New Mexico’s Top Political Races, COVID Updates, and a Drying Rio Grande, plus Our Land: Urban Forests | 10.9.20

This week, New Mexico in Focus previews conversations with Democratic Rep. Xochitl Torres Small and her two-time Republican opponent in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, Yvette Herrell. The full hour-long special airs on NMPBS Sunday at 6:00 p.m. When a river begins to run dry it impacts all living things that depend on it, including sandhill cranes and other migratory birds arriving in New Mexico for the season. Environmental journalist and correspondent Laura Paskus talks with Deborah Williams and Dan Collins about what a drying Rio Grande means for the wildlife that take refuge at the Bosque de Apache. Laura Paskus is also the producer of NMiF’s monthly series, “Our Land.” This month, she also discusses ways to take care of our urban forest canopy, as she looks at the effect of last month’s windstorms on her own back yard and gives us a glance back to a past episode with Albuquerque’s city forester. Gene Grant and The Line voice their opinions with updates on New Mexico’s top-of-the-ticket congressional races, with a focus on the Senate and the 2nd Congressional District. They also debate the effectiveness of New Mexico’s battle against the coronavirus. While the numbers looked good for a while, cases have started climbing alarmingly. Are more restrictions soon to come? Lastly, The Line looks at renewed efforts to lower the cap even further on interest rates for payday loans.