This week on New Mexico in Focus, 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. Then, the panel turns to the history of Juneteenth, how it became a holiday and its significance in New Mexico.
New Mexico in Focus 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.
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.
New Mexico in Focus airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 25 at 7 a.m., and streaming on the PBS video app.
NMiF Segments
Former Acoma Pueblo Governor Reacts to Chaco Park Withdrawal
Correspondent
Antonia Gonzales
Guest
Brian Vallo, former Governor of Acoma Pueblo, chair Chaco Heritage Tribal Association
NM Troubled Foster Care System - Searchlight New Mexico & ProPublica
Correspondent
Laura Paskus
Guest
Ed Williams, Searchlight New Mexico
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."
NMPBS Executive Producer, Public Affairs, is Jeff Proctor. New Mexico in Focus Senior Producer for Public Affairs is Lou DiVizio. “Our Land” Senior Producer is Laura Paskus. The producer of New Mexico in Focus is Antonio Sanchez and Co-producer is Kathy Wimmer.
Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You.
Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund.
Funding for Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present & Future, is provided in part by the Neeper Natural History Programming Fund for KNME-TV