Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 121, No. 92 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
MILITARIES VIE FOR ARCTIC EDGE YOKOSUKA, Japan (AP) — To the world’s militar y leaders, the debate over climate change is long over. They are preparing for a new kind of Cold War in the Arctic, anticipating that rising temperatures there will open up a treasure trove of resources, long-dreamed-of sea lanes and a slew of potential conflicts. - PAGE A6
TOP 5 WEB For The Past 24 Hours
• What’s more Roswell than trees? • Vanguard elm graces Center grounds • ‘You forgot my snack?’ • College Blvd. extension opens Friday • Goddard, Roswell split pair
INSIDE SPORTS
Governor demands choices for judicial vacancy SANTA FE (AP) — Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, like her Democratic predecessor, wants a choice of candidates when it comes to appointing judges and she’s flexing her gubernatorial power to make her point. Martinez has asked an independent judicial nominating commission to go back to work and send her more than one candidate for a judicial vacancy in southern New Mexico. For-
mer Gov. Bill Richardson took a similar approach in 2007, and the dispute ended up before the state Supreme Court. Richardson, however, never got the extra judicial candidates he sought.
In New Mexico, the governor appoints district judges from candidates recommended by a bipartisan nominating commission, which is made up of judges, lawyers and members of the public who are
Romney veep search under way
not lawyers. Unlike many boards and commissions, the governor names only a few members of a nominating commission. Judges, legislative leaders and a statewide organization of lawyers select most members.
A screening commission last month interviewed four applicants for a judgeship in the 6th Judicial District that covers Grant, Hidalgo and Luna counties but recommended only one person
Preparedness to serve and loyalty to Romney are likely to trump other credentials as the all-but-sure Republican nominee looks to avoid the blowback John McCain faced four years ago with his surprise choice of the little-known, first-term Alaska governor for the GOP ticket. Questions about Palin’s readiness to serve, McCain’s decision-making and his advisers’ vetting came to define the Arizona senator’s flawed campaign.
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CLASSIFIEDS..........B6 COMICS.................B4 ENTERTAINMENT.....B6 FINANCIAL .............B5 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
“The gover nor simply wants to uphold the sepa-
The commission is to meet on May 1 to consider the governor’s request, but See VACANCY, Page A3
Mindful of that, Romney will put
Rey Berrones Photo
Roswell "Chamber Girls" Jenieva Ornelas, Candace Lewis and Kathleen Garcia (top row) paint the town crimson with Jennifer Green and Mallory Driggers in an effort to spread Aggie spirit to Roswell. The public, as well as NMSU alumni and Aggie fans, are invited to attend the reception from 6 - 8:30 p.m. at the J. Ross Thomas Reception Room on the NMMI campus.
Wild hogs expected eventually in Dona Ana County
Hansen blew his chance to be a Kentucky Derby favorite. He finished second in the Blue Grass Stakes after a daylong art project in which the near-white colt’s tail was dyed blue, only to be rinsed off before the race. After being beaten by Dullahan on the final weekend of major Derby preps, Hansen - PAGE B1
TODAY’S FORECAST
Scott Dar nell, a spokesman for the governor, said Martinez’s request for more nominees “has nothing to do with the particular applicant who was submitted.”
rate constitutional duties assigned to the judicial nominating commission and the governor, respectively. State law affords her the opportunity to fill the vacancy as opposed to the judicial nominating commission, in effect, making the appointment,” Darnell said in a statement.
BOSTON (AP) — Don’t look for a vice presidential shocker from Mitt Romney. His choice of a running mate — a search he announced Monday he has begun — will be guided by both his methodical, riskaverse corporate training and the lessons his party lear ned from Sarah Palin’s selection.
UNION RAGS BACK ATOP RANKINGS
• E. Leamon Metcalf • Rex B. Vaughan - PAGE A6
— Deming lawyer Jennifer DeLaney, a Democrat. All of the applicants are running for the judgeship in this year’s elections — two Democrats and two Republicans.
Chamber has Aggie spirit!!!
The tale as old as time...
OBITUARIES
TUESDAY
www.rdrnews.com
See ROMNEY, Page A3
TODAY’S
April 17, 2012
Mark Wilson Photo
Summer Souza rehearses her role as Belle for the upcoming presentation of Beauty and the Beast at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell. Showtimes are Friday, April 20, and Saturday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 22, at 2:30 p.m., with additional shows on Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 29, at 2:30 p.m. at the ENMU-R Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased online at: showtix4u.com.
LAS CRUCES (AP) — Wild hogs are likely on their way to Dona Ana County as the animals continue to spread across parts of New Mexico, federal officials said. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports (http://bit.ly/IqZwbP ) that the animals have spread from two New Mexico counties seven years ago to 17 today and are present along the Rio Grande in neighboring Sierra County. They travel along the river because it’s a source of water. Alan May, state director for U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, said feral pigs have been spreading mostly in eastern New Mexico counties. But somehow, likely because humans transported them, they’ve reached the Rio Grande basin. They’ve got a presence in Sierra, Socorro and Valencia counties, too. The animals, a cross between domestic pigs and Eurasian hogs introduced by hunters into the U.S., can reach up to 250 or 300 pounds. They breed prolifi-
cally, travel in groups of about 10 to 15 and are dif ficult to eradicate. “These guys are really bad news in New Mexico,” he said. “Feral hogs are absolutely an environmental and ecological disaster. There will be a lot of property damage and probably some disease issues.” Feral pigs are likely to reach Dona Ana County first at the Garfield and Hatch area. That area’s economic base is farming, and many far mers rely on buried, drip irrigation systems. May said the pigs can eat crops and sometimes young lambs, goats and calves, and they root up fields. State Land Office Commissioner Ray Powell said he’s trying to sound a warning alarm about the growing feral pig problem. They’ll environmentally devastate the trust lands they reach, he said. “These animals do a lot of damage to areas with water,” See HOGS, Page A3
US prepares for last major Afghan offensive KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — For Taliban militants and U.S. strategists alike, all roads in this impoverished country of mountain passes, arid deserts and nearly impassable goat tracks lead to this ancient capital of 3 million people nestled in a high and narrow valley.
The Taliban made their intentions clear over the weekend, mounting spectacular coordinated attacks that spawned an 18-hour battle with Afghan and NATO forces. And now, the U.S. is gearing up for what may be the last major American-
run offensive of the war — a bid to secure the approaches to the city. While bombings and shootings elsewhere in Afghanistan receive relatively little attention, attacks in the capital alarm the general population, undermine the government’s reputation and frighten foreigners into fleeing the country. That’s why insurgents on Sunday struck locations that were so fortified they could cause little or no damage, including the diplomatic quarter, the parliament and a NATO base. “These are isolated attacks that are done for
symbolic purposes, and they have not regained any territory,” U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Monday. The U.S.-led spring of fensive, expected to begin in the coming weeks, may be NATO’s last chance to shore up Kabul’s defenses before a significant withdrawal of combat troops limits its options. The focus will be regions that control the main access routes, roads and highways into Kabul from the desert south and the mountainous east. These routes are used not only by militants but by
See AFGHAN, Page A3
AP Photo
An Afghan soldier, second from left, part of the National Directorate of Security chats with his colleague in front of a building which was attacked by militants after a gun battle in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, April 16, 2012.