Maddie Pukite

Culture

5 and Why: 5 ways to relieve stress after midterms

Maddie Pukite | March 27

As midterms wrap up and the semester progresses, many students may find themselves burnt out or exhausted. David Hernandez, a third-year vocal performance and international studies student at the University of New Mexico, gave his tips on how he takes time to relax and be present as the second half of the semester starts. Yoga Yoga is a spiritual and physical practice that can be meditative and offer peace of mind, along with being a way to stretch and care for your body. Recently getting back into practicing yoga, Hernandez said it gives him a reason to wake up early and de-stress before the day.

Sports

Roadrunner Curling Club focuses on education and community

Maddie Pukite | March 20

Curling since 2015, James Brickey brought the sport to the desert in 2017 with the formation of the Roadrunner Curling Club, aiming to introduce more people to the sport while forming a community in the process. The club meets at least three times per week, which includes lessons on Thursday nights and opportunities to compete. However, learning is a crucial principle of the club even when competing, according to Brandon Wichman, a club member.

Culture

UNM's Arita porcelain studio honors process and history

Maddie Pukite | March 20

Students at the Arita Porcelain Studio, located in the art annex at the University of New Mexico, are unique in their study of the traditional 400-year-old Japanese art of Arita porcelain; UNM is the only university in the United States with faculty authorized to instruct in this art form outside of Japan. Arita porcelain is moreso about the practice and tradition that goes into the process rather than the final product, according to Kathy Cyman, the professor of practice who leads the program. Arita porcelain is a practice out of Arita, Japan, a town in the Saga prefecture, where Izumiyama Kaolin Quarry was founded, the first source in Japan for the raw material that goes into making porcelain clay.

News

Stokes highlights University achievements in broad strokes during State of the University Address

Maddie Pukite | March 2

This past Wednesday, March 1, University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes delivered the State of the University address during her sixth year in office. The speech highlighted achievements by the University over the past year, and its plans for future projects and goals. However, it failed to touch on several other events from the past year. Stokes talked about safety at the University and spoke about projects the University has worked on, including Wayfinder — a website to navigate support options after being harmed or harassed — keycard access to buildings, along with requesting money for more keycard readers and lights. However, she failed to mention the shootout that took place on campus in November 2022 that led to the death of a New Mexico State University student.

City Enviorenmental health dep Revokes asphalt plant permit.jpg

News

Joint motion dismisses permit for asphalt plant due to health concerns

Maddie Pukite | February 21

Earlier this month on Feb. 8, the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board approved a joint motion that dismissed a hearing for an air quality permit to build an asphalt plant in the Mountain View community in the South Valley of Albuquerque. The Environmental Law Center joined community organizers in the legal fight to get the asphalt site out of the community in 2018 when the Environmental Health Department issued a permit to New Mexico Terminal Services to create the plant, according to staff attorneys Maslyn Locke and Eric Jantz.

Culture

Campus greenhouses provide control for research, peaceful space

Maddie Pukite | February 20

Castetter Hall at the University of New Mexico is home to several greenhouses, utilized for everything from research to serving as a peaceful oasis on campus for students to gather and study, according to greenhouse manager Wesley Noe, who cares for the public greenhouse and teaching labs, along with providing support for the researchers. Housed in Castetter Hall, biology students can utilize the numerous greenhouses for research purposes, according to Noe. Alongside faculty, graduate students are also able to use the greenhouse for their research projects.

African-American Day at the NM Legislature 02/10.jpeg

News

African-American Day at Legislature celebrates and furthers progress in New Mexico

Maddie Pukite and Zara Roy | February 13

On Friday, Feb. 10, hundreds gathered at the state Capitol in Santa Fe to advocate for legislation that supports the Black community in the state. This was a part of African-American Day, a biannual celebration to recognize achievements in the African American community and educate on legislation which impacts them. This year’s African-American Day celebration was primarily focused on highlighting and educating on legislation surrounding African American issues. Specific legislation advocated for at the Capitol included a bill sponsored by Rep. Pameyla Herndon, the Bennie Hargrove Bill, which passed in the House on Thursday, Feb. 9. The bill would make it illegal to store a firearm so that it is not out of reach of children, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Culture

Black Education Act seeks to support Black students

Maddie Pukite | February 13

The Black Education Act, which passed during last year's legislative session, has since been implemented to support Black students from preschool through higher education by giving students more resources and expanding curriculums to include the Black American experience. On Jan. 23, 2023, the Florida Department of Education blocked the inclusion of Black history in their school curriculum by blocking the creation of an AP African Studies course in the state, calling the course “a form of political indoctrination and a violation of state law,” according to NPR. This AP course follows others that already study different regions' histories, cultures, politics and languages, among other science and math classes.

News

Protesters call for equitable abortion access in New Mexico

Maddie Pukite | January 23

On Sunday, Jan. 22, dozens gathered outside of the University of New Mexico bookstore to call for reproductive justice on the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that established a constitutional right to an abortion under the privacy clause that was subsequently reversed in 2022. The rally was held in solidarity with the sister protest occurring at the same time in Clovis, New Mexico, according to Reyan Tuck, a UNM student and protest organizer. The intent was to call attention to the lack of abortion access in rural New Mexico, specifically Clovis, where the city commissioners recently passed a measure to restrict abortion access, similar to what has been done in other towns in rural New Mexico, including Hobbs, according to KRQE.

Elena Gallegos, the open space area in Albuquerque, debate issues over potential creation of an education center.

News

Community opposes potential structure at Elena Gallegos Open Space

Maddie Pukite | January 23

The 640-acre Elena Gallegos Open Space, located in the foothills of the Sandia mountains, is currently the subject of concern among community members of the legality and consequences of a potential project from the Albuquerque parks and recreation department to create an education center in the space, according to Save the Elena Gallegos co-founders Viki Teahan and Katrina Sanchez. The potential educational center would be no larger than 5,000 square feet, according to Dave Simon, the director of the Albuquerque parks and recreation department. Since the 1960s, advocates have fought for protection of the park from development when the Albuquerque City Council began a tax to purchase the space in 1969, according to The Paper.