Greg Smith speaks with photographer Scott Weaver about his long-standing career and his ongoing exhibition at the Mesquite Gallery. Weaver reflects on the evolution of his work over several decades, specifically his transition to digital media and his use of drone photography to capture architectural projects. The conversation explores Weaver’s meticulous approach to capturing the visual impact of local architecture and landscapes, including his practice of documenting construction projects through all stages of their development.
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In 2019 the New Mexico Legislature passed the Energy Transition Act, making the state a “national leader” in the vital effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by switching to renewable sources of energy, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said at the time.
“Developed over the course of a year with collaboration by community organizations, unions, energy groups and advocates, the Energy Transition Act establishes New Mexico as a national leader in clean energy,” the governor boasted. Our guests, Jesse Allred and Tim Staley, are both high school English teachers. The conversation centers on what's happening with our students. What's up with their cognitive skills? What's up with their social skills? How do academic structures, policies, teaching demands, AI, and digital distraction influence learning and engagement? It's a peek into what the high school experience is today, and how it differs from the past - for both students and teachers - and some of Tim and Jesse's insightful and innovative contributions to improving the process.
Stuart Kelter interviews Ralph Eubanks, the former Director of Publishing for the Library of Congress, former editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review at the University of Virginia, and currently faculty fellow and writer-in-residence at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi. Awarded the Mississippi Governor’s Arts Award for excellence in literature and appointed cultural ambassador for Mississippi, he is the author of numerous articles in major newspapers and magazines, as well as four books, Ever Is a Long Time: A Journey Into Mississippi's Dark Past, published in 2003, The House at the End of the Road: The Story of Three Generations of an Interracial Family in the American South, published in 2009, A Place Like Mississippi: A Journey Through A Real and Imagined Literary Landscape, published in 2021, and most recently, When It’s Darkness on the Delta: How America’s Richest Soil Became Its Poorest Land, published in 2026. Our interview will focus on his latest book, which brings out the rich and painful history of the region, its enduring consequences, and possible springboards for hope.
This week on the Mesilla Valley Sports Show, host Michael O’Leary spoke with Bobby Campos, Assistant Athletic Director for Las Cruces Public Schools, about the scope and complexity of overseeing athletics across the district. Campos shared his personal path from growing up in Dexter, New Mexico, through his years as a coach and school administrator. He then walked listeners through the behind-the-scenes work required to support student athletics, including scheduling hundreds of games across four high schools and multiple sports, managing facilities and transportation, coordinating officials, overseeing safety protocols, and working closely with the New Mexico Activities Association. The conversation also highlighted long-standing rivalries, the importance of multi-sport participation, and ongoing efforts to increase student involvement while keeping athletics safe, competitive, and accessible for thousands of local students.
Artist, philanthropist, and NMSU Regent Ammu Devasthali joined Peter Goodman and Daisy Maldonado to talk about her journey from India to Moscow and ultimately to Las Cruces. She reflected on her background in Russian language and literature, her later path into printmaking and painting, and how the arts shape a fully human education. Much of the discussion focused on her work as a regent, including the responsibilities of university governance, the development of NMSU’s next strategic plan, and the institution’s land-grant mission of community engagement. Devasthali also addressed student safety, graduate student support, federal research funding cuts, and the importance of keeping higher education accessible across New Mexico’s rural communities.
Georges Cordoba joined co-hosts Daisy Maldonado and Peter Goodman to share a personal perspective on recent developments in his native country. Born and raised in Venezuela before becoming a U.S. citizen, Cordoba described the sense of relief many Venezuelans feel following the removal of Nicolás Maduro, while cautioning that meaningful change will take time. The conversation also touched on Cordoba’s work in health and holistic healing, drawing parallels between national recovery and personal resilience.
Christine Casillas joined Peter Goodman and Daisy Maldonado to preview the upcoming Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally and explain how the multi-day event will unfold across Las Cruces. She outlined the schedule, beginning with a radio-controlled balloon glow at the downtown plaza on Friday night, followed by morning ascensions and evening glows at the Field of Dreams over the weekend. The rally will also feature the first appearance south of Albuquerque of the Zozobra balloon. Casillas also shared her personal history with ballooning, discussed how hot air balloons are piloted and licensed, and described why ballooning is uniquely accessible to spectators, who can walk among the balloons and talk directly with pilots.
Co-hosts Peter Goodman and Daisy Maldonado opened the program with a discussion focused on abuses of authority by government agencies. Much of the segment centered on the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE agents in Minnesota, raising questions about the use of force, the lack of an independent investigation, and federal interference with state oversight. Shifting to local issues in Doña Ana County, the hosts criticized the arrest of activist Derek Pacheco at a commission meeting as an infringement on First Amendment rights. Throughout the segment, the hosts emphasized the need for accountability and transparency to prevent the unchecked exercise of power at both the federal and local levels.
Greg Smith talks with educator and KTAL board member María Flores about her background and long-standing support of bilingual education, and how language, culture, and music intersect in community life. Flores discusses the value of bilingual learning in helping students develop confidence, critical thinking, and cultural awareness, drawing on her own experiences in education and public service.
The conversation also highlights Onda Tejana, the long-running music program from Radio Bilingüe now airing on KTAL. Radio Bilingüe host Samuel Rodríguez joins by phone to talk about the show’s roots in Tejano and conjunto traditions and its role in preserving and evolving Spanish-language music across generations. |
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