>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS  LIKE YOU.

>> Lou: THIS WEEK ON NEW  MEXICO IN FOCUS, WE BREAK  DOWN ELECTION RESULTS IN ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE,  WHERE CAPITAL CITY VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED A  SO-CALLED ‘MANSION TAX.’.

>> Julie Ann: THERE ARE  CERTAINLY ENOUGH HOMES OVER A MILLION DOLLARS THAT SELL  IN THE CITY LIMITS EVERY YEAR THAT BACKERS OF THIS  TAX BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BRING IN FOUR AND A HALF  MILLION DOLLARS.

>> Lou: AND, AT THE TABLE  WE DIVE INTO THE SEVERE SHORTAGE OF HEALTHCARE  WORKERS - ESPECIALLY NURSES - IN OUR STATE’S  RURAL COMMUNITIES.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS  NOW.

>> Lou: THANKS FOR JOINING  US THIS WEEK.

I’M SENIOR PRODUCER  LOU DIVIZIO.

THE 1970s WERE A TIME OF  CHANGE IN NEW MEXICO NEWSROOMS.

THE DECADE WAS SO FULL OF TURMOIL AND INNOVATION THAT  THE ALBUQUERQUE MUSEUM IS HIGHLIGHTING IT IN ITS  LATEST TEMPORARY EXHIBIT, 'NEWS FOR THE PEOPLE.'

IN THE SECOND HALF OF TODAY'S SHOW, WE TAKE YOU ON  A TRIP THROUGH THE EXHIBIT.

WE SPEAK WITH A CURATOR  ABOUT SOME OF THE TRAILBLAZERS, AND ASK A  RETIRED REPORTER HOW JOURNALISM HAS CHANGED SINCE  SHE STARTED AT THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL NEARLY  50 YEARS AGO.

THEN LATER IN THE SHOW, WE  MARK THIS WEEKEND'S VETERANS DAY WITH A SPECIAL SEGMENT  ON THE 30-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEDICATION OF THE  VIETNAM WOMEN'S MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

IN A LITTLE OVER HALF AN HOUR, WE’LL HEAR FROM TWO  NURSES WHO SAY THE MEMORIAL BROUGHT THEM THE RECOGNITION  AND ACCEPTANCE THAT THEY NEVER RECEIVED AFTER THE  WAR.

IN JUST OVER TEN MINUTES, WE  ADDRESS THE SEVERE SHORTAGE OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS  IMPACTING RURAL NEW MEXICO AND THE ENTIRE STATE.

I’LL LEAD A TABLE DISCUSSION ON THE CURRENT EFFORTS FROM  ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OUR HOSPITALS TO HELP ALLEVIATE  THE STRAIN.

PLUS, I’LL ASK WHAT MORE CAN  BE DONE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN MEDICAL  PROFESSIONALS.

BUT FIRST, WE DIRECT OUR  FOCUS TO THE BALLOT BOX AND THE AFTERMATH OF TUESDAY’S  LOCAL ELECTIONS.

I’LL RECAP RESULTS FROM  ALBUQUERQUE’S CITY COUNCIL RACES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE  HOUR, BUT RIGHT NOW WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE CAPITAL  CITY WHERE VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED AN  EXCISE TAX ON THE SALE OF HIGH-END HOMES.

HERE’S EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JEFF PROCTOR AND JULIE ANN GRIMM, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER AT THE SANTA FE REPORTER.

>> Jeff: JULIE ANN GRIMM, WELCOME BACK TO NEW MEXICO  In FOCUS.

>> Julie Ann: THANK YOU.

>> Jeff: SO WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE MANSION TAX  TODAY, WHICH PASSED BY VOTERS IN THE CAPITAL CITY  ON TUESDAY BY A BIG FAT 73% FOR AND 27% AGAINST.

WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT AT THIS TABLE BECAUSE  I, OF COURSE, AM NO LONGER THE NEWS EDITOR AT THE  SANTA FE REPORTER.

I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY  HAVING YOU TELL US, WHAT IS THE MANSION TAX, AND WHO  PAYS IT?

>> Julie Ann: SO EVEN  THOUGH COLLOQUIALLY PEOPLE CALL IT THE MANSION TAX, ITS  REAL NAME IS THE HIGH-END EXCISE TAX.

IT'S APPLIED ON HOME SALES, AND ONLY ON HOME SALES WITH  A PRICE OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE.

AND THE BUYER PAYS THE TAX.

SO IT IS 3% ON ANY PART OF  THE PURCHASE PRICE THAT WAS OVER A MILLION DOLLARS,  HENCE THE NAME.

>> Jeff: GOTCHA.

REALLY QUICKLY, A MILLION BUCKS, DOES THAT BUY YOU A  MANSION IN SANTA FE ANYMORE?

>> Julie Ann: I MEAN, IT'S  VERY SUBJECTIVE, BUT THE MEDIAN HOME PRICE IN  SANTA FE IS THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE, AND THERE ARE  CERTAINLY ENOUGH HOMES OVER A MILLION DOLLARS THAT SELL  IN THE CITY LIMITS EVERY YEAR THAT BACKERS OF THIS  TAX BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BRING IN $4.5 MILLION IN  REVENUE.

>> Jeff: SO THAT GOT TO MY  NEXT QUESTION, BUT I WANT TO ASK THE OTHER PART OF IT.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO ONCE THE TAX COLLECTORS BEGIN  RAKING IT IN?

>> Julie Ann: IT HAS A VERY  SPECIFIC PURPOSE.

IT CAN ONLY BE USED BY THE  CITY FOR ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, WHICH  HAS BEEN EXISTING FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE  CITY AND THE CITY HAS BEEN FUNNELING MONEY FROM THE  GENERAL FUND, FROM GROSS RECEIPTS TAXES AND OTHER  REVENUE SOURCES INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING POT OF  MONEY WHEN THEY CAN.

BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS IT  ENABLES THERE TO BE A PERMANENT REVENUE SOURCE.

SO EVERY TIME ONE OF THESE MILLION DOLLARS HOMES IS  SOLD, THE REVENUE FROM THE TAX GOES RIGHT INTO THE  AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND.

AND THAT MONEY IS USED TO  HELP SUBSIDIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, IT'S  USED FOR INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING  HOMELESSNESS.

IT REALLY CROSSES THE  SPECTRUM OF NEED IN THE CITY.

>> Jeff: SO LET'S BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.

THE REPORTER HAS BEEN COVERING THE ISSUE OF  AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOUSING MORE BROADLY IN  SANTA FE FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.

PEOPLE TYPICALLY LIKE TO REFER TO IT AS A CRISIS, BUT  IT'S 2023 AND EVERYTHING IS A CRISIS NOWADAYS.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU, WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF  HOUSING IN SANTA FE?

AND JUST HOW DIFFICULT IS IT  FOR NOT RICH PEOPLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE THERE?

>> Julie Ann: YEAH, THE PRICE OF RENT HAS CONTINUED  TO INCREASE IN THE CITY, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF RENTAL  UNITS IS, ACROSS THE BOARD, A CHALLENGE FOR FOLKS WHO  ARE EARNING SALARIES WELL ABOVE THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

SO WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN  A POSITION WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HOUSING, WHETHER  IT'S BECAUSE YOU'VE JUST LOST THE HOUSING THAT YOU  HAD AND LOVED, OR WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING  THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SIZE OF YOUR FAMILY,  YOUR CHOICES ARE VERY LIMITED.

THE CITY HAS JUST RECENTLY CHANGED SOME RULES AND WE'VE  SEEN SOME DEVELOPMENT OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES, AND FOR  NEARLY A DECADE WE SAW NONE OF THAT.

THEN ON THE HOME OWNERSHIP SIDE, THERE'S A REAL GAP IN  WHAT IS AVAILABLE.

SO HOMES IN THE RANGE  BETWEEN LIKE $200,000 AND $350,000 REALLY DON'T EXIST  IN ENOUGH INVENTORY ON THE MARKET IN SANTA FE FOR  PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, SAY, MOVE OUT OF A SMALL  CONDOMINIUM AND INTO A SMALL HOUSE.

YOU KIND OF GET STUCK WHERE YOU ARE.

AND PEOPLE REPORT SCHOOL TEACHERS, POLICE OFFICERS,  HEALTH CARE WORKERS, ALL OF THEM ARE HAVING CHALLENGE  FINDING HOUSING.

>> Jeff: AND BY PEOPLE, YOU  MEAN YOU AND ME REPORTING ON THOSE PROFESSIONS NOT BEING  ABLE TO LIVE IN THE CITY THAT THEY WORK AND SERVE.

SO CLEARLY THERE WAS A NEED IDENTIFIED FOR RAISING TAXES  IN THIS FASHION.

WHO VOTED FOR THIS?

WAS IT A PARTICULAR PART OF TOWN THAT SORT OF DELIVERED  THIS MASSIVE LANDSLIDE?

HOW DID THAT WORK?

WHO VOTED FOR IT?

>> Julie Ann: IT'S REALLY  INTERESTING.

I ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE  PRECINCT-LEVEL DATA THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE SECRETARY OF  STATE YESTERDAY, BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO  THAT VERY QUESTION.

THERE ARE FOUR CITY COUNCIL  DISTRICTS IN SANTA FE, AND ALL OF THEM HAD PASSAGE  RATES ABOVE 70%.

SO THE HIGHEST RATE OF  PASSAGE WAS ACTUALLY IN DISTRICT 4, WHICH IS KIND OF  THE SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT, AND THAT WAS 75% OF VOTERS  WHO FAVORED THE TAX, BUT THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE WASN'T OFF  VERY FAR.

IT WAS 71% OF VOTERS IN THE  SOUTHSIDE DISTRICT NEXT DOOR, DISTRICT 3.

ON THE NORTHSIDE, WHERE MOST OF THE HOMES IN THIS MILLION  DOLLAR PRICE RANGE ARE LOCATED, BOTH IN DISTRICTS 1  AND 2 YOU HAD 72% AND SOME CHANGE.

SO YOU REALLY SAW BROAD SUPPORT OF THIS.

AND IF YOU SEE A CITYWIDE INITIATIVE PASS WITH THAT  KIND OF A MARGIN, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ONE  SECTOR OF THE CITY.

IT'S NOT JUST PEOPLE IN ONE  ECONOMIC CLASS.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER SITTING  THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL HEARINGS WHEN THEY WERE  DECIDING WHETHER TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT, AND YOU HAD  PEOPLE TESTIFYING WHO WERE DEVELOPERS OF HIGH-END HOMES  SAYING, THIS IS THE COST OF A REFRIGERATOR, YOU KNOW,  LET'S IMPOSE THE TAX.

YOU HAD PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST  GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND COUCH SURFING BECAUSE  THEY COULDN'T GET A JOB THAT ENABLED THEM TO GET THEIR  VERY FIRST PLACE OF THEIR OWN.

AND SO I FEEL LIKE SANTA FE VOTERS RESPONDED TO ALL  THOSE CONCERNS.

>> Jeff: AND THEY RESPONDED  IN A WAY THAT THEY DID NOT IN 2009.

OFFICIALS TRIED THIS BACK IN  '09.

WHAT WAS DIFFERENT THIS  TIME?

>> Julie Ann: FOR ONE  THING, THE THRESHOLD IN '09 WAS A BIT LOWER.

OF COURSE, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF ECONOMIC CHANGES IN  INFLATION, AND SO I HAVEN'T DONE THE MATH ABOUT WHAT A  $750,000 HOME IN 2009'S THRESHOLD, HOW THAT WOULD  COMPARE TO THE MILLION DOLLAR HOME THIS YEAR.

ALTHOUGH I THINK IT IS NOTABLE THAT THIS THRESHOLD  WILL INCREASE WITH THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX OVER  TIME.

BUT I DO THINK THAT OVERALL,  THIS IS ADDRESSING SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE FEEL HAS REACHED  A DIRE LEVEL.

MAYBE IN 2009, THIS CRISIS  WASN'T AS APPARENT, OR YOU DIDN'T KNOW AS MANY PEOPLE  WHO WERE STRUGGLING TO FIND HOUSING, OR MAYBE THE  MESSAGING FROM THE REAL ESTATE LOBBY AFFECTED YOU IN  SOME WAY.

BUT THIS TIME IT REALLY  SEEMED THAT FROM REALLY RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, THERE  WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT.

>> Jeff: SO LET'S PIVOT A  BIT, AS WE USED TO SAY WHEN ONE OF MY COVER STORY IDEAS  WOULD FALL THROUGH.

SANTA FE HAD A MASSIVE VOTER  TURNOUT DURING THIS ELECTION, NORTH OF 30%.

THAT IS 11% HIGHER THAN IT WAS IN ALBUQUERQUE, 10%  HIGHER THAN STATEWIDE.

WAS IT THE MANSION TAX THAT  DID THAT, OR WAS IT SOMETHING ELSE?

>> Julie Ann: I THINK IT WAS A COMBINATION OF THINGS.

THERE WERE CERTAINLY A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WENT TO THE  POLLING PLACE TO VOTE FOR THE TAX WHO OTHERWISE I  DON'T THINK WOULD HAVE GONE TO VOTE, BUT YOU ALSO HAD  FOUR CITY COUNCIL SEATS THAT HAD CONTESTED RACES.

IN ONE SEAT IN DISTRICT 1, THERE WERE FOUR CANDIDATES  WHO WERE REALLY OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW, I CONSIDER IT LIKE  THIS LITTLE ARMY OF FOLKS TALKING ABOUT THE HOUSING  TAX, BECAUSE EVERY COUNCILOR WHO KNOCKED ON EVERY DOOR,  WHETHER THEY WERE FOR OR AGAINST THE HOUSING TAX,  ENDED UP TALKING TO THE POTENTIAL VOTERS ABOUT IT.

AND AGAIN, MOST OF THE CANDIDATES DID FAVOR THE TAX.

AND SO I THINK THAT PROBABLY  HELPED.

EVERY DOLLAR THAT WAS SPENT  ON PROMOTING A CANDIDATE OR ON THE ISSUE KIND OF STILL  SPOKE TO THE ISSUE.

>> Jeff: YOU MENTIONED  DISTRICT 1, WHICH IS TO ME THE MOST INTERESTING OF THE  FOUR RACES THAT I WAS WATCHING ON ELECTION NIGHT.

IT REALLY SORT OF CAME DOWN TO GENO ZAMORA AND ALMA  CASTRO, WITH CASTRO SORT OF NIPPING HIM AFTER A SECOND  ROUND OF RANK CHOICE VOTING.

SHE ATTRIBUTED PART OF HER  VICTORY, AT LEAST, TO THE EXCISE TAX BEING ON THE BALLOT.

WHAT OTHER FACTORS DO YOU THINK PUSHED HER ACROSS THE LINE?

>> Julie Ann: WELL, THAT DISTRICT HAS BEEN REDRAWN.

IT'S GENERALLY REFERRED TO AS THE NORTHSIDE DISTRICT IN  SANTA FE.

BUT THERE'S REALLY A FINGER  OF THE BOUNDARIES THAT DIP DEEP INTO SORT OF THE  CENTRAL SANTA FE WESTERN CORE.

SO ALMA CASTRO'S FAMILY OWNS A RESTAURANT RIGHT ON  CERRILLOS ROAD, AND SHE'S TAKEN OVER OWNERSHIP OF THAT  FAMILY.

THAT'S SORT OF HER HOME  BASE.

BUT ALMA LIVES IN AGUA FRIA,  DOWN IN THE SAME AREA.

AND GENO, MEANWHILE, LIVES  ON THE EXTREME NORTHSIDE IN THE PRETTY RITZY  ATTORNEY-LEVEL KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I THINK VOTERS NOTICED THAT, AND THAT MIGHT HAVE  BEEN A FACTOR.

THEY BOTH, I THINK, REALLY  PUT A LOT INTO THAT ONE-ON-ONE CONTACT THAT  CANDIDATES SAY IS SO IMPORTANT, BUT YOU ALSO SAW  SOME SUPPORTERS OF ALMA THAT ALSO HAVE A HIGH PROFILE IN  DISTRICT 1.

FORMER COUNCILOR PATTI  BUSHEE, ONE OF THE LONGEST SERVING COUNCILORS IN THE  SANTA FE CITY COUNCIL HISTORY, SHE WAS OUT THERE  CAMPAIGNING THE LAST WEEKEND OF EARLY VOTING FOR ALMA CASTRO.

WHEN PATTI RESIGNED -- I'M  SORRY; SHE DIDN'T RESIGN.

WHEN SHE DIDN'T RUN FOR  RE-ELECTION, SHE SORT OF TAPPED RENEE VILLARREAL.

SHE ENDORSED HER.

RENEE THEN WENT ON TO SERVE  A COUPLE OF TERMS ON THE COUNCIL.

RENEE, IN TURN, ENDORSED ALMA.

AND SO YOU HAD BOTH COUNCILOR VILLARREAL AND  COUNCILOR BUSHEE OUT THERE HELPING THE WOMAN WHO WILL  NOW BE COUNCILOR CASTRO.

>> Jeff: WE'VE GOT A LITTLE  LESS THAN A MINUTE, AND THE LAST QUESTION I WANT TO ASK  THIS: HOW DO ALMA'S POLITICS  POTENTIALLY IMPACT THE WAY THE COUNCIL WORKS IN THE  FUTURE, AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN FOR MAYOR ALAN WEBBER'S  AGENDA?

>> Julie Ann: I THINK IN  THIS RACE, YOU SAW SOME CANDIDATES WHO REALLY WENT  OUT OF THEIR WAY TO LOOK LIKE THEY WERE NOT ON THE  MAYOR'S TEAM, AND SOME CANDIDATES WHO CLEARLY WERE,  YOU KNOW, LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING TO BE STRONG ALLIES  OF THE MAYOR.

CASTRO WAS DEFINITELY IN THE  FIRST CAMP.

SHE'S ALSO THE CHILD OF AN  IMMIGRANT, SHE SPEAKS SPANISH, SHE, AS I  MENTIONED, IS REALLY FROM A WORKING SERVICE INDUSTRY  TYPE OF FAMILY BUSINESS, AND WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A  PERSON THAT CHECKS THOSE BOXES ON THE COUNCIL.

SO WE'LL ALL BE WATCHING TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.

>> Jeff: JULIE ANN, THANK YOU FOR COMING ON THE SHOW  THIS WEEK, AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO STEER THE SHIP  AT THE REPORTER.

>> Jonathan: IT WAS AN  INTERESTING TIME.

WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE  SIXTIES WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF SOCIAL CHANGE  NATIONALLY, AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS IN NEW MEXICO  SAID, THIS IS GREAT, BUT IT'S NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH.

THERE'S THINGS LIKE, WE TALKED TO FOLKS WITH THE  BLACK BERET, WE WENT FROM THAT TIME WHO ARE STILL  ACTIVISTS TODAY.

A LOT OF THE TIME, IT'S THE  ALTERNATIVE JOURNALISM THAT WAS MADE AT THAT POINT THAT  REALLY STOOD OUT TO US IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WANT TO  DISPLAY, WHAT STORIES CAN WE TELL THAT MAYBE NOT EVERYONE  KNEW ABOUT.

>> Lou: A LOOK INSIDE THE  ALBUQUERQUE MUSEUM’S EXHIBIT, "NEWS FOR  THE PEOPLE: JOURNALISM IN THE 1970s" IS COMING UP IN  ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES.

NOW TO A PROBLEM WE’VE  COVERED BEFORE ON THE SHOW, THE STATE’S SHORTAGE OF  MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

LAST MONTH, NEW MEXICO IN  DEPTH PUBLISHED A STORY FROM MARJORIE CHILDRESS  HIGHLIGHTING THE PROBLEM AND THE LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS THAT  HAVE, TO THIS POINT, FALLEN SHORT OF A SOLUTION.

TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE SCOPE: IN JULY, NEW MEXICO  WAS SHORT 1000 PHYSICIANS AND ALMOST 7000 NURSES,  ACCORDING TO PUBLISHED JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS.

SO WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN QUALIFIED  PEOPLE INTO THOSE POSITIONS?

I SAT DOWN WITH NEW MEXICO  IN DEPTH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRIP JENNINGS, WHO EDITED  MARJORIE’S STORY, AND HOLLY MULLER, CHIEF NURSING  OFFICER OF PRESBYTERIAN HEALTHCARE SERVICES, TO FIND  OUT.

>> Lou: TRIP, HOLLY, THANK  YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME HERE TODAY ON NEW MEXICO  In FOCUS TO TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE SHORTAGE.

>> Trip: CERTAINLY.

>> Holly: THANK YOU.

>> Lou: I WANT TO START BY  GETTING AN IDEA OF THE SEVERITY OF PROBLEM.

TRIP, MARJORIE'S STORY HAD  SOME JAW-DROPPING ANECDOTES AND STATISTICS THAT WE SAW.

WHAT DID HER REPORTING REVEAL ABOUT JUST HOW DIRE  THE SITUATION HERE IS IN NEW MEXICO, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN  RURAL AREAS?

>> Trip: I MEAN, IN JULY  THEY WERE SHORT, NEW MEXICO WAS SHORT A THOUSAND  PHYSICIANS, AND I THINK WE HAVE 7000 NURSES POSITIONS  SHORT.

BASICALLY, YOU'VE GOT A  STATE THAT'S THE SIZE OF NEW MEXICO, AND YOU CAN FIT NEW  YORK AND ALL SIX STATES OF NEW ENGLAND INTO IT.

AND YOU HAVE A THIRD OF THE POPULATION, 800,000 PEOPLE,  LIVING IN FRONTIER AND RURAL AREAS.

AND IN NEW MEXICO, YOU ALREADY HAVE A SHORTAGE OF  PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS EVERYWHERE,  BUT IT'S KIND OF MORE PRONOUNCED IN THE RURAL  AREAS.

SO IT IS JAW-DROPPING.

IT'S KIND OF CRAZY.

SOME PEOPLE ARE DRIVING TWO  HOURS TO GET, YOU KNOW, SOME CARE.

>> Lou: AND HOLLY, HOW DOES TRIP'S ASSESSMENT FIT WITH  WHAT YOU'RE SEEING WITHIN PRESBYTERIAN HEALTH  SERVICES?

WHERE GEOGRAPHICALLY ARE YOU  SEEING THE LARGEST NEEDS?

>> Holly: I THINK I'M FULLY  ALIGNED WITH YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS, AND ON  TOP OF THAT, NEW MEXICO HAS AN AGING POPULATION.

THE POPULATION THAT'S GROWING THE FASTEST ARE  INDIVIDUALS OVER 65 YEARS OLD.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO HEALTH CARE?

IT MEANS THAT THERE'S AN INCREASED COMPLEXITY.

THERE'S ALREADY HEALTH DISPARITIES IN NEW MEXICO  AND SOME THINGS WE NEED TO SHORE UP FOR ACCESS OF CARE,  BUT THAT AGING POPULATION SHOULD BE A RED FLAG THAT WE  NEED TO DIG DEEPER INTO MORE BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITIES  OF THE DEMANDS.

>> Lou: HOW DO THE CONCERNS  FROM THE RURAL PATIENTS DIFFER FROM PATIENTS IN  ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE, WHERE THE SHORTAGES ARE  STILL PERSISTING?

>> Holly: YOU KNOW, NEW  MEXICO IS REALLY ABOUT RURAL HEALTH CARE.

YES, WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL HOSPITALS IN THE ALBUQUERQUE  AREA AND CAN SERVE SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL NEEDS OF  OUR CITIZENS IN THE STATE, BUT NEW MEXICO IS REALLY  ABOUT RURAL HEALTH CARE.

THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF  OUR CITIZENS LIVE, AND IT'S WHERE THE MOST DISPARITIES  ARE, AND TO TRIP'S POINT, THE MOST CHALLENGES.

SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY'S  CONVERSATION AS WE TRY TO IDENTIFY THE TOP SOLUTIONS,  BECAUSE I REALLY THINK THIS IS, HOW DO WE MOVE AWAY FROM  BEING IN A CRISIS, HOW DO WE BUILD ON SOME OF THE  STABILIZATION THAT HAS STARTED FROM SOME OF THE  INTERVENTIONS IN PLACE, BUT REALLY, THE MACRO GOAL IS,  HOW DO WE GET TO A PLACE OF SUSTAINABILITY.

WHAT DOES THAT VISION LOOK LIKE WHERE HEALTH CARE  SERVICES AND HOW WE PROVIDE HEALTH CARE, THAT THERE'S A  RELIABLE SUSTAINABLE MODEL AND APPROACH FOR HOW WE DO  THAT, FROM WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT DOES, WHAT WE DO  AS LEADERS IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEN HOW  THAT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS OUR CITIZENS AND THEIR CARE, AND  SUPPORTS OUR WORKFORCE, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE BACKBONE  AND THE ENGINE ABOUT HOW TO BRING ALL OF THAT TO REALITY.

>> Trip: CAN I RIFF ON  SOMETHING SHE SAID, BASICALLY, WHICH WAS THE  AGING POPULATION.

THE CARE BECOMES, LIKE YOU  SAID, MORE COMPLICATED AND MORE SUSTAINED, ACTUALLY.

IT'S LIKE CHRONIC STUFF FOR PATIENTS AND CLIENTS.

BUT IT ALSO MEANS THAT, LIKE TEACHERS, THERE'S AN AGING  POPULATION OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A RETIREMENT BOOM.

AND SO WHERE ARE WE GOING TO FIND PEOPLE TO REPLACE THIS  GENERATION OF WORKERS?

THAT'S A CHALLENGE,  ACTUALLY, IN NEW MEXICO.

I JUST WANTED TO RIFF ON  THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT, AS  WELL.

>> Lou: ABSOLUTELY.

>> Holly: THESE ARE SIGNALS THAT ARE POPPING UP WITH  INCREASING INTENSITY, SO TODAY'S A TIMELY  CONVERSATION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO NEXT.

>> Lou: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS, BUT I ALSO  WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT, SO WE GET AN IDEA OF  HOW THIS IS ACTUALLY IMPACTING PATIENTS.

IS IT INCREASED DRIVE TIMES, LIKE TRIP MENTIONED,  EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, MAKING THOSE WORSE, CONTINUITY OF  CARE, OR A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE?

>> Holly: IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE.

SO WITHIN RURAL COMMUNITIES, AS WE LOOK AT OUR HEALTH  CARE WORKFORCE, WE'RE GOING TO TALK MORE TODAY ABOUT HOW  DO WE GET MORE NEW MEXICANS INTO HEALTH CARE CAREERS AS  WELL AS PEOPLE THAT WE CAN RECRUIT FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE.

BUT IDEALLY, HOW DO WE OFFER  THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND ENABLE OUR OWN CITIZENS TO  HAVE A CAREER IN HEALTH CARE AND BE PART OF THAT SOLUTION.

THE ENTIRE HEALTH CARE TEAM  IS IMPORTANT, BUT CRITICALLY, PHYSICIANS AND  NURSES ARE TWO IMPORTANT PRIORITIES, AS WELL AS EMS  DRIVERS TO DRIVE THE AMBULANCES, AS WELL AS  SOCIAL WORKERS TO HELP US WITH THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS  OF HEALTH.

SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS COME  TOGETHER INTO WHAT OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE TO BUILD A  SUSTAINABLE MODEL FOR HOW WE DELIVER HEALTH CARE, BUT HOW  WE SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE TO BE ABLE TO CARE  FOR THOSE CITIZENS.

>> Lou: NOW, TRIP, THE BIG  FRAME FOR NEW MEXICO IN-DEPTH'S STORY WASN'T JUST  THE WORKFORCE SHORTAGE, BUT ALSO HOW LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS  TO ADDRESS IT HAVE FALLEN SHORT.

GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN-GRISHAM LINE-ITEM  VETOED SEVERAL PROVISIONS LAST SESSION, PROMPTING  MEMBERS OF HER OWN PARTY TO SUE HER, AS WAS HIGHLIGHTED  IN THE STORY.

WHAT HAPPENED WITH ALL THAT  IN SANTA FE THIS PAST SESSION, AND HOW DOES IT FIT  WITH PAST EFFORTS FROM THE ROUNDHOUSE?

>> Trip: YEAH, AND I WANT TO SAY, WE POINTED OUT IN  THE STORY THAT LAWMAKERS AND THE GOVERNOR -- I MEAN, THE  ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE KIND OF ALMOST LEGION.

I MEAN, THEY REALLY PASSED A LOT OF STUFF.

BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY CHALLENGES.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT ADVOCATES ARE SAYING, IS  THAT THEY PASSED $80 MILLION OVER A THREE-YEAR PROGRAM TO  ACTUALLY HELP BUILD UP HEALTH CARE BUSINESSES IN  THE RURAL AREAS, THEY BASICALLY HAVE WORKED TO  REDUCE EXCEPTIONS AND DEDUCTIONS ON -- THIS IS TAX  POLICY, IT INTEGRATES WITH HEALTH CARE POLICY -- BUT  FOR MEDICAL PROVIDERS WHO DON'T HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON  CO-PAYS AND STUFF LIKE THIS.

THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF STUFF.

THEY INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR PHYSICIANS WHO ARE  PAYING BACK LOANS.

THEY DID ALL THIS, AND IT  STILL WASN'T ENOUGH.

AND THEN THE GOVERNOR, THERE  WAS THIS HEALTH CARE PROVIDER TAX, TAX CREDIT,  THAT THE GOVERNOR LINE-ITEM VETOED, WHICH WAS KIND OF  THE HOOK FOR THE STORY, WHICH IS IT WOULD HAVE  EXPANDED THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS OR PROFESSIONS  THAT ARE ALLOWED UNDER THE --  >> Holly: THE CENTRAL ROLES.

>> Trip: THE CENTRAL ROLES, EXACTLY.

AND TRYING TO ENTICE FOLKS.

IT'S ONE THING AMONG MANY FACTORS.

BUT IT CAME AT A TIME WHEN  NEW MEXICO HAS HISTORIC SURPLUSES COMING IN FROM THE  OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, SO THE ARGUMENT FROM HER OFFICE  WAS, I HAD TO LINE-ITEM VETO THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE MAY  NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THE FUTURE.

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE DID THE STORY.

I MEAN, I HOPE THAT THAT ANSWERED THE QUESTION.

I WAS KIND OF LIKE ALL AROUND THERE, BUT, YEAH.

>> Lou: I APPRECIATE THAT.

PLEASE.

>> Holly: AND YOU MADE ME THINK ABOUT JUST HOW  COMPETITIVE ARE WE AS A STATE, BECAUSE THIS HEALTH  CARE CRISIS IS NATIONAL.

THE DESIRE TO HAVE A  SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE IS A NATIONAL CONCERN.

OTHER STATES ARE GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE.

SO AS YOU SAID, GOOD EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE, BUT HOW DO WE  CARRY THIS FURTHER?

ONCE AGAIN, THE AGING  POPULATION AND THE WORKFORCE DEFICITS THAT WE HAVE ARE  HUGE RED FLAGS THAT SHOULD CHALLENGE US TO ASK  OURSELVES, WHAT CAN WE DO MORE.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, THE TAX CREDIT, HOW COULD WE REVISIT  THAT POTENTIALLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE  TO REALLY SEE IF THAT COULD BE EXTENDED BEYOND SOME  PROVIDERS.

>> Lou: YOU MENTIONED THE  COMPETITIVENESS, AND I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR EMPLOYEES AS THE CHIEF  NURSING OFFICER ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK IN  PARTICULAR IN NEW MEXICO?

ARE THERE SPECIFIC ISSUES  THAT YOU HEAR FROM THEM?

>> Holly: SO IN THE RURAL  COMMUNITIES, WHAT'S A REAL POSITIVE IS, THERE ARE DEEP  ROOTS AND CONNECTIONS IN THIS STATE.

PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THESE COMMUNITIES.

THEY ARE WELL CONNECTED IN THE CARE OF THEIR  COMMUNITIES AND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE.

SO THAT'S A POSITIVE IN PEOPLE WANTING TO LIVE AND  WORK IN NEW MEXICO.

AND THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE  TALKED ABOUT WITH THE LEGISLATION AND WHERE WE CAN  GO FARTHER AND SOME BENEFITS THAT MAYBE WE COULD RETHINK  OR ADD OR ADVANCE TO HELP ENTICE PHYSICIANS, NURSES,  AND OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN BOTH THE NURSING, MEDICAL  AND ALLIED HEALTH FIELD TO WANT TO LIVE AND WORK IN NEW MEXICO, HOW WE CAN BE EVEN MORE ORGANIZED IN ATTRACTING  YOUTH TO WANT TO ENTER HEALTH CARE CAREERS, THESE  THINGS ARE NOT STABILIZED.

THEY'RE IN A STATE OF CRISIS.

SO WHAT I'M SEEING AND  FEELING EVERY DAY AND HEARING FROM COLLEAGUES THAT  I WORK WITH OR PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED IN OUR HEALTH  SYSTEM IS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE ACCESS TO CARE BETTER  FOR OUR PATIENTS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ATTRACT MORE  INDIVIDUALS TO WANT TO GO INTO HEALTH CARE CAREERS.

SO INTERNALLY, A LOT OF THE ACTIONS WE'RE TAKING IS TO  TRY TO BOLSTER THAT, TO HAVE MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH  SCHOOLS, OPEN MORE SLOTS.

WHAT DOES THEIR FUNDING LOOK  LIKE?

WHAT DO THEY NEED?

WE EVEN HAVE SOME OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS LOOKING TO  BECOME INSTRUCTORS IN THE SCHOOLS, AS THEY HAVE  FACULTY GAPS.

I MEAN, THIS IS JUST A  MULTI-FACETTED ISSUE THAT WE EVEN NEED MORE PARTNERSHIP  BETWEEN OUR STATE, OUR LEADERSHIP IN OUR HEALTH  CARE ORGANIZATIONS.

HOW CAN WE EVEN BECOME MORE  ALIGNED TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE  SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE CITIZENS WHO ARE OUR PATIENTS DESERVE THAT.

THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY  ABOUT THIS.

AND OUR HEALTH CARE  WORKFORCE, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS,  EITHER.

THEY'RE TRYING TO DO  MEANINGFUL, PURPOSEFUL WORK TO TAKE THEIR SKILLS AND  THEIR EXPERTISE AND HEAL AND  HELP PEOPLE, AND THEY'RE FEELING THAT PRESSURE AT THE  BEDSIDE.

THEY'RE FEELING THE LACK,  SOME OF THE DEFICITS.

>> Trip: PART OF WHAT WE  FOUND WAS, AND I THINK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS,  WHICH IS LIKE MAYBE PARTNERING AND INSTRUCTING,  GETTING SOME FOLKS IN THERE.

I MEAN, THERE ARE ONLY SO  MANY SLOTS AVAILABLE IN NURSING SCHOOLS HERE.

>> Holly: THERE'S A DEMAND.

>> Trip: YES, THERE'S A  HUGE DEBATE UP IN SANTA FE, THERE'S THIS CONVERSATION  ABOUT, HOW MUCH DO YOU INCREASE FUNDING TO ACTUALLY  PAY TO HELP INCREASE THE PIPELINE OF NURSES AND  GROWING YOUR OWN WORKFORCE, WHICH IS LIKE WHAT PEOPLE  ARE TALKING ABOUT.

BECAUSE THERE'S ALL THESE  FOLKS WHO NEED HELP IN THE RURAL AREAS, AND SHE,  MARJORIE, INTERVIEWED SOMEBODY WHO IS FROM A RURAL  COMMUNITY -- WELL, TWO FOLKS.

BUT THEY'RE BOTH FROM RURAL COMMUNITIES, AND THEY CAME  FROM RURAL COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE BACK THERE.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES WHO CAN  DO THE WORK, WHO CAN GO TO UNIVERSITY AND WHATNOT AND  GET NURSING DEGREES AND FILL THE PIPELINE.

>> Holly: AT ONE OF OUR HOSPITALS IN TUCUMCARI, I  WANT TO SAY IT'S THE MESALANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE,  THEY WERE HAVING SOME FACULTY DEFICITS, SO NOW WE  HAVE SOME OF OUR NURSE LEADERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY  BECOMING FACULTY IN THAT SCHOOL TO HELP SUPPORT THE  PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THAT RELATIONSHIP IN  INTERDEPENDENT IN KEEPING THAT COMMUNITY GOING AND  ENSURING THAT WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE AT THE BEDSIDE TO  TAKE CARE OF OUR PATIENTS.

I JUST GOT ACTUALLY A  MESSAGE THIS MORNING, ONE MY OTHER NURSE LEADERS IN THE  ESPANOLA AREA IS PARTNERING WITH ONE OF THE LOCAL  COLLEGES FOR THE SAME REASON.

SO WE REALLY NEED TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE TOGETHER AND BE  ABLE TO, YES, AS HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT THESE  SOLUTIONS, BE PART OF THE FACULTY AND OTHER THINGS  THAT WE MENTIONED, AND MORE.

WHAT ELSE COULD WE DO  TOGETHER AT THE STATE LEVEL TO OPEN SLOTS, HELP WITH  TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, OR LOAN FORGIVENESS, OR  WHATEVER THE ACTION IS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS A VIABLE  SOLUTION FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CARE FOR PATIENTS.

>> Lou: TRIP, I WANTED TO GET TO THAT NATIONAL CONTEXT  A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, BASED ON YOUR  AND MARJORIE'S REPORTING.

WHERE DOES NEW MEXICO FIT IN  TERMS OF THE REST OF THE STATES?

ARE WE COMPETITIVE WITH NEIGHBORING STATES, JUST THE  GENERAL AREA?

>> Trip: IN SOME WAYS,  HOLLY WOULD BE -- I'LL ANSWER, BUT HOLLY PROBABLY  KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I DO.

BUT I MEAN, LET'S TAKE MEDICAID PROVIDER  REIMBURSEMENT RATES.

ARIZONA HAS HIGHER  REIMBURSEMENT RATES.

MEDICAID IS THE GOVERNMENT  HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR LOW INCOME FOLKS.

ARIZONA HAS A HIGHER REIMBURSEMENT RATE.

THAT'S JUST ONE THING.

I THINK TO HOLLY'S POINT  ABOUT BEING COMPETITIVE, IT'S A NATIONAL ISSUE, BUT  FRANKLY, IT'S INTERNATIONAL.

WE'RE TAKING FOLKS FROM  OTHER COUNTRIES TO ACTUALLY HELP FILL SLOTS.

SO AS FAR AS THE COMPETITIVENESS, I THINK  EVERY STATE OUT THERE IS DOING THINGS, AND WE'RE  RIGHT NEXT TO THE SECOND MOST POPULACE STATE IN THE  UNION, TEXAS, WHICH HAS A LOT OF WEALTH, AND THEY'RE  GOING TO BE SPENDING IT.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE A LOT OF  WEALTH THERE.

WE'RE COMPETING WITH SOME  REALLY TOUGH COMPETITORS.

THAT'S MY SENSE.

>> Holly: SPOT ON.

>> Trip: THANK YOU.

I FEEL VALIDATED, THANK YOU.

>> Lou: I APPRECIATE YOU  BOTH, AND I KNOW WE JUST SCRATCHED THE SURFACE ON  THIS.

I HOPE TO HAVE YOU BOTH IN  HERE IN THE FUTURE TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE  I KNOW IT'S UNFORTUNATELY NOT GOING AWAY IN A HEARTBEAT.

BUT I APPRECIATE YOU BOTH.

THANK YOU.

>> Trip: THANK YOU.

>> Holly: THANK YOU.

>> THE RESPECT THAT I FEEL  NOW WHEN I SAY I'M A VIETNAM VET, WHICH WASN'T THERE  BEFORE, IT'S REALLY A JOY FOR ME, TO HAVE PEOPLE  RESPECT WHAT I AND MY FRIENDS GAVE.

AND THEN IT ALWAYS SPEAKS TO ME ABOUT THE CAMARADERIE.

THERE'S JUST NOTHING LIKE THE BOND THAT HAPPENS WITH  YOUR FELLOW NURSES AND THE CORPSMEN AND THE TEAM THAT  YOU HAVE WORKING THERE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE  REALLY REPLACED HERE, BUT IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR SURVIVAL.

>> Lou: SOCIAL JUSTICE PROTESTS AND POLITICAL  MOVEMENTS GRABBED HEADLINES THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO IN THE  1970s, AND A NEW EXHIBIT BY THE ALBUQUERQUE MUSEUM IS  HIGHLIGHTING THE BYLINES OF THOSE STORIES.

"NEWS FOR THE PEOPLE: JOURNALISM IN THE 1970s,"  A TEMPORARY EXHIBIT OPEN NOW THROUGH MARCH 3rd  SHOWCASES REPORTERS’ WORK DURING THAT ERA.

IT ALSO SHINES A LIGHT ON THE WAY NEWSROOMS BEGAN TO  CHANGE AS MORE WOMEN JOINED THE STATE'S GROWING MEDIA  LANDSCAPE.

IN ADDITION TO ITS FOCUS ON  THE '70s, THE EXHIBIT INCLUDES NEWS PROMOS FROM  THE '80s AND '90s, AS WELL AS BEHIND-THE-SCENES  PHOTOS OF PRINT AND RADIO JOURNALISTS THAT DATE BACK  TO THE 1950s.

IN THIS SPECIAL SEGMENT  BROUGHT TO YOU BY PRODUCER ANTONIO SANCHEZ AND  PHOTOJOURNALIST ROBERT McDERMOTT, WE SPEAK WITH  CURATOR JONATHAN WRIGHT AND RETIRED REPORTER DENISE  TESSIER ABOUT THOSE NEWS-BREAKING DAYS FIFTY  YEARS AGO.

>> Jonathan: ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE WERE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,  THIS IDEA OF WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN THE  NEWS.

WE'RE COMING UP ON A FEW  50-YEAR ANNIVERSARIES, WHICH IS ALWAYS A GOOD MOMENT TO  SIT AND REFLECT ON WHAT'S CHANGED IN THAT TIME.

A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE THOUGHT ABOUT  DURING THE MAKING OF THIS SHOW WAS THE MAJOR THEMES.

SO WE LOOKED AT THE VIETNAM WAR, WHAT'S BEEN HELD ONTO  SINCE THEN, WHAT STORIES ARE STILL TO BE TOLD FROM THAT  TIME LOCALLY AND WHAT WAS BROUGHT BACK.

BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T CHANGED  A LOT.

WE'VE GOT ITEMS IN THIS EXHIBITION THAT FOCUS ON  SOMETHING LIKE THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT AND WHAT  WERE PEOPLE DOING HERE IN THE STATE TO, YOU KNOW,  CHALLENGE THEIR LOCAL CONGRESSMAN OR PEOPLE WHO  WERE IN POLITICAL POWER TO SAY, WE NEED TO SEE SOME  CHANGE.

>> "BE PERSISTENT."

>> "THIS IS THE WAY THE PUBLIC FINDS OUT THINGS,  MAYOR."

>> Jonathan: AND AGAIN, 50  YEARS LATER, MAYBE NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN A LOT OF  PEOPLE'S EYES.

SO I THINK BRINGING  ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WHILE THE MEDIUMS OF HOW  PEOPLE RECEIVED THEIR NEWS HAS CHANGED A LOT, IN A  CERTAIN WAY THE NEWS ITSELF HASN'T CHANGED ALL THAT  MUCH.

>> "SIR, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE  IT ON AT 6:00."

>> Jonathan: THERE'S A  WHOLE STORY IN THE '70s THAT CAN BE REALLY DELVED INTO, WHETHER IT'S THE ETHICS OF WHAT JOURNALISM  MEANT AND WAS AT THE TIME, WHETHER IT'S THE PIONEERS,  THE TRAILBLAZERS, OR EVEN JUST THE MAJOR EVENTS SINCE  THE TIME OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

WE ALSO HAVE WATERGATE,  NIXON, EVERYTHING HAPPENING NATIONALLY THAT ALSO HAD AN  IMPACT HERE, RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO, AND TIE INTO  THAT ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE NEW MEXICO UNIQUE, AND  YOU HAVE A REALLY AMAZING SORT OF SENSE AND SCENE FOR  WHAT HAPPENED AND UNFOLDED IN THOSE TEN YEARS.

>> "WHAT HAPPENED ON THIS SUNDAY AND THE FILMS YOU'RE  ABOUT TO SEE ARE ACTUAL NEWS FILMS TAKEN FROM THE FILES  OF KGGM-TV IN ALBUQUERQUE.

A NUMBER OF PATROL CARS WERE  TOTALLY DESTROYED AS THE RIOTING CITIZENS LITERALLY  PICKED UP THE PATROL VEHICLES, TURNED THEM OVER,  AND THEN SET FIRE TO THEM."

>> Jonathan: IT WAS AN  INTERESTING TIME.

WE WERE COMING OUT OF  SIXTIES, WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF SOCIAL CHANGE  NATIONALLY, AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS IN NEW MEXICO  SAID, THIS IS GREAT, BUT IT'S NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH.

THERE'S THINGS LIKE, WE TALKED TO FOLKS AT THE BLACK  BERET, WE WENT FROM THAT TIME, WHO ARE STILL  ACTIVISTS TODAY.

A LOT OF THE TIMES, IT'S THE  ALTERNATIVE JOURNALISM THAT WAS MADE AT THAT POINT THAT  REALLY STOOD OUT TO US IN TERMS OF WHAT DO WE WANT TO  DISPLAY, WHAT STORIES CAN WE TELL THAT MAYBE NOT EVERYONE  KNEW ABOUT.

>> "THE MAJOR ORGANIZER OF  THE DEMONSTRATION WAS THE BLACK BERETS, BUT ALSO  GETTING TOP BILLING WERE LT.

GOVERNOR ROBERTO  MONDRAGON AND ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVID NORVELL."

>> "I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT I SAID ABOUT THE BLACK  BERETS.

THERE ARE SOME CHICANO  BROTHERS HERE WHO FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE YELLING, PEOPLE  POWER, AND ULTIMATELY, WE WANT PEOPLE POWER.

BUT LET THE CHICANO FIND THE CHICANO-ISM ALONE TOGETHER.

EVERY TIME A HIPPIE THROWS A ROCK, IT IS A CHICANO THAT  GETS KILLED."

>> Denise: ALL OF US WHO  WORKED AT THE JOURNAL, AND I'M SURE AT THE TRIB, FEEL  WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE IN THE TRENCHES AT THAT TIME  BECAUSE WE HAD THE BACKING.

I MEAN, IT'S REAL BACKING  WHERE THEY HAVE LAWYERS, EVEN, IF YOU GET IN TROUBLE.

BUT THEY HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO SEND YOU OUT OF  TOWN, TO MAYBE GIVE YOU A CAR.

NOW REPORTERS, THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN.

THEY GOT TO HAVE THEIR PHONE.

THEY'RE USING THEIR OWN EQUIPMENT.

>> Announcer: "WHEN NEWS HAPPENS, YOU'LL SEE IT  HAPPEN ON NEWS 4."

[CHANTING]  >> Jonathan: WE ALSO HAVE TRAILBLAZERS, LIKE THE FIRST  FEMALE GENERAL MANAGER AT KOAT, FOR EXAMPLE, MARY LYNN  ROPER, WHO BECAME A FORCE AT THAT TIME.

YOU ALSO HAVE SHARON IRISH, WHO WOULD THEN LEAD KUNM, AS  WELL, ON THE RADIO.

SO THESE VOICES DIDN'T GO  AWAY AND BECAME NATIONAL FIGUREHEADS, AND THEY WERE  RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

>> Announcer: "BECAUSE  FIRST YOU HAD TO GET THE FILM BACK TO THE STATION AND  THEN PROCESS IT."

>> "WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THIS  FILM FOR 6:00."

>> "SORRY, MAN, YOU'RE TOO  LATE."

>> Announcer: "BUT NOW  THERE'S EYEWITNESS NEWS MINI-CAM."

>> Denise: THE MUSEUM PUT THAT SUSAN LANDON AND I ARE  PIONEERS, AND THAT KIND OF EMBARRASSED ME, BECAUSE I  FELT LIKE THE PIONEERS WERE VAL COOPER OF THE FARMINGTON  DAILY TIMES, WHO WAS THE FIRST WOMAN EDITOR IN NEW  MEXICO.

FRANKIE McCARTY, THE ONE  WHO REALLY GOT ME MY JOB AT THE JOURNAL, WAS THE FIRST  MANAGING EDITOR AT THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL AND ONE  OF THE FIRST IN THE NATION.

BUT THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT,  AND I THINK WE WERE PIONEERS AS PART OF A HUGE INFLUX OF  WOMEN JOURNALISTS.

WE WERE THE FIRST WHO WERE  THERE WHEN THERE WERE LOTS OF WOMEN, AND THEY WEREN'T  JUST IN THE SOCIETY PAGE.

>> "GOOD EVENING.

FIRST AT 5:30 TONIGHT, A TRAGIC ACCIDENT."

>> Denise: THE WORLD HADN'T QUITE ADJUSTED YET TO WOMEN  BEING REPORTERS.

IT COULD BE AN ADVANTAGE,  WHERE THEY WOULD NOT TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY AND MAYBE SAY  THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T THINK YOU'D RUN WITH.

ONE TIME I WAS COVERING A FEDERAL COURT CASE, AND THE  LAWYER FOR THE DEFENSE CAME UP TO ME IN THE HALLWAY  DURING A BREAK AND SAID, 'YOU SHOULD BE HOME COOKING  FOR YOUR HUSBAND.'

AND THIS WAS IN THE COURT OF  H. VEARLE PAYNE, FEDERAL JUDGE, AND HE ACTUALLY HAD A  SIGN OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM THAT SAID: WOMEN IN PANTS  WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE COURTROOM.

YOU HAD TO WEAR A DRESS.

¶¶  >> Denise: BECAUSE WE WERE STILL COVERING LIKE A MOSTLY  ALL MALE WORLD, I WAS FORTUNATE TO JOIN NEW MEXICO  PRESS WOMEN.

WHEN WE'D HAVE A CONFERENCE,  THERE WOULD BE TEN TABLES, AND EACH TABLE WAS FULL WITH  FEMALE REPORTERS FROM THE PAPERS.

IT SHOWS YOU HOW THE REAL BEST JOURNALISM WAS THEN.

LOS ALAMOS MONITOR.

SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN.

TAOS NEWS.

HOBBS NEWS-SUN.

DEMING HEADLIGHT.

SILVER CITY DAILY PRESS.

I MEAN, THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE WOMEN, NOT EVERYONE  WAS A PRESS WOMAN.

SO WE WERE PART OF THIS WAVE  OF JOURNALISTS, WOMEN JOURNALISTS.

>> Jonathan: AND THEN I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE FOLKS WHO  I REACHED OUT TO, WHO WERE JOURNALISTS AT THAT TIME OR  MAYBE NEWS JOURNALISTS WHO WORKED IN STATIONS, WHO  SAID, OH, WELL, HANG ON, WE MIGHT HAVE ONE MORE THING IN  OUR POSSESSION THAT WE HELD ONTO.

BECAUSE A LOT OF THE EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, GOES  OUT OF DATE.

WHY WOULD YOU KEEP AN OLD  CAMERA TEN YEARS LATER IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT.

SO A FEW OF THOSE THINGS.

WE HAVE MICS, YOU KNOW,  RADIO MICS FROM FOLKS WHO WERE LIVE ON AIR AT KUNM IN THE '70s.

WE MANAGED TO GRAB THOSE.

TELEVISIONS FROM THE TIME  THAT WE'VE REWIRED AND TRIED TO SHOW BLACK AND WHITE  FOOTAGE.

[CHANTING]  >> Jonathan: AND THEN THERE'S A COUPLE OF  DIFFERENT GROUPS, TOO.

NEW MEXICO PRESS WOMEN HAVE  BEEN PHENOMENAL THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS PROCESS.

FROM THE START, I THINK I REACHED OUT, JUST KIND OF  MAYBE BLINDLY HOPING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SOME BOOKS  FROM THE TIME OR SOMETHING.

AND NO, THEY WENT TEN BETTER  AND SAID, WE'VE GOT FOLKS WHO KEPT AHOLD OF THEIR  NOTEBOOKS, THEIR GREASE PENCILS, AND WE CAN SHOW YOU  HOW JOURNALISM WAS AT THAT TIME.

>> "BILL WAS PUNCHED IN THE FACE, BREAKING HIS  EYEGLASSES.

I WAS KICKED, BUT I  PROTECTED MYSELF WITH A CAMERA, AND ONLY THE LENS  WAS DAMAGED."

>> Jonathan: YOU KNOW,  WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO ALL THE FOLKS WE WORKED WITH.

THE STORIES AND THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, A LOT OF THEM  WERE STILL AROUND TO TELL THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY.

SO WE'RE HOPING ANOTHER THING THAT MAKES THIS  EXHIBIT MAYBE A LITTLE UNIQUE COMPARED TO OTHER  HISTORY EXHIBITS, LOOKING AT CENTURIES, YOU KNOW, A LOT  OF LONG TIME AGO, IS THAT THESE PEOPLE COULD TELL  THEIR STORY.

SO WE LISTENED, AND THIS HAS  BEEN A GREAT SPACE, IN THIS COMMUNITY EXHIBIT SPACE, TO  SHOWCASE THE PEOPLE'S STORIES AND WHY NEWS WAS FOR  THE PEOPLE.

>> Lou: THANKS TO PRODUCER  ANTONIO SANCHEZ AND PHOTOJOURNALIST ROBERT McDERMOTT FOR THEIR WORK ON THAT PIECE.

THIS SATURDAY IS VETERANS DAY, AND AS WE PAY OUR  RESPECTS TO EVERYONE WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY OVERSEAS  AND HERE AT HOME, WE LOOK BACK 30-YEARS TO THE  DEDICATION OF THE VIETNAM WOMEN’S MEMORIAL.

DESIGNED BY SCULPTOR GLENNA GOODACRE IN 1993, THE STATUE  IS THE FIRST MONUMENT TO WOMEN TO BE INSTALLED ON THE NATIONAL MALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THIS WEEK, IN AN INTERVIEW  FROM OUR CULTURAL AFFAIRS TEAM HERE AT NMPBS, FAITH PEREZ ASKS TWO NURSES WHO SERVED IN VIETNAM WHAT THE  MEMORIAL MEANT TO THEM THEN, AND NOW 30 YEARS LATER.

¶¶  >> Faith: JANE, DOTTY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE.

SO IT'S THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WOMEN'S MEMORIAL.

WHAT COMES TO MIND?

>> Jane: I SEE A BEAUTIFUL  FALL DAY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON VETERANS DAY OF 1993 WHEN  WE UNVEILED THE STATUE THAT GLENNA HAD MADE.

THIS HUGE, BEAUTIFUL STATUE OF THREE WOMEN, ONE HOLDING  A SERVICEMAN.

AND SO I SEE THE CROWDS AND  THE WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING ON THIS FOREVER, AND  IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL SIGHT TO UNVEIL IT AND  DEDICATE IT.

>> Faith: AND DOTTY, WHAT  COMES TO MIND FOR YOU?

>> Dotty: WELL, FOR MYSELF,  AND MANY OF THE NURSES, WE HAD KIND OF HAD TO HIDE OUT  FOR YEARS, BECAUSE PEOPLE WEREN'T REAL RECEPTIVE TO US  HAVING BEEN NURSES.

AND SO IT JUST WASN'T SOMETHING YOU TALKED ABOUT  AT ALL.

AND THAT DAY WAS SO SPECIAL.

THERE WERE MARCHES AND REALLY ACCEPTANCE, AND  SEEING SOLDIERS WHO WERE LOOKING FOR THEIR NURSE.

BUT THE THING THAT I THINK ABOUT NOW IS WHAT'S HAPPENED  IN THOSE 30 YEARS, THAT SPAN OF TIME, AND I THINK THE  STATUE STILL DOES THE SAME MAGIC THAT IT DID ON THAT DAY.

>> Jane: YES.

>> Dotty: FOR ME, IT'S A STATUE ABOUT HEALING AND  ABOUT ACCEPTING US AS WE ARE, AND CAMARADERIE, WHICH  WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN NAM.

AND THEN COMING BACK TO THE  STATES AND GETTING SEPARATED, A LOT OF THAT  CAMARADERIE WAS LOST.

SO IT WAS VERY MAGICAL TO BE  IN THAT ENVIRONMENT AGAIN.

>> Faith: AND DOTTY, TELL  ME ABOUT THIS SCULPTURE THAT YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU, THIS  LITTLE ONE.

>> Dotty: I WAS REALLY  LUCKY, BECAUSE WHEN GLENNA GOODACRE -- SHE'S A  SCULPTRESS WHO LIVED IN SANTA FE -- GOT THE  COMMISSION, I CALLED AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY  CHANCE I COULD COME AND JUST SEE IT WHEN SHE WAS WORKING  ON IT.

AND SHE'S THE MOST GRACIOUS  WOMAN I HAVE EVER MET IN MY WHOLE LIFE.

SHE SAID, SURE, COME ON FRIDAYS, THOSE ARE USUALLY A  GOOD DAY.

SO I WOULD GO FREQUENTLY ON  FRIDAYS AND JUST SIT THERE.

AND WE DIDN'T TALK AN AWFUL  LOT, BUT SHE HAD THE ABILITY TO JUST SENSE THE EMOTIONS  THAT WERE IN ME.

THE FIRST TIME I WALKED IN,  I SAW THE KNEELING LADY AND I TURNED AROUND AND WALKED OUT.

I COULDN'T EVEN TALK.

AND SHE TOLD HER HELP, "I DON'T THINK SHE LIKES IT."

BUT I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

THAT'S CALLED THE MARQUETTE,  I BELIEVE, AND IT'S WHAT SHE PRESENTED BEFORE THE  COMMITTEE WHEN THAT WAS CHOSEN.

SHE ACTUALLY LET ME WORK ON THE SANDBAGS JUST A LITTLE  BIT ON THE LAST FEW DAYS.

AND THEN WHEN I SAW HER A  COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, I ASKED HER HOW LONG IT TOOK  TO GET THE SANDBAGS BACK IN SHAPE, AND SHE SAID, "OH,  ONLY AN HOUR OR TWO."

I HAD MESSED THEM UP.

>> Faith: IS THERE AN INSCRIPTION ON THERE?

>> Dotty: YES.

IT HAS MY NAME ON IT, AND  THEN SHE SIGNED IT.

YEAH, IT'S REALLY SPECIAL TO ME.

>> Faith: SO WHAT DOES THE  MEMORIAL MEAN TO BOTH OF YOU?

JANE, IF YOU WANT TO START.

>> Jane: OH, MY GOODNESS,  WHAT DOTTY SAID.

HEALING, HOPE, AND LIFTING  THE CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY.

YOU KNOW, WOMEN HAVE BEEN  GOING TO WAR, GOING WITH SOLDIERS, FOR TIME  IMMEMORIAL, BUT I GUESS WE'VE NEVER BEEN RECOGNIZED.

AND THIS IS ON THE MALL.

DIANE WAS VERY SPECIFIC.

SHE'S NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN ON THE  MALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C., BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE  WOMEN DESERVED.

>> Dotty: THE WOMEN WHO  WERE OVER THERE -- BECAUSE THERE'S NO INSIGNIA ON THE  UNIFORMS, EVERYBODY IS INCLUDED IN THE STATUE.

AND JUST SEEING IT AND THE -- EXCUSE ME.

>> Faith: IT'S OKAY.

>> Dotty: I STILL CAN'T GET  OVER IT, THE FACT THAT THIS COUNTRY FINALLY ACCEPTED US.

IT'S THE RECOGNITION OF WHAT WAS DONE OVER THERE AND THAT  WE WERE NO LONGER OUTCASTS.

>> Jane: UH-HUH.

>> Dotty: WE REALLY WERE WHEN WE CAME BACK.

>> Jane: WELL, EVERYBODY WAS.

YOU KNOW, THE SOLDIERS.

PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR  ABOUT VIETNAM.

THEY JUST CLOSED US OFF AND  THOUGHT WE WERE ALL BABY KILLERS.

IN FACT, WHEN WE CAME BACK AS NURSES, AND I'M SURE YOU  TOO, DOTTY -- DOTTY WAS AIR FORCE, I WAS ARMY.

I WAS IN CHU LAI, ABOUT 300 MILES NORTHEAST OF  SAIGON.

SHE WAS IN CAM RANH BAY,  WHICH WAS DOWN ON THE SOUTHERN POINT --  >> Dotty: MIDWAY.

>> Jane: MIDWAY.

>> Dotty: SO WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO ME IS THE HEALING  THAT HAS HAPPENED FOR ME FROM THE TIME THAT IT WAS  COMMISSIONED.

AND STILL TODAY, WHENEVER I  THINK ABOUT THE STATUE OR I SEE IT, THE 23-YEAR-OLD IN  ME COMES BACK AND I FEEL HER PAIN.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE STATUE, I ALSO FEEL THE ACCEPTANCE THE  COUNTRY HAS GIVEN TO ME, AND I FEEL THE RESPECT THAT I  FEEL NOW WHEN I SAY I'M A VIETNAM VET, WHICH WASN'T  THERE BEFORE.

BUT IT'S REALLY A JOY FOR ME  TO HAVE PEOPLE RESPECT WHAT I AND MY FRIENDS GAVE.

AND THEN IT ALWAYS SPEAKS TO ME ABOUT THE CAMARADERIE.

THERE'S JUST NOTHING LIKE THE BOND THAT HAPPENS WITH  YOUR FELLOW NURSES AND THE CORPSMEN AND THE TEAM THAT  YOU HAVE WORKING THERE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE  REALLY REPLACED HERE.

BUT IT'S ESSENTIALK FOR  SURVIVAL.

>> Faith: WHY IS IT  IMPORTANT TO HAVE A MEMORIAL DEVOTED TO WOMEN?

>> Jane: FOR SO LONG, WOMEN WERE PUSHED IN THE  BACKGROUND.

WHAT WE DID IN NAM, WE  DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH DOCS, SO NURSES HAD TO DO CUT-DOWNS,  THEY HAD DO TRACHEOSTOMIES, THEY HAD TO DO A LOT OF  THINGS THAT THE DOCTORS WERE USED TO DOING.

AND SO THAT TRANSFERRED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES, AND  NURSES WERE ABLE TO DO MORE BACK HERE.

AND I THINK IN GENERAL, IT ELEVATED THE PROFESSION OF  NURSING QUITE A LOT.

>> Dotty: AND I THINK IT'S  ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOW SO MANY WOMEN ARE GOING TO  WAR, BECAUSE THEY'VE CHANGED THE RULES, AND THEY CAN FILL  A LOT OF DIFFERENT ROLES.

AND THERE'S AN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT WOMEN DO SERVE.

>> Jane: I THINK SOCIETY IN GENERAL DIDN'T WANT TO THINK  ABOUT SENDING WOMEN OFF TO WAR.

OKAY FOR MEN, BUT NOT THE WOMEN.

SO YEAH, THAT HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.

BUT AS A GROUP, THERE WAS NONE MORE DEDICATED TO  SAVING A SOLDIER'S LIFE, AND THE HARDEST THING TO DO WAS  TO LOSE A SOLDIER.

MANY OF US CAME BACK, AND I  KNOW I FELT GUILTY ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OF THAT ONE  THAT I COULDN'T SAVE, WHICH WAS TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE.

YOU COULDN'T SAVE THEM ALL.

BUT YOU TRIED TO.

AND I FELT VERY GUILTY ABOUT THE ONES THAT I COULDN'T SAVE.

NOT REALISTIC AT ALL, BUT  THAT'S WHEN YOU START PACKING THINGS DOWN IN THIS  LITTLE BOX YOU HAVE AND YOU DON'T OPEN IT FOR YEARS.

>> Faith: HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THE WOMEN THAT YOU  WERE OUT THERE WITH?

>> Dotty: I THINK MOST OF  US WERE REALLY YOUNG, BUT WE FELT OLD.

LIKE I WAS 23, AND I WAS PROBABLY ALMOST TO THE TOP  OF THE AGE GROUP, RIGHT IN THERE.

BUT OUR PATIENTS WERE 18, 17, 20, AND THEY LOOKED UP  TO US.

IT WAS QUITE A ROLE TO HAVE  TO FILL.

>> Faith: HOW IMPORTANT ARE  THOSE FRIENDSHIPS, AND WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT  WORKING TOGETHER?

>> Dotty: I WOULDN'T HAVE  SURVIVED WITHOUT THEM.

>> Jane: YEAH, VERY TRUE.

AND THE THING YOU REMEMBER THE MOST, YOU LAUGHED A LOT,  JUST TO OVERSHADOW ALL THE CARNAGE ALL AROUND YOU.

AT FIRST, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

YOU KNOW, HERE ARE THESE PEOPLE LAUGHING, JOKING.

BUT THAT'S A WAY OF COPING TO TRY TO GET TO THE NEXT  PATIENT, OR GO THROUGH THE NEXT EMERGENCY ROOM FLOOD OF  PATIENTS.

THERE'S NO WAY TO DESCRIBE A  GROUP OF 10 OR 12 MEN COMING OFF A HELICOPTER WITH LEGS  GONE, ARMS GONE, HALF THE FACE GONE.

I MEAN, NO ONE COULD PREPARE YOU FOR THIS.

SO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE NURSES, THE CORPSMEN,  THE DOCTORS, DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB OF TAKING  CARE OF THE PATIENTS.

NOT ONLY THEIR PHYSICAL  WOUNDS, BUT THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS, TOO.

>> Dotty: AND THEN WHEN YOU GOT OFF DUTY AND YOU WENT  BACK TO THE HOOCH, IT WAS LIKE THERE WAS SOMEONE THERE  SOMETIMES, IF THEY WEREN'T WORKING, TO HAVE A CIGARETTE  WITH, TO SHARE A COKE WITH, AND I THINK THAT WAS THE  MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL, THE UNSPOKEN COMMUNICATION  THAT OCCURRED.

>> Faith: SO THEN WHAT HAVE  YOU STRUGGLED WITH?

>> Jane: POST-TRAUMATIC  STRESS DISORDER.

WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT  WAS BEFORE IT WAS UPON US.

I REMEMBER I WAS IN KOREA AS  A CHIEF NURSE, AND THIS IS WHEN MEN, THEY WERE JUST  RECOGNIZING IT IN THE MEN, AND THE CHIEF THE CORP.  SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, NURSES DON'T HAVE THAT, THEY'RE NOT  IN COMBAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS  IN VIETNAM.

WE WEREN'T PULLING TRIGGERS,  WE WERE GIVING INJECTIONS AND IVS.

THAT WAS OUR RIFLE.

THE INCREDIBLE -- DOTTY, YOU  TAKE IT.

>> Dotty: OKAY.

I THINK FOR MYSELF, IT'S BEEN DEPRESSION.

THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE REALLY HAD TO DEAL  WITH.

I HAD MANY SUICIDAL  THOUGHTS, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT WAS CAUSING IT  FOR A LONG TIME.

WHEN I CAME BACK, I DECIDED  THAT I COULD NO LONGER HAVE ANYONE DIE AROUND ME, SO I  GOT OUT OF NURSING, AND I BECAME A DENTIST.

AND THAT TOOK SEVEN YEARS, BECAUSE I HAD TO TAKE A  BUNCH OF CLASSES AND THEN I HAD TO GO TO DENTAL SCHOOL.

AND I THINK THAT HELPED ME KEEP THAT BOX CLOSED,  BECAUSE I WAS SO BUSY MEETING ALL THESE  REQUIREMENTS THAT I COULD KEEP THE LID ON THE BOX.

BUT THEN JUST BEFORE I GRADUATED FROM DENTAL  SCHOOL, SOMEONE HANDED ME A PIECE OF PAPER THAT TALKED  ABOUT NURSES AND PTSD, AND I STARTED TO READ IT AND I  STARTED CRYING, AND I TUCKED IT AWAY AND I SAID, I CAN'T  DO THIS.

AND THEN THE VET CENTERS  STARTED.

SO WHEN I MOVED TO SANTA FE,  I WENT TO THE VET CENTER, AND I GOT IN WITH A GROUP OF  THE GUYS THAT THEY WERE DOING A GROUP WITH, AND IT  WAS REAL INTERESTING, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY  WOULDN'T WANT ME THERE BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY  NEEDS OF THEIRS THAT I HAD NOT MET.

AND SO I WAS ASHAMED ABOUT THAT.

AND THEY HAD REALLY BEEN IN TERRIBLE BATTLES, YOU KNOW.

AND SO I WAS REALLY SURPRISED WHEN THEY WERE  ACCEPTING OF ME, AND THAT STARTED TO OPEN A CRACK IN  THE BOX.

AND THEN I HAVE DONE  COUNSELING AT THE VET CENTER SINCE THEN, AND I HAVE HAD A  PRIVATE THERAPIST THAT I SEE, AND I STILL GET  TRIGGERED.

I WORK REALLY HARD AT IT.

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY BENEFITS THAT HAVE COME FROM  THAT YEAR THAT I SERVED.

FRIENDSHIPS THAT ARE BEYOND  WHAT YOU CAN IMAGINE.

AND THERE'S DARKNESS, TOO,  THAT COMES WITH IT, AND IT'S LEARNING HOW TO DANCE WITH  THOSE, FOR ME.

>> Faith: WELL, WHERE ARE  YOU 30 YEARS LATER?

>> Dotty: OLDER AND FATTER.

>> Jane: YES.

[LAUGHTER]  >> Jane: YES, DEFINITELY.

BUT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A  LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL OVER MY LIFE NOW.

I STILL GET DEPRESSED.

I STILL -- YOU KNOW, I'M  STILL ON MEDICATION, I STILL GO TO COUNSELING.

BUT AT LONG LAST, I CAN SORT OF FORGIVE MYSELF FOR NOT  SAVING THAT SOLDIER THAT I COULDN'T SAVE, YOU KNOW.

AND I FEEL LIKE I CAN -- WELL, I KNOW I CAN HELP A  LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND I WOULD SAY TO ANY  NURSE, MILITARY, IF YOU'RE EVER IN A TRAUMATIC  SITUATION AND YOU COME BACK WITH ALL THOSE FEELINGS AND  THOUGHTS BOTTLED UP, THE BEST WAY YOU CAN HELP  YOURSELF IS BY HELPING SOMEONE ELSE.

I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT WAY.

AND SO NOW I HELP THE PETS  WITH THIS SPAY-NEUTER PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, AND  IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL FOR ME.

I AM MUCH BETTER THAN I WAS,  EVEN TEN YEARS AGO, I THINK.

DOTTY MIGHT THINK  DIFFERENTLY.

>> Dotty: SHE'S AS ORNERY  AS SHE EVER WAS.

>> Faith: WHAT ABOUT YOU,  DOTTY, WHERE ARE YOU 30 YEARS LATER?

>> Dotty: I THINK -- I THINK THAT THERE'S MANY WAYS  TO DEAL WITH THE DARKNESS, AND THERE ARE VERY  SUCCESSFUL WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE DARKNESS, AND JUST  BECAUSE IT COMES DOESN'T MEAN IT'LL STAY.

THERE'S ALSO JOY AND THERE'S GREAT FRIENDSHIPS, AND  THERE'S WONDERFUL THINGS TO DO AND EAT, AND LIFE CAN BE  REALLY GOOD.

>> Faith: SO WHAT STILL  NEEDS TO BE DONE TO RECOGNIZE WOMEN VETERANS?

>> Jane: 50,000 MORE STATUES.

NO, I'M KIDDING.

[LAUGHTER]  >> Jane: YOU KNOW, THIS WAS THE FIRST STATUE TO A WOMAN  ON OUR NATION'S MALL.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT UNTIL  DIANE CALLED ME AND ASKED ME IF I WOULD HELP, AND SHE  TOLD ME THIS FACT, AND I SAID, YOU'VE GOT TO BE  KIDDING ME.

THERE'S MEN ALL OVER THE  PLACE, ON THEIR HORSES AND REARING UP, BUT NOT ONE OF  WOMEN.

THE CLOSEST ONE WAS IN THE  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, THERE'S A NURSE IN THE  NURSES PLOT, AND THAT'S IT.

>> Faith: WHAT DID YOU  LEARN AND WANT TO SHARE WITH WOMEN VETERANS FROM  DIFFERENT ERAS?

BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND  OF THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.

>> Jane: I WOULD WANT TO SHARE, YOU HAVE TO BE THE  DREAM THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE.

YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THAT --  >> Faith: BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE?

>> Jane: YEAH, BE THE CHANGE, YES.

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE.

AND I WOULD SAY, PINPOINT THAT DREAM FOR YOURSELF AND  DO IT.

>> Faith: WHAT ABOUT YOU,  DOTTY, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SHARE?

>> Dotty: FIND PEOPLE AND KEEP TALKING, BECAUSE THERE  IS A CONNECTION THERE.

YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

YOU'RE REALLY NOT ALONE, AND YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE  WHO'S HAD THE STRUGGLE.

>> Faith: CAMARADERIE,  RIGHT?

>> Dotty: CAMARADERIE,  THAT'S IT.

>> Faith: JANE AND DOTTY,  THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND SHARING THIS  STORY WITH US.

>> Dotty: THANKS.

>> Jane: THANK YOU.

>> Lou: THANK YOU TO FAITH  PEREZ AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER MICHAEL  KAMINS FOR SHARING THAT PIECE WITH US.

AND HAPPY VETERANS DAY WEEKEND TO EVERYONE.

FINALLY TONIGHT, AN UPDATE ON TUESDAY’S ELECTION  RESULTS IN ALBUQUERQUE.

FOUR OF THE CITY’S NINE CITY  COUNCIL SEATS WERE UP FOR A VOTE THIS WEEK.

VOTERS CHOSE THREE NEW FACES IN THOSE CONTESTS, WITH THE  FOURTH GOING THE INCUMBENT’S WAY BY THE NARROWEST OF  MARGINS.

CITY ELECTIONS ARE  TECHNICALLY NONPARTISAN, BUT TUESDAY’S CONTESTS LEAVE THE  UNDERLYING POLITICAL BALANCE ON THE COUNCIL UNCHANGED AND  STILL IN FAVOR OF DEMOCRATS.

IN DISTRICT 2, COVERING  DOWNTOWN, OLD TOWN AND PART OF THE NORTH VALLEY,  HYDROLOGIST JOAQUIN BACA WON A THREE-WAY RACE.

IN DISTRICT 6, WHICH COVERS NOB HILL AND THE  INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER NICHOLE  ROGERS AND NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JEFFREY  HOEHN ARE HEADED TO A RUNOFF, WITH NEITHER  CRACKING 50% IN WHAT WAS A FOUR-PERSON RACE.

IN DISTRICT 8, COVERING THE FAR NORTHEAST AND THE  FOOTHILLS, FORMER APD OFFICER DANIEL CHAMPINE  ENDED THE NIGHT THE WINNER BY MORE THAN 800 VOTES.

ONE INCUMBENT RETAINED HER SEAT THIS WEEK.

THAT'S IN DISTRICT 4, COVERING THE NORTHEAST  HEIGHTS, WHERE BROOK BASSAN CLAIMED A NARROW WIN BY JUST  154 VOTES.

BUT MAYBE THE BIGGEST STORY  OF ELECTION DAY IS HOW FEW PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO VOTE IN  THE STATE’S LARGEST CITY.

ONLY ONE-IN-FIVE ELIGIBLE  VOTERS CAST A BALLOT IN ALBUQUERQUE, FEWER THAN  82,000 PEOPLE TOTAL.

THAT’S NOT EVEN TWO-THIRDS  OF THE VOTERS WHO TURNED OUT DURING THE LAST OFF-YEAR  MUNICIPAL ELECTION IN 2021 WHEN THE RACE FOR MAYOR AND  A STADIUM BOND QUESTION WERE BOTH ON THE BALLOT.

IN 2019, ABOUT 24% OF ALBUQUERQUE VOTERS TURNED  OUT.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO  In FOCUS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.