FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS PROVIDED BY THE  MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION  AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

Gene: THIS WEEK ON NEW  MEXICO IN FOCUS, EXPLORING THE RESULTS OF A WILD ELECTION  NIGHT ACROSS NEW MEXICO, WHICH INCLUDED REELECTION OF TIM  KELLER AS ALBUQUERQUE MAYOR.

Keller: WE KNOW THESE ARE  REALLY TOUGH TIMES.

BUT, THEY ALSO WANT TO KEEP  MOVING FORWARD AND BUILD ON THE FOUNDATION WE HAVE  ESTABLISHED.

Gene: PLUS HOUSES CONTINUE  TO GO UP IN THE EAST MOUNTAINS DESPITE DWINDLING WATER  SUPPLIES.

WE INVESTIGATE THE LONG-TERM IMPACT.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK, I AM YOUR HOST, GENE  GRANT.

THE LINE OPINION PANEL IS  READY WITH THOUGHTS ON NEW MEXICO'S EXPANSION OF COVID-19  VACCINES TO CHILDREN AGES 5 TO 11 AS WELL AS A LEGISLATIVE  COMMITTEES CONTROVERSIAL DECISION TO BAN FIREARMS AT  THE ROUNDHOUSE.

WE WILL ALSO TAKE YOU TO A  RALLY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO IN SUPPORT OF THE  FOUNDATION DIVESTING IN FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRIES AND WE LEARN  MORE ABOUT HOW GOOGLE IS HONORING ZUNI WEAVER AND  POTTER WE-WAH.

UP FIRST WE RUN DOWN THE 2021  ELECTION RESULTS.

LET'S BEGIN WITH THE MAYORAL  RACES IN NEW MEXICO'S TWO LARGEST CITIES.

AGGRESSIVE INCUMBENTS IN SANTA FE AND ALBUQUERQUE BOTH GAINED  REELECTION.

IN SANTA FE, ALAN WEBBER  PULLED THROUGH AFTER JUST ONE ROUND OF THE CITY'S RANKED  CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM WITH MORE THAN 55% OF THE VOTE.

JOANNE VIGIL COPPLER CAME IN UNDER 35% AND ALEXIS MARTINEZ  JOHNSON EARNED JUST 10%.

ALBUQUERQUE MAYOR TIM KELLER  AVOIDED A RUNOFF QUITE EASILY WITH 56% OF THE VOTE.

CHALLENGER MANNY GONZALES EARNED MORE THAN 25% AND EDDY  ARAGON JUST OVER 18%.

ALBUQUERQUE VOTERS  OVERWHELMINGLY DENIED ONE OF THE MORE CONTENTIOUS BOND  ISSUES WE HAVE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS WITH MORE THAN 65%  SAYING THEY DIDN'T WANT THE CITY TO SPEND  50 MILLION-DOLLARS IN GROSS RECEIPTS TAX REVENUE ON A  DOWNTOWN STADIUM FOR THE NEW MEXICO UNITED SOCCER TEAM.

BUT VOTERS WEREN'T STINGY WITH THE REST OF THE CITY'S BOND  PROPOSALS.

MORE THAN 139 MILLION IN  GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS PASSED EASILY, WITH SOME OF  THE LARGEST CHUNKS GOING TOWARD CITY IMPROVEMENTS LIKE  PUBLIC SAFETY, SENIOR AND FAMILY COMMUNITY CENTERS,  HOMELESSNESS AND COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT, PARKING AND  RECREATION, STREET REPAIR PROJECTS AND ENERGY AND WATER  CONSERVATION.

THOSE BONDS WILL MAKE IT  EASIER FOR MAYOR KELLER TO MOVE FORWARD ON HIS AGENDA BUT  TUESDAY'S RESULTS CREATED A DIFFERENT HURDLE FOR THE  RETURNING MAYOR.

POWER HAS SHIFTED IN CITY  COUNCIL WITH DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS IN DISTRICT 1 AND 5  LOSING THEIR SEATS TO CONSERVATIVE CHALLENGERS AND  DISTRICTS 7 AND 9 ARE HEADED TO A RUNOFF.

THE COUNCIL COULD MOVE TO THE RIGHT IDEOLOGICALLY AND THAT  COULD MAKE FOR SOME CLASHES BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE  MAYOR'S OFFICE.

ON THAT NOT,E LET'S BRING IN  THE LINE OPINION PANEL FOR THEIR THOUGHTS FOLLOWING  ELECTION DAY.

WELCOME FORMER HOUSE MINORITY  WHIP, DAN FOLEY.

ALSO INEZ RUSSELL GOMEZ,  EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR AT THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN.

ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE HER AND MICHAEL BIRD, FORMER PRESIDENT  OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION AND A REGULAR ON  THE LINE PANEL.

WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE MICHAEL AS  WELL.

WE'LL GET TO THE RACES AROUND  THE STATE IN A MOMENT.

AND TOUCH ON THE HISTORIC  TURNOUT WE SAW BUT KEEP IT IN ALBUQUERQUE FOR THE MOMENT.

MAYOR KELLER AVOIDED A RUNOFF BUT HE TAKES A HIT WITH THE  STADIUM VOTE, GUYS, AND HE IS GOING TO HAVE TO NAVIGATE A  MORE CONSERVATIVE COUNCIL REGARDLESS OF HOW RUNOFFS END  NEXT MONTH.

DANIEL, YOU ARE NO STRANGER TO  DEALING WITH THOSE SORTS OF POWER DYNAMICS.

HOW WILL THIS IMPACT MAYOR KELLER'S AGENDA HEADED INTO  HIS SECOND TERM?

Dan: YEAH, I MEAN, YOU  KNOW, I THINK IT IS INTERESTING THAT HE WAS SO  CLOSELY TIED TO THE STADIUM TO START BUT DID A GREAT JOB OF  DISTANCING HIMSELF DURING THE ELECTION AND MAKING THEM TWO  SEPARATE ISSUES BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE VERY LITTLE  BLEED-OVER FROM THE OVERWHELMING DEFEAT OF THE  STADIUM TO THE OVERWHELMING VICTORY OF MAYOR KELLER.

I THINK IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION A YEAR AGO,  18 MONTHS AGO, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY, THIS IS A TOUGH  SCENARIO.

IF ONE GOES DOWN,   HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE OTHER?

I THINK IT SHOWS HIS GRAVITAS AS A POLITICIAN, RIGHT?

HE WAS ALL IN FOR THE STADIUM BUT AS HIS ELECTION STARTED  AND CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE YOU SAW  FROM MAYOR KELLER ABOUT THE STADIUM.

HE QUICKLY WENT TO -- PLUS I THINK HE DID A VERY GOOD JOB  OF NEVER TAKING THE BAIT.

HE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE FEW  SUCCESSES HE HAS HAD AS MAYOR AND JUST RAN WITH THOSE,  RIGHT.

HE JUST NEVER ANSWERED ANY  QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY IS CRIME SO HIGH, WHY IS HOMELESSNESS  THE WAY IT IS.

NOT ONLY DID HE NOT ANSWER  QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, HE DID A DECENT JOB OF PUTTING  OUT ADS CLAIMING VICTORIES IN THOSE VERY AREAS THAT PEOPLE  WERE ATTACKING HIM ON.

CRIME IS HORRIBLE IN  ALBUQUERQUE.

YOU WATCH A MAYOR KELLER DEAL  AND HE WOULD SAY, WELL, BREAK-IN'S IN LITHUANIAN HOMES  IN THE NORTHEAST HEIGHTS ARE DOWN THIS YEAR AND PEOPLE  WOULD SAY, WOW, OKAY.

SO IT IS AN AMAZING DEAL.

I THOUGHT -- I AM NOT SURPRISED THAT THE STADIUM  WENT DOWN.

WHAT IS INTERESTING IS THAT  THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS PUT IN FOR THE STADIUM TO PASS  VERSUS THE GRASS ROOTS FOR THE STADIUM TO FAIL, OTHER THAN  THE RIO GRANDE FOUNDATION, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL FIND ANY  ORGANIZED FUND RAISING ACTIVITY TO GO OUT AND DEFEAT  THE STADIUM.

THAT WAS A PURELY GRASS ROOTS  ORGANIC FROM THE STREETS.

LIKE WE JOKED BEFORE, TO SEE  THE PEOPLE IN BARELAS SIDING AND PARTNERING WITH THE RIO  GRANDE FOUNDATION, THAT IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE SEVEN  SIGNS OF THE APOCALYPSE.

I THINK IT JUST IS A SIGN TO  POLITICIANS, YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL, YOU THINK YOU'RE  PUTTING EVERYBODY IN THESE BOXES BUT PEOPLE WILL QUICKLY  JUMP OUT OF THOSE BOXES AND JOIN FORCES IF THEY FEEL LIKE  YOU'RE COMING AFTER THEM AND I THINK THE STADIUM PROVED THAT.

Gene: MICHAEL, VOTERS REJECTED IT AT A WIDER MARGIN  THAN POLLING PREDICTED.

INTERESTING.

DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS NOW ABOUT WHAT THE STADIUM SITUATION IS  GOING TO BE?

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE AWAY FROM  THIS?

Michael:   WELL, I GUESS, THE THING I AM LOOKING AT REALLY  IS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THOSE COMMUNITIES AND WHAT ARE THOSE  COMMUNITIES' NEEDS AND THEY CLEARLY FELT LIKE THEY WERE  NOT PART OF THE PROCESS AND THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE  CONVERSATION AND SO I THINK THAT MAY REFLECT ON THE MAYOR  AND HIS ADMINISTRATION AND REALLY NOT HAVING THE KIND OF  CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE WITH COMMUNITIES  AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP.

TO DAN'S POINT, YOU KNOW,  THEY -- IT APPEARS THEY REJECTED IT KIND OF OUTRIGHT  AND SO I THINK THAT IT LEADS ME TO ANOTHER POINT AND THAT  IS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE CITY IS FACING IN TERMS OF  HOMELESSNESS AND POLICING, WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS ARE  REALLY OCCURRING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND THE  COMMUNITIES IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS AND WHAT ARE WE  DOING AND ALSO MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT ARE WE NOT  DOING TO WORK WITH YOU.

AND I THINK THAT THAT -- THERE  MAY BE -- I THINK THERE IS A CONVERSATION -- A DEEPER  CONVERSATION THAT IS NEEDED WITH COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP.

Gene: HEY INEZ, LET'S BOUNCE TO SANTA FE, OF COURSE.

SANTA FE MAYOR RACE WAS VERY INTERESTING, ALAN WEBBER  AVOIDED THAT LOW THRESHOLD.

JOANNE VIGIL COULDN'T GET IT  DONE AND ALEXIS MARTINEZ JOHNSON WITH LESS THAN 10%   AS WELL.

I GOT A QUESTION, THOUGH.

WHAT WON IT FOR HIM?

I AM VERY CURIOUS.

WE HAVE BEEN HEARING HIS  COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE.

PEOPLE TRUSTED HIM FOR THE  SECOND TERM.

HOW MUCH WAS IT THAT IN YOUR  VIEW?

Inez: I THINK THAT WAS IT.

I ACTUALLY THINK THE MASK MANDATE VOTE IS WHAT DID IT  MORE THAN ANYTHING, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH COPPLER WHEN SHE  WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL HAD SOLID REASONS IT WASN'T AS  WELL WRITTEN, MANDATE ORDINANCE WASN'T AS WELL  WRITTEN AS IT SHOULD BE, UNFAIRLY BRINGING POLICE INTO  WRITE TICKETS AND IT WASN'T GOING TO BE ENFORCEABLE AND  WHY HAVE A LAW THAT WASN'T ENFORCEABLE.

THE FACT THAT WHEN SHE VOTED AGAINST IT, SHE SAID,  ABSOLUTELY NOT WAS JUST FODDER FOR ADVERTISEMENTS THAT WERE  TRUE.

IF YOU TOOK THE TIME AND  LOOKED AT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL MEETING AND THE SERIES OF  MEETINGS LEADING UP TO THE VOTE, YOU COULD UNDERSTAND HER  VOTE IN CONTEXT BUT AT THE MOMENT WHERE THE PANDEMIC WAS  AT ITS HEIGHT WHERE PEOPLE NEEDED TO GET BEHIND THE  GOVERNOR'S PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER, THE MAYOR INTRODUCED  IT, HE PASSED IT AND HE MADE THE CASE IT WASN'T ENOUGH JUST  TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT THE GOVERNOR WAS DOING, WE HAD TO  HAVE OUR OWN STATEMENT.

SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT AND  I THINK PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY REALIZE WHEN YOU  HAVE A CRISIS, YOU WANT A LEADER WHO GETS IT IN THAT  MOMENT, EVEN IF THE SOLUTION ISN'T PERFECT, YOU GO FOR IT.

Gene: DANIEL.

ELECTION DAY OF COURSE WAS A  HYPER LOCAL FOCUS THAT DIDN'T STOP VOTERS FROM SURGING TO  THE POLLS.

INTERESTING, BERNALILLO COUNTY  BREAKING A RECORD FOR TURNOUT, OVER 30% FOR AN OFF YEAR.

WAS IT THE STADIUM?

WAS IT OTHER THINGS?

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

Dan: I THINK IT IS AN  INTERESTING COMBINATION.

I WAS JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW,  AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, IT IS INTERESTING TO  SEE MAYOR KELLER HAVE DONE SO WELL IN THE REELECTION AND YET  INCUMBENT CITY COUNCILORS DO SO POORLY.

IT CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THE PEOPLE BLAME THE CITY COUNCIL  FOR THE SITUATIONS WE ARE IN IN ALBUQUERQUE, NOT THE MAYOR,  PER SE.

WHICH TO ME SAYS THE MAYOR DID  A GOD JOB OF PRESENTING IT THAT WAY, RIGHT.

MAKING HIMSELF LOOK AT -- REALITY IS WE HAVE A LOT OF  PROBLEMS IN ALBUQUERQUE.

THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT AND  THE VOTERS ARE NOT IDIOTS.

THEY KNOW THESE PROBLEMS  EXIST, SO, WHAT I THINK IS THE MAYOR DID A GREAT JOB OF  SAYING, LOOK, I AM NOT REALLY THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE  PROBLEMS.

HE DIDN'T BLAME ANYBODY AND I  AM NOT SAYING HE SAID THAT.

I AM NOT SAYING HE SAID THAT.

HE JUST SAID, LOOK, THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

I AM DOING THE BEST I CAN DO WHICH LEFT EVERYONE ELSE TO  SAY, IF IT IS NOT HIS FAULT, IT HAS TO BE SOMEBODY'S FAULT  AND YOU'RE SEEING IT IN THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION.

IT IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW LONG IT LASTS.

Gene: YOU JUST HIT ON SOMETHING THERE, DAN LEWIS  PARTICULARLY GETTING BACK IN THE GAME.

I GOT TO THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE A PAIN IN A LOT OF  DIFFERENT PARTS OF MAYOR KELLER'S BODY HERE.

DOES HE HAVE AN AGENDA OF HIS OWN.

Dan: YOUR FORMER OPPONENT, FIRST TIME HE RAN FOR MAYOR IN  A HIGHLY CONTESTED MAYORAL RACE IS NOW GOING TO BE  PROBABLY THE LEADER, POTENTIALLY THE LEADER OF THE  CITY COUNCIL IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

HE POTENTIALLY HAS THE ABILITY TO BE THE LEADER IN TITLE.

HE IS CLEAR WITH EXPERIENCE GOING TO BE LEADER AT LEAST AT  A MINIMUM BEHIND THE SCENES AND IF PEOPLE THINK DAN LEWIS  RAN WITHOUT A LITTLE BONE TO GRIND WITH TIM KELLER, I AM  NOT SURE AS A MAYOR I WOULD WANT TO HAVE DAN LEWIS IN  THERE WITH HIS GRAVITAS, HAVING RUN FOR MAYOR, HAVING  RUN FOR HIGHER OFFICE AND HAVING BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

I THINK YOU'LL SEE DYNAMIC CHANGES AT CITY HALL WITHIN  THE CITY COUNCIL ESPECIALLY IF REPUBLICANS PICK UP ONE OR TWO  OF THESE RUNOFF SEATS.

IF THEY PICK UP ALL THE RUNOFF  SEATS IT IS GOING TO BE MAYHEM IN ALBUQUERQUE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONSERVATIVE COUNCIL AND A  PROGRESSIVE MAYOR, ZERO CHANCE OF ANYTHING HAPPENING.

IF THEY WIN ONE OF THEM, IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW PEOPLE  COME TOGETHER AND GOVERN TOGETHER BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE A  CENTER RIGHT CITY COUNCIL, THEN, WITH A PROGRESSIVE MAYOR  AND IT IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW DAN  LEWIS, WHO I THINK HAS THE GRAVITAS AND THE ABILITY TO  STEP FORWARD IN THAT LEADERSHIP ROLE AND GET DONE  WHAT HE WANTS DONE -- IN A WAY, BECOMING THE DE  FACTO MAYOR WITH THE CITY COUNCIL VOTE.

Gene: MICHAEL WE HAVE GOT TO GET IN SCHOOL BOARDS.

WHY WAS THERE SO MUCH INTERESST IN THESE SCHOOL  BOARD RACES?

Michael: GIVEN THE HISTORY  OF CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF THE ALBUQUERQUE SCHOOL BOARD  SPECIFICALLY, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS CLEAR THAT  THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES AND I THINK THERE IS HEIGHTENED  INTEREST IN MOVING US FORWARD AND THOSE ISSUES NEED TO BE  ADDRESSED.

I THINK THAT HAS INCREASED THE  INTEREST IN TURNOUT AND ACTIVITY THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE.

Gene: GOOD STUFF THERE.

OUTSIDE MONEY CAME IN STRONG  FOR SOME OF THE CANDIDATES THAT WON, VERY INTERESTING,  TURN OF EVENTS AS DAN MENTIONED ABOUT THE  PHILOSOPHICAL BENT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD NOW BUT AS THEY  SAY IT IS ON TO THE MIDTERMS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR  THOUGHTS ON THIS WEEK'S VOTE.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OTHER  TOPICS, ON ELECTION DAY I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK WITH  MAYOR KELLER AND THE CITY'S FIRST LADY, ELIZABETH.

PART OF OUR CONVERSATION FOCUSED ON THE IMPACTS OF THIS  CAMPAIGN ON WHAT AT THAT POINT WASN'T A GUARANTEED SECOND  TERM.

Keller:   EACH CAMPAIGN IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SOMETIMES THEY ARE ABOUT PEOPLE AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE  ABOUT PARTICULAR ISSUES OR WHICH DIRECTION WE ARE GOING  IN.

I THINK THIS ONE WAS REALLY  ABOUT WHAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP WE NEED IN A CRISIS AND SO  WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT WE ALL AGREE OUR CITY IS IN TOUGH  SHAPE.

EVERY CANDIDATE KNOWS THAT,  EVERY CANDIDATE AGREES CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS, BUT PEOPLE  WANT YOU TO RUN THE WHOLE CITY.

THEY WANT YOU TO DEAL WITH THOSE BUT THEY ALSO KNOW YOU  STILL HAVE GOT TO DO THINGS LIKE ANIMAL WELFARE AND SOLID  WASTE AND PLANNING AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN BETWEEN.

SO, IT IS REALLY ABOUT CAN A MAYOR PUT TOGETHER A  LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ACROSS  THOSE ISSUES.

Gene: AS WE SIT HERE ON  NOVEMBER 2 WE JUST HAD OUR 95TH MURDER IN THE CITY THIS  MORNING.

IN THE SOUTHEAST HEIGHTS.

OBVIOUSLY WE ARE ON OUR WAY TOWARDS A YEARLY RECORD.

WHAT HAS GONE OFF THE TRACK HERE WHEN IT COMES TO  COMBATING MURDER IN ALBUQUERQUE AND HOW DO WE  EXPLAIN THIS TO VOTERS?

Keller: I THINK WHAT REALLY  CHANGED IS THIS SUMMER WHEN WE GOT OUR METRO CRIME INITIATIVE  TOGETHER AND THAT WAS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IT IS  HARD TO BELIEVE BUT NEVER HAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE DA,  THE STATE CHIEF OF POLICE, LEGISLATORS, GOVERNORS OFFICE  EVEN JUDGES AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE SAT DOWN AND  TRIED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION YOU JUST ASKED BECAUSE  FUNDAMENTALLY, IT IS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WE ALL  HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY.

SO, YEAH THE MAYOR HAS A ROLE,  SO DOES THE CHIEF OF POLICE BUT THIS IS WHERE THE  REVOLVING DOOR COMES IN AND GUN CRIME COMES IN, HOW WE ARE  ACTUALLY DEALING WITH THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO.

AND LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH NATURE OF VIOLENT CRIME  WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE WHO POTENTIALLY SHOOT BACK AND YOU  SEE EVEN THIS WEEKEND.

THIS IS ABOUT GROUPS WHO ARE  FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER AND SHOOTING EACH OTHER.

SO, TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU GET TO THESE IDEAS LIKE OUR  VIOLENCE INTERVENTION WORK THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AND  YOU NEED STATE-WIDE AND SO THAT AGENDA THAT WE CAME OUT  WITH IN SEPTEMBER THAT IS ABOUT CHANGES IN THE CRIMINAL  JUSTICE SYSTEM.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEW  AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO MAKE A REAL  DIFFERENCE.

THE OTHER ONE IS APD HAS BEEN  RETOOLING FOR A LONG TIME.

WE HAVE PUT 80 MILLION INTO  ACTUALLY TRYING TO BRING US UP TO LIKE 2015 LEVEL CRIME  FIGHTING TECHNOLOGY.

THAT IS GOING TO HELP, THINGS  LIKE THE GUN DETECTION SOFTWARE AND SUCH.

BUT I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE OCEAN WE ARE SWIMMING IN.

THIS IS THE HIGHEST YEAR FOR VIOLENT CRIME IN THE HISTORY  OF AMERICA ACCORDING TO THE FBI.

WE NEED TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO DO BUT WE ALSO  NEED TO UNDERSTAND WE ARE CONNECTED TO BROADER TRENDS,  WHETHER IT IS FELONS COMING FROM CALIFORNIA AND COMMITTING  CRIMES HERE, WHICH WE SAW EARLIER THIS SUMMER, TO OUR  OWN ISSUES AROUND ADDICTION THAT WE HAVE GOT TO DEAL WITH  AT EVERY LEVEL.

Gene: BOTH OF YOUR  OPPONENTS, MAYOR, HAVE TRIED TO PAINT YOU AS SOMEONE WHO  DOESN'T SUPPORT LAW  ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ACTUALLY.

I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD A LOT OF  THIS.

THE UNION NOTABLY JUST  ANNOUNCED THEY WILL NOT ENDORSE ANY OF THE CANDIDATES  IN THIS RACE.

WHAT DO YOU CHANGE IF ELECTED  TO GET THE UNION AND POLICE FOLKS ON BOARD WITH YOUR  VISION?

Keller: I THINK ACTUALLY  THIS WAS A GOOD THING FOR US.

I AM LITERALLY RUNNING AGAINST  A POLICE OFFICER SO THE FACT THAT THE UNION DIDN'T ENDORSE  THE SHERIFF IS A MAJOR VICTORY FOR US.

THAT WAS SIMILAR WITH FIRE, ANY TIME YOU ARE RUNNING  AGAINST SOMEONE IN PUBLIC SAFETY YOU DON'T EXPECT TO GET  THOSE ENDORSEMENTS BUT I THINK FOR US, WE LEARNED FROM EACH  OTHER, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY GET WITH ME.

I WILL STICK TO MY VALUES.

WE ARE GOING TO SET GOALS AND  HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEM.

WE DO WANT TO WORK WITH THEM IN THAT PROCESS AND I THINK  ACTUALLY THEY WOULD ADMIT TO THIS AS WELL.

WE DO TALK AND WORK IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY.

WE JUST DON'T ALWAYS AGREE AND I THINK WHAT THEY'LL GET WITH  THE ELECTION IS THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GETTING AND I THINK  WE HAVE PROVEN WE CAN WORK FORWARD AND MOVE TOGETHER BUT,  NO, WHEN THEY PUSH BACK AGAINST REFORM, I WILL PUSH  BACK AGAINST THEM.

WHEN THEY SAY THINGS THAT ARE  NOT TRUE ABOUT OUR ADMINISTRATION, I WILL PUSH  BACK AGAINST THEM.

WE HAVE GIVEN OUR OFFICERS THE  LARGEST PAY RAISE IN THE HISTORY BUT WE ALSO CREATED  AMAZING THINGS LIKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT  AND THEY SUPPORTED US ON THAT TO THEIR CREDIT.

SO, ACTUALLY, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO BUILD ON AND IT IS A  LOT BETTER WORKING RELATIONSHIP THAN YOU MIGHT  SEE IN THE HEADLINE.

Gene:   NEW MEXICO'S HOUSE HAS BEEN REOPENED TO THE  PUBLIC FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW BUT WHILE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED  BACK IN, STARTING SOON, YOU'LL HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR GUN AT HOME  IF YOU WANT TO VISIT THE ROUNDHOUSE.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL VOTED THIS WEEK ALONG PARTY LINES TO BAN  FIREARMS FROM THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE  REBECCA DOW WERE QUICK TO POUNCE ON THE DECISION.

INEZ, MANY STATES INSTITUTED SIMILAR BANS YEARS AGO AND WE  WERE REALLY KIND OF LATE ON THIS.

IS THIS REALLY AN ISSUE OR JUST ANOTHER POLITICAL FLASH  POINT.

Inez: I THINK IT IS A FLASH  POINT AND I WAS ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED THAT  NO REPUBLICAN COULD VOTE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING WEAPONS AWAY  FROM LAWMAKING.

ESPECIALLY A TIME WHERE YOU  ALREADY HAD CITIZENS EVEN IF THEY WERE ONLY ARMED WITH FIRE  EXTINGUISHERS OR WHATEVER THEY TOOK TO THE CAPITOL ON  JANUARY 6 WHO MOBBED THE CAPITOL.

AND WHAT HAPPENED IN MICHIGAN WHERE ARMED PEOPLE WENT IN  THREATENING EMPLOYEES AND MASS SHOOTINGS ALL OVER THE  COUNTRY.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO BRING  IN WEAPONS WHEN YOU'RE DEBATING HEATED ISSUES AND  DISCUSSING WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT SEEMS LIKE WORDS ARE BETTER WEAPONS THAN GUNS.

Gene: PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO THEIR FEAR INEZ.

THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT TO IT.

IF PEOPLE FEEL THREATENED AS  AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO FEEL THAT WAY AND  ACT ACCORDINGLY.

BUT, DAN, I WILL ASK THIS,  INTERESTING, CRITICS OF THE DECISION POINT OUT THAT ONLY  MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, AND NOT THE FULL HOUSE  AND SENATE VOTED ON THIS FIREARMS BAN.

DO THEY HAVE A POINT HERE?

SHOULD IT HAVE BEEN SOMETHING  THE ENTIRE LEGISLATURE VOTED ON?

Dan: YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL  IS ONE THAT RUNS THE CAPITOL.

THAT IS THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE  WITH RUNNING THE CAPITOL, RIGHT.

JUST LIKE IN WASHINGTON D.C. WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT  BUT IT IS ALL RUN BY THE SPEAKER'S OFFICE AND IN NEW  MEXICO IT IS RUN BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

SO, WE HAVE THESE COMMITTEES, WE ACQUIESCED BRINGING  EVERYBODY TOGETHER.

I MEAN, THE OUTCOME -- MY  FEELING IS THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAME WHETHER YOU  HAD THE FULL HOUSE OR YOU HAD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL  MEETING.

SO IT IS WHAT IT IS.

I AM NOT NECESSARILY SAYING I AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH IT.

I SERVED UP THERE FOR 10 YEARS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS  CONVERSATION ABOUT GUNS AND THIS IS WHY I THINK WE ARE  INCAPABLE OF HAVING A LEGITIMATE CONVERSATION ABOUT  GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY IS BECAUSE EVERYBODY TENDS TO  LEAD TO HYPERBOLE.

I WAS UP THERE 10 YEARS AND  THERE WAS NEVER A SINGLE SCARE WITH A WEAPON IN THE CAPITOL.

NOTHING.

I MEAN, I GOT THREATENED TO  GET BEAT UP, THREATENED TO GET KILLED, I GOT SPIT ON.

I HAD MULTIPLE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN I WAS THERE, BUT THERE  WAS NEVER A THREAT WITH A GUN.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE ONLY  TIME I EVER SAW A GUN OUTSIDE OF THE STATE POLICE WAS WHEN  WE WERE DEALING WITH THE LAND GRANT STUFF AND THE LAND GRANT  GUYS WOULD SHOW UP AND, I MEAN, THOSE DUDES WERE  PACKING.

BUT THEY SHOWED UP PACKING,  RIGHT?

SO, YOU KNOW, I AM NOT SURE  WHAT THE MESSAGE IS.

I NEVER IN MY 10 YEARS UP  THERE, GRANTED I HAVE BEEN GONE A WHILE, I NEVER SAW  THESE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND THE CAPITOL WITH AR STRAPPED  TO THEIR BACKS AND PACKING THE GUNS.

I THINK IT IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ESCALATE  THE CONVERSATION ABOUT GUNS AND IT IS DEFINITELY A FLASH  POINT ISSUE.

PEOPLE LOVE TO GET EXCITED  ABOUT IT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE AND I THINK IT IS GOING  TO LEAD TO THIS NEXT SESSION, YOU'LL WIND UP WITH A TON OF  PROTESTS, A TON OF PEOPLE TRYING TO SHOW UP WITH  CONCEALED CARRY WEAPONS AND PERMITS.

Gene: REALLY.

Dan: MARK MY WORD.

IT WILL HAPPEN.

Inez: JUST TO JUMP IN  BRIEFLY.

FOR PEOPLE WITH GUNS, NOW THAT  IS THE REASON THEY DID IT.

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE  THIS RULE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE SITTING WHILE  YOUNG CHILDREN AND MOTHERS AND OTHER PEOPLE AND GUN VIOLENCE  VICTIMS ARE TESTIFYING WITH YOU SITTING THERE WITH YOUR  GUN IN YOUR LAP.

I HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN THEY  DID THAT.

IT IS JUST NOT OKAY.

Dan: SAYING THAT WE HAVE SUDDENLY GOT THIS MASS INFLUX  OF GUNS IN NEW MEXICO IS CRAZY.

WE HAVE BEEN A GUN-TOTING STATE FOREVER.

THEY ARE IN THE BACK OF PICKUP TRUCKS, PEOPLE ARE CARRYING  THEM.

Gene: LET ME GET MICHAEL IN  HERE REAL QUICK.

I HEAR YOUR POINT, DAN.

INTIMIDATION WHILE NOT AGAINST THE LAW, IT HAS ITS EMOTIONAL  IMPACT.

I SAY AGAIN, PEOPLE HAVE THE  RIGHT TO THEIR FEARS AND TO ACT ACCORDINGLY.

Dan: I KNOW YOU WANT TO GO TO MIKE BUT MY QUESTION IS ARE  YOU GOING TO TAKE THE SAME STEPS IF FEAR AND  INTIMIDATION, AND THAT IS THE FEELING, WHICH I AM NOT  DISAGREEING WITH YOU, THEN WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO  WHENEVER THERE IS A RIGHT TO WORK BILL AND THEY GET THE  UNION PEOPLE IN THERE AND THEY LET NOBODY ELSE IN AND UNION  PEOPLE ARE CHANTING AT YOU.

APPARENTLY WE DON'T HAVE THE  SAME INTIMIDATION FACTOR.

Inez: THEY DON'T HAVE A  GUN.

Gene: THEY DON'T HAVE A  GUN.

Michael:   CAN I JUMP IN, PLEASE.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED 10, 15, 20 YEARS AGO,  THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THREATS HAVE ESCALATED.

THREATS ARE BEING MADE TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN  DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

THE LEVEL OF THREATENING BEHAVIOR HAS INCREASED AND I  THINK THAT IS REAL CLEAR.

SECOND THING IS THAT THERE IS,  YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY -- I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE GOT WIRTH  SAYING HE HAS FELT EXTREMELY INTIMIDATED AND FEARFUL  BECAUSE THERE WERE GUNS, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT THAT.

I BELIEVE THAT TO BE THE CASE.

I BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE.

AND I DO NOT BELIEVE IF WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THIS CIVIL  SOCIETY THAT IS RESPECTFUL OF ALL PEOPLE AND OPINIONS, THEN  WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES WITHOUT ANY FEAR OF  INTIMIDATION.

I THINK IT IS AN -- GIVEN THE  TIMES, I THINK IT IS AN APPROPRIATE ACTION AND THERE  IS A WHOLE -- THERE IS ALSO A WHOLE LOT OF HISTORY HERE THAT  PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF AS TO THE ROLE THAT GUNS HAVE PLAYED  IN THIS NATION.

I'LL JUST CLOSE BY SAYING, YOU  KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, THAT IS HOW THE WEST WAS WON AND AS  NATIVE PEOPLE, THERE HAS BEEN A PRICE AND SOME OF US ARE  WELL AWARE OF THAT HISTORY, A HISTORY OF GENOCIDE IN WHICH  WEAPONRY WAS DIRECTED AT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR PEOPLE AND  THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS, I'LL JUST SAY, THERE IS SO  MANY OF YOU AND SO FEW OF US.

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT,  LOOK AT THE STUDIES ON HISTORY AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT  BETTER.

GUNS SHOULD NOT -- DO NOT  HAVE -- THERE ARE MANY PLACES IN THE COUNTRY THAT GUNS  SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED AND THE LEGISLATURE IS CERTAINLY  ONE PLACE.

SCHOOLS ARE ANOTHER AND I'LL  LEAVE IT AT THAT.

Gene: I'LL SAY AGAIN, THIS  LEGISLATURE IS SLOW TO THE TRIGGER.

ON THIS WE HAVE NOT BEEN, INEZ, ABOUT IT, BUT REPUBLICAN  OPPONENTS, SOME FOLKS WANT TO HANG THIS ON GOVERNOR MICHELLE  LUJAN GRISHAM.

IS THERE ANY BOUNCE FOR HER ON  THIS DECISION?

DOESN'T SEEM LIKE SHE WAS PART  OF THIS PUSH.

Inez: THE CAPITOL IS RUN,  AS DAN SAID, BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THAT  IS THEIR CALL.

30 OTHER STATES ALREADY DO  THIS.

I AM SAD PERSONALLY BECAUSE IF  PEOPLE WEREN'T IDIOTIC ENOUGH TO TAKE WEAPONS WHERE THEY  DON'T NEED TO BE, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WALK THROUGH A METAL  DETECTOR STARTING IN DECEMBER.

AND I LOVE THE ROUNDHOUSE  BEING OPEN AND IT IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE SPACE AS A PUBLIC  CITIZEN TO BE ABLE TO GO SEE YOUR LEGISLATOR AT WORK  WITHOUT HAVING ANY OF THE HASSLE THAT YOU GET IN THE  CAPITOL AND OTHER BUILDINGS IN WASHINGTON.

SO, THIS IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT PRACTICING PROPER DECORUM.

GUNS HAVE A ROLE IN PEOPLES'  LIVES, WE HAVE A SECOND AMENDMENT.

I SPENT MY SUMMER TARGET SHOOTING AS A WAY TO MEDITATE  BECAUSE IT IS A REALLY CONCENTRATED TASK WHERE YOU  THINK ABOUT ONLY THAT.

SO, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH  ANYONE'S OWNERSHIP OF GUNS.

I DO THINK THAT YOU USE THEM  WHEN YOU'RE GOING SHOOTING.

YOU DON'T USE THEM TO SHOW YOU  HAVE THEM OR THAT YOU ARE THERE TO PROTECT THE WORLD  FROM SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T NEED PROTECTION.

IT MAKES NO SENSE.

Dan: DANIEL, IN LAST YEAR'S  SESSION, ENTIRELY REMOTELY BECAUSE OF COVID-19, SOME  LAWMAKERS SAID SOME PRACTICES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH  PLACES IN THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT LITERALLY OFF  LIMITS TO THE PUBLIC AND WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE  LONG-TERM?

Dan: I THINK THERE IS A  DEFINITE -- IT IS FUNNY TO WATCH HOW THE BATTLE WORKS.

FIRST IT WAS ALL SMOKY BACK ROOMS AND THEN THERE WAS A  FIGHT FOR TRANSPARENCY AND THEN WE STARTED PUBLISHING AND  PRINTING EVERYTHING AND THEN THE INFORMATION BECAME  OVERWHELMING AND PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET IT ALL.

THEN WE WENT TO THE WHOLE DEAL WHERE WE HAD LEGISLATORS  REMEMBER THE WHOLE WE ARE GOING TO LIVE STREAM THIS  COMMITTEE MEETING, I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY.

WE WENT TO LIVE STREAMING AND PRETTY SOON, NOW, I THINK THE  DAYS OF WALKING THROUGH THE CAPITOL AND GETTING TO KNOW  YOUR LEGISLATOR MAY BE FAR GONE.

I WILL SAY THAT MAY NOT BE A BAD THING, THOUGH.

THE MOMENT THESE GUYS ARE AT HOME I CAN TELL YOU FROM NOT  ON MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BUT DEALING WITH OTHER  LEGISLATORS, YOU GO DOWN TO SOMEBODY'S HOME TOWN AND MEET  REPRESENTATIVE SO AND SO, A LOT OF TIMES THEY WERE VERY  DIFFERENT IN THAT HOMETOWN THAN THEY WERE DURING THE 60  DAYS IN SANTA FE.

AND I THINK IT MAY BE BETTER  FOR THEM TO HAVE TO GO OUT EVERYDAY TO THE GROCERY STORE,  PICK THEIR KIDS UP FROM SCHOOL IN THEIR LOCAL TOWN WHILE  GOING ON ZOOM MEETINGS AND VOTING, THAN IT IS TO GO UP TO  SANTA FE AND LIVE FOR 60 DAYS AND BE WINED AND DINED BY  EVERYBODY WHO MAKES YOU THINK YOUR IMPORTANT.

THEN YOU GO HOME.

I WAS ALWAYS GROUNDED QUICKLY.

MY WIFE WOULD REMIND ME, THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE  LEGISLATURE, IT WAS TIME TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH AND MOW THE  YARD.

SO, IT MIGHT DO US GOOD IN  POLITICS IF PEOPLE ARE HUMBLED AND SHOW HUMILITY ON A DAILY  BASIS INSTEAD OF JUST DURING THE 60-DAY SESSION.

Gene: GOOD POINT.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE  FOR THAT ISSUE.

BUT, WE'LL SEE HOW IT ALL  WORKS OUT WHEN LAWMAKERS TAKE UP REDISTRICTING SOME TIME  NEXT MONTH.

NOT FAR OFF.

UP NEXT ON THE LINE, THE STATE PLANS TO VACCINATE KIDS  AGAINST COVID-19.

Laura: I AM LAURA PASKUS  AND IN 2017 THE OUR LAND TEAM VISITED THE PETRI FAMILY IN  THE EAST MOUNTAINS.

THEIR DOMESTIC WELL HAD GONE  DRY AND THEY WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES HAVING THAT PROBLEM.

AT THE TIME WE ALSO MET WITH PHILLIP RUST, A HYDROGEOLOGIST  WITH BERNALILLO COUNTY, WHO  WAS TRACKING GROUNDWATER LEVELS IN THE AREA.

TODAY, MANY COMMUNITIES IN NEW MEXICO, INCLUDING THE EAST  MOUNTAINS, ARE SEEING A HOUSING BOOM.

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE HERE BUT WELLS ARE STILL  DRYING AND GROUNDWATER LEVELS ARE STILL DROPPING.

THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, I CHECK BACK WITH  PHILLIP RUST TO FIND OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING UNDERGROUND.

HI PHILLIP, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING ON NEW MEXICO  IN FOCUS WITH ME.

Rust: LAURA, THANK YOU FOR  HAVING ME BACK.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU  FOLLOWING UP WITH ME.

THANK YOU.

Laura: SO, LET'S START REALLY BASIC FOR OUR AUDIENCE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GROUNDWATER TODAY.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT GROUNDWATER IN NEW MEXICO, WE  ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT LIKE A GIANT UNDERGROUND CAVE WITH A  LAKE IN IT.

Rust: THAT WOULD BE  FORTUNATE BECAUSE AN UNDERGROUND LAKE WOULD HAVE A  LOT MORE STORAGE CAPACITY THAN THE ROCKS DO.

ALL WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS WATER.

IT IS STORED IN SUBSTANCES, SMALL CRACKS, BETWEEN FLOORS,  BETWEEN GRAINS OVER A VAST AREA.

YES, IT MAY SEEM LIKE THE NUMBERS ARE BIG BUT  UNFORTUNATELY THE NUMBERS WE ARE WITHDRAWING ARE ALSO   VERY BIG.

AS WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS UNFORTUNATELY IN A LOT OF  PLACES IN BERNALILLO COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREA, WATER  LEVELS ARE BEING DEPLETED SUBSTANTIALLY FASTER THAN IT  IS NATURALLY RECHARGING.

Laura: SO, WE DID A SHOW  WITH YOU FOUR YEARS AGO LOOKING AT THE EAST MOUNTAINS.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE FOR PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT WHAT REGION WE ARE  GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT?

Rust: WELL, WE CAN TALK  ABOUT ALL OF BERNALILLO COUNTY BUT THERE IS A COUPLE OF  REASONS WHY I DON'T WANT TO FOCUS ON ALL OF BERNALILLO  COUNTY, MOSTLY BECAUSE, EVERYTHING WITHIN ALBUQUERQUE  IS GOVERNED BY THE ALBUQUERQUE WATER AUTHORITY.

AND I GENERALLY DON'T CROSS INTO THEIR REALM TOO MUCH.

THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF ALBUQUERQUE THAT ARE  INCORPORATED LIKE NORTH ALBUQUERQUE ACRES AREA.

A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE STILL ON WELLS.

I DO MONITOR SOME OF THOSE WELLS.

BUT ONE OF MY THINGS THAT I DO FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY,  PRIMARILY OUTSIDE OF ALBUQUERQUE, IS I MONITOR  THOSE WATER LEVELS IN DOMESTIC WELLS.

I HAVE GOT ALMOST 350 WELLS IN THE PROGRAM THAT I NOW  MONITOR.

I DO IT ABOUT THREE TIMES A  YEAR.

I WILL GO TO PEOPLES' HOUSES,  I WILL CHECK THEIR WATER LEVELS, AND EVERY TIME I DO  THAT, WHAT I DO IS SEND THEM AN UPDATE WITH A SUMMARY OF  ALL LEVELS I HAVE TAKEN TO DATE.

AND THERE IS A GRAPH SHOWING WATER LEVELS OVER TIME.

SO IT IS A SCIENCE-BASED AND SERVICE-BASED PROGRAM.

IT IS REALLY WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THEY GET THE  SERVICE AND I GET THE SCIENCE AND IT HELPS THEM KEEP TRACK  OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH GROUNDWATER RESOURCES.

YOU BROUGHT UP THE EAST MOUNTAINS.

THE REASON I FOCUS ON THAT, THAT IS WHERE THE HOTTEST  PLACE IS AS FAR AS GROUNDWATER WITHDRAWAL.

ACTUALLY, ALBUQUERQUE, ITSELF IS LESS -- WE STILL HAVE TO BE  VERY MINDFUL ABOUT HOW MUCH WATER WE USE, BUT THERE HAS  BEEN A VERY ROBUST GROUNDWATER AND WATER USAGE PUBLIC  AWARENESS PROGRAM IN ALBUQUERQUE THAT HAS BEEN VERY  SUCCESSFUL AND I AM GOING TO QUOTE NUMBERS.

SO, PLEASE, IF I DON'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB, BUT I WANT TO  SAY SINCE ALBUQUERQUE WATER AUTHORITY HAS INITIATED  PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE FOR WATER CONSERVATION AND WATER  USAGE, THEY ACTUALLY, YOU HAVE SEEN A DECREASE IN THE WATER  USAGE FROM 215-GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY TO ABOUT  129 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY, A SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE.

THAT IS ALMOST HALF OF WHAT WE USED, SAY, 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO  WHENEVER THEY STARTED THIS PROGRAM.

WHAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN IS THE GROUNDWATER, AQUIFER HAS  REBOUNDED IN RESPONSE TO THAT DECREASED USAGE.

I THINK WE CAN SEE THE SAME THING IN THE EAST MOUNTAINS IF  WE HAVE A SIMILARLY ROBUST COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM.

Laura: WHEN WE TALKED FOUR YEARS AGO COUNTY STUDIES HAD  SHOWN THAT GROUND LEVELS WERE DROPPING IN THE EAST MOUNTAINS  AREA 1.8 FEET PER YEAR.

NOW, FOUR YEARS LATER, WHAT  ARE WE LOOKING AT?

Rust: IT HAS ACCELERATED.

IT IS AROUND 2.5 TO 2.8.

DEPENDING ON EXACTLY WHERE YOU  ARE AT.

SOME PLACES, UNFORTUNATELY,  ARE DROPPING ABOUT 10 FEET PER YEAR.

THAT IS MORE GEOLOGICALLY MOTIVATED THAN WATER USAGE BUT  IT IS ALL COMBINED.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE GEOLOGY,  YOU'LL GET RECHARGE.

YOU WILL GET CLIMATE AND YOU  LOOK AT HUMAN USAGE AND DEPLETION, THE EQUATION ISN'T  FAVORABLE FOR THE FUTURE.

Laura: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN  FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HOUSE  AND A WELL THERE, OR WHO ARE PLANNING TO BUILD A HOUSE AND  DRILL A WELL THERE?

Rust: THAT IS ONE OF THE  BIGGEST QUESTIONS I GET WHILE BEING HYDROGEOLOGIST.

A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL ME AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE  AQUIFER IS LIKE IN THIS AREA, WHERE IS -- HOW MUCH DOES IT  COST TO PUT IN A WELL AND ALL THESE FACTORS.

THANKFULLY, I OFTEN HAVE FAIRLY GOOD ANSWERS ON WHICH  DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, THE RESTRICTION LEVEL IS GOING IN  A PARTICULAR AREA.

KEEP IN MIND, WHEN YOU TALK  ABOUT TWO-AND-A-HALF TO THREE FEET OF DRAWDOWN PER YEAR,  THAT SOUNDS EXTREME BUT IF YOU HAVE GOT 300 FEET OF WATER  DEPTH IN YOUR WELL, 300 FEET OF ACTUAL CLEARAGE, THOSE  WELLS ARE GOING TO BE GOOD FOR A LONG TIME BUT THEY STILL  WON'T BE GOOD FOREVER.

Laura: WE VISITED FOUR  YEARS AGO WE VISITED A FAMILY THAT HAD A WELL THAT NO LONGER  REACHES WATER.

WHAT DO PEOPLE -- WHEN THIS  HAPPENS, WHEN YOUR GROUNDWATER BECOMES INACCESSIBLE, WHAT  KIND OF OPTIONS DO PEOPLE HAVE?

LIKE WHAT DO PEOPLE DO?

Rust: THAT IS AN EXCELLENT  QUESTION AND UNFORTUNATELY IT IS A LITTLE COMPLICATED.

IT IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN JUST GIVING YOU EXAMPLES.

SO, I SAY, USUALLY, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS A FISCAL SOLUTION.

WHAT YOU SEE AS WATER LEVELS DECLINE, PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE A  FISCAL CHOICE, EITHER HAUL WATER, WHICH TENDS TO BE VERY  EXPENSIVE AND THEY HAVE TO BUY A BIG STORAGE TANK AND THEY  HAVE A BIG SYSTEM AND THEY HAVE TO HAUL WATER  PERIODICALLY, OR THEY DIG A DEEPER WELL.

AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IS THAT PEOPLE WITH  THE DEEPEST POCKETS ARE CAPABLE OF DRILLING THE  DEEPEST WELLS.

THAT COULD BE GOOD AND IT  COULD BE BAD.

BUT, WHEN PEOPLE CONVERT TO  HAULING WATER, THEY USUALLY USE A LOT LESS, SO, WHAT I  HAVE SEEN PRELIMINARILY, BY THE WAY, IS THAT AS PEOPLES  WELLS GO DRY, I AM STARTING TO SEE THE AQUIFER STARTING TO  TAPER OUT IN SOME AREAS, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE HAULING  THIS WATER AND IT IS OFTEN NOT COMING FROM THE SANDIA BASIN.

IT IS COMING FROM THE ESTANCIA BASIN, WHICH IS ALREADY OVER  ALLOCATED.

SO WE ARE TRANSFERRING THE WATER NEEDS  FROM ONE BASIN TO ANOTHER AND IT IS ROBBING PETER TO PAY  PAUL, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.

Laura: AS I REMEMBER, THE ESTANCIA BASIN IS NOT DOING  GREAT IN TERMS OF ITS WATER.

Rust: IT ALSO HAS BEEN OVER  ALLOCATED FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

AND DECLINING.

Laura: IS THERE ANYTHING  THAT THE STATE CAN DO OR IS DOING IN TERMS OF GROUNDWATER  LEVELS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA?

Rust: YES, I AM REALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

IN FACT, THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER, RECENTLY, HAS  CLOSED THE SANDIA BASIN TO FUTURE APPROPRIATIONS.

WHEN THEY SAY CLOSED, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT DOMESTIC  WELL OWNERS CAN'T GET WELLS.

THEY CAN.

IS IT RESTRICTED, YES.

THEY MAY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER  RIGHT FOR NEW WELL PERMITS FROM, YOU KNOW, AN ACRE FEET  PER YEAR TO 3/4 OF AN ACRE FEET PER YEAR.

WHAT IT MEANS IS WHEN THEY SAY CLOSE THE BASIN TO FUTURE  APPROPRIATIONS, NOBODY IS GOING TO GET 1500 ACRES TO PUT  IN A GOLF COURSE OR 200-ACRE FEET PER YEAR TO START A CAT  FISH FARM OR NOBODY IS GOING TO START A WATER PARK.

AND THE TRUTH IS THE STATE ENGINEER REALIZES THAT THAT  BASIN IS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING THAT SORT OF  DEVELOPMENT.

Laura: I WAS JUST DRIVING  AROUND THE EAST MOUNTAINS RECENTLY AND IT IS SO BUSY.

LIKE THERE IS A TON OF TRAFFIC UP THERE, LOTS OF HOMES, LOOKS  LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF NEW HOUSES GOING IN.

AND THE TOWN OF EDGEWOOD RECENTLY APPROVED AN AMENDMENT  TO A MASTER PLAN THAT COULD POTENTIALLY MEAN ANOTHER 4,000  HOMES DOWN THE ROAD.

Rust: YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT  CAMPBELL RANCH.

CAMPBELL RANCH IS PRIMARILY  WITHIN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF BERNALILLO COUNTY.

AND IT IS TRUE THAT THAT IS AN ONGOING DEVELOPMENT AND THE  REASON THEY GOT ANNEXED BY EDGEWOOD WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE  THE RESTRICTIONS ARE LESS.

I HAVE TO BE VERY SENSITIVE  ABOUT WHAT I SAY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, OTHER THAN  SAYING IT IS A DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL, BECAUSE THERE WAS  ACTUALLY A LEGAL CONFLICT BETWEEN THE STATE ENGINEER,  CAMPBELL RANCH, AQUIFER SCIENCE AND BERNALILLO COUNTY  WAS INVOLVED AND I WAS INVOLVED IN THAT.

ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WHOLE PROCESS  WAS ALL THE RESEARCH THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING, ALL THE WATER  LEVELS AT THAT TIME, ALL THE TREND DATA, AND IF I COULD  EXTRAPOLATE, I THINK THE STATE ENGINEER REALIZED FOR THE  FIRST TIME THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THE SANDIA BASIN  AND THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND THEY HAVE.

SO, I, AS A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, I  HAVE TO BE -- I HAVE TO WAGE AND BALANCE DEVELOPMENT WITH  THE REALITIES OF OUR RESOURCES AND WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF  DOING AND THAT IS KIND OF WHAT I DO, BUT, YES, DEVELOPMENT IS  CONTINUING AND HAS CONTINUED AND PROBABLY WILL CONTINUE TO  CONTINUE.

Laura: THAT IS ONE OF THE  THINGS WE SEE IN LOTS OF PLACES, NOT JUST IN THE EAST  MOUNTAINS BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A CONSTRAINT ON WATER  SUPPLIES.

WE KNOW THAT IS LIKELY GOING  TO CONTINUE AND COULD POTENTIALLY WORSEN IN THE  FUTURE BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS SEEM LIKE OUR LAND USE  PLANNING AND OUR WATER PLANNING ARE INTERTWINED.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, LIKE, IF IT IS AND MAYBE HOW WE CAN DO  BETTER?

Rust: I THINK IT IS BUT WE  ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO AGAIN BALANCE DEVELOPMENT WITH THE  PRACTICALITY OF THE RESOURCES AT OUR DISPOSAL.

AND I DO PLAY A PART OF THAT.

IN FACT, EVERY TIME THERE IS A  SUBDIVISION THAT GOES IN, THERE ARE ORDINANCES, THE  SUBDIVISION IN THE PLANNING STAGES HAVE TO PROVE NOT ONLY  IS THERE GROUNDWATER AVAILABLE BUT IT IS ALSO SUSTAINABLE AND  RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE TO PROVE THERE IS WATER RESOURCES FOR  70 YEARS.

THAT IS NOT A SMALL FEAT AND  THEY ALSO HAVE TO PROVE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO INADVERTENTLY  IMPACT EVERYONE ELSE AROUND THEM AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

Laura: PHILLIP RUST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME  TODAY.

Rust: THANK YOU SO MUCH  LAURA.

Gene:   LAST WEEK, UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO STUDENTS FILED A  COMPLAINT WITH THE NEW MEXICO ATTORNEY GENERAL, HECTOR  BALDERAS.

THEY ARE ASKING MR. BALDERAS  TO INVESTIGATE IF THE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION, WHICH  IS A CHARITY, IS VIOLATING STATE LAW BY CONTINUING TO  INVEST IN FOSSIL FUELS KNOWING THAT THE INDUSTRIES GREEN  HOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ARE CAUSING CLIMATE CHANGE.

THEY SAY THE FOUNDATION IS ALMOST 30 MILLION INVESTED IN  FOSSIL FUELS.

STUDENTS ALSO HELD A RALLY AND  PROTEST MARCHING TO THE OFFICES OF UNM PRESIDENT  STOKES CALLING FOR DIVESTMENT AND SERIOUS ACTION ON CLIMATE  CHANGE.

Student:   THE REASON WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE UNM  FOUNDATION TO DIVEST FROM FOSSIL FUEL IS BECAUSE WE  UNDERSTAND THAT FOSSIL FUELS AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS ARE  PROGRESSIVELY RUINING OUR LIVES, OUR PLANET, OUR  BEAUTIFUL WORLD.

WHEN UNM IS ACTIVELY INVESTING  IN THESE COMPANIES, THEY ARE KIND OF, IN A WAY, KILLING US  AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO DIVEST BECAUSE IF WE WANT TO  HAVE A FUTURE THEN WE CAN'T BE INVESTING IN FOSSIL FUELS.

AS AN INSTITUTION, UNIVERSITY, IS HELPING US GET DEGREES,  HELPING US GET JOBS, EXPERIENCE, MENTORSHIP AND IT  SEEMS KIND OF HYPOCRITICAL FOR THEM TO BE PUSHING US TO  GRADUATE AND TO FIND ALL THESE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES OUT IN  THE WORLD WHILE THEY ARE ACTIVELY DESTROYING IT FOR US.

Noriega: MOST OF THE UNIVERSITIES HERE IN THE  UNITED STATES INVEST IN FOSSIL FUELS, HARVARD, ACTUALLY,  ACCOMPLISHED DIVEST FROM FOSSIL FUELS.

WE TOOK THAT AS INSPIRATION  AND WE ARE SAYING IF THEY CAN DO IT, WE CAN DO IT, TOO.

SO  THAT IS OUR GOAL.

Alcott: CLIMATE CHANGE IS  VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

I THINK AS AN INDIGENOUS  PERSON I HAVE WITNESSED LIKE HOW THE LAND AND MY PEOPLE AND  MY CULTURE AND MY LANGUAGE ARE KIND OF TIED TOGETHER WITH IT.

SO, WHEN MY TRIBAL PEOPLE AND MY COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES  ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IT IS MORE DIRECT AND  MORE INTIMATE AND MORE PERSONAL AT THIS POINT LIKE IT  IMPACTS CULTURE AND LANGUAGE AND JUST LIKE THOSE TIED  TOGETHER.

Noriega: I KNOW WE CAN'T  CONVINCE EVERYONE TO CARE ABOUT THE WORLD OR AT LEAST,  LIKE, ADVOCATE LIKE US, BUT, I JUST WANTED THEM TO UNDERSTAND  WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR AND IF THEY HAVE A GOOD LIFE, LIKE  THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY AND WORK AND EXPERIENCE  DIFFERENT THINGS, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST CARE THAT OUR FUTURE  IS THE SAME.

Jenkins-Nieto: IT WAS AFTER  WE WERE TALKING AND SHE SAID  IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN HELP YOU WITH AND SO WE WERE KIND  OF ASKING HER ABOUT DIVESTMENT AND CLIMATE ACTION IN GENERAL  AND SHE SAID THAT DIVESTMENT ACTION WASN'T ON THEIR  PRIORITY LIST, WHICH I AM NOT SURPRISED ABOUT, BUT THAT THEY  WERE WORKING ON SOME KIND OF ACTION PLAN, SUSTAINABILITY,  BROADLY.

IT MIGHT NOT JUST BE  ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT SHE  SAID THEY ARE HOPING TO HAVE IT READY BY FEBRUARY.

Alcott: WE HAVE CONTINUOUSLY ASKED UNM, WE  HAVE HAD RALLIES AND PROTESTS AND DELIVERED A LETTER,  ATTENDED MEETINGS AND WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS AND SO BEING  CONSTANTLY IGNORED AND PUSHED TO THE BOTTOM OF AGENDAS, THAT  IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY AND WHY WE FILED THE COMPLAINT IN  GENERAL BECAUSE WE CAN NO LONGER WAIT AND SIT AROUND AND  JUST CONTINUE TO BE IGNORED SO I THINK THAT IS THE MESSAGE OF  TODAY IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP COMING AND KEEP  PROTESTING AND RALLYING.

Gene:   THANKS TO ENVIRONMENT REPORTER LAURA PASKUS FOR THAT  STORY.

WE ASKED PRESIDENT STOKES TO  COMMENT ON THE RALLY AND ISSUE OF DIVESTMENT.

YOU CAN READ THAT FULL STATEMENT ON THE WEBSITE,  NMINFOCUS.ORG.

LET'S MOVE ON TO A BIG  DEVELOPMENT IN THE RECOVERY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

FDA OFFICIALLY APPROVING THE PHIZER VACCINE FOR CHILDREN  AGES 5 TO 11.

CDC FOLLOWING SUIT AND GIVING  ITS BLESSING.

THAT OPENS THE DOOR FOR 10'S  OF MILLIONS MORE AMERICANS TO GET VACCINATED, SOMETHING THAT  SHOULD EASE PARENTS FEARS AND THEORETICALLY CUT DOWN ON  TRANSMISSION.

MICHAEL, HOW IMPORTANT WAS  THIS STEP IN THE WIDER FRONT AGAINST COVID-19?

Michael: IT IS AN IMPORTANT THING FOR NEW MEXICO  SPECIFICALLY AS WELL AS THE NATION.

OF COURSE, NEW MEXICO HAS ABOUT 6% OF NEW MEXICO CASES  HAVE BEEN WITH CHILDREN AGE 5 TO 11.

AND, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE HAD 300 CHILDREN  IN NEW MEXICO WHO HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED FOR COVID-19 AND  UNFORTUNATELY FIVE HAVE PASSED AWAY.

I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR US.

OUR CHILDREN ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US HERE IN  NEW MEXICO AND WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT  THEM.

Gene: INEZ, OF COURSE, NEW  MEXICO IS NEAR THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF  VACCINATION RATES BUT WILL PEOPLE BE MORE HESITANT TO  VACCINATE THEIR KIDS?

IT IS DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES  TO CHILDREN VERSUS THEMSELVES WHEN IT COMES TO SOME PEOPLE.

Inez: I THINK THAT IS RIGHT.

I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE ACTUALLY POSTING ON FACEBOOK  RIGHT NOW WITH SMILEY FACES SAYING WE ARE SCHEDULED THIS  WEEKEND.

THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING, THEY  ARE THRILLED AND THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN VACCINATED.

WHAT WORRIES ME IS THAT AGAIN, IF YOU DON'T GET CLOSE TO  100%, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE PROTECTIVE QUALITY THAT WE  NEED.

AND WE GO BACK TO THE  UNVACCINATED VERSUS VACCINATED.

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND A PARENT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE  RELUCTANT WITH A YOUNG PERSON BECAUSE YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT  LONG-TERM EFFECTS BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IF WE PROTECT EACH  OTHER WITH VACCINATIONS, WE ARE GOING TO BE DONE WITH THIS  AND ON TO WHATEVER IS NEXT IN OUR CRISIS OF THE YEAR, IT  SEEMS LIKE THAT WE ARE LIVING THROUGH NOW.

Gene: WE HAVE HAD OUR SHARE OF MASK PROTESTS THAT IS FOR  SURE, BUT NOW WE HAVE KIDS POTENTIALLY VACCINATED.

DOES THIS REBOOT THE MASK OR RETRIGGER THE MASK  CONVERSATION IN SOME WAY.

WILL PARENTS FEEL LIKE, WELL,  YOU KNOW, I TOOK THAT STEP TO GET MY KID VACCINATED.

WHY DO THEY STILL NEED TO WEAR A MASK?

IS THAT POTENTIALLY A PROBLEM.

Dan: THERE IS A LOT IN THAT  QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED.

FIRST OF ALL, I THINK, IT  DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU STAND ON AN ISSUE, PEOPLE SEEM TO  RALLY AROUND THEIR KIDS.

AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU CAN  SAY I BELIEVE THIS ABOUT VACCINATIONS, YOU BELIEVE  THAT, BUT WHEN WE LUMP KIDS INTO IT, PEOPLE GET A LITTLE  LESS TOLERANT OF HAVING LONG CONVERSATIONS.

I THINK, YES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND  WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS FOR MULTIPLE  REASONS.

ONE IS, AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE,  LOOK, I FEEL BAD HAVING TO GIVE THE DISCLAIMER, I HAD  COVID-19 AND I AM VACCINATED.

MY WIFE IS VACCINATED.

I AM NOT AN ANTI-VAXER, BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU THE WAY THIS  HAS BEEN HANDLED WITH INFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION  FROM ALL SIDES IS LEADING PEOPLE TO JUST THROW THEIR  HANDS IN THE AIR AND NOW YOU SAY WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS  HAPPEN TO KIDS, I WAS WATCHING THE OTHER DAY WHEN THE FDA  MADE THE DECISION TO ROLL THIS OUT FOR KIDS AND THEY ARE  JUST -- PEOPLE ARE NOT COGNIZANT OF WHAT THEY ARE  DOING, RIGHT.

THERE IS A DOCTOR WHO  LITERALLY ON THE ZOOM MEETING WHEN THEY VOTED, SAID, LISTEN,  WE ARE NOT GOING TO KNOW THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON THE KIDS  UNTIL THE KIDS GET THE VACCINE.

SO I AM VOTING FOR THE KIDS TO GET THE VACCINE, WHICH MAKES  YOU GO, HOLD ON A SECOND, WAIT A SECOND.

SO, ARE YOU SAYING MY KID SHOULD BE A TEST MONKEY, THAT  MY KID SHOULD BE A PETRI DISH.

SO, I THINK THAT YOU COUPLE  THAT WITH WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW WITH ADULTS.

WE HAVE ALL BEEN PUSHED TO GET VACCINATED.

WE KEPT HEARING THE NUMBERS, THE NUMBERS KEEP MOVING YOU  GOT TO GET THIS PERCENTAGE, THIS PERCENTAGE.

NEW MEXICO IS LEADING IN THE NUMBER OF PERCENTAGES BUT WE  ARE STILL WEARING MASKS, STILL DOING THINGS THAT PEOPLE I  HEAR SAYING, WHY DID I GET THE VACCINE?

IF I WENT AND GOT THE VACCINE -- THE OTHER THING TO  REMEMBER, THESE ARE NOT IMMUNIZATIONS.

THEY ARE VACCINES.

THEY JUST LIMIT HOW BAD YOU'RE  GOING TO BE SICK.

SO, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS THE RISK I AM  GOING TO TAKE FOR MY CHILD TO IMMUNIZE THEM AGAINST POLIO,  VERSUS WHAT IS THE RISK I TAKE AGAINST MY KID GETTING SICK  WITH COVID-19.

AND ON TOP OF THAT THE  NUMBERS, I AGREE WITH MICHAEL, WE ALL WANT TO PROTECT OUR  KIDS BUT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WEIGHING UNKNOWN  VERSUS THE KNOWN.

UNKNOWN BEING WHAT IS THE  LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF VACCINATIONS.

THE KNOWN BEING, LISTEN, KIDS SEEM TO BE CARRIERS BUT THEY  DON'T REALLY GET SICK FROM IT, NOT NEARLY AS BAD AS ADULTS  DO, SO WHY ARE YOU TAKING THE RISK.

I THINK THEY GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF CULLING OUT THE  BENEFITS OF GETTING KIDS DONE.

IT IS A BAD THING TO SAY BUT  THERE HAS TO BE A TRADE OFF, RIGHT.

THE STATE NEEDS TO COME OUT AND SAY IF WE CAN GET TO THIS  NUMBER OF VACCINATED KIDS, WE ARE GOING BACK TO FULL-TIME.

THIS NUMBER, WE ARE NOT WEARING MASKS ANYMORE.

I THINK THERE IS KIND OF LIKE THEY DID -- THEY FOUND OUT HOW  TO GET ADULTS VACCINATED, RIGHT, GIVE THEM $100.

Gene: THAT IS RIGHT.

Dan: THEY GOT TO FIND A WAY  TO GET KIDS IN THE PROGRAM.

Gene: MICHAEL, DAN IS  LITERALLY BEGGING THIS QUESTION, HAVE WE LEARNED  SOMETHING ABOUT THE FIRST GO ROUND ABOUT HOW TO DO THIS AND  ANYTHING IN THE ROLLOUT SHOULD BE CHANGED, ADAPTED,  IMPLEMENTED WHEN IT COMES TO KIDS.

DO WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE MESSAGING HERE?

Michael: I GUESS FOR ME, I MEAN, IT IS AN IMPERFECT WORLD  AND WE ARE DEALING WITH SOMETHING WE NEVER DEALT WITH,  A MAJOR ISSUE WE NEVER DEALT WITH BEFORE AND I GUESS I  WOULD SAY BASED ON MY UNDERSTANDING, HAD WE DONE  SOME THINGS EARLY ON, AND I'M NOT POINTING FINGERS AT ANY  ADMINISTRATION, BUT HAD WE DONE SOME APPROPRIATE AND  TIMELY INTERVENTIONS EARLIER ON, WE, IN FACT, WOULD NOT BE  AT THIS PLACE IN TIME IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD BETTER  OUTCOMES.

BUT ONCE YOU MUDDLE THE WATER,  THEN IT IS REALLY VERY DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW.

THERE ARE ALL THESE VARIABLES NOW.

THERE IS POLITICAL, THE DIVISIONS ABOUT MY RIGHTS  VERSUS COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY AND THE  RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR ELDERS AND YOUR CHILDREN.

I MEAN, THERE IS ALL THESE THINGS THAT HAVE COME INTO  PLAY THAT HAVE TOTALLY MUDDLED THE FIELD.

AND SO, I THINK IN HINDSIGHT WE WILL LOOK BACK AND WE HAVE  LEARNED MANY LESSONS AND WE ARE LEARNING AS WE GO ALONG.

AGAIN, WE HAVE NOT DEALT WITH ANYTHING OF THIS NATURE FOR  QUITE SOME TIME.

THE OTHER THING IS WE BETTER  LEARN SOME THINGS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE END OF IT.

Gene: THAT IS A GOOD POINT.

I CAN'T HELP AS A PARENT -- MY  KIDS ARE OLDER THAN THIS 5 TO 11 WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

YOU KNOW HOW KIDS ARE.

SOME KIDS ARE VACCINATED, SOME  KIDS ARE NOT.

THERE IS INTIMIDATION IN THE  CLASSROOM, ON THE PLAYGROUND AND THEY BRING THEIR PARENTS  IN THE DOOR WITH THEM.

ARE WE ASKING A LOT OF KIDS  HERE WHEN WE ASK THEM TO BE VACCINATED?

IS THERE EXTRA STUFF HERE?

Inez: I DON'T THINK SO.

YOU'RE ASKING A CHILD TO NOT GET AS SICK AS HE OTHERWISE  COULD AND TO PERHAPS NOT CARRY IT TO HIS ELDER GRANDMOTHER.

I BELIEVE THAT WHEN DAN RAISES THE POINT WHY DID I GET  VACCINATED.

YOU GOT VACCINATED SO PERHAPS  YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A VARIANT THAT PROVED SO STRONG WE HAD  TO GO BACK TO MASKS.

IF PEOPLE HAD -- SURE WE GOT A  BASIC CURE IN TERMS OF DEATH.

IF THEY HAD MOVED AHEAD,  GOTTEN VACCINATED WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS PLACE EITHER AND AS  MUCH AS I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO MEDICAL  CHOICES, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A RIGHT NOT TO BE  INFECTED BY YOUR MEDICAL CHOICE.

AND I HAVE PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY, AS WE ALL DO, WITH  UNDERLYING CONDITIONS AND I CAN'T RISK, YOU KNOW, MY 82  YEAR OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW BEING AROUND UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.

I CAN'T RISK MY KID WITH ASTHMA OR MY OTHER RELATIVES  WITH DIABETES BEING OUT THERE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE  VACCINATED, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GET SICK.

Dan: THAT IS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.

Gene: GO TO GO, DAN.

THANKS TO MY PANELISTS THIS  WEEK AND WE SHOULD ADD IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOUR VACCINE  YET ON OUR TOPIC, GO TO THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S  WEBSITE TO FIND A SHOT NEAR YOU.

FINALLY, TONIGHT, HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET TO CHECK OUT THE  GOOGLE DOODLE WHEN SURFING THE WEB?

MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT BUT A RECENT DOODLE ACTUALLY PAID  TRIBUTE TO A ZUNI ARTIST FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY.

KNOWN AS WE-WAH.

THE ARTIST WHO CREATED THE  IMAGES FOR THAT DOODLE IS ALSO ZUNI AND CORRESPONDENT ANTONIO  GONZALES CAUGHT UP WITH HER THIS WEEK TO FIND OUT MORE  ABOUT HOW THIS ALL CAME TOGETHER.

Quetawki: WE-WAH WAS BASICALLY OUR FIRST AMBASSADOR  TO WASHINGTON, D.C., USED TO ACCOMPANY OUR GOVERNOR TO  WASHINGTON AS A TRANSLATOR.

THEY USED TO CALL HER WE-WAH  THE ZUNI PRINCESS AND PEOPLE WOULD FLOCK TO COME SEE WE-WAH  DEMONSTRATE THE ART THAT SHE WAS VERY WELL-KNOWN FOR,  POTTERY, WEAVING.

IN ZUNI SHE WAS VERY WELL  THOUGHT OF, VERY ENDEARING PERSON, GENEROUS, A MEDIATOR  FOR EVERYBODY.

WE TALK ABOUT HER ENDEARINGLY  BACK AT HOME STILL, TO THIS DAY.

WE-WAH WAS BORN A MALE BUT LIVED HER LIFE AS A WOMAN  DOING FEMALE ROLES WITHIN ZUNI CULTURE BUT ALSO STILL  PRACTICING ALL THE MALE ROLES AS WELL.

Antonia: THERE ARE AUDIENCE MEMBERS WHO MAY NOT BE  FAMILIAR WITH THE DIFFERENT PRONOUNS, HOW YOU ARE USING  THEM, BUT ALSO JUST, YOU KNOW, TWO-SPIRIT COMMUNITY MEMBERS  ACROSS NOT ONLY HERE IN NEW MEXICO BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY  ARE REALLY, I GUESS, PART OF TRIBAL NATIONS.

SO HOW IS THAT IN YOUR NATION?

Quetawki: IN ZUNI, WE DO  RECOGNIZE A THIRD GENDER CALLED LHAMANA, USUALLY THE  MALE PERSON TAKING ON THE WOMAN'S ROLE.

HOWEVER, WE DON'T HAVE PRONOUNS WITHIN THE ZUNI  LANGUAGE.

SO WE DON'T HAVE A HE OR HER.

EVERYBODY IS THEY OR THEM.

WE HAVE ALL TALKED ABOUT THIS  AND HOW WE-WAH WAS A SPIRITUAL LEADER, A RELIGIOUS LEADER.

THERE WERE TIMES WHERE THERE WERE MALE ROLES THAT WERE ONLY  MEANT FOR MALE SO THOSE ARE THE TIMES WHEN WE WOULD TALK  ABOUT HIM IN ENGLISH WE WOULD SAY HIM AND HE AND THEN THE  OTHER ROLES, THE MEDICINE ROLE AND THE SOCIAL ROLES, CARE  GIVING ROLES, WE ARE CALLING WE-WAH HER AND IT IS KIND OF  DIFFICULT TO DO THE TRANSLATIONS AND A LOT OF THE  CULTURAL ROLES THAT WE-WAH HAD WHEN HE WAS HERE, SO WE WOULD  KIND OF GO BACK AND FORTH.

Antonia: HOW DID THE  COLLABORATION WITH GOOGLE AND YOURSELF AND THE ZUNI PUEBLO  COME ABOUT WITH THIS GOOGLE DOODLE TO CELEBRATE NOT ONLY  HONOR WE-WAH BUT KICK OFF AND CELEBRATE NATIVE AMERICAN  HERITAGE MONTH?

Quetawki: I GOT A TEXT  MESSAGE ONE DAY ASKING IF I AM ABLE TO TAKE PART IN A PROJECT  AND I SAID, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO.

GOOGLE GOT IN CONTACT WITH ZUNI PUEBLO BEFORE ANY OF THIS  REALLY CAME ABOUT AND I WAS MENTIONED IN THEIR TALK AS AN  ARTIST THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE UPON A CHALLENGE LIKE  THIS.

I MEAN, IT WAS, TO ME, AND  PROBABLY TO A LOT OF OTHER ARTISTS, THE TIME FRAME WAS  PRETTY SHORT SO IT WAS ABOUT A MONTH-AND-A-HALF OF WORKING  THAT I DID OF PAINTING.

MOST GOOGLE DOODLES ARE  DIGITALLY CREATED SO I WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFERENT  BECAUSE MY CREATIONS ARE DONE WITH ACRYLIC PAINTING AND WE  WOULD GO BACK AND FORTH ON THE PROCESS.

I REALLY WANTED WE-WAH'S LEGACY TO BE SHARED IN THE  FACT THAT WE-WAH WAS SUCH A CARING INDIVIDUAL.

HER STORY IS STILL ALIVE, THIS LEGACY THAT WE-WAH HAS, I FEEL  THAT WE ALL SHOULD TAKE PART IN IT.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT PLATFORMS.

DIGITALLY WE ARE ONLINE, OUR  KIDS ARE ON TIK TOK, INSTAGRAM, HOW DO WE LEAVE  THOSE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGES WITHIN THOSE PLATFORMS.

HOW DO WE REACH THEM.

AND I THINK GOOGLE JUST GAVE US  THAT.

Antonia: THANK YOU FOR  JOINING US ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, ZUNI I PUEBLO  ARTIST, MALLERY QUETAWKI.

THANK YOU.

Gene:   I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THE SILENT WINTER IN  TUESDAY'S ELECTION WAS THE LONG AWAITED LONG DEBATED IDEA  OF CONSOLIDATING ELECTIONS.

MEANING WE FINALLY VOTED FOR  SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, CITY COUNCILORS, GENERAL OBLIGATION  BONDS, SOIL AND WATER MANAGERS, A DAZZLING ARRAY OF  CANDIDATES AND ISSUES, ALL LAID OUT LOGICALLY IN A TIME  SAVING ONE TAKE.

IT IS ABOUT TIME, OR PERHAPS  BETTER SAID, NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON.

I REMIND YOU, WE HAVE SEEN STAND-ALONE SCHOOL BOARD  ELECTIONS WITH SINGLE DIGIT TURNOUTS AND MAYORAL CAMPAIGNS  HERE IN THE LOW 20'S.

THERE ARE MANY TO THANK IN THE  LEGISLATURE FOR GETTING THIS DONE.

WHEN YOU FACTOR IN RANK CHOICE VOTING IN SANTA FE AND LAS  CRUCES, MAIL IN AND EARLY VOTING, DROP BOXES EVERYWHERE,  AND MORE, JUST LIKE THAT WE SEEM TO HAVE TURNED A CORNER  ON HOW WE DO DEMOCRACY HERE.

THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING US  AND FOR STAYING INFORMED AND ENGAGED.

SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK, IN FOCUS.