The Radio Que Tal Archives

Mesilla Valley Sports Show: Building Opportunities for Las Cruces Youth

9/10/2026

Mike talks with members of YORC — the Youth Outreach Recreational Committee, a new collaborative effort bringing together local organizations and community leaders to expand opportunities for young people. Guests John Teves, Sgt. Antonio Lazarine, Grace Tejas and Selena Madrid discuss how YORC grew from an idea to better connect the many youth programs already operating in Las Cruces.

They explore the importance of recreation, mentorship and positive relationships, along with efforts to give young people a direct voice in determining what their community needs. The conversation also looks at YORC’s partnership with the Las Cruces Police Department, plans for a centralized source of youth programs and resources, and the larger goal of breaking down barriers between organizations to build a stronger, safer community for local youth.

Speak Up Las Cruces: Juan Garcia and Jim Hoerst on Local and National Issues

9/9/2026

Juan Garcia, chairman of the Coalition of Conservatives in Action, and local citizen Jim Hoerst sparred over U.S. policy toward Iran, with Garcia defending economic pressure as the right approach and Hoerst arguing the conflict has strengthened the regime it was meant to weaken. The two also clashed over recent Trump administration rhetoric, including tariffs on Canada and a proposal to rename New Mexico, and debated the legality of recent U.S. military strikes on boats near Venezuela. Despite their disagreements, including over the meaning of separation of church and state, both said they oppose Project Jupiter and each named a preferred future Republican presidential candidate other than Trump.

Speak Up Las Cruces: Ross Marks on Filmmaking in Las Cruces

9/9/2026

NMSU film professor and Las Cruces International Film Festival founder Ross Marks previewed his lecture series "A Filmmaker Speaks" for the Academy for Learning in Retirement, running across four sessions starting September 15 at Doña Ana Community College. He traced New Mexico's film history from a 1918 documentary shot at Isleta Pueblo through the current construction of a 40,000-square-foot soundstage on the NMSU campus, and said Las Cruces has built a local crew base strong enough to staff his newest film, Solitary, entirely with area workers and students. Marks also discussed film's role as an economic and tourism driver, and weighed in on artificial intelligence's growing but still limited place in independent filmmaking.

Speak Up Las Cruces: Peter & Walt Talk About the News (September 9, 2026)

9/9/2026

Peter Goodman and Walt Rubel debated a proposed change to Las Cruces' construction-noise ordinance, then turned to Doña Ana County's plan for a citizens committee to monitor Project Jupiter's compliance with its development agreement, which commissioners postponed after failing to post proposed amendments in advance. They also discussed the Las Cruces school board's plan for a new 6-12 school built around individualized learning, and closed with the diplomatic fallout from a White House map that appeared to claim Iceland as U.S. territory.

Café con Leche: Lonnie Schlein on 9/11 and a Life in Photojournalism

9/8/2026

Greg Smith, joined by Penny Peace, talks with Lonnie Schlein, calling in from Dallas ahead of his visit to Las Cruces, where his work is on exhibit at the Mad Hatter Gallery. Schlein spent 35 years as a photo editor at the New York Times, and on September 11, 2001 - just his second day as the paper's Metro picture editor - he ran to the roof of his Manhattan apartment building with a 3.2-megapixel point-and-shoot, captured some of the only cityscape photographs of the towers in flames, and then raced to the Times newsroom to oversee the paper's entire photographic coverage of the attacks. That work, including the editorial decisions around the "falling man" images, earned the Times a Pulitzer Prize. The conversation covers Schlein's decades directing coverage of presidential elections and major world events, his humanitarian photography work since leaving the Times, and his plans for his Las Cruces visit.

Walt Rubel: Sneaky health care costs about to go up again

9/8/2026

When the cost of gas goes up, there are big signs along the roadway announcing the hike. The signs in the grocery store aren’t as big, but increases in the cost of food are clearly marked for all to see.

When the cost of health care goes up, as it just did … again, it’s not as obvious.

Think Again: Professor Richard Coltharp on AI

9/8/2026

Richard Coltharp, NMSU Journalism Professor, shares interesting perspectives about artificial intelligence.

The conversation focuses on what we humans have to learn about our own humanity; asking what about us cannot be mechanized. Significant attention is given to "analog connection" - people together, face to face, eye to eye. A podcast from Tending The In-Between points to the notion that this new technology may bring an opportunity for us to consider what is uniquely human. Can we deepen our own understanding of what it is to be human? Perhaps more than asking simply what will the technology become, we'd benefit from asking what we will become in its presence.

DELVING IN: Jenny Radesky on Raising Children in the Digital Age

9/6/2026

Stuart Kelter interviews Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, where she directs the Division of Developmental Pediatrics and runs a research laboratory focused on family media use, digital design, and tech policy. She is also co-medical director of the American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health and editor of the textbook, Encounters with Children, 5th Edition. Today’s interview will focus on her book, co-written with Megan Moreno, Connecting: Raising Kids in the Digital World, to be published this October.

Mesilla Valley Sports Show: Scott Schroeder on Building the Goal Line Club and Supporting Aggie Football

9/3/2026

This episode of the Mesilla Valley Sports Show featured Scott Schroeder, founder and president of the New Mexico State Goal Line Club, as Mike and Brian looked ahead to the Aggie football home opener against Mercyhurst. Schroeder shared his Las Cruces roots, his playing and strength-and-conditioning background, and the family connection to NMSU athletics that helped shape his commitment to Aggie sports. He explained how the Goal Line Club grew from a small group with a tent and grill into a major supporter of Aggie Football, including its expanded game-day tailgates and fundraising efforts. The conversation also covered the growing importance of booster support and NIL in college athletics, the club’s partnership with the NMSU Alumni Association, the return of former Aggie football players, and some of Schroeder’s favorite memories - including the 2017 Arizona Bowl. Schroeder also offered his perspective on this year’s Aggie team, the importance of fan support and home-field advantage, and the excitement surrounding Joe Fields’ vision for improving the game-day experience at NMSU.

Speak Up Las Cruces: Frank Zamora on the Definition and Application of Love

9/2/2026

Frank Zamora, a former pastor who spent two decades working in hospice care, discussed the Definition and Application of Love Community, a monthly discussion group he started after years of sitting with dying patients pushed him to look past religious and philosophical cliches about love. The group meets on the second Saturday of each month at the Holiday Inn Express on Telshor Court, dedicating each 90-minute session to a 45-minute presentation on a specific aspect of love followed by 45 minutes of open discussion and Q&A.

Speak Up Las Cruces: Dr. Lucky and Dr. Julia Smith on Acid Western

9/2/2026

Dr. Lucky and Dr. Julia Smith previewed Acid Western, opening September 12 at the Rio Grande Theatre as the first in a series of live shows produced by Dr. Lucky. Smith, a filmmaker and former NMSU professor, discussed the acid Western subgenre—defined by its ties to 1960s counterculture and unconventional Western tropes—and its connection to former NMSU English professor Orville "Bud" Wanzer, whose 1965 film The Devil's Mistress premiered at the same theatre. The event will feature Smith presenting rare archival clips from the Wanzer collection, live music from Madrid-based musician Betty Benadeadly, trick roping and bullwhip artistry by Guinness World Record holder Chris McDaniel, and desert video projections.

Speak Up Las Cruces: Joanne Ferrary Looks Back on Her Years in the Legislature

9/2/2026

Recently resigned State Representative Joanne Ferrary reflected on her decade representing House District 37, recalling her early campaigns in 2012 and 2014 before winning her seat in 2016 and going on to chair the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee. She explained her decision to resign four months before the end of her term to spend time with family and allow a successor to step into the role, while noting that she will continue advocating for key policy issues. Ferrary discussed her ongoing work on an Alcohol Harms Alleviation Fund aimed at funding community prevention, behavioral health, and treatment programs. She also shared her perspective on Project Jupiter, emphasizing that environmental impacts regarding power and water must be addressed, and expressed support for a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot to compensate state legislators.

Speak Up Las Cruces: Peter & Jamie Talk About the News (September 2, 2026)

9/2/2026

Peter Goodman and Jamie Bronstein discussed early voting procedures for the upcoming midterm elections in Doña Ana County, highlighting slow U.S. Postal Service delivery times and concerns regarding federal actions on mail-in voter verification. They reviewed the New Mexico Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to reject a motion by Project Jupiter developers to lift a stay on permits, even as ongoing construction and water usage continue at the Doña Ana County site. Broadening their discussion on artificial intelligence, they examined its environmental and economic impacts, including a "token tax" idea referenced in an essay by Bill Gates to offset job displacement. Finally, they promoted an upcoming Labor Day art build scheduled for Friday evening near the plaza downtown.

Cafe con Leche: Rani Bush and Liz Vega on the Las Cruces Space Festival

9/1/2026

Greg Smith talks with Rani Bush, business operations manager at Spaceport America and past president of the Las Cruces Astronomy Club, and Liz Vega of Visit Las Cruces, about the 2026 Las Cruces Space Festival running September 19 through October 4 under the theme "Space Unites Us." The two guests trace southern New Mexico's deep connections to space history, from astronaut training at Kilbourne Hole and the White Sands missile range to Spaceport America's location at high altitude partly inside existing air traffic corridors around the range, and make the case that space exploration and earthly problems are not competing priorities but symbiotic ones. The conversation covers a packed festival schedule including a Space Art Show at The Hood, International Observe the Moon Night at the Plaza, Space Trivia Night, an NMSU Astronomy Night at O'Donnell Hall, and a Spaceport America Open House on September 26 requiring advance reservations. Full schedule and information at lcspacefestival.com.

Walt Rubel: We get one of the few competitive races in nation

9/1/2026

New Mexico’s Second Congressional District is one of the 12 most competitive Democratic districts in the nation, according to the Cook Political Report.

They list 21 districts as a toss-up heading into November’s midterm election. Those are the districts that are most likely to determine which party has control of the US House. Democrats clearly have the advantage going into the election, with Republicans needing to defend 16 of those seats as opposed to just five in districts now held by Democrats.

<<Previous

Mesilla Valley Sports Show: Building Opportunities for Las Cruces Youth

Speak Up Las Cruces: Juan Garcia and Jim Hoerst on Local and National Issues

Speak Up Las Cruces: Ross Marks on Filmmaking in Las Cruces

Speak Up Las Cruces: Peter & Walt Talk About the News (September 9, 2026)

Café con Leche: Lonnie Schlein on 9/11 and a Life in Photojournalism

Walt Rubel: Sneaky health care costs about to go up again

Think Again: Professor Richard Coltharp on AI

DELVING IN: Jenny Radesky on Raising Children in the Digital Age

Mesilla Valley Sports Show: Scott Schroeder on Building the Goal Line Club and Supporting Aggie Football

Speak Up Las Cruces: Frank Zamora on the Definition and Application of Love

Speak Up Las Cruces: Dr. Lucky and Dr. Julia Smith on Acid Western

Speak Up Las Cruces: Joanne Ferrary Looks Back on Her Years in the Legislature

Speak Up Las Cruces: Peter & Jamie Talk About the News (September 2, 2026)

Cafe con Leche: Rani Bush and Liz Vega on the Las Cruces Space Festival

Walt Rubel: We get one of the few competitive races in nation

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