Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 124, No. 71 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
March 24, 2015
www.rdrnews.com
Tuesday
Thousands participate in Bataan remembrance
WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE (AP) — About 6,000 people gathered at a southern New Mexico military installation for an event in honor of American and Filipino service members taken captive by the Japanese during the early months of the United States’ involvement in World War II. The 26th annual Bataan Memorial Death March was held Sunday at the Army’s White Sands Missile Range near Alamogordo. During the Bataan march in early 1942, thousands of prisoners were forced to walk more than 60 miles under grueling and sweltering conditions while being abused by their
captors. Many died. Jesse Baltazar, 94, was among the 10 survivors who attended Sunday’s march in southern New Mexico. A member of the Army’s 71st battalion, he managed to escape Japanese forces and with the help of a fisherman returned to his native Manila home within a few days. “When I got there and opened the door, they were all surprised,” Baltazar said, referring to his family. “They gave me up as dead because they never heard from me.” The Las Cruces Sun News (http://goo.gl/ndl7vX ) reported that it was Baltazar’s first time observing
the memorial march, which got its start in the late 1980s thanks to an Army ROTC student at New Mexico State University. “I’ve been in 87 countries, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Baltazar, who lives in Falls Church, Virginia. “It’s my first time here, and it’s been very, very spectacular. An event like this can only Submitted Photo
Thousands participated Sunday in the Bataan Memorial Death March, held at White Sands Missile Range. See BATAAN, Page A3
Commission OKs lease for Walker Aviation Museum
Coffee talk
By Jeff Jackson Record City Editor
Bill Moffitt Photo
Roswell Police Chief Phil Smith, far left, chats with Tom and Donna Lancaster, right, as RPD Commander Tom Moody looks on during the second “Coffee with a Cop” at Los Cerritos Restaurant at 2103 N. Main St., Monday. The monthly event is held at a different restaurant each time. Next month’s Coffee with a Cop will be announced at a later date.
Walker Aviation Museum earned a preliminary approval Monday for a lease that will allow the facility to relocate on the grounds of the Roswell International Air Center. Officials from the museum requested the lease consideration in February at the city’s Airport Commission meeting, and that request was granted by the commission. Final approval will be decided by the City Council at its April 9 meeting. The lease agreement calls for $500 annual payments for five years. Plans by the museum’s
board of directors have the museum moving from a two-room setup of 1,386 square feet inside the air terminal a stand-alone building on 2.6 acres of air center land near the terminal. There is no structure on the property now, but museum officials told the commission last month it they plan to erect a building with at least 5,000 square feet. A fund-raising drive for that building will take one to three years and require at least $1 million, they previously said. City Editor Jeff Jackson can be contacted at 575-622-7710, ext. 311, or reporter02@rdrnews.com.
Warm ocean trend Ted Cruz targets conservatives as could mean wet he begins his White House run spring for NM
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — Launching his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas asked Christian conservative voters to imagine a United States without the IRS, Obamacare or abortion rights — and to imagine they can make that happen by supporting him. His aspirational appeal on Monday, aimed at America’s most conservative voters, could quickly run into challenges in winning over moderate voters — and eventually deep difficulties in governing should Cruz win the White House. But it’s a message that Cruz, the first major 2016 contender to declare himself a candidate, is expected to forcefully emphasize in the coming year before voters start to pick nominees. “God’s blessing has been on America from the very beginning of this nation, and I believe that God isn’t done with Americans,” Cruz declared at Liberty University, a Christian school founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell. “I believe in you. I believe in the power of millions of courageous conservatives rising up
AP Photo
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, his wife, Heidi, and their two daughters Catherine, 4, left, and Caroline, 6, wave on stage after he announced his campaign for president, Monday at Liberty University, founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, in Lynchburg, Va. Cruz, who announced his candidacy on Twitter in the early morning hours, is the first major candidate in the 2016 race for president. to reignite the promise of Chris Christie, are expect- Barack Obama’s health America. And that is why, ed to follow, among oth- care legislation, called by some “Obamacare,” is a today, I am announc- ers. ing that I am running for The 44-year-old Cruz is rallying cry, as well. And president of the United betting his White House abortion is a major issue States of America.” hopes on profoundly con- for Christian conservatives Cruz won’t be the sole servative voters and their who have tremendous GOP contender for long. opposition to policies they sway in the lead-off caucus and primary election Two Senate colleagues, find abhorrent. Kentucky’s Rand Paul and Within such circles, states of Iowa and South Florida’s Marco Rubio, are there is deep distrust Carolina. During his 30-mineyeing campaign launches of the IRS, which was ute kickoff speech, delivsoon. And former Florida revealed last year to have ered like a sermon withGov. Jeb Bush, Wiscon- been scrutinizing tea party sin Gov. Scott Walker and groups’ nonprofit status. former New Jersey Gov. Scuttling President See CRUZ, Page A3 Today’s Forecast
Today’s Obituaries Page B4
HIGH 80 LOW 45
• Gloria “Dolly” Grace (Gangemi) Glenn • Carroll Meserve Martin Jr. • Alejandro M. Torres
SANTA FE (AP) — A warming trend in the Pacific Ocean indicates New Mexico could be in for a wet spring, meteorologists said Saturday. National Weather Service officials said they observed a rare set of temperature conditions along the West Coast earlier this month that point to signs of rain for central and northern New Mexico. “Odds are in our favor,” said Andrew Church, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Albuquerque. “When we look at previous years with similar sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, places in New Mexico have done well compared to their average for March, April and May.” According to the Weather Service, the last time water surface temperatures in the Pacific were this warm in
March was 1941, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. That year, New Mexico averaged about 26.6 inches of rain. That is more than double the normal amount. Any precipitation would help in alleviating the state in the midst of a five-year drought, Church said. Storms last month and one that occurred last Thursday helped the state reach average runoff into its reservoirs. Brian Guyer, a Weather Service forecaster who compiled the March 1 water supply forecast for the state, said consecutive years of near normal snowpack levels is what’s needed. Warmer temperatures could bring a strong monsoon season this summer. The state needs to prepare for possible flash flooding if that’s the case, Church said.
Local dies in accident
A 38-year-old Roswell man died Sunday afternoon from injuries sustained in an accident on U.S. Highway 70, according to state police. The single-vehicle accident about 12 miles northwest of Roswell killed James Conn, police said in a news release. Conn was driving a 1996 Ford southwest on the highway when it veered onto the right shoulder. The car rolled when it came back onto the road and ejected Conn, who died at the scene. Police said Conn was not wearing a seat belt. The accident occurred about 6:30 p.m. Index Classifieds...........B6 Comics..................B5 Entertainment. ....A8 Financial..............B3
General...............A2 Horoscopes.........A8 Lotteries. ............A2 Nation..................B4
Opinion.................A4 Sports. ................B1 Weather...............A8