By Daniel Montaño, Senior Reporter | Photos courtesy of Ashley Heffron
Something wicked this way comes — straight to the South Broadway Cultural Center.
The first annual New Mexico Fright Fest will be taking over the SBCC at 1025 Broadway Blvd. SE from Oct. 24 to Oct. 26 to showcase and present awards to horror films from around the world, Ashley Heffron, Biology major, said.
Heffron is one of the co-founders of the film festival, which will also feature workshops where budding film makers can learn how to make special effects makeup using latex, how to properly use three point lighting, and will even include an acting workshop, Heffron said.
“It’s going to be super, super fun. Especially if you like films in general because for 65 bucks you’re getting 19 films, plus workshops,” she said.
Tickets can be purchased at http://www.holdmyticket.com and prices vary, starting at $7 to view a single film and going up to $65 for the all access pass, which includes all the films being featured, entry to the awards ceremony, costume contest and the after parties on Friday and Saturday night, Heffron said.
Fright Fest has also partnered with Jacko’con, a four day comic, anime, horror, steampunk and Halloween convention, by offering a $110 all access pass to both events, she said.
“If you get the combo, that’s two weeks’ worth of Halloween fun,” she said
After receiving entries from all over the world, Fright Fest staff picked the top 19 films to show, which all have the chance to win one of their “Skully” awards, she said.
The films chosen come from a huge range within the horror genre, some being suspenseful thrillers, others slasher flicks or 80’s throwback horror films, Heffron said.
“A lot of them have a fantastic production value despite their small budgets. We have films of different lengths, from a few minutes to full feature length, and they’re all awesome, awesome films,” Heffron said.
Trailers and showtimes for all the films being featured are available at http://www.nmfrightffest.com, Heffron said.
These are horror films, which means some of them feature violence, scenes of gore and some brief nudity, so Heffron urges parents to check out the movies online before bringing children to the festival, she said.
“It’s up to the parents’ discretion.
A lot of these movies have typical horror stuff, but it’s not too bad,” she said.
The festival winners will be chosen by a selection committee, but the top films in each category, such as best creature feature or best slasher, will be chosen by two celebrity judges, actress Amanda Wyss, from “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”, and writer, director and native New Mexican Thom Eberhadt, Heffron said.
Wyss will also be helping with the acting workshop, which will be led by LeAnn Powers, one of New Mexico’s leading acting coaches, Heffron said.
“It’s going to be amazing. The acting session will be especially fun,” Heffron said
Heffron has been putting work into Fright Fest since January, when she and Founder Carlos Montoya decided to start the event, which Montoya had been talking about starting for over 10 years, she said.
Montoya has worked as an assistant director and production assistant on over 40 films in New Mexico, but this is Heffron’s first move into the film industry, she said.
She and Montoya have been friends for years, and being a horror fan, when she first heard Montoya’s idea she signed up immediately, she said.
“I’m a huge horror fanatic in everyday life, so when I heard about it I was like ‘Let’s do it!’” she said.
Because of Montoya’s busy schedule, Heffron has had to handle much of the planning herself, she said.
The event is sponsored by several local businesses, including the Rio Grande Media Group, Free Radicals clothing, Del Sol Aviation and even the city of Albuquerque, she said.
“The Albuquerque Film Office has been awesome. They actually sponsored our venue this year. I can’t thank them enough,” Heffron said.
Most of the sponsorship has been through donated items or prizes; Del Sol for example, is giving the winner of best in show flying lessons, she said.
Beside one generous donor who provided funds to secure the website where film entries were made, Heffron and Montoya have largely had to pay for the festival on their own, she said.
“That was a huge help, but as far as anything beyond that, most of this has been privately funded by us,” she said.
Still, Heffron and Montoya plan to host the event again next year, she said.
“Now that I’ve done this I think it will be a lot easier for me next year. A lot of what I have done this year has been very new and foreign to me,” she said.
Balloon Fiesta Glodeo Photos 2013
Photos By Jonathan Baca
I Madonnari Student Art Photos Fall 2013
Photos By Rene Thompson and Daniel Johnson
Mix it up! CHSS offers meet and greet for students and teachers
By Daniel Montaño, Senior Reporter
For the first time ever, the school of Communications, Humanities and Social sciences is offering a free meet and greet with instructors, Elizabeth Bennett, CHSS instructor, said.
Students can come to the event in the Richard Barr boardroom at the east end of the computer lab on main campus on October 4, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to get advice about careers in the liberal arts, learn more about what they can do with their CHSS major, and meet other CHSS students and faculty, Bennett said.
No other college at CNM has ever hosted an event like this, and this one has been in the making for more than five months because it was such a new idea, Bennett said.
“We’re trying to get information out about the majors: What might be interesting to students, or why should you major in this program? What are you going to be able to do with it?” she said.
There will be academic advisors, achievement coaches and faculty as well as transfer specialists on hand throughout the event, Bennett said.
Students will be able to perform a degree audit with academic advisors to find out how close students are to graduating, will be able to get advice from instructors on when certain classes will be offered, and learn about what jobs they can get into with their degree and find out specific UNM transfer information all in one place, Bennett said.
“Plus, there’s free food,” she said.
Representatives from student organizations will also be there giving out information on their clubs, Bennett said.
Students who might be normally too shy to seek out these groups will be able to learn about the clubs and form bonds with other students who are interested, Bennett said.
“I remember being a student and being really nervous walking up to strangers and talking to strangers in my classes, and so we thought maybe this was one more venue where we might be able to nudge people into getting to know other students,” she said.
While the event is hosted by CHSS faculty and is targeted at CHSS majors, any student is welcome to come regardless of their major, she said.
Representatives from every program within CHSS will be there to discuss their particular field, even if the major does not offer a degree path such as cultural studies, and to explain how their program can strengthen other majors, she said.
“Maybe there’s that student who really loves cultural studies and here’s a way to learn how to weave more of that into their anthropology degree,” she said.
Depending on the success of this first event, it could continue to be held annually but earlier in the school year now that the framework for how to run the event is in place, Bennett said.
“If students show up that’d be great, and if not we’ll just keep trying,” she said.
The idea for the event was spurred by a reception held for sociology graduates at the end of the spring semester, Bennett said.
Faculty recognized all the graduates for finishing their pro¬gram, and the graduates got to mingle and meet each other throughout the reception, she said.
“They were really happy, and a couple of them were saying that they wished they had gotten to know some of their fellow students and more of their faculty earlier on,” she said.
Westside Campus and Nature
Nick Stern, Staff Reporter | Photos by Nick Stern and Rene Thompson
The Westside campus is favored for its environment, not only among students, but among various wildlife as well, Instructional Technician, Melanie Archuleta-Hallquist said.
There are many roadrunners which, in the spring, can be seen building their nests in different spots around campus, Archuleta-Hallquist said.
R e f e r e n c e Specialist at the CNM Westside library, Amy Baker, believes that the nature environment of the campus is a big part of what attracts people to it, she said.
In the morning hummingbirds can be found all over campus while in the evening rabbits can be found everywhere and if one were to take a three minute walk to the west end of the campus, they would find themselves completely surrounded by the desert, she said.
“It is like you are really living at the cusp of the urban sprawl where nature meets city. You really feel like you are in nature. I think that this campus feeds off of that energy and I think it makes staff, faculty, professors, and students a lot calmer,” Baker said.
Besides rabbits, hummingbirds, and coyotes, there has also been an occasional snake will show up on campus, and recently a venomous snake was seen on campus and had to be dealt with by animal control, she said.
“I was told not to go to my car because there was a snake in one of the bushes and animal control was on their way because it was a venomous snake. Security would not let me go to my car,” Archuleta-Hallquist said.
A coyote once walked right up to the front door of the Michael J. Glennon building and then walked away when it became uninterested, she said.
A family of skunks used to live on campus as well and anyone could smell them when on campus, and after living on campus for about a month the skunks were captured and relocated by animal control, she said.
There is a cat that lives on campus that is known as the campus’ “feral” cat but is prob¬ably not feral at all and has been fed by people, she said.
“I have seen the cat and I have tried to feed it and it ate. I do not think it is feral. I think it belongs to somebody and it just got lost on campus and does not want to leave because there is free food. It is like an all-you-can-eat buffet of lizards and bunnies,” Archuleta-Hallquist said.
Incorporating nature into the architecture at Westside has also been accomplished very well and the new WS1 building is made with walls that are all glass to look out at the great scenery the campus has to offer, Baker said. So on one side of the building there is a vast view of the sprawling desert while on the other side there is a vast view of the Sandia Mountains, and people tend to be attracted simply by how nice it is there, Baker said.
With so many windows and such amazing views of Albuquerque, students are constantly rejuvenated and calmed by every¬thing beautiful there is to see, she said.
“I think they are really trying to make it seem like-instead of working against nature-we are really working with nature,” Baker said.
Another thing that is nice about the campus is the desert inspired fountains that can be found when walking through the campus, she said.
The fountain in the middle of the WS1 courtyard does not use too much water but just enough for some¬one to hear nothing other than the soothing sound of water trickling on the edge of rock, she said.
The shrubbery and landscaping used for the campus also consists of strictly native plants to New Mexico, which is all xeriscaped and consists of what would be found in the desert, she said.
The dedication to natural and native aspects within the campus plays a huge part of maintaining a calm learning environment for students and at the same time, attracting local wildlife of all sorts to the Westside campus, Baker said.
“I think the architecture of this building (WS1) is influencing students to just feel more calm, more Zen, more at peace and I think that is why we are seeing more wild¬life interacting. Part of the reason the hummingbirds probably still come on campus is because they are using native plants,” Baker said.
Editorial Cartoon; Issue 17 Volume 19
Editorial Cartoon Courtesy of James Griego
Editorial; Issue 17 Volume 19
By CNM Chronicle Editorial Board
For students attending community college, sometimes student-life can feel more college and less community. The Communication, Humanities, and Social Science department is trying to change that by bringing the students and faculty together for a day of socializing, as mentioned in the article “Mix it up!” on page 2.
At CNM, there is a definite focus on the trades programs, while other areas of study are seemingly ignored. It can feel, at times, that the college just wants to get us out of here and into a four year college. This event helps to put the CHSS areas of study back into the forefront of the college life, and put more emphasis on these types of degrees. Instructors want us to know that they are important and they do matter.
Often times we pick our majors because we are fascinated and truly engaged in all aspects of our study, but this is not always enough to get us through a dependable career. So, we try to avoid the dreaded question explored at the Thanksgiving dinner table: ‘What are you going to do with a degree like that?’
For a CHSS major, thinking about life after college can be discouraging; all around, others are focusing on degrees that seem to come with obvious career options and even the promise of a comfortable paycheck.
The instructors donating their time and energy for this CHSS event are hoping to provide answers, or at least, to provide direction to the many questions students may have. Students will be given the opportunity to get to know one another as well as members of the department, and be able to explore career options and expectations, which is crucial for success.
Not getting involved and making connections in college can be cause for regret. This CHSS event creates a platform for encouragement and networking. Making friends who have similar interest makes the college experience that much more meaningful.
Choosing a degree can be nerve-wracking. It also takes some trial and error before you find a field to pursue, so attending this event can take away some of the stress. Hopefully, it will make a much easier time of getting a degree and planning a future.
Bravo to the faculty who has attended to the needs of the students and has decided that an event like this is not only important, but necessary. All students that attend CNM need to feel like their area of study matters, because if we do not feel it now, we probably will not feel very optimistic about our futures.
Suncat Chit Chat
By Martin Montoya|Staff Reporter
What is your style?
style, it’s not really one specific thing. I’m kind of
country.”
at Forever 21, whatever they have I like to mix and
match. For my comfy I would maybe throw a sweater
on top of shorts but still have nice boots to go with it.”
“Very stylish. I love stuff that shows my figure but I
don’t like to overdo it because I know it attracts a lot
of males and I don’t want to get harassed by guys or
girls. I like Forever 21 because it’s kind of young.”
“My style conveys my attitude at the time. It’s my
own style; I don’t really go off of anything. I like Zoo
York and South Pole, stuff like that.”
I Madonnari
By Rene Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Art Instructor Lynn Johnson’s Drawing II class participated in the art contest titled, ‘I Madonnari (named after an Italian street painting festival), which began on September 17 and is coming to an end this week. Participants drew chalk or charcoal based drawings on sidewalks on campus, and provided ballots to observers to vote for their favorite one. Voter ballots are being tallied, October 1, 2013, and the group with the most votes will be the winners of this year’s contest.
There were four groups of four students each that participated in the event that had students make their own renditions of two famous art pieces, one classic and one contemporary, that are combined into one piece.
These pieces can be seen on the walkways at school on the east end of Ken Chappy Hall, and at Jeannette Stromberg hall on both the south and west ends of the building until October 10, Johnson said.
Tina, By Candi Chavez, with Tess Morrison, Hannah Mora, and Isaac Trujillo.
Tina, By Candi Chavez, with Tess Morrison, Hannah Mora, and Isaac Trujillo.
Bop by Robert Jones, with Nancy Abeita, Anthony Harker, and B.B. Wood.
by Nichole Lucero, with Calvin Burgstahler, Nicole Bronowski, and Trenton Janssen
Voting 101: Municipal Elections
By Jonathan Baca, Staff Reporter
Local government can affect our lives in profound ways, and with Albuquerque’s municipal elections coming up, the Chronicle has gathered research about the basics of our city government’s inner workings to help students understand how local politics works, and how important it can be to our lives. For first time voters, or for anyone who has never voted at a local level, we hope this information helps in making an informed choice.
Basics
Albuquerque is a home rule municipality with a mayor-council government. The Executive and Legislative branches of city government work kind of like a small, local version of the President and Congress of the United States. The City Council is our main legislative body, representing our citizens, and introducing and voting on all of our laws and resolutions. The mayor is our chief executive officer, making our city’s budget, appointing heads of boards and committees. The mayor has the added duties of overseeing all the departments of our local services. Albuquerque does not elect our municipal judges. All local elections are non-partisan, or non-supportive of any specific political parties or policies, and anyone from any party can run for office, by getting enough people to sign a petition.
The Mayor
In Albuquerque’s system, the Mayor’s office is powerful, with lots of responsibilities which has far-reaching influences throughout the state. If fifty percent of voters choose a single candidate, that candidate becomes the mayor. If no one receives fifty percent of the vote, there is a run-off election between the two candidates with the most votes.
• Elected every four years, for four year terms; no term limit
• Chief Executive Officer
• Appoints and can remove city officials
• In charge of local police department; appoints Chief of Police
• Is head of the city’s water and sewer authorities, and oversees services like trash pickup
• Proposes the city’s budget, every year, to the City Council
• Has the power to veto decisions of the Council
• Can propose Executive
The City Council
The City Council is Albuquerque’s legislative branch. There are nine councilors, one for each district in Albuquerque. Citizens vote for only their own councilor, the one who represents the district that they live in. Any Albuquerque resident can attend City Council meetings, and can discuss any issue they choose, from local concerns like potholes to their opinion of controversial laws like the red light cameras. In this way, local government can be the most truly democratic form, where a single citizen’s voice can make the most difference in their lives.
• Elected to four year terms
• Half of the councilors are elected every two years, on a rotating basis
• Each represents one district of Albuquerque
• Main Legislative body of the city
Introduces and votes on:
• Resolutions – mandates or prevents something; dictates policy; examples are appropriations, adopting budgets and plans, preliminary actions on bonds, recent example: A city policy for no tolerance of gender pay inequality
• Ordinances – creates or amends municipal laws; always used for police power legislation ( something where it is against the law not to follow); used to adopt taxes or fees, and city organization and operation matters…..recent example: establishing of the Albuquerque Minimum Wage Ordinance
• Executive Communications – legislation from the Mayor sent for approval: appointments to boards or commissions, and contracts and grants for city, example: the City Budget
• Can overrule a mayoral veto with a two-thirds majority
• Voters can only vote for one city councilor each election, and only for the District they are registered to vote in
• Any citizen can address the Council at every Council Meeting, and can discuss any topic of concern
• Most local level of all government; place where an individual’s voice can have the greatest impact
Local Voting Locations
To find out which district you live in, and who is running for that district’s City Councilor, go to cabq.gov, Sources: cabq.gov, Wikipedia.org.