Correspondent Russell Contreras speaks with Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez, a New Mexico native who is now an assistant professor at Arizona State. As co-editor of the book “Querencia: Reflections on the New Mexico Homeland,” and as a Chicana who is critical of monuments to Spanish conquistadors, she is working on a biography of controversial conqueror Don Juan de Oñate. 

NMiF host Gene Grant interviews the two candidates in New Mexico’s First Congressional District race: Rep. Deb Haaland, the Democratic incumbent, and challenger and Republican Michelle Garcia Holmes. This week’s NMiF contains an excerpt of that conversation; the full hour-long special, which aired on NMPBS last week, can be seen in its entirety at the VOTE 2020 page on newmexicopbs.org 

Gene Grant and The Line opinion panelists look at Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s new set of restrictions brought about by the rise in COVID-19 cases across the state. She’s announced new orders that will go into effect on October 16, and there might still be more to come. The Line also debates the handling of a controversial situation over a monument in Santa Fe’s Plaza that culminated in the obelisk’s destruction on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. For their final topic, The Line panelists discuss the constitutional amendment that aims to reform the Public Regulation Commission and also look at contributions to state legislative campaigns. 

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 

Don Juan de Oñate Biography 

Correspondent 
Russell Contreras 

Guest
Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez, assistant professor of Hispanic and Indigenous studies, Arizona State University  

Congressional District 1: Candidate Conversation Excerpt 

Guests 
Rep. Deb Haaland (D), Congressional District 1 
Michelle Garcia Holmes (R), Congressional District 1 Candidate 

The Line Opinion Panel    
Dede Feldman, former state senator  
Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group PR  
Steve Terrell, retired reporter, 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.”

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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