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Fusion energy company considers Albuquerque for $1 billion nuclear fusion facility

Energy company Pacific Fusion has selected Albuquerque as one of two cities, along with Fremont, California, to expand its operations by building a 225,000-square-foot facility in Mesa del Sol to develop nuclear fusion energy. Fusion reactions are what power the sun, with strong gravitational forces creating conditions where two light nuclei fuse together into one larger nucleus, releasing fusion energy due to the total mass being less than the mass of the two original nuclei, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Scientists are attempting to generate this energy on earth through fusion machines to be used for electricity, according to the DOE.

Free admission and $4 hot dogs: UNM Athletics’ push for affordability

Over the past two weeks, the University of New Mexico’s Athletics Department announced a frenzy of initiatives to make Lobo athletic events more affordable. It will allow free entry for home games for several Olympic sporting events, free entry for children under 12 to Lobo football games and a new $4 value menu for concessions at home football games. The new programs reflect a long-term investment into affordability and the fan experience for Lobo Football and athletics, UNM’s Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Relations, Kasey Byers, said. “This may be something we break even on, or this may be something that we’re willing to invest in — what the overall growth of the program is going to be,” Byers said.

How the “One Big Beautiful Bill” could impact New Mexico’s renewable energy infrastructure

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — signed into law on July 4 by President Trump — furthered the Trump administration’s cutdowns on renewable energy sources in favor of producing natural energy resources using federal lands and waters. The bill introduces changes to tax credits intended to incentivize the expansion of renewable energy companies building solar and wind farms across the U.S. The effects of the bill are likely to directly affect New Mexicans, Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D) said. “New Mexicans could be looking at a price hike in their electric bills of more than $400 a year because of this bill. It is going to have a direct effect on the overall modernization of our infrastructure, as well as the bottom line for families and paying their utilities,” Stansbury said in an interview with the Daily Lobo.

Students reflect on fatal UNM dormitory shooting

On July 25, the University of New Mexico’s main campus was closed and under a shelter-in-place directive due to a fatal shooting at the Casas del Rio dormitories.The shooting resulted in the death of 14-year-old Michael Lamotte and an injury to a 19-year-old. The UNM Police Department responded to the call at 1:36 a.m and the shooting’s perpetrator was taken into custody at around 2:30 p.m. the same day — approximately 13 hours after the police first responded on the scene. Although campus has now resumed normal operation, the shooting has left some students  feeling unsafe — according to a Daily Lobo Instagram story post asking for UNM students’ thoughts on campus safety — and hoping UNM will do more to prevent such occurrences. Sophomore Roger Apodaca, wrote that he was sleeping in the dorm across from where the shooting occurred.

REVIEW: Tyler the Creator’s ‘Don’t Tap the Glass’ features bold lyrics and genre-bending instrumentals

Tyler the Creator upholds a unique blend of genres in his recent 2025 album, “Don’t Tap the Glass.” Only four days after the album’s July 21 release date, “Don’t Tap that Glass” reached No. 1 album in the Billboard Top 200. In Tyler’s ninth studio album, Pharrell is featured as a producer and a singer, specifically on the song “Big Poe”, featuring Sk8brd. The song is creative and catchy, which is what makes it successful. In his previous albums, Tyler encapsulates alter egos; however, in “Don’t Tap that Glass/Tweakin” he refers to himself as “Big Poe,” a figure fans think was first introduced in the music video for “SORRY NOT SORRY” in March 2023.

New ice cream shop brings color and sweetness to Albuquerque neighborhood

On July 20, the new homemade ice cream shop, Burque Licks, opened its doors with free ice cream scoops for every customer who came during the first hour of opening. Even after the first hour, the shop was packed with people both inside and outside. Customers held cones topped with a variety of flavors, and the sweet scent of ice cream carried its way outside into the small parking lot. Burque Licks is located near the intersection of Lomas Boulevard and Washington Street and is a five-minute drive from the University of New Mexico’s main campus. The colorful building and ice cream shaped bench can’t be missed when driving past the shop.

REVIEW: Tyler Childers’s “Snipe Hunter” combines twang and edge

On July 25, Kentucky-born country artist Tyler Childers released his most recent album, “Snipe Hunter.” The title comes from a practical joke popular in rural areas of North America, where someone suggests going snipe hunting. Though the snipe is a real bird, the description and instructions given to the hunter are fake and usually ridiculous. Throughout the album, Childers plays with animal imagery, folk tales and stereotypes about the American South.

REVIEW: New music from Marina is introspective yet flashy

After ten years of waiting, Marina fans have finally gotten what they asked for — the release of the 12th track written for “FROOT,” Marina’s third album — on its tenth anniversary. This release follows a new album by Marina, titled “Princess of Power,” on June 6. Marina — formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds — is most widely known for songs like “Prima Donna Girl,” “How to be a Heart Breaker” and “Bublegum Bitch,” popularizing overtly campy, quirky and over-the-top music and aesthetics.

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NBA offseason edition

After the NBA Finals end and a champion is crowned, the work and preparation for next season begins. Some teams trade to add new superstars to their roster or get young and exciting talent during the draft. But some teams make moves contrary to their goal of improving the team for next season — these teams can be known as bobbleheads.

Comic, July 28, 2025

The UNM shooting: what we know now

On Friday, July 25, there was a deadly shooting at the University of New Mexico’s main campus. The incident occurred in one of the rooms of the Casas Del Rio dormitory complex and resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy and the injury of a 19-year-old in the room. After an hours-long manhunt, New Mexico State Police apprehended the suspect, 18-year-old John Fuentes. A group of four people, including Fuentes, the 19-year-old and 14-year-old, were playing video games in the dorm room. The fourth person said in court documents filed by state police that Fuentes appeared to be on drugs before the incident occurred. After the shooting had begun, the fourth person and 19-year-old, escaped through the dorm room window before eventually making their way to UNM Hospital.

Paleoartist speaks on the process of depicting extinct animals

On July 23, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science hosted a Science Spotlight, highlighting Alaina Wiwi — a paleoartist for the “Hall of Ancient Life.” The exhibit opened in February 2025 and highlights fossils found in New Mexico. Wiwi is an artist who creates visual depictions of extinct creatures using fossil evidence and modern-day relatives to construct a picture of what the species may have looked like. As a paleoartist, Wiwi was responsible for many of the 113 illustrations, models, dioramas and murals that can be found in the “Hall of Ancient Life.”

Video of Walmart ICE arrest sparks protest, city response

On July 20, approximately 100 protesters picketed outside the Walmart on Coors Boulevard and Interstate 40, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested a man around two weeks prior. A video of the incident shows masked immigration officers tasing a man as he screams for help.  The man in the video is identified as 33-year-old Deivi Jose Molina-Pena, a delivery worker who came to the United States from Venezuela under Temporary Protected Status two years ago, according to Source NM. His current whereabouts within ICE custody remain unknown.  A representative of Walmart, where the arrest took place, declined to comment on the incident, as well as national Walmart Media Relations.

LETTER: From lockdowns to leadership: Why UNM students deserve more than emergency alerts

July 26, 2025 — Albuquerque, NM Yesterday at 1:42 PM, students at the University of New Mexico received a chilling emergency alert: “Please continue sheltering in place on central campus until UNMPD arrives at your location with instructions.” Eight hours later, another message followed: “The suspect from today’s shooting is in custody. The campus will be open with all planned activities on Saturday.” Just like that, we’re expected to move on. Another crisis. Another sigh of relief. But this isn’t just about what happened — it’s about what keeps not happening: a failure to learn, evolve and empower.

LETTER: Protect students by providing them a safe environment to learn and live.

I was horrified to hear about the shooting that occurred on campus in a student dorm this past Friday. This occurred in a student dorm by a non-student with a gun. Just three weeks ago I had a conversation with my step-granddaughter during her visit east about her concerns for her safety attending the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.  I assured her that she should be safe on campus and certainly in her dorm. As a graduate of two state schools — Rutgers University and the University of California, Los Angeles — I believed that her University would protect her on campus. The University of New Mexico failed to do that with this occurrence. 

Dorm shooting leaves 1 dead, 1 injured

The University of New Mexico has issued a shelter-in-place order and closed its main campus after gunshots were reported near Casas del Rio early in the morning on Friday, July 25. Reporting officers found two victims, one dead and the other with non-life-threatening injuries. There is no information yet about what circumstances led to the shooting, according to Steve Carr, UNM’s director of communications.

Artificial relationships are becoming real

As generative artificial intelligence engines continue to increase in usage and sophistication, there have been growing numbers of headlines about people having romantic relationships with these models. In June, Chris Smith, a father living with his partner and their two-year-old daughter, made headlines after proposing to an artificial intelligence voice-based chatbot named “Sol” that he created using ChatGPT. Smith started using ChatGPT to mix music, but later trained the bot to help him with his hobbies and have a “flirty personality,” according to CBS Saturday Morning.

Building of Lobo Retail Crossing Center begins on south campus

On June 30, University of New Mexico’s Board of Regents approved a land-transfer of 38-acres of University land that will become the Lobo Retail Crossing Center. The center seeks to provide students at Lobo Village and the surrounding areas, including the University’s sports arenas, with easy access to grocery stores, restaurants, and merchandise shops. The site was purchased by SimonCRE, a commercial real estate company based in Phoenix, Arizona. The site is located on the west side of University Boulevard, south of Sunshine Terrace and north of Gibson Boulevard, on the south campus of UNM.

Comic, July 21, 2025

UNM trends toward reduced greenhouse gas emissions

In 2007, former University of New Mexico President David Schmidly committed the University to eventual carbon neutrality by signing the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, which led to the release of the Climate Action Plan in 2009. UNM committed to mapping the reduction of 80% of the Albuquerque campus 2006 emissions levels by 2030, according to the plan’s executive summary. With five years until 2030, UNM has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 but has yet to meet its climate goals.