DAILY LOBO new mexico
One-stop conviction see page 4
February 23, 2012
thursday The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
Community mourns loss of pre-med student by Elizabeth Cleary
managingeditor@dailylobo.com
Courtesy Photo Wolfgang Scott-Cohen
Friends of Wolfgang ScottCohen said they’ll remember the late UNM student as a kindhearted individual with whom they could crack jokes, discuss current events and engage in spirited political debate. “He was the go-to guy to for questions about current events,” said Jared Trujillo, a UNM student who befriended Scott-Cohen in high school. Scott-Cohen, a pre-med student who dreamt of becoming a neurologist, died late Tuesday night after being in a coma for 11 days. On Feb. 10, he was hit by a truck while riding his scooter. The driver of the truck was allegedly intoxicated. Trujillo said Scott-Cohen wanted to be a doctor since high school. In both high school and college, Scott-Cohen worked on several political campaigns for New Mexico Democrats Tom Udall and Bill Richardson, according to his Facebook page. Scott-Cohen was not one to shy away from expressing his political opinions, said Juan Soche, a UNM student and another of Scott-Cohen’s high school friends. “He’s always been one of those guys that once you meet him you
know that he’s very knowledgeable,” Soche said. “He doesn’t mind speaking what he’s thinking.” Scott-Cohen was born Sept. 9, 1989 to Rikki Scott and Norm Cohen. He graduated from Valley High School in Albuquerque in 2008. High school classmate Kathrina Shirley said Scott-Cohen had a particularly close relationship with his younger sister Pegeen. Shirley said she and Pegeen were in high school orchestra together, and that Scott-Cohen would often ask Shirley how his sister, who played the viola, was progressing in her musical abilities. “He would always attend the orchestra concerts,” Shirley said. “He cared a lot for his sister.” Scott-Cohen excelled at both school and athletics, Trujillo said, and displayed a remarkable amount of enthusiasm, both on his track team and in his classes. “He was always on the ball in class and he always had something to say,” he said. “He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind in that setting, which is really awesome. He really took opportunities in his academics to show himself and express himself to other people. That’s something that I always admired about him.” In high school, Soche said, he
and Scott-Cohen made several video projects for a history class they were in together. These experiences helped Soche get a feel for Scott-Cohen’s sense of humor and helped solidify the pair’s friendship. “There was one (video) where he played a Russian guy,” he said. “And we made a talk show and he was in the commercials … It was just fun.” Soche said Scott-Cohen’s distinct personality made an impression on everyone with whom he came in contact. “When I introduce a friend of mine to another friend, and someone mentions that person later they’ll refer to them as ‘Juan’s friend,’” he said. “But if someone meets Wolf and later on Wolf comes up they’ll say ‘Wolf, that funny guy’ or ‘Wolf, that smart guy.’ He just has that impression where you wouldn’t associate him with how you know him, but who he is.” Although most of his family could not be reached for comment, Pegeen wrote in a text message that Scott-Cohen was a great big brother whom she will sorely miss. “I loved him dearly,” she wrote. “Go Lobos. Go Wolf.”
City to expand bus services with students in mind by Avicra Luckey aluckey@unm.edu
High tech busses, expanded routes and later hours are just a few of the improvements UNM students could see in the future of free bus service in Albuquerque. ASUNM and GPSA representatives held a press conference Wednesday to celebrate the ABQ RIDE free bus pass program’s success. City officials along with UNM Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) delivered a presentation detailing upcoming plans for Albuquerque’s public transportation system. The ABQ RIDE free bus pass program provides free bus rides for students, staff and faculty at UNM and CNM. Only a school I.D. is needed, along with the sticker provided by the Transportation Information Center in the SUB. PATS interim director Robert Nelson said funding for the free bus pass program comes from the city, student fees, the Health Sciences Center and fees from the University administration. Nelson said nearly 74,000 people commute to and from the University area every day. He said the program helps tremendously with congestion in the area. “When we can have thousands of people not coming in single occupant vehicles but coming in some alternative form like the city bus system, like an improved bicycle
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program, like increased trips by pedestrians, it positively impacts the region,” he said. The program began in 2007 after Representative Gail Chasey (D, Albuquerque) sponsored the legislation to fund it. Chasey said Albuquerque’s program is based on similar programs at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Chasey said the program has grown beyond her expectations. “I don’t think I envisioned this great of success, I really don’t,” she said. “I think that I thought a discreet number of people would appreciate it. I had no Idea it would balloon like it has.” ASUNM President Jaymie Roybal said 20.4 percent of undergraduate students reported using the ABQ Ride free bus pass program as their primary mode of transportation to UNM in 2011, and an additional 5 percent reported using the program as a secondary form of transportation to UNM. Rick DeReyes, public information officer at ABQ RIDE, said another initiative ABQ Ride is exploring is the possibility of a Bus Rapid Transit route, a route that is faster than the current Rapid Ride system. “It’s a type of public transportation system using busses that would provide a faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line or even the Rapid Ride,” he said.
Adria Malcolm/ Daily Lobo ASUNM President Jaymie Roybal and ASUNM Executive Director of Governmental Affairs Florencio Olguin speak with Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry (left) during a press conference promoting free bus passes for students Wednesday.
see Bus PAGE 3
Benevolent or bothersome?
A NOVA approach
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TODAY
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