By MORGAN LEE, Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A representative for the estate of actor Gene Hackman is seeking to block the public release of autopsy and investigative reports, especially photographs and police body-camera video, related to the recent deaths of Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa after their partially mummified bodies were discovered at their New Mexico home in February.

Authorities last week announced Hackman died at age 95 of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease as much as a week after a rare, rodent-borne disease — hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — took the life of his 65-year-old wife.

FILE – Gene Hackman, right, and long-time friend Daniel Lenihan, discuss their new book, “Wake of the Perdido Star,” on Nov. 19, 1999, in Cloudclift Bakery, the cafe where they first dreamed up their adventure story, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Sarah Martone, File)

Hackman’s pacemaker last showed signs of activity on Feb. 18, indicating an abnormal heart rhythm on the day he likely died. The couple’s bodies weren’t discovered until Feb. 26 when maintenance and security workers showed up at the Santa Fe home and alerted police, leaving a mystery for law enforcement and medical investigators to unravel.

Julia Peters, a representative for the estate of Hackman and Arakawa, urged a state district court in Santa Fe to seal records in the cases to protect the family’s right to privacy in grief under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing the possibly shocking nature of photographs and video in the investigation and potential for their dissemination by media.

The request, filed Tuesday, also described the couple’s discrete lifestyle in Santa Fe since Hackman’s retirement. The state capital city is known as a refuge for celebrities, artists and authors.

The couple “lived an exemplary private life for over thirty years in Santa Fe, New Mexico and did not showcase their lifestyle,” the petition said.

New Mexico’s open records law blocks public access to sensitive images, including depictions of people who are deceased, said Amanda Lavin, legal director at the nonprofit New Mexico Foundation for Open Government. Some medical information also is not considered public record under the state Inspection of Public Records Act.

At the same time, the bulk of death investigations by law enforcement and autopsy reports by medical investigators are typically considered public records under state law in the spirit of ensuring government transparency and accountability, she said.

“I do think it does infringe on transparency if the court were to prohibit release of all the investigation records, including the autopsies,” Lavin said Thursday. “The whole idea of those records being available is to ensure accountability in the way those investigations are done.”

“There is also a public health concern given that hantavirus was involved,” Lavin said.

She said the preemptive request to prevent the release of government records on constitutional grounds is unusual.

Hackman, a Hollywood icon, won two Oscars during a storied career in films including “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers” and “Superman” from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.

Arakawa, born in Hawaii, studied as a concert pianist, attended the University of Southern California and met Hackman in the mid-1980s while working at a California gym.

What if John Wick weren’t trained as an assassin but also couldn’t feel pain?

Well, essentially, he’d be Jack Quaid’s Nathan Caine, the appealing protagonist of “Novocaine,” an action-comedy romp that has quite a bit of heart and punches a bit above its weight as it leaves a trail of blood while staggering into theaters this week.

You see, Nate has a rare genetic disorder, one that allowed his classmates in middle school to feel it was OK as they beat the tar out of him on the regular. That seemingly has made it difficult for him to make friends — his only real pal is fellow gamer Roscoe (Jacob Batalon), whom he’s never met in person but who, like Nate, lives in San Diego.

The life of assistant bank manager Nate takes an apparent turn for the better when his work crush, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), spills scalding coffee on him and wants to make it up to him with a lunch out. (Understandably, she seems to doubt him when he insists he’s absolutely fine as he puts some lotion on the affected area.)

At lunch, after awkwardly refusing a taste of her cherry pie and working on a milkshake, he comes clean to Sherry about his condition, explaining that he can’t eat solid foods out of fear he won’t know that he’s bitten into his tongue. However, she convinces him to have a bite, saying she is there in case anything goes wrong.

He takes that bite. His mind is blown. Pie! Wow, PIE!

And things only get better for him after she invites him to an art show where she will have a few pieces for sale.

The next day, Christmas Eve, he’s on cloud nine — that is until a trio of armed Santas walk into the bank and demand to be let into the vault. When they threaten to hurt Sherry, Nate coughs up the entry code.

The bad Santas take Sherry as a hostage, though, and use her as a human shield to get by the cops who’ve arrived on the scene. Nate, feeling he’s met the woman of his dreams, takes matters into his own hands by scooping up a gun and taking the squad car of an injured officer, who pleads with him to do neither of those things.

Thus, Nate begins down a road that will lead not to pain but to plenty of wounds as he works a trail he hopes will lead to Sherry.

Penned by Lars Jacobson (Peacock series “Fight Night”) and helmed by the directing tandem of Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (“Villains,” “Significant Other”), “Novocaine” finds the right tone — it’s silly but not overly silly.

Nate is far too close to coming across as indestructible at times — as with almost any action movie, the threat of a concussion is nonexistent, our hero taking savage blow after savage blow to the head — but he must have a bullet removed after being shot and becomes appropriately worried when a villain is poised to do unspeakable things to his eyes. (If you’re wondering, Nate’s condition — congenital insensitivity to pain, with analgesia — is, apparently, a rare but real disorder.)

Quaid — one of the better aspects of the overrated Prime Video series “The Boys” and an absolute delight as the voice of try-hard Starfleet officer Brad Boimler on the recently completed Paramount+ animated series “Star Trek: Lower Decks” — is the perfect actor for this role. Even while extraordinary in his way, Nate also is relatable as a man who’s lacked confidence all his life but is now determined to do whatever it takes to save the woman he loves.

While Quaid is the son of actors Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid, the man portraying lead villain Simon, Ray Nicholson (“Smile 2”), also has a rather famous father in Jack Nicholson. The younger Nicholson has a touch of his father’s electricity on the screen, so you can’t help but guess bigger things are ahead for him career-wise.

More important to the winning formula of “Novocaine,” however, is Midthunder, who starred in 2022’s well-received straight-to-Hulu film “Prey,” an entry in the “Predator” franchise. As Sherry, she has strong chemistry with Nate and shows a different side to the character as the story evolves.

Lastly, there’s Batalon (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”), who gets a few laughs as Roscoe after Nate drags him into the affair.

Ultimately, “Novocaine” wins with violence and personality. It’s simply fun to hang out with Nate — who has an every-three-hours alarm to remind himself to use the restroom to guard against bladder damage and who takes a lickin’ but keeps on tickin’.

Plus, “Novocaine” has the decency to end before the premise has worn too thin — with a conclusion that hits the right notes.

It isn’t everything it could have been, but it’s a pain-free experience.

‘Novocaine’

3 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence, grisly images, and language throughout)

Running time: 1:50

How to watch: In theaters on Friday, March 14

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Postmaster General Louis DeJoy plans to cut 10,000 workers and billions of dollars from the U.S. Postal Service budget and he’ll do that working with Elon Musk ’s Department of Government Efficiency, according to a letter sent to members of Congress on Thursday.

DOGE will assist USPS with addressing “big problems” at the $78 billion-a-year agency, which has sometimes struggled in recent years to stay afloat. The agreement also includes the General Services Administration in an effort to help the Postal Service identify and achieve “further efficiencies.”

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USPS listed such issues as mismanagement of the agency’s retirement assets and Workers’ Compensation Program, as well as an array of regulatory requirements that the letter described as “restricting normal business practice.”

“This is an effort aligned with our efforts, as while we have accomplished a great deal, there is much more to be done,” DeJoy wrote.

Critics of the agreement fear negative effects of the cuts will be felt across America. Democratic U.S. Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, who was sent the letter, said turning over the Postal Service to DOGE would result in it being undermined and privatized.

“This capitulation will have catastrophic consequences for all Americans — especially those in rural and hard to reach areas — who rely on the Postal Service every day to deliver mail, medications, ballots, and more,” he said in a statement.

USPS currently employs about 640,000 workers tasked with making deliveries from inner cities to rural areas and even far-flung islands.

The service plans to cut 10,000 employees in the next 30 days through a voluntary early retirement program, according to the letter.

Neither the USPS nor the Trump administration immediately responded to emails from The Associated Press requesting comment.

The agency previously announced plans to cut its operating costs by more than $3.5 billion annually. And this isn’t the first time thousands of employees have been cut. In 2021, the agency cut 30,000 workers.

As the service that has operated as an independent entity since 1970 has struggled to balance the books with the decline of first-class mail, it has fought calls from President Donald Trump and others that it be privatized. Last month, Trump said he may put USPS under the control of the Commerce Department in what would be an executive branch takeover.

The National Association of Letter Carriers President Brian L. Renfroe said in a statement in response to Thursday’s letter that they welcome anyone’s help with addressing some of the agency’s biggest problems but stood firmly against any move to privatize the Postal Service.

“Common sense solutions are what the Postal Service needs, not privatization efforts that will threaten 640,000 postal employees’ jobs, 7.9 million jobs tied to our work, and the universal service every American relies on daily,” he said.

DeJoy, a Republican donor who owned a logistics business, was appointed to lead USPS during Trump’s first term in 2020. He has faced repeated challenges during his tenure, including the COVID-19 pandemic, surges in mail-in election ballots and efforts to stem losses through cost and service cuts.

Which fairway wood is best?

Although some beginning players prefer a hybrid club to a fairway wood, the fairway wood still has a place in the golf bags of most players.

A fairway wood delivers extra distance versus a hybrid club while remaining easier to control than a driver, which is helpful for less experienced players. A player usually carries one fairway wood, although some carry two or three fairway woods with varying club face lofts.

To learn more, keep reading our guide, which includes a few quick reviews at the end. Our favorite men’s fairway wood is the Callaway Golf Mavrik 22 Fairway Wood, which delivers outstanding distance and forgiveness for off-center ball strikes.

What to know before you buy fairway woods

Numbers and loft

When seeking the best men’s fairway wood for your game, it’s important to understand how these clubs differ from each other. Each fairway wood has a number label that helps you understand how they work.

Fairway woods with lower numbers (such as a 2-, 3-, or 4-wood) have a limited loft angle in the club face, usually between 11 and 18 degrees. These fairway woods deliver extra distance versus those with a greater loft in the club face, but they’re also more difficult to control.

Those with higher numbers (such as a 5-, 7-, or 9-wood) have a greater loft in the club face, usually between 18 and 27 degrees. Club faces with a greater angle of loft allow the ball to travel higher in the air than those with less angle of loft.

These are the most common number labels you find with fairway woods, but other fairway woods exist — for comparison, a driver, which you use off the tee almost exclusively, is called a 1-wood.

What to look for in a quality fairway wood

Material

Even though golfers call these clubs fairway “woods,” they do not have any wood in them — at least not anymore. Although the club head once was made of wood, it now consists of a mixture of steel, titanium, and carbon.

All-steel club heads are the least expensive, but they provide the least forgiveness for off-center ball strikes.

Design

The club face may consist of multiple design elements that help players gain distance or accuracy. Some club faces have a thin material that delivers a bit of a rebound when you strike the ball, creating a greater distance. Some have a slice or draw bias, which helps novice players keep the ball in line, even when they have a slight flaw in their swings.

Shaft

Graphite shafts are found on pricier men’s fairway woods, as they are able to flex at the time of impact, allowing for better distance and control on shots. They’re lightweight, too.

Steel shafts are less expensive, but they limit the amount of control an advanced player can put on the ball.

Fairway woods with less of a loft angle in the club face have slightly longer shafts than those with more loft angle in the face.

How much you can expect to spend on fairway woods

The least expensive fairway woods for beginner players cost $40-$100. For the latest technologies and designs made to help advanced players control the ball precisely, expect to pay $100-$400 for a men’s fairway wood.

Best fairway woods FAQ

Q. Where can I use a fairway wood on the golf course?

A. Fairway woods are made primarily for a long shot from a fairway lie, although some golfers use a fairway wood off the tee instead of a driver for better control.

Q. How does a men’s fairway wood differ from a women’s fairway wood?

A. The men’s club has a longer shaft than the women’s club by a few inches. However, there’s nothing in golf’s rules that forces a female player to use a women’s club.

What are the best fairway woods to buy?

Top men’s fairway wood

Callaway Golf Mavrik 22 Fairway Wood

What you should know: Materials in the face of this Mavrik club head help with delivering additional distance versus past Callaway models.

What you’ll love: For players who struggle to gain loft from a fairway lie with a wood, the design of the Mavrik simplifies this process.

What you should consider: It probably has more features than a novice golfer needs. Expensive design.

Top men’s fairway wood for the money

Founders Club’s Fresh Metal Fairway Wood

What you should know: Beginning golfers who need a fairway wood at a bargain price will find reasonable value and performance here.

What you’ll love: It has a draw weighted design that helps players who slice the ball, which is a common swing flaw for inexperienced players.

What you should consider: It does not have technology to forgive off-center ball strikes.

Worth checking out

TaylorMade’s M4 Fairway Wood

What you should know: It has a nice series of design advantages to help golfers gain extra distance and accuracy.

What you’ll love: It includes multiple club designs, so you can find the perfect stiffness in the shaft and the ideal club face loft.

What you should consider: It’s got a higher than average price. Beginning players may struggle to take full advantage of the club’s features.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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