Pizza parties and tin soap dishes

Soap dishes and filet mignon

Starting Jan. 1, we now get to know precisely what the New Mexico governor spends their $72,000 contingency fund on. Michelle Lujan Grisham has reportedly spent over $10,000 ($) of it so far on biscochitos, a fancy breakfast and tinwork soap dishes, among other things. Our previous governor was notoriously opaque in her disclosure of records (we even sued her over it), so while some of the current gov's purchases may seem a little frivolous, we're just glad we know what they are.

Toxic masculinity strikes again

In 2017, Christopher Owens shot his friend in the chest ($) after a joking comment in a car. When Tim Baca made what he thought was a humorous comment while a group of friends finished a night of drinking, Owens didn't share in the laughter. Once the car pulled over, he grabbed a gun from the glove box and killed Baca. "Tim is dead because the defendant's ego couldn't take that joke," prosecutor Blake Nichols said. The second trial in the case has begun; the first ended in a mistrial.

Here, kitty, kitty

Mountain lions have been reported on the popular La Luz trail in the Sandias. This isn't terribly unusual, but keep your wits about you if you're hiking any time soon. Just a reminder that if you encounter a mountain lion, back away slow and don't make eye contact. If the cat doesn't give up, make yourself look bigger with sticks or a coat—and if it approaches you, get threatening or fight back. Or, if you're that scrawny guy in Colorado, choke it with your bare hands. We really hope it doesn't come to that last one, though.

The cost of a wall

Military bases in New Mexico would lose millions in funding if the president decides to go ahead with his emergency declaration concerning a border wall. Included in proposed cuts are $85 million from a drone program at Holloman Air Force Base, $40 million from at White Sands Missile Range, $42 million from Cannon Air Force Base and $16 million from anti-terrorism projects and a new fire station at Kirtland Air Force Base. US Sen. Martin Heinrich has condemned the proposal.

I-25 and 599 crash is deadly

It seems to have been a busy week for car accidents in Santa Fe, and sadly, a big one yesterday saw a casualty. A Kansas woman was killed ($) and others were critically injured at the intersection of I-25 and Highway 599 when the SUV she was riding in rolled over, and a trailer it was pulling came unhitched and struck another car. Photos of the traffic backup were posted on Facebook, warning drivers to stay away.

Doobie brothers

A little more news on the National Hispanic Cultural Center fire in Albuquerque, just because it's a weird story: We told you yesterday that two men have been charged with causing the damage (reportedly $500,000 worth of it), but the cause of the fire is exceedingly stupid. The men apparently were smoking a fake joint. A fake joint. It was made out of random leaves and bar receipts. This is one of those cases where the more information we get, the more questions we have.

Get classy & get out of the house

If you're looking for something to do this evening, may we recommend an evening at the theater? The Santa Fe Playhouse opens its 2019 season with Trevor, a play about an ape. It's poignant, funny, strange and immensely well-crafted. Catch it through March 31. Or, for one night only at the Lensic this evening (or in Rio Rancho on Sunday), you can catch the New Mexico Gay Men's Chorus singing about San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. So much culture, we can't take it.

Are you ready, boots? Start walkin’

Do you have plans on Sunday March 31? No? Do you like to hike? Yes? Have we got the day trip for you. Santa Fe National Forest seeks volunteers to pick up trash along the Window Rock hike that day. The trail, the trailhead of which is 11.5 miles north of Española on Highway 84, will take from 8 am to 4 pm to hike, says SFNF; you can sign up or get info from Jennifer Sublett, Española District Volunteer Coordinator, at jasublett@fs.fed.us or 753-7331.

Thanks for reading! The Word believes that there is a place for everything, and everything should be in its place.