Roswell Daily Record
City population up 6.8%
Vol. 120, No. 67 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
MATTHEW ARCO RECORD STAFF WRITER
U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday for New Mexico reveals that although Chaves County didn’t witness a loss of population from 2000, its modest growth falls short of booms witnessed in other
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
March 18, 2011
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areas of the state — especially considering that Roswell is the state’s fifth most populated city. Roswell’s 6.8 percent population increase wasn’t enough to push the city over the 50,000 mark that many local officials were hoping for, and it also paled in comparison with
“Roswell and the southeastern corner of the state (is) growing about like it always has historically”
other city and county growth in the state. Only Santa Fe, with a 9.2 percent bump from 2000, hovers near the same level of growth as Roswell.
Sandoval County’s population jumped more than 46 percent and Bernalillo and Doña Ana counties, both hit nearly a 20 percent increase in population.
FERLIN HUSKY DEAD AT 85
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ferlin Husky, a pioneering country music entertainer in the 1950s and early ’60s known for hits like “Wings of a Dove” and “Gone,” died Thursday. He was 85. The 2010 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee died at his home, hall spokeswoman Tina Wright said. He had a history of ... - PAGE A7
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INSIDE SPORTS
Stevens’ New Paintings exhibit open
Jonathan Entzminger Photo
Maryirene Stevens’ Niko’s Bubbles
JONATHAN ENTZMINGER RECORD STAFF WRITER
LOUISVILLE SHOCKED
DENVER (AP) — On the verge of seeing his unheralded, 13th-seeded Morehead State program turn into something much more impressive, the coach could have called a play for his NBA-bound center or his guard who couldn’t miss. Instead, he decided to go with a dream. Executing a play that came to his coach the night before, Morehead State’s Demonte Harper dribbled patiently and watched the clock ... - PAGE B1
Artist and former Roswell resident Maryirene Stevens is back in town for her debut exhibition at Tinnie Mercantile Store and Deli, 412 W. Second St., entitled New Paintings
by Maryirene Stevens. ”I’ve always been interested in art, and I’ve done it in some form or another most of my life,” Stevens said. The exhibition will open today, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. A closing date has not been
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INDEX
House rejects Senate’s budget
See CENSUS, Page A3
SANTA FE (AP) — With adjournment looming, the Legislature still hasn’t agreed on all the pieces of a more than $5 billion state budget package. The House and Senate must work out their differences on a measure that saves nearly $111 million next year to help balance the budget. It requires state workers and educators to pay more into their pensions while gover nment reduces its payroll contributions by a similar amount. The bill also will delay higher state payments to shore up the retirement fund for public school employees and college faculty. The House refused to accept a Senate-passed version of the bill on a 3830 vote early Thursday, shortly after midnight. Six Democrats joined 31 Republicans and one independent in objecting to the pension measure. The Senate has the option of retreating from its proposal or a joint legislative conference committee may be needed to negotiate a compromise before lawmakers adjourn on Satur-
US readies plans to enforce Libya no-fly zone
TODAY’S • Elizabeth Shanks • Bill Bleiker • Naomi McMinn Stagg • Billy Wayne Dinwiddie • Lovena Clark - PAGE A6
announced. Stevens moved to Roswell in 1978 from Santa Fe, with her late husband Donald G. Stevens, who was in the oil business. She has since relocated to Berkeley, Calif.
Chaves County grew by 6.9 percent. Rio Rancho, New Mexico’s third most populous city, witnessed a little more than 69 percent growth. Albuquerque, the most populous, saw a nearly 22 percent increase and Las
AP Photo
Supporters of Moammar Gadhafi who stormed unimpaired the press conference of Khaled Kaaim, Libya’s deputy foreign minister, shout slogans in the hotel where foreign media stays in Tripoli, early today.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration was readying plans to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya with the help of Arab countries, of ficials said Thursday as the United Nations Security Council voted to authorize the move. These of ficials, who spoke after a closed-door briefing in Congress, said they expected the attempt to ground Moammar Gadhafi’s air force could begin by Sunday or Monday. The effort likely would involve jet fighters, bombers and surveillance aircraft. One official said Jordan,
See STEVENS, Page A3
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were among possible participants, in a showing designed to demonstrate that the effort to shield rebels trying to bring down Gadhafi had support from other countries in the region. These officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to speak publicly on any steps the administration might take. The Security Council voted 10-0 Thursday evening to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and authorize “all necessary measures” to protect civil-
See BUDGET, Page A3
ians from attacks by Gadhafi’s forces. Five nations abstained on the vote, including Russia and China. The president has been buffeted by criticism for not moving more aggressively to help the rebels trying to topple Gadhafi, long counted as among the world’s most ruthless dictators. Initially rocked by the revolt, the regime has recently regained lost territory and set its sights on Benghazi, the last rebel stronghold.
Obama reassures: Japan’s radiation won’t reach US
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama, trying to reassure a worried nation, declared Thursday that “har mful levels” of radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster are not expected to reach the U.S., even as other officials conceded it could take weeks to bring the crippled nuclear complex under control. The situation remains dangerous and complicated at the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors in northeastern Japan, U.S. officials said. Obama said he had asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to con-
duct a “comprehensive review” of the safety of all U.S. nuclear plants. There are 104 nuclear reactors in the United States, providing roughly 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. “Nuclear energy is an important part of our own energy future,” Obama said. A leading industry group agreed with the review. “A review of our nuclear plants is an appropriate step after an event of this scale and we expect that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct its own assessment,” said Marvin Fertel, president of the Nuclear Energy Insti-
tute. “The industry’s highest priority is the safe operation of 104 reactors in 31 states and we will incorporate lessons learned from this accident...” Navy Adm. Robert Willard, the top of ficer overseeing U.S. military assistance to Japan, said he has provided Japan with a “long list” of areas in which the U.S. military can help. Willard said he is cautiously optimistic that Japan will avert a worstcase nuclear disaster by preventing a full meltdown of its crippled reactors. Meanwhile, the first evacSee JAPAN, Page A3
See LIBYA, Page A3
Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan, Thursday.
AP Photo