendees to vote in this year’s midterm elections. 

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Culture

REVIEW: ‘Marty Supreme’ is an instant cult classic

Addison Fulton | January 19

For a film about table tennis, Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme” includes remarkably little table tennis. It’s a dizzying, disorienting and fast-paced film about fictional table tennis star Marty Mauser, a Jewish man living in New York in the 1950s. Mauser is an irresponsible, womanizing jerk. At the beginning of the movie, he impregnates another man’s wife, and mocks a fellow player who survived a concentration camp — not the kind of guy you usually root for in a sports film. But “Marty Supreme” is no ordinary sports feature, and that’s the root of its artistry and charm.

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News

KUNM programming to increase focus on local news

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | January 19

New Mexico’s largest nonprofit newsroom and National Public Radio affiliate, KUNM, is proposing a new program schedule to shift more local news segments into primetime listening slots. The changes could go into effect this spring, pending a review by the KUNM Radio Board on Feb. 3. “The top line for us is more local news for the most people, that’s why we’re making a program change,” KUNM’s General Manager Jeff Pope said.

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News

Homeless shelter organizers speak on cold fighting $820k state grant

Penelope Loyd Sment | January 19

In a first for the New Mexico Office of Housing, a new grant program to prepare for winter emergencies was announced earlier this month, with $820,000 distributed to shelters across the state, giving a maximum amount of $20,000 to each homeless shelter.  The funding seeks to help shelters prepare for the needs of people with unstable housing conditions during the winter by increasing the holding capacity of shelters and other living facilities and distributing greater amounts of warm food and drink, hygiene supplies including pads and tampons, and warm clothing, according to a New Mexico Department of Workplace Solutions press release. 

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News

NM AG announces legislation to protect victims of AI deepfakes

Addison Fulton | January 19

On Thursday, Jan. 15, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and State Representative Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe) announced legislation meant to curb the spread of harmful images generated by artificial intelligence. The legislation will be voted on during the upcoming legislative session, which begins on Jan. 20.  The “Artificial Intelligence Accountability Act” would establish requirements that generative AI servers and social media platforms embed markers or “signatures” into images, allowing law enforcement to trace illegal AI generated content back to its source, as well as allow the New Mexico Department of Justice to investigate tech companies for infractions, Torrez said during a press conference at the New Mexico Department of Justice office in Albuquerque. 

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Sports

GCU vanquishes Lobo women's basketball team in The Pit

Wyatt S. Padilla | January 19

The new kids on the block in the Mountain West, the Grand Canyon University Antelopes, were blessed with a victory against the University of New Mexico Lobos women’s basketball team, winning 75-62 on Saturday Jan. 17. The Lopes came into the Pit with a 5-12 record, but tied UNM in the Mountain West standings at 4-3.  The Lobos entered on an unusual losing slide that included a homecourt loss to Nevada and a brutal 17-point road loss to San Diego State, hoping to right the ship with a return to The Pit. GCU, however, had different plans and handed UNM its third loss in a row, as well as its third loss in The Pit this season.

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Culture

Spyglass Festival features spies, secrets at nuclear museum

Elizabeth Bolke | January 19

The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History hosted its inaugural Spyglass Festival from Jan. 15-17. This three-day event combined science and history through a range of activities celebrating the work of spies during World War II and the Cold War, as well as featured retired Central Intelligence Agency officer David Kitchen. On Thursday, Jan. 15, Science on Tap featured specialty brews from Bombs Away Beer Company, a veteran-owned brewery and taproom in Albuquerque’s Skyline Heights neighborhood. 

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News

Grad students seek statewide study on healthcare expansion for higher ed workers

Paloma Chapa | January 19

Members of United Graduate Workers of the University of New Mexico collaborated on a House Memorial that, if passed, would request the Legislative Finance Committee of the New Mexico Legislature launch a study on the feasibility of expanding health insurance to all higher education educators, including temporary part-time faculty and graduate student employees, according to the memorial.   The report requested by the memorial would have a deadline of Oct. 1 of this year. The 2026 legislative session is set to begin on Jan. 20 and end on Feb. 19.