Let’s Talk New Mexico 9/30 8am: The once-in-a-decade redistricting process is underway in New Mexico. Lines are being redrawn for the U.S. House, state legislature, and Public Education Commission. For the first time, an independent commission, the Citizen Redistricting Committee, is advising the Democrat-led legislature. The body released its concept maps for public comment and on this week’s Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll take a look at them and what’s at stake.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 9/16 8am: Property crime has dropped in New Mexico during the pandemic but violence has taken hold, dominating the news headlines recently: Albuquerque setting a new record for homicides, Santa Fe road rage killings, attacks on police officers, and perhaps most tragic – a child killed at school over bullying. While violent crime has not increased as much across the nation it feels like a lot in New Mexico, and how we choose to react to violence is a local decision.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 9/9 8 am:It's chile season, and many of us are celebrating the return of New Mexico’s favorite crop. Green chile lies at the heart of so much of our state’s culture and identity that it’s hard to imagine what life would be like without it. And yet, chile is by no means assured of a prosperous future. COVID and changing immigration policies have created a labor shortage of chile harvesters, and human-caused climate change has resulted in drought conditions that threaten the very existence of chile verde. On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll be digging into the issues facing this iconic New Mexican food.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 8/26 8 am: Thousands of people are fleeing Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has announced that New Mexico is ready to welcome them with open arms. How can our state best ready itself to receive these refugees? What type of services are already available? How will all of this work while we are still struggling with a global pandemic? On this week’s episode, we’ll be talking to folks who work with New Mexico’s refugee population, as well as the refugees themselves, about their experiences and how they think our state should respond to this sudden need.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 8/19 8am: This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Chicano-led rebellion against police brutality and racism that began in Albuquerque’s Roosevelt Park. The rebellion is a key, but often overlooked, moment in New Mexico’s Chicano history. Fifty years later, it serves as a reminder of the long record of police violence, resistance, and collaboration by people of color in our state, and remains especially relevant in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter uprising.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 8/12 8am: If you’ve seen black and gold T-shirts, jerseys, and flags around Albuquerque, you’ve seen fans of New Mexico United. The professional soccer team has been generating excitement in our state since the team was first announced in 2018, and their home games at Isotopes Park are almost always sold out. Recently New Mexico United and the City of Albuquerque released a proposal for a new 10,000 - 12,000 seat stadium to serve as the home of the team. The cost? An estimated $65-$75 million dollars. The location? That is to be determined. So far, the city’s preferred sites are in downtown Albuquerque: 2nd Street and Iron Avenue, or Coal Avenue and Broadway Boulevard. While fans of the team are excited about the new plans, many people who live in these areas are not very happy with the suggestions.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 8/7 8am: This summer has marked big changes in the landscape of college athletics. From the NCAA allowing student-athletes to earn income based off of their name, image, and likeness, to major programs like the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma moving conferences, college sports is now in a new era. How will this new terrain affect schools like the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University? And what do the rising number COVID-19 cases mean for practices and games? On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll be discussing what plans our state-run universities are making and how they are preparing to compete now and in the future.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 7/29 8am: Have you had trouble finding affordable child care? You’re not alone. Child care can cost over $20,000 a year in New Mexico and hundreds of child care centers closed during the pandemic, tightening the squeeze on an already precious resource. On July 1, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced an expanded eligibility for government assistance for child care. Starting next month New Mexican families making up to 400% of the poverty level -about $92,000 a year- are eligible for help. Further, the state will also increase the amount of aid sent directly to child care centers to help employ more high quality caregivers. But a big chunk of the bill will be covered with federal pandemic relief money, meaning that it’s only guaranteed for a couple years.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 7/22 8am: Earlier this month, a plaque that marked the burial place of Indigenous children who died at the Albuquerque Indian School went missing. At the same time, Native American boarding schools have been in the national news after forensic technology revealed thousands of previously unknown graves of Native American children throughout the US and Canada. On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll be discussing the legacy of these so-called Indian schools by looking into their racist history, as well as showing how New Mexico’s Indigenoustribes have repurposed some of the sites to fulfill positive roles in their communities’ future.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 7/8 8am: Have you noticed “help wanted” signs in the windows of your favorite restaurants and businesses? The COVID-19 pandemic has caused chaos in the economy for more than a year, and now there’s a labor shortage. Last week Axios reported 10 million Americans out of work, yet there are 9 million vacant positions waiting to be filled. Employers are frustrated, sometimes offering higher wages and hiring bonuses to get the help they need. Others are opting to close businesses earlier or stay closed on less busy days because they don’t have the staff for normal hours. Some business owners are angry, blaming the government for the pandemic related unemployment insurance bonuses they see as motivation for workers to stay home.