DAILY LOBO new mexico
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
friday
Termination shocked see page 4
September 7, 2012
Player returns, Texas looms
PARTY LIKE IT’S 2008
Player charged with DWI let back on football team by J.R. Oppenheim
sports@dailylobo.com
Devonta Tabannah
Photo courtesy of Organizing for American New Mexico
About 50 UNM students in the SUB on Thursday participated with students from three other universities from across the country in a “Google Hangout” feed that streamed live at the Democratic National Convention. Later on in the night, President Obama’s campaign manager Jim Messina gave a “shout out” to UNM.
Health Sciences Center eyes real estate by Svetlana Ozden news@dailylobo.com
Pending the approval of the full Board of Regents, the University will spend about $3.1 million on the purchase of three new properties. At a Thursday Regents Finance and Facilities Committee meeting, committee members unanimously approved the purchase of about 4.3 acres of property.
5400 Central Ave. S.E.
At the meeting, the committee unanimously approved the purchase of the 1.6 acre vacant commercial site for $1.12 million. If purchased, the property will be used as a clinic site for the UNMH Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program, which provides substance abuse and mental health assessment and treatment. CEO of the Health Sciences System Steve McKernan said the program is currently located in an old warehouse by the Albuquerque International Sunport, but that the area is inaccessible to many patients.
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 117
issue 15
He said accessibility is important because most patients in the program need treatment daily in order to maintain a productive life. “If someone is opiate addicted and on methadone, they need a daily dosage of the methadone,” he said. “Many of our patients who have addiction conditions need physical assessment and treatment but cannot get to our facilities.” McKernan said the new location would be more accessible to patients because a ABQ RIDE Red Line bus stop is located near the site. He said although the new property will cause the University to lose money, the program provides treatment for more than 400 patients who are part of the community. “From a mission perspective, we cannot envision the UNM Health System being without a substantial substance-abuse program,” he said. “If you don’t treat these patients up front, they’ll end up as patients in our emergency room and cause all kinds of problems. We provide treatment service to them so they
come and get their medication and go off to work every day.” Regent Don Chalmers said the University should be commended for investing in the program. “The University has a mission of community service and, as we build, the University needs to be given credit for investing significant dollars in this program for community service,” he said. “That’s exactly what this is.” The Health Sciences Center UNMH Capital Initiative Fund will pay for the purchase of this property.
2130 Eubank Blvd. N.E.
The committee unanimously approved the purchase of a 2.5 acre property on Eubank Boulevard for a little less than $1.7 million. The property, a former administrative building and branch for Charter Bank, will be converted into a communitybased health care clinic. Associate Director of Real Estate Thomas Neale said the property was listed at $3.1 million, reduced to $2.5 million, and then the Real Estate Department negotiated the contract
The spike girls
A family affair
See page 5
See page 2
price at $1.653 million. Chalmers said the University should work to replace the money used for the purchase in order to ensure that funds are available for future hospitals and building additions. The Health Sciences Center UNMH Capital Initiative Fund will pay for the purchase of this property.
923 Vassar Dr. N.E.
The committee unanimously approved the purchase of a singlefamily residence located on the west side of Vassar Drive, north of Lomas Boulevard and south of Marble Avenue. The residence is about 2,200 sq. ft., but the entire area is about 7,000 sq. ft and is under contract at $320,000. Neale said the property is the only location that the University doesn’t own on the west side of Vassar Drive in the area. He said the University owns all the lots north of the Indian Health Center until Marble Avenue, and that purchasing the residence would allow the University to own the
see Real
estate PAGE 3
Next week, head UNM football coach Bob Davie will reinstate sophomore player Devonta Tabannah, who was arrested on suspicion of DWI on Aug. 27. Davie said in a press release Wednesday that Tabannah will return to the team on Monday when it prepares for a Sept. 15 game against Texas Tech. “My decision to reinstate (Tabannah) is based on research of similar circumstances and suspensions involving other studentathletes around the country, as well as the manner in which (Tabannah) has handled his mistake,” Davie said. “Hopefully, he will take advantage of his second chance and others can learn from his mistake.” The announcement marks a change of heart for Davie. Davie was quoted in the Aug. 28 issue of the Daily Lobo as saying that, due to his DWI charge, Tabannah wouldn’t “be a member of this football team in the near future.” “I appreciated that he came to me, but that doesn’t resolve or doesn’t change the actions. There’s no margin for error with something like that,” Davie said. As for the rest of the UNM football team, it will see two extreme sides of the competitive spectrum. The Lobos captured a 66-21 victory over Football Championship Subdivision foe Southern in Saturday’s season opener. In their upcoming game this Saturday, the Lobos will take on a tradition Bowl Championship Series powerhouse in Texas. Texas is ranked 15th in the USA Today Top-25 coaches poll and 17th in the Associated Press media poll. The Longhorns are coming off a 37-17 victory over another Mountain West Conference opponent, Wyoming. While the caliber of opponents from Game 1 to Game 2 is radically different, UNM’s approach to the games is the same — it’s about how the Lobos perform, not the opponent.
see Football PAGE 3
TODAY
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