Roswell-Chaves County EDC News

August 27, 2010

RCC-EDC elects 3 Board Members.  The mood was upbeat at the “first annual dinner” of the Roswell-Chaves County Economic Development Corp, held at Anderson Museum on Thursday. Bill Owen, the corporation’s president, noted the purpose of the annual membership meeting was to vote in three new board members to the 25-member board and to thank the outgoing members.   For full story click here.

August 20, 2010

County OK's 4 Solar Permits.  Chaves County Commissioners unanimously approved four special-use permits for solar power during their monthly meeting, Thursday. The permits are associated with 13 separate locations in the county where solar panels are being set up to power agricultural equipment.   For full story click here.

August 14, 2010

Energy providers oppose change.  Business leaders and state and local lawmakers gathered in the Roswell Chamber of Commerce conference room, Friday, to discuss two petitions going before the State Environmental Improvement Board, which would regulate greenhouse gases.  A guest panel spoke to the group about the proposed regulations, economic implications should they become law and strategies for opposing them. Both of the new regulations could be approved by the EIB as early as the fall.  The EIB consists of seven members whose responsibility is to regulate air and water quality. The board is appointed by Gov. Bill Richardson.   For full story click here.

July 31, 2010

Pro ball may be invading Roswell in 2011.  The owner of a regional baseball league met with community leaders Friday to gather support for bringing an independent minor league team to Roswell. The team would be part of the Pecos League, an independent professional baseball league headquartered in Houston, and could arrive as early as 2011.  The Pecos League plays from May through August and consists of small cities throughout West Texas, New Mexico, eastern Arizona and southern Colorado. “Roswell is in the center of that and it’s got a stadium, it’s got people that want a team and it’s 50,000 people,” said Andrew Dunn, commissioner of the Pecos League. “It’s the perfect city for what we’re doing.”   For full story click here.

June 25, 2010

Device creates power from waste heat.  Tucked away in a corner of Roswell is a budding company whose president says is on the verge of a revolutionary change in how people and industrial companies get electricity.  Ken Newman, president of Berken Energy LLC, says his small team of employees developed a new device that turns waste heat into energy using thermoelectric technology. Researchers developed thin solid-state materials capable of powering up a factory with heated water or vapor, for example.   For full story click here.

June 18, 2010

Berken boosts waste energy power generation big time.  A homegrown technology from Roswell could substantially boost energy savings at industrial complexes worldwide.  Berken Energy LLC has developed a new thermo-electric device that it says efficiently turns heat into electricity. The generators are about the size of a mini van and can generate up to 1 megawatt of electricity from waste heat at industrial sites, such as oil and gas operations, said President Ken Newman.   For full story click here.

June 2, 2010

Governor Bill Richardson announces AerSale, Inc. expanding to Roswell. Governor Bill Richardson is in Roswell today to announce that AerSale, Inc. has acquired Great Southwest Aviation including its 15 employees, and plans to add 100 to 200 mechanics, inspectors and support staff as it grows its aircraft leasing business. AerSale, a Florida based company, has also acquired approximately 200,000 square feet of aircraft hangar and warehouse space at the Roswell International Air Center, and plans to acquire overthe next five years.  For full story click here.

April 19, 2010

Hitchcock honored for his work. A local resident was honored for his work within the community on Monday during the the Roswell Association of Realtors 2010 Citizen of the Year Luncheon.  Jon Hitchcock, president and CEO of Pioneer Bank, was the focus of attention at the luncheon that awarded him for his outstanding community work. The association has honored citizens who go above and beyond, since 1961.  For full story click here.

March 10, 2010

2010 Census Community Kick-Off. Census Committee members and community leaders held the 2010 Roswell Census Community Kick-Off at the Roswell Convention and Civic Center, Tuesday. The event included hors d’oeuvers, several guest speakers and live entertainment by Roswell and Goddard high school cheerleaders.  Committee chairwoman Judy Armstrong said the event was held to remind everyone to fill out their census forms and also showcase Roswell youth.    For full story click here.

March 9, 2010

Swearing in of new City officials. Council chambers in City Hall was packed with family, friends and well-wishers for the swearing in of seven new city officials on Monday.  Roswell’s newly-elected mayor, Del Jurney, and six council members formally took office after being sworn in by Judge Charles Currier of the Fifth District Court..  For full story click here.

February 25, 2010

ATF opens office at RPD;  A federal law enforcement officer announced the opening of a satellite station of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Roswell, Wednesday.  Two ATF agents, with the possibility of two more before the end of the year, have begun working out of the Roswell Police Department headquarters with local law enforcement personnel. The agents will focus primarily on locking up violent criminals and repeat offenders, said William Newell, special agent in charge of the ATF Phoenix Field Division.  For full story click here.

February 21, 2010

Pilots return to Roswell;  The 120 aviators and Navy support personnel are staying for three months. The 60 young Marine and Navy pilots are here for their military flight training, and the naval aircraft workers travel with the 16 turbo T-34c Beech craft planes. Their job is to keep the small orange and white planes safe to fly..  For full story click here.

December 15, 2009

Xcel Energy and Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell are breaking ground today on a 35-kilowatt solar installation at ENMU-R�s campus at the Roswell International Air Center The project is part of Xcel Energy�s New Mexico Community Solar program, which is placing solar installations in four eastern and southeastern New Mexico communities as a means of educating the public about the benefits of solar power in New Mexico. For full story click here. 

August 26, 2009

The Eagle has landed!  Roswell's first flight from Los Angeles International Airport was greeted with water cannons, a balloon release and refreshments as it pulled into the Roswell International Air Center on Tuesday. Flight 3113 arrived at 6 p.m., right on time. On hand to welcome the travelers were Roswell Mayor Sam LaGrone, County Commissioner Michael Trujillo, and Bob Donnell, executive director of the Roswell-Chaves County Economic Development Corporation. "To say we're excited would be an understatement," Donnell said. "The connectivity that we have now east-and west-bound out of Roswell is going to have a huge economic impact on Roswell, Chaves County and throughout the valley, as well as Ruidoso and Lincoln County." Donnell said both flights leaving in the morning - one to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and one to Los Angeles International Airport - are at full capacity. "We're going to have almost 90 people in our waiting room tomorrow morning," he said. Brian Coutts, managing director of sales for American Eagle Airlines, said the airline is approached by many cities who would like to have air service. "We chose Roswell because of the people," he said. "I've met a lot of great people here - the county commissioners, the mayors, the service committee members - and it's a very talented group of people and they were very dedicated and committed to making this a reality." "We look forward to a long, long relationship with the airport, the city, and the state of New Mexico," he said.  For full story, visit http://www.roswell-record.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=45189&SectionID=49&SubSectionID=112.

May, 18, 2009

American Eagle Airlines launches service from Los Angeles, Calf. to Roswell, NM. American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, will increase its service to eastern New Mexico with four nonstop flights per week from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Roswell International Air Center (ROW). The new service begins Aug. 25, 2009, and is in addition to the three daily round-trip flights now offered between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Roswell. The new service will be operated with 44-seat Embraer ERJ-140 regional jets. �The communities of eastern New Mexico have been extremely supportive of our DFW service, so we are delighted to be able to offer convenient jet service to the West Coast,� said American Eagle President and CEO Peter Bowler. �Customers can arrive in Los Angeles first thing in the morning and connect to popular Western destinations � such as Las Vegas, San Francisco and San Diego � or to cities throughout the American and American Eagle network.� For full story click here. For more information, visit www.aa.com.

May 13, 2009

Voters approve school bonds! Both Roswell Independent School District bonds on Tuesday's ballot passed by a landslide. Bond 1 for million, which will fund the district's master plan for renovating and updating aging buildings, passed by 72 percent. Bond 2, which will pay million to replace the heating and cooling system at Roswell High School and update science labs at Roswell and Goddard high schools, passed by 70 percent. Director of Instructional Programs Brian Shea, who staked out the county clerk's office as the numbers rolled in, said he was pleased, but not surprised. "I never like to guess, but we were confident," he said. "We hoped they would support us, and they have. They always have." For full story click here. For more information, visit www.risd.k12.nm.us.

April 30, 2009

Western Emulsions opens Manufacturing Plant in Roswell, New Mexico. Western Emulsions, Inc. (Western Emulsions), a leading innovator and supplier of asphalt emulsions products used for pavement preservation, repair and restoration, today announced the completion and opening of a new emulsions manufacturing and asphalt storage facility located on 15-acre rail-served site within Roswell International Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico. For full story click here. For more information, visit www.westernemulsions.com.

March 26, 2009

US News and World Report name Roswell, NM as one of the "10 Affordable Places to Retire". Many of the most exciting activities, of course, cost barely anything at all. Be on the lookout for low-cost and free things to do, like learning about comets, quasars, black holes at the Goddard Planetarium or hiking through the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Roswell, N.M. And don't forget to ask for a senior discount. For more information, visit www.usnews.com/articles/business/retirement/2009/03/26/10-affordable-places-to-retire.html?PageNr=2.

February 20, 2009

Great Southwest Aviation buys AAR and plans to add maintenance and repair divsion. Great Southwest Aviation is expanding its footprint at the Roswell International Air Center in two moves that together could add as many as 160 employees to its payroll. GSA has acquired AAR Aircraft Services in Roswell and also will be adding a maintenance, repair and overhaul division to its operations. Company officials expect the MRO division to be in operation in three or four months. The acquisition of AAR adds 100,000 square feet of hangar space to the company plant at the RIAC and triples the company�s workforce, adding 60 employees to the 30 now employed. The opening of the MRO division is expected to add another 50-100 employees. For more information on Great Southwest, visit www.greatsouthwestaviation.com.

February 9, 2009

Solar company coming to Roswell. Berken Solar, a company on the forefront of thin-film solar alternative energy technology, has occupied a large warehouse on the city's south side, and will begin production in as little as three months. The company is currently in the research and development phase, and is awaiting delivery on another large piece of equipment from France. Ken Newman, Director of Business Development, said the proximity to Eastern NM University-Roswell made the city a natural choice as well as the support from the community. According to Newman, the company currently has six full-time employees. If everything goes well, he added, the company will have between 30 and 50 employees by the end of the year. For full story click here. For more information on Berken Solar, visit www.berkensolar.com.

January 23, 2009

Solar pump plant coming to Roswell area. Sustainable Resources Inc., a company on the forefront of an emerging technology involving the desalinization of brackish and salt water through solar power, was recently awarded a one-year lease by the City of Roswell on a facility east of town. The company has committed to a five-year renewable lease on the former Roswell National Desalinization Test Facility, pending research to ensure that the building will meet its needs. SRI makes solar powered pumps for desalinization units, which filter the salt and pollutants out of salt and brackish water by pushing it through a series of membranes. For full story click here. For more information on SRI, visit www.sriglobal.org.

September 15, 2008

RISD awarded technology grant. The Roswell Independent School District has been awarded with a technology grant that will help schools provide up-to-date technology and cutting edge learning techniques to their students. The competitive grant, won by Dr. Suchint Sarangarm and the Assessment, Evaluation, and Technology Department, consists of approximately ,983.00 for the proposed project, and a chance for further funding depending on the results of the initial plan. The Activclassroom project is scheduled to begin in November, 2008. For more information on RISD, visit www.risd.k12.nm.us.

September 15, 2008

RISD awarded grant for Singapore Math Institutes. The New Mexico Public Education Department Math and Science Bureau has awarded the Roswell Independent School District with a grant for Singapore Math Institutes. The grant, which consists of ,000 and possible future financing depending on institute outcomes, will allow the district to conduct special workshops for educators that will not only introduce them to the concept of Singapore Math, but will give them hands on experience with the technique through math problems that are relevant to their specific grade level of teaching. For more information on RISD, visit www.risd.k12.nm.us.

June 3, 2008

Verety announces expansion in Roswell, NM. In March, Verety announced that it would be expanding operations in Roswell, N.M., with initial plans to bring 100 new jobs to the area by the end of 2008. However, it now has plans to hire 250 new specialists by the end of the year. To date, the company has hired 49 remote order specialists and is working closely with Chaves County Development Foundation to increase its recruitment efforts in the region. In addition, Verety conducts regular training classes for its new specialists at Eastern New Mexico University’s Roswell campus. For more information on Verety, LLC, visit www.verety.com.

March 7, 2008

Verety to bring 100 new work at home jobs to New Mexico. Roswell, NM – The New Mexico Economic Development Partnership (NMEDP) and The Chaves County Development Foundation announced today that Verety, LLC will establish its remote order services operation in Roswell, NM, bringing 100 new work-at-home jobs to Chaves County. For more information on Verety, LLC, visit www.verety.com.

January 21, 2008

American Eagle Airlines to increase service from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Roswell, NM. FORT WORTH, Texas – American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, will increase its service to Roswell, N.M., beginning April. 7 by adding a third daily round trip between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Roswell International Air Center, using 50-seat ERJ-145 aircraft. For more information, visit www.flyroswell.com.