New Mexico In Focus

Barack Obama's NM visit - Watch it here!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:24:00 +0000

Barack Obama held a community town hall at Rio Grande High School today at 1:30pm.

Watch it here:

And, earlier in the day, he also met with a group of prominent New Mexico women for an economic forum at the downtown Albuquerque library.

Watch part one of that event:

And, here's part two:

Episode 207: Back To School with Superintendents Brooks and Gutierrez

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:31:00 +0000

No matter if what anybody says, it's got to be a tough job to be in the position of Superintendent for two of the largest school districts in the state: Albuquerque (APS) and Santa Fe (SFPS) Public Schools. Whether you're new to the state (Winston Brooks of APS) or have come up through the ranks in a district you're accostomed to (Bobbie Gutierrez of SFPS), you've got a lot of work ahead of you when you start the new school year as a new Superintendent.

And this week, even though we talked to two people at the top, we must not forget the first person of contact with our students: the teacher. One teacher with a mixture of humor, passion for teaching, and enthusiasm for his students is Robert Wilder, American Lit teacher at Santa Fe Prep, and author of articles, essays, and a couple of books. One of them, Tales From The Teachers' Lounge, provides insight into - and wicked humor about - the art and profession of teaching. There's a longer version of the interview than the one that aired on TV, below.

Gene Grant and the panelists sitting at The Line table have a lot to talk about, but one thing Gene said we'd print in this blog was the full response from Matthew Henderson of ACORN, who replied to Gene about an incident mentioned on our show. Check it out at the end of this blog, after the video segments, and send us a comment or two.

Kevin McDonald & Kathy Wimmer
The Public Affairs Team

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NM inFOCUS: EP 207 - Back To School with the Superintendents

It’s back-to-school time in New Mexico, and there is new leadership at the helm of two of the largest public school districts in the state. This week on NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, co-host David Alire Garcia sits down with Superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez of Santa Fe Public Schools, and Superintendent Winston Brooks, of Albuquerque Public Schools. Then, Gene Grant and The Line panelists weigh in on the new leadership, plus whether or not a non-profit crossed the line from political lobbying to political campaigning, and yet another voter registration scandal.

NM inFOCUS: EP 207 - Back To School with the Superintendents (Intro)

NM inFOCUS: EP 207 - Back To School with the Superintendents (In Focus)

NM inFOCUS: EP 207 - Back To School with the Superintendents (The Line 1of2)

NM inFOCUS: EP 207 - Back To School with the Superintendents (Interview)

NM inFOCUS: EP 207 - Back To School with the Superintendents (The Line 2of2)

NM inFOCUS: EP 207 - Back To School with the Superintendents (Outro)

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Dear Gene, 600 people have helped ACORN register 65,000 New Mexicans to vote this year. Along the way, of course, we have had some workers who commit fraud and are terminated by ACORN. The agents who you spoke to have, in fact, been terminated as a result of your helpful report to us. Even if you had not made your report to ACORN, we would have terminated these employees because our Quality Control Program vets every single card we collect with a three step process, including telephoning the voter to verify the legitimacy of the information they provided on their registration application. In short, ACORN has been able to identify canvassers who collect duplicate registrations and terminate them. Although you were rightly concerned by your experience with an ACORN canvasser, we want to remind you that this has been a historic voter registration drive, by far the largest in state history. Its impact on the upcoming elections will be profound because ACORN has focused its drive on working people, Hispanic, Native American, and other diverse communities that are not as powerful a force in New Mexico elections as they could be. We are certain that the impact will be profound because we know that 92% of the voter registration applications we have turned in have been complete; we have verified that these voters are getting onto the voter registration rolls; and, based on a study we did of the voters we registered in 2004, we are confident that 65% of the voters we have helped get onto the voter rolls will cast a ballot. As ACORN winds down its voter registration drive, it will be begin to visit these new voters in their homes to make sure they have the information they need to vote. ACORN is not just about voter registration. Our mission is to strengthen working families by giving them a larger voice in politics, so in order to succeed in this endeavor, we not only register them, we mobilize them around campaigns to raise the minimum wage and fight predatory lenders, and we make sure they vote. This is why numerous people who don't support working families' issues attack our efforts in an irresponsible manner. We appreciate you bringing us your complaint to our attention. We are sorry that it was not the positive experience that the 65,000 New Mexicans who ACORN registered to vote have had.
Sincerely, Matthew Henderson Head Organizer

Conexiones - The Journey Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:03:00 +0000

A view from Guanajuato

This is the latest installment in a series of blogs from a former KNME intern, Kaycie Robinson. She spend part of her summer in Mexico as part of the Conexiones trip, an annual study abroad program put on by the Honors Program and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese:

"Guanajuato and Mexico City!! The Conexiones group split into two smaller groups for the final weekend excursion, one went to Guanajuato and the other went to Mexico City. Following the weekend of fun, students faced the reality of only having five more days in Morelia.
The last week of Conexiones was bittersweet- people seemed ready to see friends and family back in the states, but it was obvious that they would miss the new friends here in Morelia. For many of the students, their host families really became family, and tears were all around at the Conexiones "Fiesta de Despedida"(Goodbye Party).
The effect of the Conexiones program was reinforced in our last few days in
Mexico. Five students and I visited the beach town of Sayulita for a few
days of surf and sun before returning to Albuquerque. While we relaxed on
the beach the second day, a woman came up to offer us a piece of cake. It
was her daughter’s birthday, and the whole family was celebrating by spending
the day picnicking and playing in the waves. The problem was that they had
bought a huge cake and couldn’t finish it- did we want some before the
mid-afternoon sun turned it to mush? We happily agreed to slices of cake,
and shared our “Gloria” caramels in return. As I talked with the family
later in the day, they said that they thought we were Canadians. “Why?” I asked the mother, Alicia.She frankly responded, “Because your faces are gentle. Most Americans we’vemet don’t have any interest in getting to know the people (of Mexico)”.Shocked by her honesty and embarrassed by the behavior of my fellow Americans, I told her, “Wow. I apologize for my countrymen”.She smiled, the family smiled, and we continued to talk for another 20 minutes. When the time came to get my dehydrated and sunburned self back to the hotel, they made sure to give me their email address, telephone number, and street address in Mexico City.“Tienes casa en D.F.”, they assured me. Literally, this means "you have a home in Mexico City", and I have no doubt that this family would gladly welcome me into their home whenever I find myself back in Mexico.This feeling of welcome sums up Conexiones- it is the process of falling in love with Mexico."

For more information about the Conexiones program at UNM, click here. Our thanks to Kaycie for taking us along for the ride this summer!

Kevin McDonald & Kathy Wimmer

The Public Affairs Team

Episode 206 - AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) - New Mexico's Report Card

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:57:00 +0000

Another year, another depressing round of No Child Left Behind test results for New Mexico. On the surface, the numbers are bleak: fewer schools reaching "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP) than last year. And, once again, New Mexico ranks near the bottom compared to the rest of the nation.

But, as usual, the test scores only tell half the story. It's not an easy task, trying to ensure a quality education for all New Mexicans. And, too often, I think we fall victim to not asking the tough questions. Instead we fall back on shrugging our shoulders and wallowing in our poor national rankings.

We should all be thankful to the people out there that are trying to make a difference. Whether you agree with No Child Left Behind or not, it is important to remember that the focus needs to be on the kids, and finding the best ways to make sure they are equipped with the tools they need to succeed in the "real" world.

We hope this week's show will help to enlighten the topic, and provide some inspiration for all of us, as we look for ways to better serve our children.

Kevin McDonald & Kathy Wimmer

The Public Affairs Team

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NM inFOCUS: Ep 206 - Adequate Yearly Progress

AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) represents the annual academic proficiency targets in reading and math that the state, school districts and schools must reach to beconsidered on track with the federally mandated goals set by No Child Left Behind. But what does it really mean when New Mexico schools don’t make the grade? This week, co-hosts David Alire Garcia and Gene Grant lead discussions on the state’s report card, and also take a preview of the Legislature’s upcoming special session, the spread of the red light camera, and the failure of a mental health ordinance.

...

NM inFOCUS: Ep 206 - Adequate Yearly Progress (Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 206 - Adequate Yearly Progress (In Focus)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 206 - Adequate Yearly Progress (The Line 1of2)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 206 - Adequate Yearly Progress (Train to Lamy)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 206 - Adequate Yearly Progress (The Line 2of2)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 206 - Adequate Yearly Progress (Outro)

Episode 205 - New Mexico Honeybees and Colony Collapse Disorder

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:21:00 +0000

It is so nice to get outdoors occasionally when you live in an office with no windows. When we had the chance to visit A-Bee Honey & Farms , we made a beeline for the KNME Hummer and took a drive just south of Belen.

We were directed to the farm by beekeeper Ed Costanza, who dressed us in bee-gear

(note the pant-legs tucked into socks in the slideshow below!) and took us out to meet one of his gentler hives.

DAVID ALIRE GARCIA, SUITED UP AND READY TO MEET THE HIVE

The bees were friendly - unless one happened to get trapped in an untucked pant-leg. (Poor David - Ouch!) Epinephrine and antihistamine were at the ready, but, fortunately, neither was needed. The bees were incredibly interesting, and the folks at A-Bee Farms were wonderfully accommodating. Check out some behind the scenes footage below, showing crew members Josh Keenan and Karl Swanson filming our bee piece for this week's show.

And the honey was delicious!

But it wasn't all a walk in the park, or, in this case, the field. Colony Collapse Disorder is serious business, and back in the studio, David was joined by Master Beekeeper Les Crowder, Richard "The Bugman" Fagerlund, and Charles Martin, an Agriculture Specialist from New Mexico State University, to talk about this issue. You can read more about bees in New Mexico in this excellent article.

And not to be outdone, Gene Grant and The Line Panelists delve even further into the controversy surrounding The Last Conquistador, both the statue and the film that was aired on PBS stations recently. 16th century Conquistador Don Juan de Onate stirs up a lot of emotion in our viewers (as you can see by the all the comments posted about last week's episode devoted to the subject and last night's airing of the documentary.) Some of you objected to the panel we put together for our program last week. We appreciate hearing from all of you, even when you don't like what we do.

The Line also takes on national politics (how can they not with the presidential race in full swing?) And they say goodbye to Scott Darnell, who will be leaving for Harvard University and the John F. Kennedy School of Government to get his master's in public policy. We'll miss you, Scott, and wish you well!

The Public Affairs Team

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Albert Einstein said: "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man." NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS looks at how the bee is faring in the Land of Enchantment, explores the mysterious “Colony Collapse Disorder,” and looks at why it might be that New Mexico isn’t as hard-hit as other states. Plus, Gene Grant and The Line panelists take on a further discussion of the controversial statue of Oñate in El Paso, Senator Barack Obama’s overseas trip, New Mexico Racing Commission’s last permit, and the Supreme Court’s possible re-thinking on the “Exclusionary Rule.”

NM inFOCUS: Ep 205 - Honeybees and Colony Collapse Disorder (Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 205 - Honeybees and Colony Collapse Disorder (Bee Farm)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 205 - Honeybees and Colony Collapse Disorder (In Focus)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 205 - Honeybees and Colony Collapse Disorder (The Line)

Episode 204 - The Last Conquistador

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:23:00 +0000

This is a picture of the statue featured in the P.O.V. documentary "The Last Conquistador". And, at the bottom right of the picture, you can see the artist who created the work, Mr. John Houser. The statue has created a lot of controversy in El Paso, where it is based, as well as throughout the Southwest. The reasons are many, but all revolve around The Last Conquistador himself, otherwise known as Don Juan de Oñate. For many people, Oñate is a visionary who helped bring many innovations to the "new" world. But to others he is a vicious tyrant and killer, who nearly wiped out the entire society of Acoma people here in New Mexico.

There is a lot written out there about Oñate, but I think the P.O.V. website has compiled a nice website with a lot of good resources, including a link to New Mexico history and a blog with viewer comments about the film. Here's another website that also takes a multi-layered look at Don Juan de Oñate and his impact on our state.

Our goal in this show was to take the issues brought out in the movie, and begin a dialogue on those issues. That mission gave us the opportunity to do something a little different. So, on July 16th we held a screening for the film, and sent out invitations. We also put together a panel of folks with great insights and opinions. Here's a list of the participants:

John J. Valadez - filmmaker, "The Last Conquistador"
Maurus Chino - Acoma Artist and Activist
Estevan Rael-Galvez - State Historian
Margaret Montoya - Law Professor/Leader, Cross-Cultural Discourse
Christine Zuni Cruz - Law Professor, Apellate Judge/Lecturer, Indigenous Issues

Our thanks to all of them for taking part in this valuable discussion, which lasted nearly two hours. Because of time, we were only able to televise portions of that discussion, but the web offers us the chance to share the entire event with you online.

Part 1

Stream videos at Ustream

Part 2

Live video by Ustream

Part 3

Streaming .TV shows by Ustream

Part 4

Free video streaming by Ustream

We were especially thrilled to have one of the filmmakers here in town with us for the event. John J. Valadez has been making documentaries now for over 15 years. He took time out of his busy schedule to be with us, and he even sat down with Gene Grant for a quick interview.

Live Streaming by Ustream.TV

For those of you who missed the show, be sure to watch the re-broadcast, on Thursday, July 31, from 9-10pm. It follows the premiere of "The Last Conquistador" on KNME, which runs from 8-9pm. You can also watch the episode anytime on our website, along with any of our past episodes.

As always, thanks for watching!

Kevin McDonald and Kathy Wimmer
Public Affairs Team

NM inFOCUS: Ep 203 - JPPOs/McCain Town Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:43:00 +0000

July 13-19 is National Probation and Parole Officers’ Week. Each year Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD)'s Juvenile Probation and Parole Officers (JPPO's) provide direct services to more than 15,000 youth in communities throughout New Mexico. David Alire Garcia sits down with several of these public servants.

This past Tuesday, Senator McCain's "Straight Talk Express" rolled into the Hotel Albuquerque, and Gene Grant went to this town hall even and interviewed several attendees. Then, he and The Line panelists give a New Mexico perspective on the presidential campaign, speculate on what the state will do with its $400 million windfall, and give their opinions on the controversial New Yorker cover of Senator and Mrs. Obama.
...

NM inFOCUS: Ep 203 - JPPOs/McCain Town Hall (Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 203 - JPPOs/McCain Town Hall (In Focus)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 203 - JPPOs/McCain Town Hall(McCain Town Hall)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 203 - JPPOs/McCain Town Hall (The Line)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 203 - JPPOs/McCain Town Hall (Outro)

John McCain Town Hall - Watch it here!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:29:00 +0000

We will have much more on Senator McCain's visit here to Albuquerque on this Friday night's show, but for those of you who couldn't make Tuesday's event, here's the video:

Part 1

Webcast by Ustream.TV

Part 2

Free Videos by Ustream.TV

Here are a couple of pictures from the event as well.

Tune in Friday night at 7pm for much more with Gene Grant, David Alire Garcia, and the rest of the gang here at NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS!

Kevin McDonald
Public Affairs Producer

Conexiones - The Journey Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:42:00 +0000

Here's the latest on the Conexiones study abroad trip from former KNME intern Kaycie Robinson:

Another weekend, another excursion! We went to Patzcuaro, which is a
smaller city about an hour outside of Morelia. Patzcuaro, just like Morelia, is
known for amazing architecture. Patzcuaro is also known for the adjacent lake
appropriately named Lago Patzcuaro, which has the island town of Janitzio at its
center. The island itself is pretty much an enormous hill, and houses are
splattered haphazardly anywhere there is or was space. To get to Janitzio,
you have to take a ferry from Patzcuaro, and to get the best view, you have
to climb the island.

After a climb reminiscent of the first 20 minutes of our journey up
the volcano, we reached the top of the island with its incredible view and giant
statue honoring the history of the area. The very next day, we left our cabañas
at 6AM to get to the village of Jaracuaro to attend the fiesta of San
Pedro. With the sun just beginning to hint at the new day the procession of San
Pedro began. A wooden Saint Peter was being carried on the shoulders of four
men. His throne consisted of finely crafted wood adorned with fresh corn stalks.
Offerings of bananas and bread baked in the shape of rabbits draped the
throne, and the Saint himself was adorned with two woven capes with offerings of
both pesos and US dollars pinned to the back. Two marching bands and villagers
carrying candles entwined in ribbon followed the Saint on the journey
through town to the church in the center. The streets of the town were decorated
with colorful sawdust that formed a sort of red carpet for the Saint as he was
carried past.

Different forms of ephemeral art lined the streets, ranging from
carefully cut paper to glistening decorative balls. Once the Saint was carried
into the church a special mass followed.
After the mass, people attending the fiesta were invited to eat at the house of the carguero, who is the man in charge of the fiesta. We ate traditional fish soup (fruits of Lake Patzcuaro) and corundas, which are similar to tamales. It was extremely interesting to note the presence of corn on San Pedro´s throne: this was visible evidence of the blending of Catholic and Indigenous religious traditions. Also interesting to note is the fact that US dollars adorned the shawl of the Saint. In rural Michoacan, many young men leave their villages to find work in the US. The experience was one of cultural understanding and an excercise in forcing ourselves out of evaluating cultural traditions based on our own ethnocentric perceptions.

Ep. 202: Golden Apple Teacher Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:28:00 +0000

It's great to be able to recognize teachers who are really making a difference in students' lives, and the Golden Apple Award winners do just that. We're happy to do our part this week to help get the word out about what some innovative teachers are doing in the classroom.

Seven teachers from all around New Mexico were honored this Spring by the Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico. We show the profiles of all seven, thanks to video provided by KRQE News 13. We are also fortunate to feature two of the teachers in our studio, as co-host David Alire Garcia interviews Christine Castillo and Sandy McMurray. You'll be inspired by them, and understand why they inspire their students. They're joined by the Executive Director of the Foundation, Celia Merrill.

Gene Grant and The Line Panelists are really fired up this week, too, on topics from the return of a streetcar proposal for Albuquerque to the Governor's request for citizens' input in the make-over of Expo New Mexico. And they can't resist catching up on the Presidential race.

We also feature an excerpt from one of our web-based videos; you can watch the entire video on the Bandera Ice Caves and Volcano, which we hope will entice you to explore more of our Land of Enchantment.

Enjoy!

Kathy Wimmer
Episode 202 Producer

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NM inFOCUS: Ep 202 - Teachers, Streetcars and Gas

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS recognizes the teachers who are making a difference in our state. Seven of “the best of the best” were honored this Spring by the Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico. David Alire Garcia sits down with the Foundation’s Executive Director, and two local teachers who were this year’s Golden Apple Award Winners. Gene Grant and The Line panelists take on the Albuquerque streetcar debate, forced changes due to rising gas prices, and how YOU can help revamp the N.M. State Fairgrounds.

...

NM inFOCUS: Ep 202 - Teachers, Streetcars and Gas (Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 202 - Teachers, Streetcars and Gas (Golden Apple)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 202 - Teachers, Streetcars and Gas (In Focus)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 202 - Teachers, Streetcars and Gas (The Line)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 202 - Teachers, Streetcars and Gas (Bandera Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 202 - Teachers, Streetcars and Gas (Bandera)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 202 - Teachers, Streetcars and Gas (Outro)

Summer Conexiones

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:30:00 +0000

One of the great things about my job is the fact I get to work with UNM students on a regular basis. Each semester, we work with interns from primarily the Journalism and Political Science Departments. The students are passionate, ambitious, and bring a great energy to the station. A lot of the work they end up doing for me can easily be categorized as "grunt" work, but the students never fail to impress me with their can-do attitudes. The students also help provide a link for me to many of the unknown goings-on at the university. That is definitely the case with Kaycie Robinson, who interned with us here at KNME in the fall of 2007. Kaycie is involved with an annual study abroad program in Mexico. Before she left this summer, I asked Kaycie if she would be interested in blogging for us during her trip. Below is her first installment, which includes a description of the study abroad program, known as Conexiones. Look for more updates from Kaycie in the coming weeks!

Kevin McDonald
Public Affairs Producer

Conexiones is a study abroad program sponsored by the UNM Honors Department
and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. For the past 20
years, Conexiones has sent students to Morelia, Mexico and Trujillo,
Spain. This year, we are in Morelia, Mexico, in the state of Michoacan
(about 250 miles from Mexico City). Morelia is a cosmopolitan city of
nearly 1 million people and is well known for its colonial architecture and
annual migration of Monarch butterflies. Conexiones students travel to Morelia
on their own after pre-departure classes at UNM and spend the next 4 weeks
living with a host family and taking Spanish classes taught by UNM
faculty. Every weekend, the group goes on excursions to explore different
cities and towns. At the end of the 4-week program, students are given the
option to travel independently for up to one week before returning to UNM to
give final presentations and turn in their Cuadernos, which are scrap book-style
notebooks full of guided exploration documenting their stay in Mexico.
My
name is Kaycie Robinson, and I was a student with Conexiones Mexico 2006 and
with Conexiones Spain 2007. I am now a senior at UNM and I´m back for more
as the student helper for Conexiones Mexico 2008- basically, I can´t get enough
of Conexiones!

The Conexiones group has been in Morelia for a week
now, living with host families, going to Spanish classes and enjoying the
city. This past weekend we went to the village of Angahuan to see the
volcano Paricutin. Paricutin was born in 1943 when a farmer in the village
of San Juan noticed steam rising from his fields. The town was evacuated, and
Paricutin continued to erupt for 9 years. The residents of San Juan
founded a new town, the creatively named ¨San Juan Nuevo¨, yet San Juan the
viejo remains very much present if not in the same way as before. When
Paricutin erupted it covered the whole town of San Juan in lava. However,
the lava stopped at the sanctuary of the 17th century church in the middle of
town. We were lucky enough (crazy enough?) to have the chance to complete
the 13 mile hike through the lava fields and up the volcano. We also
visited the church, which displays a replica of the Cristo that was found intact
in the sanctuary after the eruption. The church is a very spiritual place-
many people in Angahuan talk about how not even a volcano could break it
down. Next weekend, we are off to Patzcuaro and Jaracuaro to attend the
fiesta of San Pablo y Pedro!

Ep. 201: PTSD & Patriotism

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Happy 4th of July, Everyone!

In honor of Independence Day, Gene Grant and The Line panelists take on
what patriotism means to them.

But before they do, David Alire Garcia has an honest and important talk with Sgt. Andrew Brandi about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Sgt. Brandi has written a book called "The Warrior's Guide to Insanity: Traumatic Stress and Life," and he's doing his best to make the transition easier for soldiers coming home from war. What he has to tell those of us who have never been in combat is not easy to hear, but it is very important, especially as the hundreds of thousands of troops who have been in Iraq and Afganistan return home.

A couple of months ago, Gene Grant sat down with ABC News Anchor John Stossel, whose "Give Me A Break" segments on 20/20 feature a skeptical look at a variety of subjects. His comments, and his prediction about the democratic primary outcome, is very interesting indeed!

Have a safe July 4th!
_________________________

NM inFOCUS: Ep 201 - PTSD and Patriotism

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS explores Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, with someone who's been there. Sgt. Andrew Brandi has written a book, "The Warrior's Guide to Insanity: Traumatic Stress and Life," and he's doing his best to make the transition easier for soldiers coming home from war. Then, in honor of Independence Day, The Line panelists take on what patriotism means to them. And NM IN FOCUS has a special interview with ABC News Anchor John Stossel, whose "Give Me A Break" segments on 20/20 feature a skeptical look at a variety of subjects.

...

NM inFOCUS: Ep 201 - PTSD and Patriotism (Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 201 - PTSD and Patriotism (In Focus)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 201 - PTSD and Patriotism (The Line)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 201 - PTSD and Patriotism (Stossel Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 201 - PTSD and Patriotism (Stossel Interview)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 201 - PTSD and Patriotism (Outro)

Ep. 143: New Mexico's Census Undercount

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:57:00 +0000

I was trying this morning at breakfast to explain to my husband, in a few sentences, all about the Census and why it's so important for New Mexico to get its count right in 2010, since the undercount in 2000 has lost our state over $100 million.

"Watch the show," I finally said. Because Dr. Adélamar Alcántara and Laird Graeser, a senior demographer and chief economist, do it much better than I. And Gerry Bradley, with New Mexico Voices for Children, can help you understand how the lost money means lost services, especially to those who need them most.

Until next time!
Kathy Wimmer

_________________

Ep. 143: New Mexico's Census Undercount

Cumulatively, New Mexico stands to lose an estimated total of $100 million dollars in federal funding, between 2000 and 2012, due to being undercounted in the 2000 decennial census. This week, co-host David Alire Garcia takes a look at the undercount's impact, especially on New Mexico's children, and what is being done to ensure a more accurate Census 2010. Gene Grant and The Line panelists tackle Barack Obama's decision to break from public financing, letting Elton John Richard go free, and much more.

...

New Mexico inFOCUS: Ep 143 - 2000 Census Undercount (Intro)

New Mexico inFOCUS: Ep 143 - 2000 Census Undercount (In Focus)

New Mexico inFOCUS: Ep 143 - 2000 Census Undercount (Tax Rebate)

New Mexico inFOCUS: Ep 143 - 2000 Census Undercount (The Line)

New Mexico inFOCUS: Ep 143 - 2000 Census Undercount (White Sands)

New Mexico inFOCUS: Ep 143 - 2000 Census Undercount (Outro)

"Gold Project Follow-Up," by co-host Gene Grant

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:29:00 +0000

For a lot of, people sitting through a city council hearing is a long way down the list of things they like to do. No argument here, but it’s hard to argue how important a body city council is when it comes to the basic premise of being represented, not in the broad strokes, but for the kind of decisions that impact lives.

And so it was last Monday as the council took on the 2000 Gold condo project.

From my seat in the audience, sitting with Marjorie Childress from the wonderful New Mexico Independent blog, and Nerissa Whittington, whose family develops commercial properties here, there was much to glean from a lot of fronts.

I must say first that in hindsight, New Mexico In Focus panelists Margaret Montoya got it exactly right when she framed the position from the Silver Hill Neighborhood Association as, and I’m paraphrasing, being about, “civic engagement” in what the neighborhood was essentially seeking. When you take that premise and apply it to the ramifications of not just the impact of the project in the neighborhood, but as a harbinger of how we consider density in the city, perhaps we have seen a new era of this kind of decision making.

That said, my observation is that the neighborhood and their advocates against the project made a more compelling case in their testimony. By laying out a narrative on the day to day, minute to minute impact of a structure that size in their neighborhood, they were able to give councilors pause.

On the other side of it, my sense of the argument from the developer side was a tad too esoteric in comparison. Additionally, the framework of the debate, as laid out in the opening, was to determine if the EPC, “erred,” in it’s ruling to turn down the project. That was a big hill to climb, and obviously did not do so given the results.

Scott Darnell made a solid point on this during our segment last week. While we are all concerned about carbon footprint and the environment - and that would include the residents in that neighborhood - density and such, at the end of the day it is and was not a compelling enough case. It hit me as a bit too abstract, and as Scott pointed out, did not include the classic ‘kitchen table” elements it could have, such as how their property values could potentially rise with this project.

One aspect is now abundantly clear however. Some, if not many, neighborhoods are working under 20 plus year old sector plans that are now in conflict with the goals of the Planned growth Strategy, among others. The EPC and council both are profoundly hamstrung on its decision making for infill projects because of it.

So, where do we go from here? It was a watershed moment, as pointed out by councilor Benton. And by sending the situation back to the drawing table, so to speak, the moment continues.

- Gene Grant

Ep. 142: An Author, Two Peace Activists, and Israel's 60th

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:06:00 +0000

It's always great to have an author in our studio - and I admire anyone who can tackle a subject like Michael Benanav did. His book, published last month to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, is called Joshua & Isadora: A Tale of Loss and Love in the Holocaust. It's excellently written.

David Alire Garcia also speaks with two peace activists who started the Muslim-Jewish PeaceWalk. You can read more the co-founders of that movement, and Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb and Abdul Rauf Campos-Marquetti.

Then The Line panelists took on topics as varied as the importance of the Latino vote in the presidential election, to California's recent ruling on gay marriage.

There were also a lot of comments in reaction to our show last week, about a proposed building in the Silver Hills Neighborhood, called the "Gold Street Project."
Although we tried our best to present both sides - which also included a strong opponent at our round-table discussion, a member of the EPC who voted against the project - some of you thought we didn't do a very good balancing act. Our co-host, Gene Grant, who went to the city council meeting where the EPC's negative vote was upheld, adds his thoughts in his blog entry called "Gold Project Follow-up."

Thanks for watching!
Kathy Wimmer

NM inFOCUS: Ep 141 - Green Building Issues

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:17:00 +0000

The Gold Street Project was the direct result of a challenge issued by Mayor Chavez to developers for high density, "green" buildings in the city's main traffic corridors. But some area residents say the proposed project is just too massive for their neighborhood. This week on NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, Gene Grant talks to residents both for and against the project, as well as developers and city planners. Then THE LINE panelists take an in-depth look at the role sexism played in Hillary Clinton's lost bid for the presidency, and discuss New Mexico's ranking in the new National KIDS COUNT Data Report.

...

NM inFOCUS: Ep 141 - Green Building Issues (Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 141 - Green Building Issues (The Gold Street Project)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 141 - Green Building Issues (inFOCUS)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 141 - Green Building Issues (The Line)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 141 - Green Building Issues (Outro)

Episode 141 - Green Giant?

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:33:00 +0000

Hello from your summertime producer of New Mexico In Focus! That was wonderfully warm welcome from Kevin McDonald, but I know that I'll have the best help around -- our great hosts, panelists, and guests make the show. I'll just do what I can to give them some good ingredients - they are the real masters in the kitchen.

Planning the growth of our city by creating sustainable "green" building - it sounds like a no-brainer. But getting things built in Albuquerque involves more than putting a good building on a piece of land. This week on New Mexico In Focus, hosts Gene Grant and David Alire Garcia talk to builders, neighbors, city planners, and others concerning a proposed project near UNM that is causing a lot of controversy, especially over the size of the building. Listen to both sides of the issue, and then check back for our follow-up information on the city council meeting that will take place Monday, June 16, where city councillors will vote on whether or not to adopt a zoning change that will determine the future of the project.

If you miss our TV broadcast, and want to learn more about this issue and other topics The Line panelists take on in their lively discussion, check back on our home page in the next day or so. We'll have it up soon. Meanwhile, you can check out a Powerpoint summary of Albuquerque's Planned Growth Strategy that's chock full of information about our city.

And before you leave this blog, make sure to view Josh Keenan's entry on The Cradle Project and the excellent video that accompanies it.

Until next time!
Kathy Wimmer

The Cradle Project

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:08:00 +0000

The Cradle Project is a fundraising art installation designed to represent the plight of the estimated 48 million children who have been orphaned by disease and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

As a father, its hard for me to imagine my daughter as an orphan.

When I arrived at the art installation known as The Cradle Project, I was blown away by the enormity of the symbolic nature of so many empty cradles.

While the exhibit runs from June 7-28, we wanted to make a video to give the movement a place on the long tail of the internet, so that the message will continue to inspire action, to help these innocent victims in what has become, the African orphan crisis.

To learn more about The Cradle Project click HERE.

Summer Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:22:00 +0000

It wasn't that long ago that KNME's Public Affairs shows actually took the summer off. While it was nice to use that time getting caught up on our work, we know that our viewers depend on our weekly presence every Friday night at 7pm. We respect that opinion, and are excited to be bringing you a new slate of episodes this summer!

There are a few changes in store, however, over the next few months. Nothing that you should notice at home. Primarily, there will be a new creative voice calling the shots behind the scenes. I am taking the next three months to work on another project for KNME. Look for more details on that project a little later. Filling in for me will be the very capable and creative Kathy Wimmer, who is the Production Unit Coordinator here at KNME. Kathy has already been helping out a great deal with the show over the last year or so, and many of you out there already know her.

I know that I always appreciate your feedback and suggestions for the show, and Kathy feels the same way. So, if you have any of those suggestions or ideas, please don't hesitate to email, or leave your thoughts in the comments section of this blog.

Have a great summer, and we'll see you all on T.V.!!!

Kevin McDonald
Public Affairs Producer
kmcdonald@knme.org
(505) 277-1242

Kathy Wimmer
Production Unit Coordinator
kwimmer@knme.org
(505) 277-6539

Episode 140 - Video now available

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:18:00 +0000

Sorry this took so long to post. Sometimes you have to work through technology, instead of with it, as I'm sure you all realize!

NM inFOCUS: Ep 40 - Primary Wrap-Up (Intro)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 40 - Primary Wrap-Up (The Line 1of3)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 40 - Primary Wrap-Up (DEM Primary)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 40 - Primary Wrap-Up (The Line 2of3)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 40 - Primary Wrap-Up (GOP Primary)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 40 - Primary Wrap-Up (The Line 3of3)

NM inFOCUS: Ep 40 - Primary Wrap-Up (Outro)

Episode 140: After the Primaries

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:32:00 +0000

What a wild week in New Mexico politics! The long-awaited primary elections had a little bit of everything, from a mammoth battle between Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce, to a slew of overthrow of a string of state lawmakers. It's obvious that on a local and national level, things are about to change in a big way! It will be an exciting general election, and one that will definitely keep all of us at NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS hopping.

One thing I do wish for in the general election is a better turnout. I honestly expected us to break records on Tuesday, and that just didn't happen. With so many monumental races, I just can't understand why more people didn't get out and vote. With absentee voting and early voting growing in popularity, there is just no excuse for not getting involved in the process. We can only hope that this year's historic presidential election will help to drive people to the polls in November. Only time will tell.

We're still working on getting video of this week's show up for you to watch, in case you missed any. Check back on our home page in the next day or two for the full episode. And, be sure to share it with a friend! Or, better yet, explore some of our past episodes that you may have missed, or possibly enjoyed so much you want to watch again! And, as always, leave us your thoughts and comments. Who knows? We may just share your opinions on-air in an upcoming show!

Jon Adams Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:23:00 +0000

We promised one-on-one interviews with all of the Democrats running for the Third Congressional District. We conducted our last remaining interview last Thursday with Congressional hopeful Jon Adams. Unfortuntely, we've had one technical problem after another. But, not to worry... those problems have now been solved. Without further ado, here is David Alire Garcia's interview with Jon Adams.

Pearce Vs. Wilson Debate - Watch it here!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Sat, 31 May 2008 02:57:00 +0000

Here is a streaming version of the last televised debate between Senate hopefuls Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce, before next Tuesday's Republican Primary. The debate runs for about an hour. Keep watching after the debate for analysis with Gene Grant and THE LINE panelists!

Part 1

Part 2

Let us know what you think about the debate. Just leave us your thoughts in the comments section.

Heather Wilson Vs. Steve Pearce - Watch it Live!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:36:00 +0000

We have an exciting show in store for you this week. It's the last televised debate between Republican Senate hopefuls Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson. The winner in this hotly contested primary will go on to face Tom Udall in the general election.

You can watch the event live this Friday night, in our normal NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS time slot from 7-8pm. It's an Elect New Mexico special, which will be proceeded by a half hour of analysis and discussion, live from the KNME studio from 8-8:30pm. Join Gene Grant and a panel of special guests, for election coverage you can only find here.

And, if you're not near the TV Friday night, not to worry! We will also stream the debate and live post-debate show right here on knme.org. You can also watch it all live on our NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS website from 7-8:30pm.

We hope to see you then!!!

Episode 138 - CD3 Race (part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin McDonald) — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:34:00 +0000

The Democrats

What a wild time it has been trying to get all of the democrats in the Third Congressional District race to sit down for an interview. The situation was immediately complicated by the sheer number of candidates in the race. With a total of six democrats, we had no choice but to divide the candidates into two groups. What we soon learned, though, is some of the candidates were much more flexible with their schedules than others. There may have also been a certain amount of hesitation with some of the candidates, about appearing alongside their competitors. I just know that we offered each of the candidates several different options for coming in, and in the end, only three of them agreed to come on at the same time: Jon Adams, Harry Montoya and Rudy Martin. You can watch David's interview with them here:

As for the other three candidates, that was a much different story. Don Wiviott's camp was hesitant to come on from the very beginning. We gave him several different options, and every time campaign officials said Don couldn't fit us into this schedule. Originally, we had Ben Ray Lujan and Benny Shendo, Jr. scheduled for a joint interview last Tuesday. But, Ben Ray got sick, so we rescheduled for this week. Of course, that was before Benny Shendo dropped a bombshell at a candidate forum in Farmington on Monday. Kate Nash at the Santa Fe New Mexican has more on that story on her great blog, Green Chile Chatter. Needless to say, after that forum, Ben Ray did not want to come on alongside Benny. I can understand the hesitation, but not interviewing deprives voters in the third district of the chance to hear where Lujan is coming from before the June 3rd primary. So, we kept after it, offering Wiviott, Lujan and Shendo one-on-one interviews instead. Wiviott was the first to take us up on the offer, and at the last minute we got the other two candidates to agree as well. Actually, Shendo from the beginning was up for whatever we wanted to do. Out of all of the candidates, he was the most agreeable to going on camera with his thoughts and beliefs.

While I was glad that we got the chance to talk to all of the democratic candidates, I was worried we weren't being entirely fair to the candidates that were willing to come on the show and answer questions alongside their campaign competitors. That is a much different environment for a politician, and I respect that. So, what we decided to do was condense the interviews we did with Wiviott, Lujan and Shendo, which you can see here:

We also decided to post the full interviews with Lujan, Shendo, and Lujan here on our website. To watch the Lujan interview in full, click here.

For the Shendo interview, click here.

And last but not least, watch the full Wiviott interview here.

I also wanted to offer the other three democratic candidates the opportunity to conduct similar, and longer one-on-one interviews. Rudy Martin and Harry Montoya took us up on the offer.

Rudy Martin

Harry Montoya

Jon Adams is planning to come in next week, so you can look for that interview as early as next Thursday.

This is an emotional and hardfought race to say the least. I hope that everyone who is registered to vote will remember to head to the polls on June 3rd to make sure their voice is heard!