Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 120, No. 164 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
PICASSO THIEF ARRESTED SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The case of a stolen Picasso has been cracked — and police said Thursday it was a New Jersey man who walked into a downtown San Francisco art gallery, snatched the drawing and fled in a taxi. Police arrested Mark Lugo, 31, of Hoboken, N.J., - PAGE A8
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
July 9, 2011
SATURDAY
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NM scrambling to meet water demands
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — New Mexico water managers said Friday they are hopeful that summer rains will alleviate the pains of a persistent drought, but until then, they’re scrambling to meet demands across the state. Along the Pecos River in eastern New Mexico, the Interstate Stream Commission is being forced for the first time to pump groundwater to augment the river’s flow to meet a settlement with farmers in the Carlsbad Irrigation District. On the lower Rio Grande, farmers have been negotiating with irrigation offi-
cials in New Mexico and Texas in hopes of getting additional water to extend what has been the shortest irrigation season on record. In northern New Mexico, the city of Las Vegas has only enough water for the next 57 days. “It’s really pretty bad,” said State Engineer John D’Antonio, New Mexico’s top water official. "There are pockets around the state that are really hurting and unless the monsoons get here, there’s not going to be any relief.” Forecasters were predicting the rains would start widespread around the
state Sunday, but D’Antonio wasn’t holding his breath that the moisture would keep lake shorelines from expanding or river sandbars from growing. Nearly every cor ner of New Mexico has been affected by drought this year and in nearly half of the state, the conditions are so bad that they’ve been classified as exceptional — the worst level of drought. Last fall was dry and winter storms brought little more than freezing temperatures, thanks to a La Nina weather patter n that repelled moisture from
much of the state. Spring offered little help, leaving many areas with just a fraction of their nor mal precipitation. In fact, some areas haven’t seen significant rainfall since last year. “When we’ve had this bad of a La Nina year, the odds favor an average to betterthan-average monsoon season, but those are just odds,” D’Antonio said. “It has nothing to do with the current hydrologic conditions.” Despite the grim situation, New Mexico’s water managers said they are not concerned about meeting water delivery obligations
to Texas on either the Pecos River or the Rio Grande. New Mexico has been able to build up credits on both rivers, but those credits stand to be eaten up without new water flowing into the system. The other problem is meeting the needs of New Mexico’s irrigators. The Interstate Stream Commission has been pumping groundwater to meet the needs of Carlsbad irrigators since March, when it became clear there would not be enough water See WATER, Page A3
Job Corps demolishes vacant buildings
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INSIDE SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
A crew from Hudspeth & Associates, Inc. out of Albuquerque demolish 2 unoccupied and unused buildings on the Roswell Job Corps campus Friday, clearing space for new growth that will include a male dormitory in the near future.
OSU VACATES 2010 FOOTBALL WINS COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State’s 2010 Big Ten championship, its 12-1 season, its victories over rival Michigan and in the Sugar Bowl — all gone. Coach Jim Tressel is out and so is star quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Left behind: two years of self-imposed probation.The question now... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES • Leslie G. Duncan • Petra Corrales Baeza • Collen Meeker Doyle - PAGE A8
Carlsbad caving Space Shuttle launches
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — The results are in from the latest battery of high-tech tests, but scientists still cannot rule out the possibility that a cavern formed by a brine well operation near a busy Carlsbad intersection might one day collapse. What they do know is that the ground beneath the area is a messy conglomeration of cavities, fractured rock and brinesoaked earth. A report released recently by the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division spells out the findings from a series of electric resistivity tests that were done this spring.
“The data is confirming our original concer ns,” said Jim Griswold, a hydrologist with the state agency. While no one can say whether the site will ever collapse, state and local officials have been trying to find out exactly what they’re dealing with so they can determine how to protect a nearby roadway, a neighboring church, a feed store, a mobile home park and an irrigation canal that serves farmers throughout the lower Pecos River Valley.
AP Photo
The space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center Friday, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Atlantis is the 135th and final space shuttle launch for NASA.
The Thorsteds: A family of artists and winners See CAVING, Page A3
See SHUTTLE, Page A3
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — With a cry from its commander to “light this fire one more time,” the last shuttle thundered into orbit Friday on a cargo run that will close out three decades of both triumph and tragedy for NASA and usher in a period of uncertainty for America’s space program. After some lastminute suspense over the weather and a piece of launch-pad equipment, Atlantis and its
INDEX
Vanessa Kahin Photo
The Thorsteds enjoy time at the Spring River Park and Zoo, Friday. Front row from left: Rose Thorsted and Samantha Thorsted. Back row from left: Martin Thorsted, Soren Thorsted, and Chris Thorsted.
A family of artists strives to stay away from the public eye. But after winning top prizes during the UFO Festival’s alien costume contest, as well as having a string of successes in other art competitions, the family might find it tough to stay hidden. The Thorsted children: Rose, 10, Samantha, 6, and Soren, 4, wowed during the alien costume contest at the Pueblo Auditorium, July 2. Samantha Thorsted won first place for most creative costume in her age category. Rose Thorsted won first place for scariest costume in
her age category. Both girls designed and helped put together their own costumes. Wearing an elaborate two-in-one Transformers costume, Soren Thorsted won for best alien costume overall and first place for best costume in the TV/movie personality in his age category. “Even though it was hard for him to transform, he still did it,” Samantha said. Chris Thorsted, the children’s mother, said Rose may have led the
family down an artistic path. “It started with Rose,” Chris Thorsted said. “Rose has always been very creative. When you have someone as creative as her, you have to find other resources.” She said she is always trying to find artistic outlets for her children. Rose is a rising fifth-grader and Samantha is a rising first-grader at Valley View Elementary School, while Soren is See FAMILY Page A3