New Mexico News Insiders

The state’s top doctor who helped guide New Mexico through the COVID-19 pandemic - is officially retiring at the end of February. Referred to as New Mexico’s own ‘Dr. Fauci,’ Dr. David Scrase eventually led two departments, serving as the Secretary of the Human Services Department and Acting Secretary of the Department of Health. Ahead of his departure from state government, Dr. Scrase sits down w...

Guns, fentanyl, and violent crime are some of New Mexico’s biggest problems that federal agents are tackling right alongside local law enforcement. This week, Chris and Gabby have a candid conversation with Raul Bujanda, the Special Agent in Charge of Albuquerque’s FBI field office, about what the feds have accomplished and what they’re focused on this year.  What’s happened since the FBI made its...

A $30 million dollar proposal could reshape school meals in New Mexico. State lawmakers are considering a bill that would pick up the breakfast and lunch tab for all K-12 public and charter schools. If it passes, the bill would give every student the option to get free food at school twice a day, regardless of their family's income. This week on the podcast, Chris and Gabby discuss the state propo...

More than a year after the fatal shooting on the film set of ‘Rust’ near Santa Fe, actor-producer Alec Baldwin and film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed face criminal charges in a New Mexico court. Each is facing one count of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting that led to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ death. This week, Gabby and Chris outline the details of what investigators claim went wro...

Since 2019, the City of Albuquerque has leaned hard into some alternative efforts toward addressing the complexities behind two major issues plaguing the city: violent crime and mental/behavioral health. In November 2019, city leaders announced the launch of the "Violence Intervention Program, " or VIP for short. The program connects streetwise social workers to victims of gun violence in an effor...

It is a remarkable story in New Mexico politics and something that made national headlines multiple times over the last few weeks. A former Republican candidate for the New Mexico House is accused of plotting shootings at the homes of four Democratic lawmakers in Albuquerque. Solomon Peña, who was arrested on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, now faces fifteen counts for allegedly being a "mastermind" i...

Starting today (Jan. 17, 2023) - New Mexico's elected representatives are back in the Capitol for another legislative session. This time they're in for 60 days of lawmaking at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, and once again, the agenda seems packed. This week, Chris and Gabby are diving into the 2023 session. The state's continued record oil revenues are expected to fuel a lot of debate on what could b...

For the Lobos, you could say "its been a minute." It's been roughly eight seasons since the Lobo men's basketball team has made waves for their play on the court. Now on their fourth coach in the last decade, the team has opened its 2022-23 season with some remarkable success. Starting with 14 straight wins, the team remained undefeated until a close loss at Fresno State on January 3.  Despite the...

Happy New Year from the New Mexico News Podcast! And with that, we can't think of a better way to ring in 2023 than by bringing back the proverbial "Magic 8 Ball" of news. This week on the podcast, Chris & Gabby are back with their predictions as to what will be the biggest news stories to watch out for in 2023. This year's list includes a handful of high-profile criminal trials; a deeper look at...

Investigative journalism is a core piece of the work inside the KRQE News 13 newsroom. Across 2022, our KRQE Investigates team, including Gabrielle Burkhart and Ann Pierret, published more than 30 investigations for broadcast. Some of their most impactful work is featured this month in an hour-long, year-end KRQE Investigates news special. This week on the podcast, Ann and Gabby offer a closer loo...

To close out 2022, KRQE News 13 is back recounting some of the most feel good stories of the year. 18 different stories are featured in this year's hour-long "Best Good News of 2022" news special, which begins airing on the KRQE Media Group family of stations this week. With a closer look at the work behind those stories, this week, Chris and Gabby sit down with News 13 anchor/reporters Brittany B...

Just like 2021, 2022 has been another record-setting year for homicides in Albuquerque. As of December 9, 115 people have been killed across 108 different homicide cases. But that's just part of the story. Albuquerque Police detectives are also solving more murders in 2022 than they have in several recent years. As 2022 wraps up, APD says its homicide clearance rate is above 90%.  How is that poss...

Whether you ski or snowboard, or don’t hit the slopes at all – the ski season is important to New Mexico. The industry brings in tens of thousands of out-of-state visitors each year who help boost the economy in many communities across New Mexico. But as several resorts open up for the season, many are still facing challenges, including staffing. This week on the podcast, Gabby and Chris speak wit...

As our episode title suggests, there's a mystery at the center of the Santa Fe Plaza. 155 years ago, a box of relics containing elements of New Mexico's past was buried underneath what later became a controversial monument. Today, while the monument or obelisk has been toppled, the relics underneath it have yet to be unearthed. KRQE News 13 Investigative Reporter Larry Barker joins Chris and Gabby...

Got a sick kid? You're not alone. Childhood illnesses are on the rise in New Mexico, and kids needing care are facing long waits. Doctors are facing a surge of patients with respiratory viruses at a time when staffing and hospital capacity are limited. Not to mention, parents might have some heightened anxieties about their kids getting sick on the heels of a pandemic. Why is this happening? When...

The midterm election is over and as expected, there were some close races. A few contests for seats in the New Mexico House Representatives will go to automatic recounts. But not every one of them will. How are recounts handled? When does the state ask for one, and what happens when a candidate requests one? Who counts your ballot? This week, Chris and Gabby take listeners behind the scenes with N...

The 2022 midterm election is finally here. Finally. We know. A couple of weeks ago, we covered some of the big races to watch for in New Mexico. This week on the podcast, we're taking a closer look at the dynamics of this election. Will voter turnout this midterm match President Trump's 2018 midterm election? What happened during President Joe Biden's recent visit to New Mexico? What's your take o...

Inflation rates are at the highest they’ve been in decades, and wages have not been able to keep up with rising costs in New Mexico. Between gas, food, and housing, there are still a lot of people struggling. So with midterm elections just one week away, which gubernatorial candidate has a better financial plan for the state? How do politics play a role in fuel prices? What’s the biggest strain on...

New Mexico's midterm election is just two weeks away. Ahead of the results, Chris and Gabby welcome back KRQE's Political Analyst Gabe Sanchez to the podcast this week. In an extended conversation, Gabe helps drill down into the biggest races to watch for on election night. Here's a list of the races we're talking about in this week's episode, in order: --Governor - Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) vs....

Anyone who’s tried to buy a home or even lock down an affordable rental these days knows how tough the market has gotten. This week, Chris and Gabby are diving into New Mexico’s affordable housing dilemmas. Donnie Quintana, the Director of the state’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program , or ERAP, shares details about the state’s Home Fund program , and the millions of dollars available to help pe...

"Intelligence" gathering isn't just for the government anymore. Increasingly, retailers are joining in on the trend of keeping a database of pictures, videos and information tied to alleged crimes inside their private stores. That investment is now happening in New Mexico. In late August, the New Mexico Attorney General's Office announced a new partnership between law enforcement, retail stores an...

Two major milestones are on the podcast this week – the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta celebrates its 50th anniversary, while Chris and Gabby celebrate one year since the launch of the New Mexico News Podcast. To help mark the occasion, returning guest Tom Garrity joins the discussion to highlight what new things people should expect from this year’s fiesta. A longtime spokesperson for t...

When law enforcement talks about crime these days, there’s often one drug that’s mentioned over and over again. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that’s been used to treat patients with severe pain, but it’s also illegally manufactured, sold, and trafficked into the U.S. on a massive scale. The drug is highly addictive and deadly, as highlighted by federal drug enforcement's recent and ongoi...

It is one of the biggest issues facing New Mexico's largest city. Thousands of people are living on the streets and depending on where you live, you might have a widely different view on how to deal with it. This week on the podcast, Chris and Gabby take a deep dive into Albuquerque's problem with homelessness, speaking with the man guiding policy and plans: Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. In a 40 m...

New Mexico chile is part of the fabric of the state, a source of pride and joy. However, local chile farmers have been dealt a tough hand in recent years. Between the pandemic, labor shortages, drought, and shifting economics, some growers are changing the way they do business. Is the state’s chile industry in jeopardy? KRQE News 13's Investigative Data Reporter Curtis Segarra visited some multige...