Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Quake leaves death, destruction
Vol. 120, No. 62 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
HATCH GETS 9 MONTHS MORE
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Reality TV star Richard Hatch was ordered back to prison Friday to serve a nine-month sentence for failing to pay taxes on the $1 million he won on the first season of the hit CBS show “Survivor.” Hatch, who is currently appearing on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice,” ... - PAGE A10
March 12, 2011
SATURDAY
www.rdrnews.com
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s northeastern coast was a swampy wasteland of broken houses, overtur ned cars, sludge and dirty water today as the nation awoke to the devastating after math of one of its greatest disasters, a powerful tsunami created by one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded. The death toll from Friday’s massive magnitude 8.9 quake stood at more than 200, but an untold number of bodies were believed to be lying in the rubble and debris, and
Japanese were bracing for more bad news as authorities tried to reach the hardest-hit areas. Aerial footage showed military helicopters lifting people on rescue tethers from rooftops and partially submerged buildings surrounded by water and debris. At one school, a large white “SOS” had been spelled out in English. The earthquake that struck off the northeastern shore was the biggest recorded quake ever to hit Japan. It ranked as the fifth-largest earthquake in
Spring forward
the world since 1900 and was nearly 8,000 times stronger than one that devastated Christchurch, New Zealand, last month, scientists said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said an initial assessment found “enormous damage,” adding that the Defense Ministry was sending troops to the hardest-hit region. The official casualty toll was 236 dead, 725 missing and 1,028 injured, although police said 200See QUAKE, Page A7
AP Photo
Woman shot; in critical condition
Houses and other buildings burn in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, Friday night.
TOP 5 WEB For The Past 24 Hours
• Bizzzy bee • Home invasion, gun safety topics at RPD Town Hall • Emergency vehicles have right-of-way • Council OKs beer sales • Downtown art
INSIDE SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m., Sunday. Remember to set all your clocks ahead one hour. Daylight saving time will end Nov. 6.
COYOTES DROP 2
The Roswell boys baseball team took an 8-1 lead early, but couldn’t hang on for the win against Parkland (El Paso) on Friday, falling 11-10. The Coyotes bats got going early as Kevin Kelly led the game off with a triple. Roswell followed that up with six consecutive singles to take a 6-0 lead. Roswell tacked on two more runs in the top of the second to take a 8-0 lead. Parkland got a run back in the home half ... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Juanita I. Luevano • Tonya Kay Barela • Wiliam P. McIntosh V • Alvino Cortez - PAGE B3
HIGH ...85˚ LOW ....39˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B7 COMICS.................B6 ENTERTAINMENT...B10 FINANCIAL .............A8 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ......A10 LOTTERIES ............A2 NATION .................B3 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ............A10
INDEX
About 8:15 p.m., Thursday, Roswell Police Department responded to a report of shots fired at 110 W. Alameda St. “Officers found the 25-year-old victim in serious condition,” said Of ficer T ravis Holley, RPD spokesman. Victim Amber Romero was flown to a hospital in Lubbock for treatment of gunshot wounds. “She is listed in critical condition,” Holley said. The case is currently listed as an attempted murder. He said that the police have a person of interest in the case. Officers executed a search warrant at 10:30 a.m., Friday. “The information at this point is that this is an isolated incident and has no relationship with any other incident.” Holley said.
‘Get out of campaign mode’ Town has dicey past
SANTA FE (AP) — A top Senate Democratic leader and Gov. Susana Martinez are waging a war of words as the Legislature enters its final week. The Republican governor complained Friday that several of her initiatives are tied up in the Democraticcontrolled Senate, which also has rejected the governor’s proposal to stop driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants. “I am going to continue to work with the Senate but they need to start moving those bills along,” Martinez said at a press conference. Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, fired back, saying the gover-
Census numbers coming
U.S. Census officials announced Thursday they plan to release local 2010 Census data for New Mexico sometime next week. A news release stated data will be first delivered to the state’s governor and majority and minority leaders. Following confirmation of delivery to the state’s executive and legislative leaders, data will then be disbursed through press releases and posted on the U.S. Census’ website, 2010.Census.gov.
nor’s “background as a prosecutor has not given her practical experience or any idea of governing and how the legislative process works, including the detailed efforts required for shaping legislation.” Martinez served as district attorney in Doña Ana before being elected governor in November. Sanchez also complained about the governor’s continued insistence that lawmakers approve her proposal to halt licenses for immigrants. “Rather than tying up valuable legislative time on divisive issues, Gov. Martinez needs to get out of campaign mode and get down to the business of gov-
erning and working with the Legislature to create a comprehensive plan for the future,” Sanchez said in a statement. “I would encourage the governor to focus her energy on solving problems instead of merely exploiting them for partisan political purposes.” With the Legislature set to adjourn next Saturday, the governor said she’s not considering calling lawmakers back to work in a special session if they fail to approve her top priorities, such as the immigrant licensing proposal. However, Martinez said she hasn’t given up on the
COLUMBUS (AP) — Two years ago, when Angelo Vega took over the Columbus police force, he vowed to push back forcefully against the dusty New Mexico border town’s rough recent past: allegations of rampant drug and human smuggling, an economy awash in narcotics cash from Mexico, and a revolving-door department that had been led by six police chiefs in three years. “This is a new day for Columbus,” Vega told The Associated Press, vowing at the time that all crooks would now
have to face justice and fear jail time. On Tuesday, Vega himself is due in court to answer to federal charges that he took part in a scheme to illegally buy guns in the U.S. and send them to Mexico. Mayor Eddie Espinoza, town T rustee Blas Gutierrez and eight others were accused of firearms and smuggling charges in the 84-count indictment. The defendants, who allegedly bought roughly 200 firearms over a 14-
See COLUMBUS, Page A7
Brinegar takes pet ownership to a higher level See MARTINEZ, Page A7
MATTHEW ARCO RECORD STAFF WRITER
When not working with the Rio Pecos Kennel Club or pursuing her other passion at the Roswell Community Little Theatre, Brinegar hosts two eightweek-long dog training
Sarah Brinegar takes pet ownership to a higher level. The canine companion has dedicated decades of her life to properly training man’s best friend into becoming happy and obediant sidekicks, that, in her case, often become part of the family. Brinegar explains that dogs that are trained “tend to be happier and have a better life.”
classes in Roswell each year. “If a dog is trained, chances are it will have a home. ... It saves dogs’ lives in most cases and makes the owners happy,” she said. “The trick is correction and praise — and heavy on the praise.” Brinegar was brought up
Whereas pets may sometimes be a side thought or in many cases, a valued member of the family,
Matthew Arco Photo
Sarah Brinegar, who dedicated years of her life to training dogs, sits with her golden retriever, Tango.
See SPOTLIGHT, Page A3