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Culture

Balloon Fiesta drive-in offers safe and enjoyable summer activity during pandemic

Lauren McDonald | July 25

With almost everyone stuck at home this summer, the Balloon Fiesta Park’s new drive-in theater offers a fun and exciting option to get out of the house and make a new memory. This drive-in was created by three friends from St. Michael’s High School in Santa Fe. Other locations hosting drive-ins include O'Reilly's Pub, Cottonwood Mall and the occasional night hosted by the Guild Theatre at Balloon Fiesta Park. Due to the pandemic, the drive-in’s operators need to heed ongoing social distancing regulations, keeping cars four to six feet apart and requiring masks whenever outside of a car.

Culture

Lobo face masks helping bring campus back to work

Daniel Ward | July 22

After nearly four months into the dawn of COVID-19 safety regulations from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, many people are beginning to stylize what masks they wear. The University of New Mexico has joined the trend with Lobo face masks available in the bookstore. There are multiple types and designs of Lobo masks that have been created by different vendors for the bookstore. Marketing Divisions Manager Lisa Walden said the demand for masks is high, not only to keep everyone safe, but because people want to show off their love for the Lobo. She said they sometimes sell about 250 masks in a day between individual sales and orders from departments.

News

Update: Trump announces Operation Legend is being expanded to Albuquerque

Bella Davis | July 22

President Trump announced Wednesday afternoon that under Operation Legend — an initiative launched in Kansas City, Missouri earlier this month — dozens of federal officers will soon come to Albuquerque, as well as Chicago. Reports emerged Tuesday that this move by Trump was likely, as reported in the Daily Lobo. “Under Operation Legend we will soon send federal law enforcement to other cities that need help,” Trump said. “Other cities need help, they need it badly. They should call, they should want it. They’re too proud or they’re too political to do that. One of them is Albuquerque, New Mexico.”

News

Unhoused people in downtown Albuquerque in need of water, PPE and a safe place to sleep

Beatrice Nisoli | July 22

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has cost countless Albuquerque residents their employment and disproportionately affected the existing unhoused population, leaving them scrambling for life-saving resources. As of 2019, homelessness in Albuquerque has nearly quadrupled, launching from 144 to at least 567 people, according to an assessment the Urban Institute released in May. A recent New Mexico Coalition To End Homelessness survey puts the numbers even higher at 1,524 unhoused people in Albuquerque alone. These findings do not account for the pandemic’s impact on housing and employment instability. According to a fact sheet from New Mexico Voices for Children, between the months of March and May, 134,513 New Mexicans filed for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits -- which aim to combat homelessness — out of a workforce of 835,800. UI claims show a dramatic increase of 2,272% since the pandemic began.

News

Trump considers sending federal officers to Albuquerque

Bella Davis | July 21

As federal law enforcement agents continue to brutalize and detain Portland, Oregon protesters, President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to send federal officers to other Democrat-controlled cities, saying officers have done a “great job” in Portland. On the list is Chicago, with Kansas City, Missouri and Albuquerque possibly next. Federal officers have been detaining protesters in Portland for at least a week, as reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting. Protesters have described officers dressed in camo pulling up in unmarked cars and detaining people with no explanation.

Culture

Paint for Peace 505 restores beauty in a desolate downtown

Megan Gleason | July 21

Although the pandemic has caused local businesses in downtown Albuquerque to close up shop, their boarded-up windows have given local artists a new canvas to display their work. Paint for Peace 505 is a local movement in Albuquerque to cover boarded-up windows with art. Many local artists contributed to this movement simply for the benefit of the community. “It was really healing to turn that area into something so beautiful,” Jessica Anderson, one of the organizers, said. After two weeks of work and preparation, an art show was held for the public on the evening of July 17. People drove or walked through, all wearing masks and keeping their distance.

Culture

Splash of Funk art exhibit displayed at OT Circus

Daniel Ward and Cameron Ward | July 21

therapeutic escape of selling his art. While battling depression, Cantrell found peace in the never-ending creation of his paintings. On June 18, a solo pop-up show dedicated to Cantrell and his art called “A Splash of Funk” shared a wide range of good vibes, including a live DJ and food from Elevate Food Truck. Cantrell’s art was also on display inside OT Circus Gallery and was available to purchase, with prices ranging between $60 and $300. “I try to up the game every time I have a show here,” Cantrell said. “Last time, I was the first person to have a caterer; this year, I have a DJ and the food truck is on the premises instead of out on the street.”

News

City firearms ban not enforced uniformly at protests

Bella Davis | July 19

CIVIC PLAZA — On Sunday, July 19, what was intended to be a conservative-led, anti-mask protest became a heavily policed counter-demonstration which raised questions of uneven enforcement of a mayoral administrative decree banning weapons in city parks. The Albuquerque Police Department drew criticism for detaining two armed Black men — Frankie Grady and Te Barry — who were part of a counter protest at Civic Plaza on Sunday. In stark contrast, a dozen mostly white, armed protesters — including members of the New Mexico Civil Guard — who were at a reopen protest on Thursday were given a warning rather than being detained.

Culture

Mental health resources available at Student Health and Counseling during the summer

Lauren McDonald | July 19

Dealing with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic can be stressful. Luckily, Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) at the University of New Mexico is available to students during this time, over the summer and in the future as well. All regular services of SHAC are currently open, such as counseling, acupuncture, appointments, nutrition, pharmacy, physical therapy, sexual and reproductive health services and call-ahead coronavirus-related visits for students who may have symptoms. “We are having people do telephone or Zoom appointments. There has been a slight increase in calls but not necessarily COVID related,” said Victoria Cee, manager at SHAC. “We are all functional, everything in the SHAC is open, (but) students do have to call ahead of time or call when they are in the building.”

News

‘We asked for help — Why did you shoot him?’: Body camera footage of APD shooting of Max Mitnik released

Bella Davis | July 18

Editor’s note: This story contains discussion of suicide. If you’re feeling suicidal, you are not alone. Please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or contact Student Health and Counseling at UNM at 505-277-313 Seconds before being shot in the hip and side of the head by Albuquerque police officer Jose Ruiz, 27-year-old Max Mitnik calmly said to Ruiz, “I’m going to suffer a lot if I don’t kill myself. Will you please kill me, sir? Kill me.” Albuquerque Police Department body camera footage released last week shows the events that led to the June 4 shooting that left Mitnik alive but severely injured. The following is a breakdown of the 911 call that preceded the shooting and the police lapel footage that captured it.

Culture

Renowned artist recounts systemic racism within artistic institutions

Beatrice Nisoli | July 17

The recent resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has proven that racism is not solely confined to the streets. Its systemic influence pervades all institutions — including artistic ones. Several artists have found that the galleries they sell to on commission are unwilling to accept BLM-themed art out of fear of diminishing customer interest, thus prioritizing business over the racial justice movement. Bruce Carlton (B.C.) Nowlin, a renowned artist and New Mexico local, has been painting since high school and has utilized his Southwestern roots to produce vibrant, culturally significant artwork. Nowlin’s work has never had issues selling — indeed, it has appealed to celebrity circles and album covers for decades — but a recent painting of his has been met with a ringing silence from collectors.

News

Fraternity with long history of sexual assault allegations planning to return to UNM

Bella Davis and Cameron Ward | July 17

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) — a fraternity with a history of sexual assault allegations and misconduct related to underage drinking dating back to at least 1998 — is planning a return to the University of New Mexico this fall. As the Daily Lobo previously reported, SAE had its charter revoked in 2013 for student code of conduct violations, including consumption of alcohol by minors. Per the revocation, they were eligible to come back to campus in 2017. After two months of investigation, the University administration revoked the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity’s charter in May of 2013. According to a press release from UNM at the time, SAE was disbanded because of student code of conduct violations, which included use of alcohol on campus at an unauthorized event and consumption of alcohol by minors. The Daily Lobo reported at the time that members admitted to consuming alcohol at the party and said they didn’t register the party with the University.

Culture

UNM duck pond is cleaned and ready for fish, ducks and turtles to return

Lauren McDonald | July 17

Every couple years, the University of New Mexico duck pond is drained by UNM’s Facilities Management department. The drainage makes the pond a cleaner and healthier environment for the fish, ducks and turtles that reside in the center of campus. “We take all the turtles and fish to one of the golf courses while it’s emptied, then bring them back once the cleaning is done,, but there’s still a few of them — turtles and ducks — around here. They hang out, you know?” said Dwayne Jones, UNM’s water systems master technician.

Sports

Late Sandoval PK rescues point for United in El Paso impasse

Andrew Gunn | July 15

EL PASO — For the majority of Wednesday evening's USL Championship tilt between El Paso Locomotive FC and New Mexico United, the Albuquerque club displayed the crispness and confidence of a team who — in a fair and just existence — would have returned to the Land of Enchantment with a comfortable victory. "Man stands face to face with the irrational," wrote French journalist and philosopher Albert Camus in The Myth of Sisyphus. "The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world." United (1-1-1) may take some solace in the position of the absurdists after controlling the better part of a match drenched in south Texas sweat, yet settling for a 2-2 draw with El Paso (1-0-2) at Southwest University Park in front of a sellout crowd of cardboard cutouts.

News

Board of Regents reject calls for pandemic tuition reduction, move forward with increase

Lissa Knudsen | July 15

In the wake of a nearly $30 million dollar cut from the state, the University of New Mexico’s Board of Regents voted to adjust the University’s budget in a special meeting on Tuesday. The new budget held the previously approved tuition hike in place. The total cost hike is still $125.08 per semester for a full-time undergraduate taking 12 credit hours. For graduate students, the increase is $156.72 per semester for those taking 12 credit hours, as reported in the Daily Lobo after the regents approved the increase at their March 10 meeting.

News

Trump administration rescinds short-lived ICE policy affecting international students

Annya Loya | July 14

On July 14, the Trump administration, after multiple lawsuits and outrage from colleges and universities across the country, rescinded the rule in which international students would have been forced to leave the U.S if their schools did not offer face-to-face classes. “The decision of forcing international students to leave in the first place was the dumbest idea they ever came up with,” said Admed Abbas, a UNM international student from Saudi Arabia. The news was probably a relief for a lot of us that feared such a problem to come.” On July 6, the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agency released a new policy regarding international students in the United States that had the potential to profoundly impact the lives of more than 1.1 million international students across the country.

Sports

UNM, NCAA begin to prepare for fall sports

Spencer Butler | July 12

When COVID-19 forced the NCAA to cancel spring sports and eliminate the NCAA basketball tournament, the question arose over whether UNM fall sports would meet the same fate. While local outbreak fears still linger, other college athletic programs have started to have fall sport teams practice with strict guidelines. This includes regular COVID-19 testing for players and staff and practicing in smaller groups in an attempt to combat the virus’ spread. On July 1, UNM Athletics director Eddie Nuñez said that one of 88 individuals associated with the UNM football team — including players, coaches and staff — tested positive for COVID-19 after testing took place on June 27.

Culture

UNM Art Museum helps public destress with meditative art practices

Megan Gleason | July 12

The coronavirus pandemic has caused an enormous amount of stress to sweep the nation, but University of New Mexico art history professor Justine Andrews has a solution that involves a combination of art and meditative practices. Andrews has teamed with the UNM Art Museum (UNMAM) to host “Mindful Looking,” which will take place every Wednesday in July at 2 p.m. UNMAM’s website says it is “a series of guided exercises designed to help participants slow down, look closely and experience works of art in a whole new way.” The series of events is open to the public, and no prior art experience or knowledge is necessary.

News

CYFD adopts new directives to further its mission of youth inclusion

Beatrice Nisoli | July 12

The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) recently announced two directives to better support all New Mexico children. First, CYFD updated its non-discriminatory policy to include LGBTQIA+ individuals, and second, the institution extended its age of services from age 18 to 21. According to its website, CYFD “provides an array of prevention, intervention, rehabilitative and after-care services to New Mexico children and their families.” This mission is accomplished by enrolling children and/or their families in different categories of services, like behavioral health or early childhood care, on the basis of an initial screening to determine potential abuse, neglect or other similar instances of trauma.

Sports

United resumes 2020 season with 2-1 escape against Switchbacks

Andrew Gunn | July 12

COLORADO SPRINGS — After 126 days, COVID-19 protocol stacked upon COVID-19 protocol and a seemingly endless wait for a return to soccer for New Mexico United supporters, the black and yellow returned to competition on a blistering Saturday evening in Colorado. The resumption of the USL Championship was a triumph for New Mexico, as a late Chris Wehan goal and stout defending saw United (1-1) take three points from and remain undefeated all-time against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (1-1). The 2-1 victory in front of a threadbare crowd of 1,000 spectators brought New Mexico to third behind Colorado Springs in the four-team Group C table with the weekend’s slate complete.