This week on New Mexico in Focus, the Line Opinion Panel weighs in on a new boom in oil and gas revenues and the delicate process of trying to spend that money. 

The Panel also debates the proposal to round up nuclear waste from around the country and store it here in New Mexico. 

Plus, the panelists underscore the importance of the state’s new 9-8-8 crisis line, and how New Mexcians can better combat the issues facing young people in our state.  

Senior Producer Lou DiVizio investigates the controversy surrounding a new committee at the state’s Children Youth and Families Department. He asks Sec. Barbara Vigil why those meetings have been closed to the public. And he catches up with a watchdog group that’s been pushing the department to be more transparent for years.  

Our Land Producer Laura Paskus analyzes this year’s historic fire season with New Mexico State Forester Laura McCarthy. She explains why this year has been so devastating, and how we can use treatments like prescribed burns more safely.

New Mexico in Focus airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) Friday, July 22 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 24 at 7 a.m., and streaming on the PBS video app.  

NMiF Segments

Transparency Concerns Over New CYFD Committee 
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio 

Guest 
Melanie Majors, interim executive director, New Mexico Foundation for Open Government 

State of NM Fire Season 
Correspondent
Laura Paskus 

Guest
Laura McCarthy, New Mexico State Forester 

CYFD Responds to Transparency Concerns 
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio 

Guest
Barbara Vigil, Secretary, New Mexico Children Youth & Families Department 

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." 

Senior Producer of New Mexico in Focus is Lou DiVizio with Kathy Wimmer, co-producer. NM PBS Public Affairs Executive Producer is Kevin McDonald.  

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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