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Protest to 'close the camps' held in ABQ

Alyssa Martinez | July 15

Hundreds of New Mexicans from around New Mexico gathered for a vigil outside of the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement building on Friday to demand lawmakers to “close the camps” under the nationwide Liberty of Lights movement. The vigil was organized by the Three Sisters Collective, a grassroots organization of indigenous women in Santa Fe, co-founded by University of New Mexico alumni Dr. Christina M. Castro. The event was co-organized by the New Mexico Dream Team, the Medicine Drum Circle, and Remembering Ancestors Inspiring Community Empowering Self, RAICES. Planned Parenthood and the New Mexico Immigration Law Center were among the groups in attendance. The evening began by calling upon ancestors for protection, followed by a blessing of all four cardinal directions. The prayer was led by Tonita Gonzales, a medicine woman of RAICES. Gonzales mentioned the native tale of the Eagle and the Condor, which prophesied that one day, the people of the North and South will be united again.

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ABQ holds gun buyback

Justin Garcia | July 15

The Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers and the Albuquerque Police Department hosted a gun buyback event on Saturday afternoon, collecting a total of 415 guns. “This is one part of our multi-pronged effort to reduce gun violence in Albuquerque,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a press release after the event. “As police work to keep people safe, we also need support from law-abiding citizens who are often targeted by thieves. This successful gun buyback event gave people a safe way to dispose of unwanted firearms while taking those guns out of circulation.” In the style of a fast-food drive-thru, hundreds of people showed up to turned over handguns, shotguns and rifles for $75 and assault rifles for $100. APD paid cash for the guns, which according Councilman Pat Daivs, district 2, will be turned into an art installation. Davis said the logistics of this project are still being developed, but added that the art installation would focus on gun violence.

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SUB Solar panels may have installation issues

Colin Peña | July 15

The University of New Mexico project to install solar panels on the roof of the Student Union Building may have to change locations due to the roof of the SUB having more damage than previously thought. The Associated Students of UNM Senate began the process of requesting money from the state for the solar panels about two years ago. Associate Director of Government Relations Matthew Muñoz said his office helped ASUMN students work with the Legislature to begin this project. “Solar Panels on the SUB is a student-led initiative,” Muñoz said, adding that. “(The Students) have to figure out what they want to do, if it will be funded by the bond, they have to work with legislators to get the funding and they have to work when they get the money.”

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New VP shares her goals

Alyssa Martinez | July 15

As the new Associated Students of the University of New Mexico administration prepares for the upcoming fall semester, Vice President Madelyn Lucas is looking to address three main policy areas: enrollment, campus morale and accessibility. Lucas defined accessibility in two parts: first the University’s compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) , and second is undergraduates’ access to ASUNM. Lucas expressed that the ambiguity of what undergraduate accessibility would actually look like in legislation is a part of the challenge in achieving this goal. Lucas’ most well-established role as Vice President is to oversee the senate by appointing chairs, facilitating discussion, setting the agenda and making sure all legislation is in place. Typically, senators are popularly elected for 2 terms based off of the results of the most recent election. For example, if a candidate won a seat in the most recent spring 2019 election, they would serve for the fall 2019 and spring 2020 sessions, at which point they can resign from the senate or run again. Since the most recent senate election in April, there have been shifts in who exactly will be in the senate.

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Rio Grande roaring after heavy rains

Amanda Britt | July 15

Albuquerque’s ecosystem may benefit from this year’s heavy water flow and flooding in areas around the Middle Rio Grande. Although the water levels are past their peak for this year, the average discharge in the Rio Grande in Albuquerque rose to nearly 6,000 cubic feet per second in June. Last June the discharge rate rarely surpassed 1,000 cfs. On June 18 the discharge rate outside of Cochiti dam, an hour north of Albuquerque, was at its peak flow at a rate of 6,279 cubic feet per second, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Albuquerque District. Areas surrounding the Rio Grande had good snowpack this year. Kim Eichhorst, an associate research professor of biology at UNM and co-director of Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP), said the snowpack earlier this year melted, and sublimated – or evaporated straight from the snow. A dust layer on the snow also allowed the snow to evaporate faster.

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SUB closer to installing solar panels

Alyssa Martinez and Colin Peña | July 8

The University of New Mexico is inching closer to having solar panels installed on the roof of the Student Union Building (SUB) now that state funding was designated for the project. Talk of installing solar panels on the SUB has been brewing since Fall of 2017 when a resolution calling for the University to push towards 100% renewable energy sources was unanimously passed by the Associated Students of UNM Senate, the legislative body of undergraduate student government. The solar panel installation will be a collaborative project between ASUNM and Facilities Management, formally known as Project Plant Development.

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Four reportedly shot in downtown ABQ

Makayla Grijalva | July 8

Albuquerque police are investigating a shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in downtown Albuquerque. Four people were reportedly shot outside of Tantra nightclub — formerly known as Lotus — and were taken to local hospitals. Albuquerque Police Department said their injuries are not life-threatening. The identities of the victims have not been released.

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Lobo Food Pantry helps out hungry students

Lissa Knudsen | July 8

Every month, University of New Mexico students and others can get free groceries through the Lobo Food Pantry program. The next Lobo Food Pantry date is July 12, 2019, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. while supplies last. The mobile food pantry is a truckload of food that is distributed to community members, where people can fill a box or two with the items they need. The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice released a report in April of this year that showed that 41% of four-year university students across the nation are food insecure. Last year, the state of New York mandated that all public colleges and universities provide mobile food pantries for their students.

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City approves NBCUniversal partnership

Emille Domschot | June 30

The ink wasn’t dry before the cameras started rolling. On Monday June, 17, Albuquerque city councilors voted unanimously to approve a 10-year joint venture between NBCUniversal and an Albuquerque realtor to redevelop an empty warehouse into a film studio with two soundstages. Already, work is being done on the free-span property at 1601 Commercial Avenue where the NBCUniversal studio is based. Filming started Monday, June 17, on Briarpatch, a crime anthology starring Rosario Dawson for USA Network. The pilot was filmed in Albuquerque in 2018. They are the second major production company to choose Albuquerque as a studio location causing career prospects to possibly be opening up for film students at the University of New Mexico.

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Education prof takes on deanship

Justin Garcia | June 30

Becoming the Dean of the College of Education was never the plan, but that’s where Deborah Rifenbary finds herself for the incoming Fall 2019 semester. Rifenbary is replacing the former dean, Salvador Hector Ochoa, on an interim basis. Ochoa left the University of New Mexico for a provost position at San Diego State University, according to an SDSU news release. He starts July 2. Before Ochoa left, Rifenbary said she was planning on retiring in December. “I think the college is in a transition right now. I think that I am someone who can offer stability. I have always been an advocate for faculty voice, collaboration and collegiality. I am committed to student success,” Rifenbary, who previously held an associate dean position in the college, told the Daily Lobo.

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UNM IPRA story: University redacts response records

Danielle Prokop | June 24

The University of New Mexico may have violated transparency laws with a near-total redaction of three letters between a Records Custodian and an unknown requester(s) or requestors, according to transparency advocates. The records were dated between November and December 2018 and the bulk or in some cases the entirety of the information being sought from the University — including the requestor’s name — was redacted. All the documents were requested by the Daily Lobo though the Inspection of Public Records Act. Last week, the University was publicly criticized by the Office of the Attorney General for failure to adhere to the state’s Inspection of Public Records Act by not releasing records to the Albuquerque Journal. The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government Executive Director, Melanie Majors said she had concerns about the amount of redactions.

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Suspect arrested in double homicide; UNM student killed, remembered

Makayla Grijalva | June 24

“She is probably one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met.” UNM Student Shanta Hanish is remembered by her friend Donald Roberts just a couple days after her and her mother Laura Hanish were discovered by Albuquerque detectives stabbed to death in their home. They were found on Friday, June 21. Jesus Cartagena, 20, was issued an arrest warrant for the homicide of the two women on Saturday, June 22. The warrant was issued shortly after Cartagena turned himself into El Paso police claiming he had “done something bad in Albuquerque” according to the official arrest warrant. He is currently being held by the El Paso police department.

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UNM: Border fence around campus? Not so fast

Danielle Prokop | June 17

University officials said a decision on the proposed campus perimeter fence isn’t coming anytime soon. In addition, the group set to review the proposal doesn’t have all of its members. President Garnett Stokes told the Daily Lobo that the newly announced Campus Safety Council would recommend action on the proposal, but not until the fall semester. “[A barrier] was just one piece of everything we needed to think about, but it got out there as something imminent, and no way is it in that category,” she said. When asked if UNM is taking the proposal seriously, Stokes told the Daily Lobo the decision is still a long way from being made.

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Political organization rallies for abortion

Amanda Britt | June 17

“Ain’t no power like the power of the people, ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop,' ” chanted participants of a pro-choice abortion rally Friday afternoon. Around 50 people gathered at Central and First Street to spread awareness and support for reproductive rights. The demonstration was organized by the Party of Socialism and Liberation (PSL). “Even though it’s a smaller turnout tonight, the energy is really great,” said Karina Rodgers, 24, a member of PSL. “There’s a lot of new faces here, and a lot of young faces as well. It’s really inspiring because this is just the beginning of protests, rallies and the movement for reproductive rights.” “In Soviet Russia, quotes pull YOU”

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NMAG Letter: UNM withholding public records

Makayla Grijalva | June 17

The New Mexico Office of the Attorney General released a letter Friday which informed the University of New Mexico that they are in violation of the state’s “sunshine laws” by withholding documents that should be public information. “We conclude this determination by, yet again, reminding ...

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UNMH workers picket for better pay

Danielle Prokop and Lissa Knudsen | June 12

A group of University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) health care workers and their union representatives picketed against the Hospital Wednesday morning. The protesters, around 20 employees and representatives from the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, Local 1199, are accusing UNMH management of proposing a new contract they said is worse than their current contract. Media relations for UNMH, Mark Rudi, told the Daily Lobo that the Hospital’s Budget Office could not comment during negotiations, nor could the hospital according to UNMH policy. “UNM Hospitals continues to negotiate with the union. We appreciate and value our employees and are dedicated to putting our patients first in everything we do,” Rudi wrote in a statement provided to the Daily Lobo.

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APD arrests man allegedly behind crosswalk vandalism

Justin Garcia | June 11

The Albuquerque Police Department arrested a man they believe to have vandalized the rainbow-colored crosswalks. Anthony Morgan is believed to be the rider in the video that showed dozens of motorcycles burning out their tires and leaving skid marks along a recently installed rainbow-colored crosswalks on Morningside and Central in Nob Hill. According to the warrant for Morgan’s arrest, APD utilized tips from the Crimestoppers hotline and Morgan’s social media to identify him as one of the riders. According to the arrest warrant, police connected three videos obtained on social media with Morgan’s Instagram account. They said the make and model of the motorcycle, and tattoos visible in the videos allowed them to identify Morgan as one of the motorcyclists who vandalized the crosswalk

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ABQ parades to celebrate Pride

Beatrice Nisoli | June 10

Albuquerque gathered to celebrate 2019 LGBTQ Pride parade this past Saturday. This year was the 50th anniversary of Stonewall — the riots that largely impacted the LGBTQ movement and continues to resonate to this day. Despite the intense Albuquerque heat, a crowd of thousands of people gathered along Central Avenue. The Daily Lobo profiled people who attended and participated in this year’s event.

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Vigil commemorates Stonewall Riots

Lauren McDonald | June 10

Albuquerque PrideFest held a candlelight vigil for the LGBT community on Friday evening, June 6 at Morningside Park. The vigil was held in remembrance of the Stonewall riots in 1969 and ended up experiencing a protest of its own. A group of protesters chanted over the national anthem and a few speakers at the event. It is unclear if they were affiliated with a local organization. Otherwise the vigil went on as planned.

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Albuquerque unveils rainbow crosswalk

Lauren McDonald | June 10

The city unveiled their display for the Pride crosswalks painted rainbow colors on historic Route 66, at the intersection of Morningside Drive and Central Avenue — but that display was then vandalized a few days later. A video uploaded to Facebook showed a group of motorcyclists taking turns skidding on the crosswalk. Mayor Tim Keller called the actions of the motorcyclists a “symbolic act of hate,” and said they “will not be accepted.”