Paloma Chapa

UNM Fraternity & Sorority Life warns of unrecognized campus fraternities

In a July 30 Instagram post, UNM Fraternity & Sorority Life discouraged students against joining Kappa Sigma and Sigma Chi “for their own safety to ensure a university-sanctioned experience,” due to the organizations not being held to the same standards of safety and honesty. In a statement to the Daily Lobo, UNM Director of Communications Steve Carr wrote that the fraternities Kappa Sigma and Sigma Chi are not officially recognized by the University due to voluntarily withdrawing from the Interfraternity Council in 2022 and violating the University of New Mexico’s Anti-Hazing Policy and student code of conduct, respectively. 

Several NM residents, organizations call for state investment in PNM

Over 50 local organizations and 1400 New Mexico residents are calling on New Mexico’s state leadership and gubernatorial candidates to invest $400 million of state funds in TXNM Energy — the parent company of the Public Service Company of New Mexico, the state’s largest electricity provider. Organizers launched a petition and an open letter — the petition signed by state residents, and the letter by organizations — calling on state leadership to replace Blackstone Infrastructure by instead investing in TXNM.  TXNM recently borrowed $400 million from Wells Fargo to resolve its stock sale to Blackstone subsidiary Troy ParentCo, which the Public Regulation Commission determined had violated state law in 2025 for being completed without required PRC approval, according to non-profit New Energy Economy’s President Mariel Nanasi. 

Albuquerque experiences hottest August and summer on record

August 2026 was the hottest on record for Albuquerque, along with the cumulative months of June, July and August, making it also the hottest summer on record for the city, according to a statement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Meteorologist Brian Guyer.  August saw an average temperature of 82.5 degrees — the average of the high and low temperature each day from the Sunport — breaking the previous record warmest August from 2011, which had an average temperature of 81.1 degrees. The 30-year normal (1991-2020) for August is 76.9 degrees, according to Guyer.  The average temperature for the summer was 81.0 degrees, also breaking the previous 2011 record of 80.4 degrees.  

Dry conditions leave bears hungry, vulnerable to euthanasia

As the state’s drought conditions become increasingly severe, bears have turned towards humans to find sustenance, with this decision often resulting in their death, experts say. Due to low availability of food, bear activity has increased in areas where people reside, Natasha Montoya, a spokesperson for New Mexico Department of Wildlife wrote in a statement to the Daily Lobo.   “Once a bear becomes accustomed to humans providing an easy food source, they can become habituated and may return to the same areas,” Montoya wrote. “When they become habituated in this way, humans and pets are put in danger and bears are put in a situation where they must either be relocated or euthanized.”  

NM’s student newspapers adapt to changing local news landscape, decreased revenue

A February 2026 article published by the Student Press Law Center this year described U.S student news outlets to be “cash starved and censored.”  But despite the changes and challenges student newspapers are facing at the local and national level, current and former student journalists say they continue to see the value of their beloved college newspapers.  Former Daily Lobo Editor-in-Chief Lily Alexander, who is now State Accountability Reporter with the Santa Fe New Mexican, said that in places like New Mexico especially, where there are “a lot of news deserts,” student newspapers can be the only source of news about what is impacting a campus community. 

What New Mexicans should know as nationwide foodborne illness outbreaks surge

If you have been nervous about the food you’re eating lately, you are not alone.  Eggs, blueberries, jalapenos and alfalfa sprouts are among the growing list of foods that have made national headlines recently for being recalled for salmonella, E. coli and other forms of contamination, as the cyclospora outbreak in lettuce continues to chart its own path.   Last week, eggs were updated to the Class I contamination level by the Food & Drug Administration, which warns of a “reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.” The update was issued to six distribution states, including New Mexico.

Albuquerque sees record consecutive triple-digit temperatures for August

Earlier this month, Albuquerque reached a record of three consecutive days of triple digit temperatures, along with record high temperatures for August, with August 3 and 4 reaching 101 degrees, and August 9 reaching 100 degrees, according to a National Weather Service Albuquerque statement sent to the Daily Lobo.  Three consecutive days of triple digit temperatures for August is a record, according to the statement. Temperatures are recorded at the Albuquerque Sunport, which is the official observation site. 

Blackstone acquisition of PNM faces opposition, gains labor union support

During a July 28 Public Regulation Commission hearing regarding Blackstone’s acquisition of PNM, New Mexico residents filled the UNM Student Union Building ballroom and staged a “mic check” protest, calling the 6-hour hearing a “mockery of the democratic process.”  The PRC determined in June that TXNM — PNM’s parent company — and the private equity firm Blackstone violated state law in 2025 when they conducted a $400 million stock sale connected to the acquisition, according to Source NM.  

Religious leaders address anti-Islamic rhetoric after attack at North Valley church

Leaders from multiple faiths gathered for a press conference on July 29 at the St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Catholic Church to address recent attacks toward the church’s pastor, Father Vincent Paul Chavez, who had previously shown his public support for a proposed mosque in Albuquerque’s North Valley. 

What New Mexicans should know about nationwide lettuce parasite

The phrase “explosive diarrhea” has recently been making national headlines since the cyclospora parasite outbreak began in May, with no confirmed link to any one specific food or supplier.   The parasite causes a corresponding gastrointestinal disease, cyclosporiasis, which has seen an increase in cases since the cyclospora surveillance period began on May 1, with 4,173 confirmed cases and 308 hospitalizations across 41 states, according to July 20 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

VIDEO STORY: Thousands in Albuquerque protest against ICE during 'National Shutdown'

Thousands of people gathered at Civic Plaza before marching in Downtown, Albuquerque to protest against the Trump Administration's immigration tactics, including the detention of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

VIDEO STORY: Over 1000 march to NM State Capitol during 'We Got Us' mobilization

On Tuesday Jan 20, over 1000 protesters, including several young people, marched from the Santa Fe plaza to the NM State Capitol on the opening day of the New Mexico legislative session. Leila Chapa is the photo and social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06 Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @paloma_chapa88

VIDEO STORY: Thousands take part in Albuquerque's second 'No Kings' march

Thousands marched in Downtown on Oct. 18 to protest against the Trump administration and its policies.  Eve Padilla-Salazar⁩ is a freelance videographer for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo  Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @paloma_chapa88

VIDEO STORY: Over a thousand march in ‘Albuquerque Against ICE’ protest

On Friday, June 20, approximately 2000 people marched in Downtown Albuquerque to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and call for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement The protest began at 5pm at Civic Plaza, during which mariachi performers sang and played songs, and organizers gave speeches to the crowd before the march. The protest concluded at Civic Plaza around 8:15 PM.

VIDEO STORY: Walkout during ‘Higher Education Week of Action’

April 17, 2025.

VIDEO STORY: Albuquerque youth and community march for immigrant rights

VIDEO STORY: Actions held in Albuquerque in response to Trump's inauguration

VIDEO STORY: Lobo men's hockey battles rivals NAU in close back-to-back games

On Friday, Dec. 6, the Lobos lost 3-2 in a close game against Northern Arizona University. The next day, the Lobos managed to hold a 3-3 draw before ultimately losing 6-4 to NAU.

VIDEO STORY: At UNM Hanging of the Greens, students project messages in support of Palestine

VIDEO STORY: Albuquerque community marches against Trump's reelection