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News

Hurricane Helene signals a rocky future as global temperatures rise

Maria Fernandez | October 7

With NASA’s estimated 140 mile per hour winds and the reported 8-foot wall of water crashing ashore in Florida, Hurricane Helene was projected to be the strongest the state had seen since 1851. After it unexpectedly encroached onto Appalachia, conversations sparked about regions that used to be deemed climate “safe havens” — including New Mexico. By the time Helene hit the Big Bend region of Florida as a Category 4 storm, it wreaked havoc from the Gulf Coast all the way to North Carolina, flooding neighborhoods and damaging buildings, according to NBC. At least 227 people are dead as of Oct. 5, according to the Associated Press.

News

REVIEW: One album from caving in: How Katy Perry’s career led to ‘143’ flopping

Elijah Ritch | October 7

Editor’s note: This article contains mentions of sexual assault and abuse. Katy Perry is strange. Each of the pop stars who rose to prominence in the late 2000s to early 2010s had their own carefully curated images. Lady Gaga was the eccentric auteur and the one who especially brought in the crucial gay audience. Kesha was the unabashed party animal. Rihanna was the consistent hitmaker who could move through different sounds and styles with ease. Perry was a curious combination of girl next door, bi-curious flirt and campy children’s cartoon come to life.

News

UNM loses ‘freedom of speech’ lawsuit against conservative student organization

Lily Alexander and Nate Bernard | October 7

The University of New Mexico can no longer enforce its security fee policy for on-campus speech events after the judge made a decision in a First Amendment lawsuit filed by the student chapter of conservative group Turning Point USA. The University is not prohibited from enforcing security fees for non-speech events, like sports, according to the lawsuit. In the initial complaint, the Turning Point USA UNM chapter and the Leadership Institute alleged that UNM’s security fee and free speech policies were unconstitutional, in part citing the First Amendment. The complaint resulted from the security fees UNM imposed last year for conservative speaker Riley Gaines’ event on campus, according to the lawsuit.

Opinion

OPINION: WTF is going on with JD Vance?

Addison Fulton | October 2

It was the donut order heard ‘round the world: On Aug. 22, JD Vance arrived at a donut shop in Valdosta, Georgia. He placed his order in the strangest manner imaginable — at one point ordering “whatever makes sense.” His behavior immediately became the topic of internet ridicule. But it got me curious. Who is Vance, and why is he so weird? So, I decided to go straight to the source. In 2016, Vance published his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.” I thought if anything was going to help me make sense of this man, it’d be his book. I steeled my nerves and read it.

Culture

Albuquerque Film and Music Experience brings together filmmakers and musicians

Elijah Ritch | October 2

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the 12th annual Albuquerque Film & Music Experience began across several venues in Nob Hill, including the Guild Cinema and the Historic Lobo Theater. According to the festival’s mission statement, AFMX brings together award-winning and up-and-coming filmmakers and musicians. The event ended on Sunday, Sept. 29. It provides “a platform for education, collaboration, discovery and the sharing of impactful stories,” its mission statement reads.

News

Campus crime: Sept. 16-29

Lauren Lifke | September 30

From Monday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Sept. 29, there were 39 individual entries of crimes reported on or near the University of New Mexico campus that were entered into its daily crime log. There was also a criminal trespass citation issued at Marron Hall, where the Daily Lobo newsroom resides. The incident occurred on Sept. 29 and was not entered into the crime log as of the morning of Monday, Sept. 30.

News

Lobo statue found covered in red paint and keffiyeh

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | September 30

On Sept. 13, the University of New Mexico Police Department discovered red paint had been poured on a Lobo statue near Hodgin Hall. The statue, which stands at the corner of University Boulevard and Central Avenue, was wrapped in a keffiyeh — a symbol of Palestinian identity and solidarity, according to Al Jazeera. In a statement to the Daily Lobo, UNMPD Public Information Officer Larry Bitsoih wrote that when a patrolling officer found the statue, the red paint that had been used was placed next to it. There is no information on who was involved and the case is considered closed, Bitsoih wrote.

News

Suspect drops off gunshot wound victim at UNMH and flees

Lauren Lifke | September 30

On the early morning of Sept. 15, the University of New Mexico Police Department received a call from security at UNM Hospital about a man who had been dropped off from a truck at the emergency room with a gunshot wound to his head. The victim was later pronounced dead, according to the police report for the incident. The driver drove away after dropping the victim off. UNMH security told UNMPD that the truck had “appeared to be riddled with apparent bullet impacts,” according to the police report.

News

Unknown suspects set fires at The Pit

Lauren Lifke | September 30

On Sept. 14, a University of New Mexico Police Department officer was dispatched to The Pit basketball arena at South Campus in reference to a fire. According to the police report for the incident, the responding officer saw a “large and growing larger fire” in two parts of the loading dock area. Albuquerque Fire Rescue responded and put the fire out. While AFR was working on the first fire, UNMPD found a second fire inside a small metal trash can, which AFR then extinguished.

Sports

Lobos rush their way to victory against New Mexico State

Rodney Prunty | September 30

The University of New Mexico Lobos battled in a heated football game against the crosstown rival New Mexico State University Aggies on Saturday, Sept. 28. The Lobos proved too much to handle for NMSU as they dominated on the field with a relentless rushing attack. The Lobos had a total of 331 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. The defense performed when needed, assisting the Lobos with their first win of the season and defeating the Aggies 50-40.

News

‘Expertise matters’: UNM combats misinformation with Election Experts website

Addison Fulton | September 30

In anticipation of the presidential election, University of New Mexico Communications relaunched a website that features election experts who can help people find answers to their political questions. The website, called UNM Election Experts, showcases experts from UNM departments including economics, psychiatry, law, communications and political science. Beginning in 2012, the program has been launched every four years in accordance with the presidential election cycle, according to UNM political science professor Michael Rocca, who is an election expert specializing in policy and campaign financing. The website is meant to help streamline the process of finding experts for those looking to learn more about a given topic, he said.

News

ASUNM passes nine appropriations

Marcela Johnson | September 30

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico passed nine appropriation requests, failed one appropriation request and passed six bills during their full senate meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Culture

Full steam ahead: New Mexico Heritage Rail celebrates Railroad Days

Lily Alexander and Addison Fulton | September 30

On the weekend of Saturday, Sept. 28, the New Mexico Heritage Rail hosted the second annual Railroad Days event, showcasing a restored 80-year-old steam train. The star of the event — held at the Albuquerque Rail Yards and adjacent Wheels Museum — was the ATSF 2926. According to the New Mexico Heritage Rail website, the train was originally built in 1944 and retired in 1956. From there, it was left abandoned in Coronado Park for decades, according to Ed Burggraf, a volunteer with the restoration.

News

Bernalillo County begins issuing automated speeding citations

Maria Fernandez and Marcela Johnson | September 30

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Bernalillo County’s automated speed-enforcement cameras began sending citations to drivers caught speeding. The cameras were installed nearly a year and a half after Bernalillo County commissioners passed an ordinance to bring a software company to the county to curb speeding, according to the county website. When the cameras first started operating in August, they sent warnings through the mail to drivers caught speeding. They were not yet charging fines or sending citations, according to the website.

Opinion

OPINION: University Stadium needs a spiffier name

Addison Fulton | September 30

The football stadium at the University of New Mexico is located at 1111 University Blvd. It seats 39,224. Why do I tell you this? It’s to distinguish University Stadium from the countless other stadiums associated with universities, because the name isn’t doing that for me. I start this by confessing that I don’t know a lot about sports. I’ve tried, at several points, to get into basketball, baseball or football, just for the sake of school spirit. No avail. All too often, I find sports confusing at best and boring at worst. That said, I know about entertainment. I love wow-factor and branding. And, despite my difficulty getting into sports, I have always loved the iconography around UNM sports.

News

REVIEW: ‘Fantasmas’ obliterates boundaries

Elijah Ritch | September 27

In June, Max premiered the show “Fantasmas,” created by Salvadoran American writer and director Julio Torres. A surrealist comedy, it tells the story of a fictionalized version of its creator as he navigates an alternate — yet no less wacky — version of New York City. The show follows Julio through two main storylines: his attempts to circumvent his need for Proof of Existence — a dystopian type of identification — and his quest to recover a lost diamond-encrusted oyster earring. The earring would allow him to get a biopsy of a birthmark that he’s convinced is cancerous, seeing as both things are the same size and he can prove the birthmark has grown if he finds the earring.

News

City Council postpones vote on controversial sidewalk obstruction bill

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | September 25

At a meeting on Sept. 16, the Albuquerque City Council decided to defer voting on a bill that would prohibit obstructing sidewalks, including with signs or banners. Community members spoke against the bill — and held a protest two days after the meeting — citing potential negative impacts on the unhoused community and concerns about First Amendment rights. The bill will be held to a vote on Oct. 7. Council bill O-24-42 is sponsored by City Councilor Joaquín Baca. He represents District 2, which encompasses Downtown and other parts of Albuquerque.

A UNMPD officer stands behind a police cruiser on Sept. 23, 2015.

News

Suspect arrested in Santa Fe after student was stabbed repeatedly

Lauren Lifke | September 24

On Saturday, Sept. 21, the University of New Mexico Police Department found a victim who had been stabbed at Lobo Village following an altercation at a party. A LoboAlert was issued to the community an hour later. The suspect and his girlfriend fled to Santa Fe, where the Santa Fe Police Department detained both of them, according to the police report for the incident. The suspect was later taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center, and his girlfriend was released.

Sports

Football: Lobos remain winless after loss to Fresno State

Rodney Prunty | September 23

The University of New Mexico football team matched up against the Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 21. The Lobos struggled to find their rhythm on both sides of the ball, which ultimately led to them losing the game 38-21. The defense struggled to get off the field early, which led to Fresno State wearing down the defense and managing the clock for the majority of the game. The offense was not helping matters either as players came out flat, turning the ball over and getting off the field early into drives. Adding to all that, the Lobos were penalized a total of 17 times in the game — a tie for the most penalties in the program's history.

News

OPINION: What does Hispanic identity mean in New Mexico?

Lauren Lifke | September 23

If you’ve spent time in New Mexico, chances are you’ve met somebody with a Spanish last name who doesn’t speak a lick of the language. If you ask about their background, they might just say they’re Hispanic without mentioning a connection to any specific Spanish-speaking region. I’ve been one of these people. Growing up in Albuquerque, I never felt the need to elaborate any further than “Hispanic” when describing the ethnicity of my mom’s side of the family, and it wasn’t often that people inquired any further.