Work

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s September 2023 public health order didn’t only call for a ban on open and concealed carry of firearms. It also has several measures aimed at reducing illegal drug use in adults and young people.

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With it, she suspended a system that evaluates whether a young person who is arrested is a danger to themselves and others, and should await their trial in detention. She says this could get more kids in treatment. Advocates disagree. 

This story came out of regular trips I made with health care providers and advocates to meet people experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque. 

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I followed it up with a non-narrated feature using tape I'd collected over a morning at the city's largest shelter. 

This mother and daughter each made the transition from discouraged loan officer to public service worker at two of the most pivotal times for the American housing market in recent history. They sat down with me for a StoryCorps-esque interview to talk about how that happened. This is part of a series on housing in Tucson.