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News

NRA-sponsored shooting competition sparks protest in ABQ

Anthony Jackson | September 24

Red and blue lights flashed over protestors from Fight for Our Lives, a gun reform activist group, as they blocked the entrance into the Embassy Suites Hotel on Woodward Drive Northeast, Sunday. The activist group met at Martineztown-Santa Barbara Park before convening at the hotel to protest against the City of Albuquerque hosting the NRA National Police Shooting Championship. Jonathon Alonzo, a highschool student who co-founded the group, said he believes the NRA should not have a place in local police departments.

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New shuttle route drives mixed reactions among students and staff

Anthony Jackson | September 24

The University of New Mexico shuttle system has a new combo route, drawing the ire of many students and staff. Since the end of August, the University combined the South Lot and Lobo Village routes every Monday through Thursday after 3:30 p.m. Barbara Morck, the director of Parking and Transportation Services (PATS), said the combo route was implemented due to a shortage of drivers.

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Exhibit combines art and political conversation

Matthew Zank | September 24

Politics and artistic expression crossed paths last Wednesday, Sept. 19 at the “For Freedoms Party,” an exhibit through the UNM Art Museum. For Freedoms Federation, a project with the goal of combining art with civic participation, worked in conjunction with the UNM Art Museum to bring the exhibition to the University of New Mexico. After a keynote speech from artist Aram Han Sifuentes, the interactive art exhibit began. Attendees were able to voice their own political opinions by filling in cards with statements like “Freedom From...” and “Freedom Of...” and added them to the walls of the exhibit.

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Crime briefs for Sept. 24, 2018

Elizabeth Sanchez | September 24

Battery at UNMH On Sept. 7, a UNM Hospital employee told a UNM Police officer that another employee “slingshotted” a rubber glove, hitting her in the face, according to a police report. Before he did this, he antagonized her and her co-worker. She told him not to fling the glove at her. She thought the glove was contaminated. She informed her supervisors about the incident and was treated at UNM Employee Occupational Health Services. She later returned to work. When she met with the officer, the officer did not notice that she had any visible injuries. The co-worker who witnessed the incident completed a statement that was given to UNMPD. In her statement, she said the male employee flung gloves at the reporting employee and hit her on the cheek. The reporting employee told him to get away from her. The male said the gloves were clean and that he was sorry, and he walked away. In her statement, she said the male employee seemed to be “playing around” and did not intend to be unkind — he and the employee who was hit with the glove usually seem to get along well.

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Death row exoneree Juan Melendez speaks at UNM

Anthony Jackson | September 24

A death row exoneree and speaker from Witness to Innocence, a nonprofit organization against capital punishment, was hosted by the University of New Mexico Lobo Reading Experience in the Student Union Building Theatre on Sept. 19. Scores of UNM students listened to Juan Melendez — an exonerated Florida death row inmate who was wrongfully convicted — share his experience. “When they put me in death row for 17 years, eight months and one day, the world stopped,” Melendez said.

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UNM makes strides in bone health research

Isaiah Garcia | September 24

The University of New Mexico School of Medicine is helping make medical professionals in the state, and all around the country, more knowledgeable with diagnosing and effectively treating osteoporosis through a learning program for medical professionals called Bone Health TeleECHO. According to the UNM Bone Health website, there are available treatments for osteoporosis that can help prolong life. Only about 20 percent of patients with hip fractures are treated to help prevent the risk of future fractures.

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UNM changes IPRA policy due to transparency issues

Danielle Prokop | September 24

Full disclosure: Reporter Danielle Prokop is now also employed at NM Political Report, however was not employed at the time the report was released. A serious concern for the University of New Mexico for the past few weeks has been transparency, and UNM says it’s making changes. Earlier this month, the Attorney General's office sent a letter admonishing UNM’s “pattern and practice of neglecting their responsibility to allow access to public information.”

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Dion's and UNM Innovation Academy team up for "Keep It Cool" Challenge

Mikhaela Smith | September 20

The University of New Mexico’s Innovation Academy has partnered with Dion’s to kick off the “Keep It Cool” Challenge. The challenge will provide possible ways to ship Dion’s ranch across the country — it starts Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. in the Lobo Rainforest Collaboration Space.

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Black Student Alliance condemns sorority for racial remarks

Kyle Land | September 19

The Black Student Alliance (BSA) of the University of New Mexico released a statement Wednesday condemning members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG) sorority for using “racial remarks” during a workshop for incoming Greek Life members. The workshop was part of Monday’s 2018 Greek New Member Summit, an event that educates incoming Greek Life members on various topics, with the incident occurring during a portion of the event covering mental health. According to the statement, the comments were made when Dr. Stephanie McIver, director of counseling at Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), was making a presentation about the services available at SHAC.

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ASUNM discuss finances, compliance at latest committee meetings

Madison Spratto and Justin Garcia | September 19

The Associated Students of New Mexico Senate Finance and Steering & Rules committees met yesterday evening to discuss an investigation into Lobo Motorsports Formula SAE, appropriations and four resolutions. Finance Committee Among the nearly $25,000 in appropriations discussed, Vice President Emily Wilks announced the Finance Committee was investigating Lobo Motorsports Formula SAE who received about $20,000 in appropriations last year. Lobo Motorsports Formula SAE is a student organization, partly funded by student fees, that builds and races formula one vehicles against other universities.

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Temporary waterways may lose environmental protections

Megan Holmen | September 19

Temporary waterways in the United States could potentially lose protection under the Clean Water Act through the Environmental Protection Agency — 90 percent of New Mexico’s water comes from temporary waterways according to Cliff Dahm, a University of New Mexico biology professor. Dahm said temporary waterways can be defined as any waterway that does not flow all year long. Some temporary waterways flow most of the year, but some only flow a few days out of the year.

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El Centro celebrates its 50th anniversary

Makayla Grijalva | September 19

El Centro de la Raza kicked off their year-long 50th year celebration on Sept.17. The student services center was opened at the University of New Mexico in 1969 under the name Chicano Student Services and is a part of the Division of Student Affairs. The kickoff event included speakers from every decade since El Centro’s founding. Speakers talked about El Centro de la Raza’s evolution, and a special anniversary logo for the center was also revealed.

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New Mexico may be facing another Democratic "trifecta"

Makayla Grijalva | September 19

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on Sept. 19 in the New Mexico News Port. This is part of our project to help connect the Daily Lobo audience to more members of our community New Mexico may be on track to have another Democratic “trifecta” after the 2018 election cycle. A state government trifecta is when a single political party has control of the governor’s seat and the majority in both chambers of the state legislature, in this case, the New Mexico House of Representatives and New Mexico Senate.

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Stokes unpacks first 200 days as president at State of University address

Danielle Prokop | September 18

After 200 days, the University of New Mexico no longer has a “new” President. UNM President Garnett Stokes gave her first State of the University address Monday to a crowd of 200 people. She was introduced by Faculty President Pamela Pyle, and spoke for nearly half an hour.  Framed on each side by arrangements of red and white gladiolas, Stokes touted University success in healthcare programs, teaching educators, research initiatives, and student entrepreneurs and startups.

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Crime Briefs for Sept. 16, 2018

Elizabeth Sanchez | September 16

Misdemeanor warrant arrest, battery, escape from custody of a peace officer On the afternoon of Aug. 30, an officer was sent to Zimmerman Library, according to a UNMPD report. The officer met with a female student who said a male followed her from the Student Union Building to the library. The male sat at the same table as her and stared at her. She ignored him. The male started to eat part of the student’s lunch. She asked him not to do that, and another person at the table told him to leave, stating that he was bothering them. The male began to caress the student’s arm from her shoulder to her elbow. She said that “she was creeped out and told him to stop,” according to the report.

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UNM rededicates naval bell to Smith Plaza

Tom Hanlon | September 16

University of New Mexico students may notice something new in front of Zimmerman Library next time they are walking through Smith Plaza — if they are looking carefully enough. Last Thursday, the ship bell of the World War II era USS New Mexico battleship was rededicated during its rehanging in front of Zimmerman Library. The bell previously hung from a turquoise metal frame above Smith Plaza before the plaza’s renovation over the summer. The rededication ceremony detailed the history of the bell and included speeches from UNM President Garnett Stokes, Rear Admiral Mark Bipes, Greg Trapp of the New Mexico Council of the Navy League and the commanding officer of the current USS New Mexico nuclear powered fast attack submarine, Commander James Morrow.

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NM Supreme Court rejects straight-party voting

Makayla Grijalva | September 16

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on Sept. 14 in the New Mexico News Port, under the headline, “New Mexico Supreme Court Rejects Newly Reinstated Straight Party Ballot Option.” This is part of our project to help connect the Daily Lobo audience to more members of our community A unanimous decision by the New Mexico Supreme Court Wednesday, Sept. 12, blocked the option for using straight-party voting in the November 2018 general election. Straight-party voting, also known as straight-ticket voting, is an option on a ballot to fill in one bubble to select all candidates of a single party.

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Get a clue: Centennial Library launches Mystery Room

Ahmad Yar Ranjha | September 16

The University of New Mexico Centennial Library has created the Mystery Room series to invoke interest and educate library users about its resources and services. The purpose of the two-event series is to educate new students on how to find information and locate library resources on specific topics, time periods and important scholars. There will be one on Sept. 20 and Oct. 4. “In the Mystery Room, students find out what happened to a missing scholar by solving puzzles and finding clues. During the game they’ll learn about the way information is presented as well as get to know some of UNM’s librarians and meet other students,” said the event organizer Glenn Koelling, who is an assistant professor and learning service librarian.

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UNM students get ready for rivalry game at Red Rally

Anthony Jackson | September 14

Students at the University of New Mexico did not start the fire. Red Rally, UNM’s 15-year tradition of burning an effigy of New Mexico State University’s Pistol Pete mascot days before the UNM-NMSU football game, continued to burn bright on Thursday. Crowds of students covered Johnson Field just to watch the pinata-like effigy go up in flames.

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ASUNM approve budget request, reject McCain condolence

Justin Garcia | September 13

The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Senate met Wednesday night to vote on balance forward requests, a condolence for Senator John McCain, and receive an update about the Johnson Center renovation and the UNM Police Department’s media presence. President Becka Myers requested that $37,788 of almost $50,000 in unspent money from last year’s budget be sent to cover costs of ASUNM’s eight student service agencies not previously covered in their budgets. This is the first time the balance forward requests have gone through the Finance Committee, said Madelyn Lucas, the Finance Committee chair.