06-23-2011

Page 1

Roswell Daily Record

33,000 home by next summer THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Vol. 120, No. 150 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday

INSIDE NEWS

‘CAMPAIGNS GO UP AND DOWN’

ATLANTA (AP) — Newt Gingrich on Wednesday brushed aside continuing upheaval in his presidential campaign, noting that Republican hero Ronald Reagan suffered defections in his 1980 campaign and went on to win the White House. - PAGE B3

June 23, 2011

THURSDAY

www.rdrnews.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — Beginning to wind down a long and devastating war, President Barack Obama announced Wednesday night he was pulling home 33,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by next summer, withdrawing the “surge” of forces he had sent to rescue a flailing ef fort. Said Obama to a country eager for an exit: “The tide of war is receding.” A total of 10,000 troops will leave the war zone by the end of this year — fulfilling Obama’s promise for

a withdrawal starting next month — and more than 20,000 additional forces will leave by the summer of 2012, shortly before the president will go before voters in search of a second term. Still, almost 70,000 U.S. troops will remain in an unstable country, fighting in a war bound to see more Americans killed. Obama said they will leave at a steady pace, but the U.S. combat mission is not expected to end until December 2014 — and even then, a sizable and

enduring contingent may remain in a different role. Obama’s announcement from the White House came in a perilous political environment, with Americans soured on the war and the economy, many members of Congress pushing him to get troops home even faster, and his Republican presidential rivals taking shots at his leadership at every chance. Plenty of disgruntled Democrats also took Obama to task, however See HOME, Page A6

AP Photo

UFO Festival scrubs parade

President Barack Obama during a televised address from the East Room of the White House, Wednesday.aw

TOP 5 WEB

For The Past 24 Hours

• Let’s be careful with the fireworks • Police suspect arson in Pecos blaze • Crews fight Santa Fe forest fire • Gov attends ChalleNGe graduation • Roswell celebrates Juneteenth in style

MATTHEW ARCO RECORD STAFF WRITER

INSIDE SPORTS

Mark Wilson Photo

County takes top Roadeo trophy Local county heavy equipment operators compete in the loader event, a segment of the Roadeo, Wednesday, next to the La Quinta Inn.

VANESSA KAHIN RECORD STAFF WRITER

Chaves County was given the highest award

IRVING LIKELY MAN FOR CAVS

NEW YORK (AP) — Just in case the Cleveland Cavaliers need it, here’s some advice for what to do with those two high picks. Take Kyrie Irving first, grab Turkish big man Enes Kanter fourth, and start enjoying the postseason success you used to have when LeBron James was around.. “If I play with Kyrie, I believe we can make playoffs,” Kanter said Wednesday. “I know we can make playoffs. - PAGE B1

TODAY’S OBITUARIES

• Jimmie Rodriguez • Travis Douglas Bealer - PAGE B3

HIGH .101˚ LOW ....69˚

TODAY’S FORECAST

CLASSIFIEDS..........B6 COMICS.................B4 ENTERTAINMENT.....A8 FINANCIAL .............B5 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 NATION .................B3 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 STATE ...................A3 WEATHER ..............A8

INDEX

possible during a rodeo held in the lot near the intersection of Main and 19th streets, in Roswell, Wednesday. However, instead of wild-eyed cattle

and cowboys armed with ropes, this rodeo involved road equipment operators from around New Mexico and massive roadwork machines.

Dubbed the Equipment Roadeo, the event featured equipment opera-

Organizers behind this year’s UFO Festival say last-minute touches are being made for the event and that things are right on track for successful festival. The UFO Festival Committee announced Wednesday that the night parade and the Alien BBQ contest have been canceled due to a lack of entries, however, the barbecue and brew will still take place. The announcement comes just as festival organizers are encouraging residents to tur n out in high numbers for this year’s festival and be a part of the fun. “The people of Roswell need to come out and see

Governor Martinez warns of dire fire situation

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Just steps from the tinderdry cottonwood forest that snakes through New Mexico’s largest city, Gov. Susana Martinez on Wednesday issued a plea to residents and visitors to do their part to ensure human-caused fires don’t consume any more of the state’s landscape. Her message came as more fire restrictions were imposed on public lands and as firefighters braced for more hot and dry weather in their battles against blazes bur ning north of Santa Fe and along the Arizona-New Mexico border. The governor, who has seen firsthand some of the devastation left by this year’s fires, described the around-the-clock efforts to

See ROADEO, Page A6

See UFO, Page A6

RUIDOSO FIRE UPDATE

Mark Wilson Photo

Ruidoso police are questioning homeless people in the village and surrounding areas in an attempt to find the culprit who sparked a 10-acre blaze that burned nine homes to the ground last week, police said. Arson investigators who combed the scene said the origin of the Swallow Fire was near a tent shelter frequented by homeless people. Police said the scene indicates the blaze was unintentional and that an unknown person or multiple people attempted to stomp out the flames. “They were unable to

John Sanchez brings Senate campaign to Roswell See MARTINEZ, Page A6

Smokey Bear greets children during a fire safety story time with the U.S. Forest Service Wednesday at the Roswell Public Library.

MATTHEW ARCO RECORD STAFF WRITER

John Sanchez

Lt. Gov. John Sanchez brought his U.S. Senate race to Roswell Wednesday, as part of four -day fundraising trip around southeast New Mexico. The Republican candidate says he’s focusing his attention to the business community in an attempt to gar ner their support, saying the economy and job creation is central to the Senate race. He expressed

his optimism to the country’s economy — albeit under different leadership. “If there was a ever a time, I believe, that we needed people in Washington who come from the private sector in light of high unemployment (and) an economy that simply can’t get up — it’s today,” said Sanchez in a sitdown with the Daily Record. “The best days of this country are ahead of us,” he continued. “I’m very bullish about the future of

America, but it comes from new leadership.” Sanchez touts himself someone who comes from the private sector and not as a career politician. He says in the coming months people will have a chance to see differences between him and one of his opponents, Heather Wilson, whom he calls an “establishment candidate.” “(Do voters want) somebody who has a record of creating jobs, somebody who will be a new voice and

See UPDATE, Page A6

a new face in Washington, or do they want to send back a Washington insider?” He went on to say that New Mexico is ready to elect a Republican to the Senate and have a balance of conservative and liberal ideas and values in its Senate delegation. “It’s one of the few purple states. It’s not red, it’s not blue, it’s really purple in my estimation,” he said. See SANCHEZ, Page A6


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