Roswell Daily Record
Obama defends drones
Vol. 122, No. 124 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama sought Thursday to advance the U.S. beyond the unrelenting war effort of the past dozen years, defining a narrower terror threat from smaller networks and homegrown extremists rather than the grandiose plots of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida.
STOCKS EDGE LOWER
NEW YORK (AP) — Investors recovered their poise after a shaky start to trading on Wall Street that sent stocks sharply lower. U.S. markets plummeted immediately after the opening bell Thursday following a global slump prompted in part by an unexpectedly weak report on manufacturing in China. Concern that the Federal Reserve ... - PAGE B6
In a lengthy address at the National Defense University, Obama defended his controversial dronestrikes program as a linchpin of the U.S. response to the evolving dangers. He also argued that changing
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
May 24, 2013
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threats require changes to the nation’s counterterrorism policies. Obama implored Congress to close the muchmaligned Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba and pledged to allow greater oversight of the drone program. But he plans to keep the most lethal ef forts with the unmanned aircraft under the control of the CIA. He offered his most vigorous public defense yet of drone strikes as legal, effective and necessary as terror threats progress. Obama’s address came
amid increased pressure from Congress on both the drone program and the status of the Guantanamo prison. A rare coalition of bipartisan lawmakers has pressed for more openness and more oversight of the highly secretive targeted strikes, while liberal lawmakers have pointed to a hunger strike at Guantanamo in pressing Obama to renew his stalled efforts to close the detention center.
The president cast the drone program as crucial in See OBAMA, Page A3
AP Photo
President Barack Obama during an address on national security at National Defense University at Fort McNair, in Washington, Thursday.
Trial centers on calls
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JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
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For The Past 24 Hours
• Larry the Cable Guy does Roswell ... • Walker Museum opens new exhibit • Missouri Avenue kids dedicate school ... • Arias trial Day 3 • Goddard’s Aston, Gomez win silver ...
INSIDE SPORTS Mark Wilson Photo
University High graduates wait for their big moment at Pueblo Auditorium after a thunderstorm forced a change of venue from the Wool Bowl, Thursday evening.
Rain doesn’t dampen UHS grads’ joy JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
DIDN’T PLAY DIRTY, BUT ...
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — One of the quietest players in NFL history sure had a lot to say Thursday. Former Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen made up for all those “no comments” during his 15-year career during an extraordinary half hour that at times showed precisely why he was wise to stay silent rather than speak his mind. While meeting with the media to talk about his election into the team’s Ring of Fame, Nalen insisted he wasn’t a dirty player but acknowledged trying to injure San Diego Chargers defensive lineman ... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Eva Horton • Joyce Brown Chapman • Georgia Lee Varnell - PAGE A2, A7
Support and war mth enveloped the 21 University High School graduates Thursday night inside Pueblo Auditorium as the packed audience cheered relentlessly for
the students who had overcome some of life’s toughest obstacles to obtain their diplomas.
Roswell Independent School District’s highest administrative staff lined the stage as the small group of proud graduates were called to receive
“Graduations are about accomplishment,” said the school’s principal Laura Herrera. “Tonight we celebrate the fact that these students got to this moment. And we hope this milestone will inspire them to dream bigger and
work harder to achieve more and bigger goals.” Many students who enroll at UHS face obstacles in their teen years, such as pregnancy, relationship issues, medical problems or other barriers.
City backs grant application County approves interim budget ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
During a special meeting, Thursday, City Council approved a resolution in support of an application from New Mexico MainStreet for a $100,000 grant toward the renovation of Reischman Park. Councilor Dusty Huckabee, who serves as director
of MainStreet Roswell, said that the organization, along with the Roswell Interarts Organization and the Roswell Museum and Art Center, started working on a revitalization project for the park two years ago and hoped to have it completed by last year, in time for the state’s centennial. He said the organization is in the process of writing the grant application, which
will be submitted to the New Mexico Department of Economic Development.
The proposed redesign includes tile artwork commemorating the state’s history, ADA regulation ramps and a new per formance stage. “We just think it’ll be another attraction down-
See UHS, Page A3
ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
The Chaves County Board of Commissioners approved the county’s interim budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year Thursday during a spe-
See TRIAL, Page A3
cial business meeting. Last week, the board reviewed the interim budget at a workshop during its regular business meeting. One issue discussed then was the possibility of lowering
Boy Scouts approve plan to accept openly gay boys
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TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B7 COMICS.................B5 FINANCIAL .............B6 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........B2 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ............A10
awards and scholarships.
The trial of the State of New Mexico versus Jose Arias entered its fourth day, Thursday, with both the State and defense playing recorded phone calls may by Arias to his spouse Victoria Velasquez-Arias, from Chaves County Detention Center during the period of April 24 to May 16, 2011. Arias faces charges of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence, after the shooting and death that occurred on West Fourth Street only four days after his release. CCDC Administrative Assistant Dora Gonzalez described the process of copying the calls for the court. She attested to the fact that the recordings could not be altered and confirmed that each person is war ned at the time of making the calls that the calls may be recorded. A recorded message announces the caller and gives recipient the option to accept the call or refuse it.
INDEX
GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — The Boy Scouts of America threw open its ranks Thursday to gay Scouts but not gay Scout leaders — a fiercely contested compro-
AP Photo
mise that some war ned could fracture the organization and lead to mass defections of members and donors. Of the roughly 1,400 vot-
See CITY, Page A3
ing members of the BSA’s National Council who cast ballots, 61 percent supported the proposal drafted by the governing Executive Committee. The policy change takes effect Jan. 1. “While people have different opinions about this policy, we can all agree that kids are better of f when they are in Scouting,” the BSA said after announcing the results at the council’s annual meeting near Dallas. However, the outcome will not end the bitter debate over the Scouts’ membership policy. Liberal Scout leaders — while supporting the proposal to accept gay youth — have made clear they
want the ban on gay adults lifted as well. In contrast, conservatives with the Scouts — including some churches that sponsor Scout units — wanted to continue excluding gay youths, in some cases threatening to defect if the ban were lifted. “We are deeply saddened,” said Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s executive committee after learning of the result. “Homosexual behavior is incompatible with the principles enshrined in the Scout oath and Scout law.” The Assemblies of God, another conservative denomination, said the policy change “will lead to a
See COUNTY, Page A3
mass exodus from the Boy Scout program.” The result was welcomed by many gay-rights groups, which joined in the call for an end to the ban on gay adults. “I’m so proud of how far we’ve come, but until there’s a place for everyone in Scouting, my work will continue,” said Jennifer Tyrrell, who’s ouster as a Cub Scout den leader in Ohio because she is lesbian launched a national protest movement. The vote followed what the BSA described as “the most comprehensive listening exercise in Scouting’s history” to gauge opinions See SCOUTS, Page A3