Correspondent Russell Contreras talks to Rachel Kleinfeld, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where, according to its website, “she focuses on issues of rule of law, security, and governance in post-conflict countries, fragile states, and states in transition.” Kleinfeld explains how covering conflicted elections in other countries can inform America about defining political differences. 

Our Land correspondent Laura Paskus looks back at the impact of the border wall and looks ahead to NMiF’s continuing coverage of pollution in and around New Mexico military installations. NMiF reprises the Our Land episode that aired a year ago, after Paskus visited the border in southern New Mexico to visit where 30-foot-tall steel bollards have been installed and to see the wall’s construction. NMiF producer Matt Grubs talks with Paskus for an update about pollution in the Fort Wingate area, which the military did not disclose to the state during clean-up negotiations. 

Gene Grant and The Line opinion panelists look at local impacts of the national election and what the winning ticket of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, will mean for New Mexico. The Line also discusses the COVID-19 spike that is overwhelming the state. Lastly, The Line talks about two new issues in the Albuquerque Police Department: an overtime audit and another excoriating report from an independent monitor. 

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 

Conflicted Elections 
Correspondent 

Russell Contreras 

Guest 
Rachel Kleinfeld, Ph.D., senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 

Our Land: At the Border (repeat) 
Correspondent 

Laura Paskus 

Guests 
N.M. State Rep. Angelica Rubio, District 35 
Kevin Bixby, Executive Director, Southwest Environmental Center 

Fort Wingate Debrief 
Correspondent 

Matt Grubs 

Guest 
Laura Paskus 

The Line Opinion Panel    
Diane Denish, former NM lieutenant governor  
Sophie Martin, attorney   
Edmund E. Perea, attorney and public safety analyst  
H. Diane Snyder, former state senator

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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