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Opioid bills make way to Roundhouse

Lissa Knudsen | February 6

Not all medical professionals are sure that providing pharmaceutical-grade heroin is the right approach. A local pediatrician who has treated children of parents with substance use disorders told the Daily Lobo that allowing people with opioid use disorder to get their “fix” in a clinical setting may not help move people toward recovery in the same way that the slower acting opioid replacement medication like buprenorphine or methadone do.  Kimberly Page, University of New Mexico professor of internal medicine and an expert witness who testified on the bill, asserted that recovery is actually not the goal for many people who have chronic opioid use disorder. 

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ASUNM to host forum on homeless shelter

Justin Garcia | February 6

As the funds fall in place for the homeless shelter backed by the City of Albuquerque, the University of New Mexico student government is set to weigh-in.  The Associated Students of UNM are set to host a forum with University administrators and city officials discussing the upcoming Gatehouse Center on Feb. 11th at 1 p.m in the Student Union Building Atrium (SUB.)  One possible location for the center is Lomas and Interstate 25, as reported by the Albuquerque Journal.

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Student government discuss student fee raise

Alyssa Martinez | February 5

“Raise the damn student fees,” reverberated through the Steering and Rules Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 5.  John Cooke, Interfraternity Council (IFC) president and Sigma Chi Fraternity vice president, delivered that statement. He was referring to two constitutional amendments — Bill 4S and Bill 5S — that would raise student fees at a $5 flat rate and a prorated rate of $2.08 per credit hour, respectively.  “As it has been said before by (Deputy Chief of Staff Victoria Peña-Parr), our student orgs have doubled here since 2000, as well as the fact that inflation is a thing, things are way more expensive now, and the fact that our enrollment is down,” Cooke said during public comment. 

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The View offers paperless options

Bianca Hoops | February 5

This change now requires residents to pay rent online via the View’s ABQ resident portal. This option is meant to be eco-friendly and monitor rent payments more accurately because of liability conflicts. Before, there was an additional option of turning in a check or money gram in-person to pay but in order to keep more accountability from all parties. The method of making everything online was easier to keep track of according to Brooklyn Hatley, an employee at the View. Hatley works at the front desk and helps residents with problems or questions they have. She said there have been situations in the past where money orders or checks were lost or never turned in. 

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UNM ROTC set to get new home

Justin Garcia | February 2

It’s a bit of a fixer-upper, but the former Alpha Chi Omega house is set to become the new home of all three ROTC programs at the University of New Mexico.  At least $8 million will go toward the renovation, including $1 million in capital outlay from State Senate Minority Whip Bill Payne (R-Albuquerque) and $7 million from a 2018 GO bond.  “To get an ROTC scholarship is as competitive as going to one of the service academies, in fact it’s probably more competitive because a lot of kids don't want to go to Annapolis. They'd rather go to a university,” Payne told the Daily Lobo.  It’s unclear if the $8 million will be enough to fully renovate the vacant sorority.  

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Vaping legislation advances in New Mexico

Lissa Knudsen | February 2

New Mexico is one step closer to establishing a licensure process for e-cigarette and other tobacco product retailers and raising the age of purchase of all tobacco products to twenty-one.  Senate Bill 131, the Tobacco Products Act, sponsored by Sen. Linda Lopez cleared the Senate Public Affairs Committee on Friday Jan 31, with a unanimous do pass.  Though the bill moved easily through the Senate Public Affairs Committee, there are two possible amendments that don’t bode well for the bill: local preemption and banning flavors. 

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UNM officials downplay coronavirus threat on campus

Joe Rull | February 2

The University of New Mexico’s Emergency Management department issued a university-wide   statement on Friday informing students about the novel coronavirus outbreak. The flu-like illness has infected over 16,000 people globally and taken at least 304 lives to date, according to the World Health Organization, which declared the outbreak a global health emergency last week.  Originating in Wuhan, China, the coronavirus has spread to at least 25 countries, including the United States where a ninth case was confirmed on Feb. 2, in California. The news comes days after U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar II declared a public health emergency for the entire country. 

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Home is where the heart is: UNM prof discusses history of houses

Amanda Britt | February 2

Since the beginnings of human civilization, the idea of a household, with its focus around a fire, is a fundamental unit of human social interaction and organization, according to Professor of Anthropology James Boone. Maxwell Museum of Anthropology hosted the lecture titled “A Natural History of Houses” as a part of their Ancestors Lecture series Thursday evening before a full auditorium in Hibben Hall. The first lecture of this series was given in 1990, the year the Maxwell Museum’s ancestors exhibition opened, by Scientific Curator Erik Trinkhaus. Since 2000, an Ancestors Lecture has been given every year.

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Pharmacists seeking compensation for check-ups in New Mexico

Lissa Knudsen | January 30

In an effort to raise awareness about the services pharmacists provide, University of New Mexico (UNM) Pharmacy students donning crisp white coats conducted health screenings for community members, legislators, lobbyists and other passersby on the ground floor of the New Mexico State Capitol on Monday.  Pharmacists are currently allowed to provide clinical services including blood pressure checks, immunizations, hormonal contraception, tobacco cessation and tuberculosis testing however, unlike doctors or nurses, they can’t bill for these services.  Given this, a group of UNM students has organized an effort to make their future careers more appealing. 

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Update on the Opportunity Scholarship

Justin Garcia | January 29

The Opportunity Scholarship is firmly in the hands of the lawmakers. It’s future, however, may be in question.   During a Senate Finance Committee meeting, three Democratic Senators expressed concerns and criticisms of the proposed Opportunity Scholarship, the second onslaught of such criticism the legislation has received.  During the meeting, Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D) was the first to criticize the proposed Opportunity Scholarship. Candelaria said he was concerned the Opportunity Scholarship would be abused by higher education institutions like he said the Lottery Scholarship was. 

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UNM community donations near monolithically Democrat

Makayla Grijalva | January 29

It’s no secret that New Mexico is an increasingly Democratic state.  After turning blue in the 2008 presidential election, New Mexico has also turned to elect a Democrat governor and all Democratic members of Congress. Additionally, both New Mexico state chambers are led by Democrats.  Based on donations intended for the 2020 election cycle, it appears the state’s flagship University, the University of New Mexico, is also extremely blue as the 2020 federal elections approach. 

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UNM Day showcases students

Alyssa Martinez | January 29

Cherry and silver booths manned by University members lined the curves of the rotunda on Jan. 27 during the annual UNM Day at the state capitol.  From UNM College of Pharmacy’s health-related screenings to trivia on indigenous representation in New Mexican politics presented by American Indian Student Services (AISS), UNM organizations advocated for their programs at the Roundhouse.  Dannelle Kirven, African American Student Services (AASS) intern and recent graduate of UNM, was one such University member advocating for our student body. 

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Stokes talks safety and athletics in State of University speech

Justin Garcia | January 26

SUB — As University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes launched into her State of the University address, she did so with dramatic context.  “In our country, and even here in New Mexico, we are experiencing a crisis of confidence in higher education and it’s value,” Stokes said. She cited national polls and surveys — like a 2018 Pew Research survey that found six in ten Americans believed higher education was going in the wrong direction — as evidence of public skepticism that college isn't worth it.  Those people, Stokes told dozens of administrators, faculty, staff, students and reporters, were wrong. 

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NM Legislature: NM bill aims to address housing and homelessness

Lissa Knudsen | January 26

Last year, New Mexico had the largest percentage increase (27%) in homelessness of any state nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) 2019 Annual Homeless Assessment Report. This disheartening statistic came despite repeated efforts of municipal and state leaders in recent years to address the issue — and a North Valley-area legislator wants to take a different approach.

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NM Legislature begins 30 day session this week

Lissa Knudsen | January 22

It’s going to be a busy thirty days. New Mexico legislators are working this year to legalize recreational marijuana, fund free college, address the Yazzie/Martinez ruling and much more.  In the short session, the state’s budget, appropriations and anything the governor deemed worthy will be addressed. The governor released her message on Jan. 15, setting forth these “exception” bills and listed education, economy, public safety, and health as priorities. Any bills that are not determined to be “germane” are killed in their first committee. 

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NM gov talks pot and free college at State of State address

Justin Garcia and Lissa Knudsen | January 22

Weed and school — that was New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s focus during her second State of the State address at the second onset of New Mexico’s 54th Legislature on Jan. 21.  Speaking to a joint legislative session, Lujan Grisham outlined her legislative priorities — from the legalization of cannabis to teacher pay raises a hard stance on crime and making college free for New Mexico residents — promising a busy 30-day session in 2020.  “As we open this 30-day session, I challenge you to think beyond the 30 days. Think beyond even this year,” Lujan Grisham said during the speech.“We stand together in the sunrise of a new decade. What we do here in this session, in this coming year, will set the course for what comes over the horizon in 2030 and beyond.” 

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NM Legislature: What you need to know about free college

Alyssa Martinez | January 20

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “moon shot” is a step closer to take off.  As the 2020 legislative session nears, some university students across the state are hailing the governor’s proposed “Opportunity Scholarship” as a way to alleviate student debt and provide “every New Mexico student with an opportunity for higher education.” Among them, is the University of New Mexico’s student government, who passed a resolution last fall in support of the scholarship.  But even with UNM and NMSU’s bilateral endorsement of the scholarship, the details are, as of the publication of this article, confuddled. 

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NM legislature: Vaping legislation in Santa Fe

Lissa Knudsen | January 20

In the next few weeks, New Mexico legislators will consider several changes to the e-cigarette and vaping industry, including establishing a licensure process for retailers and raising the age limit for purchase.  These bills come in response to the number of young people who have taken up vaping and the recent epidemic of lung injuries associated with Vitamin E Acetate, an additive in some vaping liquids.  The CDC reported 2,602 cases of e-cigarette related lung injuries and 57 deaths related to e-cigarette use as of early January.

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Keller addresses crime in second state of city address

Alyssa Martinez | January 12

Despite the opening licks of a Judas Priest song, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s second State of the City gave off a subdued feel.  After introductory jokes about Colorado chile feuds and penguins in the desert subsided, Keller addressed a more sobering topic — crime.  Since the start of Keller’s administration, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) hired 100 new officers. Keller said that for the first time in a decade, APD is “1,000 officer strong.”

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UNM Journalism Department rebuked by professional organizations

Justin Garcia | December 26

Two prominent journalism organizations have rebuked the Department of Communication and Journalism's response to a Daily Lobo records request via the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA). The two statements — one from the New Mexico chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the other from the Rio Grande chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists — came after department chair David Weiss said he was "disturbed" by what he said was the "use/misuse/abuse of IPRA" by the Daily Lobo in emails exchanged within the department. Those emails were obtained by the Daily Lobo via a records request. The Daily Lobo requested documents associated with the department's student grievance procedure in October 2019.