New Mexico wireless tower bill moves forward in Roundhouse
Story continues below
Crime: Trial continues for men accused in fatal shooting of 11yo outside Isotopes Park
DWI Scandal: DWI Advocate Reacts To Corruption Scheme
Sports Office: From player to businessman with NBA veteran Kenny Thomas
The state's broadband office says Senate Bill 164 would ensure cellular access in state parks, historic landmarks and rural communities near state properties. Under current state law, counties and municipalities have the authority to install wireless towers on city or county land. If the bill is signed into law, state agencies would also be given that authority. The proposal is now headed to the Judiciary Committee.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Suns Called Out For Costly $100 Million Offseason Decision
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Phoenix Suns made arguably the worst move of the offseason by agreeing to a contract buyout with Bradley Beal. More news: 76ers' 3-Player Trade Idea Sends Out Jared McCain for $36 Million Forward The Suns opted to let the three-time All-Star sign elsewhere, and eat the remaining nearly $100 million of his contract. Beal agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers soon after the Suns bought him out. "He's a great guy," Suns owner Mat Ishbia said in July. "Just not a fit with the Phoenix Suns going forward. We told him that. We made that decision. We let them know we wanted to move forward without him. It doesn't mean he's a bad guy. It doesn't mean he's a bad player." PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 11: Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the second half of the NBA game at PHX Arena on April 11, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 11: Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the second half of the NBA game at PHX Arena on April 11, 2025 in Phoenix, the move gave the team financial flexibility by taking them out of the second apron and provided them with more access to more tradable draft picks, Bleacher Report's Dan Favale criticized the Suns for the contract buyout. More news: Warriors' Draymond Green Calls Out West Rival in Brutal Message "Phoenix is paying Beal to play for the Los Angeles Clippers its tax bill," Favale writes. "Getting out of the second apron is a big deal for the Suns—and not just because it saves team governor Mat Ishbia some serious scratch. It helps ensure their 2032 pick is eventually unfrozen and won't be moved to the end of the first round. But if you view setting $19.4 million on fire for five consecutive years as the only way to elude the second apron, something's off. "It's one thing if Phoenix did this to pave the way for another big move. It didn't. Devin Booker's extension doesn't count. The Suns added a whopping one guaranteed year of team control to the equation, and given they're still on the fast track nowhere post-Beal, he was clearly going to sign it no matter what." Throughout his two seasons in the Valley of the Sun, Beal averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. Now, Beal will begin a new chapter of his career with the Clippers, a team that is a contender in the Western Conference. The 32-year-old is poised to be a great fit for LA alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden as a playmaker and scorer for the Clippers. More news: Lakers' Luka Doncic, Nuggets' Nikola Jokic Send Internet Into Frenzy Following Viral Moment For more NBA news, visit Newsweek Sports.


The Hill
7 hours ago
- The Hill
China's growing influence in US sports demands a response
In May, the U.S. House passed the 'DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act.' The bill aims to reduce Chinese influence at U.S. universities by limiting funding to institutions with ties to Chinese government-backed entities. This includes the Confucius Institutes, which are fully funded by the Chinese government to manipulate public opinion in the U.S. Although Congress is focused on Chinese influence on U.S. college campuses, the Chinese government has deftly transitioned to another American institution to influence U.S. public opinion — namely, sports entertainment. The term 'sportswashing' entered our vocabulary around a decade ago. It is used to describe a country that cynically uses sports entertainment to improve its global reputation and deflect criticism of its human rights record. The creation of LIV Golf by Saudi Arabia is a perfect example. LIV Golf is financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which has close ties to the Saudi government. Human rights organizations argue that Saudi Arabia's interest in elevating LIV Golf around the world is to distract critics and foreign governments from the country's abysmal human rights record. That may be the most-cited and visible example of sportswashing, but China that may be the most effective at sportswashing in the U.S. China's primary sportswashing effort in the U.S. is focused on the National Basketball Association. China's growing financial relationship with the NBA has caught the attention of U.S. lawmakers and critics of China's human rights record. China accounts for a significant portion of the league's global income. The NBA's total revenue in 2025 is around $12 billion, with China contributing over $1 billion annually to the league. A public conversation about China's growing financial relationship with the NBA began in 2019, when then-Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey expressed support for Hong Kong protesters fighting to preserve their democracy. His remarks led to a temporary ban of NBA broadcasts on Chinese state television, a halt in merchandise sales for the Houston Rockets, and Chinese corporate sponsors withdrawing support for the league. Morey's comments resulted in significant financial losses for the NBA. This prompted NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to release a statement criticizing Morey's comments by saying that he had 'deeply offended many of our friends and fans in China,' without ever mentioning the democracy protests and the crushing of civil rights taking place in Hong Kong at the time. The relationship between the NBA and China has only grown closer over the last decade. The NBA has long-standing partnerships with Chinese media outlets, including state-run China Central Television. The NBA has also signed a lucrative deal with digital media giant Tencent, making the company the NBA's exclusive digital partner in China. The league has aggressively pursued merchandise deals with Chinese shoe and apparel companies like Anta, Li-Ning, and Peak. What most concerns critics of China's sportswashing efforts in The U.S. is that NBA business operations in China are conducted through NBA China, a separate China-based entity valued at $5 billion. NBA owners also have substantial financial ties to China that extend beyond the league. Many owners are heavily invested in China through their other business ventures, including private equity and venture capital firms. This includes Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai, the co-founder of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and its second-largest shareholder. There is real concern and unease among some NBA owners, league officials, and U.S. lawmakers about the NBA's growing financial dependency on China, and what it could mean for the league's future. The NBA, unlike the NFL and Major League Baseball, increasingly relies on revenue generated from a global audience, as domestic TV ratings continue to fall. The 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers averaged only 10.3 million viewers, making it one of the lowest-rated NBA Finals series ever. The NBA's growing partnership with China raises important questions. Can a league that has branded itself a progressive advocate for human rights at home continue to ignore China's human rights abuses, and even a potential military conflict with the United States over Taiwan, for purely financial reasons? Today, the Chinese government continues to wage a violent campaign against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Beijing has also ended Hong Kong's autonomy and fight for democracy and continues its brutal crackdown in Tibet. Under President Xi Jinping, China has imposed new national security laws, curbing human rights, restricting freedom of the press and speech, and jailing independent journalists and pro-democracy activists, while militarily threatening its neighbors — many of which are U.S. allies. Although lower domestic television ratings and revenue are not good for the NBA, the league's growing dependency on Chinese money and influence could pose a far greater problem in the future. The Chinese government chose the NBA to test its sportswashing efforts abroad for a reason. The NBA's public support of progressive causes, including Black Lives Matter, provide the Chinese government with an opportunity to manipulate domestic U.S. public opinion against U.S. lawmakers, public figures, and human rights organizations exposing China's human rights abuses. China not only views the NBA and its players as business partners, but also as willing critics of U.S. government policies at home and abroad. As the U.S. government and international human rights organizations continue to highlight the deteriorating human rights conditions in China, will the Trump Administration and the U.S. Congress seek to end China's sportswashing efforts in The United States, as they have attempted to do on U.S. college campuses? Will the NBA continue to permit China to use their growing financial influence over the league to distract American public opinion from China's growing human rights abuses? We don't know. What we do know is that China's attempt to influence U.S. public opinion through sports entertainment will continue unless U.S. lawmakers put an end to it.


Business Insider
11 hours ago
- Business Insider
BTCC Exchange Reports 141% Reserves, Offers Jaren Jackson Jr. Signed Merch in New Contest
BTCC, the world's longest-serving cryptocurrency exchange, has released its August 2025 Proof of Reserves (PoR) report, demonstrating a strong 141% total reserve ratio. The report highlights a significant increase from July's 132% ratio, following the launch of a trading competition featuring NBA All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr.'s merch and platform enhancements. Dated August 15, 2025, the comprehensive August PoR report reveals robust reserve ratios across all major cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC): 125% Ethereum (ETH): 155% XRP: 142% Tether (USDT): 140% USD Coin (USDC): 170% Cardano (ADA): 121% These figures demonstrate BTCC's commitment to maintaining substantial over-collateralization, with USDC showing the highest reserve ratio at 170% - the strongest performance since the introduction of monthly PoR reporting. "We demonstrated outstanding performance with trading volume increasing 68% month-over-month and active traders growing by 35%," said Alex Hung, Head of Operations at BTCC Exchange. "Our 141% total reserve ratio - significantly above the industry standard of 100% - with USDC at 170%, reinforces our commitment to user asset security through regular monthly PoR disclosures." In a strategic move to expand its global reach, BTCC has signed NBA All-Star and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. as its global brand ambassador, marking the platform's first sports sponsorship. This partnership features an exclusive month-long trading competition with a 500,000 USDT prize pool and signed jerseys from Jackson Jr. Interested parties can visit here for competition details and registration. BTCC has also launched its News Center, featuring "Deep Dives" and "Quick Updates" that aggregate quality information sources with original content. The center provides 24/7 market updates, comprehensive trend analysis, and project insights to help users identify trading opportunities and make informed trading decisions. Since launching monthly PoR reporting in April 2025, BTCC has consistently maintained reserves above 100%. The complete August 2025 PoR report and verification instructions are available as part of its commitment to transparency and user asset protection. About BTCC Exchange Founded in 2011, BTCC is a leading global cryptocurrency exchange with the vision to make crypto trading reliable and accessible to everyone. With a strong presence in over 100 countries and regions and a user base of over 9.1 million, BTCC continues to deliver innovation, security, and an unmatched user experience in the cryptocurrency world. As part of its commitment to connecting crypto with mainstream audiences, BTCC has partnered with 2023 Defensive Player of the Year and 2x NBA All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. as its global brand ambassador, bridging the gap between traditional sports and digital assets.