New Mexico News Insiders

New Mexico is home to the most highly polluted body of water in the world , according to University of New Mexico researchers. PFAS, a group of toxic 'forever chemicals' linked to health problems, is showing up in water, wildlife, and everyday products. Secretary James Kenney, of the New Mexico Environment Department, joins Chris and Gabby to discuss the scope of contamination in New Mexico, the f...

What happens when there are zero prosecutors for a community of nearly 70,000 people? A breakdown is unfolding in Gallup, New Mexico, and the fallout has the community demanding change. This week, KRQE investigative reporter Ann Pierret joins Chris and Gabby to share her reporting on the dysfunction inside the McKinley County District Attorney's Office, including her attempts to get answers from t...

The sky is not the limit in New Mexico, especially when it comes to the mission of the U.S. Space Force. This week, Chris and Gabby talk with two guests leading innovation, tech development, and national security efforts with the USSF in Albuquerque. Gabe Mounce, Director of the Tech Engagement Office with the Air Force Research Lab New Mexico, and Matthew Fetrow, Senior Scientist with the USSF, e...

We're only halfway through 2025, but it may already feel like a political lifetime for some. This week on the New Mexico News Insiders Podcast, Chris and Gabby sit down with KRQE Political Analyst, UNM Professor, and Professional Pollster, Gabe Sanchez, to break down the state's biggest political storylines unfolding. From crime and immigration, to the Governor's race, and a crowded field for Albu...

There are thousands of children in the state's custody, and not enough places for all of them to sleep. The problem often results in kids sleeping in government office buildings, requiring long shifts from workers with some of the most high-needs children. How did it come to this? What's being done to fix it? KRQE Investigative Reporter Ann Pierret joins Chris and Gabby to break down what her repo...

Monsoon season has arrived in New Mexico, and that means sudden, dangerous flash floods. Fast-moving water in arroyos and streets can trap people in seconds. So, how do firefighters prepare for these high-stakes rescues? And why do people keep getting caught in the same flood zones? Chris and Gabby talk with two Albuquerque firefighters about what it takes to pull off a swift water rescue, the int...

Lawmakers agree the system isn't working, especially when it comes to how courts handle people with mental illness. A new law promises major reforms and millions in investment toward behavioral health in New Mexico. But what will actually change, and when? This week, Chris and Gabby talk with two insiders tasked with leading reform efforts about what this law means for judges, treatment access, an...

The National Guard is deploying in Albuquerque, aiming to help tackle the city's crime problem by freeing up more police officers. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared an emergency through an Executive Order in April , after receiving a letter from Albuquerque's Police Chief , who requested additional resources to combat what he described as a crime problem that "continues to be an...

For years, New Mexicans have heard promises of "revitalization" and "redevelopment" in downtown Albuquerque—but is it actually happening? This week, Chris and Gabby sit down with Terry Brunner, Director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, to pull back the curtain on how government is working with the private sector to incentivize development. Brunner details housing plans, local business buy...

When someone is deemed 'incompetent' to stand trial, how does New Mexico's criminal justice system respond? It's the subject of a recent Larry Barker investigation that looked at cases involving hundreds of arrests, only for the offenders to be released back onto the streets. People who are mentally ill are committing crimes across the state, getting arrested, and their cases are dismissed without...

The leader of the federal agency that investigated the DWI corruption scandal has left his position as Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Albuquerque. Now, former SAC Raul Bujanda sat down with KRQE's Anchor, Dean Staley, for an exit interview that covered crime, guns, and the state's biggest police corruption scandal. Bujanda discusses his time with the FBI, y...

Would higher taxes on alcohol reduce alcohol-related deaths in New Mexico? University of New Mexico researchers say yes. But the state hasn’t changed the way it taxes alcohol for decades. This week, Brady Horn, UNM Economics Professor and one of the researchers behind the study , along with Democratic Senator Antonio 'Moe' Maestas, join Chris and Gabby to explain the goal of the alcohol tax resear...

New Mexico's flagship university has gone through a lot of changes lately in the athletics department. This week, Fernando Lovo , the Lobo's new VP and Director of Athletics, joins Chris and Gabby to discuss some of the big decisions he's had to make out of the gate - including hiring both a new head football and men's basketball coach. Lovo also discusses how UNM is dealing with major shifts in N...

Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque is the fifth largest base in the United States Air Force, and one of the 'crown jewels' of national security. This week, two guests from KAFB join Chris and Gabby to explain some of the critical missions happening on base, the economic impact the 52,000-acre base has in New Mexico, and the upcoming chance the public will have to get up close and personal to t...

If you had $1.5 million to build something for your community, what would you spend it on? Voters in Albuquerque will decide just that with the ‘set aside’ fund from Council District 6, thanks to the idea of ‘Participatory Budgeting.’ What does that mean exactly? City Councilor Nichole Rogers is spearheading the movement in her district for the first time. She joins Chris and Gabby this week to ex...

Two-time Oscar winner and prolific actor Gene Hackman spent his later years in New Mexico with his wife, Betsy Arakawa. And when news of their mysterious death surfaced, a media frenzy ensued. This week on the New Mexico News Insiders Podcast, Chris and Gabby are joined by KRQE Anchor-Reporters Chad Brummett and Annalisa Pardo to discuss Hackman's legacy in the film industry, his time in New Mexic...

Three-and-a-half years into service, Albuquerque's civilian emergency response team just marked its 100,000th call. Albuquerque Community Safety ( ACS ) launched in 2021 as part of the city's effort to provide a more specialized approach to behavioral health, homelessness, and non-violent related 911 emergencies. Walter Adams was one of the first five responders, now serving as ACS's Deputy Direct...

Albuquerque Fire Rescue Chief Emily Jaramillo is the first woman to serve as Fire Chief in the department's 123-year history. As a former teacher, Jaramillo was compelled to switch careers when she had a recruiter come talk to her class. She joins Chris and Gabby this week to discuss the challenges and fulfilling parts of the job. She also discusses a contentious City Council meeting that had her...

Researchers from the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center found 'alarmingly high levels' of microplastics in human brains. The amount appears to be a higher concentration of plastic than found in other organs, and scientists say the accumulation is growing over time. So, how did plastic get there in the first place? And what, if anything, should people do about this issue? Dr. Marcus Ga...

A New Mexico refugee student trafficked by her sponsor family. Young women with no family support, taken advantage of on the streets of Albuquerque. It was personal stories like those and unforeseen encounters with human trafficking victims that led Shelley Repp to an unexpected calling - now leading the New Mexico Dream Center , a nonprofit in Albuquerque focused on outreach, services, and preven...

It has been a busy start to the year for New Mexico's Attorney General, Raúl Torrez. He's embroiled in a legal battle brewing at a New Mexico university, proposing changes in state law during the legislative session, and now tackling national politics in court. AG Torrez joins Chris and Gabby to explain legal actions he's filed to push back against some of the work efforted by President Donald Tru...

President Donald Trump has made it no secret that he plans to shake up the status quo on how the United States operates when it comes to immigration, promising mass deportation efforts. So how are those efforts going so far in New Mexico? This week, Sophia Genovese, Asylum and Detention Managing Attorney with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center joins Chris and Gabby to provide context and answer s...

It's one of the biggest public corruption scandals in New Mexico, involving money, a defense attorney's office, and drunk driving cases. We've now seen some of the key players in the 'DWI Enterprise' take federal plea deals, admitting the scheme to profit off of DWI dismissals goes back decades. This week, Linda Atkinson, Executive Director of the DWI Resource Center, joins Chris and Gabby to disc...

The City of Albuquerque is making a significant investment in the Gateway Center along Gibson, which aims to be a one-stop shop for services. One of the main resources inside the facility, known as 'Medical Respite' will provide primary medical, dental, and behavioral health care for people living on the streets. Rachel Biggs, Chief Strategy Officer for the program, and Kate Morton, Chief Clinical...

The Fentanyl crisis has changed law enforcement's approach to tackling drugs and education. This week, Carlos Briano, Spokesperson for the Drug Enforcement Agency El Paso Division, which covers New Mexico, joins Chris and Gabby to discuss the DEA's mission on the streets, and in schools. What's behind the recent Fentanyl overdose death decline? How are kids learning about drugs in schools? Briano...