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Show Stalled Ophelia soaks coastal North Carolina ___753-6671 BY MARGARET LILLARD Associated Press Writer SALTER PATH, N.C (AP) - Hurricane Ophelia crawled along the North Carolina coast on Thursday, prolonging its punishment of the Outer Banks with rain and wind as coastal residents elsewhere returned home to damaged homes and businesses. While the weakening storm's center was expected to stay just offshore, the northern side of Ophelia's eyewall, the ring of high wind surrounding the eye, could remain over the Outer Banks until midday Friday, the National Hurricane Center said. Ophelia was "just beating us to death," said Alton Ballance, who lives on the Outer Banks' Ocracoke Island, just south of Hatteras. "It's similar to the wintertime nor'easters that lay there and beat you for a couple of days," he said. Gov. Mike Easley said getting a handle on the scope of damage was difficult because of the storm's slow path, first affecting the states southeastern coast on Tuesday and then crawling north and east Wednesday and Thursday to its position off the Outer Banks. "It's almost like working three different storms," Easley said. More than 81,000 homes and businesses remained without power Thursday in eastern North Carolina, utilities said. It appeared the mainland had dodged the severe flooding many had feared, but the wind and waves had taken a toll. WINDOW TINTING | WINDSHIELDS 25%OFF !$100OFF LaBeau's uU- oi ike, "The LaBeau Special" 1/3 lb. Hamburger Pattie Ham Tomato Pickle Fry sauce Lettuce Onion Photo courtesy of AP JORDAN TOMCZAK, 5, jumps from sandbag to sandbag in front of her father's business, the Oriental Steamer Restaurant and Tavern, on Thursday, Sept.15,2005, in Oriental NC. The restuarant, which was under four feet of water after Hurricane Isabel, was spared during Hurricane Ophelia, with flood water barely reaching the restaurant's lobby. "We were not expecting this," said Laurie Garner, whose boyfriend's restaurant was severely damaged at Salter Path on Bogue Banks, southwest of Morehead City. "It just beat us and beat us and beat us." Ophelia, an erratic storm that has looped and meandered north since forming off the Florida coast last week, stalled early Thursday afternoon, then resumed a drift toward the east-northeast at about 3 mph, the hurricane center said. Its top sustained wind speed had eased back to 75 mph, barely strong enough to be classified as a hurricane. Since it was weakening and its direction was toward open ocean, a hurricane warning for the North Carolina coast was reduced to a tropical storm warning, extending from Cape Lookout northward to Cape Charles Light, Va., including the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, the hurricane center said. The storm was blamed for one traffic death. Earlier, a surfer disappeared in rough water off the coast of South Carolina. On the Outer Banks, Dare County officials said Hatteras Island reported gusts to 95 mph. Other than power outages, Hatteras Island was in pretty good shape, said county spokeswoman Sharon Sullivan. Farther north on the Outer Banks, most businesses remained open in Nags Head and Manteo and a few people braved intermittent rain squalls to shop or check out the surf. David Goddard, 58, of Asbhurn, Va., said he was a bit disappointed in Ophelia. "I'm a weather junkie," he said. "I thought it was gonna be worse than this." Ocean water was not expected to wash over the islands, although coastal storm surge flooding of 4 feet to 6 feet above normal tide was expected, along with large and battering waves. J. TXT 165 EAST 1400 NORTH LOGAN (435) 752-2140 Introducing... QSrilliant PRECISION • BEAUTY • FOREVER Soldier pleads guilty to role in cocaine smuggling scheme, sentenced to six years in prison Thursday BY ALICIA A. CALDWELL Associated Press Writer FORT BLISS, Texas (AP) - A soldier stationed in Colombia as part of the U.S. war on drugs was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty in a scheme to smuggle cocaine into the United States using military planes. Army Staff Sgt. Kelvin Irizarry-Melendez, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wrongful importation of cocaine and a charge related to taking money to Colombia. Lt. Col. Jeffery Nance sentenced Irizarry-Melendez to six years, reduced his rank to private and ordered a dishonorable discharge. Under a plea deal, Irizarry-Melendez could have been sentenced to no more than 9 1/2 years. Irizarry-Melendez apologized to his family, the court and the Army in a brief statement. He said he joined in the drug ring in part to help support his family and pay for costly medical treatments to help correct his daughter's debilitating foot problem. "I felt I had to do something to help with my daughter's condition," a tearful Irizarry-Melendez said. He and three other soldiers were accused of smuggling cocaine from a U.S. base in Colombia. All four have been jailed since their arrests earlier this year. Irizarry-Melendez also had been charged with making a false official statement, illegal use of cocaine and illegal use and transportation of weapons, according to post officials. Those charges were not pursued as part of the plea agreement. The accused ringleader, Staff Sgt. Daniel Rosas, who is scheduled to stand trial later this month, told investigators that he and Irizarry-Melendez were responsible for the drug smuggling, with the other two soldiers concentrating mostly on fronting money to buy the drugs. Irizarry-Melendez told the judge Thursday that he assisted the operation, and even helped another soldier steal cocaine from Rosas, but didn't smuggle drugs or money. Spec. Francisco Rosa pleaded guilty last month to a series of charges and was sentenced to five years in prison, a reduction in rank to private and a bad-conduct discharge. Staff Sgt. Victor J. Portales is scheduled for trial in November. 'Ilie Necdham Brilliant is known for precision, beauty and lasting value. There is no other diamond like it. These diamonds come with a special diamond grading report <i precise <jui io assure maximum light relurn and a laser inscribed identification number for security purposes. You may also personalize your diamond with a laser inscription seen only under magnification. The Needham Brilliant..Precision.., Beauty., .iorevcr a Store Hours'. Monday • Friday 9:10-8:00 Saturday 'til 6:00 141 North Main * 752-7149 www.sencciJharn.com Customer Service • IRAQ From page 2 trated. detailing evidence. U.S. and Iraqi forces using The Americans have quietly loudspeakers roamed the discontradicted that government trict warning residents to stay line, saying the insurgency is indoors because five more sui- only about 20 percent foreign. cide car bombers were believed The massive bombings took to be in the area. place with both Iraqi President Many victims of Jalal Talabani and Prime Wednesday's attacks were Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari in killed shortly after dawn when the United States. a bomber lured day laborers to "Today, Iraq is facing one his small van with the promise of the most brutal campaigns of work, then detonated his of terror at the hands of the explosives in the heavily Shiite Kazimiyah district. Some of the dead were "Today, Iraq is facing taken for burial Thursday to the huge Shiite cemetery one of the most brutal in the holy city of Najaf, 100 campaigns of terror at miles south of Baghdad. "We appeal to the govthe hands of the forces ernment to punish those of darkness. We are in criminals immediately," said Ali Hamza, a victim's father, ;desperate need of your in tears. 'experience, investment As al-Qaida in Iraq intensified its bombing and and your moral support propaganda campaign, the fpr the effort to fight government hit back with threats. terrorism." "We will not retreat or be silent. Jalal Talabani There will be no room Iraqi President for you (insurgents) in all of Iraq. We will chase you wherever you go," Defense Minister Sadoun al-Dulaimi, a forces of darkness," Talabani Sunni, told reporters. said Thursday, addressing the Iraqi authorities have taken U.N. General Assembly with pains in recent days to conan appeal for international vince the population that the help. insurgency is overwhelmingly "We are in desperate need foreign, claiming, for example, of your experience, investment that they arrested a Palestinian and your moral support for the and a Libyan in the Kazimiyah effort to fight terrorism." attack. With bombs continuing The bomber was a Syrian, to exploded in Baghdad, U.S. the government said without forces and insurgents report- edly clashed in Ramadi, a militant stronghold on the road to neighboring Jordan. A Web posting purportedly from Al-Qaida in Iraq said its forces engaged the American military in the predominantly Sunni city. Police Capt. Nasir Alusi said U.S. and Iraqi troops in Ramadi came under mortar attack as militants roamed the streets. Shops were closed and streets empty. Automatic gunfire echoed through the area, he said. The Americans did not confirm the engagement, but Lynch said U.S. operations were continuing in Anbar province, where Ramadi is the capital. Meanwhile, The Associated Press obtained the text of minor, final changes to Iraq's draft constitution. The United Nations is to print the draft in Baghdad and insure its distribution before the referendum, but the world body said it was awaiting final approval. There were conflicting reports on when Iraq's parliament would sign off on the document. Two articles in the draft were changed, one was dropped entirely and one was added. Of those, the main change was a new clause noting that Iraq was a founding member of the Arab League, an addition Sunni Arabs sought to underline the country's links with the Arab world. Open House Friday, September 16th 10:00am-5:00pm 1525 N 600 E North Logan • Walk-ins Welcome! Inbound Customer Service Representatives Choose a career with Convergys! We're looking for driven individuals to provide programming, billing and activation assistance for our top client DirecTV. Join our team today! • Competitive Wages & Incentives • Variety of Shifts Offered • FREE Satellite System with Premium Programming • Paid Training and Much More! If you are unable t o attend, Call: 7 5 0 - 1 4 1 4 , ext. USU-GDB7 or, apply online at: www.convergys.greatjob.net Media Code: USU Job Code: GDB7 CONVERGYS • • • • Convergys Is an EOE M/F/D/V • Outthinking. Outdoing. DIRECTV. |