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Culture

OPINION: Monster trucks rally is a Rio Rancho smash hit

Maddie Pukite | January 17

 On Jan. 13 and 14, the Rio Rancho event center sold out every seat in the house for the Toughest Monster Truck Tour. And my god, were they tough: the flips, the stunts, the cars smashed are all enough to attest to that — and the crowd ate up every moment.  The trucks featured included Dozer, who made their indoor arena debut, Buckshot and the corvette Rat Attack. Dirt Crew, my personal favorite truck, looked like a dump truck (monster-sized, of course). Also present was Tailgator, who rivaled Dirt Crew for best aesthetic with a gator-themed truck, and Maximus, a brand new truck who made their debut.

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Culture

Albuquerque Comic Con turns fandom into family

Jessica Baca | January 17

 This past Friday, Jan. 13, Albuquerque Comic Con began at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The event — which brings fans of comics, movies and TV shows together from all over New Mexico — ran until Jan. 15. This year, Albuquerque Comic Con brought in guests ranging from Ari Lehman, the first Jason Voorhees from “Friday the 13th,” to Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants. A complete list of guests from the event can be found on their website. Also in attendance this year was local comic book artist David Harrigan, also known as the “Art Assassin.”

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Culture

UNM student bookstore highlights underrepresented communities

Annya Loya | January 17

 In 2019, Robin Babb, a senior at the University of New Mexico, opened her own independent bookstore Harvest Moon Books in hopes to highlight stories written by underrepresented communities. In the three years since opening, Harvest Moon Books has gone from an online shop to an in-person shop as part of the And Stuff Retail Collective. Babb strives to make Harvest Moon Books  a place where new and local authors can have a platform. She especially wants to focus on queer and transgender authors along with newly translated English pieces — most importantly, she wants to provide what other stores can’t.

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Culture

Benefit fashion show supports suicide awareness

Weston Quintana | January 12

 On Sunday, Jan. 8, New Mexico high school student Anistacia Mia Aragon organized a fashion show entitled “I Am;” to “illuminate and raise awareness of the mass epidemic of suicide and using fashion to bring awareness, as well as empower those who attend,” according to the Menual School website. The show and benefit was hosted at the National Hispanic Cultural Center with all ticket proceeds going toward local suicide prevention programs in New Mexico Aragon is currently a senior at Menaul School and this was her first time organizing an event like this. She’s also the current titleholder of World Latina Teen USA with the platform of teen suicide awareness, according to the event’s website.

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Sports

Football: College hall of fame adds UNM footballer

John Scott | January 12

 A former offensive player for the University of New Mexico football team, Terance Mathis, was selected for the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 on Monday, January 9. He will be the second Lobo to be bestowed with the honor alongside linebacker Brian Urlacher, class of 2017, according to a press release from UNM Athletics.

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Culture

“This Place Rules” doesn’t rule

Spenser Willden | January 12

Two years ago on Jan. 6, 2021, a group of right-wing pro-Trump rioters stormed the capitol building in Washington D.C., marking the violent culmination of a historic cultural and media frenzy around the polarizing 2020 election cycle. This event, and the frenzy leading up to it, are the subject of journalist and documentarian Andrew Callaghan’s new documentary on HBO, “This Place Rules,” which premiered Dec. 30, 2022. Though laudable, the filmmaking is surprisingly shallow, making “This Place Rules” an ultimately skippable watch.

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News

Grad union reaches their first contract with UNM

Maddie Pukite | January 9

  The United Graduate Workers of the University of New Mexico’s first contract with UNM was ratified by the Union on Dec.16, 2022 and signed by Provost James Holloway on Dec. 22, 2022. This concludes bargaining that has been ongoing since early May, though not all are satisfied by the final agreement. The Union has been advocating for better working conditions for graduate workers at the University since 2020. After fighting for recognition as public employees from the Public Employees Labor Relation Board and having encountered numerous road blocks from the University, they were granted recognition and the right to unionize on Aug. 17, 2021.  

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News

UNM College of Nursing reintroduces accelerated BSN degree

Annya Loya | January 9

  Starting the semester of fall 2023, the University of New Mexico College of Nursing will be offering an accelerated bachelor’s of science in nursing as a second degree. The application period for the program began back on December 15, according to the Health Sciences Center website. This “new” pathway will allow individuals who currently have a college degree, preferably related to science, to acquire a degree in nursing at a faster pace: 16 months rather than the traditional 20 months. The pathway will provide access to all of the resources available at the college, “including state-of-the-art simulation and skills labs steps away from the College of Nursing building,” according to the Health Sciences Center website. 

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Sports

Football: Lobo football announces new offensive, defensive coordinators

Thomas Bulger | January 9

  On Sunday, Jan. 1 the University of New Mexico started the new year by announcing the hiring of Bryant Vincent as the football team's offensive coordinator. Later in the week on Jan. 5, cornerbacks coach Troy Reffett was promoted to defensive coordinator due to Rocky Long's departure to Syracuse University. UNM started the year with Derek Warehime as offensive coordinator, but after the offense struggled to score, Warehime was fired and quarterback coach Heath Ridenour was promoted in the interim. Vincent previously served as the interim head coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, having been promoted in the summer of 2022 after previous UAB coach Bill Clark retired.

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Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos bested in second loss of the season

Thomas Bulger | January 9

  On Saturday, Jan. 7 the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team lost to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Runnin’ Rebels at The Pit in front of a sold out crowd. The Lobos have an overall record of 14-2 and are 1-2 in conference play. The Lobos have lost two games in a row after a 14-0 run to start to the season. UNLV had a hot start from the 3-point line and finished making eight of their 22 attempts; they also made 18 of their 24 free throws. This was UNLV’s first conference win of the season.

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Culture

5 and Why: 5 tips to help survive senioritis

Annya Loya | January 9

  The spring semester is about to begin at the University of New Mexico and with that, a new set of seniors and another wave of burnout. UNM’s Student Health and Counseling and the Women’s Resource Center came together to give us five tips to prevent and survive senioritis. “Stress is an inevitable part of college. But it's definitely (on the) high-end your senior year. This is where you are feeling that burnout; you have a lack of motivation. Maybe you're a little bit lazier than you were previously. You can have feelings of hopelessness. You can have thoughts of giving up. You may also feel panic and anxiety and worry as well,” Tiffany Martinez-Durant, Education and Outreach Manager from SHAC, said. 

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Culture

OPINION: What’s a New Year’s resolution without resolve?

Marcela Johnson | January 9

For most people, the new year brings a fresh chance to start over with a clean slate and implement changes into one’s life. However, each year, New Year’s resolutions create the opposite of resolve. Instead, they serve only as another thing to do in a world full of short-lived trends. I don’t have a problem with the idea behind resolutions. In fact, I like the idea of having a long-term goal for the year — it seems to me as if they can only provide benefits. However, as we often see, that’s not quite the case.

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News

Graduating students share their fear of the unknown after college

Annya Loya | December 12

With fall graduation just around the corner, students graduating from the University of New Mexico and other universities alike may encounter a new set of obstacles upon completing their current college career. JahJett-Lyn Chavez will be graduating with two degrees: one in family and child studies and another in psychology. Chavez’s biggest concern after graduating is being able to pay for graduate school. Chavez intends to continue her education through the graduate program at UNM but worries about the lack of scholarships available for graduate students. She said she was able to pay the entirety of her undergraduate degrees through scholarships, but she won’t be able to do the same for her master's.

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Sports

Women's basketball: Lobos hold off Aggies for the win

Thomas Bulger | December 12

The University of New Mexico women's basketball team defeated rival New Mexico State University 65-64 on Sunday, Dec. 11. The Lobos looked to rectify the 73-64 overtime loss from their Tuesday, Nov. 15 matchup in Las Cruces. The score was close throughout the entire game: the Lobos were able to gain a lead but nearly gave it up in the final minutes. UNM was out-rebounded and gave up 21 turnovers; it was 3-point shooting and clutch free throws that won the game.

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Culture

UNM grad Tayler Suazo moves from mortar boards to med school

John Scott | December 12

One of the first things you might notice about upcoming University of New Mexico graduate Tayler Suazo is her loyalty to place and to family. Graduating this fall with a Clauve Outstanding Senior Award and a bachelor’s of science in biology with a double minor in chemistry, and health medicine and human values, one might expect frequent and numerous parties and celebrations to be in order. Suazo, at the time of her interview with the Daily Lobo, however, is back with family in her hometown of Abiquiu: a small town in northern New Mexico. It was here that Suazo first realized she wanted to be a doctor — and she knew she wanted to stay in New Mexico to do it.

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Culture

ROTC cadets prepare to graduate

Elizabeth Secor | December 12

This semester, the University of New Mexico ROTC program has four cadets graduating with their undergraduate degrees: Victoria Anderson, Daniela Ortega, Steven Canales and Zachary Ninneman. Anderson, Ortega and Canales will all be leaving the program this semester, while Ninneman will be entering his master's program and has three more semesters of ROTC to go. Anderson discussed how graduating from the program this semester created a bond between her, Ortega and Canales.

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News

UNM commemorates fall 2022 graduates

Annya Loya | December 12

On Friday, Dec. 16th, students graduating from the University of New Mexico will celebrate the culmination of their undergraduate careers at The Pit for the fall 2022 commencement ceremony. “It's something that (graduating students) should be proud (of) … It's a huge accomplishment,” Nancy Middlebrook, the University secretary, said. This semester’s ceremony includes the traditional welcome by UNM President Garnett  Stokes, as well as greetings from the Board of Regents, Associated Students at UNM President Ian May, and the Graduate and Professional Student Association President Shaikh Ahmad. The ceremony will finalize with a performance by Mariachi Tenampa.

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Culture

Michaela Helean graduates into full-time reporting

Maddie Pukite | December 12

With a mortar board covered in newspaper clippings, University of New Mexico senior Michaela Helean is graduating this fall semester with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a full-time job at the Rio Rancho Observer. Helean started her internship at the Observer through the New Mexico News Fund, a fund created to foster journalism in New Mexico that places college students and recent grads in state newsrooms. Four days after starting her internship, she was offered a full-time job, fulfilling a childhood dream. “I've always been a writer. Ever since I was able to write, I would write short stories for my parents,” Helean said. “I would watch the news with them. I grew up watching Gwen Ifill on PBS.”

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Culture

Graduate Micaela Pacheco takes her final bow at UNM

Zara Roy | December 12

Upcoming University of New Mexico graduate Micaela Pacheco will be closing this chapter of her life with a bachelor’s degree in theater, a career in spiritual healing and a love of sharing her creativity with those around her. Having done theater ever since she was young, Pacheco initially wanted to go into film. Now, she cannot see herself pursuing a traditional theatrical route at all. If she does get back into theater, she wants to use it as a medium to share her own creations in the form of devised work and performance art.

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News

New ordinances stall future development of safe outdoor spaces for unhoused

Zara Roy | December 9

On Monday, Dec. 5, the Albuquerque City Council passed an ordinance on a 5-4 vote to effectively stop zoning privileges and new proposals for the creation of safe outdoor spaces, an initiative to create dedicated spaces for the unhoused to temporarily stay at and receive social service support. The Integrated Development Ordinance determines land use and establishes zoning regulations in the city of Albuquerque. This passage would remove all reference of safe outdoor spaces from the IDO, stopping future development of SOS in the city, though the two SOS that have already been approved and the three pending approval will still move forward.