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

Gene: THIS WEEK ON NEW  MEXICO IN FOCUS, FROM THE MET GALA AND FASHION WEEK TO  FAIRBANKS ALASKA, WE SPEAK WITH NATIVE MODEL, QUANNAH  CHASINGHORSE.

Chasinghorse:   AND YOU MAY BE EXPERIENCING THESE  BEAUTIFUL THINGS YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE REPRESENTING SO MUCH  MORE THAN JUST YOURSELF.

Gene: IT IS TIME TO OPEN UP  YOUR MAP AND START TALKING TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.

IT IS YOUR LAST BEST CHANCE TO TALK POLITICAL REDISTRICTING.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

I AM YOUR HOST, GENE GRANT.

CHANGES IN THE AIR AS WE ENTER  AUTUMN AND OUR SHOW THIS WEEK IS ALL ABOUT NEW THINGS.

THE CITIZENS' REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE BEGINS A HUGE PUSH  NEXT WEEK AS IT DECIDES WHICH MAP TO RECOMMEND TO THE  LEGISLATURE NEXT MONTH.

THE LINE WILL SORT THROUGH  SOME OF THE KEY POINTS.

OUR OPINION PANEL ALSO TALKS  ABOUT LAST MINUTE COVID PROTOCOLS AT BALLOON FIESTA.

JEFF WITTE, THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SECRETARY TALKS  ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE IN A CHANGING  CLIMATE.

WE START WITH A BIG CHANGE  THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVING SOME TIME TO SETTLE.

THAT IS THE IMPACT ON NEW MEXICO OF THE TEXAS ABORTION  LAW.

HERE IS THE LINE.

Gene: BY NOW WE HAVE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE TEXAS ABORTION  LAW THAT BANS TERMINATING A PREGNANCY AFTER SIX WEEKS.

IT EFFECTIVELY DEPUTIZES THE CITIZENRY TO ENFORCE THE BAN  THROUGH LAWSUITS AND WAS CRAFTED THAT WAY TO AT LEAST  INITIALLY AVOID SOME CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS.

NOW OUR QUESTION TODAY IS HOW IT IS IMPACTING NEW MEXICO AND  THE CLINICS HERE THAT OFFER ABORTIONS.

HERE TO OFFER THOUGHTS ARE OUR LINE OPINION PANELISTS.

LINE REGULAR AND FOUNDER OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS BUSINESS  THAT BEARS HIS NAME, TOM GARRITY IS BACK.

ANOTHER REGULAR, UNM LAW PROFESSOR SERGE MARTINEZ JOINS  US ONCE AGAIN.

AND IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE  MARTHA BURK HAS BEEN HERE BUT WE WELCOME HER BACK.

THE ACTIVIST AUTHOR AND RADIO HOST TO OUR TABLE.

NOW, MARTHA, IF YOU FOLLOW THIS LAW'S IMPLEMENTATION,  WHAT ARE PEOPLE YOU ARE TALKING TO TELLING YOU ABOUT  THE ON-THE-GROUND EFFECTS SO FAR?

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

Martha: WELL, IT IS CAUSING  A LOT OF HARDSHIP SO FAR WITH WOMEN HERE IN NEW MEXICO AS  WELL AS ACROSS OUR BORDERS.

BECAUSE MANY WOMEN IN TEXAS  -- THERE ARE VERY FEW CLINICS IN TEXAS, WEST AND SOUTHEAST  TEXAS, SO THEY WERE DEPENDING ON THE CLINIC IN EL PASO.

IT IS NOW GONE.

THAT MEANS IT IS NOT  ACCESSIBLE TO SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO EITHER.

SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO HAS NO CLINIC THAT OFFERS ABORTION,  SO, WOMEN HAVE TO TRAVEL HERE TO ALBUQUERQUE.

SANTA FE DOESN'T HAVE A CLINIC EITHER.

THEY ARE ALL IN ALBUQUERQUE.

THAT IS TWO OR 300 MILES  DEPENDING WHAT PART OF THE STATE YOU LIVE IN DOWN THERE.

MANY WOMEN CAN'T TAKE OFF WORK FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS TO MAKE  ARRANGEMENTS FOR CHILD CARE, BUY THE GAS.

THINK ABOUT THAT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE  THAT EXTRA 100 BUCKS TO BUY GAS TO TRAVEL TWO OR  300 MILES.

IT WILL BE A HARDSHIP.

I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT I AM VERY PLEASED  THAT OUR ATTORNEY BALDERAS SAID THAT HE WILL DEFEND ANY  CLINICS HERE.

WON'T HAVE THEM ATTACKED BY  THESE VIGILANTES AND THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE.

THEY CAN TRY TO BRING SUITS AGAINST THE CLINICS, ALTHOUGH,  TECHNICALLY IT ONLY APPLIES TO TEXAS, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT  THESE NUT CASES ARE GOING TO DO.

Gene: MARTHA, I GOT TO SAY THE NUMBERS ARE KIND OF  DAUNTING.

YOU HAVE 55,000 ABORTIONS IN  TEXAS IN 2019.

SOMETHING LIKE 3800 HERE IN  NEW MEXICO.

I MEAN, JUST THE SHEER  NUMBERS.

HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO ABSORB  A THIRD OF THAT NUMBER, JUST TO PICK A NUMBER.

THAT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF WOMEN SEEKING  SERVICES.

Martha: WELL, IT ABSOLUTELY  IS, GENE, AND EVEN THOUGH MANY WOMEN ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE  TO TRAVEL, A NUMBER WILL.

I READ SOMETHING RECENTLY, I  GUESS YESTERDAY, THAT THE REQUESTS ARE UP 64% IN ONE OF  THE CLINICS HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE.

AND THEY ARE ALL COMING FROM TEXAS, SO, IT SORT OF HURTING  WOMEN COMING AND GOING.

THE WOMEN HERE IN NEW MEXICO  ARE HAVING A HARDER TIME ACCESSING THE STATE'S  FACILITIES AND DEAL WITH THE INFLUX OF WOMEN FROM TEXAS,  THOSE THAT CAN AFFORD AND HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO GET HERE.

BALDERAS HAS ALSO SAID, AND I AM VERY GRATIFIED ABOUT THIS,  THAT HE WILL DEFEND ANY CLINICS THAT ARE ATTACKED  LEGALLY ON THIS AND I'LL JUST HAVE TO THROW IN THAT UBER AND  LIFT ARE SAYING ALSO THAT THEY WILL DEFEND ANY OF THEIR  EMPLOYEES THAT GET SUED OVER THIS.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS LAW ANYBODY CAN BE SUED.

BY ANYBODY ELSE, WHETHER THEY LIVE IN TEXAS OR NOT IF YOU'RE  IN NEW MEXICO AND YOU GAVE MONEY TO WOMEN ACROSS THE  BORDER, YOU COULD BE SUED HERE.

Gene: LET ME TALK TO SERGE ON THAT POINT.

IT IS INTERESTING, WE HAVE NOW SEEN TWO LAWSUITS, AGAINST  THAT TEXAS DOCTOR.

HE SAID OPENLY, HE HAS  VIOLATED THE BAN AND NEITHER PERSON WHO FILED NECESSARILY  SUPPORTS THE LAW, WHICH IS INTERESTING, BUT WILL THIS  FORCE THAT ISSUE OF CONSTITUTIONALITY.

I MEAN, DO WE NEED TO JUST GET TO THAT POINT AND GET THIS ON  SO TO SPEAK?

Serge: THAT IS THE INTENT  OF THESE.

THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO SET  THE CHAIN -- THE DOMINOES IN MOTION TO GET TO SOME SORT OF  CONSTITUTIONAL TEST.

I AM NOT REALLY SURE.

BOTH OF THEM OPENLY SAID THEY ARE DOING IT FOR REASONS THAT  ARE NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW.

WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN TO A COURT, I DON'T KNOW.

OR WHETHER THE ACTUAL QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE  RAISED AND ADDRESSED ARE CONSTITUTIONAL FOR REVIEW  PURPOSES ARE ACTUALLY PART OF THESE TWO CASES.

SO, I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE ABOUT THESE TWO CASES.

I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH.

BUT, I MEAN, THIS IS EXACTLY  WHAT THE SUPREME COURT, WHEN THEY SAID, WE CAN'T REVIEW  THIS, OUR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE THIS IS JUST SO CLEVER  WE CAN'T POSSIBLY LOOK AT THIS, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF  YOU CAN TELL, I AM NOT REALLY ON BOARD WITH.

I FOUND THEIR REASONING QUITE DISINGENUOUS.

BUT THAT SAID, RIGHT, THEY ARE SAYING WE NEED TO HAVE A VERY  SPECIFIC SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE GOING TO FORCE US TO  ADDRESS THIS.

WHETHER THIS IS IT, I DON'T  KNOW.

BUT, THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF  THE ICEBERG.

I THINK WE'LL SEE LOTS MORE OF  THIS AS IT STARTS TO PLAY ITSELF OUT.

Gene: TOM, THE TWIST ON THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THAT THE  CITIZENRY, YOU KNOW, IS ENTITY THAT ENFORCES THIS LAW.

THIS IS UNHEARD INFORM A LOT OF WAYS.

WHAT IS THE UPSIDE?

WHAT IS THE DOWNSIDE?

HOW DO YOU SEE THIS?

Tom: IT REALLY COMES DOWN  TO, YOU KNOW, THE POWER OF ELECTIONS AND VOTING.

THESE RULES WOULD NOT, YOU KNOW, BE IN PLAY WHETHER, YOU  KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU'RE VIEW IS ON THIS  PARTICULAR TOPIC, IF NOT FOR THE ELECTIONS.

WHAT WE ARE SEEING NATIONALLY IS THAT STATES HAVE BEEN  LINING UP FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ANTICIPATING A U.S.  SUPREME COURT RULING ON ROE V WADE.

AS FAR AS EITHER READDRESSING THE CASE OR PERHAPS EVEN  ADDRESSING A NEW CASE.

I THINK TWO SESSION AGO  ADDRESSED, THE ABORTION ISSUE.

TEXAS NOW IS ADDRESSING THE  ABORTION ISSUE, BOTH IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS.

FLORIDA IS REPORTEDLY LOOKING AT IT.

SO, IT REALLY COMES DOWN -- I KNOW WE WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT  REDISTRICTING LATER TODAY -- ABOUT THE POWER OF THE VOTE IS  WHAT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO.

Gene: TOM, I GOT TO ASK YOU  THIS, THOUGH, IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS HERE IN  NEW MEXICO AS A RESULT OF THIS TEXAS LAW IS GOING TO CHANGE  ANYONE'S MIND ON ABORTION.

SO HOW ARE THESE POLICYMAKERS  RESPONDING TO THIS?

OR WILL THEY?

MAYBE I SHOULD ASK THAT AS WELL.

Tom: WELL, I THINK POLICYMAKERS HAVE RESPONDED.

AS FAR AS WITH THEIR VOTE, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS -- FORGIVE ME,  I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT LAW THAT WAS PASSED BY THE  LEGISLATURE, BUT, YOU KNOW, POLICYMAKERS IN THE PAST HAVE  BEEN VERY MUCH INFLUENCED THROUGH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS BEEN VERY VOCAL IN ITS POSITION ON  THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

AND A NUMBER OF OTHER GROUPS  HAVE AS WELL, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.

SO POLICYMAKERS ARE DEFINITELY HEARING FROM BOTH SIDES.

UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY IN THIS PARTICULAR POLITICAL  ENVIRONMENT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK THERE ARE  MANY REASONABLE VOICES AT THIS PARTICULAR TABLE, NOT OUR  TABLE BUT AS FAR AS IN THIS DISCUSSION WHEN THEY ARE  TALKING TO THE ELECTORATE.

Gene: MARTHA, WE DID HAVE  SOME MOVEMENT THIS PAST -- SORRY, DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU  OFF THERE.

JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE  DID HAVE SOME MOVEMENT ON THE ABORTION LAW, OF COURSE, HERE  IN NEW MEXICO THAT GOT REPEALED.

I AM INTERESTED IN THE SAME POINT ABOUT POLICYMAKERS.

WHAT IS THEIR NEXT MOVE ON THE CHESS BOARD HERE.

Martha: I WANTED TO POINT OUT A FOOTNOTE ABOUT THAT LAW  WAS AT THE TIME PEOPLE WERE SAYING, OH, IT IS AN OLD LAW,  IT DOESN'T MATTER.

WE HAVE NATIONAL POLICIES AS  LONG AS ROE LASTS.

WELL, ROE MAY NOT LAST BECAUSE  AS TOM SAYS IT COMES DOWN TO THE ELECTORATE.

THERE ARE OVER 25 OTHER CASES TRY TO GO MAKE THEIR WAY TO  THE SUPREME COURT FROM VARIOUS STATES TO OVERTURN ROE.

SO, EVEN IF THIS TEXAS LAW IS INVALIDATED THE NEXT ONE UP IS  COMING UP IN DECEMBER OUT OF MISSISSIPPI.

THE GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN, EVEN IF ABORTION REMAINS LEGAL, YOU  CAN'T GET ONE BECAUSE EITHER THE CLINIC DOESN'T EXIST OR  THE WAITING PERIOD.

YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO GO  SOMEWHERE AND WAIT 24 HOURS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SO, THE PRO CHOICE MOVEMENT IS BEING ATTACKED COMING AND  GOING AS THEY SAY.

Gene: LET ME SWING BACK TO  SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, MARTHA.

THAT WAS HECTOR BALDERAS, HE SIGNED ON TO THE DOJ LAWSUIT  CHALLENGING THAT TEXAS LAW.

OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL CALLED  IT, QUOTE, RIDICULOUS, THIS LAW.

AND HE HAS A LEGIT WORRY IT SEEMS, FROM SOME, THAT IT WILL  CREATE HEALTH PROBLEMS NOT JUST FOR TEXANS BUT FOR NEW  MEXICANS.

I GOT TO ASK YOU, WHAT IS THE  WEIGHT OF HIM SIGNING ONTO THIS, SIGNED BY 23 OTHER  STATES AS WELL?

Martha: I THINK IT IS A  HUGE WEIGHT.

I THINK IT IS A VERY STRONG  MESSAGE FROM OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL AND, OF COURSE, WE SAW  IN THE LEGISLATURE WHEN WE OVERTURNED THE OLD PRE-ROE  LAW, NEW MEXICO STANDS FOR WOMEN.

NOW, THE CHANGE ANY TIME WITH THE VOTES.

WE HAVE REDISTRICTING COMING UP.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE WILL LOOK LIKE  AFTER THAT.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, I ADMIRE  THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S SPEAKING OUT, HE IS DOING  SOMETHING ABOUT IT TO THE EXTENT THAT HE CAN, AND WE  JUST HAVE GOT TO KEEP NEW MEXICO PRO CHOICE.

Gene: GOOD POINT.

SERGE, REAL QUICK, WE ARE  SHORT ON TIME, BUT LET ME WIDEN THE LENS A LITTLE BIT.

WITH A CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT, CONSERVATIVE STATES AS  TOM MENTIONED, ANTICIPATING OR INVITING EVEN A LEGAL  CHALLENGE, IS THAT STRATEGY A PROCESS, JUDICIAL ACTIVISM NOW  HOW DO WE VIEW THIS AS A MOMENT IN TIME, THIS ERA WE  ARE IN HERE?

Serge: THIS IS 100%  JUDICIAL ACTIVISM BY INACTION ON THIS ONE.

THE PROCESS -- THERE IS A PLAYBOOK HERE THAT JUST THEY  CHOSE NOT TO FOLLOW UNLESS THIS LAW TAKES EFFECT AND  EFFECTIVELY IN TEXAS RIGHT NOW ROE VS WADE IS NOT THE LAW OF  THE LAND.

AND THE SUPREME COURT GAVE ITS BLESSING TO THAT.

THE COURT HAS BEEN GOING ON A TOUR RECENTLY TRYING TO SAY WE  ARE NOT PARTISAN HACKS.

WE ARE NOT PARTISAN HACKS, BUT  EVERYTHING THEY ARE DOING DISPLAYS PARTISANSHIP AND THE  COURT IS ACTIVELY DELEGITIMIZING ITSELF THROUGH  THE THINGS THAT IT IS DOING.

CALLING IT ACTIVISM OR, YOU  KNOW, ORIGINALISM, CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT.

THIS IS A COURT USING ITS CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY TO  RESHAPE THE LAW OF THE LAND.

Gene: IT ALL GOES BACK TO  WHAT TOM SAID, ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

WE ARE OUT OF TIME BUT RETURN IN JUST A FEW MINUTES TO TALK  REDISTRICTING.

Chasinghorse: HAVING THOSE  LITTLE REMINDERS AND EVEN MY AUNTIES TEXTING ME, LETTING ME  KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE MAY FEEL LONELY  THAT MY ANCESTORS ARE WITH ME ALL THE TIME, THAT OUR  COMMUNITIES, OUR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ARE ROOTING FOR  ME, THAT REALLY KEPT ME GROUNDED THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS  THERE.

Gene:   ON TUESDAY, THE CITIZEN REDISTRICTING  COMMITTEE BEGINS AN 11-DAY, EIGHT MEETING SWEEP AROUND NEW  MEXICO TO PRESENT AND EXPLAIN ITS NEWLY RELEASED SET OF  PROPOSALS.

MAPS FOR FEDERAL AND STATE AND  LOCAL POLITICAL DISTRICTS.

YOU CAN ACCESS THANKFUL  SCHEDULE AND TUNE INTO LIVE STREAMS OF THOSE MEETINGS ON  OUR WEBSITE, NEWMEXICOPBS.ORG.

ANYTHING JUMP OFF THE PAGE TO  YOU IN TERMS OF ANY THOSE MAPS.

I JUST WANT TO HAVE A REAL BROAD QUESTION HERE.

BECAUSE THERE IS SO MANY MAPS AND SO MANY THINGS TO GET  INTO, BUT WAS THERE ONE THAT  JUST KIND OF GRABBED YOU.

Serge: YEAH.

I AM AN ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENT AND WHEN I SAW THE MAP THAT  WANTED TO PUT ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE, THESE TWO PLACES,  INTO ONE SINGLE DISTRICT, I WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED.

I UNDERSTAND IT IS ONE OF MANY AND THE IDEA IS PUT AS MUCH  URBAN AREA AS POSSIBLE.

FIRST OF ALL, I WAS CURIOUS AS  TO HOW THAT COULD ACTUALLY WORK NUMBERS-WISE, BUT SECOND,  I THOUGHT IT WAS SHOCKING.

Gene: WHAT IS THE CONCERN?

I AM CONCERNED WHAT IS YOUR CONCERN WITH THAT PARTICULAR  PROPOSAL, THIS UBER, TD-1 THAT HAS JUST THIS NARROW THING BUT  IT IS ALL URBAN ALL PACKED INTO POPULATION.

Serge: I WAS SURPRISED MORE THAN ANYTHING.

WHEN I UNPACK IT A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT, THERE IS A LOT MORE TO  THIS THAN JUST DEFINITION OF WHO IS URBAN AND WHO IS NOT  URBAN.

REDISTRICTING IS ALWAYS  CONTENTIOUS BUT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A QUESTION OF TRYING TO  SMASH EVERYBODY POSSIBLE -- TRYING TO PUT PEOPLE WHO YOU  MIGHT THINK THINK THE SAME INTO ONE PARTICULAR DISTRICT  TO DILUTE THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT WAY.

BUT THERE ARE ALSO OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS, RIGHT?

ESPECIALLY IN URBAN, SUBURBAN, OR RURAL RATHER, DIVIDES.

THERE IS OFTEN A RACIAL ASPECT THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE  AWARE OF AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS CAN GET UGLY WHEN YOU  THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE REDISTRICTING SO I AM AWARE OF  THAT AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WAYS THAT WE USE URBAN OR  RURAL AS A PROXY FOR OTHER STATEMENTS AND ANY OTHER SORT  OF LABELING.

Gene: THAT IS WHY WE LOVE  HAVE YOU GONE ON THE SHOW, MAN.

YOU JUST GET UNDERNEATH IT.

I LIKE THAT ANSWER A BUNCH.

TOM, REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE WILL GATHER THAT PUBLIC INPUT  BEFORE COMING UP WITH A FINAL LIST OF PROPOSED MAPS FOR THE  LEGISLATURE TO VOTE ON AND THOSE FINAL MAPS WILL BE  RELEASED ON OCTOBER 15.

WE HAVE A DATE CERTAIN ON  THAT.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A NEW  PROCESS FOR US HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT SO FAR?

YOU THINK IT IS TAKING POLITICS AND PARTISANSHIP OUT  OF THE PROCESS FROM WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN SO FAR?

Tom: WELL, I THINK IT GETS MORE VOICES AT THE TABLE WHICH  I THINK IS A HUGE SUCCESS BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK BACK 10  YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC'S INPUT WAS REALLY  NON-EXISTENT.

NOW, BECAUSE OF THE ACTION  FROM THE LEGISLATURE, THE OUTREACH FROM THE CRC, CITIZEN  REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE PUBLIC HAS A  CHANCE TO GO AND SUBMIT THEIR OWN MAPS WHICH IS LIGHT YEARS  IN PROGRESS OF GETTING THE PUBLIC INVOLVED.

I THINK THE MAPS THAT WE HAVE SEEN HAVE BEEN FASCINATING.

YOU KNOW.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF TALK  ABOUT VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL MAPS FOR CONGRESSIONAL  DISTRICTS AND A LOT OF CREATIVE KIND OF, I WON'T CALL  IT GERRYMANDERING, BECAUSE IT IS JUST CREATIVE REDISTRICTING  RIGHT NOW.

THEY ARE JUST PROVIDING  OPTIONS.

WE HAVE SEEN IT FROM A NUMBER  OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.

SO, THAT I THINK IS A BIG SUCCESS.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THOUGH, GENE, TO PARTISANSHIP,  HOPEFULLY WET MAPS MOVE FROM THE CRC TO THE LEGISLATURE,  OUR COLLECTIVE HOPE IS AND I HAVE MY FIRM WORKS IN THIS  PARTICULAR ARENA, IS THAT WE WOULD HOPE THAT WHATEVER THE  CRC DEVELOPS IS ENDORSED AND MOVED ON AND APPROVED BY THE  LEGISLATURE TO THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE I THINK WHEN YOU GET  THE ELECTED LEADERS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, THAT IS WHEN  YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THAT GERRYMANDERING TO  TAKE PLACE.

Gene: GOOD POINTS THERE.

MARTHA, THE COMMITTEE HAS GONE  OUT OF ITS WAY TO COLLECT INPUT FROM TRIBES, PUEBLOS,  NAVAJO NATION IN THIS PROCESS.

THAT COMES AFTER COMPLAINT  THAT THERE WAS NO NATIVE AMERICAN REPRESENTATION ON THE  COMMITTEE.

REMEMBER THAT.

HAVE THEY DONE ENOUGH TO ALLAY THOSE CONCERNS IN YOUR VIEW?

Martha: I THINK THEY HAVE GONNA LONG WAY, GENE.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT TOTALLY ALLAY THE CONCERNS BUT FOR  THOSE WATCHING WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THE WEB EXTRA YOU DID  WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THEY SHOULD WATCH IT.

BECAUSE, THE COMMITTEE IS GOING OUT OF ITS WAY, AS TOM  SAID, PEOPLE CAN DRAW THEIR OWN DISTRICTS, SEE HOW THAT  WOULD LOOK AND MESS AROUND WITH THE MAPS, IF YOU WILL, ON  THEIR OWN AND THE REAL QUESTION AGAIN AS TOM ALLUDED  TO IS WHAT IS THE LENGTHS YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHEN THEY  GET THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEY CAN GO FORTH, THEY CAN  THROW IT OUT AND SAY WE DON'T LIKE THIS, WE ARE GOING TO DO  SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP  ANOTHER POINT THAT HAS ALREADY FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS AGAIN  BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT IS THE DISTRICTS THAT  HOUSE PRISONS.

AND THE PRISONERS IN THE  PRISONS DID GET COUNTED IN THOSE DISTRICTS WHETHER THEY  LIVE THERE OR NOT BEFORE THEY WERE INCARCERATED THEY ARE NOW  COUNTED AS PART OF THAT POPULATION.

THE PRISONERS CAN'T VOTE SO WHAT IS THE NET RESULT?

A SMALLER PORTION OF THE POPULOUS -- THEY HAVE A  DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE VOTE BECAUSE THEIR NUMBERS  WERE PUMPED UP BECAUSE OF THEIR PRISON POPULATION.

I JUST WANT TO READ ONE THAT IS TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS.

SANTA ROSA IS THE HOST OF THE GUADALUPE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL  CENTER.

IT HAS A TOTAL POPULATION OF  2850 INCARCERATED PEOPLE.

2850 PEOPLE AND INCARCERATED  585.

THAT IS OVER 20% OF THE POPULATION IS INCARCERATED BUT  ONLY FIVE OF THOSE PEOPLE IN PRISON WERE ACTUALLY FROM  SANTA ROSA.

THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE  DISTORTION OF THE NUMBERS THAT THOSE FOLKS -- IT IS CALLED  PRISON GERRYMANDERING.

Gene: IT HAS BEEN AROUND A  LONG TIME.

GOOD ANECDOTE THERE.

SERGE, I DID THAT FACEBOOK LIVE ON WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK  WITH EDWARD CHAVEZ, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS  BRIAN SANDEROFF OF RESEARCH AND POLLING AND LILLY  IRVIN-VITELA.

SHE IS THE COMMITTEE'S LIAISON  WORKING WITH ALL THE TRIBES.

NOW, 1200 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN  THIS FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC HEARINGS.

NOTHING TO SHAKE YOUR FIST AT BUT HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE  INVOLVED AT THIS REALLY CRUCIAL STAGE OF THE PROCESS  WHICH IS RIGHT NOW?

Serge: YEAH.

I THINK 1200 DOES SOUND LIKE A LOT IF YOU COMPARE IT TO THE  NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO.

AND I ACTUALLY THINK THEIR WEBSITE AND LITTLE APP THEY  HAVE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DRAW YOUR OWN, THEY SHOULD BE  SENDING THAT TO EVERY -- PUT THAT ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

IT IS A FUN LITTLE GAME.

I HAD A GREAT TIME PLAYING  AROUND WITH IT.

AND JUST ALERTING PEOPLE  THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THAT SORT OF INTERACTIVE WAY MIGHT  BE EFFECTIVE.

I THINK THERE IS NO ONE MORE RESPECTED, I THINK, THAN  JUSTICE CHAVEZ FOR EVENHANDEDNESS AND ABILITY TO  DO THIS AND HIS DESIRE TO DO THIS RIGHT.

AND I THINK THEY ARE REALLY MAKING A HUGE STEP BY HAVING  ALL THESE MEETINGS BUT I DO THINK THEY COULD AMPLIFY THIS  AND I THINK THROUGH SOME NONTRADITIONAL WAYS AND CATCH  THE FOLKS WHO YOU THINK MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN THE WHOLE  REDISTRICTING PROCESS THROUGH SOME OF THEIR REALLY EXCITING  USES OF TECHNOLOGY.

Gene: TOM, I HAVE TO GO  BACK IN A CIRCULAR WAY TO SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED  EARLIER BUT IT IS WORTH REMEMBERING THE LEGISLATURE  CHANGED THE LAY THAT CREATED THIS COMMITTEE'S SCOPE OF  WORK.

RIGHT?

ORIGINALLY THEY WOULD HAVE MADE THE FINAL SELECTION ON  HOW THESE MAPS RIGHT DRAWN.

NOW THEY JUST MAKE A  RECOMMENDATION AS YOU MENTION.

BUT, HERE IS MY QUESTION, WILL  THIS PROCESS, IS IT BIG ENOUGH?

IS IT WELL-KNOWN ENOUGH THAT LAWMAKERS CAN'T GO OFF SCRIPT,  IF YOU WILL.

DOES IT CREATE SOME KIND OF  PUBLIC PRESSURE TO NOT POLITICIZE THE PROCESS?

KNOWING THAT THE PUBLIC HAD A FAIRLY FIRM HAND IN HOW THIS  ALL CAME ABOUT?

Tom: WOW, YOU KNOW, ELECTED  LEADERS, POLITICALIZING PROCESS.

LET'S LET THAT SINK IN.

YOU KNOW, THERE IS ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, TO  EITHER JUSTIFY THE CRC, WHICH I THINK IT IS GREAT BECAUSE  WHEN YOU LOOK AT 1200 FOLKS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE  FIRST ROUND.

IN THE SECOND ROUND EVERYBODY  LAST SOMETHING TO COMMENT AT THIS TIME, IT IS A LOT BETTER  THAN ZERO.

GOOSE EGG THAT WE HAD 10 YEARS  AGO.

HOPEFULLY THE LEGISLATORS IF  THEY DO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT WHICH I HOPE THAT THEY  PERSONALLY DO NOT, BECAUSE OF THAT MANDATE FROM THE CRC, YOU  KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.

THEY MIGHT BUT I WOULD HOPE  THAT -- Gene: THEY MIGHT, BUT  WOULDN'T THAT INCLUDE DISRESPECTING A FORMER STATE  SUPREME COURT JUDGE?

I MEAN, THE REASON ED CHAVEZ  WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE HE IS AN HONEST THIRD BROKER HERE.

Tom: YES, JUSTICE CHAVEZ REALLY NEEDS TO BE APPLAUDED  FOR ALL OF HIS WORK.

I MEAN, HE AND I WORKED  TOGETHER ON THE NEW MEXICO FIRST REDISTRICTING TASKFORCE  AND JUST THE WAY HE AND JUDGE KENNEDY BOTH GUIDED THAT  PROCESS, YOU KNOW, THEY BOTH EARNED MY RESPECT AND JUSTICE  CHAVEZ, HE IS A VOICE OF REASON.

HE IS A NONPARTISAN PERSON IN THIS VERY PARTISAN PROCESS.

SO, I HOPE THAT WHEN THE CRC DELIVERS THE MAPS THAT THE  LEGISLATORS WILL LOOK AT IT IN MID TO LATE DECEMBER AND SAY,  YOU KNOW WHAT, THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN, WE GO AHEAD AND ACCEPT  THESE AND MOVE THEM ON TO THE GOVERNOR.

Gene: TIME TO MOVE ON TO OTHER ISSUES BUT WE WILL BE  TALKING ABOUT REDISTRICTING AGAIN VERY SOON.

AND BE SURE TO GET CAUGHT UP ON THE WORK SO FAR AT  NMPBS.ORG.

Witte: YOU'RE GOING TO SEE  SOME HIGHER PRICES FOR THOSE COMMODITIES.

YOU MAY SEE SOME INCREASED IMPORTS OF THOSE ITEMS, PEOPLE  PREFER THE BUY LOCAL.

WE ALL PREFER THE NEW MEXICO  PRODUCT, ESPECIALLY NEW MEXICO CHILE AND ONIONS AND ALL THE  GOOD THINGS WE GROW.

BUT IT MAKES IT TOUGH WHEN YOU  CAN'T WATER IT.

Antonia:   I AM ANTONIO GONZALES.

QUANNAH  CHASINGHORSE IS MAKING WAVES IN THE FASHION WORLD.

THE 19 YEAR OLD MODEL RECENTLY MADE A SPLASH IN NEW YORK  FASHION WEEK WALKING THE RUNWAY FOR WELL-KNOWN  DESIGNERS.

SHE ALSO SURFACED AT THE MET  GALA DECKED OUT IN NATIVE AMERICAN TURQUOISE AND SILVER  JEWELRY.

SHE HAS BEEN FEATURED IN A  NUMBER OF MAGAZINES AND IS NOT ONLY A RISING MODEL, SHE IS A  NATIVE RIGHTS ADVOCATE WHO FIGHTS FOR THE PROTECTION OF  THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATIVE WAYS OF LIFE.

I CAUGHT UP WITH QUANNAH THIS WEEK AFTER HER WHIRLWIND TIME  IN NEW YORK.

QUANNAH, WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO  IN FOCUS.

Chasinghorse: THANK YOU FOR  HAVING ME.

Antonia: WHAT WAS YOUR  EXPERIENCE LIKE AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK?

Chasinghorse: IT WAS OVERWHELMING.

IT WAS A LOT.

VERY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF  ENERGY, VERY CHAOTIC BUT I HAD A LOT OF FUN.

OVERALL, I NEVER HAD ONE SINGLE BAD EXPERIENCE, YOU  KNOW, BEING WELCOME INTO THOSE SPACES IS NOT COMMON FOR  INDIGENOUS PEOPLE YET AND THE MORE WE ARE STARTING TO SEE  NATIVE PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, WELCOMED INTO THESE  SPACES IT CAN FEEL VERY, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU FEEL LIKE AN  OUTSIDER, YOU KNOW.

YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG  THERE.

THERE WERE CERTAIN MOMENTS  WRITE FELT ALONE AND LIKE NO ONE REALLY UNDERSTOOD ME AND  WHAT I STOOD FOR BUT THERE WERE ALSO GOOD MOMENTS WHERE  PEOPLE WOULD COME UP TO ME AND REMIND ME, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU  ARE HERE FOR A REASON.

YOU'RE REPRESENTING YOUR  PEOPLE SO BEAUTIFULLY AND IT IS OKAY TO FEEL VERY ALONE BUT  DON'T FORGET THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT YOU.

YOUR ANCESTORS ARE WALKING WITH YOU.

EVEN MY AUNTIES TEXTING ME, LETTING ME KNOW THAT I AM NOT  ALONE.

EVEN THOUGH I HAVE MAY FEEL  LONELY THAT MY ANCESTORS ARE WITH ME ALL THE TIME.

THAT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ARE  ROOTING FOR ME AND THAT REALLY KEPT ME GROUNDED THEN TIRE  TIME WAS THERE.

SO IT WAS AMAZING.

I HAD AN OVERALL GREAT EXPERIENCE.

VERY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT IF THAT WAY DURING  FASHION WEEK AND, YEAH, IT IS DEFINITELY LIKE I AM STILL  HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME PROCESSING EVERYTHING THAT  HAPPENED AND EVERYONE THAT I HAD MET.

ALL THE THINGS THAT I DID AND IT WAS   TRULY AN HONOR.

Antonia: WHAT DOES IT MEAN  TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A VOICE BRINGING INDIGENOUS  REPRESENTATION TO THE FASHION INDUSTRY?

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

Chasinghorse:   IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.

I STILL SOMETIMES HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING THE WORDS TO  ARTICULATE IT BUT GENUINELY, WALKING INTO THOSE SPACES AND,  YOU KNOW, LIKE I WAS SAYING, FEELING ALONE, BUT REMEMBERING  THAT I AM REPRESENTING MY NATION, MY PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS  PEOPLE ALL OVER, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY KEPT ME MOTIVATED.

EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE HERE AND YOU MAY BE EXPERIENCING THESE  BEAUTIFUL THINGS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE HERE REPRESENTING SO  MUCH MORE THAN JUST YOURSELF AND I ALWAYS HAVE TO REMIND  MYSELF, LIKE, I AM HERE NOT ONLY TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE  MYSELF, YOU KNOW, LOOK BETTER, HAVE MY CAREER SHOOT UP IN  THAT WAY, BUT GENUINELY FOR MIGHT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH  MYSELF.

I TAKE PRIDE IN WHO I AM AND  WHERE I COME FROM AND THAT IS THE MAIN REASON I HAVE STARTED  DOING ANYTHING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

IS JUST HAVING THAT PRIDE AND STAYING GROUNDED AND BELIEVING  THAT NO MATTER WHERE I WALKED IN THIS WORLD, I HAD SOMETHING  WITH ME, THAT I COULD BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE, THAT I  CAN EDUCATE PEOPLE ON OUR PEOPLES' ISSUES, WHAT WE FACE  ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS AND IT IS VERY POWERFUL KNOWING THAT  PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO RECOGNIZE THAT, RECOGNIZE OUR  BEAUTY IN NOT JUST FASHION BUT THE WAY WE CARRY OURSELVES AND  HOW WE PROTECT THE LAND.

WE PROTECT THE WATERS.

HOW IT IS NOT ABOUT US AS PEOPLE, IT IS ABOUT THE  NATION, THE ENTIRE COLLECTIVE AS A WHOLE.

Antonia: AND SOMETIMES THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS CRITICIZED  FOR APPROPRIATING, YOU KNOW, NATIVE CULTURE, NATIVE DESIGN,  NATIVE TRADITIONS, BUT BEING INDIGENOUS PERSON AND ABLE TO  HAVE A VOICE AND BEING ABLE TO SHOW A TRUE REPRESENTATION,  HOW IS THAT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOU?

Chasinghorse: HOW I REALLY STARTED MODELING IN ALL OF  THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, I STARTED USING MY VOICE AND MY PLATFORM  TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR MANY THINGS, OVERALL INDIGENOUS  SOVEREIGNTY.

I HAD DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH  OUR COMMUNITIES HERE IN ALASKA ON PROTECTING THE ARCTIC  WILDLIFE REFUGE, SPREADING AWARENESS ON THE SINGLE  MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND SO ON.

HAVING THOSE THAT KEPT ME GROUNDED AND REMINDING MYSELF  THAT, YOU KNOW, I AM NOT TRYING TO BE A SELLOUT.

I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD LIKE, OH, NATIVE MODEL AND USE  IT FOR MY OWN.

LOOK, OR WHATEVER IT IS.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING NOT JUST MYSELF BUT WHAT I STAND  FOR, WHAT I REPRESENT TO EVERY SPACE THAT I WALK IN IN THE  FASHION WORLDS.

WHEN IT COMES TO  APPROPRIATION, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WALK INTO THESE SPACES AND  THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE VERY  APPROPRIATED, LIKE, CLOTHING OR WHATEVER, THEY ARE TRYING  TO PUT SOMETHING ON ME AND I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE BECAUSE  IT IS NOT MADE BY AN INDIGENOUS PERSON OR THIS  DESIGNER DIDN'T COLLABORATE WITH AN INDIGENOUS PERSON,  THAT THESE DESIGNS WERE STOLEN AND USED TO PROFIT THEM, I  TELL THE STYLIST, LIKE, I AM NOT REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH  THIS.

IT FEELS LIKE IT IS  APPROPRIATING MY CULTURE AND MY PEOPLE AND IF THIS WAS MADE  OR COLLABORATED WITH INDIGENOUS PERSON I WOULDN'T  HAVE AN ISSUE.

I HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM  WITH IT.

THIS HAS BEEN VERY NICE FOR ME  TO KNOW BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT  IT, I WAS VERY NERVOUS.

LIKE, I DIDN'T THINK THAT THEY  WOULD RESPECT THAT.

I THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD, YOU  KNOW, TELL ME, OH, YOU HAVE TO, THOUGH, LIKE, YOU KNOW,  YOU HAVE TO WEAR THIS.

THIS IS FOR THIS SHOT OR  WHATEVER IT IS.

BUT MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT  FASHION WEEK WAS WALKING FOR GABRIELA HEARST.

SHE PARTNERED WITH NAOMI GLASSES AND HER FAMILY IN THE  NAVAJO NATION TO CREATE THIS BEAUTIFUL LINE AND DIFFERENT  PIECES IN HER COLLECTION AND SHE ALSO PARTNERED WITH OTHER  INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FROM OTHER REGIONS TO CREATE THESE  BEAUTIFUL CLOTHING AND SHE WENT OUT OF HER WAY TO FIND  NATIVE MODELS.

SHE TOLD THE CASTING DIRECTOR,  AND THE CASTING DIRECTOR HERSELF WAS LIKE REALLY  WANTING TO SHOW THAT REPRESENTATION AND HAVE AS  MANY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE THERE.

BECAUSE IF SHE WAS  COLLABORATING WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, SHE WANTED TO  REPRESENT THAT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

SHE WANTED TO EMBODY THAT SO, I THINK I WALKED INTO THAT  SPACE FEELING CONFIDENT AND NOT ALONE.

LIKE THAT WAS THE FIRST TOMB I DIDN'T FEEL ALONE SEEING OTHER  INDIGENOUS MODELS THERE AND CONNECTING WITH THEM AND LIKE  LAUGHING WITH THEM AND TALKING ABOUT HOW SIMILAR OUR FEATURES  ARE BECAUSE WE ALL HAD LIKE THE NATIVE NOSE AND WHATEVER  IT WAS, WALKING INTO THAT SPACE AND NOT FEELING SO ALONE  WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT AND  ALSO CONNECT ON THAT LEVEL IS VERY SPECIAL BECAUSE I THINK  THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN FASHION HISTORY THAT THAT WAS  DONE, HAVING MORE THAN ONE NATIVE MODEL AND COLLABORATING  WITH NATIVE DESIGNERS TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL LINE AND  REPRESENT IT AND EMBODY IT IN THAT WAY.

SO, I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT INSTEAD OF  APPROPRIATING, JUST REACH OUT TO OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND  THE ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS AND COLLABORATE WITH THEM, NOT  STEAL THEIR DESIGNS, OUR SACRED DESIGNS,   IN WHATEVER IT IS.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND I FEEL BLESSED TO BE A PART OF  IT.

Antonia: AND THERE ARE LOT  OF DIFFERENT NATIVE FASHION DESIGNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY  AND THERE ARE MANY NATIVE FASHION SHOWS INCLUDING AT THE  SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT EVENTS  THAT SHOWCASE FASHION.

ARE THESE TYPES OF EVENTS, YOU  KNOW, GETTING MORE ATTENTION OR DO YOU THINK THEY ARE STILL  A CLOSED SECRET.

Chasinghorse: I THINK THEY  ARE GETTING MORE ATTENTION.

I WALKED INTO FASHION WEEK AND  SOMEONE MENTIONS SANTA FE, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE BEAUTIFUL  SPACE, LIKE, THEY WERE ASKING ME SO MUCH QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

AND I UNFORTUNATELY WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT AND I WANTED  TO SO BAD.

BUT I THINK THEY ARE REALLY  START TO GO GET OUT THERE MORE AND EVERY TIME THAT I AM ABLE  TO BRING UP A NATIVE DESIGNER OR TALK ABOUT OUR OWN FASHION,  I INCLUDE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND I ALWAYS SAY  THERE IS SO MANY BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS BY NATIVE DESIGNERS,  ARTISTS, THERE IS SO MANY BEAUTIFUL LINES BEING CREATED  THAT IS GENUINE, THAT ISN'T STOLEN, THAT ISN'T MARKETED  TO, YOU KNOW, HURT ANYONE.

AND I THINK BEING ABLE TO  SHARE THAT WITH PEOPLE IN THE FASHION WORLD AT THAT LEVEL IS  EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND IT BRINGS ME SO MUCH PRIDE AND  JOY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WOW, I HAD NO IDEA AND THEY GO  HOME THINKING ABOUT IT.

LIKE, THEY GO HOME AND THEY  ARE LIKE I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW TODAY, AM I GOING TO LOOK  IT UP.

I HAVE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE  REACH OUT TO ME AFTER A SHOOT OR AFTER WHATEVER I GOT DONE  WORKING ON.

THEY TEXT ME LATER ON AND THEY  ARE LIKE, HEY, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU  HAD TO SAY, I HAD NO IDEA.

I WENT HOME AND DID MY OWN  RESEARCH AND I WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW AND SHARE AS MUCH AS  POSSIBLE.

THAT IS WHAT TRULY BRINGING ME  JOY IS BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE THERE.

Antonia: YOU MENTIONED YOUR WORK AS A NATIVE ADVOCATE AND  ALSO A PROTECTOR BEING HAN GWICH AND ALSO LAKOTA.

WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THESE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT YOU  BRING TO THE TABLE?

Chasinghorse: THERE IS SO  MANY DIFFERENT LIKE MESSAGES I CAN BRING BUT OVERALL, YOU  KNOW, WHEN I AM IN THESE SPACES WHEN I TALK ABOUT MY  WORK, I HAVE DONE A LOT.

I WENT TO DC AND I LOBBIED AND I  MET WITH AOC AND TALKED WITH CONGRESS MEN AND WOMEN ON  PROTECTING OUR SACRED LAND AND WHAT THAT MEANS, NOT JUST FOR  US AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE BUT FOR THE WORLD AS A WHOLE.

I ALWAYS INCLUDE THAT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE PROTECT 80%  OF THE WORLD'S BIODIVERSITY.

AND THAT THAT IS EXTREMELY  IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT.

AND I THINK THAT THE MORE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT HOW MUCH WE  DO AS A COMMUNITY, THEN THEY REALIZE, LIKE, WOW, THESE  PEOPLE ARE REALLY GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY AND PUTTING  THEMSELVES ON THE LINE TO PROTECT WHAT IS LEFT AND WHAT  IS PRECIOUS TO US, WHAT IS SACRED TO US AND THAT IS  EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL AND IMPORTANT BUT I FEEL LIKE  PEOPLE ARE SO DRAWN TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE MADE IT TO  THE MET GALA, THAT I HAVE BEEN IN FASHION WEEK.

ANY TIME I HAVE ANY KIND OF SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT OR A  CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE I COME FROM, WHO I AM, WHAT I  STAND FOR, I GO OUT OF MY WAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO BRING  UP HOW IMPORTANT THAT WORK IS TO ME.

BECAUSE IT IS THE MAIN REASON WHY I STARTED MODELING IN THE  FIRST PLACE.

I WAS DOING A LOT OF THAT  ADVOCACY WORK AND PEOPLE STARTED RECOGNIZING THAT.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT RECOGNITION, YOU KNOW, I AM  WHERE I AM TODAY.

I WANT TO CONTINUE THAT.

I WANT TO BRING THAT EVERYWHERE I GO BECAUSE IT IS  EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND I FEEL LIKE I CARRY SO MUCH  TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU KNOW, BEING PASSED DOWN  FROM MY GRANDMA TO MY MOM TO ME AND ANCESTORS BEFORE THAT.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD THAT WE  HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MUCH TEACHING AND PRACTICES  THAT KEEP US STRONG IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND OUR  CONNECTION TO THE LAND IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

Antonia: WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU NEXT?

WHAT IS UP NEXT FOR YOU?

Chasinghorse: I AM HEADED  OFF TO PARIS SOON SO, THAT IS WHAT IS NEXT.

WE'LL SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF THAT NEXT, BUT PARIS FASHION  WEEK.

Antonia: THANK YOU SO MUCH  FOR JOINING US TODAY ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

Chasinghorse: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I TRULY APPRECIATE IT.

IT IS AN HONOR.

THANK YOU FOR WANTING TO SPEAK WITH ME AND I ENJOYED IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Gene: IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER  TOUGH YEAR FOR NEW MEXICO'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

WE KNOW THINGS WON'T GET EASIER IN THE COMING YEARS AS  TEMPERATURE KEEP CLIMBING AND STATE'S WATER SUPPLIES  TIGHTEN.

THIS WEEK, ENVIRONMENT  REPORTER, LAURA PASKUS, CHECKS IN WITH JEFF WITTE, THE  STATE'S AGRICULTURAL SECRETARY ON HOW FARMERS AND RANCHERS  ARE DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGES AND WHAT IS TO COME  IN THE FUTURE.

Laura: SECRETARY WITTE,  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS  TODAY.

Witte: GLAD TO BE HERE,  LAURA.

THANK YOU.

Laura: DROUGHT IS WIDESPREAD.

WE HAVE SEEN COMMUNITIES WHERE WE HAVE SEEN EXTREME  PRECIPITATION EVENTS THIS SUMMER.

CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF HOW THE FARMING  AND RANCHING COMMUNITY IS DOING IN NEW MEXICO THIS  SUMMER?

Witte: IT HAS BEEN A  CHALLENGING AND IT HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING YEAR.

WE STARTED OUT VERY DRY.

IN OUR FARMING COMMUNITIES  MOST OF THEM LIKE HERE IN THE SOUTHERN END OF THE STATE WE  WERE ONLY ALLOCATED A FEW INCHES OF SURFACE IRRIGATION.

A LOT OF FARMERS HAD TO RELY ON GROUNDWATER, WATER PUMPING.

IF YOU DRIVE AROUND THE SOUTHERN PART OF DONA ANA  COUNTY AND NORTHERN PART OF DONA ANA COUNTY AND EVEN  SIERRA COUNTY YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF FALLOWED LAND.

LAND THAT JUST DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO WATER.

THAT IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DROUGHT.

THE RANCH LAND ACROSS THE STATE, IT STARTED OFF VERY,  VERY DRY.

AS WE WENT INTO JUNE IT WAS  REALLY TOUGH AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THESE RAINS CAME AND  NOW FOR THE MOST PART ACROSS THE STATE, YOU SEE SOME GOOD  GRASS THAT HAS GROWN.

IT IS AMAZING HOW THE NEW  MEXICO LAND SCAPE TAKES CARE OF ITSELF WHEN WE GET A LITTLE  RAIN.

IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT, JUST A  LITTLE, BUT WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH GOOD RAINS.

NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE STATE IS STILL DRY AND WE NEED TO  GET SOME MORE RAIN UP THERE.

OUR FARMERS AND RANCHERS ARE  VERY RESILIENT.

THEY PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR AFTER YEAR, ALTHOUGH IT WAS  REALLY GETTING TOUGH.

A LOT OF RANCHERS THAT SOLD  OFF A LOT OF THEIR HERDS EARLY ON, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE  ANY CHOICE.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE GRASS.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BUY HAY.

IT IS NOT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE  SO WE STARTED OFF ROUGH.

IT IS LOOKING A LITTLE BETTER  RIGHT NOW.

Laura: I AM CURIOUS, WHEN  FARMERS HAVE TO FALLOW FIELDS, WHEN YOU MISS A CUTTING OR A  CROP HARVEST, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT NOT JUST THE INDIVIDUAL  FARMER BUT THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE AND THEN ALSO MAYBE  CONSUMERS?

Witte: YOU SEE, I TALKED A  LITTLE BIT ABOUT DOWN IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO WHERE WE  HAD THE FALLOWED LAND.

A LOT OF THAT USE TO BE ONIONS  OR LETTUCE OR CHILE, FOR INSTANCE.

YOU'LL SEE LESS OF THAT PRODUCT ON THE TABLE.

NEW MEXICO IS NO.

1 IN PRODUCTION OF CHILE.

NEW MEXICO IS NO.

1 IN PRODUCTION OF SUMMER ONIONS.

WE ARE LIKE A SALAD BOWL FOR A FEW MONTHS IN THIS STATE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE HAVE TO BRING IT IN  FROM OTHER PLACES.

YOU HOPE THAT TEXAS OR  CALIFORNIA HAS A GOOD PRODUCTION CYCLE.

SO THE CONSUMER HAS THAT AVAILABLE BUT YOU'LL SEE  HIGHER PRICE FOR HIS THOSE COMMODITIES.

YOU MAY SEE INCREASED IMPORTS OF THOSE ITEMS.

PEOPLE PREFER THE BUY LOCAL.

WE ALL PREFER THE NEW MEXICO  PRODUCT, ESPECIALLY NEW MEXICO CHILE AND ONIONS AND ALL THE  GOOD THINGS WE GROW, BUT IT MAKES IT TOUGH WHEN WE CAN'T  WATER IT.

Laura: I AM CURIOUS BECAUSE  WE ARE ALSO WATCHING WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COLORADO  RIVER BASIN THIS YEAR AND SHORTAGES.

HOW DOES THAT EITHER AFFECT NEW MEXICO MARKETS OR MAYBE  PREVIEW WHAT COULD BE TO COME HERE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

Witte: I HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH MY  COUNTERPART IN CALIFORNIA SECRETARY ROSS.

EVEN HERE, OUR FARMERS HAVE LEARNED HOW TO ADAPT TO LESS  WATER.

THEY INCREASE THEIR   PRODUCTION PER ACRE ON FEWER ACRES  TO OFFSET SOME OF THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T OFFSET ALL OF IT.

NEW MEXICO, WE ARE KIND OF IN A WINDOW BETWEEN, A LOT OF  TIMES, BETWEEN TEXAS AND CALIFORNIA HARVEST CYCLES.

IF CALIFORNIA IS NOT HARVESTING, OUR FARMERS DO  REALLY WELL PRICE WISE.

SAME THING WITH TEXAS.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE COLORADO BASIN AND LESS WATER IS THAT  YOU'LL SEE LESS ACRES IN  CALIFORNIA.

CALIFORNIA, YOU KNOW, BY FAR  THE NO.

1 PRODUCER OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES SO IT  IS GOING TO HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY.

THEIR FARMERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY GET GOOD WITH  EFFICIENCIES AND IRRIGATION SCHEDULES AND EVEN MAYBE  LOOKING AT CHANGING SOME OF THEIR CROPPING PATTERNS.

WHEN YOU HAVE FIELD CROPS, SAY LIKE THEIR VEGETABLE CROPS  YOU, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU CAN CHANGE THAT.

WHEN YOU HAVE TREE CROPS LIKE WHAT WE HAVE IN SOUTHERN NEW  MEXICO, PECANS, THEY HAVE ALMONDS.

YOU CAN'T CHANGE THOSE.

YOU HAVE TO DO ALL YOU CAN TO  PROTECT THOSE.

Laura: IS IT REALISTIC TO  THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE FARMING AND RANCHING  IN NEW MEXICO THE WAY WE ALWAYS HAVE?

WHAT CHOICES DO WE NEED TO MAKE ON OUR FARMS AND RANCHES  AND AS CONSUMERS AS WELL?

Witte: I THINK ABSOLUTELY  WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE FARMING AND RANCHING IN THE  STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

WE JUST HAVE TOO MUCH LAND.

THAT IS THE BEST USE OF THAT LAND.

WILL WE BE DOING IT LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST, THE GREATEST  THING WE HAVE IN NEW MEXICO IS WE HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMS AND  CULTURE AND WE RESPECT THE CULTURES OF THE PAST.

BUT YOU LOOK AT EVERY PRODUCER THAT IS OUT THERE TODAY AND  NONE OF THEM ARE DOING IT LIKE THEIR GRANDFATHERS DID, OUR  GREAT GRANDFATHERS DID.

EVERYBODY ADDS THEIR OWN  FLAVOR TO THEIR CULTURE.

THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE IN  THE FUTURE.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN  ADAPTATION OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN THINK  ABOUT YESTERDAY IN TOMORROW'S AGRICULTURE.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE USES OF WATER CHANGE AND THE  DYNAMICS AND OPPORTUNITIES -- AND I AM NOT EVEN SURE WHAT IT  IS GOING TO BE, BECAUSE SOME OF THIS STUFF HASN'T EVEN BEEN  INVENTED YET.

THOSE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES OF  THE FUTURE AND THE NEXT GENERATION AND THE GENERATION  AFTER THAT WILL ADAPT.

THEY'LL PRODUCE THAT FOOD.

I THINK FOR OUR CONSUMERS, COVID SHOWED US ONE THING.

WE LOVE LOCAL FOOD AND IT WAS AVAILABLE AND THE CHALLENGE  THAT WE HAD IS CONNECTING THE PRODUCERS TO THE CONSUMERS AND  WE HAVE GOT TO ALL DO BETTER JOB OF THAT.

CONSUMERS NEED TO LOOK FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUY THE  LOCAL AND TO SUPPORT FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

Laura: SECRETARY WITTE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING  TO ME.

Witte: GLAD TO BE HERE.

THE.

Gene: WITH JUST A FEW WEEKS  TO GO BEFORE ONE OF THE STATE'S MOST HIGH PROFILE  EVENTS, WE NOW KNOW INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA  WILL NOT HAVE A VACCINE REQUIREMENT.

ANNOUNCEMENT CAME EARLIER THIS WEEK AFTER ORGANIZERS  INDICATED THEY WERE STILL CONSIDERING THIS EXTRA PUBLIC  HEALTH PRECAUTION.

TOM, THE GARRITY GROUP HAS, OF  COURSE, WORKED WITH THE BALLOON FIESTA FOR YEARS NOW.

WHAT WAS THE DECIDING FACTOR IN THIS DECISION TO FOREGO  VACCINE OR NEGATIVE TEST REQUIREMENT FOR ENTRY.

Tom: IT WAS A DECISION THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MADE  ACTUALLY IN AUGUST AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE IN EARLY  SEPTEMBER.

IT RECENTLY GOT SOME TRACTION  WHEN A GOVERNMENT ENTITY SAID THAT IT IS STILL ON THE TABLE,  WHEN IN ACTUALITY BALLOON FIESTA, WHICH IS A PRIVATE  501C3 ORGANIZATION, HAD ALREADY MADE THAT DECISION  EARLY ON.

WHAT WE SAW WAS, YOU KNOW,  JUST REINFORCEMENT OF THE MASKS ARE MANDATED IN INDOOR  SPACE AND CROWDED OUTDOOR SPACES WHICH ALIGNS BOTH WITH  THE STATE'S PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER AS WELL AS CDC  GUIDELINES.

Gene: GOT TO   STAY WITH YOU TOM ON THIS ONE.

WHO MONITORS THESE KIND OF THINGS?

IF WE HAVE TO BE  OUTDOORS, SOME PARTS OF BALLOON FIELD ARE SHOULDER TO  SHOULDER.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MASKS.

BUT WHO TAPS YOU ON THE SHOULDER AND SAYS YOU HAVE TO  HAVE A MASK ON OUT THERE?

Tom: WE ARE RELYING ON OUR  GUESTS TO BE THAT SELF ENFORCER.

EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN LEVEL OF COMFORT.

THE LAUNCH FIELD ITSELF IS 83 ACRES.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SPECIAL SHAPES.

OUR BALLOON FIESTA WILL HAVE SPECIAL SHAPES SPREAD  THROUGHOUT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IS AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE  TEND TO CONGREGATE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT  BALLOON FIESTA HAS DONE TO MAKE IT A LOT MORE VISITOR  FRIENDLY FROM THE PROSPECTIVE OF INCREASED HAND SANITIZERS,  CASHLESS SYSTEMS AS WELL AVAILABLE AND EVEN MOVING ALL  INDOOR SEATING FOR EATING OUTDOORS.

SO BALLOON FIESTA HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF THINGS BEHIND  THE SCENES AND THEY HAVE BEEN DOING IT AND WORKING ON THIS  FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS.

EVER SINCE MARCH OF 2020, AND,  JUST AS A VERY QUICK SIDE NOTE, WHEN THE RESTRICTIONS  WERE THE STRONGEST FOR BALLOON FIESTA, BALLOON FIESTA WAS  LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS  PARTICULAR ISSUE.

THEY CAME UP WITH A NUMBER OF  CONTINGENCY PLANS.

AND EVEN WHEN THE RESTRICTIONS  IN THE STATE WERE STRONGEST, BALLOON FIESTA DEVISED PLANS  AND APPROACHES WHERE THEY COULD STILL HAVE THE EVENT  UNDER THOSE CURRENT HEALTH RESTRICTIONS.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHTFUL PROCESS THAT HAS  GONE INTO HOW THESE POLICIES AND APPROACHES HAVE BEEN  DEVELOPED.

Gene: SERGE, A SPOKESPERSON  FOR THE GOVERNOR TOLD KOB THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH LACK OF  A VACCINE REQUIREMENT.

MY QUESTION TO YOU, AS TOM  MENTIONS, IS FOLLOWING CDC GUIDELINES, WHICH FIESTA IS  DOING, NOT ENOUGH OR DO ORGANIZERS HAVE RESPONSIBILITY  TO HOLD A HIGHER STANDARD OR TO FOLLOW THE GOVERNOR'S  WISHES?

WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE HERE?

Serge: I DON'T THINK THEY  HAVE ANY OBLIGATION TO FOLLOW THE GOVERNOR'S WISHES, BUT I  THINK THAT THIS CLEARLY REFLECTS A DECISION BASED NOT  JUST ON PUBLIC HEALTH, RIGHT?

THIS IS SAYING WHO DO WE WANT  TO HAVE COMING TO THE BALLOON FIESTA.

WHO DO WE NOT CARE ABOUT THEM STAYING AWAY.

PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ARE GOING TO STAY AWAY  AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LESS CONCERNED ARE GOING TO COME.

IT IS NOT ONLY THAT BIG 83-ACRE FIELDS THAT TOM IS  TALKING ABOUT.

THERE IS BUSES TO GET THERE.

THERE IS LINES WAITING FOR THE BUSES.

IT IS GOING TO BE NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY AT ALL TIMES WE ARE NOT  SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.

THE VACCINE IS NOT PERFECT WITH ALL THE CAVEATS BUT IT  DOES CLEARLY REFLECT A CHOICE THAT THIS IS -- WE ARE GOING  TO TRY TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME, RIGHT?

LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE STATE FAIR, ALL THE  CRITICISM AND CONTROVERSY AROUND THE VACCINE REQUIREMENT  AND ORGANIZERS SAY IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AND THEY NEVER  HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH VACCINES.

I AM TAKING THEM AT THEIR WORD  FOR NOW, BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND THERE IS LOTS OF PRESSURES  HERE.

BUT I DO THINK IT IS NOT 100%  CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I WOULD THINK WOULD BE THE BEST  PRACTICES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND THAT IS A CHOICE THAT WAS  MADE.

Gene: MARTHA, I HAVE TO RUN  BACK TO THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WEIGHING  IN ON THIS.

WAS A LINE CROSSED HERE?

TOM MENTIONED THIS IS A PRIVATE ENTITY.

IS THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, SHOULD THEY HAVE SAID ANYTHING  ABOUT THIS?

Martha: I THINK THEY SHOULD  HAVE, YES.

I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT  IF THE STATE FAIR CAN DO IT AND SUCCESSFULLY SO BY AND  LARGE -- Gene: THEIR NUMBERS WERE  DOWN AT THE STATE FAIR.

Martha: THEY   WENT DOWN FOR A REASON BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO  ARE NOT VACCINATED ARE DEPENDING ON THE REST OF US TO  KEEP THEM SAFE, WHICH IS PRETTY STUPID IN MY VIEW BUT  IN TERMS OF WHO COMES TO THE BALLOON FIESTA, OF COURSE IT  IS INTERNATIONAL.

BUT LOOK AT NUMBERS FOR OUR  BORDERING STATES WHO WILL SEND A LOT OF FOLKS.

WE ARE 70% VACCINATED.

TEXAS IS AT 50% BARELY.

COLORADO IS BETTER BUT STILL BELOW 60'S.

OKLAHOMA, OUR OTHER BORDER STATE, IS WAY DOWN AT 46% AND  ARIZONA IS AT 50%.

SO, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT  OF FOLKS COMING INTO THE STATE JUST FROM OUR BORDERS THAT ARE  NOT VACCINATED.

I THINK IT IS A NOTE OF  CAUTION, YOU SAY THE FAIR NUMBERS WERE DOWN, BALLOON  FIESTA NUMBERS MIGHT BE DOWN FOR THE OPPOSITE REASON  BECAUSE VACCINES ARE NOT REQUIRED, SO WE'LL HAVE TO  WAIT AND SEE.

Gene: I GOT TO ASK, IS THIS  DECISION GOING TO PAVE THE WAY FOR OTHER EVENTS TO NOW FOREGO  A VACCINE REQUIREMENT OR ANY TANGENTIAL IMPACTS FROM THIS  DECISION, YOU THINK.

Martha: I THINK THERE WILL  BE.

IT DEPENDS HOW OUR NUMBERS  LOOK AND THEY ARE LOOKING VERY GOOD RIGHT NOW.

BUT I AM WORRIED THAT WE'LL HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY  THAT MORE VENUES WILL OPEN UP AND SAY, WELL, WE ARE ON THE  DOWN SIDE NOW.

WE DID THAT BEFORE AND LOOK  WHAT HAPPENED.

AND NOW WE ARE ON THE WAY BACK  UP.

Gene: ANECDOTALLY, DID YOU  GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WHICHEVER WAY  YOU WENT WITH A VACCINE REQUIREMENT SOME PEOPLE WOULD  JUST NOT ATTEND?

WHAT WAS PART OF THAT DECISION  PROCESS?

Tom: TO ANSWER YOUR  QUESTION, WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM BOTH  SIDES, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO THINK THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH  AND OTHERS WHO THINK IT IS TOO MUCH.

SO, THERE IS DEFINITELY PEOPLE  ARE NOT SHOW ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.

WITH RESPECT TO OTHER EVENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKING  PLACE, I THINK AND I HOPE THAT WHAT PEOPLE WILL SEE AT  BALLOON FIESTA IS A BIT MORE STEPPED UP THAN WHAT WE SEE AT  VARIOUS CONCERT VENUES HELD THROUGH OUT THE ALBUQUERQUE  AREA, FOOTBALL STADIUMS WHICH ARE ALSO OUTDOOR EVENTS.

I THINK THAT WHEN IT COMES TO HOW BALLOON FIESTA IS  APPROACHING IT, I THINK THEY ARE DOING BEST AND MAKING BEST  POSSIBLE DECISIONS FOR THE EVENT BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR  GUESTS BECAUSE FOR THE GUESTS AND PILOTS, BALLOON FIESTA HAS  A VESTED INTEREST TO MAKE SURE THOSE WHO COME IN 2021, RETURN  IN 2022, FOR THE 50TH.

Gene: I AM READING THAT APD  HAS OUTLINED A SECURITY PLAN FOR THE GROUNDS, HAVE  UNIFORMED FOLKS, PLAIN CLOTHED AND HORSEBACK OFFICERS  PATROLLING.

THAT IS KIND OF INTERESTING.

THE QUESTION ABOUT BALLOONING, NOT BALLOON FIESTA.

BUT I HAVE TO MENTION DEVELOPMENTS THIS WEEK IN THE  JUNE BALLOON CRASH THAT KILLED MONTOYA AND MARTINEZ FAMILIES.

TOXICOLOGY REPORTS SHOWED THE PILOT NICK MELESKI HAD COCAINE  AND MARIJUANA IN HIS SYSTEM.

WE HAVE ALL SEEN BALLOONS IN  THE SKY SINCE THEN BUT DOES THIS NEWS MEAN ANYTHING ABOUT  THE BALLOONING CULTURE?

Serge: I AM NOT A BALLOONIST.

I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BALLOONING CULTURE AND  WHETHER GETTING HIGH IS FIGURATIVELY PART OF THAT AS  WELL AS LITERALLY.

Gene: I DIDN'T SEE THAT  COMING.

Serge: THAT IS HOW GOOD I  AM.

IT IS OBVIOUSLY TROUBLING  OPERATING ANY SORT OF VEHICLE, I THINK, IT IS EASY TO SAY  BALLOONS ARE QUITE AS MUCH A CONCERN.

Gene: MY QUESTION IS ABOUT DOUBT.

YOU WANT TO FEEL SAFE WHEN YOU GO UP IN THE AIR WITH SOMEBODY  AND THIS IS ONE PERSON.

WHEN I SAY BALLOON CULTURE,  DON'T GET ME WRONG.

AGAIN THAT ANGLE OF DOUBT.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT HERE?

Serge: JUST THE SAME LEVEL  THAT I WOULD APPLY TO ANY OTHER ACTIVITY.

I PUT MY LIFE IN OTHER PEOPLES' HANDS EVERYDAY WHEN I  DRIVE TO WORK OR TAKE A BUS OR FLY IN A PLANE OR WHATNOT.

I AM TRUSTING IN MY OWN ABILITY TO SORT OF HOPEFULLY  SUSS OUT THOSE THINGS AND LOOK OUT FOR MYSELF.

I AM NOT A HUGE FAN OF BEING IN A LITTLE BASKET SUSPENDED  ABOVE THE GROUND EVEN THEORETICALLY SO I MIGHT NOT  BE THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK.

BUT IT HASN'T MADE ME MORE  EXCITED TO DO IT.

BUT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE  LOVE IT.

Gene: LET ME ASK REAL QUICK  AS WELL, SCOTT APPLEMAN, YOU KNOW HIM FROM RAINBOW RIDERS,  HAD A COUPLE OF INTERESTING POINTS IN THE JOURNAL THIS  WEEK ABOUT THIS.

HE SUSPECTED WEATHER WAS TOO  GOOD FOR THIS KIND OF CRASH AND SECOND THAT TALK OF MORE  PILOT AND FLIGHT REGULATIONS AFTER A TEXAS CRASH FIVE YEARS  AGO THAT BASICALLY CAME TO NOTHING.

IS IT TIME TO REVISIT THAT KIND OF THING NOW?

Tom: WHAT WE ALL NEED DO IS WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE NTSB  FINDINGS ARE AS A RESULT OF BALLOON ACCIDENT IN  ALBUQUERQUE.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF  RESTRICTIONS THAT BALLOON FIESTA TAKES AS FAR AS IT IS  INVITATIONAL EVENT.

PILOTS HAVE TO GO THROUGH A  NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REVIEWS IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED TO FLY  FOR BALLOON FIESTA.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS  THAT COULD BE IMPROVED IN ANY PROCESS, ABSOLUTELY.

DOES IT MEAN THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL  REGULATION, YOU KNOW, THAT IS FOR THE LAWMAKERS.

I KNOW THAT BALLOONISTS SHOULD NOT BE TAINTED BY THE BRUSH  THAT IS PAINTED WITH THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.

Gene: LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT BALLOON FIESTA'S  DECISION TO NOT REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION AT THIS YEAR'S  EVENT.

DO THAT ON ANY SOCIAL MEDIA  CHANNELS.

THAT WOULD BE FACEBOOK,  YOUTUBE, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

AS YOU HEARD DURING OUR REDISTRICTING DISCUSSION  CITIZEN'S COMMITTEE OCTOBER 15 MEETING GIVES YOU PLENTY OF  TIME TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS NOTED FOR MAPS AND  DISTRICTS THAT SUIT YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.

I HAVE TO SAY I CAME AWAY IN MY MIDWEEK FACEBOOK LIVE  DISCUSSION WITH FOLKS FROM CITIZENS REDISTRICTING  COMMITTEE SOMETHING NEAR ENCOURAGED.

WE MAKE A LOT OF GETTING OF THE VOICE AND WILL OF THE  PEOPLE WHO VOTE INTO POLICY AND ACTION AND IN MY OPINION,  EFFORT BY THE CITIZEN REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE TO  DATE CLEARLY HAS MET THE STANDARD.

YES, MAP MAKING IS A BIT GEEKY  BUT IT COULDN'T BE EASIER AS SERGE POINTED OUT EASIER.

IF MAP MAKING ISN'T YOUR THING, ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO  THE WEBSITE AND VOICE YOUR OPINION.

THE CHANCE TO LITERALLY REDRAW YOUR POLITICAL UNIVERSE ONLY  COMES AROUND EVERY 10 YEARS.

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

SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK IN FOCUS.

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