Alanie Rael

Culture

LARPing builds medieval community in ABQ

Alanie Rael and Andrea Solis | December 8

Heroic sword fights, champions dressed in handmade armor, assassins lurking through a battlefield. Actions of these sorts seem to be straight out of a medieval storybook, but for one Albuquerque community, these stories come to life through live-action role-play — or more popularly known as LARPing. Every Saturday, non-profit group Amtgard of Albuquerque - Pegasus Valley, takes to Taylor Park to engage in medieval battle games that consist of combat weapons made of foam to replicate swords, daggers, arrows and other feudal weapons.

News

A small family for a small farm

Alanie Rael | December 5

While 100% sustainability may be the long-term goal for some environmental activists, Santa Fe locals Kim Brown and Melissa Willis are far more interested in making a change with the land they have at their feet. As human beings, sustainability is more crucial than ever with increased climate change occurring over the last century. For some people, total sustainability is the overall goal. The thing about being human is that 100% sustainability isn’t 100% realistic — ever.

UNM's head football coach Bob Davie walks out onto Branch Field. Davie has agreed to a two-year extension with UNM that will last through 2021.

Sports

Davie's out

Alanie Rael | November 25

The University of New Mexico Athletic Director Eddie Nunez announced on Monday that head coach Bob Davie will be “parting ways” from the UNM football team at the conclusion of the 2019 season. "After meeting with Coach Davie this morning, we both agree that the time has come for a new direction for our football program," Nuñez said in a press release issued on Monday afternoon. "I'm appreciative of the work that coach Davie has done at UNM." The parting of ways comes after another unsuccessful season for the football program. The Lobos overall record is 2-9 with a losing streak of eight of those games after Saturday’s loss against Air Force (44-22).

Sports

Holm to host MMA academy in Albuquerque

Alanie Rael | November 20

UFC fighter and Albuquerque native Holly Holm is taking time away from traveling to host a workout training benefiting IncredAble Adaptive MMA at the Jackson Wink MMA Academy. The event is centered around Holm guiding community members through workout techniques she uses to train as an MMA fighter. "Holly will take you through a 90 minute workout and show you some of the same moves she uses to stay fit," a press release describing the event said. "This is an event where you can go at your own pace or challenge yourself to keep up."

News

Update on UNM football player's death

Alanie Rael and Justin Garcia | November 13

Editor’s note: This updated story contains discussion of suicide. If you’re feeling suicidal, you are not alone. Please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit Student Health and Counseling at UNM. Nahje Flowers, 21, took his own life on Oct. 5, according to current and past friends of the University of New Mexico football player and Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. University and Athletics spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment before this story was published. The story will be updated if they respond with a comment

Sports

Lobo women's basketball start of season strong

Alanie Rael and Angelina Pompeo | November 13

On Tuesday, the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team (3-0) defeated the Houston Cougars (1-1) at the Dreamstyle Arena. This was their third game of the season after previously winning their first two games against Northern Arizona and the University of California, Riverside. Starting the game were Lobo sophomores Ahlise Hurst and Jayla Everett, junior Antonia Anderson, and seniors Najala Howell and Jordan Hosey. In the first three quarters, the Lobos outscored the Cougars. Although New Mexico lead for three quarters of the game, Houston outscored UNM 26-11 in the final quarter. UNM left the game with their third win of the season, with the final score of 81-71.

News

Community mourns loss of Lobo Football Player

Alanie Rael and Justin Garcia | November 7

The University of New Mexico postponed a game against Air Force after Nahje Flowers, 21, died on Tuesday. The news came on Tuesday morning in a press release from the University of New Mexico football program. The brief didn’t include the details of Flower’s passing but included quotes from head coach Bob Davie and athletic director Eddie Nunez expressing the team’s sadness. “I know it caught me by surprise,” said Juan Jimenez, a teammate of Flowers at Susan Miller Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, California. “Nahje’s teammates are all caught by surprise right now.”

Culture

Nuts about Piñon

Alanie Rael and Andrea Solis | November 7

As the autumn days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, a number of New Mexicans indulge in the picking of pine nuts — commonly known as piñon in the Southwest and pinyon in the rest of the U.S.. Many families across the state take time out of their days to harvest the tree nut between the months of September and November. Bernadette Jaramillo, a youth minister at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, said she usually takes her family out to collect piñon during the years when the tree nut is being harvested.

Sports

UNM Football Player Nahje Flowers dead at 21

Alanie Rael and Justin Garcia | November 5

Nahje Flowers, a defensive lineman and Junior at the University of New Mexico, died this week, according to Assistant Athletic Director Frank Mercogliano. The details of Flowers’ passing are unknown at the time this article published. In a statement, head coach Bob Davie acknowledged the loss for his players and all who knew Flowers. “Nahje was a wonderful person and a great teammate. Our entire Lobo Football family mourns his passing, and our prayers go out to his family.” Davie said.

Sports

Women's XC takes gold at Mountain West Conference

Alanie Rael | November 4

The University of New Mexico women’s cross country team has dominated another Mountain West Conference XC Championship — their twelfth consecutive year taking the gold. The race, ran in Utah on Nov. 1, was another big victory for the Lobos as their competition was unable to hold a flame to running team. Ahead of the pack was New Mexico’s Weini Kelati, last year’s female champion and two-time MWC Athlete of the Week. Kelati secured her second MW champion title with a time of 19:11.2, breaking the Mountain West record by 26 seconds.