Miyawni Curtis - The Daily Lobo

News

Two N.M. prison guards named three times in civil rights complaints

Maddie Pukite , Austin Fisher and Miyawni Curtis | November 10

Corrections and clarifications were added to this story on Thursday, Nov. 9, at 11:30 p.m. This investigation is a collaboration between Source NM and reporters from the Daily Lobo at the University of New Mexico. Two New Mexico correctional facility officers have been accused multiple times of abusing and harassing incarcerated people. This past year, the prison guards Lt. Christian Trujillo and Sgt. Danny Pelayo were both named three times in civil complaints and civil rights lawsuits. Trujillo and Pelayo work at the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Clayton. Civil complaints allege the guards have been involved in a lengthy pattern of abuse against incarcerated people. Their personnel files show that the incidents did not prevent them from moving up the ranks. Settlement negotiations haven’t gone anywhere, court records show.

News

Protesters fight for nurses’ work safety at UNM Hospital

Miyawni Curtis | June 23

Early Thursday morning, members of the Union of Hospital and Healthcare Employees joined together outside the University of New Mexico Hospital to protest what they said are unsafe working conditions. Protesters were there in demand of safe staffing, safe working conditions and fair wages. Many nurses joined the group in their scrubs while getting off their shift or on break, at 6:30 A.M. A coalition of campus unions were there in support of nurses, including resident physician William Wylie. He works with nurses everyday and said that they are crucial to the hospital. “They're our eyes, ears and hands. They’re with the patients most of the time,” Wylie said.

Opinion

OPINION: Good song or good PR move?

Miyawni Curtis | June 20

The official music video for “Karma (feat. Ice Spice)” was released on May 26, 2023. Taylor Swift is a singer-songwriter that many have heard of. Ice Spice is a new, up-and-coming artist with recent success. A lot of eyes are on Ice Spice – waiting to see if she will make it or break it as a rapper. The song was released while Swift was facing backlash due to her recent relationship scandal with rumored boyfriend, Matty Healy of The 1975, according to Hot New Hip Hop. Healy has recently participated in racist and misogynistic jokes made about her, according to PAPER. Swift has an incentive to alleviate the drama while Ice Spice could gain publicity from Swift’s larger stardom. Even if the two truly just wanted to make music together, the media coverage that the song created could boost the growth of their following.

News

Creative industry receives support from the capital

Miyawni Curtis | June 16

The founder, co-owner and director of local dance studio, VIIIZON Academy, Trey Pickett, said he would have benefited from funding in the creative industries. The Creative Industries Bill provides funding to people with creative occupations and will go into effect July 1. When Pickett was young, he was inspired by the artistic abilities of artists like Michael Jackson and Prince. He said he loved to see how people moved creatively and it became his vision to dance, have a studio and work in the creative industry. So he said he began to work at studios throughout Albuquerque. By collaborating with others, he said he wasn’t able to live his vision. “It was tied up in other people's opinions and narratives,” Pickett said, so he decided to create his own studio, but found that funding was hard to come by.

Opinion

Review: ’The Little Mermaid’ swims to success

Miyawni Curtis | June 9

Summertime fun for a lot of families consists of a visit to the nearest movie theater. This summer, there is already some new exciting family entertainment to enjoy, one of which being the long-awaited live action remake of Disney’s iconic 1989 cartoon, “The Little Mermaid” released on May 26. The budget was a whopping $250 million, including Ariel's apparent $150,000 hair style. Halle Bailey, the actress behind Ariel, sat for 12-14 hours while a hairstylist wrapped every loc. On average, a hairstyle like locs with extensions costs anywhere from $200-$900, however because the style was taken out and put back in multiple times, the price increased, according to Variety.

ABQ biopark euthanized polar bear gallery

News

ABQ Biopark loses another animal

Miyawni Curtis | June 6

The Albuquerque BioPark announced that their 26 year-old polar bear named Koluk passed via euthanasia on May 26. The zoo's decision to put down the large animal was due to Koluk’s rapid health decline, the park stated. In 2022, KOAT reported that seven animals at the BioPark had died in the past few years, including multiple primates that passed due to a shigella bacteria. Koluk is not the first animal to be euthanized at the zoo. One euthanization case dates back to 2010 when a Giraffe was euthanized, dismembered and tossed in a trash bin at the park. Training was a repercussion, but no one was immediately or expected to be fired, according to the Albuquerque Journal

Culture

Gong graduates after deep campus involvement

Miyawni Curtis | May 8

The University of New Mexico has 425 clubs — Giovanna Gong has played a prominent role in several during her time at UNM. Gong, a first generation college student, will graduate with a degree in international studies with a concentration in peacekeeping and diplomacy, as well as a minor in teaching English as a second language. She said the clubs and organizations on campus she was involved in were a highlight of her college experience, and provided her opportunities to meet new people at UNM.

News

APS extends school year into June

Miyawni Curtis | April 17

Albuquerque Public Schools has added 10 extra days to the academic school year. The APS Board of Education voted 5-1 in favor of the addition at their meeting on Wednesday, April 5. Before the vote, a calendar committee comprised of district, school and union staff as well as surveyed staff and parents in the community. The majority of the responses in both cases were in favor of an extended learning calendar when 29 schools extended the 2022-23 academic year, according to the APS website. The change will apply to elementary and middle schools in the district, according to the APS website.

Satire

UNM football to do worse with more funding

Miyawni Curtis | April 3

The University of New Mexico athletics department increased the football team’s budget to $50 million for the 2023-2024 year despite yet another disastrous season where they failed to beat even New Mexico State University in fall 2022. Experts believe the budget increase was a result of New Mexico State University beating the Lobos in the 2022 homecoming game after NMSU increased their training to up to two weeks a semester, according to an article written by NMSU’s Pistol Pete.

Satire

Fraternities sign non-hazing pledge (wink)

Miyawni Curtis | April 3

This past weekend, fraternities at the University of New Mexico gathered at a summit on Johnson Field to sign a non-hazing pledge. They vowed to hold each other accountable and never again subject initiates to the cruel and unusual punishments that come with joining their organizations (wink). The men participating in the on-campus frats gathered unsupervised to conduct a meeting to write and sign the pledge; a passerby reported hearing gales of laughter from the gathering group.