New Mexico
New Mexicans celebrate Lunar New Year
Thousands of people in New Mexico are celebrating the Lunar New Year as the Year of the Dragon began Saturday.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Thousands of people in New Mexico are celebrating the Lunar New Year as the Year of the Dragon began Saturday.
For 15 days, traditions come alive with cultural performances, such as the dragon dance and martial arts showcases.
The celebrations vary but food and family are what everyone has in common for Lunar New Year.
“It usually involves a bunch of dumplings. Every traditional Chinese household will serve dumplings,” Jason Zeng said, adding dumplings symbolize fortune and prosperity in the coming year.
Zeng is a third-generation restauranteur and the owner of Fan Tang Restaurant. The restaurant has strived to introduce Albuquerque to the spicy flavors of his hometown of Szechuan.
His family is one example of the countless families who have immigrated to New Mexico since the 1800s.
“We all know each other, we all help out each other. If one of the families is in need, traditionally, you know, we will chip in and help out that family,” Zeng said.
Food brings the family together every year. That includes traditional dishes like tang yuan.
“Sweet glutinous rice balls with sesame paste inside. It’s like a dessert for after dinner,” Zeng described.
Families also traditionally make noodles. When eaten, they symbolize a long and healthy life.
“This is spicy beef noodle soup. It’s egg noodles, sliced beef in like a spicy broth. Almost like spicy ramen, but Szechuan.”
The Year of the Dragon is said to bring good luck, prosperity and strength to newborns. It goes through January 28, 2025.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A successful University of New Mexico Lobo athletics season and the athletics director’s departure has culminated in players and coaches making moves.
The moves follow a successful 2025 season and the departure of athletics director Fernando Lovo.
Running back coach John Johnson, special teams coordinator Daniel Da Prato and wide receiver coach Colin Lockett are all leaving the Lobos after just one season. Johnson is headed to Iowa State while Da Prato is expected to join Minnesota and Lockett is headed to UCLA, all for the same jobs.
Johnson’s Lobo running backs ran for more than 1,400 yards. Da Prato’s special teams finished top-five nationally in kickoff returns.
Running back D.J. McKinney entered the portal, he confirmed on social media the day the portal officially opened. McKinney rushed for 464 yards and seven touchdowns with the Lobos.
Two players who received all-Mountain West Conference recognition also made moves. All-Mountain West tight-end Dorian Thomas, who caught for touchdowns for the Lobos, entered the portal. Meanwhile, all-Mountain West honorable mention punter Daniel Hughes is set to leave.
Others set to leave include:
- Cole Welliver, backup quarterback who played in one game
- Landon Williams, defensive end who graduated from La Cueva High School
- Randolph Kpai, senior linebacker who is at the end of his college football career without a waiver
After Lance St. Louis served as the starting long snapper for the Texas Longhorns for four seasons, special teams coordinator Jeff Banks landed an experienced replacement when New Mexico Lobos transfer Trey Dubuc pledged while on a visit to the Forty Acres.
The pledge from Dubuc ensures that Texas has experienced replacements for three specialists despite signing high school prospects at each position — with the SEC expanding to 105 scholarships in 2026, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian can afford to develop high school recruits at those positions behind experienced transfers like Dubuc.
The Fort Lauderdale product started his career at USF after playing on two state championship teams at Cardinal Gibbons. A 6’1, 209-pounder, Dubuc redshirted during his freshman season in 2023 before appearing in one game as the backup long snapper the following year.
After transferring to New Mexico, Dubuc served as the starting long snapper while making two tackles for the Lobos.
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