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A1 After rehab release, more uncertainty for Lohan Monday, January 3, 2011 Read Page B10 On Top Of The News Email: [email protected] website: www.arubatoday.com Tel: 582-7800 Monday, January 3, 2011 APNewsBreak: ND oil patch LAND may double production DOWN By JAMES MacPHERSON, Associated Press BISMARCK, N.D. – Government and industry officials believe North UNDER Dakota’s oil patch contains more than twice the amount of oil previously estimated and that the state’s already record crude production will double within the decade. If the forecast is correct, Australian cities brace for flooding North Dakota could leapfrog in a few years from the fourth-biggest oil producing state to No. 2, trailing only Texas. “It’s a pretty rosy picture,” said Lynn Helms, director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources. “We have a huge amount of drilling still in front of us.” Helms said the state currently is pumping about 350,000 barrels of crude per day and was on pace to produce about 110 million barrels in 2010, up from 79.7 million last year and more than double the amount produced less than three years ago. In this photo provided by the Rockhampton Regional Council, water floods over the runway of Record rig activity pushed the Rockhampton airport, Australia, Sunday, Jan. by strong crude prices and 2, 2011. Floodwaters that cover an area the size of refinements in drilling France and Germany combined are draining slowly technology could result toward Australia’s northeast coast, filling bulging in North Dakota seeing rivers to overflowing and inundating at least 22 towns a twofold increase in and cities in the cattle and fruit and vegetable farming production. The drilling region. technology alone has cut Associated Press the amount of time needed Page A14 to complete a well from 65 days in 2008 to about 25 days. Continued on Next Page A2 UP FRONT Monday, January 3, 2011 More than 1,000 dead birds fall from sky in Ark. BEEBE, Ark. – Wildlife hail.” officials are trying to The commission said that determine what caused more New Year’s Eve revelers than 1,000 blackbirds to die shooting off fireworks in and fall from the sky over an the area could have startled Arkansas town. the birds from their roost The Arkansas Game and Fish and caused them to die from Commission said Saturday stress. that it began receiving Robby King, a wildlife reports about the dead birds officer for the agency, about 11:30 p.m. the previous collected about 65 dead birds, night. The birds fell over a which will be sent for testing 1-mile area of Beebe, and to the state Livestock and an aerial survey indicated Poultry Commission lab and that no other dead birds were the National Wildlife Health found outside of that area. Center lab in Madison, Wis. Commission ornithologist Rowe said that similar events Karen Rowe said the birds have occurred elsewhere showed physical trauma, and that test results “usually and she speculated that “the were inconclusive.” She said flock could have been hit she doubted the birds were by lightning or high-altitude poisoned.q Major impact may be on 2012 election AP NEWSBREAK Continued from Front Page end in gridlock, Republicans off we’ll be,” he told “Fox “We are now looking at the possibility of 700,000 barrels a will have built a record for the News Sunday.” day and we see that coming in the next four to seven years,” next election that they hope Rep. Harold Rogers of Helms said. will demonstrate to voters Kentucky, incoming leader At that rate, North Dakota would surpass California and that they can get it right. of the House Appropriations Alaska based on those states’ current production, said Steven House Republicans also Committee, says he wants Grape, the domestic reserves project manager for the U.S. pledge to hold tough top officials from all major Department of Energy’s information administration. investigations and hearings government agencies to “That would be pretty amazing in my book,” Grape said. on the president’s programs appear and justify their North Dakota’s oil patch now accounts for about 6 percent of and policies, ending the spending. total U.S. crude oil production. That’s up from 1 percent less free pass that Democratic The next chairman of the than three years ago. committee chairmen gave House Energy and Commerce Federal and state estimates had pegged North Dakota’s portion the Obama administration the Committee, Republican Fred of the Bakken shale and underlying Three Forks-Sanish oil past two years. Upton of Michigan, says he’ll formations in western North Dakota at about 5 billion barrels WASHINGTON – The Republicans insist they’ll work to stop over-zealous of oil, using current horizontal drilling technology. Republican agenda for the bring key administration government regulators. A Helms said that estimate has more than doubled based on new Congress that convenes officials before congressional big target for him is the drilling success and current production rates. Wednesday may have a microphones and that Environmental Protection “We’re starting to see indications that we could reasonably greater impact on the 2012 the public can watch the Agency, which is writing get 11 billion barrels,” Helms said. elections than on the lives of webcasts. The friendly tone rules to limit greenhouse North Dakota has about 5,300 producing oil wells. About Americans in the next two of inquiry from Democratic gases blamed for global 2,000 of those have spudded in just more than three years, years. chairmen will be replaced warming after Obama’s aimed at the Bakken and Three Forks. Republicans promise to cut by Republicans demanding effort to get Congress to do it About 95 percent of rigs drilling in North Dakota are aimed spending, roll back President answers to these questions: stalled in the Senate last year. at those formations, and 99 percent of them hit oil, while Barack Obama’s health What’s the purpose of this “We are not going to let nine of 10 are profitable, Helms said. care overhaul and prevent program? Is this the best use this administration regulate Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, unelected bureaucrats from of the taxpayers’ money? what they’ve been unable to said about 650 new wells were drilled in 2010. He and Helms expanding the government’s The chief Republican legislate,” he told Fox. expect up to 2,000 new wells in 2011, which would double role in society through investigator, Rep. Darrell Upton, like Issa, will have a the number of Bakken and Three Forks wells to date. regulations that tell people Issa of California, is raring large investigative staff. A record 168 wells were drilling in the state’s oil patch last what they must or can’t do. to get started, and he’s not “Republicans need to make month but dipped to 156 last week, hampered by winter Getting this agenda through alone. Issa, the incoming sure they bring forward weather. Ness and Helms expect about 200 rigs to be drilling the House may be easier chairman of the House solutions, even though it in 2011. than in the Senate, given the Oversight and Government may be difficult to get them “We are going to be drilling a lot of wells in the next year GOP’s 241-194 majority in Reform Committee, has been accomplished,” Rep.-elect and production is going to go up, barring any unforeseen the House. Getting the Senate especially critical of what Kristi Noem, R-S.D., said problems,” Ness said. “We’re all pretty bullish on 2011.” to act will be a challenge. he calls waste in Obama’s in an interview. She said the North Dakota has risen from being the ninth-largest oil- Democrats still hold an edge economic stimulus spending. lesson from the November producing state in 2006 because of the Bakken and the Three there, though smaller than “The sooner the election is, “The American Forks beneath it. Helms said nothing surprises him anymore the one Obama had during administration figures out that people will replace people if about the state’s prolific oil patch. his first two years in the the enemy is the bureaucracy they’re no longer in touch or “I’m running out of superlatives,” Helms said. “We’re going White House. and the wasteful spending, listening.” to have to invent some new ones.q Even if the next two years not the other party, the better Continued on Page A6 U.S. NEWS A3 Monday, January 3, 2011 US Navy to probe lewd videos shown to carrier crew NORFOLK, Va. – A top newspaper and posted on its and others are shown making officer aboard a nuclear- website, Honors addresses the hand motions that mimic powered aircraft carrier camera and introduces a series masturbation. broadcast to his crew a series of several lewd video clips, Honors segues to the next of profanity-laced comedy which he acknowledges have segment by saying, “Finally sketches in which he uses gay drawn complaints. let’s get to my favorite topic ... slurs, mimics masturbation “As usual, the admiral and the chicks in the shower.” Next are and opens the shower curtain captain have no idea about the shown clips of pairs of women on women pretending to contents of the video or movie and a pair of men pretending bathe together, a newspaper this evening, and they should to shower together. No nudity reported. not be held accountable in any is shown, but the men’s and The Virginian-Pilot reported judicial setting,” Honors says women’s bare shoulders imply in its Sunday editions that on the video. “Over the years they are nude. Capt. Owen Honors appeared I’ve gotten several complaints It’s not immediately clear in the videos in 2006 and about inappropriate material where the ship was located 2007 while he was the USS during these videos, never to when the videos were Enterprise’s second-ranking me personally but, gutlessly, produced. The Enterprise officer, and showed them through other channels.” served a six-month across the ship on closed- During this introduction, he deployment in support of the circuit television. He took also uses a derogatory term war in Iraq in 2006 and another over as the ship’s commander for gays. six-month deployment to the in May. Next comes a sequence of Persian Gulf in 2007. The Navy said it plans to what appear to be outtakes Commissioned in 1961, it’s the investigate the videos, which it in which Honors and others world’s first nuclear-powered called “clearly inappropriate.” curse. Honors observes that aircraft carrier. It is scheduled “The videos were intended to comedians who performed to sail two more deployments be humorous skits focusing on the ship always got before it is decommissioned the crew’s attention on laughs when they used “the in 2013. It can carry a crew of specific issues such as port f-bomb.” After that, Honors more than 5,800.q visits, traffic safety, water conservation, ship cleanliness, etc.,” the Navy said in a statement to the newspaper. Navy Cmdr. Chris Sims said in a statement sent to The Associated Press that the videos “were not acceptable then and are not acceptable in today’s Navy.” A phone listing for Honors was not immediately available. He is a 1983 alumnus of the U.S. Naval Academy and was a naval aviator before holding command. He attended the U.S. Naval Fighter Weapons School, also known as Top Gun. Commanding officers and enlisted chiefs “are charged to lead by example and are held accountable for setting the proper tone and upholding the standards of honor, courage and commitment that we expect Sailors to exemplify,” Sims said in the statement. In a video obtained by the A4 US NEWS Monday, January 3, 2011 Deputy, suspect dead in Ohio trailer park standoff shots fired by the suspect and he heard Hopper scream, said. “They were begging him eight officers, he said. Kelly said. to come out, but he wouldn’t The wounded officer, Jeremy “We believed we had an active come out.” Blum, was hospitalized in shooter, which we did, and Shortly after, Burkhardt said, fair condition, a hospital we wanted to get her some authorities opened fire on the supervisor said. Authorities medical attention, but we man’s trailer. were still investigating and didn’t want to get anyone else “All hell broke loose,” he said. weren’t ready to say whether shot,” the sheriff said. Police threw smoke grenades police gunfire killed the Enon Beach acts as a seasonal before storming the trailer suspect, whose identity wasn’t campground with some and finding the suspect dead, released, Kelly said. It’s summer-only residents and Kelly said. possible the suspect, who had others who live there year- He said he had hired Hopper “a history” with the sheriff’s round. A portion of Interstate in 1999 and had known her office, killed himself, he said. 70 was closed twice for a total since the police academy. Enon Beach resident Angelina of about an hour because the Hopper, 40, was known for Inman said she looked out of trailer park is so close to the her dedication to the job and her trailer at the park, which roadway, Ohio State Highway adherence to keeping herself sits near a highway, to see the Patrol Lt. Gary Lewis said. safe, Kelly said. The former deputy lying on the ground. A girl who lives in the trailer officer of the year was wearing She watched as another officer park said she knew the a protective vest Saturday, but tried to reach her body. shooting suspect and he had a it didn’t shield her from the SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – It photograph a footprint in the “He was itching to get her,” temper. gunfire that killed her, he said. began with a sheriff’s deputy Enon Beach mobile-home Inman said. “He kept radioing “He was a quiet person, but if “If she would have known investigating a report of park in western Ohio, Kelly in, can he please get her, and you made him mad he wasn’t there was a suspect in that gunfire at a trailer park. By the said. Hopper, who was married he was told no because it very pleasant,” 15-year-old trailer she’d have never time it was over, the deputy last year and had two children, wasn’t secure. You could see Chelsea Bagley said. walked that way without and the suspected shooter didn’t have the opportunity to that male sheriff crying he Her mother’s boyfriend, additional units and without were dead, and a police officer return fire or take cover, he wanted to get her, he wanted John Burkhardt, said he taking cover,” Kelly said. was wounded in a gunbattle said. to get her bad.” heard the shots fired in the Hopper once went six straight with the suspect. Police officers were trying to Sgt. Dustin White had neighborhood. Police then years without calling in sick “This is the worst day of talk to the shooting suspect accompanied Hopper to the arrived, Burkhardt said, and and often put on charity events my entire law enforcement when he fired on them trailer park, which is just for several minutes authorities for the Special Olympics and career,” said Clark County from inside a trailer, and a southwest of Springfield asked the suspect over a loud other causes, Kelly said. Sheriff Gene Kelly, who has German Township officer and about 50 miles west speaker to come out and “Her personnel file is been sheriff for 24 years. was wounded in an exchange of Columbus, and was surrender. filled with accolades and Deputy Suzanne Hopper was of gunfire, Kelly said. There interviewing a family whose “They give him 25 chances to commendations and always shot Saturday as she tried to were “many, many, many” trailer had been shot at when walk out of there,” Burkhardt service before self,” he said.q Universal Orlando ride evacuated after fire ORLANDO, Fla. – An evacuated visitors from island ride at Universal the surrounding area. He Orlando Resort was said “our guests were on evacuated Saturday after a the ride,” but that he did fire engulfed a roof structure not know whether any under which the ride carries passengers were carried visitors. No major injuries under the roof when it was were reported. on fire. Park spokesman Tom “That type of material puts Schroder said an employee out a lot of black smoke,” noticed smoke rising from Orlando Deputy Fire Chief Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Greg Hoggatt told the electrical problem triggered small number of visitors “We’re still reviewing that. Falls, a log float ride at Orlando Sentinel. the blaze. who said they had inhaled Too soon (to say) tonight,” Universal’s Islands of About 40 firefighters The fire department referred smoke. he said late Saturday. Adventure, around 5 p.m. responded to the fire, phone calls late Saturday to The ride remains shut down But he said the area known Saturday. The theme park is which was brought under Universal Orlando. while the blaze is under as Toon Lagoon, which part of the resort, which also control in about a half-hour. It was unclear how many investigation. Schroder said includes the log float ride, includes Universal Studios. Hoggatt told the newspaper people had to be evacuated. he did not have a damage reopened Saturday evening. Schroder said staff that investigators were Schroder said the Orlando estimate or know when the The theme park itself also shut down the ride and looking into whether an fire department assisted a ride would reopen. remains open.q U.S. NEWS A5 Monday, January 3, 2011 with two independents, and stop them. to uncover fraud, waste and Obama’s desire to “simplify only need 41 votes to block Republican attempts to abuse. With a degree of confusing provisions in the initiatives that arrive from the overturn regulations on issues political cover, Issa could then tax code, encouraging saving House. Among the reasons such as global warming also use those fi ndings to conduct and creating a tax system that that the Republican agenda could falter in the Senate. his own investigations. works for all Americans.” The will likely have a bigger When the EPA announced If the peace pact between challenge will be in reaching impact on the next election just before Christmas that it Biden and Issa holds, there agreement on the details. than on the day-to-day lives of planned to set greenhouse gas are other issues where the There could be times when most Americans are: emissions standards for power Obama administration and Obama will be closer to Much of the government plants and oil refi neries, Upton congressional Republicans Republicans than to liberal spending has been politically said, “We will not allow the can compromise as they did Democrats, who were furious untouchable. About 60 percent administration to regulate on extending Bush-era tax that Obama agreed to continue goes for entitlement programs, what they have been unable to cuts for all, coupled with an tax cuts for the wealthy and to including Medicare, Medicaid legislate.” Senate Democrats extension of unemployment levy inheritance taxes only on and Social Security. The may have a different view. benefi ts sought by the the very richest Americans. In this photo provided by CBS nation also is paying for wars Many eyes in the new session president. Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, incoming chairman of the in Iraq and Afghanistan and will focus on Issa, who will The incoming House Ways who is being replaced as the House Oversight and Govern- major reconstruction projects have subpoena power and can and Means Committee House’s majority leader, was ment Reform Committee, Rep. in those countries. Both parties investigate any government chairman, Rep. Dave Camp of asked by a reporter near the Darrell Issa, R-Calif., talks have considered it politically program. Michigan, favors overhauling end of the last Congress how on CBS's 'Facethe Nation' in foolish to mess with Medicare Issa has played good cop and tax laws. So does Obama. much trust exits between Washington Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011. The chief Republican in- and Social Security. Also, bad cop. He criticized Obama’s “The tax code is longer than Obama and liberals. vestigator, Issa has been espe- Republicans don’t have a most important programs, the Bible, but without the “On a scale of one to 10 I’m cially critical of what he calls clean record as budget cutters. including the economic happy ending,” Camp has not going to give you how waste in Obama's economic “Spending restraint on the stimulus. But less than a said. “What we need is a much,” he said. “As you stimulus spending. « Read less Republican side is a theory month after the Republicans comprehensive reform of know, I’m not willing to kind (AP Photo) yet to be proven,” said Robert won big in November, he had the tax code that expands of create or affi rm a breach 2012 ELECTION Bixby, executive director of a private peace meeting with the tax base and lowers rates between the White House and Continued from Page A2 the budget-watching Concord Vice President Joe Biden. by being fairer, simpler and the Congress. I think there’s Noem benefi ted from that Coalition. He noted that Neither is shy about entering conducive to growth.” That’s always tension and there view, defeating Democratic Democratic President Bill a political brawl, but initially not too far, in theory, from should be.” Rep. Stephanie Herseth Clinton’s budget surplus they have pledged to work Sandlin. Noem has risen to turned into defi cit under together against waste and the forefront of the freshman Republican George W. Bush. for openness in tracking class; she was chosen to serve Obama may be more government spending. in the GOP leadership. willing to compromise with Issa has not discouraged In the Senate, there’s a Republicans than in his fi rst articles suggesting he will send chance the Democrats will two years, but he will fi ght the administration subpoenas replace Republicans as the repealing the health care law. by the trainload. But he also party of “no,” assuming the Senate Democrats will almost wants to give subpoena power House GOP passes much of certainly stop major revisions. to nonpolitical government its agenda. Democrats will If for some reason they don’t, watchdogs inspectors general control the Senate 51-47 Obama will use his veto to and let them use that authority A6 U.S. NEWS Monday, January 3, 2011 GOP-led House plans to fight Obama pollution plan WASHINGTON – The incoming chairman of The administration now say it’ll act on its own the House Energy and Commerce Committee to clamp down on power plant and oil refinery is promising a fight over the Obama greenhouse emissions by developing new administration’s new approach on limiting standards over the next year. greenhouse gas emissions. Congress failed last But Michigan Rep. Fred Upton tells “Fox News year to pass limits and let companies buy and Sunday” that the GOP-led House won’t “let sell pollution permits. this administration regulate what they’ve been That system was known as “cap and trade” but unable to legislate.” He says Republicans want to Republicans it was “cap and tax” because to tackle the problem “in a reasonable way.”q they said it would raise energy prices. 4 children, 1 man killed in Seattle suburb fire REDMOND, Wash. – of all 12 apartments in the wife up,” he said. “It was an The mother of four young three-story wooden building inferno very horrific.” children could only watch were evacuated and found Crews from six fire in horror as a fire early New temporary housing. departments responded, Year’s day swept through The 30-year-old woman was and investigators from the her Redmond apartment, taken to a hospital where Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, killing the children and a she was reported in stable Firearms and Explosives, the 32-year-old man, officials condition, said Fire Battalion Washington State Patrol and and neighbors said. Chief Ed Carolan. a Seattle Fire Department “She couldn’t speak she was The names of the victims and canine arson detection unit just hysterically screaming,” the relationship between the were at the scene, though said neighbor Jared Wilson, man and woman were not there were no immediate who lives on the building’s immediately available. signs it was intentionally set, third floor. Police spokesman Officer Peringer said. He said the woman had Matt Peringer said Carolan said the fire was been able to escape the investigators are returning reported around 2:30 a.m. two-bedroom ground-floor to the scene Sunday to try to at the Sammamish Ridge apartment and but was determine the cause of the Apartments and quickly powerless to do anything blaze. burned the two units above when the flames engulfed her Chris Champoux and his it. All three were heavily home. All four children were wife were sleeping in their damaged and the apartments 10 or younger, fire officials apartment in the building next to them have smoke said. across a driveway from the damage, he said. No other injuries were units that burned. Wilson said only about 30 reported and the residents “The heat actually woke my seconds elapsed from the time he first heard shouting complex of three-story until his apartment was buildings in a wooded area surrounded by heavy smoke just northwest of downtown and he was forced to flee. As Redmond. It is about two he ran down the stairwell, miles north of the Microsoft he saw the woman, whose Corp. campus and about 12 children he had often seen miles east of Seattle. playing, screaming outside The buildings have smoke the building. detectors but not sprinklers, Wilson said he and another which weren’t required when resident grabbed a fire the complex was built in the extinguisher and the two mid-1980s, Peringer said. tried to enter the smoke-filled “It is an awful tragedy,” said apartment. “At that point, the Teresa Lunsford, resident whole place just went up” manager of the complex. and they were forced away According to Sammamish by the flames. Ridge’s website, it is managed “It’s tough thinking about the by Pan Pacific Properties, fact that she lost her whole a Seattle company that has family,” Wilson said nine apartment complexes in The building is one of a the Seattle area.q LOCAL A7 Monday, January 3, 2011 Senior citizens in San Nicolas love La Cabana Beach & Racquet Club and Tropicana Resort De Suikertuin’s òliebollen’ Sending 2010 Out With a Bang Read Page A10 The inhabitants of the senior citizens’ home in San Nicolas loved their surprise, Dutch traditional òliebollen’, last Friday. Just as the staff and ambulatory elderly raised their glasses to welcome the new year and say goodbye to the old, the oliebollen arrived. Chef Marjerie of De Suikertuin Restaurant had been frying them during the morning, so they were still fragrant and hot when they were doled out. Maris Stella’s Flora de Bie wished her colleagues and the elderly a very happy 2011 before the group outside raised their oliebollen with a cheer. The oliebollen were a joint donation from De Suikertuin Restaurant in the Wilhelminastraat and Beauty and the Beast - fantasy in jewelry.q A8 LOCAL LOCAL A9 Monday, January 3, 2011 Monday, January 3, 2011 Sharing the Joy PwC Hosts its Traditional Year End Celebration Oranjestad – On Thursday, one local business community work day ahead of New Year’s Eve, smarter, navigate the risks and PwC put on its traditional parking challenges, and pull itself ahead lot celebration with fireworks, of competitors. music and dancing, over cocktails, Pictured here PwC, sharing the olie bollen and hors d’oeuvres. joys and welcoming 2011q The party took off in an intimate format as all PwC associates congregated early in the afternoon to listen to Grupo Di Betico, who delivered a stellar performance. The private party later transformed into a public affair, as clients and friends of the firm arrived to join the festivities, with Orquestra Search. The fun client appreciation happening celebrated another year of opportunities as PwC helped the A10 LOCAL Monday, January 3, 2011 Sending 2010 Out With a Bang La Cabana Beach & Racquet Club Teams Up with the Tropicana Resort Eagle Beach – The two Eagle Beach Resorts teamed up to provide 2010 with a thunderous escort out, while warmly welcoming the new year in. La Cabana Beach Resort & Racquet Club General Manager Joe Najjar was on hand to watch Tropicana Resort General Manager Brian Stedeford put a match to the giant pagara, as millions of stringed-together Chinese firecrackers popped in celebration of the year’s end. The smoke, designed to ward evil spirits off, cleansed the garden area between the two properties, marking a new era of collaboration and shared opportunities. The pagara, stated Joe Najjar was a joint venture of the two resorts who call the beautiful Eagle Beach home. The Tropicana Resort recently unveiled its name, flying banners over the hotel façade once called the Aruban Resort & Casino.q LOCAL A11 Monday, January 3, 2011 Amazonia & Aqua Grill Welcomed the New Year in, on Friday Palm Beach – Members of management and employees of Amazonia Churrascaria and Aqua Grill Restaurant watched Chef Victor and Restaurant Manager Michael Ras, unbox and unfurl long strings of traffic-stopping firecrackers, then light the fuse and step back, allowing many millions of shells pop and dance in celebration of old year - new year transition. Restaurant staffers also enjoyed a toast of champagne, and a picture opportunity, just before opening the doors to what is traditionally one of the busiest nights of the year. Pictured here the good luck smoke as it engulfs the street for a moment, out with the old, in with the new!q