The first county clerk in New Mexico to start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples was Lynn Ellins of Doña Ana County, who began issuing licenses on Aug. 21. According to the Las Cruces Sun News, Ellins reviewed marriage laws carefully and concluded they did not prohibit same-sex unions because laws are gender-neutral.
The first round of official arguments regarding the statewide legalization of same-sex marriage centered on the ability of married couples to produce a child. Wednesday morning, New Mexico’s Supreme Court chambers were the battleground for lawyers from various parties debating whether same-sex marriage should be legalized around the state.
While arguments about the statewide legalization of same-sex marriage raged inside the New Mexico Supreme Court chambers Tuesday, religious groups proceeded to field their various views outside. Father Duncan Lanum, director of the St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church in Santa Fe, said the court should dismiss same-sex marriages because it is against the Bible’s teachings.
Albuquerque’s Holocaust and Intolerance Museum has added a new feature in its basement: a holocaust library. The library, which boasts a collection of more than 5,000 books, was the three-year project of museum volunteer Jerry Smith.
It’s not easy being green, according to a UNM alumnus. Brian Jay Jones will present his new book, “Jim Henson: The Biography,” at various locations in Albuquerque this week. He has appeared on multiple media outlets, such as NPR and the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, to promote his work.
On Oct. 17, a UNMPD officer was dispatched in reference to a bike theft. Upon arrival, the victim told the officer that he locked his bike on a rack near Bandelier Hall that morning, according to the report. The report states when the victim returned a little past noon, he said his bike wasn’t there.
Albuquerque’s City Council struck down an amendment that would have installed a permanent voting location at UNM at a meeting Monday night. City Councilor Rey Garduño proposed the amendment after speaking to residents in the city’s District 6, which houses the University, who voiced support for an on-campus location.
UNM is investigating the Student Bar Association chapter for creating an unauthorized, off-campus bank account and misuse of the money therein, which came from University funds and from law student fees. According to a statement issued by UNM Tuesday afternoon, the University has notified various campus departments, including police, about the incident.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks in, UNM scientist Eric Prossnitz and NMSU scientist Jeffrey Arterburn continue their ongoing fight against the disease. Prossnitz and Arterburn have been working together for about 10 years studying a new type of estrogen receptor, which would show potential ways to treat and diagnose breast cancer.
Every year since she first started teaching same-sex marriage law at UNM 18 years ago, Antoinette Sedillo Lopez said something new has happened in the area. This year, one of the developments is taking place very close to home.
New Mexico’s two biggest universities are teaming up to develop a unique program for bilingual students. Barbara Rodriguez, a UNM chairperson for the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, and Deborah Rhein, an associate professor for Communication Disorders Program at New Mexico State University, will share a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to establish a bilingual speech-language pathology program.
The Associated Students of the University New Mexico moves one step closer to establishing a fund to fuel sustainability initiatives on campus. In a meeting held Friday, representatives from ASUNM, UNM’s Office of Sustainability, Lobo Energy, Residence Life and Student Housing, and the Sustainability Studies Program discussed the proposed establishment of a Green Fund at UNM.
This semester, UNM decided to raise the GPA requirements for the Bridge to Success Scholarship, which now amounts to $1,500, from 2.5 to 3.0 with an ACT requirement of 23 for incoming freshmen in fall 2014.
UNM Hospital responds to a lawsuit filed against it for alleged mistreatment of children with cancer. “The UNM Health Sciences Center remains committed to providing the best possible care to its patients throughout the state and it will address the newly filed litigation in the appropriate legal forum,”
UNM is facing an armchair evolution. Rick Henrard, interim director of UNM’s Office of Capital Outlay, said the University is buying bigger chairs that are more ergonomic, which means that they are “the best and most comfortable for the human body.”
Researchers from UNM and a nonprofit organization are striving to better understand and prevent concussions in student athletes. The University and Mind Research Network (MRN) are collaborating on Brain Safe
A shootout between authorities and coca growers in the northern town of Apolo Sunday resulted to the death of two police officers and injuries to 17 others. Coca growers are also holding eight Bolivian soldiers hostage.
After repeated delays, the launch date of UNM’s first satellite, Trailblazer, is still lost in space. Craig Kief, program manager of Trailblazer, said the satellite launch has been delayed for more than a year. And the government shutdown has pushed the date further back, he said.
While UNM officials and local organizations agree that international students are beneficial to the state, the best way to attract them to come here remains unclear. President Robert Frank said the University strives to attract international students to help boost Albuquerque’s economy and to create opportunities for the campus community.
UNM’s decision to alter requirements for the Bridge Scholarship earlier this semester sparked a heated faceoff between University administrators and enraged community members. In a Bridge Scholarship forum Wednesday afternoon, more than 100 people voiced negative reactions to the raised GPA requirement for the now $1,500 scholarship.
Solutions by The State News
