CrucesSunNews
138 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsFind the Las Cruces Sun-News online at lcsun-news.com.
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Episodes
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 70: The astronaut and the governor
May 29, 2023 00:00 - 27 minutes - 19.1 MBThis week, we’re joined by Las Cruces native Jamila Gilbert, who joined Virgin Galactic in 2019 where she has been an integral part of the company, leading internal communications. On Thursday, May 25, she was aboard the Unity 25 suborbital space flight. Jamila attended New Mexico State University, studying linguistics, museum conservation, anthropology, and studio art. As a Latina woman of Purépechan-Mexican roots, a visual artist, and a communications professional who speaks four languag...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 69: Replacing Legislative Finance Committee Director
May 23, 2023 00:00 - 42 minutes - 29 MBOn this week's episode, we’re joined by Rep. Nathan Small, a Democrat from Las Cruces who serves as chair of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee. He also serves as vice chair for the Legislative Finance Committee. David Abbey, the director of the budget and accountability office for the New Mexico Legislature, announced in March he would be retiring from the agency he led for 25 years — through a historic recession, a collapse in the oil economy, the COVID-19 pandemic and a new an...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 68: Aaron Paz & NASA
May 16, 2023 00:00 - 34 minutes - 23.5 MBOn this week's episode of The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, we’re joined by Las Cruces native Aaron Paz, who works for NASA. Aaron is a NASA senior engineer and Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration project manager at Johnson Space Center in Houston. As NASA works toward sending astronauts to the Moon again through Artemis missions, one of the space agency’s primary goals is to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface. Resources like oxygen are crucial building blocks for making tha...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 67: Michael Patrick Kaczmarek
May 08, 2023 00:00 - 50 minutes - 35 MBThis week, we’re joined by Las Cruces native Michael Patrick Kaczmarek, one of the producers of The Pope’s Exorcist, which was released April 14 in the U.S. and is in theaters now. To date, the film has grossed more than $60 million internationally. The film stars Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe. Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, The Pope’s Exorcist follows Amorth as he investigates a young boy’s terrifying possession and ends up uncove...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 66: Abrianna Morales & SAYSN
May 02, 2023 00:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBThis week’s podcast discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know experiences sexual violence, you can find local support via La Piñon's 24-Hour Crisis Hotline at 575-526-3437 or go to www.lapinon.org. This week, we’re joined by Abrianna Morales. When she was 15, Abrianna was sexually assaulted by someone she knew and trusted. That experience — navigating the legal system, the feeling of isolation, and lack of resources and support — prompted her to create the Sexual Assault Youth Sur...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 65: Broad Canyon Ranch
April 25, 2023 00:00 - 29 minutes - 20.3 MBOn this week's episode, we’re joined by Patrick Nolan, executive director of Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. We’ll also be joined by Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces), as well as Kyla Navarro, policy and community coordinator for Friends of the OMDP. The New Mexico Legislative Session recently wrapped up and Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks celebrated the legislature’s decision to fund a feasibility study, which is a step towards establishing a new state park in Sout...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 64: Justice for Journalists
April 18, 2023 00:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MBThis week, we’re joined by Dr. Molly Malloy, an associate professor, retired reference librarian and American specialist at NMSU and a member of this year’s J. Paul Taylor Social Justice Symposium’s organizing committee. We’ll also be joined by Spencer Herrera, an associate professor of Spanish at NMSU, who chaired this year’s organizing committee. “Justice for Journalists” was the theme of this year’s symposium, which took place Wednesday and Thursday, April 12th and 13th on the university’...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 63: NMDOH Secretary Patrick Allen
April 11, 2023 00:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBOn this week's episode of The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, we’re talking to Patrick Allen, cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health. At the end of 2022, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed Allen as the leader of the state’s health department following the resignation of Dr. David Scrase. Allen began his work in the department on Jan. 3. Before coming to New Mexico, Allen worked as the director of the Oregon Health Authority. In Oregon, he led the agency’s response to CO...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 62: Mayor Ken Miyagishima
April 04, 2023 00:00 - 51 minutes - 35.1 MBIn this week's episode, we’re talking to Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima, who recently delivered his 16th and final State of the City address. Miyagishima was first elected mayor of Las Cruces in 2007 and is currently in his fourth, four-year term. In November, he announced that he would not seek a fifth term. While this is certainly not an exit interview — as he will still lead the city for months to come — we thought we should touch base on what he feels he has accomplished, as reflected ...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 61: Melanie Majors, NMFOG and 2023 Legislature
March 28, 2023 00:00 - 42 minutes - 29.2 MBThis week, we’re talking to Melanie Majors, the executive director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government. FOG was created because citizens have a fundamental right to know what their government is doing, and that includes the right to inspect public records and the right to attend public meetings. FOG works to make sure these rights are strong and available to everyone. Sometimes, this means assisting individual citizens who are denied information by local or state government. It ...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 60: Rep. Nathan Small
March 21, 2023 00:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBOn this week's episode, we’re talking to New Mexico Representative Nathan Small, a Democrat from Las Cruces. We’ll be talking about how he has approached this year’s 60-day session of the New Mexico Legislature. We’ll take a look at many of the big-ticket items lawmakers are discussing as they set about crafting an historically large budget. Totaling more than $9.5 billion in recurring spending — an 11.9% increase from the last fiscal year — there is no shortage of ideas on how best to spend...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 59: Oil, Gas and Energy in the Roundhouse
March 14, 2023 00:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBIn this week’s episode of The Reporter’s Notebook Podcast, we’re joined by Adrian Hedden, who covers energy, oil and gas for the Carlsbad Current-Argus. As you likely know, time is winding down on this year’s 60-day legislative session. As we’ve discussed in several recent episodes, New Mexico is looking at a record-breaking budget surplus; it could very well be the state’s largest budget in history. And, by and large, we’ve got the state’s oil and gas sector to thank for that. But is the “g...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 58: Senator Soules and the Smell of Roasting Chile
March 07, 2023 00:00 - 38 minutes - 26.5 MBOn this week’s episode of The Reporter’s Notebook Podcast, we’re talking to New Mexico Senator Bill Soules, a Democrat from Las Cruces. We’ll be talking about how he has approached this year’s 60-day session of the New Mexico Legislature. We’ll take a look at many of the big-ticket items lawmakers are discussing as lawmakers set about crafting an historically large budget. We’ll talk to Sen. Soules about many of the state’s most pressing issues — education, public safety, early childhood dev...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 57: Higher Alcohol Taxes?
February 28, 2023 00:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBThis week, we’re talking to Ted Alcorn, a New Mexico native and a freelance journalist who has written for The New York Times, teaches at Columbia University and NYU, and previously worked for the Mayor’s Office in New York City. Ted recently wrote a long series for New Mexico In Depth called “Blind Drunk,” which you may have also read in the Las Cruces Sun-News. It detailed how alcohol is killing New Mexicans at a higher rate than anywhere else in the country — at a rate that’s about three ...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 56: Aggie Basketball Problems
February 21, 2023 00:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MBThis week, we’re talking to Las Cruces Sun-News Lead Sports Reporter Jason Groves. We’ll talk about everything that has happened in recent weeks surrounding the New Mexico State University’s men’s basketball team — and it’s been a lot. Jason took over coverage of the team just days after the deadly Nov. 19 shooting on the campus of the University of New Mexico, following the departure of former Sun-News reporter Stephen Wagner. Since then, he has covered the team as they struggled to win gam...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 55: Carissa McGee and Juvenile Justice
February 13, 2023 00:00 - 54 minutes - 37.6 MBThis podcast contains discussions of suicide. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, consider reaching out to the National Suicide Hotline by dialing 988. Help is available. This week, we’re talking to Carissa McGee. In 2006, when she was only 16, she was a star basketball player at Mayfield High School and a Gatorade Player of the Year. But then, everything changed. McGee was charged after police say she stabbed her mother and older sister Marie, who tried to intervene. Both were hosp...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 54: House Minority Floor Leader Ryan Lane
February 07, 2023 00:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBOn this week's episode, we’re joined by New Mexico House Minority Floor Leader Ryan Lane, an attorney who represents San Juan County. We’ll be talking about how he is approaching this year’s 60-day session of the New Mexico Legislature. We’ll take a look many of the big-ticket items lawmakers are discussing as lawmakers set about crafting an historically large budget. Totaling $9.4 billion in recurring spending — an 11.9% increase from the last fiscal year — there is no shortage of ideas on ...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 53: Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth
January 31, 2023 00:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBThis week, we’re talking to New Mexico Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth. We’ll be talking about how he is approaching this year’s 60-day session of the New Mexico Legislature. We’ll take a look at many of the big-ticket items lawmakers are discussing as lawmakers set about crafting an historically large budget — one Wirth described as larger than any lawmaker, living or dead, has ever seen. Totaling $9.4 billion in recurring spending — an 11.9% increase from the last fiscal year — there is...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 52: LCPS Legislative Priorities
January 24, 2023 00:00 - 43 minutes - 30.1 MBOn this week's episode of The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, we’re talking to Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Ralph Ramos. We’ll be talking about the school district’s priorities during this year’s 60-day session of the New Mexico Legislature. We’ll take a look at the impact proposed legislation might impact LCPS. As New Mexico’s state legislature began work Tuesday, Jan. 17, to allocate an historically large budget — totaling $9.4 billion in recurring spending, an 11.9% increase from...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 51: Migratory Birds are Dying
January 14, 2023 17:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBWe’re talking to NMSU professors Martha Desmond and Tim Wright this week. Desmond is a Regents professor in the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, while Wright is a professor in the Biology Department. We’re diving into the mystery of a recent die-off of migratory birds in New Mexico. In 2020, possibly hundreds of thousands of migratory birds were found dead across the state. We’ll talk to Tim and Martha about what caused it, what is being done to address it, and a new pa...
010923 - The Reporters Notebook - NMSU Priorities Mixdown 1
January 10, 2023 00:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBThis week, we’re talking to New Mexico State University Chancellor Dan Arvizu. Ahead of this year’s 60-day legislative session, we wanted to find out what sorts of legislation the university would like to see passed. We’ll take a deep dive into how proposed legislation may impact NMSU. Some of the things Arvizu and his colleagues in higher education around the state would like to see are a 10 percent average increase in compensation, fully funding the mandated 1 percent increase in retiremen...
010923 - The Reporters Notebook - NMSU Legislative Priorities
January 09, 2023 00:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBThis week, we’re talking to New Mexico State University Chancellor Dan Arvizu. Ahead of this year’s 60-day legislative session, we wanted to find out what sorts of legislation the university would like to see passed. We’ll take a deep dive into how proposed legislation may impact NMSU. Some of the things Arvizu and his colleagues in higher education around the state would like to see are a 10 percent average increase in compensation, fully funding the mandated 1 percent increase in retiremen...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 49: Lucas Peerman and Jessica Onsurez
January 03, 2023 00:00 - 55 minutes - 38 MBThis week, we’re talking to Lucas Peerman, the outgoing news director of the Las Cruces Sun-News, and Jessica Onsurez. Until recently, Jessica was the news director of the Carlsbad Current-Argus, the Alamogordo Daily News and the Ruidoso News — a role she'll continue into 2023. All of the aforementioned papers are owned and operated by Gannett — the largest newspaper company in the United States. On Jan. 1, Jessica took over as the news director for the Sun-News. We’ll talk to Lucas about hi...
The Reporter’s Notebook, Ep. 48: Rajaa Shindi on Providing Aid to Afghan Refugees
December 26, 2022 00:00 - 41 minutes - 28.8 MBThis week, we’re talking to Rajaa Shindi, an assistant professor at New Mexico State University. Shindi received a $150,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to continue an effort to improve the lives of Afghan refugees in southern New Mexico through education and job training. She has partnered with Angela Owens, college assistant professor and director of the Glass Family Research Institute for Early Childhood Studies at NMSU, to provide free child care for Afghan refugees who parti...
The Reporter’s Notebook, Ep. 47: Professor Dulcinea Lara on Ethnic Studies and Critical Race Theory
December 20, 2022 00:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBThis week, we’re talking to Dulcinea Lara, the academic department head and professor of Borderlands and Ethnic Studies at New Mexico State University. Borderlands and Ethnic Studies began in 2019 as a multi-disciplinary program at NMSU to build awareness and cultural understanding of what it means to live along the U.S.-Mexico border. Known as BEST, the department in the College of Arts and Sciences offers a multi-disciplinary graduate certificate to address the growing need for knowledge ...
The Reporter’s Notebook, Ep. 46: Going Bowling: NMSU AD Mario Moccia
December 13, 2022 00:00 - 53 minutes - 36.5 MBThis week, we’re talking to Las Cruces Sun-News News Director Lucas Peerman, and Mario Moccia, the director of athletics at New Mexico State University. We’re talking about NMSU football’s Cinderella season — how a team that started NM State started the season 0-4 and they lost a home game to Florida International where the Aggies were actually 14.5-point favorites to drop to 1-5. Then came the rally. NMSU tore back to finish the season 6-6 — including a clobbering of Valparaiso on Dec. 3 —...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 45: The Perez Family Travels to New York
December 06, 2022 00:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBThis week, we’re talking to El Paso Times reporter Lauren Villagran, who covers immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border for the Times and the USA Today network of newspapers. The journey of Kristian González Pérez and his family of four is not particularly unique — insomuch as his was one of thousands of families bussed to other parts of the country, sometimes for practical reasons, sometimes for political reasons. They were four of 10,713 asylum seekers who took the same route to New York o...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 43: Crime Stats
November 22, 2022 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.5 MBThis week, we’re talking to Las Cruces Sun-News reporter Justin Garcia. Justin covers local government and public safety for the newspaper. Through a public records request, he recently obtained Las Cruces crime statistics for this year through June — the last month for which stats are currently available. What we’ve found, in raw numbers, is that more crimes have been reported in every category, year-to-date, except for robbery and rape. But, as Justin will explain, it’s not that simple. In...
The Aggie Wagon Podcast: Series Finale
November 19, 2022 12:00 - 14 minutes - 11.7 MBNew Mexico State beat writer Stephen Wagner bids farewell to Las Cruces and previews the Aggies' upcoming game against New Mexico.
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 42: Algernon D'Ammassa
November 15, 2022 00:00 - 45 minutes - 31.1 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking to Algernon D’Ammassa. Algernon has been a reporter for the Sun-News since 2018. Before that, he was at the Deming Headlight. Earlier this month, Algernon returned to the Headlight as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief. The Headlight was recently purchased from Gannett by the Silver City Independent Publishing Co., which owns the Silver City Daily Press and Independent. During his time in Las Cruces, Algernon was a great asset to our newsroom — and to our c...
The Aggie Wagon Podcast Season 2, Episode 3: Mike Peake
November 10, 2022 22:21 - 23 minutes - 18.7 MBMike Peake joins The Aggie Wagon Podcast to discuss this week's upcoming rivalry game against UTEP.
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 41: Election Day
November 08, 2022 00:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBThis week, we’re doing something a little bit different. I’ll be talking to Walt Rubel, a longtime reporter and editor in southern New Mexico who has covered New Mexico politics for many years — and many of THOSE at the Las Cruces Sun-News. We’re talking about the 2022 midterm elections, redistricting, and some of the state’s biggest offices up for grabs. We should note, this podcast was recorded Saturday, Nov. 5. This week, we’re grateful to be joined by Walt.
Aggie Wagon Podcast S2 E2: Greg Heiar
November 05, 2022 06:00 - 16 minutes - 13.2 MBGreg Heiar joins the podcast to preview the upcoming season and his first game as a Division I head coach.
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 40: The Aggie Wagon
November 01, 2022 00:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking to Sun-News sports reporter Stephen Wagner. We’re talking about, well, a lot of things. Stephen was recently selected as a voter in the Associated Press Media Poll for college football. The Aggie basketball team just had their first Crimson/White scrimmage, giving us an early look at the team. I want to know what Stephen is thinking of both of these teams as the seasons progress — or, in the case of basketball, as the season approaches. We’ll also share...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 39: Barbara Hubbard
October 25, 2022 00:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBThe Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 39: Barbara Hubbard by CrucesSunNews
The Aggie Wagon Podcast S2 E1
October 22, 2022 17:31 - 16 minutes - 12.9 MBNew Mexico State men's basketball beat writer Stephen Wagner recaps the Aggies' offseason and explains why fans should temper their expectations heading into the upcoming season.
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 38: Adnan Syed
October 18, 2022 00:00 - 48 minutes - 33.3 MBThis week, we’re talking to former Las Cruces Sun-News reporter Bethany Raja — who was Bethany Freudenthal when she worked as a public safety reporter at the Sun-News. She now works as a city hall reporter for @WYPR in Baltimore. We’re talking about Adnan Syed, whose case first rose to prominence because of the first season of the Serial podcast. First, a little history. Eight years after the shaky case against Adnan Syed became the center of the hit podcast "Serial," prosecutors said Tuesd...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 37: New Mexico Poet Laureates
October 11, 2022 00:00 - 43 minutes - 30.1 MBIn this week’s episode, however, we’re doing something a little different. We’re talking poetry. Specifically, we’re talking about the role of New Mexico’s Poet Laureate. First, a little history. In 2014, companion memorials in the New Mexico House and Senate requested that the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs develop a "New Mexico Poet Laureate position and program to foster a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry and to highlight the importance of poetry in the...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 36: Yacone Family Tragedy
October 03, 2022 00:00 - 48 minutes - 33.2 MBThis week, we’re speaking to Algernon D’Ammassa. Algernon is an investigative and enterprise reporter for the Sun-News. We’re talking about the recent Yacone family tragedy — in which local restaurateur Bob Yacone is accused of killing his wife, Kimberly, before engaging deputies from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office in a shootout that left him injured. As is often the case in situations like this, official information trickled out at a relatively slow pace. Meanwhile, in the newsroom, w...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 35: Michael McDevitt
September 27, 2022 00:00 - 34 minutes - 23.4 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re speaking to Michael McDevitt, who has covered city and county government for the Sun-News for the past three years, since 2019. Michael will be moving on to a new opportunity in Chicago, where he attended college. During his three years covering Las Cruces and Doña Ana County, Mike has seen a lot — and has shared his reporting with our community. There was the search for a new city manager, municipal elections, a historic city council election, the city’s first ...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 34: Police Shootings
September 20, 2022 00:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re speaking to Justin Garcia, who covers public safety for the Sun-News. We’re returning to a familiar topic — talking about the number of police shootings in Doña Ana County this year. We’ll speak in depth about the most recent shooting. It happened on the afternoon of Aug. 2, after Las Cruces police responded to a shoplifting call at a gas station. Over the next hour, the situation escalated and ended abruptly with 36-year-old Presley Eze killed by a police offic...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 33: Darcy Morrison and Youthful Offenders
September 13, 2022 00:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking to Algernon D’Ammassa, who generally covers statewide issues for the Las Cruces Sun-News. He recently spoke with Darcy Morrison, an inmate at the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants. It’s a life she describes as “a quiet one.” For much of the day, she works in the prison’s library, where she tutors other inmates. She told Algernon she completed her bachelor’s degree last year, and that she finds joy in teaching other inmates. After the dai...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 32: Abe Romero
September 06, 2022 00:00 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking to Stephen Wagner, who is a sports reporter for the Sun-News. We’re talking about Abe Romero, a middle-linebacker for Organ Mountain High School who was tragically injured after sustaining a hit Friday, Aug. 26, during his football team's 28-7 victory over Deming. Romero sustained a hit in the second quarter that appeared minor; he got up and played a couple more downs before collapsing on the field. He was immediately taken by ambulance to Mimbres Memor...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 31: Hatch Chile Fest turns 50
August 27, 2022 20:12 - 29 minutes - 20.6 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking to Leah Romero, who covers trending stories for the Las Cruces Sun-News — and NOTHING is more “trending” this time of year than Hatch Green Chile. We’re also joined by Adrian Hedden of the Carlsbad Current-Argus, who recently wrote about the chile crop — and the commencement of roasting — around the state. This year, the annual Hatch Chile Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary. Leah has been working to track down residents who were there for the iconi...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 30: Albuquerque's Muslim community heals
August 20, 2022 21:28 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking to Justin Garcia, who covers public safety for the Las Cruces Sun-News. Justin recently traveled to Albuquerque in the wake of the killings of several Muslim men — which set the entire community on edge. Muslims in Albuquerque were fearful of an Islamophobic serial killer after four people were murdered over the span of several months. But the reality of what happened was much more complicated and much harder to comprehend. On Aug. 9, police arrested 51-...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 29: A mass shooting in Canada
August 16, 2022 13:13 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking to Lauren Villagran, who generally covers border issues for the El Paso Times. But she recently crossed a different border — the U.S./Canadian border — to take on an issue that is near and dear to the hearts of El Pasoans and fronterizos. Lauren traveled to Portapique, Nova Scotia, where, one night in April 2020, “in the time it took for the Bay of Fundy’s high tide to drain into the Atlantic and swell back up again to the wooded coast,” as Lauren wrote, ...
The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, Ep. 28: Cassie McClure
August 07, 2022 14:40 - 37 minutes - 26 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking to Cassie McClure, who has written the column “My So-Called Millennial Life” for the Las Cruces Sun-News for many years. Since then, it has been picked up and nationally syndicated by Creators — a media and syndication company that has represented more than 250 of the most talented writers and artists in the world. Its talent has won several Pulitzer Prizes, Reuben awards and Peabody awards. In recent years, Cassie has also been a prolific freelance writ...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 27: Blind Drunk
July 31, 2022 14:34 - 46 minutes - 31.8 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking about alcohol — specifically, New Mexico’s crisis of alcohol-related deaths. In a massive eight-part series, New Mexico In Depth recently took a look at many of the reasons drinking kills New Mexicans at a far higher rate than anywhere else in the nation. And it’s getting worse, not better. In the thoroughly-reported series, reporter Ted Alcorn discovered a long history of failures by state leaders to address the escalating problem. We’re joined by New M...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 26: Latinos in the Outdoors
July 25, 2022 13:20 - 41 minutes - 28.5 MBIn this week’s episode, we’re talking about Latinos in the outdoors. This series, written by Mónica Ortiz Uribe at the El Paso Times, profiles several champions of the cause — and also features some ways southern New Mexico and El Paso residents can get out and enjoy our public spaces. We’ll talk about how this series of stories came about, and then dive deeper into the individual stories of those profiled — like Nicole Roque, Eddie Misquez, Jerome Ford and Gabe Vasquez. We’ll also talk abo...
The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 24: Nuclear Waste
July 12, 2022 00:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBThis week, we’re talking about nuclear waste. In recent weeks, there has been a lot of news on this front, most of which is coming out of southeast New Mexico. The region has a long history with nuclear waste — dating back to the mid-1970s, when the area was first selected to be the site of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. There were bumps in the road along the way — lots of them, in fact. And it wasn’t until 1999 that WIPP received its first actual shipment of nuclear waste. Now, new talks ...