New Mexico in Focus; 1207; Reconsidering La Entrada

>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE ENTRADA AND THE SANTA FE FIESTA. >> IF WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL STORY WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE CONNECTED TO THE PAST AND ONE ANOTHER IN THE PRESENT. >> AND THE LINE DEBATES THE BIGGEST POLITICAL STORIES OF THE WEEK. >> NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS >> WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, I AM PRODUCER SARAH GUSTAVUS FILLING IN FOR GENE GRANT. THE LINE HAS READ UP ON SOME OF THE TOP NEWS STORIES OF THE WEEK AND WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR REACTIONS TO THIS WEEK'S SHOW. GET IN TOUCH WITH US AT NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG OR JOIN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEWS OF THE WEEK AT OUR FACEBOOK GROUP, FOCUS ON NEW MEXICO. LET'S GO NOW TO THE LINE.

>> WELCOME TO THE LINE. IN EARLY AUGUST, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS RAIDED A COMPOUND NEAR TAOS AND FOUND 11 CHILDREN IN TERRIBLE CONDITION AND A BODY WHO MAY BE A THREE YEAR OLD BOY TAKEN BY HIS FATHER IN GEORGIA AND ALLEGEDLY BROUGHT TO NEW MEXICO. THIS STORY HAS DOMINATED THE HEADLINES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS AND OUR LINE PANELISTS ARE READY TO SHARE THEIR REACTIONS TO THE LATEST UPDATES. I'M JOINED AT THE TABLE THIS WEEK BY MERRITT ALLEN, FROM VOX OPTIMA, LLC, DAN BOYD, CAPITAL BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, CAROLYN CARLSON, A REPORTER FOR THE WEEKLY ALIBI AND LAURA SANCHEZ-RIVET, ATTORNEY AT CUDDY & MCCARTHY. THE COURTHOUSE IN TAOS IS EVACUATED DUE TO THREATS AGAINST THE JUDGE OVER SOME OF THE DEFENDANTS BEING RELEASED ON BAIL. LOTS OF PEOPLE VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS CASE. WHAT IS THE LEGAL CONTEXT FOR THAT DECISION? >> OBVIOUSLY IT IS A SHOCKING AND SAD SITUATION AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A VERY EMOTIONAL REACTION TO THAT. AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT THE JUDGE, JUDGE BACKUS. SHE HAD A SPECIFIC ROLE TO PLAY. SHE HAD TO CONSIDER WHETHER

THESE DEFENDANTS ARE AN ACTUAL THREAT TO THE PUBLIC. AND, FROM ALL THE FACTS PRESENTED TO HER AND THE INFORMATION, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SHOCKING POTENTIAL CRIME, OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE VERY BAD CONDITIONS FOR THE CHILDREN WHO WERE FOUND THERE, STARVING, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF BAD FACTS INVOLVED. THE ISSUE IS WHETHER THEY WERE AN ACTUAL THREAT TO THE PUBLIC. AND AS FAR AS WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN IN THE MEDIA, THE ONLY POTENTIAL THREAT THAT WE HAVE SEEN IS THAT THERE IS ALLEGATIONS THAT THE CHILDREN MAY HAVE BEEN GETTING SOME SORT OF TRAINING TO ENGAGE IN SOME SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS A CONCERN FOR THE PUBLIC BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE INFORMATION PRESENTED TO THE JUDGE DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A PUBLIC THREAT AND IT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS A VIOLENT CRIME, FOR EXAMPLE, OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A LOT OF CRIME IN NEW MEXICO IN GENERAL, BUT IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS THERE IS A SPECIFIC

CRIMINAL COMPONENT TO IT THAT IS VIOLENT. IN THIS SITUATION IT SEEMED VERY INTERNAL, THEY WERE VERY SEGREGATED, SEPARATED FROM THE PUBLIC AND HADN'T POSED A THREAT TO THE PUBLIC UP TO THAT POINT. TAKING ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, I THINK THE DEFENSE COUNSEL MADE A CREDIBLE ARGUMENT TO THE JUDGE ABOUT IT NOT RISING TO LEVEL OF PUBLIC THREAT AND BEING ABLE TO BE RELEASED ON BOND. >> IS THIS PART OF THE BELL REFORM THAT WENT INTO EFFECT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO HERE IN NEW MEXICO? >> THE BELL REFORM HAD MORE TO DO WITH SORT OF THIS IDEA OF THE REVOLVING DOOR WITH DEFENDANTS AND IT ISN'T EXACTLY THE SAME SITUATION, SO, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE ONE PERSON THAT WAS KEPT IN CUSTODY AND WASN'T LET OUT ON A SIGNATURE BOND, WHICH IS BASICALLY SIGNING FOR A BOND, BASICALLY, IF YOU VIOLATE THE TERMS OF THE BOND, THEN YOU DO END UP HAVING TO POTENTIALLY BE -- YOU'RE BASICALLY NOT ROUNDED UP BUT BROUGHT BACK INTO CUSTODY AND YOU POTENTIALLY FACE PAYMENT OF

THE BONDS IF YOU VIOLATE THE CONDITIONS. THE ONE PERSON THAT WAS KEPT UNDER CUSTODY AND IMPOSED A HIGHER BOND WAS THE PERSON THAT WAS CHARGED WITH A WARRANT FOR KIDNAPPING. SO, THAT RISES TO THE LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE JUDGE, YOU KNOW, INSURING HE NEEDED TO STAY IN CUSTODY BECAUSE OF THAT AND THERE IS EXTRADITION WITH REGARD TO GEORGIA BUT THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE PART OF THE COMPOUND, THEY DIDN'T HAVE CRIMINAL HISTORY, DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER THREAT, EVEN THOUGH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE ARE HEARING SOUNDS PRETTY EXTREME, THERE WASN'T REASON FOR THEM TO BE KEPT IN CUSTODY IN THE SAME WAY OR REQUIRED TO POST A BOND THE WAY THE OTHER DEFENDANT WAS. >> THERE IS ONE WOMAN WHO IS A CITIZEN OF HAITI HELD ON A DETAINER AS WELL AT IMMIGRATION. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS THE LAW, THERE IS A LOT OF PUBLIC OUTCRY THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THIS, THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RELEASED ON BOND. >> I THINK WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, NOWHERE IN THE CONSTITUTION IS THERE FACEBOOK. AND THIS STORY IS HORRIFYING BUT WHAT STRUCK ME WHEN IT

CAME OUT ON MONDAY I THOUGHT WHAT WAS THE DA DOING? AND WE SAW IN THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL TODAY ARTICLE, AND YESTERDAY THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL POSTED HER WRITTEN ORDER, AND SHE PRETTY MUCH CALLS OUT THE STATE, WHICH MEANS THE PROSECUTION, THE DA, FAILING TO -- ALLEGATIONS WERE MADE WITH NO SPECIFIC EVIDENCE, NO CHARGES OR PENDING CHARGES ARE INVOLVED RIGHT NOW WITH THE BODY OF A CHILD WHO WAS FOUND. AND YOU KNOW THIS IS JUST A PERFECT MEDIA STORM AND EVEN MAKING IT WORSE, THIS IS SWEEP'S MONTH, AUGUST, NEILSON RATINGS. SO, NEWS IS ALL OVER THIS AND IT IS NATIONALLY INTERESTING STORY. I THINK WHAT IS VERY IMPORTANT IS THE CHILDREN ARE SAFE. THE CHILDREN ARE IN CYFD CUSTODY AND NO PLANS TO ALLOW ANY OF THE PARENTS ANY SORT OF VISITATION AT THIS TIME. THE CHILD, THE BODY THAT WAS

FOUND, IS SO BADLY DECOMPOSED THAT IT MAY TAKE MANY, MANY WEEKS TO DETERMINE NOT JUST IDENTITY BUT CAUSE OF DEATH. AND THEN THESE OTHER EXTREME NOTIONS, I THINK, WE HAVE PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY ARE FROM OUT OF STATE, THEY ARE NOT WHITE, THEY ARE MUSLIM. AND WE HAVE ALSO COMPETING INVESTIGATIONS. THE FBI WAS AROUND THERE IN MAY. I THINK ANOTHER QUESTION IS THE FAMILY WAS SQUATTING ON A PROPERTY. THE PROPERTY OWNERS CONTACTED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN JANUARY AND SAID, PLEASE GO DEAL WITH THIS, YOU HAVE OUR PERMISSION TO ENTER OUR PROPERTY. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL AUGUST THAT THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. SO, I THINK THERE ARE JUST A LOT OF UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAVE CREATED THIS PERFECT MEDIA STORM. AND I HOPE NEW MEXICANS WILL LOOK BACK AND REMEMBER IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE CHILDREN ARE SAFE AND WE CAN'T HOLD PEOPLE FOR CRIMES THEY HAVEN'T

BEEN CHARGED WITH YET. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WEST LIVE OFF THE GRID, THEY CHOOSE TO. THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEMSELVES. THIS IS A BALANCE OF PRIVACY AND SAFETY FOR CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS. WHAT DO WE NEED TO TALK AND THINK ABOUT AS WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS STORY? >> NEW MEXICO HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PEOPLE WANTING TO WANTING TO HOME SCHOOL THEIR CHILDREN, PEOPLE WANTING TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF COMMUNITIES. I LIVED IN TORRANCE COUNTY FOR 15 YEARS, DURING THE 90'S AND I THINK AT ANY GIVEN POINT WE HAD OVER A DOZEN COMPOUNDS. PEOPLE PASSED THROUGH THERE. THERE WERE MILITIAS. THERE WERE WHITE CHRISTIAN COMPOUNDS. SO I THINK NEW MEXICO HAS TO COME INTO GRIPS WITH THAT HISTORY, RIGHT? EXCUSE ME. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO VERY FAR EVEN FROM THE CENTER OF ALBUQUERQUE TO FIND PEOPLE LIVING IN COMPOUNDS OFF THE

GRID. PAJARITO MESA, BERNARDO AREA. IT IS PART OF NEW MEXICO. BUT, SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY MISTAKES IN THIS CASE. SO WHICH CAUSED THIS FUROR OF PEOPLE TO COME OUT WITH THEIR TORCHES READY TO HANG THE JUDGE. >> LAW ENFORCEMENT AS MERRITT JUST MENTIONED, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WHY DIDN'T LAW ENFORCEMENT GO IN SOONER. ARE WE GETTING THE ANSWERS THAT WE NEED ON THAT RIGHT NOW? >> I THINK I HAVEN'T BEEN COVERING THE STORY DIRECTLY. FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD, THE SHERIFF UP THERE SAID THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD SEARCH WARRANT OR THINGS IN PLACE BEFORE THEY KIND OF WENT IN TOO QUICKLY AND MAYBE MIGHT HAVE CAUSED SOME LEGAL IMPLICATIONS IN THAT REGARD. I DO THINK WE ARE IN AN ERA WHERE PEOPLE WANT ANSWERS RIGHT AWAY, AND THERE IS STILL A LOT OF FACTS THAT HAVEN'T COME OUT IN THIS, THE AUTOPSY FOR THAT YOUNG BOY, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I DO THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE PATIENCE AS

THIS PLAYS OUT AND OBVIOUSLY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE RELEASED ON THE SIGNATURE BONDS, THESE CHARGES ARE STILL PENDING AND THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL CHARGES DOWN THE ROAD. >> AND LAURA, MERRITT MENTIONED OUT OF STATE, MUSLIM FOLKS AND NATIONAL MEDIA HAS REALLY BEEN HITTING ON THAT. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NATIONAL COVERAGE? >> YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO WATCH AND THERE IS JUST SO MUCH IT BECOMES AN ECHO CHAMBER FOR ME AT SOME POINT. WHAT IS UNUSUAL FOR US IS WE DON'T EXPECT IT TO REACH TO THE LEVEL OF NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL NEWS WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS IN OUR BACK YARD. AND I AGREE WITH WHAT CAROLYN IS SAYING. I DO THINK WE HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF GROUPS WANTING TO BE SEPARATE AND OFF THE GRID AND BE INSULAR IN THAT WAY. AND IT HASN'T BEEN NECESSARILY MUSLIM. IT HAS BEEN WHITE CHRISTIANS. SO THIS IS UNUSUAL AND PLAYS INTO, I THINK, A LOT OF THE FEARS THAT YOU HEAR NATIONALLY FROM SOME OF OUR POLITICAL LEADERS, UNFORTUNATELY, ABOUT EXTREMISTS, MUSLIMS, WITH AN

AGENDA. SO, I THINK, BECAUSE OF THAT NARRATIVE, THERE IS A LOT MORE FOCUS ON THIS. BUT, I THINK THE REALITY, TOO, AND SPEAKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ON THE ISSUE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A NEED TO GET SEARCH WARRANTS, OF COURSE. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY FOLLOW THE LAW IN ANYTHING THEY DO, BUT THE OTHER ISSUE TOO IS SAFETY ISSUE. I THINK THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ALSO NEEDS TO CONSIDER WHETHER, YOU KNOW, ROLLING IN, MOVING IN ON THEM TOO SOON WITHOUT HAVING MORE INFORMATION, MAYBE MORE SURVEILLANCE AND MORE EVIDENCE, COULD TURN INTO SOMETHING LIKE THE DAVID KORESH THING AND THE FBI AND RUBY RIDGE WHERE THERE WAS LOSS OF LIFE AS A RESULT OF THOSE ACTIONS. SO THEY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AND I THINK A BIG PART IS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ARE THEY JUST SORT OF LIVING SEPARATELY OR IS THERE ACTUAL DANGER INVOLVED AND BASED ON THEIR SURVEILLANCE, THE SURVEILLANCE THEY WERE ABLE TO DO, THERE WEREN'T CLEAR INDICATIONS THAT THERE WAS POTENTIALLY A LOSS OF LIFE OR A THREAT TO ANY OF THE CHILDREN OR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE. IT WASN'T UNTIL THEY RECEIVED ACTUALLY, MY UNDERSTANDING, A

TIP FROM THE MOM IN NEW YORK CITY WHO IS RELATED TO SOME OF THEM, SOMEHOW THEY WERE ABLE TO GET HIM A NOTE THAT SAID THEY WERE STARVING AND THAT IS REALLY THE EVIDENCE THAT ALLOWED THEM TO MOVE IN AND GET A SEARCH WARRANT AND DO ALL OF THAT. SO, IT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE. I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE A 24 HOUR NEWS CYCLE AND FACEBOOK AND EVERYTHING ELSE, PEOPLE JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS BUT IT IS SOMETHING THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LET THE LEGAL SYSTEM PLAY ITSELF OUT, THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ESPECIALLY FOR THAT JUDGE, SHE IS IN A DIFFICULT POSITION. CERTAINLY DIDN'T ASK FOR TO BE IN THAT ROLE OF HAVING TO CONSIDER BUT ALL SHE CAN DO IS CONSIDER THE EVIDENCE IN FRONT OF HER AND IF THE STATE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING SOLID OR WASN'T EVEN AT THE POINT WHERE THEY HAD CHARGES, THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH SHE CAN DO AT THAT POINT AND YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THOSE LIBERTIES. >> I HAVE BEEN REALLY INTERESTED AND READING SOME OF THE LESSONS FROM RUBY RIDGE, FROM THE WACO IN THE PAST YEAR. DO YOU THINK IT HAS CHANGED

HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HOW THE PUBLIC LOOKS AT THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS? >> WELL, I THINK ALSO THAT IS POSSIBLE AND ALSO, THOUGH, SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ARE SEEING -- IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK THERE IS A NEW SWAT SITUATION IN ALBUQUERQUE WITH BCSO OR APD SO WE KIND OF EXPECT LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COME IN WITH GUNS BLAZING AT ALL TIMES. TAOS IS A LOT SMALLER. IT HAS A MUCH SMALLER POLICE DEPARTMENT, MUCH SMALLER PROSECUTION -- DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. SO WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GET DONE, OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS. WE KNOW THE FBI HAS BEEN AROUND. I THINK LAURA'S POINT ABOUT BEING CAREFUL, PREVENTING LOSS OF LIFE, ONCE THEY WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING CONCRETE, CHILD ENDANGERMENT, THEY WENT IN AND GOT THE KIDS OUT, THE KIDS ARE SAFE. EVERYONE IS IMPATIENT BECAUSE OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE MORE EMERGING HORROR OUT OF THIS SITUATION, OUT OF THIS COMPOUND, BUT AS EVERYONE AT THE TABLE SAID, WE NEED TO HAVE PATIENCE AND LET THE

INVESTIGATION PLAY OUT, BECAUSE I THINK THIS WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. >> WHAT ARE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE NOT ANSWERED? >> I GUESS I DON'T HAVE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. I THINK THE COVERAGE THAT HAS COME OUT HAS BEEN PRETTY THOROUGH, WHAT HAS BEEN RELEASED. I GUESS ONE OF THE POINTS I DID KIND OF WANT TO MAKE WAS AS FAR AS THE GUNS AND THE KIDS LEARNING HOW TO USE GUNS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BE 11 YEARS OLD AND YOU CAN GO TAKE GUN SAFETY. AT 11 YEARS OLD, YOU CAN BE TRAINED TO SHOOT A GUN. SO, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO ME THE PUBLIC'S REACTION WAS A LITTLE -- LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE LAURA SAYS IS A LITTLE HARSH BECAUSE OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT FACTORS AND WE ARE FORGETTING THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, 11 YEAR OLDS CAN LEARN HOW TO SHOOT A GUN UNDER THE LAW. >> DO YOU THINK THE LOCAL COVERAGE HAS HAD A DIFFERENT TONE THAN THE NATIONAL COVERAGE ON THIS CASE? >> I THINK SO. >> HOW SO? >> THE NATIONAL COVERAGE IS

JUST REALLY PROPAGATING THE FEAR AND THE ETHNICITY AND THE CHILD ABUSE AND JUST THAT WHOLE THING. THEY ARE JUST REALLY HYPING THAT UP FOR FEAR. THEY ARE FORGETTING CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS, THEY PRAY OVER THEIR CHILDREN AND SOMETIMES THEY DIE. YOU KNOW, SO I THINK -- AND IT IS HARD FOR THE LOCAL MEDIA TO NOT KIND OF SEE THAT AND THEN SEE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE COME IN WITH THE PITCH FORKS, BASICALLY, SO, THE TAOS NEWS PEOPLE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB, YOU KNOW, BEING ON THE GROUND IN THE COMMUNITY BALANCING ALL OF THAT COMING IN ON A COMMUNITY THAT IS INCREDIBLY ECLECTIC WITH PEOPLE WHO GO THERE TO BE DIFFERENT. >> EXACTLY. >> WE WILL LEAVE IT THERE. WE HAVE A LINK TO THAT TOPIC COVERAGE ON OUR WEBSITE. WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE LINE, WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT IS NEW THIS >> FOLKS, I THINK, ARE KIND OF

TURNED OFF BY MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUND, SPENDING $28 ON A SHOT OF WHISKEY AND THAT CAN LEAD TO DISENCHANTMENT ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RECENT HISTORY IN NEW MEXICO SOME OF THE PUBLIC >> LA ENTRADA AND THE SANTA FE FIESTA IS OVER. PROTESTS BY LOCAL INDIGENOUS LEADERS IN RECENT YEARS HIGHLIGHTED HISTORICAL INACCURACIES IN THE PERFORMANCE AND BROUGHT SIMMERING TENSION ABOUT THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF SANTA FE TO THE SURFACE OF EVERYDAY CONVERSATION. IT'S NOT YET CLEAR WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT, IF THE PERFORMANCE TAKES PLACE AWAY FROM THE PLAZA OR IF FIESTA ORGANIZERS WILL FURTHER CURTAIL THE SCHOOL VISIT AFTER THE BOARD OF EDUCATION LIMITED APPROVED APPEARANCES LAST MONTH. THIS WEEK WE CHECK IN WITH FORMER STATE HISTORIAN WHO WAS PART OF THE DISCUSSION TO END THE ENTRADA. CORRESPONDENT MATT GRUBS HAS >> ESTEVAN RAEL-GALVEZ IS AN AUTHOR, HISTORIAN, CONSULTANT

AND ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT GUY TO BE AT THIS TABLE RIGHT NOW. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> BEFORE WE GET INTO THE FIESTA, THE ENTRADA, I WANTED TO START MORE BROADLY AND YOU SHARED WITH US A PIECE, WHICH WE'LL SHARE ONLINE, WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF HUNGER FOR MEMORY AND THIRST FOR JUSTICE. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THOSE TWO PHRASES, WHAT ARE YOU GETTING AT THERE? >> I THINK OF THE CORE VALUES THAT REALLY RAISE ME UP IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AND MY PARENTS, MY GRANDMOTHER WHO OF CURIOSITY, IMAGINATION, BUT ALSO REALLY TRYING TO TELL FULLER STORIES, RIGHT? TO TRY AND BRING IN ALL PERSPECTIVES. AND FOR ME, I HAVE COMMITTED MY LIFE TO THAT REALLY WORKING IN THE FIELD OF HISTORY AND ANTHROPOLOGY BUT IT IS BROADER TO ACTUALLY BRING IN MULTIPLE VOICES. SO, FOR ME, I THINK OF EDUARDO GALEANO'S QUOTE, MEMORY DOESN'T CONTEMPLATE HISTORY,

IT INVITES US TO MAKE IT. SO IT IS AN ACTIVE PROCESS. RIGHT? IT IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF GOING INTO ARCHIVE AND GOING THROUGH THE DOCUMENTS BUT ACTUALLY TO WHAT USE COULD WE PLACE THIS AND THAT IS THE THIRST FOR JUSTICE. IT IS ABOUT EQUITIES, PLACING THAT AS A CORE VALUE AT THE HEART OF THE WORK THAT I DO AS A HISTORIAN. >> IF WE LACK MEMORY IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, DOES THAT IN THE WAY HISTORY IS TOLD? >> MEMORY IS A COMPLICATED THING. IT IS NOT ONLY THE LACK OR THE ERASURE, THE STEERING OF MEMORY, BUT IT IS ALSO THE MYTHOLOGY THAT STARTS TO FRAME MEMORY. SO, IT CAN BE -- IT CAN BE A FRAGMENT, A COMPONENT OF HOW WE START TO THINK ABOUT THE PAST. WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT MEMORY. >> HOW FAR BACK ARE THOSE MEMORIES IMPORTANT? HOW ARE THEY INFORMING US, THE MEMORY OF OUR GRANDPARENTS OR THEIR PARENTS.

>> WELL, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION AND SO IT DOES VERY MUCH FRAME THE PRESENT MOMENT HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR SENSE OF BEING IN THE WORLD. SO, THOSE MEMORIES ARE OFTEN PASSED DOWN EVEN PERHAPS IN GENETIC MEMORY BUT THEY ARE CERTAINLY PASSED DOWN IN STORIES FROM PARENTS OR AUNTS AND UNCLES FROM A LARGER KINSHIP NETWORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. BUT, I THINK THEY ALSO HAVE INHERITED THOSE MEMORIES FROM THEIR PARENTS SO IT PASSES FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. TO THE QUESTION OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, IT FRAMES OUR SENSE OF BEING IN THE WORLD AND ALSO ALLOWS US TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE. >> AND I WOULD IMAGINE REALLY GETS AT YOUR SENSE OF IDENTITY. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE BELONG, THAT SORT OF THING. >> ABSOLUTELY. HOW WE ARE CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER.

SO, MEMORY, IF YOU LOOK AT IT AS A STORY, IT IS A STORY THAT WE TELL ABOUT THE PAST. AND, SO, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL STORY, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE CONNECTED TO THE PAST AND HOW WE ARE CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE PRESENT. >> THAT IS A GOOD PLACE TO SORT OF TRANSITION HERE TO HOW THIS ALL FITS IN IN SANTA FE WHERE THE FIESTA WILL BE CELEBRATED OR FIESTAS WILL BE CELEBRATED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND WE NORMALLY HAVE HAD THE ENTRADA. FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FROM SANTA FE, WHO MAY NOT KNOW WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, JUST DESCRIBE THAT EVENT FOR US, IF YOU COULD. >> WELL, SO, THE ENTRADA OR FIESTA, SO THE FIESTA CULMINATES, IT IS ACTUALLY A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT BEGAN IN JUNE WITH A SELECTION OF THE ROYAL COURT AND THE PERSON WHO IS PORTRAYING DEVARGAS AND IT INVOLVES A WHOLE SET OF RELIGIOUS EVENTS THAT ARE TIED TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. IT ALL CULMINATES IN SEPTEMBER

WHEN A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM A DOG PARADE TO A HYSTERICAL PARADE, TO A CONVENING AND GATHERING OF COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT, ONE EVENT CELEBRATED SINCE 1911 THERE ARE COMPONENTS OF IT THAT CERTAINLY STARTED IN 1893 BUT SINCE 1911 AN EVENT HAS BEEN CELEBRATED AS PART OF FIESTAS THAT IS KNOWN AS LA ENTRADA. POPULARLY. IT HAS ESSENTIALLY BEEN A PAGEANT THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER THAT COMMEMORATES DIEGO DEVARGAS' RECONQUEST OF SANTA FE IN 1692. SO, IT IS VERY FOCUSED ON THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT IN 1692. SO IT DOESN'T -- THE CRITIQUE INCLUDING WHAT I HAVE TRIED TO

DO IS CONTEXTUALIZE THAT MOMENT AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CAME INTO BEING, BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT EVERYTHING THAT LED UP TO 1692 AND EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWED, INCLUDING THE 1680 PUEBLO REVOLT, AND EVEN A REVOLT THAT FOLLOWED IN 1697. SO, BUT THE ENTRADA, AS WE HAVE KNOWN IT, FOCUSES ON THAT SINGULAR MOMENT CELEBRATING THE RECONQUEST. >> IT LOOKS LIKE THE WAY A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT HAPPENED. OLD PHOTO FROM, I THINK, 1921, THAT SAID AS IT HAPPENED IN 1692. YOUR RESEARCH, THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, INDICATES THAT IT ISN'T. THIS IS SORT OF A REIMAGINING OF THE WAY IT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. >> IT IS. IT WAS AS MANY PAGEANTS WERE BEING INVENTED CERTAINLY IN THE EARLY 1900'S AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, CITIES WERE

STARTING TO CELEBRATE FOUNDER'S DAY AND IT WAS THE THING TO DO, TO COMMEMORATE FOUNDERS OR SETTLEMENT AND YOU SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF PAGEANTS. AND, SO, IT WAS AN IMAGINING. IT WAS A COMPLETELY WHOLE IMAGINED EVENT. IN FACT, THE HISTORIAN KARL MONTGOMERY FROM SANTA FE WOULD WRITE ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF IT WAS SPANISH, CATHOLIC MEMORY, COMBINED WITH ANGLO CONTRIVANCE IS HOW HE DESCRIBED HOW THE EVENT WAS STARTED IN 1911. >> THE IDEA BEING IF YOU WERE A TOWN OF NOTE YOU NEEDED ONE OF THESE PAGEANTS TO SHOW PEOPLE WHO YOU WERE, WHERE YOU DREW YOUR HISTORY, THE PEOPLE IN POWER DID. >> THAT IS HOW IT WAS FRAMED FOR SURE, BUT PART OF THE IMPETUS BEHIND IT, AS WE PULL BACK THE LAYERS, IT WAS A TOURISM DRIVEN COMPONENT.

SANTA FE WANTED MORE TOURISM DOLLARS, WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DRAW MORE PEOPLE IN, SO THEY START TO PULL TOGETHER THIS NOTION OF LA ENTRADA WHICH WAS ALSO HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME AS THE INVENTION OF SPANISH SENSE OF IDENTITY. SO, ALL OF HISTORY WAS BEING REIMAGINED IN THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT AND NOT JUST IN NEW MEXICO. IN MANY PLACES BUT CERTAINLY IN SANTA FE. >> IT HAS THE IDEA OF CONQUEST AT SORT OF THE HEART OF IT, AS MUCH HISTORY DOES. THIS ISN'T JUST HISPANIC HISTORY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, PICK YOUR GROUP. YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND IT, I WOULD IMAGINE. THE LAST FEW YEARS, THAT HAS REALLY BECOME A MORE PITCHED POINT OF CONTENTION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT, LOOK, THIS ISN'T THE WAY IT HAPPENED. AND MAYBE FURTHER THIS ISN'T HOW YOU SHOULD BE CELEBRATING

IT. AS WE SORT OF LEAD UP TO 2018, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS BEING THE DRIVERS OF THIS OPPOSITION AND FOR WHATEVER REASON THE REASON THAT IT GAINED TRACTION? >> WELL, SO, ONE OF THE THINGS -- I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST YEAR TRYING TO CONTEXTUALIZE NOT JUST THIS EVENT BUT OTHER FIESTAS IN NEW MEXICO, INCLUDING THE ESPANOLA FIESTA AND OTHER SYMBOLS OF COLONIALISM AND IMPERIALISM. AS YOU START TO LOOK AT THIS, IT WASN'T -- THE RESISTANCE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST FEW YEARS ACTUALLY HAS A HISTORY AS WELL. THERE WAS A RESISTANCE IN THE 1960'S, 1962, IF I REMEMBER, THAT CAME FROM THE ALL PUEBLO COUNCIL OF GOVERNORS, ALSO IN THE 1970'S. AN INCREDIBLE FILM, GATHERING UP AGAIN, WAS DONE BY DIANE REYNA IN 1992, SO THERE HAVE BEEN CYCLES OF INDIVIDUALS AND

ORGANIZATION RESPONDING TO FIESTA IN CRITICAL WAYS, SAYING NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS EVENT MORE CRITICALLY, NOT ONLY DOES IT HAVE TO END, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY IN MORE TRUTHFUL WAYS. SO THERE HAVE BEEN A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT HAVE LED US TO THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT. >> SO, 2018, WE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE FIESTA COUNCIL, CABALLEROS DEVARGAS, WHO ACTUALLY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTRADA -- WHO AM I MISSING -- PUEBLO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND CITY OF SANTA FE HAVE ALL GOTTEN TOGETHER AND DECIDED THE ENTRADA WILL NO LONGER LOOK THE WAY IT LOOKED AND MAY NOT EVEN HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC ANYMORE. CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY RUN DOWN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR. >> WELL, THAT IS STILL IN PROCESS. AND IT IS A DELICATE PROCESS.

THESE TYPE OF TRANSFORMATIONS, AS I THINK ABOUT OTHER NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE FOCUSED ON TRUTH, RACIAL HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION OR RECONCILIATION MOVEMENTS, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ONES ARE THOSE THAT YOU ALLOW TO GESTATE. THEY ARE PART OF A LONGER PROCESS AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF THIS. I THINK THAT WE ARE IN SUCH A PIVOTAL MOMENT RIGHT NOW AND I ATTRIBUTE THAT LARGELY TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GROUPS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED. AND, IT IS IN PROCESS, RIGHT? TO THE DIRECT QUESTION OF WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE, THIS IS STILL BEING WORKED ON AT THIS MOMENT. AND I REALLY CAN'T SAY BUT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO CAN REALLY SPEAK TO THAT IN A WAY THAT I THINK WILL BE REVEALED AS WE START TO MOVE FORWARD. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN 2018. IT IS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR,

REALLY, BUT IT CERTAINLY, AS WE PROGRESS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, TO SEE HOW WE START TO THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS, I THINK THE ENTRADA IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IN TERMS OF HOW WE START TO THINK ABOUT THESE OTHER SYMBOLS INCLUDING ISSUES OF IDENTITY, HOW PEOPLE IDENTIFY. THAT IS PART OF IT. >> OKAY. YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CERTAINLY WHEN IT STARTS TO LOOK BAD FOR ENOUGH PEOPLE SOMETHING GETS DONE. DO YOU THINK THAT IF THINGS GO WELL, THINGS GO SMOOTHLY THIS YEAR, AND AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THERE IS MAY NOT BE THE ENTRADA, AS WE KNOW IT, THE ACTUAL PROCESSION FROM THE BASILICA TO THE PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS. IF THINGS GO SMOOTHLY WITH THAT, IS THERE A DANGER IT WILL KIND OF STOP HERE? DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP PUSHING, I SAY, YOU, BUT GENERALLY THE COMMUNITY, DO THEY HAVE TO

KEEP PUSHING ON THIS? >> WELL, THE ENTRADA IS ONLY ONE OF THE MULTIPLE MANIFESTATIONS AS I STARTED TO DISCOVER, STARTED CERTAINLY TO WRITE ABOUT MULTIPLE MANIFESTATIONS OF HISTORIC TRAUMA IN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND IN THE REGION. SO, I THINK WE ARE LIVING IN A REALLY INTERESTING MOMENT, CERTAINLY AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WHERE COMMUNITIES ARE PUSHING FOR MORE TRUTHFUL HISTORIES. PUSHING ORGANIZATIONS TO TELL THE TRUTH MORE AND I SEE IT AS A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX. IN NEW MEXICO, IT IS ABOUT NOT JUST PULLING BACK THE LAYERS BUT IT IS ABOUT RAISING CONSCIOUSNESS INTERNALLY WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES. AND ACTUALLY, I HAVE SAID THAT PRIDE IN BEING HISPANIC, PRIDE IN BEING NATIVE AMERICAN, IN ANY OF THESE CULTURES AND COMMUNITIES SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON A STORY OF DOMINANCE. SO, TO THE EXTENT THAT A STORY

GETS TOLD, WHETHER IN A MEMORIAL OR IN EVENTS LIKE THE ENTRADA GETS PUSHED TO THE FOREFRONT LIKE THAT, THE COMMUNITY SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERT PRESSURE ON THAT. HOWEVER, THE MORE COMPLEX NOTION IS TO REALLY RAISE CONSCIOUSNESS AND POINT TO THE FACT THAT BEING HISPANIC HAS LIKE THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF COMPLEX BEAUTY IN THE ARCHITECTURE, IN THE LITERATURE. AND IT IS FINDING AND RECOVERING THOSE STORIES THAT I THINK ARE GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROCESS MOVING FORWARD. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT NEW MEXICO AND FROM READING SOME OF YOUR WORK, I GATHER MAY GET IN THE WAY, IS THE IDEA WE ARE A TRI-CULTURAL SOCIETY. YOU HAVE SORT OF RAILED AGAINST THE IDEA OF BINARY CHOICES. HERE IS ONE WHERE YOU HAVE A TRI-CULTURAL SOCIETY BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE STILL THERE IS

SOMETHING MISSING FROM THERE, THAT THAT DOESN'T CATCH THE FULL PICTURE OF WHAT NEW MEXICO CULTURE AND SOCIETY IS. HOW ONE SORT OF MESHES WITH THE OTHER. >> I AM A REAL BIG CRITIC OF TRI-CULTURAL, WHAT I CALL MYTHOLOGY AND THERE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN OTHER SCHOLARS, SYLVIO RODRIGUEZ AND OTHERS, WHO HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS MUCH MORE THAN I HAVE, BUT IT EXCLUDES WHOLE CULTURES, RIGHT? AND MAYBE IT IS JUST HUMAN FOR US TO WANT TO HAVE LITTLE BOXES TO UNDERSTAND THINGS, TO MAKE IT TRI-CULTURAL INSTEAD OF COMPLEX CULTURAL, RIGHT? WE WANTED TO DEFINE IT IN SIMPLE TERMS BUT THE TRI-CULTURAL MYTHOLOGY IN NEW MEXICO EXCLUDES WHOLE GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT PART OF THAT TRI-CULTURAL SPHERE WHICH IS TO SAY ANGLO, SPANISH, NATIVE AMERICAN. THAT IS WHAT THE TRI-CULTURAL MYTHOLOGY OR NARRATIVES TELL, BUT, WHERE IS THE AFRICAN

PRESENCE WITHIN THAT? WHERE IS THE JAPANESE PRESENCE WITHIN THAT, RIGHT? SO, THERE ARE WHOLE GROUPS EXCLUDED SO THAT IS A PROBLEM. IT ALSO CONFLATES GROUPS AS IF THE NATIVE AMERICAN CATEGORY AS IF TO BE DINAI NAVAJO IS THE SAME AS BEING ISLETA PUEBLO. YOU WOULD NEVER DO THAT WITH EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. WE WOULD NEVER SAY TO BE FRENCH AND GERMAN IS THE SAME, SO, WHY WOULD WE ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN HERE. IT ALSO ERASES THE MIXTURE THAT HAS HAPPENED BETWEEN THESE GROUPS OVER TIME. I AM A BIG CRITIC OF THE TRI-CULTURAL MYTHOLOGY BECAUSE IDENTITY IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DESCRIBE. SO, I PREFER LET'S TELL A STORY ABOUT WHAT IDENTITY IS INSTEAD AND THAT BRINGS OUT THE COMPLEXITIES. >> AS IT RELATES TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LEAVE HERE TODAY WHEN I WALK OUT OF THE STUDIO, I STILL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT

THIS SUBJECT. BUT, I'LL STILL JUST BE A WHITE GUY FROM MINNESOTA AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR HISTORY AND YOU'RE PERSPECTIVE. WHAT DO YOU SAY OR THINK IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO JOLT OURSELVES OUT OF THAT PERSPECTIVE, TO CATCH OURSELVES WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES THINKING IN THE SAME WAY ABOUT SOMETHING? >> TO BE CRITICAL, TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO INVITE, CREATE CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE CREATE OPENINGS AND NOT CLOSINGS. FOR ME, EVEN THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH, IT IS NOT ABOUT BURNING IT DOWN, IT IS ABOUT BUILDING BRIDGES. TO ME BUILDING BRIDGES IS INVITING STORIES. I WANT TO KNOW, MATT, TELL ME ABOUT MINNESOTA. I HAVE WORKED WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES FROM MINNESOTA, YOU KNOW, AND FROM ALL THESE PLACES SO I WOULD WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT -- IT IS NOT JUST, AS YOU SAID, A WHITE GUY FROM MINNESOTA. THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY THAN I SUSPECT THAN THAT

PHRASE CONVEYS. SAME IS TRUE OF NEW MEXICO. SO, WHEN WE HAVE THESE ENCOUNTERS, WHEN WE'RE TALK TO PEOPLE, LEAN IN, LISTEN, ASK QUESTIONS. LET'S DO IN A RESPECTFUL WAY SO IT DOESN'T SHUT THE CONVERSATION DOWN BUT INSTEAD OPENS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO TELL MORE STORIES. >> THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND DOING JUST THAT TODAY. >> THANK YOU MATT. APPRECIATE IT. >> YOU BET. >> WELCOME BACK TO THE LINE. IT WAS A BIG WEEK IN POLITICAL NEWS ACROSS THE STATE. FORMER GOVERNOR GARY JOHNSON ANNOUNCED HE WILL RUN FOR SENATE AS A LIBERTARIAN. HE RAN FOR PRESIDENT AS LIBERTARIAN NOMINEE IN 2016 STORIES THAT CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION THIS WEEK. DAN BOYD START WITH YOU, JOHNSON'S ANNOUNCEMENT, IS THIS A SURPRISE? >> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SURPRISE A FEW MONTHS AGO. WE HAVE BEEN HEARING RUMOR WAS A SURPRISE THAT HE FINALLY DECIDED TO ENTER THE CASE.

I THINK HE SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPLACE ANOTHER CANDIDATE, AUBREY DUNN ON THE BALLOT, SO HE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SIGNATURES AND PETITIONS AND I THINK HE KIND OF SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK INTO THE POLITICAL SCENE AND IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND IT KIND OF MAKES THE RACE MORE INTERESTING EVEN THOUGH IT DOES FEATURE THE INCUMBENT MARTIN HEINRICH WHO IS PROBABLY STILL THE FAVORITE IN THE RACE BUT ANY TIME YOU HAVE SOMEONE LIKE GARY JOHNSON, A FORMER GOVERNOR, IT LIVENS THINGS UP AND ESPECIALLY WITH HIM RUNNING AS A LIBERTARIAN, A THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE. >> CAROLYN, SOMETIMES THOSE THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES PUSH ISSUES AND CHANGE THE CONVERSATION IN THE RACE. DO YOU SEE THAT HAPPENING HERE? >> DEFINITELY, I THINK IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THE RACE. HEINRICH HAS TO STEP UP AND MAYBE IT IS A SLAM DUNK BUT AT LEAST NOW HE HAS ANOTHER VOICE HE HAS TO ANSWER, SO I THINK IT WILL BE GOOD. >> MERRITT, WE KEEP HEARING MORE AND MORE NEW MEXICANS, ESPECIALLY YOUNGER NEW MEXICANS ARE REGISTERING AS INDEPENDENTS AND ARE WILLING TO HEAR FROM DIFFERENT

PARTIES. IS THIS A SIGN OF THINGS CHANGES IN 2018. >> ABSOLUTELY. I THINK EVERYONE AGREES BIGGEST IMPACT IS ON THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE. NEW MEXICO REPUBLICANS HAVE NOT BEEN WELL ORGANIZED FOR A LONG TIME. AND, IT IS FRACTIOUS, IT IS DIVIDED. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE LIBERTARIAN SPLIT OFF TO ME IS KIND OF LIKE REPUBLICAN REFUGEES. SO, I THINK IT IS AN INTERESTING TREND IN BEING ABLE TO FIELD A CANDIDATE WHO HAS RUN AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, KNOWS HOW TO CAMPAIGN AND WILL BE AN INTERESTING LESSON FOR OTHER FOLKS AND WHILE IT MAY NOT BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS RACE I THINK WE'LL GIVE GRAVITAS TO THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY. AND I DEFINITELY SEE IN THE EAST MOUNTAINS AND BEYOND ESTANCIA VALLEY, HOUSE DISTRICT 50, WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT RUNNING AGAINST AN INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT WITH NO REPUBLICAN. THAT RACE IS MUCH MORE INTERESTING BECAUSE IT IS A TWO PERSON RACE. SO, I THINK WE CAN BE MORE PREDICTABLE ABOUT VOTE COUNTING. NUMBERS ARE VERY INTERESTING AS I SEE APPLEWHITE, WHO IS WORKING HARD AND VERY CREDIBLE

CANDIDATE, HE NEEDS TO TURN ABOUT 1000 DEMOCRAT VOTES IN HIS DISTRICT. I THINK HE CAN PULL IT OFF. >> I THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE -- LIBERTARIANS ARE ON THE BALLOTS THIS YEAR AS A MAJOR PARTY BECAUSE OF THE 2016 ELECTIONS AND PEOPLE EXPECTED MORE OF A SHOWING FROM LIBERTARIANS THIS YEAR. HAS IT BEEN A LITTLE UNDERWHELMING? >> FOR NEW MEXICO, NO. I AM IMPRESSED THEY HAD A CONVENTION. I THOUGHT THAT WAS TREMENDOUS. AND REPUBLICANS -- I FEEL REPUBLICANS IN NEW MEXICO HAD GOTTEN VERY WELL ORGANIZED TO THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO PICK UP THE HOUSE IN 2014. UNFORTUNATELY THAT WASN'T ABLE TO BE SUSTAINED AND I THINK IT IS A GOOD GROUND SWELL. >> LAURA, DO YOU THINK LIBERTARIANS ARE CHANGING THE POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS HERE AND HAVING IMPACTS. >> I THINK GARY JOHNSON IS GOING TO. I AM NOT SURE LIBERTARIANS, THE PARTY, ARE GOING TO. I HAVE THIS ARGUMENT WITH MY HUSBAND ALL THE TIME BECAUSE HE DOESN'T LIKE THE TWO-PARTY HAVE, SO HE THINKS IT IS

IMPORTANT TO HAVE OTHER OPTIONS. HE IS REGISTERED DECLINE TO STATE AND SO I THINK HE REPRESENTS A GROWING GROUP OF PEOPLE, THOUGH, THAT DON'T WANT TO AFFILIATE WITH A SINGLE PARTY AND I THINK THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY AS A PARTY COULD POTENTIALLY DRAW SOME OF THESE PEOPLE IN, BUT I AGREE WITH MERRITT, I THINK AT LEAST AT THE SENATE RACE, IT IS MORE OF AN ISSUE FOR THE REPUBLICAN THAT IS IN THE RACE. THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO FIND VOTES THAT COME ACROSS. I THINK THAT IT IS EXTREMELY LATE FOR SOMEBODY TO JUMP INTO A RACE. WE ARE ONLY TWO-AND-A-HALF MONTHS OUT AT THIS POINT FROM THE ELECTION AND TO BE ABLE TO RAISE THE MONEY TO GET ON TV AND DO ALL THOSE THINGS, TO REACH VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIKELY WILL HAVE ALREADY VOTED AND KNOW WHO THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR, IS DIFFICULT. I THINK, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FOR MARTIN HEINRICH IT GIVES HIM A REASON TO RAISE MONEY WHICH HE HASN'T BEEN DOING AS MUCH. THERE WAS A LOT MORE ATTENTION ON THE OTHER CANDIDATES IN THE RACES, OTHER POSITIONS. SO, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HIM START TO SORT OF TURN THAT UP

A LOT HIGHER. BUT ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT MARTIN HEINRICH, HE PLAYED IN THE PRIMARY IN A WAY THAT AFFECTED HIM BECAUSE HE ACTUALLY ENDORSED VENEKLASEN IN THE STATE LAND OFFICE RACE IN THE PRIMARY AND THAT MADE A LOT OF DEMOCRATS UNHAPPY WITH HIM, PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPPORTING GARCIA RICHARDS AND SUPPORTING GEORGE MUNOS AND FELT LIKE HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THAT RACE WAS UNNECESSARY AND HE HAD PERSONAL CONNECTION TO VENEKLASEN AS WELL AS A VALUES BASED CONNECTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT IT MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE UNHAPPY AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT TRANSLATES INTO VOTES FOR JOHNSON BUT I THINK HE'LL PICK UP MORE VOTES THAN WE EXPECT PROBABLY. >> WE ALSO A DEMOCRATIC EX-GOVERNOR JERRY APODACA, FATHER OF FORMER GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE JEFF APODACA, ENDORSED REPUBLICAN STEVE PEARCE. WHAT YOU DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT ANNOUNCEMENT? >> IT IS HUGELY DISAPPOINTING MOVE FOR A FORMER GOVERNOR TO DO AND I THINK IT IS JUST PERSONAL POLITICS AT ITS WORST.

I DON'T SEE ANY DEMOCRAT CERTAINLY STAUNCH DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO SUDDENLY GO FOR PEARCE BECAUSE OF APODACA. I THINK IT IS SADLY A REFLECTION OF THE APODACA CAMPAIGN NOT BEING ABLE TO MEND FENCES AFTER A VERY DIFFICULT PRIMARY. HE TOOK A VERY AGGRESSIVE STANCE AGAINST MICHELLE LUJAN-GRISHAM. THEY HAD A LOT OF THE MONEY AND A LOT OF THE SUPPORT VERY EARLY ON AND IT WAS LOOKING LIKE SHE WOULD END UP WINNING OUT OF THE PRIMARY AND THEY DID VERY LITTLE TO TRY TO MEND FENCES AFTERWARDS AND, IN GENERAL, BOTH PARTIES TRY TO MEND FENCES AFTER THE FACT AND YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS SORT OF OUTCOME. I DON'T THINK IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE EXCEPT IT MAKES THEM LOOK LIKE THEY ARE NOT GOOD DEMOCRATS. THEY ARE JUST NOT HOLDING ON TO THEIR CORE BELIEFS ABOUT BEING A DEMOCRAT. THEY ARE WILLING TO JUMP SHIP AND GO TO REPUBLICANS. >> HAVE YOU HEARD REACTIONS TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT? >> I HAVE. I HAVE HEARD SIMILAR TO WHAT

LAURA SAID. THERE IS DEFINITELY FACTIONS AND ALSO WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC. THIS SHOULD BE GOOD YEAR FOR DEMOCRATS GIVEN THE NATIONAL MOOD AND KIND OF THE TAIL WIND BUT I THINK THERE ARE ISSUES LIKE THAT. DIVIDES WITHIN THE PARTY. AND ALSO FOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, SHE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE AMENDS WITH CERTAIN -- APODACA FACTION AND OTHERS AND YOU HAVE THE BERNIE SANDERS FOLLOWERS, WHO WALKED IN TO FOLLOW MORE MODERATE DEMOCRATS. CERTAINLY IN THE LEGISLATURE YOU DO SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEMOCRATS BUT I DO THINK IF MICHELLE WERE TO WIN, HAVING A DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE AND A GOVERNOR, THAT YOU WOULD SEE MORE OF THOSE SPLITS IN THE LEGISLATURE. >> MERRITT, PERSONAL POLITICS ARE CROSSING THE AISLE? >> WHAT POLITICS AREN'T PERSONAL? AND WHAT I SEE IS, YEAH, THERE IS CERTAINLY FACTION ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, DEMOCRATS, NEW MEXICO, ARE NOT SEEING A FRACTURE YET BUT A FISSURE

BETWEEN TRADITIONAL LONG TIME NEW MEXICAN DEMOCRATS, JOHN ARTHUR SMITH AND MARY KAY PAPIN, AND MORE KIND OF NEW GENERATION OF DEMOCRATS WHO MAY BE MORE PROGRESSIVE, BRIAN EGOLF AND SEE TOO, I THINK, WHAT I WOULD CALL PRO BUSINESS DEMOCRATS. LOSING THE PRIMARY, DEBBIE RODELLA AND KARL TRUJILLO, I THINK THAT IS AN INDICATOR THAT ALSO SOME OF THE MORE MODERATE DEMOCRATIC FACTIONS MAY NOT BE HAPPY WITH THE DIRECTION THE PARTY IS GOING. IT IS GOING TO THE LEFT. >> ANDREA ROMERO, WHO IS RUNNING IN DISTRICT 46, THE INCUMBENT, REPRESENTATIVE, CARL TRUJILLO IN THE PRIMARY, THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN REPORTED THAT AN AUDIT OF THE REGIONAL COALITION -- LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORIES COMMUNITIES FOUND IMPROPER EXPENDITURE PAYMENTS INCLUDING TO HER AS FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. DO YOU THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE A BIG DEAL IN THAT RACE? >> I THINK THE BIGGEST DEAL IS GOING TO BE FOR RCLC AND THIS COULD BE THE END OF THE RCLC

AND THE PROBLEM IS THE REGIONAL COALITION OF GOVERNMENTS AROUND LOS ALAMOS NEVER HAD A STRONG ENOUGH CHARTER. WHEN YOU HAVE FUNDING WITHOUT A REALLY STRONG CHARTER OR ORGANIZATION, IT IS HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON. I DON'T THINK THAT EXCUSES THE BEHAVIOR AND COULD BE A PROBLEM FOR THE RACE BUT MY HOPE IS IT IS ALSO THE END OF THE RCLC. >> I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE LOCAL, THE STATE-WIDE RACES AND I AM WONDERING IF VOTERS ARE EXCITED FOR THIS 2018 MIDTERM. WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF IT RIGHT NOW? >> WELL, MY CONTACT IS MORE ARE MORE THE YOUNGER READERS AND YOU SEE A LOT OF EXCITEMENT TO GET READY, TO GET VOTED AND GET OUT THERE, BUT YOU ALSO SEE WHY AND I DON'T LIKE ANY OF THESE CANDIDATES. >> I THINK WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO AS POLITICAL PARTIES TO REALLY REACH OUT TO BRING IN THOSE VOTERS AND BRING THEM

TOGETHER. I DON'T TALK TO A LOT OF GROWN UPS ABOUT VOTING BECAUSE I AM MORE FOCUSED ON THE YOUNG PEOPLE BUT I DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO BRING THEM TOGETHER. >> DAN, MIDTERMS USUALLY TURN OUT A LITTLE LOWER. DO YOU THINK 2018 WILL BE DIFFERENT? >> I THINK IT WILL BE LOWER. IT IS NOT A PRESIDENTIAL RACE. I DO THINK WITH THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, A CONTESTED ONE AND NOW A NEW SENATE RACE -- I DO THINK, THIS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THE RCLC ISSUE. FOLKS GET TURNED OFF BY MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, SPENDING $28 ON A SHOT OF WHISKEY, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I THINK CAN LEAD TO DISENCHANTMENT ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RECENT HISTORY IN NEW MEXICO OF SOME OF THE PUBLIC CORRUPTION CASES SO THERE WILL BE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ON THE BALLOT TO CREATE A NEW STATE ETHICS COMMISSION AND KIND OF RESTORING PUBLIC TRUST A LITTLE BIT, GET MORE PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE, IT WAS A PRETTY HIGH TURN OUT FOR THE PRIMARIES.

WE'LL SEE. I THINK IT COULD BE DECENT TURNOUT BUT NOT EXPECTING A HUGE WAVE OF VOTERS. >> ARE FOLKS EXCITED ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AND OTHER RACES. >> TRADITIONALLY CAMPAIGNS DON'T GET STARTED UNTIL AFTER LABOR DAY. IT HAS BEEN EXTENDED MORE AND MORE EVERY YEAR, IT SEEMS LIKE RECENTLY. SO I THINK WE ARE STILL IN THE SUMMER, WHATEVER IT IS, GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND PEOPLE AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION AS MUCH AS PERHAPS THEY WILL, BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A CONTESTED GUBERNATORIAL RACE NOW WITH THE CONTESTED SENATE RACE, I MEAN, WHETHER YOUR PRO JOHNSON OR NOT, HAVING HIM IN THE RACE ADDS SOME EXCITEMENT TO THAT PARTICULAR CASE. I THINK YOU'LL SEE MORE PEOPLE POTENTIALLY VOTING. THEY DON'T GENERATE AS MUCH EXCITEMENT AS A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BUT WE HAVE ALSO SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY A WAVE OF PEOPLE GOING TO THE POLLS MORE AND MORE BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND YOU MAY SEE SOME OF THAT

AS WELL SO THERE WILL BE SOME COATTAILS WITH SORT OF ANTI-TRUMP SORT OF SENTIMENT BUT ALSO THE TOP TWO CANDIDATES, PEARCE AND LUJAN-GRISHAM, ARE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF HAVING PEOPLE COME TO THE POLLS. >> MERRITT, YOU MENTIONED THAT DISTRICT 50 RACE. SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING. DO YOU THINK SOME OF THOSE FOLKS IN THE RACES WILL GET PEOPLE EXCITED WHEN MEETING PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY WHO ARE RUNNING. >> I HOPE SO. I THINK THERE ARE INTERESTING RACES DOWN IN THE SOUTHWEST, IN PARTICULAR, HOUSE DISTRICT 32 IN DEMING. CANDIE SWEETSER IS THE MODERATE DEMOCRAT INCUMBENT. WE HAVE A BILINGUAL PHYSICIAN, LAURA BOYD, WHO UNDERSTANDS RANCHERS AND SHE IS WORKING VERY HARD. THAT WILL BE AN INTERESTING RACE. FORMER STATE SENATOR LEE COTTER IS CHALLENGING RUDY MARTINEZ IN HOUSE DISTRICT 39. THAT IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE RIGHT NOW REPRESENTATIVE MARTINEZ IS EMBROILED IN A LAWSUIT WITH A COUNTY HOSPITAL. THOSE TWO SEATS COULD BE IN PLAY AND IF APPLEWHITE IS SUCCESSFUL IN 50, EVERYONE

THINKS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE -- YET THERE IS NO WAY THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY PROGRESS FOR REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE, BUT THE LOSS OF ONE DEMOCRAT SEAT AND PICK UP OF TWO R SEATS COULD BE A BIG GAME CHANGER. >> WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT. WE'LL HAVE TO END IT THERE. IN JUST A MOMENT WE LOOK AT A PROPOSAL TO BUILD A TINY HOUSE >> NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS IS ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ONLINE TO GET UPDATES ON UPCOMING SHOWS AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE TOP NEWS STORIES OF THE WEEK. THEN, TUNE IN BECAUSE WE MAY SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ON THE LINE. OUR FINAL TOPIC THIS WEEK IS A PROPOSAL TO BUILD A TINY HOME VILLAGE IN ALBUQUERQUE. THESE HOMES WOULD HOUSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HOMELESS. THE CITY IS CONSIDERING SIX SITES. SOUTHEAST PART OF THE CITY. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT PUSH BACK FROM SOME LOCAL RESIDENTS IN A MEETING ABOUT THE PLAN. THERE ARE MORE MEETINGS SCHEDULED. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THEY RAISED?

>> THE FOUR TO FIVE LOCATIONS, I BELIEVE, WERE SORT OF IN THE CONSIDERING THE HISTORY OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH TENDS TO HOUSE A LOT OF THAT STUFF ANYWAY, I COULD SEE THEIR RESENTMENT AND OUTRAGE ON IT. BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, I MEAN, THE CITY SHOULD ACTUALLY -- THE CITY SHOULD LOCATE THESE WHERE THE SERVICES ARE. THAT IS VERY MUCH A PROBLEM WITH THE LOCATION ISSUE. SO, WITH ANY GIVEN NIGHT WE HAVE 1300 HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THE STREETS. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND START SOMEWHERE AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY START WHERE WE HAVE A PROBLEM AND THAT IS IN THE SOUTHEAST HEIGHTS. >> MERRITT, YOUR REACTIONS TO THE STORY. >> I VERY MUCH AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THE SPROUTS AT CENTRAL AND

TRAMWAY IS MY LOCAL STORE. TWO MONTHS AFTER THEY OPENED, ONE SATURDAY EVERY SHOPPING CART WAS GONE. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ELECTRONIC SENSORS THAT KEPT THEM FROM BEING PULLED OUT. THERE IS A HUGE POPULATION TRAMWAY, CENTRAL, 40, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THERE ARE ALSO SOME MORE AFFLUENT DEVELOPMENTS AND A COUNTRY CLUB. SO, THERE IS A LITTLE MORE, IF YOU COULD SAY, CLASS TENSION THERE. THAT IS WHY IT IS BUBBLING UP. I THINK THE COUNTY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF DESCRIBING THIS ON THE WEBSITE. IT IS A LITTLE HARD TO GET TO BUT THE WEBSITE EXPLAINS PROS AND CONS. WHAT IT WOULD DO. AND FROM COMMUNICATION STANDPOINT WHAT I WOULD EMPHASIZE IF I WERE A COUNTY, IF I WERE THE COUNTY IS, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND GIVING THEM SHELTER GIVES THEM A MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT AND MORE SECURE. RIGHT NOW OUT IN THE OPEN, THERE ARE ISSUES OF SANITATION, ISSUES OF HYGIENE AND THEY ARE ALSO OPEN TO BEING VICTIMS OF CRIME ITSELF.

IT ATTRACTS CRIME BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY TARGETS. GIVING THEM MORE STABILITY AND SECURITY COULD HELP. I HAVE DONE MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS FOR 25 YEARS AND THE ONLY THING I THINK HARDER THAN GETTING A HOMELESS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS BRINGING IN A NEW SQUADRON TO AN AIR FORCE BASE OR NAVY BASE AND JET NOISE FOR NEIGHBORS. THIS IS AN UPHILL BATTLE BECAUSE OF THE NOT-IN-THE-MY-BACKYARD MINDSET IS VERY HARD TO OVERCOME. >> THE THING THAT I READ ABOUT OTHER SIMILAR DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY IN OTHER COMMUNITIES IS SPECIFICALLY FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. IS THAT A NEED HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE TOO? DO WE NEED TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE VETS. >> CERTAINLY WE ARE AND DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN SERVICES IN NEW MEXICO DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB LOOKING OUT FOR THAT. AND I THINK WHAT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT IS WE HAVE DIFFERENT GENERATIONS OF VETS WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES AND SOME OF THE HOMELESS VETS NOW, IT IS NOT THE GUY IN THE TV YOU REMEMBER WHO IS STILL

RECOVERING FROM VIETNAM, IT'S SOMEBODY MAYBE WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY WHO IS A RESERVIST, DEPLOYED MULTIPLE TIMES AND CAME BACK WITH NO JOB. ADDRESS WHAT THEY NEED. I THINK CERTAINLY THERE IS THE VETERANS OUTREACH CENTER RIGHT THERE IN SOUTHEAST HEIGHTS. AND, SO, THERE ARE SOME SERVICES NEARBY AND PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE A GOOD LOCATION FOR A VETERAN TYPE COMMUNITY. >> LAURA, THIS STORY REMINDS ME OF A STORY I COVERED YEARS AGO IN SEATTLE OF A DAY LABOR CENTER WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOLKS SAID WE DON'T OPPOSE THE CENTER BUT WE OPPOSE NOT HAVING THE CITY NOT TALKING TO US, THE CITY IS ALWAYS BRINGING THESE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE ARE NOT PART OF THE CONVERSATION. DO YOU THINK THAT IS PART OF WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? >> THERE IS CONCERN FROM THE COMMUNITY THEY WEREN'T BROUGHT THEY ARE BROUGHT IN NOW TO BE PART OF THESE FORUMS WHERE THEY SHOW UP AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM THE MEDIA COVERAGE IS THEY HAVE BEEN VERY NEGATIVE.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE THERE HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL AND UPSET ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO THE POINT THAT I THINK DEBBIE O'MALLEY IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT IS SUPPORTING THIS INITIATIVE, WANTED TO LEAVE ONE OF THE MEETINGS RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE SHE FELT ATTACKED. THAT IS UNFORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE A USEFUL DIALOGUE IN THESE SITUATIONS BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY. IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY ON THE DRAWING BOARD AND REALLY WASN'T AN OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT POTENTIAL OPTIONS, IT WAS PRESENTED AS THIS IS WHAT IT IS GOING TO BE. SO PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT APPROACH AND WHAT I FIND INTERESTING ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING IS WHY THE TINY HOMES IS THE APPROACH, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THE CHEAPEST OPTION, SO TO SPEAK. MY UNDERSTANDING FROM REPORTS, THEY ARE $20,000 APIECE AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE OTHER FORMS OF HOUSING THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED AND I AM NOT SURE WHY SORT OF THIS IS THE ONE THAT IS TAKING HOLD, WHETHER IT WAS THE DEVELOPERS THAT PROPOSED IT OR FOR SOME REASON THE CITY FELT THIS WAS THE MOST EFFICIENT. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND WHY SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE

SO UPSET ABOUT IT AND I AGREE THE NIMBY ISSUE IS HUGE. >> TINY HOUSES MIGHT BE MORE PALATABLE THAN A TRAILER PARK. >> COULD BE. >> DAN, YOUR REACTIONS TO THE COVERAGE YOU HAVE SEEN OF THIS STORY. >> I THINK I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT HAS BEEN SAID. IT REMINDS ME OF THE SANTA FE DEBATE OVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING. EVERYONE IS IN FAVOR OF IT IN THEORY BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LOCATION, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN, YOU I DO THINK THAT OUTREACH IS IMPORTANT AND TO NOT MAKE PEOPLE LIKE IT IS BEING THRUST UPON THEM, BUT AT SOME POINT IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT HAS TO BE SOMEWHERE. IT IS GOING TO BE IN SOMEBODY'S BACKYARD. I THINK THERE HAS TO BE MAYBE BETTER OUTREACH ON THE COUNTY'S PART AND ALSO FOLKS NEED TO KIND OF REALIZE IT CAN'T ALWAYS JUST BE FAR AWAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN. >> BIG PICTURE. YOU THINK THIS COULD WORK? >> I THINK IT COULD. I THINK THAT BRING IN MORE

PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IN MORE, YOU KNOW, AND KIND OF MESH AND FIND THE RIGHT LOCATION IT COULD ABSOLUTELY WORK. AND PROPERLY RUN IT COULD BRING MORE CIVILITY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE COULD ALL BENEFIT IN THE END. WE COULD HELP EACH OTHER, GETS OUR HOMELESS OFF THE STREET AND MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS MORE SAFE. >> IS THERE OTHER POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AT THE SAME TIME? THIS IS PART ONE AS WE DISCUSS THIS BROADER ISSUE. >> IT IS A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE. IT GOES BACK TO POVERTY, TO DRUGS, IT GOES BACK TO NOT HAVING JOBS AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW. IT TIES IN TO RECIDIVISM GOING ON WITH THE JAIL SYSTEM. IT IS COMPLICATED BUT COMES BACK TO POVERTY. >> I THINK WHAT STRUCK ME AS I WAS RESEARCHING THIS STORY, WHAT THE 30 MILLION IN TAX REVENUES THAT HAVE GONE INTO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND THEY HAVE SO FAR DONE A SOCIAL;

MEDIA CAMPAIGN. WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THAT MONEY? WHERE IS IT GOING? IS THERE A PLAN? THEY HAVE A LOVELY WEBSITE EXPLAINING WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING, BUT AS FAR AS I COULD SEE, WHEN IT COMES TO -- I AM SORRY, I SHOULDN'T KEEP BAD MOUTHING IT BECAUSE THE TRANSITION CENTER FOR MDC, THAT IS HUGE. AND HAVING A PLACE SO WHEN YOU'RE RELEASED FROM JAIL, YOU HAVE A PLACE TO TRANSITION INSTEAD OF GETTING DUMPED DOWNTOWN. THAT WAS A BIG WIN OUT OF THIS EFFORT AND CERTAINLY WILL HELP REDUCE CRIME, PERHAPS, SOME HOMELESSNESS. YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN A GRT INCREASE FOR FOUR YEARS NOW. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE BENEFIT FROM THAT? >> YOU MENTIONED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SANTA FE WHICH IS A HUGE ISSUE, MAYBE SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE PEOPLE BECOME HOMELESS AND PEOPLE LIVING ON THE EDGE IN HOUSES THEY CAN'T REALLY AFFORD. >> IN ALBUQUERQUE, THAT IS AN ISSUE TOO, THAT KIND OF QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IN SANTA FE IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, THERE IS A REAL SHORTAGE OF RENTAL PROPERTIES NOW. SO, FOLKS -- IT CAN BE TRICKY TO AFFORD THAT RENT. IF YOU CAN'T, THERE IS NOT A LOT OF OTHER OPTIONS. >> THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AND ALL THE OTHER TOPICS WE DISCUSSED THIS WEEK. WE'LL HAVE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE, NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG. THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. >> I AM SARAH GUSTAVUS. GENE GRANT WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS. AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, IN >> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN

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