This week on New Mexico in Focus, Gene Grant and the Line Opinion Panel break down the recent debate for governor between Republican Nominee Mark Ronchetti and Democratic incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham. The panel dissects the performances of both candidates and considers the key issues that are still developing ahead of election day. 

The panel also explores a new report from the Santa Fe New Mexican showing remarkable turnover rates for public school superintendents around New Mexico. 

The panelists end with a discussion about a new study from the University of New Mexico that quantifies the economic impact of the military in the state. Gene asks if environmental costs should have been factored into the data.  

New Mexico in Focus Correspondent Gwyneth Doland sits down with the co-author of a new report assessing the effectiveness of our state’s recent redistricting process. As Dr. Gabriel Sanchez explains, the Citizens Redistricting Commission made some significant strides towards proper representation for all New Mexicans, but it hasn’t been perfect.  

Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus catches up with a tribal leader from the Pueblo of Acoma to ask about the historical significance of Chaco Canyon, and the ongoing effort to stop new extraction projects from starting in the area.  

Senior Producer Lou DiVizio talks with a journalist and filmmaker who spent the last several months in Ukraine covering the Russian invasion. Patrick Hilsman has covered military conflicts for years and has family here in New Mexico. He shares the horrors, and the triumphs he witnessed during his time covering the war in Ukraine.  

New Mexico in Focus airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) Friday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 9 at 7 a.m., and streaming on the PBS video app. 

NMiF Segments:

Redistricting Report Reveals Public Desire for Independent Commission 
Correspondent
Gwyneth Doland 

Guest
Gabriel Sanchez, political science professor, UNM 

Protecting Chaco Requires Commitment From ‘All Levels’ 
Correspondent
Laura Paskus 

Guest
Theresa Pasqual, Pueblo of Acoma, Director, Historic Preservation Office 

Frontline Reporter Shares Experiences from War in Ukraine 
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio 

Guest
Patrick Hilsman, journalist, filmmaker 

The Line opinion panel
Diane Snyder, fmr. NM State Senator 
Laura Sanchez, attorney 
Inez Russell Gomez, editorial page editor, Santa Fe New Mexican 

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." 

New Mexico in Focus Senior Producer for Public Affairs is Lou DiVizio. "Our Land" Senior Producer is Laura Paskus. Co-producer of New Mexico in Focus 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. 

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