Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 23

NEW MEXICO Tuesday, July 14, 1992 Albuquerque Journal Page 3, Section FROM JOURNAL STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS 'IGEST Bones of Large Meat-Eating Dinosaur Found By Mike Dennison THE ASSOCIATED PRESS "Most of the animals coming out of this quarry will either be new to science or very poorly known, because they are found in so few places," he said. The "knowledge gap" covers a period about 125 million years ago. Most fossils found in western Colorado and eastern Utah are from the Jurassic Age, about 140 million to 150 million years ago. They include allosaurs, apatosaurus and stego-saurus. Robert Gaston of Albuquerque discovered the excavation on state land about two years ago.

Kirkland came across it after finding a rare fossil in a Moab rock shop owned by Lin Ottinger, who had been working with Gaston. Ottinger and Gaston have since turned over material from the quarry to the CEU museum in Price, Utah. The Utahraptor's claw-core fossil is on display at the museum. man, but scientists said such an animal didn't exist. "We have confirmed what he wanted to do," Perry said.

"In fact, Jim Kirkland sent Spielberg a copy or a cast of the claw just for his information, confirming that there was indeed an animal that size that lived." "Jurassic Park" concerns a futuristic park in which dinosaurs are recreated from genetic material. A group of velociraptors gets loose in the compound after a power failure and terrorizes humans on the island park. Raptors, first discovered 30 years ago, are considered key evidence in the theory that dinosaurs were warm-blooded, active animals more closely related to birds than reptiles. The excavation yielding the Utahraptor fossils has produced new discoveries from the late Cretaceous period, a 30 million-year "knowledge gap" on North American dinosaurs, Perry said. single, large claw on each hind foot used for slashing their prey.

A preparator for the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum found the Utahraptor's claw-core bone last fall in a quarry north of Moab, Utah, Perry said. The bone indicated a claw 15 inches long, twice the size of claws on deinonychus, previously the largest known raptor. James Kirkland, a paleontologist with Dinamation International Society in Fruita, conferred with other researchers across the country and confirmed the find this summer, Perry said. Additional digging at the quarry also unearthed a portion of the Utahraptor's skull and upper jaw. Discovery of the larger raptor comes at an opportune time for makers of a movie based on "Jurassic Park." Film maker Steven Spielberg wanted to make the movie's velociraptors much larger than FRUITA, Colo.

Researchers in eastern Utah have discovered a larger version of velociraptor, the vicious meat-eating dinosaur that ran amok in Michael Crichton's best-selling novel "Jurassic Park." Mike Perry, executive director of a Colorado-based group that helped confirm the discovery, said Monday the "Utahrap-tor" is twice as large as earlier-known raptors, which were slightly larger than man. "It was the wolverine of the Cretaceous (period)," Perry said. "It had the ability to inflict far more damage than Tyranno-saurus rex. It was a formidable little animal." The Utahraptor was about 20 feet long and weighed a ton, he said. Raptors are fast-moving, carnivorous dinosaurs with a Alamogordo Company Wins West Suit LAS CRUCES A jury has awarded an Alamogordo plumbing company $298,000 in damages from TJ West Communications.

R.L. Cady, owner of Ponderosa Plumbing, had sued the telephone company, alleging he had not been paid for certain contract work. The lawsuit contended a letter sent from West to Ponderosa told the plumbing company it had to have three four-man crews available for work, and that the letter constituted a contract amendment. Cady's attorney, F. Randolph Burroughs, said the June 23 award before U.S.

District Judge Howard Bratton represents costs the company incurred hiring the extra workers and needed equipment. West attorney David Maestas said he has- filed several motions seeking to either set aside the verdict or reduce it and, depending upon the outcome of the motions, may appeal. "We're saying the letter did not constitute a contract amendment and that he did not incur any monetary damages," Maestas said. Ponderosa had been hired by West to perform underground excavations, install telephone cables and other related work in Otero County. Udall Named Chairman Of Subcommittee State Attorney General Tom Udall was named chairman of the Environment Legislative Subcommittee for the National Association of Attorneys General at the group's summer meeting last week in Pittsburgh.

Wild Water Ride I a 1 -1 ,1 i i 1 The subcommittee puts together the association's agenda on environmental issues and helps promote it on Capitol Hill. Udall also was elected vice chairman of the Environment and Sergeant In Sex Case Reactivated Gulf Rape Suspect Reports to Fort Bliss By Robert Holguin THE ASSOCIATED PRESS An Army Reserve sergeant from New Mexico who was charged with raping a female soldier during the Persian Gulf War reported to active duty Monday, an Army official said. Sgt. David Martinez will remain at Fort Bliss, Texas, until formal proceedings in his case begin, said Lt. Col.

Dennis Prevost. "Sergeant Martinez will be considered a working member of the base," Prevost said. "He will not be confined, and we will do our best to put his skills to use at our base." The Army on July 2 charged Martinez of Albuquerque with six counts in the alleged rape of Spec. Jacqueline Ortiz. He was recalled back into active duty late last week, Prevost said.

The charges stem from a Jan. 19, 1991, incident in which Ortiz claims Martinez forced her to perform oral sex while both were stationed in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. Martinez was charged with one count of forcible sodomy, one count of indecent assault and four counts of falsifying official statements. A military hearing, called an Article 32, is scheduled for mid-August, Prevost said. In an Article 32 hearing, an investigating officer who hasn't been involved in the case listens to testimony from both parties and reviews the investigation.

"It's a very involved process because the investigator has to cover a very wide geographic area," said Prevost. "When the Article 32 is over, the investigator will decide whether the case should be dropped or taken to a general court-martial." If the case goes to a court-martial and if Martinez is found guilty, he could face 40. years of imprisonment, forfeiture of pay and allowances, a reduction in rank and a dishonorable discharge. Prevost said Fort Bliss has jurisdiction over the case because it's the closest base to the accused and the alleged victim. "It is very gratifying to see the Army moving the case along quickly and without delay," Henry Hol-zer, Ortiz's attorney, said from his New York office.

Martinez's attorney, Richard Utman, Jr. of Albuquerque, did not return calls to The Associated Press. Martinez and Ortiz were members of the 52nd Engineering Battalion in Santa Fe. Ortiz of Sapello claims Martinez summoned her to his tent in the Saudi desert and forced her to perform oral sex. The Army initially concluded the sex was consen- sual and reprimanded both of them.

But the Army reopened the case earlier this year at the urging of Rep. Bill Richardson, ROSE PALMISANO JOURNAL Shannon White, 13, and sister Jasmine, 7, steam right some relief from the summer heat. The two were at the park through the sprinkler at Socorro's Cedillo Park looking for recently for an outing with their family. Woman's AIDS Suit In Court 2nd Time THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Energy Commit- uda" tee, which directs the association's environmental projects. He was named an alternate to the Department of Justice National Environment Enforcement Council, one of several state-federal working groups that coordinate action in the environmental area.

Teens Build Home For Poor Mexican Family LAS CRUCES Fifteen Las Cruces teen-agers spent a sweltering week building a home for a poor Mexican family in the border city of Ciudad Juarez. "We went through 120 gallons of water, 240 pounds of ice and 10 cases of Coke," said Las Cruces High School senior Eric Loman. First Presbyterian Church of Las Cruces organized the trip last week. Las Cruces teen-agers raised the money for the project, estimated to cost $3,000, through fund-raising events. The group, including several adults, built the ll-by-22-foot home in four days without using power tools.

The teens worked from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily in 100-degree-plus heat, laying the foundation, erecting a wood frame, covering the walls with foam board for insulation and wrapping the home in chicken wire to prepare it for stucco. The house was built for a family of four who live on $40 a week. The father is a Juarez bus mechanic.

The family previously lived in a shack slapped together with wood scraps and trash. 3 Siberian Scientists Experiment at NMSU LAS CRUCES Three Siberian scientists have spent the past seven weeks hard at work in a modern physics laboratory at New Mexico State University. The physicists from the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Atmospheric Optics have done a number of laser projects during the stay, which ends Friday. They studied how laser light interacts with tiny particles in the air in experiments they conceived, controlled and recorded. Other experiments by the Siberians have studied the effects of heat and explosions on lasers.

The possibility of trying their hands at the modern and more flexible equipment is what prompted one of the researchers Liliya Chis-tyakova to suggest the visit to NMSU physics professor Robert Armstrong. He said he was impressed with how creative the Siberian scientists were with old and sometimes "homemade" lasers and other technical equipment. Secretary Of State In Charge By Deborah Baker THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SANTA FE There's no name-plate on the door, but this week it's Acting Gov. Stephanie Gonzales. New Mexico's secretary of state is minding the store while Gov.

Bruce King and Lt. Gov. Casey Luna are in New York City for the Democratic National Convention. Under the state constitution, the secretary of state is in charge when the governor and lieutenant governor leave New Mexico! Other than keeping the state police apprised of her schedule, the designation doesn't mean much of a change for Gonzales. She'll spend the week in her own office, doing her own work.

She may in her capacity as acting governor sign some of the "Aide-de-Camp" certificates that make deserving New Mexicans honorary members of the governor's staff. And Wednesday, she'll welcome two visiting physicians from Russia, hosting a luncheon at the governor's residence. In short, a relatively uneventful week at the helm or so she hopes. "We're not anticipating any kind of a crisis," said Gonzales, who has twice been acting governor while King and Luna were gone. "But if something does happen, we're prepared." The role of acting governor had more weight in the days when out-of-state travel meant the governor was unreachable for long stretches, said King's press secretary, John McKean.

"In today's day and age, if we want to reach the real governor we just pick up a phone or fax," McKean said. "There's no time we couldn't get hold of the governor if we absolutely had to." Although King is not empowered to act while out of state, he would make the decisions in an emergency, the spokesman said. King, who returns Friday, is one of New Mexico's voting delegates at the convention. Luna is not a delegate. decision that she should have a new trial.

The American National Red Cross, the American Association of Blood Banks and the Council of Community Blood Centers have filed briefs in support of UBS, a major blood supplier in the West. Quintana contracted the virus from a blood transfusion received during surgery at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cor-tez in 1983. It had been donated by a homosexual teacher from Santa Fe. Blood bank officials argue they followed acceptable practices of the time in trying to provide a safe supply of blood. Quintana contends the virus has caused her to be ostracized in her southwestern Colorado hometown.

She has been in and out of hospitals because of the disease. DENVER Jury selection in the case of a Dolores woman who acquired AIDS from a blood transfusion'; began Monday in Denver District Court. In the lawsuit, Susie Quintana, 54, contends United Blood Services of Albuquerque was negligent in supplying her with contaminated blood. She is seeking more than $13 million from the New Mexico blood bank. Filed in 1986, the suit challenged the screening procedures used by blood banks to prevent transmission of the AIDS virus.

This is Quintana's second chance to prove her case. In 1988, a Denver District Court jury found the blood bank wasn't negligent, but Quintana successfully appealed that decision. In March, the Colorado Supreme Court upheld the appeals court Game Group Urges Dog Chases on Bears, Lions THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Game Commission later this year. The Elk-Bear-Antelope Advisory Council also might consider the issue at its meeting this Friday. The state Wildlife Division's assistant chief, Jimmy Gonzales, said at Thursday's hearing his agency hasn't recommended pursuit seasons.

He said concerns include danger to animals that are breeding or caring for their young and possible dog attacks on animals out of season. A few people at the hearing argued that chases are cruel or harm game animal populations. The council recommended four-month "pursuit seasons," when dogs would be allowed to chase, but not kill, bears and mountain lions. The advisory group also recommended a year-round pursuit season on raccoons, and allowing some raccoon kills by dogs outside the regular hunting season if they are "incidental" to the chase. The recommendations willgo to the The Wildlife Division estimates there are just 3,000 bears in New Mexico.

Gonzales said research shows bears a major focus of the debate over dog pursuits "may be in trouble." Albuquerque hunter Richard Kilbury challenged Gonzales, saying guides and others who observe the state's bear population are seeing "a virtual bear population explosion." Kilbury also contended California studies concluded chase seasons haven't had an impact on bear or other species in that state. 1' SANTA FE An advisory group is recommending the state Game Commission adopt "pursuit seasons" that would allow dogs to chase bear, mountain lions and raccoons. Dog owners turned out in force for a hearing last week by the Waterfowl-Upland Game Advisory Council, arguing that chases are needed to train dogs for actual hunting. Pursuit seasons were discontinued two or three years ago. fc.