US buying town to train for terrorism response

NEW YORK – The US Department of Homeland Security is buying a tiny town in the western state of New Mexico to turn it into a lab for terrorism response training, The New York Times reported yesterday.

A small New Mexico engineering school will buy Playas, population 50, from a mining company with five million dollars provided by Washington, the report said. The town, located in empty desert plains just north of the Mexican border, was built by a mining company in the 1970s and had a peak population of 1 000 before the copper smelter was shut down.Though now practically deserted, it “has all the characteristics of a contemporary American community: the churches, the bank, the health clinic, even the baseball diamonds,” said Van Romero, vice president for research at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.But since it’s a company town, Playas is actually somewhat better appointed than most towns its size, with a watering hole, bowling alley, rodeo ring, community swimming pool, shooting range, helicopter pad and a small airstrip.But the closest city, El Paso, Texas, is three hours away.Wild animals roam empty cul-de-sacs and weeds poke through the asphalt.- Nampa-AFPThe town, located in empty desert plains just north of the Mexican border, was built by a mining company in the 1970s and had a peak population of 1 000 before the copper smelter was shut down.Though now practically deserted, it “has all the characteristics of a contemporary American community: the churches, the bank, the health clinic, even the baseball diamonds,” said Van Romero, vice president for research at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.But since it’s a company town, Playas is actually somewhat better appointed than most towns its size, with a watering hole, bowling alley, rodeo ring, community swimming pool, shooting range, helicopter pad and a small airstrip.But the closest city, El Paso, Texas, is three hours away.Wild animals roam empty cul-de-sacs and weeds poke through the asphalt.- Nampa-AFP