Roswell Daily Record
SCOTUS decision due in June
Vol. 121, No. 76 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
LUCY HAD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lucy, it turns out, had company — another prehuman that also walked but spent more of its time in trees. Until now, there was no proof of another human relative living around the same time as the species made famous by the Lucy skeleton. But a fossil discovery reveals there was another creature around 3 ... - PAGE A6
WASHINGTON (AP) — Concluding three days of fervent, public disagreement, a Supreme Court seemingly split over ideology will now wrestle in private about whether to strike down key parts or even all of President Barack Obama’s historic health care law. The justices’ decision, due this June, will af fect the way virtually every American receives and pays for care. The court wrapped up public arguments Wednesday on the overhaul, which is designed to extend
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
March 29, 2012
THURSDAY
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health insurance to most of the 50 million Americans now without it. The first and biggest issue the justices must decide is whether the centerpiece of the law, the requirement that nearly all Americans carry insurance or pay a penalty, is constitutional. Wednesday’s argument time was unusual in that it assumed a negative answer to that central question. What should happen to other provisions, the justices and lawyers debated, if the court strikes down the requirement? If the jus-
‘Dig, we must’
tices are following their normal practice, they had not even met to take a preliminary vote in the case before all argument concluded. Questions at the court this week showed a strong ideological division between the liberal justices who seem inclined to uphold the law in its entirety and the conservative justices whose skepticism about Congress’ power to force people to buy insurance suggests deep trouble for the insurSee SCOTUS, Page A3
AP Photo
Romney edges into mop-up phase
Supporters of health care reform rally in front of the Supreme Court, Wednesday.
TOP 5 WEB
WASHINGTON (AP) — After a three-month struggle, Mitt Romney edged into the mop-up phase of the race for the Republican presidential nomination on Wednesday, buoyed by Newt Gingrich’s decision to scale back his campaign to the vanishing point and Rick Santorum’s statement that he would take the No. 2 spot on the party ticket in the fall.
For The Past 24 Hours
• Wooley seeks re-election to ... • There’s oodles to do! • Superintendent search continues • Dispute leaves 1 dead, 1 critical • All-state hoopsters announced
INSIDE SPORTS Mark Wilson Photo
Construction work continues on the new Educational Center on the ENMU-Roswell campus, just south of the Campus Union Building, Wednesday.
TOKYO (AP) — A change in continents failed to help the Oakland Athletics on opening day. The A’s lost their eighth straight opener, 3-1 in 11 innings to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night, as Dustin Ackley homered and singled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, “They got bigger hits than we did at the end,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We hit some balls hard, but they just didn’t get in.” Felix Hernandez combined with two relievers on a sixhitter as Major League ...l - PAGE B1
BATTER UP!
TODAY’S OBITUARIES • Geneva Bruin Gardner • Monico Carabajal Jr. • Bernice Ellen Glover - PAGE A6
HIGH ...85˚ LOW ....50˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
Romney campaigned by phone for support in next week’s Wisconsin primary while he shuttled from California to Texas on a fundraising trip, praising Gov. Scott Walker, for “trying to rein in the excesses that have permeated the public services union.” The governor faces a recall election in June after winning passage of
DAs honor 3 from Pope jabs Cuba leadership 5th District Court
Chaves County Assistant District Attor ney Emily Maher was named the Junior Prosecutor of the Year for the state of New Mexico. She was elected by the New Mexico District Attorneys Association at its annual conference March 23. Maher has been a prosecutor for less than a year in the 5th District Court. She has prosecuted multiple jury trials in Magistrate Court. According to District Attor ney Janetta Hicks, Maher has had success with domestic violence cases even in the case of uncooperative victims. She did an internship in law school with the domestic violence division in the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. Chief Deputy District Attorney Alan Griffin said, “Maher brought the benefit of that experience to our
office.” Maher also has successfully tried many of the drinking while intoxicated in both Magistrate and District courts. She has also handled felony and armed robbery cases. Maher has taken on the Children’s Court docket. “In that role she has quickly gained the trust and respect of the children’s court judge and juvenile probation officers,” Griffin said. “She richly deserved the award.” Deputy District Attorney Michael Murphy was selected as the top prosecutor in the 5th Judicial District. Patrick Melvin, another prosecutor from the 5th Judicial District offices in Carlsbad, received the Community Service Prosecutor of the Year.
See GOP, Page A3
HAVANA (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI demanded more freedom for the Catholic Church in communist-run Cuba and preached against “fanaticism” in an unusually political sermon Wednesday before hundreds of thousands at Revolution Plaza, with President Raul Castro in the front row.
Before the pope’s departure, he met with the president’s brother, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Castro grilled the pontif f on changes in AP Photo church liturgy and his Pope Benedict XVI and Cuba’s President Raul Castro say role as spiritual leader of goodbye to visiting clergy during a farewell ceremony for the world’s Catholics, a the pope at the end of his visit, at the airport in Havana, Vatican spokesman said. Wednesday. Benedict’s homily was a not-so-subtle jab at the clearly urged an end to ers Fidel and Raul Castro island’s leadership before Cuba’s isolation, a refer- to forge peace. With the country’s leada vast crowd of Cubans, ence to the 50-year U.S. both in the sprawling economic embargo and plaza and watching on the inability of 11 AmeriSee POPE, Page A3 television. But he also can presidents and broth-
Burt seeks to win Senate seat Block gets probation JULIA BERGMAN RECORD STAFF WRITER
CLASSIFIEDS..........B5 COMICS.................B3 ENTERTAINMENT.....B5 FINANCIAL .............B4 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 NATION .................A6 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
William Burt
Sen. William Burt, RAlamogordo, the newest member of the Senate and the owner of four radio stations, says he is seeking election to the District 33 Senate seat. Burt was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Susana Martinez in January 2011 to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Dianna Duran after she was elected secretary of state. Due to a Senate redistricting plan, Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell, and Burt were paired in Dis-
trict 33, currently represented by Adair. While the two share similar views on hot button issues, Burt said he’d provide a fresh perspective to Adair’s 16 years in the Legislature. “I’m not saying what he may think is right or wrong, I’m just saying maybe it’s time to think in a fresh, new direction,” he said. A graduate of New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications, Burt has worked in radio his entire life. He considSee BURT, Page A3
SANTA FE (AP) — Former state utility regulator Jerome Block Jr. avoided a lengthy prison sentence Wednesday as a state judge gave him probation for election law violations, misuse of taxpayer money and other felonies. Block had faced up to 4 1 ⁄ 2 years in prison after failing to comply with a plea deal requirement to complete a court-supervised drug treatment program. His attorney has said Block is addicted to prescription painkillers and cocaine. District Judge Michael Vigil placed Block on probation, including substance abuse treatment, and
warned that Block could be sent to prison if he runs into more legal problems. Before the judge sentenced him, Block appealed for leniency and said he had been free of drugs for almost six months. “I am going to ask you to give me a chance to be a productive member of society, be a good father ... and try to rebound from my fall,” said Block, who resigned last year from his $90,000-a-year elected state position. The five-member commission regulates utilities, telecommunications, insurance and motor carriers See BLOCK, Page A3