New Mexico News Insiders

Tracking The Fallout Of New Mexico's DWI Scandal

Two years into Albuquerque's DWI dismissal scandal, the fallout is still unfolding. Chris and Gabby sit down with KRQE Investigates reporter Ann Pierret to break down her latest reporting, revealing how many accused drunk drivers reoffended after getting a free pass due to their arresting officers losing credibility in court. The KRQE Investigates team also brings listeners up to speed on where the federal investigation stands now, including shocking new court admissions from a former APD Lieutenant who described targeting drunk drivers and exploiting them for cash. When will officers face prison time? How deep can this scheme go? 

• They got a free pass due to the DWI scandal. Then, they got in trouble again.
• Watch: APD officer admits to setting up a drunk driver 
• Comprehensive KRQE Investigates team coverage of the DWI dismissal scandal 

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/insiders and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico. 

Behind The Bench: Albuquerque Judge Breaks Down Courtroom Myths

What really happens after someone is arrested for a serious crime? Chris and Gabby sit down with Bernalillo County District Court Judge Cindy Leos for a rare, behind-the-bench look at what goes on inside Albuquerque courtrooms. Judge Leos breaks down how the justice system works, what accountability and rehabilitation can look like in practice, and challenges the idea that harsh punishment is stopping youth crime. She also explains how diversion programs like Young Adult Court can be life-changing for some. Who qualifies for the extra help? What's actually working to change criminal behavior?

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/insiders and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico. 

Why Transit Thinks You Should Ride The Bus

Albuquerque's bus system is undergoing its biggest overhaul in decades. This week on the New Mexico News Insiders Podcast, ABQ RIDE leaders break down what they're calling a 'once-in-a-generation plan to improve transit' in New Mexico's biggest city. The system-wide redesign is designed to enhance access, efficiency, and the overall ridership experience. Two leaders from ABQ RIDE, Deputy Director Bobby Sisneros and Principal Planner Andrew de Garmo, join Chris and Gabby to break down what's changing, which routes are being discontinued, and how the rollout will happen. How has the city responded to long-standing safety concerns? Did you know the buses are free? 

• Read about the plans here

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/insiders and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico.

The Challenges of Prosecuting Sexual Assault in New Mexico

Reporting sexual assault is challenging, and holding offenders accountable can take years. This week, Chris and Gabby sit down with Haley Murphy, a Deputy District Attorney in Santa Fe's Violent Crimes/Special Victims Unit, to discuss the realities of prosecuting sex crimes in New Mexico. From breakthroughs in forensic DNA technology that help solve cold cases, to crime lab staffing shortages and backlogs that create new obstacles, we cover the full scope of challenges. What happens when someone reports a sex crime? How are cases involving children handled? 

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/insiders and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico. 

New Mexico's Massive Healthcare Expansion

The University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) is reshaping healthcare across the state in a massive expansion effort underway. UNMH is establishing new clinics, a Critical Care Tower, and requesting state assistance to fund a brand-new, $600 million School of Medicine. UNM Health System CEO Dr. Michael Richards sits down with Chris and Gabby to discuss the new healthcare facilities in the works, the statewide impact, and the major investments being made to help reverse the state's provider shortage.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic expose gaps in care for New Mexicans? How much money is being invested in rebuilding a local healthcare workforce? And will this improve access to care across the state?

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/podcast and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico. 

Real Or Fake? How AI Is Changing What We Believe

AI-generated images, videos, and misinformation are everywhere. Whether you know how to spot it or not, fake images and videos are woven into social media feeds and even political campaigns. Chris and Gabby sit down with two University of New Mexico professors to unpack how artificial intelligence is reshaping education, the workforce, and society. UNM professors Melanie Moses and Sonia Gipson-Rankin bring their expertise in computer science and the law to the conversation, exploring how AI is being used in classrooms, courtrooms, and political messaging.

How can people spot what's real in an increasingly synthetic online world? How are New Mexico politicians using AI? And what does this mean for the future of learning, jobs, and democracy?

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/insiders and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico. 

Unfiltered: APD Chief Talks Regrets, Reforms, & Stepping Away

After nearly 30 years in uniform, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina sits down with Chris and Gabby for an unfiltered exit interview. He reflects on his decision to step aside for the next mayoral administration, the long road under the Department of Justice consent decree, and navigating one of APD's biggest scandals: a widespread DWI corruption scandal.

Medina opens up about the moments he says helped shape him, the regrets that still linger, and the victories he's most proud of in a candid, emotional conversation. How did he decide it was time to step back? What advice would he give the next leader of the city's biggest police department?

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/podcast and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico. 

Unwrapping Some Good News In 2025

As 2025 comes to a close, we're unwrapping some of the stories that brought joy to New Mexico and the reporters who helped tell them. KRQE anchor-reporters Annalisa Pardo and Madison Conner take us behind the scenes of their favorite 'good news' stories of the year, the people who inspired them, and why these feel-good reports stuck with them long after the camera stopped rolling. What advice does a 66-year-old piccoloist impart to her young bandmates? And what can others learn from a homeless man who was given a second chance?

• Watch Annalisa's inspiring story from March Madness here.
• Watch Madison's uplifting report about a Duke City Ambassador here.

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to your hosts at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/insiders and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico.

Can Albuquerque Reimagine The Fairgrounds?

Chances are at this point, you've probably heard about the Governor's idea to "reimagine" the New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque's International District. Now one year since that project kicked off, Chris and Gabby are sitting down with former Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez, who's serving as the "state-appointed advisor" on the project. Chavez is tasked with leading the charge on the effort that could overhaul EXPO New Mexico site. He shares why he believes the current statue quo isn't working, both financially and as a major tourist draw. He also lays out current plans, the millions of dollars in funding needed for the project, and addresses the controversial idea of moving the iconic New Mexico State Fair out of EXPO.

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/insiders and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico. 

The Generational Problems Of CYFD

New Mexico's Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) was created to protect the state's most vulnerable kids. Instead, too many children have slipped through the cracks. In this episode of New Mexico News Insiders, our KRQE colleagues Ann Pierret and Jessica Garate take us inside their hour-long news special about the agency's origins, its intended mission, and why it keeps failing families generation after generation. For decades, both Democratic and Republican leadership have made promises, but there's a continued theme of the children getting hurt or dying under CYFD's radar. Should the state's Governor continue picking a CYFD Secretary? Is staff turnover to blame for failures in the system? 

• Watch CYFD: A Generational Problem on the KRQE Now streaming app on your smart TV. Later available on the KRQE YouTube channel & KRQE.com

Thanks for listening. If you’ve got an idea, send it to us at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. Give us a follow on social media at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. Watch or listen to our prior podcasts online at KRQE.com/podcast and our KRQE YouTube channel, or on broadcast TV every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. MST on Fox New Mexico.