Carlsbad Current-Argus from Carlsbad, New Mexico • 1

TEDPI TS CARLSBAD 1 TUESDAY 5wS DM? nP Zi morning, Eddy County Vhtt us Qolirte at www.aHTefltargtB.cfm El Weather Planes attack Republican Guard units 7 A By David Espo Associated Press Special Correspondent Aiming for Saddam Hussein's seat of power, U.S.-led warplanes and helicopters attacked Republican Guard units defending Baghdad on 1 r- ft 1 5 For complete coverage of the war in Iraq, see page 9A. Monday while ground troops advanced to within 50 miles of the Iraqi capital. President Here are the newest names added tc the list of local servicemen and women who are serving in the Middle East. The information was provided by their families. Clarence Brian Blackburn, who is a sergeant, is the son of Leo and Margie Blackburn of Carlsbad.

Me was in Kuwait at last word. He is a career soldier. Ravi Gill, a Marine reservist, is the son of Sat and GurbaxGill. He grew up in Terrace, British Columbia After becoming a fixed-wing pilot with Southwsst Air Ambulance, he lived in Las Cruces and then in Carlsbad. He was a reservist with the Eddy County Sheriff's Department.

He has been in Kuwait since February. Jeffrey W. Healey, who is in the Navy Reserve, is the son of Waine Healey of Carlsbad and Jan Beeman of Marion, and grandson of Bettye and Francis Beeman of Carlsbad. He is now in the Middle East. He is a 1988 graduate of Carlsbad High School.

Partly cloudy today. High in the upper 60s. Low in the tower 40s. Northeast winds 5-15 mph. See back page for details Events The City Council plans to meet at 6 p.m.

today in the Municipal Building at 101 N. Halagueno SU Agenda Items include a lease agreement between the city and Marbob Energy Corp. for ground space near the airport and an amendment to an agreement between the city and Santa Fe Protective Services Inc. for home detention of Municipal Court offenders. Bush put a $75 billion price tag on a down payment for the war.

The helicopter assault marked the first known engagement between forces in central Iraq, and many of the American craft were hit by Iraqi groundfire. One went down behind enemy lines the cause was unknown and the Pentagon said the two-person crew had been taken prisoner. Five days into Operation Iraqi Freedom, resistance prevented American and British forces from securing the southern cities of Basra and An Nasiriyah and thwarted efforts to extinguish burning oil wells. "These things are never easy," conceded British Prime Minister Tony Blair, on the day his country suffered its first combat casualty of the war. "There will be some difficult times ahead but (the war) is going to plan despite the tragedies." Saddam sought to rally his own country in a televised appearance.

"Be patient, brothers, because God's victory will be ours soon," he said, appearing in full military garb and seeming more composed than in a taped appearance broadcast last week. Despite Saddam's defiant pose, a military barracks in the northern part of the country was bombed, and Baghdad fell under renewed air attack by day and by night. Iraqis set up mortar positions south of the city and piled sandbags around govern- Mark Richards Associated Press Sa pagi 6A for mora names on tha Current-Argus' list of residents in the war. Private Jonathan West of Zulu Company, Royal Fusiliers, (Desert Rats) keeps the enemy at bay in Basra, southern Iraq, on Monday. t'-A- The Iraqi south, far from subdued, still rages forces like the Fedayeen, Saddam Hussein's most trusted paramilitary fighters.

They wear no uniforms and hide among civilians, striking and then receding. "It felt great when we came in, with the crowds waiting and smiling. Now you wonder whaf behind those smiles and what lies behind those crowds," said Lt. Col. Michael Belcher of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

"If tough to win over See SOUTH, Page 10A action nearby. At the southern oil fields, once considered secure, shadowy Iraqi forces apparently ambushed a British unit by feigning surrender. Civilian workers brought in to fight fires at the wells were forced to withdraw for their own safety. At the port of Umm Qasr, continuing battles choke the lifeline of humanitarian shipments for Iraq's suffering people. The resistance is sporadic and sometimes fierce, generally the work of irregular Iraqi By Doug Mellgren Associated Press Writer SOUTHERN IRAQ Days after it appeared that the battle had been won in Iraq's south, the shooting and the dying goes on.

At Basra, allied forces circling Iraq's second largest city, refusing to enter it for fear of being caught in an urban bloodbath came under heavy artillery fire Monday. A British soldier was reported killed in Calendar TODAY 8 a.m., 8 p.m., Alcoholics Anonymous: Alano Club, 701 N. Guadalupe St Phone: 885-0491. 8 a.m., Board of Realtors, Every CMC cafeteria. 11:30 a.m.

HIBAC Program (Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Corps) every Tuesday at North Mesa Senior Center. Call Wanda or Russ Coupe at 887-0932. Noon, Cavern City Narcotics Anonymous, Alano Club, 701 N. Guadalupe corner of Guadalupe and Lucky streets. See BAGHDAD, Page 1 0A KOAT official 'stunned' by county decision Police may cite scooter operators By Stella Davis Current-Argus Staff Writer CARLSBAD KOAT's president said Monday she is "stunned" Eddy County is filing a complaint with two See Page 10A for more listings mission hasn't picked up the phone and called me.

I think out of courtesy to KOAT, we should have been told that there is a problem. We should have been asked to come before the commission to present our side." Roper said U.S. Cable is trying to shift the blame from itself to KOAT. Massey said KOAT an ABC network affiliate was contacted by Commissioner Glenn Collier before the issue was placed on the March 18 commission agenda. Collier said Monday he is glad that Roper is a "little angry," but he said he is not overly concerned with her reaction.

See KOAT, Page 1 0A 7 is frequently knocked off the air. U.S. Cable provides cable television service in Eddy, Lea and Chaves counties. The company holds an exclusive franchise in Eddy County and the cities of Carlsbad and Artesia. The franchise is granted by all three local governments.

County Manager Steve Massey confirmed Monday that the letters were mailed to the Federal Communications Commission and the state Public Regulation Commission on Friday. "I'm stunned," KOAT President and General Manager Mary Lynn Roper said Monday. "I don't understand why the (Eddy County) com (4 don't Aunderstand why the commission hasn't picked up the phone and called me." regulatory agenaes about her television station's service. The Eddy County Commission last week decided to file a complaint with the two agencies after being told by U.S. Cable regional representatives that-the Albuquerque-based television station not U.S.

Cable is to blame for the frequent outages and poor reception on channel 7. The cable company's representatives were asked to come before the commission to explain why channel Obituaries Andrew Johnson Bobby Ward John H.Millman Mary Lunsford Dorothy Martin See Page 6A for details Mary Lynn Roper KOAT president and general manager By Dawn Bowen Current-Argus Staff Writer CARLSBAD Police Chief Connie Mack Riley has a warning for parents children operating motorized scooters are getting out of hand. "I am afraid we are going to have a tragedy on our hands if parents fail to address this issue," Riley said. He said he has heard numerous reports of children riding electric-and gas-powered scooters on city streets and placing themselves in danger, especially in residential areas. Because some of the gas-powered scooters can reach speeds of 20-25 mph, a child operating a scooter can move into harm's way quickly, he said, before a driver realizes the child is there.

"Drivers backing out of their driveways and making other maneuvers cannot see these kids on scooters," he said. "It's just an overall dangerous situation that parents need to address." A city ordinance prohibits the See SCOOTER, Page 10A Delinquency panel seeking input on transportation needs the City Council on April 8. Jeff Diamond, the committee's chairman, said better-equipped transportation services COMMUNITY SURVEY By Erin Madsen Current-Argus Staff Writer CARLSBAD The Carlsbad Delinquency Committee and the municipal transit system are seeking public input on the community's needs for public transportation for after-school youth services. During its Monday meeting, the committee decided that such input would help focus one of its goals, which is to expand transportation services throughout the city, before the committee presents a proposal to AcMce 7A Business 3A Classifieds SB Comics 4B Financial 6A Local news SA Lottery 3A Movies 6A NationWorld 8A Obituaries 6A Opinion 4A Sports JB Weather 10A a The following sumy can be filled out and returned to children's teachers or parents may call at BS7-2121 to provide responses. Here's what to include: Number of children in household needing transportation Schools children attend Destinations to which parents would like for their children to be taken (Examples Include daycare, the Boys and Girls Club, the RiverwalK Recreation Center, sports activity, home or baby sitter).

would help eliminate a Darner ror cmi-dren interested in attending after-school programs and activities throughout the city. The city's transit system looked at 13 transportation programs in different New Mexico communities to better understand successful programs already up and running, said Mickie Compton, the city's transit manager. See DELINQUENCY, Page 1 0A El xi I '15 XUXJ: I i mm i wmiu.