From a 1/17/05 DHS press release:

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge joined Mexican Interior Secretary Santiago Creel today at the Calexico port of entry to formally open dedicated lanes for cargo trucks enrolled in a key U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) initiative to counter terrorism, improve compliance and facilitate trade on the U.S.-Mexico border. The Free And Secure Trade (FAST) lane leading from Mexico into the Calexico port's east cargo facility is the result of a bilateral initiative that seeks to ensure security and safety while facilitating commerce between the two nations.

"Mexico [989] is one of our largest trading partners and [1034] it is critical that we prevent terrorists from [1149] infiltrating the commercial chain to launch [1327] an attack," said Secretary Ridge. "This lane will enhance [1438] the security and safety of the commercial flow of goods along the Southern border, [1572] while enhancing the economic prosperity of both countries."

Please pardon the numbers in emboldened brackets. That's just the running total of illegal aliens who had snuck over the border while Ridge was giving his speech.

Meanwhile, in parimutuel news:

Tom Ridge, the fastest trotter of all time, will stand in 2005 at Nandi Farm, New Freedom, Pennsylvania, under the management of Walnut Hall Ltd., Lexington, Kentucky.

The announcement was made today by Alan J. Leavitt, president of Walnut Hall Ltd., which is owned by his wife, Meg Jewett.

A son of leading sire Muscles Yankee, out of the great producer Astoria Lobell, by Joie De Vie, Tom Ridge earned $886,144 at two and three, setting a new all-time world trotting record of 1:50.2 in the second heat of the $530,000 World Trotting Derby, after reducing the previous record to 1:51 in the first heat.

Trained by Jimmy Takter and driven in most of his starts by Ron Pierce, Tom Ridge raced in the ownership of Banjo Farm, Peter Heffering, Ken Ross, and Christina Takter...