The Forum with Jim Falk

In this episode of The Forum with Jim Falk, Santa Fe Mayor Michael Garcia reflects on his first three months in office, offering insight into key policy changes, city management priorities, and major issues facing Santa Fe.The mayor begins by announcing details for Santa Fe’s upcoming Fourth of July celebration, which will take place at Franklin Miles Park and feature both a fireworks display and a drone show.The conversation then turns to city governance, where Mayor Garcia discusses efforts to streamline Santa Fe’s budget process, empower city staff with greater decision-making responsibility, and restructure the city’s organizational chart to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy.He also provides important updates on two high-profile local issues: ongoing negotiations with Urban Alchemy regarding the Agape Shelter, and the future of the Obelisk (Soldier’s Monument), a controversial landmark in the Plaza that was toppled on Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2020.Host: Peter SmithCo-Host: Patrick Davis, KSFR News ReporterGuest: Michael J. Garcia, Mayor of Santa Fe, NM (1/1/2026-)

In this episode, The Forum moves from local to global, beginning with a conversation with Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Turner and turning to a broader look at the human and financial costs of America’s wars.Turner, a longtime Albuquerque resident, discusses the challenges facing New Mexico and argues they must be addressed collectively, starting with education. In a wide-ranging exchange, he outlines his support for school choice and calls for greater investment in infrastructure, including a dedicated fund to improve the state’s roads.As the war in Iran enters its fourth week, author and professor David Vine examines the mounting economic and human toll. While estimates vary, military costs alone are reported to exceed $1 billion per day. Vine also highlights the long-term consequences of displacement, noting that in Lebanon alone, more than one million people have been forced to seek shelter elsewhere.Host: Jim FalkCo-Host: Peter SmithGuests: Doug Turner, Republican candidate for Governor of New Mexico David Vine, Author of “The United States of War” and contributor to Brown University’s Costs of War Project

What if the most powerful thing you could do for your brain and body each day isn’t diet or exercise but sleep? In this episode of The Forum, Dr. Matthew Walker, one of the world’s foremost experts on the neuroscience of sleep, explains why he calls sleep “the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health every day.” Listeners may be surprised to learn that while the dangers of driving while intoxicated are widely recognized, getting behind the wheel while sleep deprived can be even more dangerous. Walker also shares practical strategies to lessen the effects of jet lag and offers simple steps you can take to prepare both yourself and your bedroom for a more restful night.If you sometimes struggle to fall asleep (or wake up feeling less than refreshed) this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Host: Jim FalkGuests: Matthew Walker, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering Director, Sleep Innovation Laboratories Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas Author, “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams”Show Notes: Center for BrainHealth

For years, many scientists believed that after our mid-20s, the brain could only decline. Today, neuroscience tells a very different story.In this episode of The Forum, two neuroscientists from the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas explain how the brain can continue to grow and adapt throughout our lives.The program begins with a discussion of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and strengthen, and the research underway at the Center. Our guests describe programs designed to help people at different stages of life enhance brain performance, including specialized initiatives for military personnel experiencing PTSD.Later, they share practical ways listeners can support brain health through everyday choices such as sleep, exercise, and diet. The program concludes with information about the resources available through the Center for BrainHealth’s website.Host: Jim FalkCo-host: Peter Smith Guests: Erin Venza, Ph.D., Head of Clinical Operations, Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas Jennifer Zientz, Director of Programs, Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas Show Notes: Center for BrainHealth

It should come as no surprise that images of raids carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the country are contributing to rising anxiety here in Santa Fe and throughout New Mexico.At the beginning of the program, immigration attorney Allegra Love, a regular contributor on immigration policy to Source New Mexico (“ICE”) reminds listeners that immigration enforcement, detention, and deportation are not new. They have long been part of life in New Mexico. What is different today, she explains, is the intensity of fear within communities most at risk and the profound impact that fear is having on daily life. She also describes the harsh conditions many detainees face in federal facilities, where some are held for months — even years — awaiting resolution of their cases.Later in the program, two staff members from Communities in Schools share what they are witnessing on the front lines. Students suddenly stop attending class. Medical appointments are missed. Families withdraw from public life. In some cases, people simply disappear.Throughout the conversation, Deibel and Ortiz extend an invitation to those who want to help, encouraging listeners to reach out and learn more about volunteer opportunities to support affected families. Host: Jim FalkCo-host: Reverend Talitha Arnold, Senior Minister, United Church of Santa FeGuests: Allegra Love, Immigration Lawyer, Advocate, Teacher Natalie Deibel, Chief Financial & Operations Officer, Communities in Schools of New Mexico Blanca Ortiz, Student Success Facilitator at Nava Elementary School, Communities in Schools of New Mexico

In a rare convergence of sacred seasons, Muslims began Ramadan on February 17, a month of fasting, prayer, and spiritual renewal; just one day later Christians entered Lent, the forty-day period of preparation for Easter, also marked by fasting, abstinence, and reflection.On this episode of The Forum, retired Lutheran minister Benjamin Larzelere joins co-host Reverend Talitha Arnold in a discussion exploring the history and meaning of Lent, and how the act of “giving something up” can deepen faith and sharpen spiritual awareness. In the second half of the program, Muslim Americans Ahmed Yanouri and Fouzia Ayachi share how Ramadan is observed in their homes, from the daily fast to the cherished tradition of Iftar, the breaking of the fast, and reflect on the rhythm and communal spirit of a holy month observed by nearly 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide.Host: Jim FalkCo-host: Benjamin (Ben) LarzelereReverend Talitha Arnold, Senior Minister, United Church of Santa Fe Guests: Ahmed Yanouri, Moroccan-American and Business/Community Leader Fouzia Ayachi, Moroccan-American, Community Leader

On this episode of The Forum, Reverend Talitha Arnold speaks with two remarkable New Mexicans who, through history and music, are helping keep Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream alive today.After a distinguished career as a physician, Bettye Kearse answered her mother’s call to tell their family’s story—one that reaches back to enslavement at Montpelier, the plantation of President James Madison. She reflects on the power of storytelling across generations and why an honest reckoning with history is essential to preserving both truth and dignity.Later in the program, longtime radio host Cecilia Webb shares how she came to the airwaves to lead Train to Glory for 28 years. She and Talitha explore the vital role of music in the Civil Rights Movement and how those spirituals and gospel songs continue to inspire protest movements across the country today.Throughout the hour, listeners will hear selections from beloved gospel favorites that echo the enduring call for justice and hope. Host: Talitha ArnoldGuests: Cecilia Webb, Host, Train to Glory, KUNMBettye Kearse, Author, “The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President’s Black Family”

On this episode of The Forum, two leading foreign policy experts examine the first year of President Trump’s second term and what it signals for the remaining three years of his administration.Beth Sanner, former Deputy Director of National Intelligence and the President’s daily intelligence briefer, brings decades of experience at the highest levels of national security. She is currently a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center and a CNN National Security Contributor. Ambassador Charles Shapiro, now a professor of international affairs at Georgia Tech, previously served as U.S. ambassador to Venezuela and devoted much of his diplomatic career to the Western Hemisphere, with particular expertise on Cuba.The discussion explores how “Trump 2.0” differs from the administration’s first term and examines the 2025 National Security Strategy and how it is being viewed by our allies and adversaries. In the second half of the program, the conversation turns to key current issues, including Iran, Venezuela, Israel, and nuclear arms control. Host: Jim FalkCo-host: Peter SmithGuests: Beth Sanner Ambassador Charles Shapiro Show Notes: National Security Strategy of the U.S.

The day of his announcement to withdraw from the Democratic Party’s June 2 primary, Ken Miyagishima joined The Forum Plus to explain why he believes many New Mexicans are looking for an option outside the two-party system. This interview was recorded on Monday, February 2, 2026.In the conversation, Miyagishima outlines where his positions on medical malpractice reform, energy, and education differ from those of the Democratic contenders, Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman.KSFR is committed to offering listeners the opportunity to hear directly from candidates seeking public office. The link to previous Forum interviews with Sam Bregman and Deb Haaland is available in the show notes. Host: Jim FalkGuest: Ken G. Miyagishima, Independent Candidate for Governor of New Mexico Show Notes: The Race for New Mexico Governor: Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman on the Forum (published January 21, 2026)

In this show, William Hartung, senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, takes a hard, unvarnished look at the extraordinary growth of the U.S. defense budget. Now just under $1 trillion, President Trump is requesting a 50 percent increase for FY 2027—pushing defense spending to $1.5 trillion.Hartung explains how, despite hopes to the contrary, the end of the Cold War led not to a peace dividend but to continued and accelerating military spending. He examines how consolidation within the defense industry, now dominated by five major corporations, has fueled cost overruns, reduced competition, and weakened accountability.The conversation also explores the growing role of Silicon Valley–based defense startups, the influence and profitability of defense lobbying, and the surprisingly small impact the defense industry has on overall employment, despite frequent claims by politicians.This program was recorded on January 8 for WorldNow with Jim Falk as a virtual book talk presented to members of World Affairs Councils across the country. Host: Jim FalkGuests: William Hartung, Senior Research Fellow, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft Show Notes: “The Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Home “(November 11, 2025)

For a growing number of Americans, the question is no longer ‘Should I leave?’ but ‘Why stay?’”Americans are increasingly not just thinking about leaving the United States permanently—they’re doing it. As our guests explain, the reasons vary widely, from concerns about gun violence and the rising cost of living to access to affordable healthcare.In a recent New York Times column, Jessica Grose cited a Gallup survey finding that 40 percent of American women ages 15 to 45 say they would like to move abroad.On this episode, we’re joined by two women who have already made that choice. Gail Warrior, who moved to Panama five years ago, now advises and assists global clients as they navigate the decision to relocate and the logistics of doing so. Kirsten Weissert, who recently moved to Thailand with her two young children, discusses what drove her decision, how she broke the news to family and friends, and how she continues to run her physical training business while working across a 14-hour time difference.Host: Jim FalkCo-host: Daniel JamesGuests: Gail Warrior, CEO, Global Citizen Consulting Kirsten Weissert, (Recently moved from Texas to Thailand) Jessica Grose, Opinion Writer, New York Times (recorded interview, 1/16/2026) Show Notes: Global Citizen ConsultingAmerican Violence is Pushing Families to Think About Leaving, Jessica Grose, Jan. 10, 2026

In just over five months, New Mexicans will head to the polls for the state’s primary election, setting the stage for one of the most consequential races on the November ballot: the contest to elect the next governor to succeed incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham.On this program, the two leading Democratic candidates—former congresswoman and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Bernalillo County District Attorney Samuel Bregman—join Forum hosts Jim Falk and Peter Smith in separate interviews. To allow listeners to compare their views, the same questions were posed to each candidate whenever possible.The Bregman interview was recorded via Zoom on January 15, and the Haaland interview, also conducted via Zoom, was recorded on January 16. The order in which the interviews aired was determined by a coin toss.___________________Host: Jim FalkCo-host: Peter SmithGuests: Deb Haaland, Democratic Party Candidate for NM Governor Samuel Bregman, Democratic Party Candidate for NM GovernorShow Notes:Haaland campaign websiteBregman campaign website