Lady Horsemen put on a scoring clinic against Santa Fe High Sports, B-1
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Food-for-work plan blasted
Zozobra ignites bigger audience
Critics say Gov. Susana Martinez’s changes to SNAP would deny food stamps to people who most need them. PAGE A-7
‘Any successful strategy [against Syria] needs strong regional partners,’ Obama told reporters Thursday in Washington. EVAN VUCCI/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advocates say PNM plant costs too low
Obama struggles on Syria coalition
The utility is accused of underestimating the fees consumers will pay to shut an old plant. PAGE A-7
Feds prep tax forms for health coverage Any glitches in sending out the forms could people’s delay tax returns. PAGE A-6
By Bradley Klapper The Associated Press
Mexico raids slow youth migrants Federal agents pull kids off train, check papers By Mark Stevenson
Old Man Gloom’s different look fazes few at packed event
The Associated Press
CHAHUITES, Mexico — Mexico is making a big effort to stop the flow of Central Americans trying to reach the United States, and has dramatically cut the number of child migrants. But it is unclear for how long federal officials will keep up the raids. A federal police officer said his group was told they would be stationed in southern Mexico for six months. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he isn’t allowed to talk to the media. Convoys of Mexican federal police and immigration service employees in southern Mexico have been scouring the tracks of the infamous freight train known as “La Bestia,” or The Beast, that has long carried crowds of migrants on its lumbering route north. They have also set up moving roadblocks, checking the documents of passengers on interstate buses. Associated Press journalists witnessed dozens of federal police and Mexican immigration agents storming the train as it came to an unscheduled stop in the post-midnight darkness Friday. “We’re federal agents! Give up! You’re surrounded! Come down carefully!” the lawmen shouted to the huddled, stunned migrants. Fewer than 15 were detained on a train that once carried 600 to 1,000 migrants at a time. American and Mexican officials
Please see MEXICO, Page A-4
Index
Calendar A-2
The 90th annual burning of Zozobra on Friday at Fort Marcy Ballpark drew a large crowd. The burn went off smoothly, despite earlier concerns about changes in Zozobra’s appearance, the event’s separation from the Fiesta de Santa Fe and worries about potential violence. PHOTOS BY JANE PHILLIPS/THE NEW MEXICAN
Classifieds B-6
By Chris Quintana
Please see SYRIA, Page A-4
The New Mexican
T
hough he wore no customary skirt or bow tie, Will Shuster’s Zozobra burned late Friday night for the 90th time in Fort Marcy Ballpark as he always has — in front of a cheering, jeering crowd. Police say this one exceeded 30,000 people. And the burn went off smoothly, despite complaints earlier in the week about changes in Zozobra’s appearance, the event’s separation from Fiesta de Santa Fe and worries about potential violence that could arise because of overcrowding. But of the dozens of people interviewed during the event, no one complained about the new look of the 50-foot marionette, few cared about the separation from Fiesta, and the Santa Fe Police Department reported no major incidents or arrests. Ray Sandoval, director of the event for the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, said about 10,000 advance tickets were sold across the nation. It’s unclear how many were sold at the gates Friday night, but this year’s burning did appear larger than the 2013 event, which drew 31,000 spectators. The actual torching ceremony was quick this year. The lights snapped off at about 9:10 p.m. and plunged the Fort Marcy park into darkness. A man dressed as a city
Comics B-12
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WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s acknowledgement the U.S. still lacks a strategy for defeating the growing extremist threat emanating from Syria reflects a still unformed international coalition. The president is meeting with his top advisers and consulting members of Congress to prepare U.S. military options. At the same time, he is looking for allies around the world to help the U.S. root out the Islamic State group that has seized large swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq. “Any successful strategy … needs strong regional partners,” Obama told reporters Thursday. In the last year and a half, Islamic State extremists have fought the Syrian army, Hezbollah and Iranian
Pasapick www.pasatiempomagazine.com
Antonio Granjero and EntreFlamenco
It’s unclear how many tickets were sold at the gate Friday night, but this year’s event did appear larger than the 2013 one, which drew 31,000 spectators.
ON THE WEB u For more photos, visit http:// tinyurl.com/las8m4d
attorney from the 1920s stepped in front of Old Man Gloom and read the charges levied against him, concluding with a triumphant shout: “I hereby sentence you to death by fire!” Gloomies — children dressed in sheets — swung their arms and paraded in front of Zozobra. People carrying torches lit large, dry bundles of sticks, and finally, the fire
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dancer who traditionally ignites Old Man Gloom began a winding dance. Zozobra let loose his guttural moans and the crowd began its mantra: “Burn him. Burn him.” When Zozobra finally exploded into flames, his groans grew increasingly frantic then stopped altogether. As the fire consumed him, he finally collapsed into a pile of wood, nails and ash, and the crowd rejoiced with savage cries at his fiery demise at about 9:30 p.m.
Please see ZOZOBRA, Page A-4
Stocks B-5
Time Out B-11
BREAKING NEWS AT WWW.SANTAFENEWMEXICAN.COM
Flamenco dance troupe, with Estefania Ramirez, 8 p.m., María Benítez Cabaret, The Lodge at Santa Fe, 750 N. St. Francis Drive, $25-$45, 988-1234, ticketssantafe.org, final weekend.
Obituaries Henry P. McKinley, Aug. 12 Daniel D. Gutierrez, 54, Aug. 25 PAGE A-10
Today Sunshine. High 83, low 53. PAGE A-12
Two sections, 24 pages TV Book, 24 pages 165th year, No. 242 Publication No. 596-440