03-22-2011

Page 1

Roswell Daily Record

Vol. 120, No. 70 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday

INSIDE NEWS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A fierce spring storm that stranded hundreds of drivers along a major freeway, prompted the rescue of stranded hikers and closed roads into Yosemite National Park dwindled to showers Monday as a new wet weather system headed toward California.

March 22, 2011

TUESDAY

www.rdrnews.com

Libya rebels try to advance

ZWITINA, Libya (AP) — Coalition forces bombarded Libya for a third straight night Monday, targeting the air defenses and forces of Libyan ruler Moammar Ghadafi, stopping his advances and handing some momentum back to the rebels, who were on the verge of defeat just last week.

STORM HITS CALIFORNIA

THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

But the rebellion’s more organized military units were still not ready, and the opposition disarray underscored U.S. warnings that a long stalemate could emerge.

The air campaign by U.S. and European militaries has unquestionably rearranged the map in Libya and rescued rebels from the immediate threat they faced only days ago of being crushed under a powerful advance by Gadhafi’s forces. The first of airstrikes round smashed a column of regime tanks that had been moving on the rebel capital of Benghazi in the east. Monday night, Libyan state TV said a new round of strikes had begun in the

capital, Tripoli, marking the third night of bombardment. But while the airstrikes can stop Gadhafi’s troops from attacking rebel cities — in line with the U.N. mandate to protect civilians — the United States, at least, appeared deeply reluctant to go beyond that toward actively helping the rebel cause to oust the Libyan leader. President Barack Obama said Monday that “it is U.S. policy that Gadhafi See LIBYA, Page A2

AP Photo

Libyan rebels react on the frontline of the outskirts of the city of Ajdabiya, south of Benghazi, eastern Libya, Monday.

Man found shot

- PAGE A3

TOP 5 WEB For The Last 24 Hours

• Rio Pecos Wag-n-Walk a howling success • Adopt-A-Soldier welcomes Sgt. Gabriel Herrera home • First Step prelude to May 13 Walk for Hope • ‘Overwhelmed’ vet gets new home • UHS students build ramp, prepare for their future

INSIDE SPORTS AP Photo/Kyodo News

Residents carry household belongings they retrieved from their homes in the devastated city of Ishinomaki, northeastern Japan, Monday, after the March 11 earthquake and resulting tsunami that hit the country’s northeast coast.

No quick fixes for Japan nuclear plant

LOBOS BOUNCED TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Tony Mitchell scored 23 points and Trevor Releford matched his career-high with 20 to lead Alabama to a 74-67 win over New Mexico Monday night in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. - PAGE B1

TODAY’S OBITUARIES • Rev. Paul Edward Hutsell • Naomi McMinn Stang - PAGE A3

HIGH ...84˚ LOW ....42˚

TODAY’S FORECAST

CLASSIFIEDS..........B4 COMICS.................B3 ENTERTAINMENT.....A8 FINANCIAL .............B7 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........B4 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8

INDEX

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Officials raced Monday to restore electricity to Japan’s leaking nuclear plant, but getting the power flowing will hardly be the end of their battle: With its mangled machinery and partly melted reactor cores, bringing the complex under control is a monstrous job. Restoring the power to all six units at the tsunami-damaged complex is key, because it will, in theory, power up the maze of motors, valves and switches that help deliver cooling water to the overheated reactor cores and spent fuel pools that are leaking radiation. Ideally, officials believe it should

only take a day to get the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant under control once the cooling system is up and running. In reality, the effort to end the crisis is likely to take weeks. Late Monday night, the deputy director general of Japan’s nuclear safety body suggested to reporters why there is so much uncertainty about when the job will be finished. “We have experienced a very huge disaster that has caused very large damage at a nuclear power generation plant on a scale that we had not expected,” said Hidehiko Nishiyama of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. The nuclear plant’s cooling systems

were wrecked by the massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan on March 11. Since then, conditions at the plant have been volatile; a plume of smoke rose from two reactor units Monday, prompting workers to evacuate. In another setback, the plant’s operator said Monday it had just discovered that some of the cooling system’s key pumps at the complex’s troubled Unit 2 are no longer functional — meaning replacements have to be brought in. Tokyo Electric Power Co. said it had placed emergency orders for new pumps, but how See JAPAN, Page A2

Obama says Latin America ready for challenges

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Reaching out to a vast but overshadowed r egion, President Barack Obama on Monday called Latin America a rising giant in the world that must live up to greater responsibilities and speak up for those whose rights ar e crushed. Firming up his “new era of partnership” with the peoples of South and Central America, Obama made his broadest appeal yet fr om Chile, which shed years of dictatorship not long ago to become a democracy of gr owing influence. Obama came here determined to draw attention to Latin America as a model of change for a whole swath of the Arab world in violent unrest. Yet his message of peace was again clouded by the war he was overseeing from abroad. The dominant theme from his news conference here dealt with the mounting military campaign in Libya, not his outreach to Chile or the

AP Photo

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his speech to Latin America at Centro Cultural La Moneda Palace in Santiago, Chile on Monday.

Americas. Obama sought to tie it all together by saying that many nations of Latin America have shown everyone what works in transforming to democracy: Nonviolence, empowerment of citizens, accountability for wr ongs and

commitment to human rights. “This is the Latin America that I see — a region on the move, pr oud of its pr ogr ess and r eady to assume a greater role in world affairs,” Obama said at the midpoint of his fiveday trip, the first extended

visit of his life to this region. “Latin America,” he said, “is more important to the prosperity and security of the United States than ever before.” The Chilean stop itself made Obama’s point, as he heralded fresh deals on everything from disaster response to trade to student exchanges. The president is committing time to Latin America as a means to boost the chances of job creation back home and, more broadly, to solidify r elations with nations whose support the United States needs acr oss its agenda. He also of fered a doctrine that demanded more from the countries of the region. “Let’s r ecommit to defending democracy and human rights in our own countries,” Obama said. After lauding Latin America’s diversity and peace, See OBAMA, Page A2

Roswell Police Department found a man lying face down at the intersection of Pequeno Camino and Caministo on Saturday. The victim had a gun shot wound in his lower back. No motive is yet known. The victim was transported to Eastern New Mexico Medical Center for treatment, but was unable or unwilling to talk to the investigating officers at the time. “His injuries were relatively minor,” Officer Travis Holley, RPD spokesman, said. Holley did not disclose any more infor mation about the incident, which is still under investigation.

Emissions rollbacks headed off

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Environmental groups rejoiced Monday after efforts to roll back New Mexico’s new greenhouse gas emissions rules failed during the legislative session that ended over the weekend. Gov. Susana Martinez has vowed to continue reviewing all state regulations, however, with an eye toward improving the business climate in New Mexico and creating jobs. Martinez said at a news conference after the end of the session Saturday that she’s looking at laws passed by the Legislature as well as those approved by various state boards, commissions and executive agencies. “Are they strangling the development of jobs here in New Mexico? Are they scientifically based? Are there good reasons for those regulations to be in place?” she asked. The session started in January with a handful of proposals aimed at either repealing or suspending greenhouse gas regulations that the state Environmental Improvement Board adopted last year. There were also efforts to keep the board from approving such reguSee RULES, Page A2


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.