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Crime Briefs for November 12, 2018

Elizabeth Sanchez | November 12

On the afternoon of Oct. 7, an officer was on patrol at A Lot near the tennis courts and the Student Residence Center, an area “recently subjected to a large number of property-related thefts,” according to a UNMPD report. A male was riding his bike and looking from left to right in the parking lot. When he saw officers in a marked patrol vehicle, he turned into the student housing area. A black cylindrical item and a pair of yellow-handled wire cutters stuck out of the male’s pants pockets. He pedaled fast, appearing to try to escape from University of New Mexico Police Department officers. He was eventually out of sight. An officer saw him again with a female who the officer recognized as a suspect in recent thefts at the Student Union Building. The officer asked if they were students, staff or faculty — they said they were not. The male began sweating and hesitated to reply when the officer asked him why he rode away so quickly.

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Student entrepreneurs pitch ideas, win money

Justin Garcia | November 12

About $5,000 was up for grabs to the student with the best pitch last week. Jonathan Yarmey was chosen by patrons at the Bow and Arrow Brewery Co. to receive $1,000. The audience choice was the largest cash prize during the competition at Lobo Rainforest Monday night. Four other contestants were awarded $450 for the judges’ choice award while the other six finalists won $250. Yarmey’s winning pitch was an alternative approach to tracheostomies. The pitch included a mannequin located amongst the audience and an actor performing a tracheotomy.

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UNM launches project to preserve Zuni language

Alyssa Bitsie | November 12

The University of New Mexico’s College of University Libraries project is working to preserve the Zuni language and culture by using modern digital technology. The Zuni Language Materials Collection (ZLMC) is comprised of materials donated by the Zuni Public School District to UNM in 2016. According to their website it is a digitized platform used to support Zuni language learners in the community, Zuni Pueblo and schools, as well as the UNM community. Arin Peywa is a member of the Zuni Pueblo and a UNM secondary education and English major. She was hired by the library and funded by the Zuni: Engaging Teachers and Community Program (ZETAC). This program provided funding to have the language materials scanned and digitized, Peywa said.

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GEO to hold International Education Week

Megan Holmen | November 12

This week the University of New Mexico will be flooded with culture, travel and education for its annual International Education week ran by the Global Education Office (GEO). Students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to attend a variety of events covering topics like study abroad, cultural discussions and art exhibits. According to Annette Mares-Duran, the chair of the International Education Week Campus Committee and the study abroad advisor for GEO, the week provides a chance for people to come together and celebrate diversity.

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ASUNM president demands more diverse regents from Lujan Grisham

Justin Garcia | November 8

As Michelle Lujan Grisham gets set to take the reins as New Mexico Governor, the President of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Becka Myers sent a letter urging Grisham to appoint a more diverse Board of Regents. In her letter, Myers said, “It is critical to me and all of us at ASUNM that our Regents reflect that diversity, which includes ethnicity, heritage, culture, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ideas, and professional backgrounds.”

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UNM bond projects approved by huge majority

Kyle Land | November 8

New Mexican voters emphatically approved two General Obligation (GO) Bond measures that will provide million of dollars in funding to a multitude of different projects at the University of New Mexico. As previously reported by the Daily Lobo, both bonds will not result in a tax increase, relying instead on a mixture on bond and state funds. “The strong support New Mexicans showed at the polls for both the higher education and library bonds is reflective of the value they place on research and learning,” said UNM President Garnett Stokes. “We look forward to building a campus at the University for New Mexico of which we can all be proud.”

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Xochitl Torres Small wins NM CD-2 race

Danielle Prokop | November 7

A solid red stronghold may have gone blue. Water Attorney Xochitl Torres Small may have secured enough absentee ballots to wipe away State Representative and Republican candidate Yvette Herrell in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District race. 

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Doña Ana officials count remaining ballots, as CD-2 result remains stalled

Danielle Prokop | November 7

Voters in Doña Ana County may have experienced long lines at the polls on Election Day, but it is the over 8,000 absentee ballots that are currently overwhelming county officials, delaying final results. Doña Ana County Clerk Amanda López Askin said the county had “triple to quadruple the amount of absentee ballots this year” compared to both 2014 and 2016. She said the Absent Voter Board (AVB) — the independent seven-member body appointed for two years to tabulate absentee ballots — had been expecting a smaller volume of “around 2,000 or 3,000 ballots.” López Askin said there are approximately 8,000 absentee ballots in total, plus any walk-ins that were dropped off at the County Clerk’s Office and other polling locations Tuesday before the polls closed.

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Democrats sweep statewide elections in New Mexico

Kyle Land and Madison Spratto | November 7

Democratic candidates stole the night in New Mexico state elections, taking a variety of seats of all sizes and significances. Over 680,000 people voted in the 2018 Midterm Elections in New Mexico, a 24 percent increase over the last midterms in 2014. While Democrats won seats in the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and the Governor's seat, they also won variety of statewide elections, securing the Roundhouse's Democratic status going into the January session.

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New Mexico CD-2 still undecided, count will resume Wednesday

Danielle Prokop | November 7

While multiple outlets called the Congressional District 2 race a victory for Republican candidate Yvette Herrell, there was still no winner at the end of Election Day. According to a statement by the Office of the Secretary of State, over 4,000 absentee ballots remain uncounted, and the process will resume at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The press release was updated at 1:38 a.m. to include approximately an additional 4,000 absentee ballots that have been counted and will be posted at the conclusion of Wednesday’s process “for an approximate aggregate total of eight-thousand” ballots.

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Grisham wins governor's race to cap off New Mexico's blue wave

Gabriella Rivera and Justin Garcia | November 7

The New Mexico Governor’s seat became blue once more on Tuesday night when Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham won decisively against Republican opponent Steve Pearce thus ending eight years of Republican control over the Governor's seat. According to the New Mexico Secretary of State website, Grisham was leading Pearce by over 13 percent with over 800 precincts reporting at the time this article was published.

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Heinrich easily wins reelection to Senate

Cameron Goeldner and Megan Holmen | November 7

Martin Heinrich retained his Senate seat on Tuesday night, defeating Republican challenger Mick Rich and Libertarian Gary Johnson to earn a second term. According to a poll by the Albuquerque Journal, Heinrich was predicted to win by 21 percent. Libertarian candidate and former Governor of New Mexico Johnson was only predicted to earn 16 percent of the vote. With 876 precincts reporting, Heinrich was leading with 53 percent of the vote. Rich was in second with 31.60 percent, and Johnson was a distant third with 15.36 percent, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State website.

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Haaland wins, becomes one of first Native American congresswomen

Tom Hanlon and Anthony Jackson | November 7

Deb Haaland was elected as the representative for New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District Tuesday night. She became the first Native American women elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, beating out Republican Janice Arnold-Jones and Libertarian Lloyd Princeton. Sharice Davis won her race in Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District, making her and Haaland the first two Native American congresswomen.

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Libertarians come up empty in New Mexico elections

Megan Holmen | November 7

While Democrats and Republicans each held their watch parties in sizable hotels, Libertarians met at Blue Agave Republic, a bar in Albuquerque. The small group of candidates gathered around televisions and snacked on a cornucopia of finger food, as none of their candidates were elected to office in 2018. Gary Johnson, Lloyd Princeton, Ginger Grider and A. Blair Dunn were some of the Libertarian candidates running for office.

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Bilingual church service held at the border

Anthony Jackson and Justin Garcia | November 5

Shrubs dot the southern New Mexico landscape. Their dry roots cling to life atop the hills and between the steep ravines of the seemingly endless Chihuahuan Desert. A long shadow stretches across this barren landscape. A rusted fence divides the United States of America and Estados Unidos Mexicanos. Knowing no bounds, a breeze passes freely through the fence and the distant, shrill call of a hawk can be heard.

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Three Democratic candidates hold rally at UNM

Justin Garcia | November 5

Sen. Martin Heinrich, Deb Haaland and Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, all favored to win their respective races on Tuesday, came to the University of New Mexico to rally votes as the 2018 midterm elections come to a close. The rally was held in the Student Union Building on Thursday, and was organized by UNM College Democrats.

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Jewish student organization hosts voting party

Tom Hanlon | November 4

The University of New Mexico Hillel student organization hosted a non-partisan voting party in the Student Union Building called MitzVote on Thursday. The event was held to encourage students and the public to vote, and highlighting the voting the process as something to celebrate. “Voting can be scary and it’s scary for young voters who see the political climate we have now,” said Zoe Wiesel, a member of Hillel and senior studying geology. “And making it fun and accessible and something celebrate is a better approach than the normal shouting to get people to vote.”

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Crime briefs for Nov. 5, 2018

Elizabeth Sanchez | November 4

When the officer arrived, dispatch received a call stating the male was yelling he had a gun. Over the radio, the officer asked for assistance at Ortega Hall and notified other officers there was a possible firearm.

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UNM receives grant to study diabetic blindness

Anthony Jackson | November 4

The University of New Mexico received a $2.8 million grant in September from the National Institutes of Health to study diabetic blindness, also known as diabetic retinopathy. According to Dr. Arup Das, the the division chief in the Ophthalmology Division at UNM Hospital, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in Americans aged 20 to 64. There are two types of diabetic blindness, Das said. There is mild diabetic retinopathy and moderate diabetic retinopathy.

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Speech and debate team hosts speaking tournament

Luisa Pennington | November 4

The newly established University of New Mexico Speech and Debate team hosted the UNM Lobo Howl on Saturday Nov. 3 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Judged by UNM student volunteers, New Mexico high school students were welcomed to compete in the tournament to win from a variety of awards. The tournament offered 10 events for students to compete in, including extemporaneous speaking and student congressional debate. A total of 18 New Mexico high schools participated, making the total amount of attendees over 180 participants. Awards were given out to the top three competitors of each category.