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Culture

Local authors went interstellar in 2023

Kelsa Mendoza | February 5

2023 was a big year for bookworms everywhere. This year concluded strongly with a plethora of bestsellers worldwide, and with some true gems from local New Mexican authors. Sci-fi lovers were indulged with new unique titles from local authors Sarena Ulibarri and Ness Brown who crafted stories about the extraterrestrial and other space oddities. Both have had success in publication and have plans to expand their authorship in the future, they said. Ulibarri, a University of New Mexico alumna, has been publishing since 2012 and released two books in 2023. She published her novel “Steel Tree” in December – a sci-fi retelling of the Nutcracker.

News

UNM researchers send tomatoes to space

Nate Bernard | February 5

University of New Mexico researchers sent tomatoes to space in an endeavor called the Trichoderma Associated Space Tomato Inoculation Experiment (TASTIE). On Tuesday, Jan. 30, the tomato seedlings were launched in a partially reusable Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket into space and joined the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, Feb. 1, according to Everyday Astronaut. The purpose of TASTIE is to analyze how these tomatoes will grow in space compared to how they grow on Earth. The fungus, Trichoderma – common in all types of soils on Earth – will be utilized to study how the stress-resistant properties of the fungus impact the growth of tomatoes in space, according to UNM Newsroom.

News

LoboAlert issued for traffic following stabbing

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | February 5

On Friday, Jan. 26, a stabbing occurred inside the Golden Pride restaurant on Lomas Blvd. N.E. near the University of New Mexico campus. The UNM Police Department issued a LoboAlert for traffic following the incident. Employee Ethan Sheppard reportedly stabbed his coworker, an adult male, at about 1:45 p.m. while they were both working. The victim was transported to UNM Hospital and later died from his injuries, according to an Albuquerque Police Department news release. UNM Police Department issued a LoboAlert at 6:25 p.m. advising the campus community of police presence in the area. A second alert was issued at 10:45 p.m. advising that APD had cleared the area.

Sports

Splat and splash

Elizabeth Secor | February 5

Last semester, The University of New Mexico Esports Club put together a team of seven players to compete in the Collegiate Cephalopod Association's Division 5 Championship for Splatoon 3. After two months of competing and a record of 7-1, the team won the national championship in December. Fernando Loya Avila – gamer tag “Bean” – started the team. The experience of playing competitively, they said, was different from casual play with friends where there are no prizes and it is just for fun and leveling up.

Sports

Women's basketball: Lobos play tough against UNLV

Thomas Bulger | February 5

The University of New Mexico’s women's basketball team lost to the University of Nevada Las Vegas 62-56 on Saturday, Feb 3. Both teams were on winning streaks, UNLV improved to four straight wins and ended UNM’s five-game winning streak. UNM fell to 16-7 overall and 7-3 in conference play – putting them in third place in the standings past the halfway mark of the season. The Lobos played well but fell a couple shots short of sweeping the back-to-back conference champs. Going back to the 2022-23 season, the Rebels are 30-1 against Mountain West opponents, including the conference tournament with their one loss coming from the Lobos a few weeks ago.

Opinion

Opinion: Stanleys are not the sustainable trend you want them to be

Sadie Hopkins | February 5

It’s no secret that the environment has been troubled for quite a long time now. Humans, unfortunately, do not live in an environment of endless resources. However, sustainability practices are becoming increasingly more common – such as recycling, composting, or thrifting. Evidently, not all sustainable practices are created equal. An absence from the recent media may cause someone to see two reusable water bottles – say a Serborni bottle from Amazon and a Stanley bottle – but see no difference. The former water bottle is deemed a “dupe” by the public – a more affordable option compared to the latter. These bottles both hold beverages, maintain temperature and are sleek and convenient. Seemingly the main difference is that they vary in price and, oddly enough, levels of popularity.

Sports

Men's basketball: Broncos responsible for the first home loss

BillyJack Davidson | February 2

The Lobo men's basketball team hosted the Boise State Broncos on Wednesday, Jan. 31 and saw the end of their four-game winning streak. The Broncos won 86-78 and are the only team this season that have been able to take down the Lobos at home. The Lobos fell to 18-4 overall and 6-3 in conference play. They are in third place in the standings through Feb. 1. The game started off with the Lobos breaking away with the score in the first five minutes.

Sports

Men’s Basketball: Lobos bring home their fifth straight win

BillyJack Davidson | January 30

The University of New Mexico’s men’s basketball team played their seventh conference match of the season at The Pit against the Nevada Wolf Pack and took home a sound victory for their fifth win in a row. The Lobos put on a dominant performance with five players scoring double figures and closing the game out with a 34-point lead at 89-55. On Monday, Jan. 29, the team swept the weekly conference awards with Jaelen House (#10) earning conference player of the week and JT Toppin (#15) earning another “Freshman of the Week” award. The team also improved to the #19 place in the Associated Press’ poll and now stands 18-3 overall, 6-2 in conference play and 11-0 at home.

News

Mexican gray wolf compensation proposals move in Santa Fe

Emma Mincks | January 29

Two identical proposals to pay New Mexico ranchers for damages from incidents involving Mexican gray wolves cleared their first committee hurdles. Senate Bill 26 and House Bill 164 share identical language and bipartisan support between each chamber. The bills seek a $9 million appropriation that would direct the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to form partnerships with livestock loss authorities in Catron, Sierra and Socorro counties that would give direct payments to ranchers who lose livestock due to Mexican gray wolves in the areas. If approved, the money would go to the Board of Regents at New Mexico State University. It seeks an appropriation starting in 2025 through 2027.

Opinion

Opinion: Taylor Swift is everywhere, but why?

Sadie Hopkins | January 29

It seems more and more that reading about any major event – music related or not – will, in some way, lead to Taylor Swift. Evidently, a news cycle without a piece on Swift isn’t a news cycle at all, and it feels dystopian. Two catalysts have led to Swift’s sudden massive explosion in popularity and funneled in more media attention: the beginning of the Eras tour and her new relationship with Travis Kelce – tight end for the Kansas City NFL. These are somewhat normal events for celebrity outlets to cover. However, the impact that Swift’s coverage has had on the media, public behavior and the environment itself is something rather unfamiliar and alarming.

Culture

Lights, camera, action: New Mexico's film industry on the rise

Ella Daniel | January 29

Within the enchanting landscape of the Southwest, New Mexico has emerged as a widely sought-after location for filmmakers. Recently, the state has experienced a surge in the film industry. Landscapes, diverse locations and supportive tax incentives have turned this state into a haven for filmmakers. The New Mexico Film Office announced on Jan. 18 that Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces have landed spots on MovieMaker Magazine's "Best Places to Live and Work as a MovieMaker." Albuquerque ranks second on the big cities list and Santa Fe tops the small cities and towns list with Las Cruces coming in eighth.

Sports

Men’s Basketball: Lobos charge into the Top 25 rankings

BillyJack Davidson | January 29

On Wednesday, Jan. 24, The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team won their second road game of the season against the San José Spartans. Two days before, the Lobos jumped onto the Associated Press' Top 25 and took 25th place, landing them on the national level. The victory over the San José Spartans came only four days after they defeated the Air Force Falcons. During both games, the Lobos left their opponents in the dust when it came to scoring – 19 points over the Falcons (85-66) and 20 points over the Spartans (95-75). They are looking to dominate as they come home for their game against Nevada Wolf Pack, going into the match with a 17-3 seasonal record and a conference play of 5-2.

News

New bill hopes to protect renters and buyers from income discrimination

Danielle Knox | January 29

A new bill, introduced in New Mexico’s 2024 Regular Legislative Session, is targeting the issue of housing discrimination based on a renter or buyer’s source of income. House Bill 25 – presented by Representative Kathleen Cates (D), Andrea Romero (D), Patricia Roybal Caballero (D) and Cristina Parajón (D) – would amend the state’s Human Rights Act to prohibit the refusal to sell or rent property to someone based on their income source, defined in the bill as “a lawful and verifiable source of money used to pay for housing.”

Sports

United promotes Luke Sanford

Thomas Bulger | January 29

New Mexico United announced Luke Sanford will be promoted to first assistant coach in a press release on Jan. 25. Sanford first joined the team in Jan. 2022 and has held a variety of positions. He has served as an assistant to the team but has acted as the head coach of both the U-23 team and the United Academy. He also served as the director of the Academy, according to the press release. United’s Sporting Director, Itamar Keinan, said in the press release that Sanford has earned his promotion due to his leadership.

News

ASUNM back to business

Jaymes Boe | January 29

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico held their opening full Senate meeting for the spring semester on Wednesday, Jan. 24 where appropriations, new senator appointments and a bill introduction took place. ASUNM welcomed two new faces to the Senate floor. Sen. Sierra Dedmon and Sen. Nathan Nail. They were both granted their seats via a roll call vote of Senators that were present prior to any other business taking place. Dedmon and Nail were able to vote on all business during the meeting.

News

The Air Board sticks to the status quo

Maddie Pukite | January 26

The First Judicial District Court has granted the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board a preliminary injunction until the legality of the case is decided at the next scheduled hearing. A preliminary injunction will allow the Air Board to revert to the status quo and continue to operate as it had before the Albuquerque City Council approved an ordinance and resolution that substantially changed the Air Board in November. “I so find that the Air Board is likely to prevail ultimately on this, and I do have concerns about allowing a situation to proceed that may be unlawful,” District Court Judge Francis Mathew said in the ruling.

News

UNM law school educates high schoolers on constitutional rights

Maddie Pukite | January 26

Each year, the University of New Mexico School of Law students go to local high schools to teach constitutional law through the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project. After observing a national decline in civic education, the program was conceptualized by professors at American University 25 years ago in Washington, D.C., Maryam Ahranjan said, director of the UNM chapter of the project and School of Law professor. Currently, only seven U.S. states require a full year of civics education, not including New Mexico, according to the Institute for Citizens and Scholars.

Sports

Women’s basketball: Lobos defeat Fresno State 84-77

Thomas Bulger | January 26

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team took down the Fresno State Bulldogs 84-77 on Wednesday, Jan. 24, making the Lobos third straight win. The Lobos are now 14-6 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Lobos had a very balanced offense against the Bulldogs with four Lobos scoring in double-digits. Nyah Wilson led the team in scoring with 24 points and went 10-12 at the free throw line. Wilson is going through Mountain West play for the first time this season. After the game, she talked about how fun it is to play against teams that have different styles.

Opinion

Opinion: Colleen Hoover’s ‘It Ends With Us’ film adaptation incoming amidst criticism

Kelsa Mendoza | January 22

Trigger warning: Sexual assault, abuse A film adaption of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, “It Ends With Us,” is being released in June, 2024. Due to the themes she flimsily depicts in her novels and the glorified ways in which she chooses to portray them, I am dismayed by the choice of bringing it to the big screen. The book made it to #1 on the Publisher’s Weekly adult list in 2022 and sold over 1,000,000 copies. In 2023, it became the second best-selling novel of the year. Hoover is a particularly unique case because she forewent traditional marketing plans and gained her demographic when TikTok users elevated her work several years after it was published.

News

Air Quality Control Board v. City of Albuquerque

Nate Bernard | January 22

The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board is taking the City of Albuquerque to court per a lawsuit filed on Dec. 5. In November, the Albuquerque City Council abolished and recreated the Air Quality Control Board which removed city-appointed members and suspended the board's actions till Feb. 1. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, the Board's attorney, is calling the legality of these actions into question. The hearing is set for Jan. 25. If the Board is successful, there will be a pause on the City Council’s changes and the terminated Board members will be reinstated until the court makes a final judgment on the legality of the legislation. If the Board loses the lawsuit, the City’s changes would go into effect.