Roswell Daily Record
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THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
F18 crashes into Va. apartments
Vol. 121, No. 83 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
ROME (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI encouraged those threatened by unemployment and other economic woes to draw courage and strength from the suffering of the crucified Jesus Christ as the pontiff presided over a Good Friday candlelit Way of the Cross procession at the ancient Colosseum. Benedict, who turns 85 on April 16, didn’t carry ... - PAGE A9
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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — A fighter jet that malfunctioned just after takeoff hurtled into a Virginia Beach apartment complex on Friday in a spectacular crash that sent flames and black smoke billowing from the rubble.
GOOD FRIDAY IN ROME
April 7, 2012
AP Photo
Emergency crews extinguish a fire at the scene of a jet crash in Virginia Beach, Va., Friday.
The two pilots managed to eject just before impact, suf fering minor injuries along with five others on the ground. Several residents described hearing a loud explosion and looking out their windows to see the red and orange blaze. In the confusion that fol-
lowed, two men helped one of the bloodied pilots from the two-seat F18 Hornet move to safety.
By evening, emergency crews were searching through the charred remains of the complex, where some 40 apartment units were damaged or destroyed. No fatalities had been reported.
Seven people, including the pilots from nearby Naval Air Station Oceana, were taken to a hospital. All except one of the pilots were released by late afternoon.
Virginia Beach Fire Department Capt. T im Riley said more than two dozen residents remained unaccounted for, although all but the six most damaged apartments had been searched. The plane had dumped loads of fuel before crashing, though it wasn’t clear if that was because of a malfunction or an intentional maneuver by the pilots, said Capt. Mark Weisgerber with U.S. Fleet Forces Command. The jet See F18, Page A7
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Hundreds of the faithful make a spiritual pilgrimage during the inaugural Stations of the Cross presented at St. John’s Catholic Church, Friday. The Stations depict Christ’s Passion and death.
RANGERS EDGE CHISOX
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ian Kinsler and the twotime defending American League champion Texas Rangers certainly don’t seem affected by their disappointments. After being unable to reach a deal on a new longterm contract before his selfimposed deadline of opening day to end negotiations, Kinsler homered, had a double and scored twice for the Rangers in a season-opening 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday. “You come in here and you play for your ... - PAGE B1
CASA volunteer Sara Armstrong has long-standing interest in kids
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Krystle Stephenson • Delbert (Dee) Lott • Charles W. Hartley - PAGE A8
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Mark Wilson Photo
adopting him. He has a very loving and structured home. That’s what these people can do.” The vice president of a successful corporation, a dedicated civic volunteer, and a board member, past and present, of several organizations, Armstrong should be far from humble, but she isn’t, involving her-
to Roswell and later established Armstrong Energy Corp., a successful oil and gas exploration and production company. While she worked for some time at the company, mainly serving as the bookkeeper, Armstrong chose to follow her interest in children’s issues. She said she garnered this interest from
self in the community all for the pursuit of giving back. Armstrong, who calls her volunteer work a passion, said, “I get as much back as I give.” A native of Breckenridge, Texas, Armstrong met her husband Robert, a fourthgeneration Roswellite, at the University of Texas, when she was an undergraduate and he was in law school. The couple moved
mothering two sons, Clark and Kyle, and her training as a teacher. Ar mstrong earned her Bachelor of Arts in education from UT. She was one of the first individuals to start St. Andrew’s Episcopal Day School in 1982. At that time Armstrong, who had gone to Episcopal schools herself, had young children
From left, Alycia Miller and Jean Snyder, of the Assurance Home, receive a visit from Easter basket-laden Altrusas Joan Blodgett and Gail Lucier, Friday afternoon.
Altrusa Easter Bunnies arrive with many baskets for Assurance Home kids NOAH VERNAU RECORD STAFF WRITER
The Altrusa Club of Roswell delivered Easter baskets to the Assurance Home on Friday, an
annual act of kindness that brought a little bit of everything to the 20 boys and girls who reside at the center. Baskets included a
See EASTER, Page A7
Sara Armstrong
JULIA BERGMAN RECORD STAFF WRITER Sara Armstrong remembers her first case as a Chaves County CASA volunteer. “It was a child who nobody thought would turn out to be anything, and he is an incredible person now, has just bloomed. The foster parents ended up
See SPOTLIGHT, Page A7