In this interview that first ran in March, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks with U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez about the federal investigation into alleged corruption at the Albuquerque Police Department's DWI Unit. As this episode airs in mid-December, no charges have been announced, but seven APD officers have resigned instead of submitting to Internal Affairs interviews. A commander has also been fired, and two other officers remain on leave pending internal investigation.
Senior Producer Lou DiVizio speaks with a group of New Mexico Black community leaders and elders, who tell us about the importance of celebrating Juneteenth. In the first of three conversations that originally aired in June, Lou asks Joe and Rita Powdrell about the roots of Juneteenth celebrations in New Mexico. Then, Ron Wallace talks about his work covering Black communities at the magazine he founded, The Perspective, before Rev. Dr. Charles E. Becknell tells Lou about the importance of protecting Juneteenth festivities from becoming commercialized.
Correspondent Andy Lyman interviews documentarian Doug Fine about his film, "American Hemp Farmer." In this segment that first aired in June, Fine tells us why New Mexico is uniquely positioned to benefit hemp farmers.
NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 29 at 7 a.m. and streaming on the PBS video app.
NMIF Segments
U.S. Attorney Sheds Light on Process of APD DWI Corruption Case
Correspondent
Jeff Proctor
Guest
Alexander Uballez, U.S. Attorney, District of New Mexico
Celebrating Juneteenth in N.M.
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio
Guests
Marsha K. Hardeman, professor, Africana Studies, University of New Mexico
Rev. Dr. Charles E. Becknell, Sr., pastor emeritus of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Rio Rancho
Ron Wallace, publisher, 'The Perspective'
Tim Green IV, culture change leader, City of Albuquerque
How Juneteenth Brings Generations of Black New Mexicans Together
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio
Guests
Marsha K. Hardeman, professor, Africana Studies, University of New Mexico
Rev. Dr. Charles E. Becknell, Sr., pastor emeritus of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Rio Rancho
Ron Wallace, publisher, 'The Perspective'
Tim Green IV, culture change leader, City of Albuquerque
The Benefits of Hemp & Hemp Farming in New Mexico
Correspondent
Andy Lyman
Guest
Doug Fine, filmmaker
Host
Lou DiVizio
New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people 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's 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.
The Neeper Natural History Programming Fund for KNME-TV provides funding for Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present & Future.