News - The Daily Lobo

Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver steps outside of the Bernalillo County Courthouse after Bernalillo County Second Judicial District Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage last year. Oliver was recently named a woman candidate to watch in 2014 by MSNBC.

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MSNBC names NM candidate to 'watch in 2014' list

Jonathan Baca | September 7

Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver was recently featured on MSNBC’s list “‘30 in 30’: Women Candidates to Watch in 2014.” MSNBC’s list featured female candidates from around the country in a variety of races, and Oliver said she felt privileged to be the only woman from New Mexico on the list. Democrat Toulouse Oliver is running for New Mexico Secretary of State in November against Republican Dianna Duran. She has been active in highlighting issues important to woman voters, and has stressed the importance of getting women to the ballot boxes this November.

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ECHO informs inmates to inhibit infections

Sayyed Shah | September 7

Through the Peer Education Project, professors have trained hundreds of New Mexico prison inmates to spur awareness within the prison system of how to avoid chronic diseases like Hepatitis C and HIV. As part of the program, a group of professors and health practitioners visit New Mexico prisons and train a selected number of volunteer prisoners for 40 hours. “It started in 2009. We go in and train prisoners on how to be educators around infectious diseases, particularly Hepatitis C, HIV and addictions,” said Karla Thornton, an infectious diseases physician and a Health Sciences Center faculty member in her division.

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The Howl: Sept. 6, 2014 episode

September 7

Check out this week's episode of The Howl, the Daily Lobo's online newscast.

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Research scientist to speak at TEDxABQ on drugs

Jonathan Baca | September 4

A trip to Peru, a trek into the Amazonian rainforest, a life-changing encounter with a shaman and a powerful psychedelic brew: These are the ingredients of a compelling TED talk. On Saturday, UNM research scientist Robert Rhatigan will speak at the TEDxABQ conference, sharing the story of how he conquered crippling alcoholism with the help of ayahuasca, an ancient psychoactive drink made from rainforest plants. Rhatigan, who does research in geospatial and population studies, said his goal at the conference is to be an ambassador on the power of psychedelic plants and non-traditional therapies in the treatment of addiction. “I want people to walk away understanding that psychedelic substances are not something that are simply drugs of abuse that people use for hedonistic reasons, recreation, whatever,” he said.

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Audit report shows fraud in SBA's account

Sayyed Shah | September 4

The New Mexico State Auditor’s office is reviewing a recently published UNM internal audit report that found embezzlements in the UNM Student Bar Association’s finances. On Aug.14, the UNM audit department issued a detailed report of its investigation into the financial embezzlement in the Student Bar Association’s account from 2011 to 2013. The report laid out a timeline of the mismanagement of funds and made recommendations to keep another incident from happening in the future.

Kristin Marquardt, left, and Lauren Topper work in the laboratory of Fernando Valenzuela, professor of neurosciences and associate director of the New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, on Thursday. The center at UNM is nationally recognized for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder research and is funded through various grants such as from the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, which awarded the center more than $8 million to be distributed over five years.

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HSC's event hoping to spread Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder awareness

Matthew Reisen | September 4

International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day is next week, and members of the Health Sciences Center community will spend the day spreading awareness about the disorder – and their facility. The nationally recognized research center opened last month, but it has been in development for a few years, Dr. Daniel Savage, Neuroscience Department chair, said. “The center is about improving the health and well-being of the citizens of New Mexico,” Savage said.

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Refugees find relief in students

Jonathan Baca | September 3

Refugees from around the world are getting support they desperately need, while students working with them are learning life-changing lessons. UNM’s Refugee Well-Being Program is a two-semester course that pairs sociology, psychology and anthropology students with refugees living in Albuquerque.

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Act helps borrowers to defeat defaults

Jyllian Roach | September 3

Student loan borrowers will soon have better options when it comes to paying off their debts. The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday that federal student loan servicers now have more incentives to help keep students from defaulting on their loans. Among these incentives are a customer satisfaction survey, which will serve as an indicator as to which servicer gets the most loans. The better the satisfaction scores, the more loans it may provide.

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Constraints strain Cottagers' conduct

Erika Eddy | September 3

Student residents at the Cottages of New Mexico said they are unhappy with recent changes made by the property’s management. Residents of the housing development, which is marketed to college students, received an email over the weekend stating that each resident will be allowed to invite one guest at a time, and parties will no longer be permitted. Previously, residents could invite up to five guests and register a party with management that could run until 2 a.m. Brianna Gallegos, a junior multimedia journalism major, said living at the Cottages is different than she thought it would be since the implementation of the new rules.

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UNM could face fines for not complying with Cleary Act

Jyllian Roach | September 2

UNM could be looking at heavy fines if the Department of Education turns its eye on the University. According to an internal auditor’s report released in mid-August, UNM is “not substantially compliant” with the Clery Act, which requires schools to properly communicate and monitor campus safety issues. The school is working immediately to resolve the issues, said Deputy UNM Police Chief Christine Chester, who was also named interim Clery coordinator based on the auditor’s recommendation.

A row of bicycles sit parked at a bike rack on campus Tuesday evening. The UNM Police Department reported a 70 percent increase in bicycle thefts 2013-14 school year compared to the previous year.

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Bicycle thefts on campus increase

Sayyed Shah | September 2

The number of bicycle thefts on campus increased by 70 percent during the 2013-14 academic year, the UNM Police Department reported. UNMPD and the UNM Global Education Office are trying to find ways to counter bike thieves operating on campus by employing random security sweeps, bicycle registration and increased outreach and awareness efforts. “From Aug.

Danny McCarthy, a senior dual major in art history and studio art, works on a project in the Fine Arts woodshop on Tuesday. McCarthy, along with other staff and students, has been affected considerably by the lack of funding to the Fine Arts department.

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Fine Arts lacking vital money for upgrades

Matthew Reisen | September 2

Facing aging equipment and leaky roofs, some professors in the Fine Arts department are struggling to help their students succeed with limited resources. Randall Wilson, a professor in the sculpture area, said equipment is severely outdated and money to fix the problems is just not arriving.

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UNM crime briefs

Erika Eddy | September 2

A skateboard, laptop, insurance card, scooter and camera were all reported stolen within two days last week. Aug.

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World briefs

Jonathan Baca | September 1

Ukraine NATO announced on Monday the creation of a “very high-readiness force” in response to Russian military aggression in Ukraine, CNN reports. The force will be part of a Readiness Action Plan designed to help allied countries respond to security challenges, in addition to dealing with Russia, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a speech.

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New UNMPD chief vows to rein in assaults

Erika Eddy | September 1

Lowering the number of sexual assaults on campus and improving general safety will be the new goals of the UNM Police Department. The department’s new chief, Kevin McCabe, said he hopes to accomplish these things by collaborating with the Albuquerque Police Department. “The focus is on the educational experience — to provide a safe campus for everybody that is a part of the UNM family: students, faculty and staff,” McCabe said. UNM hired McCabe over the summer to replace the outgoing police chief Kathy Guimond.

In an online video posted Friday, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry describes why he vetoed a five voter initiatives that, if pass, would have decriminalized marijuana and raised taxes.

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Albuquerque mayor cans marijuana proposal

Tomas Lujan | September 1

On Friday Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry said he vetoed five voter initiatives because he does not want to approve the decriminalization of marijuana or raise taxes in Albuquerque. Berry exercised his veto authority on R-14-91 because of last-minute provisions added by the City Council that he said lack detail or circumvent state and federal law. “This is a bill that has the potential to raise the taxes of the citizens of Albuquerque without any clear or concise plan as to how those tax resources will be spent,” Berry said in a video posted to YouTube.

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The Howl: Aug. 30 episode

August 30

Check out this week's episode of The Howl, the Daily Lobo's online newscast.

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Voting on pot penalties in Berry's hands

Jonathan Baca | August 28

Mayor Richard Berry must decide today whether he will give residents the chance to to vote on decriminalizing marijuana in Albuquerque. On Aug. 18 the city council passed an election resolution of five ballot initiatives, including a measure that would decrease penalties for personal possession of marijuana under an ounce to a $25 civil fine. If Berry vetoes the resolution, all five initiatives would not be brought to voters on the upcoming November ballot.

The restrooms behind the locked door, at the bottom of this stairway at Hokona Hall will be renovated this fall. The new restrooms will feature new plumbing fixtures, partitions, hand dryers and trash receptacles.

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Hokona's Cellar soon to get a facelift

Matthew Reisen | August 28

The Cellar recreation area in Hokona Hall may be getting a makeover for the first time in 40 years. The proposed budget, at nearly $400,000, will add 10 fixtures to the existing bathrooms, which will be the first improvements since The Cellar was established as a recreation area in the 1970’s, Chris Vallejos, Institutional Support Services’ associate vice president, said. The renovations would reduce wait times at the bathrooms in The Cellar, where two stalls each in the men’s and women’s restrooms serve about 750 people. But the project needs to be approved by the Higher Education Department, according to a memorandum submitted to the board of regents.

Sergio Jiménez ·

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President Frank challenges Lobos to join cause

Daniel Montaño | August 28

Nearly $2,200 has been raised since President Bob Frank challenged the UNM community to donate to ALS research after taking the Ice Bucket Challenge on Wednesday. Frank took the icy bath with several other top UNM administrators in Smith Plaza in front of Zimmerman Library after being challenged by Mayor Richard Berry and head Soccer Coach Jeremy Fishbein last week, Ethan Rule, University marketing representative, said. Frank said campus administrators will collectively match the donations up to $1,000 dollars.