Voices of Taos

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on "Voices of Taos," editor Geoffrey Plant talks with Dr. Richard Rubin, a retired physician, author and volunteer steward at the historic Aldo Leopold House. 

Dr. Rubin recently submitted a My Turn opinion piece entitled 'Compassion for chupacabras,' in which he discusses how we can use the folklore of the chupacabra —and its real-life explanation, a coyote...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, copy editor Emily Sender talks with Darien Fernandez, executive director of Taos Land Trust and Town of Taos Council Member.

Sender and Fernandez discuss the recent purchase by the Taos Land Trust of a 144-acre property in El Salto. The property has been on the market for many years, and neighbors have had concerns about the fate of the ecologic...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

As 2025 comes to a close, please enjoy this repeat presentation of our most popular episode from Season 2.

Voices of Taos will return with new episodes in 2026.

On this episode of Voices of Taos, Sports Editor Blynn Beltran talks to School of Baseball's Abe Balsamo and Hargis James.

School of Baseball is a non-profit organization that teaches local kids and teens the basics...

This episode mentions suicide. 988 offers 24/7 judgment-free support for mental health, substance use, and more. Text, call, or chat 988.

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, editor Geoffrey Plant talks with Sandy Campbell, executive director of TrueKids1.

TrueKids1 is a youth media and technology nonprofit that works to inspire students, teach media literacy skills, and promote di...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on “Voices of Taos,” editor Geoffrey Plant talks with Kathryn Córdova, author of the “Know Your Neighbor” column, which she started in 2004. Kathryn began writing the column again this year after a long hiatus. 

Kathryn is known for her work as an activist, journalist, educator, and archivist. She was an educator for 25 years, h...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Olivia Lewis talks with Kristen Van Norman, the new executive director of Stray Hearts Animal Shelter.

Van Norman brings with her 15 years of nonprofit experience, most recently as Director of Overseas Operations for USA Girl Scouts Overseas. She was appointed by the Stray Hearts board of directors in October, and has spent the past few...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, assistant editor Ellen Miller-Goins talks with author Michael H. Ritterhouse about his new novel, "The Long Walk Home: When the Power Dies."

Ritterhouse describes his novel as “optimistic post-apocalyptic.” The story centers around a young man named Tommy returning home to California from a summer camp in Texas. While en route, a dis...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, editor Geoffrey Plant talks with Aurora Valdez, deputy secretary of the NM Indian Affairs Department.

Valdez is a member of Taos Pueblo and Tesuque Pueblo. She worked as a field representative for Sen. Martin Heinrich and was a research assistant for the Native Nations Institute. She’s been a grant writer and community organizer — fo...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Stephanie Gates talks with Vidal Gonzales, owner and founder of The Uncivilized Outdoorsman, which is based out of Santa Clara Pueblo and conducts Indigenous and Hispanic Youth Fly Fishing Camps.

Gonzales founded The Uncivilized Outdoorsman in 2022, and has since partnered with a number of organizations to provide traditional knowledge ...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, Taos News sports editor Blynn Beltran interviews first-year cross country varsity head coach Billy Romero Sr. and his son, junior distance-runner Billy Romero Jr.

Beltran, Romero Sr. and Romero Jr. talk about the road to district, state, and their training over the summer. At the time of this recording, Romero Jr. was ranked as the number one in Mile...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Olivia Lewis talks with Ricky Carlini, owner of Daleee KTAOS, about the planned opening of a second location in Taos Ski Valley.

Ricky first came to the Taos area in 2011, working as a line cook on a J1 visa. After returning to the mountain many years in a row, he decided to try and open a music venue, and opened Daleee KTAOS in 2023. Daleee...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, sports editor Blynn Beltran talks toTaos High School's varsity head coach of the volleyball team, Rachel Rael. Beltran and Rael discuss the team’s success last year, which was the program's best since 1987, and how this year's team is topping it. Rael was born and raised in Taos and played a variety of sports as a Tiger, including basketball an...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, publisher Chris Baker speaks with Bill Waugh, a U.S. veteran, member of the Lions Club and one of our nine Unsung Heroes of 2025.

Baker and Waugh talk about the Kids Eye Program, which provides free eye exams, glasses fitting and eyewear to school-age children all over Taos County.

Chris and Bill also discuss his work raising and distributing fu...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Stephanie Gates talks with Abby Warman, Programs Manager for the Taos County Economic Development Corporation and Abe Brown, rancher and former mentee of TCEDC's Regenerative Ranching Mentorship Program.

Gates, Warman and Brown discuss how the program provides a community for both new and experienced ranchers, the challenges that new rancher...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Stephanie Gates talks with Gillian Joyce, executive director of Alianza Agri-Cultura de Taos.

Stephanie and Gillian talk about a citizen science initiative started by the Ecdysis Foundation, which help farmers and ranchers training to collect data on soil health, wildlife diversity and crop yields. Taos is one of two locations in the country...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Stephanie Gates talks with Lucas Salazar, Matanza Project Developer for the Taos County Economic Development Corporation.

Gates and Salazar talk about the challenges small producers face when trying to have their meat processed locally, as well as how a local processing facility would allow more money to remain in Taos County.

They also disc...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on "Voices of Taos," join reporter Olivia Lewis as she talks with Braylon Quiver of Picuris Pueblo, who at just 16 is a budding archaeologist, a fifth-generation micaceous clay potter, and Picuris Pueblo Museum's assistant museum curator.

Lewis and Quiver discuss the Picuris Pueblo Museum and Interpretive Center, which reopened after roughly $1 million in renovations o...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Stephanie Gates speaks with Talavi Cook, a Project Associate at Amigos Bravos supporting watershed restoration and quality projects and facilitating the Rio Fernando Revitalization Collaborative.

Stephanie and Talavi discuss the venting of tritium at Los Alamos National Laboratories, which was previously slated to begin Saturday (Sept. 13), ...

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus.

This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Emery Veilleux talks with Jessie Hook, Destination Stewardship Plan Manager.

Emery and Jessie talk about what the Destination Stewardship Plan is and how it can help tourism in Taos be sustainable and equitable. Businesses in Taos rely heavily on tourism, but that needs to be balanced with the needs and desires of locals.

Hook and Veilleux d...