NMiF discusses controversial New Mexico Gas Company sale

This week on New Mexico in Focus, Albuquerque Journal reporter Justin Horwath stops by the studio to talk about his bombshell story on the proposed private equity buyout of New Mexico Gas Company Executive Producer Jeff Proctor asks Horwath what he discovered behind some poorly executed redactions and what the newly revealed information says about confidence in the possible sale.

Earlier this month, Albuquerque city councilors voted to increase the city's minimum wage by a dollar each year over the next three. In doing so, Albuquerque joins Las Cruces and Santa Fe in giving their lowest wage employees a raise. Labor economist and retired UNM economics professor Richard Santos sits down with Host Nash Jones to discuss how these cities have set their minimum wage and what that means for local workers.

In a historic vote this month, the U.S. Senate approved a war powers resolution directing President Trump to "remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran." It was a vote made several months after the war had passed the 60-day Constitutional deadline to receive Congressional authorization. This week, we revisit a conversation we had in April with UNM law professor Joshua Kastenberg. Proctor and Kastenberg dive deep on presidential powers and how the war began.

More than a century ago, Sister Blandina Segale moved to Santa Fe and began her work establishing public and Catholic schools, as well as hospitals, across the state. For more than a decade, local Catholic leaders have pushed for the famous nun to be considered for sainthood. This week, we revisit a previously unaired conversation with contributor Russell Contreras and Archbishop John C. Wester, as the two talk Sister Blandina and the journey she's on for beatification and canonization.

NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, June 26, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 28 at 7 a.m. and streaming on the PBS video app. Involved, informed, in-depth media: watch New Mexico in Focus again online shortly thereafter.

Host
Nash Jones

NMiF Segments
Questions Raised in NM Gas Co. Sale
Correspondent
Jeff Proctor

Guest
Justin Horwath, staff writer, Albuquerque Journal

How Minimum Wage is Set in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
Richard Santos, professor emeritus, UNM Department of Economics

Presidential Powers and the War in Iran
Correspondent
Jeff Proctor

Guest
Joshua Kastenberg, professor, UNM School of Law

Sister Blandina and Her Journey to Sainthood
Correspondent
Russell Contreras

Guest
John C. Wester, archbishop, Archdiocese of Santa Fe

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, educational, and art issues, exploring them in depth with a critical eye to provide context beyond the "news of the moment."

NMPBS Executive Producer, Public Affairs is Jeff Proctor. New Mexico in Focus's senior producer for public affairs is Lou DiVizio. Host and producer of New Mexico in Focus is Nash Jones. The producer is Antonio Sanchez, and the multimedia journalist is Cailley Chella.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You. Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund. Funding for Our Land: New Mexico's Environmental Past, Present & Future is provided in part by the Neeper Natural History Programming.