Special Legislative Session, Local Islamaphobia and More on This Week’s “New Mexico in Focus”

This weekend’s New Mexico Legislative special session will be most important. Governor Richardson and legislators will have to reach an agreement on the best ways to shore up New Mexico’s growing economic shortfall. This week’s episode of “New Mexico in Focus” will provide insight and analysis. “New Mexico In Focus” is KNME-TV’s weekly hour-long public affairs show airing on Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. on KNME-TV channel 5.1 and repeating on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 a.m.

Also on this week’s episode, “New Mexico in Focus” will show a preview of this weekend’s open house and the Islamic Center of New Mexico, and find out why many local Muslims say they are suffering from Islamaphobia. Host Gene Grant will talk with Hebah Ahmed from the Islamic Cengter of New Mexico and cultural anthropologist Evelyn Early to discuss what it’s like to be a muslim woman in New Mexico and around the world.

Joining Grant on the panel for “The Line” this week are regular panelists Margaret Montoya from the UNM Schools of Law and Medicine and the CUNY Law School, and Jim Scarantino, an investigative analyst for the Rio Grande Foundation and guest panelists Brigette Russell, blogger at moraliablog.com and former New Mexico Democratic Party executive director Laura Sanchez.

“New Mexico in Focus” is produced by Kevin McDonald and Kathy Wimmer and closed captioning has been made possible by a gift from Mrs. Elspeth G. Bobbs.

Media Contact: Evy Todd, (505) 277-1812; e-mail: etodd@knme.org