MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Engines roared and dirt flew as engineering students from across the world gathered this weekend at the Marana Pumpkin Patch for the SAE Baja International Design Competition The four-day event saw college teams race off-road recreational vehicles they spent the past year designing and building combining innovation with hands-on learning This included teams from the University of Arizona and Arizona State University the Baja SAE International is more than just a race It challenges students to solve real-world engineering problems while fostering collaboration and technical skill and then race their cars,” said Josh Spivey learning how to do some real-world skills and having some fun.” that they have to adhere so that no team is given an advantage by simply adding a larger motor They are tasked with finding creative solutions to make their vehicles faster and more agile The competition also serves as a unique networking opportunity giving participants the chance to connect with fellow students and industry professionals a graduate student from Case Western Reserve University the event was a chance to share insights and overcome challenges with like-minded peers you get to talk to like-minded peers about their cars what challenges they’ve overcome and the problems they’ve faced,” Khot said Khot says the team experienced a “few hiccups” at the start of the race but that their vehicle was placing first in the race at the time we spoke with the endurance race lasting four hours another member of Case Western Reserve University team described seeing the team’s car in action as “cathartic” after nearly a year designing and building the vehicle adjusting and innovating the design each time around Khot said the team spent June through December designing the vehicle figuring out issues with the drive train and frame geometry Syed then took the lead on adding electrical components to boost the vehicle’s capabilities Khot says the vehicle was equipped with 23-inch tires a wider diameter than previous years to allow for more control on the desert track Khot says the desert conditions differed from the mud-laced tracks back home but they got practice during a competition in California the previous month Students from McMaster University in Hamilton emphasizing the importance of testing their vehicles in competition and applying lessons learned in future designs “The competition itself is a great way to test out your car and learn from it for the next year,” said Mayam Asad “It’s hard to get an experience like this before you actually enter the workforce,” added teammate Zac Velchi “To have this opportunity as a student to learn good engineering practices and to learn from a bunch of teams and have sponsors—it’s just a great experience.” Velchi also says that the Baja experience gives aspiring engineers a leg up in the auto industry “You find when you have the Baja tag on your resume companies tend to perk because they know what that means,” he said “They know that we have a bit of engineering experience and not starting from the ground up.” the event also helps reshape perceptions of what engineering involves “Everyone thinks of engineering as math and numbers and being stuck behind a computer,” Spivey explained This shows there’s a lot more to engineering than what you think.” This year marked the first time Marana hosted the competition and organizers say the event provided an economic boost to the local community with hotels and restaurants seeing increased business They hope to bring the event back to Marana in future years Spivey says past competitions were located in more remote areas but that Marana offered hotels and other accommodations making the process easier without having to set up tents for the competitors He says the event also provides students with access to professionals in the auto industry “We’re bringing in companies from across the country and local so they can meet with these companies and potentially get job opportunities,” he said “All these students’ skills go back to the automotive industry So it’s a great way to expose them to what careers could look like and all the aspects of engineering.” More information about the Baja SAE International Design Competition is available on the organization’s website Report a typo Food Fight Restaurant Group is changing the concept to another fast casual build-your-own bowl place called HWY 1 Food Fight Restaurant Group in Madison will replace Miko with a new fast casual counter-service spot with build-your-own bowls Madison’s Food Fight Restaurant Group will turn Miko Poke into HWY 1 counter-service” spot with a menu that “draws its inspiration from the colorful roadside eateries and beachside burrito stands that line the Baja Peninsula Miko Poke opened in 2016 next to Everly at 2701 Monroe St. and is now among 16 Food Fight restaurants each with a different theme HWY 1 (pronounced “highway one”) is tentatively set to open in early June HWY 1 will be a build-your-own bowl place for “Baja bowls,” salads and burritos Proteins may include “fire-grilled carne asada (steak) and seared mahi mahi (fish).” Vegan options could incorporate lentils and a seared ahi tuna bowl to “nod to Miko Poke’s roots” with scallions The bowl bases feel poke-adjacent too — white rice or cilantro-lime brown rice and/or romaine lettuce Monty Schiro founded the first Food Fight restaurant in 1990 and formed Food Fight with partners in 1994 Other restaurants run by Food Fight include Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace Lindsay Christians is an editor for the Cap Times. Lindsay oversees the newsroom’s coverage of food, arts and culture in the Madison region. Email story ideas and tips to Lindsay at lchristians@captimes.com Please consider supporting Lindsay’s work by becoming a Cap Times member or sponsor Sustaining local journalism in Madison depends on readers like you Become a Cap Times member today and enjoy great benefits Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Gerardo Antonio accepts the $250 check for Best Salsa winning $750 and a championship belt during the Imperial Valley Taco Festival on May 2 The Brawley Union High School Band Boosters win $250 for the People’s Choice award during the Imperial Valley Taco Festival on May 2 Brawley Mayor Gil Rebollar congratulates Carlos Tabarez during the Imperial Valley Taco Festival on May 2 Gerardo Antonio and his team at Antonio’s Baja Catch food truck prepare carne asada shrimp and ribeye steak during the Imperial Valley Taco Festival on May 2 BRAWLEY — The sixth annual Imperial Valley Taco Festival brought upbeat music and delicious food to downtown Brawley pitted 10 teams against each other as each competed for the title of 2025 Taco King evaluated the tacos and announced the results Antonio’s Baja Catch was crowned the Taco King winning $750 and a Taco King championship belt Amy’s Snack Shack won $500 for the open category and the Brawley Union High School Band Boosters took home $250 for the People’s Choice award thanked his family and said it was the first big competition he had participated in with his taco business Antonio said that there needs to be more events like this one in the community and expressed his joy in attending the festival and we love seeing the happy faces” when people eat his team’s food Several participants said they were returning competitors fries and many other dishes in their quest for the top prize Guillermo Castillo with the El Jumping Bean Taqueria truck explained that his team was the defending champion from last year and he had been participating in the event with his business since 2019 gave customers a plain taco and let them fix it however they wanted with carne asada topping being the most popular Isabel Gonzalez ran The Three Brothers food truck which she described as a small family business named in honor of her three sons She said she started the business in October 2022 and enjoys cooking and working together with her sons and daughters-in-law “We do our best to provide them with the best.”  cook Adeli Perez said she had been attending the taco festival for the past seven years Antonio from the Baja Catch truck said he started participating in 2022 “just trying to see if people would like my food.” Antonio said a crowd lined up that year and he had an abundance of customers the treasurer with the Brawley Union High School Band Boosters said the group was selling quesabirrias to raise money for field trips and instruments that needed repair Molina explained that the booster club members are parents whose kids are in band and their goal was to raise enough money for the high school musicians to go on a field trip to Knott’s Berry Farm at the end of the school year Amy Flores of Amy’s Snack Shack said that she has been participating in the festival for five years said that every year of the competition was exciting and praised the organization of the event this year She said she has won an award for the best carne asada in the past the other big event of the night was the festival’s first-ever Taco Eating Contest presented by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Brawley and El Jumping Bean Taquería each in front of a tray of 15 tacos and condiments that they had to polish off before their rivals did The crowd stood in a semicircle around the contestants with some people holding signs to support their favorite taco eater Each competitor devoured as many tacos as they could inhaling food and gulping down water until they had to tap out After Kayla Lee was disqualified following a valiant effort Keith Webster and Carlos Tabarez were the last men standing at 8:30 p.m. The judges decided that Tabarez had eaten more and declared him the Taco Titan awarding him a taquiza for 50 people — a $1,000-value prize with Banda Exclusiva de la S performing several songs and Valentin Garcia playing norteño music Email notifications are only sent once a day The Imperial County Board of Supervisors has refused to disclose why they fired the CEO and the Clerk of the Board there are no recent results for popular videos Montana Technological University’s SAE Baja Club hosted an auto show on April 26 to raise funds for upcoming competition in Mechanicsville Maryland and visibility for prospective club members The SAE Baja Club builds an off-road vehicle from scratch every year It is an endeavor that takes 500-600 hours to complete The vehicle is then taken to competition where students put the vehicle through a number of challenges This year’s competition will be held on June 12-15 “Big things we're focusing on are improving our turning radius and weight savings We are planning to cut about 100 pounds or so from our previous weight,” mechanical engineering Francis Rogers of Wyoming said “We're hoping to get upper speeds of like 30-35 mph this year which is about 10 mph faster than the last one.” from Washington State worked on the project as part of his senior design project It also takes significant funding to compete Four students will travel to competition this summer with the off-road vehicle hauled via trailer “It’s costly to go to competition every year,” said Adam Taylor a mechanical engineering sophomore from Arizona While Nucor Corporation has sponsored some of the team’s expenses the costs of registration and building the buggy are high a metallurgical engineering sophomore from Three Forks “We came up with the idea of a car show about a month ago and it's just really a good way to get involved with the community,” Gonzales said “We wanted people to know who we are and know that we mean business We wanted to make the Baja Club a part of a community.” The team was happy to see some Montana Tech freshman and local community members at the car show which included nearly two dozen vehicles of all different kinds The team is still working on finishing this year’s buggy and after it is finished the team will drive it around near campus to test it The club is already thinking about recruitment for next year as well Gonzales stresses the club is for anyone who wants to contribute in a meaningful way Baja Fresh is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a special discount for its customers the Mexican grill chain is offering $5.55 off orders of $20 or more before tax when placed online at bajafresh.com To take advantage of this limited-time offer customers must use the code "CINCO" at checkout and be a member of the Club Baja Rewards program or sign up for a free loyalty rewards account The offer is valid only at participating U.S locations and does not apply to orders via third-party delivery services It cannot be combined with other offers and is not valid at hotels Customers are responsible for all applicable taxes Baja Fresh has been serving fresh, traditional fire-grilled Mexican food for over 30 years, offering a variety of dishes including tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and more. For more information, visit www.BajaFresh.com. It’s a labor of love for these Ferris State students 1201 S. State Street, Big Rapids, Michigan USA 49307 (231) 591-2000 © This section of the website is exclusively reserved for members of the FIM Family: CONUs members and honorary members of the commissions You are a member of the FIM Family and do not have your access? Do not hesitate to contact us Sign in The FIM is also involved in non-sport activities - tourism or sport-related activities such as women in motorcycling sustainability is linked to both sporting and non-sporting areas as is the educational side we are developing to get the new generation on 2 wheels We inform you about all aspects of the motorcycling world Tosha Schareina (Honda) won the Prologue and then both special stages to take the motorcycle laurels at the Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura Antoine Sanchez claimed the 25 points for sealing victory in the quad category After the administration and technical checks on Friday the first day of racing on the fourth round of the FIM Bajas World Cup was a busy one with the Prologue in the morning followed by an opening stage of 113.90km in the afternoon Although Schareina stood out from the opening kilometres he was still wary of his compatriot Javi Vega (Kove) who finished second on the Prologue and completed the first stage just 7min 05sec behind him Portugal’s Jorge Brandao (Honda) held third place and was followed by FIM Bajas World Cup leader Mohammed Al-Balooshi (Fantic) and Edgar Canet (KTM) the opening stage win went to the Frenchman Antoine Sanchez who finished ahead of Jorge Sampaio and Alejandro Garcia Saturday’s second stage covered 320.13km of selective sections and was divided into parts with a large transfer zone in between The fastest riders took over six hours to complete the stage Bruno Santos (Husqvarna) and Edgar Canet (KTM) distinguished themselves by chasing down the leading Schareina who experienced problems with his electronic road book Over the two stages that were held in rain and thick mud Schareina won comfortably with Vega holding on to second place and finishing 18min 33.7sec behind with Canet moving up to third overall Santos and Al-Balooshi found themselves just off the podium until Canet withdrew his bike from the Parc Fermé zone and was no longer ranked in the overall classification Brandao climbed to fourth and Al-Balooshi was fifth The FIM Bajas World Cup remains in Spain for the Baja Aragón from July 25th to 27th Follow us on our FIM page for Bajas and Rallies FIM BAJAS AND RALLIES FACEBOOK#FIM #FIMCrossCountryRallies 05-05-2025NEWS While the day celebrates an important event in Mexico’s history restaurant chains use it as an opportunity to lure customers with free burritos and tacos BY Michael Grothaus victory of Mexico against France in the Battle of Puebla while Cinco de Mayo celebrates an important event in Mexican history the day is widely observed in communities across America and is now frequently one used to celebrate Mexican-American culture in the United States Many brands in America—especially restaurant chains—like to participate in Cinco de Mayo by offering deals and freebies to customers This is especially true of restaurants that serve Mexican or Mexican-American food Here are some deals to be had today if you are up for celebrating Cinco de Mayo with your tastebuds Use the code CINCO at checkout to get $5.55 off your order of $20 or more The pizza chain is offering free white corn guacamole and chips to customers who show this web page to their server The Mexican food chain is offering a coupon for a free taco on their next visit to people who purchase something today Chipotle is offering several Cinco de Mayo deals including $0 delivery fees when using the promo code DELIVER and free chips and Queso Blanco when using the promo code CINCO25 The company is also giving away the chance to win one of 50,000 burritos when you play its Burrito Builder experience on Roblox. Full details of the offers can be found here Get a free burrito with any $10 purchase The fast food chain is giving away free Tiny Tacos of any style if you order in the app and spend at least $5 today Buy one burrito and get one free Order Laredo Taco Company food through the 7NOW Delivery app and get 50% off the total as long as the order is $20 or more The final deadline for Fast Company’s Brands That Matter Awards is Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today. Michael Grothaus is a novelist and author. His latest novel, BEAUTIFUL SHINING PEOPLE, has been translated into multiple languages More Fast Company & Inc © 2025 Mansueto Ventures Fastcompany.com adheres to NewsGuard’s nine standards of credibility and transparency. Learn More Natasha Decker•May 1 The United States Embassy & Consulates in Mexico has advised travelers to take precautions in several hotspot destinations south of the border The authority shared the travel alert on April 25 noting violent incidents that travelers should be aware of The embassy detailed that local and social media sources had been circulating news regarding the “emerging security situation in Baja California Sur,” one of Mexico’s over 32 states On April 22, a law enforcement officer was killed, along with three other individuals, in separate incidents. The embassy didn’t disclose exactly where. On April 24, three buses were allegedly set on fire in La Paz and Los Cabos. The following day, a shootout reportedly occurred throughout multiple Cabo San Lucas neighborhoods The travel alert reported that cartels have made threats against officials and La Paz should “expect to see increased security presence [and] public transportation restrictions.” The source added that “other actions” are also being taken “to manage the situation.” The Embassy & Consulates in Mexico recommends fleeing the scene and seeking “secure shelter” if the vibe of your location suddenly changes. Standard travel safety tips in the notice were to “be aware of your surroundings” and regularly update a loved one on your safety Embassy & Consulates In Mexico should they need assistance The State Department encourages Americans going abroad to register their trip in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program It helps authorities locate you in case of a crisis or natural disaster while abroad the program provides relevant travel updates regarding safety and need-to-know news Other Mexican states popular with tourists – including Mexico City a free daily newsletter that features the best of travel and guides to the cities you love from a new point of view — yours you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy Queen Elizabeth Once Stepped In To Prevent Snoop Dogg From Being Banned From The UK United Airlines Flight Attendant's Armrest Announcement Sparks Social Media Frenzy ‘Basketball Wives’ Star Mehgan James Speaks Out About Popular Bahamas Island With Flesh-Eating Bacteria After Friend Loses Leg Chaos Erupts After Ethiopian Airlines Passenger Forced To Give Up Seat For Minister Check out these filming sites that have added to this harrowing story of creative survival in two popular cities Paramount+'s 'MobLand' has rapidly garnered a wide audience thanks to its fascinating characters and gorgeous scenic backdrops A 27-year-old Chinese student living in Japan was rescued twice from Mount Fuji within days – the second time after reascending for his phone The Haifeng is Taiwan’s first luxury dessert-themed train It redefines the afternoon tea experience with some Michelin-starred desserts is taking a step towards opening its doors to international travelers The 2026 Subaru Outback made its debut earlier this month at the New York Auto Show, and reactions have been, to put it kindly, mixed While many fans are still trying to process the shift not just in design but in overall bodystyle an independent artist has shown that the polarizing look might actually work better if Subaru leaned into it and built a pickup instead Subaru has faced criticism for steering the Outback away from its raised wagon roots and turning it into what many see as a clumsy, boxy SUV. Despite the backlash, the taller body and upright nose of the new generation make it surprisingly well-suited for a truck conversion More: New Subaru Outback Finally Comes Out As An SUV Digital artist Dimas Ramadhan, known online as Digimods Design, found inspiration in the new Outback for his latest set of renderings. He chose to label the creation as a Subaru Brat revival, although the design arguably looks closer to a modern interpretation of a soft-roading pickup, something along the lines of the Honda Ridgeline The fictional double-cab pickup could give Subaru a much-needed entry into the compact pickup segment, where models like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz are currently thriving The front end remains largely unchanged from the Outback SUV but an extended wheelbase and a longer rear overhang create space for a properly sized truck bed this rendering uses the standard Outback front bumper instead of the more polarizing grille from the rugged Wilderness trim If such a model were ever produced, it would likely share the Outback’s unibody platform Power would come from the turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine that produces 260 horsepower which seems a better fit for a pickup than the base naturally aspirated engine the turbo mill is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and sends power to all four wheels through Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system The original Subaru Baja was offered in the United States from 2003 to 2006 it struggled to find buyers at the time and quietly disappeared from the lineup without a successor More: Could A 2025 Subaru Forester Baja Challenge The Hyundai Santa Cruz And Ford Maverick? The question remains: should Subaru seriously consider resurrecting the Baja nameplate for the modern era Scallops and chorizo meet Thai curry; hibiscus-braised short rib mingles with risotto — the menu at La Baja is a chimera of culinary influences Carnitas de pato and ravioles de aguacate con cangrejo from La Baja / Photography by Breanne Furlong And I like it because it is a thing made from pieces of other things — the wings of a monarch butterfly strong enough to survive migrating across half the world; the head of a wise elephant; and those squirming A history encapsulated in dream logic and bright lacquer paint because Jiménez is his own kind of alebrije — a chimera who came to the States in his 20s from Mexico then finding his way into the kitchens of Vetri Decades in the industry taught him to be an octopus — to adapt And when the time came for him to go his own way he opened Cantina La Martina in the heart of Kensington and gained national recognition for his Mexican cuisine twined with this hot thread of every other thing he’d learned to cook and eat and love along the way La Baja is a further distillation of that impulse — no longer chasing the dragon of “authenticity,” he does a cuisine here born of every shift he’s worked every post he’s stood in a dozen different kitchens Jiménez has a carnitas de pato entrée on his menu — a whole roasted duck with bao buns and nopales — that I will probably never get to taste because I am a fundamentally chaotic human and can never get my shit together enough to order it three days in advance I can comfort myself with bok choy sautéed with salsa macha and elote corn ribs allowing you to strip away the charred kernels dressed in preserved lemon and tan tan dust (used to amp the heat in spicy ramen) under the calm gaze of La Baja’s bright butterfly octophant I roll in with friends for the special — big-ass prawns curled in a puddle of unbelievably good and gentle green mole and an arugula salad topped with slivered red onion and trout roe so I ask the server (alone on the floor on a night that’s worryingly quiet) if we can split it as an app — one plate for the pair of us that’s kind of a pro move.” And she’s right because we load down the table with plates of prawns in mole; ravioles made of fanned avocado and stuffed with blue crab and a xnipec salsa that’s all sweet habanero heat and a razor of vinegar brightness; fists of short rib braised in hibiscus and Mexican chocolate and mounted atop a bowl of creamy Italian risotto; and perfect pork belly seared crisp and served between two quenelles of sweet potato puree like a remembered taste of Thanksgivings past there are still only two other tables with guests in the dining room I said that the best thing about Cantina La Martina was that everything you eat there is something you know — just the best version of it you’ve ever had a late-night ramen shop or Chinatown or bland frontera­ fusion or anything else either Its own alebrije — a combination­ of decades of study and influence all coming together as a pure expression of singular identity.­ It’s not like anything you’ve had before But it may be the best version of Dionicio Jiménez’s cuisine yet Published as “The Alebrije of Ambler” in the March 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine Meet the Chefs Reimagining the Cheesesteak Philly’s Best Restaurant Patios and Rooftops A band of Russian exiles walks into the Mexican desert There’s no punchline—the Molokans were a group of Russian-Orthodox families who refused to go to war and instead chose to settle alongside the Indigenous Kumeyaay and missionaries in what is now Valle de Guadalupe in the early 1900s capitalizing on the stable Mediterranean climate’s consistently warm days All those factors also happened to give the area a perfect climate for grape-farming—and the region’s isolation allowed for a largely ungoverned approach to growth only a few brave monks and farmers who had been dodging Spanish colonialist laws explicitly suppressing viticulture grew wine a smoky-eyed revolutionary used to getting his way he bought Santo Tomás winery and decided to expand He stumbled upon the abundant crops cultivated by the Molokans told the Russians to uproot their veggies and plant grapes experimented with planting European varietals without adhering to the oppressive rules generally applied to European wine-growing but he also gave the entire region a boost His first major step was opening the winemaking school La Escuelita. There, he trained up-and-coming winemakers from around the world, including Eileen and Phil Gregory, owners of 20-year-old winery Vena Cava, and Fernando Pérez Castro of organic winery Finca La Carrodilla “You can’t have a notable wine-growing region without several wineries making good wines,” Eileen Gregory says “D’Acosta taught people to make good wine.” D’Acosta also collaborated with chef Benito Molina to open Manzanilla, Valle’s first bougie restaurant. On his heels came chef Jair Téllez, whose restaurant Laja was “the tipping point for high cuisine in Valle de Guadalupe we just had highway restaurants with big breakfasts and lunches for truckers.” three Valle restaurants earned Michelin stars: Animalón the wine industry and gastronomy of Baja are so exceptional because there are no draconian mandates dictating what varietals you can plant and where and how you blend or bottle it’s the Wild West; you do what you want,” she says “It is a proverbial cornucopia of fabulous raw materials and no rules which attracts pioneers who are interested in building on the shoulders of giants.” This anything-goes environment inspired other experiments, too. The Gregorys opened one of the first bed and breakfasts in the valley, La Villa De Valle. They went on to tinker with sustainable winemaking at Vena Cava joining Finca La Carrodilla and Rancho El Mogor as local pioneers of regenerative wines But maybe the most challenging aspect is the limited legislative support for the farmers who make this food and wine region tick Despite challenges, the magic of Valle remains. You can still sidle into a small, family-owned winery and have the winemaker pour you an unusual Bordeaux blend or a pet nat. Winemakers still whisper stories about the vineyards’ origins and where to get the best pizza in the valley (that’s Bruma Wine Garden) So don’t be surprised if you find yourself braving unpaved roads to barrel taste a new blend no one’s ever made before then enjoying fresh seafood served in an Indigenous-inspired acorn mole under string lights with the stars illuminating all the possibilities of the region’s still-young roots Currently under construction, the stone buildings of this small tourist “town”—complete with hotels, drinking and dining spots, and retail spaces—are modeled after the Italian city of Matera which shares the Valle’s Mediterranean climate and olive orchards Komat launched on property at the stylish Encuentro Guadalupe hotel in September 2024 This incoming 35-acre Hyatt property will provide a rooftop bar a pool (surprisingly hard-ish to find in VdG) and a fitness center to guests staying in its 58 rooms and villas This 18-room hotel on a former apple orchard (launched in 2023) grows wine grapes, olives, figs, lemons, oranges, and more. Executive chef Paulina Gonzalez Miranda—who lives onsite— employs ’em at the all-day onsite eatery, Lupe 87 A small, Ensenada-based chain beloved for its oysters, seafood tacos (including tuna al pastor and marlin machaca), and, of course, its namesake dish, La Cevichería unveiled its Valle location in 2023 This moody, red-lit temple for red meat and stiff cocktails (sometimes both in one—the bar staff likes to use dried beef as a garnish) opened in Bruma Wine Resort’s adjacent Mercado Bruma early this year Encircled by small, quiet stays, this new, no-frills breakfast and lunch joint is a friendly place to reset after a few days of seemingly endless tasting menus which arrive in a generous but not insurmountable portion explorer and educator Michele Bigley recently relocated to San Diego from the Bay Area Her work has appeared in the New York Times By clicking subscribe you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] By clicking Subscribe you’re confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] © Copyright 2023 San Diego Magazine 1230 Columbia Street But the one that continues to replay in my mind is the month-long trip I spent driving the entire Baja peninsula Let me tell you — it was one of the most incredible road trips of my life untouched beaches and roadside taco stands made it an adventure I’ll never forget But I’ll be honest: I went in completely blind I had no idea what to expect or what to plan for If you’re planning to drive the Baja peninsula here are a few things I wish I had known before setting out You can absolutely drive Baja without a 4×4 The main highways are paved and in decent condition and you’ll still see some jaw-dropping scenery But if you want to get off the beaten path — and trust me part of the magic of Baja is in the remote wild places — you’re going to need a 4×4 If your dream is to land on a secluded beach with no one else in sight you’ll want a vehicle that can handle the journey But there are stretches of highway that feel endless the drives between San Ignacio and Guerrero Negro desolate and have little to no cell reception cacti forests and wide-open sky — but after several hours of it because radio stations are nonexistent in these remote areas too — just in case you did rent that 4×4 and want to venture down a dirt road but I had a few panic-inducing moments where I wondered if I would make it to the next station Gas stations are few and far between in Baja One of the biggest challenges I encountered was getting real-time information about road conditions. Baja is prone to hurricanes, flash floods and unexpected road closures, and finding up-to-date info isn’t easy. About halfway through my trip, I discovered the Baja Overlanding Facebook group The community shares posts about road conditions gas availability and any hiccups along the way A perfect example: Hurricane Kay had sliced through the peninsula during my trip I ended up stuck in Ensenada for five days waiting for updates on when the roads would be passable again If I had known about the Facebook group earlier I could have planned better and avoided some of that stress If you’re thinking of doing Baja in a week This is a road trip where the journey is just as important as the destination Rushing through means skipping hidden beaches and even that didn’t feel like enough time These are completely routine and nothing to worry about they might ask you to step out while they check your vehicle be polite and have your paperwork — license car rental agreement and passport — readily available It can feel a little unnerving the first time I rented my car in San Jose del Cabo from Cactus Car They include all the necessary insurance you need to drive in Mexico in the price which means no hidden fees or surprises when you pick up your car Rental car insurance in Mexico can be tricky so it was nice to have everything covered upfront Driving the Baja peninsula was one of the most freeing and rewarding adventures I’ve ever taken I went in blind and learned a few lessons the hard way If you’re thinking about making the trip I can’t recommend it enough— just go in prepared ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC May 29, 2024JPEG Editor’s note: This story has been revised to correct the description of the sediment plume’s source Other parts of the floodplain make up the intensively farmed Mexicali Valley (top left) which extends to the north and connects with the Imperial Valley in California (out of frame) significantly reduced water flow to areas downstream One of the area’s most prominent salt flats is visible on the western side of the delta Although water from the Colorado River no longer reaches the Gulf of California, strong tidal currents can redistribute sediment likely leading to the light brown plumes visible in this image The interaction between reduced freshwater and rising salinity levels has transformed what was once a dynamic estuarine system into an arid environment Adjacent to the delta lies the Desierto de Altar (Altar Desert), composed of extensive sand dunes with minimal vegetation. Toward the bottom of the frame, the Sierra las Pintas are characterized by red- and black-hued rocks Nestled between the desert and agriculture the city of San Luis Río Colorado appears light gray View this area in EO Explorer A salt-encrusted landscape surrounds the Colorado River where it once emptied into the Gulf of California The Colorado River is the largest watershed in the southwestern US emptying into the Salton Trough before reaching the Sea of Cortez river sediments built a delta that extends from the US-Mexico border for a distance of 87 miles (140 kilometers) today the Colorado River delta is undergoing significant erosion and diminishing in size due to the lack of sediment replenishment from upstream sources the Colorado River Delta has dried out and lost much of its vegetation and wildlife January 23, 2024JPEG Hot, dry weather and strong winds fueled wildland fires in Baja California in late January 2025. Seasonal Santa Ana winds blew in from dry areas inland and accelerated down the Sierra Juarez mountain range creating conditions where a few sparks and small brush fires could quickly escalate The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image of smoke streaming from a large fire in the El Escondido area of Ensenada on January 23 Forecasters expect the region to get some relief soon They predict that winds should ease in the coming days and a developing storm will likely bring rain NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview View this area in EO Explorer Seasonal Santa Ana winds helped fuel a large fire near Ensenada wildland fires are burning longer and more often in some areas as the world warms Chaparral shrublands and strong winds are fueling the fast-moving fire dry weather and fierce easterlies fanned the flames of several blazes the MODIS instrument on the Terra satellite captured this image of wildfire burning near Los Angeles which have consumed more than 75,000 acres An official website of the United States government A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website Share sensitive information only on official Emergency Information for American Citizens Event:  Local media and social media report an emerging security situation in Baja California Sur Reports include a shootout that spread through several neighborhoods in Cabo San Lucas in the early hours of April 25 three buses set on fire in La Paz and Los Cabos on April 24 the killing of a law enforcement officer and three other homicides on April 22 and the posting of threats against officials by cartels An immigrant visa is a document issued by a U.S consular officer abroad that allows you to travel to the United States and apply for admission as a legal permanent resident (LPR) Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security makes the final decision as to whether or not to admit you as an LPR you generally have the right to live and work in the United States permanently Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security will mail your permanent resident card (often called a “green card”) to your new address in the United States usually within three months of your entry into the United States Please see 9 FAM 502.1-3 for a list of classification symbols and a brief description of each Getting an immigrant visa usually means that you will be able to live and work in the United States for as long as you want is generally for short-term visitors to the United States You cannot stay in the United States permanently on a nonimmigrant visa A nonimmigrant visa is sometimes informally called a “tourist visa” but can be issued for reasons other than tourism Please see our nonimmigrant visa page for more information There are three basic methods for obtaining an immigrant visa: 1.through a family relationship with a U.S citizen or legal permanent resident 2.through employment 3.through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (the visa lottery) Most applicants in Mexico obtain their immigrant visas via family relationships The first step in obtaining a family-based immigrant visa is for your relative (the petitioner) to file a Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) by mail with U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security Once your relative has filed a petition for you you may check its status by accessing the USCIS Case Status Search Page You may obtain an immigrant visa through employment rather than through a family member More information on obtaining an immigrant visa through employment rather than through a family member is available on USCIS’s Green Card through a Job page Please see the Fiscal Year 2016 Diversity Visa Entry Instructions Note that the registration period for 2015 has closed You may check this page for the Fiscal Year 2016 Diversity Visa Entry instructions in approximately September 2014 Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security approves an immigrant visa petition USCIS sends the approved petition to the Department of State’s National Visa Center in Portsmouth The Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) retains the approved petition until the case is ready for adjudication by a consular officer abroad Petitions may remain at NVC for several months or for many years depending on the visa category and country of birth of the visa applicant When a beneficiary’s (the beneficiary is the person on whose behalf the petition was filed) priority date appears about to become current NVC sends the petitioner a bill for processing Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act) and sends the beneficiary a Form DS-261 (Choice of Address and Agent) Once the Form I-864 processing fee is paid NVC sends the Form I-864 and related instructions to the petitioner Once NVC receives the completed Form DS-261 from the applicant NVC mails a bill for the immigrant visa fee to the agent designated on the Form DS-261 NVC sends the Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants to the agent You or your agent must follow the directions in the Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants exactly Failure to do so could result in a delay in your case and could even cause you to lose your chance to live and work in the United States Once NVC completes its administrative processing of your case the case file is sent to the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S NVC will notify you by mail when this occurs in the case of a family-based immigrant visa petition is the date your petition was filed (not the date it was approved) Family-based immigrant visas are divided into two broad groups immediate relative cases and preference cases An immediate relative family-based petition is filed by a U.S A preference family-based petition is filed by a U.S or sibling; or by a legal permanent resident on behalf of a spouse Because the law does not limit the number of immediate relative visas the priority date is normally irrelevant in such cases (please see the 9 FAM 502.1-1(d)(1) for the notable exception related to the Child Status Protection Act) the Immigrant Visa Unit may begin processing the approved petition upon receipt from the Department of State’s National Visa Center or the Department of Homeland Security The law limits the number of preference visas available All categories of family-based preference visas are currently “oversubscribed” (i.e. there are more people who want visas than there are visa numbers available) along with your visa category and nationality determines whether a visa number is available or whether you must wait Once your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed in the most recent Visa Bulle Use up to three 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flavors and good times to Carolina Beach,” said Brian Brennan The group also operates two Tower 7 restaurants This new K38 is the sixth for the Cali-Mex restaurant and joins four Wilmington locations and another in Raleigh Proximity will also be home to a location of Wilmington brands like Boombalatti’s Homemade Ice Cream and Drift Coffee + Kitchen is opening its first North Carolina location here STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest food news by signing up for the Port City Foodies newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com This content references scientific studies and academic research Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective We are committed to bringing you researched expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food We know how important making choices about your overall health is and we strive to provide you with the best information possible Good fish tacos are practically a religion on the West Coast but you don't have to live in California to enjoy some seriously good options chains nationwide are offering tacos that are worth the restaurant trip alone—and some are even available at the drive-thru Here are seven seafood chains that make delicious fish tacos even if they're not hole-in-the-wall authentic trendsetters Rubio's is going through some financial issues right now, but the tacos are still on point. "I'm a huge fan of rubios! Can't go wrong with the Tacos and California bowl! 😍," one Redditor said "Rubios is great and I'm not embarrassed to recommend them," another agreed West Coast Mexican chain Pinches Tacos has highly-rated fish tacos made with Veracruz-style slaw. "The most authentic Mexican food! Very generous serving sizes. Staff are lovely and helpful. You can taste the difference in the quality of fresh ingredients. The handmade corn tortillas are incredible," one Google reviewer wrote Taco John's has popular Alaska Flounder Fish Tacos on the menu from time to time The limited-edition tacos are made with wild-caught Alaska flounder fillet coated in seasoned batter and topped with fresh shredded lettuce and freshly prepared Pico de Gallo Every taco is made to order in a warm flour tortilla drizzled with Fiesta sauce made with sour cream Copyright 2025 Galvanized Media Eat This Not That is part of the Dotdash Meredith Publishing Family Ian Storrs ’24 joined ’Cuse Baja as a wide-eyed first-year student eager to build off-road vehicles for rough terrains the club once known for participating in rugged vehicle competitions had seemingly lost its drive left the student organization without guidance The club’s off-road vehicle was also just a frame and the remaining members didn’t know how to complete it Storrs knew he had do to something with the club’s numbers dwindling The student-run ’Cuse Baja organization participates in rugged Assuming the position as the club’s leader Storrs worked hard to rebuild ’Cuse Baja from the ground up focusing on recruiting and training the next generation of engineers to take the wheel ‘Cuse Baja is a thriving student organization that actively competes across the country and the off-road vehicle that was nothing more than a simple frame is now breaking records “The development of our current car has been a long road With a large amount of reverse-engineering and scrappiness we managed to cobble together a functional car,” says Storrs Despite challenges in their early competitions ’Cuse Baja didn’t let any roadblocks slow them down the club would set new records at the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) competition held in Michigan the team competed at different events that tested their vehicle’s acceleration suspension and traction as well as rock-crawling ability The final event on the last day of the competition was the endurance race where each team that passed inspections strives to complete as many laps as possible in 4 hours far exceeding the six laps they completed in a previous competition making history with the best result from a University Baja team in more than 20 years “We had gone from having never been to a competition to being legitimately competitive in only one year,” says Storrs a Baja team from SU had not raced at a competition in 20 years so we are enormously proud of our accomplishments.” “This year was filled with many great successes allowing our team to meet multiple goals,” says aerospace engineering student Laney Price ’27 I’ll remember the excitement our team felt and expressed during that week when we worked through many obstacles to reach that success.” Storrs has connected with other students who share his passion for designing and building off-road vehicles and gained hands-on experience in engineering through machining and welding he has also developed valuable leadership skills that have strengthened his team-building and project-management abilities I have made it my number one priority to recruit and train the next generation of ’Cuse Baja members who will be able to grow the team after I have graduated,” says Storrs “Our current success is due to the large influx of passionate and interested members over the past year who have shown great initiative in learning and leading the team.” “I became a member at the beginning of the 2023 school season and have witnessed ’Cuse Baja grow so much since I’ve been on the team,” says mechanical engineering student Riehen Walsh ’27 “With a new generation car being designed and an ever-growing connection with the local Syracuse community I look forward to seeing what the team can become in the upcoming years.” he believes the club will continue to thrive “Baja and the other engineering teams are an invaluable addition to the ECS community We provide practical and hands-on experience to students which is something that cannot be taught in class I hope that through our continued success and growth we can further prove our value to the engineering community.” A student works on an off-road vehicle as part of the ’Cuse Baja club Olympic gold medalist and visionary executive Benita Fitzgerald Mosley says it has been her lifelong mission to help people win gold medals in business—and in life “My gold medal is the gift that keeps on giving,” Fitzgerald Mosley says Syracuse University Libraries recognized its student employees with an awards celebration on April 23 The Libraries typically employs around 150 undergraduate and graduate students each year to contribute to the safety of Libraries’ spaces the quality and repair of collections,… While Hannah Kang ’25 was growing up in Houston where she was born—pursuing a degree at Syracuse University was never on her radar a high school internship course found her shadowing renowned architect Jesse… In front of an audience of fellow undergraduates and History Department faculty Maxwell School junior Jorge Morales recently shared his research findings on the 2016 Rio Olympics—specifically the intersection of race and infrastructure in the event’s planning and legacy Syracuse University has been recognized as a STARS (Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System) Silver institution by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education STARS is a comprehensive rating system for colleges and universities to measure sustainability… If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu and Baja California welcomed about 30 million statewide Here are the stories you might have missed: As a reflection of its tourism bona fides and its border proximity, Baja California has been chosen to host the 49th edition of Tianguis Turístico Mexico (TTM) Latin America’s largest tourism-related fair with the first 36 iterations of the TTM held in Acapulco That city still hosts biennially (most recently in 2022 and 2024) other destinations have also been chosen to host as the TTM has grown in size and scope Mexico City welcomed 1,328 exhibiting companies (including hotel and airline representatives and tourism offices from all 32 Mexican states) and over 2,000 buyers from 90 countries worldwide Tijuana takes over hosting duties from April 28 to May 1 and 45% of buyers attending will be from the U.S Buyers in this context means travel agents the number of visitors to Mexico from the U.S Upwards of 14 million and a half million are expected in 2025 That would indeed be an uptick. In 2024, Mexico received 45 million foreign visitors The total figure made Mexico the seventh most popular nationwide tourist destination in the world last year Many long-held assumptions about animals are being overturned. Recent studies, for example, have shown that the songs of humpback whales are structured similarly to human language many researchers remain hesitant to term how whales communicate as language this reticence seems less like scientific rigor than an ingrained arrogance that assumes only humans have the capacity for certain varieties of intelligence and feeling Many people are convinced that animals deserve and should be guaranteed respectful treatment just became the latest governmental body to enact legislation recognizing animals as sentient beings with inherent rights On April 2, 2025, the 25th Legislature of the Baja California Congress passed a reform formally enshrining this recognition in the state constitution approved by Governar Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda provides the state with a legal framework to make policy changes or enact regulatory protections for the well-being of animals who are now legally “sentient,” a word defined as “able to perceive or feel things.” By doing so, Baja California joins a growing list of nations and states. Over 30 countries have now enacted animal welfare or sentience-related legislation France’s designation of animals as sentient beings dates back to 1976 Belgium has canonized this belief in its constitution established an Animal Sentience Committee with input into animal-related policies Three new announced offices will be added to the state bureaucracy: an animal welfare directorate BC is thus backing up the legal protections for animals amended in the state constitution with a practical framework to enforce them The 39-year-old is the first female governor of Baja California and, according to a December approval rating survey, the most popular governor in Mexico Studies are underway for a major new road project slated to begin construction in 2026: a 24-kilometer two-lane bypass that will streamline traffic between Tijuana and Ensenada The project is expected to take four years to complete Claudia Sheinbaum’s 250 billion investment in federal highways as part of the National Road Infrastructure Program scheduled during her six-year term as president At least nine federal highways and nine bridges will be affected Thirty-five billion is earmarked for the program in 2025 Not only is the Tijuana to Ensenada bypass meant to provide enhanced accessibility to area destinations but it will also offer an estimated ten thousand plus jobs to regional residents President Sheinbaum has also greenlit 5,500 photovoltaic solar panels which will be installed in Mexicali as part of the Sol del Norte program and should help to lower electricity bills locally Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food she's living proof that dreams really do come true So true, in fact, that they can inspire dozens of people to follow suit, igniting such fervor that the Fourth Meal-famous chain itself takes note, giving her a golden Bell Award at its annual Live Más Live conference and officially adding the drink to its menus for a limited time intrepid reporter (and obsessive snacker) that I am While signs posted at my local Taco Bell promoted the drink so the easiest way to snag it is by ordering online or via the app (Pro tip: Order a medium on a weekday between 2 p.m On the app, it's listed as the Dirty MTN Dew Baja Blast Dream Soda and it's described as having "sweet vanilla creme swirled in" to a classic Baja Blast soda but the real surprise happens at first sip with a bubbly effervescence that lingers with you I typically consider Mountain Dew to be more sugary with less of that tingly pop that carbonation provides helping to cleanse your palate from intensity of the vanilla-lime flavor you get on the front end a creaminess that softens the typical Mountain Dew punch making it taste like a liquid key lime pie There's an almost marshmallow-y flavor to it too the more it seemed like this was the soda equivalent of Jet-Puffed Fruity-Fun marshmallows...and I didn't hate it Frankie Paul's creation made me suddenly understand the hype surrounding the prospect of Taco Bell serving a Baja Blast pie: A key lime pie with a sweeter if you're looking for something tropical-sweet Will I be toting creamer with me once the drink disappears from menus I'll be concocting my own Fan Style twist in hopes of snagging the golden Bell Award next year All 14 Taco Bell Dips and Sauces, Ranked by a Crunchwrap-Loving Food Editor That’s where gray whales mate and give birth every winter And they’re known to be amazingly friendly to tourists who spend several months in the warm shallow waters This unique interaction is something I wanted to see chartered jets for a three-hour flight from Tijuana and landed at an oasis of an airport in the desert A couple of vans picked up our group for the ride to camp As we bumped along on the rough road to the lagoon fellow-traveler Dawn Glavick asked our guide a question that had been looming large for many in the group “We've been told by a couple people that there's not as many whales Please put everyone's mind at ease,” she said Glavick works as a marine naturalist and kayak tour guide on Whidbey Island She went on this trip last year and said it was amazing with multiple close encounters with the gray whales but I know that no matter where we seemed to look there was a blow or a breach or a spy-hop or a baby,” Glavick said Recent years have been hard on gray whales and the scene in the lagoons has reflected that The recent die-off of gray whales is officially over. But the effects of the so-called "Unusual Mortality Event" are still being felt Nearly half of the gray whale population died in four years It’s unclear what that will mean for the whale population long term “It means that perhaps there are less mothers and babies going north or the condition of the mothers isn't strong enough to produce another pregnancy in a couple of years following,” Solomons said The La Niña’s cooler temperatures appear to have caused many of the whales to skip the lagoons and migrate farther south even though there are still lots of gray whales in San Ignacio Lagoon the most recent weekly count for the official census ahead of our tour was down by more than half of normal: only 76 compared to the usual count of more than 200 We saw those numbers every day, hand written on a whiteboard inside the large new palapa at the heart of our camp. Campo Cortez is located on the edge of San Ignacio Lagoon in a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s part of Mexico’s largest wildlife preserve Everything here aims to honor the whales and their wellbeing we learn that all our water will be hauled in and out We’ll sleep in small plywood cabins that resemble tiny homes and share our camp with several huge osprey nests He said he started taking tourists out to whale watch more than 35 years ago His boat was only 18 feet long — less than half as long as a typical gray whale There was one whale they called “La Loca,” who taught him just how friendly these whales could be The whale came up and seemed to be hugging the boat from below Fischer founded and now leads a whale watch association for San Ignacio There are limits on boat numbers and how much time is spent with the whales — which is only allowed in a designated area and enforced by a sheriff and park rangers As we motored out for our first whale watching excursion guide and driver — scanned for blows and other signs the captain cut the motor and let the boat drift close enough that we could see barnacles on their skin and almost feel the enormous exhaling that happens before a dive spy-hopping straight into the air to see us Some of us even sang and splashed the water in hopes of luring them closer But we didn’t get to touch them — or have any close encounters with mothers and their babies offered a meditation circle with singing bowls to help us adjust our expectations about touching whales she encouraged us to stop grasping for encounters and instead focus on giving and receiving and bring that energy to the boats Then she asked us if anyone wanted to share their intentions I liked the invitation to give the whales more space I was feeling concerned that it wasn’t really something we should do “So I think it's just fine not to touch them,” I said “To not have encounters where we touch them.” I woke up early and wandered over to the water’s edge I sat down outside the palapa with my recording gear and did a bit of oral journaling “It does seem like things are at a bit of a turning point here in terms of the reputation and marketing for really close encounters with the whales,” I noted I wondered if they could continue to encourage people to expect to touch and even kiss the whales or put their hands in the whales’ mouths All of this had been part of the picture in the past in a very a joyful and friendly way that the whales didn't seem to object to we motored out into the lagoon on flat water with lots of birds all around — pelicans we found ourselves in the presence of a very friendly pair of whales encouraged us to sing and splash to get their attention It’s hard to fully describe the interactions that followed The whales swam as close as they possibly could to our boat looking for touches and clearly eager to interact with us oohing and aahing filled the boat and overflowed I did it!” one passenger exclaimed loudly — the goal of her long travels fulfilled hesitantly — touched the top of the baby’s head Others repeatedly rubbed both whales’ skin and splashed them Some people cried because of the communion The boat she was on that day didn’t have the same kind of close and intense encounter we did — no touches “That little baby came up and our eyes met You look into the eye of a whale and it changes your life forever But that whale watch day was so moving — the surprising joy I felt during the interactions on our boat will certainly stay with me After I returned from San Ignacio Lagoon, reports came out that as many as 70 gray whales have died since the start of the year in the lagoons of Baja California Scientists are concerned but not sure what is causing it NOAA Fisheries hasn’t issued any conclusions and said the number of strandings off the Pacific coast of the U.S The whales are just now at the beginning of their migration north Baja Blast is one of those delicious drinks that has a chokehold on its fans. While the mysterious flavor of Mountain Dew's Baja Blast may be up for debate there's just something about that electric teal color that practically screams "This was made with you in mind," and I'm definitely here for it knows that drinking or making fruity concoctions is one of my favorite things to do So you can imagine my dismay when Baja Blast is here one day and gone the next the only way to get it was to hit the drive-thru and grab a combo meal and it turns out that you can make a pretty convincing Baja Blast right in your kitchen with a few common sodas it's close enough to crush the craving — and you won't need to leave your house or buy a chalupa to get it it's a fun experiment that gets you close to the taste without the fast food markup but a common recipe is about one part Mountain Dew one part Powerade or Gatorade (Both of them work neon green-blue drink that at least gives you a great approximation to the real deal People who've tried this at home have mixed reactions Some say it's a dead ringer for Baja Blast Others think the homemade version gets you about 80% of the way there but lacks some of the sharper tropical notes I'd say it may depend on the brand of lemon-lime soda or sports drink you use; Even subtle differences in sweetness and citrus flavor can affect the final result if you're craving that signature taste and don't want to make a Taco Bell run One of the best parts about making your own Baja Blast at home is being able to adjust it to your personal taste If you want your drink on the sweeter side you could just add extra Sprite — but some people even add a little pineapple juice or lime juice to bring out more of the tropical flavors It won't be identical to the Taco Bell version but it might actually taste better depending on what you like This drink also works great as a base for slushies or frozen cocktails if you're looking to use it for parties or weekend treats or freeze the mix into cubes and run them through a blender It's a quick way to turn a nostalgic flavor into something new and refreshing And, while it's not officially branded Baja Blast, mixing your own at home is definitely easier on your wallet. The ingredients are simple to find, and you'll likely have plenty left over to make multiple servings. Lastly, doing it this way is much cheaper than tracking down a six-pack of the Baja Blast bottled stuff or giving in to buying Taco Bell. watch the video to see how Amazon delivers to customers in some of the most remote areas in the state of Baja California Sur You've probably heard of package delivery by moped, robot, or bicycle, but what about a delivery on skis? Amazon.comConditions of UseAmazon Privacy Policy© 1996-2025 Amazon.com Three New Flavorful Meal Options at Participating Baja Fresh Locations Nationwide for Limited Time SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Baja Fresh® Mexican Grill (www.BajaFresh.com) is excited to introduce three new limited time meal options to the menu giving customers more high-quality choices that fit their budget Guests can now enjoy three $10 Baja Bundle options - Street Taco Trio: three soft corn tortillas filled with fire-grilled chicken steak or carnitas with onion + cilantro mix choice of hot or mild salsa and served with a lime wedge Poco Fuego Burrito: burrito filled with fire-grilled chicken or carnitas with melted jack cheese lettuce and sour cream wrapped in a warm flour tortilla Dos Enchiladas Rojas: two corn tortillas rolled with fire-grilled chicken and jack cheese All Baja Bundles are served with a half order of Baja rice and a choice of black or pinto beans salsa from our fresh salsa bar and a regular drink "Baja Fresh is all about providing guests with high-quality satisfying and affordable meal options so we are pleased to offer our new $10 Baja Bundles nationwide for a limited time," said Logan Reves VP of Restaurant Operations at Baja Fresh. "Whether customers choose our bold street tacos our hearty burrito or the popular enchiladas each flavor-packed meal is complete with rice Baja Bundles are available at participating Baja Fresh locations nationwide until April 21 Baja Fresh is featuring Street Corn for $5.99 which includes roasted corn seasoned with lime mayo About Baja FreshBaja Fresh® has been an industry leader in serving fresh traditional fire-grilled Mexican food for over 30 years Baja Fresh has grown to approximately 80 franchised restaurants across the U.S Baja Fresh became a Kahala Brands™ concept with Kahala Brands being one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of nearly 30 fast-casual and quick-service restaurant concepts with approximately 3000 locations in roughly 35 countries For more information about Baja Fresh, please visit www.BajaFresh.com Baja Fresh® Mexican Grill (www.BajaFresh.com) is turning up the heat this summer and serving up all-new.. is introducing three all-new Chimichangas to the menu for a.. Food & Beverages Restaurants Retail New Products & Services Do not sell or share my personal information: The Honda Off-Road Racing Team returned to Baja California this weekend with the Honda Baja Ridgeline team persevering after multiple issues to finish 17th in a field of 35 Trophy Trucks.  The Baja Ridgeline was unique in the category as the only turbocharged V6 entry in Trophy Truck with the rest of the field powered by large displacement Attrition was high in this year’s “Loop Race” event as more than a third (103) of the 282 starters failed to complete the 864.13-mile route Race organizer SCORE required the Ridgeline to start from the rear of the field as the team did not take part in the previous Baja 400 in September Starting and finishing driver Ethan Ebert steadily worked his way through slower traffic on the dusty and technical opening segments of the 483-mile loop course Multiple issues delayed the team several times throughout the event but they were able each time to continue on with Ebert crossing the finish line with a time of 28:26:31 QuoteJeff Proctor (team owner Honda Off-Road Racing Team) on this year’s Baja 1000: “I feel like I say this every year – Baja is extremely tough but then we had a throttle position sensor issue “But it really showed the heart of this team when things don’t go their way and they’re not in contention But we owe it to all of our partners and sponsors to give it our best shot and bring the Honda Baja Ridgeline home to the finish line – and that’s what we did We just wouldn’t allow Baja to beat us.” NextThis weekend’s BFGoodrich SCORE Baja 1000 was the final race of 2024 for the Honda Off-Road Racing Team.  Honda Racing social media content and video links can be found on: Additional photos and information from the Ridgeline Baja Race Truck’s efforts can be viewed on Instagram at @hondaoffroadracing and @proctor_race News Secretary of Education of Baja California Luis Gilberto Gallego Cortez; UABC Rector Luis Enrique Palafox Maestre; UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive; Consul General Christopher Teal UC Santa Cruz leaders last week formally recognized the university’s burgeoning relationship with the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) through the signing of a memorandum of understanding The agreement highlights a commitment by both institutions to develop cooperative research and cultural initiatives Vice Chancellor for Research John MacMillan and Assistant Vice Provost of Global Engagement Becky George traveled to UABC’s Tijuana campus March 24 for the signing University President Luis Enrique Palafox Maestre Vice Rector of the Tijuana campus Haydeé Gómez Llanos Juárez and General Coordinator of Academic Cooperation Martha Ofelia Lobo Rodríguez were among the contingent of UABC officials who took part in the signing UCSC and UABC share research expertise in a host of areas including climate resilience and biomolecular and biomedical engineering.  “There is much that we can learn from each other through research collaborations and faculty and student exchanges,” Larive said “Problems are solved when people work together and embrace different perspectives and experiences and students are enriched when they are exposed to new cultures and points of view I am excited to see what the future holds for our partnership.” Palafox Maestre praised the quality of research coming out of UC Santa Cruz and predicted a fruitful collaboration that will extend into multiple fields The partnership between the universities has evolved rapidly over the past 16 months the UABC president led a delegation to Santa Cruz meeting with campus leadership and faculty to explore areas of mutual interest and potential collaboration MacMillan last May led a group of 11 UC Santa Cruz faculty members to UABC’s Ensenada campus for a joint faculty symposium a UABC delegation of 10 faculty visited UC Santa Cruz to further explore joint research opportunities The faculty visits have already resulted in positive outcomes UC Alianza MX is a systemwide initiative of the University of California that supports engagement with Mexico by members of the UC community across all 10 campuses providing funding and logistical support for research collaborations and academic mobility In the most recent UC Alianza MX – UABC Joint Research Call two of the three joint-research projects selected for funding have UC principal investigators from UC Santa Cruz and UABC leads who were part of the November delegation that visited UC Santa Cruz Mapping Energy Poverty Through Interactive Media Developing a Long-Term Social-Ecological Monitoring Program to Enhance the Resilience of the Coasts of Baja California A goal of the plan is to foster partnerships to create or expand international collaborations Watch a video recap of the visit produced by UABC on UABC’s Facebook page Honda teams enjoyed remarkable success in the 57th SCORE International Baja 1000 this weekend highlighted by SLR Honda taking their sixth win in the Pro Moto Unlimited class and Honda Talon Factory Racing earning victory in the Pro UTV Normally Aspirated division This year's grueling course for the legendary off-road event started and finished in Ensenada with a 864-mile counter-clockwise loop circling the northern half of the Baja Peninsula The SLR squad's first win came back in 2018 before last year saw them taken out by a hard crash while fighting for the lead Brandon Prieto and Ryan Surratt was not to be denied Lynn was the first rider off the start at 1 a.m and he built a 14-minute lead before Prieto took over 260 miles later His 200-mile section was relatively smooth apart from some wire becoming tangled in his front wheel but the team was able to remove it at the next pit the lead was 17 minutes when the bike was taken by veteran Morgan (competing in his final Baja 1000 as a motorcycle racer) who added another 10 minutes to the lead during his 260-mile San Felipe section Surratt continued the dominance until Lynn took over again for the final 80 miles nearly an hour ahead of the second-place team (Arturo Salas It marked Honda's record 33rd Baja 1000 overall motorcycle win and the 17th for the CRF450X—the winningest vehicle in the history of the race It marked the seventh time that Morgan has been on a winning team but it was just the second for Prieto and the first for Lynn and Surratt it was a little nerve-wracking coming into it this year but it felt really good to have a really smooth race "This was my first time not racing on the team and it was cool to just focus on managing things and watch the next wave of the sport coming in It was nice to have everything come to fruition." Comprised of drivers Michael McFayden and Zach Sizelove along with codrivers Saydiie Grey and Jimmy Sizelove the Honda Talon Factory Racing squad campaigned a Talon 1000R in the event The sun was out by the time McFayden left the start as the fifth vehicle in the class and he was in the physical lead by mile 50 Sizelove drove through the night in the middle section and McFayden took the final stint to the finish 21 minutes faster than the second-place team Finishing third was the David Pedder-piloted Raceco USA-prepared Talon of the Pedder Racing Team "The race actually went really well," said Honda Talon Factory Racing team owner Jeff Proctor "We put a lot of energy into logistics and planning for these endurance races but it's not often that it all goes according to plan but this was one of those races where it went really smoothly Michael got up front and did a great job of clicking off the miles and preserving the lead but it was good to see him get his first win a big congratulations and thank-you to SLR Honda Honda Off-Road Factory Racing," said Brandon Wilson Manager of Racing and Advertising at American Honda and for good reason: the race is so demanding that winning requires reliable vehicles and talented The success that Honda has enjoyed in Baja over the decades—and that these two teams have achieved this year—shows that Honda products are up to the task Other classes to be won by Honda-mounted teams included Pro Moto Limited (with lead rider Jose Armondo Ortiz Garcia); Pro Moto 30 (Ryan Liebelt); and Sportsman Moto (Ernesto Sosa) About American HondaAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc., is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, and side-by-sides in the United States. American Honda's Power Sports & Products Division conducts the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through independent authorized Honda retail dealers. For more information on Honda products, go to powersports.honda.com We deliver! Get curated industry news straight to your inbox. Subscribe to Adweek newsletters For the second year in a row Mountain Dew is using the biggest stage in advertising to promote its fan-favorite Baja Blast flavor it has enlisted Latin artist Becky G to bring the “Do the Dew” spirit to Super Bowl 59 Mountain Dew released a 15-second teaser of its Super Bowl spot on Thursday in which the singer and brand character “Mountain Dude,” sit on a boat watching seals bark in harmony each holding a bottle of Mountain Dew as they stare in confusion “Should we bring in the big guy?” asks Mountain Dude then heads to shore while “it’s gonna be a blast,” flashes across the screen “Partnering with a brand that knows how to bring the energy and get the party started feels like a perfect fit,” Becky G said in a statement Super Bowl LIX—¡vamos a pasarla increíble!” Mountain Dew introduced its Mountain Dude character last year but this is his first time appearingat the Super Bowl In last year’s Super Bowl ad, Mountain Dew tapped former Parks and Recreation co-stars Aubrey Plaza and Nick Offerman, who try to contain their excitement for Baja Blast The ad was created by Goodby Silverstein & Partners (GS&P) which is also behind this year’s commercial PepsiCo celebrated Mountain Dew Baja Blasts’ 20th anniversary by releasing the flavor in bottles and cans nationwide “Mountain Dew Baja Blast has cemented its place as a fan-favorite flavor in pop culture and as a staple in countless Taco Bell orders, so we knew we had to celebrate its 20th anniversary in a big way,” JP Bittencourt, Mountain Dew vp of marketing, said in a statement Super Bowl 59 will mark Mountain Dew’s seventh spot in the Big Game.  For the latest Super Bowl 59 advertising news—who’s in, who’s out, teasers, full ads and more—check out Adweek’s Super Bowl 2025 Ad Tracker and the rest of our stories here 9 for the best in-game coverage of the commercials Cydney Lee is ADWEEK's advertising news reporter based out of NYC Adweek is the leading source of news and insight serving the brand marketing ecosystem a three-day Latin Music and Reggaeton festival on the beaches of Rosarito the lineup includes Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko; “legendary veterans of norteño,” Los Tucanes de Tijuana; and Danny Ocean the Venezuelan artist (not George Clooney’s character from Ocean’s 11) There will be a special Sunday performance from Natanael Cano & Amigos the festival’s past headliners include Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee and it has expanded from a one-day event into an international affair on the beaches of Rosarito just a short drive from the U.S – Mexico border Passes will go on sale on Wednesday, March 12 at 12 p.m. on the festival website Three-day general admission starts at $399 with payment plans available for just $20 down The “La Playa” package for all-you-can-eat and drink Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Purdue Northwest Baja Racing team members helped the group earn first place in the business presentation portion of the Midwest Baja SAE competition in Holly All three are Mechanical Engineering Technology majors Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Baja Racing team excelled at the fall 2024 Midwest Baja SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) competition including winning the top business presentation among over 200 colleges and universities PNW’s team earned first place in the Midwest Baja SAE business presentation which requires student representatives to present their off-road vehicle’s design and hypothetical ability to be commercially reproduced The business presentation competition began weeks earlier with virtual presentations by more than 200 teams with only a select few making the cut to present in-person to the judges during the four-day event in Michigan The first-place win was a significant achievement for PNW competing against larger schools such as the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and Oregon State University Purdue Northwest Baja Racing team members pose for a picture with their off-road vehicle at the Midwest Baja SAE competition in Holly Purdue Northwest Baja Racing also placed 31st out of 85 teams in the competition’s endurance race which challenges teams to race their vehicles on a rugged course for as long as possible over a period of up to four hours The PNW team’s collective scores across the competition earned it 38th overall Team members noted that they devote countless hours throughout the academic year to perfecting the vehicle and business presentation The team worked together to overcome challenges and lessons learned through the strong performance at the Midwest competition provides the group a solid foundation for future competitions