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Happy Valen-Dines Day

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By Hailey Tolleson

Staff reporter

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and there are many holiday specials to take advantage of in Albuquerque. Whether you’re taken, single, or celebrating with family, the CNM Chronicle found great deals for everyone.

Melting Pot

On February 14th, Melting Pot will be offering a romantic 5-course meal and a bottle of wine for $140. The meal starts with a caprese skewer, your choice of sparkling gruyere or green chili cheddar, and wedge salad or strawberry pecan. The options for an entrée include filet, herb crusted chicken breast, shrimp, Memphis-style BBQ pork medallions, Angus sirloin and a featured pasta. Finish the evening with dark chocolate raspberry, flaming turtle, or Crème brûlèe for desert. Melting pot also offers a 4-course lunch from 12:00pm till 3:30pm that offers the same menu with exclusion of a caprese skewer and instead of a bottle of wine, you’ll receive a champagne toast for two. To make reservations, call 505-843-6358.

Tucanos

A Valentine’s Day dinner will be served at Tucanos for $29.95 per person all day on February 14th and from 3:00pm to 9:00pm on February 13th and 15th. They’ll also offer a Valentine’s Day lunch for $19.95 per person from 11:00am to 3:00pm on February 13th and 15th. Celebrating as a family? No worries! Children 6 and under eat free and children 7-11 eat for $11.95. Selections will include rosemary herb salmon, roasted rib eye, grilled shrimp (dinner only). To make reservations, call 505-246-9900.

Sauce Pizza & Wine

             Whether you’re on a budget, celebrating with friends, or pizza is your one true love, enjoy the Sweetheart deal from Sauce Pizza & Wine for $22. You get to select a pizza under $11, a salad under $9 and two glasses of wine under $7 per glass. It’s offered all day on February 14th and no reservation is required.

 

Dinner is nice but if you are feeling a little more adventurous this Valentine’s Day, Albuquerque also has an exciting variety of events.

 

That’s a-moray!

Share your love of learning with that special someone at the ABQ Biopark aquarium where they’re offering adults-only guided tours.  The tour will focus on the mating patterns of aquatic animals. Admission is $30 per person and includes admission, tour, animal touchpool, an appetizer, and one drink. For $50, you get all those things plus dinner at the shark reef café. Tickets can be purchased here. 

Albucreepy is for lovers

            Nothing says romance quite like a ghost tour so join Albucreepy where paranormal investigators unveil the haunted history of downtown. Before the tour begins, guests are treated to a cookie from Rude Boy Cookies, then head to Back Alley Draft House for a pint of beer or root beer and two slices of pizza. Afterwards, the walking tour begins. The event starts at 7:00pm and guests will meet at Albuquerque Tourism and Sightseeing Factory. Tickets can be purchased for $40 here.

Duke City Pedaler: Single and Loving It!

            Don’t let couples have all the fun! Mix with other singles as you and 9 others pedal to multiple microbreweries on the Duke City Pedaler bike. Some of the participating breweries include Marble Brewery, Red Door Brewery (downtown), and several others. People will meet at Albuquerque Tourism and Sightseeing Factory by 6:00pm. Tickets will only be sold to those twenty-one and older for $23 a person. They can be purchased at here.

We hope this helped and that you have a lovely Valentine’s day!

                 

FUSE Makerspace

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Story and photos by Nasia Jones

Staff Reporter

The FUSE Makerspace is now open to CNM students looking to step foot into becoming entrepreneurs for the discounted price of $50 a month said, Operations tech, Juan Delgado.

This Makerspace is specifically designed so you can come start up your own business and be provided with resources you may be lacking, said Delgado.

It’s providing equipment to people that really don’t have access to it without having to take a full 16-week course to be able to utilize it, he said.

You can use the equipment here, create some income in-order to get out there, and buy your own equipment to continue running your business, said Delgado

We have different types of equipment such as woodworking equipment, metalworking equipment, screen printing, and 3D printing, he said.

There’s a big difference between CNM equipment and our equipment, CNM equipment can be utilized for educational purposes only, he said.

You can come and utilize our space, take some classes, get certified in the equipment, and then use our equipment for your purposes during any of our business hours, Delgado said.   

One thing we are trying to expand on becoming is a Fabrication laboratory, you can become a fab lab by having certain pieces of equipment in order to be considered and we are in the process of getting these pieces of equipment, he said.  

We offer discounts to CNM students, general memberships start at $70 a month, but with a current school schedule present it is $50 a month, he said.

We also have a Business membership that allows 24-hour access of the building, he said.

We have been around for about 2 1/2 years previously located on Main campus in the TC building, Delgado said.

We currently have a 16-week jewelry making CNM course that is held here at the makerspace, he said.

Anybody can come utilize this space, we are more than happy to give a tour to anyone that walks in, said Delgado.

Picture1

HAAS VF-0 CNC MILL

Picture2

Webb 3 HP Manual Mill located at the FUSE Makerspace.

Picture3

Radial Arm saw available for students to use at the FUSE Makerspace.

Stories Just Got Reel Digital

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By Hailey Tolleson, Staff Reporter

The spring semester of 2018 is embracing the future by welcoming a new English class.

Digital Storytelling is an English class which will teach students how to utilize technology to get audiences engaged in a story, said the instructor of English 2096, Brain Hudson.

Since more and more people are getting their news and entertainment from the internet, the transition to an all-encompassing medium seems natural, he said.

What’s interesting about this class is that since students are going to use a combination of text, audio, photography film and/or graphics, the possibilities for how they can express a story are endless. Also, by adding an interactive element, audiences get more invested than if they were only presented with one element alone, he said.

“Digital storytelling could be particularly helpful in connecting people to other cultures as well as their own since it’s a relatively new platform especially in the west, it still remains to be shaped, inviting artists and writers to determine how they are depicted,” Hudson said.

For instance, a program is in the works to develop a Cherokee computer programing language

and those students will be encouraged to use that information to develop their own stories, using their own langue, he said.

“The digital world is everything now and if you don’t see yourself represented, if you don’t see your culture represented, if it’s all someone else’s culture you’re not going to connect to it” said Hudson.

There’s also an important place for it in activism as is exemplified by Elizabeth Lapensèe’s video game, Thunderbird strike.

The video game protests the Dakota access pipeline by having players pose as a mythical bird that shoots lightening at the oil line and is intercut with photos of protesters, said Hudson.

The business industry has also expressed an interest in Digital storytelling for its application in marketing and so has the medical field for its potential to help patients better articulate past history to professionals and keep track of their health, according to Hudson.

This class aims to attract a wide variety of students, from writers to artists to computer programmers, with a wide variety of interests to create collaborative community that utilizes everyone’s strengths and supports each other, he said.

Hopefully, this will lead to creating a digital storytelling culture with in the Southwest that will reach other countries and eventually global connections and recognition, he said.

If anyone is interested in taking digital storytelling, they should also take CIS 1325 visual communication as a co-requisite, which will cover more of the visual aesthetic side of digital storytelling, he said.

Digital storytelling will not require any special software or books, only a notebook, pencil, and computer access, and at the end of the semester, students will showcase their work on campus, he said.

Build a Brewery

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By Nasia Jones, Staff Reporter

CNM is currently in the visioning process of building a commercial scale brewery, said full time Brewing and Beverage management instructor, Nick Jones.

Students will be brewing batches between 50 and 150 gallons using the same equipment that would be used in a brewery that brews 1,000 or 2,000 gallon batches, Jones said.

Currently our capabilities limit us to 3-gallon batches, but we still use lots of other commercial-scale equipment wherever we can, such as our laboratory equipment and draught beer equipment, Jones said.

It will make us less dependent on other breweries around Albuquerque to host our classes, Jones said.

Currently, all of the experience that our students get on commercial-scale brewhouses has to be during field trips to breweries around town, he said.

I wouldn’t expect the project to be finished for at least another couple of years, Jones said.

CNM is already creating its own beer, but whatever doesn’t get used within the program gets dumped down the drain, he said.

There are various reasons that we currently don’t sell it in stores, but I can’t think of a single reason that would absolutely preclude selling beer in the future, he said.

I suppose that we’ll just have to wait until an entrepreneurial student taking BA 2103 takes the time to develop a business plan that overcomes all of the logistical, regulatory, and financial hurdles, Jones said.

CNM Student’s Dream Came True When She Went to NASA

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By Hilary Broman

Senior Staff Reporter

Antonella Riega, a biology and Spanish major, dreamt of going to NASA ever since she was a child, but she said that she never thought it was realistic.

After seeing a flier for the National Community College Aerospace Scholars program, she spoke to one of her friends who applied and Riega decided to apply too.

Riega was one of the students chosen out of 600 applicants to take the 5-week long online class.

The 5-week class focused on planning to create a rover that is meant to go to Mars.

The students who did well in the class were asked to go to the on-site experience at NASA, Riega said.

“I didn’t think I would get in,” she said, but at the end of the 5-week program Riega was invited to go to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Riega was surprised to see 3 more CNM students there.

“It was nice to see some familiar faces,” she said.

On the first day of the experience all the students were divided into small groups of about 6 people, she said. 

“Each group was a company and our mission was to get funds from NASA to send our rover to mars.”

Each person in the group was responsible for a different job such as; hardware design, software design, and publicity.

After they designed the rover they presented it to the NASA officials, and their rover was tested on how it moved and if it picked up rocks.

“Our rover kind of fell apart on the first time, it did okay but, in comparison to the other teams it didn’t do well,” Riega said, “But then in the second round we actually won!”

Riega and her team worked tirelessly to get the rover working, she said.

“Most days we woke up at 6am and worked all day until 2 or 3am into the next morning,” she said.

It was exhausting, but worth it, she said.

“We were mostly excited to see our rover work,” she said, “we were like, ‘Oh my god! We made this.”

Riega said that it was nice to see how in four days some random strangers could become really close.

“By the end of the four days we were all friends and we still talk to each other.”

After Riega’s experience she is reconsidering her childhood dream; working for NASA might not be as unrealistic as she thought.

Although working for NASA was always a dream of Riega’s as she grew older she realized that she wanted to go into medicine.

“I always thought that only engineers worked at NASA, but I found out that there is a surgeon who works at NASA who is also an astronaut,” she said.

Riega would like to finish her schooling and residency before she decides whether or not she wants to work for NASA, but it definitely an option, she said.

Riega’s advice for students who are thinking about applying for this program is to “just apply.”

“If you get into the online program don’t fall behind and if you get into the on-site experience, make the most of it.”

For more information about the National Community College Aerospace Scholars program click here

 

 

 

 

New Statue aspires to growth and strength

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Photos by Hilary Broman

By Hailey Tolleson

Staff Reporter

CNM added a statue, named “Growth in Strength”, to the south side of the library, which was revealed on October 10th, said Karen Yank, local sculptor.

 The purpose was to commemorate CNM’s 50th anniversary but due to budgetary delays, she wasn’t able to have the project done by the exact date, but was able to get it done with in the 50th year, she said.

 “I hope in another 50 years they’re celebrating their 100th anniversary right here” said Yank.

 Mary Bates-Ulibarri, project director, was pleased with the end result and described the way every angle presents a new harmony and contrast.

 According to Yank, the focal piece of the sculpture represents strength, shown by the inclusion of the Sandia Mountains and resiliency through the robust wild flower growing out of the harsh environment.

 This piece stands 20 feet tall and the sculpture itself is made from stainless steel and corten, a type of steel that has a corrosion resistant patina, she said.

 The seats that get direct sunlight are made with aluminum and the shadier seats are made with steel, she said.

 A plaque will be added with a QR code that will direct viewers to an informative video, she said.

 She was able to use her time here to help student artists by giving them advice on presenting their portfolios as well as inviting them to the multiple stages of the project, she said.

 “Twenty-Five years in Albuquerque has not only given me a unique perspective on CNM, but has also influenced my work all over the city,” she said.

 She has done projects for Coors/I-40, UNMH and is working on projects for a safety house in Los Cruces as well as the Vista Grande community center, she said.

 

 

The New and Improved Smith Brasher Hall

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By Hilary Broman

Senior Staff Reporter

It’s no secret that Smith Brasher Hall has reopened after its $24-million renovation, but many students might still have unanswered questions about the new building.

CNM Chronicle’s, Hilary Broman, sat down with Donna Diller, Dean of School of Business and Information Technology, to learn about the new and improved Smith Brasher Hall.

The renovation was paid for by a bond that was passed by the community.

With budget cuts taking place at CNM many students might wonder why CNM spent $24 million on the building renovation, Diller said, but those capital bonds can only be used for building improvements.

“Also, from an efficiency standpoint we were maxed out at our HVAC availability, the technology also needed to be improved for the building to have better access for technology in our classrooms.”

The original structure wasn’t completely torn down. It was just gutted.

“The new structure is much more user friendly for students, faculty, and staff,”

Originally built in 1982, Smith Brasher Hall had very traditional style classrooms, Diller said.

“It was very dark and there were not any encouraging gathering areas for students to work in.”

Now Smith Brasher Hall has a lot of natural light which creates a more inviting environment, but it is also effective from a sustainability standpoint, she said.

Having a lot of natural light allows CNM to use less electricity.

In addition to the natural light Smith Brasher Hall was redesigned with sustainability in mind.

Some of these features include, geo thermal wells that are pumped in the parking lot, solar panels to power the front outside area, and special parking spots for students who drive low emission, fuel saving vehicles.

There is a free parking lot immediately south of the building, Diller said, but there is parking that is even closer for fuel efficient vehicles.

These parking spots are to encourage sustainability efforts and give students who do drive low emission vehicles a parking perk.

Click here to see if your car qualifies for a Go Green Permit.

The outside front area of the building was designed with opportunities for growth in mind, Diller said.

“We anticipate having food trucks in that area and being able to have a farmer’s market, and student run kiosks in the future.”

Smith Brasher Hall is also equipped with 10 state of the art computer labs as well as tutor support for students who are learning programming, networking, cyber security, and cloud computing.

A new feature that the building never had before are focus rooms, which are private, comfortable spaces that seat about 6-8 students at a time.

They are great spaces where students can work on group projects or where faculty can work with students one on one, Diller said.

As an accessibility option there is one universal bathroom in Smith Brasher Hall.

The bathroom is to provide students with access to be able to use the restroom of their choice, and have that privacy.

“We have a diverse student population,” she said, “That is something that the school has a goal of moving towards; making sure we have that accessibility.”

Smith Brasher Hall is home to the School of Information and Technology.

They are already sharing the space with some faculty from the School of Math, Science, and Engineering, and the school of Communication, Humanities, and Social Sciences, as they get ready to renovate Max Salazar Hall which is scheduled to take place in 2018.

As CNM takes strides to a more sustainable campus Donna Diller said that she feels grateful.

“I think sometimes we take for granted the facilities that we have,” she said, “We are very fortunate to live and study and work together in a facility like this.”

 

Balloon Fiesta 2017

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Photo Essay by Senior Reporter: Hilary Broman

 

BF 3
Two balloons fully inflated waiting to take flight.
BF 1
At the 46th Annual Balloon Fiesta the Wells Fargo Balloon ascends into the sunrise with an American flag during the National Anthem.
BF 12
The Master Yoda Balloon, also from Belgium, takes flight.
BF 8
One of the balloons begins to rise as the crowd below cheers.
BF 2
One of the many Rainbow Ryders balloons (the balloons that provide balloon rides to passangers) takes flight during the morning ascension.
BF 7
A spectator takes a photo of the festivities. The International Balloon Fiesta is one of the most photographed events in the world.
BF 5
A balloon flies into a clear sky with a view of the moon.
BF 9
The Creamland Cow Balloon, Airabelle, from British Columbia, Canada, looks down over the crowd.
BF 11
A Balloon Fiesta favorite, Darth Vader from Belgium, takes flight.
BF 6
During the Kid’s Day the at Fiesta a child plays under the balloon as it inflates.
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The Moo Crew helps Airabelle get ready for takeoff.
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A crew member stands before a balloon spread out on the ground. Balloon crews lay the balloons on the ground, then inflate them while they are still lying down, then they work together to lift the balloon to a vertical position before takeoff.

A College Friendly Guide to the Balloon Fiesta

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By Hilary Broman

Senior Staff Reporter

 

As we approach the halfway point of the fall term here at CNM, Albuquerque is approaching Balloon Fiesta season.

With the 46th annual Balloon Fiesta right around the corner students might be encountering extra stress.

While it is an exciting time it can be difficult to balance school, work, and family while trying to plan a trip to this year’s Balloon Fiesta.

To help ease the stress CNM Chronicle’s senior staff reporter, Hilary Broman, has put together an easy to read, stress free list of details about this year’s fiesta.

Find a headline that interests you and get all the details you need there.

The theme this year is Inflate your Imagination.

So, grab your favorite hoodie, a delicious cup of coffee, and Inflate your Imagination.

 

If you’re a Star Wars Fan:

Help welcome back the popular Darth Vader and Yoda balloons at this free, kid friendly event.

“Visitors will be able to encounter Darth and Yoda up close and they will also be able to meet the pilots and crew members,” according to the event Facebook page.

When: Friday, October 6th at 8:30am-11:00om

Where: Balloon Fiesta Museum

For more information, click here.

 

If you have kids:

The entire balloon fiesta is kid friendly but, Thursday, October 12th is Kid Day, presented by KOB-TV.

The morning will start off with a laser light show at 5:45 am.

Followed by dawn patrol at 6:00am and then a Special Shape rodeo at 7:00 am.

In the evening a Special Shape Glowdeo is scheduled at 6:00pm, followed by a laser light show at 7:45pm, then a firework show at 8:00pm.

*Kids 12 and under are free every day of the fiesta.

 

If you love the special shapes:

The special shape balloons are included in all of the mass ascension events, but if you are particularly fond of the special shape balloons try attending the Special Shape Rodeo and Glowdeo.

The Special Shape Rodeo is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 12th and Friday, October 13th.

During this event, only the special shape balloons take the field and take flight.

On the evening of the 12th and 13th there will be a Special Shape Glowdeo where the special shape balloons take the field but do not take flight. Instead, they ignite the gas which creates a glowing effect across the field.

In addition to all of the old favorites, 17 new shapes will be joining the special shapes family.

Below are the new special shape balloons:

 

Balloon 1

 

Click here to see a directory of all the special shape balloons participating in this year’s event.

 

If you want to conquer your fear of heights:

If you want to catch a ride on a balloon, contact Rainbow Ryders Inc at:

Toll free: 1-800-725-2477

Phone: 505-823-1111

Email: flightinfo@rainbowryders.com

For more information, click here.

 

If you’re not a morning person:

If the 4:00am morning rush and the morning cold isn’t worth it to you, don’t worry. There are plenty of mid-day and evening events.

On Saturday, October 14th, a music fiesta is scheduled to take place from 1:00pm-5:00pm.

Artists include; The Bus Tapes, Phil Vassar, and Billy Currington.

Admission to the music fiesta is not included in the general admission price.

Click here for ticket information.

There is also an AIBF Chainsaw Carving Invitational that is scheduled to take place on many days throughout the fiesta.

Click here to see when these events are scheduled.

There are many evening events scheduled throughout the fiesta including, laser light shows, balloon glows, and firework shows.

Click here to see when these events are scheduled.

 

If you’re a photographer:

The Balloon Fiesta is one of the most photographed events in the world, according to Balloon Fiesta officials.

Each year a photo contest is held for the best photos taken throughout the fiesta.

This year there are 5 categories;

  • Kids at Balloon Fiesta Photo Entry
  • Dawn Patrol/Balloon Glow Photo Entry
  • Mass Ascension Photo Entry
  • Special Shape Rodeo Photo Entry
  • AfterGlow Fireworks Photo Entry

There will be a grand prize winner and a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner in each category.

Each submission costs $5.

To enter the contest or find out more, click here.

 

Transportation:

Don’t let parking stress you out. There are many options for drivers.

 

Park and Ride: There are many park and ride locations where you can pay for parking transportation, and admission into the balloon fiesta park all in one.

The park and ride locations include;

  • Cottonwood Mall
  • Intel
  • Coronado Center
  • Hoffmantown Church
  • Cliff’s Amusement Park

Click here for pricing information and to purchase tickets.

 

Parking on location:

If you decide to park on location make sure to leave extra early.

No matter what part of town you are coming from expect to be in traffic for an hour or more.

Be prepared to pay $15 cash per car.

 

Bike parking:

Beat the traffic when you ride your bike!

“Bike Valet is provided as a free service to promote bicycling to the Balloon Fiesta,” according to the balloon fiesta website.

Bike valet hours of operation:

  • Morning Sessions 5:30AM to 10:30AM
  • Evening Sessions 5:00PM to 9:00PM

For more information about the bike valet service click here.

 

If you’ve never been:

If you are from out of state or never had the chance to attend the event her are some tips that will make your first Balloon Fiesta experience enjoyable.

  • Dress warm, and in layers.
    • The morning is usually very cold but it gets warmer as the sun comes up. You may want to peel some of those layers.
  • Bring a blanket.
    • The event takes place on a grass lot. Blankets come in handy when you want to relax. You can stretch out and enjoy the fiesta from almost anywhere in the field.
  • Be prepared for a crowd.
    • The first balloon fiesta experience can be a bit overwhelming. If you are someone who doesn’t like crowds be prepared for a loud and chaotic space.
  • Use the restroom before you leave home
    • There are Porta-Potties are the balloon fiesta park but the line is always very long.
  • Buy all of your tickets in advance.
    • The more prepared you are they less hectic the experience will be. Buying admission tickets, park and ride tickets, and parking tickets in advance can help reduce stress.
  • Take a camera
    • The balloon fiesta is the most photographed event in the world. You’ll want to capture it.
  • Enjoy it
    • The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest in the world. There is nothing else like it, so take in as much as you can and enjoy it!

*All events are weather permitting

 

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All photos by Hilary Broman.