Shows
Lesser Known New Mexico PodcastEpisode 5: Climate change, youth activism, the border — & bikesDecision makers have had the facts on climate change for a long, long time. And yet…? On this week’s show, climate activists Jonathan Juarez-Alonzo & Feleecia Guillen sit down with Laura Paskus to talk about their work at YUCCA and why New Mexico isn’t leading the way on climate action. Plus, Rep. Angelica Rubio (D-Doña Ana) explains why she came back to social media after the protests in Los Angeles. She also discusses the beauty and joy of the U.S.-Mexico border — and how bikes bring people together. And, Andy and Laura...2025-06-1735 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Reflecting on Eight Seasons of Our LandSource New Mexico's Danielle Prokop sits with Our Land's Laura Paskus to look back at Laura’s time as a reporter and senior producer at New Mexico PBS.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
Guest: Laura Paskus
For More Information:
Final issue of Our Land Weekly! – Our Land
'Our...2025-01-2914 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Defending Home: Pueblo Action Alliance's Julia BernalLou DiVizio introduces an interview between Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus and Executive Director of Pueblo Action Alliance Julia Bernal. The two talk about the many types of liberation Bernal's organization seeks for Indigenous people and everyone else.
Host: Lou DiVizio
Correspondent: Laura Paskus
Guest: Julia Bernal, Executive Director, Pueblo Action Alliance
2024-11-1914 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)LANL Power Line OppositionThis week Lou DiVizio introduces two segments from Our Land's Laura Paskus.
First, Laura sits down with a historian and a Santa Fe County Commissioner who oppose federal plans to build a new transmission line across the Caja del Rio to Los Alamos National Laboratory. Laura asks what harm this transmission line will cause to the area.
Then, Laura talks with Mark Mitchell, former governor of the Pueblo of Tesuque, about government-to-government consultation and how federal officials have handled input from the pueblo.
2024-09-2434 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Environmental Author Dan FloresLou DiVizio opens the podcast with headlines from around the state.
Then, Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus interviews author Dan Flores. Flores is the author of more than a dozen books including Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History and most recently, Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals and People in America. Flores was in Albuquerque recently for the Leopold Writing Program's annual lecture, where Laura had a chance to chat with him.
For More Information:
https://projectcoyote.org/about/ambassadors/dan-flores/
2024-09-1630 min
Access Utah'Water Bodies' with Laura Paskus on Monday's Access UtahToday we’ll talk with Laura Paskus, editor of the new book Water Bodies: Love Letters to the Most Abundant Substance on Earth.2024-09-1645 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Thoreau Teens Oppose Radioactive DumpAcross the Navajo Nation, contaminated uranium mines have been polluting the air and water and making people sick for generations. As part of a plan to finally clean up more than a million cubic yards of contaminated uranium and radium waste at just one of those sites, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed relocating the waste to private land within the town of Thoreau. Relocating it to the Red Rocks Disposal Facility would move the uranium off the lands of the Navajo Nation, but as the students point out, the town of Thoreau is predominantly Navajo.
2024-07-0315 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Food Justice in NMThis 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 to...2024-04-1639 min
Imperfect LoveTHE CURE FOR ECO-ANXIETY! Discover Simple Tips to Create Inner Peace and Lasting Change with Expert Laura PaskusEco-anxiety is on the rise. We see and feel the effects of climate change at every turn. From natural disasters to increasingly unpredictable weather cycles, we can no longer avoid noticing humanity's impact on the planet. It's easy to slip into feeling anxious, helpless, and hopeless—plus riddled with grief—yet it's never too late to increase our awareness and make a difference one day at a time. Though it's tempting to put our heads in the sand—to ignore what the environment is telling us—we can find relief through positive actions. Join Dr. Carla and environmental expert Laura Pa...2024-03-2945 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Cross-Country Machine Gun Scheme, Exploring Sheriff’s Office Oversight & Albuquerque Air QualityExecutive 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...2023-11-2144 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Policing the Police & New Mexico's Water SolutionsLou 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 citi...2023-11-0635 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)The Future of Fire in New MexicoLou 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...2023-09-2544 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Journalist Ed Williams on Reporting Systemic Failures at CYFDJournalist 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...2023-06-2920 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Author Michelle Otero talks with Laura Paskus about writing, the environment & her new book 'Vessels: A Memoir of Borders'Michelle Otero was the City of Albuquerque’s Poet Laureate from 2018 through 2020. This year, FlowerSong Press published her prose book, “Vessels: A Memoir of Borders.” In conversation with Our Land’s Laura Paskus she talks about the challenges and rewards of writing about family, trauma, and history.
Host: Laura Paskus
Guest: Michelle Otero, Author, “Vessels: A Memoir of Borders”
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2023-06-1619 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)NM Gov. Slashes Tax Package, ABQ Police Staffing & Martha Burk's Historic Protest 20 Years LaterNMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio introduces the show this week with a recap Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's decisions on proposed legislation from the Roundhouse. The Governor made some serious changes to HB 547, what had been a wide-ranging tax passage. After the Governor's line item vetoes, the package was pared down to a $500 per-person tax rebate, an expansion to the state’s child tax credit and film tax credit programs, and a gross receipts tax deduction – specifically for health care practitioners.
Then, Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus speaks with Jerry Redfern, reporter at Capital and Main about some recent meth...2023-04-1047 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Transit Equity in Albuquerque & Updates to City's Bus SystemNMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio introduces two recent interviews about public transit in Albuquerque, specifically the city bus system.
First, Christopher Ramírez and Althea Atherton with Together for Brothers talk with Laura Paskus about the City of Albuquerque’s Zero Fares Pilot Program and why transit equity doesn’t just benefit those who need to take advantage of free fares on the city’s buses.
Then, Gene Grant speaks with ABQ Ride Deputy Director Bobby Sisneros and Principal Planner Andrew De Garmo about proposed changes to Albuquerque's transit line, in...2023-04-0535 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)APD Arrests Suspect in Muslim Killings, Gallup Ceremonial & Reporting on Alcohol in New MexicoHost Lou DiVizio reports the latest breaking news in the case of four Muslim men murdered in the city of Albuquerque. Police say they've arrested a suspect in the case. More details to come.
Lou also runs through the top headlines impacting New Mexicans, including a look back at the incident in Gallup during the 100th Inter-Tribal Ceremonial Celebration. Navajo Nation President reacts to the tragedy, and urges anyone struggling with the incident to seek help. Plus, what you can expect from the celebration as the week goes on.
Gene Grant speaks with reporter Ted Al...2022-08-0932 minNew Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Oil & Gas Revenue Boom, State of NM Fire Season & Nuclear Disposal PlanSenior Producer Lou DiVizio updates you on the headlines impacting New Mexicans right now, including an announcement from the state's Children, Youth and Families Department on changes coming to the agency.
Then, Gene Grant and the Line Opinion Panel weighs in on a new boom in oil and gas revenues and the delicate process of trying to spend that money.
Our Land Executive Producer Laura Paskus analyzes this year’s historic fire season with New Mexico State Forester Laura McCarthy. She explains why this year has been so devastating, and how we can use treatments like...2022-07-2637 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Gov. Lujan Grisham's Abortion Action, Middle Rio Grande Water Outlook & Chavez County Police Shooting LawsuitOn this episode of New Mexico in Focus the podcast, host Lou DiVizio shares new action from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on abortion access. The Line Opinion Panel reacts to the recent developments in Otero County where commissioners have voted to certify its primary election results. That’s after a lawsuit from the Secretary of State, and an order from the State Supreme Court.
In an interview from early June, Jason Casuga, CEO and chief engineer of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, speaks with Our Land Executive Producer Laura Paskus about the impact of monsoon rains wil...2022-06-2835 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Otero County Chaos & Local Primary Results & Managing Our Dams and Reservoirs | 6.20.22The Line Opinion Panel dives into the chaos in Otero County where commissioners have been sued and ordered to certify primary election results. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has also referred those commissioners to the Attorney General for potential criminal and civil violations of the state’s election code.
The panel also assesses a bipartisan plan to address gun violence that largely relies on the expansion of red flag laws, which already exist here in New Mexico. That plan includes necessary funding to enforce those laws but falls short of demands from gun control advocates. The pl...2022-06-2047 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)President Biden Visits NM, Reporting Challenges During Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire & Wildfire’s Impact on Mexican Wolves | 6.17.22The Line Opinion Panel reacts to President Biden’s weekend visit to our state. The panel discusses the President’s pledge to cover all the costs associated with the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, and who will be left behind with the current reimbursement strategy.
Our Land Executive Producer Laura Paskus talks with two reporters about their experiences covering the largest wildfire in state history and how you can apply for aid money if you’ve been impacted by the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.
More than 20 years ago, in 1998, the U.S. Fish and W...2022-06-1846 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)‘Bleak’ Outlook for Middle Rio Grande Water Supply, Flooding Concerns Following Historic Fires & Joline Gutierrez Krueger Calls it a Career | 6.13.22Our Land Correspondent Laura Paskus explores the harsh realities of shrinking water supplies here in Central New Mexico. Jason Casuga from the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District explains why we’re just days away from the water available to farmers going dry and what the MRGCD is doing to mitigate the ongoing drought.
The Line Opinion Panel discusses the lingering threat of flooding in parts of the state, in the wake of this summer’s devastating wildfire season. Our Panelists also talk about the opportunity ahead for President Biden as he prepares to visit New Mexico to addr...2022-06-132h 22
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)National Efforts Fighting NM Wildfires, Understanding the Fires & Pueblo Cannabis Agreement | 5.27.22Sen. Martin Heinrich talks with correspondent Laura Paskus about New Mexico’s wildfire season, what the future might hold, and the need to professionalize the country’s federal wildland firefighting workforce.
In the Gila National Forest, the Black Fire ignited on May 13—and has already grown into the state’s third largest wildfire in history. Fire behavior analyst Arthur Gonzales, with the Southwest Incident Management Team #5 talks about the conditions fueling the giant fire. "I started this business in 1995, and I’ve seen a lot of large fires,” he tells correspondent Laura Paskus. “But it is surprising, Laura. It’s su...2022-05-271h 00
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Mapping Wildfires & Upending the West’s Water Narratives | 5.20.22Using public data from the U.S. Forest Service, Steve Bassett, Director of Planning and Spatial Analysis with The Nature Conservancy, has been creating perimeter maps each morning, showing the progression of the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire in northern New Mexico. “With the skills that I have and the desperation I was feeling, I went out and grabbed that data and did something with it to get some more information out and into the public hands,” he says. In conversation with correspondent Laura Paskus, he also talks about what he is learning along the way.
Andrew Curley is a...2022-05-2053 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Winds, Wildfires and Climate Anxiety | 5.17.22New Mexicans know all about gusty spring winds. But what we’re experiencing this year is different. Meteorologist Scott Overpeck, with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, explains the winds we’ve been experiencing through April and May—and offers a look ahead. In conversation with correspondent Laura Paskus, Overpeck talks about this year’s conditions and explains why these winds are so dangerous for communities and firefighters.
The Line also talks wildfires as the largest fire in the country burns in northern New Mexico. Panelists share their thoughts on a federal push to expand benefits for wildland...2022-05-1858 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Wildfire Emergency, Reaction to Catholic Apology for Boarding Schools & Election Reforms | 4.29.22Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has called for a state of emergency over wildfires burning around New Mexico. The Governor and state forest officials are asking for more resources from the federal government, including more personnel to help handle the early start to fire season. The Line Opinion Panel discusses our current predicament, and explores other ways to deal with this crisis.
Correspondent Antonia Gonzales speaks with two members of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition for their reaction to Pope Francis’ apology to Canada over abuse at residential boarding schools. Where does New Mexico fit in...2022-04-291h 15
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Water Woes & Wildfire Dangers, Environmental Education & Cannabis Testing Update | 4.15.22Our Line Opinion panelists discuss the startling number of wildfires burning in our state. It’s causing growing concern over what that could mean for the rest of the spring and summer. All that, as forecasters continue to offer warnings about ongoing drought across the state.
At New Mexico PBS, our main objective is to inform you, our viewers, about the issues that matter around this state. But we’re also committed to passing important knowledge on to the next generation. Environment reporter Laura Paskus talks with an educator in our state who helps design lesson plans base...2022-04-1644 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Spring Runoff Forecast, Evictions Return to Bernco. & Elephant Enclosure Criticisms | 4.11.22Bernalillo County is the latest to end its moratorium on non-payment evictions. Our Line Opinion Panelists explain why they think there hasn’t been a rush to kick people out of their homes, and the programs available for people who are struggling to pay rent.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service issues spring forecasts for western rivers, including the Rio Grande. Hydrologist Angus Goodbody, with the agency’s National Water and Climate Center, speaks with correspondent Laura Paskus about the spring forecast for the Rio Grande Basin. He also explains why the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s streamflow “normals”...2022-04-1146 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Special Session Relief Payments, Plastic Bag Impacts and Cannabis Sales Open Strong | 4.8.22Our Line Opinion Panelists react to the legislature’s decision to send $500 to all New Mexico taxpayers. Is this an efficient way to ease the burden of rising costs? Plus, what role did the upcoming election play in the decision-making process for lawmakers?
New Mexico State University Professor Emeritus Dr. James Peach joins the program to discuss the effectiveness of the $500 payments on the way for people living in New Mexico. Dr. Peach also shares his thoughts on preventing future inflation spikes.
Environment Correspondent Laura Paskus talks with Kali Bronson, Bernalillo County Stormwater Program Compliance Ma...2022-04-0953 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Conservation Carnivale, Environmental Transparency & Reconciling Climate Change Through Faith | 4.1.22In Albuquerque, the Conservation Carnivale brings the Rio Grande’s bosque ecosystem alive with theatre—and some silliness, too. Ringleader Endion Schichtel knows how hard it is for people to see what’s happening in the world. But that doesn’t mean environmental education shouldn't be fun.
New Mexicans already face the impacts of climate change, including uncertain water supplies for irrigation, dry riverbeds, forest die-offs, and wildfires. When it comes to climate change and climate action, what lessons do communities of faith hold for people both religious and secular? How do people grieve the loss of species...2022-04-0237 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Legal Recreational Cannabis Sales Begin April 1, NM’s New State Engineer & Sustaining Local Journalism | 3.28.22Legal sales of recreational cannabis are set to begin April 1 in New Mexico. Our Line Opinion Panelists react to recent concerns from retailers concerned about supply. Plus, why the failure of recent legislation could mean more headaches on water rights and usage.
New Mexico has a new water boss under Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. State Engineer Mike Hamman spoke with correspondent Laura Paskus about the state’s current water challenges, climate change, and infrastructure funding. They also talked about the cannabis industry and the demands it may place on water supplies and why New Mexico’s top wate...2022-03-281h 20
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)The Science of Weather Modification, Executive Order on Hydrogen & Access & Equity in Public Education | 3.21.22As drought continues to grip the western United States, some communities are trying to modify the weather—and New Mexico state officials have received two recent applications to attempt cloud seeding. One application was withdrawn last fall after community members opposed it. Now, the Roosevelt Soil and Water Conservation District is hoping a summertime cloud seeding operation might bring rain to parched farm and ranch lands in eastern New Mexico. The district declined requests for interviews, but correspondent Laura Paskus spoke with Gary Walker with Seeding Operations & Atmospheric Research (SOAR), about its application before the state, and also with Ha...2022-03-211h 00
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Criminal Diversion, Child Abuse Bill Becomes Law and El Malpais Trees Update | 3.14.22The District Attorney for New Mexico’s largest county says public defenders are not taking advantage of a criminal diversion program as often as they should. Our Line Opinion Panelists discuss the merits of that accusation, the effectiveness of the program and why some people charged with crimes might not want to participate.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is considering a new bill that would change the way the state handles child abuse and neglect cases. Some child welfare activists are in favor, but many are opposed. The Line Opinion Panel debates the potential impacts of the bill, wh...2022-03-1457 min
Water BuffsWater Buffs Podcast - Ep. #9 - Water and Climate Change in New Mexico - Laura PaskusLaura Paskus, a journalist with New Mexico PBS, talks to Water Desk Director Mitch Tobin about her water reporting and her book, At the Precipice: New Mexico’s Changing Climate. Take a deep dive into water news, check out the Water Desk’s FREE multimedia library, and find more Water Buffs Podcast content at https://waterdesk.org/2022-03-0141 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Albuquerque Police Shift Lengths Extended, Push to Repeal Plastic Bag Ban & One More Thing | 2.28.22Environment reporter Laura Paskus talks with Albuquerque City Councilor Brook Bassan (District 4 - Northeast Heights) about her proposal to repeal the city's plastic bag ban, and why she thinks her constituents want it to end.
Patrol shifts for Albuquerque police officers have been extended to twelve hours to help cover staffing shortages at the department. Our Line Panelists weigh the possible positives and negatives of this change. Plus, how does this fit with the growing calls for a crackdown on crime?
Correspondents:
Gene Grant
Laura Paskus
Line Opinion Panelists:2022-02-2837 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Albuquerque’s Indian Boarding School History, Radon Daughter Art Exhibit Reflects New Mexico’s Uranium Legacy & New UNM Africana Studies Director | 2.21.22The city of Albuquerque has been involved in conversations with Pueblos and Tribes since June, when 215 unmarked graves of unidentified Indigenous youth were discovered at the site of a former Indian Boarding School in British Columbia. Correspondent Antonia Gonzales talks with Dr. Theodore Jojola about this difficult history and the current efforts to acknowledge that history and foster healing.
De Haven Solimon Chaffins grew up living with her grandparents on the Laguna Pueblo. The landscape there shaped her view of the world... the natural landscape... and the Jackpile-Paguate Uranium Mine. That huge open pit mine is a...2022-02-2150 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, Latest Climate Change Science & Wildland Firefighters UpdateEnvironment Reporter Laura Paskus talks with Rep. Melanie Stansbury (CD-1) about her latest efforts in Washington, D.C. including introducing the Water Smart Access for Tribes Act.
On average, temperatures in New Mexico have risen three degrees since the 1970s. Retired UNM Professor David Gutzler talks about the impacts of warming on New Mexico’s landscapes, rivers, and communities – and discusses why it’s so hard for policymakers and politicians to act on climate.
Correspondent:
Laura Paskus
Guests:
Melanie Stansbury, U.S. Representative, (D) New Mexico
David Gutzle...2022-02-1445 min
The Well Woman Show279 Success in a Second Career with Laura PaskusThis month on the Well Woman Show, I interview Laura Paskus, a longtime environment reporter based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Currently, she is the environment reporter for New Mexico PBS, and produces the monthly series, “Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present, and Future.” Laura Paskus has tracked the issues of climate change at both the state and federal levels. She shares the frightening truth, both in terms of what is happening in nature and what is not happening to counteract the mounting crisis. Her book “At the Precipice: New Mexico’s Changing Climate,” was published in September 2020 by the Unive...2022-02-1024 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Rural Infrastructure Report, Fmr. NM Game Commissioner Discusses Department & NM Fake Trump Electors | 2.8.22New Mexico is in the process of deciding how to spend billions of dollars in federal infrastructure dollars. It is no secret that the needs stretch far beyond just our urban communities. Host Gene Grant and Pivotal New Mexico CEO Terry Brunner discuss a new report addressing the infrastructure shortcomings in rural communities and the systemic issues that continually stand in our way when securing funding for all New Mexicans.
Until recently, Jeremy Vesbach was vice-chair of the New Mexico State Game Commission. In conversation with correspondent Laura Paskus, he talks about the commission’s roles and re...2022-02-0852 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Anti-Crime Initiatives, the Scientific Realities of Hydrogen & Education Equity | 2.7.21A package of anti-crime initiatives is gaining support in the state Legislature. Our Line panelists break down what’s included in those proposals and debate the potential impacts the bills could have. Plus, how the recent social outcry for police reform factors into this decision-making process.
More than three years after a court ruling mandating change, the state legislature is considering a trio of bills aimed at making education more equitable for all New Mexican Students. Out Line Opinion panelists debate whether the proposals go far enough to help Native American students in response to the Yazzie-Martinez la...2022-02-0752 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)2022 Legislative Session Preview and Our Land: Faith in a Time of Climate Change | 1.14.22Political correspondent Gwyneth Doland previews the upcoming legislative session with Senate President Pro Tem, Mimi Stewart. Senator Stewart lays out the Democratic agenda and gives background on some of the key issues scheduled to come up starting January 18th. Host Gene Grant also catches up with former State Rep. Alonzo Baldonado after his recent resignation. Baldonado shares his thought process behind stepping down from the legislature, and looks back at his proudest accomplishments, and the issues he wishes he could have done more on. Baldonado also shares his perspective ahead of the return to regular session, explaining the priorities...2022-01-151h 18
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)New Mexico’s Changing Drought & The Story Behind the ABQ Tram Rescue | 1.10.22Parker Williams is a bioclimatologist who studies drought and wildfire in the western United States. He spoke with correspondent Laura Paskus about today’s ongoing drought and how it compares and contrasts with droughts in the ancient past. The two also talked about wildfire in the West and how climate change and warmer temperatures affect fire season and landscapes. Williams is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at UCLA.
Plus, we bring you a powerful interview from a recent Facebook Live with host Gene Grant. He's joined by Bernalillo County Undersheriff and Pilot Larry Koren, Be...2022-01-101h 00
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)PNM Merger Breakdown (Part 1) Permian Basin Activity and Changing Derogatory Place Names | 12.6.21Environment Reporter Laura Paskus sits down with executives involved in a potential multi-billion-dollar public utility merger that could have big implications for citizens across the state. Hear why those corporate leaders say this will be a good thing for customers in New Mexico, despite concerns over Avangrid’s past issues on the East Coast.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland is moving to remove the word ‘Squaw’ from all federal lands, citing the derogatory connotations it carries for Native Americans. Our panel discusses the timing of the decision, and the influence of Sec. Haaland’s Native v...2021-12-061h 02
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Dispelling Thanksgiving Myths and PFAS Developments | 11.26.21November is a month dedicated to the contributions of Native Americans. Stereotypes, myths and misunderstanding of Tribes are still very much part of public perception, however. Correspondent Antonia Gonzales talks with some members of the Native Community about how we can all celebrate Native people without promoting stereotypes or appropriating their culture.
Environment Correspondent Laura Paskus talks to New Mexico Environment Department Secretary James Kenney about some interesting new developments regarding PFAS chemicals. These are a family of toxic substances that have been tied to the use of firefighting foams at a handful of military installations, including...2021-11-2745 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)No Testing Results for NM Students, Dede Feldman Pens a Memoir on a Life in Politics, and New Climate Change Research in NM | 10.4.21Standardized testing was so sparse in New Mexico in 2020 and 2021 that the state isn’t bothering to release last year’s testing results. COVID protocols and remote learning caused the lack of usual standardized measurements, but it’s easy to see that students have fallen way behind in reaching grade-level markers in math and reading. New Mexico’s public education budget is $3 billion. How is that money best spent to increase student achievement? The Line panelists discuss possible tactics.
Former state senator and lifetime activist Dede Feldman gets personal in her latest book, “Ten More Doors.” While she and her husband...2021-10-041h 02
New Books in Environmental StudiesLaura Paskus, "At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate" (U New Mexico Press, 2020)At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate (U New Mexico Press, 2020) explores the question many of us have asked ourselves: What kind of world are we leaving to our children? The realities of climate change consume the media and keep us up at night worrying about the future. But in New Mexico and the larger Southwest, climate change has been silently wreaking havoc: average temperatures in the Upper Rio Grande Basin are increasing at double the global average, super fires like Las Conchas have devastated mountains, and sections of the Rio Grande are drying up.Laura Paskus h...2021-09-2358 min
New Books in the American WestLaura Paskus, "At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate" (U New Mexico Press, 2020)At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate (U New Mexico Press, 2020) explores the question many of us have asked ourselves: What kind of world are we leaving to our children? The realities of climate change consume the media and keep us up at night worrying about the future. But in New Mexico and the larger Southwest, climate change has been silently wreaking havoc: average temperatures in the Upper Rio Grande Basin are increasing at double the global average, super fires like Las Conchas have devastated mountains, and sections of the Rio Grande are drying up.Laura Paskus h...2021-09-2358 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)New NM Rep. Kay Bounkeua & Balancing Renewable Energy with Local Impacts | 8.30.21Organizer and activist Kay Bounkeua is taking over for former legislative powerhouse Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton, who resigned in the face of alleged financial improprieties. Believed to be the first Asian American woman to hold office in the Legislature, Bounkeua sits down with NMiF senior producer Matt Grubs to talk representation and redistricting.
Plans for the SunZia Transmission Project have been in the works since 2006, with $150 million already spent. That $4 billion project is supposed to someday bring wind-generated power from New Mexico to markets in Arizona and California. This week, correspondent Laura Paskus talks to John Ryan...2021-08-3039 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)The Line Opinion Panel Tackles Delta Spread and More, Plus Laura Paskus Talks Climate Change & The New IPCC Study | 8.13.21The Line opinion panel discusses the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, tied mostly to the rapid spread of the Delta variant. The group also explores the ongoing challenges of increasing the state’s vaccination rate. Even though New Mexico is doing better than many states, the overwhelmingly majority of new cases are among the unvaccinated. Timing is also crucial in this equation, as students across the state head back to the classroom.
The group also weighs in on the latest shake-up in Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Administration. Children, Youth and Families Department Secretary Brian Blalock announced his...2021-08-141h 17
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)PFAS Revelations and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez Congressional Update | 8.9.21Kevin Ferrara, a retired U.S. Air Force firefighter, spoke to correspondent Laura Paskus from his home in Pennsylvania. Ferrara trained at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois in 1991 and was assigned to Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, N.M. until 1995. During that time, he and other firefighters used Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), now known to contain toxic chemicals that have contaminated local waters at hundreds of military bases nationwide. Today, Ferrara is an outspoken advocate for the U.S. military and Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the potential health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on...2021-08-091h 00
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Photographing the Border & Protecting Forests Against Wildfires | 7.9.21Roberto Rosales is a photographer with the Albuquerque Journal and whether he’s shooting college sports, crime scenes, or dropping reservoir levels, his style is unique and recognizable. For decades, he’s also covered the border, shining a light on the personal stories of people who are crossing into the United States seeking safety and economic opportunity. Correspondent Laura Paskus spoke with Rosales about his work and how and why he captures those images that can help us all better understand the region and its people.
Albuquerque Journal photojournalist and photo editor Dean Hanson recently called it a ca...2021-07-1447 min
Hot and Dry PodcastLaura Paskus - The River is Not AlrightLaura's book - At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate available from UNM PressLaura on Twitter:@LauraPaskusDrop us a line at: hotdrypodcast@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter: @hotdrypod
2021-06-2427 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Mental Health Help in Tribal Communities & Rio Grande Monitoring Cuts | 5.30.21Antonia Gonzales gathers a group of experts to talk about bringing tribal communities out of the pandemic with the right kind of behavioral health support. It’s a problem for all communities in the state, but one that the Indian Affairs Department has been working on since the onset of COVID-19.
Environment reporter Laura Paskus speaks with the director of the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program, which has seen its funding slashed as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which funds the program, fights its own budget battle. The innovative project serves the dual purpose of providing an ou...2021-05-3026 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Senator Ben Ray Lujan & Protecting Our Vulnerable Waterways | 5.24.21This time on New Mexico in Focus, Sen. Ben Ray Lujan joins the program from Washington, D.C. to talk about the federal government’s plans to pay for and expand access to broadband internet service. It’s been a major challenge in New Mexico. Correspondent and Axios reporter Russ Contreras also speaks with the senator about the immigration crisis at the southern border.
In March, the pueblos of Jemez and Laguna sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over a 2020 rule that weakens or eliminates protections for ephemeral or i...2021-05-2434 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Congressional Candidate Chris Manning and Our Land: Return of the Blue-Green Algae | 5.16.21In this episode, Libertarian congressional candidate Chris Manning speaks with producer Matt Grubs. The Libertarian Party selected the military veteran as their candidate in the June 1 special election to replace Deb Haaland.
And, Our Land is back. This is our monthly environmental series with correspondent Laura Paskus. This month, we look back to a 2019 episode about blue-green algae. Blooms of that toxic cyanobacteria are harmful to people and pets. Unfortunately, they’re becoming more of a reality in New Mexico’s lakes and reservoirs, even in northern New Mexico. As the climate continues to warm, it’s more imp...2021-05-1633 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Governors on Cannabis Legalization, Earth Day & 2022 Gov’s Race | 4.22.21This week on New Mexico in Focus, the co-hosts of the NMPBS podcast Growing Forward speak with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham about New Mexico’s new recreational cannabis laws, which legalize the practice starting at the end of June, with sales to begin a year from now. The package also provides for expungement of certain cannabis-related crimes. The governor called a special session to push the legislation over the finish line and signed the bills into law shortly thereafter. Then, the pair speaks with former Gov. Gary Johnson, who was an early champion of legalization. The then-Republican took a lot of he...2021-04-241h 01
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID returns to school, a congressional special election and wrapping environmental legislation | 4.16.21On New Mexico in Focus… The once lively theaters of New Mexico have been quiet since last March. No performances. No ticket sales. No paychecks. There might yet be light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but the year-long closures have actors and theatrical management worried about what’s next. NMiF fellow Bryce Dix sits down with the Albuquerque Little Theatre’s Henry Avery and local actor Hasani Olujimi to chat about their concerns and how venues have been making ends meet.
The Line opinion panel looks at the governor’s final legislative action and correspondent Laura Paskus examines...2021-04-171h 18
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Governor signs bills, NM vaccination plan, the changing Rio Grande | 4.9.21On New Mexico in Focus… The Line opinion panel zeroes in on the bills being signed (and not) by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Friday marks the deadline for the governor to approve legislation. Anything not signed, vetoed or singled out for a line-item veto is automatically vetoed after that. The governor put her name to numerous significant bills, and the group discusses what they mean for New Mexico in the coming months and years.
NMiF looks at the state’s vaccination plans and its rollout. All New Mexicans over age 16 are now eligible to receive a vaccination, but that do...2021-04-101h 27
Taos Land TrustNew Mexico's Changing Climate - A Conversation with Laura PaskusIn season three of the Taos Land Trust podcast, we will explore climate change in New Mexico. What can we expect? What impacts do we see right now? Most importantly, how can we adapt to the changes that are coming, like it or not?
Jim O’Donnell talks with environmental reporter Laura Paskus, the producer of the series “Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present and Future” featured on New Mexico in Focus. Laura’s new book is At the Precipice: New Mexico’s Changing Climate (UNM Press), essential reading for anyone interested in the coming climate catastrophe.
This episode was...2021-04-011h 02
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Deb Haaland Makes History, Special Election Set and Legislature’s Race to the Finish | 3.19.21This week on New Mexico in Focus, The Line opinion panel looks at all the that has been accomplished so far in this unique, virtual legislative session. The panelists will also delve into what work has yet to be done, and what measures may run out of time when the session ends at 12pm on Saturday, March 20.
The Line also weighs in on Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s letter to President Biden this week, asking for some relief on his Executive Order instituting an indefinite moratorium on new oil and gas leases on public lands. The move co...2021-03-191h 10
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Our Land: PFAS on the Farm, Biden’s COVID Supply Manager, and Back to School Again | 3.12.21This week on New Mexico in Focus, The Line opinion panel addresses Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s decision to open New Mexico to full-time, in-person learning by April 5. Largely a local-control matter, the request nevertheless has the attention of school districts, which seem anxious to comply with the request. The panel looks at the role of unions in the return to school, as well as the matter of vaccinating newly prioritized educators, despite no additional vaccine allocations from the federal government.
The Line also examines Mayor Tim Keller’s appointment of interim Chief Harold Medina to a permanent p...2021-03-131h 09
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Dr. Fauci Talks COVID in Indian Country, Legislative Roundup and Sen. Martin Heinrich | 3.5.21This week, New Mexico in Focus features the top medical aide to President Biden and noted infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Correspondent Antonia Gonzales talks to Dr. Fauci about how, despite shouldering a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 infections, Native tribes are leading the way in vaccination rates. Dr. Fauci explains what states can learn from tribal nations and talks about the timeline for vaccinating students, many of whom are not eligible for any of the currently approved vaccines.
Sen. Martin Heinrich joins correspondent Laura Paskus to talk about the bill he introduced to create a 21st C...2021-03-061h 04
waterloopwaterloop #81: New Mexico at the Precipice with Laura PaskusAlthough New Mexico receives far less attention than many other western states, it is at the precipice of a water crisis, with climate change further straining the arid state and groundwater impacted by the oil and gas industry. The situation is discussed in this episode with Laura Paskus, author of At the Precipice: New Mexico’s Changing Climate, a reporter for New Mexico in Focus, and board member of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Laura explains the status of the Rio Grande River, importance of tribal input into water decisions, efforts to better control groundwater use, and the increasing di...2021-03-0400 min
No More NormalYour NM Gov: Climate Bills Reach CommitteeYour New Mexico Government is continuing its coverage of everything that happens at the Roundhouse with an interview of Laura Paskus from New Mexico PBS. Paskus talks about the Clean Water Act, SB 86, which proposes regulations on oil & gas companies in regards to produced water. And she tells us all about the Climate Solutions Act, HB 9, which looks to find solutions to the climate change issues New Mexico is facing, while using those efforts to boost the state's economy.
Get updates on the legislative session by listening to No More Normal. Sunday's at 11 a.m. on KUNM or...2021-02-1513 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Reforming Redistricting in NM, Alcohol Legislation & Our Land: What’s in a Name? | 1.12.21This week on New Mexico in Focus…
Now that the 2020 U.S. Census count is complete, one of the next steps for New Mexico is redrawing congressional and legislative districts. Redistricting is often a political process decided under a veil of secrecy. But this year, lawmakers are debating a bill that would create a new commission to depoliticize the process and restore transparency. Correspondent Gwyneth Doland talks to members of the New Mexico First task force that recommended the commission as part of their work last year to reform the process.
The Line opinion panel wi...2021-02-131h 08
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID Impacts Learning and Lawmaking, the Ethics of Vaccination, and What the Biden Climate Plan Means for New MexicoThis week on New Mexico in Focus… The Line opinion panel looks at the mad dash by school districts across the state to consider reopening after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham gave the okay to return kids of all ages to the classroom during her State of the State address. The group discusses the approach districts are taking as they consider bringing educators and students back to school.
The Line also talks about the revelation that a New Mexico legislator tested positive for COVID-19. News of the lawmaker’s positive test – as well as several cases among staff – has strained the a...2021-02-061h 18
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Top Stories of 2020 Part 1 & New Mexico’s Military Legacy | 12.25.20This week on New Mexico in Focus… The Line opinion panelists begin our annual countdown of the top stories of the year. 2020 was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts in New Mexico, but there are many specific issues our special panel of working journalists is ready to examine. This week, they take on stories 10-6, including the rise of Zoom and remote working, and the impacts of COVID-19 on our schools and entire education system. They wrap up the list on next week’s show with the top 5 stories of 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also sparked...2020-12-261h 06
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID Stress and Mental Health, Rep. Deb Haaland, and Albuquerque's Bosque | 12.11.20This week on New Mexico in Focus… U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland talks with correspondent Laura Paskus about the possibility of joining the Cabinet for President Joe Biden as secretary of the Department of the Interior. The 1st Congressional District Democrat is on the short list for the job, and talks about the post, what the agenda should be for the administration, and the importance of consulting Native tribes.
Correspondent Megan Kamerick looks at dealing with mental health challenges during the COVID pandemic. Long underserved by physicians, the New Mexico also has a difficult time finding mental hea...2020-12-121h 07
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Election Conflicts, Uncontrolled COVID-19, APD Failures | 11.13.20This week on New Mexico in Focus… Correspondent Russell Contreras talks to Rachel Kleinfeld, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where, according to its website, “she focuses on issues of rule of law, security, and governance in post-conflict countries, fragile states, and states in transition.” Dr. Kleinfeld explains how covering conflicted elections in other countries can inform America about defining political differences.
Our Land correspondent Laura Paskus looks back at the impact of the border wall and looks ahead to NMiF’s continuing coverage of pollution in and around New Mexico military installations. NMiF rep...2020-11-141h 22
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)New Mexico’s Top Political Races, COVID Updates, and a Drying Rio Grande, plus Our Land: Urban Forests | 10.9.20This week, New Mexico in Focus previews conversations with Democratic Rep. Xochitl Torres Small and her two-time Republican opponent in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, Yvette Herrell. The full hour-long special airs on NMPBS Sunday at 6:00 p.m.
When a river begins to run dry it impacts all living things that depend on it, including sandhill cranes and other migratory birds arriving in New Mexico for the season. Environmental journalist and correspondent Laura Paskus talks with Deborah Williams and Dan Collins about what a drying Rio Grande means for the wildlife that take refuge at the Bos...2020-10-101h 04
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Reverend William Barber II, Birds Dying Mystery & Students Return to the ClassroomThis week on New Mexico in Focus: Correspondent and environmental journalist Laura Paskus follows up on a story by Algernon D’Ammassa of the Las Cruces Sun-News that reported people were finding dead migratory birds across the state of New Mexico. Paskus talks to New Mexico State University ornithologist Martha Desmond and Audubon New Mexico’s Jonathan Hayes to find out what might be causing the bird deaths.
Rev. William Barber II is the co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, an economic justice effort first envisioned by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1960s. Rev. Barber c...2020-09-191h 05
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID and Labor Day, Climate Change, and Political and Racial TensionsDr. David Scrase, cabinet secretary for the Human Services Department, knows that as the Labor Day weekend approaches, New Mexicans will want to gather and may be tempted to flout public health rules on masking and social distancing. NMiF producer Matt Grubs talks to Scrase about what he and the pandemic response team are doing to prevent a spike in COVID cases.
Our Land producer and NMiF correspondent Laura Paskus, who is also an environmental reporter, has authored a new book. At the Precipice: New Mexico’s Changing Climate looks at the state’s fragile place in a warm...2020-09-081h 02
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Conventions and Campaigns, Restaurant Reopenings and a New Normal for Fire SeasonReports of missing mail collection boxes around the country have prompted an Albuquerque-based software designer to help develop an application that uses communities to keep track of where mailboxes are and are not across the United States. NMIF correspondent Megan Kamerick talked to Russ Biggs about how the web app works and how people can help.
In the mountains above Santa Fe, the Medio Fire has been burning since August 17, threatening the Rio Nambe, Rio Capulin, and Rio en Medio watersheds. Firefighters have made headway on the fire, which is burning outside the normal range of New Me...2020-08-291h 30
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Our Land: Gold King Mine Spill, Science Contest Winner & Online Indian MarketIn the August installment of Our Land, environmental correspondent Laura Paskus revisits the Gold King Mine spill and the destructive impact of the toxic orange plume that went flowing down the Animas and San Juan rivers five years ago. The waste that was released when crews tried to reopen the abandoned mine killed fish and coated river banks with heavy metals. Paskus reports with help from a grant by The Water Desk, an independent journalism initiative based at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Environmental Journalism.
Laura Paskus also interviews Lillian Petersen, an extraordinary young woman...2020-08-141h 05
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Gov. Lujan Grisham on COVID Crisis, Health Order Enforcement & Covering COVID in Southeast New MexicoGov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has been shepherding New Mexico through the COVID-19 crisis since the first case hit the state in March. NMiF senior producer Matt Grubs talks to her about trying to balance life and livelihood as she deals with the devastating effects of the pandemic on New Mexicans.
Correspondent Laura Paskus is back with a new installment in her ongoing series of conversations with journalists covering COVID-19 in their communities. This week she welcomes Jessica Onsurez, editor of the Carlsbad Current Argus, to talk about covering the virus in a part of New Mexico where c...2020-08-071h 20
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Operation Legend Heads to ABQ, Painting for Peace, Surviving COVID, Finding WaterThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Megan Kamerick talks with artist and quilter Gwen Triay Samuels who had to take a break from helping people experiencing homelessness to battle the coronavirus. Now, as she recovers, she is making face masks for those in need as a way of showing thanks for surviving COVID-19.
Host Gene Grant talks to members of Paint for Peace, an art initiative to turn boarded-up Central Avenue storefronts in Albuquerque’s downtown into murals. After vandals broke windows following peaceful protests early last month, shop owners used boards to replace glass an...2020-07-2455 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Our Land Anniversary & Gila River News, Voting Study, Mask Mandates and COVID UpdatesThis week on New Mexico in Focus, host Gene Grant celebrates the third anniversary of the show’s monthly series Our Land with environmental journalist Laura Paskus, who talks about the state’s outlook and attitudes toward the environment. Paskus also presents a new Our Land segment that looks at the apparent death of the Gila River diversion plans.
Correspondent Gwyneth Doland gets an update from UNM professor of political science Gabe Sanchez on new research about issues with the June primary election and how we fix it for November.
A mandatory mask order means New M...2020-07-111h 09
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Women’s Right to Vote in New Mexico and Recap of COVID ConversationsNew Mexico in Focus begins its 14th season with a look back at the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic since it first hit the state in March, and a look forward from the time women won the right to vote 100 years ago.
As part of an online preview screening this week of the PBS program “American Experience: The Vote,” correspondent Megan Kamerick led a conversation about the history of women’s suffrage in New Mexico. Kamerick is hosting a new podcast series on the topic. NMiF excerpts a portion of that discussion. More information on both the nation...2020-07-081h 07
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Special Session Ends, Push for Early Childhood Wellness, COVID & More Racial ReckoningThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Russell Contreras talks with Elizabeth Groginsky, the first secretary of New Mexico’s newly minted Early Childhood Education and Care Department, which will launch next week. Groginsky talks about her plans for creating a cohesive and aligned pre-natal-to-five early childhood system in New Mexico.
Protests against racism and debates over monuments have captivated Santa Fe, where vandals defaced a Civil War obelisk referring to Native Americans as “savage” and the city removed a statue of Don Diego de Vargas from Cathedral Park. Gwyneth Doland talks with Santa Fe Mayor Alan Web...2020-06-271h 15
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Albuquerque's Oñate Protests, Special Session, Mark Kennedy ShriverProtests this week centered on a statue of Juan de Oñate in Albuquerque. The conquistador's violent role in New Mexican history has been controversial since his own times, and protestors tried to yank down his likeness as a self-appointed group of armed guards riled the crowd. As he was chased from the scene after apparently assaulting several demonstrators, one of the men shot a protestor and has since been charged with several crimes. NMiF discusses the incident and its larger implications both on The Line opinion panel and with Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, who talks about the response o...2020-06-201h 05
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Impact of BLM Protests, Our Land Reveals Rio Grande Drying & Healthy Living in a PandemicThis week on New Mexico in Focus, as lawmakers and the governor ready for a June 18 special session, The Line opinion panel welcomes Albuquerque Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dan Boyd. He and other journalists are busy tracking revenue estimates and budget recommendations as the state looks to fill a nearly $2 billion hole in next year’s spending package. The panel includes Line regulars Dede Feldman and Diane Snyder, both of whom served in the New Mexico Senate. The group will also discuss local responses to the Black Lives Matter movement with host Gene Grant.
Correspondent Laura Paskus cont...2020-06-131h 03
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Black Lives Matter Protests, Primary Elections, and COVID-19 UpdatesThis week on New Mexico in Focus, host Gene Grant talks with Albuquerque’s Mayor Tim Keller and Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair about the recent vandalism and violence that occurred after peaceful Black Lives Matter protests, and why the city has decided not to issue a curfew and resisted calls to ask for help from the National Guard.
Correspondent Megan Kamerick talks with a protest organizer, an educator, and a city leader about the struggle of Black Lives Matter organizers to separate their message from broader anger and especially from violence. The group also discusses what su...2020-06-061h 07
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Economic Recovery Council, Public Health Update, Acequia Traditions, & Primary VotingThis week on New Mexico in Focus, producer Matt Grubs talks with Christina Campos and Brian Moore, who co-chair the governor's new Economic Recovery Council. The group has been tasked with setting up guidelines, suggestions and best practices for reopening the state's businesses and economy.
Correspondent Laura Paskus looks at ways New Mexico carries on the tradition of honoring San Ysidro, patron saint of acequias, during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Paskus talks with Paula Garcia, executive director of the New Mexico Acequia Association, about adjusting to the new normal and bringing more awareness to local food systems.
2020-05-291h 03
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID-19 Testing, El Paso Area Outbreak, Federal Races In NM Primary, And George I. Sanchez’s LegacyThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Laura Paskus continues her series of interviews with journalists around the state as they cover COVID-19 in their communities. Although it’s in Texas, El Paso’s proximity to our state and the border with Mexico makes it an important part of the pandemic’s equation. Paskus talks with two veteran border journalists, Bob Moore of El Paso Matters and Lauren Villagran, immigration reporter with the El Paso Times.
Senior producer Matt Grubs looks at testing for the novel coronavirus – both for those infected and for those who may have had...2020-05-221h 03
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)New Mexico Eases COVID-19 Restrictions, Northwest/Navajo Outbreak, And Observing RamadanThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Laura Paskus continues her series of interviews with journalists around the state as they cover COVID-19 in their communities. Diego Lopez is a reporter with the Cibola Citizen in Grants. City leaders are clashing in the western New Mexico town as the mayor has demanded businesses be allowed to reopen, despite the governor’s public health order.
Navajo Nation leaders and health officials are working around the clock fighting COVID-19 while providing relief to tribal citizens with food, water, firewood and other supplies. There have been more than 100 deaths in...2020-05-1556 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID-19: Testing NM Populations, Native Response & Resources, Primary Voting, Our LandThis week on New Mexico in Focus, senior producer Matt Grubs takes a close look at the state’s COVID-19 testing capability with Sec. Kathyleen Kunkel of the NM Department of Health. New Mexico is able to test more than 5,000 people a day, but routinely falls thousands of tests short of that mark.
Correspondent Laura Paskus continues with her series of interviews with journalists around the state as they cover COVID-19 in their communities. Arlyssa Becenti is a reporter with the Navajo Times, which is based in Window Rock, Arizona, and covers the entire 27,000-square mile Navajo Nation...2020-05-091h 01
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID-19: Vaccine Search, Changes At Hospitals, & Covering Southeastern NMThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Megan Kamerick talks with researchers at the University of New Mexico who are among hundreds of scientists around the world working to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus that has led to the death of more than 57,000 in the United States alone.
Senior producer Matt Grubs talks to executives from hospitals in Las Cruces and Portales. Both Mountain View Regional Medical Center and Roosevelt General Hospital are still waiting for a surge of COVID-19 cases, while acknowledging that stay-at-home orders have flattened disease curves. But the coronavirus has...2020-05-021h 03
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID-19 in Rural New Mexico, Telehealth Strategies & Senator Tom UdallThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Megan Kamerick talks with Drs. Sanjeev Arora and Leslie Hayes about telehealth and how rural medical centers and hospitals are handling cases of the novel coronavirus.
Senior producer Matt Grubs talks to U.S. Sen. Tom Udall about the COVID-19 pandemic as the Senate passes its latest attempt to provide a safety net for the U.S. economy and healthcare system.
Correspondent Laura Paskus continues with the third in her series of interviews with journalists around the state as they cover COVID-19 in their communities. Staci Matlock...2020-04-241h 00
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Tribal Response to COVID-19, Southern NM Check-in & Hunting Changes at Bosque del ApacheThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Laura Paskus continues with her series of interviews with journalists around the state as they cover COVID-19 in their communities. Algernon D’Ammassa, a reporter with the Las Cruces Sun-News who lives in Deming, has been covering the pandemic crisis in Southern New Mexico.
Correspondent Antonia Gonzales talks with New Mexico’s Indian Affairs secretary and two tribal leaders about COVID-19 and Native communities. Tribes are working to slow the disease’s spread as state, national and congressional leaders are raising concerns about the devastating impact COVID-19 can have on tri...2020-04-2459 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Houselessness During a Pandemic, COVID-19 Across NM & Our Land Looks at Fire Season | PreviewThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Megan Kamerick talks with officials from the City of Albuquerque and nonprofits helping those without housing. They discuss efforts to help curtail COVID-19 spread among people experiencing homelessness and how the response to this pandemic may shape public health and housing in the future.
“Our Land” correspondent Laura Paskus sits down with Santa Fe National Forest fire fighter Terrance Gallegos, who went to Australia to help combat the country’s recent unprecedented bushfires, which burned more than 72,000 square miles and destroyed some 6,000 buildings. Based on that experi...2020-04-111h 01
No More NormalCOVID-19 Response: Environmental Protection RollbacksIn Episode 37, we're talking about companies and federal officials squeezing through changes to environmental regulation, oil and gas leases and laws about anti-pipeline demonstrators while the nation's been focused on the pandemic.
We hear from longtime state environment reporter Laura Paskus about the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to allow "regulated industries to use their own discretion to report violations of clean air and water laws," which came about during the pandemic. And we hear Paskus' interview with New Mexico Environment Department Secretary James Kenney about what this means for our state.
Then, Liz McKenzie, who w...2020-04-0828 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID-19 Response Latest, Hospital Readiness & Anticipating Domestic ViolenceThis week on New Mexico in Focus, senior producer Matt Grubs speaks with Dr. David Scrase, who is part of the team coordinating New Mexico’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A geriatrician who now leads the Human Services Department, Scrase talks about the state’s testing capacity, how it impacts the spread of the novel coronavirus, and how the health care system is preparing for a spike in cases.
Correspondent Megan Kamerick talks with the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence about how victims can deal with and escape abuse as New Mexico enters into more week...2020-04-031h 01
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)COVID-19 Workforce Issues, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez & New PFAS ContaminationThis week on New Mexico in Focus, senior producer Matt Grubs speaks with Secretary Bill McCamley of Workforce Solutions about the state’s expanded response for workers who have been laid off because of actions to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
Matt Grubs also follows up with Our Land correspondent Laura Paskus, who broke the news this week that the Pentagon has identified four more possible contamination sites as she continues to investigate toxic chemicals in groundwater near military bases.
Correspondent Antonia Gonzales talks with President Jonathan Nez of the Navajo Nation and Na...2020-03-281h 01
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)2020 Legislative Session Recap & Our Land Visits Our Public LandsThis week on New Mexico in Focus, correspondent Gwyneth Doland travels to the Roundhouse to get a feel for how lawmakers think the session went. The focus in the last days of the session is on money, and how much of it is safe to spend. This legislative segment is part of the Your New Mexico Government Project, a collaboration with KUNM Radio and the Santa Fe Reporter.
This month’s installment of “Our Land” focuses on public land in New Mexico. Correspondent Laura Paskus takes us to a service project in the Sandia Mountains and visi...2020-02-2256 min
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, UNM Football Player Teton Saltes & Bosque del ApacheThis week on New Mexico in Focus, we celebrate Joy Harjo, a groundbreaking poet and New Mexico treasure. An enrolled member of the Muscogee Creek Nation in Oklahoma, Harjo went to school at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe and was both a student and faculty member at UNM. Earlier this year, she made history as the first Native American to be named a national poet laureate. She has written eight books of poetry, including her latest, “An American Sunrise.” Correspondent Megan Kamerick caught up with Harjo at a poetry reading in Santa Fe to talk abou...2019-12-0257 min
SEJ 2019 ConferenceWater Rights, Water Justice?Speakers
Laura Paskus (Moderator) New Mexico In Focus - New Mexico PBS
Autumn Bernhardt (Speaker ) Lecturer, Colorado State University
Eric Perramond (Speaker ) KECK Director, Hulbert Center for Southwest Studies and Professor of Environmental Science and Southwest Studies, Colorado College
Naveena Sadasivam (Speaker ) Staff Writer, Grist
Description
Access to clean water is a human right. And yet, access to clean water — not to mention water rights and sustainable sources of water for farming and small communities — is oftentimes limited for some communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities. Even in the western United States, where water righ...2019-11-281h 10
New Mexico in Focus (A Production of NMPBS)MALDEF President Thomas Saenz, Crime's Effects On Youth, Gila River Plan UpdateThis week, New Mexico in Focus interviews Thomas Saenz, the national president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). Saenz has been a key figure in the Martínez/Yazzie v. State of New Mexico lawsuit, the case that is forcing the state to improve the education it provides for certain groups of students. Recently, both groups of plaintiffs asked the court to set more strict deadlines for the state to prove it’s making progress. Correspondent Russell Contreras speaks with Saenz about what’s ahead in the case.
New Mexico in Focus takes a har...2019-11-0956 min
Hot and Dry PodcastWhat's up with our water supply? With Laura Paskus.In this week's episode, we sit down with journalist Laura Paskus to celebrate the snowpack, bemoan the dry, dry ground it will melt into this spring, and consider how freaked out we should be about our too-close-to-empty reservoirs.
2019-03-1240 min
City on the Edge PodcastWater Issues with Laura PaskusCoE talks to New Mexico Political Report Environmental Correspondent Laura Paskus about the water issues affecting our city and state.2018-11-1927 min
The Weekly WordLaura PaskusJoey Peters and Matthew Reichbach return from some technical difficulties to talk with Laura Paskus about her story on changes to copper mining rules related to groundwater contamination and a little bit about uranium mining.
Music is "Another Girl" by duckett and "I Dunno" by Grapes, used with the Creative Commons license.2013-05-2821 min