Portales-born Cody Ross had his first triple of the season on Sunday, helping the Florida Marlins snap a three-game losing streak with a 9-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ross is hitting .222 in 55 games, with 11 home runs and 27 runs batted in.

Here's a clip of the triple, which was almost a routine fly out:

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200806152935447

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Morton, Texas, will host its fifth annual encampment of the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Living History Program on June 28-29 in the Cochran County Park.

This year's celebration will feature two new state historical markers - one in Texas and one in New Mexico - both honoring the 1877 Buffalo Soldiers "Lost Troop Expedition."

The New Mexico marker is along N.M. 206 near Lingo, near the site of the troop's demise.

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After a few weeks' vacation, Project: Reader Reaction is back with the following questions:

1. It's hot, dry and windy. Should local governments outlaw the sale and/or purchase and/or use of firecrackers in the coming weeks?

2. New Mexico State Police are trying to reduce the number of drunken drivers by setting up nightly "checkpoints" throughout the state. Constitutional issues aside, are these checkpoints the most effective means of combating DWI? Or could those resources be put to better use?

Weigh in with an e-mail to Editor David Stevens:

david_stevens@link.freedom.com

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Freedom New Mexico is looking to hire a reader representative for its newsrooms.

Check out the editor's Web log:

http://fallingwithstyle.freedomblogging.com/