This week on New Mexico in Focus, the Line Opinion Panel dives into N.M.'s three congressional races, as candidates navigate new district lines in the final weeks of the campaign. The new districts have made those races more competitive, and they’re creating some interesting challenges for all three incumbents. 

Plus, Gene and the Panel explore the potential future of colonialist monuments in the city of Santa Fe after protests on Indigenous People’s Day.  

Senior Producer Lou DiVizio talks to representatives from two organizations who are part of a new initiative meant to encourage candidates, political parties, and voters to uphold five core doctrines of democratic elections – integrity, nonviolence, security, oversight, and the peaceful transfer of power. 

A New Mexico State Senator explains his opposition towards Constitutional Amendment 1, which would increase the amount of accessible funding for early childhood and public education. Senator Bill Sharer says taking more money out of the Permanent Education Fund now would be ineffective, and irresponsible. 

Two New Mexico residents who’ve dedicated their careers to preventing domestic violence share their expertise and insights on controlling that kind of abuse. They also discuss the impact of the recently reinstated Violence Against Women Act, and how mental health treatment can help prevent domestic violence.  

Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus explores the legalities of water rights along New Mexico’s many rivers, including the Rio Grande. She speaks with Paul Tashjian, director of freshwater conservation for Audubon Southwest about the current system used to assign water rights, and the reality that the river itself has no rights to the water that maintains its ecosystem.  

New Mexico in Focus airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 16 at 7 a.m., and streaming on the PBS video app. 

NMiF Segments 
Incentivizing Bipartisan Collaboration in Government  
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio 

Guests
Heather Balas, vice president of programs, election reformers network 
Danielle Gonzales, executive director, New Mexico First  

NM Senator Questions Longterm Fiscal Implications of Constitutional Amendment 1 
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio 

Guest 
St. Sen. Bill Sharer, (R) District 1 – San Juan County  

Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention Month 
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio 

Guests 
Larry Jones, fmr. NJ Superior Court Judge 
Joni Jones, RN, mental health expert & advocate  

Without Rights, NM’s Rivers Can Come Up Empty 
Correspondent
Laura Paskus 

Guest
Paul Tashjian, Audubon Southwest, Director of Freshwater Conservation     

The Line opinion panel
Julia Goldberg, senior correspondent, Santa Fe Reporter 
Dan Foley, former NM Representative 
Giovanna Rossi, president, Collective Action Strategies, LLC  

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. 

Get updates, watch and follow New Mexico PBS on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and more.