DAILY LOBO new mexico
Dark stadium see page 8
September 20, 2010
monday The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
Tragedy at UNM inspires peers to educate by Chelsea Erven cerven@unm.edu
Ever since professor Hector Torres and graduate student Stefania Gray were killed on a quiet Sunday in March, students, family, friends and colleagues have been tackling the issue of domestic violence. Colleagues will hold an academic conference Sept. 27-28 starting at 9 a.m. in the SUB ballroom in order to further raise domestic violence awareness. Gail Houston, English Department chair, said memorial services fell short of doing the tragedy justice. “The faculty started talking, and we all wanted to do something more activist because this terrible, violent curse on society does not exclude University faculty and students,” she said. Houston said the conference started as a grassroots movement among faculty members who were affected by the murder or incidences of domestic violence. On March 8, Torres and Gray were found dead in Torres’ University-area home. Ralph Montoya, Gray’s ex-boyfriend, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Montoya reportedly confessed to his lawyer his guilt shortly before the professor and student were found. The conference will include films, faculty lectures and literature about the culture and history of violence, as well as a silent auction to benefit the Hector Torres Memorial Scholarship and Stefania Gray’s children. SafeTeen on Dating Violence will give a presentation, among many other sessions including one on protection orders and other legal responses to domestic violence. Raji Vallury, a crucial player in the organizing the event, said in a Sept. 9 news release that domestic violence needs to be better understood on an emotional and an intellectual level. “Removing the silence and invisibility that surround the problem of domestic violence and stalking is, to my mind, an important goal of the conference,” she said. Community resource groups including Enlace, Urban Indian Advocacy Center, Asian Family
see Abuse page 2
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 115
issue 21
Justin Evans / Daily Lobo Hundred of cyclists gathered for the second annual “Can You See Us Now?” bike ride Sunday. The event was organized to encourage bicycle safety.
Cyclists ride for safety across city by Andrew Lyman
Buntz said each rider rode for a peralyman@unm.edu son who was killed in a bicycle accident dating back to 1989 — the Hundreds of bicyclists, escortearliest date she could ed by Albuquerque Police, whirled find in public records down Central Avenue on Sunday to regarding bicycle fatalhelp promote bicycle safety. ities. To date, 107 peoOrganized by Bike ABQ and the ple have been killed in Duke City Wheelmen Foundation, bicycle-related accithe second annual “Can You See Us dents in New Mexico, Now?” ride started at Copper Aveshe said. nue and Jefferson Avenue and went Gabino Venegas, to Tiguex Park in Old Town. whose son was killed Jennifer Buntz, Duke City Wheelin 1998, sold T-shirts men Foundation president and for donations to help member of Bike ABQ’s Board of Difund ghost bike instalrectors, said the ride raises awarelations. Ghost bikes ness about bicycling accidents. are old bicylces that “Things have become safer, but are painted white and there is still room for improvement,” installed alongside Buntz said. “Drivers should learn roads in honor of killed how to better interact with bicyclists cyclists. on the road.” Venegas said peoBy the time the ride started, 350 Justin Evans / Daily Lobo ple were generous. riders were pre-registered. “Someone donated Aaron Gonzales and Demian Steve Mathias is painted like a ghost rider and stands in front a ghost bike during the rally. Ghost bikes are $45 for one shirt,” he Ginther were both riding in the roadside memorials to remind drivers that a cyclist was killed nearby. said. event for the first time. Gonzales Steve Mathias, vice said he commutes on his bicycle president and treasurand hopes drivers learn to share the road with bicyclists. He said he has been involved in an accident, which encour- er of the Duke City Wheelmen, said he rode in honor of Venegas. Mathias was dressed as a “ghost rider” with white face paint and white clothing. aged him to ride in the event. “The point of all of this is to make people more aware,” Mathias said. “I have actually been hit by a car on my bike, so I hope this helps raise awareBuntz said the city is on its way to becoming a better city for cyclists. ness,” he said. “When I started commuting in 1981, there was only one bike path, and now Ginther said bicycles should be treated as vehicles by drivers and cyclists. “It goes both ways. I’ve seen people on bikes who don’t obey regular traffic there are tons of them,” she said. “Every city bus has the capability to carry bikes now.” laws,” he said.
Stalemate, not surrender
Hey TED!
See back page
See page 5
TODAY
86 |63