Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 121, No. 279 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
WARREN RUDMAN DEAD AT 86
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Colleagues knew former Sen. Warren B. Rudman for his abrupt manner, but they trusted his expertise. On one matter in particular, though, he wished people would have listened to him: that the U.S. was vulnerable to a major terrorist attack. - PAGE B4
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
November 21, 2012
US, Mexico sign Colorado River pact
CORONADO, Calif. (AP) — The United States and Mexico on Tuesday signed a pact for new rules on sharing water from the Colorado River, capping a fiveyear ef fort on how to spread the pain of drought and reap the benefits of wet years. The far-reaching agreement gives Mexico badly needed water storage capacity in Lake Mead, which stretches across Nevada and Arizona. Mexico will forfeit some of its share of the river dur-
WEDESDAY
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ing shortages, bringing itself in line with western U.S. states that already have agreed how much they will surrender when waters recede. Mexico also will capture some surpluses when waters rise. Also under the plan, water agencies in California, Arizona and Nevada will buy water from Mexico, which will use some of the money to upgrade its canals and other infrastructure. The agreement, coming in the final days of the
administration of Mexican President Felipe Calderon, is a major amendment to a 1944 treaty considered sacred by many south of the border. The treaty grants Mexico 1.5 million acre-feet of river water each year — enough to supply about 3 million homes — making it the lifeblood of Tijuana and other cities in northwest Mexico.
The pact represents a major departure from years of hard feelings in Mexico See WATER, Page A9
Pile the spuds high; hungry people here
AP Photo
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Mexican Commissioner Roberto Salmon during the Colorado River pact signing ceremony, in Coronado, Calif., Tuesday.
Cease-fire remains elusive
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and the Hamas militant group edged closer to a cease-fire Tuesday to end a weeklong Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, but after a day of furious diplomatic ef forts involving the U.S. secretary of state, U.N. chief and Egypt’s president, a deal remained elusive and fighting raged on both sides of the border.
TOP 5 WEB
For The Past 24 Hours
• Girl Scouts spread cheer • Two arrested Sunday following home ... • ‘Super blitz’ campaign takes on drunk driving • Ernie and Rita Montoya open ... • 4 locals named as AllStars
INSIDE SPORTS Mark Wilson Photo
Boys & Girls Club kids and their families receive plates full of turkey and dressing and oodles of extra goodies during a special Thanksgiving dinner, Tuesday evening.
Syrian rebels seize base, arms trove RUTGERS JOINS BIG 10
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — As the Big East was being picked apart, Rutgers was looking for a way out and a new place to show off a football program that has been resurrected in the past decade. Not only did Rutgers find that escape hatch, the Scarlet Knights ended up in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in college sports. Rutgers joined the Big Ten on Tuesday, leaving the Big East behind and cashing in on the school’s investment in a football team that only 10 years ago seemed incapable of competing ... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Kaye Elaine Gardner • John Henry Roller Sr. • Thomas Padilla • Sophie Montoya - PAGE B4
HIGH ...67˚ LOW ....42˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B8 COMICS.................B6 FINANCIAL .............B5 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ......A10 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ............A10
BASE OF THE 46TH REGIMENT, Syria (AP) — After a nearly two-month siege, Syrian rebels overwhelmed a large military base in the north of the country and made off with tanks, ar mored vehicles and truckloads of munitions that rebel leaders say will give them a boost in the fight against President Bashar Assad’s army. The rebel capture of the base of the Syrian army’s 46th Regiment is a sharp blow to the government’s efforts to roll back rebels gains and shows a rising level of organization among opposition forces. More important than the base’s fall, however, are the weapons the rebels found inside. At a rebel base where much of the haul was taken after the weekend victory, rebel fighters unloaded half a dozen large trucks piled high with green boxes full of mortars, artillery shells, rockets and
rifles taken from the base. Parked nearby were five tanks, two armored vehicles, two rocket launchers and two heavy-caliber artillery cannons. Around 20 Syrian soldiers captured in the battle were put to work carrying munitions boxes, barefoot and stripped to the waist. Rebels refused to let reporters talk to them or see where they were being held. “There has never been a battle before with this much booty,” said Gen. Ahmad al-Faj of the rebels Joint Command, a grouping of rebel brigades that was involved in the siege. Speaking on Monday at the rebel base, set up in a former customs of fice at Syria’s Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, he said the haul would be distributed among the brigades. For months, Syria’s See SYRIA, Page A3
Squab on the wing
INDEX
Mark Wilson Photo
Pigeons take flight, possibly grateful they’re not turkeys, late Tuesday afternoon.
Israeli tanks and gunboats pummeled targets in Gaza in what appeared to be a lastminute burst of fire, while at least 200 rockets were fired into Israel. As talks dragged on near midnight, Israeli and Hamas officials, communicating through Egyptian mediators, expressed hope that a deal would soon be reached, but cautioned that it was far from certain.
“If there is a possibility of achieving a long-term solution to See ISRAEL, Page A9
Prez courts Asia; world intrudes PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — For all the attention wrenched elsewhere in recent days — on new violence in the Middle East, the “fiscal cliff” back home — President Barack Obama’s speedy trip to Southeast Asia achieved a major goal: It was clearly seen in the region as a validation of Asia’s strategic importance as the U.S. refocuses its foreign policy to counter China’s clout. It wasn’t easy. Even in a Buddhist monastery in Thailand, Obama could not escape the budget woes waiting for him back home. And his historic visit to Myanmar was all but drowned out by the rocket fire and missile strikes between Israel and Gaza. He went half a world away to promote U.S.-style democracy but couldn’t leave his troubles behind. Even as Obama traipsed in stocking feet
AP Photo
Foreground from left, President Barack Obama meets with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during the East Asia Summit at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Tuesday.
through a temple in the heart of Bangkok, a monk wished him luck negotiating the deficit-reduction challenge awaiting him in Washington. And the bloodshed in the Middle East, exploding as he toured Southeast Asia for three days, illustrated the limits of U.S. foreign policy even as he tried to display its influence and reach.
But he came away from his trip to this corner of the world — a place once defined by a cloistered and shunned nation like Myanmar or by Khmer Rouge “killing fields” or by Chinese power —with at least the hope that the example of U.S. democracy can effect change and strengthen America’s See OBAMA, Page A9
Operation Christmas Child exceeds goal ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
Donations from area communities during Operation Christmas Child’s recent National Collection week will provide more than 5,000 shoe boxes full of gifts for needy children around the world this year. Grace Community Church accepted donations during the week of Nov. 12 to 19. At the end of the collection period Monday, the effort had collected 5,003 shoe boxes, exceeding its goal of 4,600, said Teresa McKee, collection center coordinator. That number is up 554
from 4,449 boxes collected in 2011. Donations came not only from Roswell, but also from communities and churches in areas such as Artesia, Carlsbad, Lovington and Ruidoso. “Each year, it has just been amazing watching it grow,” she said. “Our churches were just so giving and it’s a great example of the Christian community working together to provide for people in need.” A truck packed with the items left early Tuesday mor ning for one of the organization’s distribution centers in Denver, where gifts will be prepared for
final shipment.
Operation Christmas Child, a project of Christian organization Samaritan’s Purse, assembles shoe boxes full of items, such as toys, clothing, school supplies and hygiene products, and delivers them to children in more than 130 countries in an effort to demonstrate God's love. Since its inception nearly 20 years ago, the effort has sent 100 million boxes to children across the globe.
For more infor mation about Samaritan’s Purse or Operation Christmas Child, visit samaritanspurse.org. igilmore@rdrnews.com