The reclusive executive built the subscription service into an adult-content powerhouse.
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OnlyFans Owner Leo Radvinsky Dies at 43
MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers open 2026 season as best team (again) with a World Series three-peat on the line
Thanks to the World Baseball Classic occupying our time for a few weeks and a very early Opening Day, the imminent start of the 2026 MLB season came at me faster than most. I’m supposed to still be in “preview” mode during spring training, yet I’m building power rankings already.
That’s fun, though. Let’s talk about who can win the World Series.
I have to start with the two-time defending champion Dodgers. They have the shortest odds to win the World Series and since they signed Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million deal, we have to endure another round of “holy cow, no fair, no one else even has a chance to win the World Series!” nonsense.
The Dodgers are, of course, the most likely team to win the World Series, but that doesn’t mean they are likely. It might sound as funny as when I say first base is the easiest defensive position, but it’s not easy. We’re all smart enough to grasp the concept, right? The Dodgers have the best chances to win the World Series, but it’s a 26.9% chance per FanGraphs odds. Even if you think that’s too low and it’s like 35% (it’s way lower than that, but I’m trying to humor some people), that means there’s a 65% chance they don’t win it all.
See? Get outta here with any sure thing. So much has to break right.
There’s a reason we’ve only seen one three-peat since the 1970s and why only two franchises have ever pulled it off.
Who else could win it all? Ideally, you’d love to head into a season in which all 30 teams truly had a chance, but I feel pretty good in saying at least a handful simply cannot. Here are my subjective tiers of World Series contenders.
The favorite
The Dodgers. Enough said.
Strong contenders
I could probably expand this one a little, but I feel like this is the firm second tier.
Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners, Cubs
Need a few breaks
These teams are either slightly more flawed or have a few more questions than the teams above. Just a few. Things could certainly break right and it wouldn’t shock me in the least.
Tigers, Mets, Braves, Phillies, Brewers, Astros, Red Sox
Maybe if everything breaks right
Think 2023 Rangers for this one. I still remember in spring training saying to another writer, “I don’t think they will even make the playoffs, but I could totally see the Rangers winning the World Series.” That’s this group, for the most part, even if a few need to make the playoffs, logistically.
Royals, Guardians, Giants, Diamondbacks, Padres, Pirates, Reds, Marlins, Athletics, Rangers, Orioles, Rays
Maybe next year… or the year after
No chance. Not in 2026.
Rockies, Nationals, Cardinals, Angels, Twins, White Sox
Biggest Movers
|
Rk |
Teams |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|
I will admit this: I think the chances of them winning the NL West are just about 100%. | — | 0-0 |
2 |
|
This is actually a very good offense, despite the home park suppressing their numbers. There’s a good rotation and a great closer, too. | 5 | 0-0 |
3 |
|
They can absorb the loss of Bo Bichette and the pitching is deep enough to let Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage build themselves back, but it’ll certainly test them. | — | 0-0 |
4 |
|
Gerrit Cole’s throwing hard and on the comeback trail. | 1 | 0-0 |
5 |
|
There’s a lot more roster depth and well-roundedness than star power here, but that kind of balance is a major asset. | 1 | 0-0 |
6 |
|
Kudos to the Tigers for holding Tarik Skubal and also signing Framber Valdez. Who cares if you’re gonna lose an ace after the season? Try to win it all now instead of trading him for prospects for later. | 5 | 0-0 |
7 |
|
They added a lot of good pieces over the winter; it’s now a question of how it all meshes together, notably with a few position changes in the infield. | 2 | 0-0 |
8 |
|
I was ready to be very strong on the Braves and I do believe the offense is going to be stout, but that rotation is just not sturdy at all. | 2 | 0-0 |
9 |
|
There are lots of concerns with this ballclub and still lots of talent. Can Zack Wheeler come back quickly and be just as good? Will Aaron Nola bounce back (he looked good in WBC)? There’s still a path to being awesome again. | 1 | 0-0 |
10 |
|
I like the rotation fine, but I’m not going crazy over it or anything. I will, however, go crazy about my AL Cy Young pick, Garrett Crochet. Are 300 strikeouts within reach? | 2 | 0-0 |
11 |
|
Can they replicate last season’s magic? I find myself saying no to that question the closer we get to the season. | 9 | 0-0 |
12 |
|
Last year was the first time since 2016 that MLB had an Astros-less playoffs. They were alive heading into the final day of the season. | — | 0-0 |
13 |
|
I’m a fan of this Royals team. Good offensive potential, possibly great rotation and quality bullpen. They could actually sweep the awards with Bobby Witt Jr. (MVP), Cole Ragans (Cy Young), Carter Jensen (Rookie of the Year) and Matt Quatraro (Manager of the Year). | 1 | 0-0 |
14 |
|
The offense is going to bounce back and I actually sneakily love the rotation now with Kyle Bradish back and Trevor Rogers seemingly having figured something out. | 3 | 0-0 |
15 |
|
One of the most fun offenses in baseball. Do they have enough in the rotation? | 6 | 0-0 |
16 |
|
I usually pick the Padres to make the postseason, but this roster is just so top-heavy. | 3 | 0-0 |
17 |
|
They might end up with the best rotation in baseball. Will that be enough? | 1 | 0-0 |
18 |
|
The Giants haven’t had three players reach 30 home runs in the same season since 1966 (Jim Ray Hart, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey). Could Willy Adames, Rafael Devers and Matt Chapman get there? They now have Luis Arraez setting the table for them. | 1 | 0-0 |
19 |
|
Shane McClanahan hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2023, but he’s shown encouraging results so far in the spring. | 3 | 0-0 |
20 |
|
I’m just not seeing a miracle run this time around. There isn’t enough talent. Famous last words? Maybe. This team has proven me wrong plenty of times. | 5 | 0-0 |
21 |
|
I’d like them a lot better with Corbin Burnes, but hey, they get to start their lineup with three players capable of making an MVP run. | 1 | 0-0 |
22 |
|
The loss of Hunter Greene for a few months is devastating. I liked the Reds’ potential for another playoff trip. | 4 | 0-0 |
23 |
|
There’s a lot of Pirates love out there. They are better and I certainly think a playoff run is possible. I just don’t think it’s very likely. An injury-prone Brandon Lowe, washed-up Marcell Ozuna and Ryan O’Hearn don’t move the needle a ton for me. | 1 | 0-0 |
24 |
|
The Marlins were 54-42 after June 11 last season. Hmmm … | 1 | 0-0 |
25 |
|
There’s a decent chance the Cardinals are the best last-place team, but I doubt that’s worth much to their fans. The Cardinals have only finished in last twice since 1918. | — | 0-0 |
26 |
|
Between Zach Neto, the raw power of Jo Adell and Jorge Soler and, obviously, Mike Trout, the Angels have the most exciting players among the really bad teams. | 1 | 0-0 |
27 |
|
I’m lower on them than most. I think there’s potential for a pitiful season here. | 1 | 0-0 |
28 |
|
I love saying this because it’s so true, but baby steps are steps. The White Sox got demonstrably better last season and it’s possible they will again this season. | — | 0-0 |
29 |
|
It’ll get worse before it gets better. There’s a decent chance they end up the worst team this season. | — | 0-0 |
30 |
|
Their win total (commonly known as “over/under”) is 54.5. Gimme the over! | — | 0-0 |
Trump rejects off-ramp to fund DHS as airport delays worsen
WASHINGTON — On Sunday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., discussed an off-ramp with President Donald Trump to reopen TSA and end the long lines and delays at airports.
It would fund all of the Department of Homeland Security except for ICE, which Democrats have refused to support without new limitations on immigration enforcement operations, two sources with knowledge of the conversation told NBC News.
White House aides initially pitched the idea to Trump and, after that briefing, Thune spoke to the president, the two sources said. Thune discussed the idea with Republicans on Capitol Hill, one of the sources said. The second source said it’s seen by numerous Republicans as a viable path to break the logjam.
ICE would be funded separately by Republicans in a party-line “reconciliation” bill that can pass without the need for any Democratic support later in the year.
FORSUBSCRIBERS
04:09
Trump threatens to send ICE to airports
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DHS has been shut down for more than a month, and while key operations, like TSA and FEMA, are still operating, many of those employees are working without pay. As NBC News reported this weekend, more than 400 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began. ICE is also shut down, but its employees are being paid through Trump’s big beautiful bill passed last year.
Republicans believe that the off-ramp Trump and Thune discussed would win support from Democrats, who have offered to fund non-controversial parts of DHS on the Senate floor while the two parties continue to negotiate on immigration.
But Trump rejected it — as he made clear in a Truth Social post Sunday night.
“I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,’” Trump wrote, while instead calling on Republicans to “Kill the Filibuster, and stay in D.C. for Easter, if necessary.”
Trump’s first two ideas aren’t viable. Democrats are determined to sink the SAVE America Act, which doesn’t have enough support to pass. And Republicans have made clear they lack the votes to nuke the filibuster. They may, however, cancel recess if there’s still no deal by the end of this week.
The conversation with Thune and Trump was first reported by Punchbowl News.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office said that Democrats will again seek unanimous consent to fund just the TSA on the Senate floor Monday, for the eighth time.
Republicans have so far rejected those stand-alone bills.
If Trump were to change his mind and accept the Thune-GOP idea, it carries benefits for both parties. For Republicans, they could avoid giving into Democratic demands, such as requiring immigration enforcement officers to remove their masks and requiring judicial warrants to conduct raids. For Democrats, they could keep their fingerprints off ICE funding, which has become toxic with their base since DHS agents killed protesters Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.
“We can be out of this shutdown by the end of the week,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Sunday. “Here’s what we do. The Democrats are amenable to opening up everything at DHS but ICE. We should accept that. The very next day, we should file a budget resolution through reconciliation that funds ICE as we deem appropriate. We don’t need Democratic votes to do that.”
Democrats are also planning to seize on the Trump social media post to argue that he owns the shutdown and travel chaos.
Reconciliation bills are arduous, requiring near-unanimous support among Republicans, especially given the tiny House majority. There has been deep skepticism that the party could pull it off, even if it tried. But needing to fund an agency like ICE would raise the impetus to use that path.
Under the “big, beautiful bill” passed by Republicans last year, ICE received a cash infusion of about $75 billion for the next four years to help carry out Trump’s mass deportation program.
The path comes with another possible upside for the White House: some Trump allies have proposed reconciliation to approve supplemental funding for Trump’s war in Iran. It’s not clear that could win enough Democratic support.
3.7 magnitude earthquake reported near Carlsbad
CARLSBAD, N.M. (KRQE) – A 3.7 magnitude earthquake was reported near Carlsbad in southern New Mexico Monday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake was located about about 12 miles west of Carlsbad and occured at 7:25 a.m., USGS data showed. Earthquakes are not uncommon in this region. A map from the New Mexico […]
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Ronnie Dunn Responds to Kacey Musgraves’ Prank
Yes, Brooks & Dunn‘s Ronnie Dunn has seen the videos of Kacey Musgraves dressing up as him and hitting the stage to perform “Neon Moon” in downtown Nashville.
And from the looks of it on social media, he thinks the moment was hilarious.
What Did Ronnie Dunn Say About Kacey Musgraves Dressing Up + Performing As Him?
Videos of Musgraves performing at Robert’s Western World in full-on Ronnie Dunn gear — complete with facial hair, sunglasses and a “COWBOY” forearm tattoo — started circulating on social media this weekend.
Dunn replied with a comment on the Broadway honky tonk’s video post of the moment, writing, “Damn, I look good!”
In fact, he was so impressed that he repeated that comment under several different social media posts of Musgraves’ performance, and both he and Brooks & Dunn shared the video to their Instagram Stories. Safe to say that he’s a fan of Musgraves’ homage.
Watch Kacey Musgraves Dress up + Perform As Ronnie Dunn
Musgraves surprised the crowd at Robert’s Western World, hopping onstage dressed as Dunn and performing “Neon Moon.”
Her costume was so elaborate, it’s hard to even tell that it’s Musgraves — until she started singing. Musgraves’ rendition of “Neon Moon” is unmistakable, especially since she once recorded a version of the song with Brooks & Dunn for their first Reboot album in 2019.
What Did Kacey Musgraves Say About Dressing Up + Performing As Ronnie Dunn?
The stunt seems like part light-hearted joke, part creative promo for her upcoming album Middle of Nowhere and new song “Dry Spell.”
Read More: Kacey Musgraves’ “Lonely With a Capital ‘H'” Lyric Explained
She referenced that song in a post that shows her full Ronnie Dunn outfit, writing “Omw to end your dry spell over a clip of her sauntering toward the camera.
“Btw Ronnie did nothing to deserve this,” Musgraves added in a comment under the post.
Several other stars and fans chimed in with their own jokes. Our unofficial award for best comment goes to the fan who wrote, “You’re a…brand new man.”
Kacey Musgraves, Instagram
Megan Moroney, Jake Owen and Kimberly Williams-Paisley were all among the celebrities who posted comments approving of the prank — along with Dunn himself, of course.
12 Naughty Country Songs That Will Make You Blush
Country music is often known for wholesome themes of God, faith and family, but that doesn’t mean the genre doesn’t have a sexier side. These 12 country songs are so naughty that it’s almost hard to believe they made it on the radio.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
U.S. Energy Secretary Wright Says Oil Price Rise Hasn’t Destroyed Demand
Wright said the rise in prices was a signal to capable producers to increase output, but that prices haven’t gone high enough to generate significant demand destruction.
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Men’s tournament first bets: Best bets for the rounds of 8 and 16
After an exciting first weekend of action, the men’s basketball tournament field has been whittled down to just 16 teams. Three of the four No. 1 seeds (Duke, Arizona and Michigan) are still in competition, while top-seeded Florida got knocked out after a single-point victory by No. 9-seeded Iowa.
Ahead of the next set of games, our college basketball betting analysts, researchers and editors reveal their favorite early bets since the Round of 16 was set, including both picks in this upcoming round as well as some futures for further on down the road in the tournament. And, as you’ll see, our experts can sometimes disagree — for good reasons. Hey, that’s why they play the games.
Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook. Odds accurate at time of publish and are subject to change.
(5) St. John’s (+6.5) over (1) Duke
Mark Zinno (analyst): In just the third season under Rick Pitino, the Red Storm have advanced to the round of 16, the first time since 1999. Surprisingly enough, they are here because of their defense, which is ranked in the top 10 in adjusted defensive efficiency for the first time since their last round-of-16 appearance. The Johnnies can match Duke defensively and their athleticism can contain Duke’s Cameron Boozer. They held Kansas star Darryn Peterson to 5-of-15 shooting. I see a similar result here for Boozer.
The total for this game is 142.5. Duke has seen just 10 totals this low all season. They’ve only gone over this number twice — and one of them was because they scored 100 points against Notre Dame. The correlation here is that if Duke is limited in scoring, that favors the Johnnies here as a three-possession underdog. This is a game I think St. John’s can win outright, so it’s worth it to sprinkle a little on the money line as well.
(1) Duke (-6.5) over (5) St. John’s
Kevin Pulsifer (researcher): Were we supposed to be impressed by St. John’s after the Red Storm finally earned their first top-30 KenPom win other than UConn (who they only beat at home and lost to on the road)? The Jayhawks left the Johnnies open behind the arc all night and, outside of Bryce Hopkins, it was miss after miss.
Duke’s top-ranked defense forces offenses to use more time and shoot more threes than 90% of opponents, which doesn’t bode well for a St. John’s offense that scores 0.7 points/possession on late shot-clock possessions (including an abysmal 20% on 3-pt FG). As defensive leaders on the second-tallest team in D1, Dame Sarr and Patrick Ngongba II are both elite on-ball defenders that can eliminate Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor from the gameplan without fouling. If the game is close late, the likes of Boozer and Isaiah Evans are solid enough at the line to extend the lead and cover.
(3) Illinois (+2.5) over (2) Houston
Tyler Fulghum (analyst): In a matchup of a dynamic offense (Illinois) versus a tenacious defense (Houston), I’ll side with the offense. Brad Underwood’s team has more versatile ways to score. They’ve already beaten their first two opponents in the tournament by an average of 28.0 PPG.
Futures
(1) Michigan Wolverines to make Final Four (-145)
Zinno: It’s not like the Wolverines needed a whole lot of help to get to the Final Four before the first ball tipped off, but they got it anyway. Michigan’s elite defensive play will be enough to take care of Alabama‘s inconsistency and then they get the winner of Tennessee/Iowa State. Both of those teams are bad matchups for a Wolverines offense that is much more efficient than both of them.
(3) Illinois to make the Final Four (+210)
Pulsifer: Houston is listed close to even money to win the region, despite only being favored against the Illini by 2.5 in the round of 16. The Cougars went 1-6 in their seven toughest games this season according to ESPN Analytics (29-0 in their 29 easiest games), which is sometimes a trend worth following when a team puts out consistent effort game-to-game but is unable to reach an extra gear.
Meanwhile, Illinois went 3-3 in its six toughest games and has the height to compete down low with Houston, plus similar star power at guard. A round of 8 matchup with a lesser Big Ten team shouldn’t provide too much of an issue either as the Illini won both at Nebraska and at Iowa this season. Additionally, they have had just one regulation loss over the last 100 days (to Michigan).
Trump says he will postpone strikes on Iran’s power plants after “productive conversations,” but Iran denies talks
Washington — President Trump said early Monday that he is postponing airstrikes on Iran’s power plants after “very good and productive conversations” over the last two days about reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran’s foreign ministry denied any such talks.
“I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions,” Mr. Trump posted on social media.
An Iranian source told state media, however, that there has been no direct or indirect communication with the U.S.
In a statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied the claims made by Mr. Trump regarding negotiations taking place between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic.
Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, Mr. Trump suggested that was incorrect.
“Well they’re going to have to get themselves better public relations people,” Mr. Trump said. “We have had very, very strong talks. We’ll see where they lead. We have points, major points of agreement, I would say almost all points of agreement. Perhaps that hasn’t been conveyed. The communication, as you know, has been blown to pieces.”
The president would not say who his administration is speaking to in Iran, only saying it was a “top” person but not the supreme leader. Mr. Trump added that Iran contacted the U.S., saying, “So they called, I didn’t call. They called. They want to make a deal.”
Mr. Trump declined to identify who the U.S. was speaking to, “because I don’t want him to be killed.”
Mr. Trump’s comments on Monday are an about-face from a social media post over the weekend in which he declared that if Iran didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. would “hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”
Retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, former national security adviser in the first Trump administration and a CBS News contributor, says the Iranian regime is “fragmented right now” and that the foreign ministry “probably doesn’t know” who is talking to either “interlocutors or to the U.S. directly.”
“I think we’re going to see a lot of this kind of confusing reporting because the Iranians are so fragmented from these strikes,” McMaster said.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Sunday that Mr. Trump was keeping all options on the table for potential strikes.
“To the extent we’re degrading their military capability and their defense industrial base, all options should be on the table, and the president’s made that very clear,” Waltz said.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told Politico last week that an attack on energy infrastructure from either side could constitute a war crime. Waltz responded on Sunday that “when you have a regime that has its grips in so much critical infrastructure that’s using it to further, not only the repression of its own people, to attack its neighbors and in contravention of U.N. sanctions, to march towards a nuclear weapon, then that makes those legitimate targets.”
The Strait of Hormuz, the key waterway that, before the Iran war, had enabled the flow of 20% of the world’s oil shipments, has been effectively closed since the war began. Iran said over the weekend that the Strait would be “completely closed” if Mr. Trump carried out his threats on nuclear power plants.
Oil and gas prices both fell immediately on Monday morning upon Mr. Trump’s announcement on talks.
Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch estate: Blueprints & photos inside
When the Zorro ranch was bought in the 1990s, it was reported in the Albuquerque Tribune that a “mysterious stranger has come to Stanley with plans to build the largest home in New Mexico.””Why did I buy a ranch in New Mexico in 1993? So that gives you some sense. I would have funded it in 1990. Los Alamos, which was the high-energy lab up in New Mexico, was losing all its scientists,” said Epstein in a 2019 interview that was released by the United States Department of Justice in the Epstein files.Epstein expressed interest in investing in new ideas.”Because the scientists were going to be, they cut funding for high energy physics,” said Epstein. “But the people who worked in Los Alamos would still be in the Santa Fe area.”In a 1995 interview Epstein did with the now-defunct Albuquerque Tribune, he said he was “security conscious” and described himself as a hermit and being afraid.At the time, he employed two full-time people to manage the property and made them sign confidentiality agreements. Those employees told The Tribune they were “sworn to secrecy.” The history of the landGary King is from one of the last political dynasties in New Mexico. King’s father, Bruce King, was governor and Gary himself is a former attorney general, former state representative and was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2014.The King family sold the land to Epstein when Bruce was in office. It was owned by Bruce and two of Gary’s uncles.”I am guessing that Jeffrey Epstein or somebody that he worked for was looking for land in New Mexico, saw that land listed, and that they reached out to the King Brothers to buy that land,” said Gary King.When Epstein purchased the land from the King Family, it included state owned property. That property was leased by the King Family for grazing livestock.State officials now say when Epstein purchased the property, he assumed the leases for the state-owned grazing land, but it doesn’t appear he used it for any agricultural purposes.State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard says her office is responsible for making sure people use state-owned land for its designated purposes.”There have been cases where grazing leases are misused,” said Garcia Richard. “They are not used for their intended purpose. I believe the grazing lease at Zorro Ranch was just one of those cases.”Zorro Ranch was a 7,600-acre ranch located 30 miles south of Santa Fe in a secluded area on the outskirts of Stanley, New Mexico.The Get the Facts Data Team did an analysis of Zorro Ranch blueprints from March 3, 1998 provided by Eddy Aragon to Target 7 to see the scope and the arrangement of the floor plan. Images from Aragon were then added to the floor plans to show how the interior looked based on where the image had been taken.Click the images in the carousel or hover over the dots on the mapThe ground level has an area of 18,000 square feet, excluding the indoor central courtyard. There are two libraries, two galleries, an estancia and a living room with a high ceiling. There is a three-car garage and staff living quarters. An elevator transports people to the second floor.There are three bedrooms on the second floor, including a master bedroom. The master bedroom opens to a terrace with a view of the ranch. There are two sets of toilets and dressing rooms leading to the master bathroom connected to the office. The master bathroom includes a steam shower, shower and bathtub.The ground level staircase leads to a basement where the exercise room, massage room and jacuzzi room can be found. There are three mechanical rooms in the basement, a laundry room and an elevator that leads to the ground floor office.More images of Epstein in New Mexico were found in the files released by the U.S. Congress and Department of Justice.Additional images of Epstein in New Mexico
STANLEY, N.M. —
When the Zorro ranch was bought in the 1990s, it was reported in the Albuquerque Tribune that a “mysterious stranger has come to Stanley with plans to build the largest home in New Mexico.”
“Why did I buy a ranch in New Mexico in 1993? So that gives you some sense. I would have funded it in 1990. Los Alamos, which was the high-energy lab up in New Mexico, was losing all its scientists,” said Epstein in a 2019 interview that was released by the United States Department of Justice in the Epstein files.
Epstein expressed interest in investing in new ideas.
“Because the scientists were going to be, they cut funding for high energy physics,” said Epstein. “But the people who worked in Los Alamos would still be in the Santa Fe area.”
In a 1995 interview Epstein did with the now-defunct Albuquerque Tribune, he said he was “security conscious” and described himself as a hermit and being afraid.
At the time, he employed two full-time people to manage the property and made them sign confidentiality agreements. Those employees told The Tribune they were “sworn to secrecy.”
The history of the land
Gary King is from one of the last political dynasties in New Mexico. King’s father, Bruce King, was governor and Gary himself is a former attorney general, former state representative and was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2014.
The King family sold the land to Epstein when Bruce was in office. It was owned by Bruce and two of Gary’s uncles.
“I am guessing that Jeffrey Epstein or somebody that he worked for was looking for land in New Mexico, saw that land listed, and that they reached out to the King Brothers to buy that land,” said Gary King.
When Epstein purchased the land from the King Family, it included state owned property. That property was leased by the King Family for grazing livestock.
State officials now say when Epstein purchased the property, he assumed the leases for the state-owned grazing land, but it doesn’t appear he used it for any agricultural purposes.
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard says her office is responsible for making sure people use state-owned land for its designated purposes.
“There have been cases where grazing leases are misused,” said Garcia Richard. “They are not used for their intended purpose. I believe the grazing lease at Zorro Ranch was just one of those cases.”
Zorro Ranch was a 7,600-acre ranch located 30 miles south of Santa Fe in a secluded area on the outskirts of Stanley, New Mexico.
The Get the Facts Data Team did an analysis of Zorro Ranch blueprints from March 3, 1998 provided by Eddy Aragon to Target 7 to see the scope and the arrangement of the floor plan. Images from Aragon were then added to the floor plans to show how the interior looked based on where the image had been taken.
Click the images in the carousel or hover over the dots on the map
The ground level has an area of 18,000 square feet, excluding the indoor central courtyard. There are two libraries, two galleries, an estancia and a living room with a high ceiling. There is a three-car garage and staff living quarters. An elevator transports people to the second floor.
There are three bedrooms on the second floor, including a master bedroom. The master bedroom opens to a terrace with a view of the ranch. There are two sets of toilets and dressing rooms leading to the master bathroom connected to the office. The master bathroom includes a steam shower, shower and bathtub.
The ground level staircase leads to a basement where the exercise room, massage room and jacuzzi room can be found. There are three mechanical rooms in the basement, a laundry room and an elevator that leads to the ground floor office.
More images of Epstein in New Mexico were found in the files released by the U.S. Congress and Department of Justice.
Additional images of Epstein in New Mexico
Ronnie Bowman, Bluegrass Singer and Country Songwriter, Dead at 64
Ronnie Bowman, the bluegrass vocalist, musician, and songwriter of hits by Chris Stapleton and Kenny Chesney, died Sunday. He was 64.
Bowman was involved in a motorcycle accident on Saturday and was hospitalized in Nashville. The International Bluegrass Music Association confirmed his death in a social media post. “It’s hard to fully capture the depth of this loss. Ronnie wasn’t just a remarkable musician and songwriter, he was a remarkable person,” the IBMA said. “He lifted those around him and left them better than he found them. Ronnie was a treasured part of our community, and his absence is deeply felt.”
Bowman’s career was one steeped in accolades. As a bluegrass artist, he was regularly celebrated by the International Bluegrass Music Association, who named him their IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year three times. He also won Songwriter of the Year in 2022 and twice took home IBMA Song of the Year honors. In mainstream country music, Bowman won the ACM Award for Song of the Year in 2015 for co-writing Chris Stapleton’s “Nobody to Blame” with Stapleton and Barry Bales.
A native of North Carolina, Bowman began playing music when he was three years old, singing in church and in a band made up of family members. He gravitated toward bluegrass music as an adult and, in 1990, joined Dan Tyminski in the Lonesome River Band as its bass player and lead vocalist. Together they released four albums, with Bowman issuing solo LPs while in the band. His 1995 effort, Cold Virginia Night, was named the IBMA’s Album of the Year.
In 2000, Bowman had his first major country music song recorded when Lee Ann Womack cut “The Healing Kind” for her album I Hope You Dance. In 2005, he scored his first Number One country single with “It’s Getting Better All the Time,” by Brooks & Dunn, and two years later hit Number One again with Kenny Chesney’s “Never Wanted Nothing More.”
Bowman’s most celebrated modern-day success, however, came in 2015 when he teamed up with Stapleton, a close friend and fellow bluegrass picker, to co-write three songs for Stapleton’s debut album Traveller: “Outlaw State of Mind,” “More of You,” and the ACM Award-winning single “Nobody to Blame.” Onstage at the ACMs in 2016, Bowman delivered a stirring acceptance speech in which he reminisced about growing up in a mobile home with his mother and how, when he was 14, she asked him if he’d write her a song. “I went back there and did that and I’ve been doing that ever since, thanks to my mama,” Bowman said.
Bowman also had his songs cut by Jake Owen, Cody Johnson, and the bluegrass group the Grascals. In 2011, bluegrass great Ralph Stanley recorded Bowman’s “A Mother’s Prayer,” and reunited in 2023 with Stapleton to co-write “It Takes a Woman” for Stapleton’s Higher album.
As a singer, Bowman’s voice was unwavering. He sang in a steady, honest tenor that defined his solo albums. The way he delivered “Love for an Angel” on his 1998 LP The Man I’m Tryin’ to Be effortlessly conveyed heartbreak and yearning all at once. That gift also made him an in-demand background singer. Bowman’s voice can be heard on albums by Loretta Lynn, Alan Jackson, John Fogerty, and Sierra Hull, among others.
Despite all his success as a songwriter, Bowman was committed to the live stage. He was a frequent presence at various bluegrass festivals; in a tribute post, country singer Dierks Bentley recalled playing together at the inaugural DelFest and described Bowman as “the favorite bluegrass and country singer of everyone I know.”
Bowman often sat in with both his heroes and those coming up on the scene too. He made a St. Patrick’s Day appearance at Nashville’s bluegrass bastion, the Station Inn, and last year joined Billy Strings onstage at the Ryman Auditorium for a rendition of “Mother’s Not Dead.”
“Ronnie Bowman was an amazing singer and songwriter. One of the best entertainers in bluegrass and country music,” Strings wrote in tribute to Bowman on social media. “May our dear friend rest in peace.”