Albuquerque Media Monitoring
News clips from Tuesday, April 22 include stories about:

* Lobos searching for a new kicker
* Wheelchair basketball team no longer allowed to practice at Johnson Center
* UNM Students want concealed carry on campus
* UNM celebrates Earth Day on campus

4 KOB 6:00 PM

LOBOS ONLY HAVE FOUR MORE DAYS OF SPRING WORKOUTS AND THEY'RE STILL SEARCHING FOR A NEW KICKER. THE LOBOS NEED A REPLACEMENT FOR ALL-AMERICAN JOHN SULLIVAN. RIGHT NOW THE LEADING CANDIDATES ARE ROSWELL'S JAMES AHO AND DREW ZAMORA. THE LOBOS ARE WRAPPING UP SPRING BALL ON THE ROAD. SATURDAY'S CHERRY-SILVER SCRIMAGE WILL TAKE PLACE AT SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL.

4 KOB 10:00 PM

A WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM IS GETTING THE BOOT FROM THE JOHNSON CENTER AT UNM - AND THE PLAYERS ARE FIRED UP ABOUT IT. THE TEAM HAS PRACTICED THERE FOR YEARS - BUT GYM OFFICIALS SAY THEY'VE GOTTEN A FREE RIDE FOR TOO LONG. JEFF MAHER GOT BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY - HE'S LIVE AT THE JOHNSON CENTER TO EXPLAIN. JEFF? FOR MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS, THE ALBUQUERQUE KINGS WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM HAS PRACTICED HERE AT THE JOHNSON CENTER. THAT WILL ALL END NEXT MONTH, AND GYM OFFICIALS SAY THEY'VE GOT GOOD REASON TO SEND THE TEAM PACKING. THE BARELAS COMMUNITY CENTER IS NOT THE IDEAL PLACE FOR THE ALBUQUERQUE KINGS WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM TO PRACTICE AT - BUT IT WILL JUST HAVE TO DO. GYM OFFICIALS AT THE JOHNSON CENTER SAY IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO GO. "BASICALLY THEY DON'T WANT US THERE ANYMORE" THE TEAM HAS BEEN PRACTICING AT THE JOHNSON CENTER EVERY SATURDAY FOR TWO HOURS. RECENTLY, THEY WERE TOLD THAT'S GOING TO END BECAUSE THE TEAM IS TAKING UP GYM SPACE MEANT FOR STUDENTS. BUT PLAYERS SAY THE JOHNSON CENTER HAS EIGHT COURTS, AND USUALLY THEY HAVE THE WHOLE PLACE TO THEMSELVES WHEN THEY'RE PRACTICING. "IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, WE DON'T BOTHER ANYBODY, WE DON'T DO ANY DAMAGE TO THE COURT OR TO THE FACILITIES, WE'RE JUST IN AND OUT" WE TALKED TO THE MANAGER OF THE JOHNSON CENTER. HE SAYS IT WAS JUST TIME TO END THE RELATIONSHIP THE GYM HAD WITH THE TEAM. HE SAYS IN ADDITION TO THE SPACE ISSUE, THE TEAM WAS PAYING ONLY FIVE-HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR TO USE THE GYM, WHILE OTHER OUTSIDE GROUPS WERE PAYING THREE- THOUSAND. HE SAYS HE WAS ALSO GETTING COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE ABOUT NOT ENOUGH PARKING SPACES, DOORS BEING LEFT OPEN, AND BIG MESSES FOR JANITORS TO CLEAN UP. "I DON'T THINK WE'LL GET AS GOOD A PRACTICE IN ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT WE'RE ALSO A RESILIENT TEAM AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PLAYING NO MATTER WHAT, YOU KNOW" THE GYM MANAGER SAYS HE MIGHT CONSIDER ALLOWING THE TEAM TO STAY IF THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY THE RATE EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO PAY. AS FOR THE TEAM, THEY'RE NOT SURE WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PRACTICE NOW. LIVE AT THE JOHNSON CENTER. JEFF MAHER. EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR.

22:24:37

THE LOBO BASEBALL TEAM TOOK A BREAK FROM CONFERENCE PLAY TO FACE ARIZONA IN TUCSON TONIGHT. RIGHT NOW THE LOBOS TRAIL 4-1 IN THE EIGHTH. ONLY A COUPLE MORE DAYS OF SPRING PRACTICE LEFT FOR THE LOBO FOOTBALL TEAM. HEAD COACH ROCKKY LONG HASN'T DECIDED ON A STARTING KICKER FOR THE FALL. ONE OF THE CANDIDATES TO REPLACE ALL- AMERICAN JOHN SULLIVAN IS ROSWELL'S JAMES AHO. HE'S A WALK- ON WHO WAS CUT LAST SEASON BUT CAME BACK TO GIVE IT ANOTHER GO. THE CHERRY SILVER GAME IS SATURDAY AT SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL..

7 KOAT 5:00 PM

SOME UNM STUDENTS SAY IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO RELY ON AUTHORITIES - FOR PROTECTION FROM CAMPUS GUNMEN. THEY WANT THE RIGHT TO SHOOT BACK. ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER ROD GREEN HAS MORE. FOLLOWING SHOOTINGS AT VIRGINIA TECH AND OTHER CAMPUS SETTINGS AROUND THE COUNTRY CAMPUS POLICE AND OTHER SAFETY EXPERTS INITIATED WIDE RANGING SAFETY PLANS. NOW SOME STUDENTS HERE AND AT OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE SAYING THEY WANT THE ABIITY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, BY PACKING HEAT. GREEN:"MOLLIE NAVARRE LOOKS LIKE A TYPICAL UNM CO-ED. SHES GOT HER BOOK BAG, WEARING HER SANDALS, ALL DRESSED UP FOR SPRING, BUT IF YOU LOOK LOSELY YOULL SEE SHE WELL NOT EXACTLY PACKIN', BUT PACKIN' A HOLSTER." MOLLIE AND A HANDFULL OF STUDENTS ARE WEARING EMPTY HOLSTERS TO CLASS AND AS THEY GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY ROUTINE BECAUSE, NAVARRE:"WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY BUT NOT ON CAMPUS, AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT PROTECTED WHILE WE'RE ON CAMPUS." MOLLIE SAYS HAVING ARMED, TRAINED CONCEALED-CARRY PERMIT HOLDERS ON CAMPUS MIGHT MAKE THOSE BENT ON MAYHEM THINK TWICE AND, NAVARRE: SO MANY OF THE SHOOTINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED COULD HAVE BEN, NOT NECESSISARILY STOPPED BUT WOULDN'T HAVE GONE SO FAR IF THERE WERE PEOPLE THERE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES." SOME STUDENTS ARE SKEPTICAL, ERIN KLAMAN: "WE HAVE CAMPUS POLICE, AND THEY HAVE A PRETTY HEAVY PRESENCE ON CAMPUS. WHILE OTHERS AGREE WITH MOLLY, JUSTIN GRIFFIN:"I DONT KNOW THAT IT WOULD GIVE MORE PROTECION BUT I DO FEEL ITS THEIR RIGHT TO DO THAT." BUT DON'T LOOK FOR THE PRACTICE TO START ANYTIME SOON. SANDRA LIGGETT/UNIVERSITY COUNSEL: "NEW MEXICO LAW REQIRES THAT. IT PROHIBITS HANDGUNS ON CAMPUS, SO THE UNIVERSITY BASICALLY TRACKS NM LAW." ROD GREEN KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. NOT ONLY WOULD STATE LAW NEED TO BE CHANGED TO ACCOMPLISH NEVARRE'S CONCEALED CARRY ON CAMPUS -- BUT UNIVERSITY REGENTS WOULD ALSO NEED TO APPROVE IT.

7 KOAT 6:00 PM

APPRECIATION FOR THE EARTH'S ENVIRONMENT. TODAY MORE THAN 500-MILLION PEOPLE, AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS IN 175 COUNTRIES, ARE CELEBRATING . AND ALBUQUERQUE IS NO EXCEPTION. TODAY, AT UNM, SEVERAL ACTIVITIES ARE TAKING PLACE TO PROMOTE EARTH DAY. ONE OF THOSE, IS IN PROMOTION OF THE ABQ RIDE PROGRAM. THOUSANDS OF UNM STUDENTS LIVE OFF CAMPUS, AND IF THEY GET A SPECIAL STICKER ON THEIR I-D CARDS, THEY CAN TAKE THE BUS FOR FREE. ORGANIZERS SAY SOME STUDENTS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM, SO THEY WERE OUT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAD THE INFORMATION. STUDENTS RIDE THE ABQ RIDE FOR FREE, SO WE ARE TELLING THEM TO GO GET THEIR STICKER ON THEIR ID CARD, SO THEY CAN START TAKING THE BUS INSTEAD OF PERSONAL VEHICLES. A-B-Q RIDE HAS SEVERAL STOPS NEAR THE CAMPUS, AND OF COURSE ..MANY MORE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

13 KRQE 5:30 PM

WHEN SPRING FOOTBALL STARTED FOR THE LOBOS COACH ROCKY LONG SAID HE WAS LOOKING FOR 4 NEW STARTERS ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE. REDSHIRT FRESHMAN BYRON BELL HAS A NUMBER ONE SPOT. THE 6-5 296 POUND FRESHMAN IS DOING WELL HANGING ON TO HIS STARTING SPOT. IF HE MAKES IT UNTIL THE SEASON STARTS HE WILL BECOME THE FIRST FRESHMAN TO START AT TACKLE UNDER COACH LONG. THE LOBOS BELIEVE BELL HAS THE TALENT TO BECOME ONE OF THE BEST OFFENSIVE LINEMAN COMING OUT OF THE PROGRAM.