A Bakersfield family is mourning the loss of their daughter who died in New Mexico, where she attended college and played on the soccer team.
Thalia Chaverria, 20, graduated from Frontier High School in 2021 and was selected three times as BVarsity All-Area. The New Mexico State University student, who finished her second year in college, was found in her Las Cruces home by police at 7 a.m. Monday after authorities got a call about an unresponsive woman, according to the Las Cruces Police Department.
Investigators added they didn’t suspect criminal or suspicious circumstances, but police and the office of the medical investigator will determine the cause of death.
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Chaverria’s death sparked an outpouring of condolences and remembrances — many remembered her bright spirit against the backdrop of the tragedy. Known as “T” to NMSU’s head soccer coach, Rob Baarts noted her loss rocked their team on which Chaverria, a defender, served as an inspiration. The 20 year old served as a rock for her teammates, Baarts added in the statement.
“She will be missed but not forgotten,” Baarts said in a statement. “Her spirit will be with us every day, on and off the pitch. I will always love you T!”
Students held a private vigil for Chaverria on Tuesday and honored her uniform, which was jersey No. 2, according to the KOAT Albuquerque news station. A tree was decorated with purple hearts and the stadium shined purple lights in her honor.
A GoFundMe created by the family said Chaverria had two brothers and was a loving mom to her fur babies.
“She was loved by many,” the GoFundMe created by Chaverria’s aunt read. “Her long, beautiful curly hair and smile will forever be embedded in our memories.”
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Chaverria started in every game her sophomore season and was the only freshman to play in all of NMSU’s 20 games while starting in 17, according to a biography posted on the school’s website. It added she played a “pivotal role” for her team last year.
NMSU Director of Athletics Mario Moccia said in a statement Chaverria was an amazing young woman and the tragedy is felt throughout NMSU’s tight-knit community.
“Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her,” Moccia wrote in the statement.
BVarsity ranked Chaverria on the first team during her senior and junior years of high school as a midfielder. The Bakersfield Californian also bestowed an honorable mention for Chaverria’s abilities during her sophomore year of high school.
In a video posted to the Kern High Network, Chaverria mentioned her gratitude of signing to NMSU in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The college coaches were welcoming and nice, but she’ll miss playing with friends at Frontier who ensured her high school years were the best, Chaverria said in the video.
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“I just to want to say thank you to everybody who has been a part of my journey,” Chaverria said. “It has been a long journey, but it’s just getting started. So, here’s to a new chapter in my life.”
The Californian’s sports reporter Ron Stapp contributed to this report.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – In a historic announcement, President Joe Biden says it is time for the feds to rethink how dangerous marijuana really is. His administration is downgrading cannabis in its drug classification.
It’s a monumental decision that will impact many areas of the legal marijuana industry, including in New Mexico.
“It’s a historic, monumental policy shift and how the federal government treats cannabis. But it’s kind of bittersweet, too, it doesn’t go far enough,” said Ben Lewinger, executive director of the New Mexico Cannabis Chamber of Commerce.
Lewinger says it’s about time the feds catch up with the American people.
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“We know that most Americans today want cannabis to be legal, to be regulated, similar to alcohol or tobacco,” said Lewinger.
He says Biden’s plan to reschedule marijuana isn’t doing that.
“It’s kind of a giveaway to the Big Pharma,” Lewinger said.
Marijuana, or cannabis, is currently a Schedule 1 drug. It’s considered the worst of the worst, alongside other drugs like heroin.
The Biden administration wants to reclassify it as a Schedule 3 drug, meaning it’s still concerning, but there are some recognizable medical benefits.
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“Schedule 3 includes pharmaceuticals, like Klonopin, like Tylenol with codeine, so still highly regulated pharmaceutical products. We do know that there will be immediate relief in the form of cannabis businesses not having to deal with 280E, which is an IRS tax code that applies only to Schedule 1 substances. What we don’t know is whether or not being regulated by the FDA and the DEA would incur additional costs,” said Lewinger.
Lewinger admits this is uncharted territory for the cannabis industry. A spokesperson with the Cannabis Control Division says they are just beginning to digest the draft rule, and figuring out how this will impact New Mexico’s cannabis industry.
But Lewinger says there are clues about what happens to Schedule 3 drugs.
“It presents a pharmaceutical model for states that have legalized cannabis,” Lewinger said. “I think that having to have a prescription for cannabis may not be off the table. I think that there’s going to be lots of companies rushing to develop IP to get trademarks on different cannabinoids.”
He predicts the change could also allow New Mexico to export cannabis products, potentially providing another boost to the booming industry.
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“It’s a really exciting time for our industry in New Mexico right now,” said Lewinger.
Recreational sales topped $38 million last month, just shy of a record $39 million the month before.
Lewinger says the rescheduling process could take years to complete, so don’t expect any noticeable industry changes anytime soon. He says don’t expect any more major shifts for a while.
“My feeling is that shifting from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 is actually going to put off real descheduling for another decade or even longer,” said Lewinger.
The New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department said Thursday it received a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, the second installment of a nearly $100 million chunk of funding allocated to the state through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for its well plugging program.
