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NM Legislature begins 30 day session this week

Lissa Knudsen | January 22

It’s going to be a busy thirty days. New Mexico legislators are working this year to legalize recreational marijuana, fund free college, address the Yazzie/Martinez ruling and much more. In the short session, the state’s budget, appropriations and anything the governor deemed worthy will be addressed. The governor released her message on Jan. 15, setting forth these “exception” bills and listed education, economy, public safety, and health as priorities. Any bills that are not determined to be “germane” are killed in their first committee.

Culture

NM Mother of the Year recognized for giving back

Beatrice Nisoli | January 22

Robin Brule, an Albuquerque resident and fellow Lobo, was named the 44th New Mexico Mother of the Year earlier this month. Her advocacy for mothers in the workplace, flexible balancing of her own professional and family life and her philanthropic contributions to her community earned her the nomination. Brule said she considers the title to be a “heartfelt, unexpected honor and privilege,” and that it reflects how honoring her own mother and supporting motherhood, in general, has been a consistent theme in her life.

Culture

New Taco Truck calls Red Door Brewery Home

Liz Pritchard | January 22

Mi Taco Su Taco is the latest addition to the Albuquerque food truck scene. On Jan. 17, the truck had its grand opening at the Red Door Brewery, showcasing its sweet and simple menu. “Today is our grand opening and business has been good for the day.” Owner Roman Martinez said. Martinez, 35, decided to open his food truck after becoming a first-generation college graduate from New Mexico State University.

Sports

Lobos bounce back, remain undefeated at home

Joe Rull | January 22

If ever the Lobos men’s basketball team needed a morale-boosting win, Tuesday night’s home tilt against San José State was it. With the 86-59 victory, UNM improved to 16-5 on the season. Despite the recent uncertainty clouding the program, the Lobos are still clinging to a 13-0 record at home, its best start during the Mountain West era.

News

NM gov talks pot and free college at State of State address

Justin Garcia and Lissa Knudsen | January 22

Weed and school — that was New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s focus during her second State of the State address at the second onset of New Mexico’s 54th Legislature on Jan. 21. Speaking to a joint legislative session, Lujan Grisham outlined her legislative priorities — from the legalization of cannabis to teacher pay raises a hard stance on crime and making college free for New Mexico residents — promising a busy 30-day session in 2020. “As we open this 30-day session, I challenge you to think beyond the 30 days. Think beyond even this year,” Lujan Grisham said during the speech.“We stand together in the sunrise of a new decade. What we do here in this session, in this coming year, will set the course for what comes over the horizon in 2030 and beyond.”

Lobo freshman point guard Corina Carter x Colorado State

Sports

Lady Lobos secure 73-62 win over Colorado State

January 21

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team (11-8, 2-4 MW) hosted the Colorado State Rams (8-9, 2-4 MW) at home on Jan. 15 in a-must win game for each team. The game was driven by a burst of third quarter offense from UNM and a lights-out performance from redshirt senior guard Aisia Robertson.

Opinion

Review: White people like films: observations at No Man's Land

Lissa Knudsen | January 20

On a nearly freezing mid-January evening, an impressive crowd of stereotypical affluent, environmentally and socially conscious, anti-corporate white North Americans, of all ages and genders, clad in the muted tones of this year’s line of outdoor performance clothes, poured into the bottom floor of the Kimo Theater to watch a collection of films depicting extraordinary women pushing themselves to their limits. The No Man's Land Film Festival (NMLFF) tour came to Albuquerque on Saturday, January 17, 2020, to show a selection of women-focused adventure short films.

News

NM Legislature: What you need to know about free college

Alyssa Martinez | January 20

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “moon shot” is a step closer to take off. As the 2020 legislative session nears, some university students across the state are hailing the governor’s proposed “Opportunity Scholarship” as a way to alleviate student debt and provide “every New Mexico student with an opportunity for higher education.” Among them, is the University of New Mexico’s student government, who passed a resolution last fall in support of the scholarship. But even with UNM and NMSU’s bilateral endorsement of the scholarship, the details are, as of the publication of this article, confuddled.

Culture

One Hundred Years of UNM — 1920 vs. 2020

Makayla Grijalva and Alyssa Martinez | January 20

A lot has changed in the past 100 years since the roaring 1920s. The end of the first World War, the ratification of the 19th Amendment and the tuberculosis pandemic all culminated at the turn of the 20th century — and the University of New Mexico was no stranger to these growing pains. From a birds-eye lens, UNM’s governance landscape was not too far off from today — there were budget shortages, transplant leadership, constant construction, and athletic funding issues. However, only focusing on the similarities would be to erase the changes the University has made over the past century.

News

PHOTO STORY: 4th Albuquerque Women's March

Emille Domschot | January 20

A crowd gathered in Civic Plaza for the fourth iteration of the annual women’s march on Sunday, January 19. Hoisting a variety of signs and shouting chants, the group paraded around the block and returned to the plaza where several performers and speakers were lined up for the afternoon, including U.S. representative Deb Haaland and first lady Elizabeth Kistin Keller. Some of the issues addressed by the protestors included reproductive rights, inequality for women, immigration, LGBTQ rights, Trump’s impeachment and racism. Thomas Luebben, who owns a Native American law practice in Sandia Park, attended the march. He said that he was there to support the struggle for women’s equality, and felt that women’s financial opportunities were not equal to those of men.

Sports

US soccer star Hope Solo coming to UNM

Andrew Gunn | January 20

A key figurehead in the United States women’s soccer team’s fight for equal pay is coming to the University of New Mexico. Hope Solo, whose 16-year goalkeeping career with the USWNT included a World Cup trophy and two Olympic gold medals, will lead a Q&A session at SUB Ballrooms A&B on Monday, Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. Her talk centers around one question: "Are sports serving American girls and women well?"

News

NM legislature: Vaping legislation in Santa Fe

Lissa Knudsen | January 20

In the next few weeks, New Mexico legislators will consider several changes to the e-cigarette and vaping industry, including establishing a licensure process for retailers and raising the age limit for purchase. These bills come in response to the number of young people who have taken up vaping and the recent epidemic of lung injuries associated with Vitamin E Acetate, an additive in some vaping liquids. The CDC reported 2,602 cases of e-cigarette related lung injuries and 57 deaths related to e-cigarette use as of early January.

JaQuan Lyle x Colorado State University, Jan. 15, 2020

Sports

Lobos humbled in blowout loss to Colorado State

Joe Rull | January 19

Maybe the first half of the Lobos' 2019 season was just a flash in the pan. Maybe the University of New Mexico's sagging defensive philosophy just isn't suited for the modern game. Or maybe it was both, as the Lobos (15-4, 4-2 MW) could only watch as Colorado State (12-7, 3-3 MW) caught fire from beyond the arc, hitting 19 of 28 attempts (67.9%) before the final buzzer, handing UNM a 105-72 loss on Jan. 15 at Moby Arena.

Culture

ASUNM Giving Tree provided gifts to local children

Lauren McDonald | January 12

Planned by Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Community Experience, this past Nov. 25 marked the start of the Annual Giving Tree that has been held for over ten years, on display in the Student Union Building. Candy canes decorated The Giving Tree. Volunteers of the community could pick one, then buy the gift written on the decoration, and bring them to the ASUNM office. Each cane had a specific donation request noted. The gifts were distributed to the local youth at the UNM Children’s Hospital, APS Title I Albuquerque charter schools, and Casa Q — a residential home for LGBTQ youth ages 14 to 17 years old.

Sports

Two men's basketball players suspended

Andrew Gunn | January 12

Everything was going right for the University of New Mexico men's basketball team — until it wasn't. Unfortunately for head coach Paul Weir and the UNM Athletics Department, one of the best seasons in recent memory has been largely overshadowed by a litany of recent criminal investigations. The team’s sterling 6-1 record since Dec. 14 and overall 15-3 season has been starkly juxtaposed against a backdrop of criminal sexual penetration and battery allegations, a DWI arrest and a lawsuit filed by a player against the school.

Opinion

Stop putting yourself in the center of the U.S.-Iran conflict

Alyssa Martinez | January 12

News of the killing of Iranian top Military Commander Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike three days into the new year sent war trepidation throughout the nation. In the age of social media, this apprehension led memes under hashtags like #WWIII and #WW3 to explode on Twitter. Though the death left many citizens and experts around the globe speechless, Soleimani — who was widely regarded as a key figure in thwarting the spread of ISIS in Iran — did not go quietly. Thousands of Iranian people mourned Soleimani’s death during funeral processions on Jan. 7. In a broadcast speech earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif labeled the attack as a “stupid mistake by assassinating the greatest commander who stood in the face of terrorism" in the region, and said that Iran would respond in a proportionate matter “against legitimate targets.”

Opinion

Affordable meals for college students to survive 2020

Ellie Aikman | January 12

With 2020 rolling in a new year and decade, University of New Mexico students may begin to scramble around for their next meal. UNM offers three different meal plans: the lobo, the silver and the red, as well as an array of different plans for dining dollars and various places around campus to eat. Besides La Posada, UNM’s campus offers places like Einstein’s Bagel Bros, the Student Resource Center, Mandalay at Freshbox and the Union Club on the first floor of the Student Union Building — each of which are meal swipe friendly locations where a rushing college student can grab something to go between classes.

News

Keller addresses crime in second state of city address

Alyssa Martinez | January 12

Despite the opening licks of a Judas Priest song, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s second State of the City gave off a subdued feel. After introductory jokes about Colorado chile feuds and penguins in the desert subsided, Keller addressed a more sobering topic — crime. Since the start of Keller’s administration, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) hired 100 new officers. Keller said that for the first time in a decade, APD is “1,000 officer strong.”

Sports

Jackson, Lyle run the show as UNM harness Fresno State 78-64

Joe Rull | January 1

Notwithstanding the closer-than-desirable nature of many of UNM's games thus far, the Lobos have run up a perfect 11-0 home start to their 2019-2020 season, good enough for the best such record at the Pit since near the end of the Ritchie McKay era in 2005-2006 (a 12-0 home streak put to rest by BYU on Feb. 1, 2006).

Sports

Aztecs crush Central Michigan for New Mexico Bowl title

Spencer Butler | December 31

The 14th edition of the New Mexico Bowl was like most football games at Dreamstyle Stadium in 2019: a blowout. However, instead of a University of New Mexico meltdown, the thrashing came via a Central Michigan Chippewas collapse as the San Diego State Aztecs claimed a 48-11 victory on Dec. 21 in front of a modest announced crowd of 18,823.