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Wildlife and Public Lands Day at the Roundhouse, Dr. Melissa Martinez on the measles outbreak, Community Colleges in New Mexico

February 11, 2015

This week on New Mexico in Focus, we attend Wildlife and Public Lands Day at the Roundhouse and follow a citizen lobbyist as she receives training and guidance in how to reach out to lawmakers on important issues.

Education is also an important issue for both citizens and lawmakers. Host Gene Grant and this week’s Line panelists talk about legislation that would require that third graders be held back if they can’t read proficiently at the end of the year. We also get the panelists reaction to recent news that graduation rates fell last year at all but one of the traditional high schools in Albuquerque. APS also announced that all students must have the measles vaccine within 10 days or they will have to stay home. NMiF producer Sarah Gustavus also sits down with Dr. Melissa Martinez to discuss what the measles outbreak in other states means for families in New Mexico.

President Obama proposes making the first two years of community college free for many students across the US. Would that help improve graduation rates from community colleges in New Mexico? Gwyneth Doland discusses the proposal with Kathy Winograd from CNM and Paul Gessing from the Rio Grande Foundation.

GUESTS:
Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation
Dr. Melissa Martinez, pediatrician
Dr. Katharine Winograd – president of Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)
Janie Chodosh, writer and citizen lobbyist

LINE PANELISTS:
Merritt Allen, Principal and Executive Director, Vox Optima, LLC
Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group PR
Stephen Spitz, KUNM’s New Mexico People Places and Ideas
Margaret Wright, New Mexico Political Report

CORRESPONDENTS:
Gwyneth Doland
Sarah Gustavus

Host: Gene Grant

The Producer of NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS is Sarah Gustavus. Associate Producer is Kathy Wimmer. Funding for this program was provided in part by the McCune Foundation Communications Fund, Santa Fe Community Foundation.

Episode 831 for air February 13, 2015