New Mexico News Insiders

’Our Story To Tell’: Los Alamos Historian On Oppenheimer Film

It's been a "summer of Oppenheimer" in New Mexico. With the recent release of Christopher Nolan's bio-pic, interest in the historical figure has surged in the Land of Enchantment and lead to a renewed discussion about the "Father of the Atomic Bomb."

This week, Chris and Gabby discuss the dynamic legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer with guests from Los Alamos National Laboratory. The lab’s lead historian offers an in-depth perspective on Christopher Nolan’s film, as well as why LANL created its own new documentary about the Lab's first director. Listen to the full discussion to learn more about the pressure to create nuclear weapons during a deadly war, and how the conversation is still relevant today. How do his successors reflect on the ‘Father of the Atomic Bomb?’ What kind of mission are scientists at Los Alamos focused on today? 

This week's guests include: 

Brye Steeves - Director of the National Security Research Center, located at LANL.
Alan Carr - Los Alamos National Lab's Lead Historian
Dave Tietmeyer - Producer of the NSRC Oppenheimer documentary, "Oppenheimer: Science, Mission, Legacy."

Click here to watch the full trailer for LANL's National Security Research Center documentary about Oppenheimer, and read more about the lab's founding director. The full documentary should be available on the NSRC's website soon. 

UPDATE: The documentary is now available to view on YouTube at this link.

We appreciate our listeners! Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on X (formerly known as Twitter,) Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

 

New Mexicans Helping Maui Wildfire Victims

On August 8th, an out-of-control wildfire in Maui became one of the deadliest in our country’s history in a century. More than 100 people were killed, hundreds are still unaccounted for, and thousands of homes burned in the fire. Chris and Gabby host Jess Orr, an Albuquerque woman who lived in Lahaina for three years during the pandemic. She shares personal stories of friends who lost everything, and how she’s trying to help them. In the second half of the episode, hear from the Red Cross Regional Disaster Manager for New Mexico and Arizona, Laura King, who is spending the month in Maui to aid in relief efforts. Will survivors of the Hawaiian wildfire find a way to stay on the island that's already facing a housing crisis? How can people help? 

To donate to the Red Cross Maui Relief efforts, click here. We like to hear from our listeners! Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

 

New Mexico’s Battle Over Public Water Access

The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled: people have a constitutional right to be on public water flowing over privately owned land. But just because the high court says so, doesn’t mean every landowner is removing fences and ‘no trespass’ signs. Why is this topic seemingly so divisive? Will there be more lawsuits filed over river access? Chris and Gabby host Jesse Deubel, Executive Director for the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, who brings listeners up to speed about how we got here. 

Listen to the legislative hearing mentioned in the episode from August 7th. The Public Stream Access and Ruling discussion begins at 02:44:32 in the webcast. Read more about the stream access issue from our online coverage here.

We appreciate our listeners! Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

The New Court Program Judge Says ’Everyone Has A Stake In’

Opioids and Fentanyl are impacting people in ways like we’ve never seen before. In a new initiative to stop overdoses “upon first contact with the criminal justice system,” Bernalillo County’s Metropolitan Court just announced the Overdose Prevention Treatment and Intervention - or “OPT-in” court. Chris and Gabby host Judge Claire McDaniel and Behavioral Health Division Director, Stacey Boone, who say this is a community problem that we all have a stake in.

How will the program work? Who is eligible? When may we see the impacts of it? Listen to our previous episode on the Fentanyl crisis with the DEA for a primer on the subject. 

We appreciate our listeners! Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

 

Back To School: Free Meals, New Schedule, Longer Days

This year’s back-to-school looks a lot different for many New Mexico families. Some of this school year’s changes include free meals for all due to new state law, a new bell schedule for Albuquerque Public Schools, an extended school year calendar, and more time in the classroom. Chris and Gabby sit down with APS Superintendent Scott Elder to break down some of the key changes and how the state’s biggest district is handling them. In the second half of the episode, hear from a local parent and school bus driver, Julie Sprunk, about her experience and perspective on the upcoming school year. 

What's the biggest challenge? How will the free meal program work? Why are bus drivers crucial to start times? 

We like to hear from our listeners! Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

New Sheriff Pushes Pause On Reality TV To ‘Focus’ Deputies

There’s a new Sheriff in New Mexico’s biggest county. Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen won the election with 54% of the vote. Halfway into his first year, the Democratic Sheriff gets candid with Chris and Gabby about what it’s been like “leading the ship” so far.

It’s a role he says he doesn’t take lightly, given the crime and drug problems plaguing the area. And he's already making changes to the department, including pausing BCSO’s role in a reality television series, creating a Behavioral Health Unit, and revamping the helicopter program after a devastating crash that killed four first responders.  Are his efforts paying off so far? What is BCSO’s biggest challenge? 

We appreciate our listeners! Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

 

New Mexico Cannabis Industry: Who Will Survive?

Lots of people quit their day jobs to go all in with New Mexico’s recreational cannabis industry. More than a year into legalization, cannabis shops already outnumber liquor stores in Albuquerque. Is the grass greener for all these new businesses?  

Chris and Gabby sit down with Pat Davis, Co-Founder of Weeds Cannabis Consulting firm and Albuquerque City Councilor for District 6. Davis explains some of the challenges the industry is facing, how businesses are getting creative, as well as the state’s limited resources to provide checks and balances on the budding industry. Will the market sustain all these new businesses? Who will survive, and who is benefitting?

KRQE Investigative Reporter Ann Pierret recently reported on the potential 'over-saturation' of the market - watch her full report here.

Also, find more of KRQE's coverage on the cannabis industry here. 

We like to hear from our listeners! Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

 

Near Record Heat Scorches New Mexico

We are close to breaking a record for the longest-running heatwave in New Mexico. Depending on where you live in the state, there have been some dangerously hot conditions to keep an eye on. This week, Chris and Gabby host an expert from the National Weather Service to discuss the significance of this summer’s temperatures, and when people can expect some relief. 

Should people re-think swamp coolers for their homes next summer? Which areas are considered at 'high risk' for long heatwaves? 

We appreciate our listeners! Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

The ’Tragic’ Season For NMSU Men’s Basketball

New Mexico State University’s men’s basketball team is coming off of what some would call a tragic season. Between the end of 2022 and early 2023, two different stories garnered national attention. First, a deadly November shooting in Albuquerque that left one teammate injured and a University of New Mexico student dead. Then in February, allegations of hazing and sexual assault lead to the suspension of the team's season. More recently, the school reached a multimillion-dollar lawsuit settlement related to the allegations.

This week, Chris and Gabby sit down with a fellow journalist in the southwest region. Sports Director at KTSM in El Paso, Texas, Colin Deaver joins the conversation. Deaver shares his perspective covering the stories that have thrust the Aggie men's basketball team into the national spotlight. A veteran of Aggie sports coverage, Deaver has extensively covered the school's various teams for the last five years. 

Just how unique is this situation in college athletics? Deaver helps recap the narrative behind what happened and the results of allegations levied against NMSU. What will a complete reboot of the team look like going forward? Those questions and more answered in this week's episode.

Let us know what you think about this podcast and other episodes. Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.

How Albuquerque’s Gateway Center Is Shaping Up

It's been nearly four years since voters approved a $14-million bond for Albuquerque's long-promised "Gateway Center" homeless shelter, a project with the goal of creating a facility offering comprehensive, wrap-around services for the homeless.

By late 2020, the city entered into negotiations to purchase the former Lovelace Hospital on Gibson Boulevard. At the time, Mayor Tim Keller envisioned the building as possibly being operational "in months, not years."

But the build-up to the Gateway Center has taken longer than expected. This week, Chris and Gabby are checking in with a couple of top Albuquerque city officials on the status of the project. Family and Community Services Department Director Carol Pierce and Deputy Director Gilbert Ramirez join the conversation for an extended discussion of how the Gateway Center is shaping up.

What services are open at the Gateway Center right now? How many people can the facility house overnight? What's the goal? Will it be the silver bullet to eliminate or alleviate issues surrounding homelessness in Albuquerque? Those questions and much more are tackled in this week's episode, which includes a breakdown of some of the key services that the Gateway Center is expected to offer.

We mentioned our prior interview with Mayor Tim Keller about homelessness at the top of the episode. If you haven't listened to that episode yet, you still can on KRQE.com

Got something to share? Let us know. Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts.