Posts Tagged ‘New Mexico’

Release courtesy of The Bridge of Southern New Mexico

The first early college high school (ECHS) in New Mexico opened its doors to students on Tuesday, July 6, 2010, when approximately 116 LCPS freshmen began classes. The new high school, the fifth within Las Cruces Public Schools, will temporarily be housed within the Dona Ana Community College (DACC) for the 2010/2011 school year.

LCPS Superintendent Stan Rounds said, “This school is the direct result of community and educational partners coming together to address the future of our local students,” said Rounds. “It began with a dream, molded itself through the Bridge initiative, and now I’m proud to announce we have our first class of students.”

The Bridge (formerly known as the REI – Regional Education Initiative) brought together private business, public and higher education, government, and economic development, to find solutions on reducing the dropout rate and better preparing graduates for the workforce.

“This is a really great day for our community and it shows the impact of people coming together to seek solutions together,” said Suzanne Quillen, chairwoman of The Bridge of Southern New Mexico. “The early college high school is nationally a best practice for reducing the dropout rate and preparing young people to successfully enter the work force.”

Rounds said the LCPS ECHS will offer students the chance to earn not only a high school diploma, but also to graduate from high school with an associate’s degree and credits toward a bachelor’s degree. The ECHS will emphasize science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) classes, entrepreneurship, along with career and technical education (CTE) courses.

Students were selected by completing an application and participating in a lottery drawing. The first class of ECHS freshmen (the class of 2014) will begin their high school careers with “a ninth-grade experience that will ignite their interest in education by providing relevance to their academics through high quality career and technical education (CTE) studies,” said Jennifer Amis, principal. “More than half our students will be the first in their families to attend a college or university.”

“This collaborative project has opened up a new avenue to higher education, one that affords greater access for many of our community’s youth who otherwise might have seen college as just a distant dream. Early College High School is about turning those dreams into reality while, at the same time, strengthening our workforce,” said Dr. Margie Huerta, DACC president. “The opening of this innovative school is proof that DACC, LCPS and NMSU can work together effectively to improve educational opportunities.”

“Nationally, early college high schools have a 90% graduation rate,” said Tracey Bryan, executive director of The Bridge. “They offer smaller learning environments and real-world applications in the coursework. This will give students a firm foundation on which to build a strong future for themselves, their families and their communities.”

By the summer of 2011, construction will be complete on a permanent eight-acre ECHS campus on Arrowhead Research Park on the western edge of NMSU. The state-of-the-art classrooms facilities are currently being designed by Studio D Architects of Las Cruces in collaboration with GenCon Corporation, LCPS, and the Arrowhead Development Corporation.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Marvin Tessneer

The NRG Energy Company is planning to use a different power generation system than originally proposed for its Santa Teresa facility. It now plans to use tracking mirrors and photovoltaic panels to convert New Mexico’s ample sunlight into electrical power, a company spokesman reported.

Previously, NRG had planned to use a solar-thermal system that reflected and directed sunlight with mirrors at a steep angle into towers that boiled water for steam-powered turbines to generate electric power.

The company now intends to use solar panel arrays to generate electric power with a photovoltaic system because using a solar-thermal array would take longer, said NRG spokesman David Knox.

“What we have in this system is transforming solar power directly into electrical power,” Knox said. “We’ve been working with El Paso Electric Co. to determine a schedule to bring solar power on line as soon as possible.”

NRG decided to make the change to comply with New Mexico Public Regulations Commission (PRC) time line requirements. NRG also has a purchase agreement with El Paso Electric (EPE) Co.

NRG and EPE had first agreed on a 92-megawatt generation facility, but because the photovoltaic system is a new technology, they agreed to reduce the generation to 20 megawatts, the power company reported.

Construction dates for the photovoltaic plant proposal are pending a review and approval by the PRC, Knox said.

The photovoltaic panels will be set up in arrays. The panels will absorb light photons to turn into electricity.

“When photons strike the solar cells contained in a solar panel, they can be reflected, absorbed or passed through the panel,” according to a First Solar information source. “When photons are absorbed, they have the energy to knock electrons loose, which flow in one direction in the panel and exit through connecting wires as solar electricity, ultimately providing power for residential and commercial users.”

First Solar is the leading photovoltaic panel manufacturer in the United States and has been providing panels for the NRG Blythe Solar Project in Riverside County in southeastern California.

“Power generated by the Blythe Solar Plant can provide enough energy to serve the needs of about 17,000 homes at peak capacity and will replace more than 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year from fossil fuel generation,” a First Solar information release states.

NRG is planning to install the photovoltaic arrays on 450 acres near Santa Teresa, 10 miles west of El Paso. But it has not named a solar panel manufacturer for the project, pending PRC approval, Knox said.

When completed, the solar-power system will be connected with an EPE transmission line, avoiding additional construction, the utility company reported.

NRG has been conducting a 21-megawatt solar power research and development project at the commercial Blythe plant since 2009. The solar-generated power has been sold to Southern California Edison under a 20-year purchase agreement.

“This project demonstrates leadership for California in the utility-scale solar market, providing the lowest-cost solar energy available and helping the state meet its renewable portfolio standard,” the company reported.

Private sector funding from the businesses and organizations throughout the New Mexico Borderplex is a mainstay of MVEDA’s ability to continue in its mission of creating new employment opportunities for area residents. MVEDA is proud to announce four new Partners for the second quarter:  Action Equipment Rental; Gerald A. Martin, LTD; Ibarbo Consulting Group, LLC; and Sunland Nursery Company.

Action Equipment Rental is the largest independently-owned New Mexico rental equipment supplier. Joseph Muench and his management team have over 100 combined years of equipment rental experience.  Action Equipment Rental has a huge selection of the finest brand name rental equipment in their heavy equipment, construction machinery, power tools, and party and event equipment inventory.

Gerald A. Martin, LTD provides Owner’s Representative Program Management, Project Management, and Construction Management Services for a wide range of clientele that includes public and private agencies and organizations. Under the leadership of company President Fred Gorenz, Gerald Martin Construction is managing the construction locally of Spaceport America and the new Las Cruces high school.

Ibarbo Consulting Group, LLC is a minority-owned Limited Liability Company focused on improving people’s quality of life through business development and job creation.  President Peter R. Ibarbo formed the group to provide specialized business support services and business outreach. Associate members of the group include Tara Lucero and Armando Martinez.

Sunland Nursery Company provides all types of plants acclimated for the arid southwest and inter-mountain regions.  Their trade area includes Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Utah. They are located 5.5 miles south of Las Cruces, NM off Highway 478 at 620 W. Richardson Road. Lance Harkey is the general manager.

MVEDA’s Partners are linked from MVEDA’s website and are listed in the on-line Business Resource Guide.

Article courtesy of the New Mexico Amigos

Las Cruces, New Mexico artist, Virginia Maria Romero, was commissioned to provide the gift presented to Virgin Galactic representatives, by the New Mexico Amigos, during the Amigos recent tour of Virgin Galactic’s facility at the Mojave Spaceport in California.  The New Mexico Amigos, made up of civic and business leaders from around the state, serve as official goodwill ambassadors for New Mexico.

An image of Romero’s painting Blast Off which she completed in 2007; depicting a spaceship taking off from the New Mexico desert inspired by the news of a New Mexico Spaceport, along with an authorized photo of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, and Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic, were used to create a tile mural by her and her Arte de Romero business partner.

A New Mexico Amigo, Governor Bill Richardson, presented Romero’s artwork to representatives of Virgin Galactic during the tour.  For further information contact New Mexico Amigos, Mike Pemberton: mpemberton@nmamigos.com

The New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NMMEP) invites you to attend a workshop to reduce manufacturing costs.

July 21, 2010

Location: Dona Ana Community College Workforce Center

2345 E Nevada Ave, Las Cruces, New Mexico

8am Registration

8:30am-3:00pm Workshop (Lunch included)

Who should attend? Everyone who is involved in producing a product — all levels of the company will benefit and be able to apply the Lean Manufacturing to reduce product costs.

You will see results!

• Ways to work smarter, not harder, and get more done

• Proven Lean Manufacturing techniques to reduce costs through

O Increased efficiency

O Better utilization of resources

O Improved productivity

O Reduced overtime

• How to identify and eliminate the 8 types of non-value added activities (wastes) to save time and money

• How to immediately apply Lean principles in your facility

No charge for attending – The tuition ($350) is subsidized by New Mexico Small Business Assistance for qualified companies. Eligibility confirmation is required prior to the workshop.

Space is limited. Register before July 7, 2010 by calling Jeff Abrams (575)642-3577 or via email: jeffa@newmexicomep.org.

*Must be a NM manufacturer meeting U.S. Small Business Administration requirements for small business.