New Mexico in Focus; 752; Walkable Albuquerque and Stephan Pastis

>> PARTIAL FUNDING FOR THE PRODUCTION OF "NEW MEXICO INFOCUS" PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. >> THIS WEEK ON "NEW MEXICO INFOCUS" THE STATE PREPARES FOR AN INFLUX OF IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. >> IT REALLY IS, I THINK, A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS FOR THE REGION, FOR THE COUNTRY AND SOMETHING THE GOVERNMENT IS JUST STARTING TO WRAP ITS ARMS AROUND. >> AND CARTOONIST STEPHAN PASTIS TALKS ABOUT CREATING PERILS BEFORE SWINE. "NEW MEXICO INFOCUS" STARTS THIS WEEK I SIT DOWN WITH ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILOR ISAAC BENTON AND URBAN PLANNER JEFF SPECK, AUTHOR OF "WALKABLE CITIES" TO TALK ABOUT MAKING DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE LIVELIER AND MORE ATTUNE TO PEDESTRIANS. NMIF PRODUCER MEGAN KAMERICK TALKS WITH STEVEN PASTIS, CREATOR OF NATIONALLY SYNDICATED COMIC STRIP, PERILS BEFORE SWINE ABOUT CARTOONING AND SATIRE. THE LINE OPINION PANEL LOOKS AT THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

THERE HAS BEEN A SLEW OF CAMPAIGN ADS TARGETING CHALLENGER GARY KING, WHO ALSO LOST HIS CAMPAIGN MANAGER LAST WEEK. AND THE GROUP ALSO DISCUSSES THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICERS INFILTRATING A RECENT PROTEST. WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH IMMIGRATION AS WAVES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FLEE VIOLENCE AND POVERTY IN CENTRAL AMERICA. FEDERAL OFFICIALS ARE OPENING RETENTION CENTERS IN VARIOUS STATES INCLUDING HERE IN NEW MEXICO, BUT MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS WILL ALL WORK REMAIN UNANSWERED. HERE IS THE LINE. >> THIS LAST OCTOBER FEDERAL AGENTS APPREHENDED MORE THAN 52,000 CHILDREN CROSSING THE AMERICA AND ALSO ARRESTED 39,000 ADULTS WITH CHILDREN DURING THAT TIME. NOW, WHILE U.S. OFFICIALS SCRAMBLE TO DEAL WITH THE INFLUX, FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE BEING PRESSED INTO SERVICE AS DETENTION CENTERS INCLUDING THE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER HERE IN ARTESIA. DETAILS OF STILL EVOLVING BUT OFFICIALS, INCLUDING GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ, ARE EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT HOW THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WILL BE CARED FOR AND HOW MUCH THIS MIGHT POTENTIALLY COST THE STATE. ANY SOLUTION TO THIS SEEMS FAR IN THE DISTANCE. THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION COURT

SYSTEM HAS A BACKLOG OF MORE THAN 360,000 OF THESE TYPE CASES. JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND OTHER STORIES, IS ROB NIKOLEWSKI OF THE NEW MEXICO WATCHDOG. ALSO HERE THIS WEEK IS LINE REGULAR DAN FOLEY, FORMER MINORITY HOUSE WHIP. ANOTHER LINE REGULAR, SOPHIE MARTIN AND WE ROUND UP THE TABLE WITH REGULAR LAURA SANCHEZ-RIVET OF SANCHEZ LEGAL SOLUTIONS. ROB YOU HAVE DONE SOME GREAT COVERAGE ON THIS AND AS WE TAPE HERE, WE COULD POTENTIALLY SEE FOLKS COMING TODAY OR FRIDAY, AS IT HAPPENS. I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE FACTS OF THE MATTER IN YOUR REPORTING. WHO IS COMING IN THIS FIRST >> THEY ARE GOING TO BE FAMILIES. THERE WILL BE NO UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN. THEY SAY THIS IS GOING TO BE LOW SECURITY PEOPLE, SO THEY DON'T PLAN ON HAVING ANY GANG BANGERS. THERE WILL BE MALES THERE FROM AGE 17 AND UNDER AS WELL AS FEMALES ACCOMPANIED BY THEIR MOTHERS. THERE IS GOING TO BE UP TO 700 PEOPLE BY THE TIME THIS FACILITY GETS GOING. THEY PLAN TO EITHER OPEN IT

EITHER THURSDAY OR AS EARLY AS FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK BUT ONLY WITH ABOUT 50 PEOPLE EVENTUALLY THEY'LL RAMP UP TO 700. THERE IS 20 DORMITORY BUILDINGS THERE FOR 700 PEOPLE, BUT AS YOU MENTIONED THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTIONS. >> SOPHIE, GOOD NEWS, I GUESS IN THIS FACILITY THAT ROB IS DESCRIBING, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE LIKE SOME WE SEE WITH CHILDREN SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR LOOKING LIKE AN ANIMAL SHELTER. >> AND THOSE IMAGES HAVE BEEN VERY DISTURBING AND UPSETTING TO THE AMERICA PUBLIC AND THEY ELEMENT IN FRONT OF U.S. CITIZENS WHO ARE STARTING TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON DOWN IN CENTRAL AMERICA TO CAUSE CHILDREN TO TAKE INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS JOURNEYS UP TO THIS COUNTRY. WE SEE PHOTOS OF CHILDREN RIDING ON THE TOPS OF TRAINS COMING INTO THE U.S. THESE ARE IMAGES WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE WITH A POPULATION THAT WE DON'T REALLY ASSOCIATE WITH UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND THEY ARE COMING BY THEMSELVES. IT REALLY IS A HUMANITARIAN

CRISIS FOR THE REGION, FOR THE COUNTRY AND SOMETHING THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS JUST STARTING TO WRAP ITS ARMS AROUND. >> INTERESTING POINT THERE. LAURA SANCHEZ-RIVET, BECAUSE VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN DID GO TO GUATEMALA AND SAY, LOOK, WHATEVER RUMOR HAS BEEN SPREADING DOWN HERE IF A CHILD ARRIVES HERE THERE IS GOING TO BE A FREE PASS FOR A MOM WITH A CHILD, IT IS JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. TO SOPHIE'S POINT, THERE IS A REASON THESE CHILDREN ARE COMING AND DO WE OR DO WE NOT HAVE A ROLE IN SORT OF STEMMING THAT TIDE OR ITS ORIGIN INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH IT ON THE BACK END. LAYERS HERE TO DEAL WITH AND IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A PUSH AND PULL TO THE U.S. FOR THESE CHILDREN AND FOR THESE FAMILIES. THE PULL BEING A LOT OF FAMILIES PARENTS OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS OF A LOT OF THESE CHILDREN ARE ALREADY IN THE U.S., IMMIGRATED BEFORE, AND SO THIS IS A JOURNEY TO RECONNECT WITH THOSE FAMILIES IN THE U.S. AND THEN THERE IS THE PUSH -- >> THAT ACTUALLY CAN HAPPEN, THAT SCENARIO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> IT CAN, BUT IT HAS BEEN, AGAIN, MISINFORMATION BOTH TO

THE IMMIGRANTS AND PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE. IT ISN'T SORT OF, ONCE YOU GET HERE YOU HAVE A FREE PASS. YOU CAN BE REUNITED BUT IT IS A TEMPORARY REUNITING UNTIL AN IMMIGRATION HEARING WHICH CAN OFTEN TAKE A YEAR OR TWO YEARS AND DEPENDS ON THE DOCKETS AT THE IMMIGRATION COURT BEFORE THEY HAVE THE HEARING WHERE THEY CAN ASK TO STAY PERMANENTLY, BUT THEY -- IN MOST CASES YOU'RE REMOVED OR DEPORTED ONCE AGAIN. SO IT ISN'T SORT OF A FREE PASS BUT THE REUNIFICATION IS A PROCESS IN AND OF ITSELF, THERE IS A PROCESS TRYING TO FIND THEM, SOME MAY BE IN U.S. ILLEGALLY SO FINDING THEM IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH AND RECONNECTING CAN TAKE TIME SO IT IS CREATING A CRISIS. IN THE LAST NINE MONTHS WE HAVE SEEN A HUGE SURGE OF CENTRAL AMERICAN CHILDREN MIGRATING TO THE U.S -- >> DAN, RIGHT HERE LOCAL, ARTESIA, THAT AREA OF HOMES THERE, WE ALL PITCH IN AND DO OUR CIVIC DUTY HERE BUT I AM CURIOUS, YOUR SENSE OF WHERE FOLKS MIGHT BE COMING FROM IN THE ARTESIA AREA WITH THIS.

HAPPY WITH IT. I THINK YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THIS WAS A LOCAL BOND THAT BUILT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THAT GOT CLOSED DOWN, REINVIGORATED TO BECOME A FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT WE WERE TRAINING BORDER PATROL AGENTS, WE WERE TRAINING THE AIR MARSHALS WERE TRAINING DOWN THERE, A BIG BOON TO THE COMMUNITY SAYING WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN THESE GUYS. NOW MID SHIFT IT IS TURNING INTO A HOLDING FACILITY. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS THE MODEL THAT THE COMMUNITY THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE THE FACILITY THAT WAS THERE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE QUESTION STEMS WHAT DO YOU DO? ARE THEY STILL GOING TRAIN BORDER PATROL AGENTS THERE? HOW IS ALL OF THIS -- HOW LONG IS THAT GOING TO LAST. YOU HAVE YOUNG GUYS COMING IN THAT ARE BORDER PATROL AGENTS BEING TRAINED AND JUST A FENCE AWAY YOU HAVE 700 IMMIGRANTS WAITING TO BE DEPORTED OR REUNITED OR WHATEVER THE PROCESS IS. SO, I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY

SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. YOU CAN'T LOCK THESE KIDS UP LIKE WE HAVE SEEN THE PICTURES WHERE WE HAVE SEEN THEM. WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO HANDLE THIS. I THINK IT LEADS TO A BIGGER POLICY DECISION. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A HUGE SURPRISE. THERE WAS A DOCUMENTARY EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AGO WHERE THEY FOLLOWED FOUR KIDS FROM GUATEMALA TO AMERICA THAT RODE THE TRAINS, AND THIS HAS BEEN BUILDING. IT HIGHLIGHTS WE HAVE, IT IS NO SURPRISE TO PEOPLE IN ARTESIA, WE HAVE IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS. WE HAVE GOT TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. WE ARE SENDING MIXED MESSAGES AND THE PROBLEM IS IT IS JUST PEOPLE ARE COMING, THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE AND THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO GET TO A BETTER LIFE. >> LET'S GET TO THE POLICY STUFF THAT DAN MENTIONS BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF IT. WELL, LET ME BACK UP A SECOND, TALK ABOUT LOCAL COSTS, THE GOVERNOR MADE AN INTERESTING POINT ABOUT SHE IS CONCERNED, BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS. FEDS SHOW UP, THEY DO ALL THIS STUFF AND LOCALS END WITH A BIG NUT AT THE END OF THE DAY FINANCIALLY. >> I TALKED TO GOVERNOR

MARTINEZ ABOUT IT AND SHE SAID THIS IS A FEDERAL OPERATION SO ALL THE MONEY THAT IS INCURRED SHOULD BE PAID BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUT AT THE SAME TIME IF SOMETHING HAPPENS WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST DROP THE BALL AND LEAVE KIDS UP TO THEIR OWN DEVICES. BUT WHEN I TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE YESTERDAY, I TALKED TO THE MAYOR OF ARTESIA, PHIL BIRCH AND HE SAID HE HAS HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH THE FEDERAL OFFICIALS DOWN THERE AND EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT. HE SAYS HE FELT SOME LEVEL OF COMFORT DEALING WITH THOSE FEDERAL PEOPLE FROM ICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, HE, AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE, MAYOR OF ROSWELL, AS WELL, THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE SAID, THE FEDS HAVE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THIS OPEN FROM 6 TO 12 MONTHS, THAT IS THE PLAN, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF SKEPTICISM THIS IS GOING TO GO BEYOND 12 MONTHS. >> IT IS ALREADY A TAXED

HEALTHCARE SYSTEM DOWN THERE. IT IS HARD TO GET DOCTORS TO RURAL NEW MEXICO. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS GETTING DOCTORS, GETTING DENTISTS PEOPLE TO MOVE DOWN THERE. AND NOW YOU'RE COMPLETELY FLIPPING, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE COMMUNITY OF ARTESIA AND ROSWELL AND CARLSBAD ARE SET UP TO DEAL WITH FOLKS THAT YOU'RE SET UP FOR TRAINING AND NOW YOU HAVE TO SET UP A SYSTEM DEALING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN THAT YOU ARE GOING TO NEED SHOTS, THEY ARE GOING TO NEED MEDICAL CARE. YOU HAVE ALREADY GOT A TAXED SYSTEM. THE HOSPITAL IN ARTESIA IS NOT A VERY BIG HOSPITAL. ARE YOU GOING TO BE SENDING PEOPLE TO CARLSBAD, 45 MILES A WAY, ROSWELL, 45 MILES A WAY? YOU DON'T HAVE A MAJOR AIRPORT. YOU CAN FLY INTO ROSWELL FROM DALLAS BUT, I MEAN, HOW ARE PEOPLE GOING TO BE TRYING TO GET REUNITED? I CAN TELL YOU GUYS RIGHT NOW, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT, I USED TO LIVE IN ROSWELL. TRY TO GET A BUS TO EL PASO FROM ROSWELL. YOU CAN'T GET THERE. IT IS A 13 HOUR BUS RIDE, SO, HOW ARE FOLKS GOING TO GET THERE THAT ARE TRYING, YOU

KNOW, IF THERE IS FAMILY MEMBERS. THE HOTEL SYSTEM IN ARTESIA, THERE IS THREE HOTELS. AND THEY ARE BOOKED ALL THE TIME WITH OIL AND GAS STUFF. SO THERE IS SO MANY THINGS THAT I DON'T THINK THE FEDS ARE LOOKING AT WHEN THE GOVERNOR AND MAYOR SAY, WELL THE FEDS ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HOSPITAL IS FULL? ARE THE FEDS GOING TO STEP IN OR THE GOVERNOR AND THE CITY AND COUNTY. >> WHAT IS OUR CIVIC OBLIGATION? >> THESE ARE ISSUES THAT SPEAK TO HOW LONG THIS PROCESS WILL TAKE. AND I THINK IT MAKES SENSE THAT YOU LOOK AT THIS WITH SOME SKEPTICISM AS FAR AS THE SIX TO 12 MONTH TIMELINE, BECAUSE LOGISTICALLY THIS IS A RURAL AREA, ANYBODY THAT LIVES IN RURAL NEW MEXICO UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE ARE LOGISTIC ISSUES ESPECIALLY WHEN TALK ABOUT THE HUGE NUMBERS INVOLVED. THIS IS A MUCH LONGER TIME LINE THAN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR AND ALSO CONNECTING PEOPLE, THE KIDS WHO GET REUNITED, LET'S SAY, WITH FAMILIES WHO ALREADY LIVE HERE, THEIR PAST IS IN JEOPARDY IF THEY HOPE TO

HAVE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO TRY TO STAY HER LEGALLY, THEY HAVE TO FIND AN ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT THEM, WHICH IS TIME CONSUMING AND EXPENSIVE. ALL OF THAT SPEAKS TO HOW LONG THE PROCESS COULD TAKE. >> COMING UP WE TALK DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AND WALKABLE >> IT IS TIME FOR APD TO BRING IN SOME PEOPLE THAT CAN TALK TO THE COMMUNITY. THE MAYOR NEEDS TO WAKE UP AND PAY ATTENTION. THIS IS GOING TO BE HIS LEGACY, IF HE DOESN'T HANDLE >> WORK BEGAN THIS WEEK ON A 1.3 MILLION-DOLLAR RENOVATION OF FOURTH STREET MALL IN DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE. THAT SECTION HAS BEEN CLOSED TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC YEARS AGO BUT IT HAS BECOME A PROBLEMATIC SPACE OF EMPTY STORE FRONT AND HOMELESS. IT IS PART OF A LARGER ONGOING EFFORT TO MAKE DOWNTOWN MORE LIVELY AND EARLIER THIS YEAR I SAT DOWN WITH CITY COUNCILOR ISAAC BENTON AND URBAN DESIGNER JEFF SPECK, AUTHOR OF

"WALKABLE CITIES" TO TALK ABOUT MAKING DOWNTOWN MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR THOSE ON FOOT. SPECK IS WORKING UNDER A $50,000 CONTRACT TO CREATE A WALKABILITY ANALYSIS FOR DOWNTOWN. HE WILL PRESENT HIS STUDY JULY 31 AT THE ALBUQUERQUE >> I AM HERE WITH JEFF SPECK, HE IS AN URBAN PLANNER AND HERE ALONG WITH CITY COUNCILOR ISAAC BENTON, AS WELL AS AN ARCHITECT, TO TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN. HOW WE CAN IMPROVE DOWNTOWN. JEFF, LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. YOU DID A WONDERFUL TALK HERE AT HOTEL ANDALUZ EARLIER IN THE WEEK ABOUT THIS. TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE CITY. YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOWNTOWN. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO >> SO, I DEFINE MY SCOPE OF WORK, AND I SAY THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY MEETING, AND I HAVE HAD LOTS OF MEETINGS, AS, HELPING YOU ALL FIGURE OUT HOW IN THE SHORTEST TIME POSSIBLE, SPENDING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY, WE CAN ACTUALLY WITNESS THE GREATEST INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WALKING AND BIKING IN YOUR DOWNTOWN. AND, EVERY STEP I TAKE IS

POINTING ALWAYS AT THAT NORTH STAR AS AN INDICATOR, AS ACHIEVING THAT WILL BE AN INDICATION THAT I HAVE DONE MY JOB. >> YOU MENTION AN INTERESTING TERM, URBAN TRIAGE. I LOVE THAT TERM. EXPLAIN THAT TO US. IT IS A LITTLE THREATENING. INTERESTING. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH URBAN TRIAGE AND DO WE NEED SOMETHING CRITICALLY DONE TO MAKE IT MORE WALKABLE? >> TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. YOU'RE STARTING WITH GOOD BONES, A GOOD BLOCK STRUCTURE, STREETS LIKE CENTRAL THAT REALLY AIN'T BROKEN. URBAN TRIAGE, CONCEPT OF URBAN TRIAGE, WHICH MY MENTOR, ANDREW SWAN COINED. WHAT IT ACKNOWLEDGES IS THAT MOST CITIES THAT ARE WALKABLE AND CERTAINLY MOST CITIES THAT ARE KNOWN AS BEING WALKABLE, LARGE PARTS OF THE CITIES AREN'T WALKABLE BUT WHAT THEY HAVE IS A SUBSTANTIAL CONNECTIVE NETWORK IN THEIR DOWNTOWN OF CERTAIN STREETS THAT ARE WALKABLE AND THOSE STREETS ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GENERATING REPUTATION THAT THE CITY IS A WALKABLE PLACE AND IN FACT CREATING STREET

LIFE AND URBAN CULTURE WITHIN THE CITIES. URBAN TRIAGE IS THE PRACTICE OF IDENTIFYING THOSE LOCATIONS WHERE IF YOU MAKE THE STREET SAFER, WHICH IS WHAT IS WITHIN THE CITY'S PURVIEW TO DO, THERE IS ACTUALLY A GREAT LIKELIHOOD IT WILL BE OCCUPIED BY PEOPLE BECAUSE IT ALREADY HAS OTHER THINGS GOING FOR IT. >> YOU EXPLAINED THAT IN YOUR TALK, WE'LL GET INTO A LITTLE BIT THOSE CHEMICAL ADDITIONS THAT MAKE FOR A WALKABLE PLACE. COUNCIL BENTON, GOOD TO SEE YOU, THANKS FOR COMING IN. ONE OF THE PROJECTS YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT RECENTLY ABOUT DOWNTOWN IS FOURTH STREET MALL. NO SMALL AMOUNT OF ANGST IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE CAN'T SEEM TO QUITE TURN A CORNER. WHERE ARE WE AT ON FOURTH STREET MALL RIGHT NOW AND WHAT IS THE PLAN AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF MORE WALKABILITY IN THAT SECTION OF OUR DOWNTOWN ESPECIALLY? >> FOURTH STREET MALL, I STREET NETWORK THAT WAS TAKEN OUT WITH GOOD INTENTIONS BACK IN THE 70'S OR WHEN IT WAS CONSTRUCTED BUT IT HASN'T

WORKED THAT WELL AS A PUBLIC SPACE, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY. PEOPLE LOVE THE TREES, BUT OTHERWISE, YOU DON'T HEAR MUCH POSITIVE ABOUT FOURTH STREET MALL. AND THERE ARE SOCIAL ISSUES WITH IT TOO AND ISSUES WITH KIND OF VAGRANCY AND SO FORTH ON THE MALL. SO, MY SIMPLE THOUGHT ABOUT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, LET'S JUST MAKE IT A GOOD OLE DOWNTOWN STREET AGAIN. WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT WERE SOME RATHER HIGH FLYING IDEAS THAT ARE NOW COMING BACK TO EARTH, I GUESS, IF YOU WILL. THAT IS MY PERCEPTION ON IT, BUT, I DO THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STREET GRID. WE CAN STILL DO A TERRIFIC STREET AND JEFF HAS LOOKED AT IT AND IS GOING HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT THAT BUT A GOOD STREET WITH GREAT STREET TREES AND WIDE SIDEWALKS WITH CAFES AND SO FORTH. >> OPENING UP DOWNTOWN SPECIFICALLY AND AGAIN YOU ALMOST INHERITED THIS WITH

YOUR GETTING BACK IN OFFICE IN THIS PART OF DOWNTOWN. WHEN YOU LOOK AT DOWNTOWN FROM 30,000 FEET IN THE OVERALL, WHAT IS WORKING TO YOU THAT IS THE EMBER TO BLOW ON TO GET THINGS MOVING AGAIN? WHAT IS WORKING RIGHT NOW DOWNTOWN? >> FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S THE HISTORY OF DOWNTOWN. IT IS THE HISTORIC FABRIC, WHICH IS TIGHT BLOCKS, BUILDINGS UP TO THE STREET, THE TRADITIONAL DOWNTOWN ELEMENTS AND OUR DOWNTOWN WAS REALLY A DOWNTOWN FOR 80 OR 100,000 PEOPLE, RIGHT? IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT. IT IS NOT A VERY LARGE DOWNTOWN AND WE HAVE CREATED THESE OUTLYING URBAN AREAS OF ALBUQUERQUE AS WELL. BUT IT BRINGS US BACK TO OUR HISTORY AND THERE ARE GREAT PLACES DOWNTOWN, KIMO THEATER, MAISEL'S JEWELRY, 516 ARTS, THE MAN'S HAT SHOP. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOT SOME GRIT AND SOME SOUL DOWNTOWN AND THAT IS GREAT STUFF.

>> I LIKE GRIT AND SOUL, I AGREE. >> JEFF SPECK, ONE OF THE PARTS ABOUT YOUR TALK ABOUT REASONS PEOPLE WILL WALK, BOIL DOWN, A REASON TO WALK, A SAFE PLACE TO WALK, A COMFORTABLE WAY TO WALK THAT HAS SPATIAL DEFINITION, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND AN INTERESTING WALK. THEORY OF WALKABILITY WHICH IS MEANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A JOKE BUT IS HOW I UNDERSTAND THINGS WORKING IN AMERICAN CITIES AND I WORKED IN MANY. IN AMERICA WHERE DRIVING IS SO EASY AND CHEAP AND WE ALL HAVE THE CAR AND THE DRIVEWAY BETWEEN US AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IF YOU EVER GOING TO GET PEOPLE TO WALK, IF YOU'RE GOING TO CREATE PARTS OF YOUR CITY WHERE PEOPLE WILL WALK, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE A WALK THAT IS AS GOOD AS OR SUPERIOR TO THE DRIVE AND THAT CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY DOING FOUR THINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY. IT HAS TO BE USEFUL, SAFE, COMFORTABLE AND INTERESTING. USEFUL ADDRESSES WHETHER YOU USE THE PROPER BALANCE OF USES DOWNTOWN. MOST AMERICAN DOWNTOWNS YOU HAVE A GREAT PREPONDERANCE OF

WORKPLACE AND NOT MUCH RESIDENTIAL. WHAT WE HAVE GAINED AND THE EMBERS TO BLOW ON IS THERE HAS BEEN A LOT MORE RESIDENTIAL GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN AND THE REAL CHALLENGE ISN'T THE SUBSIDIZED HOUSING OF WHICH YOU HAVE PLENTY OR THE LUXURY HOUSING OF WHICH YOU HAVE WHAT THE MARKET WILL BEAR, BUT FINDING WAYS TO HAVE ATTAINABLE MARKET RATE HOUSING FOR THE MILLENNIALS AND THE EMPTY NESTERS WHO AREN'T RICH WHO WANT THAT URBAN WALKABLE LIFE-STYLE. THAT HAS TO BE A KEY FOCUS. THE SAFE WALK IS WHAT I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME ON AND ESSENTIALLY CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH PEDESTRIANS FEEL THEY HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE AGAINST BEING HIT BY AUTOMOBILES AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE STREET SCRAPE, 10 FOOT TRAVEL LANES, WHICH ARE 30-MILE AN HOUR TRAVEL LANES OR DO YOU HAVE 15 FOOT TRAVEL LANES WHICH ARE 80 MILE AN HOUR TRAVEL LANES. WELL, GUESS WHAT, MOST OF YOUR STREETS HAVE 15-FOOT TRAVEL LANES, NO WONDER PEOPLE ARE SPEEDING. THAT IS EASY TO FIX. ALL THE DETAILS THAT ADD UP TO PEDESTRIANS FEELING COMFORTABLE AND BIKERS. YOU MENTIONED SPATIAL DEFINITION. THE COMFORTABLE WALK REFERS TO

THE FACT THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO FEEL ENCLOSED. WHEN YOU'RE WALKING AROUND, YOU WANT TO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN AN OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM. ALL ANIMALS, HUMAN'S TOO, SIMULTANEOUSLY SEEK PROSPECT AND REFUGE. WE WANT TO SEE OUR PREDATORS AND KNOW THAT OUR FLANKS ARE COVERED. IT IS IN OUR DNA. SO WE LIKE STREETS THAT DON'T HAVE THE PARKING LOT AGAINST THE STREET EDGE BUT HAVE THE BUILDING AGAINST THE STREET EDGE. AND THE INTERESTING WALK HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT YOU DO YOUR URBAN TRIAGE, YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIKELY TO WALK IF GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY. IN THAT AREA, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE AREN'T ANY BLANK WALLS, PARKING STRUCTURES. A LOT OF CITIES HAVE A RULE IF YOU'RE BUILDING A PARKING STRUCTURE, IT EITHER NEEDS TO BE HIDDEN FROM THE STREET BY A SLEEVE, WHICH IS HAPPENING IN THE BUILDING JUST WEST OF THE ANDALUZ HOTEL. BEAUTIFULLY, A SLEEVE OF CONDOS HIDING THE PARKING FROM THE STREET, OR YOU JUST HAVE TO ACTIVATE THE FIRST FLOOR WITH RETAIL. BUT IF YOU DON'T USE URBAN TRIAGE APPROACH, YOU'RE APPLYING THAT TO EVERY PARKING STRUCTURE IN THE CITY AND THAT

IS WHY A LOT OF CITIES HAVE DEAD RETAIL UNDER PARKING STRUCTURES IN PLACES, SO THOSE FOUR CRITERIA APPLIED WITH AN EYE AS TO WHERE THEY CAN ACHIEVE SUCCESS IS THE STRATEGY FOR CREATING THE BEST PEDESTRIAN DOWNTOWN. >> I BROUGHT UP DURING THE SESSION ON TUESDAY NIGHT ABOUT INNOVATE ABQ, INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES THERE. LET'S START WITH THE CONVERSATION, RIGHT? PROFOUND CHANGES TO DOWNTOWN, IF YOU REALLY PIECE THIS OUT OVER THE NEXT 3, 4, 5, 10 YEARS, VERY DIFFERENT URBAN ANIMAL, SO TO SPEAK. MORE DEMAND OF WALKABILITY ISSUES. IS THAT PART OF THE INNOVATE ABQ TO JUMP START OTHER THINGS BEYOND INNOVATION? I THINK INNOVATE ABQ HAS RAISED AN ENERGY LEVEL AGAIN ABOUT DOWNTOWN. I ALWAYS SAY MY SENSE OF OUR ENERGY LEVEL HAS CERTAINLY GONE UP AND DOWN OVER MY 35 YEARS IN ALBUQUERQUE. BUT THE INNOVATE ABQ IS A BIG INVESTMENT BY UNM, CITY AND COUNTY, CNM IS NOW COMING INTO THE AREA AS WELL.

WE'RE MAKING A BIG INVESTMENT IN OUR CONVENTION CENTER AND WE REALLY WANT OUR CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUSINESS TO THRIVE AND EAST DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN A SUCCESS WITH OLD ALBUQUERQUE HIGH, PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT. AND, I THINK A PUBLIC PROCESS, A VERY OPEN AND PUBLIC DESIGN PROCESS ABOUT HOW WE TACKLE THAT WHOLE AREA IS PART OF THE REASON WE BROUGHT JEFF INTO TOWN. >> INTERESTING. YOU DON'T LIVE HERE BUT IKE LIVES HERE, CRIME AND THE PERCEPTION OF CRIME, AND GETTING FOLKS FROM THE HEIGHTS TO DOWNTOWN, FROM THE WESTSIDE TO DOWNTOWN, ALL THOSE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT IN THE CITY, HOW TO MAKE DOWNTOWN MORE ATTRACTIVE, ANY THOUGHTS THERE? IF WHAT WE CAN PULL OFF WITH JEFF'S HELP AND OTHERS, IS THAT THE KEY FOR YOU, IS THAT TURNING OF THE KEY FOR ALBUQUERQUE. >> I THINK IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL WITH WHAT JEFF'S GOALS ARE, THAT THE PERCEPTION OF CRIME AND I ALWAYS SAY PERCEPTION

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK DOWNTOWN IS INHERENTLY MORE UNSAFE THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, BUT THERE IS A PERCEPTION ISSUE AND IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR OUR TOURISM BUSINESS AS WELL AS JUST VISITORS COMING IN FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, AND PEOPLE FROM THE SUBURBAN AREA UNDERSTANDING HOW IMPORTANT DOWNTOWN IS. WE HAVE GOT TO GET PAST THAT AND I JUST MET WITH SOME OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS WHO PATROL DOWNTOWN. I AM WORKING TO GET MORE STEADY POLICE PATROLS DOWNTOWN, NOT TO BRING BATTALIONS OF POLICE DOWN HERE BUT JUST TO HAVE A PRESENCE 24/7 IS SOMETHING WE NEED. BUT THE VITALITY OF A GOOD WALKABLE AREA GREATLY DECREASES CRIME. I THINK EVERYONE CAN AGREE ON THAT. >> I READ A STUDY, ABOUT BABY STROLLERS. EVERYONE HAS A LINE. EVEN CRIMINALS. THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. THEY WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE IF THEY SEE A LOT OF BABY STROLLERS. >> YOUR TAKE ON CRIME; CRIME IN ALBUQUERQUE. >> I WOULD SAY CRIME IS A PERCEPTION OF VAGRANCY AND

PANHANDLING, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A CRIME PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE HEARD IT FROM SO MANY PEOPLE, THIS IS THE FIRST STUDY WHERE THE SAFETY CATEGORY HAS TO INCLUDE PUBLIC SAFETY NOT JUST SAFETY AGAINST VEHICLES. WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE POLICE A NUMBER OF INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT HOW PEOPLE ARE DISCHARGED FROM THE PRISON, TOLD THAT THEIR BRACELET GETS THEM A FREE RIDE ANYWHERE ON THE BUS, WHICH ISN'T TRUE, AND THEY GO TO THE BUS STATION AND THEN OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE EASY TO FIX THAT WILL BE PART OF MY REPORT. >> PEOPLE RELEASED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT DOWNTOWN, ALL THOSE THINGS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS. >> JEFF, THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK TO ALBUQUERQUE, YOU WERE HERE LAST SUMMER AND YOU WILL DO A LOT MORE WORK FOR US, DOWNTOWN IS READY. COUNCILOR GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. >> YOU'RE LIKE THE CLASS CLOWN THAT THE TEACHER CAN'T CONTROL, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I GET TO PASS THESE NOTES TO PEOPLE AND I DON'T GET IN TROUBLE AND INSTEAD OF GETTING

IN TROUBLE, PEOPLE PAY ME TO DO IT. I MEAN, AND I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A REAL JOB. HOW GREAT IS THAT FOR WORK, IF >> A PROTEST LAST WEEKEND AGAINST ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT TOOK PLACE WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT THEN TV STATION UNDERCOVER OFFICERS TO THE EVENT, ONE OF WHOM FILMED SOME DEMONSTRATOR, AND HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN A SHOOTING IN 2012. THAT ANGERED MANY INCLUDING THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, OF WHICH I AM A BOARD MEMBER, AND WE HAVE FILED A PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST FOR ALL SURVEILLANCE DATA COLLECTED DURING THAT PROTEST. AN APD SPOKESWOMAN SAID THE OFFICERS ATTENDED THE RALLY UNDERCOVER FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF MONITORING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. SOPHIE, ACLU SAYS THIS REMINDED THE COMMUNITY THAT APD VIEWS CITIZENS WITH DISDAIN AND DISTRUST; TWO HEAVY DUTY D WORDS. IS IT QUITE RIGHT THERE? SUGGEST THAT MIGHT BE THE PERCEPTION OF A NUMBER OF

PEOPLE IN ALBUQUERQUE, I MEAN I SORT OF CONTRAST THAT WITH ROB PERRY'S STATEMENT, OH, HE THINKS THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN ALBUQUERQUE TRUST, LIKE RESPECT, ET CETERA, APD. WE'RE IN A TOUGH TIME. I MEAN, I WON'T SHOCK ANYBODY WHEN I SAY THIS, REALLY TOUGH TIME FOR APD, AND THEY HAVE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MESSED UP THE PUBLIC INTERACTION ELEMENT TIME AND TIME AGAIN. THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE HAVE SAT AROUND THIS TABLE, TOM GARRITY BROUGHT THIS UP A BUNCH OF TIMES, YOU DON'T GET TO SEND SIGNALS THAT WE'RE LIVING IN A POLICE STATE WHEN PEOPLE ARE PROTESTING THEIR FEAR OF THE POLICE STATE. I MEAN, YOU CAN DO IT BUT IT DOESN'T ENGENDER TRUST AND I THINK THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE ON THE PART OF APD. NOT TO REALLY LOOK AT THE OBVIOUS. BEYOND THAT, BEYOND THAT, THERE ARE SERIOUS LEGAL QUESTIONS ABOUT APD GATHERING EVIDENCE WHEN NO CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND THAT IS A GRAVE CONCERN. >> I WANT TO GET TO THAT TOO. ROB, GET YOU IN ON THIS EARLY, THERE IS SOME SENTIMENT OUT

THERE THAT, I KEEP HEARING THIS, LIKE, YOU SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE OUT THERE DOING THESE KIND OF THINGS. IT IS ALMOST LIKE PEOPLE ACCEPT THIS. >> THAT THERE WAS POLICE >> DID YOU BUY THE ANGLE THAT IT IS FOR THE PUBLIC'S PROTECTION? >> NOT REALLY. HERE IS MY TAKE ON THIS. YES, I CAN BUY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPLANATION UP TO A POINT WHERE THEY ARE SAYING, WELL, WE HAD A NEAR RIOT, WE HAD THIS TAKE OVER AT CITY COUNCIL, BUT IF YOUR CONCERN IS SAFETY, THEN HAVE MORE UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS THERE. IF YOU WANT TO RECORD THIS THING, YES, IT DID HAPPEN IN A PUBLIC STREET, THEN, RECORD IT WITH A UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICER. NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE, I LISTENED TO KKOB, I THINK, YESTERDAY, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE CALLING IN AND DEFENDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THING BUT I WOULD SAY, AS A LIBERTARIAN, I WOULD

SAY TO MY CONSERVATIVE FRIENDS, LET'S DO A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT. LET'S SAY THAT YOU HAD THE ALBUQUERQUE TEA PARTY OR CONSERVATIVE GROUP THAT DOESN'T LIKE THE IRS PROTESTING AS THE TEA PARTY HAS DONE IN FRONT OF IRS BUILDING AND YOU FOUND OUT THERE WAS AN UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER OR UNDERCOVER FEDERAL AGENT RECORDING THIS? WOULDN'T YOU BE UP IN ARMS? THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE COMPLAINT THAT A LOT OF CONSERVATIVES HAVE WHICH IS WELL JUSTIFIED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE IRS IN WASHINGTON. SO, IF THE ROLE IS REVERSED, I THINK YOU MIGHT BE TALKING A DIFFERENT STORY. WHAT I AM SAYING IS, THE HEAVY HAND OF GOVERNMENT IS HEAVY AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT, WHETHER IT COMES FROM THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. >> GOOD FOR YOU AND LAURA SANCHEZ-RIVET, ROB PERRY, JUST AS A REMINDER OVERSEES THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN HIS POSITION AT CITY HALL, CALLED FOLKS DISINGENUOUS FOR CLAIMING SOME KIND OF DIFFERENCE IN THE FILMING

BETWEEN REGULAR CITIZENS, BECAUSE PROTESTORS WERE FILMING THEMSELVES. MENTIONED THAT HE WATCHED SOME OF THE LIVE STREAM AS A LOT OF US DID AND MADE AN EQUIVALENCY HERE. FALSE, TRUE EQUIVALENCY WHAT >> YOU CAN'T COMPARE IT. IT IS APPLES AND ORANGES. THE RELATIONSHIP IS VERY DIFFERENT. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE DOCUMENTING SOMETHING FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY HAVE AS PRIVATE CITIZENS AND I THINK THERE ARE OFTEN SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE TAKE A CAMERA AND PHONE CAMERA, EVEN, AND RECORD SOMETHING VERSUS AN UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS HE ATTEMPTED TO BLEND IN, SO HE WORE A COWBOY SHIRT, HE WAS IN DISGUISE, YOU KNOW, TO GO TO SUCH LENGTH TO MAKE IT CLEAR YOU'RE TRYING TO EVADE BEING RECOGNIZED AND STILL RECOGNIZED, I MEAN, I REALLY THINK IT GOES BEYOND PUBLIC SAFETY AT THAT POINT. AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, IT REMINDS ME OF WHEN I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL IN LA IN 2001 WHEN 9/11 OCCURRED AND THEN THE WAR THAT WE ENTERED AND DURING THOSE YEARS THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF PROTESTS AT THE FEDERAL BUILDINGS ABOUT OUR INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ AND OTHER

THINGS THE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD, BECAUSE IT IS LA, AND THERE IS ALWAYS RIOT POLICE AROUND, IT IS AT A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL OF CRAZY AND TENSION, YOU KNOW, NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD, WE SHOW UP AND WATCH, AND I WAS PART OF THOSE GROUPS BUT IT WAS VERY CLEAR WHO WAS WITH THE POLICE AND WHO WAS WITH THE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD AND WHO WERE THE PROTESTORS. YOU DIDN'T HAVE THIS ATTEMPT BY LAPD TO INFILTRATE. IT IS NOT LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING, AS ROB SAID, THERE ISN'T ALREADY A CRIME OR SOPHIE SAID TO BE GATHERING EVIDENCE IN THAT WAY. IT REALLY CROSSES THE LINE. I THINK IT IS INFRINGEMENT OF OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES. >> LET ME READ YOU SOMETHING. THE ACLU, DAN, HAD A RELEASE, PETER SIMONSON EARLIER, THEY QUOTE FROM THE ACTUAL GATHERING OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY INFORMATION PART OF THE APD POLICY. IT IS CALLED 1-21-6D. "UNLESS THE INFORMATION IS NECESSARY AND RELEVANT TO THE

INVESTIGATION OF CRIMINAL WRONGDOING, INFORMATION WILL NOT BE COLLECTED ON ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANIZATION BASED ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: ONE, ETHNIC BACKGROUND OR RACE. TWO, SUPPORT OF UNPOPULAR CAUSES. THREE, RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS. FOUR, PERSONAL HABITS OR LIFE STYLES. YOU CAN'T FILM PEOPLE IS WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IF IT FITS UNDER ANY OF THAT, DAN. I FIND IT ALMOST UNCONSCIONABLE THAT ROB PERRY WOULD ACTUALLY TRY TO MAKE THIS EQUIVALENCY OF THESE TWO TYPES OF THINGS. WHY DOES A POET NEED TO BE FILMED BY THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT? NOT A QUESTION FOR YOU TO ANSWER BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I AM >> THERE IS MULTIPLE LAYERS OF THIS STUFF YOU ASKED. PERFECTLY CLEAR, THIS ENTIRE SITUATION BY APD AND CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE IS THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING TO PEOPLE. IT HAS BEEN MISHANDLED FROM DAY ONE. I MEAN, WHETHER IT HAS BEEN THE PRESS CONFERENCES, THE STARING IN THE CAMERA OF PEOPLE, TELLING THE LOCAL TV STATION WE'RE NOT GOING TO

ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, NOTHING HAS GONE RIGHT FOR THESE GUYS. BEST THING THEY COULD DO IS STOP, STEP BACK, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, HIT THE RESET BUTTON, BEG FOR FORGIVINGNESS AND HOPE THEY GET BETTER FROM HERE. WHAT I WILL SAY, WHAT YOU'RE READING SAYS IF THESE ARE THE REASONS YOU'RE DOING THIS, YOU CAN'T DO IT. I THINK APD WILL COME BACK AND SAY, THE REASON WE ARE DOING THIS IS WE HAVE THIS RIOT. IT WAS THE SAME GROUPS OF PEOPLE UNDER THE SAME GROUPS OF CIRCUMSTANCES, SO WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE THE SPRAY PAINTING STUFF. I THINK THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO COME BACK AND SAY. I AM NOT SAYING THEY ARE RIGHT. I THINK THEY'LL SAY THAT. I THINK APD HAS GOT TO JUST, IT IS TIME FOR APD TO BRING IN A CRISIS MANAGER AND BRING IN SOME PEOPLE THAT CAN TALK TO THE COMMUNITY, THE MAYOR NEEDS TO WAKE UP AND PAY ATTENTION. THIS IS GOING TO BE HIS LEGACY IF HE DOESN'T HANDLE THIS AND A LOT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, THAT THE MAYOR IS NOT HANDLING WELL, A LOT OF STUFF IS NOT HAPPENING WELL ON HIS WATCH GUARANTEED, BUT A LOT OF THIS STUFF HAS BEEN YEARS IN THE

MAKING. I MEAN IT HASN'T JUST HAPPENED. BUT, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, IT IS INTERESTING I WAS LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS AND LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT STOLEN EMAILS BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW THEY GOT STOLEN, IT WAS THE CONTENT. THIS WEEK IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEY ARE DOING, THE CONTENT MATTERS HOW THEY ARE GETTING IT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK APD HAS GOT A REAL SMALL WINDOW THAT IS CLOSING QUICKLY THAT IF THEY DON'T RESCUE THEMSELVES FROM THIS SITUATION, IT COULD BE A IRREPARABLE HARM THEY MAY NEVER -- I AM TALKING, 10, 15 YEARS, BE ABLE TO FIX. >> I AM ALSO WITH ACLU, ONE OF MY CLIENTS ARE ON CONTRACT, NOT APD RELATED, BUT I WANTED TO DISCLOSE THAT. ONE THING I WILL JUST ADD TO THE ANALOGY YOU USED COMPARING THIS TO LAST WEEK, IT IS NOT JUST APPLES AND ORANGES, IT IS THE APPLE AND NIGHT. IT IS LIKE MOON AND BANANA. THOSE TWO THINGS DO NOT RELATE, INTERESTING YOU'RE TRYING TO WIGGLE IT IN. >> A COUPLE OF SECONDS HERE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE FOLKS WANT SOME CLARIFICATION HERE.

THE IDEA OF SWEEPING ACROSS MANY FACES FOR PEOPLE JUST EXERCISING THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH, DOES NOT SIT WELL. >> IT FEELS LIKE A CATALOG, DOESN'T IT? >> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT, FACIAL RECOGNITION. >> COMING UP, CARTOONIST STEPHAN PASTIS TALKS WITH US ABOUT HIS JOURNEY FROM MISERABLE LAWYERS TO THE CREATOR OF PEARLS BEFORE >> THE GAY SHIP HAS SAILED. AND MORE PASSE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS GOING ON, SHOULD WE DO THIS, WHATEVER. I THINK THAT THE COUNTRY HAS MOVED VERY, VERY FAR IN A VERY >> STEPHAN PASTIS WORKED FOR YEARS AS A LAWYER ALL THE WHILE SUBMITTING COMIC STRIPS FOR WHAT WOULD BECOME A SYNDICATED COMIC PEARLS BEFORE SWINE. CHARACTERS SUCH AS RAT, PIG, GOAT, ZEBRA AND SOME VERY STUPID CROCODILES PRESENT AN OFTEN CONTROVERSIAL AND

HILARIOUS VIEW OF THE WORLD. THAT INCLUDES MERCILESS PARODIES OF OLDER COMIC STRIPS, PROFANITY, ALCOHOL AND PAINFULLY BAD PUNS. PASTIS WAS RECENTLY IN THE NEWS FOR PRINTING THE FIRST NEW WORK IN YEARS BY BILL WATERSON, RECLUSIVE CREATOR OF CALVIN AND HOBBS. WHEN NMIF PRODUCER MEGAN KAMERICK SAT DOWN WITH HIM EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE DAILY COMIC STRIP JUST HAPPENED TO BE RIPPING ON A VERY POPULAR TV SHOW SET HERE IN >> STEPHAN PASTIS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON NEW MEXICO INFOCUS. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> FOR YOUR BOOK TOUR, PEARLS, >> 24TH PEARLS BOOK. ISN'T THAT AMAZING. >> IT IS AMAZING. DESPITE THAT, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT, AS WE TAPE THIS, YOUR STRIP TODAY THAT RAN IN THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL FEATURED RAT, BREAKING BAD COMPLETE WITH HAZMAT SUIT AND HE AND PIG ARE LOOKING FOR A SWINEY UNETHICAL SAL TYPE LAWYER TO HELP THEM AND YOU ARE IN THE STRIP AND YOU RAISE YOUR HAND. >> THEY FOUND ME BECAUSE I WAS

A LAWYER FOR 10 YEARS. >> I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE KNOW YOU WERE ACTUALLY A LAWYER. WHY DID YOU PURSUE A LAW CAREER? >> I THINK IT WAS FOR ALL THE WRONG LAWYERS. I KNEW LAWYERS MADE A LOT OF MONEY SO I TOOK THE TRADITIONAL ROUTE AND GOT A LAW DEGREE AND THEN WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF BEING A LAWYER, I KNEW THAT I DID NOT LIKE IT AND I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT, SO, IT WAS REALLY A MISTAKE. WHEN YOU GO INTO SOMETHING FOR MONEY LIKE THAT, PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA. >> YOU WERE DRAWING ALL THE TIME. >> I WAS ALWAYS DRAWING LIKE AT NIGHT AND ON WEEKENDS. THE HOPE WAS THAT I WOULD GET SYNDICATED, MY COMIC STRIP WOULD GET PICKED UP TO GO INTO NEWSPAPERS, AND I COULD QUIT BEING A LAWYER. I WOULD ALWAYS SUBMIT THE STRIPS AND THEY WOULD ALWAYS GET REJECTED FOR YEARS. >> IT TOOK A LONG TIME. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TRYING TO BREAK IN? >> IT WAS SO DEPRESSING, BECAUSE YOU WOULD WRITE SOMETHING AND YOU THINK IT WAS REALLY GOOD AND TURN IT IN AND YOU WOULD GET ALL FORM REJECTION LETTERS AND IT IS HARD TO JUSTIFY THAT TIME COMMITMENT. AND SO -- BUT I GOT ONE EDITOR WHO WROTE ME A HANDWRITTEN REJECTION AND THAT LITTLE HANDWRITTEN REJECTION IS THE

STRING I HUNG ON TO. SO THAT KEPT ME GOING AND AFTER FIVE YEARS OF IT, THEY LIKED THE PEARL STRIP AND THAT IS WHEN IT TOOK OFF. >> THEY POSTED IT ONLINE. >> THEY DID THIS REALLY WEIRD EXPERIMENT. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH ME IN NEWSPAPERS AND THEN THE SALESMAN FOR THE SYNDICATE CAME FORWARD AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO WAY, THIS WON'T SELL. IT HAD NO DEMOGRAPHIC, THEY ARE STICK FIGURES, THEY TALK ABOUT DEATH, NOTHING SEEMS TO HAPPEN. SO, THEY SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT IT IN PAPERS, JUST ONLINE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. SO THEY PUT IT ONLINE AND IT DID IT OKAY BUT DIDN'T DO GREAT AND THEN SCOTT ADAMS, CREATOR OF DELBERT, TURNED OUT HE WAS READING IT ONLINE AND TOLD ALL OF HIS READERS TO READ IT. SO, THE HIT WHICH I WAS WATCHING, WENT FROM, LIKE, A 2,000 HIT DAY ON A TUESDAY TO A 155,000 HIT ON A WEDNESDAY BECAUSE THAT WAS SCOTT'S FOLLOWING. THEY ALL CAME TO READ IT. SO I HELD THAT AUDIENCE AND THEN THEY SAID, OKAY, HE CAN BE IN NEWSPAPERS.

SO I OWE MY WHOLE CAREER TO SCOTT ADAMS. >> YOU APPROACHED CHARLES SCHULTZ. YOU BOTH HAVE LIVED IN SANTA ROSA WHEN HE WAS IN A CAFE AND HE SAT AND TALKED WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR WORK FOR AN HOUR. >> FIRST OFF, I HAD THE WORST OPENING LINE EVER. I WALKED UP TO HIM AT A TABLE AND I SAID, HI MR. SCHULTZ, MY NAME IS STEPHAN PASTIS AND I AM AN ATTORNEY. HE THOUGHT HE WAS GETTING SERVED WITH A SUBPOENA, SO HIS FACE WENT WHITE. I SAID, I ALSO DRAW AND THE MINUTE I SAID THAT, CLEARED OFF THE SEAT NEXT TO HIM AND SAID, COME SIT DOWN. HE TALKED TO ME FOR AN HOUR AND I WAS A TOTAL NOBODY. I WASN'T SYNDICATED YET. HE WAS GREAT. >> IS THAT KIND COMRADERY TYPICAL AMONG COMIC STRIPPERS? >> YEAH, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE, BECAUSE IT IS A ZERO SUM GAIN. IF I GO INTO A NEWSPAPER COMIC SECTION, IF PEARLS GOES IN, SOMETHING GOES OUT. THERE IS ONLY SO MANY NEWSPAPER SLOTS, SO I ONLY WIN AT SOMEBODY'S EXPENSE AND YET THE 200 OF US IN THE U.S. WHO ARE CARTOONISTS ARE FRIENDS. WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN

THAT. IT'S SUCH AN ODD JOB WHERE YOU SIT AT HOME BY YOURSELF AND YOU DO THIS LITTLE THING, THAT GOES OUT THERE. IT IS VERY STRANGE. SO, THAT COMMON PART, KIND OF OUTWEIGHS THE COMPETITIVE PART. SO, YEAH. >> THAT SAID, YOU OFTEN MAKE FUN OF OTHER COMICS IN PEARLS. ONE STRIP IN YOUR BOOK HAS BILLY FROM FAMILY CIRCUS INVADING THE STRIP, BEATING UP OTHER CHARACTERS, SWEARING AT THEM IN REVENGE FOR ALL THE FUN THAT YOU HAVE MADE OF FAMILY CIRCUS, SO, WHAT WAS BILL'S REACTION TO THIS? >> HE WAS SO GREAT. SO THE MOST OFFENSIVE ONES I DID WERE WHEN THE FAMILY AND FAMILY CIRCUS HARBORED OSAMA BIN LADEN FOR A WEEK, BECAUSE THEY WERE SO OUT OF TOUCH, THEY HAD NO IDEA WHO HE WAS. SO THEY ALL ENDED UP GOING TO GUANTANAMO BAY AND THEY WERE IN PRISON. SO, BILL KEENE, THE ORIGINAL CREATOR, LIKED IT SO MUCH, HE ASKED ME IN THE ORIGINAL OF THE MOST OFFENSIVE ONE AND WHEN I VISITED HIM AT HIS HOUSE IN ARIZONA, HE HAD IT

FRAMED IN THE STUDIO SO HE HAD A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR. WHEN PEOPLE WRITE TO ME, AND THEY GO, HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO THE POOR FAMILY CIRCUS, THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS, I JUST WANT TO SAY, THEY ARE FRIENDS, THEY THINK IT IS FUNNY, THEY DON'T MIND. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BIGGEST INFLUENCES ARE IN TERMS OF OTHER COMICS GROWING UP. >> FOR ME AND EVERY CARTOONIST YOU SEE IN THE COMIC PAGE, IT COMES DOWN TO ONE MAN. WE ARE ALL INFLUENCED BY SCHULTZ. HE IS THE ROOT OF THE TREE THAT WE ALL COME FROM. YOU WON'T FIND A CARTOONIST ON THE COMICS PAGE WHO DOES NOT SAY HE WAS NOT INFLUENCED BY SCHULTZ. EVERYBODY WAS INFLUENCED BY SCHULTZ. HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END FOR ALL OF US. HE CHANGED ALL OF CARTOONISTS, FOR SURE. >> WHAT ABOUT OTHERS? >> WHEN I WAS SORT OF A TEENAGER, IT IS WHAT WE CALL THE BIG THREE, CALVIN HOBBS, BLOOM FAMILY AND FAR SIDE. AND THEN MOST DIRECTLY, WRITE A 3 PANEL STRIP FROM READING DELBERT, WHICH MAY BE WHY I ENDED UP -- I WAS MIMICKING. I WENT THROUGH ALL HIS BOOKS. A THREE PANEL STRIP IS DIFFERENT THAN A FOUR PANEL.

YOU HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE. YOU HAVE TO SET THE WHOLE PREMISE IN ONE PANEL. >> ARE ALL THE DIFFERENT ANIMAL CHARACTERS DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOU? >> YEAH, AND THAT ALSO CAME FROM SCHULTZ. I ASKED HIM THAT QUESTION. >> REALLY. >> I SAID, ARE THEY ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLE? HE SAID, NEVER BASE A CHARACTER ON SOMEONE ELSE, BECAUSE THE ONLY PERSON YOU TRULY KNOW IS YOURSELF. IF YOU DON'T BASE THE CHARACTERS ON YOU, YOU WON'T KNOW THEM FULLY ENOUGH TO HAVE A WELL ROUNDED BELIEVABLE CHARACTER. THE RESULT IS RAT IS DEFINITELY ME, AS SOCIOPATHIC AS HE IS, BUT PIG IS ALSO ME AND GOAT IS ME. THE CROCKS, TO SOME EXTENT, I WALK AROUND THE HOUSE WITH MY KIDS AND TALK TO THEM LIKE THE CROCKS, WHICH THEY THINK IS HORRIBLE AND ANNOYING. >> THEY ARE ALL ASPECTS, YEAH. >> YOU SAID THAT, I HAVE READ INTERVIEWS, YOU SAID RAT IS MOST LIKE YOU, WHICH SEEMS -- YOU SEEM LIKE A NICE GUY AND RAT IS NASTY AND SINFUL. >> WHEN YOU DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY AND SOMEBODY DOES

SOMETHING MEAN TO YOU, THAT VOICE IN YOUR HEAD THAT SAYS YOU WANT TO DO A, B AND C, BUT YOU DON'T, RAT IS THE ONE WHO DOES THAT. >> RAT IS YOUR ID? >> YEAH AND I THINK HE IS EVERYBODY'S ID. THAT IS THE FUN PART OF THE COMIC STRIPS. YOU CAN HAVE THAT RELEASE VALVE. THAT IS WHY I THINK IT IS SO NUTS WHEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT COMICS. THAT IS ONE AREA WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO RUN FREE AND NOT TAMP THAT DOWN. IT IS LIKE A PRESSURE VALVE, YOU KNOW, RELEASING THAT ANGER, WHATEVER YOU HAVE, IN THE FORM OF HUMOR. >> NOW, IN ONE STORY LINE IN THE BOOK, RAT OCCUPIES SESAME STREET, RATHER THAN WALL STREET, AND HE TELLS GROBER TO SHUT HIS -- AND THEN TO GET HIM OFF OF SESAME STREET, PBS LETS HIM POST MR. ROGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH HE THEN PROCEEDS TO DISAPPEAR ON AIR FRIDAY'S CASTLE AND WEAR A BURQA. >> HAVE YOU NO SHAME? >> THAT LAST ONE GOT ME IN A LOT OF TROUBLE, THAT JIHADDIST

THING, FOR THE DEPICTION OF MUSLIMS, I GOT IN TROUBLE. FOR THE DEPICTION OF HOW THEY TREAT WOMEN I GOT IN TROUBLE, FOR DOING WHAT I DID TO MR. ROGERS, I GOT IN TROUBLE. THAT ONE CAME FROM FOUR DIFFERENT ANGLES, SO, BUT IT WAS SO FUNNY TO ME TO DO SOMETHING -- I DON'T KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO MR. ROGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD. >> WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITES TARGETS. >> I LIKE MAKING FUN OF ALL THE OLD COMICS. TO ME THAT IS REALLY FUNNY. ANYBODY WHO SORT OF, I DON'T KNOW, IS POMPOUS, LIKE IT IS AN EASY TARGET. THEY SORT OF WALK OUT ON A LEDGE AND IT IS EASY TO SAW IT OFF. ANYBODY WHO IS SELF IMPORTANT IS A GREAT TARGET. SORT OF LIKE MY JOB, THAT IS WHAT A CARTOONIST IS SUPPOSED TO DO AND IT IS SO UNFAIR, TOO, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIGHT BACK, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF I MAKE FUN OF SOMEBODY IN A COMIC STRIP AND THEY GET MAD, WHAT CAN THEY DO? IF THEY GET REALLY ANGRY, IT IS JUST A COMIC STRIP, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. IT IS ALMOST LIKE THEY LOOK SILLY GETTING REALLY ANGRY AND I HAVE THE FINAL SAY BECAUSE IF THEY MAKE ME MAD IN THEIR

RESPONSE, I CAN JUST DO IT AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. >> DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING AWAY WITH STUFF? >> TOTALLY. YOU'RE THE CLASS CLOWN THAT THE TEACHER CAN'T CONTROL. I JUST GET TO PASS THESE NOTES TO PEOPLE AND I DON'T GET IN TROUBLE. INSTEAD OF GETTING IN TROUBLE, PEOPLE PAY ME TO DO IT. I MEAN, AND I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A REAL JOB. HOW GREAT IS THAT FOR WORK, IF YOU CAN GET IT? >> PEOPLE WHO READ THIS KNOW YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THE STRIP A LOT; THE BREAKING BAD STRIP, AND ONE OF THE RUNNING GAGS IS AN ELABORATE SETUP TO A VERY BAD PUN AND THEN THE CHARACTERS TAKE REVENGE ON YOU, BEAT YOU UP, TORCH YOUR DESK, PUT YOU IN CEMENT SHOES AND THROW YOU IN THE OCEAN. YOU EVEN HAD RAT KICKING YOU IN THE GROIN. >> YES. >> IS THIS HOW YOU KEEP YOURSELF HUMBLED? >> TOTALLY. THAT LAST POINT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TABU IN THE COMICS TO HAVE SOMEBODY KICKED IN THE GROIN. I WAS BREAKING BARRIERS WITH THAT ONE. I WAS SO PROUD OF THAT AND SCOTT ADAMS WROTE TO ME AND SAID, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAD THAT IN YOUR STRIP, WAY TO GO. >> YOU BROKE THE BARRIER?

>> YEAH I WAS PROUD OF THAT. I KNEW I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE BUT THAT WAS FUNNY TO ME. >> SO, WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU? YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF KIDS BOOKS, ONE OF THEM FEATURED TIMMY, WHO IS A FAILURE AT EVERYTHING. >> YES. >> LIKE THE ANTI-ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN. >> A KID NAMED TIMMY FAILURE, A BOOK THAT CAME OUT A YEAR AGO AND THE SEQUEL CAME OUT TWO WEEKS AGO AND IT IS AN ILLUSTRATED NOVEL SORT OF LIKE THE DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. TIMMY THINKS HE IS A BRILLIANT DETECTIVE BUT HE'S REALLY NOT SMART AT ALL. HE HAS GOT A POLAR BEAR SIDEKICK. WRITE THE KIDS BOOKS? I REALLY I DO NOTHING DIFFERENT THAN I DO IN THE STRIP EXCEPT THEY SAID, YOU CAN'T HAVE CIGARETTES, YOU CAN'T HAVE BEER AND NOBODY CAN SWEAR. SO, WITH THOSE THREE LIMITATIONS, I WROTE THE BOOK. >> THAT KNOCKS OUT ANYTHING YOU DID IN PEARLS. >> THAT WAS 70% OF MY HUMOR

BUT THAT IS OKAY. >> SO, I AM CURIOUS, WE HAVE TO WRAP UP, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT NEWSPAPERS ARE STRUGGLING. SO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR COMICS LIKE YOURSELF? >> WE NEVER KNEW WHAT THAT YEARS. LIKE IF SOMEBODY ENDED NEWSPAPERS WOULD THAT BE IT FOR COMIC STRIPS? WE DON'T FULLY KNOW BUT WE HAVE LEARNED ONE THING, THAT WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, THE NEED FOR COMIC STRIPS IS AS GREAT AS IT HAS EVER BEEN. IT SERVES THIS FUNCTION TO GET IN AND OUT QUICKLY AND LAUGH AND PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT TO SHARE THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, WHEN YOU POST ONE OF THOSE THINGS ON FACEBOOK OR ANY SOCIAL MEDIA, IT GETS SPREAD LIKE CRAZY. >> HOW DO YOU GUYS GET PAID? >> THAT IS THE KEY QUESTION, YEAH, FOR ME, THE BOOKS ARE ALWAYS A GOOD THING. AND SO, BUT THE NEWSPAPERS ARE STILL THE BULK OF OUR EARNINGS, SO IF SOMETHING REALLY HAPPENED, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN BUT -- I ALSO BELIEVE AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERY TOWN NEEDS A NEWSPAPER. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL BE DELIVERED DIGITALLY OR PHYSICALLY, BUT YOU HAVE TO

HAVE SOMEBODY REPORTING LOCAL NEWS. SO, I AM NOT TOO WORRIED, I THAT SURVIVES. I DON'T KNOW THE DELIVERY METHOD. AND IF THAT SURVIVES, WE SURVIVE, SO, YEAH, THAT IS GOOD. WELL, STEPHAN, IF YOU COULD STICK AROUND, WE'LL CONTINUE MORE ON THE WEB. >> LET'S DO IT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> SURE, THANK YOU. >> THE JUNE PRIMARIES ARE BARELY OVER BEFORE ADS FROM GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ' RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN AND REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS' TARGETING HER CHALLENGER, GARY KING, THANKS TO SIGNIFICANT, FUNDRAISING. ON TOP OF THAT, MR. KING HIRED A NEW CAMPAIGN MANAGER FROM LOUISIANA WHO THEN QUICKLY RESIGNED AFTER A CONSERVATIVE WEBSITE REVEALED CONTROVERSIAL TWEETS THE NEW MANAGER HAD ALLEGEDLY SENT, SOME WHICH WERE DEROGATORY TOWARDS WOMEN. MR. KING'S OPPONENTS HAVE ALSO TARGETED HIM ON WOMEN, LAWSUITS FOR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION, BUT, IN INTERESTING TWIST, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN LAS VEGAS, SAYS THE MARTINEZ CAMPAIGN FABRICATED COMMENTS HE ALLEGEDLY MADE ATTACKING

MR. KING. DAN, START WITH YOU. MR. KING MENTIONED, DOESN'T SEEM TO BE PUNCHING BACK, HE HAS A NEW AD UP THIS PAST WEDNESDAY, ROPE A DOPE, GOING ON HERE OR AS SOMEONE STARTING TO FEAR -- I AM NOT SURE IF YOU WANT TO ANSWER FOR GARY KING'S CHANCES HERE -- BUT IS THIS TOO MUCH TO EARLY? >> I THINK IT WAS TOO MUCH TOO STARTED. GOVERNOR MARTINEZ HAS -- MONEY WINS AND SHE SEEMS TO HAVE AN ENDLESS AMOUNT OF IT. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THESE THINGS ARE COMING OUT, YOU KNOW, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THERE IS STUMBLES BY THE MARTINEZ CAMPAIGN. IT HAPPENS, NO CAMPAIGN IS PERFECT, YET GARY KING SEEMS TO LET -- HIS GROUP SEEMS TO LET A STUMBLE BY THE MARTINEZ CAMPAIGN BE OUTDONE BY A BUMBLE BY HIS CAMPAIGN. THIS IS WAY TOO BIG. THE MOUNTAIN IS WAY TOO BIG FOR HIM TO CLIMB AND I THINK SHE IS JUST GOING TO CRUSH HIM AND I THINK HE HAS GOT NO OPPORTUNITY. I DON'T THINK HE HAS RESOURCES OR THE MESSAGE TO GET TO THE

PUBLIC THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FEEL WARM AND FUZZY ABOUT HIRING HIM. >> ON DAN'S POINT, NEVER TOO LIGHT IN POLITICS BUT AS YOU KNOW, CERTAIN HILLS ARE HARDER TO CLIMB WHEN YOU HAVE MONEY CHALLENGES. DOES MR. KING HAVE TO WRITE HIMSELF A LARGE CHECK AT THIS POINT TO GET PEOPLE REINVIGORATED? HAVE THE MONEY. IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT, YOU HAVE GOT TO INVEST IN YOURSELF. PEOPLE WILL INVEST IN YOU IF YOU INVEST IN YOURSELF FIRST. IT IS A REQUIREMENT BUT BEYOND THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO GET THEIR MESSAGES THROUGH. ONE OF THE FRUSTRATING THINGS ABOUT THIS ELECTION WILL BE, WE'RE NOT EVEN AT FOURTH OF JULY YET AND I AM CERTAINLY EXHAUSTED OF ALL THE ADS FROM BOTH SIDES BECAUSE IT STARTED SO EARLY. AND IT GOT SO NEGATIVE RIGHT AWAY AND SIMILAR TO 2010 WHERE RIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION WE STARTED TO HEAR ALL THE NEGATIVE ADS, SO YOU END UP WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE BASICALLY ELECTION DAY EXHAUSTED. >> THAT IS SORT OF THE POINT, ISN'T IT? >> IT IS A SUPPRESSION EFFORT. STAY HOME, EVERYTHING IS A FINE, DON'T NEED TO WORRY

ABOUT IT. THE KEY THING FOR ALL THE OTHER DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGNS, THE CHALLENGE IS TO GET YOUR BASE MOVING BECAUSE OTHERWISE PEOPLE WILL BE SO TURNED OFF THEY WON'T VOTE AT ALL. >> EVERYTHING THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS DONE IS SPENT MONEY RESPONDING TO WHAT MARTINEZ SAYS ABOUT HIM. >> THAT IS TRUE FOR BOTH SIDES, THERE HASN'T BEEN -- MARTINEZ DID HAVE AN EARLY AD INTRODUCING HERSELF BUT THE INTRODUCTORY, I THINK, AD HASN'T HAPPENED AT ALL. >> THEY DON'T CARE WHO THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER IS AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING. >> I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THERE COMES A TIME WHERE THE RADIO NOISE SUDDENLY BECOMES A BIGGER NOISE, AND THEN IT BECOMES A BIGGER ISSUE. CAMPAIGN OR MORE SPECIFICALLY THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION, BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING ALL THE NEGATIVE AD,S IS THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE SEEN FOR A LONG TIME IN POLITICS WHICH IS DEFYING YOUR APPOINTMENT.

THEY KNOW GARY KING DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIGHT BACK WITH THE SAME SORT OF FIRE POWER, AND, YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATS CAN BLAME THEMSELVES OR AT LEAST THEIR LEADERSHIP CAN, WHEN SAM BREGMAN SAYS TWO YEARS AGO THAT GARY KING WAS THE WORST ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE U.S., WELL, YOU EXPECT OPPONENTS AREN'T GOING TO SEIZE UPON THAT? >> THAT IS A GOOD POINT. >> SAM BREGMAN IS ALSO AN ATTORNEY AND HE HAS HIS OWN CASE LOAD AND CONTEXT OF THOSE COMMENTS WERE IN A CASE HE HAD AGAINST THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. >> WORST ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE U.S. IS A PRETTY CLEAR MESSAGE. [MULTIPLE VOICES] >> THAT IS A DISTINCTION THAT IN MANY CASES DOESN'T MATTER. HE SAID IT, IT IS GOING TO BE USED. >> NOT ONLY HE SAID IT HE IS THE POOR GUY CHARGED WITH GOING OUT AND RAISING MONEY FOR THE GUY NOW. THAT MAKES A VERY TOUGH HURDLE TO OVERCOME. >> ONE OF THE THINGS INTERESTING ABOUT THE WORK THAT THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS HAVE DONE THAT SUSANA MARTINEZ

REALLY ATTACKED GARY KING ON ISSUES THAT ARE BREAD AND BUTTER FOR DEMOCRATS. SO, YOU KNOW, LOGICALLY, I WOULD LOOK AT THE TWO CANDIDATES AND SAY, WELL, ONE REPRESENTS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ONE REPRESENTS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, I HAVE VALUES THAT ALIGN ON WOMEN'S ISSUES, LABOR ISSUES, HEALTHCARE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, I HAVE VALUES THAT ALIGN WITH ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER, BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT THE MARTINEZ CAMPAIGN IS SAYING, WELL, NO, YOU CAN'T TRUST GARY KING ON THOSE BREAD AND BUTTER DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S EQUALITY, WOMEN'S RIGHTS ISSUES, AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT GARY KING HAS SUCH A LONG TRACK RECORD THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO CHERRY PICK PIECES OUT OF HIS BACKGROUND AND MAKE THE CASE AGAINST HIM. BUT IT IS FASCINATING AND TO LAURA'S POINT, THAT THOSE ARE THE ISSUES IN PARTICULAR THAT THEY ARE GOING AFTER KING FOR.

>> A LITTLE TIME OR OUT OF TIME ON THIS ONE. I AM SURPRISED HE DOESN'T COME OUT WITH SOMETHING LIKE MINIMUM WAGE, JUST GO WITH IT AND DEFINE IT. ABSOLUTELY, I KNOW BUT IN A TV AD. MINIMUM WAGE. >> HE HAS THAT LITTLE AD WHERE HE SAID GARY KING WILL FIGHT FOR MINIMUM WAGE. >> IT IS NOT THAT PUNCH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> NONE OF THAT COULD BE HEARD WITH -- I THINK THE WHOLE CONVERSATION IS BEING DIRECTED BY SUSANA MARTINEZ. >> AT THIS POINT THAT IS FAIR ENOUGH. COMING UP, WE GO ON THE CLOCK. >> WE ARE ON THE CLOCK NOW AND GIVE PANELISTS 15 SECONDS EACH TO SOUND OFF ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS. A NAME CHANGE THAT WAS LONG OVERDUE OR POLITICAL CORRECTNESS TAKEN TO EXTREME? ON JUNE 10, TAOS CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO CHANGE NAME OF KIT CARSON MEMORIAL PARK TO RED WILLOW PARK. THE DECISION WAS MADE AS A WAY TO MAKE AMENDS WITH NATIVE AMERICANS BY REMOVING CONTROVERSIAL FRONTIERSMAN, BUT HISTORIANS AND OTHERS SAY THE MOVE POLITICIZES HISTORY AND WAS DONE WITHOUT PUBLIC

INPUT. TAOS MAYOR SAYS THE KIT CARSON PROPOSAL WILL BE ON THE COUNCIL'S JULY 8 AGENDA TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN. THOUGHTS ON THIS. >> YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS ENDED UP HAPPENING IS TAOS PUEBLO TURNED AROUND AND SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER REALLY ASKED US ABOUT THIS. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION TOO. IT IS IMPORTANT, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, THAT YOU BRING IN THOSE STAKEHOLDERS. >> TO YOUR POINT. >> WHEN I MOVED HERE, A FRIEND OF MINE GAVE ME A COPY OF BLOOD AND THUNDER WHICH WAS A GREAT BOOK AND NOT JUST ABOUT KIT CARSON BUT ABOUT NEW MEXICO IN GENERAL. AFTER READING THAT BOOK, I WOULD SUGGEST TO EVERYONE, READ THAT BOOK BEFORE YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND ABOUT THIS. >> GOOD POINT. >> WELL, I HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK BUT I DO THINK HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY THE VICTORS SO AS PEOPLE BEGIN TO BE MORE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE DIVERSE OPINIONS AND I THINK WE'RE DUE FOR A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. >> GOOD POINT. >> I HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK AND HE SAID I CAN'T HAVE AN OPINION. >> I ENCOURAGED IT. >> I THINK IT IS PC GONE WILD AGAIN.

>> NEW SUBJECT, NUMBER OF INMATES HOUSED AT BERNALILLO COUNTY'S METRO DETENTION CENTER HAS FALLEN BY 13% OVER THE PAST FIVE MONTHS DUE, IN PART, TO PRISONERS GETTING SWIFTER HEARINGS BEFORE A JUDGE AND COOPERATION BETWEEN METRO AND DISTRICT COURTS. BUT NOW A NEW INITIATIVE INVOLVING THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL AIMS TO REDUCE THE JAIL POPULATION EVEN MORE. THERE WAS A PROPOSAL GOING FORWARD TO PROVIDE 75 BEDS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE LEAVING THE JAIL SYSTEM AS OTHERWISE THAT POPULATION OFTEN ENDS UP BEHIND BARS AGAIN AND AGAIN. HOPE TO GET PROGRAM RUNNING BY OCTOBER. DAN, YOUR IDEAS OF THIS PROGRAM? >> DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE PROGRAM, DEEP CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE SOME DAY, I'LL TELL YOU, MY WIFE AND I WALKING DOWNTOWN THE OTHER DAY, I WILL TELL YOU, I TRAVEL A LOT WITH WORK, LOTS OF HOMELESS PEOPLE, WE SEEM TO HAVE AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. THERE IS NOT JUST PEOPLE SITTING AROUND TALKING. I WOULD TELL YOU THAT OVERWHELMINGLY THEY WERE PEOPLE WITH ISSUES. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS JUST A PERSON SITTING AROUND THAT YOU

COULD SAY, WELL, THAT GUY IS HOMELESS FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS. EVERY ONE WE SAW NEEDED SERVICE. THEY TALK TO THEMSELVES AND THEY NEED HELP. WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. >> I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM THAT DESERVES SUPPORT FROM THE COMMISSION AND I THINK IN GENERAL OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT THESE THINGS MORE. I WORK IN DOWNTOWN AND YOU JUST SEE ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE HAVE AND REALLY ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE. >> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FEW MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MONEY IS WELL SPENT. ON THE OTHER HAND, I AM VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE OVERCROWDING ISSUE AT MDC IS GETTING ADDRESSED BECAUSE I REMEMBER ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I WAS DOING A STORY ABOUT THE REGION 3 HOUSING AUTHORITY THING THAT FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS, SOMEONE FROM AG'S OFFICE SAID BIG REASON WHY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET TO THIS BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A BACKLOG. >> YOU KNOW, OUR COUNTRY, REALLY NOT JUST ALBUQUERQUE AND NEW MEXICO, HAS A REALLY UNPLEASANT HISTORY OF HOUSING

PEOPLE WHO NEED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN JAILS RATHER THAN GIVING THEM SERVICES. I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP. >> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THE REST OF THE ON THE CLOCK >> AS ALWAYS, ALL OF US HERE AT "NEW MEXICO INFOCUS" APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED. CATCH UP WITH US ANY TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY SEARCHING NEW MEXICOINFOCUS. FIND ARCHIVED INTERVIEWS AND BONUS MATERIAL FROM THE SHOWS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND AT NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG. I AM GENE GRANT, SEE YOU NEXT