New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)
By New Mexico PBS
NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, health, education and arts issues and explores them in-depth, with a critical eye to give them context beyond the "news of the moment."
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Aug 09, 2022
Pro-Palestinian Protests at UNM
On the podcast this week, Source New Mexico Editor Shaun Griswold hosts a two-part roundtable discussion on the pro-Palestine protests taking place at the University of New Mexico and college campuses around the nation. In the first half of their conversation, Shaun asks what legal rights students have to protest at the Duck Pond and at the Student Union Building. Later, the table considers why younger people have rallied around this issue. Then, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks with Sophie Leah of Jewish Voice for Peace and asks why her organization wants UNM to divest from Israel.
Exploring CABQ’s Plan to Address Homelessness
On this week's podcast, KUNM News Director Megan Kamerick sits down for a two-part discussion on Daymon Ely’s proposed plan to address homelessness in Albuquerque. Then, James Freeman, a person who once lived on the streets of Albuquerque and is now a director at HopeWorks, gives his thoughts on the proposal. Plus, homeless advocate and attorney Peter Cubra walks us through the constitutional rights of unhoused people and breaks down how a pending U.S. Supreme Court ruling could change the way New Mexico polices them.
Dem NM Primary Election & Fighting Child Poverty
Executive Producer Jeff Proctor talks to Source New Mexico Editor Shaun Griswold and freelance reporter Justin Horwath about how voters could reshape the state's Democratic Party during this summer's primary elections. Plus, Gabrielle Uballez, the new executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, talks to correspondent Russell Contreras about her work searching for new solutions to child poverty and why she wanted to take the issue on.
Earth Day's New Mexican Roots
On the podcast this week, Our Land’s Laura Paskus sits down for a two-part discussion with Arturo Sandoval, one of the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970. In the first half of their conversation, Sandoval tells us about his role in putting together the first event and takes a step back to look at how it has since changed. Later, the two talk broadly about the concept of colonization, how it has defined the world around us and observe how it is intertwined within capitalism.
Food Justice in NM
This week on New Mexico in Focus, Our Land’s Laura Paskus sits down with a special roundtable to discuss all things food — why it costs so much, why so much of it gets thrown away and the social justice issues associated with access. Laura begins by asking the group why more than 100,000 tons of food is wasted each year in Albuquerque. Then, the roundtable discusses possible solutions to food waste, considering everything from smaller serving sizes at restaurants to composting expired produce at home. Laura steps back for the final segment and explores how food waste has taken a toll on our planet and how fixing that problem is essential in our attempt to address climate change.
Correspondent:
Laura Paskus
Guests:
Sandra West, sustainable waste specialist, City of Albuquerque
Amanda Rich, assistant director, Three Sisters Kitchen
Anton Becker-Stumpf, Southwest Organizing Project
Lobo Hoops Season Assessment with Geoff Grammer
Albuquerque Journal sportswriter Geoff Grammer stops by to chat with Lou and look back at this year's Lobo basketball season, as the men's team made the NCAA tournament for the first time in a decade.
Looking Back at the 2023-24 Lobos Men’s Basketball Season
Correspondent:
Lou DiVizio
Guest:
Geoff Grammer, sportswriter, Albuquerque Journal
For More Information:
https://twitter.com/GeoffGrammer
Gov. Lujan Grisham Pushes for Special Session
This week on the podcast, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham tells us why she wants to call a special session centered on public safety. Senior Producer Lou DiVizio asks the governor why she thinks a special session is necessary and whether she has the votes to get what she wants passed.
Correspondent Gwyneth Doland looks further at the proposed special session, as she hosts a roundtable discussion with UNM political science professor Timothy Krebs and ACLU-NM Policing Policy Advocate Daniel Williams. Gwyneth asks the two about the governor's plan and the politics of public safety in New Mexico.
Segments:
Gov. Lujan Grisham Pushes Special Session on Public Safety
Correspondent:
Lou DiVizio
Guest:
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), New Mexico
The Politics of Public Safety in New Mexico
Correspondent:
Gwyneth Doland
Guests:
Timothy B. Krebs, professor and chair, UNM Political Science Department
Daniel Williams, policing policy advocate, ACLU-NM
For More Information:
Governor: Special session 80% likely on public safety measures – Santa Fe New Mexican
Oil & Gas Lease Fight; New-Look Legislature
Lou DiVizio introduces the show with some headlines from around the state.
Then, State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard tells Lou why she chose to hold off on selling the state's most valuable oil and gas leases until officials lock in a higher royalty rate than the office is charging now. Reactions to her decision have been mixed and Lou asks the commissioner to respond to remarks from her critics and from the governor.
The Legislature is in for a big shakeup after the November election. There are currently 19 open legislative seats — 12 held by Republicans, and the other seven by Democrats. Former state senator Dede Feldman sits down with Lou to discuss just how competitive these races will be this fall.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Segments:
State Land Commissioner on Decision to Halt Lease Sales on Oil-Rich Land
Correspondent: Lou DiVizio
Guest: Stephanie Garcia Richard, NM State Land Commissioner
Analyzing the State Legislature Seats Up for Grabs this Fall
Correspondent: Lou DiVizio
Guest: Dede Feldman, Democratic Former NM State Senator
For More Information:
New Mexico halts some oil-field lease sales in standoff over royalty rates in Permian Basin – Associated Press
New Mexico GOP mulls next steps as House, Senate leaders announce exits – Santa Fe New Mexican
NM Water in the U.S. Supreme Court, Oil & Gas Working Conditions & 4 Years of COVID
Lou DiVizio opens the show with some headlines from around the state including news that after two years, a $10M state-supported abortion clinic in Las Cruces is stuck in its planning phase.
This week, U.S. Supreme Court justices heard arguments from attorneys representing New Mexico, Texas and Colorado, as the three states presented a plan that would resolve a decade-old water rights case. Source New Mexico reporter Danielle Prokop joins us from Washington, D.C. to ask how the high court's decision will impact how we share water from the lower Rio Grande for years to come.
A new study from the University of New Mexico reports dangerous working conditions in the oil and gas industry. Correspondent Elizabeth Miller speaks with Dr. Gabriel Sanchez, a study author and executive director at UNM's Center for Social Policy, to ask how the sector's workers might find new jobs in a clean-energy future.
Finally, this week on the show we look back at how the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped the last four years. Executive Producer Jeff Proctor sits down with Santa Fe-based public defender Jennifer Burrill and Michael Bird, former president of the American Public Health Association, to take stock of our state and country's handling of the pandemic — and where we are now. Then, Jeff asks Jennifer about her bout with Long COVID and the physical toll it has taken.
Supreme Court Hears Rio Grande Water Rights Case
Correspondent:
Lou DiVizio
Guest:
Danielle Prokop, reporter, Source New Mexico
UNM Study Finds Dangerous Working Conditions in Oil and Gas Industry
Correspondent:
Elizabeth Miller
Guest:
Dr. Gabriel Sanchez, professor and executive director, UNM Center for Social Policy
Long COVID in NM and the Pandemic’s Lasting Effects
Correspondent:
Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Jennifer Burrill, attorney, New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender
Michael Bird, former president, American Public Health Association
How COVID Has Shaped the Last Four Years in NM Correspondent:
Jeff Proctor Guests:
Jennifer Burrill, attorney, New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender
Michael Bird, former president, American Public Health Association
For More Information:
Viral Respiratory Infection Dashboard – New Mexico Department of Health
U.S. Supreme Court questions both positions in Rio Grande water case – Source New Mexico
Southeastern New Mexico Oil & Gas Workforce Study – UNM Center for Social Policy
New Mexico ranks high for long COVID-19 symptoms – KRQE
U.S. Attorney on APD DWI Corruption Case
This week on New Mexico in Focus, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor interviews U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez about the federal investigation into alleged corruption at the Albuquerque Police Department's DWI unit. Uballez sheds some light on the process of the investigation and Proctor asks why the U.S. Attorney took the unusual step to confirm the investigation earlier this year in letters to the city's police chief and district attorney.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor
Guest: Alexander Uballez, U.S. Attorney, District of New Mexico
For More Information:
Prominent attorney says he took DWI corruption allegations to FBI – Source New Mexico
NM Wildfire Survivors Waiting for Compensation
This week, Journalist Patrick Lohmann of Source New Mexico sits down with two survivors of the Hermit's Peak/Calf-Canyon Fire. In the first of two conversations, Lohmann asks both about the losses they have suffered and how they have helped neighbors in their community recover. Later, the pair speak on the lack of federal financial relief their community has received and why local leadership at FEMA needs to change.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Patrick Lohmann, Reporter, Source New Mexico
Guests:
Kayt Peck, Wildfire Survivor from Rociada, NM
Yolanda Cruz, Wildfire Survivor from Manuelitas, NM
For More Information:
Location & Hours for Claims Reimbursements – Federal Emergency Management Agency Website
They lost everything in New Mexico’s biggest wildfire - Source NM
Nosotros La Gente: Healing what’s broken - Las Vegas Optic
Attorney Tips FBI on APD DWI Corruption Case
Lou DiVizio opens the show with several developing headlines from around the state including an update on the city of Albuquerque's handling of homeless encampments since a court injunction last year mandating the city not remove encampments on public property.
Then, Journalist Elise Kaplan of City Desk Albuquerque asks legal malpractice attorney and former state representative Daymon Ely about the information he passed along to federal agents from potential victims of an alleged scheme to get drunk driving cases tossed out of court. Also, Ely comments on how the case has harmed public trust in the legal system.
Correspondent: Elise Kaplan
Guest: Daymon Ely, attorney, former state representative
For More Information:
Legislators Boost Their Retirement Pay - Albuquerque Journal
New Mexico AG joins lawsuit over possible Kroger, Albertson’s merger - KRQE
Cimarron High School bans backpacks and jackets - KOAT
Santa Fe County proposes plastic bag ban - Santa Fe New Mexican
Prominent attorney says he took DWI corruption allegations to FBI - City Desk Albuquerque
'Rust' Trial Begins, New Consent Bill & ABQ Councilor Rogers
Host Lou DiVizio leads off with headlines from around the state, including a U.S. appeals court decision striking down a moratorium on coal leasing from federal lands.
Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks to attorney Ahmad Assed and journalist Julia Goldberg about the ongoing trial of armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and the pending trial of actor/producer Alec Baldwin, each charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deadly shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust" in 2021. In their two-part discussion, the pair break down the charges, the politics and the potential industry impacts.
A bill to bring affirmative consent policies to public universities and colleges across the state is headed to the governor's desk after passing the Legislature last week. The 'Yes Means Yes' legislation would require higher education institutions to include materials and resources in student orientation packages. Senior Producer Lou DiVizio speaks with Democratic state Rep. Liz Thomson and advocate Alexandria Taylor about the bill and how consent education can help prevent sexual assault.
After winning a run-off election last fall, Albuquerque City Councilor Nichole Rogers began her tenure representing District 6 — the city's Southeast Heights — in January. This week, Senior Producer Lou DiVizio asks Rogers about her priorities for the district and what it means to her to be the first Black woman to serve on the council.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Trial, Pending Baldwin Trial & a Media Circus
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Julia Goldberg, Senior Correspondent, Santa Fe Reporter
Ahmad Assed, Attorney
Bill Brings 'Yes Means Yes’ Policies to NM Higher Ed
Correspondent: Lou DiVizio
Guests:
Rep. Liz Thomson (D), Albuquerque
Alexandria Taylor, Executive Director, New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
New ABQ City Councilor Nichole Rogers on District 6 Priorities
Correspondent: Lou DiVizio
Guest: Nichole Rogers, Albuquerque City Council, District 6, Southeast Heights
For More Information:
Prosecution, defense paint different pictures in `Rust' arguments – Santa Fe New Mexican
Baldwin's lawyers push for earlier June trial date in 'Rust' case – Santa Fe New Mexican
Affirmative consent bill passes New Mexico Legislature after five attempts – Source New Mexico
Nichole Rogers wins runoff election, becomes first Black woman to serve on ABQ City Council - KUNM
Wrapping Up the 2024 Legislative Session
Lou DiVizio opens the show with headlines from around the state, including the potential the Governor could call for a special legislative session to address public safety concerns.
Correspondent Gwyneth Doland hosts a three-part discussion with two journalists recapping New Mexico's 2024 legislative session. Gwyneth asks Shaun Griswold, editor of Source New Mexico, and Trip Jennings, executive director of New Mexico In Depth, about the approved state budget, which public education and public health bills passed, and the environmental and public health bills that didn't pass in Santa Fe.
Immigration reform advocates were shocked earlier this month when the state Senate rejected an asylum seekers' detention bill. Sophia Genovese, an attorney with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, tells Executive Producer Jeff Proctor when she knew the bill's life would be cut short.
We head back to the Roundhouse one last time this session with Gwyneth, as she catches up with several lawmakers and policy advocates to talk about a wide range of influential issues, including a failed oil and gas regulation bill, increased funding for state roads and money set aside for health care.
Segments:
2024 Legislative Recap
Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland
Guests:
Trip Jennings, executive director, New Mexico In Depth
Shaun Griswold, editor, Source NM
Asylum Seekers Detention Bill Dies in Senate
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor
Guest:
Sophia Genovese, attorney, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
2024 Legislature Recap: Health Care Bills & Funds for Roads
Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland
Guests:
Tannis Fox, attorney, Western Environmental Law Center
Rep. Jared Hembree (R), Roswell
Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R), Carlsbad
Rep. Jenifer Jones (R), Deming
Rep. Kathleen Cates (D), Rio Rancho
For More Information:
NM House sends state budget to gov for signature – KUNM
Nearly $750 million transportation project bill to fix NM’s roads clears Senate floor –KRQE
Affirmative consent bill passes New Mexico Legislature after five attempts – Source NM
Tribal education trust fund is dead, legislative sponsor says – Source NM
N.M. Senate narrowly rejects ban on immigrant detention, supporters warn abuses will carry on – Source NM
Capitol Recap: Lawmakers zoom through final efforts on last day of session – Albuquerque Journal
Homestretch of the 2024 Legislative Session
Lou DiVizio opens the show with an update heading into the final week of the 2024 Legislative Session and shares some other headlines from around the state.
Then, Correspondent Gwyneth Doland catches up with elected officials in Santa Fe and speaks to Democratic state representatives Andrea Romero, G. Andrés Romero and Sen. Benny Shendo Jr., about alternative energy and school graduation bills.
Later, Lou sits down with Source New Mexico Editor Shaun Griswold and Republican former state representative Justine Fox-Young to discuss which bills have passed, which haven't and what still might get through the Roundhouse. First, the roundtable examines the fate of the governor's favored public safety bills. In the second half of their discussion, Lou asks why the governor's public education goals are receiving bipartisan pushback from lawmakers who represent small school districts.
For More Information:
HB 129 - Fire Arm Waiting Period
HB 171 - Graduation Requirements
SB 315 - Electric Vehicle Tax Credit
SB 316 - Advanced Energy Equipment Corporate Tax Credit
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Gives Exclusive 2024 Session Update
NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio starts the week with a rundown of some of the top headlines in the state including state lawmakers advancing a bill to criminalize "fake electors" in future elections.
Then, Correspondent Gwyneth Doland speaks with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham about the ongoing legislative session and asks how her favored bills are faring in the Roundhouse.
We turn our attention to a high-profile pretrial detention bill that died before reaching a full Senate or House vote. Lujan Grisham tells us that some version of the bill might find life again during this year's session.
Additionally, we break down support and opposition for the bill with District Attorney Sam Bregman state Sen. Peter Wirth.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on 2024 Legislative Session
Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland
Guest: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), New Mexico
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Pretrial Detention Bill
Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland
Guest: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), New Mexico
DA Sam Bregman on Supporting Pretrial Detention Bill
Correspondent: Lou DiVizio
Guest: Sam Bregman (D), District Attorney, Bernalillo County
Sen. Peter Wirth Disagrees with Pretrial Detention Bill
Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland
Guest: Sen. Peter Wirth (D), Majority Floor Leader
For More Information:
Pretrial detention bill favored by governor tabled in Senate committee – New Mexico Political Report
DA Bregman on APD Corruption Probe & Inside the Roundhouse
This week on the podcast Lou DiVizio details some headlines from around the state, including a new report detailing continued failures at the state's Children Youth and Families Department.
Then, Lou sits down with Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman to discuss the federal investigation into possible corruption within the Albuquerque Police Department's DWI unit. Bregman responds to concerns from residents in a state that's been troubled by drunk drivers for decades.
Finally, we rejoin correspondent Gwyneth Doland at the Roundhouse. Legislation is slowly starting to move through the Capitol, as Democratic leaders get a handle on what from the governor's agenda could be viable in their chambers. This week, Gwyneth speaks with House Speaker Javier Martinez and Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth for an update on the bills in front of them.
Host: Lou DiVizio
DA Sam Bregman on APD Federal Investigation
Correspondent:
Lou DiVizio
Guest:
Sam Bregman, District Attorney, Bernalillo County
State Democratic Leaders on Child Safety Bills, Balancing State Budget
Correspondent:
Gwyneth Doland
Guests:
Rep. Javier Martinez (D), House Speaker
Sen. Peter Wirth (D), Senate Majority Speaker
For More Information:
Four members of APD DWI unit added to DA’s list of untrustworthy officers - City Desk ABQ
Albuquerque police lieutenant, officers being investigated by FBI identified - Albuquerque Journal
Federal Corruption Investigation & Start of the 2024 Legislative Session
Lou DiVizio opens the pod this week with headlines from around the state, including reporting on a federal investigation that appears to allege corruption by Albuquerque Police officers and a prominent defense attorney in DWI cases.
Then, correspondent Gwyneth Doland sits down with two journalists for three discussions as the group previews this year's 30-day session.
Gwyneth also takes us inside the Roundhouse to ask state Republican minority party leadership, Sen. Gregory Baca and Rep. T. Ryan Lane, how they plan to move forward after hearing the governor's agenda for the state this year.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland
Guests:
Trip Jennings, Executive Director, New Mexico In Depth
Jessica Onsurez, News Director, Gannett
Gregory Baca, (R) NM Senate Minority Leader
T. Ryan Lane, (R) NM House Minority Leader
For More Information:
Gov. Lujan Grisham lays out big agenda for short session in State of the State speech – Santa Fe New Mexican
Republicans say Gov. Lujan Grisham's rosy State of the State speech ignores grimmer realities – Santa Fe New Mexican
New Mexico Battles to Clamp Down on Big Oil – Capitol & Main
N.M. governor, Senate GOP unveil public safety agendas – Source NM
NM State Headlines & 2024 Lookahead
Senior Producer Lou DiVizio welcomes you to a new year at NMiF and looks ahead to the work you can expect on the pod in the coming weeks and months.
Then, Lou updates you on some state headlines, including the New Mexico Supreme Court hearing oral arguments in a challenge to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's public health order on guns.
We'll be back next week with a longer episode featuring the longform interviews you've come to expect from NMiF.
Host: Lou DiVizio
For More Information:
State Loses Millions in Federal Dollars Meant to Fund Outdoor Recreation Projects - New Mexico In Depth
Spike in Migrant Deaths on the Southern Border
Lou DiVizio kicks off the show with some state headlines, including news the Governor's appointee for Secretary of the state Indian Affairs Department is stepping down.
Plus, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks with two journalists, Lauren Villagran of USA Today and Omar Ornelas of the El Paso Times, about their yearlong investigation into a spike in migrant deaths along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Spike in Migrant Deaths on the Southern Border
Correspondent:
Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Lauren Villagran, border reporter, USA Today Network
Omar Ornelas, photojournalist, El Paso Times
For More Information: 'It's heartbreaking': Day after day, New Mexico investigator recovers migrant remains – El Paso Times
How NM's Redrawn Congressional Map Could Affect Future Elections
This week on the podcast, Lou DiVizio updates some state headlines including a grand jury indictment of a Las Cruces Police Officer in the shooting of an unarmed black man accused of stealing a single can of beer from a gas station.
Last month, the New Mexico Supreme Court handed Republicans a defeat when the justices ruled that the state's redrawn congressional map was constitutional. The case began in early 2022, when the GOP filed a lawsuit alleging state Democrats drew new lines for District 2 in a way that weakened the voting power of residents, mostly in southern New Mexico. Last October, District Court Judge Fred Van Soelen found that Democrats intentionally tried to dilute Republican votes in District 2, but that those efforts did not "rise to the level of an egregious gerrymander." The Supreme Court agreed.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Nash Jones
Guests:
Dede Feldman, Democratic Former New Mexico State Senator
Justine Fox-Young, Republican Former New Mexico State Representative
Ed Chavez, Chair, Citizen Redistricting Committee
For More Information: NM Republican Party loses Supreme Court appeal over state congressional map – KUNM
PED Proposes Lengthening School Year & NM United CEO Talks New Stadium
Lou DiVizio opens the show with some state headlines including news that a New Mexico State Police Sergeant is also implicated in an alleged multi-state machine gun scheme.
The state Public Education Department wants to expand school calendars, increasing the number of instructional days required for students statewide. This proposal comes months after the Legislature passed House Bill 130, which increased education funding, in large part to accommodate an increase in required instruction hours — bumping those up to 1,140. Those hours included professional development time for teachers. This new rule would change the measuring stick to days — increasing the mandate from 176 to 180 and requiring every one of those 1,140 hours be spent in the classroom with students.
Earlier this month, music teacher Kevin Darrow joined a number of Santa Fe public school teachers who spoke out against PED's change. In a solo interview with Senior Producer Lou DiVizio, Darrow says adding more time in the classroom is not the right answer to solve our state's education problems.
Then, Albuquerque Teachers Federation President Ellen Bernstein and state Rep. Joy Garratt, an Albuquerque Democrat and former teacher, continue the conversation in our studio. They’re concerned about the department’s proposed change. Lou asks the two what the disconnect is between the Public Education Department and a growing number of upset teachers, parents, elected officials and administrators.
Finally this week, New Mexico United CEO and President Peter Trevisani stops by our studio for a one-on-one interview. In partnership with alternative newsweekly 'The Paper.,' editor Andy Lyman asks Trevisani about the Albuquerque City Council's 7-2 vote this month approving a lease for a new soccer stadium for the team — which comes after voters denied the initial idea in 2021.
Segments:
Santa Fe Music Teacher Questions PED Calendar Change Proposal
Correspondent:
Lou DiVizio
Guest:
Kevin Darrow, music teacher, Wood Gormley Elementary School
State Rep., Teachers Union President on PED Calendar Change Proposal
Correspondent:
Lou DiVizio
Guests:
Rep. Joy Garratt, (D) District 29, Bernalillo County
Ellen Bernstein, President, Albuquerque Teachers Federation
NM United's Peter Trevisani on New Stadium Correspondent:
Andy Lyman, editor, The Paper. Guest:
Peter Trevisani, CEO and President, New Mexico United
For More Information:
Public Education Department Proposed Rule Changes
Teachers, lawmakers object to PED's proposed calendar rule change – Santa Fe New Mexican
Governor signs bill extending school learning hours – Santa Fe New Mexican
Albuquerque City Council approves New Mexico United stadium proposal at Balloon Fiesta Park – KOAT
U.S. Interior Sec. Deb Haaland & MMIWR Task Force Quietly Disbanded
Lou DiVizio opens the show with headlines from around the state, including an update on the suspect accused of firing a shot Albuquerque's Coronado Center over the holiday weekend. This summer, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) announced an order ending oil and gas leases on federal lands in a 10-mile radius around Chaco Culture National Historic Park. Correspondent Antonia Gonzales (Navajo) speaks with Haaland about her work and asks her to respond to activists who say the federal government isn't doing enough to protect the Greater Chaco landscape.
Then we discuss Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's decision to quietly shut down the state's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Task Force. In October, reporter Bella Davis (Yurok) broke that story at New Mexico In Depth. This week, she sits down in our studio with Darlene Gomez, a member of the disbanded task force, and Vangie Randall-Shorty (Diné), a mother whose son was murdered. Three years after his death, she's still waiting for answers from investigators.
Correspondent Antonia Gonzales (Navajo) continues the conversation in an interview with Jana Pfieffer (Diné), another former member of the task force, and Shereena Baker (Southern Ute & Karuk), an artist and advocate, and asks the two how they plan to continue that work on their own.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland
Correspondent:
Antonia Gonzales (Navajo)
Guest:
Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), United States Secretary of the Interior
State Quietly Disbands MMIWR Task Force
Correspondent:
Bella Davis (Yurok)
Guests:
Vangie Randall-Shorty (Diné), mother of Zachariah Juwaun Shorty
Darlene Gomez, attorney, former member of the New Mexico MMIWR Task Force
Engaging Youth to Address MMIWR Crisis
Correspondent:
Antonia Gonzales (Navajo)
Guests:
Shereena Baker (Southern Ute & Karuk), UNM graduate assistant
Jana Pfieffer (Diné), former member of the New Mexico MMIWR Task Force
For More Information:
Protest derails planned celebration of 20-year ban on oil drilling near Chaco national park – Associated Press New Mexico pulls plug on missing and murdered Indigenous people task force – New Mexico In Depth Advocates call on the state to create a new MMIWR task force after shuttering the original – New Mexico In Depth Lawmakers gave the attorney general $1 million in 2022 to help find missing Indigenous people. The money hasn’t been spent - New Mexico in Depth
Cross-Country Machine Gun Scheme, Exploring Sheriff’s Office Oversight & Albuquerque Air Quality
Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks with Matthew Reisen from the Albuquerque Journal about a recent indictment alleging a multi-state machine gun scheme. It names but doesn’t charge former Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales and former Laguna Pueblo Police Chief Rudy Mora. Reisen explains the indictment, including what both Gonzales and Mora are accused of doing to further the scheme.
Then, Jeff speaks with Dianne Layden, a member of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Advisory Review Board, to understand why there aren’t any checks and balances in place to watch over sheriffs like Gonzales. Layden explains the role of the advisory board, why it was created and how the new sheriff has taken a more active role with the board.
Our Land’s Laura Paskus sat down with the New Mexico Environmental Law Center’s Eric Jantz to understand how two bills passed by the Albuquerque City Council will affect efforts by a South Valley community to protect itself from pollution. The two also talked about how industry and many lawmakers claim environmental regulations harm economic development—but how the history of environmental protections in the U.S. doesn’t support that claim.
Host:
Lou DiVizio
Segments:
NM Lawmen Mentioned in Machine Gun Scheme Indictment
Correspondent:
Jeff Proctor
Guest:
Matthew Reisen, staff writer, Albuquerque Journal
Exploring Oversight: NM Lawmen Mentioned in Machine Gun Scheme Indictment
Correspondent:
Jeff Proctor
Guest:
Dianne Layden, Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office Advisory & Review Board
Albuquerque City Council Targets Air Quality Rulemaking
Correspondent:
Laura Paskus
Guest:
Eric Jantz, legal director, New Mexico Environmental Law Center
For More Information:
Former BCSO sheriff, undersheriff named in cross-country machine gun scheme – Albuquerque Journal
BCSO sheriff unveils restricted gun inventory after predecessor named in alleged machine gun scheme – Albuquerque Journal
ABQ City Council approves controversial and sweeping changes to air quality control board – KUNM
Policing the Police & New Mexico's Water Solutions
Lou DiVizio opens the podcast with headlines from around the state including background on a proposed 'mansion tax' Santa Fe voters will consider Tuesday.
The, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor interviews Albuquerque City Council President Pat Davis about delays in council’s handling of citizen oversight for APD. That’s as Mayor Tim Keller is pushing to transfer authority over the system away from the council. The mayor cites staffing woes, a lack of training for police oversight board members and other problems to justify his proposal. Councilor Davis responds and explains why he thinks citizen oversight should be independent from the city’s executive branch.
Over the past decade, former New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission director Norman Gaume has urged lawmakers to fund state water agencies and protect the water resources. Now, as president of New Mexico Water Advocates, he talks with Our Land’s Laura Paskus about the 2023 Water Security Planning Act, some of the serious problems around the state and the need for community-driven solutions.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Segments:
Policing the Police
Correspondent:
Jeff Proctor
Guest:
Pat Davis, president, Albuquerque City Council
New Mexico’s Water Solutions are Possible—but not Easy
Correspondent:
Laura Paskus
Guest:
Norman Gaume, NM Water Advocates
For More Information:
New Mexico Water Policy and Infrastructure Task Force Report (2022)
NM’s water challenges are ‘significant’ – Our Land
New Mexico Water Planning Program
"Bulletin 164 — Climate Change in New Mexico Over the Next 50 Years: Impacts on Water Resources” - New Mexico Tech's 2022 Report
Police Shootings in NM: Investigations, Prosecutions & Solutions
Lou DiVizio opens up the podcast with some headlines from around the state, including news from a federal indictment accusing former Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales and former Laguna Pueblo Police Chief Rudy Mora's of helping to facilitate an illegal gun distribution scheme.
Then, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor hosts an in-depth, two-part conversation about police shootings in New Mexico. According to an analysis by Searchlight New Mexico, police shot 357 people statewide over the last 10 years — more than in any other U.S. state per capita during that period. Executive Producer Jeff Proctor asks a special roundtable why cops shoot so many people in New Mexico and whether failures at other levels of government too often leave life-and-death decision in the hands of the police. In the second part of their discussion, Jeff asks the group why legislators are advocating for the creation of a centralized, independent office to investigate and review police shootings cases. Plus, the roundtable considers what’s at stake for the potential criminal trial of Las Cruces police officer Brad Lunsford, the second cop in the state’s modern history to be charged in an on-duty fatal shooting.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Panel Host: Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Sharon Walton, Retired Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court Judge
Leon Howard, Deputy Director, American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico
Joshua Bowling, Investigative Reporter, Searchlight New Mexico
For More Information:
Hundreds of police killings. Two prosecutions. No jail time. – Searchlight New Mexico
Charges filed against a New Mexico police officer for a fatal shooting — for the first time in nearly 10 years – Searchlight New Mexico
Listening to the Gila - Our Land
PED Secretary Talks Yazzie-Martinez Response, Chronic Absenteeism & School Counselors Assess the Student Experience
Senior Producer Lou DiVizio opens the show with some headlines from around the state, including news that Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has quietly shuttered the state's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Task Force, as reported by Bella Davis at New Mexico In Depth.
Then, we turn our attention to three education issues we’ve been following closely in recent weeks and months, beginning with the state’s response to the court ruling in the seminal Yazzie-Martinez case. Senior Producer Lou DiVizio speaks with Public Education Secretary Dr. Arsenio Romero about the state’s position on Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s desire to take over litigation in the case and what progress his department has made to create a more equitable learning environment for all students in our state.
Chronic absenteeism has long been present in New Mexico’s rollcall of school problems. The rate ticked down in the most recently completed school year, but it’s more than doubled since 2019. KUNM’s Megan Kamerick hosts a special roundtable to talk about what the state is doing to get more students to show up to school and whether it’s effective.
COVID, remote learning, returning to school and concerns about safety are all major challenges that have snowballed for students in recent years. Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks with two school counselors about the unique hurdles students are confronting and how they’ve impacted their mental health and coursework.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Segments:
PED Cabinet Secretary on the State’s Response to Yazzie-Martinez Ruling
Correspondent: Lou DiVizio
Guest: Dr. Arsenio Romero, cabinet secretary, NM Public Education Department
Addressing Chronic Absenteeism in NM Schools
Correspondent: Megan Kamerick
Guests:
Leslie Kelly, behavioral health coordinator, NM Public Education Department
Teri Wimborne, director of collective impact, United Way of Central New Mexico
Estevan Gallegos, juvenile probation officer supervisor, CYFD
School Counselors Assess the Student Experience in 2023
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Bryan Gabaldon, school counselor, Highland High School
Devon Shelton, school counselor, Alameda Elementary School
For More Information: New Mexico AG says he’s going after school discipline and Yazzie-Martinez to protect children – New Mexico In Depth
Millions of kids are missing weeks of school as attendance tanks across the US – The Associated Press Let's talk about the youth mental health crisis – KUNM
Albuquerque Sued for Allegedly Violating the Constitutional Rights of the Unhoused & Special Immigrant Juvenile Status in NM
Senior Producer Lou DiVizio opens the show with some headlines from around the state including a judge's recent decision on Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's adjusted executive order restricting firearms in Bernalillo County.
Then, Lou speaks with two attorneys who are suing the City of Albuquerque on behalf of several unhouse clients. The lawsuit accuses the city of violating the Fourth and Eighth Amendments and due process protections for unhoused people by shuffling them from place to place and destroying their property. A state District Court judge issued an injunction in the case last month, barring the city from removing people from public property or taking their belongings. The City of Albuquerque has filed a request for a stay on the injunction with the state Supreme Court — as of Thursday's recording, the court has not decided if it will take up the case.
This spring, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed House Bill 15 into law. It expands the age range for young immigrants eligible to access green cards, work permits and other benefits — if they can prove in court they had been abandoned, abused or neglected. Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks with two immigrant advocates about their work to get this bill passed through the Roundhouse.
Host: Lou DiVizio Segments:
Attorneys Say Albuquerque Violated Unhoused Clients’ Constitutional Rights
Correspondent: Lou DiVizio
Guests:
Adam Flores, civil rights lawyer
Martha Mulvany, civil rights lawyer
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status in NM
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Jessica Martinez, attorney, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
Jazmín Irazoqui-Ruiz, policy director, Bold Futures NM
For More Information:
Homeless man sues City of Albuquerque over Coronado Park removal – KRQE
Injunction filed against city of Albuquerque for removal of homeless personal property – KRQE New Mexico law allows migrant children under 21 to obtain residency – KFOX
Indigenous Community Members React to Española Shooting & Public Employee Shortage in NM
Lou DiVizio opens the show with some of the headlines from around the state, including a ruling from Judge Fred Van Soelen in a redistricting lawsuit filed by the Republican Party of New Mexico and seven individuals.
A 23-year-old man wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat is accused of shooting Native American activist Jacob Johns during a prayer event last week in Española, where local officials were planning to reinstall a statue of Spanish conquistador and war criminal Juan de Oñate. Ryan David Martinez is charged with first-degree attempted murder, as well as a fourth-degree felony count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. New Mexico in Focus correspondent Antonia Gonzales speaks with two indigenous community leaders about the shooting and the violent history surrounding colonial monuments like the Oñate statue.
Then, we introduce KUNM reporter and first-time New Mexico in Focus correspondent Nash Jones. They host a special roundtable to discuss why government agencies continue to struggle with hiring and retaining employees in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the first of two conversations, Jones asks the panelists to identify the scope of the employment problem and detail what it's like to work at hollowed-out agencies throughout New Mexico.
In their second discussion, Nash asks the roundtable how residents are impacted by the short-staffed public sector and how government agencies can best compete against the private market.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Indigenous Community Leaders React to Española Shooting at Planned Oñate Statue Site
Correspondent:
Antonia Gonzales
Guests:
Janene Yazzie (Diné), Southwest Regional Director, NDN Collective
Nathana Bird (Ohkay Owingeh and Kewa Pueblo), community member
Public Employees Shortage in New Mexico
Correspondent:
Nash Jones
Guests:
Dylan Lange, acting director, New Mexico State Personnel Office
Casey Padilla, president, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 18: New Mexico and Colorado
Sarita Nair, secretary, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
Searching for Solutions to Staffing Problems in NM State Agencies
Correspondent:
Nash Jones
Guests:
Dylan Lange, acting director, New Mexico State Personnel Office
Casey Padilla, president, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 18: New Mexico and Colorado
Patricia Tafoya-Harris, acting director of Human Resources for the City of Albuquerque
For More Information: 1 injured, 1 arrested in shooting at protest regarding Oñate statue in Rio Arriba County – KOAT
Key Quarterly Performance Measures Report: Quarter 3, Fiscal Year 2023 – New Mexico State Personnel Office
State and Local Workforce 2023 Survey Findings – MissionSearch Research Institute
City of Albuquerque joins with union to plead for workers – KUNM
NM Attorney General: Yazzie-Martinez Case & Gallup-McKinley County Schools Investigation
Lou DiVizio opens the show with some headlines from around New Mexico, including an update on the arrest of a 23-year-old man in the shooting of a Native American man during a peaceful demonstration in Española.
This week on New Mexico in Focus, Attorney General Raúl Torrez explains two recent decisions involving education in our state. In partnership with New Mexico In Depth, Executive Director Trip Jennings asks Torrez about his intention to take over litigation in the Yazzie-Martinez case. Then, Jennings discusses a recent announcement from the attorney general that his office will investigate reported disproportionately harsh discipline at Gallup-McKinley County Schools. New Mexico In Depth’s Bryant Furlow broke the story last year, prompting Torrez to take a closer look.
Executive Producer Jeff Proctor moderates a special panel that reacts to both of those topics and digs deeper into some of the lingering questions around each. Jeff asks if the attorney general has the broad authority he’s asserting to take over the Yazzie-Martinez case and if there could be a political incentive for him to get involved. Then, Jeff and the panel explore New Mexico In Depth’s reporting on the disciplinary issues at Gallup-McKinley and how Torrez’s investigation could play out.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Trip Jennings, executive director, New Mexico In Depth
Guest: Raúl Torrez, (D) Attorney General, New Mexico
Panel Host: Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Trip Jennings, executive director, New Mexico In Depth
Regis Pecos, co-founder, Santa Fe Indian School Leadership Institute
Danielle Gonzales, senior fellow, One Generation Fund, APS board member
For More Information:
NM Attorney General seeks control over state response to Yazzie-Martinez – New Mexico In Depth
Does Not Equal: New Mexico faces a steep climb to make education more equitable – Santa Fe Reporter
Attorney General to Investigate School Discipline at Gallup McKinley Schools – New Mexico In Depth
The Future of Fire in New Mexico
Lou DiVizio gives a rundown of some headlines from around the state to start the week, including an update on the arrest of three suspects in the shooting outside Isotopes park that killed an 11-year-old boy and paralyzed a 23-year-old woman.
Then, Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus hosts a roundtable conversation with U.S. Forest Service Southwestern Regional Forester Michiko Martin, Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor Shaun Sanchez, and Santa Fe National Forest Fuels Program Manager Dennis Carril. They talk about the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon and Cerro Pelado fires, prescribed burn protocols, and the future of fire and forest management in a warming world. Host: Lou DiVizio
Panel Host: Laura Paskus
Guests:
Michiko Martin, U.S. Forest Service Southwestern Regional Forester
Shaun Sanchez, Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor
Dennis Carril, Santa Fe National Forest Fuels Program Manager
For More Information:
U.S. Forest Service’s National Prescribed Fire Resource Mobilization Strategy
U.S. Forest Service investigation of the Cerro Pelado Fire
Fallout from the Governor’s Public Health Order on Guns
Lou DiVizio opens the show this week with some headlines from around the state, including information on a new lawsuit filed in the death of a Farmington man who was shot and killed by police responding to the wrong address.
Then, Jeff Proctor and a special panel addresses Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s executive order attempting to ban guns in public in Bernalillo County for 30 days. Last Wednesday, U.S. District Judge David Urias struck down part of the order, issuing a temporary restraining order, specifically blocking the ban on carrying firearms.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Panel Host: Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Tom Grover, attorney, former Albuquerque Police sergeant
Marisa Demarco, national editor, States Newsroom
Frank Davis, attorney
For More Information: New Mexico governor amends order suspending right to carry firearms to focus on parks, playgrounds - Associated Press Federal judge blocks governor's controversial gun ban – The Associated Press
Free Flow New Mexico - Seeking to End Period Poverty
Remembering Gov. Bill Richardson & Santa Fe Mansion Tax
NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio opens the show with headlines from around the state, including an update on the search for whoever shot and killed an 11-year-old in a road rage incident outside Isotopes Park. Plus, more information on the Governor's State of Emergency over gun violence.
Then, we remember Gov. Bill Richardson, who died in his sleep in September 1 at the age of 75. NMiF correspondent Russell Contreras hosts a special panel discussion about Richardson’s impact here in New Mexico, and more broadly on the national and international stages.
Finally, Lou speaks with Mike Loftin, CEO of Homewise Inc., who breaks down a proposal on the ballot for Santa Fe voters this fall that would tax homes over $1M, sending the revenue generated to the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Lou also asks Loftin how the proposal could help balance the city’s housing market.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Panel Host: Russell Contreras
Guests:
Diane Denish, former Lt. Governor, Richardson Administration
Martha Burk, author, host of the podcast ‘Equal Time with Martha Burk’
Steve Terrell, retired reporter, Santa Fe New Mexican
Mike Loftin, CEO, Homewise Inc.
For More Information: Former New Mexico governor remembered as 'a great public servant' – Santa Fe New Mexican Bill Richardson, Champion of Americans Held Overseas, Dies at 75 - The New York TimesBill Richardson, a Former Governor and UN Ambassador who Worked to Free Detained Americans, Dies - Associated Press
Will high-end excise tax solve Santa Fe's housing woes? – Santa Fe New Mexican
U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez
U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez speaks with correspondent Russell Contreras in his first interview on NMPBS. Russell asks about Uballez’s background, his approach to the position, youth gun violence, the effectiveness of the Department of Justice's police reform efforts in Albuquerque and several initiatives his office is pursuing to expand services on the Navajo Nation.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Russell Contreras
Guest: Alexander Uballez, U.S. Attorney, District of New Mexico
For More Information:
US Attorney - District of New Mexico Albuquerque Community Safety gets $2 million for violence intervention – KRQE
New Mexico’s Nuclear Underground: An Our Land Special
This year, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a 40-year license for a private company, Holtec International, to build a facility between Hobbs and Carlsbad that would store nuclear waste from power plants the company is decommissioning in states from New Jersey to California. New Mexico already stores transuranic waste from nuclear weapons production in the salt caverns at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant or WIPP. This project would be different, and would eventually hold up to 10,000 canisters, with each canister holding 8,680 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from commercial power plants. The New Mexico State Legislature passed Senate Bill 53 this year, which would prohibit state agencies from issuing permits, contracts or leases for the facility—unless the state approves the facility or the federal government moves forward with a permanent storage spot for the nation's commercial nuclear waste.
On this special episode of Our Land, we hear from John Heaton, a former New Mexico state representative who works with Holtec; Sen. Jeff Steinborn, the sponsor of Senate Bill 53; and Dr. Myrriah Gómez, a professor at the University of New Mexico and the author of "Nuclear Nuevo México: Colonialism and the Effects of the Nuclear Industrial Complex on Nuevomexicanos.”
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Laura Paskus
Guests:
John Heaton, chair, Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance
Dr. Myrriah Gómez, author of "Nuclear Nuevo México."
Jeff Steinborn, (D) NM District 36 – Doña Ana County
For More Information:
Nuclear waste storage permit slated for September public meeting – Source NM
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Approves Nuclear Waste License in NM – Our Land
Concern Over Nuclear Disposal Plan – Our Land
Restorative Justice & The Future of New Mexico in Focus
NMiF Senior Producer opens the show with some headlines from around the state to start your week, including a new report showing the pilot in a deadly 2021 hot air balloon crash had drugs in his system.
Then, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor talks with Trip Jennings, executive director of New Mexico In Depth, and Emma Green, program coordinator with the state’s Public Education Department, about a pilot program aimed at reducing student expulsions. Jeff asks how the plan takes a new approach to school discipline and is rooted in a philosophy called "restorative justice."
Finally, Jeff and senior producer Lou DiVizio talk about the future of New Mexico in Focus as the show moves forward following the departure of host Gene Grant.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Executive Producer: Jeff Proctor
Guests:
Trip Jennings, executive director, New Mexico In Depth
Emma Green, program coordinator, New Mexico Public Education Department
For More Information:
Growing number of NM schools pursue restorative justice to keep kids in schools – New Mexico In Depth
Native students are expelled in New Mexico far more than any other group. This school district is ground zero for the disparity. — New Mexico in Depth
Prevention, Response and Resiliency Program — NMPED
Uranium Mining in NM & 'Oppenheimer' Reaction, Plus Gene Grant Says Goodbye to NMPBS
This week's podcast is a bit of a sad one as we say goodbye to longtime host of New Mexico in Focus, Gene Grant.
Lou DiVizio opens the show talking about Gene's impact on the station and the community over his 18 years on the program. Gene’s thoughtful and balanced approach to issues of the day made NMiF go-to watching for a generation of viewers. About 27 minutes into the show, Gene speaks with KUNM Radio's Nash Jones about the impact he's made.
But before that, Lou runs through headlines from around the state, including information on a new federal lawsuit blaming the state's Children Youth and Families Department for a 7-year-old girl's death.
Then, New Mexico in Focus Correspondent Antonia Gonzales speaks with a Navajo anti-nuclear activist about the deadly, toxic legacy of nuclear testing in our state, and the pain and damage she feels was left out of the new film, 'Oppenheimer.'
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Antonia Gonzales
Guest: Leona Morgan, anti-nuclear activist
Correspondent: Nash Jones, KUNM Radio
Guest: Gene Grant, former host of New Mexico in Focus
For More Information:
CYFD Blamed in Child's 2020 Death - The Albuquerque Journal
https://www.nuclearenergytv.com/Events/EESI-2019/VideoId/325/UseHtml5/True
Is a Settlement on the Rio Grande Coming Soon?
After the relatively wet years of the 1980s and ‘90s, New Mexico’s reservoirs started dropping in the 2000s. In cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, two water districts — one in New Mexico and another in Texas — agreed in 2008 on new ways to share water stored in Elephant Butte Reservoir. But New Mexico’s then-attorney general, Gary King, sued the federal government, saying too much of New Mexico’s water was going to Texas. Texas disagreed and then sued New Mexico and Colorado, alleging that by allowing farmers to pump groundwater connected to the river, New Mexico wasn’t sending its fair share downstream. That landed all three states in the U.S. Supreme Court, where the federal government also weighed in on the issue. Now, the three states say they’ve come up with a plan to move forward, and although the federal government hasn’t agreed to the plan, federal Judge Michael Melloy, the case’s special master, has recommended the Supreme Court approve a settlement. To help us understand what’s going on, we invited water attorney Adrian Oglesby onto the show. He’s the director of the Utton Transboundary Resources Center at the University of New Mexico’s School of Law.
Correspondent: Laura Paskus
Guest: Adrian Oglesby, director, Utton Transboundary Resources Center, UNM School of Law
For More Information:
Judge OKs states’ plan to end Rio Grande dispute – Source NM
Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado – SCOTUSblog
Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado – New Mexico Attorney General website
UNM Hospital Begins Medical Services at Bernalillo County’s Metropolitan Detention Center
UNM Hospital is one week into a new partnership with the Metropolitan Detention Center. Executive Producer Jeff Proctor sits down with retired attorney Peter Cubra to talk about why this is a welcome change from private companies that have repeatedly failed to care for people who are locked up.
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor
Guest: Peter Cubra, retired attorney, founder of Advocacy, Inc.
For More Information:
UNM Hospital takes over as medical provider for the Metropolitan Detention Center –KRQE
U.S. Forest Service Claims Responsibility for Cerro Pelado Fire
NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio kicks off the week with some headlines from around the state, including news that some Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire victims could receive compensation as early as next week.
NMiF Host Gene Grant sits down with Source New Mexico reporter Patrick Lohmann to talk about prescribed burns and the announcement from the U.S. Forest Service that the Cerro Pelado Fire was caused by Forest Service action.
Then, Gene and The Line Opinion Panel discuss that report from the U.S. Forest Service. The group debates what this could mean for the future of prescribed burns in New Mexico and across the country, despite a new set of protocols released by the Forest Service after the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Gene Grant:
Guest: Patrick Lohmann, reporter, Source New Mexico
The Line Opinion Panel:
Paula Garcia, executive director, New Mexico Acequia Association
John Fleck, professor, water researcher at UNM's Utton Center
Elizabeth Miller, independent journalist
For More Information:
Forest Service improperly withholding fire records, attorney says – Albuquerque Journal
Navigating the Cerro Pelado Fire Rumor Mill – Our Land
Cerro Pelado Fire, plus: Rio Grande goes from rip-roaring to muddy & dry – Our Land
Forest Service report finds Cerro Pelado Fire sparked by agency prescribed burn – Santa Fe New Mexican
Forest Service makes changes to prescribed burning after Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire – KRQE
Inside Perspective: Actors & Writers Strike
Kirk Ellis has decades of experience in the film industry, working as a writer and producer and now, running his own production company. Gene Grant caught up with him to get his impressions on the film actors’ and writers’ strike. Ellis explains where labor and management stand and what it could take to reach an agreement.
Then, Gene and The Line Opinion Panel talks through the strike as film productions in New Mexico have been forced to shut down, like they have in Los Angeles and elsewhere. Gene asks if this labor dispute could set a precedent for creative industries moving forward.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Gene Grant
Guest: Kirk Ellis, film writer & producer, president of Shadow Catcher Productions
Line Host: Gene Grant
The Line Opinion Panel:
Dede Feldman, Democratic former NM state senator
Sophie Martin, attorney
Shaun Griswold, editor, Source New Mexico
For More Information: Albuquerque-produced TV series halted after crew stands in solidarity with writers – KRQE
Studios Allegedly Won’t End Strike Till Writers “Start Losing Their Apartments” – Vanity Fair
Bryan Cranston, Jessica Chastain join star-studded Times Square rally of striking actors and writers – KOB
Oppenheimer’s Legacy in New Mexico
NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio opens the show with some headlines from the early part of the week, including progress for a group of New Mexicans fighting to receive compensation for the devastating impacts of nuclear testing beginning during the Manhattan Project.
After the release of the film Oppenheimer, Gene Grant asks The Line Opinion Panel about the legacies of nuclear testing in New Mexico and whether the film should have included an examination of the devastating impacts of the scientists’ work here.
Tina Cordova is the founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium and has been working for years to earn recognition and compensation from the federal government for the deadly pollution that followed the Trinity test. New Mexico in Focus correspondent Russell Contreras interviews Cordova this week about being overlooked yet again in the new film, Oppenheimer.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Line Host: Gene Grant
The Line Opinion Panel:
Dede Feldman, Democratic former NM state senator
Sophie Martin, attorney
Shaun Griswold, editor, Source New Mexico
Correspondent: Russell Contreras
Guest: Tina Cordova, founder, Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium
For More Information:
'Oppenheimer' leaves out New Mexicans exposed to radiation from the Manhattan Project, despite local efforts to contact filmmakers – Business Insider
‘People have been dying ever since’: Anger mixes with hope for NM Downwinders – Source NM
Downwinder advocacy group to air advertisement ahead of some area 'Oppenheimer' showings – Santa Fe New Mexican
Former UNM Athletic Director Found Not Guilty, $485M Foster Care Abuse Jury Award & Redistricting Lawsuits
NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio opens the show with headlines from around the state, including perspective from a New Mexico community downwind from the nuclear testing site in the southern New Mexico desert, after the release of the Hollywood blockbuster 'Oppenheimer.' Then, Lou catches up with Daniel Libit, an investigative and enterprise reporter for Sportico, who’s been following the criminal case against former UNM athletic director Paul Krebs. This interview was recorded Wednesday (7.19.23). A jury Friday found Paul Krebs not guilty on two felony counts of embezzlement. Lou asks why this case rose to the level of criminal charges when so many other collegiate scandals don’t. And the two discuss how this trial could impact the secretive nature within many universities.
Gene Grant discusses the recent $485 million jury award on behalf of an 8-year-old girl. The lawsuit, first filed in 2019, alleges a non-profit company called Familyworks, licensed by the state Children, Youth and Families Department, placed the girl in the care of Clarence Garcia, who allegedly raped her repeatedly. The lawsuit also alleges Familyworks knew about prior accusations of sexual assault against Garcia. Gene asks the panel how something like this was allowed to happen — and if the state should carry any responsibility.
A recent ruling from the New Mexico Supreme Court could set the stage for changes to political redistricting in the state. The justices weighed in on a lawsuit brought by the state Republican Party and others challenging the new congressional districts drawn by the Democrat-controlled state Legislature. But the decision could impact another case too — a lawsuit brought by the Navajo Nation, alleging San Juan County Commissioners packed Native American voters into a single district. New Mexico in Focus Correspondent Gwyneth Doland caught up with two people familiar with these cases to ask what impact the outcomes could have on future elections.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Segment 1:
Former UNM Athletic Director on Trial
Correspondent: Lou DiVizio
Guest:
Daniel Libit, investigative & enterprise reporter, Sportico
Segment 2: $485M Foster Care Abuse Jury Award
Correspondent: Gene Grant
Guests:
Ed Williams, Searchlight New Mexico
Carol Suzuki, professor of law, University of New Mexico
Merritt Allen, Vox Optima Public Relations
Segment 3:
Redistricting Lawsuits Move Forward After NM Supreme Court Decision
Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland
Guests:
Hannah Burling, project leader for Fair Districts NM, Co-Pres. of the League of Women Voters
Leonard Gorman, executive director, Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission
For More Information: Former University of New Mexico athletic director found not guilty of embezzlement charges - Associated Press BOOSTER GOLF TRIP PUTS EX-COLLEGE AD ON TRIAL IN RARE PROSECUTION – Sportico
Foster child sexual assault results in $485 million jury award – Albuquerque Journal
Experts say girl awarded $485M in sex abuse suit likely to face long court fight – Santa Fe New Mexican
Trapped: Foster children are caught in a cycle of abuse – Searchlight New Mexico
Homeless Shelters Aren’t Equipped to Deal With New Mexico’s Most Troubled Foster Kids. Police See It for Themselves. – Searchlight New Mexico
These Foster Kids Need Mental Health Care. New Mexico Is Putting Them in Homeless Shelters. – Searchlight New Mexico
New Mexico Struggles to Follow Through on Promises to Reform Child Welfare System – Searchlight New Mexico
Ten-year-old foster child allegedly sexually assaulted by foster teen at CYFD office building in Albuquerque – Searchlight New Mexico
New Mexico Supreme Court says lower court can decide gerrymandering issue – KRQE
Lawsuit alleges San Juan County's new district map violates Voting Rights Act – Farmington Daily Times
Black Journalists in New Mexico & News Consumers Assess Local News Media
NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio opens the show with some headlines from around the state including the deadly shooting of an Alamagordo Police Officer.
Gene Grant catches up with two prominent Black journalists in New Mexico to learn more about their contributions to the state’s news environment. Adolphe Pierre-Louis explains his role as a photojournalist and talks about the responsibilities news organizations have to cover stories in New Mexico’s Black communities. Ron Wallace gives some background on Perspective Magazine, a publication covering Black issues since 1984, and lays out why he thinks it’s been vital in telling positive stories impacting Black people in Albuquerque and the entire state. Then, Gene sits down with three non-journalists to get their perspective on the news media in our state. Gene asks the group about what the industry is doing right and where it’s falling short, plus all three panelists share insight on the changing ways people consume news in 2023.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Panel Host: Gene Grant
Guests:
Ron Wallace, publisher, Perspective Magazine
Adolphe Pierre-Louis, photojournalist
Catherine McGill, founder & director, New Mexico Black Leadership Council
Almarina Sosa, UNM student
Maureen Sanders, attorney
Newsroom Leaders Explain Staffing & Coverage Decisions in 2023
Gene Grant hosts two panel discussions featuring newsroom leaders in New Mexico.
First, a group of local journalists chats with Gene about the successes, shortcomings and challenges facing small-town news publications. One of the biggest factors in that equation is ownership, something this panel is uniquely qualified to discuss. Each of our three panelists represents a distinct business model prevalent today: locally-owned papers, corporate-ownership and nonprofit news.
Then, Gene chats with three other newsroom leaders who have a hand in shaping coverage around the state. The group also discusses ownership’s influence on staffing and coverage. Regardless, resources in the industry are much more limited than they were even just a decade ago. Gene asks if news organizations can still properly serve their audiences with so much less.
Pat Davis: Politician and Newspaper Magnate
In an interview you'll only find through NMPBS and New Mexico in Focus, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor talks with Albuquerque City Council President Pat Davis, who also now owns four newspapers in the state.
As the leader behind The Paper., the Edgewood Independent, the Sandoval Signpost and the Corrales Comment, Jeff asks Mr. Davis about media consolidation and the role of journalism more broadly in New Mexico.
One-on-One with the Albuquerque Journal’s New Executive Editor
NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio opens this week's episode by laying out a full slate of podcast offerings over the next couple of weeks as we continue our series analyzing our state's journalism ecosystem.
After that, Lou delivers a trio of state headlines including a decision from the New Mexico Supreme Court that impacts a pending redistricting lawsuit.
Then, it's Executive Producer Jeff Proctor's exclusive interview with the new executive editor at the Albuquerque Journal, Patrick Ethridge. Jeff asks about his career in journalism to this point and how that will shape his philosophy at the top of what has long been considered New Mexico’s “paper of record.”
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor
Guest: Patrick Ethridge, vice president, executive editor, The Albuquerque Journal
Journalist Ed Williams on Reporting Systemic Failures at CYFD
Journalist Ed Williams has had his shovel out this past year, digging deep into our state’s troubled foster care system for nonprofit news outlets Searchlight New Mexico and ProPublica. Ed’s last handful of stories have revealed devastating abuses and entrenched systemic failures — with some of New Mexico’s most vulnerable kids bearing the brunt. The series has led to the beginnings of reform at the state Children, Youth and Families Department — and he’s far from finished reporting. This week, Senior Producer Laura Paskus asks Ed why this system is so broken, what it might take to turn things around and how he’s managed to keep digging amid so much trauma.
Correspondent: Laura Paskus
Guest: Ed Williams, Searchlight New Mexico
For More Information:
Trapped: Foster children are caught in a cycle of abuse – Searchlight New Mexico Ed Williams - Searchlight New Mexico
SCOTUS Upholds Indian Child Welfare Act, Fmr. Pueblo Gov. Reacts to Chaco Park Withdrawal & Juneteenth in NM
NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio opens this week's episode with updates on some key headlines in New Mexico, including the Attorney General's decision to drop some of the charges against former UNM Athletic Director Paul Krebs. Plus, the U.S. Supreme Court rules against the Navajo Nation in a key water rights case.
Gene Grant and The Line Opinion Panel react to the 7-2 U.S. Supreme Court decision preserving a system that gives preference to Native Americans in adoption and foster care proceedings related to Native children.
NMIF Correspondent Antonia Gonzales is getting new reaction to the U.S. Interior Department's order to end oil and gas leases on federal lands in Chaco Culture National Historic Park and the 10-mile surrounding area. This week she speaks with a former Acoma Pueblo governor and current chair of the Chaco Heritage Tribal Association about the cultural significance of the park, and what the decision signals for the relationship between tribes and the federal government.
Finally, Gene and The Line Opinion Panel return to talk about the history of Juneteenth, how it became a holiday and its significance in New Mexico.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Line Host: Gene Grant
The Line Opinion Panel:
Dede Feldman, Democratic former New Mexico state Senator
Trip Jennings, executive director, New Mexico In Depth
Michael Bird, former president of the American Public Health Association
Correspondent: Antonia Gonzales
Guest: Brian Vallo, former Governor of Acoma Pueblo, chair Chaco Heritage Tribal Association
For More Information:
Supreme Court preserves law that aims to keep Native American children with tribal families – The Associated Press
SCOTUS ruling on ICWA a victory for welfare of Native American children – Source NM
Brackeen v. Haaland – Supreme Court decision
Biden orders 20-year ban on oil, gas drilling to protect tribal sites outside New Mexico’s Chaco – The Associated Press
Juneteenth: The History of a Holiday – The New York Times
More than half of states will recognize Juneteenth as an official public holiday in 2023 – Pew Research
Juneteenth Celebration of Black Memory and Black Freedom – Our Body Politic
Albuquerque's Juneteenth celebration showcases gospel music, praise – Albuquerque Journal
A beginner’s guide to celebrating Juneteenth – PBS News Hour
'Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts': Plan Your Juneteenth Watch Party – WORLD
Santa Fe Pride Celebrates 30 Years
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Pride celebrations in New Mexico’s capital city. Santa Fe is marking the occasion with a series of events that will eclipse any previous Pride festivities in the city. NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio speaks with the executive director of the Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance, Kevin Bowen, to ask about what went into this year’s planning, and why New Mexico continues to be a welcoming place for the LGBTQ community. Host: Lou DiVizio
Guest: Kevin Bowen, executive director, Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance
For More Information: Santa Fe Pride celebrates its 30th anniversary – KRQE