Santa Fe New Mexican, Sept. 3, 2014

Page 1

Things get serious on th the soccer field as Prep blanks Elks Sports, B-5

Locally owned and independent independen

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

www.santafenewmexican.com 75¢

Sheriff faces new allegations Tommy Rodella

Woman who says she was tailgated, threatened by Rodella will testify

By Uriel J. Garcia The New Mexican

Federal prosecutors say Rio Arriba County Sheriff Tommy Rodella conducted a questionable traffic stop months before he allegedly roughed up an Española driver and assaulted him with a pistol.

lights at his patrol car, the sheriff pulled her over and threatened to take her to jail, the document states. The new allegations come as the embattled sheriff is scheduled to appear Wednesday before the eight-member

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a notice that prosecutors plan to introduce evidence that Rodella in January tailgated 52-year-old Yvette Maes as she was on her way home one night. Maes is expected to testify in Rodella’s upcoming trial that after she flashed her high-beam head-

Cell tower appeal disputed Records show AT&T missed the deadline to challenge the Historic Districts Review Board’s rejection of the project at West Alameda Street and St. Francis Drive, but not for lack of trying. PAGE B-1

Wilderness Act hits milestone For five decades, the law has helped protect thousands of acres of public land. PAGE B-1

Please see SHERIFF, Page A-4 Investigators are still trying to pinpoint what caused a drum of radioactive waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory to pop open and leak in an underground repository near Carlsbad.

LIGHTNING-SPARKED PINO FIRE SENDS SMOKE TOWARD SANTA FE

COURTESY LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

LANL takes new look at waste drum volatility Re-evaluation, relabeling raise questions about scope of problem By Staci Matlock The New Mexican

The Forest Service also warned of a possible power outage if the fire affects a Jemez Mountain Electric Cooperative power line. The agency said crews were managing the burn to reduce future wildfire fuel, recycle nutrients, help control insects and forest disease, and to protect the watershed for nearby communities.

As investigators keep trying to pinpoint what caused a drum of radioactive waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory to pop open and leak in an underground repository near Carlsbad, the lab’s review of the incident has led to uncertainty over the volatility of hundreds of other drums, including dozens still at Los Alamos. The lab notified state environment officials late last month that it was re-evaluating and relabeling as “ignitable” or “corrosive” the contents of 86 drums at LANL. The drums contain nitrate salts similar to those in the drum that ruptured Feb. 14 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Southern New Mexico. The Department of Energy also is reviewing and relabeling more than 300 LANL containers with similar chemicals that are stored underground at WIPP. The re-evaluation raises questions about the scope of the problem that led to the leak at WIPP.

The New Mexican

Please see VOLATILITY, Page A-4

Angie Rizzo of Santa Fe hula-hoops for photographs being taken by her friend Sarah Palmer at the Cross of the Martyrs on Tuesday. In the background is smoke from the Pino Fire east of Jemez Springs. LUIS SÁNCHEZ SATURNO/THE NEW MEXICAN

A

large column of smoke from the Pino Fire east of Jemez Springs was visible from Santa Fe and surrounding areas on Tuesday, and smoke was expected to drift to the northeast over the next few days. Lightning started the blaze last month in an area of Santa Fe National Forest where a prescribed burn was planned, so Forest Service officials allowed it to keep burning. With

recent hand and aerial ignitions, the fire grew to 164 acres by Tuesday. The agency warned motorists to proceed with caution if smoke limits visibility along Interstate 25, U.S. 550 and N.M. 4. The New Mexico Department of Health said that, in addition to affecting areas near the fire, smoke could impact residents as far away as Los Alamos and the Española Valley.

Tighter spaces push air passengers into conflict

Three-day event will focus on food and folklore. TASTE, C-1

Disruptive passengers become big problem as legroom shrinks

Nelson says. “The conditions continue to march in a direction that will lead to more and more conflict.” Airlines today are juggling terror warnings in Britain, the Ebola By Scott Mayerowitz outbreak in Africa and an IcelanThe Associated Press dic volcano erupting and threatening to close down European NEW YORK — Squeezed into airspace. Yet, the issue of disruptighter and tighter spaces, airline tive passengers has captured the passengers appear to be rebelling, world’s attention. taking their frustrations out on It’s getting to the point where other fliers. the pre-flight safety videos need Three U.S. flights made an additional warning: Be nice to unscheduled landings in the your neighbor. past eight days after passengers The International Air Transport got into fights over the ability to Association calls unruly pasrecline their seats. Disputes over sengers “an escalating problem,” a tiny bit of personal space might saying there was one incident for seem petty, but for passengers every 1,300 flights in the past three whose knees are already banging years. The trade group would not into tray tables, every inch counts. share detailed historical data to “Seats are getting closer back up the assertion that this is a together,” says Sara Nelson, growing problem. president of the Association of Today’s flying experience is far Flight Attendants, which reprefrom glamorous. Passengers wait sents 60,000 flight attendants in long lines for security screenat 19 airlines. “We have to deing, push and shove at the gate to escalate conflict all the time.” be first on board, and then fight There are fights over overhead for the limited overhead bin space. bin space, legroom and where to They are already agitated by the put winter coats. Please see CONFLICT, Page A-4 “We haven’t hit the end of it,”

Index

Calendar A-2

Classifieds C-3

Comics C-8

Main office: 983-3303 Late paper: 986-3010 News tips: 983-3035

Crosswords A-8, C-4

This image made from a video posted on the Internet by Islamic State militants and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, a U.S. terrorism watchdog, on Tuesday purports to show journalist Steven Sotloff before he was beheaded.

FUZE.SW conference returns to Santa Fe

Today Sunny with clear skies. High 89, low 55.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PAGE A-6

Philip Jon Lucero, Aug. 24

Obituaries Linda (Cole) Hernes, Aug. 30 Franz R. Buse, 73, Aug. 20

Carlos Sanchez, 88, Aug. 23 PAGE B-2

Extremists say they killed second American in response to airstrikes

Pasapick

By Zeina Karam

www.pasatiempomagazine.com

The Associated Press

BEIRUT — Islamic State extremists released a video Tuesday purportedly showing the beheading of a second American journalist, Steven Sotloff, and warning President Barack Obama that as long as U.S. airstrikes against the militant group continue, “our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.”

Mariachi Matinee The Santa Fe Fiesta Council presents the annual showcase of local talent, 10 a.m. ($10) and 2 p.m. ($7), Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco St., 988-1234, ticketssantafe.org.

Lotteries A-2

Opinions A-7

Video claims to show journalist’s beheading

Sports B-5

Taste C-1

Travel C-2

Time Out A-8

BREAKING NEWS AT WWW.SANTAFENEWMEXICAN.COM

The footage — depicting what the U.S. called a sickening act of brutality — was posted two weeks after the release of video showing the killing of James Foley and just days after Sotloff’s mother pleaded for his life. Barak Barfi, a spokesman for the family, said that the Sotloffs had seen the video but that authorities have not established its authenticity. “The family knows of this horrific tragedy and is grieving privately. There will be no public comment from the family during this difficult time,” Barfi said.

Please see VIDEO, Page A-4

Three sections, 24 pages 165th year, No. 246 Publication No. 596-440


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