Max Fried, Yankee bats deliver historic Opening Day defeat for Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — TheNew York Yankeesheard all about that effusive energy coming out of theSan Francisco Giants' clubhouse, that ol' college spirit that was going to be a game-changer inMajor League Baseball, and how the Yankees would be the first to bear witness to the new sheriff in town.

Well, by the end of the night, the Yankees were the ones who letGiants rookie manager Tony Vitelloknow that energy can be nice, but it's absolutely worthless when you have a pitcher that can shove that energy where the McCovey Cove kayaks can't float.

The Yankees, behind Max Fried's brilliant performance, completely shut down the Giants,7-0, on Wednesday night inthe 2026 season opener, with all of that energy vanishing into the night in front of a sellout crowd of 40,856 at Oracle Park.

The Yankees, with Fried giving up just two hits in 6 1/3 innings, with the seven-run defeat equaling the Giants' most lopsided in a season opener.

The Giants had one hit in the first inning.

Another hit in the fourth inning.

One in the eighth inning.

That was it.

It was the Giants' fewest hits on Opening Day since April 12, 1965.

A general view as a smoke flag fires during the national anthem before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees on Opening Day at Oracle Park on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, Calif.

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Baseball returns as Yankees, Giants face off in start to MLB season

A general view as a smoke flag fires during the national anthem before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees onOpening Dayat Oracle Park on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, Calif.

"We could nitpick,'' Vitello said, "but this wasn't a March Madness game where we drew up the wrong play at the end."

It was a complete and thoroughly ugly beatdown by the Bronx Bombers, but it could have been much worse.

Can you imagine the damage the Yankees could have done if Aaron Judge didn'tstrike out four timesin the first six innings, becoming the first reigning MVP to strike out four times in a season opener?

Or, what if Fried actually had his good stuff this evening.

"It's really a testament to just how good he is and how he can beat you in different ways,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "I thought it some ways it was a bit of a grind for him tonight, kind of in and out of rhythm a little bit. It's just his arsenal is so vast even though he was a little effectively wild, it makes you have to account for a lot of things ...

"I mean, that's what an ace looks like when he's grinding, but what a tone he set for us.''

The only time the Yankees lost anything the entire night was in the fifth inning when Jose Caballero became thefirst player in history to employ the ABS challenge. He argued that a strike called by veteran home plate umpire Bill Miller should be a ball, only for the call to be confirmed by replay, with the Yankees losing the challenge.

"I wanted to go for it,'' Caballero said. "I think it's really good to keep everyone accountable and give us a chance to see if we are good with the strike zone or not.''

Well, if nothing else, at least he will go down in baseball history.

"It's cool,'' he said. "I just wish it was the other way around.''

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BROADCAST BREAKDOWN:Netflix's MLB debut was self-promotion with a side of baseball

It turned out that would be the biggest suspense of the night with the Yankees pounding out 10 hits, with every hitter in the lineup but Judge collecting at least one hit, and either scoring or driving in a run.

"This is a lineup that can do this often,'' Caballero said. "We just trust one another.''

Says leadoff hitter Trent Grisham, who became the first Yankee to triple on Opening Day since Johnny Damon in 2009: "It's fun to be part of this team. Just seems like we have those stretches were we can continue to put good at-bat after good at-bat.''

The Yankees showed their depth for all of theNetflix viewershipto see. It started off innocently enough with Giants ace Logan Webb retiring Ben Rice to lead off the second inning, but suddenly, he watched everything spiral out of control.

Giancarlo Stanton became the Yankees' first baserunner of the game with a single to center. Webb then hit Jazz Chisholm in the shoulder on a 92.5-mph sinker. Caballero ripped a single to left field, scoring Stanton. Webb got ahead 0-and-2 on No. 8 hitter Ryan McMahon, only for McMahon to flip a changeup to center field for two runs. No. 9 hitter Austin Wells followed with a single.

Grisham became the sixth consecutive Yankee to reach base, punishing Webb with a two-run triple to the right-center-field gap for a 5-0 lead.

And the rout was on.

"It happened fast,'' Wells said. "It was awesome. I was really cool to watch and be a part of."

The Yankees blistered Webb for nine hits and seven runs (six earned) in just five innings. It matched the most runs he gave up in a start in San Francisco in his career, spanning 91 starts.

It was a direct contrast to Fried's domination. He opened the game by walking three-time batting champion Luis Arraez on four pitches, and when cleanup hitter Willy Adames came to the plate, the Giants already had runners on the corners with only one out. No problem. He struck out Adames on a 95-mph cutter. And Jung Hoo Lee hit into an inning-ending groundout the next pitch.

The Giants didn't reach second base again until the eighth inning, well after Fried left the game.

"It was one of those outings where you just got to try to figure out how to get it done when you aren't the most locked in,'' said Fried, who went 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA last year, "especially coming out of the gate. I definitely was searching. But when the guys go out there and put up five runs in the second, it just allows you to take a deep breath and it just allowed you to take a deep breath ...

"One through nine [in the lineup] can beat you, and we obviously have the best player in the world hitting for us, but we also have a lot of guys being able to support him.''

It was just one game in a long, grueling season, but if nothing else, well, maybe the Yankees' idea of running it back with virtually the same team as last year just might work.

"Look, we're confident,'' Boone said. "I know they're confident in their ability to have good at-bats and put up runs. But we're just one game into this thing.

"We've still got a long ways to go to prove that, and I think we have a chance to do that.''

Follow Bob Nightengale onBlueskyand X@Bnightengale.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Yankees humble Giants behind Max Fried, potent lineup

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 25, 2026

Max Fried, Yankee bats deliver historic Opening Day defeat for Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — TheNew York Yankeesheard all about that effusive energy coming out of theSan Francisco Giants' clubho...

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Jaylen Brown, Celtics make statement against Thunder: 'I guess that was a little payback'

BOSTON — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in the building, but the MVP chants were not for him.

They rained down from the TD Garden rafters each time Celtics forward Jaylen Brown took the free-throw line in a119-109 winover Gilgeous-Alexander's reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder. He took the stripe a lot — a game-high 14 times in total — en route to 31 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, outperforming the NBA's returning regular-season and Finals MVP.

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Brown even beat Gilgeous-Alexander at his own game, baiting him into a foul — and the bucket — midway through the fourth quarter. Brown was all smiles; all SGA could do was shake his head. He has, after all, made a nice living out of forcing opponents into compromising positions.

"I guess that was a little payback," said Brown.

Of course, Brown has a Finals MVP award of his own. He also made an All-NBA Second Team as Jayson Tatum's co-star in 2023. We knew he was good. Just didn't know he was this good. In the absence of Tatum, who ruptured his right Achilles last May, Brown kept the Celtics in the hunt, performing at a level that warrants his consideration on ballots for MVP and All-NBA First Team.

"We all knew he could do it," said Tatum.

Not like this. We figured him for a second option on a title team, because we have seen him do it before in 2024, but after Wednesday's convincing win over the Thunder we have to ask: Can Jaylen Brown be the best player on a team that wins the championshipthisseason?

Tatum is back in remarkable time from surgery, but he is not inhisAll-NBA First Team form, and that is OK. It's actually a good thing, because now the Celtics know a new pecking order. It just looks different from what we're used to seeing. Brown is their No. 1 option. Tatum is the co-star.

And he looked the part against the Thunder, totaling 19 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals over 35 minutes of this battle between the league's last two champions.As he has since his return, Tatum looked a lot like himself, only with a little less bounce and a lot more rust.

"I didn't lose any of my game," the superstar declared after only his ninth game back. The Celtics are 7-2 with him. "I'm just kind of rusty right now and finding my wind and my rhythm."

He is only getting stronger, and there are more than two months before these two teams could meet again in the NBA Finals. The Celtics must be thinking that way, or else they may not have brought Tatum back, as the Eastern Conference is up for grabs. The Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers will not scare Boston, especially not if these Thunder couldn't.

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"That was a great, encouraging game for JT," Brown said of Wednesday's effort. "They're a high-level intensity, physical team, and I felt like it was a step in the right direction. We're still encouraging him to get back to that level of aggression we know and are used to, but tonight was a great game of him making the right plays, the right reads and being Jayson Tatum."

That's right: The Brown-Tatum duo, which has yielded five trips to the Eastern Conference finals and a pair of NBA Finals appearances in eight seasons, is morphing into a new form. It may still be the best tandem in the NBA if Wednesday's performance against OKC was any indication.

"Obviously, there are still going to be some ups and downs," Brown said of their partnership. "We're still working some kinks out, getting our flow. We've got 10 games left, and we need each one of those to get ready for the playoffs, but I think today was a very huge step for us."

"We can compete with anybody in the NBA," said Boston's Baylor Scheierman.

Scheierman is one of the Celtics who stepped up in Tatum's absence, along with Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh, among others. And now those guys are ready to contribute, too. Scheierman scored 11 points off the bench against the Thunder and looked like he belonged.

What was so striking against Oklahoma City: Boston was every bit as deep. The Thunder come at teams in waves, rolling out role player after role player who could start for most other teams. Now, with Tatum making them a complete roster, the Celtics likewise have no end to a rotation.

"This team has just been awesome all year," said Brown. "It's been a very fun season. Our guys have really developed from trying to find their footing in this league, trying to find a rhythm, trying to find their confidence, to really competing against some of the best teams in the league."

More concerning for the Thunder is the health of Jalen Williams, who scored seven points on nine shots and was a nonfactor in the loss to Boston. He recently made his second return from a hamstring strain, and he missed the first 19 games of the season to wrist surgery. He has played only 27 games. That Tatum looks every bit as healthy as Williams at this point is surprising.

All of a sudden, we might have to recalibrate who we consider the NBA's best pairing heading into the playoffs. The Celtics, for their part, are eager to see how far Tatum can help take Brown.

"It's super exciting," said Scheierman. "We've just taken it a day at a time, not really knowing what to expect throughout the course of the season, but now that we have him back and integrated into our team, which has been an easy transition for us, it's super exciting for what's to come. We're super excited and super confident in what we can do moving forward."

This isn't to say the Celtics are favorites from one win against the Thunder. Nor was the TD Garden crowd saying that Brown is the actual MVP over Gilgeous-Alexander. He can be on a given night, though, and if he can do it four times in seven tries, he might be a champion again.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 25, 2026

Jaylen Brown, Celtics make statement against Thunder: 'I guess that was a little payback'

BOSTON — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in the building, but the MVP chants were not for him. They rained down fr...

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Tony Vitello backed by legendary manager, Giants crushed in MLB opener

SAN FRANCISCO ― It was a beautiful day in the Bay and a perfect evening for Major League Baseball as a sold-out Oracle Park had all the vibes on a 65-degree peak day.

Red, white and blue streamers dropped in the stands to celebrate the start of the new season.

Opening Day was highly anticipated for the 40,856 in attendance, but the home fans left disappointed as theNew York Yankeesshut out theSan Francisco Giants, 7-0.

There's been lots of commotion surrounding the Giants' offseason splash hire to bring inTony Vitello as new managerwith no prior major league experience. Vitello had a stellar stint atTennessee where he led the Volunteersto multiple College World Series appearances and won the national title in 2024.

His debut in the majors wasn't as favorable – a lopsided loss.

"On a personal level, but also the whole team, everybody would like a better result, but the results are going to fluctuate," Vitello told reporters after the game. "I think the biggest thing is, I guess ... a more competitive effort would have been better."

A general view as a smoke flag fires during the national anthem before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees on Opening Day at Oracle Park on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, Calif.

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Baseball returns as Yankees, Giants face off in start to MLB season

A general view as a smoke flag fires during the national anthem before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees onOpening Dayat Oracle Park on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, Calif.

More MLB:Yankees blank Giants in blowout MLB Opening Day win: Score, highlights

Pitching disparity: Webb vs. Fried

The starting pitchers for Opening Day were the Yankees' Max Fried and Giants' Logan Webb. It was a vast difference in performance with Fried allowing only two hits and no runs.

Webb, on the other hand threw 86 pitches, 58 strikes with seven strikeouts in total. He allowed nine hits and seven runs. The only positive takeaway from Webb's day was that he struck out Judge three times in a little over five innings. But he couldn't "care less" if it doesn't come with a win.

"I did a bad job today," Webb said. "It just sucks that I put our team in the position that we were in. First inning was great. Second inning get [Ben Rice] to ground out on the first pitch of the inning. Then just all hell broke loose."

The Yankees did the majority of their damage in that second inning. He allowed five hits, resulting in five runs, giving the Yankees a 5-0 lead and they never looked back.

"It's quirky how it worked out for Webby, because a couple of those innings, he absolutely rolled," Vitello said. "And then again, they seem to have had the formula for stacking hits tonight. ... Maybe we look back as a group and the excitement of being the home team and the hype going into it and kind of a new vibe and things like that."

He added: "You certainly want to make adjustments, because we want to perform better and make it a more competitive situation, no matter what night it is or who the opponent is."

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Giants all-in on Vitello

There was a lot going into the game. Opening Day fireworks. Yankees in town. Netflix making its MLB broadcast debut and the ABS challenge replay system going into effect.

But the talk around San Francisco was the debut of Vitello.

His hire raised questions for some around baseball, but the Giants dugout only has positive reviews.

"We wanted to win today for a number of reasons," Giants third baseman Matt Chapman told USA TODAY Sports. "[It'd] be cool to get Tony that first win on Opening Day, but it didn't happen. The thing that Tony's been great with, he does bring a lot of energy. He's the same guy every day."

He added: "He knows winning baseball, he doesn't have professional experience, but he came in and kind of hit the ground running. For guys that have been around for a long time, we're on board with everything he's doing. He seems like he's been here before, you know, even though he hasn't. That's why Buster [Posey] picked him. And I fully expect you guys to see throughout the course of the season, you know, why he's here."

A legend's encouragement

If there's anyone who can relate to the nerves that Vitello felt before his Major League debut, it's baseball legend Dusty Baker.

Baker, cooler than the Pacific Ocean breeze sweeping through Oracle Park, kicked back in the Giants' dugout just hours before the first pitch to lead off another MLB season and their 69th year in San Francisco.

"This is the start of the long race. ... you know, you hope that you're still playing in late October. And this is a beautiful day to start the season, a beautiful place," Baker told USA TODAY Sports.

Baker is no stranger to San Francisco. He's coached the Giants from 1988 to 1992, before being named manager from 1993 to 2002. Unlike Vitello, Baker played in the big leagues, carving out an 18-year career cemented with a World Series ring.

"I'm sure he's nervous. I was nervous before my first game," Baker said. "I remember what it was like. You wonder if you're going to win or not, start off 1-0, and it was against Tony LaRussa and the Cardinals, and, man, we beat them."

Vitello didn't have the same start to his managerial career but Baker advised those rooting for the orange and black to give him time.

"I know he doesn't have any experience at the major league level, but he has he has a lot of experience at the college level. And any experience is better, no experience," Baker said. "There are quite a few managers around don't have any experience doing anything. So, I think he's gonna be fine because there are a lot of managers that don't have the experience that he has."

He added: "You just gotta give him a chance. That's the thing. You know, just give him a chance and then you got to give him more than a year to make the adjustment. That's why they gave him a three-year contract."

The Giants are 0-1, but on a positive note there are 161 more chances for Vitello to nab that covenant first MLB win as manager.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Giants crushed by Yankees in manager Tony Vitello's MLB debut

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 25, 2026

Tony Vitello backed by legendary manager, Giants crushed in MLB opener

SAN FRANCISCO ― It was a beautiful day in the Bay and a perfect evening for Major League Baseball as a sold-out Oracle Pa...

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Florida man charged with making threatening calls to Air Force base

A Florida man has been charged with "making a threat by means of fire or an explosive" to a U.S. Air Force base about two days after asuspicious package was foundoutside a gate, court documents show.

Jonathan James Elder, 35, is accused of making threatening phone calls to the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, according to a federal criminal complaint filed on Friday, March 20. He was arrested on Monday, March 23, an arrest warrant obtained by USA TODAY showed.

In the complaint, an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation wrote that Elder called the base twice on the morning of March 18 and allegedly made threats against the base to employees. Military officialspreviously reportedthat the base was placed under a shelter-in-place order, which waslifted several hours later, after a threat was received on March 18.

Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Smoke rises following an explosion after the U.S. and Israel reportedly launched an attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026, in this screen grab taken from video.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on February 28 morning by AFP journalists, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the centre and east of the Iranian capital.

Israel's defence ministry announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> U.S. President Donald Trump pumps his fist after disembarking Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 27, 2026. Hours later, Trump made live comments about the military strikes he launched against Iran.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Buildings inin Tehran stand after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, February 28, 2026.

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Latest photos capture US and Israeli strikes against Iran

Smoke rises following an explosion,after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026.

During a call, Elder allegedly referred to the suspicious package that had been discovered on March 16 at the base's visitor center near a gate, according to the complaint. A call was made to the main phone line of the base at around 9:11 a.m. local time on March 18 and was routed to the 6th Medical Group.

The caller allegedly asked an employee, "How did you like the surprise at the MacDill Visitor Center?" and then yelled, "tick tick boom, it's gonna be between your eyes," the complaint states.

Investigators then traced the caller's phone number and obtained call records, cell-site data, Meta account records, and information about an address associated with an assisted-living facility in St. Petersburg, Florida, according to the complaint. Investigators were able to link the phone number and address with a Facebook account under the name "Jon Elder," the complaint states.

After locating Elder at the assisted-living facility, the complaint states that Elder later admitted to calling the base but told investigators that his statements were "meaningless" and denied making any weapons. Further investigation revealed that Elder has a history of making similar threats and had searched for the base's phone number after reading news articles related to the suspicious package.

Elder was taken to a mental health provider under Florida's Baker Act, which allows a person to be held involuntarily for up to three days, according to the complaint.

FBI says package at Air Force base had 'possible energetic materials'

After the package had been discovered at the base, military officials closed nearby roadways, blocked access to public businesses, and shut down the base's main entrance for about seven hours, according to the complaint.

Following a preliminary investigation, theFBI's Tampa field officesaid on March 18 that field screening was conducted on the package's contents and identified "possible energetic materials." The FBI did not provide further details on the material found in the package.

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"Final lab analysis is not yet complete," the FBI said ina statementon March 18. "The investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details can be shared at this time."

Energetic materials are substances that store large amounts of chemical energy and rapidly release it when triggered by heat, shock, or friction, according toSafety Management Services. Common energetic materials include explosives, propellants, and fuel.

Iran war updates:Trump says Iran wants deal but is 'afraid to say it'

MacDill Air Force Base under heightened alert amid war in Iran

The MacDill Air Force Base is located on the southwestern tip of the interbay peninsula of Florida. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is headquartered at the base and is responsible for military operations in 20 nations across the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.

Since the war in Iran began on Feb. 28, U.S. military bases, including the MacDill Air Force Base, and federal counterterrorism agencies have been onhigh alertfor a potential retaliatory attack in the United States.

USA TODAYpreviously reportedthat bases have shut down in response to reports of active shooters, suspicious packages, and other unidentified threats. A growing number of military bases in the country have also clamped down on security, banning visitors and ordering service members to change out of uniform when they leave the premises.

On Tuesday, March 17, the MacDill Air Force Base announced it was operating under Force Protection Charlie, referred to as "FPCON CHARLIE." The FPCON level is the second-highest alert level and indicates that a threat is likely, according to theDefense Logistics Agency.

"This posture allows us to implement deliberate security measures proactively," the base said ina statement. "All personnel should remain vigilant, follow the direction of security forces, and report any suspicious activity immediately. Everyone plays a role in base defense – if you see something, say something."

Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Florida man charged with making threatening calls to US Air Force base

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 25, 2026

Florida man charged with making threatening calls to Air Force base

A Florida man has been charged with "making a threat by means of fire or an explosive" to a U.S. Air Force base...

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Indian Health Service is digging out of decades-old construction backlog for medical buildings

SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) — An empty lot between a fire station and a soccer field just outside Albuquerque soon will be the home of a federal medical center first promised to Native American patients more than 30 years ago.

Native American Health

Earlier this month, Santa Ana Pueblo Gov. Myron Armijo took officials from the U.S. Indian Health Service and the Department of Health and Human Services on a tour of the location where patients are to receive everything from dialysis and diabetes care to optometry services.

"This will definitely change the game for healthcare in our area," Armijo said.

Set to break ground in 2027, the 235,000-square-foot (22,000-square-meter) center will be run by the IHS, the U.S. agency that provides healthcare to Native Americans. Tribal leaders hope it will relieve pressure on the aging and overextended Albuquerque Indian Health Center, a federal facility originally built 90 years ago where some patients report waiting months for an appointment.

The Albuquerque facility was among more than 60 clinics and hospitals the agency identified for replacement in 1993 due to their age, condition and inability to serve a growing population. It remains on the list along with six other projects scattered around Arizona and New Mexico. IHS officials say it will eventually be replaced by two new facilities in the Albuquerque area, including the center planned at Santa Ana Pueblo.

In February, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged $1 billion toward those long-delayed projects, including $22 million for the Santa Ana Pueblo center. The agency estimates $8 billion is needed to tackle all remaining projects on the 1993 list that, under federal law, must be complete before the IHS can address other major construction needs.

A.C. Locklear, CEO of the nonprofit National Indian Health Board, said the $1 billion is the single largest financial investment by any administration in addressing the aging facilities. Yet, he said, it also shows the federal government has neglected its legal duty to provide adequate healthcare to tribal nations.

"It's a drop in the bucket in terms of what's needed to modernize these facilities," Locklear said.

Aging infrastructure impacts access, quality of care

The IHS serves 2.8 million Native American and Alaska Native patients at 21 hospitals and 78 smaller health centers nationwide. The average age of those facilities is around 40 years old and one-third are in "poor" physical condition, according to a 2023 U.S. Government Accountability Office report.

That isn't lost on Theresa Nelson, a 62-year-old Navajo Nation citizen who started relying on the Albuquerque Indian Health Center after retiring and losing her health insurance.

"It felt like going back in time," she said, describing everything from the X-ray machines to exam rooms and waiting room furniture as outdated.

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Nelson said the center relies on a complex system of outside referrals for treatments and tests that were easier to access in the private sector. She has been waiting for eight weeks for IHS to approve a referral for a 3D mammogram, a tool the Mayo Clinic says is offered at most U.S. healthcare facilities.

The Indian Health Service said appointment wait times at the Albuquerque center are less than 14 days for patients who are established with a primary care provider. But Nelson and other patients report going years without being assigned a doctor and waiting months to be seen for preventative care.

Farther west, the Gallup Indian Medical Center operates out of a mashup of modular buildings and piecemeal renovations. The hospital, which opened over six decades ago and is on the 1993 list, serves a population that includes the Navajo Nation. Tribal lawmaker Vince James said constant construction and a disjointed layout make it difficult for elderly and disabled patients to navigate the hospital and for providers to do their jobs.

"These are Band-Aid fixes," James said. "Eventually the GIMC campus will become unsafe."

An "unacceptable" backlog

Senior HHS adviser Mark Cruz urged Congress to make a special appropriation to complete the remaining projects that are in various stages of planning and design.

Without that funding, he said, it could take another 40 years to get through the priority list.

"It's really unacceptable that we're still working off of that 33-year-old construction list," Cruz said during the Santa Ana Pueblo tour.

Federal law requires the Indian Health Service to complete that list before replacing clinics and hospitals that have fallen into disrepair since 1993. That includes two nearly 90-year-old hospitals in Montana and Minnesota. The agency also can't build new facilities to meet patient demand, which has grown and shifted geographically in recent decades.

"I can't get to additional projects that have merit across Indian Country or Alaska because I have a statutory obligation to get through the 1993 list first," Cruz said.

In 2023 the IHS crossed a project in Rapid City, South Dakota off its priority list. The replacement of the aging and troubled Sioux San Hospital has been "transformational," said Jerilyn Church, CEO of the Great Plains Tribal Leader's Health Board.

The renamed Oyate Health Center is three times larger than the former hospital and equipped with far more modern medical equipment. But demand for care at the new center is already outstripping available space.

"That's what happens when you work from a backlog," Church said. "In the time between identifying the need and the money finally becoming available, the population grows."

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 25, 2026

Indian Health Service is digging out of decades-old construction backlog for medical buildings

SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) — An empty lot between a fire station and a soccer field just outside Albuquerque soon will b...

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