New Mexico in Focus; 1117; Solutions Journalism State of Change 1 and Mayoral Debate Excerpt

>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO INFOCUS WE LOOK AT UNIQUE CHALLENGES ENTREPRENEURS FACE ON THE NAVAJO NATION. >> WE WANT TO FOSTER ECONOMICS ON THE RESERVATION IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES AND WHEN WE SAY THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE GAMUT OF ENTREPRENEURS. >> THE LINE LOOKS AT THE RUNOFF ELECTION TO CHOOSE THE NEXT MAYOR OF ALBUQUERQUE. NEW MEXICO INFOCUS STARTS NOW. NEW MEXICO HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE NATION AT 6.2% AND FINDING A JOB IS EVEN HARDER IN RURAL AREAS LIKE THE NAVAJO NATION. ONE WAY TO MAKE A LIVING IS TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS, BUT THAT ALSO COMES WITH UNIQUE CHALLENGES ON THE RESERVATION, THAT ENTREPRENEURS DON'T FACE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. PRODUCER SARAH GUSTAVUS RECENTLY VISITED THE NAVAJO NATION TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE FOR THE STATE OF CHANGE

PROJECT WITH THE SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM NETWORK AND OTHER MEDIA PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE. AND SHE'LL SIT DOWN WITH THE PROJECT COORDINATOR TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE FOCUS OF THE SERIES, RESILIENCE IN RURAL NEW MEXICO. >> ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE NAVAJO NATION, THE NORTH LEUPP FAMILY FARM IS WRAPPING UP THE GROWING SEASON. >> WE ARE PUTTING THE FARM TO BED FOR THE WINTERTIME AND THEN STARTING UP NEW CROPS IN RIGHT ABOUT NOW IS WHEN THE FARMERS THEY'LL GO HOME, YOU KNOW, TEND TO THEIR LIVESTOCK, FAMILY, BUT THEY'LL BE BACK IN THE SPRING TIME AGAIN. >> STACY JENSEN GREW UP IN THE AREA AND WENT AWAY TO SCHOOL. HE CAME BACK LATER AND HELPED START THIS FARM THAT PROVIDES SPACE FOR 30 FAMILIES TO GROW PRODUCE. IT'S AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE BECAUSE FRESH PRODUCE IS HARD TO FIND IN LOCAL STORES. BUT THERE IS A TRADITION OF FARMING IN THE AREA THAT SOME WANT TO PRESERVE OR BRING BACK. ELDERS LIKE BETTY KELLY LEARNED TO FARM FROM A YOUNG [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] >> SHE SAYS THE NAVAJO PEOPLE

ONCE RELIED ON SMALL SCALE FARMING TO FEED THEMSELVES. >> THE FAMILY FARM SUPPORTS SUBSISTENCE FARMING TO F D INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. THE NONPROFIT IS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GROW OPERATIONS AND HIRE MORE LOCAL PEOPLE. THAT MEANS FINDING WAYS TO SELL PRODUCE AND OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS, AND THAT IS WHERE THEY TURN TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN BUSINESS INCUBATOR >> WHENEVER WE SEE SOMEBODY WHO HAS A SKILL THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO MARKET TO EITHER THEIR COMMUNITY OR EVEN

OUTSIDE THEIR COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO HELP THEM TURN THAT SKILL INTO SOMETHING THEY CAN RELY ON FOR FINANCIAL GAIN. >> ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS WHO LIVE ON THE NAVAJO NATION AND NATIVE AMERICANS WHO LIVE ON RESERVATIONS AND PUEBLOS ACROSS NEW MEXICO FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS. YOU CAN'T WALK INTO A BANK AND OFFER YOUR HOUSE AS COLLATERAL FOR A BUSINESS LOAN. >> THAT IS A VERY SIMPLE BANK TRANSACTION OFF THE RESERVATION, BUT ON THE YOUR HOME BUT YOU DON'T OWN THE LAND THERE. >> SHE SAYS THERE ARE MULTIPLE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FROM FUNDING TO GET A PROJECT OFF THE GROUND TO CRAFTING NEW TRIBAL REGULATIONS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR MEMBERS TO ACCESS LAND AND CAPITAL. >> WE WANT TO FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOP ON THE RESERVATION WITHIN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES AND WHEN WE SAY THAT, WE ARE TALKING THE WHOLE GAMUT OF ENTREPRENEURS. SO, WE WANT TO INCLUDE EVERYBODY FROM THE PERSON WHO MAKES CLOTHES OR JEWELRY OR CRAFTS OR SELLS BURRITOS TO THE LARGER SCALE BUSINESSES WHO ARE ABLE TO EMPLOY SEVERAL

EMPLOYEES. >> THEY HELPED THE NORTH LEUUP FAMILY FARM FIND MATCHING FUNDS FOR A FEDERAL GRANT, BUT THERE ARE CHALLENGES THAT CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED BY THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT. IN WINDOW ROCK, NAVAJO NATION OFFICIALS ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP. PRESIDENT, RUSSELL BEGAY, SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION IS PROUD OF AN AGREEMENT THE TRIBE SIGNED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TAKE OVER CONTROL OF LEASING ON THEIR LAND. INDIAN AFFAIRS, HAD TO PUT THEIR NAME ON IT, AND THEY DID. EVERY LEASE, WHETHER IT IS BUSINESS OR OTHERWISE, THEY HAD TO PUT THEIR NAME ON IT, BUT THE MINUTE THEY HAVE THEIR NAME ON IT, THEN FEDERAL REGULATION KICKS IN AND ANYONE THAT IS STARTING A BUSINESS HAD TO CONFORM TO THESE FEDERAL REGULATIONS WHICH IS EXTENSIVE. BUT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO. AND BIA IS OUT OF THE GAME. WE ARE COMPLETELY IN CONTROL OF OUR LAND. AND SO WE FOLLOW OUR REGULATIONS. >> ALONG WITH STREAMLINING THE REGULATORY PROCESS, PRESIDENT BEGAY SAYS THE NAVAJO NATION

SET ASIDE 20 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS THAT HAVE BEEN SHUT OUT OF THE TRADITIONAL LENDING PROCESS. BEGAY SAYS HE BELIEVES NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES WILL GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO STAY AND BUILD A CAREER ON THE RESERVATION. AND ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO LEFT FOR SCHOOL OR JOBS TO RETURN. >> NAVAJOS ARE EXCITED ABOUT COMING HOME. AND, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT BEFORE. THE REASON WHY THEY LEFT IS BECAUSE IT WAS MORE EXCITING TO BE UT THERE THAN HERE, BUT NOW THAT HAS BEEN REVERSED. >> BACK AT THE NORTH LEUUP FAMILY FARM, STACY JENSEN IS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPAND THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE FARM. HE BUILT A GREENHOUSE TO GROW CROPS IN THE INTER AND STARTED A SMALL MARKET ON THE PROPERTY. FAMILIES FROM THE NORTH LEUUP FARM CAN SELL EXTRA PRODUCE FROM THEIR PLOTS OR TO JENSEN FOR THE MARKET AND HE THINKS THERE IS A UNIQUE POTENTIAL IN IDENTIFYING A SPECIALTY PRODUCT THAT COULD BE TARGETED FOR COMMERCIAL SALES. >> THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR BLUE CORN. WE'LL PROCESS IT AND DO CORN MEAL, MAKE VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS, CORN CHIPS, BLUE

CORN CHIPS. >> ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN 2012, NEARLY 15,000 FARMS ON THE NAVAJO NATION. THE MAJORITY PRODUCED $1000 OR LESS IN PRODUCTS ANNUALLY. AND THERE IS ANOTHER TEST FOR THE RESILIENCE OF THE AGRICULTURE SYSTEM, THE AVERAGE AGE OF FARMERS ON THE NAVAJO NATION WAS 58. AGING FARMERS IS A CONCERN NATIONWIDE. JENSEN WORKED WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS AND HE SEES POTENTIAL IN INTERGENERATIONAL FARMING. >> WE BRING BOTH ELDERS AND YOUTH AND WE TRY TO REENGAGE THEM THROUGH EDUCATIONAL -- THROUGH PROJECTS, THROUGH WORK, THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW SOMETHING, ELDERS KNOW SOMETHING. SO, THEY EXCHANGE THESE IDEAS THERE AND IT HELPS OUT, I THINK. IN THE LONG RUN IT WILL BRING YOUTH BACK TO THE FARM. >> FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS AND STATE OF CHANGE, I AM SARAH GUSTAVUS. >> LEAH TODD IS WITH ME NOW,

THE PROJECT COORDINATOR AND A REPORTER FOR THE SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM NETWORK. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> THIS PROJECT, STATE OF CHANGE, INCLUDES PARTNERS ACROSS NEW MEXICO. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN COVERED FOR THIS YEAR, INCLUDING YOUR OWN. >> EVERY NEWSROOM HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN STRENGTHS OF THE COLLABORATION LIKE THIS. SO, FIRST OFF, FOR EXAMPLE, STACY MATLOCK, EDITOR AND REPORTER FOR TAOS NEWS, IS LONGITUDINAL LOOK AT THE NEARBY COMMUNITY. SHE IS IN YEAR TWO OF WHAT SHE HOPES BECOMES A FIVE-YEAR PROJECT FOLLOWING THIS TOWN'S EVOLUTION AWAY FROM COAL AND TOWARD SOMETHING ELSE, IDEALLY. SO THAT IS ONE APPROACH THAT STACY AND TAOS NEWS TOOK FOR THIS PROJECT. ANOTHER APPROACH, ANOTHER STORY FROM NEW MEXICO POLITICS.NET, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER THERE AND HE DECIDED TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT IN TIME INTO A SINGLE COMMUNITY OF TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, NEW

MEXICO, 6,000 PEOPLE JUST OUT OF ALBUQUERQUE, AND HE WANTED TO LOOK AT THE WAY THAT A SINGLE PAYOR ENTREPRENEURS WAS SPREADING THIS SORT OF SHOCKWAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY. SO, HE HAS THIS INDEPTH ALSO VERY CLOSE AND ON THE GROUND WITH ONE COMMUNITY LOOK, BUT THE STORY IS FOCUSED ON A SINGLE POINT IN TIME. SOME OF THE OTHER EXAMPLES INCLUDE ANTONIO GONZALES WHO YOU WORKED WITH BEFORE WITH BROADCASTING AND NATIONAL NEWS TOOK A LOOK AT A SINGLE PROGRAM, LESS ABOUT A SINGLE COMMUNITY, PER SE, AND MORE ABOUT A SINGLE PROGRAM THAT HAD A REALLY LONG TRACK RECORD OF WORKING WITH THE PINE RIDGE RESERVATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA. SHE LOOKED AT HOW WELL THE PROGRAM WORKED, WHAT THE OUTCOMES HAD BEEN OVER TIME WHICH WAS A BIG ASSET FOR THAT STORY. >> I HOPE THERE IS SELECTIONS IN NEW MEXICO. >> ABSOLUTELY, RIGHT, SO ONE OF THE IDEAS OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT IS TO FOCUS REALLY CLEARLY ON WHAT IS THE

TRANSFERABLE INSIGHT OR WHAT COULD THIS SEEMINGLY DIFFERENT COMMUNITY, SEVERAL STATES AWAY, HAVE TO EACH OUR OWN COMMUNITIES HERE IN NEW MEXICO ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR ABOUT COMMUNITY RESILIENCE OR GROWTH IN RURAL PLACES. >> WHAT ABOUT YOUR STORY. >> SO, ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT I TOOK ON WAS ACTUALLY A DATA VISUALIZATION. I WORKED WITH HEADWATERS ECONOMICS UP IN BOSEMAN, MONTANA TO ANALYZE MIGRATION DATA OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES AND ALL OF IT WAS TRYING TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION OF WHERE IS THE YOUNG WEST? WE HEAR ALL ABOUT THE RURAL BRAIN DRAIN, NEW MEXICO PBS DID THE SERIES RECENTLY ABOUT RURAL PLACES LOSING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. AND WE DON'T HEAR OFTEN ABOUT THESE SORT OF POSITIVE DEVIANCE OR THE PLACES THAT BREAKING THAT TREND. SO I WANTED TO FIND WHAT RURAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE WEST, ALL THE 11 WESTERN STATES, WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY MOVING IN, WITH FAMILY OR JUST MAYBE PEOPLE IN THEIR 20'S.

SO HEADWATERS BROKE DOWN MIGRATION DATA OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS TO HIGHLIGHT COMMUNITIES THAT WERE LOSING YOUNG PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THAT WERE ACTUALLY MANAGING TO ATTRACT YOUNG PEOPLE. SO, THAT IS ONLINE DATA VISUALIZATION. YOU CAN INTERACT WITH THAT SUPER INDEPTH AND NEW, AN ORIGINAL SORT OF QUESTION THAT THIS PROJECT ANSWERED. >> THE UMBRELLA IDEA WAS RESILIENCE IN RURAL WHY FOCUS ON THAT FOR THIS SERIES? >> WELL, ONE ANSWER TO THAT, I THINK, IS THAT IN RURAL COMMUNITIES, FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN SMALL TOWNS, AND I LIVE IN TAOS, WE KNOW THE HARDSHIPS THAT OUR COMMUNITIES FACE. WE LIVE THEM DAY IN AND DAY OUT, LET ALONE SEE THEM ON THE TV OR READ ABOUT THEM IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER. I THINK WHAT IS LESS WELL UNDERSTOOD IS WHAT IS BEING TRIED AGAINST SOME ASPECT OF THESE MANY PROBLEMS THAT ARE REALLY WELL UNDERSTOOD. WE JUST DON'T KNOW IN MANY CASES WHAT OTHER TOWNS LIKE US ARE, OUR SIZE OR DEMOGRAPHIC,

ARE TRYING. AND SO THAT IS A BIG EFFORT OF THIS PROJECT, IS TO TRY AND ASK, WHAT ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES DOING AND WHAT COULD OTHER COMMUNITIES LEARN WHEN IT COMES TO THIS QUESTION OF ECONOMIC VIABILITY FOR SMALL TOWNS. WHAT ARE THE JOBS THAT WILL BE IN TAOS, NEW MEXICO, TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES OR MORA IN THE NEXT GENERATION? WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE. >> WHAT ARE SOME COMMON IDEAS OR ISSUES THAT CAME UP IN THIS SERIES? >> LOTS OF COMMON ISSUES. I THINK THE MAIN ONE WAS THE QUESTION OF WHAT JOBS WILL MY GRANDCHILDREN HAVE IF THEY WANT TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY? I HEARD THAT OVER AND OVER IN REPORTING AND WHEN YOU GET QUESTION FOR A LOT OF THESE STORIES THAT CAME OUT OF THE STATE OF CHANGE PACKAGE. IN TERMS OF THE COMMON ISSUES, BRAIN DRAIN, THE LOSS OF OUR BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE INTO CITIES OR URBAN PLACES IS A BIG ISSUE. IN TERMS OF SHARED THEMES OR SHARED FIXES, THERE WERE SOME SURPRISING THEMES THAT CAME UP.

ONE OF THEM WAS MICRO BREWERIES THAT ARE POPPING UP ACROSS THE STATE AND NOT JUST UNIQUE TO NEW MEXICO. LOTS OF OTHER RURAL PLACES IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST ARE EXPERIENCING THIS RIGHT NOW. THE ROLE THAT MICROBREWERIES CAN PLAY NOT ONLY IN CREATING JOBS AND ELEVATING A TOURIST COMMUNITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL, BUT ALSO IN CREATING COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES, WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN GET TOGETHER AND CREATE SORT OF A LIFE OF ITS OWN. THERE WAS A STORY FROM CARLSBAD AND NEW MEXICO POLITICS STORY FROM TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES BOTH FOCUSED ON BREWERIES AS A POTENTIAL THEME. >> ANOTHER THEME THAT CAME UP IN MY REPORTING IS THE INTEREST IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WHERE NATURAL RESOURCES ARE RIGHT TO CREATE A SORT OF OUTDOOR ECONOMY, OUTDOOR LIFE-STYLE, SO QUESTA FOR EXAMPLE, THE FORMER MAYOR THERE WAS EXPLAINING TO ME THAT HE IS INTERESTING IN SEEING THE FISHING AND OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL INDUSTRY COMING TO QUESTA, WHERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE TRADITIONAL EMPLOYER, CHEVRON MINE, CLOSED DOWN SO LAID OFF 700 PEOPLE

AND THIS COMMUNITY IS WRESTLING WITH WHAT IS NEXT. ONE ANSWER COULD BE BRING IN A ROBUST SYSTEM OF FISHING AND HUNTING GUIDES, LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN MORA. SO, ACROSS THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, THERE IS THE SAME FIX THAT IS BEING ATTENDED AT LEAST WITH VARIOUS DEGREES OF SUCCESS. >> WHAT IS NEXT FOR THE PROJECT? >> IMPORTANTLY, MORE STORIES ARE COMING OUT NEXT WEEK AND THE WEEK AFTER, SO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THESE, BUT THERE IS THIS CRITICAL NEXT STEP AS JOURNALISTS TO REALLY HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THESE PROBLEMS AND HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE ANY SAY IN CHANGING THE SITUATION, WHO HAVE ANY SWAY OVER ANY PART OF THESE PROBLEMS THAT THIS PROJECT DUG UP. SO WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE. AND I KNOW KNME HAS A COUPLE OF IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT. WE ARE GOING TO BE LISTENING TO AUDIENCE AND VIEWER AND

VIEWER/READER REACTION OVER THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS AND FIGURING OUT A WAY TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS REPORTING AND TELL US WHAT ELSE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO AND WHAT PROMISING RESPONSES ARE HAPPENING IN VARIOUS RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVEN'T FOUND YET. MORE REPORTING TO COME. >> WE CAN CERTAINLY CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE PROJECT AT NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG. THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY. >> THANKS SARAH. >> WELCOME TO THE LINE. AN ARTICLE FEATURED IN THE SANTA FE REPORTER THIS MONTH POINTED OUT A DISTURBING TREND THAT MAY ADD TO NEW MEXICO'S HEALTH CARE PROVIDER SHORTAGE IF IT CONTINUES. IN RESPONSE TO GROWING PRESSURES FROM AN OVERLOAD OF PATIENTS, PAPERWORK, SOME PHYSICIANS IN NEW MEXICO ARE BUNCH, TO FOCUS ON FEWER PATIENTS FOR HIGHER FEE. NOW THESE MORE EXCLUSIVE PRACTICES CALLED CONCIERGE CARE OR DIRECT PRIMARY CARE PROVIDE FOR MORE PERSONAL ATTENTION, QUALITY DOCTOR-TO-PATIENT TIME BUT THEY ALSO ARE GEARED TO PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD UPFRONT

PAYMENTS OR RETAINER FEES, AND NOT THOSE WHO RELY ON INSURANCE, MEDICAID OR MEDICARE. HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND OTHER NEWS OF THE WEEK I'M JOINED BY FORMER HOUSE MINORITY WHIP DANIEL FOLEY. TOM GARRITY FROM THE GARRITY GROUP PR IS HERE. DEDE FELDMAN, FORMER STATE SENATOR IS WITH US AND ALICIA MANZANO. SHE IS FROM STRATEGY 360. WELCOME. >> THE ARTICLE POINTS OUT AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ARTICLES POINT OUT THAT, LOOK, WE HAVE GOT A COUPLE THINGS CLOUDING OVER THIS IDEA AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT WE HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL -- DEDE PICK UP ON THIS. IT IS ONE OF YOUR BIG TOPICS. A FUNDAMENTAL DOCTOR SHORTAGE AND M.D. SHORTAGE HERE IN NEW MEXICO. SIMPLE FIRST QUESTION IS, DOES THIS, IN FACT, EXACERBATE A PROBLEM OR CAN YOU NOT BLAME DOCTORS FOR TAKING THIS ROUTE? >> TWO ISSUES. ONE IS THERE AREN'T ENOUGH DOCTORS. ONLY 57% OF ALL PHYSICIANS REGISTERED IN THE STATE ARE ACTUALLY PRACTICING MEDICINE. >> REALLY IS, SO, YOU WONDER WHY, WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE OTHER 40% OR SO. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT PHYSICIANS JUST DON'T WANT TO PLAY BY THE RULES THAT THE

GOVERNMENT WANTS TO PROVIDE. SO, CAN YOU BLAME THEM FOR WANTING, YOU KNOW, TO GET RID OF THE PAPERWORK, FOCUS ON JUST A SMALL NUMBER OF PATIENTS AND BE COMPENSATED, IN THEIR MIND, FAIRLY FOR PROVIDING THAT KIND OF SERVICE. SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS KIND OF TWO SEPARATE ISSUES AND I DON'T THINK ONE WILL CREATE THE OTHER BECAUSE IF PEOPLE DO HAVE A REGULAR INSURANCE, SOME FOLKS WILL HAVE A DOCTOR THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM ON THE SIDE THAT THEY CAN SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A COUGH, I'M HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING AND JUST A DOCTOR WHO KNOWS THEM VERY WELL. I THINK IT IS A GOOD SIGNAL, TOO, TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS SAYING HOW CAN WE PERSONALIZE CARE AND HAVING ONE DOCTOR WITH 2200 PATIENTS MIGHT BE A WARNING SIGN. >> THAT IS A GOOD POINT THERE. ALICIA, IT WAS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE WHICH IS GEARED NOT FOR INDIVIDUALS BUT BUSINESSES AS WELL CAN PARTICIPATE. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE ARTICLE POINTED OUT ONE OF THE DOCS HAS 275 CLIENTS DOWN FROM 2500, TOM MENTIONED THE BIG

NUMBER. THEY PAY $1,350 EACH TO THIS PERSON AND THE CONCERN IS THAT THESE ARE THE WORRY WELL. THEY ARE NOT SICK. THEY JUST WANT PEACE OF MIND AND IT IS OKAY TO PAY THIS KIND THING. WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE ALL THE OTHER PATIENTS WHO THAT DOCTOR USED TO HAVE? >> THAT IS THE MAJOR CONCERN, RIGHT, WITH THE MEDICAID POPULATION IN NEW MEXICO SO HIGH AND SO MANY PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING RESOURCES TO PAY THAT KIND OF TO HAVE A SHORTFALL OF DOCTORS FOR THOSE FOLKS AND THOSE PEOPLE DON'T GET THE CARE THEY NEED. AND I WORRY ABOUT THE EMERGENCY ROOMS OVERFILLING AGAIN AND WE CAN'T GET INTO PRIMARY CARE AS IT IS. WHAT WILL HAPPEN AS THIS CONTINUES TO SHIFT ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD IT. I SEE THE POINT FOR THOSE WHO CAN, RIGHT? SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE GREAT JOBS AND CAN MAKE THAT KIND OF MONEY AND PAY THAT FEE. IT TAKES THEM TWO MONTHS TO GET INTO PRIMARY CARE, BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH DOCTORS. SO THEY HAVE THAT PEACE OF MIND TO BE ABLE TO GET IN

WHENEVER THEY NEED. HOWEVER, I AM JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE GREATER POPULATION, RIGHT, PROBABLY 98% OF THE POPULATION THAT ACTUALLY NEEDS CARE THAT ISN'T GOING TO GET IT FROM CONCIERGE SERVICES. >> ON YOUR PERCENTAGE THERE, THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SMALL SUBSET OF PEOPLE HERE IN NEW MEXICO, $1,350 A YEAR IS NOT A BIG DEAL FOR PEACE OF MIND AND YOU CAN ALSO ALMOST SEE SOMETHING SPLITTING IN OUR CULTURE, A HUGE DIVIDE. >> IT IS MIRRORING THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR AND THAT IS NOT THE WAY WE WANT OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO GO. THE REASONS WHY DOCTORS FEEL THAT BASICALLY THE DELIVERY SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND IT IS BROKEN BECAUSE OF THIS FEE FOR SERVICE SYSTEM WHERE DOCTORS ARE REWARDED FOR THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS THEY SEE, THE NUMBER OF PILLS THEY PRESCRIBE, THE NUMBER OF PROCEDURES THEY HAVE, AND THAT DOESN'T REALLY

ADDRESS NEW MEXICO'S HEALTH PROBLEMS, WHICH ARE PROBLEMS OF CHRONIC DISEASE, OF DIABETES, OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, OF ASTHMA. THOSE KIND OF PROBLEMS COULD ACTUALLY BE HANDLED BY GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, BY HAVING MORE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, BY HAVING PARAMEDICS DO SOME OF THIS HOME CARE AND IF, ON THE SAME CHART THAT WAS IN THE REPORT ABOUT THE TERRIBLE SHORTAGE OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS, IF YOU WENT DOWN THE LIST OF NURSES AND DENTISTS, ALSO, IN SHORTAGE, YOU LOOK AT PARAMEDICS, 9,000, 10,000 OF THEM AS OPPOSED TO A FEW HUNDRED PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS. WE SHOULD BE UTILIZING SOME OF THESE MID LEVEL PRACTITIONERS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE OVERLOADING OUR MEDICAL SYSTEM.

AND THAT WOULD, I THINK, FORESTALL THE NECESSITY OF THIS DIVIDE. >> GOOD POINT THERE. I APPRECIATE THAT. >> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IN THIS WORLD, 1350 A YEAR IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS HERE IT SEEMS TO ME BECAUSE SOMETHING FEELS LIKE A SOCIAL CONTRACT OF A SORT IS BEING TORN HERE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE THE MEDICAL BUSINESS, THE DOCS THAT I KNOW THAT GET INTO THIS, THERE IS A TINY BIT OF SACRIFICE THAT GOES INTO THIS, NOT NECESSARILY FINANCIALLY, BUT DOING SOMETHING FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD AND NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT LINING YOUR BANK ACCOUNT. IS THIS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT, DOES SOMETHING FEEL ODD TO YOU ABOUT THIS? >> WHAT I THINK -- IT IS A FREE MARKET. THIS IS THE MANIFESTATION OF THE CONSTANT GROWTH OF TO DOCTORS TO SAY WE ARE ONLY GOING TO PAY, 50, 40, $30. WE KEEP DRIVING DOWN THE COST OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO PAY THESE INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR SERVICES IN NEW MEXICO. WE DRIVE IT DOWN BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE PEOPLE THAT CAN GET MEDICAID IN NEW

MEXICO THAT WE CAN PUT ON, AND I SAID ALL ALONG WHEN PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO ME I AM A BAD GUY FOR THIS, WHAT I HAVE SAID, YOU'RE SEEING HAPPEN RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE CREATING THIS DIVIDE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT POOR, THEY ARE GOING TO KEEP JUMPING ON THE MEDICAID BANDWAGON UNTIL IT ISN'T GOOD ANYMORE AND THEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OFF AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BAD PRODUCT FOR THE POOREST PEOPLE IN THE STATE. WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS LOOK AT FIXING THE SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM ISN'T BROKE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WELL THEY ARE PROVIDING TOO MANY PILLS. THAT IS A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. THE SYSTEM IS BROKE BECAUSE WHAT WE CREATED IS WE KEEP PUSHING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TOWARDS THIS SINGLE PAYOR MODEL THAT WE KEEP SAYING DOCTORS ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS. IF YOU HAVE THIS PROBLEM, YOU ONLY GET THIS MUCH. WE HAVE CREATED A SYSTEM THAT ENCOURAGES DOCTORS NOT TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU ANYMORE AND SO OUT OF THAT SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE CREATED, AND I THINK WE THE POLITICIANS HAVE

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

THERE, TOO, ANOTHER THING OVER US THAT HAS BEEN REPORTING THAT OUR DOCS ARE AGING OUT OF THE BUSINESS IN NEW MEXICO. WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER DOCTORS AND M.D.'S OUT THERE AND WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY REPLENISHING THE DEAL. IS THERE SOMETHING IN LINE WITH WHAT DAN WAS SAYING TO FILL IN THAT GAP, PEOPLE JUST SORT OF FEE FOR SERVICE AND THERE A POSITIVE HERE FOR FEE FOR SERVICE? >> I THINK THE POSITIVE IS THAT IT RAISES THE GAME FOR EVERYONE. THE DOCTORS -- SOME DOCTORS MIGHT SAY, I CAN MOVE OUT OF STATE OR GO AHEAD AND STAY IN STATE AND GO TO LITERALLY PRIVATE PRACTICE. WHAT I THINK IS INTERESTING ARE THE PURE NUMBERS OF IT ALL. WITH PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, 746 REGISTERED OR PRACTICING IN THE STATE. THAT IS A REALLY LOW NUMBER. WHERE WE HAVE 17,000 REGISTERED NURSES. ALL OF THIS IS COMING FROM A SURVEY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO. SO, THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO REALLY CHANGE THAT STATUS QUO TO GET MORE NOT JUST RN'S, BECAUSE

THERE IS A LOT OF RN'S, BUT MORE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. HOW DO YOU INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DOCTORS. THESE ARE QUESTIONS WE HAVE TACKLED FOR A LONG TIME. >> IT I ALSO JUST NOT DOCTORS. YOU TALK ABOUT THE STATE NEED. IF YOU NEED A PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST, THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE FOR -- THOSE IMPORTANT SPECIALTIES THAT AT A TIME WHEN YOU'RE MOST -- AND IT SEEMS TO BE MOSTLY WITH CHILDREN -- AT A TIME WHEN YOUR CHILD NEEDS THE MOST HELP, YOU TAKE YOUR KID TO THE HOSPITAL, THEY SHIP THEM TO DENVER. >> OBGYN. THERE ARE PLACES IN NEW MEXICO WHERE THERE ARE NO OBGYN. >> TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO SANTA FE. >> TO GIVE BIRTH. >> THIS IS A TREND. DAN IS RIGHT. YOU SEE THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT I GOT TO THINK FOR US HERE IN NEW MEXICO, IT IS BIT OF A DIFFERENT SITUATION WITH THIS TREND. THE RAMIFICATIONS ARE HUGE. WE NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND ATTACK THE WHOLE SYSTEM. WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE LINE WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE ALBUQUERQUE MAYORAL ELECTION. >> BOTH CANDIDATES ARE REALLY GOOD AT PLAYING THE EDGES AND THEY ALL SAY THEY ARE BUT

LOOKING AT OVERVIEWS FROM THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL THAT THEY DID ON THE COMPARISON OF THE TWO, YOU HAVE ONE KELLER WHO IS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF APS. AND EXISTING APS PROGRAMS. MR. LEWIS IS NOT SO MUCH. ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE BOTH VERY SPLIT ON THAT ISSUE. >> WELCOME BACK TO THE LINE. EARLY VOTING TO DECIDE ON ALBUQUERQUE'S NEXT MAYOR STARTED THIS WEEK AND RUNS THROUGH NOVEMBER 10. WITH THE RUN-OFF ELECTION HAPPENING, AS YOU KNOW, ON THE 14TH OF NOVEMBER. THE TOP TWO ANDS THAT EMERGED FROM THE CITY ELECTION HELD EARLIER THIS MONTH, MR. TIM KELLER AND MR. DAN LEWIS, ARE STARKLY DIFFERENT, I MIGHT SAY, AS A RECENT ARTICLE IN THE JOURNAL POINTED OUT SOME KEY DIFFERENCES. THEY DIFFER ON SANCTUARY MR. LEWIS OPPOSES, MR. KELLER SUPPORTS. ON SANTALINA, MR. KELLER OPPOSES, MR. LEWIS SUPPORTS. BUT THEY BOTH AGREE THAT CRIME IS A TOP PROBLEM HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, BUT HAVE DIFFERENT APPROACHES ON HOW TO FIX IT. ALICIA, THE RACE IS DOWN FROM THE CROWDED FIELD SEEMS LIKE A YEAR AGO WE HAD ALL THOSE PEOPLE AND SUDDENLY WE'RE IN

THIS NEW ERA. NO SURPRISE THAT DAN LEWIS HAS COME OUT THE WAY HE HAS. THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT ON FACEBOOK THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO A SCORCHED EARTH KIND OF APPROACH. IS IT WORKING FOR HIM AS YOU WATCH WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO, IS THERE SOME HEADWAY DAN LEWIS IS MAKING? >> I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY WANTING TO GET AWAY FROM THE NEGATIVE ATTACK ADS IN POLITICS. I FEEL LIKE IT LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH AND SPEAKING OF THE STARK CONTRAST, I APPRECIATE THAT FORWARD AND THAT THE PLAN INCLUDES OWNING THE PLAN. AND BEING ABLE TO DO THINGS AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL. >> HE HAS MENTIONED THAT HE WANTS SOLUTIONS TO COME FROM WITHIN THIS CITY, FOR US, AND NOT FROM OUTSIDE. >> I BELIEVE THAT ALBUQUERQUE VOTERS ARE READY. WE NEED CHANGE NOW. AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN FROM DAN LEWIS IS SOME CHANGES THAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN LEGISLATIVELY, THAT COULD TAKE SOME TIME, ESPECIALLY IN THE SHORT SESSION, THEN YOU HAVE

TO WAIT FOR A LONG SESSION. PEOPLE WANT RESULTS NOW AND I THINK THAT IS THE MAJOR CONTRAST BETWEEN THE TWO. TIM KELLER IS WANTING TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES RIGHT NOW AND DO IT WITH THE POWER THAT HE HAS AT THE CITY LEVEL. >> DANIEL, THE IDEA THAT HE -- DANIEL LEWIS DID PUNCH THROUGH, GOING BACK TO PREVIOUS EIGHT, HE HAS A CONSTITUENCY. HE IS SAYING THINGS PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO. WE HAVE A LOT OF FREAKED OUT FOLKS HERE. IS HE MAKING HEADWAY? >> THINK HE IS. I THINK THERE IS NO DOUBT HE HAS A CONSERVATIVE BASE. I THINK HE HAS SHOWN THE TALK. THE FACT THAT HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CITY COUNCILORS TO SAY, WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH APD, ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO SIT DOWN WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CAME IN AND SAID, LOOK -- I REMEMBER I TOLD HIM HE WAS WRONG FOR DOING IT. YOU KNOW. I THINK THAT ARE THERE ARE SOME CLEAR DIFFERENCES, AND I THINK THAT IT IS INTERESTING WE SAY THAT -- I LOVE TO HEAR FOLKS TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME THAT THEY SAY, WE DON'T LIKE THE HARD CORE NEGATIVE ADS AND SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME WE GET THEM, WE GET BIGGER TURNOUTS.

WE SAW IN THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, NO GREATER DIFFERENCE THAN WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID AND WHAT SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON SAID AND TRUMP WOUND UP WINNING. THERE ARE STARK DIFFERENCES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TWO FOLKS THAT ARE LEFT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE RACINO ISSUE WITH TIM KELLER AND WORKING FOR THE CONSULTING COMPANY, THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE OUT THERE. THEN YOU FOLLOW THAT UP WITH THE PUBLIC FINANCING AND GETTING MONEY ON THE SIDE, AND, WELL, DON'T MAKE THE CONTRIBUTION MONEY WISE, WE CALL IT IN-KIND BUT I AM A CLEAN CANDIDATE. WHERE TIM HAD A CHANCE TO SAY, LOOK, I AM SEPARATING MYSELF FROM ALL THE POLITICOS, AND I AM GOING TO RUN THIS PUBLIC FINANCING CAMPAIGN, I AM GOING TO DO IT THE WAY I TALKED ABOUT, WE HAVE SEEN THAT EVERY TIME HE KIND OF GETS TURNED UP, TIM KIND OF CHANGES. DAN LEWIS KIND OF CAME FROM THE SIDE THAT SAYS, I AM NOT TAKING PUBLIC FINANCINGS, I AM GOING TO RAISE THE MONEY, DO IT THE WAY I CAN DO IT. AND SO I THINK THAT ALSO ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, BOTH OF THESE GUYS, WHAT IS INTERESTING, THEY BOTH HAVE A

RECORD, SO, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAVE MULTIPLE CANDIDATES. SO WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD ONE CANDIDATE WITH A RECORD THAT SAYS YOUR RECORD STINKS BUT I DON'T HAVE ONE. WE GOT TWO GUYS RUNNING THAT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, YOU CAN LOOK AT SENATOR KELLER'S RECORD, STATE AUDITOR KELLER'S RECORD, CITY COUNCILOR DAN LEWIS' RECORD. AND THERE HAS TO BE AT SOME POINT WHAT THEY ARE SAYING HAS TO MATCH UP WITH WHAT THEY HAVE DONE SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VOTERS TO SEE -- >> BETTER WHEN IT IS STARK. INTERESTING. >> BY THE WAY, IF I LIVED IN ALBUQUERQUE, RIO RANCHO, I WOULD BE VOTING FOR DAN LEWIS, I WOULD DO THAT. >> DEDE, INTERESTINGLY, MR. LEWIS HAS TOUGH ADS OUT THERE, TV ADS SPECIFICALLY, ABOUT MR. KELLER'S RECORD, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE, BECAUSE SOMETHING ATTRIBUTED TO KELLER BY QUOTE BUT WE'RE NOT SURE IF THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE. HAS MR. LEWIS TAKEN THIS JUST A TOUCH TOO FAR IN YOUR VIEW. >> I THINK SO AND I THINK HE WAS CAUGHT IN MISQUOTING TIM KELLER AND FROM WHAT I

UNDERSTOOD, HE HAS CORRECTED BUT, I MEAN, BASICALLY I THINK -- I AGREE WITH ALICIA, TIM -- WHILE DAN LEWIS AND TIM BOTH HAVE RECORDS, DAN LEWIS' RECORD IS ALL ABOUT THE CITY AND SO HE IS SORT OF TAKING ON THE ROLE OF THE INCUMBENT IN THIS RACE AND TIM KELLER AS THE OUTSIDER, AS THE CHALLENGER, AS THE CHANGED CANDIDATE. SO I THINK THAT IS THE DYNAMIC THAT IS AT PLAY HERE. THEIR DIFFERENCES ARE VERY -- IN ADDITION TO BEING SUBSTANTIVE, THEY ARE STYLISTIC DIFFERENCES AS WELL. ON THE APPROACH TO CRIME, WHICH THEY HAVE SAID IS -- THEY BOTH FEEL THAT IS THE NO. 1 ISSUE AND THEIR APPROACHES

ARE THEY ARE GOING TO BRING IN A NEW CHIEF, INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE POLICE FORCE AND SO ON, BUT, IF YOU DIG DEEPER THAN THAT, YOU WILL SEE THAT TIM KELLER HAS LIKE A POSITION PAPER THAT IS EXHAUSTIVE. HE IS A POLICY WONK. I CAN TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE HE WAS MY COLLEAGUE IN THE NEW MEXICO SENATE AND I AM PARTIAL TO HIM FOR THAT REASON, BUT HIS PLAN HAS, I THINK, 75 POINTS. I MEAN I GOT TO POINT 25 AND I WAS EXHAUSTED BY THINKING, WELL, SHOULD WE HAVE A MAJOR OR COLONEL POST IN THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE FORCE. MAYBE WE SHOULD ELIMINATE ONE. >> YOU SAID THAT, THOUGH, BECAUSE BOTH CANDIDATES FIRMLY REJECTED MAYOR BERRY'S BIG CRIME PLAN HE CAME OUT WITH A LITTLE BIT AGO. WIPED IT AWAY. WE DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT. >> THEY WERE BOTH QUESTIONING METHODOLOGY AND SAYING IT WAS MORE WINDOW DRESSING. KELLER SAID IT WAS SORT OF LIKE LOOKING AT YOUR WATCH AND SAYING WHAT TIME IT WAS.

>> INTERESTING, AGAIN, BACK TO THIS POINT OF CLEAR STARK DIFFERENCES FOR THE VOTERS, THAT ACTUALLY SERVES VOTERS BETTER IN SOME CIRCLES. AS YOU SEE IT NOW, AS WE SIT HERE, HOW IS THE RACE SHAPING UP? IS IT GOING TO ENGENDER MORE ACTIVITY? FIRST THINGS FIRST, MORE VOTES AT THE BOOTH? >> I DON'T KNOW IF IT GENERATE MORE VOTES AT THE BOOTH. HERE IS THE REASON WHY. A LOT OF -- I THINK, YOU SAW ARE REGISTERED AT DEMOCRAT COMING OUT TO VOTE ON THE SICK LEAVE AND BECAUSE IT DIDN'T PASS, MAYBE THEN WOULD BE DISCOURAGED COMING OUT TO THE MAIN ELECTION. FOR THAT REASON, I THINK IT WILL BE A LOT CLOSER, YOU KNOW, PLUS BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ENOUGH OUT THERE FOR THE STRONG DEMOCRAT LIBERALS TO GO OUT AND VOTE, WHEREAS FOR THE CONSERVATIVE ON THE SAME SAID, DAN LEWIS DOESN'T PROVIDE THAT MUCH EITHER. BOTH CANDIDATES ARE REALLY GOOD AT PLAYING THE EDGES AND NOBODY IS PLAYING THE MIDDLE. THEY ALL SAY THEY ARE, BUT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE OVERVIEWS FROM THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, THAT THEY DID ON THE COMPARISONS OF THE TWO CANDIDATE, YOU HAVE KELLER

IN FAVOR OF APS, AND EXISTING APS PROGRAMS. MR. LEWIS IS NOT SO MUCH. ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEY ARE BOTH VERY SPLIT ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MORE FOCUS -- THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT CRIME. THAT IS GOOD. HOW ARE WE GOING TO BUILD THAT BASE OF JOBS? I MEAN, IN ALL HONESTY, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SEVERE SHORTAGE OF JUST BLUE COLLAR WORKERS, YOU KNOW. >> WE HAVE TO FIGURE YOU THE FOUNDATION BEFORE YOU DO THAT. THAT WE CAN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT BRINGING BUSINESSES IN UNTIL YOU CAN NOT BE LEADING IN PROPERTY CRIME AND LEADING IN THIS CRIME. AND I FEEL LIKE, I THINK THAT WE ARE IN A BAD SPOT. >> WE ARE, MOST DEFINITELY. >> ALBUQUERQUE AND NEW MEXICO FOR THAT MATTER IS IN A VERY BAD SPOT AND GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO SAVE US. GOVERNMENT WILL HELP TO ENABLE I THINK PRIVATE BUSINESS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THAT IS WHEN HOPEFULLY JOBS WILL START TO CIRCULATE BUT THAT ANSWER ISN'T, I DON'T

THINK, FROM A POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE IN MANDATORY PAID SICK LEAVE. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE ONES THAT ARE DOING IT RIGHT AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO CREATE MORE JOBS. THOSE THAT ARE DOING IT WRONG, YOU HAVE TO POLICE THEM IN SOME FORM OR FASHION AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. BUT MY POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY ISN'T ONE THAT GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO SAVE US. IT IS NOT. IT IS HERE TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO. IT'S UP TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO PROVIDE THAT EXTRA BIT -- >> I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET A BIGGER TURNOUT THAN YOU THINK. I THINK -- I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT TOM SAID. I DO THINK, THOUGH, THE AVERAGE PERSON OUT THERE SEES THE TWO CANDIDATES, WAYNE JOHNSON, CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN, TIM KELLER PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL AND I THINK THAT -- >> DAN LEWIS. >> SORRY, DAN LEWIS, SORRY, CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN AND TIM KELLER AS THE PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL AND I THINK THEY THINK THOSE GUYS ARE CLEARLY ENTRENCHED IN THEIR AREAS. I THINK THE SICK LEAVE ORDINANCE HAS EXCITED THE FOLKS THAT WERE FOR IT. THEY WERE CLOSE.

THEY THINK THAT IF THEY ELECT TIM KELLER THEY CAN POSSIBLY TRY TO DO THIS THROUGH LEGISLATIVE ACTION. DAN LEWIS FOLKS FEEL LIKE IT WAS TOO CLOSE BUT IF YOU DO GET TIM KELLER, YOU'RE GOING TO WIND UP WITH THIS STUFF. I THINK WE'LL GET A BIGGER TURNOUT AND ALSO IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT, I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE AN INCUMBENT IN THIS RACE, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH DAN LEWIS WAS A CITY COUNCILOR, I MEAN FROM DAY ONE, HE WAS A THORN IN THE SIDE OF RJ BERRY. >> YOU SAID THE CITY IS IN BAD SHAPE AND I THINK VOTERS ARE SEEING THAT AND THEY MAY BE SEEING DAN LEWIS AS MORE OF THE SAME. >> THAT IS TRUE. HE HAS BEEN THE CITY COUNCILOR UNDER THIS WATCH. HE OPERATES UNDER SOME OF THE SAME PLACES AS RJ BERRY, SO, ARE VOTERS GOING TO SAY, HEY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, OUR CITY IS IN BAD SHAPE WE NEED A STARK DIFFERENCE. WE NEED A CHANGE AND I AM GOING TO VOTE FOR TIM KELLER. >> THE OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN PRESENTED THAT, AGAIN, I AM NOT WORKING ON ANY CAMPAIGNS. THEY ARE NOT ASKING ME.

IF I WAS DAN LEWIS, I WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE STUFF THAT I OPPOSED RJ BERRY ON, TALK ABOUT ALL THE STUFF THAT I -- HE TOOK. HE TOOK HITS FROM ME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DEAL. HE TOOK HITS IN EDITORIALS WRITTEN ABOUT HIM, NOT SUPPORTING RJ WHEN HE FIRST WAS ELECTED. REPUBLICANS WERE UPSET WITH HIM AND NOW I THINK THAT IS GOING TO TURN OUT TO BE A PLUS FOR HIM IF HE CAN GET THE WORD OUT THAT, HEY, LISTEN I WAS KIND OF AN INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE. >> TWO MINUTES LEFT. LET ME FLIP TO ANOTHER THING. I AM GLEANING YOUR SUPPORT OF MR. KELLER IF I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY. ALL OF YOU ALL'S OPINION ON THIS, HAS TIM KELLER PROVED A POINT ABOUT PUBLIC FINANCE? THERE WAS A POINT IT LOOKED LIKE HE IS UNDER-FINANCED HERE COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE FIELD, TOP TIER, AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY. WORKED OUT GREAT FOR HIM. IS A POINT PROVEN HERE. >> I THINK SO AND I THINK IS BLOCK BY BLOCK APPROACH OF

GETTING EACH INDIVIDUAL SIGNATURE FOR HIM TO RUN, EACH INDIVIDUAL DOLLAR MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR HIM. I THINK THAT MATTERS TO PEOPLE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND I THINK THEY ARE TIRED OF MONEY IN POLITICS ALTOGETHER BUT UNTIL WE HAVE ALL CANDIDATES OPERATING UNDER A GOOD PUBLIC FINANCING SYSTEM, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THIS UNEVEN CHALLENGE AT ALL TIMES AND STILL HAVE THE IE'S, PACS WHO ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PLAYING FIELD IF YOU'RE OPERATING WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FUNDING. >> EXACTLY. THERE IS HEARTBURN OUT THERE ACROSS THE LAND ABOUT HOW MONEY IS COMING INTO THE RACE EVEN IF YOU ARE PUBLICLY FINANCED. >> ABSOLUTELY. TIM KELLER IS RUNNING THE BETTER CAMPAIGN. >> IN WHAT SENSE? >> HE IS JUST MORE ORGANIZED. HE IS ON MESSAGE. WHEN TALK YOU ABOUT PUTTING PAPERWORK OUT THERE, HE'S REALLY SHOWING HE WANTS THIS BAD. DAN LEWIS ISN'T SHOWING ME THAT RIGHT NOW. HE IS DEFENSIVE IN ALL INTERVIEWS, NOT CONTROLLING THE MESSAGE, NOT SHOWING ME HE IS A LEADER.

WHEREAS TIM KELLER, THEY BOTH ARE SITTING IN CURRENT OFFICES AND ONE IS DOING A BETTER JOB AT LEVERAGING THAT OFFICE TO SAY HERE IS WHAT I AM DOING FOR THE STATE. COULD BE PROBABLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE STATE AUDITOR WE HAVE EVER SEEN, RIGHT? BUT MEANWHILE DAN LEWIS ISN'T OWNING WHAT HE HAS DONE OR HIS POSITIONS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND I THINK THAT IS GOING TO REALLY BE HIS DEMISE. >> PUBLIC FINANCING HAS PROVEN TO BE WOEFULLY A TRAIN WRECK. THE FACT THAT THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION IS HAD ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE IS -- WHETHER OR NOT TIM KELLER IS GETTING THE MONEY OUTSIDE OF THE DEAL AND THAT MAKES EVERYTHING OKAY, IT SHOWS THAT THE PUBLIC FINANCING ISN'T WORKING. >> I DISAGREE. THERE IS A STUDY THAT HAS COME OUT THAT SAID THAT OVER 60% OF THE NEW MEXICANS AND SPECIFICALLY BERNALILLO COUNTY SUPPORT STRONGLY PUBLIC FINANCING. I THINK TIM KELLER IS PLAYING ON THAT. THE PROBLEM OF INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES IS A SEPARATE ONE THAT EXISTS BOTH WITH PRIVATELY FINANCED CAMPAIGNS

AND PUBLICLY FINANCED CAMPAIGNS. HAVING SAID THAT, WE NEED TO FIX BOTH, THE INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE SIDE AND PUBLIC FINANCE SIDE. YOU KNOW A LOT OF REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS HAVE TAKEN PUBLIC FINANCING IN THE PAST, INCLUDING LEWIS IN HIS RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL, BUT DIDN'T SEE IT TO BE ADEQUATE FUNDED FOR A MAYOR'S RACE. SO, THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO GET IT BETTER FUNDED SO MORE CANDIDATES WOULD PARTICIPATE. WAYNE JOHNSON ESSENTIALLY KILLED THAT ON THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND ALONG WITH TWO OTHER COMMISSIONERS, AND SO IT WAS UNDERFUNDED AND YET KELLER TOOK IT ANYWAY, KNOWING THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS -- >> WE HAVE TO WRAP UP. >> WE HAVE TO -- WE TALKED ABOUT DOCTORS, CRIME, SCHOOLS, YOU CAN ONLY CHOP THE PIE UP SO MANY TIMES, AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW,

IT IS A PRIORITY. ARE WE GOING TO FUND ELECTIONS OR FUND SCHOOLS? WE GOING TO FUND MEDICAL, FUND POLICE, THAT IS SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE TO DECIDE. >> WE'LL SEE WHAT THE VOTERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. >> WE LEAVE THAT THERE. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE TWO CANDIDATES; TIM KELLER AND DAN LEWIS IN THE RUN-OFF ELECTION TO BECOME THE NEXT MAYOR. A REMINDER THAT EARLY VOTING RUNS THROUGH NOVEMBER 10 AND THE OFFICIAL ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 14. MR. LEWIS AND KELLER FACED OFF AT A DEBATE IN THE CONGREGATION ALBERT AND PBS WILL AIR THE FULL DEBATE ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2 AT 7:00 P.M. HERE IS AN EXCERPT. Subject: Mayoral Forum Excerpt Schueler: Thank you very much. We go on now. What are the benefits, what are the detriments, and what are the overall ramifications a "Sanctuary City," and do you support or oppose that? And we'll start with Mr. Keller. Keller: Well, I think this is a very important question because this question is a reflection of who we are as a city, and what we believe in and that term Sanctuary has been blown up into essentially

a litmus test for both sides. And at the end of the day I want to tell you exactly where I stand because I think everyone running for mayor needs to have a clear answer on this question, but I also want to acknowledge that the definition of sanctuary is in court right now and we don't know what dollars are going to be at stake and what aren't. But I know this, as mayor I want to protect every family in this city and I know from being the senator in the International District that the reason why we have the safest community in decades in Trumbull neighborhood, in La Mesa is because we had trust between undocumented immigrants and the police. You cannot have that trust if you are not a Sanctuary City. You cannothave that trust if you have an ICE transfer desk waiting for people when they're brought in. We will never be able to deal with our crime problems, unless we have the help of our immigrant and refugee communities, and we will never have their help unless they trust our officers and unless they trust

our mayor, and that's why I believe a mayor has to be unequivocal about this. We also know who we are as a city. I embrace our diversity. I embrace our history, and I want to champion it, and I want to tell the rest of America that we in Albuquerque have been a multiculturalcapital for a long time, and we will show the rest of the country how to do this right. Schueler: Mr. Keller, thank you. Let me remind the audience, let's try to hold our applause until the end, so we get in all the questions. Thank you very much. Mr. Lewis, Sanctuary embracing diversity and embracing our cultural diversity, the differences that we have in Albuquerque and what makes us great, what brings us together is so important. We actually accept it, you know, a statement, you know, that's policy that welcomes immigrants and says that we're an immigrant friendly city. The difference is, you know, policies and I supported policies and procedures that allow ICE agents into our Transfer Center. We're not considered by the definition of Sanctuary

City because of that. It is the job of the federal government to enforce immigration and our police officers do not ask people. In fact, no city employee asks anybody of their citizenship status, and I think that's the right policy, but we also have a sensitive, you know, policy, a procedure that does comply, you know, with the federal government, does allow us to be able to have also the funding and the partnership with the federal government that we need and the answer to the question is, the kindof policy, and the kind of, that Tim just described, the consequences of that is we become like Bernalillo County that actually is considered, the policies that consider them a Sanctuary County, and keep us from being able to have the some of the benefits and some of the cooperation with the federal government. So, the stakes are high in this, and I think that we need smart common-sense leadership in the mayor's office that will allow us to be able to take advantage and have some of those benefits and at the same time protect people's constitutional rights.

Schueler: Thank you. Mr. Keller 60 second rebuttal. Keller: Well look, at the end of the day you can't have it both ways, and I think Bernalillo County has done a great job, and those folks they are so much more proactive and effective than City Hall right now and I think that's a good thing, and so that's why from them and understand how they're doing it. And I also think this notion of an Immigrant Friendly City, when I remind folks that's a memorial that is not actually a policy, the policy is set by the Mayor. It was just a memorial vote, and you know to me if we're gonna actually pick one side or the other, let's atleast own it and that's what I will do. We are gonna have this in ordinance and we're gonna say this is part of the definition of who we are as a city. We're not going to try and have it both ways. We're gonna have it the way that is right for Albuquerque. Schueler: Mr. Lewis, rebuttal. very clear. I don't think there could be any further of a difference that Tim and I have on this. I mean, Tim just described a Sanctuary

City, the kind of city that protects illegal immigrants about that, what's dangerous about that, is we're talking about a, you know, violent offenders that are in our MDC right now and we're talking about, you know, no limitations whatsoever is what Tim's talking about. And so, I think it couldn't be more clear. I mean Tim wants to make policy, the City of Albuquerque a Sanctuary City and joined the ranks of San Francisco and other you know cities that are some of the most radical policies in this country, and so we're talking about, I'm talking about a common sense policy that protects the constitutional rights of people, that welcomes people in the city, and also complies with the law of the land and so, you know, there couldn't be, couldn't be any further differences here I think on this issue. Schueler: Thank you very much. Now we get to crime. This most questions came in about crime in the city.

Most people agree that there's an extreme rise in crime here in Albuquerque. The question is what will you do about it, to get a larger better trained police force in Albuquerque and off the top, would you fire the police chief. And, we'll start with Mr. Lewis. Lewis: Well our current police chief is gonna go. We will have a new police chief in my administration, and it'll be a police chief, we'll do a national search for the best chief that Albuquerque can find and we'll make sure that that's a chief that's respected, well respected by the rank-and-file, and we will build the most respected and the most trusted Police Department in the country. I stood up in 2011 and said that we needed a DOJ investigation of our department because I knew that for ourdepartment to be able to gain the trust, you know, back of the people of Albuquerque that it neededto open up the closed doors and shine the light, and ensure that our good officers were protected and cleared and that we reform that department so we're two and a half years into a four-year agreement with the Department of Justice

and we'll complete that agreement, but my crime plan talks specifically, we talked specifically about how we build a department of 1200 officers how we get there, howwe pay for them, the kind of mid-year budget that I'll propose my first day in office that pays for officers, a salary that's competitive that keeps the drain from those officers going to other cities, how the department is structured with 60 percent of our department in our field services. You'll see a marked police car everywhere you go and officers that are peacekeepers more than enforcers. A part of the very fabric of our community doing neighborhood policing. 30 percent of our department inour detective bureau that are gathering evidence and investigating crimes and showing up in court where our officers, where the court, where the judges want them to be, but it's a plan for how and what it's going to look like. We will build the most respected trusted, and we will, department and wewill make the city the worst place to be a criminal. >>Schueler: Mr. Keller, 90 seconds. Keller: Well, I think a couple things we cannot deal with crime if a huge section

of our population doesn't trust us and I don't want to lose sight of that. A few minutes ago there was an equation made between immigrants and violent criminals. That is absolutely wrong and that is coded talking points coming from a president who was trying to divide us (applause). What wedo have in common is violent criminals. That's what our, that's what the crime plan should be all about. The difference between my plan is it actually deals with this. Now, we're gonna get a new chief. We're gonna get some new folks all the way through the top. We are also going to commit to finishing the DOJ reforms and then sending them home and taking back our Police Department, and then we'regonna use that 7 million dollars that we're spending on lawyers and advisers to actually hire more cops and we're gonna fill the vacancy rate. The amazing thing is we have funding for almost a hundred new officers right now, but we don't have the leadership actually hiring those officers, but we'realso going to do something that

we should have done a long time ago. Look we used to have a thousand two hundred officers and budget after budget in the last eight years we traded officers for capital projects. That's what's been happening under this city council, under this mayor. We are not goingto do that anymore. Our campaign is about prioritizing that things that matter for our city and that's why we're gonna wait a little bit on some projects like a fountain downtown and we're gonna actually fund our law enforcement. >> WELCOME BACK TO THE LINE. AL HURRICANE, KNOWN AS THE GODFATHER OF NEW MEXICO MUSIC, HE PASSED AWAY LAST SUNDAY AND THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTPOURING OF SYMPATHY AND SADNESS ACTUALLY AS WELL AS TRIBUTES TO HIS LEGACY. >> IN HIS 60 PLUS YEAR CAREER, HE RELEASED MORE THAN 30 ALBUMS. YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, HE IS CREDITED FOR CREATING THE UNIQUE NEW MEXICO SOUND, AND, LONG ENOUGH, YOU HAVE GOT TO KNOW LIKE AL HURRICANE SORT OF STORY, NOT PERSONALLY, BUT YOU CAN'T ESCAPE HIM. HE WAS AN AMAZING GUY. >> A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, LIKE A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. HIS EXTENDED FAMILY IS A PART OF ALL OF NEW MEXICO.

HIS FRIENDS, IT IS JUST -- THE WESTSIDE; THE OLD TOWN HISTORY. IT IS JUST A GREAT NEW MEXICO STORY. AND I THINK IT SPEAKS TO LIKE THE SMALL TOWN RELATIONS AND FAMILY AND GREAT SPIRIT THAT NEW MEXICO HAS. I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE SEEN HIM A FEW TIMES AT THE LEGISLATURE WHERE WE HONORED HIM AND TO LISTEN TO THAT TRIBUTE CONCERT THAT WAS GIVEN FOR HIM, I THINK, IN MAY, OF THIS YEAR, WHERE DARREN CORDOVA -- HERE IS DARREN CORDOVA PAYING TRIBUTE TO HIM. DARREN CORDOVA IS ALSO A SINGER, ALSO THE MAYOR OF

TAOS. I MEAN HOW INTERWOVEN IS EVERYTHING HERE, POLITICS, MUSIC, ART, SOME FAMILY. IT IS ALL OF A PIECE HERE. >> I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT. DAN, YOU KNOW, SAY AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE LIVED HERE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THE AL HURRICANE DEAL. YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM. >> I HAVE GOT PEOPLE THAT I KNOW BUMPED INTO HIM WALKING IN THE MALL, JUST WALKING IN THE MALL. NOT LIKE HE IS HARD TO PICK >> JUST SHOPPING AT COTTONWOOD MALL, THEY BUMPED INTO HIM AND HE WAS THE MOST GRACIOUS, DID PICTURES. THE THING I ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT WAS, I THOUGHT THAT HIS, WHICH WAS A RARITY, TO BE SO INVOLVED IN THE DESIRE TO MAKE NEW MEXICO BETTER, BUT TO BE ON THE PERIPHERAL OF ALL THE POLITICAL GARBAGE THAT GOES ON. YOU COULD SEE HIM PLAYING AT A FUNCTION FOR REPUBLICANS AND FIVE MINUTES LATER BE AT A FUNCTION FOR DEMOCRATS. HE WANTED TO MAKE NEW MEXICO BETTER, TO MAKE NEW MEXICO -- HE REALLY BELIEVED THIS WAS

HIS STATE, LOVED THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE AND LOVED THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST AND ANY TIME HE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE NEW MEXICO OR NEW MEXICANS, I MEAN, THAT GUY HAS DONE MORE TO HELP PEOPLES' CAREERS THAN MOST ANYBODY ELSE HAS. IT IS A TRUE TRIBUTE TO WHAT A GREAT NEW MEXICAN HE WAS. >> TOM, HE WAS AN INTERNATIONAL STAR, I MEAN PARAGUAY, ARGENTINA, IT WASN'T LIKE HE WAS JUST SITTING IN THE LIMITS OF ALBUQUERQUE OR CITY LIMITS, HE WAS AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE STATE ALL OVER THE WORLD. >> WITH 30 ALBUMS, 60 YEARS OF PURSUING A PASSION IS REALLY QUITE IMPRESSIVE THAT IT NEVER WENT TO HIS HEAD. HE WAS ALWAYS OF THE PEOPLE OF MINE SHARED A STORY HOW HER MOM WAS BASICALLY CHATTING WITH AL HURRICANE WHILE RESTOCKING ALBUMS AT A LOCAL K MARKET. THAT KIND OF FEEL AND HE'LL BE MISSED. >> ALICIA, INTERESTING, PARENTS, YOU KNOW, GRAND PARENTS, SEEMED LIKE GENERATIONALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT AL HURRICANE, NOT LIKE THIS ONE SLICE OF LIFE. >> AL HURRICANE PROVIDED THE SOUND TRACK FOR MANY LIVES.

MY MOM WOULD CRANK UP THE RADIO ON SATURDAY MORNINGS AND TAUGHT ME HOW TO DANCE AND AL HURRICANE WAS THE ONE COMING THROUGH ON THE RADIO AND HURRICANE'S DRUMMER FOR FIVE YEARS. SO, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM FOLLOWING THEM AROUND THE STATE AND GOING TO DIFFERENT PERFORMANCES. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WAS MUCH YOUNGER THEN, AND I WAS ALWAYS SO TICKLED BECAUSE HE KNEW WHO I WAS, MY NAME, I ALWAYS GOT A KISS ON THE CHEEK. AND I HAD NEVER MET SOMEONE UP TO THAT POINT WHO LOVED PEOPLE SO MUCH. AND I MEAN, THEY LOVED HIM RIGHT BACK. IT WAS LIKE THIS MUTUAL ENERGY THAT HAPPENED. IT WAS AMAZING. I MEAN THERE WAS OFTENTIMES WHERE THEY WOULD GO ON BREAK BETWEEN SETS AND IT TOOK LONGER TO ROUND ALL UP TO GET BACK ON STAGE BECAUSE HE LOVED INTERACTING WITH THE PEOPLE SO MUCH AND TRULY WAS JUST A KIND, GENUINE HUMAN BEING WHO

I FEEL LIKE NEW MEXICO LOST A PART OF ITS SOUL WHEN HE DIED. >> IT DOES FEEL LIKE A PAGE HAS TURNED FOR NEW MEXICO A LITTLE BIT. >> ABSOLUTELY. HE LEFT A TERRIFIC LEGACY WITH HIS FAMILY AND WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE LIKE ALICIA, WHO KNEW HIM AND WILL, I THINK, BE CARRYING ON THAT SAME -- >> MUSICAL LEGACY OF THE FAMILY, THE GROUP SPARKS, YEAR AND YEARS, COUSINS OF HIS. >> ALICIA IS RIGHT. >> THAT IS RIGHT. [MULTIPLE SPEAKERS] >> HOW DO WE -- WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY, YOU GUYS, TO HONOR THIS MAN? WE CAN NAME THE STAGE AFTER HIM AT CIVIC PLAZA. THAT IS COOL, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING MORE WE SHOULD BE DOING? SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE OUR GREAT ONES -- >> I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A SIMPLE THING THAT CAN BE DONE AND I THINK AS WE REQUIRE ALL KIDS IN THE STATE TO TAKE NEW MEXICO HISTORY AND I THINK HE SHOULD BE PUT INTO THE NEW MEXICO HISTORY. I THINK SOME OF THE GREAT ONES LIKE AL HURRICANE THERE SHOULD BE A CHAPTER IN THAT CLASS

THAT YOU ARE LEARNING IN SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE ABOUT WHO AL HURRICANE WAS. I TOOK NEW MEXICO HISTORY AND WILL MENTION BUDDY HOLLY, WHEN HE WAS IN CLOVIS FOR 30 SECONDS. AL HURRICANE IS A NEW MEXICAN AND SHOULD BE PUT IN THAT TEXTBOOK OF NEW MEXICO HISTORY. >> LOVE THAT IDEA. DAN. THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE. YOU NEXT WEEK. >> I AM GENE GRANT, THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, INFOCUS.