This 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 $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 continues her series of talks with journalists covering COVID-19 by welcoming back New Mexico in Focus alumnus David Alire Garcia. Now a Mexico City-based correspondent for Reuters, Alire Garcia speaks about how Mexico has handled the pandemic. The pair also explores the economic impact of the novel coronavirus.
Native American pueblos and reservations continue to battle back from COVID-19. This week, correspondent Antonia Gonzales talks with three Native wellness activists about the health issues facing their communities, and about ways they’ve found to motivate themselves to get up and move during what can be a frightening time of lockdowns and quarantine.
Our Land returns for June, as correspondent Laura Paskus visits the dry bed of the Rio Grande south of Socorro and speaks with biologist Thomas Archdeacon about why the drying occurs, how it affects endangered fish, and why this year’s recovery of rare silvery minnows was complicated by COVID-19.
New Mexico in Focus is involved, informed, in-depth media airing weekly on New Mexico PBS. The program debuts Friday nights at 7 p.m. on NMPBS 5.1(KNME-HD) and appears online shortly thereafter. The show rebroadcasts on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME-HD) Sundays at 7 a.m. and on NMPBS 9.1 (WORLD) on Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.
New Mexico in Focus Interviews
Covering COVID-19: Mexico City
Correspondent
Laura Paskus
Guest
David Alire Garcia, Correspondent, Reuters
OUR LAND: Drying Rio Grande
Correspondent
Laura Paskus
Guest
Thomas Archdeacon, Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Native Health During COVID-19
Correspondent
Antonia Gonzales
Guests
Justin Huenemann, Notah Begay III Foundation
Christina Castro, Three Sisters Collective
Loren Anthony, Actor/Motivational Speaker/Weightlifter
Line Panelists
Dede Feldman, former New Mexico state senator
H. Diane Snyder, former New Mexico state senator
Dan Boyd, Capitol Bureau Chief, Albuquerque Journal
Host
Gene Grant
New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people that are shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic health, education, and art issues, and explores them in-depth with a critical eye to give them context beyond the “news of the moment.”
The producer of New Mexico in Focus is Matt Grubs, with Kathy Wimmer, associate producer. The NM PBS Public Affairs executive producer is Kevin McDonald.
The McCune Charitable Foundation provides NMiF funding, along with viewers like you.
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