Lauren McDonald

Culture

Albuquerque murals reinforce value of voting

Lauren McDonald | October 29

Voting-themed art has been popping up around Albuquerque from local artists that want to remind New Mexico residents of the importance of voting in the general election. Murals and small paintings on buildings cover the avenues of downtown Albuquerque and Nob Hill, as well as some spots near Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. Artist Felicia Montoya, along with her husband Markus Wall and their daughter Eva and artist Kema, recently painted a mural on Fourth Street. The mural is colorful, with a Black Lives Matter portion and a voter registration box that sits next to large letters on the mural that read “vote.”

Culture

Top five movie countdown to Halloween

Lauren McDonald | October 11

This review contains spoilers. October is here, and it’s time for all the scary films that Halloween lovers will surely enjoy. Below is a list of the Daily Lobo’s top five scary films that will definitely freak you out this Halloween season. Some movies on this list are popular — and others you likely haven’t heard of — but if you like scary, you’ll enjoy each one for different reasons.

Culture

How students can help save the environment

Lauren McDonald | October 3

As the world gets warmer, weather events are becoming more intense and more frequent, sea levels are rising, prolonged droughts are putting pressure on crops and many plant and animal species are quickly becoming extinct. Global climate change impacts everyone, and it’s time for students to learn about what they can do to battle this. “It’s important to think about what we can do individually as well as what we can do as a group, a force, because climate change can be so overwhelming and understood to be such a grand challenge,” said Miriam Gay-Antaki, an assistant professor in geography and environmental studies at the University of New Mexico. “It might make us think that we can’t do anything about it individually, but our individual decisions do matter.”

Attendees buy tickets for a matinee at Popejoy Hall on Sunday, Oct. 28.

Culture

Popejoy cancels five shows, postpones others

Lauren McDonald | August 17

Popejoy Hall, the largest performing arts center in New Mexico, has announced a multitude of postponed and canceled shows due to the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the devastation COVID-19 is still effectuating in large swaths of the country, many shows have been postponed — and five have been canceled. Upon reopening, Popejoy Hall will follow federal, state, local and University guidelines for the safety and well-being of patrons, staff, artists and volunteers. “It wouldn’t be safe to bring in people,” Tom Tkach, the director of Popejoy Hall, said. “We can’t have more than five people together in a group, so you can imagine it would be impossible to reopen Popejoy.”

Culture

UNM to welcome students back with online events

Lauren McDonald | August 14

Welcome Back Days at the University of New Mexico will look different than ever before with an almost entirely virtual lineup of events designed to acclimate students to a socially distanced campus environment. The Student Activities Center has put together various activities and events online because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The week will kick off with a virtual escape room on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m., provided by Nusenda Credit Union. The first 75 attendees to the event will receive a free voucher for a one-topping slice of pizza from the new Dion’s location in the Student Union Building.

Culture

AMP Concerts rock New Mexicans with drive-in concerts, neighborhood shows

Lauren McDonald | August 10

Music has found a way to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the nation. AMP Concerts is composing virtual, neighborhood and drive-in concerts for New Mexicans around the state. AMP Concerts have recently started offering in-person events, with locations like neighborhood driveways. People on the street can watch from their porch or sidewalk while still social distancing. “We saw ‘Zoltan and the Fortune Tellers’ right across the street from our home. It was an amazing experience to see a show right across from my house,” Therese Dooner, a northeast Albuquerque resident, said “We sat on the porch and ate dinner while cheering on the band. It was such a nice surprise during this time.”

Culture

Balloon Fiesta drive-in offers safe and enjoyable summer activity during pandemic

Lauren McDonald | July 25

With almost everyone stuck at home this summer, the Balloon Fiesta Park’s new drive-in theater offers a fun and exciting option to get out of the house and make a new memory. This drive-in was created by three friends from St. Michael’s High School in Santa Fe. Other locations hosting drive-ins include O'Reilly's Pub, Cottonwood Mall and the occasional night hosted by the Guild Theatre at Balloon Fiesta Park. Due to the pandemic, the drive-in’s operators need to heed ongoing social distancing regulations, keeping cars four to six feet apart and requiring masks whenever outside of a car.

Culture

Mental health resources available at Student Health and Counseling during the summer

Lauren McDonald | July 19

Dealing with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic can be stressful. Luckily, Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) at the University of New Mexico is available to students during this time, over the summer and in the future as well. All regular services of SHAC are currently open, such as counseling, acupuncture, appointments, nutrition, pharmacy, physical therapy, sexual and reproductive health services and call-ahead coronavirus-related visits for students who may have symptoms. “We are having people do telephone or Zoom appointments. There has been a slight increase in calls but not necessarily COVID related,” said Victoria Cee, manager at SHAC. “We are all functional, everything in the SHAC is open, (but) students do have to call ahead of time or call when they are in the building.”

Culture

UNM duck pond is cleaned and ready for fish, ducks and turtles to return

Lauren McDonald | July 17

Every couple years, the University of New Mexico duck pond is drained by UNM’s Facilities Management department. The drainage makes the pond a cleaner and healthier environment for the fish, ducks and turtles that reside in the center of campus. “We take all the turtles and fish to one of the golf courses while it’s emptied, then bring them back once the cleaning is done,, but there’s still a few of them — turtles and ducks — around here. They hang out, you know?” said Dwayne Jones, UNM’s water systems master technician.

News

Local businesses adjust to coronavirus economy

Lauren McDonald | March 17

As cases of the novel coronavirus reach double digits in Bernalillo County, local business owners are grappling with a decrease in sales. The New Mexico Economic Development Department is offering aid for businesses amidst the health crisis, such as emergency loans and credit to local business owners who are affected by COVID-19. Effective March 16, the Governor's office issued a mandate requiring restaurants to temporarily limit patronage to half of their maximum occupancy. Tables and booths can't sit more than six people and must be six feet away from the nearest table, according to the City of Albuquerque.