New Mexico News Insiders

The 180° Shift In New Mexico’s 2023 Wildfire Season

Remember 2022’s historic wildfire season in New Mexico? Concern can quickly shift from wildfire to flooding, depending on where you live in New Mexico. This week, Chris and Gabby host experts from the U.S. Forest Service to talk about what the changing weather pattern this year has meant for fresh burn scars, and the summer efforts crews are making to protect people and properties. 

How are controlled burn operations working? Who’s at the highest risk for flooding? This week's guests are Rich Naden, the U.S. Forest Service Predictive Services Meteorologist, along with Micah Kiesow, a Soil and Watershed Program Manager for the Santa Fe National Forest and Burned Area Emergency Response Coordinator - also known as (BAER). 

We love hearing from you! 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 History Of Tent Rocks National Monument

A little more than two decades ago, most people didn't know what "Tent Rocks" were in New Mexico. But after the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument was put on the map in 2001, the site became one of the most popular hiking and outdoor recreation spots in the state - a major tourism draw.

Three years after the COVID-19 pandemic started, the Tent Rocks monument still remains closed. The BLM has in part cited continuing concerns related to resource protection, staffing, and visitation levels.

This week, we're getting into the historical significance, and the recent problems with over-visitation in an extended conversation with someone who helped document the significance of the monument. Geologist and UNM Professor Dr. Gary Smith joins the conversation, recounting his first trips to study the area and the eventual designation of the National Monument. When might it reopen? How problematic has over-visitation been at the site? 

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.

$3.95 Billion. How The Feds Are Repaying New Mexicans For Wildfire Losses

This time last year, New Mexico's Hermits Peak Calf Canyon wildfire was dominating local headlines. The wildfire eventually became the state's largest in recorded history, sparked by two different government operations that eventually merged.

One year after the fire charred more than 342-thousand acres, the federal government is attempting to make good on its promise to help New Mexicans recover from massive losses. $3.95 billion has been earmarked to pay for a wide range of costs, all of which being handled by a specific new FEMA office: The Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon Claims Office.

How is that money being spent? How can someone make a claim for FEMA assistance? 

This week, Chris and Gabby and joined by the Director of the HPCC Claims Office, Angela Gladwell. She breaks down how the unique effort is working. The office is already processing hundreds of claims and expects to deal with thousands more. How long will people have to wait to receive reimbursement for losses? Those questions and more are answered in this week's episode.

We want 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.

A Cold Case Murder Confession

"I'm tired of living with my lie.” Fourteen years after a New Mexico man went missing, Tony Ray Peralta said he was tired of living with guilt. Peralta borrowed someone’s cell phone at a Roswell Allsup's gas station, then called 911 to confess to the murder of his landlord. Peralta eventually led local police officers to the home where he said he’d buried William Blodgett's body in 2008. Now, he's charged with murder.

This week - KRQE Investigative Reporter Ann Pierret joins Chris and Gabby to discuss the unexpected cold case confession. Why did Peralta confess now? Is he telling the truth about what happened? 

Check out Ann's full story on KRQE.com, titled: "‘He was a good man’: Guilt-ridden Roswell man confesses to killing landlord in 2008."

We want 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.

Police Chief Details Loss, Bravery After Farmington Mass Shooting

Two weeks ago, Farmington in northwest New Mexico faced a mass shooting. Three people were killed and six others were wounded before police shot and killed the shooter, an 18-year-old high school student.

Chris and Gabby sit down with Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe in an extended conversation about the loss within the community, how officers responded to the active shooter, and how people are dealing with the aftermath. Investigators say the shooter was firing at random. Were there any red flags before the teen gunman started a rampage? How are officers feeling about what happened? Chief Hebbe also discusses his thoughts on any possible "lessons learned" from the event.

Farmington Police held a series of news conferences in the days after the shooting. We've compiled links here to each of those news conferences, where investigators detailed what happened, the evidence they've collected, and published video from surveillance and body cameras telling the story of how officers responded to an active shooter. Here is a closer look at the victims who were killed.

Your feedback and ideas are welcome in our messages. Email us at 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 Transition From State’s Top Cop To Local Business Owner

Pete Kassetas has a decades-long career in law enforcement, but for a little more than five years, he was one of the most visible people in New Mexico criminal justice. The former Chief led New Mexico State Police from 2013 to 2018 and along the way, he had a voice in some of the state's biggest news stories.

In a rare and candid sit-down with Chris and Gabby, Kassetas shares stories behind his ups and downs in law enforcement, and what it was like to be the face of New Mexico’s largest police agency. He also shares what he's up to now as part of the ownership team behind Downshift Brewing Company, an Old Town Albuquerque brewery taphouse that's become a central part of revitalization efforts in the area. Now on the other side of dealing with crime, the former lawman also offers his perspective on what it’s like owning a business in Albuquerque. 

Why did he shift from being a cop to a brew boss? Has his view on handling crime changed? Those topics and many more are discussed in this week's extended episode. Here are a few of the biggest news stories Kassetas spoke of, or was a part of over the years, as mentioned in this week's episode:

• November 2013 - Taos minivan shooting
• December 2013 - Taos protestors meet Chief Kassetas
• January 2014 - Roswell school shooting investigation
• June 2016 - State Police Chief responds to officers ignoring DWI investigation of DA
• June 2017 - State Police Chief asks Forrest Fenn to call off treasure hunt
• June 2017 - Reaction to Forrest Fenn treasure hunt comments
• December 2017 - Aztec High School shooting news conference
• May 2019 - $1.7 million paid in confidential state settlements

Give us a shout! Email us at 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.

 

Why A UNM Professor Thinks You Should Learn ChatGPT

"ChatGPT" is a big deal on the internet today. Released in November, the publicly available, AI-driven chatbot is trained to understand and answer text-based questions in an unprecedented way. Its answers can be so convincing that you may feel like you're talking to a real person, not a computer. If you haven't tried it yet, here's a link.

There's a lot of excitement about how people might use these advanced chatbots. But ChatGPT and generative AI is also raising questions about how people can misuse the technology, particularly in the world of education where students are expected to research, write, and publish their own original material. 

How is generative AI impacting education? What does this say about our future workforce? 

This week on the podcast, Chris and Gabby welcome a top New Mexico educator, University of New Mexico Professor and Dean, Leo S. Lo for an extended conversation about ChatGPT. Lo is the Dean of UNM's College of University Libraries & Learning Sciences. He's also written about the need to train students on how to use AI language models effectively. Hear more about why Lo thinks ChatGPT shouldn't be ignored or banned in academia, also, the benefits and the drawbacks he sees with groundbreaking technology.

We like hearing from our viewers, whether it's feedback or ideas. Email us at 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 Police Are Reorganizing Messy Investigations

Gone are the days of officers dropping off hand-written documents and police reports into a bin for prosecutors to sort through. New Mexico’s biggest city is adopting the use of a new homegrown database software called ‘Case Catcher.’ The program is aimed at helping investigators build better cases and stay organized. 

How organized an investigation is - matters a lot, especially in a high-stakes case like a murder trial, for instance. And for years, metro-area criminal justice professionals have shared stories about cases being dismissed or impacted by problems with evidence, or what's called discovery in the court system. This week, Chris and Gabby host return guest and Albuquerque Police Deputy Commander, Kyle Hartsock to talk about how Case Catcher aims to keep problems from happening. 

How does Case Catcher work? Why did it take so long to get online? And who took the lead in this project? The answer might surprise you.

You can always let us know what you think, we'd love to hear it. Send your feedback or story ideas us via email - 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 Did Alec Baldwin’s Criminal Case Get So Messy?

New Mexico prosecutors recently dropped an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in relation to the fatal 2021 "Rust" movie set shooting near Santa Fe. Attorneys cited 'new facts' that demand further investigation in their case dismissal.

While prosecutors can still refile charges, the sudden shift comes after months of reports about procedural challenges to the prosecution. The Santa Fe District Attorney's Office has faced issues, including the timing of charges and changes to who is going to prosecute the case.

This week on the podcast, a longtime criminal defense attorney and legal expert, Ahmad Assed, returns to the show. Assed helps us break down the complications of the case and what thinks is next. 

How did this case get so messy? Will prosecutors re-file charges against Alec Baldwin? If you missed our initial episode on the Rust case, you can catch it here on KRQE.com/podcasts, or scroll down to the episode titled, "Will Alec Baldwin Face A Trial In New Mexico?"

Got some thoughts about the show or people you'd like to hear from? Send feedback or story ideas to your 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 Schools Invest In AI Gun-Detection

In 2023, student safety is among the biggest concerns that school administrators have about their campuses. Each school year, we continue to hear stories about students bringing guns and other weapons on to school campuses. Not every incident leads to someone getting hurt, but regardless, the issue always raises concerns about what more can be done to stop violent situations from unfolding.

At least one New Mexico school district is now making an investment to try to help address campus safety through technology. In southeast New Mexico, Clovis Municipal Schools is investing in artificial intelligence (AI) technology that's designed to help identify guns seen on campus through existing surveillance cameras.

This week on the podcast, Chris and Gabby welcome two guests to discuss the technology. First, the Director of Operations for Clovis Schools, Loren Hill joins the conversation to talk about the district’s decision to add AI to its toolbox. In the second half of the show, hear from Tim Sulzer, chief technology officer and co-founder of ZeroEyes, the company that makes the technology. Sulzer shares more about how the tech works and what it can do for first responders in an emergency. 

We appreciate hearing from our listeners. Send feedback or story ideas to your 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.