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College Democrats provides platform for students

Rebecca Brusseau | October 18

As the fall semester reaches its home stretch, one organization is gaining momentum in its restoration. The University New Mexico College Democrats have reestablished themselves after a hiatus, which arose from remaining neutral in the wake of the presidential primaries in 2016. UNM College Democrats have regained their voice after almost a year and a half. This organization has returned to the UNM campus with biweekly meetings and the goal of gaining momentum and giving students a platform to speak about their political beliefs. One member who has played a key role in reinstating the group is Jackie Luchini, a fifth year political science major who spent the spring semester as an intern in Washington D.C. through the Fred Harris program.

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Brief: Mayoral candidates draw their battle lines

Kyle Land | October 18

In the first debate before the runoff election, mayoral candidates Tim Keller and Dan Lewis squared off at Congregation Albert synagogue in Albuquerque. While the race is technically nonpartisan, it became clear that both candidates were firmly planted on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Dan Lewis, who received 23 percent of votes to Keller’s 39 percent in the first election, was on the offensive throughout much of the debate. During a question concerning job growth in the city and 15 minutes into the debate, Lewis said he “didn’t create...sweatshop jobs in Cambodia like Tim did.”

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UNM prepares for accreditation review

Kyle Land | October 18

At Tuesday’s Board of Regents meeting, Senior Vice Provost Richard L. Wood and Associate Provost Pamela Cheek expressed concerns ahead of next year’s accreditation review. The Higher Learning Accreditation organization will be conducting a site visit in 2018-19 to determine if UNM will keep its accreditation as a degree-granting university. Wood primarily focused on areas in which the University could improve and announced the office’s goals for the semester. This included a commitment to reinvigorate community efforts and for students to become more involved in the Albuquerque area.

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Student achieves dream of working with NASA

Ashish Khatri | October 15

Since she was a child, Antonella Riega was interested in NASA. However, when she began her studies at Central New Mexico Community College in biology and at the University of New Mexico in Spanish, she never thought she would have the opportunity, especially because she was not majoring in engineering. That changed this September when she found a flyer at CNM that led her to become a part of a program at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

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Walk aims to spread awareness of human trafficking

Rebecca Brusseau | October 14

Albuquerque joined six hundred cities across the globe Saturday by participating in the “A21 Walk for Freedom” to raise awareness about human trafficking. A21 is an international organization leading the anti-trafficking and anti-slavery campaign, “Walk for Freedom.” The walk intended to inform the public, while encouraging victims of human trafficking to share their stories to prevent modern-day slavery from continuing. By 10:30 a.m. a line of marchers stretched along the sidewalk of Louisiana Blvd. from Cutler Ave. to Indian School Rd.

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Coach Carter visits during midterms, hopes to inspire UNM community

Kelly Urvanejo | October 11

University of New Mexico students gathered in the Student Union Building Tuesday to hear motivational speaker coach Ken Carter. Carter is known across the nation as the man who locked his Richmond High School Oilers basketball team out of the gym and discontinued their season when they were not performing well academically in 1999.

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Largest ballooning event in the world offers unique experience

Ludella Awad | October 11

Hundreds of balloons took over the Albuquerque sky this Saturday at Balloon Fiesta Park as part of the 46th International Balloon Fiesta. Albuquerque’s first Balloon Fiesta took place on April 8, 1972 at the Coronado Center with 13 balloons. Albuquerque native Jim Madden attended the first fiesta and has been enjoying the event ever since. Over time, he was on chase crews, “riding with some of the wildest people you could imagine, especially one fellow from England, and he decided he could land anywhere he wanted. You weren’t allowed to land on the reservations or go over the zoo. Those places he wanted to do,” Madden said.

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New facility aims to support student veterans

Gerardo Archundia Soriano | October 10

On the corner of Central Ave. and University Blvd. stands the new Veterans Support Building. Initiated by UNM at the end of last year, the facility aims to help veteran students in their transition from military to civilian life. Eliberto Calderón, president of the Student Veterans Association of UNM, said that students are surprised to find out that they have a new facility with different resources to help them in their studies. The office was previously located in the Student Union Building in a small room without the proper environment or resources that they needed.

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Local org advocates for a greener campus

Madison Spratto | October 10

Environment New Mexico unveiled their 10-point plan that aims to assist colleges and universities with the transition to using 100 percent renewable energy on Tuesday at a press conference at the University of New Mexico. “Our message today is clear: colleges and universities across the country are situated to lead the charge in transitioning to a 100 percent clean, renewable energy future,” said Sanders Moore, the state director of Environment New Mexico Research and Policy Center. The plan, titled “Renewable Energy 101: Ten Tools for Moving your Campus to 100 Percent Clean Energy,” consists of 10 options to help institutions in New Mexico establish a 100 percent clean, renewable energy system. “UNM has the ability, and the knowledge, to lead by taking bold steps to shift to clean energy and greatly reduce pollution,” Moore said.

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Lobo reporter catches a lift for the festival

Aaron Cowan | October 10

Once again the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has arrived, painting our city with colorful hot air balloons. Pilots from across the country and globe gathered on Saturday, Oct. 7 in the grass fields behind the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum to kick off this nine-day event with a Mass Ascension, in which hundreds of balloonists take to the air in two separate waves starting at 7 a.m. The only thing better than seeing this event up close on the field might be the opportunity to actually ride in one of the balloons. And this reporter got that chance, as part of the passenger group that flew with pilot Pat Harwell of Shreveport, Louisiana — he is a veteran pilot with over 3,000 hours of flight experience.

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Brief: Local org encourages anti-militarism action

Madison Spratto | October 8

Anti-militarism activist groups across the world are acknowledging the first annual Global Action Against Military Bases week beginning Saturday, Oct. 7. The week is meant to show solidarity with activists around the globe who have been resisting occupation, militarism and foreign bases for years, according to a press release by the Albuquerque anti-war group Stop the War Machine. SWM organizes events to protest and educate the community about the harm of militarism. “Uniting our resistance into a global action for peace and justice will make our voices louder, our power stronger and more radiant,” the release said.

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Local businesses help to fund Balloon Fiesta

Nichole Harwood | October 8

As Albuquerque comes together to enjoy the International Balloon Fiesta’s festivities, business owners do their best to contribute to their community. Griffin & Associates, a business that got its start in Albuquerque, is one of the event sponsors and currently employs multiple Univesity of New Mexico alumni and provides internships to students. “As a leading communications company, Griffin & Associates is committed to providing the highest level of personalized service to our clients,” said Joanie Griffin, CEO and founder of Griffin & Associates. “We focus on crafting unique marketing approaches to advance the awareness of our clients’ products and services. Griffin & Associates is dedicated to proactive leadership, devising creative media-based solutions to marketing opportunities and consistently assessing the needs and objectives of our clients.”

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Brief: Participants scream, “I’m Pickle Rick!” to support hurricane relief

Kelly Urvanejo | October 5

A University of New Mexico student wants to help hurricane relief efforts — the way she did it: screaming, “I’m Pickle Rick!” On Oct. 5 people from the Albuquerque community gathered in front of the Student Union Building at the University of New Mexico to yell, “I’m Pickle Rick,” a phrase made popular by the animated comedy series Rick and Morty. Leilani Stallings, a junior at UNM, organized the event through Facebook. She said she got her idea from friends at the University of California, Berkeley, who were hosting events like “run like Naruto in front of the library or scream ‘my leg’ in front of the park,” Stallings said.

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Football: Amid backlash, Davie supports players who knelt during the national anthem

Robert Maler | October 5

On Tuesday, head football coach Bob Davie sat with five of his players in a press conference to discuss the players kneeling during the national anthem at halftime during the Homecoming game against Air Force on Saturday.

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What lies next for DACA recipients

Rebecca Brusseau | October 4

Following the proposed rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — with a six month delay — by President Donald Trump, DACA recipients had to scramble to file their renewal paperwork before Thursday: the deadline set by the administration. The U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services gave instructions that all renewal requests sent via mail must have been received by Thursday, Oct. 5, and the USCIS will not be accepting any requests received beyond this date. In order to meet this deadline, workshops and “DACAthons” were held through the last day of September throughout Albuquerque, aiming to provide information and guidance for those needing help in seeking renewal.

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College of Arts and Sciences proposes tuition hike

Brendon Gray | October 4

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences might be paying more for classes next year, according to a tuition change request submitted Monday. The College, which provides 65 percent of undergraduate student credit hours across the University, has made an initial differential tuition request to offset the College’s worsening fiscal situation. “The model that we have now from the administration not only doesn’t allow us to develop better, it puts us at threat,” Phil Ganderton, senior associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said in a presentation to students Tuesday.

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UNM begins testing of new cancer-fighting drug

Madison Spratto | October 4

The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center successfully completed the first in-human testing of a promising new cancer drug called BXQ-350 that is meant to target solid malignant tumors. Dr. Olivier Rixe has been involved in the development of BXQ-350 from the early stages of its conception and is the director of the clinical trial at UNM. “You have a lot of steps with the (U.S. Food and Drug Administration),” he said. “It’s almost been 10 years from the initial concept to the first patients treated.”

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Crime briefs for Oct. 5

Elizabeth Sanchez | October 4

Burglary at 2300 Tucker St. NE On Sept. 25, the reporting officer was sent to 2300 Tucker St. NE to assist another UNMPD officer with investigating a burglary, according to a report. When the reporting officer arrived, the officer that was already present said an unknown offender or offenders entered through a window on the west side of an office space. The offender(s) then attempted to pry open two cabinets in the secretary's space but did not succeed. However, the offender(s) pried open an overhead cabinet and and took a box containing keys to all overhead cabinets in the cubicles. The offender(s) entered several private cubicles to look through cabinets and drawers. Because all the doors were locked, it appeared the offender(s) were climbing over the top of the cubicles, where there is a 4-foot gap between the top of the cubicle and the ceiling.

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After election night, Keller and Lewis prepare for runoff

Brendon Gray , Celia Raney , Celia_Raney , Rebecca Brusseau and Ludella Awad | October 4

Daniel “Dan” Lewis and Timothy “Tim” Keller will now go head to head in a runoff election for Mayor of Albuquerque after citizens crowded polling places Tuesday to cast their vote for the next leader of the city. The University of New Mexico’s polling location in the Student Union Building saw a line across the top floor of the building all day, at times trailing down the stairs. There were three candidates polling ahead when voting opened Tuesday morning; Keller, Lewis and Brian Colón. The final results of Tuesday’s election showed Keller winning 39.35 percent of votes, Lewis winning 22.93 percent of votes and Colón winning 16.55 percent of votes.

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Brief: Gunman kills over 50, resulting in deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history

Rebecca Brusseau | October 2

A weekend of excitement in Las Vegas, Nevada ended in terror and chaos as a lone gunman opened fire on a crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino: a moment that will be known as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. The gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, fired multiple rounds into the crowds below his room on the 32nd floor of the hotel. CNN reports that Paddock shot and killed over 50 people and injured more than 400 before turning the weapon on himself to commit suicide only moments before authorities were able to break into his hotel room. Police found more than 10 rifles in Paddock’s hotel room, according to CNN.