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Abortion to play key role in November elections

Maddie Pukite | July 25

As election day nears, abortion rights are primed to remain a hot campaign topic. Even in states like New Mexico where there are no restrictions on the medical procedure, candidates can count on voters taking their stance on the issue into consideration, according to University of New Mexico political science professor Gabriel Sanchez. “Local elected officials using this as a mechanism to win votes: that's the reality. Because typically, to be honest with you, abortion has not been a top voting issue for a large segment of voters in New Mexico as long as I've been tracking … That might change in November because the Supreme Court decision just made it much more of a big topic,” Sanchez said.

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Conservation agencies sign letter of intent for Mexican wolf recovery

Maddie Pukite | July 21

On June 2, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — alongside the New Mexico and Arizona Game and Fish departments — signed a letter of intent to work collaboratively on protecting the Mexican gray wolf. This letter of intent comes right before the five-year recovery update that is due from the 2017 Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Plan, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Public Affairs specialist Aislinn Maestas. “(We are) coming together to reaffirm, but also put into a formalized agreement, that we are committed to recovering Mexican wolves, both in the United States and historical areas in Mexico,” Maestas said.

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UNM researchers awarded grant to study aging in apes

Maddie Pukite | July 17

Researchers at the University of New Mexico were recently awarded more than $3 million to continue studying aging in chimps. The funding, awarded by the National Advisory Council on Aging through a Method to Extend Research in Time award, will last five years with the possibility of a three to five year extension. The research has been led by the Comparative Human and Primate Physiology Center co-director Melissa Emery Thompson. “This project, going from 2015 to potentially 2027, really gives us excellent longitudinal coverage of the different health parameters that we're looking at,” Emery Thompson said.

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Community continues to protest APD in wake of death during SWAT standoff

Maddie Pukite | July 14

On the evening of Thursday, July 14, dozens of protesters gathered at the corner of Wyoming Boulevard and Central Avenue to rally and march in support of defunding the police. The rally and march come after 15-year-old Brett Rosenau was killed in a house fire during an Albuquerque Police Department SWAT standoff. Paula Arrietta was one of the cop watchers present on the evening of July 6 and documented the destruction that left Rosenau dead and a house demolished. “It was heart-wrenching, watching the family. I mean, just watching their emotions … They were losing everything,” Arrietta said.

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Grad union holds picket to confront UNM bargaining committee over nondiscrimination clause

Maddie Pukite | July 14

On Thursday, July 14, the United Graduate Workers of the University of New Mexico held a picket line where they confronted members of the UNM bargaining team as they walked into the building where Thursday’s bargaining meeting would be held. The picket served as a call to action on a nondiscrimination clause that the University continues to push back on. “UNM calls itself a Hispanic-serving institution, and they care about diversity, and they care so much about examining the different types of people on campus. However, they have absolutely no way of protecting those people when they actually are discriminated against,” Union bargaining team member Samantha Cooney said.

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Community protests death of 15-year-old during house fire, SWAT standoff

Maddie Pukite | July 11

Protesters gathered outside of the University of New Mexico Bookstore on Sunday, July 10 in response to the killing of Brett Rosenau, a 15-year-old who died in a house fire during an Albuquerque Police Department and APD SWAT standoff. The cause of death was smoke inhalation, with APD Chief Harold Media acknowledging possible fault for the fire, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

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UNM professors provide perspectives on Roe overturn

John Scott | July 8

Friday, June 24 saw an unprecedented shift in the political landscape of the United States with the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case. The decision overruled both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, revoking the constitutional right to an abortion and opening the door for states and lawmakers to ban the procedure. The constitutional protection of an abortion was argued under the Fifth and 14th amendments in what is called the due process clause which states that, “nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” under the 14th amendment.

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Wildlife protection groups seek legal action over Mexican gray wolves

Maddie Pukite | July 8

Multiple conservation groups have filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, citing concerns for the Mexican gray wolves. The groups, which include WildEarth Guardians, Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Network, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, claim the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to create an adequate rule that provides enough protections for the endangered species.

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In aftermath of shootings, Lobo Village residents fear for their safety

Maddie Pukite | July 1

On June 11 and 19, shootings occurred at 11:15 p.m. and 12:15 a.m., respectively, on the premises of Lobo Village, a University of New Mexico student housing apartment complex located on South Campus. The shootings and response have brought up safety concerns among residents. No one was injured during either shooting, although there was property damage reported.

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Redistricting committee concludes meetings, maps off to city council

Maddie Pukite | July 1

The redistricting committee met for the final time on the evening of Wednesday, June 29, voting to send all eight proposed maps to the Albuquerque City Council for consideration. The committee also sent a ranked vote of the eight maps to the council, with concept map A having the most support. The maps and rankings will not be heard by the full City Council until their first meeting in September. Councilors do not have a deadline on a decision, and could still alternatively create their own map, according to Petra Morris, associate director of planning and policy development.

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Grad union continues bargaining process with UNM

Maddie Pukite | June 29

The United Graduate Workers of the University of New Mexico met with the University's bargaining team on June 23 through 25 to further discuss the Union’s contract. Pushback from the University continued with further debate over a nondiscrimination clause, employee contracts and disciplinary discharge. “(A nondiscrimination clause) is codifying certain protections that, as we can see with Roe v. Wade being struck down and all these other Supreme Court (cases), (are not) guaranteed rights … We know that despite UNM’s claims, federal and state laws can’t take the place of (a) solid nondiscrimination clause in the contract,” Union member Joe Ukockis said.

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UNM receives prestigious Department of Energy awards

Zara Roy | June 29

Nuclear energy research is set to explode at the University of New Mexico as several nuclear engineering professors’ projects were awarded grant money as a part of the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy University Program. Directly awarded to UNM was an estimated $625,000 over five years to fund nuclear engineering professor Minghui Chen for his research proposal, “Advanced Reactors Integral and Separate Effects Tests,” where he will perform safety tests to validate the usage of two different types of reactors. Chen hopes the research will support “the expanded use of clean nuclear energy worldwide,” and aims to emphasize training for underrepresented minorities.

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Keller looks toward Albuquerque’s horizon in State of the City address

Spenser Willden | June 27

On Saturday, June 25, Albuquerque residents gathered at the newly refurbished Rail Yards to listen to the annual remarks on the state of the city by Mayor Tim Keller. His remarks focused on the city’s recent efforts toward combating crime, homelessness and climate change in response to the last few years of national and local instability. In response to an increase in criminal incidents over the COVID-19 pandemic, Keller’s administration has increased funding to the Albuquerque Police Department this year by $50 million. This money is to be used for new technology such as automated speed cameras, gunshot detection technology and digital crime enforcement, according to Deputy Chief of Police Cecily Parker.

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Roe v. Wade overturned, hundreds take to streets in Albuquerque

Maddie Pukite and Zara Roy | June 25

Hundreds of community members gathered to express their outrage on the evening of Friday, June 24 over the Supreme Court ruling to reverse Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, overturning the constitutional right to abortion and making it possible for states to ban abortions outright. The march was organized by numerous grassroots groups including New Mexico Women's March, Planned Parenthood, the New Mexico Black Central Organizing Committee, Indigenous Women Rising and the New Mexico Stronger Together Coalition.

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UNM institutes mask recommendation in response to COVID-19 uptick

Zara Roy | June 24

On Monday, June 20, the University of New Mexico administration announced that three-ply surgical masks or better are now recommended, but not required, indoors for all students, faculty and staff at the Albuquerque, Gallup and Valencia campuses, effective June 21. This new recommendation comes in response to the three respective counties the campuses are located in reaching “high COVID-19 community levels” as categorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This recommendation applies to all indoor events at the University unless otherwise indicated, including the ongoing New Student Orientation sessions throughout the summer, according to UNM spokesperson Cinnamon Blair.

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Councilors call for further policing of unhoused community

Maddie Pukite | June 24

On the evening of Wednesday, June 22, the Albuquerque City Council met with city officials from the Department of Family and Community Services to discuss the ongoing crisis of the high number of unhoused people in the city, mainly focusing on an ordinance to define the rules and regulations around creating city-sanctioned encampments. The safe outdoor space ordinance, which previously passed through the council, will allow city-run camps for unhoused individuals to live in with public facilities for them to use. These spaces will be permitted in Albuquerque come Aug. 1. However, the ordinance discussed at the meeting on Wednesday that would define the implementation of these spaces and other rules or regulations failed in council.

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Medical cannabis lawsuit seeks to ensure insurance coverage

Maddie Pukite | June 20

Six medical cannabis patients and Ultra Health Dispensaries have filed a class-action lawsuit against health insurance providers in the state of New Mexico. The lawsuit would require health insurance companies to cover the entire cost of medical cannabis due to its use to treat trauma spectrum disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder. “Legislation was passed which very specifically says that any insurer who offers behavioral health care coverage in New Mexico shall offer it with no copay, co-insurance deductible, i.e. no co-share,” Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez said.

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SHAC affirms voice and identity within trans communities

Natalie Jude | June 15

Through the school’s Student Health and Counseling service, the University of New Mexico is one of only 46 universities across the nation that offers gender-affirming vocal therapy, according to Speech Pathology Master’s Programs. The program follows the World Professional Association for Transgender Health standards of care to provide primarily voice feminization therapy to transfemininine women, as estrogen, unlike testosterone, cannot alter physical vocal composition; only vocal training or a glottoplasty can.

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Students call for increased voter involvement in local, school elections

Natalie Jude | June 15

The unofficial results of the 2022 New Mexico primary elections were released after the election on Tuesday, June 7. Mark Ronchetti won the Rebublican primary and will face off against Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who won the democratic primary unopposed. Just over 25% of registered voters cast their ballots in this year’s primaries. Nick Allen, an out-of-state New Student Orientation leader for the University of New Mexico, was pleased to witness the primaries and is happy with the unofficial results, despite the low voter turnout.

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Albuquerque Pride Parade: a celebration of liberation

Natalie Jude | June 13

On Saturday, June 11, hundreds of people gathered along Central Avenue in Albuquerque to celebrate Pride Month with the annual parade and festival. Featuring more than 70 floats and countless artworks, the event promoted unity through acceptance, respect and hope. Friends, volunteers, rainbow-decorated police officers and political figures joined in on the largest event of this year’s New Mexico Pride festivities to celebrate the broader LGBTQ+ community and the work it took to get here.