Liz Bennett of Las Cruces for Palestine joined by phone to discuss Shutdown Drone Warfare Week of Action, a coalition effort bringing together groups including Veterans for Peace to protest the military's drone programs at Holloman. Bennett described the ethical concerns around drone warfare, including its role in the conflict in Gaza, the growing integration of AI into weapons systems, and the effort to encourage service members to consult their conscience when given unlawful orders. The conversation also touched on the week's upcoming events in Alamogordo, including a community gathering, a march, and a screening of a documentary by journalist Abby Martin on the environmental impact of the military industrial complex. More information is available at shutdowndronewarfare.org.
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Early childhood education professionals Valeria Holloway and MJ Lord joined Walt Rubel and Jamie Bronstein to discuss New Mexico's new universal child care legislation and what it means in practice for providers and families. Holloway, who has run a home daycare for 24 years, and Lord, a teaching assistant at a preschool in Albuquerque, explained that the program covers children from birth to age 12 at licensed home daycares and centers, with new funding tied to a minimum wage floor of $18 per hour for child care workers. Both guests emphasized that workforce shortages and waitlists remain a significant challenge, particularly in rural communities, and that the funding flowing in July will take time to translate into new capacity. The conversation also touched on the developmental benefits of early group care, the state's star rating system for providers, and the particular rewards of working with children who have special needs or developmental delays.
Walt Rubel and Jamie Bronstein opened the show with several local and national topics. On the local front, they discussed new reporting revealing that Project Jupiter's water usage projections have grown dramatically, from roughly 80,000 gallons annually to 325 million gallons per year for cooling its gas generators, along with concerns about 14 million tons of annual air emissions from planned smokestacks. Walt noted that El Paso Electric is seeking a 73% rate increase, with a public meeting scheduled that afternoon at Branigan Library. Mary Martinez White called in to highlighted a new exhibit at the Albuquerque National Hispanic Cultural Center on New Mexico's nuclear history, connecting it to ongoing concerns about the state becoming a destination for environmentally risky projects. The segment closed with discussion of the announced ceasefire in Iran, which both hosts viewed as a costly and humiliating end to an unnecessary conflict, with significant uncertainty about whether it would hold.
Greg Smith talks with Sonya Fe, a painter and Las Cruces resident about the hard-won lessons of a career spent making art with a message. Fe traces her practice from East LA roots and an Art Center College of Design degree through decades of gallery relationships gone wrong and offers pointed advice for artists navigating a business that often sees them as easy marks: don't work for exposure, get buyers' names, demand down payments on commissions, and do your research before signing with anyone. The conversation also turns to Fe's practice as using "beauty as a lure" to engage viewers with difficult social truths, particularly regarding the vulnerability and treatment of women and children.
Teddy Roosevelt once advised that we should “speak softly and carry a big stick.”
Donald Trump, like all modern presidents, carries the biggest stick in the world. And it has performed marvelously, including the daring rescue of a downed airman inside Iran last weekend. The skill and bravery of both the airman, who hid for days in a mountain crevice until his rescuers arrived, and those who risked their lives to save him, should serve as an inspiration for all of us and a reason to celebrate.  Lisa Lucca talks with author and screenwriter Amy Ferris, who returns to the show to share her new book, Amy in Retrograde: Desperately Seeking Rewiring.
Jon Hunner, retired NMSU history professor and author of "Inventing Los Alamos" and "J.Robert Oppenheimer, the Cold War, and the Atomic West" shares some thoughts and observations about his experience as a historian, history in general, US history, and a particular focus on the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He tells some thought provoking stories about himself and his father (US Air Force) as related to the atomic history of New Mexico.
The conversation includes a delightful exploration of what we call history, how we think about it, and how we understand it today. Jon Hunner cites and recommends an exercise he's employing - making a personal Declaration of Independence: "I declare my independence from ....." that we can tailor to our own individual lives. He brings a host of interesting thoughts. Local Vibes Live hosted Pikuris, a Las Cruces alternative grunge trio formed in October 2025 by guitarist/vocalist Louis Renteria, bassist/vocalist Tate Bradfute, and drummer Diego Renteria. Brothers Louis and Diego had played in separate bands for years before finally joining forces, then connected with Tate after Louis met him through an impromptu jam session across a wall of amplifiers at a local music store. In conversation with hosts Alex Brinkley and Casey Chacón, Pikuris talked about their grunge and shoegaze influences (Nirvana, Alice in Chains), their debut single "Sundown," and the experience of fast-tracking original material as a band less than a year old. Their debut EP is expected out in summer 2026.
On this episode of the Mesilla Valley Sports Show, Mike and Brian sat down with NMSU Golf Course Director Jason White for an in-depth look at the operations, history, and community impact of one of the region’s premier golf facilities . White shared his path from a high school golfer in the Pacific Northwest to New Mexico State’s PGA Golf Management program, and ultimately to leading the course. He described the scope of his role overseeing a complex operation that includes course maintenance, golf programming, dining, events, and a large student workforce. The conversation also explored the course’s deep community ties, from youth and veteran programs to hosting charity tournaments, illustrating how the facility serves not just golfers, but the broader Las Cruces community.
Walt Rubel and Nancy Baker used the final segment to preview the upcoming New Mexico primary elections, with a focus on Doña Ana County races. The most crowded contest is the sheriff's race, with seven Democrats and four Republicans vying for the seat being vacated by Kim Stewart after two terms. The conversation also covered several competitive state house primaries in the area, the gubernatorial race on both sides, and a significant change to New Mexico election law allowing independent voters to participate in primary elections for the first time.
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