Santa Fe New Mexican, March 24, 2026

Jurors begindeliberatinginNew Mexico v. Meta

By PhaedraHaywood phaywood@sfnewmexican.com

TheNew MexicoDepartment of Justice is asking jurors in SantaFetoorder social mediagiantMetatopay about$2 billion in penalties foralleged violationsofthe Unfair TradePractices Act.

Attorneys forthe stateand Meta delivered theirclosing argumentsMondayina weekslong trialoverthe state’sallegations the company’splatformsexpose children to sexual content and predators, andthat Meta misled consumersaboutthe harms.

Jurors began deliberating around4 p.m. buttold FirstJudicialDistrict JudgeBryan Biedscheid an hour latertheywished to adjourn forthe dayand return Tuesdayto continueweighing evidence.

If jurorsfind Meta made false or misleading statements or designed itsproducts to take advantageofuserstoa“gross” degree, thejudgesaid, theymustconsider how many usersunder 18 wouldnot have used theplatforms if they hadbeen informed of therisk. Then theycan determine an appropriate penalty. Such apenalty mustbe“based on reason

andjustice,”the judgesaid.

Federal lawprotects Meta from being heldliablefor content posted by third parties, butitcan be held liablefor its ownstatements andconduct, including decisions aboutthe design safety on its platforms, the judgesaid.

Thejurydeliberations in SantaFecome as aCalifornia jury has struggledtoreach a verdict afterdaysofdeliberating in asocial

Uphillpush forROCk

Plansfor south-side homeless sheltermoveforward withoutstate capitaloutlay

By Carina Julig

ASantaFenonprofitplans to move ahead withconstruction of anew 125-bed homelessshelter on thecity’ssouth side despite afailed attempt to securelegislative capital outlayfor the project.

Interfaith CommunityShelter —the founder and longtime operator of acity-owned homelessshelter on CerrillosRoad beforeits ousterfromthe facilityin late July —took amajor step forwardinJanuarywhen it closedonthe purchase of a1.1-acre parcel at 1Emblem Road near the SantaFePlace mall

Thegroup nowplans to build afacilityfromthe ground up with both overnightand dayservices for homelessresidents. Theestimated pricetag forthe building,known as theResource andOpportunity Center,orthe “ROCk,”is $16million, which the nonprofithad hoped to defray with statefunding

Prospect of de-escalationreversesmarketdeclines

backingawayfromhis threats over theweekend to attack Iranian powerplants.

WASHINGTON—President

Donald Trump said Monday that the United States and Iran were negotiating a“totalresolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,”

50-year-oldwoman wasfound dead at home Sunday,according to news release

By Nicholas Gilmore

ngilmore@sfnewmexican.com

TheSantaFeCountySheriff’s Office and emergency dispatchers have released little information aboutaninvestigation intoawoman’s slaying at herhome in asprawling subdivision southofSantaFe.

Theagency announced Mondayithad openedaninvestigation intothe death of 50-year-old Jennifer Vigil, whose body wasfound Sundayinahome in Rancho Viejo.However,officialsdid not provide anydetailsabout thekilling and said theinvestigation has been sealed by ajudge. No one has been chargedinVigil’s death,which the sheriff’s office has classifiedasa homicide.It’sunclear if detectiveshaveidentified asuspect, although aspokespersonwrote in an email,“Thereisnoperceived threat to the public.”

Ahomeowner’sassociation didn’t sendout anyalert to neighborsabout potential danger

Anewsrelease from the sheriff’s office states Vigil was

By Alaina Mencinger

amencinger@sfnewmexican.com

Trump said JaredKushner,his son-in-law,and SteveWitkoff,one of his mostsenior advisers, were leadingthe talks

“Wehavehad very,very strong talks,”Trump told reporters

Monday. “We’ll see wherethey lead. We have major points of agreement.”

Theprospect of negotiations to end the warlaunched by the United States andIsraelonFeb 28 sharply reversed some of the steep declines in globalfinancial markets. ButIranpubliclydenied negotiations were taking place, with the speakerofIran’sparlia-

ment taking to social media to call it fake news Still, according to four Iranian officials and an Iranian diplomat, Iran andthe United States have been exchanging messages through intermediaries about de-escalating theconflict,though the messagesappeared to be short of negotiations.The talks aimedto

As earlyasnextyear, aconical flask withthe acronym “PFAS” willstart appearing on certain consumer products in NewMexico. TheEnvironmental Improvement BoardonMonday approvedaruletophaseout theuse of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or forever chemicals, from some consumerproducts in thestateand requirelabeling forothers.

“Thatimagewillserve theuniversallanguageofidentity and provide whoeverisshopping theabilitytounderstand what we’retrying to convey:There’s PFAS in this product,” said Environment SecretaryJamesKenney, whonoted that mostother states withPFASlabeling requirements use wordsratherthan an icon. PFAS, achemical familyofsubstances that resists

SenateconfirmsSen.MullinofOkla to lead DHSafter Noem departure

WASHINGTON—The Senate confirmed Markwayne Mullin as homeland securitysecretary lateMonday, approving President Donald Trump’s nominee to take overthe embattled department afterthe firing of KristiNoem during apublic backlash over theadministration’s immigration enforcement and massdeportation operations.

Mullin, aRepublican senatorfrom Oklahoma knownfor his close friendship with Trump,has triedtopresent himself as asteadyhand,saying hisgoalas secretary would be to getthe department off thefront page of the news.Hetakes overatadifficult time as Trump has ordered ICEagentsto bolster airport securityduringa budget standoff in Congress. And he tangled withthe Republican chairman of the Homeland SecurityCommittee, whoquestioned Mullin’s character and temperament during last week’s combative confirmation hearing.

Pentagon to move pressto‘annex’ aftercourtlossoverrestrictedaccess

ThePentagon announced Monday it will move journalists from their dedicated workspaceinside its iconicbuilding and requirethem to work from aseparatefacility, days afterafederal judgeruled that the DefenseDepartment’s controversial media policy violatedthe pressfreedom and due processrights of TheNew York Times and one of its reporters.

In astatement posted on XonMondayevening, chief Pentagonspokesman Sean Parnell wrotethatthe department will comply with the Fridayruling from Senior U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman, butdisagrees with it and will appeal Parnell also said thatthe DefenseDepartment cannot adequately managesecuritywithin the five-sidedbuilding with workingpress inside.Heannouncedthatithas closed the“Correspondents’ Corridor”where journalists have worked fordecades and move them to an “annexfacility outside the Pentagon, butstillonPentagon grounds. Militaryaircraftwith121 aboard crashesinColombia, killingdozens

BOGOTÁ, Colombia— Amilitary transportplane with 121 people on board, mostly soldiers, crashed shortlyafter taking off MondayinPuertoLeguizamo,Colombia,killing at least 33 peopleand leaving at least 81 injured, according to the town’s deputy mayor.

In avideoposted on social media, Deputy MayorCarlos Claros said the bodiesofthe victimsweretaken to the small town’s morgue, and thatthe onlytwo clinics in town treatedthe injured beforetheywereflowntolargercities. PuertoLeguizamo is locatedinPutumayo,anAmazonian provincethatbordersEcuador andPeru

“I want to thank thepeopleofPuertoLeguizamo who came outtohelpthe victims of this accident,” Claros told Colombian television station RCN. Defense Minister PedroSánchezsaid the plane that crashed wastransporting troops to acityinPutumayo Possible hate crimeinLondonafter Jewishcharityambulancessetonfire

LONDON —Four ambulances belongingtoaJewishcharitywereset on fireearly MondayinLondon in what British police areinvestigating as an antisemitichatecrime. Detectivesare working to determine whether aclaimofresponsibilityfromagroup with alleged links to Iran is authentic Though it has not been classifiedasaterrorist incident, counterterror officers have been putinchargeofthe investigation. No one wasinjuredinthe nighttimeattack, which shatteredwindows in nearbyhomesand left the vehicles charredshells.

“Weare pursuing alllines of inquiry,including an online claim of responsibilitybyan Islamist group whohaveclaimed otherattacks acrossEurope and have potential Iranian state links,”said MarkRowley,chief of policeinLondon NewMexican wireservices

KARTHLEENFLYNN/THE NEWYORKTIMES

Straydogsroamastreet in NewOrleans last month. As immigrant detentions andself-deportations soar,animal welfaregroupsare scramblingtofeed, foster andrehomethe pets leftbehind. “Weare facing amajorcrisis,”said HeydiAcuna, co-founder of Mercy Full Project in Tampa, Fla.

Pets left orphaned amid immigrationcrackdown

By Miriam Jordan The NewYork Times

TNEWORLEANS

he adoptionlisting describedHeinz, aShihTzu-poodlemix, as sweet, happyand energetic.

“Buthealso has asad story,” said thebio on the websiteofRolling RiverRescue anonprofitinNew Orleans.

Thecaramel-colored pup hadn’t run away nor hadhebeen givenupbyownerswho no longer wanted him. He had“lost hisfamily,”the listing said, as aresult of “recent events in New Orleans,”a referencetoimmigration enforcement that has swept up people under President Donald Trump’smassdeportation campaign.

Federal agents have conducted largescale crackdowns in NewOrleans, Chicago, Los Angeles andMinneapolisand smaller roundups from Hawaii to Maine. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants have been arrested. Most have remained locked up andmanyhave been deported.

Left behind have been their dogs,catsand bunnies, even chickens, according to pet rescue groups andanimal control agencies.

“WhatmanyAmericans don’trealizeisthat thereare companion animals being leftby families that disappearedovernight,”said Maria Thomas, president of Rolling River, which has been scrambling to find foster and adoptive families fordogsand cats in NewOrleans.

“Wewerealready workingatsuch adeficit because thereare so manypetsinneed allthe time,” shesaid. “Now we have the additional challenge of animals whoneed rehomingwhen their owners aredeported or theyself-deport.

NewOrleansisaplaceall toofamiliar with displacement. In 2005,Hurricane Katrina forced manypeople from theirhomesand, in some cases, outofthe cityaltogether.Abandoned animals roamingthe streets became part of the post-Katrina tableau. Thedisaster also led peopletoforge newwaystohelpeach other.

More recently, as thefederal immigration crackdown upended life, that same spirit spurred mutual aid groupsintooverdrive.With manyimmigrants afraid to leave their homes, volunteershavedeliveredfood and other provisions forfamilies, and oftenfor pets, including those takeninbyneighborsorwandering the streets aftertheir ownersvanished.

Exactlyhow manydisplacedpets thereare is impossible to quantify.The problem is not

trackedbythe patchworkofgovernment agencies responsible foranimals or by thelocal andnational nonprofits that fillgaps in care.

Whatagenciesand organizations do sayis thatthere have been unmistakablesurgesin stray or abandonedpets in theaftermath of immigration crackdowns

In Minnesota,St. Paul Animal Services, a government agency,recorded a38% increase in stray,seizedand relinquishedcatsand dogs in January 2026 compared withJanuary2025, coinciding withOperation MetroSurge in the Twin Cities region.

Arescue group in thearea, TheBond Between Us,said that it received nearly twice as manysurrenders early this year than it had during thesame period last year

In Los Angeles, wherethousands of people were arrested in sweeps last year,the County DepartmentofAnimal Care and Control added apet plan to itswebsite forpeople“facing immigration-relatedchallenges.

ButMarcia Mayeda, thedepartment’sdirector, said that theburden nationwide has fallen mainlyonrescue groups becauseimmigrants fear interacting withanimal control.

“Weare thegovernment,our officers look likelaw enforcementand we euthanize,”she said. “Whatweget is thetip of theiceberg.”

In Florida, whereGov.Ron DeSantis has championed deportation, MercyFullProject in Tampaiscaring forthree timesasmany pets as it waslastyear.

“It’sbig dogs, little dogs, well-cared-for French bulldogs,”said HeydiAcuna, aco-founder of the nonprofit. “Weare facing amajor crisis.”

During an interview with TheNew York Times,she received atextfromawoman whohad just rescuedahound puppynamed Damian, whoneeded ahome.“Unfortunately, hisowners were deported,” shewrote As much as Americans seem to love pets, sheltershavelong struggled to accommodate allthe animalsinneed, and theimmigration raids have added to thestrain. With limited space, sheltersroutinely euthanizeanimals if theyhaven’t been adopted.

At Animal Rescue of NewOrleans, calls have been pouring in.

“Peoplereach outbegging us to take animals,”said Ginnie Baumann Robilotta, the nonprofit’svicepresident.

“The worstpart is,weare so full —witha waiting list,”she said. “All we can do is offer free food and supplies.

Rubio to testifyinVenezuela lobbyingtrial of ex-roommate

By JoshuaGoodman The Associated Press

MIAMI —The federal trial of a former Miami congressmanaccused of secretlylobbying forVenezuela’s government during the first Trumpadministration began MondaywithSecretary of StateMarco Rubio set to testify over his interactions with his old friend Prosecutors allegeDavid Rivera wasa hired gunfor former President Nicolás Maduro, leveraging Republicanconnectionsfromhis time in Congress to push

theWhiteHouse to abandon itshardline on Venezuela’ssocialist government. Rivera,who at one time hadbeen Rubio’s roommate in Florida, allegedly persuadedthen Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez—now Venezuela’sacting president —toaward him a$50 million lobbyingcontract to be paid by stateoil companyPDVSA.Aspartofthe alleged foreign influencecampaign, prosecutors sayRiverawas aided by TexasRepublican Rep. Pete Sessions and aconvicted Cali cartel associate as he soughtmeetingswiththe WhiteHouse and Exxon

Mobil on Maduro’sbehalf

Thetrial offersa rare glimpse into the often unseemly role Miami playsin shaping U.S. policy in Latin America

As such, it is perhaps fitting thatRubio, Miami’s mostprominent politician, is set to take the standTuesdayabout his meetingswith Rivera while theformer congressman andanassociate were allegedlyhelping Maduromount a charm offensive in Washington

Also likelytofacescrutinyisRodríguez, whorelied on Rivera to set up meetingsinNew York,Caracas,Wash-

ington and Dallas in abid to build U.S. support fornormalizing relations with Venezuela —aneffortthatfailed at the time butnow appearswithin reach following Maduro’sousterand theascent of his morepragmaticaide

“This caseisabout twothings: greed and betrayal,” prosecutorRoger Cruz said in his opening statementMonday.

“The evidencewillshowthatfor $50 million these twodefendants made a pact to secretlylobby forNicolás Maduro, thecommunistdirector, and his second in command Delcy Rodríguez.

limits).Ifithasn’t,pleasecontact circulation at 505-986-3010 or circulation@sfnewmexican.com. Classifiedlineads 505-986-3000,800-873-3362

Trump adminto pay$1B to end 2 projects

By Evan Halper andJakeSpring The Washington Post

HOUSTON—The Trump administration reachedanagreementtopay $1 billiontoFrench energy firmTotalEnergiestostopdeveloping twooffshore wind farms off thecoast of NewYork and NorthCarolina, instead directing theinvestments to oil and gasprojects.

Trump has campaignedagainst offshorewind formorethan adecade, eventually losing abattle to stop afarm from being built off thecoast from agolf course he owns in Scotland in 2015.He has called turbinesugly, expensive and dangerous to animals, though offshore wind proponentssay thoseconcerns areunfoundedand that stopping any energy projectswillonlymakeelectricityprices surgefurther.

Thesettlementintroduces anew strategyinthe Interior Department’s long-running battle to stop offshore wind. Thedepartmenthas also issued stop-work ordersfor thefive fullypermittedoffshorewind projects already being built, although allwon court injunctions earlierthis year to allow construction to go forward.

Thesettlementagreementwillpay TotalEnergiestoreturn itstwo offshore wind leases to thefederal government, theInterior Department said in a statement. Thecompany, which bid for theleases underPresident JoeBiden, “has pledged not to developany new offshorewind projects in theUnited States,”the departmentsaid.

“We’re partnering withTotalEnergies to unleash nearly $1 billionthatwas tied up in alease deposit directedtowards theprior administration’s subsidies that were pushing expensive, weather dependent offshorewind,”said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, speaking to reportersMondayatCERAWeek by S&P Global, an energy industry conference in Houston.

“We’re allowing this greatcompany to redirectthosedollars that have been paid intothe Treasury to affordable reliable and secureoil and naturalgas production in theU.S.” TotalEnergieswillinsteadinvest the $928 million from thewind leases in a liquefied naturalgas facilityinTexas, shalegas production and oil drilling.

Thecompany’stwo offshorewind projects —called AttentiveEnergyand Carolina Long Bay— were still in the planning stages, having yettobefully permitted, and farfrombeing built. Lastyear, theInterior Department had stoppedall additional federal permits forrenewable energy projects, leaving thevastmajorityofoffshorewind projects deadinthe water.

Thedepartmentbased thestop-work ordersonnational securityconcerns, flagged in aclassifiedreport by the Defense Departmentthathas not been made public.

“I will notargue with secretary about national securityconcerns. It’s notour job,” Patrick Pouyanné,chairman and chief executive officerofTotalEnergies. “It’snot up to us to arguewith the state.” Pouyanné,also speaking at CERAWeek, added: “In thesituation of the U.S., whereyou have hugeamount of resources, hugeamount of land to produceelectricity, offshorewind is not themostaffordable waytoproduce electricity.

To send letters, usethe online form at santafenewmexican.com

Desperate call to stop came toolate

Audiorecordingdepictsdistracted airtraffic controller in lead-upto crashwithfiretruck that killed2

By Christopher Maag

The NewYork Times

NEWYORK “Stop, Truck 1, stop!”

Thedesperatecall from an air trafficcontroller late Sundaynight came seconds before the first fatalcollision at LaGuardia Airportin exactly34years.

Thecall came toolate.

Twopilots were killed anddozens were injured when an Air Canada Expressjet collided on arunwaywith afire truck as it landedatLaGuardia Airport around 11:45p.m Sunday. Theforce of the crashejected aflight attendant, whowas tossed from theplane and landed on the runwaystill strappedtoher seat

Thecollision shutdownone of thebusiest airports in the region, exacerbating flight cancellations and delaysacrossthe country amid apartial federal governmentshutdown.

Thefire truck hadbeen deployed to respond to an aborted takeoff by aUnited Airlinesflight, BryanBedford, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration,saidata news conferenceatLaGuardia on Monday Leadersofthe National Transportation Safety BoardweregatheringatLaGuardia on Mondaytobegin the agency’sinvestigation. Thecause of the crashhad notbeen determinedMonday, butarecordingof communications between air trafficcontrollersand personnel on the ground suggests that controllersmight have been distracted around thetime of the collision by theUnited flight emergency Moments beforethe crash, workers on a firetruck requested permission to crossa primary runwayatLaGuardia to respond to an aircraftwhose crew hadreported an issue with odor in the cabin,said Kathryn Garcia, executive directorofthe Port Authorityof NewYorkand NewJersey, which operates theairport. Flight attendantshad reported feeling ill because of the odor,she said.

As Air Canada ExpressFlight 8646 descended through alight drizzle toward LaGuardia’srunwayNo. 4-22,the flight tower approvedthe firetruck’s requesttomove forward, according to arecordingofair traffic control communications posted on the Live-

ATCwebsite. Moments later, the controller urgedthe drivertohalt, repeating the word “stop”10times. “Stop, Truck1,stop!” the controller says,according to the recording.

Severalminutesafter the collision, a controlleratthe airport told thepilotofa Frontier jet thatLaGuardia wasshutdown because of an “incident in thefield,”accordingto air trafficcontrol audiopostedonthe site LiveATC.net, which wasreviewedby The NewYork Times.The controller said “we were dealing with an emergency earlier,” apparentlyreferring to the United jet. Despiterain, moderate wind andfoggy conditions, visibilitywas roughly4milesat thetime of the crash, Bedfordsaid.

Late Mondaymorning, thejet remained on thetarmac whereitcrashed, its tail resting on theground and its nose cantileveredupward. Thecockpit wasmangled andpartially shearedfromthe body, hanging in shreds at thefront of the plane. Nearby, adamaged yellowfire truck layonits side.

Forty-onepassengersand crew members were takentonearbyhospitals, Garcia said, adding that32had been released by Monday morning andthatsome of the others were

seriouslyinjured.

Thefire truck wasoperated by membersof the Port AuthorityPoliceDepartment’saircraftrescuefirefighting unit,which responds to emergencies at the airports, including LaGuardia. Theoccupants of thefire truck were Sgt. MichaelOrsillo and OfficerAdrian Baez, according to the Port Authority. They were takentoNewYork-Presbyterian Hospitalinstablecondition,Garcia said. TheAir Canada flight leftMontreal with72 passengersand four crew members. Thetrip wasmostlyuneventful. Thefirstsign of troublecame when the planeapproachedNew York,saidRebecca Liquori,35, apassenger whowas sitting in seat19A,byanemergency exit. Aflightattendant announced that if the planemadeanemergency landing, passengers should nottakeany luggagewiththem, Liquori recalled.

Thelanding wasrough, and theplane braked hard, said Liquori,a nurse wholives in Baldwin, N.Y. “A fewseconds afterthat, youhearthe collisionand we just gotjolted,”Liquori said. “Wegot thrownforward. And everybody’s screaming.

Justices poised to reject lawonmail-in voting

By Abbie Vansickle

The NewYork Times

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court’sconservative majorityMondayappeared poisedtoreject Mississippi’s mail-in ballot law, adecision thatcould upend mail-in voting throughout the country

At issue is whether Mississippi’s law, which allows ballots postmarkedbyElection Dayto be counted if theyare received within fivebusinessdaysafter the election, is legalgiven that federal lawrequires votestobe cast by thatday

Theoutcome of the casecould have sweeping consequencesfor voters in the midterm elections, potentiallycreating chaos among states thatallowmail-in balloting. Mississippi and at least 18 other states and territories —including 2026 battleground districts in Nevada and California —allow late ballots to be counted

President DonaldTrump has long opposed mail-in voting and has falselyclaimedthatthe practice wasa source of fraud and contributedtohis defeatinthe 2020 presidential election. He has encouraged Republicanstosupport legislation outlawing mail-in voting and his administration backed the chal-

lengetothe Mississippi law, in hopesofhalting vote counts that continueafter Election Day.

TheRepublican-led Mississippi Legislatureadoptedthe law allowinglatearrivingballots to be counted in 2020,during the pandemic.Itisbeing challenged by theRepublican National Committeeand Mississippi’s stateGOP During morethantwo hours of argument Monday, the court’ssix conservativejustices repeatedlypressed the lawyer for Mississippi on what is required to makeaballot selection fully complete, suggesting thatfederal lawsets outElection Dayasthe dayballots shouldbeconsidered final

“SowhendoIknowwhether or not achoiceisfinal?”Justice ClarenceThomasasked.

Severalother conservative justices including Justice Amy ConeyBarrett, whoisoften akey vote,alsohad sharpquestions forMississippi. They focused on

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howthe statecould guarantee aballothad officiallybeen cast by ElectionDay,particularly because Mississippi allows late-arriving ballots to be counted when deliveredbyFedEx, aprivate company.

Adecisioninthe case is expected by late June or early July,beforethe Novembervote.

Amajority of states allowmilitary andoverseasballots to be counted afterElectionDay,and it remains unclearwhateffect a ruling against Mississippi’slaw would have on those rules.

Thecourt’s three liberal justices appeared to defend the Mississippi law, noting thatfederal lawallows the states to set their ownelectionregulations.

They also appeared concerned the challengecould endanger all earlyvoting andmakeitharder

formembersofthe militaryto vote

“Congresscouldn’t have conceivedofthe kind of early voting we have now, it couldn’t have conceivedofathousand otherwaysinwhich we administer elections now,”said Justice Elena Kagan, suggesting federal lawdoesnot invalidate thestate statute

Keyconservatives also appeared troubled by potential implications forearly voting, including Barrett, whopressed the lawyer forthe Republican NationalCommitteeonthe question.

“Itseemstomethatifyou look at the historical practice, what an electionmeant wasshowing up in person andcasting your vote andbeing qualifiedasthe voter on thatsame day,”she said.

as longwait times at airports persist

By Wyatte Grantham-Philips

Associated Press

The

NEWYORK —Armed federal immigration officers in tactical gear movedthrough terminals at some of thebusiest U.S. airportsMonday, standing near securitylinesand checkpoints afterPresident Donald Trump ordered theirdeployment during apartial government shutdownthathas disrupted air travel nationwide

TheTrump administration said they wouldsupplement Transportation SecurityAdministration staffing at certain airports butprovided fewdetails aboutexactly what they would be doing. Still, afterintensified immigration enforcementand protests in citiesacrossthe country overthe past year, theirpresencehas unsettled some travelersand raised new questions.

On Monday, AssociatedPress journalists observed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents patrolling terminalsand lingering near long linesofpassengersat Hartsfield–JacksonAtlanta International,John F. Kennedy International in NewYork, Newark LibertyInternational in NewJersey, GeorgeBush Intercontinental in Houstonand Louis Armstrong International outside NewOrleans. Ahandful of otherairports —including Phoenix’sSky HarborInternational —also confirmed ICE wouldbeon-site. Chicago MayorBrandon Johnson said his office wasmonitoring the deployment of federal officers at O’HareInternational Federal lawenforcement officers area routine presence at international airports. Customs and Border Protection officers screen arriving passengers,and Homeland SecurityInvestigations agents conduct criminal inquiriestiedtocross-border activity. Butimmigration agents arerarelyvisible at TSAcheckpoints, thefront line of domestic air travel.

Monday’sdeployments came as hundreds of thousands of Homeland Securityworkers, including from theTSA,have

worked withoutpay since Congress failed to renewDHS funding last month. Funding forthe department lapsed Feb. 14,whenDemocrats refused to fund ICE as well as Customs and Border Protection withoutchanges to theiroperations afterfederal officers shot and killed AlexPrettiand Renee Good in Minneapolis.But,while routine funding used to pay TSAagentshas lapsed, ICE and otherimmigration enforcement personnelare still receiving paychecks amid theshutdown—a result of Trump’s big taxcuts bill that became lawlastyear. Meanwhile, thebudget stalemateimpacting TSAonly deepened as Trump rejected thelatest offer,this one from his ownRepublican Party, aftera weekendofnegotiations WhiteHousestaff pitched Trump on theidea of funding DHS, except forimmigration operations that have been centraltothe dispute,according to apersonafamiliar withthe situation whospokeonthe condition of anonymitytodiscussprivate talks. Still, Trump rejectedthatplanand later escalated his demands that senatorsalso approvethe so-called SAVE America Act, astrict proof-of-citizenship voting bill that has essentially no chancein theCongress “TSA is grateful to our DHS brothers and sistersatICE for stepping up to supportour officers,but there’sonlyone guaranteed waytoend thechaos at America’sairports: Democrats mustcome back to thetable and fully fund DHS,”TSA said in astatementpostedtosocial media Monday. On Monday, theWhiteHouse also turneddownarequest from topDemocratic negotiator,Sen Patty MurrayofWashington, to meet and continue talks, according to anotherpersongranted anonymitytodiscussthe private conversations Unlikemanyrecentimmigration operationsinU.S. cities, wherefederal agents have often worn face coverings,ICE officers at airports appearedtobelargely notmasked Monday, following an earlier direction by Trump

Uphill push forROCk

allocatedbySantaFelawmakers.

While the project received alot of positive feedback from local lawmakers, Interfaith CommunityShelter boardPresident Kent Grubbs said, the organization gota late start lobbying forfunding during the 30-daysession thatended last month.By that time,he noted, the city of SantaFeand Santa Fe Countyhad already presented their capital outlaywishlists. He described the experienceas“a good platform”tobuild on fornextyear

“I think we hadsome wins andwe developed some support,”hesaid. “It didn’t result in anyfunding, butweonly started the processinDecember, so I m proud of the effort thatwemadeand of the wayweadvancethe message of what we’retrying to accomplish.”

Creatingthe ROCk has beenthe nonprofit’smaingoalsince its lease to operatethe city-owned shelter at 2801 Cerrillos Road —long called Pete’s Placebut nowdubbedAgape House wasterminatedlast year

Interfaith envisions amix of congregate spaces forbeds as well asindividual housing units at the shelter, such as private rooms, withindoor and outdoor space, wraparoundservicesand case management to help guests on apath intopermanent housing. Day services would include food, laundry,showers, bikerepair, mail, internet access anda pet kennel.

Estimatedoperating costswould be about $2.5 million to $3 million ayear.

Thenonprofitishosting acommunity forum April9,wherepeoplecan ask questions and provide feedback about the project. Grubbs said the eventis intended to collect inputfromawide rangeofresidents, which will be used to inform the facility’s eventual design and operation.

Theformat will be modeledafter some recent communityengagement events on homelessnesshostedbythe

city, with an initialpresentationand then small-group discussions at tables.

Facilitatorswill take notesonparticipants’comments.

StateRep.TaraLujan,D-SantaFe, describedthe Resource andOpportunityCenter as “a good investment.

As theLegislatureworks to geta handleonaballooning backlogof unspent capital outlayfor localprojects, Lujansaid in an interviewlastweek, it’simportant forInterfaith Community Shelter to have asolid financialplan that informs the stages of its project and thecosts as it requests statefunding.

“I’vebeen supportive of their efforts and we justneedtoget asolid plan with themtogether andsee wherethey are exactlyright now, andhow we can help,” shesaid.

Grubbs said Interfaith Community Shelter also is exploring the possibility of receivingfunds throughthe Lujan Grisham administrationand hada meeting recentlywith WorkforceSolutions Secretary SaritaNair.

In the meantime,the nonprofitis moving forwardwithengineering and architectural work andexpects to submitanapplication forcitybuilding permits overthe summer.

“We’re continuing that work full speed aheadatour owncost,”Grubbs said.

Interfaith hosted acleanupofthe Emblem Road siteearlier this month in partnership with the local“TrashPandas” group and is conducting outreach to neighbors in the surrounding area including SantaFePlace managers.

Grubbs said the nonprofitwants to have a“collaborativerelationship”with all propertyowners.

Membersofthe organization have said the Emblem Road propertyappealed to them becauseitisnot adjacent to any homes butisclose to abus route.However,the morethan 200-unit Turquesa apartmentcomplexlies just beyond a storageunit site, and thereare several homes just downEmblem Road.Hotels and otherbusinesses arealso nearby.

ABOVE: Trash Pandas volunteerstackle garbageand debris duringacleanup earlier this month at asiteonEmblem Road destinedfor anew homeless shelter near the SantaFePlacemall.

RIGHT:Trailersfulloftrash areremovedbyTrash Pandas volunteers

PHOTOSBYNATHAN BURTON/THE NEWMEXICAN

Grubbs said he’s spokentodozens of people aboutthe ROCk.While people have different opinions on the project, he has yettohearanyonesay theydon’t believe the cityneeds anew homeless shelter,henoted, which speaks to how pervasive homelessnesshas become in SantaFe.

“One of the staggering revelations formeinthiswholeprocess is just how obvious this need is andhow widespreadthatviewis,”hesaid.

media addiction case against Meta and Google. Closing arguments were held in thetrial March 12. Jurors told ajudge Mondaytheyhadn’tbeen able to reach aunanimous decision, news stations in California reported. Thejudgeencouraged them to keep trying.

‘Collateraldamage’

Attorneys foreach side in the NewMexicocase spoke forhoursMonday, highlighting the testimonyofkey witnesses during the 31-daytrial, which began in February and included 50 witnesses and morethan 500 exhibits, according to asummaryprovided by the state.

Thestateaccuses the company —whose platforms include WhatsApp,Facebook and Instagram —ofpaying lip service aboutsafetyinpublic butpursuingprofit oversafetyinprivate, adhering to the motto “move fast and break things” in its rushto competewith other applications such as TikTok and Snapchat.

NewMexico’spreteens and teens were canaries in acoal mine,Linda Singer,anattorney representing thestate,told jurorsMonday.

Thecompanyknewunderage userswerebeing harmed by algorithms thatpushed inappropriate content their wayand recommended theyconnect with pedophiles, butfailed to disclose or remedythe problem, shesaid, treating thestate’schildren as mere “collateral damage.”

“Metahas said it’snot perfect, butthe safety issues you’ve heardaboutinthis case were not mistakes,”Singer said.

Meta’s leadattorney, Kevin Huff,denied the allegations, pointing to witnesstestimony the companydid moretoprotect

Linda Singer, an attorneyrepresenting the state, makesa closing statementinthe

of NewMexicov.MetaPlatforms Inc.,inthe FirstDistrict CourtinSanta Fe on

underage users than anyother tech companyin the worldand regularly disclosed risks associated withits platforms. He also argued thestatehad not met its burden of proving the companywillfullydesigned its products to be harmfulto youthorthatany NewMexico youthused its platforms becausetheyweremisinformed aboutsafety—orwould not have used the platforms if they hadbeen so informed.

“Metadesignsits apps to connectfriends andfamily,not to try to connectpredators with teens,”Huff said. The“vast majority”ofthe platforms’ content is“perfectly fine,”evenfor teens, he added.

“Metaworks hard to protect teens from abuse,” he said, pointing to “tools”such asa“block” buttonand restrictionspreventing adult users from contacting teens withwhom theyare not already in connection.

employees —“enough to fill Lobo stadium”—tomonitor and remove objectionable content.

Young people access platforms by lying abouttheirage he noted, which doesn’t mean the companyisatfault.

Singer pointed to testimony thatthe companyplacedextra value on underageusersasearly adoptersand trend setters,and wasaware the platforms were inundatedwith harmful content, including images of self-harm and suicide.

She reminded jurors amiddle school principal hadtestified Instagramuse wasprevalent amongstudents andused to amplify typical schoolyard bullying. She also said decoy accounts set up by investigators posing as underagegirls hadbeen flooded with friend requests andexplicit images from menworldwide.

andactively connected pedophiles with underageusers.

“Ifyour interestislittle girls, [theplatforms]willbevery good at connecting youtolittle girls,”Singer said Meta is oneofthe most sophisticatedtech companiesin the world, butstill hasn’tfigured outhow to verify theagesofits users, shesaid, comparing that to putting a“no trespassing” sign on aswimming pool but notbuilding afencearound it to keep children safe ‘Cold, hard cash’

Meta attacked the state’s investigation, saying it didn’t replicate the typical experience of underage usersand employed questionable tactics —such as usingphotographs of actual peopletocatfish would-bepredators

activity, Huff argued. He suggested theJustice Department wasmotivated not by an urge to protect, butbya desirefor acivil payout larger than anyinstate history

“Atthe startoftrial the statenever mentionedwhatit wanted,”Huff told jurors.“It’s onlynow,onthe last dayoftrial, that we finally find outthe state wantsone thing from you: cold, hardcashand billions of it.”

Singer told jurors it wasup to them to determine apenalty in keeping withthe “enormity of theharm”and suggested two options forcalculating apenalty

Oneoption, she said would be to multiply the maximum possible penalty forviolating the Unfair TradePractices Act of $5,000 by the number of total averagemonthlyteen usersof Meta products acrossthe state— about180,000 forInstagram and about28,700 forFacebook —for apenaltyofabout$1,043,500,000 foreach of the twocounts.

Thefirstcount accuses the companyofviolating thelaw by misleading usersormisrepresenting itsproducts, and the second accuses thecompany of employing unconscionable tradepractices by creating a product designed to harm teens.

Shesuggested atotal penalty of about$1.87 million.

Asecond option calculating theharms based on thereported prevalence of specific types of objectionable contentorcontact —such as self-harm, nudity, or unwanted contact from strangers— waslessfleshed outby thestate

breaking down in theenvironment,are used in consumer productslikewaterproofclothing, nonstick pans and cleaning products. Becauseoftheir persistenceinthe environment they can bioaccumulateinthe human body.According to aNew Mexico DepartmentofHealth guide forclinicians, theuse of PFAS has been associatedwith negative reproductiveeffects, heightened cholesterol and increased riskfor some cancers. In 2025,the OilConservation Commission approvedarule banning theuse of PFAS in the fracking process, although it stoppedshortofrequiring afull chemical disclosurefromoperators.Anotherpetition to classify discardedfirefighting foams known as “aqueous filmforming foam”ashazardous wastewas filed withthe Environmental Improvement Boardlatelast year and awaitsa rulemaking. Most Americans have a detectablelevel of PFAS in their blood, according to theAgency forToxic Substances and Disease Registry.According to the statehealth agency,whilethere areseveral treatments being researched, thereisnoapproved method to remove PFAS from thebody.

Thecompany has rules that prohibit underageusers,Huff said, and employs40,0000

“found to be deceased” afterdeputies were dispatched to ahome at 1:12p.m. Sunday. Vigil hadlived foryearsina home on Johnson Mesa,aroadwayon the community’seast side,accordingto public records. Little information could be found abouther Monday, butcourt recordsfromrecent yearspaintapicture of amotherwho struggled with violent outbursts from twoadult sons. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila declined to answerquestionsaboutthe investigation Monday, writing in an email acourt-orderedseal wasinplace. She didn’trespondtofurther questionsaboutthe seal. It’s unclear which judgeordered it or whetherit applies to all recordsinthe case. Womack-Avila said she expected to provide an update on the case Tuesday.

Meta professed it had“zero tolerance” forchild sexual assault material butknowingly allowedsuch material to be shared on its platforms, she said,

TheSantaFeRegionalEmergency Communications Center also declined to release call logsfromthe incident. Director RobertoLujan initially offeredtoprovide transcripts of the start of theemergency call thathad brought authoritiestoVigil’shome Sunday. He said the call wasstill “open”asofMondayafternoon, meaning officers were still “activelyworkingthe call” anditwas “not aclosedincident.”

However, he laterwrote in an email, “Toprotect the integrityofthe investigation, Iamcoordinating with the Sheriff’s Office on what informationI canrelease as this situationisactive andI do not want to compromise the investigation.”

Theincident wasalso leftout of an online log of sheriff’s office responses, known as “hot sheets. Theagencyhas omitted otherhomicides andshootingsfromits hotsheets in thepast, such as the discovery of aman’s bodyinaLone Buttegaragein2022, a fatalshootinginthe Caja del Rio in 2023 and afatalshooting in Nambéin2021.

Thestate “cherry-picked” horrific content and glossed over the company’sprevious disclosures and transparency reports, in which Meta warned consumers aboutpotential pitfalls of online

Atroubledhome

Sheriff’s deputies hadbeen called to Vigil’shome severaltimes in recent years in response to domestic incidents involving her sons, 26-year-old DevenRoybal and30-year-oldDarren Vigil-Roybal DevenRoybalwas chargedinFebruary with battery and othercounts afterVigil alleged he hadpushed herbeforegrabbing her phone and breaking it during adispute.Vigil told deputies theson suffersfromuntreatedschizophrenia. She alleged in AprilthatRoybalhad struck her severaltimes on herarms and the back of her headafter she told him to stop smoking electronic cigarettesinhis bedroom. He wasarrested and chargedinconnectionwith both incidents. Vigil also hadfiled apetition seekinga restrainingorder against Darren Vigil-RoybalinMarch 2025,alleging in apetition he hadthreatenedtokill her as well as Roybal in the previous weeks. She wrote, “myfear is thathewill act on thesethreats.”

Meta argued thestatehadn’t presentedany experttestimony or evidencethatwouldhelp jurors arrive at areasonable penalty.

“The stateisasking youto base a$2billion judgment on speculation and forthatreasonthe penaltyamount should be zero,” Huff said. ContinuedfromPageA-1

Vigil-Roybalhad ahistory of drug use, shealleged, and “possiblymentalillness,” and hadbrokenamirrorand threwthe glassaswell as otheritems at herand her younger sonwhilethreatening theirlives during adispute at thehome Roybal has faceda slewofcriminal chargesinconnection with other cases, includingallegationshehas threatened strangers andbatteredhospital staff.He has been foundincompetenttostand trial in fivedifferentcriminal cases from 2022 to 2025,according to recent courtfilings. Roybal wasarrested Saturday evening near Bloomfield in SanJuan County— almost200 miles from SantaFe— aftera deputy alleged he wasasleep behind the wheel of acar on theside of thehighway. Astatement of probable causealleges deputies came upon Roybal around 5p.m.Saturdayonthe side of U.S. 64 just outside Bloomfield, withtiretracks indicating he haddrivenoff theroad Deputies wroteRoybalsmelled of alcohol,and he wasarrested and booked intothe SanJuan Countyjail

Instead,the agency recommends reducing exposure. Labels on productscontaining intentionally added PFAS should start appearing as soon as January

Thehearing on therule started Feb. 23.Monday, the boardaddressed acouple of lingering questions, including when labeling requirements wouldgo intoeffectand whether some productsshouldbeexempted from themarking.

Theboard decided allproductswithintentionally added PFAS, including thoseexempted from thephase-out process, shouldbelabeled.

Productswithintentionally added PFAS willstart being phased outin2027, beginning withitems like cookware,food packaging and toys.Overthe next fiveyears,other products, like cosmetics,rugsand furniture willfollow. Exceptions from thephase-out include productslikemicrochips, drugsand medical devices.

“While Imay not be somebody whowouldtypically change outthe internal workingsofmy computer, thereare manypeople whoare,” Kenneysaid. “. For that particular example,[microchips]wouldhaveanexemption from thephaseout,but as the boarddecidedtoday, they would not be exempted or immune from thelabel to minimally alert thepersonusing theircomputer that there’ssomething in the computerthatcontains PFAS.

SidelinedbyIranWar,Gazaresidents remain in limbo

Fighting hasset back alreadyslowprogress toward more peaceful postwarGazaStrip

By Bilal Shbair,Isabel Kershner and Abu Bakr Bashir

The NewYork Times

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip

—Asthe effects of the U.S. and Israeli warwith Iran rippled acrossthe Middle East, people in one corner of the region,the GazaStrip,werefeeling sidelined,stuck in akind of limbo

Thefighting has setback the already slowprogresstowarda morepeaceful realityinpostwar Gaza.Israel brieflyclosed all the crossings intoGaza. Nowonly onecargo crossing is operating. Thesole crossing forpeople entering or leaving the territory —including patients seeking medicaltreatment abroad —was closed fornearly three weeks afterthe warwith Iran broke outonFeb.28. It reopened last week forlimited numbers of passengers.

ThePalestinian enclave wasonlyjust emerging from adevastating Israeli campaign thatkilled tens of thousands of people,according to Gazahealth officials, and reduced much of the coastal territory to rubble Now, the newstrifehas left residents of Gazafeeling ever more abandoned.

“The bittertruth is thatGaza has been forgotten,”said Fuad Shahin, 40,who runs asmallcafe in Deiral-Balah, in the southern halfofthe territory

Adhamal-Mabhouh, 46, asoccercoach whotrains amputees injured anddisplaced by theIsrael-Hamas warand during previous fighting, echoed the sentiment. “The eyes of the worldare on Iran andthe Gulf, he said.

“Whateverhappens, Gaza seems to lose,”headded.

Thepriceoffood and other basicgoods has surgedaspeople have returned to panicbuying, afraid thatcrossings intoGaza would not reopen, or would close again.Unscrupulous merchants havehoarded stock, apparentlyhoping to profitfrom high demand should therebe shortages.

“People rushedtothe markets and boughteverything they could with all the moneythey had—peoplewith moneyof course,”said Hussain Ghaben, 37, afatherofthree from the Sheikh RadwanneighborhoodinGaza City

Mahmoud Bolbol, 43,afather of sixfromGazaCity, has no work and reliesoncharity to feed his family. “I worrymore aboutgetting some cooking gas than what happens to Iran,” he said.

Gazahas been slowlytrying to recoverfromthe two-year Israeli offensive prompted by thedeadlyHamas-led attack on southernIsrael on Oct. 7, 2023 Afragile ceasefirewent into effectfive monthsago,though the Israelimilitary carries out near-daily strikes,saying it is responding to violations by militant groups

ThenextstagesofPresident

DonaldTrump’s 20-point peace plan,which wasendorsed by the U.N. SecurityCouncil, appear to have stalled. Acommitteeof Palestiniantechnocratsmeant to replacethe Hamas administrationhas still notentered Gaza, andaninternationalstabilization forceintended to bring security has yettomaterialize Anyprogresshinges on the thorniest issues, including disarming Hamas andensuring a withdrawal of the Israeli military, which controlsabouthalfof Gaza

Israel has conditioned the start of anymeaningfulreconstructionondisarmament.

Hamas is reluctanttopart with its weapons, which arecoreto its identityasafighting force against Israel. Themilitantgroup also relies on its guns to maintain its holdoverGaza’sroughly 2millionpeople. Trump’s Board of Peaceiswaiting forHamas to respond to aproposalfor relinquishing its weapons.

Gaza’s residents feel stuck between the competing demands of Hamas andIsrael. “Weare living inside avicious circle,caught in awhirlpool,” said Rami AbuReida,46, anut seller from the southern Gaza town of Khuzaa.

Ghaben, the father of three in Gaza City,saidhis house was completelydestroyed during the warinGaza. He andhis family aresheltering in atent nearthe rubble of their home “I couldnot buyanything, as Ihad no cash at all. Itotally depend on charity,” he said. Before the warhewas selling

clothes in astall on thestreet, butnow he is jobless. Like others in Gaza,Ghaben remembersthe months of severe hunger thatgripped Gaza during Israel’swar againstHamas.He recalled noteating forfour days andbeing shotinthe leg while waiting foranaid convoy near acrossing. Others around him were killed, he said. He said he hadfive bags of flourand enough beans stored in histent to lastabout three months. Prices forstaples have

Emergencyworkersataresidential building thatwas the site of an airstrike in Tehran,onMonday. PresidentTrump said Mondaythatthe United States andIranwerenegotiating a“totalresolution of ourhostilitiesinthe Middle East,” andthat he would postpone anyAmerican attacksonIranian powerplants by fivedays.

Trump says U.S. negotiating endtofighting

avert attacks on crucial energy infrastructure.Three officials said Iranian Foreign Minister AbbasAraghchi andWitkoff hadspokenonthe phone in recent days in what were describedaspreliminary discussions.

Trump’s dizzying fluctuationsinrecent days have raised manyquestionsabout whether an end to the warmight truly be at hand andifthe blockageofoil shipments thathaverocked the global economywill be resolved. With the warnow in itsfourth week, Iran’s main leverage in the conflict remains oil. Itspricehas risen more than50% since late February,amid ade factoIranianstranglehold on thecrucial Strait of Hormuz in thePersian Gulf. The International Energy Agency,which was createdbyindustrialized economies inthe 1970stoconfront disruptionsinthe supply of oil, said Mondaythatthe oil shockhad led to greaterdailylosses of oil supply than in 1973 and 1979 combined.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported late Mondaythatshipping throughthe Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint foroil, gas and fertilizer exports, remained very limited, with only asmall number of vessels, mainlyfromChinaand India, transiting. On theground in the Iranian capital, Tehran, therewas no letupinthe war, with Iranianswho were able to connect to the internetreporting intense and terrifying strikes. “If youknewhow it hit justnow,” posted one resident, MitraShahsavand, adding that“the earth and skyshook. Israel reported itsfighter jetshad carriedout a“wide-scale wave”ofattacks in the “heart of Tehran.”

On Mondaynight, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had

spokenwith Trumpand thatthe American president believeditwas possible to “leverage”the allies’ military gains to “realizethe objectivesofthe warinan agreement.”

Netanyahu said Israelwas continuing its campaign of targeted killingsinIran, which hadalready hitsome of the country’smost senior leaders. “Just afew days ago, we eliminatedtwo morenuclearscientists— and we arestill active,” he said.

Trump declined to disclose whom theUnitedStateswas communicating with in Iran, except to sayitwas notthe newlyanointed supremeleader,Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.Trump said he was demandinganend to Iraniannuclear enrichment and to the country’suranium stockpilesthatcould be used to oneday makeabomb Multiple officials from Iran denied that the country hadheld direct talkswith the United States,although some conceded or left open the possibilitythatithad been passingmessagesthrough intermediaries.

Thespokesperson forIran’sForeign Ministry,EsmailBaghaei, said Iran had held no direct talkswith theUnited States during theentireconflict. Thespeaker of theIranian parliament, Mohammad BagherGhalibaf,saidonsocialplatform Xthatclaims of negotiations were being used to “manipulate the financialand oilmarkets andescape the quagmire in which the US and Israelare trapped.”

arrangements forthe Strait of Hormuz.”

It wasunclearwhether Israelwas involvedinthe negotiations or wouldbe bound by anyagreement. Trump said Israel wasgoing to be “very happywith what we have,” adding U.S. officialshad just discussed the talks with Israeli counterparts.

British PrimeMinister Keir Starmer told seniorlawmakersMondaythathis government wasaware of talksbetween the United States andIran. Thepriority, he said, is to achieve“anegotiated agreement which puts tight conditions on Iran particularlyinrelationtonuclear weapons.

skyrocketed, he said.

TheUnited Nations says more crossingsintoGazamustbe openedtoaid thehumanitarian response

While theintensity of fighting has decreased considerably, Israeli strikesstill pose adanger More than 670peoplehavebeen killed in Gaza sincethe ceasefire in October,according to local health officials, whosedatadoes not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Some residents worry that

afterthe focus shifts from Iran, Israel couldresume thewar in Gaza to trytodefeatHamas completely.

“Westill haven’tescaped either our past or our present crisis,” said Hanin al-Qishawi, 29 an unemployeduniversitygraduatewho returned from southern Gaza to herdamaged home in Gaza City

“Gazaisalwaysaffectedby whatever happens in theregion,” shesaid. “Itmoveswiththe wind.”

Forwestern oil companies, warin Iran means bigger profits—and risks

By Rebecca F. Elliott The NewYork Times

HOUSTON—Western companiesthatpump and processoil and naturalgas areamong thebiggest beneficiaries of thewar withIran, which has snarled production and shipping of fuels in thePersian Gulf

Butevenasmanyofthemreap therewards of much moreexpensive energy,executivesare worried what comesnextcouldbebad for business.

Shouldthe warend —apossibility made real when President Donald Trump said Mondaythat theUnited States and Iran had “verystrong” talks aboutending hostilities —pricescouldtumble. If oil and gaspricesquickly returnedtolevels that prevailed at theend of last year,manycompanieswouldhavetogoback to worrying abouttrimming budgets and laying off workers

barrel they sell.

“Monthonmonth, we geta bettercheck right nowfor our oil,” said MikeParty, president of asmallwest Texasoil company, BerylOil and Gas. ButPartyhas not changed his drilling plans becauseheisnot sure where prices willbeinseveral months which is howlong it takesnew wells to startproducing. “What goes up has gottogodown.”

Thepictureisevenmoremurky foroil giantssuch as ExxonMobil and BP that have extensive operations in theMiddleEast, not to mention stateoil companiessuch as Saudi Aramcoand QatarEnergy,whosefacilitieshavebeen attacked.

Missile strikescompromised 17%ofthe QatarEnergy’snatural-gasexport capacity, thecompany said last week, forecasting thedamagewouldcostaround $20billion in lost revenue each year until it can completerepairs. Exxonjointly owns thedamaged infrastructure.

ButIran’sstate-run Mizan news agency said there hadbeen regional initiatives aimed at reducing tensions. And the foreign minister of Oman, which has frequentlymediatedbetween theUnited States and Iran, said on social media shortly beforeTrump’s announcement thatOman wasworkingtoestablish “safepassage

Starmersaidhehopedfor aswiftend to hostilities butthatBritain had“to plan on the basis theremay notbe.

Trumpthreatened Saturdaytobomb Iranianpower plants in 48 hoursunless Iran agreed to fullyreopen the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, he promised afivedaymoratorium on anyU.S. attacks on Iranianenergy sites, butdid notpromisea broader ceasefire

By the end of Trump’sextended deadline,2,200 Marines will have arrivedin the region. That will give Trump more options forthe blockaded strait—but also raise therisk of further escalation. Marine Expeditionary Units arecapable of rapidlyputting detachments of troops and vehicles on the ground,conducting counter-droneoperations andescorting tankers andother commercialships, according to experts.

An additional 2,500 Marines aboard three warships arealso heading to the Middle East from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton, Calif.Theywill join morethan 50,000 U.S. troops in theregion. ContinuedfromPageA-1

If,onthe otherhand, attacks on energy infrastructureintensify and it remains toodangerous for mostships to carryenergyout of thePersian Gulf,pricesmost likely willkeep climbing. That, overtime,willleadgovernments, businesses and consumers to find ways to uselessoil and gas— and some of thosechanges could permanentlyreducedemand for thefuels.

“Itfeels like youshouldbejumping up and down,”said RonGusek, CEO of Liberty Energy,anoil field servicecompanythatworks for manyofthe biggest U.S. producers. But, he added in an interview, “thereisa pictureout therewhere theeconomic realitiesofour world getvery, very challenged again.

That uncertaintywas on fulldisplay in HoustononMonday, where thousands of energy executives and government officials gathered forthe industry’smostimportant annual conference,CERAWeek by S&P Global.

“The markets aretrading on scant information,”MikeWirth CEO of U.S. oil giant Chevron, said at theconference,adding he thinks physical supply chains aretighter than commodityfutures prices reflect.

Oilprices climbedasmuch as 65% in theweeks afterthe United States and Israel began attacking Iran on Feb. 28, buthavesince retreatedsomewhat.Natural gasis moreexpensive,too,particularly in Europe and Asia, which depend heavilyonimports. Companiesinthe Persian Gulf have been forced to turn off many of theirwells. Butthoseextracting oil from places like west Texas areearning alot morefromeach

TotalEnergiesofFrancesaid morethan aweek agothat15% of itsoutputwas in theprocess of being shut down in Qatar, Iraq and theUnited Arab Emirates. That said, “a higheroil pricemorethan offsets thelossofMiddleEast production,”TotalEnergiessaid at thetime

Thewar is likely to be harder on companiesthatdrill wells and provide otherservicestobig oil companiesinthe Persian Gulf, likeSLB. Such serviceproviders typicallyworkonfixedcontracts. SLB,which is based in Houston, warnedinthe early days of thewar that itsfirst-quarter revenue would be lowerthan expected.

Abig questioniswhatitwould take forcompaniesinthe United States, Europe and elsewhereto producemoreoil and naturalgas to makeupfor what has been lost in thePersian Gulf In short,high prices wouldhave to stick around fora while, analysts say. Companiesset theirbudgets based on loweroil prices and are unlikelytosignificantly change theirdrilling plans withoutmore confidencethatpriceswillremain high formonths or years. Eventhen, extraU.S.production wouldmakeuponlyafraction of what has been lost in theMiddle East. Thereare some early signs U.S. companies areresponding to higher prices. LibertyEnergyhas started to hear from firms thatare looking to preparemoreoftheir wells to start producingoil, Gusek said “You’refeeling alittle bit of acceleration,”hesaid.

LOCAL&REGION

‘A critical tool’injeopardy

By MargaretO’Hara mohara@sfnewmexican.com

Some NewMexicohospitals and clinicsmay soon have abitterpill to swallow as federalofficials consider majorchangestoawidely useddrug discount program. At the behest of pharmaceutical manufacturers, the U.S. Health Resourcesand Services Administration is examiningalterations to the 340B Drug Pricing Program, an initiative established in the1990s thatallows public andnonprofithealthcareproviders serving low-income anduninsured patients to buyprescription drugsfrommanufacturersata20-50% discount.

Rather than an up-front discount,providerswho gettheirdrugsthrough the program under thechanges would payfull wholesale price and could then requestanafter-purchaserebate. Leadersofparticipating New Mexicohealth centersand hospitalsargue the rebate model wouldincrease administrative responsibilitieswhile eating into funding they’resupposedtouse to carefor underserved populations.

Thechange would be a“huge burden” for clinicsthatrelyonthe program, said Maya Hardman, pharmacy director at La Familia Health —a 340B programbeneficiary. Under arebatemodel, La Familia’s pharmacy would have to payfar moreinwholesale drug prices while hoping drug manufacturersprocess their rebate requests smoothly,she said.

“It’snot actuallyhelping to expand access to drugsup-front —so it’skind of going

Wildfire starts in SantaFeNational Forest near Cuba

AwildfirediscoveredSundaymorning in the SantaFe National Forest was80% contained by Mondayafternoon, forest officialssaid. TheNacimientoWildfire, burning south of the NacimientoMine in the national forest’sCubaRanger District, wasatroughly18 acres Mondaymorning. Fire crewshad battled to extinguish the blazeSunday, with planes ordered to drop fire retardant to slowits forward growth. Thecause of the wildfire is still under investigation

Smokewas visibleSunday from Cuba and othercommunities nearthe western parts of the nationalforest

Lastweek, much of the statesaw ahistoric heatwave and gustywinds in northwestern NewMexico. The warm weather anddry conditions —the state’ssnowpack wasatrecordlow levels in mid-March —haveaffected the response strategy,according to anewsrelease from the SantaFeNational Forest.

“Ashot anddry conditions persist, both forest service and statecrews have focused their efforts on buildingcontainment line aroundthe fire perimeter,” the news release said.

TheNew Mexican

against what the missionofthe 340B program is,”Hardman said.

340B in NewMexico

Theidea behind the 340B programis simple: Thediscountondrugsisintended to offset some of the cost of providing care to uninsured patients, allowing safety-net hospi-

By LilyAlexander lalexander@sfnewmexican.com

All signspoint to direstraits this year forNew Mexico’sfire season and watersupply Meteorologistspredict record-breaking temperatures throughThursdaywill further melt the record-low snowpack acrossthe drought-ridden state. Andthough scatteredshowers and storms Sundaycould yield some precipitation,it’sunlikelytomake muchofa differenceinthe dry conditions that have come to characterizeMarchinNew Mexico. Last week, adozen locations set newhigh-temperaturerecords for themonth of March. TheSanta Fe Regional Airport hit 87 degrees 6degrees higherthanthe previous record set in2012 —and Roswell and Tucumcari bothhit 98 degrees, surpassing recordsset in 1971 and 2012, respectively Snowpack simultaneously shrunk. Levels areatarecordlow forthe second consecutive week, andSunday wasthe climatological averagepeak accumulation. That day, snowpack wasat21% of the median peak. “We’re justnose-diving into previously unchartedterritory herewith lowsnowpack,”said

MayorGarcia appoints two interims to permanent city positions

Newhires forcityattorney, clerkposts both longtime Santa Fe public servants

By Carina Julig cjulig@sfnewmexican.com

SantaFeMayor MichaelGarcia’sfirsttwo major hires arein-house promotions:Hehas selectedMarcosMartineztoserve as cityattorneyand Geralyn “G” Cardenas to serve as cityclerk.

Both longtime cityemployees, the twohad been serving as interimcity attorneyand cityclerk, respectively sincethe startofGarcia’sterm as mayor. TheCityCouncil is scheduled to vote on theappointments at apublicmeeting Wednesday.

Garcia said in astatement Fridaythe appointmentsdemonstratethe city’s commitment to “strong leadership, good governanceand responsive public service.”

“MarcosMartinezand Geralyn ‘G’ Cardenas arebothhighlyqualified publicservantswho each bring 18 years of professionalism, experienceand commitment to serving thepeopleofSanta Fe,” Garcia said. “Their leadership will help supporttransparent, accountable and effective citygovernment.”

AnativeofAlbuquerque, Martinez has worked in theCityAttorney’sOffice since2007 and has been seniorassistant cityattorneysince2019. He has alaw degreefromthe University of New Mexico and initially joinedthe cityasits waterlawyer. Along withrepresenting thecityinlitigation relatedto thecity’swater rights, including negotiating asettlement withthe SantaFeCountry Club and Golf Association in 2024 requiring it to payfor cityeffluent instead of continuing to receivethe treatedwater forfree, he has represented thecityinutility disputesand othermatters

Prior to joining thecityofSantaFe, he worked forAlbuquerquelaw firmRodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin&Robb and wasanattorneyfor thecityofAlbuquerque. Martinezwrote in an email Mondayheis“honored and excited” to serveascityattorney. “I’ve dedicatedmostofmylegal careertothe City of SantaFe, focusing on waterand publicutility issues,”he

tals andclinics to keep theirdoorsopen.

“It’ssupposed to spreadscarce resources so thatyou canprovide caretothoseareas andpopulations andcommunitiesthatmight nothaveitwithoutthe 340B program,”Hardman said.

Onlycertainprovidersqualify to

seniorservicehydrologist Andrew Mangham at aMondaybriefing by the NationalWeather Service’s Albuquerqueoffice Theonlybasins in thestate above 20%ofthe median snowpack levels areinfar Northern NewMexicoand part of Western NewMexico, Manghamsaid. But, he added, this data is based largely on gauges andmonitoring stations in Colorado

“The implications arewhatyou’d expect,”Manghamsaid. “Weare building agrowing vulnerabilityof

firethroughoutthe state. We are setting the stagefor areally, really badwater supply year.” An 18-acrewildfirewas already underway Mondayinthe SantaFe NationalForest near Cuba,though it was80% containedbythe afternoon High temperaturesare expected to deviate 18 to 26 degrees from normal Tuesday, thankstoa high-pressure dome. It willbe warmest in Roswell, wherethe

County attorney argues they convened in an emergencyafter stateDOJ ruled violationofN.M.’sOpenMeetings Act

By ClaraBates cbates@sfnewmexican.com

OteroCountyofficialsfiredback at theNew Mexico Department of Justice in aletterMondayevening defending an emergency meeting this monthtoextend afederal immigration detention contract that wasset to expire.

Thepublicmeeting, which took placeMarch 13,was convened withonlythree hoursofnotice. Commissioners at themeeting extendedbyfive yearsanImmigration and Customs Enforcement contract forthe OteroCounty Processing Center.The vote came twomonths aheadof anew statelaw that willprohibit local governmentsfrom entering such dealswithICE.

“Three hourswas as farinadvanceasreasonably possiblegiven [the]circumstances,”wrote OteroCountyAttorneyR.B.Nichols, adding failuretoextend thecontract wouldhavecaused “substantial financial harm. Thefinancial harm“that wouldhavefollowedfrom inaction wasimmediate,certain, and devastating,”he added. Thestate Justice DepartmentonFridaysaid themeeting didn’t meet thequalifications forsuch short noticeand thereforeviolated theNew MexicoOpen MeetingsAct Public meetingsinthe staterequire72hoursofnotice unlesstheyqualify as emergencies. Thecontract extension is “invalidunderNew Mexicolaw,” theJustice Department said, in part becausethe factorsspurring themeeting were foreseeableand did not constituteanemergency

TheOtero CountyProcessing Center is one of threeICE detention facilitiesinthe state.

OteroCounty, in itsMondayletter, maintainedthe meeting wascalled due to an emergency.The countyalso scheduled ameeting withproper noticeat6 p.m. Wednesdaytoconsiderthe contract extension.

Twofactorswereunforeseen,Nicholswrote.ICE sent

Governor,state fairground boardOKstadium,housing

TheNew Mexican Gov. MichelleLujan Grisham and officials on the StateFairground District Boardhave approvedthe first phase of a redevelopment plan thatincludes an athletics stadium as well as housing and parks.

Theplan “will transform the central Albuquerque siteintoa walkable,mixed-use destination designed to improve public safety,createnew jobs andgenerateeconomicactivity,” the Governor’s Office said in anewsrelease Mondayafter the 6-1vote.

Thestadiumwill “anchor”the project, the news release said, noting, “The redevelopment initiative will reorganizeand consolidate existing StateFairgrounds facilities to makeroom fornew development.”

Theplan’s first phase doesnot callfor moving the NewMexico StateFair from the state-owned siteknown as Expo NewMexico,

in alarge cityblock of the International District between Lomas Boulevard NE and Central AvenueSE, withSan PedroDrive to thewest and Louisiana Boulevard to theeast.

Theproject alsowon’t affect this year’s StateFair,scheduled Sept. 10-20atExpoNew Mexico.

Thegovernor announced in December sheand other state officials hopedtoconvert the 236acrepropertyintohousing, retail and entertainmentvenues to give thetroubled neighborhood an economic “jolt of energy.”

LujanGrisham said at the time shedidn’t expect the site’s overhaul to affectthe Downs at Albuquerque,aracetrack and casino that leasespart of the property. ThestateBoard of Financeapproveda25-year lease forthe racetrackin2011,which recentlywas extendedto2047.

Financing forthe redevelopment plan includes$92 millionin bonding capacityand $114 million

from the state’sgeneral fund, the Governor’s Office said.

Lawmakersapprovedthe bonding capacityduring this year’s legislative session. They said themoney wouldbeused to buylandthe statedoesnot yetown andfor 10 acresofgreen space, trafficand sewerinfrastructure, “trafficcalming” on SanPedroDrive andpedestrian safety on Central Avenue.

“Today’svoteisa major step toward revitalizing theheart of Albuquerqueasa meaningful economicengine thatcreates jobs,draws visitors, andbuilds lasting value forthe surrounding neighborhoods,”Lujan Grisham said in astatement Monday.

TheState Fairgrounds District Board’snextmeeting is May7

“Notenant forthe stadium has been selected,”the Governor’sOffice said in thenews release,“norwill be selected until approved by the StateFairgrounds District Board.”

Family appealstoArizona communityfor cluesin NancyGuthrie disappearance

TUCSON,Ariz. —Savannah Guthrie is renewing pleastoneighbors, friends and residents of Tucson, Ariz.,tojog theirmemoriesinthe hopes of sparking newleads in thedisappearanceofher motherNancy

The Today show co-hostpostedanew family statement on herInstagramaccount Sunday morning, hoursafter theshow’sInstagram account shared it

Afterexpressing gratitude to thecommunity, thefamilysaid in itsstatement that it believes someone in Tucson or in southern Arizona may “hold thekey to finding theresolution in this case.

“Someone knows something. It’s possiblea member of this communityhas information that they do not even realizeissignificant.”

Thefamilyurged people to go back over their memoriesbetween Jan. 31 —whenNancy Guthrie waslastseen —and Feb. 1aswell as theevening of Jan. 11.The familyalso acknowledged in the statementtheir matriarch maynolonger be alive.

By Todd Richmond The Associated Press

MADISON,Wis.

—Ayear

ago, federal environmental regulators told West Virginia officials their plan to clearsulfur and smog from skiesoverthe state’snational wildernessareas wasn’t good enough because a dozencoalplants didn’tanalyze whether theyneeded betterpollution controls. Sixmonths later, the Environmental Protection Agency,now firmlyunder President Donald Trump’s control,blessedthe same plan, saying technology evaluations wouldn’t be nec-

essary as long as visibilityhit projected benchmarks. Conservationists saythe aboutface in West Virginia is just one example of the Trumpadministrationclearingthe wayfor states to roll back pollutionrestrictions thathavehelped clear the air over belovednationalparks and wildernessareas overthe last 25 years. Afederal regulation known as the regional hazerule requires states to come upwithplans every 10 yearstolimit emissions and monitor air pollution in morethan 150nationalparks,wilderness areas, wildliferefugesand tribal reservations across36states. Energy producersargue the

emergencyexception,”but only requires the “circumstances be genuinelyunforeseen at the time of theemergencydetermination. Nichols alsosaid the contract extension wasnecessary for OteroCounty’seconomy, to allow it to meet its bond requirements.

the countya draftofthe contract extension March 12, which was unpredictable timing. Thecounty then discoveredupon reading the agreement the existing contract would expireMarch15, rather than March 31,astheyhad thought, he wrote.

Thecounty hadthe agreement with correctionsready the morning of March 13 and then began preparing the emergency meetingassoon as possible, Nichols wrote.

Thestate argued the county should have known the contract’s end date Nichols called the confusion overthe expiration date a“shared misunderstanding.”

TheOpen MeetingsAct, Nichols wrote, “does not require perfect contract administration or perfect foresight of afederal counterparty’sactions as a precondition forinvokingthe

Revenuebonds were issued in 2007 to financeconstruction of thefacility, and thereisstill around $19.3million in outstanding principalpayments,hesaid, along with apaymentof $5.2 million due April 1. Nichols wrotethe contractis necessary sothe countydoesn’t default on itsbonds,which would damageits credit rating, “raising thecost of every futuredollarthe Countyborrows.

He added the contractis necessary to protect the 284 workersatthe facility, “whose livelihoods depend on the facility’scontinued operation, or theapproximately $21millionin annual wagestheyrepresentto thelocal economy.”

Theagreement has“already been fullyexecuted,”hewrote and has beenineffect since March 16.Heargued it is a

Twonew appointments

ContinuedfromPageA-6

wrote.“That experience has givenmeasolid foundation on findingcreativelegal solutions forcompeting demands of public resources. Cardenas also joined thecityof SantaFein2007, initiallyserving as an aideinthe City Clerk’s Office and working her wayupto deputy cityclerk. Herother roles in the office have included office manager,elections specialistand recordsmanagement specialist She served previouslyas

interim cityclerk forabout ayear in 2023 and 2024 between the appointments of Kristine Bustos-Mihelcic and Andréa Salazar. Cardenas willalso oversee theCommunityEngagement Department, which is part of theCityClerk’s Office.Outreach to thepublic is amajor role of theoffice sincethe 2018 Local Elections Actallowedthe cityto shift its municipal electionsto aNovember ballot,transferring election oversight to the County Clerk’soffice.The cityclerkis still responsible forhandling

regulations have done their job andare toocostly. EPAAdministrator LeeZeldin announced in March2025the agency would look to roll back 31 landmark environmental regulations, including theregionalhazerule, to relieve regulatory pressure on the fossil fuel industry

TheEPA is still taking public comments on howtosoftenthe federal rule. Meanwhile,conservationists say, the agency has weakened standards forindividualstateplans by rejecting state proposalsthe agency considers tootoughonpolluters andsigning off on weak plansthe Biden administrationhad rejected.

federal agreement andcannot be nullified.

Thereare roughly 900federal civil immigrationdetainees at the OteroCountyProcessing Center now, he wrote.

Nicholsalso suggested the issue is of the state’smaking, with the passageofthe Immigrant Safety Act, which will banpublic contracting with ICEwhen it takeseffect in May.

Nicholswrote the statehas left thecountywith “no adequate remedy andnoway out.”

Theattorney general will be responsible forenforcing the ImmigrantSafetyAct. Nichols suggested thatmightbea conflict of interest, andwrote the county is placing thestate agency “on formal noticeofa conflict that bearsonthe objectivityofthis proceeding.”

“The County respectfully hopes thatthe Open Meetings Actenforcement processisnot being used as abackdoor mechanism to advanceenforcement of HB9,” Nicholswrote

TheJusticeDepartment didn’t immediately respond to arequest forcomment Mondayevening.

campaign financing.

Cardenaswrote in an email Mondayshe is “truly grateful” for the opportunitytoserveascity clerkand community engagement director

“I look forwardtostrengthening transparency andhelping bringbackahigh levelof customerserviceatCityHall, especiallythrough the work of the CommunityEngagement Department,”she wrote.

Thecityhas notannounceda pick forcitymanager,the third mayor-appointed position. Fire Chief Brian Moya is currently serving as interim citymanager while thecityconducts asearch.

‘Critical tool’

participateinthe 340B program, according to its administrating agency,the Health Resourcesand Services Administration. These includefederallyqualified health centerslikeLaFamilia —which receive federal dollarstocarefor medicallyunderserved populations —aswell as tribal health centers, certain specializedclinics andhospitalsdesignatedbythe federal government as serving isolated, rural areas or caring fora“disproportionate share” of low-income,uninsured patients. For-profitentities aren’t eligible for drug discountsunder the 340B program. Still, 340B-eligible providersrepresent alarge portionofthe clinics and hospitals in NewMexicobecause so manyof them servelow-income patientsorrural areas. TheHealth Resourcesand ServicesAdministration’s onlinedatabase of NewMexico340B participantslists organizations ranging from local clinics, statepublic health offices, isolatedcommunityhospitals andsome of thebiggest health care names in the state

Forinstance, all nine hospitals and 95%ofclinicsoperated by Presbyterian HealthcareServices in NewMexicoparticipateinthe 340B program, said Chief Pharmacy OfficerErica Downing Clinics connected to University of NewMexicoHospital andChristus St Vincent Regional Medical Center are alsolisted.

Eventhe NewMexicoCorrections Departmentgets discountedHepatitis Cmedications through the program, department spokesperson Brittany Roembach confirmed in anemail “Correctionalsystems serve as safety-net providersfor medicallycomplex, high-risk populations,”Roembach wrote. “Access to 340B pricing is acriticaltool thathelps ensuremedication availability within securefacilities andsupports continuity of careduring reentryinto

Weather

ContinuedfromPageA-6

high will be 96 degrees; in Santa Fe,itwill be 83 degrees.

This heatwill pose an increased risk of heat-related illnesses forsensitive people.

“Thisisreallypretty remarkable in the sensethatthathigh pressurearealooks as strong as something youmight see in July or August,”said meteorologist Todd ShoemakeatMonday’s briefing.

Temperatures arepredicted to climb even higher Wednesday, hitting up to 29 degrees above normal in Raton. In Santa Fe,the high will be 87 degrees. Highs in aswath of Eastern NewMexicowill all surpass90 degrees.

Thursdaywill look similar to Wednesday, butnew gustywinds and low humiditywill increase the possibilityofrapid firespread. Peak wind gusts will be highest in LasVegas at 36 mph; in SantaFe, gusts will reach up to 28 mph. It will again be warmestin Roswell, wherethe high will be 99 degrees.

thecommunity.” Theprogram at La Familia’s pharmacy —where about90% of the inventory is purchased at a340B discount—serves as afinancial hand-up,Hardman said. Theclinic in recent yearsexpanded its pharmacy services from cash-onlyto retail, meaningitcan nowbill insurance and getreimbursed forinsuredpatients’ medications

Thechangeenabled the pharmacy to fill about10,000 moreprescriptions in 2025 than 2024,inaddition to bringing in more pharmacyrevenue —which wasamong the major sourcesofincome thatled La Familiabacktosolid financial footingafter yearsoflosses andmajor budget cuts Pharmacyservices nowmakeup28% of the organization’s revenue,according to figures provided by La Familia. That money, Hardman said, is “going back into theservices thatweare providing,sothatwe’re able to subsidizethe healthcarefor others.”

Butthe 340B programhas been criticizedfor extending drugdiscounts to alreadyprofitable entities. A New

Winds areexpectedtocontinue Friday, this time due to a cold frontthatwill also decrease temperatures statewide. The heat will still remain above averageinthe westerntwo-thirdsof thestate;inEastern NewMexico, highs will be belowaverage In SantaFe, thehighFriday will be 70 degrees Statewide highs in the 60s and 70swill then lingerthrough theweekend. Isolated dry thunderstorms arepredicted for Saturday, spreading further Sunday—primarilyacrossWestern and Central NewMexico. Drythunderstorms can causelightningstrikes without producing rain,which cancause newfire starts, Shoemakenoted. This will be aparticular concern forWestern NewMexico, especially on Sunday. Gusty winds andvery light rain could accompanyany storms that form. “This is not goingtobereally thedrought-breakingkind of rainfall that’s coming our way,” Shoemakesaid.

Lily Alexanderisa SantaFe NewMexican reporterthrough a fellowshipwiththe NewMexico Local News Fund.

S.F. hostingaffordablehousing meeting

ThecityofSantaFeishostinga communityinputsession Tuesdayevening at the Genoveva ChavezCommunityCenter aboutits affordablehousing initiatives.

IFYOU GO

“Thisinteractive sessionwill include abrief, plain-language overviewofwhataffordable housing means in SantaFe, followedbyan opportunity forattendeestoshare their priorities andbarriers,”acitynews release said. “Communityinputwill help guide futurehousing prioritiesand support federal planning requirements. Information will be providedin Englishand Spanish. Theevent is free and open to the public, butonline registration is encouraged in advancedue to space limitations.

NewMexicogas prices seeanother spike

Gas prices continued to soar last week acrossNew Mexico approaching the $4-a-gallon mark around muchofthe stateand in SantaFe.

Theaverage priceofa gallon of regularunleaded fuelinNew Mexicowas $3.83, according to theAAA NewMexicoWeekend GasWatch released Thursday. That wasmarkedlyhigher thanthe $3.48agallon aweek earlier.

Theincrease in SantaFewas even higher. Theaverage pricerose from $3.47onMarch 12 to $3.84 aweek later, ajumpof 37 cents but still well short of SantaFe’srecordpriceof$4.88 established in June 2022

Theaverage priceinAlbuquerque rose from $3.51to $3.87,while Las Cruces drivers sawtheir averageincreasefrom$3.50 to $3.92. In Farmington, the averagepricewent from $3.54to$3.86 Nationally, the averagepricejumpedfrom$3.59 on March12to $3.88 aweek later.

Doug Shupe, spokesperson forAAA Texas/NewMexico, said the statewide averageprice in NewMexicohas risen by nearly $1 sinceAmerica andIsrael began theirmilitaryintervention in Iran, prompting the priceincreases

“Oil prices continue to hovernear $100abarrelcomparedto lessthan $70abarrel when the Iran conflictbegan at theend of February,and thathas been pushing up pump prices by aboutthree to four cents aday nationallyand statewide,”Shupe said.

TheNew Mexican

York Times investigationpublished in 2022 asserted lack of oversight enabled some nonprofithealth systemstopocket drug discounts without maintaining or expanding services forlow-income and uninsured patients.

A2025report from the U.S. Government AccountabilityOffice accused the Health ResourcesServices Administrationofcontinually weak oversightofthe 340B program, while finding thenumber of sites benefitting from the program nearlytripled from 2013 to 2023

That growth caused quitea stir among pharmaceutical manufacturers,said Troy Clark, president andCEO of the NewMexicoHospital Association.

“Asthe programhas growninsize with eligibility, pharmaceutical companies arefrustrated becausetheyare being mandatedtogivemoreand more discounts,”Clark said.

‘Undermining that purpose’

TheHealth Resourcesand Services AdministrationinAugustannounced

FUNERAL

plans to pursuea voluntarypilot program, through which 340B beneficiaries wouldbuy prescription drugsata higher wholesaleprice and receiveanafter-purchaserebatefromthe manufacturer

Themove came in response to “inquiries from manufacturersrelated to differentproposed rebate models, according to an Aug. 1announcementin theFederal Register.

TheHealth Resourcesand Services Administration paused implementation of thepilot programinDecember 2025 following alawsuit filed by theAmerican HospitalAssociation and other plaintiffs.

Butthathasn’tstopped theagency from examining theproposal —which is consistentwiththe Trump administration’s stated goal of rooting outfraud, wasteand abuseinU.S.health care spending.

TheHealth Resourcesand Services Administration in February issued a separaterequest forinformation, seeking to use“amethodical and deliberate approach to assesswhether to implement apotential 340B Rebate Model PilotProgram,”the agency announced in theFederal Register.

To Hardman, theagency’srequest is asignal thepilot programmay one day go intoeffect, achangeshe estimated wouldincrease thecostofstocking La Familia’spharmacy by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“That’sjustthe physical inventory, butthenthere’s also themandatory reporting and complianceaspects to it,” Hardman said.

Sheadded, “In order to getyour rebate,you have to submit abunch of data to themanufacturersdirectly. The manufacturerswillbethe onesthatare managing therebates, and they have not done this before.”

As aresult, Hardman said she’s“dubious”rebaterequests wouldgothrough withoutany hitches.

In apubliccomment submittedin response to theHealth Resourcesand Services Administration’s request for

SERVICES AND MEMORIALS

October18, 1944– April29, 2025

RuthHege Howes, Ph.D ProfessorEmerita BallState University, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family,inSantaFe, New Mexico, on April 29, 2025, at the age of 80 Ruthwas borninMontpelier,Vermont,on October 18, 1944, and she grew up in Greensboro, NorthCarolina. Forher last two yearsofhigh school,she attended Northfield MountHermoninMassachusetts. Shewent on to pursueher undergraduatedegree in physicsatMount HolyokeCollege, where she mether beloved husband of 59 years,Bob, on ablind date. After graduating in 1965, she joined Bob at ColumbiaUniversity,where shereceived her Ph.D.inPhysics andAstronomy, specializing in Mössbauer spectroscopyunder the directionofNobel candidate Chien-ShiungWu. Shewentontoteach Physics and Astronomyat Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana,for 27 years, becoming the Georgeand FrancesBall Professor of Physics. InspiredbyDr. Wu,throughout hercareer Ruthwas passionate about recognizing the achievementsofwomen in science. She wrote thebookTheir Dayinthe Sun: The Women of the Manhattan Project with Caroline Herzenberg She and Caroline found and interviewed more than 300 women who had worked as scientists on the Manhattan Project. Ruth and Carolinealsowrote After theWar: WomeninPhysics in the UnitedStates.Earlierinher career, Ruth coauthored Women in the UseofMilitaryForce withMichael Stephenson She alsoauthored over 109 articles. In her effortstopromote nuclear arms control, shetooka breakfrom teaching to workatthe U.S. State Department in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA),and she wasanNSF scienceadvisor to Senator TedKennedy Closetoher heartwas Ruth’s desire to seemoregirls entermath andscience. Shehelped createthe teaching video “Physics at the Indy 500” with racecar driver Tony Bentenhausen. Sheworkedon Strategic Programs for Innovation in Undergraduate Physics(SPINUP), anational group of physicists working to encourage more undergraduatestostudyphysics. This led to herbecoming the Chair of Physics at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,before sheretired to SantaFe, NewMexico, in 2008.

In Santa Fe,she continued her effortstohelp more students overcome their fear of math and science by tutoring at Santa Fe Community College andCapital High School in the Santa Fe Public Schools system. Shepassionately believedinher students’ abilities andmaintainedthat“stupid math errors” did not mean youcouldn’t succeed in math and science.She also judgedlocal sciencefairs andvolunteered at theFoodDepot.For pleasure, she likedtoread mystery novels, hike,and work on remodelingthe house. Ruth wasa caringmother, wife, andfriend. We are luckytohave hadher love andsupport for so many years. She is survivedbyher husbandand daughters,Rachel andPrudence. In lieuof flowers, the family suggests supporting The Food Depot and Enchanted Sky Hospice.

GEORGIA C CARSON ARSON

On March 17, 2026, GeorgiaSimsCarson belovedwife of the late WilliamChapin Carson; devoted mother of GeorgiaChapin Carsonand Laura CarsonBanes and her husband, John W. Banes; loving grandmother of Elizabeth Banesand herhusband,Connor Kerpius, William Banes, and MollyBanes Georgia Carsonwas raised primarily in exurban Chicagoand moved to St.Louis after college to teach English. Shemet her husband, WilliamC.Carson (Bill), and settled in suburban Chicago to raise herfamily before relocating to Santa Fe,New Mexico, in 1992, where theylived very happily until they moved to Baltimore in 2018 to be nearer to their daughters. Sheand Bill were designated LivingTreasures in NewMexico for their workin thepublic schools andwerecited by Senator Paul Simon in 52 Ways to Makea Difference. Education: Vassar College, A.B. in English (CreativeWriting), 1952 Career:English Teacher,MaryInstitute,St. Louis, MO (1954–1958) Community/VoluntaryInvolvement: Vassar Board of Trustees(1980s and 1990s) VassarAAVCBoard (President)(1970s) North Shore MentalHealth Association (Board President)(1970s) Fine Arts for Children and Teens,Santa Fe (Board President)(2000s) Docent Museum of International Folk Art, SantaFe(1990s–2010s) CoFounder(with herhusband)and Vice President, Salazar Partnership, 1998–2012 (Santa Fe)Board Member, Communities in Schoolsof NewMexico, 2012–2018(Santa Fe). AMemorialService will be held at St. David’sEpiscopal Church, 4700 Roland Avenue,Baltimore,Maryland 21210, on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 11 AM. Intermentprivate

information, Amador Health Center, afederally qualified health center in Las Cruces, argued theproposal poses a“cashflow risk” forsmallclinics by imposing high costs and extraadministrativeresponsibilitiesoncommunity health centerswithoutthe funding or flexibility to absorb thosechanges.

“CommunityHealth Centerswere includedinthe 340B statutetostretch scarce federal resourcesfor underserved populations,” Amador Health Center said. “Structural changes that increase financial and administrativestrain on smallsafety-netproviders riskundermining that purpose.”

Downing said Presbyterian Healthcare Services is “closelymonitoring” proposed changes to the340B program.

“The proposed shifttoarebate-based modelcouldincrease administrative burden, create cashflow challenges and introduceuncertaintyaround whether thefullvalue of discountswillberealized,”she said.

Arturo Delgado, aspokespersonfor Christus St.VincentRegional Medical Center —which also participates in the 340B program—agreed that “shifting to arebateprogram willdecreaseour abilitytoreduce thecostofpharmaceuticals and increase our costs to delivercare.”

Paying higherpricesfor drugsand hiring staff to managesteeper administrativehurdles willlikelydrive up health carecosts at large, said Clarkofthe New Mexico HospitalAssociation.

“There aren’t manypeoplethatthink that health careisinexpensive at this point,”Clark said, so thoseextracosts are“not agood thing.

Margaret O’Hara reports on issues affecting healthycommunitiesinNew Mexico. Herwork is fundedbyagrant from Anchorum Health Foundation. Anchorum will not have anyrole in editorial decisions. TheNew Mexican andits Public ServiceJournalism Fund retain full editorialcontrol. Philanthropically funded storiesby TheNew Mexican aremade available to allreaderswithout apaywall.

ELLEN MARIEWICKARD

EllenMarie (Butler) Wickard passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December9,2025, at her home in Peoria, AZ.She was70 yearsold

Ellen waspreceded in death by her parents, Joseph I. Butler and DorothyL.Butler;her late husband, Julian J. Jaramillo; and her stepdaughter, ShuvonneM.Wickard

She is survived by her husband, KirkP Wickard; her son, Julian J. Jaramillo; her daughter,Danielle M. Burger;her granddaughter,Emma M. Sandoval; and her brother,Joseph I. (Chela) Butler,aswell as many stepchildren, nieces, and nephews.Ellen wasborninPeabody,MA. Along with her parents, Joseph and Dorothy,and her brother,Joseph, thefamily movedtoSanta Fe,NM, in 1960.Ellen and Kirk movedtoPhoenixin 1989

Wherevershe was, Ellen “Machine Gun” Wickard wasthe funniest personinthe room and alwaysthe life of theparty.She loved to cook and entertain and wasanavid skier,tennis player,and adventure seeker. Ellen livedfor her family,and her doorwas always open. She spent her yearshosting pool parties, enjoying spring training,and serving up comfortfood like goulash and “sh** on ashingle.” Ellen and her sillyjokes willalwaysbemissed. Love you, Mama. Ellen’sservices will be held on April 14, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. at Santa Fe National Cemetery, followed by areception at Dr.Field GoodsinDeVargas Mall

PennyLynn (Keller) Urrea

We suddenly lost our beloved Pennyon February25, 2026. She wasbornon September 13,1966inAthens, Texas. She wasthe most kind and caringperson you would have ever met. She never meta stranger.She wasa hardworkerand had manyfriends where she worked. Shespoke very highly of them.

Pennyhad averystrong beliefinGod. She is withHim and theAngels now.Pennyloved music and several bands, including her favorite band SavageWisdom. She also loved her Raidersand alwaysrooted for them. Black and purple were her favorite colors.

Pennywas wonderful to allwho met her.She willbegreatly missed by all who knewher.She wasa mother,daughter,grandmother niece, girlfriend, coworker, and goodfriend.

Pennyissurvivedbythe love of her life Steve Montoya;his sons Stevenand Brian;stepparents Budand Carol Waterman; daughter Rachel Morgan; sons Cody (Stephanie) Ward,Adam (Samantha) Urrea; grandsons Ethen and WyattWard, Ares and VictorUrrea; stepsister Charla Waterman; stepsons Sean and Andrew Urrea; sister Angela Newman; and manyaunts, uncles, and cousins. She waspreceded in deathbyher babydaughter Kelly Morgan, mother Mary Steel, father Alvie Keller,sister Melanie, stepson StephenUrrea, numerous aunts and uncles.

Godbroke our hearts to proveheonly takesthe best.Memorial services are pending. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Cody Ward, 2274 County Road 92,Cedar Bluff, AL 35959.

Where to launch the rockets’ red glare?

Santa Fe truly is a city different. Take an important discussion taking place about where in the city is the most convenient and safest place to set off Fourth of July fireworks. Rather than debate sites, many residents of our city are concerned about unleashed dogs. Here’s why.

In the article about the fireworks dilemma (“Pyrotechnics in the park,” March 20), a photograph by The New Mexican‘s Jim Weber accompanied the article. In it, Jim Tyo is seen tossing a ball to one of his unleashed dogs which, as we all should know, is against city ordinance

Dogs in Santa Fe are supposed to be on leashes except for city dog parks, where canines can roam free. As we also know, many dog owners refuse to follow the law their dogs are friendly, after all. Or welltrained. Just ask their owners

While we agree with our readers and commenters that, yes, dogs should be on leashes, the issue of the fireworks location matters Safety, spectacle and show are important especially since the United

eVOICES

“

“

From

States of America is celebrating its 250th anniversary as a nation this July

Surely the city and its fireworks partner, Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, will want the best possible spectacle for the city to enjoy. And that includes a location from which to launch fireworks with shade, places to sit and plenty of parking.

That’s not going to be easy.

Santa Fe Place mall, home to the fireworks show the last 10 years, no longer can host the festivities because of hotel construction. And, to be honest, holding activities with food booths, entertainment and crowds at the mall was not always easy. Sun and an asphalt parking lot made for a hot combination. A location with grass and shade would be an improvement.

The list under consideration includes 11 potential sites, all with pluses and minuses. Apparently, Franklin E. Miles Park in midtown Santa Fe is a strong contender. The park has plenty of grass and space for people to take their lawn chairs and blankets. There is room for music and food booths.

The issue at Franklin E. Miles, of course,

will be parking. If cars and trucks can park at nearby state buildings close enough to walk and use parking at nearby schools (Nava Elementary also is in walking distance) coupled with shuttles to ferry people back and forth, the site could work Both Milagro Middle School and Santa Fe High have ample parking. The empty parking lot in front of the former Smith’s store on Cerrillos Road also could be an option

Having Fourth of July festivities at the once-resplendent park might offer incentive for the city to make the park sparkle. Coming infrastructure investments likely are months, even years, away but better care of the grass, picking up trash, removing weeds and other work would win neighbors over And it is neighbors who will have to put up with heavy traffic and crowds on the Fourth of July

And the Fourth draws quite a crowd.

Last year, Kiwanis organizers counted 42,000 cellphones around Santa Fe Place mall during the fireworks show. That means even more people were at the event or in the vicinity.

Other potential sites include HIPICO, the

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Let your voices be heard on Saturday at No Kings event

I

would like to encourage all of you who feel the way I do during these tumultuous times to attend Saturday’s “No Kings” rally and march around the Capitol. It starts at 11 a.m. on the east side of the Capitol building.

If you are furious and frustrated and incredibly saddened about the state of our country, then march with us on Saturday! If you believe:

u That every person in the United States deserves the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, no matter his or her skin color, religion gender preference or nationality.

u That you want to protect our voting rights and make it easy for all qualified voters to vote

u That government should not be run for personal gain or to exact revenge on enemies, but it should be run for the good of the people

u That immigrants should not live in fear they will be dragged into detention and deported without due process.

u That citizens should not be accosted by unidentified, masked thugs who drag them from their cars or homes manhandle them and even shoot them

u The list goes on and on (illegal tariffs that have disrupted our economy and caused ill will around the world, the Epstein Files). March with us

Joan Kendrick Santa Fe

Tapped out

Does Santa Fe keep approving/building unnecessary hotels, huge apartment buildings and superfluous second homes and swimming pools until we run out of water? Is anybody researching, reviewing and/ or forecasting our water reserves or do we keep on building until no water comes out of our taps?

Paul Margetson Santa Fe

Devolved in distrust

About the proposed SAVE Voting Act, the issue isn’t Jim Crow 2.0. Reexamining history isn’t anti-American, central government control over voting is Reread our Constitution, in which each article expresses suspicion of consolidated power. Built in

checks and balances, and the Bill of Rights, aren’t sops to fair play, but hard-earned knowledge: Unconstrained government can’t be trusted. The SAVE Act codifies the exact opposite, that the 0.0001% of people who intentionally commit voting felonies threaten America more than concentrated control Our present decentralized process of voter registration results in voter fraud rates approaching zero Closer to zero might be better but not at the cost of the United States of America. By surrendering the prerogatives of “we the people to the federal government, we kill our own imperfect union. What’s in your wallet; how many pieces of photo ID that prove you are a citizen do you carry? Unless you have a passport card, that is exactly zero Does that make you more likely an illegal immigrant, a suspicious character a fraudulent voter? A country so devolved in distrust that it requires federal law demanding “show me your papers proves that rule of by and for its people has perished from its Earth.

Doreen Bailey Santa Fe

Stop the sales

Alarm bells should be ringing for all New Mexicans as the Public Regulation Commission is set to decide on allowing the sale of not just one but both the Public Service Company of New Mexico and the New Mexico Gas Co to out-of-state hedge funds Blackstone Infrastructure and Bernhard Capital Haven’t we learned by now that for-profit entities do not necessarily run more efficiently, but surely do run to maximize profits for their shareholders? In this case those profits would go to New York and Louisiana not New Mexico. Can it be a coincidence that companies want to get into the energy business as demand rises because of the artificial intelligence boom? My energy bill has been steadily going up month to month. Our governor told me her hands are tied, but she is jamming energy-sucking data centers down our throats. Who will benefit from rising prices? Billionaires in other states. The governor and our state leaders must stand up for New Mexicans and demand these sales be stopped.

Taylor Spence Albuquerque

Municipal Recreation Sports Complex, Fort Marcy park, La Tierra Trails Community Park, Railyard Park, Genoveva Chavez Park, SWAN Park, the Santa Fe Rodeo Grounds, Santa Fe High School and Ragle Park

What the ever-moving fireworks show reveals it’s been held at a number of locations in the past is that Santa Fe lacks an arena able to host a spectacle comfortably

That would include not just seats for viewers and parking, but easy access for cars and trucks to get in and out. The Municipal Recreation Sports Complex, for example, would be a traffic nightmare.

The other question fireworks organizers and the city should answer is this: Is there a safer, quieter way to light up the sky?

The 2026 show should include a drone extravaganza, similar to the one at last year’s Zozobra event, organizers have said. With the noise of fireworks hard on animals and combat veterans not to mention the fire risk more drone shows and low-noise fireworks could be the future for Santa Fe’s Independence Day celebration. Wherever that takes place.

EPA is listening to agriculture community G

rowing up on my family’s farm in Washita County, I learned the importance of consistency and efficiency in achieving success and how disruptive unexpected or unnecessary costs could be. Now as regional administrator for the United States Environmental Protection Agency I’m proud to be a part of the Trump Administration’s commitment to focusing on results and cutting red tape for Oklahoma’s farmers and ranchers.

With National Ag Day on Tuesday, this is a great time to celebrate wins for the agricultural community that show the Trump Administration is determined to develop common-sense policies that save time and money while continuing to power the Great American Comeback. The first milestone has long been highlighted right here in Oklahoma. At a roundtable of ag producers I attended with Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur, issues around diesel exhaust fluid, a required additive for diesel-powered vehicles that causes sudden power deratements when it runs low, came up over and over causing frustration and unexpected costs.

I took these concerns to Washington, and EPA announced new guidance for diesel vehicle manufacturers to slow or reverse such deratements. EPA is also pursuing rulemaking opportunities to provide more relief for farmers, ranchers, first responders and others who use diesel-powered equipment and vehicles.

Another win for the ag community came recently when EPA reaffirmed that American farmers and ranchers have the right to repair their own equipment. For years, manufacturers have misused the Clean Air Act to prevent them from sharing essential repair tools and software essentially blocking farmers and equipment owners from making their own repairs.

Instead of making repairs in the field or at a local shop, farmers have been forced to take time and resources to haul their equipment to authorized dealers, often miles away from their community. Administrator Lee Zeldin confirmed that farmers and equipment owners can temporarily override emission systems for the purpose of repair, as long as the equipment is returned to proper emission standards and functionality. EPA’s right-to-repair guidance shows how we’re standing up for America’s farmers and ranchers while following the Clean Air Act.

Finally, under previous administrations, farmers and landowners had to worry that their stock ponds, drainage ditches and dry creek beds might be subject to the same heavy-handed oversight reserved for our nation’s rivers and lakes.

EPA has since proposed a clear, durable and commonsense definition for “Waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act, one that provides certainty, respects private property rights and allows agricultural producers to focus on feeding America rather than navigating regulatory confusion.

These milestones reflect a key concept in this Agency what’s good for the ag community is good for the nation. Policies that cut unnecessary frustrations and burdensome regulations for farmers and ranchers benefit all families and businesses with diesel engines or non-road equipment and property owners with ponds or other small bodies of water.

This progress is made possible through strong partnerships with farmers and ranchers a community that deeply understands the value of conserving and protecting the land. I share President Donald Trump and Administrator Zeldin’s belief that EPA’s work can and should secure clean air land and water for all Americans while growing the economy. By focusing on our core mission to protect human health and the environment while simultaneously eliminating unnecessary regulatory burden, this EPA is prioritizing the needs of the ag community while powering the Great American Comeback.

Scott Mason is the Region 6 Administrator of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency He oversees the federal environmental protection of nearly 50 million Americans in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. He is a fifth generation Oklahoman from Cordell.

Reconstructedpiece oneof many thepresident wants to placeonfederal land

By DanDiamond and Olivia George

The Washington

Post

President DonaldTrump has installed astatue of Christopher Columbus on the WhiteHouse grounds, his latest effort to remakethe presidential campusand celebratethe famed and controversial explorer

Thestatue is outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building,where it is visible from Pennsylvania AvenueNW and 17th Street NW.The WhiteHouse hadconsidered putting thestatue on the South Lawn, The WashingtonPost reported in February

Thepieceisareconstruction of astatue President Ronald Reagan unveiled in Baltimorein1984. Afterit wasdumped intothe city’sharbor by protestersin2020asaracial reckoning swept the country,agroup of Italian Americanbusinessmen andpoliticians, working with localsculptors,obtained the piecesand rebuilt the statue with financial support from local charities and federal grant funding

“DestroyedJuly4,2020,”reads a panel affixedtothe base of thesculpture. “Resurrected 2022.”

Thepanel also says the sculpturewas giftedtothe WhiteHouselastyearand that Trump rededicateditinOctober

By Andrew Dalton The Associated Press

LOSANGELES —Acivil jury in California found MondaythatBill Cosby wasliable fordruggingand sexually assaultingawomanin1972and awarded her $19.25 million.

Afteranearly two-week trial in Santa Monica,jurorsfoundthe 88-year-old Cosbyliable forthe sexual batteryand assault of Donna Motsinger Cosby’sattorney, JenniferBonjean, said in an email they aredisappointed and fullyintend to appealthe verdict. Thedecision came nearly fiveyears afterCosbywas freed from prison in Pennsylvania when the stateSupreme Court threw outacriminal conviction

atowering bronzestatue of Caesar Rodney— asignerofthe Declaration of Independenceand an enslaver— on a plazaonPennsylvania Avenue between theWhiteHouse and theU.S. Capitol TheRodneystatuehas been gathering dust in storageafter being removed from publicviewinDelaware during the2020racial justice protests.

Trump condemnedefforts in 2020 to tear down statuesofColumbus and otherhistorical figures, issuing an executiveorder that called thoseactions an “assaultonour collective national memory” and creating ataskforce to rebuild monuments.

Columbus waslong celebrated forhis voyage in 1492 to theAmericas,which openeduptrade routes withEurope and built his reputation as aheroic discoverer. TheItalian explorer’s journeyalso set thestage forcolonization and enslavement,and academics and activists in recent yearshavecalled foranend to honoring him, noting the brutal treatmentofNativepeoplethat followedhis arrivalonthe continent

American hero”and commemoratethe annual holiday.

“You Italians aregoing to love me,” Trump said at apolitical rallylastyear, adding that Italian Americans had been “badly treated” by past efforts to remove Columbus Dayand that he wouldrestorethe holiday.

Nino Mangione,a Republican member of theMaryland HouseofDelegates, wasinvolvedinefforts to recoverthe Columbus statue from theBaltimore harbor.Hepraised Trump’s plan to install it at theWhiteHouseinanemail to TheWashington Post last month.

“This worldisfullofhatersand screamers whowant to silenceour voices, our values, and our votes,” Mangione wrote. “President Trump is standing up to them becauseitisthe right thing to do and Iapplaud his courageindoing so.”

“In this WhiteHouse,Christopher Columbus is ahero. And he will continuetobehonored as such by President Trump,” DavisIngle,aWhite House spokesman, said in astatement. The NewYork Times first reported Sundaythatthe statue hadbeen installed. TheColumbus statue is just oneof numerous sculpturesTrump has taken stepstoplace on the WhiteHouse

based on similar allegations. Motsinger had been aserver at arestaurantin SausalitonearSan Franciscowho said in her lawsuit, filed in 2023,thatCosby hadinvited her to hisstand-up comedy show at atheater in nearbySan Carlos Both were in their30s at the time. She said Cosbygaveher wine andtwo pills thatshe believedwereaspirin, andthat shewas goinginand outofconsciousnessastwo men puther in alimousine.

“She woke up in her house with all herclothesoff,except her underwear

grounds andonother federal land. Severalstatues of revolutionary-era political leadersnow standinthe White House’s Rose Garden, andthe president is planning alarge sculpture garden to commemorate250 famous Americans, aproject he has dubbedthe Garden of Heroes —and couldbeerected in Washington’s West Potomac Park Trumpisalso planning to install

on —notop,nobra,and no pants,”the lawsuit said. “She knew she hadbeen drugged andrapedbyBill Cosby.”

In court filings, Cosby’slawyers argued the allegations rested almost entirelyonspeculation andassumption, saying Motsinger “freelyadmits thatshe has no idea what happened.

Jurors awarded Motsinger $17.5millioninpastdamages and$1.75 million forfuturedamages, including “mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, grief,anxiety, humiliation, andemotionaldistress.”They deliberated forjust over aday

They canaward even moreina punitive damages phase of the trialthat startslater Monday. Cosbydid nottestify at the trial,

Some U.S. states nowrecognize Indigenous Peoples’ Dayinsteadof Columbus Day; JoeBidenin2021 became thefirstpresident to markthe holiday.

Trump has framedhis movesto honor Columbus as apolitical act.He campaignedin2024onpromises to celebrate Columbus Day, and in October he signedapresidential proclamation to recognizeColumbus as “the original

whosewitnesses includedAndrea Constand, theTempleUniversitysports administrator he wasconvicted of sexually assaulting in aPennsylvania criminal courtin2018. Thestate’s SupremeCourtthrew outthe verdict and Cosbywas freed from prison after serving nearly threeyears of athree- to 10-yearsentence. Motsinger first made herallegations anonymously in a2005 lawsuit filed by Constand. TheAssociatedPress does not typicallyname people whosay they have been sexuallyabused unlessthey come forwardpubliclyand consent to be named, as Constand and Motsinger have In 2022,a jury in SantaMonica

OthershavepannedTrump’s plan, saying installing astatueofthe explorer wouldgeneratecontroversy. Jeff Miron, thevicepresident forresearchatthe Cato Institute,a prominent libertarian think tank, said museums,documentarians and otheroutside groups are betterpositionedthan theWhiteHouse to “presenta completeperspective on Columbus.”

“President Trump’s decision to erect aChristopher Columbus statue at the WhiteHouseexemplifieswhy government shouldn’t be in thestatue business at all,”Miron said in astatement last month.

awarded $500,000 to awoman who said Cosbysexually assaultedher at thePlayboy Mansion when shewas a teenager in 1975 Motsinger’s lawsuit echoedallegations of rape,sexual assaultand sexual harassment made by at least 60 women againstCosby,all of which he has denied. Theformerstand-up comedy and television superstar oncewidely known as “America’sDad”became thefirst celebritytried and convicted in the #MeToo erabeforehis conviction was permanentlythrownout when appeals court found he gave incriminating testimonyinadeposition onlyafter believing he hadimmunityfromprosecution.

Thedominance of theold guard

By Dave Skretta The Associated Press

PBy Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas—Olivia

Milesunderstands whypeoplethought she wasmaking adumb decision returning foranother college season when she wasaprojectedlottery pick in last year’s WNBAdraft “I can’t blame them,” Milessaid. “To leave what Ileftonthe tableseemed stupid and seemed like,whatisshe doing?”

Well, thatextrayear is payingoff in manywaysfor the playmakingpoint guardwho transferredtoTCU from NotreDame to wrap up hercollege career.The 5-foot-10guardiscertainly readytobea pronow

Miles just hopes fora fewmore games with the Horned Frogs(31-5), whoare in their second Sweet16in

—Kevin Gausmangot 709called strikes overthe past decade on pitches outofthe strikezone,tied forthe thirdhighest totalinthe major leagues

“I would have thoughtmaybe Iwas top20maybe buttop five is kindofkind of crazy,” the TorontoBlue Jays right-hander said. “I guessthe book is kindof still out. We’llsee what happens and howwehavetoadjust.”

ST.LOUIS

urduewas struggling to put away Miami in thesecondhalf of their second-round NCAA Tournament game on Sundaywhen Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyerand Trey Kauffman-Renn combined to scorethe Boilermakers’ next 22 points, helping them to turn athree-point leadintoa 79-69victory andaspot in theSweet 16 It wasexactlywhatcoach Matt Painter has come to expect from his guys over the last four years.

Theantithesis of collegebasketball

in theage of free transfers and name, imageand likeness money, theBoilermakersare twowins away from a second Final Four appearanceinthe last threeyears by keeping thingsdecidedly old-school: They recruit playersthatfit theirprogram, developthemovertime, and then they leanonthemwhenit matters themost.

“Itcomesdowntoculture,” Smith said. “Having what we have here in the last four yearsisreallyspecial. Ithink we’vehad maybe four transfers in my four yearsthatwehavehad,and Ithink that’s pretty special,and not alot of teams ever have that.”

It’s unique in collegebasketball, to be

Loboskeeprolling

sure, butnot necessarilyunique in the Sweet 16 In fact,the NCAA Tournament this year has underscoredthe valueofcontinuitywithin aprogram, and that simply restocking withanew wave of transfers each offseasonisnot necessarilythe best waytobuildachampionship roster Five teams still alivehaveatleast four starterswho have played multiple seasons fortheir current coaches, according to arostersurvey from The AssociatedPress,and nine of the16 have at least three. Dukeand Michigan Statehavestarting lineups that consist

By Will Webber wwebber@sfnewmexican.com

Asthe crow flies, it’s1,661 miles between Philadelphia andFort Collins, Colo., and another925 from theretoBerkeley, Calif.

Those2,586 miles arethe distance the SaintJoseph’s men’sbasketballteamtraveledtoget fromits first-round NITgame against Colorado StateonWednesdaytoits next stop andawin over CaliforniaonSundaynight.

Tack on another 890toget from the BayAreato Albuquerque,pushing the totalto3,476 miles as the HawksdisembarkedfromtheirMonday flightahead of Tuesday’sgame in ThePit against NewMexico.

Therewill be winnersand losers under the Automated Ball-StrikeSystem, which makesits regular-season debut Wednesdaynight when theNew York Yankees play at the San FranciscoGiants.Using HawkEyetechnology,12cameras measurewhetherapitch crosses thestrikezone with accuracy of aboutone-sixthofaninch. Kyle Hendricksled the majors with777 called strikesoverthe past decade on pitches that should have been balls, according to MLBStatcast. He wasfollowed by AaronNola (747), Gausman and Zach Davies(709each),Kyle Gibson(697),Patrick Corbin (694), Marcus Stroman (671), ZackGreinke(667),Martín Pérez (647) and Kyle Freeland (631).

“I guessthat’sa good thing because youmakeballs look likestrikes,”Nolasaid. “There’s going to be some maybe good andbad to it, butI think the good parts and the big situations andbig games, Ithat’sgoing to helpout alot.We’ve seen over the yearsour side lose gameson abad call.

Conversely, Corbin topped the major leagues on balls that shouldhavebeen called strikes with 470. He wasfollowedby Chris Sale (461), Nola (460), Carlos Rodón (450), Yu Darvish (442), SonnyGray(439),José Berríos (438), Steven Matz (436), andJon Gray andJustin

Thedifferenceinelevation from theSaint Joseph’s campus on Hawk HillinPhiladelphia to the home of Lobos hoops is nearly allofthe 5,200 feet standing between ThePit and sea level. Whenit’ssaidand done,ithas been aweek on the road forthe Hawks. They’veflownacrossthree timezones forthree games, passing over theRocky Mountains twice, stopping at theedgeofthe Pacific Oceanand backtracking through theSouthwest intothe high desertand astopinone of themost famouscollegebasketballarenas in the country

What’satstake?AtriptoIndianapolis next week forthe NIT semifinals.

While the Hawkshavebeen living outofasuitcase and dealingwithjet laginplacesmostofthe

Verlander (435 apiece)

“All umpires always hadlike— theygivea little bit here,they’re alittle tightthere. Youknow this as ahitterand apitcher,” said Verlander,a three-time Cy Young Awardwinnerback with Detroitfor the startofhis 21st bigleagueseason. “Butit’sall because of the waytheyset up andtheysee certain areasbetter thanothers. And nowIthink they’reput in asituation where theyhavetocall this like theoreticalzone, instead of creating their ownstrikezone that they’re probably much moreconsistent at.” Mookie Bettsled batters on called strikes that shouldhave been balls at 714.

playershavenever seen,New Mexico has enjoyed alot of home cooking in thetournament’s first two rounds.The Lobos have played beforethe NIT’s twobiggest crowds and nevertrailed in blowout wins overSam Houstonand GeorgeWashington.

Thecompletepackage

By NateRyan The Associated Press

DennyHamlin likes comparing his lightning-fast assembly of 23XIRacing to solving aRubik’sCube.

He knows there’sone critical piece lefttosolvingthe championship puzzle forthe budding NASCAR powerhouse that he’s built with NBAgreat Michael Jordan. “It’sthe short tracks,”Hamlin said Sundayafter Tyler Reddick wonatDarlingtonRaceway for 23XI’sfourth win through six of 36 racesthis year [already a season-best victory totalfor a team thatstarted in 2021]. “The short tracks[are] the onlyplace where23XI as awhole could get alittle bit better. Iknowthey’re all working on that, butI don’t know. We just don’t have any weaknesses right now. In his seventh Cupseason, the 30-year-oldReddick has emerged as the runawaypoints leader in the CupSeries. He has a95-point leadonsecond placeinthe regular-season championship standings, and 23XI teammate BubbaWallaceis ranked third. Reddick’smargin is larger than the points totalfor anydriveroutside the top25in the 2026 standings.

TheNo. 45 Toyota driverhas wonata superspeedway, aroad course and nowatDarlington, consideredthe toughest track on the circuit.

Buthis status as atop-flight championshipcontender would be confirmed if he can excel this weekend at MartinsvilleSpeedway, the first of the three short tracksonthe schedule where 23XI has lagged the most. Reddick’s12career victories have occurred at 11 tracks,but missing from thatlist areBristol MotorSpeedway, Richmond Raceway and Martinsville, wherehehas onlytwo top-10 finishes in 12 starts.

“If Ican win there, oh my gosh, the worldisgoingtoend,” he joked aboutSunday’s500-lap race at the 0.526-mile oval in

southwest Virginia. Reddick has finishedoutside thetop 15 eight timesatMartinsville. His worstfinish wasa 35th in 2022 whenhis head smacked thecockpit padding during a crash, and he pulledintothe garage forevaluation at the care center

Reddick expects adversityat Martinsville,but his team has shownstrength in overcoming trouble.Inthree of his four victories,herebounded from being caught in crashes (Daytona Atlanta) and from amalfunctioningalternator(Darlington).

“For us to be putthrough these thingsthatkeptusfromwinning ayear agotofight through these thingsand then still win is very remarkable,”Reddick said. “It’s very fulfilling. It’s the stuff that youjust gottokind of take astep back and say, ‘Wow,thatwas incredible.’I’m definitelyinthat placeright now. He easily hadthe fastest car Sundaywith new regulations of 12% morehorsepowerand 25% less downforce.The combina-

Lobos keep rolling

tionleftmanystars befuddled (three-timeCup champion Joey Loganofinished three laps down in 33rd).

YetReddick shied away from labeling histeamasthe best in Cup.

“I’ll let youguysfigure that part out,”hesaid. “We’ll just keep working hardand keep winning races. Idon’t need to sayanything aboutit.

ButHamlin, whomademany of the keypersonnel decisions with Jordan providing themultimillion-dollarbankroll, is ready to embracethe mantleofvirtually being on parwith Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penskeand JoeGibbsRacing —the three teams thathavecombined to win 18 of the past 21 championships.

“You just keep putting really good people together,and you’re going to have those type of results,”Hamlin said.“This was the mostimpressive weekend I’ve seen from 23XI,because everyonecame in herewith so manyunknowns.

“Wecertainlywould sayright

nowthatthere’snot awholelot moretodotobeatthatlevel. They’rethereright now.”

RFKRacingrevival

Afterleading arace-high 142laps at Darlington, Brad Keselowski hadtosettle forhis sixth runner-up finishsincehis mostrecent win, 65 racesago at Darlington in May2024. Butthe team owner of RoushFenway Keselowski Racing took pride in running 1-2-3atone point with teammatesChris Buescher (ninth) andRyanPreece(13th). Their Fordsall were painted in honor of late RoushdriverGreg Biffle, atwo-time Darlington winner wholiked hanging his carout andscraping thewallat the 1.366-mile oval

“We’re doing the thingswe need to do and makingthe most of thedayswehave,”Keselowski said. “It’sreallycool to have a greatgroup of carsrunning up front. Iput aniceright-side stripe on the car.Ithink thatwould makeGregproud.Ifyou know Greg, you’ll understandthatone.”

By James Barron jbarron@sfnewmexican.com

The road to theClass 3A girls track and field title still goes through St.Michael’s, butthe SantaFe Prep Blue Griffins aremaking acasethattheymight be the team to beat. They can saythatafter a very fruitful triptothe Chandler(Ariz.) Rotary Invitational on Fridayand Saturday,highlighted by theperformances of senior Sophie Bair and sophomoreEri Steeves. Both of them set school recordsinthe 3,200(Bair)and 800 (Steeves) and set themselvesas3Acontenders in thoseraces.

Bair placed fifth in theopen 3,200and ranthe second-best time of aNew Mexico runner withaPrep-best time of 11 minutes, 1.59 seconds,behind RioRancho’s Mariah Galbraith. Herperformanceisthe best in 3A by 1:43.42. She took 23rdin theopen 1,600,but her5:25.59 time is also best in 3A behind Steeves, whoran 5:28.19 in the seeded 1,600 at themeet. Steeves, meanwhile, placed fourthinthe open400 in a school-record1:01.14thatis second in 3A. Shealso placed 15th in theopen 800 in 2:20.41 which is not onlythe best in 3A butamong allclassifications

Honorable mentions

◆ Taos senior ElainaCisneros recorded the third-best 1,600 time at the Chandler meet and is

NOMINATIONS

◆ Do youknowa SantaFe-area high school athletewho deserves time in thespotlight? Tell us aboutthem. Send an email with thebasics to sports@ sfnewmexican.com. Please include “Athlete of theWeek”in thesubject

No.2 in 4A aftera5:16.94 time. ◆ ThePecos 1,600-meter relayteamof Elias Chavez Brandyn Encinias, Kevin Vigil and EstevanOlivas set thebest 2A time witha3:34.80 that wasgood forsecond at theRio Rancho Rust Buster Saturday ◆ Capital’s Adrian Duron hadperhaps thebest performancebya

hours afterthe Lobos and Saint Joseph’s got wins in Sunday’ssecondround —issimple forNew Mexico. TheHawks have been on the road foraweek andnow mustdealwith Albuquerque’s 5,200-foot altitude. Same,too forastronghome crowd.

SIDELINES

Of the possible 80 minutes in thosetwo games, the Lobos (25-10)led for77minutes, 36 seconds andweretied forjust2:24. Tuesday’scrowd,win or lose,should be the largest of the tournament’sthree opening rounds. Ticketswent on sale Monday morning and by mid-afternoonwerealready over 5,000 and well on their waytotwicethat. Lobos coachEric Olen said theideaof onefinal game in ThePit, particularly with an NITFinal Four bidonthe line,makes Tuesdayaspecial situationfor his team and fans alike. He is optimistic he’ll have pointguard Deyton Albury back. Theseniormissed Sunday’sgame against GW with flu-like symptoms. It leftUNM with an eight-man rotation thathad seldom-usedfreshman swing manTimeo Pons getting valuable minutesfor achange,minutesthatfelteven morevaluable givenafacial fracturesuffered by small forwardAntonio Chol.

The6-foot-9 swing man hadtoweara protective mask to prevent further damageto his face,which he injured when he washit in the headduring aplayagainst SamHouston last week.

“I’ve neverhad to wear amask, so that’s tough,”Olen said. “It’salittle bit of awar of attrition hereinthis thing, andour guys are still fighting. As forPons, the ideaofhim finallygetting

ContinuedfromPageB-1 ContinuedfromPageB-1

JONAUSTRIA/FORTHE NEWMEXICAN New Mexico’sUriah Tenetteattempts a layupagainstGeorgeWashington’s Rafael Castro,center, andTre Dinkins during Sunday’ssecond-roundNIT gameinThe Pit. TheLobos won86-61.

achancetohelp outinsteadofcheering from the sidelines wasa nicechangeofpace.

He hadfive points in the25-point winover

George Washington

“I mean, usually Ijust go in, like, in thelast twoorthree minutes, so Ijust shoot the ball, Pons said.

If Albury returns, it’sexpected thatPons will return to hisusual spotonthe bench.If not, Olenatleast knowswhathe’sgetting.

“I wasjust really impressed by hisreadiness,”hesaidofPons. “The thing thathe did so well is when he came in thegame, he played really hard, and youcouldfeel it. He brought energy,hebroughtsome fire and urgencytoitand just played hard. Thought he played the right way, good decision making, lovedhis shot selection, goton theoffensive glass.Ithought he wasterrific.

Theidea on Tuesday—which is just 48

It’s compoundedbythe fact Saint Joseph’s startersall playedatleast 31 minutesinits 76-75 win at Cal. Without saying as much, Olen will likelypush the pace andlet the rarefied air and the exhaustion of travel take its toll.

If so,UNM will makeits thirdappearance in the NITsemifinals afterprevious trips in 1964 and1990. Thefirstappearanceended with alosstoBradleyinthe title game,the Lobos’best finish ever in apostseasontournament.

NOTES

Alongparty lines: Of the eightteams still alive, two(NewMexicoand Nevada)come from theMountain West, twoare from theAtlantic 10 (Daytonand SaintJoseph’s), two from the American (Tulsaand WichitaState), with one apiecefromthe Missouri Valley(Illinois State) and theSEC (Auburn).

Of those,Auburn and the Lobosown the highest NET Rankings at 38 and46, respectively,while SaintJoseph’s is theonlyone outside the top-100, at 121. Accordingtothe latest betting lines, Auburn is aslightfavoriteto win the tournament while the Lobosare close behind.

Conferencealignment: TheMountain West and the Atlantic10each had five teams makethe 32-teambracket.Bothleagueshad twoteams eliminatedinthe firstround,one in thesecondround and have oneapiecehosting aregional final. TheAmerican’s remaining teams will playTuesday’s early game in Tulsa. Thewinner movesintothe semifinals to face thewinnerofthe Lobosand Hawks.

Robot strike zone will createwinners,losers

Suárez (684),José Ramírez (657), Paul Goldschmidt (656),Aaron Judge(653), Marcus Semien (631), Xander Bogaerts (625), AlexBregman(603) andChristianYelich (594).

“When we didn’t have a challengesystem, youjusttry to do the best youcould andunderstand thatthere’sstuff that’sout of your control,” Goldschmidt said. “Definitelythe guys that arealittle bit more patient are always going to have that. We just understand that’skindofthe natureofit.

Giancarlo Stanton had440 called strikesonpitches outofthe strike zone and 351balls on pitches that should have been strikes.

“The challenge,you could change thewhole game right there,”the NewYorkYankees designated hittersaid.“If you overturn one call,itcould grow 15,20morepitches on apitcher.”

Carlos Santana received the most balls thatshould have been called strikeswith 636. He wasfollowedbyMike Trout(612), Suárez (558), Ramírez (554), George Springer (539), AndrewMcCutchen (513), Cody Bellinger(487), Freddie Freeman (471), and Ryan McMahon (466).

Statcast hasbeencalculating based on therule bookstrike zone at thefront of home plate and using abatter’sstance. Starting this year,itwill compute with the ABSstrikezone mea-

sured at the middle of the plate andbased on abatter’sheight.

Teams tried to prepareplayers by using ABSfor batting practice andhaving thescoreboardsignal ball/strikedecisions.

A1-1 pitch oftencan swing a plateappearance.Nolasaw ABS in use last August when he made three injury rehabilitationstarts at Triple-ALehigh Valley.

“We’re just going to have to see what the umpires do,” he said, “if they’rereallygoing to be thattightastheyweredown there.

Statcast showed1.6%of pitches outofthe zone were called strikes last year,down from 2.1% in 2024 andthe most accuratesince4.2%when tracking started in 2008.

Only2.1%ofpitchesinthe zone were ruled balls, up slightly from 1.7% in 2024 butwell below 4.3% in 2008. Pitcherswho thrivedon getting calls justbeyond the blackcan lose thosestrikes, and memorable blowncalls can be reversed —likeMarkLangston’s 2-2fastballtoTino Martinezin the 1998 WorldSeries opener thatwas overthe plateand above the knees butruled aball by since-retired umpireRichie Garcia.One pitch later, Martinez hita tiebreaking grand slam, sparking the Yankees to a9-6 winand four-game sweep Garcia doesn’t wishthatthere hadbeen ABS back then “I’d rather take thegrief,” he said.

Seahawks,WRSmith-Njigbaagree to four-year, $168.8 milliondeal

SEATTLE —The Seattle Seahawks and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigbahaveagreed to afour-year,$168.8 million contract extension, with$120million guaranteed, according to aperson withknowledgeofthe deal.

ThepersonspoketoThe AssociatedPress on condition of anonymitybecausethe contract,which willmakehim the highest-paid wide receiver,hasn’tbeen finalized.

Smith-Njigba, 24,set theteamrecordfor yardsreceiving (1,793)and receptions (119) in asingleseason en route to winning AP NFL Offensive Player of theYear last seasonand helping leadthe Seahawks to theSuperBowl.

Currywillcompete in play-intourney forWarriorsifhe’sable, Kerr says DALLAS—Golden Statecoach SteveKerr says Stephen Curry willbeavailable forthe play-in tournament if his ailing right knee allows Kerr is dismissing thenotion theWarriorswouldsit their superstar withouta guaranteed spotinthe playoffs.

Curry’splannedreturn to practicewas putoff at leasttwo moredaysbythe medical staff TheWarriorsare wrapping up asix-game road trip,and the 38-year-oldwillbere-evaluated when theteam gets home. Curry hasn’tplayedsinceJan. 30 as he dealswithpatellafemoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in theknee.

WNBA playersunanimously approve newseven-yearCBA through2032

NEWYORK —WNBAplayers have unanimously approved thenew collective bargaining agreementwithmorethan 90% participating in voting over theweekend.

Theseven-yearCBA,which willbegin this seasonand runs through 2032,represents alandmarklabor deal forthe WNBA and itsplayers Theunion said thedeal“delivers consequential economic progress and expandedbenefits that support players on and off thecourt.” Oncethe WNBABoard of Governorsapprovesthe CBAit willbecome official

Siakam scores 37 as Pacers endrecord 16-gameslide with victoryatOrlando ORLANDO,Fla.— Pascal Siakam scored 37 pointsand blocked PaoloBanchero’s

NCAA TOURNAMENT

Hoibergturns Nebraska from laughingstocktoMarch darling

By Cliff Brunt The Associated PRess

OKLAHOMA CITY— Fred Hoiberg

carried the nickname “The Mayor” during his playing days at IowaState, areflectionofhis popularityin Ames Iowa. With the following he’s gained as Nebraska’sheadbasketball coach, perhaps “Governor”would be fitting. And if he leadsthe Cornhuskerspastrival Iowa in the Sweet 16,any election might be alandslide.

talent, too.

theguysthatgot theopportunityto play that arehelping us this year in a hugeway —thatwas as important as anything.

Thesuccess has carried overtothis season. Troy coach ScottCross was impressed afterNebraskadefeatedhis team 76-47lastweek.

“Nebraskaisone of thebest teams,” he said. “I’vebeen doing this since1998. They’rereally, really freaking good. The waytheyshoot thebasketballand the waytheydefend, watching it on video, you’re like,man, there’snoopeningsas youwatch it on video.”

Hoibergsaid his playersdeservethe creditheading intothe South Region matchup withIowa(23-12) on Thursday inHouston.

“They’vejust done all the little things really well, and to me,itmakes our job as coaches alot easier when youhave agroup thatdoesall thosethings,”he said. “Theyholdeachother account-

Hoiberghas liftedthe Cornhuskers (28-6) from laughingstock to March Madnessdarling.The Cornhuskers were acombined14-45his first twoseasons afterhetook over in 2019.Heading intothis season, Nebraska, which had neverwon an NCAA Tournament game waspicked to finish 14th in the 18-team Big TenConference Instead, the Cornhuskerswon their first20games and jumped intothe top fiveofThe Associated Presspoll. They earned aNo. 4seed in the NCAATournament,and ahorde of Nebraskafans traveled to Oklahoma City to watchthe programtakeoverthe Paycom Center and claim its first twoMarch Madness victories —ablowout against Troy and athrilleragainst Vanderbilt.

able. We’vegot greatleadership with this group—asgood as anythatI’ve coached.

Hoibergsaidthe seeds forthisyear’s success were plantedlastseasonatthe CollegeBasketballCrown tournament. TheCornhuskerswon four gamesto claim thechampionship at thatevent making success apart of their identity.

“You don’t geta chance to cutdown nets very often, so forus, it wasa really cool andspecial event,”hesaid. “Again,

TheAssociated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa —Kymora Johnson scored 28 points as 10th-seeded Virginia becamethe first First Four to reachthe regional semifinals afteran83-75 double-overtime win overNo. 2seedIowaon

Mondayinawomen’s NCAA Tournament second-round game

TheCavaliers(22-11) won three games in fivedays, defeating Arizona State57-55 in Thursday’sFirst Four game following thatwith an 82-73 overtimewin over Georgia in Saturday’sfirst-round game,and then the Hawkeyes(27-7), who were playing in front of asellout homecrowd of 14,332

It’s the first time Virginia has advanced to the second weekend of the tournament since 2000

It’s also the first time a10-seed has reached the Sweet 16 since Creighton did it in 2022.The Bluejaysalso beatIowainthe second round thatyear to advance. FORT WORTHREGIONAL1

NO.1 UCONN 98, NO.9 SYRACUSE 45 In Storrs, Conn., Azzi Fudd

scored26ofher 34 pointsinthe firsthalf in her final game at Gampel Pavilion and UConn useda31-0 runtoroll to awin over Syracuse to advancetothe Sweet16for the 32nd season in arow Fudd tied her career highsin points and 3-pointers and added five assists and four steals.Her eight3-pointers areone shortof the NCAA Tournamentsingle-game record held by Purdue’s Courtney Moses,UConn’s KiaNurse and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. SarahStrong had 18 points and nine rebounds as UConn (36-0)

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VirginiaguardKymoraJohnson, front, dribbles aroundIowa guardKylieFeuerbach during overtime in the second roundof the NCAA TournamentonMonday in Iowa City,Iowa. No.10Virginia beat No.2Iowa83-75 in double overtime

wonits 52nd consecutivegame Blanca Quinonez added 18 points forUConn, which led 33-8 after one quarter and65-12 at halftime asthe Huskies advance to play North Carolina in theFortWorth 1 regional semifinal on Friday. NO.2 VANDERBILT75, NO.7 ILLINOIS 57 In Nashville, Tenn., Mikayla Blakes scored25points as Vanderbilt beat Illinois to advancetothe Sweet16 forthe firsttimesince 2009 Vanderbilt (29-4) nowisone off matching the 30-win seasons of the 1993 Final Four squad and the 2001-02Commodores formost wins in program history.The Commodores will playNo. 6seed Notre Dame,a winner over Ohio State earlier Monday, in theFortWorth 1RegiononFriday in their 15th regional semifinal all-time Blakes justmissedthe first triple-double of her career.She checked out with 2:12 left with10 rebounds and nine assists along with four steals.Justine Pissott scored 18points,makingfour 3-pointers. Aubrey Galvan added 12 NO.6 NOTRE DAME 83, NO.3 OHIO STATE73 In Columbus, Ohio, Hannah Hidalgo puttogether another dominantperformancewith26points 13 rebounds and eightsteals as

a rowafter nevergoingthatdeepinthe women’s NCAA Tournament before that She is averaging acareer-best19.4points a game with six more triple-doubles andwill enter the WNBAatthe start of aseven-year landmark labor dealthatwill significantly increase the salaryfor league players.

“Thatmeans the newpeoplecominginto theleague have agood foundation to startoff on,”said Miles, whoturned 23 in January.

Morethan money

Staying in school wasn’t all aboutthe money forMiles, though it wascertainly financiallybeneficial in the era of name, image and likenessdeals. Consider thatCaitlinClarkand PaigeBueckers,the WNBA’s last twoNo. 1overall picks, both hadbase salaries of just over$78,000 last season.The newCBA will have aminimum salary this year of $270,000 to $300,000,thoughahigh draftpick will likelymakemorethan that “I knewdeep in my heart Ineeded one moreyear to be readyphysically, mentally, whatever thatmay have been. This year has paid off formeinwaysthatIcan’t even describe in that regard,” Milessaid. “I’ve growninmyleadership,I’vegrown in my game obviously. I’m havinga career year acrossthe board. Butalso I’vegrown in just trusting myself andknowingthatIcan play at ahigh level, andIdidn’t quitethink Iwas there last year,orready enoughtobeapro at

NotreDame advanced to the Sweet16for the15th straighttime with avictory Ohio State. It is thesecondtime in thesecond-team AP All-American’s career she has had at least20points,10 rebounds and sevensteals in a game.Hidalgo had hereighth double-double of theseasonand the 16th of thejunior’scareer

FellowAPAll-Americapick Jaloni Cambridge tied acareer high with 41 points forOhio State(27-8),the second-mostpoints by aBuckeyeplayer in an NCAA Tournamentgame FORT WORTHREGIONAL3

NO.3 LOUISVILLE 69, NO.6 ALABAMA68

In Louisville,Ky.,Elif Istanbulluoglu had 18 points and akey steal with 1:42remaining thatled to ReynaScott’s one-handedjumper as the shotclock expired, Imari Berry added twofreethrowswith 8.2 seconds left and Louisville held offAlabama.

TheCardinals (29-7) reached their firstSweet 16 since2023 despiteseveral missedlatefree throws.Istanbulluoglu made 1of2 foul shots and Scottmissedboth with 2.3seconds to go to givethe Crimson Tide onelastchancefor a desperationbasket Diana Collins grabbed the

thatmoment, butnow Ifeel ready.

Her season as aFrog

Miles wasthe centerpieceaddition when third-year TCUcoach MarkCampbell again rebuilt his roster throughthe transfer portal, and had to replaceHaileyVan Lith afterthe pointguard’sloneseasonwith theFrogs ended inthe EliteEight. TCUwon anotherBig 12 regular-season title andlikeVan Lith, Miles waspicked by leaguecoaches as the newcomerand player of theyear. Along with her 19.4 points while shooting48% from the field, Miles has 7.0 rebounds and6.6 assists per game.All of thoseaveragesare higher thanher 101-game totals at NotreDame from 2020-25, aspan when shemissed theend of the 2022-23season and all of 2023-24 becauseofa torn ACL in her right knee. TheFighting Irish finished each of the past four seasons with losses in theSweet 16,lastyeartothe Frogs.

Asked what Miles has developed most inher seasonwith TCU, Campbell said it is confidenceinher scoring andshooting ability. “I think she knowsshe has the green light and thefreedomand the belief of her teammates, andtrust of the coachestobeableto go outand be Olivia. And then off the court, just herleadership andgrowth,”Campbell said. “WegoasOlivia goes, andthere’sa lot of pressurethatcomeswith that.I mean,our whole system is based on herand her ability to be aplaymaker forus, andsoshe doesn’t

Hoiberg has been able to enjoythe run withhis sonSam as thepoint guard. SamHoibergaverages9.4 points on 54.5% shooting and has 151assists to just 37 turnovers.Sam’s twin brother, Charlie, is agraduate team manager “Tobeabletosharethatmoment with these guys —you getsocaught up in the coaching part of it thatyou reallydon’t think aboutit, butwhen thatgame was over and all the emotions were flooding out, to be able to sharethatwith those two guys has been great,”FredHoibergsaid. It’s not allgritand precision —there’s

rebound and launcheda shotfrom midcourt that bounced off the backboard,sendingLouisville to a matchup Saturday againstNo. 2 seed Michigan in theFortWorth 3 regional. TheCardinalswill make their 13th overallappearanceinthe Sweet16.

NO.5 KENTUCKY74, NO.4 WEST VIRGINIA 73

In Morgantown,W.Va., Teonni Keyscored19points,Clara Strack had 18 points and 15 reboundsfor her 16th double-double of theseasonand Kentuckynearly gave up a big lead and held on to beat West Virginia to advancetothe Sweet16 forthe firsttimeinadecade.

No.5 seed Kentucky (25-10) will meet top-seeded and Southeastern Conference rival Texason Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas. Kentuckywill makeits seventhtrip to theregional semifinals in program history and itsfirst since2016.

SACRAMENTO REGIONAL 2

NO.1 UCLA 87, NO.8 OKLAHOMA 68

In LosAngeles, top-seeded UCLApowered past Oklahoma Stateand reachedthe Sweet16 again with awin.

TheBruins led from theopening tipand stopped theCowgirls’only real push in the thirdquarter.

Lauren Bettshad acareerhigh 35 points andgrabbed nine rebounds forthe Bruins. UCLA opened thegamewith nine straightpointsand built ahuge first-half lead.

SACRAMENTO REGIONAL 4

NO.1 SOUTHCAROLINA 101, SOUTHERNCAL 61

In Columbia, S.C., JoyceEdwards had 23 points and10rebounds, Madina Okot added her22nd double-double this season with 15 points and 15 reboundsand South Carolina advanced to its12th straightSweet 16 with avictory over Southern California

TheGamecocks(33-3)opened with a13-0run, were ahead 51-21 at halftimeand cruised to their 18th straightNCAAwin at home. They’ll getarematch at the Sacramento 4regional when theyfacefourthseeded Oklahoma, one of twoteams to defeat South Carolina this season.

geta night off.She’s gottobring it every single game.And she’sdone that.”

Doubled hertriple-doubles

Miles’ six triple-doubles this seasonset Big12single-season andcareer marks, and matched her six at NotreDame.She hadfour in afive-game stretch in December

In TCU’sfirst-round winoverUCSan Diego, Miles had12points, acareer-high 16 rebounds andasingle-game school record 14 assists while becoming only thethirdplayer with twotriple-doubles in women’sNCAA tournament games—and first with14 rebounds and14assists in March Madness. Herother tournament triple-double came with NotreDame in 2022,with12points, 11 rebounds and11assists in afirst-round game against Massachusetts. Miles wasthen resilient in a62-59 overtimewin over Washington in thesecond round. While frustrated throughout, and distraught when apotential winning shot didn’t go in at the end of regulation, she still finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and eightassists. Through it all this season,Miles said she has rediscoveredher joyand love forthe game. “I went through amajor injuryafew years back andthe onlything thatmakes me happy in the game is if I’mhealthyand if Ihave fun,”she said. “Whatevercomesout in the boxscore comesout,but at theend of the day, this game’s aboutjoy and love and the impact youhaveonpeople.

TheCornhuskers picked up astarin PryceSandfort, whoplayedfor Iowa last seasonbeforetransferring. He leads the team with17.9pointsper game.Rienk Mast, a6-foot-10, 250-pound big man from theNetherlands, has been astabilizer.The senior is averaging 13.5 points and 5.8rebounds Braden Frager,a freshman from Lincoln, Neb.,who hit thedramatic game-winning layupagainstVanderbilt, averages 11.7 points as areserve.Guard Jamarques Lawrence startedhis career at Nebraska,thenplayedaseasonat Rhode Island fora seasonbeforereturning to theHuskers.Heaveraged9.8 points and 3.9assists this season. Berke Buyuktuncel, aphysical 6-10 forward from Turkey, has startedevery game Fred Hoiberg said each player’sabilitytofind his lane has been keytothe team’s success

“Weall have our styles,”hesaid. “We allhaveour personalities. Ithink you’ve gottobewho youare.These playersare smart,and we have to be whoweare We can’t be frauds.It’sjustkind of who Iamand whoI’vealwaysbeen.”

entirely of guys whohave played nowhereelse in college, and 11 of the16teams have at least threesuch starters Thosenumbers existdespite thefact that Iowa(BenMcCollum) and Texas(Sean Miller) have newcoaches, and both were forced to mine thetransferportal afterthe typical and unavoidable outflow of players from theprevious regime At Purdue,Smith—now the NCAA career assists leader and Loyerhavebeen starters thelastfour years. KaufmanRenn, also asenior,has been in thestarting lineup thelast three. Together,theyare tied forthe winningest classin school history

“Who wouldn’t want to stay?” Smith asked. “Obviously if our situation wasdifferent, whatever.For us just being around agreat group of people as awhole, thecommunityat Purdue,the coaching staff,just staff in general— it just makes it super special.”

In thecaseofthe Hawkeyes, four of thestarters— Bennett Stirtz, Tavion Banks, Cam Manyawu and Kael Combs —followedMcCollumfrom Drake, creating thesame sort of continuity. Theother starter, JacobKoch, played forFran McCaffery at Iowa last season.

“We’ve gotreallyloyal kids, and Iknewthatgoing in,”said McCollum, whotwo yearsago wascoaching Division II ball. “Whether or not they’reperfect —they’renot.We’ve got our issues, I’ve gotmyissues, butwhatthey’reperfect at is loyalty, and they’retough, and they’veestablished afoundation and asolid core.”

TheHawkeyes’ in-state rival, Iowa State, is back in the Sweet 16 behind Tamin Lipsey afourth-year senior whogrew up near itscampus in Ames. Milan Momcilovic and injured forwardJoshua Jeffersonhave been withT.J.Otzelbergerfor multipleyears Over time,theyhave embraced what it means to be apart of theCyclonesprogram.

“Wehavea lotofpride that this programcontinuestodo really well,”Otzelbergersaid, “and theconsistency of it means awholelot to us.We’re going to continue to have those work habitsthatreflectthat day-in and day-out.”

Spartans coach TomIzzo doesn’t just have fivestarters that he recruited outofhigh school butfour whohavestuck withhim at least threeseasons. That includesCarsonCooper and JaxonKohler,a pair of collegebasketballunicorns: fourth-year seniors. “When youend up coaching andyou have guys forthree andfour years, theydobecome likeyour ownkids,”Izzo said “Infact, Ispent moretime with some of my players than Idid my ownkidsastheyweregrowingup. I’m notreallyproud of that, just the fact of life.

Yetit’sa somewhat pleasant wayoflifefor thosewho remember what collegesports wasbeforeadministrators began chasing moneyabove allelse,and playersfollowed suit.Teams were embraced by fans when March Madness rolled around becausetheyhad watchedtheir players grow up; they hada vested interested afteryears of shared joyand suffering. In some ways,this year’s Sweet 16 is athrowback to an increasinglybygone era.

“I kind of go back to just how we areright now, even in like, our mealsinthe hotel rooms and just hanging outwiththe guys.I think that’s something that we’reall going to take for granted at some point,”Cooper said. “When we graduate, wherever thenextsteptakes us,we’re going to think back and wishthatwewereback there, being able to hang out withthe guys.”

Kimberly Corbitt t Business Different

Bagels andthe pleasureof productivity

Every night thatsummer, Idrove from my factory job to theGrains and Grinds Bagel Cafe onetown over, turned the revolving stone hearth ovento500 degrees and filledthe kettle

Thebagels were already proofing when Iarrived—pale,plump, soft as a baby’s arms, resting on woodenshelves dustedwithcornmeal, loaded intoracks 20 tall.

I’dslide adozenintothe boilingkettle and watchthem drop dramatically, then popcheerfullytothe surface.Out they camewith awirebasket, topside down ontoburlap-coveredmetal slats that protected their soft tops from thestone hearth while the cornmeal bottoms dried.

Twoturns around, and I’dflip them all overwith my bare hands —moving quickly, getting burnedoccasionally —then let them rotateuntiltheywere perfectlyplump, firm and golden.

D’Angelo playedloudly. We were both sweating.

Theovenonlyworkedifyou held the heat. Therewerebrief moments when youcould close the door andtrap it —but onlyifyour timingwas exact. Tooslowand youlost temperature Toomuch cornmealinthe kettle and it would boil over.Everythingwas preparation and then controlledfocus Whenitwas right, it wasmagic. Imadearound 1,200bagels anight. In my memory,theyare allgolden. I nevergot tiredofthatwork. Notonce. I’dleave at dawn, biteintoastill-warm bagelasIwalked past the line of customerswaiting fortheirregular, andI would feel completelysatisfied. That job has become my mostfrequent work fantasy. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t creative in the wayweusuallymean.Itwas repetitive, hot, physical. It required my whole bodyand attention.The structure wastight enough thatIcould disappear intoit. Thepleasure wasn’t in freedom from constraint;itwas in meeting it exactly.

Ithought aboutthatovenaswepreparedfor the launch of ourcollaborative scheduling field studywith Harvardand Tulane.

Forthe past severalyears,we’ve been learning what caregivers actually need to do this work well forthe long haul. Before launching the study, Idesigned a three-week communication workshop to laythe groundwork.

We needed people to knowexactly howtoreach each other,whattodo next and wheretobring their worry We needed to move quicklyenough to maintain momentumand slowly enough not to missanything —or anyone.

Thepreparation felt likemanaging heat. Anear-constant churn of feedback from caregivers on the front line,adjustments from office support, refining timing andsequence. If we rushed, we’d lose trust. If we stalled, we’d lose energy. When it wasright, it felt the same as the bageljob: focused, rhythmic, alive We talk alot aboutoverload,burnout and extraction. We talk lessaboutthe pleasureofproductivity—the deep satisfaction of being fully engagedinwork thatmakes sense,inside astructurethat lets youuse what youknow. I’vecome to think this maybe true of almost anywork. People need to know what theyare trying to make. They needsupport. They need constraints thatclarify rather than constrict. And they need enough freedominsidethose boundaries to find theirown rhythm. Maybe youhavefelt this, too: notjust the satisfaction of finishingsomething, butthe particular pleasureoffocused effort insidea well-madeframe Knowing thegoal. Trustingthe process. Feeling your skill meet the moment. That feeling —inbaking,incaregiving,inany work at all —remainsfor me avery specific pleasureand satisfaction KimberlyCorbittisthe leader of Biscochito,aSantaFe-based company that provides care at home. Hercolumn appears twiceamonth.Contact herat kimberly.corbitt@biscochito.org

WORK IN PROCESS

Make SantaFe’snew 3-monthfellowshipprogram focusesonjourney rather than result

ABOVE: Gary Hotoveclines up alength of pipe for astraight cut while taking ametalworking class this month at the Make SantaFeworkspace. Make SantaFeislaunching anew maker-in-residenceprogram, three-month fellowshipstocreatorsworking in art, engineering or fabrication who will document each step of their process.

RIGHT: Joe Maes,left, TiffaniEcord andWilliam Davis,right, take ablacksmithing classfrom instructor SteveDulfer this month at Make SantaFe. PHOTOSBYJIM WEBER/THENEW MEXICAN

By MikeEasterling measterling@sfnewmexican.com

Boldness. Audacity. And failure

Thoseare three of the wordsJames Johnson, the executive director of Make SantaFe, uses to describe what he hopestosee emerge from hisorganization’s new maker-in-residenceprogram, which willoffer three-month fellowships to builders, designersand creativetechnologists working on aspecific project

Theprogram, which will getunderwaythisspring, is designedtobeheavilyfocusedonthe creative process instead of the result.Johnson said he andothers at Make SantaFe— anonprofitcommunityworkspacewhere memberscan access the tools, resources and workspacetheyneed to create,develop or repair aconcept —wanttosee howamaker’s project develops overa90-dayperiod,wartsand all.

Especiallythe warts.

“That’sexactlyright—we’re being really careful nottoask peopletofinish aproject,”hesaid, adding the programalmostcarries with it acomponent of intentionalfailure.

“Wewanttoinject inspirationintoour space,”he said.

Themakersselected forthe programwillhave three months to use the MakeSanta Fe studios and equipmentwhile documenting theirworkand sharing their perspectivesonwhatworks andwhatdoesn’t with communitymembers in aseriesoftalks andpresentations.Theywill be encouraged to experiment swing forthe fences andnot feel pressured to succeed at their chosen endeavor, Johnson said

“The waywe’re goingtoholdour makersin residenceaccountable is by seeing whether they learn from theirmistakes,”hesaid. “Whatwedon’t want to see is apresentationoffinished projects. We want to see the process.

Not just art

Manyfolks have the idea thatMakeSanta Fe locatedat2870All Trades Road,focuses largely on art projects. Johnsonsaidthat’snot true.

He envisions the marker-in-residenceprogram being acombinationofcraft,art and engineering. If amaker uses their time to developaproduct from idea to prototype,that’sfine. Theidea forthe programhas been around Make

IN BRIEF Business beat at

Angelinvestorsgroupplansnew

programmingforNewAngelClub

An organization of angel investorssupporting startup and high-growth companiesinNew Mexico is preparing to launch afifthyearofprogramming designed to educate and engagenew andseasoned investors. NewMexicoAngels will present theseries at 4p.m eachWednesdayfromApril 8throughMay 13,accordingto anewsrelease. It will offer virtual and in-person sessionsatthe BioScienceCenter in Albuquerque. TheNew Angel Club will consist of private investorslooking to diversify their portfolios. Thesessions willinclude interactive learning, real-life case studies

TAKEAWAYS

◆ MakeSanta Fe willoffer three-month fellowships to builders, designersand creativetechnologists working on aspecific project beginning this spring.

◆ Theprogram is designed to be heavily focusedon thecreativeprocess insteadofthe result

◆ Visit makesantafe.org/maker-in-residence-2/for moreinformation aboutthe program.

SantaFefor alongtime,Johnson said; co-founder Ginger Richardsoninitiallyfloated theconcept.

“Itwas heridea —wejustreinventedit,”Johnson said, noting Richardson is one of thefinancial backersofthe program, which is being made possibleby agroup of donors.

Make SantaFeofficialshavewanted to launch theprogram foralong time butlacked the resourcesuntil now, he said.

“We’ve been building up to support this kind of thing,”Johnsonsaid. “Atthe beginning of this year we decided, ‘Now is agood time.’ ” Make SantaFealready has begun accepting applications forthe first three-monthprogram, which will featureone or twomakers, he said. A secondthree-month programwilltakeplace later this year,with Johnson saying theidea is to do one programeachquarter in 2027

and hands-on experience, withfree, openaccessto the first twosessions. Thosewho wish to continue participating can join for$500 or become aNew Mexico Angels member Go to nmangels.com/angelclub/ to registerfor the free introductory sessions

Angels Dine Outfundraiserfor KitchenAngelsset forApril 16

ASanta Fe nonprofitwillenlist theparticipation of 32 restaurants next month forits annual fundraising event. Kitchen Angels, which providesmeals forfolks across Northern NewMexicowho arehomebound, experiencing ahealthcrisisorlack theresourcesfor regularmeals, will holdits Angels Dine Outevent

He said thefirstparticipant or participantswill be selected within thenextmonthand begin their residency in May.

“People aresuper excited,”hesaid.“Some of them have said,‘Ican’t believewehaven’t done this yet.’”

Johnson said his expectation is the program will reveal thatamaker whoistryingtoresolve a mechanical issue foraproduct, forinstance,willtake manyofthe same steps as an artist whoistryingto evokeanemotional response through their work

“The focus willbeontrying to figurea problem out,”hesaid.

Each resident willbegiven 24-hour access to the organization’s fabrication studios and itstechnical classes, in addition to asmallstipend designed to support theirwork, according to anewsrelease. As theprocess unfolds, theresidents willbeexpected to document theirworkand shareupdates, including making apublicpresentation at theend of the fellowship

Thosepresentations not onlywillallowthe resident to openupabout theircreativeexperience, they also couldhelp acquaint thepublicwithwhat MakeSantaFehas to offer

“That’sa greatpoint,” Johnson said. “We’re one of themostwell-equippedfabrication studios in SantaFe, and Ithink people missthat. …I want peopletosee MakeSantaFeasa very valuable business startup place— ahub forinvention.”

April 16.Onthatdate, theparticipating restaurants willdonate 25%oftheir sales to KitchenAngels. Thelistofparticipating restaurantsincludes315 Restaurant &Wine Bar,Alkeme, Andiamo!, Atrisco Café &Bar,BourbonGrill, Boxcar,Café Fina, Café Pasqual’s,CowgirlBBQ,ElNido,ElNido SU,Escondido,Hello Sweet Cream, Horno Restaurant,India House, Izanami, JamboCafé,Legal Tender, Marisco’s CostaAzul, MuseumHillCafé,Palace, Pantry Dos, Paper Dosa, PecosTrail Café,Piccolino,Plaza Café Downtown, PlazaCafé Southside,San Francisco Street Bar &Grill, SantaFeBite, Terra-TheFour Seasons, TerraCotta Wine Bistroand Tune Up Café Thosewho dine at one of theparticipating restaurantscan entertowin aVisagiftcardof$500,$300or $100.Visit kitchenangels.orgfor moreinformation. TheNew Mexican

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

by Patti Varol

SUDOKU

Annualsubscriptions areavailablefor thebestofSundaycrosswordsfromthe last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS AT&Tusers:TextNYTXto386todownloadpuzzles,orvisitnytimes. com/mobilexwordfor moreinformation. Online subscriptions: Today’spuzzleand morethan2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords($39.95 ayear) Sharetips:nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswordsfor young solvers:nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Thestars showthe kind of dayyou’llhave: 5-Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult

HAPPYBIRTHDAYfor

Tuesday, March 24,2026: Youare straightforward, direct anddecisive. Youhaveavigorous imagination. This is ayear of newbeginnings,adventures and majorchanges. Keep your eyes open fornew opportunitiesand be ready to take action What youdonow willbring benefitinthe future. Preparefor leadership

MOON ALERT: Avoid shopping (exceptfor food and gas)and big decisions after6:15 p.m. EDTtoday(3:15p.m. PDT). The Moon is in GEMINI

HHHH This is apowerful time foryou becausethe Sun, Venus Saturn and Neptune areall in your sign. TheMoon makes you charming and diplomatic. Peoplewanttotalk to you. Tonight: Discussions

TAURUS (April 20-May20)

HHH Although you’re focused on secret mattersorissues thatare behind the scenes todayyour finances arefavored In particular,you mightbuy something prettyfor yourself Tonight: Check your money

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

HHHH Todayfavorsyou. The Moonisinyour signdancing with fair Venus, which softens all your communications with others.Tonight: You’re strong.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

HHH Twocontradictoryinfluences areatplaytoday: One influencemakes youwantto seek privacyand hide.The otherinfluencecalls attention to youlikeaflatteringspotlight. Tonight: Solitude

LEO (July 23-Aug.22)

HHHH Enjoyschmoozing with friends andgroupstoday. In particular,you mightbeattracted to someonewho is “different.” Youalsomightmaketravel plans with someone. Tonight: Friendships.

VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept.22)

HHHH You’re high-viz today, whichisa goodthing,because youmakeagreat impression on everyone.People seeyou as charming andapproachable Tonight: You’re admired.

TodayisTuesday, March 24,the 83rd dayof2026. Thereare 282daysleftinthe year

Today’shighlight in history: On March24, 1989 thesupertanker Exxon Valdez ranaground on areefinAlaska’s PrinceWilliam Sound andbegan leakingan estimated 11 million gallons of crudeoil

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

HHHH Do whatyou canto breakfreefromyourdaily routine today. Youneeda bit of adventureand stimulation. Go offsomewhere if youcan Tonight: Explore!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

HHH Financial negotiations with others will go well today, especially discussionsthatare work-related.However, today’s energy also promotes passionateromance.Tonight: Check your finances

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22-Dec. 21)

HHHH Todayyourbestchoice is to “goalong to getalong” when dealing with others. In fact,you mighthavetogomore thanhalfway with aspouse, partnerorclose friend. Tonight: Cooperatewith others

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

HHH Your work will flow easily todaybecause co-workers aresupportive. In fact,you mightencountera flirtation or aromantic interest with acoworker.Tonight: Getorganized.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.18)

HHHH Go aheadand please yourself today. If possible,do whatyou want.Haveagood time. Enjoysocializing with others. Explorethe arts andthe entertainmentworld. Tonight: Relax.

PISCES (Feb.19-March20)

HHH Although youmight be happytohunkerdownathome today, youwill alsoenjoyentertaining at home. Youmight become involved in decorating projects.Tonight: Enjoyquiet timeathome

SHEINWOLD’SBRIDGE

Dear Annie: I’m havingaproblem thatfeels small, butit’sstartingtomake me dreadseeingsomeoneIcareabout. Oneofmyclosest friends has gottenintothe habit of “correcting” me in public. If Itell astory,she interrupts to adjust adetail. If Imention a restaurant, she jumps in with the exact neighborhood andthe chef’s name. If I pronounce awordslightlywrong,she repeats it back the right waywith a smile that’ssupposed to be playful. At first, Ibrushed it off. She’s smart andshe has always been alittle particular.But lately,itfeels constant, andit makes me feel foolish. Theworst part is she does it in frontofother people, and Ican see them glanceatmelikeI’m the onewho’s sloppyorclueless.

I’vetried joking aboutit. I’vetried ignoringit. I’veevensaid,lightly, “You knowIdon’t need the footnotes.”She laughs andsaysI’m being sensitive,or thatshe’s “just helping.”Then Ifeel embarrassed forbringingitupatall. Idon’t want to lose this friendship She’s been therefor me through alot. ButIalso don’twanttokeep swallowing this irritation untilIsnapand saysomethingharsh.

HowdoIhandle this in away that keeps my dignity andkeeps the peace? —Tired of Being Edited Dear Tired: This is notsmall. It is aboutrespect. Speaktoher privatelyand plainly.Tell her,“Icareaboutyou, but when youcorrect me in frontofother people, Ifeel embarrassed. Please stop.” There’snoneed forjokes, speeches or courtroom evidence Sometimes anxious peopleinterrupt andpolish details withoutrealizinghow it lands. Their mindistrying to steady itself by being precise. Agood friend does notjust swallowirritation.Agood friendgives the truth kindly, so the other person has achance to do better. If she values your friendship,she will listen andmakeaneffort. If she dismisses your feelings,then youwill learn something importantaboutwhatthis friendship can andcannotgiveyou.

Send your questions forAnnie Laneto dearannie@creators.com. To find outmore aboutAnnie Lane and read featuresby other CreatorsSyndicate columnistsand cartoonists, visit theCreatorsSyndicate websiteatwww.creators.com.

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