No More Normal - SoundSage

View Details

Former KUNM News Director and reporter, Hannah Colton, died by suicide at age 29 in November 2020. We have dedicated every episode of No More Normal to our dear friend and colleague since then, and now – for the last episode of the series – we memorialize her life, work and legacy.

We in the KUNM newsroom remember Hannah for being a great leader and brave reporter. Her friends and family remember her for her radiance and kindness. And no matter how people knew Hannah, it was her openness and ability to really see and hear people that often stands out in their memories.

On August 1, 2021, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., in a special two-hour final espisode of No More Normal, we hear from Hannah’s colleagues, family and friends about her essential work before and during the pandemic, and about who she was inside and beyond that work.

If you would like to share your own memories, or read those of others, head to MemorialForHannah.com.

GUESTS:

Hannah’s parents: Kathy and Brad Colton
Hannah’s KUNM colleagues and friends: Marisa Demarco, Nash Jones, Khalil Ekulona, Ty Bannerman, Kaveh Mowahed, Yasmin Khan, Taylor Velazquez and Megan Kamerick
Hannah’s close personal friends: Keegan Kloer, Aaron Bumgarner, Marya Errin Jones, Adri De La Cruz, Austin Fisher, Monica Demarco and Marina Daldalian
Hannah’s sources: Melanie Yazzie, and Dan and Denise Williams

IN-PERSON VIGIL:

Whether you knew Hannah personally or only through the radio, we invite you to join us Sunday evening following the live broadcast of the show to honor her memory at a public, in-person vigil. We’ll gather to mourn, remember and sing songs that Hannah selected for a community event she was planning before she passed.

Vigil Details:

When: 7 p.m., Sunday, August 1, 2021
Where: Tiguex Park, 1800 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque
Who: Open to the public

RESOURCES:

If you or someone you know is considering suicide or is otherwise experiencing a mental or emotional crisis, call the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line at 1-855-NM-CRISIS or the Agora Crisis Center at 505-277-3013.
If you are not in crisis, but want to connect with someone about difficult feelings, call the New Mexico Peer-To-Peer Warmline: 1-855-4NM-7100, 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. daily, or text between 6 - 11 p.m., or the Agora Crisis Center at 505-277-3013.
If you are a New Mexico journalist or medical worker in need of someone to talk to, call the First Responder Support Line at 1-855-507-5509.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
TrevorLifeline for LGBTQ youth: 1-866-488-7386

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Artist Miriam Gwilt, whose artwork represents this episode online.
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt who produced some of the show’s themes.
KUNM reporter, Nash Jones, who co-produced this episode alongside former KUNM reporter and NoMoNo Executive Producer, Marisa Demarco.

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Almost exactly one year ago former executive producer Marisa Demarco and host Khalil Ekulona were developing NoMoNo using what we learned from the previous four months of covering the pandemic with the show Your New Mexico Government. You might remember, YNMG was 5 days a week. First it was an hour, then a half hour then the schedule changed up a couple of times. The pandemic was new to all of us, to every human on the planet. It was the first of many changes to our collective reality and uncertainty was the word of the time. We think the word uncertainty has been said more times on this show than our nickname, NoMoNo. Yet in those uncertain times we knew that things would not be the same. No matter when our lives got back to some semblance of normality.

We also knew that we had to answer the call. To ask questions. Questions to public officials about the direction and effectiveness of their response to covid. Questions to activists and organizations asking who is in need of help and how can that help get to them. With a shared focus on racial justice we aired stories that examine the continuing pandmeic of racism.

Today we take a look at the past 16 months of No More Normal and share moments that stood out as we wrap up this interesting, funky show.

NEXT WEEK: We honor the life and work of Hannah Colton. Tune in to see why she is always in our hearts.

SPECIAL THANKS:

Thank you to all of our guests who gave their time to share their experience, insights, and expertise with us over the past 16 months. The show is nothing without our guests. We thank you for being generous with your time.
Thanks to our media partners: New Mexico PBS and The Santa Fe Reporter
Thanks to the news team at KUNM for help with editing and providing outstanding reporting and content to the show.
Thanks to our music contributors: Jazztone The Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records.
Thanks to Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt for producing some of the show's themes.
Super thanks to you, our listeners, for tuning in each week and sharing your time with us.

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM and New Mexico PBS. Funding for our coverage comes from the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Music! It drives us to hit the dance floor and creates the landscape of our memorable moments in life. Seeing that music is so influential it is the perfect opportunity to inquire about the people who make the music we listen to. How are musicians faring after taking a year off from performing publicly? What about the venues where we gather to rock with our favorite bands or DJ’s?

Those that were able to stay afloat during the pandemic are gearing up to have the events that we’ve all missed so dearly. In episode 36 we talk to some of the people responsible for the music we listen to.

GUESTS:

Jerome Williams - DJ Jrock
Vanessa Bowen - Tsidii
Eddie Saenz - DJ Diamond Tip
Anjo King
James Black
Roscoe Floyd - DJ Flo Fader
Sydney Counce - Manager, Dust City Opera
Jesus Gomez - Owner, Canvas Artistry
Jeff Alberson - Jazztone The Producer
Cheo Melendez - Cheo
Dominic Ruiz - Dahm Life
Alexei Pacholuk - Business School
Colin Botsford - Sun Dog
Luz Allison - Sun Dog
Jeremy Jasper - Owner, Oh Lawd Records
Lauren Poole - Prism Bitch
Chris Walsh - Prism Bitch
Teresa Cruces - Prism Bitch
Tom Guralnick - Founder, Outpost Performance Space

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing the sonic backdrop to NoMoNo. We are in deep gratitude for your generosity.
Megan Kamerick for the editing help.

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

View Details

Sports has been a form of entertainment for humans since, well... humans. While not all of us get obsessed with our favorite teams and look to flip over police cars when our squad wins the title, we do find ourselves lost in a world of athletic prowess and skill. Sports serve as a great tool to teach lessons to the youth. They learn about teamwork, dedication, loyalty, setting goals, and hard work. They also learn how to have fun. What is life without a little fun? Even if you are not a heavy sports fan, episode 35 will give you something to cheer about.

GUESTS:

Santiago Cooper - Shortstop, Sandia Prep Varsity Baseball
Scott Brandt - Head Coach, Sandia Prep Varsity Baseball
Willie Owens - Athletic Director, Sandia Prep
Mario Moccia- Athletic Director, New Mexico State University
Natalia Chavez - Guard, Volcano Vista High School Girls Basketball
Jaelyn Bates - Guard, Volcano Vista High School Girls Basketball
Kennedy Brown - Guard, Volcano Vista High School Girls Basketball
Lisa Villareal - Head Coach, Volcano Vista High School Girls Basketball
Jason Pohl - Technical Director, Pro View Networks
Alden Iowane - Scheduler/Programer, Pro View Networks
Jesse Hendricks - The Prognosticators
Rod Parker - The Prognosticators
Benjamin Eaglin - The Prognosticators

CHECK OUT:

Game winning shot by Natalia Chavez (SportsCenter to 10)
Sandia Prep's state championship game

NEXT WEEK: It's all about the music. Live music performances are back and people are dancing. What about the musicians and dj’s who had massive changes to their lives? What about the performance venues who almost closed? What about the ones that did? Find out with us on the Next No More Normal.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Jazztone The Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show’s themes.

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

We are officially a few days into New Mexico’s reopening. Restaurants and venues are now at full capacity. Some people are eschewing their masks and are ready to have some summer fun. But what about people who are not ready to move on? What about the great losses we collectively and individually suffered? How are we supposed to move on, as if nothing happened? This week we continue our conversation on grief and transformation as we discover ways to process the events of the pandemic and its effects on families, friends, communities, and ourselves.

GUESTS:

Megan Devine - Author of “It’s OK That You’re Not OK”, psychotherapist, grief advocate,
Dr. Froma Walsh - Co-Director and Co-Founder of the Chicago Center for Family Health
Jade Richardson Bock - Executive Director, Children's Grief Center
Noah Cochran - Clinical Social Worker, Covid Grief Network
Kristin Urquiza - Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director, Chief Activist - Marked By Covid
Nancy Mance - Trauma Consultant, Grief Counselor - Office Of The Medical Investigator (OMI)

NEXT WEEK: If you want a sign that things are picking back up just look in the stands of televised sporting events. The stands are getting packed! Last year it was the NBA that was the first major American institution to put a halt to its operations as covid set in. Where are we a year later? How did the covid and the growing awareness of social issues affect the world of sports? That's next week on No More Normal.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Jazztone The Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show’s themes.

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

View Details

New Mexico will be fully reopened on July 1, and people are getting back to what some describe as normal activities. But how can we just get back to normal after we all went through—more than a year of heavy, powerful change? What about all the losses people suffered? Loved ones and friends are gone. Homes taken away. Careers and opportunities disappeared. The future you thought you were heading toward vanished. And your old self—who you thought you were—that person might be gone or different, too. How can we move ahead while honoring what has occurred?

In episode 33. we search for clues about how to carry our freshly transformed selves forward into the future. We find some perspective about grief and transformation, in this new form of normal.

GUESTS:

Rev. Amani Malika - Albuquerque Center for Spiritual Living
Dee Brown
Christopher Gonzalez
Samantha Giovenco
Shaun Gay
Troy Williams
Ren Ortiz
Nicole Colchete
Sylvia Krayner
Robin Douglas
Raymond Stone
Samantha Stone
Diana Schaver
Donna Benson
Delores Pierce
Linda O'Rourke
Susan Stover
Jim Albright

NEXT WEEK: We continue our look at grief and transformation asking how do we do this? How do we process our grief while looking at an unclear future? We get some help from authors and experts on the topic of grief, and we continue to hear from people out in the world about what they are thinking as they move forward. That’s next week on No More Normal.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Artist Courtney Baca whose artwork represents this episode online.
Jazztone the producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sundog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show’s themes.

SUPER SPECIAL THANKS TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER MARISA DEMARCO:

Marisa will be moving on from NoMoNo as she is about to begin an amazing opportunity. New Mexicans are going to be very well taken care of when it comes to local news and the things that matter. Never have we worked with a more brilliant, passionate, and dedicated person. This past year and a half of working closely with Marisa has transformed us into better humans. For our media partners and listeners of this show that we’ve all worked so hard on, thank you, Marisa, for everything.

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM and New Mexico PBS. Funding for our coverage comes from the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

One hundred and fifty-eight years ago, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, putting an end to slavery in the United States. News traveled slowly in those days—no social media to spread the word. But this executive order took an especially long time to get to all corners of the country: two-and-a-half years, in fact. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, where the last enslaved people were told of their freedoms. From that moment on, African Americans have celebrated June 19 as the end of slavery in their communities, towns and cities. What do they celebrate? Freedom for one. There is also a theme of remembering our ancestors who survived almost unfathomable hardships so that we can be here, today.

How does celebrating emancipation resonate right now with the fight against racist police violence re-ignited? 2021 also marks a century since the Tulsa Massacre. How does that history call to the celebrations of freedom at this moment? On episode 32, we meet some New Mexicans to discover how Juneteenth and its meaning reflects in who they are today—and we talk through what they think about being Black in the Land of Enchantment.

GUESTS:

Jason Carter - Host, journalist, media personality
Nichole Rogers - African American Business and Community Liaison - City of Albuquerque
Melody Wells - Nonprofit fundraiser
Amir Chapel - Researcher and policy analyst
Jeron Campbell - Founder and principal, ACES Public Schools
Siddiq Abdallah - Author and poet

NEXT WEEK: Re-opening is happening, and our lives are getting back to normal. Wait, there is no more normal, right? How can we move on and pick it all back up like nothing happened? More than 600,000 people died in the U.S. And there have been 3.85 million deaths from COVID globally. People lost loved ones and friends. We all lost our old lives. Next time on NoMoNo, we look at the grief we experienced and the transformation that hit us all and ask: How do we do this?

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Our guests for sharing their experience, insights and expertise with us.
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall and Bigawatt produced some of the show’s themes.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

For more than a year now, this show has been keeping pace with changes large and small, noting them and documenting them. It’s about looking closely and creating a record of this historic year in human history. It’s also been an unusual time for journalists themselves. Today, we’re talking about the behind-the-scenes thinking and decision-making that goes into telling stories.

What was it like to report the news during one of the most consequential periods of modern history? What did it do to us, as individuals, tasked to discover and share the stories of great importance - with you? How did journalists have to pivot and adapt to a media environment flooded in a cyclone of misinformation and disinformation? How are we going to look at our jobs, the industry, the collective consciousness of the country, now that things have fundamentally changed?

GUESTS:

Megan Kamerick, host and reporter for KUNM and New Mexico PBS
Julia Goldberg, journalist with the Santa Fe Reporter
Austin Fisher, freelance reporter, former news editor at the Rio Grande Sun
Shuan Griswold, reporter for New Mexico In Depth
Kevin McDonald, executive producer and production manager for New Mexico PBS
Marisa Demarco, reporter for KUNM and executive producer for NoMoNo
Khalil Ekulona, NoMoNo host and reporter for KUNM

NEXT WEEK: Employers are hiring. They really are looking. Some offer bonuses and prizes just for applying. Republican governors are cutting off those extra federal benefits in order to push people back to work. People who want to work say they want to get paid more farily for what they do. With an economy driven by spending, the need for cash is at hand. We’re in the money—well, we’re talking about it at least. That’s next week on No More Normal.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Our guests for sharing their experience, insights, and expertise with us
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show’s themes.

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

Young people in the last decades have had to study more than academics—they’ve had to learn what to do when a person shows up to your school with a gun and starts shooting. And unfortunately those types of skills could help you anywhere these days—even on Capitol Hill. As the American pandemic of gun violence grows, so do the arguments about what can be done about it. Often those arguments are about the Second Amendment, but do we have the right to bear arms ... right? Or are we arguing about it wrong? NoMoNo hits part two of our look at gun violence.

In episode 30, we talk with a researcher who asks if mass shootings and other public forms of gun violence are contagious, a gun owner who explains why he’s a liberal and supports gun owners' rights, a couple of professors—one about the Second Amendment and another about guns as a public health issue. And we take a trip out to the shooting range with Henry Hutchinson to talk about safety and his perspective as a gun owner.

GUESTS:

Henry Hutchinson - Gun Owner
JD Butter - Gun Owner
Peter Kierst - Constitutional Law Professor, University of New Mexico
David Hemenway - Professor of Health Policy, Director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard University
Sherry Towers - Statistician and Data Scientist

RESOURCES:

AGORA CRISIS CENTER - 505-277-3013 - ONLINE CHAT ROOM
NM CRISIS HOTLINE - 1-855-N-M-CRISIS
NM WARMLINE - 1-855-4NM-7100

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Henry Hutchinson for taking us out to practice shooting
Kaveh Mowahed for the editing help
Taylor Velazquez for her contributions
Our guests for offering their experiences, insight and expertise
Thanks to Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music to the show, Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show's themes

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

As of Friday, May 14, there have been nearly 16,000 deaths due to guns so far this year in the United States, according to data from Gun Violence Archive. Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic, protests about racial equity, and the general election dominated our attention, but that doesn’t mean that other serious matters like gun violence disappeared. Data from the archive shows that nearly 20,000 Americans died by guns last year—the highest total number of deaths in at least the last two decades. The problem didn’t go away. Our attention did. In episode 29 we take a look at the problem of gun violence in America, where we stand and what can be done about it.

GUESTS:

Jillian Peterson—co-founder and president, The Violence Project (Off-Ramp Project)
Miranda Viscoli—co-president, New Mexicans To Prevent Gun Violence
Tim Quinn—spokesperson, Gun Control Australia

RESOURCES:

AGORA CRISIS CENTER - 505-277-3013 - ONLINE CHAT ROOM
NM CRISIS HOTLINE - 1-855-N-M-CRISIS
NM WARMLINE - 1-855-4NM-7100

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Our guests for sharing their experience and expertise with us
Kaveh Mowahed for pitching in with editing help
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show. Khaki, Pope Yesyeyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show's themes.

Taylor is one of the very best and brightest we've seen come through the newsroom, and she's really chill about it, too. No ego. Just elbow grease. She worked so hard on No More Normal and in the newsroom during the pandemic. We are really going to miss her. This week, she took her last finals, graduated from UNM and co-hosted the show with Khalil.

Good luck to you, Taylor, in all of life's pursuits. You truly ROCK!!!!!

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

Humans are peculiar. We are capable thoughts, feelings, and expressions ranging from unconditional love to insidious hate. It begs the question: where do we learn those concepts? And then: How do we unlearn them? Here is a good one: How does someone who has been a member of a group that professes hatred of other humans leave that community and ideology behind? What are the steps? What’s the process like? Who are the people that can help them?

There is no excuse for hate and oppression. That much is very clear. However, when one recognizes the poison of their thoughts and actions, how can they walk away from beliefs that feel key to their identities? How can they move forward fully accountable for their actions? Is there potential for redemption? In episode 28, we talk with a clinical psychologist about implicit bias, counselors on how to bring back family and friends who may have gone too far down the QAnon rabbit hole. And we hear from a former white supremacist who is helping others leave those groups and shed the thoughts of hate.

GUESTS:

Tony McAleer, author of The Cure For Hate - A Former White Supremacists Journey From Violent Extremisim to Radical Compassion
Diane Benscoter, founder, Own Your Brain
Dr. John Dovidio, professor emeritus, Yale Universtiy
Rachel Bernstein, therapist, host of IndoctoriNation Podcast
Joseph Kelly, cult mediation specialist, Cult Mediation

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Our guests for sharing their experience and expertise with us
Taylor Velazquez for pitching in with editing help
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show. Khaki, Pope Yesyeyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show's themes.

Episode photo courtesy of Tony McAleer

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

After many attempts over what seems like forever, New Mexico has finally passed a law making recreational cannabis use legal for adults. But the rollout is not as simple as lighting a match as special considerations for how this new law will impact New Mexicans must be addressed. It raises a lot of questions: What happens to people with prior cannabis convictions? Who will have access to the emerging industry? How will equity be enacted? And how will this affect you if you don’t have citizenship status?

In Episode 27, we ask the people of Albuquerque how they feel about weed being legal. We learn about how the new law affects immigrant communities. We hear about the long fight for the Drug Policy Alliance, how one veteran is determined to use grass to help other vets, and we talk to two people whose lives were interrupted because of that so-called “war on drugs.”

GUESTS:

Kim Chavez Cook, appellate defender, Law Office of the Public Defender
Emily Kaltenbach, New Mexico Drug Policy Alliance
Armando and Aarika, Bold Futures New Mexico
Arifa Raza, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
Diana Torres, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
Dick Wilkinson, army veteran and founder of the New Mexico Veterans Cannabis Alliance

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Our guests for sharing their experience and expertise with us
Zelie Pollon, Megan Kamerick, and Taylor Velazquez for pitching in with editing help.
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show. Khaki, Pope Yesyeyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show's themes.

Episode Art Courtesy:

JURASSIC BLUEBERRIES VIA CC

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM and New Mexico PBS. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

The illness of racism was here long before Covid-19, but the pandemic brought it out into a brighter focus. It is too blinding not to see it. It is too loud to be silent in its presence. So we are going to make some noise of our own—the kind of noise you can dance to. On Episode 26, we highlight the dialogues we’ve had over the past year with anti-racist educators and leaders. As the country loops back through a national call to self-destruct on Sunday, April 11, NoMoNo spins remixes of conversations and wall-to-wall beats.

Because of the rules around copyright, we can't post the audio as it aired with some of our favorite songs and vocalists speaking to the nuances of these issues. If you want to, find the megahits edition on our two-week archive for Sunday, April 11, at 11 a.m.

GUESTS:

Tim Wise, Scott Davis, Archbishop John Wester, Monique Salhab, Nina Robinson, Melanie Yazzie, Ademola Ekulona, Hunter Marshall, Jeremy Jasper, Ben Makuch, Barbara Jordan, Djasi Falcon, Senator Martin Heinrich, Ebony Isis Booth, Dr. Anthony Fleg, John Biewen, Awad Bilal and Jane Elliott.

NEXT WEEK: The state has done it, recreational marijuana has passed the state Legislature and is soon to be put into the books by the governor. What does that really mean for New Mexico? Find out next week on No More Normal.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

All of the musicians who recorded those jams we aired that stand the test of time in creating an atmosphere of love
Everyone who is working toward a time on earth where human beings are good to each other, fair, healthy and just.
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, SunDog and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show’s themes

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

2020 was a long year. We don't have to tell you. It was a constant barrage of reality-shaping events, and it hasn’t stopped. What is different for us now that we are on the verge of—maybe, knock on wood—coming out of the pandemic? How are the leaders we elected approaching their duties now? How are activists applying what they’ve learned to push their causes forward? How are the people who experienced hardship pre-pandemic adapting to a possible post-pandemic life? No More Normal reflects on last year while keeping our focus on the future.

GUESTS:

Archbishop John Wester
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez
Steven Allen, director of the New Mexico Prison & Jail Project
Nadia Fazel, public health lead adviser for Albuquerque Healthcare for the Homeless
Brooke Tafoya, director of operations for New Day Youth and Family Services
Karina Pizaro, essential childcare worker
Melanie Yazzie and Cleo Otero from The Red Nation
Maggie Toulouse Oliver, secretary of state
Matt Bieber, spokesperson for the N.M. Department of Health
Henry Valdez, spokesperson for the N.M. Department of Finance and Administration

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Vanessa Bowen for the artwork. And NoMoNo trivia: Bowne also designed the show's logos.
Zelie Pollon, Yasmin Khan, and Taylor Velazuquez for their contributions. And virtual high-fives to Zelie, Taylor and Megan Kamerick for the editing help.
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, SunDog and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show’s themes

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

The 2021 Legislative Session is now over... or is it? Lawmakers ended a whirlwind couple of months by passing 158 bills, but as always the time ran out on dozens of other measures. In today's update we run down the big bills that made it across the finish line, and the ones that will have to wait for another year. One of those bills was the adult-use cannabis legalization measure, which just ran out of time and oxygen in the last hours of the session. But, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham thinks the proposal is close enough, she has already announced a special session to finish the work on what was House Bill 12. She says the framework is there and New Mexicans shouldn't have to wait another year to see this happen. That Special Session will happen around March 31st and will cost taxpayers roughly $50,000 a day. We'll be back to break it all down once the final details have been released. We will also have much more on the cannabis legalization debate, this week on our podcast collaboration with New Mexico Political Report, "Growing Forward."

Your New Mexico Government is a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

A lot of fireworks throughout the night and into the wee hours of the morning. All of that means we are in for a wild ride in the last day and a half of the 2021 legislative session. Some of the big highlights and takeaways of the last 24 hours: the Land Grant Permanent Fund Amendment (HJR 1) made it through the Senate and appears to be headed to a ballot near you, after years of effort. Also, the Healthy Workplaces Act (HB 20), which was changed back early this morning to only affect private sector employers, who would have to give their employees paid sick leave. That was where the fireworks really started as you can discover more in Dan Boyd's article, out this morning in the Albuquerque Journal.

As for today, all eyes will be on the Senate once again, for the debate and potential vote on cannabis legalization in New Mexico. The Senate is set to reconvene again at about noon today.

The legislative session ends tomorrow at 12pm noon, so the clock begins to officially speed up from here on in.

Your New Mexico Government is a collaboration between KUNM,New Mexico PBSand theSanta Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

A late night/early morning helps push cannabis legalization legislation one step closer to the finish line. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5-4 to advance House Bill 12 to the full Senate just after 1:30am this morning. That was after hours of amendments and debate, which will no doubt foreshadow an epic showdown when and if the bill comes up for a vote of the full chamber. Read more about it all, and another bill that would limit reciprocity practices within the medical cannabis program in this morning's New Mexico Political Report. Andy Lyman is always right on top of these issues, and he just also happens to be co-host of our collaborative podcast project "Growing Forward."

We also have updates for you this morning on predatory lending reform, the Civil Rights Bill and also the status of priority #1, the state budget (House Bill 2).

And, we encourage you to read more about some of the internal dynamics of the Senate Judiciary Committee and chairman Joe Cervantes, from reporter Robert Nott at the Santa Fe New Mexican. The committee has taken a fair amount of criticism for the pace at which it is hearing bills, but in the debate early this morning, there was bipartisan support amongst the committee members on how they go about their work.

2 and a half days and counting...

View Details

A lot of the activity here in the last days of the session, not surprisingly, is focused on money matters. The first order of business each year is of course the budget (HB 2), and that seems to be nearing the finish line with just three and a half days left to go. Also, lawmakers in the House yesterday unanimously approved a Capital Outlay package (HB 285). Now it's up to the Senate to pick up the baton.

A measure to tap more money from the Land Grant Permanent Fund is also moving forward to the full Senate, after a historic vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday. A staple of recent legislative sessions, the measure has never made it this far before. All that stands between it and the Governor's desk is a full Senate vote. If all of that happens, it would still end up n the November 2022 ballot for voters to ultimately decide.

Also in today's YNMG update:

Progress on HB 20 which would require private employees earn paid sick leave. It passed out of Senate Judiciary yesterday with changes and is now also headed to the full Senate for consideration.
HB 4, the Civil Rights Bill, is also nearing the finish line. It passed the full Senate yesterday on a 26-15 vote. The House still needs to approve changes, otherwise a conference committee will face that task. HB 4 would remove the qualified immunity defense in lawsuits where people claim police or other public agencies violated their civil rights. It would cap damages at $2 million dollars per incident.
Cannabis Legalization - Both HB 12 and SB 288 are expected to be heard today in Senate Judiciary, but nothing is ever for sure at this time of the session.

View Details

Things are definitely moving fast and furious in the Roundhouse, as you would expect with only 4 and half days left in this year's session.

One of the fastest moving bills is House Bill 47, which is the Medical Aid in Dying Measure that recently passed through the full House. It followed suit yesterday in the Senate after more than two and a half hours of emotional debate and discussion. Three democrats joined the republicans in opposing the bill, which now heads back to the House for concurrence on the changes made in the Senate. From there, it is headed to the Governor's desk, where she is expected to sign it.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is once again the center of a lot of attention in the legislative session. That's because chairman of the committee Joe Cervantes asked for the chance to consider the paid sick leave measure (House Bill 20). Originally scheduled for discussion yesterday on the Senate Floor, it has now been assigned to Senate Judiciary, with a hearing tentatively scheduled for Thursday morning. That doesn't leave a lot of time for the measure to make it across the finish line.

Senate Judiciary is also still where the two cannabis legalization bills are stalled (HB 12 and SB 288). The committee meets today, but neither bills are on the agenda. That leaves the outcome of legalization this year in murky waters. You can get much more on the cannabis news by subscribing to our "Growing Forward" podcast, a collaboration with New Mexico Political Report. And, be sure to read Andy Lyman's latest offering today about another cannabis-related measure that would tighten up the state's reciprocity practices for medical cannabis licenses.

And lastly, it appears we all should get used to changing our clocks twice a year, as the measure (SB 102) to follow daylight savings all year in New Mexico was tabled in committee yesterday. It's not a death sentence, but the proposal is definitely on life support as the hours tick down.

View Details

A busy weekend in the Roundhouse, capped off by yes votes for Medical Aid in Dying and Mandatory Paid Sick Leave measures. But, the big news of the weekend was the lack of action on cannabis legalization, as both of the remaining bills did not come up for discussion in the Senate Judiciary Committee. One of those bills was actually pulled from consideration just minutes before the meeting. And, of course, all of the proposed measures are up against the clock, with time set to run out on this year's session at noon on Saturday. We'll be back with more updates tomorrow, and as always, let us know what issues you are tracking in this busy 60-day session.

View Details

Twelve months ago, team NoMoNo was busy having conversations about how we were going to make a show that covered the response to a global pandemic. What did we want to talk about? What was not being talked about? What was the vital info? What were the nuances? What life-and-death decisions were being made by public officials. Who needed help—and where is the help? We’ve worked hard over the last year to provide those answers.

The thing about the pandemic is that we’re all going through it. Every single one of us. In the past year, we, as a collective have suffered the losses of loved ones and friends. Many have lost jobs and the means to survive. People have lost hope, as the fatigue of living one year in a global pandemic sets in. As we thought about looking back on a year, we threw around a lot of ideas for guests—politicians, leaders, organizers. And we arrived at: How about just … people? People who lived through it, day-to-day? That's what Episode 24 is all about.

GUESTS:

Eva Avenue
Catherine Hudson
Shaun Gay
Lynn Embick
David Hayden
Alicia Webb
Calliope Webb
Glenn Loppnow
Benjamin Eaglin
Stewart Dorris
Claire Porter
Orlando Watts
Courtney FitzGerald
Jeff Proctor

Your NM Gov: In this week's episode, we've got Jeff Proctor from the Santa Fe Reporter telling us about all the police-reform action at the Legislature, including the Civil Rights bill.And with the legislative session heading into the final lap, it is important that you know what is going on at the Roundhouse. Your New Mexico Government is where you can find daily updates on all the news coming out of Santa Fe. Look for "No More Normal" on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get those daily updates.

NEXT WEEK: On the next No More Normal, we continue our look back at the past year, and we give a wrap up of the legislative session in Santa Fe.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

bug carlson for allowing us to use "Transpecies Viral Landscape I" as artwork for the online version of the show.
Jazztone the producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sundog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show’s themes.
Taylor Velasquez helps with social media, story generation and editing
Thanks to Nash Jones and Ty Bannerman for their contributions.

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

View Details

We're now just a little over a week away from the end of the 2021 legislative session. And outside of some changes to the state's liquor laws, and pandemic relief for New Mexico businesses, not a lot has crossed the finish line. But, no doubt we are in for a flourish of activity in the last 7 and a half days in the Roundhouse. In today's episode we update several bills we've been tracking pretty closely, and discuss some measures we haven't touched on yet at all. Here's the rundown:

HB 211 - Redistricting Reform. This bill has largely been left behind, as Senate Bill 15 plows ahead through the legislature this year. But HB 211 was actually the direct outcome of a Redistricting Task Force created last year to make this once a decade process more fair, transparent and non-partisan. Sponsor Rebecca Dow yesterday tried to push for a vote on HB 211 on the House Floor, after it has languished in the committee process, but that tactic failed. Both HB 211 and SB 5 are scheduled to be heard today in House Judiciary.

HJR 1 - This is the measure that would allow the state to pull money from the permanent land grant fund to pay for early childhood education programs. It was discussed in Senate Judiciary yesterday, but no vote was taken. Still, this marks a milestone, as the measure has never actually been heard in a Senate committee in the past, even though it has passed out of the House several times.

SB 11 – This would create a clean fuel standard for New Mexico. The measure, sponsored by Senator Mimi Stewart (D) passed out of the full Senate 25-14

SB 80 - This is a bill, often called The CROWN Act, which offers protections for cultural hairstyles and headdresses. The City of Albuquerque recently adopted this measure, and SB 60 would offer the same protections to New Mexico students. It passed out of the full Senate last night on a unanimous vote. (Note: in the podcast, we mistakenly identified this as SB 60. We apologize for the confusion)

The Senate is back today at 11, and the House meets at 2:30pm.

View Details

If you are interested in the most inner workings of state government, today's Your NM Government update is just for you! The work Wednesday in the Roundhouse was somewhat overshadowed by technical problems with the virtual proceedings. But a lot of the business that was considered had to do with how the sausage is made, so to speak. Here's a quick rundown of what we talked about in today's update:

Senate Bill 74 - This is a measure designed to curb the Governor's powers during a public emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic. This is something Republican lawmakers have been critical of nearly throughout the past year, but it has languished in the Senate for nearly three weeks. Bottom line, there was a push to take a vote in the full Senate, but it failed 14-24. It does not seem likely to get that vote, either, before the session ends, as Governor Lujan Grisham has indicated she would likely veto it if approved by lawmakers.

House Bill 4 – This is the New Mexico Civil Rights Act that came out of this summer's Black Lives Matter protests. Part of the call for police reform included getting rid of the legal protection of qualified immunity for officers and other government employees. It did make it out of Senate Judiciary yesterday with changes, but will there be enough time to get this over the finish line?

House Bill 2 - This is the top priority of any legislative session, the budget. It has already been approved by the House, but the Senate Finance Committee is apparently interested in some tweaks, especially to add more money to the Opportunity Scholarship program and Lottery Scholarship program. Lots of support, but the committee still has to officially vote on these changes, before it would head to the full Senate for a vote.

House Joint Resolution 12 - This one is a nearly annual affair, and would change our status as the only remaining citizen legislature. If approved, it would allow voters to decide if lawmakers should start drawing a salary, instead of the daily per diem they now receive for travel and expenses. This measure passed the full House on a 44-24 vote, but now heads to the Senate where it has floundered in recent years.

Keep an eye today on the Senate Finance Committee, which is scheduled to meet about 30 minutes after the full Senate Floor Session. They may get to HJR1, the measure to tap the Permanent Land Grant Fund to pay for early childhood education programs, but only the clock knows for sure!

The Senate is back today at 11, and the House meets at 2:30pm.

View Details

And then there were 2 --- cannabis legalization bills. At least that's the way things seem to be shaping up in this 2021 Legislative Session.

Yesterday, the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee moved ahead both HB 12 and SB 288, although with changes to both measures. Those changes actually bring the two bills closer in line, with the big difference being oversight of a new legal cannabis market. HB 12 leaves that to Licensing and Regulation, while SB 288 would create a new supervisory panel. The other difference is, HB 12 has a shorter path to potential passage, since it has already worked its way through the House of Representatives. You can read more about all of this from Andy Lyman at New Mexico Political Report, and be sure to keep up to date with our "Growing Forward" podcast, all about the cannabis industry in New Mexico. It's a collaborative project between NMPBS and New Mexico Political Report.

Some of the other highlights from yesterday's legislative action:

HB 255 – This passed the full Senate on a 29-11 vote, but not without a total of 8 amendments. This measure includes sweeping reforms to the state's liquor laws and would allow for home delivery of some alcohol and a new ban on the sale of mini liquor bottles as gas stations. In addition, Sunday liquor sales could now start before 11am. The House quickly concurred with the changes, and so HB 255 is on to the Governor's desk for her signature.

SB 32 - This is known as Roxy's law, named after a Blue Heeler killed by a wildlife trap back in 2018. SB 32 bans the use of wildlife traps, snares and poisons on New Mexico's public lands. It also passed the full Senate and is headed to the House for consideration. You can learn more about this issue from a recent Facebook Live conversation hosted by New Mexico in Focus host Gene Grant.

As for today, here are some of the big issues that could come up in various committee hearings that we discussed in this episode:

House Health and Human Services Committee – 8:30am

HB 177: Homemade Food Act

House Judiciary – 11:30am

SB 286: Special Congressional Election Changes

Senate Education – 8:30am

HB 163: Requiring high school students to take a financial literacy class

Senate Finance – Roughly a half hour after the Floor session ends

HJR 1 - Tapping the Permanent Land Grant Fund to pay for early childhood education programs

View Details

The big news in the Roundhouse yesterday had nothing to do with specific legislation, but an announcement from the Department of Education that schools should reopen for in-person learning by April 5th. This comes on the heels of another announcement by the Department of Health that all educators and school support staff should be able to get at least the first round of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of March. Students and parents would still be able to choose to finish out the year virtually, but bottom line, any student that wants to head back to the classroom will soon be able to.

Other items we discuss in today's Your NM Gov Update:

House Bill 20 - Paid Sick Leave for all New Mexico Workers. This has now passed out of the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee, but only after its official start date was changed to July of 2022. This bill now heads to one las committee assignment in Taxation, Business and Transportation.

Senate Joint Resolution 22 - This measure would allow for the possibility of ranked choice voting in state elections. It stalled, though, in Senate Rules, although supporters say they are optimistic it might be revived before the session ends. Given how much work there is left to do in not a lot of time, that may be just wishful thinking, though.

Senate Bill 94 – This bill would allow student athletes at New Mexico colleges and universities to earn money or other compensation from the use of their name, image or likeness. It is now headed to the full House for a vote. If approved, it will be on to the Governor's desk for her signature.

All eyes today will be on the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation committee, as members hear about the latest attempts to legalize recreational-use cannabis. There are at least three competing proposals out there, although the House has already approved HB 12 nearly two weeks ago. This discussion was originally scheduled for Saturday, but Committee Chairman Benny Shendo pushed it back to today so the authors of the remaining bills could try to come to consensus on one measure moving forward. That hearing will start about 1:30pm today and you can follow along on the webcast by heading to the New Mexico PBS homepage.

We also mentioned this morning an online petition surrounding efforts to reform the process of redistricting in New Mexico. A compromise bill (SB 15) is making its way through the Roundhouse, but opponents think there are still big concerns about the transparency and fairness of this measure.

Let us know what bills or issues you are following as the session heads into the final days of the 2021 session.

View Details

Another busy week in store for the session, and today also marks the second to last Monday of the 2021 Legislative Session. Lawmakers will definitely have their hands full in these last days, with plenty of high profile measures still to decide.

Today we talk the status of House Joint Resolution 1, which is an annual effort to allow the state to take more money from the permanent land grant fund and put that money (about $170 million a year) toward early childhood programs. This measure has often been a political hot potato, but it passed out of Senate Rules on a 7-4 vote. Next, it will move to Senate Finance.

Senate Bill 102 is the measure to keep New Mexico on daylight savings time year round, if the federal government approves. That measure is also moving forward after passing the full Senate Friday evening 22-18.

Senate Bill 15 is the compromise bill around redistricting reform. It is also moving forward after passing out of Senate Judiciary over the weekend. Next stop, the full Senate Floor.

There are also developments on legislation to do away with qualified immunity protections for police and other government employees who violate individual's civil rights. Senate Bill 376 which would change the state's Tort Claims Act to prohibit the use of qualified immunity stalled in committee over the weekend. That may have consequences for the New Mexico Civil Rights Act, HB4, which would eliminate the qualified immunity defense in New Mexico entirely. We talked about this issue on The Line on New Mexico in Focus Friday night. We encourage you to give it a watch to learn more about the debate and discussion on the issue.

The Full House will once again convene today at 11am, and the Senate gathers at about 2:30pm to consider business. And, there is a full slate of committee hearings as well. You can find the full schedule, webcast information and more by heading to the New Mexico PBS homepage.

Let us know what bills or issues you are following and we will do our best to keep you up to date on all of that as the session heads into the final days of the 2021 session.

View Details

Where do you get your news? Rather, where do you get your stories? Even more: how do stories shape us? And who are the people crafting these stories—what’s their story? For our second episode on black history, we are looking into storytelling and the people who craft the narrative, offering us insights we may have passed by.

We featured stories and conversations with host Khalil Ekulona's family last week, but family is not the only place that provides us with stories. We get it from the news we read as well. In episode 23, we get to know some of the African American journalists who are familiar to television audiences in New Mexico and around the country.

GUESTS:

Jemele Hill, contributing writer for The Atlantic and co-host of "Cari and Jemele (Won't) Stick To Sports" on VICE TV
Van Tate, sports director for KRQE News 13
Shellye Leggett, general assignment reporter for KOAT Action 7 News
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, historical storyteller and author of children's books
Lisa Salters, ESPN's Monday Night Football and NBA reporter, "E:60" co-host
Kalyn Norwood, reporter and weekend anchor for KOAT Action 7 News
James and Abby Woods, publishers of Cue The Culture
Juba, a descendant of West African griots and a member of Storytellers of New Mexico

YOUR NM GOV: With the legislative session heading into the final lap, it is important that you know what is going on at the Roundhouse. Your New Mexico Government is where you can find daily updates on all the news coming out of Santa Fe. Look for "No More Normal" on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get those daily updates. This week, we'll hear from Gwyneth Doland for New Mexico PBS about all the redistricting drama.

NEXT WEEK: This time last year was our last time doing our normal routines. In N.M., March 15 is about the one-year anniversary of the quarantine. So let's look at the year in review. So many questions have developed in the last year. We talk with you to see if anyone has an answer.

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

View Details

One of the big stories to come out of the Roundhouse yesterday actually involves Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. State Auditor Brian Colon announced that he was moving ahead with a special audit of the Governor's discretionary fund, after local reporting discovered more than $13,000 in groceries, liquor purchases and dry cleaning over a six-month period in 2020. A group of Republican lawmakers also requested the audit in a letter to Auditor Colon. The Governor's office has said the purchases were appropriate but may have been excessive at times.

In the House, we saw movement on HB 111 which would offer new protections to tenants in the middle of an emergency like the ongoing pandemic.

NMPBS has done a lot of reporting on evictions and the housing crunch in recent months. You can find all of that on the New Mexico in Focus website.

Senate Bill 2 also passed a full House vote yesterday. Tis proposal would forgive liquor license renewal fees for a year, to give struggling businesses a boost during the ongoing COVID-19 struggles. It is now headed to the Governor's desk for a signature.

In this episode, we also talk about Senate Bill 168 which would raise the gas tax by five cents a gallon to fund much needed road repairs. We mentioned a great article that explains more in depth why those repairs are so needed. We encourage you to read that reporting by Daniel Chacon at the Santa Fe New Mexican.

It's Friday which means a new episode of New Mexico in Focus on NMPBS. The Line opinion panel will be delving into several legislative issue, including predatory lending reform and cannabis legalization. And, we also have interviews with Dr. Anthony Fauci and Senator Martin Heinrich. Tune in tonight at 7pm.

Speaking of cannabis legalization, Saturday will be a big day for advocates on both sides of that issue. The Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee will be working to build consensus on a singular effort to legalize. Right now there are at least three competing bills still alive, and the clock is speeding up. Tune back in for more on that meeting in a future episode.

***Update: It looks like this hearing in the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee has been pushed back to at least Tuesday. The Senate Majority Office confirmed this with Andy Lyman at New Mexico Political Report this morning.

Let us know what bills or issues you are following and we will do our best to keep you up to date on all of that as the session heads into the final days of the 2021 session.

View Details

Thanks for joining us again for this short legislative update, coming to you straight from my garage! We're working on our floors right now, so the usual spot in the closet was taken today. Another busy day in the Roundhouse, including another long night in the House. That will likely continue for the rest of the session as the pattern now is to start the daily House Floor sessions at 4:30pm. The Senate Floor sessions are happening starting around 11am. And, of course, committee meetings are still in play throughout the day as well. Some of the highlights from yesterday's action, you'll hear me talk more about in today's episode:

*Governor Lujan Grisham signs a pair of pandemic relief bills

*The House did approve a tax bill last night, House Bill 291, that would include tax credits for low income New Mexicans, and tax increases for high earners. A proposed amendment to that bill failed to get enough backing, however. It would have instead instituted new taxes on renewable energy businesses in our state.

*A bill that paves the way for limited at-home liquor delivers (HB 255) made it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is now headed to the full Senate. A vote on that could happen later this week, but time will tell.

*Senate Bill 93 is headed to the House, after a 33-6 vote in the Senate yesterday. This would create the new Office of Broadband Access and Expansion to help us create a comprehensive plan to connect more of the state, which was ranked 42nd in the country in a new broadband report.

Let us know what bills or issues you are following and we will do our best to keep you up to date on all of that as the session heads into the final days of the 2021 session.

View Details

When host Khalil Ekulona thinks about his purpose in life, he often thinks of my family. Family is where we get our first lessons and introduction to the world. On Episode 22, Khalil enters conversations with his family about the meaning and purpose of familial love, support, and collective dedication to passing those lessons along.

Whatever Khalil and his siblings' individual interests were, their parents encouraged their kids to go and experience them. And they keep it going for a new generation. You'll hear from his mother, his father, four of his siblings and four of his cousins. This extended online version of the episode includes many more of the gems embedded in these conversations. We hope you enjoy this retrospective on a dynamic family where righteousness, spirit, drive and a well timed joke are the only currencies that matter.

GUESTS:

Olufemi Ekulona
Ademola Ekulona
Saidah Arrika Ekulona
Afi Rukavina
Atif Ekulona
Paige Walker
Keisha Toomer-Withers
Toneshia Toomer-Johnson
Janine Renee
Djasi Falcon
Jeffery Marshall

YOUR NM GOV: This week, we caught up with Harold Pope Jr., the first African American state senator in the Legislature's 109-year history. Your New Mexico Government is keeping you up to date with everything that happens at the roundhouse in collaboration with New Mexico PBS and the Santa Fe Reporter. We've got daily updates for you now through the end of the session. Find them on this website, or on No More Normal's podcast feeds.

NEXT WEEK: February, the shortest month of the year, is not enough to fit the breadth of Black history, so we are going to continue with our show on Sunday, March 7, where we look into Black storytelling. How do stories shape the world and the future? We talk with some of the sculptors.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

All of Khalil's family members for sharing their expertise on life. Some say you don’t get to choose the family you have, if that’s the case, Khalil says he got very, very lucky.
Jazztone the producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sundog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawat produced some of the show’s themes.
Taylor Velazquez handles social media and helps with editing and story generation.

View Details

A definite potpourri of legislative topics for you today, starting with an update on proposals to deal with the learning loss caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We also talk about some movement regarding predatory lending practices in New Mexico, which spurred several hours of debate yesterday in the Roundhouse. Our partners at the Santa Fe Reporter have done a lot of great reporting on the issues that are wrapped up in that debate, and we encourage you to read up on that background when you can. We also referenced a report by the Albuquerque Journal's Dan McKay about the complicated topic of reforming medical malpractice laws in our state, and some pushback from industry folks around plans to reform liquor licensing practices. As always, let us know what you are seeing and hearing in this most unusual session, and join us again for another update tomorrow morning!

View Details

The week started off with some legislative drama, both on the Senate Floor and in committee. We run down some of the big news, including a potential compromise on efforts to reform how the state handles the once a decade process of redistricting. NMPBS Executive Producer Kevin McDonald runs down some of the key highlights from Monday and previews some of the scheduled committee discussions for Tuesday. How is the session going for you this year? What do you think of how both chambers are handling public comment. We want to hear from you!

View Details

Today, we kick off our daily updates on the 2021 Legislative session, which is now in the home stretch. A busy weekend was kicked off last night by a narrow vote in favor of mandatory paid sick leave in New Mexico. You can read more on that vote from Daniel J. Chacon at the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Also in this update we check in on the progress of cannabis legalization legislation. You can read more on that from Andy Lyman at the New Mexico Political Report and of course, tune in to our other podcast, "Growing Forward" with Andy and NMPBS Correspondent Megan Kamerick. Our Your NM Government partners at the Santa Fe Reporter are also doing a great job covering the cannabis legalization debate this year. All of these are good resources to help you understand the finer elements of these complex discussions.

We end by running down some of the big bills on tap in various committee meetings today, including a proposal to create a commission to handle redistricting in New Mexico. Learn more about that issue in this recent segment of The Line on NMPBS's "New Mexico in Focus."

Let us know how the session is going for you! And if you want us to track a specific piece of legislation, let us know that as well!

View Details

Cannabis is the topic. As part of the continuing coverage from Your New Mexico Government it is time for an update on the legislative session at the Roundhouse. To discover more about the Cannabis legislation under debate at the state Capital, KUNM's Khalil Ekulona sat down with Juile Ann Grimm, editor for The Santa Fe Reporter.

View Details

It's the return of our Old-School Shoutout Show on Episode 21. The first one, we did back in May. Now, as the pandemic wears on, we wanted to hear from callers: Who do you love? Who do you miss? Who do you want to celebrate or honor? We did the episode live this year.

Because of the rules around copyright, we can't post the audio as it aired with some of our favorite songs, curated by DJ and NoMoNo host Khalil "Always Keep It Real" Ekulona. This post and podcast version makes use of contributed music instead. If you want to, find the megahits edition on our two-week archive for Sunday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m. And there are different shoutouts in that version, too.

NEXT WEEK: We get a little personal on No More Normal as we celebrate Black History Month. We are looking into the stories of Khalil's family! Join us next week as we get ahold of the Ekulonas and discover the stories that shaped them, visions of the future, and the way they think about the world.

YOUR NM GOV: The legislative session is going down at the Roundhouse. We are partnered with New Mexico PBS and the Santa Fe Reporter to bring you everything that happens as it happens. If you haven’t already, subscribe to No More Normal anywhere you get your podcasts. You’ll hear this show, plus legislative updates. Starting Monday, they’ll be happening every single day. So stay up to date with Your New Mexico Government and No More Normal.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Jazztone The Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Oh Lawd Records and Business School for providing music for the show.
Taylor Velazquez for managing our socials and generating ideas, and for answering the live shoutout hotline this week.

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

Your New Mexico Government is continuing its coverage of everything that happens at the Roundhouse with an interview of Laura Paskus from New Mexico PBS. Paskus talks about the Clean Water Act, SB 86, which proposes regulations on oil & gas companies in regards to produced water. And she tells us all about the Climate Solutions Act, HB 9, which looks to find solutions to the climate change issues New Mexico is facing, while using those efforts to boost the state's economy.

Get updates on the legislative session by listening to No More Normal. Sunday's at 11 a.m. on KUNM or find it anywhere you get your podcasts.

Your New Mexico Government is a collaboration between KUNM,New Mexico PBS, and theSanta Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

We get into what money really is. We take a dive into a bill that looks to create a public bank. We talk with a member of a financial innovation group about how universal basic income has helped businesses during the pandemic. We grapple with student loans. We hear the journey of how difficult it is to start a business as a pandemic is raging. And we have a talk with the secretary of workforce solutions about where the jobs are going to be.

In episode 20 we are talking about money: you may know it as cash, moolah, greenbacks, cheese (cheddar to be specific), loot, coin, lettuce, or if you are a fan of the 90’s, duckets. We take a look at our economy during the pandemic and ask some questions about the nature of money.

GUESTS:

Nina Robinson, Runway
Jacob Goldstein, Planet Money
Diego Diaz, owner of Tio David's Peruvian Flavor
Wall Street Bets user, Clifford Grindstaff
Patrick Watson, Mauldin Economics
Secretary Bill McCamley, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions

YOUR NM GOV: A bill proposing a public bank for New Mexico is making its way through the Senate. Anglea Merkert is the Executive Director for the Alliance Of Local Economic Prosperity, a think tank. She joins us this week to talk about what that could look like here.

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.

View Details

If you have listened to the show for a while, a few months back, you may have heard an interview we had with Stephen Heintz, a co-chair of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship. The commission is charged with discovering ways to activate participation of U.S. citizens in democratic civil life. So that's what they did.

After spending two years and hundreds of hours talking with people all around the country about what’s working and what’s not, a group of 35 scholars, business leaders, and civic catalysts from all over the political and social spectrum have created a document. It’s called Our Common Purpose, and it was put out by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

These are practical, real suggestions to freshen up our system of government, to update it, so the people—all of us—are back in the driver’s seat. The NoMoNo team read it, and we were inspired to gather a panel of citizens to debate these ideas.

GUESTS:

Darshan Goux, one of the authors of the report
Dr. Gerald Chavez, a clinical psychologist
Gus Pedrotty, a mayoral candidate in 2017
Business owner Kristelle Siarza
Pastor Barry Bitzer
Oriana Sandoval from the Center for Civic Policy
College student and poli sci major Taylor Velazquez

YOUR NM GOV: Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, NMPBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter is on top of all that’s happening at the Roundhouse as the 55th state legislative session is in full swing. We don’t have any updates on the show this week, but check out our conversation with Matt Grubs about the battle to set the rules for the legislative session on KUNM’s news broadcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. If you haven’t followed us yet, do it. This YNMG segment will pop up in your feed.

NEXT WEEK: Money, Money, Money. That has been on most people’s minds before the pandemic started. Cash is weighing on us even heavier as we try to pull ourselves out from under the pandemic waves. Next week we take a look at what’s going on in the economy, and what is the deal with Wall Street, Reddit, and gamestop?

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Jazztone The Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show. Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the shows themes
Reporter Taylor Velazquez who handles our social media and helps to edit the show

We dedicate this and every episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Our democracy is being tested right now. It is not the first time. But it feels like a tipping point, and our very lives are in the balance. Can we find truth? Will we come to a place of peace? Can we resolve not to look the other way when the view is uncomfortable? Will those who stormed the Capitol, who aided and abetted seditionists, and who proliferated racism and dangerous lies, face punishment? Episode 18 is all about the fallout.

Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris,

First, let us offer our congratulations on taking office. Not only did you both campaign arduously and effectively to be nominated and subsequently win the election, to keep it real, it was looking kinda dicey there a couple of weeks ago. Yet the process of our democracy prevailed—even though it was surrounded by armed troops this time.

But it won out. For now. This is a process that you, members of Congress, justices of the supreme court, state and local officials, all of us are entrusted to maintain, repair and evolve. The last team on the job didn’t leave much in the way of notes but definitely left a mess for you to clean up. It’s fortunate that you don’t need on-the-job training. That much is true. Yet, how you go about your jobs is more important than ever.

Some of that work is in consequences: Doling them out to bad actors, and dealing with the results of the last four years.

GUESTS:

Former Sen. Tom Udall
Common Cause N.M. Executive Director Heather Ferguson
Shaun Griswold, New Mexico In Depth
Gabriel Biadora, Daily Lobo
Society of Professional Journalists Rio Grande Chapter President Ryan Lowery
Becky Monroe, director of the Leadership Council on Human and Civil Rights
Dr. Luis Herrán Ávila, University of New Mexico
Dr. Robert F. Jefferson Jr., University of New Mexico

YOUR NM GOV: It's the first week of the legislative session. We talk about predatory lending in the state. Lawmakers are pushing to cap the interest rates and fees at 36 percent. Reporter Jeff Proctor is our guest on the YNMG segment this week. He co-authored an article with Katherine Lewin for the Santa Fe Reporter called "The Weight."

NEXT WEEK: Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman told us that America isn’t broken but simply unfinished. As the Constitution was being ratified, Benjamin Franklin had concerns but signed his name to what he called an imperfect document. As this nation aged, those imperfections have been made clear, and sometimes, steps were taken to correct or amend it. If we are to really move forward, it's past time that we evolve it again, so that this imperfect document fits more with today's imperfect America.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Anyone who’s been paying attention to racism and white privilege in this country knows that what happened in D.C. has been brewing a long time. There’s a lot of good research and reporting happening right now outlining what’s been missed, suppressed and ignored when it comes to the rise of extremist militias in the U.S. We get into it in episode 17.

Just a few days into 2021, a mob of thousands of people marched on the Capitol building and attempted to stop Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Things quickly turned violent as the mob overtook Capitol Police and found their way into the chambers.

If you, like many of us, saw the footage, there were images that will stick in your mind. Images that show, in real time, the issues we have to address in the country: The confederate flag being waved in on the House floor, the difference in law enforcement's response to the right-wing rioters as opposed to last summer’s racial justice protests, the number of law enforcement and military members who participated in the coup against our government.

GUESTS:

U.S. Rep. from Northern New Mexico Teresa Leger Fernandez
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
National Security reporter with VICE News Ben Makuch
Organizer and Veteran Barbara Jordan from Rio Rancho
Executive Producer with New Mexico PBS Kevin McDonald

NEXT WEEK: Our democracy is being tested right now. It is not the first time. But it feels like a tipping point, and our very lives are in the balance. Can we find truth? Will we come to a place of peace? Can we resolve not to look the other way when the view is uncomfortable? Will those who stormed the Capitol, who aided and abetted seditionists, and who proliferated dangerous lies, face punishment? Find out with us next week on No More Normal. It’s all about consequences.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Sharon Chischilly, news photographer and rising star, for the image for this week's episode
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show. Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall and Bigawatt produced some of the show's themes.
Reporter Taylor Velazquez for the editing help, and for handling much the show's social media outreach
Reporters Yasmin Khan and Nash Jones for the editing help this week

We dedicate this and every single episode of No More Normal to Hannah Colton. We love and miss you, Hannah.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Wow, we just had a tense bunch of days, each one filled with anticipation and impatience and consternation. From people worrying about how the election was going to play out, to some keeping an eye on potential violence, it would be an understatement to say that anxieties were high. It makes sense, 2020 has been mad anxious as my East Coast compatriots would say. But the electoral college digits that just wouldn’t move are not the only numbers the United States has to grapple with. Most of the country spent so much of their attention on the election, news of record- breaking new covid cases barely cut through the din. No matter who’s in charge, we’ve got a lot in front of us.

This week, we follow Host Khalil Ekulona through his Election Week diary, and talk to some folks about what's happening and what's left to do.

Guests:

Clifton White and Selinda Guerrero, activists pushing back against an unjust criminal legal system and fighting for prisoners' rights.
State GOP Party chair Steve Pearce
NM Dems Party chair Marg Elliston
Journalists from our partner the Santa Fe Reporter Katherine Lewin and Leah Cantor
KUNM News Director Hannah Colton and Host / Reporter Nash Jones
Jeff "Jazztone" Alberson

Next Week: It’s time to look into the future. What can we do to make this democracy run better, so that representation is something guaranteed to all of us? Hey, technology isn’t the only thing that needs updates. We focus on "Our Common Purpose," a great document that may be a guide for the country.

No More Normal is brought to you by the same crew behind YNMG. Hear the show on KUNM’s airwaves Sundays at 11 a.m. or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Special thanks to:

Hannah Colton, Nash Jones and Yasmin Khan for the amazing last-minute editing help
Our amazing homies out in the field with us
Reporter and photographer Margaret Wright, who contributed some photos for this week’s show
All of the amazing meme-makers of the World Wide Web
Thanks to Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show. Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall, and Biggawat produced some of the show's themes

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

The final presidential debate of 2020 got passing marks because the candidates managed to take turns. But rarely did they roll out the kind of action plans the moderator was looking for. She kept asking: If elected, what will you do about this big problem we are facing? Still, candidates did not venture into specifics. We think that was by design. The strategy was, make debate No. 1 so bad that by the time debate No. 2 comes around, expectations are so low, everyone will just be grateful it’s not incoherent shouting and call it good. But in a time with multiple crises pressing down on us, specific plans can pull people together, provide direction and alleviate anxiety. So that’s what this episode is all about. What do you want to hear candidates talking about? What kinds of plans and policies do you wish they were outlining before the public?

In episode 15, we hear from an array of people about the specifics they want to hear discussed by people seeking political power in this tumultuous time.

THE REAL DEBATE 2020

Executive Producer Marisa Demarco used to play a game with her stepchild when they were little. It was a presidential debate with the kiddo as a candidate and questions posed about real things happening in the world. Demarco would ask: "When you are president, how will you address this issue?" They would play for hours, until any of the adults around couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to pass along an interest and investment in the news, in the world. This week we invited two 10-year-olds to be presidential candidates, and we posed similar questions to what was asked in the second debate of 2020.

COVID 19 / PUBLIC HEALTH / HEALTH CARE ACCESS

Barbara Webber – Executive Director, Health Action New Mexico
Shelley Mann-Lev – Co-President, New Mexico Public Health Association
Dr. Anthony Fleg – University Of New Mexico School of Medicine, Native Health Initiative
Hunter Marshall – Frontline nurse and medical student

CLIMATE CHANGE / ENERGY

Laura Paskus – Environmental Journalist
John Ammondson – Advocate, Environment New Mexico
Mariel Nanasi – Executive Director, New Energy Economy

IMMIGRATION

Allegra Love – Director, Santa Fe Dreamers Project
Rebecca Kitson – Immigration Attorney
Jacqueline Stevens – Professor at Northwestern and Founding Director of the Deportation Research Clinic

View Details

The NoMoNo team was talking about ideas for our election coverage in early August: The potential for violence, attempts to subvert the vote and the importance of media literacy. It is not hyperbole to state that for most of us, this is the most important election we have ever taken a part in. That said, it is imperative that we are not only informed about our voting rights, but we ensure they are protected. That means becoming savvy about misinformation and disinformation and the ways that you and some people you may know are possibly being manipulated.

LINKS

National Black Cultural Information Trust: Disinformation guide.
Media Literacy Now: Main resource page for educators, librarians, and parents.
Abq/Bernalillo County Public Library: Fake news resource.

VOICES BEHIND THE VOTE: Many first-time voters have a lot on their mind this election cycle. College students are coming of age in an unprecedented time with the COVID-19 pandemic, civil uprisings for racial justice and accelerating climate change. They're trying to figure it all out while keeping up with remote classes and assignments. As part of our Voices Behind the Vote series, UNM freshman Delaney Brigman spoke with KUNM’s Taylor Velazquez about why voting is important to her and what young people want from their politicians.

VOTER PROTECTIONS: The New York Times released an article on Wednesday, Oct. 21, that detailed findings from federal officials that say Iran and Russia have obtained voter registration data. The FBI says Iran used the information they got a hold of to send threatening , fake emails to potential voters—that’s misinformation.

And a new poll is showing that voters who aren’t White are concerned about violence, militias and police if they go to cast their ballot in-person.

We know that some of you have voted early, others have voted by mail. But anyone who is preparing to get in line on Nov. 3 (Election Day), know that your right to vote is protected by many laws, agencies, and officials.

No one has the right to threaten you, harass you or intimidate you at the polls. Any election’s official who discriminates against an in-person voter faces a five-thousand-dollar fine or up to five years in prison. Anyone who conspires to deprive someone of their right to vote faces up to 10 years in prison. No one can confront you at the polls under the law, raise their voice with you, threaten you or insult you. Law enforcement isn’t allowed at the polls except to vote, or to maintain order if something gets out of hand. And people who aren’t police can’t go to the polls dressed like law enforcement, either, under the law.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Attack ads and contemporary political rhetoric about crime have a disturbing campaign ancestor: The Willie Horton ad that may have cost Michael Dukakis the presidential election in 1988. It relied on racism for its efficacy, and it ushered in an era of so-called "tough-on-crime" laws and posturing that nearly broke criminal legal systems, like the one in Albuquerque. Executive Producer and longtime criminal justice reporter Marisa Demarco navigates in Episode 13 how racist, fear-based electioneering warped the country's approach to crime. That continues to this day, favoring quick vengeance over long-term solutions that might have a real impact on crime rates. It's an addictive cycle: These methods, in fact, might be a big part of creating the problem candidates are promising to solve with them when they're counting on fear to salvage their flagging campaigns.

Why did host Khalil Ekulona and Demarco decide to give an episode to this? Because they don’t want there to be crime, either. They want to see the number of murders drop to zero. And Demarco's tired of watching racist campaign-trail rhetoric about crime turn into policies that don’t seem to work, that ruin lives, that wreck generations. We can’t say for sure what will work, but we’ve got a couple of clues, outlined in this episode.

And why now? One, because crime fears underscore existing racism and breed new racism that infests all corners of our worlds, creating this situation where people who aren’t white are dying of coronavirus at rates higher than everyone else. Two, because crime fears were just used by President Trump to deploy federal agents to violate people’s fundamental rights around the country. And three, because there’s a bigger threat out there than crime if you're looking at the numbers. It’s coronavirus. We need our focus on saving ourselves and saving each other now more than ever.

Guests:

Gene Grant, host of New Mexico In Focus on our partner station New Mexico PBS
Elise Kaplan, crime reporter for the Albuquerque Journal
Jeff Proctor, longtime criminal justice reporter and contributing editor for the Santa Fe Reporter

Next Week: We turn our attention to media literacy and the election. Are you following a bot on social media? How can you tell if the information you’re reading is factual? And what’s the deal with the Facebook and Twitter political ad policies? Now is not the time to let the truth get hacked.

If you want to hear any of the past episodes of NoMoNo, find the show here on KUNM's site, look us op on Spotify, Apple Podcasts … everywhere that podcasts are.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Let’s take a breath. In episode 12, we try to fend off that wild pandemic election news cycle we’ve been living inside of, which can feel like a deluge of disorganized tragedies and failures. And we put the focus on what’s hanging in the balance these next couple of weeks as we cast our ballots.

Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree: climate change is real. That comes from NASA. You’re probably sweating a little more than usual. Your world is getting hotter. Or maybe temperatures near you snap all of a sudden instead of the seasons flowing into one another gradually like they do in your memories.

Here’s a consequence that doesn’t get a lot of attention in the news: Migration is often a climate change issue, too. People are forced to flee their home countries for U.S. borders because climate change messed with their crops—their food and their livelihoods.

Environmental reporter Laura Paskus just published a book called At The Precipice: New Mexico’s Changing Climate. She tells us there's a good chance the Rio Grande will dry up through Albuquerque in the coming week for the first time since the '70s.

So many of us are sick of politics, and plenty of people feel disconnected from elections. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an organization that for almost 250 years has been tasked with generating new ideas. The academy sent researchers to travel the United States to talk with disappointed and frustrated citizens. They came up with recommendations about how we can evolve our practice of democracy and get back to where our government works for us. Stephen Heintz co-leads the project.

Continuing the Voices Behind the Vote series, reporter Nash Jones speaks with former Albuquerque police officer Debbie Kuidis about the changes to policing she wants to see politicians affect, and why she’s paying attention to political races from the national to the local level.

In 2020, people are fighting to preserve voting rights. Nia Rucker is policy council heading up that work at ACLU New Mexico. She explains what the organization is doing to protect your ballot.

Quality health care and access to health care have always been critical issues. Who could argue otherwise, especially during the pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fleg, has a lot of titles in New Mexico, including coordinator of the Native Health Initiative, director of Running Medicine, instructor at UNM's Department of Family and Community Medicine and also at the College of Population Health. And he's a family practice physician. He walks us through global equity issues in medicine when it comes to vaccines and treatments.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS and The Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from The New Mexico Local News Fund, The Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners. Support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Millions of people around the U.S. have already voted early. Simultaneously many people are preparing to fill out their ballots, but are concerned with how they will deliver them, and, more importantly, if their vote will be counted. So many questions. Here at NoMoNo, we are going to dig deep to find answers for you. Episode 11 is all about preserving and exercising your right to vote. We talk with New Mexico's secretary of state, the president of the Albuquerque chapter of the American Postal Workers Union, a national election law expert, activists who protecting voting rights for underserved communities—and voters.

Tuesday, Oct. 6, is the last day in New Mexico that you can register to vote by mail or online for this election, though you can register in-person at your county clerk's office up through Halloween.

A quick note: Some of these interviews we did early on in the week before President Trump revealed he had contracted coronavirus.

Matthew Weil is the director of the Elections Project for the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in D.C. Everyone's looking closely at election law the last few days. We ask him about what courses of action political parties would take if a presidential candidate dies before the election.

We’re launching the Voices Behind The Vote series this week, where we find out about who voters are and what they care about. We’ve got a couple in this episode: Executive Producer Marisa Demarco catches up with voter Art Simoni, who was her editor when she was a student reporter nearly 20 years ago. Reporter Nash Jones speaks with Reina Davis, a 23-year-old Albuquerque voter who, while not particularly excited about her options for president, sees voting as harm-reduction and as one facet of fighting for reproductive justice. And Jones also talks to Albuquerque voter Georgia Petropoulos, who owns Casa San Pablo, a senior-living home, about how the pandemic affected her small business and now informs her vote.

Free and fair elections should be bedrocks in any democracy. The dependence on ethical governance is key to having a thriving country. Heather Ferguson is the executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, an organization that focuses on ethics and accountability in government.

Maggie Toulouse Oliver is the secretary of state for New Mexico. That means she is coordinating the state’s election process. Hence, she’s very busy. We hear from her about the types of conversations she’s had with postal officials and the confidence New Mexicans can have in the voting process.

If you run into trouble as you vote, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Voting rights advocates will be waiting to hear from you. Common Cause also has hotlines for people who speak other languages. Find all those numbers at commoncause.org.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and The Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from The New Mexico Local News Fund, The Kellogg Foundation, and KUNM listeners. Support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

The census is one of the more important events in our democracy. Every 10 years each person is counted so that resources can be allocated, programs created, and a general understanding of the population is had. It should be a clean process. Should be. The 2020 census has proven to be anything but clean. Mud has been thrown on the process, as people and institutions attempt to manipulate the numbers, subsequently stripping power from some and giving it to others. Peppered throughout this episode is an editorial from NoMoNo about why the census matters: The state is counting on us to be counted. If you haven't completed the census form yet, do it now. It only takes a few minutes. Click here to get started.

A recent anti-racism protest in Rio Rancho by the Black New Mexico Movement drew a lot of pushback. The tensions took over the news stories recounting that night. But before everything really erupted, Nichole Rogers, founder of the Welstand Foundation, gave a brief speech about the Census. Thanks to KUNM News Director Hannah Colton for that tape.

On our sibling show Let's Talk New Mexico, host Ty Bannerman spoke with:

Ahtza Dawn Chavez, executive director of the NAVA Education Project
Jaime Gloshay of the New Mexico Native Census Coalition
Cathy Lacy, director of the U.S. Census Bureau's Denver regional office
Pamelya Herndon, KWH Law Center for Social Justice
Carolina Romero, community outreach liason for Catholic Charities
Mohammad Ismail, Albuquerque Public Schools Refugee and Newcomer Supports Program

We also hear from KUNM's Kaveh Mowahed, who interviews journalist Shaun Griswold of New Mexico In Depth about how the Census is going in New Mexico. Read Griswold's latest for NMID: Tribes in N.M. under intense pressure to complete census count by new deadline.

Next week: We are taking a break next Sunday as we gear up for a month’s worth of election coverage. It’s going to be an election marathon. If you want to hear any of the past episodes of NoMoNo, find the show here on KUNM's site, look us op on Spoitfy, Apple Podcasts … everywhere that podcasts are. Search: No More Normal.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

he crew at NoMoNo headquarters takes a look at where we’ve been since the pandemic started, reflecting a little—hard to find time to do it when we’re all stuck in an unending news cycle. But hopefully, this is a pleasant look back if you’ve been hanging in there with us. We want to thank all of you who listened to the show when it was Your New Mexico Government back in March—you know, 1,000 years ago.

Executive Producer Marisa Demarco says in this episode that she's never seen a moment where the decisions politicians make have immediate, life-or-death impact on our families, neighbors and communities. We've talked to politicians as they were going through the decision-making process. On Episode 9, we hear from:

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller
Rep. Deb Haaland
Sen. Tom Udall

(These links will send you to the original episodes, if you want to hear more of those interviews.)

We speak with our media partners, Kevin McDonald from New Mexico PBS and Julie Ann Grimm of the Santa Fe Reporter, about why teaming up matters for you, the listener, reader or viewer of the news.

We also dive into the realities of this time and revisit conversations with:

David Carroll, who took on Cambridge Analytica to get his data back and is featured in the Netflix documentary The Great Hack
Mutale Nkonde, CEO of AI for the People
Mariaelena Lopez, who lost her mom to COVID-19 early on in the pandemic
Young adults weighing social distancing and the future
Musicians exploring hip-hop and the music industry

Hear the show on KUNM’s airwaves Sundays at 11 a.m., or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

As the summer season transitions into fall, it is important to note that September, the ninth month of the year, isn’t just for football and the start of school. It is also a month to raise awareness of suicide prevention and recovery. Both are already long-standing issues in our society—especially here in New Mexico. Coupled with the pandemics of COVID-19 and racism, hard feelings and thoughts can balloon. Left unattended or unnoticed, these issues lead to tragedy. But can we stop those tragedies before they happen? Talking things out and finding resources are two key solutions, and Episode 8 is full of options. This week we talk with counselors, therapists and people looking to help with an open ear, willing to hear about your problems and help you work through them. Because the world as it is today demands flexibility, but it’s tough to adjust to what you can’t see.

If any of the conversations on this show surfaced sadness or anger, and you need to talk to someone, call the Warmline. People there are ready to hear you, even if you’re not in crisis. That’s why it’s a Warmline, not a hotline. 1-855-4NM-7100 (466-7100) between 3:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. every day.

Next week: We take a trip down memory lane (all 6 months of it) and take a look at some of the best and most profound moments of No More Normal and Your New Mexico Government. Tune in Sunday, Sept.13, at 11 a.m.

RESOURCES:

New Mexico Warmline 1-855-4NM-7100 (466-7100)
New Mexico Crisis Access Line 1-855-NMCRISIS or 662-7474
The Agora Crisis Center: 505-277-3013 or 855-505-4505

Special thanks to:

Adri De La Cruz for the artwork for this week
Yasmin Khan for contributing.
Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
Ty Bannerman and Nash Jones for helping out with the editing.
And as always thanks to our guests for sharing their stories, lives, and perspectives.

Sound design and composition for "Surge Capacity" by Demarco, based around a beat composed by Ekulona.

New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, The Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thrornburg Foundation.

View Details

Summer is winding down and harvest season is quickly approaching. The change of the season is always very beautiful, but before the excitement of the leaves changing colors begins, we have to understand the dangers that many people are facing. With food security concerns around the state and a potential eviction crisis on the horizon it is important to ensure that everyone has the basics for survival. In Episode 7, we look at the essentials of survival—shelter, health care and food—and attempt to see not only what the problems are, but how they can be fixed.

New Day Youth and Family Services is a shelter for young people in New Mexico. CEO Steve Johnson talks about how fewer people than he expected are seeking help from New Day during the pandemic, and that could mean young folks are staying in hard situations instead. He also discusses the impressive ability of young people in trouble to heal once they are in a safe place, and to build a future for themselves.

Cholla Khoury is the director of the Division of Consumer and Environmental Protection at the Attorney General's Office. She works on a program called Keep Your Home New Mexico, which provides advice and help to homeowners who are facing foreclosure and renters facing eviction.

With an eviction crisis looming, examining the data to learn who is bearing the brunt of the burden helps policymakers determine how to prioritize assistance. Steven Brown is a research associate at the Urban Institute, a think tank focused on economic and social policy based in Washington D.C. He says the numbers show nearly twice as many Latino and Black people around the country say they may not be able to pay rent next month, and one-fifth of Black and Brown families were not getting enough to eat at the end of July—even before the coming decrease in unemployment benefits.

We've made it a point to cover the stories of people who are without shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic. Estimates say that number is about to go up. KUNM's News Director and reporter Hannah Colton brings us a snapshot of what it's like out there on the streets five months into the pandemic.

Ismael Camacho is the staff attorney on the farmworker project at New Mexico Legal Aid. He breaks down the pandemic-driven concerns of the people who pick most of the state's food and the lack of access to coronavirus testing.

Next Week: We are talking mental wellness. What have you been doing to keep your mind balanced in these turbulent times? Tune in Sunday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellog Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public meida provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

In the old days—like last year—mid-August was a time when students prepared to get back to class. A time to reconnect with friends and compare summer vacation stories and to show off the fashion of your new school outfits, if you were so lucky. In 2020, instead of students worrying about who has a crush on who, they’re thinking about who has COVID and who doesn't. Parents are concerned with how their kids will get a quality education. Teachers are not only focused on the adjustment to teaching remotely but on the health risks of being called back to campus. In Episode 6, we hear from a panel of teachers, students in three different levels of school, a union rep for college instructors, Khalil’s mom Olufemi Ekulona, as well as renowned anti-racism educator Jane Elliott.

Jane Elliott has led trainings all over the world, exposing racism for what it is. Fifty-two years ago, she created the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes exercise to show the impact of prejudice and bigotry in our society. She talks on the show about teachers leaving their biases at the door of the classroom.

Even before the pandemic, there was already a scarcity of educational resources on tribal lands. The lack of access to the internet and technology are only a couple. People are working to make the situation better. Jasmine Yepa is the coordinator for the Tribal Education Alliance and senior analyst for the Native American Budget and Policy Institute. She sheds light on what kids are facing—even her own.

Antonio Granillo is the community advocacy manager at Partnership for Community Action. He describes some of the barriers parents in New Mexico face as they try to get involved—including schools not providing required translators when parents don’t speak English. He also talks about Abriendo Puertas, a network aiming to connect parents so they can take the lead in advocating for their kids.

College football is a big moneymaker for colleges and universities. But is it safe to play? ESPN’s John Brickley breaks it down.

Daily Lobo reporters Cameron Ward and Andrew Gunn talk about the COVID case count at UNM on the first day of school and rising tuition rates even though classes are online and many of the university’s extracurriculars—funded by steep student fees—are on pause.

Ryan Lowery is an award-winning independent journalist who covers a lot government transparency issues. He tells the opaque story of the Las Vegas City School District.

Next week: It’s back to the basics. We look at food access, shelter and surviving the pandemic. Tune in Sunday, Aug. 30, at 11 a.m.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

When President Trump and ICE got in on the act of separating families and locking kids in cages, it spurred a public outcry. Millions of people were appalled that the land of the free would treat people in such a manner—especially people who were counting on the United States to provide safety, as they were often fleeing life-threatening situations. As usual in this country, the news cycle changed, and a majority of the public stopped talking about it. Then COVID-19 came, and the call to release detainees has picked up again, a call to save lives, a call to treat people like humans. As the pandemic continues to dominate our lives, the threat of coronavirus spreading in detention centers became a reality. What's not real: the response from ICE and the federal government. In episode 5, we don’t just look the dire situation for the people, but ask what, if anything, can be done about it.

Juan Carlos Peña from Cuba has been in ICE detention for a year in Cibola County Correctional Center, which is run by the corporation CoreCivic in Milan, N.M. He’s 51 and has asthma, and minutes before he spoke with reporter Yasmin Khan, he found out his latest appeal for release was denied. New Mexico’s Department of Health reported 314 cases of coronavirus cases in the center as of Friday, Aug. 14. The compound in Milan, N.M. houses federal prisoners, state inmates and ICE detainees.

Arifa Raza is an attorney with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center. She tells us removals are at a standstill during the pandemic, and the mental health of clients is declining. It can be hard to get ahold of clients, she says, and when they do speak, it’s over the phone, so they may not feel as comfortable raising concerns as they would in-person.

We hear from Sen. Tom Udall and Rep. Deb Haaland about a lack of accountability for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and whether Congress could intervene by defunding ICE.

Statement from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement: ICE would not do an interview, but spokesperson Leticia Zemarripa provided this statement via email: "Since March 11, ICE has screened individuals for elevated temperatures and symptoms associated with COVID-19 prior to a removal flight or transfer. Any detainee with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher (99 degrees or higher starting April 22) was immediately referred to a medical provider for further evaluation and observation. In an effort to avoid removing aliens with active COVID-19 cases, on April 26, ICE began testing some aliens in custody and prior to removal. Where DHS/ICE deems detainee testing is warranted/appropriate by specific bilateral agreement, ICE coordinates with foreign governments to prioritize testing of detainees per evolving operational considerations. When an individual does not pass the mandated temperature/medical screening (or tests positive), prior to a removal flight, they are returned to ICE detention facilities and cohorted separate from the rest of the detention population in accordance with CDC guidance."

The agency also says all detainees are tested upon intake and monitored for 14 days, and they get a comprehensive medical exam within those first two weeks. All cases are medically cleared before transfers or removals, according to ICE.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding is provideNew Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation a KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

Sometimes history repeats itself. When host Khalil Ekulona talks to his African American friends who are parents, he says they express joy and sadness: Joy in watching their kids grow and discover the wonders of life. Sadness in having to repeat conversations with their children about growing up Black in America—the same conversations their parents had with them decades ago. Episode 4 is all about the journey to racial equality, and some of the factors to consider as we travel along the road.

Dr. Charlene Reid is the CEO and founder of Excellence Community Schools in the Bronx. She highlights their new model of community school that embraces the essential support from neighborhoods, businesses, parents and teachers, all working together toward student success. She also talks about the challenges in educating disadvantaged young people, and the strategies for making it work that can apply just about anywhere.

A panel of musicians dives into hip-hop, messages in music and what’s being sold to people: A. Billi Free, Awad Bilal, Jeff Jazztone Alberson, Sebastian Elkouby and Roscoe Flo Fader Floyd, who gives us the COVID-19 remix of this conversation.

Dr. Nichole Nelson wrote “Reparations need to be part of the conversation about racial justice” for the Washington Post. She gives us the history on reparations and envisions what it would take to make it happen.

Charles Ashley III tells us about what a trio of successful businesspeople had to endure before the Albuquerque City Council to pull down $1 million for the Black Community Investment Fund, the first of its kind.

Khalil’s father Ademola Ekulona offers a powerful conversation on the Civil Rights Movement and self-determination.

Elizabeth Ward protested as a part of the Black Lives Matter movement in Rio Rancho every day for a month, sometimes by herself or with her husband, sometimes with friends, old and new. Reporter Nash Jones brings us this story.

Richard A. Clarke spent 30 years as a senior national policy adviser and served under three presidents. He speaks about the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Protective Service being deployed against protesters. Clarke also gives us a warning about the November election and national security.

Kimberly York is the president of SO WHO Enterprises and the interim director of Black Programs at New Mexico State University. She’s also just been appointed to the governor’s Advisory Council for Racial Justice. York talks about the importance of mentorship and the commitment to making real systemic change.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

In the last weeks of July, we saw high temperatures across the country. The streets heated up, and we’re not talking about the weather. We’re talking about federal forces sent to Portland, Chicago, Albuquerque and other cities. The arrival of these agents was met with public outcry and increased skepticism by lawmakers and residents alike. Others support the move. In episode 3, we take a look at what exactly is going on and what it means for our civil liberties and our democracy.

After President Trump suddenly announced that he was sending federal agents to Albuquerque as part of Operation Legend on Tuesday, July 21, analysts said moves like that are flirting with disaster. We rounded up all the information that we could to try and understand the situation.

Though we heard several times in the course of this episode that Trump is sending 35 agents here only to fight violent crime, late Friday, July 31, Executive Producer Marisa Demarco heard from someone who works in a federal office that’s responsible for oversight (and who did not want to be identified) that there might be other agents from the Federal Protective Service here this weekend to defend U.S. assets, and that they would be here through Sunday, Aug. 2. That agency is reported to have been leading the crackdown in Portland. FPS on its website says agents are in Portland to protect federal properties, statues, memorials and monuments.

What are federal assets in Albuquerque? There’s the courthouse on Lomas and Fourth Street near where demonstrators started their event on Friday. Plus two more buildings Downtown for starters.

A spokesperson for U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson said late Saturday, Aug. 1, that whatever’s going on with the Federal Protective Service is not a part of Operation Legend, and he couldn’t confirm whether those agents were here. We’re still chasing confirmation of FPS being here—or details about how many agents or for how long—and we’ll give you details if and when we can get them on KUNM’s news broadcast or on kunm.org.

Albuquerque Police Chief Mike Geier answered questions about Operation Legend, saying officers will be here to focus exclusively on violent crime and would not be called out to protests and demonstrations the way we’ve seen them in Portland and other cities, teargassing people, tackling them, beating them, breaking bones, injuring them with less-lethal munitions and taking them into custody without cause. Geier also answered questions about where people taken into custody by federal agents would be held, and how their family and friends could find them.

U.S. Attorney for New Mexico John C. Anderson would not commit to officers wearing identification in the field but told KUNM’s Megan Kamerick that they would be wearing some kind of identifying raid jacket when going out to execute warrants or arrests with the Albuquerque Police Department.

Next Week: The continuing struggle for equity and the people who are working to see it solved, once and for all.

No More Normal is a new show brought to you by the same crew behind YNMG. Hear the show on KUNM’s airwaves Sundays at 11 a.m., or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

This week, we get into what has disappeared from our lives—good or bad—during the pandemic. Episode 2 is all about what’s going, going, gone, maybe for good. We learn of attempts to erase people from the Census. We talk to Sen. Martin Heinrich about the erosion of our civil liberties. We reflect on what’s fading from our relationships and mental wellness. We hear from a COVID-19 survivor, so the realities of the virus don’t slip away. We examine the consciousness of community and the loss of a collective future with an international futurist. We reflect on a disappearing chicken and what life was like pre-pandemic. And we try to see and hear a vanishing Rio Grande.

Sen. Martin Heinrich talks about what the Trump administration is calling Operation Legend, a deployment of federal agents to Albuquerque that officials say is meant to combat violent crime. But many people here fear this is another crackdown akin to what we’re seeing on the streets of Portland, as demonstrators stand against racial injustice and deadly police violence.

Environmental journalist Laura Paskus wrote an article that’s a love letter to the Rio Grande, called “Memory of a River” for the Santa Fe Reporter. She reads excerpts on the riverbank throughout the episode.

Tricklock Company’s Executive Director Juli Hendren and collaborator / Revolutions Marketing Director Marya Errin Jones work through Tricklock’s closing after 27 years. And they talk about why we need art—especially in tumultuous times.

Local comedian Sarah Kennedy tells a before-times-y story about a disappearing chicken.

Isaac De Luna from the Center for Civic Policy explains why the push to exclude undocumented immigrants from population counts as the country’s voting districts are redrawn is a racist move from federal government.

Dr. Gerald Chavez, a psychologist, shares his observations of our relationships with one another and why our patience might be disintegrating. He also unpacks the shared mental health challenges any of us could be facing, and encourages us to do a “checkup from the neck up.”

And futurist Puruesh Chaudhary, founder and CEO of nonprofit Agahi in Islamabad, Pakistan, explores media distrust and the loss of a future.

Next week: The Feds Are Here

No More Normal is a new show brought to you by the same crew behind YNMG. Hear the show on KUNM’s airwaves Sundays at 11 a.m., or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

No More Normal is a new show brought to you by the same crew behind YNMG. On episode 1, we’re talking endurance. In the last few months, how many times have you heard someone say, “We’re in this for the long haul”? It’s going to take all kinds of gritty willpower to keep each other alive and to make it through the changes in our world. This week we learn from younger folks. We get lessons, advice and stories from civil rights activists. We talk about the endurance of people who’ve been fighting racist mascots and imagery for decades. And we tag along for a long run in the brutal heat.

Distance runner Liz McKenzie

Liz McKenzie runs 20 miles in the Albuquerque summer heat wearing a mask, and carries a recorder along with her for the show. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham lays out a possible timeframe for the pandemic based on data and the hope that a vaccine will be available early next year (we included a much longer version of that interview in the online version of the show above). We hear from several younger adults about how they’re hanging in there despite social isolation and what this has meant for their long-term goals. Poet, cultural strategist and KUNM DJ Ebony Isis Booth offers us thoughts on endurance and a poem by Lucille Clifton.

We also hear from Richard Moore, a founder of the Black Berets, about what it takes for movements to last. Former Black Panther Party member Aaron Dixon talks about how the fight for justice and community wellness is never over. A. Billi Free and Tensei from southern New Mexico offer up a song about hanging in there even when your back’s up against the wall. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez tells us about what his community is enduring and gives us his take on the Washington football team finally changing its racist name after years of work from activists. And host Khalil Ekulona talks to fans of the team and The Prognosticators, a crew of sports wonks he formed to hash things out in detail.

Next week: Disappearing Acts

Hear the show on KUNM’s airwaves Sundays at 11 a.m., or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Special thanks to: Cheo Melendez and Jazztone the Producer for sharing their music with the show. Ty Bannerman and Hannah Colton jumped in on the editing. Zack Freeman contributed the original artwork for this episode. Khaki, Pope Yes Yes Y’all, and Bigawatt composed the show’s theme music. Vanessa Bowen of Bowen Creative designed our logo.

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

View Details

In episode 82, we discuss how the question “How are you?” is part of documenting changing people and a changing globe. The answer reveals a lot about us. Are we good? We hear from a high school athlete who is worried about going back to a crowded campus, a woman who lost her mother to COVID-19, an anti-police brutality activist who sees focused protesters demanding positive local change, a community organizer whose family was torn apart after their activism, and an advocate who networks community groups to pay people to make masks. We know everyone out there is working hard in one way or another. So, how are you?

Sandia Prep junior Santiago Cooper talks about his apprehension when it comes to going back to school in the Fall. Thought he wants to see his friends and get back to baseball, he says.

Mariaelena Lopez says she’s OK after losing her mother to COVID-19. She is grieving and accepting the change in life, she tells us, and now she’s more appreciative of the simple things, and the company of her friends and family.

Kawya Esperanza helped organize some of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Albuquerque. She says she's feeling inspired after the latest protest against police violence in front of APD’s Downtown headquarters last night, where there was a recognizable focus on local police violence here in Albuquerque.

Selinda Guerrero is an activist and a founder of Albuquerque Mutual Aid. She talks what it's like to raise her family and continue her work even though her husband was sent back to prison for a parole violation after protesting police violence.

Executive Producer Marisa Demarco asks her sister, Monica Demarco, “How are you doing?” Monica talks about using creativity to help build a network of sewers as part of Southwest Organizing Project. The sewers make cloth masks for people who are most at risk during the pandemic.

And a local news update:

Here in New Mexico, the AP reports City Councilor Pat Davis is being called to resign by ProgressNow New Mexico — an advocacy group the Councilor founded – after new details emerged about his shooting of a Black man in 2004 while working as a police officer in Washington D.C., and what the group called, “a pattern of racist behavior targeting Black and Brown communities.”

Gov. Lujan Grisham today granted clemency for 19 people convicted of crimes in New Mexico. According to the Governor’s Office, most were pardoned for non-violent offenses. These are the first pardons in New Mexico since 2012 according to New Mexico In Depth.

Officials with the New Mexico State Fair announced today the event has been canceled due to the coronavirus.

New Mexico health officials reported 225 new coronavirus cases today, bringing the total to more than 11,400.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

View Details

In episode 81 we check back for new developments on some of the impactful stories from YNMG from the past couple of months. Did UNM Hospital cleaning crews who work in harm’s way get the PPE they need? What about the Albuquerque police who waited down the road when a peaceful protest became a violent scene where a man was shot? Finally, are the restaurants we love and miss, and all the employees who keep them running, doing ok? It’s not often in a fast moving news environment that we get to take a look back. Today’s episode is a hat tip to the big stories that almost got away.

Dave Mayberry from Marpac Medical tells us about his company’s efforts to get personal protective equipment (PPE) to UNM Hospital and others that suffered a shortage earlier this year when the threat of coronavirus overwhelmed medical providers. He says Marpac is also making thousands of cloth masks for businesses and individuals.

KUNM reporter Yasmin Khan checks in after reporting more than a month ago that UNMH staff and the cleaning crew were lacking the PPE they need to stay safe while working. Khan says they still don’t have all the equipment they need. LTNM’s Executive Producer Marisa Demarco reached out to UNMH spokesperson Mark Rudi to get more details.

Carol Wight, CEO of the New Mexico Restaurant Association, says restaurants are opening at half capacity and just barely hanging on. The restaurants are figuring out how to operate safely, she says, but they cannot afford any more financial hits.

And some local coronavirus news:

Today, four states posted single-day highs, spikes in infections. That includes our neighbor, Texas, which had almost 6,000 new cases, according to the Washington Post. Westerly neighbor Arizona is also seeing a sharp rise in the number of cases.

In New Mexico, five more people have died, officials say, and 207 more people have tested positive for coronavirus. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the upward trend in cases—attributable in part to travel to those neighboring states and then back, public officials say—will pause the reopening process by at least a week. If people don’t socially distance, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham says, schools will not be able to reopen in the Fall. Still, so far, the number of people who are hospitalized for COVID-19 has gone down.

In the Otero County Prison, 76 percent of people imprisoned there are unable to recover from the virus, the Albuquerque Journal reports, in part because of how people sleep, dorm-style, on cots 3-feet apart, says Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel. The prison is on the same property as the ICE detention facility there and the federal prison, where there are also outbreaks.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

Do you have any insights on today's stories? Share your thoughts by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message.

View Details

We come back to life’s essentials like housing and education in episode 80, and the systemic problems that can easily slip past us if we’re not vigilant. As we continue to endure, it's easy to drop the ball on issues New Mexico has been battling for years. Today we hear from journalists from around the state on how the pandemic is affecting schools and teachers, the affordability of housing, and whether the corrections system is fulfilling its human rights obligations.

Longtime education reporter and KUNM News Director Hannah Colton tells us what public school days might look like when kids come back in the Fall. Split in-school learning and at-home learning creates a reliance on Internet that's going to be a problem for students on tribal lands, where Internet infrastructure has never been good. And this is all set against a backdrop of the Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit and Black Lives Matter calls for funds to be diverted from law enforcement to public education.

Susan Dunlap from the New Mexico Political Report tells us about a rent relief effort that wasn't considered by legislators. Up to 20,000 New Mexicans at risk of homelessness in the coming months. She says New Mexico is among the worst in the United States for homelessness issues.

Deanna Creighton Cook with ABC Community School Partnership worked with UNM’s School of Law to lobby for an extended moratorium on evictions. The hope was for a 12-month reprieve to get people through the turmoil caused by COVID-19 and a process for sorting out rent owed. They’re still fighting for an extension and looking for other ways to help people with housing. We asked the Governor’s Office about the lack of rent relief or an extended eviction moratorium in the emergency legislative session that concluded this week. Spokesperson Nora Sackett responded:

"The governor is clear that New Mexicans are facing a variety of potential obstacles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and she is absolutely aware of and concerned about potential rent and eviction issues. I know that the state is exploring what additional avenues might be available with federal CARES Act funds to address a variety of pandemic-related issues. The reality of the logistics are difficult, as there is no state 'housing' authority and the area is typically managed by local municipalities. One thing I do just want to be sure you're clear on is that New Mexico state statute unfortunately does not allow the executive, the governor, to enact eviction moratoriums or 'rent relief.' The current temporary eviction moratorium was put in place by the [state] Supreme Court, as evictions are a legal procedure and fall under the purview of the judicial branch. I would hope that the Court would continue that moratorium as we are clearly still in the midst of the pandemic but you would have to ask them for the details of that."

Algernon D’Ammassa from the Las Cruces Sun-News tells us about the New Mexico Department of Corrections' efforts to curb COVID-19 in prisons. Only 71 prisoners have been released to prevent the spread. And the state’s public and private prisons have failed to contain the coronavirus among prisoners, especially in the Otero County Detention Center.

We want to hear your story. What’s shaping you during this time of change? Share your thoughts by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We may include them in a future episode.

View Details

It’s a weird time. We’ve got a global pandemic, an uprising against racist police violence and a special legislative session dropped in the middle of it—the likes of which no one’s ever seen before. Maybe one that people still aren’t seeing because there’s been so many access issues. In episode 79 we dig in to bring you what’s new and developing with the emergency legislative session. What bills have been passed, what is on the way, and what is being held until January are just a few of the topics we cover. We talk with journalists from New Mexico PBS and the NM Political Report. I also talk with an organizer who is on the forefront of voting rights in tribal lands.

Amber Carillo, organizer with Common Cause New Mexico reminds us why temporary changes to voting procedures are important for Indigenous communities during the pandemic, and the challenging decision by tribal administration to limit or cut polling elections during the primary.

Matt Reichbach, journalist with the New Mexico Political Report talks about how COVID-19 and social distasting has changed the legislature special session, and the narrow focus of law makers for this session including the controversy around absentee ballots and the primary voting process.

Gene Grant and Kevin McDonald, producers and journalists at New Mexico In Focus, tell us about what they are hearing in the emergency legislative session including the debate over using police body cameras in New Mexico, the complications of absentee ballots, and the frustration for teachers whose raises are on the chopping block.

And in local news:

Here in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Journal reports Steven Baca, who shot and critically injured a protester in Old Town Albuquerque last week, was ordered released Monday by a Bernalillo County District judge. While the judge said Baca does pose a danger to the community, certain conditions could mitigate the risk, including being prohibited from possessing a firearm or attending protests while charges are pending.

This year’s Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Albuquerque Journal reports the event has been pushed out to next year.

The New Mexico Department of Health announced Monday the state saw no new deaths related to COVID-19, a first since mid-April. 128 new cases were reported today, bringing the statewide total to 10,694.

We want to hear your story. What’s shaping you during this time of change? Share your thoughts by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We may include them in a future episode.

Your New Mexico Government is a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage is provided, in part, by the Thornburg Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the New Mexico Local News Fund.

View Details

In episode 78 we discuss what’s happening in Santa Fe at the legislative special session. It’s a unique situation up there; COVID-19 precautions have led to a locked-in session with no opportunity for citizens to attend in person. But first, we hear from organizers of the Albuquerque Juneteenth celebration commemorating 155 years since the official end of slavery in Texas, with the entire United States following soon after.

Hosanna Scott and Kieran Freeman of Black Voices ABQ are spearheading the Juneteenth celebration in Albuquerque this year. They’ve taken safety precautions in light of COVID-19, but they say it’s more important to celebrate freedom and continue to push for the racial equity that people of color have been fighting for for generations.

KUNM’s Nash Jones describes the scene at the state capitol building during the locked-down special legislative session that started yesterday. The only public access is online – causing a ruckus yesterday when callers using Zoom to comment used racist language and others rambled off topic. Citizens and several lawmakers, too, have had trouble accessing bills electronically.

Mary Parr-Sanchez is President of the National Education Association of New Mexico. She says teachers’ pay in New Mexico is on the low side compared to other states and that it’s not keeping up with rising insurance prices or the cost of living. New Mexico is losing teachers. Further, COVID-19 has thrown a monkey wrench into the budget and school administrators are unsure how to reopen safely.

Andy Lyman from The New Mexico Political Report talks over some of the ideas lawmakers in the legislature have for police reform. With a bill to create a Civil Rights Commission and another for mandatory body cameras for all officers, there are likely some reforms on the horizon.

New Mexico Senator Cliff Pirtle sits on the Finance Committee. He tells us that small businesses that were shuttered by COVID-19 precautions could be paid reparations by the state. He also suggests making small cuts to nearly all budget items to help offset the losses from the oil market crash that created a fiscal emergency in New Mexico.

And now a check-in on COVID-19 news:

In New Mexico today, state officials reported 112 new confirmed cases, with 22 of those in McKinley County, 17 in San Juan County, 15 in Bernalillo County, and 10 in Dona Ana County. There were eight additional deaths, including one state prisoner in Otero County, where an outbreak has infected hundreds of inmates. The death toll in the state is now 464.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Discover more about Black Voices ABQ
Learn more about Juneteenth history

What do you think legislators should prioritize during the meeting this week? Is police reform your top issue? Maybe education, or the budget generally? Share your thoughts by calling (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We may include it in a future episode.

View Details

In episode 77 we dive into the state’s special legislative session that started today. The primary reason for the emergency meeting is to address the unexpected budget shortfall brought on by COVID-19 and the decimation of oil and gas markets that provide much of New Mexico’s public funding. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, however, has asked legislators to also consider other reforms like making adjustments now to state election rules and policing procedures rather than waiting for the regular legislative session next January. It’s a full schedule for a session that is only going to last a few days. Today we’ll hear from journalists, a State Representative, and the Albuquerque Mayor about what they expect from the emergency legislative session.

Dan McKay from the Albuquerque Journal tells us the special legislative session will likely run through the weekend with a packed agenda, focusing on the state budget but with legislators also considering voting by mail and police reforms.

Matt Grubs from New Mexico PBS expects action in the Roundhouse this week. He says the state will have a budget shortfall around 25% under what was allocated by the legislature in January and it’s likely that teachers and other state employees will help make it up by not getting the full raises they were promised.

New Mexico State Representative Antonio “Moe” Maestas points out that the right to openly carry or conceal firearms is not a Constitutional right. He says that militiamen carrying rifles and the shooter with a concealed pistol escalated the confrontation near the Albuquerque Museum where a protester was shot on June 15th. Maestas hopes criminal justice reforms are addressed soon.

Gwyneth Doland from New Mexico PBS tells us that legislators could trim the state budget by “sanding” small cuts from many budget items instead of cutting particular expenses drastically.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller talked to New Mexico PBS's Gwyneth Doland about the Albuquerque Police Department’s response to the shooting at Monday’s protest at the Albuquerque Museum. Keller said he’d like legislation that allowed for regulation of guns at protests.

And now some news:

The Navajo Nation is reinstating weekend curfews through June to protect residents due to a surge in infections in areas surrounding the reservation, especially in Arizona. AZ Central reports that state saw its largest daily case number today with 2,519 new infections, and the number of hospitalizations hit a new high yesterday. Meanwhile, the Navajo Times reported Tuesday the Nation itself had seen its lowest daily case increase since March.

There were 94 new cases in New Mexico today, state officials say. The number of confirmed cases in the state is now 10,153. There were four more deaths, bringing the death toll to 456.

View Details

In episode 76, we discuss criminal justice reform, from policing to prisons. We get a preview of the Albuquerque mayor and a city councilor plans to remake the public safety system. A criminal justice reporter tells us about COVID-19 in state prisons and reminds us that there is little race or ethnicity data to show us who is affected. But first, YNMG Executive Producer Marisa Demarco tells us what it was like to be at a protest this week where someone she knows was shot by a man trying to protect a statue of a genocidal Spanish conquistador.

YNMG Executive Producer Marisa Demarco describes the scene at the tense demonstration at the Juan de Oñate statue near the Albuquerque Museum on Monday, June 15, where a protester—a longtime friend of hers—was shot.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and the city’s Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair discuss addressing public safety with a community focused response. They say there are other ways for public safety officers to engage that do not require militarized police.

Jeff Proctor from the Santa Fe Reporter has been following the story of COVID-19 in New Mexico prisons. Proctor said an unknown number of people are at risk of contracting the coronavirus in prison because they are incarcerated for non-violent crimes like marijuana possession, an offense that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has lobbied to decriminalize.

Albuquerque City Council President Pat Davis tells us it is not always appropriate for police to respond to an incident. He says there are duties Albuquerque Police are doing that could be better handled by other experts, like those who specialize in homelessness or social work.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Check out Jeff Proctor’s article “It Makes No Sense” covering the rise of COVID-19 cases in New Mexico’s prisons and the Governor’s response.
Read Rolling Stone magazine’s article on Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s tactics for fighting coronavirus, including the fight for federal resources.

Where you at the protest at the Albuquerque Museum. Doing OK? Do you have opinions on best ways to remake police departments? Do you agree or disagree with Pat Davis or Tim Keller on police reform? We want to know. Share your thoughts by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We may include them in a future episode.

View Details

In episode 75, we're talking data privacy, surveillance, sophisticated bots, racially biased tech and misinformation on social media in the time of COVID, BLM and the upcoming election. We check in with researchers, privacy advocates and an artist/activist, who talk about how our data is valuable to corporations or governments that want to exploit their knowledge of us for policing, political or capitalistic reasons.

David Carroll is an Associate Professor of Media Design at The New School’s Parsons School of Design. He took on Cambridge Analytica to get his data back and is featured in the Netflix documentary The Great Hack. He says U.S. citizens still have to fight for the right to manage their own data, though this isn't the case in other countries, and that’s especially dangerous during protests, COVID-19 and in an election year.

Mutale Nkonde is CEO of AI for the People and a fellow at Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University, and the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford University. She tells us facial recognition technology is trained to read White faces, and when it's used by law enforcement, it can misread Black faces, which could mean false accusations and arrests.

Professor Kathleen Carley from Carnegie Mellon’s Institute for Software Research has been studying sophisticated bots and found many more of them in the time of COVID-19—including half of all accounts posting anti-shutdown rhetoric on Twitter.

Albuquerque artist and activist Lazarus Letcher compares sharing videos of police violence on social media to the lynching postcards shared among racists in the Jim Crow South 100 years ago. Letcher says the double-edged sword of social media is that it's also the best forum for uniting people.

And a news update:

The United States is seeing a rise in coronavirus infections this week, experts are warning, and six states—including our neighbors Arizona and Texas—are seeing more patients filling hospital beds, according to Al Jazeera.

In New Mexico, the special legislative session begins next week, and as things stand, the public and lobbyists won’t be able to be there in person. A bipartisan group of 22 legislators filed a petition yesterday to make the session open to the public, citing the state’s constitution, the Albuquerque Journal reports.

Officials announced 162 new cases in the state, according to the Santa Fe Reporter, bringing the total to 9,526. That includes 13 more cases at the Otero County prison, which has 275 known cases today. There are six more deaths reported. The death toll stands at 426.

The police union in Albuquerque says the calls to defund police are infuriating, KOAT reports, and that reform means additional training, which would require more money.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

View Details

The country is grappling with practical steps for ending police brutality and racism in policing. We explore some local ideas in episode 74, from completely burning down the system to moderate reform to minor policy changes. Community and Black Lives Matter organizers, Albuquerque’s mayor and City Councilor Lan Sena, and activists who work with and against police weigh in on what the future of public safety could look like.

Frankie Grady is a community organizer who works for opportunities for African Americans in Albuquerque, especially fighting the school-to-prison pipeline. He helped organize the recent Black Lives Matter protests here. Grady says Albuquerque’s mayor was late to show up last week when residents were in the streets demanding change. He sees demilitarization and community policing as key components of reform.

Arthur Bell is an organizer for Black Lives Matter and a father of two children. Bell is desperate to reform the system he says is set up to repress people of color. He says now is the time to increase pressure on politicians to make changes for equity.

Mayor Tim Keller joins us to talk about how Albuquerque Police have handled protests over previous days. He said that compared to other cities, APD handled the crowds well, though he's concerned about the use of chemical irritants to disperse crowds during the pandemic, since experts say they can increase the spread of coronavirus. Keller said the city has been working on police reform already, and should next work on providing better social services and interventions.

Albuquerque City Councilor Lan Sena with Councilor Pat Davis introduced a bill to prevent APD from receiving military surplus equipment—though the department hasn't in recent years. Sena said policing, as a whole, is a racist system and that understanding the history of racism and policing is a first step to shaping policy that confronts racism.

Darryl Deloach is a police crisis intervention training actor and activist with Positive Policing. He yells at police for a living, he jokes, trying to escalate situations with them as a learning tool. Deloach says he has seen real change with officers’ ability to de-escalate situations in Albuquerque and is proud of both police and protesters’ behavior during BLM and anti-police brutality demonstrations.

And a news update:

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today that breweries can reopen on Friday at half capacity on outdoor and patio seating areas, and indoor seating at 50 percent, starting Monday. The transmission rate is falling here, officials said.

There were 121 new confirmed cases today, the governor said, bringing the total to 9,367. And eight more people have died. The death toll stands at 420.

People in prison for nonviolent offenses have still not been released, though COVID just took the life of the first N.M. state prisoner, and one-in-three inmates in the Otero County Prison are infected, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. One-quarter of the people behind the walls are there for nonviolent drug offenses, including marijuana possession, according to the article by Jeff Proctor.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

View Details

In episode 73, we talk to and about militia groups in New Mexico that have floated around the edges of demonstrations against racist police violence and white supremacy. Robert Whitmon of the American Patriots of New Mexico, one such group, says they've been working with police for years. Regardless of their claims of support for protesters, demonstrators say they raise tension and anxiety, and they're already concerned about state-sanctioned violence and the possibility of retribution for speaking out.

We hear from Andres Valdez, Selinda Guererro and Amelia Brown. They are among the protesters and organizers of last week’s demonstrations who shared their impressions of the men carrying rifles that showed up to watch protests.

Bryce Provance, a chaplain formerly associated with the New Mexico Civil Guard, spoke to KUNM's Hannah Colton in an interview after the group’s patrolling of a June 1 demonstration startled protesters. He said the militia does not have a racial bias. He resigned his position with the group within an hour after the interview was conducted. [Here is Colton's original story.]

Arthur Bell, an Albuquerque Black Lives Matter organizer, tells us about the New Mexico Civil Guard’s attendance at demonstrations over the last couple weeks.

Armed militias are visible in New Mexico beyond Albuquerque. Jesus Chavira was born and raised in Gallup. He describes that city’s Black Lives Matter protest last week that he helped organize. The True Patriot Foundation showed up armed after calling out members to defend businesses and citizens from looters and violence.

Robert Whitmon of American Patriots of New Mexico says he feels he has an American duty to protect businesses and citizens from violent protestors. Many in his group are ex-military or ex-police, Whitmon says.

And for more on rifles: Joe Rull, data and sports editor for UNM's Daily Lobo, shares what he knows about New Mexico State Police stationing snipers atop university buildings during BLM protests.

And a news update:

Today, New Mexico officials announced 147 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. That brings the state's total to 9,250, with about 40 percent of those listed as recovered. Six more people were reported to have died from the virus. The statewide death toll now stands at 410.

New Mexico’s special legislative session begins next week, and lawmakers have decided it won’t be open to the public. Reporters can be there with some restrictions. Lawmakers say legislative deliberations will be viewable through live-streams. But there have been problems with this in the past, technologically and otherwise. A session with no public allowed will be a transparency test for the Legislature, and Your NM Gov will be watching that closely.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

Did you attend a protest or were you affected differently? We want to know. Share your demonstration stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message.

View Details

We are nearly halfway through the year of 2020, it is June and reality is forever changed. While learning to adjust to life during a global pandemic, the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers has given rise to protests globally. In Episode 71, we talk about what it takes to safely navigate a pandemic and the beginnings of a revolution. It’s a heavy lift. Today we talk with a military veteran, a few activists and educators, and host Khalil Ekulona’s dad to get a deeper perspective.

Monique Salhab, a veteran and a member of the National Board of Directors of Veterans for Peace, tells us how militarized policing has changed the country and what it means for citizens and protesters.

Ebony Booth, artist, activist and educator, talks about the body politics of race and mask-wearing, and the transformation of Downtown Albuquerque after Sunday night's protests. The city boarding up windows of businesses that didn't have any damage sends the wrong signal to people here, she says.

We hear from Khalil Ekulona’s father, Ademola Ekulona, who retired as the program coordinator with a hospital-based violence intervention program in Baltimore, and who is a Babalawo of the Yoruba tradition. Ademola sheds light on the intersection of pandemic stress and the horror of witnessing George Floyd’s murder, and how male behavior and masculinized violence affects us all.

Francheska Zamora, and educator and activist in Los Angeles, talks about her experience as an organizer and her perspective on protests and the conditions that have led to where we are today.

A local news update:

In New Mexico, state officials reported 218 new cases today. There have been a total of 8,353 cases and of those, 3,115 people have recovered. Eight more people died, bringing the statewide death toll to 383.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this afternoon held a virtual press conference to address racism and structural inequity, along with black community leaders. She announced the creation of a council for racial justice to advise law enforcement agencies, though the body’s specific goals remain unclear.

Find a full list of the resources we talk about on each episode + opportunities to donate or help online at: bit.ly/ynmghub

Did you attend a BLM protest? What was your experience? We want to know. Share your demonstration stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

We are nearly half way through the year of 2020, it is June and reality is forever changed. While learning to adjust to life during a global pandemic, the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers has given rise to protests globally. In Episode 71 we talk about what it takes to safely navigate a pandemic and the beginnings of a revolution. It’s a heavy lift. Today we talk with a military veteran, a few activists and educators, and host Khalil Ekulona’s father to get a deeper perspective.

Ebony Booth, artist, activist and educator talks about the body politics of race and mask wearing, and the transformation of Downtown Albuquerque after Sunday nights protests and the propery damage and police response that happened after protesters dispersed.

We hear from Khalil Ekulona’s father, Ademola Ekulona, who recently retired as the program coordinator with a hospital-based violence intervention program in Baltimore, and who is a Babalou of the Yoruba tradition. Ademola uses Babalou knowledge to shed light on the intersection of pandemic stress and the horror of witnessing George Floyd’s murder, and how male behavior and masculinized violence affects us all.

Francheska Zamora, and educator and activist in Los Angeles, talks about her experience as an organizer and her perspective on protests and the conditions that have led to where we are today.

A local news update:

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham this afternoon held a virtual press conference to address racism and structural inequity, along with black community leaders. She announced the creation of a council for racial justice to advise law enforcement agencies, though the body’s specific goals remain unclear.

Resources

Find a full list of the resources we talk about on each episode + opportunities to donate or help online at: bit.ly/ynmghub

New Mexico crisis line head, to the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line or fall 1-855-NMCRISIS

Did you attend a BLM protest, and what was your experience? We want to know. Share your demonstration stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Albuquerque residents have joined people around the world in protest following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In the media, peaceful demonstrations have been conflated with property damage done by smaller groups of people, playing into narratives that give rise to aggressive responses like what the Trump administration is pushing. In episode 70, we talk about how law enforcement responses to recent protests seem to differ for different groups. We speak with an organizer, a youth detained after a protest, Albuquerque Police Department leadership, and a longtime criminal justice reporter.

We hear from Noah Tapia, a teenager who was thrown on the ground by APD's riot team last Thursday night after a protest in Albuquerque’s International District, and had his car taken by police. Tapia and three other youth of color were detained and later released, with no charges filed.

We ask Albuquerque Police Department Deputy Chief Harold Medina about the disparity between militarized police response to Black Lives Matter protests and the lack of visible police presence at an anti-shutdown protest in April.

Selinda Gerrero, long-time organizer around police violence, incarceration, and mutual aid, helped organize last Thursday’s Black Lives Matter demonstration. Her husband Clifton White was arrested on parole violations days after he was pulled over driving Tapia's car to his home for safekeeping last Thursday; Guerrero believes her husband's arrest was retaliation for their activism.

KUNM news director Hannah Colton gives an update about armed militia men from out of town who showed up to Monday night's protest in the UNM area, alarming demonstrators and intimidating a group of Native people as they entered their office at the end of the night.

Criminal justice reporter Jeff Proctor talks with KUNM's Marisa Demarco about the confounding lack of race and ethnicity data in New Mexico’s criminal justice system.

Plus: a look at a history of overpolicing in Albuquerque’s International District, like when State Police swarmed the area for nearly two months last year.

New Mexico COVID News Update:

The state announced 122 new positive tests today, bringing the total confirmed cases to 8,140. On Tuesday, the New Mexico Corrections Department reported 116 new positive cases in the privately run Otero County Prison Facility in Chaparral, after testing 164 inmates over the weekend. That prison now has 162 state inmates with COVID-19, plus 183 cases among people being held there by federal agencies.

Eight more people in New Mexico died of COVID-19 today, said the Department of Health, and the death toll now stands at 375.

The state Department of Workforce Solutions, along with other state agencies, is launching a series of virtual town halls for employers with resources about how to modify their operations to comply with public health orders. The first virtual discussion is planned for Monday, June 8.

Albuquerque Public Schools announced classes will start on August 12, KOB reports, and they’re still exploring what that will look like: full capacity, learning from home, or a combination.

View Details

Do you have faith in the systems? How has government response to the pandemic eroded or reinforced that for you? It seemed important back in what we collectively refer to as “normal times.” But what have public officials done to instill our faith? In Episode 69, we talk about the long list of pre-pandemic ills that plague us during this plague. We talk with the secretary of state about what it takes for politicians to keep voters invested and journalists about why there is a lack of faith—and whether it can be restored.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver talks about the links between the digital divide, voting, and COVID in New Mexico, the importance of local leadership, and trust at state, county, and municipal levels.

Gene Grant, host of New Mexico in Focus, examines voter faith in the political system and President Trump’s missed moment to unite the country during the COVID pandemic.

Katherine Lewin with the Santa Fe Reporter tells us about the uneven distribution of federal small business PPP loans, which were disproportionally distributed to businesses in Republican-run states, with only 12 percent of N.M. small businesses that applied for those loans getting them.

The SF Reporter's Julia Goldberg talks about people's faith in the federal and government vs. the local government, and how public trust for political entities changed in recent decades.

Algernon D’Ammassa from the Las Cruces Sun News, fills us in on absentee ballots and voting dynamics in New Mexico’s southern counties.

National expert Tim Wise dives into the importance of general elections for change, and how white supremacist nostalgia fuels authoritarian politics in the U.S.

And a news update: Restaurants are reopening in New Mexico, and that means enforcement of the public health orders, too, according to KOAT. On the first day, State Police say they got 13 complaints about eateries not following the rules. The BioPark in Albuquerque is reopening in phases, too, KOB reports, with the Botanic Garden and Tingley set to invite patrons back in this month.

State officials announced 133 new confirmed cases today, which makes the total 7,493, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. They also announced nine more deaths. The death toll stands at 344.

Find a full list of the resources we talk about on each episode + opportunities to donate or help online at: bit.ly/ynmghub.

How are things going for you? We'd love to hear about it. Share your pandemic stories by calling (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

While many of us are focused on the demands of the pandemic, the primary election came up quick in New Mexico, and the general election is right around the corner. What is the consequence of doing nothing at all this election cycle? In episode 68, we take a look at the primary coming up on Tuesday, June 2, with a narrow focus on the state and local elections. The fast spread of coronavirus has forced elected and appointed officials to make urgent life-or-death decisions, so we need all the information possible to make the best choice. And we learn about the difficulty with voting on tribal lands right now, and the efforts voting-access advocates are putting in to make things better come November.

We hear from Common Cause's Amber Carrillo, who's been working with tribes on voting access and information for years, about the hard calls some tribal leaders are having to make during the primary, some deciding not to set up polling locations on tribal lands. She's got all the info about how and where you can vote, still pretty close to home.

Ahtza Dawn Chavez, executive director of NM Native Vote, furthers this conversation, and talks about what's at stake this primary—but also with an understanding that people are facing a lot of serious challenges in their tribal communities that's diverting attention and resources away from the primary election.

Dan McKay from the Albuquerque Journal lets us in on the primary races he's got his eye on, and underscores how important these local races are, especially since officials people might not be familiar with are making decisions that impact our daily lives during the pandemic.

And Matt Grubs with KNME adds to that info with a survey of tight primary races, plus transparency concerns around the coming special session for the state Legislature, coming up on June 18.

And a news update: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced this afternoon that restaurants, gyms and barber shops can open their doors again on Monday, June 1, but not at full capacity, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. Restaurants can run at half capacity. Gyms, too. Hair salons and indoor malls can open up at 25 percent their capacity. Everyone has to wear a mask, the governor said, and respect social distancing. Bars, movie theaters, concerts and large gatherings are still off the table.

There are improvements in numbers across the state. But there were 108 new cases of the virus announced today, bringing the total to 7,364. Six more people have died in New Mexico, according to officials, which brings the total to 335.

The curve is flattening at last on the Navajo Nation, President Jonathan Nez announced yesterday, acknowledging that the orders and curfews were really extreme, but they worked, he said. There is another 57-hour lockdown this weekend, starting Friday at 8 p.m. and lasting until Monday at 5 a.m. Still, hospital visits are down 30 percent to 40 percent, Nez said. Officials say the number of cases is still climbing, reaching almost 5,000 today, but people are being tested there at a higher rate than anywhere else in the U.S.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Now that the state is slowly relaxing the shutdown orders, some are considering getting back to business. In episode 67 we talk with small business owners and those who support them about how they have to come up with innovative ways to sell to their customers, get their employees back, keep the lights on and keep everyone safe. We hear from restaurant owners, a statewide business incubator, a journalist and Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley.

Katherine Lewin, a journalist with the Santa Fe Reporter, tells us about her article The Band-Aid Loans, which explores the complexities of accessing federal Paycheck Protection Program loans to keep New Mexican businesses and employees afloat.

Diego Diaz and his father David tell us how their plans to open a new Peruvian restaurant, Tio David’s Peruvian Flavor were sidelined by pandemic closures, but they're opening anyway in early June. Diego Diaz talks about how they plan to operate with safety measures in place.

Lauren Green, owner of The Grove Cafe & Market, tells us how she has pivoted to stay in limited operation during the shutdown and what a second closure could mean for her business and other restaurants.

Sarah Ciccotello and Chris McQuary, owners of The Burque Bakehouse, talk about what it’s been like to remain open under pandemic orders and their future plans.

Margarita Guarin, bilingual regional manager of WESST Enterprise Center, tellsus how WESST is helping Spanish-speaking and immigrant small business owners survive the pandemic closures.

Bill McCamley, Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions talks about the rules for workers with pre-existing conditions who are worried about having to go back to their workplaces.

And in local news:

In New Mexico, officials announced 127 more confirmed cases, making the total 7,252, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. The Northwestern corner of the state and Bernalillo County make up the bulk of the new cases. Officials also reported four additional deaths, bringing the New Mexico death toll to 329.

Yesterday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that restaurants could offer outdoor service starting today. In Albuquerque, city officials are permitting sidewalk seating and waiving the fee for outdoor seating applications. The city is also trying to work with businesses to create outdoor seating in parking lots, the Albuquerque Journal reports, and is considering using Civic Plaza or the Rail Yards for outdoor dining.

The governor has said the state is on track to open other industries like gyms and barber shops on Monday, June 1. There’s a press conference about it tomorrow afternoon.

Find a full list of the resources we talk about on each episode + opportunities to donate or help online at: bit.ly/ynmghub.

How are things going for you? We'd love to hear about it. Share your pandemic stories by calling (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

The past few weeks have seen a rise to anti-shutdown protests in many parts of the country. Some have observed the number of weapons at some of these protests, others have observed that most of the participants are white. That made us think, how does race factor into the conversations around re-opening? In episode 66, we talk with some of the louder voices in the state speaking out against New Mexico’s shutdown, and national anti-racism activist Tim Wise. And we hear from a guy who’s worked for years to grapple with his own privilege. These conversations might give us a window into what the future holds.

Republican state senator Bill Sharer talks about reopening Farmington, a hotspot for cases and deaths, and why despite the virus spread he thinks the shutdown should be lifted.

Sierra county sheriff Glenn Hamilton tells us what's happening in Sierra County, which is 93% white with only one confirmed case of COVID, and why he deputized an entire church congregation which allows them to be exempt from the governors lockdown orders.

Tim Wise, one of America’s leading anti-racism activists and scholars, author of bestselling books “White Like Me”, “Dear White America” and “Under The Affluence” joins the show and talks about how white privilege fuels anti-shutdown protesting across the country.

Scott Davis, a white construction project manager working in Northern New Mexico, talks about his personal journey learning about race and privilege.

And in local news:

New Mexico state officials announced they are hiring 200 to 250 contact tracers, who identify people who’ve tested positive for coronavirus and then help track down people they were in contact with before they knew they were infected. It’s remote work and there’s a virtual hiring process, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. Head over to the State Personnel Office website at https://www.spo.state.nm.us/.

The state reported 160 new confirmed cases today, bringing the total here to 6,625. Most of those cases are either in the northwest corner of the state or in Bernalillo County. Officials also said there were 8 more deaths. The death toll stands at 302.

The Navajo Nation, which borders Republican state Sen. Bill Sharer’s district said there were 181 more cases today—that’s 20 more than the whole state of New Mexico—bringing the total there to 4,434. They’ve had about half the number of deaths as the state.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said state flags will fly at half mast through Memorial Day in honor of people who’ve died from coronavirus and their families, in addition to being a recognition of military members.

Resources

Find a full list of the resources we talk about on each episode and opportunities to donate or help online at: BIT.LY/YNMGHUB.

How are things going for you? We'd love to hear about it. Share your pandemic stories by calling (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

Your New Mexico Government is a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS, and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage is provided, in part, by the Thornburg Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the New Mexico Local News Fund.

View Details

It's springtime, and love is in the air -- but the virus is making things complicated. In episode 65, we explore shifts the pandemic has wrought for many kinds of love: for family, for friends, for oneself, for longtime spouses, and yes, for lovers. A sex educator schools us on sexual risk assessment, healthy communication and creative ways to date safely. And New Mexicans, whether they're partnered, dating or single, share how they're navigating new challenges around connection and intimacy in their stay-at-home lives.

We hear from Albuquerque relationship expert Hunter Riley of Self Serve on sexual health, how conversations about the risks of STIs and the coronavirus can be both similar and different, and how folks can go about getting their needs met in extraordinary circumstances.

A whole slew of people give us a peek into their home lives, sharing about finding new rhythms with loved ones in the shutdown, learning to love friends and alone time in deeper ways, balancing the need for human connection with safety concerns, and growing closer despite the interpersonal, economic, and emotional stresses of the pandemic. Many thanks to Alyssa Atias, Maggie Grimason, Rob Nakai, Vanessa Bowen, Erin Saulsbury, Bill Nevens, Quinn Fati, Elisa McGovern, and Katie Farmin.

And, a news update: Here in New Mexico, the number of cases is rising among prison inmates and at ICE detention centers, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. Senator Tom Udall announced that the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general will review ICE’s efforts to stop the spread of the virus.

State officials announced 163 new cases today, bringing the statewide total to 6,472. Doña Ana County has the most new cases. They also said there were 11 deaths, which means the total number of fatalities stands at 294.

The governor announced yesterday that the virus seems to have peaked in the state, SFR reports, and restaurants, spas and gyms will likely open on June 1.

The Navajo Nation is reporting 100 new cases, bringing the total there to 4,253. According to KRQE, the government is doing large-scale testing there, and there will be a lockdown again this weekend.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is calling for a special session to begin on June 18 to patch the roughly $2 billion dollar hole in the state’s budget, according to New Mexico In Depth. She said she’s hoping public schools won’t experience cuts. Senator John Arthur Smith, one of the primary author’s of the state’s budget, told the news outlet that savings and federal money should mean schools don’t bear the brunt of the burden.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? Share your pandemic stories by calling (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Now that we are at the beginning of a small reopening, some people are taking it into their own hands to provide a little something special to their communities. In episode 64, we learn about a new online radio station designed to give live performers a platform to connect to their audience in a fresh way. We hear about how popular the Sunday cruise on the mother road has been since it's naturally socially distant but still all about community. Mobile drive-in movies are back. Plus, we dive into the symbolism of the many moths newly emerging in our city, sometimes feeling like a manifestation of our collective anxiety.

We hear from John Romero of the Drifters Car Club about cruising and organizing lowrider parades to honor 2020 graduates and front-line health care workers.

Alec Cameron talks mobile drive-in movies, Reel Big Flix, and also his motivations for restoring a local playground overrun with detritus. He was just named Albuquerque's volunteer of the month by Mayor Tim Keller.

KUNM's Ty Bannerman talks to Marya Errin Jones of The Tannex about how her Do-It-Yourself venue is closed, and how she started Tannex Radio to amplify and keep connections between regional performers.

Host and reporter Nash Jones brings us a story about the moths—what their presence is like for people during the pandemic, the science of why they're here right now and what they want, the historic symbology of moths. And they interview the administrators of the Facebook group "A Group Where We Pretend To Be Moths In An Eclipse Of The Moths."

And A News Update: In New Mexico, the coronavirus transmission rate overall is down to 1.12—which means each person with the virus spreads it to 1.12 other people on average. That number is better than the target set by the state for this time. Read this and more from yesterday's public address from the Santa Fe Reporter.

If things keep going well, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said, there may be a partial reopening of dine-in restaurants, salons and gyms on June 1, but to do that, people have to stay home now and be serious about wearing masks in public.

There is a jump in transmission in the Southern part of the state, according to Human Services Secretary David Scrase, and it might be because of people traveling to and from Texas.

State officials reported 134 more confirmed cases, making the total 6,317. Seven people died, bringing the death toll to 283. Half of those deaths happened in McKinley and San Juan Counties in the Northwestern corner of the state, the Journal reports.

Just a reminder: There are no longer any state restrictions on who can get tested or free through the Department of Health. And the hotline you need is 1-855-600-3453.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

The streets are quieter. Restaurants and bars are empty. But the trash is still picked up each week, homes are still getting cleaned and hospitals are still sanitized for safety. On episode 63, we honor the bravery of domestic cleaners, hospital janitors, sanitation workers and home health workers. They're front-line workers who need more than just thanks—they need fair pay and proper protection during the pandemic.

We hear from Delmy Nova and Alicia Hernandez, two housekeeping staff at UNM Hospital who say they aren't being given the same PPE as doctors and nurses even though they work in the same spaces, they haven't been trained on how to use new disinfectant chemicals, and they have colleagues who've been required to work in COVID units despite reporting health conditions that put them at high risk of complications from the virus. Nova and Hernandez told KUNM's Yasmin Khan they're proud of their work keeping the hospital running, but live in fear that they could expose their own family members to the virus.

Khan spoke with another UNMH custodial worker who said she and her coworkers are being discriminated against and even barred from the staff eating area, because other hospital employees are aware that the cleaning crew doesn't have sufficient PPE. We hear about the serious emotional toll the working environment is taking on her, as she's witnessing people get sick and die of COVID. She told Khan she's even taken in family members of patients who come into UNMH, because they've traveled into Albuquerque to get their loved one treatment and have nowhere else to go.

UNMH spokesperson Mark Rudi did not respond to many of the specific concerns presented by these workers that KUNM sent over via email. Here's what Rudi sent in response:

"We take all allegations of mistreatment seriously, and will look into these claims, but we can tell you that employee and patient safety is our top priority at University of New Mexico Hospital.

Find his full statement here.

We hear from Anita Reta, a UNM student who launched a GoFundMe effort to aid UNMH custodial staff and is concerned about low-wage workers who aren't being protected or treated equitably.

Mayte Lopez with Encuentro NM tells us about the work of home health aides, some of whom have lost their incomes during the pandemic. She says domestic workers who are still on the job often lack PPE and hazard pay, and many fear that the people whose homes they work in aren't taking the right safety precautions.

We hear from Valerie Tsosie with the Navajo Family Caregiver Support Program about the pressures faced by caregivers on the Navajo Nation, where internet and cell service is spotty and there are a lack of professionals who speak Navajo in health care settings.

And Billy Gallegos, deputy director of the City of Albuquerque Solid Waste Department, gives an update on sanitation workers, who are continuing their services as normal during the crisis.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your pandemic stories by leaving us a message at: (505) 218-7084. We might use it in a future episode.

View Details

Access to medical care could not be more important than it is at this moment. And plenty of people either don’t have health insurance or lost it because they lost their jobs during the pandemic. On Episode 62 we look into what options exist for the underemployed and recently unemployed, what a hospital worker experienced when she got a $1,500 COVID-19 test bill she was not expecting, and we talk to the superintendent of insurance to discover what the state is doing to help.

We hear from Stephanie Nelson and Eddie Nelson, who tell us what happened when Eddie was fired from his job and lost his health insurance just before they were hit with a $900 emergency room bill for their coronavirus tests.

Rebecca Marie Sparks, a nurse at UNMH, talks about her surprise $1,500 COVID-19 test bill. She was ordered by her employer to take a test when she returned from out of state. She also had to use her paid time off and sick leave for quarantine.

New Mexico superintendent of insurance Russell Toal explains how insurance companies and providers should be handling coronavirus testing and treatment bills, and how is office is handling glitches in health insurance billing during the pandemic.

Sireesha Manne, executive director for the Center on Law and Poverty, tells us how her center is ensuring everyone has free access to health care and COVID-19 testing and treatment coverage. She said 70,000 New Mexicans have applied for unemployment insurance since the pandemic began, highlighting the challenges people are facing getting help not only for coronavirus treatment but for all health issues.

Barbara Webber, executive director of Health Action New Mexico, talks about the accessibility to COVID-19 testing in New Mexico, how to apply for health insurance, and how her organization is helping consumers with their health insurance issues. She said 1 of 10 New Mexicans did not have health coverage before the pandemic, and this gap highlights how the country’s lack of universal health care puts everyone at risk.

And a news update:

On the eve of a partial reopening in New Mexico, officials reported 143 more positive COVID-19 tests, pushing the total to 5,503, with many of those in the northwestern corner of the state, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. They also announced 11 more deaths. The death toll here stands at 242. Close to 1600 people have recovered.

Though some of the shutdown orders are being lifted, people are still being asked to stay home. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered people to wear masks in public which will be enforced by state police and first responders.

Here in Albuquerque, the UNM hospital banned the helicopter for San Juan Regional Medical Center for 10 days for a policy violation, the Albuquerque Journal reports. Officials said the pilot didn’t give notice before lifting off from the UNMH helipad again after dropping off a patient.

The San Juan Hospital is in the northwestern part of the state that’s being hit hardest by coronavirus and is flying more and more patients to Albuquerque hospitals. Now, the Journal reports, their pilots must fly patients to Albuquerque’s airport, and then have them transferred by ambulance to UNMH.

RESOURCES

Find a full list of the resources we talk about on each episode + opportunities to donate or help online at: bit.ly/ynmghub.

View Details

As Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham eases restructions in New Mexico starting Saturday, we talk about the factors that signal when and how to reopen the country: testing, contact tracing, modeling, antibody tests and treatment. In episode 61, we hear about test expansion and antibody test development, a new treatment involving plasma from revovered COVID-19 patients, and what it's like to be sick with the virus.

We hear from David Morgan, spokesperson with the New Mexico Department of Health, about expanding free COVID-19 testing to anyone in the state, and says residency is the only thing people are asked to show--not citizenship. He tells us about the testing process from nose to results, the challenges of contact tracing, and says we've seen cases here where someone had the virus but didn't show symptoms.

Dr. David Grenache, TriCore chief scientific officer and president of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry tells us about the development of COVID-19 antibody tests, and the importance of social distancing no matter what the results of an antibody test. Since we don't know whether having antibodies means a person is immune, he tells us, it's hard to say what those tests mean for individuals yet.

Catherine Delaney, a physicians assistant and recovered COVID patient explains what it was like to be infected with COVID-19, the rocky road to recovery, and questions around immunity after having the virus. She explains the range of symptoms she, family members and her patients have experienced.

Julia Goldberg, journalist with theSanta Fe Reporter, talks about how New Mexico is modeling the spread of coronavirus and how these models can be used to help policymakers create more effective public health orders. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration between scientists and the public to help curb the virus spread.

Daniella Disci, assistant manager with BPL Plasma tells us how people who recovered from coronavirus can donate plasma to help develop a treatment to fight the infection.

And a news update:

Stay at home restrictions will be relaxed this weekend, allowing some public stores to reopen with limited capacity. Starting Saturday, retailers around the state can reopen and allow customers in at one-quarter of their store’s capacity. Places of worship are allowed 10 percent capacity and big-box stores will remain at 20 percent. People are still encouraged to stay home, and when they have to go out, to keep a 6-foot distance from one another, and we'll be required to wear a mask in public.

But the Northwestern part of the state, which is still coping with a high rate of infection, will remain shutdown. The Navajo Nation extended emergency measures through June 7.

Officials reported 12 deaths today—and this is the second time since the pandemic began that we’ve seen that high a number in a single day. The death toll is 231. There are 155 new confirmed cases, making the state’s total 5,364.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084, We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Episode 60 we maximize the connective power of radio in service of appreciation and love for the people we might not be able to talk to—whether they're in a hospital, somewhere that phone service or net isn't so good, a senior living facility, a jail or prison, or just far away. And if you have any worries we've strayed too far from our mission, you know, with "government" in the name of this show, it's all good. We do have shoutouts from some government officials, too.

Because of the rules around copyright, we can't post the audio as it aired with some of our favorite songs about missing people. This post and podcast version makes use of public domain music instead. If you want to, find the megahits edition on our two-week archive for Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

Your New Mexico Government is a collaboration between KUNM,New Mexico PBS, and theSanta Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage is provided, in part, by the Thornburg Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the New Mexico Local News Fund.

View Details

Many New Mexicans are being told to stay at home and distance themselves from others to minimize the cases of COVID-19 in the state. But that’s not an option for those stuck in the incarceration system, who usually have close contact with each other in tight spaces. Expanding on an earlier episode, this conversation is all about the dangers that these inmates face – as well as the staff who oversee them, and the community at large.

We start our conversation with Jeff Proctor from the Santa Fe Reporter and New Mexico In Depth. He tells us how New Mexico is responsible for the well-being and healthcare of inmates in its care, as well as how the state is lacking in both testing and releasing inmates per the Governor’s executive order.

Next up, MariaElena Lopez talks about her brother, who caught COVID-19 just before his incarceration at the Bernallio Metropolitan Detention Center. She sheds some light on her warnings to the center’s staff as well as their alleged negligence to tell her brother that he tested positive for the virus.

Lalita Moskowitz, an attorney for the ACLU gives us insight into the state’s Supreme Court denying a petition for the release of some incarcerated inmates, what she thinks of it, and who they were hoping to get released.

Monique Valdez’s husband is incarcerated in Santa Rosa. She gives us perspective on the changes that COVID-19 has brought for inmates there, and her concerns for both her husband and others behind the walls.

Finally, Eva Buschwald is a school social worker that has worked the majority of her career in juvenile defense. She emphasizes her concern about the incarcerated youth as COVID-19 cases surge outside and inside the correctional system.

And a news update: Last week, another 3.2 million people in the U.S. filed for unemployment. In total, about one-fifth of the U.S. workforce is out of work, according to the BBC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—the CDC—drafted detailed guidelines for reopening states, according to the New York Times, but the Trump administration blocked them from being published, calling them "overly prescriptive".

Doctors in New York say blood thinners help increase the chances for survival with COVID patients, the Washington Post reports.

In New Mexico, the lockdown in Gallup is extended until Sunday at noon at the request of the city’s mayor. And all residents are required to wear masks when they go to businesses, according to KOB. It’s still too early to know whether the lockdown is helping slow the spread there, according to Health and Human Services Cabinet Secretary David Scrase.

There are 204 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state today, making the total 4,493, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. Officials also report three deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities here to 172.

Albuquerque police are busting people who are in city parks after hours, and since the start of the pandemic, have issued 58 citations, according to KOAT.

We’re keeping a full list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly./YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

The stay-at-home order is dragging on and things are getting kind of grim. People have been cooped up together for weeks now, money issues are coming to a head, and uncertainty and instability are persistent facts of our everyday lives. After yesterday's discussion of domestic violence, this episode is all about how to get through this difficult time—spiritually, psychologically and emotionally.

We start our conversation with Reverend Amani Malaika of the Albuquerque Center for Spiritual Living. She tells us how to build up the spiritual muscles necessary to face this crazy time through the practice of meditation and mindfulness, as well as the importance of allowing yourself to experience the difficult feelings that naturally come about in extreme circumstances.

Next up, Jessamyn Lovell and Lee Montgomery talk about family life, parenthood, loneliness and the difficulties of watching a young son come to terms with the pandemic in his own way.

Áine McCarthy of Chrysalis New Mexico gives us insight into the power of narrative, and how telling a story can offer profound healing.

Nicholas Cuccia,an integrative trauma therapist from Awake and Aware gives us super valuable tips onnavigating trauma, empathetic listening to folks who are hurting and how to show compassion for yourself as well as others.

Finally, Jennifer Schneider, concentration coordinator for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of New Mexico College of Nursing, emphasises how important it is to be mindful and purposeful in reaching out to the people we love and care about in this time of isolation.

And a news update: When N95s were in super short supply, and doctors and nurses needed them desperately—when COVID cases were growing by the thousands and hospitals were overrun back in early April—TSA was sitting on more than 1.3 million N95 respirator masks, even though airports were empty, according to Propublica. Find this story on propublica.org.

BPL Plasma in New Mexico is collecting plasma from people who survived the virus in the hopes that the antibodies could help sick patients, KOB reports. Hospitals across New Mexico are researching this treatment, and it’s showing good results with patients improving and recovering. Plus, if you get a transfusion and get better, then you can become a donor. BPL is calling for plasma donations from survivors.

Today in the state there were 153 more positive COVID tests, according to the Santa Fe Reporter, making the total 4,921. And there were seven more fatalities, bringing the death toll here to 169.

Testing capacity has ramped up in the state in recent weeks, which can account for the jumps in confirmed cases. And the number of people who’ve recovered is at 1,073—about a quarter of the people who’ve caught the virus.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

View Details

In Episode 57, we talk about the dangers that domestic violence survivors face during shelter-in-place orders when home isn’t a safe place. We hear what advocates, agencies, and the government are doing to help survivors of abuse stay safe, and how they’re keeping services running during social distancing. Calls to police in Albuquerque for violence at home are about the same, officials said during a news conference today, but they’ve more often resulted in arrests.

We hear from Pam Wiseman, executive director of the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence about the significant rise in home violence in Bernalillo county and how it's linked to stress and unemployment. She said services are still running, and shelters and alternative shelter options are still open for those who need to get out of a dangerous home situation.

Brian Blalock, Cabinet secretary of New Mexico's Children, Youth and Families Department, tells us about how the agency is keeping in touch with families to make sure children stay safe while at home, including collaborating with teachers who are checking in with students through online classes about everything from household food security to how they are faring in potentially dangerous situations.

KUNM’s Nash Jones spoke with Cole Carvour, campus advocate at the LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center at the University of New Mexico, who said although the center is seeing fewer reports for domestic violence, that doesn’t mean there aren’t incidences of violence.

Christine Barber, executive director of Street Safe New Mexico, talks about the links between poverty and domestic violence and the difficult situations that are pushing some women and their children to see the street as the only viable option to escaping an abusive partner who is now always home. She tells us what resources homeless populations need during the pandemic.

Clara Moran, New Mexico chief deputy attorney general for criminal affairs tells us about the consequences of not renewing the federal Violence Against Women Act that expired 1 year ago and what it means for state resources to fight domestic violence, including violence against children, native populations and transgender populations.

Anji Estrellas is the executive director of Esperanza Shelter in Santa Fe. She says the shelter is nearly full, and she's seen a rise in the number of people seeking help and protection during the pandemic.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 56, we explore New Mexico’s upcoming limited reopening of restaurants and retail stores. What needs to be considered in terms of how to stay safe during a reopening and what are the best practices? The current statewide death total is 156, but there are significant disparities in where cases are reported, with counties in the Northwest and Indigenous communities around the state being hit harder than other areas. Native Americans make up more than half of the state’s confirmed cases—55 percent—despite only being 11 percent of the state’s population, according to the Journal. Antibody tests are emerging, KOAT reports, but state health officials say people should be cautious because they are not approved by the FDA because they have not yet proven reliable.

We hear from Nora Meyers Sackett, a governor's spokesperson, about what the state medical advisory team is looking at in terms of the spread of COVID-19, and the state’s testing and healthcare capacity.

Ken Carson, owner of Nexus Brewery and restaurant, talks about strategies to keep his restaurant running at partial capacity and how to balance business with keeping customers and employees safe.

Anna Willoughby, a Ph.D. student at the Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, researches the relationship between the severity of state shutdowns and the spread of coronavirus. She said since each state has different strategies to control the spread, it is difficult to collect comparable data. She stressed that continuing testing and ensuring sufficient hospital capacity is crucial even in counties with few reported COVID cases.

Ryan Mast, Director of Environmental Health for the city of Albuquerque says the city’s success in “flattening the curve” is thanks to community cooperation including staying at home and wearing masks when out, and that even during a partial reopening these strategies remain essential.

Kathy Kunkel, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health, updates us on the challenges of meeting the goal of 5,000 tests per day, and the concern of having more people in close proximity during a state reopening.

And John Morgan, an intensive care unit nurse at Presbyterian hospital who works with coronavirus patients, reminds us of what is at stake as he works with severely ill patients whose health can deteriorate rapidly. He said patients are shocked that they could become so ill when they were healthy just days before, and that they are seeing not just single patients but multiple family members falling ill. He reminds us that just because you don’t feel ill, it doesn’t mean you can’t be a carrier and put others at risk.

Are you ready to reopen? What will that look like for you? We want to hear your story. Call (505) 218-7084 and share your story or email us at yournmgov@gmail.com.

Your New Mexico Government is Executive Produced by Marisa Demarco of KUNM. It's produced by yours truly with news updates by Marisa Demarco. Thanks to Matt Grubs and New Mexico PBS for their contributions. Thanks to the superhero editing trio of Taylor Velasquez, Ty Bannerman and Bryce Dix. Theme music by Pope YesYesYall.

View Details

In episode 55, we return to the conversation around recovery from substance use during the pandemic. It's a special episode devoted to a conversation between Executive Producer Marisa Demarco and her cousin, Orlando Watts, who went to a remote rehab before the pandemic, and then returned home after it was in full swing. A lot of the conversation around reckoning with a loss of control, being present, sitting with discomfort and reaching out to conncet could be useful for anyone during this time—not only people in recovery or seeking treatment.

And a news update: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is locking down Gallup, blocking off the city with policed checkpoints to keep outsiders off the Navajo Nation. Anyone without a Gallup address can’t get in, according to KRQE.

On the Navajo Nation as of Thursday, April 30, there were 164 new cases, making the total 2,141, and nine deaths, bringing the death toll to 71, according to the Department of Health there.

Overall in New Mexico, today there are 104 more cases for a total of 3,513. Eight people died, bringing the state’s death toll to 131.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that workers in New Mexico who get called back in after being laid off or furloughed won’t be able to keep their unemployment benefits without a valid reason they are not returning to work.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Resources:

CARE Detox center in Albuquerque is still taking folks: (505) 468-1555
New Mexico Crisis and Access Line can hook you up with mental health or substance abuse resources: 1-855-nm-crisis.
If you are not having an emergency but want to connect with someone, check out the Peer-To-Peer Warmline: 1-855-4nm-7100. They’re ready to take your call between 3:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. daily, or you can text someone there between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Online recovery meetings: Recovery Dharma, AA, NA, In The Rooms ... there are so many.
You can also call into many online meetings with your phone, and your local AA can point you in the right direction.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Today we honor the memory of four people who lives were ended by COVID 19. These are not conversations about the virus, nor are they conversations about the state of our response. Today we talk about the people, who they were and how they lived. Beyond the data, the numbers or projections, it's about the humans who lived and the legacies they have left with their families and communities.

We hear from Mariaelena Lopez, who tells us all about her mom and best friend, Maxine Roybal Lopez, who taught her all about never giving up and pushing yourself to succeed.

One of the people we spoke was hesitant to use her name in the interview, because online she'd been trolled for speaking out about her mom died due to the virus. She was happy to share stories about her mom though, who was an expert seamstress and who loved to learn and improve on methods for creating handiwork.

Alison Keeswood brings us stories about her husband Vladimir, who loved sports and video games, and who was her true counterpart.

And Glenn Ford tells us about his mom, Ruth Ford, who was committed to women's education, and who was an excellent homemaker and cook, whipping up batches of baked goods for the community that sometimes didn't make it out the door because her kids would find them first.

We feel so much gratitude to all of the guests for speaking to us today. And we’d also like to thank spokesperson Judy Gibbs Robinson with the state, as well as Elise Kaplan, Matt Reisen and Martin Salazar at the Albuquerque Journal for introducing us to them.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Resources:

Anyone who is feeling alone or down or who just needs to talk to someone, check in with New Mexico’s Peer-to-Peer Warmline: 1-855-4NM-7100. They’re open between 3:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. every day. They also can do text conversations with you between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
If you’re in crisis, the number there is 1-855-NMcrisis. That one is open around the clock, every day of the year.
If you’re a hospital worker or a first responder and you want to talk to someone, that’s a phone call away, too. That number is: 1-855-507-5509.
The state offers a whole bunch of free resources for people who are grieving through the Grief Services Program with the Office of the Medical Investigator. They offer counseling and therapy, crisis intervention, referrals, group facilitation and advocacy. Reach out there by calling 1-800-432-5239.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Episode 53 is all about re-entering the world from jail or prison during the pandemic, and holding onto your recovery from addiction during quarantine. What does the world feel like right now if you've spent some part of your last years inside a prison? And what do you do if a requirement of your probation or parole is that you find a job when there isn't one to be found right now? How are folks managing their sobriety during a time of isolation or social distancing? What's keeping them on track?

We hear from Cory Lee, executive director at Crossroads For Women about the fast-thinking changes they're making down at their program for women exiting incarceration.

Lazarus Letcher, Peace Studies instructor at UNM, talks about about having years of recovery under your belt, but in the time of the pandemic, treating it like it's day one again.

Lauren Reichelt, director of Health and Human Services in Rio Arriba County, explains the interlocking problems of homelessness, incarceration, unemployment and addiction—and how the teams up North are trying to figure out how to tackle them all at once.

And Pat Romero, a mechanic and kick-boxing champion, gets into communication, meditation and making sure you don't find yourself with too much anxious, idle time on your hands as you fend off addiction.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we have from today.

Resources:

Online recovery meetings: Recovery Dharma, AA, NA, In The Rooms ... there are so many.
You can also call into many online meetings with your phone, and your local AA can point you in the right direction.
Find Crossroads for Women at crossroadsabq.orgor call 505-242-1010.
Or, check in with Maya's Place: 505-266-0110
CARE Detox center in Albuquerque is still taking folks: (505) 468-1555
Find Health and Human Services in Rio Arriba County through rio-arriba.org or call (505) 753-3143
New Mexico Crisis and Access Line can hook you up with mental health or substance abuse resources: 1-855-nm-crisis.
If you are not having an emergency but want to connect with someone, check out the Peer-To-Peer Warmline: 1-855-4nm-7100. They’re ready to take your call between 3:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. daily, or you can text someone there between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

We devote episode 52 to some of the many people working on the front lines of the pandemic caring for COVID patients in New Mexico, sometimes without enough protective gear to feel safe. We ask them what urgent calls to reopen the economy sound like from where they're standing. And we find out how it's going for them, whether they're supported and heard by the institutions they work in.

We hear from Tessa Jenner, an Emergency Department trauma tech at the University of New Mexico Hospital, who talks about wishing there were hazard pay so if she does have to quarantine or take time off to heal up from coronavirus exposure, she could remain financially secure.

Walter Dehority is a pediatric infectious disease specialist at UNMH, who says we have to learn the "why" of the virus. Plus, he's got two more reasons you can't compare this thing to the flu: 1) no vaccine for coronavirus, and 2) no treatment.

Dr. Sriram Shamasunder arrived in the Navajo Nation last week with a team of nurses and doctors from UCSF's HEAL Initiative to help care for the disproportionately large number of patients there. He tells us all about the team's special training and collaboration with the Navajo Nation, and jumping in right away to pitch in.

Early this morning, our host Khalil Ekulona caught up with Hunter Marshall, an RN at UNMH who was on KUNM's show "Let's Talk New Mexico" last week, and who thought today would be one of his last shifts. He was threatened with discipline for speaking to the media about staff concerns at the hospital. So he decided to resign, he says, and look for another hospital to work in during the pandemic. His last day was supposed to be Friday, May 1. He showed up for work this morning and says he found his badge deactivated and his name not on the schedule. Marshall says he missed info in an email from a manager telling him not to come for his last shifts, though the hospital would still pay him for them.

Here's UNMH's full statement on the matter, from spokesperson Mark Rudi.

“We recognize and support our employees and provide several outlets for employees to express concerns, questions or opinions on matters. Those range from direct communication with their supervisor, or during the regular leadership rounding that takes place with each unit, and of course emailing leadership or speaking to them at the regular town halls and other management meetings. When it comes to interaction with the media, we work with our employees to make sure they understand our policies regarding representing their opinions as their own, and not those of the hospital.”

KUNM host and reporter Megan Kamerick got an interview with two doctors on UNMH's PPE committee: Dr. Eve Espey, professor and chair of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Dr. Steve McLaughlin, chair of Emergency Medicine. She spoke with them about Marshall's specific concerns, including not being allowed to use respirators staff members bring in on their own, which they say can be even more effective than re-using limited N95s.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 51, we talk about food access, cooking and gardening during the pandemic. Being able to get healthy food is a problem for many people all the time in New Mexico, but it's become even more of a struggle these last weeks. Many people are working to make sure folks here have food despite new obstacles, like people buying up some items at grocery stores and disrputing the supply chain, social distancing, and extra sanitation precautions to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

We hear from Sonya Warwick from Roadrunner Food Bank about some soup kitchens and food pantries closing their doors, and Roadrunner trying to make sure there's something available to people in those areas. Dolores Gonzalez, policy and planning director with the Department of Aging and Long Term Services, tells us about the huge volunteer effort to get food boxes to seniors around the state.

Vanessa Bowen—an Albuquerque-based graphic designer and DJ—tells us about why she made the decision to start a home garden, and how it's helping her family find some peace of mind right now.

Mateo Carrasco with the SouthWest Organizing Project and Urban Agriculture Project—which creates gardens, many in the International District—talks about what it takes to grow food and why there's historiaclly been barriers to accessing to healthy food for many communities.

Mayahuel Garza is an instructor with the Cooking For Health class in the South Valley at the First Choice Community Healthcare clinic and an organizer with the Agri-Cultura Network. She offers tips on what you can do with inexpensive, nutritious foods in your kitchen.

And Erin Garrison with Food is Free Albuquerque talks about harvesting food from local yards and growers, and building free garden boxes for home gardens during the pandemic.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Volunteer with the Department of Aging and Long Term Services by heading to nmaging.state.nm.us or call 1-800-432-2080.
Get info on community gardens and seed exchanges over at head HomeGrownnNewMexico.wordpress.com
Discover the good work being done at the SouthWest Organizing Project by heading to SWOP.net
To help out at the International District Urban Agriculture Project, scope bccUrbanAg.com
To donate your time, money, or goods at Roadrunner Food Bank, go to rrfb.org
For more info on Food Is Free Albuquerque, head to fifabq.org
Stay up-to-date with the Agri-Cultura Network here: agri-cultura.org

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Episode 50 is all about athletes and sports, and the pandemic's impacts on the players, the communities, the economy—and our spirits. What are games like when the stands are empty? How do student athletes support each other as they navigate missed opportunities for big seasons, and maybe scholarships? How do physical activity and teamwork help keep folks connected and on the right track? And what do you do when some of that's gone for a minute?

Host Khalil Ekulona (who's 50 for 50 so far this season) starts by talking with EPSN's John Brickley, anchor and play-by-play commentator across college sports and MLB coverage. Brickley has some words for those student athletes coping with the loss of a season.

We hear from Santiago Cooper, a sophomore from the Sandia Prep Sundevils in Albuquerque, about how the pandemic wrecked a season the team's been working into for years, and how the student athletes are checking in with each other.

Rob Thelusma of Affirmative Athletics tells us about the program he founded in L.A. working with young people leaving juvenile detention, and how team sports help focus and channel energy, while also developing a sense of community.

Ed Nuñez is a play-by-play announcer for ProView Networks covering baseball, basketball, football, softball, boxing and rugby. He brings the conversation to Little League baseball and softball, and all the kids who play their hearts out.

We hear from Corey Moore, the personal manager for Wesley Matthews, a guard for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He talks about work ethic and making the right choices, even when times are tough.

And a news update: New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a news conference this afternoon that she’s trying to figure out how to ease some of the shutdown restrictions, though the order is in place through May 15. She said people violating the stay-at-home order or the shutdown orders could blow that for everyone.

KRQE reports about 50 people gathered on Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza this afternoon to protest the shutdown.

There were 153 more confirmed cases of the virus in New Mexico today for a total of 2,521, according to state officials. And six men died from the virus today. The death toll stands at 84. More than 600 people in the state have recovered.

Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley said he added 200 people to his department to field thousands of applications for unemployment that are still pending.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Episode 49 is all about the elections that are still coming up and the 2020 census. Advocates tell us that New Mexico is hard to count because it's big, area-wise, and because plenty of communities are intentionally discouraged from filling it out through fear tactics. The census determines how much federal funding comes to the state for all kinds of programs over the next 10 years, and it's how voting districts are determined. If brown and black communities around the U.S. don't participate in the census, advocates tell us, their political power is diluted.

Some elections and census dates you should know:

May 5: If you are not registered to vote yet and you want to vote in the primary, this is the deadline.
May 28: The last day you can request an absentee ballot to vote by mail in the primary
June 2: This is primary election day proper, and its also the day you have to return that absentee ballot you got in the mail.
Oct. 29: Voter registration deadline for the general election
Oct. 31: Deadline for filling out the census. It got extended because of the pandemic.
Nov. 3: Election Day

In this episode, we hear from:

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver
Isaac De Luna from the Center for Civic Policy
Felipe Rodriguez, the NM Dream Team campaign manager
Cathryn McGill, chairwoman of the Complete Count Committee and creator of the Tiny Census Concerts
Anni Leming from the New Mexico Asian Family Center
Jose Viramontes from i Count NM
Ahtza Dawn Chavez, executive director of the NAVA Education Project

We also hear an interview with KUNM's Nash Jones and New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce, who says the state's GOP does not endorse Take Back New Mexico's call for businesses to re-open this week in violation of the shutdown order.

And a news update: Tests that can tell whether people have antibodies to the virus and might be immune are coming to New Mexico, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Studies from other parts of the country say 50 times as many people who’ve been diagnosed with COVID have the antibodies. A doctor here is speculating that might mean a few hundred thousand people in New Mexico could be immune.

Today in New Mexico, there were 169 new cases, with 105 of those coming from the northwest region of the state that overlaps with the Navajo Nation. And there were seven more deaths, bringing the total to 78 here.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Episode 48 dives back into how the pandemic is affecting people experiencing homelessness as the weeks drag on. KUNM News Director Hannah Colton goes further into the story of the city breaking up encampments, despite the CDC advising against it in this time, and she brings us the perspective of Cypher Johnson, who's passing through Albuquerque and spending time on the streets. We talk to people who work with unsheltered folks around the state about what an outbreak at a shelter would mean for the whole community, about what needs to change right now—and what needs to change in the future. We also hear from the Albuquerque Police Department and the Las Cruces Police Department about how coronavirus has changed things for them philosophically and practically.

So far, no one in the state is reporting any positive COVID tests for people experiencing homelessness, according to the guests we talked to today.

No comment note: We appreciate all of our guest’s time, and that a number of very busy people right now have carved out 15 minutes to speak with Your NM Guv these last weeks—hospital leaders, doctors, congresspeople, cabinet secretaries ... We reached out to several police departments around the state this week for interviews. The State Police Department declined, and so did Rio Rancho PD. Santa Fe’s police chief said he couldn’t do it.

And a news update: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today that she’s going to extend the shutdown order until May 15, according to KOB. She also rolled out a plan to reopen the economy in phases after that. The governor says New Mexico has flattened the curve but has to maintain social distancing to stay on track. There are 2,210 confirmed cases here today, and there have been 71 deaths.

The Navajo Nation will extend closures until May 17. McKinley County, which overlaps with the Navajo Nation, has become a major hot spot for cases, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. Data is showing that as of today, 41.5 percent of the people in the state who are confirmed to be infected are Native American. The Navajo Nation just announced it’s suing the federal government for its share of the billions allotted to tribes in the federal relief package, saying that money shouldn’t go to corporations.

People in New Mexico who are self-employed, independent contractors and gig workers can start applying for unemployment benefits starting Sunday, April 26, KRQE is reporting. And if you already filed a claim, you don’t need to do it again.

And the Bernalillo County Clerk is issuing marriage licenses again, starting Monday (by appointment).

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

Correction: The first story in this episode has been corrected to reflect that the motel rooms the City of Albuquerque has made available for people with coronavirus symptoms are not empty as of April 23, 2020.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Episode 47 is all about this relief money folks have been promised. Where's that unemployment? That stimulus money? That small business relief? That food assistance?

We hear from Lindsay Cutler from the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty about a sudden deadline the IRS announced for people getting federal benefits—who haven't filed taxes in the last couple of years—to fill out an online form to get $500 in stimulus funds for their children. The deadline is tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22, at 10 a.m. MST. More on that story here. And here's a link to the form the IRS is looking for.

We also ask questions about those problems for the Department of Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley. And we also hear from Russell Wyrick, the executive director of New Mexico's Small Business Development Center about those small business relief funds that were supposed to be coming through.

We checked in with Karmela Martinez, the director of the state's Income Support Division, about extra food assistance (SNAP benefits) people around the state are receiving.

And as funds run low, we’ve started seeing groups across the country protesting state shutdowns, despite the continuing spread of the coronavirus and climbing death toll. The issue’s been heavily politicized and divisive. A group called Take Back New Mexico on Monday began calling for the state to reopen. and it’s supported by the state’s Republican Party, according to one of its organizers, O'rion Perry, who spoke with KUNM's Nash Jones. So far, state’s GOP declined to confirm or deny support. Chairman Steve Pearce abruptly canceled an interview with KUNM yesterday.

UPDATE, 4/22/20, 2:00 p.m.: Steve Pearce, chairman of the New Mexico Republican Party, says the party was not contacted by O’Rion Perry and did not participate in or endorse Take Back New Mexico’s call for businesses to violate the shutdown order.

Pearce said Wednesday Perry is, “putting words into our mouth.” KUNM did reach out to the Republican Party several times on Monday and Tuesday about whether the state’s GOP was backing the effort, as Perry told KUNM in an interview. Pearce’s spokesperson canceled a Monday interview at the last minute.

We’ll have more on the GOP's position shortly in an upcoming KUNM story and on Thursday's episode.

And a news update: The state is demanding that all health insurance carriers cover the costs of any out-of-network treatment that results from COVID-19, effective immediately, according to a news release. And any surprise bills might result in a fine.

Today, there are 2,072 confirmed coronavirus cases in New Mexico, and the death toll reached 65. There are 119 people hospitalized in the state today for COVID-19.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

We devote Episode 46 to local companies and makers who have switched up what they create or kicked production into high gear to make personal protective equipment and parts for ventilators. They're trying to fill the gaps at hospitals, for first responders and for other essential workers in New Mexico.

Until the pandemic, 5 Ton Monkey did fabrication for movie sets. Now, they've been cranking out thousands of face shields. Folks there are also helping other shops figure out how to do the same thing, and they're developing a kit box so most people can put them together at home. We talked to founder Adam Eisman about how this might be the most important work they ever do.

KUNM's Megan Kamerick interviews David Peabody, a UNM professor in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology about his research into a COVID vaccine. The excerpt we used is part of a longer interview on this episode of University Showcase that aired Friday.

Marpac Medical Manufacturing builds equipment for hospitals specifically related to respiratory illnesses. In addition to ramping up production (with many factory employees there working overtime), the company is supplying parts for hospitals around the state, keeping up with their national customers, and trying to develop something as good as an N95 respirator that they can manufacture. We talked to Marpac's Dave Mayberry, a designer and the project lead for the respirator, about how the company is making decisions around which orders to fill.

Liam O'Brien is the director of the AFRL Maker Hub, a makerspace on the Kirtland Air Force Base that is using 3D printers to create face shields. He talks about basic materials that are starting to become scarce.

Dena Thomas-Aouassou, director of FUSE Makerspace, talks about the projects people are taking on there, including intubation boxes for ventilators that are going to the VA Hospital.

And Susan Matteucci, the executive director for Southwest Creations Collaborative, tells Megan Kamerick about switching modes and making masks and gowns for first responders and other city workers, including sanitation staff and the folks in the school system distributing food.

And a news update: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state is closing in on 2,000. Many of the new cases today were in McKinley and San Juan counties, according to the Albuquerque Journal, which overlap with parts of the Navajo Nation. And there were three more deaths today, making the total 58.

Small business owners—maybe about 20 of them, reports the Santa Fe New Mexican—circled the Roundhouse in Santa Fe today to demand that the state reopen.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 45, we take a look back on four weeks of COVID coverage on the show. We offer about updates to stories we covered, revisit interviews and examine the impact to our lives and what we’ve learned in covering the pandemic so far.

Updates: On the April 9 show "ICE Detention, Migrants And Refugees," we talked with Nkazi Sinandile from the Immigrant and Refugee Resource Village of Albuquerque. And while the interview took place, she told us that a family was in the process of being evicted. Today, Sinandile checked in on the family. She told us their lease was up, and they'd tried to offer more money to extend it, but the landlord wanted to kick them out anyway. She said there was a court date set, but it's been pushed out until May, and the family will stay in the house until then.

On the March 30 show "Behind The Walls" about people in jail and prison, we talked to attorney Jennifer Burrill from the Santa Fe Public Defender's Office, who contracted COVID. She spoke of her frustration in trying to get tested for many days. Since then, testing criteria is more relaxed.

Our first COVID show "Call Your Parents" was focused on seniors. Today, we check back in with our folks. Khalil calls his mom Olufemi Ekulona to see how things are going. Marisa calls her dad Mike Demarco, who lives rurally and off-the-grid out near the town of Mountainair, N.M., to wish him happy birthday and talk about how the pandemic has affected people who don't live in cities differently.

We also reflected on ideas that have floated through 20 episodes (20 already!) of pandemic coverage that stuck with us. And, truly, we chose so many clips to discuss because all of our guests have brought important perspective and knowledge to the show—but we way overestimated how many would fit in a single episode.

And a news update: In New Mexico, the Supreme Court is going to continue to suspend jury trials—in criminal and civil cases—out through the end of May, according to a news release.

Seven more people died in the state today from the virus. That’s 51 so far. And there are 115 new cases, bringing the total to a little more than 1,700.

If your child is a student in the Albuquerque Public Schools system, the district will help you hook up with internet service at your house through Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, according to the Albuquerque Journal. And APS has hot spots for people in rural areas.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 44, we talk about CDC data and state data showing that the virus is harming, disproportionately, brown and black people around the U.S.—and here at home. We hear from Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez about the bureaucratic hurdles to accessing billions of dollars alloted to tribes in the relief package, and why that money hasn't reached the ground yet, despite the dire public health emergency unfolding for tribes.

We also talked to Dr. Suzet McKinney, the executive director of the New Mexico's prisons in the context of systemic racism.

Dr. Felisha Rohan-Minjares from the UNM School of Medicine explained how health care workers can check in with themselves and their biases to deliver the best care possible while treating patients in the often impossible conditions of this pandemic.

And Zhibin Bing Hong from the New Mexico Asian Family Center told us about the racism the Asian-American community in New Mexico is facing, plus community efforts to raise funds and get PPE to health care workers in this region.

And a news update: Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez told Your NM Government this afternoon that the Navajo Nation has seen 38 deaths and 921 cases. He commended the first responders there—the front-line warriors—and said if people weren’t sticking with social distancing, those numbers would be much worse. He said of nearly 5,000 COVID tests they’ve done there, a little more than 3,200 came back negative. His office also issued a news release today opposing federal money for tribes going to corporations.

There were eight deaths from the virus in New Mexico today—and that’s the most that’s happened on one day in the state. The death toll for New Mexico stands at 44. And almost 1,600 people are confirmed to have the virus.

Educators from around New Mexico are submitting a formal request asking that the state’s Educational Retirement Board divest from private prison corporations CoreCivic and the GEO Group, according to a news release, saying they are running "death traps" for asylum-seekers in ICE detention during the pandemic.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Resources:

For the New Mexico Asian Family Center, head to their website: nmafc.orgor find them on Facebook
For more info on mistreatment in medical care situations, the Department of Health has the info.
To see how you can offer help to the Navajo Nation go to: navajo-nsn.gov.

View Details

In episode 43, we talk about how not everybody's at home waiting out the pandemic. We hear from people around the state who are still employed and in public—but who don't make a lot of money—about their working conditions, their support from their employers and their fears about the virus.

We also hear from Marcela Diaz, from Somos un Pueblo Unido, Marian Mendez-Cera from El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos and Stephanie Welch from the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty.

And a news update: In New Mexico, there are 90 more coronavirus patients in hospitals, and 22 on ventilators. The state’s Department of Health says no one in the state died today because of the virus. The total number of cases is at 1,484.

The state Supreme Court rejected a petition to hold the June primary entirely by mail. Though the Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver pointed out in a news release that you can still apply to vote absentee by mail for the next 49 days. And if you want to do that, here's where you can on the SOS website.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Resources:

Have you experienced a short check? Wage theft? You can call the federal Department of Labor (1-866-487-2365), the state’s Department of Workforce Solutions or Albuquerque’s Legal Department (cabq.gov/legal, 505-768-4500).
If you're experiencing discrimination or harassment, you can report it to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1-800-669-4000), the state's Human Rights Bureau (1-800-566-9471) or Albuquerque's Office of Equity and Inclusion (505-768-3307).
For occupational health and safety violations, look to OSHA (1-800-321-6742). Or if you were injured on the job, the New Mexico Workers Compensation Administration (505-827-3600).
Or if you experience retaliation for speaking out, the National Labor Relations Board (1-844-762-NLRB).
The New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty can also hear your claims about unsafe conditions and wage theft. (505-255-2840)
Workers rights advocates at Somos un Pueblo Unido (505-424-7832) are ready to help, too. They have offices in Santa Fe, Roswell and Hobbs.
And of course, El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos (505-246-1627) also helps workers facing exploitation, wage theft, injury ... all of it.
And don't forget: Here's where you can register to get your mail-in absentee ballot in New Mexico for the next 49 days.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 42, we talk to people of diverse faith backgrounds about how the pandemic is affecting them and their worship practices. On Monday, Legacy Church filed a lawsuit against the state, saying Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's weekend order banning gatherings—even in places of worship—was unconstitutional. We spoke about the lawsuit with Legacy Church Pastor Daniel McCabe, who clarified what they're fighting for.

We hear from Archbishop John Wester of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe about his declaration that this year, for Holy Week, home is the only holy place.

Our partner New Mexico PBS shared an interview Megan Kamerick did last week with Sarah Leiter, the outreach coordinator with Hillel House at UNM as she prepared for the Seder.

Brig. Gen. Michele LaMontagne of the N.M. Air National Guard practices Buddhism. She talked about how her community is offering her hope during the pandemic.

Abbas Akhil is the vice president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico and also a representative in the state's Legislature. He explained changes in worship practices and talked about Ramadan, which starts next week.

And KUNM's Nash Jones brings us a conversation with Sayrah Namaste from the Quaker organization American Friends Service Committee about the Farm to Food Bank project, which connects local pantries, farmers and people who need food during the pandemic.

And a news update: The state released more data in a new portal, and it shows race and ethnicity data. Of the state’s total number of cases, Native Americans account for almost 37 percent of those, despite only making up 11 percent of the population in New Mexico, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Resources:

Donate to the Islamic Center of New Mexico
Here's the Archdiocese of Santa Fe's emergency fund
Hit up the American Friends Service Committee of New Mexico to find out how to help with the Farm to Food Bank program
Connect with Hillel House at UNM
Volunteer to help with COVID-19 efforts through Legacy Church

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 41, we're tackling the impact of the shutdowns on local news outlets and thinking about the public service of journalism, and reporters and producers as essential information disseminators. We also hear about a proposal to include funds specifically for local news, as papers and broadcasters make impossible choices while they try to cover the pandemic for their communities.

We talk to Editor Julie Ann Grimm from our collaborative partner newsweekly, the Santa Fe Reporter, about staff cuts and how the paper is making it all work. Freelance reporter Ryan Lowery dives into what it's like to cover the news when the news is directly affecting you, too.

Sen. Tom Udall talks about the importance of the fourth estate and why he's calling for funding for struggling local news outlets in the next round of relief from the federal government. Editor Richard Reyes from the Gallup Independent tells us what it's like trying to get his staff to stop working so hard and get some rest. And Karen Coates from the Society of Professional Journalists Rio Grande Chapter brings us the resources and emergency funds available to journalists.

And a news update: New Mexico doctors and health care administrators are trying to set standards for which patients will be on ventilators if there’s a shortage but say they’re hoping it doesn’t come to that. The state’s Department of Health is also creating nursing homes that are only for people who have COVID-19, according to the Albuquerque Journal. And local news outlets are reporting that people who are using unemployment right now should start seeing that extra $600 the feds promised as early as next week, and it should happen automatically.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Resources:

Journalists, find funds to keep the newsroom open or money for bills and food: SPJriogrande.org
Check out the stories from Richard Reyes and his crew: GallupIndependent.com
Help keep the Santa Fe Reporter afloat: SantaFeReporter.com/friends

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 40, we talk about the shutdown's impacts on local arts and culture. The arts are not only providing a distraction as we watch movies and listen to music at home right now, but they offer solace, reflection and they give us something that helps make sense of our experience. They also become part of documenting, in a visceral way, what we are going through.

We hear from Alex DeVore, a longtime writer for the Santa Fe Reporter, about what the pandemic is doing to Santa Fe's arts community and economy. Juli Hendren, executive director of Tricklock Company talks about the suddenness of the shutdown, which came right in the middle of the annual Revolutions International Theatre Festival. DJ Speed One (John Chavez) tells us about losing all his gigs and income, and the creative ways he's responding to the times. Albuquerque's Cultural Services Director Shelle Sanchez fills us in on $500,000 in funding the city just freed up to support the local creative economy.

Host Khalil Ekulona's family and friends speak about what it means to be with yourself right now. He talked to: Saidah Ekulona, Afi Ekulona Rukavina, Atif Ekulona, Marney Prince, Azul Amaral, Charles Summers, Benjamin Eaglin, Roscoe Floyd, J. Martin Torres, Rozanna Martinez and Amani Malika.

And on the theme of reflection, we hear a conversation Megan Kamerick of KUNM and New Mexico PBS had with Victoria Trujillo, who won’t be making the pilgrimage to Chimayó this Holy Week for the first time in 48 years.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Resources:

$300,000 is going to arts and cultural nonprofits in Albuquerque.
$100,000 dollars is going to local artists to create digital media.
$50,000 dollars is going to local artists to create educational programming that engages young people
516 Arts is giving 60 artists $1,000 each from the Fulcrum Fund
The Santa Fe Reporter's got the hookup on virtual concerts.
The N.M. Tourism Department is offering virtual tours of arts and culture hubs, and the state’s natural wonders. You can even check them out in virtual reality.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Episode 39 is focused on migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees in our communities, and on Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers, which are often overcrowded around the United States and are criticized for bad medical care. ICE announced it will review cases one-by-one and release vulnerable people. Officials and advocates say that's not anywhere near fast enough as COVID cases are cropping up around the country in ICE detention centers.

We hear from Arifa Raza from the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center about what people inside detention centers are facing. Rep. Debra Haaland tells us about the coalition of congresspeople calling for the release of nonviolent people being detained, and the urgent public health problem outbreaks in detention facilities would create for all of us. Allegra Love, an attorney with the Santa Fe Dreamers Project tells us about clients calling the lawyers she works with pleading for their lives.

Marian Méndez-Cera from El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos brings the conversation to front-line workers who are migrants, but who are being skipped by federal aid. And Nkazi Sinandile tells us about the problems facing the African families her organization—the Immigrant and Refugee Resource Village of Albuquerque—including one family that was being evicted as the interview took place despite a state Supreme Court order banning rent-based evictions in New Mexico.

And Mariela Ruiz-Angel from the Albuquerque's Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs talks about outreach efforts by the city. She also says ICE is still arresting and detaining people across the U.S. even though the situation at detention centers is deteriorating with regard to COVID-19 infections.

We reached out to ICE for an interview. They declined, saying they're not talking about letting people out of detention during the pandemic or about conditions inside detention centers at this time. A spokesperson there offered some information on background and pointed us to this page about ICE guidance on COVID.

And a news update: The ACLU of New Mexico issued a news release Wednesday, April 8, calling federal, state and county leaders’ response to concerns about COVID and the ICE detention centers in the state "inadequate." New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall wrote a letter on Thursday, April 9, to Homeland Security and ICE imploring them to release people from detention, citing a "deep" public health threat, overcrowding, and lack of humane hygiene and sanitation. He also highlighted that ICE told a House committee it has no contingency plan if COVID-19 patients from detention centers overwhelm regional hospitals. Sen. Martin Heinrich, in a written statement, is calling for an investigation into ICE detention centers about preparation, equipment and policies.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In Episode 38, we're talking about the state's small businesses struggling to hang on during the shutdown and what resources they can find from government. We also try and find out what the holdup is with the federal relief money destined for the state's businesses.

We talk to Bianca Encinias, executive director for the South Valley MainStreet, about special problems facing the popular mom-and-pop shops in Albuquerque's neighboring area. We also hear from Emily Esterson, owner of E-Squared Editorial Services, about troubles she's having chasing down those Small Business Administration loans.

Economic Development Department Secretary Alicia Keyes gives us the scoop on what's going wrong with those SBA funds and lets us know about what the state's offering. The state's Tax & Rev Department Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke gets into detail on those postponed taxes coming due this summer.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller tells us about the city's actions with businesses that are violating the state's shutdown order, and about a grand fund for businesses with less than five employees (more on that below).

Lastly, Shawn Gay, general manager for the Albuquerque Press Club, reflects on the closure of the club, and how bars are more than just places to drink; they're places where people gather to process what's happening.

And a news update: For folks who are self-employed in New Mexico and who aren’t getting unemployment, the state’s Department of Workforce Solutions is offering a 750-dollar stimulus check to the first 2,000 applicants who qualify.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub.

Resources:

If you're in New Mexico and looking for a loan to stay afloat, the state will act as a guarantor through the COVID-19 Loan Guarantee Program
Manufacturers and retailers in communities that are smaller than 10,000 can access the state's LEDA funds right now, too.
The state's Economic Development Department has all kinds of other resources, too.
Support the state's local businesses by purchasing gift cards to help them stay afloat through buyNMlocal.com
Small businesses in Albuquerque with less than five employees can also look for the city's micro-grant fund. Those are $5,000 grants—not loans—so you don't have to pay them back. Mayor Tim Keller told YNMG that they're trying to find more cash for that fund.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In Episode 37, we're talking about companies and federal officials squeezing through changes to environmental regulation, oil and gas leases and laws about anti-pipeline demonstrators while the nation's been focused on the pandemic.

We hear from longtime state environment reporter Laura Paskus about the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to allow "regulated industries to use their own discretion to report violations of clean air and water laws," which came about during the pandemic. And we hear Paskus' interview with New Mexico Environment Department Secretary James Kenney about what this means for our state.

Then, Liz McKenzie, who went to Standing Rock from New Mexico years ago, responds to three states passing laws to further criminalize people who protest fossile fuel infrastructure, all of which happened in the last two weeks of March, as the country coped with COVID.

We hear from State Land Office Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard about an emergency oil and gas rule that lets companies stop drilling for at least 30 days, in part because gas prices are tanking.

Rebecca Sobel from WildEarth Guardians talks about frustrations that the Bureau of Land Management is continuing the process of leasing New Mexico's land even during the pandemic, when it's pretty hard for people to register their objections.

And a news update: The number of people who are confirmed to have the virus in New Mexico jumped by more than a hundred to 794. One more person died, bringing the death toll to 13. Two Pueblos are seeing outbreaks this week, too. There were 52 cases in San Felipe and 31 in Zia. On the Navajo Nation, there are 384 confirmed cases—a high number given the population size. And there have been 15 virus-related deaths.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode here.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In Episode 36, we're talking about the struggle to pay rents or mortgages and to keep the lights on during the pandemic. Because when money's tight, people are forced to make choices. And some of those choices—about food and medicine—could interfere with their health and immune systems as we all try to avoid this virus.

Mayor Tim Keller tells us about relief money from the city to help pay your rent, though that fund is going quick. PNM shares details about the pay-what-you-can plan, the company's promise to not turn off your lights during the pandemic and a fund for helping out with bills. Renter AJ Woods says if we want to see a real commitment to social distancing and isolation, the government must suspend and forgive rent and mortgage payments so people don't have to try to go out and make ends meet. Landlord Stew Dorris talks us through trying to work things out with the mortgage companies for his properties because his tenants can't pay their rents. And Las Vegas, N.M. small business owner Pauline Perea of The Styling Parlor—in operation for decades—tells us about trying to figure out rent for her business that's not in operation right now.

And a news update: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued an executive order for the Department of Corrections to create a list of inmates that could be released early. That have to be people whose release date is only a month out, who have a parole plan, who have not been convicted of sex offenses, DWI, domestic abuse or assault on an officer.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at bit.ly/YNMGhub. And here's what we got from today.

Resources:

Donate to the One Albuquerque fund to help support people trying to pay rent or save their businesses.
And here's info on how to get assistance with rent: www.cabq.gov/help/rental-assistance
For help with your PNM utility bill: PNM.com/billhelp

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 35, we ask people to reflect on shifts in their perspectives, about their lives, about how things have been working or not working for people in our country or around the world. KUNM's Nash Jones reports on delivery drivers working for corporate apps who saw a big shift in the urgency and necessity of their work. They speak about the human connections keeping them in it, despite the dangers.

Executive Producer Marisa Demarco talks to folks who usually do community organizing work, creating gatherings around art, culture and music. How are they shifting their skills to this new urgent moment, or how are they reflecting on the way they work? She calls her sister, Monica Demarco, KUNM Afternoon Freeform DJ Ebony Isis Booth, and Santa Fe music curator and record-label founder Eliza Lutz.

Host Khalil Ekulona invites friends and family to reflect on what's shifting in them: Afi Ekulona, Saidah Ekulona, Atif Ekulona, Amani Malika, Zeus Zamora, Roscoe Floyd / DJ Flo Fader, Benjamin Eaglin, Rozanna Martinez, Martin Torrez, Azul Amaral and Marney Prince.

Part of our show is to keep an eye on government repsponse, of course. So we also hear from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Department of Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel from a news conference today with updates on policies and on what's coming.

And a news update: The number of confirmed cases in New Mexico hit 495, a big jump. Three people died, bringing the total to 10. In Albuquerque, there was an outbreak in a retirement community called La Vida Llena. Two people from the facility have died. The governor is working on a plan to let nonviolent offenders out of the state’s jails and prisons, and she said 40 inmates around the state are being released.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode here. As for today, here's what we have for you:

Resources:

The state has guaranteed free testing for coronavirus and free treatment. So if you don’t have health insurance, don’t let that stop you from seeking care. It also covers illnesses related to COVID, like flu or pneumonia.
If you get billed for it, and you think it’s unfair, call the OSI Managed Health Care Bureau at 1-855-427-5674

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In Episode 34, we discover how prepared hospitals and health care facilities in New Mexico really are. And we go all over the state for this one.

We hear from Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, who was on Let's Talk New Mexico this morning, about how things are looking in the southern part of the state. Reporter Algernon D'Ammassa from the Las Cruces Sun-Newstells us about what questions journalists there are asking of their regional hospitals.

Dr. David Pitcher, executive physician for the UNM Health System answers questions about how well they're prepared and about a critical article in VICE from an ER doc. Dr. Alisha Parada, the division chief for General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics at UNMH, shares her concerns for the patients who come through her department.

And San Juan Regional Medical Center CEO Jeff Bourgeois gets into how things are shaping up in the four-corners area. Plus, KUNM reporter Bryce Dix speaks to Mikayla Hernández-Boyd, a nursing student who's concerned about how ready she'll be without hands-on training because of the new distance learning requirements for students everywhere.

Special thanks to all of our guests, and to Matt Grubs, senior producer at New Mexico PBS, for his interview with Human Services Department Secretary David Scrase.

And a news update: We heard on our show yesterday about billions set aside for tribes by the federal relief package passed and signed at the end of March. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in his interview with National Native News Anchor Antonia Gonzales that the money was tied up in bureaucracy. The Navajo Nation has seen a high rate of infection and seven deaths from coronavirus. Today, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing the federal government to release that money to tribes around the country so they can create and boost much-needed health care access, according to the Payson Roundup news source in Arizona.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode here. Today's resources are included below:

The CDC is saying people should wear masks when out of the house now. Find a pattern and get some tips to make your own or help make them for people who are providing essential services by emailing the network of folks working on this: CraftResponders@gmail.com.
Trying to figure out if you should get tested for COVID, or if you should go to the hospital because your symptoms are getting worse? Call the Department of Health Hotline: 1-855-600-3453
Albuquerque Mutual Aid put out the call today asking for food or monetary donations, saying their backstock was almost depleted.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 33, we learn about obstacles for tribes as they try to quell the virus' spread, including bureaucratic hurdles in accessing billions in federal funding that's been allotted to sovereign nations. National Native News anchor Antonia Gonzales tells us what she's learned from the reporting she's done. We also get to listen to her interviews with Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Stacy Bohlen, CEO of the National Indian Health Board. Our host Khalil Ekulona interviews Cabinet Secretary Lynn Trujillo of the state's Department of Indian Affairs. Then Chili Yazzie, president of the Shiprock Chapter, let's us know what his top concerns are. And community organizer Brad Charles, who lives in Sanostee, tells us about what things are like for folks living out where he is in the Navajo Nation.

Special thanks to all of our guests, and to National Native News anchor Antonia Gonzales and New Mexico PBS for contributing to the show. Find her reporting on these issues here.

And a news update: Around the state, there are 48 new cases, bringing the total to 363. There have been six deaths, one of them Tuesday. She was in her 90s. In the Navajo Nation, there have been 174 people diagnosed and seven deaths, according to the Navajo Department of Health. Projections are showing that we will see the peak of the pandemic in New Mexico around April 25, according to KRQE. That’s if social distancing goes well.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode here. Today's list in included below.

Resources:

The National Indian Health Board launched its COVID 19 resource center for tribes. It's here: www.nihb.org/covid-19
Here's the Navajo Nation website: www.navajo-nsn.gov
Look into the Notah Begay Foundation
Northern Dine COVID-19 relief effort

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 32, we talk about how the homeless population in New Mexico is being served in the era of Covid-19. We hear from Johnathon Stubbs, a person who has experienced homlessness. Elise Kaplan from the Albuquerque Journal joins the show to talk about her story "Exposed and at risk." Nicole Martinez of Mesilla Valley Community Of Hope tells us about the measures they are taking in Las Cruces to help flatten the curve. We also hear from CYFD Secretary Brian Blalock and Albuquerque Healthcare For The Homeless Policy Director Rachel Biggs. And Lisa Huval, the deputy director of Housing and Homelessness for the city of Albuquerque.

And a news update: The state increased its ability to test people. While it used to be that only folks who showed certain symptoms should be tested, the governor announced a change. People who don’t have symptoms but who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID can get tests. People who don’t show symptoms but who are in nursing homes can get tests. And you don’t need a doctor’s referral anymore to get one if you go to a Department of Health testing site.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode at here. And here's what we have from today:

Mesilla Valley Community Of Hope
Albuquerque Health Care For The Homeless
Watch Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's full news conference
Here's a list from CYFD of shelters for young people experiencing homelessness or survivors of domestic violence in the state. They're still open. And if you have resources to share, they could use some donations.

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

Episode 31 is all about jails and prisons during the pandemic, and it's packed. (Plus, Your NM Gov is airing weeknights at 8 p.m. on KUNM this week.)

We hear from:

Longtime criminal justice reporter Jeff Proctor from the Santa Fe Reporter and New Mexico In Depth
Santa Fe Public Defender's Office attorney Jennifer Burrill, who contracted COVID
Selinda Guerrero, a community organizer with Millions For Prisoners New Mexico
Barron Jones, criminal justice advocate with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico
Matthew Coyte, lawyer and longtime advocate for limiting solitary confinement in the state
Cabinet Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero from the state's Department of Corrections
Cabinet Secretary Brian Blalock from the Children Youth and Families Department

And a news update: An inmate at the Bernalillo County jail tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, according to KRQE. When he entered the jail, he didn’t show symptoms, but his mom was hospitalized and tested positive. He’s been isolated in the jail, and the areas he was in have been quarantined.

Related articles:

Authorities squash Western New Mexico prison riot (Durango Herald)
An interview with Santa Fe Public Defender Jennifer Burrill who's been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Santa Fe Reporter)
Inmates Vulnerable to Coronavirus (Albuquerque Journal)
COVID-19 updates from around the NM criminal justice system (New Mexico In Depth)
Legal Threat Over Prison COVID-19 Potential (Santa Fe Reporter)

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode here. For today, here's what we have:

Barron Jones from the ACLU: bjones@aclu-nm.org
People in prison or jail—or their families—can reach out to Millions For Prisoners New Mexico through Facebook or by emailing: millionsforprisonersnm@gmail.com

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 30, hear from college students whose futures are seemingly on hold. Mandolin Eisenberg and KUNM's own Taylor Velazquez tell us about their experiences. (And after their interviews, host Khalil Ekulona's ready to vote for either one for U.S. pres should they run.) We also hear from National Native News anchor and New Mexico PBS correspondent Antonia Gonzales about challenges students on tribal lands are facing in trying to get their educations online. And Dr. Stephanie McIver, the counseling director for Student Health and Counseling at UNM, talks about being easy with yourself as you make sense of the pandemic's impacts on your life.

And a news update: Public schools in N.M. will remain closed for the rest of the semester. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered travelers to put themselves into isolation for 14 days today and said involuntary quarantines could happen.

Here are some links for understanding the federal relief package:

VIDEO: A breakdown of the $2 trillion relief package (Politico)
FAQ on Stimulus Checks, Unemployment and the Coronavirus Plan (NY Times)
Calculate how much you'll get from coronavirus checks (Washington Post)

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode here. Take a look at today's resource list::

Counseling services for students at unm: shac.unm.edu

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 29, we hear from people who are creating resources and helping out in their communities. Longtime organizer Selinda Guerrero talks about all of the people working together on the Mutual Aid network, providing food and other necessities to folks that many government efforts don't reach. Rebecca Jones talks about the grassroots Navajo and Hopi COVID-19 relief project started by Ethel Branch. Szu-Han Ho and Miriam Langer are two N.M. college art instructors mobilizing a network of people to sew reliable masks for folks in the state. Plus, Gilbert Ramírez, deputy director of the city's Health Programs, tells us about the rent relief fund.

And a news update: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is calling for 248-bed Army hospital in Albuquerque. She's saying the disease could overwhelm our hospitals by early April.

From the Santa Fe Reporter: An interview with Santa Fe Public Defender Jennifer Burrill who's been diagnosed with COVID-19.
ER doc Frank Huyler pens a first-hand account for VICE about state hospitals moving too slow as they prepare.

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode here. And for today's episode, here's a breakdown.

Resources:

Hope & Navajo Families COVID-19 Relief Fund
Mutual Aid in Albuquerque: ffol.org
Rent relief & utility assistance from the city of Albuquerque. Dial 311 for help.
Donate to the rental assistance program. Mail donations to any of these four centers around the city. Make checks payable to: FCS Health and Social Services.
The tip sheet NM Craft Responders are using to make masks. Reach out to them via craftresponders@gmail.com

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In episode 28, we talk to parents about what it's like to become the primary educators of their kids—and to be at home with them pretty much around the clock. And Amy Biehl High School Counselor Kathleen Moore offers wisdom and tips on working with your teen in this new world.

Plus Albuquerque's director of Family and Community Services Carol Pierce talks about what the city's offering, including youth programming at community centers for the kids of parents whose jobs are still essential, like nurses and first responders.

And a news update: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham halted any medical care that people can wait on for three months without creating a problem for the patient. The idea, according to a news release, is to slow the use of personal protective gear (think: masks and gloves for physicians and nurses).

We're keeping a complete list of the resources and volunteer opportunities that we find for each episode here. As for today's topic, here are some homeschool helpers:

Looking for lessons for your kids? Head to this instructional content platform: Newsela
Free science lessons from Mystery Science (K-5)
And here's a list of places offering free educational resources
Albuquerque Public Schools free meal pickup sites

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

In this episode, hear from tipped service-industry workers about the challenges they're facing as restaurants and bars around the state close their doors—unless you're ordering to-go. And host Khalil Ekulona calls his old boss, Ken Carson, who owns Nexus Brewery & Restaurant to talk about shuttering a location because of the impact of the COVID health measures.

View Details

Your NM Gov is back and shifting gears with weekday news updates on coronavirus, plus community stories, resources and an eye on government response.

In this episode, host Khalil Ekulona of KUNM Radio calls his folks. Then, he talks with Karen Meyers, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Initiative about scammers who are using COVID fears to prey on people. We also hear from Aging & Long-Term Services Secretary Katrina Hotrum-Lopez about what the state's seniors need, how people can pitch in and what changes are being made around the state.

Plus, a news update: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday, March 23, ordered non-essential businesses to close and told people in New Mexico to stay home.

We're keeping a full list of all episodes' resources at bit.ly/YNMGhub. But here's what we got from today:

cabq.gov/scams — Find out if the person you're talking to is trying to use fears about the virus to scam people. Albuquerque's Consumer Financial Protection Initiative is keeping track.
ftc.gov — If you think you got scammed, report it to the Federal Trade Commission.
bit.ly/covidhelpforseniors — Want to help make sure the state's seniors get food? You can volunteer.
Read the state's emergency order issued Monday, March 23. Is your business or workplace on the state's list of essential services? And what does it mean when the governor says "stay home"?

How are things going for you? We want to know. Share your quarantine stories by calling: (505) 218-7084 and leaving us a message. We could roll them into a future episode.

View Details

It is the session wrap up with executive producer Marisa Demarco. We talk a lot about the theme of transparency in government and some things that we would like to see changed in legislative structure. Be on the lookout for live events. Just because the session ended doesn't mean that our work in informing you has!

View Details

The 2020 legislative session is over. Gene Grant, host of New Mexico In Focus, recaps the biggest moments and topics, like the red-flag law (which passed), recreational marijuana (which didn't), free college tuition (partially funded) and more.

View Details

With one day left in the 54th legislative session, Gwyneth Doland from New Mexico PBS joins host Khalil Ekulona to talk about the bills that passed so far and the ones that look like they will have to wait until next year. This episode moves fast so make sure to listen!

For more great coverage of the legislative session, check out New Mexico in Focus.

View Details

Julia Goldberg from The Santa Fe Reporter joins the show to talk about benefit corporations and HB118. Benefit corporations are a new positive trend in the business world. We talk about how New Mexico can get on board with a movement that is seen by many as positive for the community.

Take a look at Julia's article on benefit corporations here

View Details

Matt Grubs from New Mexico PBS joins the program to talk about Senate Joint Resolution 7. What is SJ7? If it passes it would pave the way for New Mexico to have a professional legislature. Matt discusses where it stands at the Roundhouse and what that would mean for the state. We also discuss the budget, the opportunity scholarship, and the legal settlement transparency act.

View Details

Julie Ann Grimm from the Santa Fe Reporter joins me to wrap up the week. We discuss the sexual harassment non disclosure agreement bill, budget secrecy in the senate, and the new education secretary.

View Details

Cristina Carreon from the Alamogordo Daily News joins host Khalil Ekulona to talk about the Red Flag law and how it is viewed in rural parts of the state. She provides updates on amendments being proposed for the bill as well as the view from law enforcement officers.

To read the Red Flag bill with current amendments click here

To follow the bills progress click here

To read articles from the Alamogordo Daily News click here

View Details

Gwyneth Doland from New Mexico PBS joins me to break down PERA, The Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico. We talk about its current status, what the potential fixes are, and what lawmakers are doing about it. Gwyneth provides the realities of the situation and as always, great insight.

View Details

Nash Jones of KUNM radio sits down with host Khalil Ekulona about a variety of topics under consideration in the current 30-day legislation. First is a breakdown of a bill that would ensure a variety of workplace protections for pregnant employees. Nash also discusses a measure that would raise the tobacco purchasing age from 18 to 21. This would bring State law in line with federal laws, which would allow local law officers to enforce the law. The Tobacco Products Act would also create a licensure system for tobacco manufacturers, including e-cigarettes. Lastly, he updates the status of legislation that would legalize recreational cannabis use in New Mexico.

View Details

Matt Grubs from New Mexico PBS breaks down the decision by the house to table House Bills 29 and 77. The bills would provide a tax break to all New Mexican's who receive social security benefits. He explains what happens with those bills and talks about the future of the opportunity scholarship.

To read an article on the House's decision to table the bills by The Albuquerque Journal's Dan McKay click here.

View Details

Happy Friday! Today we check in on some of the energy bills making their way through the Roundhouse during the current 30-day session. Host Khalil Ekulona gets an update with Leah Cantor from the Santa Fe Reporter, including efforts to reform the Public Regulation or PRC (HB11) and the Community Solar Act (HB9 or SB143)

View Details

Algernon D'Ammassa from the Las Cruces Sun News talks to me about the legislative issues that are resonating in the southern part of New Mexico. We talk about the hot button issues (recreational cannabis; the red flag law) but we also talk about the spaceport and its economic effects on the state.

View Details

Wednesday, February 5th, 2020 marks the halfway mark in the 2020 Legislative Session. Khalil Ekulona sits down with New Mexico PBS Executive Producer Kevin McDonald to talk about what has happened so far, including discussions today in the House on the budget, and another committee hearing regarding the Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order Act, or "Red Flag" Law. The two also discuss what's still in store during the last days of the 30-day session, including the Governor's College Opportunity Scholarship and the Cannabis Legalization Bill.

View Details

Kaveh Mowahed comes into the studio to talk about lobbyists and ethics. The New Mexico Ethics Watch commission just released their report (To read the report click here) it has a few recommendations to help add more transparency to our state government. Listen close as Kaveh and I talk about the latest developments.

To read the Senate Joint Resolution 7 regarding the salaries of elected state and county officials click here

For the fiscal report of SJ7 click here

For rules on lobbyist regulation click here

For information on the State Ethics Commission click here

View Details

Matt Grubs from New Mexico PBS talks with Host Khalil Ekulona about some of the budget issues being addressed in this year's session, including The Legal Settlement Transparency Bill (SB 64), fixes to PERA and what that will mean for the state's retirement fund, as well as the 2020 budget passing the House Appropriations committee are all on deck for our conversation.

View Details

Jeff Proctor with the Santa Fe Reporter breaks down some of the criminal justice reform efforts on the table during the current 30-day session.

View Details

Listen to KUNM's Kahlil Ekulona and his great conversation with Laura Paskus of New Mexico PBS as they talk about the environmental issues that are affecting the state and the steps that lawmakers are taking to answer them. She's been covering the environment in the land of enchantment for over 15 years and is full of great insight.

To find out more about "Our Land: New Mexico's Environmental Past, Present, and Future" click here.

View Details

Gwyneth Doland of New Mexico PBS joins KUNM radio's Khalil Ekulona to talk about the nuances and inner workings of the "Red Flag Bill" and what the proponents and opponents of the gun bill have to say about it.

View Details

Hanna Colton from KUNM sits down Khalil Ekulona in studio to talk about a few of the education bills that are on deck at the roundhouse. She also breaks down how you can find out more about the bills yourself.

To discover more about any of the bills being debated at the roundhouse click here.

View Details

KUNM's Khalil Ekulona talks with Matt Grubs about the Wholesale Prescription Drug Act (SB1) to get a sense of its chances of passing and how it will affect New Mexicans. We talk about the "Red Flag" legislation and it's potential. We also chat about fiscal responsibility in government.

View Details

Julie Ann Grimm from The Santa Fe Reporter shares some insight on what happened in the House Appropriations Committee when The Administrative Office of the Courts submitted their Unifed Budget. She also shares information on the status of New Mexicos judicial system and comments on where we have room to improve.

Read the Unified Budget PDF here

View Details

In today's podcast, KUNM's Khalil Ekulona sits down with Antonia Gonzales, Producer and Anchor of National Native News on Koahnic Broadcasting. She discusses some of the big legislative priorities and how they are being received in the states indigenous communities. Those issues include education reform, climate chance and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Gonzales discusses some of the issues not being talked about much in the Roundhouse, including the protection of sacred sites. For instance, there is an ongoing battle in the Four Corners, where tribal leaders are fighting to keep oil and gas exploration away from Chaco Canyon. You can follow more Your New Mexico Government Coverage at any of our partner news outlets: The Santa Fe Reporter, KUNM Radio and New Mexico PBS.

View Details

New Mexico in Focus Correspondent Gwyneth Doland spent the day in Santa Fe, talking with lawmakers about fiscal responsibility when it comes to making budget decisions during the current 30-day session. Lawmakers have roughly $800 million in new money to spend this year, and there's a push and pull between how to spend those dollars, especially on recurring expenses. Gwyneth also lays out some of the politics at play between the legislature and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the debate this year over legalizing recreational cannabis.

View Details

An in studio talk with Hannah Colton, public health reporter for KUNM, where we discuss the education proposals on the docket for the 54th session of the state legislature. We also talk about the governor's plans to increase the quality of the state's early childhood education program, as well as the Opportunity Scholarship proposal that is aimed to help older New Mexicans continue their education.

Click the link below to learn more about the Early Childhood Education plan:

https://nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?Chamber=H&LegType=B&LegNo=83&year=20

And for the full State of the State Speech and analysis from former lawmakers, check out the New Mexico in Focus special podcast edition:

https://anchor.fm/nmif/episodes/2020-State-of-the-State-and-Post-Speech-Analysis-eab82g

View Details

The legislative session is almost underway—30 days to pass measures and laws that affect everyone in New Mexico. What‘s being considered? Who’s behind these bills? How will they make an impact on your life?

Rest assured, the project: Your New Mexico Government has those answers. This daily podcast is part of a statewide news collaboration designed to keep you informed through interviews with reporters from around the state.

On this episode, New Mexico PBS Producer Matt Grubs offers a preview of the big topics coming through this session: the budget, of course, a red-flag law, education, recreational marijuana and, always, good government and transparency.

No More Normal: Recent Episodes

#NoMoreNormal