This 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 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 the drying Rio Grande means for the wildlife that takes refuge at the Bosque de Apache. 

Laura Paskus is also the producer of NMiF’s monthly series, “Our Land.” This month, she also discusses ways to take care of our urban forest canopy, as she looks at the effect of last month’s windstorms on her own back yard and gives us a glance back to a past episode with Albuquerque’s city forester. 

Gene Grant and The Line voice their opinions with updates on New Mexico’s top-of-the-ticket congressional races, with a focus on the Senate and the 2nd Congressional District. They also debate the effectiveness of New Mexico’s battle against the coronavirus. While the numbers looked good for a while, cases have started climbing alarmingly. Are more restrictions soon to come? Lastly, The Line looks at renewed efforts to lower the cap even further on interest rates for payday loans. 

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.     

In Focus Interviews 

Previews of Congressional District 2 Candidate Interviews 

Correspondent 
Gene Grant 

Guests
Yvette Herrell (R), Congressional District 2 Candidate 
Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (D), Congressional District 2 

Impacts of a Dry Rio Grande 

Correspondent
Laura Paskus 

Guests
Dan Collins, Migratory Bird Coordinator, USFWS Southwest Regional Office 
Deborah Williams, Refuge Manager, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge 

Our Land: Urban Forest Update 

Correspondent
Laura Paskus 

Guest
Joren Viers, City Forester, CABQ Parks Management Division 

The Line Opinion Panel    
Dan Foley, former state representative  
Inez Russell Gomez, editorial page editor, Santa Fe New Mexican  
Sophie Martin, attorney  

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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